The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time

by Ganondorf8

Chapter 69: Charging into the Tower

The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Ocarina of Time.
By Ganondorf8
May 10, 2015
Chapter 69: Charging into the Tower.

The light was extremely blinding when combined with what felt like an earthquake, and when my vision finally came back, everything still looked just like it did before the final energy stream disappeared. Okay, the room was slightly darker now because those streams of energy were the only thing that kept everything bright, but nothing appeared to have changed.
" It still looks the same," I said.
" Maybe, but I bet something has happened, yet we can't see it from this side," said Spike.
" You think we should investigate the entrance to Ganon's Tower?" I asked.
" If it has been dispelled, we'll know for certain by checking it out," replied Spike. When the barrier protecting the tower was active, it was difficult to spot because it blended so well with the background décor, yet you could just barely make out some kind of field which reacts to anything that were to touch it. While I didn't do anything like this myself, Spike told me about it when we were walking around to the tower entrance as I was curious.
Upon reaching our destination, it looked normal, yet something had changed regarding the magical imbalance. As a unicorn who is gifted in magic, I have the ability to detect magic, yet sadly it isn't refined because of not finishing my studies with Princess Celestia. Had I chosen to finish my studies instead of going into self-exile, I could have detected magic anywhere in Hyrule. If Twilight had been here instead of me, no doubt she would have made certain problems never happened because she finished her studies.
" It looks like the barrier is still there, but I can tell that it's been destroyed as I can no longer sense any magic," I said.
" You can detect magic?" asked Spike.
" I do have some skill, but it's not very good because I never completed my studies back in Equestria. As such, I can only detect magic when I'm essentially right on top of it. Ganondorf wants the Triforce of Courage which is in my possession, so he made certain that the six barriers were easy to destroy. Had he been really serious, those barriers would have been impossible to shatter," I replied.
" He has made so many risks just to claim the True Force," said Spike.
" I'm not sure why he did this, but I can't allow myself to feel complacent just because he wanted to throw away his dominion," I said.
" Can you sense Ganondorf's power from here?" asked Spike.
" No as I don't have the necessary skill," I replied. Once again, I cursed myself for wanting to go into exile just because I had been denied the right to become an alicorn by my teacher. Yet, she had every right to deny me such an honour as I'd done nothing more than be manipulative and deceitful behind her back when it came wanting to know the secrets of that accursed mirror. Would I ever get the chance to finish my studies? I'm not really sure as it has been a very long time now, and I might not be as gifted as I once was.
I chose to follow my own studying methods, and that obviously failed given how nothing good ever came from it. To think that my own lack of training was coming back to haunt me. Even on the verge of fulfilling my destiny was I suffering for my own stupidity. That's when something else came into my mind which I had been neglecting.
If I defeat the Ganondorf of this world and he gets sealed away, what about the one who brought me here in the first place? Do I have to face him as well? Given he used a form of magic that not even Princess Celestia herself is capable of, he could be even more powerful, and would make things really difficult.
" What are you thinking about?" asked Spike.
" Nothing much other than what is going to happen were I to defeat the Evil King," I replied.
" You do mean "when" right?" asked Spike.
" I know you've got a lot of confidence in me, yet you have to realize that I'm just one girl who happens to be going up against someone who wields the power of a god. He has more experience when it comes to fighting than I do, so despite believing that destiny will back my corner, my chances of victory are pretty slim," I replied.
" Have you forgotten that you possess the same kind of power?" asked Spike.
" Does that even hold any weight?" I asked.
" While it's true that he's had seven years to get used to his power, and you've only had a week with what the Triforce of Courage has given you, it still means only you are capable of going up against him. Besides, you held your own against him in the Temple of Time despite that unfortunate hiccup at the end, yet the fact is you can defeat him especially if you use everything at your disposal," replied Spike.
My battle back then was more of a fluke than anything else as it was a miracle that I even lasted as long as I did, and of course my transformation played a huge factor as it came out of nowhere as I had no idea it would even do that.
" Wait! I have the power of a god as well?" I asked.
" The Triforce of Courage is filled with the essence of Farore, Goddess of Courage which according to legends is said to imbue whoever holds it with tremendous courage, and become augmented much like how Ganondorf's power was increased. While you may not believe my words, know that you always had courage inside of your heart, and even now this still rings true. You do remember what Farore contributed when she and the other goddesses created Hyrule right?" asked Spike.
His speech could have been a lot better, but I've got to give him credit for explaining it in a way which makes me feel a lot better, yet I do still have some reluctance about holding an ancient artefact in my hands. Now, why did Spike decided to bring up what Farore contributed when Hyrule came to be? I remember what she did because Twilight showed me that visual aide, but why mention it anyway?
" I remember that she created people to uphold the law," I replied.
" The law as dictated by Nayru," said Spike.
" What does knowing this have to do with where we are?" I asked.
" All creatures born in Hyrule were ordered to follow the universal decrees as established by the Goddess of Wisdom, and while they don't realize this truth along with choosing to follow their own set of rules, they must still carry out her wishes which according to legend were to strive for peace above all other things. Ganondorf has spit on the law of Nayru for too long, so now he needs to be punished for these crimes, and only the power of a god can be defeated by someone who also has such a power.
Do you understand what I'm saying to you Sunset Shimmer?" asked Spike. Actually, I had no idea where he was going with this, and it sounded like he was taking this too seriously, so I shook my head to indicate no. I get that he wants me to achieve victory and return Hyrule to normal, yet this isn't doing me any favours at all.
