Author's Note: I'm so sorry! I know it's been a while since I updated this story. I've been distracted with schoolwork and with another story; I feel horrible about it. I haven't gotten any reviews for the last chapter. Please review and tell me what you think. Sorry!
CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS
The time-warp left them at the Deku Tree, as before. Link smiled at Zelda, as they prepared to go on their separate quests. "Remember, find me in three days, or sooner." Link reminded.
"I will, Link! I'll be okay!" Zelda giggled. "I have Tatl to help me, too." Tatl circled Zelda's head at the mention of her name. Then, Zelda changed into her Fairy-form, and, giving Link a quick-yet-loving kiss, she flew off, with Tatl following her.
Now Link was, except for Navi, on his own in his quest. Though he missed Zelda's help and company, he'd be fine. Walking out of the Kokiri Forest and into Hyrule Field, he took out his Ocarina, and played Epona's Song. A few minutes later, Epona came galloping up to him. Link mounted the fine mare, and rode to the west, towards Great Bay.
Link arrived in Great Bay's sandy shores before noon came, and his eyes spotted something, out in the water, floating helplessly. Link dismounted, and moved closer, where he saw that it was a light-blue, fish-like humanoid, with blue eyes, a back-tapered head, and fins on his forearms. He was a Zora. And he was hurt.
Link swam out to the Zora and helped him to shore, where he fell flat on his face. "Ugh..." he groaned. "Please...help..."
"Who are you?" Link asked.
"I'm Mikau, the guitarist in the Zora band, the Indigo-Go's." he replied. "We're supposed to play a gig at the Carnival in three days or so, and I came back to pick up our lyrics – the others are waiting for me at the Town – but then this masked guy blind-sides me. If the water hadn't been so murky, I might've seen him coming as I swam."
Link grimaced; Majora's evil had struck again.
"The water's getting really bad..." Mikau wheezed. "If it keeps up, other Zora will start getting sick. Please...help."
"What can I do?" Link asked.
"Great Bay Temple...it started from there..." Mikau choked out. "Legend says that the key to the Temple...is at Pinnacle Rock." He pointed to the open sea, to a pair of tall rocky spikes, jutting up from the water. He grasped Link's arm. "I'm...not going to make it...please...my girlfriend, Lulu, the vocalist in our band...if you see her...tell her I love her...and that, even if I die, I'll never be at peace...until we're...together...again..." Then, Mikau was gone.
Link knew that he couldn't save Mikau, but he could ease his passing. Taking out the Ocarina of Time, he played the Song of Healing.
As the music washed over Mikau, his fading mind pictured himself with his darling Lulu, and he smiled to himself, knowing they'd be together again.
Slowly, Mikau's body faded away, leaving behind a mask of a Zora's face – the Zora Mask. As Link picked up the Mask, he heard Mikau's voice: "I entrust my spirit to you. Please, save my home and my people!"
Link sadly beheld the new mask; another soul had fallen victim to Majora's evil. "When will it end..?" he murmured.
Suddenly, Rauru, the Sage of Light, appeared before Link. "It will end with Majora's defeat." he said. "Majora is the source of the evil lingering in this looping time-line; as long as he exists, Hyrule is tainted with his evil. Once Majora is vanquished, all lives unfairly lost will be restored, including Mikau and Darmani. You carry their souls with you, now. Their strength is joined with yours in this dark hour. Good luck, Link." Then, Rauru vanished.
Link looked upon the Mask; he had to stop Majora for Mikau an Darmani's sake, too. He then put on the Zora Mask, and felt a wave of energy wash over him.
When the energy faded, Link was now a Zora. He now wore a green kilt-like garment with his boots and gauntlets, with long, green, razor-sharp fin-blades extending from his forearms. The back-tapering of his head was much longer, and now green, resembling his cap.
Navi darted out. "Wow, Link! You've become a Zora!" she squeaked. "As a Zora, you're agile enough to make use of martial-arts techniques, and you can launch your fins as boomerangs! You can swim a lot faster, now, and you can deep-dive and walk on the ocean floor! You can also use your magic to generate a protective electric field!"
Link nodded. "We'd better get going." he said. Then, he waded out into the water, and began to swim for Pinnacle Rock, his body cutting through the water like an arrow, moving faster than ever before. In minutes, he'd reached Pinnacle Rock.
Pinnacle Rock was, in reality, a deep underwater pit with numerous caves, the two spikes only marking the Rock. Link then let himself sink; slowly, he sank down, and down, past the caves. Suddenly, he felt a presence; a small, magical presence.
There was a Stray Fairy here!
Link was amazed, both at the fact that a Stray Fairy could be here, and that he could sense it, at this distance; Stray Fairies were so tiny, hardly giving off any energy signature...
How could he have sensed it? Were his powers getting stronger, his mystic senses becoming more perceptive?
Soon, Link was standing at the bottom. He didn't have time to check all these caves; from here, he could see the sky starting to turn dark red from sunset's last few minutes. He walked towards the nearest cave...and darted back, as a massive sea-snake snapped at him! The snake hissed, baring its fangs menacingly, and snapped at him. Link got clear of the massive serpent, then crossed his arms, and let his boomerang-fins fly, striking the snake just above its neck, stunning it. As his fins returned, Link swam to the snake, grabbed onto its head, and sent an electric surge through the snake, electrocuting it. The snake fell, dead.
As the snake fell, a small, glowing yellow seahorse peeked its head out of an adjacent cave. "Is the snake gone?" it asked. Seeing the dead snake, it darted out. "Oh, thank you!!" it squeaked. "How can I repay you?"
"I'm looking for the secret to open Great Bay Temple." Link said. "Do you know which cave it's hidden in?"
