Whew – finally, another chapter goes up. There were no takers on last month's art contest, so I'm extending it until at least the next chapter gets posted. Short version: draw a scene from either Parallel Legends story, and you can pick a character for a cameo. No Tingle, but any other Zelda or Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn character is fair game. After next chapter, all Nintendo characters are also permissible, though anyone from the Mario or Kirby universes, or from equally toony worlds, will probably get a really short visit.
As usual, #this notation# denotes telepathy. No animal-speak this chapter. And I'll try to get the next chapter out a little faster this time. Honest.
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Chapter Five: Realms of Legend
It felt almost odd to be walking the halls of the castle without the Hero. Zelda found herself comforted by the thought of his near-constant presence; the feeling almost made up for his absence. Instead of Link, she had Dampei and Astrid walking alongside her. She could hardly be safer, but still she wished the Hero were not occupied with preparations. Astrid breathed in to speak, and Zelda's desire for his presence intensified.
"You should bring a Sheikah with you," Astrid said calmly. Zelda blinked. Hm. Not entirely unexpected, but I would have thought she'd begin with her usual political concerns. The princess regarded the Shadow Councillor evenly. "You travel into the Twilight Realm, where the Shadow touches all," the elder Sheikah explained. Though an older woman, her movements were still fluid and vital. Rumor had it that she had no trouble finding companionship, but Zelda knew that she encouraged such rumors to more easily manipulate Hyrule's enemies. Her devotion to Kayo is well known. The princess again glanced at Astrid, but she merely waited for Zelda's response.
To Zelda's mild annoyance, Dampei nodded. Then he grinned. "Aryll would drive us mad with worry anyway." He winked at Zelda. "Assuming we could even keep her in the castle."
The princess sighed. I will not let him get under my skin. She smiled evenly at Dampei. "Aryll would be a welcome addition under other circumstances, Master Dampei. I pray that my precautions are unnecessary. Nevertheless, we cannot reduce Hyrule's defenses so greatly. The Hero's absence will be sorely felt should Onox and Veran invade again."
Astrid snorted as they reached the door to the throne room. "He is a good man, Your Highness, of that there can be no question. In this life, however, he is no Sheikah. Twice he faced their invasions. Twice he needed rescue."
Zelda paused at the door, trying to keep her jaw from tightening. She failed, and stopped her hand just before she took the handle. "He is far better equipped to face them now, Lady Astrid," the princess replied as calmly as she could. "Link's command of sorcery grows by the day. He has reclaimed the Master Sword. Neither Veran nor Onox has dared return to the Light Realm. I do not understand why we are having this conversation."
"You cannot enter the Twilight Realm guarded by so few, Princess of Destiny," Astrid said, her voice barely above a whisper. Zelda found herself unaccountably touched. "The Hero and the Twilight Princess are both powerful, but if the legends are accurate, Vaati's plans for you are worse than death. We can protect Hyrule in your absence."
With a flicker of psychic awareness, Zelda checked the throne room. The nobles were still gathering. While she detected a few anomalous presences, they were neither hostile nor problematic. Strange, though, that I cannot sense their identities. The princess dismissed the thought for the moment, stepped back from the door, and turned to confront the Sheikah. "Cunning Astrid. Mighty Dampei. You have both served Hyrule bravely and well for longer than I have lived. Yet we are all familiar with the terrible power our enemies have over the Shadow."
"She's getting flowery. We're in trouble," Dampei quipped. Zelda exhaled, unable to entirely conceal her irritation. The Sheikah hero turned serious in an eyeblink. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I can let my wit get away with me at times." He bowed formally to the princess. "Were she any other person, I would prefer my daughter remain here. In truth," he added wryly. "I would be just as happy to see another Sheikah accompany you in your travels. Yet there can be no doubt that the bond she has formed with the Hero will strengthen them both across Light and Shadow. I fear for my daughter, but I am also proud of her, proud of the Sheikah she has become. You could not ask for a more skilled or devoted companion in your quest."
Zelda nodded reluctantly. "I wished to spare the Hero worry for her...but you are right. A part-time Sheik is simply insufficient to the task. Very well. Aryll, and no more. Telma, Ashei and the Tellians should prove up to–"
"We had hoped," Astrid interjected quietly, "that you would bring the Tellian warlord and his sorcerer with you as well."
"You what?" Zelda blurted, not even bothering to hide her surprise. So they are the ones I sense in the throne room, she decided. Something about that felt incomplete, but again there was no threat in the intuition, so she continued. "Impossible. Hyrule cannot spare such gifted military commanders, not now."
"Tch." Astrid shook her head. "This is why I urge you to yield your seat on the Shadow Council. You strive to do everything yourself, but even the Keeper of Wisdom..." she shrugged, then gestured to the door. "As you wish, then." Dampei threw the older Sheikah a sharp look. Astrid ignored him.
Hm. And what do you have up your sleeve... Strangely, Zelda found herself grinning. The Sheikah elder had no sleeves. Very well. I'll play along. The princess calmly turned and entered the throne room.
It took her no more than two paces to realize what Astrid had kept in reserve. And the Hero was no doubt a part of this, she realized. Ike and Soren were indeed there in the great hall, but so were Darbus and Ralis, each with several warriors and two advisors. Link was conferring quietly with the Zora prince, furthering Zelda's suspicions. The Hero all but confirmed them when he looked up, saw the princess, smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. #So, Hero, you found an answer to my question?#
Link jumped slightly at the mental contact. #Um, yes, Y– Princess Zelda,# he replied. #The Gorons and Zoras are still trying to restore order to their lands.# His bashful grin returned. #I, ah, offered to help when this matter with Vaati was done.# Zelda sighed. #There are also some trade agreements waiting for you to review them...#
#Mm.# Zelda considered that briefly. #I've been corresponding with Ralis on mercantile matters, but the Gorons have always been quite self-sufficient.#
Navi chuckled through the bond. Link pounced quickly. #Death Mountain has been dealing with more of Ganondorf's 'leftovers' than any other location in Hyrule. They've been too proud to mention it...# he trailed off.
#...until the Hero here,# Navi cut in, #managed to come up with a way for them to ask without losing face.# The fairy giggled while the Hero blushed. #Darbus is here to offer Hyrule military aid. To allow us to save face, we're to send some magical advisors to Death Mountain. The Patriarch 'knows' that the Gorons don't need any, but Link and Gor Coron convinced him to let you send help.#
#Which, conveniently, frees up Captain Ike and a small military force to accompany us to the Twilight Realm, yes?# Zelda sent.
Link suddenly found his toes fascinating. #The thought did come up in conversation,# he replied quietly.
"Is something wrong, Lord Hero?" Ralis asked him softly. Zelda chuckled to herself and strode to the throne.