" Sorry if I burst your bubble," I said.
" You're right that I went a little overboard," said Spike.
" I know this has become personal for you because of what we've experienced throughout this journey, but you can't let personal issues get in the way. I'm going to defeat the Evil King without resorting to ruthless methods, for what kind of hero would I be?" I asked.
" Shall we enter the tower?" asked Spike.
" Not yet," I answered.
" What!?!? After what you just said to me, you refuse to enter Ganon's Tower?" asked Spike.
" Oh we're going in, but after we find that hidden shop both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash mentioned. I could do with some supplies right now after what I used so far in the castle, and I need to spend all those silver rupees on something. I have no idea where this shop is located, but I'm sure we'll find it if we look around," I replied.
Spike should have known I was going to go to this shop because of wanting to retain my comfort zone, yet I really had no clue as to where to begin looking. My friends didn't say which wall was the one I needed to find, so I'm going to be searching around for a while. " We might as well get started with this, and it could take about an hour before we find what we're looking for."
" What are we looking for again?" asked Spike.
" A wall that has a slightly different colour," I replied.
" That won't be easy because this area has gotten much darker since the barrier disappeared," said Spike.
" Which is why I said it's going to take about an hour," I said.
" How much money do you have?" asked Spike.
" If I take into account all of those silver rupees I collected in those challenges combined with what I brought into the castle back when we first came in, I should have about 60 rupees which isn't much. Why did you ask me such a question?" I asked.
" No one among the tribes would be crazy enough to set up a shop in here, so I have a pretty good idea as to who may be running such a place," replied Spike. When I tried asking him what he knew about this hidden shop and its potential owners, he told me that I'll find out when we discover its location.
I'm not sure why he wants to keep such information from me, but I guess I'll trust his judgment and see for myself. I searched every wall along the outside of the main room using every possible technique, yet nothing came up which was disappointing.
" There is nothing on any of these walls," I sighed.
" Did you try down below?" asked Spike.
" Where?" I asked. He then floated in front of me before moving downward to indicate that he wanted me to look down. When I walked over to see what he wanted to show me, it turned out there was a lower pathway which went around the base of the tower. Surely a hidden passageway was down here as no one would ever consider exploring it because they would have viewed it as just a pointless design choice. " I wonder why we never looked down there before?"
" If there is a hidden passageway to be discovered, it will most likely be down there," replied Spike. Instead of walking down the stairs to the lower level which would have been the smart thing, I instead jumped down where I landed pretty badly, and causing my legs to buckle for a few moments. " Why did you go and do that?"
" It took less time although it wasn't worth it," I replied.
" At least the fall damage in this world is pretty minimal otherwise you would have broken your back, or even your neck," said Spike.
" Yeah! I should be grateful for that," I said as I got up onto my feet. From there, I started to walk around the base of the tower hoping to find something that was out of place, but things weren't going very well. I rubbed my hands against each wall vigorously hoping to intentionally fall through it, yet the walls were perfectly fine. After trying out roughly a dozen walls, I was just about to give up in utter frustration when I took off my hat, and threw it at another wall where it suddenly disappeared. " Okay? Where did my hat go?"
" This is the first time I've seen your hair," commented Spike.
" I've never needed to take off my hat even though I've experienced countless situations where it should have fallen off. Most people refer to me as having bacon hair because the streaks of red and yellow bear a striking resemblance to bacon, yet it was only a month ago when this nickname started to be thrown my way. While I don't see it as hurtful, it does get rather annoying when people compare me with something that gets cooked," I said.
" I can see why you would get called that," said Spike.
" You're not going to start calling me "bacon hair" are you?" I asked.
" Why would I do anything of the sort? Besides, that tunic looks a lot better when you're wearing a hat," replied Spike.
" So where did it go?" I asked. Feeling frustrated about losing my hat because I've worn it since the start of this journey, I decided to press my back against the closest wall I could find as a means of thinking about what happened, and then I suddenly fell through where I landed hard on my back. This wasn't how I wanted to find the hidden shop, but at least I found it after searching for an hour....it had actually been more like 25 minutes.
" Are you okay?" asked Spike.
" I've felt a lot better than this, but at least it wasn't anything serious," I replied.
" Well, you've found the hidden shop," said Spike.
" Not to mention my hat," I added. As I picked it up and put it on my head, I noticed this shop wasn't really one in that sense. It consisted of a small room where an assortment of fairies were located in the center, and four strange plants were situated in various positions on the floor, yet why were they rustling about?
Could it be that these are more than just plants, and if so how am I supposed to purchase anything from a plant? " Spike, why are those plants acting as though they were alive? I knew there wouldn't be any people in here according to what you said, but I was at least expecting a friendly monster to bid me welcome."
" Do you remember Deku Scrubs?" asked Spike.
" Yes, I recall seeing them when we explored the Great Deku Tree, and they did show up in other places as well," I replied.
" Those are Business Scrubs who will shoot out Deku Nuts from their mouths if you keep your distance, yet they will hide underground as you see right now whenever you get close. The Mirror Shield is too powerful, so their projectiles will just crumble to dust upon contact with it, but you can use the Megaton Hammer by slamming it down onto the ground to catch them off guard. Once they have been damaged just once, they will begin carrying out the reason behind their name," said Spike.
" Which would be?" I asked.
