Astralite
Note: Starting in this chapter, there will be parts of the story that have two links to music. I will always try to have fitting music that is from either Ocarina of Time or from Majora's Mask itself. (Unless it's a special scene). At times, I will have links to songs which I personally find more fitting. (Such as ambiance, remixes from other Zelda games, etc.) The first link will always be classic, while the second will be my choice. You are more than welcome to use either one, although I feel the recommended song would be more fitting for the scene.
Termina's Final Twilight
Chapter 4: Astralite
Twilight turned around and admired the view from Snowhead mountain: she could clearly see Clock Town with a beach to its west, a rocky region to its east, and a forest to its south. She smiled at the sight, and then continued up the mountain path. The air was definitely chilly, but not cold enough to require a scarf.
A few patches of snow dotted the ground, but the early spring weather must had melted a lot of it. The climb was exhausting for her, but she was able to teleport a short distance with what little magic she could muster. To her relief, they soon reached a large flat area relatively close to the peak. A lone cabin rested in the middle of the clearing, dark puffs of smoke rising from its chimney. The thought of a warm place to rest was very inviting to Twilight.
“That's the smithy's cabin. I wonder if that kook actually knows how to properly forge while using an Astralite gem.” said Tatl, who was resting on Link’s shoulder.
Twilight turned to the fairy, and noticed a glint of frost on her wings. The mountain clearing was a bit frostier than the path had been with larger spots of snow still present, and the path that continued up the mountain was completely white. The air itself was a bit colder as well, but still comfortable enough to stand.
“So, this is the same smith that forged Link's sword, right?” Twilight asked.
Link turned to her and nodded. Reaching behind himself, he unsheathed the sword to show Twilight. She got a good look at it earlier back at Clock Town, but she didn’t get to examine it up close. It was definitely a beautiful sword; it had a golden glimmer to it, and the blade itself was very well polished.
Twilight looked up at Tatl. “If he was able to make something as impressive as this, why don’t you think he could do the same with Astralite?”
The fairy shook her body, removing the frost from her wings and chiming softly in the process. She floated off Link's shoulder and hovered in front of Twilight.
“The loon has some giant creature that does all the work for him. He's just a crook that takes all the credit. The giant is definitely an impressive smith, but who really knows what it's capable of? I honestly don’t think the owner of the forge even knows!” She returned to her place on Link's shoulder. Turning to Link, Twilight asked, “So Link, shall we ask the smith if he ever heard of an Astralite gem?”
“Oh...Astralite gems? Those are very tasty; they are a real delicacy around here!”
They all turned around after hearing the voice behind them. Twilight froze in place at the sight of a massive creature, large and brown, unlike anything she had ever seen before. It loomed over her, looking down with what seemed like a smile on its face.
“Don't be scared little horse, I won't hurt you! I promise! We Gorons mainly eat rocks and gems.” The Goron reached his hand down and patted Twilight on her back. He was incredibly powerful; what was meant to be a gentle act of kindness left Twilight cringing with pain.
“I have to say, I’ve never seen a talking horse before! I’ve heard singing frogs by the waterfall, but that’s about it!” She managed a nervous laugh as she quickly scanned the creature, noticing some kind of rocky growth on its back. While it was clearly muscular, it presented itself as a gentle giant, and that it had a small patch of hair on the top of its head, as well as a goatee.
Twilight shook away her initial shock and asked, “Do you know where we could find any Astralite? We are on a very important mission, and need to find some quickly!”
The Goron seemed to get a little nervous, and began to scratch his head. “Well, there used to be a cave close to Snowhead Temple that was rich with Astralite, but a pack of terrifying Dodongos made a nest inside. We haven't been able to get any gems in years.”
“And what exactly is a Dodongo?”
“They are giant dinosaur monsters! Very mean too! They will breathe fire at anyone, and eat us Gorons for a snack!” The Goron was clearly terrified as he explained what the creature was. His body was shaking and beads of sweat dripping down his face.
“Hey Goron, I thought Snowhead was too cold for the Dodongos? Isn't that why they always stayed at the foot of the mountain?” asked Tatl.
He turned to the fairy and replied, “Yes, they were at the bottom of our mountain for many years, but they have since moved to that particular cave. We don't really know why, but many Gorons have never returned!”
Not wanting to trouble the Goron anymore, Twilight turned to Link. “Maybe they like to eat the Astralite gems, like the Gorons. Do you think there could be any left?”
Link shrugged his shoulders as Tatl asked the Goron another question. “We really need one of those gems; do you think you could lead us up to the cave?”
The Goron let out a small groan. “I could lead you there if you really need to go, but promise me I can come right back!”
The fairy sighed. “Sure, whatever. Just make sure you lead us to the right cave.”
The Goron started to walk towards the path leading higher up the mountain. “Okay, please follow me. It's not very far from here, but the path is a little steep.”
He then slowly trudged up the trail with the group followed behind him. Tatl flew under Link's hat while mumbling to herself, “Ugh, these Gorons look so tough, but they're all wimps!”
***
“Here we are, this is the cave with the Astralite in it. The gems should be at the lowest level, but please be careful around those Dodongos!”
The Goron gave Link and Twilight a quick smile before turning away from the group. To Twilight’s confusion, he sat on the ground and slammed his head into the ground. She watched in amazement as the Goron began to roll down the mountain, much like a boulder.
“Wow! That’s amazing!” she exclaimed as she continued to watch the rolling Goron until he was out of sight.
Getting impatient, Tatl landed on Twilight's head before saying, “Yeah yeah, it's brilliant. Can we get on with it? The sun will be setting soon, and we’ve got a lot of ground to cover!”
Twilight nodded and turned to Link, following him into the dark cave.
***
“It's getting really cold in here; I wish I packed a scarf!” Twilight’s teeth chattered as she shivered. The deeper they went into the cavern, the colder it seemed to get.
“This is nothing compared to Snowhead Temple which is a bit further up the mountain. Just be happy you don't have to go through that mess like we did!” Tatl's voice came from underneath Link's hat.
Twilight chuckled at her comment. “Easy for you to say. You're all warm under Link's hat!”
Tatl poked out from her shelter. “Yeah yeah, but you can't imagine how itchy it is! I don't think this kid has had a haircut in his entire life!”
The pair continued to chat amongst themselves, much to Link's relief. He didn't expect Tatl to get along very well with their new companion, but she had changed much over the years. He could remember when he first met the spunky fairy, and how cold she was towards him. As the two journeyed together, they developed a level of trust and respect towards each other. He could definitely tell that Tatl had matured, despite her snarky attitude.
The cave walls seemed to close in on the group as they ventured deeper into the cavern. Twilight took the lead, lighting the way with her horn. Not accustomed to adventuring, Twilight found herself on edge. Even the faintest sound sent a chill down her spine, and she expected a monster to leap from the shadows at any moment. Instead, the narrow tunnel opened into a larger room lined with crystals, each one emitting a faint light.
Twilight stopped for a moment to admire the magical glow. Of course, she knew it wasn’t really magic, but it was just as beautiful. “Do you think those crystals are Astralite?” she asked.
Tatl, who found herself intrigued by the crystals, hovered towards one of the exposed gems. “Even if they are, they’re too difficult to reach. They’re also quite small…we should move forward and see if there are larger crystals somewhere else.”
Link seemed to be more interested in a strange marking on the floor. The figure was familiar to him, resembling a type of pressure plate he had encountered many times on his adventures.
Scanning the room, he noticed a stone block perched on a nearby ledge. Although it was out of his reach, a conveniently placed ladder would allow him to climb up to it. Unfortunately for Link, the old ladder gave out about half-way up and with a yell, he fell to the cave’s floor.
Twilight ran to him as he slowly stood up, one hand holding his side.
“Link! Are you alright?” she asked worriedly. He gave a slow nod, but started to rub his back.
Looking at the ground, she saw pieces of the ladder strewn along the floor. It was obviously very old, and the wooden rungs must had worn out over time..