"Yes, I do! Follow me!" the seahorse said. Then, it began to swim across the sea floor, to another cave. Link followed the seahorse into the cave, all the way to the back. There, etched into the stone wall, was a set of music notes – a melody. "This song can let one go to the Great Bay Temple – the New Wave Bossa Nova." the seahorse said. "If you go through the stone arch on the far side of the beach and keep climbing up the rocks and up to the waterfall, you'll find a small stone island. Play the Bossa Nova there, and you can go to the Temple."
"Thank you." Link said, and he left the cave, and began to ascend. As he rose, he suddenly felt the same mystic presence – coming from one of the caves to his left. He swam towards the cave where he felt the strongest sensation from, and entered it. There, encased in a translucent bubble, was a light-blue-violet Stray Fairy. Carefully, Link grasped the bubble, swam out of the cave, and ascended to the surface, where the bubble popped, freeing the Stray Fairy.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!" the Stray Fairy squeaked. "I thought I was going to die down there! Some monsters captured me, stuck me in that bubble, and left me down there! Please, help me get back to my Fountain! It's on the other side of the stone arch on the beach!"
"Sure!" Link said, and he began to swim for shore, the Stray Fairy following him above the water's surface. By the time he reached shore, it was well into the night. Link removed the Zora Mask, returning to normal, and headed for the stone arch. As he walked through it, the Stray Fairy led him to a cave built into the rock wall. Link promptly followed the Fairy into the cave.
Inside the cave was a Fairy Fountain, like the one he'd found at Snowhead, only its pool glowed with a violet light. As the Stray Fairy flew over the pool, the glow in the pool intensified, and out rose a tall, graceful woman, her skin gleaming like amethyst, with mid-length violet hair, clad in a gleaming, purple gown, with fairy-wings extending from her back. She was a Great Fairy.
"Hero of Time...did you rescue my Stray Fairy?" the Great Fairy asked. She smiled. "Thank you for your kindness. I shall now bequeath to you one of the magical tools I have kept here, for brave, selfless adventures kind enough to render aid to my kind and I." She concentrated, and, out of thin air, a cane appeared. This cane was about the same size as the Cane of Sumaria, except it was a light blue, with thousands of tiny runic symbols carved into its crooked end, and a small, deep red gem embedded in the tip. "This is the Cane of Byrna, crafted in the long-forgotten land of Byrna. In that kingdom, evil forces often attacked from all sides, so the sorcerers there crafted the Cane to repulse attacks from all directions. The Cane has the power to raise a powerful, evil-repelling barrier around you; this barrier is so strong, it can corrode any evil force or dark magic that touches it. The Cane can also use its barrier as a weapon; you can erect a barrier around an enemy to immobilize it, or fire the barrier as a deadly blast. The Cane of Byrna is a mighty weapon, Link. Use it wisely."
Slowly, the Cane lowered into Link's hands. Link held it for a moment, gazing upon it, before he put it away. "I promise, I'll use it well." he said. The Great Fairy nodded, and then returned to her pool, as Link left the Fountain.
Outside, Link looked around, and found a steep incline near the shoreline, with a few small islands bridging the distance between him and the incline. There was a waterfall on one side of it, and, off in the distance, on the sea, Link thought he could see a large fish, surrounded by a swirling cloud.
Taking out his Longshot, Link fired on the palm tree on the first island, and fired; the spring-loaded chain easily latched onto the trunk of the tree, pulling him to it. Link then leaped effortlessly from one island to the next, stopping at the incline. He then began to climb up its steep, rocky surface.
By the time he reached the top, morning was fast approaching; the first day was nearly done. He saw a cave with a side-stream leading into the main flow of the waterfall, and followed the water into the cave, and found a small island. Changing back into a Zora, Link took out his Ocarina, which promptly became a fish-bone guitar. He then played the Bossa Nova, a smooth-sounding tune, like raindrops falling on an open sea, its sound made all the smoother by his guitar.
The instant he'd finished, the island changed into a large turtle! The turtle yawned. "Did I sleep long?" he thought aloud. Seeing Link, he said, "Well met, Hero of Time!"
Link paused, removing the Zora Mask. "You know of me?" he asked.
"All beings of magic know of you, the one who drew the Blade of Evil's-Bane." the turtle said. "The oceans have need of your might, Link. The Great Bay Temple has been polluted with evil. Please, hop on my back, and I will take you there!" Link leapt onto the sea-turtle's back, and the turtle began to swim out of his cave, into the waterfall's main stream. "Hang on!" the turtle declared, and Link held on, as the turtle swam over the falls, splashing down on the seas, and then swimming on, towards the giant fish. As they swam, Link remembered that Zelda was still searching for the treasure of her grandmother.
He wondered how she was doing, right now.
As the morning sun rose over Hyrule, Zelda flew over Hyrule Field, followed by Tatl.
She'd been searching all day, yesterday. She'd tried Lake Hylia, Kakariko Village, then Goron City, and Death Mountain. Wherever Epheremelda had hidden her relic, she'd hidden it well; Zelda's ethereal sense hadn't picked up a thing.
But maybe that meant she wasn't supposed to find it? Zelda stopped, hovering in mid-air, struggling with her insecurities. Maybe Epheremelda wanted Zelda's Aunt Clairvoya to have it; after all, she was stronger than Zelda's mother and her other three sisters combined, and she could see the future...
"Princess Zelda?" Tatl asked. "Is something wrong?"
"Am I supposed to find this relic, Tatl?" Zelda asked. "What if Queen Epheremelda doesn't want me to find it, doesn't want me as her heir?"
"Princess Zelda, you're the nicest person I've ever met! I bet Queen Epheremelda would be thrilled to have you as her heir!" Tatl exclaimed.
