A Shadow's Passing
By loyaltraitor777More Info / Reviews
Chapter 1: A Shadow's Passing
Author’s Notes: When I finished Twilight Princess, I thought that there must have been so much running through Link’s head. I mean, here he is, with this quest thrust upon him (like always) and now it’s coming to the completion. I also loved the interaction between the characters, so this is kinda my tribute to TP. (Illia and Colin only get a tiny mention, because I wanted to keep to the ending of TP as closely as possible and since Link never actually interacts with them in the ending, I couldn’t really make it work…oh well. Maybe I’ll write another fan fiction for his home-coming so I can get Illia and Colin in on the action) This is my first Zelda fan fiction, so any comments, criticisms, etc. are greatly appreciated. You’ll notice the only lines I use are from the ending and that Link doesn’t have hardly any lines at all. Again, that’s because I wanted to keep the feel of the ending as much as possible, with Link running a silent commentary in his head. ( Personally, I like that he keeps his mouth shut. Between Zelda, Midna, Illia and all the other ladies in his life, it’s no surprise he doesn’t get a word in edgewise 
) Oh, and I don’t own Link, Zelda, etc. All characters, settings, etc. are property of Nintendo, so please don’t sue me for giving out free advertising for one of the coolest games ever. Enjoy!!
Hero chosen by the goddesses. Wielder of the Master Sword. Bearer of the Triforce symbol and the powers of the Triforce of Courage. Quiet, polite and always kind, the young man Link is considered to be the savior of Hyrule, the land’s only hope. However, even now, standing on the summit of Hyrule castle, he feels like none of these things. Even now, he feels like nothing more than the wrangler from Ordon village, the boy loved and respected by all the people in his village, but of no consequence to the rest of the world. The skills he had at the beginning of his quest were those suited to riding and herding, not solving puzzles and saving lives.
In spite of his misgivings, the hero chosen by the goddesses to wield a portion of the Golden Power certainly looked the part of a champion. Tall and broad-shouldered, a life on the farm had given him a supple, strong body and a chiseled physique. Long blonde hair spilled out from underneath the floppy green cap on his head, framing his wide, bright face while still giving him a wild appearance. He wore blue earrings in his long, pointed ears that spoke of his coming-of-age, a tradition in Hyrule and nearby provinces, but it was his eyes that were the truly distinguishing feature. His eyes were the color of sparkling sapphires, and could tell so much more about this individual than words ever could. They drew a person in until the world around was lost, and the light found in this new reality spoke of courage and strength. Peace was there, too, and with that peace one could find joy, happiness. No matter how bad things got, no matter how bleak the outcome appeared to be, one look at the light in his eyes and a person knew it was going to be…okay. Just by having him there. It was enough.
The young man was not dressed the part of a rancher, either. His equipment had the same feeling of confidence that he bestowed upon those fortunate enough to know him. Dressed in the garb of a long-forgotten hero, Link wore a well-worn tunic the color of forests, complete with a golden, chain-mail underlay. Beneath this, he had a set of off-white tights and a cotton undershirt with a tied collar around his neck, partly to round out the outfit and partly to fight the cold of somber times. Cutting diagonally across the green tunic was a brown, leather strap of high quality, which held the sheath of Link’s current sword. A bronze emblem was the only peculiar feature on the strap, but it was very functional and designed for comfort. Hanging from the azure and gilded sheath of the Master Sword was the familiar weight of a Hylian shield. The blue and silver shield carried the crest of Hyrule castle, a Triforce symbol and a ruby eagle. He also had a pair of brown and black gloves, and a forearm guard could be seen on his sword arm. A pair of travel-worn brown boots completed the ensemble, as well as a leather belt buckled around his waist, where a few pouches carried whatever things to which he needed quick access. He truly looked like the Hero, right out of the legends of his people.
None of that was important to Link right now, though. At this particular moment, he needed to be the Hero, not the unknown villager, and so that was who he would be. He gazed out at the twilit sky, storm clouds basked in an unearthly orange glow. Lightning split the sky at random intervals, and the howling of the storm was deafening. Link stood at the edge of the summit balcony for a moment, reminiscing. He was reminded of his conversation with Midna when they had first entered the Twilight Realm, when she had told him that the twilight was not so bad, when they had talked about the sunset and how the world would be deprived of such beauty without the twilight. It was how he felt now. The darkness of the twilight had unsettled him at first, especially when it had covered the areas surrounding his home, but now, now he was not so sure. Even given the current situation, as he ascended the steps leading to the throne room of the castle and as he looked up at the unnatural storm surrounding Hyrule Castle, he could not bring himself to be frightened. The twilight was an old friend now.
He looked at Midna, who had come out of his shadow as they approached the dais at the far end of the room. When they had first met, after his transformation in a wolf, he had been suspicious of her intentions toward him. Apparently, his suspicions had had some basis in truth, but those times were far behind him. Just like the twilight, she had grown on him. He hadn’t known when the change had occurred, but like most good changes, he found himself not really caring about the details. Casting off the stray thought, he focused on something strewn across the floor. It was a statue. The pair drew close and Link recoiled as he realized it was the marble head of one of the goddesses. Hopefully, it wasn’t a metaphor for something worse. Midna gasped and he saw her looking at something with horror. Following her gaze, he saw the remains of statues of the three goddesses enshrining an image of the Triforce hanging above the room. What had shocked Midna, and indeed was disconcerting however, was the figure within the Triforce. Zelda!
Before he could study her more closely, a chilling voice cut the silence of the room with a hiss. "Welcome to my castle," it said. Link squinted, unable to see clearly in the dim light of the darkened audience chamber. There was someone seated on the throne. As he tried to make out the figure, Link held a strange tingling sensation deep within him, a feeling that resonated within his bones and beyond. The Triforce symbol glowed bright on his hand, with particular emphasis on the bottom right triangle. What did that mean? Ignoring the unusual feeling, he gave greater attention to the man obviously waiting for him.
The man laughed, as if he had known the effect his presence had on Link and had been amused by it. Link leaned forward and looked at the man. He had an unusual visage, he decided. The extremely tall, muscular man had flaming red hair and oily green skin. He was not an unhandsome man, but the chill in his yellow eyes robbed him of any beauty. He wore a sort of golden emblem on his forehead and a sort of crown on his head, but it lacked the feel of a true circlet. His armor was darker than any night, and the sword in his hand seemed to match the black nature of his spirit. Link was not one to feel fear, but as he gazed at this man, he felt that there was reason for fear in the hearts of men. This one in particular gave them far too much reason. At his side, he felt Midna stir, and she said, in her unique dialect that he understood for whatever reason, "So you’re…Ganondorf."
Link felt a jolt of energy as he heard the name. Ganondorf? The symbol on his hand seemed to glow more brightly, and he felt energy wash through his body. This was the man responsible for ripping Link’s friends from him, for casting his world into a never-ending nightmare, and was the architect of far too many atrocities. He was the black specter that hung over Hyrule like a bad dream, the thing that threatened to destroy all in Hyrule and beyond. He refused to go quietly into the night, and so time and again Hyrule fell into ruin. Ganondorf stood to his full height, a domineering figure, and Link could practically taste the arrogance rolling off the dark thief in waves. This was the man people spoke of in hushed whispers, as though merely speaking his name was enough to bring the nightmare down on them.
Midna didn’t seem to be frightened by him, though. With her usual spunkiness she continued, "I’ve been dying to meet you." She gave him a feral grin and her eyes narrowed with anticipation. Link removed the sword of evil’s bane from it’s scabbard and braced himself. Ganondorf could strike at any moment. The dark one seemed not to notice the appearance of the Master Sword. He seemed unconcerned that a battle was soon to take place. In fact, he ignored Link completely, focusing instead on Midna. "You people have long amused me, Midna. To defy the gods with such petty magic, only to be cast aside… How very pathetic." His voice dripped with utter contempt. "Pathetic as they were, though, they served me well. Their anguish was my nourishment." He held his hand out towards Midna, as though her mere presence gave him sustenance. He tightened his hand into a fist, and Link could hear the leather glove on his hand crack. "Their hatred bled across the void and awakened me. I drew deep of it and grew strong again."
Link gave Midna a surreptitious glance. How much hadshe suffered? He had never really thought about it before. He frowned inwardly. They had been through so much together, and yet he realized he didn’t know nearly as much about Midna as he should. As he looked at the determination in her ruby-colored eyes, he decided that maybe he knew exactly what he needed to know. She was strong and devoted. She was humble enough to simply ask for what she wanted, and she was willing to put herself out there when she didn’t need to. True, she was selfish, and had originally desired to use Link for her own schemes, but after all that had occurred, he couldn’t be upset with her for that. She had been stripped of her position, horribly transformed by Zant’s magic, and who knows what else. She had manipulated Link in the name of her people and who was Link to say he would not have done the same thing had he been in the same situation. All in all, Link didn’t know what he would have done without her. She was his friend.
