A/N: Chapter 5 is here. Who can find the slight crossover between Zelda and Metroid?

Chapter 5: A New Threat

"She's here," Link thought, "I just know it."

The crew all looked at Link, wondering why he reacted to the curtain of Twilight in such a way.

"Hey, are you OK?" asked Othae. Link responded with a small smile on his face at the thought of what this meant.

"I've never been better since the time I found you guys."

Link finally got back up on his two feet, and he just continued to smile. "I can't believe it," Link thought in disbelief. Thornir looked perplexed.

"Why do you react so positively to such a dark force?"

Link then realized that he should stop showing his happiness and hold back his emotions. They didn't understand. Then, Link looked around confused. They weren't turning into spirits, even though the Twilight had come. Then he looked outwards and gasped. A giant bubble of light blocked out the twilight and its effects on the entire encampment.

"So that's what the light crystals do," Link thought.

"How did you get the light crystals," Link blurted out.

"We had them enchanted by the boss," Renava said. "The boss is a very powerful individual, as you will soon find out."

"Speaking of which," Lithe said, "Link needs to be taken to the boss for instructions." Thornir nodded in agreement.

"Follow me."

Thornir lead the group towards the temple where their leader was.

"Who is this boss person," Link asked curtly.

"You'll see," said Othae.

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Princess Zelda had continually read and re-read the note on the body of the robed man. She had gotten through the phase of disbelief one would go through when they learn that everything they had worked so hard to accomplish was at risk. Now she was at the phase of unknown levels of fear. She continued to recall the letter's brief contents in her head over and over again.

"Once the hero is gone, the attack on Hyrule will be swift and timely. If any of your 'distractions' are left alive, kill them before you come back to the fortress. They have served there purpose. Lastly, if you do not make it back alive, then I assume that this letter will fall in the hands of our enemy."

Zelda stopped. The last line was possibly the most ominous of all.

"If that is the case, then hear this; your days are numbered Zelda."

In all her time as ruler after her father died before the Twilight crisis, she had never felt so alone, or afraid. Hyrule had gotten used to the idea of a hero to protect them, and without him, they were weak. A knock on her throne room door snapped her back to reality.

"It's about time," she thought as she beckoned the guest to enter.

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In the Gerudo desert stood the abandoned prison facility known as the Arbiter Grounds. Link and Midna had used this place many times on their adventure three years ago, as a way to teleport between the worlds of light and shadow. The mirror chamber was still as silent as ever, with the soft glow of fragments of the mirror of twilight gleaming of the midday sun. No one would have ever though that beneath such pristine beauty, a great evil lurked.

Vandril looked upon the black and red robed man as he retold his story, about how he escaped the Hyrule guard and found his way back to the desert to report what had happened. He heard that the general had not survived, that he was brought down by Zelda. How he was the only one who survived and made it back, and all the others had been cut down by the Bulbins as they tried to cross the desert. With a bored look on his face, he responded to the story.

"It seems that I underestimated your ability."

The man in front of him cringed. Talking with Vandril was about as pleasant as talking with a dragon.

"However, your use has been served." The man looked confused. What did his master mean? He didn't have much time to think after that. Vandril flicked his wrist and hand and man blew up right before him.

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Vandril sighed at the waste of time that stood before him moments ago. Vandril was what you would call something out of a nightmare, a shadow or shade, neither human nor beast, and only lived to serve his masters command. His eyes were a pale red color, and his voice was cold as the mountain of Snowpeak. The voice who commanded him had given him a great army of shadow creatures such as himself, with Vandril their leader. He despised having to work with the rouge Hylians for the mission to make it so the hero disappeared. But that had passed, and now he could move on to the next phase of the operation the voice had given him. With the hero gone, he was to eliminate and destroy Hyrule's kingdom, so for the day his master would return, he could take his rightful place at the throne.

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Link and the rest of the crew now with Renava went inside the temple to see the leader of this rouge force. Link was concerned with Renava's comments about the boss's apparent dislike of random people joining this group. She could see through his emotionless veil and see his concern.

"Don't worry," she said lighthearted. "With the weapons you have on you, she'll let you stay."

Link gave a half hearted smile back at her. After passing through many chambers and tunnels, Thornir finally stopped. He sighed and turned to Link.

"Look," he said, "Whatever you do, make sure you address the boss with respect and don't loss your cool. I'd hate to see what happened to the last random happen to you."

"Thornir," Othae said, "Your making it sound like she's a snake with two heads."

Lithe chuckled. "Sometimes, I wonder…"

"Wait," Link said as they were about to open the door, "The boss is a she?"

