A/N: If I told you how many times I had to re-think Link's conversation with the Sages, you probably wouldn't believe me. I grabbed a crumpled copy of the first draft from under my bed, and it's, for lack of a better word, complete garbage.
For some strange, unexplainable reason, I have the nagging feeling there is some giant error in this chapter that I'm missing. I've read it over and over without finding anything more than a spelling error here and there, yet the feeling won't go away. So, if there is something, bear with me, I'll fix it later on.
Towards the Twilight
Chapter 3
The sun was finally beginning to set on the harsh Gerudo Desert, much to the relief of Link. Upon learning that the Sages might be able to help him, Link had wasted no time in going to see them.
He hadn't even stopped to pack supplies. It was a decision which he quickly began to regret.
In the past, the many moblin encampments had provided all the food and water Link needed. Now, the moblins and their beasts had either left or died. The only supplies that Link was able to find had long since gone foul.
Yet despite his building thirst, he continued on. Through the evening haze, he could see the massive Arbiter's Grounds growing ever closer.
It won't be long now, Link thought to himself. If it's possible, the Sages will be able to tell me how.
As the sun went down, so did the temperature. The Gerudo Desert was quickly becoming cold. Very cold. Even at night, the desert was cruel and unforgiving.
Link urged his legs to move faster. If he was lucky, he could make the Arbiter's Grounds by midnight.
---
Link walked up the crumbling stone steps leading to the massive Mirror Chamber. Link had never thought about what it would be like to return to there. Despite being the only chance he might have of seeing Midna again, it was not at all a pleasant experience.
Memories of Midna's departure came rushing back to Link once again. With every step, he became less and less certain.
What if there is no way? he thought to himself. What if I've wasted all this time for nothing? What if the mirror really was the only way into her world?
Finally, Link had reached the top of the stairs. I'm here now, I might as well try.
The Mirror Chamber was much the same as it had originally been. Perhaps by the work of the Sages, the mirror stand and the obsidian block had vanished, with the tall statue of a woman in their place. The ground was littered with tiny fragments of the Twilight Mirror.
Link had never called the Sages before. During his journey, they had always come to him. That was obviously not going to be the case this time.
At last, he had the answer. Silently cursing himself for missing something quite obvious, he lifted his left arm into the air. The mark of the Triforce of Courage began to glow brightly.
"I see you have returned once more, Hero."
Link looked around the chamber, searching for the source of the voice. To his great surprise, Link found that he was still alone. Eventually, he spotted the Sages slowly coming into existence not far from where he stood. He turned and began to walk towards them.
"I trust Hyrule is in good health?"
It was quite hard, Link realized, to tell which one of them was speaking.
"Yes, Great Sage," he answered.
"Then why is it you have journeyed here, Hero?"
"I have come for a personal request."
This time, it was quite easy to tell easy to tell apart the speaker. The Sage furthest from Link took several steps towards him.
"A personal request, you say? And what might this request be?" said the Sage.
This is it, he thought. In just a few moments, he would know whether he could ever see his friend again. Shaking from a combination of nervousness and excitement, Link forced out an answer.
"I wish to find a way to enter the Twilight Realm."
The Sages lowered their heads, and began to quietly mumble amongst themselves. At last, one of the Sages lifted his head to speak.
"What you ask of us will be hard, if it is even possible. There is no guarantee that it will work, or even that you will live through it," he said.
"I don't care."
"It is only because you are the chosen of the goddesses that we tell you this," the Sage continued. "And even then, it is not something we are happy to do."
Link could barely control his excitement. It was possible! The Sage took something of a deep breath before continuing.
"In the beginning, the three Goddesses descended from the heavens and gave life to Hyrule. Din, the Goddess of Power, gave shape to the mountains and the valleys. Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom, brought order to Din's creation. Far ore, the Goddess of Courage, created the life that would inhabit Hyrule. Their work finished, the three Goddesses departed Hyrule. They left behind the Triforce in the Sacred Realm as a symbol of their everlasting power. You know this, correct?"
Link looked down at the back of his left hand to where the Triforce of Courage was still glowing brightly.
"Over the years, countless people have sought out the Triforce. People devoted their lives to the search for it. Why do you think people wished to obtain the Triforce so badly?"
Link tried to think of an answer, but could not. It was something he had thought of once before during his journey. Yet, he could not find an answer that would fit.
"It is because, Link, the Triforce has the ability to grant any of man's desires."
Any of man's desires. This was it. This was the answer. If Link could assemble the Triforce, he could use it to enter the Twilight Realm. But…
"I'd be stuck there, wouldn't I? In the Twilight Realm?" Link asked.
The Sage lowered his head once more.
"Yes," he answered. "Do you still wish to continue?"
It was the hardest decision Link would ever have to make in his life. He had friends here still, people he considered as good as family. Yet, every part of him ached to see Midna. She, more than anyone else, would understand him. She alone had been there all the way through.
"I do."
"Then you must turn your attention to our problem."
"What problem?" asked Link.
"The Triforce of Power," said the Sage. "When you defeated Ganondorf, it left him."
"Has it returned to the Sacred Realm?"
"No, for the Sacred Realm is no longer Sacred. It has been twisted and perverted by Ganondorf himself. The Triforce of Power remains in this world."
"Where can I find it?"
Link was closer than ever to the Twilight Realm. If he could find the Triforce of Power, he might be able to enter her world once more.
"Seek out the Light Spirit Ordona. Ordona alone has been trusted by the Goddesses with hiding the Triforce."
"Thank you, Great Sages."
Link turned and walked to leave the Mirror Chamber. Bending down, he picked up a fragment of the Twilight Mirror and placed it in his pocket.
---
Ganondorf was floating through nothingness.
He could remember very little of the final encounter. The Master Sword had ripped him from the world of light, but it had apparently not killed him.
Now, it seemed almost as though he was trapped between the two worlds. He saw glimpses of each, pieces of conversations. He knew the Hyrule had recovered, becoming stronger than ever. He knew that Princess Midna was desperately missing her friend.
Yet, no bit of information rivaled in importance to what he was watching now.
---
"Seek out the Light Spirit Ordona. Ordona alone has been trusted by the Goddesses with hiding the Triforce."
"Thank you, Great Sages."
---
Ganondorf laughed. It seemed that the great Hero was not above using the Triforce for his own selfish needs.
This might be my way out of this place, he thought to himself.
---
Ending A/N: Ooh! Ganondorf is still alive! Midna will be making a return next chapter, and you'll be seeing a lot more of her from this point on. Now, there will be a bit of a pause between this and Chapter 4. The reason? I want to re-write my plan. That's going to take a good day or so to do. The good news is that the chapters afterwards will be a bit longer, a bit more detailed, and a bit quicker to come out. It's always easier to write when you don't have to decipher what you meant when you wrote your plan.
That being said, I'll still try and have Chapter 4 out real soon.