The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time

by Ganondorf8

Chapter 55: The Cursed Desert

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
March 28, 2015
Chapter 55: The Cursed Desert.

Before leaving the Gerudo's Training Ground, I made sure to open the small treasure chests. Within each was a different coloured rupee which made me happy, and by the time I opened the last one, I had amassed roughly 250 rupees according to what Spike said each colour was worth. I had a feeling though that I was going to need this amount real soon, and with that I walked back outside where Spitfire was waiting for me.
" Judging from those wounds of yours, our training grounds certainly lived up to their expectation," said Spitfire.
" Do you people seriously train under those conditions every single day?" I asked.
" Of course, otherwise we'll just end up getting lazy. I am surprised though that you don't have more severe wounds as what you experienced we would view as being an easy session. Hmmmm....maybe we need to increase the difficulty in the future, so I'll make sure to bring that up to the supervisor whenever I get a free moment," replied Spitfire.
" What do you mean easy? I struggled trying not to get myself killed in there," I moaned.
" That's because our training isn't to be taken lightly, for only the best are able to survive. Even though you experienced a lot of hardships, I know you've gotten stronger as a result, and that was my intention because what lies beyond the Gerudo's Fortress will test you to the limits of endurance.
Namely, I speak of the Spirit Temple, for I've heard it has become filled with all sorts of dark creatures. Those two witches most likely put them there as a means of stopping anyone from progressing while there, but you'll be able to get through them as you now have had the proper training," said Spitfire.
" I do wish that your prize could have been a little better," I said.
" Prize? What prize?" asked Spitfire. I then reached into one of my pockets where I pulled out the Ice Arrow which I obtained after opening so many doors within the central chamber, and upon seeing it with her own eyes, her jaw dropped for a moment along with the jaw of the attendant standing by the entrance. " I don't believe what I'm seeing! You actually won the Ice Arrow? No one has ever won it, yet here you are holding our sacred treasure in your hand."
Spitfire then whistled, and Gerudo began to pour in from different directions, and their numbers quickly overwhelmed me. I hoped this wasn't a trap because I didn't have the strength to do anything, but then they all suddenly started cheering before chanting my name over and over. This was followed by them dropping to one knee, and bowing before me as though I were some kind of deity.
" Am I missing something here?" I asked.
" You have completed our training ground, and that makes you the first since our tribe came into existence to do so. No doubt that my decision to make you one of us was a wise choice on my part. The reason why I've called everyone here is because this is a monumental moment in our history, for we are witnessing perhaps the greatest warrior we've ever known," replied Spitfire.
" I wouldn't go that far," I said.
" No need to be so hard on yourself Sunset Shimmer, for that is what you taught me," said Spitfire. My words did end up getting through to her in their own fashion, yet seeing her smile and her people smiling with her was all I needed to see. I think it won't take as long as she thinks for them to forgive her for what happened.
" By the way, did you say that the prize could have been a little better?" My heart quickly sank because I realized that I had insulted their sacred treasure, and I forgot that they are really sensitive about how outsiders view their customs.
" Yes, I did say that," I answered sadly.
" We have been meaning to get a better prize, but because no one had ever accomplished that task until you came along, we never bothered to get around to it. In fact, we just assumed the Ice Arrow was good enough considering how rare it is," said Spitfire.
" It's one of three magical arrows that exist in Hyrule, and together with the Fire Arrow that I picked up in Lake Hylia, the only one I'm missing is the Light Arrow, and its location is known only to the royal family. According to my partner Spike, most monsters are immune to being frozen, so in that sense its usefulness is non-existent. I'm proud that I was able to earn the sacred treasure of the Gerudo, but I'll be honest when I say that it could have been something a lot more," I said.
" Our ancestors found that magic arrow long ago, and left it behind as one of the sacred treasures of their society," said Spitfire.
" There were more?" I asked.
" Most of what they left behind remains buried in the Desert Colossus, yet one particular treasure was sealed in the Spirit Temple for reasons we don't know other than an assumption that it was too powerful. Our ancestors only referred to it as the "ultimate defence", so it could be anything. Those treasures are a reminder our past, but we have no intention of going out there and claiming them.
We've moved on, and for that anyone can come along and claim those treasures for themselves. We wouldn't object with the exception of the treasure inside of the temple, for a legend passed down by our people for generations say that what lies in the Spirit Temple is only meant for one person," replied Spitfire.
" Do you know who that is?" I asked.
" We don't," replied Spitfire. Whatever this treasure is, I had a feeling I'm supposed to get it. I'm not surprised that it's inside of the temple, for that's been the case every time I've found a new weapon. That's when I realized those witches reside there, so could they have found this treasure, and taken it for themselves?
It looks like I know another reason for going to the desert aside from awakening the final Sage, but then Spitfire decided to bring up something else. " Now that I think about it, the Spirit Temple did house another treasure." Two sacred treasures in the same location? This was definitely unexpected, but then I should have realized this kingdom never ceases to amaze me.
" So what is the other one?" I asked.
" Gauntlets," answered Spitfire.
" That doesn't sound all that impressive to me because we're all wearing them," I said.
