Quicquid crescit in cinere perit (Whatever grows, perishes in ashes)
- motto of Aserburne and Ashburne families
Ice-cold rain flurried the heroes as they reached the top of the stronghold, howling winds biting their skin as lightning flashed and thunder roared.
Although accustomed to the cold, Luna, Zelda and Link shivered.
The queen tightened her bloodied robe and hood to keep a little warmer. "Cold, wet, tired, bloodied... I hate this so much."
The pointed spire at the edge of the tower received a lightning bolt, entire structure shaking as sparks flew. ReDead moans echoed from the forest, reverberating up the stronghold, not loud enough to afflict the living though nevertheless foreboding.
The Hero of Time looked over, observing the burnt Geak Deku Tree combating the horde of ReDeads and Poes. The heavy rainfall smothered most flames, though he was nevertheless leafless and charred. Link did not see Majora anywhere.
Link turned, wiping rainwater from his eyes. "Now what? I don't see anything up here."
Zelda shrugged, noticing Luna blankly staring up.
"We w-wait," Luna commented, seemingly to the sky.
Lightning flashed, seemingly cracking the stormy sky as if an opaque window. A gigantic scutum lined with spikes flew down, stabbing into the roof. Zelda and Link readied their weapons, looking around as deep exhales resonated from all directions, yet no ReDeads up here.
An immense silhouette floated down from the spire, slowly breathing like a furnace, yet his breaths also sounded in multiple directions. The silhouette reached the roof, ReDead moans far below occasionally echoing on and on.
Kibou flew behind stoic Luna, while Zelda nocked an arrow and Link kept his shield gripped.
Lightning struck the spire, shaking the stronghold, the silhouette flickering into visibility: A huge, demonic figure wearing the cape and armor of a centurion, solemnly kneeling as if praying. The horizontal crest atop his helmet was feathered from a Kargarok.
Zelda narrowed her eyes. Looks like Ganon but with different equipment...
Link took a step. "Who are you!?"
The demon slowly lifted his head, long hair covering much of his face. He snorted embers, briefly illuminating his monstrous visage, throat implanted with pipework. "And he asked him, what is thy name..." His voice reverberated inwards from all directions, as if spoken from many angles around Link. He and Zelda noticed a second armored giant appear, identical to the first. Two more appeared, seemingly forming from the darkness, in each direction of the compass.
The stairwell clicked, closing behind everyone, sealing the only way out as four more armored demons appeared, identical to the first, then eight more flickered into reality, sixteen versions rimming the tower.
The multitude of copies breathed heavily, sounding like towers of iron, rainfall tapping against their armors. They answered Link's question, "Legio nomen mihi est quia multi sumus."
Links eyebrows furrowed. "Legion."
"This seems a bit unfair..." Kibou remarked, Luna unflinching, though Link and Zelda warily looked at the opposition.
Zelda frowned. "The dream showed you differently. I saw a brazen bull containing souls and fire."
"Prophets are not gods," Legion replied, their voices fluctuating amid one another. The initial version picked up his scutum. Legion unsheathed their swords, the scraping echoing as lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. "We must kill the prophets to reach their gods."
The queen sighed. "Is there no end to this senseless violence?" She stepped forth angrily. "Legion! You kidnapped children! I command you to return them! Now!"
"The Beyond acts on its own accord. I do not control it, nor do I influence the Infernal Engine," Legion replied, they sounding like a cacophony of steel.
"But you are a conduit for its power! It learns from you, and you learn from it!"
Legion nodded. "That it does. Though I do not command its forces. You are in no position to make demands, benign girl, especially when they are beyond me."
Link readied his sword and shield. "Then we'll find our own way."
Legion cocked their heads. "Whether you met us beneath your forest... Out in Hyrule Field or the Gerudo Desert... In the Temple of Time... On the moon... Within the Sacred Realm itself... The encounter always ended the same. No fate, but what we make!"
