Chapter 29: The Final Dungeon.
The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Link's Awakening.
By Ganondorf8.
April 2, 2021.
Chapter 29: The Final Dungeon.
I knew that Starlight Glimmer had a knack for getting herself into trouble. How did I know this? You could thank Princess Twilight for such details. Her Highness loved telling me stories of how things were going back in Equestria via our respective magic journals as it allowed me to keep tabs on what was happening back in the land of my birth. Starlight tended to want to find an easy solution for many problems presented before her and this often made the situation even worse. Oh sure, she didn't bring about its destruction but she did come awful close on a couple of occasions.
That being said, I had gotten into trouble myself many times (This current adventure not counting) so I could understand what she often went through. I guess you could say we both had a desire to prove ourselves and choosing not to listen to any voices of reason. Pride often was a weakness many didn't realize was an issue because admitting you had one made you feel well... Weak (No other way to say it other than that). Unless you could accept that you were in over your head over anything, you'd never mature as a person.
Was I truly worried about Starlight's safety? Yes. While she wasn't able to defend herself from any monsters since she had no weapons or magic, I had a hunch that she could hold her own with just words. It was pretty obvious that her choice of words hadn't gone unnoticed by me. Whenever I said or did something, she would react by saying something rather morbid. With that kind of tone, the monsters might be willing to ignore her as she would be saying things that resonated with them. Then again... Her affiliation with me was a negative.
Now I was really starting to worry. No... I couldn't rush out to find her even though my heart wanted me to. To act recklessly was often the source of my getting into trouble so a more logical solution was needed. I knew Starlight had to be in the western most area of the Tal Tal Mountains as had she been in the east, I'd have found her thus relieving me of being concerned. She wouldn't go exploring in any caves as even she had enough common sense in her head not to go and do that. Plus, without any items, she wouldn't be able to get past certain obstacles.
For now, I just had to hope that she was in a safe location. Had I been a bit quicker dealing with Zecora and Adagio, I might have had some time before the sun went down but that wasn't possible right now. Speaking of her, I was certain Princess Twilight knew what my plans were going to be upon collecting the final instrument so I felt no need to explain it to her. While I could go back and take on even more custom made dungeons, there was nothing stopping me from taking the fight straight to Grogar. I wanted this adventure over as soon as possible though it had been fun at times.
Granted, I had been told about needing to read the one book in the Mabe Village library that supposedly had dark secrets but couldn't without a Magnifying Lens. Something in my mind was telling me it was essential to read it. And then there was Adagio and what she had done for me in terms of granting me a stronger sword. She didn't have to do anything and instead tell me to collect all of the Secret Seashells hidden across the island. Instead, I got this new sword by collecting a much smaller number than intended yet I felt grateful she allowed it.
Drawing my new sword from its scabbard, I held it in both hands before sitting down in front of the Seashell Mansion for a few moments. While I had already commented on how beautiful it looked in addition to feeling much lighter than my old one, I noticed the blade itself hadn't changed in terms of length. On my previous adventures, new swords I gained had a longer reach which meant I could attack from a distance. This wasn't true with this one. It wasn't an issue since my increased defence kind of made up for it. Still... It would've been nice but that's the way things were meant to be.
I needed to know more about this 'sword beam' Adagio mentioned so I looked up at Princess Twilight who had been resting on top of my hat for a few minutes. "Twilight? What do know about sword beams?"
It took a moment for Her Highness to be fully awake before she could answer me. " Adagio told you much about what you need to know about it but perhaps you're more interested about the historical aspects." That wasn't my intention and I cursed under my breath for having forgotten that I was told by Adagio, but I wasn't going to deny Her Highness the chance to show off. "Sword beams are an ancient means of unleashing a concentrated burst of energy though the practice has since either had a resurgence or been completely forgotten depending on where you are in Hyrulian history."
"So it's been coming and going?"
"You could say it like that."
Holding my sword up, I watched it glisten in the soon-to-be setting sun before lowering it again. "So I happen to be in a time where the sword beam was implemented? I don't understand why there's such an inconsistency."
"There are some things that are beyond anyone's understanding."
I frowned in response. "Oh, so it's one of those answers?"
Princess Twilight slowly nodded. "Sorry, Sunset, but even my knowledge of sword beams is limited. What I can tell you is that you do need to be at full health in order to unleash a beam as the skill is said to be tied directly to one's inner strength. If you're seen as wavering from within, you can't unleash any sword beams. Now, Adagio didn't mention that you can only fire in a straight direction and only one sword beam at a time as it takes a lot of concentration. I wouldn't consider the skill as essential but rather a small bonus you've got on hand should the need to use it arises."
"It would've been helpful on my previous adventure."
"I'm sure it would have."
"Are there any other skills like this which have come and gone over time?"
Princess Twilight shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure but I'd say that this is the case. It can also be because this world is what you call a video game, certain ideas get created and are refined, forgotten about completely, have yet to be implemented due to unknown factors, or just come and go like the wind." I thought it was rather cute how she still hadn't grasped the idea of video games but it wasn't a thing back in Equestria. I had every intention of telling her everything I knew but hopefully she wouldn't become a gaming junkie like me.
"I'm curious as to what else I could've used as items."
"I can give you some examples."
"And how would you know?"
She responded with a wink. "I'm privy to some things here and there. Granted, my knowledge on such matters is sketchy as I'm going off of what I've been able to get a glimpse of due to my status as your fairy. If you have a couple of minutes, I can share some of this wisdom even though it won't really help in your current situation. If anything, this will just give you more historical information."
I could spare some time as the sun had only started to settle down for the night. In terms of how Her Highness came to access this information, I wasn't about to start questioning her as her response would surely confuse me even more. It was just one of those wisdom moments she happened to express at quite convenient times "Okay, you've convinced me. You can share your vast knowledge." I said with some snark.
"I've only got three things I can tell you."
"Only three?"
"If I had more information, I could be talking about them well into the night." Princess Twilight answered. Perhaps it was best that she could only access a few things. Besides, much of what she had to say wouldn't be helpful in any way which we had both already established. "You know how you've needed keys to unlock doors? Long ago, locked doors were way more common and often prevented many an adventurer from progressing further. With a Magical Key, unlocking doors became moot."
"Why you do say that?"
"A Magical Key can be used infinitely to unlock doors." While locked doors were an issue, I only had to deal with a few of them per dungeon. Her Highness then continued and I chose to keep silent until she had finished. "Food or Monster Bait as some called it could be used to attract monsters though some were too smart to fall for it. Those who were stupid would fight each other until the bait disappeared which would allow one to slip past or defeat them easily. The smart ones were also the most powerful but their power was no match for the power of the Magic Clock."
I had to interrupt her there. "Did you just say... Magic Clock?"
I did." Princess Twilight answered as she nodded.
"You've got to be kidding me."
She shook her head. "I'm being honest with you, Sunset. Sure, a name like Magic Clock or even a clock in general being powerful against monsters does sound pretty out there, but this item proved to be invaluable provided it would appear when needed. It could freeze all monsters in place until one got far enough away from them where the effect wore off. I wouldn't worry too much about it as this item disappeared a very long time ago and has since been forgotten. A shame really as it had the most potential but perhaps its very concept proved too absurd for a mythical fantasy adventure."
Getting back onto my feet, I began thinking about what Her Highness had told me. Of the three items, the Magic Clock sounded the most absurd because it was a mere clock which possessed magic that could freeze monsters. Granted, such a power would've made things way more easy for me but I'd have been robbed of valuable experience. The Magical Key also had promise but I hadn't encountered many locked doors in the dungeons so its usefulness would ultimately be limited.
The Monster Bait (It sounded better than simply saying food) sounded the most useful and I wished it had been available during all of my adventures. While some monsters were unaffected by it, most apparently fawned over it and would kill one another to ensure they got to enjoy it. It then begged the question of what kind of food did they eat assuming they had mouths let alone the need to consume anything. Most had to eat otherwise starvation was their fate but what would satisfy their palate? I shuddered at the thought as one would clearly think humans what with typical tropes and all.
