//------------------------------//
// Chapter 50: Quest of the Biggoron 
// Story: The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time 
// by Ganondorf8 
//------------------------------//

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
March 10, 2015
Chapter 50: Quest of the Biggoron.

When I landed in the Graveyard after once again returning from the Chamber of the Sages, I was surprised to see the dark clouds were still above me, and that it was still raining which had me concerned that the situation in the village may not have been resolved. I would quickly find reassurance from Spike, for he told me the clouds were always like this in the graveyard. It was dark outside, a reminder that even though, it had been just a couple of hours since I entered the Shadow Temple.
" Now that Applejack has awoken as one of the Sages, we only have one more left to find," I said.
" Your journey is getting close to its conclusion, and you must be thrilled that soon you'll be able to return to your world," said Spike.
" I am looking forward to seeing my world again, but at the same time I feel like I'm going to miss all of this. At the beginning, I just wanted to get it done so that I could return home as soon as possible. Now that I've made it this far and seen so much of what this world has to offer, something deep in my heart makes me hesitant about wanting to go back. 
It probably sounds selfish of me to want to have the problems of Hyrule continuing despite almost being done, so perhaps I've grown to accept things being like this now," I said.
" You know as well as I do that this is not your world," said Spike.
" And that is the rub right there which has me so confused as to what I really should do," I said.
" For a long time I've believed you to be Link, the Kokiri child who had no fairy partner to call her own, and that your story was one I refused to believe because I thought it was absurd. Now that I've witnessed who you really are, I can finally say that I believe you are from another world, and that you must return to it as that is where you belong. 
I know it took me a long time to finally admit it, but I know the truth that this world isn't meant to exist like this. Your true home is the way things should be, and that's why I'm going to make sure that you can return there once this is all finished," said Spike.
" Yet why have you been calling me Sunset Shimmer?" I asked.
" At first, I did that because of wanting to humour you believing it to be some kind of unusual prank, but as time went on I began to realize that Sunset Shimmer was your real name and not Link. The same principle can be said about me where my name was Navi, and the only reason I accepted you calling me Spike was again due to humouring you. 
In the world you come from, I am the assistant of Princess Twilight Sparkle, and my form is that of a dragon. Such an image has been in my mind for a very long time, and I for one wish to return to that life because that's what I'm meant to be," replied Spike.
" I never knew you felt that way," I said.
" Maybe it's because I was keeping it bottled up, and refusing to accept the truth. You know, I think our experiences within the Shadow Temple have really opened our eyes to things we neither refused to believe until we were shown the truth," said Spike. I was happy he finally believed in my story despite taking him a long time to finally admit it. While I could continue to stay in Hyrule, I was reminded that I must return things to normal....even if it meant changing things for the worse. 
In this world, Adagio, Aria, and Sonata are friends who have helped me out in their own unique fashions, but when I go back to my own world, they will resume being my enemies because of wanting negative energy. I guess some things you wish could be different, but in reality they have to go back to the way they were. 
" We need to go to the desert," I said.
" Yes as the final temple is located beyond the Gerudo's Fortress," added Spike.
" This isn't going to be easy because that part of the kingdom is one we haven't explored before. I wish we had been given the opportunity to explore the fortress a lot sooner, but we were unable to because of the lockdown which had been imposed," I said.
" Even if it wasn't enforced, you wouldn't have been able to go there anyway," said Spike.
" Why not?" I asked.
" The Gerudo don't allow children to enter their home because of it being too dangerous. In truth, they don't want anyone from the other tribes to set foot in their territory out of fear that precious secrets could be stolen," replied Spike.
" Now who would believe something like that?" I asked.
" It's been their way of thinking for generations which is why they're so isolated. Ganondorf may have made things worse because his own secrets of wanting the Triforce could have been exposed, but in general the Gerudo don't take too kindly to strangers barging into their domain whether they have good intentions or not," replied Spike.
" We need to go through their fortress and beyond if we're to reach the final temple," I said.
" I hope you aren't thinking of fighting your way through Sunset Shimmer as that would be tantamount to suicide. They are fierce warriors whose combat skills exceed that of even the Royal Guard, so attempting to take them on would be pure recklessness. Not even diplomacy is going to work as we both know that they refused the alliance that the old King tried to establish," said Spike. 
This made our options very limited as both fighting and diplomatic options were out, so there had to be another approach we can take to get through the Gerudo's Fortress successfully. The Evil King was no longer there, but his influence still hangs over his people who continue to worship him despite all that he has done. 
I decided that we should leave the Graveyard to think over what course of action we should take as this background was too depressing, and the urge to get some sleep after the insanity of the Shadow Temple was evident. The moment I began to walk, a sound I haven't heard in a very long time came out of nowhere, and standing on top of one of the gravestones was Sheik.
" Sunset Shimmer....the light that will restore Hyrule back to its former glory is almost upon us," said Twilight.
" I'm guessing you're referring to the fact I've awakened all of the Sages except for one?" I asked.
" You are correct in your assumption, but know that this will be the most difficult part of your journey thus far. I have no doubt you've figured out that the desert is where the final temple can be found, yet reaching it involves having to make your way through the land which the Gerudo call their home. 
They are different from the other tribes as they rely on cunning and thievery which are viewed with great respect, and their skills with both swords and horses are superior to even the strongest soldiers. If you desire to survive in such a place, then perhaps you should think the way they do," replied Twilight.
" A thief? You want me to become a thief?" I asked.
" One who possesses stealth, cunning, ingenuity, and determination are the perfect traits that they look for among their own, yet if someone from the outside were to display these same traits, they would be welcomed into their society as an honourary member. I am not sure if that is even possible what with the incident that happened there some days ago, but you'll never know for certain until you decide to go through with it," replied Twilight. 
It sounded like Sheik was giving me the proper advice through her usual choice of words, but what did she mean by an incident? This could make things even worse if something has forced the fortress into another lockdown like what happened seven years ago.
" What kind of incident?" I asked.
