And the cookie goes to... "idontfellikelogingin" for his/her guess of Gali from Monster Rancher. Also, I have been asked just what an Internet cookie is. Hmm... how to explain it. Basically, it seems to be a standard award for guessing pointless message boar questions. It has no material value, though some people keep a "cookie jar" in thier signitures stating the number of cookies they have. Basically, cookies exist so that people feel like they actually recieved a reward for some random piece of trivia.

Also, adam148, when I said Boes I meant Boes. However, I wasn't particularly clear on whether they were attacked by ghosts or little spheres of darkness, so I can see how someone could think it was a typo. Thank you for caring enough to try and correct my mistakes!


Pawns

The pawns are the soul of chess.

-Philidor

Music: Zelda Reorchestrated's (zreomusic:dot:com) LoZ Title Theme

After removing Mythisper from the wall, a torn and bloody Link hobbled out of the chamber of the Great Seal. When he exited the cave complex, he found the soldiers of Ikana waiting. Apparently, the enemy had attacked again during Link's battle with the dracolich, and everyone had been forced to protect the entrance. However, the enemy had now fled, the majority of their forces destroyed by the valiant warriors of Ikana. Link was saluted by the remaining fifty or so skeletons, and then packed onto a stretcher and carried off. He protested that he could walk, but they wouldn't let him. Two days later, Link and Mythisper found themselves outside the gates of Ikana Castle. They were just in time to witness a spectacular sight. The massive gates of Ikana, kept shut for thousands of years, opened fully and the armies of Ikana poured forth. Legions of Stalchildren marched in perfect file. Numerous regimental flags were flown, along with the flag of the King of Ikana himself. There were even a number of siege engines taking up the rear. The dead were marching for Romani Ranch to join in the siege of Clocktown.


After seeing that once-in-a-lifetime spectacle, Link insisted that he be allowed to warp out. He soon arrived at the Fairy's Fountain near the ranch, where his wounds were promptly healed. When he emerged, he saw that the farm was bustling with activity. A large contingent of Gerudo warriors, led by Nadia, had arrived. With them were a number of Zoras, who had apparently been more than compensated for their losses during the Rakshasa's reign. In addition, Link saw a significant number of Wolfos, who had been rallied by Gambar. The survivors of Clocktown were currently engaged in a variety of training drills, and Randolf's students were having a fireball slinging contest. There were even a small number of Deku Scrubs. As soon as the Stalkin arrived, it would be time to begin the assault.


Once again, Majora's Mask found itself the bearer of bad news. It opened its end of the portal, where the Lord of Chaos sat waiting. It bowed, and then said, "My Lord, the bungling idiots that serve as my evil minions have once again managed to let the boy escape. The entire army sent to destroy Ikana fell, and the dracolich with it."

The Lord seamed enraged. "How is it that you mess up every order I give you?"

The Mask had had enough of the abusive comments of its master. "Me? I have yet to fail at anything! The imbeciles that serve me cannot function without constant direction, and you have forbidden me from ever doing anything myself!"

"… I see. However, it is too late to do anything about it. Pull absolutely everything you have back to Clocktown. If you run everything correctly, the armies coming to attack you will be crushed. Once that has been accomplished, I give you free reign of Termina. So long as you bring me the Orb, you shall have your freedom. That will be all."

The portal closed. After moving some pieces on the Monopoly board he used to keep track of his plans, the Lord of Chaos sat down to contemplate the various pieces in his game.

Music: Zelda Reorchestrated's (zreomusic:dot:com) Wind Waker Hyrule Castle


First and foremost was Majora's Mask. He remembered its creation some… ten million years ago, give or take a few centuries. The eras were really beginning to blur together after so long. Regardless, the Mask was born in an endless plain, about ten million years ago. This plain had once been the home of a number of nomadic societies and the various creatures that they ate. Now, there was only one thing living there, the beast Majora, which had once been the guardian of that plain. Ages before, the nomads had heard a story that whoever killed the guardian and took his armour would be granted his heart's desire. Word spread quickly, and many went to challenge the monster. For a time, warriors came from all over the world, and even other dimensions, in order to fight the former guardian. But Majora was no longer a guardian; he was now a mighty devourer of men.

