Midna's hair parries Death Sword's swing but is unable to find a hole in Zant's offense. His height in the air gives him the advantage, and if she dares to try to close the gap between them, she could endanger herself. Likewise, he's unable to counter her defense. With her hair coated in Twilit magic, it is seemingly impossible to directly strike the fibers. An immovable force versus an unstoppable object.

But Midna is a daring one. She knows two things; one, she has the advantage of power with the Fused Shadow (once it recharges); two, if she isn't able to summon the Fused Shadow, Ganondorf and the others will be here to assist. Zant has no chance of winning unless Midna slips in her defense. But at the rate they're going, Zant's sanity will be the reason she wins.

His attacks, while leaving no room for opportunity, are getting sloppier by the minute. She can sense his rage grow as he's unable to break Midna's defenses or strike her when she dodges. Death Sword is no longer wielded by a threatening usurper, but a tantruming child in a man's body. Zant, her elder by a decade, is now raging like an eight-year-old. It thrills Midna to no end that her brother's mind is coming undone by being unable to defeat her. It strengthens her. For years, she was oppressed; now, she's Zant's oppressor.

Zant attempts a slicing swing but the sword is caught by Midna's hair-hand. Wrestling with Zant's telekinetic grip on it, she sends crackling light magic down her arms whilst using her hair to lift up in the air. With Death Sword out the way, Midna hurts a blast of light magic at her brother. Caught, the sizzling Prince of Twilight collapses to the ground, writhing with a roar through his metal mask. With his grip on the giant sword loose from Zant's telekinesis, Midna takes it for herself and smashes it on top of her brother. At the last moment before impact, he manages to slither away, rolling into the air and fires a volley of magic. Midna deflects them all with the sword, yet Zant disappears from his position.

"You little bug!" A shadow looms over Midna's back. Zant's foot falls above her, give her little time to move out the way. Her surprise stuns her after escaping the foot, so she doesn't see the hand of Zant until it's too late. "Got you!" He picks her up about halfway up his height then splats her back on the ground. Defenseless, Midna cries out as a pulse of energy ravages her from Zant's palm before he relents. "Heh heh heh. Where's your resolve, sister? Get up and-"
In a flash of light, Midna zips to Zant's back. "Where's yours, brother?" Generating light magic, Midna thrusts her hand inches away from Zant's back. He notices and repeats the same move, the siblings engaging in a magic lock as their opposing powers struggle for dominance. With the will to overpower her brother, Midna enhances her strength by combining her dark magic with the light with her other hand, but Zant completes the lock with the second round of his magic. With the energy between the two fighters having nowhere to go, a forceful pulse emits between them knocking them both to the ground and away from each other. Midna manages to flip herself to her knees and go straight to the offensive. Three Twilight Portals form beside and above her. Pointing in Zant's prone direction, three large wolves leap out the portals, with the lead grabbing Zant and tossing him to the others in a game of catch until they collide with a wall. More portals form around Midna, summoning gigantic mechanical hands. They're launched at Zant, yet as he sees them, the Imperial matches Midna's arms. They engage in a mechanical war of fists until every hand is broken to smithereens.

Midna breathes heavily through her grinding teeth as she stands up. Zant stands up as well, though neither Twilight throws the next attack. They're both tired, injured, desperate. Midna still has her trump card, but it is not yet time to use it. If she misses with the Fused Shadow, if Zant is not disabled beforehand, even if he somehow defends himself, that use of the ultimate power is wasted. Zant must know this himself, probably expecting Midna to used the mask right now. Whether her hesitation is smart or idiotic, that remains to be seen.

Zant equips his scimitars, but still, he doesn't make a move. In case he does, Midna grabs Death Sword with her hand into her true hand. It somehow morphs itself to a size more fit for a normal human. Zant takes notice and launches himself by spinning in the air. Midna leaps forward with a cry. They cross each other to attack, then cease movement a few meters later. Midna lands in her knee, gripping her arm as blood seeps from the cut she received. She turns to look at Zant's condition. She broke the front of his mask in half, yet his head is safe. Lucky bastard. "Hmph… When are you going to kill me, Midna?"

