Link winced as his head throbbed, feeling the spilled blood from earlier drying on his face. It was almost ironic that the two times he raced someone like Ingo, there was an attempt on his life. First with a dagger, then with a large rock to the head. He briskly walked past the guard of South Clock Town, holding his head down so the wound wasn't obvious, Link didn't want any adults stopping him to see if he was okay.
With Tatl in tow, the boy quickly made his way to the Laundry Pool, kneeling by the water as he washed off the dried blood. The boy was thorough, wanting to make sure no one noticed his injury and stopped him to try and help.
He paused as he gazed into the water, it being clear enough so he could see his own reflection. Link tried not to look in mirrors, and the sight before him was just another reminder as to why. A young boy on the cusp of becoming a teenager stared back at him, his single eye so lifeless it might as well be a corpse's. Exhaustion was written on every inch of his face, especially the horrible shadows from a lack of proper sleep. Every part of the reflection disgusted Link, who held back the urge to slap the water and destroy the visage before him.
While he was there, Link eyed the Stray Fairy, realizing he could use it. Link quickly collected it and went with Tatl to North Clock Town and repaired the Great Fairy, who healed Link's wound and agreed to let him and Tatl sleep in the fountain later on.
"Pretty clever. That Goron probably took our room by now." Tatl mused as she and Link left the cave. "Or I guess…he has his own room, we just always steal from him."
That fact was something Link had nearly forgotten by this point. He was so used to going into the inn and sleeping there that the Goron he kept forcing to sleep outside had left his mind. Now he just felt bad about it all over again, but at least the Goron had this Cycle to actually have a proper room…
For the rest of the day, there was little for the pair to do. They got some food and Link made sure he was fully stocked on arrows but aside from that, they sort of just wandered around aimlessly. There was a hanging dread over their heads, almost feeling tainted by their visit to Ikana, like a bit of the evil there had clung to them somehow. When they were in East Clock Town, they felt eyes on the back of their heads that had no source. There was no telling if it was just their imaginations, or something truly followed them back. Either way, aside from the unsettling sensation, nothing actually happened. Surely if something evil had clung to them, the Great Fairy would've done something about it or at least mentioned it…
When it was late afternoon, the two went back to the Great Fairy's Fountain to sleep. The two found themselves positioned closer to the sparkling waters of the fountain than they were the last time they slept in the cave so long ago. It made them feel safer, especially as the sun went lower and the shadows grew longer, the dark edges seeming to resemble fingers…
The two slept until an hour after sundown but remained in the fountain for a good ten extra minutes, neither of them wanting to go back East. Going there during the day was unsettling enough…what spirits would be about once the sun fell? They eventually got up and moved, though and left through the nearby gate, looping around the outer wall of Clock Town towards Ikana.
Despite starting at the North with a cursed, eternal winter, Link and Tatl felt themselves grow colder the further from the mountains they got. It wasn't like this when they made that delivery with Cremia…surely it was all in their heads! Even though they didn't encounter much during their trip, it somehow shook them to their cores. This is why they started to think something may have gone back into Clock Town with them…
As the pair got near the pillars leading to Ikana Canyon, they stopped in their tracks. Link got his sword and shield ready, using his weapon to point ahead. "Tatl, do you know what those things are?"
Lights danced between the Clock Town gate and the entrance to Ikana Canyon. Purple flames floated a few feet off the ground, five clusters of these flames, each one about as large as Link himself. As the two looked closer, they saw the fires weren't empty, no. Inside of them were humanoid skulls, small and batlike wings attached to their skulls and allowing them to fly about. The unusual entities had yet to notice the two and seemed to be wandering aimlessly.
"I…have no idea what the heck those things are. I've never seen anything like them before." Tatl admitted, flying a bit higher to get a good look at things. Aside from the five…whatever those things were…she didn't spot anything else that looked dangerous. "I don't see anything else." She reported as she floated back down to Link. "Just keep outside the pillars, we'll just give those things a wide berth." The fairy had to wonder if those things could wander too far from Ikana. After all, there was little stopping them from entering Clock Town…
Cautiously, Link did as Tatl suggested. Remaining on the outside of the eerie pillars, he moved closer to the entrance of Ikana Canyon. All the while, his and Tatl's eyes were glued to the unusual, flaming skulls that seemed to mindlessly move about. If there was any pattern or logic to where and how the spirits moved, it was lost on the boy and fairy. The closer the two got to Ikana, the colder and sicker they felt, Tatl especially feeling like she was going to vomit. It was all so much worse than in the day!
Thankfully, the unusual dark entities didn't notice Link and Tatl, not even as they went on the path to Ikana proper and went past the entrance into the territory. With nothing but the stars and Tatl to light the way, the path ahead was all but pitch black. The fairy did her best to be a guiding light for Link, but she also didn't want to wander too far ahead, so he was only able to see a handful of feet in front of him. The boy kept glancing about, trying to see if anything might come for him…and he dreaded the idea of an invisible force grabbing at him again. Or worse, what if something unseen actually hurt him? Maybe the spirits were more active and dangerous in the night!
Things were as silent as the grave. Link and Tatl barely dared to even breathe loudly, the boy even scared to let his footfalls grow too loud. He accidentally kicked a small pebble, and the resulting noise nearly gave the two heart attacks as they stopped in place. Quickly realizing it was just a rock, they went on, not exchanging any words. Their eyes and ears were on full alert, both of them expecting to see or hear something dangerous or just plain terrifying at any given moment.
The pair stopped in place again as laughter rang out from the darkness in front of them, Tatl even letting out a small scream. The laugh was that of a child's, one younger than Link, and seeming to come from a few feet away. When the two stayed still in silence, more laughter started to ring out, multiple voices cackling into the dark sky above. Tatl panicked and flew ahead, Link chasing after her, his shield raised just in case.
