NOTES: Hey everyone! I finally decided to write a one-shot and take a break from writing LAH: Life After Hyrule. This story doesn’t relate to that fic, nor is it associated with it in any way. Just thought I’d get that out of the way. I’ve actually been playing with this idea for awhile now, and finally have had a chance to write it down (err, well more like type it up). The ending of Twilight Princess left many questions unanswered, at least in my opinion. I wondered after I watched the last cinematic what Midna’s last words were really going to be. I understand she had to break the mirror and all that jazz, but still that must have really hurt Link, as it’s apparent that he cares for her in the later parts of the game. The last we ever see of him in the game is when he’s riding on Epona in Faron Woods towards Ordon Village. This one-shot takes place between the time Link leaves the Gerudo Desert until that scene in Faron Woods, and even a little bit past it.

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own The Legend of Zelda, nor do I own The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess or anything pertaining to it. This popular franchise belongs to Nintendo, and only this story is my own.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: I have tried to make the dialogue as true to the game as possible, and I even tried to reference the dialogue in a game script. So don’t bother pointing out any mistakes concerning dialogue, I already know.

Echoes of the Twilight

“Link…I…I…See you later.”

Those were the last words I would ever hear from her. The last time I would ever listen to her sweet sounding voice. Never again would I feel normal talking to my own shadow, or expect to see an imp spring out of it. I just felt…so alone…

It was a clear night sky in Hyrule Field, with a beautiful full moon shining like a gem over Lake Hylia. Wow, the bridge really presented a great view. I still didn’t feel quite comfortable traveling on the bridge riding Epona towards the Faron Province, yet it was probably because I had once jumped off of here when Twilight had engulfed this part of the Lanaryu Province.

I still remembered that day, the sense of fear that had entered me as two Twilit Bulblins at each end of this bridge set fire to this bridge. When I realized I was stepping on kerosene, even more terror had entered my soul. It didn’t help that I was a human stuck in a wolf’s form, either.

Yet she was there, telling me exactly what I had to do. She showed me where to place two crates, and I obliged quickly. Her voice was somewhat frantic as the flames drew near, yet just realizing that I wasn’t alone was a comfort in its own right. I aligned the boxes and she urged me on top of them. I scrambled up the only protection I had, and slowly looked over the edge. I had expected to see a huge lake below, but instead there was only a small spring. I whimpered slightly as I looked down, then I looked back at Midna.

‘Come on, jump already! Do you really want to fry up here!?’ she yelled as the flames were almost upon us.

I rubbed my ribs as I remembered the swift kick she gave me. But it worked, as I jumped. I would have screamed had I been a human, but instead I howled as I fell towards what I thought was my death. By Farore, was I surprised when I woke up to find myself floating in deep water!

I chuckled out loud as I recalled that memory, and how that imp had snickered at me afterwards with her trademark toothy smile and jolly laugh. Sigh, that’s another piece I miss already: her laugh. It used to annoy me, especially when I first met her in the dungeons of Hyrule Castle. But over time, I came to like it. I’d never met anyone who had such a loud, mirth-filled laugh…

I wiped a tear on my gauntlet as I continued to ride through the canyons. No, I swore I wouldn’t cry anymore. I had finished with that as I had made my way across the barren desert wastes of the Gerudo Desert, alone. Zelda had tried to come with me, to comfort me in my grief, but I just walked on, leaving her behind. It’s her land, she knows how to get home.

Not that I meant to be so cold towards a friend, but that’s exactly how I was feeling. Cold, empty, like a piece of me had been forcibly ripped from my heart. The rocky canyons beyond Lake Hylia were quiet for once. I was glad that all the Bulblins had left these lands, as I was in no condition to fight. My thoughts were elsewhere, dwelling on the past instead of the present, where it should be.

As I started to enter the southern parts of Hyrule Field near Faron Woods, even more memories came flooding back. The scabbard containing the Master Sword hit my back harshly as Epona leaped over a fence with ease. The thought of the Master Sword brought back memories, one of which was the worst of my life.