Zelda smiled. "Thank you, Tatl." she said. Then, sighing, she added, "But that still doesn't help me find it." By then, she was flying over Hyrule Castle. Deciding to take a little rest, Zelda flew down into the Castle's Inner Courtyard. She sat down on a stone bench. She needed to think...
"Why, good morning, Princess Zelda."
Startled, Zelda jumped up, ready to take to the air...and groaned to herself as she saw Caspian – 'Lord' Caspian, she mentally corrected herself, with all possible mental sarcasm – walking up to her. "May I say that you look positively enchanting today, especially in your...pixie clothing." he said.
Zelda frowned, and turned away from him, crossing her arms. She wasn't about to encourage him. She didn't like him before she went to Eletale, and she certainly didn't now; after what she'd heard about him trying to get Link discredited in the past, he'd given her no reason to even bother with him.
"May I sit with you?" he asked.
"You may not." Zelda replied. "Please leave."
Caspian sighed. "What must I do to become worth of Her Highness' affection?"
"If you desire friendship, that is different." Zelda said calmly; maybe she could end this little feud for Link's sake. "It will take time to earn my friendship, Caspian, but you can start by stopping your schemes to discredit Link and accept him."
Judging by Caspian's scowl, she doubted that he would. "But if you still mean to try and get me to be your bride," she continued, "I suggest you forget it!"
Caspian sighed, as if he were developing a headache. "Your Majesty, with all due respect...what do you see in him? What does he, a wild-eyed zealot, have that a cultured gentleman like myself does not?"
"Link is brave, honest, caring, and he actually cares for me." Zelda said. "Nothing will change that."
Caspian smirked. "I trust you've not seen him, yet." he said.
Zelda blinked. "Yes...I have." she said, confused. "Why?"
Caspian froze. "Nothing...out of the ordinary?"
"No..." Zelda said. "Why?"
Caspian said no more on that, only saying, "Your Majesty, I humbly ask that, the next time you see...him, you relay this message: sooner or later, his luck will run out, and when it does..."
"That sounds like a threat." Zelda said.
"You may consider it a promise." Caspian replied. "Good day, Highness." Then, Caspian stormed off.
Sighing, Zelda leaned back against the bench. 'Why won't he just let us be?' she thought. 'If Link does propose to me, and if we do wed, Caspian will never leave us alone.'
"Oh, don't be too sure of that."
Startled, Zelda looked up and saw a fairly tall, elegantly-built woman – Zelda assumed she was in her thirties – clad in a long, silver-grey robe with a hood, covering her face, leaving only her mouth and nose exposed. She had a pair of fairy-wings, but hers resembled those of a dragonfly. Zelda had seen her before, in her mother's memories of her birth-ceremony, which she'd shared with her. This was her Aunt Clairvoya, her mother's eldest sister, and the strongest of her Aunts.
Clairvoya smiled her wry half-smile at Zelda. "Hello, my young niece. You've grown." she said, her tone utterly tranquil, with no hint of mood whatsoever. "Oh, and if you're hungry, you can snack on that apple."
"What apple?" Zelda asked...just as an apple from the apple tree overhead dropped into her lap.
Clairvoya's smile became a full smile. "That one."
Zelda put the apple aside for a moment. "So...what brings you out here, Aunt Clairvoya?"
"The same thing that brings you here."
Zelda's face fell, as the young Fairy's insecurities flared up. "I should have known." she softly said. "Of course Grandmother Epheremelda would want a powerful Fairy like you as her heir. You deserve it."
"Me??" Clairvoya exclaimed. "Oh, no, child, I'm here to advise you. If anyone's the heir, it's you." She smiled. "Zelda, you are truly gifted. You have much stronger powers than you know; magic that, in time, could surpass mine. Plus, you are gifted with a mortal life. Immortality can corrupt some, and we are all glad that you aren't burdened with it. Your life-span is simply longer than a normal Hylian's – about the same as that of a certain Magi Crown Prince." Zelda slightly blushed at that, but at the same time she was glad that, in their old age, she wouldn't have to go on forever without Link.
That had been a horrible fear of hers when she'd discovered her magic.
"Even if you weren't the heir, it could never be me." Clairvoya continued. "Mother thinks I already have too much power."
"Why?" Zelda asked.
Clairvoya sighed. "Shortly after I graduated from Eletale, I began to study the...darker side of magic." she admitted. "Shortly after beginning to read the dark magic spell-tomes, my power tripled. I may have kept reading and become a dark Fairy, had my gift of prophecy not come, and taught me a valuable lesson. You see, Zelda," she pulled back her hood, "power can come with a price."
Zelda gasped. Her Aunt's face was beautiful, with long silvery hair and creamy skin. It was her eyes that frightened Zelda: pure, without pupils, utterly white.
"The price for my ability to see what is yet to be...was my ability to see what is now." Clairvoya said.
She was blind.
"The price for reading those tomes was my soul." Clairvoya finished. "It was a price I wasn't willing to pay. I gave up dark magic, but the power I had already gained stayed with me. I thank my eyes, for they remind me never to misuse it, else I may pay the price."
"I see..." Zelda said softly. "But...I'm sure Grandmother would forgive you..."
Clairvoya smiled. "Perhaps." she said. "But that doesn't mean she wants me as her heir. No, little niece, I'm not here to claim the relic and become the heir. I'm here to help you, to tell you that sometimes what you seek is in the most obvious place."
"'The most obvious place'??" Zelda repeated. "Where is that?" Then, all of a sudden, her ethereal senses went off; the relic was nearby! Zelda flew off, zipping through the entire Courtyard, followed by Tatl. She passed over a fountain, and her magic-signal spiked. As she touched down in front of it, the fountain shifted back, revealing a stairwell leading downwards. Zelda walked down it, followed by Tatl.
