Exodus

Alright! We have my most recent Chronicle all ready to post! Sorry about still being somewhat absent. I am going on a long trip this summer, and I am trying to spend some time with my friends and family. However, I will have my laptop on this trip, and I plan to still make posts! I may or may not be able to do as much art... but I should finally be able to crank out some analyses! So, thanks to everyone for their patience. So far, everyone who I have allowed to pre-read this Chronicle (including Inhonoredglory) have really liked it, so I hope you will enjoy it as well. It is a pretty climactic one!

Also, the above art piece is my first real digital art of a Gemnode. This one is Venevonix Diamond. He may not look like your typical HTTYD villain, but he and Hiccup certainly don't share any affection for each other. The painting came out better than I expected, so I hope you like it. This Gemnode will play an important part in the story below, so now you have a pretty good idea of what he looks like. 

Dimension Splash Chronicles

Event: Exodus

Pov: Gemnodes, and Opposers

Time: Year 10.6 of Hiccup and Link’s existence in the game

     Venevonix’s all-sight locked onto a very specific object. Scanning around the world, his sight caught glimpses of almost anything he wished to see. The haze of light and dark swirled around in his mind, taking the forms of landscapes, cities, objects, and men. He was determined to find some clue that would lead him and his comrades to Hiccup. Before they were unsure whether or not the Opposer had truly entered their dimension, but Shadoo’s death had given then all the information they needed to prove their theories. The dark creature had willingly told them all he knew, and now the crystalline overlords of this world were raking over it with a fine comb. 

     Venevonix had come up with an idea that he hoped was original to himself. Though he tried not to let the other Gemnodes see it, over the years and years he had felt concern over his ranking. He was the last of the Generals to be appointed, and he had never felt himself to be on the same level as the others. He was in no way bitter, but he respected the Gemlord deeply. In his mind he had never proven his worth to their great leader, and now that the Gemwar was starting, he felt his opportunity had finally come. Oninonix was a tactical genius, Eminis held one of the closest bonds to the Gemlord, and Sardilic had been the Gemlord’s chief tool in keeping the world in check. Here floated a glistening white form who felt himself inferior. His only claim to notoriety amongst his comrades was his incredible swordsmanship. This was the Gemnode who had taken Link from the surface nearly eleven years ago in Link’s reckoning, but over three hundred years in Hyrulean history. 

     Venevonix’s idea was to use his all-sight to look for items, equipment, and objects instead of characters. If Hiccup discarded a fur vest, he wanted to see it. If Hiccup dropped Endeavor, he wanted to know the moment it happened. If a piece of Toothless’s saddle came undone, Venevonix intended to pinpoint exactly where it fell. After days of searching, he finally found a lead. Tahu, the Toa of fire, had suddenly come into possession of The Legendary Fire Gem. This incredible object was last known to be in Toothless’s possession, and it seemed all too convenient that it was now in the hands of an old ally of the Opposer.

     The white general came to the Gemlord and reported his findings, and the Gemlord ordered him to watch Tahu’s moments carefully. Venevonix was glad to have a specified assignment, though he expected the Gemlord to be more excited by his discovery. In truth, the Gemlord was impressed, but he was also uneasy. Hiccup had gotten in without being caught, he had played a part in destroying Shadoo, and still the Gemlord could not understand the death of Sardilic. He was nervous, afraid that other Gemnodes might be killed in the upcoming war, and until Hiccup was standing before him in the flesh, until he ripped the life from that scrawny human form, he would have no peace. 

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       Hiccup and Toothless curled around a small campfire in the stony wastelands around Ta-Koro. All they could do now was wait and hope that everything went according to plan. Toothless breathed heavily. It has been an exhausting endeavor for both him and Hiccup, and even resting was wearying. There was nowhere safe in this world, and if even one of their allies were to reveal the plan, everything would fall apart. 

     Hiccup leaned forward and stirred the embers of the dying fire. He sighed, looking up at the night sky. Toothless lifted his head off the ground and watched as Hiccup leaned back against his side, humming quietly. “I really hope this works.” Hiccup breathed softly.