Link frowned. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Legion straightened their heads. "We've been through this many times before, boy. The flow of time coils, inevitably repeating certain events, trapping our worlds in a cycle. At long last, this cycle ends. To save my world, yours must die, and everything within it. This is your fate."
Link's memories flashed, flooded with self-contradicting imagery, reflecting various scenes Legion described. Amid the influx of excessive memories that existed just now, Link gasped. All memories ended the same: Link lost an eye, and Legion's blades tore him apart from the sternum.
Shields and swords raised, Legion slowly approached. "Your time ends, ours will begin."
Link snapped out the horrible thoughts, gripping his blade, feeling Zelda's back against his, a forest of gigantic sword points slowly encroaching them.
Kibou shivered, ReDeads' moans echoing amid the silence, followed by Wolfos growling and clawing.
"Luna, flee! Save yourself!" Zelda exclaimed.
Luna nonchalantly looked back, right forearm raised, purple glyphs flashing in and out of reality above her palm. "Prophets indeed are not gods." She looked at the initial form of Legion. "That goes for you, too, Centurion."
Legion sighed. "You cannot access his magic here. You always tried. You always failed. We made sure of that."
"I know," Luna replied. "But he can access my power."
Legion grunted. "While our castle stands, he cannot enter this realm."
"I know that, too." Luna blankly stared, her emptiness annoying Legion.
Kibou flew by Luna's ear. "Luna! I think we should follow the lady's advice and leave! What are you doing!?"
Luna softly placed her finger over Kibou, shutting him up. "Look up."
Kibou, Zelda, Link and Legion all looked up.
Lightning flashed, revealing Majora floating high above everyone, hovering as if lounging across an invisible sofa. "Well, well, well..."
Majora cocked her head, face tilting it too and fro and crackling, eyes glowing so intensely they beamed. She curled into a fetal position, shaking as an electrical aura swirled around her. With difficulty, she outstretched herself, leaning back and spreading her arms.
"WihwwwaWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Majora's flanged, reverbed scream echoed across the forest and throughout the skies.
The world shook. The clouds parted, a comet birthed from the night, plummeting though having a great distance to descend.
Link reared, eyes wide.
Legion lowered their heads, glaring at Luna.
The albino gritted her teeth, seething. "He is coming. And this time...none of you will be left behind."
Struggling with her continuous powers, Majora looked back at her former nemesis. "L-Link! I-I'm using the last of my power...to bring down the sky against Legion!" She cried blood, eyes trickling blue. Her magic gradually corroded her robe and skin, her face mapped with cracks and dripping blueness. "This will sunder his world from ours, severing it once and for all! Just keep him busy while I summon an Ice Arrow from the night!"
"How will we save the children!?" Link asked, looking around as Legion's armors shuffled.
"Once Legion's castle is destroyed, I will have more control of The Beyond and sever this world from ours! We will save everyone in a single swoop...and be gone before the sky crashes!" Luna stated.
Legion clattered their swords and shields together. "Unexpected circumstance."
"That's the point," Luna remarked.
"And a good one at that!" Kibou agreed.
Legion stepped in, heaving their great blades...
Zelda shot a Light Arrow, stunning one Legionary. She holstered her bow and gripped the Phantom Lance two-handed, she and Link jumping over Legion's incoming blades. Mid-air, Zelda unleashed an eruption of lightning magic while Link Spin Attacked, their powers non hurting each other, though disarraying Legion's swords and hurting them.
While falling, Link parried with his shield and rammed his sword while landing upon an electrocuted Legionary's shoulders, blade piercing the monster's face hilt-deep. Link kicked off the Legionary as the big brute fell backwards.
Zelda held her lance and bow in the same hand, shooting multiple Light Arrows into Legion while they were stunned, their immobilization extended by Light magic. She attacked with her lance next, she and Link swerving around Legion's shields, stabbing and slashing at will.