I had awoken a wolf in the middle of a night-blanketed Hyrule Field. Usually I was greeted by Midna’s annoying voice, yet all I heard was harsh, heavy breathing. I spun around for the source, until I noticed Midna. She looked deathly pale, her once beautiful dark skin was now a solid white. Her voice was faint, but I could still make it out.

‘Link…h-hurry...to where...Princess Zelda...waits...’

No monster could have inflicted the amount of fear I felt when I heard those weak words exit from her frail lips. I now seemed to recall what had happened to her, and what the light spirit Lanaryu had told me to do.

‘Zant…’ I thought with malice as I continued through Hyrule Field, remembering what he had done to Midna, and how I was so helpless that I couldn’t do anything…

Without a moment to waste I had taken off in a rush towards Castle Town. It had started to rain hard, and I could feel Midna getting weaker as I went. At times like these, I was glad to be a wolf, despite how awful it felt the rest of the time.

No one was out in that storm as I made my way through Castle Town. I rushed down the stone and marble walkways, remembering that Telma had a secret way in to the castle in her bar. Midna’s breaths became shallower and shallower as I trudged on. I could only hope that she held on.

After a long trip through the depths of Hyrule Castle I made my way up to Zelda’s private chambers. Midna couldn’t take any more, and she slid off of my furry back. I rushed to her side, nudging her with my cold nose. When I looked up, a hooded figure had made her way towards us, placing a hand on Midna. She slowly stood up, still eying us. Despite how much pain she was in, the little imp still had enough energy to speak.

‘Please... Please tell me... How do we break...the curse on this one? This...is the one... You need him...to save your world! That's why... Princess... Please... You must help Link...’

I turned around in shock as I heard these words, refusing to hear her pleas for the curse’s removal. I wanted to protest, to ask her what she was thinking, yet all that came out of me was a bark. Zelda shook her head as she spoke.

‘What binds him is a different magic than what transformed him when he first passed the curtain of twilight. It is an evil power. Our world is one of balance... Just as there is light to drive away darkness, so, too, is there benevolence to banish evil. Head for the sacred grove that lies deep within the lands guarded by the spirit Faron. There you will find the blade of evil's bane that was crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages...the Master Sword. The Master Sword is a sacred blade that evil can never touch. Evil cloaks you like a dark veil...and that blade is the only thing that can cleave it. Link... Hero sent by the goddesses...like you, I have been granted special powers by the goddesses...’

‘Fine... Link... You can... You can get to the woods...on your own, right? Princess... I have one last request...can you tell him...where to find the Mirror of Twilight?’

I was shocked at Midna’s words. I couldn’t bear to hear her so weak…I wanted to tell her to save her strength, to say something. Yet all that came out was a bark. I could bear being a wolf the rest of my life…really, I could! But I just couldn’t…just couldn’t…

‘Midna... I believe I understand now just who and what you are...despite your mortal injuries, you act in our stead...these dark times are the result of our deeds, yet it is you who have reaped the penalty. Accept this now, Midna. I pass it to you...’

A light then started to erupt from her hand, making its way towards Midna and engulfing her frail form in it. She protested in alarm, telling me to stop her. I couldn’t though…she was already gone. Nothing, not even a trace of Princess Zelda was left.

I turned to face Midna, and to my joy she had recovered. Yet I could tell she didn’t want Zelda’s gift…that somehow she felt responsible for Zelda having to sacrifice all of her power to heal her. We both gazed at the Triforce mark embedded on Midna’s hand, watching it glow in the darkness as we silently mourned the loss of a friend.

The next day we had set out for the Master Sword, and before I knew it I was a human again, and now had the power to change from a man to a beast at will.

I smiled faintly as Epona started to enter the clearing of Faron Woods, leaving Hyrule Field behind. I remembered now that I had promised to return the sacred blade to the ruined Temple of Time hidden in the Sacred Grove later, where the hero of old had laid it to rest before me. As I passed Cojo’s house where I often stopped for lantern refills, I noticed he wasn’t in his usual spot. Odd, but I continued on towards the only place I ever called home: Ordon Village.

Yet my mind still couldn’t keep thinking about Midna…why was I thinking about her so much? What was it that kept returning my thoughts to her? Was it her smile? Her odd sense of humor? Her laughter?

