Disclaimer – I don't own Zelda
Hey all, sorry for making you wait so long. Kind of went into a writer's coma. A lot of things are going on and everything else so, yeah. Chaos tends to mess with life and writing.
Anyway, enough about that. Seems ff.net made some changes so they must be coped with. And that's going to make openings and such just a little less fun and change the way the dedications are presented. Nonetheless, the dedications are still sincere.
I dedicate this story to:
Dragonkiller – Surprised you update so fast! Why are you up at that time? o.0; Oh well. Glad you liked the chapter. Hopefully, the final ones will be just as good, if not better, eh? Thanks for the review.
Mithrandir – Oro? Man, knew he would be mad about that chapter . . . Heh. I'm surprised that I'm not pinned to the wall by kunais and shuriken and shot full of holes. Well, yeah, there are still a few main characters left, after all. As for Oni's armor . . . you know . . . I never noticed that . . . Thanks for the review!
Angle1 – Yeah, your stress chip is broken from long ago. You fried the circuits on it . Things seem hopeless? Well, hope is always there. Just have to dig deep and search far to find it. Never give up! XD Or just sit back, relax, and read on. Thanks for the review!
It also goes out to MonoChronos, LunaYami, and Shadow Knight for being loyal readers if not reviewers.
Well, hang in there, everyone. The end is near! Without further delay, onto the chapter!
Time Is Up
The full moon was nearing an entire eclipse, the shadow of darkness falling over the silver light and covering Hyrule with a foreboding shadow. Demon Zolaris smirked in triumph as each dragon-like head on the hilt of the Dark Moon Blade held the different colors of all three keys.
Soon, the fourth piece of the Triforce would appear and by it's power of both light and darkness, the Moon Temple would rise from Hyrule's own soil. The gates would open for him. By the power of each key, they would open. And with both the Light and Dark Moon Blade's, he would fulfill his destiny and the darkness of the night would last forever.
As long as the temple was risen, the moon and earth would stop turning. It would be as though time itself stood still. And it would be his time!
Right after the demon had left the room with the bodies of Crystal and Matt, Tarawen had reached the room, mere moments too late. The blood drained from her face as she went to Crystal's side. "Someone, get down here!" No sooner had she called then Andrake appeared in the hall.
The former knight saw Crystal on the floor and jogged into the room to kneel by her as Tarawen gave him room. "I heard her yell out . . . Tarawen, what happened?" He looked to the Kitsune, unsure if he truly wanted to know the answer or not. Tarawen went from Crystal to Matt and picked the boy up, motioning Andrake to carry Crystal.
She sighed, "There could only be one cause of this. They are alive . . . but only just so. Andrake, their souls were taken." She began to lead the way out of the chill room and to a place where the two young ones could be kept warm and out of any further danger.
Andrake, carrying Crystal, followed her, letting the words sink in as he looked at his little sister's face. She did not seem to be resting in peace. Her face was full of fear as though trapped in a nightmare not even he could help her escape from.
"Tarawen . . . if they are not dead . . . then can we bring them back?" Andrake asked as he continued following the Kitsune to the outside then another part of the fortress where a fire crackled and already Kohachan was set.
Oni Link was glaring into the flame, despite the Gerudo looking over Kohachan yet also looking over him, insisting on tending his wounds. Tarawen set Crystal beside Kohachan while Matt was laid on the young girl's other side.
Tarawen looked at the three figures. Three friends she had come to know and hold dear and she shook her head in wonder, "I don't know." She indeed was unsure of what to do next. "There has to be a way to free them from the demon's sword. But breaking it would not be so simple and that might just free their souls to either wander aimlessly or pass on. It's too risky and assumption." She sighed in frustration.
Oni growled under his breath and felt the sensitive sliced ear, a finger running over where the last two inches used to be, "He's not going to get away with any of it. The three will be saved and his soul will be cast down with Ganondorf into the Abyss!"
Tarawen looked up at him with surprise then snorted softly, "Nice words . . . but you already had a couple encounters with the demon. And he will be stronger than ever when the moon is fully eclipsed."
