Chapter 32: Fire Versus Fire.
The Legend of Sunset Shimmer: Link's Awakening.
By Ganondorf8.
April 23, 2021.
Chapter 32: Fire Versus Fire.
If I didn't know any better, I'd swear that Princess Twilight had some kind of hidden blood lust. Maybe spending all this time hanging out with me on these adventures has affected her in a way that made her desire more violence? Nah! I knew her way better than that. Then again, she was insistent on me using the Magic Rod to defeat the Hinox so that I could get used to using it. I could see where she was coming from though. There wasn't going to be many opportunities to use it given how I was almost finished and I had acquired it rather late in comparison with my other items.
Did I have blood lust? Maybe... If I had never reformed. In my current state? No. I only defeated monsters if it was necessary for progression, to acquire an item, or to collect some rupees to purchase something later whether I needed it or not. Okay, that last one was rather embarrassing but it had proven to become an unfortunate necessity. If I could, I'd avoid any and all encounters as I cherished life. However, if there was no other choice, then I would act accordingly. Was this the result of being fatigued from having to go through so much of this because of one man's machinations?
Possibly, but I couldn't truly be honest with myself. A part of me did enjoy swinging around a sword or whatever item was in my hand, overcoming incredible odds, thwarting evil, and getting a better understanding of who I was. On the other hand, it was getting to the point where I wanted it all to stop. Why did I have to be chosen by someone whose heart was filled with pure malice? Oh, and why a video game character!? That alone is what truly infuriated me! Instead of some random creature or threat from Equestria, I had a video game character wanting me to become his servant.
When it came to my luck, I definitely got the worst end of it more times than not. In a perfect world, this would've been nothing more than someone's prank designed to see just how annoyed I'd get. Instead, my reality was this! My resolve being tested over and over again until I gave in to the temptations of evil or die in the process. Yeah... Not very good options but that's how bad things had gotten. At least I didn't feel alone now as I had Princess Twilight... Who wouldn't even be in this mess if not for me. But, she had said that she wouldn't change any of it if it meant being with me.
She was Wisdom and I was Courage. The only one missing was Power and I shuddered to think of the poor soul who was being targeted by the Demon King. I still didn't quite understand why the Golden Power remained with us despite it originating from a video game but then there were a lot of things I didn't get. I'd love to have actual answers but the chances of that actually happening were slim to none. We had no idea where or when it would happen as like with us, it just happened completely at random and for no apparent reason. Whoever did end up getting Power, I prayed for their safety.
Focusing on the task at hand, the Hinox noticed me and began stumbling forward when I responded by firing the Magic Rod. To my surprise, it not inflicted quite a bit of damage, it also got pushed back though it seemed it was unaffected by the flames as it just stood there as they burned its flesh. As I gazed down at it, Her Highness said that it was powerful and she was definitely right. No wonder I had to wait until now before I could get my hands on it. Getting it early would've just made everything too easy though some might appreciate being overpowered right off the bat.
Suddenly, the Hinox lunged forward and grabbed me all because I was looking at my rod. It then flung me across the room where I landed face-first on the ground before it began tossing a few bombs in my direction. Rolling to the side just as they exploded moments later, I got back up and was about to fire about burst of flame when it grabbed me again. I got thrown back the other way and hit the wall with my stomach. Slumping to the ground and remaining dazed for a few seconds, I got back up and immediately dodged another bomb whose explosion knocked me forward slightly.
As it was about to grab me again, I flung another fireball, striking it in the stomach, and making it fall down onto its back. As it flailed about, it began exploding several times before disappearing in one final explosion which also unlocked both doors. Whoa... I only needed to use two fireballs? Did this mean I wasn't going to rely on a blade ever again? No. Not every monster was affected by fire and even then, why abandon that which had been there for me from the start? Besides, I'd grown to like swinging swords even when wasn't always a professional at it.
"I'd say my point was proven." Princess Twilight said in a confident manner.
"And that was?" I asked.
Her Highness pointed at the Magic Rod. "That you needed to get a feel for how that rod worked and you did exceptionally well. I know it's no replacement for your sword but you shouldn't write it off either. What in lacks in speed makes up for it in power. Besides, it's always nice having another ranged attack and one that never runs out." I knew she was referring to both the bow and arrows but those had also proven useful. "I still think you need some more practice in using that during combat but don't forget about its other functions."
"I've been meaning to ask something."
"What's that?"
"How can there be ice inside a volcano!?"
Princess Twilight shrugged. "Even with my vast intellect, I've not yet figured out that one. If I had one theory, it's that some of the tunnels of this volcano aren't connected to the lava and so no heat ends up going through them resulting in the cold taking over."
"Maybe you did just figure it out."
"Not really as it doesn't take into account the thickness of the walls."
"Guess it's just one of those unsolvable mysteries."
"I just feel upset knowing I can't figure it out."
I waved my hand in response. "Maybe it's best for us not to try and understand it. After all, this whole island is a dream and whatever the Wind Fish dreams about, it becomes reality despite our protestations. Anyway, I need to check something." I took out the Dungeon Map, unfurled it, and looked at how many treasure chests remained. "Okay, we've determined that the chest in the room that required the Magic Rod has the small key needed to unlock that one door from earlier. Which means the Nightmare Key must be in the one up here in the northwest corner."
"Which also required the Magic Rod due to the ice blocks in the tunnel."
I nodded. "Now we're starting to get somewhere."
"And to think that I questioned you for wanting to open every last chest inside of the current dungeon you're because you feared you might have missed something important." Princess Twilight said. She then looked at the map herself and came to a conclusion which she knew wasn't going to be to my liking. "There will be some backtracking, Sunset. I know how much you hate doing that but there isn't much of a choice here. Luckily, you can mitigate it somewhat by using Manbo's Mambo once you get the Nightmare Key."
"Do you think a mid-boss is guarding it?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if one was."
"It figures."
"The final dungeon wanted to test you and it's certainly done well in that regard."
As I put the map away, I began to think about which mid-boss could be guarding the Nightmare Key. I immediately ruled out Cozy Glow as she was unique and the same was also true with Master Stalfos. This left me with very few options, namely the Gohmas and that one creature from the Angler's Tunnel, the Hydrosaur. If I had it my way, I wouldn't fight any of them but since that wasn't how things worked, I'd say the former were more tolerable. Aside from just scuttling back and forth, they rarely attacked and were especially weak to arrows.
Heading left into the next room, I remembered that this was where one of those devices were that could fill up an abyss was located. Sure enough, it was right in front of me along with the abyss in question. I still didn't like how the puzzle got reset upon coming back here after acquiring the Compass but I couldn't really complain as each dungeon had done something similar. Pushing the device, I used my mind and made it turn to the right where it moved north before quickly turning it left and again where it moved south until the abyss had been covered.
Walking along the now stable ground, I went north into the next room where the Compass made a sound indicating that there was a small key here. I mean, I knew it had to be here as there was no where else it could be. As I stared at each torch, I couldn't believe these were what prevented me from acquiring the key earlier. Of course, it needed to be this way otherwise I wouldn't have been forced to backtrack here to begin with. Taking out the Magic Rod, I flung a fireball to my left igniting one torch before doing the same with the other which made a chest materialize.
Ignoring the Ropes and opening the chest, I took out the key, pocketed it, and went back to the previous room before they attacked. Taking out the map again, the central room had the tunnels I needed to take though I wasn't sure which one would get me to my desired destination. It came down to choosing a tunnel and hoping I picked correctly. Otherwise, I'd have to backtrack a little which I hated. Between the two staircases in that room, the one I ignored initially seemed like a safe bet but without knowing what else was in either tunnel, I needed to be cautious just in case.
Could I have used Manbo's Mambo right there and gone back to the dungeon entrance? Yes, but then that would've just been me being lazy and not willing to walk back a few rooms to reach the same area which would take a couple of minutes. Choosing to do things properly, I put the map away then walked up and pushed the block forward since the puzzle had once again reset much to my displeasure before I entered the Hinox's room again. It hadn't re-spawned yet as it hadn't been long since defeating it so I continued making my way south only to get hit by a laser courtesy of a Beamos.
Reeling from the surprise hit to my chest, I raised my Mirror Shield and waited for it to shoot another laser at me. It did so though I barely managed to reflect it back no thanks to getting hit by Ropes from both sides which made me lose balance momentarily. As the Beams shut down, I ignored the Ropes and entered the next room which housed the Vire but rather than waiting for it to attack, I decided this time to ignore it as there wasn't a real reason to defeat it other than for bragging rights I supposed. When it shot its two fireballs, I stepped aside as each hit the ground and fizzled out.
Using the Roc's Feather, I jumped over the lava and entered the next room where I looked behind to see if the Vire had chosen to follow me. To my surprise, it hadn't though this was something I was curious about. "Twilight? Why didn't that Vire follow me?"
"Because it couldn't."
