No, this isn't a Link chapter! Oh dear. Where is he?

Love,
CM


PART 3: FIGHTING GRAVITY

CHAPTER 16: THE DYING PRINCESS


6th of Hexember, Year 3378, Third Age
Hyrule, Castleton
Southern thoroughfare

Midna's headset ticked that it was midnight. As the snow blew around them and the ice crushed against their armours, she tackled Goht's hind legs, tripping it.

She hadn't found Zant yet, but that could wait, for now.

Goht thrashed, struggling to release its legs. The unfortunate lack of grip of metal made the task easier than Midna would have liked. She let go, pounding Goht into the ground. Armogohma whined around her, the structure used to rapid surgical strikes rather than burly brawling.

"Get out of here!" She shouted to princess Zelda and her companions. They were stepping away, but not as fast as Midna liked.

Are you with us?

The voice startled Midna, and Gohma faltered, and Goht slammed her against the façade of a building.

She turned, pinned between Goht's stubborn head and a stone wall, and shouted, "Of course I am! Ask Impa! Twilight has come to help!"

With her four front legs, which were the only mobile parts she currently had, she pushed against Goht's head, lifting it off her just enough that she could swipe it sideways with Armogohma's hind legs. It slid off her armour and slammed into the wall, which crumbled over its head.

Midna scurried away, checking her golem for any serious damage. Leg seven wasn't responding as precisely as she liked, but it was still mobile. She leapt onto a low roof and poised herself for a new lunge.

Dark's limp arm fell over her shoulder, and Midna shuddered.

'Midna of Twilight,' Ganondorf Dragmire taunted below. 'I was sure we had deposed you.'

"Looks like I was born to disappoint the Guardian Coalition," she said, ignoring Dark's touch. "Where is Zant, by the way? I'd like a word with him."

Ganondorf merely laughed, and Goht stomped its hoof, preparing for a charge. Midna leaped onto its back, struggling to stay on top. Goht bucked, throwing itself into a building to knock her off.

Dizzy, Midna shook herself into focus, and hurried to block his way towards the Citadel.

Goht shook off cement and plaster, and Ganondorf said, 'Move out of my way, worm.'

"No." A quick glance around her indicated that Zelda and her companions had successfully evacuated to the inner holding walls, but she wasn't going to let Goht barrel that one down too.

'They had no problem demonizing you when you were an enemy. Put aside your hate for me, Midna Black,' Ganondorf continued, his voice deep and unsettling. If she didn't know better, he almost sounded tired. 'I can eliminate Zant, and you'll have your kingdom again.'

"Pyr," she whispered, and Armogohma opened its fangs and spat a massive fireball. The effort was well-worth Ganondorf's surprise. Goht dodged the fire, which simmered into nothing as it hit the ground.

Now, Ganondorf sounded full of rage. 'Petty bitch.'

He charged. Midna crouched, tripping his front legs, heating his armour with Fire so it glowed hot red, and she smirked when Ganondorf added nothing, probably trying not to panic from the sudden, baking heat.

But Goht rolled itself into fallen snow, and vapour hissed, and the heat disappeared. Midna found she was breathless, the exertion greater than she had anticipated.

Apparently, while golems could channel Magic, they drew the energy for it from their pilots rather than their Sols. That was important to know, and frustrating.

Still, when Goht righted itself and stampeded towards her, it was helpful to use Shadow for a rapid cloak. Goht slammed into a wall, and Midna revealed herself again, unharmed, some distance away.

'I see you had to take your own Sol after all,' Ganondorf Dragmire taunted, his temper carefully reined in. 'I don't suppose your city of Nightfall was very happy about that.'

Dark. Midna's face contorted in hate. "You don't get to talk about that." This Sol had cost her more than anything she had been willing to spend. He was not going to make light of it.

To prove her point, she lunged at Goht's throat, her mandibles and forelegs digging into a plaque of metal, and attempting to pry it off. Goht shook violently from side to side.

"I will kill you," Midna shouted, "you and every Guardian leader! I will end your reign―"

Goht headbutted her to the ground, and she was kicked away, the shock of collision slamming her head against her control panel. She groaned, her forehead bleeding.

'Calm yourself, Midna Black,' Ganondorf condescendingly commanded, Goht coming to stand over her ominously. 'And surrender.'

Instead of surrendering, she scampered between Goht's legs, striking them as she went. Goht buckled forward, but was back on its hooves before she could mount a counterattack.

Goht slammed into her again, and the armour screamed in contortion. A piece of reinforcement popped off and clanked to the ground. Midna's heart was in her throat, stomach in knots.

'Surrender, Midna Black,' Ganondorf Dragmire commanded, his voice low.

Simultaneously, Midna's headset crackled. 'Duck.'

Going limp, Midna let Armogohma drop to the ground between the building and Goht's massive shape. Goht slammed into the wall, and then was… thrown to the side.

The bright flash of light of an explosion registered only after, and the sound of it deafened Midna. Ears ringing, she followed the smoke trail of the mortar up into the sky, and up to the Citadel's firing defences.

