A/N: Very excited to announced that I have a beta reader now! Major shoutout to Kaos for their help on this chapter and future chapters! This also means I'll probably go back to a proper once-a-week upload schedule so that my hectic writing habits don't just totally overwhelm the poor guy :)
So uh... Sunday updates from now on?
Chapter 23 – Shadows Reign
Isha fell back into the sand, arms splayed behind her. She stared slack-jawed at the imp that had sprung from the darkness and stolen the relic Isha had worked so hard to retrieve. It was now cradled in her strange, flaming hair.
Though the small beast cloaked itself in shadow, Isha knew immediately it was the same as the monsters that destroyed Kakariko. Her blood ran cold.
"Fitting that you crawl in the dirt. While I have your attention…" The shadow creature leveled a pointed finger at Isha.
"I find you insufferable, weak-minded, foul-mouthed, and ill-tempered. I would suggest you see a doctor for your mental well-being, but I fear there is no doctor in any part of the known universe with the skills to untangle your disastrous mind. For someone who is supposed to be a leader of her village's youth, you are incredibly dense! I feel sorry for any who had to settle for you as any sort of authoritative figure!"
"Link, what the fuck is that thing?" Isha cried, looking to him with terror-filled eyes.
"I swear, she's a friend! Midna, that's enough," he tried. "You don't-"
"It's not enough, it's barely the beginning," Midna hissed back, her voice rising over Link's. "This has been a long time coming. Only a half-wit would dare go on such a dangerous venture just because some spirit she hardly respects said she should. I am amazed you've managed to stay alive for so long with so little sense."
The imp spun the relic in her oversized hand. "This thing that you so blindly reached for? What your light spirit called a 'dark power'? It's mine. And you're a fool for standing so close to it. These things have the power to drive those from your world mad." In a snap of Midna's fingers, the power disappeared. Isha winced at the sound, as though she were expecting a slap.
"I've been trying to get ahold of them so that I can use them for good, and keep them out of the hands of foolhardy, sheltered brats with dreams of grandeur and no real concept of what it means to wield even a fraction of this power!" Midna hovered closer to Isha, whose chest heaved with terrified breaths. The younger woman scrambled backwards, fearing the imp might strike her dead.
"Midna!" Link tried to step in between the two women, but Midna passed through him as if he weren't even there.
"Thanks to your petty little whims, we've been side-tracked to hell and back! Link was supposed to go straight to the Gorons after fixing your Light Spirit, but he was heavily delayed because you just had to tag along, just had to get yourself kidnapped by a monster and derail us for days. We got all caught up in other people's business because you couldn't even take down a kargarok by yourself! Wonder how much suffering you caused the Gorons with these delays?"
Isha tried to bite back, but her tongue wouldn't cooperate. Between her fear of shadow creatures and the shock of this thing coming out of Link's shadow, Isha barely had time to register Midna's admonishing before the imp was on to the next gripe.
"And what of the Zora you brought down here with you, the ones who only did this because a certain helpless woman quite literally fell into their lives and brought all her baggage along? They're in the middle of rebuilding after a crisis and you've dragged them all down into this cursed place! They were injured while defending you, spurred on by your insistence to have things your way!"
Midna stopped trying to close the gap between them. She looked upon Isha with utter disdain and crossed her arms. "Imagine if we hadn't shown up in time! What would you have done when your foolishness turned you into a beast worse than a Twilit Morpheel? Do you really believe you'd have a semblance of sense left once that Fused Shadow took hold of you? You would have killed them all-"
"Quit yelling at me!" Isha cried, her anger finally overpowering her fear. She leapt to her feet, face red and fire in her eyes.
"I can't answer any of your damn questions if you don't shut up! How was I supposed to know what made this shadow thing so dangerous? Nobody bothered to give me a clear explanation, not even Lanayru! You can't possibly expect me to hear 'oh it's a little dangerous' and just accept that as an answer! Such things never stopped my father and do not appear to hinder you either, so why should it stop me?"
Isha turned to Link, frustrated tears brimming in her eyes. "And you! You hide information from me, I don't see you for almost two weeks, and the first thing you do is bring a damn shadow monster along to… what, exactly? Watch the bitch rip into me for your entertainment?!"
"Watch your mouth, child!" Midna grabbed Isha by her collar and raised her hand as if to slap the Hylian. "You will show me respect. I admit I am a pathetic sight in my current form, but you have no idea who you're talking to! If you think those Twili beasts that destroyed your home are terrifying, you haven't seen anything yet. You would do well to take a breath and think before you speak again!"
Isha met Midna's eyes and held her glare. Midna twitched her upheld hand, but Isha did not recoil. The imp's scowl grew.
"Both of you, stop!" Link roared, pushing between the two women and finally separating them. "Isha, you never gave me a chance to explain any of this. You cut me off when I try-"
"Because you never gave me a valid reason!"
"-Like that! Give someone else a chance to talk for once! It is the single most frustrating thing about trying to talk to you!" When Isha spoke no further, Link turned away from her hurt expression and looked to Midna.
"You saved my life, I can't deny that. You've been helpful despite your gripes. But enough is enough, Midna. Isha's right, if you had let me explain everything to her before she came here, things wouldn't be the way they are now. Considering what she's been through, don't' you think it would have been beneficial to explain to Isha, of all people, your whole situation so that she doesn't group you in with the rest of monsters?"
Midna sneered. "I have told you many times why I didn't want to give my presence away, but clearly you still haven't learned how to listen! And anyone with a brain can see that I don't align with them. It isn't my fault if she's lacking the proper equipment."
"I do listen, Midna. I know you have your reasons for wanting to stay hidden, but Isha's as stuck in this mess as you and I are. She has been from the day we left Kakariko. Your excuses don't hold water, and we can't keep going on half-truths and scraps of hints."
Midna looked away from the swordsman and did not grace him with a response.
"You've got your Fused Shadows. You owe us both an explanation," Link gestured between himself and Isha. "Whatever is going on does not just involve your world, Midna. It's time to stop acting like we have nothing to do with each other." His voice gave way to silence.
Midna looked between the hardened expressions of both Hylians. Her shoulders fell with a heavy groan. "You deserve one another. Equally stupid, equally miserable to be around."
"Oh, and I'm sure you've been a gem of a companion," Isha sneered with all the confidence she could muster, despite her shaking hands. "Considering Link's first compliment to you was instantly followed by a complaint."
Midna lit right back up. "Listen here, you little canyon-cockroach, if you want any sort of explanation, then you'll learn how to shut your-"
"I don't want an explanation, I don't want anything from either of you," Isha exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. "I don't want anything else to do with this stupid kingdom. I'm done with all of this. Done with deities, done with magic powers, done with talk of other worlds, and very done with these awful fucking shadow monsters. I don't know what she did to convince you to work with her, but count me the fuck out."