" Business Scrubs are cowardly in nature, and fear being destroyed by anything which is deemed a threat to their existence. As such, they will attempt to sell you an item in exchange for being spared, but the problem is that they always overcharge. They only sell one item at a time, and whether you accept their deal or not doesn't matter as they'll end up escaping no matter what," replied Spike.
" It sounds like these scrubs are devious because they know people will buy just about anything, and they earn themselves some money before running. While I don't like their way of doing business, if these Business Scrubs have what I need then I'll buy something even if I have to pay extra rupees. I'm sure their products are genuine otherwise they would have been killed by now," I said. While these plants had an unusual name attached to them, it did make a lot of sense according to what Spike had to say.
The moment I got close to them, they all suddenly popped out from the ground and spat Deku Nuts at me which I managed to deflect with the Mirror Shield. The nuts crumbled because of how strong my shield was, and it looked as though they were preparing to continue the onslaught when one of them decided to speak out which was surprising as I thought I would need to use the Megaton Hammer.
For some reason, this one Business Scrub looked human rather than a plant, and then it hit me for it was someone I recognized. It was none other than Ms. Cheerilee, and to think that I would be encountering her this late on my journey, and like this no less.
" That shield of yours is too much for our Deku Nuts. We don't know how you managed to find this hidden shop of ours, but we won't allow you to walk away and report this to Ganondorf. If he discovers what we've been doing down here, our lives become forfeit, and I would prefer to keep mine intact," said Cheerilee.
" Why would I report something to him?" I asked.
" Aren't you one of his servants?" asked Cheerilee.
" I came here in order to defeat the Evil King," I replied.
" Wait! You wouldn't happen to be the forest girl who is clad in green are you? We've been hearing rumours that a girl who fits that description has been going around the kingdom, and resorting everything back to the way it was," said Cheerilee. How did they know about such information despite being stuck here, or perhaps they only started this shop a short while ago.
I couldn't tell as I only confirmed this place existed thanks in large part to both Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash. Something about this made me feel hesitant to trust these scrubs even if one of them was a well respected teacher at Canterlot High, yet I needed some more supplies as I am starting to run low.
" I am the one you heard about," I said.
" You've certainly got the appearance of a full fledged hero that's for sure," said Cheerilee.
" Something like that," I said. There was just something about them which was making it difficult for me, and I suspect it was their choice of words. Despite this one scrub being Ms. Cheerilee, her words belied her honesty while her face provided truth. I needed to find a means to determine if I could trust them, and I was in a good position to take care of them should they choose to backstab me.
That's when I got an idea which revolved around what she said regarding the description about me. " You said you've been hearing talk about me via rumours and hearsay which prompted you to say what you just did? Sorry if you think of me as being rude and all, but I'm not sure I can accept such an answer."
" That's not at all surprising given how so many look down on us Deku Scrubs. We Business Scrubs choose to aid people in exchange for our own freedom, and yes that does sound rather hypocritical. You don't need to trust me because I've probably given you a poor reception, but please don't judge us just because of how the other tribes view us," said Cheerilee.
" You avoided answering my question," I moaned. That wasn't a good sign mind you, for it made me suspect that this Business Scrub was trying her best to lull me into a false sense of security, or maybe I'm just looking into this too much.
" Sorry about that, so let me explain. We Deku Scrubs needed to serve Ganondorf because it would give us respect according to what our superior brethren said, but the four of us came to the conclusion that serving such an evil man was too much for us to bear, so we decided to set up this shop in case anyone came here hoping to bring him down. It's been a few months now since we started selling our wares, and you're the only person who has paid us a visit," said Cheerilee.
" If he discovers you doing this then he will kill you," I said.
" Better to die doing the right thing rather than doing nothing! You can blame our leader, the Deku King, for choosing to align our people with Ganondorf because he believed it was the best thing for us. Many scrubs were against the idea as we couldn't trust someone who killed all of his followers so that they couldn't bask in the glory of having conquered Hyrule. Of course, our king refused to listen to such concerns, and declared scrubs who were against the idea as being traitors," replied Cheerilee.
This was something which I never knew about before, and I had been told he took over Hyrule Castle by himself. Maybe these followers wanted to attack the castle alongside him, yet he felt they no longer served any purpose, so he killed them personally because of wanting to be the sole ruler. That does reiterate what Rainbow Dash said about how Ganondorf killed people, and I guess it also included those who trusted him to bring them the kind of glory they've been wanting for ages.
I needed some more confirmation, so I asked Ms. Cheerilee to elaborate on what she meant about. " Many Gerudo travelled with him to Hyrule Castle in the hopes of getting to attack those who lived there as retribution for the mistreatment they suffered, yet he wouldn't have any of it, and killed them all in cold blood. I've heard some of his people wanted to know what happened to those who went with him, and his response was that they died at the hands of Hylian soldiers who showed resistance."
" They believed him?" I asked.
" When you're the king of your own people, you can pretty much do whatever you want as your people worship you. The Gerudo chose to accept his version, and they essentially forgot all about it apart from having a funeral for those who died. Our king believes we'll be fine because Ganondorf would never kill those allied with him, yet he would kill anyone if they were deemed useless in his eyes. Our king trusts the Evil King, and believes he has earned our people a glorious future....such a fool he is for believing that," replied Cheerilee.
