Disclaimer: I don't own Legend of Zelda, a PS3, a plasma screen, or a rhino. I'm currently working on the latter.

The Legend of Zelda: In Fading Light

Chapter 1: Dark Days

The Twilight Princess stood upon the battlements of the Castle Lathel looking out on the mountains of the Eastern Lands. Her cowl was drawn over her face, as if she were hiding from the realm that had once been hers. Perhaps she was—she'd failed it twice now; who wouldn't hide from the shame, the angry eyes of the people that she imagined in the distance?

Midna sighed tiredly and put a hand to her head. How could she have let it come to this? Was she really so weak? She felt a tear slither down her cheek and she grew angry.

"Damn it, Midna!" she cursed herself quietly, furiously. "Pull yourself together, you addle-brained fool. You've got more important things to do! You can't just sit around all day feeling sorry for yourself. What happened wasn't your fault. You couldn't have stopped him… No one could, not even Link…"

A vicious voice in the back of her mind disagreed. "You could have and you know it," it taunted. "You didn't fight hard enough. You let your own stubborn pride cloud your judgement by not telling anyone about the Grimoire and then you gave into the temptations of its power. Now you reap the rewards of your idiocy, foolish little Twilight Princess."

Midna winced, her anger receding. She'd been hearing that voice all too often in the past two weeks. She had wondered if Ganondorf still held some vestige of control over her mind, but she doubted it. She was sure she would be able to tell if he ever wormed his way into her subconscious again—besides, Zelda had given her the all-clear.

No, the voice was her own. It acted as part guilty conscience, part self-loathing and it certainly did nothing to make her feel better about the whole situation. It only served to sink her into fits of depression and despair with the constant reminders that this mess was her doing. More and more she tended to agree with it.

Faint, padding footsteps punctuated by sharp clicks approached. Midna recognized the sound and turned to see a large, lupine figure walking towards her.

A quiet, concerned voice sounded in her mind. "Midna, are you all right?"

Her eyes softened as she felt a stab of guilt. Link stalked over to her side and nuzzled her hand with his nose. Looking at Link, Midna couldn't help but turn her eyes skyward.

The Twilight, usually illuminated with the beautiful light of dusk, was nearly pitch black, like the night of a new moon. Their eyes had adjusted to this well enough—Link's more so, given his wolf form—but they still missed the comfort afforded by that light. Midna's mind drifted off, remembering the beginning of this darkness.

Link and Taque started at the sudden change in surroundings as Midna teleported them away from the danger at the Palace of Twilight and into an open field, several miles to the east—she would have warped further had she been able to muster the strength. She fell to her knees on the soft, violet grass, thoroughly exhausted.

They had lost the fight against Ganondorf, as well as their best weapon against him, the Master Sword. Link had thrown it through the portal in a successful, if costly, last ditch effort to prevent the Dark Lord from getting to Hyrule.

Yes, Link had succeeded in trapping Ganondorf, but, in doing so, the Hero had also trapped himself and his friends in the Twilight with him, a deadly foe who was no doubt hell-bent on revenge.

Midna closed her eyes, waited for the world to stop spinning. A cool hand touched the back of her neck. Link brushed some hair out of her face. "You all right?"

"Fine," she told him, flashing a weary, but very Midna-like smirk at him. "Give me a hand?" She didn't trust herself to stand on her own.

Link took her gently by the arm and hoisted her up. She nodded after a moment and he let her go. Almost immediately, she swayed and started to fall. Swift as lightning, the Hero grabbed her right shoulder. Taque, still a little disoriented himself, managed to grab her left, helping to keep her up. Together he and Link held her steady until she could stand without help.

They quickly checked to see that there were no pressing injuries among them—one of Link's ribs had been re-broken in the battle and Midna did her best to heal him as quickly as she could manage. Other than that, they had mostly cuts and bruises, but none were overly serious. They set off. Taque explained to them how Zelda and the others would be heading to his family's lands, and so that was where the trio set their bearings. They moved in silence for the most part, each working to process what had just happened.