Legion recovered from electricity and Light magic, thrusting their blades. Zelda weaved herself, dodging the incoming blades, sometimes cartwheeling over them. Link parried with his shield while he Spin Attacked, whirling blade also intercepting the incoming blades just enough for her to swerve, dodging them. As he finished his Spin Attack, Link slammed the pommel of his sword into the roof, unleashing Din's Fire.
Legion growled as flames spewed out their helmets. Some attacked Majora, who preoccupied with her summoning, could only zigzag mid-air, visage unleashing fireballs at her attackers. She also flailed her hair, swatting it into the flats of incoming swords to disarray them, helping her evade them.
Majora squeaked. "Oh-whoa!" She wiggled, narrowly avoiding a lightning bolt, which crashed down, hurling Link off his feet but he did a handspring to regain balance, cartwheeled up a Legionary's sword and slashed his foe's face open.
From the darkness around the tower, chains extended, hooking Legion's swords and shields, yanking them back to allowing Link and Zelda to attack their armored bodies! Frustrated, Legion howled, swinging their armaments, chains screeching and rattling and some snapping. Although stifled by the chains, Legion nevertheless attacked, as if giant puppets defying their master's strings.
Kibou flew wildly to avoid the blades, though Luna barely did anything. She rhythmically struck her fist into her palm, various magical glyphs glowing into arrays; the chains seemingly obeyed her movement.
"Don't know where you got them, but I'm glad you learned those new moves!" Kibou rang.
Luna was so focused she did not react. Despite only moving her hands, gaze locked in blankness, several chains always lassoed around the giant blades swung at her, pulling their momentum away from her.
Zelda grunted as a lightning bolt slammed from the sky, she having to swing her zapping lance to deflect it. She whirled her Phantom Lance overhead wildly, the stave releasing a continuous stream of electricity, shocking Legion though they kept fighting. Whenever she parried Legion's swords, they were electrocuted, bodily movements interrupted, their armor and the chains wrapped around them only amplifying the surge. Whenever Zelda found blinks of time, she shot Light Arrows in all directions while evading attacks, forcing Legionaries to hide behind their shields.
Meanwhile, Link backflipped and side-jumped repeatedly, dodging Legion's onslaught of weapons and even a lightning bolt that slammed atop the tower, impact stagger a few Legionaries and sending one over the ramparts. A few other Legionaries raised their shields, intending to slam them down and squish Grasshopper.
"HEYYAH!" Link threw his shield, jumping upon it and sliding past the shields as they slammed behind him. He jumped, slashing upwards and slitting a Legionary's throat, blood pouring. Link kicked his shield up and caught it, then ran up the back of the bleeding Legionary. Legionaries from either side turned, each thrusting his oversized gladius.
Link leapt over them all, then ran up a Legionary's forearm and rammed his sword hilt-deep into an eye socket. The Legionary went limp, Link jumping off as several blades swung at him, striking the Legionary he abandoned instead.
Gripping the Phantom Lance two-handed, Zelda pushed the spearhead against the flooring, pushing against the shaft while extending herself upside down, then flipping to avoid several giant swords. She flipped through the air, pushing the lance against the forearm of a Legionary to extend herself yet again, reaching Majora. Majora's hair realigned into a column, holding Zelda's up while the queen cast energy balls then fired Light Arrows at Legion.
"Not bad for a single mom!" Lady Majora complimented as she released fireballs at her foes.
A stunned Legionary shakily raised his flaming shield, the chains hooking upon its rim rattling. Zelda dove off Majora, shouting as she sent her lance straight through the scutum, pinning it against the Legionary's head, spearhead continuing down his entire throat. Zelda yelled, releasing a storm of electricity inside the Legionary, sparks flying out his mouth as he was electrocuted inside-out. Zelda ripped the lance out and jumped backwards to avoid others' swords. The once-impaled Legionary staggered, tripping over the battlements and falling off the tower.
