Don't be surprised if I need to reupload this because of the formatting. My computer is dead and I don't have my new one yet.
When dawn broke, the sun peered through the windows like a heavenly light that made Niah squint. The room was cold even as the sun was assigned to one window pane. The curtains were slightly parted, and did little to cover her. It was only a matter of time until she absolutely had to get out of bed, and absolutely had to get dressed and pack up. It was only a matter of time until she had to step outside, and possibly enter the Twilight, she knew this. But her nerves were messing with her, and it made the goosebumps on her arms flare up with anticipation.
But Niah didn't want to kick the blanket off, she wasn't exactly sure when she would be able to sleep in a bed again, and this one was much more comfortable than the one in Kakariko, and the ground. Definitely better than the ground. Everything is better than the ground.
Niah kept her head as empty as she could. She kicked the blankets off, and stepped out of bed. Everyone was gone. Burvis must've left early, and more than likely Link didn't sleep at all. She slipped her boots back on, and put her hair up, she didn't do anything special for it this time.
When she stepped out of the room, the house was barren other than a fire, and a hot cup of what smelled like coffee. She wasn't a coffee girl, but she could definitely use the kick. Niah wiped her eyes and kept herself busy by looking around. The home was tiny and lived in, with a loom that sat in one corner and vines and flowers in the cracks growing in the direction of the sun. Niah turned her eyes towards one of the windows as she heard the sound of wood splitting. It was Link, of course. Niah didn't want to bother him, and he looked tired.
"What was that last night?"
Niah shrugged, "Magic shit. I dunno." She was too tired to care.
"No." Midna spoke soft and quiet for the first time, "From your pillow."
"Oh, music." Niah yawned and continued to stare out the window absentmindedly.
"Is that what that thing is for?"
"It can do a lot more than that."
Niah kept her responses short, she was too tired to engage in small talk, so she drew her jacket closer and opened the door across the room to step outside.
It was as cold as it looked, frost melting from the grass as the dew wet her feet. She had to stand directly in the sunlight to feel warmth. Spring was a good season, but she hated the cold that still came with it.
Niah took a deep breath. She let her lungs fill with the crisp air as the chill swept over her again. She stepped past the threshold and walked towards Link who took notice of her presence with just a glance before he sat the ax down. The exercise kept him warm, she understood. But as she stepped, the moist grass caught her boots, and the cold from it made her toes cold and they felt damp, but they weren't, and she knew it. The almost silent rustle of trees reminded her that there was life outside of them, and it made her feel small, and unfamiliar. There was life outside this world, and probably more to another, and another outside of her own world.
Niah approached with a reluctant sigh and pulled the jacket closer to her chest.
"Hey." Link's voice broke the reverie; the calmness. Logs of firewood laid beside the cut stump, which was ironic for the use it served now. His hair was tousled and dried sweat clung to his forehead and despite his clear fatigue there was a glint of determination in his eye.
"I know you didn't sleep at all." Niah tilted her head, but spoke with conviction.
Link shrugged and picked up the ax again. "I wasn't tired." he admitted, but his lips quirked into a grin as he still looked her way. "But, it's early. I was waiting for you to wake up. And it doesn't hurt to help the old woman out with some firewood. It gave me something to do."
"Do you need any help with it?" Niah felt guilty for not being more helpful as she stared at the wood beside him, too caught up in her own exhaustion and nerves.
"No, I'm alright." He balanced another piece of wood, "I'm almost done anyways. Coffee is over the fire if you want any."
She shifted on her feet again, "Do you want any?"
Link shook his head and waved the ax over his head before forcing it down again, slicing the wood into two perfect halves.
Niah looked towards the horizon and she stood there and watched the sun ascend through the trees and over the hills. It cast a warm glow over the landscape, it was a stark contrast to the heaviness lingering in their minds. But she shook her head and took another deep breath before she trudged back to the cabin. When she got inside she idled by the fire for a moment to warm her hands. There was an empty mug sitting on a table, so she took it, and poured herself a cup and sat on the small rug. In the silence her mind lingered to the next leg of the journey. The Twilight.
It wasn't unusual in this world technically speaking. Perhaps it was more uncanny than unrealistic. Magic and potions and apothecaries were far more common here, and the unusualness of it was more the subject to dwell on, apart from the obvious questions. Was she going to turn into a spirit? Or was she going to get an animal form? Maybe even turn into a twilight enemy that Link mistakes as something that is not her. That would be devastating. Would entering hurt though? The animation from the game made it look excruciating, but maybe Link over exaggerated it.
