A hard, wooden floor welcomed Link as he woke from his slumber. His mind was in a fog, making it difficult for him to recall where he was and what he was doing there. He extended his front and back legs, yawning as he stretched his tired limbs and gazing at his surroundings. The floor extended in all directions and curved up towards the end. Strange carvings adorned the wood. One carving appeared to be depicting the Sun, whilst the other was depicting the moon. Runic symbols were carved near the curved portion of the wood. Link remembered seeing these symbols before, emblazoned on many clocks that hung on the walls in Hyrule. Why they were etched into the floor was a mystery to him. He rose to his hooves and began to make his way towards the edge of platform he had just moments ago been sleeping on. A gasp escaped him as he neared the edge and saw what lay before him.
A small town rested before him. A brick wall stretched around the town, sheltering it from the dangers of the world. Smoke rose from chimneys, filling the air with the smell of burning pinewood. Lanterns and candles flickered in windowsills, casting long shadows into the streets of the town. The sun was barely poking it’s head over the horizon, bringing with it a new day. A smile stretched across Link’s face as he sat there, watching the sun shoo away the darkness and bring light to the land. He glanced down at the ground and noticed something strange. Many of the townsfolk stood in the streets, gawking up at the sky. It wasn’t unusual to see a few ponies up this early getting a head-start on their day, but it seemed as if the whole town occupied the streets at the base of the tower.
Warmth flooded Link’s face as he realized that the tower that he stood upon was in the center of the town, and the townsfolk were most likely gawking at the crazy pony standing on their centerpiece. He shied away from the edge, looking for a way down. A ladder poking out of a hole in the center of the tower caught his eye. He trotted to it, quickly making his way down through the hole. The ancient wood creaked as he made his decent, slowly resting his hooves on each step. Despite the ancient look of the wood, the smoothness of it along with the polish made it seem as if it were made just a few hours ago.
Light soon began to fill the passage as Link continued downwards. He stepped off of the ladder on to the hard, stone floor. A small lantern lit the passage, giving an orange radiance to the surrounding area. He grasped the lantern in his teeth, slowly making his way forward through the dark hall. Shadows danced on the wall as the lantern bobbed along with Link’s movements. The only sound that filled the musty tunnel was the sound of Link’s hooves against the stone floor. After a few minutes of walking, he came upon a wall blocking his path. The wall was made out of what seemed like the same wood that the ladder was made out of. Again, despite it’s age, it looked as if it was made but moments ago. A crease ran down the middle of the wall. Link scanned over it, looking if there was some way to open it, but to no avail. Disheartened, he turned around to head back the way he came, but not without kicking the wall out of annoyance.
A dull echo rang through the chamber as Link’s hoof connected with the wall. He growled as his hoof went too far, throwing him off balance. He fell to the floor, angered at the situation he was in. The wall was unmovable, and the only thing that waited for him in the other direction was the ladder that led back up to the top of the tower. He sat there, eyes closed, pondering on what he could do. The only other way to leave the tower was if he plummeted off the top of it. The possibility of him surviving, however, was very slim. He scrapped the idea and continued raking his brain for another idea.
Link sat for a few minutes within the chamber with nothing but the lantern that he took off the hook to keep him company. As he continued thinking of ideas, he felt a slight breeze against the back of his neck. He jumped, startled that any type of breeze could permeate the walls that surrounded him. He opened his eyes and spun around to see the wall that had previously been blocking his path was now slightly open, allowing the dim morning light to flow in. Link pushed on the wall, watching as the ancient wood swung out, allowing more light to flood in. The door led to what appeared to be the town square. He hesitated, unsure whether he should go out in to the street, or if he should just wait until the crowd died down. He was about to try and wait it out, until he noticed that the ponies still seemed to be staring up at the sky.
Link walked out in to the square. Ponies of all shapes, sizes, and colors occupied the streets, each one staring up in to the sky, mouths wide open. Link followed their gaze, wondering what they were looking at. His entire body went numb with fear as he looked in to the sky.
The moon was only a few hundred feet from the top of the tower that he was standing on but moments ago. His heart began to race as the moon seemed to get larger, slowly descending upon the town. He tore his eyes away from the menacing sight and watched as the townsfolk began to panic. Families held each other, tears running down their faces as they realized that these were their last moments together. The town guards sat at the gates, ignoring their duties, their hearts too full of fear to move. A few ponies attempted to run back to their homes and gather up their belongings so they could flee the town. The rest of the townsfolk just sat there, accepting their fate, knowing that no matter what they tried to do, there was no possible escape from the clutches of the moon.
Link looked around, trying to find an escape. He knew that nothing he could do could save the town. A gate with two guards stationed at either side caught his eye. He sprinted towards it, his heart pounding against his chest.
