Chapter 33 - Interloper
From suddenly feeling impossibly vast, Link felt his body compress to its normal size. Light flashed before his eyes as he was thrown through a shimmering window into another world.
He slammed into the rocky ground, rolling hard before he came to a stop. The faint scent of thyme filled his lungs. A dull gold sky stretched endlessly overhead, soaking the world in eternal twilight. Link scrambled upright, breath ragged. Zelda wasn't there. He had seen the light leave her eyes, the sickening crunch of the mace...
In a panic, he whirled to his feet, looking around urgently. His pulse quickened as he turned back and forth on the spot, urgently trying to think of what he could do next.
His breathing shortened, he turned his head aimlessly as he hoped to conveniently find a solution around some dark corner.
He was in some kind of rocky clearing as it stretched endlessly around him. He didn't have time to think of much else, as multiple figures descended on him.
Pale teal faces, illuminated by golden orbs for eyes, bared their teeth at him. They wore a curious chitinous plate mail, shining purple, as they pointed long and elaborately designed spears at him.
"Halt!" one said in a sharp and dreamlike voice.
Unable to think clearly, Link continued pacing on the spot, desperate to think of a way to help Zelda.
"Where is Midna? I need Midna!" he barked back at the languid guard.
They did not blink, but they did draw closer, their spears inching closer to his chest.
They would not help. Instincts flaring as adrenaline surged through him, he knocked the spears aside with a clean sweep of the Master Sword.
"Don't point those at me! Where is Midna?" he shouted back, pointing the blade at them.
In a fluid motion, three of the five of them swung with the momentum of his deflection and brought their spears around to bear down on him again. They fanned out wordlessly, hoping to encircle him. Now, he had no choice he could think of. He had to break through them.
Charging the slower one, he raised his shield and slammed past them, knocking the spear out of their hand. They showed no reaction in their face, but moved as if made of liquid. They span, grasped their knocked spear and thrust it hard into Link's shield, putting him off balance and sending a stinging pain up his arm. He swore he saw a chip of metal fly off the shield.
He sprinted past the rock berm, seeing ornate spires in the distance. Midna had to be there, somewhere.
The five guards pursued him. Even with their effortless form, they couldn't match his frenzied burst of speed.
He cleared the distance rapidly, as his heart thundered madly.
He made his way to the smooth dark stone roads as sandstone buildings stood tall all around him. Several people of the realm looked to him curiously as he sprinted past. Only the women seemed to have pupils here, leaving the men looking somewhat vacant.
The guards were pursuing relentlessly and didn't seem to tire, as he looked over his shoulder. Arriving at a junction, he looked about quickly as he tried to find his way further into the town. There were far more people here than he ever recalled, all of them looking at him.
Some parted for him lazily, their golden eyes following his sprint as if watching a particularly amusing performance. A group of younger Twili whispered among themselves, their voices hushed but intrigued. Somewhere in the distance, faint, rhythmic chimes echoed.
The tall buildings loomed overhead, each etched with glowing runes up to their highest points. It almost looked like a carnival.
Seeing a side street, he ran for it, curious gazes following him all the way. Now, more guards too. The street was a dead end, but the buildings were tiered, with sandstone bricks jutting out of each floor. Short enough to climb.
Wasting no time, he sheathed the Master Sword and slung the shield over his back. Still fueled by adrenaline and fear, he jumped off of a wall and hung on to one of the overlaps.
"Interloper, get down from there" came another sharp yet dreamy voice.
Then the wall beneath him cracked. One of the guards had thrust their spear into the stone, sending jagged black fissures climbing toward his hands.
It served to fuel his adrenaline further. He couldn't get the image of Zelda falling out of his mind. He had to move.
The moment Link's fingers closed around the sandstone ledge, he hauled himself up. The rough stone scraped his hands, but his grip was iron-tight. He couldn't let go, stop or slow down.
A spear clanged against the wall just below his feet, narrowly missing his boot.
He didn't stop to look down.
The streets were filling with more and more Twili. Their curious eyes tracking his every move. Some whispered, others pointed, but none of them intervened.
His chest heaved as he clambered higher, up the tiered buildings that stacked like uneven steps toward the looming palace in the distance.
It was the only thing he recognized and the only place Midna could be.
He leapt. His boots slammed onto another rooftop.
The guards below poured into the streets, their voices sharp and hollow, but none of them followed him up. He risked a glance back.
They had stopped at the edges of the rooftops, their glowing golden eyes staring up at him, but they made no attempt to climb. They either couldn't or wouldn't.
