Chapter 9 : Shadowy Travels
'Damn, this Field look … Really huge now' I thought about when I first travelled through them … I was pretty fast to go from Kakariko to the Woods, but … Now that I looked at it in the middle of the day, those fields looked so much bigger …
"Seeing how we departed at dawn, we should be nearing Ordona's province in a day or two if we keep up the pace" Link announced, probably guessing what I was thinking from my expression
"A day or two?! Wow, I thought it was much closer than that …" The Twilight … Really boosted my powers didn't it … I travelled so fast the first time, but now it should take 2 days to get to the border ? That's … Quite incredible.
"Now come on Midna, we really have to keep moving if we don't want to stretch that travel time on an extra day." I nod to him, before slipping back into his shadow.
"So um …" I try, apparently startling him, hearing a voice from your feet might be a bit surprising I have to admit, "How do you know which way to go ? I thought you never went outside of those woods ?" Of course, I knew the way anyway, but I was curious about how he knew.
"Are you not aware of maps Midna ? I even told you that Coro gave me one …" He told me in a sarcastic tone.
"Well, sorry I forgot about a map a random guy gave you after I almost died from poisoning!" I snap back at him, a weighty silence instal itself between us as I directly start to feel guilty for it … I .. Did almost die there, and he almost had to watch me die in his arms …
"I'm sor-" He directly cut me off "Don't apologize, it's alright … You're right, you almost died yesterday, I can't expect you to be totally back up yet, it's normal after near death situation to forget details …" While looking at his face, I could tell just how much he was hurting while telling me that, though I wonder … Is it only me, or did something else happen ? I wasn't about to ask though, not after seeing that...
The weighty silence installed itself for a while between us, before we passed by a familar scenery, 'A wooden bridge passing over a small point of water … Isn't that where …' I get out of Link's shadow before asking him to stay put for a minute, I go look around the trees near the bridge, trying to find something.
'No piece of heart of course … Would be too easy if they were actually scattered around like in the game …' I fly back to him, as he question me.
"What were you looking for in there Midna ?" I look back at the tree, and thought about how dumb it would be to tell him what I was actually looking for, piece of hearts were supposed to be magic crystalised, and super rare from what he told me, why would it be laying around in a tree …
"Ah, nothing nothing, I just needed to get out of your shadow for a bit, the view isn't really the most beautiful one in there you know?" It's … Kinda true too, I can't see much from his shadow, just what is around him, but not being able to move by yourself is kinda annoying by time, it seems to satisfy him, but he did throw me one weird look too when I said that…
"Alright, well try to not slow our travel too much alright ? We already have to make some breaks to eat in between, so breaks like that have to be kept to a minimum, alright ?" I nod to him, and he go back on his way, map in hand.
'Well, might as well sit on tight in his shadow then, cause it look like I'll be there for a while …'
A few miles away, in Kakariko village…
"Barnes ! We need more of your bombs !" The priester was yelling at the Shopkeeper that was currently hiding behind the counter of his shop.
"M-More bombs ?! But I'm giving you my entire stock here ! I gave you at least 3 full bags of bombs, you're telling me those damn beasts are still standing ?!" He was absolutely terrified, still barely peeking at the priester while talking.
"Yes ! They are still standing, and we have children and elderly still outside ! We need more firepower !" Still looking at the window and keeping the monster away with the blasts, his stock was slowly turning short.
"Their problems ! Not mine ! If those monsters are as strong as you say they are, then they are as good as de-"
"Barnes ! Not another word or you won't have to worry about the monsters ! My daughter is in there, and your bombs are the only way of defending her I have !" He look at him helplessly "Please … I already lost her mother, I can't lose her too …"
Seing the sad expression of the closest thing he have to a friend, Barnes put his cowardise aside to help him. "Al-Alright, I still have one stock of normal Bombs, and two of those Bomblings, but if they resist them, what do you even want to do Renado …"
Renado looked outside, seing the beast slowly closing in to where he knew the children were hiding, before speaking "I'm going out there, I'll take the Bomblings, please keep the attention of one of them here, and I'll try to rush them to my sanctuary, once I'm done, I'll come back for you alright ?"