" A group recently went to the Gerudo's Fortress in the hopes of becoming thieves, yet no one knows what has become of them. The leader of this group has been worried about them ever since they left, but she dares not enter fearing for her own life. They say this group are famous for working with their hands as builders, and that at one time had been in the employ of Impa. 
To think that something in their hearts compelled them to want to change to a different lifestyle....temptation can be a very dangerous thing for even the smallest of lusts are enough to corrupt anyone even if they claim to be pure," replied Twilight.
" Believe me when I say that I won't fall to such temptations as I've been down that path. It was back in Equestria, and seeing myself in that mirror which corrupted me with the notion of wanting to become a powerful alicorn. If I hadn't succumbed to the temptation, my life would be different from what it currently is," I said.
" And yet by succumbing and eventually overcoming, you have become even better," said Twilight.
" I suppose that's true," I said.
" To become like them doesn't mean having to resort to their nature, but rather show them that you are worthy enough. Your heart may not be pure because of the darkness which once consumed it, but you have grown and matured since those days," said Twilight. It felt weird hearing these words from Sheik as though I knew her from somewhere. 
She was guiding me along on my journey as well as helping me deal with my personal problems, and for some reason it made me think of Twilight as that's what she has been doing through the letters I write to her via the magic journal Princess Celestia gave to me during my brief time as her faithful student. 
Now I was starting to understand Sheik's words, and I couldn't believe I didn't realize it sooner. If I am to prove myself to the Gerudo and gain access to the desert beyond their fortress, I need to become a thief.
" Do you know who happens to be in charge of the fortress?" I asked.
" Ganondorf has always been the King of the Gerudo which even now remains true, yet he had a second-in-command who was loyal to him until something happened to her seven years ago. Before the attack of Hyrule Castle occurred, she fell out of favour with the Evil King due to questioning his ethics, and so her punishment was banishment from the tribe and into the desert where she disappeared. 
No one knows what became of her, and they aren't concerned at all because in their society, if you are a traitor then your life is no longer of worth in their eyes. A new second-in-command has since been in charge of the fortress, yet a rumour has been spreading for years that says she is the reason why the former lost favour," replied Twilight.
" It sounds like a power struggle was at play," I suggested.
" That does appear to be the case which resulted in the shift of status," said Twilight.
" Who is in charge now?" I asked.
" A woman named Spitfire, whose loyalty is unshakeable, is the current second-in-command, and the former who was banished to the desert was named Nabooru," replied Twilight. Wait a second! Did she just say Nabooru? Wasn't that the name given to Rainbow Dash in this world from what I recall of that incident back in Hyrule Castle Town? There was someone with her who was really clumsy, and she referred to her by that name....so she has been missing for seven years? 
Why didn't they try to find her? I now have a personal reason for wanting to go into the desert, but I was curious as to what happened to her. From what I can remember, she looked as though she could survive in any kind of terrain given her commanding presence, yet maybe what lies in the desert was too much for her to handle? No, I can't accept the idea that she has been killed, as what kind of friend would I be if I were to assume that among the numerous possible outcomes?
" I can't believe that they banished the old second-in-command just because she didn't like what Ganondorf was doing. Had I been brought into this world as a member of their tribe, I'd have said similar rhetoric for it's obvious that the Evil King was someone who desired to conquer the world," I said.
" The law of their society states that they are to obey all commands of he who is their king, and Nabooru sadly defied this edict which resulted in her punishment and subsequent exile into the desert. I am certain others felt the same way, but they refused to act out of fear of suffering a similar fate. 
Those who remain loyal to their king don't know what the real truth is because they believe they have been forced to suffer, or if they are aware then it doesn't bother them that the Evil King has committed numerous atrocities," said Twilight.
" Makes sense given they view him as their saviour," I said.
" If you do become accepted by the Gerudo, do not insult Ganondorf's integrity otherwise they will likely execute you on the spot," said Twilight.
" I'll be sure to remember that," I said.
" Before I take my leave, I can sense that you have been using the Master Sword. It is pleasing to see you using the divine blade to help you accomplish your goals, but I notice that you wield another blade which has yet to see any form of combat," said Twilight. She must have been referring to the Giant's Knife which I purchased in Goron City, and I completely forgot that I even had it. 
I drew it from its scabbard and presented it in front of Sheik where I explained that I couldn't use it because of how poor its durability was. " This blade possesses more power than the Master Sword, yet it will shatter if used thus robbing you of a mighty weapon. Perhaps you can acquire a different version which cannot break under any condition."
" Does such a blade exist?" I asked.
" There is a Goron who is a master at forging swords, and he will be able to make you a weapon should you request it of him. It might take him too long to forge it from scratch as his work is deemed inconsistent, so perhaps you can give him a weapon that is in need of repair. I have heard that Hylian Carpenters have often done business with him, and the one who was once employed by Impa had such a blade in her possession. 
Sunset Shimmer, it is ultimately up to you to decide how you wish to approach the Gerudo's Fortress, but I suggest that you prepare as much as possible. I shall see you again," replied Twilight. She then walked backwards a few paces before producing a Deku Nut, and I knew what was about to happen next. Sheik then tossed the nut which flashed, but I made sure to cover my eyes, and when the light disappeared, she was gone. 
She had certainly given me a lot of information to ponder over, yet the one that I felt was the most significant had to do with getting an even better version of the Giant's Knife.
" The Goron who can forge a strong blade....you don't suppose she was referring to that Biggoron?" I asked.
" He is well known for being a master smith, yet I remember his booming voice almost caused my ears to burst. Sheik did suggest that we should have him repair a pre-made weapon, and that is a good idea for it would take far too long for him to forge a completely new one for you. While I have no idea how he gets the materials he needs to forge anything, it takes him a very long time to work his craft, and that's a commodity we don't have," replied Spike.
" Before we do anything Spike, we need to pay a visit to both the Potion Shop and the Shooting Gallery as I need to get some more potions from one, and learn how to use the bow a lot better than I do from the other. Not only that, but if the gallery is giving away larger quivers as rewards as you said they do, I'm going to do all I can to earn one," I said.
