Chapter One – A Prelude to Light

Day in the Twilight realm is always quite wan. That isn't to say that I dislike it at all - never. It has been my only home, and therefore I can grudge it nothing. However, I cannot help but notice that the pale, strained light that comes from the sky is never very good for lighting anything. Only the Sols in this world can do that. Lady Midna had replaced many of them that the usurper king had taken from us.

I shuddered involuntarily at the memory of my twisted form back then.

No. No, that kind of thought was not helpful at all. I was better than that. It was a period of my life that was now over, and besides, the Hero clad in green, with my Queen in his shadow, had saved me, though he never once saw me.

I had spent much of my time after my Queen had returned seeking that which Zant had denied to us: all of our mythology on the Three Golden Goddesses, as well as that of the Fierce Deity, who protects us in this shadow world; some of our Sols, though our Queen was far more efficient in finding them than I; putting the trapping hands back in their proper places – they were meant to hold prisoners, not Sols; and also cleansing our world of many of Zant's Twilight Messengers.

Currently, I was returning to the library in the Palace of Twilight with a bundle of scrolls under my arm. They were scrolls of those of whom I am partially of blood – the Sheikah. I had forgotten where I had placed them, to keep them safe from Zant, and only recently had I remembered. In my own chambers, nonetheless. It was almost laughable that I had placed them somewhere so obvious. Of course, Zant was too busy worshipping his false and fake god to look at anything under his nose.

I nodded to the librarian – a tall Twili, his eyes wide and glowing with a pure, white light – and made my way back to the proper section. The turquoise symbols on my hands and around my eye pulsated softly, helping to light my way, though several small Sols lined the walls. This always happened around some of the older records – the librarian had often said that the accumulated literature sometimes took on a semi-sentiant life, due to the ancient magic of our anscestors within them. It was always something that made me uneasy. Still, I continued on my way, coming to the small place in which the scrolls of my people were kept.

Half of my people, anyway. I am still a Twili, though my blood is of that ancient tribe.

The Sheikah were a proud and respectful people. The trait is still within me, for both of my bloodlines. I respect all that is of the Twili around me; I respect the Fierce Deity's choice in Midna as our Queen, and I respect hers of taking the Fused Shadows back into our realm. I also respect the weeping eye of the Sheikah. They were a race who suffered greatly because of themselves, and their god cried tears of blood for them. Ever since then, they had worn the symbol of his eye to remember their pasts, and I do too. I respect the dead as my people dictate, though when the Twili die, they simply become one with the twilight, so I find the idea of building deep catacombs and worshipping in them as odd.

I placed the scrolls in their place with reverence. No Sheikah remained in the Twilight, unless I was counted, but it did not mean that their memory was to be left to dust. I smiled, feeling an odd sense of nostalgia as I closed them in once more, as if I had done this before, long ago.

My throbbing Twili markings brought me away from those thoughts. They were foolish anyway; foolish thoughts by a foolish halfblood. I shook my head slightly. Those scrolls were placed there long before my time, and the librarian had always, before me, been the one to take them out and put them back in, though I had watched.

I turned and left the library, my Twili symbols diminishing in their glow as I left the area where the arcane knowledge was kept. The librarian bowed me out, whispering softly that I should come again. So few of the Twili spoke louder than a whisper.

I should really train. My abilities were becoming slightly rusted, though fighting the false messengers had kept me on my toes long enough. However, without my training, I could become overly confidant. I would not have that.

Yes, I would go to my rooms and retrieve my weapons, then I would take them down to courtyard and train in the wan light of the day. That was the most sensible thing to do. Hopefully none of the Twili children would get in my way.

I turned around a corner and found the door to my room slightly ajar. I had not left it open, and so I frowned, ready to flip the needles concealed up my sleeves into my hands should it be something that would attack me. One could not be too careful so soon after Zant's reign. It could be one of his messengers which had not yet given up upon its brief and borrowed life, or a kargarok. I shuddered horribly at that image. Still, it was not one that would daunt me. I eased open the door, my needles flipped out and held between each of my fingers, ready to strike.

Lady Midna, the Twilight Princess, the Queen of our shadowed realm, smiled at me, quirking an eyebrow in what appeared to be amusement at the needles in my hands. My shock was tangilble, and she laughed a little at me. My mouth was open and I closed it quickly, sinking down into a bow before her. She remained seated, and her odd, slightly echoing voice surrounded me.

"And to think I thought my messengers were not as jumpy as Zant's." I couldn't help but colour a little at that. She merely laughed again. "Get up, Daishan. I want to talk to you, not the back of your head."