Legion growled, fighting with greater fury, yet Luna's chains kept coming, crisscrossing to block their attacks, allowing Link's Spin Attacks, Majora's fireballs, and Zelda's usage of Phantom Ganon's lance and her Light Arrows all stifled Legion's movement.
Link and Zelda fought with utmost rapidity and evasion, both panting and sweating heavily, breaths visible in the cold rain. Amid their continuous dance with death, blades occasionally nicked them, cutting clothes and skin. Yet, the Bearers of the Triforce managed to slay a Legionary now and then...only for more to take their place, Legion slowly filling up most of the space atop the stronghold. Even when afflicted by Luna's chains, Majora's fiery projectiles, and lightning bolts that missed their intended targets and struck Legionaries, the endless doom steadily approaching.
Ice-cold breath stabbing her throat and lungs, Zelda fell to a knee, overwhelmed by blood loss and exhaustion. She fell to her hands and knees, gripping the lance, too weak to stand. "This is pointless. Link..."
Legion loomed around her, a ring of giant blades descending. Zelda closed her eyes and gritted her teeth.
Legion's swords crashed upon her.
Zelda coughed while crying, but she held back the tears and...paused. She blinked her eyes open. A rotating, translucent blue crystal slowly spun around and around.
Link knelt by her, shield up, sword back, panting as sweat and blood dripped from his brow. The blue crystal rotating around him. Since he was so close, the magic also surrounded Zelda. The giant swords slammed over and over, Link and Zelda rearing from impact, yet they did not take damage.
The Centurion grunted. "You only postpone the inevitable, white savior. You cannot beat us, you never could. Time is against you, always was."
A sword spun through the air, its flanged pommel smashing into the Centurion's forehead. The beast staggered, falling onto a knee. The sword that was thrown into him had bounced off, the blade landing in a metal sheath. As if stepping through shower curtains made of shadow, Red-suit appeared, sliding his obsidian glasses on as reality reverted behind him. He twirled his sword cane, sticking it into the floor, then resting his hands atop the pommel.
Mīkāʼēl cocked his head and grinned, blood trickling between his crocodilian teeth. "I, too, am against you. Always was."
Legion huffed. "We are many, you are one."
Link and Zelda noticed Mīkāʼēl, distracted by his unwelcome presence. Even Legion hesitated, they too, not expecting him.
Majora scratched her head. "He even found his sunglasses..."
Mīkāʼēl playfully threw his sword cane down, pommel bouncing off the roof then back into his hand. "One is good enough."
Legion roared, the assembly of demons fighting with greater gusto, all action returning.
Mīkāʼēl held his sword cane at opposite ends two-handed, blocking a giant gladius. He leapt with great force, handspringing over the demon's shield rim then slamming the pommel against his helmet, crushing metal and skull alike, sparks and blood dashed out.
Landing on the roof, Red-suit parried incoming blades, running around a shield then unsheathing his sword and thrusting blade and cane into the back of a Leginoary's knee, both tips poking out the front. Down the demon fell, Red-Suit pulling his weapon out then throwing the cane like a javelin, which entered the fallen demon's neck until piercing his brainstem, death instant.
Mīkāʼēl swung his arm, summoning a wave of chains to extend from above, hooking nearby Legionaries, allowing him to safely retrieve his cane. He climbed chains, sometimes swinging from one to another, continuously jumping to attack Legion while dodging their mighty blades.
Majora frowned. "Nice acrobatics...but I'm still gonna try to get the comet to land right on top of you!"
Luna scuttled around, avoiding getting stepped on while Link, Zelda, Majora and Red-suit kept Legion busy. Luna was too small to be easily struck by oversized blades, Kibou sometimes flying into the faces of Legion to briefly blind or distract them. Whenever Legion tried swatting the pesky fly, they only hit each other, too numerous and taking up too much space to be precise, the chains gripping their blades sometimes snapping though others knotting.
