(Okay, the Sacred Land is a pretty big place. I thought of just mashing everything in one chapter, but for the sake of space, I'm splitting it into two.)
The giant puppet of King K. Rool collapsed to the ground, releasing the spirit of the Imprisoned. Link stood triumphant, sheathing his sword. He paused at the sudden silence, taking in the sight of the rocky terrain ahead and the orange, glowing depths below.
"Hey, what's that?" asked the Mii Swordfighter. "A statue?"
Link turned to where the warrior indicated. A structure of an owl with wide-spread wings stood not too far away. Link immediately advanced, drawing closer to the statue… until its eyes became aglow with blue light.
"I am the one who speaks the truth."
Link listened closely to the statue's words. If he was correct…
"The truth, huh?" replied the Mii. "Well then, statue, could you tell us where Dharkon's guardian lies in wait for us?"
There came no reply.
"Uh, hello?"
"I believe statues like these hold messages," Sheik answered for him. "And there should be more elsewhere. If we find them and heed their words, the answers will be ours."
"Alright, let's get bird-hunting!"
First, the group pressed onwards and descended down a stone staircase. Bowser and Incineroar took on a giant Ganondorf puppet with Toon Link firing off arrows. Pikachu battled against a metallic R.O.B. and the Mii Swordfighter dueled against two clones of Link and Robin. Link and Sheik approached another owl statue, the structure activating the former rested his palm against it.
"The sword that seals the darkness can cleave this gloom."
Link caught something aglow out of the corner of his eye. There, just down below, was a sword embedded blade-first in a pedestal.
The Master Sword.
All Link needed to do was get to it and claim it as his once again. The blade of evil's bane would prove extremely useful against the guardian… and possibly Dharkon himself.
Once the area was clear, the group turned their attention to a nearby village… with the entrance blocked. They'd have to return later. Sheik discovered another statue near another staircase, leading her to activate it.
"Wisdom and courage will be your allies."
"Interesting…"
Pikachu noticed another staircase and bounded down it, prompting the others to follow him. Halfway down, a Marth puppet rushed towards them, but a combined effort from Link and the Mii Swordfighter sent it tumbling over the edge. Not long after that, the group reached the bottom of the stairs… and were met by an immense cloud of fog.
"Our enemy could be anywhere," spoke Sheik. "Stay wary and be ready for anything."
Pikachu looked back with a nod… and bumped head-first into solid rock. Another statue. In response to the contact, its eyes lit up and an ancient voice echoed from within.
"Courage lies with the hopeful girl who waits for her friend."
"A girl who's waiting for her friend…" repeated the Mii. "Could that be another of our friends?" Link remained silent, for something about those words rang close to him. It was true that he wielded the Triforce of Courage… so perhaps this phrase referred to him specifically. In that case, who was the girl?
Everyone continued into the fog-filled forest, their senses heightened and on high alert. Pikachu's ears twitched… and he spun to electrocute two Isabelle puppets that popped out from a bush. Incineroar tackled one of them and proceeded to slam it into the ground.
Further down the gloomy path, another statue awaited them. Its eyes washed over the Smashers in a sapphire hue.
"East, south, and then continue south. The invisible path calls for you."
"A hidden path, huh?" the Mii deduced. "This just got a little interesting."
The group turned down the left path at the incoming fork while Bowser held back. He grappled with a giant red Yoshi puppet, snatching its outstretched tongue and pulling it in. A punch to its nose toppled the dinosaur. As the rest of the group pressed on, Toon Link caught the sight of another path and headed down, urging the Mii Swordfighter to follow. As the two swordsmen went on alone, the duo engaged with a tiny Mewtwo puppet.
Incineroar body-slammed a Luigi puppet, burying it in the ground. Yanking it back out, he spun and threw it against a tree. Heeding the statue's directions, Link took point… and before long, he paused, bringing confusion to Bowser and Incineroar. He pointed with his sword down another path: one that was shrouded by fog and foliage. Nodding in confirmation, he moved down the hidden pathway and left Bowser and Incineroar to shrug at each other. As everyone else progressed, Pikachu and Sheik met two green Mega Man puppets in battle, the little Pokémon sliding underneath a thrown Leaf Shield and countering with a flip of his tail that sent the robot into the air. Pikachu used Thunderbolt, dealing critical damage to the puppet's systems.
When Link emerged from the hidden path, they found another statue looking as if it was expecting him.
"North, west, then continue north. Dive in with courage."
As before, Link followed the statue's directions. They led him to a lake in the forest's clearing… where everyone else had beaten him. Sheik landed the final blow to a Palutena puppet. Nearby, Bowser tried to stomp a tiny raspberry-blowing Diddy Kong puppet into a pancake, growing more and more frustrated at each failed attempt. Incineroar dove and caught the little monkey with a victorious grin, bopping it over the head with a fist. Pikachu darted along the rim of the lake with a copy of himself in high pursuit. He sidestepped an incoming Thunderbolt shock, retaliating with an Electro Ball.
And on the other side of the lake were Toon Link and the Mii Swordfighter. The latter grew intrigued at the sight of a chest, sheathing his weapons to investigate. Toon Link moved closer to the chest, lifted the lid open, hopped up to retrieve what was inside…
"WAAAH!"
...and fell right through!
With a gasp of surprise, the Mii Swordfighter hopped into the chest after him. Link raised a brow at this turn of events. It looked like there wasn't anything in there after all…
Wherever they went didn't matter now. Link looked down to his reflection in the shimmering lake. Didn't the statue say something about "diving in"? If that's what he had to do, then…
Link took a few steps back… and sprinted forth, jumping into the lake with a splash.
…
Toon Link and the Mii Swordfighter popped out of the chest, landing in a different part of the forest. "Ugh… bet you'll never look at treasure chests the same way again, huh?"
Both of them stood up, brushing themselves off. They looked ahead to see where they arrived… and saw a caped figure facing away from them, aglow with a dark aura near some crystals. "So, you've arrived. If I'm being honest, I expected you to take longer than you did. That was an unexpected path needed to reach me."