He didn't understand why, but he wasn't about to question a small blessing.
His entire body burned. Every muscle screamed for rest. But he could still hear the crunch of Zelda's body hitting the ground. He could still see the moment the light left her eyes.
He had to move.
Another jump, then another scramble onto a ledge that barely held his weight. He reached the peak of a slanted roof, the dark spires of the palace towering ever closer.
Then, there was a new sound. A heavier impact than before.
Link whipped his head around.
New guards had arrived, flanked by the floating hands that had haunted him on his previous visit. Their block stone palms extended, ready to grasp and capture him. He was more concerned by the new guards. They were not like the others.
Where the first pursuers were languid, flowing like liquid. These ones were sharp, precise and heavy. They moved with absolute confidence, their boots hitting the stone rooftops without hesitation.
They could climb too and they were gaining on him fast.
Their armor was sleek, pointed, and laced with silver. their weapons weren't longer, but much heavier. Their edges shimmered with a faintly warping energy. He didn't have time to think about what that meant. He could feel them closing the distance.
He jumped again, barely catching the next ledge before a spearhead slammed into the stone where his hand had just been. He ripped himself up and over, rolling onto the next rooftop.
One of the guards vaulted the gap after him. Sweat poured from his brow as he kept as high a pace as he could.
The Twilit Palace loomed ahead, its tall spires and walls dominating the landscape behind him.
It was going to be a fight to get to the top of it, then find a way in and then find his way to Midna through all of her guards. It would have been far simpler to just go with the original guards.
Now was the time his brain decided to work? Brilliant. Fantastic. He hated himself.
They were still behind him gaining now. The pounding of metal boots on stone. Sliding down a sloped roof, he rolled off and on to the street below, winding himself a little. The palace loomed before him, a titan amongst mere mortal men.
Link shook his head at the odd thought and focused.
The courtyard was vast, a field of smooth obsidian tiles carved with twisting, pulsing runes. There was no cover and nowhere to run.
Behind him, the first wave of royal guards slowed, tightening their formation. They did not break into a sprint as they did not need to. They knew he wasn't getting out of here.
Floating above them, the floating mechanical hands drifted in like silent specters, all fifty of them. Their large stone fingers flexing with the sharp crackle of arcane energy. Their hollow palms turned toward him ready to grab or crush him.
His eyes shot upward.
Above, a massive external stairwell wound partway up the palace wall before stopping abruptly. A dead end leading to an unfinished portion of the upper structure. A wooden scaffolding frame had been partially built over it, extending up toward the palace's outer ledges.
It was far from convenient and safe. But it was there and it was the only way up.
The first guard moved, so Link bolted.
His boots slammed against the tiles as he tore across the courtyard. Behind him, the sharp clank of metal erupted as the guards surged forward. The floating hands moved faster, cutting over the field as they closed the distance.
A whining hum grew behind him. They were charging a spell of some kind.
Link instincts flared, forcing him to jump aside. A lance of crackling violet energy sliced over his shoulder, striking the ground ahead of him with a burst of searing heat.
They were shooting at him now.
He reached the base of the stairwell and took the steps three at a time, forcing his battered legs to obey. He did his best to ignore the pain and the crushing weight of exhaustion.
Halfway up, he saw the stairs ended ahead, but the scaffolding was close. It was too high to jump to.
Another shot blistered past his ear, searing his skin and causing him to shout in pain.
He didn't slow down. Instead, he leapt at the final step, boots slamming into the stair railing.
His hands caught one of the lower beams of the scaffolding.
The structure creaked loudly under his weight, a loose plank rattling free and plummeting to the ground. He forced himself up, pulling onto the nearest ledge.
The first of the floating hands shot up after him.
Link scrambled higher. The scaffolding groaned under him as it shook. Some of it was still half-constructed, but that meant materials were left behind. His eyes flicked across the wooden beams, loose ropes and support planks.
Two guards reached the base of the structure. One jumped impossibly high, catching a wooden ledge, but it snapped instantly. They slipped and crashed straight back to the ground. They couldn't all climb this, he realised with a brief sigh of relief.
But those floating hands still could.
So he kept going. The scaffolding swayed with every move. Behind him, the floating hands poured over the structure, some of them tearing through the weaker planks like paper.
Finally, he reached the highest platform. The final gap stretched above him. Nothing but open air between him and the outer ledge of the palace roof.
The nearest floating hand lunged at him.
