Chapter 10

I felt myself hit ground suddenly and felt drained. Had I been able to breath I would be gasping for breath right now, my skin felt as though I had been stuck inside a burning building. I managed to push myself to my feet and look around a bit, it was night and the sky was clouded over, maybe that's why I felt I was getting a little bit stronger as I stood here. As I continued to look around I suddenly heard something, it sounded like someone breathing, but not normally, it sounded as though they were dying. I turned to the source and was horrified at who I saw there. "Midna," I said carelessly forgetting who's back she was on. At the moment however I did not care for keeping my power a secret anymore and I ran over and slid to my knees to check if there was anything I could do. I had never seen anything like this at all though, the colour of her skin had completely inverted and even the normally white now black skin had faded to a near grey colour.

Suddenly we heard a voice that rang out from no where, "Link, hero chosen by the goddesses... Go to the princess locked away in the castle. That princess holds the key that can unlock you from your shadow form..." The voice stopped and I got to my feet.

"...Link... Chris... H-Hurry... Hurry... to... Zelda," Midna gasped and I looked down at Link.

"Link, let me carry Midna, this armor slows me down more then she ever could, plus I can barely fight at my current strength," I said so both of them could hear me. Midna seemed defiant to let me carry her at first but gave up after a few seconds and I lifted her into my arms, shielding her from anything that may come at me. "Lead the way Link," I said and we were off, even though I could barely walk I pushed on and ran to keep up with Link despite the pain. As I said though my pain slowly was decreasing for the moment, I was pretty sure it was sue to the lack of any sun or moonlight. I realized Link was bringing us to town, I was unsure for what reason at the moment however.

"C-Chris," Midna gasped and I put my fingers to where my lips would be to try and tell her not to speak. "I-"

"Stop wasting your energy trying to speak Midna," I said and she looked ahead at Link.

I sat there for a moment wondering what she was thinking and to my surprise I heard her voice in my head suddenly (from this point on anyone else's thoughts inside my head will be bold and italicized) "We're not going to make it..." I heard it but was almost certain she was not aware of it.

"WE ARE going to make it Midna," she looked at me in shock.

"Did you just-" she began to ask and I finished her question for her.

"Read your mind? Yes. Don't ask me when I was able to do it, I just did it for the first time, and remember I promised you, I would not let anything harm you, Zant has already done you harm, but... that was beyond my power in stopping. I will get you to Zelda though, even if it costs me my life," I said my eyes beginning to glow again.

"No... you can't give up your life for me. I'm nothing but-" again I didn't allow her to finish her thought.

"What? A weak insignificant little imp? Your more then that Midna, at least you are too me, and Link too, remember without you he'd be lost trying to find his own shadow," I said bringing a small smile to Midna's face. We had reached the entrance to town now, I looked at myself and realized I was probably at least twice as scary as Link's wolf form was. I looked around and noticed it had begun raining, or had been raining for a while possibly, then I spotted something useful. Oddly enough it was a large black piece of cloth the perfect size for me to wrap around myself like a hooded cloak. Walking into town there was a crest hanging with a decently thick piece of rope, regretfully I tore it down and stole the piece of rope to tie the cloak on, placing Midna on Link's back while I did so. I picked her back up when I was done and we rushed on, running by all the frightened citizens. I realized right away the guards would not let us by without a fight, so heading straight to the castle was out of the question.

Link instead led the way to Telma's bar and tried to waltz on in. Idiot, I thought to myself as he was thrown out with and with a slam the door was shut. We turned back, now unsure where to go but I heard a shutter open and I swung 'round and looked up to see Telma's cat. I used my mind reading ability in the general area around me so I knew what was going on.

"What are you doing trying to walk right in like that,"I heard the cat clearly. I felt Midna move and opened the cloak slightly to see if she was okay. "Oh, another patient, quite an odd one aren't you," the cat said.

"Please... P-princess Zelda," Midna managed to say and the cat pointed out there was a secret entrance to the castle inside the bar but Link would have to climb up where she had come from, and I would not exactly fit nor be able to skulk around up there. I nodded and put Midna on Link's back again.

"Don't you dare let her get hurt Link," I said and the cat meowed at me.

"Very interesting how you can speak without moving your lips but we can all hear you clearly, care to put that power to use in distracting the humans from your friends,"I nodded willing to do anything to help out Midna. "Perfect, you can walk in there like any other customer, as long as you have some rupees," The cat asked and I nodded again, "Once your friend enters the passage do you think you can leap up about that high?" The cat looked up to where Link was heading and I stretched my legs to test and then nodded. The cat made a motion to follow her and I did, and entered through the door.

My heart was pounding as I walked in and everyone including a Goron whom, I don't recall being here before looked at me. I walked over to the bar counter and Telma asked me in a slightly nervous voice, "What'll ya have?" I sat there a moment, remembering I had never drank in my life, nor could I at this moment. Hope this works, I thought to myself.