Oni glanced from the flames to Tarawen as she continued, "Kohachan seemed to know more about the legend than any of us. Yet even he agreed that this entire thing seems to have fallen off the path and taken turns for the worse before he was taken. The only one who can fight him and match him in power is the chosen of Shasta. And even if there is a victor, light or dark, the entire world would be in chaos before everyone dies!"
"This I know." Oni growled under his breath. Tarawen leaned against the wall, resisting hitting her head against it in the frustration tearing through her. Andrake set a hand on her shoulder then glanced to the middle of the room as a spiral of golden sparkles formed into the shape of a young girl. The light cleared away and in the center of the room stood Princess Zelda holding an ancient book close to her.
Silence filled the room with the princess's appearance. She gazed sadly at the three still forms near the fire then looked from Andrake to Tarawen to Oni. In Oni, she could still somehow feel Link in there behind the silver eyes. With a sympathetic smile to each, she opened the book and proclaimed, "We found it."
On the page of the book surrounded by an ancient text, there was a large picture depicting a moon with an upside-down triangle and two armored figures with dragon-hilt blades. The picture was split to where the moon was half-light and half-dark, the halves of the triangle stood the opposite color of the moon for either side. One figure was covered in silver-like armor and stood on the dark side of the moon. On the other, the figure wore black armor and stood on the light side of the moon.
Zelda set a finger on the page to trace along the text and read, "Through the darkness, there is always light. In all light, there is ever darkness. This is the balance under the inverted triangle. When the light becomes the darkness, the forces will clash under the moon as the divine forces clash amid the moon. A lost temple will emerge by the power of light and darkness and within lies the final key.
"This key is not found in living form as it is made to seal the gate, never to open. Never to be claimed by the force of blade, made for war. It is made to undo the force of blade and maintain the balance under the inverted moon." Zelda looked to each and was not surprised to see confusion in their eyes. Except for Oni who kept his head down and eyes closed in thought, always with a look of anger.
She sighs and added explaining, "The other sages and I have come to understand that there will be a temple that will rise when the night is a full eclipse. As in any moment now. Within that temple, there is an artifact that will break the swords and stop either the chosen of Shasta or Kelta from defeating the other!"
The ground the fortress sat upon suddenly jumped from under them. Andrake went to one knee, Tarawen braced herself while Oni stood from the wall and kept his footing. Zelda fell to hand and knee and looked around with fear in her eyes, "It's begun!"
The moon over the snow-blanketed land indeed reached a full eclipse. It was a large sphere, one side of it melting into the sky by its darkness while holding a faint glimmer of light on the other side. The rest of it was blanketed in a deep red, awaiting the blood to be spilled that night.
From the snow and in the center of the snow-blanketed field around the plateau of Lon-Lon Ranch, a white mist then a dark mist appeared from nothing. They became two separate waves seeping over the land then mixed and clashed together before building into a column.
The mist became more solid and formed three tall spires marking three large buildings rising from the mist. Demon Zolaris stopped grinning as he saw the massive structure forming before him. The temple was bathed in red, black, and white for the powers vested in it.
The walls were of stone crafted by no human hand. No mortal could make the stone like marble with glass-smooth sides glistening in the night. Around each of walls was a line of windows alike to those of Hyrule castle. Yet these windows held darkness within the stained glass. In each of them was the same image. And image of a man holding a blade to the ground before him. Each section held a figure "clothed" in separate colors. White, red, or black respective to the wall the window was on.
On the walls, several statues and sculptures lined a ledge over a massive gate. Some of the gargoyle-like statues depicted wyrms and others were of wingless dragons. Still others were dragons reared back on their hind legs with wings flared and clawing at invisible foes.
In the center and under the ledge of stone creatures, the frail looking gates were softly glowing with shifting colors, breaking the monotony of the pattern. Over the gate, a three headed dragon glared down at any who would dare approach, each jaw opened in a mute shriek of warning.
Past the frail gate was only a small room with a door going to either side and a double doors going straight from the gates. Demon Zolaris grinned as he looked at the gates and tightened his grip on the blade, the power of the blade and his own pulsing through it as one fueled his desire for the power it held within.
Approaching the gate, he looked up at the heads of the hydra then saw something at its claws. Nearly camouflaged by the shifting gate, the stone itself seemed to be shifting. An inscription formed but it was in symbolic language never seen in Hyrule or anywhere the demon had been to before. It was an ancient language. A language of the Gods.