"Really?" I asked with a puzzled expression. "It's something that's been on the back of my mind but I never really paid much attention to it until just now. I thought monsters could go anywhere they wanted given they are always around to get in the way."
"This is where I have to explain something I'm not even sure is correct."
"Now this I've got to hear."
Princess Twilight took a deep breath before continuing. "Monsters are bound to the room or area that they are found in. If they were to try and move to another room or area, an unseen force will prevent them from doing so. This makes things easy for you because if they could leave their locations, you'd be completely overwhelmed by monsters. I know you're pretty good with combat but you have limits."
I blinked a few times before responding. "Yeah... I don't know if that's correct either."
"I did say I wasn't sure." Princess Twilight as she shrugged.
"I guess I was just curious is all."
"Nothing wrong with that."
The thought of having to fight so many monsters at once did send a shiver down my spine but then something else came to mind. "During my previous adventure, I had instances where numerous monsters appeared and swarmed me at various points. You know this as you were there whenever it happened. How do you explain that?"
Her Highness, much to my surprise, had an answer. "In that adventure, there weren't as many restrictions compared to this one. Here on Koholint Island, despite what things look like, everything exists as squares of a very large grid. Anything within those squares must remain in them though you're free to move about within the grid without any penalty provided you aren't being blocked. The previous adventure still had a grid though instead of squares, there were 'shapes' of a sort yet some characters could move freely between them while others couldn't. Did any of that make sense?"
I shrugged. "Some of it did but other things didn't resonate with me."
"Even I didn't understand some of the things I said." Princess Twilight said as she blushed. "Because the previous adventure didn't have squares in its grid, you could have more objects be present which is why more monsters appeared compared with here. If anything, you're actually better off than before." She then began scratching her head which was a sign that she was getting confused with every word she spoke. "If you don't mind, I want to change the subject."
I nodded. "Fair enough."
"Have you decided which staircase to take?"
"The one I ignored initially."
"Hopefully it's the right one."
If it turned out to be wrong, I wouldn't be that upset about it. Sure, I'd have to backtrack but it would be minor at best in that I'd need to go back through a couple of rooms until I was back here again. The upside of choosing incorrectly would be knowing where I had to ultimately go to finish this dungeon. A win-win scenario for sure! Walking up to and pushing the device, it went up and immediately right thanks to my mind until it stopped at the staircase. Carefully walking across the ground, I entered the tunnel and saw the ice blocks once again. This time, I had the means to get past them.
Taking out the Magic Rod, I flung a fireball that melted every ice block that was directly in front of me. This caused a Goomba to drop down from above which surprised me and when it dashed forward, I jumped on it using the Roc's Feather and it left behind a heart which I picked up. How it survived in such frigid conditions was beyond me but then I had seen other monsters survive in much harsher conditions. In any case, the path was now clear and upon heading into the next section, I flung another fireball that melted the ice... And preventing myself from progressing any further.
Had I bothered to pay attention, I would've noticed that there was a puzzle element to these ice blocks. I needed to melt the second row in order to use the first one as stepping stones and climb down the ladder located at the end of the tunnel. Fortunately, Princess Twilight said that by leaving and then coming back, I could reset things and try again. I walked back to the previous section before turning around and headed back where the melted ice had been restored. Looking at it again, I needed to jump first before using fire. Quite an inventive way of using magic whilst overcoming certain limitations.
With the Roc's Feather in one hand, and the Magic Rod in the other, I jumped and then flung a fireball which melted the correct row of ice. I then noticed another row that was located right above where I had to go. I could barely make out what looked to be another Goomba waddling back and forth. Since it wasn't in my way, there was no need to melt that ice and cause me any grief. Jumping and landing on the ice, I stopped moving and made an anguished look on my face. As I stood there, I began twitching which caught Princess Twilight's attention though she wasn't quite sure what was wrong.
"Why are you making such a silly face, Sunset?"
"Because... This. Ice. Is. COLD!" I answered as I gritted my teeth.
"I guess your boots aren't insulated."
Jumping back down to the ground, I began checking my feet to make sure they didn't get frostbite. "Of all the pain both physically and mentally I've experienced on this adventure, that was by far the worst I've ever felt. Why these boots don't have insulation is beyond me!" I then slapped my forehead on account of quickly figuring out the answer. "It's because the chances of encountering ice was extremely slim so what I'm wearing on my feet are just ordinary boots."
Princess Twilight nodded. "It does seem to be that way."
"There's no point in complaining is there?"
Again, Princess Twilight nodded. "You just have to grin and bear it for a few moments before you make it over to that ladder. After everything you've been through, you're not going to let some ice stop you, right?"
Nodding, I sighed before jumping back onto the ice blocks with the Roc's Feather. Upon landing, I made the same expression on my face, but then I began walking forward, each step a pain of immense proportions due to how cold it was, and when I reached the ladder and began climbing down, I paused for a moment to allow my feet to feel sensation again because they had gone numb. Entering the dungeon, I approached the locked door and used my one remaining key to unlock it. Entering the next room, I was surprised at seeing so much lava yet with the ground surrounding it.
As both doors locked themselves, I began feeling faint due to the heat coming from the lava, yet when Princess Twilight bopped me on the head to get my attention, I turned cold upon seeing that there was something else in here. "What was this one again?"
"This is the Hydrosaur from the Angler's Tunnel."
"Why is there an aquatic monster in here!?"
"Some say that lava is like water."
"And here I was hoping for the Gohmas."
Princess Twilight sighed in response. "You should've expected this Sunset given how this dungeon has been throwing so much at you. Unlike before where you had enough room to maneuver about, you don't have as much here. As such, you're likely to get hit by the Hydrosaur as it scuttles about. I don't have to mention about the lava and how dangerous it is so I suggest staying close to the walls otherwise you'll get knocked in. With your sword, you can defeat this monster a lot faster than before, but you need to hit it from behind as its face acts like a shield."
"Does the Magic Rod work against it?"
"I'm afraid not."
"It was worth asking."
"Remember that each time you strike it, the Hydrosaur will spin around before heading the opposite way."
"Can I jump over it with the Roc's Feather?"
Before she could give me an answer, the Hydrosaur began moving by scuttling across both the ground and the lava. I was honestly expecting it to winch in pain from having part of its body touching the hot stuff but it looked completely fine which made me think it was at home in such conditions. Great! Another monster that loved lava! Knowing I was the only one around here suffering from this intense heat made me feel miserable but I needed to focus on this. Upon running into a wall, it turned and scuttled sought right towards me where I braced myself for impact.
Crashing into me with its face, I felt my entire body being pressed up against the wall. After about several seconds of this, the Hydrosaur turned right and scuttled along before hitting the next wall, then turning right, and scuttling back to where it started. Dropping to both knees, I began breathing heavily as I clutched my chest. Fortunately, nothing appeared broken though I couldn't afford to get crushed in the corner like that each and every time it came by. Getting back up, it started moving towards me again which made me think that perhaps I could jump over it and not get my insides squashed.
As it approached, I used the Roc's Feather in an attempt to jump over it only to fail and landing on top of its head which caused contact damage. When it moved again, I dropped to the ground and landed face-first which made me feel embarrassed. It also proved that I couldn't jump over it successfully unless I had some actual room before jumping. Her Highness then asked if I was okay prompting me to lift my face up and nod before getting onto my feet again. What she said about me needing to get hit by it every time it passed by was true as much as I didn't like taking any unnecessary hits.
I did consider moving around the room to avoid getting hit but with the threat of the lava ever present, I decided that staying in the one corner was smart even if it meant taking damage. Good thing I was wearing the blue tunic which reduced damage taken but not entirely. It began making its way towards me again once it had gone around the room and I braced myself by raising my shield in hopes that could do something. When it crashed into me again, my shield got pushed up against my chest so I responded by swinging my sword in hopes of something working.
And something did work as my sword struck it in its soft backside which caused it to spin around and move backwards away from me. Once I had a moment to catch my breath, I knew that I couldn't rely on simply swinging like crazy and hoping for a miracle. When it hit the wall that was now behind it, the Hydrosaur screeched to a stop before turning left and scuttling forward like before until reaching the other locked door. As I watched it scuttle forward again, I considered jumping over and hitting it from behind by leaving my corner of the room to give myself more space.
Before I could make a decision, it came towards me again and I swung my sword where it clanged against its face. I kept on swinging in hopes of maybe slowing it down and forcing it to retreat and go back the other way, but my plan proved futile as it pushed me into the wall again. After a few more seconds of enduring pain, it began moving left, but when I moved away from the wall myself, I swung my sword and struck it from behind. Upon making a loud noise, I thought I had defeated it as that usually happened when fighting stronger monsters but it instead turned around before scuttling away.
"I see you discovered the answer to your question."
"Yeah... I can't jump over it."
"Actually, you can."
"Say what?"
