Once again, just about to head to school! I'm very happy with how this chapter came out, and I think you'll all enjoy. But remember, I'm doing my best to make sure the characters feel in line with how they would in-game. I don't want them to seem like OC's, but evolutions of the people they were by the end of Majora's Mask.
-Joost

The Fierce God Given Life
Chapter 8: There's a Storm Coming

The following day was pretty cloudy for Clock Town. Link sat on the edge of his bed, thinking.

All that wandered his mind was Gomess. More specifically, how he would defeat him. The creature was similar to a reaper. The last time he faced the living shadow, he was swiftly defeated. Link focused hard on what he could possibly to do outsmart, distract, or weaken him.

During the morning Link managed to empty his item back and sort through his belongings. He had all his normal things back in the bag, but his masks he set out on the table. Looking over at them, his mind only drew a blank card.

"Link!" Anju called. The boy rose off his bed and opened his door. Anju was at the end of the hall by the staircase. "I'm heading out to the Laundry Pool! Would you like anything cleaned?"

"I'm fine!" Link replied, and he shut his door.

Anju had done a stellar job on patching up his tunic. Now that Link wasn't out in Great Bay swinging, he was able to really appreciate Anju's work. Even though he had jumped and rolled in the sand yesterday numerous times, his tunic didn't have a grain stuck to it.

Bringing his thoughts back to his objective, he went to his bed and laid down, looking at the ceiling. He found himself doing this often when he needed to focus. He stared at the wood that was above him, tracing the circles with his eyes.

He thought he was getting somewhere, but Link could swear he felt like he was being watched. Getting up and walking to his window, he peered outside. Nothing. He watched the clouds for a second before laying back down on his bed. He did his best to stay on track, but he lost his train of thought.

Sitting up in frustration, he looked at the table. The masks still lay facing up.

The masks.

Then it hit him. The Song of Healing. The mystical melody that healed spirits. Looking at his Ocarina, Link was filled with excitement.

Link gathered his things and left his room, making sure to blow out the candle resting on his nightstand before he closed the door. He spoke with Tatl about his plans, and she tagged along without needing to be asked. Rushing down the stairs, he nearly ran into Anju, who was sitting on the edge of the desk, waiting.

"Weren't you going out to the Laundry Pool?" Link asked, looking at the basket of clothes Anju had sitting beside her.

"Can't." She replied. She turned her head to the window, the heavy clouds visible outside. "There's a storm on its way."

The word 'storm' made Link freeze. His mind began racing. Something important came to memory, something which dealt with another soul left in agony in Ikana Canyon.

The Iron Knuckle was slain. Hearing gears turn behind him, Link moved his head to face the source. The oddly formal curtain had risen, revealing what Link could only interpret as a massive gravestone.

Putting his sword back into his sheath, he went up the small stairs and stood before the stone. Noticing wording lining the bottom of the headstone, Link took a closer look. Before he could read what the lines had inscribed, a voice resonated within the chamber. It wasn't a booming, powerful voice, but one of a simple man.

"Are you the one who freed my soul?"

Link spun around, startled. After a moment, the source of the voice revealed itself. It was a spirit. He held a ghostly lantern in his right hand and a baton in his left.

"I served the Ikana Royal Family." He spoke. His voice was soothing. He was far from the other tortured souls that wandered Ikana. "I am the composer called Flat."

Link decided to leave his battle stance, and he paid attention to the specter. The ghost bounced his hands up and down, as if conducting an invisible symphony.

"The songs connected to the Royal Family that remain here were conducted by my brother and me." The maestro's thoughts lingered to many songs that could be found here, his mind even settling on a certain elegy.

"Oh, Sharp…" The conductor's body contorted before he gazed upwards, however he wasn't looking at the ceiling. "My dear brother."

"He sold his soul to the devil and was the one who locked me in here…"

Link recognized the name, Sharp. He recalled him playing the 'Melody of Darkness'. During their first encounter, Link attempted to heal him with the Song of Healing, but it had no effect on the spirit. Now he knew why.

Flat turned his eyes towards Link and addressed him directly.