The woman turned away, teary eyes looking to the chandelier that now hung precariously from the shattered roof high above. Isha lifted her left arm, still bearing the clawshot, and aimed for one of the dangling fixtures. Hopefully it would hold despite the damage.
She squeezed the handle at the same time Link's hand slammed onto her arm. The claw struck dirt and Isha pitched sideways, hissing at the hero. "Quit it!"
"Did you not hear anything I just said?" Link grabbed at her wrists. "Please, Isha, just listen for once!"
"Did you hear anything I said?" Isha bit back. She struggled to meet Link's eyes. Her bravado was crumbling away every time she caught a glimpse of that dark imp still hovering behind him. The very air around Midna emanated a darkness not unlike the strange shadows that had trapped Isha down here to begin with.
And this guy was just wandering around with the thing in his shadow. Collecting artifacts of immense power for it, like some kind of parasite.
The legends were so wrong. Goddess-chosen didn't mean anything. The gods were as clueless as the people who blindly worshipped them.
"Don't make me work with that thing," Isha pleaded in a hushed whisper. "Maybe you have a sick sense of humor or irony or… I don't fucking know. But I want no part of any of it."
"Let her go," Midna sneered. "She clearly is so unwell that she cannot tell the difference between me and the creatures that destroyed her home. She'll do nothing but slow us down."
Isha threw her hands in the air. "Is there any difference, aside from the form you take? I'd love to hear how you're going to be so much better than all of them, wielding powers like that!"
Her snarl was reflected on Midna's own face. "You suffer over the pain of losing your village, do you not? You should know better than any how I feel! I have lost all of my people. Hundreds of villages, hundreds of faces I once loved and served, they're all gone. The same man that ordered the destruction of your village usurped the throne, enslaved my people, then cursed and banished me when I dared to stand against him. Those monsters that Link and I have killed over and over? Those were once my people! We have never wished violence on anyone, our world or otherwise!"
"Pretty words from a demon," Isha huffed.
"I came to this world, knowing your harsh light could kill me, knowing this world despised my very existence, because I was desperate." Midna hesitated for a moment, but when Isha moved to speak again, the imp was quick to continue. "I wanted to free my people. I would do anything, even cross the very expanse of space itself, for the prosperity of my people. I would do anything to give them back their lives of peace!"
Midna raised a clawed hand and began to count off her fingers as she continued. "I teamed up with Link because our legends spoke of a wild-eyed beast that would bring about our salvation. I broke him out of the castle dungeons and brought him to the Princess so he could get an explanation of what was going on from a face he might trust more than my own."
She raised another finger. "I stood by and acted as a pack mule for him while he collected old ass weapons and looked for those damn kids he cares so much about. I carry every item he needs me to, just so he's not overburdened at every turn."
Midna threw her hand out to the side, and Link's supplies blipped in the air before returning to her endless pockets. Iron boots and bracers. A lantern and oil. The boomerang that had carried Isha out of harms way many nights ago in an open field.
"I've helped him in countless fights, including the one above!" Midna continued on. "I was the one who brought back the rock from Death Mountain that thawed the Zora! I took special care not to harm them through the process! I have graciously allowed my own agenda to be sidelined over and over again so that this idiot can figure out what kind of hero he wants to be!" With every statement, Midna's voice rose in pitch.
"Do you think any of those shadow beasts are capable of remorse anymore? Capable of selflessness? Do you think any part of their original, kind nature remains after what Zant has done to them? Do you think that false king cares at all that the people he's enslaved are suffering a nightmare previously unheard of? Listen to my deeds, look at me, and tell me honestly that you think I am anything like them!"
Midna was in Isha's face, but the woman did not back down. Her pride kept her standing tall with a fierce glare, even though Midna's story was clawing its way into her hardened heart and chipped away at Isha's fears. The two women stood silent, foreheads nearly touching.
The shadow creature was rude and loud. She was emotional.
She was desperate to save people she loved. Willing to do anything for them.
Isha slowly raised her hand and pointed to the ground. "I'm going to sit down over there. I'm going to take a deep breath. And then I want the truth." Her eyes darted to Link. "The entire truth. Then we can all go home or our separate ways, I don't care."
Midna looked as though she were considering leaving on her own, and Isha supposed she couldn't force a creature that could melt into the shadows to stay anywhere. But when the imp looked at Link, she lowered in the air a bit.
"Take as long as you need. Not like people are dying or anything." She flipped her magical hair over her shoulder and turned her back to the two Hylians.
"For your benefit, dust mite, I'll start with the obvious. I and all of these 'shadow monsters' are from another world known as the Twilight Realm." Midna began after they'd all taken a few moments to cool their tempers in silence. Link stood at her side, but Isha had refused close proximity with either of them. She stood apart from them both, with her arms crossed over her chest.
"But I'm not the same as Zant or his minions, any more than you are the same as the lowest criminals that infest the dark corners of your world." Midna had not wanted to have this conversation with anyone, least of all this impulsive woman who had good reason for her distrust - not that Midna was willing to admit that aloud. The imp had planned to leave Link's side as soon as she'd swiped that Fused Shadow from Isha and said her piece, but the girl's temper had goaded her into a fight.
Despite her disdain for the little canyon-cockroach's attitude, Midna struggled to blame Isha for the things she'd said and done. Though the Twili had tried to squash the feeling like a bug and would rather die than confess to it, Midna had felt a kindship with Isha from the start. Midna understood the drive to protect her loved ones at all costs, understood a quest for revenge.
They also both had quite the bone to pick with Zant over very similar grievances. Hard not to befriend the enemies of your enemies.
"Where I come from, magic is a part of the world around us, and manifests in everyone differently. The magic is strongest with those who have great leadership potential, and my tribe believes this guides us to our rightful rulers. When it came time to elect our most recent ruler, Zant was passed over for another. He flew into a rage. He turned traitor to the crown and to his realm."
Midna had tried so hard not to get close to any light-dwellers. She was no fool to be easily won over by a few kind words. The history of Light and Shadow was one of great betrayal, and the Hylian leadership had used the Twilight Realm as a dumping ground for the worst of their criminals for untold generations.
Not once had a light-dweller attempted to make contact with those who dwelt in the Twilight. Not to discuss trade, not to ask for permission to dump their unwanted and most vile, not even to say so much as a "hello!"
The very existence of the Twili had been forgotten, as if they were unimportant. As if they never mattered.
How was Midna supposed to believe that these two lost-causes would be any different from those they shared this world with?
"I know not what gave Zant his increased strength, but when he returned to the palace for his coup, he stank of a new magic entirely." Midna couldn't help but curl her lip in a snarl, recalling the way the man had thrown open the palace doors and unleashed his warped minions upon the unarmed staff. It had been a slaughter.
"The Twilight realm wasn't enough for him. Once he had control, he started planning on how he would take over the next world he could reach. That would be your world. He brought his warped army to your world, stole your Light Spirit's light, and conquered the Castle. They hold your princess hostage, which is causing her subjects to doubt her capabilities. I have no doubt the suffering and resentment he's brewing is somehow feeding him, making him stronger."