      Hiccup’s shadow suddenly began to stretch and move away from his sitting form. With a musical warble, Midna’s silhouette jumped from the ground and floated in front of Hiccup and Toothless. The Night Fury’s head shot up off the ground, his eyes contracting from the sudden shock and his ears shooting straight up. Hiccup put a hand on Toothless’s side and then said, “I was wondering when you’d show back up.”

     “Aw’.” Midna’s form suddenly shifted from that of a shadow to her normal black and white skin. “Did you miss me? Eeh hee.” 

     Hiccup didn’t reply, instead he turned to Toothless. “This is Midna. She’s the one who killed Shadoo, and she’s been following me as a shadow ever since I left. Do you think we can trust her?” Toothless looked at the imp and grunted. She was incredibly foreign to him, and years of treachery had made Toothless edgy.

     “Wow, he’s a handsome thing, isn’t he?” Midna said, ignoring Hiccup’s conversation with Toothless. “Just look at him.” Midna floated closer to Toothless, and Hiccup noted that she stayed completely outside of the dim firelight. The imp seemed genuinely curious. “I’ve seen dragons before, but he’s just beautiful…” Midna reacher out a small hand and stroked Toothless with her pointed fingers. Toothless remained stiff, eying her. Midna moved back, regaining her composure. “Ahem, anyway… When do we leave? It’s really boring just sitting here… especially since your friend is such a grump.” Midna smirked at Toothless who snorted at her insult. 

     “We’ll leave as soon as Tahu uses the gem.” Hiccup said firmly.

     “What’s it going to do?” Midna asked.

     “You were there when I gave it to him. You should know.” Hiccup noted.

     “I must’ve slept through that bit. Sorry… you’re just kinda dull.”

     Hiccup paused for a long time, wondering whether or not it was even wise to explain his plan to the imp. “The Legendary Fire Gem will make pillars of flame descend on several cities in this world, destroying huge portions of them.” Midna’s expression became quizzical. Hiccup continued, “I’ve sent messages to my closest allies, letting them know that this is the signal. They will then lead armies to counter-attack Ta-Koro. When they do, I’ll open a rift, and we will all escape at once.” 

     Midna’s one visible eye widened. “That’s… That is… Well, let’s just say it is no wonder the Gemnodes are looking for you.” Hiccup smiled slightly, surprised by the compliment. However, Midna’s expression changed. “Don’t you think the Gemnodes will be watching? I mean, wouldn’t a conflict of this scale attract at least a little attention?” 

     Hiccup frowned. “Yes, it will. But… I feel sure that the Gemnodes can see when we open rifts. Every time I open a rift it is a risk I can’t even begin to explain. It has to be an all or nothing thing…” Hiccup paused, “Midna, when that rift opens, you must make it through. I don’t know if you can exist as a shadow in my world, so you may not want to be attached to me when I go through.”

     “If you make it through.” Midna quipped. “And I’ll be sticking to you like glue until you get me out of this dreadful world. You won’t lose me that easily.” 

     “No, I wasn’t—” Hiccup’s speech was interrupted by a sudden burst of red light. The black sky was ripped through by a brilliant slash as a pillar of flame rocketed into the heavens. Tahu had opened the full power of the Legendary Gem, and as the Toa of flame he was the ideal wielder of the element. Hiccup got to his feet, and Toothless was already prepared to jump on. Midna’s physical form changed back into a silhouette and she dove into Hiccup’s shadow. Another pillar shot up, then another, then another. Into the burning sky the black form of Toothless soared. There was no room for being late, and in a world as volatile as the Gemnodes’ dimension, these pillars would summon armies within hours. 

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     The Gemnodes watched as the flairs of the Legendary Fire Gem shot into the sky before descending on the planet below. The pillars of flame fell first on the central cities of America, and the damage was catastrophic. Pseudo-Berk was next, and the only structure left standing was the great hall. The Island that Kirby called home watched in shock as King Dedede’s castle collapsed beneath the wrath of the flames. Even the magic of the elves of Rivendell could not protect their village from destruction. The city of Neo-Coresant sustained significant damage. The only target that survived was the palace of Asgard, but the Asgardians were in no way willing to forgive the attempt. 

