"No, stop!"

The old sage lurched in front of the entourage in a failed attempt to protect the children from their hold again. A chuckle escaped the yellow fairy's mouth.

"Hah! Now give us what is ours children. Or I will be forced to take it from you! Give us your mortal connection!"

"Should I try using sage magic again?"

Link quickly dispelled Saria's idea. It had only worked before because Kodaikari was a sage himself, and respected fellow sages. The fairy, Muku as he was called, seemed much less partial to such sentiment.

"Alright then, I guess I'll take them myself!"

Using his own magic, Muku began to form a bright yellow ball of energy. Saria clutched her eyes shut, while Link steeled himself for the blow to come. It didn't. Suddenly, the whole cavern was booming with an incredible echoing sound. Some looked up in fear. Others dropped what they were doing and flew up to inspect the noise. And yet others... began to jam out.

"W-what? What in blazes is going on?!"

Muku became quite distraught at the echo, since his horde began to release the children and fly away toward the melodious sound.

"No! Get back here, fools! What in the great pits of Din is that racket?"

"I think I know what! I've never heard anyone play that loud though!"

Saria and Link stared upward toward their savior; music.


"Ooooaaaah baybaaaaay! Can't do this to me baybaaaaay! Just gotta get out, just gotta get right outta heeeeeeyaaaaa!"

Farrokh's ethereal form danced across the stage, alongside Richard, who was doing his own little jig. Briggi's guitar blared throughout the entire chamber as he riffed along, whilst Rodergi slammed on his drums so hard, it was a wonder he did not punch right through them. All the while, an accumulated crowd of specters and ghosts were cheering and singing along. Caught amidst the rowdy crowd of ghouls was an out of place Mari. There was but one thing for Mari to do. She jammed just as hard as the rest of them! Among all the odd spectral forms, she fit right in with the chaos. Though she had never heard such outlandish music before, Mari enjoyed herself to the fullest. Sliding back to his seat at the piano, Farrokh played a run on the keys with only his right hand, bringing the energy of the song back down for a close.

"Ooooooh, oooh yeah! Oooh yeah!"

Briggi accented Farrokh and Rodergi's acapella with three successive guitar scales, before sliding into a softer high note, toning down the song yet more.

"Nothing really matters, anyone can see. Nothing really matters..."

Rodergi smashed the cymbals one last time before halting drumming altogether. Farrokh paused for a moment and winked to his captive audience.

"Nooooooooothing really matters... to meeeeeeeeeeeee!"

Bringing the song to a close, the Zora ghost played descending scales. Briggi brought in a subtle accompanying accent to the scales with a few soft notes on his strings. Rodergi stood up from his drum pit, and held a large hammer before a gong.

"Any-way, the wind, blooooooows!"

While Richard played one long deep note, Rodergi smashed his mallet into the gong. Together they sent a vibrating crash throughout the entire temple. The crowd erupted into deafening cheers and applause. Even Mari couldn't help but whistle for the band of champions.


"They... they all left me..."

Link, Saria, Kodaikari and Muku were now literally the only souls left in the crevasse. Everyone else had flocked out to witness the show. Though the music had grown significantly quieter, now that there was no murmur or chaos the faint sound of the band was still audible. Little Muku was now powerless to stop the children. He glanced back at the harp, before breaking down into a feverish depression.

"But... you two can't take it... you just can't..."

"I'm sorry Muku, but that is how it must be. Now please. Let them be on their way. We've already troubled them enough."

"I promised... I promised Lady Blassoom I would let no one have it."

Why did that name sound vaguely familiar? Link could've sworn he had heard it not long ago.

"Muku, Lady Blassoom is gone. Besides, can you not feel the aura surrounding these two? I would dare say they both are children of destiny. Surely if they ask for it, then it is not without reason."

"But- *sigh* ...fine. Just take it and go. Before I change my mind."

Muku slumped away from the others. Saria was unsure what to make of the odd fairy, but she swallowed her thoughts and bowed to the old sage.

"Thank you for your help, Mister Kodaikari! And you too, I guess, Muku. Now c'mon Link! Let's get that thing so we can get out of this place."

"Likewise, child. Though I may never attain true peace, it has eased my soul to know I have assisted you. May the power of the triforce guide you!"

After one last farewell, Link and Saria flew down to the purple fairy harp fragment. This was it. The last one. Saria hesitated before she touched it. Was this really it? The end of their quest? She had never been on an adventure like this before. There had been plenty of ups and downs, but overall, she had enjoyed herself thoroughly. It was a learning trip, it had changed her and given her many new experiences. Experiences she had neglected in her own world. How had she come so far in life without ever learning what a horse was? In the space of roughly a week, she had become just short of proficient with a sword. She had seen so much, done so much. And with the last piece of the harp, she had to wish it all goodbye.

"Are you... okay?"

The curious boy looked the girl in her eyes. She was holding back tears.

"Yes... well, no. I don't know. I guess I'm getting kind of sentimental. Sorry... I'm being kind of silly, aren't I?"

"No... you're not."

Link put his hand atop Saria's. She turned to him and smiled a simple yet sincere smile.

"At the same time?"

"At the same time."