"Chrom!" called the Mii Swordfighter, drawing his weapon. Toon Link did the same, preparing for battle. The Mii shot forth, his blade connecting with Chrom's falchion. The Shepherd captain reacted with just a coy smile.
"It is also unexpected," he spoke as they continued to duel. "That you are so eager to rush right to your death." Toon Link rolled underneath a swipe, striking from the right. Chrom deflected the strike and kicked the hero away. The Mii threw Shurikens of Light and a chakram, to which his opponent swatted away. "Is this really the best you can do?"
"Funny. I was about to ask the same thing. I know Dharkon gave you guys a power boost. So, what's up your sleeve?"
"You wish to know how you die? Very well."
Chrom struck a pose, charging up a current of violet lightning on his blade. With a roar, he jumped and spun, unleashing an arc of electricity at the Mii. The other swordsman dove to the side, watching the arc explode against a tree.
Chrom lashed out with more arcs, each of them bursting into electric fields. The Mii jumped over a horizontal one and struck again. The electricity from Chrom's blade crossed over to the Mii's own… sending a shock through his body. His opponent stunned, Chrom whacked him on the head with his hilt and kicked him back.
"Hmph! You're not even worth my-"
Chrom paused. What was that hissing sound he was hearing just now? Curious, he glanced to his feet… and saw a lit bomb with its fuse nearing its end.
BOOM!
The explosion rocketed Chrom into the air. Toon Link and the Mii Swordfighter jumped high to give chase, unleashing their own aerial spin attacks. The Mii pointed his blade downward, stabbing into Chrom's back on their way down. The trio hit the ground, two of the three swordsmen hopping back up.
"Let's finish this!"
Chrom struggled to stand, collapsing on one knee. "Lord Dharkon… forgive me…"
The Mii and Toon Link struck as one, their slashes forcing Chrom into his trophy state. When he got a good look at the trophy, the Mii gave out a chuckle. "Heh. Looks like we did find a treasure after all."
…
Link breached the water's surface with a gasp. What was so important that he had to swim all the way here? The hero of Hyrule climbed onto dry land, his form dripping wet. He drew his weapons, eyes searching for anything suspicious.
It wasn't too long before he found trouble. An Isabelle puppet had its fishing rod in the lake, a Young Link puppet sitting beside her. The copy of his counterpart jolted at the sight of Link, jumping up and drawing its own weapons. It charged with a yell, jumping up and bringing its sword down. Link absorbed the blow with his shield, dropping onto his back and flinging the clone over him. From behind, the Isabelle puppet ran up with a broom in hand… but Link bashed it in the face with his shield without taking his eyes off the other copy.
The copy of Young Link came for him again. Link dodged two strong slashes, parrying the third and following with an upward slash. He juggled the clone with three overhead slashes, then threw a Rune Bomb to where it landed. The clone tried to stand back up… but a blue explosion denied it the chance.
Lastly, Link stabbed down on the stunned Isabelle puppet, vanquishing it where it lied. The spirit that rose from the destroyed trophy floated to Link's face… with the face of a smiling girl.
Saria. What Link understood from the archives, she was Young Link's old friend. She had to be the "girl who waited" the statue spoke of. But the statue also said that "courage lies" with her. Maybe setting this spirit free had cleared a path?
Only one way to find out. Sheathing his weapons, Link ran back to the lake and dove in. He swam through the underwater passage, following the tunnel until he saw the watery line of the surface…
He burst out onto land, blinking to clear his vision. The Mii Swordfighter and Toon Link had returned, dueling against impostors resembling Shulk and Lucina, the former copy dual-wielding with a Fire Bar. The Mii ducked a swing, kicking the puppet in the side to counter. Incineroar battled against a Mii Brawler puppet with Skull Kid's appearance, and Pikachu blasted electricity at two low-flying Meta Knights.
A flash of a blade slashed through the Meta Knights' wings, downing them from both the air and the fight. Sheathing his falchion, Chrom turned his eyes to Link. "Enjoy your swim?"
Link just smiled and nodded at him. He turned and ran off down another clouded path, prompting everyone else to follow. The Mii Brawler impaled the Shulk puppet and kicked it away, while Toon Link slashed at the Lucina puppet's throat. Both of them were off before the puppets hit the ground and reverted.
Link hiked through the foggy forest, holding a hand to his face and squinting through the dense clouds. As he went deeper… he heard something faint and soothing. Like music. Where was it coming from?
Link broke into a run, following the tunes to their source: another clearing where the fog was absent. In the center sat a child-like figure playing what appeared to be an ocarina. A child dressed in dark green with a sword and wooden shield on his back.
He stopped playing as if sensing something was amiss. He looked over his shoulder, revealing a dark violet eye. His face of confusion turned into an expression of anger. Young Link rose, turned to his elder counterpart… and drew his weapons. Link repeated his actions, dropping into a ready stance.
Young Link tossed a bomb as he charged. Link deflected the explosive with his shield, leaving it to detonate in the trees. He rolled from a sword swing, countering with a swipe of his own. The two heroes struck at each other again, the sword of one meeting the shield of the other. Link backflipped away, drawing his bows and shooting off a volley of arrows. Young Link raised his shield, the projectiles thunking into the wood.
With an unamused expression, he chopped the arrows off with his sword and readied his own bow. The arrow lit up with a purple flame and sailed towards Link with incredible speed. Link brought up the Hylian Shield... and felt himself stumbling from the force of an explosion.
Young Link aimed at the ground this time, firing at Link's feet. The fire-tipped arrow blew in a purple explosion, popping Link into the air. Young Link fired two more arrows, but Link slashed them in half and came back down spinning. Young Link jumped away from the incoming stab, leaving Link to hit nothing but the ground. He raised his weapon from the ground just in time to block a swing, slamming his shield into Young Link's face. The alternate hero fell on his back, turning this into a roll to recover.
The two heroes charged at each other again, swords glinting off shields in a mix of sparks and bits of chipped wood. Link kicked his counterpart in the face, knocked his sword away with his shield… and strongly slashed against his torso. With an echoing cry of despair, Young Link collapsed to the ground in a burst of dark energy.