As he passed the guards, he could here one of them say, “Is this truly how our lives must end? Crushed, beneath the once beautiful orb that used to hang high amongst the stars? Fate, you are a cruel mistress.” Link noticed a single tear run down the guards cheek, glinting in the light as he sprinted through the gate.
Link was dumbfounded by the landscape that rested outside the town walls. From the top of the tower, the area outside looked lush and green, filled with life. But as he ran through the gates, he was greeted by only a desolate wasteland. The ground was scorched, not a single blade of grass growing from the charred dirt. The few trees that still stuck out of the ground were black as the night sky.
Link stood at the gate, his heart rapidly pounding against his chest. His legs shook with adrenaline as he stared into the wasteland, looking for something to run to. Suddenly, the ground began shaking with violent force. Link turned around and stared in horror at the moon, which was now only a few feet from the tower. Without a second thought, he turned back towards the wasteland and propelled himself forward. He didn’t care where he was going, as long as it was as far away from the town as possible.
He was nearly a quarter of a mile from the town when a deafening noise filled the air, making Link’s heart skip a beat. He turned around and saw the moon had finally made contact with the tower, crushing it with it’s intense weight. The heavy wooden supports within the tower cracked as if they were nothing but dried out twigs. Despite the sound of cracking wood and tumbling bricks, Link heart something that made his heart sink to the bottom of his chest. He heard the wails of the townsfolk, crying for their lives. Some screamed in agony, others cried out with sorrow, and some begged for mercy. Tears soon began flowing down his face as he continued his sprint, his hooves pounding against the packed dirt in the wasteland. Link turned forward just in time to see a fallen tree in his path. He attempted to hop over it, jumping off the ground and tucking his legs close to him. His front hooves clipped the top of the log, sending him sprawling across the ground. Pain shot through his front legs as he landed hard, scraping his legs and abdomen across the ground. He attempted to stand up, but fell once more as his legs failed to support his weight.
Fear shot through Link as he watched large chunks of brick and wood flying over him. He swiveled his head back towards the town and watched in horror as the moon started to collide with the ground. The tower was completely gone along with the wall surrounding the town. The screams of pain and sorrow had ceased, sending a chill through Link’s spine as he realised that he was probably the only pony that made it out of the town alive. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of the moon colliding with the earth. Link felt a tremor run through his body as the moon connected with the earth, sending a shock wave and massive amounts of debris into the distance.
Link braced himself against the downed tree as more debris came flying towards him. A massive chunk of stone whizzed by him, landing only a few feet from where he hid. The impact jarred his teeth and left a crater where it hit. Wooden fragments came down near Link, embedding themselves into the dirt around him. Link attempted to stand once more, realizing that sitting there would mean almost certain death. The pain in his legs was nearly unbearable, but he prevailed. He charged forward, his legs throbbing with pain each time he took a step. He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain as he continued away from the town and the raining debris.
Link turned his head back towards the town once more, looking at the devastation. The moon continued it’s journey, embedding itself into the ground. The remains of the town still rained from the sky. Link quickened his pace, trying to put as much ground between him and the hell that lay behind him. He jumped with fright each time something landed near him. An old wooden pillar nearly twice the length of him flew by him so close, he could see every detail and knot in the wood. The pillar landed only a few feet from him, embedding itself into the ground. Link stared at the pillar, adrenaline coursing through him as he realized how close he had been to death. The pain in his legs seemed to disappear as the adrenaline filled his entire body. He upped his pace from a slow jog to an all out sprint.
Link was nearly a mile away from the point of impact. Sweat poured out of him as he ran. His tongue was hanging lazily out of his mouth as he panted, his lungs burning for more air. He contemplated stopping to rest, but knew that was a bad idea as debris still rained from the sky. As he ran, he saw the shadow of something flying towards him. He attempted to jump to the side to avoid whatever it was that was coming towards him, but it was too late. A sickening snap sent chills down Link’s entire body as he tumbled along the ground. He came to rest a few feet away, pain coursing through his leg. Every time he moved, a new wave of pain would shoot through his leg. He looked down in horror to see his leg bent in two different angles. A bloody piece of wood lay only a few inches from his shattered leg. It was the circlet of wood that was engraved with the picture of the moon moon at the top of the tower. The wood seemed to glow as it sat there, fresh blood dripping from it.
Link cocked his head up just in time to see a massive chunk of stone arcing towards him. He opened his mouth in a soundless scream then began scrambling trying to get away from the projectile. His broken leg screamed in protest as he tried standing up on it, causing him to stumble back on to the ground. He turned around, just in time to see the rock hurtling straight towards him, only a few feet away.
~~~~~~~~~~
A jolt of energy ran through Link as his eyes flew open. He gazed off in to the forest as the pain in his body came rushing back in as he resumed consciousness. His head and chest throbbed with each breath he took. The dream that he had just experienced still haunted him as he struggled to get back on his hooves.