" What we wear are regular gauntlets that allow us to grip our weapons and the like, but these gauntlets are different in that they allow whoever wears them to push, pull, lift, and throw large stones, rocks, blocks, and boulders as though they were nothing. They used to exist in the Spirit Temple, but someone stole them seven years ago, and they've never been seen since," said Spitfire.
" Who could have stolen them?" I asked.
" Legends say that a kid came to the desert, but the chances of a kid making it through the wasteland are slim to none. Then again, the legends suggest the kid somehow warped into the Desert Colossus by using a strange song," replied Spitfire. Now that is a strange legend, yet it somehow feels familiar to me as though I've gone and done it, but how could I considering I've never been there before?
Something tells me this was a case of time paradox just like what happened with Kakariko Village, so that meant I was the one who claimed those gauntlets. Would that also mean that I know what happened to Rainbow Dash despite? I had to keep this information a secret, for I don't want to alarm anyone.
" Guess we'll never know what happened," I said.
" Unless the kid grew up somehow and is walking around wearing those gauntlets," said Spitfire.
" I take it from those words that they're not made for children?" I asked.
" Correct, because what could a child possibly do with the power to lift heavy objects? Anyway, you have earned our sacred treasure, and for that you've earned the praise of our tribe. You used a combination of strength, cunning, knowledge, weaponry, agility, and even luck to accomplish your goal. I have no doubt in my heart that the desert will not destroy you," replied Spitfire. That's when several Gerudo picked me up, and the entire group began to parade down the path as though I were some kind of national hero.
It reminded me of back in the human world where it took what seemed like forever to get the same kind of acceptance from the entire student body at Canterlot High. The group carried me along until we reached a giant gate which must be the entrance to the desert, and then they gently put me down before moving out of the way where Spitfire walked up.
" So this is where I need to go?" I asked.
" Yes, for beyond this gate lies the Haunted Wasteland. In this accursed desert, a permanent sandstorm blinds you thus limiting your vision, and no map can pinpoint one's location making every step a blind one," replied Spitfire.
" I heard from many people that anyone who ventures in there end up becoming lost," I said.
" This is true, yet others were spared such a fate by finding themselves back here. Only the exalted Nabooru has succeeded in making it through the wasteland, so you have big shoes to fill Sunset Shimmer. Even though she found the Spirit Temple, and claimed it for her own before it was lost to her, her next attempt ended up resulting in her disappearance," said Spitfire.
" How could she have disappeared like that when she made it originally?" I asked.
" We don't know, so perhaps you might find the answer," replied Spitfire.
" Oh I intend to find out," I said. There were a lot of questions flowing through my mind regarding the fate of Rainbow Dash, yet no answers could be found which made me feel frustrated. If she made it, there was no way she could have failed a second time. Then again, she could have disappeared somewhere in the Desert Colossus, or even inside of the temple.
The only way I could find out, was to go back in time. While I could easily return to my childhood by placing the Master Sword to its place of rest, it wouldn't do me any good until I actually reach the Spirit Temple as I have no means of getting there in the past. " It's a shame that Derpy isn't here because I could have asked her some questions."
" Derpy? She was the one who constantly dropped her weapon, or broke something due to being clumsy," said Spitfire.
" Nabooru trusted her more than anyone," I said.
" Yes, I remember Derpy now. When I was manipulated into believing that Nabooru had robbed me of my dream, she wanted someone to talk to, and was the only one among us who gave Derpy any kind of attention and sympathy. That girl always was clumsy and uncoordinated, but Nabooru saw great potential in her, so she took her on as an apprentice if you will.
It wasn't easy trying to teach someone who struggled with even the basic of tasks, but she kept at it believing that this clumsy girl could become a beneficial member of the tribe," said Spitfire.
" Did it end up happening?" I asked.
" I wouldn't know as one day Derpy simply disappeared, and she hasn't been seen since," replied Spitfire. The irony is that I knew what happened to her, for I met her about a couple of hours before being sealed away inside of the Sacred Realm. I began thinking about that meeting where she told me something, and that's when it suddenly clicked in my head.
" I know what happened to her," I began.
" You do?" asked Spitfire.
" Originally, I wanted to come here when I was younger because I was curious, but Derpy told me not to enter Gerudo Valley because there was a lockdown which prevented anyone from leaving. She told me that Nabooru had gone to the Spirit Temple to cause trouble, and now I know she was referring to the two witches. Because of her exile, she believed that going there was the only option, yet something went wrong otherwise she would have returned a long time ago.
Derpy also told me about Ganondorf's plan to conquer Hyrule, and what he believed was best for his people. You might say that she was perhaps the most astute about what was going on around her, yet most of you chose to ignore her," I replied.
" This explains so much, and I would have done something had I not been under their spell," said Spitfire.
" Derpy was commanded by Nabooru to leave the tribe, and live out her own life. The last anyone ever saw her was when she worked at Lon Lon Ranch for eight months as a farm hand," I said. I'm pretty disappointed about forgetting my encounter with Derpy, but then it did happen so fast that I must have blocked it out of my head for a long time.