"Are you ready?" Midna's voice chimed in, her presence felt more than seen, like a shadow tuckered in the corners of Niah's mind.
Niah shrugged her shoulders with a sigh.
"The Twilight isn't going to wait for you to gather your own courage."
"I recognize that." She swallowed the weight of those words. Again, the Twilight was no ordinary place; it was a realm of shadows, where danger lurked behind nearly every corner. "What if I can't do it though?" Her voice barely above a whisper.
"It doesn't matter if you can't. You have to."
"I don't."
"You do."
She did, and uncertainty and bitterness lingered in her throat.
"What are you afraid of?"
Nih pondered on that question a moment longer than she should have before she sucked in a breath. "Everything I guess. Do I have to be specific?"
"I suppose not."
"But what if I get lost in there? What if I can't come back or go in at all? What if…" She stopped herself. She thought about the next question long and hard. Niah realized she'll gain nothing if she exposed too much of what she knew. "What if Link dies. Then what? I looked at the map, and the outline he made, the whole province is a lot bigger than Kakariko and Ordanna Province combined. It could take him days, weeks to open the area back up, what am I gonna do till then?"
The weight of all these questions, these… truths, clung to her heart. She folded her legs to her chest, and set the mug beside her. The sun peered even more through the windows, almost willing to overheat her with the fire as its assistant. No doubt her face was red with embarrassment, anger, heat, and questions.
"Okay, okay. Shut up. You talk too much."
"We've established that-"
"But," Midna interrupted, "He wouldn't be much of a hero if he failed. Would he?"
"I guess not."
"And he wouldn't have brought you with him even after I argued against it, if he didn't trust you."
Niah remained silent.
"I have read about the heroes of Hyrule always succeeding, seldom have they failed. So, logic says, if he didn't abandon you, as much as I wanted him to. You can't abandon him. But if you do. I can't blame you."
Midna's words hung in the air heavy with implication. But Niah felt more out of her death than ever. She was confident with college across the country on her own, she was confident when she dropped out. Niah was confident on the flight home, and at her own father's funeral because she knew she had Lucy. Niah had a fallback plan.
"I'm not like Link though. I'm not a hero." She muttered, "I don't have that many skills. People tell me I look like something that I definitely don't look like. And I can't even read the language dammit. The fucking language, but I can speak it. How the fuck does that work? What if I mess everything up-!"
"Stop there. Where the fuck is this coming from. Where did Niah go? Is she in there?" Midna's voice dipped with sarcasm, "You think you're the first person to be thrown into a mess like this? Welcome to the fucking club. You've got a hero complex now, and you're complaining about it? That's rich."
Niah shook her head, trying to dispel her own negative thoughts, but they kept coming. "I don't know shit about saving this place. I thought I did, and now I don't. I've… read the stories… but living them is completely different, why can't I be terrified?"
"Terrified? You're adorable." Midna emerged from the shadow, "You think Link was born with a sword in his hand and a map of his destiny. No? I didn't think so. He didn't exactly have a training manual either, he jumped, and hoped for the best. And you share that same sentiment. Even if he was forcefully grabbed by the giant hand of a Twili creature."
Unfortunately the heat from the sun and the fire failed to contrast her cold thoughts. At that moment. She thought of her dad – his absence will always linger with her like her own Twili shadow in her heart. It was so sudden. One day he was there, then. He wasn't. Quite like she was to Lucy. One night she was there, then she wasn't, and that hollow ache was something she struggled to articulate. The noise of her own world was different after the news. More mute and less surprising all of a sudden, and she knew Lucy felt the same. Niah missed her.
"I'm scared I'm gonna screw up. Trip over my feet I guess. Lose someone again, and I won't know it." She felt a lump leave her chest.
"The fear of loss isn't as original as you think it is. Everyone has everything to lose-" Midna rolled her eyes, "That's the excitement, But instead of doing something, you've turned into something I know you're not: a damsel in distress. You're sitting here, drinking coffee, wallowing in your self pity, and fear, and waiting for someone to do everything for you."
Niah wrapped her knees tighter, seeking her own embrace. "What if I mess up, or can't handle it?"
Midna folded her arms, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe you'll trip over your own feet and magically transform into a hero. It's like a rite of passage. Get it fucking together. You made your choice to hop along, use your brain."