'You're welcome,' Impa said in her ears, her voice muffled by the explosion.

As Midna watched, Goht struggled to rise again, its exploded side seized with arcs of power. It was still fully mobile, but that side's hind leg was weakened. That was good.

"Thank you, Shades."

'Retreat into the city. You don't have the brute strength to fight this one.'

"No," Midna grunted, wiping blood out of her eye. "Someone has to slow him down."

'I see,' Ganondorf Dragmire grunted, 'that we will have to fight this one out to the end.'

Midna wondered if it was that obvious. She snuck a glance at Dark's corpse. He was grey and bloated and smelled terrible. It would be good to join him soon. The thought made her sick to her stomach.

"Let's," she said, pushing Armogohma up on its legs. Rising to strike, the golem's weight on the four hindlegs and her four forelegs erected in challenge, Midna smirked. "I bet you can't kill me."

Goht stamped the ground, and steam came out of its nostrils. It was thick and white in the cold.

'We will see.' There was nothing warm about Ganondorf Dragmire's voice.

Overhead, Guardian airships were moving in towards the Citadel. Impa's mortars were firing at the incoming ships.

Ground defence was up to her and the standing army.

Goht reared, huffed, and began to stampede. Midna braced herself. Armogohma caught Goht head on, sliding on the street despite her best efforts. The metal legs tore up the pavement, but eventually, she was headlocked against Goht. Under its horns, Armogohma's armour screeched.

There was a puncture sound, and one of the horns pierced the golem, hitting Midna in the side. She exhaled sharply, blood drawn.

Goht moved his head to and fro, tearing at her side. Eventually, Armogohma was thrown from its hold, and Midna landed against the window, crying. Her blood gushed, hot and wet, but something made her numb.

The gaping hole in her cockpit made her nervous. She nursed that side, checking the golem for substantial injuries. Goht, for its part, still arced power in short-circuits, but was mostly unhurt. Ganondorf was preparing for another charge.

Midna stared at her impending death and felt it grip her coldly.

She didn't want to die. She wanted to be dead with Dark, but the process, the getting there―

She swallowed her saliva, and ignored the stab of pain in her flank.

"Yeah!" She screamed out, tears falling against her cheeks. She screamed because she needed to hear herself, to believe that it was right, because she didn't want to show fear. She screamed because she wanted it to end quickly. "Come on, tough guy!"

She clacked her fangs, scratched at the ground.

Fire, help me, she implored, listening to Ganondorf Dragmire's chuckle. Feed me.

Goht charged again. She braced herself, letting the Fire build inside her. He would never know what hit him. He would die in a conflagration so large they would be consumed with it. When the Fire died down, there would be no remains to find, only one mass of molten, twisted metal, and two Sols to help the world move on.

"Come on!" She cried, her voice cracking. She sounded like a little girl. She hated that.

The Fire burst at her finger tips, and at the fangs of Armogohma. This is it. No flinching now. It'll be alright. No more fear, no more pain, no more guilt.

No more despair.

'I gave you your chance. Remember that!'

Midna tensed. Goht was almost upon her.

An explosion rocked the city. Armogohma was flung into the air. For a second, she saw Goht rocket into the pavement in the opposite direction. All the Fire inside Midna fizzled, expelled in a flash that was all spark and little heat. She collapsed in her seat as her golem stopped moving. Dark was leaning against her headrest, his arms outstretched on either side, as though he was unable to hold her..

Midna's breath came in sharp huffs. For a long moment, the ringing in her ears was deafening. Her headset had been knocked off her head, but it didn't matter because she wouldn't have been able to hear anyway. She was dizzy, and unsure of what direction was up.

The ringing began to subside, and with it, her notion of gravity returned, and she realized the reason Dark was reaching out to her was because she was face down, Armogohma upturned. She tried to flail her legs to alter her balance and flip herself right side up, but three of the legs were unresponsive. Through the hole Goht had pierced with its horn, she saw oil drip.

Her breath came hard. From outside herself, she realized panic was seizing her.

She put the headset back on. Maybe she could call for help.

'... waiting for orders. Celestia out.'

Celestia? Midna blinked hard, trying to catch her breath. Her mouth tasted like blood. She must have bitten her tongue at some point. Her whole body ached, and she felt welts forming where her belts had kept her in her seat.

'Standby Celestia. Keep visual contact on the mechanical bull you just blasted.'

Mechanical bull. Where was Goht? Midna tried to lean forward, but everything hurt. She cried out in pain, and then she just cried. The tears came despite herself, while she struggled to stay calm, while she struggled to get her bearings. Every second she was wasting in confusion could spell death.

I want to be dead, she was screaming internally, all the while struggling to stay alive, to stay alert. She had to be one step ahead of Ganondorf, or he would kill her.

It took her a moment to realize that the heap of metal outside her window was Goht. It was heavily damaged, massive arcs of light and electricity sparking on its body.

