Chapter 21: Twilight Realm
Disclaimer: Still own nothing.
Please read AN at bottom.
The world that Link found himself in was like nothing he had ever seen.
The sky was a combination of purple and black, as if done by an artist.
The ground below his feet glowed a beautifully eerie green.
Right before his eyes stood three buildings. Between two of the buildings was, what appeared to be, a stone courtyard.
As he moved to take his first step in this strange world, Midna appeared before him.
"Um, listen, Link. Can I ask you one last selfish favor?
Regardless of what my reasons may have been, I once abandoned this world...
I left behind the Twili. Those who had followed me... Who considered me their
ruler...
Even now, as they remain here, suffering, they believe that help will come for
this world...
But if they were to see that the only help for them was a hideous little imp...
Don't you think they'd feel let down?
It's only for a little bit longer... Do you mind if I continue to hide as your
shadow while you're in human form?
I'm sorry..."
"If that's what you believe to be best."
Without answering, Midna faded back into his shadow.
Approaching the courtyard, he came upon a pair of Twilight Messengers.
Not thinking it strange that they did not move to attack, Link reached to draw his blade.
"Wait! This guy isn't an enemy, Link.
They might look different, but...they're inhabitants of this world... They're
my people.
Zant... How could he..."
Link's face took on a look of horror.
"He did this to his own people?!"
Making their way up the stairs leading to the throne room, they were stopped by a waterfall of shimmery black dust.
"Link, be careful...
This black fog is made up of shadow crystals created by Zant. They blot out
light...
He's responsible for stealing the light from the spirits and turning your world
into twilight...
But he's not all-powerful. We're prepared too. I can return you to your normal
state whenever you need, so don't worry, OK?"
"So what do you suggest we do?"
"We go into the other buildings, I have the feeling that our answer lies in there."
Following her suggestion, Link traveled through the first building.
At the end of the building, a large stone hand held a glowing sphere. As Link was making his way over to it, a familiar fence appeared.
What faced him was not the monsters he was used to. Instead, a glowing image of Zant met him.
Link was able to get a hit on him, before he moved away and summoned a cloud of Twilight Keese.
It was easy getting rid of them.
It was not, however, easy to get ahold of Phantom Zant as he kept popping up everywhere.
Link finally saw his chance when he noticed it staying in place instead of moving.
They danced the same steps repeatedly until Link delivered his final blow.
Phantom Zant burst into a cloud of Dust as he fell.
Luckily Link was able to turn back as soon as he was out of the cloud.
He moved closer to the stone hand and listened as Midna spoke.
"That shining sphere illuminates this world. It's called a Sol.
It's like the sun of your world, Link.
The power of the Sol is the source of life in this world... It is pure power.
Ah! As long as you have this...
Would you take this Sol to the Twili at the entrance of this world? Please,
Link!"
"It looks like the spheres the spirits held."
Midna hummed her agreement.
Picking up the Sol, they began to make their way to the door when a loud hum met their ears.
Turning slowly, their eyes widened as they saw the stone hand come to life and move slowly towards them.
As he moved with the Sol in his hands, he saw it scare away the Dust.
As the Dust cleared, he saw an indentation.
Taking a guess, he placed the Sol in and watched as stairs appeared.
Running up the stairs, he took out his hook shot and prepared to retrieve the Sol.
He barely got it back before the hand grabbed it.
Running as fast as he could, he made it back outside to the courtyard.
Replacing the Sol, he saw some of the light return to the world and changed its appearance, much like in his own world.
The second building was much the same as the first, with Link running from a living hand after grabbing the Sol.
Replacing the last Sol in its rightful spot, the rest of the light returned to the world, and also to Link's sword.
"Amazing... The power of the Sols has been transferred to your sword...
The guardian deities of my world are on our side, too!
You really are the chosen one, Link... A true hero!
As long as you have that sword, you should be able to repel the shadows Zant
has spread!"
Walking back up the stairs, they were once more faced with the dark waterfall.
"Shadow crystals flow like waterfalls here... There's no way we can get rid of
all of them.
Charge your sword up and release the power of the Sol all at once."
Taking a mighty swing, Link dispersed the Dust with the sword powered by the Sols.
Jumping through, they made their way up the tower and into the throne room.
Zant sat in the throne, with a covered figure sitting at his feet.
"Zant.
Isn't this ironic? Here we are, all thanks to the dark magic curse you placed
on Link!"
Zant stood and addressed Midna.
"You speak of magic? Still your tongue for a moment, whelp, and I will tell you
of both magic and the oppression of ages...
The people of our tribe...a tribe that mastered the arts of magic...were locked
away in this world like insects in a cage.
In the shadows we regressed, so much so that we soon knew neither anger nor
hatred...nor even the faintest bloom of desire.
And all of it was the fault of a useless, do-nothing royal family that had
resigned itself to this miserable half-existence!
I had served and endured in that depraved household for far too long, my
impudent princess.
And why, you ask? Because I believed I would be the next to rule our people!
THAT is why!
But would they acknowledge me as their king? No! And as such, I was denied the
magic powers befitting our ruler.
It was then, in the thrall of hatred and despair, that I turned my eyes to the
heavens...and found a god.
My god had only one wish...
To merge shadow and light...and make darkness!"
Link's hand rested on his swords hilt.
Zant's voice stopped him.
"Oh, you won't be fighting me just yet."
Clapping his hands, the figure beside him stood.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
Link nodded his agreement.
