Chapter 38: The Fury
She was gone. In barely a minute flat. Link stood frozen before the sealed doors, helpless. He went and tried to push and pull them, to no result.
He paced on the spot as his mind started racing. Of course using her magic would have gotten her noticed by the custodians. But to arrest her?
"Idiots!" he shouted to the air.
If she was the only one who was willing to use her ancestral magic to help against the invasion, then he needed to find out more first.
Wheeling around, he made his way back towards the dining room, hoping to find anyone familiar. And sympathetic.
As he rushed through the large archway, he saw several Twili he didn't fully recognise. He had spent more time learning about the Twili guards he was training than any of those in the castle.
He stood still in his tracks. There were two servants, Leynth and Sasza. The latter being the one Midna had told not to disturb her for an hour. Was she the one responsible for the custodians finding out about her using magic?
His eyes narrowed as he looked around the room for any servant. He saw one of them cleaning the dining table. It was evening and the meals had already been served.
"Excuse me?" he said, doing his best to maintain a level of calm.
The Twili servant turned to him with a slight arch to their brow.
"Oh, you're her majesty's guest! Link, if I recall? How may I help?" they asked cheerfully.
"Do you happen to know where Sasza might be? I need to speak with her about something"
"Oh, the head maid! Of course sir. Shall I take you to her now?"
The enthusiasm was doing a lot to soothe his nerves.
"Please" he replied.
With a polite bow, they quickly tidied away some of their cleaning supplies.
"Very well. Please follow me." they said.
Link walked along with them to the upper levels of the palace. A thought struck him, he was eager for the distraction too.
"Hey, can you explain something to me? What's the difference between a palace and a castle? I've been to a castle and her majesty called this a palace, but I don't know the difference."
They had reached the top of a staircase, the young servant set a brisk pace.
"Oh, of course! A castle would normally be considered a military structure. Designed to train troops, maintain an armoury, plan defences and such. A palace meanwhile is designed to be as resplendent as possible. One for function, the other for form."
Link found himself liking them more.
"I appreciate it. What's your name?"
"I'm Lubos, it's a pleasure sir."
"Mine too" Link added. Then, he had another idea.
"Lubos, I know I'm a guest here, but I would like to ask for something else, if I may?"
"Of course, sir! Her majesty instructed us to attend any request of yours after all"
He smiled at Midna's thoughtfulness. Then, immediately focused on the memory of what had just happened to her.
"I need to speak to several of the people I've been training. Urgently. There were ten of them and I brought them here for a dinner with her majesty recently. They are…"
Lubos held their hand up briefly, a signature tactic of Midna's.
"I know exactly who you mean, sir. I was part of the staff that served that night. If you wish, I could arrange to have them come to the dining room within thirty minutes?"
Link felt some of the burden melt away.
"Yes please" he said earnestly.
"It will be done. Ah, here we are." Lubos replied, knocking on a door twice.
"This is the hall of records sir. We usually document our nation's exploits here. Unfortunately, it generates more dust than it does knowledge" Lubos said with a small grin.
"I'll send for the ten trainees and have them brought to the dining hall soon. Please come whenever you are ready"
With a smooth bow, he left to head downstairs, right as the door to the record halls opened.
Sasza stood before him, with a look of surprise.
"Master Link" Sasza said with a small incline of her head. "This is unexpected. How may I assist?"
"Hello Sasza. I was wondering if I might speak to you about something?" he asked, guarded.
"Very well" she said, curiously. She stepped aside and gestured for him to enter.
Walking in, he saw the room was much like the archives back in Hyrule. The shelves were more spaced out and the ceiling lower. True to Lubos' word, a fine layer of dust seemed to coat it all.
The door clicked shut behind him. He turned to see Sasza standing perfectly straight, her arms folded over in front of her waist.
"So, what is it you wish to discuss?" she asked plainly.
He took a measure of her. Her stoic expression betrayed very little. Her brows betrayed her, raised a little too high to stay neutral.
"Did you know that the custodians recently came to arrest her Majesty?"
"What?!" she blurted out, doing a double take. She looked about in a panic.
"Yes, no more than a few minutes ago. They said it was because she used her ancestral magic."
She looked to him helplessly.