Ganondorf had continued speaking during Link’s silent musings. "Your people had some skill, to be sure…but they lacked true power." He prowled the dais liked a chained jungle cat waiting to be let loose. The dark one looked up at Zelda, as if to accentuate his final point. "The kind of absolute power that those chosen by the gods wield." He raised a hand and Link saw the symbol of the Triforce on his hand. "He who wields such power would make a suitable king for this world, don’t you think?" So, the sages had been correct. For whatever reason, Ganondorf did possess the power of one chosen by the goddesses. Link didn’t know why, but he decided it didn’t matter. What did matter was that this, his mission to save Hyrule, would end here.
Apparently, Midna agreed. "Ha! Such conceit!" she said with more than a hint of defiance in her voice. "But if you are one of the chosen wielders of power, as you claim…" at this she placed her hands on her chest, and as she spoke, threw them into the air and then to either side in a show of rebellion, she finished, "I will risk everything to deny you!" Strong words, Link thought. Powerful, and true. He could do no else than Midna. He, too, would risk his life and more to save Hyrule, and to save Midna’s people as well. They deserved the right to be free, as much as any people. He would do it for Illia, for Colin, for the Hylians, the Gorons, the Zoras, the Twili, for all the people he had met in his travels and for those he hadn’t met. He had to. It was his duty.
Ganondorf was skeptical, as his arrogance demanded him be, but he did acknowledge the Twilight Princess with the words, "Shadow has been moved by light, it seems…" He said this with just the barest hint of mockery. He grinned, "…How amusing." He offered Midna an upraised hand. "Very well… Deny me, then!" he challenged, and Link understood instinctively that the time for words was about to end. "Yes, try to deny me… You and your little friend…"
Great, was that the only reference to Link that Ganondorf would make? Apparently, the hero chosen by the gods was to be underestimated. Fine with him. It would make Ganondorf overconfident. Link readied his blade as Ganondorf made his move. Unfortunately for the hero, it was the most unexpected maneuver in the dark one’s arsenal. Dissipating into the bleak nothingness of the road between day and night, Ganondorf disappeared. Midna seemed to understand better than Link what was happening. Link tried to stop her, but Midna interposed herself between Ganondorf and Zelda as the dark one warped into Zelda’s body! Link could only watch in horror as Ganondorf used his arcane talents to toss Midna like a broken doll into the cold and wind outside. Link ran after her, to make sure she was alright, but the all-too-familiar sound of magical barriers forming told him he would be too late. He skidded to a halt as an orange wall of energy formed between him and Midna.
Link turned, and was greeted by a horrific sight. Zelda, her body covered in black runes and her eyes the color of a smoldering flame, stood with a thin broadsword in her right hand. The worst had happened. Ganondorf now possessed the body of the woman who was the rightful heir to the throne of Hyrule. Her voice came to him, but it was dark and distorted, full of flame and deceit instead of beauty and goodness. "Both of you, faithless fools who would dare to take up arms against the king of light and shadow…" The tone carried an air of finality as Ganondorf finished. "So you choose. And so you shall feel my wrath."
Ganon’s puppet Zelda rose into the air, and Link knew, for a certainty, that the next few moments would be his worst. To raise his blade against the Princess would kill him, but to do otherwise would mean the death of more than his honor. After floating there for a few moments, the princess lifted her sword and a ball of golden energy appeared at the tip. Acting on instinct, Link drew the sword in his left hand back and called on the final lesson taught him by the strange but beneficent specter of the golden wolf. When Ganon, the true evil at work here, launched the attack at him, Link released the energy of the Great Spin and sent the ball flying back at Ganon. Half-expecting the tactic to fail, Link certainly didn’t expect the ball to be deflected back at him by Ganon. Taking the attack full-on, Link closed his eyes as electricity danced over his body and his muscles convulsed uncontrollably. The haunting laugh of Ganon gave him no comfort. Sheathing his sword, he pulled out the Double Clawshots, bringing to mind his fight with the dinosaur-like beast in the city in the sky. He fired off a shot at Ganon, but the floating dark one was too fast for the clawshot to gain any purchase. Sticking to the long-range strategy, Link pulled out his bow and fired off three shots in quick succession.
After so many battles, using his bow was like second nature to him, and his aim was always true, but Ganon seemed to make his skill laughable by dodging all three arrows. So disturbed by this failure, Link failed to notice the golden triangle forming around him on the ground. So when a fountain of energy slammed into his body with the rushing force of a cold river, he could do little more than writhe in agony. When the attack ended, Link could barely feel the ends of his hands, let alone move, but he willed himself back to a standing position. The ball attack came after this, but this time Link was ready for it and he knocked the ball back at Ganon. The pair played catch for some time, but this time Link prevailed, and Ganon took the blow full-force. It felt wrong, to see Zelda’s body enduring the same pain he had, but Ganon wasn’t giving him much of a choice. The ground attack came again, but Link jumped to the side and rolled out of the way just in time. He wasn’t quite ready for what came next, though.
Instead of following up his attack with the first one, Ganon came flying out of the sky in an attempt to skewer Link on Zelda’s sword. Link dodged, barely, but Zelda still slammed into him with enough force to knock him down. Link sprang back to his feet just in time to see Zelda barreling down on him a second time. He rolled out of the way and tried to counter-attack, but Ganon had fled beyond the reach of the Master Sword. The battle continued like this for some time, with Link dodging Ganondorf’s varied blows, waiting for an opportunity to turn the "king’s" attacks back upon him. Eventually, one of the balls of energy broke Ganon’s concentration, and the orange barrier holding Midna back was destroyed.
Midna didn’t waste any time before jumping to the fray. As Ganondorf tried to shake off the effects of the energy ball, Midna used the Fused Shadows to rip Ganon from Zelda’s body, leaving the Princess unharmed on the nearby dais. Link smiled at this; finally, the Princess was safe. Midna transformed back into her normal self and floated down next to Link. As Link watched Ganondorf move out of Zelda and onto the floor, Midna floated close to him and leaned affectionately on his left shoulder. He smiled back at her, but the tender moment was interrupted as Ganon re-emerged. This time, though, he grew into a shape even more terrifying than before. It was a pig-like monstrosity with wicked horns and foul breath. Midna ducked into Link’s shadow so he’d have room to maneuver and he braced himself as the dark beast Ganon charged.
Link had been in enough battles to know when to evade, so instead of trying to stop Ganon’s mad dash, he dove to one side and let the crazed animal run past. He spun the Master Sword in a confident flourish before placing it back in its sheath, and he pulled out his bow. He had seen a strange light on Ganon’s forehead during the charge, and it looked like it might be a weak spot. Light certainly didn’t belong in the dark being. Before Link could get a chance to attack, though, Ganon smashed through several support pillars and disappeared. Link looked around, trying to gauge where Ganon might appear. Eventually, a portal flickered into and out of existence, and then another. Notching an arrow, Link waited for a sign that Ganon would appear.
One of the portals turned a deep blue instead of the recurring purple and Link knew that the time had come. The moment Ganon emerged, Link let an arrow fly, and Ganon was stunned. Link leapt to one side as the beast tumbled to the ground, and he switched weapons, lashing out with the Master Sword at a strange gash in the dark beast’s unprotected stomach. After raining down several blows upon the beast, Ganon recovered from the bow attack and rolled out of Link’s reach. Smashing through another set of pillars, leapt back out of sight with a mighty roar. Link waited for a portal to appear, but nothing happened. That was when he noticed that the dim light of the distant sun was blotted out, and he recognized the beast-shaped eclipse as one that couldn’t be a good omen. He back-flipped out of the darkness, and pulled out his bow.
When Ganon slammed down in front of him, Link was ready. When the beast tried to charge at him again, Link repeated his earlier strategy. Unfortunately, Ganon eventually wised to the fact that the warping strategy wasn’t going to bring down the battle-hardened hero. So, after changing his strategy to one that kept his head and underside protected, Link found himself approaching a stalemate. Eventually, a game of cat-and-mouse would wear him down to the point that Ganon would find a hole in his defenses. That was when faithful Midna came to his rescue.
Yelling to be heard over the din of battle, she got Link’s attention. Popping out from his shadow, she yelled, "He’s changing his strategy! Not only can you not confuse him, but you won’t be able to attack!" He had a feeling she must have an idea, so he waited for her to tell him. She grinned as she let him in on her plan. "Beast against beast! How about matching an evil beast against a sacred beast!?!" She probably just wanted an excuse to get in on the action, he joked silently, but it was a good idea. Combining the wolf’s powers with Midna’s shadow abilities would create a perfect match for Ganon’s beast form. He nodded for Midna to proceed with her idea and he entered the guise of the wolf once more.
The change still disconcerted him a bit, even now, but he felt the familiar presence of Midna on his back and the feeling subsided. Ganon attacked again, but Link braced himself so that Midna could get a latch onto the dark one. They were pushed back, but Link dug his paws into the floor and eventually Midna was able to throw Ganon to one side. Leaping forward, Link latched onto Ganon’s belly with his claws and tore into him with razor-sharp teeth. The dark one eventually recovered and fled, but Link knew it wouldn’t be long before a counterattack. Ganon warped back in and Link tried to repeat their strategy, but he hadn’t been in the center of Ganon’s charge and the pair was knocked down. He sent a silent apology to Midna and stood back up. Ganon appeared again, but this time Link was ready. They repeated their strategy, of Midna taking Ganon down and Link attacking until, finally, the dark beast was defeated.
