//------------------------------//
// Chapter 51: Skeletal Grave Robbing 
// Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask 
// by Ganondorf8 
//------------------------------//

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Majora's Mask
By Ganondorf8
April 3, 2017
Chapter 51: Skeletal Grave Robbing.

Princess Twilight's reaction was much more intense than mine was. After all, I wasn't at all surprised to find that Zecora was the grave keeper around here. On my previous journey, she portrayed a similar grave keeper and while she would rhyme her words, she didn't do so at a consistent rate compared to what she was capable of back in Equestria--I also wouldn't be surprised if Zecora was named Dampé. For Her Highness, seeing one of her former teachers--she told me the story of when Ponyville got taken over by Trixie--was definitely a joyous moment but then she needed to remember that this wasn't the same Zecora she had come to know.

Judging from her attire, Zecora most likely kept to herself and didn't associate with anyone, yet it saddened me to think that even in this world, her status of living in isolation continued to be a thing. In Equestria, according to what Princess Twilight told me, Zecora lived on her own in the Everfree Forest--why anyone would live there boggles the mind--and rarely received visitors though she would on occasion travel to Ponyville in order to acquire some medicinal herbs and other similar items for her potions. While that version of her was friendly despite her rhyming scheme, this version was definitely an isolationist.

Her clothes could be best described as a bunch of rags that had been sewn together poorly but I doubted she would be offended by such a remark. Then there was the shovel she held up, a grim reminder of the occupation that she has in a place like this. I was curious as to why Zecora--or any sane person for that matter--would want to live in such a desolate place but I supposed she had her reasons. Had Zecora been tasked to watch over this graveyard by someone else? Was this a place she had inherited? Or had she chosen to come here and watch things of her own volition and because no one else were here?

Those were questions I needed answers to including one in particular that related to the giant skeleton that was trapped under the bridge. I had no doubt that she was aware of its presence over there since it was practically impossible for anyone to ignore it. I couldn't quite put my finger on it but it felt like it could come to life at any moment. I mean, despite not having any expression--or anything else--the skeleton must have surely had an interesting story behind it. Zecora might not be willing to talk about it straight away especially to a stranger but perhaps I could loosen her tongue once she had gotten to know me.

" You're the first person who has come to this graveyard in a very long time." Zecora said.

" Aside from yourself?" I asked.

Zecora nodded. " The only ones who would dare come to a place like this are researchers studying the ancient kingdom, yet that's a death wish if I ever saw it given most of them tend to not make it back to tell others what they found. Of those who do make it back, coming here again would require some convincing." She then noticed Princess Twilight hovering around her and she waved her hand around in hopes of getting rid of her. That didn't work so she tried using her shovel only for it to clang into the side of the wall. " Such an annoying little fairy you have there. It's buzzing is making me feel much despair."

I frowned at Princess Twilight who suddenly calmed down before floating back over to me. " Sorry if my companion was causing you trouble. She has her reasons for being so excited around someone like you."

" Most fairies would cower in fear of seeing my face. It's quite disfigured much to my disgrace."

Her face didn't look disfigured in the least until she looked up at me to which I recoiled slightly. Zecora had a nasty gash across her face that left her without the use of her left eye and she had a slight elongated chin that made her teeth stand out in a crooked manner. Aside from that, the rest of her face was pretty normal though knowing Zecora, she would say the remaining facial features she had were even more repulsive. I did like that Mohawk she sported what with black and white stripes--she was a zebra after all in Equestria--coupled with some pretty snazzy looking jewelry but I doubted she viewed it as being worth anything.

I then changed the subject so as to move away from her facial features and not further offend her. " My name is Sunset Shimmer and this is my companion, Twilight Sparkle." I chose in this instance not to use her title of princess in case Zecora would get confused " We came here in order to figure out how to restore this region back to the way it was before."

Zecora chuckled in response and I felt offended but she waved her hand to indicate she wasn't insulting me. " I'm afraid you're many centuries too late for that. This region has been the way it is for a very long time all thanks to a conflict long ago that left everything in desolation. When you have lived here as long as I have, you learn much about what happened and tell such stories to others who are curious about it."

" Do you know what happened?"

" I do and I shall tell you so, but first let me tell you who I am." Zecora said. " I am Dampé, the grave keeper who watches over this graveyard where the Royal Family of Ikana have been resting for ages. My face may be disfigured--it is because of what I told you--but believe me when I say that I am not evil."

" Royal Family? Ikana?"

Zecora nodded. " Ikana is the name of this region though most call it a canyon these days. Those who live in the other regions know little of this place other than the fact that it is haunted by the spirits of those who continue to linger even in death. Such a terrible fate I know but what can I say? That's just the way things went at the end of the day."

" So this place is haunted?"

" By the spirits of the dead. Even someone like me gets filled with dread."

" How did this happen?"

" Centuries ago, Ikana was a mighty kingdom that was the shining jewel of Termina." Zecora answered. " The people lived in peace and the kingdom prospered in a way that made the other regions jealous of their very existence. But, a terrible darkness had been brewing within the kingdom for a long time and was poised to strike when tensions flared. Ikana was also known for an intense rivalry towards the Garo, assassins who plotted against the royal family. While exact details about them remain unknown, what is known is that the Garo intended on destroying the kingdom by any means necessary."

My heart sank as I looked down behind my back out of shame because I now knew something significant about the Garo's Mask I acquired from the Gorman Sisters. While they did tell me about what the mask was, Zecora reaffirmed their explanation and also provided additional information. To think that a group of assassins were capable of bringing down an entire kingdom and showed little to no remorse over it. However, there were obviously some glaring holes in Zecora's explanation. She didn't explain why they were intent on taking Ikana and its people down nor did she explain what this darkness was about.

Granted, what she already told me was more than what I knew about this region--namely nothing--yet I needed to know much more so that I could have a better understanding of what really happened and why Starlight wanted to bring back the undead. Starlight... It was obvious that she would have done something around here but right now I don't have any concrete proof other than gut instinct. I doubted Zecora had seen her--let alone knew of her existence--since this graveyard was way out of the normal path so perhaps asking more about the ancient kingdom was in order.

" Do you know how the kingdom was destroyed?"

Zecora shook her head. " That is something I don't know so I am sorry for dealing you a blow."

That was depressing but maybe she could answer something about the Garo. " Okay... What about the Garo?"

" All I know is that they were spies who collected information."

Again that was depressing to hear considering Zecora had lived here for quite some time though I wasn't entirely sure how long "time" equated to. So far, my attempts at interrogation weren't producing ideal results so maybe it was best if I just allowed her to explain things to me rather than asking. I was bound to get something relevant out of it and not get basic responses that pretty much were summed up as "I don't know" or something like that. My eyes once again veered over at the skeleton and if I didn't know any better, I could have sworn one of its eyes glowed faintly for just a brief moment.

" To be honest, I was expecting a better answer."

" I may have lived here for some twenty-five years but I don't know everything about this place." Zecora said. " You're probably better off asking the researcher who lives further in the canyon. You see, he and his daughter moved out here about a year ago in order for him to live out his desire to learn much about the region. I know because they came here prior to moving in order to inquire as to the ideal place to live."

" Do you know where they are?"

Zecora nodded. " They live somewhere in Ikana Valley that lies deep within the kingdom but where exactly I don't know." She then waved her hand to get me to move aside so that she could step outside and stretch her bones before swinging her shovel around. " Why anyone would go there is beyond me but he had a strong determination in his eyes. His daughter didn't have the same conviction and wished they could have gone somewhere else, but her father desired knowledge and wouldn't be denied his destiny yet I hope those undead monsters haven't torn them apart."

I was about to ask her my next question when I noticed she was slowly walking down the path towards the main area where the Stalchildren were. " Where are you going!? If you go that way, you're likely get attacked by those Stalchildren hanging out around those graves." Zecora didn't respond to my concerns as though she didn't think of them as being threatening so I tried again. " Come back! If you go that way, I don't know if you can survive against the Stalchildren!"