Hearing Spitfire mention Rainbow Dash's fate prompted me to remember the conversation, and that's when I remembered something else which I forgot. I reached into one of my pockets before pulling out the ring that Derpy had given me, and to think that it would finally serve its purpose after all this time.
" What do you have there?" asked Spitfire.
" This? It's a ring that Derpy gave to me before she left," I replied.
" Where did she manage to get the likes of that?" asked Spitfire.
" I assume Nabooru must have given it to her as she said that she had been commanded to give to me," I replied.
" That ring once belonged to the one among the ancient Gerudo who was said to have created the ultimate defence, and the fact that you hold it in your hands is no mere coincidence," said Spitfire.
" Derpy said that is was a ring filled with good magic," I said.
" And she was right as its original owner was a being of good who dedicated herself to fighting against evil. I'm not sure what will happen if you enter the temple with that ring, but destiny wanted you to have it for a reason. I suggest you hold onto it Sunset Shimmer, as it could mean something important," said Spitfire.
Who would have guessed that this ring would have a deeper meaning than I originally thought, but I should blame Derpy for not having told me everything about it. Then again, the law of the Gerudo does state that outsiders are not permitted to know the secrets of the tribe, so she was probably forced to only provide specific information.
" What more do you know of the Haunted Wasteland?" I asked.
" To cross it and reach the Desert Colossus, you must overcome two trials which await you. The first trial is....the River of Sand! You can't walk across this river! After you cross it, follow the flags that were placed there by the exalted Nabooru when she originally made her way through. The second trial is....the PhantomGuide! Those without eyes that can see the truth will only find themselves returning here.
Upon completing these two trials will you be able to reach the colossus which is where you will find the Spirit Temple, yet I would advise you to seek out the Great Fairy who resides there," replied Spitfire.
" There's a Great Fairy in the desert?" I asked.
" Yes, but she has hidden her fountain well because of the evil that exists in the desert, but I know that you will find her as you're the chosen hero. There is also an oasis, but no water has flown from it for years, and it has never once rained out there due to how humid it can get. If only it could rain, then you may be able to use the oasis to your benefit as legends say that a long time ago, it used to be a fairy fountain," replied Spitfire.
" So I need to complete those trials which should be simple as I do have the necessary items," I said.
" I had a feeling you would say that, but I do have one last piece of advice," said Spitfire.
" And what's that?" I asked.
" Beyond the River of Sand lies a Carpet Merchant as he calls himself, who has taken up residence in the Haunted Wasteland. Don't ask me why anyone would want to live there let alone set up a shop, but he is there if you need something from him," replied Spitfire. This was a lot of information I was given, and overwhelming to say the least, so I asked Spitfire if I could have a few minutes to ponder over it.
She agreed and said that she would open up the gate in about 15 minutes, and that's when the Gerudo dispersed without saying a word. From there, she walked over to one of the attendants and started to speak to them, but I was more concerned with the revelations I had over this ring which I never considered before until now.
" You seem to be very worried," began Spike.
" Considering what we just found out?" I asked.
" That ring turned out to be more useful than originally suspected, and I'll admit that I never figured it being of particular value until we were told the truth. Nabooru planned all of this because she knew things would spiral out of control, yet I suspect she wanted to give that ring to you herself, but her exile forced her hand, and she had to have her trusted subordinate Derpy give it to you," replied Spike.
" Do you think the ring will allow me to find this ultimate defence?" I asked.
" If she didn't believe it would be useful, Nabooru would never have stolen it from the Spirit Temple in the first place. She wanted to save her people from Ganondorf, but was dealt with somehow before she could do anything, so now you have been tasked with completing her mission," replied Spike.
" Unless we go back in time and find out," I said.
" So you figured out that it was you who went to the desert as a child?" asked Spike.
" It had to be me as no one else has the power to travel back and forth through time, yet it brings up the notion of paradox again which means something happened in the past which we witnessed, but we don't know what because we haven't done it yet, and we can't return to the desert in the past until I have the means of warping there.
I know that we'll be getting a song from Sheik because Spitfire said that a kid warped to the temple, but I'm not sure where and when I will learn it. You know, I wish that we didn't have to rely on using time travel as all it's been doing is confusing us, and making me feel really annoyed," I replied.
" It has a tendency to do that," said Spike.
" And then we have those gauntlets," I said.
" It sounds like you acquired them somewhere in the past upon reaching the desert. If that's true then it explains why you never found them because we couldn't reach this area until now," said Spike. Who would have thought that the final temple would be the most difficult one of all, and I've not even reached it yet.
" It's like Spitfire said, you must keep that ring on your person because it will enable you to receive this sacred treasure which was sealed away inside of the temple. To think that Nabooru placed such a burden on you without even realizing who you would become."
" I didn't know I was going to end up becoming the Hero of Time," I said.
" And yet you've accepted it," added Spike.
" Because I had no other choice in the matter," I said.
" True, but would you have wanted it any other way?" asked Spike.
" No, I suppose not given how far I've come," I replied.
" Yet?" asked Spike.
" I just wish that they had given me a choice in the matter instead of forcing me to accepting the title of Hero of Time. If they had asked me, I would have said yes because I want to save this world, but because they made me the hero, I've got a grudge against them for taking the decision out of my hands," I replied.
