Twilite

Me: HI! Remember me? Gerudo and I decided to do a SEQUEL to New Beginnings! Everybody thank Seldavia for it, her PM is what convinced GerudoGirl to post it. As well as a few others :) TY to Onion1122 and Minty too!
Majora: Wave owns Maria. Maria owns the Gerudo. The Gerudo own your soul. Read the fanfic. And the title is misspelled because it's cooler.


"REINFOCEMENTS!" The last group of fresh soldiers rushed from every door, some leaping through larger windows, bows and arrows, spears, swords, and staves in hand. Black and purple fireballs crisped the Hylians to bits. She snapped one soldier's neck, keeping the fireballs away from the allies.

And then, in one heart-stopping moment, a soldier charged from his ranks, wielding an enormous axe, and chopped downward into the Gerudo King's chest.

Ganondorf's eyes widened in shock and horror. He glanced toward her in an infinitesimal instant. Their eyes met briefly, and she started forward. His eyes closed. He fell.

"NO!" she sat up, trembling and terrified. Only two months ago now, it happened that very same way, exactly as she'd dreamed. The Hylians attacked the Gerudo, paying for it with their lives. She remembered the first few kills, but everything after it was rather fuzzy. The only things she could remember were Enari pledging solemn support of her role as Leader, and hearing the horrifying news, that Ganondorf Dragmire's body vanished without a trace just before it was moved.

Maria Dragmire sighed and looked around. She wasn't in her room, she was in the library, sitting at a table, head cushioned by a large pile of books. Ever since his death, Maria separated herself from her friends to read in the library, leaving it only when needed. Most of the work she had to do was with her in the cavernous room, papers to sign, complaints (surprisingly, fewer complaints from Enari than ever), schedules, and stock reports.

"Having a dream again?" Maria turned her head to look inquisitively at Seva, who stood beside the table. She grinned and shook out her long red hair. "Heard you muttering in your sleep."

Maria sighed. "Sorry. I was . . . working." In her spare time, she helped the girls cook, train with weapons, haul in goods, and various odd jobs to keep herself occupied. When everything was completely done, she read. Books on Gerudo language, Gerudo culture, Sheikah culture (everyone wondered why), maps of Hyrule field and Gerudo Valley, Ancient Hylian language, Gerudo law, and battle tactics.

"Why don't you just have someone teach you how to speak Gerudo?" demanded Seva. Maria shook her head uneasily.

"I'd hate to take anyone else's time to learn how to speak a language I should know," she replied, unusually quiet, even for her. Seva frowned.

"Whatever. Anyway, Rane's back. She wants to talk with you."

Maria sighed again. Rane had roaming in her blood, and often took days to travel through Hyrule and Termina. This time, she had planned to ride to Kokiri Woods, search around, and come back within the week. Two weeks ago. By now, the thief probably ran out of food and water. She also probably came back with nothing stolen from the Hylians.

Groaning, she followed Seva out of the library to have a chat with the returned wanderer.

-
Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the Gerudo, Hylians, or any race, hostile or peaceful, a secret meeting was being held. Three people sat around an enormous table, watching a scene through the crystal ball in the middle of their table.

The smallest of the forms finally spoke. "It cannot go on this way," she said, brushing away the blue silk scarf tied around her shoulders.

"The others are in trouble. Send her to fix things." The second speaker had a commanding voice. "It must be mended. The danger must be eradicated."

"As you wish," the third replied, bowing out of courtesy. "This will be the trigger, then?"

The woman with the blue scarf nodded. "Send it back," she said. "Now."

The slender object vanished in a small burst of light, and the three figures left the room in silence.

-
Rane stood beside a large sack full of supplies, waiting for Maria and Seva. The thief looked almost worried. She was a week overdue, what if Maria decided torture punishments should be brought back into Gerudo society?!
While Rane sweated over her punishment, she fiddled with the little object she'd brought back as a personal gift for Maria herself. She hoped it would be enough of a peace offering, or, if not, at least a "thanks for being a nice person" present. Rane was almost certain it was rare; surely, she'd never seen anything like it.

"Rane?" the thief flinched, smoothing hair back from her face. Maria stood in the doorway, a solemn look on her face. Of course, it was expected. Maria hadn't smiled since Ganondorf's death.

"Um . . . Highness . . ." began Rane, but stopped when Maria lifted an eyebrow. Struck by how much she looked like Ganondorf, Rane began to laugh.

Maria openly stared. "Rane, are you . . . all right?"

Rane clutched her sides, falling to her knees in helpless laughter. "I'm so sorry, Maria," she choked. "It's just . . . you looked so funny, so much like Ganon—"

She stopped. Maria's face hardened considerably, but it was a calm tone in which she said, "You're a week later than expected."