Trust is something I know pretty well, for I had to earn it after I was defeated when I became the she-demon. It took me a long time to earn the trust of the entire student body, and my friends after that one debacle which occurred at Christmas, so I felt bad about how I wasn't giving these Business Scrubs a chance all because I believed they wanted to trap me. It also shows they had no choice but to take orders from Ganondorf as their king blundered into an alliance which appears pretty one sided.
These four have suffered plenty because of having to give up everything they had as members of their own tribe, and start a life where being discovered will ensure their death is quick and merciless. I know now that I can trust them as anyone who has endured this much have strong hearts to want to do what they believe is right.
" I plan on defeating him," I said.
" If you believe your own bravado, then purchase some of our wares if you feel the need to stock up on supplies," said Cheerilee.
" I'm determined to go through with this, and how did you know I needed to buy something?" I asked.
" For one thing, I can see your quiver has no arrows whatsoever. Also, why else would you come into this little nook if you had no plans on buying anything? I doubt someone like you has the time for a conversation especially with a bunch of scrubs like us. Now then, I'm going to guess you're lacking in rupees, so we'll sell our wares for a much lower price than usual just because we're feeling extra nice today.
Normally, we would be charging quite a large sum as what we have is legitimate in case you were concerned, but we'll slash the values down by over 75%....if you happen to have some Deku Nuts and Deku Sticks on hand that you no longer want," replied Cheerilee.
" I've got about ten or so Deku Sticks which I can't even use as I'm too old for them, and as for Deku Nuts....I should have around 40 of them due to collecting quite a lot of them back in the Kokiri Forest," I said.
" Then please enter our shop and see what we have available for your needs," smiled Cheerilee. While I thought it was odd that they wanted nuts and stick as opposed to rupees, if I can get what I need without needing to scrounge up money by leaving the castle for an undisclosed period of time, I can enter Ganon's Tower without any delay.
It seemed Cheerilee and her fellow scrubs were selling arrows, Red Potions, Green Potions, and bombs with those fairies just being there for a good convenience. Apart from the bombs, I had need of the other three items although I wish they were selling Blue Potions, but that would cost more than mere nuts and sticks, and I don't have enough rupees because that particular potion costs so much.
By the time I had finished my purchases, I purchased enough arrows until my quiver was full, and while I could do with a Red Potion, I felt a Green Potion was a better choice as I'm going to be using a lot of magic. Plus, I need a fairy just in case Ganondorf kills me which he's more than capable of doing.
" And here is my payment," I said.
" These Deku Nuts and Deku Sticks were worth it because these are quite the hot commodity," said Cheerilee.
" Before I go, do you happen to know anything about Ganon's Tower?" I asked.
"The only thing I can say about it is watch out for the armoured warriors situated near the top. I've heard they are very powerful, and can easily topple someone of your caliber no matter how skillful you are. Those potions of yours are probably going to be used up against them, so if you have need of more, then you can come back down here.
I'm not sure how you plan on purchasing additional potions given how you've run out of rupees, but we can make some kind of deal work for you," replied Cheerilee. Thanking her for everything despite how we had some communication problems at the start, I left the hidden shop although I had a feeling I'll be coming back because I've got an idea as to what she meant about armoured warriors.
" She sounded like she was talking about Iron Knuckles," I said.
" If any of them are guarding one of the upper levels of the tower then you will need to use some of those potions because they inflict a lot of damage. I know you have that defence enhancement from the Great Fairy of Courage which has been useful so far, but that doesn't mean you're invincible with it Sunset Shimmer. Fighting an Iron Knuckle is hard enough as it is, but having to deal with two or more of them at the exact same time is nothing short of a battle of endurance," said Spike.
" Guess we were right about the tower having his strongest servants waiting," I sighed.
" He left them there to serve as a final test," said Spike.
" So does that mean what we experienced throughout the castle was nothing?" I asked.
" Other than Ganondorf wanting to be amused," replied Spike.
" Now why does that remind me of something," I said to myself. It took me a moment to remember that the reason why I was placed into this video game along with everyone else I know is because the real Ganondorf wanted to be amused at my suffering. Since I've been beating myself up over my troubled past along with experiencing events that reminded me of what I used to be like, he's probably been laughing about it this entire time, and in truth I could have stopped acting in such a manner.
Thanks to being on this journey, there are many aspects about my life which I've overcome because of accepting things, yet there were some issues which still need a resolution, but how I sort those out will depend on the decisions I make in the future. The main thing is that I must remember that one line which I said during a song that came to me on a whim....my past is not today....what it actually means is something I haven't figured out, but it will come to me eventually especially when I return to my life in the human world.
" Are you daydreaming?" asked Spike.
" Just thinking about my life in general," I replied.
" Why? Is something wrong with it?" asked Spike.
" Before I was brought here via unusual circumstances, I struggled dealing with my past, but since getting to see things in a different light, I've become much better at accepting responsibility for my actions. I still have some things to work out which will take time as they are complicated, but I can say that I'm different now than I was back when you first told me to wake up," I replied.
" How did you come to Hyrule?" asked Spike.
" You mean I never told you about it after all this time?" I asked.
" I believed it was something too personal for you to explain, so I chose not to inquire about it," replied Spike.
" Since we're right at the end of the journey, I have a free moment to give you an explanation. I'll make it short because if I went with a long story, we're going to be stuck here for a while. Anyway, I was having a sleepover with my friends, or rather I should say a gathering where we talked about all manner of things.
Rainbow Dash had something which represented this world, and she wanted us to experience it although she chose to hog it. Just when it looked like it was going to be a perfect evening, Ganondorf appeared before us where he desired to see me suffer. He sent us into this world where I was the only one who retained memories of the human world, and my magic from Equestria became available," I said.
