NOTES: Hey everyone! I finally decided to write a one-shot and take a break from writing LAH: Life After Hyrule. This story doesn't relate to that fic, nor is it associated with it in any way. Just thought I'd get that out of the way. I've actually been playing with this idea for awhile now, and finally have had a chance to write it down (err, well more like type it up). The ending of Twilight Princess left many questions unanswered, at least in my opinion. I wondered after I watched the last cinematic what Midna's last words were really going to be. I understand she had to break the mirror and all to preserve their two worlds from future attacks, but still that must have really hurt Link, as it's apparent by the looks on his face that he really does cares for her in the later parts of the tale. The last we ever see of TP Link is when he's riding on Epona in Faron Woods, away from Ordon Village. This one-shot takes place between the time Link leaves the Gerudo Desert until he returns to Ordon.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own The Legend of Zelda, nor do I own The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess or anything pertaining to it. This popular franchise belongs to Nintendo, and only this story is my own.
UPDATE (12/3/2012): This is Version 2.0 of "Echoes of the Twilight." I have gone through and fixed some tense errors and changed a few sentences that I didn't like. The original version was written way back when I was still a young 'un. Anyway, a sequel one-shot (or maybe two for a trilogy if I'm feeling ambitious) is planned as a follow-up to this. Stay tuned for details!
-Echoes of the Twilight-
"Link…I…I…See you later."
Those were the last words she ever spoke to me; the last time I ever heard that smooth, alluring voice of hers.
Never again would I feel sane talking to my own shadow, or expect to see a mischievous imp spring out from beneath my feet with a toothy grin. I just felt…cold. Devoid of life.
The stars far above glittered like broken glass against the night sky above Hyrule Field as I watched the moonbeams dance across Lake Hylia's pristine waters from the bridge above. I still felt uneasy whenever I willed Epona across, even if the bridge did take me back to Faron Province much quicker than the pass through Kakariko. I suppose I had her to thank for that small fear.
I still remembered that day, back when encroaching twilight had blanketed the entire Lanaryu Province. Two Twilit Bulblins had cut off both ends of the bridge. When I realized my paws were drenched with raw kerosene, sheer terror filled my entire being. It didn't take a Hylian scholar to piece together what was going on.
I panicked, yet she was there, telling me exactly what I had to do. She directed me toward two crates and where to place them. Her voice grew more frantic as the flames came closer, but just realizing that I wasn't alone in this insane quest was a comfort in its own right. I aligned the boxes and scrambled on top of the only protection I had. I peered over the edge, expecting to see a gigantic lake like the one Rusl and Uli had told me about back when I was still a kid. Instead, there was only a dried-up spring. I whimpered and looked back at my companion, unsure of what to do.
"Come on wolf-boy, jump already! Do you really want to fry up here!?" she shrieked as the flames licked the bottom of the box.
I unconsciously rubbed my ribs when I recalled where she gave me a swift kick. I would have screamed had I been Hylian, but instead I howled as I fell towards what I thought was my death. By Farore, was I surprised when I came to, floating in a small pond of deep water!
I couldn't suppress the small chuckle that escaped my lips at the memory; how that imp had snickered at me afterwards once I was back to normal.
That's another thing I miss already—her laugh. It used to annoy the living crap out of me, especially when I first met her in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle. But over time, I came to enjoy it. Sometimes I'd even do stupid things just to get her into a fit of giggles. Until then, I'd never met anyone who had such a loud, mirthful laugh...
I wiped a small tear on my gauntlet as I rode through the canyons separating Lanaryu and Faron Provinces. No; I swore to myself yesterday I wouldn't cry after I made my way back across the barren desert wastes of the Gerudo Desert, alone. Princess Zelda had tried to come with me; I suppose to comfort me, in a way. But I ignored her pleas and kept walking until I heard her disappear in a rush of wind. It wasn't anything personal; I actually consider her a close friend, even though we hardly know one-another. I hope she understood why I needed to leave.
The rocky canyons beyond Lake Hylia were quiet for once in a long while. Fortunately all the Bulblins had left these lands after Ganondorf fell. Good thing too; I wasn't exactly in fighting shape at the moment. My thoughts were elsewhere, stuck in the past during my journey. Back when she was still with me.
As I entered the southern plains of Hyrule Field and spotted Faron Woods in the distance, several more memories returned to me. The long scabbard that held the sacred Master Sword painfully whacked my back as Epona leaped over a fence, and yet I didn't so much as grimace. The thought of the Master Sword brought back even more flashbacks, one of which was the worst of my life.
I awoke as a wolf in the middle of a night-blanketed Hyrule Field, much like it was tonight. Usually I was greeted by my imp's shrill criticisms or playful teasing, and yet all I heard was harsh, heavy breathing. I spun around for the source until I finally caught sight of her. She looked deathly pale; her once beautiful azure skin now as white as the peaks of Snowhead. Her voice was faint, little more than a whisper. Yet I could still make out one sentence.
