Chapter 12

The Twilight King

Link and his companions were rapidly approaching the portal, when out of the blue; Link felt a great disturbance in the Force. He slid Epona to a rapid halt and soon all of the travelers followed suit. Link was rubbing his head in deep thought.

"How is this possible?" he kept muttering to himself.

'How is what possible?" Gandalf asked in concern.

But before the wizard could get an answer out of the hero, a loud horn could be heard from the direction of Hyrule Castle.

"What on earth was that?" Aragorn mused.

He soon found out as the whole hill to the north swarmed with Orcs, Uruks, Goblins, Moblins, Darknuts, Stalfos, giant Keese, trolls, Haradrim, Mumakil, and most shocking of all, Stormtroopers!

"Why are there Stormtroopers in Hyrule, Link?" Aragorn asked fearing the worst.

"It seems as if Zelda has forged an alliance with our worst enemies." Link replied still staring at the approaching armies.

"What would you advise?" Gandalf said as he, too, was staring, not batting an eyebrow, at the rapidly approaching armies.

All of a sudden the old wizard did a double take.

"It can't be!" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"What?" Aragorn asked in apprehension.

"It's Saruman, he has returned!" Gandalf whispered in shock.

Aragorn gulped.

"We're in deep trouble, indeed." He said as he passed a hand through his hair.

They all looked to Link for guidance.

"We'll just have to reveal ourselves as Jedi." Link suggested.

All of a sudden Anakin appeared with Vergere.

"Link, what on earth did you do?" Anakin asked as he stared open mouthed at the armies.

Vergere sighed in irritation and shook her head wearily.

"So, they've joined forces against us." She said in resignation.

Link glumly nodded.

"It appears so." He said simply.

"Where is Luke Skywalker when we need him?" Anakin mumbled.

"Where is Jacen Solo when we need him?" Vergere added.

"And, where is Master Yoda when you need him?" Link thought to add.

The Jedi Masters nodded their heads in agreement.

"This is what happens when you don't have Jedi in Hyrule or Middle Earth, who could have prevented this." Vergere said as she nodded her head towards the armies.

The Jedi Masters all shook their heads.

"That will soon change." Link declared.

That brought a small smile from Anakin.

"That's my brother. Go, get them!" he said as he patted Link on the back.

Link unclipped his lightsabers from his belt and held them loosely in his hands.

"I haven't seen this much action for a very long time." He said with a smile as he marched out to meet the armies.

At the head of one army were Ganondorf and the traitor, Zelda. At the head of another was the Dark Lord Sauron. While the others were being lead by Saruman, Palpatine, C'baouth, Agahnim, and Grand Admiral Thrawn! Link growled in anger. His sister had been the mastermind behind this ambush!

"War is brewing, indeed." Vergere said in a tight lipped smile.

She drew her lightsaber and stood alongside of Link and Anakin. They were soon joined by the rest of the travelers.

"Stay the course." Link ordered.

The Heroes all nodded. As the first missile was launched, they drew their weapons. Link parried the missiles with his green and purple blades with a laugh. That just sent the armies into an uproar. They all charged towards the heroes.

Link was now face to face with his sister.

"Well, it seems I have you to thank for this little party." Link said in between parries.

Zelda chuckled evilly.

"Your welcome." She growled viciously as she swung her sword towards her brother.

Link caught the blade on his gleaming blade of green.

"I'm a Jedi now, remember?" he teased.

That sent the princess into a rage. She began to attempt to beat her sword into Link, but kept hitting his lightsabers.

"Getting tired yet, sis?" Link laughed.

Zelda had had enough. She resheathed her sword and grinned wickedly. She held out her hand and made a small gesture. Link went flying backwards and soon hit a tree. He slowly got up as he rubbed his back.

"What're you, a sith?" Link laughed as he walked towards her and raised his right hand.

With a swift motion, Zelda, along with half of her army went flying up into the air. They landed with a thud, 100 miles away, moments later. Link turned to Ganondorf.