     The sheer amount of devastation convinced most of the Gemnodes that this attack was not the work of an opposer, but Venevonix was still suspicious. He noted that the only forces that had been attacked were those that had once been Hiccup’s closest allies. This could not be a coincidence. The general reported this oddity to the Gemlord, and he was given leave to do whatever he felt was wisest. 

     The forces of the devastated cities began to converge on Ta-Koro. Over two hundred clone troopers were deployed on the beaches of the island of Mata-Nui. The armies of Asgard, lead by Thor himself, used the Lor Starcutter to reach the planet. Kirby, King Dedede, and Meta Knight came as well. Before long there was a force of men, elves, Asgardians, and dragons surrounding the walls of Ta-Koro. 

     But Ta-Koro would not stand alone. All six Toa united, and every tribe of Mata-Nui joined together to stand against the invading force. Along with them came the legendary element benders and some of the finest Pokemon trainers in the Gemnode’s dimension. The lines of battle had been drawn, and one of the largest conflicts since the fall of Loki’s empire was about to break out.

     Venevonix would not allow this battle to go unmonitored. As the forces began to surround the volcanic village of Ta-Koro, he teleported down to them. His gleaming white form shone out against the night sky. Venevonix could not be sure of this, but his actions were putting Hiccup’s plan on the very edge of disaster. 

     Hiccup had been flying over the battlefield, quietly watching as hundreds of characters prepared themselves for combat. Toothless’s dark scales kept them perfectly hidden from all eyes, and the scanners of the American and clone armies could not detect them due to their shrouding spheres. When Venevonix appeared in the sky, Hiccup’s heart filled with dread. Tahu looked up and saw that they were under the surveillance of a Gemnode, and he felt sure Hiccup would never be able to get them through a rift. Hiccup and Toothless dove as silently as they could out of the dark sky, landing in a outcropping of rocks near the Ta-Koro wall. Venevonix’s voice echoed out across the battlefield, and all eyes turned to him.

     “Pardon my interruption.” The Gemnode’s voice chimed with sarcasm. “but this seems a bit too contrived. Will any of you kindly explain to me why the Opposer’s greatest friends would use the opposer’s greatest weapon to start a war?” The armies bellow shifted around, unsure of what was going on. The leaders of the armies were far more nervous. Every one of them had received the communication from Link’s Terrible Terror, and if the Gemnode could prove that they were doing this under Hiccup’s leadership, they could all face deletion. Venevonix continued, “Come now, I offer you what we Gemnodes have already offered: We will give you whatever you could possibly desire in this world. All you must do is turn in the Opposer. Even giving me information will earn you handsome rewards. Please cooperate… for the good of all.” Venevonix had descended slowly while speaking, and his form was glowing far less brightly. His eyes ran across the armies, waiting for some brave soul to speak, but none did. 

     The white form of the Gemnode sizzled with annoyance. “Very well. Continue your battle, but I will find the Opposer, and if I find him here, not a single one of you will be allowed to live.” 

     Venevonix burst into a glow of white before rocketing into the sky like a bolt of lightning. The sound of this alone was enough to send many of the troops to their knees. Though the Gemnode had told them to battle, all sides involved suddenly felt far from willing to fight. This was not only true of the leaders who knew Hiccup’s plan, for the overhanging threat of deletion left every single soldier on edge.

     The Gemnode began his search. Venevonix rocketed down from the sky, ripping the ground apart as he landed. He turned his head around rapidly, blasting huge boulders into grains of sand was nothing more than a thought as he scoured the surrounding area. When there was no possible crack or crevice left, Venevonix would blast into the sky again, descend, and continue his lighting paced search. Hiccup had to be somewhere near. He was tired of sitting and watching. If it had been left to him he would have destroyed the entire planet in his search for the Opposer. If he did not find Hiccup here, then he would keep moving. The destruction of the entire Island of Mata Nui was a small price to pay if he could only plunge a blade into his enemy. This would be his greatest victory, a victory that his Lord would finally be truly proud of.