After a mighty roar of defiance, the beast crumbled to the ground, and Midna returned Link to his former self. Floating next to him, they watched for a moment as the beast’s corpse was consumed by an ungodly green fire. Apparently, Ganon’s strength had burnt out like a smoldering wick. They had done it! Link turned to Midna, to thank her, when he saw a golden light envelop her. The light seemed to come from within, and after a moment, it leapt across the room, back to its owner, Link realized. The Princess of Hyrule! Link studied Midna for a moment before looking at Zelda. His friend seemed overwhelmed by the change. Her face had a look of…what exactly? Remorse, sadness? He wasn’t certain. Midna’s attention was on him. She spoke, and that was when Link realized that Zelda had returned to them. "Pr-Princess…I…I…"
Link looked back at the Princess Zelda and saw she had been restored to her former self. The look on her face was gentle and her tone was soft and refreshing as she stopped Midna. "Say nothing, Midna…Your heart and mind were as one, however briefly…" Zelda paused, and the compassion in her heart was clearly evident as she said, "Such suffering you have endured…"
Link turned back to Midna. She was trembling, overcome with emotion, and she closed her eyes. Link frowned. His earlier thoughts, before the battle, had been correct. Midna had endured more suffering than any being should have to go through, and yet, here she was, trying to make things right again. And not only for herself, but for Link, Zelda, her people, and the people of Hyrule. He recalled when she had told him of her people’s past, how they been banished from the world of light. It had been a moment of trust, the moment where things between them had changed. It was after Zelda had seemingly sacrificed herself for Midna that Link had noticed a change in Midna, and that change had deepened the nature of their relationship. Midna had trusted him then, and now he wanted to show he was truly worthy of that trust. He looked at her shivering form, and he felt the urge to comfort her.
He never got the chance.
Ganon had picked that moment to use the last of his power to re-emerge from the flames. Link turned, ready to do battle, but as he did, he saw something in Midna’s eyes that stayed his hand. It was a look of resignation, as though she had made a choice, and didn’t know if the choice was the correct one. There was also resolve there, a strange mixture, and Link knew with a start what it meant. It was a look he had seen only on those who had nothing to lose. Midna was going to sacrifice herself! He ran to her, reaching out his hand, desperate to do anything to stop her. His friend was not going to die.
He wasn’t fast enough.
The twilight took him, and before he could register the change, he found himself on Hyrule Field. Zelda was with him, and the pair looked around in confusion. Link looked towards Hyrule Castle, hoping to find some sign that Midna was okay. What he saw, though, chilled him to his very being. An explosion rocked the castle, and dust obscured Link’s vision. After a moment the dust cleared, and Link could make out an outline of a figure. The person was seated on a horse, and a lump formed in Link’s throat. That meant it wasn’t Midna.
The dust dissipated, and Link saw clearly the form of Ganondorf. He was holding something in his hand, but Link couldn’t make it out at first. Zelda gasped, and Link knew then it would be bad. He squinted, and then his eyes widened in shock as he realized: it was Midna’s crown, the fourth piece of the Fused Shadow. Ganon held it as a trophy, and then crushed it with a look of absolute delight. The dark one then charged the pair, as several white forms on horses followed close behind. Zelda started to speak, beseeching the spirits watching over the land, "Spirits of the light! Wielders of the great power that shines far and wide upon the lands of our world…grant me the light to banish evil!" but Link didn’t hear her words. He was still stunned by what had happened to Midna.
It is said that all individuals have a breaking point, a place where if he is attacked, he will shatter. It could be an mental limit, a physical point of no return, or a line that the heart can never cross. Link had reached that point. Link was a stone weakened by innumerable tiny cracks that the hammer of Midna’s loss was enough to crush the man of stone into dust. His friend, the woman who had been by his side for longer than he could remember, the one who had been willing to sacrifice herself for him and all that he held dear, was gone. The terminator line between light and dark had been severed, and Link was free-falling in the night.
However, those that speak of a breaking point forget one thing. Being a hero isn’t about being strong, or being well-liked, or even about doing one’s duty. Being a hero is about having the courage to know that you’ve reached a point where you cannot keep going, where to take another breath will kill you, but it doesn’t matter. You go forward anyway. Being a hero means that you have a breaking point, but you stare it down and go right through without blinking.
So, because Link is who he is, the man of dust becomes a boulder again, and he coldly stares down the deadly storm bearing down on them. Because Link is the hero chosen by the gods, he brings his sword to the ready even though he knows there is no way he, on foot, can defeat an armored foe on a mount, especially one of Ganondorf’s caliber. Because Link is the Hero, the choice to fight against the darkness plaguing his people is a choice he’s already made, long before he met Ganondorf.
Fortunately, the choice isn’t a choice at all, because apparently Zelda’s prayer worked. The pair was enclosed in radiant light, and they were transported to an ethereal world. Surrounded on all sides by a never-ending shallow lake, Link looked around in confusion. What had happened? He turned to Zelda and saw four balls of light surround her and something appeared in her hands. Golden arrows, filled with a righteous power. He blinked. Everything was happening too fast for him to comprehend.
Zelda seemed to understand. She said his name softly, "Link…" and she looked at him with compassion. She waited for him to acknowledge her, which meant he was ready to continue. Then, something Link would never forget happened. Zelda bowed before him and said "Chosen hero! Lend us the last of your power!" Zelda was asking him for his help. After everything that had happened and all that he had already done, Zelda was not arrogant enough to assume Link would continue to serve her, to serve Hyrule. She had such respect for him that she requested his aid, not demanded it. How could he refuse such a woman? He held out his hand, a gesture of acceptance, and Zelda placed her hand in his. They were bound together now, with the weight of two worlds on their shoulders. The next few string of moments would decide everything.
Link opened his eyes and found an old friend. Epona was with him now, and he was already astride her, sword in hand. At his back was Zelda, a golden bow in hand, ready to do her part. And in front was Ganondorf, as unperturbed as ever, not even showing a hint of surprise at the sudden change on the battlefield. Link gathered Epona’s reins in his right hand, as Zelda said "I’ll try to slow Ganondorf with my light arrows! You target him and try to keep him within range of my arrows!" Epona reared up and then they were off!
The battle was brief and abrupt, and Link found himself fighting an uphill battle more often than not. Ganondorf’s steed was the finest he had seen, next to Epona, and he found it difficult to match the dark one’s pace. It didn’t help that he summoned ethereal creatures from another dimension to keep Link off-balance, but eventually Link grew aware of the dark one’s tactics and he was able to bring his horse close enough to allow Zelda to attack. The light arrows did their work well and Link was finally able to rain a few blows down on Ganondorf. The fighters raged up and down Hyrule Field, the thunder of the storm resounding across the land.
After a fateful blow, Ganondorf’s steed fell to the ground and discharged his rider in a terrific cloud of dust. Link watched as the haze settled and found Ganondorf waiting for him, laughing with the air of one beyond madness. He stared Link down, who had stepped down from Epona, drawn the Master Sword, and stood in a ready stance, and said, "An impressive-looking blade…but nothing more." Ganondorf drew his own weapon, evidently the sword the sages had tried to pierce him with, and continued, "Would you hear my desire? To take this foul blade…and use it to blot the light out forever!" He walked forward, but without haste, just with enough speed to cause the cape on his back to billow slightly behind him. Lightning split the sky, startling Epona, and Ganondorf cast a barrier around the pair. The final showdown between Ganondorf the Dark Lord and Link the Chosen Hero had begun.
Ganondorf was a formidable opponent. As soon as the battle began, the dark lord charged Link and slammed down on the hero with a powerful vertical thrust. Link tried to block it with his shield, but the force of the blow knocked him to his knees. He rolled to one side and regained his footing. Running forward, Link rained a dazzling flurry of blows down on his opponent, but the effect was negligible. Ganondorf blocked every attack, and responded with a lightning-quick thrust that knocked Link backwards, rattling his shield arm in the process. Link recovered, and ran forward. This time, though, he wasted no energy on a frontal assault. Instead, he executed the back slice technique, rolling to his left around Ganondorf and slicing into the armored foe’s back.
Caught off-guard, Ganondorf was open to two more strikes before he blocked Link’s follow-up attack. The large warrior then leapt into the air, and Link tried to back-flip out of the way. He did manage to avoid the warrior hurtling down on him, but Ganondorf’s spin attack caught him full force and he was thrown back. Coughing, Link rose to his feet and looked at the cut across his tunic. That had been too close. Breathing heavily, he looked for his opponent. Ganondorf was waiting for him, a sneer cutting across his face. He raised a hand and beckoned Link forward, an open taunt. Link responded by spinning his sword around his hand and rushing forward. He leapt into the air and performed a jump attack, but Ganondorf avoided this, a little too easily. Link spun and blocked Ganondorf’s counter-attack with his shield.
