Hello! This chapter will be a little bit different than any previous chapter. It's actually based off of something that actually happened to me when I first beat the Great Bay Temple when I was first playing Majora's Mask on my 3DS. I'm unsure of any of you have a similar story to what happens here, but I felt like it could really hit home the theme that I wanted to convey here.
Anyways, enjoy!
-Joost

The Fierce God Given Life
Chapter 9: With Great Power

Link's story began with him falling. His body cascaded through time. He landed back at the door to Clock Tower. The boy held the biggest smile he ever had on his face.

Link had just defeated Gyorg and completed his journey through the Great Bay Temple. Even he admitted it was tedious, but once he won the battle, he grew some ego.

Link felt like he was on top of the world, something so out of character for the boy. He never felt so frustrated at any point prior in his journey when he was at Great Bay. No part of his quests compared, both in Termina or Hyrule. Tatl kinda liked this new side of him. It took her by surprise too, but she already grew fond of it.

This cycle, Link decided to pay a visit to Romani Ranch again. It had been a bit and he thought he need some time off after what he had just been through.

He went through the usual routine, meeting Romani, practicing shooting the targets while on Epona, and making plans for 2 in the morning. While he waited out the day, Tatl convinced him to treat himself to some fun in Clock Town. He beat the record in the archery game, again, he knew to become a Goron to get a discount in the Treasure Chest Shop, everything he could do to pass the time. But what he did without even knowing was feeding his own cockiness. For the first time, he grew arrogant.

Heading to the ranch at 1:30, Link was cutting it close. He was able to catch Romani just before she entered the barn. Link didn't bother convincing her to join him outside as backup as he did the very first time he faced the invaders. He didn't think he'd need help now.

Once They appeared, he just stood on top of the wooden crate in the front yard and picked off the creatures with ease. Ignoring the dog as it ran off to the back of the barn, he just kept firing his bow.

What he didn't realize was the pup was trying to direct his attention to the nearest invader. As it floated closer and closer to the barn, Tatl finally caught a glimpse of it. But it was too late.

"W-Wait! Link! Over there!" Tatl chirped. That was what got Link to finally look back, but his face went pale at what he saw.

The being phased right through the wall of the barn before Link could stop it. An arrow dinked on the stone barrier. Then, they all stopped. Looking around, the boy didn't know what to do. The creatures very matter shifted into pure light, and warped to the barn, the only thing visible as they sped towards the building being the streaks of light left behind.

Their orb hovered to the roof of the barn, and then blew it apart. Pieces of hay, wood, rope, and string exploded into the air as a beam of light shot down from the orb to the floor of the barn.

A cow was risen into the air and was consumed by the orb, and then another cow followed. Link could only watch as they stole the poor animals. But when Romani floated up into the light did Link's ego completely wash away.

Cremia, awoken by the blast of the barn roof, ran outside and froze in horror as she witnessed her sister be taken away. Link attempted to shoot his hookshot at the sphere of energy, but the hook only went through before returning to the hilt of the tool. Once all the cows were gone, the light coming from the sphere disappeared, and then it flew away into the distance.

"Romani!" Cremia yelled, chasing the orb as it sailed through the sky. It was all in vain as it left her view before she even passed Link. Once he saw her running, he joined her, even though by the time the two ran out of breath it was too late.

Link was only left panting when he stopped just by the fence, still looking into the direction the sphere went, as Cremia fell to her knees. Her lip began to quiver.

It was just a few hours later. The sun was shining on the ranch. Cremia stood in the remains of the barn as Link leaned on the wall next to the door and looked at the could. He thoughts could only inwardly scold himself. How could he be so careless? What happened to the righteous hero? The only thing that snapped him out of it was the faint sound of footsteps walking in the grass nearby.

Looking up, Link saw Romani wandering around. Tatl dinged quickly as she spotted the girl soon after. Cremia's attention was caught by Tatl's sound, and she looked outside for a moment to see her sister.

The two ran as fast as they could to the little girl.

"Romani! Thank goodness you're ok!" Cremia exclaimed as she reached her sister. But Romani didn't respond. She didn't even appear to have noticed Cremia when she hugged her. Link's expression of hope faded once he got into sight of Romani's face, the dazed and confused look filling him with unimaginable guilt.

"Romani? Romani, it's me. It's me, Cremia!" The eldest sister began to panic. Why wasn't Romani responding?

"Romani?! Romani, look at me!" She pleaded. There was no response from the little girl. She didn't even look like she knew where she was. What planet she was on. The little flicker of wonder that was always behind her eyes was gone.

Taking her little sister inside, Cremia shut the door to the house before Link could follow. He only stood there for a minute before sitting down, leaning on the wall of the house. And he stayed there for hours.