Niah took a deep breath, and forced herself to think of Link and the weight of responsibility she felt pressing down on her. He fought against darkness this whole time, with, or without her. When he found her, Link didn't look at her with pity or condescension, but with a certain respect. But the thought of failing him and everyone else she didn't know, gnawed at her. Niah has risen to the occasion before. In the mines, in the pass where they met Burvis, and leaving the hideout. She's done it before, and Link respected her for it. She didn't walk away then, and she couldn't now. Her dad didn't raise her like that.
"Fine," Niah uncurled herself, "Fine, I get your point."
"Oh thank the spirits, I thought I lost you to self pity and wallowing-"
Niah chuckled lightly, feeling better than before. "You're still a bitch though, and rough."
"Rough? Me? I just prefer realism."
Midna faded back into Niah's shadow. Just then, the door opened, and the old woman groveled as she looked her way.
"Good to see you awake girl. I thought I was gonna to drag you out of bed." She held a basket of vegetables and fruits and what looked like bottles of potion.
Niah rose from her spot, and grabbed the mug from the floor.
"Hi..?"
The old woman scoffed, and set the basket on a nearby counter
There was small tension as Niah decided to move herself away from the fire, and approach the woman. She started to meander in the kitchen area as she grabbed a large pot, and a few vegetables from another basket. The basket Niah saw her with the day before. Niah finally realize that she was prepping to cook, and when Niah realized this, she got the courage to grab the new basket from the table to hand to Clauadi as soon as it seemed like she was looking for something
"Need help?"
The woman, taken back, stared Niah in the eyes for just a second longer than she meant to, and slowly grabbed the basket from her. Claudi cleared her throat. "I suppose." It did not lack the begrudged tone, but it lacked malice this time, and she uttered those words with a nod. "Do you know how to use a knife, I suppose you do."
"Yeah," Niah responded, "I used to cook for myself a lot."
Claudi turned her head and looked up and down her form, her eyes were narrow and grieved, "-clearly." She said to herself when she turned away again.
Niah pulled everything out of the basket, many herbs and fruits she struggled to identify, "What is this?" She held in her hand a dozen of purple flowers, their pedals were pointed and the center was a dark purple and effortlessly blended out into the lighter of the two colors it had at least two layers, and the bouquet was bundled together with a thin piece of rope.
"Violets. They're my favorite, and good for cooking. However, I prefer to turn them into potions as opposed to using them in food. Less potent, and doesn't last long."
For the next few minutes, Niah would take certain things that Claudi would give her, cut them up, and push the back over. It was mundane, and not particularly interesting in the slightest. But the silence was heavy in the air and Niah didn't know how to start a conversation.
"Is this breakfast or is this just for potions?"
"Both," She muttered, "The Twilight is vast and dark-" She started to walk away with the pot. Niah was mid slice when she said this and turned towards her.
"Wait, how do you know about that?"
Claudi removed the kettle from the hook, and replaced it with the pot before she wiped her hands on the apron around her waist, "I'm not an idiot. Word gets around fast. Bandits and shadows and idiots who try to get across the border, like yourself." She rasped out.
"I don't want to get across, I have to deal with everything going on." Niah looked at her.
"That's for that boy out there. Not you. You have other business you need to finish." Claudi stole what she wasn't finished dicing and put the, in a separate pot before Niah was finished. She was just about the press the knife down and the woman took it, and she wouldn't know what to do if she accidentally sliced the woman, but it would've been her own fault.
"I'm sorry, but did I do something to you?" Niah slammed the knife down and darted her eyes towards the old woman and crossed her arms.
"It's funny," Claudi cackled.
Niah was visibly confused, but to the point of asking. She had a pretty basic idea with the situation that unfolded suddenly.
"It's funny you come to me now. When I am old and angry." She stopped laughing and there was a tear in her eye. "You come to me when I am this? The audacity."
Niah took a deep breath and mentally rolled her eyes, then let out a deep groan, "I am not what you think I am. I don't know where people are getting this from, but I'm so sick of it. It's crazy!" His chest was heavy and her eyes brimmed with tears, she pointed towards herself. "I am just a normal person, doing an abnormal thing. I want to go home, but I can't because if I do, I feel like something bad is going to happen to-" She pointed towards the outside, "Mr. Cotton Eye-Joe over there who sometimes can't keep his fuckin' mouth shut."
