{[ Hey everyone! So this is my first Legend of Zelda fanfiction! I've been wanting to do this AU for quite some time now and finally built up the guts to do it! I'm sorry this chapter is so boring but I had to get some exposition in here to set up my story. I also wanted to add I named it Evil in the Darkness because Lorule is the darker half of Hyrule. Or you can take it as the twilight coming in the dark. Either way- I'll stop babbling now. I hope you enjoy my first chapter and I'll try to be quick with updating. Have fun reading! ]}

Fingers strummed in a rhythmic pattern against the cold metal arms of the throne. 'Urgent Affairs' simply weren't something common in this day and age; ever since she had reclaimed the throne, the Twilight Realm had experienced an ongoing time of peace. It was a time people enjoyed themselves after war nearly broke loose. It had been chaos; not only her people, but the people of dwelling within the world of light also suffered. Monsters thrived…and if it wasn't for that green-clad boy, the Princess didn't know where her people would be today.

Ever since Midna had returned to the throne, her people and her kingdom had done nothing but thrived.

This was why when an aid told her that guards had a 'pressing matter' to discuss with her, the twili beauty could only feel a pit form within her stomach. She, of course, hadn't shown such an emotion. It was not becoming of royalty to do so. No, she simply sighed, and gave a rather indifferent look to the help before giving the instructions of having them meet her within the throne room. Even as she sat now, crimson hues examining the blue-skinned guards entering through the large double doors at the other side of the room, she found her expression neutral. But on the inside; oh on the inside she feared only the worst. The two men knelt before their ruler, and then timidly looked up. This sort of aversion never meant anything good.

The minute words managed to slip past, Midna found her lips twitch, and her body was swept up off the very thrown she sat it. Had it not been secured onto the ground, it no doubt would have been kicked up with the force she exerted.

"The mirror, your majesty…it's…it looks like it is operational."

"Thank you. I will see to this matter on my own accord. You are both dismissed."
The guards had looked at one another with a dumbfounded look. Before they could get another word in edgewise, they found their princess's exterior finally crack,

"I said you are both dismissed!" She was quick to shout, and the pair was quick to get to their feet and hightail it out of there.

That was what brought the Twilight Princess to where she was; crimson hues staring at the damned thing in all its wretched beauty. She felt as if something was in her stomach, clenching her organs together only to flip them over and around every inch inside of her being. How had they managed to put the fragments back together? She knew humans were not weak, he had taught her that, but there was no way they would have been able to fix such a shattered piece of glass. She had made sure that no one would be able to re-enter her world and she had to make sure she did it sufficiently. She thought she had done an appropriate job, but unfortunately, this mirror showed otherwise.
The princess found it hard to swallow the lump in her throat. Returning to that world where he was—it caused her heart to flutter; something she scolded herself for. She didn't have time to full around with that sort of thing, not anymore anyway. She had royal duties to fulfill, and right now, one of those meant destroying that mirror. She would be destroying it for a second time, and this time being sure that no one would ever be able to piece the horrid thing together for the rest of her lifetime. This was her responsibility, and even if it caused her a sore heart to return to the Light Realm, she sucked it up.

It was her place to protect both her kingdom and Zelda's. So long as that mirror bridged their world together there was no safety. They did not need another Zant and so long as Midna upheld her responsibilities, they would never have another maniac like him. So, with a deep breath, and the slightest hint of trepidation, she had entered the portal, and prepared herself for that harsh light the Light Realm brought. And she waited in vain.

This was one of the rare times in her life Midna found genuine shock take hold of her, and a gasp escaped past parted lips. Crimson hues had widened to the size of saucers, examining the area around her. This was not the desert she remembered visiting with the boy. This was not the bright and beautiful world she once knew. This…this wasn't Hyrule Kingdom at all. This simply looked like a war torn world—a world filled with darkness, with tragedy, and most of all, with twilight.

While beautiful in her eyes, this was not a sight she wanted to behold, not here. This was not the Twilight Realm; this was not supposed to be happening. Her gaze turned momentarily back upon the mirror behind her. This wasn't what she was supposed to find behind the shroud of this mirror. She had cast the darkness out of the Light Realm with the hero; she was there for it all so how had this happened?

Her job was simply to come here and destroy the mirror…that was all she had to do. This world was already too far gone; if the twilight had reached all the way out into the desert there was no telling how far it spread. It was no use trying to save things now; she could easily destroy the mirror and leave. That's what she came here to do, right, to protect her world? Her body turned with that thought, gaze fierce upon the relic, that portal that started all this madness. And she could end it with a flick of the wrist. The solution was simple to her. She prepared to exit this world, ready to destroy the mirror at a simply command. A hand rose, she waited until the best moment, any second—

And she stopped at the very last moment.