"You who do not fear the dead, learn well the song that is inscribed behind me…" Link looked at Flat, Tatl floating just behind him, who didn't dare make a sound. "And if you ever meet my brother, I'd like you to inform him…"

"The thousand years of raindrops summoned by my song are my tears. The thunder that strikes the Earth is my anger!" Flat bellowed, the only time he ever changed the tone of his voice.

"…I have made my request."

And with that, Flat vanished from this plane of reality. Link went back to the monument that Flat has described and read it carefully.

"The thousand years of raindrops summoned by my song are my tears. The thunder that strikes the Earth is my anger!" It read. However, it continued after. "Here is written the song that shall cleanse his cursed, black soul."

Retrieving his ocarina, Link pressed his lips to the instrument, and played what was shown below the inscription. Just three notes, played twice in a row. Link recognized this melody. The Song of Storms.

When the song completed, Link was met with a familiar gust of wind. Then the storm picked up, materializing out of nowhere in the closed-off room. Hair flowing in the wind, Link left the tomb and exited the grave. Reaching the surface, he paused and took a deep breath. Looking towards the heavens, his resolve to save Sharp's soul was renewed.

Zoning back to reality, Link looked down in his bag and pulled out the Ocarina of Time. Gomess was a reaper, and he was the devil that Sharp sold his soul to. He squandered his power. Link's idea had not entirely played out as he had hoped, but he still opened the front door with a clear objective.

But then, Link remembered his inspiration when she piped up behind him.

"Going somewhere?" Anju asked, her eyebrow raised. She wasn't a fool; she had noticed Link was wearing his gear again.

"Yeah. I have some business to take care of." Link returned to Anju and have her a hug. His arms had a better sense on what to do this time. Then, without even thinking, he opened his mouth. "Thanks Mom."

And then he left without saying anything else. Anju stood there for the better part of a minute; her mouth left agape. Kafei soon walked into the lobby holding Romani's latest letter. He was so caught up with helping out around the inn, he had forgotten to give it to Link this morning.

"What is it?" He asked, unsure why Anju was so shocked.

"He called me 'Mom'." She said, her hand finally leaving her mouth and some moisture welling up in her eyes. When she wiped her face and looked over at her husband, he was wearing the same face she had.

Link, right on Epona's back, left Clock Town. Galloping towards the canyon, Link looked at the sky this time. He didn't think about his desire for answers this time, but of his loved ones. These thoughts lasted all the way to the cliff.

Dismounting from Epona, he gave her a rub on the cheek before she trotted away. He used his hookshot to fly upwards to the dead tree and continued down this path once again.

Looking onwards, Tatl felt spooked, as did Link. He grabbed the hilt of his sword and was prepared to unsheathe it, sensing eyes upon him. But when he twirled around, he was met with just a weak gust of wind.

It took time, but Link and Tatl finally reached entrance to Stone Tower. By the slope, he noticed the dried blood on the ground. The two stared at streaks of red for a moment before continuing on their way. After a lot of climbing and song playing, Link got to the top. Looking upon the face of the temple, he stared at the hand pointing upwards towards the heavens.

Link only gave the blasphemy his attention for a second before he pulled out a light arrow and aimed carefully. Before he could fire, he saw the last one he shot at it. It had almost missed. Pulling back on the bow string, he breathed in and let go.

Link closed his eyes as the rock beneath him rumbled, and then he was back on the edge of reality. He made sure to stand on the other side of the tower, where the switches were to summon the blocks, right under a ceiling. Last time he just made things difficult by inverting the world right in front of the entrance to the temple.

Landing on his chest, he took a minute to adjust to the new gravity. The blocks above provided a convenient path to the tunnel which led to the courtyard.

Paying no mind to the monument of Majora's Mask before him, he made his way through the temple. Once he reached the corridor with the Bubbles, he took another deep breath.

Link opened the door and walked inside. The moment his other foot passed the doorway, the bars descended, sealing him off from the rest of the temple. Even the hole in the wall of the arena was repaired. He had no time to find for who he was searching for, the squeaks of bats giving away their presence. Tatl began ringing as soon as she saw them.