"And you think those Fused Shadows are going to help you defeat him?" Isha asked. Her voice had lost its edge.
"I know they will," replied Midna with confidence. "And once Zant is dead, I and my people will return to our world. You can forget all about us and focus on your own world, just as those in the light have always done."
Isha looked to Link, who had not spoken a word. "And you just… believe all of this."
Link shrugged and tried to close the distance between him and Isha. "You have to understand, when I first met Midna, I didn't have much of a choice nor reason to not trust her. She pulled me out of the dungeons, set me on this entire path. If it weren't for her, I doubt I would have ever made it to Kakariko, whether you'd saved the kids or not."
Isha stared at Link for a long time, her expression indecipherable. She seemed to consider his words for a long while in the silence.
Finally, the woman turned back to Midna. "Alright. Say that's all the truth, then. You teamed up with Link to get stronger until you had what you needed to beat Zant. You're basically done with us, right? You just got your last Fused Shadow thing."
Midna clapped her hands together. "Great observation, little pest! Perhaps your mind isn't quite as dull as I first thought!"
"I'm confused why you're still here, then," Isha bit back. "You have your powers. Go free your people, if you're so upset about all the delays. What do you still need us for?"
Midna's haughty expression fell for just a moment. She recovered quickly. "I… need Wolfy a bit longer. Yeah. I need him to take me to a portal between realms. Traveling in the light world by myself is near-impossible. You did hear me say the light of this world will kill me, right?"
Isha nodded slowly, seeming to accept the answer. She took a long breath. "I'll choose to trust you, because Link trusts you," she finally said. "You say you care for your people and you want to save them. I can relate to that, I guess. So Link and I will help you find that portal. We'll see this thing through to the end." She reached for Link's hand, then extended her other hand to Midna.
Midna seemed surprised, and regarded the hand with disdain. "I didn't tell you all of that because I wanted another pet," she growled. "You wanted your explanation, you got it."
"I'm not a pet," Isha responded in turn, lowering her hand. "I set out on this quest to kill the bastard that killed my mother, and I have not given that quest up yet. I intend to be there when Zant falls, and…"
Isha's gaze turned to Link. She looked unsure for a moment, then continued. "When it comes to the people I care the most about, Link, you are all I have. Maybe I should be embarrassed to say this, but it's true. The village I loved is gone. For the few who remain, my relationship with them is rocky at best. I haven't had one person to consistently be there and help me through this nightmare except you." Her voice broke when he squeezed her hand.
"I want to leave Hyrule eventually, and I'm going to someday. But right now, you're on one hell of an adventure to kill the same person I'd love to kill. Let me be a part of it. Let me help you achieve this goal before I leave." Isha dropped his hand and gestured behind her, to the large impression in the sand left behind by the beast she'd slain.
"Have I proven to you yet that I'm more than just another body to protect? I did this by myself. Imagine what evils the three of us can face together, if we just stop hiding from one another and plan together."
Link looked from Midna to Isha. Midna slowly dropped her crossed arms, one hand falling on to her hip.
"I don't take back what I said about you, Buggy," Midna began with a pointed look towards Isha, then turned to Link. "But… ugh, she's right, Wolfy. She did kill the Morpheel on her own."
Link gave Isha a very obvious once over. "Not without somehow burning yourself in cold water, I noticed."
The woman tapped the staff secured to her back. "This thing has been acting weird ever since we got here. I haven't had a chance to try it out before today, but I have some suspicions. I'm going to write Renado when we get back to town. He said he used it to protect me when the shadow beasts came, so maybe he knows something I don't."
Midna narrowed her eyes. "Is your own weapon turning on you?"
"No, it just… I don't know. It looks like the stones burn away monster flesh. It wasn't an issue when I was fighting out of the water, it only burnt them. But when I stabbed that giant eel, the water around me boiled."
"Strange…" Midna circled Isha slowly. Isha dared not let the imp leave her sight. "You can't exactly say you fared much better at the mines, can you, Mr. All-Important-Hero?" The shadow looked over Isha's shoulder to the other Hylian in her service.
Link rubbed the back of his neck and looked away. "Well. We did what we had to do to win, right?"
An uneasy silence fell between the trio.
"Are we working together or not?" Isha asked impatiently.
Midna looked between both Hylians and gave the girl a sly grin. "I suppose I can allow you to buzz after us like a persistent little fly."
Link worried Isha would bite back and revive their fight. The two women shared a strange look.
Isha's lips cracked into a strange smile. "Have you ever looked in a mirror, Midna?"
The Zora were gone, having long since returned to their Domain to recover by the time Isha and Link climbed up from the vault, Midna tucked in Link's shadow. The structure was eerily quiet, save for the rushing of water beyond the sanctuary. Nothing stirred, and the only monsters the two Hylians came across on their way out were long-dead.
The pair went over their spoils of battle during their time apart. Isha, of course, instantly identified which year Link's new metal shield was standard issue for all Hylian Knights, and knew which year they moved on to the longer, full-body shields. Still, she seemed at least a little bit impressed by it.
Isha was far more entranced with the ancient recurve bow from the Gorons. She ran her hand slowly over the light wood back, admiring the silver adornments at its center and tips. Scars old and new flecked the wood, yet the string felt fresh and tight as if it had just been strung.
"Did you string this yourself?" Isha asked as she handed the weapon back with a longing look.
"No, to tell you the truth… I'd never held a bow before this," Link said with a grimace.
Isha whistled. "What a shame. Guess you'll have to find yourself a good teacher."
Link thought to point out that, so far, his lack of experience had been a strangely absent issue when it mattered most. But at the sight of her wink, he thought better of it. "Let me know if you meet anyone," Link said instead.
Isha giggled. "Alright, my turn." She held up the clawshot she'd used to pull them out of the vault.
Isha decided Link didn't need to hear about her mishandling of the clawshot initially, though she did catch him staring at a spot on her helm while she was explaining how the mechanism released. She hoped the armor wasn't too damaged, whether it be on her helm or anywhere else. Isha couldn't imagine Dento would be too pleased about patching it up the same afternoon she'd taken possession of it.
As Link handed back the clawshot, Midna poked her head out from his shadow. "I can hold on to that for you, along with the rest of your stuff."
Isha gave Midna a wary look. "Oh, sure, just take all my weapons, sounds completely reasonable."
"You'll slow us down if you wear yourself out hauling everything around," Midna huffed. "And I won't take everything. Keep that weird staff away from me."
Isha scoffed and rolled her eyes, looking to Link. "And you're just totally fine with the fact that your stuff disappears in her possession? What if it never comes back?"
Link groaned. "Hasn't really been an issue yet."
Isha stopped and looked at Midna, while the swordsman kept walking. "Man, I think your attitude is rubbing off on him."
