A/N: Kinda intense chapter? I don't really know, but it's pretty good. And, to the guest review asking me to dedicate a day weekly to write a chapter.. I try to already. But, as I am school, there are weeks were I don't have the time to do so. I try to write a little bit every day, but I can't do that all the time. I try not to make the chapters more than two weeks apart, so I am sorry for my inconsistency lately, but school has taken up my time. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but it's life for me, and I can't really avoid it.
Midna reached up behind her head, untying her hair as she strode right into her room, oblivious to the fact that Link was nowhere to be seen. She slipped off her robes, changing into more comfortable attire. When she turned to climb into her bed, the empty sheets alerted her. Forthwith, she whipped her head around to face the washroom – empty. In her sudden nervous trepidation, her head urged her to search the basement, to make sure he hadn't hurt himself. In instant, Midna put her shoes back on her feet, and darted out the door.
Racing past the guards, she practically sprinted down the spiral of stairs that lead to the lowest floor. At the bottom of the stairwell, the Twili slowed her pace and caught her breath – the door to the training room was wide open, and somebody was working in there by candlelight. Midna smiled, presuming the person working was Link. Her hopes were crushed as she approached, seeing the black and white Twili markings on the man's skin.
Taking heavy traipses into the room, crossing her arms, Midna spoke, "Where's Link?"
The other Twili shrugged his shoulders, sitting up from the bench press. He acerbically said, "I don't know. He ran out of here a few hours ago crying like the coward he is." It was discernable by the man's attitude that he had done something to the boy.
As soon as Midna saw through the man's mask, she used her magic and shoved him up against the wall, her arm at his throat while she gave him a searing glower. "I could condemn you to the asylum we call the nothingness unless you tell me what you did to Link. If you tell me, I can spare you the torture and just vaporize you. Either way, it's hell for you."
The guard laughed imperiously, giving the princess a smirk. "Oh, you wouldn't do that to me, Midna. We've known each other since primary school – you wouldn't have the guts to do such a thing."
Infuriated, Midna applied more pressure on the man's neck with her forearm, making him sputter and choke. Her lips turned to a snarl, like a growling wolf's. "Just you watch me, you bastard. You have no idea what I had to do in our times of need, you ignorant fool." In her free hand, she sparked a wisp of the dark magic she had mastered, threatening the man.
Widening his eyes, the Twili under Midna's hold raised his arms. "I hurt him."
"How?"
"Why do you need to know specifically, isn't all in the same category?" The man's eyes flickered back and forth, back and forth, giving away his reticent strategy.
"Listen up fucker; I am not letting you go until you tell me. You hurt Link – and I need to know how," Midna hissed at the man, spit landing on his face as he felt like cowering under her intimidation.
"I… I uh… I kneed him in the gut; hit him across the head, twice; kicked his chest." The man said, the power in his voice diminishing.
Midna huffed, scrunching up her nose as she frowned. "I hate you so much." She turned her head away from the guard, removing her arm, allowing him to drop to the floor. "Where did Link run to?"
The man shook his head. "I honestly have no clue. All I know is that he left the castle."
The princess nodded, beginning to walk towards the door of the room. "Ah, thank you. I must search for him then."
Baffled, the man cocked his head. "So you're sparing me my life?"
Midna chuckled, a maniacal sense to her laugh. "I never said that, my fine sir." And with a snap of her fingers, the man vaporized into thin air. He was gone. The princess smirked, continuing to exit the room.
Distressed, the princess hurried back to her room. As she strode throughout the halls, her mind raced with the endless possibilities for what Link's situation would be. Above all, she felt guilty. Link had escaped to the Twilight realm to find her, to find peace and get better. But all that did was get him stuck in a rut with all the Twili that didn't approve of him. All he wanted to do was escape from it all, but it backfired. Midna felt at fault for it, too.
Shaking her head, she entered her room, gathering an extra pair of clothes for Link, a few bandages, and a blanket. Swiftly, Midna also changed her apparel to something warm before venturing back out. Once she exited the palace, the blast of bleak air hit her in the face, sending a shiver down her spine. Folding her arms, she went onward to the main road. Debating between the areas where Link could have gone, the city or the rural fields, she chose the latter. Midna knew that Link knew better than to walk into a void of people that hated his existence; such an outrage would create pandemonium amongst her citizens.
As the princess walked along the path, she couldn't help but feel empty. The sky was empty – but it always was. There were no stars, like existed in the light realm. She always enjoyed that about his world; there was so much beauty in it, in every crease and corner. The Twilight realm had its own pretty spots, but the light realm was gorgeous all over. From the stars, as Link called them, in the sky, to the worms in the earth – each thing in his world held such delicacy to it. In ways, she missed the place, and she was sure that by now, Link did too.