Twilight looked around, trying to see what Link was after. On the ledge above her, she found the odd block that he was trying to reach. She teleported the short distance over to it and noticed that the symbol painted on every face of the cube matched the one on the switch on the ground.
Peering over the ledge, Twilight called out, “What were you going to do with this? Maybe I can help!”
Link approached the switch he was examining earlier, and pointed at the block, and then to the plate.. Noticing the connection, Twilight got behind the block and tried her best to shove it over the edge. She tried pushing it with her front hooves first, but quickly found she couldn’t budge it at all. She then tried push it using her whole body, but only managed to move it a few inches.
Realizing that it would take forever at this pace, she turned around and gave the block a good hard kick. The stone toppled over the edge, plummeting to the ground below. Twilight walked to the edge and peered down with a triumphant smile.
Surprised at her strength, Link stared at her in shock. “You didn’t think I had it in me, did you?” yelled Twilight. He shook his head, and her smile grew even wider. She teleported back down to the ground below, and approached the pressure pad Link had previously been standing over.
She examined it until she heard a grunt coming from her side and saw the block sliding across the floor as Link pushed it from behind. Despite being concerned about the injury he received from his fall, she stepped aside and kept it to herself. Eventually, the block slid over the pressure plate, causing an audible click to echo throughout the room.
Wiping sweat from his brow, Link began looking around the room, as if searching for something. Twilight’s ears perked up as she heard what sounded like rocks falling. Turning around, she noticed that a hole had opened up on the far wall with a pile of rocks strewn about its entrance.
“Link, look over there! That switch must have opened up that passageway!” exclaimed Twilight. Link grinned as he turned toward the direction she was pointing.
Pleased with their accomplishment, Twilight galloped towards the exit at a brisk pace as Link quickly followed behind her. As she reached the passageway, a noise made her freeze in her tracks. A loud roar echoed from the darkness ahead, causing her to reel in fear.
Link grunted as she bumped into him, but he held his ground. He recognized the monstrous roar and stepped in front of Twilight with his sword and shield drawn. From the darkness crept a beast that he had fought many times in his adventures. It stumbled out of the passageway and into the large cavern, taking deep breaths every step of the way. Twilight nervously peered from behind Link and was immediately drawn to the rows of razor-sharp teeth that jutted from the creature’s mouth.
“Link, is that a D-D-Dodongo?” stuttered Twilight, though she felt she already knew the answer.
He simply nodded in response, not taking his eyes off of the monster. Fearing it was getting ready to attack, Twilight slowly backed away from Link.
Noticing her movement, the Dodongo let out another roar and lunged forward. With a shriek, Twilight jumped straight up into the air and ran away as fast as she could. Link leaped into the Dodongo’s path, using his shield to stop it.
The monster roared in pain as it collided with Link’s shield, taking a few steps back while shaking its head in confusion. Not giving it a chance to recover, Link swept around behind it to slash at its tail. Green blood splashed along the wall as the Dodongo violently swung its tail around.
Caught off guard by the move, Link was sent crashing into a nearby wall.
Watching the battle from a distance, Twilight screamed as she saw Link fly through the air.
Link slammed onto the ground, with the Dodongo looming over him. Fearing for her friend, Twilight dug her hoof into the ground, and charged towards the Dodongo with her teeth clenched. Just as Link attacked it before, she reared up on her hind legs and stomped on the monster’s tail.
The beast thrashed its tail around in an attempt to shake off its attacker, but Twilight predicted as much, managing to steer clear of the attack. She held her ground as the monster turned to face her, but instead of biting her like she’d expected, the Dodongo itself rose up and started to inhale a large amount of air. All Twilight could do was watch carefully, completely unaware of what it was doing.
Tatl, however, knew exactly what was about to happen. “Sparky!” she shouted, “You’ve gotta get out of the way! It’s about to breathe out fire!”
“It’s about to WHAT?!”
Twilight watched in shock, blinking in disbelief, as the Dodongo let out a steady stream of fire.
Link and Tatl looked on in fear as Twilight froze up.
“TWILIGHT! DO SOMETHING!”
Shaking off her daze, Twilight lowered her head and summoned a thin barrier, diverting the torrent of fire towards the ceiling. She had to clench her teeth as a sharp pain started to shoot through her body.
“This is no good, I can’t keep this up for much longer!” she thought to herself.
The barrier started to blur along with her vision, and struggling to keep herself up, Twilight watched as the stream continued with no end in sight.
Unable to keep her spell together, she collapsed to the ground. Bracing herself for the oncoming flames, she knew there was nothing stopping her from being burned to cinders.
After a few moment had passed, she looked up to see the Dodongo lying motionless on the ground. Behind it was Link, pulling his sword from the creature’s tail. He walked over to Twilight’s side to help her up.
“Thank you, I’m afraid to imagine what would have happened if you weren’t there to help. If only I could use more of my magic, I wouldn’t feel like as much of a hindrance.”
Letting out a disheartened sigh, Twilight lowered her head and slowly walked towards the dead Dodongo. Its lifeless body made her feel uneasy, and a little guilty. She was directly responsible for it’s demise, and the impact of killing the creature caused a tear to appear in her eye.
To her surprise, she noticed that the once green Dodongo was now a shade of red. Blinking a few times to make sure she wasn’t imagining it, she instead noticed a stream of smoke coming from the Dodongo’s mouth.
“Twilight! GET DOWN!”
Twilight yelped as she crashed to the ground a second before a powerful explosion shook the room, sending rubble and larger rocks plummeting to the floor below. Covering the top of her head with her hooves in an attempt to protect herself, she hadn’t realized that Link was already shielding her from the rain of debris.
A shroud of dust and rock splashed over Link as he protected Twilight from the explosion. Once the debris finished raining down on them, he got to his feet and Twilight lifted her head from the ground to look at him with a worried expression.
“Link, are you okay?”
He brushed the dust off his tunic before nodding his head. Tatl flew out from his hat to confront Twilight.
“What were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed! If Link hadn't knocked you over, you would have been plastered around the cave!”
Twilight frowned and yelled back at the fairy. “How was I supposed to know that thing was going to explode? In case you forgot, I'm not from around here!”
“Then why weren't you more careful? Being in a new world means new dangers! You could have cost us more than just a few scratches!”
The pair continued to bicker back and forth, much to Link's dismay. He quickly stepped between the two, scooping up Tatl in his hat and putting it back on his head, her voice becoming muffled through the fabric.
Twilight sighed before speaking. “Sorry Link. I promise to be more careful. It's all so new to me, and I'm not used to a world that can be so dangerous. There are a few monsters in Equestria like the Hydra and the Ursa Minor, but they’re rare...”
Link gave her a warm smile and a pat on the head. She gave him a smile of her own. He motioned for her to get in front of him and continue down the path, so she lit the way once more as she took the lead.
***
Twilight soon felt like she was getting more comfortable with battling the Dodongos. Tatl had told her more about the beasts since the first encounter, namely how their tail is the softest part of their body.
She began to notice another side of Link she had never seen before. He never showed any remorse in killing the creatures, and it worried her. After each battle, he calmly sheathed his sword and continued on the path, showing no sign of sadness for the slain creature.
She on the other hand found a sting in her heart every time a Dondongo took it’s last breath. She wanted to question Link about it, but she figured not wasn’t the time or place to do such a thing.
After defeating another Dondongo, Twilight asked with a somewhat cheery tone, “We sure are making some progress, don't you think?”
Link smiled and gave her a thumbs up. He brushed off his tunic and examined his surroundings. The thin passageway had long since opened up into a larger cavern. The path seemed to be teetering over a black void that extended on both sides of him. One was steeply sloped, while the other was a straight drop.
He noticed Twilight looking over the edge too. He carefully approached her side and looked over himself.
“I can see a light far below us, and I think I hear some kind of bubbling sound.” said Twilight.