"You wish for me to finish you off, don't you, boy...?" The howl of Gomess was all Link needed to ready himself. Once his opponent appeared, he got into his battle stance.

"Very well… I shall enjoy this." Gomess said, and then he lunged his scythe Link. The hero dodged and shot a light arrow. Before the bats could even reach him, he spun his sword. The destruction of the illusions was all Link needed to pull out the Great Fairy Sword and slash at Gomess's orb.

The demon of darkness reeled back in pain. Link attempted to pull out his ocarina to play the song but was interrupted. As soon as he recovered, Gomess slashed his scythe around wildly.

"Watch out!" Tatl yelped, and Link rose his head to her plea. Dodging the attack, the Hero of Termina surveyed the battle so far. He thought of trying to distract the demon, but with how fast his opponent was, it wasn't likely he would ever get the time to play all six notes.

Link looked down as Gomess frantically searched for him in the wrong direction. He would turn around any moment now. The hero in green decided that this was the moment. He reached into his bag and pulled out a mask, and then put it on.

Seeing the Hero of Termina, Gomess was about to charge. But he stopped when he witnessed Link place the mask on his face. What he transformed into changed Gomess's expression from anger to horror.

Link was consumed by light. His form grew and his body broadened. When the light diminished, he was the Fierce Deity. Eyes still closed, he exhaled cold air and stood up.

"This… It's not possible." Gomess stammered. What he saw within the boy during their last battle confirmed his fears.

"Good to have you back… old friend." Gomess blurted sarcastically, the anger returning to the tone of his voice.

Link opened his eyes and raised his arm towards the sky. When he brought it back down, the double-helix sword appeared from the light. Looking back towards Gomess, the living shadow didn't need Link to have pupils to know that he was staring him down.

Starting to side-step, Gomess and the Fierce Deity faced each other as they walked in the opposite directions, keeping their distance from the other.

Only when Gomess looked away for a moment to survey the arena did Link act. He ran towards the reaper and readied his sword. First hitting a bat, his swing plunged its way through the illusion and then the cloak, piercing the orb.

Howling in pain, Gomess swung his blade. The two weapons clashed, sparks flying after they made impact. It was only then Gomess realized the Fierce Deity was only wielding his weapon with one hand. He wasn't even showing any effort holding back the scythe!

Link guided his other hand to the hilt of his sword, and pushing forward, overpowered his enemy with ease. Gomess lost balance and the top of his scythe slammed into the ground as Link held the weapon down.

Desperate, Gomess released his grip from his scythe and physically decked Link in the face. When he looked back up, Link had his head turned, a miniscule red mark on his face. Looking back at the trembling demon, Link smirked.

"Now it's our turn." Tatl taunted, and then Link tackled Gomess and crashed through the wall. Entering freefall, the two combatants struggled in the air until Gomess remembered he could fly.

Holding the Fierce Deity by the neck, Gomess soared towards the nearest wall. The pair plowed through and touched down in the inverted courtyard. Link, catching a glimpse of the warp pad leading to Twinmold's lair, got an idea. Giving a knowing look to his fairy companion, Link got to his feet.

Holding out against Gomess's mighty force pushing him backwards, the Fierce Deity moved backwards slowly. He knew he was fighting a failing battle when he nearly slipped off the platform where they stood.

Link decided to use Gomess's momentum against him and moved to the right to let the demon move forwards from his own force. Grabbing the sphere in his opponent's torso with his gauntlets, he swung the shadow towards the warp. He didn't expect him to regain flight as soon as he did. Gomess then lunged at Link, and they made their way outside.

Gomess kept pushing Link backwards towards the edge of the temple. It wasn't until Link was met with a reformed scythe did he finally fall. But he managed to grasp onto the hilt of the weapon, bringing Gomess down with him. Tatl barely had the speed to catch up with the two as they fell into the sky.

Link headbutted his enemy to buy himself some time and reached into his bag. Pulling out a Light arrow, Link had no time to figure how he'd fire the object to hit the gemstone that was rapidly leaving his range. Resorting to just throwing it and hoping for the best, by some miracle it hit its intended target.