" Is the Ganondorf we're facing the one who did this?" asked Spike.
" No, he sounded much older, and his dark magic was even stronger," I replied.
" Then you must have been brought here by a future version of the Evil King who probably exists centuries from now," said Spike.
" Centuries? I was under the assumption that he would eventually pass away just like all people do," I said.
" Legends say that anyone who wields a piece of the Triforce is able to live longer, yet I believed it was nothing more than a fairy tale if you pardon the expression. If it was a future version....I'm not really sure what to think. In any case, it will be something which you'll have to deal with as it exists beyond the realm of reality, but I wouldn't let such a thing get to you Sunset Shimmer. You must focus on your efforts to defeat Ganondorf and seal him into the Sacred Realm, thus bringing peace back to Hyrule," said Spike.
The very idea of him living for centuries sounded ridiculous, but then I had no idea as to the true nature of the Triforce, so if Ganondorf can live for centuries, does my attempt to defeat him mean nothing? He will live on and continue being a threat to the world, so am I merely wasting my time because he will survive? As I made my way over to the nearest flight of stairs, I felt conflicted about this situation because of what I was now starting to understand.
My efforts despite being noble will amount to nothing because Ganondorf exists in the future, and his defeat here doesn't mean he will be gone forever as previously assumed. Now I wish this knowledge didn't become available as I would have been fixated on fulfilling my destiny, yet if I didn't know about it then I would have probably tried to figure out what was going to happen.
Upon reaching the entrance to the tower, my nerves were getting pretty intense, but I had to go through with this despite questioning my efforts. Closing my eyes because I didn't want to see what was ahead, I walked forward and entered the first room of Ganon's Tower.
" Well? Can I open my eyes now?" I asked.
" You seriously closed them as you entered?" asked Spike.
" I didn't want to see what was lurking in the darkness," I replied.
" It's actually well lit in this room which makes for a nice change of pace," said Spike. I opened my eyes where I discovered he was right, for the room featured candles on the walls, and to my left was a staircase that spiraled around the corner due to this being a tower. The carpeting on the floor indicated that Ganondorf wanted to make this area stand out for anyone who managed to make it here, or it could be his way of showing a sign of being cultured.
" Do you hear music?" I asked.
" It sounds like someone is playing an organ," replied Spike. Just hearing the sounds coming from further up the tower made me feel really nervous because the music felt ominous in nature, and I have a feeling Ganondorf is doing this in order to intimidate me considering how close I am now to his location.
" So, you finally arrived at my tower," said Tirek.
" Disappointed?" I asked.
" Why would I feel that way because you have once again surpassed my own expectations of you kid! I knew you'd make it this far because the Triforce of Courage, and your own abilities have been the key to your success, but now you must challenge my strongest servants in a bid to reach me. I won't deny how I've underestimated you since our previous encounter, for you have been getting stronger with every passing day, and that makes you all the more tantalizing.
Anyone who is deemed weak in my eyes is not worthy to face me, for they are nothing more than wanting to prove their bravado with delusions of grandeur, yet those worthy enough end up falling relatively quickly because they lack true power," replied Tirek.
" Is power really all that matters to you?" I asked.
" It's the driving force behind all beings, for we strive to acquire power no matter what the cost may be. Everyone, no matter where they come from all desire power for without it, their hearts tell them that they are nothing. If they have it, they believe themselves as having a purpose in such a mundane existence, and that is the ideal world.
Kid, I sense you yourself once wielded tremendous power long before you became significant to me, but you chose to throw it away because you believed in a different path. I suppose not everyone can appreciate the notion of wanting to be dominant, but is the temptation still there despite you having changed?" asked Tirek.
" No, I've had no relapses," I replied.
" Such a stern manner in your voice....you still crave power, and for that you've merely been lying to yourself," said Tirek. I was finding myself struggling to talk back against him because I believed his way of thinking was utterly wrong, and yet at the same time some of the things he said did have a ring of truth to them.
Power is a force people want, but they desire it for the correct reasons which has nothing to do with conquering anything. I want to become stronger so that I can defeat him, and I'm willing to believe I'll reach such a goal by defeating his servants who are waiting for me on the upper levels of the tower.
" I won't deny that I want power," I said.
" Then you are exactly like me," laughed Tirek.
" No, I used to be someone who sought power by any means necessary, and it's something I never want to experience again. All it does is cause pain and misery to everyone around you, and at the end of the day you're simply alone with no friends to comfort you all because of wanting strength above all else," I said.
" Friendship is a weakness which gets in the way of true power," said Tirek. I had a feeling he was going to say that, and it brings to attention the stories Twilight told me about the various villains who desired to conquer Equestria. They were defeated by friendship because they underestimated its power, and have never been a threat ever again. " It seems you are unable to respond, but it's not surprising given how you're just a child who has no comprehension of the natural order, and that power is the absolute desire.
I suppose my only option is to educate you, so come to me kid! If you don't die at the hands of my servants who even now are awaiting you on the upper floors, I shall grant you a fitting death." Once more, Ganondorf's voice trailed off leaving me to deal with the aftermath, but I wasn't going to allow his words to cloud my judgment.
" Let's go," I said.
" Guess his words encouraged you," said Spike.
