"Oh, Goddess! This water is rather, ah… cold."

Faris shivered and puffed out his cheeks as the ocean lapped up to his chest. Balin, who also had jumped into the shallow waters, only glanced up at the tall Hyrulean knight as he took hold of the pinnace (one of the Windfall's small row boats) and showed no emotion or reaction to the chill of the water.

"I'm sorry about that, my friend! Mind you, even with the heat of the height of summer, which is not that hot mind you, the sea never gets warm," Vahlymor chimed in as he grinned down at the knight from his seat in the boat with a sympathetic expression. "All the same, Noruidians brave the shallows for a swim here and there."

Zelda also smiled as Faris and Balin walked the pinnace up the shallows towards the black sands of the island. Her smile was false, however. Her ability to mask her emotions was hiding the cold that she felt: except that this feeling had nothing to do with the chill of the day. Her eyes were glued to the expanse of the dark island before her. Link was seated beside her on her left, while Arvid sat on her right. Both knights, physical and spiritual, doing their duties to protect their queen from possibly coming in contact with the ocean's touch.

Behind them was the other pinnace. Aboard the small boat was Ashei and the Sheikah, who had been ordered to protect the wooden box that held such precious contents. The Sheikah siblings and their magic had successfully stalled the storm to allow for the Windfall to sail safely through the relatively calmed waters. As a consequence of this safe passage, their collective energies had been depleted sufficiently. Regardless of this, the siblings adamantly argued that they were fit and alert enough to continue to the island in order to protect Zelda.

Vahlymor had shared his worries with Zelda about how the sudden pause in the perpetual storm could rouse the Tulul's attention to their location. They proceeded with caution, but also speed, for Noruidian ships were designed to be rowed and sailed. Luckily, they had been able to reach the island without incident. The twins, Todd and Crevan, had the pleasure of remaining upon the Windfall, to which they had thoroughly pouted their prince's decision. Someone had to stay behind to be able signal the others if there were any signs of the enemy's approach. The brothers knew this. Their grievances were more due to the fact that they were being forced to miss a lot of the action.

The bottom of Zelda's craft scraped the bottom and Vahlymor jumped out to help pull the boat more out of the water. Arvid set a hand on Zelda's shoulder to help stabilize her as the vessel was rocked forward. She had confessed to them all of the importance that she should not come into contact with the ocean. While this was an odd request, no one questioned it further, especially once Zelda revealed that it was Faro who instructed her of this.

Now more than ever Zelda wished that she could openedly speak with Link. She desperately wanted to tell him that this island, this... Isle of Blights… was identical to the land she had seen so many times in her repetitive nightmare. The black sand, the dark waters, and the constant, swirling clouds up above, which efficiently fended off any hint of the morning sun's light. Shadow and twilight eternally covered this island and the only colour to be seen to contrast the black and grey landscape was the dark blue of the surrounding waters. Zelda could see no sign of anything green or alive anywhere she looked. There were no seabird calls or any other signs of life, only the low roar of the wind and the tide breaking against the shore's rocks. The landscape of the island was barren volcanic rock that had been eroded by the ocean's salt, wrath, and wind for untold years to amass a Gothic and sharp environmental architecture.

'It looks like the Dark Realm.'

The queen glanced over at the wolf seated beside her. By this point, Zelda had become fairly accustomed to hearing Link's sudden voice in her head, so she didn't outwardly react. The wolf was leaning against her side and while Zelda was not certain as to what extent her thoughts and feelings reached the wolf, she at least knew that he could feel her apprehension. If anything, Link surely must have felt the spike of fear in Zelda upon recognizing the land.

"One last heave, men!" Faris called from the shore.

Balin, Faris, and Vahlymor pulled hard to fully pull the pinnace up on onto the shore until only its stern touched the lapping tide. Faris then came forward and offered his hand to assist his queen to set food upon the dark sands. He hesitated with his hand outstretched as he cast his eyes down at his soaked self.

"Umm… it's not the ocean itself, but can you touch the ocean's water?"

"Best not to chance it," Arvid spoke up as he stood to hop out of the boat onto the sand.

The younger knight offered his hand to his queen. Zelda took it as she stood and finally stepped out of the boat herself. The wolf also hopped out to stand upon the beach, its gaze fixated on the heart of the island. Zelda flashed a smile at Arvid before going over to stand beside the wolf, while behind her the men helped the other boat to come ashore to unload the Hyrulean's precious cargo.

"This place… it feels wrong," Zelda whispered.

The wolf whined and pressed against her leg.

'It's here… the gate, and... something else.'

The queen glanced down to the Sacred Beast at her side as a faint breeze stirred her hair. Link looked up at her and met her eye. A subtle blush filled her cheeks and looked back up. Zelda could still feel his arms around her from the night before and she stepped aside so that they were no longer touching. She did not wish for her feelings or thoughts to spread to him, not now. She had to keep her head together and have her wits about her.

They were finally here. They had safely arrived at the Isle of Blights and had done so after only sixteen days since leaving Hyrule. Zelda had to remain focused and confident. She was determined and she had resolve.

It took a few minutes for everyone to reach the shore and unload their supplies. There was some discussion about the best way to transport the wooden box, which wasn't too heavy but would still require at least two or three people to carry it efficiently. Faris and Simin offered to be the first to carry the box, only for Falk and his twin sister Malia to offer their support for the middle of the box. That left Adla, Ashei, Arvid, Balin, and Vahlymor to act as protection and defence. Zelda had been strictly instructed to allow for the others to act in case of an attack, and that she must not engage in any fighting. This was for her own safety, as well as to preserve her energy in case there arose a need for her powers of light magic. Of course, there was also Link who would remain by Zelda's side no matter what. He had recovered from being separated from his body and with it being so near within its box, he felt ready for anything.

"So how should we tackle this? Start by going around the entire island and then heading into the interior, or interior first?"

Zelda looked over at Arvid, as did the others.

Simin crossed his arms in thought.

"The faster we find this gate, the better: that's for sure."

"But we can't just run in blind! Who knows what creatures call this cursed island their home!" Faris pointed out gruffly. "We need to be tactful."

The others began to voice their opinions and constructively argue, while Zelda frowned in thought. Only a fool with foolish ambition would have thought to travel all the way to an accursed island with no plan of how to continue or to where.

It was a good thing, then, that Zelda was no such fool.

Reaching into her bag, the queen pulled out a flat object wrapped in black canvas. Pulling back the wrapping and replacing it back inside the satchel, Zelda silently regarded the fabled Lens of Truth with the calm reverence it deserved before taking in a soothing, deep breath. Arvid saw what his queen was up to and lightly slapped Faris' arm with the back of his hand to quiet him, before gesturing with his chin towards Zelda. The others soon caught on until everyone was watching the Hyrulean Queen lift the Lens and gaze through it. In silence everyone watched as Zelda slowly panned from the far shore of the island towards the left.

Through the Sheikah looking glass, Zelda saw the Isle of Blights for what it was: a barren land where no life could survive. The island seemed to be even more dark and lifeless through the magical gaze of the Lens of Truth. The storm that had covered the land for centuries had rendered it nearly impossible for anything to survive. Before in the mountains, when Zelda had gazed upon the land through the artifact, everything had looked slightly brighter - as if the sun were shining upon every surface. Not here; not upon this island. Every rocky and craigy surface, and each grain of sand, looked exactly the same as it would normally. Worry creased Zelda's brow and she quickly swept the Lens over towards her companions. Relief eased her concerns away when she saw the spiritual auras of light around each living person, thus reassuring her that the Lens had not lost its magic or anything of the sort.

It was just this island that was the problem, just as Link had told her only a few hours ago:

'It's the Sheikah magic… it's completely saturated this entire area. Both the air and the water.'

The thought of Link brushed a faint blush across Zelda's cheek and she quickly turned away from the others to continue her scanning of the environment. She knew that if she were to look through the Lens at the wolf, once more she would see her knight: Hyrule's Hero Chosen by the Gods. Zelda did not do this, of course. They were there on a mission and the faster that they were able to locate the Twilight Gate, the better.

"Do you see anything, my lady?" Arvid called.

Zelda didn't answer immediately as she finished her scan of the beach. With a sigh, she lowered the Lens and looked over at her companions.

"Nothing, yet. Perhaps once we get closer to the rocks that I'll be able to see something."

Judging from the glances among themselves and the slight frowns, no one particularly liked that approach. However, what else could they do? They knew that the Twilight Gate was hidden somewhere on this island. According to Vahlymor, the Isle of Blights wasn't particularly large as far as islands go, but it could still take days to thoroughly search the island. That was true only if the gate wasn't hidden out of sight or was shrouded by protective magic. Then someone could very well walk directly past the entrance and be none the wiser.