Many years past, and eventually the warriors stopped coming. Thousands upon thousands of men had died fighting the beast, and no one believed that they could succeed any longer. However, though the ones who sought the magic of Majora were dead, their greed still lived on. It collected in the armour of that juggernaut, granting to it the power they had believed it possessed. The monster spent ages alone before another who had heard of the legend came.

However, he had not come for the armour, though he was confident that he could defeat the monster. No, this wandering warrior did not want the energy, he had come to seal it away. Knowing the power of the deaths of millions, he knew that to let such a thing continue to exist would be to invite disaster upon all the worlds. The lone traveler pointed out that being a devourer of men was pointless when there were no men left to devour, and convinced the monster to wish itself out of existence. When the beast was dead, the traveler carved from its armour a mask and within that mask sealed the desire of those who had died trying to possess it. He called it Majora's Mask, and cast it into the void lest it ever be used.

Music: Zelda Reorchestrated's (zreomusic:dot:com) LttP Cave


Meanwhile, Majora's Mask contemplated its existence, right back to the time of its creation. It had but one memory before the emptiness of the void: A man held it and said, "There. The evil is sealed in this, Majora's Mask". Then, there was a falling sensation and darkness. It floated for a long time, a child cast aside by its parent. There was but one for it thing to do: find a way to get revenge on the Bad Guy. After a time, it realized that it was not helpless in the emptiness. Though it was a prisoner, the Mask could still gaze upon the world outside. It watched its creator, who had so unfairly thrown it away.

Majora's Mask watched as the Bad Guy started to live up to his name. True, for a long time, he had been nice. He caused a little bit of mischief every now and then, but he wasn't malevolent. But slowly, the man began to abuse his powers. He apparently found that chaos was more fun than order, and stopped solving peoples' problems. Instead, he began to create vast armies and attack any civilization he could reach. He swapped out his old steel armour for something made out of a blue alloy, and forged a sword in the shape of a double helix. For a long time after that he rampaged across the worlds, destroying everything in his path. Then, three golden women sent their own armies against him.

The battles were a standstill, and the Bad Guy challenged the golden girls to a duel. He went to their home in the sky and an epic engagement occurred. In the end, the three just barely managed to overpower their opponent. It seamed that they could not destroy him, so they instead sealed him into a mask which they placed within the Moon. The majority of the Bad Guy's power had been put into three objects scattered across the multiverse.

Majora's Mask was enraged. They had stolen its revenge! On the day when it was finally summoned from the void, it tried to get back at them by ruining their creations. However, the ones who had summoned it had taken precautions against such an event. So long as it was not worn, the Mask could not use any of its powers. The tribe that had bound it then used the residual energy given off by the Mask to power their curses. One day, they did put it on. Though it was forced to obey the wish of its wearer, it was relatively free to amuse itself in whatever fashion it pleased. For a time, all was fine. Then, the four Giants who protected Termina had banded together and sealed it away again.

When the foolish mask salesman had found it and the Skull Kid put it on, it again tried to destroy what it could. This time, it imprisoned the Giants within temples in their domains and tried to smash the moon into the planet. All would have gone well were it not for that boy who had come out of nowhere and released the Giants. However, the eventual defeat of Majora's Mask was entirely its own fault. It had stupidly believed itself invincible, and attempted to get revenge on both the hero and the Bad Guy by giving the hero the mask in which the Bad Guy was sealed.