Curious to see what she was talking about, Tatl flew out from Link's hat. Hovering over the chasm, she called out, “That's definitely lava down there. You two better be careful unless you want to warm up really fast!”
Backing away from the ledge, Link bumped into something. He turned around and saw Twilight standing very still. “I'm suddenly not that cold anymore...” she said. He chuckled and continued down the path. Twilight followed him, keeping a careful eye on how close to the edge she was.
Suddenly, a loud chiming noise echoed in their ears, "TWILIGHT! Watch out behind you!”
Twilight whirled around to see a swarm of bats flying towards her. In a panic, she fired a ball of magic towards them, managing to stun some while the rest quickly closed the distance to attack her. Link was trying to shoot down as many of them as he could with a bow he pulled out from behind his shield, but there were just too many for him to handle.
“Link! You’ve got to do something! She can't handle all those Keese herself!” yelled Tatl as she frantically buzzed around the bats, helping Link aim his shots.
Twilight was erratically moving about, trying to shake off the Keese in the meantime. She didn't realize that she was extremely close to the edge of the path until she heard both Link and Tatl shout. She tried her best to hold her ground, but the swarm proved too much for her; she tumbled over the edge and started rolling down the slope.
Link immediately jumped off the ledge and started to slide down the incline while managing to maintain his balance. He reached behind his shield and drew an arrow from his quiver, closing his eyes and twirling it between his fingers. The tip lit up with a golden glow as he drew the arrow back and fired. It shot right through a line of Keese, setting off a chain reaction of blinding light as they all disintegrated into white dust. The dazzling light was far too bright, forcing Twilight shut her eyes to shield herself from the intense rays. She felt herself losing consciousness as her body succumbed to the pain.
Realizing that he wouldn’t be able to catch up to Twilight in time, he frantically thought of a way to reach her. Going with the first idea he could come up with, he pulled out another arrow and twirled it around between his fingers. This time, a bright blue aura surrounded the tip. With the arrow in hand, Link jumped into the air and tapped the arrow tip against the soles of his boots. The blue aura enveloped his feet, coating his boots with a thin layer of ice. Cringing as he felt his feet go numb almost instantly, and careful to maintain his balance, he used the extra speed this gave him to catch up to Twilight.
As he neared Twilight, he quickly reached behind himself yet again to take out a mask that resembled a Goron. He placed it over his face and then lost all control of his body. As time seemed to slow down around him, he felt his body becoming leaner and more muscular. The spirit of the mask joined with his body and mind, replacing his physical being with that of a Goron.
Link continued down the slope and used his new strength to scoop up Twilight. She yelped as he threw her over his shoulder and he quickly looked around for a way to escape. Straight ahead, he could see that the slope broke into a chasm, with a ledge beyond. He prepared to make the jump when he heard Tatl yell from beside him, “LINK! There’s something coming up behind us!”
A Dodongo had given chase, rolling down the slope much like a Goron. Seeing the beast quickly closing the distance, Link lifted Twilight off of his shoulder, holding her above his head with both hands.
“L-Link! What are you doing?” she yelled. She felt his grip tighten as he brought his arms back and with a powerful throw, she was launched through the air towards the far ledge. She flailed her legs in a panic as she soared over the chasm below before hitting the ledge, rolling and crashing into the wall.
Cringing in pain, she stood up and looked towards the spot Link had thrown her from; he was rolling down the slope while wrestling with the Dodongo. She felt her stomach drop when she saw the two plummet over the edge and fall into the darkness. Quickly searching for a safe way down below, she found a path alongside the wall that spiraled downwards and quickly followed it.
***
Link was sprawled out on the cave floor, no longer in the form of a Goron. "The mask must have fallen off from the force of impact." thought Twilight. Tatl was floating silently over Link's unconscious body, her wings perking up when she heard footsteps behind her.
She turned around and saw Twilight approaching. She cautiously walked up to Link, hoping to see some kind of movement. His face was turned to one side with his eyes closed, but Twilight finally saw his chest rising and falling slowly.
She sighed in relief, knowing that he was still alive. Tatl slowly drifted towards her saying, “That idiot...he always carried a fairy in a bottle just in case something like this happened. The fairy would normally come out on its own by now and heal him, but I haven't seen one.”
Twilight raised an eyebrow in confusion before asking, “But you're a fairy too. Couldn’t you just heal him?”
Tatl slowly hovered back and forth as she replied. “There are a lot of different fairies out there. Fairies like me and my brother bond very well with a companion. There are also fairies that have healing properties that usually live away from populated areas. When captured, they tend to their master and heal their wounds whenever they're fatally injured. You already saw a Great Fairy in Clock Town. They’re the strongest fairy in the kingdom, minus the Queen. There are others out there; many went off on their own to live in solitude”
Twilight was fascinated that such a small and seemingly simple creature had formed so many different lifestyles and roles. She walked up to Link and started to nudge him with her nose, trying to see if she could spot a bottled fairy on him somewhere.
She was able to shake a bottle loose, but there wasn't a fairy inside it. Instead, it was filled with a bright red liquid. She looked at Tatl before asking, “Hey Tatl, what's in this bottle?”
The fairy flew to the bottle on the ground. She examined it for a second before buzzing around in an erratic manner. “It's a Red Potion! Quick, we need to give it to him!”
Twilight used her magic to lift the bottle and pop off the cork before trotting to Link's side and gently propping him up on her hooves. As she slowly poured the liquid into his mouth, he seemed to swallow instinctively.
Link's eyes slowly opened. His gaze was met by the smile on Twilight's face. “Link, I'm so glad you're okay!” she said.
Sitting up, he rubbed his head, his vision still a bit fuzzy as he came to. He stayed sitting down for a few moment before trying to get to his feet. He stumbled a bit at first, so Twilight offered her support.
Letting go of her, Link stood still for a few moments to regain his composure; he could feel the pain in his body gradually disappearing. Twilight watched as he started to stretch until something in the corner of her eye caught her attention.
Walking towards it, she looked down at the mask Link was wearing earlier, which has landed with the face looking up. The lifeless mask sent an eerie chill through Twilight's body. It looked exactly like a Goron, and it even transformed Link into one when he put it on. Twilight levitated the mask in front of her to get a better look.
Disappointed in not being able to find anything out of the ordinary, she sighed and approached Link and Tatl. The fairy had noticed Twilight examining the mask, and floated closer to her as she said, “I can tell you're interested in that mask. Truth is, neither of us really knows how it works either. From what we can understand, the soul in the mask transforms whoever wears it, granting them the body and memories of the soul that sleeps within.”
Link took the Goron Mask from Twilight and laid it on the ground. He then took out two more masks and laid them side by side. Twilight stepped closer to the line of masks to get a better look. On one side of the Goron Mask was a mask that resembled some sort of fish. The coloring was a light blue, with narrow eyes and what appeared to be fins on either side of the head.
Tatl floated over the mask Twilight was looking at as she explained, “This is the Zora Mask. The Zora are a race of sea people who live off the coast of Great Bay, west of Clock Town.” Tatl continued talking as she floated to the next mask, which looked more wooden than the others.
It was dark brown in color, and had a long snout which jutted out from the face. A green leaf protruded from the top of the mask. The design made Twilight think of some kind of plant.
“And this is the Deku Mask. The Deku are an odd race, but you can just think of them as some kind of forest folk. They normally live near their palace in Woodfall, but many Dekus become merchants and branch off to the surrounding provinces.”
Twilight carefully examined each mask and went over what Tatl explained. After listening to her explanation, Twilight asked the one question that was still bothering her. “But how did you two come across these masks? They must have a great power if they can transform an entire person into a new creature.”
Tatl lowered her wings, and replied with a noticeably sad tone in her voice, “Each mask transforms Link into the likeness of the soul that sleeps in the mask. During our last adventure, we found many horrible things. Sometimes...we found people we couldn’t save. Darmani the Goron, Mikau the Zora, and the Deku we never even met. Each of them had a restless soul thanks to Majora. The only thing Link could do was calm their spirit and let it finally rest.”