Her train of thought was halted, though, by the vague sound of snoring. Being pulled into a delighted grin, Midna raced over to the small noises, to which she found the Hylian sprawled out on the grass beside a tree. With his eyes closed, his arms still clutched his side; even in his sleep, he was still pained.
Taking a sigh, Midna reached her arms underneath the blonde's arms, sat him up, and dragged him over to the tree, propping him up on the trunk. Slowly, she lifted his shirt up, glancing over his abdomen – no wounds, but plenty of bruising. Raising a brow, she mulled over what could be causing pain. But then Link readjusted slightly, and then she heard the pop from his chest – it was a broken rib. Subsequently, the blonde's eyes shot open as he took a deep breath – at first he hadn't noticed Midna at his side.
When his pupils accommodated to the dark landscape, Link immediately recognized the figure of the illuminated person in front of him. His character lightened up, although still reeled with pain.
"Midna?" The blonde whispered, raucous and raspy. His voice spurred Midna's attention from his bruising abdomen to his grisly face. Once the duo's gazes met, Link glanced down at his chest and back. "Could you make a brace with your bandages there? My rib's really killing me."
Altruistically, Midna dipped her head, unravelling the ball of bandage by her side. Slowly, she circled the fabric around Link's chest, encompassing the area that the blonde had indicated as the broken rib. With each cry of pain that stemmed from Link's voice, Minda shrunk down and winced. She felt guilty that she had been causing him pain, but she knew that it was for the best of him.
As Midna fastened the bandage around Link's chest, she exhaled, pulling down the blonde's shirt, creating a blockade between his skin and the frigid night air. Her attention was then enticed to the open wounds along his head: a cracked lip, black eye, and a long cut along his hairline. Knitting her brows, Midna grabbed an end of her robe, ripping off a square of the fabric and soaking it in the small pond beside them. She then pressed the sodden cloth up against Link's forehead, dabbing away at the dried blood, getting a better look at the actual wound.
Retracting the cloth from the boy's head, Midna's eyes were laden with repentance. "Link, I'm sorry for all of this." The blonde tilted his chin, giving a censurable yet innocuous cue. The Twili heeded the Hylian's concern, but brushed it off as she lifted her head and riveted his eyes. "I don't want any more to happen to you. As of now, you are living in a realm of those who hate you and your kind for events in the past. They hate me, too, since I am allowing you a stay. I think it is best if both of us go back to Zelda."
On the spot, Link began to beam jocundly, the color in his lips returning while his cheeks flooded with a red mantle. It was all too obvious that he really wanted to get out of the Twilight realm. Midna did, too, to be honest. The boy reached around her, nestling his arms around her back, holding his body against hers. The Twili caught her breath, simpering down at the blonde. She returned the pull against her body, gliding her hands up and down Link's back and resting her chin atop his head.
Drawing a breath, Link divulged a relaxed murmur, "Thank you, Midna." The Twili pecked the top of his head, provoking the crimsoning of the blonde's cheeks. "I made a friend I want you to meet. He... he saved my life. I wouldn't be here if he weren't for him." Link pulled away from the Twili, a rather lamenting look in his eye.
Midna smiled down at Link, in bid to raise his spirits. "Well, you really have a true friend there. He must have worried about you for weeks. He must really care for you, if he saved you." She noted the blonde's strained expression buoy up. "What's his name?" she asked, disquisitively.
Giving a light grin, Link said, "Eric. Eric Koriku."
Being gracious, Minda smiled. "Well, how about we go, so you can introduce me to him." Pushing herself up to her feet, the Twili held out a hand to Link. His mood illumed, and he took her hand in his aid.
On his feet, the blonde leant up against Midna, clutching his injured side while his face twisted in many directions. Prudent to Link's condition, the Twili halted him and took one hand across his shoulders, the other under the backs of his knees. Tenderly, she lifted the blonde from his feet and clutched him close to her. In response, Link curled up in her arms and sighed.
"Y'know," he mumbled, voice shaking in accompany with his shivers. "I'm sorry for causing all these problems. If I hadn't started his mess in the first place, I wouldn't have made all those problems with the other Twili." Link couldn't manage to look up at Midna. His remorseful point of view had returned, and it wouldn't budge.
