Chapter 9: Redemption

Impaz looked out of her window worriedly. Three burly looking goblin-like creatures stood patiently outside of her house. "Stupid Moblins…" she muttered. One of the Moblins looked towards the frail woman suddenly. It bent down quickly and grabbed a fairly large sized rock. Impaz scurried to the side of the window as it shuddered under the impact. After the laughter of the Moblin's died down she walked hesitantly over to the window. She examined it; it had held, but there were several nasty looking cracks that crossed though the glass. She sighed and walked over to the terrified young woman who was huddled in a corner.

"W-what's happening?" she asked, tears coming to her eyes.

"Were fine," Impaz replied calmly. "But we'll need to leave as soon as possible."

"Why?"

"Because we won't be fine here much longer!" Impaz said impatiently.

"How are we going to leave, those things outside won't let us."

"I have some other ways to get out." Impaz stated, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder.

The woman nodded her head and sniffled.

"Everything will be fine, just do as I do."

They held eye contact for a moment. Impaz saw in the girl's eyes were vacant of anything other than fear. Her eyes shone dully and they quickly flickered away from her site. Impaz shook her head and removed her hand from the girl's shoulder. She walked confidently over to a section of the wall that looked no different than any other place in the wall. Her fingers played over it for a moment and then seemed to congregate on a hairline crack. Her long nails dug into the crack and she heaved her body over to one side. The secret door slid back to reveal a small passage. She signaled silently for Illia to come forward.

Illia shook her head in fear as she inched away from the strange, magical door.

Impaz went over and hauled Illia up, using surprising strength for an old woman. "Come, there's nothing to be frightened of." she murmured comfortingly.

Illia clung onto Impaz fearfully as they walked through the confined, darkened corridor. She tripped slightly and almost threw them both to the ground. Impaz held firm and supported the frightened girl. A shattering noise cracked behind them. Illia turned around, letting go of Impaz. Impaz grabbed the girl and started to walk faster. "They're bored, they'll be coming after us soon…" she explained.

Illia nodded and scurried ahead of the aged woman. The end of the corridor was visible now, it was growing dark. The sunset made the pale girl's skin glow like that of an angels. She turned her head and let out a small smile. "You are a good friend, thank you."

"You're very welcome, Illia." Impaz responded.

A look of confusion planted itself on the girl's face. "Illia? Who's Illia?"

Impaz sighed; she had forgotten that little incident with the wooden staff. "It's your name." she explained as simply as possible.

"Nonsense!" Illia dismissed with a flick of her head as she started outside. "My name is—" she stopped and took a sharp intake of breath. She turned around to face her friend. "I can't recall my name." she thought for a bit. "I am certain, though, that it is not Illia!" she shouted defiantly.

A loud curse came from inside the house. Impaz's eyes grew wide with fear and she ran to Illia. She pushed her as far away as her strength would allow her too. "Hurry, dear, run to the south east!"

Illia looked at her quizzically.

"Run along the path and turn right towards the big castle. When you get there, ask for the doctor!" she shouted as she turned to run back inside the house.

Illia heard a mean voice shouting from inside the passageway, it sounded familiar. Her body froze at the sound of the gravelly voice; her body associated the voice with pain. Her legs commanded her to move, and she ran for her life.

Midna grimaced in distaste as she grabbed onto Link's think fur. They sped along through the trees following a strange apparition. In Midna's eyes it was only a faint spark of electricity, but to Link's it was an unusually large bug. Midna leaned down next to Link's ear and fairly shouted "How could you lose it, this is the last one!"

Link growled in response and pushed on after the bug. He jumped forward and snapped his jaws out towards the bug, but it skittered away with unnerving speed.

"Get it!" Midna commanded in frustration as she loosened her grip on Link.