" Feeling better now?" asked Spike.
" A lot actually now that I've gotten that out of my system," I replied. Good thing I had finished my rant just in time, as Spitfire called me over to indicate that the time had come for me to enter the Haunted Wasteland. As I stared up at the huge gate, I had this chill run down my back....was I afraid of what lied ahead? Or, was I afraid of never seeing Rainbow Dash again? Either way, I needed to be strong if I am to survive the two trials, and reach my destination.
Spitfire then clapped her hands twice, and the gate slowly rose up with a creaking sound which was deafening for my ears. Upon the gate fully rising, I looked out at the horizon, and I could barely see some kind of mountain way off in the distance. Before me, was an endless expanse of desert which could very well be my final resting place if I'm not careful.
" I'm sure you can see that mountain yes? At the base of it lies a giant statue of an ancient goddess whose name has been lost to the ages, and at the bottom of this goddess of the sand is the entrance to the Spirit Temple. Remember that you must follow the guide posts upon getting through the first trial, or you'll just come back to the beginning again," replied Spitfire.
" Then I guess this is goodbye for real," I said.
" You'll be coming back here again provided you can remember which way to go through the latter part of the wasteland, but I suspect you'll use a different method due to being the Hero of Time and all," said Spitfire. She then offered her hand as a sign of friendship, and I shook it in response before turning my attention towards the sand that awaited me to start walking on it.
" Oh, and when you come back here, be sure to try out our Horseback Archery which can be found at the back of the fortress. I hear that one of our attendants has resumed starting it up again, and are giving away some interesting prizes."
" I'll be sure to go there when I'm next going through this way," I said.
" Good luck," smiled Spitfire.
" I'm going to need it," I said.
" You'll be fine with the two of us tagging along." That voice startled me, and when I turned around, standing behind me was both Aria and Sonata. Both of them looked as though they were ready for some kind of expedition.
" What is the meaning of this?" asked Spitfire.
" We managed to get here just in time before you left, for the two of us have a little proposition for you Sunset Shimmer. The bridge has been fixed in Gerudo Valley, and that means I can finally go back to Hyrule Field," replied Aria.
" Okay, then why are you here?" I asked.
" Right now, I would be hosting my marathons, but people have been getting lazy to the point where I've become bored and yearn for a new challenge. I need to be inspired again, and I travelling through the wasteland will give me the experience that I hunger," replied Aria.
" And what of Sonata?" I asked.
" She wishes to go to the Desert Colossus in order to uncover some of the buried treasure, for she wishes to find some tribal masks used during ceremonies. I know it's strange, but she wants to sell them and make people happy. I know that the Gerudo won't object to their ancient relics being taken, so Sonata would like to come along with you," replied Aria.
I turned to face Spitfire who shrugged her shoulders as she had no idea what to make of all this, so it looks like the decision comes down to me. While I know that it's going to be dangerous, I just can't refuse their requests even though their reasons can be described as self-absorbed. Plus, this could be the only time I'll ever get to travel with them on friendly terms.
" What will you do?" asked Spitfire.
" I'll allow them to come with me provided that they don't cause trouble," I replied.
" Sonata won't be doing anything of the sort as you should know how unusual she can be," said Aria.
" And you?" I asked.
" I just want to get some inspiration, so knowing me I'll be observing my surroundings," replied Aria. While those reasons sounded strange, they were harmless, so I nodded my head in approval which prompted them to nod in response. And to think I thought they were going to jump up and down with glee like school girls.
Turning to face the Gerudo, they waved as though this was some kind of big send-off, and it felt a little weird to me because I think they assume we're not coming back alive. After I waved back in return, I turned and started to walk on the sand, and that's when a sandstorm suddenly came out of nowhere and blinded my vision where I could only see a short distance in front.
" Where did this come from?" I asked.
" This is the Haunted Wasteland, so the sandstorm just appears without you even realizing it. Since your vision is limited, it's best for you to take things slowly as we don't want to wind up getting lost, and our additional companions will be slowing us down," replied Spike.
" Do you think I should have refused their request?" I asked.
" It was a decision that you didn't take lightly, and if you had said no then you would be feeling a lot of guilt. While I know the Happy Mask Saleswoman is going to follow us the entire distance, I'm not sure what the Running Woman is going to do. She wants to have some inspiration, so it's possible that she will find it before we get to the end," replied Spike.
" What about those who went missing?" I asked.
" Perhaps they met a terrible fate at the hands of the monsters which thrive here in the sands," replied Spike.
" Then I need to make sure nothing bad happens to either Aria or Sonata. On another note, I do have to wonder how Rainbow Dash was able to make it through considering how poor our vision is," I said.
" No one knows how she did it, for she travelled on her own," said Spike.
" I've got to give her credit then," I said.
" When you really think about it, all we're doing essentially is following in her footsteps," said Spike. I'm surprised that they didn't refer to the Haunted Wasteland as Rainbow Dash's Path given how she was able to succeed where many had failed, but I suppose changing the name wouldn't make much of a difference given how dangerous this place is.