Claudi stared at her with wide eyes, but there was still that scowl that remained etched on her wrinkled features. The atmosphere grew heavy and tense with anxiety. Even Niah couldn't believe what she said, all things and jokes aside, there was nothing worse than seeing a woman you didn't know except on a surface level, stare at with a damn near thousand yard gaze. As unsettling as it was, it didn't make it any less true. Niah wished her dad was here. When she was younger, anything similar to that would get her sent to the principal's office because she always used to get herself into too much trouble. But he was always there to get her out, time and time again.
Claudi's gaze stopped, and she cleared her through. Niah's eyes looked in every direction it could observe. "Burvis said something happened at that hideout-" She turned away to occupy her hands with something, but Niah didn't pay any attention to it. "What happened?"
Niah's mouth opened, and then closed immediately after. She shifted her gaze elsewhere too at a loss for words. The direction onto the subject pricked her skin, and made her nerves tingle down in her stomach like bile was about to shoot up. But it didn't.
"I watched a little kid die."
"How old?"
She shrugged, "I dunno. Not even a teenager yet, I don't think. When he looked at me, his eyes were too young, and his skin was too smooth. His voice was also too young."
They looked back at each other. But there wasn't malice or anger in Claudi's eyes, regardless of how jarring that was, Niah took it on her chin. "You've never seen anyone die before." it wasn't a question. Niah nodded then turned away.
Time between them passed slower than usual, But they stood there and continued their work naturally. Although no verbal words were uttered, there was that same feeling there as before. It didn't waver, it didn't stutter, it didn't leave gracefully as Niah waited for that door to open, and Link to break the tension. Niah barely breathed a lick of air and her chest kept trying to tighten itself.
"The first death I had ever seen was my son. He was six years old. There was an illness going around at the time infecting children his age. My husband needed an heir for his home, and his business, and he was so happy when he was born, I named his Jass, after my father, and everyday, me and my maid would take him to the field to pick flowers, and he always chose the violet flower. When he got older, he started to take certain lessons at the castle, and he would always come back with a bouquet of them to the point where I had to say enough was enough, and he needed to wait until the other died out. And I had them everywhere. From the lentil of every door frame, the bedrooms, vases in the drawing room, the kitchen. Everywhere. I cannot stress that enough." Claudi stopped, her knife hit the cutting board with a staggered hault, "But then, he came home from his lessons one day, and he didn't feel well, and over the weeks, he kept getting worse, and worse. His father wouldn't let me take him to the Zora who supposedly knew what it was, and how to fix it. But of course, he denied it. Saying, 'we have the best doctor at our beck and call, why would we need them?', and he died a month later. Two weeks before his seventh birthday."
Niah felt the weight of Claudi's words settle heavy in her chest and in the air between them. The old woman's voice quivered, and the edges of her eyes glistened with the threat of tears. It was a raw moment stripped of bravado that often masked some type of pain. Niah swallowed hard, her heart aching for Claudi and the weight of a grief that seemed so heavy that it could crush the walls of the cabin.
Niah looked down, "I'm sorry."
The old woman shrugged, "It is what it is." Claudi set the rest in a basin full of water, "What of you. From my understanding your father recently died."
Niah stared at her, "Who told you?"
"Burvis did."
"...I never told him that."
Claudi shrugged again and moved to the door to pick up the saddle bags and bring them over. Niah grabbed Mara's bag from the woman. "It's obvious you're grieving. Now, mothers care little about their daughters lest there be competition, and if you lost a child, you'd be inconsolable. Grieving for a father means he was a good man. So, was he a good man?"
Niah smiled, "No, he was a great man."
/\_
The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the stable yard as Link and Niah prepared for their departure. The air was thick with the earthy scent of horses and hay, mingling with the crisp freshness of the approaching evening.
Niah moved with practiced ease, her hands gentle as she saddled up Mara. She reached into her pocket, producing an apple and a few carrots. The horse's velvety lips tickled her palm as Mara eagerly accepted the treats, crunching contentedly. Niah's fingers trailed along the horse's neck, offering a few affectionate pats.
Turning towards Link, Niah's gaze fell upon him hunched over his journal, his brow furrowed in concentration as he scribbled away. The scratching of his quill against parchment filled the air, punctuated by the occasional snort from the horses.
Niah inhaled deeply, the harsh breath catching in her throat as she steeled herself. "Link," she called, her voice cutting through the relative quiet of the stable.
Link's head jerked up, his single eye focusing on her with a mixture of surprise and mild irritation at being interrupted. "What?" he asked, his tone clipped.
