"Child, tell me," began the goat spirit. It tilted its porcelain head and asked, "Why did you insist on leaving so soon?"
My shoulders sagged in exhaustion and irritation. "Out of all the questions you could ask, you go with why I left three days early? The answer is obvious! I needed all the time I could get for Rusl to train me, and if I left three days later, I'd only have three days to actually learn anything."
"Your dishonesty shows clearly. Training is only the superficial reason, the curtain over the truth. Why did you leave so early? Was it because you wished to leave your family as soon as possible?"
I groaned. "Don't get all philosophical on me! My father does that enough as it is."
"Yet you continue to ignore his wisdom."
"Wisdom? No, wisdom is suggesting that an ugly duckling is actually a swan. My dad just rambles on about ethics and politics and won't shut up!"
Ordona raised one claw at me and waved a finger. "You must learn to reign in your temper. You cannot save this world if you cannot save yourself."
As I was about to retort, I realized it had a point. What good could I be if I was running on fumes the whole time? Was this all that was in store for me later on? To argue and fight with people and deities who just want to live?
"Return to the village, Young One. These questions need not be answered in haste."
With a tired sigh, I nodded and turned to the now-unlocked gate, thanks to Rusl standing just outside the threshold. He smiled at me in a compassionate yet amused way and gestured for me to follow him back to the village.
On the way, he handed me a simple white tunic. As I slipped it on, I took note of the wool-like texture and inwardly sighed at the inevitable itchiness that would plague me later on.
"We have a nearby storehouse you could sleep in, if you'd like." I turned to look at Rusl to let him know he had my attention. He sounded like he was not in favor of the idea, but he kept going. "It's fairly spacious, three floors, and a fireplace for cold nights."
I grunted and scratched at my side. "It sounds like it wasn't always a storehouse if it has a fireplace and three floors."
Rusl sighed. "I would prefer for you to stay with me and my family," he continued, avoiding my statement outright, "but it is your choice."
I was tempted by his offer, to have a warm breakfast and meal every day with the promise of good company, but I did not leave one family just to saddle with another.
Wait, where did that thought come from?
"I'd like to stay in the storehouse, if that's alright."
He frowned but nodded in resignation as we passed through the bubble area. I saw the village gate, and right next to it was Link's house! Or rather, what should have been Link's house. It was barren, with no decorations or even a door, and the ladder was set aside near the practice dummy.
Practice dummy?
"I spoke with Ordona this morning, just before you woke up. I have been tasked to teach you the ways of the sword, if you are still willing to learn." I nodded, and he returned the nod. "Once you have your sleeping area and items settled down, meet me out here with your sword."
I nodded and moved the ladder to better access the entrance to the storehouse. I felt coldness in my stomach as I climbed up and stepped past the threshold. The coldness stretched from inside to every inch of my skin as I took in the interior of the building. It was dark and very dusty inside, and I could just barely make out the shelves and crates inside.
This is going to be a wonderful stay, I thought as I moved into the shadows.
Midna's jaw hung open like a caught fish as she processed the information. She was to go to a foreign land, speak with foreign royalty, and attempt to acquire her people's long-lost relics. How in the Sols was she going to do that? This task was surely just a test to see if she was willing to handle delicate situations with impossible goals. Yes, that was most certainly what they had in mind.
"We request that you depart for Hyrule within the next hour," Queen Yoake said, her voice bringing Midna away from her musings.
The Twilight Princess blinked and promptly replied, "You seriously expect me to go to the Light Realm, speak to a couple of royal stiffs, and get our most powerful magical artifact, in one piece? I'd be ashes before I took the seventh step!"
"Calm yourself, Princess," her father commanded. The chamber rumbled with every word as he spoke. "This is a delicate task and it requires a delicate solution. You cannot be disrespectful or it could mean disaster for our world and theirs."
Midna stood up. "But why do I have to get the Fused Shadows anyway? We've been living just fine without them for several thousand years."
At this, the King was silent. He glanced over to Queen Yoake, who shared the look of concern and apprehension. An exasperated sigh passed from King Naito, followed quickly by his raised arm and pointed finger. "You have your task, child. See to its completion."