As Link ran, the laughs seemed to echo in his ears, and he felt hands touching him. One pulled at his hair, and another at the back of his tunic's neck. Another hand gripped his ankle, nearly making him fall flat on his face! Luckily, he managed to stay on his feet and wrenched free from the grasp as he kept running, relying on Tatl's light to see his way.
While the two kept going for a while, never slowing down, they outran the laughter after a few minutes. Yet they still rushed ahead, but then quickly realized they should've reached the area with that creepy cyclops. There had only been one path before, so it wasn't like they made a run turn or something. Still, they knew they should've reached that large, open space, yet they were still in a narrow valley!
Rushing on, it was five minutes past when they should have gotten to the larger area, and yet they still hadn't! Neither of them mentioned it, both of them too nervous to do so. Just as Tatl was about to finally say something about it when they entered the clearing. Only then did they finally stop, both panting heavily as they looked around, making sure they were in the right spot. Looking up, they saw the glowing red eye of their disturbing friend, who cackled out into the darkness, Link gasping out from the sudden and horrid noise.
Link took a breath, shaking a bit as he looked over at Talt. "It wasn't my imagination, right? It took longer than it should have to get here…" Especially since the two rushed this time, having gone slowly on their first trip.
Tatl scowled at the cyclops for being so creepy, then looked over at Link. "I felt it too. I don't know if this place is toying with us or what…" She supposed she should be grateful they reached the clearing at all. If the canyon really was shifting around them, they could've just as easily never got this far and just kept traveling all night…
"I don't want to think about it." Link admitted, suppressing a shudder as he walked towards the graveyard, Tatl once more lighting his way. As the two drew nearer, a sense of dread filled him, hoping he could handle what was to come. Climbing the stairs, he gripped his sword hard and had his shield ready.
The two stopped once more as they neared the graveyard entrance and peered around its corner. Off, into the graveyard itself, was light. Not just any light, but fire, multiple campfires were burning in the hallowed grounds. The two drew nearer, still staying mostly out of sight, as they took a closer look at these fires. Tatl gasped out, and Link felt like he was going to throw up at what they saw.
All around the campfires were Stalchildren! Skeletal beings with glowing orange eyes were sitting about these fires. Strangely, they didn't seem to be doing anything particularly imposing or terrifying. It seemed like they were chattering amongst themselves, and one was even swinging idly from a tree branch. Another pair of the undead were off near another campfire, seeming to be playing a game about guessing the amount of fingers the other was holding behind their back. The losing guesser got a slap to the face, the skulls rattling as they were struck. Amongst the Stalchildren were glowing orbs, formless spirits that seemed to be partaking in the nighttime romp.
While the Stalchildren weren't doing anything especially bad, Link still felt sick. In his mind's eye, he just saw a sea of glowing orange orbs coming from the darkness and surrounding him. He felt the memory of a skeletal hand grabbing at his leg, digging its rotten nails into his flesh! Link heard them burrowing out of the ground, raspy breaths and chattering teeth filling the night air as they set their dead sights on him, wanting to tear his flesh from his bones.
It took Link a few moments to realize he wasn't breathing, taking a big breath as he tried to swallow his fear away. The various Stalchildren didn't notice the pair, though he noticed Tatl's light dimming a bit as she tried to make her presence less obvious. Link had to wonder just how well Stalchildren could see in the dark given the ones in Hyrule Field chased him with little issue. Were they safe outside the lights of the campfires? He noticed that the outer areas of the graveyard were still fairly dark and may let him sneak by. On the other hand, he was sure his Goron form could dispatch all the skeletal monsters easily. However…he still felt afraid of them, and wanted to avoid them as best as he could…
"How do you want to do this?" Tatl whispered, having the same thoughts as Link. They could hug the outer walls of the graveyard, or Link could go Goron mode and destroy the skeletons. Those orb-like spirits worried her, though. What if they couldn't be fought off and were actually very dangerous? Giving away their position would just be stupid in that case. "I think we should try and sneak by. I don't know what those odd orbs can do. You might not be able to fight them." They certainly weren't fairies, that much she could tell…
Link nodded, his hand holding so tightly to the grip of his sword that his palm started to ache. Terror filled him, and he was using all his energy to stay together. His leg throbbed as he felt skeletal claws digging into his flesh from two years ago. He blinked a few times, composing himself and nodded again without realizing. "I think we should too." The boy hadn't even considered the orbs were dangerous. Small spirits of light like that were harmless within the Lost Woods, he even recalled seeing a few, and none had ever tried to harm him.
With a plan agreed upon, the two hugged the wall and slowly entered the graveyard, Tatl even landing on Link's shoulder to make their presence smaller. The boy slid his feet along the ground, trying to be as quiet as possible as the Stalchildren chattered amongst themselves. It did seem they were actually speaking proper words, not some monstrous language, but Link didn't focus on what any of them were saying. It wouldn't have been anything good anyway, he figured.
As the boy and fairy moved, neither of them even felt like they could breathe, as if the sign of life would shine out like a beacon amongst the undead. Vague, shadowy silhouettes sometimes walked amongst the campfires, it being clear that numerous types of spirits were amongst the crowd, probably even including some that Link and Tatl had the inability to even see.
At one point, one of the Stalchildren closer to the two stopped and stared in their direction, causing the pair to halt in their tracks, staying as still as possible. Had it heard them? Had it sensed there was a living soul amongst the dead? Could it see them, even under the veil of darkness behind the campfires? With no expression on the Stalchild's rigid skull of a face, it was impossible for them to gauge what it was feeling, its eyes were simple glowing orbs that gave nothing away. Tatl had to wonder if it could feel breathing, sensing the thing that only the living could do. She heard a few stories of phantoms that steal a person's breath, envious of something the spirit could no longer do.