"Link…h-hurry...t-to where...Princess Zelda...waits..."
No monster in this world or the next could have inspired the same amount of dread I felt when I heard those fragile words escape her frail lips. That's when I remembered the light spirit Lanyru, the Lakebed Temple, the last of the four Fused Shadows.
Zant… I growled with hatred as I rushed through Hyrule Field. Zant, the Usurper King who stole the throne from the rightful ruler of the Twilight Realm and turned her into a disfigured imp.
My imp...my Midna.
The merciless rainstorm stung against my fur as I ran to Castle Town. I sensed Midna slipping away as I crossed the bridge, her breathing even shallower with each breath she took. That was one of the only times I was glad to be a wolf. Looking back on it now, I don't think I would have made it if I was a Hylian.
Few people were out in the streets of Castle Town as I made my way through the streets and alleys. The few stupid enough to be out in such a brutal storm fled in fear the moment they saw me. I rushed down the marble staircase in the Western part of the town, remembering that Telma had a secret way in to the castle in her bar.
After a long trip through the murky depths of Hyrule Castle, I finally reached Zelda's private chambers. By that time Midna couldn't hold out any longer; she slid off my fur and collapsed into a heap on the floor, motionless. I rushed to her side and nudged her with my nose with a whine. When I looked back up, I found Princess Zelda herself towering above us. She kneeled down to eye level and placed a petite hand on Midna. After a moment she stood up again, still eying us. Despite how much pain Midna was in, the little imp still had enough energy to speak.
"Please... Please tell me... How do we break...the curse on this one? This...is the one... You need him...to save your world! That's why... Princess... Please... You must help Link..."
I turned back around in shock when I heard those words, refusing to hear her pleas. How could she? I wanted to scream at her; demand to know what she was thinking by being so selfless, yet all that came out of me was a few barks. Zelda only shook her head.
"What binds him is a different magic than what transformed him when he first passed through the curtain of twilight; it is an evil power. Our world is one of balance... Just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil."
She turned her calculating gaze back to me. "Head for the Sacred Grove that lies deep within the lands guarded by the spirit Faron. There you will find the Blade of Evil's Bane that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages...the Master Sword. The Master Sword is a sacred blade that evil can never touch. Evil cloaks you like a dark veil...and that blade is the only thing that can cleave it. Link... Hero sent by the Goddesses...like you, I have been granted special powers by the Goddesses..."
Midna cut in before Zelda could finish. "Fine... Link... You can... You can get to the woods...on your own, right? Princess... I have one last request...can you tell him...where to find the Mirror of Twilight?"
I was in utter disbelief at Midna's words. I desperately wanted to comfort her, to tell her that she was more important right now. That I couldn't find those woods on my own. Dammit, I needed her! I could stand being a wolf for the rest of my life, but I just couldn't…couldn't…
"Midna..." Zelda said, "I believe I understand now just who and what you are...despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead...these dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty. Accept this now, Midna. I pass it to you..."
A golden light emitted from her hand as its warm glow enveloped Midna's frail form in a gentle embrace. She protested immediately, telling me in a panic to stop her. But right as I turned back to where Zelda was, she was already gone. Nothing, not even her cloak was left.
I turned back to Midna and was overjoyed to see her fully healed. And yet I could tell she hadn't wanted Zelda's gift at all. We both gazed at the glimmering Triforce mark now etched ontp Midna's hand as we silently mourned the loss of a friend. The next day we found the Master Sword, and before I knew it I was Hylian again.
To this day, I still wondered what was going through Zelda's mind when she chose to sacrifice herself for Midna. Perhaps I'd ask her someday, whenever I saw her again.
I smiled faintly when the familiar smells of the forest ticked me nostrils as Epona entered Faron Woods. It was a small comfort, but it was welcoming all the same. I passed Cojo's small hut and the spring where the light spirit Faron resided as I continued on toward the only place I ever called home—Ordon Village.
The thought of home brought another smile to my face, but again my thoughts drifted back to Midna. Why was I thinking about her so much? She was a close friend, but so was Ilia for that matter, and I didn't spend every waking moment thinking about her. Then why?
I suppose it could be because of how long we had been together; the danger and excitement we both experienced. We were partners in every sense of the word. Whenever I needed a hand in figuring out some obscure puzzle in a dungeon, she was there. Whenever I entered the twilight and became a wild beast, she was always on my back providing as much assistance as she could (well, most of the time at least, even if it was for her own selfish reasons back then). True, she could be annoying and sometimes harsh, and even admitted that she originally wanted to simply use me to get her kingdom back. Yet even when she confessed, I didn't care at all. I just gave her a warm smile, and she couldn't help but touch a warm hand to my cheek and smile back. I had every right to just abandon her right then and there in the Gerudo Desert, yet I decided to stay. I guess I really was her "wolf" after all.
A wolf and an imp...it sounded almost poetic.