Using bait to keep them away was a viable strategy especially if you were low on health, but then there are those who felt the desire to destroy every monster they came across whether they were being aggressive or not. It really boiled down to being a pacifist, an aggressor, or both where you chose how each encounter would be handled. Wow... Who would've thought I'd be thinking in such a philosophical manner all because of food. In any case, I couldn't dwell on that which didn't exist in this world as it'd just make me feel upset. I should be grateful for the strategies I could already use.
Looking up at the sun and seeing it was getting closer to settling down for the night, I needed to get moving if I wanted to avoid sleeping outside despite being able to take care of myself quite easily. Taking out the ocarina and playing Manbo's Mambo, the only location that would take me the closest to the Hen House was the warp panel that was next to Zecora's place. Since she was inside, I could avoid making eye contact with her. I felt guilty over this but I couldn't afford any distractions especially being so close to finishing this adventure.
Disappearing in a bright light, I then reappeared moments later at my destination. Ignoring the Moblins who were throwing their spears, I walked up to the boulders I needed to toss aside to progress onward only to suddenly clutch my left shoulder due to a spear having gotten lodged into it. Princess Twilight reacted as one would expect. "Sunset! Are you alright!?" She knew that was the worst question she could ask considering the pain I was in but I could forgive her as she was in a state of panic.
"I am so glad I got the blue tunic." I said as I pulled the spear out of my shoulder and tossed it aside.
"The wound isn't too serious so you can easily walk it off."
"At least it wasn't my sword arm." I then looked at the Moblins who had since moved away from me which made me suspicious. "Why did they choose to leave me alone? I was hurt and they could've taken the advantage but instead they just upped and left."
Princess Twilight shrugged at first before coming up with a theory. "Maybe they think you're too powerful for them and have decided it's better to run rather than get cut down by your sword or whatever you fancy. After all, they just witnessed you pulling out one of their spears like it was nothing. To many monsters, seeing such a sight is enough for them to flee and not risk getting themselves on the receiving end. Those that choose to continue are either afraid of nothing or they were forced into continuing knowing that refusing could mean getting killed by a powerful individual."
"Do you suppose...?"
Shaking her head, Princess Twilight sighed. "As far as I can tell, killing monsters that refuse to fight or want to flee isn't something Ganondorf has done. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt here and say he allows his servants to do whatever they wish so long as it gets the job done. It's kind of funny that instead of taking care of a problem personally, he has others handle it instead. It makes me think that perhaps he's a little too proud and believes only those who are truly worthy deserve his attention."
"Does that include sending me to these worlds?"
"Sort of..."
I didn't like the sound of that. "So that would be a no?"
She shook her head again. "Even though he has sent you to these different places, what happens in them is completely out of his hands. As far as he knows, you're making your way through an adventure while he other things to occupy his time." Her Highness then remembered his ability to foresee any and all things thanks to his divine power. "Okay, so he does know what you're doing and what you will do but I am right about how it's all out of his hands."
"It makes me think I'm unworthy of anything."
Princess Twilight then comforted me. "No, you're worthy of a lot of things, Sunset."
"Thanks."
"To only face those who you think are worthy, he must have some kind of complex."
While it was true that I knew more about Ganondorf as opposed to Her Highness, I had to admit that I didn't know all that much in the first place. I knew where he was born and how he ended up becoming the wielder of the Triforce of Power, but I had no knowledge of what his childhood was like, what happened during his birth, or what made him want to take the path that lead towards darkness. In addition to those questions, there were many more which felt like they were being hidden behind a veil that needed to be peeled back so that the truth could become clear.
I knew what I had to do in order to get those answers. I needed to borrow Rainbow Dash's book, the 'Hyrule Historia' and brush up on my knowledge of the Demon King. I was fortunate to have learned about his fate in two different timelines upon a previous reading and perhaps maybe a third, yet there was still much more waiting for me to learn about it. For now, it was best to focus on my current objective otherwise it could prove distracting. I needed to keep the idea of knowing more about him at the back of my mind so that I wouldn't forget later on.
Picking up and tossing the boulders aside, I continued walking--though my shoulder did ache slightly--ignoring the first ladder and climbing up the second and was back in the Tal Tal Mountains. I quickly listened in hopes of being able to hear Starlight but I couldn't which made me think she was either too far away or was unable to speak. I then looked around to see if she was nearby... No luck there either. There was no doubt she was in the western part of the mountains. I had already determined this earlier but it didn't hurt thinking of being wrong about something for a change.
Knowing I had to backtrack all the way to the Hen House, I sighed as I didn't have much of a choice. Picking up the next set of boulders and tossing them, my shoulder ached again but I brushed it off since it could've been much worse (It could've been my neck, or my face, or maybe even an eye). Once they were out of my way, I then entered the cave and immediately raised my shield upon a Hardhat Beetle scuttling towards me. Bouncing off harmlessly, it was about to charge again when I struck it with a single sword swing. To my surprise, it got pushed back a lot further than usual which surely had to be because I had a stronger blade.
Attacking the Keese that were flying about, they too got knocked back further than normal. I then had a thought... If I obtained a Piece of Power (It had become very rare lately), my power would become even stronger and the monsters would really go flying. I shuddered knowing that too much power would only cause problems and would also make me become more susceptible to Ganondorf's influences, something I had to avoid. If I had come here by any other circumstances and he wasn't a constant presence, I'd have completely indulged in the notion of having all that power at my disposal.
Continuing on, I encountered the rock puzzle I had to solve in order to progress. While I hated the fact that this was my third time solving it, at least it wasn't difficult otherwise I'd really be upset about it. You'd think this could just be skipped over but apparently some puzzles loved resetting themselves. Pushing the first boulder into the abyss, I used the Roc's Feather to jump about whilst pushing additional boulders and breaking the dark crystals before I had finished. Despite loving solving puzzles, I wasn't a fan of having to solve them repeatedly as it was just unnecessary padding.
Heading down the stairs, I hopped slightly and put on the Pegasus Boots before dashing forward and through some more Keese and a couple of Green Zols. I had everything I needed though I supposed I could buy some more medicine from Sugar Belle unless there was some hidden in the final dungeon. Considering that had happened in the previous two dungeons, the odds of it happening a third time were high. Crashing into the next set of stairs and needing a moment to recover, I went up to the previous floor and was familiarized with those weird blocks.
Dashing through them, I soon went outside only to discover that the sun had set and nightfall had begun. "Guess I took a bit too long getting through that cave." I then looked upwards and gazed at the stars as they twinkled. "But, you have to admit that seeing the stars does make me feel relaxed. I'd forgotten what it was like going out stargazing with my friends."
"Including the other Twilight?"
I nodded feverishly. "Especially with Twilight Sparkle. She always brought with her some pretty fancy stargazing equipment which she built herself and her mother's cookies are just so good that in a different world, I'd eat nothing but them all day and every day."
"I'm glad you were able to make a life for yourself."
"You gave me one."
Princess Twilight smiled. "It's a thing I like to do for those I feel deserve it." Hearing her say that makes me happy knowing she believed I deserved a second chance, but also upset over how there were others out there who didn't get such a thing or refused. Her Highness then saw my expression and knew what to say. "Some people don't choose to take the opportunity to become a better person and look what happens to them. While it's okay to feel sorry for them, they made their decision and they must live with that choice." She then looked up at the stars before changing the subject. "You're right about how seeing the stars can relax your nerves."
"Yeah... But, we should seek shelter for the night."
"You needn't be afraid, Sunset."
"I'm not afraid!" I said as I blushed in an embarrassed manner.
Her Highness then giggled. "I'm sorry but I just couldn't resist. Fortunately, the monsters don't become more aggressive at night nor do some get replaced with others because the latter only come out during the darkness. However, your vision might get limited so be careful where you go. It should take about fifteen minutes to reach the Hen House provided you remember where it's located."