I rose, questioning her with my eyes. She met mine levelly, and then sighed. It was only then that I noticed she was holding a bundle of cloth, which looked as though it could be wrapping something. Her hands were tightly clutching at it. Concern crossed me, for what was it that my queen could be so anxious about? Curiosity also rose within me, but it was against my nature to ask about it. I would be told in due time. Another Sheikah trait, I supposed.

"Daishan." My Twili Queen began, "Daishan, you know that I returned the Fused Shadows to the Twilight realm, don't you?" I nodded. It was simply common knowledge; they were returned to be placed in her safety. That was what she had told us. My agreement must have been reflected in my eyes, because she nodded her head once. "Good. Well, my Twilight Messenger, I do not have all of them." She continued before I had much of a chance to register. "When I was in the Light realm, my helm… the frontal part of the helm of the Fused shadows was stolen from me. Broken. I could not find it, when I had the power to do so." She lowered her head, looking at the object in her hands. "I assumed that the Light Princess, Zelda, would be able to take care of it. She is a competent and just ruler. However I… have my misgivings about the fused piece itself. It is the most powerful of all for parts, and for someone from the Light realm to touch it would cause disaster. I never once let the Hero lay his hands upon the ones he found for me, for fear of what they could do to him. Those in the Light realm helped and saved me, Daishan. I can't leave them to any chance of danger from it."

She had finished, and was looking at me. I was shocked, to put it simply. I had thought that all four of the shards were in her safe keeping. If she thought there was a danger to having it there, then there must be one. However, I found myself wondering why it is that she was telling me this. There was no way that any of us could get into the realm of Light; the Mirror of Twilight had been shattered, and Zant's warps had been closed off.

Midna was smiling at me. She must have known what I was thinking, for she shook her head. "No, Daishan. There is one other way into the Light realm. However, it is only a route that you can take. You are only half Twili. You have the blood of the ancient tribe, the Sheikah – they predate the Oocca, I am lead to believe. They started in the realm of Light. They can exisit in it still, whereas we Twili can never be more than shadows." Her mouth twisted bitterly there. I reached out to touch her shoulder, and she leaned her head against my hand. She spoke no more, and I felt it my duty to respond to her.

"My lady-"

"Midna." She looked up at me. "Midna, Daishan. How long have we known each other before our Deity bestowed me with the powers of our anscestors?"

"Midna." I conceded, a smile touching my lips no matter how I tried to erase it. "Midna, do you wish me to enter the realm of the Light then, and retrieve the fourth and most powerful part of the Fused Shadows?"

She looked up at me. Her eyes were large, and I could not help but notice a small sadness within them. I had the feeling that she wished she could go herself. She steeled herself and controlled it well, simply saying, "Yes." I nodded.

"As you will, my Twilight Princess. I am yours to command, as always."

Midna stood, and took my hand, raising me back to my feet. She was taller than I, but only just. Her smile was kind as she looked at me. "Take this." She pressed the bundle she had been holding all this while. "Do not open it where any Twili will be about. Go out of the Palace, out of the courtyards, and into the Twilight. You will see a rock with the weeping eye symbol of your people upon it. When you see it, open the bundle, and listen to what it tells you."

"My lady?"

She kissed my brow. "Midna, Daishan. And trust me upon this." She turned to walk away from me, but stopped at the door to my room, a gentle smile upon her face again. "Prepare for your journey, and then leave as soon as you can, please. Go with my blessings, my friend."

She left me then, holding the bundle in my hands. It was warm beneath my fingers, and the symbols of the Twili seemed to diminish as I held it in my hands. I placed it upon my bed carefully, wanting to unwrap it but careful to heed my Queen's words. I packed a few belongings into a bag that I could easily carry, and secured my weapons about me. It was not enough, I knew. I would have to disguise myself, even if only slightly.

My fingers were wrapped in bandages, to hide the black and turquoise marking of the Twili. I combed my hair over my left eye, checking to see that it was so dense no one could see through it. There was nothing I could do for the colour of them, and I hoped red was natural in the light world, as was blonde hair. My skin was really too pale, but there was very little I could do about that also, but cover up the black and turquoise areas. My cheek had a line of the symbols down it, beginning an inch or so under my eye, and so I wrapped a face cover over me. I felt rather stifled in it, but safe in the knowledge that people would see me as a distant traveller and respect any 'traditions' that I would have. No one would see any of the markings on my arms and legs and torso for they would be constantly covered. My bag was slung over my shoulder, my weapons in place, and the gift which Midna had given to me placed carefully in one arm. I had no wish to hide it until I knew what exactly it was. All that was left was to stop at the kitchens for rations, and then I would be set to go.

