Chapter nine: Resurrection

Link, Darunia, Saja, Malon and Zelda burst out of Gerudo Valley and onto Hyrule Field on horseback, their horses hooves flying as fast as they could. The wind rushed past them, the clouds were seething overhead. The sun, which was beginning to lower in the sky, had turned a darker shade of yellow. Saja noticed this, and his fingers tightened on his reigns as his horse flew after Link's. Majora was nearing the final sapphire. They had to get there now, or all was lost. Link was patting Epona with a shaking hand. She had never galloped this fast before, and was doing a fine job. He was still slightly dazed and hurting all over his body from his duel with Majora, but he kept his eyes focused ahead, toward the onrushing wind going through his hair, making his hat billow about. He knew that Majora was near his goal, and they were likely done for. He tried desperately to shove this thought away from his mind, but it was haunting him, consuming all thought. He looked around at the surrounding fields with despair, tears forming in his eyes. Majora was going to rip the place he had known for 18 years to shreds.

Zelda galloped furiously beside Link, and as they rapidly approached Hylia Lake, where the final sapphire was supposedly located, from what Malon had seen, the princess reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked over at her, and she saw the desperation in his eyes. Had they truly lost?

Malon, who was riding just behind Darunia, was frequently checking the map. It appeared that the place that had been clumsily circled by Ingo was across Hylia Lake...the opposite side. She informed Saja, and he passed this to Link by shouting to him. i Perfect, /I thought Link bitterly, i we've got to waste more time. /I .

At this point, Saja's past was beginning to torment him once more. The thought of what Majora was about to obtain hit him full force. Majora was going to destroy everything. Everything. There would nothing. All life would perish. Fear coursed through him suddenly at the prospect of this, and he slid sideways in his saddle, his mouth hanging opened, stunned. Malon saw this, and urged her horse forward. She rushed up alongside Saja, and caught him before he fell off. Pushing him back into place, he suddenly came back to his senses, and looked around at her. She would normally have smiled, but the circumstances were simply too dangerous to smile at all.

Ten minutes later, the group galloped into the Hylia Lake grounds, and they felt a rush of cold engulf them as they did. Majora was already here.

The huge beautiful lake that usually glittered in the sun was not glittering at all. It was still, as though it were afraid to move. The sun had darkened even more now, and the world was being cast slowly into darkness. The wind that blew across the fields now was icy, and filled with fear.

Link looked up at the darkening sky, searching for Majora's figure that was sure to be flying toward the final sapphire located across the lake on the shore.

The team began to gallop as fast as they could around the lake. They reached the very edge, the wall of trees to their left, and galloped along the thin strip of rocks that made up the edge. Once or twice, the horses slipped, and they nearly slid into the water, but they managed to keep their footing on the treacherous ledge.

It was when they had almost reached the opposite shore that was made up of grass, that Link and Saja both looked up, and saw it.

The sky behind him was turning swirly purple, and the sun dimmed further, casting the world into dusk. Majora was flying full tilt toward Lake Hylia. Zelda looked up and saw him flying too, a completely black figure coursing evil over the blessed skies of Hyrule.

"GO! GO! GO!" screamed Link, urging Epona onward. He drew out his sword and brandished it above his head. Saja kicked his horse in the side, and they galloped onto the opposite shore, surrounded by trees on three sides. Darunia and Malon galloped on behind them.

"Empty," whispered Darunia, alarmed. And indeed the Goron was right. The shore was completely empty...nothing was there except swaying grass in the icy wind.

It was at that precise moment, that they heard a high pitched whistling, and looked up to see Majora's shadowy figure plummeting toward the ground. The horses whinnied, and stepped back in alarm. As if they all had the same thought at once, all five of them jumped off the horses, and drew out their weapons.

Majora touched down lightly on the ground in front of them. His bright red eyes burned fiery, glaring at them.

"I thought I told none of you to follow me!" he growled dangerously, in the higher voice. Link stepped forward bravely.

"You will not win this, Majora," he yelled over the high wind. "Just give up!"

Majora laughed, and Link was horrified to hear it was high pitched, getting closer and closer to his regular voice. The laugh that stood hair up on the back of his neck. Lightning lanced across the sky, and thunder crackled. Majora cried "you are not in a position to give orders, Hero of Time! Away with you!"

He waved a hand, and all five of them flew backward, landing on the ground twenty feet away. Link desperately tried to pull himself up, but an invisible force help him down. He screamed and yelled, trying to punch at the force imprisoning him, but he could not move his arms. Majora laughed louder at this, and looked down at the ground. Saja's eyes grew wide with fear. He struggled and kicked, adrenaline slashing through him violently.