Zecora stopped, turned towards me, and laughed. " Those undead creatures are of no concern, so now I instead you listen and learn. They always come out every night because of carrying out a duty they were entrusted with by the one who commanded them in life. While I usually go back to my house before the night comes, I don't worry about what those creatures will do to my graveyard. In fact, I believe they are most careful with ensuring the safety of those who are buried here."

" Commanded?"

" Yes."

" By who?"

Zecora pointed her finger towards the skeleton trapped under the bridge. " That fellow over there is the remains of the legendary Captain Keeta. He once commanded the army of this kingdom and they were fiercely loyal to him in return. Even in death, they would follow his commands without question, yet sometimes I think they desire to see him again and await new orders considering how long they've been carrying out their current ones. Some say that Keeta kept his spirit sealed within the treasure chest surrounded by the flames up there on the bridge and that he waits for the one who can help him."

" Do you think he could help me?"

" He's been dead for a long time mate, so I am afraid that you are far too late."

" One last question."

" I really must be going you see, but I shall answer that which you will ask of me."

" Who is buried here?"

Zecora blinked a couple of times making it feel like I asked the wrong thing. " I told you the Royal Family was buried here, so why would you ask such a question my dear? Then again, perhaps you are thinking about the others who are buried here?" I nodded my head and Zecora once again laughed. " I thought as much. Most of the others buried here either served the royal family as attendants or were family friends yet one in particular had such a tragic backstory. I don't know what happened to him but I'm sure someone as skilled as you can figure it out with ease."

With that, Zecora turned around and resumed walking down the path leaving me and Princess Twilight to take in everything she had told us. While she didn't give us answers to the really important questions, what she did say was enough to give us something to go with. As I continued watching her walk down the path to the main area of the graveyard, a part of me wanted to get down there before her and get rid of the Stalchildren before they could cause her any problems. But, since she insisted they wouldn't be any trouble, I just let her continue on with her business.

Another part of me felt bad over how such a beautiful kingdom could have been destroyed, but without knowing the cause behind it, I could only feel bad so much before the feeling no longer is relevant. The researcher Zecora mentioned sounded like the right person to talk to regarding learning about everything else regarding Ikana, and I knew Her Highness would definitely appreciate talking with him since she loved research more than anyone else I knew. It's unfortunate Zecora didn't say where he lived in the region but then it was to be expected, a reminder that I couldn't be given everything on a silver platter.

I then reached behind my back and took out the Garo's Mask before looking at it. To think that they were the ones who helped bring about the downfall of the kingdom, but if they were just a group of assassins, surely they couldn't have done it by themselves even with their expertise. Something Zecora said regarding darkness brewing made me think that there was more to Ikana than a barren wasteland abandoned by the world. Granted, I would need to see the interior before I could confirm my suspicions but it was yet another question that lacked answers, and one particular question was too big for me to ignore.

Turning my attention towards the skeleton under the bridge, Captain Keeta. I walked over to where he was to get a closer look at him and his size was quite intimidating. I had seen plenty of skeletons throughout this journey and my previous one but never one as huge as this guy. On top of his head was some kind of hat--it could be a crown--and his teeth looked jagged and mis-matched in places. Finally, his giant fingers looked ridiculous but were likely to crush anything they came into contact with. As I continued looking at him, it became apparent that he didn't resemble anyone I knew from the world I called home.

Princess Twilight felt the same way. " I don't recognize him at all."

" And here I thought everyone from my world and Equestria would be representing a character here."

" I guess this Captain Keeta is an exception."

" To think that he once commanded an entire army by himself."

Princess Twilight took a closer look at him before flying over to the other side of the bridge. " He is definitely trapped under this thing, Sunset. I'm not sure how it happened but he isn't going anywhere any time soon." She then went to the chest surrounded by flames, came back to me and landed on my shoulder before wiping her brow. " That chest must be really important if it's surrounded by flames yet I don't see any way of getting access to its contents without suffering serious burns to your body. I can also confirm this Captain Keeta is gigantic as I saw his feet on the other side."

" I wonder if he's still alive..."

" What do you mean?"

" I know he's dead and all but wouldn't it be something if he were to suddenly come to life?"

" I have this feeling that he is alive." Twilight said. She turned towards the direction Zecora had walked towards. " Those Stalchildren we saw earlier as well as in the spider house over at Great Bay were moving about in their own manner so it's safe to assume that Captain Keeta is also alive just as much as they are." Her Highness looked back, jumped off my shoulder and looked at the skeleton. " Maybe he's asleep and could do with being woken up?" Her eyes then noticed a sign next to him and she floated over to read it. " According to this message, it says that he is waiting for one who can awaken him from his slumber."

" Any particular reason?"

" It just says to play the 'Song of Awakening' so that I can challenge you to combat."

My eyes opened in shock. " I have to fight that!?"

Princess Twilight nodded. " That does seem to be the hint."

" Maybe we shouldn't disturb him after all." I said. " It's not that I'm afraid of him or anything but rather it might not be a good idea to disturb him. If he does have command of all those Stalchildren according to Zecora, he could use them against us in retaliation."

" You should be able to handle them, right?"

I nodded. " As long as they don't swarm me or anything. They may not be able to inflict much in the way of damage but their numbers do matter." Even though she had already looked at the sign herself, I decided to take a look at what Princess Twilight had read--I wasn't questioning her but rather I just wanted to see the message for myself. Indeed I needed to play the Song of Awakening or rather the Sonata of Awakening. It had been some time since the last time I played the song--more like the previous cycle--so when I took out the Ocarina of Time from my pouch, I had to remember how it went. " I hope this works."

" It will, Sunset."

Raising the ocarina to my lips, I played the Sonata of Awakening, and at first nothing appeared to happen. I thought that I didn't play it correctly, another reminder that I needed to practice playing these songs, or that it wasn't loud enough given the ocarina didn't have as much range as the Deku Pipes did. My thought shifted towards changing into a Deku Scrub and using my pipes but then Captain Keeta's eyes glowed for a second before stopping.

I lurched forward only for him to suddenly get up onto his feet destroying the section of the bridge he had been trapped under. I looked down the pathway in case Zecora suddenly decided to come back after hearing the loud noise Captain Keeta made, but she wasn't there indicating the noise had either not reached her or she simply was fixated on taking care of the graveyard in her usual capacity. I turned back towards the skeleton who had since lumbered forward a few steps before turning around and looking down at me. Just looking up at his skeletal chin almost gave me a nosebleed because of how tall he was.

Had he really been that tall when he was alive? If so then he had no doubt been a terror on the battlefield though at the same time he would have stood out like a sore thumb. Or perhaps this was a special form of magic that had been used to make him appear as being gigantic and that his true self was much smaller? Either way, his head tilted downward, making a loud cracking sound that could be heard all over the region, and I stared up at the glowing eyes coupled with the gaping maw of his presence. Before either of us could say anything, the cries of a Cucco broke through the silence.

Dawn of the Final Day - 24 Hours Remain.

" Swordsman..." Captain Keeta said in a loud, booming voice. " Did you summon me?"

I slowly nodded my head. " Um... Yes?"

" Long have I waited for the likes of you to appear."

" You have?"

Captain Keeta nodded. " I have been sleeping for centuries waiting for the chosen one to appear, yet I must admit that I was not expecting you to be a mere child, but judging from the look in your eye, you have experienced much in the way of battle. You see that which is locked within the chest surrounded by flames?" Again I nodded for him to respond with a smile that was clearly unpleasant given he was a skeleton. " As to be expected but first you must prove your worth in my eyes. Before we can exchange words, I must test your skill to see if you can claim what lies in the chest."

" What do you need me to do?"

" You must stop me in my tracks before I reach the chest."

" Are you serious!?"

Captain Keeta laughed. " Is that not a worthy enough challenge for she who has woken me? If you cannot stop me then you are of no use to anyone! But, I know you will stop me because it is your destiny even if it means throwing away your life in the process. Now, pass through the barrier of flame! Defeat my soldiers who shall fight you with unbridled fury and strike down my being with your blade! Show me what you've got!"