" You could say that," I said. As I started to run up the stairs, I quickly came to a stop because there was an assortment of Fire Keese flying about near a torch which looked strange at first, but I remember that when they lose their flames, they become regular Keese, and regain their flames when either attacked by fire, or plunge themselves into an area that produces fire. I had no intention of letting them burn me, so I took out the Fairy Bow, and began firing arrows picking them off one at a time before they knew what was going on.
As each one fell and burned up in their own fire, they left behind green rupees which were worth one apiece, and I made sure to collect them as I could use them to purchase something at the shop. Once all of them were gone, I kept on walking until I reached a door. " This is rather fancy looking which again makes me think that Ganondorf wants to showcase his sense of culture."
" I can sense a strong enemy behind the door," said Spike.
" Guess we might as well go through, and see what we're fighting," I said. Opening the door, and entering the next room, I came to a stop once again as the door closed with iron bars which meant I was trapped until I've defeated the monsters. Standing in front of me were two Dinolfos, but something was different about them compared to what I encountered in the Gerudo's Training Ground. " Is it just me, or do these two look different and seem stronger?"
" They have different colours, and I can sense a strong dark aura coming from them. It's possible they could inflict even more damage which would negate your defence enhancement, but I'm sure they have the same stamina. Be careful Sunset Shimmer, for Ganondorf has really stepped up the difficulty with stronger versions of already powerful monsters," replied Spike.
The Dinolfos then noticed me, and began running towards me with their speed being like the ones back in the Training Ground, so at least I don't have to worry about having to block attacks in a rapid-fire manner. Taking out the Biggoron's Sword as I wanted to deal with this quickly, they began swinging their swords as though they were having a temper tantrum, but this was a distraction for one of them suddenly performed a jump attack which struck and knocked me to the ground.
" You weren't kidding when you said they were stronger than normal," I said.
" They inflict four times as much damage which gets reduced down to two times the damage because of your blessing, so I suggest switching to the Master Sword so that you can protect yourself with the Mirror Shield," suggested Spike.
" I'm going to stick with this blade," I said.
" While it will defeat them in a faster fashion, but I highly recommend against it because you will take a lot of damage. Then again, if you can avoid them while swinging the Biggoron's Sword, you might be able to avoid getting hit period. Still, the risk is too great, so again I suggest switching to a sword and shield combination rather than a two-handed weapon," suggested Spike. I know he means well, and wants to ensure my safety, but I'm going to go with my gut instinct even if it means acting stubborn.
Why not use magic and avoid a disagreement? I've got a hunch Ganondorf has granted these monsters an immunity to magic, for he's aware I'm capable of using it. That restricts me to weapons, but that's not a bad thing as I was going to use them anyway. The Dinolfos continued to swing their swords, and use jump attacks, yet I dodged these as I responded with swinging the Biggoron Sword which ended up destroying one of them, but I soon got struck from behind by the second.
I went flying across the room due to how powerful it was, but at least I didn't have a huge wound in my back. " That's why I told you to follow my suggestion, but at least it wasn't as bad as it could have been."
" I wanted to use it, and not doing so would have insulted Bulk Biceps who worked so hard to repair it. Besides, I have no intention of using the Biggoron's Sword when we reach Ganondorf as I know I'll need a shield to protect me from his powerful magic. Plus, the Master Sword was created to defeat creatures of pure evil, so it makes sense to use it there and then," I said. The Dinolfos then ran towards where I had landed, and managed to get a quick strike against me before I responded with a strike of my own which was enough to defeat it.
This unlocked both doors which means access to the next section of the tower had been granted, but I need to rest on the floor for a moment for those two Dinolfos really took a lot out of me despite making quick work of them.
" You suffered some damage, but it probably isn't anything serious," said Spike.
" I'll use the Master Sword when we reach the next floor," I said.
" How many floors do you think are in this tower?" asked Spike.
" From what we saw of it back outside, I'm going to guess there are six floors, yet there's probably more. Personally, I wish he had one of those elevators you can use to travel between floors as all these stairs are going to make me feel utterly exhausted. By the way, you said that it may be possible for me to play a warp song because the tower may not be the same as the castle. I was thinking of playing something just to see if it would work, but then I'd be warped away which would force me to return here on foot," I replied.
" No point playing one of Zelda's songs as you don't need to go anywhere else right?" asked Spike.
" I want to return home so badly," I replied.
" That wasn't what I was expecting for an answer, but this is you Sunset Shimmer so I can make an exception," said Spike. I was so close to completing this journey and getting to go back home, my mind was showing me all kinds of images of the human world. Who knows how long I've been away, and for that I have a longing to see it again as it feels like forever. I'd also miss this world as it's shown me sides of myself which I never guessed even existed.
The real Ganondorf may have intended for me to suffer, but I think he had no intention of seeing me embrace my new appreciation of life in general. Maybe coming here was meant to happen, and because of it I'm now even better than before despite some flaws. Once I felt rested, I walked over to the now unlocked door, and opened it where I found myself at the foot of another staircase.
" Is this going to be a trend?" I asked.
" All you can do is keep going up," replied Spike.
" Will there be any monsters to encounter along the way?" I asked.
" No, so I hope you don't end up getting bored," replied Spike. At least the décor is nice so I've got something to look at, but having to endure all this climbing without anything to do is going to keep me feeling very agitated which could be part of Ganondorf's plan. He knows my emotions are sensitive, so this could be his way of making me lose control which would result in my transformation, and become vulnerable to dark temptations.