Rane sighed. "Well, Miss, it happened strange-like." She fumbled for the words. "I was in Hyrule Castle Town, stealing things from the Hylians like a good little pickpocket, and . . . well, this might sound strange, but . . . I had this feeling. This feeling, it was like, like . . . I had to be somewhere, and that I couldn't resist if I wanted to. This pull was so strong, I jumped on my horse, ignored the good-looking Hylian I passed, and headed out for Kokiri Woods again. I'd been there before, but I missed this tiny little clearing towards the edge of the forest. I went in and looked around. It wasn't anything special, just a little spring, you know, some trees . . ." she fell silent. "Sorry, I was rambling a little, wasn't I?"

Maria nodded kindly. "Go on, though."

Rane swallowed hard. "Right. Anyway, I poked around, looked under rocks, found some Rupees, checked the spring . . . and there was something glittery at the bottom. I fished it out with a stick."

"What is this object?" inquired Maria, expressing genuine curiosity. Rane appeared relieved, secretly hoping Maria forgot about her being a week late.

"It's this, ma'am." She handed over the tiny object on a slender silver chain. Maria inspected it interestedly. The object was small and black, made of something like stone or metal. Thin, sharp points made the pendant seem mysterious, dangerous, and beautiful all at the same time. The tiny runes carved deep into the stone (or metal? Or something else?) were bright orange, seeming to glow in the half-light cast by floating light orbs.

Maria remained silent for a few moments. "It's very old," she said at last. "Powerful. I can sense that much." A light trace of purple ghosted around her and the object, then vanished like a mist. "However, it's nothing I've heard of, sensed, or read about. Not that I'm a living expert on everything magical." She sighed.

Damn. Almost managed a smile out of her. Aloud, Rane said, "So, what should I do with it? I was going to give it to you as a gift . . ."

Maria pondered, turning the pendant over in her fingers. "I'll see what I can learn about it," she answered finally. "Rane, I'd like you to show me where you found this."

"Sure. I'll just finish putting this stuff away." She gestured to the bag of supplies. Maria nodded again and turned to the door.

"Oh, and Rane?" Rane glanced up. Maria watched her from the doorway. "Two hours extra watch for being late and not alerting me as to why. You could have contacted me at any time."

Rane's shoulders slumped. "Never miss a beat, do you?"

"No."

Rane sighed. "You know what, you remind me of someone."

Maria frowned. "Rane . . ."

"No, I didn't mean Ganondorf. I meant . . . I meant your mother."

The girl's face twitched. "Thank you . . . I guess." She turned and left without another word.

-
Fifteen Gerudo waited impatiently for Rane to arrive. Maria gathered them up to take a little trip to the Kokiri Woods because Rane found some mysterious rock. At Nabooru's insistence, the girl reluctantly enlisted a travelling party for a weeklong trip to Kokiri Woods and back, despite her insistences that she could travel alone.

Maria, seated on top of a large, black mare, waited with a calm expression that, like that of her father before her, did nothing to betray anything she might be thinking. Many things were tumbling around inside her head, such as Rane's words regarding her mother, about Ganondorf and Nabooru, Vaki and his friends, about the first time, and the last time, she'd spoken with Ganondorf, the last time he'd met her eye, moments before his death . . . .

"Maria?" she snapped to attention. Kuza looked up at her anxiously. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she replied absentmindedly. "Uh, has Rane come yet?"

"We're waiting for your order, ma'am."

She reddened. "Of course you are. Sorry. Um . . . let's go, I suppose."

Kuza shouted orders to move out. Her horse fell in step with Maria's, but from the vacant look on the younger girl's face, she wouldn't be able to wrangle a conversation out of her. She, too, had the ability to withdraw into herself and ponder on a question for hours on end.

It was almost as if Ganondorf had been reborn in the form of his own child.

-
The days passed quietly. Though the girls talked and joked, it seemed to have no effect on the heavy, moody, and somber silence that descended on Maria and all who came close to her. The interest that fueled her desire to inspect the clearing in Kokiri Woods faded, and the shine was once again gone from her eyes. She never spoke a word except for soft commands to stop and camp and to continue on in the morning. Kuza had the odd feeling Maria hadn't eaten anything either. She had grown paler and thinner in the last two months, and her reaction time when sparring declined. Kuza also privately believed a six-year-old to be bigger in height, and weight, than Maria was.

"Maria?" she looked up from the sword she polished with an old rag. Her eyes were cold and dull, barely reflecting the light from the campfire that the others sat around, laughing about some recent bit of gossip.

"Yes?" she asked abruptly.

"All right, I'll be frank. Have you eaten at all since we left the Fortress, three days ago?"

Maria thought about it. "No," she said at last. "Why?"