When it reached noon, Cremia unlocked the door and returned to the barn. Link followed her and stood in the doorway as she began to sob. She didn't care if she had an audience, her grief wouldn't let her pride affect her.

Link went back to the house and opened the door. Romani wasn't anywhere. He entered and started to look for her. It was only when he got to the bedroom did he finally find her. She was simply in bed, asleep, still indifferent to everything. No reaction to the light entering the room, not Link's footsteps when he walked over to her, nothing.

The 'Hero' didn't dare touch the sleeping girl. He didn't try to wake her, comfort her, nothing. He just gazed at her. His thoughts were only of the sisters now. They didn't deserve this. They didn't deserve someone as low as Link. The terrible thoughts poisoned his head, but he didn't fight them.

Tatl hadn't said a word in a while now. She couldn't bring herself to say anything. No sly remark could lift the mood that had descended on the ranch.

Link left the house and sat back down on the ground outside.

Time felt like it was standing still, even though the sun moved through the sky as normal. When Cremia finally left the barn and returned to the house, she didn't keep Link out like before. She wanted to see something.

As soon as they got inside, the two headed right upstairs. Cremia sat on Romani's bed, caressing her little sisters' hair as she slept. Link just stood in the doorway, too ashamed to look up. The scene lasted for a long time.

By dinner, Cremia sat at the table, alone. Link was back outside, Epona next to him. The mare knew something was wrong. Brushing up against Link's shoulder trying to get his attention, she gave up after several minutes of her rider paying her no mind.

The next day was when Romani finally woke up. Starting her day by only sitting on a box in the front yard, she faced out and stared at the distance. And she remained that way the whole day. Link tried to jog her memory any way he could. When he finished practicing on Epona for the third time in a row, Romani still couldn't recall why he did so or why it seemed to matter.

"But… This… What is this practice for?" Romani mumbled; her words were slow. "…Romani… can't remember…"

That was the farthest Link ever got. Giving the girl some space, he walked into the ranch house. He didn't notice Cremia by the stove until she addressed him.

"Who are you?" Cremia said. She didn't face Link. She couldn't bring herself to.

Link didn't know how to respond. He couldn't understand the tone of her voice.

"I said, who are you?" Cremia repeated. Her voice grew hateful at the boy in green.

"My- My name is Link…" The boy mumbled. Cremia still heard him, but that wasn't enough for her.

"What happened to my sister?" Cremia demanded. She still didn't face Link.

"I… I don't know." Link said. He didn't want to say those words, but he had no choice.

"Lies!" Cremia yelled as she turned around. The redness of her eyes, shakiness in her voice, and moisture rolling down her cheeks only acted like a sword, piercing Link's fragile heart.

"I don't know how else to explain it…" Link stuttered. He never talked this much, not before. He had to talk now.

Cremia only stared at the boy until she looked down, the shadow of her bangs covering her eyes. "Get out."

"W-What?" Link asked, startled.

"I said GET OUT!" Cremia screamed. "Get out of our house! Get off this ranch!"

Link impulsively tried to walk to Cremia, but she turned around before he could get close. He almost considered hugging her until she spoke again.

"Get away from me, you scare the hell out of me…" She said, an arrow of hatred flew with her words. Link only lowered his head and walked out. His boots dragged on the ground as he left the ranch. He didn't ride out on Epona, he didn't fly away with the Song of Soaring, he didn't even run with the Bunny Hood. In fact, he didn't even run. He just walked. He never turned his gaze upwards until he reached the fork in Milk Road.

Link stopped his trek and collapsed onto the dirt road. His mind too exhausted to think about anything else. He only turned his head towards the Owl Statue across from him. The moon was dangerously close to the tower in the distance. The only thing Link did next was play six notes on his ocarina and fell through time once again.

And the entire next cycle was more work. Not on his quest to save the land, but to Romani Ranch.

"I never… hated myself more than I did then." Link said, concluding his story. Gomess proved to be a careful listener.

"It took me a long time to get through that darkness. A lot of cycles after that were spent at the ranch. I did everything I could to help them." Link only stared at the sand he sat on as he talked about this. Shame had consumed him and he retreated into himself. "But one thing I never did again… was squander my abilities."

"I have gifts… and I need to give what I can back to world." Link said. "And you did too."

Gomess removed his gaze from the boy in front of him. The demon took this time to reflect upon himself. His mind raced through everything he had done, all the souls he deceived.

"You have responsibility."

Gomess closed his eyes and made an almost inaudible plea to the Hero of Termina.

"Forgive me…" He asked. Link watched as his former adversary thought about his deeds. The regret flowed through his soul like a creek did down a stream. Link just nodded.

"For the first time, I feel… guilt." Gomess gazed at the rain that still covered his body. He couldn't take his eyes off the moisture on his hands. Link gave a demon some perspective.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" Gomess asked. An idea popped into Link's head.