"Did she?"
"Yes. At my request. We used a portal to travel to a secret place beneath the lands here. It was part of our investigation" he explained. Midna was already under arrest and the custodians already knew she'd used magic. It'd be a matter of time before the rest of the palace knew too.
He looked her straight in the eyes.
"You were the last person we spoke to before she used the magic. So my question, did you inform the custodians of what we were doing?"
"No! I had no idea that's what you were doing. I thought you were both…" She stopped herself abruptly, adjusting her sleeve like she hadn't said anything at all.
"Nevermind that. When I walked past her chambers, I saw a glow coming from under her door. I know for a fact that nothing in there can do that, so I was concerned! I went to ask some of the other staff if they knew if she had anything that could cause a glow like that"
She looked desperate. Still, she maintained a perfect posture. Either she was an expert actor or she was dedicated to her profession.
"Oh…" she said.
Link raised his head.
"There were several staff I spoke to. Some of them believe our old ways more firmly than the others…there's a chance one of them alerted the custodians."
She held her head in her hand, shaking it briefly.
"To think I may have been the reason she was arrested…"
Link had heard enough. The more he listened, the less likely it was that Sasza intentionally gave up Midna to the custodians.
"No. I don't think that's the case and that's all I wanted to confirm" he explained gently.
"However, I need to know what to do next. Getting her out of the custodians control is absolutely vital. Do you know if there's any way to appeal their rulings?"
Sasza shot him a quizzical look.
"Appeal? I don't understand. Nobody has ever tried to 'appeal' a decision made by the council of five before…"
Link sighed and let his head sink a little.
"Alright, so no line of appeal. Can any of their decisions be contested somehow?"
Sasza quietly shook her head.
"Of course not…" he lamented. "Okay, I'm going to go and try and find a way to her. Do you know where they might have taken her at least? I'd rather not waste time going to the holy site if I can help it"
"Oh, yes. They own a portion of this palace. Specifically, the underground levels. Only they may enter it though."
"Ah! That's good to know. Thank you, Sasza"
She smiled politely and nodded gently. Link turned to leave, but then Sasza spoke.
"Master Link. You care for her don't you?" she asked plainly.
"Of course I do. She's one of the most important people in my life."
"It would seem that you are the same to her. She speaks about you a lot, you know" Sasza said casually.
Link's ears perked up. "Good things, I hope?"
"I haven't seen her so animated before. After the crisis with that tyrant Zant, she was very driven to do right by her people. None of us had ever seen such drive from her before" she explained. "It came at a cost to her though, as she became more withdrawn."
Link turned to face her.
"Then, you fell through her ceiling, and it was as if all life came back to her in an instant" she said warmly. "I'm sorry I cannot be much more help. But please, if you can help her, then she absolutely deserves it."
Link felt a strong surge in him. He was already considering his options. Now though, more reckless ones suddenly seemed like a good idea.
"I'll do what I can" he said, an energetic smile on his face, Sasza returning her own.
He turned to leave, taking off at a brisk pace down back to the dining hall.
As each foot hit a step down, he thought of what he could do. The underground levels of the castle were entirely the custodians', so Midna would most likely be there too. He had to do his best to be reasonable. He knew he could handle himself if it came to a fight, but doing that to the respected elders of the Twili felt like the worst possible option.
Instead, he would have to argue against her arrest and the sheer impracticality of it.
Thinking back to when he had challenged the Custodian back at the holy site, the louder he got with each word. As if he didn't like having his authority challenged, rather than responding to any of the honest critiques or suggestions Link had.
Then he would have to just keep shouting, he supposed.
Arriving in the dining room, he saw a handful of people. None of them were his ten best…soldiers? Trainees? What were they, exactly? He shook his head, clearing the idle thought. Instead, he tried to think of different options, as he helped himself to a decanter of tea.
This one smelled floral. Oddly sickly but spicy at the same time. Sipping it, he found the flavours blended pleasantly and warmed him to his core, helping him relax a little.
Twili teas posed a significant threat to coffee as his favourite hot drink.
As he thought through more ideas, from simply storming the lower levels to convincing castle staff to appeal on his behalf, the doors opened. Lubos returned, with all ten of his best recruits.
