As the green and yellow flamed face appeared, Link looked at it, then to Midna, and the strangest expression crossed her face, a sort of pain; but not a physical one, a torn fearful pain. When his eyes and hers met, her decision was made. She smiled slightly at him, her eyes apologetic. The fused shadows appeared and began their eerie dance around her. Link gasped as the realization of her idea hit him and reached towards her, calling her name desperately. But when his hand reached her body, he and the princess were flying upward as the twilight portal pulled them.

When Link opened his eyes he was standing in Hyrule field beside Zelda. Fear flooded him as he looked around hopelessly for Midna. Suddenly, a vibration rocked the field and with a ringing boom, flames burst out of castle town. He looked to his left, the princess was staring straight to the horizon; fear had mangled her features. He followed her gaze, and saw why. On the horizon was the silhouette of a man on horseback. Gannondorf. But his hand was raised in the air, holding something above his head. "No!" Link snarled aloud. In Gannondorf's outstretched hand was Midna's headdress. In one swift motion, he crushed it. Rage threatened to overcome him as Link watched the crumpled crown fall to the ground.

He pulled the sword from its sheath, and was prepared to run to him as Gannondorf began to race towards them, but felt the soft hand of Zelda on his arm. "O light spirits!" her voice was loud and strong. "O wielders of the beautiful light that shines far and wide across our world." She paused for a moment and looking into Links eyes. "In my hour of need, grant me the power to banish evil!" Link could almost hear Gannondorf's excited breathing as he drew closer, and then they were engulfed in a warm light, and they were gone. When Link opened his eyes, he and Zelda were standing in a beautiful spring, one unlike anything he had ever seen. Zelda stood before him holding a beautiful golden arrow. She looked up at him and spoke. "Link…" she paused and smiled. "Chosen hero! Please… grant us the last of your power." She placed her hand over her heart and bowed her head. Link stood, looking at her in awe. This was entirely unreal. But as that thought entered his head, as did another.

He was in love with Midna, and he now had an opportunity to slay the man who had killed her.

With a solemn look in his eyes, Link held out his hand to the princess. She raised her head and placed her soft delicate hand into his. When Link opened his eyes again, he was straddled on Epona, with Zelda behind him, holding on to his back. He looked over his shoulder, to see her holding a beautiful bow. "Link, keep Gannondorf in range of my arrows, I can slow him down." For the first time, Zelda's voice had a hint of uncertainty to it. He kicked Epona in the side and she began running.

He stayed right on Gannondorf's tail, and it only took four arrows from Zelda to knock him to the ground. Link pulled the horse to a stop, looked over his shoulder at Zelda and dismounted, sword in hand. Gannondorf stood and looked at the Master Sword.

"An impressive looking blade…" he said, unsheathing his own, the blade of the sages. "But nothing more; would you hear my desire: to use this foul blade to blot out the light forever and become king!" As he spoke, the familiar yellow twilight force gates penned them in, Zelda and the horse on the outside. Link was on his own.

He stood in a ready stance, his feet apart, and ready to fight. Rage bubbled inside him; with everything he had, he hated Gannondorf. As he advanced, Midna's face faded in and out of his mental vision. He ducked and weaved away from Gannondorf's swings, feeling only the rush of air as the blade passed. As their fight progressed, Link knew he had the upper hand. He had pierced Gannondorf's armor more then once and could see he was growing tired. With another slash of Link's sword, Gannondorf fell onto his back. Link knew it had to end here.

He leapt into the air, coming down on Gannondorf's chest, stabbing him with the blade. Gannon cried out loud as Link jumped back to stand beside the princess. They watched in shock as Gannondorf stood. "Do not think this ends here." His voice was growing weaker with every word and he stopped as a spasm of pain racked his body. He gritted his teeth and continued. "The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!"

Suddenly the most peculiar expression crossed Gannon's face; he was seeing something they weren't. With a gasp, his eyes rolled back into his head, and Gannondorf was dead.

He couldn't make himself move. Link felt the tears pulling from under his eyes. Midna was dead. The sorrow gnawed at the edges of his conscience, threatening to pull him under. He bit his lip and clenched his fists until they bled to hold his composure. Zelda whipped around beside him. He turned to see what she had. The light spirits they had seen before were now fluidly floating through the sky, as if they were giving thanks. Maybe they were.