Taque, along with trying to get the facts of his brother's murder straight in his mind—he had hated Midna so thoroughly, so completely for it, that it was hard to imagine that the deed could have been done by another's hand (this was an explanation he was still waiting to hear in its entirety, but he didn't mind the wait so much at the moment)—was trying to cope with his first face off with the Lord of Darkness, one of the few truly evil beings in the world. He had a sickening feeling that their first meeting would not be their last.

Link was made to bear his multiple failures in the last few days—had it really been so short a time?—to protect the things he loved. First Midna, then Zelda, then the Twilight—he had indeed grown to admire this odd, mysterious realm. What was next? What if the next time someone died because of him? What if he lost Midna? Or Zelda? What if Taque or Ralon—or worse, some innocent—died for his mistakes? What then?

The Twilight Princess had somewhat simpler feelings than her companions; worry, doubt and despair had yet to reclaim their holds in her mind. She was just trying to wrap her mind around the fact that she was free at last.

The trio had been walking for a little over two hours—exhausted though Link and Midna were, their fear of pursuit was stronger than the complaints of their aching feet—when it happened. A great, resounding crack, like thunder, broke the sky. Taque jumped nearly out of his boots, while Link and Midna—a bit more battle-minded than the young Twili—whirled to see what had caused it.

The Palace of Twilight loomed behind, a distant mirage on the horizon. The world was still. Slowly, ever so slowly, an aura of crimson became apparent around the castle. Then, abruptly, a beam of that same scarlet shot up from the central spire of the Palace of Twilight and into the clouds—here both Twili clutched their heads, the magical emanations so powerful as to overwhelm their sixth sense and send daggers of pain into their skulls. The beam fed upon the aura, and, once it had drained it dry, the beam faded. The magic, however, did not.

It stayed high above the clouds, transforming from red to deepest black as it expanded across the sky at an ever quickening rate—a process almost disturbingly akin to an ink drop spreading on a piece of parchment. The magic's echoes died away and Taque and Midna grew used to its presence. They released their heads. The stain upon the sky continued to approach as it extended in all directions.

The young lord asked, "What is it?"

Link turned his eyes to Midna, at a loss, hoping, like Taque, that she knew. She shook her head. She began, "I don't…" Understanding reared its ugly head. Midna grabbed the Hero's arm. "Link, we need to go! Come on!"

But it was too late. The spell had reached them, spreading a pall of shadows on the land all around them as it continued to seep through the Realm of Twilight. The Twili were unaffected, but Link gave a cry of pain—Ganondorf would take what vengeance he could. He pitched forward as his body was rearranged and transmuted, bones, muscles and all. When all was done, no trace of the young Hylian remained.

The thing that struggled back to its feet was a wolf.

Link whined, jolting Midna from her memories. She'd been so lost in them that she had not answered his question yet. Realizing this, she looked down at him with what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "How many times do I hafta tell you not to worry about me, wolf breath?" Her attempt at a grin and her jest failed; the smile didn't reach her eyes. It rarely did these days.

"More than you have, apparently. You aren't fooling Zelda either, you know," he added. "Or Noct or Taque—not even Ralon."

"Not Ralon? Wow, my acting skills are getting rusty," she quipped, equal parts sad and amused. "How about Nero, then?"

Link huffed at her. "Midna…" Any aggravation he showed, he didn't wholly feel. Jokes were good. Jokes were Midna. Jokes meant that she was feeling—at least somewhere deep down—somewhat happy, somewhat more like herself. More than she had in a while, anyway.

"That's a 'Yes' for Nero?"

Link let out a sound somewhere between bark and growl—his wolfish equivalent to a chuckle. Midna grinned again and it just touched her eyes before her mind turned to her Captain of the Guard and each of her and Link's other companions. That was a reunion that hadn't gone as she might have hoped, but was all that she could have expected.

After six more days of travel, doing their best to avoid people and towns while moving as fast as they could manage, stopping only for food and rest—and then only briefly—Link, Midna, and Taque reached Castle Lathel.