He looked to them and nodded, gesturing to the seats around the table he had claimed.
"All present and correct, sir. Shall I bring refreshments?" Lubos asked politely.
"Please" Link replied.
Bowing slightly, they turned about and made their way back to wherever the kitchens were.
Then his ten recruits sat around the table. They all sat with straight backs and their hands on their knees. They had all become synchronised in the few days he had trained them.
Lethis got to her seat before anyone else and sat, brimming with energy.
Amo grinned as he sat, eager for whatever had made him special enough to be pulled out of training.
Rhyz followed, gaze already scanning Link's expression as he tried to figure out why he was here.
Veyran slipped into a seat without a word, eyes wide and sharp as he soaked in the details of the room
The other seats filled with the rest, each of them far more eager and sharp eyed than they had been a few days prior. Link felt grateful that they were fast learners. As the last seat was filled, each of them looked to him eagerly.
"Thank you for coming so quickly. You're a credit to yourselves by being this responsive" he began, happy to see their pleased responses.
"So, you're probably wondering why I've asked you here. I don't like wasting time, so I'll be blunt. Her majesty, Queen Midna, was arrested by the Council of Five. No more than twenty minutes ago."
Brows furrowed, a few flinches and a couple of sharp breaths were taken, but there were no explosive exclamations.
"She was arrested for using magic, the exact kind your custodians warn you so harshly about. She and I used a portal to reach a secret place and return a short while later. The act was noticed" he explained simply.
"So, now you know. I want to hear your thoughts on this"
He drank from his cup as he looked around. The ten Twili looked at each other, thinking before they said anything.
Lethis spoke first, unable to contain her excitement.
"She didn't cause a massive disaster by doing it, so I say no problem. She's our queen after all, so I wouldn't second guess her" she remarked quickly.
Rhyz followed, his voice steady as he was.
"We were always told that using magic would bring 'calamity to us all'. None of us have ever dared to use it. If her majesty thought it was worth doing then so be it" he finished with a shrug.
Then Amo seized the chance to speak.
"About time someone tried it! The custodians never really explained why magic was so bad but assured us that we'd suffer if we ever used it once."
Veyran was the sharpest thinker. During training, he had always made quick decisions that showed he was capable of leading people. He listened to the others before he spoke, wanting more perspectives.
"She risked a lot by doing that. But it's done. What do you intend to do, sir?"
The rest of the assembled Twili held their opinions. Their own respect for Veyran was noticeable from a distance. He had been a secret favourite of Link's during training, always getting straight to the point.
"We need her. She's a strong leader and she's the one who knows how to handle the evacuation of the town, for when our 'guests' arrive" he said grimly. "I'm the outsider here. All of you, tell me what you know about the custodians. How they work, what they do or even their favourite nightwear."
None of them laughed, giving Link even more respect for them. They were taking this seriously and they understood what he meant.
Link listened as each of the Twili shared their thoughts. Like Midna, they didn't know too much. It seemed the custodians liked their privacy. But elements of their descriptions lined up in an uncomfortable way. Their authority was ironclad. Everyone knew that they listened to the custodians before the ruler.
Some of the Twili, Amo especially, seemed to despise this. Claiming that he didn't really know who his boss truly was. The sentiment gained traction quickly amongst the others as they realised he was right.
Then there was the threat of punishment. Each of them had their own accounts of being shouted at by the Custodians at a young age, to terrify them against the idea of using magic at all.
Amo was easily the most outspoken one, the one who would fit the mould of a rebel easily. Yet even he went quiet when people started explaining their own experiences with the custodians.
The more Link listened, the more it started to feel like a generation spanning scam that nobody was casting a critical eye on.
Before anyone could debate further, the scent of sugar and spice drifted through the room. Moments later, Lubos returned
Lubos arrived with a large tray of food, placing it down neatly and revealing a broad selection of Twili sweets and pastries. A moment later, he brought fresh pots of tea for everyone.
"Please, enjoy" he said with a bow before excusing himself.
None of them knew how to react as they stared longingly at the tray of beautiful looking treats.
"Grab something. You're allowed" he teased.
