8 years ago
For many generations, Rauru Town was the home of Hyrule's religion, as it is named after the Sage of Light and the town's most prominent feature, the Temple of Time, sole inhabitant, Rauru. Like many other towns of North Hyrule, the leader of the town usually takes the name of the town and Sage associated with it. Every week, Hyruleans from all walks of life would venture to the city, and fellowship with each other within the walls of the temple, lead by a priest named Rauru, and if one was lucky, might see the Hyrulean Royal Family present.
That was ten years ago.
Ever since the deaths of Queen Zelda and Link the Hero and the reign of the then-newly elected King Vatis began, Hyrule, even to its religious center, has changed. It isn't seen underneath the prosperity of being the religious center and the pathway for most of Hyrule to Castletown, but if one paid attention, they could sense the change that has happened in the last ten years.
Auru Lanaryu, the former General of the Hyrulean Army, sits on his porch every day, either sitting in silence, reading a book or paper, or on occasion, yelling at the kids to move along. He is known as the town grouch, keeping mostly to himself and should anyone try conversation, he pushes them away with a silent 360 from his porch into his house. When he does leave his house, and go to a bar, he quietly sips his drink in a corner, engaging no one. Many assume he's an angry soul, desiring revenge for the deaths of the queen and hero, while others think he's just ready to die.
If you were able to speak to Auru, you'll learn that both are rather true.
Today, he sits on his porch, quiet as ever, while across the street, hiding in the shadows of twilight, two figures watch the ex-General rock in his chair. The elder of the two, a tall, slender man of 21 years, knelt down behind his scared 10 year old sister, beginning the signs of puberty. Her brother caressed her bright orange hair like a cat, mixing in his mind devious thoughts about how to get his sister to satisfy his desires, one way or another. "You will go," he purred in her ear.
The girl retreated a bit, backing into her brother's torso, her red eyes burning with fear. "Zant, I cannot. He's mean."
"Midna, dear sister," Zant sang softly, wrapping his hands on Midna's one heading up, one heading down, "You can do this, for me. If so, I will grant you one desire, but if not," Midna felt coarse pain shoot up from her chest and legs, pain she's all too familiar with, "I will not take this disobedience lightly."
Frightened more about what her brother could do to her than a grumpy old man, Midna summoned her courage and walked forward, like a queen heading to an execution. The ex-general was reading his book quietly, so engrossed in his reading that he didn't notice Midna standing before him, the walkway from the sidewalk to the porch their only barrier. The girl looked back, finding her brother smiling mischievously in the shadows. She knew not why he wanted her to do this, for all she knew was that this Auru guy was a soldier back in the day. But Midna knew not to question her older brother, for he doesn't take disobedience as lightly as her mother does. The last time MIdna disobeyed, it hurt to walk, hell, even to move from her laid position. The punishment, compared to others, was unusual: Zant commanded her to remove her pants and underwear, and to lay on the bed. Midna was expecting a whipping, but her mother never told her to remove her clothing before.
Where is her mother? Midna would ponder that many times a day, as her mother would be out during the day, and not come home til late at night. Sure she had a job as a dancer, but never had she left so early in the morning before the last two months Until she returned home, Zant was her judge, jury, and executioner.
"Go on," Zant mouthed, and Midna turned away, balling her fists. She told herself that she could do this. She was never afraid of things before, being naturally headstrong, so why should today be different. With that in mind, Midna Twilight walked on the path, quietly as she could, towards the porch of Auru Lanaryu. The man didn't even notice her, and Midna thought she had done everything Zant had asked of her, and was going to turn around until she noticed something about her position.
In her burst of boldness, she had unknowingly made it to the man's front door, a few feet and three steps past her objective. She looked to the old man, his only blessing of hair being the mohawk down the center of his scalp, and fear overtook her. Her courage scampered away, leaving an ten year old girl afraid and frozen.
The next move should have killed her, but amazingly, she survived the man jerking his head at a small angle still looking at the book, but enough to make her life flash in her eyes. She stood still, staring at the man, while he continued to read. She tried turning to Zant, but none of her muscles wanted to stray from their position. All she wanted to do was run for her life, but she couldn't.
"Are you afraid, young one?" Midna felt her breath pause for a quick second, then exit her nostrils soon afterwords. The man now turned fully to her, and presented her with a small smirk, not one of evil, like her brother did earlier, but a warm, comforting smirk. Midna felt her muscles thaw as she realized that the rumors about this man being cold and harsh exited her brain, despite the fact her mind changed upon two small actions.
"...Yes sir."
"Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid, and stepping up to my front porch, whether you were dared to or not, full of fear, is very brave. I can see it in your eyes, young one… What is your name?"