Meaning that they had to stay together and that once again Zelda was their main source of navigation. Link had admitted that he could also see the hidden Sheikah symbols in the mountains, but he wasn't about to go off on his own to try and find them. He still had to remain fairly near his body, and he would never leave Zelda unprotected by him. The Sheikah siblings, even with their knowledge and expertise with their shadow magic, admitted that they were not able to see the hidden Sheikah symbols. It would seem that such a power was specifically tied to artifacts, such as the Lens of Truth. This had been intentional, Adla had explained, to force the Sheikah to remain in banishment and that only the Land's Light could find them.

Vahlymor walked forward and came to stand beside Zelda, regarding the legendary island, before looking over at Zelda with a smirk.

"Well? Shall we be off, then? We have a magical gate to find!"

The prince gestured for the woman to lead the way and she flashed him a small, grateful smile. Setting her eyes forward, Zelda took a small breath before taking her first steps towards the interior of the island and once again raised the Lens of Truth. The others behind her fell in line behind the queen, the prince, and the wolf.

/

"Allright, people! We set off again in fifteen, so rest up, eat, drink, and do whatever else you need."

A quiet chorus of sighs and short comments followed Vahlymor's declaration of a break. Faris, Balin, and the Sheikah twins carefully set down the box. The group groaned and stretched out their cramped muscles from carrying the wooden box over the rocky terrain. They had been searching now for a few hours and Zelda had yet to find any evidence of the whereabouts of the Twilight Gate or any signs at all as to where it might be.

The Isle of Blights had quickly proven to be rather difficult to traverse once they had left the black, sandy shoreline. Loose rocks and uneven ground made for slow progress, in addition to the fact that Zelda was rather diligent in making sure that every surface was checked via the Lens. Link also did his part to search and he strained his spiritual senses to their limits, but to no avail. The Sheikah magic was too thick in the air and he could not pinpoint any hint of the presence of the Twilight Realm.

"Nothing yet, but we'll find it," Arvid commented with his natural enthusiasm as he walked up to his queen.

Zelda, drinking from her canteen and seated upon a rock with Faro sitting beside her, sighed and wiped her mouth.

"I know we will," she replied quietly, her resolve holding.

'I don't think no one here expected to find this thing within the first hour. If this gate is as powerful or special as you said it is, then it makes sense that it'll be hard to find."

"True," Zelda admitted, smiling up at her knight. "How are you fairing?"

"Oh, not bad," the knight said with a shrug and slight rotation of his shoulder. "That box isn't the easiest to carry, but with the four of us it's not that bad."

"I truly appreciate everything that you're doing, Arvid," Zelda confessed quietly.

Sightly taken aback by his queen's tenderness, Sir Arvid smiled with a small blush. Clearing his throat, he then gave her a small nod.

"This is for the good of Hyrule, therefore it is my duty. Besides," Arvid continued with a chuckle, "this is an adventure beyond imagining! I'm honoured to be here... a-and to be here to serve and protect you! Of course that, my lady." Blushing slightly, the man sighed and nodded once more. "Who knows? Maybe tales will be told of our accomplishments here and young children will have dreams about being great knights like Sir Arvid the Bold!"

Zelda laughed: a pure and elightful sound that echoed across the dismally lifeless rocks.

"Is that the epithet that you'd like to be attributed to you?"

Arvid grinned and shrugged, scratching his chestnut-coloured goatee.

"Perhaps? I suppose that's a conversation we can have once we return to Hyrule and when everyone safe and sound and accounted for." Arvid shifted his eyes aside and glanced towards the others before he subtly crouched down before Zelda to speak to her in a more hushed tone. "And that, of course, includes Sir Link. That is the plan, correct? That by taking Sir Link's body through the Twilight Gate, the Master Sword can be removed safely and he'll awake?"

Faro regarded the Hyrulean knight distantly and the wolf's tail wagged a few times.

"That… is the plan, yes, or so I've been informed. We must have faith, Arvid, in the Goddesses. I know that they would not forsake Link for all that he has done for Hyrule, so we won't either."

Keeping her words quiet and contained, Zelda nodded to her loyal knight to encourage him. The man echod her nod and his smile was brightened by his determination and loyalty. For a fleeting moment, Zelda realized that if none of this had happened (if Link had never been struck down by the Dark Arrow in the first place and if Prince Vahlymor and his company had remained in Noruidia), there was a very good chance that Arvid might have become her husband. She knew that he was aware of this fact as well, but it had never been brought up and never would. Zelda knew that Arvid was a true knight of Hyrule and he would stand by the throne no matter what, as long as who sat upon was the rightful ruler. If that included Vahlymor at Zelda's side as Hyrule's king, then so be it.

Zelda could see the humour in knowing that not that long ago, the greatest concern on her mind was marriage. How insignificant that seemed now, and how wise hindsight could be.

Arvid took his leave and Zelda was once again alone with the Sacred Beast at her side. On her lap was the Lens of Truth and she pondered her reflection upon its mirrored surface. It was much too early to become discouraged, she knew this. However, she was also aware of the walls of doubts that threatened to fall upon her resolve if her will faltered. The woman was well aware that everyone was depending on her. They all had faith in this venture, now Zelda just had to have faith in herself.

An aspect of herself that she has always struggled with.

A sudden cold and wet nose roused her mind back to the present and Zelda blinked to see a wolven muzzle resting on her hand. A smile spread upon her lips and the queen reached over to idly scratch the top of the wolf's maw. Zelda knew that Link could probably feel her misgivings and sense her doubts. His presence gave her strength just as it always had. This was why their friendship had evolved into such a strong bond over the years. Link understood Zelda in ways that many others did not, for he shared many of the doubts and feelings that she felt. Both were tied to legend and myth with their ancestral and spiritual bloodlines, and as bearers of pieces of the Triforce. With these prestigious titles came great responsibilities and expectations and Zelda and Link knew that they could rely on one another in bearing such great weights.

'Take heart, for we will find it.'

The woman's smile softened at her knight's words within her mind.

'After all, twilight comes everyday. How hard can it be to find its gate?'

Zelda's eyes snapped wide and she made a small gasp. The wolf, slightly startled, withdrew his head to look at her and saw how the woman's mind was whirling with great thought and realization simply by how excited her beautiful eyes were.

"You might be onto something…" she whispered, before gazing back down at the legendary mirror upon her lap. "What if... There's more to finding the gate than just the power of the Lens? What if, as you say, in order to find twilight there must be twilight?"

The wolf beside her only cocked his head to the head and his tail started to wag: a sign of encouragement, perhaps. Zelda slightly shrugged before she sighed.

"It couldn't hurt to try. We'll search for the remainder of the day, of course, but perhaps we might have better luck once the day ends." Leaning back her head, Zelda gazed up at the dark and stagnant clouds above. "Although, knowing when the twilight hour has fallen will be difficult. Darkness rules this land already, so I could very well be wrong-"

"You? Being wrong? I find that hard to believe."

Zelda hadn't even heard the prince's approach and she jumped slightly as she looked up to see him grinning down at her. Understanding his words, the queen sighed and lightly chuckled.

"Queens are often wrong," she advised before gathering up her things to stand and saw how the others were also readying themselves to once again continue their search.

"As are kings, but wrong for the right reasons, perhaps?" Vahlymor offered, arching his scarred brow at her in his amusement. That is until his expression softened slightly and he dropped his tone, "Is there something amiss, my lady?"

"No," Zelda admitted with a reassuring nod. "I just… had a thought, an idea rather, of why we have not found anything as of yet. I could be completely mistaken, but it wouldn't hurt-"

"An idea in mind is better than an empty head," Vahl replied, cutting off the queen's doubts.

Zelda only looked at him in surprise and the man chuckled as he scratched the back of his head.

"My father would say that to me and my brother growing up. I apologize, but with all due respect I have learned over many years that in these types of situations, where you are facing the unknown, that your gut and intuition can often be your saviour. So, if you have an idea on how to find this gate, then let's hear it."

Link flattened his ears and walked off to allow the royals to discuss the probability of Zelda's inkling. His keen ears stayed attuned to their conversation as he trotted over to Faris and Arvid. The spiritual knight recognized that it was his sense of jealousy that pushed him away. It irked him to no end that even with his spiritual form and how his emotions and feelings faded and waned, that it was his jealousy that prevailed more than others. He was still unsure about how to feel about the prince in general, and he was even more unsure about if he could trust the man or not. Everything up to this point had shown for the Noruidian to be true to his word and someone who could be trusted, but Link could not shake off this sense of wariness around the man. There was too much going on and at stake for the knight to fully consider these feelings or why he was feeling them, but deep down he knew.