I never knew Her Highness had a mischievous side considering she's a princess and all. I guessed that underneath all that royalty was someone who loved having some fun though she couldn't do it as often as she wanted. Then again, Princess Celestia was known for being a trickster despite her regal presence suggesting otherwise. Without any opportunities to let it all hang out, you'd become nothing more than a complete bore devoid of any fun merits. To be a successful ruler meant having a strong connection with your subjects, to show that you were just like them.
Walking into the water and then heading right, I was fortunate that the moon's reflection was starting to shine on the water's surface. I used it in order to see where I was going given how I didn't have a torch on hand. Since I had been this way a couple of times before, I had already explored the caves so I didn't need to explore them again as there wouldn't be anything new. I walked past one such cave which housed a single treasure chest if I recalled correctly and kept on heading right before reaching the waterfall where the entrance to the Angler's Tunnel was located at the bottom below.
Another thought then crossed my mind. I thought it was disappointing that upon finishing a dungeon, there was no reason to go back to it again unless I missed something or were told that you could discover something new. Unfortunately, the latter never really came up for me as I was more focused on getting what I needed whenever I could and not worrying about getting every last thing. In that sense, dungeons could become forgotten very quickly unless they had some kind of gimmick that would make them an unforgettable experience. I knew some that I wouldn't forget any time soon.
Once I was past the waterfall, I was soon back in the water before reaching the ladder I needed to take. Climbing up, I was then hit in the head by a Blue Tektite which had chosen an awkward time to jump on top of me. Shaking off my sudden confusion, I finished my climb only to get hit on the head again which knocked me down. This Tektite was pretty confident given how it had hit me twice in quick succession, but I wasn't about to destroy it in revenge. No, I was simply unlucky enough to get hit and not be able to defend myself properly.
Ignoring it and crossing a bridge, I then stubbed my foot on a small boulder that I couldn't see due to the darkness. "Oh (Bleep!)" Yes... I just went and said an expletive.
"I didn't think you'd use language like that."
"You would when you get hurt like that." I groaned as I checked to make sure my foot was okay."
"Are you okay?"
I nodded. "It'll quickly pass but for the moment, the pain is unbearable!"
Princess Twilight then suddenly perked up her ears. "I can hear something... A couple of things actually." She then closed her eyes and began to concentrate. At first I couldn't hear a thing though that was because I was more focused on taking care of my foot but then Her Highness opened her eyes before bopping me on the head. "The first noise is very faint so I'm not entirely sure what it is but the second one is coming from above."
I then listened to this second noise and it sounded like someone was having fun. "The only person around here is Big Macintosh though you'd think he'd want some company aside from chickens."
"Then he must be having a good time."
"Hopefully we're not going to ruin by asking to spend the night."
"I'm sure he's reasonable enough to know that you need some rest before resuming your adventure."
Once my foot was feeling better, I continued moving forward though this time I decided to be smart and used an item to act as a guide. I went with my sword as it was just long enough to act like a stick and didn't have any immediate side-effects. Poking at the ground which enabled me to avoid stubbing my foot again or tripping over something, I opted to move slowly as I also didn't want to draw out any monsters that could be nearby. Was their vision limited in the darkness like mine was? Probably not as that one single eye could see practically specks on the ground what with how big it was.
As I continued moving slowly, I could hear the sounds of Tektites bouncing around, but they were few and far in between. Ignoring another cave as it was where the Bird Key had once been, I reached the stairs and walked up where I was greeted by the bright lights coming from Big Macintosh's place. Putting my sword away, I looked in either direction in order to see where those Blue Tektites were but couldn't see anything. It's not like I was going to go out of my way to find them since there wasn't any point other than wanting an unnecessary fight.
Now that I was right outside the Hen House, I could hear Big Macintosh more clearly, but he wasn't the only one I could hear. Every now and then, I could hear the sounds of his chickens including a loud noise which I recognized as belonging to the Flying Rooster. Entering the house, I was right in my suspicion. He was having a good time all because the rooster was flying him around much like what he did with me. I had been worried as to where he went after the Eagle's Tower but deep down in my heart, I just knew he would end up here since this place felt natural.
Upon noticing me, Big Macintosh called out. "Wooo! Finally! This Flying Rooster is the greatest! Now I know what my ancestors felt so long ago when they got to do this very thing day after day. Cluck cluck!"
"I could hear you from further down the mountain." I said.
"I can't help but be happy."
"So when did he get here?"
"He arrived about a few hours ago." Big Macintosh answered. He then asked the Flying Rooster to put him down which he did before the latter flew over to the table and landed on it in order to rest. "At first, I was surprised to find him outside my door on his own instead of with you seeing as he followed you around everywhere, but I guess you don't need him anymore so he wanted to find a new home."
"It's not like I got rid of him or anything."
"Nope!"
"Then you agree?"
Big Macintosh nodded. "Eyup! I had a feeling that there rooster wasn't going to stay with you forever. No disrespect to you but you look like someone who can't take care of a chicken to save her life." I wasn't offended by that remark as it did have a ring of truth behind it. Aside from my pet lizard Ray, I wasn't any good at taking care of animals. For some reason, they just didn't click with me aside from Ray. No wonder he won my heart so easily. Big Macintosh then continued. "Now that your rooster has decided to stay here with me, I've never felt so happy in my entire life."
"I'm actually glad he chose to come here."
"When it comes to raising chickens, I know what I'm doing." He then took on a more somber look before staring outside of a window. "I've been hearing someone calling out for help for a while now but I just can't seem to tell where it's coming from what with it being so faint. If someone came up this way looking for treasure or wanting to go for a walk, they chose a poor place to do either thing. These mountains are dangerous unless you have something to protect yourself with."
I then glared at him. "And how exactly did you get here?"
"I came when the monsters used to be very tame."
He had a point there but I had another question for him. "Okay, so why choose to live here? Why not in Mabe Village?"
"I prefer such a quiet place like this."
I glared at him again. "Considering you have monsters outside not to mention someone calling out for help, your logic doesn't make sense." It then dawned on me that there was no point in carrying on the conversation. For one thing, it was a losing battle as he would have additional answers that helped support his idea of living in a monster infested location. The other thing had to do with the 'elephant in the room'. Seeing as I would soon be forced to deal with that, I didn't want to think about it otherwise I'd just get upset. "But, I suppose you did make it work."
"Eyup!"
"Have you seen a young girl who sings in a beautiful voice?"
Big Macintosh shook his head. "Nope! Can't say that I have. If there was someone around here, they need to make sure to stay away from the western mountains. That area has recently become more dangerous than ever as though something has possessed the monsters there to become even more ruthless. Unless you have a weapon then you might survive but I don't recommend it period. Why? Are you looking for someone?"
I nodded. "Yes and I'm worried she's in way over her head."
"Unfortunately, the sun's gone down and traversing these mountains at night is dangerous."
"What can I do?"
"No sense in worrying about this person you're looking for." Big Macintosh answered in a stern voice. "If you worry too much then it will reflect upon you which in turn could lead to your undoing sometime down the road. If they are resourceful enough, they will find a way to survive throughout the night. They have to be if they came up this way knowing what kind of danger lurks around here. You look like you could do with some rest given your complexion so I suggest you stay here until morning. Your friend will appreciate being found by someone full of life instead of being barely just."
"I couldn't impose upon you."
"I insist." Big Macintosh said as he pointed to the Flying Rooster. "I owe you for giving me the best thing I've ever had aside from my chickens, cluck cluck! You're going to stay here for the night and that's my final offer."
Wow! I didn't think it would turn out like that. I mean, I was going to ask him to spend the night and he up and demanded that I did so. However, a part of me still felt concerned about Starlight. As much as I wanted to go out and look for her, Big Macintosh had a point with regards to my mental state. I needed a level-headed mind in order to find her otherwise I'd be no good to her or myself. He then walked over to the Flying Rooster before picking him up off the table and began flying around again which put a smile on my face.