Link paused and panted, he felt Midna's hand leave his neck fur. If a wolf could grin, Link did, he sped off so fast that Midna had no time to grab onto anything. She fell to the ground with a loud curse. Her hands still clutched the remnant vessel that they had been given. She looked into the balls of blown glass; most of them were filled with a quivering light. She stood up unsteadily and started to float quickly towards Link, who had successfully cornered the bug. He pounced on the bug and roughly shook it until it squealed in pain. Link dropped it to the ground where it shriveled quickly, light seemed to seep out of it. Midna came up and held the last empty vessel to the deceased bug. A humming sound emanated from the vessel as it vibrated slightly in Midna's hands. The light seeped into the vessel languidly. Midna looked over at Link. He sat with his ears cocked slightly crooked and his eyes drowned in smugness.

"You think you're so smart, don't you?" she asked sarcastically. "Why'd you throw me off?"

Link put an overly exaggerated look of injured innocence on his face.

"Don't even start that, I know you did it on purpose." she pouted.

The vibration of the vessel stopped suddenly; it was full. Midna saw a small pool of still un-gathered light lying near the bug, it rippled and danced like a puddle in a strong wind. She handed the vessel delicately over to Link. "Here, take it. I carried it all the way here, so you should have to carry it back."

Link nodded and took the vessel gently in its mouth, as if he feared it would break.

"I'll join you in a minute…" Midna added as she glided over to the puddle of light. She settled on the ground and leaned over the puddle. She glanced secretively over her shoulder, making sure Link was still dutifully carrying the vessel. She nodded, satisfied that Link would not see what she was about to do.

She dipped her hand tentatively into the light, a tingling sensation shot though her entire body. She cupped both her hands and brought up some of the light to her eye level. She smiled as it started to shine comfortingly, and she raised it above her head on an impulse. The light seemed to shower down, like a rain of fireflies. For a moment, she felt like she was her normal, un-cursed self again. She felt the cold twilit wind on her face, her body became elongated and normally proportioned. Her face felt narrower, and she could see more clearly with her eyes. She laughed softly as the light continued to pour upon her uncovered head. Her mouth parted slightly and her upturned face shone in the light she had gathered. Her eyes closed and warmth seemed to spread from her fingers all the way down to her toes. Excitement coursed through her veins as she started to hope that she could be saved from her horrible curse.

Link heard a small laugh and turned around to see a strange appearance. A very tall, blue-skinned woman stood, her arms upraised, gathering the spilled light. It showered her, enshrouding her in a mist through which he could not see clearly. His eyes focused on the figure, her face was very beautiful. He found her face familiar, yet he knew that he would have never forgotten such a face as this stunning creatures. He started towards her, and stepped on a twig. A loud crack broke the reverie. The woman turned around and dropped her hands down, letting the light spill from her fingers and fall to the dead grass at her feet. Instantly, the woman vanished in a shroud of golden light that made Link squint. When he looked again, she was gone, and in her place sat a dazed and confused Midna.

"My tears have been gathered, the vessel is full, and all is now redeemed into the light…" a musical voice sung as the vessel disappeared underneath the lapping water of the spirit spring. The spirit spring became like liquid gold, and it chased the darkness away. Link's sensitive animal eyes were blinded, and he sat down in the water stunned. Liquid gold seemed to inch up his body and pull him down to rest in its warm embrace. He obeyed without question, and looked up at the sky as the liquid covered his body. It was the bluest he had ever seen it. Only a few clouds dabbled in the sky, they seemed to float playfully in the cooling breeze that washed over the quivering water. It became cool and refreshing as it returned to its natural color. Link closed his eyes, letting a natural, dark sleep envelop him. As he drifted into a dreamless sleep he heard a soft voice say: "It was so nice in the Twilight… What's so great about this light anyway?"

Link wondered if Midna's sudden mood swing had anything to do with the creature he had seen before he drifted off to sleep.

"See you later…"

Link awoke to the sound of metallic humming. Link sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, he wondered how long he had been sleeping for. He looked at the source of the humming; a golden ball of energy and light that was levitating slightly above the water. As he gazed upon the amazing and supernatural sight, a body seemed to form and curve around half of the ball. It hugged onto the ball as if for support. It looked like a strange species of monkey. A large tail curved around the other half of the ball and encircled the entire figure. The figure pulsated with the light and energy that came from the ball.

