Chapter 4
"Link, do you think we'll be able to reenter the Twilight Realm?" Zelda asked.
"Honestly, I don't know. I'm hoping that if we can't get in by our own power, the sages will help." I held the door to Falbi's Flight by Fowl for Zelda to walk through.
"Link, I tried the...canon but I don't know about this mode of transportation."
"Honey, this is the quickest way. Would you rather hold onto me or can you do this by yourself?"
"I think I can."
"Just hold on tight." I paid Falbi twenty rupees and grabbed a cuccoo for Zelda. "Grab it by the feet if you think you can't hold onto it anymore. One more thing, aim for the tower over there right beside the ride. If you don't, you're landing in the lake."
She nodded and lept from the ledge with me following right behind her. Luckily for her, the bird took her right to the tower and she landed without a synch. Mine dropped me a little lower on the tower and left Zelda on her own to climb down. I patiently waited and we hopped across the bridge and met up with Fyer again. "Well hello there m'boy; it's nice to see you again. You too Your Highness. Would you too like the regular flight today?"
"We need the Oasis Flight Fyer. We must get to the Arbitor's Grounds." I told him.
"Alright, two for the Oasis Flight, step right on in Your Highness." Once again, Zelda was shot first for free and I had to pay twenty rupees for the flight. I sighed and thought about how much more I missed Midna and how much I couldn't wait to be reunited with her. Once again we trekked across the desert to the Arbitor's Grounds.
"You know what Zelda sweetheart? I didn't like coming through this place the first time and I still don't like it now."
"At least this time, it's not infested with monsters and hideous creatures."
"Don't forget the ones that killed my ear drums and the ones that I couldn't see unless I changed into a wolf." She laughed at my complaining and we continued the exhausting hike up to the mirror chamber. Night began to fall around us, the stars peeking out from their black veil. "Zelda, how do we summon the Sages?"
"No need to summon us great hero. For we are always watching over the Mirror of Twilight." The first sage spoke. "How can we help you chosen hero of the goddesses?"
"We request an opening into the Twilight Realm. We must speak to the Twilight Princess." I said.
"We would be honored to allow you passage into the Twilight Realm." The statue holding the mirror down stood where it had the first time I discovered the mirror chamber. I pulled out my spinner and rode it to the top. Using my spinner, I lowered the statue back into the earth; it began to shake as the mirror and the portal rose from their resting places. Zelda lost her footing and fell as the shaking earth swept her off her feet. The minute my foot hit the sand, I ran over to her and helped her onto her feet.
"Are you alright?" I asked.
She brushed the sand from her dress and nodded her head. "Was it really that easy?"
"Both times actually. Shall we?" I grabbed her hand and led her up the stairs to the mirror. The mirror swirled and hummed as it opened the portal. The illusory steps appeared, resting on an invisible platform. We were warped into the twilight realm in less than two seconds. Zelda looked around dumbfounded at the sight of the twilight realm.
"Zelda? You coming?" I asked.
"Hmm? Oh yes, it's just that..."
"It's your first time seeing it." I smiled. Twili people began strolling down the hill towards us; many of them asking how we got here and who we were. "Um...we're here to talk to the princess."
"Who's asking for the princess?" Midna suddenly appeared before the castle doors. I still couldn't get used to seeing her in her true form; that little imp grew on me. She suddenly appeared before me in flash of black. Midna's sudden materialization startled me enough that it caused me fall flat on my butt; Zelda and Midna laughed together at my expense.
"Glad I can still be a comical relief for you two ladies." I said dusting myself off.
"No, that was my job Link. Am I forgiven enough to be granted a hug?" She offered her arms and without a second thought or stupid joke, I wrapped her in my arms and squeezed her. "It's so good to see you both again. I've missed you terribly."
"And we've missed you Midna." Zelda said, pulling Midna in for her own hug. "It is so lovely to be able to see you again."
"I apologize that you were not escorted to the castle. Please, come inside we have much to talk about." Before we could take a step off the hill, our feet were suddenly stepping onto cement. Midna had warped us into her formal drawing room. I sat back on the comfortable sofa snuggling against my calves and relaxed for a moment.
"I did miss your ability to warp too Midna. It came in handy."
"Am I correct to assume that this is not just a pleasant visit?"
"You are correct dear Midna. Something dreadful has happened in Hyrule." Zelda informed her.
Midna sighed. "I assumed as much. What has happened?"
"We have reason to believe that two twili beings were responsible for the kidnapping of Zelda's father and the destruction of Hyrule Castle." I told her.
"Why? Do you have any proof?" Midna asked.
"They were very strange creatures."
"That doesn't neccessarily mean they were Twili."
"What about the fact that they had the Twili symbol on their person?" Now Midna knew that somebody from the Twili managed to escape the realm and wreak havoc in Hyrule Castle.
"I don't understand. The mirror was being protected by the Sages. They would know if someone snuck out. By the way, that's near to impossible."
"You're sure about that?" Zelda asked.
"Yes. That was the way the goddesses made it. No being from the Twilight Realm could ever escape."
"But you, Zant, and even Ganondorf made it out of the twilight realm."
"Link was even able to come out of the twilight." Zelda chimed in.
