A/N: Hello everybody! Thank you to everyone for your awesomeness! It is after all you guys who provide the inspiration to keep writing! I have gone through my previous chapters and have hopefully eradicated most of those nasty little typos and mistakes. I have also sworn an oath to be more careful in the future, but I am not perfect; so if any more of those uglies do take a notion to raise their foul heads I apologies in advance and will fix any I find post haste! If you find any feel free to tell me also so that I may remove the unsightly offense from my reader's eyes. XP So, I did not get anyone telling me that I have completely screwed up this tale, so that is good :) But on another note if any of you do have any constructive criticism at all, I would love to hear it. Learning from mistakes is one of only ways to grow after all. Thanks! I hope you enjoy!

Gojira Geek: Thank you! Sweet! Someone agrees with me XP

Yami no Nokutan: Awww, thanks :3 Yes girl power is on its way. It would have been very awkward if not practically unbelievable I think XP. That is some pretty solid reasoning you've got there (:

Scarlet Curls: Thank you for all the reviews :D they really made my week! That's a stroke of brilliance! I absolutely love your idea about his love interests and am quite thinking of adopting it inside my own headcanon collection XP Feel free to rant about them, I think I agree (: I believe they have less views because by the time you get to the second book everyone is quite tired of seeing the writers ugly mug every week or so; at least in my case, anyways (who wouldn't XP ) Wow, have you also been sneaking peeks at my writer's notebook? *proffers forth an upturned palm* Hand over your pocket periscope. I shall get into how they get back later I promise (: Don't worry I shall not forget about Link. Poor guy… I'm starting to think Fangirls are very evil creatures…

Generala: Oh, she will find a use for it. *evil smile* That is a very well thought out point and I shall actually be getting into the answer to that at the end of this chapter and some of the beginning of the next one. That is a very good point about OoT Link, I think you may be right (at least in my opinion)

silverheartlugia2000: Thank you so much for the review and the compliment! I am glad you like it so far. I thought she deserved some favorable attention for a change XD. I will see what I can do about Link. I actually like that myself, to a certain point. I do not know about doing a lot, but I have hinted at it in my other story and have described him as snarling, growling, and even snapping at an enemy, and have described his behavior in battle as feral, and have even included describing his actions of almost scenting for enemies as wolfish before also, so I will probably do it this time too. XP I hope it turns out to be satisfactory!

Storm Dragon Wolf Princess: Yeah, that is what I think also. That's good to know, thanks. I loved writing in the Hero's Shade so I am glad that you enjoyed it too. (: Thanks again!

Run From the Light

Chefra stood anxiously as he watched the Resistance's scholar Shad look over the hastily scribbled contents of a slightly battered sheet of paper. They were the notes Zelda had written before she had disappeared through the time gate. Chefra had waited by the broken arch for about an hour after she had vanished but, when she had not returned he, had rushed back to the castle as fast as he could.

He shuffled restlessly as Shad continued to scrutinize the writing and tried, at the same time, to subdue the intense feelings of failure that ran rampant through his thoughts. He had failed her majesty, and he had failed Link again as well. As if called forth from his memories, he saw an image of that haunted look in Link's brave defiant eyes the day he had let him down. He had wanted badly to get a chance to make it up to him. But instead of reaching the dreams of heroism he had so desired, he had failed almost worse than ever before by allowing the princess to get separated from him. What if his actions had caused the death of his sovereign? He closed his eyes as he felt his lips helplessly deepen in a worried frown. What if she were hurt, or in mortal peril?

Shad put down the paper rather abruptly and hastily excused himself to go retrieve a tome from the library. The scrape of his chair on the floor shook Chefra from his dark musings. Though Shad was only gone for a minute at most, time seemed to drag by the grizzled captain nearly as slowly as the seasons turned. When Shad returned, he dropped a thick, old, and already open book next to the letter.

Everyone looked up expectantly at him as he cleared his throat. The tension in the room was as tangible a presence as the knotted feeling Chefra felt it in the pit of his stomach.