Link backed away, to gain a bit of a breather, and to come up with another strategy. Ganondorf watched him, but only followed at an amiable pace, still acting unconcerned with the outcome of the battle. Link waited for him to get in range, and then he performed a spin attack. Ganondorf caught this on the lower part of his blade, just above the intricately styled rain guard, and countered with another thrust. Link jumped out of the way and performed his own thrust, which Ganondorf parried. Link tried a shield thrust, but Ganondorf knocked him aside with a kick. Deciding to use his earlier strategy, Link scored another set of hits on Ganondorf using the back slice. Ganondorf used his jump attack to counter, but Link was able to dodge it this time.
Link used the precious few seconds he had to gauge his opponent’s strength. Ganondorf seemed tireless; in fact, the only sign that Link was breaking through the dark lord’s guard was the slashes in his cape. Ganondorf apparently decided Link had had enough time to rest, because before Link could contemplate the matter further, the dark lord charged him again. Link decided to use the jump strike as a counter. That didn’t work. Ganondorf slammed into Link just as he began to spring and the hero was sent flying across the impromptu arena. Slamming into the orange energy barrier, Link felt jolts of pain up and down his body. Finally, he fell to the ground, face-first in the dirt and trampled grass.
Coughing and heaving, Link tried to bring his body back under his control. He ached everywhere, but now was not the time to be a slave to pain. He pulled himself to his feet and used another jump attack. Apparently, Ganondorf hadn’t been expecting him, because this was the first jump attack that actually caused some damage. Link followed it up with a series of horizontal blows, but eventually Ganondorf disengaged from the battle for another jump attack of his own. Link dodged it by rolling to one side and he smiled at Ganondorf. Spinning his blade around his left hand, he waved his shield at Ganondorf, beckoning him forward. Snarling, the dark lord rushed forward, slamming his elbow into Link’s shield and using his fist to knock it out of place. He then slammed his sword against the Master Sword, knocking Link back. Link flipped away, moving towards the edge of the battlefield.
The battle was furious and the ending, when it came, was swift and fatal. Ganondorf charged Link again, but this time, Link was ready. He leapt toward Ganondorf, and locked their blades together. Pressing back and forth, the Dark Lord and the Chosen Hero put all of their strength into a contest of power, courage, and will. The man of stone was fighting a living nightmare, but like all nightmares, the light of day is enough to drive them back until they are nothing but a memory. Link broke through Ganondorf’s guard and struck again and again, tearing into the dark lord with the fury of righteous indignation. Ganondorf faltered and was finally, inexorably, brought down. Link watched as he fell and knew that he had but one chance to end this. He ran forward, leapt into the air and brought the Master Sword down on the one spot he knew would be Ganon’s breaking point.
The roar was not one of pain, but of rage, for the dark one knew that the point had been driven home. Link back-flipped off of Ganondorf, but the Master Sword stood fast, piercing Ganondorf through. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, the Dark Lord rose to his feet and spoke. His voice, though, was different. It did not carry overwhelming arrogance as before, but rather, it was one of resolution. "Do not think this ends here…" He gasped, as the wound in his chest began to take it’s toll. "The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!"
To this day, Link didn’t know what happened next, but Ganondorf looked down at his hand and then a snapping sound was heard, and finally, after so many tears and so much bloodshed and pain, it was over. The setting sun cast an orange glow across the sky, lighting up the dark clouds above. Twilight could bring beauty, and twilight could bring sorrow. What it was depended on the heart.
Link saw a familiar flash, and he looked over to see the fading light of the guardians. At the top of a hill, a prone figure was laid out on the ground. Link gasped as he realized who it was. Leaving Zelda behind, Link rushed forward, sprinting across the grassy expanse. When he reached Midna, she stood, and he realized with a start that Zant’s curse had been lifted. His little friend wasn’t so little anymore. She wore a hooded cloak with the intricate designs of the Twili people etched softly into the garment.
She turned, and Link’s mouth gaped open. Dressed in a simple skirt with white runes down the front and full-length slit on the sides, and a black top the same shape and form as when she had been cursed, the over-all effect was simultaneously alluring, playful and regal. Hair of fiery orange was done up in an intricate style and runes of Twili fashion hung from a circlet and covered her forehead, seeming to accentuate the ruby gems that were her eyes. She had a pleasing figure and Link was amazed at her radiance. Shadow had found a true home in the Twilight Princess. She was beautiful.
Midna seemed both amused and delighted by Link’s reaction. She said shyly, "What? Say something!" When he didn’t speak, too stunned by everything, she teased him, with the spunkiness that had, at first, gotten on his nerves, but now was a quality that endeared her to him, "Am I so beautiful that you’ve no words left?" Link, still unable to voice his feelings adequately, finally smiled, a bright, wide grin, letting Midna know that, despite all that had occurred, her friend was still there.
The Mirror of Twilight. The beginning and the end of this journey. In some ways, the reason behind all that had occurred. The link between the Twilight Realm and the Realm of Light was what had enabled Ganondorf to regain his power. The link was also the reason why Midna, Link, and Zelda had been able to rid both realms of his evil influence. It was also where the heroes found themselves at a parting and a crossroad. Midna was the first to voice their mutual thoughts. "Well…I guess this is farewell, huh? Light and shadow can’t mix, as we all know." Link wasn’t so sure. Light and shadow seemed to fit well enough in Midna, but then, she was unique. Midna continued, unaware of Link’s stray thought. "But…Never forget that there’s another world bound to this one."
Zelda seemed to share Link’s thought. "Shadow and light are two sides of the same coin…One cannot exist without the other." She spoke with conviction, "I know now the reason the goddesses left the Mirror of Twilight in this world…They left it because it was their design that we should meet." She gave a tiny smile. "Yes… that is what I believe." Link nodded in agreement.
Midna looked away, and there was distance in her eyes. She looked moved. "Zelda… Your words are kind, and your heart is true. If all in Hyrule are like you…" She gave a hint of her feisty temperament here, "Then maybe you’ll do all right." She gave Link a fleeting look before turning away. He didn’t catch the whole meaning of the look, but he knew it was significant. A soft wind began to blow and Link felt everything around him sharpen, as though this was a moment that his mind wanted to savor, cataloguing every bit of information his senses gave it.
Midna turned back, as the steps into the Twilight Realm materialized behind. "Thank you…" She was speaking to both of them, but somehow Link realized her words were more directed at him than Zelda. "Well, the princess spoke truly: as long as that mirror’s around, we could meet again…" A tear rolled down Midna’s cheek as she spoke Link’s name. Link leaned forward, uncertain how to respond. "I…" she trailed off and Link watched in amazement as her tear floated off her cheek as she lifted a hand, pushing the shimmering drop towards the Mirror of Twilight.
Choosing not to finish her thought, she instead gave a farewell. It was a simple, "See you later…" but the deep emotion in her voice could not be ignored. Link started forward. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but now that he had a chance, he realized he didn’t really know what it was he wanted to say. Funny how a person can be overcome with emotion and not even know what that emotion could be. His friend seemed sad and he wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t know how. Before he could act, he realized the tear had done something to the Mirror. Link and Zelda looked over at the Mirror, stunned as cracks appeared in the center and spread through the mirror.
Link suddenly recalled what the sages had told him, that only the true ruler of the Twilii could destroy the Mirror of Twilight. Midna was breaking the Mirror, presumably because it was the source of so much heartache for both of their peoples. She was making another sacrifice in the name of peace, and Link’s heart swelled with adoration. Sadness, too, as he watched Midna run up the stairs to the portal. She turned and gave him a final look as the portal opened, framing her in white light. Link could do nothing but watch as she slowly disappeared, returning to her land and her people. Then, the Mirror shattered, severing the link between light and shadow. Link bowed his head, as he bade a silent farewell to his friend, the Princess of Twilight.
Link saw Zelda safely back to the castle, or what was left of it anyway, and assured her that he would return when she had protested that he needed a proper hero’s welcome. It was a time to rebuild, he had explained, and he needed to return home. Then he had returned the Master Sword to its’ resting place deep in the forest. Now, as he and Epona traveled the well-worn forest path leading through Faron Woods, he contemplated all that had happened. Illia and Colin would surely want an account of his unbelievable adventure, and he wasn’t sure what to say. There was so much, too much, that Link still had to come to terms with it all himself.
He finally decided his story would be dedicated to a friend.
Aubrey a.k.a. loyaltraitor777
Author’s Notes: There you have it. Feel free to post any comments/critiques. If I get enough good comments (which includes criticism) I’ll write up some other things. If you have a request for fan fiction, I’ll let you know if I can do it. (that can include any Zelda game, as of now, I’m pretty sure I’ve beaten every single one). Thanks for reading. See ya!!
) Oh, and I don’t own Link, Zelda, etc. All characters, settings, etc. are property of Nintendo, so please don’t sue me for giving out free advertising for one of the coolest games ever. Enjoy!!