The home of Taque's family was smaller than the Palace of Twilight and, unlike the other building, stood on solid ground as with most of Midna's realm—the Abyss was to the Twilight what oceans were to the Light Realm, the Palace being on a small group of relatively central islands while most everything else resided on continents. Castle Lathel was also on the lavish side by comparison, with fearsome, grinning gargoyles without and embroidered tapestries and finely made metal-works—ornate suits of armor, decorative blades and such, all useless for battle—within.

Taque took a deep breath. "It's good to be home," he said, hoping that coming back here might herald a return of normalcy to his life.

As they drew nearer the front gates, it became obvious that this was not to be. A company of his family's guards emerged from inside, weapons at the ready, riding what the Twili called 'tsirin'—their version of horses. Link growled deep in his throat and moved to stand in front of Midna. She turned to the young lord uncertainly.

"Taque…?"

He shook his head. The trio eyed the guards nervously as the ranks split and they formed a circle around them. Spears gleamed in the minute light, never wavering. Taque cleared his throat anxiously and stepped forward, stopping as a spearhead pressed against his chest in warning. He did his best to keep hide his trembling. He was not altogether successful.

"I-I command you to st-stand down."

A guard—Taque recognized her as Kiris, a sergeant and longtime friend of his—rode forward. She told him, "I'm sorry, my lord, but we cannot obey. We've been ordered to take you and your friends into custody."

"B-but, I am the l-lord of these lands and th-this house, who c-could supersede me?"

Kiris's mouth twisted apologetically. "I'm sorry, my lord, but you must be tested first." It pained her to worry Taque, knowing his nervous character as she did.

Midna, hidden by her cloak, was about to reveal her identity but Link advised, "Wait. Let's find out what their game is and who they're working for, if not Taque, first. It could be dangerous."

She hesitated then gave a short nod of agreement

The guards led them into the castle, seemingly untroubled by the presence of a wolf, perhaps recognizing him as the Sacred Beast. They walked briskly through the opulent halls—Midna turned slightly to Taque, careful to make sure the guards couldn't see her, and raised an eyebrow at the extravagance; he blushed and gave a small shrug—to arrive before a set of doors that looked surprisingly un-dungeon-like compared to their expectations. Pausing only long enough to knock and receive the okay to proceed, Kiris brought them into a meeting room where a startling sight greeted the trio.

The room was bare of furnishing, save for a long table with chairs to match—this was one of the few places that showed that the Lathels had a serious streak in them. Seated side by side at the table were Noct and Nero, brothers and former Palace workers—Noct, Midna's personal assistant; Nero, the Captain of the Palace Guard. Across from them was a flickering ball of pale, blue light that gave off white flame. With sharpened senses, Link knew this to be Ralon, an unassuming Hylian in his forties, but good with a blade despite his years—or, perhaps, because of them—as evidenced in that he led the Phoenix Elites at Castle Hyrule. At the head of the table sat a young woman with dirty blonde hair and emerald eyes; Princess Zelda's Triforce pulsed briefly, acknowledging Link's.

Link started forward, glad of a happy surprise for a change. He reached out with his mind, as Midna had once taught him. "Zelda—"

"Halt, Hero," she commanded, voice cold and aloof. He stopped dead in his tracks. "Before anything, you and your companions must be tested."

"T-Tested for what?" Taque asked.

"For the presence of the Grimoire's dark taint, to ensure it's master"—Zelda spoke the word distastefully, a flicker of pain in her eyes—"does not control your mind as she did Nero's." She gestured to Noct's elder brother, who winced at the memory, unclear though it was. "If I find it within you, I will do my best to remove it without damage to your mind. If this is impossible, then I am afraid we will be forced to confine you to the dungeons." Her face softened ever so slightly. "I am sorry."

The trio agreed—Zelda would not force her way into their minds, but they still had little choice—but Midna's nod was reluctant. She held back on revealing who she was. "Oh, this is gonna be fun…" she said to Link through their mental connection. He grunted in reply.

The princess stood, walked slowly over toward them. Midna drew back, unconsciously and almost imperceptibly. Zelda placed a hand on Link's forehead.