Link knew why he was jealous and unwilling to trust in Vahlymor, but his denial kept the truth from his heart. After all, now was not the time for such insignificant feelings. He was dead and he was a spirit, and had no right to be interfering with the living as much as he already was.

"Listen up, everyone! We're moving out so make sure to take everything with you. Even if this land seems dead, it would be ill-advised to leave any evidence of our presence here."

The group of Hyruleans, Noruidians, and Sheikah heeded Prince Vahlymor's words and diligently finished packing up their gear. Ashei replaced Malia in helping to carry the wooden box, so now it was Hyrulean captain, Falk, Faris, and Balin. Setting out again, the host of adventurers followed the Hyrulean Queen towards the heart of the island.

Hours passed and the unforgiving and barren land grew darker as the veiled sun dipped towards the watery horizon once more.

The dimness of the light and the unevenness of the ground forced the travelers to light torches. They knew that this would surely bring attention to their passage through the rocky terrain. However, they were told of the queen's idea that the twilight hour may be their best bet to find clues to the Twilight Gate's location, and thus they pressed on. There was discussion to argue whether or not to go forth blindly was even the best course of action, or should they remain in one place until twilight fell. It was ultimately decided to continue their search, for they had no evidence to go on that Zelda's idea was correct.

The entire island seemed to be only made up of exposed rock. Little no no soil had survived centuries of constant erosion of the Sheikah storm's wind, rain, and oceanic fury. The land had been stripped bare and what remained was the volcanic remains of what was once a small volcano thousands of years ago. The crater's rim was still discernible, but over the millenia it had crumbled in many places and giant boulders and walls of rock had fallen inwards. A great canyon seemed to dominate the centre of the island and the many gorges and crevices that split off from it multiplied the island's surface. To search them all could take weeks and would require a much larger company than what was present.

When the twilight hour did arrive, apprehension and curiosity hung in the air.

Zelda felt the eyes of her comrades watching her back, both literally and figuratively, as she led them through the vast canyon of the island's heart. She felt bad for those who were carrying Link's body, for the wooden box was a bit cumbersome to carry through the rocky landscape. However, none who carried the box gave any complaint and only continued onwards. Link remained near Zelda's side, as did Arvid and Vahlymor, while Simin, Adla, and Malia carried the torches to light the group's progress. With the darkness of the approaching night, Zelda found it to be steadying easier to see the details of the landscape through the Lens. She did not need the assistance of the torches to aid in her path, though of course her companions did. The Sheikah were also well adept with their shadow magic to make their way through the dark, as was Link.

Everyone kept reasonably together, with those carrying the box containing Link's body in the middle, and Zelda at the head of the company. Zelda found the silence of the island to be rather uncomfortable, eerie even. With the storm calmed, there was no wind, and with nothing seemingly living on the isle the only sounds were their own footsteps echoing across the rocks. It was unnerving and everyone was on edge.

Turning around a bend in the canyon, Zelda suddenly stopped: so quickly, in fact, that Arvid nearly walked into his queen.

"Oh! Pardon me, my lady!"

"Do you see anything, Zelda?"

"I…?"

Wetting her lips, Zelda paused with her words as she peered closer into the Lens of Truth. The entourage faced the mouth of a wide gorge, the widest Zelda had seen thus far on the island, and its high walls stretched up twenty or so feet with sheer verticality.

"Do you see something upon the wall?" Arvid asked, gesturing to the air before his queen.

"The wall?"

"Yes, my lady. It looks to be a dead end," stated Simin as he came in closer and held his torch aloft before him.

Zelda looked between the men with a quizzical expression.

"What are you talking about? I see no- Oh! Oh, goddess…"

With a surprised expression, Zelda stepped back to look to where her companions were gesturing. Now she saw the wall! She had gotten so used to seeing the land only through the Lens of Truth, she had completely neglected to lower the artifact until just then. Once she did, there was a rock face as craggy and bleak as all the others made visible and Zelda stood only a few feet before it.

"Fascinating…" she whispered as she stepped forward to reach out and touch the wall. Sure enough, she felt beneath her fingertips, and only when she stepped back and gazed through the Lens once more did the wall fall away to expose the hidden ravine.

"What is it?" Vahlymor inquired, glancing between Zelda at the apparent rockwall.

"This wall… it's false," Zelda commented a bit breathlessly, before admiring the Sheikah artifact in his hands. "I see another gorge before us through the Lens. This could be the correct path!"

'Used to dispel illusions…' she thought in amazement.

'I don't see a wall, either. I can see the canyon too.'

Zelda looked down in veiled surprise as the wolf leaned his shoulder against the side of her hip and Link's words filled her mind. It was almost like he had heard her thoughts, even though they hadn't been touching.

"Marvelous!" Simin commented in amazement, gazing up at the wall.

The others had grouped up behind their leaders, setting Link's body down, and Adla stepped forward to fall in line beside Arvid. The Sheikah warrior was also gazing ahead, though only her intense, red eyes could be seen under her hood and cloth mask.

"There is very strong magic here. My people's magic."

"And what do your Sheikah eyes see, my lady?" Arvid inquired.

"I see a wall, but… I know that it is wrong," the Sheikah admitted in her thick accent.

"It's a barrier," Zelda concluded as she scanned the entirety of the wall through the Lens.

What had caught her eye and had made her pause in the first place was that running from the left wall down, across the ground, and then up the right wall was a fine line of faint blue light. Upon closer examination, Zelda recognized the blue shade as being identical to the hidden Sheikah symbols back in the mountains.

"Could we climb up and drop in from above?" Simin asked.

Adla gazed up at the top of the gorge before seemingly disappearing. The Sheikah warrior skillfully and unseen made her way to the top of the canyon and all eyes shot up when she spoke once again, but this time twenty feet up.

"No. This wall extends beyond. From here, it looks like solid land. No canyon, no gate."

"If that's the case, then how are we to pass through this barrier?" Vahl asked, as he and Simin placed their hands on the false rockwall, which felt rather sturdy.

The queen didn't voice her thoughts, for she was too busy combing through her amass of knowledge. What an ingenious barrier: the perfect hiding place for a mystical gate to the Twilight Realm. If a party sought it out without the Lens of Truth, they would literally walk right by the gate, or even over it, and have no knowledge of their folly. She glanced over at the prince and gave him a slight shake of her head. Zelda hoped that he would understand her meaning. With a subtle sigh of relief, Vahlymor only gave her a nod in return and stepped away. Sensing that this might take some time, Vahl motioned for the others to take a break and he, Arvid, and Simin left Zelda alone to study the magical rock wall. Meanwhile, Adla jumped down from the canyon's top and landed without falter. The Sheikah then walked over to rejoin her younger siblings.

Zelda knew that barriers could be tricky. It took a lot of magic to create one and even more so to break one. Back before Zant's Invasion and her battle with Ganondorf, Zelda had been able to create a barrier, albeit a small one, as a shield around herself. With her powers now depleted, she assumed that she was no longer capable of this ability. As for a long-lasting barrier such as this, Zelda knew that they could be broken, but she also recognized that even with herself and the Sheikah together they would not be able to break this spell. That was also taking into account if the siblings were at their full magical strengths, which they were not.

"Any ideas, dear Faro?" Zelda whispered lightly and glanced at the wolf beside her.

To everyone watching, they saw the wolf walk forward and disappear through a solid rock wall. They had seen Faro display this ability before, but it still amazed many of them to witness.

Clearing her throat slightly, Zelda lifted the Lens to follow the wolf's movements, but instead she observed a shining knight in thought. Link stood there on the other side of the barrier's line, arms crossed, and was assessing the blue line for himself. The man was slightly biting his lower lip and had furrowed brows. Zelda had seen him wear that very same expression many times in the past: it meant that Link was thinking really hard about a puzzle and was refusing to admit that he was stuck. However, Link was really good with puzzles and was a brilliant tactician. His natural talents were also surely increased due to his status as a spirit, so if anyone could figure this barrier out it very well might be him.

The spirit knight reached up a hand to rub his chin; his slightly glowing blue eyes analyzed every inch of the barrier line. Slowly the hero turned to gaze out at the canyon beyond the barrier and he stood there and stared for some time.

Zelda did not wish to remain stationary while holding up the Lens for long, for she did not want to draw the attention of the others. She knew that it was rather unlikely that anyone would interrupt her, but regardless of this fact, Zelda felt protective over Link. She did not wish to draw any unnecessary attention to the spirit wolf in addition to the natural curiosities already in play. Going over to the left wall, Zelda knelt and began to closely examine the blue line of the barrier through the Lens. She held the artifact just so that she could inspect the line, but kept Link in frame. The knight still had his back to her, had once more crossed his arms, and stood like a shining statue. His spiritual radiance did not illuminate the gorge around him, but rather portrayed him as some sort a dazzling god of ethereal light against the bleak and dark background of the shadow tainted landscape.