Link pushed up with all of his might, trying to stand. He cringed as his head and chest throbbed even harder as he struggled to get up. He leaned up against the tree he had passed out against, letting it support his weight. He began to cough violently, his chest screaming in protest each time he let one out. Minutes passed before he was able to stop. He spat a mixture of saliva and blood on the ground as he felt a sickening taste fill his mouth. After he spat, he noticed a thick red liquid permeating his green tunic. Fear gripped him as he undid his tunic, opening up the two sides to reveal his chest. He was shocked and relieved by what he saw. A large bruise stretched from his chest all the way down to the middle of his stomach, where the bruise was the darkest. Link sighed with relief as he realized that the red liquid on his tunic wasn’t coming from him. He then noticed that the inside pocket in his tunic was dripping. He reached in and pulled out a small flask that he kept for emergencies. The cork on top of it must have fallen off during the time he was passed out, allowing for the liquid to spill out. He was grateful that only half of the flask was empty, leaving enough for him to enjoy. He held the flask in his mouth then tilted his head back to allow the viscous liquid to drain out of the flask and down his throat. He emptied the flask, placed the cork back in the top, then slipped it back in to his pocket. The pain in his head slowly ebbed away as the potion took affect. He looked down and watched as the bruise on his underside slowly faded away, leaving nothing to remind him of his anguish. He breathed in deeply, glad that he could do so without feeling any pain. Link closed his tunic, retying the strings on it.
Link stared off into the forest, noticing Epona still lying on the ground from earlier, her white mane glistening in the moonlight. He trotted over to her, relieved that she was still breathing. Remorse filled Link as he realized that he had drank the last bit of potion without even thinking about saving some for Epona. He sat down next to her, waiting for her to regain consciousness. He knew that camping out in the middle of the forest was dangerous, especially considering the attack they had been through. Link laid down, shut his eyes, and was ready to sleep away this nightmarish evening. He was a few moments away from sleep when a strange tune pervaded his ears. The ghostly melody drifted through the forest, echoing amongst the trees. Link pricked up his ears, trying to find the source of the music. He stood and walked in the direction of the noise.
After a few minutes of walking, he came upon a meadow in the center of the forest. The moon illuminated the clearing, casting an eerie light down upon it. The music grew louder as Link made his way to the center of the meadow. A dark figure danced amongst the shadows, moving to the music as it played. Link watched as the creature jumped on to a rock, allowing the moon to shine down upon it. Anger filled Link as he saw the Zebra who had attacked him before, dancing on the rock to the tune he was playing. The mask he had been wearing rested on the brim of his straw hat, bobbing up and down along with him. The white and purple balls of light swayed along with him as he danced. The moonlight glinted off of the instrument in the Zebra’s hooves. Link’s eyes widened as he looked at the instrument. That was his ocarina! Angered, Link began to sneak towards the Zebra to try and steal it back.
Link crouched as low to the ground as he could. As quietly as he could, he made his way towards the rock that the Zebra stood on. He froze as an owl flew overhead, hooting in the night. He watched as the Zebra stopped playing, pulled down the mask to cover his face, then began scanning the forest for any possible intruders. The two orbs of light began to fly over the meadow, scanning the field for any signs of danger. Link held his breath as the Zebra looked towards him, the yellow eyes of its mask glowing in the night. Another owl took off from behind the Zebra, joining its friend as they flew off into the night. The Zebra quickly glanced towards the two creatures of the night, allowing Link to continue towards him.
Link reached for his sword as he slowly came upon the Zebra. Panic struck him as he noticed that his sword was no longer in its sheath. He paused, unsure of what to do. His weapon was misplaced, leaving him to either retreat to look for it and miss his chance to attack the Zebra, or fight the Zebra with nothing but his hooves and shield. The element of surprise was on his side, and if he could get one good hit in, he could grab his Ocarina and vacate the woods before the Zebra regained consciousness. He decided it was better to strike now while he was so close. He closed the gap between him and the Zebra, slinking through the grass as quietly as he could.
Only a few feet stood between him and the Zebra. Link took one last step, preparing to attack. He felt his hoof land on something, and before he could stop it, the twig that he had stepped on snapped. The Zebra spun around, glaring right into Link’s eyes. Link froze with fear, unable to hide from the yellow eyes that pierced through him. Staring into the yellow eyes of the mask made Link remember that this was the same Zebra who had ambushed them, robbed them, and left them in the woods for dead. Link tensed up, preparing to strike, every muscle in his body tense. He waited, staring deeply into the Masks’ eyes, preparing to strike when the moment was right.