It was moments like this, seeing someone having fun and not worrying about the dangers of the world, that gave me hope that things would work out. I knew Starlight was safe. I couldn't quite explain it but my gut was telling me this so I chose to heed its advice. It had proven itself correct many times before so once again I was banking on it being right. After watching Big Macintosh fly about for roughly an hour, my eyes couldn't keep themselves open and so I chose to get some sleep. Choosing a corner of the room as opposed to a bed or even one of the chairs, I slowly drifted off to sleep.
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CRRACCKKLLE! FWWOOOOSHHH!
"You wished to speak to me, master?"
"The Outsider is nearing Turtle Rock!"
"Then it means her death is fast approaching."
Grogar shook his head. "Do not make the same mistake that the Grim Creeper made. She believed the Outsider would succumb to her traps but you know what happened. You must prepare yourself for she shall surely reach you." He then sighed which made Hot Head initially concerned but he waved his hand in response. "We have seen a vision of the battle that shall come to pass. Hot Head... You do not survive and are destroyed."
That made him upset to say the least. "I have questioned some aspects of your wisdom, master, but I do believe that your words are truthful this time. Deep down, I have been dreading my encounter with her for quite some time because of how far she has come. I believed one of the other Nightmares would've killed her and yet she has defeated them all leaving only me as the final obstacle she must face in order to face you."
"We have underestimated the Outsider from the start."
Hot Head nodded in agreement. "Unlike the people who live here, she has overcome every challenge thrown at her. It's as though she has done this kind of thing before and knew what to expect. Also, this power you said she possesses. I'm beginning to think that it played a factor in her getting to where she is right now." He then suddenly came to a strange conclusion and was eager to let Grogar know. "Master! Why did she come here?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why did she come to this island?" Hot Head answered with his own question. "If she never came to this island, the other Nightmares would still be around, the instruments would still be in their respective dungeons, and things would carry on as always. Nothing would have changed. What could've compelled her to come here? Did the Wind Fish somehow find a way to summon her? Or maybe it was just dumb luck on her part that brought her here? Or perhaps it was some kind of divine intervention?"
Grogar nodded in approval. "Whatever her reason for being here, she has come and is on the verge of undoing all that we have created. Once she has acquired the final instrument, she will come to our sanction in order to defeat us and awaken the dreamer."
"First, she must get through me!"
"It sounds like you wish to defy your fate."
Hot Head nodded as he began to flare up. "I shall change the outcome of your vision, master! I will never let her reach you in this most sacred of sanctums! Even if I have to kill myself, I will carry out my function as one of your Nightmares." He then cooled down before giving Grogar a strong glare. "Turtle Rock is not like the other dungeons. Many of those she has defeated have been resurrected and are waiting to face her again in hopes of succeeding. Aside from one of them, the rest are capable of resurrection after some time has passed thus making them even more dangerous."
"And what of your weakness?"
"Blaino is guarding that."
Grogar nodded. "Ah yes, the one that possesses tremendous power in his hands. We have no doubt that the Outsider will struggle against him but our vision of your destruction does mean that he too was also defeated by her. If you desire to overcome our vision, you must ensure he does not meet an unfortunate end. That which he guards is the one thing that you can be harmed by. Should she acquire this, our vision will come one step closer to becoming a reality."
"I wish I could've destroyed it!"
"Even though the Wind Fish sleeps, it still has some influence over this island."
"Curse that wretched creature!"
"Even from the beginning, the dreamer has been able to exert its influence in different ways."
"What do you mean?"
Grogar raised his finger before using some of his dark magic to create an image for Hot Head to look at. "This creature you see before you was created by the Wind Fish to watch over this island while it sleeps, yet it failed for we Nightmares have made it our own thus it resigned to its fate until she came. We have no doubt that the Outsider has been aided in a limited capacity by it from the very start." The image then disappeared which prompted him to gaze upwards. "Even when in an endless slumber created by us, the Wind Fish continues its defiance! Perhaps if we had acted quickly and killed this creature immediately, the Outsider might not have come so far."
"Judging from your tone, master, you're about to say something far worse than that."
Grogar sighed as he nodded his head. "She has also been getting help from a small fairy which has been by her side since she first arrived and is quite knowledgeable for such a pathetic creature. There are also three Spirit Princesses who have been guiding her by providing aid whenever she acquired one of the instruments. These four were not created by the dreamer and possess a power far beyond our understanding. However, we are most fortunate that they cannot aid her physically lest they would be here right now."
"So things were against us from the start."
"Yes."
That was enough to make Hot Head erupt in a fiery fury. "I don't care if the Outsider has been getting divine help! The fact remains that I will do everything in my power to kill her and prevent the Wind Fish from waking up. The Nightmares must remain in power or else all you've done will amount to nothing, my master!"
He then disappeared leaving Grogar alone with his own thoughts. "Though you are the strongest, you have allowed your temperament to blind you. Perhaps this feeling will be enough to defy your fate and ensure the Outsider's death. The answer shall soon become revealed..."
------------------------------------------------------------
After I turned in for the night, Big Macintosh continued to fly around the Hen House's interior well into the late hours, but he too eventually slept as the Flying Rooster needed to rest as well. Who would've guessed that one could find so much enjoyment by flying slightly off the ground. I supposed everyone had their own idea of having fun and that nothing anyone else said should bother them. No doubt he was going to be back at it when morning came around so it was a good thing I wasn't planning on staying any longer than necessary.
Once morning had come, I thanked him for allowing me to spend the night before taking my leave. As soon as I was outside, I could hear him having a good time with the occasional clucking coming from both of them. Perking my ears up in hopes of hearing the faint voice from the other night, it took several seconds before I could hear it. I couldn't tell who it belonged to as it was still pretty faint, but I had an idea as to where it was coming from. Looking westward, I could see remnants of a bridge a short distance away and something told me I needed the Hookshot in order to get across.
Heading west and ignoring another Blue Tektite, I reached the bridge and my suspicion was correct. Much of it was missing with only a few pieces scattered about that served as platforms that I could walk on. I could also see what looked like boxes with something inside them I couldn't quite see what they were, but I knew I needed to pull myself across and get to the other side. Using my ears again, the voice had gotten a bit louder though I still didn't know who was calling out. At least this was the right way so I felt a slight sense of accomplishment.
Taking out the Hookshot, I aimed at the box closest to me before firing the chain and pulling myself across. Upon a safe landing, I inspected the contents of both boxes and was surprised to see that they each contained a large assortment of rocks. Why would someone leave these out in the middle of nowhere? Also, why hadn't this section collapsed as a result of how much weight was on top of it? When it came to physics, this world had proven itself unwilling to follow conventional means. Then again, it was a video game and since when did they ever follow such rules?
Since there was nothing I could do with these rocks, I ignored them and continued on. The voice was getting even louder and that's when I noticed someone was sitting on the next section of bridge. They were in some kind of fetal position so it was difficult to see who they were though I swore they looked very familiar. Calling out to them, they stood up and began looking around before shrugging their shoulders. To my utter surprise (And stupidity as I should've recognized her straight away), Starlight was the one who had been calling out for help this entire time. Yeah... I knew I was being sarcastic.
"Somebody... HELP!"
"At least we found her." Princess Twilight said.
"And here I thought she was trapped in some kind of dangerous situation." I added.
"I suppose to Starlight, this is dangerous."
"Good point."
Starlight then turned and noticed me. "Hey! Sunset Shimmer! Am I glad to see you!"
"What are you doing here?"
"Some monsters found me walking around and put me here." Starlight answered. She was about to look down before she closed her eyes and turned her head away before opening them up seconds later and looking at me again. "What should I do? I'm really afraid of heights! I've been calling out for help since last night yet no one came until you appeared. I don't know how I managed to survive being stuck outside all night long but that doesn't matter right now. I need to get down! Surely you can figure something out unless that brain of yours isn't working quite right."
"What was that?" I asked. I clearly heard her insult me just now but I wanted to make sure.
Starlight acted all innocent in response. "Huh? I didn't say anything bad about you. You must have been hearing things again like you've done a few times before."