Looks like I'm going to have to grin and bear it by climbing up what could be an endless flight of stairs. Walking up the stairs was pretty boring especially when I had nothing I could talk about, but luckily I was spared any real doldrums as a door could be seen ahead. " Now that wasn't bad was it?"
" That was pretty boring," I replied.
" At least we got to a door before you could lose your mind," said Spike.
" I should be happy, but because there's a monster on the other side, I'm not in a celebrating mood," I moaned. Entering the next room, it was rather dark despite there being candles although something bright was shining in the center, and it turned out to be a circle of fire which looked out of place.
A big treasure chest could be seen inside of the circle, but I didn't see any switches, so how am I supposed to gain access? " That looks like a gold and blue ornate chest which we've seen in the temples, so does that mean there is a giant locked door up ahead?"
" That is definitely a Boss Key chest, but why would Ganondorf even consider something like this?" asked Spike.
" I don't know, but I've got this feeling we need to get the contents of that chest," I replied.
" There's a presence around here, for both doors have been sealed shut, and I have no idea what you'll be fighting," said Spike.
" Since he told us that his most powerful servants are guarding the different levels of the tower, it's easy to figure it out based on what monsters we've seen thus far which were declared to be strong. Those Dinolfos were dangerous despite not being defensive, yet I struggled with both encounters, so if I take a look at creatures I had trouble dealing with, that eliminates all but the best," I said.
" I hope you know what you're talking about as I sure don't," said Spike.
" Aside from Iron Knuckles and Dinolfos, the only other powerful monster which comes to mind is a Stalfos...." I said as I cut myself off upon realizing I had to deal with them again, and sure enough two of them popped up from behind the circle of fire. Much like the Dinolfos before, these two Stalfos were coloured differently from what I've come to know, so that means they're stronger than usual.
As soon as they spotted me, they began to move forward, and something suddenly came at me from out of nowhere which sliced me across my shoulder causing me to clutch it in pain. " What in the world was that?"
" One just threw its sword at you," replied Spike.
" That's rather stupid as now it has nothing to fight with," I said.
" Actually, it still has its weapon because throwing in Hyrulian logic means doing so via a magical means," said Spike.
" Now I have no idea what you're talking about," I said.
" In an ancient past, Stalfos were capable of throwing their swords while still holding them," said Spike. That didn't make sense, but I suppose this is the reason why they are stronger. They then began to toss their swords in a barrage where I raised the Mirror Shield to deflect as many of them as possible, but this was preventing me from attacking. After a while, I looked forward where I noticed just one was tossing swords, so what happened with the other one?
My answer came as it tossed its sword from another angle where it struck me in the side with a sickening thud, and then it performed a jump attack knocking me back towards the door before it jumped backwards. The wound wasn't too deep so I could keep going, but then more swords came my way, and I dropped to the ground where they flew over my head although a few did clip my hair.
" This is really difficult," I said.
" As long as they keep throwing their swords in an erratic pattern, you can't get close to them," said Spike.
" Using the Mirror Shield protects me, but then I lose track of one because I can't see what's happening," I said.
" Perhaps you could use something that can stop them, but didn't you give those away for items?" asked Spike. He was obviously referring to those Deku Nuts I handed over to Ms. Cheerilee earlier, yet I did manage to keep a few of them. The problem was getting close enough because I doubt they were going to give me many opportunities, so secreting a Deku Nut in my left hand which was my shield arm, I moved closer to one of the Stalfos who proceeded to swing its sword in a crooked fashion.
I waited for the right moment, and when it came I tossed the nut causing it to become stunned. In response, I swung my sword damaging it, but it wasn't enough because I wasn't using my Biggoron's Sword which would have done it, yet I neglected the other Stalfos which tossed a sword that struck me right in the leg protruding through my flesh.
" This is a really painful moment here," I said while gritting my teeth.
" Can you keep going?" asked Spike.
" Yeah, but I'm not sure for how much longer," I replied.
" Use one of those Blue Potions," suggested Spike.
" I'm seriously considering just that because these two have been giving me a hard time," I said. While there was no sword sticking through my leg, the wound was quite serious, and bleeding at the same time meaning I had to finish this quickly so that I can address the wound before it gets worse. The Stalfos then resumed throwing their swords where I was forced to defend again, but I noticed one was jumping to my left in an attempt to inflict a sneak attack because of being distracted.
I lowered my shield to intercept this one, and I ended up getting struck in the back by the thrown swords of the other one. Stalfos #2 then swung its sword where I countered with a Deku Nut freezing it in place followed by striking it, yet it wasn't enough to defeat it because again I was using a slightly weaker weapon. Okay, I know that the Master Sword is very powerful, yet compared to the Biggoron's Sword, there is no contest as the Goron made weapon makes this divine blade look like a joke.
" Maybe you should change weapons," suggested Spike.
" That would be a good idea as I don't want to take anymore damage," I said.
" Well, you're running the risk of sustaining more," said Spike.
" I'm running out of options here, and I don't want to transform as it would be a waste," I said.
" Maybe using magic would make things easier as it is your specialty," suggested Spike. While this was true, I wasn't sure if my magic was going to work against these monsters not because of them being stronger than usual. No, I have this weird feeling that my magic has been dispelled when I entered the tower because of a strange tingling sensation I had, and no doubt it was the work of Ganondorf as he knows about my magical talent.
