A.N.: The next chapter is hereee! * claps hands*
I don't really have anything to say, other than the first and the second chapters have been rewritten, and you should check them out to keep up with the story ^^' (though there is only one thing really been changed and it is in the first chap buuut...)
And, because I still haven't rewritten all of the chapters I will rewrite, I won't promise that there wouldn't be some confusing moments in the story before I'll get all of them rewritten, but everything will become clear before soon!
As always, italics are thinking or animal/spirit talk.
Hope you like it, and if did or have something bothering you with the story, leave a review! And of course, constructive criticism is also allowed!
I own only my ideas and OC's, everything else belongs to Nintendo!
Chapter 10
"Colin was on her saddle when Bulblins attacked, and she got scared so much she galloped through the wall of twilight!" Link panicked.
"But the boy you are talking about isn't here, is he? Eeehee!"
"There is nothing to laugh for, Midna! A ten-year old boy is somewhere in these woods alone!" She rasped, showing her long fangs. She was worried and angry at the same time, worried of Colin and angry at herself for failing looking after the boy, but also at Midna for being a careless idiot.
"Woah, girl! No need to go crazy there!"
"No need to? You are the one crazy here, imp! He's alone in the twilight-covered woods which is full of those monsters... Your monsters!"
That was when Midna snapped. Her long, pointy ears of an imp twitched, eyes narrowing into glowing, orange lines standing out from her dark face. Small hands wielding supernatural powers of shadows were squeezed into fists as she bit her teeth together to prevent herself from harming the wolf.
"You better watch your words, little wolfie..." she deeply growled between her teeth, eyes pressed shut.
"I would not like to let those monsters of mine, as you said,to find you limbless on the ground! Oh, what would be the fate of the world of yours then? Or mine?" She spoke in a nervously calm, almost threatening voice that got Link's muscles tremble. The wolf glanced backwards at the imp, squinting her eyes.
"Have you even thought anything, even one thing, about light and shadow? Have you thought that neither of these two worlds would exist, if the other one didn't?"
The question caught Link off guard, and by being unable to answer in any way, the imp slapped her bottom with her third hand formed from her hair. Link's wince was barely noticeable, but of course it didn't avoid Midna's eyes, furiously glaring down at her.
"I should have known that you haven't! Do you really, really think that I brought those monsters here? I wish for your best that you didn't, because it wasn't me!" Midna's voice was just loudly enough to get Link shut her left eye for the strong feeling of her ears being torn apart. A deep sigh of the imp relaxed Link's tensed muscles, the wolf let her tail drop a level lower from the position of pointing skywards. Midna hung her head for a short moment, mumbling calming words to herself. As she lifted her head, the expression on her face looked calmer, her eyes returning to normal from narrowed.
"Now, listen carefully. Those monsters you have slain, the ones I helped you to slay, they are mine. They are and always will be, the denizens of my world, the world I ruled and the world which once was in peace." Midne took a deep breath, and without a look Link could tell she was on the edge of falling apart. The wolf's eyes were slightly widened for the fact that the beasts were hers. She let out a whine with a little supportive tone in it. "Those people of mine, they were stolen from me. They were transformed into the monsters you have seen, and they were put to conquer the world of light, to stole and hide the light of this world for ever, so it would never be regained. And this all had been done by the one who had usurped my kingdom, the kingdom of Twilight. He, the usurper king, didn't pay attention to that one little thing called the balance between light and shadow, and according to it, this place right now would be non-existing, just formed by white light or black shadows."
There was a pause where only the breaths of the two beings abandoned by their worlds were audible. Link's eyes were frozen, staring at Epona's spirit, no emotions showing up.
Midna broke the silence by sighing, and gently stroking Link's thick neck fur.
"I'm just trying to say, I came here to search for the one who would save the two worlds, and redeem the balance, the blue-eyed beast. The divine beast, you. I'm trying my best to say, that if we let the twilight overcome the light, both would disappear in seconds, which would mean that there would no more be a world where to live, which again would mean that we, we all, would fade away into nonetheless and everything would stop being. We have wasted too much time, Link. The light that had been kept alive by the spirits, is dying off along them. We have no other choice but to hurry and save the world, and not just yours, but also mine."
Link sighed. The burden on her shoulders had just doubled its weight. She had two worlds to save. She understood, and didn't even try to say anything as an answer.
But she couldn't help a light smile appearing on her lips by the fact that Rusl had said her a similar thing few days ago. When everything had been fine.