Oni pulled Andrake to his feet and looked to Zelda, "If this thing is in the temple, then the time to get it is now. Only question is how would one get into the temple to find it?"
"The gates will be opened by the three keys. The keys must be gathered if the temple has risen!" Zelda said, in a near panic. Navi flew from under Oni's hat to the princess' side to help comfort her. The Sage of Wisdom took a breath and opened the book again, searching for a page near where she had read the text around the picture.
Flipping over a couple more pages, she stabbed the page with her finger and turned the book for Oni to see. "This! This is what has to be found in the temple!"
On the page, a picture of a pendant-like object stood out on a marble background. In the center of the circle was the Triforce, each of the three triangles their proper colors. In the center of the three was the fourth Triforce. It was made black and white with an even amount of both powers yet the line separating the colors depicted either side trying to take over the other in a forever struggle for power.
Oni studied it for a moment then looked at the text surrounding the picture. The symbols were alien even to him yet he set a finger to the page and traced over the symbols then read out loud,"Ever shifting, the powers were.
Ever shifting the powers shall be.
This is the fate of the gods.
Of this, the fourth Triforce shall see."
The recitation earned Oni many looks of wonder. He glanced at them all with irritation then demanded, "What?!" Zelda turned the book from him and read it herself, only to repeat what Oni recited. She looked at him a moment then back to the book and back to him."You are the one, Link. If you can read this text, then you can find the Key of Balance!" Zelda grinned at him, joy of relief shining in her eyes even as Oni gave her a flat look. She fidgeted slightly under the silver eyes and added, "That is if you have the will to go against the demons just once more.
"According to this text, you won't even have to fight them. All you need is to get into the temple and to the chamber where the key is kept. There is script written in the ancient language that must be recited and the chamber door will open.
"Link, you are the only one capable of getting past the demons and searching through this temple. I don't know if there will be guards or traps or anything. And that is doubtful, since the temple only appears on the night of the lunar eclipse when all three keys are gathered."
Oni held up a hand to silence her, "Enough. Knowing you, you won't shut up until I do go. So, stop trying to convince me and tell me where in the Abyss of the temple I should go."
Zelda had snapped her mouth closed at his words and wanted to reprimand him of his rudeness but there would be time for that later. "That is the hard part. The location is not mentioned. But there is one clue. There are three doors in the opening. One of darkness, one of light, and one of neutrality. To find the key that will undo the power of the Moon God Knight, you will have to take the door of neutrality."
"That is called common sense." Oni rolled his eyes until a shoe hit him in the back of the head. He whipped around to see Tarawen glaring at him, "That's enough of your smart remarks, Oni Link. Now you shut up and show some manners." The two stood in a face-off for a moment.
When both turned their backs on one another, Zelda closed the book and looked to Oni. "Just hear me out, please. This is very serious. We need you to make sure the Moon God Knight's power is never seen on this earth. That's all. And if you get the key, then the other's souls will be freed." Oni looked to the bodies of Crystal, Matt, and Kohachan and sighed silently. "Aright. I'll see the rest of you when the night is over. That means you as well, Navi. Only one can enter, right? You'd do better here helping Zelda and the others." Surprisingly, Navi nodded without saying anything.
With no more words said, Oni formed a familiar blue crystal around himself and was lifted off the ground. The crystal spun faster and faster in the air then vanished all together with the deity.
As Demon Zolaris looked at the text, he began reading it out loud. Unknown to him, the blue eyes of his blade began to glow brighter as he read."The power of Nayru, the Triforce of Wisdom;
The power of Farore, the Triforce of Courage;
The power of Din, the Triforce of Power.
"Each combined in the form of the keys granted to the Moon Gods will open this gate."
Just as he took a step back, the final green eyes of the Hydra began to glow. He glared back at the marble-like beast and took the blade with all three eyes glowing. Leveling the tip of it to the slot in the chest of the Hydra, he thrust the blade upward all the way to the hilt until the three noses of the dragon heads touched it.
