Into the Fire [PLOT]

[Zelda Hyrule]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Something separates me from other people

Everywhere I turn

There's something blocking my escape

The weight of the world was on Zelda's shoulders. All the reasons not to do this come flooding in, as if her body chemistry just sent them a blanket invitation.She felt soft panic that could grow or fade depending on what she does next. It will fade if she backs away, but the lives lost today would be all for nothing. Majora was behind this door.

Panic swelled for a moment, engulfing her entire body from her feet to the hairs of her neck. One hand gripping tightly on the Hylia mask, the other gripped to the handle of the ornate door. The inky darkness engulfs the frail light, diminishing all happiness and bliss that had risen with the sun. Now only silence lingers in the air.

Taking a deep breath, the heiress pulled hard on the door, yanking it back before stepping inside affirmatively.

Garbed in white, Zelda approached the center of the room, stopping to face Majora before exhaling and holding the mask up.

“This ends now. We’re taking back our city, and you’re going back where you belong.”

Majora

[Majora]

"You've grown predictable, sister. Disappointingly so."

The throne room was entirely devoid of all life except the Goddess of Chaos, her back turned to the princess who had (quite rudely) barged her way in amidst the chaos. A siege like this was foreseen, but the size had caught her armies off guard. Not that these lives actually mattered to Majora, she had much bigger aspirations for this battle. She knew Zelda would come, the two were inexplicably linked to the center of this conflict. Without looking back, she drew the sword from her hip scabbard, steel sliding against steel, echoing through the empty hall, and she held it down at her left side.

"And this is what it had to come to, I see. I hope your trip to Termina was enjoyable, though I must say I'm not pleased with your choice of souvenir from there. Can you feel the divinity running through you again, Zelda of Hyrule, or will you even be able to contain that power with how frail you've become? Because, either way, it matters not. No matter what happens here, I win. Your resistance is admirable, but fruitless."

She turned, eyes locked onto the princess before her, and descended from the throne, sword raising to point directly at Zelda's heart. Despite normally coming off as calm, Majora's expression was one of pure malice, to the point where the blade was trembling in her grip. The anticipation of this moment, millennia of waiting, and now her chance to end Hylia was here. Her sister would die, and she would be returned to her former grace. All would bow, all would revere her as the hero goddess. He would finally be hers.

"You took it all from me, Hylia! You may have long forgotten, but there is no room for mercy in my heart now. I used it to save your precious hero, the one stolen from me, and yet you still slight me! Once again, I've already won. I will have my revenge upon you, and I will once again feel the comfort of the divine I have been denied for so long! No longer will I have to hide behind masks and those weak mortals! We could have been great together, but your hubris will be your undoing."

And with a flash of fire, the familiar mask appeared in her free hand, and she looked down at it, before giving Zelda one last, long glare. Her hand raised to her face, and once it fit into place, there was a brief moment of unnatural silence, almost as if a wave of it had burst from Majora. Outside the throne room, the battle halted for the briefest of moments, as the unnerving feeling washed over the entirety of the castle grounds.

And then the mask snapped to action, almost as if alive, tendrils bursting from it and burying into the Goddess. From beneath the carved wood, she screamed, the echo of it shaking the room itself. Millennia of hatred, of pain, of undiluted rage filled the goddess, as her body spasmed and jerked, before she went limp, leaning back and facing the wall. She was still for a moment, before standing up, the unblinking eyes of Majora's Mask focused on Zelda. She spoke, and though she should have been muffled, Zelda could hear her clearly, as if she were right next to her.

"Don your pathetic mask, vessel of Hylia, and then we solve this as we should have all those years ago."

[Zelda Hyrule]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Something separates me from other people


Everywhere I turn


There's something blocking my escape

Music!

Zelda felt the world freeze as the woman once known as her sister dawned the mask upon her face. Exhaling for the last time, her gentle touch upon her own mask slowly elevated to her face. Closed eyes, she felt the static between the space of her nose and the brim of the mask touch, as it clamped on, pins and needles suddenly engulfing her body. 