The stairwell led Zelda and Tatl into a Fairy Fountain – the most beautiful Fountain that Zelda had ever seen; it was a pool of liquid light, surrounded by pillars of pure white stone. There was a white marble walkway leading to its center. Zelda walked onto it, into the center, and Tatl followed. There was a flash of light, and Zelda looked away.
When she looked back, Zelda froze, as did Tatl, for there, floating before them, was a fairly tall, elegantly beautiful woman, clad in a long gown seemingly made of rainbow-light. Her skin seemed to be pure crystal, her eyes glimmering jewels, her long hair a shimmering prismatic cascade of color. Growing from her back was a pair of beautiful fairy-wings, resembling those of a butterfly.
Tatl gasped as she beheld this shimmering creature. "Y-Your M-Majesty!" she stammered, respectfully dipping in altitude.
Zelda froze. "Are you..." she began, "...Queen...Epheremelda?"
The dazzling Fairy nodded. "Hello, little granddaughter. I've been expecting you." she cooed serenely. "I was starting to think you wouldn't come."
Zelda blinked. "You were expecting me?" she asked.
"Why, yes." Epheremelda said. "I left one of my treasures here for you, but then I decided to wait here with it for these past few days, to make sure I didn't miss you. It's seemed so long, what with that young Magi-Prince of yours rewinding time every three days or so; and don't be surprised, child. I know all about it."
Zelda was overjoyed. "You...left this for me?" she exclaimed. "You want...me as your heir?"
"Why, of course, dear!" Epheremelda exclaimed. "Whyever would you doubt it? My other daughters all have their own lives, their own destinies. I know I can trust you with this responsibility."
"I...I don't know what to say!" Zelda exclaimed. "I mean, all I wanted was to just meet you! I never thought you'd want me to be your heir!" Then, she added, "But...don't go away anytime soon, okay, Grandmother? I don't want to take your place just yet."
Epheremelda lightly laughed. "Oh, don't worry about that, sweetie. I'm not planning on fading away just yet."
Zelda laughed with her grandmother. Then, she became curious. "But, I was wondering," the lovely young Fairy-princess asked, "what exactly did you leave here?"
"Ah. I was wondering when you'd ask that." Epheremelda said. Then, she simply gestured, and, in a flash of light, a lovely armlet appeared on Zelda's glove-clad wrist on her right hand. It was composed of intertwining bands of silver, with a circular pattern in the center of it, a bright sapphire in its very center.
"It's lovely." Zelda said, smiling at the gift her grandmother had given her. "But...what is it? I know this isn't just an armlet."
"Very perceptive." Epheremelda said approvingly. "That, my dear, is my most powerful magical item, one I've held for much of my life, even before I became Queen, until I decided to leave its power to one who could do good with it, one of my line to carry on after me: my Stardust Scepter."
"Stardust Scepter?" Zelda repeated. At once, her armlet unclasped from her wrist, and extended into a silver staff, slightly taller than Zelda was, with a star-shaped pattern at its tip, surrounded by a circle.
As Zelda held it, Epheremelda continued, "In that form, the Scepter can help you focus your magic, making it more powerful, and it also has a few powers of its own, which I'll let you discover."
The Scepter then shrunk down to an armlet again. Zelda studied it, and focused…
Slowly, the armlet expanded into a long, slim, thin sword, with a two-pronged hilt. Zelda smiled, and focused again. The sword changed into a fine, silvery metal bow…then a gleaming silver flail…and then an armlet again.
The Scepter had morphing abilities.
"Splendid, Zelda!" Epheremelda praised. "It took me ages to get the hang of that ability!"
"Wow." Zelda murmured, gazing at her new weapon. "Thank you so much, Grandma!"
"Oh, don't mention it, sweetie. What kind of grandmother would I be if I didn't give my favorite granddaughter a few presents every now and then?" Epheremelda replied, smiling.
Zelda giggled. "Grandma, I'm your only granddaughter."
"All the more reason for you to be my favorite!" Epheremelda laughed. "Now, go and find that young man of yours, and be sure to give that Majora a good thrashing!"
Zelda smiled. "I will." she promised.
Epheremelda smiled. "That Link is definitely a keeper, honey. Don't ever let him go." she said. "I haven't sensed the kind of sheer power he's got since...since his ancestor, the Grand Magus."
Zelda's eyes widened. "You knew the Grand Magus??" she exclaimed.
"Of course! I wasn't Queen, back then, but I was the heir-apparent, and at the height of my magic!" Epheremelda declared. "I was quite amazed to see this powerful stranger suddenly appear from beyond the stars...and, my, was he a looker! I even learned his name: Rendar Wingnar, the first Emperor of Aldare. Naturally, I tried to flirt with him, but he politely said that he was married." She sighed. "I'm glad that things worked out for him when he went back home, but still..." Her expression became bright again. "If Link is anything like Rendar, sweetie, you are a very lucky girl."
Zelda blushed at that. "I know." she whispered. Then, she thought of something. "Grandma, Aunt Clairvoya thinks that you're angry with her; please, if you are, forgive her."
Epheremelda sighed. "I promise, honey, I'll talk to her." she said. "There was one more thing I wanted to say: before he left to go home, Rendar hid a few things about this planet. Like myself, he knew that there would be one to follow after him, and he knew that his people would one day come here, so he left some things behind for his own heir. Be sure to tell Link that he may want to start searching for these things, once this crisis is over."
"I will." Zelda promised. Then, she flew up to her grandmother's level, to give her a hug. "I love you, Grandma." she said.
Epheremelda smiled, and returned the hug. "Oh, I love you, too, sweetie." she replied. "And don't ever forget how special you are." Smiling, Zelda flew off, out of the Fountain, and returned to where her Aunt was.
