Legend of Zelda: The Equestrian Hero

After Luna and Link arrived at Horseshoe Bay, they boarded a ship. The boat began floating to the middle of the sea. Ocean waves splashed the bottom of the boat. A gust of wind penetrated the sails, propelling the ship forward. The whiff of the ocean air mingled with the acrid stench, creating a discordant scent. Luna rarely visited the Dragon Lands, except for when she and her sister were much younger. As she gazed at the trail of smoke, a story about a snoring dragon came to mind. What lurked inside the volcano?

Could it be a dragon that was influenced by Ganondorf's magic? Luna observed the water. If the duo had battled monsters on land, there was a chance they had to fight the water-based ones. She placed the map onto a table, then sat by the railing. Discord might have suggested taking a compass, but the royal sisters knew Equestria like the back of their hooves. She took out a quill and a bottle of ink. Lowering the quill to the map, she made a curved line. It could take several days to a week to reach the Dragon Lands.

Luna's thoughts shifted to the faction of rogue changelings and their leader, Chrysalis. Did Chrysalis convince the defiant ones to leave the Changeling Kingdom? What would the former ruler do if she couldn't find Luna in Los Pegasus? Would they return to the river? Those ponies weren't above ambushing others and kidnapping them. The first time was during Cadence's wedding; the second time happened a few years later. Therefore, the confrontation from last night was a close call.

A flock of seagulls hovered above the water. As the ship approached the flock, a squid-like beast with multiple yellow eyes emerged from the water. The whirlpool pulled the ship closer. Link levitated his bow, then shot an arrow at its eyes. Once he finished shooting arrows, the beast sank underwater. He steered the vessel in the direction of the smoke. Ganondorf must have been insane enough to summon the monsters from Hyrule into this pastel-colored world.

"That horrifying creature could have capsized the boat," Luna pointed out. "Imagine encountering one during a storm."

"I think Ganondorf invited a variety of monsters into Equestria. They should be gone once he is sealed," Link replied.

"Have you ever been scared?"

"Not often, to be honest. I did get worried about the children in my village when a bunch of bulblins kidnapped them. I felt the same way when I dueled with their leader on a bridge."

Luna peered at the horizon. "I have my share of fears. Losing Equestria is one of them. After my reformation, I was afraid of losing control and reverting to the dark side. However, my dear friends assuaged my doubts. Celestia was there for me... and still is. She expressed her guilt over not paying attention prior to my banishment."

"We may not know each other very well, but I can tell that you have a kind heart. No one's perfect."

Luna nodded as she turned her attention to the map. They weren't close friends, yet they shared the same goal, which was to save Equestria. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, obscuring the sunlight. Her eyes scanned the sea. There was no huge squid lurking in the vicinity. Yet the duo could never be too careful. Concerning her vision, would Link be the only pony to fight Ganondorf in the final battle? The Element bearers weren't in the vision. Unless she was overlooking an important detail... Then, she realized something. Twilight's group might not assist Link. Maybe they could give him some of their power, though.

Meanwhile, in Canterlot Castle, Ganondorf lounged upon the throne. The palace had undergone a sinister renovation, meaning the pristine white walls were replaced with dark stone walls. Many lights were exchanged for ominous torches. Darknuts guarded every entrance and exit. The guards who used to defend the castle now cowered in fear. Their leader, who happened to be a white alicorn, didn't shrink back in fright. Yet Celestia didn't raise a hoof. He was reminded of Princess Zelda. Perhaps a little too much like her...

The alicorn in question entered the throne room. "Why did you send Chrysalis and her minions after my sister?"

"Since you refused to tell me where your little sister is, I assumed Chrysalis would spill the beans," Ganondorf replied.

"Twilight and her friends will save Equestria. Whoever the stallion is-"

"It's Link. I bet he is helping a certain mare." Ganondorf's face contorted in disgust. "He's a nuisance. It wasn't the first time he had transformed into an animal."

"What creature was he, originally?"

"A Hylian. Bipeds with pointy ears..." Ganondorf stepped toward the stained glass windows. "If my followers capture this 'Princess Luna,' I will strangle her if she admits to accompanying Link in his adventure."

Celestia clenched her jaw. For a calm and composed pony, she felt tempted to set Ganondorf on fire. "Your willingness to murder others has proven to me that you're a coward."

An amused laugh erupted from Ganondorf's throat. "How amusing. It is you who is the coward. You're not the first princess to surrender when given no choice. Princess Zelda once surrendered to Zant and had to wait for her hero to save Hyrule. You're in the same situation."