"Now you can enter my world!" Link exclaimed as reality shifted around the pair. Their momentum stopped for a moment until they began plummeting into the abyss. Tatl had to get out of the way as the two she was chasing fell past her.

Both Link and Gomess exchanged blows to the other as they dropped. When they were nearing the entrance to the tower did Link pull out the hookshot, thankfully he was still able to hold it with the enlarged hand he gained.

Without time to aim, Link simply shot his item upwards. When it flew into the air, Tatl helped guide the hook the best she could. It hit something, and then Link ascended upwards, a smile across his face as Tatl smirked when he met her gaze while in the air.

Gomess scowled and gave chase. Link detached the hook before he met the post and aimed at the closest one above. He began is swinging routine, gaining height as he raced through the air back to the entrance of Stone Tower Temple.

One of Gomess's bats broke off from the swarm and attacked Tatl, trying to bite her out of the air. Dodging the attempt, she watched as the bat humorously flew past her and right into the wall she was in front of. She smirked as it went unconscious after impact and fell down into the deep dark.

Meeting up with Link as he was halfway up the tower, she decided to make some small talk to ease his nerves. "So… What exactly IS our plan?"

Link grunted as he pulled on the chain to gain some extra speed, keeping the shadow demon off his tail.

"Get to the warp pad." He stated.

"Alright, simple enough." Tatl replied as she flew past Link and to the entrance.

When Link was over two-thirds up the tower, he noticed his momentum slowing. He looked down to see four bats gnawing on his boot. Kicking them off, he tugged on the chain again, finally meeting up with his fairy at the top.

Without a second to lose, he made a mad dash to the warp pad on the other side of the tunnel. Waiting in anticipation, he braced for impact and was actually glad to see Gomess when he emerged from the darkness.

When Gomess and Link made contact, the hero smirked as the two were enveloped by light. Tatl making sure to join the pair, they were warped to the entrance to Twinmold's realm.

The fighters maintained their momentum and sailed right into the portal, Tatl not far behind.

Once Gomess felt the impact of their eventual landing did he realize what happened. Feeling the sand getting underneath his cloak, he frantically looked around. All he saw was sand, a few spires nearby.

When Link freed himself from the sand he was embedded in not too far from Gomess, he noticed something about the stone pillars riddling the battlefield. They all bore carvings of Majora's Mask. The infernal witch must have been worshipped here, if that wasn't already clear from the monument out in the courtyard. Maybe the beast that used to inhabit this realm was some kind of pet.

"What have you done!?" Gomess screamed as he raced towards the Fierce Deity. He didn't have time, as the fierce god pulled out his variant of the Ocarina of Time for the first time.

It was a handheld harp.

Plucking the strings by instinct, he played the Song of Storms. The notes emanating from the instrument sounded heavenly. Once the sky began to darken did Gomess halt his pursuit. Looking up at the forming storm clouds, he soon felt rain.

The wind summoned by the song blew sand about, and Gomess flinched. He felt…grief. A thousand years of sadness poured down upon him. Only then was he finally able see the consequences of his deeds. The orb within his chest changed from a sickly green to a fine blue. A blue that matched the color of Link's own eyes as he removed the Fierce Deity's Mask.

Gomess trembled, brought down to the ground. His swarm of bats disappeared as his illusion finally ended. He only looked up at the boy in front of him.

"What have I done?" Gomess asked, his voice sounding akin to any mortal man.

"What have you done?" Link replied, his question just as genuine as the formers.

Gomess could only think, and his mind raced to all the souls he possessed. The faces of the damned lined the orb within his torso, and Link looked at the trembling body of his former adversary.

"Let's have a talk…" Link said. It wasn't a question, but an order. Gomess only nodded and fixed his position. His body hovered just a few inches from the ground. It was the closest he could get to sitting. Link sat down just a few feet away from him.

"I'm going to tell you a story. A story about power… and how I squandered it." Link told. Gomess could only look at the boy as he begun, telling a tale of something that had happened during his journey to save Termina. And it wasn't an experience Link was proud of.