"From what I can glean from her writing, her logic appears to be most sound and her reasoning clear. That alone gives me sufficient proof to assume that she did, in fact, know what she was doing. She made mention of several things that had to do with a specific time of upheaval in this country, when that portal, I supposed it could be called, had been used before. I have checked all I can with some books of my own study and found that the accounts match fairly well. Although, this book is much more vague than her majesty's' writing. I do not think that she would knowingly take unnecessary risks, so I assume that she is relatively safe at the moment.

"I agree," Auru interrupted quietly. "The sages would probably have come to us to tell us, were she in mortal danger, or worse."

"What should we do then?" Chefra asked.

This period of inactivity was wearing on him. He was a man of action, not politics and he desperately wanted there to be something he could do.

"From what I gathered, she thinks that the time gate she went through lets out near the foothills on the other side of the Mountain of Snowpeke. I have no idea how to, and I am quite sure, not the means to reopen the portal. The only other way to get over those peeks would be to climb over them."

Ashei nodded, "I have lived in those mountains all my life and neither my father nor myself have ever found a pass through them."

"So, we know where she is but can't get to her? We know she will probably need help but will be unable to provide it? That is not good enough!" Chefra practically yelled. "I am going to find a way over that mountain."

Ashei seconded his sentiment.

"I think your talents would be better spent here, rather than dead on the mountains, captain," Telma said softly. "The princess is a very capable woman, you could at least give her a chance to succeeded in this mission. You all know that it is something that she needs to do, not only for Link and the threat of another invasion, but also for herself.

Ashei considered it for a moment, and then reluctantly agreed, "I do know the princess can handle herself. Not all women are helpless pathetic ninnies that need protection, yeah?

So, it is agreed that we shall give the princess the benefit of the doubt, for the time being," Auru said softly. "She is the country's rightful ruler and I am sure Din Farore and Nayru will watch over her. In the meantime, I shall journey to the arbiters grounds and talk to the sages about this problem. Perhaps they will know if there is anything at all that we can do. The only concern that worries me right now is that I am not sure how long we, and the council, can cover for the princess's absence before the people find out. The princess is not the only one who is short of time, we are also. I think that she has about six months at best to return, before we have to start thinking of another cover plan.

Chefra did not voice the thought that he could tell was niggling at everyone's mind. What would happen if neither the princess nor the hero should return? The princess had no heir and that sort of turmoil was the last thing that Hyrule needed at this time. The Resistance could not, and would not, set themselves up as puppet rulers in her place. Their duties were first and foremost to the kingdom, very like his own were. Such underhanded treachery clashed against their loyalty and morality and was, therefore, out of their reach. It was fine while they were under orders from the princess herself, but unless they received word soon, they and the council would have to make the princess's absence known. Six months for a quest was not a very long period of time.

Chefra scanned the faces of the Resistance. Some were doing well in hiding their emotions, but others were not so skilled at the art of masking them, namely the two teens, Ashei and Shad. They had been worried for Link's safety and now they were worried for the princess's as well. The four youths had been through far too much together for them to play this horrible game of waiting. He could tell that they loathed this forced inactivity just as much as he did.

~x~X~x~

Zelda stood, staring blankly at the ruined time gate in front of her before she set her jaw in determination. The Hero of Time had told her that finding Link and stopping Ganon were the most important objectives to save Hyrule. Therefore, taking time to try and find a way back herself was out of the question. She would just have to go alone, which was what she had wanted in the first place, wasn't it? She felt a shudder run through her.

A sudden worry flashed through her mind and she checked the pack that she had brought with her. She had left quite a few of the supplies with Chefra and she was not sure how much of them remained to her. She had not, after all, actually planned this course of action.

After a careful scan of the contents, she found she had enough food for about a week and a half, a blanket, and a cloak. By way of weapons, she had her rapier, Link's broadsword and a few throwing knifes. Her bow, the weapon she was most skilled with, had been left near the fire at the camp she had left behind and had no way of returning to. Making up her mind that this would have to do, she shouldered everything. For some reason, this unfamiliar canyon seemed unsafe to her.

The sky was still as black as pitch and she knew it would be several hours before the sun rose. She realized she would have to decide whether she should travel through the night or stop to make camp. If only Chefra were still with her, she thought miserably, because the best decisions were ones that were not made by only one person's opinion. She had to make up her mind soon. It was not exactly smart to travel at night in unfamiliar territory, but Ganon had such a head start.