Midna walked over to the top step, and sat down on it. "Midna. Midna Twilight."
Auru nodded, and set down his reading material in his lap. "I'm Auru Lanayru. How old are you Midna?"
"Ten."
Immediately, Auru's face darkened, just for a second, but enough for Midna to see it. "Ten...what day?"
"November 19, 1999."
"Hmm… Interesting. It's been that long, huh." Auru leaned forward, resting his elbows on his lap. "Your birthday falls on the same day as a princess in the story I was reading. She was a princess who ruled a realm of twilight, and one day, a greedy man took everything from her but her life, as the princess managed to escape. In a distant land, she found a powerful warrior, who has had his world destroyed as well, as he watched his people in his hometown die in a bloodbath. The two joined forces, and took revenged upon the warrior's home, and took back the queen's kingdom, for the crimes were done by the same entity. While they were together, the queen taught the warrior that true power lies from within, not from outside forces. The warrior taught the queen that fear and cowardice is normal, but to rise above them, you must have courage."
"Was he the legendary hero?"
Once again, Auru's face darkened. "No, there was no hero sent by Farore. No, this was Din's doing. The warrior put his faith in the Goddess of Power, and learned what it meant to have true power."
"Oh…" Midna looked down to her knees, disappointed in the lack of the man in green, but looked back up to Auru, her eyes blazing with a new question. "Did they fall in love?"
Auru chuckled. "Of course they did. While I cannot spare the details, since you are still young, I can tell you that they were indeed very much in love. Of course, the story never happened, so don't go searching for such." Auru looked up to the sky, sighing. "It's getting late, young Midna. I think that you should go home now."
Midna sighed, and stood up alongside Auru, and spotted the sheathed blade leaning on his chair. Curious, she pointed to it. "You can use a sword?"
"I was on of the best back in my day. Use to be a general." Auru guided Midna's gaze away from it, and led her down the yard. "I don't use it any more."
"Can you teach me?"
"What for?"
"So, when I become like the princess in the story, I can fight like her beside my warrior. Please? I am a quick learner." Midna put on her cutest face, which elicited a smile from the man.
Auru looks up at the sky and chuckles. "With everything possibly changing soon... Fine. Be here tomorrow morning, 9 o'clock in the morning. Be here or be square."
Midna yelped in happiness, and immediately darted away from the soldier down the street. Remembering her manners, she turned around and waved back, and the old man saluted her. To everyone between them, it was a weird exchange between the grumpy old man and the child, and they wondered just what in the hell happened. In her excitement, she passes a man with his face covered by a cloth, entering Auru's residence, but pays him no mind.
Darkness.
For miles, north, south, east, and west, all Midna could see was a hazy grey and orange darkness. Within the darkness stood the little girl on one of the many floating islands around her, hers being a very large one at that. Besides the presence of herself and the islands, there were no signs of life. There was no sun or moon, despite the glow that somehow managed to break through the mold of darkness. It was a eternal twilight, Midna's favorite time of day.
She stood up, and assessed herself, noticing the scantily robe she wore on her body, and two braids falling down to her upper chest, tied in a neat knot. Moving forward, she noticed that the darkness around her shift as well, and uncovered a large building, sleek in design, made with a dark material. Various red markings highlighted the dark building material, giving the building a menacing glow, but Midna didn't know unreasonable fear. Curious, she marched forward, up a large staircase leading up to the doors of the building, feeling the cold stone against her feet.
"Save him…"
Midna stopped in her tracks, and looked around for who had spoken. "Hello?" After a moment of no answer, Midna shrugged to herself, and continued walking. She figured the voice was a figment of her imagination. She made her way to the doors of the building, finding them already slightly. She squeezed through the small space, and looked around. Her surroundings were that of a long hallway, and at the other end, another open doorway. Midna slowly walked forward, looking at the imprints on the wall, the only provision of light.
So this place is a castle? Where's the king and queen? And what is that I smell? Smoke?
"Save Power…"
Midna paused again in the middle of the hallway, hearing the strange voice once again. She was sure it was real this time. However, he mind became engrossed in another subject as she looked around; a painting of some sort hung on the right wall. It was of a symbol anyone in Hyrule would recognize, that of the Triforce. Within each triangle was a very recognizable figure: In the lower left, a blond-haired boy with light skin and a green tunic holding the hilt of a blade; in the lower right, a blond girl in a purple dress playing a small blue instrument; in the top triangle, a large, blue pig hovered over the form of a dark-skinned, bearded redhead male. The male was unfamiliar, but the rest were, of course, the Hero, Princess, and Ganon.