"You can jump over the Hydrosaur."
Upon hearing that, I felt like a complete idiot. "But you said that I'd get hit by it every time it came by. Are you saying that I could've avoided all that damage and having my body crushed against its head just by jumping over it?"
"If I had been able to answer your question, I'd have said that you can jump over it but it's really difficult."
If this monster didn't annoy me the last time I faced it, it had definitely done that now. It was clear that this was a much harder encounter due to how there wasn't as much ground for me to utilize. Come to think of it, this was the only mid-boss re-match where things were much different from before. The others were the same as before though one could say that the Dodongo Snakes were in a different shaped room though this had been true with each encounter. "Okay, I'm going to attempt at jumping over it again and hope I can hit it before it gets away from me."
"Remember to give yourself enough space."
"So... I should move away from this corner?"
Princess Twilight nodded. "While you need to stay close to the wall, that doesn't mean staying in one place the entire time. In fact, staying in the corner has proven to be a bad idea seeing as you were crushed against the wall twice."
While Her Highness didn't need to remind me about that, she was right about me needing to move out from this corner. As it scuttled across, I walked over until I was standing in the middle of the bottom path where I waited for it to come. When it moved south and then came towards me, I successfully jumped over it but did so a bit too late which prevented me from hitting it from behind. Cursing under my breath upon landing, I began feeling faint again due to the heat coming from the lava. I needed to end this soon before I accidentally fell into the lava if this monster didn't do that.
Upon its next come around, I decided to jump a bit sooner but not too soon so as to land on its head, and when I landed, I spun around and struck it from behind which still wasn't enough because instead of stopping and exploding, it turned around and scuttled into the wall. How many hits was it going to take? Last time, it took an awful amount to defeat it but then I was using a weaker sword. I wished my Magic Rod had been effective but then it would've made this fight a complete joke as all I'd have to do was just stand in one spot and continue flinging magic until it was defeated.
When it came around again, I jumped over and struck it from behind and it turned around before moving backwards. I then followed after it so that I could hit it again when it changed direction, but to my surprise, it scuttled forward instead of heading north. I got pushed back until I hit the wall where my body started getting crushed again. After a few seconds, I felt relief as the Hydrosaur moved north freeing me from the corner and thus changing where it was going. Rather than follow it again, I walked north and stopped halfway in order to wait for it to come around yet again.
At that point, I began feeling woozy due to the heat. What a horrible time for that to happen! Fortunately, I didn't fall into the lava. Instead, I fell down on my butt just as it was scuttling by resulting in me getting crushed yet again. If there was one thing I could say about the Hydrosaur, it was that it was very basic when it came to how it attacked. Other than just moving from wall to wall and running over anything in its path, it didn't do much of anything else. It should've been an easy fight and yet I had been struggling all because the location was one I couldn't handle for varying reasons.
Getting back up, I waited for it to come around, and when it did, I jumped over it and struck it from behind which still wasn't the final hit. If this kept going any longer, the heat from the lava was really going to do me in. Upon coming around yet again, I jumped over but couldn't hit it due to feeling woozy once again. Shaking my head and focusing, it came around where I jumped over it again. Hitting it from behind, it stopped and began twitching which indicated that I had finally defeated it. It began exploding several times before exploding in one final blast which unlocked both doors.
I then dropped to my knees. "I didn't think that was ever going to end!"
"But you managed to overcome the Hydrosaur despite some problems."
I sighed. "This heat is just too much for me to bear."
"I know it's difficult, Sunset, but you need to get used to it before you reach the Nightmare."
"Don't remind me."
Princess Twilight then comforted me. "I don't mean to sound like a broken record but if you suddenly began getting woozy when up against the Nightmare, I doubt it would simply knock you down, slam you into a wall, or throw you across the room. Given this is the last one before Grogar, one small mistake is going to be fatal. Even with that medicine applied across your body, it's not going to help against the likes of lava."
"I just wished I had a means of resisting heat."
"I am surprised there isn't such a thing on this island."
"Exploring the inside of a volcano isn't exactly a normal thing."
"No, I suppose not." Her Highness then decided to change the subject in a bid to make me feel better. "There are no more mid-bosses for you to fight. You've defeated all of them again and even went above and beyond in some cases. You should feel proud knowing you endured through so much. Granted, I am certain they would show up in some capacity if you were to take on one of Zecora's custom dungeon challenges, but I think I've made my point here." She quickly changed the subject again upon realizing she was talking herself into a corner. "Grogar... Do you think you're ready for him?"
I shook my head. "No, but then I've never been ready when it came to facing off against the final boss."
"Quite the honest answer."
"It's difficult to truly be ready as you never know what's going to happen until you get there." I said as I wiped my brow which had been sweating due to the heat. "Even if I had the most powerful equipment out there and was over-powered like you wouldn't believe, none of it matters in the overall grand scheme. My opponent could have similar abilities or do something that would take away any benefits I may have had coming into it. Even after facing the Demon King several times, I still can't prepare accordingly as he keeps changing things in order to push me to my limits."
"I never really knew you felt that way."
I waved my hand. "It's not an easy thing for me to talk about, Twilight. I know you've been there and seen a lot of what I've experienced, yet you can only see it from the perspective of a fairy, one who cannot physically fight. You're not the one whose body gets ravaged by powerful attacks. You're not the one who becomes an emotional mess as a result of fighting against terrible odds. I feel fatigued from doing this! Sure, I enjoy certain aspects but not at the cost of my own body in that sense. I just wish it didn't have to be me. I never wanted any of this but I've no other choice because of one man."
Upon seeing me looking like I was about to lose my mind yet again, Princess Twilight then asked the most appropriate question she had. "Do you feel better?"
I nodded. "As a matter of fact, yes."
"You just needed to vent that out didn't you?"
"I did and I'm glad you mentioned Grogar."
Blushing, Princess Twilight pretended to laugh. "I was trying to change the subject to make you feel better, and when I thought I was making you feel worse, I changed it again which resulted in all this. Guess I'm a much better motivational speaker than I thought."
"You deserve a medal." I said sarcastically. "Now... Can we leave this room? The heat is really getting to me now."
"There's nothing else in this room so go right ahead."
Using the Roc's Feather to jump over a small gap of lava, I walked through the unlocked door and entered the next room which mostly comprised of a massive abyss with two torches on platforms located in the middle of it all. The Compass then made a sound though it didn't really need to since I knew this was where the Nightmare Key was. A device nearby told me everything I needed to know about figuring this out yet it wasn't going to be easy. Compared to the previous puzzles of this nature, this one definitely required tremendous concentration not to mention memorization.
Looking at the formation of the abyss, I needed to make sure not to miss even a single space. I then pushed the device forward and began concentrating my mind to ensure it would change direction when necessary. Filling up the spaces surrounding the left-most torch before heading back down, I quickly concluded that this wouldn't work as one square would remain unfilled. As the device disappeared upon me breaking my concentration, I then went back to the previous room to reset the puzzle before going back and trying again.
The Compass made its noise again (A shame I couldn't turn it off) to remind me of what was in here but I ignored it and focused on what to do. Okay, that first attempt was solid at first but was ultimately incorrect. I needed to fill in the space by the left-most torch as going the other way would block me out. Hmmm... Maybe I didn't change directions when I should've done at a particular point? If not for the awkward shape, this would've been a cinch for me to figure out. Pushing the device and focusing my mind, I changed directions too quickly resulting in another failed attempt.
Leaving and then entering the room to reset the puzzle, the Compass reminded me of what was here (It was starting to get annoying now) and again, I ignored it in order to figure out what exactly I did wrong. I was right about not changing directions but I did so at the wrong time. I then used my finger and traced along a path given my method of puzzle solving involved using a visual aide of some kind rather than relying on books. After doing this for several minutes, I came up with a solution though it made me cringe knowing it was a lot more simpler than appearances suggested.
Pushing the device and concentrating, it went around the left-most torch before heading down and then to the right like it did the first time. Then at the precise moment, I made it change direction where it covered up more of the abyss before going on towards and around the other torch. From there, it was a matter of filling up what remained until there was nothing but solid ground. Whew! It took some doing but I figured it out. The chest then materialized to the right of the right-most torch and upon walking up to and opening it, I took out the Nightmare Key.
"Now that was a fun puzzle."
"Even though it took you several attempts to solve it?"
"How many would it have taken you?" I asked with a smug look on my face.
"Probably the same number."
"I thought so."
"I liked how you used your finger to trace a solution before putting it to practice."
"It made sense to do that instead of leaving and re-entering the room just to reset this puzzle."
Princess Twilight nodded. "It paid off for you in the end because you prefer to use a hands-on approach. In this case, you used your finger as a visual and imagined seeing what the completed puzzle looked like without needing to write anything down or asking me for help. I mean, I could've helped out but I decided to watch in silence seeing as you had a serious look of determination on your face."