"Well, if it isn't the King of Evil himself, Ganondorf. Got tired of all your minions failing? Am I too strong for you?" Link mocked.

Ganondorf growled in rage and charged forward with his massive sword raised. Link quickly blocked the strike with his glowing blades. Ganondorf stumbled backward in shock.

"That's it, insolent Jedi! Now you're going to die!" he roared in wrath.

Link laughed in the villain's face.

"That's highly unlikely." The hero said with a loud chuckle.

Ganondorf raised his hands in a show of power.

"By the power of the Triforce!" he screamed as he shot fireballs at the Hylian.

Link nimbly leapt over them, causing several goblins to catch fire and flee in panic. Ganondorf howled in enragement.

"After I kill you, I shall destroy the rest of the Jedi!" he snarled.

"Only a sith deals in absolutes." Link quoted.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ganondorf snarled as he bared his decaying teeth at the Jedi.

Link shrugged and ran off to fight some Stormtroopers.

"Coward!" Ganondorf yelled while waving his fist in the air in frustration, after the hero.

All of a sudden a giant portal appeared in the sky. Link and Ganondorf were gaping at it in shock.

"What did you summon this time, Ganondork, another Dark Nut?" Link said as he eyed the villain in suspicion.

"This was not my doing, I swear!" Ganondorf protested.

All of a sudden Zelda strode over with a triumphant smile.

"Link, Ganondorf, meet my true master." She said as a dark ominous figure strode out of the portal.

Link's jaw dropped. He'd never seen this villain in his life! He gulped in terror.

"Truce?" Ganondorf whispered in fear.

"Truce? Not on your life! I'm out of here!" Link scowled as he leapt on Epona and dashed for safety.

His companions were soon behind him, fleeing in terror. Link tried not to think about the appearance of a formidable foe, a foe that even Ganondorf feared. Link shuddered in terror. The company traveled far into the night, leaving the portal farther and farther behind. As the moon began to sink, they finally stopped. Link slowly got off Epona and waited for the rest of the company. When they were all gathered together, Link began to pace back and forth.

"This is bad." He kept repeating.

"Who was that?" Aragorn asked the Hylian.

Link shuddered as he continued pacing. All of a sudden Anakin and Vergere appeared. Anakin walked up to his brother and stopped him with his hand.

"Link, focus with the Force! You call yourself a Jedi?" Anakin admonished.

Link immediately grew still and became one with the Force. As he calmed himself, he saw visions of the past. He saw an evil presence with a great black cloak shielding his identity. Link opened his eyes with a start. The great disturbance in the Force, which he had been feeling for ages, was issuing from this man! Link paled at the revelation.

"It's not Ganondorf." He whispered in shock as he shuddered once again.

Gandalf scratched his white beard in deep contemplation.

"So, this evil we have been feeling in the Force wasn't Ganondorf, but this new villain who appeared out of a portal in the battle last night?" he clarified.

Link nodded.

"Exactly, but the dreadful part is, I have never encountered this villain in my life! And, this business with him is being Zelda's true master? What in the world is that all about?" Link mused as he rubbed his forehead.

"I know who he is." Vergere whispered ominously.

The whole company looked at the lost Jedi with widened eyes.

"He is the Twilight King." She explained.

"Whoa, back up a minute! Did you just say he was the Twilight King? What I don't understand is why Zelda betrayed us!" Link asked.

"It's quite a tale. It all began shortly after you discovered that Zelda was your sister." Vergere began.

Link nodded.

"There were rumors of a great man of evil spreading twilight. The Princess was on the throne one morning when the King of Twilight stormed in the castle with a fell wind blowing in his minions. He forced the Princess to surrender her throne to him. She had no choice. But, seemingly, she has turned to the Dark Side. She is filled with great hatred and bitterness, Link, you must save her." Vergere said with a tear in her eye.

Link had to turn away, as he as well shed a tear.