Twilight could see a small glint of light fall off of Tatl. She slowly approached the fairy and gently nudged her. There was silence for a few moments before Twilight decided to speak.
“Tatl. Link. I can tell from both your faces that Majora's Mask caused far too much pain. I can't begin to think of what you must have gone through to save as many lives as you did. But if we don't hurry, Majora's Mask may rise again and destroy everything you worked so hard for!” She approached Link, giving him an encouraging smile. “You know as well as I do that there’s no one else who can stop this from happening again. You’re this world’s only hope Link! I still don’t know what my role in all this is, but I promise that I’ll do anything I can to help save Termina!”
Tatl excitedly flew around Twilight. “She’s right Link! You’re the Hero of Time! If anyone can stop Majora’s Mask from destroying the world, it’s you! So what are we waiting for? Let’s get that Astralite gem and finish off that evil mask once and for all!”
***
Twilight continued to lead the way with her magic, but she could feel herself getting incredibly fatigued. Cursed by the mask, she wasn’t sure how much magic her body could handle. At this point, she started to realize she was reaching her limit; even a simple illumination spell was wearing her out.
To her relief, she saw a light near the end of the tunnel. Before she could open her mouth to speak, she heard a chime in her ear as Tatl excitedly yelled, “Look Link! There’s a bright blue light at the end of the tunnel! The Astralite gem might be close! Let’s hurry!”
Twilight and Link ran towards the end of the tunnel, hoping to finally find what they came for. The tunnel slowly expanded in size, eventually opening up into a huge antechamber. They all looked around in awe at the enormous room they found themselves in. The walls were littered with crystals that shone with a dazzling light, illuminating every corner of the room.
Twilight heard Tatl’s voice ring from the opposite side of the chamber. “Link, come here!”
Link quickly ran towards Tatl, with Twilight on his heels. The fairy was hovering over a large stone emerging from the cavern floor. It was sky blue in color, and slightly lighter than the rest of the crystals in the room.
“Link, could this be an Astralite gem?” asked Twilight. He gave a slow nod before kneeling down to inspect the gemstone. He examined the giant crystal, and began to break away pieces to collect.
Meanwhile, Twilight continued to look around the room, amazed at the natural cavern. Something caught her eye on a nearby wall, and she slowly walked towards it.
As she got closer, she noticed that it was some kind of large painting. She couldn’t tell how old it was, the paint itself was starting to fade, though most of it was surprisingly intact. Most of the art had some kind of lettering to accompany it, but the language was something Twilight had never seen before.
The pictures themselves were odd as well, using violent strokes to detail a story. It almost seemed as if the painting was done rather hastily. Each scene was followed by a line of text in that strange language.
She attempted to work out the paintings mentally, looking over each scene in detail.
The first picture was very simple; two figures holding hands. One was much taller than the other, almost as if they were parent and child.
The second was more intricate; a group of figures were crowded over some kind of object. Streaks of dark paint rose from the center of the group, almost as if to signify light of some sort.
The third picture was much like the second, but with a tall figure standing in the center of the group, holding up some sort of object. Twilight couldn’t make out what it was; it was sorely lacking detail, but it’s shape definitely resembled a heart.
The fourth scene showed something different; another group of figures were surrounding a large bonfire. Two other figures stood inside the group, with one being taller than the other. Twilight assumed that these two were the same people from the first scene. This time, the taller figure was holding an object in his hand. Squinting her eyes for a better look, it kind of resembled whatever object was in the previous scene. The same streaks of paint pointed towards the object, just as before. She couldn’t figure out why, but just looking at it made her feel uneasy.
She turned to the final picture, and she felt a chill shoot through her body. The scene was similar to the last, but each figure was replaced with a skeleton. All except for one, which was now floating high above the rest.On it’s face was the very same heart-shaped object from before. Although she wasn’t sure, she felt that she understood what that object was.
“Majora’s Mask...”
Many questions still floated around in her head. “What were the scenes showing? Did they find the mask, or create it? Why that child? What does it all mean?” Just thinking about it made her head hurt.
Unable to wrap her mind around it anymore, she decided it would be best to worry about the task on hand. After thinking for a moment, she used her magic to retrieve the book Link gave her back in Clock Town.
She pressed a blank page of the book on each paining and used a spell to copy the art for future reference. She then returned the book to her satchel before walking back to Link.
“What were you doing over there?” asked Tatl, who had noticed Twilight walk away on her own.
“I was just examining some cave paintings I found on the wall over there. They seem very old, and I can’t decipher the writing.” replied Twilight as she walked around the Astralite crystal. Link looked up from his work, curious at what Twilight had said.
Tatl was equally curious, and started to hover over to the wall. She remained there for a few minutes while Link and Twilight continued to break pieces off the Astralite crystal. Twilight levitated the larger pieces that Link had already broken off and placed them in her satchel.
Content with the gems they had collected, Link stood up and brushed the dust off his tunic. He glanced to his side to see Tatl floating towards him.
“Could you figure out anything Tatl?” asked Twilight. The fairy didn't respond, but seemed lost in thought. Twilight carefully approached her, worried about what Tatl might have came to the same conclusion that she did..
“Tatl? Are you alright?” asked Twilight. The fairy still seemed to be in her own world. Link cupped his hands together and brought them up to catch his friend.
“Wh-what? Yeah, I'm fine. Those paintings were really strange, I couldn't figure anything out. Sorry,” she responded, shaking off her daze. Link was still concerned, but allowed her to fly away on her own.
Twilight turned to Link before happily exclaiming, “I think we got more than enough Astralite crystals to bring to the blacksmith. We should really head back, I'm sure it's almost midnight and we don't have much-”
Twilight lost her words as she felt the ground beneath her quake. She slowly turned to face the entrance to the cavern and her eyes bulged as an enormous creature emerged from the darkness. The monster looked very similar to the beasts found earlier in the mountain, though this creature was easily ten times the size. Instead of a green hide, the beast was coated with dark blue scales.
Each step it took made the entire room shake, and debris rained down from the ceiling. Twilight slowly backed away in fear until she felt herself touch the back wall.
The monster stood in the center of the antechamber and let out a deafening roar. Link quickly drew his sword and shield, ready to attack. Twilight ran to his side, trying her best to not let her fear get the best of her. “Link, that’s a Dodongo, isn’t it? How could it get so big?!” she asked.
Link didn’t seem to acknowledge her, instead keeping his eyes on the beast. Tatl quickly chimed in with an explanation, “That’s not just a Dodongo, that’s a Queen Dodongo! I’ve never seen one, but apparently these things were killed off long ago. They were said to be even tougher than a King Dodongo! The last Queen known was said to have been sealed in a cavern under Death Mountain and left to die. I honestly have no idea how we can beat this thing!”
Not fazed by Tatl's worry, Link dashed towards the Queen. The beast roared at its attacker, and began to inhale deeply. Link quickly dropped to his knees, raising his shield just as a stream of searing flames came his way.
The attack turned the entire room a crimson red, and Twilight could feel embers grazing her mane. She watched as the flames bounced off Link’s shield and towards the ceiling.
As the fire rocket upwards, she saw that the ceiling was covered in stalactites of various sizes. Thinking quickly, she suddenly had an idea.
Turning to Tatl, she yelled, “Look at the ceiling Tatl! The rock up there must be searing hot! If we could somehow cause those stalactites to fall and hit the Queen, I bet it would injure her!”
Realizing that it was their only plan at the moment, Tatl flew towards Link as fast as she could. The Queen was still battering Link with her flames, and he was getting noticeably fatigued. As Tatl approached him, she started to explain what Twilight noticed. “Link! We have an idea, but we need your bomb bag!”