You knew it, you knew it wasn't just a legend. It was a reality living within us... A beautifully horrible, painful reality.
"Let's go now. We have two worlds to save! Eeehee!"
Link gave the spirit one last glance, which quickly wandered its way upwards and at the black cloud of twilight, before spurting off to kill the insects of shadows. Maybe, just maybe, by regaining the light, she could also save Colin and Epona...
The white wolf whizzed among huge oaks like a silvery arrow, with such a speed she didn't know was possible to have. They were chasing her, and she had to run. She wasn't sure how long it had been since she had left the clearing, but her inner clock told her it had to be at least two hours. Had she really run for two hours? It couldn't be true. She wasn't even tired, feeling exactly the same strength flowing through her muscles as when she had first plummeted into the embrace of the woods. Not even a sound came behind her, there were no one at her tail, but she would not like to take the risk of being caught by the black shield-headed beasts if she'd take a break. The surrounding woods was quiet, the only sound being rustling leaves below her paws.
The moment when she decided to slow down was when under her carefully placed step weren't leaves or grass, but something cold and hard. She halted herself and looked down – a stone tile. When she lifted her head, she realized the ground was covered with them. A frown. She spotted something resembling ruins behind an exceptional huge tree, and with curiosity went closer. A very quiet sobbing reached her pointy ears as she drew near the ruins – they actually were ruins of something – and as she peeked inside, she gasped silently.
How is this possible?
Inside the little shelter which the down crumbled stones had made sat a little boy, alone. His head was down, leaning against his together clenched knees, arms wrapped around his legs, squeezing them against his chest. Sensing the presence of someone, he lifted his head slowly. Though it was dark, she could clearly see his reddish eyes caused by crying, and fresh tears streaming across his wetted cheeks. His eyes widened in shock as he noticed the wolf, but was either too exhausted or too scared to move himself from the sitting position. The wolf took a step forward, tilting her head and trying to look as friendly as possible.
How can he be here?
The boy backed against the back wall, chest rising and falling in a fast pace. She could hear his heart beating. A far away shriek got both of them to wince. The boy was on the edge of panic, and she had to find a way to keep him in the shelter. They were catching up, and she knew it. She could not risk his life and let them get him, it wasn't even an option.
Another shriek. They were drawing closer.
She glanced the boy, who was staring her with wide eyes. What should I do..? Goddesses help me, I have to protect him! She glanced helplessly around, trying to figure out something. She couldn't fight, she probably could not protect him from the beasts. She couldn't even protect herself.
The ground shook slightly.
"W-what was... that..?" the boy asked, his voice trembling, being barely audible. Panic started to grow inside the wolf.
Oh goddesses, what should I do?!
She saw the boy trying to stand up, and growled at him. He winced and gazed her, unsure of what for she had growled. The wolf whined, lightly shaking her head. Slowly and carefully he sat back down.
"S-should... Should I s-stay here?" The question barely reached her ears, but she nodded. She noticed the boy had calmed down a bit after realizing she meant no harm to him.
Heavy steps of running monsters shook the ground once again. She glanced at the woods over her back.
"D-don't worry, wolf..." She turned her head as the boy spoke, voice still quiet and trembling. "I will be a-as quiet as I c-can... Just please... Don't l-let them get m-me..." The white wolf smiled nervously at him, and plunged out among the huge oaks. He shut his eyes tight as soon as she disappeared from his view.
The trees surrounding her seemed to be alive. She could hear them sighing heavily, gazing down at her and observing her every move like watchmen set to keep vigil on the area. Their thick branches interwoven together, the crown creating a natural ceiling above her, she felt trapped in this grove forsaken by the three goddesses. The ground had stopped shaking, the beasts sent by the usurper king lurking in the shadows, hiding out of her sight. Her muscles tensed, she quickly glanced around, saw nothing, yet feeling a heavy breath warming up her backside as cold shivers ran down her spine.
A deep growling from behind got her to spun around in a speed of light, just to be paralyzed by overflowing fear. Her lips departed into a soundless scream, an icy shudder cutting through her already trembling body as the eyeless, merciless gaze of a beast pierced her very soul. Vacuously, heavily breathing the monster towered over her, the long tentacles behind the shield-head living their own lives like headless snakes ready to strike. The atmosphere being threatening so near the monster, darkness and shadows reaching their limbs eerily towards her, she seemed to sank under the pressure and fear. For a tormenting moment everything was quiet, the silent oaks bending their branches and lowering gazes at the wolf and the monster, the whole world seemed to be waiting.