"I guess now it's time to face the Nightmare."
"You have everything you need with the exception of the actual path to get there."
I sighed upon remembering that there was still one more tunnel remaining that needed to be explored. "Right... I still need to go through the other ice block infested tunnel, the one we tried going through earlier on in the dungeon but couldn't without the Magic Rod." It then dawned on me that the other tunnel would be much harder to navigate. "I'm not going to like exploring this other tunnel."
"Not much of a choice there."
Sighing again, I took out the Ocarina. "I'm warping back to the beginning of the dungeon. As much as I like the idea of going back through so many rooms in order to get to the central room, I'd rather skip all that and take a much simpler route. Besides, I think I earned that after enduring so much headache against the Hydrosaur." In all honesty, I actually wanted nothing more than to take a nap so I could relax and maybe lessen my fatigue.
"It's better to do that than take the long path back."
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"We all know what it's like to feel pain!" Twilight Sparkle shouted.
"She's right ya know!" Applejack added. "Each of us have endured some kinda pain in our lives be it physical, emotional, or what not. The point is that we've experienced pain before and can overcome it again even against ta like of y'all because we've got each other!" She then pointed at the Demon King who continued to remain unimpressed. "Sure, ya got that fancy magic which ya think makes ya tough, and I 'sppose our own personal problems did make it easy for ya to take advantage, but nothin' y'all do now will make us beg for mercy."
"Did you guys get any of that?" Rarity asked.
"We're stronger than we look." Fluttershy answered.
"Much obliged for the translation, dahling."
"We can take whatever you dish out!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"And that includes the dishes!" Pinkie Pie added.
Rainbow Dash then turned and gave Pinkie a weird look. "Did you really have to use that old joke?"
Pinkie Pie nodded rapidly. "If I didn't then it wouldn't been a perfect waste and you know I love to make use of just about anything." That's when her hair floofed up and she made a startling revelation. "Hey! Just because this guy stole our magic and made us relive some of our more awkward moments doesn't mean we should continue being sad. If anything, we should just laugh it off and then endure whatever torment we're about to get."
"Not sure if that's the right way to go about it, dahling." Rarity said.
"Eh, what can I say? I live in the moment."
It was at that point where Ganondorf finally decided to step in by coughing to get my friends attention. "It seems that you clearly do not understand what it means to feel true pain, and that is because you are all ignorant. It is also because you are young and therefore cannot fathom the meaning behind my words. How unfortunate for you then. My work has just become even more interesting."
"Judging from the way y'all look, ya look like someone who is around thirty-five." Applejack said.
"Age is meaningless to one who has lived for thousands of years across numerous time lines."
"So that's actually true?" Twilight Sparkle asked.
Laughing quietly at first, Ganondorf then got louder which made my friends think he had lost his mind when in truth he thought it amusing. "Your lack of knowledge regarding me is so very blatant, magic one! No wonder the child views you all as her hope for salvation where none was there before because she made choices that reflected upon what she thought was right without realizing how it would affect others not just in this world but in her true home."
"What do you mean?"
"Why have me answer something the child can tell you herself."
"Quit dodging the question!" Rainbow Dash shouted.
"Such bold words coming from you, loyal one." Pausing for a moment, he then slammed his fist down onto his throne which caused a vibration that nearly knocked everything down, but in reality he had merely held back on unleashing his true power. "Be fortunate that I chose to relent at the very last moment. As I have said before, it is by my will and mine alone that you all still live. If not for your slight usefulness, I'd have killed you all at my earliest convenience. Now... You demand I tell you that about the child? Very well. You shall get your answer."
"And that is?"
Getting up from his throne, Ganondorf took a few steps forward before stopping directly in front of Rainbow Dash. He then used his magic to project an image of me surrounded on one side by Equestria and the other their world. "There is only one thing you need to know from me. If not for the child, your destinies would have taken a much different path. You owe her much for what she done, yet also condemn her for bringing in forces that do not belong in your world. While you all know about this, there is much she has yet to reveal. How will you see her when this comes forth?"
"That didn't make a lick of sense." Applejack said.
"It shall in time."
"But we have so many questions." Twilight Sparkle said.
Ganondorf stood there in silence which made my friends worried about what he was going to do next. Sure enough, he made a quick smile and they all suddenly shocked by dark magic that seemingly came from every direction. At first they used their own magic to resist but without me there, their efforts were in vain. This kept on going for several minutes before he stopped only to unleash a second round of dark magic much stronger than the previous one. My friends all collapsed and as they tried getting back up, he snapped his fingers which brought down one final blast that could've killed them, but instead he snuffed it out just as it was about to make contact.
He turned around before sitting back down on his throne. "I have what I need from you all. My 'punishment' upon you all just now was a means of reminding you that you are nothing in comparison to me. If not for the child, the princess, and the misguided one, none of this would have happened. They caused this pain! Though they did not mean it, the fact remains that you all suffered because of their insolence. I wonder how long it will take before you all come to the realization which I have foreseen."
"I wish you'd make sense." Twilight Sparkle said in a slightly weak voice.
"The three in question have caused this fate to be bestowed upon you."
"Okay, that makes a bit more sense." Twilight Sparkle then tilted her head slightly. "Misguided one? I know that Sunset is the child, and the princess is clearly the other me whom I met when I visited Equestria, but I don't think I've met this other."
Ganondorf laughed. "You already have but that is something you will discover in time. The misguided one is the final piece of the puzzle who has yet to realize their role in the grand scheme that shall come to pass. Despite their best efforts at wanting to become so much more, deep down within their minds, locked away and hidden deep within the infinite darkness, their desire for power burns brightly and refuses to die."
"And if they refuse?"
"They cannot."
"Why?"
"It has already been pre-determined." Ganondorf answered. He then began to fade away which indicated that his time was over. "I won't test the child's resolve this time around as there is another who shall do so on my behalf, an ancient enemy of her kind, one who has been given a second chance. Should she survive, she will have much to answer for as you and your friends deserve to know that which she has chosen to keep from you. Will it destroy the bonds you have all created? Perhaps, or maybe they shall become stronger? Either way, she will not betray my expectations."
He then disappeared entirely leaving my friends to ponder over everything that he had said. There were many questions that had no answers and even if they did have them, they were afraid to know in case it made them feel even worse. Perhaps the most important one involved who this 'misguided one' was. It could be anyone as there were a lot of people my friends and I have met over time who would definitely fit such a vague description. It could even be someone from Equestria which would complicate things further. Whoever it was, they needed to be careful from that point on.
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Playing Manbo's Mambo, I disappeared in a bright light and reappeared moments later back at the entrance to the dungeon. Once again, I had the opportunity to leave in order to get some supplies for the upcoming fight against the Nightmare, but I chose not to as the only thing that was lacking was my health which could easily be restored by using hearts. My items were fully stocked and I had Magic Medicine which would save me from death. No, I believed I had everything necessary to obtain the final instrument, but then I always did lack hindsight.
Heading north into the next room where the Vire was waiting for me, I ignored as again, there was no reason to defeat other than seeing if it would drop any hearts. The chances of that happening were slim as rupees tended to be dropped from monsters way more often or nothing at all. Using the Roc's Feather, I jumped over the small gap of lava and continued on just as it began shooting its fireballs at me. In theory, I only needed to defeat two more monsters and both happened to be Nightmares but said theory was flawed given the obvious.
Entering the central room and walking up to the device, I pushed it forward and then used my mind to make it turn right as that was where the other staircase was located. As I gazed upon seeing lava getting replaced by ground, I began reflecting upon this adventure in general. It had been a fun experience and despite knowing the true nature of this island, it was way more simplistic compared with previous locations. Sure, there was plenty of absurdity in the form of things not being where they should be, but it grew on me over time where I eventually accepted it as being normal.
Did I want this to end? Yes because I needed things back to the way they were before and there were people's lives hanging in the balance (When I say people, I meant humans, ponies, dragons, chaotic beings, and so on) whose fates were on my shoulders. However, a tiny part of me wanted to keep on going and experience other lands... Without being forced into doing so and having others get caught up in it without ever figuring out it had even happened. I knew better though. I had to change things back because if they remained in their current state, it could end up being permanent.
Walking across the lava using the path the device had created, I reached the other end and walked over to the final staircase. Before continuing on, I used the Roc's Feather to jump up and grab a nearby flying heart icon since I needed to regain health after my most recent battle. Sure, it didn't heal me entirely but it was better than not getting anything. As soon as I entered the tunnel, the freezing cold began gripping me but I knew I had to focus on getting through. Unlike before where it was a simple matter of melting the right ice blocks, there were individual ones which needed melting.
"What do you make of this now, Twilight?" I asked.
"Before, you couldn't do anything without the Magic Rod." Princess Twilight answered. "Now that you have it, you need to melt the right ice blocks in order to reach that walkway over there or else be forced to leave and then come back in order to reset everything."