A Shadow’s Passing
Hero chosen by the goddesses. Wielder of the Master Sword. Bearer of the Triforce symbol and the powers of the Triforce of Courage. Quiet, polite and always kind, the young man Link is considered to be the savior of Hyrule, the land’s only hope. However, even now, standing on the summit of Hyrule castle, he feels like none of these things. Even now, he feels like nothing more than the wrangler from Ordon village, the boy loved and respected by all the people in his village, but of no consequence to the rest of the world. The skills he had at the beginning of his quest were those suited to riding and herding, not solving puzzles and saving lives.
In spite of his misgivings, the hero chosen by the goddesses to wield a portion of the Golden Power certainly looked the part of a champion. Tall and broad-shouldered, a life on the farm had given him a supple, strong body and a chiseled physique. Long blonde hair spilled out from underneath the floppy green cap on his head, framing his wide, bright face while still giving him a wild appearance. He wore blue earrings in his long, pointed ears that spoke of his coming-of-age, a tradition in Hyrule and nearby provinces, but it was his eyes that were the truly distinguishing feature. His eyes were the color of sparkling sapphires, and could tell so much more about this individual than words ever could. They drew a person in until the world around was lost, and the light found in this new reality spoke of courage and strength. Peace was there, too, and with that peace one could find joy, happiness. No matter how bad things got, no matter how bleak the outcome appeared to be, one look at the light in his eyes and a person knew it was going to be…okay. Just by having him there. It was enough.
The young man was not dressed the part of a rancher, either. His equipment had the same feeling of confidence that he bestowed upon those fortunate enough to know him. Dressed in the garb of a long-forgotten hero, Link wore a well-worn tunic the color of forests, complete with a golden, chain-mail underlay. Beneath this, he had a set of off-white tights and a cotton undershirt with a tied collar around his neck, partly to round out the outfit and partly to fight the cold of somber times. Cutting diagonally across the green tunic was a brown, leather strap of high quality, which held the sheath of Link’s current sword. A bronze emblem was the only peculiar feature on the strap, but it was very functional and designed for comfort. Hanging from the azure and gilded sheath of the Master Sword was the familiar weight of a Hylian shield. The blue and silver shield carried the crest of Hyrule castle, a Triforce symbol and a ruby eagle. He also had a pair of brown and black gloves, and a forearm guard could be seen on his sword arm. A pair of travel-worn brown boots completed the ensemble, as well as a leather belt buckled around his waist, where a few pouches carried whatever things to which he needed quick access. He truly looked like the Hero, right out of the legends of his people.
None of that was important to Link right now, though. At this particular moment, he needed to be the Hero, not the unknown villager, and so that was who he would be. He gazed out at the twilit sky, storm clouds basked in an unearthly orange glow. Lightning split the sky at random intervals, and the howling of the storm was deafening. Link stood at the edge of the summit balcony for a moment, reminiscing. He was reminded of his conversation with Midna when they had first entered the Twilight Realm, when she had told him that the twilight was not so bad, when they had talked about the sunset and how the world would be deprived of such beauty without the twilight. It was how he felt now. The darkness of the twilight had unsettled him at first, especially when it had covered the areas surrounding his home, but now, now he was not so sure. Even given the current situation, as he ascended the steps leading to the throne room of the castle and as he looked up at the unnatural storm surrounding Hyrule Castle, he could not bring himself to be frightened. The twilight was an old friend now.
He looked at Midna, who had come out of his shadow as they approached the dais at the far end of the room. When they had first met, after his transformation in a wolf, he had been suspicious of her intentions toward him. Apparently, his suspicions had had some basis in truth, but those times were far behind him. Just like the twilight, she had grown on him. He hadn’t known when the change had occurred, but like most good changes, he found himself not really caring about the details. Casting off the stray thought, he focused on something strewn across the floor. It was a statue. The pair drew close and Link recoiled as he realized it was the marble head of one of the goddesses. Hopefully, it wasn’t a metaphor for something worse. Midna gasped and he saw her looking at something with horror. Following her gaze, he saw the remains of statues of the three goddesses enshrining an image of the Triforce hanging above the room. What had shocked Midna, and indeed was disconcerting however, was the figure within the Triforce. Zelda!
Before he could study her more closely, a chilling voice cut the silence of the room with a hiss. "Welcome to my castle," it said. Link squinted, unable to see clearly in the dim light of the darkened audience chamber. There was someone seated on the throne. As he tried to make out the figure, Link held a strange tingling sensation deep within him, a feeling that resonated within his bones and beyond. The Triforce symbol glowed bright on his hand, with particular emphasis on the bottom right triangle. What did that mean? Ignoring the unusual feeling, he gave greater attention to the man obviously waiting for him.
The man laughed, as if he had known the effect his presence had on Link and had been amused by it. Link leaned forward and looked at the man. He had an unusual visage, he decided. The extremely tall, muscular man had flaming red hair and oily green skin. He was not an unhandsome man, but the chill in his yellow eyes robbed him of any beauty. He wore a sort of golden emblem on his forehead and a sort of crown on his head, but it lacked the feel of a true circlet. His armor was darker than any night, and the sword in his hand seemed to match the black nature of his spirit. Link was not one to feel fear, but as he gazed at this man, he felt that there was reason for fear in the hearts of men. This one in particular gave them far too much reason. At his side, he felt Midna stir, and she said, in her unique dialect that he understood for whatever reason, "So you’re…Ganondorf."
Link felt a jolt of energy as he heard the name. Ganondorf? The symbol on his hand seemed to glow more brightly, and he felt energy wash through his body. This was the man responsible for ripping Link’s friends from him, for casting his world into a never-ending nightmare, and was the architect of far too many atrocities. He was the black specter that hung over Hyrule like a bad dream, the thing that threatened to destroy all in Hyrule and beyond. He refused to go quietly into the night, and so time and again Hyrule fell into ruin. Ganondorf stood to his full height, a domineering figure, and Link could practically taste the arrogance rolling off the dark thief in waves. This was the man people spoke of in hushed whispers, as though merely speaking his name was enough to bring the nightmare down on them.
Midna didn’t seem to be frightened by him, though. With her usual spunkiness she continued, "I’ve been dying to meet you." She gave him a feral grin and her eyes narrowed with anticipation. Link removed the sword of evil’s bane from it’s scabbard and braced himself. Ganondorf could strike at any moment. The dark one seemed not to notice the appearance of the Master Sword. He seemed unconcerned that a battle was soon to take place. In fact, he ignored Link completely, focusing instead on Midna. "You people have long amused me, Midna. To defy the gods with such petty magic, only to be cast aside… How very pathetic." His voice dripped with utter contempt. "Pathetic as they were, though, they served me well. Their anguish was my nourishment." He held his hand out towards Midna, as though her mere presence gave him sustenance. He tightened his hand into a fist, and Link could hear the leather glove on his hand crack. "Their hatred bled across the void and awakened me. I drew deep of it and grew strong again."
Link gave Midna a surreptitious glance. How much hadshe suffered? He had never really thought about it before. He frowned inwardly. They had been through so much together, and yet he realized he didn’t know nearly as much about Midna as he should. As he looked at the determination in her ruby-colored eyes, he decided that maybe he knew exactly what he needed to know. She was strong and devoted. She was humble enough to simply ask for what she wanted, and she was willing to put herself out there when she didn’t need to. True, she was selfish, and had originally desired to use Link for her own schemes, but after all that had occurred, he couldn’t be upset with her for that. She had been stripped of her position, horribly transformed by Zant’s magic, and who knows what else. She had manipulated Link in the name of her people and who was Link to say he would not have done the same thing had he been in the same situation. All in all, Link didn’t know what he would have done without her. She was his friend.
Ganondorf had continued speaking during Link’s silent musings. "Your people had some skill, to be sure…but they lacked true power." He prowled the dais liked a chained jungle cat waiting to be let loose. The dark one looked up at Zelda, as if to accentuate his final point. "The kind of absolute power that those chosen by the gods wield." He raised a hand and Link saw the symbol of the Triforce on his hand. "He who wields such power would make a suitable king for this world, don’t you think?" So, the sages had been correct. For whatever reason, Ganondorf did possess the power of one chosen by the goddesses. Link didn’t know why, but he decided it didn’t matter. What did matter was that this, his mission to save Hyrule, would end here.
Apparently, Midna agreed. "Ha! Such conceit!" she said with more than a hint of defiance in her voice. "But if you are one of the chosen wielders of power, as you claim…" at this she placed her hands on her chest, and as she spoke, threw them into the air and then to either side in a show of rebellion, she finished, "I will risk everything to deny you!" Strong words, Link thought. Powerful, and true. He could do no else than Midna. He, too, would risk his life and more to save Hyrule, and to save Midna’s people as well. They deserved the right to be free, as much as any people. He would do it for Illia, for Colin, for the Hylians, the Gorons, the Zoras, the Twili, for all the people he had met in his travels and for those he hadn’t met. He had to. It was his duty.