"Do you want me to carry your shit or not?" Midna hissed.
Isha nodded, and instantly felt lighter as all of her supplies save for her staff were instantly lifted from her. "Thanks," the Hylian said with little sincerity. She hurried to catch up to Link, who was already diving into the tunnel to the lake.
On the swim back up to the surface, Isha's thoughts drifted to the Zora that had fought alongside her. Link had briefed her on their injuries, and she hoped he wasn't just downplaying it all for her sake. It was worrying that all of them had evacuated before ensuring she was okay, too.
They probably assumed I was fine because Link showed up. Isha would have to make sure they knew who it was that slayed the monster lurking in their temple.
She wondered if Link would be open to returning to Zora's Domain once she'd gotten her blessing from Lanayru. With the Zora-scale armor to help fight the currents, they could easily make it back before dinnertime. She still hadn't truly thanked any of her new friends for what they'd risked.
Isha felt a new energy when they finally stepped down into Lanayru's cave together. She looked to Link. "Wonder if this blessing will do anything."
"Have any of them done anything so far?"
"Nope," Isha shook her head. "But, then again, I didn't have to crawl through a monster-infested temple for the other two."
Link started to say something further, but instead he stopped entirely and stared wide-eyed at what greeted the pair at Lanayru's spring. Isha felt the blood drained from her face.
Before them stood a man clad in a long, billowing robe. It was black as the night sky, not unlike the shadow cloak Midna wore in the light. Draped over his robe were metallic shoulder plates and a strip of cloth bearing a heraldry Isha had never seen before.
Runic patterns in blazing teal adorned the sides and arms of the garment. The oversized sleeves ended in loose tassels and completely concealed the figure's hands. A pyramidal helm sat atop his head, with bugged eyes and a curling tongue that tucked under the chin.
Isha needed no introduction or explanation. Something deep in her already knew who he was.
Link pushed Isha behind him, behind his upheld shield. "Isha, run," he urged her in a low voice.
Even if she wanted to, Isha realized she couldn't. Her legs were rooted in place. She gripped Link's outstretched arm. "I can't move," she whimpered.
Link replied with something that somehow brought her even greater terror: "I can't either."
Isha felt the tremors in his arm. Her nails dug into his armor.
"How dare you return to this sacred place, spawn of shadow?" An ethereal voice boomed about the cavern, shaking the very earth. Lanayru burst from her spring, filling the space with her harsh light.
Zant, the cause of all their woes, barely turned to face the spirit. "You were no match for me before, and you are no match now," he droned in a voice devoid of expression. "You may die protecting trash, if that is your wish."
With a quick jerk of his unseen wrist, Lanayru flew back into the wall. Her body faded, but the golden orb that held her Light remained hovering in the sky. Zant leapt into the air, moving so fast he was hardly more than a shadowy blur. He gathered a ball of shadow magic into his hand and plunged it into the spirit's orb as he perched atop it.
Lanayru's sacred light began to fade, and taking its place was the sickening glow of a world that did not belong. Isha's stomach churned.
Midna leapt from the shadows, scowling. "You!"
"Yes, Midna, me! Who else would you expect, my dear?" Zant practically sang, his voice shrill. He thrust his hands to his chest in a dramatic gesture. "Have you come to repent and bow before your king? Oh, what a joyous day it would be."
"You will never be my king," the imp cried. Midna shed her shadow cloak and stood before him, tattoos and runes glowing. "I've come to put an end to your bullshit!"
Zant alighted back to the outcropping where they all stood. "You always were quite difficult-"
Link's fear broke first. The Hero lunged forward, his sword drawn and raised to Zant's heart. His movements snapped Isha into action, and she joined his charge with spear drawn.
Zant snapped his fingers and ensnared Isha in a paralyzing magic not unlike the same that Midna wielded, stopping the Hylian in her tracks. A cry of pain tore from her throat. Every muscle tightened, and her skin burned anew. The old wound in her side pulsed and throbbed with agony.
Isha tried to breathe, but her lungs seized. Her scream died in a choked whimper.
The dark spell finally stopped its assault, and Isha dropped limp into the dirt. Something gold flashed at her collar and under her gloves. Up her arms and down her chest the golden light ran, coming together over her heart and fading into her skin.
"No!" She gagged and gasped for air.
Distracted by her cries of pain, Link hesitated in his swing and found a gold-plated boot buried in his chest. The wind was sucked from his lungs. He bit his tongue when he struck the ground and spat blood.
"All this for a few scraps at the bottom of the trash pile." Zant turned his head to Midna, who was in the process of awakening the Fused Shadows. They swirled about her, lining up to form the helm of the beast they would turn her into.
"Come here, leave those foolish things." A casual outstretched arm towards Midna yanked her to his side, leaving the Fused Shadows clambering into the dirt as if they'd never been in her possession to begin with. Midna cried out but was unable to resist his magic in the weakened, cursed form he'd trapped her in.
"Look upon these weaklings, Midna. Did you really think any of you possess even a fraction of what it would take to face me in battle? I understand the beast has an atom of merit, but that plain girl? Really? Is that all that makes up the army you've tried to raise against me?"
Zant conjured within his hand a large, four-pronged black thorn that pulsated with red energy. Despite Midna's cries for Zant to stop, to leave Link alone, that his fight was with her and her alone, the false king plunged the thorn deep into Link's skull.
The swordsman barely managed a pained whimper through his daze. In a flash, his skin shifted to black and grey fur. His face elongated, his body shifted.
Link was a wolf once more.
Isha, left breathless in the dirt, took in the dismal scene unfolding before her. Dread weighed heavy on her heart. This was what Lanayru's protections would be wasted on, then? Used up, just like that, only to leave her prone and paralyzed on the ground, forced to watch the torture and execution of her friends. So much for a refresh of energy…
The Fused Shadows called to her from their lonely place in the grass.
Use us, they begged. We sense great magic here. It is nothing compared to us.
Isha turned her eyes to the half-lit sphere still hovering above the spring, a pathetic remnant of a lying Light Spirit. Golden light and blackened shadow warred back and forth, causing a tempest within Lanayru's orb. It was cracking, leaking more precious light. It would serve Lanayru right for sending Isha after that Shadow thing in the first place.
Forget heroes, forget spirits. We can defeat anything!
Isha slowly reached forward a stiff arm and dug her nails into the dirt. Her muscles still spasmed from the aftereffects of Zant's magic, and she struggled for grip. Her tired eyes darted between Lanayru's dying power, the Fused Shadows, and the villainous shadow that restrained Midna without laying a finger on her.
"Did you really think such an ancient and withered magic could stand up to my power?" Zant hissed. The imp looked beyond uncomfortable to be held so close to him. "Why can't you accept me as your king, Midna? Where did I go so wrong in your eyes?"