Whatever it was that caught the Stalchild's attention either no longer interested it or perhaps it even just decided to ignore the two. All the same, it turned away from them and stared back into the campfire crackling in front of it. Having to hold back their sighs of relief, Link and Tatl continued on, thankfully having no other close calls like that.
Eventually, they found themselves in the further part of the graveyard where they seemed to be alone. There could've always been spirits they simply couldn't see, but none made themselves known in any way, though there was a chilly atmosphere, and the two felt like they were being watched. That, however, could have just as easily been their imaginations.
Notably, Captain Skull Keeta was right where the pair left him. He strangely didn't seem to want to animate himself like the skeletons and spirits not far away. The massive ones were still, and the sockets lacking the orange glow of the Stalchildren around the campfires. This was confusing to the pair, wondering why the one being they needed to lurk after sundown was still immobile.
"Maybe…it's not late enough for him yet?" Tatl asked, just throwing ideas out as they came. "Or…maybe it's not every night…?" She had no idea what to really say, she was dreading that their trip to the graveyard was wasted.
Link slowly approached the massive skull, heart hammering wildly in his chest. Suppressing his fear as best as he could, he prodded the large bone with his sword. Nothing happened. He swung the blade, chipping away some of the skull. Nothing happened still. What was going on…? Link was stumped too, wondering if that mask he had to get was meant to help…?
For a minute, the two tried to work out what to do, but each idea they thought of didn't seem to work. Then, though, Link had a plan. "I think this might work. We should step back." He moved away from the massive skeleton, Tatl going with him.
To her surprise, Link put his gear away and took out his Ocarina. He then played a song she hadn't heard in ages. It was the Sonata of Awakening! Even Tatl felt just a bit more energized from hearing those notes. "Oh yeah, that song! That should…work…" As she spoke, she realized what it meant if the song did the job. Tatl hid behind Link as a slight rumble came from the bones.
The colossal skeleton stirred, rattling in place as life started to seem to flow into it. Within a few moments, glowing orange orbs appeared in its empty sockets, so empty yet somehow so full of life. One of its massive arms moved forward, slamming its boney hand to the ground, then it did the same with its other arm. It pushed itself upward, the stone arch resting above it starting to crack and crumble under the pressure being pushed up upon it. Within a few moments, there was a large cracking sound as the arch gave way entirely, fragments of stone falling to the ground as the massive skeleton started to stand fully upright.
Link got his sword and shield back out, ready for a nasty fight. Tatl couldn't help but look over her shoulder at the other part of the graveyard, expecting a small army of skeletons to come at them. Surprisingly, this didn't occur, it could be that the Stalchildren and other spirits did not want to impose on Captain Skull Keeta's territory.
"Tatl, keep your distance, I don't want you caught up in this…" Link warned, noting just how large his opponent was. It towered over him, Link only going up to its knees as it stared down at the pair, its orange eyes seeming to glow with a further intensity.
Captain Skull Keeta shifted in place, as if stretching the muscles it no longer had…then turned around and started to stomp away. Behind the stone archway was a path that twisted into the canyon, which the massive Stalchild was making quick progress on with its long gait. The boy and fairy stared as it moved, both stunned. Tatl then composed herself. "Hey! It's…It's running away! Go after it!" She blurted out, wondering why the giant skeleton seemed to be fleeing from them.
It took an extra second for Link to react to Tatl's words, nodding as he ran after the massive creature. He took out his bow, firing a few arrows at the retreating monstrosity. The first arrow missed, but the second two managed to hit its right leg, both projectiles striking below its knee. While the arrows embedded themselves into the bone, it wasn't like much damage was done. Some of the bone chipped away, but there was no flesh or muscle to tear through, no blood to spill from the giant creature. If he was to kill it…how exactly would he go about it? He somehow hadn't truly thought of that since first seeing it.
Forgoing the arrows, Link got his sword and shield ready again, sprinting after Captain Skull Keeta. Even with its large strides, it didn't take Link long to catch up with it and plunge his sword into its ankle. There was a clattering grunt of sorts from the giant Stalchild as it stopped to finally turn and face Link.
With a sort of snarl, Captain Skull Keeta aimed a swipe of its boney claw at Link, who blocked the attack with his shield. As large as the creature was, it was still a skeleton. No muscle behind its blows, and it weighed less than a normal creature of such a mighty size. Odolwa's sword swings were certainly a greater threat to Link as he managed to knock back the skeleton's blow. He then sliced at its ankle again, taking out a large chunk of bone with the attack.
Giving off a hiss, the large Stalchild retaliated, swiftly kicking Link and sending him flying back a good five feet, making him land painfully on his back. Captain Skull Keeta didn't stop, closing the distance in an instant as it stomped down at Link. He rolled out of the way, though, stabbing at the skeleton's foot as it hit the ground. Tatl, meanwhile, was keeping her distance as Link insisted. She wasn't sure there was much she could do to help. Could she even blind a skeleton with her light? Would it effect those vague glowing orbs in its massive, empty sockets?
Link got to his feet, figuring if he could wear down the legs enough, that might let him win this battle. While he could become a Goron…he really felt most comfortable fighting as himself, and he'd only change form if he truly needed to! As the massive Stalchild tried to slap him away, Link dodged to the side and once more went for one of its legs, slashing it several times, wearing down the bone more and more with every strike. It didn't feel like he was making any progress! It didn't help that his opponent didn't react to the blows with noises of pain or even discomfort. Chances were the undead giant couldn't even feel pain in a proper way.
Still, he kept up the pattern.
The boy and the undead creature were locked in combat for a good few minutes as Tatl watched from afar. As Link kept going for the monster's legs, ankles, and feet, it'd swat or kick him away. Each impact left Link dazed, the wind getting knocked out of him several times, and he figured the Great Fairy's blessing on his tunic kept him from being damaged severely. Still, he felt his limbs grow sore and his vision blurred for a few seconds after each impact.