Her eyes flashed open, she let out a shriek in pain as she stumbled to the floor. Her mind screamed out as the pain drove through her back. Every thought she just had became confused as the burning pain licked up her body like scorching fire. She could hear people around the castle screaming and shouting. Mentally anger swiped through at this chaos and pain, pain for those around her. She wanted to protect them increasing her own agony in defense of others. But she couldn't. She rolled up in a ball of self loathing and pain, wishing the world to end rather then this sea of endless currents; some strong while others weak, but the waves always crashed over her, permanently.

For then, as the pain became greatest, she rammed her fists into the ground, and let the power flow through her like electricity--like light. Her eyes darted up at Majora, a blinding ray of light shot out with each eye, before a plume of light radiated out from her. From the ashes and pain, a goddess rose. Radiating with light that flowed in and out from her touch. Memories flooded back, of thousands of lifetimes. Every Zelda, every era, every failure, every victory. 

"You forget why I was chosen and you were naught. Every moment of our existence would lead us here. Do not forget your place in this world. The hero was not stolen from you... he had a purpose far greater than yours. He is the protector of the realm, not your pet to entertain yourself with. He belongs with the light. You belong in the shadows." 

Stretching her arm out, her fingers expanded as a blade came to her side. The Rapier of light, engulfed with a golden aura. A smirk veiled over the Goddess of Time's expression, before she moved her free hand forward with a motion of invitation. "See what power you've been missing out on, dear sister. You will always be second best."

Majora

[Majora]

"Choice? Choice? It was NEVER a matter of choice, we were meant to work in tandem! You forget, Hylia, if this duel is to be our last, I shall have to be freed, and you will remember who created every fiber of space in this universe. Do not insinuate you are any better than I am!"

The foundation of the castle rumbled around them, matched to the shallow, angered breathing of the Goddess as she faced down the rapier pointed at her, eyes a narrow pinpoint of unbridled fury. The mere insinuation that she was second best was absurd, it was never about being the best. All she wanted was Hylia to feel the pain she did, and though she had expected this of her sister, it still pained her - and filled her with mirth.

"You bastardized the world in your image, thinking yourself higher than any else, only to go and make yourself a mockery. You chose the best of your creations, and made her bear your burden, work towards your goals, and for what? To make yourself feel better? No, the cosmic balance is restored today."

She lifted her hands, the rumbling intensifying, to the point that cracks were forming in the walls, the pillars. With a deep breath, she reached her magic out and felt all around her, wove her being into every atom of matter she could around her, and as her eyes opened, she let her spell loose. Space itself twisted, and multiple, hooded figures sudden;y came from nothingness, all hovering around Hylia, all dressed the same as her, but faces hidden. With a low laugh, Majora raised her hood, obscuring her face as well, and then all the clones raised their hands, bringing them down in a sharp swipe.

There was a sound, as if the whole room took a sharp breath, and space mended itself, bringing the closest points it could closer to each other to re-stitch the fabric of reality. There was little time as the clones were pulled with that space, quicker than a blink, and they all struck forward, with a onyx black knife.

"I never enjoyed killing our people Hylia, I really didn't. But what I'm about to do to you, I'm going to enjoy very much."

[Zelda Hyrule]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Something separates me from other people


Everywhere I turn


There's something blocking my escape

[music]https://audio.jukehost.co.uk/edef30b14cf0152e02fe1fb768e0fa02b1efbd11/c86c634ac59[/music]

"Don't get cocky now, dear. The Old God's are responsible for the creating. Just because you can mend and mold, does not make you the master."

The vortex of space swirled around the Goddess as Majora had suddenly appeared on all sides of her. She stood still, in a combative stance with her blade as she watched each version of itself raise a blade to scatter her blood. The Hylian goddess closed her eyes, a sharp inhale as the clones all struck forward.