Niah hesitated, her fingers twisting nervously at her side. "What do you think of all this?" she finally managed, her eyes wide and pleading as she searched Link's face for answers.
Link stared back at her, his expression a mask of confusion. His mouth opened and closed wordlessly, like a fish out of water, before he found his voice. "What are we talking about exactly?" He glanced back down at his journal, dog-earing the page with a practiced flick of his wrist before tucking his writing utensil behind his ear.
"The Twilight, adventure, you, or what?" he elaborated, his voice tinged with a hint of exasperation.
Niah's brow furrowed, a frown tugging at her lips. "All of it," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Link's face remained impassive, betraying little concern at the weight of her question. He absently brushed a strand of hair from his face, his fingers lingering for a moment on the edge of his eyepatch as he readjusted it. The silence stretched between them, heavy with unspoken thoughts.
Finally, Link's shoulders sagged slightly as he attempted a response. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice low and thoughtful. "I guess I don't care for the circumstances at all, and neither do you. But I know as soon as I'm done. We're done. We can go back home."
Niah's eyes narrowed, disbelief etching itself across her features. "You think you can just go back home like nothing even happened?" she asked, her voice rising with a mix of incredulity and barely contained frustration.
"I don't have much of a choice. Why couldn't you-" Link began, but Niah cut him off, her words tumbling out in a rush.
"Wait, wait. Emotionally, regardless of what happens, you move on from this?" Her voice trembled slightly, a mixture of fear and anger seeping into her tone.
Link's eye rolled skyward as he let out a groan, his patience clearly wearing thin. "Why are you turning this into a thing?" he asked, exasperation evident in every word. His hands moved mechanically, clipping the bag closed with more force than necessary before stuffing the map into his pocket with a rustle of parchment.
Niah's arms folded across her chest, her posture rigid with defensiveness. "I'm not turning this into a thing, you're turning this into a thing," she retorted, her voice rising slightly.
Link's eye narrowed, a spark of irritation flashing in its depths. "Uh, no. This is definitely turning into a thing because of you," he shot back, his words clipped and terse.
"Just answer the question," Niah demanded, her jaw set stubbornly as she stared him down.
Link's shoulders slumped in defeat, recognizing the futility of avoiding her inquiry any longer. "Fine," he conceded, his voice a mixture of resignation and frustration. "Yes, I think I can move on from this. Why is that a bad thing? Are you scared?"
"Of the Twilight, yes. I'm terrified," Niah admitted, her voice barely above a whisper as she voiced her deepest fear.
Link shook his head, his gaze piercing as he looked at her. "No, of everything else," he pressed, sensing there was more to her anxiety than she was letting on.
"Yes!" The word burst from Niah's lips, her eyes widening with the force of her admission. Her next words came out in a rush, raw emotion coloring every syllable. "Yes, I'm scared I won't be able to go back home."
The air between them crackled with tension, their fears and uncertainties laid bare in the fading light of mid-day. The clouds passed over the sun, blotting it out, but when the sun revealed itself again, it made her feel even hotter with emotion. The horses shifted uneasily, picking up on the charged atmosphere as Link and Niah stood facing each other, both grappling with the weight of their shared yet divergent experiences in this world.
Link softened his face and breathed in the air, "I'm sorry, but I have a job to do. If you wanna stay, then stay. But I need you to do something for me when we get in there."
This time, the anger and frustration lets Niah's face, she unfurled her anger, "...what?"
The dead leaves and grass crunched under Link's feet as he approached her, he reached into one of his pockets and took out a folded piece of paper. Link pulled it out and held it out for her to grab. She was hesitant at first, but slowly took it from his hand, and opened it.
It was an address she realized from the placement of the numbers, and a comma. She couldn't read the words of the street, and what corners to take, but the address was there and that was all that mattered.
"What is this for?"
"Ilia is there. I need you to go to her, tell her I sent you, and then wait."
Niah frowned again, "But I don't know her, and what am I waiting for?"
Niah knew exactly what she was waiting for. She was waiting for Link to free the area from the Twilight, and come back for her. But she didn't have a clue as to how long that would take, perhaps she might overstay her welcome. Even if she did though, there was always Telmas's bar. But what if she gets there, and Ilia doesn't like her, what if she doesn't believe her, what if she never gets the chance to reach that point?
All possible thoughts and outcome of the situation flooded Niah's head. She shook herself out of it though. There was no room for it, and no time to ponder.
Niah folded it back up and sighed dramatically. This made Link smile at her, "Fine," Niah stuffed it in her own pocket, "I guess I'll take it. But if I die on the way, I'm blaming you."