"How has it come to this?" he managed.

Vergere shrugged.

"Choose and act." She said in a whisper as she vanished.

Anakin bowed to the company and vanished into the woods.

"Why, Zelda, why?" Link moaned.

"She has betrayed all of us. All of us." A small voice squeaked.

Link turned to find – to his astonishment, Midna!

"Zelda quit deceiving us and go back to your precious master, the Twilight King!" Link yelled in exasperation as he slid a hand down his face.

"Zelda had me captured and has been masquerading as me, you fool!" Midna snapped.

Link rolled his eyes in mild annoyance.

"Here we go again." He moaned under his breath.

"Look, Zelda, this isn't funny! Just go back to your master! For the love of all Hyrule, why me?" Link roared.

Midna slowly shook her head.

"Search your feelings, Link. Surely, you know I'm not your sister." Midna barked at him.

Link sighed inwardly and became one with the Force. To his astonishment, he could feel no trace of his sister anywhere in his vicinity!

"Well, who are you?" Link finally said as he began pacing around the creature while examining her.

"For crying out loud, I'm Midna!" the imp shrieked in resentment.

Link rolled his eyes.

"Sure you are, and I'm Sheik." He laughed.

Midna howled with rage.

"Look, you imbecile, Zelda joined the Twilight King and together they captured me! I'm the true Midna! Take my aid or die!" she snarled.

Link shrugged his shoulders with a sly smile.

"Oh, alright, Midna, but just to make things clear, you take orders from me!" He barked.

"Excuse me?" Midna giggled.

Link rolled his eyes.

"You heard me." He roared.

All of a sudden, Midna was in his face with her one visible red eye gleaming violently.

"You can't save her without me." She whispered in his ear.

Link brushed her off.

"You little devil! Do you think you can deceive me? I know what you're up to! It's all help and guidance until you can get your hands on the Triforce of Courage! You insolent fool!" Link laughed with his head rolled back.

Midna looked peeved.

"Look, hero," she began sarcastically.

Link drew himself up to his full height.

"Do you even know who you are addressing, young imp? I am a Jedi Master." Link boomed.

Midna was mocking him with a gleaming red eye.

"That's it, I've had enough of you!" he said with a wicked smile.

"Bind her with chains." He ordered in a whisper to Aragorn.

"It will be my pleasure." Aragorn snickered as he slowly approached Midna.

Midna snarled and her one visible eye flashed red in fury.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you!" she growled.

All of a sudden she pounced on Aragorn, knocking him violently on the ground. The King was winded for a couple seconds. He immediately began to attempt to toss the creature off of him.

"Who's the weakling now?" Midna snarled with laughter.

Aragorn scowled.

"Enough is enough!" Aragorn yelled as he pushed her off of his body with a Force-push.

Midna went flying through the air with a shriek. She fell, moments later, with a soft thud in a nearby tree, hanging upside down. Link dashed up to the tree and looked up at the creature with a grin.

"You were saying?" he said with a sly grin.

Midna growled viciously at the Hylian. She started to squirm with all of her might out of the tree.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." He cautioned her.

"Stay out of my business, hero!" Midna snapped with a snarl.

Link backed off.

"Well, excuse me!" he said sarcastically.

Moments later, Midna fell with a shriek and a crunch on the ground at the feet of the Hylian.

"There's no need for begging, Midna." Link teased.

The company laughed merrily at this charade.

"You'll pay for this, nerf-herder!" Midna said in a growled whisper to Link as she slowly got up with a moan.

Link just laughed at her.

"Sure you will." He said as he rubbed her head.

"Back off!" Midna said as she attempted to bite his hand.

Unfortunately for Midna, Link was too quick and lurched his hand away from her mouth.

"Well, it seems like we have to become allies for the present." Midna slowly acquiesced.

Link smirked at the others as he turned to Midna.

"It's about time. I need you to guide us to the nearest village in the Ordona Province." He ordered.