Legend of Zelda: The Equestrian Hero

As Luna had estimated, the cave turned out to be confusing. It had fake entryways and arches in the walls, and at times, the floor would give way to a bottomless chasm. Was Sombra trying to kill the duo? The maze suited the wicked stallion's personality. Illusions were his forte. She strolled into a room. The floor was made of ice. Freezards, ice keese, and white wolfos inhabited the chamber. A stone path stretched across the ice. Link moved ahead of Luna, only to be hindered by crystal spikes. Luna scrutinized the wall, then the suspiciously harmless ceiling. She ascended into the air, and a cluster of crystal spikes surged at her. She ducked them. This den would be tricky to pass through. A swarm of ice keese circled her, and she conjured a barrier to block their attacks.

Link approached a floor switch, then applied pressure to the switch. The spikes withdrew into the walls. A subtle noise similar to a ticking clock penetrated the air. As he trotted to a nearby door, the noise hastened in tempo. Luna landed by the door, and it swung open. They raced into an adjacent chamber. Behind them, steel bars obstructed the exit. A darkhammer propelled a metal ball at the duo. Link and Luna evaded the incoming blows. Then, he rolled behind the darkhammer and slashed its tail.

"Is it another variation of a lizalfos?" Luna asked as she shot a kinetic blast at the biped.

"In a sense, it is," Link said.

The duo continued battling the darkhammer until the beast dropped to the ground. In front of them, an entryway opened. They cantered into the next room. A crystal prison caught Link's attention. One of the mares, Fluttershy, was trapped inside. He spied a lever by the lower right corner of the room. A pack of white wolfos lunged at him before he could access the lever. Unsheathing his sword, he stabbed the wolfos and performed a huge spin attack. The impact sent the wolfos flying in many directions.

Luna teleported to the lever and pushed it toward the ground. The crystal prison disappeared, freeing Fluttershy. The yellow pegasus awakened with a start. Luna surveyed the area. There had to be a treasure chest somewhere. Her gaze brushed a crystal box. It was different from the ones she had seen in other dungeons. Link unsealed the box, revealing a map.

"I didn't think this place would include a map," Luna said. "I bet Sombra intended to perplex us."

"I won't be surprised if we discover an upside-down room," Link replied.

"Upside-down? Have you explored such a temple?"

"My ancestor did. He never returned to Hyrule after winding up in Termina."

Fluttershy appeared by Luna's side. "We must find my friends. They're stuck somewhere else."

Luna nodded. "We will rescue them. Don't worry. At the moment, Twilight is under Sombra's sleeping curse. We may have to awaken her with an effective spell."

Sombra's disembodied voice silenced the conversation. "My curse is powerful. Do you assume I can't hear your discussion?"

Luna unfurled her wings. "You're too cowardly to face the Elements of Harmony. If all six of them are together, I bet it means bad news to you."

"Cowardly? Why didn't you stop me the moment I scattered your puny allies? Good luck finding the rest."

Link sheathed his blade. "Sombra is insane if he believes he can defeat us. He's as horrible as Ganondorf and Zant combined."

Luna guided Link and Fluttershy into an adjacent room. Something about the area seemed off, as if somepony had mistaken the ceiling for the floor. An abyss separated two platforms. Strangely enough, the void went both ways. She did notice a flight of stairs above them, though. Yet there wasn't a single lever or switch in the vicinity. A silver-blue aura lit up her horn, and she poured her energy into casting the spell. The aura encased the room and created a protective sphere around the trio so they wouldn't plummet into the chasm. The cave rumbled as the inverted den shifted in the opposite direction. Now the stairs were below the trio. Darkness churned at the bottom of the steps, threatening to swallow a pony whole. It made Luna think of the fog she had encountered on the ship. She led her friends downstairs, and she conjured an illumination spell.

"It's the Twilight Palace all over again," Link commented.

"Twilight what?" Fluttershy asked, tilting her head.

"I'm not referring to Twilight Sparkle. Instead, I'm mentioning a place in the Twilight Realm. The Twilight Palace has fog in some of its chambers."

"Oh, okay."

A magical barrier surrounded the trio. The thick, smoky haze formed a wide circle, allowing them to navigate the blackness. A familiar phantom lurked in the shadows, observing them closely. Sinister laughter rang through the air, halting the trio in mid-stride. Fluttershy hid behind Luna and Link, trembling in fear. Luna's senses were on high alert for the slightest sound. A pair of glowing green eyes with purple smoke stared back at her, and she put up a brave front, reflecting the courage she held deep inside her soul.