Kuza gaped at her. "Are you crazy? Are you trying to starve yourself to death?!"

"Don't be silly." Maria stood up, sliding her sword back into its sheath. "I won't starve. I'm fine."

"But why," the thief pressed, "are you refusing yourself food?"

Maria looked directly into Kuza's eyes, catching and pinning her in place with the strength of her cold gaze. "Let's just say, Kuza, that the closer we get to Hyrule Castle, the way I am acting right now will seem warmer and friendlier." And with that, she went out for a walk.

That night, Maria's dreams were confused and frightening. She dreamed about Ronan and Ganondorf, about what Kuza said about her mother, about Rane and the mysterious pendant that dominated her thoughts. Ronan died in her arms and Ganondorf wove in and out of her sight, never saying a word. And at last, everything descended into darkness, leaving that black-and-orange crystal hovering in front of her. And then she woke up, sweating and trembling in the dark, wondering what it all meant.

-
Kokiri Woods was quiet, filled with a late-afternoon, silvery-blue mist that clung to their skin and clothes in tiny crystalline drips. Their breath steamed in the cool air, adding to the sweet-smelling mist. Their horses' hooves muffled by the soft moss coating the ground, the party moved along, talking quietly, voices a dull murmur that barely reached Maria's ears.

"It's right around here." Rane broke the near-silence at last. "Through those trees, I think."

Maria dismounted and motioned for the others to do the same. "We'll see about that," she said. "Three of you stay here with the horses." Enari, Rupee, and Brekka nodded obediently. The others started into the woods.

The trees were thick, forcing the Gerudo to find their own way through, yelling out directions for their friends. "Certainly many more trees than I remember," muttered Rane. She accidentally bumped into Maria. The girl fell hard. Just as she was about to get up, the earth beneath her gave way. She gave one yelp of surprise before the ground completely crumbled, sending her tumbling down a previously unnoticed hill into the verdant canopy below. "Maria!" screamed Rane. She tried to follow, but too late. The girl was already out of sight, scratching her face on brambles and thorns, bumping into logs and rocks, cutting her hand on a thorny vine when she tried to stop by grabbing onto a tree limb. "MARIA!"

The fall seemed to take forever. All she could feel was pain, all she could see were flashes of rotating colors. Maria finally halted, curled into a ball, blood dripping from her hands and face. There was absolute silence save for the chirping of some unseen bird. Stiffly, she pulled herself upright. Nothing was broken, but her bruised arms and legs and the cut over one eye told the tale. Silently, she thanked the Goddesses that she'd survived.

The clearing she'd landed in was small but peaceful, soft moss cushioning the ground under her feet. In the center was a tiny pool, framed by some beautiful trees. Water spouted from a spring and slid down into the pool, crystal-clear and reflecting the light of the sun through the trees. It was exactly as Rane described. This was, without a doubt, where the young thief had found that strange pendant.

"Rane, I found it!" she moved closer to the spring, one foot nearly touching the water. "Rane? Kuza?" she yelled. "Anyone?!"
There was no response.

"RANE?! Kuza! For Farore's sake, if you're up there, answer me!" Maria heard a faint yell in the distance. "HAKKAI?! Rane?!" Frustrated, she turned around. The spouting water gleamed different colors, blue, red, green . . . gold . . . and then, something began to tug at her insistently. She spun around. Nothing there.

The tug came again. It felt like someone invisible had wrapped their arm around her. It felt like a spell. There were the familiar, faint vibrations in the air. She scanned the area. Nothing except a bird. Unnerved, she strained her ears for any calls from her friends.

Something caught her, binding her with invisible ropes that seared with fire. She tried to scream, but no sound came out, and fought viciously against the bonds, a frenzied purple aura of her own magic sparking around her person. With one final wrench, the spell won. She gave up fighting it. The bonds had wrapped around her throat, and she fought now, not only to escape, but to breathe. At last, she stopped fighting, and fell into an oblivion so deep, she wondered if she'd ever breathe again.


Me: WOOT!! Nearly six pages! That's a record! I love fan fiction!
Zelda: Let me guess. You plan on talking until you HAVE six pages.
Me: Damn straight, lady.
Taki: Hey, Wave, why are all your assistants female?
Taki: You've got me, Xianghua, Cassandra, Talim, Zellie, Nightmare . . .
Nightmare: Are you calling me a woman?
Taki: No, you're the only man among us.
Me: . . . Are you calling ME a woman?
Taki: Maybe.
GerudoGirl89: Guys, we passed the 6-page mark already.
Everyone else: Sweat-drop. SORRY!
Taki: Review wonderful peoples! Gerudo gets 20 hits but 1 review, and she doesn't think it's fair. Review if you view!