Disclaimer: With the exception of the characters found within the temples (Although some are based on Legend of Zelda villains), Legend of Zelda is owned by Nintendo.
A/N: This chapter follows on immediately from Chapter 3.
When Link and Midna arrived at the stable where Epona was standing, Link said "Midna, meet Epona". Midna, upon looking at Epona, said "She's beautiful". Link smiled and said "Wait here a moment, I want you to make friends with Epona". Midna looked puzzled. She had never met a horse before, and she wasn't sure how Link was going to get her to make friends with Epona, especially as it appeared that Midna's presence was making Epona nervous.
After a few moments, Link returned with a horse brush. "You will be brushing the dust out of Epona's hair while I check her hooves" Link said. Midna replied nervously with "Alright". As Midna walked up to Epona, Link said "Start at the head, then brush back to the hindquarters. Brush with Epona's hair, which, as you can see here, is back and down a bit". So while Midna was brushing the dust out of Epona's hair, Link checked her hooves. After removing a small stone from Epona's left back hoof, Epona calmed down considerably, and was now enjoying being brushed by Midna. The preparations took nearly half and hour, but after Midna had finished brushing Epona and was just walking back to replace the horse brush, she felt Epona nuzzle her. Link, noticing this, said "She liked that. I think if we do this regularly you will be able to befriend Epona".Link then placed the saddle blanket and the saddle onto Epona, then said "I'll help you up. OK Midna?" Midna nodded, and, after two attempts, managed to get Midna on the back of the saddle. Link then climbed on Epona, and said "Alright girl, let's go". Epona nodded, then walked out. A man opened the door to the stable as Link, Midna and Epona walked out, and closed it just as they left. Link turned to him and said "Remember to replace and replenish the food, water, and her straw while I'm gone Mike". Mike nodded, said "Sure thing Link. How long will she be gone for?". Link replied with "Probably a couple of weeks". Mike nodded, then said "Call me the day before you're returning Epona, OK?". Link nodded, said "Sure thing Mike" then left.
As Link and Midna rode towards Link's hometown, Midna asked "Link, how literal were you when you said that everybody knew about me?". Link replied with "In both Zelda's castle and in the village I grew up in, literally everybody knows who you are. And once those people connect that you're a Twili, most of them will ask whether you're Midna. I'm just warning you, that's all". Midna felt a bit insulted, why wasn't she able to introduce herself to Link's friends and family? Or was she that well known, thanks to Link, that everybody would know who she was.
When Link, Midna and Epona arrived at Link's hometown, they were greeted by Ilia. Link climbed off of Epona, and Ilia, noticing that Midna was struggling trying to get off Epona, said "Do you need my help?". Midna replied with "Yes". Link and Ilia helped Midna get off of Epona, and at the moment that Midna turned to face Ilia, and at that moment, Ilia gasped and said "Are you that Twili girl Link's been talking about for the past six months?". Midna smiled, put her hand out and replied with "Yes. I'm Midna". Ilia shook it, and said "Ilia. I'm a childhood friend of Link's". Midna replied with "That's nice". Link then asked Ilia "I heard that Auru is here, have you seen him anywhere?".
"Are you looking for me Link?" a voice came from behind. Link and Midna turned around, and saw Auru looking back at him.
"Auru" Link said, glad that he had found the person he was looking for. Auru looked from Link, then to Midna, and said "Are who are you?". Glad that somebody finally didn't know who she was, she put her hand out and said "I'm Midna, nice to meet you Auru". Auru shook Midna's hand, then realised something.
"Wait, are you that Twili girl that Link's been talking about for the last six months?" Auru asked. Midna shook her head, then said, exasperated "Yes, the very same". Link then said "So do you want to head to my house, where you can tell me about the interview you had with the Hero of Time?". Auru nodded, and both Link and Midna followed them.