Ganondorf was skeptical, as his arrogance demanded him be, but he did acknowledge the Twilight Princess with the words, "Shadow has been moved by light, it seems…" He said this with just the barest hint of mockery. He grinned, "…How amusing." He offered Midna an upraised hand. "Very well… Deny me, then!" he challenged, and Link understood instinctively that the time for words was about to end. "Yes, try to deny me… You and your little friend…"
Great, was that the only reference to Link that Ganondorf would make? Apparently, the hero chosen by the gods was to be underestimated. Fine with him. It would make Ganondorf overconfident. Link readied his blade as Ganondorf made his move. Unfortunately for the hero, it was the most unexpected maneuver in the dark one’s arsenal. Dissipating into the bleak nothingness of the road between day and night, Ganondorf disappeared. Midna seemed to understand better than Link what was happening. Link tried to stop her, but Midna interposed herself between Ganondorf and Zelda as the dark one warped into Zelda’s body! Link could only watch in horror as Ganondorf used his arcane talents to toss Midna like a broken doll into the cold and wind outside. Link ran after her, to make sure she was alright, but the all-too-familiar sound of magical barriers forming told him he would be too late. He skidded to a halt as an orange wall of energy formed between him and Midna.
Link turned, and was greeted by a horrific sight. Zelda, her body covered in black runes and her eyes the color of a smoldering flame, stood with a thin broadsword in her right hand. The worst had happened. Ganondorf now possessed the body of the woman who was the rightful heir to the throne of Hyrule. Her voice came to him, but it was dark and distorted, full of flame and deceit instead of beauty and goodness. "Both of you, faithless fools who would dare to take up arms against the king of light and shadow…" The tone carried an air of finality as Ganondorf finished. "So you choose. And so you shall feel my wrath."
Ganon’s puppet Zelda rose into the air, and Link knew, for a certainty, that the next few moments would be his worst. To raise his blade against the Princess would kill him, but to do otherwise would mean the death of more than his honor. After floating there for a few moments, the princess lifted her sword and a ball of golden energy appeared at the tip. Acting on instinct, Link drew the sword in his left hand back and called on the final lesson taught him by the strange but beneficent specter of the golden wolf. When Ganon, the true evil at work here, launched the attack at him, Link released the energy of the Great Spin and sent the ball flying back at Ganon. Half-expecting the tactic to fail, Link certainly didn’t expect the ball to be deflected back at him by Ganon. Taking the attack full-on, Link closed his eyes as electricity danced over his body and his muscles convulsed uncontrollably. The haunting laugh of Ganon gave him no comfort. Sheathing his sword, he pulled out the Double Clawshots, bringing to mind his fight with the dinosaur-like beast in the city in the sky. He fired off a shot at Ganon, but the floating dark one was too fast for the clawshot to gain any purchase. Sticking to the long-range strategy, Link pulled out his bow and fired off three shots in quick succession.
After so many battles, using his bow was like second nature to him, and his aim was always true, but Ganon seemed to make his skill laughable by dodging all three arrows. So disturbed by this failure, Link failed to notice the golden triangle forming around him on the ground. So when a fountain of energy slammed into his body with the rushing force of a cold river, he could do little more than writhe in agony. When the attack ended, Link could barely feel the ends of his hands, let alone move, but he willed himself back to a standing position. The ball attack came after this, but this time Link was ready for it and he knocked the ball back at Ganon. The pair played catch for some time, but this time Link prevailed, and Ganon took the blow full-force. It felt wrong, to see Zelda’s body enduring the same pain he had, but Ganon wasn’t giving him much of a choice. The ground attack came again, but Link jumped to the side and rolled out of the way just in time. He wasn’t quite ready for what came next, though.
Instead of following up his attack with the first one, Ganon came flying out of the sky in an attempt to skewer Link on Zelda’s sword. Link dodged, barely, but Zelda still slammed into him with enough force to knock him down. Link sprang back to his feet just in time to see Zelda barreling down on him a second time. He rolled out of the way and tried to counter-attack, but Ganon had fled beyond the reach of the Master Sword. The battle continued like this for some time, with Link dodging Ganondorf’s varied blows, waiting for an opportunity to turn the "king’s" attacks back upon him. Eventually, one of the balls of energy broke Ganon’s concentration, and the orange barrier holding Midna back was destroyed.
Midna didn’t waste any time before jumping to the fray. As Ganondorf tried to shake off the effects of the energy ball, Midna used the Fused Shadows to rip Ganon from Zelda’s body, leaving the Princess unharmed on the nearby dais. Link smiled at this; finally, the Princess was safe. Midna transformed back into her normal self and floated down next to Link. As Link watched Ganondorf move out of Zelda and onto the floor, Midna floated close to him and leaned affectionately on his left shoulder. He smiled back at her, but the tender moment was interrupted as Ganon re-emerged. This time, though, he grew into a shape even more terrifying than before. It was a pig-like monstrosity with wicked horns and foul breath. Midna ducked into Link’s shadow so he’d have room to maneuver and he braced himself as the dark beast Ganon charged.
Link had been in enough battles to know when to evade, so instead of trying to stop Ganon’s mad dash, he dove to one side and let the crazed animal run past. He spun the Master Sword in a confident flourish before placing it back in its sheath, and he pulled out his bow. He had seen a strange light on Ganon’s forehead during the charge, and it looked like it might be a weak spot. Light certainly didn’t belong in the dark being. Before Link could get a chance to attack, though, Ganon smashed through several support pillars and disappeared. Link looked around, trying to gauge where Ganon might appear. Eventually, a portal flickered into and out of existence, and then another. Notching an arrow, Link waited for a sign that Ganon would appear.
One of the portals turned a deep blue instead of the recurring purple and Link knew that the time had come. The moment Ganon emerged, Link let an arrow fly, and Ganon was stunned. Link leapt to one side as the beast tumbled to the ground, and he switched weapons, lashing out with the Master Sword at a strange gash in the dark beast’s unprotected stomach. After raining down several blows upon the beast, Ganon recovered from the bow attack and rolled out of Link’s reach. Smashing through another set of pillars, leapt back out of sight with a mighty roar. Link waited for a portal to appear, but nothing happened. That was when he noticed that the dim light of the distant sun was blotted out, and he recognized the beast-shaped eclipse as one that couldn’t be a good omen. He back-flipped out of the darkness, and pulled out his bow.
When Ganon slammed down in front of him, Link was ready. When the beast tried to charge at him again, Link repeated his earlier strategy. Unfortunately, Ganon eventually wised to the fact that the warping strategy wasn’t going to bring down the battle-hardened hero. So, after changing his strategy to one that kept his head and underside protected, Link found himself approaching a stalemate. Eventually, a game of cat-and-mouse would wear him down to the point that Ganon would find a hole in his defenses. That was when faithful Midna came to his rescue.
Yelling to be heard over the din of battle, she got Link’s attention. Popping out from his shadow, she yelled, "He’s changing his strategy! Not only can you not confuse him, but you won’t be able to attack!" He had a feeling she must have an idea, so he waited for her to tell him. She grinned as she let him in on her plan. "Beast against beast! How about matching an evil beast against a sacred beast!?!" She probably just wanted an excuse to get in on the action, he joked silently, but it was a good idea. Combining the wolf’s powers with Midna’s shadow abilities would create a perfect match for Ganon’s beast form. He nodded for Midna to proceed with her idea and he entered the guise of the wolf once more.
The change still disconcerted him a bit, even now, but he felt the familiar presence of Midna on his back and the feeling subsided. Ganon attacked again, but Link braced himself so that Midna could get a latch onto the dark one. They were pushed back, but Link dug his paws into the floor and eventually Midna was able to throw Ganon to one side. Leaping forward, Link latched onto Ganon’s belly with his claws and tore into him with razor-sharp teeth. The dark one eventually recovered and fled, but Link knew it wouldn’t be long before a counterattack. Ganon warped back in and Link tried to repeat their strategy, but he hadn’t been in the center of Ganon’s charge and the pair was knocked down. He sent a silent apology to Midna and stood back up. Ganon appeared again, but this time Link was ready. They repeated their strategy, of Midna taking Ganon down and Link attacking until, finally, the dark beast was defeated.
