Chapter 9
A Link to Twilight
Soon, the kaleidoscope tunnel encircled them on all sides. As far as eyes could see, endless swirls and symbols which Link thought must be a beautiful language of sorts danced all around him and Midna. Midna’s eyes danced with the same vibrancy as the bright turquoise hues; her laughter echoed like sunrays piercing through darkest clouds. Link couldn’t help but smile and wished more than ever he could laugh too, for hers was certainly contagious. As they skipped along, Link felt almost weightless, floating like a cloud through the portal.
“Welcome to my world; this is Twilight!” Midna said proudly, drawing him along. Then, in a chime-like, echoing tongue, she spoke something else, her eyes sparkling. He did not understand a word she uttered and knew she must be speaking her own language, that of the Twili. The words captivated him, drawing him like a child to a music box. The pitch of her voice rose and fell like music, morphing into a soft, high, sing-song tone.
At last, a golden-grey light appeared beyond the black and turquoise, and Link knew they neared the end of their journey. He even felt a little sad, wishing he could revel in the magic of her world a little longer. Then again, perhaps he would be able to as they stepped from the portal into the actual Realm of Twilight.
Emerging from the portal with a final laugh, Midna pulled him onto the topmost step of a wide staircase much like that they’d entered by. He grabbed her other hand, twirling her about playfully, and she released a cry of delight—
Then, she stumbled to a halt. All glitter vanished from her eyes, like a candle extinguished.
Link glanced at her with concern, then looked up at what Midna stared at with such terror, unblinking, her breath quickly culminating into sporadic gasps.
They must have stood in the throne room of the Twilight palace. Beside them, a stone dais with an elegant throne of muted silver. The room was vast, simple, yet not without splendor. Pillars carved with the same turquoise designs as within the portal supported an immense ceiling. Many tall, arched windows allowed the ever-grey, serene light of Twilight to filter in, granting the grey walls, floor, and ceiling a dreamy, silvery sheen. Black and turquoise curtains hung freely beside the windows, stretching to the floor.
Beside one of those windows, clutching the curtain, was a tall, cloaked figure. Certainly, he must have heard their rowdy entrance. But he made no sign of recognition until his name spilled from Midna,
“Zaruman!”
His body tensed. Then, he spun. Midna’s hand grew rigid in Link’s. He squeezed it firmly, hoping to soften it with the life flowing so vibrantly through her entire body only moments ago.
She did not relax an ounce though. Rather, a series of shudders waved through her body. Link gazed at her with intense concern at first, and then turned angry eyes upon the individual who could instill such a reaction within her.
Clad in dark armor, cloak, and hood, it was impossible to make out any of his features—save the eyes. They gleamed a dark but vibrant blue, like two storm-tossed oceans. They loathed, desired, and reveled in Midna’s fear.
“Thank you, little love,” he crooned, strolling forward with an entirely confident—even cocky, Link would venture—gait, “for revealing the portal to me. I had forgotten where you’d placed it. But now, with your appearance, it is no longer invisible to me....”
“Liar,” she hissed, keeping her voice low; tremors rippled through her body. “You left this world and returned to it by your own means. You don’t need the portal. Nor had I even resurrected it when you left.”
“No...but the magic I used to get here has now failed me.”
He paused at the foot of the stairs, tilting his head, eyes gleaming with bemusement.
Link knew he probably gripped Midna’s hand too tightly, but he didn’t care. She needed to know he was still right there for her, and he could hardly contain his rage.
“Why are you here, Zaruman?” Midna asked, a little louder, perhaps encouraged by Link’s presence.
“Mm...just reclaiming a few things of mine I’d left behind from, you know, our little past....”
Midna shivered again. Glancing over, Link found more hurt than fear in her eyes.
“Liar,” she hissed again. “You came here to torment me, though in what way, I know you won’t say....”
“Midna, my dear,” he shook his head, “for shame, always the dramaticist. You know, that’s really no way to speak to your old lover....”