Slowly, Captain Skull Keeta's legs were chipped away, and Link felt confident in his next course of action. With a cry, he raised his shield, charging into the more damaged of the giant's legs, feeling it splinter a bit against the metallic impact. This caused the skeleton to sway a bit, and after a second charge, it fell over onto its skeletal rear. As Link readied his next move, his opponent did something that startled him so much that he stopped in his tracks.
"Wait! I surrender!" Captain Skull Keeta called, his voice massive and deep, yet shockingly human. "I give up! You're the better fighter!" He went on, hands raised to show he was serious in his words.
Link and Tatl were stunned to a temporary silence, the fairy flew back down towards Link, hovering by his ear. "Did…that thing talk to us?" She murmured to Link, hardly able to believe it.
"I am not a thing, fairy!" The massive Stalchild corrected, somehow managing to have heard Tatl's voice. "You must know who I am! I am Captain Skull Keeta, a military general for the Ikana Kingdom!" He corrected, actually sounding insulted at Tatl's words.
Keeping himself ready in case this was some sort of a trick, Link kept his distance. "I wasn't expecting you to talk." He admitted, feeling almost sort of awkward in the situation. "Why didn't you say anything before?"
Lowering his hands and almost getting into a more casual sitting position, Captain Skull Keeta chuckled as if Link's question was obvious. "I was testing you, kid. I was seeing if you were worthy of taking my Captain's Hat with you, and I figure you are!"
It seemed a tad too convenient, really. Link wasn't sure if he should go with what the creature he was just fighting a minute ago was saying. "How do I know you're telling the truth? That this isn't a trick?"
The massive Stalchild let out an offended grunt and shook his head. "I may not be a pure soul, but I don't lie! I swear on my honor as a military general, upon the name of Igos du Ikana that I'm being honest!"
Link could only gather that 'Igos du Ikana' was the king of Ikana in the past. Not that swearing on a dead king meant much to the boy…but the deceased captain seemed sincere in his words. Still, he kept his sword and shield ready, but his stance softened a bit. "Okay. I'll trust you. So, where's the Captain's Hat and what does it do?" He figured this had to be what the creature upon the wall had mentioned he had to get from the graveyard.
At this, Captain Skull Keeta let out a sigh, an unusual sight given he was just a skeleton. Slowly, he stood up, his stance seeming a bit weak from Link's earlier onslaught. If he was feeling any sort of pain from the slashes, he was hiding it rather well, assuming the deceased general could still feel any pain. "It's actually right near here." He said simply, but not answering the second part of the boy's question. He then walked past Link and Tatl with his gigantic strides, back to where he had been sleeping before.
Tatl whispered in Link's ear, more careful not to be heard by the large skeleton. "Be on your guard. I still don't trust this thing…" She never heard of an undead monster that spoke so calmly, not even in the strangest story of Ikana that passed around Clown Town. Of course, she never heard talk of a gigantic skeleton either, yet there it was in front of them.
Link nodded in silent agreement, following Keeta but not willing to put his guard down just yet. He had never stopped to look at one of the monsters he fought as a person before. They were always too inhuman for that. A giant dragon, a grotesque bug, a ghastly phantom beneath Kakariko…the closest thing was Twinrova. Navi had insisted witches weren't really human, but Link had since doubted that claim, just a bit…
Captain Skull Keeta took the two back to the arch where it had been sleeping, or what was left of it. He reached up to the part on the left, on top of the part of the structure that was Dampé's home. From it, the massive skeleton grabbed something large, soon revealed to be an ancient looking chest, the wood worn and the metal hinges seeming too rusty to even budge. The chest apparently was tucked away and out of sight, so the boy and fairy hadn't noticed it earlier.
"The Captain's Hat is in here." Captain Skull Keeta announced, placing the chest in front of the pair. "I don't know if the chest will still open…give it a try!"
Still wary of the large skeleton, the pair worked together a bit. Tatl kept her eyes on the monstrous being as Link opened up the chest. It was tough to get it open, but he managed to open it up enough to peer inside. Within the ancient chest, a revolting smell of rot and decay emerged. Link and Tatl both recoiled, the fairy even breaking out into a fit of coughs, trying not to throw up from the horrid stench. Holding his breath, Link looked inside to see what was letting loose the nauseating smell.
The Captain's Hat was a grotesque thing made out of bones. Yet they seemed too small to be human. The part that'd cover Link's face was a tiny skull, rotting teeth jutting out from the top jaw, the bottom jaw being entirely gone. What seemed to be part of a spine reached back, two tiny skeletal arms coming from the side, going back to reach a sort of cloth in the back, another skull attached to it. Link didn't even want to look at the horrid thing, let alone touch it, and he could forget about actually putting the awful excuse of a mask on. Bones didn't bother him generally, but the way the thing smelled and its uncanny appearance really made him feel revolted.
"That's the Captain's Hat?!" Tatl exclaimed, unable to hold back a gag. "That's so disgusting! Why would anyone even touch something like that?!"
At the very least, Captain Skull Keeta didn't seem offended at Tatl's disgust. In fact, he let out a deep and disturbing sounding laugh that seemed to echo in the skulls of the boy and fairy. "It isn't the most pleasant thing, but it will help you on your way." The massive skeleton insisted. "In life, it allowed me to control my troops with utmost efficiency in battle. In death, they will still follow its commands, no matter who wears it."
"Your troops? You mean those skeletons over in the other part of the graveyard?" Tatl asked, watching in disgust as Link picked up the mask. The awful smell was slowly starting to wane, but the fairy had a feeling it'd never fully go away. She was just grateful she couldn't wear it.
