No matter how many times I look back on that day, I cannot say for certain whether my choices made any difference at all. Yet, nagging doubt persists. Doubt that suggests cruel fate would wind its way back to us regardless.
Of course, Azamuku made the connection first. His quick thinking separated Yasei and I before her large twisted horns impaled my chest. My brain shut down. It didn't want to witness green scales snake their way over what used to be hazelnut skin.
"Ganondorf, what have you done?" I lifted up my arms against the dark magic radiating from this strange transformation.
Azamuku scoffed as he flipped what was left of his silver hair over his shoulder. "Did you never think to question that suspicious mark?"
"It wasn't doing any harm. It made her feel bad, so we left it."
"Foolish. In this world you question everything. Although, Ganondorf's talent for backup plans has to be admired. Having the foresight to curse the woman and know she would end up here of all places."
"Cursed?" I squeaked. Yasei turned around and sprinted away.
"Yes, little magician, cursed. And a strong one at that. Evidently, Ganondorf wants the Triforce for himself."
"You mean to say that the young lady will claim the Triforce in evil's name?" Rauru pulled his short white ponytail tighter. "If that's the case…Arrgh!" The Sage of Light toppled over like a felled tree. "What are these confounded chains?"
"My magi-clay is completely harmless, I swear." My palms raised in a placating manner. "You don't need to do anything rash. I'm going to snap her out of it."
Azamuku crossed his arms and said, "There is only one way to solve all our problems, you know this."
"Not necessarily," I replied. "There's more than one way to skin a remlit."
The sorcerer's face soured as I set off again. "She is lost to you," he shouted. "It is useless."
"I will decide that, thank you very much."
Yasei's cursed 'state' had all the athleticism of the hyperactive merchant, so catching up to her proved slightly challenging.
"Darling, can you hear me?" But what used to be…No, what was…What is my fiancée no longer cared for my words. "You've been cursed, but - that's – perfectly – alright, huff. I've got - everything under control."
A chilling roar came in reply along with a kahuna of nauseating energy. It came so fast that my attempt to jump over the assault led to one of my legs being caught. Hitting the dirt, a sharp pain clamped around my thigh. I looked down, a bubbling hiss revealed tattered purple cloth and charred, red skin. Yasei raced ahead as shivers wracked my body.
That was careless, I thought. Seems more creative methods will be needed.
My power reserves had taken a beating from The Master Sword, I knew that much. As for how many spells I could conjure or how long it took to recover, I confess to having no clue at all.
Still, for her sake…
Magi-clay was sturdy so long as the caster had the resources to maintain it. I took the black and silver mass dividing it into four equal pieces.
I need allies.
Within seconds, the images in my mind had taken shape and my creations were brought to life. A bauta mask with halves of red and white represented the Traitor. A goggled colombina half mask with striking white feathers showed the Inventor. The third, a beautiful Salome mask with glistening topaz and painted desert scenes, this was the Commander.
For my final mask, however, there could be only one.
'That's why I made you a mask,' she'd said. 'When you wear a mask, you can be whoever you want to be.'
Carefully, I placed the full face volto mask over my head. The hum of magic caressed my ears. It had vibrant turquoise streaks down the sides and golden suns plated around the eye sockets. A birthday present from the one person who had allowed me to play at being a hero.
"Today, I'm the hero and I've got your back," I vowed. My masks swirled around me ready for their orders. "Stop her from getting the Triforce. If we don't, something horrible will happen."
The trio flew away at speed and I followed via levitation. Ah yes, this new style of travel is most convenient.
Still, I wasn't invincible. My thigh did bite with gnawing aches, but I could see promise of healing. Dr Mizumi had been right about this curious quality and I even thanked the Goddesses for its blessing right now.
Up ahead, the Commander had managed to reach Yasei. Fizzing white spheres were hurtled relentlessly. It swerved around them, before twisting arms and legs of yellow emerged. It dived onto her back. Yasei's cursed form snarled and clawed at the intruder. Struggling to reach what had latched on so tightly.
Next came the Inventor, summoning strands of electric blue. A tingle of excitement went through me. If I allowed myself, I could imagine Robbie had returned and weaved the magi-clay over and over until the improvised rope was complete. The manic waves of such energy reminded me of choppy seas. They surrounded my love and snapped closed, but even with arms bound this was still not enough.
She broke free.
"Yasei, please, you have to stop." I begged. "I'm trying to help you."
But what if Azamuku is right? Am I already too late? Is it useless?
More catastrophizing questions, they fed my doubt like a pig drowning in milky slops.I could sense the doom of a dark omen brewing. It was that unwelcome feeling that makes your hair stand on end. I was a bolting horse, running straight towards the edge of a cliff.
All logical sense had been scattered to the winds. No matter how bad it looked, I refused to believe there wasn't a way to fix this. All this magic. All this power. There has to be a way, I tried to reason. There just has to be.
The Traitor held back, observing the movements of its target. Liquid silver oozed over the armour like marbled paint. Round shield at the ready, it charged at Yasei full force. Their resulting clash sent her tumbling horned head over heels.