Link smiled as he saw the faces of the assembled Twili change in an instant. Not only had the queen herself invited them to dinner previously, but now they were eating her sweets too. He recalled his own astonishment at being allowed to eat sweets in Hyrule Castle. Of course, he had overindulged quickly back then. He bet on Lethis being the first one to eat too much.
Picking up a pastry with glistening fruits in it, he took a bite. The fruits were tangy but changed to sweet a moment later, their juices blending with the pastry. Feeling a warm soothing sugar rush settle over him, he wondered how despite being an entirely different world, the Twilight Realm still had similar foods to Hyrule, just darker.
Everyone enjoyed their sweets and spoke little, enjoying the rare treat. This was perfect, Link realised, as this would help sharpen their minds for whatever came next.
As they sipped their teas, Rhyz spoke up.
"Have you spoken to the representative at all?" he asked.
"Of what?" Link asked back.
"The Custodians. They usually have a middleman for dealing with the court here. Should be somewhere amongst the staff, unless they've recalled him"
"I had no idea. Well I hope you're all finished, because I want you all with me on this." Link said as he finished the last of his tea.
"If I may, sir?" Lubos said.
Link turned to look at him, realising he'd not even included him in the discussion.
"I can take you to them. They have an office not too far from here. You'd all be welcome, considering they're the public face of the custodians"
"Excellent. Please do" he replied. Then, he turned to his ten Twili. "We're likely going to contest the custodians directly. Come along if you want, but you are not obligated to"
Then, he stood from his seat and made his way to the door with Lubos. He felt a surge of pride as he heard all the chairs drag backwards, followed by the footsteps of every last one of them.
They all arrived outside of an ornate door a few minutes later. This one was dark, polished and etched with fine decorative notches in it. None of the other doors had markings like this one. It radiated authority before a word was even spoken.
The door opened with a quiet click, and Link stepped through with his ten recruits close behind. The hallway's dim glow gave way to a narrow chamber carved in precise geometric symmetry. The walls were lined with scroll niches, old records and columns engraved with unreadable Twili script. The air smelled faintly of polish and incense.
At the far end stood a single desk. It was clean, severe and perfectly centered. Behind it stood a tall, middle-aged Twili man with narrow shoulders and sharp eyes. He wore layered black robes stitched with crimson accents, the mark of the Custodians gleaming faintly at his collar. He looked like he didn't ever blink.
"Master Link" he said, with just a hint of warmth. "And company."
Link nodded once. "You must be the Custodians' representative."
"I am. I act on their behalf within all civil domains. My name is Torvah."
Even his name sounded like it belonged in a courtroom, carved in stone and set in judgment. Link stepped forward carefully, motioning for his squad to fan out but stay behind him.
"I need to speak with you about Her Majesty" Link said. "Queen Midna has been arrested."
"She has been summoned to answer for her actions before the Council of Five. They are deliberating as we speak."
"On what grounds?" Link asked, forcing his voice to be calm. "She used her magic to help, in preparation for the coming invasion. Your law forbids it, yes, but it has caused no tangible harm."
Torvah inclined his head slightly. "That is what the Council is considering. Whether her intent offsets the crime, or whether…" he paused to choose the most clinical word, "...removal is necessary."
Link narrowed his eyes. "Removal?"
Torvah folded his hands together, fingertips pressed like teeth.
"Imprisonment… or exile. Those are the precedents for a ruler who defies ancestral law, no matter the reason."
The words struck the room. Behind him, Link felt the shift. Shoulders straightened, someone's breath caught but no one spoke.
"Exile…or imprisonment" Link repeated, the words almost tasting of bile. "For causing no problems..."
Torvah's face didn't twitch.
"She overstepped. Intent does not negate violation. The Custodians interpret the law as it was written. It is not my place to challenge that."
Link resisted the urge to grit his teeth. He folded his arms instead. How many others had nodded their way through orders like this, he wondered. How many voices had been silenced before anyone dared to ask if the Custodians were right?
"So you're just here to speak on their behalf. No opinion of your own."
"I speak their judgement" Torvah said.
"That's not the same as an opinion."
"The Custodians are our conscience. Their clarity sustains the balance. If we allowed every ruler to do as they pleased, we would return to chaos."
Link felt the pressure building in his chest, but he forced himself to stay still.