The Twili smirked and shrugged, her gaze flowing with fervent concern. "Well, if none of that happened, I may have never seen you again." Turning her vision skyward, to the horizon, she cordially exhaled. "I yearned for you, too, Link. You weren't alone, coveting me, missing me. I wished to see you as well. And, now we're here." With the blonde's rising mood, Midna raised the tips of her lips into a smile. "You have nothing in the palace, right?"
Link glanced up at the Twili, wide-eyed and confused. "No."
Giving an affirmed nod, Midna whispered, "Good." No other words. She wanted to leave the Hylian to guess for himself. Link, however, only stared up at the Twili, one brow raised and gaping mouth. When Midna didn't continue to speak, he rolled his eyes, leaning more into the Twili's chest as she carried him.
Not even a few minutes later, the Twili watched as the blonde's eyes began to close and he drifted off into a light slumber. As his breathing slowed, Midna held him just a bit tighter, pressing him against her chest. The feeling of his chest rising and falling assured her that he was alright.
Slowing her pace, Midna came to a standstill; her eyes wandering over the luminous portal, patterned with the markings of her people and a triforce in the center. Not wishing to rouse Link from his nap, the Twili looked to her left and right, inquiring for a place for the two of them could rest. Not far off in the distance, a rather thick tree stood out as a possible shelter. Eagerly, she strode over to the shrub.
Leery, she lowered herself to the ground, Link still in her arms, and leant up against the bark of the tree. Gently placing him on the ground, she reclined him up against her and wrapped her arms around him, tender to his injury. Nonchalantly, the Twili's hands gradually made their up to the blonde's shoulders. Turning him slightly, to face his face towards hers, Midna had a glooming sorrow on her face, and she relieved with an exhale of hot air.
"I just wish you were happy, Link." Her gaze lowered to the many scars that faulted his skin. "You have been able to do so much, much more than I ever could have. Yeah, I wanted to save my kingdom, but unlike you, I didn't have the bravery or the strength to do such a thing. I made up for my emptiness with my harsh attitude. I thought maybe that would seem more intimidating, heh, it only made you fall in love with me, though, didn't it?" She chuckled under her breath, striving to stay as silent as possible; she put her hand out and swept blood caked bags from Link's face. "I didn't mean to cause all of this. I only wanted the best for both of our realms."
"I missed you, too. It was obvious to Zelda that you missed me. I, however, couldn't condemn my worries to my council – I would be thrown from power if I did such a thing about a Hylian. They are obdurate stones." The Twili's eyes grazed down to the soil. "I missed you. I missed your smile, your laugh. I missed your corny jokes, that dumb farmer's accent of yours, your need to be happy. I missed the way you held me when I was cold, the times when you let me steer Epona, that look you always give me, Wolf-boy." Tracing her arms around to Link's back, Midna began to pull him up to her, and slung her head on his shoulder as she soundly embraced him. "I missed you so much, Link. I just love you… so much." Just as she was about to close her eyes, she felt cold hands wrap around her back, and she sharply took a breath.
"I love you, too, Midna," a throaty voice whispered in Midna's ear. Gently, the blonde pressed his lips against her cheek, and then rested his head on her shoulder.
The Twili's hands made their way to Link's hair, running her fingers through it. "Did you hear all of that?"
"Mhm," the deep tone resonated from his throat. Due to his position, Midna couldn't see the beaming grin across his cheeks, or the flushed red tint to his face. Link allowed himself to compose again before making himself visible to the Twili again. "So, are we going to Hyrule?" He stretched his arms and yawned.
Midna rolled her eyes and smirked. "Well, now that you're awake we can," she snorted, causing Link to blush. Standing to her feet, she reached her arms down for Link. The blonde took the Twili's hand and pulled himself up, wincing. Leaning up against Midna, the Twili wrapped her around his shoulders and tugged him closer. As the two approached the Mirror of Twilight, Midna looked down at Link and whispered, "Let's go home now, shall we?"
The arrow flew through the air, catching a Gerudo hog in the chest, inducing its death as it fell right to its side. The archer had a smirk on her face as she slipped her bow about her shoulder, simultaneously striking away her platinum strand of hair. With careful steps, Impa approached her kill, pulling the arrow from its chest cavity, wiping off its blood, and shoving it back in her quiver. Her now empty arms wrapped around the hog's torso, and she lifted it from the ground, and then took it back to her small camp.
She had requested of Zelda to send one of the Hyrulean soldiers to stay with her, for backup. The man sat by the small camp, pursuing to make the fire to cook the meat – he wasn't in typical uniform. The chainmail was too much of a burden in the scorching heat of the desert. Instead, Impa had been gracious enough to brace the man's joints like was done in her own tribe, and taught him some of the art of fighting and maneuvering. Surely, he wasn't as nearly as good as Impa, but he could defend himself without his sword and shield if needed.