It was beautiful, actually: Link was beautiful. Then again, he was a spirit, but the man had always been known for his handsomeness. This fact was often gossiped about amongst the ladies of court, but Zelda had always pretended not to hear such intrigues. After all, she needed not to indulge in such tedious hearsay to know that Link was a handsome man.

Now that she was up close to the barrier, Zelda saw a distortion in the image she saw through the Lens of Truth. She hadn't noticed it before, but looking up at Link's back the woman could see a slight blurriness around the edges of the knight's frame. At first she thought this was something to do with his spiritual aura; however, when she lifted her fingers and touched the rock wall, Zelda saw through the Lens how the entire barrier rippled slightly. It was only slight, but the wavelet was there: like touching the stilled surface of a pool. It was a weird sensation, for she didn't feel rock, but rather the smoothness of glass or alike. The barrier also had no temperature save for a numbing tingle that seeped into her fingertips.

This was a barrier meant to hide and deter, not defend: to keep out unwanted guests. It was essentially acting as a locked gate and they only needed to figure out how to unlock it.

Zelda looked up when Link finally moved from his static position. The knight half-stepped around to slowly turn back towards her, although he did so almost hesitantly, before walking back over to her. Link crouched immediately in front of her, unseen to all for he remained behind the barrier, and finally did the man look up to meet her eye. The queen's expression darkened with seriousness to reflect Link's. The man looked disturbed, stressed, and he gave her a weighty stare.

Something was amiss.

Link reached up his hand to place his palm against the barrier. Zelda watched for a moment as the spirit knight's presence had a more volatile reaction to the wall. Whereas Zelda's touch had caused a small ripple, Link's caused the entire magical wall to waver and ripple heavily. Initially unsure what he was wanting from her, Zelda saw Link give her a small nod and slowly she reached up to place her hand upon the barrier to match his. Once she had, Link pressed his hand forward through the barrier to touch her hand: palm to palm.

'I have been here before.'

Link spoke his words, but Zelda heard him within her mind.

"What do you mean?" she whispered back, turning her head aside so that no one could see her mouth move and made it seem that she was examining the wall beside her.

'I've been to this canyon before,' Link stated, Zelda watching his expression through the Lens. 'When I was trapped in the Dark Realm, I ran into a canyon identical to this one.'

Zelda's surprise was reflected within her widened eyes as well as through her mental bond with the knight, who surely felt the brunt of her astonished feelings.

"What does this mean?" the queen asked, her heart beating loudly in her ears.

Link only frowned and shook his head.

'I'm… not sure. I can't see the other end of the canyon and I dare not stray too far from you, Zelda, or my body.'

Zelda wet her lips and glanced over to meet Link's shining blue eyes: the blue was so similar to the blue line of the Sheikah barrier, she realized fleetingly.

"What did you do whilst in the Dark Realm? You… never told me about it…"

Zelda saw and felt Link tense up in response to her quiet admission: the knight's eyes turning aside.

'I guess I never did get the chance to tell you… It's difficult to recall. My memories of the Dark Realm have waned, and then, of course, it's even more difficult to recall now that I'm a spirit. But... I remember this canyon, that much is for sure. I was being chased by Dark Link, and I ran through this canyon and then…' The spirit knight creased his brow as he strained to recall, but was only grasping as wisps of recollection. "I remember… coming to a ledge. I must've been cornered, because I jumped off and fell for what seemed like forever until I landed in what I can describe as black water. I do remember how that water- no, it was like tar, or oil. It nearly swallowed me, and would have, if it hadn't been for the Hero of Time.'

Zelda slowly nodded as she fought back the strong of tears from her eyes at hearing the pain and anguish in Link's voice.

"Do you think that there might be a ledge into dark water at the end of this canyon?"

Link sighed and briefly looked at their touching hands.

'I don't… know, but something is telling me that there won't be. But there is something significant about this canyon, that much is for sure. I feel like there was something else… something I encountered in the Dark Realm, but I just… can't remember…' The knight paused, frowning in frustration, before shaking his head and looked up and around the barrier as he continued slowly. 'No matter. Right now what's important is that we need to figure out how to get you through this barrier. Just have to find the key…'

The spiritual knight removed his hand and stood, stepping back to once more assess the barrier on his end. Zelda watched him for a moment longer, before she sat back and adjusted the Lens of Truth upon her lap so that she could see the majority of the length of the barrier. This was a puzzle and it was solvable. It must be. She just had to recall and consider all what Lady Impa had told her. Perhaps there was a clue to be found within the wise Sheikah woman's words? It was worth trying.

As Zelda dug through her memory, Link stared at the magical wall before him and was also combing through his vast spiritual knowledge. Much to his annoyance, he was drawing a blank. Sheikah magic was beyond his experience, and apparently beyond the knowledge of his predecessors. In frustration, he struck the barrier and watched it resound and waver from his subtle blow.

Zelda had also seen Link's smack of the barrier and she noted two things: one, the man's spiritual aura momentarily brightened when he came in contact with the wall and two, once again the queen saw how much of an effect Link had on the wall itself. Her touch had caused a slight ripple, while his affected the entire thing like a sheet stirred by the breeze. The queen glanced over at her comrades and judging from their collective focus on resting and replenishing their bellies, that they could not see any changes of the "rock wall" before them.

"Finally, our exile for our shameful deeds has come to an end and now we may return to Hyrule, for the Golden Land's Light, you my dear Zelda, are here now."

Lady's Impa's words filled Zelda's mind and an idea slowly dawned on her. Could it really be that easy?

Bracing herself against the wall behind her, Zelda stood and walked over to the centre of the rock wall with the Lens of Truth at her side. Her companions noticed her movements and began to watch, curious to see what the Hyrulean Queen was up to. The Hylian woman's blue eyes were focused on the rock face before her, affirming in her mind's eyes that there was no rock: only a barrier. Closing her eyes, she took a steadying breath as she drew her mind's in to focus on the barrier before her.

'O Golden Goddesses, once more I beseech thee to lend me your guiding light.'

On the other side of the barrier, Link looked over at Zelda as if he had heard her silent prayer.

The air around the Hyrulean Queen began to shift and waver and her hair started to dance as if a breeze were playing with the strands.

'In my hour of need, grant me the light to banish the shadows.'

Zelda raised her left hand and set it upon the rock wall. Behind her, the queen's companions watched with amazement for now they saw the wall momentarily shift and its visage lost its solid façade.

'O Hylia, White Goddess of Hyrule, ancestor of my blood, hear my plea and grant it, I beg thee. For the sake of Hyrule and… for your Chosen Hero.'

A light, pure and ethereal, suddenly began to shine from Zelda's palm: upon the skin of the back of her hand shone the symbol of the Triforce appeared in a golden hue. The queen's long, brunette braid flew and waved with the uproar of a spiritual wind, as did her cape and the fabrics of her clothes. The barrier was pulsing and it was buckling, seemingly flinching away from Zelda's touch to create waves across its surface. With every new wave that was created, the light from the queen's hand spread. The rocky visage was eroded away by the light's waves, revealing the blue sheen of the barrier's true face. Intricate patterns and ancient Sheikah language seemed to have been written across the wide expanse of the barrier, but this was steadying being swallowed by the divine light of the Goddess' Descendant.

A gentle touch prompted Zelda to slowly open her eyes and there beyond the faltering barrier stood Link, his eyes closed, with his hand was pressed upon her. The knight shone as bright as ever and the queen could feel his power add to her own. Their combined power blazed brightly and soon the swirling energy engulfed Zelda. The sacred light filled the canyon and for the first time in centuries, the perpetual shadows that had stained the land were banished from sight. The protective barrier writhed and warped, until finally an audible crack could be heard by all of the stunned onlookers. Bright cracks spiderwebbed across the blue barrier's face, until it finally shattered in a spectacular burst of pure light.

The Noruidians, Hyruleans, and Sheikah all had to look away or cover their eyes, for such pure light was not to be looked upon by mere mortals. They could sense this within their very souls. At the centre of the cacophony of sacred light and evaporating barrier, stood Zelda and her knight: both bathed in a column of light and hidden momentarily from the others.

Zelda opened her eyes to see that Link was already gazing at her with a smile.

"I knew that you could do it. You are, without a doubt, Zelda, the key to everything."

