Zelda, that night, outside Ordon

"Ganon sends us an invitation to our death, Vaati gives us one to stay alive a while longer." Zelda gazes up to Ganondorf, her lone companion staring into the campfire that projects Ravio and Hilda's forms. With each group giving their report of today's events, the nine heroes are left in a conundrum.

"We'll leave the decision to you, Princess. But as for Midna, it seems we're all in agreeance that we need her, no matter what."
"You sure you don't need us?"

Ganondorf shakes his head. "No, Hilda, you guys stay here and kept watch over Hyrule. The three of us can deal with her."

Ravio nods his projected head. "Very well. We'll make our way to Saria Town and await your return."

"Sounds great. We'll alert you to our return. Stay safe." The fire returns to normal and silence envelopes the two royals sitting in the spring that Zelda and Link made their private oasis outside their hometown. Link, however, is nowhere to be found. Her friend is already hurting more than he usually has since their involvement began since the death of his longtime companion, Spryte, was killed by Vaati via self-sacrifice, but coming here...must aggravate the pain. Zelda herself is somehow overcoming her own internal pain, most possibly due to the external problem of her country, but Link is drowning in his suffering. Only the battle against Phantom Ganon and the confrontation with Agahnim and Dark (she refuses to call the being "her father") brought out his normal personality.

"Zelda." The princess looks to the prince, the Gerudo looking to her with concern. "You should go to Link."

"You don't know him. He gets like this when he's upset."

"I get that, we're the same, but what he's going through, I hadn't experienced it since Nabooru fell. That pain creates demons, and we know what demons lead to. I had Midna, who at the time was just the girl assigned to look over me, and for weeks I hid my pain until I couldn't anymore. But you've known Link for most of your life. If we're going to save Midna, I know he will focus on that but afterward, we will confront Vaati again. Vengeance, when it is your guide, leads to even more pain. Me and you, we know that."

"Yes, but...how? What do I say?"

"Midna just let me talk. That's usually the best."

Zelda nods then without another word, rises up and leaves the spring.


Link is easily found in the ruined town. He sits on the preserved porch of their home, his hands twirling the Master Sword on its tip. Fi is nowhere to be found, probably for the best. She takes her seat beside him, close yet distant. Zelda says nothing, unable to figure out, even as the chosen one of the Goddess of Wisdom, how to speak to the man she knows best.

Link, however, mentally senses her intentions. "I'm okay, Zel. I know you think I'm not, and I am not, but I won't let it get in the way."

"That saves me half the conversation." Zelda smiles slightly as she looks to Link. He bears a barely visible smirk, but that's all there is to it. "But… I do want to apologize. I had no right to anger myself with you when you withheld my mother's situation. Much happened in the short time that battle lasted, it is easy to forget someone you thought dead for our entire life. We lost Impa, Spryte, everyone but us, so of course those you're closer to are in your thoughts."

"I...wish I could have saved them. I don't even know who is the Hero is anymore. Is it you, is it Ganondorf, because no matter what, you two perform the heroics. I've done nothing. If I… I had him, I ran the Master Sword through Vaati's throat, but he told me that I should have attacked him in his chest. If I had done so, Spryte, Impa, everyone would still be alive. I've shed my tears, so all I have now is this rage...but as long as you're okay, Zelda, I think I can hold back." He reaches for Zelda's hand, taking it in his. "That sounds pretty cliche given who we are, but I really mean it."

"I know."

Link sighs, then take a glance with his uninjured eye around the front yard. "I saw what happened here. Back when I was with the goddesses, I had a vision of sorts, more like trials from your father and the three. My first one was here. Shade said, that out of all his failures, this was the easiest of them. His failure to act. If he had...maybe Ordon would still be here."

"There's no guarantee of that."

"I know… There's one other thing I'm hiding from you, which ties into my second lesson. Apparently, you have a family in Calatia. Shade lived a life, but the Imperials caught wind of his survival. Horsehead actually, but he never said anything because he thought he killed your father then. Shade was able to get his wife and son to safety, but his father died in the fight. I do not know why he never told you this, but maybe it was to protect them. I never asked."

"Oh." Zelda drops her head on Link's shoulder, frowning in the thought of her unknown family. It doesn't bother her as much as she would think, given that she's used to knowing she's the only one of her true family. "Did he tell you about them?"

"No, not much, but I did see them. I know where they are."

"Hm. Then I would like to meet them before we go to Saria Town if we have time. In case...the worse possibility happens, I will know that I did have some blood family in this world. Thank you, Link."