He then turned around and began walking away--more like limping--and thanks to his large size, each step he took was like a stride for someone of my size. I also got to see what lurked on the other side of the bridge that Princess Twilight had seen earlier. The pathway continued onward for a bit before going to the right and around where it would stop at the treasure chest so I didn't have much time to stop him. Captain Keeta then walked past two red markers embedded on each wall that suddenly had a wall of flame appearing in-between them followed by two Stalchildren rising up from the ground.

Now I knew what he meant when he said I had to pass through the barrier of flame, and I quickly figured out that defeating his soldiers would enable me to pass the barrier. My eyes then spotted additional red markers lining both sides of the pathway meaning I would be slowed down by flames and Stalchildren every time until I either struck him down or he reached the chest before that. What was really surprising was that he was merely walking away from me rather than choosing to fight there and then. Was he trying to tell me something by effectively retreating from the field of battle?

I had no time to figure any of this out as he was already starting to get ahead of me. Unsheathing my sword and slinging my shield onto my arm, I ran forward to meet his soldiers, and began swinging my sword around in hopes of defeating them quickly. The Stalchildren attacked by swinging their clawed hands at me that I reflected using my shield before striking the first one, lobbing off its head, leaving it headless, followed by another strike that destroyed it. The other one had no fear given what happened to the other and continued the assault, hitting my sword arm, prompting me to retaliate by slashing its chest repeatedly until it fell apart.

The flames then disappeared and I continued running in hopes of catching up with Captain Keeta. I was just about to reach him when more flames appeared, catching me in their blaze, and sending me flying backwards, landing on the ground and brushing my tunic in a frantic pace to put out the flames. As I looked on and saw Captain Keeta slowly walking away, I looked down at the ground and two more Stalchildren rose up ready to slow me down. Already things weren't going so well since a combination of fire and undead were keeping me from attacking this guy. I needed some kind of plan and quickly!

" Things aren't going well, Twilight." I said as I got back onto my feet.

" Looks like this test isn't as simple as it looked." Twilight said.

" If only I could slow him down so that I can catch up with him."

" You might be able to do just that."

As I lobbed off another Stalchild's skull before destroying it my next strike, I looked at Princess Twilight with a puzzled look. " You know of a way? I sure hope so as I could do with things going right for a change against the captain." The other Stalchild swung its bony arm and I reflected it using my shield before hacking off its head followed by destroying it on my next blow. With that done, I resumed running after him only to be stopped by another flame wall that appeared between the two red markers. Two more Stalchildren rose out of the ground following this leaving me to moan over how this was getting ridiculous.

" Do you have any arrows?"

I nodded my head. " I picked some up when I was grinding for rupees earlier." I then slapped my forehead upon putting two and two together and realizing that I could use arrows to slow down his movement long enough for me to attack his legs. I had to work fast given the Stalchildren would block my efforts by getting in the way of my aiming forcing me to deal with them rather than the real problem. I took out the Hero's Bow, loaded an arrow, and was about to fire at Captain Keeta when one Stalchild ended up blocking the shot and getting hit, losing its head, and stumbled about as a result. " Oh come on!"

" Ignore them and keep trying!"

" Easy for you to say."

" You can do it, Sunset!"

I fired another arrow only for the other Stalchild to walk out in front and taking the hit causing it to be pushed back. It was at this point where Captain Keeta was even further ahead now than he was before and my chances of catching him were fading away. I attacked both Stalchildren with arrows, destroying them, and causing the flames to disappear allowing me to continue chasing him. That's when I fired an arrow volley in hopes of scoring a hit and not carrying about how many I used. Most of my shots missed their target in spectacular fashion yet the last one managed to hit his ankle prompting him to turn around and walking towards me.

He was definitely faster now that I had caught his attention--he actually looked like he was shuffling about--but when he suddenly turned around and began walking forward towards the chest, I ran towards him, struck him in the back of the leg, and found myself on the receiving end of a very large claw swipe courtesy of Captain Keeta. He turned around again and as I got back onto my feet, he continued swinging his clawed hands about forcing me to use my shield to defend myself from his blows. The Stalchildren had stopped spawning and no flames were blocking the way forward so that meant I now had gotten his full attention.

Despite being much larger than me, he had quite the long reach not to mention long claws, but then I could easily walk underneath him and attack his legs repeatedly until he was either destroyed or gave up the fight. Each of his blows kept pushing me down but I refused to surrender knowing my chance would come yet it wasn't easy since as an undead monster, the captain couldn't get tired from constant attacks. When I finally got a chance to do something, I rushed forward and began attacking his legs, pushing him into the cliff-side and continuing the assault until he knocked me down with another claw swipe.

When I got up this time, Captain Keeta shuffled forward, swung his claw, and raked me across the chest though while the wound was deep, it wasn't as painful as it looked. Had his strength escaped him after so many centuries or was he holding back knowing this was his chance to finally rest in peace? Whatever his reasons, I had to make sure I didn't take too many hits otherwise it would mean joining him--in other words I would be dead--so when I used my shield and deflected a claw swipe, I rushed forward and attacked him again until he jumped straight into air, and came crashing down moments later, knocking me to the ground.

Getting up again, I felt disoriented over how strong his attack was not to mention how large of an attack range he had. I swung my sword in hopes of connecting with his legs but he merely jumped into the air and landed knocking me down again. After that, he resumed swinging his claws about once again forcing me to protect myself with his shield. No doubt I was understanding why he commanded so many soldiers. His strength was certainly formidable even though he was dead and that kind of thing was necessary otherwise the soldiers wouldn't respect him and therefore abandon him.

" You need to watch his shadow on the ground."

" I first have to attack him before he jumps."

Princess Twilight nodded. " His attack range is long but he is very predictable in his attack pattern. He shuffles forward, launches a barrage of attacks, and then eventually backs away so that he can resume the assault and repeat the process. You need to wait until he backs away before attacking his legs, and when he jumps in the air, watch his shadow and take evasive actions or else you'll get knocked over."

" I have a feeling he won't take much more punishment."

" Yes." Twilight said. " He may be undead but even he must have a limit before he will go down."

Captain Keeta continued swinging his claws against my shield but then he shuffled back just as Her Highness said, and that's when I ran forward before slashing him in the legs again until he jumped into the air. Since I knew what to anticipate, I looked down at the ground to see his shadow and quickly jumped to the side just as he came crashing down. I could have attacked him before he got back up but he was faster than he appeared and was on his feet again. The captain began swinging his claws again proving that his attack pattern was easy enough to follow so I just needed to attack him at the right time.

With my shield raised again, I blocked each of his attacks and when he shuffled back, I ran forward and attacked his legs, prompting him to jump in the air. He came down a few moments later though I wasn't fast enough to prevent myself from being knocked down in the process. As I struggled to get back onto my feet, Captain Keeta knocked me over again using his claws, and upon getting up again, he knocked me down for a third time. I got back up again and this time raised my shield just as his claws were about to strike yet again, and when he shuffled back to give himself some leverage, I rushed forward and attacked his legs.

He jumped yet again and I moved back but got caught on the fringe of his landing on the ground. He then resumed his claw swipes only for me to repel his every blow with my shield--how it hasn't gotten dented or even broken after so much punishment was surprising--and this went on for a while before he shuffled backwards like before. I then ran forward and attacked his legs only for him to suddenly jump up even higher than before. At first I thought this was some kind of new attack that was sure to cause me problems, but when the captain landed and raised his hand, I was confused by what he was doing.

" Wait!" Captain Keeta shouted.

" What are you doing?" I asked.

" Stand down!"

" Why should I?"

" I admit defeat." Captain Keeta answered. " I know that there is nothing I can do to defeat you. Please follow me to where I was resting before I was awakened by your song. I shall share my story with you." He turned around and began walking forward though with an even bigger limp than before. I wasn't sensing any kind of trap and his words did sound honest in their delivery, but no sooner had he gone a few metres when he turned around and beckoned me to follow. " You need not be afraid, chosen one. You won the battle and so you are entitled to know much more. Again, please follow me to where I once rested."