"Exactly right. It can do that and more." Captain Skull Keeta replied, somewhat cryptically. "In return for giving it to you, I ask a favor, and I also give you a piece of advice. The advice is to have my soldiers open the large grave near the entrance to the graveyard. What lies beneath will aid you, a song that holds a great power in this land."
The idea of going beneath a grave made Link want to cry, but he held himself together, though his chest tightened, and his head felt a bit dizzy. He felt rotting teeth burrowing into his flesh, dead limbs holding him in place…! Shoving the memories back as best as he could, Link swallowed heavily. "Okay. We'll do that. What sort of favor do you want?" The boy wasn't in the mood to do favors for the monstrosity before him, but he'd at least hear the undead general out.
"My soldiers don't know the war is over. Ever since a humiliating defeat eons ago, I have not known peace either." Captain Skull Keeta bemoaned, gesturing vaguely to the graveyard behind him. "Being undead, I can no longer use the Captain's Hat like I used to, and I have had to live this endless life knowing that neither me nor my troops can fully rest."
"So…you want us to kill all of you?" Tatl asked, not really sure where else the military leader could be going with this.
Shaking his head, Captain Skull Keeta let out a sigh. "It's not that simple. If it was, I'd have done it ages ago. No…Someone living must take the Captain's Hat and tell us to rest, to tell us we don't have to keep coming back anymore. You and the grave keeper are the only ones around that draw breath, and I doubt he'll be of much help."
Link wasn't expecting that response. As he thought of it, he felt a sort of anger well up inside of him. For two years he had wanted to know peace, and not once had he come close to it despite the attempted aid from those around him. Now he was even worse off, he knew he'd become an even further broken mess when this was all over. Knowing this, how was he supposed to react when someone that was trying to kill him a few minutes ago told him to just tell tormented souls to go to rest? Was it that easy?! It felt like a slap to the face!
Yet…Link felt pity for the spirits that wandered the graveyard. He didn't know their stories. Surely not all of them were evil…but what about the ones that were? Did they deserve rest? Captain Skull Keeta referred to him as his soldiers…would they have attacked Link if they saw him solely because they saw him as an invader, someone trying to attack their home? The skeleton had said that his troops didn't know the war was over…
The boy still felt a jealous anger burn in his gut…but he nodded his head. "Okay. I'll do it." Holding back a grimace, he placed the Captain's Hat over his head, Tatl letting out another gag as he did so. He wasn't far behind, gagging as the horrendous smell of rot hit his nose like a brick. Even worse, it felt like something vile went in through his nose and just settled down into his soul, he felt filthy just being near the thing!
Captain Skull Keeta, however, seemed amused at the reaction of Link and Tatl, giving a chortle. "Not so pleasant, I know! But truly, I am thankful for what you're about to do. You have no idea how long we've been stuck here, waiting to pass on!"
As Link managed to recover from the worst stench he had ever encountered, a thought occurred to him. The Skull Kid had only been tormenting Termina for a few days…yet Captain Skull Keeta mentioned that many, many years had passed since he became undead. If the Skull Kid wasn't responsible for this…what did the imp even do in Ikana? "Just tell me what to do, and I'll do it." The boy responded simply.
It was as if a flip was switched, Captain Skull Keeta snapping into a salute, as though his body was moving against his will. "Yes, sir!" He belted out. "Simply tell us our duties are done and order us to rest! That's all there is to it, sir!"
Link quickly realized that the Captain's Hat was actually controlling the massive skeleton. There was a part of him that wanted to test it out somehow, but he wasn't sure how to go about it without coming across as a bully and humiliating the undead warrior. Again, he felt a rage bubble up inside of him. It was just so easy for Captain Skull Keeta and his soldiers, huh? All Link had to do was say to be at peace, and then they'd do it? How was that even remotely fair…?
Still, Link was going to keep his word. It wasn't fair to punish others that were suffering just because he hated his own existence. He wasn't sure if it was necessary to do, but he saluted Captain Skull Keeta back and spoke in a firm and clear voice. "Your duty is done, Captain Skull Keeta. Now rest and never awaken again."
The massive skeleton saluted again and spoke as though he may start to cry. "Yes, sir! Thank you, sir!" His sockets ceased glowing, his sockets dull and empty. Captain Skull Keeta then fell apart, whatever force holding his bones together vanishing. His large bones fell to the ground, and disturbingly enough, burrowed down into the dirt, like bugs escaping a predator. One by one, the bones buried themselves deep, deep into the dead soil until they were out of sight. Captain Skull Keeta was now able to rest until the end of time.
And, as everyone knew, Time is eternal.
Link stopped the salute, glaring down at the patch of dirt where the military leader had been, his furious eye hidden by his mask. It just wasn't fair.
"Wow, he was actually telling the truth." Tatl mused as she too eyed the soil where Captain Skull Keeta vanished. "He even buried himself! I guess we should also do what he said about the grave thing." She paused, remembering what Link said before about finding some creature beneath a grave and how terrified it made him. "…Think you'll be able to handle that?" The fairy asked gently, sincerely worried about how Link would be able to deal with it. He freaked out when they first entered the graveyard, so entering an actual grave would just increase that tenfold, surely.
"I don't have a choice." Link pointed out. "Nothing I've done is something I can handle, but I have to do it anyway."
That made Tatl feel almost a bit guilty for even bothering to ask. In hindsight, it was sort of a stupid question. He of course despised everything he's had to do since setting foot in Termina. The fairy thought back to the numerous times he cleared Woodfall Temple alone, how desperate he was to try and keep the Giant freed. That was just on top of everything else…
Clearing her throat, Tatl tried to move on from the awkwardness. "Right. Well, we should just get it over with then, huh? Hopefully you can stomach wearing that thing for a bit longer."