As the figure stood at full height, the cloak covering it fell away.
"Ka-Kagome?!"
It was indeed Kagome, but at the same time not.
The woman before him was dressed in a black and blue outfit. The top crossed in front of her neck and below her chest, showing much of her breasts through the hole the design made. The left portion of her top was black, while the right was blue.
Around her hips rested a belt of blue.
A skirt was attached to the belt.
The skirt was black and looked to be in two pieces and flowed around her feet, which were bare except for a few anklets.
The front of the skirt was wide enough to cover her, but at the same time thin enough to fall between her legs as she walked forward. The back of the skirt wrapped itself around to attach to the front. Both pieces bore the same emblem Zant wore on the front of his armor.
Her hair had been, for the most part. The top half of her hair had been pulled back to form an intricate design. Her bangs had been left alone.
Her face was different as well.
Her mouth had been painted a blood red and eye make the same blue and black of her dress surrounded her red eyes.
Link was mad.
"What did you do to her?!"
Zant gave a smirk.
"She was a gift from my master."
Link growled.
"And she is trained ever so well. Allow me to demonstrate. Kagome?"
She turned her head enough for her to show she is listening while keeping her eyes on Link.
"Destroy him."
Extending her arm to the side, a naginata appeared in her hand.
Running at Link, she brought her weapon above her head and swiped at him.
Link blocked with his sword.
They danced this way for a while. Link dodged and blocked while Kagome was gracefully kicking his ass.
Swiping low with her naginata, Kagome wiped Link's feet out from under him.
Spinning her weapon above her head, she brought it down to end his life.
"Stop."
Link opened one eye and looked around before opening the other.
Kagome had one foot on Link's chest and her blade rested lightly on his neck as she stood over him with an expressionless face.
Zant got up from his throne and made his way toward them.
"Return to your place pet, I will fight him now."
Soundlessly Kagome followed her master's command and once again took her seat on the floor beside the throne.
With a flick of his wrists, the throne room turned into the room that held the Twilit Diababa.
Using the gale boomerang, Link used the same technique that defeated the plant monster.
In the next instant, he found himself back in the Goron Mine, on the blue platform suspended over lava.
Link had to laugh as Zant started jumping on the platform much like a toddler throwing a tantrum.
Zant recreated two more places before the final showdown in front of Hyrule Castle.
Using his magic, he transforms his arms into two long curved blades.
Spinning like a top, he came after Link repeatedly.
For a while, the fight was pretty evenly matched, even after Link's fight with Kagome.
This really should say something about Zant when you think about it.
Finally, Link was able to land one final hit before the illusion Zant trapped them in broke.
The fused shadows that Zant had stolen rushed from his body and absorbed themselves into Midna's body.
"Y-You...TRAITORS!"
They looked and saw Zant slumped in his throne, Kagome still sitting beside him.
Midna snarled back.
"Traitors, ha! You want to know why none would call you king? It was your eyes, Zant.
All saw it, a lust for power burning in your pupils... Did you think we'd
forget our ancestors lost their king to such greed?"
Giving a weak chuckle, Zant looked at Midna.
"Midna... Foolish Twilight Princess... The curse on you cannot be broken...
It was placed on you by the magic of my god! The power you held as leader of
the Twili will never return!
Already he has descended and been reborn in this world...
As long as my master, Ganon, survives, he will resurrect me without cease!"
He looked down at the girl at his feet.
"Finish him off, Kagome."
Her naginata forming once more in her hand, Kagome rushed at Link.
Angry with Zant, Midna looked at him with such hate that her hair took on a life of its own and rushed forward, stabbing him in the chest.
At the same time, Kagome had just run in front of Link, preparing her weapon to strike, when she suddenly dropped it and threw back her head and screamed.
Link watched wide eyed as Midna's hair caused Zant to expand and explode.
As he disappeared, Kagome screams were silenced as she lost consciousness.
It was fortunate that Link was close enough to catch her as she fell.
With one arm supporting her back and the other under her knees, he turned to Midna.
Midna was holding her face in shock.
"I... I used just a fraction of the power that's in me now...
I did THAT using only a fraction of my ancestor's magic?!"
She turned to Link with a determined look in her eye.
"Link! Now is the time! We must save Zelda!
The evil power Zant was wielding... I couldn't take it from him. But at least I
still have the magic of my ancestors...
With it, I can return the cherished power Zelda bestowed upon me..."
She paused in thought.
"Before we rescue Zelda, you should take care of Kagome."
Link looked down at the woman in his arms.
"I'll take her back to my house for now, it's far enough …"
Both sets of eyes widened as Kagome's body began breaking into particles before disappearing altogether.
"What happened?!"
Midna shook her head in shock.
"I don't know."
Her eyes widened as a thought struck her.
"Zant said his master gave her to him!"
"So what, this 'master' took her back?"
"More than likely."
Clenching his fists in anger, Link turned and began making his way towards the exit.
"Let's get back to Hyrule."
Since Midna was behind him, she did not see his eyes begin to glow.
"It's about time we finished this."
Due to my lack of martial arts knowledge, the fight scene between Link and Kagome sucked. Which ticked me off!
So it looks like we got about three chapters left, 2 regular and an Epilogue.
On to better news!
If you click on my profile, you will find a link where you will find a link leading to my Deviant Art account which holds pictures of Kagome's outfits from the fic!
Please tell me what you think!