When they arrived at Auru's house, Auru grabbed a tape and put it into the video player. Link sat down near Auru and said "So, this is the interview that you gave to the Hero of Time?". Auru replied with "Not me specifically, but this is it". The tape whirred into life, and the Hero of Time sat down directly opposite a middle-aged man that look similar to Auru. Midna asked Auru "Is that you talking with the Hero of Time?". Auru sighed and said "No. He is my father, Kauka". Link nodded, and Kauka asked in the tape "So where did you go on your personal quest?". The Hero of Time replied with "I wound up in a strange place called Termina". Kauka then asked "When you say, wound up, what do you mean?". The Hero of Time replied with "I was travelling through a forest when I was attacked. I pursued my attacker into the location called Termina". Kakua nodded, then asked "So are you the only one who knows about the entrance to Termina?". The Hero of Time replied with "Yes. I used a region-exclusive songs to seal the entrance". Kakua then asked "Region- exclusive songs?". The Hero of Time replied with "The Song of Time and the Oath to Order work differently in Hyrle to Termina. The Song of Time creates Time Blocks in Hyrle, while it resets time in Termina. The Oath to Order works in Termina, but it doesn't work in Hyrle.I know, I've tried". Kakua nodded and said "Well, the Song of Time and the Oath to Order need to be in the region the songs were played in". The Hero of Time nodded, then said "The Song of Time can be played in Hyrle to move the Time Block, but you won't be able to access Termina without somebody on the Termina side using the Oath to Order". Kakua nodded, then asked "So this is how you made sure no evil could get into Termina?" the Hero of Time nodded, he stood up, said "Exactly", then departed. The tape then stopped.
"So, the only way that we can access Termina is to use the Song of Time on the Hyrle side, and somebody has to use the Oath to Order on the Termina side" Midna said. Just then, a warrior came in and said "A bunch of Chaos Creatures are attacking". Link drew his sword and shield, and they headed out to fight. Midna went to stand but her injured ankle flared, telling her to stay back.
When Link and the soldier arrived, there were a number of vipers attacking the village. Link and the Knight charged in and started fighting the chaos vipers, Link desperate to get to his house. Link struck down two or three Viper's, but by the time he arrived he saw, to his shock, that Ilia was missing.
"Ilia's missing" Link yelled, slashing another Viper in half. Just then, an ugly creature appeared in front of Link, holding Ilia. Link, angrily said "Let her go". The giant creature laughed menacingly and said "If you want to see your precious Ilia again Link, then come to the Poison Temple to the south of this village and battle me". He then leapt away, with Ilia screaming "LINK!". Once the ugly creature left, the Vipers followed the ugly creature. Midna soon reached Link and said "Are you OK?". Link replied with "I'm fine, but that ugly creature captured Ilia". Midna then asked "Where did that ugly creature take Ilia?". Link replied with "Apparently, the Poison Temple, although I have no idea where it is, just that the Poison Temple is somewhere to the South of here". Link then turned to Midna and said "Do you want to help me recover Ilia?". Midna nodded, and Link ran, while Midna floated, in the direction of the South of Link's hometown.
After about ten minutes, Link and Midna caught up to a group of Vipers, which Link predicted that would reach the Poison Temple. While hiding behind trees to avoid the Vipers that turned to attempt to avoid them. Midna used her sensory abilities to sense when the Vipers were about to turn around to make sure they aren't spotted. Eventually, a dark, purple temple rose up in front of them, the Poison temple.
"So this is the Poison Temple" Midna said. Link nodded, then asked "So, the question is, what are we going to find in this Temple?". Midna turned to face Link and said "The only way that we are going to find out is to go in". Link nodded, waited until the Vipers had vanished from view, then entered.
Meanwhile in the castle of doom.
The ugly creature that captured Ilia has now arrived in his throne room. He placed Ilia into a cage, then called his lord. The creature in the fluid materialised virtually, then asked "What is it Venoxa?".
"My lord, I have captured Ilia, just like you asked. However, Link and Midna are on their way" Venoxa said.. The "lord" nodded, then said "You had better get the ritual prepared. With Link coming, and if he has the Triforce of Courage as well as Midna' Fused Shadows, you will struggle to defeat them. If you get the first two stages of the ritual completed, then I will gain power from the damage all three of you take".
"You will use me to help restore yourself?" Venoxx said, an air of panic in his voice.. The "lord" replied with "Yes, but only if you lose. And you will not lose your existence, not completely at least". Venoxa nodded, then cut the communication.
"So why am I here? Is it because of Link?" Ilia asked. Venoxa turned to face her and said "That is the only reason I have you here". He then breathed into Ilia's face, and she collapsed. The last thing heard is Venoxa's maniacal laughing, before he does the same to the camera watching him and destroys it.
A/N: So what has Venoxa got planned? Can Link and Midna get to Venoxa to rescue Ilia? Will they even be strong enough? Find out in the next chapter of The Legend of Zelda: Revelations of the Twilight Realm.