"You, who do nothing but abuse the magic of our tribe?" Midna spat, full of hatred. Isha could hear the terse fear in her voice. Fear Isha knew all too intimately. "I sure wonder why I might hold great disdain for your actions!"
"Oh, my dear, I am wounded that you mistake my power for the weak, pathetic vestiges wielded by our people. My power comes from my god! You could never hope to best me with such pathetic echoes of power."
Their argument continued. Link wasn't moving. Isha's heart roared in her ears, competing for her attention alongside the cry of the Fused Shadows and the tempest within Light Spirit's orb. The Shadows were so close. They promised so much.
Lanayru was suffering. Dying.
Come on. Use us. We're so strong. You can be strong. You deserve it.
Isha's body slid forward on the dew-soaked grass.
"My dear Midna…" Zant's voice dropped low, and Isha froze at the vile tone. She stole another glance to the false king who was running a tender hand down Midna's cheek. It made the Hylian woman's blood boil.
Midna recoiled, but she had nowhere to flee. That invisible force held her tight. Purple bruises were blossoming across the lighter patterns of Midna's arms.
Isha kept crawling.
"Why do you forsake your people for these pitiful vermin?" he asked tenderly, his gaze never leaving Midna's face. "Do you not remember that these creatures are the same as those who oppressed our people? You're nothing more than a shadow in their world! No matter how much you desire otherwise, this world will never accept you. It will never accept us, not willingly."
Isha had reached the edge of the cliff. She looked down into the spring waters. They looked like any other body of water she'd seen in her life. There was little to no chance that Isha could make a difference at all. She had nothing to offer Lanayru, not even a return of the piece of power she'd been gifted.
But what else could Isha do?
"We can take it for ourselves!" Zant's whisper turned to a roar. "We can rule both light and shadow! We can take revenge for what these demons did to our ancestors!"
I definitely can't sit here and listen to this bastard any more. With a final glance back at the Shadows that promised her everything, Isha swallowed her fear and doubts.
"Lanayru!" She cried, interrupting Zant's incessant leering. Twitching arms heaved her limp body over the ledge. "Take whatever you must from me! Take the blessings of Ordona and Eldin! Take my life, if that is all I have of value to give! Take all you need to rise up and kill this bastard!"
Isha crashed into the spring. She hung suspended in silence for a few beats, and at first she feared all her shouting had been for naught. Isha's already-exhausted muscles turned to lead.
Then, golden light burst forth to fill the cave once more.
"Your sacrifice is noble, Child of Eldin. I do not require much. I will take a small piece of your energy from you and the Hero. You have earned my blessing. Take it now, and I pray you survive."
Something slammed into Isha like a great weight, sapping her breath from her lungs. Her mind grew hazy and her body felt numb.
From the depths poured a great light, brighter than the golden light already bathing the cave. Isha was pushed to the surface, then above the water. She turned a feeble gaze to find a huge serpent's head beneath her. Lanayru lunged for her golden orb and took back her power, purging the darkness from within.
The light that poured from Lanayru scoured every nook and cranny of the spring, leaving only white gold brilliance. Zant turned and thrust a helpless Midna towards the Light Spirit. His robes were smoldering and burning away. Isha caught a glance at one of his arms, covered in tattoos and runes not unlike the imp Isha had now aligned herself with.
Zant shattered into thousands of little black particles, which shot out into the sky and fizzled away. Isha knew in her sinking heart he'd escaped.
Midna screamed in pain. She desperately tried to pull her shadow cloak around her burning, peeling skin. The spirit's light reduced the cloak to little more than ash.
Isha screamed with the last shreds of energy she could find. "You're going to kill Midna! Stop! You stupid fucking useless-"
"Ungrateful child! Enough of this! Begone, all of you!" With a final hiss, Lanayru purged all unwelcome visitors from her cave.
The skies above Hyrule crackled with anticipation of a coming storm. Thick storm clouds gathered and rolled together, blotting out the weak evening sun. A cold, harsh wind blew across the spanning plains and through the lonely branches of naked trees, carrying with it the promise of a deluge to wash away the last bits of autumn before the heavy winter cold settled in. Little stirred in Hyrule on days like this. Even the animals knew to take shelter during a proper end-of-season storm.
Had anyone been out on a lonely road in Northern Hyrule Field that day, they might have stumbled across a most peculiar sight. A woman, a wolf, and a pale imp seemed to drop out of thin air and onto the cobblestone. The woman collapsed with her face in the dirt, withholding sobs. The wolf ducked his head to hers, whining. The imp barely moved from her place upon the wolf's back.
Isha lifted her head to see the grey wolf and cried out, scrambling helplessly on the slick stone on hands and knees that wouldn't obey her. "Get away from me!" she screeched.
Link's ears fell. Even Isha didn't recognize him.
They had truly lost.
Isha's eyes drifted from his to the imp on his back, and her struggling ceased. "Oh…" She looked to the wolf again, and finally noticed that its eyes were too blue and too human.
"…Link?" Isha held out a shaky hand. The wolf nodded and pushed his head under her chest, trying to help Isha sit up.
"No," she whispered, hands clutching the sides of his face. Her haunted eyes darted between Link and Midna. The once-shadowy imp was now a sickly pale white, her black tattoos now an ashy grey. Her small frame shook with struggled rasps. Isha barely knew Midna, but she knew the sight of death quite well.
"Is… Is the Twilight back?"
Link shook his head.
Midna coughed weakly. "Zant…did something to him…" she panted.
"You, Child of Eldin," Lanayru's voice filled the air, startling both adventurers. "Take the Chosen Hero to the princess locked in the castle. She holds the key that can unlock his shadow form."
"What about Midna?!" Isha cried to the sky, rage boiling in her lungs. "You almost killed her!"
"The world would have been better for it. Creatures of the Twilight are not of my concern. Go."
Isha wanted to curse, to cry, to scream, but nothing came. She simply stared up at the foreboding sky and felt true hopelessness wash across her. Not the kind that spurred her into battle, that gathered up the last dregs of her energy and courage and forced her forwards. This hopeless did not motivate, it crushed.
Isha thought of those Fused Shadows, left discarded at the spring. Would Lanayru do anything with them? Would she just throw them back into the temple, undoing all that Isha and the Zora had accomplished?
I should have risked it. I shouldn't have trusted Lanayru.
Link whined and nudged Isha. She looked to the large wolf, who stood higher than she sat. He lifted his gaze over her head to the road that would lead them back to town.
Isha threw her arms around Link and buried her face in his fur. "I hate this," she whispered. "Tell me this is a nightmare. Wake me up. I'm begging you."
Link could only sit and let her cry while his own heart broke for both of his companions. For several long moments, the only sound on this lonely stretch of road was her weeping.
After her sobs finally faded, Isha pulled back and rose to her feet, using her staff to support her weight. Thunder rumbled in the distance. "Well. Let's go I guess. Maybe… Maybe Princess Zelda can help Midna." If they could find the strength to make it there.