"Going outside?! With those beasts here ? Are you crazy?!" Barnes couldn't even look at the window, even less thinking of going outside
"It's our only chance … The sanctuary is the safest place we have in the village, we both know the shop won't hold for long Barnes …" He look at him, taking the bombs, and stepping outside "If I die there, please take care of the children we rescued earlier, they are already in the sanctuary since earlier…" He took one last look at his friend, seeing him nod nervously, before he went out in the sight of the beasts…
"Alright, Night is gonna settle in soon, we should probably stop here for today, I'll take the first night shift." Link said as he find a place to settle down, they had travelled through the whole day, and were pretty close to the border, but be it one hour or two, they couldn't travel at night while they were exhausted, it's too dangerous.
"Fine by me, but are you sure you want to take the first shift ? I mean, you travelled all day long already, you should be more tired than I am …" Midna slipped back from his shadow, sitting down with him, and looking at him with a worried expression.
"My legs will rest since I'm sitting, and you're still recovering from the poison, there is no way I'm not letting you rest first Midna, you need it more than I do." He take out his bag and start digging in the food.
"I'm fiiine, don't worry about me Link, I'll be alright, better than ever actually!" She tried to be convincing, but after seeing a yawn escaping her lips soon after she said that, she … Wasn't fooling anyone.
"Yeah, right, of course, you look full of energy and ready to take on a Dodongo" He say sarcastically, earning an embarrassed face from his partner.
"Well … I'll have you know that I'm using my magic all day long by staying in your shadow .. I have to keep a constant focus if I don't want it to slip…"
"And that's one more reason to not let you have the first shift…" One reason that he only learned now, but still, he hands her an apple, as he take some of the bottled soup the villager left for him "You should also eat something, I haven't seen you eat anything since I met you …"
"Ah, well, if you have extra sure, but eat first, I can go without food, don't worry about me." Link frowned at her, again with asking him to not worry … She clearly needed some care after a near death experience, but she was refusing any of it …
"Midna, I am not about to let you starve to death for me, I also packed enough food for both of us, so eat up alright ? You need it more than I do once again." Midna looked confused for a second
"Starving myself ?" Then she realized "Ah ! No ! That's not what I meant ! I literally can go without food Link !" She point at her Helmet "See that ? That's one of the thing we collected in the dungeon, it provide me with enough magic to basically replace food, but …" She take the apple in his hand "I still enjoy eating though, so if there is enough for both of us, I'll take you on that offer !"
She start eagerly eating the apple, quite enjoying herself from what he could see, "Wow .. I now realize that it's the first time I eated something since I got there … Feels good, I almost forgot what it was like..." She say looking pensive, 'Since she got there ?' Link was curious about what she meant exactly, how many days have it been since she didn't eat ? Seeing how much she was enjoying a simple apple, he guessed it was more weeks than days …
"Midna ?" His partner perked up, looking at him "What … Are you exactly ? I actually never saw someone like you … And never heard about your species either in the book I read, I actually thought you were … The same as those beasts that kidnapped me when I saw you in that cell …" He felt guilty about judging her so quickly, but … He was hurted and confused, and did not know what to think of her then.
"Ah, that's because I am." She say suddenly, surprising Link, before he can ask any questions, she continue "I'm a Twili, those beasts are too, except they are cursed to look like that, they are usually just … You know, people ? But Zant, the guy who took your realm, he's also the one who cursed them like this…" She think for a second, before mumbling something much quieter than the rest "Maybe he also have something to do about how I look like …"
Too curious to not ask, Link continue to ask her, "What do you mean by that ? Did he do something to you too ?" Midna looked surprised that he heard, sigh, and then look at her hand, a sad expression on her face …
"I guess so ? I don't know what he did exactly, he may not even be the source but … Let's just say I haven't really felt like myself since a while …" Not wanting to push further while seeing the pained expression of his friend, he simply tell her
"Well, either way, we're going to find him Midna, we'll undo all those damages he did around here, and free all those people, and then, you can ask him whatever question you want, alright ?" He looked at her, smiling, but Midna wasn't smiling back, she looked between angry and sad.
"Unfortunately, I fear that some of his doing will be impossible to reverse … I tried to prevent any lasting damage to be done, but …" She look back at Link, totally angry this time "I'm pretty sure your princess told you how well that worked out, uh ?" It was a detail he wanted to forget, but … She was right … The princess did tell her how many lives were lost, despite Midna's warning …
Midna sighed, before finishing her apple, and laying down near Link "No use in continuing on that … So I'll just call it a night, and start resting, wake me up when it's my turn to watch over you." And with that, she closed her eyes, Link was left thinking for a bit, watching his partner on the ground.