" Then you'll need to wait until morning as neither of those places are open at night," said Spike.
" I was going to sleep for a while anyway for the Shadow Temple really took its toll on me, and I know just where we can go rest until sometime in the morning. I'm hoping that Shining Armour doesn't mind allowing me to rest at his home, and if he is offended then we can always sleep outside in the village," I said. With that, I walked back into the village where there were no longer any dark clouds. 
My current goal was to get a lot of rest as tomorrow was going to be one heck of a day, and this was certainly true as somewhere within the depths of the darkness itself, an evil conversation was being brewed, and my very existence was the subject.

" The child has proven herself worthy to possess that which I seek."
" Which is the reason why she must be killed because if she were to awaken the final Sage, she will come after you. I have no doubt that you will crush her because you are the great one, but you need to be cautious as this girl has proven to be very unpredictable. The amount of courage she possesses is nothing short of unbelievable in one so young, but at the same time her actions are ones that my sister and I have yet to figure out. And don't even get me started with this alternate form you said she was capable of using."
" Her ability to change into a stronger form means nothing, for she cannot control this power of her own volition. My servant and even that she-demon proved to me in their respective struggles against her that this altered state is unwieldy."
" But, what if she manages to figure out how to use it?"
" Even so, there is nothing to fear for her power pales in comparison to mine! I believe she will eventually bring the other to reveal themselves when the time comes, and once that has come to pass, I shall finally claim ultimate power."
" You have certainly taken a great risk on such a gamble oh Great Ganondorf."
" The gamble shall prove itself to be worth it in the end when everything comes together," said Tirek.
" I still recommend that the girl be killed because her skills with the Master Sword have been getting better since you fought her. I believe that she is a lot stronger now than she was seven years ago, and that could prove to be a disaster for you. You don't need to listen to my advice, but as one of your two surrogate mothers, I know what I am talking about. Besides, she doesn't need to be alive for you to claim the power from her, and killing her will bring out the other much sooner than expected."
" Yes, what you speak of is true and I would prefer to claim my power sooner instead of later. Very well dear mother Koume....you and my other surrogate mother, Kotake, have my blessing to do whatever you wish to the child so long as what she possesses inside of her spirit shall remain intact," said Tirek.
" With that agenda now out of the way, there is another matter which requires your attention," said Trixie.
" And what would that be?" asked Tirek.
" The she-demon," replied Trixie.
" So she managed to survive her death in the Water Temple....I underestimated that demonic creature, for she had planned everything to ensure her survival. It all makes sense now for there was a portion of her mind which was denied to me, and it must have been her idea to cheat death as well as break free from my control. I am aware of what she was trying to achieve in the Shadow Temple, but the question now is whether or not she was destroyed by her significant other," said Tirek.
" Sunset Demon, as she calls herself, still remains alive Great Ganondorf, but she has chosen to mask her aura from my sister and me, so we are unable to detect her presence. What we do know is that she plans on attacking the child within our temple at some point, but we don't have the power to prevent her from doing so. 
Not even your immense power will be able to do anything to stop her, so all any of us can do is hope that the demon does us a favour without even realizing it. The she-demon has caused her other self to become more powerful than before, so this will make our task of killing her a bit more difficult," said Trixie.
" You and your sister will be able to figure things out mother Koume, for you were able to ensure that the Gerudo remain loyal to me by dealing with those who question my authority. I trust that the problem within the Gerudo's Fortress has been resolved?" asked Tirek.
" Spitfire has been coerced into obeying you Great Ganondorf, and she shall remain loyal to you without question unless the girl were to somehow free her mind from my influence. If that happens then we have other plans prepared to ensure that she does not survive to awaken the final Sage. As for your former follower of whom you had a romantic interest in despite my protests against such a notion, that was taken care of seven years, so there is no need to be concerned," replied Trixie.
" It is good that you and mother Kotake have the situation under control, for if you had told me that you were struggling to maintain some sense of order, I would have been forced to question your magical prowess in addition to your intelligence. While the two of you raised me as your very own after my birth mother passed away shortly after my birth, remember that I do not tolerate failure. You both can easily be replaced at a moment's notice, so I suggest that you remember that. 
Of course, I have every bit of confidence that you two will be able to take care of things. I must return to my own preparations, but I sense that you wonder what I meant. I am sure that you have already figured out the meaning behind my words, so there is no further need for me to explain my actions," said Tirek. 

It was fortunate that Shining Armour allowed me to stay at his home for the reminder of the night, and he said it was no trouble at all because he owed his very life to me which I thought was a little bit of an overkill. 
Once I said my thanks and left to resume my quest, I went to the Potion Shop and purchased just the one Red Potion, and that was due to Spike informing me that playing at the Shooting Gallery cost money. Knowing that I did need the larger quiver, I purchased the one item and promptly made my way over to where the gallery was located.
" This is the place to go if you wish to improve on your bow skills," said Spike.
" I remember you telling me that it used to be located in Hyrule Castle Town, and that they were forced to move here after Ganondorf attacked," I said.
" Back then seven years ago, the Shooting Gallery was all the rage which was due to the large number of people who lived in town. Ever since they moved here, the number of customers hasn't been as impressive as Kakariko Village doesn't have as many people. Still, they've managed to maintain good business despite these tough times," said Spike.
" I'm hoping they can help me improve on my marksmanship," I said.
" The owner is said to be an expert bowman, so I have no doubt that he can help you out. I hear that he is someone that we've seen before, and it's surprising that he would end up running the Shooting Gallery," said Spike.
" Who is it?" I asked.
" Maybe you should see for yourself," replied Spike. He sounded a little nervous about it which struck me as odd, but I decided to enter anyway as I really needed to get better with the Fairy Bow. Inside of the Shooting Gallery consisted of a counter where customers fire their respective weapons at a large target area, and to the right was another counter where one can interact with the owner....and my jaw dropped when I discovered that the owner was Iron Will of all people. 
He was the owner of the Bomchu Bowling Alley as well as the Bombchu shop seven years ago in Hyrule Castle Town, but why was he in charge of this place?