No one asked me too many questions as I secured my food and walked out of the Palace; they had seen me do it for too long to have any curiosity over it any longer. I was vaguely relieved, for I did not think that Midna would wish everyone to know what was happening. Her gift was given a few odd looks, but no one asked what it was, and the those who were entranced with me – mainly the younger Twili – left me alone as I crossed the threshold.

The Twilight was a dangerous place, for shadows monsters worse than Zant's messengers and the ones that came to the Palace lived out here. Monsters with no arms, but many that sprouted out of the ground and held you until it could devour you; monsters who only had to scream and you were their prey; monsters who absorbed you and never let you out, and even one who was nothing but an eye and a pair of hands, that was invisible to all but those with the eye of truth.

Well. At least I would be able to see that one.

I walked through the darkness, stray strands of Twilight brushing against me as I did so. I looked for the eye of truth on the rock, certain I had seen it before. Dark trees rose around me as I walked. A forest. The forest of Twilight. Nothing attacked me, nothing challenged me, nothing even moved. The silence was oppressive, but I continued to look.

I looked, and I looked, even having to cut down branches that melted away as soon as they were severed from the tree, but I did not find the stone that my lady Midna had been talking about. It simply did not appear to be there, though I would keep looking.

A low whistling reached my ears, and, curious, I found my way toward it. Nothing had been making noise here, and so anything that had been would be very worth investigating.

Following my ears, I came to an upright stone, a hole bored through. I approached, surprised that it could make such noise, and then saw that it was marked. Ovals above and below, three triangles above that, one long oblong shape beneath that… the Sheikan Eye. I smile a little. So I had to listen, not to see? Well, I assumed there was some moral lesson hidden in there that would become simply integral to my journey later on, but right now, I would do only as my Queen commanded me.

The bundle was placed on the ground. I unfolded the thick cloth carefully, layer by layer, always checking that none would be around that could be harmed by it. A building warmth began to throb from it, and a growing light, also. Brighter than day – the wan sun here was pure darkness compared to what lay on the cloth when I had unwrapped it.

Long, sinuous shape. Strings pulled taught along it. Shining brightly, symbols of the Sheikah engraved along its length. A lyre. A beautiful lyre.

I did little but stare at it for a time, and the low keening from the wailing stone behind me surrounded the object and myself. It was beautiful. But where had Midna found it? How had it come into her possession? Was it heritage of the Twili rulers? No. The markings of the Sheikah showed that not to be true. Did the Sheikah who had escaped into the Twilight leave it when them?

No. I was to get into the realm of light. I was sure that my questions would be answered later. Midna would help with that.

The low keening reached my ears once more, and I was able to pick out notes from the howls. Notes. Music. I smiled.

The lyre was very light in my hands, despite looking so heavy. I rested it against my chest, and, with my bandaged fingers, I plucked one string experimentally. The gentle 'twang' that escaped was clear and beautiful, and seemed to even ripple the Twilight around it. That odd sense of nostalgia grew within me again, but there was no reason. I had rarely held a musical instrument, let alone this lyre and yet… I could not help but feel I had held it so long before, clutched in my arms like this, as beautiful music flowed, guided by my fingers, out of the strings…

No. It was not what I was to do. I would have to pick out the notes on my lyre. It could take some time. The first few notes were fairly easy, and whenever I seemed to get them correct, the twilight rippled quite greatly. I admit that I grew frustrated when I had to wait for the wind to pick up to hear the tune again, but wait I did, and eventually, I had matched all the notes, and was now attempting to play them to the speed that the wind blew at.

My fingers glided over the lyre as though I had not just been swearing at it, and plucked on the strings easily and fluidly, as if it was something I had done all my life. The notes rippled out of the instrument, again and again and again, and I found myself thinking of a Hero clad in green, standing across from me. I played, closing my eyes, and hearing the wind of the stone and other noises, slightly higher than the strings I was plucking, over it. A smile curved my lips as I played, and played.

I did not see it, but light began to radiate from me, creating a hole in the Twilight. I knew it was there. I could feel it. I also knew that if I stopped playing the lyre, the light would not continue to grow, and I would have to start again.

It encompassed me. I let it, my fingers flying of the strings. Light. It was a prelude. I smiled again. A prelude to light.

The light left, and I was no longer within the Twilight.