"It looks like you have done your part, Demon Zolaris. Now it is time for you to depart with no regrets." Demon Zolaris heard the voice almost like a splash of cold water over a warming flame. He glared over his shoulder and saw Demon Toloran standing there, looking at him with a peaceful look in his silver eyes.
"You must have gone daft after being held prisoner for so long to the fool Toloran. For you have become a fool to believe that I will step down when already I am nearly the victor through this. In case you haven't noticed, I've won! All that remains is to finish you off and claim that cursed sword of yours. And that will merely add to the pleasure of this victory."
Demon Toloran smirked lightly, "If you think you can finish me off that easily, then you are dearly mistaken. I must ask you, with what do you plan to harm me with on the night when your full moon is covered?"
Suspecting a trick, Demon Zolaris began to free the Dark Moon Blade from the hydra above him, tugging down on the hilt, only to discover that it was stuck fast and the marble was beginning to glow. "What is this?!" Demon Zolaris pulled harder but his grip would slip sooner than the blade.
"You see, you have set in the key for me to take and have merely done my job for me. I should thank you, my dear rival, for clearing the way. Now step down and watch the world become bathed in the healing light." Demon Toloran began walking towards the gates and kept the Light Moon Blade sheathed at his side.
Even as Demon Toloran approached, the light from the Dark Moon Blades eyes was fading and flowing into the Hydra like blood through veins. The statue seemed to pulse with power as its eyes took on the colors of the three triangles. The shifting colors on the gates sped for a moment then stopped completely and the gate slid to either side into the wall.
Demon Zolaris scowled at his rival and wished badly to wipe the smirk off his face. Balling his hand into a fist, black flames flaring in his eyes, he was about to charge at Demon Toloran yet the final thread of common sense held him back. The Light Warrior still had as great of powers as he did and the edge with the sword. He growled in his throat and let the fist back to punch the wall under the statue of the hydra. To his surprise and great pleasure, he heard the rattle of steel.
Just as Demon Toloran was getting nearer, he rested a hand on the hilt of the Light Moon Blade. The evil before him was too much to stand. He resisted freeing up the blade to strike Demon Zolaris immediately, smite him where he stood, yet was prepared to just as soon as he got close enough.
He dared a glance back up to the Dark Moon Blade's hilt and moved to a place where he could grab it, stepping back from Demon Toloran to do so. Just as the silver-eyed demon approached the entrance to the first chamber, Demon Zolaris reached up and tore the blade from where it once was held captive and brought it down on Demon Toloran.
(Note: going to leave out the demon part but they both are still demon, okay? Okay.)
As soon as the two warriors were close enough, both drew their blades against each other. The first sparks of the two rivals flew to the snow. They glared at each other from the lock of blades before Zolaris threw Toloran off and aimed the Bark Moon Blade at him, "I told you, I will not step down. That blade of yours will soon be mine even if I have to send you into eternal darkness to make you see that."
Toloran kept a calm look about him though white embers still grew in his eyes. Neither were going to give up their blades or the power. During their face off, neither noticed the glimmer of blue light under the hydra statue.
Oni Link looked back at the two warriors then to the hydra statue above him. Not wasting anymore time, he ran into the first chamber and saw the three doors; one to the left, one to the right, and one just before him.
Finding the correct one was not a problem. It was the only door that would open for him. He didn't even have to touch the door as the center one opened to him. It was still unlike any door in any temple that Link had ever seen. The door fazed from focus then began to have with both light and darkness and form a portal to whatever lied beyond.
Oni tried to peer into the portal yet nothing from the other side of it could be seen. He stole one last glance back in time to see the two warriors beginning their fight and felt the air tremble slightly as forces behind the warriors also began to clash. Shaking his head lightly at the two warriors, Oni reached into the portal.
The shifting surface seemed to reach to him as well. Suddenly paralyzed where he stood, Oni tried not to panic. Something else was happening. Where he touched the portal, a sudden cold covered his fingers. The icy touch spread from his hand up his arm then over his body. Unable to stand it, he clenched his eyes closed as every part of him felt like it was freezing over.
At the entrance to the temple, the two blades continued to clash. Embers in the eyes flared with hatred and determination as Toloran and Zolaris continued the struggle of power. Toloran tried to push Zolaris away but the dark one pulled his blade back before Toloran could get away.