He launched himself upward, throwing his hand out and caught the rim of the palace roof ledge. The force nearly ripped his shoulder from its socket, but he gritted his teeth and held on.
A mechanical hand caught his ankle.
Pain exploded up his leg as he felt his weight suddenly double. The hand pulled, trying to rip him off the ledge.
Snarling, Link kicked wildly. His free foot slamming into the floating hand's palm. A crack echoed as its runes flickered and shattered. The grip weakened, just enough.
With one final surge of strength, Link dragged himself over the ledge and onto the palace roof.
He rolled onto his back, gasping for air. As he refocused, his heart sank to see the spectres of the full fifty mechanical hands floating in the sky. Why were these ones so much more effective than the ones Zant had used as sentries?
Getting to his feet, they spread out in a mass before him, approaching from the courtyard and the stairwell he had just climbed.
Backing up, he drew his shield. He flicked his eyes between each one, waiting for the next blast of magic.
But none came.
He continued stepping backwards carefully, refusing to let his tired arms slacken.
None of them were firing, but they were still closing in. Thinking more clearly, he realised how foolish he had been. This could all have been avoided. Now, he wasn't sure if he would be afforded mercy.
His step felt different as he took further steps back. He had walked back on to a large glass window, a skylight that overlooked a large table far beneath him.
Worse, he heard the sound of glass cracking, as well as the telltale web of cracks forming under his feet.
"Oh please no…" he whimpered.
Fear roared in his heart as he hurried to stow his shield. He stood straight and extended his hands straight upwards.
"I surrender. Please, help me down from here…" he said aloud to the strange hands, all still closing in.
One of them seemed to understand, as it turned its palm upside down and extended a finger for him to grasp at. It was only a few feet away now, slowly inching closer to him.
He leaned forward, desperate to be anywhere else.
With the shift in weight, the glass gave way and smashed under his feet. Screaming in terror, he span as he fell through the thin window, smashing into the large ornate table and losing consciousness.
- Midna -
It was almost time.
The grand dining room had been adorned with all the regalia she could have mustered. The food was extravagant, even by her standards.
Loatal fish were exceptionally rare and expensive. Too bad they tasted vile, no matter how they were cooked. Then, an assortment of vegetables grown in strange chambers fed by a careful mixture of gasses to enhance their bulk. Also expensive.
For drinks, there was a wine brewed from a fruit flower that only bloomed once every five years. That one was particularly expensive.
Midna thought back to the Hylian food she had tried before. Simple meats cooked with glazes and marinades. She could never serve such dishes to the nobles of the realm, but it was important to display wealth and prowess to them.
She sighed wearily. It had always been like this, even before the crisis with Ganondorf and Zant. She wondered why she found it so much more dull now than she ever had before.
Shaking her head to clear her mind, she focused on the mirror in front of her. She wore her regal adornment, decorated in gold thread. The deep purple blended to black under the right light and made her look like a grand ruler to those who cared. Privately, she would never admit to anyone that she felt overdressed in it.
She fastened the hood and pulled it up. To those who cared, it framed her as a grand ruler.
In the mirror, she saw herself as another person entirely. She had never cared about it before, but all she wanted was to just wear her simple body cloth. It had been enough earlier in her life and perfectly functional.
She looked into her own eyes, dismissing the idle thoughts. She knew she had to keep up appearances. Today's dinner would be important to show the noble class that she was able to back her claims of authority.
She almost laughed at the title. Noble, they called themselves. As if they knew the first thing about the concept.
She finished dressing herself and left the anteroom. Her guards stood to attention dutifully as they turned to follow her. Whilst she was grateful for their dedicated service, they were boring. Never an ounce of spine or glib remarks to tease her. They would do a handstand if she felt like telling them to.
She entertained the thought as she walked through the halls, wondering if they could learn to juggle with their feet in the air.
Walking through the grand doors, almost at the other side of her palace, she looked over how the room had been prepared.
The grand room didn't have a spot of dust anywhere, even on the high walls. Each lavish chair had been carefully positioned as to not appear out of place. The fine cutlery had been precisely measured and spaced on either side of glazed bowls. Fine glasses stood next to them, glinting under the light of tall light fixtures.
She stared blankly around, pretending to smile at her pretend satisfaction. She was sympathetic to her servants, spending their lives serving her willingly. It all stank of waste to her.
"Your majesty, are the preparations to your satisfaction?" a butler asked ever so politely.