"That is true; however, Link and Ganondorf were not from the twilight. Ganondorf was banished here while Link had the aid of my power. Zant's and my power is the reason we can leave the twili and return as we like. No one else in this realm has ever been able to escape, not without the mirror."
"How were you and Zant able to get out without the mirror?" I asked. "You both had to have made it out of there without the mirror because it was in the ground when we discovered it." I reasoned.
"Zant broke the mirror remember? He used his power to travel through it and then broke it into four pieces." How had I forgotten? But this whole thing didn't make sense; if they weren't really Twili, then why did they have Twili markings? And who could they be?
"Midna, you're sure you know of no one that escaped through the mirror? Was there anyone else with the powers that you and Zant have?" Zelda asked.
"I'm afraid not. I know of no one else that can wield magic like Zant and me."
I saw a look of hopelessness in Zelda's eyes; we both knew that if Midna couldn't help we probably would never figure it out. "Midna, can you help us?"
"I don't know Link."
"Please Midna. Just this last time and then you may live the rest of your life in peace here in the Twilight Realm. Please Midna, I don't know if we can do this without you." Zelda pleaded.
Midna sighed once more. "I can't refuse you; neither of you. You both helped me the moment I asked. And even when I didn't ask. I shall travel with you until the source of the problem is vanquished once again. Then I shall return to my home."
"Thank you Midna. You truly have a good soul."
"Please allow me time to prepare myself for travel." Midna disappeared and left Zelda and I on our own.
"Well hon..." I started. Suddenly Midna reappeared cutting off my statement about finally being alone.
"I'm ready to go." She said. "Surprised to see me so soon?"
"Not really. I've grown used to you showing up unexpectantly. You did it all the time remember?"
"I have not forgotten our adventures."
I scoffed. "Is that what you called it?"
Zelda grabbed my hand. "It would've been for me. I wish that I was with you." I pulled her hand to my lips and kissed it.
"Okay you two love birds. While you stand there making out, your kingdom could be in serious trouble. Stop swapping spit and let's get going." We turned for the door and just as we reached the door knob, Midna had grabbed us in her warp hole and warped us to Hyrule Field, north of the castle.
"Ahhhh." I sighed happily. "I missed your ability to warp. It's simple, fast, and free."
"I wouldn't say free. Give me fifty rupees please." Midna asked holding out her hand.
"What?!"
"Eeeee." She giggled. "Just kidding. Let's go...Oh my." Joking time was over as we once again saw a force field around the castle. "That looks all too familiar."
"It can't be Ganondorf. I killed him, I know I did. Your curse wouldn't have lifted if I didn't kill him." I reasoned.
"It can't be because it isn't." Midna said.
"You don't suppose anyone was able to resurrect him do you?" Zelda asked.
"That's only possible if you're more powerful than Ganondorf. To my understanding, no one in this realm is capable of that power."
"No one in this realm. What other realm's could've done this?" I asked.
"I don't think anyone from my realm was responsible for this. Show me that symbol you saw Link. It could be a fake."
"Well...I...I." I stalled.
"You what?" Midna asked.
"I...didn't retrieve it. The beast I slayed was carried off by another one. I saw the symbol on the second one's arm and that tipped me off that you could help."
"You're telling me that you dragged me out of the Twilight realm based off a symbol you saw from the end of a bridge?" Midna asked furiously.
"Um...yeah."
"If it were anyone else but the two of you, I would leave right now. But we must investigate further."
We traveled through Hyrule, searching for signs of the beasts and where they ran to hide. Zelda rode Maybelle for most of the trip seeing that it wouldn't help to warp all over Hyrule. Midna grew frustrated and Zelda grew weary from the day's journey. We weren't far from my village; the trip back to Hyrule Castle would be longer. Zelda yawned as Maybelle parked next to Epona.
I helped her down from Maybelle and looked into her sleepy eyes. "Don't worry my darling. You may rest now; our journey will end for today."
"I know where you two will sleep but Link, where can I sleep?"
I looked back at Midna whom I honestly thought had already left. "Um...I have an extra loft. I could make it up for you." I looked to Zelda for confirmation. "Or perhaps, the two of you could share my bed and I could take the spare loft."
"No Link no. I couldn't kick you out of your own bed. Please I insist; you and Zelda take your bed and I shall sleep in the guest loft."
"Midna are you sure?"
"Yes. I just don't want to hear anything from you two until morning." Midna joked. We laughed together and I led her to my bedroom. I gave her an old tunic undershirt to wear to bed. Midna helped her into it while I stepped outside. Before I knew it, Midna opened the door and said, "She's dressed now; you can come back in." As I passed she whispered, "I imagine that you'll want to undress her yourself?"
"Midna!" I scolded under my breath. I smirked at her and walked back to Zelda. She had already laid down and began to fall asleep. I changed into my night clothes and laid down next to her. I wrapped my arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Are you asleep darling?"
"Almost. Why?" Zelda sleepily asked.
"Just wondering. Midna, are you asleep yet?"
"Shut up Link. Don't make me come down there and hurt you."
I laughed in Zelda's ear. She happily sighed and left reality for a world of happy dreams.