The Hero looked up again quickly at that. "No, no, Prince Ralis, everything's fine." He sighed then. "Except I'm apparently stuck with 'Lord Hero' after all."
Ralis smiled at that, but when Zelda stood before the throne, all activity ceased and she had their collective attention. Not that it really matters. It would appear that arrangements have been made for me. The princess considered that, then glanced at Astrid for a moment. Perhaps the elder Sheikah's had a point all along. I've become accustomed to the necessity of managing everything personally. I've had so few allies I could rely on all this time. She let her eyes flicker to Link again. Perhaps things have changed. She gestured to Anton, and the herald stepped forward to begin the court's proceedings. I'd...like that.
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Link watched carefully as Ike and Ashei traded blows on the field beside Hyrule Castle. Tellian and Hylian soldiers each cheered on their leaders. Telma and Soren each put a few rupees on a table behind them. It was a merry scene, but the Hero couldn't quite suppress a scowl. Certainly, he was heartened by the strength and skill of the two warriors, sword ringing against sword with bell-like clarity. All the same, they seemed to have decided that dealing with Vaati would be a simple matter. No. I know them better than that. None of them would take someone as vicious as Vaati for granted.
He strode quietly to the bartender and sorcerer. Soren raised an eyebrow, while Telma grinned at the Hero. "Hey, Link! You want some of this action?" the Gerudo laughed. "Soren's in a mood to give away money."
"I did not know," the strategist replied dryly, "that Hyrule's barkeeps were also comedians."
Link's scowl deepened. "I missed the part where any of this was funny," he said quietly.
Soren had caught his mood and straightened, hand dropping to his spell book, but Telma smiled indulgently. "Hon, this is what soldiers do. Don't you worry. We took care of Zant's goons, we'll handle this Vaati character."
"Mmm." Link glanced from Telma to the duelists. "Maybe." He turned and headed towards the duo, readying his shield.
Navi stirred within his cap. #Hm? Wha? Oh. Oh, Farore. Link, try to calm down.#
#I am calm, Navi.# Link moved carefully towards the melee. The cheering and catcalls faded and died out. #I'm just doing my job.# Navi muttered worriedly to herself. Ike and Ashei stopped in the middle of another mutual parry and regarded Link curiously, like two cats interrupted by a dog. "Training exercise?" Link asked mildly.
"Yeah," Ashei replied. "Having a little fun at it, too."
Ike looked from Ashei to Link and back. "Is something wrong?"
Link shrugged. "You tell me." He met Ashei's cool gaze with one of his own. "It's an excellent idea to gain each other's measure, don't get me wrong." He glanced around at the soldiers, then back at the pair. "I just want to be sure everyone knows what they're getting into."
"Only one way to find out," Ashei said brusquely, pointing her sword at the Hero. Ike looked from the lady knight to the Ordon orphan, nonplused.
Link regarded her for a moment. "True enough. If you're going to face my Shadow, then you should be up to dealing with me." He nodded to the mercenary. "Captain, when you're ready."
"Both of us?" Ike asked. Soren made a strangled sound behind the Hero.
Link smiled gently. "Don't worry, Ike. I'll be careful." The Tellian mercenary shrugged and pointed his own massive, golden blade at the Hero.
Ashei roared and leaped. The audience's uproar returned, redoubled. Link calmly parried with his shield, carefully watching Ike circle him. Good. Good. They're already working together. Maybe Telma was right. Maybe I am worrying about nothing.
#You sound like you want to lose,# Navi sent worriedly.
#It's more that I want them to be able to beat me,# Link explained. He grimaced at Ashei's feral smile. #They're going to have to earn it, though.# He slammed his shield into Ashei, throwing the knight back, then spun. Her sword flew from her hand, allowing the Hero to turn his attention to Ike.
The mercenary had been charging to attack, but skidded to a halt when he saw Link turn to face him and went into a defensive ready stance. The Hero nodded, then swapped out sword for Clawshot and grabbed the warrior from afar. Ike squawked in horrified surprise, but Link just summoned his Iron Boots, yanked Ike to him, then banished the boots and kicked him in the stomach. When he doubled over, Link knocked Ike carefully over the head with his shield. The beorc fell to his knees, stunned but largely unhurt.
That let the Hero turn his full focus on Ashei, who had retrieved her sword. She spun to face the Hero, her smile replaced with a furious snarl. Fire, Love and Wind, Link thought with a sigh. I was hoping this would be harder. He traded Clawshot for the ball and chain, spinning it overhead with determination. She darted towards him, more wary than he'd dared hope, but not carefully enough. He swung the ball at her, and she tried to parry it. That went about as well as it had for him; the massive sphere crashed past her defense and sent her flying.
He banished the weapon and looked at the two. Ike was woozily regaining his footing. Soren had already reached his commander's side, concern and fury vying for dominance on the spellcaster's face. Ashei had landed near the castle wall, looking sullenly at her sword several feet away. "You may not believe this," he said quietly, "but I was truly hoping that you would do better than this."
"That's hardly fair, Lord Hero," one of the Tellian soldiers replied. "We're not going to be fighting the Hero of Time."
Link whirled on the soldier, who swallowed at whatever he saw in the Hero's eyes. Every nearby Hylian edged away from the luckless Tellian. "No. You'll be fighting my Shadow. He has every jot of my strength and skill, every weapon, every spell and more...and none of my restraint." He gestured at Ike. "Had your leader been fighting my Dark side, he would be dead."
"We'll see about that," Soren snarled.
Ike gripped the smaller man's shoulder. "No," he rasped. "Link may well have saved my life today." He saluted the Hero, who nodded back in relief. "I'll mind the lesson well, Lord Hero." Link winced at that, but Ike grinned. "Don't get too complacent yourself, though. I mean to have a rematch."
Link nodded again, retreating past a stunned Telma. He glanced quickly at Ashei, but she was rising with just a slight wobble. The knight reluctantly accepted a sip of potion. They both will, no doubt. A small price to pay, though.
#Farore, Link, do you have to do this to me?# Navi blurted.
The Hero shrugged as he reentered the castle. #Sorry, Navi, but I had to be sure. Believe me, I hate being right at times like this.# He sighed. #They'll be more wary in the Twilight Realm, and that's what counts. Can you check on Princess Zelda? I'm worried about her too, though for different reasons.#
Navi snorted. #Off to talk to Midna again?#
Link hunched his shoulders defensively. #I really do want you to talk to Zelda,# he insisted.