Link exhaled in relief, sheathing his weapons. He knelt down to the triumphant-posing trophy of his alternate self… and touched a finger to the base. The ensuing light seemed enough to dissipate the nearby fog. When everything dimmed, Young Link shook his head with a moan, bringing a hand to his face.
Link extended his own hand in gratitude. And with a smile of confidence and courage, Young Link took it.
…
Where the three lands connected, a yellow triangle appeared in a shining light.
...
Bowser jumped on top of a giant Charizard, pinning it to the ground. Incineroar grabbed the neck of another normal-sized puppet, preventing it from roasting Pikachu to a crisp. From the skies, three more Charizards rained down fireballs and flames streams on the heroes while the Mii Swordfighter battled a Sheik puppet. The clone hopped, nailing him in the head with a kick.
Link shielded himself from a fiery strafing run, shooting at the dragon puppet with his bow. His arrows hit their mark, downing the puppet. Chrom slashed at the throat of another Charizard that dove down to snatch him in its claws, sending it crashing and kicking up dirt. And lastly, Young Link ran from the last puppet swooping for him with a knowing look on his face. The Charizard clone roared, flying low to gobble him up. Before it could, Young Link threw a bomb in its mouth and dove out of the way. The following explosion had both the puppet coughing smoke and had it fall to the ground in defeat.
The Sheik puppet threw knives at the Mii, who weaved away from each one. He and Chrom rushed the puppet from two directions, finishing it off synchronously. From the remains of the puppets, the spirits of Jakob and the four-headed Landia arose.
"Over there," reported Chrom. "Another of those statues." Link jogged up to it, anxious to hear what it had to say. Upon his arrival, the eyes shone like blue beacons.
"The light of the plaza engraves the time."
"Plaza?" repeated Bowser. "What plaza?"
"That plaza," answered the Mii, pointing to a nearby village with his sword. "The one with all the unlit torches in two rings. But what was that last part about time?"
"Let us find out," answered Chrom, drawing his blade and charging into the plaza. A plaza that was not empty, as two puppets of himself and Zelda quickly noticed him. While Chrom engaged his clone, Bowser charged towards the Zelda puppet, who commanded a newly-assembled Phantom to attack. Bowser, hardly fazed, plowed through the construct shoulder-first, blowing it to metallic pieces. He swung an arm at another before its sword could even touch him. He moved to roast the puppet with his fire breath… and paused. The puppet was holding something the Koopa King wasn't expecting in its arms, a knowing smile on its face.
"Is… that a chicken?"
The bird hopped onto the ground, waddling towards Bowser with a series of clucking sounds. Incineroar caught a glimpse, laughing and pointing at the animal. "Seriously? Whattaya think a chicken's gonna do?" Nearby, Young Link caught sight of the animal... and froze in horror. "Peck me to death? Ha! Look at it!"
Young Link waved his arms desperately, but Bowser didn't notice. "Because I'm telling you, that thing's beak isn't gonna be-"
The chicken curiously pecked Bowser's foot.
"YOW!" he roared painfully. "GRRR! STUPID BIRD! C'MERE, YOU LITTLE-!" Angrily, Bowser snatched the chicken in one palm and threw it away as hard as he could, the animal squawking in alarm. Huffing in fury, Bowser turned back to the phony princess. "Very. Funny. Now, if you're done having fun with your feathered freak…"
BA-KAWK!
"Huh?" Bowser turned to the sound… and saw an angry flock of chickens stampeding right for him. Young Link moaned, turning away and hiding his face behind his hands.
"AAAAH! GET 'EM OFF! GET 'EM OFF! AAAAAAH!" When Young Link peeked through his fingers, he saw Incineroar being buried underneath a cloud of white feathers and scrambling to get away in a panic. Sheik sprinted past, engaging the Zelda puppet with flips and kicks among magical blasts. While they fought, Young Link only sighed at the poor Koopa King and Pokémon. They learned the hard way what one should never, ever do in his world.
Never antagonize a Cucco.
The Mii Swordfighter stood near a torch, a hand to his chin. "Hmm…" he muttered. "The light of the plaza…" He extended a hand towards the surface… and drew back with a gasp when a red flame burst into existence. Immediately afterward, he heard the sound of something crumbling. The Mii turned his head, past the sight of Chrom dueling two puppets of Simon and Lucina with Pikachu at his side. A figure in black and red marched through the dust of fallen boulders: a figure who stepped into view and cracked his knuckles, blazing violet eyes searching for a target.
"You."
Incineroar paused when the Mii Brawler pointed a finger at him. After looking around in confusion, the Pokémon pointed at himself.
"Yes, you. I could take on anyone else here if I chose to, but weapons are for the weak and unworthy. So, come on. Face me like a real fighter!"
"Hey!" cried the Swordfighter, feeling somewhat insulted at the words sharper than his blade. With a gleeful, challenging grin on his face, Incineroar punched a palm and sprinted at full speed. The Mii matched his pace, running up to his opponent. He slid underneath a claw swipe and swept the surprised Incineroar's legs out from under him. The Pokémon vaulted back to his feet, swinging at the Mii with a backhand. The martial artist blocked the following strikes, snatching a clawed paw and twisting it. Incineroar grimaced before the Mii threw him to the ground, overpowering the foe slightly larger than him.
Pikachu trotted towards his fellow Pokémon to lend a hand, his red cheeks sparkling with lightning. Without even glancing at the new arrival, the Mii raised a fist… conjuring a rock wall from the ground blocking Pikachu's advance. "Pika?!"
Incineroar shook his head and gasped, equally shocked at this turn of events. The Mii stomped down, popping a chunk of the earth in front of him that he sent flying with a kick. Yelping, Incineroar rolled to the side and quickly stood, unleashing a Fire Blast from his burning belt. The Mii Brawler jumped over the flaming kanji, punching down on the ground with enough force to create a small tremor. Incineroar leaped into the air, evading the shockwave and following up with a Flamethrower.