" Hey! I remember seeing you a long time ago back when you purchased some Bombchu from my store," said Iron Will.
" It has been a long time," I said.
" Not sure why you still look the same now as you did then, but my vision has been pretty poor in recent years, so they could be playing tricks on me. Anyway, welcome to the famous shooting game that has taken Hyrule by storm where both kids and adults can play, yet I can see that you're having some second thoughts of being here? Or, is it because you have problems using a bow?" asked Iron Will.
" The second option. Also, why are you the owner of this place?" I asked.
" I suppose you do deserve an answer to that considering you and I go way back, so I'll tell you the short version as you look to be in an awful hurry. The original owner of the Shooting Gallery suffered a devastating injury which prevents him from running things, and because he and I are old friends, he decided to give the place to me to run however I choose. 
I may not look like it, but I'm pretty good at using a bow although these days I prefer to teach people through words rather than example what with my vision being poor even with these glasses on. Anyway, I know just what you need to give yourself a much needed boost to your marksmanship, but I first need to determine how good you are with the bow," replied Iron Will.
" Not very good," I sighed.
" I'll be the judge of that!" shouted Iron Will. The way he said that made me want to leave immediately, but I needed to improve my skills, so I took out the Fairy Bow and was told to aim and fire at the target all the way at the back of the room. I aimed as best as I could and when I fired an arrow, it sailed through the air and ended up hitting the back wall. The embarrassment I was experiencing at this point was unprecedented, but Iron Will seemed to be unfazed. 
" I can see the problem you have, and I'll help you improve on it with some good pointers. For starters, the stance that you take when aiming is important, and yours looks really sloppy from what I saw. Straighten yourself like so, and keep your legs apart to give yourself some much needed balance."
" Like this?" I asked.
" Now I want you to stay in that pose for a few minutes so that your back can get adjusted to it," replied Iron Will.
" This makes me look weird," I said.
" Don't complain!" shouted Iron Will.
" I'll admit that some of my arrows have hit their targets during the time I've been using my bow, but I won't deny that I've wasted so many arrows in the process. I never once guessed that my stance was the reason why I've been struggling," I said.
" Without having a good standing position when aiming, your bow is going to be failing you more times than most. That's not the only thing you need to achieve success, so allow me to teach you another pointer. Concentration is essential for you can't allow yourself to be distracted by anything. Even the slightest of noises will mess up your accuracy, and you'll wind up losing precious arrows," said Iron Will.
" I think I'll be able to handle keeping myself in focus," I said.
" We'll see for sure when you begin the shooting game that is offered here, but first I have one last pointer for you to use. If you plan on firing one arrow at a time at a slow pace, you might as well just ask someone to come up to you, and take away your bow as you sure won't be needing it. I know that sounds a little cruel, but you need to take this seriously. 
The idea is to nock the arrow onto the bow in a quick, and seamless motion without hesitation. Don't have any second thoughts, don't hold back, and don't worry about firing a poor shot," said Iron Will. I then began to practice these three pointers given to me, and they surprisingly worked out rather well although it did take me a while before I began to see some improvement. 
It was perhaps the final thing he said which proved to be the most important to me, for the idea of just firing without thinking sounded ideal as I was often afraid to fire an arrow out of fear. After practicing for about 20 minutes, I turned to Iron Will and asked him if I had gotten better.
" What do you think?" I asked.
" It's a good thing you've been using that bow prior to coming here otherwise I would have said you had no hope, but I'm impressed with your skills even though you can still improve on your posture. Don't slouch as it will affect your aim! Now comes the final test, and involves shooting at the three giant rupees which will be moving about. 
I want you to shatter all three using only ten arrows! Have as many tries as you like until you've shattered them, and you're not allowed to leave here until you do! Don't think of it as a threat, but more like words of encouragement," replied Iron Will.
" It seems simple enough," I said.
" That's the idea behind it kid! The aim is to give you the confidence to hit the targets using the pointers I taught you, and to give off a small taste of what things will be like whenever you have to shoot at the real thing if you know what I mean. Normally, I would be charging you 20 rupees per game, but because this is a teaching session, this one is on the house," said Iron Will. 
He certainly was giving me a lot of pressure, but then this was the nature of his character as strange as it was. The three giant rupees then began to move about at a decent enough pace, so I didn't have to hit anything too fast, but using ten arrows was a concern which I needed to overcome if I want to do this. My first shot completely missed the target and landed on the floor somehow, yet Iron Will again was unfazed by it. 
He must have an awful lot of faith in me to be that patient, and I can't let him down so I got in the proper position, and fired without being hesitant. Combined with the lack of distractions getting in my way, I shattered the first two rupees without any trouble, yet it took me an extra arrow before the last one shattered to pieces. " WHOA! You actually did it on your first try!?!?"
" Is that bad?" I asked.
" Not at all kid, but rather that was perfect aside from a couple of minor hiccups. Say, you're a pretty fast learner which means from now on you'll be just fine when using that bow of yours. Just remember my pointers, and your bow will become an extension of your being where it will go where you want it to. You know, that quiver of yours is mighty fine, but I think it's a bit too small for you to really make good use of your bow. 
Because you've gone and impressed me so much, allow me to take it off your hands, and in return I'll give you this Large Quiver which can hold up to 40 arrows," replied Iron Will. He then asked me to hand over my current quiver, and this was followed with him presenting me a bigger version. " There! Now that suits you really well kid! I hear that there is an even bigger quiver you can find, but the only ones I know who would have such a thing would be the Gerudo as archery is one of their past-times."
" I never would have expected them to be good at using bows," I said.
" They have actually gone and improved on the skill by incorporating horses into the mix. The rider aims and shoots arrows while the horse gallops along, and it's known as Horseback Archery. It hasn't quite become popular here, but I do know that it's all the rage over there. Of course, no one is that crazy enough to go to their fortress and find out," said Iron Will. Thanking him for the improved quiver as well as teaching me how to use the Fairy Bow a lot better, I took my leave and made my way over to the entrance of the village.