"Bother decision making," she muttered. She decided to scout the path ahead of her for a while before she made the command decision. Behind the time gate, was a dead end and in front of her lay only one walled-in jaggedly curving path that cut through the towering rocks. If the trail stayed that way for the entire duration of this canyon, she would have no worry of losing the trail since it was a one-way path.

She tried desperately to quench all her insubordinate wayward thoughts of failure and fear as she stepped forward to scout ahead. The path twisted in front of her and she felt slightly skittish every time she neared a bend in the road, having not the slightest idea what peril might lay in front of her. The trail continued this way for nearly a mile before she stopped. Should she stop for the night, or should she continue onwards?

Turning, she scanned the shadowy path, and her question was decided for her. Off in the distance, she saw a glowing light floating above the ground as if someone were holding a lantern high above their head. It was an eerie pale blue color, not the familiar warming fire color a lantern should have been. Someone, or something, aside from her, was traveling this abandoned road. They were traveling at what appeared to be a leisurely walking pace, and almost seemed to be gliding steadily along. This person, or thing, had a very graceful stride for the glow was steady and the light did not flicker like it would have if it were being jostled by rough steps and an unsteady hand. They could be an enemy, she thought her spine pricking, But they could just as easily be a friend, she realized miserably.

There was a band of bright moonlight slanting across the canyon path, halfway in between them, slicing though the jagged shadows of the gully to bathe the rusty ground in an unnervingly calm ribbon of snowy white. She decided to wait until the thing, or person, or whatever it was, crossed the patch of light so she could see who it was and decide what to do from there.

As soon as it crossed the small band of cool light, she wished she hadn't waited. Biting her lip to keep from crying out, she looked frantically for a place to hide. There was no figure holding the lantern. It was seemingly floating all by itself- its spectral bluish light slowly drawing nearer and nearer.

She knew what it was. It was a poe, an evil spirit of the night. They used their lights to draw wayward travelers in, like the way a moth is drawn to a candle flame. They lured unsuspecting or lost people to their death by leading them into all manner of dangers. What made them especially dangerous was that, if they found out that a person had discovered their nefarious rouse, they would attack outright with their scythes. It was because they were spirits they were almost completely impossible for humans or hylians to kill. Aside from their lanterns they, and their weapons, were completely invisible.

Hyrule had once been plagued with these dark creatures but somehow Link had managed to get rid of most of them. Unfortunately, he had never told her how and she had never asked. All these thoughts went through her mind in a flash as she tried to decide what to do. The poe was almost upon her. If she ran, it would see her for sure.

She slowly backed herself into a shadowed corner of the uneven wall of stone that lined either side of the path. She held her breath as it approached. Cold sweat trickled down her forehead as it slowly made its way by her. She let out a soundless sigh of relief when it had passed five paces beyond where she stood; it had not seen her.

Then fear griped her again almost as tangibly as a hand, the poe stopped. Its lantern swung slowly around, and the unnatural blue light headed straight for her. Her eyes widened with horror as an odd high pitched airy chucking sound came from the apparition. She was almost frozen with terror, too petrified to move, as it drew ever nearer. Its inexorable laughing presence seemed sure of its catch; sure it had its prey at its very mercy.

Then, a memory of her father pooped into her head. It was of a time when she was very young and he had been teaching her how to use a sword. The words he had spoken to her then, echoed through her head, "When you are faced with danger always remember to act not react. Action places you in charge of the situation, and the momentum of either attacking or retreating will be with you. Reaction however puts your foe in control; he will have the power in the situation and that could be fatal. If you remember this it could save your life."

'Act don't react,' she repeated in her head. She shook herself out of her frozen terror just in the nick of time and sidestepped the poe just before it struck. Without stopping her initial motion, she ran forward down the shadowed gully. She stole a desperate glance behind her to see that the poe was in pursuit. Her weapons would not be of any use against such a foe. She felt her skin grow cold and her start to tense with fear. Her only hope was to outrun it.