While Link had heard his friend, he found himself unable to break away from the Queen’s attack until the flames died down. A few seconds later, the Queen finished her attack and took a moment to rest. Link immediately stood up, taking out a dark brown satchel and tossing it as hard as he could towards Twilight. The Queen followed the bag and noticed Twilight, and began to gradually walk towards her.
In a panic, Twilight yelled to Link, “You need to distract the Queen until she uses that fire breath attack again. Once she does, I’ll use my magic to launch a bomb towards the ceiling. If I aim it right, a stalactite should fall down and strike the Queen!”
Understanding the plan, Link drew his sword and shield and dashed towards the Queen again. In an attempt to distract her, Link ran around behind her to grab onto her tail. Not at all amused, the monster shook her tail back and forth as a means to shake him off.
Link cringed as he quickly felt himself losing his grip, and with one final swing, he was sent flying across the cavern. Slamming into a wall, pain clouded his vision as he fell to the floor below.
With a thud, Link’s limp body hit the floor. Struggling to get up, he could clearly hear the Queen approaching. Using his sword as a crutch, he stood up to face her. With saliva dripping from its maw, the monster felt it had bested its prey.
The Queen once again inhaled deeply. Noticing that the beast was about to use its flame breath, Link once again dropped to his knees and raised his shield.
Twilight used her hooves to shake out a few bombs from the satchel Link gave her. Knowing that it was now or never, she used her magic to lift the three bombs that had fallen out, and focused her sights on the ceiling. The Queen’s attack had already begun, so the flames were focusing on one particular area. Focusing all the magic she could, Twilight flung the bombs at her target.
As the bombs hit the flames, a loud explosion shook the room. Twilight’s eyes were fixated on the ceiling, praying that her plan had worked. After what seemed like an eternity, the ceiling finally showed some movement, and a rather large stalactite began to fall.
Twilight watched as the rock fell onto the Queen, shattering as it hit her back. With a loud roar, the Dodongo collapsed to the ground. Looking closely, Twilight could see a large gash in its back, surrounded by a burn mark.
"Maybe one more strike would weaken the Queen enough for us to escape!" she thought. Her hopes suddenly turned to fears as she noticed the Queen staring her dead in the eyes.
The monster let out another roar as it got back on its feet. As it approached her, the Queen tucked itself into a ball, much like the Goron and Dodongo had done before. Knowing exactly what was coming, Twilight ran away as fast as she could. She could hear the Queen approaching quickly, but she dared not look back.
Suddenly, she heard Tatl's voice coming from her side.
“Quick! Turn right!”
Doing as she was told, Twilight made a sharp turn right. There was a loud noise, and Twilight quickly turned around to see that the Queen had continued straight ahead and crashed into the wall.
The Dodongo immediately returned to its feet and turned towards Twilight once more. To her horror, it began to inhale, readying itself for another fire attack. Twilight quickly thought of a way to avoid it, but she found her fear getting the best of her.
Swallowing her nerves, Twilight lowered her head to prepare herself for the attack. Closing her eyes while muttering a few words of encouragement, a magical barrier appeared between her and the Queen, just as she did earlier.
The flames struck the field with a tremendous force, much more than Twilight had anticipated. The impact alone staggered her while also making losing her focus. The barrier immediately started to disintegrate; causing Twilight to quickly shake off her daze and reinforce the shield.
Try as she might, she could not muster the energy to repair her barrier. She had a lot of trouble against the normal sized Dodongo, but the Queen proved to be far stronger. The edges of the shield disintegrated into magical particles before evaporating into the air. Beads of sweat dripped down Twilight’s face as she struggled to maintain her focus.
Opening one eye, her heart sank as she saw how little of her barrier remained. She knew that in mere seconds, her spell would fail, leaving her defenseless against the flames. Her willpower cracked, and with tears in her eyes, Twilight collapsed to the ground.
Without her magic keeping it up, the rest of the barrier quickly began to fade. Twilight could hear a frantic voice coming from her side, but she couldn’t make out the words. Her mind was clouded with shame and defeat, unable to do the only thing she felt she was good at.
“This is it...this is how it all ends. What use was I in all this? I couldn’t even keep up a simple barrier! I’ve performed this spell many times, but I failed when it really mattered.”
“Twilight...”
“Even if Link saves me, as if he hasn’t done that enough, how could I continue on this adventure with him? He’s facing a demon! What could I possibly do to stop such a thing?”
“Twilight...”
“It’s best that I just go here. I won’t be a burden any longer, and Link can finally push ahead without me slowing him down. I’m sorry everyone...I...”
“Twilight!”
The voice that spoke to Twilight was a familiar voice, but one that she did not expect to hear. Standing in front of her, a yellow pegasus with flowing pink hair looked down at her with a smile.
Twilight quickly got off the ground and stared at her friend. “Fl-Fl-Fluttershy?! Is that really you?” she stuttered, unable to fully form any other words to say.
A bit surprised, Fluttershy reached out her hoof and examined it. “Of course it’s really me! Well, uhm, at least I think so. I don’t see a reason why I would be anypony else.”
"B-B-but..."
Completely washed in emotion, Twilight found herself unable to speak. As tears welled up in her eyes, she approached Fluttershy and wrapped a foreleg over her. “Oh Fluttershy, it feels like it’s been so long since I last saw you. You don’t know how happy I am to see you!”
Fluttershy returned the gesture before backing away. She looked around her, a worried look on her face. Twilight herself suddenly realized that she was no longer in a cave, but standing in the middle of a calm and serene pasture.
Overwhelmed with questions, Twilight opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by Fluttershy. “Twilight, I don’t know how much time I have to talk to you, so I should really make this quick. None of us really understands what is going on, or why you disappeared from Equestria. We’re doing the best we can on our side, so you need to do your best too!”
Twilight closed her eyes and lowered her head. “Fluttershy, I don’t know of what use I am in all this. If whoever brought me here was looking for a powerful unicorn, they obviously picked the wrong one.”
Seeing the tears in Twilight’s eyes made Fluttershy want to cry alongside her friend. She approached the unicorn, and gently nudged her face. “That’s not true Twilight, and you know it! You’ve saved Ponyville so many times, thanks to your magic. You can’t just give up now!”
Fluttershy turned away from Twilight and looked up at the sky. After a moment, she said, “Thanks to you and everypony else, I feel like I have finally learned who I really am. I used to be so afraid of everything, but now I feel more comfortable with facing my fears.”
She looked over her shoulder with a big smile on her face. “And it’s all thanks to you and our friends Twilight! You are the most powerful unicorn I know, and it’s not just because of your magical abilities. It’s because of your heart.”
As Twilight listened to Fluttershy, she felt overcome with happiness. She fell to the ground, unable to hold back her tears.
“T-Thank you, Fluttershy. I feel so lucky to have met you, and everypony else.”
As she looked up at her friend, she noticed that she was fading. Fluttershy must have noticed it too, as she saw the worried expression on Twilight’s face. “Oh no...it looks like our time is up. Twilight...remember what I said! We’re doing our best to find out what’s going on...never give up!”
The serene pasture they were in began to melt away, revealing the cave walls from before. As Fluttershy completely disappeared from view, Twilight closed her eyes.
“She’s right. There is too much riding on this, I can’t just give up now. I’m stronger than this, and as long as my friends are there to help me, I can never lose!”
Jumping to her feet, a dazzling light shone from her horn. The little fragment of barrier that remained expanded instantly, enveloping Twilight within a bubble of magic.
The fire engulfed the barrier, surrounding the dome from all sides. Twilight gritted her teeth as she struggled to hold her ground. The pain was overwhelming, but she refused to give in, even if it would tear her apart.
Suddenly, Twilight felt the force of the attack disappear completely. Completely exhausted, she fell to the floor as the barrier vanished around her.
In front of her, the Queen was also on the ground. As Twilight carefully stood up, she noticed a large stalactite protruding from the Dodondo’s back.