"Whatever's good is fine by me," I thought so that everyone in the bar could hear me. I was trying to keep my face shadowed by keeping my head down and I guessed it had worked since Telma went over and poured a decent sized glass of something that was about the same colour as beer. I snatched the glass so quickly my hand was not visible and walked over to a table near the corner.

Worried my hand had possibly been seen I quickly read the thoughts of anyone who could have seen me. No thoughts of my hand were heard until I focused in on Telma. "If I'm not crazy I think that guy's hand was at least three times the size of any human I've ever seen," I lifted the glass wondering what I was going to do, and no answer came at the moment so I set the glass back down.

Suddenly I heard Telma whistle an impressed sort of whistle and I turned my still cloaked head over to her, "That's some hand you got there, that actually the size or your armor just make it look like that," she asked and looking up slightly from under my hood I saw Link was about half way there. I stood hiding my hand beneath my cloak again.

"It just the armor," I said amazed at the way it sounded like I was actually speaking. I sat back down again and when attention had drawn off of my I remembered my power over fire and lifted up the glass, sticking one of the claws in and heating it until the entire glass quickly evaporated. I let out an internal sigh of relief and stood up turning my head to look for Link and he had disappeared from sight. The cat slowly walked towards the back where I had seen three or four people sitting, I stumbled forward, acting like I had drank a bit much already, and then feigned falling sideways, catching my balance and standing there. The Goron was not watching where he was going however and bumped into me, full out knocking me on my rear. Instinctively I caught myself with my hands however. One of which it was plainly obvious was not a hand, my hood fell backwards and my head was completely exposed. My eyes flashed brightly and I looked over so I could see both Telma and the strangers in the back room. Telma looked frightened and the strangers had all drawn weapons. Crap, I thought to myself running into the back causing all three of the strangers to prepare to strike at me.

An arrow and a sword both flew at me at once but by the time they had reached where I was standing I was already in the air, I bounced off the wall and flew across the room to where I could see the secret tunnel plainly was. I dropped a few rupees as I clambered up and jumped into the hole in the wall. After running a short ways I came to a room full of gold, I looked around and saw Link talking to a man made of gold, with a cat sitting on his head. Not long after noticing this conversation a treasure chest beside Link opened and he dropped inside. Not wanting to fall behind I quickly jumped down and jumped inside as well. It was quite the fall and I landed hard, cracking the cement slightly. The water flowing down this hill pushed me quickly downwards, I turned and began trying to run with the flow. I got going too fast too soon however and I began to slow myself when I was almost right next to Link. We dropped into some shallow water, with some of the biggest rats I'd ever seen floating around in it. I quickly grabbed Midna from Link's back again, "Let's go Link, go pull that chain, I'm guessing it opens the gate," I said pointing to a chain with a small handle on the end right next to a large gate.

Link pulled it and this water was up to my neck in depth, and not to mention very strong. I held Midna above my head as I picked up speed. I got going so fast I flew off the end of the downhill tunnel and landed narrowly on the edge of dry cement, or at least as dry as it gets down in the dank tunnels. Proceeding quickly now we ran into a couple skulltula, which were bigger then I remembered them ever being. Link made quick work of them and I used my fire to burn the web blocking the path away. I felt significantly drained after doing so however and asked Link if he could find something he could light on fire. He ran back and grabbed a stick and lit it with one of the nearby lit torches. He lit a couple torches along the way and climbed up to another web that burned away just as the stick went out. We ran toward the next room and were greeted by a little goblin with a club, Link quickly finished him off as I proceeded ahead. To my dismay it was a dead end and another goblin was here, he spotted Midna in my arms and swung to hit her. I curled in closer around her and the club bounced back on my armor. I then quickly smashed him up against the wall with my foot and he vanished. Link came running in and I noticed the ground in the middle of the room was soft dirt.

"Link, take Midna, get her to Zelda, I'll catch up, you can dig through in less time. I'll dig myself a hole," I said and Link shook his head.

"Link is right, we won't leave you behind,"Midna thought clearly making me hear it.

"I refuse to let myself hold you back, Link get her to Zelda, NOW," I ordered and hesitantly he dug a hole big enough for him and Midna to fit through. I sat down and begun scooping out large amounts of dirt that was in my way with my enlarged hand. Oddly enough I heard a voice in my head that sounded like there was actually someone standing right next to me, "Try your other hand," it said causing me to look around and then look back at the minimal progress I had made so far. I guess it's worth a shot, I thought to myself shoving my bow arm down to the hole, and to my shock it began to spin, not my whole arm but just the blades of the bow. It spun and spun, throwing dirt down into Link's hole and all over around me. It still took a short amount of time but I got through.