The Mii rolled away from the fiery stream, his fists lighting up with a purple glow. With fury on his face and a raging scream from his lips, he punched the air so fast his arms were blurs… and purple energy fists sailed through the air like missiles. Incineroar ran away in a panic, the Mii turning in place to keep up the pace.
The Pokémon turned to the fighter with worry in his eyes. This was gonna be harder than he thought…
…
"Wisdom lies with the royal family's guardian, trapped in time."
"Wisdom…" repeated Sheik. "The piece of the Triforce I wield. And this guardian to the royal family… could it be-?"
Nearby, the Mii Swordfighter discovered another statue. "Okay… what hints do you hold?" In response to his words, the statue's eyes shone like spotlights.
"Torchlight reveals the hour. Create the time I speak."
"Torchlight? Hour?" mumbled the Mii, glancing to the torches. Those with red colorings formed one ring while the blue ones formed another outside it. And from what he had discovered during his sweep of the plaza, he counted twelve of them.
"Hour… wait…" his eyes grew in realization. "Sheik! It's a clock!"
"A… clock?" repeated the disguised princess.
"Yeah! Look, there are twenty-four torches around the plaza, two rings of twelve! Each ring must represent the minute and hour hands. In this case, the blue and red rings respectively!"
Sheik paused. "It's possible… what must we do?"
"The statue said 'create the time I speak'," answered the Mii. "We just need to find another one and go from there!"
"If you two are just about finished-" came a grunting voice. "Link and I could use some backup!" The Mii and Sheik turned to the north, where Link, Toon Link, and Bowser were battling against outnumbering odds of impostors: three Villagers, Young Link, Falco, Duck Hunt, Shulk, Diddy Kong, and a Mii Swordfighter with the appearance of Dunban.
"Let's move!" called Chrom, calling Young Link to his side. The two of them charged towards the battle, prompting Sheik and the Mii to join in. The four reinforcements reached the fray in no time. With Chrom's assistance, Link sliced through two of the Villager puppets and hurriedly trudged up a hill.
Toon Link clashed with the Young Link puppet until the real Hero of Time literally stabbed his doppelganger in the back. A combined slash from the two finished it off, but there was no time for relaxation. Young Link ran for the Shulk copy, introducing his sword to the false Monado. Bowser kicked the Duck Hunt puppet away, snarling when laser blasts hit him in the face.
Sheik lunged at the Falco puppet while Chrom engaged the Duck Hunt clone. The dog bit his falchion; a move Chrom countered by throwing the clone behind him. Link stabbed the copy from above, finishing it. The Mii Swordfighter crossed swords with the warrior of his people's likeness, pushing for an advantage. Toon Link blocked a thrown flower pot, tossing a bomb at the third Villager copy.
Sheik cut down the false pilot at the same time the Mii disarmed his opponent and took him down with a dual strike. He tossed the other sword behind him, sheathing his own. "Is that all of them?"
"You got here when you did, that's for sure," added Bowser. "Hey, what about those two?"
He pointed down below to the two Pokémon facing the Mii Brawler. The Mii snatched Pikachu from behind and slammed him in a suplex move. Incineroar clotheslined the fighter and knocked him to the ground. A double-fisted slam connected to the Mii's chest, followed by Incineroar grabbing him by the arms and flinging him into the sky.
"Pika!" called the smaller Pokémon in determination. Grabbing him like a baseball, Incineroar drew back and threw him after the Mii. "Incin!"
Airborne, Pikachu surrounded himself in an electric field and crashed down on the Mii, sending them back down to earth in an explosion of lightning. From the dust that settled, he shook his ears and glanced to where a half-buried trophy lied in the dirt.
"They're fine," answered the Swordfighter. "Now, where's that-"
"Twelve ten."
He turned to see Link by another statue further up the hill, watching its eyes dim until the light was gone. Sheik looked to Link with a calm gaze. "Well, that settles it. Follow me, Link. I've got an idea."
They returned to the plaza in no time, where one Mii reunited with the other with clasped palms. "Glad to have you back, buddy!" called the Swordfighter. "Our triple threat is back on now!"
"You got the Gunner? Awesome!" replied the Brawler with a thumbs-up. "Can't wait to show that one-eyed freak what for!"
"Let's just focus on one thing at a time, please."
Sheik stood at the red torch to the far north while Link approached the second blue torch from the one above Sheik's position. With a nod from the two of them, they lit them both up in flames. The Mii Swordfighter looked to Link with crossed arms and a satisfied smile. "Your world has the most interesting puzzles."
With the correct time displayed, something glowed on the center island. Curious, Link crossed the bridge over the river to investigate. He reached a clearing surrounded by trees… and from the branch of one, a Sheik puppet dropped down.
The clone dashed to Link in a flash, striking its knee in his gut. Link blocked the next two kicks with his shield and swiped across the copy's chest three times. A fourth swing was dodged by the puppet, but it failed to evade Link dropping low and sweeping its legs. The puppet rolled away from the following stab, springing to its feet and tossing needles at the hero. Link charged, blocking the sharp, near-invisible projectiles with his shield. He dove at the puppet with another slash, this one connecting perfectly.
The puppet slammed against a tree, weakened. A spinning slash from Link hit its neck, causing it to burst into darkness… and release another spirit donning armor like that of a bodyguard.
"Impa," spoke Sheik. "My family's old protector."
Past the island, another rumbling sound echoed through the team's ears. This one was louder than the one that brought forth the Mii Brawler. Coming together again, the team moved to check it out.
Through a short and narrow passageway, three tiny Mewtwo copies floated into formation and bombarded the group with psychic attacks. The three Links took cover behind their shields, defending everyone else while Pikachu and the Mii Brawler took to the air. Their strikes grounded the impostors, granting Bowser the chance to swiftly finish them off with a wave of fire.
"I am hardly surprised," spoke a feminine voice. "While Lord Dharkon believed you would have difficulty with this trial, Link, I had no doubts of my own. I expected you to succeed, and as such, I have been preparing for you."