"No. By restricting what people can do, you breed resentment. It's only a matter of time until someone tries what you say is restricted. Better than to allow its use and regulate it."
Torvah gave a glance that was more disappointed than hostile.
"I think only within the framework of truth. Our truth is not yours."
Link took a slow breath, trying to keep his hands from curling into fists.
Behind him, one of the recruits shifted slightly. He didn't turn to look, but he knew they wanted answers of their own.
He had come here to reason. He thought maybe there was a chance—maybe this man could see sense. That Midna's arrest and her humiliation wasn't just cruel, it was fundamentally wrong.
But Torvah just stood there. Cold, devoted and empty of anything but the voice of the law.
Link's voice came lower, quieter, firmer.
"She broke the taboo to help give the Twili people a fighting chance in this invasion. To protect the people you claim to serve. And you think you're protecting your traditions by banishing her?"
Torvah tilted his head ever so slightly. "Those thoughts are not mine to make. I simply serve."
Link stepped forward, hand twitching once at his side before curling into a tight fist.
"Oh, you coward" he growled. "You're turning the entire Twilight Realm into a puppet state."
The words slammed against the desk like a thrown gauntlet.
Torvah didn't flinch, but his eyes narrowed. Just slightly.
Behind Link, the rattle of boots standing to attention sounded against the stone floor.
He exhaled and turned back toward them.
"Out. Now."
The ornate door closed behind them as Link walked away to head downstairs. His recruits followed eagerly.
As they walked down the first flight of stairs, Link needed new information.
"Any of you know how to get to the lower levels of the palace?"
There was a pause as the Twili looked to each other.
"I do" Veyran answered calmly.
"Then lead the way"
Nodding, he took the lead. Everyone remained focused and with no break in any of their steps. They all wanted the same thing.
They arrived by a staircase heading to the lower levels of the palace. Even the stairs themselves were ornate. Carved out of black marble webbed with veins of gold. A red plush carpet ran the length of the stairs too.
"Is everything the Custodians touch so decadent?" Link asked aloud.
"Yep. I swear they had teaspoons inlaid with gems once" Rhyz said flatly.
"Yeah, those robes they wear? Hand stitched with silks that cost more then I would make in three years" said Lethis.
"How do you know that?" one of the others asked.
"My parents work and trade in textiles. They're not important enough to use their silks, but they do sell them to the custodians and their preferred seamsters"
"So they have a taste for riches then" Link sighed.
Looking down the lustrous staircase, he tried to organise his thoughts and what he wanted to say. Then, he scrapped them and thought of what he could say that wouldn't get him or Midna exiled.
"Listen. I have no idea how this is going to go. You're risking a lot just by standing next to me at the minute. If you want to go back to training, then I'll say you were never here."
He turned to face them all, finding each of them shaking their heads, almost in unison.
"Her majesty has done a lot of good for us over the past year. We owe her" said one of them.
"I'd rather she wasn't alone against the Custodians" said another.
"I've always wanted to rescue a queen" said Amo, cracking his knuckles.
Link couldn't help but smile.
"Good. Let's do it. Be ready too"
He turned and made his way down the stairway, the plush carpet cushioning every step.
The lower levels were decorated just as lavishly as the stairway had been. Marbled walls shined with polish, picture frames of various Custodians over the years and polished wooden furniture lining the hallways. Glowing runes etched the surfaces too.
"Wait, if the custodians are so against the use of magic, why are these glowing signs everywhere? I have to imagine they're powered by magic to work" Link asked.
"That's a little different. There's a type of stone we mine that absorbs magical power from the air. Once mined, they can be turned into power sources. Those runes don't really mean anything, they just provide light" Veyran explained.
"Hm. What about those…floating hand things? The ones that shoot you if they have to" he asked.
"Same idea, just more complicated. They're extra security that follows our instruction's.
He blinked a couple of times. So one form of magic was fine, but another wasn't. He added hypocrisy to the growing list of issues with the Custodians.
Soon enough, they saw a large set of doors, leading to what felt like the middle of the palace. Inching closer to it, he heard muffled voices coming from behind.
Link straightened up as he took a quiet breath. He leaned into the doors and pushed. They swung open soundlessly.