Sombra let loose a sadistic cackle. "Surely you have nothing left to lose. Equestria is doomed, and your sister didn't fight Ganondorf. Once again, you failed the land you've sworn to protect. The first time it happened, you transformed into Nightmare Moon, converting yourself into what you would consider a threat to Equestria if you had been smart."

"The past is in the past. I won't revert to my old ways, no matter how I feel," Luna said.

"Are you being honest with yourself?" Sombra's apparition invaded Luna's boundary, and his horn met hers. "Isn't turning dark a second time what you fear the most? You also failed Celestia and your friends. If you were never Nightmare Moon, they would have truly accepted you."

Luna opened her mouth, then clamped it shut. Fluttershy and Link stepped forward. They didn't have to defend her, yet they apparently felt the need to do so. The umbrum backed away, growling at the stallion and the pegasus. She stood tall, refusing to cave to Sombra's taunting.

"How noble of you, young stallion," Sombra jeered. "Defending the princess from her dark side?"

Link pointed his sword at Sombra. "Whether she has a troubled past or not, I will still accept her. If your intent is to make her dark again, you've lost the battle."

Fluttershy glowered at her foe. "Link has a point, Sombra. You won't get away with your vile plans."

Sombra vanished through a wall. An unmistakable shuffling garnered Luna's attention. Redeads, stalfos, and skulltulas advanced toward the trio, preparing to attack. The redeads unleashed a resounding wail that froze the mares. Link's blade sliced the air, penetrating the redeads and stalfos. Skulltulas crawled closer. Luna shot a bolt of silver-blue energy at the monstrous arachnids. Then, she aimed a kinetic blast at the stalfos. Wallmasters descended from the ceiling. The trio sidestepped the beasts.

"What are those things?" Fluttershy asked.

"Wallmasters. If they grab you, they will take you to the beginning of the dungeon," Link replied. He approached the wallmasters and delivered a flurry of strikes and blows. The monsters shattered to dust.

Meanwhile, Sombra loitered in a large chamber, watching his enemies through a crystal ball. Time dragged on as his meddlesome foes solved puzzles and evaded perilous traps. He was forever grateful to Ganondorf for reviving him, and if the Element bearers vanquished him, his conquest would be for nothing. The stallion, who had been assisting the mares, was too similar to the six heroines of Equestria. He could sense the amount of courage the stallion carried. Why else would the stallion rush to protect Luna? Eventually, the moon princess and the knight rescued the other Element bearers. He gritted his teeth. They shouldn't have gone that far. The purpose of the traps was to befall the heroes, not be outsmarted by them. Beside him, Twilight Sparkle tossed and turned in her enchanted slumber. Sombra chuckled at her misery. The leader of the Elements had shown a significant amount of fear in her body language.

"Oh, Twilight... you pretend to be brave, but deep inside, you know you won't win. Abandon all hope," Sombra muttered.

"Please forgive me! I'm so sorry! I'll do better!" Twilight shouted as tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Forgetting Luna's advice already? It proves that she isn't to be trusted. She doesn't care about anypony but herself. Nopony will ever save you. Get used to your fate, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Your world is doomed, and you can't change it."

"I didn't forget her advice." Twilight seemed to relax a little. "You banished her from my dream. Wake me up!"

Sombra smirked. "Why should I bow to your demands? Despite your title, you're not special." If he couldn't break her the normal way, he could ignite jealousy in her soul. "To the royal sisters, you're a pawn who is supposed to defeat the enemies of Equestria. The reason they crowned you is that they want you to believe you can inherit their crowns. Isn't your ultimate desire to defend the nation you love and cherish so much? We can rule together, as king and queen."

"It won't happen, you despicable tyrant!"

Sombra surged his magic into Twilight, causing her to become motionless. She took in deep breaths. He enjoyed silencing her whenever she made a protest. An hour whizzed by without the lavender alicorn uttering another word. He peered into the crystal ball again. What he saw infuriated him. That group retrieved the crystal heart! He slammed his forehooves against the ground and flung the crystal ball at the door. They would pay for taking back the crystal heart. He laughed with an edge. This was it; he couldn't sit idly while they undo his plans. Perhaps a battle would be the last straw, after all...

"And maybe I would be victorious this time," Sombra whispered to himself. The moment he finished speaking, the door gave way.