Looking at him, she nodded silently as she wore a wooden smile. Ever the mysterious ruler. Or so she had to appear anyway.
"Thank you, your most gracious majesty" the polite butler said quietly as he bowed.
She wanted to strangle him. Quickly, she shut down the intrusive thought. She felt the old magic coursing through the length of her hair, making the strands twitch. Turning to sit in her oversized seat, she took a deep breath.
Now, all she had to do was wait for an hour as the guests came in, boasted about some meaningless accolade they had awarded themselves and she would deliver her speech before the actual meal.
It had been instilled in her since her childhood, that a monarch of the Twili would never waste their words. Speaking only when it was appropriate, so she could not be misconstrued.
So, silently, she sat. Yet again.
The guests slowly came to fill the twenty or so seats around the table. Guided in by her staff, they neatly sat in matching formal wear. Elegant robes, with puffed neck liners. She wondered how this had ever become high fashion. They looked as if they were meant to be bottle stoppers.
Suppressing a smile, she waited as patiently as she could, tapping her feet on the rug under the table to muffle the noise.
Finally, they were all assembled. In tradition, they all stood at the table as they did their rehearsed bows to her.
"Your most eminent majesty" they all said in unison.
Silently, she gestured around the table for them all to sit. Now, the conversation could begin. Just not involving her.
Soon enough, the talk turned to boasts. She overheard one of the nobles tell of a fine crop his farms had produced, with yields so high that he would be well provisioned for the winter months. The other laughed an empty laugh as he congratulated his peer.
Then, proceeded to assure them that his textiles amassed a quantity that could be measured in miles. Another empty laugh.
How she had not managed to kill any one of them before today was a mystery to her.
But then, something different happened. For the first time in a long time.
As the guests continued to talk, a door opened at the other side of the room. Only she saw it as the nobles busied themselves. One of the palace guards moved with purpose to another that was standing guard. They leaned in quietly and whispered something. They turned to look at each other. Then the sentry whispered something back as they leaned closer to them.
Then the guard turned and left without a word.
She didn't raise an eyebrow like she wanted to, but she suddenly started paying much less attention to the guests. Something was going on. She gestured for the guard to come to her.
Quietly, they made their way to her and leaned closer. Some of the nobles noticed but didn't say anything at the strange misstep from procedure.
The guard knew why he was summoned and answered her curious look immediately, whispering to her.
"Your majesty, there are strange reports of someone in town, pursued by guards. We have dispatched the royal guard to investigate. I will update you when I know more, if this is to your satisfaction?"
Subtly, she nodded, now intrigued for once.
Looking back over the table, her mind started to wander. What commotion had been caused? Who was it? Why had the royal guard decided to intervene? Unless there was more danger than they realised…
A flicker of excitement turned in her, though she remained composed. Her mind began to imagine all sorts of impossibilities. A drunkard setting fire to buildings, a pack of feral children searching for food or perhaps even a doctor experimenting with homemade potions.
Then, there was a noise. She turned her head, trying to determine where it came from.
Nothing for a moment.
Then, she heard it again. Was something cracking?
Narrowing her eyes, she saw some of the nobles had gone quiet and were looking around for the noise too.
"Oh my! Look!" uttered one of the nobles as they pointed upwards.
Before she could register where they pointed, glass shattered. Its cracks and breaks echoed around the stone room. Then, she heard a frantic scream.
Looking up, her heart stopped.
Falling from the skylight in a shower of glinting broken glass was the one Hylian she never expected to see. She saw him fall in slow motion as her mind desperately tried to process what was happening. He turned in the air, his face a look of pure, abject horror.
Then, his eyes met hers and the recognition burst forth like a bloom, restarting her suddenly frozen heart.
Pieces of glass still glinted in the catastrophe, falling straight to the crowd of nobles below.
Her body moved before her mind caught up. Magic surged down the length of her hair, snapping out in tendrils of red light. Glass froze mid-air, stopped in its descent. But him? She wasn't fast enough.
Still screaming, he fell flat on his back on the grand table, smashing it in half as the nobles screamed in shock.
The loud crack of the table snapping echoed around the room as all of the expensive cutlery flew about. The fine glasses rolled off the table and smashed over the floor. Beautiful flowers were thrown from their pots as the scene instantly unfolded into a huge mess. Several nobles fell backwards out of their chairs, breaking some of those too.
Her mind ground to a halt. She had never expected anything like this. Looking over the ruined table, she saw him sprawled out, barely breathing. Utterly unconscious too.