But it was still moving. It was moving as Armogohma no longer could, and getting to its feet.

Midna cursed herself. Gohma had been a precision golem, swift and expedient. Goht was built to withstand severe punishment. It was a tank where she was a dart-thrower.

In this case, Goht would win.

'You have stubborn allies,' Ganondorf Dragmire was saying. He was breathless, but there was no denying the determination in his voice. 'But they have terrible aim.'

Goht was stomping its hooves. He was checking whether his golem was still operable. It probably was. Midna found herself struggling to right herself, despite her suicidal whims.

"Dark…" She gasped. She wanted to join him, but no, not like this, not this way. This was too unfair. This was too painful.

She had no energy left to use Magic, let alone the weak Shadow. She was barely able to stay conscious.

Somewhere overhead, explosions rocked the sky. Whatever this Celestia was, it was causing damage.

The lights flashed against the pavement, against the window, against Goht, against her eyes. She was trapped, and she was in pain, and she was scared.

Goht reared.

Midna turned, crying in pain, and grabbed Dark's clammy, bloated hand. And she closed her eyes.

"I loved you," she whispered, eyes shut tight.

'You what?'

Ganondorf Dragmire's confusion was evident. He had overheard her, because of the headset. Goht had not moved, but it was stomping its hooves in impatience.

He thought she was talking to him.

It would have been comical if the Admiral's voice hadn't been so… empty of contempt. Something like dread filled Midna's gut. Was that it? Was Ganondorf Dragmire looking for―

'Taking aim,' the male voice, whom Midna only identified as Celestia's, announced. 'Brace yourselves.'

A second explosion rocked into Goht, but it was slightly off, and Goht was only pushed back. Armogohma, however, received the shockwave like a blessing. It rocked the metal armature and she found herself tilting sideways. Ears ringing, she managed to push herself right side up.

By now, the street was unrecognizable. It was pockmarked with mortar holes and buildings crumbled around her. Papers were flying around her, mixing with the snow falling.

Ganondorf Dragmire was laughing, a low chuckle she didn't like. 'It's charming, how you try to distract me. I take it you're out of resources.'

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of saying yes. "Eat dirt."

The world was going dark. Absently, Midna realized that, for her contortions, blood was pouring steadily from her wounds in her side. It wasn't even painful anymore. She wondered if 'eat dirt' were fitting final words.

Goht slammed into her. She was pinned against a building, three of her legs hanging limply from her body. The others, despite her better judgement, were struggling to keep Goht from applying deadly pressure on her.

But Ganondorf Dragmire wasn't aiming to kill her just yet. She could almost see him, behind Goht's glass eyes, smirking cruelly.

'You failed,' he taunted.

It was such a simple phrase, but it echoed her own voices so well, she slapped a hand against her mouth to hold in a sob. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction.

'When the world remembers today, they won't even remember you,' he continued. 'You had so little consequence, you couldn't even save your people.'

The Fire was back, a small flame inside her heart, and the tears coming from her eyes were hot. That he spoke the truth was only fuelling her even more. The Fire was ready to consume her. It burned with self-loathing and anger.

Fire and Shadow had always been inside her, for as long as she could remember. They were the legacy of desert-dwelling Sheikah, poured and diluted through time, to reach her blood, to reach her life. The Shadow was weak, but the Fire was consuming, and she let it burst.

Almost like spitting in his face, tongues of flame erupted from Armogohma's damaged fangs. They did nothing to Goht. Ganondorf Dragmire laughed.

"You'll never know love," Midna softly said.

Goht slammed even harder against her. The armature bent in front of her, ready to give in. It gave Midna a small sense of victory. There it was: Admiral Dragmire's best hidden wound.

"You don't even have the capacity for it." It didn't matter that it was true or not. It mattered that he believed it. And, from the rage she felt in Goht's movement, he did.

'I heard from Zant that he killed your pet.'

The stab of pain in Midna's heart was so sudden, it was almost physical.

"If you want us to guard the future, we can. It'll be called 'Ganon's Failings'," she snapped back, her golem's legs pushing all the harder.

'I will crush you and your people.' He seemed to mean it, because Armogohma was buckling under his push.

This was it. Better go off with a bang.

"By the time we're done with you, your men will be scraping your innards off the pavement with a toothbrush," she taunted.

But there was a silence, and suddenly Goht froze in position. Midna didn't want to waste her chance, but Armogohma was done responding to her commands. If Goht hadn't been pinning it, it would have crumbled to the ground. Only her mandibles still moved with some energy. Everything else was broken.

So when Goht's head opened, and she came face to face with Ganondorf Dragmire, she wasn't sure what to expect.

The Guardian Admiral lifted his hand, and Midna saw the gun as though from outside herself.

He removed the security on the pistol coldly.

Staring down the barrel of death, Midna found herself with an odd sympathy for Zant Grim.


But seriously, guys. Where's Link? Everybody else showed up to the party...

Love,
CM

P.S. Here's a hint: give it another two chapters.