"Aunt Clairvoya?" Zelda said. "Grandma wants to talk to you." Clairvoya looked surprised, before she flew towards Epheremelda's Fountain. Spying the apple she'd put aside, Zelda picked it up, and began to munch on it, as she flew off, followed by Tatl, to find Link.
When the turtle swam up to the Temple, Link saw that the giant fish was actually mechanical. The turtle swam into its mouth, coming into a docking bay of sorts, allowing Link to hop off onto the metal floor. The entire Temple was mechanized, like a factory. Looking around, Link saw that the Temple's internal machinery was working in overdrive, causing pollutants to leak out into the ocean. 'This is what's making the water murky.' Link thought.
Opening the first door, Link headed into a two-level room, with the next door on the second level, and a vast, deep pool of water on the first. Spying a switch in the pool, Link transformed with the Zora Mask, and dove in. He swam to the switch, sank to its level, grasped it, and pulled. The switch triggered a lift back at the entrance, leading to the second floor. Link swam back, and got on the lift, which took him to the second floor. He then hopped off, and entered the next room.
The next chamber was a vast whirlpool, swirled by a large metal propellor. Timing his dive just so, Link dove in and swam to the bottom, standing on the floor of the pool. Looking around, he spied a passageway, and he swam into it, through a long tunnel, and into another pool. Seeing another underwater switch, Link swam over and pushed it, triggering it. Ascending and climbing out on a pipeline, walking up onto a platform, he saw a platform across from the platform he stood on, with a door there. The platform he stood on had two doors. The gap leading to the other platform was too far to jump across. Suddenly, from a pipe below, Link saw a small jet-stream of water shoot up, triggered by the switch he'd pushed. The stream looked like it could support his weight, but it wasn't high enough to cross. Removing the Zora Mask, Link returned to normal, and entered the door to his left.
The next room was large and empty, with only a little nook...with a water-switch in it. Link walked towards it...and iron bars suddenly dropped, sealing the nook and the exit, trapping him! Just then, a massive glob of green gelatinous goo dropped from the ceiling, nearly squashing Link, had he not leapt aside. Taking a closer look, Link saw a spherical, glowing green nucleus in its center. "Link, that's a Mad Jelly!" Navi squeaked. "Its jelly-body is acidic, so you can't touch it! It'll expand and cover the whole room! Only its core is vulnerable! I don't know how you can get at its core without getting burned, Link!"
Link slyly grinned, getting an idea. "I've got it covered, Navi." he said. As the Jelly began to expand, filling the chamber with corrosive goo, Link took out the Cane of Byrna, and concentrated; instantly, a light blue energy shield surrounded Link and Navi. As the goo touched the shield, it sizzled and evaporated. Link slowly walked through the Jelly, now immune to its acid-goo, until he was next to its core. He then extended the barrier around the core, and drew the Master Sword, unleashing a slashing salvo on it.
Instantly, the Jelly shrunk to its original size, drawing back. As it began to expand again, Link turned the barrier into a sphere of crackling blue-white energy, and cast it at the Jelly. The sphere bored into the Jelly's body, evaporating the acid as it went, and enveloped the core, and Link yanked it right out of the Jelly, destroying the core with a leaping slash. The rest of the Jelly began to evaporate, turning to harmless steam, as the iron bars lifted. Sheathing his weapons, Link walked over to the switch and pushed it, before he left the chamber. Outside, he saw that the stream had risen, but still not enough to cross. Link then headed into the other door, to find the last switch.
In the next room, Link saw the last switch, covered by a column of falling water, preventing any access. He needed to stop the water at its source...and he knew how. Focusing his magic, he sent a blast of frosty energy at the source of the stream, freezing it, and allowing Link to walk over and trigger the switch. Turning, Link left the room, and walked back onto the platform. Now the jet-stream was just high enough to help him cross. Link leapt out into the stream, and then leapt again, landing in front of the door. Opening it, he walked through.
The last room consisted of two platforms – one in front of the door, where he was, and a larger one in the center – connected by a pipeline bridge, in a large pool of water. Link walked across the pipeline onto the other platform. Suddenly, he heard a splashing. Link darted his eyes around, looking for whatever could have made that sound. He heard it again, and whirled around...in time to dive out of the way, as an enormous fish, with jaws and teeth that could make a piranha jealous, breached the water, leaping over the platform and crashing on the pipeline, breaking it, trapping Link there. As the fish circled the platform, Navi darted out of Link's cap. "Link, that's Gyorg, the Gargantuan Masked Fish!" she squeaked. "It's vulnerable to electricity! You'll have to stun it with your Zora fins before you can get close enough to use your electric field!"
As Gyorg circled, Link donned the Zora Mask, becoming a Zora. Gyorg took that moment to slam into the platform, nearly knocking Link over. Link kept his balance, and fired off his boomerang-fins, striking Gyorg, stunning it. As his fins returned, Link dove into the water, swam to Gyorg, and activated his electric field as he swam by, shocking Gyorg, before quickly turning around, and swimming low, then high, propelling himself back onto the platform before Gyorg could snap at him. Gyorg tried to breach and knock Link into the water, but Link leapt aside, firing off his fins, stunning Gyorg again, then swimming out, shocking him again, and returning to safety.
The second shock made Gyorg very angry. He began swimming very fast – too fast for Link to hit him with his fins – and began ramming the platform more frequently, and harder. If this kept up, Link would get knocked into the water for sure. Link removed the Zora Mask, returning to normal – the Mask couldn't help him, anymore. Then, Link remembered that the water was ocean water, salty.
Salt water conducted electricity.