Link had been so angry about Captain Skull Keeta's words that he nearly forgot about the stench. At Tatl's words, it hit him almost like the first time all over and he gagged a bit. "Let's just hurry so I can take it off." He managed to choke out, trying not to throw up as he walked back towards the main graveyard area.
Given the proof he just saw of how well the Captain's Hat worked, he had far less fear when approaching the skeletons and spirits of the graveyard. Of course, his stress still spiked the second he laid eyes on the Stalchildren, but he still managed to feel confident that nothing would happen to him. At least…he tried to feel confident…
As the boy stepped into the graveyard, the skeletal soldiers stopped their activities, whether they were talking, playing, or swinging from the dead trees. No matter what, they stopped what there doing, both feet planted on the ground as they all saluted at Link. "Captain Skull Keeta, sir! We didn't know you'd be joining us!" One of the Stalchildren yelled out, almost seeming afraid of him.
Link wasn't expecting quite that heavy of a response, for the soldiers to see him as Captain Skull Keeta himself. At the very least, the skeletons all saluting at him did help his anxiety, just a bit, as they acted in a submissive way. He still felt a great unease at their presence, still worried that they might see right through him and attack. Notably, the floating spirits and the vague silhouette didn't seem to respond to his presence. Whether they saw through him and didn't care or perhaps just had no loyalty to Captain Skull Keeta wasn't something he could exactly determine.
Clearing his throat, Link spoke in a louder and commanding tone, not knowing if it was fully necessary, but doing it just in case. "I need to go under the grave by the graveyard entrance. Help me with this task!" He ordered, not at all used to yelling instructions at others. It made him feel awkward, especially given who he was speaking to.
Right away, the Stalchildren tightened their salutes. "Yes, Captain Skull Keeta! As per your orders, sir!" One of them yelled as he and the rest went to a large grave, working together to move the heavy stone out of the way, a staircase being revealed that went deep into the earth. Strangely, not far down, the walls began to be lined with lit torches, but even with them, the bottom of the stairs was impossible to see.
"Wow, they really are helpful. Makes me wonder if we could just take them with us…" Tatl murmured in Link's ear. She had no idea if her presence would break the illusion the Stalchildren were clearly under, so she kept herself mostly hidden, even dimming her light. "They could be like, an army for you." A lot of skeletons probably wouldn't be too terribly useful, but maybe it'd mean he wouldn't have to fight as much.
Link shook his head and murmured a response. "They already had to fight a war. I can't make them fight anymore." As much as the Stalchildren unnerved him, it'd be far too hypocritical to make them fight. He himself despised how he was caught in another quest to save a land in peril, how could he ask those that had fought and died to do so all over again? It'd just make him a monsters in his eyes.
Once the staircase was fully revealed and the rubble even thoroughly swept away, the Stalchildren all saluted at Link. "Do you have further orders, sir?!" One of them asked, standing rigidly at attention.
The boy took a deep breath, quickly regretting it from the stench of death in the air. He managed to retain his composure as he nodded. "All of you here…the war is over! Now go and rest, and never awaken again! Be at peace!"
The Stalchildren seemed surprised, but they did not argue. "Yes, sir! Thank you…!" One of the soldiers declared as his eyes went dim. Like with Captain Skull Keeta, the skeleton troops all fell apart, their bones somehow burying themselves into the hallowed soil beneath them. Just like that, those that had been conflicted undead were at peace. Link still couldn't help but feel envy and anger over the situation. Notably, the other and not-so-physical spirits lingered. Could they not rest so easily, or did the Captain's Hat simply hold no sway over them?
Cautiously, Link took the mask off, to see how the spirits reacted. The orbs in the air flickered and seemed alarmed at his presence, whispers filling the air, and he somehow caught the idea they were speaking about him. "…I'm not here to harm you or intrude. I just have business, and then I'll leave." The boy declared, wondering how much intelligence the spirits had. Some of the ones from back home were little more than fragments of souls and memories of those that found themselves swallowed up by the Lost Woods.
He paused, and nothing happened, and he took that as a sign that the spirits tolerated his presence.
As he put the Captain's Hat in his bag, Link stood at the top of the staircase, staring down into the inky void below. Tatl shuddered. "I have a pretty bad feeling about this…just try and be careful, okay?"
Link barely even heard her. In his mind's eye, he saw a blood-red orb staring back at him from the darkness, the beating of drums filling his ears as he felt his breath catch in his throat. Why did he have to do this…? What did he do to deserve it?! His hands shook as he got his sword and shield out, his chest tightening as he saw that single eye glaring back at him. He just wanted to turn around and leave…but, with a breath, he took a shaking step onto the first stair as he blinked and the piercing eye vanished.
Slowly, Link descended the staircase, Tatl right by his side and providing a bit of extra light to their surroundings. Both had to wonder how the torches stayed lit for so long, but neither felt compelled to voice any theories. Their trip downward seemed to take far longer than seemed possible, like it was too deep for anyone to bother making a staircase that dug so deep into the earth. Yet the minutes passed, and the stairs just kept going. All the while, Link tried to keep his breathing in check, almost feeling like he was going to faint as he went down, and the drumming in his ear grew louder.
Eventually, though, the two reached the bottom of the staircase, finding themselves in a stone hallway that was also lit by torches along the walls. Link froze as he gazed down the hallway. He expected something to lurch out of the darkness at him, some ghoulish shape to reach out and drag him into the inky abyss. His frame shook, despite his efforts to keep calm, and he hated how weak he was. On top of being in a grave, seeing all the fire made his right shoulder ache, a pain he had long accepted he'd carry with him for the rest of his life.
Tatl noticed Link's fear, landing on his shoulder and putting a hand on his face. At times like this, she wished she was bigger, able to provide more comfort to him when he needed it. She didn't say anything, letting Link take his time. She didn't know if Link even noticed her touch, her hand so small she wouldn't be surprised if he didn't feel it at all.