Link nodded, falling into slow step beside her. His own legs fumbled every few steps, but he forced himself onward. For Midna.
The sky finally broke open not long into their walk. Lightning crashed, illuminating the long road back to town for brief moments. Thunder rumbled and roared. The downpour had them all soaked in seconds, but Isha hardly cared. She was still trudging about in the Zora armor anyways. If anything, it helped lighten her heavy steps by the tiniest margin. She removed her helm and let the rain fall over her bare face.
"You'll… catch cold…" Midna's weak voice rose above the thrumming rain.
Isha tried not to look upon her with pity. She'd likely hate it. Though Isha wasn't fond of Midna, she felt the imp had been through enough today. "I'll be fine."
Something fluttered from the sky and fell over Isha's exposed head. She recognized the feeling of waterproof canvas, a raincoat she'd picked up at the Domain.
The rest of her things fell to the ground at her feet shortly after.
"Just in case…" Midna wheezed.
"Stop acting like that." Isha glared at the imp, taking up her supplies and throwing her bow over her shoulder. Glaring kept her from breaking down into tears once more. "We didn't have that little heart-to-heart just for you to die on us. You just need to rest," Isha hissed, throwing the raincoat over Link's back and protecting Midna, instead.
The imp rolled her eye, but did not complain further.
After a long, arduous walk through the raging storm, they finally crested a hill to see the gatehouse lights. Isha's wobbly knees threatened to drop her to the dirt at the sight. Her muscles had long stopped twitching, but they still ached unlike any pain she'd known before. Her vision blurred.
"This is… close enough for me, right?" Isha wheezed, leaning more on her staff.
Link looked up to her and whined, nodding in the direction of southern Castle Town. He wanted her to get to Telma's, probably to rest.
That was all well and good, but what about him? What about Midna? Telma was certainly a kind woman, but what could she possibly offer Link or-
Telma's has tunnels to the castle, Isha realized, recalling a conversation back in Kakariko. "You've gotta get to Telma's!" she breathed, using her staff to propel herself forward. There it was. That slight hope. "The tunnels!"
Link nodded as though he'd already thought of this.
"Do you know how to get to them?"
The wolf shook his head. Isha sighed.
"We'll… we'll figure something out," she promised him, laying a hand on his head. "Maybe I can look for them and then sneak you in…"
Isha did her best to look a little less destitute than she felt as they approached the city gates, just in case she drew unwanted attention. Thankfully, hardly anyone paid Isha or Link much mind. A guard standing on the inside of the gates commented how "cute" her hound was with his raincoat.
Isha could barely muster more than a twitch of the lips for a reply.
The city was eerily quiet, save for the rumbling of thunder. Aside from the very occasional night guard posted under an awning, not one person roamed the streets. Windows were shuttered and latched, leaking only the faintest slits of light out onto the rain-splattered streets. Empty stalls were covered and shoved into alleyways and corners. The oil lamps that hung streetside seemed less effective than usual. Isha and Link moved about in near-complete shadow.
When they finally turned down the alley to Telma's, Isha was once again considering sleeping on the street. Even the fifteen or so steps to the front door suddenly seemed impossible. She leaned against a wall to catch her breath.
"Miss? Can I help you?" A somewhat familiar voice called to Isha from the darkness, and she realized a Hylian soldier was standing guard beneath the eaves.
"Oh, sorry," Isha tried to hide her breathlessness. "Rough trip. I was just heading to Telma's…" She cocked her head to the side. "…Koto?"
The soldier blinked and pushed back his eye guard. "Isha? From Kakariko?"
Isha's knees buckled. "I can't take many more surprises today," she whispered, more to Link than to the soldier who immediately jumped forward to catch her.
Koto kneeled with her. "You look like you've had a few adventures since we last met."
Isha looked at Link and wondered how in the world she was going to explain the wolf. Link looked at her with an expression she couldn't decipher. She'd never been all that great with animals.
"What are you doing here?" Isha asked the soldier.
"I work for Telma," Koto said proudly. He did not seem bothered in the slightest by the wolf's presence, much to Isha's relief. "I'd heard you guys had crossed paths. I met your traveling buddy, too! What was his name?"
"Link?"
"Ah, yeah! That guy! He seemed really cool. We invited him to join us, you know? Telma said she'd invited you as well."
Isha blinked. Telma trusted Koto then, did she?
Don't hate me for this, Link. I'm desperate.
"Koto. I am about to say some things that will make little sense. I need you to understand that I am in no shape to sit here and explain everything. Please." Isha put both hands on Koto's shoulders. "If you are really one of Telma's close allies, Link and I am in desperate need of your help. Above all, I need you to promise me you won't tell anyone about any of this."
Isha looked pointedly to the wolf at her side, who she could tell was not entirely pleased with where this was going. Sorry, she tried to convey through her expression. Koto followed her gaze with confusion. Isha waited a bit in silence, but the gears did not appear to be turning in his mind.
"Gods, okay, just… Link is right here," Isha threw her hands out, gesturing to Link. "Yes, I am aware this is a wolf. It's Link. If you have met him, then look this beast in the eyes and tell me it's not him."
Koto, to his credit, listened. He looked Wolf Link in the eyes for a long moment, then jumped to his feet.
"By the Gods, it is! Is that why he left so suddenly this morning?"
"No, that's- look, it's not important. The Light Spirit Lanayru said that Princess Zelda can help him return to normal. We have to get him to the princess. You're clearly a soldier, do you know of any way we can get in to see her?"
Koto seemed to seriously consider his answer for a long moment. Isha began to tap her toes in the dirt, watching his expression closely. He knows the way.
"Koto, please," she pleaded in a whisper. "I fear we're running out of time. I don't know where else to go. We need your help."
"Isha, go inside and tell Telma I'm out on personal business." His voice was stronger now, more official. Right, guess there's always the chance someone's in earshot. Isha eyed the shadows warily.
"Get some food and some rest," Koto continued. "I'll take Link, but you cannot come with us. You're barely standing as it is."
Isha took a long look at her friend-turned-wolf. They'd only just found each other again… "I wish I had the energy to argue." She took a long, shaky breath, then turned to Koto. "Go. Take him. Tell no one about this, seriously. And Koto, whatever you do, don't remove that raincoat. I am begging you, promise me you will not touch him."
Koto nodded. "On my honor as a Hylian Knight, I'll get him there safely. But… will I ever get answers?"
Isha bit her lip. "I can't promise anything. But if anyone is owed any, it will be you."
She turned to Link and dropped to one knee in front of him. "Save her," Isha whispered, wrapping her arms around his neck. Link pushed his face against hers. Well, at least he wasn't mad at her for looping yet another person in on their strife.
Isha scanned his eyes and saw something that made her heart sink.
Hopelessness. Pain. Fear.
"Come back to me, no matter what," she begged Link, her fingers curling into his fur. "Please. Don't you dare abandon me now. No matter what happens. I'll be here."