The knight spoke both aloud and in the queen's mind. Before she could respond, the hero withdrew his hand and the moment of serenity and calmness within the pillar of light was broken. Zelda made an inaudible gasp as her head tilted back as an uncontrollable wave of power and light spilled forth through her body like a conduit. The light beam skyrocketed and pierced the clouds above, very much like a Light Arrow striking down the breast of some malicious beast. The clouds twisted around the point of puncture but were no match to the spear of light, and the stalled storm began to break up and wane.

The power was too great and with a twitch and lurch backwards, Zelda was finally freed from the grasp of the sacred light and collapsed backwards. The light vanished and all was silent once more. The barrier had been destroyed. Now looming in front of the group of travelers was the deep gorge that stretched into the centre of the island. Everyone was a bit dazed and vaguely blinded, but the calm was broken by the high-pitched whine of a wolf.

"To the queen!"

"Zelda!"

"My lady!"

Faris, Vahlymor, Arvid, and Ashei all ran towards the fallen figure of the Hyrulean Queen, beside whom sat the worried form of Faro. Zelda was unmoving and unconscious and did not stir when Arvid lifted her up to cradle her in her arms, gently shaking her to try and wake her.

"Your Majesty! Wake up!"

"Easy, there, lad. I believe our queen is only resting now. That display of power was probably too much even for her."

Faris stood once he assured himself and the others that Zelda was fine, though he did look over at the wolf and frowned when he saw that Link did appear to be uneasy.

"Such power…" the prince whispered, his face completely genuine with his bewilderment.

"Look!" called Simin, from behind them.

The others glanced up from the sleeping queen to the man, who was pointing up at the sky. Turning their collective gaze upwards, the mortals beheld the heavens as they were in a state of flux. No longer were the thick and dark clouds covering the island, but with each passing minute the cloud cover was thinning. The pinpoints of stars were peeking through visible breaks of the clouds as the twilight hour was ending and night was drawing closer.

"The storm!"

"It's… it's dissipating!"

"The spell of our people has been broken. This island is no longer covered by Sheikah magic."

Heads turned to face Adla, who stood with her younger siblings and were also watching the sky. The eldest Sheikah then slowly dropped her head and reached up to lift her hood to reveal her snow-white hair that was fastened tightly in braids to descend down her back and away from her face and the crimson tattoo of the Sheikah Eye upon her forehead. Drawing down her cloth mask, this was the first time any of the others had seen her entire face and it was clear to see that the Sheikah warrior was beautiful, but her beauty also came bearing a stern expression.

"Our people's magic was shielding this island," she stated in her thick accent. "With the spell broken, our enemy will soon be made aware of our presence here."

Simin nodded in agreement.

"I'm afraid that Lady Adla makes a fair point. That spectacular light show probably did not go unnoticed."

"Then we must press on," Vahlymor stated as he stood.

"But the queen must rest! I doubt that we'll be able to get much further without her or the Lens of Truth," Arvid argued, protectively holding his liege.

"The barrier is down, which means we can proceed," Ashei stated evenly.

"But we are at a disadvantage in the dark, even if the storm is dissolving," Balin spoke up, a rare thing for the mysterious tracker.

While Arvid, Vahl, Simin, and Ashei continued to discuss the best course of action going forward, Faris made his way over to Faro, who had moved away slightly from Zelda now that she was in the grasp of Sir Arvid. The one-armed knight sighed as he reached up to stroke his thick blond moustache as he eyes drifted up from the clearing sky out towards the darkness of the uncovered gorge before them.

"We're out of our element here with the queen out of commission. What do you suppose that we do?" the knight asked the air in a low whisper.

The wolf responded by subtly sliding his paw pressed against the man's boot.

'We wait until morning and for Zelda to rest. Only she and I can enter the Twilight Gate.'

Faris gave the wolf a subtle nod as his eyes scanned the area before he stepped away to address his fellows. It would take some minutes of convincing, but eventually everyone agreed that resting for the night would be for the best before pressing into the depth of the canyon in the morning. People took turns for the night watch, but none were as diligent as the Sacred Beast that sat at the mouth of the hidden canyon.

Link kept his back to the others and his spirit eyes remained fixed into the darkness of the gorge. With every hour that passed, the skies cleared until all of the stars could be seen as well. The sliver of the moon dominated the clear skies and Link noted that it was in its waxing crescent phase and soon the moon would vanish from the sky and be born anew. As a spirit, Link could feel the shadow magic of the Sheikah being lifted from the land as if the slight light of the moon itself was evaporating the centuries-old spell. With each new layer being razed from the island, Link could feel his spiritual senses stretch out further along with his awareness.

The Twilight Gate was nearby, he could feel it, but there was also something else. Something… was laying in wait, in dormancy, but Link could still sense that there was something amiss. Only the morning's light would reveal the truth.

/

The queen awoke soon after the dawn's first rays began to seep into the dark blue hues of the ocean's horizon. Her entire body hurt - she could tell this before even moving a muscle. Beside her lay Ashei and judging from her soft breathing, the Hyrulean captain was still asleep. With a few more blinks, Zelda's memories caught up with her of the previous night's event. The sacred light of the Goddess had used her body and spirit as a conduit. The light broke through the Sheikah barrier to disband the lasting effects of the strong shadow magic that had dominated the Isle of Blights for the last two centuries or so. This great and divine effort had left the Hylian woman feeling battered and bruised, though there were no marks on her fair body.

With some effort, Zelda sat up and tried her best to get herself ready and leave the tent without disturbing Ashei. The queen had an inkling that the captain was probably already awake and was allowing for her queen to rouse by herself, but Zelda could not be sure. Nearly stumbling out of the tent, Zelda straightened and was greeted by the awaiting stoic face of Balin, who sat beside the group's dead campfire. Clearly he had the last turn for night watch last night.

"My lady," the man greeted in his stunted and low-toned voice.

"Good morning, Master Balin," Zelda greeted with a nod.

The queen saw that the others looked to be still asleep or within their tents, but would be waking and packing up rather soon. A breeze stirred Zelda's hair and she took in a deep breath and she stretched, wincing as she did, before she paused as her gaze tilted upwards. It took her a moment to realize that the sky above was entirely free of clouds and served as an open canvas for the bleeding of colours and shades from the approaching dawn. The wind had also been released from the Sheikah spell's grasp. Zelda smiled knowing that, with time, the Isle of Blights could become green and alive once more now that it had access to the sun's life-giving rays and seeds and soil upon the winds.

Directing her eyes from the sky and out towards the now-revealed gorge, Zelda blinked when she saw the group's wolven protector sitting where the barrier once stood. Walking up to the wolf, Zelda took a seat beside him and once more had to fight the urge to groan from her aching body. With a sigh, the woman settled into her seat before placing her hand lightly on the back of the wolf's neck to gently dig in her fingers for a light scratch.

'You pushed yourself too far.'

"Perhaps," Zelda replied quietly, "but it was necessary. It is how I am able to pull my weight in this endeavour. Besides, I'm only a little sore."

'What you achieved yesterday was a feat fit for legends, Zelda. For a moment, your powers surpassed what you displayed in our battle against Ganondorf. You were in serious threat of tearing apart your physical form from the strength of the spiritual magic you were harnessing, and I could do nothing for you.' Link turned to face Zelda and gave his wolven equivalent of stern expression. 'Being a little sore is simply incredible, if that's the only lasting ailment you have. I fear that if I hadn't assisted you to start, to guide you…'

Zelda could feel through their connection what Link was insinuating and she only looked ahead and gave him a slight nod.

"I promise to be more mindful in the future and to not push myself."

'Never forget: Hyrule and yourself are more important than me.'

The pair sat there together in silence for a few more minutes until the remainder of the group awoke. After a quick meal and getting their gear back together, the wooden box was lifted once more and the entourage continued down the final leg of their journey: hoping to reach their fabled destination.

Zelda walked at the front as the day before, keeping the Lens of Truth lifted, but there was nothing of note to see. However, the queen did notice that now the landscape shone with the inherit aura of the Light World she had seen back within the mountains: further evidence that the Sheikah cloaking spell had been fully broken. Beside the queen walked Faro, Vahlymor, Arvid, and Adla, while Faris, Balin, Falk, and Ashei had elected to carry the wooden box, leaving Ashei to take up the rear. The gorge was narrow, its width about the expanse of four or five people if they were lined up abreast, with the steep and slightly sloping walls ranging from twenty or more feet in height.

Everyone was on edge, for the confined space echoed with the prospects of an ambush. The path was winding and with every new corner or bend, the group halted and Faro would go forth to check if the coast was clear. Talking was kept at a minimum and the tension was nearly palpable in the air, which was starkly contrasted by the developing beautiful and sunny, clear-sky spring day. The sun steadily rose into the sky and slowly bathed the sunlight-deprived island with warmth with each step forward the group took. By mid-morning, the group approached yet another tight bend and Faro stopped in his tracks. The mortals mirrored the Sacred Beast's pause.