I looked at Princess Twilight and she nodded her head to indicate that I should follow after him. Captain Keeta then turned back the other way and started walking forward with me following behind him at a safe distance--I didn't want to get hit by his claws in case he suddenly decided to go into a frenzy. As he continued walking, the ground started to vibrate, a reminder that the moon was drawing ever closer and that I would soon have to reset time. To be honest, I rarely noticed the vibrations given I had other things on my mind, but given the sudden silence all around, the vibrations were clearly obvious.

A few minutes later and we arrived back at where Captain Keeta once slept. I was surprised when he suddenly jumped down to the ground below considering he could have just gone the other way while I walked in the direction he intended, but I wasn't about to question his motives given the fact that he was dead. Upon landing and a couple of bones cracking, he turned around and looked at me with those red eyes of his. Behind him stood the treasure chest that supposedly contained his spirit but that didn't make much sense. Why lock away your own spirit rather than keep it on you in death?

Captain Keeta then continued. " To think that I didn't see you as worthy upon first glance because of your appearance. I realize now that you are full of surprises and are capable of holding your own against one of my stature. As promised, I shall share my story with you. My name is Captain 'Skull' Keeta! When I was alive, I once commanded the Ikana Army atop the hill, in the name of the Ikana Kingdom. No matter what kind of opposition they faced, the soldiers who swore loyalty to me fought to the bitter end even if it meant their own lives would be lost to them. I was seen as one who had never tasted defeat and my soldiers used that notion as an inspiration."

" It sounds like that changed."

Captain Keeta sadly nodded. " You can see right through me it seems."

While I knew he wasn't being literal about it, I had to make sure not to bring it up. " What happened?"

" I was defeated in battle."

" Oh."

Captain Keeta looked up at the sky. " The Garo were merely assassins! They were not soldiers like myself and my men, but they had learned of how we fought by spying on our training and created counter-measures that could overcome our strategies. Despite the odds stacked against us, I lead my soldiers into battle against the Garo only to be defeated by them. My first loss in battle brought me nothing but shame and not even my soldiers pleas of continuing were enough to convince of wanting to carry on. We were decimated in a short period of time and the Garo gained momentum."

" So you chose to banish yourself here?"

" I could no longer face my soldiers who looked up to me."

" It's never fun to lose at anything but you shouldn't have given up so easily."

" You do not understand what I experienced."

I shook my head. " No, I don't know, but I have experienced something similar to what you went through. I thought about giving up and allowing myself to wallow in despair, but I got back up and did everything in my power to change things for the better. It wasn't an easy transition given that my past proved difficult to overcome but I had the support of my friends who were there to help me out."

Captain Keeta remained silent for a few minutes before responding. " Perhaps I was wrong about you once again." He looked behind at the treasure chest surrounded by flames--it looked like he was shedding some tears despite not having any eyeballs in his eye sockets--before looking back at me. I didn't know what it was but I felt a strange aura flaring up around us and it came from him. " I have waited here for one to come and awaken my soul. Had you not defeated me than you would have been denied the secret contained in the chest but you deftly defeated me thus proving your worth. I have need of your power to fulfill the one request that has lingered in my current existence."

" What is it?"

" Inside of the chest surrounded by flames is my soul contained within the form of a mask."

" A mask!?"

Captain Keeta nodded. " The mask is known as the Captain's Hat. It is a symbol of authority that my soldiers swore fealty to long ago. By wearing my mask, you will be able to speak to my soldiers as though you were me. I want you take it and convey this message to my men, who, even in death remain loyal." He turned to face the chest once again. " Tell them that the war has ended. They will then carry out whatever orders you give them and perhaps they can finally rest. Do this task and I too shall drift quietly into sleep." He turned back before raising his hand and performing a salute. " Captain, sir! May I take leave, sir?"

I had no idea why he suddenly was saluting me as though I were now his superior officer but I needed some time to ponder over what he had just said. With the mask inside of the treasure chest, his soldiers would become mine to control, and my mind turned to the Stalchildren in the graveyard along with the ones in the Oceanside Spider House. They were all his men who continued to serve him in death and were waiting for new orders. Perhaps I could see what lurked underground by having his soldiers open up those gravestones, but I would need to do so when Zecora wasn't around otherwise she wouldn't be happy about it.

Since she was active during the day, I could only have the Stalchildren open the graves at night. While it sounded pretty morbid plundering someone else's grave, it could prove to be essential considering Zecora mentioned something about attendants to the Ikana Royal Family being buried here. As for the Stalchildren at the cursed house, I should pay them a visit when I have a free moment so that whatever they were doing over there wouldn't be a wasted effort. I then thought about asking Captain Keeta if he knew anything about the Garo or what caused the kingdom to fall apart but it seemed that opportunity was lost.

The captain continued standing there waiting for me to respond in kind. He was definitely the patient type for sure despite his overall complexion but I knew that it was wrong to keep making him wait especially after he poured his heart--or lack of one--out in explaining his tragic story. I then returned his salute with my own and he expressed joy knowing at long last he could finally rest in peace. With a simple "yes sir", Captain Keeta suddenly fell to pieces before disappearing completely causing me to reach out with my hand in vain before clenching it into a fist and lowering my head in sadness.

Looking back at the treasure chest, the flames surrounding it disappeared, allowing me access, but the gap in-between the two pieces of the bridge was quite large. There was no way of jumping across without dropping down and forced to come back up here again but luckily I had just what I needed. Reaching into my pocket and taking out the Hookshot, I aimed at the chest, fired the chain where it sailed across the sky, sunk into the chest, and pulled myself across the gap. Good thing chests were made of wood otherwise I would have had to have come up with another tactic.

Opening it up, I took out the Captain's Hat, and my initial expression was one of sadness. The mask itself looked just like Captain Keeta's head only on a much smaller scale and also bore a resemblance to what he had been wearing on his head prior to disappearing. Would his soldiers seriously think I was him all because I was wearing this mask? Either they were pretty stupid or their lack of intellect due to being undead would affect their overall judgment. Unlike most of the other masks, this one felt really important, as though I needed it in order to save this region from what was plaguing it.

" With that mask, you can now talk to the Stalchildren." Twilight said.

" Do you think their lack of intellect will make this easy?"

Princess Twilight shrugged her shoulders. " I don't know, Sunset, but you shouldn't let that be a concern. Captain Keeta's soldiers respective that mask you hold in your hand and will obey your orders without question, but perhaps you should give them instructions beneficial to their stations and not something that goes against their creed."

" I could have them open the gravestones."

" Yes, but Zecora might not like that."

" Which is why I need to fast forward time until sunset."

" Good thinking." Twilight said. " Zecora said she goes back home before the sun goes down so you can ask the Stalchildren at night. I'm assuming that they only come out at night which would explain why she isn't afraid of them."

" I'm not of the idea of grave robbing."

" Neither am I but what other choice is there?"

" We could explore the interior of Ikana."

" Maybe but there might be something important below the graves that could prove vital."

I felt conflicted over whether to open the graves or not. On the one hand, Princess Twilight was right in that there could be something useful down there that could help us survive the coming trials. On the other hand, desecrating someone's place of rest felt incredibly horrific and made me think of myself as an uncaring monster. While I didn't know those who were buried underground, I just couldn't bring myself to opening their graves. Her Highness then said that our actions wouldn't make much difference given we would soon be resetting time but it was the principle of the thing.

To desecrate one's burial site... I couldn't find the words to describe how appalling it sounded, but as Her Highness continued explaining that these people had been buried for centuries, she believed that only a few of the graves could be opened. She doubted the Stalchildren would be willing to open them and they were most likely wanting a chance to open them should they get orders from Captain Keeta. Her explanation was pretty shallow in execution but I understood what she was saying. I had to open the graves because the fate of three words hung in the balance--that was what I assumed.

Taking out the Ocarina of Time from the pouch on my belt, I played the Song of Double Time and concentrated on wanting to be sent forward in time to the moment the sun went down indicating nightfall. Through its powerful magic and the song, the ocarina heard my plea before whisking me forward through time until stopping at where I wanted to be.