'Midna … You aren't blaming only the princess, are you … You're also blaming yourself, I could feel it …' He get out a blanket he prepared specially for her, putting it on her 'I won't let any more lives fall down Midna … Don't worry, together, we'll correct her mistake …'
He then thought back to all that was said tonight, 'Twilis … Realms … And what Zant did to her … So many things she said make no sense to me … Yet I could feel that she wasn't lying …But … I also feel like you're not telling me the entire truth either Midna …' The words of the light spirit resonated in his mind.
'Many secrets lay inside her head … What are you hiding from me exactly Midna ?'
Through the shadow, and through the twilight, another creature was traveling, going as fast as he possibly can, trying to reach a certain village that he knew needed his help, he had a determined expression on his face
'I pray to the goddesses that I won't be too late …' He thought as he arrived on the scene of the one and only Kakariko Village, taking a look at his surrounding, he quickly examined the situation
He could see the priester of the village leading the children away to one of the building, while keeping the best away with a stock of bomb he had in hand, a scream could be heard as his attention directly snap to another part of the village, where an old woman was just about to be attacked by one of the beasts
'No !' He thought quickly, as he saw the priester coming to a similar realization, he could hear him telling the children to run to safety, as he took the remaining bombs he had, and rushed in the direction of the scream, he wouldn't be fast enough though … But the mysterious figure watching them would be.
Reacting quickly, the man slashed the back of the beast with his weapon, it wouldn't be enough to kill it, but it was enough to make him lose his grip on the poor woman, he could see the priester arriving on the scene, as he yelled at him.
"Take the woman and leave ! I'll handle the beast, just get to safety !" The priester looked confused, and did not know what to do, then the man remembered 'Ah ! They can't see me ! How could I forget about that !' He continued to fight back the beasts, hoping that the priester would get the message.
He saw him taking the woman on his arm, and leading her to safety, while still looking back at the scene, seeing the beasts fighting a seemingly invisible enemy was … Quite confusing …
The mysterious man was struggling at keeping both of the beasts at bay, knowing full well that what he was doing could keep them busy, but couldn't kill them, he was just gaining the time he could for the villager, once he saw all of them run to safety, he decided it was his time to leave.
Throwing his weapons on the masks of the two beasts, he used the time where they were blinded to escape quickly, leaving the beasts to roam the village searching for him
In the sanctuary, the priester could observe the beasts stopping their fighting, and looking around angrily, he did not understand everything, but was still thanking the goddesses for this miracle that allowed him to save a life today, but he couldn't help but ask himself …
'Who were those beasts fighting…'
The night passed in Hyrule, and both Midna and Link were back on the road, a few meters away from one giant gate, seeing the sky darken, both of the duo knew what was coming next.
"Alright, so we finally arrived there … You know what this gate means, right ?" I looked at Link
"We have to go back to the Twilight, and you need to get me a pass to the other side, I know." Link looked at me, probably questioning why I asked him that.
"Ah no, no, no ! It doesn't work like that Mister Hero !" A grin draw itself on my face as I continue "No light realmers can survive in the Twilight, they become mere souls, You are an exception to that rule, but … You can't stay like that in the Twilight either." I see Link expression becoming livid.
"I … Do I …" He looked terrified as I continue
"Yup Wolf boy, look like I'm getting my ride back !"
And that is all for today's chapter ! Like I said before, I'm now taking more time to write, the daily release won't happen anymore, I prefer taking time to write out the story as it goes, and not try to follow a tight schedule
So lots of things happened during this chapter ! Link and Midna got some time to bound, and Link got the answer to some of his questions, but so many more are left un-asked … He's slowly figuring out his partner though, even if he's still unsure of many things about her
At the same time, we see the reality of the invasion in Kakariko village, as those people try their best to survive a situation where they cannot possibly fight back those beasts, but … A mysterious intervention helped them putting as much people to safety as possible, but … Who or what was that ?
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter as always, and I hope you're looking forward to what will follow ! The story is getting more and more interesting, as a constant butterfly effect seems to happen, I'm looking forward to sharing that with you all hehe !