The moment flew past in seconds, the beast awakening from its trance like something had clicked in it. The wolf still frozen by enormous fright, the beast lifted its long arm – or a foreleg –, claw-less, uneven fingers tensing for a deadly strike. Releasing the muscles, the hand whooshed downwards, slicing the air. The wolf seemed to recognize the movement, but not being able to react fast enough. Those bony, hard fingers of the beast hit her right side with such a power they tore through her skin, before tossing her high in the air. The howl of agony was cut off by the beast, which slammed the wolf roughly at a thick oak as she was falling down from the air. A short yowl escaped from her throat as her head banged against the hard wood. Her mind being empty, vision blurring by the impact and pulsing, sharp pain in her right side, she saw the monster crawling closer, creepily tilting its large head and letting out a hollow scream, which stayed reverberating in her ears. Her eyes filled with blackness, and from the very last cracks of the black curtain, she could see the monster lifting its forelimb once more, preparing to give her the very last blow.
At the moment, Link had arrived in front the tremendous tree where she had saved Talo and the monkey half a week ago. Now she was listening the very monkey's spirit form whispering to herself. A single tear of light was still hovering in the air, but Link had decided to collect it after the monkey had spoken.
"Huh? The insects are gone?" She glanced around to ascertain before relaxing, being relieved of the insects being finally gone.
"Oh, good for me... There have been scary monsters roaming everywhere... ever since the boss went funny in the head." Her voice was barely audible, but because Link wasn't a spirit, she could slink closer to hear better.
"And something led those kids from the village through the woods and here... The whole forest seems to be so weird right now... What has happened here?" The monkey was looking at the thick spider web and a dark cave behind it the whole time she spoke, and it got Link to frown frustrated. Yes, she indeed wanted to know what exactly had happened there, though she partly knew.
Shaking the thoughts off of her mind, she collected the last tear, feeling it lit a burning sensation inside her. At the same second, out of her burst a flash of light, forcing her to close her eyes, and even then everything was blinding white.
In the next second she found herself at Faron Spring, which was still covered in twilight. Before Link could even frown at the sight, the vessel of light now full of tears, literally jumped out of her and returned in the waters of the spring. She could hear the hiding spirit recovering with a whoosh of wind, as the light drove the twilight away. The familiar weight on Link's back faded away with the twilight as Midna turned into a shadow levitating in front of her eyes.
"Aww, but the forest was so nice in the twilight... I don't get it what you light dwellers see in the world of light... Twilight is so much more exciting, eehee! See you later!" At the same second as Midna disappeared into her shadow, the spring lit up to glow golden, another ball of light rising from the water. Around it formed hands, holding the ball tightly against the chest next to be formed. Link couldn't see a proper animal figure this time – the spirit had rather small body, very long tail that was rounded vertically around him, and long ears pointing backwards. After all, he somehow was manlike.
Link concentrated to listen the wind, but this time the voice of the spirit sounded very similar to slightly rustling leaves, now when he was in his full powers.
"My name is Faron." the spirit spoke, the surrounding trees proudly carrying his voice. "I am one of the spirits of light who dwell in Hyrule. I protect this forest by the order of the goddesses."
Link couldn't help but smile, it was good to see the forest as it had always been, full of life and sounds of nature.
"O brave youth... As the land was covered in twilight, where people roam as spirits, you were transformed into a blue-eyed beast..." The branches of the trees bended lightly as the spirit breathed in, the whole forest moving along him.
"That was a sign..."
Link's gaze filled with questions, she stepped still hesitantly.
"It was a sign that the powers of the chosen one rest within you... and that they are awakening." The spirit looked straight into her eyes before saying the next words. "Look at your awakened form..."
For the first time since vanquishing the twilight, she looked at herself, eyes widening in both, shock and amazement. From head to toe, she had not a single cloth on from the last time she had been in a human form. Brown boots were covering her feet, and light brown, tights her thighs. Under the green tunic she was wearing was a chainmail, and under it a simple, white and long-sleeved shirt. She had a kind of fingerless gloves covering her hands and forearms, and protecting the sword-hand with a small metal part. On her back were a sword and shield, obviously the ones she had stolen from the village, and on her head a long hat, which end reached almost at the middle of her back. As Link examined her clothes, the spirit continued.
"The green tunic that is your garb once belonged to the ancient hero chosen by the goddesses... His power is yours. His is the true power that had slept within you." Link lifted her gaze at the spirit.
