Fan Fiction: Legend of Zelda
Title: Beyond the Boundaries
Chapter#9- The trials pt.2
"Uh, Nid? What the hell is this about?"
Midna asked as she and Link stared in confusion at the spectacle before them. Sitting atop a thick cushion was a young woman. Her skin was the same pigment as Nid but her hair was of a pale ivory color, shoulder length with her bangs completely hiding her eyes from their view. She had pointed ears similar to Nid, clad in a white sleeveless gown and three heavy-set gold bangles on each of her wrists and on both of her ankles.
The young woman sat cross-legged with her palms perched atop her knees with her middle finger and thumb touching, locked in a meditating state.
Nid walked in the front door and let out a loud,
"Ahh! So that's where ya've been hidin', eh?!"
Link saw the small framed woman flinch at the sound of Nids' voice booming across the room. Had he not been there listening closely Link would've missed the irritated grumbling noises coming from under the young woman's breath.
Nid crossed the room in fast strides and looped her arms around the young woman's neck and shoulders, obviously putting most of her weight into the embrace purposely.
"Ya big brat! I've been lookin' all over for ya only to find that you've been hidin' in the dinin' room hall all this time? Still as shy as ever, I guess!"
"Correction, my ill-mannered sibling. I've been meditating, concentrating my energies for the task at hand to ensure satisfactory results. However, your boisterous interruptions have disturbed the flow of my aura and I must now re-establish my former status in order for it to be efficient."
Her voice was soft but she had such a flat monotone Link wasn't even sure she was a sentient being. Midna seemed perplexed as she watched the whole thing but something about the atmosphere made her want to laugh.
"Oh, yeah. Before I forget. Rookies, this here is my sister, Anryu! She's really into the whole deep, aura mumbo-jumbo shtick so she can get a little weird at times. She's really shy so try not to scare the poor thing, eh?"
"Please cease in placing your unwelcomed weight on…me…Nid…"
Anryu's frame began to topple to the side Nid was leaning on, her shoulders shaking slightly with the pressing weight looming over her shoulders.
"Huh? Oh! Yeah, right. Sorry about that, kiddo!"
Nid pushed herself away from Anryu, nearly sending the girl straight into the floor face first. Anryu composed herself, all the while muttering irritably under her breath with some color hinting at her cheeks. Midna wasn't sure if it was from sheer shyness or from rising anger but all she know was that she was finding it very hard to keep herself from laughing out loud.
"In any case, we should get started with the second part of the training. If you two will please come with me, I will show you where we will be holding the training session."
Anryu held out her hand for them to take. Link looked to Midna first before reaching his hand out to Anryu's. Midna did the same. The two had their hands stacked onto each other on top of Anryu's open palm. In a moment that seemed to be a mere blink of an eye, Link found himself in the same place where they first encountered Shun, with Anryu and Midna nowhere in sight.
The gate was in ruin, the field was scorched with the sealing mark left by Hex when he sealed Shun away. There was a wide blotch of darkness on the ground a few meters away from the sealing mark……the big blotch being a small pool of Midna's blood from her near death experience.
Link looked at it with an uneasy look in his eyes. His brow furrowed, unsure what he should feel at this point. Many mixed emotions ran through his mind. Anger at himself from his not being able to protect her, hate for what Shun had done, despair from seeing her closed eyes and feeling her limp body, loneliness from thinking he had lost her……so many thoughts and emotions went through his mind that Link was sure he would burst.
"You remember, don't you?"
Anryu's voice rang out from the wind. Link whirled around, his eyes trying to find where she was only to find he was met with nothing.
"A-Anryu? Where are you? Where did Midna go?"
"You do remember, do you not?"
His eyes settled onto the dark blotch on the grassy ground. Anryu's form began to appear on currents of the soft blowing winds until she stood on the darkened patch of ground in front of him.
"Do you not…..Hero of time?"
Link closed his eyes briefly and nodded solemnly, the painful memories flowing into his heart and wrenching it unmercifully.
"Yes….I do remember."
Anryu heard his voice hoarse as Link spoke his reply, the wound obviously fresh I his minds' eye.
"Remember what you felt; the anger rising into your core, the heat of it rushing over your frame, the hatred seeping into your bones. All of those emotions welling up inside you as she lay there…."
"What…..?"
"Your blood freezes in your veins as she feels light and lifeless in your arms….."
"Please stop…."
Anryu saw his hands clench unbearably into a tightly balled up fist, his nails puncturing the leather wrapped around his palms and biting into his skin.
Not quite there yet.
"Everything around you becomes so surreal you think it's a bad dream……when in actuality it's your worse nightmare brought to fruition."