"What," Renava said coolly, "A woman can't lead a ragged group such as this one?"

"Well," Link sputtered, "I… I just had this image in my head…"

Renava laughed. "Other than me and my sisters, she is the only female in this group. Be careful though. As tough and handsome as you look, I'd bet she could still kick your ass if you got her angry."

"Can we please go already," Thornir said impatiently. But before Thornir could open the door, it opened by itself.

A woman stood in the open doorway. She was wearing heavy armored breastplate and a dress of quality not found amongst the rest of the band. She also had a golden colored bow on her back that matched her hair braided hair perfectly.

"Well Thornir," she said, annoyed at having to get up and answer the door, "This had better be good."

As Link looked at her, he almost felt that he had seen that face before. Then it hit him. Link was looking at what could have been a clone of Princess Zelda.

"It will be your highness," Thornir said. Link and the rest of the group piled into the room. It was draped with cloth on both sides of the room and was symmetrical. In the center of the room, a throne made of stone had been perfectly crafted for this woman. Link was amazed at this woman's resemblance to Zelda.

"But it can't be her," he thought, "Otherwise; she would have recognized me immediately." As the woman sat down on the stone chair, she addressed the party.

"Now what do I owe this visit to?"

Renava began to talk. "Ma'am, Thornir's men found this random in the forest, and were wondering what you wish to do with him."

The woman rolled her eyes. "Another random? Haven't we enough untrustworthy men in this camp. For all we know, he could be a spy sent here by…"

As she trailed off, she looked at Link. Something about him was odd. Or rather, something he was carrying. She turned to Link and said,

"Swordsman! Give me that sword!"

Link looked confused as Thornir nudged him in the side, whispering, "Do as she says!" Link withdrew the Master Sword from his scabbard and presented it to the woman. She looked at the sword, noticing every fine detail on it, scrutinizing it almost to the point of looking for flaws. Finally, she handed back to Link, saying

"I do not know where you got this blade, but clearly you can be trusted."

As Link took the sword back he noticed that the woman was actually smiling at him. She then looked at Thornir and said, "He is to go with you and your men tonight during the midnight shift to protect the camp from Twilight. Now go and get some rest."

The group quietly left the room and closed the door behind them.

"What was that about?" asked Othae.

"I have no idea," Lithe said, "But whatever it is about that blade Link, it sure got a positive reaction out of her."

"All I want to know is how a sword proves someone is trustworthy," Thornir stated.

Link tried his best to conceal a grin, for he knew why it is she trusted him. Having the ancient Master Sword in his possession had paid off once again.

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Once they finally got out of the temple, Link was shown to where he would be sleeping until it was their turn to guard the base.

"It's not much," Othae said, "But you'll get used to sleeping in a tent eventually."

As he and Othae got comfortable with their surroundings, Link had to have a few questions answered.

"Othae," Link said, "I know the dangers the Twilight presents, but what exactly are we fighting?"

Othae's face looked grim. "Well, other than the obvious effect if has on humans when we are without the light crystals, monsters and strange looking things have been raiding the encampment."

"What are these other things?" Link asked.

"To be honest, we don't know. Their shape looks human enough, but they are most definitely not one of us. They show no ill effects towards Twilight, and dislike our light crystals. They try to destroy them, and it's our job to make sure that doesn't happen."

"And this has been happening for the past three months?" Link asked, remembering how Thornir asked if he was living under a rock for his lack of knowledge about the dangers.

"You really are clueless, aren't you?" Othae said. Link looked him hard in the eyes, with a small glare of anger.

"Oh well. Yes, it's been about three months since the Twilight came. Before, we fought a common enemy, and were starting to gain ground and win the war. But then the Twilight came, and we had to start fighting it instead. It only comes at night, so when we became cognizant of its effects on us, we were forced to make light crystals. Now we can fight back against it, but it has taken a toll on our forces."

Link frowned at something he had not thought of until that point.

"If the Twilight is covering this strange land," he said, "then is this place being invaded?"

Othae responded with a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't think beasts invade or know anything about war. They only know the basic element of war... how to kill."

Link sighed. Unfortunately, it seemed this place knew as little as Hyrule did about the Twilight and its people.

"If Midna is the queen or leader, then why is she ordering an invasion?" Link silently thought.

He decided against thinking too hard about it. It did not matter to him. If she was here, then he would find her, no matter what her reasons. With a parting look at the curtain of Twilight covering the forest outside of them, Link entered his tent as he reminded himself how close he might be to finding what he has sought for so long. With that, he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

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A/N: If you said, "Light Crystals," based off of "Metroid Prime 2: Echoes," than you win!