Night of the Final Day - 12 Hours Remain.

As soon as nightfall began, the ground began vibrating and I looked up at the moon, its hideous form had gotten even closer than before. Since I knew that time wasn't on my side due to there being only twelve hours left, I ran down the pathway only to stop upon seeing the Stalchildren again. They were in different locations compared to the previous night yet it was the ones walking around a nearby gravestone whom I needed to speak with. Gulping over not knowing whether this would work or not, I put on the Captain's Hat and walked--with fear in my heart--towards the Stalchildren who immediately stopped.

" Huh?" One of them asked before suddenly saluting me. " Aah, Captain Sir! Excuse me, sir!" He then turned to the other two Stalchildren walking around the grave and informed them of the situation before they saluted. " Everyone, give the captain your full attention!"

" At ease, soldier." I said.

The Stalchild seemed nervous at first but I assured him that everything was fine. " We haven't seen you in some time, sir!"

" What are you doing?"

" Carrying out the most recent orders you gave us, sir!" The Stalchild answered. " As per your orders, sir, we've been guarding these graves closely, a different one each day. A few of the others questioned why we were to guard them but I made sure to give them a stern talking to over questioning your orders, sir. We were over by that grave first before moving to that one over there before coming to this one right here."

" Are these graves where the Royal Family of Ikana were buried?"

" Yes, sir!"

Crap! It had then occurred to me that I had come to the graveyard on the wrong day! If anything, I should have come as early as the first day as that would have allowed me to investigate all three graves instead of just the one that they were watching over. Part of me felt like a complete and total idiot for not reaching this conclusion a lot sooner but I supposed it was for me to learn about it now and not later where I would have felt even more humiliated. There were two problems that I now had to atone for. The first was something important could be hidden beneath one of the graves they were guarding on the previous days.

The other was having to make my way back here again after resetting time since I didn't see any Owl Statues on the way--I suspected that the statue was located deep within the region as opposed to what could be described as the outer fringes. The Stalchild asked me if everything was okay and I responded with a yes, gritting my teeth at the same time, and wanting to vent my anger out on something because of being stupid--not against them as they didn't do anything wrong. Given the current circumstances, I decided to not to waste this opportunity and go with what I could do.

" What will you guys do now?"

" We have all been expecting your next orders, sir." The Stalchild answered. " It doesn't matter what it is so long as it doesn't go against our code of honour as soldiers, we shall carry out whatever order you command."

" I want you to open the grave."

The Stalchild was taken aback by my sudden request. " You... you want me to open it, sir?"

I nodded my head. " Yes."

" Yes, sir!" The Stalchild said. He then turned to the other two surrounding the gravestone and they looked at him in return. " Captain Keeta has ordered us to open this grave so everyone follow my lead and we'll get this opened up." He then looked back at me. " This will only take a few moments, sir!"

The other Stalchildren began arguing with the one I had spoken to saying that opening the grave was tantamount to treason against the Royal Family of Ikana, yet the other said that my orders were absolute as the captain and weren't to be questioned. The two looked at each other and then at me before bowing their heads knowing that they had to obey or else be viewed as disobeying orders. I personally thought such an interaction showed how even undead monsters understood the concept of being loyal to those who commanded you. I could understand their concerns but in the end this was what I wanted.

I assumed that they would dig up the grass and dirt in front of the gravestone for me to be able to get access to what laid below but instead they began swiping the gravestone using their claws in different places. It didn't take long for them to break it to pieces, exposing a hole in the ground, and jumping down into it leaving the rest of their comrades behind to continue what they were doing before I arrived on the scene. The hole looked pretty deep as though it dropped down forever without any signs of having a bottom but I knew there was a bottom to this one.

Since I had nothing else to do, I jumped down into the hole where the gravestone was and became surrounded by an infinite darkness with only Princess Twilight's light from her being a fairy being my only shine in the darkness.





Sometime in the past.

" Well, here we are." Lightning Dust said.

" What is this place?" Starlight asked.

" You wanted me to bring you to the place where you can pull off that prank and here it is."

Starlight looked up and almost got a crick in her neck. " You weren't joking when you said that this was a long climb." She noticed that the area consisted of numerous ledges and giant blocks that appeared to be capable of moving to other locations but she couldn't see much of anything else. " Good thing my powers enable me to fly so I don't have to do any climbing but I don't like the fact we have to go up so high in the first place." Starlight raised her hand to her ear and listened to the sounds of moaning coming from below. " You never said the undead were lurking below in the darkness."

Lightning Dust shrugged her shoulders. " I'm just a thief, kid. I know little about this place other than what I heard from the researcher and two sisters who came here about a year ago before leaving again with a pair of masks they stole from the assassins graveyard."

" Hee hee! They sound like a much more interesting subject!"

" I wouldn't put too much stock into that."

" You will tell me more about these sisters!" Starlight said, the eyes on her mask glowing. " If you don't tell me willingly then I will use my powers to get the information out of you by force though I hope you'll choose the latter. It's no fun when people agree to share their secrets instead of being tortured."

Lightning Dust backed away slowly only to be pulled back towards Starlight. " Look... All I know about those sisters is that they were clothes made for farming so you might want to check out the ranch if you want to become friends with them." She then tried backing away again only for Starlight to pull her towards her again. Lightning Dust began feeling uneasy knowing that her chances of escaping were growing dim and her captor would eventually kill her out of sheer boredom. " If you want to pull off that prank you keep on talking about, the temple would be your best bet."

" I want to see these two farmers who stole masks."

" Why would you want to see a pair of farmers?"

" They sound like a real fun pair, hee hee!"

Spike then protested. " What about your prank, Skull Kid? You said this was going to be your best one yet, right? We're so close to it right now so why bother abandoning it in favour of some farmers who acted in a manner similar to what happened when we ran into that man."

Starlight reacted to what Spike said by batting him away with her fist. " Don't speak out of line!"

" I... I didn't mean to."

" You're right about me focusing on pulling off my prank."

" We could pay a visit to the ranch later." Spike said. " There's not much else left to do anyway so we might as well relax and wait things out until Tatl finds us. I still can't believe she got left behind by that Deku Scrub just because she got offended by what you did."

Starlight looked like she was about to bat Spike again but chose not to when she realized that he didn't reveal anything significant that time. Instead, she began laughing and kicking her legs that almost knocked Lightning Dust over to much to her annoyance. " Definitely one of the best pranks I've ever pulled and on some girl wearing green no less. Those forest kids are so easy to fool given they think that tree will protect them from what lurks beyond the forest."

" Do you think she will follow us, Skull Kid?"

" Probably. She did seem pretty stubborn."

" Maybe Tatl is with her?"

" We can only hope."

Lightning Dust then inched closer to Starlight who suddenly turned around in response. " You stole that mask from someone else? It seems your fairy friend said something you didn't want him to mention." She clasped her hands together and began jumping up and down before stopping when Starlight's eyes glowed once again. " Relax... I have no intention of informing anyone of what you did. In fact, I am glad I now know you're nothing but a thief. It shows that you're just like me, a person who does whatever they can to make ends meet, and to steal from those who are suckers."

Starlight batted Spike again. " Next time, keep quiet!"

" No need to punish him."

" You stay out of this!"

" Again, I have no intention of telling anyone." Lightning Dust said. " We thieves have a strict code that states we don't rat out our fellow thieves though there are some exceptions to be made when certain thieves began too sure of themselves and think they are above everyone else."

" It doesn't change the fact that you got too close to me again." Starlight said, her dark aura flaring up and surrounding her body. " I think your usefulness to me is at an end seeing as you did bring me to my destination so I'll give you a quick and painful death..." She cut herself short upon noticing Lightning Dust having gotten a good distance away from her and was in the tunnel that connected back to the main area. " What the? Where did you go? Don't tell me I allowed her to play me for a fool!"

" She ran away a few moments ago." Spike said.

" Why didn't you stop her?"

" I can't do much as a fairy, Skull Kid.

" That's the stupidest excuse I've ever heard."

" Sorry."