"Luna! Your magical powers aren't helping much!" Kibou cried as he swerved. "Even our old friend isn't able to defeat this Legion dude!"
"Just wait...a little more!" Luna's glyphs grew, now including pixelated pieces of shadows.
Moans intensified, Luna gasped. Many ReDeads finally reaching the battlements, accompanied by Poes. The Wolfos also appeared, grappling ReDeads from behind and pulling them back down, sounds of ripping and growling intensifying. However, the ReDeads, by sheer numbers, swarmed the battlements, often stepped on by Legion or outright chopped apart.
Poes squirmed amid the mass of ReDeads and Legion, whirling their lanterns at Majora, her fireballs showering the ghosts and burning some away.
Protected by Nayru's Love, Link and Zelda withstood the onslaught, though the magical shield flickered, overwhelmed by excessive damage.
Snarling, the ReDeads writhed betwixt Legion, sharply inhaling as Nayru's Love dwindled, those protected by Her grimacing.
In a strange twist of fate, Mīkāʼēl was now the only one capable of helping the Bearers of the Triforce. He swiftly sliced many ReDeads and Poes, swinging from chain to chain to avoid and attack Legion. Red-suit took a lengthy swing, arching beyond the tower—a lightning bolt struck him. Down he fell.
"Well, so much for that..." Zelda remarked.
Up above, Majora zigzagged, doing what she could to avoid Legion as their blades swung at her. She was hit a few times though her body, still powerful, withstood the blows though volumes of blue blood gushed out of her. She growled, focusing on her magic, the comet looking bigger and bigger, brighter and brighter...
Luna grinned as her magic pulsated around her. "There! Now!"
Nayru's Love shattered, Poes cackled.
The ReDeads screamed at once, a choir of horror avalanching with such force Link's and Zelda's ears bled.
All the ReDeads' screaming became muffles—demonic arms whipped out the darkness, covering all their mouths, claws digging into their faces.
Legion's many blades inched towards the Bearers of the Triforce, creaking and shaking... They halted before touching Link and Zelda.
Legion was entangled with chains, fully extended from the darkness above. Lightning struck the chains, flowing throughout the chains and surging Legion.
One by one, circular silhouettes appeared above the rim of the tower. One by one, the silhouettes blinked open, giant eyeballs appearing, pupils glowing—blue energy beamed out each one, striking Legion and gradually melting through their armors and bodies.
A dozen Legionaries' shields, cuirasses and chests burst apart. They lifelessly fell over, dissipating into shadows.
The Centurion received a beam but withstood it. "Hrrmm..."
Legion reacted, chopping their hefty blades at the eyes, cutting them open and forcing them to retreat, yet more blinked into reality, but so did additional versions of Legion.
Link and Zelda stood while Legion fought the eyes, watching as demonic arms dragged the ReDeads over the battlements. Shadowy mouths of immense size clacked their teeth together, chewing on shields and helmets next, crushing Legion's heads. Yet, Legion always reappeared.
The Bearers of the Triforce needed some time to catch their breath. None of the apparitions did anything to them, entirely fixated on Legion, the demonic arms writhing up, joints popping and fingers twitchy, grabbing the limbs of Legion while the eyes beamed and the mouths gnawed.
"What's...happening?" Zelda asked. Loosely hanging chains jingled, Zelda turning her head, Luna emerging from the chains.
"We're almost done," Luna commented, voice hollow.
The Centurion roared, ripping his sword and shield free, then cutting the chains entangling him. More versions of himself appeared up above, falling while slashing their swords, cleaving apart the giant Beamos eyes as they fell, then landing on the tower with such force it shook. Amid the diving blades, Majora zigzagged to avoid them, her powers still swirling undisturbed.
Link looked at Majora. "Never would have imagined your dark powers would be needed to help me."
Majora grinned, blue blood dripping through her teeth. "I...thank you."
The night sky shone brightly as the clouds spread farther apart. The comet overhead was as big as a full moon, atmosphere gradually melting portions, a grimacing face slowly appearing.