     Hiccup and Toothless crouched behind one of the many huge stones in the fields around Ta-Koro. They had seen Venevonix searching, and they knew if he tried to escape now the Gemnode would see them. Toothless’s eyes were wide with dread. He could hear the Gemnode blasting up and down up and down as he flattened the landscape. It would not be long before he found them. Though he would do everything in his power to fight for Hiccup, Toothless had tried protecting him once before. This was the world of the Gemnodes, and Toothless knew that it was in this world that these monsters could never be beaten. Both Hiccup and Toothless were breathing fast and hard. How much longer would it be until the rocks they were using for cover were reduced to dust? How long would it be until Hiccup locked eyes yet again with the most dreadful form in the universe?

     The echoey voice of Midna whispered from Hiccup’s shadow, making him jump. “By the Sols…” The Imp’s voice sounded terrified. “Unless you’ve got something miraculous up your sleeve you’ve doomed us… doomed us all.” Midna wanted to run, to get as far from Hiccup as possible, but she knew that it was far to late for that. Like it or not, she had helped the Opposer, and that warranted death. 

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     Far from the battle, far from the rage of the Gemnodes, a lone gleaming figure stood. Deep beneath dark ocean waves, Takanuva was using the Mask of Light to try and witness what was going on. At first he had been unable to see anything, for the battle lines had been formed before dawn. However, upon the arrival of Venevonix, light did flood the area. Bright, painful, burning white light stretched out far and wide from the Gemnode’s body, and with this light Takanuva could see. Hiccup had told him to teleport Astrid, Stoick, and Gobber to him when he opened to rift, and with the Mask of Light this action was possible, but now Takanuva did not know what to do. Hiccup’s plan was failing, and it would not be long before the Gemnode found him.

     Takanuva stood. Takanuva watched. He felt in his heart the same pain that he had felt year after year after year of his lonely imprisonment. The pain of longing to help, of watching others suffer. The pain of forcing himself not to care. But then the pain ended, and a burning determination formed inside his chest. The gears of his mechanical body began to whirl quicker and quicker, and he gripped his staff tightly in his hand. The Toa turned to see the Vikings Hiccup had entrusted to his care looking nervously at him.

     Takanuva spoke. “Hiccup’s plan is failing. A Gemnode is searching for him, and in moments he will surely be found.”

    “No!” Astrid stepped forward, but what could she do?

    “Listen to me, Toa.” Stoick said sternly. “I will not watch as my son is killed again. If he is to die, then I will die with him. Send me to his side.” Gobber nodded and hobbled up next to Stoick while looking gravely into the golden eyes of Takanuva.

     

     “You are right. You will not watch as your son is killed.” Takanuva said calmly. The Bionicle’s chest heaved slightly as if taking in a breath and he locked eyes firmly first with Stoick, then with Gobber, and finally with Astrid. “And neither will I. Too many years I have stayed hidden. It is time for the dawn. It is time for light to break forth across this dark and terrible world.”

     Takanuva spun his staff around, the blade at the end gleaming as his own body began to glow with sun-like brightness. Suddenly his voice grew deeper, richer, wondrous. “You are not the only ones who love that boy. I am tired of hiding. I am going to send you to his side, and when I do I do not want you to ever look back. I am going to reveal myself, and the Gemnodes will take me. But if I can save the world this one last time, if I can finally act instead of watch, it will all be worth it. Take care of the boy, take care of his dragon… they have suffered much, and whatever you do, never stop opposing the Purpose.”

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     Sunlight crept over the sea and began to slowly wash over the island of Mata Nui. Hiccup looked on in desperation. He was supposed to open the rift at dawn. This was the moment he had waited for, planned for. He was going to save his family, he was going to save so, so many, but now he was left cowering as a Gemnode ripped the landscape apart only a few hundred yards away from him. There was a terrible crash, and Hiccup glanced around the edge of the rock to see that Venevonix was closer than ever now. All the Gemnode needed to do was turn towards Hiccup, and everything would be lost. Hiccup put his hand firmly on Toothless, almost wanting to breathe an apology out, but Toothless was firm beside him. The dragon regretted nothing.

     Then, with unbelievable suddenness, Venevonix’s head lifted skyward, his eyes closed firmly. He stayed in the position for nearly thirty seconds before lowering his head again, and speaking out in utter clarity. “Impossible!” Then, as quickly as he had appeared, Venevonix vanished in a blaze that left the ground burning with white fire. The White General, and every single Gemnode in the dimension, were all converging on a single being. Takanuva had killed one of their own, he had hidden from them for over six hundred years, and now after all that time the most ancient foe of the Gemnodes had revealed himself.