Link nods then looks to the village. "Hey. The next time we come here… No matter how long that takes, we will rebuild this village. What do you say?"

Zelda smiles. "We will rebuild this world, somehow. The Resistance made their sacrifice for that dream. But first, the nine of us will need to…" Zelda suddenly raises her head, her eyes wide. "Hold on."

"What?"

"The message from the oracle… 'A sacrifice lets ten live.' Me, you, Ganondorf, Midna, Ravio, Hilda, Ralph, Oren, and Riju. That's nine… Who is the tenth?"

Link slowly shakes his head. "I have no clue. Everyone who was at Darunia was sacrificed by the Triforce… No way!" Link suddenly stands up and runs out the fence towards the forest. Alarmed, Zelda dashes after him.

"Link? What is it?"

"Everyone at Darunia was sacrificed! But not everyone we know was there!" In no time, the two Ordonians return to the camp, scaring the hell out of the King of Thieves. Out of breath, Zelda watches as Link continues to run right into the pool...and straight through the landscape that forms the natural wall of the spring.

Ganondorf, immensely confused, stands up. "What the hell just happened?"

"How did he… Should we follow him?"

"Um… No. You can, I rather save the 'jumping through things that we shouldn't be able to' for the Mirror of Twilight." Ganondorf sits back down, but no later than he does Link returns with a limp person in his arms. Zelda gasps as she recognizes the garb on the person, then rushes to Link's side as he sets the man down.

"He's alive, but barely. Zelda, can you heal him?"

"Yes. But...how did you know?"

"Because the Sheikah as a whole, Impa and a few excluded, weren't loyal or even had ties to the Resistance...but to you, they expressed loyalty." Link watches as the man's body glows in soft golden light as Zelda begins the healing process. "That's why Sheik lives." Zelda sighs as she focuses on healing Impa's beloved husband and the leader of the Sheikah Clan.

"Ganondorf," she says, looking to the distant ally. "This might be much to ask, but now that we have three days until we have to face Ganon and decide on Vaati, do you think it possible to wait on bringing Midna back?"

Ganondorf shakes his head. "No. We don't know her situation, with Zant there as well."

"But would you agree to still go, getting a sense of the situation, then waiting on us if possible? I know you want to make sure she's safe, but even I feel like if she isn't, Zant knows that you're coming. If anything, he would want you to know her suffering. If he doesn't know you're there, then...maybe Midna is safe for the time being."

"I see. Then I can accept waiting for one more day. I'll go tomorrow, then you the next day?"

"Yes. But if the situation calls for it, do not wait. As for her people… Consider them the enemy."


The Twilight Realm

"Pu, renosirp. Eht gnik stnaw ot ees uoy." Midna stands as her cell is opened by Twili guards. For the first time since her awakening in the realm, she notices the anatomy of her mother's people. In basic appearance, they are just humans with various shades of blue, grey, and black skin tones. Beyond that, they're taller than the average Hylian and all seem to sport some shade of red or orange hair color. Irises are in that same range of colors. Midna almost likens them to the Sheikah (the suspected ancestors of her race) or the Gerudo,

The guards place a single shackle on her right leg, seemingly impractical at first glance but as she steps out the anti-magic cell, she doesn't feel her powers. That shackle keeps her powerless, and there's even a chance it will hurt her physically if she steps out of line.

So the king, or should she say "Zant's father" wants to meet her finally before he kills her? What an honor. Midna decides to think on other things like why the castle interior looks so familiar beyond that of Midoro Palace. It is almost as familiar as Midoro was to her… Right. That accursed dream she had when she was a child of her in a palace and meeting who will become Ganondorf. The minimalistic, sleek design of the Palace of Twilight bores her quickly along the way up to the throne room, so she returns to the entertaining thoughts of how she'll kill her 'beloved brother.'

Before long, she's ushered through large double doors to the throne room. Guards line the walls like living statues, armed in case they believe Midna will act out. She scoffs at the pitiful sight as her eyes travel up the long, dark rug to the throne. Zant stands to the right of the throne, mask off as he leers with a snake-like smile to his sister. She ignores him for the second male before her, clad in a dark robe designed similarly to her new clothing (given by the guards) and Zant's, thin in material like Midna's but doesn't make him look like a male whore. She does adore her new garb though, though she also is grateful the dungeon isn't cold.

The king's cold, piercing red eyes remind her of Vaati, but there's something more malicious in these. The stare from Zant's father is nothing beyond personal hatred. It humors her so much that once the guards stop walking, she holds her hand up to wave to the king. That seems to incite him but his voice doesn't carry it as she's dropped to her knees. "So you're Midna," he says in perfect Hylian.