Looking around her, she noticed Link in his Goron form with the bomb bag next to his feet. As she approached, Tatl flew to her. “Sparky! You're safe! When those flames hit, we thought for sure you were a goner. When the fire blocked us from seeing you anymore, Link panicked and started flinging bombs towards the ceiling. Luckily, he managed to shake that stalactite loose...and you see the rest.”
During the Queen's final moments, Twilight felt the pains of her guilt once more. Although the Dodongo attacked first, Twilight couldn’t help but feel that they were the ones who provoked her.
Tears welled up in her eyes as the Queen slowly closed her eyes after taking her last breath. Twilight looked off to the side, unable to look at the beast any longer. Link noticed her tears, and attempted to reach out to her when he was interrupted by Tatl, “Link! Sparky! We got to get out of here, NOW!”
Quickly turning back to the Queen, both Link and Twilight noticed that the Queen was now a bright shade of red, much like the many other Dodongos had done in the past. Panic quickly overcame them all as they looked around for some kind of cover.
“There’s no way we can get out of here before she explodes! And judging by her size, the explosion will be massive! What are we going to do Link?!” yelled Tatl as she frantically buzzed around his head. Link paid her no mind, instead looking at Twilight who was giving him a stern stare.
“Link...Tatl...I need you two to grab onto my back. I’m going to try my best to teleport us out of here. I...honestly don’t know if it will work, but it’s the best chance we have in getting out of here in time.”
Without hesitation, Link ran to her side and placed his hand on her back. Despite being a bit more reluctant, Tatl settled on her back as well.
Turning to Link, Twilight asked, “Do you trust me?” Nodding in response with a smile on his face, she couldn’t help but smile back. “Alright, hold on tight. It’s going to be a bumpy ride!”
Twilight closed her eyes and did her best to recreate the vision from the mountain top; the snowy path the lead down to the glade where the smithy lived; the fresh scent of the pine trees, the chilling mountain air. Focusing her magic into that picture, she felt the ground disappear from beneath her hooves.
In an instant, she felt an extreme vibration shoot through her entire body. An intense pain struck through her head, making her lose consciousness almost instantly. As she fell to the ground, she felt a cool breeze wash over her.
***
“Will she be okay?”
“Of course she will darling. Your friend has an incredible spirit. If she held on until you could reach me, then I am sure that she will make a full recovery.”
“Oh, I’m so relieved! I never saw Link more worried in his life. He really enjoys Twilight’s company, even though they just met.”
“You should know Link more than anyone else here. You two went on a perilous journey three years ago. That boy has the heart and soul of a great hero. I’m sure you realize that it’s his friends that keep him going, no matter what dangers await him.”
“Yes, you’re right. My life has been so different ever since I met that kid. I don’t know what I can ever do to repay him. Of course, I’d never tell him that but...”
“Oh dear, there is so much more to that boy that you will ever know. It is Link’s destiny to continue protecting this land until the Goddess feels like her champion has fulfilled her bidding.”
“What do you mean? You make it sound like Link has been around for, well, ever!”
“Ho, ho, ho. I’m afraid I’ve said too much already.”
“Ugh! You can’t just say something and pretend like you didn’t say it at all!”
“Oh, I’m not taking back what I said. But what fun is it if I were to tell you what the Goddess has in store for her chosen hero? Not only that, but Link isn’t the only one who is being tested. The future is dark for both of them, but their spirit will light the way. Keep your faith in your friends, they will need your help as well.”
“If you say so, but you definitely have me concerned.”
“Just don't tell Link anything that we've said. I don’t know for certain what lies ahead, but it will change who he is forever.”
***
Twilight felt a warm sensation wash over her body. “This feels like the hot tub back at Ponyville.” She thought to herself. The feeling was most welcome after the chilled air that she remembered from the cavern.
Suddenly, her eyes shot open as she yelled, “Oh no! The cave!” She immediately jumped to her feet and looked around in a panic. She didn’t recognize where she was, although it seemed a bit familiar. She was standing in a pool of fresh, clean water, and the walls were sparkling with a magical light.
“Sparky! You’re awake!”
She turned around to see both Link and Tatl rushing towards her. A smile appeared on her face at the sight of her friends. “Link! Tatl! You’re both safe! Oh, I’m so glad that my spell worked, I was afraid something went wrong!”
Link reached down and patted her mane. Tatl landed on her horn and said, “You surprised me Sparky. You managed to get us to safety, but when we turned around, you were laying on the ground unconscious. Link was so worried about you; he immediately put on that Goron mask of his and carried you all the way to Snowhead Temple to see the Great Fairy.”
Tilting her head to the side, Twilight asked, “Snowhead Temple?”
“It’s an old temple that was built at the top of Snowhead in honor of the giant that protects this mountain. There are actually four temples in Termina, one for each region. I believe I mentioned it before, but Link and I came here last time we were in Termina.”
Still a bit confused, Twilight asked, “So, are we in the temple now? This place seems familiar...in fact, it looks just like the Great Fairy’s fountain in Clock Town.”
“My dear, you’re half right. I believe you were told to come see me so I can help remove that nasty curse on you, no?”
Hearing a voice coming from directly above her, Twilight looked above and saw a familiar figure floating overhead. She nervously backed away from the Great Fairy before asking, “Oh Great Fairy, so much has happened in the past few hours, I completely forgot!”
The Great Fairy floated away from her. “Don’t worry darling, your friends here explained everything to me. While you rested, I went ahead and used as much power as I could to remove the curse.” A frown appeared on her face as she continued, “I was unable to remove it all, however. If I had to guess, I’d say that your magic should be half as powerful as it normally is. There are still three other Great Fairies in Termina. If you were to visit two of them, I believe they could fully remove the curse Majora placed on you.”
Anxious to try out her magic, Twilight turned towards Link. His confusion quickly turned to suspicion as Twilight’s horn began to glow. A mischievous smirk appeared on her face as she lifted Link off the floor. He frantically waved his arms about as Twilight playfully levitated him about the room.
To her relief, she felt barely any strain as she lowered Link to the ground. Turning towards the Great Fairy, she said, “Thank you Great Fairy! I feel so much better than before, and it’s all thanks to you!”
The fairy let out a laugh as she gracefully flew towards Twilight. “Darling, it was my pleasure! I have never had the opportunity to witness a creature like you, so it was surely a delight to be able to help! And I must say, the magical potential you have is far greater than anything I’ve ever seen, even my own!”
She flew back towards the center of the room, and looked over the group. “Now, before you all depart, I must share with you some of my wisdom. I’m sure the Great Fairy of Magic shared with you some information on the task at hand, but there is much more to tell. It is true that the magic of the Astralite crystal is necessary to pierce through Majora’s darkness, but there are other ways you can be better prepared.”
They all looked at each other in confusion before looking back at the Great Fairy. “My children, let me share with you a small tale. Back in ancient Termina, there used to be a self-proclaimed king who ruled over the entire land from his throne in Ikana. The king was said to hold a terrible power, the “Power of the Stars”. His strength, magic, and wisdom knew no equal, all thanks to this limitless source of power. However, the story says that he finally met his demise when the power he held drove him mad. This power was then sealed within Stone Tower Temple under an impenetrable lock.”
Tatl floated towards the Great Fairy as she asked, “I have never heard about this “Power of the Stars” mumbo-jumbo. Link and I even explored Stone Tower a few years ago, and we didn’t see anything that would suggest this power was hidden. How do you know this isn’t more than just a fairy tale?”
Amused at Tatl’s response, the Great Fairy could only chuckle. “Oh Tatl, I can assure you that this isn’t just a story. There is in fact two keys that will unlock the seal; a legendary weapon called the Ethereal Bow, and the Ethereal Arrows that go with it. These two artifacts were handed to the ancestors of the Deku and Zora, and they have kept the secret of the artifacts for centuries. But now, I fear that the legendary power must be awakened for you to truly be powerful enough to stop Majora once and for all.”