"I was planning on melting them all and then dropping down to the walkway."
"You can't grab onto edges in this world."
I wanted to act surprised or even furious, but considering there were other things I couldn't do, such as jumping on my own, I decided not to say anything more about that particular subject and instead focus on figuring out this puzzle. "Maybe I can jump by using one of the ice blocks like a platform?"
"That should be doable."
"The question is which one."
"If you look closely, you should be able to see which one you shouldn't melt."
One thing about this world that I never figured out was how I could see things even when they were behind walls. It definitely proved itself useful in the past enabling me to see things I normally couldn't, but it just gnawed at me knowing there was something I couldn't understand. Princess Twilight probably felt exactly the same way about it or perhaps even more so as she always yearned over wanting to make sense of everything no matter what it was. In this case, I could see all of the ice blocks in their formation along with a Goomba that was trapped in-between some of them.
I then noticed the one block I couldn't melt located next to two others and was directly adjacent to the walkway. These tunnels were side-scrolling in that I could only move in four directions as opposed to outside where any direction was possible within reason. I could fire projectiles in any direction though one I never tried was up. After all, it hadn't come up before until now and it was a good opportunity to see what could happen. Taking out the Magic Rod and looking up, I flung a fireball which struck the ceiling and fizzled out. Okay, that was a good test to see if I could do that.
It also told me that magic couldn't go through solid rock so I needed to do this carefully. Climbing up the other ladder until I reached the top, I swung the Magic Rod which melted two ice blocks then I aimed up and melted a third. So far so good though there was still much more to do. I then looked at everything again to make sure there weren't any mistakes as I didn't feel like leaving and come back again to reset everything. Using the Roc's Feather, I jumped and flung another fireball which melted two rows of ice blocks. Not sure how that happened but it did make things more simpler for me.
Jumping again, I walked forward and dropped onto the ice where I made the same expression on my face as before. I then began hoping in order to prevent my feet from getting too cold and making them numb again so acting quickly, I moved forward slightly, jumped again, and then aimed straight down before flinging another fireball. The ice melted and I fell but not before aiming right and melting another block though just barely. Landing on my feet which made my knees buckle (I hadn't had that happen in forever), I looked up to see if the right ice blocks had been melted.
It looked correct but I wouldn't know until I tried making my way across to the walkway. Dropping down to the lowest part of the tunnel, I melted the ice block in front of me and then climbed up the ladder before jumping with the Roc's Feather. Jumping down, I made that face again but I gritted my teeth and flung yet another fireball which granted access to the walkway which meant I had solved this puzzle in one attempt. Jumping over and landing on solid ground (My feet felt grateful), I walked forward and stopped upon seeing what came next.
"Okay, now this is getting ridiculous."
"So much ice and all packed together in a familiar formation."
"Familiar how?"
"Like a staircase."
I took a closer look and could see it for myself. "Oh yeah. That's actually pretty cute despite it being ice blocks. I think I can see the solution but the chances of me melting the wrong block are pretty high compared to the previous section."
"You just need to think carefully."
"Easy for you to say."
Princess Twilight giggled. "Okay, you have a point there but what I said is true, Sunset. Rather than make this extremely complicated, just think of this one piece at a time and it should come together. Despite being made of ice, these blocks don't move an inch. Perhaps that will give you some ideas on how to solve this. If there was one drawback with the Magic Rod, it's that you can't stop it from melting everything in its path until the fire hit something it can't consume. It's a minor issue as you want that during combat but not so much when attempting to solve a puzzle."
"You love being subtle don't you?"
"I do but it's also because I can only give you so much information."
"The drawbacks of being a fairy, right?"
"Pretty much."
"And you don't regret being a fairy?"
"It's given me a new appreciation for very small creatures."
I couldn't help but laugh at her response to my question. In fact, it made me forget that my body was beginning to get cold because of the ice blocks. Once I stopped laughing, I looked at the ice blocks again whilst also taking what she said under serious consideration. The ice didn't move which was true and this was also suspicious as it defied logic, but if a layer were to be melted, it wouldn't have any bearings on the remaining one. Also, I couldn't pick and choice how much the Magic Rod melted until the fire hit a wall. That's when the cogs of my brain began putting everything together.
Climbing down the ladder, I melted the bottom row of ice and to my surprise, the upper row didn't drop down. Again, it defied logic but I wasn't about to complain. Stepping forward until I was standing underneath a group of three blocks in a row, I aimed up and melted them which removed a major obstacle. If this had been done correctly, I only needed to melt two more blocks or none at all provided I had enough room to make the jump. Heading back up the ladder, I stepped on the ice where that expression of mine returned but it was a case of ignoring it and focusing on getting through this.
Using the Roc's Feather, I jumped over a gap in the ice from where I melted the three blocks a moment ago, and landed on the next piece of ice where I aimed upwards and flung a fireball that melted both blocks. Yeah... Those weren't really in the way but then space was an issue. Before continuing, I quickly looked at what I'd done and was surprised at how easy it turned out to be. Granted, Her Highness was around to give me hints. If not for her, I'd have probably spent a good ten minutes trying to figure this out alongside the previous one and gotten a severe case of frostbite in the process.
From there, I jumped up each block like they were stairs until I reached the top. Without another thought, I climbed down the ladder and entered the dungeon where I immediately embraced the heat despite how it made me woozy from being exposed to it too much. Between both, I prefer heat over the cold any day despite my complaining. Once my body had warmed up enough and I felt ready, I approached the door, took out the Nightmare Key, inserted it into the keyhole and turned it where it unlocked. Entering the next room, I was shocked to see that it was filled with lava aside from some narrow walkways. Both doors then locked which meant I was trapped.
"There's so much lava in here!" I said as I groaned.
"I guess the Nightmare ended up being some kind of fire creature."
This was my worst case scenario given how I couldn't stand the heat, but there was nothing I could do about it. "I hope that I can defeat this Nightmare fast enough before the heat from the lava gives me any problems."
"Where do you suppose it is?"
"Good question." I answered. I immediately looked up as that happened once with the Slime Eyes but nothing was on the ceiling. I then looked at the lava's surface remembering how Facade was literally a face in the floor. At first, there was nothing, which made me want to try calling out (Which would've been embarrassing), when suddenly, something began bubbling at the center of the lava. "Guess we're about to meet our Nightmare."
"Get ready."
CRRAACCKKLLEE! FWWOOOOSSHH!
"So... You finally managed to make it here, Outsider."
"Are you the Nightmare?" I asked.
"Indeed I am. I was beginning to think that you were going to perish at the hands of the creatures that call this volcano home, but you've proven just how resourceful you are. I'm glad you got here because it means we can finally settle things once and for all. My master believed you were nothing more than a pathetic child who would quickly become overwhelmed by the darkness, but you defeated all of the other Nightmares and acquired seven of the instruments. You became a thorn in his side and I am here to relieve him of his pain."
"Why not come out and reveal yourself?"
"I will in just a moment, but first I want to ask you something."
"And what's that?"
"Did you ever wonder how my master Dethl always knew of your progress and how the other Nightmares were warned of you?"
"The thought had crossed my mind once or twice."
"You have me to thank for that. I have been keeping tabs on you on his behalf since you defeated the Moldorm. The others were given fair warning yet they chose not to heed my words and believed they could defeat you. Instead, they were destroyed! Some were simply too stupid to grasp what was happening while others knew better but ultimately proved ineffective due to arrogance. Me? There is a very good chance that I will meet the same fate but it won't happen! I will do everything in my power to kill you, Outsider. Even if what my master said is true, I shall defy fate!"
With that, the Nightmare emerged from the lava and turned out to be a giant fireball with a ghastly expression. "So this is what you look like. I must admit that you definitely have the intimidation part down in addition to being in a room that doesn't suit me very well, but I've come too far to be stopped now!" Then I changed the subject which ended up killing my momentum a little bit. "What is your name?"
"I am Hot Head!"
"It makes sense."
"I've been waiting for this moment and now I can finally do what the others could not." Hot Head then began to flare up and the flames above his head looked like they were about to come alive. "You are much stronger than your appearance suggests but I will not underestimate you as that would result in my destruction. If you defeat me, my master shall be waiting for you in his inner sanctum, but you will never get there because you will burn in the fires of hell! Know this! I will never let you play the Instruments of the Sirens!"
Falling into the lava and going underneath it, Hot Head suddenly launched four fireballs that moved in diagonal curved arches where two landed either side of me and left behind a smoking crater before disappearing a few seconds later. The heat that came from both craters was even worse than the lava itself so already I knew this was going to be hard. He then jumped out again but closer to where I was standing and sailed across before submerging himself again and flinging four more fireballs. Raising my shield, one of them reflected off only to land right next to me which caused some slight damage along with making me cough.