The open palm of her mother silenced any further argument from Midna, and so she bowed her head, turned on her heel, and walked as calmly as possible out of the throne room.
Queen Yoake placed a comforting hand on her husband's shoulder as he whispered, "How are you certain she will succeed?"
Yoake merely smiled and squeezed his shoulder lovingly. "I have faith in her. She carries our lineage well. Perhaps…"
A moment passed before Naito lifted a fiery brow and asked, "Perhaps?"
"…Perhaps she will even find the Divine Beast of Legend."
After Midna left the throne room, she headed immediately for Burak's chambers, just down the hall and two lefts and a right from her own room. Burak said she felt well enough to leave the healing chambers the previous night, but Midna was still anxious to see how her lifelong friend was faring. It took close to half an hour before she finally came to Burak's room. The door was open but she could barely see in the pressing shadows. After taking three tentative steps inside, Midna heard soft breathing from the balcony window and moved to it.
There, she spotted Burak sitting on the windowsill with her knees to her chest. Her hair was tied in a ponytail and was the same reddish orange as Midna's hair, with the usual servant robes contrasting with Midna's regal outfit. Without turning her head, Burak whispered, "Hello, Midna."
Midna released a breath she had not realized she was holding and leaned against the wall. "How did you know it was me? Do I smell that bad? Eee hee hee!"
Burak faced her guest and, though she could easily see Midna's forced grin, she felt comforted just by her being there. "Ever since you fell in that mudhole, yes." As Burak slipped off the windowsill, Midna huffed and crossed her arms, cheeks flushed and eyes rolling.
"Slip one time into a pile of uma manure and they'll never let you live it down..." Midna muttered as she pushed away from the wall and hugged Burak. "I have good news, Bur: I've been announced as the next in line for the throne."
Burak's embrace tightened to bone-crushing degrees as she congratulated Midna. After several moments of almost no air, Midna finally pushed away and drew in a deep breath. Once she recovered, Midna looked to find Burak staring at her as though she had grown a second head.
"You seem a little blue, Middy," she said. Her words startled Midna since she had forgotten that she was now under a protection spell.
Midna held up her hand to observe it as she answered, "I've been tasked with going to the Light Realm for… diplomatic reasons. This is just from a spell my mother cast so I don't burst into flames or something."
Burak paused and her brow curled upward in sadness. "You're… leaving?" She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up into Midna's yellow-and-red eyes, full of concern and compassion.
"Just for a little while. It'll probably take me two days to go through all the rigmarole."
Burak nodded and pulled her stone headband out of her hair, causing the fiery locks to drape serenely over her neck. She pressed the item into Midna's hand and smiled for the first time since Midna arrived that day.
Midna shook her head and offered the trinket back to Burak. "I can't take this, you've had it for years."
"It is my choice to give it to you. I wish you all the luck in the realm." At this, Midna wrapped her arms around Burak and squeezed with all the love and friendship she could give.
There came a knock at the door and the room's occupants turned to see two royal guards just outside the entrance. The guard closest to the princess dipped his head and said, "My Lady Midna, we have been sent to escort you to the portal. If you would come with us, please."
She turned to Burak, who looked sympathetic and gently squeezed her hand. "Go on," said Burak, "I'll be fine. Have a safe journey."
Midna gave her friend one more heartfelt embrace and kissed her cheek goodbye. On her way out, she pulled two thick locks of hair from beneath her cloak, tied them together with the headband and let the braid hang loosely in front of her sternum.
The Twilight Realm shone with a hazy golden glow as Midna and her guardians traversed through the central district just outside the palace. It was almost noon now, and the market vendors were busy with the hustle and bustle of commerce. Several of the nearest shopkeepers had dazzling jewelry of Twilit rubies and emeralds, while further traders carried items of fine shadow silk and even coveted silver tiaras.
The citizens who noticed Midna immediately bowed at the waist and spoke praises of her beauty and kindness. She appreciated their thoughtfulness but began to grow weary of hearing the same compliments over and over. She bowed her head and thanked them as she drew closer to the plateau where the portal resided. By royal decree, the portal was strictly sealed off from all Twili, even royalty, who did not have the express permission of both the King and Queen of Twilight to use the portal.