His blood turned to ice, Link cautiously walked down the hallway, his eye constantly darting around, looking for dangers or crevices that things could be hiding in. Thankfully for him, the hallway was empty save for the crackling torches. Nothing lunged at him, nothing attacked him. Before too long, the pair reached a door, Link had to take a few breaths before he opened it.
Inside was a small room, it too lit by torches on the walls, a closed curtain on the opposite side. In the middle, though, was what caught the duo's attention. Standing there, still as can be, was an Iron Knuckle a massive, double-sided axe in its hand, its armor black and menacing. Link's heart practically stopped and he took a step back, his heart slamming against his ribcage. "Tatl, stay away from that thing."
"What, what is it? It's just a fancy suit of armor…right?" The fairy couldn't imagine there was something in that armor…unless it was some undead thing. Was that what Link meant?! "Wait, is that a monster or something? Have you seen one of these things before?"
Link didn't respond, getting a bomb from his back and using his steel and flint to light the fuse. He only had one chance at a first strike, remembering how the first Iron Knuckle he fought didn't react until he got too close. Link assumed that the song they needed was behind that curtain and that the Iron Knuckle wasn't going to just let them by and take a peek at the music. The boy tossed the lit bomb at the suit of armor, ducking out of the room with Tatl and closing the door behind them just in time for the explosive to go off.
The two didn't dare to make a sound…but then they heard heavy, metallic footsteps on the other side of the door. Link flung it open, then backpedaled quickly as he saw the Iron Knuckle walk out of a cloud of smoke and dust, some of its armor destroyed or partially melted, but it seemed to be mostly unharmed.
"Link…! Link, what is that?!" Tatl exclaimed, flying further back away from the wall of metal that went through the doorway. The hallway around them was wide enough that there could still be a fight, even with that gigantic axe taken into account.
"An Iron Knuckle. Just stay away." Link quickly responded, charging towards the metal monstrosity as it closed in on him. With surprising speed, it swung its axe at him, which Link ducked under. He jammed his sword at his opponent, aiming for the gaps in the armor, the blade slipping through and meeting flesh. Link held off a grimace as thick, green blood oozed out of the slips between the armor.
As Link tried to back away, the Iron Knuckle spun its axe so the handle of it slammed into the boy's stomach, sending him reeling and falling onto his back! The armor raised its axe above its head and swung down, Link only having the time to raise his shield as the mighty weapon came down. He yelled out in pain as axe hit his shield, the impact shooting through his limb and seeming to spread to every last inch of his body. His breath even seemed to escape him, barely having the strength to push back against the blade as the Iron Knuckle kept pushing down.
Seeming to see the futility in its efforts, the Iron Knuckle raised its axe again, moving to Link as it raised its foot to stomp the boy's head in. Link rolled out of the way, once more lunging at the Iron Knuckle and stabbing through one of the gaps in its armor to draw blood. He knew if he stayed close, it wouldn't be able to utilize its axe in the most effective way. As it tried to hit him with the handle again, he weaved by the attack and got behind his opponent, stabbing him in the back, a lot more of the thick, gnarly, green blood oozing out.
After this, the two began a dance of metal and blades. The Iron Knuckle tried to keep its distance from Link so its axe can have its best use, but Link wouldn't let it stay away from too long. In turn, Link kept aiming for the gaps in the armor, even chipping chunks of it away as the metal slowly began to be covered in green ooze. At one point, Link even remembered his Bunny Hood, slapping it onto his head. To his relief, he really found he moved faster with it on, a youthful energy spread through his body as he found it much easier to weave between blows.
All the while, Tatl hovered near the ceiling and watched. The way Link fought…it was like something from a storybook, his precision with his blade and the way he dodged and dealt with attacks. How many of these things had he fought before? What had he called it? An Iron Knuckle? The fairy had never heard of one before…was it something undead? It bled, so it wasn't just a possessed suit of armor, that was for sure. She had no idea if it even had eyes, so she didn't risk flying into its helmet to try and blind it.
As the fight went on and the Iron Knuckle lost more armor, its movements became faster. Even with his Bunny Hood, Link found it getting harder to stay clear of his opponent's attacks, catching a kick to the leg or an elbow to the gut. Each blow seemed to shoot pain all throughout his body, but he fought through it! However, he took a nasty hit, which threw him for a loop.
Link went in for another stab, hoping the Iron Knuckle was wearing down, though the armored warrior didn't show much sign of fatigue. Moving swiftly, the massive foe reared its arm back and slammed its metallic fist right into the boy's nose! Pain exploded through his body, his teeth seeming to all rattle at once as his head seemed to go blank for a split moment. Link suddenly found himself on his hands and knees, a small pool of his own blood forming beneath him.
His nose was hot and in pain, but also numb and almost felt detached. His vision was fuzzy, and he felt disoriented as he tried not to puke from the sensation broiling in his gut. Link only snapped out of it as he heard Tatl scream his name. He turned back to see the Iron Knuckle towering above him, axe raised over its head and ready to strike. With a mere second to spare, Link rolled out of the way as the mighty weapon came down.
The axe hit the floor, cracking it harshly as the metal dug into the ancient stone. Trying to ignore his pain and fueled by adrenaline, Link scrambled to his feet as pain continued to pulse through his body and he felt hot blood running down his face. He ran at the Iron Knuckle, who dislodged its axe from the floor and swung it horizontally. Without even thinking, Link jumped, his speed and jump height pumped up from the Bunny Hood.
The boy's foot hit the blunt side of the axe, and he kicked off of it with all his strength, leaping over the Iron Knuckle. His body seemed to move on its own, swinging forward with such strength that he did a front flip, his blade cleaving through the helm of his foe, splitting it in half as green blood spewed from the impact.