But if we grew so close, then why did she have to break the mirror? I understood she had a duty to fulfill, but why did she sever the only link between our two worlds? Was it really so bad here? Did she not want to see me again?
I wiped another tear out of my eye as I continued on under the looming shadows of the trees, trying to force myself to stop. I knew I was reaching the bridge that connected Ordon with the rest of Faron Woods, having trodden down this trail with Rusl so many times. I knew only thinking about her would make the pain even worse, but for better or worse, the thoughts and memories wouldn't leave my head.
I remember how I felt after our battle with Ganondorf's beast form. As I watched the ethereal embers burn the corpse of that monster into nothing, I felt like a weight had been unloaded from my shoulders. Midna floated next to me and leaned against my shoulder, resting as she aimed another toothy grin in my direction. Zelda came up to us, revived with the Triforce of Wisdom. Yet Ganondorf rose from the ashes as a spirit, hellbent on killing all of us.
I reached for the Master Sword, but Midna stopped me with an arm. She had a look of determination in her eyes; one I've come to recognize far too well when she sets her mind to something. When the four Fused Shadows were summoned, I finally pieced it together.
I reached out to her, to tell her it was suicide to do this alone. Yet I was teleported away before I could do anything at all. I still recalled the smile she bore, how gorgeous she looked when she smiled like that despite the sadness that lingered in her eyes. She wanted to protect me one last time, even if she forfeited her life in the process.
But even the Fused Shadows weren't enough to vanquish the King of Evil. For as soon as Zelda and I reappeared in Hyrule Field, the castle exploded. There amidst the rubble and dust was a sight that will haunt me to the end of my days. He, Ganondorf, was there on horseback, gripping a familiar headpiece in his fist…my blood still boils at the thought.
When he crumbled that headpiece like it was nothing, it was like my own heart had been crushed along with it. I felt a despair that I had never experienced before, yet it was quickly overcome with a rage I never knew I had within me.
I held nothing back as I mercilessly clashed swords with that heartless bastard. I only stopped once I felt the Master Sword skewer his beating heart and heard him let out an inhuman scream. I wanted him to pay for all the pain he had caused me, Midna, Zelda, Ilia, the kids, Rusl, and everyone else he had ever hurt or killed in his pathetic life.
As I passed the Ordon Spring where the light spirit Ordon dwelled, I recalled the aftermath of the battle, and the special surprise the light spirits had for me. I thought I had seen a familiar, imp-like shape in the distance. Not believing my eyes, I ran towards the shape as fast as my legs could carry me. But as I neared the shape, it wasn't who I thought it was…it was even better. Slowly, a Twili with a woman's figure rose up to gaze upon me. Inticrate blue markings ran up her darkened skin, her flaming orange hair tied neatly together in a knot right above her breasts. She had a radiant smile, and a special mirth in her eyes that I had grown so accustomed to.
She was the most beautiful being I had ever seen, even fairer than the Goddesses themselves, dare I say it! I wanted to reach out to her, to hold her in my arms and hear her laughter once again. But a part of me was still skeptical: was this woman really who I thought it was? My prayers were answered when she spoke, for it was in the voice of the imp who had sacrificed her life for mine.
"What? Say something! Am I so beautiful that you've no words left?"
The curse was finally broken; she was back to her original form. At that moment I wanted so badly to say something; tell her how much I cared about her, how devastated I was when I thought she had perished, how important she was to me…but all I could do was smile.
It was close to midnight judging by the moon's position when I finally reached my tree house. No one was around; maybe they all got tired of waiting around for me. Not that I wanted everyone to see me right now anyway; I'm not sure I could force any more smiles that night. After I hitched Epona to her tree and gave her some fresh oats and water, I gazed back up at the hundreds of stars in the sky. Every time I did I saw her face and the entrancing light of the twilight realm.
As I climbed up the ladder to my porch, one question kept nagging my thoughts. Yes, I knew without a doubt that I cared for Midna, but was there something more behind it? Why did it feel as my soul was truly ripped in two when she through the portal? What was she trying to say to me, before she shattered that mirror?
What if she...Oh Goddesses, why didn't I see it before!
I forced my way through the door and unstrapped my Hylian Shield and scabbard, letting it fall with a clatter to the floor as I started to break down. I barely made to my bed as I curled up into a ball, hugging myself as the pillow absorbed my tears.
It all made sense now; my feelings, our bond, her distraught look as she disappeared back into the twilight. I finally knew in my heart what she wanted to say to me before she disappeared. Not that it mattered; she was gone forever.
"Link, I...I...I love you."
Well, wasn't that uplifting? I felt really bad for Link as he watched Midna enter the portal at the end of Twilight Princess. He seemed so sad and lost as he rode back to Ordon (and eventually out of it, I think), and I truly believe that Midna wanted to say those three little words to him, but just couldn't do it. Anyway, reviews would be nice, I greatly appreciate them. Thanks for reading everyone, I hoped you enjoyed it!
-Sheik