Terminan Journal: Entry #5

I pulled the Goron mask out of my bag as I walked out of the clock tower, and headed to the bomb shop in West Clock Town. The Goron within did not make a habit of selling his powerful powder kegs to children, but he was more than happy to sell to a fellow Goron. Using the money I acquired via ways I'm not entirely proud of, I purchased a keg and immediately set off to the farm.

The powder keg was more than powerful enough to clear the path with a single massive blast. I removed the Goron mask and ran to where Epona was being kept. The small girl was nearby, but this time, she was alive with energy. It seemed that I had arrived before the tragedy had happened. She was practicing her archery with a bizarre set of balloons, and she greeted me warmly as I approached.

She told me her name was Romani, and she was named after the very farm she lived in. Romani Ranch was owned by her older sister, Cremia, and they provided Clock Town with an extra luxurious brand of milk. But as she told me of the ranch, she mentioned something rather disturbing. She claimed that every year, just before the Carnival of Time, strange beings would come and attempt to steal their cows. Romani had managed to fend them off before, but she feared that this time, she would need help. Cremia did not believe her story, and asked if I would help defend the ranch. I agreed, under the condition that Epona be released. Romani was more than happy to comply.

I felt immensely better with Epona at my side once more, but Romani's story chilled me. It was an odd story, to be sure, but I didn't need to believe what she said. I had already seen the results of her failure to defend the farm, and whatever had happened, it was enough to snuff out the glow I saw in her eyes, and destroy the ranch's livelihood. I didn't care if it was a wasted effort, I had to help defend the ranch.

Romani, Epona, and I spent the day practicing for the invasion. Romani told me of the ghostly beings we would be fending off, and how they would come in endless numbers until daybreak. Her accounts left me nervous, but I am confident we will prove victorious. Night has fallen, and Cremia has invited me to stay the night at Romani's request. Romani and I are planning to sneak out shortly and wait for the attack to begin...

---

It was a long night, but we successfully fended off the strange beings. I didn't think it was even possible for someone to be as happy as Romani was at that moment. I was glad to have helped, but I couldn't stop thinking about how I would have to undo all that joy in just two days.

I decided to take this time to explore the ranch and see if I could learn anything useful. The much needed relaxing time spent at the ranch was also very nice. While riding Epona through the pastures, I came across an entrance to another farm. This was the Gorman Track, ran by the rather unpleasant Gorman brothers. Like Cremia, they sold milk in Clock Town, but they also had a rather elaborate horse-racing track. It wasn't entirely unlike Lon Lon Ranch back in Hyrule, but for some reason, I just had a bad feeling about the Gorman brothers and their ranch.

As I turned to leave, they began to insult me, and even called Epona a mule! I tried to ignore them, not wanting to even bother, but then they challenged me to a race, obviously under the impression that they could cheat me out of some money. I decided to prove them wrong.

Even though Epona was quite young, she was still able to prove herself the fastest horse in the land, and we soundly defeated the Gorman brothers. Stunned at their loss, they offered me a prize in return for leaving and never speaking of it again. As Epona and I left, I looked at the strange black cloth they had handed me, only to discover it was a kind of black hood. I found it quite odd that a couple of farmers would own such a thing, but didn't give it much more thought until later on...

While passing by Romani Ranch, I saw Cremia preparing a milk delivery for Clock Town. She offered me a ride, and telling she wanted the company, I agreed and hopped into her wagon. During the trip, she talked of many things. She talked of how she had inherited the ranch, and the hard times they had been having. Apparently someone had been harassing her cows and smashing her milk bottles. She also talked of her good friend Anju, and how she was to be married on the Carnival of Time. I remembered Anju as being the woman who ran the inn in town, but I also remembered her appearing to be much too sad for a soon-to-be bride. Cremia also took notice of the moon, and asked me what the people in town had been saying about it. Of course, the ranch had been sealed off for days now, so she had no idea of the panic the falling moon had been causing.

Our conversation came to a halt as we approached an odd fence blocking the road. The fence forced a detour through the Gorman Track, which Cremia was none too happy to discover, and she asked me to ready my bow. Clearly she did not trust the Gorman brothers at all, and I was not about to doubt her.

Not long after entering what Cremia had charmingly referred to as "ugly country," we began to be chased... by two horse-riding figures, wearing strange, black hoods. Hoods exactly like the one I had obtained earlier that day. They made to smash the milk delivery, but we barely managed to escape unscathed.

When we arrived in Clock Town, Cremia gave me her thanks for defending her precious delivery. She also gave me a mask, saying that it was used as membership identification for the milk bar in town. She said it was the mark of an adult, which I had more than earned, and she thanked me again as she returned home.

Cremia's kind words touched my heart. They also served as a reminder that I still had plenty of work ahead of me. I had much more important things to take care of than relaxing at a ranch or indulging in petty races.

I took out my ocarina and played the Song of Time...

Garo Mask - The Vigilante
Romani's Mask - The Adult