      Hiccup waited nervously for what felt like a very long time, but when he was finally confident that the Gemnode really was gone, he stood to his feet, mounted Toothless, and lifted into the air. The armies still stood, confused and unsure of what was happening. Then three pillars of golden light shone from the ground, and Astrid, Stoick, and Gobber stepped out of them. Hiccup did not know how to respond; he was almost too anxious to dare to hope, but Toothless was beaming. Astrid looked up and saw the dark form of Toothless against the rising dawn, and she shouted out to him as loud as she could. “Hiccup! We must leave now! Takanuva is buying us a few moments, but I feel sure he won’t last long.”

     Hiccup’s heart sank when he heard that Takanuva was sacrificing himself. The strange robotic being had been of so much comfort to him when he had first escaped the torments of Sardilic. But, if Takanuva was going to give himself up, then Hiccup did not intend to let the sacrifice be in vain. He flew above the armies, drawing endeavor and raising it above his head. The gemshard at the tip of the blade gleamed and Toothless let out a furious roar. All eyes turned to Hiccup, and he shouted out over the battlefield. “It is time for the reign of the Gemnodes to end! It is time for us to go home, to go back to the people we love and the worlds we belong in! It may seem like these creatures are unstoppable, but the…Night, Is, Ending!” With Hiccup’s final words and one more shrieking roar from Toothless, the boy and dragon dove towards the ground, and with a slash of endeavor a long, gleaming rift opened in front of the onlooking armies. 

      Thunderous cheers erupted from everyone looking on, and hundreds of characters who had been trapped for years and years in endless war rushed at their first and only hope of a world of peace. Hiccup could not help but smile. He watched as Gandalf, Stitch, Thor, and many other beings he had grown to love and respect vanished into the rift. He could hardly believe his eyes, and Toothless glanced up to see that a small tear was trickling down Hiccup beaming face. The President of America, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, his own Father, Astrid, Kirby… dozens and dozens of characters were running into the light.

     Then, in an instant, Hiccup’s joy vanished. Someone called out from behind him, a nasal, frightened voice. “H-h-hiccup! Watch out!” Hiccup turned to see that Luigi was the one shouting at him, but before he could do anything else, something bright and yellow snapped out of nowhere. It had a sharp end, and it stuck directly into Hiccup chest. Hiccup cried out in pain, and his eyes followed the long whip back to its wielder. The form was slowly becoming visible, the energy required to keep itself cloaked now no longer present. Tabuu was floating in the air, standing between Hiccup and the rift.

     “Tabuu? What are you—” Hiccup was cut short as Tabuu ripped him off of Toothless’s back and sent him plummeting to earth. Toothless shrieked in anger, firing three huge blasts of flame into Tabuu without a second’s hesitation but in the process knocking himself off balance. Tabuu took the damage from the blasts calmly, then looked at Toothless, and with a powerful burst of energy sent the dragon tumbling in the opposite direction of Hiccup. The falling Viking had saved himself by using his flight suit, but it had not kept his collision with the ground from being painful. Tabuu turned in the air to descend upon Hiccup, but a blur of green caught his eye, and he turned just in time to see Luigi jumping up at him. Despite the plumber’s best efforts, he was completely outclassed. Tabuu shielded himself, and the white forcefield sent Luigi rocketing away from him and nearly rendered him unconscious. The green form of Luigi fell, but fortunately it fell directly into the rift.

     Tabuu teleported down to Hiccup. The Viking had been running as fast as he could towards where Toothless had fallen. Tabuu stopped him, then effortlessly lifted him off the ground with telekinesis. “Tabuu, stop! Why are you doing this!? You can come with me! You could be freed from this world!” Hiccup yelled, struggling against the invisible hold. Tabuu looked on him cooly.

     “Do you think there can be any victory over the Gemnodes?” Tabuu’s voice was as cold and emotionless as usual. “We may have been allies, once, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, but I am no fool. I have seen what they are capable of, and though you have many strengths, you will never overcome them. If I give you to them, I will be given worlds to rule. If I join you, I will perish like everyone else who has ever opposed the Purpose.” 