Focusing his power, Link unleashed a deadly blast of electrical energy into the water, which amplified its killing force, channeling it directly into Gyorg, utterly destroying him. As Gyorg perished, Link reached out with his magic, forcing the machinery of the Temple to simply stop. Then, he reached out to the pollution, converting the toxic chemicals to harmless, inert substances.
Link's magic attack had evaporated all the water, making it easy for him to hop down and claim the mask of Gyorg's face – Gyorg's Mask. Link was amazed by the power he'd channeled; he hadn't thought himself capable of that kind of power, of doing what he'd just done. He then remembered Rauru's words – "You have deeper powers than you know." – and he remembered Aldare's legend of the Empire's first Emperor, the Grand Magus, the first Master Magi, and how the potential to achieve that kind of power existed within his family.
All of that now began to make an eerie kind of sense.
Link shook off those thoughts, and he moved to take the Mask. As he took it, it released a bright light – the spirit of the third giant. Then, a bright light engulfed him.
Link was now upon a familiar stone pillar, in a sea of deep-blue clouds, with the silhouette of the third giant in the distance. "Please...we need your help." Link said. "If things stay as they are, Hyrule will never see another Carnival of Time." The giant said nothing. "Please, Hyrule needs you." Link pleaded. "If you do nothing, so many people will die."
The giant then spoke in its soft, rumbling voice. Navi translated: ""Help...our...friend.'" then, she added, "You want us to help your friend in the last Temple, right?"
The giant nodded.
"Then we will." Link promised. "So, please, help us."
As if in reply, the giant conjured a sea-blue key, which fell into Link's hands – the key to the third locked book in the Library. Then, the light returned, transporting Link and Navi away.
The light deposited them on the beach, with the turtle in front of them, in the waters. The sun was setting, the day not yet done. "Well done, Hero of Time." the turtle said. "Now, I must return to my slumber. Good luck in your quest." Then, the turtle swam away, out to sea.
Link looked out at the beautiful sunset. 'Zelda would love this.' he thought. He hoped she was alright, that she'd found what she was looking for...
"Link!"
Turning, and looking up, Link was pleasantly surprised to see a smiling Zelda flutter down in front of him, in her Fairy-form. "You rescued the third giant, didn't you?" she cooed. "I knew you would!"
"Zelda, you're here!" Link exclaimed, joyously embracing her. "How did you fare?"
"I met my grandmother." Zelda began simply. Then, she smiled brightly, and added, "And she's just wonderful! I thought she'd be intimidating, but she's so nice! And...she's accepted me as her heir!"
"Zel, that's wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Link exclaimed. "Now, didn't I tell you she would?"
Zelda giggled. "I shouldn't have doubted you." she cooed. "And she gave me her Stardust Scepter! It lets me focus my magic better, making it stronger." She then changed the new armlet on her wrist into a scepter, and then changed it back.
"I'm so proud of you." Link said, sweetly kissing her ruby lips, which she happily returned.
"And I'm proud of you." Zelda replied, giving Link a kiss, which he returned. Then, Zelda saw the sunrise. "Oh, Link, isn't the sunrise beautiful?" she exclaimed.
"Not nearly as beautiful as you are, Zelda." Link replied honestly.
Zelda smiled, sweetly blushing. "Flatterer." she cooed.
Then, Navi darted out of Link's cap, flying next to Tatl. "Hey, Tatl, why don't we see if there are any Fountains nearby?" she suggested.
"Huh?" Tatl asked, but then she got the hint. "Oh! Right! " Then, the two tiny Fairies flew off, giving Link and Zelda their privacy.
From behind a nearby boulder, Navi and Tatl hid from their respective charges, to give Link and Zelda at least a tiny bit of privacy. "Those two are just crazy about each other." Navi said.
Tatl nodded in agreement. "They're so in love!" the younger pixie squeaked. "I'm surprised Link hasn't proposed to her!"
"Actually, Tatl," Navi said, "if Majora hadn't shown up, Link was going to."
Tatl visibly wilted. "I'm sorry." she said. "I'm sorry I helped Stal jinx Link. I didn't mean to mess it all up!"
"Relax, Tatl." Navi said. "I know Link; once Majora's taken care of, he'll pick up right where he left off."
"But...he'll save Stal, too, right?" Tatl asked.
"Link will do his best." Navi answered. "And believe me, kid, that is pretty good."
"So...you're not...mad at me, anymore?" Tatl asked.
"No." Navi replied. "I'm not one to hold grudges. Besides, if Link trusts you enough to let you help the woman he loves, you're okay in my books."
"Oh, thank you!!" Tatl squeaked happily.
"Keep it down; you'll disturb them." Navi whispered. Peeking out from behind the rock, she glimpsed the young couple walking down the beach, hand-in-hand.
They deserved this moment together.
Link listened to everything Zelda had told him with deep interest. Her grandmother, the Fairy Queen, sounded like a wonderful person – exactly like her granddaughter. Also, he was amazed to know that Queen Epheremelda had actually known his ancestor – enough that she knew his name: Rendar Wingnar. He was further amazed to learn that Rendar had left things behind on this world, during his visit here. Could he have left behind relics and technology to help in the war against the Shadows? Link knew that, after this quest, he had to find those treasures of his ancestor.
But, for now, he had more important things to think of, such as Hyrule's fate...and of the gorgeous creature with him.
By the time Link and Zelda had finished their little walk, the sun had set, and the moon was high in the sky, casting silver light over the land and the sea, with Link and Zelda sitting side-by-side on the shore. Link noticed that Zelda had stayed in her Fairy-form, seeming more comfortable in it. Link was all too happy to let her stay that way; if she preferred it, he didn't mind.