She retracted her strands of hair and dropped the broken glass in a pile beside her upended plate.
Rising to her feet, as if by instinct, she moved to him as her heart raced. She forgot all the procedures. The nobles had collected themselves and backed as far away from the table as possible. Her royal guards surrounded him, unsure of what to do next too.
She leaned over him, her breath short. He smelled of sweat and sand. Each nerve in her was taut now too. But she was still responsible for handling everything here. She took a long breath.
"Our dinner is adjourned. We'll reconvene at another time. You are dismissed. Guards, walk with me" she commanded.
Good, she thought to herself. The tension hadn't crept into her voice.
Suffusing her hair with her innate power, she wrapped strands around his torso and legs, lifting him effortlessly. His loose arm flopped around as she started walking with him to one of the anterooms further away.
"You could never look after yourself, could you?" she uttered to his unconscious form. She sounded calm, but she wanted to scream.
- Link -
As sensations came back to his body, they were all bad. The first thing he became aware of was a stinging pain along his back, it only got more intense as he became more aware. His legs felt like they were an inch from cramping. His chest hurt too, as if it had been stretched for hours.
Bearing the discomfort, he wasn't falling at least. He felt himself resting on a soft bed, the fabric was silken and cooled his skin. Slowly, he dared to open his eyes.
As the world came back into focus, he saw walls carved precisely from sandstone, polished too. Runes of the Twili's alphabet were embedded in the upper portion of the walls.
Taking a slow breath, he felt his muscles protest at the intense effort. He grunted as the pain became too sharp to deal with, then closed his eyes to try and ignore it.
A rich and dreamlike voice came from somewhere nearby. He almost didn't recognise it.
"Ah, so you aren't dead" Midna said flatly.
Amongst the haze of pain, his mind suddenly went blank. He hadn't thought of anything to say to her before he had fallen through the ceiling.
"Not yet" he said weakly, taking careful breaths after he spoke.
With effort, he turned his head as his muscles cried in protest.
All this time later, there she was. She sat across the room, her legs crossed as one hand sat on her knee, the other held her chin as she looked back to him.
Her golden eyes scrutinized his. Her clothes were different, far more regal than he ever recalled. He almost refused to believe it, but it was really her. She was right there, when he thought he may never get to see her again.
"Is it really you?" he asked, feeling a profound sense of wonder and disbelief.
She cocked her head and narrowed her eyes, processing something of her own.
"Yes… just how hard did you hit your head?" she replied coldly. But he knew her. She always hid how she really felt.
"Oh…that" he said sheepishly. "Sorry I…fell from your roof"
They looked at each other blankly. He still couldn't believe it. Neither could she, it seemed.
She shook her head, but he saw a small smile from her.
"Link, I…" she started, but her voice faltered
She looked away, her fingers tightening against her knee, her breath hitching slightly.
"I never…" she exhaled, shaking her head. "I never expected to see you again."
She lowered her head, fully aware of how they had last spoken. She had left suddenly and severed the link between their worlds by destroying the Mirror of Twilight. Link recalled the memory bitterly. How abrupt it had been, how he had no recourse or chance to prevent it.
He tensed, to his immediate regret as his muscles spasmed in a fresh wave of pain.
He did his best to bear it.
"Yeah…same for me, roles reversed…" he trailed off.
He tried to sit up, but his back flared in a burst of fiery pain. He grimaced and clenched his teeth.
"Stop. Lay down. I think you've broken your spine. I've sent for a potion to help" she countered quickly.
He was in no mood to disobey. Lowering himself, he let the bed bear his broken and exhausted form. As he regained his breath, his mind began to focus a little more.
"Yeah…I suppose I shouldn't be surprised" he uttered.
He had suffered worse when he travelled with her. A worrying thought entered his mind. He had smashed a skylight after all.
"When I fell, did anyone get hurt?"
He heard her shift a little.
"No. I stopped the glass from doing any real damage"
He sighed in relief. Anywhere else, his recklessness could have really hurt someone. With Midna, everything was different.
"Ah, that's good to hear. Thank you."
His mind was slowly getting used to seeing her again, but not entirely.
"Did I interrupt anything…important?" he asked, trying to learn more as he looked back over to her.
Her arms were folded over her chest, her gaze narrowed and she pursed her lips. Whatever she was thinking, she was determined to hide it.
"No. You gave some nobles the shock of their life though" she said, a small smile curling on her lips.
"Oh, so no problem then"
Her lips quickly curled into a small smile, but she wiped it away in an instant.