I just frowned and said nothing. I knew this had to be the result of the character that she was portraying and not Starlight in general. A part of me did feel that she was insulting me perhaps because of some inner turmoil but it was clear she was simply acting out a role. The real Marin acted like this? I never would've guessed but then this adventure had given me many surprises. I really needed to borrow that book from Rainbow Dash as I felt genuinely curious to wanting to learn more about her and this world. Still... Her insults were beginning to get on my nerves.
Looking at where she was located, I knew that I couldn't simply jump across. Even if I were to combine the Pegasus Boots with the Roc's Feather, I'd still miss where she was standing by a couple of inches. No... The solution was an obvious one though hopefully it wouldn't catch her off guard. Calling out to her, I told her that I was about to try something and not to move. She responded by saying she trusted my judgment which was a pleasant surprise. Taking out the Hookshot, I aimed for another box that was on another piece of bridge right behind her when it connected and pulled me along.
In a sudden movement, I managed to grab onto Starlight and pulled her to safety where she got slightly knocked back. I checked to make sure she was okay. "Sorry if that was rather sudden but I didn't really have any other option. You are okay, aren't you?"
Starlight nodded. "Wow! That was definitely a surprise!"
"Be thankful that I gave you a warning."
"Thank you for saving me, Sunset Shimmer."
"Now... As I said before, what are you doing here?"
Starlight was silent before uttering her answer. "I... I have my reasons."
I smiled before sighing. "I figured you would though I won't ask for any specifics. In any case, coming here was very dangerous especially since the monsters have become even more aggressive than ever. Truth be told, I'm amazed at how you managed to make it all the way here without the means to protect yourself. Luck must definitely be on your side." I then remembered to address her by the name she is called in this world. "Marin... I was actually worried about you."
That surprised her. "You were?"
I nodded. "I wanted to find you sooner but night had come and searching for you in the darkness would've been stupid of me especially if I wasn't in the right state of mind. I know you're strong and independent but it doesn't mean wandering around a monster infested territory."
Starlight was even more surprised and began to blush which didn't escape my eye. "Um... Sunset Shimmer? There's something I want to..." She definitely had something to say but her emotions were making it difficult for her. "It's kind of hard for me to say this but..."
"MMMAAARRRIIINNN!"
Both of us were surprised to see Sunburst standing on a ledge that was just below the bridge. "Huh!? Tarin!?" Starlight exclaimed. "What are you doing here?" That was the very question I wanted to have answered. How in the world did he get up here? Then again... Did I really want to know that?
"It took me a while to make my way up here!" Sunburst answered.
"That didn't answer my question."
"I came here to make sure you were okay." Sunburst said. His heavy breathing indicated he was exhausted and needed a moment to catch his breath. "I've been worried sick about you but it looks like my worries were fer nothin." He then looked directly at me. "Marin was right about you being special." He then looked back at her. "Judging from that look on yer face, it means I ain't going say anything you don't want her ta hear. Anyway, I'm gonna head back to the village."
"I'll come with you."
"Yer sure about that?"
Starlight nodded. "I did what I came here to do so I don't need to be here anymore." She turned to face me. "Sunset Shimmer... I'm sorry but I really need to get going. I know you were hoping for me to explain myself but... Well... Tarin is going home and he'll probably get lost along the way or go to the Mysterious Forest for some mushrooms. He can be silly at times but that's what gives him his charm."
With that, Sunburst turned and walked along before going down some stairs. Starlight followed suit by walking past me, jumping down to the ledge below, and walking down the same stairs before she was gone. Whatever she was about to tell me, it was clear that she had trouble expressing herself. Despite having some questionable quirks, I could tell her words were honest even if she couldn't say what they were. I didn't know if she had any intention of telling me the real reason for being up here but then I knew someone who would provide me with that answer.
The sound of an owl hooting indicated that Flash Sentry was nearby. Sure enough, he appeared from the west and commanded his companion to land. Considering he knew a lot about what was happening around the island, he would know what Starlight's intentions were. "I witnessed you rescuing that girl from her predicament. Even when you are working towards completing your goal, you find time to help those who are in need."
"Do you know why she was here in the first place?" I asked.
Flash Sentry nodded. "That girl sang her song in front of the egg. You are familiar with it as she went and taught it to you when you firs acquired the means to play music. Her song, 'The Ballad of the Wind Fish' is a song of awakening and possesses mystical powers. Only a chosen few can use such power successfully."
"Why would she sing that?"
"Perhaps... She actually intended on awakening the Wind Fish?"
My jaw dropped in shock. "What!? What compelled her to want to wake it up? I thought you needed to collect the eight Instruments of the Sirens? Have I been wasting my entire time collecting them only to be told that they aren't necessary as you claimed?"
Shaking his head, Flash Sentry pointed towards the egg. "The instruments are required to awaken the dreamer. This is no lie and you know this to be true. You also have the means to complete the final connection and face your destiny but first you must obtain that which awaits you. Go west from here past the magical flames and further still until the path has reached its end and there you will find your destination. Play your melodies so the unliving stones might hear. Show your courage! The Wind Fish waits for you!"
"I don't understand!"
"All will become clear soon."
Whispering some words to his owl, it took to the sky leaving me with more questions than answers. I wasn't surprised by this because this had been the usual thing that occurred every time I encountered him. He would provide some information but intentionally leave out something vital which was when he would depart. This was also true with the three princesses but to a slight extent. They could only say so much to me due to being forced to make me figure certain things out on my own. Flash Sentry didn't have any such restriction so I wished he would just come out and tell me everything.
"Twilight..." I began. "Did you understand any of that?"
"I believe I do." Princess Twilight answered.
"Well that makes one of us."
"I know Flash Sentry's words can be confusing but once you get past the more complicated words, the solution is actually rather simple." Again, I was more of the hands-on expert when it came to solving a puzzle. Having to rely on books or just words on their own wasn't my thing which Her Highness knew quite well. After all, we've both grown closer as friends during these various ordeals and even now we continue discovering new things we didn't know before. "Remember when Cadance said you needed to use the ocarina?"
I nodded. "Yeah. What about it?"
"You have the means to enter the final dungeon."
"I understood that but what did Flash Sentry mean about unliving stones?"
That made Her Highness think for a moment before she could provide an answer. "Okay, you have a point when it comes to understanding what Flash Sentry says. I think we'll discover the answer once we actually get there."
As much as it annoyed me, I had no other choice but to see the dungeon's entrance for myself. Looking around to see where else I could go as the path that was taken by both Starlight and Sunburst would take me out of this area and back into the Ukuku Prairie. I then noticed some stairs which went down into a tunnel. Since there was no other direction I could go, I decided to take it and hoped I'd reach my destination straight away rather than simply just getting closer to it. And yet, I had this feeling it would be the latter because that had often been the case with stuff like this.
Walking along and then down the stairs, I entered the tunnel which was actually just another cave with a pair of Keese and one of those skulls. Taking out the Boomerang, I tossed it at each one in turn, destroying them both with it returning to me each time. With them out of the way, I walked down some small steps which was when I noticed a door leading south but before I could make a decision, I was hit from behind by a Spiny Beetle that had scuttled towards me. It then turned around and went back to where it had originally been before as the skull I noticed earlier.
Choosing to shake off the attack, I thought about heading south which is when Princess Twilight decided to do something different. She flew in that direction and was gone for a couple of minutes before coming back and letting me know that going that way would lead to a dead-end. I knew that some directions were red herrings yet this was taking it to a whole new level. Her Highness also said two more Spiny Beetles were down that path along with a Green Zol. Thanks to what she did, I didn't need to go down that path and could instead stay on the main one.
Heading west, I approached another staircase which was located on a lower platform in the shape of a cross. I couldn't help but feel suspicious about this but I couldn't start second-guessing myself. Jumping down and then heading down into the next tunnel, I entered a room which began with a very narrow corridor but quickly opening up to a larger area. Walking along slowly in case any Green or Red Zols decided to attack me unexpectedly (This didn't happen), I reached the open area which was a massive abyss.