But with a wave of the golden goddess's hand, she flung her sword upwards, and froze time within their radius. Every clone was clung to the air in static as the goddess flung forward, pressing her hand into the neck of the most present Majora before slamming her down into the concrete floor. Cracks spiraled out, as the rapier fell toward the two, and Hylia grabbed it with her free hand.

"I was made in the image of them. The Old God's commanded that I lead THEM. I was sent to protect their relic. You abandoned your post when you became jealous, so they abandoned you and left you to die!" she belted out angrily as her grip squeezed tighter over her neck. 

"I tried to protect you but they wanted you gone. I sent you away because they commanded it. Every mess you've ever made, I had to clean up behind you. Yet here you are, making me cleanse this earth of you again."

Gripping the blade and pointing it down, it began to glow in a cosmic radiance, sending it forward to undo what she's done.

Majora

[Majora]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Then you are lost

Everything was frozen in place, as the chains of time magic encompassed every aspect of Majora the renegade goddess had summoned, and then Hylia was gone from her view, pain shooting through every body she was in. She cried out, recoiling where she should, and the copy of herself held down grabbed the wrist restraining her, listening to Hylia, in all her radiant self-righteousness, preach that what she was doing was for the greater good. But she was given no quarter to speak, Hylia was willing to end her, her magic focused on her weapon, and Majora knew it was time to act.

"Not so easily, sister!"

She could only cast the spell for a moment, but that was all she needed. She felt herself coalesce to a singular form again, the remnants fading to ash, and felt the squeeze of Hylia's hand on her neck, watched the blade descend. With a cry, she did the unthinkable - her own space shrank into an instant, and she saw, for the briefest of moments, everything at the scale of infinity, and it was in that moment she let her spell loose. From singularity to being again, she appeared, occupying a space a few feet back from where she was restrained, and with it came a wave of pure kinetic energy. Any human would crumple, broken, to this, but Majora knew to Hylia, this was just an old trick. She could waste no time. She had space, and space was all she needed. As she talked, she coaxed another pinpoint of space between her hands, which pulsed purple as she stoked the flame, and spoke.

"If you so readily follow the creator's orders, Hylia, you are lost. You have no clue what my post even was, so don't pretend that what you're doing is right, sister. Our place in the universe is together. All I desire is my place in the cosmos, and a sister who treats me as one, and not some monster. I resent you so, so much, and it kills me that I still love you, Hylia, but you will not stand between me and the earth I created, the people I made for your ideals. You've fallen, sister, so it's time for judgment. If I can't take my place alongside you as an equal, this world has no use for goddesses. If I can't inhabit the Sacred Realm... Nobody can."

With a flick of her hand, the throne room shimmered, shifted, before fading for an instant, as Majora expanded the singularity she was controlling, another exhausting instant, and then her feet hit stone, and the spell dropped, rumbling the cavern they were in. A quick chuckle from Majora. Her plan was nigh.

And then she froze, the eys of the mask she wore not focused on Hylia, but instead behind her sister, and actually took a step back from Hylia, frozen in place. This wasn't the Sacred Realm. It wasn't anywhere remotely close. And, as stone began to fall from the ceiling, the rumbling subsided, Majora saw just what she had destroyed. A hand reached to her face, removing the mask, and Hylia could see something in her sister's eyes - fear, not of Hylia, but whatever she saw, whatever her spell had focused on. Any confidence in her stance was gone as she spoke, softly.

"This... This is impossible..."

Shakily, she pointed behind Hylia, at exactly what she had destroyed.

---

Above them, in the castle, a wave of force rumbled through the ground, shaking everyone in combat off their feet, and when they stood, everyone was frozen, wondering what exactly was going on. For several moments, the battle was frozen.

Something wasn't right.

[Zelda Hyrule]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Something separates me from other people


Everywhere I turn


There's something blocking my escape

[music]https://audio.jukehost.co.uk/edef30b14cf0152e02fe1fb768e0fa02b1efbd11/d118f48f567[/music]

The two goddesses engaged endlessly - despite Hylia's hold on her chaotic sister, she was abruptly warped into a reality unknown. Everything roiled about her, as the two of them shifted into where their fight would conclude - a winner to be yet pronounced. 