Balling a free hand into a fist, he managed to punch Toloran hard into the stomach yet the chosen of the light would not buckle so easily. Toloran pulled his blade free from Zolaris' blade and leveled it to attack. A bright silver gleam began gathering at the edges of the sword.
Just as Zolaris released the power of a powerful spin attack, Zolaris caught the spin on the first turn. He pushed against the glowing blade then yelled in effort and brought the Dark Moon Blade from the surface of the snow up against Toloran.
From the ground around them, a pillar of darkness rose and surrounded Toloran in dark flames. Yet not a sound other than the sound of the roaring flames was heard. When the black flames vanished, Toloran stood there surrounded by a white aura.
Zolaris growled deeply and let his sword ignite in the same dark flames while Toloran's sword took on the silvery flames once more. The two powers built before both attacked again at the same time. Both powers clashed and either fighter hissed in pain as sparks of the opposing power showered over the other.
The blades slid against each other then both fighters went into a series of slashes that echoed throughout Hyrule. Neither seemed to be gaining ground until Demon Zolaris grinned evilly. "You know where the light originally came from? Do you know where the light always goes? Darkness to darkness . . ."
Toloran glared and threw off the dark blade once more then blocked the return slash and locked the blades down by their side, "The darkness will always flee from the light."
"Darkness will hide from the light until it consumes it!" Zolaris tore the Dark Moon Blade from the lock and slashed at Toloran, releasing a stream of dark flames from the point of the blade. Toloran tried to defend against the slash but the power went around the Light Moon Blade and flew over Toloran's torso, throwing the warrior back.
Zolaris grinned and set the tip of the dark blade near the snow as though to cool it and started going to the fallen Toloran. From the snow, a large ball of silver light began to form. For a moment, it seemed like a tiny moon was coming from the snow itself.
The orb came from the snow then launched at Zolaris. Toloran stood behind it, having launched the attack and crouched slightly, holding the Light Moon Blade in defense.
As expected, Zolaris attacked the large orb with a dark energy attack. Immediately, the orb erupted sending several smaller blasts at the dark one. The explosion also took its toll on the land, though. A large crater going into the ground formed from the attack.
Zolaris glared at the several smaller spears of light energy flying around randomly. He deflected three of them then cut through a fourth one. Two more spears stabbed into him one at his left shoulder, opposite his sword arm, while the other stabbed into his right side. Zolaris bit his tongue to hold back a shout but cursed the light warrior nonetheless for the attack.
Back at the portal in the temple, the cold had taken over to the point that all sense of feeling was lost. Oni was slowly being frozen to the very soul. Suddenly, the cold evaporated. Taking a couple steps into the new room, Oni could already feel a pressure in the air. It was almost a choking feeling as both light and darkness filled the large room.
Dust fell from the corners of the room as the earth trembled once more. Link was reminded sharply of when Ganondorf finally captured Zelda after seven years. The temple of Light had also shaken under such an evil force. But under the force of darkness and light, all of Hyrule would be shaken to its roots.
He glared back at the portal as the door suddenly stopped shifting. Feeling the wall, Oni discovered it was once more solid stone. If there was a way out, he was going to have to find it after getting the relic of a key. He looked back to the room he had been sent to and saw a red circle in the middle of the room.
A voice, feminine yet bold called out to him, echoing from everywhere, "Warrior of neither darkness or light, you have the power to continue forth but do you have the power to survive my test? Defeat your enemies and the way shall be shown to you." Oni Link sighed roughly. Of all times, he didn't have any to play these games.
Nonetheless, Oni drew his sword as A Stalfos (skeleton with armor and a creepy laugh), a Dinofos (fire-breathing lizard man), and a Beamos (Cyclops with the annoying ray thing) Oni jerked his head one way then the other. A fight might actually be a way to relax, after all.
The Dinofos was the first one to go down. With a few rapid fired disks of golden energy, the lizard was cut down without sending a single blast of flame. Oni launched himself into the battle then. He slashed at the metal body of the Beamos, making the single eye close, then turned on the Stalfos.
Already, both Toloran and Zolaris were becoming tired in the fight of both physical strength and from magic attacks. The snow around then was cleared and the ground scarred by the attacks. Both tapped into their power once more and snapped back to attention.