Isha stood and didn't bother to wipe the tears that mixed with rain upon her face. With a final longing look back at Koto and Link, Isha staggered into Telma's bar.
Koto looked to the giant wolf that was standing patiently at his side. It looked back at him with too-intelligent eyes. "I really hope you guys aren't playing me for one of the nine fools," Koto said, as though he expected Link to reply.
The wolf, of course, did not say a word. But he seemed to have a pretty apologetic expression. "Guess I'll find out eventually. Come on, there's an entrance on the back side of the building."
Was he really talking to a wolf? Was this really what his life had become?
The Princess would have Koto's head if he was wrong, the knight was sure of it. She'd certainly stop trusting him, and that was an even worse outcome. But Princess Zelda told him to keep an eye out for someone who seemed to stand out from the rest. Things didn't get much stranger than a man-turned-wolf.
As soon as the warmth of the tavern swept over Isha, she dropped to the floor in relief.
They'd walked for so long. Her head was spinning, and her grasp on reality was slipping. She'd never known exhaustion like this. The last bits of her desperate energy fizzled out.
From somewhere beyond the fog of her mind, Isha thought she might have heard Telma's voice. She lifted her head from the doormat and tried to focus on the red-haired woman leaning over her.
"What happened to you?"
"Attacked at Lake Hylia," Isha slurred. "So tired. Need to wait here for Link…"
"Honey, he left this morning-"
"I know, I know," Isha stopped her, putting a hand on the barkeep's arm. "We were attacked." She pitched sideways, off-balance.
Another figure crouched at Isha's side, one with long dark hair dressed in a familiar red bodysuit under plate armor. Sturdy arms swept her up. "Let's get her to a room, yeah?"
Isha closed her eyes for just a moment. When she reopened them, she was laid in a familiar, over-stuffed bed with thick covers and cool sheets. Her battered armor was draped over a chair in the corner, and she'd dressed in a slip that, judging by the fit, was likely borrow from Ashei. The rest of her things were piled on the floor nearby.
A single lamp was still lit at Isha's bedside. She stared at the flickering light and listened to the rain hammer down outside the shuttered window. Her mind was thick, her thoughts slow.
The door opened, and Telma slipped in with a tray that held a large pitcher of water, a glass, and a bowl of something steaming.
"Nice to see your eyes a bit more open," she commented, bumping the door shut with her hip. Telma sat the tray down on the side table. "You gave us all a fright, coming in here like that."
"Mm." Isha's eyes followed after Telma, who sat at the edge of her bed.
"Isha, honey, I can see you're exhausted. But you're pale as a ghost! You need to eat something."
With great effort, Isha extended her arm for Telma to take. The older woman gave Isha a good-natured roll of her eyes and helped her sit up. She laid the tray across Isha's lap and poured her a glass of water.
"While you eat, I'd love to hear where my night guard has gone, and whether or not your missing friend has anything to do with leaving my bar unprotected."
Isha winced. Had he mentioned he was on duty? She couldn't recall. Gods, my head… "He said to tell you it was personal."
"And he needed Link for that?"
Isha dipped her spoon in the soup before her and then held it at a slight angle, watching the spoon slowly drain back into the bowl. "I would say Link needed Koto more than Koto needed Link."
"Isha," Telma put a gentle hand on the younger woman's leg. "If you two are going to be causing scenes in my tavern and commandeering my night guard while he's on my pay, I'm going to need to know what sort of trouble you two are getting wrapped up in."
Isha was silent for a while, then looked at Telma with sorrow-filled eyes. "I promise I will give you answers, but please don't make me relive it any more tonight."
Telma studied the young woman closely, and her expression fell to one of care. "Can you at least tell me what happened to you?"
Silver clinked against porcelain. "We were attacked."
"By…?"
"Someone really bad."
"Were you followed?"
Isha shook her head. She continued to stare down her meal.
"Is Link okay? Is there something we can do?"
Isha bit her tongue, swallowing her instinct to scream to be left alone. She knew the barkeep was just trying to help. Though Telma did deserve to know what her latest guests were getting up to, and Isha felt the woman could be trusted, the exhausted adventurer could not bring herself to talk more about their failure at the spring.
"We just have to wait. He'll be back." She still did not look at Telma. "I made him promise," she added under her breath.
"At least answer me this, then. Is he in Hyrule Castle right now?"
Despite herself, Isha's gaze shot up, eyes wide. "How do you do that?"
Telma gave her a knowing smile. "I'll let you rest," the older woman finally stood, patting Isha's leg. "When he comes back, I'd like the three of us to sit down and have a chat. If my bar is going to become the chosen safehouse of this era's Chosen Ones, I'd like to at least be somewhat prepared when you two come crawling back here after a hard fight."
Without waiting for a response, Telma disappeared out the door, stopping to glance up at the corners of the door frame before shutting the door behind her.
Isha sat in silence, not the least bit interested in the food she'd been brought. Her mind was a jumble of questions that grew with each passing moment. A few were far more persistent than the others. When would Link return? Would Princess Zelda really be able to help him, when she hadn't been able to even help herself so far? Would Midna die now, before she got the chance to get the revenge she so desperately craved for her people?
Isha barely knew or trusted the imp, yet the unsettling sight of her draped over Link's back, sickly and fighting for every breath wouldn't leave her mind. No creature deserved to suffer in such a miserable state.
Even in that condition, despite their near-intolerance for one another, Midna had tried to protect Isha from the rain.
With great care, Isha moved the food tray back to the bedside table and tucked back in. Her twisted insides weren't going to accept a meal any time soon. The rain droned on outside, the thunder rumbled, the lightning flashed. Isha supposed there was no better weather for such a disaster of an evening.
Zelda was tucked away on her stiff mattress, her single blanket pulled close around her small form in a desperate attempt to feel warm. The rain outside her tower pelted against the stone walls like a hail of arrows.
She was nearly off to a fitful sleep when a knock sounded at her door. Zelda leapt to her feet, heart pounding. She reached for her black mourning cloak and pulled it tight over her shoulders. Koto wasn't due around this night. He'd never shown up unannounced, not since that first visit.
So who was knocking at her door?
Fearing a set-up, Zelda held still, straining her ears for information. Over the attacking rain, she could make out the sound of something… panting?
"Princess," Koto's whisper was unmistakable. "Princess, I'm sorry for the late hour, but this is urgent."
Zelda pulled her hood over her face to mask her lack of makeup. She knew she shouldn't care about such things at times like this, but the lightning was illuminating her room quite frequently. She didn't want Koto to see how truly exhausted and worn she really was. He deserved to see a strong princess, still fighting for her kingdom.
Zelda opened her door to find not just her soldier standing outside, but also an enormous animal with some sort of raincoat draped haphazardly over it.
Wait. That dark grey fur, those patterns. The cuff at his ankle.
Those eyes.