"Believe me, I'm trying."

"Is that...what?" Receding what remains of the helmet, Zant looks to his left to the single proper entrance to the chamber. "There's no possible way." Confused, Midna turns to her right to see the door lift open. Out of the darkness enters King Crepusculum, healed as if the previous hour or so hadn't happened. He walks alone, chuckling as his son rises to his feet in anger. Yet, something about the king brings fear to Midna. Something is not right.

"Zant, you seem surprised to see me." He taps the place where the wound was, snickering at Zant's confusion. "You really thought that pathetic attempt would kill me, nevermind I would be weakened by that child's magic? I played you, son. You fell into my trap accordingly. A trap of hatred, of birthright, of desire." He turns to Midna and reaches out, though not at her. Instead, the Fused Shadow appears from her to Crepusculum, circling around his body. Frowning, she searches for Ganondorf, Link, and Zelda.

"A trap?"

"Your willingness to have Midna killed made you easy to manipulate. I had to know the truth of your intentions. Did you desire to lead the Twilight Realm or give it to some light-worlder? You side with those who oppressed our people, who removed your mother from our home. It was their conflict who killed her...no, it was you who killed her. A crime I find unforgivable...and you, Princess Midna, the spawn of the devil who took her away. How easy it was to trap your friends."

Midna gasps. "What?"


A few minutes earlier

Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf follow the Twilight King through the castle down as they make way for Midna's location. They currently are not too far from her, as Ganondorf and Zelda can sense their friend strongly. She's in quite the fight, but she's fighting.

"So this Vaati, he's the same as the Vatis I heard from Auru all those years ago? Fascinating." He stops momentarily, narrowing his eyes as he looks down the hall. "It seems the fight between the pair has reached its high point. I just sensed an amazing amount of power. Did you?"

Ganondorf bites his lips. "Is she truly down the hall?"

"Yes. Down the next two rooms from this dungeon is the inner sanctum, where a powerful weapon of ancient origins is kept. Zant must have known its location before now." Crepusculum turns to the trio, pointing to the exit at the other end. "Stop Zant at all costs." Ganondorf, with his only concern being Midna, says nothing as he steps forward. Link follows after silently thanking the king. Zelda bows as she follows her friends. "Your Majesty, thank you."

Crepusculum holds up his hand in a waving gesture as the trio walks down the hallway. "No, Zelda, thank you." Once they're halfway to their destination, he swipes his hand to the right. Like a puppeteer directing his puppets, Zelda and company are whisked to the side by the invisible strings of Crepusculum's telekinesis. Before the Hyruleans can react, the bars to the dungeon cell they occupy slams shut. Crepusculum chuckles as he walks in front of the cell, watching as Ganondorf tries summoning his power to rip the bars apart. "Try as you may, you'll never free yourself."

"Get us out! I'm going to kill you!"

"That rage is going to get you nowhere. These cells are anti-magic, so not even the descendants of an angel or a demon shall break free." Link and Zelda stand up, showing a minor display of the anger Ganondorf exhibits.

"So this was a trap," Zelda coldly states. "We were so concerned for Midna's wellbeing and Zant's threats that you knew that as long as you played into our minds, you could manipulate us. I would be impressed if this was any other situation. So, what is your endgame, Crepusculum?"

"Vengeance, Princess. Your kind sent us here to suffer under endless twilight, and the little rays of pure light we do have scalds our skins just as a reminder of our turmoil. Zant does have one thing right, that your kind, the light, deserves to be vanquished. But not under the veil of Vaati or of Ganon, but of twilight. My twilight. It starts with the deaths of the heirs of Twilight."


Present

"They are in the dungeons back that way. As you are aware, no magic can free them. And since you'll be dead soon, daughter of Auru, you won't be coming to their rescue." He pulses a wave of energy at Midna, pushing her away. Turning his attention to his son, he forces Zant to kneel against his will. Smirking as his son struggles to stand, Crepusculum fits the pieces of the Fused Shadow around his head with no resistance.

