Chapter Twenty-Five: The Rebellious Fairy
Ever since the morning that Link had left for the Lost Temple, Navi had done nothing except sit perched atop the window sill in one of the huts of Astralose's village. All she could think about was the Lost Temple. There was some power in the temple that was constantly drawing her to it. She could not understand what that power was, but she knew it was powerful. She also knew that she could not ignore it for long. That was why she slowly began to contemplate breaking her promise to Link.
That promise wasn't fair, she thought. It wasn't fair at all. And I'm not going to keep an unfair promise. Besides, what's the harm in going to the temple? I'm not hurting anyone. I just want to have one comfortable night's sleep there and then I'll leave. That's all. It's not as if I'm going to live there. Just one night. And anyway, Link does too need my help, she decided in an attempt to justify breaking the promise she had made. Of course he does. He always does. He always needs my help. Yes. I think I'll go to the temple now. Only to help him. That's all. And then I'll rest there for a little of course, but that's all. She fluttered up from her perch, flew out the window, and glided off in the direction of the Lost Temple.
"The Twilight Princess," repeated Link, staring into the eyes of the now uncloaked woman. He was still standing on the platform with Ganondorf, Astralose, and the newly revealed Twilight Princess and was still surrounded by their evil army.
"Do you like that name?" asked Astralose. "I came up with it just now. It fits, doesn't it Son?"
"Hmm, yes. I suppose. Although she's hardly a princess. More like a mangy rat," he quipped.
"With her ability, we will cover Hyrule in an eternal Twilight, in which we can do whatever we please, all thanks to the powers of my daughter." Link did not reply, but Astralose did not wait for long. "Well then, it is time my fine young lad. Time for you to say goodbye to this world. Into the lava river he shall go." A Moblin clambered up onto the platform and grabbed Link from behind. Suddenly a man ran up to the edge of the dais with something indiscernible in his hand.
"Sir," said the man.
"What is it?" asked Astralose.
"One of our men in the barracks below the lavafall found this in a hidden chamber."
"And what is it?" snapped Astralose, quickly becoming impatient.
"It's a mask."
"Why should I care about a mask?"
"I don't know sir, but you said if anything strange was found in the underground, we should bring it to you, so that's what I'm doing."
"Well, let's see it." The man set the mask down on the wood flooring of the platform. Nobody seemed to think anything of it except Link and the Twilight Princess. They both gasped and simultaneously said, "Majora."
Suddenly the woman whose purpose was to aid in the conquering of Hyrule began to shriek. "What have you done?! You have released him! He will destroy us all! He will destroy the world!"
"Silence Nylania!" snapped her father. "It's nothing more than a mask. How can a mask destroy the world? It's not a person. It's just a mask."
"You don't understand!" cried Nylania. "It isn't just a mask! The soul of an evil magician is imprisoned within that mask!"
"The Happy Mask Salesman," muttered Link inaudibly.
"What was that?" questioned Astralose.
"The Happy Mask Salesman. He must have brought the mask here. So this must be where he found it. In this temple. I guess he decided it was time to return it to where it belongs."
"What are you talking about?!" demanded Astralose.
"It's all right, Nylania. That's your name?" She nodded. "This mask was freed months ago, but I defeated it in Termina. It has no power anymore. The soul of Majora no longer inhabits it. There's nothing at all to fear."
Nylania refused to believe him though; instead, she bolted off of the platform and disappeared into the ranks of the monsters. "Let her go!" ordered Astralose when a group of Bokoblins tried to stop her. "Whatever that mask is, it has no value now. Just leave it where it is. We will toss it into the lava river later. For now, the boy is to die. Carry him to the edge," he ordered of the Moblin that still had a hold of the Hero of Time.
Link was quickly carried to the banks of the lava river; the heat was almost intense enough to scorch his clothes, even from ten feet away. Astralose followed them to the spot where the execution would take place. "Any final words boy?"
"You won't get away with what you plan to do. Hyrule will never stay conquered. One day, you and your son will be defeated." Ganondorf laughed harshly, but Astralose did not reply.
Without warning, Nylania approached the lava river from behind her father. "What are you doing back so soon?" he asked of his daughter, turning away from Link.
"He must be telling the truth or Majora would have already killed us all."
"Glad to see you have come to your senses. Did you come back to watch the boy's execution?"
"No. I came back because I think it's best that I'm here in case he's wrong and Majora does attack. I have a plan for him if he does."
"Oblivious girl," groaned Astralose. "Stand back then. All you're doing is getting in the way of my view of the boy's death." Nylania took a few steps backward and turned to watch Majora's Mask. She could care less about the execution of the boy. All she wanted was to make sure that Majora could not surprise them with an attack. "It is finally time then," said Astralose. "Kill him." The Moblin lifted Link into the air and prepared to throw him into the raging magma that stood only feet away.
Navi had been floating about her beloved temple for the past five minutes—shaking all over with glee—when she came into a room with a staircase that seemed to go down forever. Curious, she decided to fly down it and see whatever there was to see at its bottom. She fluttered down for what seemed an eternity before reaching a long passageway that led into a faraway room with a reddish light emerging from it. She hurried along the corridor before her until she came onto a balcony. From the balcony, she saw a horrible sight: an army of evil fiends was spread as far as her unrivaled eyes could see. And in the middle was a platform with Astralose, Ganondorf, a strange woman, and Link standing upon it.
She watched quietly as a Moblin seized Link and then a man rushed up to the side of the platform. "What do I do?" she whispered to herself. "They're going to kill him, but what can I do to help him? I just don't know." She was shocked when the man set something on the platform that was clearly Majora's Mask. She observed as the unknown woman panicked and ran off. Not long after, Link was carried off of the platform and to the edge of a nearby boiling river of lava.
"Oh no. I have to do something, and quick." She looked around desperately and saw the Master Sword lying on the balcony, only feet away. "As if that's going to help at all," she sighed. "I can't wield it." But as she looked back at all that was happening before her—Nylania had just returned to her father's side and Astralose was now in conversation with her—, she began to formulate a plan. "Well, if this doesn't work, then nothing will. I'm coming Link." She floated over the edge of the balcony and prepared to initiate an undertaking that she saw as the only possible way to save her best friend.