After a mighty roar of defiance, the beast crumbled to the ground, and Midna returned Link to his former self. Floating next to him, they watched for a moment as the beast’s corpse was consumed by an ungodly green fire. Apparently, Ganon’s strength had burnt out like a smoldering wick. They had done it! Link turned to Midna, to thank her, when he saw a golden light envelop her. The light seemed to come from within, and after a moment, it leapt across the room, back to its owner, Link realized. The Princess of Hyrule! Link studied Midna for a moment before looking at Zelda. His friend seemed overwhelmed by the change. Her face had a look of…what exactly? Remorse, sadness? He wasn’t certain. Midna’s attention was on him. She spoke, and that was when Link realized that Zelda had returned to them. "Pr-Princess…I…I…"
Link looked back at the Princess Zelda and saw she had been restored to her former self. The look on her face was gentle and her tone was soft and refreshing as she stopped Midna. "Say nothing, Midna…Your heart and mind were as one, however briefly…" Zelda paused, and the compassion in her heart was clearly evident as she said, "Such suffering you have endured…"
Link turned back to Midna. She was trembling, overcome with emotion, and she closed her eyes. Link frowned. His earlier thoughts, before the battle, had been correct. Midna had endured more suffering than any being should have to go through, and yet, here she was, trying to make things right again. And not only for herself, but for Link, Zelda, her people, and the people of Hyrule. He recalled when she had told him of her people’s past, how they been banished from the world of light. It had been a moment of trust, the moment where things between them had changed. It was after Zelda had seemingly sacrificed herself for Midna that Link had noticed a change in Midna, and that change had deepened the nature of their relationship. Midna had trusted him then, and now he wanted to show he was truly worthy of that trust. He looked at her shivering form, and he felt the urge to comfort her.
He never got the chance.
Ganon had picked that moment to use the last of his power to re-emerge from the flames. Link turned, ready to do battle, but as he did, he saw something in Midna’s eyes that stayed his hand. It was a look of resignation, as though she had made a choice, and didn’t know if the choice was the correct one. There was also resolve there, a strange mixture, and Link knew with a start what it meant. It was a look he had seen only on those who had nothing to lose. Midna was going to sacrifice herself! He ran to her, reaching out his hand, desperate to do anything to stop her. His friend was not going to die.
He wasn’t fast enough.
The twilight took him, and before he could register the change, he found himself on Hyrule Field. Zelda was with him, and the pair looked around in confusion. Link looked towards Hyrule Castle, hoping to find some sign that Midna was okay. What he saw, though, chilled him to his very being. An explosion rocked the castle, and dust obscured Link’s vision. After a moment the dust cleared, and Link could make out an outline of a figure. The person was seated on a horse, and a lump formed in Link’s throat. That meant it wasn’t Midna.
The dust dissipated, and Link saw clearly the form of Ganondorf. He was holding something in his hand, but Link couldn’t make it out at first. Zelda gasped, and Link knew then it would be bad. He squinted, and then his eyes widened in shock as he realized: it was Midna’s crown, the fourth piece of the Fused Shadow. Ganon held it as a trophy, and then crushed it with a look of absolute delight. The dark one then charged the pair, as several white forms on horses followed close behind. Zelda started to speak, beseeching the spirits watching over the land, "Spirits of the light! Wielders of the great power that shines far and wide upon the lands of our world…grant me the light to banish evil!" but Link didn’t hear her words. He was still stunned by what had happened to Midna.
It is said that all individuals have a breaking point, a place where if he is attacked, he will shatter. It could be an mental limit, a physical point of no return, or a line that the heart can never cross. Link had reached that point. Link was a stone weakened by innumerable tiny cracks that the hammer of Midna’s loss was enough to crush the man of stone into dust. His friend, the woman who had been by his side for longer than he could remember, the one who had been willing to sacrifice herself for him and all that he held dear, was gone. The terminator line between light and dark had been severed, and Link was free-falling in the night.
However, those that speak of a breaking point forget one thing. Being a hero isn’t about being strong, or being well-liked, or even about doing one’s duty. Being a hero is about having the courage to know that you’ve reached a point where you cannot keep going, where to take another breath will kill you, but it doesn’t matter. You go forward anyway. Being a hero means that you have a breaking point, but you stare it down and go right through without blinking.
So, because Link is who he is, the man of dust becomes a boulder again, and he coldly stares down the deadly storm bearing down on them. Because Link is the hero chosen by the gods, he brings his sword to the ready even though he knows there is no way he, on foot, can defeat an armored foe on a mount, especially one of Ganondorf’s caliber. Because Link is the Hero, the choice to fight against the darkness plaguing his people is a choice he’s already made, long before he met Ganondorf.
Fortunately, the choice isn’t a choice at all, because apparently Zelda’s prayer worked. The pair was enclosed in radiant light, and they were transported to an ethereal world. Surrounded on all sides by a never-ending shallow lake, Link looked around in confusion. What had happened? He turned to Zelda and saw four balls of light surround her and something appeared in her hands. Golden arrows, filled with a righteous power. He blinked. Everything was happening too fast for him to comprehend.
Zelda seemed to understand. She said his name softly, "Link…" and she looked at him with compassion. She waited for him to acknowledge her, which meant he was ready to continue. Then, something Link would never forget happened. Zelda bowed before him and said "Chosen hero! Lend us the last of your power!" Zelda was asking him for his help. After everything that had happened and all that he had already done, Zelda was not arrogant enough to assume Link would continue to serve her, to serve Hyrule. She had such respect for him that she requested his aid, not demanded it. How could he refuse such a woman? He held out his hand, a gesture of acceptance, and Zelda placed her hand in his. They were bound together now, with the weight of two worlds on their shoulders. The next few string of moments would decide everything.
Link opened his eyes and found an old friend. Epona was with him now, and he was already astride her, sword in hand. At his back was Zelda, a golden bow in hand, ready to do her part. And in front was Ganondorf, as unperturbed as ever, not even showing a hint of surprise at the sudden change on the battlefield. Link gathered Epona’s reins in his right hand, as Zelda said "I’ll try to slow Ganondorf with my light arrows! You target him and try to keep him within range of my arrows!" Epona reared up and then they were off!
The battle was brief and abrupt, and Link found himself fighting an uphill battle more often than not. Ganondorf’s steed was the finest he had seen, next to Epona, and he found it difficult to match the dark one’s pace. It didn’t help that he summoned ethereal creatures from another dimension to keep Link off-balance, but eventually Link grew aware of the dark one’s tactics and he was able to bring his horse close enough to allow Zelda to attack. The light arrows did their work well and Link was finally able to rain a few blows down on Ganondorf. The fighters raged up and down Hyrule Field, the thunder of the storm resounding across the land.
After a fateful blow, Ganondorf’s steed fell to the ground and discharged his rider in a terrific cloud of dust. Link watched as the haze settled and found Ganondorf waiting for him, laughing with the air of one beyond madness. He stared Link down, who had stepped down from Epona, drawn the Master Sword, and stood in a ready stance, and said, "An impressive-looking blade…but nothing more." Ganondorf drew his own weapon, evidently the sword the sages had tried to pierce him with, and continued, "Would you hear my desire? To take this foul blade…and use it to blot the light out forever!" He walked forward, but without haste, just with enough speed to cause the cape on his back to billow slightly behind him. Lightning split the sky, startling Epona, and Ganondorf cast a barrier around the pair. The final showdown between Ganondorf the Dark Lord and Link the Chosen Hero had begun.
Ganondorf was a formidable opponent. As soon as the battle began, the dark lord charged Link and slammed down on the hero with a powerful vertical thrust. Link tried to block it with his shield, but the force of the blow knocked him to his knees. He rolled to one side and regained his footing. Running forward, Link rained a dazzling flurry of blows down on his opponent, but the effect was negligible. Ganondorf blocked every attack, and responded with a lightning-quick thrust that knocked Link backwards, rattling his shield arm in the process. Link recovered, and ran forward. This time, though, he wasted no energy on a frontal assault. Instead, he executed the back slice technique, rolling to his left around Ganondorf and slicing into the armored foe’s back.
Caught off-guard, Ganondorf was open to two more strikes before he blocked Link’s follow-up attack. The large warrior then leapt into the air, and Link tried to back-flip out of the way. He did manage to avoid the warrior hurtling down on him, but Ganondorf’s spin attack caught him full force and he was thrown back. Coughing, Link rose to his feet and looked at the cut across his tunic. That had been too close. Breathing heavily, he looked for his opponent. Ganondorf was waiting for him, a sneer cutting across his face. He raised a hand and beckoned Link forward, an open taunt. Link responded by spinning his sword around his hand and rushing forward. He leapt into the air and performed a jump attack, but Ganondorf avoided this, a little too easily. Link spun and blocked Ganondorf’s counter-attack with his shield.
Link backed away, to gain a bit of a breather, and to come up with another strategy. Ganondorf watched him, but only followed at an amiable pace, still acting unconcerned with the outcome of the battle. Link waited for him to get in range, and then he performed a spin attack. Ganondorf caught this on the lower part of his blade, just above the intricately styled rain guard, and countered with another thrust. Link jumped out of the way and performed his own thrust, which Ganondorf parried. Link tried a shield thrust, but Ganondorf knocked him aside with a kick. Deciding to use his earlier strategy, Link scored another set of hits on Ganondorf using the back slice. Ganondorf used his jump attack to counter, but Link was able to dodge it this time.
Link used the precious few seconds he had to gauge his opponent’s strength. Ganondorf seemed tireless; in fact, the only sign that Link was breaking through the dark lord’s guard was the slashes in his cape. Ganondorf apparently decided Link had had enough time to rest, because before Link could contemplate the matter further, the dark lord charged him again. Link decided to use the jump strike as a counter. That didn’t work. Ganondorf slammed into Link just as he began to spring and the hero was sent flying across the impromptu arena. Slamming into the orange energy barrier, Link felt jolts of pain up and down his body. Finally, he fell to the ground, face-first in the dirt and trampled grass.