At that, Navi laughed. #Link, you're about as good a liar as Ashei is a diplomat. I know you wouldn't try to trick me like that.# The fairy swirled out of his hat then, flying alongside him. A few guardsmen gaped at the sight. #Look, I don't like that Twilight knockoff and I never will, but even I can see she's trying to do right by you here.#
#Midna's nobody's copy,# Link replied, a touch of heat threading into his mental voice. #She's her own woman, no matter the Realm.#
Navi landed on the Hero's shoulder and patted his neck. He could barely feel it even with their connection. #Gods. When you get it bad, you get it bad. Okay, okay, I'll go check on Zelda.# She muttered to herself again, but flew off towards the Light princess' chambers.
Link took a deep breath, then forged ahead. He knew the castle like his own home by then, and quickly found the right quarters. For a moment, his vaunted courage failed him, but he gathered his will and knocked.
"Farore!" Midna shouted, more annoyed than truly angry. Link swallowed. "If one more of you lovesick so-called 'knights' leaves dead plants in front of my door, I'm going to force-feed them to–" She threw open her door.
"No flowers," Link said, chagrined. "Glad I didn't think of them, now."
Midna stared for a long moment, unmoving. Link was glad he could hear her breathing, else he would have worried. Finally, she sighed and backed into her room. "Come in, I guess," she mumbled. She even mutters musically, he thought, then gritted his teeth. Down, boy.
"I wanted to try talking again," Link said, the words seeming to stumble out, to his ears.
Midna glanced up at him, and smiled that knowing, secret smile of hers. "So far, you seem to be succeeding." She cocked her head. "Although I suppose that could be considered a matter of opinion."
"Farore," Link swore explosively, and strode up to her. Midna's eyes widened in a way that made Link feel as much guilty as satisfied. "No more games, Midna. I can't deal with them any more."
The Twilight Princess carefully stepped over a chest, her retreat obvious even to the Hero. Link took the opportunity to look around. The room was sparse for nobility, with just two chests, a desk, and the bed. She had only altered the bed, Twili lines of power glowing faintly on the frame. "What," she asked, laughing weakly, "can't friends tease each other now and then?"
Link quirked an eyebrow at that. "You have an interesting definition of 'now and then,' Twilight Princess."
She looked away. "Fair enough," Midna whispered. Link took the opportunity to walk towards her again, but stopped at the hunted look she gave him. "Link, please. I...I'm not who you're looking for."
"Why does everyone think they know me better than I do?" Link objected, stepping around the other chest. There was nothing between them now but a few feet of floor, and two worlds.
Midna glared at him then. "Why not? You think you know me better than I do myself."
The Hero met her eyes unflinchingly. "Tell me to leave, and I'll go." Midna opened her mouth, arm half-raised. She stopped there, and her eyes danced away from him, mouth closing again. She took a step back, only to find the wall behind her. I knew it. He moved to step towards her again, but when her eyes met his, he saw fear in them.
The Hero stumbled back, horrified. "I – Light and Time, Midna, I would never hurt you. Never."
Midna laughed bitterly at that. "That only makes it worse, Mr. Important Hero." She looked away, watching the twilight energy play through her bedframe. "You're so damn stubborn, you know that?"
"I've heard," Link drawled, but he was still shaken. "Midna, what do you think I am?"
Something seemed to fall into place for the Princess of Twilight. She looked at him again, the fear gone. "Zelda's Hero," she said simply.
"Oh, Fire, Love and Wind," he blurted, throwing his hands into the air. "Yes, I care about the princess. The other princess. Too." He pressed his fingers into his forehead. "Love of Nayru."
"A Hero of Light could never be happy with a shadow of a woman," Midna whispered.
Link's head shot up at that. "You're no one's shadow! You are Midna, the princess of the Twili and ruler of an entire Realm! And I – I love you!"
Midna gasped at that. Yes! Link exulted, and dared another step forward. Cunning flowed into her eyes then, though. "I seem to recall," she said slyly, "that you said similar words to another woman not long ago. Are you really so fickle, Link of Ordon?"
The Hero flinched, but shook it off and locked eyes with her anew. "You knew it wouldn't last. You said so yourself."
"Fair enough," the Twili said with a sigh. "Link, I knew she would leave you because she and I both know that you're bound to another."
"More fairy tales," Link nearly snarled. "I'm old enough to know the difference between a childhood crush on a storybook princess and a bond between two real people."
"You're more stubborn than the goats!" Midna shot back, her mood shifting like quicksilver. "Our bond was less real than your childhood crush, you mule-headed Hero!"
"Then tell me to leave," Link insisted. Midna's expression flattened, and her hands turned into fists. "I thought we were done playing games."
"You said that, not me..." she retorted, her old playfulness returning. Link didn't smile, the Hero in no mood to play. Midna's defense melted away. "When Zelda saved my life," she said almost tonelessly, "she gave of her very soul, using the Triforce of Wisdom to infuse me with part of her self. Ganondorf could never have possessed her otherwise." The Twilight Princess gazed into Link's eyes with the calm of the condemned. "That is the bond you felt with me – your natural bond, to your true princess."
Not again, Link thought with an inward groan. "Look, I know I'm connected to Princess Zelda somehow, even if I take Navi out of it. Not every lifetime is the same, though."
"You've talked to Ilia about this. You've talked to me." Midna folded her arms. "Have you talked to Zelda?"
"I am not," Link hissed through gritted teeth, "going to inflict some boyhood fantasy on Zel!"
Midna flinched again, though Link had no idea why. Then she looked up. "Kiss me," she demanded, lowering her arms.
The Hero gaped, blinking. "Wh-what?"
The dark princess flashed him a predatory grin. "Kiss...me. If you even know what a kiss is."
He kissed her.
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Din, Nayru and Farore!
Fire and lightning shot across Midna's lips and down her spine. It was her every dream come to life, the Hero's arms around her, his passion as ferocious as the merciless sun. For an instant, her body moved with a life of its own, her eyes squeezed shut, arms climbing to embrace him, neck arching to yield to him.
NO! Midna froze, eyes flying wide open, the rest of her paralyzed. When Link stopped, lips parting from hers and his own eyes opening, she knew what she had to do. The Twili held herself perfectly still, letting him interpret the dismay in her eyes for himself. You mean misinterpret, she thought guiltily, but it was her only hope – hers, Link's, and Zelda's.
Link stumbled back, his own eyes filling with guilt and grief. "Din sear me. Midna, I'm sorr–"
She gently put her fingers on his lips, silencing him. "I told you," Midna insisted, "to kiss me. I can hardly fault you for complying, even if I never thought you would." She forced a sly smile onto her lips, demanding every mote of manipulative skill she had to obey her command. "I suppose you're a man after all, and you can't expect a man to resist...an offer like mine." The princess swayed saucily to the desk, leaned on it, and regarded him. "Still, while you are attractive, you're a bit more full of yourself than I thought you'd be as well. I am a princess, after all..."