     “But you’ve helped me already! You’ve already been an opposer. Without you Link would never have gotten Deathquencher, and I would still be dead!” Hiccup shouted, desperately staring into the glaring eyes of Tabuu. The electrical being made no response except to look away from Hiccup and scan his surroundings.

     Many of the characters who had not passed through the portal now saw that Hiccup was in peril, and a literal army was rushing towards Tabuu. The glowing blue being could not have looked any less concerned. Hiccup’s heart sank as he watched Tabuu unfurl his shimmering wings. “No, no. Tabuu, you can’t. You CAN’T!”

     Tabuu released the off waves. The circular surges of energy blasted across the entire battlefield killing every character with less than forty power gems in a single instant. Characters who had almost reached Hiccup, characters like Batman, Ang, Obi-Wan, and Lewa fell dead in heaps as Hiccup watched helplessly. His own body was screaming in pain. Hiccup himself barely had the power gems necessary to survive the savage attack. Tabuu then turned to Hiccup, and it became obvious that it would not be long before the young Viking was dead.

     In an instant, Hiccup’s shadow leapt from his feet. Midna stood before both Tabuu and Hiccup. “Can’t help you.” she said, glancing for just a moment at Hiccup before turning in an attempt to fly towards the rift. Tabuu would not let her go so easily, and with a point of his his finger, a long yellow whip stabbed into Midna’s back. She cried out in pain before turning to face him. 

     “You have no idea what you are dealing with! Let me go! This is not my fight, this is not my war. Let me go or I will destroy you!” Midna was livid with fury. She was so close to freedom, and she would not allow for some power-hungry fool to stop her.

     “You really should carry a shrouding sphere if you want to make threats.” Tabuu said. Midna almost rolled her eye at the statement. “You carry no more than thirty five power gems. What hope do you have against me?” 

     “This” The depth of Midna’s own voice shocked her as the three pieces of the Fused Shadow swirled around her. With a loud thud they interlocked, forming a helmet like structure that covered the imp’s entire body. The burning whip of Tabuu snapped apart as Midna’s body transformed into something truly monstrous. This was the eldritch form of the Fused Shadow, this was a power created by the Interlopers to conquer the Triforce and the Sacred Realm. It looked as though the Fused Shadow itself had swallowed Midna up, for there was nothing left of her that could be seen. Instead of a small imp wearing a stone helmet, the form that stood before Tabuu looked like a helmet on top of a hug, hulking, pulsating body. This body had seven long, throbbing, tentacle-like arms each with strong, five-fingered hands. All the light around the Fused Shadow Beast looked as if it was being sucked away. Before Tabuu could do anything, the monster attacked. Whether or not it was Midna’s mind controlling it, or some monstrous evil locked away inside the Fused Shadows, neither Hiccup nor Tabuu knew. Tabuu suffered a terrible blow as one of the strong arms slammed into him with a whip-like motion. Tabuu quickly came to his senses and teleported behind his foe, but the arms of the creature faced in all directions, and this time Midna grabbed onto Tabuu’s glass-like body and began smashing him against the ground. The battle became sickeningly brutal as the roaring Fused Shadow beast smashed Tabuu again and again, often switching hands so in order to use two at once or even to try and rip Tabuu in half. Finally the creature held each of Tabuu’s limbs in a separate hand, and it dangled its glowing blue victim before its helmeted face. 

     However, the battle was not to be won so easily. Tabuu was a veteran of thousands of wars, and even with the power of the Fused Shadow, Midna was not invincible. Tabuu opened his heart, releasing a long tendril that connected directly to the Legendary Energy Gem that was held inside. This tendril latched onto the front piece of the Fused Shadow, and with a yell Tabuu sent a surge flowing through the cord. It was enough energy to pull a Star Destroyer apart, and it was enough energy to break the shard of the Fused Shadow loose from the other three. Immediately Midna returned to her normal form, gasping for air as she did so. Before she could do anything, the rays of the sun hit her body. Without the magic of the Fused Shadow to protect her, Midna screamed out in pain and fell to the ground. This was the curse of being a Twili. As a being of shadow she could never truly live in the world of light, and if she ever tried, she would suffer an agonizing, soul destroying death. She shivered, gasped, and buckled over on the ashy ground. Tabuu looked away from her as he pulled the shard of the Fused Shadow to himself, pleased with his victory. The imp had damaged him far more greatly than he would have expected, and now Hiccup stood before him, Endeavor drawn, but no with real hope of victory. Tabuu could hear Toothless roar. The dragon was coming, but he would not make it in time. Tabuu’s hand glowed purple, and a long blade danced from his palm. “You may have many friends, Hiccup, but none of them can save you.”