Link managed to land on his feet, though he quickly fell to one knee as pain shot through his entire being. The Iron Knuckle fell forward, collapsing loudly as the metal slammed into the stone floor. It didn't get back up, green ooze pooling around its corpse.
Tatl quickly rushed to Link, wincing horribly at what she saw. His nose was broken, bent and bruised with blood still running out of it. "Giants, Link, that thing destroyed your nose. Hey, remember, you still have that Red Potion! Aren't you glad I made you get some?"
A broken nose, huh? Link could just add that to his list of firsts. He had been electrocuted, set on fire, deeply cut, bludgeoned, and had an eye sliced apart. Link just nodded, feeling like if he tried to speak, he'd puke. The boy got the Red Potion out and sipped at it slowly. He felt his nose corrected itself as the pain all across his body started to fade. He had to drink nearly half of it to fully recover, and he carefully touched his nose and felt it was truly back to normal. Of course all the dried blood running down his face was still there…
"I am glad, thank you, Tatl." Link responded as he got back to his feet and put the Red Potion and Bunny Hood away. "I'm also glad I remembered to try and use the Bunny Hood. I should try to wear it more often."
Tatl chuckled as she landed on Link's shoulder again. "It was actually pretty helpful, it made you faster! Weird how that works…" She then tried to lighten the mood. "It also makes you look adorable, so that's a plus." The fairy tittered, pinching his cheek with her tiny fingers, which he didn't even feel.
Link rubbed the back of his neck, trying to ignore the comment as he reentered the room now that its guard was gone. Just as he and Tatl reached the room's center, the curtain began to rise on his own. Just to be safe, the boy had his sword and shield at the ready! Behind the red velvet barrier was a small stone stage, a large grave in the center. The grave had writing, which of course Link couldn't read, and musical notes engraved into it.
Before Link or Tatl could investigate further, a man's voice called out that was somehow familiar, yet distant to the boy. "Are you the ones that freed my spirit?" The voice called, its source unclear.
Tatl was the one who spoke up. "If you mean if Link here defeated that Iron Knuckle…then yes. He did it. Who are you…?" She looked around, trying to see some sort of spirit or specter, but none was visible. The fairy didn't feel any malice in the air, but she could sense a presence all the same.
Without warning, a shape holding a lantern appeared above the grave. A spirit with no legs, pitch black skin, green clothes, and human hair. Link's eye widened, knowing he had seen that spirit before in Hyrule! Before the boy could speak up, the Poe did first. "My name is Flat, I served the Ikana Royal Family as its composer. I must thank you for freeing my spirit!"
Link was baffled, never having expected to see one of the Composer Brothers from Hyrule. Or, rather, a copy of one of them. The boy recalled how Flat and Sharp had scared him back in Kakariko, but never actually harmed him. He felt nervous, despite Flat's friendliness, unable to help himself. "I was just told to come down here to learn a song that will help me." Link replied bluntly.
"Ah, you mean the song that my brother and I created together!" The Poe remarked, not seeming to mind Link's blunt response. He did seem upset, though. "Oh, Sharp…! He sold his soul to dark spirits and even locked me down here! That Iron Knuckle was to keep my contained! You who do not fear the dead, learn this song I have inscribed on my tombstone! And…should you ever meet my brother, tell him this: The thousand years of raindrops summoned by my song are my tears. The thunder that strikes the earth is my anger!"
Those words struck a nerve within Link. A song that summons rain? It couldn't possibly be what he thought it was…right? "I will tell him." Was all the boy said, though, not wanting to have to explain to Tatl he may know the song Flat was about to teach him as he got his Ocarina ready.
Flat summoned a baton from nowhere and waved it. From thin air, notes played along with his movements as he played six notes, or rather three notes played twice in a row. He played these six notes a few times and then finished the melody. Instantly, Link's fear was confirmed. It was the Song of Storms! He nearly died from an Iron Knuckle to find a song he already knew! Swallowing down his rage, Link played the song on the Ocarina of Time, getting it right in one try.
Even so far below the earth, a thunderclap was heard, muffled but still clear enough not to be mistaken for anything else. "Good! Very good. The Song of Storms has been passed on, and my request lies in your heart. Farewell, brave one." Flat said as he soon vanished, seeming to pass on and rest.
"Wait, did that song really just make a storm?" Tatl asked, though she supposed songs Link learned had done plenty of odd things so far. "How's that going to help us?" If anything, it just made the environment around them creepier!
"I think it did." Link replied, playing dumb as he put the Ocarina away and got his sword and shield at the ready again. "I don't know how it will help. Maybe the thing with the red eye can tell us." He truly had zero clue how some thunder and rain was meant to help, but surely it had some sort of use he just wasn't seeing! The boy knew he should be happy he helped a soul laid to rest, but he was so frustrated that it was hard to see the silver lining!
Tatl huffed. "That thing better explain some of this, or…well…I'll really give it a piece of my mind!" Even talking behind its back, the fairy had a sense of unease about that cloaked cyclops. She wasn't sure she could do much demanding of it!
The two left the room, going around the Iron Knuckle's corpse and towards the staircase. Muffled thunder boomed again above their heads, and when they got to the stairs, the sound of rainfall reached their ears. Not knowing why they had to search for such a song, the two went upwards once more, Link especially eager to leave the grave…
A/N: Another mask earned, not very many left to go, huh? And yes, the move Link used to finish off the Iron Knuckle is the Helm Splitter from Twilight Princess. I've been meaning to incorporate more of those into the story, but keep forgetting. Speaking of which, it wasn't until a friend of mine pointed it out, but the Bunny Hood also slipped my mind. Link said he'd test it out ages ago, after all. I admit it can be hard to remember every little thing across these two stories, but I try my best.