Waiting for a moment to go over what the Great Fairy said, Twilight was still puzzled over one thing. “Great Fairy, even if we do find this bow, how exactly do we unlock the seal? Tatl said they never saw anything suspicious at the temple.”
“Unfortunately, even I don’t know for sure, dear. Once you find the Ethereal Bow and arrows, go to the Great Fairy that lives in Ikana Canyon. She will be able to help you more.”
Twilight and Link turned towards one another and nodded. Twilight then stepped forward and said, “Alright, you can count on us! If you can tell us where to go next, we’ll be on our way!”
With a laugh, the Great Fairy replied, “The Ethereal Bow is located in Woodfall, while the Ethereal Arrows are sealed in Great Bay. If you were to talk to the Deku and the Zora, I’m sure they would be able to provide more information. Once you find both the bow and arrows, go to Ikana and talk to the Great Fairy. She’ll know more about the seal you must find.”
With this new information, Twilight and Link waved at the Great Fairy as they left the fountain. The fairy watched them until they were completely out of sight. “My...I see why that unicorn was brought to Termina. She may just be the key to unlocking that young man’s full potential.”
***
“TWO DAYS?! ARE YOU SERIOUS?!”
“Listen here you freaky ball thing. The Astralite gem must be fine tuned before being applied to the sword, and it will need even more time to finally settle once I temper it. My work is art, and you can't rush perfection!”
Twilight watched as the blacksmith and Tatl argued. Link also seemed concerned, but as usual, he had no words to share. Tired of the bickering, Twilight finally stepped forward. “Quiet you two! Tatl, you know that we need Link's sword to be more powerful if we ever hope to defeat Majora. I know it's cutting it close, but this is our only choice!”
Tatl sighed before responding. “I know, but it’s already two in the morning. If it takes 48 hours for the sword to be ready, we will already be cutting it close! The Carnival of Time itself starts in less than that time. We need to be prepared by midnight since we have no idea what Majora is up to!”
Twilight turned to the blacksmith and asked, “Is there any way you could possibly get it done before the Carnival of Time starts? It's really important that it’s done by that time.”
The blacksmith sighed and shook his head. “Well, here's what I'll do. I'll ignore the fact that you lot just barged in here at two in the morning. Next, I'll get on this job right away and I won't stop until I'm done. However, I'll need a bit extra to cover the cost. But I can assure you, I'll have it done by the Carnival of Time.”
Tatl immediately spoke up. “Sounds like that is our best option at this point. I'm sure Link can manage without his sword until then. He should also have plenty of rupees to cover the extra cost, right Link?”
Link took a deep sigh and took out his wallet. He reached into the satchel and removed a handful of bright red gems and put them on the counter. The blacksmith's eyes lit up as he quickly scooped up the gems and pocketed them.
“Don't know about you lad, but rupees are always a language that I can understand. Now don't you worry, I'll have your sword ready by the carnival. And on my life, it will be the best blade I ever forge!”
***
As Twilight stepped out into the cool, night air, she breathed a sigh of relief. Turning to Link and said, “Well, that’s one thing out of the way. We still have a lot more to do, don't we?”
Link nodded his head, and stared off into the distance, with Twilight following his gaze. “The stars...they look just like they do back in Ponyville. Different land...same sky. Somewhere out there, my friends are underneath the same blanket of stars. If Majora succeeds in destroying this land, there is no telling where its evil will spread to next. I can't risk Equestria being its next target.”
Twilight started to walk down the mountain, and turned to Link as she spoke. “Well, we have a lot to do, and not much time to do it! We really should head back to Clock Town and think about what we should do next.”
Link nodded, and started to follow his friend down the mountain. As they walked, he couldn't help but yawn. Twilight suddenly realized how late it was, as well as how tired she felt herself. “Link, are you tired? I think we all deserve a little rest. When we get to Clock Town, is there anyplace we can stay for the night?”
Link turned towards her and shook his head. In response, Tatl decided she would speak up. “Link, you can't push yourself and expect to be in fighting shape. Besides, Sparky’s right; we should all really get at least a few hours of sleep. It won’t do us any good to just fight off our fatigue. Let's go to the Stock Pot Inn and see if Anju can spare a room. You helped her three years ago, and I'm sure she wouldn't mind lending you a room.”
Link lowered his head and sighed, still not agreeing to their idea. Twilight walked towards him and gently nudged him. “I know you’re concerned about everything that is going on, but you need your rest. If not, you might not be physically prepared to actually go on. So...can we go to the inn and have a few hours of sleep...please?”
Unable to deny her request, Link finally gave in with a sigh and turned towards trail leading to Termina Field. As Twilight followed behind him, she was surprised to find herself yawning as well. The thought of a warm bed kept her company as they walked towards the dim lights shining from Clock Town in the distance.
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If it's not too much trouble, please read my blog post after reading this. Thanks!
Haven't read it yet, but is majora's mask made out of a draconequus, given it's stated origins(came from a semi-immortal dragon-like creature) and the fact that it seems crazy as all heck?
Considering where he came from that's probably pretty accurate.
just asking
why did you use the Twilight Princess cover?
was it for the pun?
An update? What fortunate circumstances as I was just in the mood for reading.
Well when twilight she will finally accept the existence of a curse
lmfao.
I haven't read any of this yet, since I also have school and I have a sleep schedule to go by... However, I will favourite and like and read it tomorrow!
Can't wait! Legend of Zelda crossovers hardly ever fail to entertain me!
So far, this is the third Zelda crossover i've seen on this site; the second having to do with Majora's Mask. Here they are if you'd like to get some ideas:
A Link To Equestria
A Mask Named Majora
1618021 A link to those stories would be appreciated.
That pun was unintended...
1618090 they're on this site, dude. Just type the name of the story in the search bar at the top of the page. You could even search the name of the dude who wrote it.
Yeah, I would post links to these Link stories... but I'm doing this on a Wii. I have absolutely NO idea how to do that stuff on a Wii.
1617892
What origin is that? I don't remember that from the game.
1617976
That image was assigned to it when I first uploaded it to EqD, so I just stuck with it.
352018
It changes to the name once it's refreshed on the page.
http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Majora%27s_Mask_(mask)
scroll down to the manga part
I know it's not technically cannon, but
A. This a fanfiction, so it isn't cannon anyway
B. Discord calling Majora's mask Daddy is hilarious
1618280
Oh, I see. I already have my own backstory for Majora planned out. A bit of the mask's story is in this chapter as a matter of fact. But no, I haven't read about the manga's interpretation of the mask. I didn't even know it existed!
You convinced me to make a blog of my own after reading this piece. Nice to see it up again after so long
1617892 that my freind.... is how majora's mask fucked up the moon because of discord's species.
I can say this year long waited update has been worth the wait.
Keep up the good work.
Sweet googly moogly, one of my favorite fics has updated. I think I'm gonna die of shock.
i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/137/686/130860975956.gif
1618021 This is the 4th one I've seen
Here is another one I think you may like [http://www.fimfiction.net/story/25714/The-hero-of-time-in-equestria [And Majora posesses Discord in it YEEE]
Any chance "BEN" makes an appearance?
Oh my lord, I'm in love. I don't usually read fics without Spike in it but holy hell... This made me happy, pure and simple.
350349 you COULD have Link speak though, he talks in the Manga.
"Song of Healing" Pony mask, anyone?
HOW DID I NOT SEE THIS? NOW MY CROSSOVER FIC LOOKS ABSOLUTELY PATHETIC (it's not a MM crossover FYI)!
I really shouldn't have given it that shitty name. Then I wouldn't have all these dislikes.
Wunderbar, a "Twilight in Termina" fic. I never liked fics that pointlessly ponified humans. . . and then they decide to stay that way. Utterly annoying
. Anyways, a promising looking Fic! I look forwards to Twilight fliping out over the Song of Time. 
Wonder what pony'll show up next. . .