"That's enough……"
"But it doesn't stop there, does it? You feel cold, empty now that you think you have lost the one thing that had value, the one thing your heart truly desired most."
"I'm warning you….!"
Anryu saw his body begin to shake uncontrollably, his shoulders quivering with rising tension and his eyes, which were now fiercely shut, were showing signs of an inner struggle. A vein became noticeable at his temple; a bead of sweat rolled down his face and clung to his chin. Link was silently grunting as his turmoil began to escalate.
Almost there…..
"The hero of time….racing to save the one he truly cared for more than life itself, panic flooding your senses as you frantically race to save her life, fear consuming your every thought and your every action, desperation racking your nerves to the point of tears….and all the while she was there, lifeless and broken. Her features ashen, her body barely there."
"Anryu….!"
One more push…..
"So tell me, o great hero of time….." A sort of sarcastic tone laced her words,
"Where were you when your lover was struck down? Were it not for your incompetence Midna would not have been there. Your selfishness drew her here to Hemix, a world in which light and dark meld to create a link to both sides of the same coin. Have you no remorse, no shame in being the cause for Midna's brush with death?"
"SHUT UP!!!"
Link opened his eyes in a fierce flash blue and white, his frame now tense and quaking with unspeakable rage. Link let out a series of angered growls as his frame began to be engulfed in a swirling green energy emitting from his body. His fists were clenched and he grits his teeth as he seethed with white hot rage, blinding his senses.
His arms shake at his sides until the dormant muscle that lay beneath his flesh became large and hard, making his appearance seem to grow. His hands shake open and his fingers produce black claws at the tips, ripping through his gloves. His flesh tone dims to a shade of grey as fur grows from his flesh.
Link groans and growls with every shift in his body, pain searing through his frame like lava being poured from the mountain top. From where Anryu stood she could hear his bones crack as his face grew a snout and his teeth pointing at the edges until they became sharp fangs, a small line of drool coming from the corner of his mouth.
His body grew more and more, making his tunic bust at the seems as fur and muscle pumped into his body. Links hair grew as well, traveling down his back in a wild pattern. His elfin ears became sharper with fur overtaking them.
His feet burst through his boots and out came huge furry feet with black claws pointing out of them like his hands. His legs produced fur and muscle as his arms did and the growth made his leggings rip.
In a final shout, near roar, Link reared his head back and opened his jaws to let in his fangs at full length, completing his transformation.
Anryu stood a few feet from the seething beast and gazed in her usual monotone face. Link stood about three heads taller, his shoulders heaving with his heavy panting, his clothes shredded and dangling from his arms and legs. He settled down briefly, catching his breath with his feral eyes glaring at Anryu. His eyes maintained their cerulean hue but his iris' were narrow. His frame was feral but he maintained his human features.
He stood bow-legged before Anryu, his heavy panting ceasing only to be replaced with a low almost menacing growl, his chops scrunching at the base of his snout and his blonde hackles rising.
He has done it; Anryu thought in her mind as she stared down the beast-man, Link has obtained his ultimate form. Achieving this is only a foot in the door, however….
She then took on a defensive stance, spreading her bare feet apart and raising her arms preparing to fight.
Link must bring his senses back while maintaining that form. Otherwise the beast inside will rip his soul asunder.
Meanwhile……
Midna saw Nid flinch suddenly; something seemed to jolt Nid from her spaced out trance.
"Nid, is something wrong?"
The small woman shook her head and turned back to the Twilight princess, a grin spread over her face.
"Nah! I just sensed Anryu's training session with your guy had just gotten started, that's all!"
"What? You sensed that?"
"I just got through sayin' so, didn't I?! Geez, you're such a half wit."
You little piece of….!
"So, where the hell are we anyways? This doesn't look like the central axis."
"That's because it's not, dumb-ass! This is actually a place you should remember well enough. Take a good long look, princess!"
Midna raised her eyebrow and moved her head around. Her red yellow eyes grew wide as she saw her immediate surroundings. She moved her head as she took in the sight of the cove from the water temple, the very place where she had decided her true feelings, for both the light world and for Link himself. She remembered this was the place where Link was confronted by Zant and nearly…
"Yeah …you remember this place well, don'tcha princess?"
Nid spoke in a half mocking, half serious tone as she observed Midnas' expressions. The twilight princess looked on without even glancing back at Nid, the memories flooding back into her mind.
"W-Why am I here?"
Midna spoke with an uncertainty in her voice; as if unsure she really wanted to know why she was there. Nid rubbed the bridge of her nose and sighed.