She simply couldn't pull herself to do it. How could she turn a blind eye to an innocent world in danger? How could she turn a blind eye when her own world had been in the same predicament and someone came and assisted her? But the real question now was where in the hell was she supposed to begin?

Midna couldn't put a finger on how long she had been traveling these barren lands. It was all so familiar to her, too familiar and yet it held subtle differences she could just barely point out. The landscape wasn't particularly identical to Hyrule—by now she could definitely rule out this land being Hyrule which was both a relief and yet a cause of anxiety. How could she have let this happen, how did this happen? Right under her nose, it seemed. The one astounding feature glaring her in the face was the enormous amount of twili beasts that swarmed this land. Hyrule had its fair share of these monsters, of course, but never to this extent…never to this extent. What this told Midna was that this land had not only been infested, but it had been this way for quite some time. She couldn't help but feel a bit of guilt welling up inside of her.

She didn't know where to start when it came to at least trying to lend a helping hand. She had one hell of a time simply trying to get anywhere amid the beasts; Midna also did her best to try and at least thin the herd. There were so many—it seemed like they were endless but nonetheless she found herself killing monster after monster. She couldn't admit it aloud, wouldn't admit it, but it was almost too much for even her to handle. She found her nerves wrench at the sound of a howl; only the goddesses knew what else lurked around her. It wasn't that that had truly unnerved the princess however. It was the sound of a bloodcurdling scream.

A yelp soon followed.

Midna couldn't help but feel her footsteps pick up. It was all too familiar to her; that distressed noise. It couldn't be him—no, that was ridiculous, not here, so what on earth made such a noise. When she met with a black hide, she knew exactly what had made such a wretched noise. Her gaze then panned over to a mangy looking creature lying against an old decaying tree. She assumed the beast had hurled the mutt into the trunk which is where that yelp came from—the world was so cruel here. Even as it lay unconscious the twili beast loomed over it. Ready to strike; Midna had beaten it to the kill. She watched as the creature gave off one final scream, before collapsing and finally having its disgusting form disappear from her sight.

It was then her full attention could be drawn onto that disheveled creature a few feet from her form. She found herself walking towards the unconscious thing, only to be startled when a low growl came from it. So, it wasn't out. Then why had it not gotten up to fend for itself? Yet again she began her approach and the growing only worsened with each step. She was hardly afraid of the beast; she had clearly proved that she was unfazed when she had eradicated the other one moments prior. It was only when the princess was in arm's reach did the creature actually attempted to pull itself to its feet. It had faltered a few times before it got a firm stance upon the ground. She could tell its breathing was labored, and yet the growling still continued nonetheless. It was showing all signs of aggression in its manner, and yet its physical signs said otherwise. It was backing away from her; it was cowering in on itself. The poor thing was barely able to get back up after that last blow, honestly, Midna was surprised the thing could stand at all. She noted the heavy weight around its front leg. No doubt that had been weighing the poor creature down.

She dared to take another step closer to the thing, eyes meeting with its own set. They looked so broken, so lost, so….
Midna's own eyes widened ever so slightly, the realization hitting her in the face like a ton of bricks. She found her tongue rub hard against the back of her teeth, letting this thought ponder in her mind for a few moments.

It was then that a clever smirk crossed her delicate features, and a very gentle chuckle escaped past her lips.

"Tsk…now, now. Is that anyway to treat someone who wants to try and help you? Look—you've let your world get into a lot of trouble now, haven't you? And it looks like I'm going to have to try and help you fix this mess. You'd think you'd want to try and be a tad nicer to someone who knows you've had quite enough of looking like that." And just like that, the growling had stopped. There was a long minute of just gazing. That creature's stunning emerald green hues meeting with her own blood red eyes; and then Midna broke the silence.

"Good. I'm taking that as a sign you're willing to cooperate. There's a lot to do—but I suppose I should suck it up and first help you get back to your original form, hm?"
She wasn't lying. There was so much she would have to do with this world and with this mutt no doubt. He looked…honestly, pathetic. How could he have been chosen out of all the young men in this realm?
Oh well. It didn't matter now. She didn't have much of a choice in the matter, nor did he. The goddesses had chosen him and there was no going back now.

He was the hero of this realm. It looked like he was finally going to have to step up to the plate, and unfortunately, it looked like Midna was going to have to help him.