"How's that fire going?" The woman smirked, a hint of sarcasm in her tone.
The soldier grumbled, and continued to spin the two sticks faster. "Just great."
Impa chuckled and placed the fresh kill on a clean cloth, preparing to butcher it for the meat. She pulled out one of her knives – clean and free of bodily remnants – and began to skin the animal, tearing the skin from muscle. Next, she began to cut slabs of meat off the pig's chest, legs, back, and piled them respectively.
Glancing over at the soldier, she groaned. He still hadn't gotten a fire started – if he didn't have it soon, they wouldn't have dinner at all. If they had a fire a night, the chance of getting raided by the leftovers of Ganondorf's minions would greatly multiply. Impa didn't want to risk it, so she stood to her feet and returned to the guard's side.
Tapping at his shoulder, she glared down at him. When he returned the look, Impa raised her brows and sneered, "Go cut the pig – I'll get the fire."
Releasing an exasperated moan, the guard got to his feet and went to the pig. Taking the knife in hand, he began to cut at the small strands still attached to bone. Impa pulled one of her daggers out and sharped the ends of the sticks, making them abrasive and more biddable to a spark.
As soon as she began to swivel the two twigs together, a bright light blinded her. As soon as it dimmed enough for her to look without burning out her eyes, her mouth flung open. The Mirror of Twilight was glowing, it was activated – somebody was coming over from the other side. Rapidly, Impa turned to the soldier, who stood next to the hog, flabbergasted and confused.
Short and spirited, Impa glared at him and the eye and spoke, "I'm going to call on the goddesses to send you back to the castle and inform Zelda of this. Please tell her she needs to be here immediately – tell her to use her magic to bring her, Eric, and whomever else she feels necessary. I must stay behind, in case this isn't Link or Princess Midna."
Somewhat tense, the soldier nodded, and tightly shut his eyes as the Sheikah murmured a prayer to the goddesses, asking of their assistance. In almost a split second after she quick speaking, the soldier was taken up in a vortex, and disappeared into the sky.
Once he was gone, Impa turned back to the portal, staring at the glowing marks of the Twili. She had known that it took longer to activate from the Twilight Realm – so whoever was awakening it wouldn't be here for some time. As a precaution, the Sheikah pulled two of her daggers, gripping them in her hands until her knuckles turned white.
Eric sat beside the middle-aged blonde man, a grimace on his face and crossed arms while watching him. He had been flustered with the man's argument since it began yesterday. Of course, though, Zelda assigned him to watch the man. He wasn't pleased with the chore, but it was his duty, and he had to do it.
Rolling his eyes, he glowered at Kile, who sat, awkwardly staring at the ground. The grass underneath their feet was dry, and the bench had its creaks. But the man wasn't paying attention to small details – he was just staring blankly. It was obvious by the hazy glaze over his eyes.
"So where were you the whole twenty years?" Eric asked with a bitter tone. Although he was genuinely pissed at the man – he was curious as to how he had avoided his son for twenty years.
"Termina." That was it. No other words.
"Where in the bloody hell is that?" The red head retorted with a snobby tone.
Kile turned his face away from Eric. "Far away."
"How far?"
"Far."
"Where?"
"Past Snowpeak."
"Where past Snowpeak?"
"My fucking goddesses leave me alone."
Eric raised his brows at the man, as if he were serious. "Excuse me? Are you using the goddesses' titles in vain?"
"Yes." Kile rolled his eyes, his voice becoming icier with each word.
Crossing one leg over the other and leaning back in the bench, Eric asked, "Why?"
"They cursed my son."
Eric snorted. "Well, actually, according to texts from the Era of the Sky, Demise was the one that cursed both the Chosen Hero, and the mortal reincarnation of Hylia. All descendants of those two are cursed. And your family is one of them."
Kile huffed. "I know. But the goddesses could've done something about it. But no, they watch as these boys – boys. They're not even adults and they have to face this shit!" The man's face was getting red and hot as he became livid. "Of all the heroes on record; the Chosen Hero was sixteen, Hero of Time was chosen at nine, but was sent to a seven year sleep to mature his body." The man crossed his hands over his knees. "And then there was my son, seventeen. Bet he's 'effed up now."
Eric grit his teeth, suppressing his urge to punch Kile right in the face. "We haven't even told you what happened to him."
As the blonde was about to speak, he stopped, turning his head to Eric. "What do you mean 'what happened'?"