1619211 Technically, he also speaks in the games, though we never actually hear/read him say anything. Characters respond as if he had said something. Although, in Wind Waker, he does yell "Come on!" at statues following him.
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Awesome chapter bro! Can't wait for more!!
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1619940 true, and technically, the only other game where he seems to talk more, is Twilight Princess, and/or Skyward Sword, but not as much. though he's a bit more expressive facially there.
1620853
Since Link is meant to be the player's avatar within the world, he takes on the heroic mime status so people can connect with him more. Giving him a voice would actually distance players from him, as it gives him more of a static persona that messes with our connection. That's why I kept him silent here, minus the one line of dialogue where he says his name. And that was a throwback to OoT where the break in conversation made it seem like he actually spoke.
I feel that if I gave Link a voice in the story, it would be MY voice, not his. Link barely has any character at the start of the game, yet we learn who he is based off of our actions. If I were to write dialogue for him, I could make him snarky, sarcastic, classy, heroic, etc. It's all interpretation. That's why I kept him silent and then gave him the personality of a young hero; someone who knows whats right and isn't afraid to fight for it, yet still has the spirit of a young man.
no, but seriously, i'm gonna fav this.
1620853 Not to mention the shade's sprite in Twilight Princess, the one that teaches Link all the sword moves, is, in fact, the Hero of Time himself. This has been confirmed by Nintendo themselves. The shade has a lot of spoken, readable lines. He's not the player's character anymore, though, so I guess they thought it would be okay for him to speak.
1621316 really? it's confirmed? the Golden Wolf (aka the swordsman spirit) that teaches you the hidden techniques in Twilight Princess, is the Link from Ocarina Of Time/Majora's Mask? the Hero of Time Link? interesting.
So Link's not going to show Twilight the mask that lets him become a dark god?
1623074 That mask is optional.
Also I was just wondering about this story, and them bam, I see on EQD it updated, and it's here to boot. But yea I really like the interactions between Link and Twilight in this. So great.
1623321 So are a number of other things he's done. For example, you don't absolutely have to talk to Anju at all to beat the game. However, it appears he did. Just because it's "optional" doesn't mean it's going to be left out.
1623361
I've considered it, and I haven't ruled it out yet. The only problem is that the mask was given absolutely no backstory at all in the game. It was just...there for the final battle as a reward for completing everything else. I don't want it to be simply used the same way here. It will definitely be referenced, but I haven't decided on whether or not it will be a part of the overall plot.
1621364 Yep! The golden wolf and the Hero of Time are one and the same, filled with regrets from not passing on his weapon techniques. The Twilight Princess Link is the Hero of Time's descendant. Also, Kaepora Gaebora, the owl, is Rauru, the sage of light. I thought that was interesting as well.
It's all in a book coming out in January: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1616550414/. It's already in Japanese, so I found out from other people's translations. It also has the official timeline of the Zelda games, and a ton of other information.
The book looks to be very interesting, indeed.
1623795 isn't that child molesting owl also the reincarnation of the headmaster from Skyward Sword? (same eyebrows, and the same name...) don't you tell me he's not a child molester in OoT. he only shown up to you as Young Link, and he knew who YOU were, yet he never introduced himself...at all...
also the 'official' time line, is REALLY convoluted and confusing. but has the part about Kaepora Gaebora being Rauru the Sage of Light official? has that been confirmed by Nintendo themselves?
1623649 actually, Majora's mask is given a backstory in the manga adaptation. according to it, their was a traveler, who was searching for a dragon, who was bound by time, meaning, time did not flow around him, he could move, and talk sure, but time would not move. the traveler traveled searching for the dragon, because the dragon was eating humans who went to him, because he could grant any wish they desired, the traveler went there and when he was told the dragon's story by the dragon, he pulled out a drum he had, plays a single note by tapping it once, then time begins to flow for the dragon and the traveler plays for the dragon, and he dances for three days, and three nights on the fourth day, he fell over and died. the traveler then took the armor the dragon had, and carves it into something, a mask saying that the dragon's power would be save inside it...Majora's Mask. that's the backstory for the mask explained in the manga adaptation of Majora's Mask.
1623815 Yes, Nintendo said that the pedophile owl is Rauru. The headmaster from Skyward Sword is of no relation, other than name and appearance.
The timeline is quite confusing, given that after OoT, the timeline splits into three different directions. The child and adult timeline being two. The third is if the Hero of Time is defeated by Ganondorf, and Ganondorf then gets the full Triforce and becomes the demon king. This timeline is the one that goes to A Link to the Past.
Here's a translated image from the Hyrule Historia: http://zeldawiki.org/images/9/99/Official_Zelda_Timeline.jpg
Sorry, don't know how to post pictures in the comments.
1624450 easy, when you go to make a comment, look at the controls above the box where you type in your comment, and right next to the button that will let you put in a youtube video, and next to the button that has the picture of an anchor (which lets you link something) is a button with an image on it, that one lets you link an image. well, that is good to know, but my curiosity is now wondering, how there can be a child AND adult timeline, after Ocarina, when at the end of Ocarina, Link puts the Master Sword back, and is brought back to his original time, Navi leaves, and thus, begins the story of Majora's Mask, where Link is traveling to find her. ...don't know why though considering how much of a PAIN she was...lol speaking of young link, how old is he anyway? both in MM and OoT, I don't know, as I THINK Adult Link is supposed to be like 17 or 18.... but did Nintendo ever give an official age for Young Link?
Welcome welcome welcome, A fine welcome to you!
Welcome welcome welcome, I say how do you do?
Welcome welcome welcome, I say hip hip hurray! dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/Pinkie_Pie_lolface.png
Welcome welcome welcome, to FiM Fiction today!
Wait for it!
--fizzle--
dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/misc_Pinkie_loool.png
Oh, COME ON!!! stupid year and a half old fireworks...
Shoulda bought new once instead using the ones from when this last updated...
dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/sillyfilly_Pinkie_Pie.png
--kick-- BOOOOM!!!
Hmm. One can't help but wonder if our erstwhile adventurers will encounter some unfortunate Hylian or Gerudo in need of the Song of Healing. Such a mask may not seem especially useful, but it would let Twilight blend in a lot better.
In any case, I'm enjoying this story quite a bit. Looking forward to more, especially that inevitable discussion about the morality of monster slaying.
1626480 Oh! Thanks for the information!
The adult timeline is the world Link leaves behind when he goes back to being a child. In that timeline, the Hero of Time doesn't exist anymore, which is why the Goddesses have to flood Hyrule in Wind Waker. Since Link isn't there anymore, it was flooded as a last resort to stop Ganondorf when he broke free.
In the child timeline, Link goes and tells Zelda about Ganondorf's plans and they stop him before he can even begin. This is what the scene from Twilight Princess shows, where Ganondorf is executed, instead of being sealed like in the adult timeline.
I seem to remember reading somewhere that child Link is about 10 years old, while adult Link is 17. I would then guess that Link would be about 11 or 12 in Majora's Mask.
1627986 which explains why he can hold the hero's shield/mirror shield in Majora's Mask on one arm rather than be limited to turtling up under it like he did in Ocarina of Time, because he's older, he's gotten stronger so that he can use it.
1628011 Yeah, and why he can use the bow and hookshot as well. Epona would be older and more capable of holding his weight, too.
Will there be any... orange cuckoos?
I still remember the first time i stumbled across this story. It was linked to a piece of fanart on deviantart and well i have been following your story ever since. Come to think of it your story was the first piece of pony fanfiction i ever read and also my favorite so im really happy it's still going!
1641142
This is the same Link that was in OoT and MM. I'm not sure if I said exactly what his age was in a previous chapter. If I remember correctly, Link is about 10 in OoT, since he's a young adult after pulling out the Master Sword. Majora's Mask takes place one year after OoT, and then this story takes place three years after that. So Link would be around 14-15.
Who needs Epona when you've got Twilight?
Will read later.
1916502 you were watching pbg wornt you