As they slowly disappeared, Link saw a small crouched silhouette on the horizon, and he recognized the distinct headdress. He gasped aloud and began running before he was able to stop himself. By the time he reached the top of the hill, the figure was standing. It was Midna, he knew that, but she was different. She was tall; her orange hair was pulled into an intricate design that fell onto her chest. She was wearing a dress that exposed one of her long slender legs. He stood, staring at her with his mouth hanging wide open.

"What? Say something!" she said with a smile. "Am I so beautiful you've no words left?" It was defiantly her. He smiled wide, but it took every ounce of self control he had not to go to her and take her in his arms. She sighed and looked into the distance, watching the golden cloud of the twilight recede. "I guess we better be off." Midna said as the princess joined them.

In the blink of his eyes, Link, Midna, and Zelda were standing in the mirror chamber, looking into the shimmering black of the mirror of twilight. "Well I guess this is farewell huh?" Midna said; her causal humor could not completely mask the sadness in her voice. "Light and shadow can't mix… as we all know. But… never forget there is another world bound to this one."

There was a moment of silence, and then Zelda spoke. "Light and shadow are two sides of the same coin. One cannot live without the other. I believe it was the god's design to leave the Mirror of Twilight in this world. It was their plan that we should meet." She stopped and looked at Link and Midna. They had not stopped staring into each others eyes since they had arrived. "Yes that is what I believe." Zelda's last sentence brought the two of them back to the real world.

"Zelda…" Midna turned to look at the princess. "You words are kind and your heart true. If all in Hyrule are like you… you'll do alright." Midna smiled. Midna began walking towards the mirror, turned to Link and looked at him for a long moment. "Thank you…" her voice caught in her throat on the last word. "The princess spoke truly. As long as the mirror is around, we could meet again." The staircase leading to the mirror appeared.

"Link…" Midna's voice was very quiet. "I…" she stopped. A single tear fell from the corner of her eye and onto her cheek. Catching it in her hand and using some unknown power, she pushed the tear forward and it floated towards the mirror. "See you later." Link watched the shimmering blue tear as it reached the mirror. There was a moment of calm, and a single crack began to spread through the mirror. Link gasped, turning around as he realized what this meant.

But when his eyes reached her, Midna was already running up the stairs, her long black dress flowing gracefully behind her. She turned to look at him as her body slowly began to fade into the mirror. She was smiling, though tears had flooded her eyes and were pouring down her cheeks. In the last moments, when she was only barely visible, an idea came to Links mind. Before he could stop himself, he was running up the stairs. Midna gasped, putting one hand up that stopped the cracks from flowing through the mirror. She instantly became full again.

"Link what are you do-?" but before she could finish, Link had reached her. He put one hand behind her neck, the other around her waist; he pulled her close; she wasn't taller than him as he thought. He looked into her violet eyes and finally knew what he had to do. Curving his head down, he gently pressed his lips to hers. Her hands wound around his neck, she could almost taste his sorrow for leaving her.

They forgot everyone and everything around them in those few blessed moments. "Link…" she whispered his name against his lips. "I can't stay." She didn't dare open her eyes yet. She didn't want to see the look in his.

"But you can. Stay with me." The pleading in his voice was painful.

"You know I want to. But my people need me."

He moved one hand to rest it on her cheek. "I need you."

"You don't." Midna had opened her eyes. "Link, you have everything you need here. Live your life." She stopped and looked at him silently for a moment. "But don't forget me."

"I could never." He held up his wrist and showed her the scar where the chain that held him when he first transformed had cut him.

Using delicate hands, she took it and pressed a kiss against the flesh of his wrist. Tears were now freely pouring down her face. Link held her face in his hands, wiping the tears away with his thumb. "I love you." He mouthed, having no voice to say the words. Midna opened her mouth to speak, but her voice was stopped by the sobs threatening to overcome her. She nodded and pulled Link in for another kiss, hoping her actions could say more than the words that wouldn't come.

As he pulled away from her, Link stared into her eyes, knowing that it would be the last time. Without anymore words, Link kissed Midna's forehead delicately, before turning and moving down the staircase. Once at the bottom, he turned around to see her fading back into the light behind her, until there was nothing left.

With a small cracking sound, the mirror went dark, and then shattered into a fine dust that floated to the ground.