Chapter Two: A Dark Legend
I come from the land of Hyrule, a world far more war-torn and dangerous than this lovely land. Eons before my time, before the world was even made, there were six gods. The three eldest were the Golden Goddesses, Farore, Din, and Nayru. Their desire, their very purpose was to create. So the three Goddesses descended upon the chaotic matter that was an undeveloped world.
Din, Goddess of Power, used her strong flaming arms to carve a shape out of the great land, forging mountains, valleys, and deep canyons.
Farore, Goddess of Courage, breathed the essence of life unto the land, creating the various animals and races that walked the earth.
And finally, Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, wove the many laws of reality and justice into the fabric of the land, establishing the flow of time, the laws of physics, and the spirit of justice.
Done with their labors, the Goddesses departed for the heavens, leaving behind an essence of power that would become known as the Triforce. The two youngest gods, Hylia and Onigami, were tasked by their elder sisters to watch over the land and guide its people towards prosperity.
But there was one who was, shall we say, unimpressed by the work of his brethren. Everything was too peaceful, too happy. There was no strife or war, no pain or hunger. The God of Evil, Majora, would have none of that. So, the evil one defied the will of his siblings and treaded upon the new world of Hyrule. His twisted visage was enough to drive mortal men mad at the very sight, and his voice could chill blood and steal souls.
A sadistic lover of violence, suffering, and death, Majora decided to unleash his own vile creations upon Hyrule to wreak havoc on the once-peaceful land. Without warning, Majora tore open a great fissure in the earth, and from the fire and earth below, he created the race of demons. Mockeries of the Goddesses' creations, they were hideous to look upon, and as beings of pure darkness, they hungered for the blood of innocents. The hordes of devil-beasts were guided by many demon kings and generals, like Malladus, Demon King of Spirits, Dethl, Demon King of Dreams, and Onox, General of Darkness.
There was one demon in particular Majora chose to be his second-in-command, a demon of such power and malice Majora thought of him like a son. He was Demise, King of Kings, Disciple of Majora. Under Majora and Demise's command, the demons poured out of the earth and attacked indiscriminately, burning down villages and slaughtering entire families without hesitation or mercy. Even the more bestial races like the Moblins and Lizalfos were not safe from the demons' wrath. Within a day, millions of people spanning all walks of life were dead.
Horrified by their brother's rampage, the Goddesses, knowing they could not directly interfere in the affairs of the world, sent the only ones who could: Onigami and Hylia.
Onigami was a great warrior, and Hylia a wise strategist. Together, they united all creatures together to fight the legions of darkness. Thus, a great battle began between demons and mortals, good against evil. Many on both sides were slain. It was at a pivotal moment in the battle when Onigami confronted Majora himself, while Hylia, using the battle as a distraction, herded those who could not fight onto a patch of land protected by her aura.
The battle between Onigami and Majora was a brutal and bloody one. Onigami fought with his enchanted blade, and Majora fought with his black magic. Even with all of Onigami's skills, Majora was not without his own tricks. Distracting Onigami with an attack from behind, Majora readied a spell that would seal Onigami forever within a mask. However, Onigami saw it coming and countered with an energy blast from his sword. The two spells interacted, and after a bright flash of light, both deities were sealed permanently in indestructible masks.
The demons were so shocked by the fall of their god that they began to panic, the mortals redoubling their efforts and driving the horde further towards the rift from which they sprang. Demise seized Majora's Mask and fled the battle temporarily to hide Majora somewhere safe. It can only be assumed that this was when Demise learned of the Triforce. Majora likely told him of it and ordered him to seize it for the demon race.
Demise's absence proved to be a turning point in the battle. Without both their leaders, the demons were scattered and weakened, thus allowing Hylia to raise the patch of land with the survivors high into the sky. With it went the sacred Triforce.
Upon his return, Demise was furious that the Triforce had been taken from him and attempted to exterminate those who remained. However, Hylia returned as well after her charges were safe and defeated Demise, sealing him and all the other demons beneath the earth once more. The seal was never permanent, and the more powerful demons have frequently managed to escape and spread destruction. Fearing the eventual return of Demise or Majora, Hylia sealed her spirit and that of her brother into mortal vessels. Hylia reincarnated as Hyrule's princess, and Onigami as the Hero who would protect the land.
Majora's Mask was not hidden forever, either. A tribe of dark magic-users discovered it and began using it for their rituals. Unfortunately for them, this strengthened Majora, and he began causing such catastrophe that the Dark Interlopers hid it away once more, the Goddesses sealing them in a realm of eternal Twilight as punishment.
I, through a stroke of luck, happened to find it myself after much searching. It would never do well to have such an item of pure evil just laying around for anyone to find. I thought it would be safe with me. But alas, this is not the first time I have been confronted for possession of the mask. The last time it happened, the world of Termina was nearly destroyed. I should count myself lucky that Onigami's descendent was there to help, or else Majora might have returned to Hyrule.
And now the dark god has resurfaced here in Equestria! It was his minion Dethl, the Demon King of Dreams who tricked me into coming here and released him, dropping him in a river of Smooze to revive him. I came to Princess Celestia to warn her of the impending danger, and she summoned you, saying you could help, and here we are now.
As the salesman finished his story, he clasped his hands together and glanced at his audience.
Everypony was absolutely speechless.
Their eyes were wide with fear, all of their coats almost blanching white. Even the Princesses were perfectly silent with shock. The silence was deafening, until…
"L-land sakes," Applejack whispered, shivering horribly. "M…millions of people…dead in one day…why?"
"How could anypony be so…mean?" Pinkie stammered, tears in her eyes, her coat darkened, and her mane drooping as her mind failed to process a better term to describe the horrifying villain they had just been introduced to.