"What is it?" Arvid voiced quietly, and eyes went to the surrounding rock walls and the paths before and behind them.

Zelda stepped forward to tentatively kneel next to the anxious wolf, his hackles on end, and set a hand upon his back.

'It's near… The Gate, it's around the next bend.'

The queen's surprise widened her eyes and she glanced over at Vahlymor, who had been watching her.

"I can feel it," she said, her lie unimportant. "The Twilight Gate is just ahead."

The prince wore his stern, expressional mask, his emotions hollowed, and soundlessly gave a silent gesture to his fellow. His smooth fighting stance was seamlessly followed by everyone who was available to fight. Zelda glanced over to Faris and gave him a nod, a gesture that was returned with firm understanding. The Hyrulean Queen had already instructed those who carried the wooden box to not abandon it, unless necessary. They were to carry the cask as well as protect it, but not at the expense of their welfare or lives. Faris, however, would remain steadfast in his protective duties: so great was his loyalty, respect, and love for Link.

The group moved as soundlessly as they could forward and steadily turned the last corner of the gorge. Following the curve, the gorge significantly widened into a near perfect circle canyon surrounded by towerings walls of rock. Sunlight spilled over the walls to half-illuminate the stone floor, casting the furthest reaches of the box canyon in shadows. Faro began to growl and his accompanying mortals paused when they caught sight of the lone feature of the gorge: the true heart of the Isle of Blights.

Half-hidden in shadows sat a giant statue carved from black stone that was embracing a squared pillar of black volcanic glass. The entire figure dominated most of the box canyon's furthest wall - it was enormous. Its enormous head nearly reached the top of the rock walls, which was shaped like a sloping helmet that peaked in the centre. The statue had no discernable mouth, and a slit in its helmet reveal two circular eyes within. Its chin rested upon the top of the volcanic glass block and was tilted slightly forward, as if to look upon the sudden intruders with silent regard. The statue's massive hands encircled the front of the pillar, covering its surface. The pillar looked perfect. An immaculate cuboid that was a seamless and solid obelisk. Both unnatural in appearance, yet beyond mortal-made capabilities. The statue's giant hands were squared and flat, its palms upon the face of the volcanic glass. Each hand was covered with intricate, geometrical carvings that matched the markings on its head.

The statue's presence was intimating (to put it lightly) and all who gazed upon it immediately felt uneasy.

"Is that-?"

"-the gate?"

Arvid and Faris gaped in awe, their combined question hanging in the air, though no immediate answer came. Zelda stepped forward to stand beside the alerted wolf and knelt beside him; her eyes analyzing every feature of the statue, as she placed her hand upon Link's back.

'This is it! The Twilight Gate… it's behind the statue's hands!'

Sure enough, if Zelda peered hard enough at the slight spaces in between the statue's fingers and around their edges, she could make out the tell-tale circular carvings that were identical to the Mirror of Twilight: there was no mistaking her memory of the now-destroyed relic.

"The Twilight Gate is inlaid upon the black pillar," Zelda spoke aloud to her comrades, though she kept her voice at a whisper.

"So, now what? We destroy the hands?" Vahlymor asked, hushed and flatly; the prince's narrowed focus unwavering from the stilled statue's head.

Even as the prince spoke, Zelda was already raising the Lens of Truth to see if there were any hidden details to note. She blinked in surprise and awe. The intricate carvings and lines on the guardian statue were illuminated in Twilight blue through the Lens, proving that the statue was Twilight in origin. The volcanic glass remained largely unmarked, but the few lines of the Twilight Gate gleamed a faint white: reminiscent of how the activated Mirror of Twilight had shone. A scan of the entire box canyon revealed a hidden blue circle that encompassed the entire statue and gate, with the edge of the line only a few feet from where Zelda knelt by Link's side.

A trigger barrier.

"There's an invisible barrier around the gate," Zelda explained as she stood and lowered the Lens. "I surmise that once we cross the line, the guardian will activate."

"Activate?" echoed Simin.

"Most likely... that thing will spring to life and attack us with the assured intent of smashing us to bits," replied Vahlymor solemnly.

"Clearly the hidden barrier at the entrance of this canyon was only the first line of defence for the Twilight Gate. Now we must battle with a statue? And in such a tight space too..."

Faris let his deep voice echo off the walls, which did little to dissipate the sense of foreboding and tension in the air. He and the others carrying the wooden box set it down and stepped forward, so that everyone stared up at the imposing figure of the Twilight guardian.

"Well, what if only Her Ladyship crosses? She is, after all, rather sacred and familiar with this sort of magic. Or the Sheikah?" Simin inquired slowly.

"This is not our magic," Adla spoke up, the warrior staring cross-armed up at the statue along with her younger siblings.

"And I dare not have Zelda cross alone," Arvid voiced sternly.

"But that might be our best option." Zelda acknowledged decisively, speaking up on her own behalf.

"And if the statue still attacks?" Vahlymor posed.

"Then we distract it, hopefully long enough for Zelda to activate the gate," Arvid offered as a plan.

"There's also the option that the statue doesn't attack… and simply opens its hands."

Eyes turned to Balin and his blunt comment, but none could answer the typically silent tracker. He had a point, however, that much was clear, but the possibility of risk outweighed a non-violent result.

"I'm proceeding," Zelda stated firmly.

Vahlymor caught her arm as she took a step forward and gave her a hard look.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, Zelda, but you're too valuable to be the one who goes first."

"Wha-!?"

"He's right, my lady."

Zelda turned to meet the stern and unreadable eyes of Ashei, before the queen saw that others of her protective group were nodding in agreement with the Hyrulean captain and Noruidian prince. Seeing that she was vastly outvoted, the Hylian woman frowned and sighed, before nodding.

"Of course, but know that I detest that you all are putting your safeties at risk for my sake."

Faris stepped forward and set his large hand upon his queen's shoulder, giving her a small smile of reassurance.

"You're worth it, my queen. Worry not."

With that, Sir Faris stepped forward and approached the hidden barrier, clearly volunteering himself as being the first to cross. His comrades were right behind him, weapons at the ready, just as the large one-armed knight wielded his great longsword. The wolf remained by the queen's side and only he and Zelda, via the Lens of Truth, saw the moment that Faris crossed the barrier's line. In that instant, the ground began to shake and cracks erupted in the barrier from where Faris touched the barrier. Only Zelda and Link could see the cracks, and just how quickly they were spider-webbing across the entire dome of the barrier. The azure light of the interior of the barrier bled through the cracks, widening them. A deep groan filled the air and the ground shook even more.

"Faris! Come away!"

Zelda's cry of warning came too late. The barrier disintegrated as she spoke her last syllable.

The group of mortals were blown back, some even coming to their were all forced to shut or cover their eyes as a great gale surrounded them from the destruction of the invisible barrier. A low roar filled the air. Before the skilled and trained warriors could raise their guards once more, a cry of surprise and pain drew all their attention. With growing dread, Zelda's squinted her eyes against the blast to try and see what was happening. Shock willed her eyes when she finally saw the terrible scene on display before them.

Faris was being held aloft in the air by one of the giant hands of the guardian statue. The hand's intricate lines glowed with the same azure blue as the barrier. Under the cover of the barrier's destructive blast, the statue's hand had shot out to grab the senior knight with lightning speed. The stone hand had caught the knight before it could stagger back to possible safety.

"AH! Curses to this damned beast!"

Sir Faris could only curse and struggle, but his efforts were futile. The hold of the great stone hand was sure and solid. The eyes of the giant head of the statue had also begun to blaze blue, as did the lines and designs upon the head and its other hand that remained before the Twilight Gate. The guardian was now awake.

"Faris!" called Zelda, desperate and helpless.

"To arms!"

Vahlymor's shout rallied the others to herald their own. The Hyruleans, Noruidians, and Sheikah charged forward with their weapons brandished. Zelda also rushed forward, but was stopped quickly and yanked back. Turning sharply, the woman froze when she saw the edge of her cape within the jaws of a wolf. Link's message was clear: this was not her battle to fight in.

The others, however, were doing their best efforts to free Sir Faris.

Swords had no effect on the statue. Neither did axes or arrows, knives or Sheikah skills. The guardian didn't even seem fazed by the battle cries and clanging of steel bouncy against its body, nor was it moved to mercy and release Faris from its tight grip. The one-armed knight continued to squirm, but Faris was wise enough to know that there was no way the hand would release him. He managed to free his sole arm, but that was the extent of his progress. Falk and his twin sister Malia launched themselves from the rock wall to land onto the hand and were doing their best to try and free Faris. The combined strength of the twins did nothing for Faris, nor did their combined weight affect how the hand hovered about ten feet off of the ground.