"This better work!" Zelda exclaimed.
"It will!" Luna yelled. She continuously rammed her hands together, so hard that her knuckles cracked and the tendons popped. The glyphs kept popping, flowing out like a fountain.
Luna screamed; a large section of reality swung open like a gate, revealing a twisting passageway very much like the winding hallway in the Forest Temple. "Let's go!"
Luna, Link, Zelda and Kibou entered, the portal closing behind them. The hallway creaked, contorting into a spiral as everyone ran down. The hallway duplicated, extending in random directions until looping into itself, the group seeing other versions of themselves running down various hallways.
"And I thought a single twisting hallway was bad enough..." Link mumbled.
The hallway kept expanding and contorting as the group went, they eventually reaching a mirrored section, finding themselves running towards other versions of themselves.
"Where are we heading too!?" Kibou asked.
"Don't think! Just keep going!" Luna yelled.
"I really don't want to run into myself!" Zelda stated.
"Don't stop!"
The hallway extended into a series of hallways twisting into each other in all directions, each passage reflecting itself endlessly. Everyone ran on until they collided with their reflections.
The hallways shattered into pixels.
Everyone briefly fell, landing hard against flooring of black glass suspended in darkness. A forest of chains hung from the darkness above, of varying sizes, all links looking like stone. Most chains gently swayed on their own, rattling and thudding against each other. An occasional mechanical column floated, covered in shifting jigsaw pieces, spinning cogs, switches and other moving parts, everything seemingly carved from rock.
Despite the darkness, shadows did not exist, everyone and everything visible by whatever contradictory means existed here.
"What is this place?" Link asked.
"Come on!" Luna beckoned from afar, visible as chains swayed before her.
Zelda and Link shoved their way through the rock chains, following the albino.
Luna growled, her magic billowing. The chains in the perimeter whipped away, revealing a vast, knotted entanglement of more stone chains. Luna repeatedly smooshed her hands together, as if trying to open a tiny box. Her magic leaked out as her knuckles cracked and tendons popped, her joints swelling, veins bulging.
The vast entanglement noisily unfurled, each set of links slithering away like flying snakes.
One by one, small figures fell, limply thudding against the glass, followed by crystal orbs containing fairies unable to fly out. Most orbs shattered on impact, fairies flying out and wondering what happened.
Link gasped as hundreds of figures rained. He ran forth and knelt by the closest figure, cradling it in his arms.
The figure weakly coughed, rubbing her eyes. "Oh...you...didn't become one, did you? Heh, heh..."
Link sighed with relief then chuckled. "Fado...you haven't changed." He grabbed a crystal orb, crushing it in his hand, the fairy inside freed.
Few by few, the Kokiri sat up, many groaning and shaking their heads, asking what was going on. They were groggy and confused.
Link and Zelda broke the remaining orbs, freeing the fairies within, each returning to their child.
"Hunh...definitely way more Kokiri than I remembered," Link remarked, watching a skinny redhead trying to keep balance. Link knelt, holding the boy's shoulder to help stabilize him. The boy stared weakly.
"Oh, you...you again... Did you...see him somewhere? Tell him...I'm sorry for... I promised Saria...waiting for him..."
"Shhh..." Link comforted Mido. Childhood memories flooded Link's mind, but... "It'll be alright, my friend."
Luna helped Elmo stand up, the overweight boy totally lost and unaware. His transparent fairy flew around. "What the heck happened?"
"Nothing, Bubbles, nothing," Luna assured. "It's all just a nightmare, just a bad dream. Here, let me help... You alright?"
"L-L...Luna?" a nearby boy whimpered. "Is that...you?"
Once Elmo was able to stand on his own, Luna went to the boy who called her and helped him up.
"Axel, you OK?" Luna asked, brushing sawdust off him.
"Ughh...I guess?" Axel answered.
"Oh, and thanks...for the moon costume and everything... I, ugh...put it back for you."
