Born a Weapon

A Twilight Princess Fan story

Chapter 28

M̴͈̮̞̜̣̠̀̾̔͜ĩ̵̖͇̬͊́ͅd̴͍̲͕̣͑̿͌n̷͉̗̬̖̺̰̥̦̒̚ą̶̪͓̥͈̼̥̎̂̿́͜

Pain.

Where was the pain?

Where was anything? He felt numb, lightheaded? What happened?

Was he dead?

Link slowly tried to open his eyes, but it was hard. His eyelids felt like they had weights on them, and his vision was blurry. He tried to get up, but a stinging pain flared in his abdomen.

Well, I found the pain, Link thought as he grunted. A faint voice rang out from his left, and a black blur moved above him, looking down at his face.

A black blur with red eyes.

Link lashed out, trying to push the monster away from him. The figure took the pathetic hit and grabbed his arm, trying to restrain the struggling hero while yelling something.

"-ink! Ca-…-wn! … me! … Midna!"

Link's vision slowly began to clear, and the black blob was joined by orange and white until it focused into the form of his companion, holding his hand with a concerned look. Link stopped fighting her and slumped back onto his bed.

"Midna?" Link moaned weakly. "I… I thought you were me."

"You mean the other you, right? The 'Dark Link'?"

"Yeah, I just saw a black blur with red eyes. Sorry."

"I get it," Midna said, shaking her head, "I had a freakout after losing a lot of blood, too." Midna floated away to grab something Link couldn't see and returned with a glass of water. "Here. Renado said to give this to you if you woke up. It's spring water."

"Are we in… Kakariko?" Link asked as he sat up and tried to grab the glass, but he almost dropped it.

"Yeah," Midna nodded as she helped Link move the glass to his lips. "Renado patched you up, but you're in rough shape." Midna placed the empty glass back on the nightstand and gently pushed Link back onto the bed. "Your arm is broken, and you lost a lot of blood from being stabbed. You also have some nasty bruises."

"Are you hurt? Where's Epona?"

"I'm fine, and so is Epona. You have to worry about yourself right now. Stop being a selfless hero for a bit, ok?" Link laid his head on his pillow and closed his eyes, his hand resting on his injury. He was so still that Midna thought he had fallen asleep. "Are you ok? How do you feel? Do you need anything?"

"I feel tired… and a bit cold…" Midna snatched some blankets off the nearby beds and threw them onto Link. While she was spreading them over the bed, he spoke again. "Midna… How did…" Link opened his eyes and looked at Midna, "how did we get here?"

Her hands froze, the blankets in her grasp. That was the question she had been dreading ever since arriving at Kakariko. How could she tell him? How could she tell him that she had done the one thing she had sworn to herself, and Link, that she wouldn't do? She knew it was dangerous. She said she would wait until she fought Zant. But she didn't. She couldn't. She had to do something.

"I, uh…" she began, avoiding Link's gaze. "I teleported you here."

"But… you were stuck under the tree."

"After you were choked, Dark Link… threw you to the ground." Here it comes, "You…" Just say it. "You… landed in the shadow."

"I did…?"

"Yeah," Midna nodded, finishing with the blanket and pulling it up to Link's shoulder. "Once you were in the shadow, I was able to teleport you. I flew through the shadows and got Renado. Then he brought you here."

"What if he comes for me? To finish me off?" Link franticly realized and tried to sit up again.

"Link, relax!" Midna pushed Link back down, "there are dozens of Gorons patrolling Kakariko. He's not getting in here. And even if he did, you're in no condition to fight him again! You can't even stop me from holding you in bed! How do you expect to fight?" Link finally stopped struggling, realizing Midna was right.

"I'm just worried. Whoever that was threw me around like I was nothing, and he was stronger than Darbus while he was corrupted. I hope he doesn't try to take on dozens of Gorons because I have this unsettling feeling he could win."

"Worry about that later. Right now, you need to rest." Link gave a weak nod and closed his eyes. Before he let sleep take him, he said one more thing.

"Midna… thanks…"

When Link slipped into a slumber, Midna placed her face in her hands and sighed. She lied. She lied about what she had done. Why? Was she afraid of how he would react? Was she afraid of giving him any more reason not to trust her? Whatever the reason, no matter how much she wanted to admit what she did, she just… couldn't. No matter how hard she tried.

When Link saw the white world, he knew exactly where he was. He turned around, greeting the tall skeletal figure with a wave.

"Link," he said with a nod.

"…Uh… Shade," Link replied, unsure how he should address the skeleton. "I guess you saw me get my ass kicked."

"My vision into the real world is somewhat limited, but yes, I know you lost a fight.

"Miserably lost," Link corrected. "How am I supposed to do hero stuff with that guy out there? I couldn't even touch him. I lost, and he didn't even use a weapon... aside from my own dagger. I don't know if I can do this…" Link sighed. The Hero's Shade made loud footsteps as he approached, and Link looked up to see the skeleton looming over him.

"You lost. Get over it." That wasn't the response Link expected, "You think just because you're the hero, you're invincible? Everyone loses sometimes."

"I don't think I'm invincible!" Link retorted, "that's been very clear to me from the beginning! I'm just saying I don't stand a chance against that guy."

"So, get better." The Hero's Shade crossed his arms, and Link thought he could hear a slight smirk in his voice. "Recovering from your wounds will take a long time," the skeleton turned and walked a short distance from Link while he spoke. "And while you do, you will practice here every day." The skeleton turned around and punched his palm. "You lost to an enemy who didn't even use a weapon. You will do the same thing here, repeatedly, until you win." Link drew his sword and shield, giving the shade a determined glare as he marched towards the hero, mimicking Dark Link's opening move.