"The reason you could never wield the Fused Shadow is no prank; only the true kings and queens of the realm can possess it. Just as your grandfather was once selected by it, just as I was before being married to your mother, just as Midna was. When I said she was a more appropriate heir to the throne, I meant it. At no point in her life was the throne yours. You are nothing more than wasted space...and that waste of space is a child who cries because his sister is his superior. You are not my son!"

"You lost your wife to a foreigner, what does that say about you?"

"That I should have killed him when I had the chance, but now I'm glad I didn't. I would never get this chance. But you… You killed my wife, you tortured your sister, then you betrayed your own kind for another. You want judgment, Zant?" The king holds his right arm skyward, forming a large spear with the power of the Fused Shadow. "You have it."

The spear is launched towards Zant, and the Imperial closes his eyes as he helplessly awaits death. However, as the seconds pass, he opens his eye to see the tip of the spear right as his nose. The only thing keeping him from death...is Midna. She holds the dark weapon up and throws it the side uncaringly.

"So, even the oppressed protects the oppressor." Crepusculum chuckles as Zant rises behind his sister. "Why protect him, Midna?"

Midna calls Death Sword to her as she steps away from Zant to Crepusculum's left. "Not because he's my brother, for one. I will not allow you to bring further destruction upon Hyrule, and despite his dislike of the world of light, Zant will not allow anyone but Vaati rule."

Zant nods then takes his scimitars in his hands. "Our objectives are different, but the end goal is one and the same. Hyrule is ours, one way or another, but never yours!"

"Zant's right!" The siblings look at each other, then begin charging their powers. "Your rule is over, Crepusculum!" Their dark auras tower multiple feet above them, but for Midna, she decides to go further beyond. For too long, I have been holding everyone back. If I had helped Ganondorf back then, he wouldn't have taken Ganon's power. If I was stronger, I wouldn't have had Zant turn me into an imp. If I was stronger then, Vaati wouldn't have taken Courage and Power. I brought my friends here because I wasn't strong enough. All because I accept one identity. Midna, Light Sage of Hyrule. Midna, Princess of the Twilight Realm. I'm not either-or… I'm a coin. I am both. I'm Midna Twilight of the worlds of light and dark! No longer shall I flip the coin, but hold both sides! Midna's aura shifts from yellow to purple and back until both colors settle around her. Ganondorf, Zelda, Link, everyone...hold on a moment longer.

Zant and Crepusculum stare at Midna as she opens her eyes and takes a step towards the latter. The king chuckles as the siblings come towards him. "Bring it, children of Horzona." Zant jumps forth, slashing his twin blades against a barrier constructed around Crepusculum. As her brother recedes from his father, Midna unleashes a blast that pushes Crepusculum through the door he entered. Nearly faltering in his defense, Crepusculum comes to a stop further down the path and soars upward through the palace. The siblings follow (ignoring the three Hyruleans in the cell) and continue their attack on the king as they exit the palace and fly in the twilight skies. Zant, once more, grows overzealous in the fight and engages his father whilst Midna hangs back to watch the pair duel. She charges a ball of magic in her hand, waiting for Zant and Crepusculum to be distracted enough to not notice.

Zant grabs one of his father's wrists and begins to grows in size, then throws him down towards the palace. Crepusculum balances himself before falling too far and forms several spears to dart at his son. As he flies down, Zant dodges them and summons one of the mechanical hands behind his father, grabbing him again as he physically charges a blast himself. With no sort of communication between the two, Midna and Zant simultaneously attack with their blasts, illuminating the sky with the powers of light and dark. The hand falls lifelessly down towards the palace, landing in the middle of the courtyard. Midna generates a gigantic portal, summoning a large cannon that fires three successive blasts downward. Zant follows them down, enlarging himself to stomp on the explosions that occur and their target.