This time, the Mask would not make the same mistake. Majora's Mask would deal with its problems one at a time, like it had with the Giants. Perhaps it would be able to take a page from its master's book and turn one of its foes against the other. Yes, that was the way to go. The Mask would find a way to sneak up on the Bad Guy, and use this new hero to strike back against him. Then, it could stab the hero in the back… or maybe just curse him a little more thoroughly. If that didn't work, then it would crush the hero and expand across Termina, adding the desires of all it killed to its already vast powers. Then, Majora's Mask would launch a full assault against its remaining foes. Yeesss, both of them would pay for wrecking its fun.


The Lord of Chaos now thought of the young half-fey boy who currently held the Lifesong Orb. This one was an unwitting pawn of his, who did not even know he was a piece and not a player. The real purpose in using Majora's Mask was to manipulate the boy. If the Mask got its figurative hands on the Orb, then it would most certainly destroy it out of sheer hatred of being commanded. In fact, Majora's Mask would likely be planning to try and convince the boy to join forces against the one who currently controlled it. However, by acting through the Mask, the Lord of Chaos placed all blame squarely upon it. They would both fall victim to his trap, and he would be one artefact closer to godhood.

He ended his current line of thought with a maniacal laugh: "Heh…heh. Heh heh heh ha ha ha ha ha!"

End Act 5


Bonus Material

Link again found himself in the meadow in which he and the author had engaged in combat. Across from him were three other beings: rampaging-poet's black cloaked form, a tanned girl approximately his age in seafaring garb, a large Goron, and what appeared to be a younger version of Clocktown's postmaster.

"Umm… what are we all doing here?" Link asked.

"I held a contest, and the winner requested that you fight one of these three. Actually, there was one other, but Lineback hasn't shown up yet. In the interest of making the fight interesting, I am pitting you against each of them in turn until you defeat them all or I run out of space the write. Your first opponent shall be the postmaster, as seen in Majora's Mask."

Bonus Scene: Link vs. Three Opponents in a Row

Everybody except Link and the postmaster vanished. The green-haired hero drew the Sword of Storms. The postmaster saluted and then vanished. Link heard a noise behind him. He turned, swinging his blade as he did so. The postmaster was just out of reach of the blade.

"How did you get behind me like that?" Link asked.

"I am authorized to teleport in order to prevent from falling behind schedule or to deliver priority mail!" replied the postmaster.

"Priority mail? What priority-" Too late, Link noticed the envelope stuck to his back. As he reached back to rip it off, it exploded. He was thrown to the ground.

"Ouch." He stood up, dusted himself off, and turned to see the postmaster filling out something on a package. Before Link could stop him, his writing was complete. The man vanished just as Link shifted into Wolfos form. Though he was unable to strike the postmaster, he did manage to swat aside the box before it hit him. He then proceeded to chase after the postmaster and prevent him from filling out the paperwork necessary to send more priority letter-bombs at Link.

However, try as he might, he just couldn't catch up with the guy. He was always just a little bit ahead. The chase lasted quite some time before Link returned to human form and pulled out his trebuchet. As he began launching his own explosives at the postmaster, he said, "Just slow down already! How are keeping ahead of me?"

The postmaster, after dodging a pair of bombs, answered, "As postmaster, I have the ability to arrive at any given point exactly one second before any who would try to intercept the mail."

"Well it's getting annoying!" Link proclaimed, swapping out the trebuchet for the magic wand. He tried to strike the man with small fireballs, but was unsuccessful. Then, he noticed something dangling out of the postmaster's pocket. He created a gust of wind which blew it away. He then dashed toward it, using more attacks with the magic wand to insure the postmaster couldn't get to it. Upon picking it up, he found that it was exactly what he thought: an envelope, already approved for express delivery and just missing an address to be delivered to. He began writing one as the postmaster attempted to finish writing his own.

Link finished his letter to "Majora's Mask, The Clocktower, Central Square, Clocktown" first. He presented it to the postmaster, who was obligated by his position to deliver it with all possible haste. As he did not return, Link could only assume that the plan had worked.