" What did you think of that Spike?" I asked.
" Thanks to that Iron Will, your skills with the bow have become even better, but don't expect to suddenly become an ace," replied Spike.
" I know I've still got some improvements to make, but I think things will get a lot easier as far as bow-wielding is concerned. What has gotten me intrigued is what he said about there being another quiver even bigger than what he gave me, and that the Gerudo have combined horse-riding with the use of bows," I said.
" Horseback Archery is a relatively new thing, but because horses are seldom seen aside from in the ownership of the wealthy, or being raised at the ranch, it just hasn't taken off as well as expected. It also doesn't help that it was started up in the desert, and you know what happened seven years ago," said Spike.
" The bigger quiver is something I really want," I said.
" Then you need to prove your worth to the Gerudo," said Spike.
" Before I go into the fortress, I first want to get my hands on that improved Giant's Knife that Sheik mentioned. While I'm getting used to the Master Sword, I think this other sword could be very interesting considering it's stronger than the divine blade. Plus, I feel bad for not giving any attention to the Giant's Knife as all it's done is collect dust ever since I first purchased it," I said.
" You wanted to get it despite my protest against it," said Spike.
" That's because I was feeling sympathetic to Medigoron, and I don't like seeing anyone upset as it's a painful reminder of what I went through. If I get the stronger version, I know it would mean no longer having this fragile blade on me," I said.
" So don't tell Medigoron about it," suggested Spike.
" Isn't that being dishonest?" I asked.
" I'm certain he would understand considering he did admit to you that his weapon was defective, and Biggoron could see all of this as a chance to finally teach his younger brother a thing or two about forging unbreakable blades," replied Spike. I guess when he puts it that way, it all makes sense even if a part of me feels that lying to him would be nothing short of disrespectful. Maybe I should explain the situation to Biggoron when I next see him which is going to happen pretty soon. 
Upon leaving the village, Epona started to neigh happily because it had been a while since she last saw me. Petting her on the muzzle and neighing to her before climbing onto her saddle, I had a feeling that I was going to need her assistance if I wanted to get my hands on this stronger weapon.
" We have to travel to Gerudo Valley, followed by going to Death Mountain, and finally back to the valley again, I'd say that riding on your horse is the way to go unless you want to go by walking," said Spike.
" No, I think I'll go by horseback, and Epona is finally going to get the chance to run about for longer than she has in our previous travels," I said. Hearing my words made her rear up with sheer delight which almost caused me to fall off her saddle, but she quickly regained her composure and began to gallop forward without me having to give her a gentle kick to the ribs. 
The long ride to our destination was relatively distraction free, but I had various thoughts running through my mind which had to with what could have happened to Rainbow Dash all those years ago.
" Is something wrong?" asked Spike.
" Why do the Gerudo choose to banish those among their tribe for betraying Ganondorf?" I asked.
" In their society, the King of the Gerudo is the absolute authority, and choosing to defy his edicts is seen as the ultimate insult. Most are banished from the tribe which is considered the least cruel punishment they have, but I suppose being forced to live in the desert to the west of their fortress isn't very pleasant. 
If the crime they committed was really severe, then death is what befalls on them in the form of an execution. Nabooru could have been executed for what she did back then, but my guess is that she was spared death because of her influence due to her status in the tribe. Ganondorf would have made a fatal mistake had she been executed, for the others would rebel in frustration, and it would make him appear weak," replied Spike.
" So Rainbow Dash could have been killed, but she was spared that punishment and exiled instead? I personally think that both scenarios lead to the same outcome where she perishes somewhere in the desert," I said.
" Who was that again?" asked Spike.
" She's one of my friends from the human world who was brought to this place along with everyone else, but we haven't seen her that much due to all of these other events getting in the way. Rainbow Dash had a real rebellious streak where she was the captain of every sport's team, and has quite the ego that puts her at odds with a lot of people, yet her loyalty is what defines her. In this world, she is apparently Nabooru, the now former second-in-command of the Gerudo," I replied.
" If she was exiled due to treachery, her loyalty can be put into question," said Spike.
" Unless her actions were a desire to protect her people from Ganondorf," I suggested.
" That is a possibility as she was known for wanting to do what was best for her people, but in order for us to confirm the truth, we would need to speak to someone in the fortress who knew her," said Spike. Personally, I would have asked that girl, Derpy, who was always at Rainbow Dash's side, but she hasn't been seen in a very long time. 
After Epona had galloped for some distance, we finally reached and entered Gerudo Valley which still looked the same as before. This time I could take my trusty steed across the wooden plank, and that's when I came upon a rather harsh reality.
" What happened to the bridge?" I asked.
" It's been destroyed and judging from the way it looks right now, this was done by someone rather than a natural occurrence," replied Spike.
" Do you think the Gerudo could have done this?" I asked.
" Most likely, but that begs the question of why would they even bother to do it. Those of the other tribes would never come here of their own volition, and this was even before Ganondorf took over, so why even do this when there was no real reason? It does prove itself to be inconvenient as we need to get to the over side, but I'm sure we can figure something out," replied Spike.
" This could have been done in an attempt to slow me down," I suggested.
" For that to be possible, they may have been informed by someone," said Spike. The gap that now existed where the bridge once stood was pretty intimidating, but I then noticed a large tent on the other side, and standing near it was Sweetie Belle who seemed to be really upset about something given her stomping about. The bridge must have been destroyed at some point after she crossed over, but what in the world was she doing here? 
Spike, who had been hovering back and forth for a few minutes finally came up with an idea to allow us to cross. " I can see two ways we can make it to the other side, and you happen to have the tools you need for both options. One would be to use the Longshot and pull yourself over, or you can have Epona jump across if you build up enough speed."
" I think it's for the best that I use the Longshot as I don't want anything to happen to Epona," I said. All of a sudden, she snorted before starting to gallop towards the bridge while I was holding on for dear life. I called her to stop before it was too late, and I even neighed a few times in the hopes that our shared language would be enough to get her to stop. 