Midna lowers herself as debris clouds the area. She tries to sense the father and son, but for some reason, she can't feel Zant at all. Neither can she sense Crespusculum, but somehow she doubts he's hurt beyond means. Waving her hand, she blows the veil of smoke away, revealing the King of Twilight (with some tattered clothes and bruises) standing and holding both Zant's scimitars in Zant's upper chest. The elder Twilight pushes his child to the ground, taking the two blades in his hands. Staring at Midna, the king grins as he extends the blades with magic. Midna takes a final glance at her brother struggling for life then up to Crepusculum. "Hm, I don't know if I appreciate you taking my kill. Guess I'll have to settle for you."

Crepusculum scoffs as he removes the Fused Shadow from his face. "Settle? It seems you have no choice. Tell me, Midna, what is it that will spill from your heart when I impale it with these swords? In Zant's, it was fear, anger, and vengeance. What is in your clouded heart and mind?"

Midna summons Death Sword, imbuing it with light and dark magic. "For too long, I have relied on those stronger in heart and mind. When the boy who I loved needed me, I let him fall to the dark. My friends, I was here when they were fighting for their lives over there. For too long, my heart and mind were clouded by not knowing who or what I am. My brother rises from the dead as the enemy. My mother is from another world. My father is the man who ironically fathered me these last few years. But no longer. My heart and mind are utterly unclouded. They are all those of freedom. Freedom from the chains of identity, for I know who I am. Freedom from the burden of others, for now, I can stand on my own. Freedom from my past, for it now dies in front of me. Freedom...is what separates me from you." Midna throws her sword but misses Crepusculum, or so he thinks. As it whizzes past him, it explodes in a cascade of light, stunning him. She uses her hair to grab the four fragments orbiting Crepusculum and quickly equips them

This time, she lets the full power of the mask fill every cell in her body. Her form dissociates into a mass of Twilit magic, shaping into a six-legged creature with the Fused Shadow as its head. It leaps in the air, using one of its tendrils to form a spear and throw it down. Crepusculum barely dodges and flies upward as the spear plants itself in the ground. Midna regains her true form but uses the mask's power to shape her hair into a tendril and launches it towards Crepusculum. He blocks it. "There is one difference between us, and that is I am willing to do whatever it takes to defeat all traces of light in front of me! Your world, the world of your father, it will all face the shadows of twilight! The Twili will be free of this prison!"

Midna uses a huge blast to cease Crepusculum's movement. "That's where you're wrong. Look at the kingdom our ancestors have built. It thrives. What might have once been eternal punishment from the gods is now home to a strong race. What I fight for is true freedom, while what you seek is fake. After all, a fake is a fake...and no matter how much you dress it up, the real thing always wins!" Taking two spears in her hands, Midna flies down an astronomically fast speed and impales Crepusculum's shoulders. Despite the pain radiating in his body, the king emits a pulse wave at Midna's gut with both hands, hitting her hard enough to disable her and break the mask off her face.

As she flies up like a discarded doll, Crepusculum holds her in place while summoning orbs around him. "No, Midna, you have lo-" Crepusculum gasps as a large spear rupture through his upper right torso. Freed, Midna watches as the spear vanishes and the king drops to the ground. Landing safely close by, Midna witnesses as Zant (who sent the spear left behind up to his father) holds Crepusculum by his neck.

"My god has only one wish... To merge shadow and light...and make darkness! And you, Crepusculum…are in the way of it." Twisting his elbow, Zant breaks his father's neck, then collapses. Midna stands up, slowly walking over to the fallen bodies of father and son. Seeing Zant, she kneels down, pushing her father's body off of him. "Zant?"

"My god... my king...I am sorry… Do not...fail...as I have…" Either he's delirious in his final moments, or maybe he's actually talking to him, but Zant ignores Midna for someone else. "Vaati...my master...I have failed… Forgive me..." Midna senses her brother's spirit vanishes, leaving her in this courtyard as the last Twilight standing. She stays kneeling for a reason unknown to her, but as she raises her hand to her cheeks, she feels a wet trail leading from her eyes.

Tears. Tears for the brother who made her life hell...tears for the brother she hoped to save.