Link’s eyes snapped to Midna’s who closed for a moment, as if in not seeing Zaruman, neither would she see the painful memories his existence had created.
“I see you’ve a new lover. A much more...silent and compliant one? It should please you to be granted that extra bit of control....”
Midna’s eyes remained closed a moment more. Then, they reopened with a new hardness. “Link and I are equals. He treats me as such, and I him. Don’t you dare lay another word against him, or I’ll....”
As Zaruman scaled the steps, her voice faded. Link’s free hand hovered over the hilt of his sword. As though Link didn’t even exist, Zaruman waltzed right up to Midna, towering over her, forcing her to look up.
“Little love, for all your wisdom and subtlety, you do not possess an ounce of the power needed to destroy me, tether me or even stand against me. You couldn’t even run away now if I allowed it. But...
“Have I not always been merciful enough towards you?
“Thus, until next time, my sweet...”
He gently lifted her hand to his shadowed lips. Link couldn’t help but shudder and contort his face in disgust.
But then Zaruman straightened, stepped back into the portal, and, with a final grin, vanished into the swirling black and turquoise.
Link glanced over at Midna with question, wondering if it was possible that the bizarre meeting they had just witnessed was true. How could it be, and why did Zaruman not attack? Was it really..?
“No,” Midna gasped, struggling to control her breath as if breathing was suddenly, literally painful. “No, that was really him. That was Zaruman....”
Link’s eyes flashed anger, disgust, spite; how he wanted her to know his loathing for such a foul beast who dared call himself a man.
But his eyes softened as, with a final tremor, she collapsed to her knees, sobbing.
“Why?” she breathed as Link dropped beside her. “Why must he yet torment me? He knew how I loved him and how I thought he loved me. What, even now, is the point of him troubling me still?”
Link hesitated, and then slid an arm gently around her shoulder, leaning her head against his chest. Long she cried, and when at last her sobs quieted, she looked up at him with a small smile, whispering, “Thank you, Link. You are a good man, and a good friend....”
He returned the soft smile, wanting so much to tell her everything would be okay—
A noise, like a whoosh of air.
Link’s and Midna’s heads snapped up.
A dark figure stood across from them, several yards away in the midst of the room. New anger rippled inside Link as he thought perhaps Zaruman had returned....
Anger steadily merged into confusion and a fear of his own as the figure grew more and more eerily familiar. He was entirely black, partly transparent as if made of shadow. But beyond that, he was an exact replica of Link.
“Dark Link,” Midna gasped, fear quenching her tears from flowing.
Link knew what he was. A figure representing all the evil potential of his own heart.
However, in more recent legends, Dark Link had become Shadow Link, no longer an evil entity but just a shadow representing all the former Links who’d passed into the Spirit Realm.
Perhaps that was what this creature was. Link crept slowly down the stairs, Midna following behind, their footsteps echoing across the stone floor.
As Dark Link made a sudden gesture with his hand, Link stopped short, Midna behind him.
Link squinted into the grey light which seemed suddenly darker. A golden lig
ht shimmered faintly on the back of Dark Link’s hand. Link gasped as he recognized the Triforce. A grin spread across Dark Link’s face, a wicked, gleeful grin. Link’s heart pounded; Dark Link’s docile nature was one legend which fast proved untrue. Darkness gathered until Dark Link could barely be seen, a shadow amongst shadows—
Link jumped and Midna shrieked as Dark Link’s eyes glowed crimson. His smile vanished, and with a cry, he surged forward with incredible speed, sword raised high as he leapt into the air—
Link stumbled back, hardly blocking the blow as Dark Link landed artfully on all fours, turning and snarling like a cat. Link’s eyes urgently bid Midna to flee. She turned and rushed behind a pillar, watching from the shadows.
Wherever Link and Dark Link battled, the shadows followed, clustering in a stifling mass which made fighting difficult for Link. Dark Link’s speed was hard to match, his agility and skill with the sword unlike any Link had ever come up against. Link’s only sign of where Dark Link stood and moved were his unblinking ruby eyes.