Their will to fight or not was no longer Zolaris' and Toloran's. Their will belonged to the powers behind them, Shasta and Kelta. Both swords took on a coat of silver or black energy, respective of the user. Zolaris crouched slightly, took the hilt of the Dark Moon Blade into both hands, and poured more energy into the attack.
In a flash of darkness, another dark column of black flames rose. Before it and in front of Toloran, a pillar of silver flames rose and the two canceled each other out. When the debris settled, Zolaris was there and running at Toloran with the blade down by his side.
Toloran put up a defense just as Zolaris drew his blade to slash at Toloran. The two blades met once more with a metallic shriek, as though both blades' dragon heads had come alive to scream at each other. Toloran pushed Zolaris off then brought the Light Moon Blade down onto Zolaris head. The dark one glanced up then crouched and jumped back into a back flip away from danger.
"I've had enough of you!" Toloran yelled. He gathered silvery energy over the Light Moon Blade once more then began swinging the sword in a large "x" in the air over and over again, sending a barrage of mid-air slashes at Zolaris. Zolaris held up his defense, countering each slash aimed at him carefully with the Dark Moon Blade. He glared over his sword at the light one who was beginning another larger attack once more.
"Well, I've had enough of you as well!" Zolaris didn't give Toloran time to complete the attack. He brought the Dark Moon Blade into a horizontal slash, sending a dark wave of power to pile-drive over Toloran, knocking the Warrior of Light backwards once more.
However, Zolaris was not finished with that one move. He leaped into the air and onto one of the statue Hydra's heads then jumped from the statue even higher into the air and began gathering the darkness around him for the final attack.
Oni Link stood up again and stared at the pile of bone and armor before the undead pieces were consumed by dark flames and eaten away. The same bold voice laughed in amusement, "You have passed my test of power." From the far side of the circular room, another portal formed, the surface of it shifting with both darkness and light.
Oni Link sheathed his sword on his back and went to the portal to pass through it after the same numbing cold from before. When the chill had left him, he opened his eyes once more to see another circular room with a large green circle around the center.
A feminine voice, softer than the one before yet sharper and more defined, spoke up, "Warrior of neither darkness or light, you have the courage to continue forth but do you have the courage to survive my test? Conquer your fears and the way shall be shown to you." Oni snorted lightly. What would be his test now? What could he or Link possibly be afraid of after all this time?
From the center of the circle, figures began to appear. It seemed as though to complete the test, Oni would have to fight again. That suited him just fine. He unsheathed his blade, letting the metal glow slightly with power.
The glow dimmed when he could see what was in the circle. The three forms were bound with their arms behind their back and hanging from the ceiling. Oni looked to each of them to see Crystal, Matt, and Kohachan still unconscious and hanging over three separate pits. The ropes holding each were weakening noticeably at some point or another and the three would soon fall to their death if not rescued.
Oni continued looking at each and tightened his grip on the broadsword, not understanding what was going on. The test was of courage. Did that mean if he had courage to save each of them? That was not a task to test courage, though. But he couldn't just leave them to die . . .
{That's what the test is! This is to test our courage, using fear against us. We fear for our friends, thus to get past this test, we have to not fear for them and walk straight past! Those are illusions.} Link spoke up in Oni's mind. Oni growled softly from the surprise of the solution yet sheathed the sword once more and started walking towards the trio hanging.
Once past all three, he didn't look back yet still heard the ropes snap. When he did not look back, the same voice from before spoke up again, "Very good. You have the courage to believe what you see is an illusion and to pass it by. Now face your final test."
This time at the wall before him, a portal identical to the first two appeared. Oni touched the wall and felt the same numbing cold begin to seep into him. No matter how many times it was done, it was a chill he could not get used to. He kept his mind on the artifact he was searching for and what it looked like in the picture just before the cold too over him then pulled him through the portal.
Oni held his head a moment as stars danced before his eyes and leaned against the wall behind him suddenly. He did not have to see the circle of blue to know it was there. It was the final test then he could get the Goddess's cursed key.
Under his feet, the earth began to tremble once more almost enough to knock him over if not for the wall he braced against. Oni looked to the ceiling, wondering how long it would hold together.