However, the twins' efforts did inevitably have an effect… but not the one they had intended or, perhaps, anticipated.

The guardian slowly turned its great head, as if to regard what was happening upon his elevated hand. Faris saw this and in a moment of instinct, he reached over and harshly pushed Malia in the chest. A moment later, without warning and with lightning speed, the statue violently shook its hand. Malia was flung to the ground and was half-caught by a fast-reacting Arvid, with both crashing to the ground. Her brother, unfortunately, was not so lucky. Adla was forced to watch in silent horror when her younger brother was launched directly into the side of the high rock walls. The young Sheikah struck the wall with a sickening crunch, before the young man fell headfirst to the ground into an unmoving heap.

Malia despairingly screamed out something in her language, reaching towards her twin. Adla shot forward to reach her brother's side in seconds. Faris could only watch the siblings' anguish and curse the guardian's very existence, until the hand jerked again with one final violent shake. Like a child throwing a tantrum and tossing aside a doll, the statue's hand suddenly threw Faris aside and high into the air. The Hyrulean Knight went up and over the rock wall and out of sight; his surprised shout ending abruptly after he disappeared over the top.

"Faris!" came Zelda's futile cry, the queen falling to her knees and half-clinging to Link's fur.

"Fall back!"

Vahlymor called out and was already treading backwards away from the statue. The guardian had lowered its hand back to the ground and was returning to its original position with both of its hands in front of the Twilight Gate. Arvid forced and supported Malia in their retreat. Balin had moved over to Adla and had wordlessly picked up her fallen brother to carry him back towards Zelda and the wolf. The last to cross back over the line where the invisible barrier once stood was Vahlymor. The prince and naval commander ensured that his men were at a safe distance away from their enemy before he stepped back himself to regroup with the others. The guardian had gone silent once more, though its lines and markings retained with bluish glow. Surely this meant that it remained primed and prepared to defend the gate once more.

Adla and Malia were at their brother's side once Balin gently set the young man down. Falk had remained silent and had yet to move. Arvid came to his queen's side and knelt beside her with his expression hard and his head hanging heavily. Ashei remained a small distance away, keeping her eyes on the statue, but also wore a hard expression. The Hyruleans did not know Faris' fate, but the knight had not appeared from above the high walls. It was possible that the senior knight had fallen, that his impact had been fatal. Or worse, he was badly injured and was hanging near Death's door.

No one else was seriously injured, yet all remained on edge while remaining so near to the guardian.

"Perhaps we should move further away," advised Simin, who was kneeling next to Adla to assist with Falk

"We are beyond the guardian's reach," Zelda replied hollowly: her face ashen and her queenly mask holding back the emotions from showing.

Eyes turned to her and they watched the queen raise the Lens of Truth.

"The barrier has been broken, but the boundary remains. It would seem that any who dare cross the line risk the guardian's retaliation."

"We need to get the boy back to the ship," called Simin, calling the group's attention from Zelda. "He's badly injured and we simply do not have the supplies to tend to him here."

The prince's aide-de-camp spoke in a soft tone, his compassion for Malia and Adla's plight evident, but there was an urgency behind his words that everyone could read. The situation was bad. Falk would not make it without immediate medical attention, and they all knew that they did not have the resources to help this.

Adla suddenly stood and turned to address Zelda.

"I will seek out the one-armed man," she stated, her thick accent hiding any trace of her heartbreak.

"But-!"

Zelda barely spoke a syllable before the eldest Sheikah vaulted into the air and masterfully scaled the rock wall before disappearing over the top. Malia remained at her brother's side, seeming to understand the need of her sister to leave, as she tenderly and carefully removed his Sheikah stealth garb to reveal the grim state of his injuries. Simin remained by her side, clearly having some medical capabilities, and Ashei had begun to bring over their bags for Simin to use the contents within. Vahlymor remained standing, his sword in his hand, and was watching the still Twilight statue steadily and motionless. Looking over at Arvid, Zelda softened her expression and reached out to set her hand upon his arm, causing him to look up at her.

She didn't offer any words of comfort, for she was hurting as much as he was knowing that Faris might very well be dead. Instead a queen gave her knight a nod of reassurance and he met her eyes and gave her a nod back. They had a mission to face and now was not the time to wallow in mourning. This was not the first time, nor the last, that they had lost someone. They had all known the risks when they agreed to set foot on the island, including Faris. Now was not the time to dwell on the possible dead, but focus on the living and the wounded.

Arvid stood and offered his hand to help his queen stand. Once she had, they stepped forward to join Vahl with Link remaining at Zelda's side. Zelda wanted to see if she could help Falk, but she knew that wasn't her place. She could not heal, even with her limited powers, and with Simin assisting Malia and Balin on standby, the queen acknowledged that her presence would be more of a hindrance than an asset.

"Any ideas that you can offer with that special mirror of yours, I'd love to hear them."

Vahlymor glanced aside and met Zelda's eyes, and the queen immediately dropped her gaze to fall upon the Lens within her hand.

"Even with the artifact's power to dispel illusions, I cannot see any indication as to how we might progress without activating the guardian's defences."

The prince gave no response and only returned to staring expressionlessly at the statue.

"Do we go back, then? Are the risks too great to unravel the gate's defences?"

The Hylian woman slowly sighed and considered Arvid's questions, and a frown appeared on her lips when she could not offer him an immediate answer. Should they leave after one attempt? Were the risks worth it? She did not know and Zelda was beginning to feel very similar to how she felt all those years ago when Zant stormed Hyrule Castle's throne room. Back then, Zelda had stood by as her loyal knights and soldiers fell in front of her, trying to protect her and the realm. She was starting to feel the same as she did then: useless and an observer.

Zelda was tired of being a sideline damsel and had promised herself that she would never allow for this to happen again.

"Let me go forward. Alone."

The wolf at the queen's side began to growl.

"Zelda…"

"No," came Zelda's curt reply to Arvid's faint pleading. "This is my decision. I...- I mean, I want to see if my presence causes a different effect on the barrier."

"And if it doesn't?"

The queen glanced over at the prince and matched his determined yet calm expression.

"I have faith in the Goddesses. I have faith… in Faro. They will not allow me to come to harm."

The wolf slightly quieted to this, but there remained a low rumble deep within his throat. Clearly Link was in disapproval of this decision, but he had no say.

Vahl sighed slowly through his nostrils and momentarily closed his eyes, before giving Zelda a brief but sure nod.

"Fine. But we'll remain right behind you, so that we can pull you back. Just in case."

Looking between the pair of men, Zelda gave them a nod of agreement. Inhaling slowly before exhaling steadily, Zelda set her focused gaze on the blue lights of the statue's eyes. Her fingers shifted in their grip of the Lens of Truth until she lifted the artifact to once again view the Twilight guardian. Through the looking glass the blue light of the activated guardian shone brighter and the intricate designs were clearer to see. Zelda spent a good few minutes looking at every aspect that she could see. When she could see nothing that might be helpful or a clue Zelda could feel doubt beginning to itch the back of her thoughts even more. Over to Zelda's left, she could hear Simin and Malia quietly talking as they tried to bind Falk's wounds. Knowing that Falk's injuries and Faris' possible death were her fault (even if they argued that it wasn't) also gave life to the anxieties she was trying to keep at bay.

All the same, the queen stepped forward until she was mere inches away from the barrier's invisible boundary. The dome of the barrier looked to be gone, destroyed by Faris' breach of the line. Zelda reached forward so that she could watch her fingers through the Lens touch nothing, no tangible trace of the barrier. The air itself was not empty, however, for Zelda could feel around her fingertips the faint tingle of power in the air. It felt similar to static electricity. Letting her hand fall, Zelda knew: the dome might be gone, but the barrier's defensive power reamined.

"The barrier is still active. If anyone crosses, the guardian will activate."

"Then… perhaps our mission does end here. The gate seems to be impassable."

There was a sense of finality within Vahlymor's words and Zelda' heart tightened at the notion. They were… so close! The gate was literally in sight! But… she couldn't risk anyone else's safety…

A figure suddenly landed on the ground in between Malia, Falk, and Simin, and Zelda, Arvid, and Vahlymor, causing the queen to jump back with the prince and her knight stepping before her. Everyone relaxed once Adla stood and Zelda rushed forward with her eyes desperately trying to search the Sheikah's crimson eyes.

"Faris?"

Adla shook her head, her mouth covered by her cloth mask and expression unreadable.

"He… has fallen into shadows. Beyond my reach."

