…and grow into the shape of a woman. The water wrapped the figure in moss and long reeds. The woman turned her head to look at Link. He didn’t recognize the face, or…he didn’t think he did.
“Dear, what are you doing?” the figure asked.
Link looked over at Mirum. The twili was shaking her head. Link asked, “Are we seeing the same thing?”
Endeavor turned to Link. “I doubt that. The swamp choses someone important to you to show you. I believe Mirum sees the woman she failed to save. I see my mother before me. But the swamp can only capture the images of the dead. And I do not believe you realize who it is you see before you.”
Looking back at the figure, Link inquired, “So, what do we do?”
Drawing her sword, Endeavor answered, “We destroy this disrespectful abomination.”
The woman crossed her arms. “If that’s the way it has to be, then very well.” The water swelled beneath the figure.
Epona leapt out of the way as a pillar of water crashed down over them. Link pulled his sword out and put his shield between him and the water. Epona galloped around the ring, avoiding the crashing water. Epona neighed after several laps. “Link, we can’t just keep dodging these attacks. We need to do something.”
Link dropped his head as Epona slid across a patch of rock. He said, “Getting close to her isn’t going to be easy. I’m not letting you swim out there.”
“We could wait for her arms to crash into the stone long enough to hit them,” Epona offered.
“That’s going to take too long,” Link said, pulling Epona to a halt as another column crashed in front of them. He pulled out the Water Sage’s medallion and the Sage’s Rod. “Let’s see what this thing can do.”
Link put the medallion into the crook of the Sage’s Rod. Water shot out from the sides of the medallion, and wrapped itself around the golden staff. The water froze, turning the upper half of the Sage’s Rod white from the ice.
Hanging the rod over his side, Link said, “Come on.” He pulled Epona’s reins. The mare protested, before eventually followed the order. She leapt onto the water, only to land on ice. The horse skid, before regaining her footing. Ice came up behind them as she charged across the pool. Link pulled his sword back out, and began slashing at the water. To his surprise, it felt like he was hitting something. It also caused a reaction from the creature.
After a beating, the creature returned the attack on Link and Epona beneath her. One of her hands crashed down behind them. Epona leapt out of the way, racing back to the stone ring. Keeping the Sage’s Rod hanging on his side, Link gripped the reins as Epona raced back around the circle again.
Endeavor raced up beside Link. She asked, “How did you figure that out?”
“I don’t know, I just figured it would work,” Link replied.
“Well keep doing it,” Endeavor returned. “Dominus, get something on those arms when they are in reach.”
Dominus nodded, and summoned his two creatures back. The twilits chased the pillars around the ring, pounding any of the appendages that crashed into the stone.
Link pat Epona’s side. “You ready to skate again?”
Epona tossed her head. “Of course.”
“Then let’s go,” Link replied, pulling the reins about. Epona landed on the ice that formed beneath them and started across the pool. Link pulled the reins as the figure tried to attack them in the middle of the pool.
Epona jumped as the ice collapsed behind her. She said, “Don’t let me sink.”
“Trying,” Link replied. He swung his sword around, hitting base of the figure. It trembled, before sweeping around the base of itself.
The ice crashed beneath them. Epona thrashed as she fell into the water. “Link!”
Link switched back to the Sage’s Rod. He swung the golden staff back around. The water began to rise, allowing Epona back onto the sheet of ice forming beneath Link. Epona pulled herself out and charged across the water.
Flicking her tail, Epona snorted. “I’m not going back out there.”
“I won’t make you,” Link replied. He turned Epona about. “But that means we have to attack from here, which could take a longer.”
“She seems too angry,” Epona replied. “I doubt the attacks will slow down now.”
“Good point,” Link said. He pulled the Master Sword out. “Then let’s finish this.”
With four riders and two twilight assassins running around between rapid water columns, fighting wasn’t easy. Link kept his head low, leaning out in his saddle to hit pillars when they were close to him, while still trying to make sure he didn't run into anything.
The shadow beasts would grab the long water columns, only to get pulled out over the water. They continued battering the swamp creature until they were destroyed. Dominus would quickly replace them though. Link didn’t think the twilight ruler had many other attacks. He had a short sword and small shadow attack, but his two defenders were as deadly as being caught in close quarters with Link’s sword.
Mirum and her mount would disappear and reappear across the field. She seemed hesitant to attack, but she did, and effectively. The twili was distraught, and tried to not look directly at the figure in the middle of the pool.