I landed in some shallow water and ran up some stairs to my left, and now I was at a very familiar place. I ran up this tower leaping across some of the gaps in the stairs that were still there but suddenly I was forced to stop when such a large segment was gone that I would never be able to jump it. I'm so close, I thought looking at the flimsy rope across the huge gap. It would never hold, there's gotta be... wait, of course, I thought backing down the stairs slightly. I ran forward and jumped at the wall, I jumped and curled the claws on my feet in a way that gave me grip on the wall. I quickly ran as far up the tower as I could before I fell down onto the stairs and found myself at the top. The door was wide open and I ran out into the open air.

Please no sun Please no sun Please no sun, I thought walking outside and to my luck it was still raining and cloudy out. I spotted Link all the way at Zelda's tower already. Damn that wolf is fast, I thought running against the wind which was picking up in gusts then dying back down. After maybe a minute I had made it to where I saw Link, the darkness had returned almost all of my strength finally. I hopped inside the tower and bolted up the stairs, nearly running into the door as I reached the top. Midna was on the ground panting heavily now and Zelda had her hand raised towards Link. I saw the sign of the triforce light up on the back of her hand as she raised her hand near Link's head. I read Midna's mind to find out what was going on, "It doesn't matter if I make it, as long as she can save Link."I fell to one knee and slammed the ground with my fist drawing everyone's attention to me for a moment.

Zelda looked startled at the sight of me even, "Midna, you've got to stop thinking like that. Zelda is there anything you can do for us?"

She looked at Link and began to speak, "What binds him is a different magic than what transformed him when he first passed the curtain of twilight. It is an evil power. Our world is one of balance... Just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil." I stopped and mulled over how this was a balance, both of those are light driving away an evil, I thought rather flustered with the stupidity of this. Zelda continued, "Head for the sacred grove that lies deep within the lands guarded by the spirit Faron. There you will find the blade of evil's bane that was created by the wisdom of the ancient sages... the Master Sword." I cheered within my own head. Link really does need a better sword already, I mean that other thing was rather weak, I thought to myself.

"Chris... Chris, can you hear me"I heard Midna's thoughts in my head once again.

"Midna what is it," I asked and even in her thoughts I could hear a voice of hopelessness.

"I need to tell you something... before... before, I die," she was managing to think all of this without changing her actual expression.

"Your not going to die I already told you!"

"Chris, please... just listen?" she asked and I was silent. "I needed to tell you, everything you've done for me so far, it's the... farthest anyone has ever gone for me... and... I think... I might be..." there was a long pause in speech and my thought speech at this moment, "I've fallen in love with you," she thought at the exact moment she began speaking to Link. "Fine... Link... You can... You can get to the woods... on your own, right? Princess... I have one last request... Can you tell them... where to find the Mirror of Twilight?" Zelda gasped at this. I had no where to go for amazement, still in shock over what Midna had said to me.

"Midna... I believe I understand now just who and what you are..." Zelda said and I felt a strange tingling all over my body. "Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead... These dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty. Accept this now, Midna. I pass it to you..." I realized what she was going to do and put my hand on her shoulder. "I know you can read my mind, so let go, this is the only thing I can do for Midna,"she burned her thoughts clearly into my head and I backed off instantly. There was a bright glow surrounding Zelda that then began to make Midna glow and float up.

"No! Link! Chris! STOP HER!" Midna yelled. Neither of us moved however, and at this point there was not much that could be done to stop Zelda as she now disappeared and Midna's original colour was restored ans she slowly floated closer to the ground until she touched down now in perfect condition. She slowly lowered her head and then closed her eyes and jerked it sideways. "We go back! Back to Faron Woods!" With that she hopped onto Link's back. "Zelda... I've taken all that you had to give... thought I did not want it." Link walked over to me and Midna warped us all outside the castle. I could see the sun was beginning to rise on the horizon so I quickly ran to keep up with Link but was stopped by a sound much like a flame.

I turned to see the castle with a large barrier all around it. The sun was coming up a lot more and I could feel the burning sensation I had felt during Nayru's test and when I came face-to-face with the light spirits returning. Both Midna and Link were angered by the barrier but I was trying to put up a front to block out the pain. The sun continued to rise higher and grow brighter however and as Link continued towards Faron Woods, I turned. Link stopped realizing I had not moved yet and they both looked at me. I looked back at them, the burning still not getting to me, I nodded and took a step forward, my leg suddenly giving out causing me to fall onto my hands and knees. "Chris," Midna yelled forcing Link to turn and run back to where I had collapsed.

"If I'm lucky I'll maybe last ten minutes in direct sunlight like this," I said unable to lift myself from the ground.

"Then we'll just have to warp closer," Midna said grabbing onto my arm and without question warping us to Faron Woods.

Another chapter down, already. Am I writing too fast for you all to keep up? Haha, well I just got really inspired all of a sudden. No new reviews lately... well I'll update as soon as I can, I get the feeling I'm going to get a lot of homework here soon though.