Hello.

I'm starting to get a little tired of doing the same greeting and sign-off message in every chapter. I imagine it's pretty annoying for you guys by now plus I don't have much to say in these author's notes anymore. So I reckon I'll stop doing it unless I have something important to say.

Chapter 15: Loss and Love

No word reached Skyloft about Callum. No communications came in from the missing Peacekeeper. Scrying mirrors showed only darkness when they tried to display him. Rescue teams found nothing as they searched the site day and night tirelessly. Link himself had gone back to the sanctuary to help but not even Fi could locate any trace of Callum. After a restless two weeks of silenc,e the Order had no choice but to presume Callum dead. With the loss of such a renowned agent, everyone on Skyloft mourned yet none more so than the Hero of Light.

The Peacekeepers held a memorial service for their fallen comrade. It was a large affair; every member of the Order not away on a mission had attended to pay their respects. Those who otherwise preoccupied sent messages when they heard the news. The council awarded Callum a medal of honor which they presented to Link on his behalf. In consideration of his companion's reports and the successful acquisition of one of the sacred medallions, the council even returned leadership of the Demon's Flames mission to Link.

Link did not care about being reinstated as the team's leader. He did not care about the honors. He did not care about his victory. All of that was insignificant to him. The only thing that mattered to Link was that once again he had lost the only family he had left, and it felt no easier the second time round. Since escaping the Fire Sanctuary, Link had hoped against hope that somehow Callum had survived. Scrying mirrors showed nothing but that might have been because they were being blocked by interference. It was possible was it not? But now, after so long without any news, even Link's faith had begun to waver.

Strangers came to him to offer their condolences, each saying how Callum had been a good man. It stung to be reminded that these people all knew him far better than Link ever did. It did not hurt as much though when his former trainers Jarret and Sarafi came forward. At least he felt close enough to them so that their sympathy bore meaning. Hell, even Dennis gave him some small comfort. Groose could never manage to find the right words to say so he remained silent, though Link appreciated it all the same.

Of course the person whose support Link felt he needed the most was Midna. Since returning to Skyloft she had not left his side once. Likewise she had yet to convey her thoughts and feelings into words although she hardly needed to. Throughout their time together, the two lovers rarely ever spoke about how much they cared about each other yet they understood one another well enough. Her mere presence was enough for Link. It had always been that way for him no matter what happened. He was simply glad that he was mourning one person.

Before the memorial, administration had given Link the key to his father's apartment. As Callum's next of kin, Link had a claim to the deceased agent's possessions, although he had been putting it off for some time now. He felt responsible for Callum's death and was reluctant to visit the now-vacant home. Midna had insisted that he go and offered to go with him if he felt uncomfortable. Eventually Link gave in however he told her that he wanted to do so alone.

He began to have second thoughts though when he stood at the front door. He was nervous about what he would find. Link had never been inside Callum's quarters before and to him the place had an air to it, as though he was trespassing somewhere sacred. His palms were sweaty and his breathing became short and hurried but he could not turn back now. He held the key in his shaking hands and fumbled a little bit before sliding the metal into the lock. Link turned the key, his heart pounding in his ears, and opened the door apprehensively.

Link was not sure what he had been expecting; a huge, luxurious room; desks cluttered with paperwork; every inch of the living space being meticulously maintained and tidy? The reality surprised him more than fantasy. While the room had the same plush furnishing that was standard on Skyloft, it was relatively Spartan for someone who had been living in it for sixteen years. The room had been well kept though it was not military-grade tidiness. The blankets on the bed were unevenly laid and large creases cut across them.

An object on the desk caught Link's eye. It was a medium-sized mirror held within a simple frame. The ancient runes scrawled around the circumference revealed the object to be a large scrying mirror. Many books filled the shelves on the opposite wall, some with titles that were written in foreign languages. There were also a few knick-knacks on the upper shelves, likely souvenirs from their owner's past adventures. There were figurines, precious stones, small ornate weapons and other curios that Link did not know the names of. A tiny box contained a golden necklace with a small ruby cut into the shape of a heart.

He picked up a wooden shape from the shelf and held it up for closer inspection. It was an ocarina, an old traditional instrument that played part in many celebrations back in Hyrule, particularly those regarding the Hero of Time. With a pang of sadness, Link recalled that his mother had loved listening to the ocarina. He guessed he now knew why. He brought the mouthpiece up to his lips and blew a simple tune. The sound was clear and beautiful. Wiping his spit from the wood, Link replaced the ocarina back onto the shelf.