"Princess Midna Twilight. And I guess you're Crepusculum, the man my mother chose a Hylian over. That must really blow, huh?"

"Hmph. You are right, my son. The bastard has an interestingly sharp tongue" Crepusculum waves his hand, dismissing the guards from surrounding Midna. He stands up, allowing a black cape to surround his torso. His long red-orange flows around his head like an angry flame as he steps down to Midna and paces around her. "You have your mother's wit and beauty, I'll give you that. But besides that… Zant tells me you came to overthrow me."
"Did Zant tell you other things about us? I wouldn't his word for anything. He did, after all, kill his mother."

Crepusculum sighs. "Yes, Horzona's death was unfortunate, but as I see it, it was that Auru who doomed her the minute she left this realm. How she survived the world of light still amazes me." The king steps back to the throne then holds out his hand. From thin air appears the four fragments of the Fused Shadow, swirling around in the space above his palm. "I guess this relic has more power than we realized. It protected her in the other world, it gives you unspeakable powers. I wonder what it can do for me. He who wields such power would make a suitable king for this world and the next, don't you think?"

This world...and the next? Midna understands what Crepusculum is implying, but her mind turns to Zant. He will betray Vaati like this? She shakes her head in laughter. "Zant, you idiot. You idiot! Was this your true plan all these years? To return home and lead the Twili back to the world of light to take it over? Do you not realize how insanely stupid that is? You think a powerful creation of man will stand up against the power of the gods? Whoever possesses the Triforce now, whether it is Vaati or Zelda, will utterly destroy you. Matter of fact, that sounds like a great idea if it gets rid of you, brother!"

"I will not be the one using it. Neither will Father. Neither of us has the affinity to wear the mask...but you do."

Midna simply shakes her head. "You'll do better killing me and finding someone else. Why would I betray Hyrule? You have no leverage worth using on me."

Crepusculum scoffs as he settles back on his throne. "True. Threatening your friends is pointless, you have no family you care much for… But isn't that a great thing? I come to you with no threats to give, just aid to ask. You're even willing to die instead. But I must question are you willing to kill me, a man who has done no wrong to you?" The King waves his hand and Midna feels the buckle around her leg come loose, though not totally unhinged. It is enough, however, for her magic power to brew within her.

"Father," Zant says with alarm, "what are you doing?"

"Come on, daughter of Auru, strike at me. If you're as strong as Zant claims you to be, then kill me. Show me the power of your resolve, Midna Twilight!"

"Your Majesty!"

"Stand down," the king says in his native tongue to the Twili guards. "Let whatever happens to occur." He's quite serious about this. She's sure he just wants to compare his power to hers, but Midna doesn't consider herself to be powerful. She's as strong as the other Six Sages, leagues below Ganondorf and Zelda at their full potential (if they reached it by now). But if he wants to truly compare, Midna will give it her all. Calling up the power of Sage of Light, Midna raises her hand and charges a blast for the king. Seconds later, she fires it, creating an illuminating explosion that scares the castle guards due to their low affinity for light.

Crepusculum, however, simply waves his hand through the light, vanquishing it easily. "What?" Midna exclaims. "How is that possible?" That goes against all laws of magic. Light, even if Dark matches it, wins the elemental bout. There is no way the king is unharmed as a user of dark magic and as a Twili. Even Vaati was affected by Zelda's magic, strong as he is.

"Hmph, that was your all, Midna? Pitiful. Let me show you my power at the same level." Crepusculum thrusts his hand forwards, creating a wave of energy that indeed matches Midna's attack power. However, it overwhelms hers, drops her to her knees on the floor. He continues the wave, increasing its power slowly but with precision. No, this can't be. Another being as powerful as Vaati? This cannot be… If he invades Hyrule, not even the power of the Goddesses' chosen will be enough. She will have to do something here and now...something she swore to do when the situation only calls for it.

"Ahhhhh….Haaaaaa!" Midna raises a hand, calling forth the Fused Shadow to her. It obeys her command. The pieces wrap around her head, providing her the necessary power to rise up against Crepusculum's wave. However, she decides not to attack, not while his power is still as destructive as it is and she not having total control of the Twili mask. Instead, she does something else. Using the power of the mask to boost her telepathic ability, she breaks the barrier between the world of light and dark to send a message to the only three people capable of rescuing her. "Link… Zelda...Ganondorf… Hyrule in danger… I need...your help!" With the message sent, Midna initiates her attack, summoning a spear made of Twili magic and clashing it with Crepusculum.

The Twilight Realm burns bright before it goes dark...