Up ahead at a platform bordered by four ruined pillars stood a figure in a gown. Two unmoving statues, these ones armed with swords and rectangular shields, stood in daunting, guarding poses.
Sheik narrowed her eyes. Link stood in a protective stance. Zelda just smiled deviously… and held out her arm. "Phantoms! Strike!"
The statues came alive with movement, charging towards the Smashers. Sheik sprinted forward towards the body containing the other half of her soul, sliding underneath one of the Phantoms. The Mii Swordfighter blocked the sword of the other, but the sheer size of the not-so-inanimate object's weapon was enough to instantly break his defense.
Sheik flipped to Zelda's position and went on the offensive. Her opponent's hands flared with magic, casting blasts at her in dark flashes. "This is not the Triforce of Wisdom's purpose!" called Sheik, landing a palm strike to the face. "It is meant to heal, not to harm! It bestows knowledge, not destruction! The very form you see before you is a result of my usage of it!"
"The power of the Triforce of Wisdom is not yours to wield! It is mine and mine alone!" called Zelda, blocking a knife with a small magical shield.
Sheik stepped back. "Exactly."
Furiously, Zelda cast Din's Fire, launching a violet fireball at Sheik. She flipped away, leaving it to explode against a pillar. "This is not what Nayru would have wished…"
"There is only one god here," retorted Zelda, summoning dark lightning that crackled in her palms. "The god I loyally serve!" With an angry cry, she thrust the lightning at Sheik. She jumped over the magic, landing a kick to Zelda's face and adding another to the chest. The princess cried out in pain, clamming into another pillar.
Sheik approached the end of the platform, standing before the collapsed princess. "The Triforce of Wisdom grants its possessor to make the correct decisions," she spoke. "It makes them wiser than any mortal."
"SILENCE, WELP!" Another stream of lightning shot out in Sheik's direction. She cartwheeled away, tossing a knife that nicked Zelda on the shoulder. "AH!"
"We are one and the same. The wisdom is ours equally. From what the Triforce grants me, I know this is not the right way to settle things." Growling, Zelda hoisted herself up and advanced with purple eyes burning. "What do YOU know of wisdom?!"
Sheik lunged forward, striking at Zelda in a flurry of knife slashes nearly invisible to the human eye. By the time of her conclusion, she stood behind the princess in a triumphant ninja-like pose.
"Everything."
"AAAAAAAH!" The effects of Sheik's blitz took effect, enough to land a finishing blow on Zelda and clouding her in a dark storm. At the same time, Sheik grunted and brought a hand to her forehead, stumbling against the pillar.
Link ran up to the platform in concern, keeping his gaze on where Zelda lay… but when the clouds parted, there was no sign of a trophy waiting to be revived. Chrom moved to Link's side, watching the standing Sheik. "Sheik? How do you feel?"
She didn't reply. Instead, she brought a hand to her chest, closed her eyes… and clenched it into a fist. A golden glow brightened her wrist, enveloping her in a soft glow of light…
The light dissipated, revealing a beaming woman in a gown.
"Alive," answered Zelda.
…
A second golden triangle appeared to the left of the first, an audible gleam emanating from it.
…
The team backtracked down the path they took to arrive in the village, where more enemies awaited them. Young Link and Zelda took on copies of themselves, ending them with a thrust and a magical blast from both hands. Once the area was secure, Link approached another statue.
"There is one who awaits the arrival of a hero."
Link caught something aglow behind him. He turned, glancing up a stone pathway… to where a bright pedestal stood with a legendary sword there for the taking. Link froze in place, his jaw hanging open.
The Master Sword. Once again calling to him.
"Guess you won't be needing that anymore, huh?" asked the Brawler, gesturing to the sword already in his sheath. Chrom placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "The Master Sword is an extremely powerful weapon, am I right?"
Zelda nodded. "The blade of evil's bane has a sole purpose: to dispel darkness and evil. If it could accomplish this for Ganon… it can surely do the same for Dharkon."
"It could help us out," added the Mii Swordfighter. "Even if it has the slightest chance of weakening him."
Bowser laughed triumphantly to Link. "Well, what are you waiting for? Take it! Claim your prize!"
Link walked up to the steps, his two counterparts by his side. He glanced at each of them… and they both nodded in encouragement. Link smiled, nodding back. He drew his sword from his sheath, taking one last glance at his former life before hibernation…
He stabbed it into the ground, signifying its new role as a memento. Link climbed the steps one at a time, everyone down below watching his ascent. Link reached the top of the first flight in no time, continuing up the next path…
SHOOM!
The other two Links spun around in alarm… and saw nothing but dust. The rest looked around in confusion. "Was that… the wind?" asked the Mii Swordfighter.
"That didn't sound like any wind I know," answered the Brawler.
"Everyone, stay sharp," warned Chrom, a hand on the hilt of his falchion. "We might not be alone."
Link breathed out, finally reaching the top. The Master Sword waited in its pedestal, the center of a Triforce symbol, its glow beckoning to him. He felt drawn to it like metal to a magnet, like a moth to a flame…
He didn't even realize he was standing right in front of it now. Inside him, Link felt like the Master Sword was telling him what to do. He reached down, wrapping his fingers along the hilt… and pulled.
The base of the pedestal began to glow. Link poured all his strength into his arms and into the Master Sword itself. He gritted his teeth in both anxiousness and determination, hearing a low shine fill his ears.
The blade lit up with blue light as it slowly started to inch out from its place. Quarter by quarter, Link could feel his strength and energy leaving him. Sweat rolled down his face. He adjusted his footing, placing his feet firmly on the ground. He gripped the hilt tighter, pulling with all his might.
The blade inched out further. The glow brightened. Link held on so tight he felt like his hands were going to come off. He felt his breaths come in rapid pants. He focused all his thoughts and his very being on lifting the weapon out.
The glow grew ever brighter and the shining intensified.
Almost… there…
Link audibly strained through his teeth. His muscles felt like they were burning. His body was racked with pain as if he could drop dead at any moment if he stopped. But he wouldn't stop. His soul urged him to continue, no matter what. From his weakening vision, Link barely made out the tip of the blade coming out…
VRRRREEEEEEEE!