Walking forward for a short distance, our group came to a stop because the sand started to flow downwards at an angle before rising back up again on the other side. I could see some crates stuck in the sand on the other side, and beyond them was a series of posts with flags on them. Those must be what Rainbow Dash left behind to let others follow her path without getting lost.
" This must be the first trial," I said.
" The River of Sand," said Spike.
" If I were to step into the sloping sand, I'm likely to sink immediately without any hope of surviving," I said. As I stared at the sand, I could tell that it was flowing fast, and somehow I had to get to the other side to continue. The crates were giving me some ideas in my head, but then what about Aria and Sonata?
Neither of them have the tools needed to get very far, so would they be forced to turn back just after getting started? If that ends up happening, it would be a crushing blow, so there had to be someway of getting us all across.
" You seem puzzled," began Sonata.
" WAHHHH!" I screamed.
" Even now you continue to get startled whenever anyone starts talking to you out of nowhere, but then that's one of your more unique quirks. Anyway, I wish to thank you for allowing both Aria and me permission to come with you. I know you're on a very important mission, yet I need to get to the Desert Colossus in order to acquire those ancient masks which lay buried out there in the sands. If I can get my hands on even a single one of them, I know someone will be very happy to have their own piece of Gerudo history," said Sonata.
" Wouldn't they simply refuse because of how they act?" I asked.
" The people of Hyrule fear them, for they don't understand their culture. Once you start getting to know their way of life, the walls of difference break down. I figure on selling those ancient masks because there are people among the other tribes who do have an interest in how desert life operates, so wearing the mask from an ancient desert people will let them understand it," replied Sonata.
And here I thought she wanted to sell the masks to get some profit out of it, but I guess she knows more about the feelings of the people than most ever could. I suppose it's all thanks to her travelling about Hyrule so much which has given her a better understanding of the world. Despite that, it still doesn't solve the problem of getting across to the other side of this river.
Sonata noticed that I was having some problems, so she decided to talk to me. " I take it you're feeling stumped about this river right? It does look like a rather daunting task to say the least, but then you do have the means of getting across."
" And how do you figure that?" I asked.
" Ms. Spitfire may have said walking across this river is impossible, but she was referring to using your own two feet. You can make it across if you were to use something unexpected where your feet don't touch the sand. For example, I knew that I was going to find it hard to cross this river because I know all about the trials of the wasteland, so I came prepared with a method," replied Sonata.
She then removed the bag from her back before taking a piece of rope, and tying one end around her waist. This was followed by her tying the other end around the opening of the bag which she closed prior to tying it, and then lifted the bag over her head before spinning it around to which I figured out what she was going to do. Is she really thinking of doing something utterly crazy?
If this fails then I'll need to perform an immediate rescue otherwise she will sink below the sand. Sonata tossed her bag over the river where she got pulled along in the process, and made it without any problem. I was expecting her masks to be ruined from what was obviously a reckless action, yet it appeared as though her bag remained unscratched. " See? That wasn't very difficult although my aim could have been a lot better. Lucky for me my bag is very durable otherwise my masks would have been damaged."
" Did she just do that?" I asked.
" While not the most practical way, she did make it across which means now you and Aria need to," replied Spike.
" Those crates over there on the other side....is it possible for the Longshot to latch onto one and pull me across?" I asked.
" Yes, as they are pretty sturdy despite being made of wood. Am I to deduce that you plan on having Aria borrow the Longshot long enough for her to make it to the other side? If so then that's a noble sentiment, yet you still need to find a way over. If you're thinking of using magic, then I'm afraid that isn't going to work.
You may not have realized it, but the Haunted Wasteland has a powerful dark magic covering it. Only basic magic can be used here, so using your own natural abilities is essentially useless," replied Spike. I wish he hadn't gone and said that, so now I need to figure out another course of action. Wait....basic magic....that would restrict me to....the Hover Boots? Seriously? Would those even work?
" The Hover Boots?" I asked.
" Those contain basic magic, so you'll be able to use them," replied Spike. I'm surprised that I needed them to cross the River of Sand, but then it dawned on me that I wouldn't exactly be crossing the sand as my feet won't touch it. I doubt many would have figured that one out, but how did Rainbow Dash get past this trial?
" How did Sonata get over?" asked Aria as she came up towards me.
" You wouldn't believe me if I told you," I replied.
" I've known her for a long time, so I think I've got an idea as to what she did. I have to give her credit for thinking outside of the box by using her own bag of masks as a sort of grappling hook," said Aria. How did she figured that out without even seeing the absurdity?
I shouldn't be surprised given how Sonata was out there back in the human world, but still what she did clearly defied logic. " Ha! That expression on your face is priceless kid! If you were thinking that neither of us could handle ourselves in this desert, then you truly underestimate us."
" One of my weapons is going to become very useful if you want to get across," I said.
" If this sand wasn't a problem, I would have run and jumped over given how fast I am," sighed Aria.
" Do you know how to use a Longshot?" I asked.
" Can't say that I do," replied Aria. I then spent a couple of minutes explaining to her how to use it, and she managed to figure it out relatively quickly. She aimed it at one of the crates, and warned Sonata to move aside unless she wanted to find herself being poked with a sharp point. To me that felt rather vulgar, yet Aria fired the chain and pulled herself over without any trouble. " Want me to toss this back to you? I have a pretty strong arm, so it's not going to end up falling into the sand."