Starlight's anger got the best of her and she destroyed several boulders nearby using her magic. She then proceeded to take her anger out on Spike by berating him and even batting him about once or twice before calming down and assessing the situation. Lightning Dust may have gotten away but she had managed to bring Starlight to where she needed to be so now all that remained was pulling off her prank. Granted, it meant having to climb all the way up to the top of the structure but that wasn't an issue since she could fly using her magic and ignore everything.

" We'll carry on with the prank."

" Sounds like a plan, Skull Kid."

" But, I've just come up with the makings of one final prank."

Spike was surprised. " I thought this was going to be your last one."

Starlight laughed. " Hee hee! You should know that I always have a new prank in the works, Tael, and believe when I say that this one will be my final prank. Once I make things more lively around here, I'll make sure this entire world gets to experience the glory of my masterpiece."

" Are you sure?"

" I have every inclination of making it a reality.





After dropping down through the darkness for what felt like an eternity, I finally landed on solid ground and began to look around at my surroundings. I was in a small corridor that opened out into a massive chamber that looked like someone had built it centuries ago given the choice of architecture. In front of me were several pots that could contain items yet it was someone lurking about in the darkness ahead--I could see a shadowy figure--that piqued my interest. For one thing, how could anyone have gotten down here when the only way was by using the entrance that had been made by the Stalchildren.

Unless... There was another entrance that I didn't know about. If that was the case then this figure was either a person or a monster though I was gearing more towards the latter since the only human around this part of the region was Zecora. The Stalchildren had since disappeared--my assumption was that they had finally rested in peace after being given new orders by their captain--so I no longer needed to worry about them, yet I could sense a great evil lurking all around. It made my hair stand on end because of how powerful it felt but then this was a graveyard after all. Evil being in a place like this was expected.

I used my sword to smash all of the pots--there were six in total--revealing a couple of recovery hearts, one green rupee, one blue rupee, and some arrows. I was expecting something a little better but I supposed anything would do so long as it wasn't nothing. I then walked forward until I entered the larger part of the room before looking around. There were a large number of dirt mounds throughout the chamber, several blocks stacked up like a staircase, moving platforms above my head, and other platforms that simply hovered with the moving ones moving about between them. Finally, there was a flight of stairs at the far end of the room.

" What do you make of this place, Twilight?" I asked.

" It's strange that something like this was built below the graveyard." Twilight answered.

" I don't see anyone buried around here."

" Perhaps they were buried in a different location and this place serves a different purpose."

" Still, don't you find it odd?"

Princess Twilight shrugged. " At this point, nothing surprises me about this world. I will admit that the architecture around here is simply fascinating. Whoever built this place certainly had a flare for wanting to showcase beauty what with the vibrant colours mixed with the mystery of being located deep underground. I can tell though that time has taken its toll around here what with all the cracks on the walls and the smell of decay. I'd say everything could come crashing down if we're not careful."

" I wonder if this was a place dedicated to the spirits."

" That's quite random even for you."

" When I landed after dropping all that way, I sensed an evil presence all around us." I said. " It was very faint but I could definitely feel something. It could be the spirits of the dead longing to be free from being trapped down here or they view us as threats given that we're alive and they aren't."

" Sunset? Why are you still wearing that mask?"

I placed my hand on my face and discovered that I was indeed still wearing it. " Guess I don't need it for now." I took off the Captain's Hat and put it away only to hear the sound of someone calling out somewhere in the darkness. " Did you hear that?"

Princess Twilight nodded. " Someone else is down here with us."

" Why do I suddenly hear voices all around? I thought I was the only one down here making sound."

Both Her Highness and I immediately recognized the voice as belonging to Zecora though how did she manage to get down here? I doubted she used the entrance that was made earlier by the Stalchildren so there was another entrance somewhere. My suspicion focused on the flight of stairs I noticed earlier. Had Zecora used the passageway those stairs lead towards to get down here? If so then where did the path ultimately lead? Also, why was she even down here in the first place? Wasn't her job watching over the graveyard? Unless she had a really good reason, I suspected something amiss.

I walked up to Zecora. " Um... excuse me?"

Zecora jumped when I spoke and beat her chest a couple of times before turning towards me. " You? Who are you? It's so dark down here that I can't see, and for that it really does annoy me." She then noticed Princess Twilight's glow and covered her eyes. " Whoa! That light is so bright that I'm beginning to lose my sight. Sorry if I'm sounding rather grumpy but my vision isn't what it used to be. By the way, what is that which is glowing in front of me? You're not a ghost are you?"

" That would be my fairy companion."

" Is that you, um... what was your name again?"

" Sunset Shimmer."

" Sorry if I can't recognize you down here but like I said my vision is pretty poor."

I didn't know if she was telling me the truth or was trying to make a lousy excuse but I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt. What I really wanted to know was what she was doing down here in the first place. Zecora had her shovel in her hand indicating that she came here for some digging and given there were dirt mounds down here, it didn't take me long to put two and two together, and conclude she intended on digging them up. The dirt mounds were too big to be soft soil, the places Gold Skulltulas and bugs enjoyed so these were here for a different reason entirely.

" So what are you doing down here?" I asked. " I didn't think a grave keeper would need to be here."

Zecora went silent for a few seconds before answering. " I should ask the same about you, but I will tell you first so as to not be shrew. I came here looking for the legendary treasure of the Royal Family that was buried down here but my torch went out some time ago and I've been stumbling about in the darkness ever since then. Since your fairy is giving off a bright light despite my vision problems, this is a perfect opportunity for both of us."

" What do you mean?"

" Could you and your fairy walk out in front of me and light the way? I promise that this will definitely make your day."

" You want the treasure don't you?"

Zecora nodded. " If you spot any suspicious places on the ground and talk to me, I will dig in that spot using my shovel. As long as the light from your fairy shines bright, I won't wind up getting lost or be out of sight. Just lead me to where you think it's buried."

Princess Twilight's happiness suddenly crumbled upon realizing that Zecora here was nothing more than a grave robber--thief if you will--but she had to remember that this wasn't the same Zecora she had come to know. That was something I learned the hard way even though I would still succumb to such thoughts all because a particular person meant a great deal to me and seeing them acting in a completely different manner was unexpected. Still, seeing Zecora acting like a thief made me feel terrible for having spoken with her earlier, but much it was with Iron Will, I had to look past that and see her as doing what she thought was best for herself.

Also... A part of me was curious as to what this treasure was supposed to be. It had to be something good if it was buried down here for so long but then I had to wonder why no one had been able to find it. What Zecora also said about me being and Her Highness being ghosts was ridiculous but perhaps she was referring to actual ghosts who thrived down here in the darkness they loved so much. Considering the graveyard was plagued by Stalchildren and Captain Keeta--at night--finding a ghost underground wasn't out of the question. I hoped our little excursion wouldn't result in something going wrong.

" Alright..." I began. " I'll help you find the treasure."

" I was hoping you would say that." Zecora said. " When we find the treasure, I'll split it up with you. That way, I will benefit and you will too. I'm counting on you to show me the way so let's get going without delay."

Before we began, the ground began vibrating to remind me that the moon was still falling outside and that I only had so much time on my hands. I needed to get this treasure hunting done as soon as possible otherwise I'd have no choice but to come back at this time and try it again. Princess Twilight then floated over to Zecora and acted as a light for her to follow and I walked out in front of them so as to lead them around until we came upon any dirt mounds. Fortunately, there were two of them right next to where we were so I guided Zecora over to the first one where she began digging in the ground.

Unfortunately, nothing came out of the dirt and she made sure to let me know by saying we needed to search elsewhere. To be honest, I wasn't entirely sure what we were supposed to be looking for since she didn't specify anything, but I suspected she didn't know what it was either. We had just barely gotten started and already I was having doubts on whether we would find something down here. Zecora then started walking off on her own without Princess Twilight's light guiding her and even called out for me as though I had suddenly disappeared so Her Highness quickly floated over to guide her on the right path again.