He then did this a third time which made me realize that this was his only attack pattern. While him having just one attack was okay, the fact that he attacked with a lot of speed in addition to other effects meant he could force my hand regarding the Magic Medicine. If there was an instance of needing to rely on it for survival, this was certainly it. Jumping out of the lava again, Hot Head taunted me before going back down yet his fireballs were too far away to reach me. I hoped he would do that often as it'd give me a chance to come up with a strategy before things could get too hot.
When he next emerged, he was close to me again and when he went back under the lava's surface, one of the fireballs ended up hitting me in the chest and it ended up hurting a lot more than it should have. Even with my blue tunic, I was going to be taking a lot of damage (I shuddered to think what it would've been had I gone with red). I needed to defeat him first before he could do the same to me in return. He emerged again close to me and I swung my sword only for nothing to happen. He laughed before going back down leaving me feeling humiliated.
"I should've known that my sword wouldn't work."
"It is a creature of fire after all." Princess Twilight said.
"Okay, so what else can I use?"
"None of your items are going to work." Princess Twilight said with a stern voice. "If you tried, they will burn up or melt depending on what you used. You shouldn't be surprised by this since it happened before when you defeated Facade, yet Hot Head is much harder and way nastier than any Nightmare you've seen yet."
"Do I have anything I can use?"
Her Highness then looked down at the Magic Rod. "About that..."
I then took it out and stared at it. "Seriously? The only thing that can work against Hot Head is the Magic Rod? How is that even possible? It's a creature of fire so shouldn't its weakness be related to water? Why would fire end up being effective on fire itself?"
Princess Twilight shrugged. "Given what we've both seen during this adventure, common methods have often been thrown out the window in favour of the absurd. I'm not sure what kind of effect the Magic Rod will have against Hot Head but the only way to find out is to use it. Besides, you found it in this dungeon and Nightmares being vulnerable to items found in the same dungeon you find them in often prove to be very effective."
While her logic made sense, the fact that this Nightmare could only be damaged by fire just didn't sound right. But, I didn't really have much of a choice as my other items were useless and I didn't want to lose any of them before encountering Grogar. Holding up the Magic Rod and waiting, Hot Head emerged and I responded by flinging a fireball but he proved himself quick and my magic missed him completely, hitting the wall. When he went back down, two of his four fireballs came at me prompting me to use my shield to protect myself though the damage from the crater still happened.
I flung another fireball at him just as he emerged and it connected which put out his fire much to my surprise. In truth, he was nothing more than a large chunk of rock which the fire had consumed. Since he was now a solid mass, I could use my sword and inflict some additional damage. He then began bouncing off of the walls and when he came towards me, I swung my sword only for it to bounce off. Guess Her Highness was right about the Magic Rod being the only thing that could hurt him. Eventually, he dropped back down into the lava and when he came back out, his fire had returned.
"So you possess the ability to use fire?" Hot Head asked.
"And it happens to be what you're vulnerable to."
"Though you may have discovered my weakness, it appears you have trouble using such power."
"I only did get this Magic Rod fairly recently."
Hot Head laughed for a moment before he got serious. "Your mannerisms belay the fact that you are quite the skilled warrior. The other Nightmares were fooled by your deceitful nature and it cost them their very existence. I won't make that mistake! This will be a battle of fire versus fire!"
"Since I can't use anything else, I've no choice but to go along with this." I said. At that moment, I started feeling woozy from the heat of the lava. If there was a very bad time for this to happen, this was definitely it. What made it worse was that Hot Head had just witnessed me doing that so now he had his own advantage. Shaking my head, I regained my concentration and flung another fireball.
It sailed over his head and he laughed. "The heat doesn't agree with you, does it, Outsider? This is not your element and now I know the truth. I could simply keep on talking until you finally collapse from the heat but there's no fun in doing that. No, I prefer doing things properly which means roasting you until nothing remains." He then dropped down into the lava and four more fireballs scattered with one hitting the wall next to me with embers from it hitting me in the back. Hot Head then popped up and laughed once again. "Even with that fancy looking tunic, it can't protect you from my fire."
I responded by hitting him in the face with my own fireball which put him out. "Maybe not, but the same can't be said about you!"
"My fire may be gone for the moment, but it will come back once I am in my element."
"Not if I stop you first."
"Go ahead and try, Outsider!"
Bouncing around off the walls again, I now knew that I needed to hit him with the Magic Rod. As soon as he came towards me, I hit him with some magic which caused him to spin around and go the other way though his speed did increase. Bouncing off another wall, he came back and knocked me down with so much force, it felt like being knocked down by several elephants moving together as a group. Before I had a chance to hit him again, he went down into the lava and when he came up moments later, he looked perfectly fine. As I got up, I was surprised at how fast he recovered.
Hitting him by flinging another fireball before he had a chance to do anything, the flames went out and began bouncing around again. I managed to hit him twice with my magic which in turn increased his speed, but when I tried going for another hit, I began feeling woozy enabling him to knock me down again. Getting back up, he went back into the lava and was fine upon coming back out. This made no sense. He had clearly taken damage from my magic and now he looked like he did when this battle first started. If this kept up, I'd never be able to defeat him. I needed another idea and fast!
At that moment, the heat started getting to me again despite only having been affected by it moments ago. As I tried regaining my composure, Hot Head sailed over the lava before submerging and shot out four more fireballs, one of which struck me at point blank range. I was in tremendous agony though it did help me focus so I supposed it proved beneficial in that regard only yet I didn't want it to become a habit. Princess Twilight asked if I was okay prompting me to nod in return slowly because of the pain. This wasn't my first time getting blasted by fire but it was the worst experience yet.
Once I could move again, Hot Head emerged and I hit him with a fireball that snuffed out his fire. He then bounced off the walls but I decided to hit him just the once because of wanting to prove a theory. When I did so, he spun around before speeding off the other way, hitting another wall and coming back where he knocked me down again. I was okay with getting hit this time as it was all part of attempting to figure out his secret. Getting up again, he kept bouncing around until he finally went down and upon emerging, he looked good as new. No matter how often I hit him, he could shake it all off just by giving himself a lava bath.
"This isn't working!"
Princess Twilight nodded. "Every time you damage him, he comes back as though your efforts meant nothing."
"How is he doing it?"
That's when Her Highness began to clue in on it. "He's a creature of fire, right?" I wouldn't say that he was given what he looked like without his flames, but she was generally correct and I didn't want to say otherwise. "When he submerges himself into the lava, any wounds you inflicted upon him are completely healed. As such, he's trapped you in an endless loop all because you're not hitting him often enough where his healing becomes moot. Sorry if that sounded harsh but it's the best I could do."
"It's okay, Twilight."
"You need to keep on hitting him when his fire has been put out."
"But he keeps on getting faster every time I connect."
"Then you need to keep up with him."
"You're quite wise for a fairy!" Hot Head said as he emerged from the lava. "It also explains why the Outsider has been able to figure out the puzzles of this island. You have been a strong source behind her success, but there is only so much a little creature like you can do. If you believe you've figured me out then lets see it in action. Of course, the heat has been affecting you since you entered my room so perhaps I can raise the stakes." He then flared up which raised the temperature and I found myself struggling to focus on what I was doing.
"What do you think you're doing?"
"I am making things more unbearable."
"That's not fair!"
"I intend on ending her life no matter what I have to resort to." Hot Head said as he submerged into the lava. Both of the fireballs that moved south of where he sank hit me one after the other and there was nothing I could do because of suffering from the increase in temperature. Princess Twilight tried getting me to focus but I just stood there unable to think or react to anything. He then came back up and started laughing. "Only masters of fire should be surrounded by such intensity." He then cooled down which was a much welcomed sight as I could focus once again. "You surprise me, Outsider."
"How so?" I asked.
"Most of your kind would've succumbed to this heat but you have resisted up to this moment."
"Not by choice mind you."
"Perhaps, but judging from how you're shaking, you appear to be running out of steam." Hot Head said. While I knew that wasn't meant to be a joke, I couldn't help but cringe at his poor choice of words. "I remain completely unharmed because of the lava. It is my nourishment which allows me to survive anything. Unless you somehow manage to keep me from regaining my strength, you will eventually tire out. Unlike my fellow Nightmares, I use strategy when they preferred more primitive methods. Judging from your condition, you won't be lasting much longer."
As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I was beginning to weaken from taking a lot of damage and while I did have the Magic Medicine to revive me, I didn't really want to use it if it could be avoided. Granted, if I were to get knocked into the lava, then saving it wouldn't really matter. Flinging another fireball at him, his flames fizzled out and he began bouncing around again where I continued flinging fireballs in hopes of connecting enough times where he finally would stop moving.
Three hits, four hits, and then five hits later and he still kept on bouncing all over the place. How many hits did it take just to get him to stop!? I was about to hit him for a sixth time when he pushed me into the wall upon colliding with me. At that precise moment, I felt like throwing up from such an impact. When he bounced away and submerged himself into the lava, I dropped to my knees whilst letting go of the Magic Rod where it rolled along the ground and stopped right at the edge. Panicking, I grabbed it before it could fall in, yet I failed to notice him rising up from the lava, his strength restored once again.