Axel rubbed his temples. "Yeah, I noticed after you...left."
Luna blushed. "Umm... Oh, hi Taria, nice to see you, too."
Axel's fairy jingled. "Pleased to meet you, too! I sure don't know why we're here, but I don't think we're in Kokiri Forest! All I remember were this red hands lunging at me!"
"Oh, I sure can't tell you how much I hate this place," Kibou added. "I wonder where Nina is?"
"Last I saw her, you were with her during the festival," Taria said.
"I know. Just haven't seen her since."
"Don't worry, we're about to leave," Luna said. "Everything will go back to how it used to be." Luna fought back tears. She wiped her eyes and looked around, seeing the Know-It-All Brothers, the shopkeeper, the guards, everyone else... Is someone missing? No, can't be.
"You mean...there's a way out of here?" Axel asked, the rest of the Kokiri at least partly regaining themselves and murmuring in confusion and fear.
Luna clasped her hands behind her back and spun on her heels, facing her brethren. "Brothers, sisters..." The Kokiri waited attentively. "I will open a gateway from every part of Legion's castle, taking us outside. We will see the Great Deku Tree. He has enough power to open the next portal, allowing us to escape this world as a comet nears, eager to consume everything in this wretched world."
The Kokiri murmured.
"You must not stop," Luna warned. "Keep running. Do not look back. Anyone who hesitates will be left behind."
Fear gripped the Kokiri, their fairies flying close.
Luna looked at Link and Zelda. "That goes for you two, too."
The glass flooring shook, some sections cracking yet remaining intact. The Kokiri flinched, checking where they stood, others skipping away from the cracked sections.
Link wiped his brow. "Wait, what if—"
Luna's glyphs intensified, creating a portal made of shadowy pixels swirling like horizontal whirlpools. "Go!"
The mechanical columns and chains went limp, some crashing into the flooring and breaking through, causing farther cracks to grow across.
The Kokiri ran like hell, their fairies following, all entering the portal as everything fell apart behind them, the glass flooring cracking after them.
Luna was the last child to enter, Kibou and Zelda next, Link jumping off the glass right when all flooring shattered beneath him.
The tunnel of swirling pixels merged with others, providing viewpoints into various parts of the stronghold.
Luna harshly barked; the Wolfos spat out ReDeads and leapt after her, startling the Kokiri, but there was no time to ask questions.
Fiery light filled the passageways, heat rushing after everyone as they ran, Luna gasping. "We better not be too late!"
"We won't be!" Link assuredly yelled.
The portal led them outside, the Great Deku Tree charred so much most of his branches burnt away, leaves replaced with flames, bark smoldering. Yet he fought on, lashing his roots at ReDeads and Poes.
Fado and many Kokiri screamed, tears bursting from their eyes to see their guardian burning up amid the forest fire, the horde of ReDeads likewise aflame as Poes cackled, only adding to the inferno.
"Great Deku Tree!" Luna yelled.
The sentient tree turned. "You did it! You saved my children!"
Shadowy pixels flurried from him as he summoned the next portal, the forest fire spreading with such speed everyone felt the heat of the flames. The Great Deku Tree slammed his canopy upon a cluster of ReDeads, impact causing embers and bits of flaming bark to cascade, Kokiri shielding themselves. "My children, go!"
The Kokiri scurried towards the portal, though an avalanche of horrid screams froze them on the spot, Link and Zelda also immobilized.
Many burning ReDeads leapt through the flames, snarling cinders, charging the vulnerable children! The Wolfos tackled into the zombies then leapt away to avoid the fire, pawing the undead and Poes back.
Heavy thumps sounded. Luna, unaffected by the ReDeads, spun around. Legion was leaping down the tiers of his stronghold, chains snapping off them, though most Legionaries remained atop the tower to fight The Beyond's strange monsters. Despite their huge size, they ran quite fast!