Link glanced away. "And I'm a peasant from a tiny village," he finished hoarsely.
"Exactly." She shrugged. "I really do hope we can remain friends." Midna let her voice become more honest, more friendly. "I owe you so much, and I treated you so badly...I don't know if I can ever repay you. I know you well enough to see, however, that you wouldn't want me to thank you with, well, myself." She straightened, and her smile became genuine as well. "That makes you a very rare man indeed."
"Not so rare that I can't be a bloody fool who sees things that aren't there," he muttered. Link bowed. "Your Highness." Midna nodded imperiously at that, and the Hero retreated stiffly, closing the door behind him.
Very carefully, the Twilight Princess listened until she could no longer hear his retreating footsteps. Then she gently lowered herself onto the bed and cried into the pillow until she had no tears left.
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Zelda's hand flashed across the final parchment, writing her final set of instructions should something befall her. She'd written directions to the Shadow Council first, that being the hardest for her to compose. This last set was for the Parliament, and that was mere politics. It's strange. I thought that, after all the horrors I've seen, I would be afraid of what's to come, but there's a peace in confronting it at last. She finished the scroll, signed it, blew on it, rolled it up and sealed it in the last waiting canister.
Navi chose that moment to fly under the door and onto her desk. "hey!" she called, waving.
#Hello, friend Navi,# Zelda sent with a gentle smile. #Your timing is impeccable. What brings you here?#
#What else?# Navi replied dryly. #Link wanted me to check on you, which conveniently got rid of me so he could check on the Twilight Princess.# She sat on the desk and folded her arms. #Hmmph. Never seen him acting like such a brain-damaged teenage...#
#Man?# Zelda finished gently. #That's what he is, you know, in this life.#
The fairy laughed honestly at that. #Brain-damaged? Yeah, I believe it.# Zelda coughed, caught between laughter and outrage. #One too many pig-rides if you ask me.#
Zelda cleared her throat and composed herself. #Navi, you know better than that. Link wears his heart on his sleeve, that's all.#
#Pieces of heart, you mean...# Navi muttered defiantly. She pouted at Zelda's half-stern gaze. #I know, I know. He's been through the wringer, I don't need you to tell me that.# The fairy companion gestured in annoyance at the princess. #You haven't been much help, you know.# Zelda felt the powder-blue figure regard her intently. #Wait, don't tell me you're as clueless as he is.#
#Define 'clueless,'# Zelda replied faintly. Light and Time. How can something so tiny be so utterly relentless?
#Oh come on, Zel, you're crazy about him,# Navi shot back. #I don't know why you're bottling it up so tightly, and you've definitely kept him from picking up anything aside from the occasional hint, but you can't keep it from me.# She stood, then flew up to eye level. Her arms were still folded. #Just tell me you know how you feel about him.#
Zelda glanced away, just barely keeping the heat from her face. #Navi, he's been hurt badly, more than once. I was going to tell him not long ago, but Midna arrived before I was ready. I can't do that to him now that his wounds have reopened.#
Navi stared for a long moment. #Oh!# She landed on Zelda's shoulder hard enough that the princess felt it, if just slightly. #Farore, Zel, you had me worried. I thought you were being all 'I'm not worthy' again.#
The Princess of Destiny snorted and tossed her quill into its cup. #I know better than to equate love with worth, friend.# She glanced wryly at her minuscule companion. #Truth be told, I'm so frustrated I could scream. Whenever I feel close to being able to tell him, fate kicks my legs out from under me. I'm here writing what amounts to my will, and he's off being rejected by Midna again.# Her hand twitched. #Unless she's not rejecting him again. Nayru, I don't know which would be worse. Link's so...primal, this time.#
#I noticed.# Navi shook her head in amazement. Then she glanced piercingly at the princess. #Hm. So how much do you remember from your Imprisoning War life?#
Zelda shrugged. #Flashes. Dreams. Occasionally, entire scenes float up from the subconscious, moments from different lives.# She shook her head wearily. #That's the worst part, remembering one childhood as Sheik and another as Zelda. It's like a double image, complete with migranes.# Navi winced sympathetically. #I try not to worry about it too much, aside from when the knowledge has immediate application. That was another time, another Zelda. I am who I am, here, now.#
#That's a healthy attitude,# Navi replied slowly, #but Link has to do the same thing. I want to help you two get back together, Zel, but if you don't say something pretty soon, he's going to have to move on with this life himself. He already thinks his feelings for you are just childhood fantasies.#
#Navi, I am all too aware of how he's distanced himself from our natural attraction,# Zelda replied, a hint of bitterness escaping past her control. #I know I can't wait too long, but I can't move too quickly, either.# She gestured furiously, and a chair flew from one corner of the room to a far wall, two of its legs cracking. Navi launched from her shoulder in alarm. Zelda exhaled in bone-deep frustration.
With a burst of smoke and wind, Aryll appeared. "Your Highness?" she asked, looking around the room, hand on the hilt of her nodachi.
Navi chuckled. #You're crazy about him,# she blurted.
"My apologies, Aryll," Zelda said a touch guiltily, standing. Aryll nodded. "A moment's frustration, nothing more, Din sear the Wind Mage." She glanced at Navi. #You noticed,# she quipped dryly.
Aryll and Navi shared a glance, to Zelda's surprise. The Sheikah nodded and vanished again. Navi followed alongside Zelda as the princess walked toward the door. #So now what?# the fairy asked.
#For now,# Zelda insisted, #we focus on the immediate threat. None of this will matter if that monster enslaves me and murders my Hero.# Navi sobered instantly. Zelda threw open the door and strode towards the warriors' quarters. #I mean to take every inch of my frustration out of Vaati's hide.#
#Whoa. Go, Zelda!# Navi exulted. I'm not entirely sure what you mean, Navi, the princess thought, but I mean to see this through, from Vaati to Link, and I'll not stop for anything. She frowned. Save for what's best for the Hero...
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Epona shifted uncertainly under Link as the Hero led the small group towards Kakariko. Behind him, Zelda, Aryll, Midna, Ike and Soren followed quietly. Even Aryll was on horseback, though she regarded her palfrey dubiously. The Hero's mood lightened at the sight of his sister patting the mare's neck. "I don't think palfreys know how to throw a rider, Aryll," he said encouragingly.
"Sheikah can travel through Shadow," Aryll replied, a slight tremor in her voice. "I do not see why I have to ride this...creature."
Link chuckled and shook his head. "Don't you listen to her, Epona," he said soothingly, stroking his beloved mare's mane. Epona snorted and nodded.