The next mound of dirt also came up with nothing though Zecora was determined to not give up until all of the dirt mounds had been dug up. She then mentioned that there could be some located on the platforms suspended in the air and suggested us to get up there and see if they would yield anything. I could easily climb up onto those platforms myself using my ingenuity but Zecora would have a much harder time since she wasn't as active as I was. I then guided her over to the next mound of dirt where she dug into it using her shovel and a strange light suddenly appeared that lightened up the area.

" What is that?"

" I don't know what it is, Sunset, but it might help us find the treasure." Twilight answered.

" It... looks like Blue Fire."

Princess Twilight looked confused. " Blue Fire? You'll have to explain that one to me."

" Blue Fire is blue in colour--obviously--and looks like regular fire but it can be used to cool you down if you find yourself getting hot." I said. " Some people will try and sell you some for a ridiculous amount of rupees though you can easily find it by looking in the right place." I was about to continue when a strange sound suddenly echoed around me. I looked down at the floor and my body turned cold upon seeing a familiar shape that I remembered from my previous journey. " Incoming!"

" What are you talking about?" Twilight asked. Her question was answered moments later when a hand dropped down from the ceiling. It wasn't attached to anything, was much larger than a regular hand, and reeked of the undead that was prevalent around here. " I see what you mean, Sunset." Her Highness regained her composure but before she could say anything, I had already destroyed what had paid us a visit. " Wow... You certainly took care of that creature without me having to give you advice."

I wiped my forehead. " I remember this from before but the name escapes me."

" It's called a Wallmaster." Twilight said. " It drops down from the ceiling, walks around for a couple of seconds, and then jumps back up to the ceiling before choosing to attack again moments later. If it catches you, you'll get taken back to the entrance of wherever you were at the time. Fortunately, it doesn't take many hits before it goes down and it's known for dropping a large assortment of rupees."

" You never know when they will attack." I said as I collected three red rupees that appeared after the Wallmaster was destroyed.

" Where in the world did you go?" Zecora asked. " Please don't go so fast on account of me being slow."

In the excitement, I had completely forgotten about Zecora who had since begun wandering off into the darkness and away from the remaining dirt mounds. My anger flared up a little so to relieve myself of stress, I pounded my fist into the ground and ran over to where she was going to bring her back to where she needed to be. Once Princess Twilight's light surrounded her once again, Zecora began walking back really slowly most likely because of her age though it was testing my patience. It took her much longer than necessary to reach the next dirt mound and nothing was inside of it when she dug it up.

There was one more mound of dirt on the floor before we had to go to the floating platforms so I lured Zecora over to it where she dug it up and a second light appeared. None of us had any idea what the significance was behind these flames but there was no point in dwelling over it. The treasure was somewhere in here waiting to be uncovered and Zecora had no desire to give up now though I began thinking otherwise--I wasn't sure what Princess Twilight's opinion was since she had to act as a light source. Unless it was something really good, I had every mind to simply walk away and leave Zecora on her own.

But, since I was the heroine and all, I couldn't abandon her despite how I felt. Zecora then asked me to take her to another spot so I began leading her somewhere in hopes of finding something that could take us to the floating platforms above us. Fortunately for us, she stumbled upon something when she suddenly stepped on a strange tile on the ground and it rose up into the air. Again, Zecora called out, asking me where I had gotten off to despite Her Highness being with her, so I quickly noticed a ladder, ran over to it, and climbed up to the top where it consisted of another mound of dirt.

The platform Zecora was standing on floated over until it came to a stop up against the platform I was standing on and she asked if she wanted me to dig there. I then saw what I would need to do to reach the other platform and the blocks that went up towards it like some steps. If nothing could be found here, I would have to find some way of taking Zecora over to it. Nodding that I wanted her to dig, Zecora shoved her shovel down into the dirt and dug some up producing a third flame, but suddenly all three began moving towards the center of the chamber before coming together.

All three then formed a giant ghost wielding a lantern and Zecora immediately reacted. " WAAAAH! It's the leader of the ghosts!" She then began running towards the stairs, ran up them, and down the passageway before running up a staircase that wrapped around the corner. Her voice then echoed out though my focus was on the monster that showed up thanks to her digging about. " I'm running right now dear friend. I hope for your sake that this won't be your end."

" I should have known that would happen."

" Guess we have to deal with this ghost." Twilight said.

" And you were questioning their existence."

" This definitely proved me wrong." Twilight said. " Anyway, this is a Big Poe and like its name suggests, it's a giant Poe who will attempt to charge at you whenever it becomes visible before disappearing. While it's invisible, you won't be able to attack it but you'll need to avoid the lantern otherwise you'll take some damage. When it reveals itself, using arrows to attack from afar would be your best bet."

" What about my sword?"

" You'd need to be really close to be able to hit it."

I cursed under my breath. " I really need to get that complete sword upgrade."

" Yes, yes you do."

Upgrading my sword wasn't the only thing I needed to take of. As I took out the Hero's Bow and nocked an arrow onto the string, I realized that I only had the medium-sized quiver and that there was still another one I could acquire at the Swamp Shooting Gallery. Since I knew where it was located, I had no excuse to not go over there and pick it up, but first I needed to deal with the Big Poe who suddenly disappeared, laughing in the process. If this ghost was like the ones from my previous journey in the graveyard, it would only take me about six arrows for me to defeat it.

The Big Poe then charged towards me by swinging its lantern around as a means of trying to clobber me with it. While it had disappeared, the lantern was still plainly visible so I knew where it was going to be at all times. All I had to do was avoid being struck by the lantern--not a simple task since the Big Poe moved pretty quickly when attacking. Case in point, it came swinging at me after I dodged it moments ago, and I went flying, landing hard on my butt before getting back up. It then appeared and I fired my arrow--it was still locked and ready to fire--striking the Big Poe in the chest, causing it to disappear.

It then charged towards me, lantern swinging like before, only this time I dodged it only for it to turn around and come back the other way, hitting me in the process. The wound wasn't too serious given I had felt much worse but I couldn't allow it to control the battle otherwise I would be a disadvantage. When it re-appeared, I struck it again with another arrow--its massive size proved to be a hindrance since missing it was practically impossible--but this time it didn't vanish and instead continued charging at me, catching me off guard. I went flying once again and landed hard on my butt before getting back only for the Big Poe to vanish.

Compared with other "boss" battles, this one was pretty simple since it wasn't doing all that much other than charge around, swinging its lantern, and staying invisible in hopes of not getting hit until it chooses to make itself visible to me. The Big Poe charged again and I jumped to the side, rolled on the floor, and stood back up just as it appeared again, and fired another arrow though this one hit the lantern causing no damage, but I quickly fired another one and scored a hit before it disappeared. I thought it strange how there was so much space yet it was using the central part of this chamber and nothing more.

Loading another arrow, the Big Poe swung its lantern into me, hitting my stomach, and pushed me back--I didn't land on my butt this time--before turning around and striking me again followed by a third strike before re-appearing. Either I was starting to lose it or it was getting desperate by increasing how often it would come charging at me. It then attacked again though I lowered my bow and raised my shield, its lantern colliding with my shield, causing sparks to fly. I lowered my shield and fired another arrow causing the Big Poe to disappear--this was starting to get annoying since it was just doing the same thing over and over.

I dodged the first lantern swing and then the second but got caught on the third and landed hard on my butt shortly afterwards. Getting back up, the Big Poe re-appeared and I fired an arrow only for it to miss completely--I had gotten slightly disoriented from being struck by the lantern--before firing two more that each hit the lantern. It then charged at me again prompting me to raise my shield and parrying the blow, and it was at that moment when I regained my composure and shot another arrow. This one managed to hit resulting in the Big Poe burning away and its lantern dropping down and smashing to pieces on the ground.

" That wasn't as difficult as I thought." I said as I wiped my brow and put away my equipment. " I did take some unnecessary hits though."

" At least you defeated the Big Poe."

" And it left behind something I might want to consider."