Not to mention how dazzlingly lovely a Fairy she was. The moonlight played over her creamy skin, making it seem to sparkle. Her ruby lips shone, as if coated with diamond dust. Her hair shimmered like gold, her silky tresses alluringly waving as the night breeze played with her hair, only adding to her beauty; it seemed that Nature itself was enamored with her, not that Link could blame it. Her wings gleamed like they were made of crystal, and her glittering outfit only served to enhance her beauty.
Zelda turned to him, her eyes glittering happily, happy to be with him in this tender moment, this pause in their quest. For a moment, Link considered proposing to her then and there, but decided against it; he couldn't promise her a future with the future still in question.
Zelda smiled her radiant smile. "Link, I'm so happy that we're here." she cooed. "It's been so long since we did something like this together." Her fragile hand slowly, shyly, crept over to his, and Link gently took her hand in his, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, caressing her tiny knuckles.
"I've missed this." Link agreed. "I've missed just being able to be with you, without having to worry about the fate of Hyrule on our shoulders. You've been a great help, Zel, really; it's just that...adventuring isn't my idea of 'quality time' with the woman I love."
Zelda giggled softly at the little joke. "I'm glad you think I'm helping." she cooed. "I was afraid that I'd mess up, that I'd be a burden to you..."
Swiftly but gently, Link took the lovely young Fairy in his arms, holding her close to him, to reassure her. "You're never a burden to me, Zelda." he said. "You give me strength, you ease my burdens, and you make me happy. You're my reason to live; I can't imagine life without you."
Zelda's breath caught in her throat at Link's words. She moved closer to him, sitting in his lap, cuddling into him. "Oh, Link..." she murmured, "I'm so glad to hear that. When I'm with you, I feel safe, like nothing bad can hurt me when you're here. When you hold me, I feel nothing but comfort and contentment. You always know how to make me feel better, how to reassure me when I'm scared or insecure about my powers." She sighed, and laid her head on his chest, her hands resting comfortably on his shoulders. "I can't love anyone but you."
No more words were needed. Slowly, Link leaned in closer to Zelda, just as she moved to meet him, their lips meeting in a lovingly passionate kiss. Their kiss grew in passion, their tongues playing their exquisite game of love and desire. Slowly, Link began to lean back, gently taking Zelda with him, until he was lying upon the sand, with Zelda on top of him, continuing their kiss. He'd let her lie atop him because, if he'd moved atop her, it would have crushed her beautiful wings against the ground, and he would never hurt her.
Gently, Link broke the kiss for but a moment, to gaze upon her again. Zelda stopped, confused, but Link soothed her saying, "You are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen."
Zelda smiled happily. "Really?" she asked.
"How can you doubt it?" Link asked. "Zelda...I would die to keep you safe."
"No!!!" Zelda cried, hugging him tightly. "Link, don't say that!" she cried. "I...I couldn't live without you! I'd...I'd just die if I lost you..."
Link smiled, and gently, reassuringly squeezed her in his arms. "Then you needn't fear death for a long, long time, Zelda." he promised. "I will never leave you."
At that, Zelda smiled radiantly, and Link returned her smile, glad that he'd made her happy. Then, he snared her lips in another kiss...and was blown away by how passionately she reciprocated, as if she were kissing him with all the love in her pure, loving heart, and Link's desires and emotions flared to match hers.
As their kiss continued, Link's hands gently trailed down her back, slowly exploring her. Reaching the small of her back, Link gently traced small circles on her bare skin, marveling at how soft to his touch her skin was. As he did this, Zelda softly gasped, and kept kissing him. Slowly, Link's hands glided up her waist, and all he could think of was her. She was so special, so beautiful, so pure, and so loving; she was the most important person in his life, and he wanted her to know that. Her kisses were amazing, and he could sense her losing herself in their embrace, becoming utterly vulnerable, trusting him totally, completely willing to him. She'd enchanted him utterly, stirring his blood as no other woman ever could. Softly, his hand accidentally brushed against the side of her curve...
Zelda gasped in surprise, ending the kiss, looking at him with surprised eyes…and gently smiled, closing her eyes, giving Link her permission to continue his gentle exploration. Encouraged, Link resumed his kiss, his hand gently brushing her curves, his tender, loving caresses causing Zelda to gasp softly, her back arching in bliss.
After a few more minutes, Link stopped, gazing upon his beloved Zelda, who simply smiled, and returned to her natural form, before simply relaxing into him, letting sleep claim her. Link smiled, and then held Zelda close, before joining her in slumber.
After they woke up the next morning, and Navi and Tatl had rejoined them, Link warped them all back to the Temple of Time, and then they headed to the Library. As they walked, Zelda let her thoughts drift back to the night before. Link's kiss had electrified her, and at the same time, it had made her so vulnerable; she'd have willingly given herself to him if he'd asked.
That was another reason Zelda was glad she was with Link; Link would never take advantage of her. His kisses were never forceful, bringing her only bliss. Link was the only man she would ever love. Still, when he'd kissed her, she'd felt her blood stirring; she'd never felt so aware of her desires...
As they neared the Library, Zelda shook her head, clearing it. 'You're being silly.' she told herself. 'Wait until Link at least proposes to you before you come up with any girlish fantasies.'
By then, they'd entered the Library, and Link had unlocked the third book. Zelda hurried over to it, and started reading. "This book tells of a friend that the four giants once had: a little imp." she said. "When the giants left for their Temples, the imp begged them to stay. When they were gone, the imp felt abandoned by them, and lashed out at the people of Hyrule, pulling countless cruel pranks on unsuspecting citizens. When the people of Hyrule sent messengers to the Temples, telling the giants of their woes, the giants returned, and ordered the imp to leave Hyrule and never return."
Tatl gasped at that. "Stal..." she murmured. "When Tael and I first met him, he said he'd been abandoned by his friends – his four best friends – and that he'd been all alone for so long."