I light breeze blew through the meadow, causing the grass and trees to dance in the moonlight. Neither Link nor the Zebra dared to move. Two lights flickered in the distance, flying towards the two as fast as they could. The two orbs of light that had accompanied the Zebra were dashing towards him, having finished up their scan of the meadow. The breeze threw the purple light off-balance, causing it to slam into the side of the Zebra’s head. The Zebra recoiled, growling at the purple orb. Link saw this as his opportunity to strike. He released his pent up energy, diving towards the Zebra. He put his shielded leg forward, allowing it to lead his attack. He aimed right for the Zebra’s head, hoping to knock him out and give him a chance to get his ocarina back.
Link was only a few inches from the Zebra’s face. He braced his arm, ready for the ensuing impact. Just as he was about to hit him, the Zebra brought up his leg and blocked Link’s attack. The force of Link’s leap caused them to tumble across the ground in a jumbled heap, thrashing about while trying to stand up. They stopped a few feet away from the rock that the Zebra was standing on. He glanced around, trying to find his adversary. He nearly screamed when he turned around and saw the piercing gaze of the mask mere inches from his face. Before Link could react, the Zebra pushed him away. Link rolled along the ground, finally coming to rest in the center of the meadow. He stared back at the Zebra, who then jumped up into the trees and bounded into the forest.
A frustrated sigh escaped Link as he watched the Zebra disappear amongst the trees. His attack failed, and he was unable to retrieve his ocarina. He stood, brushed himself off, then made his way back into the forest where Epona was still resting. He knew that trying to chase after the Zebra would end in catastrophe. The forest was too dark, allowing for too many secrets to be hidden behind any tree. He didn’t want to risk being ambushed again. His only concern now was to get himself and his friend out of the woods.
Epona was still resting in the same position when he returned. He walked over to her, gathering up her scattered possessions and packing them back in to her bags. The moon shined off of something hidden amongst the bushes, catching Link’s attention. He placed Epona’s bags next to her, then made his way over to the object shining in the light. His heart beat with joy as he realized it was his misplaced sword. It was resting next to the same tree he had passed out against. He cursed himself for not looking for it sooner. If he had had that on him just a few moments ago, he would have his ocarina back.
The sound of shuffling leaves caused Link to jump in fright, gripping his sword in his mouth as he spun around to face whatever decided to attack him this time. He gazed into the black woods, trying to find the source of the noise. To his surprise, he watched as Epona began to move around, lifting her head. Link smiled as he watched his friend awaken, finally glad that she had gotten up. He rushed over to her, aiding her as she attempted to sit up. She slumped against Link, allowing him to take the bulk of her weight. Epona slowly pulled away from Link, allowing herself to hold herself up by her own power. She motioned towards her bags. Without hesitating, Link quickly handed them to her. She immediately began digging through her bags, haphazardly searching through her supplies. A smile spread across her face as she pulled out a small canteen. She unscrewed the top off of the jug and began to quickly guzzle down the water contained inside. After a few seconds, she stopped, took a deep breath, then offered the canteen to Link. He slowly shook his head, still reveling in the fact that his friend was alive and well. She took one last draught before screwing the lid back on and placing the canteen back in her bag. She looked back at Link, then motioned off towards the trail. They continued on their trek, happy to be with one another once more.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Why did you run away?!” The white fairy yelled. She hovered in front of the Skullcolt’s face, staring into his uncovered eyes. “You could have ended him right then and there! But instead, you ran away like a coward with your tail between your legs!”
“Tatl, that is enough!” The Tael flew over to the white one, anger filling his voice. “It’s not like you helped at all! You were the one who slammed into the Skullcolt’s head!
Tatl blushed from embarrassment. “It’s not my fault! The wind pushed me in to him!”
“Oh, sure, blame the wind for your weak flying skills!”
“I didn’t see you helping him at all! You cowered behind a bunch of flowers as soon as you saw that green pony jump! I at least remained by his side the whole time!”
A deep growl filled the air. The Skullcolt, angered by his fairies, pulled his mask down over his face and looked at both of them. “If you two want to continue fighting, then fine. I was obviously mistaken when I thought a brother and sister could actually get along. Now, if you will excuse me, the poison should be setting in any second now. I don’t want to miss my chance at this.”
“Poison...? What poison?” Tatl said, her voice cracking as she spoke. “What have you done, Skullcolt?”
“You shall see soon enough, Tatl. There was a reason why I ran off. I’m fully aware that I could have easily dispatched that little green nuisance, but I have something larger in store for him. The pain that he made me feel when he slaughtered my brethren...I want him to experience that same pain.” The Skullcolt began to chuckle, his childish laughter still bursting forth through his demonic tone. “Now, we must hurry. We don’t have much time before the poison takes effect.”
The Skullcolt jumped up and began bounding through the forest at a break-neck pace, his fairies barely able to keep up. His hoof-steps were barely a whisper against the soft forest ground.