Moving across the lava and going back down, his fireballs launched in their respective directions with one of them hitting me just as I was getting back up. Even with improved defence, being burned by fire was extremely painful. Luckily, I could still continue which meant not needing to use my Magic Medicine quite yet. Yeah, it had become a crutch given how it made me feel safe knowing I had a means of avoiding death, but with how difficult things had gotten, I couldn't help but relying on it. When he came out of the lava again, I fizzled out his flames and he began bouncing around.
Before I had a chance to begin flinging my magic, the heat started getting to me again. As such, he was able to push me into the wall again where my insides felt like they were being squashed together. Shaking my head, I decided to act reckless and began shooting fireballs in hopes Hot Head would bounce in front of them and take damage. Sure enough, this happened and I managed to keep him in place as the hits kept on coming. Upon reaching six hits, I hit him for a seventh time and still nothing happened. Unfortunately, he broke free and went back into the lava which undid all that damage.
"This is getting ridiculous!"
"He's quite resilient." Princess Twilight said.
"And this heat isn't helping either!"
"You just need to hold on until he's finally defeated."
I lowered my head. "Every time he submerges himself into the lava, all the damage I inflict just goes away. Meanwhile, I'm getting hurt from both the fire he spews forth as well as his hard body whenever his flames get put out. At this rate, I'm going to be forced to use my Magic Medicine, and then I'll really be in trouble." While it would restore me to full health, the medicine only worked once. Since Hot Head could infinitely regain his health, I was at a complete disadvantage. He could keep going forever and I for just a short period of time. "Unless I can stop him from healing, this is a fight I can't win."
"And it's just now that you figured out your limitations." Hot Head said as he emerged from the lava. "Why do you think I am the strongest Nightmare next to my master? You've had such an easy time of things and now I have become an obstacle you cannot overcome. I would suggest giving up and leaving but there's no escape for you. I know you use the power of music in order to warp around here yet the darkness in this room prevents such a thing from happening."
"So I truly can't win?"
Hot Head laughed in response. "A shame that so many factors are against you. I must admit that I was getting worried when you trapped me before and continued hitting me with your accursed magic."
"What did you just say?"
"Nothing of importance I assure you." Hot Head answered. He then dropped down into the lava and spewed out his fireballs which I barely managed to avoid though I did take some damage from the craters.
"Twilight? Did he say what I think he said?"
"He did." Princess Twilight answered. "There must be only so much damage he can take before he can't use the lava to restore his health. If you can somehow manage to hit him at least eight times with the Magic Rod, you may yet still defeat him. You're not looking very good right now so you may have no choice but to use the Magic Medicine. That does mean getting killed in that sense since it can't be used any other way."
"And falling into the lava would mean the end period."
"Best to avoid that scenario."
Just like that, I had suddenly found hope where none was there previously. Was it because Hot Head had gotten too confident? Or was it because he was afraid that I'd discover something about him that he wanted to keep a secret? Either way, my resolve had been restored and now I could focus though I needed to end this quickly before the heat from the lava could fatally get to me. Emerging from the lava again, he taunted me and I responded by putting out his fires by using the Magic Rod. He continued laughing saying my efforts were pointless but his cockiness would be his undoing.
He started bouncing around and when he came at me, I hit him with some magic though he managed to hit me at the same time. Okay, not a good start but I could easily fix that just by keeping up the pressure. The heat then started affecting my concentration again but I had to focus. I continued hitting him and each time he mocked me with his usual taunts, but when I reached six hits, his attitude changed where he began acting nervous and begged me to stop. Naturally, I refused to listen and hit him a seventh time where he kept on begging. Upon hitting him for the eighth time...
"What the!?"
To my shock, his body cracked down the middle before falling off and revealing an entirely different form. He had several spikes along with large eyes, a goofy looking mouth, and above all, a much smaller body. The flames he once loved didn't appear which meant he couldn't regain his health back from submerging himself in lava. "GAAAAHHHH!" He shouted upon his true form being exposed. "What have you done to me!? This is a form that no one was ever meant to witness!"
"And I can see why."
Hot Head's composure suddenly dropped and now he was filled with anger. "So you managed to get see me for what I truly am. I'll give you that much at least. But... It's my own fault for not taking things more seriously. I wanted to have some fun but it seems I overdid things. Just because I've changed forms doesn't mean victory is assured. I'm going to kill you and prevent the Wind Fish from awakening from his slumber."
"I have to awaken him!"
"You will never get the chance!" Hot Head said as he dropped back into the lava.
"Now what?"
"He's become desperate and that means things are going to become more difficult." Princess Twilight answered.
"Do I just continue using the same strategy as before?"
Princess Twilight nodded. "Without the ability to restore his health, Hot Head can no longer claim to be able to come back from any wounds. It's just a matter of time before you defeat him, but you need to be careful at this stage. He's become a lot more aggressive which means expect faster attacks. You need to rely on your own strength once the Magic Medicine has been used up."
When he came forth from the lava, Hot Head began moving faster than before which I attributed to his much smaller size. Upon submerging himself, the fireballs he spewed forth had also gotten faster. I got hit by one of those fireballs before I could even react and they still hurt the same so I knew there was no change in attack power. He then emerged again and it was clear that I couldn't keep up with how fast he had gotten. Submerging himself again, I raised my shield and reflected one fireball though the other hit the wall and damaged me from the crater it created upon impact.
Coming out from the lava again, I was able to hit him with some magic, but instead of bouncing around, he continued going. He definitely was desperate! He went back down and when his fireballs came up, I avoided the usual one that came for me but ended up getting hit by the other one instead. I felt like collapsing and not wanting to move but my mind told me to resist as it meant not needing medicine. Unfortunately, Hot Head had other plans as when he emerged and then submerged, the usual fireball hit me.
Dropping to my knees, I then fell over and couldn't move. Hot Head then emerged and started laughing. "So you weren't able to keep up in the end. Even when the heat kept on affecting you, you kept going until your body refused to cooperate resulting in this outcome. Despite what you've done to my master, I must offer you some slight respect for giving me a decent enough challenge."
"It's not over yet!" Princess Twilight exclaimed.
"I'd say you're wrong about that, fairy. Her body is still which means life has left it."
"Sunset will get back up!"
"Though the heat from my room doesn't affect you, you're delusions are just pathetic." Hot Head then lowered down slightly as though he were afraid. "If the Outsider does somehow survive death, I can still claim victory over her. If she were smart, she should choose death because the alternative won't be pleasant, and I'm not referring to myself here." He then gave a sharp glare at Princess Twilight. "I have no quarrels with you, fairy, so what you do now is of no concern of mine. If the heat doesn't kill you, sheer boredom or perhaps a lack of food will do it instead."
"You think she's still alive?"
"Perhaps but I highly doubt it."
"Give it a few seconds." Princess Twilight said as she smiled.
Hot Head floated there and blinked as he didn't understand what Her Highness was talking about, but that quickly changed when he saw my body begin to twitch. He stared as I slowly got back up onto my feet when I stretched a little in order prompting him to drop his mouth in shock. "What!? You managed to cheat death!? I had heard you possessed such an ability but I didn't think it was possible."
"I had some help." I said.
"From the fairy?"
I shook my head. "No, from Magic Medicine. You did kill me just now which enabled the medicine to activate and restore me to full health. I must admit that it took a bit longer this time around and there was a moment where I thought it wasn't going to work."
Hot Head closed his mouth and began mumbling under his breath before finally speaking up. "So that's the secret of your cheating death... I should've known you would resort to something like that. I guess I'll just have to kill you again and without that precious medicine, it will be permanent. Outsider... You can still surrender. If you do, you can avoid the alternative that awaits. Why not humor me just this one time?" He then began thinking to himself. "I'm on my last legs so hopefully she's stupid enough to accept my offer."
"No thanks."
"Then you leave me no choice." Hot Head then thought to himself again. "No... I should've known that she wouldn't surrender to me. After all, she has come this far and overcome so many ordeals. With her strength restored and mine slowly fading, I must end this quickly." That's when he noticed me steeling myself. "So you're ready to continue? I really think you should surrender as it will save you from certain pain and death."
"Maybe you ought to surrender yourself."
"What!? Never!"
I actually felt sorry for Hot Head. He knew that his chances for victory had been reduced dramatically thanks to the Magic Medicine kicking in, but he instead wanted to keep on going and believed he was going to kill me and prevent the Wind Fish from waking up. When it came to carrying out his duties, twisted as they were, his resolve was remarkably strong to the point of being inspiring. However, I had no choice but to defeat him as he was standing in the way of me reaching Grogar and ending this adventure.
