A/N: Sorry about the delay, life got in the way. Having a torn ACL, going to physiotherapy, all while trying to hold down a job and get good grades is NOT something I want to experience again.

Also, please note: I am going to change the tense to PAST from now on. Writing in the present tense in a pain in the butt, no wonder the majority of authors choose to write in the past tense. I may or may not go back in previous chapters to edit.

Without further delay...

Chapter 7

The Field

We had finally reached the edge of Faron Woods. I breathed a sigh of relief – it had taken us a few days to travel through the thick underbrush and the swamp – and I was overjoyed to see the sky overhead us once more. Wiping some sweat off my brow, I climbed up the hill to join Link, whom was just standing there staring out at the landscape beyond.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" I murmured. We had entered the southern portion of Hyrule field – a wide expanse of rolling hills and exposed bedrock stretched out before us like a giant behemoth.

He smiled gently, "Yes, it is. This is the furthest I've ever been from my village," a pause, "I won't lie, I'm very hesitant in continuing the journey. What we both saw and did in the Twilight Zone was very, he hesitated, "disturbing,"

I nodded in agreement. Since the incident with the giant shadow monster, we haven't discussed what had happened. The things we did, as beasts, felt so natural. It was almost as if they were hiding inside us the whole time.

I felt a quiver of fear. We may not make it back from this.

But we couldn't just pack up and go home. Colin was relying on us, heck...all of Hyrule may be relying on us.

"We should go, we're losing daylight," I said to Link, who still seemed to be off in a daydream somewhere.

He shook his head, eyes more focused now, "Right. Let's go,"

He took his first step into unknown territory. When nothing came out to bite him, I followed. It was eerily silent, normally you would see courting animals frolicking this time of the year. Now, it was like the land was dead.

I readied my bow, just to be safe. Link, taking note of my cautiousness, drew his sword.

"Dangerous territory?" he asked.

I shivered as a cold breeze hit me, "You could say that,"

I would like to say our journey across the first half of Southern Hyrule Field was adventurous, that they would be singing hymns of our heroism in bars throughout the Capital.

It was anything but.

The trek was exhausting. Sure, we encountered a few strange monsters possessing a giant eye and two sticks for legs, but they didn't count - one arrow, or a swing of the sword, quickly dispatched them. For the first time in my life, I was itching for a fight.

I looked up at the sky with longing as we hiked through the rugged terrain. It would be much faster if I could fly, I mused. But alas, we were not in the Twilight world.

"Terra," Link stopped and pointed towards a valley in the distance, "Is that where we are headed? Is that Eldin Province?"

I squinted - apparently my eyesight is not nearly as good as it was when I was a hawk, "Yes, I think it is," I paused, "Why don't we sit down and have a break?"

"We could use some food too," Link added.

My stomach rumbled in response.

I plopped down ineloquently onto the ground, while Link opened his pouch. We were almost out of goat jerky.

If we don't find any prey soon, we are going to starve out here.

"Well. That's inconvenient,"

Link had stated the obvious. The bridge connecting southern Hyrule field and Kakoriko village was severely damaged. With fire, by the looks of it.

"Seeing as the bridge isn't safe to cross," he turned to me, "We should stop and call it a day,"

I nodded. Sounds like a plan – it was nearly sundown and I was in dire need of some sleep.

"How about you use that bow of yours and shoot us some food? I'm going to try to find some kindling for a fire,"

I drew my bow, sighed, and looked around. I hadn't seen anything worth an arrow – there were plants, sure, but no animals. Nothing in its right mind would dare to come this close to the wall of Twilight.

The Wall. Stretching as far up as the eye could see, its dark presence was blocking the narrow passage to Kakoriko village. But, since we couldn't cross the bridge anyway, it was a moot point at the moment.
Huffing out of exhaustion, I prepared myself to walk just a little further in order to find any game. Finally, after a few long moments of trekking, I spotted movement out of the corner of my eye. I whipped around, and let loose an arrow. I heard a resounding thunk as it hit a nearby tree.

So much for my aim. I nocked another arrow.

Another mad dash, this time to my right, lower to the ground. I aimed and let the arrow fly.

The arrow had hit its mark. I jogged towards the creature – it was a rabbit, and it was still struggling. It was not a clean shot. Thanking the Goddesses for its sacrifice, I put it out of its misery with another arrow. I picked it up by the hind legs – it was rather scrawny, but it would have to do - and trotted back to camp. Hopefully Link had a fire going by now.

By the time I had returned to camp, night had fallen. Link had evidently found some kindling, and some good sized logs, as they were arranged in a triangle formation. There was no fire, however. He must have wanted to wait until I got back to save wood.

I held up the scrawny rabbit and sheepishly smiled, "Sorry, that's all I could find out here,"

"That'll have to do, thanks. Here, I'll help you skin it,"

I approached him with a grin, thankful for the help. I was so exhausted, I wasn't sure if I was hungry anymore.

My eyes snapped open. Something wasn't right, I could feel it. Then I saw it.

Across the small campsite, was the Wall. I gasped – it was never this close! With a terrible shriek, a globulous black hand reached out from the wall, and latched onto Link's shadow, just as he woke with a start.

"Midna!"

Her voice wavered, "Save yourselves!"

Link, bravely, drew his sword to fight off the creature. But it was no use, the sword strikes had no effect, the monster seemed to be able to rematerialize. Seeming to have enough, the hand snatched Link and Midna, and retreated back into the Twilight Wall.

I was terrified, rooted to the spot. I couldn't move. What was it about disembodied hands that terrified me so much?

I heard a shriek from within the wall. It was Midna, "Terra! Get out of here! Run!"

I did. Kicking into high gear, I ran as fast as I could out of range of a second hand that came from the Wall. Now out of range, I nocked an arrow. Of course, it went right through the palm, but it was worth a try.

Walking backyards, I observed the Wall from my safe distance. How had it moved? The Wall rippled, seemingly in answer to my unspoken question. I peered into it, transfixed. I thought I saw images in the dark matter, faces maybe? But it was all a blur.

Bile rose in my throat, as I turned around to run. I had to make it back to the light spirit, maybe it could protect me.

I hadn't made it three strides before the Wall overtook me, engulfing me in darkness and despair.

A/N: Aaaand, that's a wrap. I'm not going to say updates are going to come out faster, because to be honest I think I'm just jinxing myself. Till next time.