"I am Faron…" the spirit said solemnly. Its voice sounded different than Ordona. Faron sounded like a cool spring breeze rustling through the grass. It was slightly muffled and the song of small forest bugs and creatures seemed to make up half of the voice. "I am one of the spirits of light that dwells within Hyrule. I use the life force of the gods to protect this forest.

"O brave youth…" the figure paused for a few moments as it addressed Link. "In the land covered by twilight, where people roam as only shadows of their former spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast. That was a sign. It was a sign that the powers of the ancient one, the savior of Hyrule, dwells within you. His spirit is awakening. Look at your awakened form!" the spirit commanded gently.

Link looked down at himself, still expecting to see a wolf's body. Instead, he saw a human body garbed in strange, musty smelling clothing. He stood up unsteadily and looked at himself in his reflection. He wore a green tunic with leather and some chain-mail underneath. His hands seemed stronger, and they were covered by leather gauntlets. The left-hand gauntlet did not cover the back of his hand fully, and on it he saw the strange symbol that he saw when he first entered the twilight. It was not glowing or throbbing or causing any kind of discomfort, it only seemed like a tattoo. He gazed at it in wonder. Something hit the back of his head; he raised his hands to feel what it was. He wore a strange hat that hung down and reached his shoulders. His hands brushed the sword and the shield that were strapped to his back.

"The green tunic that is your garb once belonged to an ancient hero chosen by Nayru. His power is yours…his is the true power that slept within you. You're name is Link, and you are our hero chosen by Nayru, Din, and Farore." the spirt stated calmly. "Brave Link… A dark power rests inside the temple that rests inside these very woods. It is a forbidden power. Long, long ago, I and the other spirits broke the object that holds within itself the power to awaken all evil. We have locked it away for many years. Its guardians are now possessed by the power which we wish to destroy. Because of its nature it is a power that should never be touched by any being that dwells in the world of light."

Link heard Midna muttering some defense under her breath.

"This world weeps underneath the oppression of this dark shroud, and so there is no choice. You must fight the prince of darkness with the power of the shadows…" the figure grew sad, and its light seemed to fade. Its voice quavered in an emotion that Link could not guess: Was it fear? Anger? Hatred for this "prince of darkness?" He couldn't tell.

"Is that what he's calling himself these days?" Midna asked loudly. "The conceited fool!" she spat vehemently.

"Unfortunately the one of which you speak is only a puppet; a king ruled by a prince…" the voice said quietly.

Midna stayed silent and allowed Faron to continue.

"Proceed onto the temple within these woods if you wish to help Hyrule and fulfill the destiny that lies within you."

Link bowed respectfully towards the spirit and stepped slowly out of the spring. The figure smiled and nodded in acknowledgment before sinking into its home.

After the beast disappeared Midna perked up considerably. Her body was no longer solid because of the strong light that filtered through the trees. She seemed to be only a passing shadow with smooth edges that were not affected by the object she rested upon. "Well, well…So you're the chosen one and all that rubbish? That's why you turned into a beast!" she said as she rested a hand on Link's human shoulder. "Shame, really…I mean, wouldn't it be so much easier if you were just the shadow of a spirit roaming through the peaceful and serene twilight?" she asked, a poetic ring in her speech. "You would be totally unaware of all that would happen in eternity, no cares for Hyrule, or for any light…"

Link noticed that the last words seemed to be spoken more to herself than to him.

"So, do you want to head to that temple? It would be the best to kill two birds with one stone. You promised to help me collect the thing I need, the power the spirit talked about. You also still need to save your friends. I think that if you traveled abroad and saved Hyrule, ultimately, you would save all of your friends as well." she explained.

"Yes, that would be the right thing to do."

"Then you'll come?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with thankfulness.

"Yes."