"To reminisce, I wanted to take a run down Nostalgia Avenue. Whaddya think, you dolt?! To get the trainin' started!!"
"But why here?! Why in this place?"
Nid could hear something in Midnas' voice. They hadn't even started and Midna was already reaching the point of her threshold.
"This is your place of memory, you tell me. Or have you already forgotten about what transpired here?"
The way Nid spoke was enough to make Midna whirl her head around in Nids' direction, her eyes now dangerously narrow.
"What are you aiming at, you little troll?"
"Huh! Better than an imp! You should know better than anyone, Princess! Or do you think your eyes deceive you?"
"What?"
"Look around, princess! Take a good….long….look!!"
In a flash, Nid disappeared. Midna furrowed her brow in confusion until a faint sound caught her attention. It was the light sound of water, rippling silently from behind her. Hesitantly, Midna turned around to find herself looking down at the huge body of water as she stood at the grassy ridge that stood overhead like a cliff edge.
The sudden smell of grass and water flooded her nose and soon, the memories came with them. She suddenly looked down where her feet were and realized this was same place Zant was standing when he had afflicted Link with a continuous curse that was manifested into his forehead. With a grunt of disgust Midna moved away as if she were walking on hot coals.
She felt violated just by standing near it; a small chill shook her arms so, making her hands come around to hug herself.
"You getting' the big picture now, princess?"
Nid materialized before Midna with a dry smirk on her face. She could see the obvious discomfort Midna was trying to hide with a calm face.
"Alright, so? What now? Synchronized swimming lessons? I though we came to train, Nid!"
"Oh, we're definitely here to train, princess, only it's not gonna be the type of training you're used to."
Without breaking her glare away from Midna Nid slowly brought her hand up and moved it to the right, pointing at the water down below where they stood.
"See the water there? Go ahead, take a look."
Midna squints her eyes at the little being, suspicious of what Nid really had in mind for her. With cautious steps and holding her sight on Nid Midna complies. She doesn't turn away from Nid until she reaches the edge of the ridge and she looks into the body of water underneath, kneeling at the edge with her hands flat on the grassy ground.
"Okay…..so, what is it I'm looking at exactly?"
Nid lets out a low chuckle and waves her hand over the water, making little ripples appear. Midna looks on, thinking this was a huge waste of time on both their parts until a faint image begins to appear in the water.
"Heh, you'll see."
The image became clear enough for Midna to make out. She could see herself as her cursed imp form, kneeling beside an unconscious Link, trying to wake him from his state. From behind her Zant looks on in disgust. She sees when Zant pulls her away from Link and draws her near, trying to persuade her once again. Just remembering him being so near to her, feeling the rush of his rancid breath blowing past her ear, saying he "needed her"……..she felt her stomach churn.
"Yeah, you remember this right? Ugh! Such an ugly creature, that Zant! Kinda gives ya the chills, right? Rememberin' all this?"
"I don't want to see this anymore, Nid."
Midna spoke in a low tone but one that was laced with a sort of warning to it. Nid raised her eyebrow in interest and ignored Midnas' words.
"Ooh, gives me the creeps just by lookin' at him."
The scene proceeds on, showing Midna getting away from Zants' grasp and returning to Links' side. She remembered what she felt at that time. With Link knocked out cold she felt alone with Zant there to torment her, feeling his beady eyes watching her. She didn't want him to be the one "needing" her but rather, she made her mind occupied with the one that did.
The scene suddenly shifts, showing Midna standing with Link and Zelda in the destroyed throne room, discussing what was truly going on. She remembered Zelda showing her sympathy, exposing Midnas' enduring pains to Link. The moment was disturbed when Ganon began to manifest himself into a burning form of energy, roaring out as flames began to swirl.
She saw Link reach out for her, the realization barely hitting him as to what Midnas' true intentions were. Seeing that made her heart sink, though she did see his look of concern, she didn't realize he was reaching out in desperation for her, not as a princess, but as Midna herself.
The scene shifts again, this time to where the mirror stood idle as she, with princess Zelda and Link, conversed in the open-air chamber.
At seeing this Midna felt a twinge in her chest and a muscle jerk in her cheek.
'Oh, yeah …' Nid thought with a sort of pleased tone. 'She's about ready to burst!'
"H-How did y-you…..?"
"Huh! Please! Nothing is secret to us here in Hemix, princess! What involves one world, involves all of them. You didn't really think no one but you, Zelda and pretty boy were witnesses to the destruction of the mirror? A destruction I think you remember well?"
She pointed out to the water, making Midna turn away from her again.
