Chapter 7

  The Voice of the Goddess

  When night stretched long across the fields of Termina, they stopped beneath a small cluster of trees to sleep for the night. They managed to slip past Tingle undetected several times, much to Midna’s mingled annoyance and then relief, as he seemed to somehow float about in every new region they entered.

  As they curled against the trees now, soaking up the warmth of the fire, Link began to doze in and out of sleep. His lids opened and closed slowly, and with each opening, he smiled sleepily. The firelight danced like little red fairies across her silvery skin. Her breasts rose and fell so gently he could hardly sense the movement. Her black cloak draped elegantly upon her long, slender curves....

  “Link...Midna...Link, awaken, Link...”

  Link sat up, staring first at Midna, then at the treetops. The chime-like, echoing voice felt familiar, yet his sleepy mind could not place it.

  “Link...” yet more fervently.

  He stared hard at Midna to be sure she did not play some trick on him. He jumped back as her eyes opened wide and she sat up, drawing her cloak close about her.

  “Were you really watching me that closely while I slept? Gee….”

  “Link...Midna...”

  “The voice!” Midna gasped.

  The voice? Of course! The voice from the cliffs of Ikana. The voice Midna felt certain could only be from someone great, like a goddess....

  “We’re listening!” she addressed the twinkling heavens.

  “Good, my children. Then listen well. I have much to tell you. I have been following you to ascertain you are indeed the prophesied heroes. Truly, the Hero of Time of this age sits beside you, Midna.”

  Midna nodded in agreement.

  “You are not the only ones I have followed in secret,” the voice continued. “I now know many things regarding the enemy and the evil threatening the Light Realm, Twilight Realm, and Termina. Listen carefully, and I will reveal all I have learned thus far.

  “Majora, Ganondorf, and Zaruman—a traitor within the Twilight Realm—are the three evil ones, as you know. All three desire the Triforce, Ganon having promised the other two a piece of the Triforce of Power, if they help him obtain the Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Wisdom.

  “To do so, the enemy seeks to destroy those who hold Wisdom and Courage. Ganon has broken Power to give a little to Majora and Zaruman already. Having more knowledge than them, he knows that with their deaths—which he hopes you two might accomplish for him—the pieces will return to him, as the one who took and broke it in the first place. In the meantime, Ganon uses their powers to help him obtain Courage and Wisdom....

  “You already seek the missing pieces of the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage. And you also seek to complete Midna’s Requiem, a Song which holds a vital part in completing your quest. This Song can help resurrect the Master Sword, which has vanquished evil countless times. This Song will also infuse the blade of Light with the powers Shadow needed to defeat the three evils of the three realms. You fight against enemies from both Light and Shadow Realms. Thus, both Light and Shadow will be needed to defeat them.

  “Know that, on your journey, some sacrifices may need to be made. The bearers of the Triforce Shards of Courage—these are all spirits who can impart their Shards to you safely. However, some mystery remains regarding who bears the last two Wisdom Shards. If these bearers are also spirit, your path will be easy. However, if the bearers are living, they must be willing to sacrifice their lives—for only in death can Triforce Shards be given up.

  “The way will be hard. Know though that while the goddesses watch over you, I shall as well, following and helping where I may.

  “Take heart, dearest Heroes and friends. The goddesses bless until we meet again....”

  With a dying echo, the voice vanished, leaving Midna and Link to stare into the starry night.

  “Good night,” Midna whispered, with a hushed sort of awe.

  Then, turning to Link, she took a deep breath and released it slowly.

  “Who do you think she is?”

  Link shrugged, then smirked. All the amazing, pivotal things just revealed to them concerning their mission, and Midna focused on the voice itself and what it might be. Though, he couldn’t deny his own curiosity....

  His teasing grin must have lingered, for Midna gave an annoyed little frown. “What? Don’t tell me you don’t want to know too. I mean, it’s strange, actually. Random voices telling us all sorts of inside information on the Triforce and whatnot. She could be a spy of Ganondorf’s leading us to our most untimely dooms....”

  Even as she curled upon the grass, wrapping herself in the generous folds of her cloak, Link continued to smile. She didn’t think it was too strange. Nor even that the voice was random. She believed in its providential destiny as much as he wanted to. Link considered himself a bit of a skeptic but admired her steadfast faith. He supposed that was the mark of the bearers of Wisdom—utter faith in the goddesses who granted their wisdom....

  Even as these thoughts skipped through his sleepy mind and he looked up to grant Midna a softer smile, he found her fast asleep already. Laying his head on his satchel, he granted that smile anyways, hoping that—by the goddesses—its meaning might find her in her dreams.