"How did you even come to be on the roof of this palace? And here at all?" she asked sharply.
There was a knock at a door somewhere in the room.
Midna sighed her familiar exasperated sigh. He had heard it so much in the past.
"Enter" she said more firmly.
The door clicked and swung open. There was a sound of footsteps. He heard another dreamlike voice.
"I hope it is to your satisfaction, your majesty" said the figure he couldn't see. He did see Midna give a simple nod in return.
"Can you drink this?" she asked.
The liquid looked strange to him, shimmering with flecks of silver. He held his arm out, though it hurt to do so.
She passed it to him and the orderly explained it as he drank the thick liquid.
"Interloper, the potion you have is designed to enhance the natural healing of your body. Though we know not how it will affect your physiology"
It tasted like wax and went down much the same. Finishing it, he handed the bottle back to Midna.
Within a minute, he felt himself heating up. His very nerves felt hot too as the potion began to do its work. His muscles warmed rapidly as he felt he could walk through Snowpeak in just his underwear.
"It's hot…" he said, wiping his brow.
"You'll be fine. You can have water after the effects wear off" Midna said simply
"How long will that be…?" he said wearily, feeling like he was close to melting.
"Maybe an hour. But knowing you? Half that"
Link grimaced as he endured the sensation of heat. It felt suffocating, his bones itched and his muscles tensed and relaxed.
All the while, Midna remained in her seat. She dismissed the servant who bowed deeply and left wordlessly.
"Thank you. I think…" he managed to utter.
He could barely summon the energy to speak as the potion worked through his tired and broken body. As time passed, he remained quiet as he contended with the sensation. Midna didn't leave his side once. She didn't say anything, keeping her thoughts private. But she was just as reliable as she had always been.
Eventually, the sensation of heat started to fade. Relief washed over him as he felt as if he could breathe normally again.
"Link. I need an answer. How did you come to be here?" Midna asked sharply.
He sighed. There was no sense avoiding it. He felt worse as he recalled Zelda too. She fell, wounded, as he leapt to the Twilight Realm. And here he was, awkwardly trying to speak to her as if it was just another day.
"Alright" he said as he sat up and rolled his shoulders. His muscles still ached, but it didn't hurt anywhere near as badly as it had.
"There's a lot to tell if you want the full picture. But I'll start with the most important parts"
He helped himself to a cup of water from a decanter by the bed he was in. Refreshed, he carried on.
"Ghirahim is coming. He…"
Midna held her hand up, stopping him, as she narrowed her eyes.
"Who the hell is Ghirahim?" she asked.
"Oh…"
Of course they had been separated for a year. There was no way she could have known. Why had he assumed she would?
"He's an agent of Ganondorf."
Her golden eyes shot open as she stood from her seat.
"Wait, what?!"
She immediately started pacing on the spot as she absorbed the information.
"Is he back?!" she asked, close to shouting.
"No" Link replied, shaking his head gently. Her relief was immediate."But if Ghirahim succeeds in his plans, then there is a chance he could be revived"
She stood still and looked into his eyes. A flash of raw fear appeared on her.
Link let her think for a moment. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and gently sat down. She simply looked at him whilst she waited for further explanation.
"I don't know where he came from, but I've been told he is the spirit of Ganondorfs sword. One with quite the history behind it."
Midna remained unreadable.
"The point is that he has raised an army of Stal. Remember those skeletons from the Arbiter's Grounds?" he asked, knowing there was no way she would forget. She nodded briefly.
"How many of them?" she asked quietly.
"Over a thousand"
She closed her eyes and rubbed her temple with a free hand. Link continued.
"He intends to invade here, because he believes there is a fragment of the Triforce of power hidden somewhere. He needs the full set of three before he can try and manipulate it to revive Ganondorf"
She narrowed her eyes.
"So there are three pieces of a piece of three? I thought that thing was just some relic that connected you to your goddesses."
He hadn't told her about how he could use the power of it to enhance feats of courage. Of course she wouldn't understand fully. He still felt foolish about assuming she would know Ghirahim.
"Yes. I could go into detail, but the short of it is that the piece that represented power was shattered and scattered over Hyrule. I managed to recover two of them"
He showed her the emblem on the back of his hand, the top piece being two thirds filled with its soft golden light, shining through the gauntlet.
Midna looked over the emblem herself. She looked to be deep in thought.
"So, then he needs to, what, kill you to take the pieces you have?"
Link felt a familiar surge of pride. She was as sharp as she ever was.
