Theme 3
Sleep
A bond between married Twili is great, but when it is with a being of the Light Realm, that bond is greater. It is not just mental, but physical, the transferring of a Twili's powers into the physical body of the Hylian so he or she can survive in the Twilight Realm for great periods of time. The only catch…
If one dies, so does the other.
Midna could sense herself getting weaker along with Link, just not as fast. She feared she may not be able to teleport the three of them to the Temple of Time with so many people and so little strength. But she had to try, she had to save the life of the man she loved, she needed him to live for Kage. She wanted to live to see Kage, even if she possibly missed his childhood. Link groaned and tensed. Sweat beaded his face. "This poison works quick… I wonder where it came from." Elrick mumbled. Midna stood and looked to Zelda for support.
"Zelda, I may not be strong enough. Perhaps there is somewhere closer we can go, somewhere that would take less time to get to." Midna's voice cracked.
"There is one more place you may be able to go, and it is here in the Desert actually. I believe you and Link met the Great Fairy here."
"The Cave of Ordeals," the Princess mouthed silently. Zelda nodded.
"Since it is also a sacred place, a place where a fairy of the Light Realm, a spirit resides, I can teleport you there through her power." Midna nodded. "And it's well protected by the monsters that you slayed. They are the only ones that didn't disappear."
"I suppose this is our only option then." Link opened his eyes and looked at Kage, the child finally beginning to calm down enough to stop crying. He smiled, too weak to talk. A tear fell from Midna's eye as she took him out of Kage's arms and sat next to Link, who followed her movements. She placed the bundle on his chest.
"Be safe Kage," he whispered. Midna took his hand and nodded at Zelda. Elrick took Kage to the edge of the chamber.
"I'm counting on you, Elrick," Midna said. "Take care of him." Then they were gone in a flash of Light. Elrick stood there a moment, watching as his sister and brother-in-law disappeared from sight. Now he needed to wait until Princess Zelda came back.
.:. .:. .:. .:. .:.
Link's breathing became more labored just from teleporting to the 50th room in the Cave of Ordeals. It was dark as pitch until their eyes adjusted slightly to the dark. A new figure appeared in the center of the room.
"I sense the Hero's presence," it said. Large glowing wings sprouted behind it and Zelda bowed. Link coughed and Midna groaned.
"Great Fairy, we are in need of your aid." Zelda's voice was almost pleading, but you had to have listened very carefully. "My friends are dying, and I believe there is only one way to save them."
"I sense darkness on these two, princess."
"They are Twili, Great Fairy."
"I know," she replied. "I mean a sort of evil I have only sensed one in my lifetime. I believe you know this evil as well?" Zelda's eyes widened.
"People dying over here!" Midna snapped. "Literally!"
"Are you saying-"
"Yes, Zelda. You know who I mean. As for these two, the cure is correct. They must sleep until it is out of their system, but there is no telling when it will happen. It could be centuries."
"Centuries?" Midna asked.
"Centuries?" Zelda breathed.
"Centuries…" Link repeated quietly.
"Centuries," The Great Fairy confirmed.
"But we have a child out there! A newborn child," Midna cried, doubling over. "We won't get to see him?" The Fairy didn't respond. Instead, in the middle of the small pool of water she sat in, a sort of altar appeared, made of black marble with the Hylian crest in the center of it, made of silver. Zelda watched carefully.
"Midna, Princess of the Twilight Realm and heir to the Twilian throne. Step onto the altar with Link, and you will fall into a deep sleep. Only then will you heal." Midna gazed up at the fairy, then down at Link. No mother or father should have to make this choice. Without a word, she picked a limp Link up into her arms. Zelda and the Great Fairy stepped back to let them through. As Midna stepped up to the altar, the Triforce on Link's hand glowed brightly. He winced at the burning sensation. Midna set him down.
"The Triforce is gone," Zelda said in awe.
"Not gone, Sage of Wisdom, not gone. Merely at rest in another body, a newborn. We don't know how long it will take, and Farore probably saw fit to give it to a new wielder in case it is needed." Zelda nodded. Midna walked to the opposite side of the stone slab and heaved herself onto it. Midna grabbed Link's hand as her eyes closed, as her breathing deepened. The Fairy appeared above her.
"Princess of the Twilight, Prince of the Twilight and Hero of the Realms, sleep until you are ready to reawaken." That was the last thing Midna heard, but the last thing she saw was a look of relief sweep over Link's pained expression. At least he would be okay.