I suspected that I could've crossed this with the Flying Rooster which meant if I had been more curious and wanting to explore further, I could've come here much sooner in order to give myself a look ahead. However, the magical flames I'd been told about would've halted any further progression. Oh well. No sense in complaining about it. Taking out the Hookshot, I fired the chain, striking the boulder, and pulled myself safely across the abyss. I then encountered two more Keese which I defeated by using my sword though neither one dropped anything which was slightly disappointing.
Exiting the cave, I found myself in a new area though my progression was restricted to a narrow corridor located on the side of a mountain. Suddenly, a loud noise coming from above startled me followed by rocks tumbling down before disappearing as they hit the ground. "That was too close for comfort!" I said as I breathed heavily.
Princess Twilight nodded. "It seems this part of the Tal Tal Mountains are a bit unstable hence why rocks are falling down from above. I'm sure you know that you can't destroy them so your best bet is to avoid them as best as you can."
"Getting hit by one isn't a good thing, right?"
"Correct."
"That wasn't me being sarcastic by the way."
"I know." Princess Twilight said as she winked. "There is something else you should know. Those boulders can knock you down to lower ledges so if you don't want to be forced to do a little bit of backtracking, don't get hit!"
"No need to tell me twice!"
A few boulders then tumbled down from above and once the coast was clear, I walked across the narrow path only to run into a Mini-Moldorm. These cramped quarters did it no favours since it couldn't maneuver around all that much. I kind of felt sorry for it. It then lunged at me where I responded by striking it once defeating it. Having a more powerful sword was already proving its worth though stronger monsters wouldn't been taken down quite so quickly. Before heading up the stairs, more boulders came down so I waited for them to pass before continuing on.
The next corridor had no monsters blocking my path but instead more boulders kept coming down. I thought about using my shield as a protective umbrella but it wasn't big enough to protect me on all sides. Knowing I didn't have much of a choice, I had to risk getting hit in order to get to the next point. Breathing heavily, I then moved forward only to almost get hit straight away. Not a very good start right there, Sunset. Weaving through as best as possible, I had a few more close encounters before reaching the end of the corridor unscathed... Until another one smacked me in the head.
I felt woozy for a brief moment before shaking it off and climbing up the ladder. As expected, the boulders stopped dropping though I couldn't see any unstable areas as Princess Twilight mentioned. Could those boulders have been enchanted by magic? Anyway, I saw a chest nearby along with a Mini-Moldorm to my right which was trapped by some boulders with a second one by the chest. Ignoring the one that was trapped as I saw no reason to fight it, the other one lunged forward but I defeated it before it could hit me.
Opening up the chest revealed a purple rupee. Again, money wasn't really an issue but it was nice to have. Heading further left, I reached an apparent dead-end as the way forward was blocked by a rather heavy boulder, and I could make out something glowing underneath another boulder directly behind it. The only way to go was to drop down to a path below and so I did whilst suffering no fall damage. This next area was filled with heavy boulders as far as the eye could see along with a single Like-Like and a Shrouded Stalfos.
Defeating the Like-Like in a couple of hits before it could eat me, the Shrouded Stalfos moved backwards before throwing a spear. I blocked its attack by raising my shield only to block another one before hitting it with another swing of my sword which defeated it and it dropped a blue rupee. Picking it up, I looked around to see where I could go next and the cracked section in the mountain side was pretty obvious as it stuck out like a sore thumb. Walking up to the crack, I took out a bomb and placed it on the ground before stepping back when it then exploded seconds later revealing a cave entrance.
Heading inside, the cave started off as a narrow corridor with cracked sections on the ground. Moving across these slowly so as to not accidentally make them crack, I continued on before suddenly being stopped by a burst of flame. "What in the world is this?"
"These must be the magical flames that we've been hearing about."
"It's just a single jet of flame."
"You sound disappointed."
"Well, yeah." I was pretty upset at seeing this obstacle. "The way it had been described, this was supposed to be some kind of difficult challenge but instead, it's just this so I can't help but feel upset over it. I've seen way worse things made of fire you know." It then dawned on me that perhaps this was thrown in here at the last minute so as to take advantage of what the Mirror Shield could do given how I got it later in this adventure. "But, I can see why I needed the Mirror Shield. A regular one couldn't push back fire moving that quickly."
"Had you come here sooner with the Flying Rooster, you'd have been stuck."
"I guess not exploring too much proved to be beneficial this time around."
"That's one way to look at it."
"How many of these do you think I need to get past?"
"Just the one."
Her response was very surprising. "What!? Are you sure about that, Twilight?"
Princess Twilight nodded in response. "I know it's not what you'd call an honest guess since there's no way of knowing what lies beyond these flames, but I just feel that this is a one-time obstacle that will never come up again. I do believe, however, that this was the work of Grogar in an attempt to prevent anyone from getting any further. I must admit that this is rather basic especially for one of Equestria's most legendary evil forces but it has proven effective against everyone except for you since you have the required item needed to progress."
I gazed down at the Mirror Shield on my left arm. "You mean this?"
"Yes."
Looking at the stream of fire, I could kind of see why this obstacle was created. At the same time, it was just another reminder that many video games blocked progression until you had the right item necessary to get past whatever was in the way. Oh well. Not much sense in complaining about it. The only consolation I could take from this was getting to see my shield being used as intended. A part of me was curious as to what might have happened to my old shield had I tried pushing back these flames with it.
Raising the Mirror Shield up, I slowly moved forward towards the flames. At first, it looked like I was about to get roasted, but the shield performed its task by pushing the flames back to where they originated from. Once it was safe enough to continue, I quickly moved to the left and watched as the flames shot out again. Maybe I ought to be thankful that this was a simple puzzle instead of say having to go through an entire room of these. Just thinking about that made me shudder. I'm okay dealing with fire as it was kind of my attribute but even I knew that too much was exactly that.
Heading left and up some more stairs, I found myself back outside again. That wasn't as long of a cave as I thought. In fact, I was expecting to have to go through at least two or three more rooms before coming exiting. To my left was the heavy boulder which had forced me to drop down to the lower levels of the mountains. There was also the small boulder which had something glowing underneath it. Picking it up and tossing it aside, I discovered it covered up another warp panel so now I could come back here again without needing to take the tunnel with the magical flames.
Turning around, I walked westward when a Leever popped out of the ground, surprising me, and poking my feet in the process. Before I had a chance to retaliate, it took off like a rocket before digging into the ground again. The same thing couldn't be said for a Like-Like which I defeated in one hit. Continuing on, more Leevers popped up and I was forced to dodge them as best as I could given they were way more deceptive at popping up compared to the Green and Red Zols which were obvious. A Moblin then approached me and threw a spear which got blocked when I raised my shield.
Defeating it with a sword swing, I then stopped when I noticed something that made me slap my forehead. "What in the world is a telephone booth doing way out here!?" Then my next question immediately came to mind. "How did Discord manage to get past those flames without the use of a Mirror Shield!?" To say that I was annoyed was putting it mildly but rather I was just flabbergasted by it. After calming down, I considered giving him a call but decided not to as I wanted to try and figure out what needed to be done once I reached Turtle Rock.
My decision wasn't lost on Princess Twilight. "You're not going to ask Discord for his help?"
I nodded. "I want to see if I can solve this riddle on my own."
"While there's nothing wrong with wanting help, I can understand where you're coming from."
That's when I began to second-guess myself. "Maybe I'll take a look at what I'm up against and then give him a call." I pointed at something off in the distance that looked very suspicious before pointing back at the tree. "How do you think he got this booth out here?"
Princess Twilight shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. This is Discord we're talking about! He can do pretty much anything and everything on a whim. He's like Pinkie Pie only way more chaotic and possessing the ability to warp the fabric of reality with a twitch of his finger."
"But surely not in this world?"
"You never can tell with him."
I just had to laugh at that. Feeling a bit better, I kept on heading west until the strange object that was in the distance could now be seen properly. It wasn't just one object but rather three of them with two being the exact same thing. Before me was a large rock shaped like some kind of turtle with two hands located on either side. I had no doubt that this was Turtle Rock as the homage was pretty obvious but I couldn't see any kind of entrance. Taking a closer look, I could make out something behind the turtle's head and if I had to wager, the head needed to be removed somehow.