That made Link laugh.
/\_
"Don't do anything stupid while you're out there. And if you see Burvis, whack him for me will ya?"
Niah chuckled and nodded towards the woman. "I will try not to, and I try to keep an eye on him too." She took hold of her reigns, but pointed towards Link anyways. He paid no attention as he looked towards the horizon. His skin turned into a tan color, and his cheeks were red from being outside. Niah reached into her pocket and pulled out the brooch, she pinned it to herself, close enough to her neck to be hidden, or to cover by her hair easily, and to flash it off if she needed to. If she's learned anything in the last few days, it would be that Snare-Dragons are a thing in this world, a thing that was never referenced in the game, and if she were honest, she doesn't know what exactly to do with that information.
After that, Claudi took a step back, and waved them off before she turned away. The further and further they got from the cabin, Niah had an ache in her chest. She wasn't sure if it was from the brooch, or a deadly, sinking feeling of what was to come. Niah fought the urge to look back. The feeling in her chest was heavier than it was moments ago. But the urge was too great, as before they broke into the fork in the road, covered with tall grass and open mountains, a breeze made the grass dance and the leaves twirl. Niah looked away from the beauty, and looked back. There was no one standing there, of course. But she frowned in worry. Worry for what, she didn't know. She turned forward with a deep breath, and gripped the reins tighter and tighter. Mara must've felt it, and jolted, forcing Niah to ease her grip.
They two rode for hours. They passed by small ponds and birds, however, enemies were more common the closer they got to the Twilight barrier. Bublins and other ground enemies were easier to avoid as they were on horseback, and could be easily outran, but flying enemies were a whole other story.
Guay's would fly down and peck them. Whenever they would find shade from the heat, keeses would hunk down and try to bite their flesh. Another issues arose with deku's and chu's. The horses knew when to expect them, so they would divert from the path to avoid the issue, but that issue turned into an even bigger issue. The horses would leave the path, leaving them exposed to even more deku's, chu's and bokoblins loved to hide in the tall grass. They would waive their bats, and would narrowly avoid the small party.
"This is ridiculous." Niah had the bow, and aimed another arrow at one of the Guay's before she let go of the string, it fell from the sky and into their direct path. It didn't explode into dust like it did in the game, it just laid there waiting for nature to finish it off. Niah didn't have any protection on her arms and wrists, so they were raw from the bow string.
A bublin ran from the grass towards Link. The horses were tired enough as it was, so running was not optional for the time being. Link unsheathed his sword and pierced it through the head of the thing with little fuss, green blood trickled down as it quickly collapsed. "Probably won't be able to camp anywhere tonight without either of us being in some type of danger."
Niah hated the idea of continuing on with no sleep, especially entering the Twilight. Perhaps when they get to the main entrance they could rest their eyes if it's as calm and dark as it was to her memory of the game, but this was unlikely. "How much further is it?" A flock of keeses made their way towards her again, and without any hand weapons, she took a spare arrow in her hand, grabbed one, and stabbed the eye, it killed it instantly, the rest of the flock understood the message, and grew disinterested with them.
"Hard to say, maybe a few hours. I haven't had the time to check the map."
They killed and encountered countless enemies. Both of them knew; regardless of how many met their end, more would sprout to take their place. It was a never ending cycle. But fortunately as they passed by abandoned farms, burnt to ash, and wild cattle feeding in the fields without a care in the world, the night began to grow as the sun passed the horizon into the dark abyss below, and the moon finally showed itself. Life became calm once again. The two still remained vigilant. They kept their eyes peeled for any movement for the first few hours of dusk, but when night completely rose everything was idle and soothing. Niah finally felt comfortable enough to put the bow on her back, and Link sheathed his sword away.
They trotted along at a softer pace, Mara and Epona were clearly tired, and weary, but even they knew that stopping would pose more danger.
After another hour of the solitude, Niah did her best to get comfortable. She leaned herself against Mara's neck and closed her eyes, she yawned. Link fiddled with the map, tired himself. Niah could tell, from the way he rubbed his face, and sometimes, he would yawn with her.
The night air grew crisp as Link and Niah continued their journey, the rhythmic clip-clop of horse hooves providing a soothing backdrop to their conversation. Link's eyes, sharp as ever, caught Niah's drooping eyelids.
"You can't fall asleep," he warned, his voice a mixture of concern and command.
Niah's eye cracked open, a drowsy "Hm?" escaping her lips before another yawn overtook her. "Then you're gonna have to find a way to keep me awake," she mumbled, her eyes threatening to close again.
Link, still focused on the map, suggested, "Then tell me about your life, I guess."
"It's too vague of a topic," Niah retorted, her mind still fuzzy with fatigue.
"Tell me about your family then."
Niah hesitated, weighing the risks of sharing too much. But Link was right; she needed to stay awake. Stretching her arms dramatically, she began, "Well, picture this: a father with a master's in politics and a bachelor's in history. Academic genius, top school in the country. He had big plans for me, but..." she paused, a rueful smile playing on her lips, "I was more of a dropout kinda gal."
She sighed, the weight of past decisions hanging in the air. "Then there's my stepmom, psychology degree gathering dust while she stitches up a storm as a seamstress. Talk about career switcheroo."
Link's ears perked up. "What about your actual mother?"
Niah's face darkened slightly. "Ghost mom. Vanished right after I was born. But hey, enough about my family soap opera. What's your story, hero boy?"
Link folded his map with practiced ease, taking Epona's reins. His voice took on a somber tone as he spoke, "A castle guard father, gone too soon. A mother who could weave silk into dreams. We lived in a village where money was just a concept, and everyone pitched in. Then..." his voice caught for a moment, "a raid. Everyone I knew, gone. I followed a stream to Ordon, and that's been home ever since."
Niah's curiosity was piqued. "Burvis mentioned something about a mage. What's that about?"
Link's eyes lit up with a mix of pride and sadness. "In my village, we used to sing from ancient texts. Healing, gathering, hunting - each song had its purpose. But the king banned the texts, and the elders had to teach what they could remember. Me? I can only rest the dead. Sounds morbid, but it was valuable where I'm from."
He turned to Niah, genuine curiosity in his eyes. "What about your world? What kind of magic do you have?"
Niah couldn't help but laugh. "Magic? We've got something better - technology. These horses? Where I'm from, they're basically lawn ornaments. We zoom around in things called cars. Point A to Point B in half the time."
Link's skepticism was evident. "Sounds... interesting."
"Yeah, not great for Mother Nature though," Niah admitted, fishing an apple from her saddlebag. She took a big bite before dropping a bombshell, "Oh, and we have buildings that make Hyrule Castle look like a dollhouse."
"Are you serious?" Link scoffed.
"Yep," Niah countered with a grin.
"Definitely not."
"If you ever drop by, I'll prove it to you," Niah challenged, a mischievous glint in her eye.
Link's laughter echoed in the night air. "One day, perhaps."
A comfortable silence fell between them. Link began scribbling in his journal, his left hand smearing ink across the pages. Niah found herself wondering about the contents. Was he writing about her? About Midna?
As the night wore on, Niah felt her eyelids growing heavy once more. This time, she didn't fight it. As she drifted off, the last thing she saw was Link's silhouette against the starry sky, his quill still dancing across the pages of his mysterious journal.
Niah rested her eyes again, it had to be another few moments after that Link started to speak. "If you don't have magic though, what do you have other than… that? Also, how else would you have gotten here if it weren't for magic."
She opened her eyes again and glanced at Link for a moment. She contemplated.
It was true, she didn't have magic, no one did. This was a fact, but someone either from Hyrule or her world somehow had access to it. Maybe someone stuck here like her. Maybe someone like Link is stuck in her world. There wasn't much she could explain in hindsight. "We have technology and science, and I don't know how I got here, I was hoping to find someone who might know. Then, maybe I could go home."
With her luck, it was doubtful, but she could try to leave.
"There might be someone in Castle Town that might know. That place is full of weird people."
Niah remained awake for the rest of the journey. They stopped once or twice to make sure they were completely prepared to enter the Twilight, but an hour before they made their way to the entrance, Niah felt her skin begin to crawl with goosebumps. Something about the air didn't feel right, and it made her feel chains were bound to her ankles with every step she took, forcing her chest to tighten and her muscles ache in pain. Several times in that hour she thought about turning back, but even she knew she was in too deep.
"The feeling is normal." Midna spoke from the shadows.
The methodical patter from the hooves didn't help much to calm her, and neither did her chug of water. It made her stomach form butterflies and it made her feel sick like she was about to vomit from the stress.
Then it finally appeared.
The area surrounding it was an inky black, she could see it from beyond the bridge, like a black hole, there was no texture, no light around the barrier the more they got near it. Somehow, it was deafening.
They proceeded over the Lanayru bridge, it was damaged badly from war, there was nothing to protect them from falling into the equally black abyss beneath. After they went over the bridge, Link made sure to hitch the horses somewhere, he knew they would be back, hopefully soon. She had grown attached to Mara in the short time they've been together.
The passage towards it narrowed further in, Niah explicitly remembered them having to use bomb arrows to make their way in, but apparently that wasn't the case anymore. The hills were more dense and claustrophobic, but she grew hypnotized by the sight of it.
Just before they entered the more foyer-like of the entrance, they dismounted. Link stretched himself out one last time and padded himself to make sure he had everything they needed.
"What should I expect in there?"
They looked at each other, and Link took a deep breath. "I don't know what it's going to be like for you. But the feeling of it take a lot to get used to. So be prepared." He muttered. "You still got that paper?"
Niah padded her pockets, "yeah."
Link could see she was nearly entranced by the sight of it, and grabbed her forearm. It didn't hurt, as it wasn't forceful, made it made her more aware as they started to guide themselves forward.
… a horn could be heard off in the distance.
Then the sounds of a stampede of horses. And yelling.
Niah and Link stopped in their tracks before they looked backwards. The narrowing of the hills made it all to clear as to what was going on. Just then, Niah remembered the entrance wasn't meant to be so narrow, part of the bridge was meant to warp somewhere else, wasn't it? Their eyes widened as they glanced towards each other. Niah's eyes were wider though due to her own revelations, and an arrow whizzed past their faces forcing them to separate and fall to the ground. Link found his bearings quicker than Niah did, and unsheathed his sword before another arrow directed at him hit his shield and bounced away. Niah was left defenseless other than her own bow and arrow, but the Twilight sucked in most of the visible surroundings, and before she knew it, someone had knocked her to the ground. Soon Niah realized exactly what was going on. It was a raid.
Niah threw the man off. He wore Yiga clothes, and as he was attempting to get back on his feet. Niah didn't allow it as she kicked him back down. She looked at Link who had pieced someone through the chest, blood stained his blade and his left cheek. He met her eyes.
"Run!" He yelled.
She tried to, she really did, but she was dragged down by another man with a sword. As he was about to strike it through her, she miraculously turned her face away as her eyes went wide. This wasn't supposed to happen. The sword was stuck in the dirt, and she kicked this man down as well but not before striking him the best she could in the face. Niah had been out of practice for some time, but she needed to run away from the mob, but where?
The hills surrounding them were too high, and there was no way she could push past the others without getting herself killed. She looked around in circles, her breath was hard and she remained almost clueless.
But something in her mind finally told her to grab the sword.
The world worked in slow motion. The man she knocked down was still trying to dig it up from the ground, Link had taken down several more Yiga by this time. She ran towards the stuck sword, knocked the man through the ground again, and miraculously, and with no warning other than her adrenaline, she pulled the sword up but the hilt before turning it against the man. She had never used a sword before, but somehow she knew. The first area she hit was his arm as it knocked him to the ground on his stomach. He said something in between that, something derogatory she assumed. Niah didn't care though,
She struck the man through the back, to his heart and just then. He was motionless, dead.
"Niah I said run!"
Everything was moving so fast again, but as she took the sword, she moved towards the barrier instead.
She ran fast, and she ran hard, but then a sharp pain in her left arm made her collapse. An arrow scraped her.
Niah collapsed. And in the white of the pain. She saw something. She saw something crack. And she felt it.
Niah opened her eyes to see the brooch had fallen from her jacket, cracked. Her eyes widened as the pain in her chest grew worse. It was hard to breathe. She still had the sword in her hand. Something told her to keep it. She reached instead with her right hand for the brooch. And when she grabbed it, the pain got even worse. Her mind was fading.
"Enough of this."
A ripple effect from the Twilight could be seen, and a giant hand came out to grab her, she tried to call for Link, but as the mob got worse, she saw he was already running towards her. In the distance, she saw most of the mob falling back towards the bridge. Not many made it across as Twilight creatures opened the portal to warped part of it, like in the game.
Her back hit the entrance of the Twilight. Any air in her lungs was promptly forced out.
Then, her vision went black.
Thanks for sticking around this past year and a half almost. Uh, no excuse really, just busy with life lmao. Chapter 13 is in the works and I'm actually enjoying it. This one is… yeah. It's something and I hated it.
(no beta. We die like men.)