A circular room revealed itself. This one was imperious looking compared to the richly decorated rooms and halls before. Dull grey stone had been carved into the shape of an amphitheatre. Midna sat in an enclosed box facing the five Custodians, sat far higher than her.
She turned her head to see what the disturbance was. She looked horrified at seeing Link. She hadn't expected anyone to come.
The custodians however all looked livid as Link walked straight into the middle of the floor, facing them. His neck felt tense having to look up so far.
"What is the meaning of this?" barked one of them.
"Custodians. I have tried diplomacy, I have tried to honour your ways and be respectful to them. However, the arrest of Queen Midna is unacceptable at this time."
"You dare to question our laws, outsider? You are interrupting a process that has been made to ensure our peoples safety!" shouted another.
Link hadn't even raised his voice. The old custodians wanted this over with quickly, he realised. He smiled, seeing straight through their aim.
"I do, especially when a decision like that endangers the Twili people further. I have already informed you of an imminent invasion by an overwhelming hostile force. Arresting her majesty is foolish at best and life threatening at worst."
The custodians were seething now at his audacity. They moved to shout, but he cut them off.
"She has been responsible for overseeing the evacuation of the townspeople. She is the recognised leader of each citizen. They call for her wisdom and leadership. Could you really not wait until the invasion was over?"
"Silence! You presume too much, outsider. You do not know our ways and you are not permitted to be here. Now leave!" shouted the lead custodian. The one he recognised from the holy site.
"I will do no such thing. You didn't even give her a voice. This isn't a trial, it's exile or imprisonment by default."
He heard Midna take a sharp breath. "How do you know–"
"Outsider, your risk much. You are not of our world, so why do you even care to meddle in ancient matters?" barked another of the custodians.
"Because it isn't just the Twilight Realm under threat. If the invaders succeed in their plans, then my world would face devastation too."
"Your case becomes weaker, outsider. You would not have dared lift a finger if your own world faced no threat. You are selfish! Even more unworthy of being here!" sneered one of the others.
Link almost snapped.
"I feel you don't understand the meaning of the word 'too'. It's not just my world that is under threat, it's also yours! And your decisions here will very likely guarantee its doom!" he barked back.
"Nothing is ever so certain, outsider!" shouted the head custodian.
Link felt fire burning in him again. But he would not let his temper flare. That had cost him dearly in the past. He took a quick breath.
"By that logic, the sun may possibly rise and set in this world. Listen to yourselves! Not only are you making bad decisions but stupid ones too!"
"Wait a damn moment!" Midna shouted. All eyes turned to her as the heat in the room rose. "You all intended to have me exiled? Or imprisoned?!"
Her eyes had turned cold as she faced the custodians.
"Be silent! You will be dealt with momentarily" shouted a custodian on the far side of the five. It was enough to make her flinch.
"Outsider, your petulant arguments hold no weight here! Let her answer for her crimes and justice shall be done!" shouted the lead custodian.
"It cannot even be called a crime! Her use of magic is what helped to save this entire realm from Zant and even then she harmed no Twili!"
The elder custodian then wore a sickening smile, like a starving cat served a bird on silverware.
"You're saying that she's used her magic before today then?" he asked aloud.
"Link!" came a desperate whisper behind him. He ignored it.
"Yes, and you should be on your knees in gratitude to her for it."
He knew the moment the words left his mouth that he'd handed them something. But he didn't regret it. Not when it was true.
"So she has not only violated our laws once, but twice? Or more than that? How are we to trust a leader who is unable to follow basic rule of law? She is unfit to lead!"
The other custodians nodded smugly.
"You know you're supposed to have a mouth, not another arsehole, right?" he bit back.
The custodians were put off guard, so he pressed the advantage.
"Queen Midna has always put everyone else first" he shouted. With the fire burning hotter in him, he paced around as he faced each Custodian in turn.
"When she wanted something, the Twili people came first. When she was wounded and near death, her first thoughts were of the Twili. Her first act after the crisis with Zant was to spend every waking moment helping the Twili. There has never been a more worthy queen."
In her box, she froze. Like the words had struck deeper than anything ever had.
He stood still at the centre of the court, eyes locked with the head custodian.