Coughing and heaving, Link tried to bring his body back under his control. He ached everywhere, but now was not the time to be a slave to pain. He pulled himself to his feet and used another jump attack. Apparently, Ganondorf hadn’t been expecting him, because this was the first jump attack that actually caused some damage. Link followed it up with a series of horizontal blows, but eventually Ganondorf disengaged from the battle for another jump attack of his own. Link dodged it by rolling to one side and he smiled at Ganondorf. Spinning his blade around his left hand, he waved his shield at Ganondorf, beckoning him forward. Snarling, the dark lord rushed forward, slamming his elbow into Link’s shield and using his fist to knock it out of place. He then slammed his sword against the Master Sword, knocking Link back. Link flipped away, moving towards the edge of the battlefield.
The battle was furious and the ending, when it came, was swift and fatal. Ganondorf charged Link again, but this time, Link was ready. He leapt toward Ganondorf, and locked their blades together. Pressing back and forth, the Dark Lord and the Chosen Hero put all of their strength into a contest of power, courage, and will. The man of stone was fighting a living nightmare, but like all nightmares, the light of day is enough to drive them back until they are nothing but a memory. Link broke through Ganondorf’s guard and struck again and again, tearing into the dark lord with the fury of righteous indignation. Ganondorf faltered and was finally, inexorably, brought down. Link watched as he fell and knew that he had but one chance to end this. He ran forward, leapt into the air and brought the Master Sword down on the one spot he knew would be Ganon’s breaking point.
The roar was not one of pain, but of rage, for the dark one knew that the point had been driven home. Link back-flipped off of Ganondorf, but the Master Sword stood fast, piercing Ganondorf through. Surprisingly, or perhaps not, the Dark Lord rose to his feet and spoke. His voice, though, was different. It did not carry overwhelming arrogance as before, but rather, it was one of resolution. "Do not think this ends here…" He gasped, as the wound in his chest began to take it’s toll. "The history of light and shadow will be written in blood!"
To this day, Link didn’t know what happened next, but Ganondorf looked down at his hand and then a snapping sound was heard, and finally, after so many tears and so much bloodshed and pain, it was over. The setting sun cast an orange glow across the sky, lighting up the dark clouds above. Twilight could bring beauty, and twilight could bring sorrow. What it was depended on the heart.
Link saw a familiar flash, and he looked over to see the fading light of the guardians. At the top of a hill, a prone figure was laid out on the ground. Link gasped as he realized who it was. Leaving Zelda behind, Link rushed forward, sprinting across the grassy expanse. When he reached Midna, she stood, and he realized with a start that Zant’s curse had been lifted. His little friend wasn’t so little anymore. She wore a hooded cloak with the intricate designs of the Twili people etched softly into the garment.
She turned, and Link’s mouth gaped open. Dressed in a simple skirt with white runes down the front and full-length slit on the sides, and a black top the same shape and form as when she had been cursed, the over-all effect was simultaneously alluring, playful and regal. Hair of fiery orange was done up in an intricate style and runes of Twili fashion hung from a circlet and covered her forehead, seeming to accentuate the ruby gems that were her eyes. She had a pleasing figure and Link was amazed at her radiance. Shadow had found a true home in the Twilight Princess. She was beautiful.
Midna seemed both amused and delighted by Link’s reaction. She said shyly, "What? Say something!" When he didn’t speak, too stunned by everything, she teased him, with the spunkiness that had, at first, gotten on his nerves, but now was a quality that endeared her to him, "Am I so beautiful that you’ve no words left?" Link, still unable to voice his feelings adequately, finally smiled, a bright, wide grin, letting Midna know that, despite all that had occurred, her friend was still there.
*****
The Mirror of Twilight. The beginning and the end of this journey. In some ways, the reason behind all that had occurred. The link between the Twilight Realm and the Realm of Light was what had enabled Ganondorf to regain his power. The link was also the reason why Midna, Link, and Zelda had been able to rid both realms of his evil influence. It was also where the heroes found themselves at a parting and a crossroad. Midna was the first to voice their mutual thoughts. "Well…I guess this is farewell, huh? Light and shadow can’t mix, as we all know." Link wasn’t so sure. Light and shadow seemed to fit well enough in Midna, but then, she was unique. Midna continued, unaware of Link’s stray thought. "But…Never forget that there’s another world bound to this one."
Zelda seemed to share Link’s thought. "Shadow and light are two sides of the same coin…One cannot exist without the other." She spoke with conviction, "I know now the reason the goddesses left the Mirror of Twilight in this world…They left it because it was their design that we should meet." She gave a tiny smile. "Yes… that is what I believe." Link nodded in agreement.
Midna looked away, and there was distance in her eyes. She looked moved. "Zelda… Your words are kind, and your heart is true. If all in Hyrule are like you…" She gave a hint of her feisty temperament here, "Then maybe you’ll do all right." She gave Link a fleeting look before turning away. He didn’t catch the whole meaning of the look, but he knew it was significant. A soft wind began to blow and Link felt everything around him sharpen, as though this was a moment that his mind wanted to savor, cataloguing every bit of information his senses gave it.
Midna turned back, as the steps into the Twilight Realm materialized behind. "Thank you…" She was speaking to both of them, but somehow Link realized her words were more directed at him than Zelda. "Well, the princess spoke truly: as long as that mirror’s around, we could meet again…" A tear rolled down Midna’s cheek as she spoke Link’s name. Link leaned forward, uncertain how to respond. "I…" she trailed off and Link watched in amazement as her tear floated off her cheek as she lifted a hand, pushing the shimmering drop towards the Mirror of Twilight.
Choosing not to finish her thought, she instead gave a farewell. It was a simple, "See you later…" but the deep emotion in her voice could not be ignored. Link started forward. There was so much he wanted to tell her, but now that he had a chance, he realized he didn’t really know what it was he wanted to say. Funny how a person can be overcome with emotion and not even know what that emotion could be. His friend seemed sad and he wanted to comfort her, but he didn’t know how. Before he could act, he realized the tear had done something to the Mirror. Link and Zelda looked over at the Mirror, stunned as cracks appeared in the center and spread through the mirror.
Link suddenly recalled what the sages had told him, that only the true ruler of the Twilii could destroy the Mirror of Twilight. Midna was breaking the Mirror, presumably because it was the source of so much heartache for both of their peoples. She was making another sacrifice in the name of peace, and Link’s heart swelled with adoration. Sadness, too, as he watched Midna run up the stairs to the portal. She turned and gave him a final look as the portal opened, framing her in white light. Link could do nothing but watch as she slowly disappeared, returning to her land and her people. Then, the Mirror shattered, severing the link between light and shadow. Link bowed his head, as he bade a silent farewell to his friend, the Princess of Twilight.
Link saw Zelda safely back to the castle, or what was left of it anyway, and assured her that he would return when she had protested that he needed a proper hero’s welcome. It was a time to rebuild, he had explained, and he needed to return home. Then he had returned the Master Sword to its’ resting place deep in the forest. Now, as he and Epona traveled the well-worn forest path leading through Faron Woods, he contemplated all that had happened. Illia and Colin would surely want an account of his unbelievable adventure, and he wasn’t sure what to say. There was so much, too much, that Link still had to come to terms with it all himself.
He finally decided his story would be dedicated to a friend.
~fin~
Aubrey a.k.a. loyaltraitor777
Author’s Notes: There you have it. Feel free to post any comments/critiques. If I get enough good comments (which includes criticism) I’ll write up some other things. If you have a request for fan fiction, I’ll let you know if I can do it. (that can include any Zelda game, as of now, I’m pretty sure I’ve beaten every single one). Thanks for reading. See ya!!
THE END!
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
- Chapter 1: A Shadow's Passing
Subscribe to RSS
Comments on this chapter
achitka says:
As to the writing, some parts I found overly long, but that may just be a personal preference on my part. overall was very nice.
achitka
shieklord says:
loyaltraitor777 says:
I haven't really decided if I want to go somewhere with this or not. There's a lot of differents ways to go from the ending of TP. I kinda liked the whole Link x Midna thread, because it's more subtle than Link x Zelda or Link x Illia, but then that means you have to deal with the somewhat obvious barrier to that relationship. Hmm. Maybe Link'll have to go on another quest then. What do you think?
shieklord says:
Master Link says:
This was a very good story, by the way. I really enjoyed it. Very well written.
loyaltraitor777 says:
And, to be a sap, I kinda like those tragic stories where something separates the couple. When I found out Saria stays a little kid in OoT, I was heart-broken, but I got over it by watching Malon and Zelda duke it out in fan fictions the world over. ... Nevermind. Thanks for the comment
Png_pyro says:
Adlez47 says:
On another note; I also love to see Zelda and Malon fight!
loyaltraitor777 says:
star_breaker says:
zeldagirl3865 says:
Link 3000 says: