Chapter 21 is here, and so are my two favorite characters. Also, this part of the story ends which brings joy to me.

But with an end brings a beginning, and this chapter will actually set up why a certain level appears as it does and some new conflict that has nothing to do with the Chapter 17 (hehehe Ruto and Link, sitting in a tree), but will ultimately play out later.

Now let's journey through the Twilight Realm!

"Question, Princess"

"Yes, Prince."

"How in the world is the mirror intact?"

"Can't answer that."

"Hmm."

Joshua and Midna, still in imp form, watched their troops move into the portal connecting the Twilight Realm to the Era of Twilight's Hyrule...or the small piece of the country that they currently were on. Link and Impa's mission were over, and the fate of Hyrule rested on the shoulders of the Gerudo Prince. With the Princess of Twilight on their side, he had hope. Plus a few wishes.

"Lana, and Agitha should be on the other side."

"Great. Now why am I still here, Prince?"

"I want to know how you were turned into an imp. If I can figure out the spell, I can turn you back."

Midna's eyes widen at the proposition. "Really?"

"I'm a descendent of the Sage of Spirit...and somehow related to Ganondorf. I can do lots of things. Well, except all this."

Midna flew around him in joy before giving him an imp to human hug. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you! But..." She backed off, joy replaced by sadness. "I don't know the spell."

"Then we both know someone who does. Let's go."

"The Gate of Souls is in the back of the palace. Let's defeat the one guarding it and close it!"

Lana, and their troops-and Agitha-proceeded to attack the Twilight Palace. Men in blue clashed with the monsters in green. No sign of Zant anywhere, and the two royals haven't arrived yet. Without Midna to assist yet, the White Sorceress had to come up with a plan.

"We should go to the east first and capture the enemy keeps. Ready?"

"HURRAH!"

"Hehehe. Let's go!" Lana was then joined by the young girl.

"Miss Lana. I'll do my best."

"That's all I ask for."

"Then get moving, girls! This isn't a slumber party!"

Lana, and Agitha shared a giggle and a look at the newly arrived warrior. "Typical boy."

Zant was all but happy. Midna had returned, with HUMANS. Not just any humans, but the ones of the race who the hero belong too. Hylians. The pathetic Hylians.

Zant was sitting on the throne in the King's Hall, the Gate of Souls behind him. He had his infamous mask off, settling it on his lap.

"Hahaha. Foolish Midna. Allow me to entomb you. May the Twilight scatter my foes."

He turned to a Aeralfos. "Where is my Twilight popcorn? And don't make it too buttery!"

The capture of the Lower Level Keep split the team of four up. Lana returned to the Allied Base, while Midna stayed in the Lower Level. The other two ventured onto the Upper Level Keep.

Lana arrived at the bridge connecting the east side to the middle when Zant enacted his plan.

"The time is nigh. Demolish the bridges. Cut them off from their base!"

Lana heard a loud boom and had no time to react. The bridge collapsed, under her, but still floated.

The voice of her friend brought her out of shock. "Lana, what was that?"

"The bridge is down, but don't worry about it. You just focus on getting that keep."

"Are you alright then?"

"Yea. Thank Link for the hookshot." She searched her pouch for it. Taking it out, she fired at the upper platform and returned to the middle of the field.

"Zant is going to pay for that. Come on, Agitha."

"So...just keep fighting? Ok!" She looked at the troops. "Chaaaarge!"

Two soldiers decided it was break time. "Who the hell do she think she is, commanding us? First, she walks in front of us when that imp showed up, talking about genus and all that crap, and now she's a flipping general?"

"Dude, we have five 18 year-olds commanding us."

"A Hero, two royals, a hot foreign girl, and a hot sorceress. I'll let them command me. But a girl who loves bugs...ugh."

"Be glad it isn't a boy with masks. Or a man who thinks he's a fairy."

"Oh, don't let THAT happen!"

"DAMN THESE REDEADS! HAVE AN ARROW TO THE THROAT!" Joshua ran up to the Redead, and repeatedly stabbed it in the throat before igniting the arrow and burning its head.

The keep was theirs once the Redead was...redead. "Alright, mission accomplished. Agitha, make me proud."

"Yessir Mr. Prince!"

"...Alright." The Gerudo returned to Midna's position, who was engaged in conversation with Lana.

"Midna, are you friends with that eccentric person in the freaky mask?"

"Friends? HA! That's Zant, the traitor who stole my throne in the Twilight Realm...TWICE!"

"Mr. Prince! The doors in the keep won't bulge!"

"Thank you Agitha. Midna, we're going to need another route."

"But the bridge we used it out. We can't hookshot everyone!"

Lana tried to interrupt. "Guys..."

"Well, Princess, any ideas? You seem to be full of them!"

"Guuuuuys..."

"Oh, is the smart ass prince out of them? Who will turn to now?"

"GUYS!"

"WHAT!"

"DRAGON!"

"Lana, this isn't the time for 'How to Train Your Dragon' jokes."

The Usurper King broadcasted his voice everywhere. "None shall set foot near the Gate of Souls! The Twilight King commands it!"

"Ah great. Someone else who wants to command us! What's next, a Zora Princess and a Goron with a hammer?"

"Shut up."

Midna and Joshua stood in the plaza outside the palace watching the armored Twili Dragon, aka Argorok, create destruction."Lana, calm down."

"Oh, wrong move, handsome."

"Calm down?! We're being attacked from the air! How are we supposed to combat that?"

Joshua looked at Midna. Knowing what he had in mind, she shook her head. "He's too high. We need to bring him down lower."

The dragon flew over the West Keep and turned towards the east. It aimed and shot a fireball into the Allied Base. Luckily, Lana erected a shield to temporary block the attacks.

"Thank you Lana!"

"For what?"

"Magic. We'll have to use magic if we want to damage the dragon in midflight!"

"Nice idea, Prince Charming. We'll create a Magic Circle in the keep underneath the dragon. Let's go!"

The royals and their troops stormed towards the West Keep, kicking whoever's ass got in their way.

Aeralfos, Redead, or Bulblin, your end was near when Josh's Fire Rod and Midna's hair found you.

"How do you keep that hair in check."

"L'Oreal, my friend."

"Wow. Ok we're here. Let's do this." Chanting, the duo create a circular magical gate underneath Argorok. Activating it, several chains shot out and headed for the monster. It surround him, before he broke it. However, Argorok did retreat.

"Wonderful work, you two! I hope that's the last we'll hear from our friend the dragon."

"YOU MAY HAVE CHASED AWAY ARGOROK, BUT MY PLAN DOESN'T END THERE! OH NO! WITNESS THE TWILIGHT KING'S NEXT STRATEGEM! CAPTURE THE GIRL! HOPEFULLY YOU CAN GET TO THE BUG PRINCESS IN TIME!"

"Ooooohhhhh, I hate him!"

"Lana, hurry to Agitha!"

"Already on it!" Racing into the Upper Level, Lana saw two commando Bulblins enter the keep. Creating a trio of walls to surrounded both of them, she smashed two of them together, hurting the commandos before jumping off the third and destroying it with a ball of magic, killing any monster near that wall.

"Whatever is the matter? That baddie invited me to a tea party! Has it been cancelled?"

"Dude, our 'general' wants tea with a Bulblin!"

"Shut up."

"HOW WONDERFUL! YOU FELL FOR THE TRAP! NOW YOUR BASE IS MINE! OH, AND I HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU! THE RETURN OF ARGOROK!"

The dragon stationed itself over the Central Square, and continued its previous attack on the Allied Base. Lana's shield wasn't going to last much longer.

"Not the dragon again. Grrr...I'm so sick of it!"

"Well, lather, rinse, repeat, Princess. Hopefully we don't have to repeat again."

"You're hopeless. Let's try this again, boy."

"Alright, imp."

The duo made their way to the Central Square and once again created a Magic Circle. Chains shot out and wrapped around the dragon, but it broke free once more. Nothing is worse than two pissed off royals.

"Damn it all!"

"It got away AGAIN?!"

Lana saw the failed attempt. "If we want to slay the dragon, we have to bring it down to our level. We're gonna need something very powerful."

As she said that, Argorok appeared once more directly above the duo. It resumed the attack on the weakening shield on the Allied Base.

"Third time, huh? How many times will we have to go through this?"

"We drive him off, and he comes right back!" Agitha...a flying Agitha joined the girl. "He's just as stubborn as some flies I know!"

"The Magic Circle doesn't seem to have the effect we want, but what else can we do?"

Agitha looked at the Goddess Butterfly. "Lil Butterfly has something to say! Yes?"

"What is it, Agitha?"

"She wants to lead us somewhere!" They followed the fairy to a building near the base. It was revealed to be a Fairy Fountain.

Lana was excited. "A Magic Circle in the Fairy Fountain. That should help us take down Argorok!" The trio entered the fountain.

"STRIKE ALONGSIDE ARGOROK! MAKE THEM DRAW THEIR LAST RAGGED BREATHS!"

The duo called upon the Great Fairy, and she appeared. "You called? Well, I have a surprise!"

The Magic Circle once again sent chains towards Argorok, and he broke them once more. A second set shot passed him.

The Princess of Twilight and the Prince of the Gerudos both had to say it. "HEY ARGOROK! LOOKS LIKE YOU MET WITH AN UNFORTUNATE FATE!"

Argorok turned and saw the moon coming at him. But not just any moon. The Moon from Majora's Mask.

Josh ran towards the lowered Argorok and took out the Hookshot. "What flies up..."

He shot the chain at the dragon's tail. It connected, and a few pulls from the prince brought it down. "Must fall down."

Lana jumped from out of nowhere and sent a ball of energy at the monster's back. Midna rushed and gave it a hard punch. Agitha followed with a few smashes to the back before Josh finished the monster off with a stab to the back.

"Yes! Nice work everyone."

"Oh yes, nice work. Especially you Midna."

The group turned and saw their target. Zant, the Usurper King. He took out twin scimitars and prepared for battle.

"Midna, this is your battle. Finish it." The others rushed off to fight the monsters.

"Midna."

"Zant."

"Midna."

"Zant."

"MIDNA!"

"ZANT!"

"IT'S ON!" Midna charged forward as Zant spun forward. Fist met scimitars as the two locked in a test of strength.

"My Midna, why can't we just get along? We can rule this realm as one king and queen."

"I prefer the single life right now."

"Fine then!" He pushed her back before rising into the air on a totem pole. "Take this!" A volley of magic balls raced towards Midna. She had no way to get to Zant...unless...

She recalled the miniboss battle in the Forest Temple with Link. She raced towards the pole and rammed into it. It sent Zant falling unto his face. She gave him a huge punch into his face. "How was that, my King?"

"You'll pay for that!" Zant began a jumping attack. Each time he landed, a pulse of dark magic would appear. He began to grow as he came closer to Midna. "Now I'll stomp you!" He jumped high into the air and Midna sent a fist towards him.

WHAM! Zant shrunk and fell on his face once again. "Owie! That hurt!"

"Didn't know you had balls, Zant. You're finished!"

"No I'm..." He looked up and saw the four warriors surrounding him. One even had a rod ready to blast his parts off.

"You worthless wretches. I am the Twilight King! I will not be mocked by-"

SPLAT!

"Yooooooooooooooowieeee. What the hell?"

"Midna, Lana, close the portal. Agitha, take out any remaining monsters. I'll handle him." The prince redirected his attention to the king. "You know, in the first seven minutes, most of those parts come out. Learned that from a movie. You're a product of your own greed, Zant. You, Cia, and Ganondorf. Since we're both kings, I think I should give you the kingly treatment."

"Which...is?"

"Beheading."

Lana and Midna closed the Gate of Souls, and were about to leave when a special guest arrived.

"Lana? Whatever are you doing here?"

The duo turned, and Lana stared at her adversary. "Cia."

Midna began to swell with anger. "She's the one! I'm cursed to look like this because of HER!"

Cia chuckled. "Well, if I may say, that look suits you. Quite fitting for a big-headed princess of Twilight."

"You bitch!" Midna sent a fist right for Cia's face. It knocked her mask off. Midna couldn't believe the sight. Cia looked exactly like Lana!

"Cia." The witch turned and saw the Gerudo Prince. Forgetting her pain, she smiled. "Oh, it is the Gerudo boy. And I wouldn't hit me with that fireball if I were you."

"Change her back."

"Hmm...fine." She aimed her scepter at Midna and recited a spell. When it was done, Midna was back to her normal Twili form. "But I wouldn't be so commanding, Prince Joshua. We wouldn't want genocide."

"What are you...NO!"

"Ta-ta!" The Dark Witch left before Josh could get to her.

Midna was still struck by the revelation. "Lana, her face. It looked just like yours."

"I am Cia's...other half. We were once the same person."

"WHAT?"

"That doesn't matter, Princess. By the way, looking good."

"Why thank you, Joshua. By the way, I owe you my assistance. I'll help you fight the sorceress."

"As will I." The Hylian girls joined up with their friends.

Joshua nodded. "Alright." He took out his Gossip Stone. "Alright, everyone let's go home!"

The group of 11 returned to a rocky region of Hyrule. The six newcomers looked around to see the Hyrule of the future.

Josh pulled Zelda to the side. "Zelda, I gotta go home. Emergency."