" Please keep a hold of it until I come over," I said. Switching to the Hover Boots, this time I didn't slip around as my traction was completely fine which must be due to the sand, so for once I felt glad to be wearing them on my feet. Looking down at the river, I gulped heavily hoping that this would work, and then I started to run where I found myself walking on the sand. The ability to hover wasn't wearing off for some strange reason, but I wasn't about to think of what it could mean as I ran up the other side.
" Not bad kid!" said Aria as she handed the Longshot back to me.
" Looks like we all made it," I said.
" Now we need to follow the posts in order to reach the other trial," said Spike.
" I wonder how far we need to travel before getting to where we need to go?" I asked.
" There is no way of knowing just how large the Haunted Wasteland really is, for it has such an extensive range that you could essentially run forever, and never find an exit. All we know is that Nabooru placed those posts to serve as markers. In fact, if you look behind you right now, you can no longer see the Gerudo's Fortress," replied Spike.
I turned around like he suggested, and sure enough he was right which made me feel really nervous knowing that we were at a point where going back wasn't possible. The posts were spread out pretty far, but not to the point where I couldn't see the next one in the sequence, so I began to follow the path. A few moments later, and I noticed a sign where I walked over to see what it had to say. " All those reckless enough to venture into the desert - please drop by our shop. - Carpet Merchant"
" Could this be the location of the one Spitfire says lives here?" I asked.
" It does seem strange that someone would want to set up a shop in such a desolate place, but I suppose they had a good reason," replied Spike.
" Maybe I should go there and check it out," I suggested.
" Why would you want to do that?" asked Spike.
" The merchant might have seen Rainbow Dash come by this way, and could provide us with some clues. Granted, she came by seven years so his memory may not be as good as it once was," I replied. Asking Aria and Sonata to wait for me to return which they agreed, I walked in the direction of the sign until I came upon a carpet. Sitting down on the carpet was an unusual man who seemed unaware of my presence, but he looked at me when I stepped into his shop.
" Well Come! I am selling stuff, strange and rare, from all over the world to everybody. My name is Fancy Pants, and this is my humble shop! You might be thinking why I decided to open up a shop in the Haunted Wasteland, and that's because I had planned on setting up my business in Hyrule Castle Town, but that place was destroyed.
I wandered around hoping I would find a new place, but nowhere was good enough for me and my wares." Did he seriously just call himself by the name of Fancy Pants? That is what people refer to others who are very rich and snooty, yet this guy clearly wasn't anything of the sort. Still, I suspect that he is from Equestria even though I don't seem to recall anyone by that name during my time in Canterlot.
" Until you came here?" I asked.
" Correct young lady! I'm taking it that you came here to buy something yes?" asked Fancy Pants.
" I do have an inkling to make a purchase," I replied.
" Then by all means come in and have a seat so that I can show you what I'm selling," said Fancy Pants.
" Also, there are questions I wish to ask you," I said.
" Do you now? If it's about the products inside of my store, then I'm sorry but I can't tell you anything about them. I have a policy in my shop where I refuse to discuss anything about my wares until someone makes a purchase," said Fancy Pants.
" It has to do with a certain person," I said.
" Who?" asked Fancy Pants.
" Does the name Nabooru mean anything to you?" I asked.
" Gasp! It's been a long time since I last saw her....seven years ago to be exact. I have seen many people come through this way, and they either perished due to getting lost in the Haunted Wasteland, or they somehow made it back to the fortress. Nabooru was different for she made it to the other side of this sandstorm, and no one else has ever achieved what she had accomplished," replied Fancy Pants.
" I'm trying to find out what happened to her," I said.
" She has gone missing?" asked Fancy Pants.
" Yes," I answered.
" Most unusual given how experienced she was at surviving, so I doubt that she could have succumbed out here. I remember when she came to my shop, she wished to purchase something, and asked if I had a specific item. Before setting up my shop, I used to travel the world collecting various trinkets, yet to think that I would have exactly the thing she was seeking. I did warn her that using it would be foolish as it could wind up taking her life, but she was insistent about it," said Fancy Pants.
" What was it?" I asked.
" One of the artefacts I picked up was an unusual black orb which I was told possessed a dark power, and when Nabooru discovered that I had it in my possession, she demanded it to be sold to her without question. I should have refused, but she convinced me by paying a ridiculous amount just to have it.
When I asked what her intention was, all she said was that she needed it to save her people from her king. Now I don't know what has been going on at their fortress, but it sounded like she had a falling out with Ganondorf, the Gerudo King of Thieves.
To think that she was going to use an item of evil proportions....I have no idea if she ever went through with it or not, for when she left my shop, it would be the last time I ever saw her. You said that she vanished? I refuse to believe that," replied Fancy Pants.
" I don't believe it either," I said.
" If you know about Nabooru, then you must be a friend of hers. Know that when she came to see me that day, she acted as though she were desperate because of some kind of fear which was hanging over her," said Fancy Pants. That fear must have been the two witches who reside in the Spirit Temple; Ganondorf's surrogate mothers who have been the cause of a lot of problems.