I then tried to use some fire magic in the hopes that one of the Stalfos would get blasted with a powerful inferno, but it ended up fizzling out as it left my fingers, so my suspicion was correct. The Evil King has prevented me from using my natural ability, so that means I have to defeat these monsters the hard way. " Sunset Shimmer? You can use your magic now as it will really make things easier."
" My magic has been dispelled by Ganondorf," I said.
" His power must truly be immense to allow him to do that," said Spike.
" Guess I'm doing this the hard way, and I'll be following suit if you know what I mean," I said.
" Not at all," said Spike.
" I'm switching swords as I need to inflict more damage," I said. As I switched to the Biggoron's Sword again thus putting my shield away, the two Stalfos began throwing their swords at me where I had to run around like a headless chicken to avoid getting hit, yet things were about to change for the better when one of them decided to change tactics.
It moved forward and performed a jump attack which did catch me by surprise, so when its sword struck me in the arm causing some slight pain, I swung the Biggoron's Sword chopping off its head which looked rather gruesome in my opinion. I had no time to celebrate as the other one continued throwing its sword where one of them hit me in the same leg as before, and I accidentally dropped a Deku Nut upon falling to one knee.
This nut bounced twice before flashing, and stunning the Stalfos which was a lucky break, so I took advantage of the situation by chopping its head off as well as its body in half.
" That was pretty fortunate," said Spike.
" But embarrassing at the same time," I sighed.
" At least you defeated both of them although you did take a lot of damage," said Spike.
" If this is what it's going to be like when I fight Ganondorf, my chances for victory are growing slimmer with every passing moment. I'm going to have to be extra careful otherwise he could kill me within a matter of minutes. By the way, what is the status regarding that circle of fire which has been protecting the treasure chest?" I asked.
" The fire has gone," replied Spike.
" It must have happened when that Stalfos was defeated," I said.
" I suggest you use a Blue Potion even though you'll only be getting half of the benefits as your magic meter is full," said Spike.
" I'm going to I as I won't stand a chance in my current condition if the next level contains Iron Knuckles. Fighting one of them was difficult enough, but dealing with two of them is going to be nearly impossible unless I transform. While I need to change forms when fighting Ganondorf to give me a better chance of victory, I've got to use my transformation as an Iron Knuckle inflicts so much damage, and my defence enhancement means nothing as they have probably been strengthened like the other monsters I've faced," I said.
Taking out one of my two Blue Potions where I drank the contents, my wounds fully healed including the one on my leg although it did leave a nasty scar which I'm sure will heal in due time. Then I turned my attention to the chest which was begging me to come and open it, so I walked over to it where I took out the Boss Key upon opening it up.
" We haven't seen a door with the lock that's needed for that key," said Spike.
" It's probably further ahead," I said. Placing it into one of my pockets, I then walked over to the door at the end of the room, and opened it where I found myself in front of another staircase leading up to the next level of the tower. This was going to be another boring climb where nothing gets said, so rather than walk, I chose to run up there instead which didn't take nearly as long.
Upon reaching this next door, I could sense a tremendous aura coming from the other side, and it made me feel so afraid, my hand didn't want to reach out for the handle. " Spike, I know there are extremely powerful monsters in this next room, yet I'm too scared to enter because of what is waiting for me. I have a feeling those Iron Knuckles will kill me, and at the last hurdle no less of my journey."
" Don't allow your fear to control you," said Spike.
" You know what happened when I faced the ones in the Spirit Temple," I said.
" Even though you struggled a, you managed to defeat them and earn the treasures they were guarding. You even defeated a special version freeing Nabooru in the process who is grateful to be herself again, so the idea of you being afraid is laughable. Ganondorf wants to have as big an advantage as possible when you face him as deep down he's concerned that you'll do what no one else has been able to, and that is bringing him down. If you show signs of weakness now, he'll just walk all over you without needing to try," said Spike.
" If he kills me then this world is doomed, and I'll never go home," I said.
" Then you know what you must do," said Spike. Now this was a pretty good pep talk coming from him, and it gave me the confidence to continue, so I entered the next room where sure enough, two Iron Knuckles were standing side-by-side by the other door. Neither of them were moving, but I knew they were powerful as the aura coming from their bodies was enough to knock me over.
" They have larger axes," I commented.
" Not to mention flowing capes behind their backs," added Spike.
" Both are red in colour which is a sign that Ganondorf has made them stronger," I said.
" You should transform now before they take notice and start to move towards you Sunset Shimmer, for while they aren't sitting down on thrones, they are active despite being still as statues," said Spike. Closing my eyes and concentrating as hard as I could, I attempted to transform only to discover that nothing happened. At first I thought I didn't do it right, so I tried again with the same failing result, and then it hit me that Ganondorf is preventing me from assuming my alternate form.
I confirmed this with Spike who couldn't believe that both my magic and my transformation had been halted by the Evil King. " That means you'll have to defeat them using your swordsmanship like you did before, so I hope you're ready for this challenge. I'm sorry about this as I didn't think he could do such a thing."
" Neither did I, but he probably can because of the Triforce of Power," I said.
" You might have to fight both at the same time," said Spike.
" I hope not as that is tantamount to suicide given how one is pretty strong on its own," I said. Unfortunately, luck decided to turn against me, for at that very moment, both Iron Knuckles started to walk towards me at their slow pace, and the power radiating from them was really affecting me.
These two must be elite servants to have this kind of power, and somehow I have to overcome them if I want to reach Ganondorf. If I don't find a solution quickly, this is going to be my final battle before it even actually happens....

To Be Continued.