"You're not the first villain to threaten Equestria. We faced Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Chrysalis, and Tirek."

"Sure. The first two chose to be goody-two-shoes." A menacing scowl widened across Ganondorf's muzzle. "Seeing as I have the Triforce of Power, you have no idea what I'm capable of. My magic is as strong as it had always been. Regardless, Link defeated me in each of my incarnations. I'm never the victor. It all started with Hylia and Demise."

Celestia maintained eye contact. Was Ganondorf as strong as Tirek, or was he sturdier than the centaur? "I'll wait. It's not as if we had to fight."

"I'd rather lure all the so-called heroes here." Ganondorf levitated his blade. "By then, I'll crush them. Equestria shall be mine. Hyrule, too, if I successfully end Link's life." He pointed the tip of his sword at Celestia. "You won't have a kingdom anymore."

Celestia trotted into a corridor. She didn't know what was worse; being trapped inside one's own home, or being unable to defend Equestria. The fact that her sister and their closest friends were in danger didn't help matters at all. She navigated the hallways, muttering to herself while she cantered. Darknuts and lizalfos stared at her as though she was crazy. She stared back at them, and they didn't seem bothered by her silent response. Did they expect her to disappear from the castle? Several minutes dragged on, and she reached her bedroom door. It had a curved golden handle on it. An arch of the same color clashed with the dark walls.

To Celestia, the contrast symbolized the current state of her kingdom. Despite the impending doom, there was hope. Her mouth curved into a sad smile. An idea bloomed in her mind. Because the magical barrier was thick enough to prevent the large telescope from detecting distant objects, she could use a spell to see what was happening. She stepped into her room. A golden glow enveloped her slender horn. The door closed behind her.

A mirror sat atop the alabaster vanity. Unfinished papers cluttered the desk. A pile of books lingered on the bed, waiting to be read. Celestia's magic surged into the mirror. She settled on the pink cushion. At first, the mirror showed a ship floating across the sea. Her sister was probably traveling to the Dragon Lands by now. The mirror showed a couple more scenes. She discovered that Fluttershy had been freed, and that Starlight had gone to the Crystal Empire. What she noticed in the last scene disturbed her. She canceled the spell and blinked rapidly. Her hoof flew to her mouth.

Another villain had returned? It couldn't get any worse, right?

A week whizzed by. Luna parked the ship and led Link to the Dragon Lands. A group of monstrous lizards with green scales aimed toward the duo. The huge lizards inhaled, then proceeded to expel fire at Link. Luna quickly summoned a magical shield. The flames vanished, and she unleashed a kinetic blast at the lizards. To her surprise, the magical beam bounced off their hides. As the lizards opened their mouths, Link tossed a bomb into each one.

"The scales on dodongos serve as protection from any attack," Link explained. "They can explode if they swallow bombs."

"So that's why my magic doesn't work on them," Luna replied.

Luna glimpsed a towering volcano in the distance. A ring of smoke hung above the volcano. She ascended a rocky hill. Were the dragons aware of the curse that Ganondorf had placed upon the volcano? Which Element bearer was being held in there? Those questions prompted her to trot faster. A cluster of dragons blocked the duo. Half of them appeared to be aggressive. Should she risk endangering herself by revealing her identity? Link jumped in front of Luna and widened his stance.

"I'm here to speak with the Dragon Lord," Luna said.

"Why is your little friend challenging us to a fight?" The red dragon replied.

"Maybe because you have negative attitudes about ponies. I'm sure if you choose to not be hostile, Link will not attack you. If you don't listen, you'll find yourself on the receiving end of a shouting alicorn princess."

"Fine. You can talk to Ember."

As if on cue, a blue dragon descended to the ground. "What brings you here?"

Luna glanced at the volcano. "Link and I saw a trail of smoke. We're here to investigate."

Ember shrugged. "I suppose our current situation is concerning. The other night, monsters spawned in the volcano and forced the dragons to leave it alone. A door to a large room had been sealed. The cavern can be perilous. I think the monsters are responsible for the smoke. I'll make sure the dragons don't hinder you from taking a look."

The dragons flew into the sky. Luna and Link continued onward, searching for an entrance to the cavern. They meandered for an hour, and when they found the entrance, fiery rocks plummeted to the ground. She formed a magical barrier that surrounded the duo. Was it why the dragons avoided the volcano? Several rocks exploded. Whatever lurked in the cavern probably had a temper. She guided Link into the cavern. The interior contained an abundance of doors and arches.