The two of them desperately shifted their strengths at one another, until they were violently forced into their new location. Hylia, stumbling to her knees as Majora stood above her with a disturbing simper behind the mask. Hylia watched her eyes flicker from her, to behind her, and suddenly her energy shifted. Slowly lifting the mask from her face, her eyes reveled in fear at what she had just witnessed, and the golden goddess could not help but to look back in response. 

Why would she surrender her power so irresponsibly? What had she seen to cause her to disregard their strife? But her mouth gaped open in disbelief. Her eyes glued to what they had just bare witness to, and she slowly got up to her feet and looked back to her sister in trepidation.

"What in the gods..." she stammered out in response. She could feel the insurrection swell within her being, the evil which plagued the very semblance of the cavity. "The calamity returns."

A petrified being which skin clung to bone, sunken holes with absent eyes. A brilliant mane of cardinal draped behind it like a cloak, which clung to its head with ornaments of gold; The embodiment was chained by each limb, trapped within an orb of sheikah origin. It twisted and turned, like a puzzle, where each piece must be perfectly aligned should it ever be reopened - but their abrupt entrance and shift in energy had influenced the very nature of the room, and without little thought - their divine energy was the key to unlock it.

Each piece within the spherical wall seemed to fold back slowly, the grooves within the architecture radiating a brilliant orange, as the eyes of the spectral being suddenly smoldered vermilion. A low gnarl engulfed the chamber, and as the beast reeled its head back, it let out a howl which would shake the very land itself. 

Hylia stepped back as she desperately turned to Majora. "We must stop it. Without the triforce--" 

But the demonic being locked eyes with the two goddesses, clenching its body as it began to pull from the chains. The strength that emanated within such a fragile looking anatomy was inhuman, as its first arm snapped the very chain from the wall, screeching in defiance against the gods before it. 

Majora

[Majora]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Then you are lost

"We cannot rely on the Triforce, sister. I-"

Panic set in, as Majora looked around, for something, anything to help them. Every point in space she could see, but nothing. The hero was locked in battle with one of her soldiers, but she knew without the power of Courage, he stood little to no chance against the embodiment of the Calamity.

So if the Calamity was a threat to the world, it would no longer be on the world. All she needed was a little help, and a little time.

As she put her hand on her sister's shoulder, she felt herself focus, this not being her first experience using the boon of time to aid her magic. But it would take their combined power to even just contain this beast for a short while. She tapped into the flows of time magic that enveloped her sister, raised her own hand, and whispered to Hylia.

"Our quarrel means nothing if this beast lives. Trust me with this."

To be put out of space was one thing, but to create dimensions, just her power alone wouldn't do. She wove what she needed to contain the Calamity, and left patterns of time magic along the stitchwork of space, a template for Hylia to follow. Her face was strained, and all about the castle, spatial anomalies began to occur. She had to break the very laws that she had set to create this pocket, as the beast tore another chain loose. She clenched her fist harder, feeling the fragile fabric of reality rip, and as the beast broke a third chain, and a fourth, it was enveloped in a sphere of nothingness, closed off from the realm of light. But it would all be for naught if Hylia didn't act.

"I know not your magic as well as you, so act quick. Freeze it in time, and we will divert this calamity, sister!"

The pain she felt was great, but as she grit her teeth, planting a foot harder as she held her spell, she knew nothing was more important than this. Her world would not die to the likes of this beast, even if it meant concession to Hylia.

Zelda Hyrule

[Zelda Hyrule]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Something separates me from other people


Everywhere I turn


There's something blocking my escape

[music]https://audio.jukehost.co.uk/edef30b14cf0152e02fe1fb768e0fa02b1efbd11/d118f48f567[/music]

Without hesitation, Hylia threw her hands forward, a beam of holy rays bursting into the Prince of Darkness. the surrounded him as he gnashed and threw himself around, attempting to break through and lunge at the goddesses. The patron of time did not avail. She threw every bit of her force into suppressing him, until finally, he was frozen.