"I will not allow more insults to her from old men so out of touch that they are braindead."
Turning on his heel, he faced Midna. She looked shaken, but in her composure, she still looked like a queen.
He drew the Master Sword, its blade glowing brightly in the dimmed room. He knew the second the blade left its sheath, there'd be no turning back. So he raised it anyway.
"Long live the Queen!" he shouted to the room.
Midna blinked at his declaration. In the same second, the ten Twili soldiers lined up next to him, drew their own weapons and raised them.
"Long live the Queen!" they shouted in unison, echoing around the room.
All backs turned to the Custodians. Link didn't need to look behind him to know their silence was real. For what may have been the first time, the ones who ruled by fear had nothing left to say. Except the lead one.
"Traitors! Traitors all of you! Remove her and disperse them!" he shouted.
The custodians responded instantly, equally as incensed as their leader. They quickly donned the imposing masks they had worn earlier to arrest Midna, hiding their faces behind a featureless iron mask.
Leaping from their high seats, they landed with little impact as they drew closer to the group.
Three of them moved among Link's soldiers, pulling them by the shoulders and forcing them towards the door. One of them faced Link and moved towards him.
Before Link could think, he saw the lead Custodian head towards Midna and grab her arm, yanking her away from her seat. She lurched forward with an alarmed yelp.
"What do you think you're doing?!" she shouted. "Get off me!"
She pushed the hand away hard.
"Insolent girl! Do as your elders command!" he shouted back.
Then, for reasons known only to him, he threw a furious punch right into her eye.
Midna screamed in pain as her knees buckled under her. Shaking, she cradled her face as shock set in. Her eye bled freely, spilling down her face.
The elder moved to grab her by the neck.
"No!"
The fire in Link burst into a blazing inferno as fury took control and all restraint became a distant thought. In a single bound, he leapt across the gap and raised his sword.
Landing, he swung hard upwards, slicing through the elders forearm instantly.
The limb span through the air and fell to the floor, spewing dark blue blood over the pristine floor.
This time, the elder fell to his knees and screamed in agony as he cradled his new stump.
Link pointed the tip of the Master sword to his quivering throat.
"Do that again, I dare you!" he bellowed with all of his breath.
In the corner of his vision, he saw the other custodian move towards him with a lethal looking dagger raised
"Try it. See how long you live!" he said coldly, pointing the gleaming Master Sword towards them, stopping them in their tracks.
Chaos unfolded. The soldiers saw what happened and didn't hesitate. Breaking in to groups of three, they surrounded the three Custodians and pointed their weapons at them.
"Surrender. You will be given a fair trial" Reylan said calmly.
The elder stopped in his tracks, looking between the stone cold glares of the soldiers. Wisely, he dropped his dagger and stood still as Lethi moved to bind his hands behind his back.
Four of the other soldiers didn't even give their elder a moment of dialogue as one disarmed them, sending the weapon clattering to the floor. One of them kicked the elder in the back of the knee, crumpling him as the others moved to tie his hands down.
Rhyz squared off against the more aggressive one and raised a small shield. The furious elder bellowed as he swung wildly with his dagger. No trained strikes, just wild and desperate swings. Rhyz's expert defence didn't falter once as he deflected each blow. Amo slipped behind the elder and jabbed his club under the arm.
To Link's horror, he heard Amo shout in pain as the Elder sank his dagger into his belly. Rhyz, in a moment of fury, slammed his body into the weak elder, knocking him to the floor and driving the wind from him.
The elder Link was facing took advantage of his distraction and tried to charge him. But Link had faced far worse than this before. Slamming the Hylian shield upwards, the dagger was knocked into the air as the elder stumbled.
He thrust forward, intending to pierce his chest. Before he made it more than a foot forward, his entire body became locked in place. So did the elder. And everyone else in the room as something changed.
A bloom of fiery red and gold light burst into life around the room as magically enhanced hair bloomed and began to envelop the room. Unable to move his feet, he looked down and saw threads of Midna's hair had wrapped around his legs, quickly moving up his body and constraining him.
Everyone he could see was wrapped the same as him. The threads of enchanted hair dominated the room as Midna slowly stood, breathing ragged and every drop of kindness gone. Her closed eye was swollen, her face bloodied and in her open eye was a look of pure bloodlust that Link had never seen before. Restrained by her, he felt a pang of fear.
As her enchanted hair spread further around the room, everyone was lifted from the floor and suspended in the air. Everyone was at her mercy now and she was deaf to the terrified shouts.
Manipulating her hair with a torrent of pure magical force, she lifted the elder Custodian who had struck her. Even behind a featureless iron mask, he shook in fear at what he had unleashed.
She spared no words for him as the long strands of hair wrapped around him and tightened. The custodian began to scream helplessly as pain crushed him from all sides. Tighter the hair crushed him as bones began to creak, then snap. The elders agonised scream came louder. Blood began to drip from the mask as his voice shrank and the breath was squeezed from his very lungs.
Midna bared her teeth as her breathing became frantic. She looked close to feral. Link tried to shout to her, but the hair wrapped against him hard, making it nearly impossible to draw breath.
Midna vented every ounce of her rage into a blood curdling scream as she pulsed a river of power through her hair, applying colossal force through the twitching elder.
He breathed his last as Midna crushed his body with such violent force that his spine snapped backwards and his skull deformed with a wet crunch. He was thrown from the web of hair at such speed that the deformed corpse squashed against the wall. What hit the floor was no longer a person, but an abomination.
Midna turned on the spot, her fury unsated as she looked around the room. Link saw her open eye, her pupil gone as the eye blazed with a fiery glow of magical power. She was close to being lost forever.
Forcing himself as hard as he could, Link managed to get a single word out as the hair began to crush him too.
"Mid..na!"
She snapped her head towards him, teeth still bared. Link could barely move. He desperately tried to reach her, pushing against the impossibly strong hair strands. He fanned his free hand to her, hoping she could recognise the gesture.
She was just like him, when he had been the berserker.
He fought as hard as he could, trying to push through the hair. Even as he felt blood start to pool in his mouth as it flowed down his chin, staining the hair strands. The last of his breath barely held. His vision began to dim. He had only one chance.
With supreme effort, he barely managed to get the last word out.
"St..op…"
His vision turned black. A single thread of light visible as his body started to shut down.
The pressure slacked.
Slowly, the vein of light spread in his vision as blood was able to flow around his body once more. He took a sharp breath as he refilled his depleted lungs. Spitting out the mouthful of blood, he tried to steady his breathing.
He looked back to Midna, who stood still, looking at him curiously, wondering what he was.
The hair strands released him as he dropped to the floor. The impact nearly knocked him down, but he stood upright, despite the pain across his whole body. He had to reach her.
Wading through the field of empowered hair, he brushed it aside and found little resistance. Then, he finally got to her.
She stood alone, a wall of her hair surrounding them both. Her gaze was vacant as the magical glow still hid her pupil.
"Midna…come back to me" he wheezed. Shaking, he held his hand out to her, upturned.
She looked at it. Whatever she saw, she recognised him. Her breathing became less erratic. Instead of looking blank, now she looked scared. Her brow shot up, realising something had gone horribly wrong.
"Midna. It's me…your stupid wolf" he said meekly. Looking straight into her eyes, he pointed to himself. "Link"
She flinched as recognition came over her. She took his hand and ran her hands over it, feeling the shape as it somehow grounded her. Her breathing steadied again.
Then, she looked back at him.
"Link… wolf…" she said. Her voice brimmed with dangerous power, chilling him.
"Yes. Midna, you're alright. It's over" he said gently. He held her hand in his.
Whatever she felt was enough. The glow that hid her pupil began to fade as he saw it once more.
The strands of fiery hair retracted slowly, sounding like a rush of gentle wind. The length slowly shortened as she retracted it and released the torrent of magic that had swelled in her.
It took every ounce of stamina she had left. Her knees buckling under her own weight, she fell forwards, only for Link to rush forward and catch her.
He wrapped an arm around her waist and the other around her back as he bore her light weight. Her head bobbed gently as she tried hard to look up at him.
Her open eye twitched, a moment from her losing consciousness. She looked him in the eye, smiling contentedly.
"Hehe…stupid wolf" she said happily.
Then, finally, she was still. Her breaths slow and relaxed.