Zelda examined Link and Taque's minds cautiously, wary that the Grimoire's master—she refused to think of her as Midna any longer, not after all she had done—might use any power existing therein to try and control her. The test went quickly for both as she did not need to go deep into their minds; she knew what to look for after helping Nero. As such, she had no need to delve into their memories, as any remembrance of the control and the controller would be blurry and unfocused, as with the young Twili. Zelda's magic barely brushed the Twilight Princess before she withdrew in alarm.

"You…" she croaked out, taking a swift backstep. The guards behind Link and Taque turned their weapons at Midna, uncertain at the princess's reaction. Noct and Nero stiffened, hands going to their swords, while Ralon's spirit stilled, tensing.

Midna pulled down her hood, causing the nearly everyone else in the room to start as Zelda had. "Yeah, me," she said, falsely light. "So… how've you been, Zel?"

The Princess of Hyrule, indeed the entire room, was struck speechless at Midna's reveal and her nonchalance—excluding Link, who rolled his eyes, and Taque, who, having gotten to know Midna a bit on the journey here, just sighed. The silence lengthened.

Nero stood so suddenly that his chair flipped onto its back. His sword was in hand. Noct was only a beat behind. Ralon bobbed in annoyance, unable to do anything to help in the battle that he was sure was coming. The guards kept their positions, ready for anything their supposed traitor-ruler might throw at them.

Zelda was motionless. Her first instinct was to take hold of her magic and prepare to fight, but she did not. Her mind was lucid, her thoughts clear. Something wasn't right—or, more accurately, it felt like something was right that should not be. Link and Taque had checked out. She caught the Hero's eye. He stood before Midna, fangs bared in a snarl that wavered only on meeting Zelda's gaze. Taque stood beyond him, guarding Midna's back. Why would they be protecting Minda, after her betrayals?

Slowly, the princess nodded to Link. He calmed.

"Halt." She spoke softly, but with the authority of the royal and leader that she was. All in the room obeyed, but none lowered their weapons. Zelda looked to Midna. Her counterpart's ruby eyes were serious for once and they did not show any of the cruel humor or malice she had last seen in them.

They looked like the eyes of the friend she had trusted so well.

"I think," Zelda said, "that you have a lot of explaining to do… Midna."

Things hadn't gone too badly from there, in Midna's opinion. She had told them all what had happened, with Link and Taque supporting her story where they could, then Zelda had examined her mind and found her words indisputably true. Zelda had been surprised and ashamed that no one had guessed, but then there had been no way to. The guards had been dismissed and a brief reunion had followed with hugs and apologies all around for the most part—communication with Ralon and Link was a little difficult. They mourned the loss of the Master Sword but celebrated their friend's return and began strategizing. A week passed and still they sat in stalemate—there simply were no practicable ideas.

Link turned, brushing Midna with his tail. "Standing around here all day won't do either of us any good," he said, jogging forward a couple feet. He turned back to her, waiting. "Let's see what the others are up to. Maybe they've thought of something," he commented hopefully.

Midna nodded, gave one last glance to the Twilight, and followed Link into Castle Lathel.

Author's Note: Here it is, finally. I am really sorry for how long I've been away. Some of it was school- last year and this year- and some of it was me being lazy/uninspired. I probably will not be able to update as frequently as I have in the past- a chapter every 2-ish weeks- due to my starting Junior year (doesn't seem like much but it's a big step up work-wise from sophomore year) but I will not be gone for 4-6 months again if I can help it. If it been a long time since I've updated, send me a PM. I check my e-mail fairly often so I will see it- this is how I've come back this and last time (last time, thanks to, I belive, Phantom Hunter; this time thank Shadow Commando).

So it's up far later than intended but I think it turned out well enough… The really hard part comes next chapter as I try to figure out how to introduce the plotline… Anywho, I'll also give an explanation to Link and Ralon's modes and methods communication in Chapter 2.

I know someone will ask: why didn't Midna and co. teleport? ... They fought an army of Twili, each other, and the Dark Lord. They were tired. Give them a break.

Now that I've bored you all to death with overly wordy explanations: as always, please Review and thanks for reading. (Thanks to everyone patient enough to put up with the wait, too.)

—TG