That's when I noticed two creatures sitting on each hand. "Are those... Dinosaurs?"
"They are similar but not quite." Princess Twilight answered. Both creatures then eyed her closely which made her feel very uncomfortable. "These are called Dactos and bear a slight resemblance to pterosaurs. They aren't very durable so it should take a hit or two from your sword, but they are quite fast and can attack you before you can defend yourself. You can only find them in the Tal Tal Mountains which make them a rather rare encounter."
Inching towards the head of the turtle so as to not get the attention of the Dactos, they remained perched on its hands enabling me to tap the stone head. After a few tries, I concluded that was genuine rock and no amount of strength was going to make it budge. I then thought about what Princess Cadance and Flash Sentry said about using the ocarina, but it still didn't make any sense. "I'm completely stumped!" I said as I slowly back away.
"And I thought I figured out Flash Sentry's words."
"I'm going to talk to Discord!" While I looked like a complete idiot for not figuring out what I needed to do (I'm sure someone out there is thinking of me like this), I made my way back to the telephone booth only for the two Dactos to begin chasing me. Fortunately for me, they quickly lost interest and flew back the other way. At least I got to see how fast they moved which would make it easier for me to handle them later. Reaching the booth and heading inside, I picked up the receiver where it then began ringing.
BBRRIINNG! BBRRIINNG!
"D'oh ho ho! Ulrira speaking!" Discord answered on the other end.
"How did you manage to get a telephone booth passed the magical flames?" I meant to ask him about the turtle and instead I blurted out wanting to know about something that had nothing to do with my current problem.
"The thing is, I planted the tree you're standing in many years ago."
"And?"
Discord was quiet for a moment before answering. "Well... I don't ever recall seeing any 'magical flames' during my travels in the mountains. It sounds like someone went and installed some kind of mechanism in order to keep people from getting to Turtle Rock. I remember those caves and not once did I see any fire or things that breathed it. Turtle Rock on the other hand is filled with fire so perhaps it inspired someone to make that mechanism?"
Whether he realized it or not, he gave a hint about the final dungeon, and that it was fire-based. I then finally addressed the current problem which is what I should've done in the first place, and yet my blunder wouldn't have caused him to give me that hint. "I'm actually at Turtle Rock and it's quite an impressive sight. It's just that I wish to enter but there's a giant rock shaped like a turtle blocking me and I can't understand what I'm supposed to do."
"The head of the turtle is in your way?"
I nodded. "Yes!"
"D'oh ho ho! That's an easy one to answer."
"Somehow, I knew you'd know."
"Many years ago, that turtle was a living creature, but then it eventually became encased in stone." Discord then sounded like he was crying but he insisted otherwise saying that he wasn't a sentimental fool. "Anyway, it's not going to move no matter what you do. If you put some life in it, it should move. I know hearing me say that sounds like I'm crazy, but it's true! I also know that there's a special song that can make things come alive that is taught by the elusive Mamu. Surely I don't need to tell you which song it is."
"I think I do." I said with a quiet voice.
"Then you should be fine so long as you don't get burned. Bye!"
CLICK!
Now I felt like even more of an idiot! If there was a definition for the word stupid in the dictionary, you'd see a picture of my face next to it. As soon as he mentioned Mamu was when it clicked for me. Princess Twilight said nothing as she knew that I was feeling pretty bad about not figuring out something so obvious. She instead comforted me which made me smile yet the fact remained that I experienced a personal moment of weakness that would linger about for quite some time.
Leaving the telephone booth and heading back over to the entrance of Turtle Rock, the two Dactos moved from their perches and flew towards me. I raised my shield just in time as both bounced off it which left them vulnerable. I swung my sword and defeated one in a single hit which prompted the other one to flee knowing it could end up the same way. With them taken care of, I stood in front of the turtle head before taking out the ocarina and began combing through my memory to remember how 'The Frog Song of Soul' went since I only used it once before to revive the Flying Rooster.
Once I remembered it, I played the song and then waited for something to happen. Just when it looked like I was about to fall asleep, the head began to shake which meant action was coming my way. This shaking continued which made me think it would open its mouth to let me inside when suddenly, it jutted forward before its eyes began glowing. It moved forward again revealing a long neck though my concern was with the snarls it was making with its mouth. That's when I noticed the head had a large crack which occurred upon moving after being brought back to life.
"Twilight? I think it's about attack."
"I believe you're right." Princess Twilight added.
The turtle head then swung back and forth a couple of times before lunging forward which caught me by surprise as well as knocking me to the ground. If I were to get knocked off of this ledge, I'd either be taking a plunge into the ocean or fall back down to the plains before. "I can't believe it! I exclaimed upon getting back up. "Am I actually fighting the dungeon!? How do you fight against an entire building?"
"It's not the dungeon itself but rather the personification of a turtle."
"Whatever it is, it's in a bad mood!" I shouted before ducking to avoid getting hit a second time.
"Did you notice the crack that appeared?"
I nodded. "What of it?"
"I don't think I need to tell you something that obvious, Sunset." Her Highness giggled slightly which made me do the same before I got knocked down by the head again. "If you want this to go quickly, use Bomb Arrows as they are more accurate and can explode faster than bombs on their own."
"Do you think this thing is alive?"
Princess Twilight nodded. "I have a hunch that there's another form underneath all that rock."
"Only way I'll know is to crack that rock open!" Putting my sword and shield away as I wouldn't be needing either for the time being, I took out my bow and held it in one hand, and this was where it would become tricky as I needed to juggle taking out bombs, loading them onto my arrow tips, and firing them whilst trying to avoid getting hit. Was I confident in my abilities to carry this out? Not in the least! Unfortunately, if I wanted to enter this dungeon, it would require me to step up. I wished I had used Bomb Arrows more often but now was as better a time as any.
Aiming my bow, I was about to take out a bomb when the turtle head lunged and knocked me down again. Rolling to the side and then getting back up, I needed to focus on watching its movements closely and firing the moment it was about to make a move. It darted to the left then to the right and repeated this a second time before lunging forward where this time I moved to the side. Okay, so it attacks after darting back and forth at least four times though this could be it trying to psych me out. I shook my head. No... I can't afford to second guess myself in a situation like this.
It lunged and knocked me down again. I wasn't taking too much damage though I need that to stop otherwise I'd use my Magic Medicine. I hadn't used the one I found hidden in Eagle's Tower which showed that I was getting better at surviving, yet I needed it in order to survive the ordeals of Turtle Rock. After the head darted about four times, I quickly took out a bomb, placed it on my arrow, and fired at point-blank range as it had lunged at me again. The resulting explosion appeared to do nothing which felt utterly dejecting, and that was when I decided to use a but of reckless behaviour.
Before it had a chance to do anything, I began shooting several Bomb Arrows in succession which made Princess Twilight shout out for me to stop. I didn't listen and continued firing them with each hitting the head and causing more damage. When my next one connected, the rock cracked and it revealed something green which meant she was right about this thing having another form. It lunged at me in retaliation which knocked me down again and caused me to drop my bomb where it exploded though I rolled away before I sustained any accidental damage.
I finally stopped for a moment. "I think that worked out pretty well."
Princess Twilight was surprised when I said that. "Um... Maybe you ought to not do that especially when we're inside otherwise you could bring the entire dungeon down on top of us. Shooting like crazy can be effective but showing some restraint is also a good idea to follow.
I blushed. "Okay, so I went way overboard by a huge margin. At least it was effective... Somewhat." Firing one more Bomb Arrow, it exploded on the turtle head's face and when the smoke cleared, its true form was revealed, and it wasn't at all what I expected. "What the!? That doesn't look like a turtle at all!"
"It looks more like a dragon."
"Whatever it's supposed to be, it's very mad now."
"Now that it's true form has been revealed, you can switch over to your sword and attack it."
"Anything else?"