"I was told-"
"Koto, you must return to town," Zelda hissed, beckoning for the wolf to enter her rooms. She leaned out from the doorframe, looking down the spiral staircase behind Koto. "I know who this is. You need not say more, not here. You have done well. Leave, before the guard makes his rounds. I won't risk your capture."
The soldier looked visibly relieved - he was likely thinking he was going crazy, Zelda thought. Somehow or another, he clearly knew this was no average wolf. She would ask details of how the two crossed paths at another time.
The Twilight beast shouldn't be here. Not in this form, not when there was no Twilight curtain to force this change. Something had gone horribly wrong. I must get Koto out of here.
Koto bowed low to his princess. "I won't question you, Your Highness. I will plan to see you again at our usual time."
Zelda felt something sting at her hand, and knew instantly that meeting would not come.
She didn't know why she took the next step forward. It was not planned that she would throw her arms around Koto's shoulders. It wasn't her intention to press her soft lips to his cheek. She had never… Well, she'd only thought of doing such a thing once or twice.
Perhaps it was the late hour, and the delirium of a tired mind. Perhaps it was something about the weather. Perhaps Zelda's solitude was finally getting to her.
The pair looked at each other for a moment, wearing matching flushed cheeks. Zelda, remembering herself, stepped back inside her room and shut the door swiftly without another word.
A whine from behind her immediately distracted Zelda her childish display of affection. She turned on her heels to see the blue-eyed beast circling and nudging at a pale shape that now lay on her floor, clutching that raincoat. Midna hardly looked anything like Zelda had recalled her before.
Her shadow cloak was gone. She was here, exposed the world of light, badly injured. Her once-grey skin was milky-white in color, with only her tattoos retaining any semblance of pigment. Of her remaining runes, only one around her leg still shone with any color at all. Even her beautiful auburn hair had lost all its color and magic. It was nothing more than a limp, white ponytail atop her head.
Zelda dropped to her knees beside Midna and brushed a hand against her cheek. Midna, who had come to her with all the anger, vitriol, and hatred that Zelda had expected from a creature of Twilight - but who had also recognized a kindred spirit in Hyrule's princess.
Zelda never had true friends in her life who weren't part of her staff - she simply didn't have time for such trivialities. Any who befriended a member of royalty usually had their own selfish motives, anyways.
Midna had never held back her feelings and opinions, but had been willing to listen to Zelda. Willing to talk to her about the pain they experienced, and the burdens of bearing the weight of a kingdom. Willing to share those burdens, and never asking for more than a conversation.
Midna, the first true friend Zelda had ever known, turned her face to the wolf who'd carried her in. "Please…" she gasped. "Please tell me… How do we break the curse on this one?"
Zelda took Midna's too-small, too-frail hand and cover it with her own. The imp continued to speak. "This is him. The one… The one you need to save…" she coughed violently.
Zelda laid her head upon their clasped hands. Please, great Hylia, do not take her. Do not let this be the end. "Midna," she whispered. "We must-"
"Listen!" despite her condition, Midna managed to still find a bit of bite. "Please… You must help Link…"
Zelda turned to face the wolf, who had not taken his heartbroken eyes off the withering Twili. She lifted her left hand and gestured for Link to step closer. He obeyed, pushing his head against her palm. Zelda's hand burned beneath her silk glove, the mark of the Triforce glowing. She pushed her light into him, feeling for the source of his curse.
Something snapped at her, like lightning to her palm. She jolted back, hand still stinging.
"What binds him is a different magic than that of the Twilight curtain," Zelda explained, pressing her aching hand to her leg. "It is something evil. I cannot lift this curse myself. However, our world is one of balance… Just as there is light to drive away the darkness, so too is there benevolence to banish evil."
The princess turned to face a map of the kingdom, one of very few wall dressings in her prison. "Deep in the Faron Woods, you will find a sacred grove. This is the resting place of such a benevolence. The Master Sword, the Blade of Evil's Bane, the blade that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages. Whatever name you may have heard, it is one and the same."
Zelda nodded towards the wolf's front paw. "You, who are blessed by the Goddesses with the same burden as I, are capable of wielding this blade. It is a sacred sword, one that evil can never touch. Only this blade can cleave the evil that cloaks you like a dark veil."
"Fine…" Midna wheezed from her place on the floor. "Link… you can… you can get there on your own… right? That's close… to your home…"
She turned to Zelda. "One last request, Princess… Show him…. Where he may find… The Mirror of Twilight…"
Zelda brushed her gloved fingers over the small hand she still clung to like a lifeline. Midna had little time left.
A memory, a taunt, echoed through her mind. Your kingdom, or your life.
Zelda had regretted that selfish decision for so long. For months, she prayed for the ability to take everything back. To make the decision she hadn't been strong enough to make before. The princess closed her eyes slowly, saying a prayer for the safety of Hyrule in her absence.
"Midna, do you understand what you have done for us?" Zelda spoke slowly. "Do you understand the debt that Hyrule owes you?"
Midna could only offer a dazed look. Zelda smiled, her hands starting to glow. "Despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead to the very end. These dark days are the result of our foolishness, yet it is you who has reaped the penalty."
Zelda rested her forehead on their joined hands. "You came to me in my darkest hour. You came to me, and brought hope. You brought comfort. You gave me something no one has ever been able to provide, the friendship of one who understands. You have never once asked or demanded anything of me but a listening ear. Accept this gift now. I pass it to you."
Midna's tired eyes widened. She turned her terrified expression to Link. "Stop her!"
The light grew, pouring from Zelda's heart and down her arms. It swirled about Midna, lifting her into the air. The imp thrashed against it. "Link, do something!"
Zelda shook her head. The wolf stepped back, his ears tucked to his head and tail curled under his legs.
The princess lifted her head a final time, her grey eyes meeting Midna's horrified stare. A thin smile spread across her lips at Midna's renewed color. "Thank you, Midna," she breathed. "Save them all."
Zelda collapsed to the floor, her gentle face frozen in that soft smile.
Midna drifted to her feet, her body restored and her runes all aglow. She hung her head low and dropped to the unmoving princess' side.
Link stepped forward slowly, leaning against her to provide the only comfort he knew to give, and let out a slow whine. Midna absently stroked his head. They remained there for a long silence.
The rain outside slowed to a drizzle, as if the world, too, were mourning. Midna slipped her magical hand beneath Zelda's lifeless form and carried the princess to her bed. She laid Zelda down with the same care a mother would her sleeping infant. Again, the imp hovered in silence, eyes unable to leave Zelda's face.
"I've taken all that you had to give… though I did not want it." Midna whispered, laying her hand on the princess' arm for a final time. "I never wanted any of this."
Midna turned to Link and swallowed her pain. He would hardly look her in the eyes. "We should go, Link. On to Faron Woods."
Midna's dialogue in the first few sections was just so cathartic to write man idk what came over me.
Also Lanayru's kind of a bitch, huh?