The following day, Midna didn't even notice Link was awake until she saw him writing in his notebook. She floated to him and looked over his shoulder to see what he was doing. Link had drawn his doppelganger in incredible detail and had multiple notes and questions written next to it.

Looks nearly identical to me. Advanced weaponry. Incredible aim. Incredible strength. Has a magic storage like Midna. Possibly has other magical abilities. Extremely skilled in combat. Knows the same moves I do. Has a move to knock someone out in one strike (why didn't he use it on me?) Probably related to the ninjas in some way. Does not bleed (immortal?) Knows who I was.

"Wow, you got all that from that fight?"

"Yeah. I also have a page on his weird weapon." Link turned the page to show Midna a drawing of the massive crossbow, with Dark Link holding it for scale. Most of the notes nearby were about its power and range and several questions about how it worked.

"I forgot you had this thing."

"Well, if you want to know anything about anything we've seen, Check in here." Link handed the book to Midna, and she flipped through a few pages. She found something on everything they encountered, no matter how insignificant. She settled on the Beamos for a while, finding a large section of notes on what happened to her. She shivered and quickly moved on.

"If you have anything to add, let me know," Link grunted as he laid back down.

"No," Midna lied, "I think you got everything." She did have something to add. Dark Link used magic to throw Link's equipment. But to reveal that, she might have to admit that she used the Fused Shadow. "You're way more observant than me."

Midna found a page about the corrupted form of Darbus, and the drawing was once again amazing. Several notes were added nearby, but many spoke of the Fused Shadow. Remembering an earlier section, Midna flipped back several pages to find information on the Fused Shadow. Each known piece was drawn on one page, and Link was clever enough to realize they fit together like a puzzle and drew them accordingly. Midna snickered at a nearby note.

I know Midna told me she can see through the Fused Shadow, but this thing looks like it would cover her entire face. That's gotta suck. Poor Midna.

She moved her eyes away from the note and looked at the others. There was a clear change in Link's tone when referring to Midna in the notes. They started distrustful and suspicious but changed to be more relaxed and trusting.

The effect just one piece had on Darbus concerns me. Midna has more than one piece and is constantly exposed because she insists on using the first shard as a helmet. I can't say I blame her, though. I wish I had a helmet.

I worry that she may be affected in ways she doesn't realize since it's been confirmed the Fused Shadows have a passive effect on her, even though she is not trying to use them.

But I don't think I have to worry. Midna has shown no signs of corruption. In fact, she's constantly on the lookout for any effects on me whenever I touch a piece. I'm grateful for that. These things scare me. But the fact that Midna has shown no desire to use the Fused Shadows until we face Zant shows her strength. I know Faron said she was strong-willed, but her determination and willpower is amazing. It's clear that whatever passive effects the Fused Shadows have aren't enough to corrupt Midna. When she has to use it… we'll see. But until then, Midna has proven that I can trust her.

Midna's hands shook as she held the book, and she turned away from Link so he wouldn't see her distraught face. What she read made it feel like she was the one who got stabbed in the gut. He trusted her. He trusted her not to do the one thing she did, and she couldn't even admit it to him.

No.

No more. She had a perfectly good reason for what she did. What she did was necessary, and it had been the right thing to do. She owed it to Link to tell him, and she would do just that. She snapped the book closed and turned around.

"Link," she said, gaining the hero's attention. He sat up, waiting to hear what she had to say. Midna took a deep breath and opened her mouth to admit the truth. But the words never came. "This is a pretty detailed book. It's kind of freaky." What am I saying?

"Yeah," Link chuckled, "I know. But I figure everything might be important someday." Tell him! Midna flew over to Link and handed his book back to him. "Thanks." TELL HIM!

"How are you feeling today?"

"I still feel like crap," Link groaned, "this stab wound hurts like hell."

"Do you need anything?"

"I could use some water…" Link yawned, becoming tired.

"I'll grab some for you, then you go to bed," Midna floated over to a nearby table with a pitcher of water and two glasses. My body's moving on its own! She picked up the pitcher and poured water into a glass, but her arm started shaking when she reached for it. Let me go! Give me back my body! She grasped her arm with her other hand until it stilled, then picked up the glass and brought it to Link.

"Thanks…" he said, taking the glass and drinking slowly. Once he was done, Midna took the glass from him.

"You're welcome," she floated away and put the glass back on the table. Link got comfortable in bed and closed his eyes, sleep quickly taking him. Once he was asleep, Midna was able to move again. She grasped the side of the table as she took deep, fearful breaths.

"W-what was that?!" she panted, barely above a whisper. She raised her voice to call out to Link, awaken him and tell him what happened, but no words came from her mouth. She flew over to the hero, intent on shaking him awake, but her hands stopped just shy of his body and would not budge. She tried to knock over a glass, hit something, scream, do anything to make a sound and get Link's attention. But she couldn't.

She collapsed to the floor, huddled in the corner. She was overwhelmed with panic and had no idea what to do or what was happening to her. She gripped her head in fear and felt cold stone. Confused, she pulled it off her head and held it in front of her so she could see it, and her breath stopped.

It was the Fused Shadow.

"W-when did I put this on?!" Midna's eyes widened as she finally realized what was happening to her. "No… What have I done…?"