"Tatl, are you saying that Stal is the imp??" Navi exclaimed. "That's impossible! That story happened ages ago! Stal can't be the imp!"
"Hold on, Navi; we first encountered Stal in the Lost Woods, near Kokiri Forest." Link said. "It's possible that the same magic of the Forest that keeps the Kokiri ever-young may have done the same for Stal."
"That could be it..." Navi agreed thoughtfully.
"And it explains why Stal stole Majora's Mask." Zelda added. "He was still hurting from when the giants left, and he lashed out at the Mask Salesman..."
"...and got stuck with the Mask." Tatl finished. "Aw, Stal..."
"We'll help him, Tatl. We promise." Link said.
Her gaze returning to the book, Zelda said, "Here's something: when the imp left, the giants told the people of Hyrule of a way to summon them swiftly, should another emergency ever arise."
"So, if we learn how the people summoned the giants," Link said, "we can bring them to Hyrule Castle's ceremonial tower when Majora tries to destroy the Castle!"
Zelda nodded. "I haven't found any references to how they did it yet," she said, "but I'll keep looking!"
"I'll just be outside for a minute, sweetheart. I just have to pick up something." Link said.
"Okay. I'll just keep looking." Zelda agreed.
"Good luck." Link said. Then, giving her his charming smile, he left the Library.
It had only taken Link a few minutes to make his purchase at the Marketplace. He was heading back to the Library, his bundle of cloth under his arm, when he heard a familiar voice...and darted out of sight as he recognized it.
"Blast that stupid Majora! Can't he do anything right?!"
Link peered around the corner of the alley he'd hidden in to see a very angry Caspian. "I bring that masked freak here to humiliate Link and drive Zelda away from him," Caspian fumed, "and then that gutter trash shows up with Zelda at the Library as if nothing's wrong?! Well, he'd better not screw up the plan for the Carnival. Once, the morning comes, Hyrule and its Princess will belong to me, and that scum will be struck down."
Link was shocked. So Caspian had been the one who'd brought Majora to Hyrule! He must have found Stal shortly after the imp had stolen Majora's Mask. He'd planned this all along!
"Why didn't Vaati just kill Link when he had the chance?!" Caspian snarled. "If he had, the plan would have gone perfectly! My father would be on the throne, with me following him in time, and Zelda would be in my bedchamber, as my proper wife, once she learns proper manners."
That made Link's blood boil in utter rage; Caspian was talking about Zelda as if she were just some...thing, which he could do with as he pleased, with no consequence or thought given to what Zelda wanted. Worse, Caspian had been part of the plan that Vaati and Lord Ruthlage, Caspian's father, had concocted. Once, Caspian had confronted Link, swearing vendetta for the death of his father; Link, in turn, had told Caspian that, if he ever found out that Caspian had played a part in the treason, he'd best pray that the King caught him before Link did.
'Start praying, you tarted-up little weasel,' Link thought angrily, 'because once this is over, you'll get yours.'
Caspian continued his monologue. "It would almost make me wish Link was alive, to have him know that Zelda is mine, not his; to have him know that her place is in my bed, bearing my children." Then, his next words burned into the air: "Zelda...you're mine." Then, he walked off.
Link's anger quickly gave way to fear for Zelda. He'd heard the madness in Caspian's voice; his hatred and desire for vengeance had destroyed his sanity. Caspian was no longer some arrogant, self-assured aristocrat.
He was a cold-blooded psychopath.
Link didn't even want to think about Caspian would try to do to Zelda if he ever caught her alone in that state. Would he try to..?
Link didn't want Caspian in the same castle, or even the same country as Zelda. Quickly, he hurried back to the Library.
Link was incredibly relieved when he saw Zelda exactly where she'd been before he'd left. As she turned to greet him, Link wrapped her in an embrace. "Oh, thank the Three you're okay, Zel." he said.
Zelda looked confused. "Um...thank you?" she said. "Link, are you okay?"
"I am now that I'm sure you're okay." Link replied. "Zel, I...I saw Caspian out there, though he didn't see me." He saw her go on-guard at the mention of Caspian's name. "Zelda, he...he planned this. He brought Majora here." he continued. "He even had a part in Vaati's plot."
"W-What?!" Zelda cried, shocked, even with her already-low opinion of Caspian.
"It's true, Zel." Link said. "I heard him." 'And that's not all I heard.' he added mentally.
"There's more, isn't there?" Zelda asked.
Link had to smile at her perceptiveness. 'I can't lie to her.' he thought. "He's gone mad, Zelda." Link said. "I could hear it in his voice. He...he wants you, Zel; not in the same way I do – as far as he's concerned, you're nothing but a...a thing that he can do with as he pleases. He's a psychopath, Zel." He gently but firmly held her by the shoulders. "Zelda, promise me you won't go anywhere near him; once Majora is gone, we'll expose him, but until then, keep away from him, or keep me between you and him, because I don't want to think about what he might try if he catches you alone..."
"I won't, Link; I promise." Zelda said. "I don't want to be anywhere near him." She frowned. "I can't believe it!!" she fumed. "All along, he's been sniping at you, calling you and Aldare a threat to Hyrule, when he conspired to destroy it!! That jackal!!"
Link smiled. "Well, I guess that after we stop Majora, we'll just have to give him his comeuppance." he said. "Now, let's head to that last Temple, and put Majora and Caspian behind us for good." Zelda nodded, and laced her arm around his elbow as they walked outside. Link took out his Ocarina. "Hopefully, this is the last time we'll have to go through these three days." he said. With that, he put the Ocarina to his lips, and played the Song of Time. The time-warp once again engulfed Link, Zelda, Navi, and Tatl, taking them back, and etching the good they'd done into the time-line.
One Temple left.