"Go Joshua." He whistled the Requiem of Spirit, and whisked away to the Gerudo Desert. Zelda looked towards her allies. "Forgive me for not saying anything. I had to hide my identity from my enemies." She turned to Link, trying not to turn pink.. "Link, your courage is extraordinary, even more than Joshua's own. I could see your potential from that first moment in the training yard."

Link blushed at the comment. "...Thank you, Your Highness." They gazed into each others eyes before Lana broke it up, still semi-jealous of them.

"We closed each Gate of Souls, putting things right with space and time. Next, we need to-"

"Hey, hold on. Don't you have some explaining to do?"

Lana sighed. She hoped Midna wouldn't bring it up. "Er-yes, thank you Midna. Cia and I...We're not just from the same clan. We're actually the same person."

Everyone was surprised, and Zelda had the courage to ask the question. "But how?"

"Remember the story of how Cia became who she was? Something took hold of Cia and forced the light from her heart. I'm that light. I'm what was driven out of her. And the monster responsible for this is..."

Cia teleported to the top of the Valley of Seers, pain clutching her chest.

A dark voice spoke. "The time has come."

"Who?" Three red orbs popped from her chest and circled in the air, moving towards the stairs.

"I now have three fragments of my spirit. My power my not be whole, but my body has returned." The orbs combined, and who the biggest villain in Hyrulean history stood before the witch.

Ganondorf, King of Demons.

She summoned her scepter. "You!"

"Cia, you have been my favorite puppet yet.

"I can't just...I am NO ONE'S puppet!"

"Whatever the case, our...alliance is over. I will break the final barrier myself." He charged up a fist. "This body lacks its full potential..." He sent an orb a Cia, which sent her into a wall and held her there. "But that will change once I wrest the Triforce from you and conquer all!"" He began to summon the sacred object, but Cia held on.

"The Triforce...SHALL BE MINE!" She broke her prison and charged at Ganondorf, but was knocked back into a corner.

But Cia had a plan. Summoning all three pieces, she split and sent them far away from her and Ganondorf. A barrier of light began to encase Ganondorf.

"What?!" Cia enjoyed the face of the Gerudo. He looked absolutely frightened. "NOO!"

She stood up. "Courage and Wisdom have been returned to their owners...and Power, it will find a new one." Using her power, she sent the Gerudo far, far away. "I will reclaim the Triforce. It shall be mine alone. As well as the Hero."

Joshua was home.

He wished he had a house. And a family.

The Gerudo Fortress was in shambles. Monsters now occupied it. Even now, he saw them burning the bodies of the dead women. However, he found a note within his chambers from Nabooru. Most of the Gerudos escaped to the location they left for when Ganondorf was first thwarted when the Hero of Time was a child.

Over watching the burning of the women, he recognized one instantly. His best friend of 18 years. Aveil.

Forgetting he was an one man army, Joshua began to see red. He felt his power increase, and charged at the Bulblins. He killed them all, without regret. Without mercy. Without a second thought. He lusted for their blood, although he would never get it.

When he finally returned to Aveil side, he thought he saw her breathe. No, he did see her breathe. "Aveil!"

"J...J...Joshua?"

"It's me. Here." He gave her a red potion.

She refused. "No, my king. I fought for-"

"I am not your king! You were never my subject. You were my friend. Now drink this!"

"Are..those tears?"

"Damn right these are tears. Now Aveil, please drink."

"Remember when we were seven, and we fought in the Arena."

"Yes. I beat you...badly."

"What did you tell me?"

"If...you are weak, you deserve to die. Only the strongest Gerudos survive."

"Exactly... And as a Gerudo warrior, and your friend, I will die for you and our people. You would do the same. But, grant me this wish."

"Yes?"

"Will you...retake...our home...when you do...let it be known...that our people reclaimed it. Not the Hyrulean Army, but the people of the desert, led by their king."

"I won't do it without you by my side."

"Please."

"Thank...you...Joshua."

"You know Nabooru is mad you left before her."

"Defin...ite..ly..."

He felt Aveil breathe her last, and looked up. "Goddess of the Sands, protect my people as they journey to Sanctuary and to the Sacred Realm."

He stood firm with absolution. "That witch...SHE WILL DIE BY MY HANDS!"

He didn't realize the Triforce of Power was on his right hand as he teleported to the Temple of Time.

Yea, large group of heroes, but not everyone will appear each chapter. Of course, the main five will, and those who are necessary for the mission next chapter will also.

That last part was hard to write. I felt sad for a character that is supposed to be referencing myself a little bit. But it was necessary. A whole new Joshua is in Hyrule, but his humor never dies.

Ganondorf is back, and when he finally fights, I will try to make it good.