"Aryll," Zelda said, steering Medley to the Sheikah's side and patting Aryll's hand, "we're traveling to see the Great Fairy. I know you could easily avoid disrupting Kakariko, but surely the Fairy Queen would sense such a ripple in Shadow." Aryll grunted and looked away.
"She's been through a lot," Link said seriously, "being trapped in the Cave of Ordeals, cut off from the flow of fairy mana, watching Hyrule's magic weaken. We want to do this as gently as possible."
"Hmph." Aryll started to cross her arms, but grabbed the reins with alacrity when she started to slide off the saddle. "Yet so skittish a spirit is indispensable?"
"We have learned that the solution to our problem is the Sacred Realm," Zelda explained gently. "According to legend, the Temple of Time will permit us to enter that holy dimension. Yet neither the Hero nor I have any idea how to do this. The Great Fairy is timeless. Hopefully, she will know the sacred Temple's secrets."
"The only other immortal we know is Mido," Midna drawled. "Believe me, you don't want to ask him."
"He wasn't that bad," Link put in, and Navi nearly fell out of his hair, "but he mentioned the Great Fairy himself. I think that was a hint."
Navi righted herself after a moment of dangling from one of the Hero's locks. "that does sound like mido. farore, i wish i had a better idea of what the great fairy's up to." The fairy companion flew back under Link's hat. #She...she hasn't really talked to me much.#
The Hero shrugged. #Well, she's relatively new, right? I mean, that's the whole reason we're doing this. According to Zelda, fairy folk eventually become Great Fairies, and Great Fairies ascend to the Sacred Realm instead of dying the way mortals do.# He sent Navi an image of a smile. #She was probably planning to get in touch with you, but some Great King of Evil or another dropped her into a cave in the desert.#
Navi laughed and hugged several strands of his hair. #I love you, you know that?#
Link laughed in kind. #Hey, at least I've got somebody.#
#Don't make me come out there,# Navi quipped.
"Link!" Luda called, waving from her door. A few Hylian newcomers looked out from some of the other houses. While it heartened the Hero to see the old village somewhat repopulated, the furtive way they watched him and the whispers of 'Hero' and 'savior' sent chills down his spine.
Fire, Love and Wind. Hero of Light wasn't bad enough, now I'm a savior? He nudged Epona forward, Princess Zelda following him closely. "Hey, Luda. Good to see the old town doing well." He nodded sideways to the newcomers and gave her a lopsided smile. "Malo must love this."
Luda chuckled. "Indeed, Sir Hero." She bowed formally to Zelda. "Your Highness. I must assume that this is not a social visit?" Zelda nodded, and Link followed suit. "Shall I fetch my father, then?"
"While I would be most grateful for his counsel," Zelda explained, leaning over slightly, "we have actually come to consult the Great Fairy."
"Ah," Luda replied, nodding gravely. Catching Zelda's body language, Link leaped from Epona and offered her his hand. She accepted it with a dazzling smile and allowed him to help her down. "The Great Fairy has been rather shy of late," the girl continued, "especially with so many people moving in and visiting the spring. Of course, I'm sure she will be most happy to greet you all."
Aryll dismounted with an intensely grateful air. "It sounds as though you have had little problem speaking to the Great Fairy, cousin," the Sheikah said with a friendly, familiar timbre.
I knew it, Link thought with a grin. "You two know each other?" he asked mildly.
"I meant that metaphorically, Link," Arll replied with a sigh.
The young Kakarikan chuckled. "The Shadow Tribe has always been kind to my father and I."
Link nodded. "Of course. Is Renado around?" The Hero looked around them, not expecting to find the noble shaman. He was surprised – pleasantly, for a moment – to see the older man come around his house. Link's happiness at seeing his friend plummeted at the sight of Renado's grave expression. "Sir?"
"The Great Fairy is expecting you, noble Hero," the shaman replied, gesturing at the spring. The Hero shook his head in astonishment, but Zelda merely nodded. Wait, she knew we were coming?
The princess, apparently sensing his confusion, placed a hand on his shoulder. "Her magic and intuition are both vast, Hero."
Link chuckled. "Kind of like yours, huh?" He blinked in confusion when she withdrew her hand and stared determinedly at the spring. Oh, Light and Time. What did I do now? She gestured wordlessly for them to advance, and he obeyed her in kind with a formal bow. Their companions trailed behind them, Midna shaking her head for some reason but the rest following with an uncertain air. At least I'm not alone.
#I thought you would have figured out that much by now, Hero,# Navi 'pathed caustically.
Whoops. He glanced upward, though he could only sense Navi playing idly with one strand of his hair. #Sorry, Navi. I just wish I knew what was going on.#
Navi radiated sympathy. #You and me both.#
Together, they waded through the spring to where the cluster of fairy energy awaited them. Navi's sisters and brothers swirled gently around the troupe. Link looked up when they reached the rosy column of light...and realized he could 'see' the glamour mana that made up the Great Fairy's presence. She's looking better, I think, he decided. Then the Hero boggled. Wait, I can see the...I can see the...wow.
As Link stared, the gently spinning lights coalesced into the familiar emerald-haired figure. Her eyes weren't as sad any more, and she was now clad in a dress almost the exact shade of her long tresses. The Hero wasn't sure which change relieved him more. "So, you are here at last." She reached out and caressed his cheek. "I always believed that you would come. Because I know you..."
Link gasped – memories flooded him in a rush –
"Finally, a fairy came to you, Link! Wow! That's great news! I'm so happy for you!"
– a beautiful green-haired woman...girl?...was the only one who cared...
"Oh, you're leaving... I knew... that you would leave the forest... someday, Link... Because you are different from me and my friends... But that's OK, because we'll be friends forever... won't we?"
...he would rather have driven the sword through his stomach than abandon her, but if he didn't go, didn't fight for the forest, she'd be...
"...it is destiny that you and I can't live in the same world."
...torn apart again, just when he'd found her...
"Are you saying that this Link is from a completely different world? I won't believe that! He's our Link!"
...always there when he needed her most...
"I ask that the court recognize Link, Crown Prince of the Kokiri."
...no matter the world, no matter the Time...
"...Saria?" he finally breathed, stumbling back, eyes wide. Navi shot from his head like a tiny rocket. Zelda stumbled behind him with a small splash.
The Great Fairy smiled beatifically. "You look...so much like you did." She chuckled musically and looked down at her own graceful form. "Which is more than I can say for myself."
"I thought Kokiri remained children for all time," Midna said, leaning forward and peering closely at the Fairy Queen. She stepped back, eyes bulging wide, when Link stepped between the Twilight Princess and the Great Fairy, a low growl echoing in his throat. "Farore!" she gasped.