This was where Midna was talking to Link. She felt he had a right to learn the mirrors' history and of its importance. However, though she and Zelda emphasized the opposing elements of light and dark and how they must never mix, deep down Midna did not want to believe that. It was impossible to believe such a thing, seeing as how the world of light was saved with both a light being and a dark being.
She saw herself closing her eyes and the single tear that slid past her lashes. She was beginning to feel sick just by watching this. It was bad enough that she had done such a thing as destroying the mirror but being forced to see it again, forced to relive that pain and forced to see Links' shocked expression, the same one when he was reaching out to her.
Nid saw Midna dig her fingers into the grass, her knuckles turning a dangerous white and a vein protruding from the back of her hand. Her fisted hands were crunching the grass beneath her palms as her arms began to shake with rising tension.
'Just one more push should do it.'
"Kinda sucks for you, huh? Ironic that you, the princess of Twilight, should be the one to destroy the mirror, the only thing linking the two worlds together. Maybe if you had waited a little longer before jumping the gun, perhaps the goddesses would've granted your people a sort of pardon and then you would've-"
Nid was cut off there when a violent bolt of energy blasted past her head, grazing her cheek and making a small line of blood spill over her cheek.
She turned around to see a seething Midna standing on trembling legs with her hand outstretched as it was the source of the energy. It crackled violently around her fingers, swirling around her hand and up her arm. Her eyes screamed death as they blazed in a fiery fury, beyond just being merely "pissed off".
'So much for one more push!'
"You! I've ….had ENOUGH of your mouth!"
Nid saw Midnas' dark energies rise from her shoulders and swirl around her body. Her hood flew off and her long fire-orange hair danced with the malevolent aura seeping from her energy. Hot tears streamed heavily from her cheeks as she stood facing a surprised Nid.
"If you won't shut the hell up, I'll shut it FOR YOU!!!"
At this point, Nid could see the dark energy begin to manifest itself, seeing Midnas' sides and shoulders pump up with something trying to be released. The dark energy began to crackle violently all over Midnas' frame, the heated tension rising to a dangerous high. The winds kicked up, blowing the grass and other loose vegetation around as Midna continued with her fury.
A searing pain surged through her upper torso and with a scream, Midna clutched at her sides with her hands trying to contain the pain. Though she was still angered beyond all reality Midna cried out more for the pain as it escalated, making it hard to breathe.
"W-What's ha-!!!!!"
Nid watched as extra appendages sprouted out from Midnas' sides, these were similar to her own arms and legs but they were completely black with the claws being neon blue. Two extra sets from each side and a set on her shoulders, ripping through her upper garments and surging with the same energy currents as her body.
The currents began to die down and Midna ceased in her screams of pain. The energy dimmed to small crackles, crackling around her body like small spasms. Midna breathed slowly as her hair settled down and the air from her energy coming to a slow halt. What was chilling for Nid to see was that Midnas' eyes were hidden behind her hair that was cascading in front of her head.
Slowly, almost menacingly, Midna righted her stance and composed herself, using one of her arms to swing her hair away from her face. Nid saw that Midnas' eyes were no longer a blend of red with yellow but now, her eyes were a solid color red. Fangs had grown from her mouth; Nid had barely noticed them were it not for Midnas' sudden fit of hisses.
"Alright! Now we're getting' somewhere!"
Nid stood a few meters from where Midna was and summoned her own waves of energy, a sly and vicious grin now spread over her face.
"Time to play, Princess!!!"
Nid roared out as she charged head-on towards Midna. With a snarl Midna ran towards her aggressor with equal vigor, each more than ready to tear into the other. Their energies met and clashed but it wasn't that that had smashed them apart. Nid flew in one direction while Midna flew in the other, howling as the force struck them with overwhelming strength.
Nid was the first to rise from the ground, groaning as she rubbed her head from the impact.
"What the-?!"
Before she could utter another word, a foot stomped in front of her face. Nid raised her eyes to see a tall woman standing over her with her hands on her hips and a less-than-amused look on her face. Realizing who it was Nid scrambled to her feet. She looked around for Midna only to see her on the ground and out like a light.
"Why are you here?! We were just getting started, damn you! How dare you intrude on my training se-"
"Nid! Just shut up for a second, will you?!"
She bit back the rest of her colorful speech and glared at the woman.
"Grab the Twili and come with me. There's been a change in strategy."
END
A/N: Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? Betcha thought I had forgotten all about this fan fic of mine, right? Well, You're WRONG!!! Nothing like a mind-racking cliff hanger to end a fan fic, huh? Don't worry, there's more to come, promise!! Anyways, tell me what you think! Worth the wait? I hope so!!