Immediately, she staggered up and swung her tail in a wide arc. This smacked the Traitor and sent it flying. The Commander and Inventor jumped in. Taking turns, a sword of electric yellow hacked away the projectiles of fizzing light, whilst whips of blue lashed out in the hopes of an opening.
"Be gentle, be gentle," I said. This request of course was quite ridiculous. Every time one of my creations took a hit, it felt as if I were receiving the blow.
Watching the three together reminded me of play time at school. Some children would pretend to be knights slaying a horde of monsters. I was never usually invited to partake in such games. Back then, even when Yasei tried to drag me into the 'fray' the terror of keeping my shirt clean would always win out.
It seemed the constant barrage had made a difference though. Yasei stopped striking and instead kept a healthy distance between the trio and herself. She circled them, keeping them in a line and her stance sideways on. Whilst Father taught me profit margins, Yasei had learnt self-defence.
Her growls brought a sting to my throat.
"You were right, my love. I was wrong. I should have-"
A clawed foot pinned down my neck and steaming breath from nostrils made my mask rattle. I hadn't even seen her move. It was Hyrule Field all over again. A monstrous, snarling face. The smell of rotten meat and unholy energy that made me want to gag.
"I-don't-want-to-hurt-you," I wheezed. As I looked into vacant red eyes, the flint of anger sparked. I forced a hand between claw and skin and sucked in air. "For - Hyrule's - sake, stop - her."
The Commander and Inventor wrestled an arm each and yanked. For all their efforts the pressure did not release. It's the evil itself, I realised. The taste of iron filled my tongue, before something sticky trickled out my mouth. The Traitor resorted to ramming the shield into Yasei's face. Then it raised a sharpened pike.
"No. Don't."
My masked ally tilted its head to one side.
"Do – as - I tell you." Although this command scratched my throat, it was barely above a whisper. The Traitor regarded me a few moments before retracting the weapon. White spots swam in my vision and I had the most horrendous tingling pain in my arms.
Why does this always happen? Trouble was my shadow. It followed me like a bully poking a sore spot with a stick.
My body slowly turned numb as my eyelids fought to stay open. I was losing. It wasn't the battlefield nor Ganondorf's hand that death should come. It was to be strangled by the woman I loved - fate had a revolting sense of humour. The welcoming embrace of sleep beckoned to me like a siren.
I'll just rest. Only for a moment… I thought.
A cracking sound jolted me awake. I blinked twice before slumping to the floor.
"So keen to die?" Someone demanded. "Foolish, that cannot be, especially for the likes of you."
"Azamuku?"
"You have a promise to keep," he replied. His frown was a big black thunder cloud.
Shaking my head, I could sense that my creations were gone. The Hero's mask, however, remained intact. Again, with this. Can't you see I've done enough damage already?
"I had to be quite persuasive to secure your release," Azamuku continued. "I may have been a tad rough, apologies."
My wide eyes stayed magnetised to the grassy ground. I could feel raw scratches throbbing on my neck. My lungs struggled to reclaim their debt. He'd saved me. He'd been able to do what I could not, but at what cost?
"A tad rough?" I croaked. "You didn't…"
"She'll live. Silly girl, always where she should not be."
I might have agreed with that sentiment once, but that was before. Before I realised that interfering was Yasei's way to show that she gave a damn about me. She had always done it. Interference was as much a part of her as honey candy, wanderlust and crushing hugs.
Facing the consequences of my hesitation punched me in the stomach. "Ganon's breath."
Behind the sorcerer, a smoking figure kneeling on all fours. The horn on her left side had snapped and dangled there by a grisly thread. Fanged teeth barred on the remains of a blistered face.
"Oh, my darling." I hobbled towards her, rummaging in my pockets. By some miracle it was still there, the tin whistle that belonged to Nabooru. I kept a sensible distance. Her rasping efforts to breathe were laboured. "Just hold on a little longer."
The cold metal kissed my swollen lips as I began to play. The notes came much easier this time in a natural rhythm that wasn't forced. A familiar pink light enveloped Yasei's body along with the dizziness I had experienced previously.
"No. No. No." Azamuku clicked his fingers and the tin whistle shot away. He studied it and promptly threw the instrument into a small portal. "Why are you hesitating?"
Being dragged out of the haze of the song, I spluttered, "Why do you keep pushing me? There's no need, I can use the Song of Healing."
Azamuku's nostrils flared as he closed his eyes. "We are running out of time. Do you not realise how much effort it has taken to reach this point?"
"Of course, I do. And I'll resurrect the Interlopers when I've reversed Yasei's curse." I held out my hand. "Now the whistle, if you please."
He flickered rapidly, the last of his power running on the dregs of spirit. "I am beginning to believe that you are wriggling out of your word."
"It isn't like that," I insisted.
"Naturally," the dark sorcerer replied. His cloudy grey eyes narrowed. "For that would be unwise, little magician. Most unwise indeed."