His eyes shot open and a gasp left his aching throat.
WHAM! A spinning purple ball slammed against his chest. In an instant, whatever breath he had left escaped him in a wounded gasp. Through his remaining consciousness, he felt himself sailing. Pain shot through his body when he crashed down onto landing after landing… and he nearly blacked out when he landed in an exhausted heap by his horrified friends.
"LINK!" cried Chrom.
WHOOSH! A purple blur shot past everyone, leaving them to realize their weapons had just been taken from their grip. "What the-"
From behind Chrom, something large slashed across his back and dropped him to his knees. Bowser charged in with a fist, plowing it into the ground. A large black sword cut him across the chin, toppling him. The figure zipped past Zelda with another slash, kicking away the caught-off-guard Brawler. The Mii tumbled to a halt, a moan of pain leaving him.
"Hmph," said the new arrival, placing his massive weapon on his shoulder. He turned, revealing spiky hair and dark clothing to match the color of his eyes. "You're not even worth the challenge."
"Cloud!" roared Bowser. "I'll teach you to ambush us from behind like that! RAAA-" He charged in with a roar… but something quick and purple hit him in the stomach. "OOF! What-"
It hit him again from the side. Bowser swung, only to get nailed again in the back. The purple streak whacked the Koopa King over and over from each direction, giving Bowser no time to react and leaving him to get pummeled. Incineroar stood protectively in front of a confused Pikachu.
The final hit to Bowser's chin sent him crashing onto his back. The assailant landed next to Cloud and rose with a devilish chuckle. Black fur covered his body, his gloves were dark black, and his shoes were also black with purple stripes. "You're just the same as ever, shell-for-brains. All bark and no bite!"
"Sonic?!" gasped the Mii Swordfighter.
"Lord Dharkon knew you couldn't resist the temptation to take up your greatest weapon, Link," explained Cloud. "The perfect bait for his trap. All Lord Dharkon had to do was to send us to guard it and finish you for good."
"And you fell for it hook, line, and sinker! As long as we're around, you won't lay another finger on that stupid knife!"
Cloud cringed. "Although why he paired me up with you, of all of his warriors, baffles me. You are just as intolerable before Galeem captured you."
"What can I say? It's part of my charm!"
Five Phantoms assembled around the duo, surrounding them with defensive stances and cold stares through their headless visors. From behind, Zelda frowned at them with raised hands. "If you wish to get to Link, you'll have to face the rest of us first!"
"Just because you caught us off-guard…" groaned the standing Brawler. "Doesn't mean we're easy to beat."
"Pika…" whispered Pikachu, his saddened eyes on Sonic.
Cloud frowned in annoyance at the Phantoms, readying his Buster Sword. "You believe these constructs will be enough to stop us?! They're nothing more than training dummies ripe for testing!"
A devious cackle came from Sonic's throat. "Alright, then! Let's test them out!"
In a purple flash, he tore through one Phantom as if it was nothing more than wet paper. He spun through in swift Spin Dashes, reducing it to scrap metal. Another swung down at Cloud, who effortlessly blocked the strike and chopped off the arm. A following swing to the midsection broke the Phantom apart. Cloud sidestepped the next attack, hopped onto another Phantom's shoulder, sliced off the helmet, and vaulted off with another strike to the chest. Without even looking at the third, Cloud stabbed it through the midsection and spun, cutting off its legs. A heap of metal scattered around him.
The final Phantom stood on alert, watching a purple streak race around its feet. The blur circled around, driving a fist right into the armor's helmet. With a yell, Sonic sped all around the armor and landed powerful blows everywhere, making it look like the suit was being damaged by nothing at all.
The Phantom blew apart into metallic bits. Sonic touched down, catching the helmet in his hand. "Looks like you'll have to go back to the drawing board, oh wise one!" He raced away from the steps and took off running in an arc, leaving a trail of violet fire in his wake. The flames created a wall that blocked off any chance of escape, leaving the fighters trapped with the two dark fighters.
The fighters regathered their weapons, running to engage the two. Toon Link and Young Link met Cloud in battle, the latter lashing out with rage-filled strikes. The sheer force of the Buster Sword was enough to send them both flying back… even if they blocked. Toon Link fired his Clawshot, only for Cloud to grab it and pull hard, sending Toon Link falling face-first into the ground. Young Link ran up from behind with another yell. Gritting his teeth, Cloud swung with the Buster Sword again, this time nearly knocking the Hero of Time's shield from his grip.
Young Link collapsed while the Mii Swordfighter and Chrom took their turn fighting Cloud. These two held better against the SOLDIER-material warrior, focusing on dodging rather than blocking before landing openings. A kick from Cloud knocked the Mii away while the Buster Sword met Chrom's falchion in a clash of sparks.
Young Link decided to switch targets, drawing his bow with a fiery arrow. Sonic ran all across the field, fighting whoever he felt like fighting. The Mii Brawler's punches and kicks whiffed through open air, Sonic dodging them quicker than the eye could track. With a flurry of rapid punches, he blitzed on the Mii's chest, zipped behind him when he was knocked back, kicked him in the other direction, punched him into the air, nailed him with a Spin Attack on his own ascent, and somersault-kicked him down for the finishing touch.
"Ugh… I always hated fighting against you," groaned the martial artist. "You're too fast…"
"No… you're too slow."
Sonic sped off, leaving the collapsed Mii in the ground. Next, he sped in front of Zelda, who shot a magical blast at a blocking Cloud. "Hey, you! Triangles are overrated!"
Zelda blasted a fireball at Sonic, who casually jumped out of the way so it hit the approaching Bowser instead. The Koopa King snarled, again falling to the ground while a hand flew to Zelda's horrified face. "My apologies!"
"INCIN!" growled Incineroar challengingly, beckoning Sonic to come at him with both hands. He braced himself like a soccer goalie, the dark hedgehog in a runner's stance. He launched himself at the Pokémon in a purple Homing Attack, zeroing in on his target's face.