If what this merchant says is true, then she must have snapped upon beginning her exile, or she desired to do whatever she felt was needed to stop them. But, was she willing to give up everything just to save her people? I know she is meant to represent loyalty, but such actions are anything but that.
" Did she say anything else?" I asked.
" She said nothing, for she didn't believe me to be someone she could trust because I was a man. Now, about you purchasing something from my shop. Today's special is....a dangerous, running object! Terrifying! I won't tell you what it is until I see the money....how about 200 Rupees?" The description of this item did sound awfully familiar as though I purchased something like it a long time ago.
That's when I realized he was selling Bombchu, but I doubt he knows Iron Will who was selling it long ago. Good thing I got all of those rupees from the Gerudo's Training Ground as I had more than enough, so I paid him the amount. " Thank you very much! What I'm selling is....Bombchu! The mark that will lead you to the Spirit Temple is the flag on the left outside the shop. Be seeing you!"
As he handed over the Bombchu to me which consisted of 15 of them, I walked back to where the sign was, and where Aria and Sonata had been waiting for me. I told them that we were moving on, so we resumed our trek through the wasteland. The posts were still pretty easy to see which was a good thing as the sand was starting to get stronger.
" Is something wrong?" asked Spike.
" I can't believe Rainbow Dash was willing to get something so dangerous," I replied.
" You shouldn't blame her for wanting something which she believed was going to save her people, but I do agree that she was acting rather reckless. While those two witches have caused so much pain, if Nabooru carried out whatever she was planning, it would have made things even worse," said Spike.
" Why say that in the past tense?" I asked.
" This all happened seven years ago, so if her plan had succeeded, we would have even more trouble here. It all must tie-in with how she disappeared, yet there is much we don't know, and we probably won't find out until we travel back into the past," replied Spike.
" Since we know that she failed to use that object, we can take it from her or even destroy it," I suggested.
" Unless the witches ended up taking it from her first," said Spike.
" I hadn't thought of it like that," I said.
" This is why we're trapped in a time paradox as you did something in the past, yet you haven't exactly done anything yet. Everyone else is unaffected because all they know is what happened in the past as a means of it being nothing more than history, but you need to experience it in the past before coming back to the present," said Spike. Once again, I really don't like this whole time paradox as it's nothing but confusing.
Rainbow Dash and her fate is the source of all of this, so I need to learn the appropriate warp song from Sheik, but when that will be remains to be seen. After walking which felt like forever, something large was coming up in front of me, and it turned out to be some kind of altar, or maybe a raised platform. There were flags surrounding this location, but they stopped there and don't go on any further.
" I guess this is as far as we go," I said.
" Don't be so quick to give up," said Aria.
" We have no more flags guiding us along," I said.
" That's because they were placed in the Haunted Wasteland to guide us to this exact location which is where the second trial is supposed to take place. I'm surprised you've already forgotten about the Phantom Guide who should be around here. Are you surprised kid? Ha! Don't be! In all seriousness though, I'm also an honourary member of the Gerudo Tribe, and I once asked Spitfire about those trials because I was curious," said Aria.
" You never told me you were one of them," I said.
" Because quite simply, you never asked. I am a member of the tribe although like you, I'm only an honourary member, so there are some secrets about them which I'm forbidden to know about," said Aria. That's when I could hear a strange sound coming from the top of this altar, and it sounded like something was floating, yet I couldn't see anything to warrant such a noise.
As I scratched my head trying to figure this one out, Aria noticed and stepped over to me before she slapped me on the head. " Sorry for doing that Sunset Shimmer, but I think it's pretty obvious that what we're hearing right now is the Phantom Guide."
" I'm surprised that it's been waiting here all this time," I said.
" The phantom is said to only move when one can see it, but you need eyes that can see the truth according to Gerudo legend. If we don't have the means of seeing it, we're essentially stuck here unless we take a wrong direction, and wind up back at the fortress," said Aria.
" Good thing I have the Lens of Truth," I said as I took it out.
" You've actually got it? Well, call me impressed kid! Guess I owe you an apology as I've been talking down to you when in fact you've been prepared to handle this journey better than either myself or Sonata. I'm also sorry for scolding you about the desert as you never knew what was located here until Spitfire told you about the two trials," said Aria.
" You don't need to apologize for anything as it's my fault that I'm not familiar with certain legends," I said.
" So where do you need to activate the lens to be able to see the Phantom Guide?" asked Aria.
" I'm guessing somewhere on top of this altar," I replied.
" We'll follow behind you," said Aria. As I walked up a spiral staircase which lead me to the top of the altar, the sound was getting louder, and I soon came upon a plaque which must explain what I need to do here. " One who has the eye of truth will be visited by a friendly spirit." So I take it that the phantom must be some kind of Poe, and one that was friendly given what the plaque is saying.
The instant I raised the lens to my eye, a Poe did appear, yet it started to float away, so I began to run after it with Aria and Sonata following along behind me.
" I'll be your guide on your way, but coming back, I won't play! I'll show you the only way to go, so follow me and don't be slow!"
" I like the idea of someone guiding us," said Sonata.