Link dropped the Master Sword through another arm of the swamp water. The creature stumbled back. The water calmed as the feminine figure staggered back over the water. With the water calm, she turned towards them. The water turned a peach color, but there was still something unnatural about it. Link couldn’t place it, he didn’t know who this monster was trying to imitate.
Endeavor threw her knife into the back of the figures head. It collapsed into the water, and the pool fell silent as Endeavor's knife reappeared in her hand. The Drex let out a sigh of relief as the battle ended.
“Thank the Goddesses,” Mirum muttered, sliding back against a rock. The twili held her heart.
“What was that?” Link asked. “I don’t understand.”
Mirum inquired, “He hasn’t known anyone who died, has he?”
“No one he would remember, and only one woman that the swamp could imitate,” Endeavor answered. “Though, they would have only met once.”
Link paused, and thought for a moment. He glanced at the water, then back at Endeavor. “That wasn’t…it wasn’t…”
Endeavor nodded. “I do believe that the woman you saw, that you and Mirum saw, appeared to be your mother.”
“But that would mean…” Link stammered.
Dominus stated, “She died, a long time ago. That was only the appearance of her, but it was by no means the woman who birthed you.”
Link turned back to the water. Epona flicked her tail, worried about her rider. She craned her head back. Link bent over and pat her side. There was a flash of pain up his arm. Link retracted his hand, dropping the Master Sword. It clattered over the slick stone edge and towards the pool.
Dropping from his saddle, Link landed hard on the ground and grabbed at the Master Sword. The two slid over the edge and into the pool of water.
Something grabbed him from down in the pool. Link fought to keep from looking back, but it pulled his around. Link gripped the Master Sword as he looked into the hollow eyes of the creature. It lunged at him, and Link drove his sword through the body.
The creature sputtered and sunk down to the bottom of the pool. Link rushed back to the surface, running out of breath from being held down beneath the water. He threw himself over the edge of the pool. Two sets of hands grabbed him and helped him up over the last bit. He turned over to see the two twilight beasts standing over him.
Dominus walked up to Link, and extended his hand out to Link. Link gratefully took it, and stood up. Dominus pulled the black wrist guard off. The patterning on Link’s arm had expanded and turned orange and red between large patches of black. “We should get that artifact for you.”
The twili ruler stepped up to the edge of the pool. He raised his hand. A spark of twilight magic flew out, hitting the rocks around them. The stones turned twilight black, and fell out over the pool. Sparks of the twilight magic bounced off in the middle of the stone. An orb formed in the middle of the ring, before dropping down.
Extending themselves, the two twilight messengers grabbed the orb. They brought it back over the pool and handed it to Dominus. Dominus broke the twilight shield around the object. A pair of bracelets fell out and landed in his hand.
“I don’t know how these will affect the magic in those, so I would suggest removing them,” Dominus said, gesturing to the power bracelets around Link’s wrists. Link pulled the power bracelets off and slid them into his bag. Dominus nodded and handed Link the bracelets in his hand.
You got the Moon Pearls. These ancient relics were used to bring light in a world of darkness. Their power can still repel the forces of darkness from those who keep them close.
Link slid the maroon bracelets around his wrists. Immediately, the twilight pattern in his arm vanished. The doubts in his mind subsided, and what worry was pressing him disappeared.
Epona nudged him. “You’re better!”
Patting the horse, Link answered, “Much better.” He paused, before looking at Dominus. “I can still hear her.”
“Of course,” Dominus replied. “This is stopping darkness from reaching you, but you are still within this marsh, and twilight magic is not dark magic. And it is twilight magic that is allowing you to hear your horse's voice.”
“Oh…” Link said, looking back Epona. The mare nuzzled him, glad to see her master better once more.
Endeavor said, “Well, he is safe. Can we continue to the Shadow Temple, then?”
Dominus nodded. “If he is ready.”
Link answered, “Ready.” He sheathed his blade and pulled himself back into his saddle. Dominus turned and mounted his Zol. He turned to Mirum, who pulled herself together and mounted beside her leader.
The two twili rode out ahead of them. Link asked, “You said he was the wisest man you had ever met.”
Endeavor glanced at him, before riding on behind Dominus. Link kept up beside the Drex. “I did, because it is true. I find Dominus exceedingly wise, because in the face of darkness, he maintains his honor and rules justly. Without him, these people would have died since the attacks began again. Any other leader, and the twili would be our enemies once more, and we would have nowhere to send them this time. Hyrule would have no choice but to destroy them into order to protect the rest of the country.”
“Oh…” Link said again.
Shaking her head, Endeavor asked Quicksilver into a canter. “Keep up.”
Link shook the thought, and asked Epona on after his companions…