Stone bridges stretched from platform to platform. A swarm of bats encased in flames charged at the duo. Luna unleashed a cooling spell. Her aura doused the flames. Link swung his sword at the bats. Then, a red slug crawled along the stone floor. A flame emerged from its back. Link pulled a hammer from his saddlebag and slammed it against the ground, flipping the slug over. He slashed it, and the creature crumbled into a pile of ashes.

The duo walked down a few bridges and navigated a corridor. Soon, they found themselves in a room with a platform in the center. A ring of lava encircled the platform. A barricaded door stood by the opposite side of the room. Two bipedal creatures unsheathed their swords.

"More reptiles?" Luna asked.

"They're lizalfos," Link said.

The lizalfos on the left leaped forward. Link jumped onto the platform and swung his blade. His sword clashed against the shield. He sidestepped an attack and sliced the lizalfos. Then, the other lizalfos rammed into him, and he fell to his side. He rose to his height and dodged the incoming blows. Luna shot a powerful beam at both lizalfos. Upon impact, the two lizalfos stumbled backward. Link performed the final blow.

As a result, the door was no longer barricaded. Luna and Link galloped to the door and entered a smaller room. Each wall had a door. Of the three doors, one was locked. A treasure chest idled in the corner. Bipedal skeletons aimed at Link, but he blocked them with his shield. He parried their blades, then leaped behind them and stabbed their backs. Before he could finish them off, they whirled around and held up their shields. He bashed them and proceeded to perform the helm splitter.

Luna let loose a deadly spell at the skeletons, causing them to shatter. Link opened the treasure chest and grabbed a key. He unlocked the door, revealing a coil of stairs. The duo descended the stairs into a darkened chamber. Torches were the only sources of light. A chest lingered. He unsealed the chest and retrieved a map.

After a while of exploring the volcano, Luna and Link meandered into the final floor. She spied a huge key, and as she levitated it, floormasters raced toward her. Link hacked the floormasters into pieces. Much to the duo's annoyance, more floormasters spawned. He continued battling them. Luna carried the key to a large door. She moved the key into the lock. The door sank through the floor.

As soon as Luna and Link stepped into a passageway, they were greeted by the churning smoke. The staircase spiraled upward, leading them into a lava-filled basement. The heat penetrated the air. There was a stone stage in the center of the den. A snake-like dragon hovered several inches off the ground.

"Wasn't Volvagia imprisoned somewhere in Death Mountain?" Link asked. "Unless Ganondorf had placed him here to torment the dragons..."

"Death Mountain?" Luna replied.

"It's a volcanic mountain in Hyrule. In case you're wondering, it's not a dangerous region."

"The name makes it sound perilous, though."

Volvagia surged into one of the holes. Link took out his hammer and waited for the dragon to emerge. Sure enough, the dragon materialized behind him. He pounded Volvagia's snout, then slashed its skull. Volvagia slipped into the lava and climbed through another hole, looming over the duo. Rocks pummeled the ground. Link ducked the rocks and shot an arrow at Volvagia's body. The dragon plummeted in front of him. He sliced Volvagia multiple times, yet the beast refused to give up.

Luna carefully walked over to a small prison cell. Peeking inside, she scanned the cell. A familiar mare returned her gaze. How did Pinkie Pie survive in here? Pinkie's eyes widened. The dragon roared as it approached Luna. Her horn glowed, and as she prepared to cast a spell, Link unleashed another arrow at Volvagia. Luna released Pinkie from the cell. She stood in front of Pinkie in case the beast decided to attack.

"Luna, how did Ganondorf not find you?" Pinkie asked.

"We'll talk later," Luna replied.

Link thrust his sword into Volvagia's neck, and the dragon bellowed in agony. He twirled his blade before sheathing it. The dragon was no more. Luna led Pinkie toward Link. Now it was the time to have a conversation, albeit a brief discussion, as they wanted to leave the cavern.

"What was it you said about talking later?" Pinkie inquired, grinning.

"Pinkie Pie, meet Link. He's helping me save Equestria," Luna explained. "We rescued Fluttershy a week ago. I'll inform Ember of Volvagia's defeat."

"Nice to meet you, Link." Pinkie turned her attention to Luna. "Is anypony else okay?"

Luna nodded. "At this moment, I'm not certain. I hope Ponyville is safe, considering..."