" That doesn't surprise me," said Aria.
" If this Phantom wasn't willing to lead us to where we need to go, we would never make it to the Desert Colossus. The way I am looking at it, we need to follow it exactly, or else we'll be taking a trip all the way back to the beginning again. Sunset Shimmer, I hope that you have plenty of magic power because I wouldn't like it if you were to suddenly run out," said Sonata.
" I have plenty to use so we'll be okay," I smiled.
" Hearing that makes me happy," said Sonata.
" I'm actually worried about you because Aria and I have the means of keeping up with the Phantom because we're fast enough, but you are carrying around that heavy bag on your back. I'm sure you're being forced to run at a slower pace due to how heavy it is," I said.
" You don't need to be concerned about my well being, for I have been travelling around the kingdom with this heavy load on me for years. I have long gotten adjusted to having this weight on me, and it doesn't slow me down in the manner which you think. Besides, when I acquire those masks which are buried out there in the colossus, my bag will become even heavier than before," said Sonata.
This aspect of her character is just like it was back in the human world, yet here in Hyrule she is even more laid back where she looks at the bright side of everything. Still, sometimes she can be a little weird given how she uses some rather unorthodox methods. The Phantom Guide wasn't making things easy for it continued to move away from us at a pretty good pace, yet it suddenly changed direction away from what was obviously our intended route to the end.
" Where is it going?" I asked.
" It likes to play with those who follow it," replied Sonata.
" But what it said clearly was anything but that," I moaned.
" There is no need to be upset about it Sunset Shimmer, for as long as we continue to follow it, I'm sure we will make it to where we're going. I'm hoping so at least because I have no idea when we'll get there for the phantom does have a tendency to want to change directions on a whim. I'm guessing this is going to take about 30 minutes," said Sonata.
" How do you even know any of this?" I asked.
" I may not have come this way before, but I have sold masks to the Gerudo who told me stories from those who tried to make it through the wasteland....the ones who managed to return in one piece that is. They were able to get to the Phantom Guide, yet most couldn't see where it was going which caused them to go back to the fortress, or wind up getting lost.
A couple of travellers did have strong vision allowing them to see the guide, yet when they came back, they never returned which is a shame as I could have sold them some interesting masks," replied Sonata. Why am I not surprised that she would make a reference to her business, but on a serious note she had given me an idea as to how this spirit operates.
As we followed it along through the desert with the sand limiting our vision, it constantly changed direction which did end up rather annoying after a while, but we had to keep on going. Eventually, it came to a stop which I assumed was normal, but when Sonata shook her head to indicate that this never happened according to the stories she was told, I had a feeling something was wrong.
" Why did the Phantom Guide stop?" I asked.
" I'm not sure why because the end of the Haunted Wasteland is between those two cliff faces in the distance, yet it appears to be sensing something. I personally don't believe we're in any danger given that the only threat here are the Leevers which started popping out of the ground when we got closer to the cliffs. So there must be something else up ahead, but what that is I don't know as the sand limits what we can see," replied Spike.
" What are Leevers anyway?" I asked.
" They can be best described as plant-like monsters which come out of the ground, and charge at you with the sole intent of ramming into you. If it isn't able to connect, it just keeps on going until it goes back underground again. In that sense, you should just stay of their way and let them go by.
Of course, if too many begin chasing you, then attacking them will reduce their numbers. Leevers hardly put up a fight, so defeating them is easy, but beware for if you destroy enough, a giant blue one appears. This one is known for attacking anyone who hurts others of its kind, yet it will leave behind a lot of rupees upon defeat," replied Spike.
" So if I needed more money, defeating this particular Leever would do the trick?" I asked.
" Yes, but it's a risk because you first need to get rid of a lot of the regular ones before it can appear. Leevers don't inflict much damage to you, but if you allow them to hit you a lot, then you will be feeling it," replied Spike. Guess I'll need to be careful of those monsters and allow them to go about their business, yet I was still baffled as to why we've been forced to stop by the Phantom Guide.
I squinted my eyes hoping that I could see something, but all that did was make my eyes irritated. I then tried using my hands as binoculars, and my face turned white because of what I was seeing. It was very difficult to make it out, but there was some kind of armoured knight situated in-between the cliffs.
It was carrying what looked like an axe, yet it was massive in size which had been wondering how powerful this man was. All of a sudden, he slammed his axe down with tremendous force, and this created a small sandstorm which was coming our way. We all managed to get out of the way as it sailed by before disappearing.
" What does he think he's doing?" I asked.
" That is no mere man," replied Spike.
" Huh?" I asked.
" If it's what I think it is, then we're in a lot of trouble, but I can't be certain due to the sand blurring its form," replied Spike. It sounded like this knight was in fact a monster, yet why has it appeared before us now when we're so close to the end? I'd say we were about five minutes away from the Desert Colossus, and standing in our path was a knight who wanted to make certain we perish here.
Without even taking a single step forward, the knight slammed its axe again which caused an even bigger sandstorm to appear, and it followed this with another two slams creating two additional storms. All three then began heading towards us, and we needed a plan otherwise we're going to end up getting lost in the wasteland forever....

To Be Continued.