"How did you know that I was a threat now? When you appeared in the temple before… What changed?" Link asked. The first time they ever crossed paths, Gomess never uttered a word. It was just another battle for the two of them. The shadow was able to answer the question quite easily.

"I sensed a cosmic anomaly. Something within your soul that violated reality." Gomess stated grimly. "A powerful force that was confined to a vessel a long time ago."

Knowing what Gomess was talking about, Link reached into his bag and pulled out the Fierce Deity's Mask.

"Tell me about him." Link responded, the item facing his listener. Gomess moved back a bit at the sight of the mask. Even he didn't believe that the mask was really before him, in the hands of a child.

All this time he only thought it was a fraction of the fierce god's power that was granted to the boy, figuring the true artifact was lost to time. He complied to Link's question once he was able to collect his thoughts.

"He… was a friend…" Gomess began, sitting back down on the sand. "I knew him in life."

"In life?" Tatl asked. Her own loud personality was tempered by the scene that was playing out before her. She felt a little out of place during this entire talk.

"Yes. We creatures of the realms beyond are not just made. We are chosen." Gomess stated. He had so many memories of his life before, but they were all locked away. There were only faint emotions he felt when he tried to remember.

"He was a righteous man. A powerful warrior who fought to protect all he could." Gomess's tale intrigued Link. He scooted closer. "Only when he visited me last did I notice something… He had… changed."

Link tilted his head with curiosity.

"He was distraught. He told me he had to do something he didn't want to do. He wasn't ordered to do it, but he felt he was obligated to." Gomess's voice lowered as he recalled the events.

"Then he attacked me. He was aware of my deeds. He sealed me away in the Stone Tower Temple. There, I was driven to madness." Gomess began to tremble again. "All this time I thought it was what he did to me that had brought upon him so much stress, but now I think it was something else entirely…"

Gomess's voice was shaky. He slammed his fist into the ground, sand flying up into the air. "It was that woman he met that changed him!"

"Woman?" Tatl was bewildered at the knowledge being handed to her and her companion. She had to say something.

"The one who upset things…" Gomess paused for a moment, trying to remember a certain detail. He struggled at the effort. When the memory finally returned to him, he showed a glimpse of fear. "I- I cannot invoke her name."

Taking in the new information, Link eventually stood, his fairy right behind him. Satisfied with the knowledge he had gained, he only had one thing left to ask. Without looking at Gomess, he stared at the stone pillars in the distance, his eyes focusing on the shape engraved in them.

"What do you know about Majora's Mask?" Link asked. Gomess physically reacted to Link's query. He thought for a second.

"Hardly anything. That… thing… is not a being to be meddled with." Link showed disappointment at the response he was given. Starting to walk towards the blue light that marked the exit of this bizarre place. It was not far from him. However, he was stopped when Gomess spoke up again.

"But I do know one thing."

This caught Link's attention. Facing Gomess once again, his face was all the reaper needed to continue.

"There's a vacuum. A lack of power… now that she's gone." Gomess explained. The use of 'power' piqued Link's curiosity again.

"She had competition?" Link's question almost made the demon laugh.

"Of course she did. But they are hardly divine…" Gomess replied. His smile faded as he had images of the ruthless slaughter he had witnessed, all flash before his eyes. "A race of spies. Invaders from another land who waged war against the kingdom of Ikana just to get to the Stone Tower."

"What were they known as?" Link asked. Gomess grew tired of Link's questions.

"Your persistence is astonishing. Your desire for answers must be strong." Gomess remarked. His tone grew more serious. "These fellows still stalk the living. Eyes are everywhere. When your attention is occupied, they are right under your nose. They are only known as…"

"The Garo."

Link's face showed only determination when he heard the name, helping Gomess truly understand what kind of person the boy was.

"Link…" It first occurred to the hero that he had never told Gomess his name. But the demon knew it regardless. "You are a kite… flying into a hurricane."

"The winds will tear you apart."

Link was unfazed. The cryptic words that exited Gomess's mouth were haunting, it felt like a warning more than a threat.

"Farewell." Gomess said, no emotion behind his voice compared to the words he uttered just seconds before. He rose and floated towards the blue circle that was at the center of the stone platform not far from the two. He returned to reality, leaving Link standing in the sand with his thoughts.

After some time, Link had found new resolve. Leaving the realm of the former Twinmold, he was sent back to Ikana Canyon, just outside the hill that led to the entrance of the Stone Tower. Tatl just behind him, they started the journey out of the canyon and made their way back to Clock Town.

Link was going to take time off for a little while. He felt satisfied at the moment with everything he had learned. Riding Epona back to town, he remembered the day prior. The phrase he learned was still in his head. He wanted to spend time with the people he loves, just like Kafei's father. Then his thoughts landed on a certain ranch girl, and Link simply smiled on the way home.