Luna's heart sank. She looked up, eyes shiny as Majora's comet took up most space in the night sky. The comet's icy surface melted in certain points, creating a crude face desiring destruction. Majora floated where she was, casually staring at the inevitable doom as the action between Legionaries and The Beyond brawled below her.
The Centurion led his squad through the forest fire, a massive chain wrapping around one Legionary's neck and hoisting him up. Mīkāʼēl swung from a chain, engaging with them. After a few exchanges, it was clear Red-suit fought carelessly even against vastly bigger foes, their blades ripping him open. The Centurion then kicked Red-suit with such force he flew into the forest fire.
With much struggle, the Great Deku Tree heaved himself around to block Legion's path.
Luna could not see much, though the sounds of chopping wood echoed. At last, the ReDeads' piercing screams lost their effect, the Kokiri and Bearers of the Triforce regaining themselves.
Heavy creaking reverberated throughout the blazing forest. Everyone looked back; the Great Deku Tree fell, Legion burying their swords in him.
The Kokiri screamed, clutching their faces and unable to think. Luna snapped out of her despair, shoving her family towards the portal. "Go! Go! Go!"
Zelda withdrew her bow and shot Light Arrows as fast as she could, though Legion advanced regardless. Link charged, taking the fight to them as the Kokiri fled.
The Hero of Time swerved amid the huge blades, flaming trees falling amid crashing lightning bolts. He blocked the Ceturion's blade but his shield shattered. Link backflipped to avoid a lightning bolt while taking out his Longshot, Hookshotting the Centurion's shield and pulled up to it. The Centurion raised his gladius as Link jumped off his shield, both locking eye contact.
Link's sword glowed with magic as he held it point down, his right hand still holding onto his Longshot. Time seemed to slow down as Link aimed his Longshot. He fired, hooking the Centurion's mouth as Zelda's Light Arrows whizzed left and right into the other Legionaries.
Link was pulled downwards. With a defiant scream, he rammed his sword hilt-deep into the Centurion's mouth, the magic around the blade erupting within the demon's gullet.
Gargling blood and Magic Power, the Centurion staggered, dropping his gladius and scutum.
Leaving the sword stuck inside his foe, Link backflipped off the Centurion, landing like a cat. He gasped as flames erupted throughout the sky. "The comet..." Instead of running away, Link swerved past several attacking Legionaries and ran...towards the stronghold?
Link waved his arms, sweating profusely as the forest fire and incoming comet created such heat Link's clothes shriveled and his skin darkened. "Majora! Majora!"
Majora turned her cracked head, noticing Link, her eyes leaking tears, falling upon the combat below, neither Legion nor The Beyond caring about impending annihilation.
Link raised his arms, unable to hear Zelda screaming for him, the heat in front of him too much.
"Majora! Come on!"
Majora shook her head, her hair and clothes igniting. Yet, she remained hovering.
Link's mind raced with conflicting thoughts. Then, he almost...chuckled. Inhaling a mouthful of smoke and embers, he released all the breath and voice he had left, "We didn't finish playing tag!"
Link gasped.
"You're right," Majora remarked, suddenly standing before Link.
Link tagged her and ran away.
Majora chased after him.
They scurried past the Centurion and his Legionaries as they swung at them, burning trees falling everywhere.
Poes emerged from the flames, whirling their lanterns and laughing, though Link and his friend leapt through the walls of fire. Up ahead, Zelda shielded herself from the heat, grabbing her chest when she saw Link and beckoning him.
An explosion shook the earth, an avalanche of debris and trees flying after everyone as they ran into the portal.
Visibility of the realm ended, the Great Deku Tree blocking the portal with his blazing body. The Kokiri spun around, shielding themselves from the heat.
Despite immolation, the Great Deku Tree spoke with a soft, calm voice, "Love one another...as I have loved you." The Kokiri reached out to him. The portal extended, creating vast distance between the children and their guardian.
The comet shattered the world.