Eric faced the ground, resting his head in his hands, and sighing. "Lots of things." Glancing over at Kile, he noted the faint concern on his face. "To sum it up, after saving Hyrule…. Link got really sick." Taking a gulp, the read head closed his eyes. "He tried to kill himself; we saved him just in the nick of time."
Kile dipped his head, turning away from Eric. "So is that where he's been this whole time? Dead? 'Cause nothing's really adding up in my head and the story seems fishy."
As the read head opened his mouth to respond with some half-assed remark, he was interrupted by a vortex dropping one of the newbie guards on the ground, face first. Eric cringed stood, nearing the soldier. He offered a hand, and the soldier took it. Heaving the man up, he gave the man an inquisitive look. "Impa sent you here?"
Vigorously, he nodded.
"What's happening?" Eric crossed his arms and tapped his foot.
"Th-the portal, sir," the young guard stammered. "It's activating."
With those words, the red head's eyes flung open. "Stay here with that man," he pointed to Kile as he spoke. "I've got to retrieve Zelda."
The young soldier nodded as Eric sprinted right past him and into the castle. Escalating the spiraling stairs – he didn't once lose his breath, surprisingly. Although, when he reached the top, he doubled over in a coughing fit. He could only blame it on the cigars he smoked recently. Once his lungs had caught up with the needs of his legs, he continued to sprint down the hall, Zelda's study at the end. His body burned. His head hurt. Yet, Eric pushed through.
He hadn't bothered to request permission of Zelda's guards to enter the study – besides, they were asleep anyways. Quietly, Eric pushed the door open and entered the room where, as typical, he saw Zelda behind her desk. She looked at him with distraught eyes and a quivering lip. The red head's expression softened to hers and became rather sorrowful.
Eric approached her desk, and took her hand between his, lowering to her eye level. "Zelda? Is everything alright?"
Retracting her hand from his, Zelda shot her head away, refusing to look at him. "Yes, all is well." She acted like the red head didn't notice when she dried her tears with her sleeve before turning her head back to his. "So what did you come for?"
Taking a breath, he tried to clear his face of his severe concern for Zelda. "Impa sent the soldier here – the Mirror is awakening."
Zelda's eyes shot wide open and she pushed herself from her desk, striding right by Eric and out her door. When his mind found its place in what just happened, the red head scurried to catch up to the princess. As they exited the castle, both the heads of Kile and the young soldier turned to face them.
"Kile," Zelda hissed. "Come here." She glared at the man, enough to make him turn and awkward shade of red. Uneasily, the man stood and came to Zelda. "You're coming with us, you got it? Good." Turning to the solider, she dismissed him to head in the castle.
As the doors shut, Zelda closed her eyes and bowed her head, pressing her hands together. She began to whisper unknown words – most likely of an ancient form of Hylian – and a spark of a purple-ish flame rose from her fingertips and began to encircle the trio. It was a lavender shade, yet possessed the qualities of a flame. Zelda continued her spell, and at the end, she yelled and shot her eyes open, causing Eric and Kile to jump.
At that moment the flame erupted all around them, yet they were not burnt. They just floated in this strange flame. But then it began to die down, revealing a whole new setting. They were at the Mirror chamber, and Impa stood there, daggers in head, ready to attack if needed. Once the Sheikah recognized Zelda's face, she lowered her weapons towards them and returned to the Mirror.
As soon as the flame died to nothing, Zelda turned pale and began to fall backwards, Eric caught her, though, just under her arms. Slowly, he sat himself down on the sand, resting Zelda in his lap. He knew it was the spell that drained her. Kile paid no attention to them and approached the Sheikah.
"What is this?" The blonde crossed his arms and grumbled at Impa.
"The Mirror of Twilight." The Sheikah nodded, turning her head to Kile, her gaze ran up and down his height. "And who are you?"
"Kile. I am Link's father."
Impa rolled her eyes and groaned, "Asshat."
The blonde stomped his foot and turned away from the Sheikah. Just as he did, the Mirror shone blazingly – like the Sun. Eric turned his back to the mirror, shielding Zelda from its white light. Both Impa and Kile shot their arms up in front of their eyes while the shining lasted. As the light dimmed down, two vague shadowy figures began to exit. One was much taller than the shorter, which leant on the taller.
Impa tightened her grip on her daggers, wary of the uncertain. Kile watched her with shaky eyes, before the woman turned to him, a frustrated grin on her lips. "We do not know the identities of them. If it is Link and Midna, we will not harm them. If it is any other Twili, they must be killed – they are merciless towards us light dwellers."