Incineroar caught the whirling hedgehog in both hands, grunting and straining from the sudden effort to hold him at bay. Sonic increased his spin power until Incineroar's hands were nearly smoking… until he shot through the Pokémon's defense, bashing him in the head. Incineroar collapsed, shaking his head and immediately blowing on his injured hands. He leaped back up and tried to get the jump on Sonic from the air… but the hedgehog shot up after him and kicked Incineroar to the ground, making him eat dirt.
The Mii Brawler rushed Sonic from behind, only for the hedgehog to snag him and throw him over his shoulder. Sonic kicked the Mii away like a soccer ball, looking around for his next victim.
Cloud launched a Blade Beam at a downed Chrom, which the Mii Swordfighter intercepted with a Reversal Slash. The rainbow-colored trail deflected the energy wave, sending it right back at Cloud. He rolled out of the way, leaving him vulnerable to a growling Bowser with one foot raised.
Cloud evaded the stomp, smacking Bowser across the face with the flat of the Buster Sword. The Koopa King threw a one-two, the last hit connecting with the flat end and making him snarl in pain. Seeing his opening, Cloud took a stance…
...and slashed Bowser five times, creating a purple kanji that paralyzed the Koopa King. His foe reeling from the effects of the Cross Slash, Cloud swung one more time to down him. Chrom charged at Cloud again, only for the other swordsman to knock him up with a Climhazzard, then slam him back down and send him rolling away.
"Is that really all you can show me, shepherd?"
Sonic spun against Young Link's shield, breaking the block and blowing the warrior back. Young Link fired right for the hedgehog's chest… but Sonic snatched the arrow meters away from hitting its mark. With a scowl, he tossed the projectile away. "Buddy, if you think I'm getting a case of magic heartburn again anytime soon, you are sorely mistaken."
He spun up in purple light, blasting for Young Link. But instead of colliding into him, Sonic veered around in a circle. He raced around the Hero of Time so fast, he created a purple ring of fire that blocked Young Link off from his friends. "Woo! I'm burning rubber over here!"
Link slowly opened his eyes to see his friends battling against a corrupted Cloud and a never-stopping violet streak that raced in and out of sight. Zelda blasted fireballs and magic at the blur, the streak weaving and evading each projectile. It curled up into a ball, bouncing off of Bowser's head and running away from the raging stream of fire that followed.
Link slowly climbed to his feet, turning his eyes to the stairs. The Master Sword. He needed it. He felt himself limping towards the first steps…
...until a black-furred hedgehog with angry violet eyes raced in front of him. "Where do you think you're going, buster?!" A strong kick sent Link to the ground, where he slid to a stop before Cloud… who held the Buster Sword to his throat.
"I'll see to it myself that you never even touch that sword again. Farewell, 'hero'."
Incineroar tackled Cloud to the ground with a roar, raising a claw. Sonic slammed himself into the Pokémon, knocking him off Cloud. The hedgehog turned his attention to the downed Link, spinning up to finish Cloud's job…
A bolt of yellow electricity blew him away mid-spin. Sonic quickly vaulted back to his feet, his violet eyes quickly spotting a determined Pikachu with sparking cheeks standing in front of Link protectively.
"Well, well, well! If it isn't everyone's favorite little zappy mouse! What are you going to do, sting me with one of your useless static electricity attacks?"
"Pika!" cried the little Pokémon, baring his teeth and charging up electricity in his cheeks. A smirk crossed Sonic's face. "Oh, it is on."
Both of them took off in a purple and yellow streak. They raced around the battlefield, constantly colliding with one another. Pikachu jumped away from a Spin Dash, hopped over a leg sweep, and zipped away from a double-handed grab that nearly made the hedgehog stumble. They clashed again and again, speeding between the other fighters while Chrom once again locked blades with Cloud.
"Grr!" he growled at the two streaks. "There he goes again, doing whatever he wants! If only he was at the other end of that treasure chest and you guarded the Master Sword alongside me, Chrom!"
"Sounds like you're having some issues with your new friend!" Chrom acknowledged, pushing the clash to his advantage. Furious, Cloud pushed back with a snarl. "He's not my 'friend'! I don't even need his help to kill you!"
"Let's see if you carry that wish out!"
Cloud broke the clash and swung in a frenzy, forcing Chrom to go on the defensive. He kicked the shepherd back, pointed his Buster Sword at the ground, and stabbed the earth with a shout. Fissures erupted outward, glowing with purple light. Everyone scrambled to evade the openings, and this new hazard proved challenging even for the speedsters.
Sonic hopped over a fissure, shooting a glare at Cloud. "Hey! Watch where you're pointing that thing, Thundercloud!"
Cloud struck Toon Link away. "Don't tell me what to do, you rat! Stop toying around and keep an eye on Link!"
"Ugh, how many times do I have to tell you, I'm a hedgehog! Got it?! Hedge! Hog!" Sonic paused to jump over another fissure. "And can't you see that I'm a little busy right n-OW!"
Pikachu Skull-Bashed Sonic hard, sending the hedgehog skidding to a stop. He glanced at Pikachu with a near-feral growl. "Grrr! That was a cheap shot, you lousy little-!" He rushed off again, running around in a frenzy. Pikachu blasted lightning from his cheeks, the violet streak weaving around and away from each current. Pikachu adjusted his position to ensure Sonic didn't get the chance to land a lucky hit-and-run.
Cloud swatted Zelda away and moved to chop her, only for the Mii Swordfighter to bar his path and block the Buster Sword. As if he was nothing, Cloud moved the Buster Sword to knock the Mii away… and felt an arrow bounce off his shoulder pad. He spun, spotting a determined Link with a bow in hand. "You!"
He turned and charged for Link, who released several more arrows. Cloud chopped them all as he ran, leaping into the air with a roar. Link held his shield up to absorb the blow…
...but Bowser shoulder-charged Cloud away with a roar of his own. "C'mon!" he bellowed, gesturing for Cloud in a taunting fashion. Cloud swung at Bowser, only for the Koopa King to block with his arm and punch him away. Another wave of his fire breath forced Cloud to back off and change targets. He went for Young Link, who had made his way out of the ring of fire and had a bomb in hand. He threw it, the explosive getting deflected by a swing of the Buster Sword. Young Link rolled away from the incoming swipe, drawing his own weapons.