With Magic Rod in hand, I waited for him to come up from the lava. When he did, I flung a fireball which hit him, and he responded by groaning in pain before submerging and spewing out his fireballs. The heat began affecting me again but I refrained from moving and the craters made when his attacks struck the walls fizzled out. Once I recovered, he emerged again and I blasted him with another fireball. He then went back down, his fireballs spewed forth, and one of them hit me in the chest. I was in pain despite having regained my strength so I knew I couldn't let my guard down.
Hitting him yet again, he still wasn't defeated which left me feeling with dread. I knew I couldn't do the thing that resulted in his shell cracking as he wasn't out of the lava long enough for a consistent number of hits to be inflicted. Maybe the Magic Rod wasn't as strong as Princess Twilight claimed? Or maybe Hot Head just happened to have way more stamina than the other Nightmares. As I took damage from getting hit by fireballs, I began losing concentration all because of thinking about Grogar.
Once Princess Twilight bopped me on the head to snap me out of it, I flung another fireball only for it to miss. Avoiding the fireballs that came at me by standing still, I flung another and it too missed. I decided to give myself a bop on the head since I had more strength for it to actually count. Hitting my head, I regained my composure and felt invigorated despite some slight pain but it would quickly pass. Flinging my next fireball which connected, I got hit by his fireballs in return when he submerged into the lava. Then when he emerged, I hit him again when he suddenly began screaming with pain.
"I must have really hurt him that time."
"Actually, I think you just defeated him." Princess Twilight said.
That took me by surprise. "I did?"
C-C-CRACCCKLLE!
Sure enough, that last fireball from the Magic Rod turned out to be the final hit I needed. "NO!" Hot Head shouted as he was clearly in a lot of pain. "How could I lose!?" At first, it looked like he was about to go through a hissy fit much like the previous Nightmares, but then he suddenly began laughing. "Fine... You defeated me, Outsider. The strongest Nightmare next to my master. But I must know something important... Why..."
"Why what?" I asked with a confused look.
"Why did you come here?"
I shrugged. "I've been trying to figure that out since this whole thing started."
"Because of you, things have been changing on this island." Hot Head said. Despite getting weaker with his destruction imminent, he was somehow managing to hold on as though he had something serious that he wanted me to hear. "If it weren't for you, nothing would have to change! You cannot waken the Wind Fish!"
"And why not?"
"Remember that you too are in the dream."
His words resonated with me but not in the right manner. The previous Nightmares had been saying the same thing regarding the true nature of this island. Sure, I knew what that nature was and had been struggling against it ever since. If this was a dream, waking up the Wind Fish would mean my freedom, but it would also cause everyone to disappear. If they didn't return to either Equestria or the world I called home, I'd be responsible for having wiped them out of existence. Then again, if I was trapped in this dream, I'd get wiped out as well. No matter what, my fate would be sealed.
"I'm going to awaken the Wind Fish."
"Then you are condemned."
"Not my first time and certainly not the last."
I was expecting Hot Head to continue berating me but instead he laughed. "You have made... Your choice. Remember how I said you should surrender? Now... There is no turning back... For you. Outsider... My master... Is waiting in his inner sanctum. In terms... Of sheer cruelty, he is... Far worse than any of us Nightmares could ever hope to be. You... Witnessed his power some time ago... Didn't you?"
I nodded. "He came in my own dreams."
"I know you struggled... As he told me what happened."
"Where are you going with this?"
"My master's power at that time... They were a pale fraction of what he is... Truly capable of." Hot Head's voice grew even weaker so I knew he was moments away from exploding. "You made... Your choice and now... My master shall do what we... Nightmares could not. The Wind Fish... Will never wake up! If you... Should somehow prevail... Can you truly awaken... The dreamer knowing what will happen? Like... I said... You... too... Are in... The dream..."
He began exploding several times before disappearing in one final explosion. This unlocked both doors and a Heart Container materialized on the other side next to the door that would take me into the final room. Hot Head's final words definitely made their impact upon my heart but my resolve remained the same. However, I couldn't deny that said resolve had now gotten shaky. I never really thought about it in a serious manner but now his words had changed my perspective to where I had to think on it.
It ultimately came down to doing the right thing though this was flawed. When looking at it from where I stood, I was waking the Wind Fish to free myself in addition to him, but those who were created in this dream would fade away. From another perspective, I was ending something that shouldn't exist and ensuring no one else would suffer a similar fate. No doubt this had been Ganondorf's intention, to see how I'd handle something of this magnitude and how the choice would affect me in terms of morality.
The heat began getting to me so I used the Roc's Feather to jump over the gaps of lava and as I did so, I realized that I could've moved around the room in order to avoid the fireballs that Hot Head spewed forth. That would've prevented me from being forced to use my Magic Medicine but there was no point in complaining about it now. What's done had been done and so I just needed to buy some more from Sugar Belle. Picking up the Heart Container, I felt its warmth making me feel better and this was the kind of warmth I preferred instead of what was in this dungeon.
Entering the final room where the door locked behind me, I could see the instrument waiting for me. "Is that a drum?"
Princess Twilight nodded. "It looks to be one of those small drums you wear around your neck using a strap."
"You know, Pinkie Pie would appreciate seeing this."
"This is the last one so go ahead and pick it up."
Walking up to it, I could see that it also had two sticks which were needed to tap the drum. Okay, that was a very nice touch. Lifting it up off the ground, it sparkled in my hands and it even had a lightning bolt pattern. Before I could examine it further, a familiar voice called out. "You have found the Thunder Drum!" Stepping back upon seeing a bright light, Princess Celestia appeared before me in all her regal splendor. Among the three princesses, she resonated with Princess Twilight and myself due to how she was once our mentor.
"The Thunder Drum?"
Princess Celestia nodded. "With this, you now have assembled all eight Instruments of the Sirens! You have endured so much, Sunset Shimmer, but here you are at the cusp of ending this nightmare and saving everyone from being trapped."
"But what about what this island really is?"
"Even though we are within the dream of an ancient creature, you must remain dedicated to what you set out to do."
"I want to awaken the Wind Fish but what if my actions are wrong?"
"You won't know until you do so."
I sighed. "I just hope that everyone returns to their respective worlds otherwise I will accept whatever punishment is given." Before either princess could protest, I waved my hands and they allowed me to continue. "What happens in the end will be on my hands and no one else's. After all, I've got to take responsibility for my actions."
Princess Celestia then placed her hand on my shoulder. "I know you are doing the right thing. I also know that I couldn't be more proud of you, Sunset. You have definitely grown and matured ever since you were taken under Princess Twilight's guidance. In the past during your time with me, you would've either denied wrongdoing and blamed others for mistakes that you made, but that is not the person I see before me. Perhaps one day you may yet ascend and become a princess in your own right. Now listen carefully. Egg... The egg on the mountain calls. You must go to the egg on top of Mt. Tamaranch and use the eight instruments."
"And then I can face Grogar."
"It's not quite that simple."
"What do you mean?"
"Inside of the egg lies a maze that carries on for eternity." Princess Celestia answered with a stern voice. "No matter where you go in the egg, you will never reach Grogar and shall become lost forever... Unless you know the solution. There is only one correct path through the egg but it is hidden somewhere on this island. Unfortunately, I am unable to give you the location of this information. Discord might be able to shed some light by telling you the answer but then you already know it and haven't realized it yet."
"I think I know where to go."
"It would be a good idea for you to be properly prepared for the fight that's about to come."
I nodded. "I could do with some more Magic Medicine."
"You should also collect a stray fairy and keep it in a bottle." Princess Celestia started to fade which meant her time was once again up. "When you enter the egg, the other princesses and I shall appear before you one last time. We will then share some knowledge of the Nightmare that awaits you. However, much of it will hinge upon your own shoulders. I know that places a tremendous amount of pressure on you but this is what fate has decided." She then looked at Princess Twilight and smiled. "You have guided her so well thus far so please continue to watch over her."
"Of course." Princess Twilight said.
"Not only does this battle determine her fate, but yours as well."
"I know."
"Now my time here is over." Princess Celestia said as she had almost faded away. "Let the sound of the Thunder Drum give you the resolve to see this adventure through to the end and to bring peace not just to the Wind Fish but to your own soul. If you lack confidence in your abilities, why not pay a visit to Zecora and take on one of her challenges to build up your strength. Being prepared is much better than going in with just confidence and ending up meeting a horrible fate. Do not succumb to Grogar's darkness!"
She then disappeared and I lifted up the Thunder Drum above my head. To my surprise, the drum began beating with a retro sounding feel in comparison to the previous instruments which were more refined, but then it made it feel more special as though the past was being respected. Overall, I liked this one more than the others. Once it had finished its performance, I became enveloped within a bright light and was about to be brought back outside. From there, I planned on using the telephone booth located nearby and asking Discord what my next step would be.
To Be Continued.
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