Both pressed their hands to the purple fragment, and were instantly met with blinding light. A great sea surrounded them, crystal clear, stretching to the horizon. A great glowing silhouette floated before them, almost too bright to look at. Three times before this figure had greeted them. She seemed somehow more complete this time, perhaps because they had collected all the other harp pieces. This would likely be the last time they saw her.

"It's you again! Who are you, and what do you want? Why have you appeared every time we have collected a piece of the harp?"

Saria took a soft breath after grilling the woman with questions. The goddess figure responded simply.

"Though I have been made more whole in your collecting the fragments, my time is still short. I will do my best to explain it all in the time I have."

"Explain? Those questions only need simple answers. What needs explaining?"

"Since you have failed to heed any of my words thus far, much. I need you both to understand, you cannot complete the great fairy harp!"

The goddess like woman had seemed to say this before. But Link and Saria still failed to grasp why she would not want them to. Only good could come of restoring the harp, right?

"But the harp will bring prosperity back to the valley! Why shouldn't we complete it?"

"Because! If you do, my sister will become unstoppable! The valley will be even worse off than it is now!"

This woman was making no sense, were they supposed to know who she was talking about?

"I'm sorry, you have a sister? I'm pretty sure you never told us that before. Who is your sister? We haven't seen her yet, have we?"

"How are both you so blind? She is the woman whom you have given the other three pieces of the harp to! Mistress Mandgrova!"

Mandgrova?! Wait... she had mentioned something about a sister. Both children racked their brains for the story she had told days before.*

"Wait a minute... So if you're Mandgrova's sister... then you're-"

"I am Blassoom, great fairy of the valley."

That was why the name sounded familiar! They had heard it in Mandgrova's story!

"Wait a minute, then you're the fairy who tried to destroy Plurbiocris! You put a curse upon the land!"

"I've cast no such curse! Who did you hear this lie from?"

"We heard it from Miss-... Mandgrova..."

Something was starting to add up. But it wasn't enough to make sense. They had only heard the story from her. No one else in the valley seemed to know what had actually happened.

"A twisted story from a twisted fairy. Don't you see? She spun a lie, and is using both you to get her the harp! I did not try to destroy the city, she did! I had to break apart the great fairy harp to keep her from proceeding with her dark designs. I attempted to seal her within the harp, but she turned the spell on me, and I was sealed instead! In the process, however, I managed to deprive her of all her magic power. She is of no problem now, but if she completes the harp, then her magic will return, its power amplified by the harp. The lands will be at her fingertips!"

It made so much sense, yet at the same time, none. The glow of Blassoom began to fade. She couldn't disappear yet! There were still so many questions!

"But why? Why would she do such a thing?"

"Because the people of the land have long dishonored us. They built their city on top of our fountain, and abused the magic of the fairies. But I sense that you both already knew this. I beg that you heed my words."

"Why should we trust you? How do we know you're not lying, and trying to trick us into something?"

"You have no reason to believe me. All that I ask is you have faith... have faith..."

Her last words echoed off as the world faded.

"No! Wait!"

Saria found herself covering her mouth now that they had returned to the real world. They had appeared in the ballroom that held Fairy Royalty's stage. The room was now empty, save for the band, Mari, and two bodies. Saria's exclamation had attracted the attention of her fairy.

"Saria! Link! You're back, and you got the harp piece!"

Link looked down to his hands. Yes, they had. But should they have?

"Was it scary? Ooh, I'll bet you met lots of ghosts. Funny, I actually met a lot of ghosts too! You should have seen it, it was chaos in here! Everyone was all crazy! Music was everywhere, and I forgot which way was up amidst all the excitement! You've never heard music like the stuff they played!"

A slightly overwhelmed Saria looked to any who might for help with the hyper sprite. Farrokh laughed a response.

"Hah! Your little friend had her first taste of real music. I'd dare say she's hooked!"

"It's a shame you missed it all, Saria. You would've loved it! Everybody was clapping their hands, and singing along, and-"

"Mari!"

Link snapped, bringing the fairy to her senses.

"Oh, sorry... haha. I guess I got a bit carried away. Mind if I ask how things went for both of you? You were gone a while."

"Well, like you said, we got the harp piece!"

"Great! Now we can get it to Mandgrova, and we can finally bring the magic back to the valley. Just imagine how much change it will bring for the better!"

Right, Mari hadn't been there with them this time. She hadn't heard the story.

"Uh... about that. I'm not really sure... that we should... anymore."

"What? What do you mean?"

Stunned by Saria's odd reluctance, Mari turned to Link.

"She's not serious, is she? Why would we go to all this trouble and not fix the harp?"

All Link offered was a scratch on the back of his head. He still hadn't wrapped his mind around what had happened, let alone what to do. All they had been questing for up to this point may have been a lie.

"It's not that I don't want to fix it, Mari... it's that I'm not sure whether we should."

"Heavens, what happened out there, you two?"


*If you want to reread Mandgrova's story, it's waaaaaay back in chapter 7.


Author's Note

Merry Christmas!

So the band joke finally came to a head, how many of you smelled it coming?

Of course, this isn't a songfic, we have more relevant matters at hand!

Is what the mysterious goddess woman says true?

What really happened to the harp?

Has there been too many twists lately? (Sorry, just that part of the story.)

Will I ever answer all these questions? Yes, eventually.