Sonic ran from lightning blasts, swerving around other fighters. Pikachu shot another current right in front of the hedgehog, causing him to run right into it. "NGUH!" he collapsed and rolled to a stop, shaking his smoking fur. Incineroar ran for Sonic again, a snarl on his face.
"You want some, too, furball?!" Sonic growled. "Well, I've got a little something special! Just for you!" he drew back a fist, lighting it up with violet lightning. Once Incineroar got close enough, he punched the Pokémon right in the heart with an electric punch that sent a shock all throughout Incineroar's body. The Pokémon flew back and hit the ground hard. Pikachu slapped Sonic across the face, taking off in a yellow flash of electricity. With a growl, Sonic gave chase in a violet streak.
The Mii Swordfighter and Chrom nodded to each other while Young Link and Toon Link helped their counterpart recover. Link threw his boomerang towards the speeding Sonic, who simply caught the projectile and threw it right back. The boomerang clattered off of Young Link's shield harmlessly.
The Mii and Chrom struck Cloud at once, leaving him unable to deal with two threats at once so quickly. The two of them dashed past with one last slash… leaving Cloud to collapse with a pained yell.
Pikachu used Volt Tackle to lead Sonic in a wild Pokémon chase, the two racing around in blurs. Once he got a good distance ahead, Pikachu whirled around… and shot out another Thunderbolt right at Sonic.
"PIIIKAACHUUUUUU!"
The attack hit the high-speed hedgehog without giving him any chance to dodge. While he screamed in pain, Pikachu zipped up, knocked him into the air with his tail, zipped after him via Quick Attack, and slammed him back down. Pikachu finished off the hedgehog with an Electro Ball, the yellow lightning giving way to a purple cloud.
The purple flames surrounding the area died out. The fissures created by Cloud cleared up. And everyone composed themselves in relief.
"That… that was tiring," gasped the Brawler. "If all of Dharkon's fighters really are this relentless..."
"We'll push through them," Chrom replied, leaning down to Cloud's trophy. "We always have. And we always will." He touched the base, filling the space with a flash of light. At the same time, Incineroar tapped a claw to the base of Sonic's trophy. The second flash of light added to the first, nearly making the glow unbearable to the team.
"Urgh… what? What happened? Where am I?"
"Why does my head feel like scrambled egg-melons?"
Chrom offered a hand to the recovering Cloud. "On your feet, Strife. We've got you." Albeit confused, Cloud took Chrom's hand and rose to a stand. Nearby, Sonic shook his head in a sitting position and opened his eyes, taking in the sight of the place. "Hey… where am I? Why does everything look so gloomy and-"
"PIKA!" Pikachu pounced onto his lap happily.
"Gah! Whoa, hey, easy! Down, boy! Down! Sheesh, you're worse than Amy! Hey, settle down! Stop it!" Incineroar joined in, ruffling the hedgehog's spines with laughter.
"The situation is dire," Zelda explained. "A foe more dangerous than Galeem has emerged, and we need the two of you to help stop him. Our first goal is to locate the guardian of this land and vanquish him."
"Find a big, bad guy and take him down, huh?" Sonic repeated, hopping to his feet. "Piece of cake! We got this!"
"You'll certainly need all the strength you can get," Cloud added. "Count me in as well."
Chrom nodded to them with a smile on his face. "Now, where were we?"
Link turned back to the steps leading to the Master Sword. He'd left it waiting long enough. He climbed back up the steps… this time with his Young Link and Toon Link right behind him.
"Dharkon, our new enemy, had you two guarding the Master Sword," the Swordfighter explained. "Perhaps he feared its power?"
"Possibly," answered Cloud. "It was wielded against the darkness of Ganon for ages. Why not the same for this new foe?"
"Well, it is called the blade of evil's bane," replied the Brawler. "And from what I gather, that guy is evil incarnate."
The three Links neared the pedestal, the other two heroes spreading out and standing beside Link. After looks of encouragement from both of them, Link approached the sword, grabbed onto the hilt again, pulled hard…
"HYAH!"
The Master Sword popped from its resting place, its blade aglow with blue light. The symbol of the Triforce below gave off a golden glow, bathing the heroes in its tranquility. Calmly, Link turned the sword over, brought it close to his face… and raised the gleaming legendary weapon high into the sky.
The other two Links drew their own swords, pointing them towards the Master Sword. The blue glow could be seen even at the bottom of the climb, where everyone down below gazed in awe. The dark clouds parted, shining a ray of light down onto the three heroes…
The light from the Master Sword shined brighter than any fire, casting a glow that forced the growing darkness to the north to retreat and vanish. A desert rested beyond the shadows, leading to an ominous fortress.
"The sword that seals the darkness…" spoke Zelda. "...can cleave this gloom. Our path is clear."
"Onward to the desert!" called Chrom. The three Links descended down the steps, rejoining with the rest of the group. Link gave the Master Sword a few test swings, feeling the might and power it held. Feeling comfortable with the grip of the weapon he felt bonded to, he tucked it away in his sheath. The team set out north, towards the awaiting desert.
But Sonic paused. He turned to something embedded in the dirt: Link's discarded Knight's Broadsword. Curious, the hedgehog walked up to the weapon. "Hmm…"
Sonic turned to the departing group… and back to the sword. Well… if he was to venture out into a strange land on a quest to slay a guardian, why not?
Sonic reached down to the pile of Phantom parts, taking a gauntlet from the heap. He slipped it on his right hand, squeezing it into a fist. Next, Sonic grabbed the hilt of the Knight's Broadsword, pulling it out of the ground and testing the weight. He swung in a quick left and right before getting a good look at the blade. "Heh! It's no Caliburn… but it'll do!"
Twirling his new weapon in his grip, the Knight of the Wind ran off down the path to catch up to his friends…