"Yes. Though he'd probably do that even if he didn't need them. He's…sadistic, at best" he said dryly, preferring to forget the depths of his malice and manipulation.
"Oddly popular, aren't you?" she teased.
He blinked, with no idea how to respond.
She dropped the teasing immediately, refocusing on the issue he had brought to her.
"So this Ghirahim. You said he was going to invade? When?"
"I don't actually know for sure…" he admitted sheepishly.
She raised an eyebrow to him, unimpressed.
"I need something more solid than that, Link"
"I know you do. But my point is that I just don't know for sure."
He took a moment to think over what had happened in the rush to the portal
"Ghirahim was the one who opened the portal here. Zelda and I found out about his plans and came up with an idea" he explained.
Midna leaned forward, paying extra attention to him now.
"We both figured out how to draw power from our own pieces of the triforce. She can enact acts of wisdom from it. So, she manipulated Ghirahim's portal to send us to the same spot he was heading to, but a week early"
They had both been on an insane adventure together before, but even the concept of manipulating time was a lot to take on. He still couldn't believe it himself to some degree. He let the idea settle over her.
Not missing a beat, she pressed him for more details.
"Smart. But why are you not certain about when he will arrive, if you already altered your arrival by one week?"
Link smiled to himself. Of course she wouldn't be fazed by things like this.
"Because Zelda is the one who did that, and she…fell before she could come through the portal" he said as he tensed.
Midna froze for a moment, just barely. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came at first.
"So you have no idea if your idea worked as intended."
"Exactly. I don't even know how much time has passed since I got here."
Her eyes sharpened and focused as the pieces fell into place. She stood from her chair.
"Then we need to hurry and prepare. Am I right to assume that when he does invade, the Hylian army will be at the rear at the same time then?"
He nodded. "Yes. Zelda too. If she isn't…" He couldn't finish the thought.
She noticed the change in him. She softened her posture a little and relaxed.
"I wasn't there, so I don't know what happened. But Zelda struck me as exactly as stubborn as you. Even if she is wounded, I think she will have survived."
Strangely, she looked worried about something else.
"I am sure she will be happy to see you again" she said plainly.
Link was all too aware of how she kept her thoughts private. Though it didn't feel like the right time to push and ask her what she meant.
"Come with me, I will need your help to plan for this. Though you may wish to wash first. You stink" she said bluntly.
"A pleasure to see you again too" he said firmly, through narrowed eyes.
She couldn't stop her laughter. All tension left him as he heard it. It was almost like medicine.
She showed him to a washroom and told him how to work the water system. It wasn't much different than the showers the Zora had, only the water jetted out with more force at a perfect temperature. He took some black soap and cleaned himself, washing the grime and sweat away.
It took him a short amount of time to finish, then he found the outfit that had been left for him.
A dark hooded robe with silver trim, a deep blue shirt with Twili runes on it and a pair of form fitting trousers made of something resembling silk. A simple pair of black socks and loafers for his feet were there too.
Dressing clumsily, he eventually found out how to wear them as the clothes finally settled over his shoulders comfortably. He had never worn a robe in his life, but he felt strangely powerful wearing it.
Stepping out of the washroom, he was greeted by a similarly dressed Twili. Their hollow golden eyes looking serenely at him.
"Interloper, I have been asked to take you to her most royal majesty. Please follow me" he said in the signature surreal voice of the Twili.
"Very well. But my name is Link, not 'Interloper'. What's your name?"
"My most sincere apologies, Link" they said with a languid bow. "I am Lynth, servant to her most royal majesty. Please, follow me" he said.
Led through Midna's palace, he looked around as much as he could. It was a different experience the last time he was here. The Twili people had been under the control of Zant. Even the sky had looked clouded and sickly at the time.
Now, the dull gold sky evoked the feeling of a warm evening winding down. It was peaceful as it was a little wistful.
The halls of the palace looked more solid than threatening like they had been. Twili people moved around the castle like water. Everyone had a sharp focus and discipline about them, appearing contemplative. They almost seemed monastic to Link. Midna was the outlier, being so outspoken and fiery. He wondered how life in the Twilight Realm differed from Hyrule.
Before he could imagine anything more, Lynth opened a door to some other part of the castle. At the centre of the large room was a round table. Midna sat with other Twili, wearing important looking robes as they were in discussion.
It hadn't been more than twenty minutes and she had already brought the right people together for an emergency meeting. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised, but it was still impressive to see.