Looking inside the wardrobe he found little in the way of clothing. Obviously Callum had not been the type to indulge in fashion. Judging from the wear and tear of some of the pieces, Link assumed that they were very old. His foot accidentally kicked into something solid, drawing his attention to a box on the floor. Link crouched down and picked it up. It was fairly heavy and made of fine wood with a simple latch that held the curved lid shut. He moved the chest over to the work desk then flipped the latch and opened the top.

Inside was a sizable collection of small disks that were arranged in neat rows. Link picked one out of box and studied it. The piece was thin and had a reflective surface. It too had ancient text around the outside yet they were clearly different to those of the scrying mirror. There were also markings etched in Hylian on the disks, this one labelled 'Link's Great Battle' with a date underneath. Link recognized the object as an archive disc. He had learned about them during his Peacekeeper training. The discs could be used to record images displayed on a scrying mirror and replay them at a later time. The Order frequently used them for various purposes including collecting information, analyzing events and providing evidence when necessary.

Taking another look at the mirror on the desk, Link noticed another device attached to the frame with a compartment that could be opened from the top. He placed the disc he picked up in the round cavity inside, finding it to be a perfect fit. He closed the compartment lid and sat on the desk chair, watching the mirror's reflection shift out of focus. The scene showed the throne room of Hyrule Castle, partially broken similarly to how Link had remembered seeing it during his first and only visit there.

In fact it was exactly how he had seen it that day. Sitting on the throne was a face Link still had nightmares about, the man responsible for the chaos that had torn apart Link's world, Ganondorf. The Gerudo rested his chin on his fist arrogantly as he watched two figures enter the room, one being Link himself and the other being Midna still in her cursed imp form. A damaged statue representing the three goddesses stood over the throne, a replica of the Triforce in its center. In the heart of the three triangles was the lifeless body of Princess Zelda, completely unaware of what was about to transpire.

Present day Link heard the characters recite the same conversation that had been spoken back then, every word spoken clearly as though he was right there in the room. He watched as the warlord broke apart into Twilight particles, Midna attempting in vain to restore Zelda, and his love being flung out of the throne room entrance when Zelda opened eyes that were not hers. He saw himself fight the Princess of Hyrule, Midna rejoining the battle and purging the evil from Zelda's body, Ganondorf reappearing in the form of a hideous beast, Link and Midna combining their strength to defeat the monster, and finally the Twilight Princess bringing her counterpart back to life.

The heartfelt reunion was interrupted as Ganondorf rose again for another round. Present Link knew what was about to come and wanted to look away yet his eyes were fixed to the vision before him. Midna warped her friends out of the room to the safety of Hyrule Field then confronted the Dark Lord alone with the power of the Fused Shadows, transforming herself into a spidery energy being. Instead of following Link, the scene continued as the two forces clashed, the surrounding building obliterated by the battle. It did not last long though as one devastating blast from Ganondorf vaporized Midna's empowered body. The sight chilled Link's heart. He had to remind himself that she miraculously survived that battle.

The scene then changed to display Link and Zelda in the fields. The castle fell to pieces in the distance. Ganondorf rode out of the city towards his remaining enemies, his previous opponent's headpiece crumbling in his gauntlet. Phantoms in the Dark Lord's image followed him in formation, ready to descend upon their helpless prey. The light spirits pulled the Hero and the princess away at the last moment and onto Epona's back. Now on equal grounds, Link cut apart Ganondorf's minions with ease as Zelda shot him with the holy Arrows of Light.

After taking a few hits from the divine power, Ganondorf fell off of his horse, rolling in the dirt and cursing furiously. Past Link dismounted Epona, his face twisted with a hatred that his present self was shocked to see. The two warriors raised their swords and fought for their lives as well as their honor. Seeing the battle from this perspective, Link could not believe his own eyes as he beat back the Gerudo's attacks and finally impaled him with the Master Sword. Ganondorf spat his last insults and threats before dying in a crumpled heap.