Midna stepped onto the glowing symbols and turned to face the palace, her home for nineteen years. It was tall and powerful, fitting for the rulers of the Twilight, and Midna had many fond memories of getting lost in its many corridors and hallways. She felt the portal begin its ritual of shining through the Twilight, and she felt the same queasiness and disorientation she remembered seven years ago. She did not need to look down to know that her feet were breaking apart into Twilit squares, nor did she need to think about how she was very nearly killed during her last visit.
As Midna was at last drawn through the portal, she glimpsed an orb of orange light near the palace, on the ceremonial balcony used for sending prisoners and traitors of the Crown to the Nanimo. That's weird, she thought. I never saw orange light there when other prisoners were sent away. She paid it no more thought as the light around her turned clearer and stronger.
Midna raised her hand to block what she knew was the sunlight and found that the runes emblazoned on her forearms were glowing more brilliantly than before. Once her eyes finally became accustomed to the overwhelming light, she glanced around at her location.
She saw the source of the portal and her peoples' banishment: The Mirror of Twilight. It was a beautiful mirror that truly lived up to its name, for Midna could see the ancient Twili scripture and runes etched into the glowing ethereal glass. Just gazing into the Mirror left Midna in awe of its power, until she felt a cold stickiness along her brow and skin.
She wiped her forehead and discovered that the stickiness was her own sweat, and that caused her eyes to widen. She never sweated before, even after the most tiring games and activities.
Ten seconds in this realm, I'm already dying, Midna thought. Her eyes caught the light stairs leading from the Mirror's pedestal up to her own feet, and when she saw that it was in fact solid light, she leapt down from the top of the stairs should the light fade beneath her feet. Once landing, she quickly felt the scorching stone and hopped back and forth into the shade nearby, sighing in relief as her feet cooled off.
"I should have brought shoes…," Midna muttered to no one in particular. The sand felt itchy between her toes and she felt suffocated by the sweltering heat. After a few moments to prepare herself for the sun and sand, she stood and trotted away from the chamber, not noticing the five sets of eyes watching her from high above.
"How can a storehouse have so much dust?" I coughed out, already wheezing from stepping on the rug just inside the entrance. It was so dark inside I almost didn't notice the ladder just to the right. Thankfully, before I took another step, I decided to go 21st century on the house and whipped out my phone. The light shined out and illuminated the ladder and the alcove further ahead of it. I looked up and saw that the ladder led to a bed set up on two sturdy-looking logs nailed into the wall.
Unique as it was, I wasn't willing to risk rolling off the balcony in my sleep and ending this little game prematurely, so I climbed the ladder and tossed the bedding and pillow over the side. That was when I winced at the sheer amount of dust that poofed up like a nuclear explosion, complete with mushroom cloud.
I returned to the ground floor and aimed my phone to the wall opposite the bed, and was only mildly surprised to find large boxes stacked up against the wall, with a worn dresser between the stack and the door. Speaking of the door, I noticed that there were two hooks set parallel to each other just above the entranceway, most likely to set up a coat of arms, or maybe, if it were modern times, a gun or some—
A GUN!
Everything halted as I stared into empty space. It never occurred to me until that very moment that I could have brought a gun with me and save me the trouble of learning archery!
"SON OF A BI—"
As she floated down from the tower the Mirror resided in, Midna heard a strange, shrill sound echoing in the distance. "What the Jigoku is that noise?" she asked no one.
As he sat upon his throne of gold and bronze, an ashen warrior stirred from his brooding and looked around the dark chamber. "What in the name of Hades is that noise?" he asked no one.
As they entered their rundown apartment with groceries, an engineer and his pilot companion looked at each other in bewilderment. "Isaac, what the hell is that noise?" the pilot asked.
As he drifted through yet another dream from within his chemically induced slumber, a green-armored soldier stirred slightly as he fired an illusory rifle. "What the hell is that noise?" he asked no one.