Princess Twilight looked at the barrier behind me which prompted me to look in the same way. "If you can make it hit that barrier, you can stun it for a few moments. You couldn't do this before as its shell acted as a shield but now that it's gone, you can consider taking advantage and using that to score some additional damage. Oh, and one more thing to mention. It's going to move a lot faster now since its shell is broken."
That was what usually happened when a powerful monster's weak point had been exposed or it had gotten furious over my progress. It would begin to act more aggressive and not care as much for its own well-being if it meant killing me in the end. As Her Highness stated, the turtle head began darting back and forth much faster than before and when it lunged at me, it surprising took a couple of seconds to build up some power before attacking. The sheer force of its lunge pushed me back to the very edge of the ledge where I struggled to keep myself from falling into the ocean.
Regaining my footing, I also noticed that it kept its head above ground when it darted back and forth. This meant I could only attack when it was about to attack itself or when it got stunned by hitting the barrier. Upon finishing darting back and forth, it lunged at me again where I moved to the side and it smacked its face on the barrier. As it reeled from the impact, I managed to get in a few good hits before it snapped out of its confusion and reared back. It then repeated its darting before lunging again though I used my shield and parried each shot before it moved back.
Yeah... This thing had a really simple attack pattern despite having gotten faster. I supposed that since this was a surprise monster encounter, it wasn't meant to be all that challenging and instead meant to leave you confused as to what it was. Perhaps I needed some more experience which would indicate I should've taken on more of Zecora's custom dungeons. I sighed before focusing on the turtle head as it began darting back and forth yet again.
When it lunged at me, I stepped to the side where it smacked into the barrier and got stunned again. Since I had a stronger sword, it wouldn't take that many hits as opposed to whatever the standard amount would've been. Attacking it a few more times, it then reared back though I had no idea how close I was to defeating it. It then darted back and forth before lunging again where I was hit and knocked down to the ground. Looks like it still had some fight left in it. Getting back up and waiting for it to do its thing, I moved to the side when it lunged and I responded by attacking repeatedly.
It still wasn't enough as it reared back and began darting back and forth. I guessed I could've been attacking it while it was preparing to lunge but I wasn't confident in my own speed thus not wanting to take any risks that could cause me to get more injured than necessary. It lunged again and collided with the barrier causing its confusion and once again I attacked repeatedly until it finally made a noise and stopped moving signaling its defeat. It's eyes began to roll around in a daze whilst its mouth hung open where it began exploding numerous times before disappearing in one last explosion.
This left the dungeon entrance open. "That... Was just weird, pure and simple."
Princess Twilight nodded. "Never did I expect to see a dungeon entrance fight you in order to prevent you from going inside. I know this isn't important but I'm simply fascinated that this happened in the first place."
"Only you would be excited about something like that."
"I can't help loving discovering something new."
I rolled my eyes. "In any case, that turtle head proved to be more problematic than I thought. It's going to get even worse once we're inside but I've been expecting it for quite some time now as this is the final dungeon."
"Are you ready?"
Nodding, I entered the now opened entrance and was in a room where I could immediately feel the temperature suddenly increase rapidly. I had been told by Discord that this was a fire-based dungeon and this sudden increase was merely the first indication of what was to come. A voice in my mind then said that this was 'Level 8. - Turtle Rock', a name I had come to know. It would also be one that I might come to dread. Compared with previous entrance rooms, this one felt rather lacking. Aside from a pair of statues with each possessing a single eye, there was nothing else of note.
The only direction I could go was north and so I did where I entered a room and felt the heat even more. In front of me was a small river of lava and falling into it was certain death. Already, the heat started to get unbearable yet it was something I needed to get used to if I wanted to survive what awaited further inside. Doors to the left and right of me suddenly locked themselves, but before I could try to figure out the puzzle, a pair of fireballs struck me from out of nowhere. Dropping to my knees, I looked up and saw some kind of demonic creature which reminded me of my own time as a demon.
"What is that?"
"That is a Vire." Princess Twilight answered. "This monster only appears in Turtle Rock though it can be difficult to deal with. It can attack by throwing fireballs in different directions which can be blocked either by using your sword or shield. If you manage to block their shots enough times, they will come down which is when you can attack them. Hitting them a few times will cause them to split into two Big Keese that will fly away rather than stay and fight. Most items have no effect against them though surprisingly the Hookshot is effective along with another item you haven't found yet."
"Are they supposed to be demons?"
Princess Twilight nodded. "They are akin to devils or demons even though they are more like an evolved Keese. They move about and act on their own without the need of others but don't underestimate this creature. It's very fast and can dodge your sword swings very quickly. Patience is essential when fighting them."
"Can I ignore it for the time being?"
"You can since you can go north but you will need to defeat it in order to go left or right."
"I'll try the north path first."
Nodding, Princess Twilight had no problem with my decision. In all fairness, I wanted to see how far I could progress until I needed to do some backtracking. If this place was as big as I was thinking it was, backtracking would be the least of my concerns. If anything, it was this intense heat that had the potential to do me in before any monster could potentially do that. Ignoring the Vire which continued shooting fireballs, I took out the Roc's Feather and jumped over the river of lava before heading north into the next room where there was even more lava.
Her Highness then noticed me sweating profusely. "Are you alright?"
"It's even hotter in this room."
"We are in a volcano after all."
"Come again?"
"With all this fire, we are inside of a volcano though I don't suppose it will erupt any time soon." Princess Twilight then flew over to some kind of strange device whereby I followed her to see what had gotten her attention. It looked like some kind of machine with a red button on top yet she was completely enamored by it. "Hmmm... If I'm correct then this is how you progress further. I don't see any steering mechanism so perhaps it runs on using thought?"
That's when I interrupted. "Care to explain it to the rest of the class?"
That made her jump or stutter in her case as she was a fairy. "Oh! Sorry about that!" She pointed at the device. "This thing can help you out though I'm not sure what it will do or how it's supposed to work. I guess I got too engrossed and ended up ignoring you."
"I can use this?"
"Yes."
I took a look at the device for myself. It was rather simple in design but also incredibly durable if it was just floating there in the lava. As Her Highness had pointed out, there was no way to steer it though her notion of using my mind sounded rather absurd. Then again, she might be onto something. I could see a chest, a cracked section of wall, a staircase on the other side of the lava, and a few more ways forward to the north. There was no way I could jump across even with the Pegasus Boots providing extra speed. No, I needed to take a more slow approach which meant trying out this device.
Pushing it forward, it moved across the lava and was changing it into tiles that I could walk on. It then suddenly veered to the left before stopping by the area where the chest and cracked wall were located. Now things were beginning to make sense. I had a hunch this was going to be a recurring theme in this dungeon so it was best to figure out how I could control maneuvering the device assuming that I hadn't already done so without realizing it. Stepping onto the first tile, it was indeed real and my foot didn't suddenly melt away in molten lava as a result.
Choosing to take it slowly as the lava was still pretty lethal, I made my way up to the chest to discover that it was being blocked by some blocks. Awkward pun aside, I was about to walk forward when I noticed the device had disappeared. In fact, it did so when it reached proper ground. Unless I could bring it back, I might have locked myself out from progressing any further. Nah! I'm sure it will respawn if I leave the room and then come back again... I hoped. Before deciding to use a bomb, I pushed one of the blocks where it moved forward making me remember how this puzzle worked.
I pushed another one forward and then a third down which allowed me access to the chest. Upon opening it up, I took out the Dungeon Map. "How about that? I managed to find this pretty early."
"Perhaps it's a sign of good fortune?"
"Maybe..." I took a closer look at the dungeon's layout and I was left stunned. "Twilight... I think you spoke a little too soon right there."
Checking the map herself, Her Highness gulped before realizing that she was right. "This... This is a much bigger dungeon than I thought it was." The map showcased dozens of rooms that went off in so many different directions to the point where it looked like every last panel could potentially contain a room. The only cute thing about this was how the layout was in the shape of a turtle. "Hmmm... This will definitely take quite some time to get through."
"Why did it have to be so huge?"
"It is the final dungeon after all."
"Now I'm starting to lose my confidence."
To Be Continued.
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