Past Link collapsed to his knees and began shaking. Though no sound could be heard, Link could tell from his own memory that he was crying for his lost companion. The light of the spirits shone brightly atop a nearby hill then dissipated as a tall dark shape stood in its place. Seeing that Midna was alive and unharmed Link felt as happy and relieved even now as he had been back then. He saw himself run up to embrace her then the image went blank.

Link returned to the small chest and picked out another archive disc at random. This one was titled 'Amanda and Link Fishing'. He switched the disc in the reading device with the new one and looked into the mirror again. This time the glass displayed Ordon Village, peaceful and undisturbed on a bright sunny day. Sitting on the pier by the lake was ten year old Link next to his mother, both with a fishing rod in their hands. It was not very exciting yet Link was completely absorbed in the image.

Amanda was beautiful beyond words. Her skin was fair, her eyes were a deep green and waist-long hair was the same dirty blonde as her son's. She laughed at her little boy's failed attempts at fishing. Young Link was not quite getting the hang of the activity and would not stop fidgeting or pulling in his line too early, thus scaring the fish away and making things more difficult. His mother instructed him to be patient. Her gentle voice was just as lovely as Link remembered it. Soon after finally settling down, his young self turned frantic once again as something began yanking at his rod. With his mother's help, Link successfully landed his first fish, an Ordon catfish. The Hero remembered tenderly that they ate that same fish for dinner that night. He had felt so proud of himself back then.

One after another, Link played the archive discs start of finish. He watched himself taking his first steps as a toddler, his mother encouraging him all the way until he fell into her open arms. Another showed Amanda singing her son to sleep, her voice as sweet as honey. There was one that featured Link practicing with a wooden sword with Rusl at the age of eleven. The next showed Link riding Epona at thirteen. On and on Link continued to go through the collection, each disc containing a moment of Link's life. He could not believe that Callum had kept so many of these recordings, most of which were hardly important. The fond memories were nothing more than that; fond memories.

Link hung his head in his hands as tears began to form in his eyes. Goddesses, he had been wrong about Callum, so wrong. His father had cared about him and his mother. All these years, Callum had been watching them through this scrying mirror, recording any little thing that he felt was memorable. And Link had the gall to accuse Callum of abandoning his family. All of that anger Link had harbored, all of that hate, had been based on absolutely nothing. His shoulders began to rack as choked sobs escaped him.

All of the tears in the world could not express the guilt and regret that he now felt. He had been so stupid. If he had not been so stubborn and listened to Callum, he would have gone with him to Fire Sanctuary. They would have found the medallion long before Ghirahim appeared and maybe his father would still be alive. But Callum was gone and Link had no one to blame but himself. Some chosen hero he turned out to be.

A gentle hand on his shoulder made Link jump, snapping him out of his self-pitying. He raised his head up to see Midna looking down at him sadly. He had not even heard her enter the room though it hardly mattered. Without a word, he stood up and she wrapped her arms around him soothingly. He held her tight, afraid that she could disappear forever.

"You were right," he whispered, his voice shaky. "I was such an idiot. Now Callum's gone and it's all because of me. I should have listened to you."

She gave him a reassuring squeeze. "You did listen. Even though it took you a while to get over yourself, you came after us. If you hadn't then Groose and I would be dead as well. I'm so sorry about Callum Link but none of it was your fault. It was his choice to stay behind so that we could escape and it was Ghirahim who caused the cave to collapse in the first place."

She pulled away so that she could see his face and cupped his cheek with her palm, using her thumb to wipe his tears. He raised his hand up and held hers in place. "You couldn't have known what was going to happen. You tried to save him but there was nothing you could do, so please stop blaming yourself. I hate seeing you like this."

Midna brought her lips to his and kissed him. Link pulled her in closer, deepening the kiss, savoring every second as though it would be his last. He found comfort in the taste of her mouth, in feeling her fingers run through his hair, in stroking his own up and down her back, in the beating of her heart against his chest. A wise man had once told him to hold on to Midna and never let her go, and Link made a promise there and then that he never would.

When they parted for air Link gazed into her fiery eyes. Within those crimson irises was an understanding that he would never find anywhere else, not in a million years. They had seen the suffering he had endured, the nightmares that tormented him, the moments where he managed to draw on one last ounce of strength even though he was tired and bleeding. They knew that he was not invincible, that he could feel pain, that he had limits, that he was mortal, and he could see in them that she wanted nothing more than to comfort him in his suffering. She was his greatest treasure, worth more to him than gold or diamonds, and he would protect her for as long as he lived.