"Your name is Link. You carry the name of a hero. You are the heroine, that had been chosen by the goddesses."
Another, soughing breath.
"Brave Link... Deep within these woods of mine, rests a dark power that had been locked away in the temple long ago by me and the other spirits of light. It is a forbidden power. Because of its nature, it is a power that should never be touched by any who dwell in the light." Link barely remembered to breathe, so concentrated she was listening him speaking. Now she knew what the monkey had meant... and why she had stared at the temple's entrance.
"But this world weeps beneath a mantle of shadows, and so there is no choice... You must match the power of the powerful shadows. You will find this forbidden power, in the temple in the forest depths, but be careful. Deep in the temple sleeps the one, who had been trapped by the power..."
The spirit faded away, leaving behind small balls of light, which scattered into the woods after turning into fireflies. Link was left standing in the light of rising sun, speechless. Deep in her thoughts, she stared at the woods. She stared at the gigantic tree which wasn't visible, but she knew it was there. She knew it in her very soul, almost being able to hear the hollow sighing of the tree and feel the gloomy, heavy air flowing out of it every time it blew out a gust of wind.
The tree was alive.
Link was sure of it. Thanks to her long, pointy Hylian ears and sharpened senses, she could hear the surrounding trees breathing, the waters whispering useless words among their vivid rippling, and the wind calling her name.
The whole woods was alive. Had always been, through the time and existence. Link had always been the one in Ordon and Faron who felt watched in the woods – but not in a bad way. It had felt like the nature around her was following her moves, protecting her along with the power of the two light spirits. The denizens hadn't believed as she had told them how she felt, but they hadn't known, and she doubted they ever will. She was certain that it – the feeling of being guided by the woods, being watched and protected – had something to do with the mark on the back of her hand, like all of those things happened to her. Her transformations, the twilight, those creepy monsters invading the land... The whole world of light, and shadow, had something to do with her.
No.
She had something to do with them. And it wasn't just the fact she was the heroine chosen by the goddesses, or that she would have to restore the balance between light and shadow – it was something much, much more than she could ever imagine. But she didn't know what it was, or why it was.
After the long, quiet moment filled with thinking she had kept, Midna yawned in her shadow.
"Well, now you should know why you turned into a beast, shouldn't you? What a shame, though... Maybe you'd rather just wander around as a spirit, like the rest of them... being totally unaware of what was happening for all eternity, right? Eee hee hee!"
She popped out of her shadow just as Link finished a deep sigh.
"Sooo... You are going to head to that temple, right?"
Link nodded, unsure if it was a question or not. Midna giggled childishly, her lips widening in a grin.
"Well, isn't that convenient! I was about to head there myself!"
Oh no you weren't, you little liar.
"But hey... If I remember right, you wanted to help your friends... The way I see it, they could be in that temple, waiting for a rescuer..."
As if... she rolled her eyes, shifting her weight from other leg to another. "Well, I wish you good luck... Mrs. Important Heroine! Eee hee hee!"
Link wanted so badly to draw her sword and stab that imp, but unfortunately it was impossible now when she was just a shadow.
At the second Link was taking a step towards the short tunnel, a very familiar whistling reached her ears. A smile rose on her lips before she could even recognize. She spun around on her heel to see the silhouette of Fyol to tighten his wide wings against his sides and dive down from the sky, towards her. The hawk flapped his wings a few times before lightly landing on Link's outstretched arm, immediately receiving a slight stroke from the girl. "Have you been good, Fyol?" she smiled. His eyes lit up as Link said his name, and he spread his wing a bit, pleased. He had last seen Link as a wolf, and was happy to see her back in his original form, in different clothes, though.
Just then Link noticed a small scroll in his talons, looking at the hawk with questioning eyes while carefully taking it in her hand. "What is this?" she mumbled to herself, opening the scroll. It was from Rusl.
"I can only wish it is you, Link, who will get this.
If it is you, I thank the goddesses for protecting you from those monsters.
I sent the hawk to find you, I doubt there is any other being who could find you in a short time. I hope you are all right, and can come back here quickly. I have to tell you something...
If you, who received this, aren't named Link, then I would be thankful that you would send the hawk back to me with this scroll.
– Rusl from Ordon"
Link rolled the scroll up and put it in her pouch. "Thank you, Fyol. Go and tell Rusl I'm fine and coming." she obeyed the hawk, who flew away with a screech.
A change of plans. Midna would not be very pleased, but she would have to visit the village before leaving again, for the temple.