Luna guided her friends into the final room. The Element bearers, except for Twilight, glared at Sombra. This seemed to amuse Sombra, as he wore a cruel grin. She stepped closer, maintaining eye contact. She levitated Twilight toward the Element bearers. In response to this, Sombra cackled like a madpony. Had he gone insane? It didn't surprise her, as he had always been desperate to rule the Crystal Empire.

"The umbrum had always been imprisoned in the crystal heart, unable to flee," Sombra said through clenched teeth.

"It doesn't excuse your crimes," Luna replied. "You've committed another crime, by the way. It's wrong to curse a pony and refuse to let them awaken."

Sombra bared his fangs, and his nostrils flared. "Do you think I'm doing this for my own gain? I did it so the umbrum can be freed!"

Link cleared his throat. "So, that's why you and Ganondorf joined forces. To destroy Equestria and the rest of the universe..."

Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, and Pinkie Pie channeled their energy into their respective Elements. The gems shone with magic. A rainbow enveloped Twilight, compelling her to awaken. The lavender alicorn's eyes fluttered open, and she glanced around. Surprise and confusion flashed across her features. She landed onto her hooves. Then, she looked at Sombra.

"How long was I asleep?" Twilight asked.

"A month and a half," Sombra retorted. "You shouldn't have awakened."

"So, you turned me into Sleeping Pony. How did I survive all those weeks?"

Sombra charged at Twilight, snarling like a rabid beast. "I will end you and your comrades!" Crystal spikes circled Twilight as he approached. A silver-blue beam sent him flying backward.

Luna, Starlight, and Trixie pointed their horns at Sombra. Rarity blasted the spikes. Twilight accompanied the powerful spellcasters, glowering at Sombra. A dark aura encased Sombra's horn, but Twilight was swift to counter his magic. Their beams pushed back and forth. Several minutes dragged on as they continued struggling. Sombra was gaining the upper hoof. Her friends joined in, and a rainbow pillar lunged at the wicked stallion. Sombra sidestepped the incoming blow, snickering as he leaped at Link. He formed a sword and parried Link's attacks. The blades emitted a metallic clang as silver sparks escaped the steel.

"I am King Sombra, the rightful ruler of the Crystal Empire!" Sombra bellowed.

Link ducked Sombra and plunged his own sword into Sombra's chest. "No, you're not. As far as I know, you don't deserve to have a kingdom to call your own."

Sombra wailed in agony. "You... are... a nuisance!" He swung the weapon at Link. Once again, he was blocked. He prepared to aim a fatal blow, only to be enveloped by the rainbow. "No!" His body dissolved into a mess of shadows. An otherworldly scream erupted from his mouth. The room dimmed.

Luna's teleportation spell carried the group to the center of the Crystal Empire. She placed the Heart onto a pedestal, and it shone, reviving the Crystal Empire. The ponies cheered as they emerged from their respective homes. She faced the crowd, then proceeded to deliver a speech. Link and the Element bearers stood by the moon princess as she spoke to the citizens of the empire.

"The heroines of Equestria vanquished Sombra. Link, who came from Hyrule, assisted them," Luna said. "Princess Cadence, Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart will return."

By the time Luna finished the speech, she led the group to the train station. They boarded the train, and the vehicle began moving. She gazed at the window. "Celestia is waiting for us, and we shall not tarry any longer. Ganondorf will not prevail. We'll defeat him."

Link sat next to Luna. "You're correct. He won't destroy Hyrule and Equestria for as long as we live."

"Before we met, I had a vision. You were fighting Ganondorf in the middle of a field outside Canterlot Castle. I knew you would help us save Equestria. Well, along the way, you've proven to be capable of slaying dangerous threats. During the adventure, we befriended each other. I see in you a strong sense of loyalty. You would aid those who need help. Even the most powerful enemies fail to frighten you."

Link nodded. "No truer words spoken, Princess. You are a noble and selfless leader."

A smile graced Luna's muzzle. "Well, I've considered it my duty to guard the dreams of countless citizens, especially the children's. At times, I would confront a nocturnal monster. To be honest, it feels wonderful to perform good works."

The princess and the stallion continued their conversation for the rest of the train ride. Their final destination was Canterlot Castle, where Ganondorf lurked. It was time to stop Ganondorf and banish him from Equestria. Luna found herself listening to the Element bearers. Twilight Sparkle explained the curse to her friends. The mares shuddered when Twilight mentioned how it felt to be unable to awaken. Who would want to be under a sleeping curse? Luna couldn't blame them; if she had been the one in an enchanted slumber, she wouldn't tolerate it. She observed the weather. As usual, a thunderstorm raged above the land.