My efforts were in vain as she continued to gallop, and when she reached the edge of the cliff....I closed my eyes as I couldn't bear to watch. For that brief period, she was soaring across the air in-between the two sections of land, yet I refused to look as I was afraid of what could be below. All of a sudden, I felt a strong thud which meant she had made it to the other side before galloping along and slowly coming to a stop. " Is it safe to look now?"
" You can open your eyes now," replied Spike.
" Why did Epona decide to do that without me issuing a command?" I asked.
" My guess is that she didn't want to be left behind, and also she wanted to prove that she could jump over the gap which she accomplished without any trouble. Still, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get the bridge back in place as soon as possible, for who knows how many times she'll be able to jump before becoming too exhausted to make the attempt," replied Spike.
" What we need are people skilled at building with their hands," I suggested.
" Hah! Then you've come to the wrong place!" shouted Sweetie Belle who must have listened in. As I climbed down off of Epona and walked over to her, she had stopped stomping, and was now mumbling under her breath when I approached. " Well look who has decided to pay me a visit....the little forest girl I met back in Kakariko Village although you look as though you haven't aged in years. 
Don't take my words as being offensive as I haven't been in the best of moods as of late. I'm supposed to be a master craftsman who is able to inspire and lead other carpenters, but right now I feel like a complete failure."
" What happened?" I asked.
" The Gerudo destroyed the bridge for no apparent reason, and I figured me and my men could fix it even though they aren't the brightest guys I've worked with. This morning when I woke up, I was about to instruct them to begin the groundwork for fixing the bridge, and that's when I discovered that they had left. According to the note left behind, they decided to go to the Gerudo's Fortress because they feel that being thieves is better than having to do the hard work of a carpenter," replied Sweetie Belle.
" I'm not sure if that was a good idea for them to do," I said.
" Of course it isn't as it means I have no way to repair the bridge as I can't do it on my own," said Sweetie Belle.
" The Gerudo aren't very friendly when it comes to the other tribes because they prefer to keep to themselves," I said.
" Those idiots have probably gotten themselves into another horrible mess which I need to get them out of, but I'm not going into the fortress because what you said. And yet, I'm concerned as while they are idiots, I see them as family despite their shortcomings. This may sound strange coming from me, but could you go in there and see what those guys are up to?" asked Sweetie Belle.
" I was going to enter anyway as I have my own business to take care of," I replied.
" If I could say something about you kid, it would be that you've got a lot of guts to want to go into that den of thieves. I'm not going to ask what kind of business you have with the Gerudo as it's nothing to do with me, but I appreciate the fact that you're going to check up on my men," said Sweetie Belle. That's when she noticed something on my person which I completely forgot I even had, for it was quite a long time ago when I obtained it. 
" That thing on your belt....I seem to recall seeing that somewhere....my saw. Hey! That's my saw!" I took the Poacher's Saw from my belt realizing that she was the one it belonged to, and I remember Grog had left it behind when he walked off into the Lost Woods.
" This belongs to you?" I asked.
" I left that behind when the guys and I left Kakariko after we had finished our work there, so how did you get your hands on it?" asked Sweetie Belle.
" It was given to me by Grog who took it with him when he decided to leave the village," I replied.
" Grog!?!? What would compel him to leave when he had to take care of his sister?" asked Sweetie Belle.
" Because he had spent such a long time in the Lost Woods, he slowly succumbed to the curse that affects all those who enter it. The last time I saw him, he was roughly halfway through the transformation, and when he left, I was asked to tell his sister of his fate," I replied.
" That guy always was an unusual fellow, and not because of where he decided to spend a lot of his time. His father wanted him to marry me and continue on the tradition of being a carpenter, but I knew he wanted to do something else with his life. Some traditions just don't want to be passed down from parent to child no matter how hard you try to make them work," said Sweetie Belle.
" Which is why his story resonated with me so well because I felt so sorry for him. No doubt that Grog's father is unaware of the fate of his son, so I'll tell him about it which will likely give me the wrong kind of reaction, but it's something he needs to know otherwise it could end up eating at his heart. Anyway, since this Poacher's Saw belongs to you, I'll be more than happy to give it back to you," I said.
" And I'll give you anything you want in exchange," said Sweetie Belle.
" What about that thing you have over there on that rock?" I asked.
" You want to have my broken Biggoron tool in exchange for my saw? I'm sure you can come up with something a lot better, but who am I to question what you want to have so long as it serves you well," replied Sweetie Belle. She walked over to the rock where she picked up her tool, and made her way back to me and presented it. 
The blade itself was indeed broken, and the symbol of the Goron tribe was etched onto the base of the weapon. " I got this blade made by perhaps one of the greatest smithies to have ever existed in Hyrule, and believe me when I say that he is huge in size compared to the rest of the Gorons. His name is Biggoron and the swords that he makes never break, yet if he had one problem it would be his inconsistency with his work."
" How often does he make a weapon?" I asked.
" Once every two or three months, but I suppose he has his reasons. In truth, I was planning on going to Goron City to get this tool fixed as it takes him a few days to repair one of his weapons as opposed to taking months to forge one from scratch. But, with the bridge being down, I can't make the trip plus I'm still worried about my men being in the Gerudo's Fortress," replied Sweetie Belle.
" I do intend on going there and see what they're up to, but I want to get this weapon repaired as it could prove to be useful against what lies beyond the fortress. It shouldn't take long to make my way to Biggoron especially if I go via horseback," I said.
" Is that so?" asked Sweetie Belle.
" Basically," I answered.
" Well, you did say that you wanted my broken tool in exchange for my saw, so I will agree to what you want. I suppose you can see about getting it fixed as I'm sure nothing bad will happen to my men. I did hear that Biggoron has been having some kind of problem in recent days especially after Death Mountain erupted for the first time in centuries. Anyway, I'm just going to stay here and continue moaning, so I guess you're free to do whatever you want," said Sweetie Belle. 