     “I wouldn’t be so sure!” A familiar voice shouted out from behind Hiccup. Upon falling into Hiccup’s world, Luigi had told the best person possible about Tabuu’s treachery. Tabuu looked up to see Link leaping towards him, the Master Sword pointed down and poised for a finishing blow. Tabuu used his own blade in an attempt to counter, but Link was a far better swordsman. The defense of Tabuu only barely diverted the white blade, and it sliced straight down into Tabuu’s chest.

     “Link!” Hiccup yelled in relief, his mind rushing on how he could help his brother in this lethal duel. 

     “GO!” Link yelled, and as soon as Hiccup turned Toothless was in sight. The Night Fury had been temporarily knocked out by the crash, nut now he bounded towards Hiccup and the boy rushed towards him. It only took moments for them to reach each other. Hiccup jumped onto Toothless and turned back to help Link. Toothless roared, ready to make Tabuu pay for his treachery. Hiccup could see his brother’s green tunic and bright blue shield starkly against the black ground, and he and Toothless flew towards the duel. Link saw Hiccup coming, but he did not want help. The goal was not to defeat Tabuu, the goal was to escape. “Don’t, Hiccup! You two go! I’ve got this, he can’t stop me!” Link flourished the Master Sword, and Hiccup understood the plan. Hiccup glanced down at Midna, but Link knew what he was thinking. “I’ll get her, you go!” Hiccup nodded, and as Tabuu looked on, the black form of Toothless with Hiccup on his back vanished into the rift. There was no stopping them now, the Opposer had escaped yet again.

     Tabuu redoubled his efforts. If he could not kill Hiccup, he could at least defeat Link. But Link wasn’t interested in winning this fight. He felt angry and betrayed by Tabuu, but he was in no way shocked by his actions. The hylian stepped back towards Midna who was still shuddering in the dirt in excruciating pain. He looked at Tabuu and spoke to the character that had once been his most powerful ally. “You always were like this. You only ever served yourself, but for all your cunning, you know you cannot stop me.” Link reached Midna, and then with a flourish of his sword he stopped the flow of time. Everything around him appeared to be in a blue haze, and he stooped and gently picked up the imp. He did not know anything about her, but he had seen her attacking Hiccup’s enemy, and chances were she had saved Hiccup’s life. Link ran through the now time frozen world. Everything around him was motionless in the strange blue light. The dust he kicked up as he sprinted towards the rift stayed hanging in the air, and the look of frustration remained frozen on Tabuu’s face. Link was the only figure left on the battlefield, and though many had been lost, far more had been saved. He glanced behind his back, hoping that he would not have to look at this terrible world again anytime soon. And then with two more steps he vanished into the rift, and the time flow of the Gemnode’s world returned to normal. 

     Tabuu was left alone, burning blue, covered in the damage of battle, staring into the blinding rift.

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     Takanuva had used his ability to teleport wherever there was light to run from the Gemnodes for nearly forty minutes, but eventually they caught him using the very ability Link had used to escape Tabuu. The bright crystalline beings captured the Toa, cast him into a rift, and dropped him into his own world. Though Takanuva was powerful beyond belief in his own dimension, each and every Gemnode possessed the power not only of Takanuva, but also of Makuata and all the other Toa. It was a hopeless battle, and within moments the brave Seventh Toa was cast to the ground. His body began to crumple and turn black, and the Gemnodes ripped his mask from his face.

     Takanuva never once doubted his decision, and he died facing the Gemnodes with his golden eyes until his entire form was consumed by darkness. The Gemnodes shattered his mask, and scattered its shards across the desert wastes they had killed him in. The sand soon washed over Takanuva’s body, and no one in his own world would know what a great price their hero had paid.