Rainbow Dash couldn't even bring herself to say anything, just holding herself as she fluttered in the air, visibly frightened.
Fluttershy whimpered to herself, fearing for the lives of all the little animals and creatures in Equestria.
Spike shivered and rubbed his arms, staring at the salesman with eyes wide with fear.
Twilight stared open-mouthed at the still-smiling salesman. "Nopony…Not even Discord…Nopony could possibly be that cruel," she whispered, wanting to deny that something so evil was now running around in her homeland.
"I'm afraid so, little Twilight," the salesman answered with a sad smile. "This world is far more peaceful and friendly than where I come from, which is one reason why Majora desires its destruction."
Celestia managed to recover from her shock and shook her head. "Alright, we need to know the strengths and weaknesses of our enemy. Since you seem to know so much about them, salesman, would you be so kind as to elaborate on their capabilities?"
"Certainly, Princess," the salesman said, bowing. "Majora has access to powerful dark magic. Since he was trapped in the mask he lost the ability to create demons, but he is still capable of reviving his more powerful subjects, namely the demon kings and generals. He has an affinity for tentacles, often sprouting them for use in combat and other, more…personal uses. When he was just a mask he was capable of altering his form, although the mask would always appear somewhere on his body as a sign of his weakened state. When he is engaged in battle, his blood thirst will send him into a battle-craze, making him an unpredictable foe. Unless he decides to play with his food, he will not hold anything back in battle. Judging by what the Smooze did to him, I'd wager he can probably do more than that now.
"Dethl, on the other hand, is a demon who prefers to operate in the realm of dreams. He can enter dreams and turn them into nightmares so horrible they can drive his victims insane. Dethl is also capable of shapeshifting and reading his victims' minds, and if he so wishes, he can directly interface with the dream and physically attack his victims. Be warned; Dethl is also capable of fighting in the real world, though he can't rely on his more dream-based magic then. When at his most powerful, Dethl is often referred to as the Nightmare."
Luna's eyes narrowed at the mention of Dethl. "This Dethl's power mocks me. How dare he flaunt himself as the Master of Dreams?"
"Luna, settle down," Celestia calmly chided. "As of yet, we do not know of Majora's current whereabouts or what he and Dethl are planning. I will send scouts throughout Equestria to keep a lookout for anything suspicious. Meanwhile, Twilight, I want you and your friends to keep a sharp eye out as well. If Majora decides to attack Ponyville, I want you all to be ready. Let them know as well about the current threat."
Twilight managed to gather her bearings enough to nod. The salesman cleared his throat to get everypony's attention again. "Also, ladies. I don't know this with a hundred percent certainty, but Majora might be planning to start a war here. He and Dethl were discussing that possibility before I escaped."
Even Celestia's heart almost stopped at the mention of this. A war in Equestria was horrible, to be sure, but if Majora's legend was anything to go by, it could have even more disastrous consequences for the land. Not even the Griffon-Pony War centuries ago could shake a stick at the Hyrulean War Against Majora. Steeling her eyes with a look befitting her position as ruler, Celestia spoke again. "If it is a war Majora wants, then we have no choice but to respond. I will send representatives to the Griffons, Diamond Dogs, Buffalo, Minotaurs, and Dragons, as well as gather as many able-bodied ponies I can from the various cities around Equestria." Celestia looked down at Fluttershy, who 'meeped' at Celestia's business-like stare. "Fluttershy, I want you to use your way with animals to convince the Manticores and whatever other creatures you can find to join our cause. We need everyone we can get. But be very careful, Fluttershy. The Everfree Forest conceals many horrors I am certain Majora will attempt to rally to his cause."
Luna looked at her sister worriedly. "Tia, there are many fell creatures Majora can find and recruit. What if he were to find Queen Chrysalis and ally with the Changelings? Or worse yet, tame the Windigos living on the outskirts of Equestria? Our land is a fair and just one, but even it contains its fair share of shadows."
"I have no doubt he will seek them out, Princess," the salesman interrupted. "Apparently Dethl spent some time here investigating the land and learning its secrets before drawing me here."
Celestia's eyes flared at the knowledge that something as foul as Dethl had been skulking about her land for some time and she hadn't known. "We must not delay then! Twilight, you and your friends must return to Ponyville and warn them of the approaching danger! I will handle the rest."
"B-but Princess! What about Nightmare Night?" Pinkie asked, not noticing Luna flinch slightly.
"You may continue it if you wish," Celestia answered. "It will keep everyone's spirits up, hopefully."
Pinkie breathed a sigh of relief, her hair getting slightly poofier and her color brightening a little. "You can count on us, Princess!" Twilight reassured her beloved mentor, turning to go. "C'mon, girls."
"Good luck, my faithful student," Celestia said. "Please be safe."
She sadly watched her subjects leave the room before turning to the salesman. "Do you need a place to stay, salesman? I can set you up with a room here at the castle, if you'd like."
The salesman bowed, smiling genially. "I'd like that very much. But I am not one to just sit around and do nothing. If it is of no consequence to you, I would like to temporarily set up my mask shop here in Canterlot. I am, after all, a traveling mask salesman."
"Your request is granted," Celestia replied with a small smile. "On the lowest level of the city, there is a recently-vacated building there you can set up shop. The owner retired and closed down two weeks ago and the building hasn't found a new owner. I'll have one of my guards take you there."
The salesman clapped his hands together. "Splendid!" he cried in a chipper voice. "Thank you kindly, Princess!"
Celestia nodded. "You are dismissed then."
With one more bow, the salesman walked out of the room, his ponderous baggage making his exit a slow one.
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