A gentle hand from behind brought the Hero back to his senses. "It's all right, Link." The Hero backed away from the Twilight Princess, appalled at what he'd done. Light and Time, what was that? he wondered even as Saria continued. "Midna, as Zelda explained to you earlier, those of the fairy legacy do not grow old so much as change, and even Kokiri cannot remain the same forever."
Realization struck Link like a thunderbolt. "She didn't say fairies. She said fairy folk." His head whipped around almost of its own accord to stare in amazement at the princess, but her own expression was smooth and unreadable. "Did you know...?"
"I knew that she was a Kokiri," Zelda replied, her faint, paper-thin voice belying her calm features. "I thought she had been a girl named Fado."
The Great Fairy – Saria – laughed at that. "You've been peeking," she said, no hint of accusation in her voice. Zelda nodded, starting to look at stunned as Link felt. The Fairy Queen's jovial demeanor faded as she took them in, again turning to face the Hero. "I cannot blame her, I suppose. Oh, Link, I wish we had more time...but I fear that time is of the essence. You have come for the secret of the Sacred Realm?"
Link nodded. I have so many questions... From the look on her face, Saria wanted to answer them. He nodded with fierce reluctance. For some reason, the Fairy Queen smiled at that. "Mido owes me five rupees." When the Hero opened his mouth at that, remembering the diminutive champion, Saria held up her hand. "I know, he sent you. We have much to discuss, he and I, but that is for another time. Link, Zelda," she continued, taking them both in with a meaningful glance, "you two are the key to the Sacred Realm."
As one, each looked at the back of his/her hand, Link at his left, Zelda at her right. In clear response, the Triforce glowed on each. "Yes, you understand. The Temple of Time is the gateway to the Sacred Realm, but that gateway has been but half a bridge for a thousand years. For that bridge to be complete, something that should be in the Sacred Realm must be returned."
"And how are they supposed to do that?" Midna asked, more caustic than ever. "If they can't reach the Sacred Realm without the Triforce being there, and the Triforce is in this Realm of Light, that would seem to present a problem."
Saria smiled with gentle patience Link didn't feel. If you're trying to irritate me, Midna, he thought ferociously, you're succeeding admirably. The Great Fairy gestured at Link's hand. "That would be a problem...had one portion of the bridge not already been returned."
"Ganondorf," Zelda said, straightening.
Link nodded forcefully. "When he died, the symbol of the Triforce vanished from his hand."
"With the Demon Thief no more," the Fairy Queen explained with a nod, "the Triforce of Power returned to its rightful place. There, it awaits its sibling elements." Midna's dubious expression vanished, but Saria looked more grave than ever. "The process is a simple matter of standing before the Pedestal of Time and offering your piece to the Golden Land. Once done, however, this cannot be undone. You will be separated from the Triforce once more, most likely forever."
Link started to shrug. "It's not mine–" he said, then found himself choking on the next words. He looked again at the Triforce symbol on his hand, glowing as if to argue the point. It felt more than his – as if it was a part of him. The Hero suddenly felt as if the gods were asking him to cut off his own arm. A glance at Zelda told him the princess felt the same way, her stare mirroring his own.
When his eyes took in the others, however, they skipped across Aryll's and Ike's sympathetic winces and found Midna caught between horrors. She'd rather tear off her own arm, he realized, than ask us to do this...but she's not asking us for herself. Steeling himself, Link gazed as evenly as he could at Saria. "The Triforce belongs to the goddesses and the Sacred Realm. They left it there to serve all Hyrule, not just one person."
"Or two," Zelda whispered, clutching her right hand with her left.
Saria nodded. "Then you must make haste. The Twilight Realm remains safe, for the moment," she continued, and Midna exhaled in relief, "but soon Vaati will breach the gap between dimensions. If he succeeds, both Realms will be in danger of falling."
Link nodded back, then turned to go. Before he took a step, though, he glanced behind him and smiled. "We'll have that talk when this is over. I promise."
"Then Vaati is all but beaten," Saria replied with a gentle laugh, then faded back into the rosy swirl of light, attended by her fairies.
Soren snorted. "Interesting gods you have here," he noted dryly. Link's eyes glittered as hard and sharp as diamonds at that, but Ike leaned over to Soren and whispered something to the sorcerer that made him cough. "Then again, they are undoubtedly an improvement over our previous divine experiences," he admitted quickly.
Link leaned over to Aryll. "Did you catch what Ike said?" he whispered to her.
"Just one word. 'Ashera,'" Aryll replied softly. The Hero stared for a moment, until she shrugged. "I don't understand it either." For some reason, though, Midna chuckled.
Then again, maybe Soren has a point, Link conceded with a long-suffering sigh.
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Zelda realized, as they walked up to the Pedestal of Time, that she had released her left hand's grip on her right exactly twice since visiting Saria: mounting and dismounting Medley. Link's right. It's not mine. They don't belong to us. The Triforce was placed in the Sacred Realm...to... There, her vaunted wisdom and insight failed her. Why in the name of Courage, Wisdom and Power had the goddesses left the Triforce behind? What has it brought our world beyond sorrow, pain and catastrophe? The trees around them swayed in the wind, a shaft of sunlight illuminating the great Pedestal with an almost holy aura.
The Princess of Destiny took a long, deep breath. Faith, Zelda. Have faith. Faith sustained you when you were handed a kingdom to rule at the age of twelve, it succored you when you were forced to surrender that kingdom in turn to a tyrannical monster, and it has kept you whole while you hid the truth of your heart... she looked at the Hero, who seemed to be completely at ease. ...in the face of a love that looked to shatter it. That faith has never been wrong before. Hold fast to it now. She strode to his side, and her heart leaped when he took her right hand in his left. "Are you ready, Zelda?"
"No," she admitted, "but 'twere best done quickly." At last, her death grip on her own hand relented, freed by his touch. Together, they held up their arms. Behind them, their four companions shielded their eyes from the golden light that burst from them. Though Zelda could see nothing other than the two pieces of the Triforce and the shining beacon they became, her eyes didn't hurt in the least. If Link's rapt stare was any indication, neither did his.
Slowly, the twin golden wonders slid from their skin, and Zelda felt something long twined about her spirit uncoil. She could feel, though, that it left something behind, and somehow, she felt no less whole as the great symbols of Wisdom and Courage lifted away from them. They grew until they seemed to fill all the world, then faded into a distance that was not height or breadth or depth. In moments, they were gone.
Link let out a shuddering breath. "That...that was..." Zelda guided his arm back down, then gripped it. You hid that better than I thought you could, my Hero, she thought, but I see your sense of loss now. Know that it is not as great as you think. She concentrated, and he straightened in shock when he felt what the Triforce of Courage had left behind.