After giving her the Poacher's Saw, and she in turn gave me the broken Biggoron tool, I walked over to Epona where I climbed up onto her saddle before giving her a soft kick to the ribs which made her gallop off at a high speed. She jumped across the gap between the cliffs while I kept my eyes closed, and when she made it to the other side, I began to think about what I was trying to do.
" Is it a good idea to be paying a visit to Bulk Biceps?" I asked.
" Who?" asked Spike.
" That's who Biggoron is in the human world, but shouldn't I be focusing on trying to find out what happened to those other carpenters? They could be in trouble for all we know, and I'd feel pretty bad for just leaving them like this," I replied.
" We don't know for certain just what is happening in the Gerudo's Fortress, and even Sheik wasn't clear about the situation. I suggest that you acquire this stronger blade as fast as possible, so get over to the top of Death Mountain without delay," said Spike. I should have decided to enter the fortress as is because that would have been the wise decision, yet it was what lied beyond in the desert which prompted me to want this better version of the Giant's Knife. 
It took about an hour for Epona to gallop back to Kakariko Village, and I had only left this place a short time ago, but now find myself back again. I climbed down from my trusty steed who this time didn't neigh, and I knew she was okay with me leaving her behind as I was going to be coming back in a short while anyway.
" How can someone that big even make weapons so small?" I asked.
" Biggoron may be a giant among his people, but he pours his heart and soul into his work. No one really knows how he makes his weapons because it's all done in secret, plus no one is willing to want to stick around and wait for him to finish," replied Spike.
" How long could it take to fix one broken sword?" I asked.
" I'd say several days," replied Spike.
" That would explain why you said his customers don't want to wait as I can't imagine them sitting up there on top of Death Mountain waiting that long. I wonder what kind of problem he has according to what Mutoh said before we left her? It's probably nothing serious as what could give him a problem considering he's almost as big as the entire mountain," I said. 
The irony in all of this was that Bulk Biceps had a real serious problem, and I was about to find out the hard way when I ran up the stairs at the far end of the village entering the Death Mountain Trail. In an instant, I had to cover my ears for a loud booming voice could be heard all over the mountain.
" I DO WISH SOMEONE COULD COME UP HERE, BUT I CAN'T TELL IF ANYONE IS NEARBY FOR MY VISION CONTINUES TO WORSEN."
" That must be him," I said.
" It sounds like he's having trouble with his eyes," said Spike.
" I kind of figured that out from his booming voice telling the entire area about it, but why haven't the other Gorons addressed this issue?" I asked.
" Gorons don't like heights which is what we discovered when we travelled with Darunia inside of the Dodongo's Cavern. None of them would be able to make it all the way up to the top of Death Mountain, so Biggoron is forced to wait for someone else from another tribe to come along," replied Spike.
" Considering that the Kokiri won't leave the safety of the forest, the Zoras are still trapped beneath the frozen ice in Zora's Domain, and the Gerudo refuse to associate with any outsiders, the only ones left are the Hylians, but they have their own problem which involves repairing what was damaged in the fire caused when the shadow beast escaped from the well. 
That essentially places the burden of his problem on my shoulders, and I'm not looking forward to it," I moaned. Here I thought this was going to be a simple task, but it looked as though that was about to be placed on hold. As I made my way up the trail passing the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern, and taking the path which lead up the mountain, Bulk Biceps began to speak with his booming voice again making me fall over from the tremors it was causing.
" OH, I CAN FEEL MY EYESIGHT SLOWLY DWINDLING AWAY FROM ME!"
" I think he's being a bit melodramatic," I said.
" Maybe, but we won't know for sure until we talk to him," said Spike.
" At least the path to him isn't littered with boulders shooting down from the peak like before," I said.
" Death Mountain has returned to normal, so we won't be seeing anything like that happening in our lifetime. You will still need to climb up the vines at the end of the path though, but now there are Skullwalltulas crawling all over it," said Spike.
" How do I deal with them?" I asked.
" You can try climbing your way past them, but if they suddenly glow purple, it means they will move towards you and most likely knock you all the way back down to the bottom of the vines. It's best to pick them off from a distance using a ranged weapon, and this would be a good example of using the skills Iron Will taught you. 
They won't move from their positions, so you don't have to worry about them moving away at the last minute," replied Spike. When I made it to the end of the path, I looked up and sure enough, there were the Skullwalltulas moving around in a circular motion. I took out the Fairy Bow and fired an arrow at each one which destroyed all of them except for one that was a little too high for me to hit.
" That last one is just out of the reach of my arrows," I said.
" Perhaps you can hit it if you climb up onto one of those ledges?" asked Spike.
" With the other ones out of the way, that shouldn't be a problem provided that our mutual friend doesn't create more tremors with his speaking," I replied. After putting my equipment away, I began to climb the massive wall of vines before reaching a ledge that jutted out of the side of the mountain. Upon standing on top of this unusual ledge, I took out the bow again and fired a single arrow which picked off the remaining Skullwalltula leaving the rest of the climb monster free.
" IS THERE ANYONE WHO CAN HELP ME?" asked Bulk Biceps.
" Just give me a moment to get up to you," I replied.
" HUH? DID I HEAR SOMEONE JUST NOW? I'M AFRAID YOU'LL NEED TO SPEAK UP FOR I COULDN'T HEAR YOU," said Bulk Biceps. I had no intention of responding to what he just said because I wasn't about to yell at him to the point where I lose my voice. No, I was going to talk to him the moment I make it to the top of the cliff, and when I made it a few minutes later, he was acting differently than before. 
He was constantly rubbing his eyes which looked red, so this must be the problem mentioned by Sweetie Belle. " HELLO? IS SOMEONE OUT THERE? I KNOW THAT I HEARD SOMEONE SPEAKING TO ME A FEW MOMENTS AGO, BUT I CAN'T SEE FOR CERTAIN BECAUSE OF HOW POOR MY EYESIGHT HAS GOTTEN."
" Can you hear me now?" I asked.
" YES! I'M ABLE TO HEAR YOUR VOICE JUST FINE!" replied Bulk Biceps.