"Ghirahim isn't going to get away with this," he said at last. "Neither is Brandon. They're both going to pay for what happened to Callum, I promise. I'll get the medallions back even if I have to tear them from their cold, dead bodies."

Midna gave him a small smile. "I know you will. But remember that you don't have to do this alone. I'll stick with you no matter what."

He let out a brief chuckle. "How do you do it? Whenever I fall to pieces and don't know how to go on you always manage to put me back together."

"I dunno, I guess I just have a knack for it." Her gaze shifted from his to the mirror on the desk. "So those people were you and your mother right?"

Link nodded. "Everything in that box is about me and my mom. There's so many of them. I still haven't even gone through even a third of it yet."

Midna leaned over the case and plucked out a disc. "Well how about we watch them together then? I'm curious as to who my boyfriend was before he became a legendary hero."

Smiling, Link took the record out of her hands and placed it inside the reader. The two of them cuddled up on the desk chair, she sitting on his lap as Link narrated each playing. They stayed there as the hours flew by, oblivious to the sky outside the window shifting into the black of night. Watching these memories no longer filled Link with sorrow, instead he smiled fondly as he shared them with his princess.

Link woke up the next morning with Midna still sleeping up against him. He sat up on the mattress, careful not to wake her. In a moment of confusion Link looked around the strange surrounds before he recalled that they were still in Callum's apartment. They had spent all night in front of the scrying mirror and had taken to falling asleep on the bed. 'Whoops,' he thought, glad they had not done anything more to desecrate his father's home.

He heard a drowsy moan come from Midna and turned to see her stir beside him. She opened her eyes and raised her head to him slowly. Link lowered himself to greet her with his lips, coaxing her further up off of the bed as he leaned away until they were both upright. Midna rubbed the sand from her eyes before giving him a warm smile.

"How are you feeling?" she asked him.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Better." He let out a long sigh. "I just wish I had more time with him, to get to know him properly."

"I'm sure Callum wanted that too," she replied. "But he also would have wanted you to move on and be happy rather than living every day wishing things had happened differently.

Before he had the chance to agree with her there was a knock at the door. When Link went over to answer he found Groose there to greet him. "Hey," the redhead said, scratching the back of his head nervously. "How're you holding up?"

"Had it a bit hard yesterday," Link admitted. "Found Callum's collection of archive discs. Had a whole bunch of stuff on them about my mom and I." He gestured inside, "You wanna come in?"

The Hero's friend accepted the invitation wordlessly. "I went to your place earlier but I couldn't find you." Groose caught sight of Midna still in Callum's bed but said nothing more than a hello. "I went around the base looking for you and then I decided to try here."

"What's up?" Midna asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

"The guys in the lab have worked out were the last medallion is. Apparently it's in the Twilight Realm."

Midna twisted her mouth anxiously. "It's been a while since I left my home world. I'm a little nervous about what might have changed since I... died." Link understood her hesitation. When they joined the Peacekeeper Order together, Midna had to fake her own death in order to leave behind her old life as the Twilight Princess. Thinking about returning there must be bringing back some unwanted memories.

"Do they have any idea exactly where it is?" she asked.

Groose nodded. "They think it's in some ruins called the Dark Tomb."

The Twili's head bobbed knowingly. "I know the place, it's far from the palace but I can warp us there easily."

Link crossed his arms, furrowing his brow in thought. This was it, the last key to the Well of the Accursed left to find. So long as the Order held at least one of the other medallions, it would not matter who found this next artifact. And since the Peacekeepers have the Mirrors of Twilight under guard, Brandon and Ghirahim could not possibly get into the Twilight Realm. Still, they could not take any chances and it would be better to keep the final medallion out of the Flames' hands.

"Alright," he stated, "looks like we're going back to the Twilight Realm."

So how did you like that chapter? I had originally wanted to add a lemon into this scene but I decided that I wanted my first story to be appropriate for a wider age range in my audience. Don't fret older readers as I have plenty of story ideas for the future that I intend to sex up.

Feeling so hyped that Pokemon X and Y will finally be released worldwide this weekend. I don't think people are going to see too much of me once I get my copy on Saturday. :D