#I love watching you work,# Navi sent saucily.
#Thank you,# Zelda replied calmly, #but now is really not the time.# She looked around, then up. Wait. Where is... she looked at the others. Soren and Ike were conferring quietly, already having noticed the lack of anything happening. Midna's brow had grown thunderheads. And Aryll...Aryll was staring at Link's back with an intensity that made Zelda wonder if she would bore holes in her brother with it. Oh. Of course. "Link, the Master Sword."
The Hero glanced at Zelda, then the Pedestal. "What, I put it in and take it out?" He drew the blade and stared at it uncertainly. "I've done that before, but for this, it seems...anti-climactic."
"I suspect," Zelda said evenly, forcing herself not to smile, "that it will not seem so when you actually do it, my Hero." She gestured at the Pedestal in a manner she hoped was encouraging. Link nodded, rubbed the back of his left hand with the handle of his shield, then inserted the blade.
It was as if someone had struck a gong the size of Hyrule. The entire Light Realm seemed to ring with a resonant note from that one gentle click of sword into stone. A flight of sapphire blue stairs rippled from the Pedestal base, climbing to the edge of the forest. There, they stopped, a column – no, a cylinder – of light the same color of the stairs appearing at the end. Link swallowed and pulled the blade from its resting place. The stairs and cylinder remained, the latter shimmering with a shower of light from far above the canopy of the world.
Zelda and her Hero looked at one another, eyes locking. As one, they nodded. He sheathed his blade, they clasped hands, and together, they ascended the sorcerous staircase. Behind them, they heard the others follow. Once they were all within the cylinder's bounds, everything seemed to stretch and blur around them, until the world was nothing more than a flash of sapphire wall and silver streaking light.
When the blurring stopped, they were standing before a golden pyramid so titanic, it was all Zelda could see at first. When she adjusted to the shining light reflected from it to look around, she had to grasp the Hero's hand to avoid stumbling in amazement. She suspected his sudden squeeze was an identical reaction.
The golden sky shone above them, almost as if the sun had been stretched from horizon to horizon. A crimson cloud wafted past them in a form not unlike a Gerudo warrior's head. It seemed to be winking at them. A flock of birds flew overhead; they looked like doves for an instant, but then Zelda realized they were every color of the rainbow. Even more astonishing to the princess was how their formation kept their colors in order, like a rainbow in flight.
Then an exquisite smell surrounded them, and Zelda saw the jasmine fields that surrounded their sapphire walkway. She realized with a shock that they had released their scent for them deliberately. "Don't pick the flowers," she said quietly, still stunned.
Link shook his head. "This...this place...it's..."
"Impossible," Soren replied in shocked astonishment.
"Sacred," Midna said gently, swallowing. "No wonder my tribe was exiled...what soul could be so cruel as to defile such a place?"
The Hero stiffened. "Ganondorf," he rumbled. "I'm sorry, friends, but this is not our destination, just a waypoint. Let's go." He took a step, then stopped, realizing he was still holding the princess' hand. He looked at her questioningly.
He...he didn't let go. For some reason, that made Zelda's heart fly more than anything he'd done before. She smiled and stepped beside him. "Shall we, my Hero?"
"Of course, Princess Zelda." He bowed to her, and together, they strode to the pyramid's great golden doors. They stopped for a moment when the doors opened before the pair reached them. "Mmm." Link grimaced slightly, but Zelda tugged ever so gently at his hand, and he continued forward with her.
Aryll appeared beside them in a cloud of smoke, Sheikah needles in one hand. "I like this not," she muttered, looking at the darkened hall ahead of them. "Why is there no one to greet us in the Temple of Light? Guards, servants, a Sage, anyone?"
Globes lit up all the way down the hall. They revealed magnificent portraits all the way down, of Sages, Light Spirits, various images of the three goddesses, and multiple incarnations of the Hero and the Princess. Most of the pair were quite youthful, appearing to be in their early to mid-teens. The Hero of Time was there as child and adult, as was the Princess of Destiny. Far ahead, at the very edge of their field of vision, two portraits of the pair looked across the hall at each other. One was of the Hero of Light with a sword-bearing Zelda, just as she was in that moment. An afterimage of Sheik stood, translucent, behind the princess. The other was of a much younger Hero with enormous eyes and a baton of some kind, and a lady of like age in blue, with a nigh-impossible swirl of hair and a scimitar in her belt. A young Princess Zelda armed with a Light Bow stood behind her in like half-presence, much as Sheik did in their portrait. "We are being greeted, Aryll. My Hero?" Link nodded, and they continued on.
At the other end of the long hall was another massive pair of doors, with a single Triforce image etched into them. It glowed, making the razor-thin gap between the doors all the more obvious down the center of the Triforce of Power. They stopped before the mighty golden portal, this one not opening as they approached. Link and Zelda looked at one another. The Hero shrugged and reached for one of the handles.
They opened then, Link pulling his hand back with alacrity as more mystic blue light washed out towards them. The great Chamber of Sages faded into existence before them, and even Midna and Soren gasped in amazement.
"Well," a girl's voice said kindly, and Zelda looked down to find a green-haired adolescent holding a thick book looking up at her, "shall we?" She walked out into the nothing between the door and the Chamber, and a smaller hexagon appeared beneath her feet.
"F-Farore?" Link breathed. "Wait, but...are you oracle, or goddess?"
Farore laughed musically. "Honestly, Link, you say that like there has to be a difference." She shrugged, walking forward. The small blue hexagon followed her, remaining beneath her feet. "I suppose that's not fair, though. The power of a goddess cannot be contained in the mortal world, so it must be left behind when we project something of ourselves there. Here, the infinite takes on the appearance of forms, that mortals might commune with that which is sacred." She stopped and turned, smiling and gesturing for them to follow. "Come on!"
Link shrugged again, let Zelda's hand go, and walked forward three paces. Zelda gasped. Searing fearless – ! she swore in her mind, but another azure platform had appeared beneath the Hero. He grinned sheepishly, walked back to the edge, and held out his hand. "It's safe."
For a moment, Zelda considered not taking his hand. He saw something in her expression, though, and his confidence slipped with his smile, and the princess couldn't help it. She walked up, took his hand in hers, and joined him on the platform. All the same, she leaned forward and whispered in his ear, "don't ever do that again."
"I'm sorry, Zel, but I saw Farore do it, and I figured she wouldn't have led us this way if it weren't safe..." Link explained quietly, sounding chagrined and very...human. He looked around for Farore, even more embarrassed when it became clear that she'd vanished. Zelda nodded in acknowledgment, and the small group walked to the legendary platform from which the Sages imprisoned Ganon. And may he remain in the Evil Realm...forever...