After what seemed an entire age, Link began to grow weary; Dark Link blocked all of his blows, making it nigh impossible to strike, and dodging the enemy’s attacks proved just as taxing. Link soon lost count of close calls and extremely near misses....
Amidst the mad battling, another part of the legends swirled in the back of Link’s mind, trying to push its way forward. If only he’d the time and energy to figure out what it was, perhaps it would aid him—
Dark Link stumbled back with a snarl as something silvery-white pierced the dark like lightning, sticking fast in his arm. One of Midna’s arrows. Link glanced over at her in wonder and thanks, but she didn’t notice, intent on lining up another shot—
Then, it came to him. The one time the first Link confronted Dark Link in battle. Dark Link not only embodied all of Link’s evil potential but mirrored him in other ways as well. Dark Link anticipated his every move; that’s why he could block all his blows and attack whenever the true Link did....
But Dark Link could neither know nor guess Midna’s moves. Incapable of focusing on anyone but Link, he continued to circle as Link circled, parrying one of Link’s blows with an exact replica of his own. Link’s heart raced, the test proved true. He need only bide his time, keep Dark Link distracted.
Arrow after arrow flew, sticking fast in their victim. Even then, Dark Link seemed not to slow, not even when the blood matching his crimson eyes began to flow from many wounds. His eyes narrowed to determined, enraged slits....
Then, of a sudden, as the seventh arrow pierced him, he stopped, released a shout of fury at his defeat, and vanished in a wisp of black smoke.
The shadows cleared, and the room lightened once more, flooded only by the peaceful, sleepy grey pallor.
As Midna rushed over, Link looked up, breathing hard but granting her a small, grateful grin. He wished he had strength to do more, but she understood, smiling and placing a hand on his shoulder—
Her face blanched, and she gasped. Link’s gaze snapped up to the dark form hovering before them, and he inwardly groaned.
But Shadow Link held up his hand in a sign of peace. His face calm, his eyes their normal, shadowy selves, he spoke in a solemn, quiet tone, “Forgive me for frightening you so. I had meant to meet you here on peaceful terms to grant both the song and Triforce Shard. However, Zaruman overran me and cursed me so that I returned to my old, evil state. I was forced to be his puppet, though but a short time....
“But now, let me impart that which is more than due you, my Hero and Princess....”
He took out an ocarina which gleamed like a black diamond. Midna revealed her flute, Link his ocarina.
With a nod, Shadow Link played the last notes of Midna’s Requiem, and Link and Midna copied, several times over until the song was carved fervently upon their hearts.
When everyone lowered their instruments, Shadow Link smiled. “Good. Now you own the whole Song. Return now to your world and wait for instructions on the next steps in your quest....
“Ah, but not without this....”
He held up his hand. There, his Triforce Shard glowed brightly—until it did so on the back of Link’s hand. Link stared in amazement once more; now, three small triangles filled in one of the larger triangles on his hand. His Triforce of Courage was now complete. He was ready to take on any great enemy who dared stand up against him.
“You now own the whole piece of the Triforce Courage,” Midna gasped at the same wonder he marveled over.
“Indeed,” said Shadow Link proudly. “And much courage shall be needed in the trials ahead—but do not forget wisdom too. Power is strong and needs both Courage and Wisdom to be overcome....
“Now go, dear friends. Return to your Realm, and rest. The first part of your quest is done, but I trust the next part will be just as arduous, if not more so....”
Midna and Link bowed their heads at Shadow Link, who did the same before backing away and disappearing into the shadows.
Then, they turned back to the portal, Link with a sigh. How he wished he’d explored more of her world with her, but they never even so much as stepped outside her throne room.
As if reading his heart, Midna took his hand and said, “Perhaps we’ll return someday, after all this is over with.”
They shared a hopeful smile. Then, Midna led him up the steps and into the portal.
Part 2