" I was wondering if you could fix this broken blade that I have right here," I said. Reaching into one of my pockets, I pulled out the broken Biggoron Tool I received in exchange of the Poacher's Saw, and I presented it to Bulk Biceps who bent forward in order to see what I had in my hands. His squinting was a sign to me that his vision must be really bad, so I made sure to push my arms forward as much as I could to show him. 
" I received this from a Hylian carpenter who originally wanted to come here to get it fixed, but she wasn't able to because of being stuck where she is. Instead, she gave this to me in an exchange, and so I've come here before you hoping that you can fix this. I've been told that it takes you a few days to repair weapons, as opposed to months making one from scratch."
" THIS WEAPON IS INDEED MY WORK, FOR I CAN BARELY SEE THE GORON TRIBE SYMBOL AT THE BASE OF THE BLADE. WHILE I WOULD LOVE TO FIX IT FOR YOU, AS YOU CAN SEE MY EYES ARE CURRENTLY IRRITATING ME. WHEN THE ERUPTION OF THE MOUNTAIN HAPPENED SOME TIME AGO, IT CAUSED ME TO BECOME AFFLICTED IN THIS MANNER. I WAS HOPING MY FELLOW GORONS WOULD COME UP HERE AND HELP ME, BUT I FORGOT THAT THEY DON'T LIKE HEIGHTS," said Bulk Biceps.
" The eruption caused your eyes to give you problems?" I asked.
" YES, AND IT HAS BECOME SO INCONVENIENT," replied Bulk Biceps. That's when my heart sank because my actions in the Fire Temple resulted in the volcano's eruption, and caused him so much distress. In that sense, I'm to blame for his current predicament, so it falls onto me to find a means of helping him. I'm not doing this because of getting a stronger sword, but because I wronged him unintentionally and need to fix the problem before it gets even worse. 
I then explained to Bulk Biceps about what happened to me in the temple, and by the time I was finished, he appeared to understand the situation. " I DON'T BLAME YOU FOR WHAT HAPPENED, AND YOU DID RESCUE BIG BROTHER DARUNIA. BUT, I DO UNDERSTAND YOUR DESIRE TO WANT TO HELP ME, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU CHOOSING TO TAKE SOME TIME OUT OF YOUR JOURNEY TO ASSIST ME IN MY TIME OF NEED. BY THE WAY, YOU SOUND FAMILIAR TO ME AS THOUGH I KNOW YOU FROM SOMEWHERE."
" I'm the same girl who spoke to you some time ago when you told me about your brother opening up a blade store," I said.
" THAT WAS YOU? I'M SORRY IF I CAN'T RECOGNIZE YOU RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF MY VISION BEING THE WAY IT IS, BUT I AM CURIOUS AS TO HOW WELL MY BROTHER MEDIGORON IS DOING WITH HIS BUSINESS," said Bulk Biceps.
" I did purchase one of his blades, and while it is a very beautiful looking weapon, it breaks too easily according to him," I said.
" I HAD A SUSPICION THAT WAS GOING TO BE THE CASE. HE SHOWS POTENTIAL WHEN IT COMES TO FORGING BLADES IN THE SAME MANNER THAT I DO, BUT HE LACKS CERTAIN SKILLS WHICH HE NEEDS IF HE HOPES TO FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS. I'M SURE HE WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE HIS BLADES BETTER, BUT FOR NOW WE SHOULD FOCUS ON WHAT I NEED YOU TO DO FOR ME. IF I'M GOING TO REGAIN MY VISION, I REQUIRE EYE-DROPS WHICH WILL RELIEVE ME OF MY IRRITATION," said Bulk Biceps.
" I'm not sure if anyone can make eye-drops for someone of your size," I said.
" THERE IS A WOMAN LIVING IN LAKE HYLIA WHO CAN MAKE THE EYE-DROPS, FOR SHE HAS VAST KNOWLEDGE OF THE LAKE'S PROPERTIES. HOWEVER, SHE DOESN'T HAVE THE KEY INGREDIENT WHICH IS NECESSARY TO MAKE THEM," said Bulk Biceps.
" Where do I find it?" I asked.
" YOU CAN FIND THE INGREDIENT IN ZORA'S DOMAIN IF YOU SPEAK WITH KING ZORA. I HAVE NO IDEA IF THE PROBLEM THERE HAS BEEN RESOLVED IN WHICH THE ICE FLOW HAS FINALLY RECEDED, AND THE DOMAIN HAS RETURNED TO NORMAL, BUT HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO HAS ACCESS TO WHAT IS NEEDED FOR MY EYE-DROPS. YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE THIS WITH YOU, AND PRESENT IT TO HIM WHICH WILL GET HIM TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED TO DELIVER TO LAKE HYLIA. 
BE SURE TO FOLLOW ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN TO YOU, AND WHEN YOU COME BACK HERE AND DELIVER THE EYE-DROPS TO ME, I SHALL PROCEED WITH REPAIRING YOUR SWORD AS QUICK AS POSSIBLE," replied Bulk Biceps. This was beginning to turn into a lengthy ordeal where I had to essentially travel to Zora's Domain, then to Lake Hylia, and finally all the way back here to complete my task. 
I did say that I would help him out, but maybe I should've asked what he wanted before agreeing to it. He then dropped a small piece of paper which had some strange words and symbols all over it, and I had no idea what it was supposed to be.
" What's this?" I asked.
" THIS IS A PRESCRIPTION WHICH YOU NEED TO SHOW KING ZORA," replied Bulk Biceps. So it looks as though I've been tasked to fulfill a medical order which is going to take me across the entire kingdom. If I want him to repair this broken sword, I need to get him what he needs even if it means having to do a lot of backtracking. There's no point in complaining about it, so I might as well get this started. 
Taking the prescription and placing it into my pocket, I was thinking of using one of Sheik's songs to warp, but there wasn't one which could take me to Zora's Domain, so that idea was out of the question. That's when I decided to climb back down the cliff, yet I accidentally ran towards it which caused me to jump, and plunge down into the depths below....

To Be Continued.