The third voice sounded throughout the room as soft as a morning bell and as deep as a crystal clear lake, "Warrior of neither darkness or light, you have the wisdom to continue forth but do you have the wisdom to pass my test? Find the truth among the lies and the key shall be shown to you."
Zolaris grinned wearily and held an injured arm then sheathed the Dark Moon Blade. Fallen before him, Toloran was no longer a threat. The moon still held in the same position as when they started, oblivious to the passage of time. "Darkness to darkness. All light will fade to the consuming shadows." Zolaris knelt by Toloran only long enough to claim the Light Moon Blade from Toloran's clutching fingers then looked back to the open gates.
With an injured arm by his side and holding the enemy's blade in his other hand, he made his way back to the temple and into the first chamber. At a first glance around, he could see something was wrong. Even as the door to darkness shifted and became a portal, Zolaris stared at the wall straight from the entrance. The door was gone.
He pondered over that for a while then a ripple of pain passed through him, threatening to sap the last of his strength. Not thinking anymore of it, Zolaris tightened his grip on the Light Moon Blade and crossed to the dark portal, passing through it easily as a shadow.
Within the room, he saw exactly what his dreams foretold. A single column of darkness with two even darker places in it slowly turned with ripples of flames cast from the floor to the ceiling. With another grin, Zolaris nearly stumbled but caught himself and walked carefully to the column.
The flames of darkness posed no threat to him, yet Zolaris hesitated in putting the Light Moon Blade into its place. The blade was torn from his hand and locked in the column to continue it's slow rotation. Taking a breath, Zolaris unsheathed the Dark Moon Blade and set that into its place as well. The column began to change with both swords in place. The two blades began to spin faster and faster until they blurred into one.
Then, they became one.
Oni was nearly ready to collapse himself yet he stayed on his feet, glad that some luck as well as wisdom had been with him to complete the final test. Again, the soothing voice sounded through the room, "You have passed my test of wisdom. Now, go and maintain the balance with the power of the fourth Triforce, warrior of neither light or dark."
In the center of the room the air seemed to ripple before the final portal appeared but this one, Oni didn't even need to walk into. The portal pulled him in much like the portal that took Link out of each of the tower rooms after freeing the Sage's and breaking the barriers of Ganon's tower.
The fourth room was completely different than the others. It seemed to be on the outside as the eclipsed moon was directly above Oni. Yet when Oni looked around, he could see nothing but darkness. Even just below his feet, he could see nothing but empty space!
From above him, Oni felt a power that made the hair on the back of his neck rise. He looked up to see something the size of a medallion falling towards him. But when he reached up to get it, the medallion touched his fingertips then seemed to grow a life of it's own and attached itself to Oni's sword where the hilt connected to blade.
Oni felt a new surge of power as his pain and fatigue was taken away by the blade. But the blade began to change and with it, he could feel himself changing as well. He looked at his hands as the sword began to hover from his back then flipped around to point upwards and hovered in front of Oni until Oni took the hilt once more.
Zolaris stood before the temple once more with the single most powerful blade at his disposal. Darkness consumed the moon and consumed the land around and beyond him. Everything bathed in shadow was under his control. Just as Zolaris began to raise the God's Blade and deliver the first attack unto the land and the people of it, a commanding voice sounded behind him, "HOLD!"
He whipped around then smirked under the new dark helm, "Oni Link. Looks like you went through some changes as well."
Wordlessly, Oni raised his new sword with the Medallion of Balance shining on the hilt. Zolaris laughed in his throat, "You were not a match for me before and you are not a match for me now, Oni. I am the Moon God Knight, Master of Darkness. This world belongs to me and you will not take it away." Zolaris grinned again and clenched the hilt of the God's Sword before crouching lightly, ready to launch the first attack.
Oh come now, you know I wouldn't drag on this chapter much farther than that. Yeah, I'm evil. Anyway, the next chapter will have full descriptions of these guys in their newest forms as well as the final fight! And it hopefully won't take as long to get done as this one did.
Will Oni defeat the Moon God Knight? Will the world fall into infinite darkness and destruction? What will happen to Matt' Crystal, and Kohachan?! To find this out and more, keep a look out for the next chapter.
Until next time!