Looking over her shoulder, Midna addressed everyone.
"Councilors and Ministers. I introduce Link, the man who helped save our realm from the control of Zant and the false god Ganondorf."
Link was introduced to identical looking potentates. Still, at least he was used to this. He gave polite bows as he immediately failed to recall any names.
Afterwards, he was given a seat as Midna relayed what he had told her. The ministers listened serenely, barely showing a reaction. As she finished, they looked at each other, hardly batting an eye.
Link wondered how they could remain so placid. Then again, this was a different world. Maybe they could just mask how they felt more easily.
Slowly, they looked back to her.
"What do you recommend we do, your majesty?" said one.
"Has Link some experience in fighting these Stal?" asked another.
Midna, eager to press on, held up her hand as she silenced the room effortlessly.
"We need to prepare as fast as possible. We have either a few hours or a week."
Her tone was sharp. Not unfriendly, but so that not a single word could be misunderstood.
"The invaders will arrive at the same point Link did. So that is where we must assemble our defence. As well as have contingencies ready. We will also need a place to evacuate the citizens to" she explained, wasting no words.
Murmurs went around the table as the placid Twili shared ideas.
"What manner of enemy intends to invade us, your majesty?" asked another of them.
She explained what the Stal were, having personal experience with them. Link added in what he had learned from Zelda and Sabbah, detailing the Arbiter's Grounds too.
Even now, with an invasion looming, their faces barely shifted. No anger, no fear. Not even impatience. Were they not taking this seriously? Or was this just how the Twili processed disaster? Midna looked tense too, though maybe not for the same reason, he thought.
They discussed plans further, getting through the concepts a lot faster with Midna's direct approach. She didn't shy from using her authority.
The meeting didn't last long, Link being asked for clarification at points but left alone for the most part. They had reached a decision on what to do. One of the ministers stood to speak.
"Your majesty, this is a most dire threat. We shall begin our preparations at your command."
Then, another one had a different opinion.
"This interloper is but one man. Are we to believe he alone has the answer?"
Midna barely managed to stop herself from snarling.
"Without this man, who you shall call Link, you would all still be thralls to Zant."
The minister remained placid, but now quiet too. Link felt himself blush. Midna's faith in him hadn't changed, even after a year apart.
She met his gaze for just a second, a flicker of a smile on her face. Then, she refocused.
"Link, you're a far more experienced fighter. Will you help establish defences? Our people are not warlike."
"Really? Your town guards are capable with their spears and your royal guards are relentless."
"We train them for security, not war" she countered. "Our conflicts are usually handled through diplomacy… or court intrigue." Her expression soured slightly, and Link knew she was thinking of Zant.
Link nodded instantly. "Of course. We should head there now and draw up plans. How soon can laborers get there and help build defences?"
"I will join you and bring a selection of our finest craftsmen" she said as she stood from her seat, eager to begin.
"Everyone, you know your roles. Rouse the civil defence and prepare a rearguard of our royal troops. Ensure they are both well supplied and ready for a briefing."
She looked to Link, trying to jog her memory about something.
"Oh! Equip them with bludgeoning weapons too" she added.
A beat of silence passed before the councilors nodded in unison, their movements eerily synchronized. Without further discussion, they rose from their seats, their robes sweeping the polished floor as they dispersed with silent efficiency.
Midna turned to Link. "Where exactly did you arrive?"
He hesitated. The streets had blurred past him in a haze of adrenaline, and the rooftops had offered no sense of direction. But he could still picture the jagged rock formations, the empty clearing and the golden sky stretching overhead.
"I'll know it when I see it," he said finally. "It's on the edge of town. Open ground, rocky terrain. If we move now, I can lead you there."
Midna narrowed her eyes, considering. Then, without hesitation, she turned to a nearby attendant. "Summon my personal guard. We leave immediately."
Link exhaled, already moving. "How far?"
"A half-hour on foot. Less if we take the side streets."
"Then we run" he said, already striding for the door.
He stopped a second later.
"How do we get out of here?" he asked, realizing he had no idea how the palace had changed since Zant's rule.
She led the way, her pace quick and measured.
"There's truly no rest for you, is there?"
"Not really" he muttered as he followed.
She scoffed. "I gathered. Try not to fall through any more buildings before we get there."
He didn't answer. His mind was already ahead. Fixing on the open clearing, the broken sky, and the exact spot where Ghirahim's army would arrive. If they weren't ready when it happened, the Twilight Realm might not survive the first hour.
There was no more time to waste.