There was a tiny sphere in the heart of the Triforce symbol. The minuscule amount of light that brushed against it shifted to deep violet and swirled into the endless depths of the void within. "What in the name of the gods?" Zelda breathed. Aryll made the symbol of the Triforce over her heart. Link slowly drew the Master Sword and tried to point it at the orb...but even he couldn't keep the Blade directed exactly at it from where he stood.
"It is not often," a woman's gentle voice echoed around them, "that the Power to Repel Evil is as much figurative double-edged sword as literal, but that is too great a horror for the Blade of Evil's Bane to harm." As she coalesced before them, Zelda realized that the newcomer's hair wasn't translucent, it really was that blue. Her harp, while unlike any the princess had seen before, still seemed familiar somehow. It made her think, of all things, of Sheik.
"Nayru," Zelda gasped, then started to bow. She stopped, frozen by the realization that she hadn't done the same for Farore.
Many men had complimented Zelda by calling her laugh musical. Nayru's was literally musical, a mixture of bells and strings that soothed her every fear. "It is all right, my Princess," she replied, gesturing for Zelda to straighten. The princess did so, half-smiling wryly.
"What..." Link waved the Master Sword's point at the mote as directly as he could.
Nayru's humor evaporated. "That," she said slowly, crouching before it, "is the Evil Realm."
Zelda stumbled back. "What? Why is it here?"
"Because it must be," the Oracle explained. "Because this was the only place he could be drawn, the only Realm with the power to restrain him. And...because I still believe there is hope – hope for the Gerudo King, and hope for an old friend." She sighed and straightened. "This is not why you are here. You seek the Twilight Realm." Midna nodded fiercely. "Then take your places as the Sages would."
Zelda looked at the various platforms. "Most holy Nayru...there is no platform for Time..." she gasped when Link took her hand. "Link, no, you are the Hero of Light in this incarnation..." she objected weakly, but allowed herself to be led to the symbol of Light. Sheikah training kept the blush from her cheeks when he smiled at her, but only barely. He strode to the Forest symbol to her left.
Aryll and Midna looked at one another dubiously. Oh dear. Only one of them can take... Zelda kept her relief to herself when the Hero's sister gestured for Midna to take her place on the Shadow seal to Zelda's right. Once Midna was in place, Aryll vanished, reappearing on the platform for the Sage of Water and juggling needles in one hand. Zelda recognized it for the nervous tic it was, but said nothing.
Ike and Soren looked at the remaining platforms. "I do not recognize these symbols," the mage admitted reluctantly.
"Fire," Link said simply, pointing to his left, then gestured directly across from him, "and Spirit."
Ike chuckled at the explosive expression that blossomed on Soren. "I'll take Spirit, if you like."
"You're the Lord of the Fire Emblem," Soren shot back, tone as dry as the ancient desert. "The gods will have their little jest, it seems..." he paled slightly when he remembered Nayru's presence.
"I would not laugh at such serendipity," Nayru replied gently. "Merely, I would say that when the people of your homeland believed that you possess a spiritual wisdom, only the source of their belief was inaccurate, not their conclusion." With a duck of Soren's head to hide his face in his long hair (and a fond chuckle from Ike), the lithe sorcerer walked to the Spirit seal. Ike completed the set on the symbol of Fire.
Nayru nodded, and shafts of light enveloped them all. "Wait," Soren croaked, no doubt as overwhelmed by the rush of mana as Zelda herself. "The princess didn't want to bring an army through your 'Sacred Realm,' but Vaati surely has an army waiting for us..."
"So does the Twilight Princess," the divine Oracle replied, and then all was a blur of Light and majesty.
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Link didn't know whether he was going to become a wizard on the instant or simply explode. The cascading force surged through him like lightning. In all his quest, he'd never felt so overwhelmed, or so invincible. The Hero could almost feel lines of power etching themselves on his face. He imagined conjuring armor from pure magic, spiraling the Master Sword into a great silvery helix and cutting through Vaati in a single implacable blow. His eyes felt ready to shoot fire like some divine avenger of myth. He thought he might be sick. Then all at once, the feeling ceased, and the Hero was once again on literally familiar ground.
The Twilight Realm stretched out before them, the familiar rain of shadow falling up into the dark clouds. The ever-present glow behind those clouds, as before, seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Yet there was a strange tinge of violet to the light. It was beautiful in its way, but it worried the Hero. It feels...familiar, somehow.
"Vaati," Navi rumbled furiously in his mind.
"She lives," Link drawled. "What, he turned the sky purple?"
The fairy snorted. "It's probably the only place in the Realm he could find to keep his ego."
Everyone chuckled at that. "You're sounding well, Navi," Midna noted gently.
"So you are," the Hero agreed happily. "You feel stronger, too."
"Huh." Navi stood, then flew out of his hat and spun around the group. "You're right. I am." She looked at Midna intently. Then, Link felt the two make mental contact. Uh-oh. He couldn't tell what they were saying – not without eavesdropping, at any rate – but saw little chance of anything good coming out of that.
#Have faith, Hero,# Zelda sent. "Come," she said aloud, gesturing for them to follow. "We must hurry if we are to catch them unaware."
Link nodded. "If this Vaati is half as dangerous as his reputation says, we've got our work cut out for us." He strode forward, the passing months having dimmed his memory of Midna's Realm not at all.
While they advanced, Soren looked around them with a piercing, analytical gaze. Three times he checked his book, gestured, then continued with the group. Finally, Ike stopped and looked at the sorcerer. "What are you doing?" he asked, perplexed.
"Examining this purple haze," Soren replied simply. He paused before closing his book. "Though...I must admit, this Realm does have a strange beauty to it."
Midna smiled. "I'd hardly call it strange, but we are fond of it." She strode up nearly to the Hero. Zelda was already to his left, so Midna moved towards his right. Link stopped when he heard grumbling, though, and peered warily around the outcropping before him. He gestured for the princesses to do the same, then froze.
The field before Midna's citadel didn't so much teem as move like a living thing. Link's eyes widened at the sight of the army of Moblins, Darknuts and some sort of land-based octopi. Octoroks, some ancient memory told him, even as further monstrosities boiled over Midna's kingdom. Onox stood atop a titanic Gohma. Veran smiled slyly as she guided a clawed behemoth whose torso was topped with a single massive eye. His Shadow leaned against a hillside, twirling his blade and looking bored. Vaati himself hovered over the entire mass, arms outstretched and fingers curled inward like grasping talons. He waved the princesses back, then ducked behind the rock face himself and grimaced. "Link?" Zelda asked, clearly worried about him. Midna's expression was nearly identical. "What's wrong?"
Link grimaced ferociously. "This is going to be a little harder than I thought."