" Yes." Twilight said. Both of us then walked over to where the Big Poe fell and Her Highness wanted to take a closer look at the remnants of the ghost only for me to use my hand to block her efforts before telling her not to get so close. " While you may be familiar with this, Sunset, my curiosity can't be denied though maybe we should focus on what is going on at the top of those stairs." I looked up and saw a large treasure chest materialize at the top of the stairs so I walked up to it, opened it, and took out a Piece of Heart that made me feel warm all over thanks to its healing ability.

" I needed that."

Princess Twilight felt conflicted. " That wasn't what I would call a treasure if you were Zecora but it definitely benefited you, Sunset."

" Even something like a Piece of Heart is valuable in the right context."

" That is true." Twilight said as she turned back to the Big Poe's remnants. " Since you have an empty bottle, you could scoop up the remains of the Big Poe and sell it to someone who would pay money for it. I'm sure Iron Will might be willing to pay a good amount but then that would involve paying a visit to his shop, selling it, and depositing the rupees into the bank or else lose them when you reset time."

" I don't really need to see him until I have to get that mask."

" You can easily get it now since you have the Giant's Wallet."

" If I can be reminded to prevent the robbery from happening back in town, I can easily visit him at this same time during the next three-day cycle."

Princess Twilight then had an idea. " If you want, Sunset, I could give off a ringing sound to remind you that you need to be in Clock Town at that precise moment though it would mean having to leave whatever you were doing behind and coming back to it later." I looked at Her Highness and she immediately knew what I was getting at. " I honestly didn't know that I had that ability until just recently but it seems it would have been incredibly useful in the past had I known about it sooner."

While knowing that she possessed such a unique ability, Princess Twilight was about how she should have come to that realization a long time ago. Granted, I didn't have to be reminded of any engagements with other people since I was handling events in this world in a specific way, yet it seemed this would be the first instance where having to be reminded was a necessity considering it would ultimately lead towards acquiring another mask. I told Her Highness that she didn't have to blame herself due to me not needing such an ability yet now I had need of it as the final region was supposedly more difficult than the others were.

I chose not to take the Big Poe's remnants since I didn't need to see Iron Will right now, but I did choose to check up on Zecora and also because I wanted to know where that staircase she ran up would lead to. I walked up the stairs and found myself in a small room that consisted of a bed, a desk, a chair, a couple of shovels, and a crude painting of what looked to be a spirit hanging up on one wall. Zecora could be heard mumbling under the bed, saying that what happened earlier never occurred, and she wasn't about to search for any treasure any time soon. I wanted to try and talk to her but she was barely able to muster any coherent thoughts.

There was nothing more I could do here given how much time remained so I took out the Ocarina of Time, played the Song of Soaring, and focused my efforts on wanting to return to town and prepare to come back on an earlier day. Wings protruded from my back, wrapped themselves around me, and spun me around before I ended up back in town. Helping out Zecora didn't take much time so paying a visit to the bank was well within reason. After depositing my rupees--the Wallmaster had definitely proven lucrative though Fleur Dis Lee was surprised at what I deposited--I took the ocarina out again and played the Song of Time to go back to the beginning.

Dawn of the First Day - 72 Hours Remain.

Now that I had restarted time, the first thing I needed to do was to pay a visit to the Swamp Shooting Gallery. First, I played the Inverted Song of Time so that time itself would slow down to one third of its normal pace followed by playing the Song of Soaring--I had never played so many songs all at once within such a short period--focusing on wanting to go to the entrance of Woodfall--the Southern Swamp. Once again, wings protruded from my back, wrapped themselves around me, and spun me around before I disappeared again and appeared moments later at my intended destination.

Since I was at the entrance of Woodfall, I didn't have far to go so I turned around and ran down the path that connected the swamp with Termina Field, avoiding any monsters that were blocking my path, and turned to the right upon seeing a sign that informed me about the Swamp Shooting Gallery. This new path wasn't all that long and quickly ended at two doors, one went to the gallery which was what I wanted, the other lead to another fishing pond--I knew this because there was a sign outside indicating as such. While part of me felt like relaxing by fishing for a while, I couldn't afford to waste time since I had an entire region to explore fully.

Walking into the Swamp Shooting Gallery, my ears got exposed to a rather obnoxious voice. " Ay, mate! 'Ow ah ya?" The voice came from the man in charge and he had an extremely thick accent. My ears didn't enjoy the grating of his voice but since I needed the quiver upgrade, I had to put up with it until I was finished here. " Don't see many comin' round these parts wot wit ta swamp bein ta way it is. In fact, ya the first person ta come here in a very long time."

" You have quite the accent."

" Tanks, mate."

" So this is the Swamp Shooting Gallery?"

The man nodded. " Me game will test ya shootin skills to teh limit. Judgin' frum yer sharp eyes, girl, ya seem like teh kind o' person who wuld excel at shootin' things. I may not luk like much and me accent might be annoyin' teh people, but I tells ya that me game is the best thing to e'er hit dis swamp. If yer pay me some money and get ta aye enough score, ya culd walk out with a brand new quiver. Course ya need ta pay me first before I can let ya play."

" I do need a new quiver."

" Then yous and me will git along jest fine."

" What do I need to do?"

" First, ya need ta pay me twenty rupees!" The man answered, his hand outstretched to indicate that he wanted money first. " Once ya pay, I'll tell ya me rules but know I'll only tell ya once so be sure yer listenin'."

Since I wasn't about to get a word in edgewise with this guy, I was about to reach into my pocket when I realized that I didn't have any rupees on me. Crap! I didn't pick up any from cutting down grass, destroying monsters, or even taking some out of the bank. I felt like a complete idiot because of this and sheepishly told him that I would be right back once I took care of something very important. The man blinked at me as I went back outside and began scrounging around for rupees. My mind raced as I struggled to find some but the only grass nearby was back the other way towards where that tree was that housed the Piece of Heart.

I ran towards the grass and hacked it to pieces, collecting green and blue rupees before moving onto another patch, and repeating the process a couple more times before I had finished my sudden rupee grind. I had amassed roughly twenty-five rupees which would allow me to play that man's game at least once so hopefully I wouldn't screw it up and be forced to go back outside and cutting down grass again. I walked back to the Swamp Shooting Gallery and went inside where I bowed in front of the man, apologizing for having left all of a sudden though he didn't seem to mind it.

" Here are your twenty rupees." I said as I handed over the money.

" Th' rules ta me game are a piece o' cake!" The man said. " Take a gud look o'er at ta beautiful scenery. Tahgets are gonna appear all o'er ta place in different formations and yer job is to hit each and every one of 'em. Some tahgets will be worth thirty points, others wil be worth fifty, and the rare ones wil be worth one hundred. Sounds simple, right mate? It ain't 'cause of one little catch. To get credit in me game, y'gotta hit 'em awl! If ya miss even a single one, ya failed resultin in me game endin' and ya not gittin' anything."

" How many targets are there in total?"

The man raised his finger to his mouth. " That's fer ya ta find out."

" I figured as much."

" Shoot fer th' tahgets from atop th' platform." The man said. " Ya ain't allowed ta to hit th' tahgets any other way. Normally, I'd ave ya use one of ta gallery's bows since it be company policy, but I like ya so ya can use yer own bow instead. Oh, and before I fuhget, ya ave infinite arrows. Anyway, like I said, y'gotta hit 'em awl! That's awl there is to me game. Ah ya ready ta play, mate?"

I nodded. " Yes."

" Then stand atop th' platform and start firin' when ta whistle blows."

I walked up to the platform, took out the Hero's Bow, nocked an arrow onto the string, and aimed at a beautiful piece of scenery. At first I thought it was some kind of special effect or something this man had set up for his customers, but it turned out to be a section of the swamp that I had never seen. Two tall trees, a mountain peak in the distance, a large plain, and more was present here yet I couldn't see any targets for me to hit. Either he had been lying to me or there was much to this game than appearances suggested. I then looked down at a row of weird looking plants only for them to pop out of the ground as Deku Scrubs--or some kind of variation.

In any case, I was beginning to understand why I couldn't see any targets initially. Some of them were going to pop out of the ground while others could show up just about anywhere and I wouldn't realize it until it was too late. Considering how I barely managed to scrounge up enough rupees, I needed to make this first attempt my only one.