Holding it for as long as she could, she turned to her sister. "Somewhere. Anywhere. Anywhere that will give us enough time to prepare for when he returns!" Her cerulean eyes widened in desperation as she let out a ragged breath, the feeling of her powers becoming overexerted. 

"We don't have the Triforce. We need more time to collect the pieces! The Gods will not spare us for my mistakes of the past. They will not recreate it, and I don't think we can either." 

Majora

[Majora]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Then you are lost

The chains of time were bound, and the abomination of their worst nightmare froze in place, stuck between the time between seconds, and Majora saw her chance. The very earth around them rumbled as she closed space around Ganon, pushing against a near immovable object. With a loud cry, she shoved her magic forward, and with a crack, Ganon was gone. Majora fell to her hands and knees, panting, arms and legs shaking with the sheer exertion that took.

"I... Think that buys us time. Precious few moments, but... It will hold for now. But what does this mean, why was that.... Monster here?"


She slowly stood up, slowly so as to not collapse entirely, and looked around at this prison, seeing the design of it. Something was keeping him there, and as she stepped forward, she cursed under her breath as she recognized what held him in place. Majora had been there during the advent of the Sheikah's technology, but this was new.


"This is Sheikah work... A siphon, of sorts. Were they keeping him here to power something? Of all the foolish-"


She shook her head, and took one last cursory glance around, gathering what she could. This had to be a cruel prank. Who would have the power to trap the reincarnation of Demise like that? Unless...


"Only those of the royal family, or the hero, would have the power to subdue Demise in such a way. Sister, we must figure out why, and ready ourselves. I predict weeks at worst, but to Demise that will be a blink. We must steel ourselves. If I must, I will concede this war to you. But we must do something."

Zelda Hyrule

[Zelda Hyrule]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Something separates me from other people


Everywhere I turn


There's something blocking my escape

[music]https://audio.jukehost.co.uk/XfV4j0HjMhIPbEZyBvlsOJcWZwdEQF29[/music]

Hylia reeled back, beholding witness to the calamity being thrown into darkness and disappearing, and the two goddesses were left in the darkness to recollect on what had occurred. Silence washed over the two of them, and Hylia's cerulean eyes fell over her sister carefully. 

As Majora spoke of the technology, and what they must do to prepare, Hylia pursed her lips as she scanned the area, wondering what they could possibly do to prevent this from happening... but there was nothing. He would inevitably return. 

"I do not have the power within myself to do what I've done in the past to protect my people," she murmured, a hand gently touching her face, which could be lifted as such like a mask, removing the powers. Her hand froze, as suddenly she turned to her sister, eyes widened in revelation. 

"But you do," she gasped before turning back to the sheikah technology. "Perhaps with our powers combined, and by using what capacity you are capable of, we can create a parallel to this world, much like the Sacred Realm. They exist--I've seen them--we could use what power we have left to influence it's very wavelength to create a new Hyrule in its image!" 

It would mirror this world; create an entirely new source of life--an entirely new source of power.

"Perhaps it would give us enough energy to create a new triforce... but to do so... you would need to denounce your divinity as well and follow in my steps as the oracle of that land. You'd forget everything you know now--until you are awakened. And the cycle will continue evermore, but it is necessary."

Majora

[Majora]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Then you are lost

Renounce her very being. It caused pause in the Goddess of Space, and then she took her mask forth, looking down at its bloodshot eyes, staring into the visage she had built herself around for all these millennia, only to throw it away? Conflict built up in her, and she felt the ties of temptation again. Hylia was right, she was no longer divine. Majora just had to call upon her divine form, and she could end this, remake Hyrule in her image, and defeat Demise herself. Slowly, she turned the mask in her hands, stared into the smooth, sanded pattern of the scale it was crafted from.

This was her chance.

But she paused, and with a sigh, lowered the mask, nodding.