Sadness seeped into the Hyrulean Queen's eyes. She nodded to her Sheikah guard before stepping away. Behind her Arvid cursed and turned away, hands to his face, and even Link lowered his head in silent mourning of his friend and mentor. Adla bowed her head and returned to her siblings' side. Turning back towards the guardian, Zelda's expression hardened and the wolf pressed against her hip.

'Zelda, don't-!'

Zelda ignored Link's warning and walked forward, Lens outstretched, and defiantly crossed the barrier's line.

"No!"

"Zelda!"

Vahlymor and Arvid were too late to stop the woman and Zelda only stopped once she was just across the barrier's line. The men froze behind her, not daring to cross the line themselves. Doing so might very well activate the statue and put Zelda in true danger. Their hands remained up and primed to grab her cape to pull her back. All of them, including Link, froze to watch the statue. Everyone was watching the statue, with Ashei and Balin coming to stand next to Vahl and Arvid, weapons at the ready.

Nothing happened.

Zelda slowly released her breath and looked down aside at the wolf beside her.

"You and me, let's go."

The queen and the Sacred Beast stepped forward and their companions could only watch their progression; however, every new step they took the guardian remained dormant. Through the Lens, Zelda kept a close eye on the guardian and the wolf was clearly on edge as they slowly approached the huge mass of black stone.

"That's close enough!"

"Please, my lady! Come back!"

Pausing, Zelda licked her lips and forced herself to breathe, but she ultimately chose to ignore Vahlymor and Simin. Lowering the Lens of Truth, Zelda raised her gaze to meet the guardian's glowing blue eyes.

"To await 'the messenger of the gods and the land's light".

Zelda's whispered words were only heard by Link, who whined slightly in response. That's what Lady Impaz had told her and it's what Lady Impa had confirmed. Zelda was meant to come to the Isle of Blights, she was meant to find this guardian and the Twilight Gate. She just did not know how to proceed. The guardian had yet to move or react to her presence. Zelda was almost within touching distance to its great hand - the same that had held Faris mere minutes before.

"If… I am the "Land's Light" and… I have helped in returning light to the land," Zelda mused quietly as she glanced upwards to the blue sky, "what now must I do? How do we pry the guardian's hands away from the gate?"

Her questions were for herself and for Link, whom she hoped would have some spiritual insights on how to assist her. True that Zelda wished to be independent and pull her weight in this venture, but she also had to acknowledge that she was not an expert on these things. Actually, she was realizing more and more just how little she knew and how much there was to learn.

'You know that I am really uncomfortable with you being here, Zelda-'

"I need to try!" Her hushed response came through clenched teeth and restrained nerves. "I… I need to try," she repeated, determined and decided. She might still be tired from the previous night and the breaking of the other barrier, but she could not give up. She must not.

Link's whine did not deter Zelda from reaching her left hand up and stepping forward, nor did the frantic protests from her comrades behind her. They wanted to rush to her side, but Vahlymor ordered them back. The queen's fingers shook slightly before they brushed the stone of the guardian's hand.

The instant she touched the stone, the golden light of the Triforce once again began to shine on the back of her hand.

Warmth filled Zelda's being and fueled her determination. She pressed her hand fully upon the guardian and focused her energy. The Triforce of Wisdom brightened and its light spilled upon the guardian to steadily conquer the azure light of the guardian. Within moments the blue light of Twilight was completely consumed by the golden light of Hyrule. The sacred light had quickly spread across the guardian's designs, forcing the Twilight blue light back, until the pure light finally domainted the guardian's eyes. A deep groan filled the air and the guardian twitched. Instantly Link lowered into a defensive stance with a growl of warning. Zelda steeled herself and pushed her hand more on the statue and only stepped back when the statue began to move its hand.

"Zelda! Run!"

The Queen of Hyrule stood her ground and watched the Twilight guardian lift its great head off of the volcanic glass pillar. The guardian's hands then began to be pulled back, opening their fingers and palms, and guided by the sacred light of Hyrule. Slowly but surely the guardian pulled back its hands away from the front of the Twilight Gate. Within moments, the black pillar of black glass was completely revealed and uncovered. The guardian's hands continued to pull away until they were fully splayed out, palms forward, and the guardian's head craned upwards towards the sky to stop with its gaze facing the blue sky. Then, the golden light began to drain from the guardian's lines, down from its head and from its fingertips, towards the stone pillar of the Twilight Gate.

Only then did the Twilight Gate's white lines and intricate circles began to shine.

"The gate… it's active!"

"My lady! Please, step away!"

Unlike before, Zelda headed her companions' warnings and calls and stepped back away from the brightening Twilight Gate. Once the many circles and intricacies were full of light did the circles begin to spin - reminiscent of how the Mirror of Twilight looked when it was activated. The circles then slowly sunk into the black pillar, which could only mean one thing: the Twilight Gate was open.

A smile barely appeared on Zelda's face in revelation that they were successful before a thick cloud of Twilight particles suddenly swirled from within the gate. The mortals recoiled backward in apprehension and surprise. Even as they raised their weapons once more, did the particles reform into several solid forms. Zelda was pulled back and her companions returned to their defensive stances. Suddenly they had found themselves facing nearly a dozen Twilight warriors, who also had their weapons drawn. The Sacred Beast remained in front of the group of mortals and the wolf's growls seemed to be guage the greatest reaction from the Twili than the poised warriors.

"Wait! Stand down!" called Zelda, pushing herself in front of Arvid, who kept his arm on hers.

The queen forced herself forward, pausing to look hard into her knight's eyes, and Arvid obediently released her arm. Coming to stand behind the growling wolf, Zelda met the masked eyes of the Twili warriors and lifted her chin to steady her nerve and return to her queenly status.

"I am Zelda, Queen of Hyrule, and I request an immediate audience with your Queen, Midna of the Twilight Realm! Please! We bear no ill to the Twili, this I promise to you."

Glancing aside at her companions, Zelda gestured for them to lower their weapons and slowly they did; however, the Noruidians did glance at Vahlymor first before following through. Once she was assured that her party posed less of a threatening presence, did Zelda return to addressing the Twili warriors.

"Please. We- I… must speak to Queen Midna. One of our own-" Zelda pleaded, gesturing towards Malia and Adla protectively standing by their fallen brother "-he's injured! Please! We-!"

"Be silent, Light World Queen!"

Faro growled louder and the Twili stepped backward, lowering their gaze from the wolf's brilliant blue eyes.

"The divine beast!"

The Twili began to murmur amongst themselves and repeat those words over and over, before slowly lowering their weapons. Zelda looked amongst them and saw how they then began to bow their cloaked and masked heads, but not to her. They were bowing before Link. In response, Faro settled his growling, but did not relax his defensive posture. Silence filled the canyon for a brief moment, until there came another flurry of Twilight matter that flowed out of the open Twilight Gate. The mortals of the Light World watched the particles reform, revealing a tall and cloaked figure. Upon their arrival, the Twili warriors dropped to their knees and bowed their heads with all the graces of formality.

Taller than the warriors behind them, the lone Twili bore a mane of bright orange hair that was as long as the figure was tall. The voluminous hair brushed the ground and looked to faintly glow, illuminating the figure's dark frame from behind. The hair also appeared to sway slightly, as if moving on its own, for there was no breeze to stir it. The black cloak worn by the being was longer in the back than it was in the front, with the interior of their cloak faintly glowing with azure blue, revealing the slender legs of the being. The legs of the Twili were patterned with faint light blue and dark skin and were largely covered by a long skirt. The Twili's torso was adorned in a dark but elegant breastplate: its designs matching those seen on the skirt. An ornate crown or diadem held back the figure's mane of orange hair, which was held back in a high ponytail, its sheer volume casting the figure aglow from behind. Sculpted bangs framed the tall Twili's delicate yet fierce face. Narrowed, though beautiful eyes, with crimson pupils and yellow sclera, calmly assessed the equally stunned and apprehensive Light Worlders; a small smile appeared on Twili's fair lips.

"O, Queen of Hyrule… it has been too long. I see that you have found the backdoor to my realm… To what honour do I owe this visit?"

"Queen Midna," Zelda addressed, bowing her head before the tall Twilight ruler, and her actions were soon matched by her Hyrulean companions behind her; the Noruidians and Sheikah, however, maintained their stances. "I beg of you, please, in helping me save two souls and my kingdom from the darkness that threatens it."

Midna's bemused expression watched her Hyrulean counterpart as she pleaded, before her mesmerizing eyes looked down at the wolf standing beside Zelda. The Twilight Queen's eyes widened slightly in recognition of the spirit wolf and the wolf intently stared back up into Midna's eyes, constrained solace within his blue eyes. Amusement brightened her features and Midna turned back to the Hylian queen and chuckled lightly, almost mischievously, with a grin.

"Zelda… look at you! Gotten yourself into some trouble again, hm?"