Midna remembered the words of the mysterious voice, to "save Power," and as she stared at the two beings within the Triforce of Power, she wondered if the voice meant to save the human. Clearly Ganon is not able to be saved, for he is dead, right?
Losing interest in the painting, and cringing her nose at the smoky smell Midna looked back towards the throne room, and gasped. Within, a body was slumped on the ground, looking as if it had been beaten. Midna raced towards the figure, wanting to help it, but paused just a few feet away as the figure shook to life, and held itself up with its arms. Midna gasped once more as she saw that the person before her was male, albeit much, much younger and smaller than the one in the picture. He shook as he tried to hold himself up, grunting as pain coursed through his nerves. Midna stepped forward, and slung one of the boy's arms around her back. "Let me help you."
"He… I… We're alike…"
Midna frowned, confused as to who the boy was referring to. "Who?"
"We're...the same...me and the pig…" The boy pointed behind him, towards the throne, and Midna felt her heart pause. Sitting on the throne, and was definitely not there before, was the Demon King himself, his golden eyes flashing in the darkness. He reached out towards the both of them, and Midna could feel her grip on the boy slipping. Before she could strengthen it, she felt arms snaked around her from behind, and was forced apart from the boy. She was thrown back against the wall, her head ringing as she landed on the floor. As her vision faded, she could hear the cries of the boy, and could see a gray, fish-shaped mask looking down upon her. The smell of smoke grew more and more putrid.
"Save him…Midna... Save Power… Get up!"
Midna could still smell the scent of smoke, but now to a much lesser degree than before. Matter of fact, it was combined with other pleasant smells, like food. Midna sure was hungry, after being scared shitless by Zant's dare. It was the smell of...fresh meat, possibly pork, that stirred Midna from her slumber, and as she attempted to force her eyes open, a hammer was forced upon her forehead, figuratively.
She gripped her head and screamed in pain, wishing for the sudden pain to end. On instinct, she called for her older brother and mother, and once she felt hands on her own, her cries ceases. Immediately, she knew these weren't the forceful hands of her brother, so through her pain, she opened her eyes.
"It's all right, child. You're fine." Dark blue eyes met her red ones, causing Midna to jump back. Expecting her mother's face, even with just a sliver of hope, she was surprised to see Auru's. The pain reignited in her shock, and she clutched her head again, fighting back tears that threatened to escape her eyes. She felt Auru's hands again, this time not willing to fight them. She allowed Auru to touch her aching forehead, felt a small warmth bathed her temples, and slowly, the pain began to dull. "You'll be fine, Midna. Just a concussion, nothing else."
"A con-cuss-shion? What's that?"
"Just a head injury. You must have got hit hard."
Midna frowned, not remembering why he would be hit in the head. "Wait, where am I? I was going home, and then… Where did you take me? Where's Zant?" Midna once again shoved away from Auru, and picked herself up, running away from the calls of the old man. She found herself in a plain of some sort, stretching endlessly from horizon to horizon. Her and Auru were on a flat side of a large hill, and for some reason, Midna found herself climbing up the remainder of the hill, Auru right behind her.
"Midna! Don't go that way!"
"Everyone was right! You're just a creepy old man! I should have never-" Midna paused in step and speech as she overlooked the hill's peak, down to a town below, swallowed by bright, hungry flames, from the entrance nearby to the large, distant church. Large distant church? Midna's face froze in shock as she fell to her knees, realizing that it was her home, the town of Rauru, that was burning to the ground. She felt a hand upon her shoulder, and looked up to Auru's slightly frowned face. Holding in her tears, she asked the question that begged to be released. "Who did this?"
"Monsters, to be exact. They did this… They, killed anyone and everyone who tried to fight them. I barely managed to save you myself. Far as I know, you and I are the only survivors... But the true reason, that was from another fight."
"Who's?"
"A bunch of self-righteous avengers..." Auru turned his head partly to the northwest, "and the dark throne. Something has happened at North Castle... If monsters dare attack Rauru and the army didn't respond, that must mean Castletown was attacked again."
Midna stood to her feet, and looked in the same general direction as Auru. Although she didn't know what Auru meant by "the dark throne," she did know the story of what happened ten years ago as well as anyone else. Castletown was attacked by monsters, which claimed the lives of the queen and the hero. For it to happen again... Something sparked in Midna's inner being. A desire of vengeance. A need for monster blood to spill. A determination to take darkness off the throne. She looked back to Auru, her eyes wet with fire. "Will you still teach me the ways of the sword?"
Auru looked down, and nodded. "I have no choice but to. Come." The two turned and walked down the hill,leaving behind their burning past, and unknowingly setting forth to a rebellious future, beginning with a trip to a terrible fate.