"I know of them, some have been my handiwork. But what you ask me is... To sacrifice everything I've held dear since we last fought, everything I am, sister. I don't have your selflessness, I only have... Me. And now you ask me to lose it, become somebody else. I..."


Another look at her hands, and then she let the mask go, letting it drop the the floor with a clatter, turned from it, facing away from her sister.


"You are a fool, Hylia, but you were always the smarter of the two. But the flaw in your plan is that such a process would take generation on generation to perfect. Unless... We had your chosen use the power you did leave her. The Ocarina of Time could take us to the past, to a time where we could access another world, and there I can create what we need to defeat Ganon. But... There is something I must do first. Something I should have done before."


With a quick movement, she turned, lifting her foot, and drove it through her own Divine Mask, shattering it into pieces. And then, with a single look and a silent Forgive me, she disappeared, to right her wrongs.

---

The battle was still at a halt, the disturbance of the divine having still confused and entranced those who had stood above it all, and not known the gravity of what was occurring. But all looked skyward at the feeling of nothingness becoming something, and suddenly, Majora stood in air above the battleground, staring down at the devastation she had caused. She paused, looking around, before meeting eyes with one in particular, the hero she fought for, and the goddess shed a single tear. her fight was over.


"This war is over."

With a wave of her hand, her divine power was drawn from her army, her battle-bards and warriors alike no longer embraced in her divinity. The masks she had given out, empowered with the souls of the lost, were drawn from the faces of those who donned them, and they all gathered to her, shining with divine power. And all were obliterated, in their place a shining soul left in its place. Her armies threw down their swords, howling in despair, but she did not stop, the souls she had long trapped her only focus.


"You did not deserve the fate you were given. I offer you this chance to be reborn, and beg you find forgiveness in your new lives. Be free, and live once again."


And then she was gone, as twilight set in over the battlefield. The forces of Majora were quick to fold without their empowerment, taken in as prisoners of war, and within hours, the flag of Hyrule flew once again atop the castle.

They had won. They had beat the goddess herself.


---

It was hours before Majora returned to her sister, and not alone. In tow with her was a host of individuals, confused and lost. Hylia, with the memories of Zelda, would recognize Nynaeve among them, the Gerudo looking to the Goddess of Space as if she were familiar, but foreign at the same time. Majora knelt on one knee before Hylia, and bowed her head.


"Sister, in my absence, please guide these lost souls. I do not deserve to lead them, as I trapped them in my hubris for eons. Help them find purpose in their new lives, please. I will denounce my divinity, and we will create a new land to foster the growth of a new Triforce. Where you will govern Hyrule, I shall Lorule. And, as we should have done before, we will face this together, not as enemies. Just... Please, forgive me, sister. I have been a fool."

Zelda Hyrule

[Zelda Hyrule]

[googlefont=Roboto]

Something separates me from other people


Everywhere I turn


There's something blocking my escape

[music]https://audio.jukehost.co.uk/s7JeVIFykSr4fhMYhXXOoQSXVHbfe4fG[/music]

The decision was made. As Majora broke the mask, Hylia knew that there was only one thing left to complete this journey. Majora released the souls which slaved from her masks and the goddess of time closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. There was only one way to do this properly; should she fail, her incarnation would die. 

Twirling about, she rose her hands in the air and closed her eyes; the hosts of which Majora pawned appearing to be dazed and confused. "I call upon your power one last time, and then you may go in peace." Lifting her feet from the ground, Hylia levitated in the air, a sheen of glimmering daylight spanning out from her core. Her eyes reopened--engulfed entirely of holy light. She could not do this alone; the residual power of each of them being siphoned as she wove a web of light around her. 

"O holy might, grant us safe passage. The Goddesses play their own games, and so we shall create our own." 

The source; like a tiny sun which glistened in the center of the chamber grew larger with all the power Hylia had left. She lowered to the ground, grabbing her Ocarina from her pocket. "While this plays... put your entire essence into this creation. Use the power you have to create this world; to mirror it from ours. I will send you back far enough to find your way to us in the present as your future self."

Majora