"Your Majesty!" someone yell in Twili. Midna looks up to see several guards entering the ruined courtyard. Midna stands up, allowing the guards to see their fallen king and prince, and steps to the side to tend to her wounds. As she finds a place to sit, one of the guards comes to her. "Princess Midna? Are you okay?"

"Pr-Princess?"

"Are you okay? We found your friends in the dungeons. What happened?"

Midna looks to the prince and the king. Telling the soldiers the truth doesn't sit well with her for some reason. If they're addressing her as Princess (and not attacking her immediately) Crepusculum must have ordered them against Zant. "My friends, are they okay?"

"Yes. We released them."

"Great." Midna stands up, keeping her eyes on the procession before her. Crepusculum's body is carried by the guards elsewhere, while Zant's lie in place. The narrative must make the king a hero. "The king and the prince found each other to their deaths. To stop Zant, I dealt the final blow to them both at the king's command. He sacrificed himself to save the realm...to save it from those who Zant side with. I'm sorry to leave the realm with no ruler, but it was his wish."

The soldiers still present look to Midna in awe before in unison they kneel before her "Long live the Queen." Taken aback, she realizes that, to them, she is indeed the rightful heir to the realm. Crepusculum almost said as much back at her botched execution. Immediately she wants to deny them, but as she looks in front of her, she sees those spirits again. Those of her ancestors, her grandparents, her mother, and...of Crepusculum. His glare at her is nothing like hatred, but a hidden message, much like the others. These spirits of Twilight, those that only she can see, they're telling her to ascend to the throne.

"Very well," she says to them. One by one, those spirits fade for the last time. Midna gazes at her mother, holding back tears as Horzona Twilight winks at her daughter before disappearing. However, Midna senses one lingering spirit and looks up to the sky before it fades. Somehow...him being the last one warms her heart.

Looking back to the crowd, she spots Link, Zelda, and Ganondorf off to the side. She smiles to them as they gesture in support of her. Seeing them reminds her of their mission. "Soldiers, stand. The fight here is not close to over. It has not ended with Zant. Over there, in the world I was born, there is an evil in which he served that desires to subjugate all worlds under his rule. He has already caused calamity across countries and across dimensions. The Twilight Realm is no different. He will come...and he will destroy. I cannot make you fight, I'm barely a royal in this world, but if you will have me as your queen, then I ask you to fight for my homeworld to protect your homeworld. Zant is just the beginning...Vaati is the end. If you are with me, then tomorrow is when we depart for the world of light."


North Castle, Hyrule

"My god... my king...I am sorry… Do not...fail...as I have…"

Vaati stops his quiet musing on the throne at the twilight hour as the voice of Zant echoes in his ears. He looks around, hoping to see the young man, yet...he only senses a faint presence. A presence that is fleeting...dying. "Zant? What are you...talking about?"

"Vaati...my master...I have failed… Forgive me."

"Zant!" Vaati stands up in the empty throne room, calling out for a man who he cannot see. A moment later, Zant becomes a man he cannot sense. "Zant? Zant...no, no, no…" Sadness becomes fury as Vaati turns upwards and shoots magic at the statue of the goddesses above the throne, popping off each of their jesting heads. "How dare you! How dare you take him from me! This is their doing, isn't it? Your chosen, they did this? I am done giving mercy to them. Din, Farore, Nayru, before this war is over, I will ascend the heavens to you and present you with the heads of your beloved hero and maiden along with the head of Ganon! I will end them and then I will end you! Do you hear me? I will end you all!"

"Vaati?" He doesn't hear Veran approach from behind, so he accidentally attacks her. As if she was expecting it, Veran catches the bladed hand of Vaati. Caressing it, she manages to lessen his rage. "My love, what troubles you?"

"Zant...he's dead." Dropping his hand, Vaati turns back to the statue. "Veran...tomorrow, we march to Saria Town. Tomorrow, we end this. The legend, the curse…" He cuts his eyes to the Queen frozen in stone, "the world you so love, it ends tomorrow, Queen Zelda."