A voice from nowhere announced, "Your second opponent is Tetra, from The Wind Waker". Suddenly, the young girl appeared. She immediately drew a sabre from her belt and rushed at Link. Link surprised her by suddenly transforming into the Tin Soldier and swinging the Meteor Maul at her ankle the instant she came close. She tripped forward, but soon recovered and turned to face a foe who had grown several feet and turned female since she last saw it.

Link struck at Tetra with the Sword of Storms, which sparked when it was block by the other girl's blade. They continued to exchange attacks and parries for about a minute. Suddenly, Link back-flipped away and returned her parrying knife to the D-bag. When Tetra again charged at her, she retaliated with a handful of stun-bombs. She then disarmed the stunned pirate and held her sword to her throat.

When Tetra came to, however, she did not give up. With one smooth motion, she dropped to the ground and kicked Link's legs out. This resulted in a startled Link tripping directly on top of Tetra, who proceeded to pull hair and continue kicking. From there, the battle rapidly devolved into a frenzy of screeches, elbows, and clawing. However, this was soon ended. Link shifted into Wolfos form and continued with the clawing tactic. Tetra scrambled out from underneath, heavily wounded by the onslaught. She grabbed her sword from the ground where Link had dropped it, but he rushed her and she was soon dispatched.


The largish Goron appeared, and certainly looked like a Sage of Fire. He had apparently decided to weave himself a cloak of flames. He nodded at Link, and then curled up into a ball and began rolling towards her. As he did so, the flames intensified and spikes started to sprout from his back. Link returned to human form and swung the Cloak of Power to deflect him. The Goron reversed direction but was soon able to come around for another pass.

This time, the fire extended too far to simply deflect; Link would be burned before the Cloak was in reach of anything it could bounce back. Instead, Link dropped a bomb to the ground and transformed into the Tin Soldier. It did its best to hide beneath the Mirror Shield as Darunia ignited the bomb. The shockwave from the blast was sufficient to force him to stop rolling. However, he could still continue to use his mighty fists. Link scrambled to the side as powerful Goron punches struck the earth around him.

Thinking quickly, Link shifted into Wolfos form and raised his claws to block. The punches hurt a bit, but he wasn't crushed. Unfortunately, he would soon end up burnt to a cinder if he didn't go on the offensive quickly. He had to find something to do. Suddenly, the answer came to him.

Taking advantage of the interval between punches, Link returned to human form without warning and swung the Cloak of Power, causing Darunia to spin 180°. As quickly as he could, he pulled out the Meteor Maul and swung it down upon his foe's head. As the Goron turned to face him again, he backed up and used the magic wand. He first used a geyser of water to put out the Sage's flames, and then used the most powerful ice blast he could muster. He continued to use ice blasts for some time, and then walked away from the frozen Goron. This time, he had won.


Comment: The story of the Mask's creation is basically ripped directly out of the manga, then dragged kicking and screaming into Lifesong Orb. Also, the reason Majora's Mask is evil has been explained: it was just abandoned by its "parent" right after being created from the hate, rage, and desire of millions of warriors! Also, the Lord of Chaos finds the whole chessboard thing a little cliche and instead plays Monopoly. Hey, at least the possibilities for a Monopoly game likely outnumber those for a chess game, and allow for more than two sides...

As for the powers of the postman, they are inspired by actual game mechanics. His ability to teleport comes from the way the video game Majora's Mask actually works. If you manage to delay the postman (or anybody else for that matter) by a significant amount, you can cause them to teleport to get back on schedule. The easiest way to do this is to pause and unpause repeatedly, causing time to advance while everything else stands still. As for his insane running speed... well he's got the same character model as the running man from OoT, who always beats you by one second because they never put in a reward for beating him. Also, the running man is wicked fast in OoT when he has the bunny hood, and the Twilight Princess mailman (who is based on the MM one) can easily outrun a horse. Besides, it was funny, and it's my story.

The first chapter of the final Act is going up tommorow. Se you all then!