Terror gave her a speed she did not know she had. She was long of limb and loved to run and soon she was outdistancing her foe. Smiling to herself with relief, she rounded a bend and skidded to an abrupt halt. In front of her were about three more poes. Gasping, she made a sharp turn and started running back the way she had come; thinking only that one of these dark creatures was preferable to three. However, it seemed that the poe that had started the chase was no longer alone. It had gained some companions. Both her forward and backward paths were blocked and the enemy started to close in. She whirled around again only to be faced by the monstrous creatures on all sides but one, the left side of the weather-beaten gorge wall. In desperation she ran towards it and started to climb. In her panic, she did not even have time to acknowledge the dangers of free climbing the thrity foot wall at nighttime.

She swarmed up the craggy sandstone with an agility she did not even know she possessed and soon she had reached the top. She pulled herself over, with some help from a clinging desert bush, and sped off along the ravine top.

The poes seemed to be having difficulty following her up and she used that hesitation to put a safe distance between herself and them. Her terror was so great that even the knowledge of this did nothing to slow her frantic pace. Link's sword and her satchel thumped against her back with every jolting stride she took. The weight of this, along with her own sword at her belt, was causing her to tire.

Without warning, her foot caught in a small cleft in the sandstone and she went sprawling. She almost regained her balance when she blundered into another low object, this one slightly pliant and about shin height. She fell, and landed in a rather undignified skidding face-plant. Panting heavily, she looked around her but could barely make out anything. The silvery frozen light of the moon had disappeared behind a bank of clouds, and he stars that were not covered, though many and bright, did not lend enough of their far off fire to brighten the shadowed ground on which she stood. She found herself wishing desperately that she could see. She began to wish she had a lantern, before she changed her mind. The absence of all the cold otherworldly blue lanterns was not something that was greatly missed.

Relaxing a bit, she tried to catch her breath and her bearings. Something was odd. She had been running across sand and hard-packed sandstone, but what she was on top of now felt like woven desert grasses. Peering around harder though the gloom, she managed to see what she had tripped on. She appeared to be ringed around by the inter-woven grasses, almost like a giant birds nest. Worse still, there appeared to be rather large white oblong forms around that looked to be about the same size and shape of ostrich eggs. She felt her breath catch with fear and she sat up slowly. Whoever, or whatever, built this was bound to hate intruders. She stood up gradually and tried to quietly back out of the circle.

She had not steeped more than one foot outside of the woven ring, when something flew at her, and collided with her chest. She fell backwards out of the nest, the thing clawing wildly at her. She desperately tried to wrestle it off. Whatever it was, was not very large, about the size of a small cat, but it was fighting in the frenzied manner of a cornered wild cat. She managed to throw it off only to have it come charging back.

Its sharp claws severed the sting that held the bottle containing the shard of twilight. The slash narrowly missed her unprotected throat. The bottle fell right onto a sharp rock and shattered. Zelda tried to scoot away from the savage creature only to have her hand encounter the now exposed twilight shard. The Triforce mark on her hand glowed so brightly that it momentarily scared her furious attacker away, but she hardly noticed this.

Her body felt horribly strange like she was losing the substance of the physical presence that anchored her to this world. She saw and could practically felt her body began to glow brightly as she started to fade away, as if she were becoming a spirit herself. Then suddenly, the change that should have been induced by any hylain or human contact with twilight magic halted as her triforce mark burned furiously. She felt herself becoming solid again and then the brief feeling of relief she had felt vanished in a shudder of pins and needles. It felt almost as if she were in the grips of a mortally dangerous fever. She knelt on her hands and knees, doubled over from the horrid sensation. Her very bones felt like they were shifting. She felt an agonizing pinch and she screamed, both from fright and from pain.

Evil cliff hanger I know but, the resolution to it will be up next week! Feedback is very appreciated. As always, thank you very much for reading! I wish you all the best of weeks until next time!

Question: do you think Tp Link harbors any resentment towards Midna for shattering the mirror, or do you think he understands/ or considers what she did to be necessary or for the best?

Personally, I think he would be more sad than angry. Though having someone drop out of your life out of the blue after you have reached at least to the best friend stage can be confusing and hurtful, the good thing is that he would know she had done it to save both of their kingdoms from further strife. So I think he would understand, but would still probably be hurt. Idk, though, because that is a tough question also.