" I HERO! WE MUST GET FREE!! /I " hollered Saja. Link felt himself tense up. He had to stop him! He could not let him obtain two sapphires, else he would take the third one with ease.

Link struggled against the invisible bindings, but to no avail. Majora was not to be denied. The towering black shadow lowered a hand to the ground as more lightning lit up the sky, and rain began to pour down. The ground beneath his hand shot up everywhere, and made a small hole in the ground. As he kept his hand there, the horrendous spell dug deeper into the earth, nearer to the final sapphire. Link shouted, cursed and screamed with all his might, fighting with every ounce of his strength to get out. Nothing he could do would break the tenacious hold.

"By the power of Ulifeath," boomed Majora, as the ground parted at his feet and rumbled, and a blue light shone from the fissure in the ground and lit up the black figure. "Majora commands you to come forth."

The final light blue sapphire lifted from deep in the ground, and hovered into the air. Majora's red eyes swept over it with delight. Saja trembled with fear, as did each of them. Majora could not be stopped. It was futile.

"No more shall I be imprisoned in this," the abomination spat bitterly. He reached forward and grasped the hovering stone. The sun suddenly turned purple, and the rain pounded down from the heavens even harder in huge droplets.

Majora's long black hair suddenly turned white, shining in the dim glow. The sky grew darker, casting them almost into complete night.

The demon turned to face the team held down by his spell. "And now," he whispered, "to complete my power."

He raised his free hand that didn't clutch the sapphire. Link felt his pocket tremble, and his eyes filled with tears. The sapphire slid out of his pocket, and into the air. Then it shot toward his huge hand.

Time seemed to slow as the sapphire flew through the rain, toward the huge groping hand. All at once, the binding snapped as Majora released them, not caring anymore. They could not stop it. A second before sapphire reached Majora's hand, Link, Saja, Zelda, Malon and Darunia all screamed " i NOOOOOOOOO!!! /I "

The huge black fist curled around the last sapphire...

And then all hell broke loose.

The entire shore exploded in white light, blinding them. The sky screeched and boomed as lightning struck Majora's figure holding all three sapphires.

The team was blasted away, and they splashed into the water. Link pulled to the surface, and broke out, spluttering, staring, transfixed, at what he saw before him.

Majora's body was changing. The blackness was dissipating, his fiery red eyes turned deathly white, as did his skin. He wore long white bloodstained rags from neck to toe. His long skinny fingers were morphing nails inches long and serrated onto them. His muscles bulged, an aura surrounded him, the evil magic pulsated, splitting the ground underneath him. The long white hair that cascaded behind his head grew to his waist.

Majora, Lord of Terror, had risen again.

The sky above them turned pitch black, the sun went dark purple, and the rain continued to come down hard. Saja surfaced, and saw the truly evil figure standing on the grass. Too stunned to speak, he simply gaped at the evil being before them. Zelda, and Malon surfaced also, staring in awe at Majora. Darunia surfaced, screaming. He rolled out of the water, and shook himself down.

"Water! I hate w–"

His eyes fell on Majora, not ten feet away. He stood stock still, staring with fear etched in every line in his face.

A small chuckle gurgled in Majora's throat. He set all three sapphires in his pockets. A smile formed on his thin, white lips. He chuckled deeper, then all at once, his voice leapt up about five octaves. His old voice was back, high up. A cry of insane laughter tore from his lips. He rose high into the air, screaming with mirth, his whole body quaking with vicious laughter. The ground shook, the sky lit up with lightning, and the sound was ear shattering.

Saja looked down, his eyes wider than ever. His heart thumped madly, his body shook.

Link, tears streaming from his eyes mixed with water, gazed up at the tyrant of evil. Nothing could stop him anymore. Nothing could hurt him. He knew in his mind that he would destroy the entire world with no trouble at all. In all his fear, he felt ashamed. He had failed Hyrule completely. He was no Hero of Time.

Zelda who was floating next to Link, hugged him and buried her wet face in his shoulder, hugging him in fear. He wrapped his arms around her, and held her small form close to him.

When the laughter had finally died down, Majora glared down at them with huge white eyes, without any pupils. He opened his mouth in disgust, revealing huge, sharp teeth like an animal.

"Before this falls, I must first take care of some unfinished business," he whispered, loudly enough for them all to hear. He smiled, his terrible face twisted in horrendous triumph. He shot off, out of Lake Hylia, and out above Hyrule Field...heading toward the forest.

Majora had won.