Perhaps it was because of how long we had been together, what we went though. We were together through both good and bad times. When I needed a hand in figuring out some puzzle in a dungeon, she was there. Whenever I entered the Twilight and became a wild beast, she was always on my back, providing as much assistance as she could. True, she could be annoying and sometimes harsh, yet it was always nice to have someone with me.

We grew so close, her and I…every battle and trial just made us stronger. And even when she told me of her original plans to use me to recover her kingdom from Zant, I stayed by her side like a loyal dog to its master. I had every right to just abandon her right then and there in the Gerudo Desert, yet I decided to stay. So why, if we were so close…why did she have to break the mirror? I understood she was important to her people, but why did she sever the only link to our two worlds? Did she not want to see me again?

I wiped another tear out of my eye as I continued on under the looming shadows of the trees, trying to force myself to stop. I knew I was reaching the bridge that connected Ordon with the rest of Faron Woods, having trodden down this trail so many times in my life as a ranch hand. But still, no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t push her out of my head.

I remember how I felt yesterday, after our battle with Ganondorf’s beast form. I thought that it was over, as I watched the burning corpse of that evil man disintegrate into nothing. We were both glad, glad that it was finally over. Zelda came up to us, revived with the power of the Triforce of Wisdom, and watched on with us. Yet Ganondorf was still alive, to our shock his spirit rose from the ashes.

I reached for the Master Sword, but Midna stopped me with her arm extended. She had a determined look in her eyes, a look I’ve come to recognize far too well. I wondered what she was planning…and when the four Fused Shadows were summoned, I finally pieced together what she was going to do. I started to run to her, to beg her not to combat Ganondorf. I stretched out my hand, and struggled to reach her in time. Yet I was teleported away before I could do anything at all. I could still remember the smile she bore, and I knew that she wanted to protect me and handle this by herself.

But even the power of the Fused Shadows wasn’t enough to vanquish the King of Evil. For as soon as Zelda and I landed outside in Hyrule Field, the castle exploded. There amidst the dust of the explosion, was a sight only found in the worst of nightmares. He was there, on horseback, holding a familiar headpiece in his fist…

My blood still boils as I remembered, for I thought that I had truly lost her that day. When he crumbled that headpiece as he reared up his horse, it was like my very own heart had been destroyed as well. I held back nothing as I clashed swords against that monster. I only stopped once he took his last breath, my sword having skewered his black heart. I wanted him to feel the pain, the pain for what he had done to me, Midna, and everyone else he had ever hurt or killed.

As I reflect on it now, why did I fight so hard? Was it for Hyrule? For Zelda? For my friends and family? Yes, all of those things were on my mind as I fought him. I know I wanted revenge, but…it was something else. Something else was driving me that day…something that I can’t seem to grasp, no matter how hard I try.

As I passed the Ordon spring where the light spirit of Ordon dwells, I remembered after the battle. I thought I had seen a familiar imp-like shape in the distance. Not believing my eyes, I ran towards the shape, running faster than any other time in my life that I can remember. But as I neared the shape, it wasn’t who I thought it was…it was even better. Slowly, a Twili with a woman’s figure rose up to gaze upon me, a smile plastered upon her lips.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, having never looked upon anyone more beautiful than this woman. Yet when she spoke, it was in the voice of that imp who I thought had died by Ganondorf’s hand:

‘What? Say something! Am I so beautiful that you’ve no words left?’

I was so happy, relieved that she was okay. The curse on her was finally broken, she was back to what she used to be. I wanted to say something though, tell her how much I cared, how hurt I was when I thought she was gone, how much she mattered to me… but all I could do was smile, like I was smiling now to myself as I rode into the clearing beside my house. No one was around, apparently they all were tired of waiting around for me. Not that I wanted to see them anyways right now.

As I climbed up the ladder after tying up Epona, one question remained unanswered throughout my reasoning. Yes, I knew I cared for her as a friend would, but was there something more? Why did it feel as my soul was ripped in two when she left in that portal. What was she trying to say to me in those broken words of hers? This feeling…I can’t describe it with words.

The answer came to me as I walked through the door. I barely made it to my kitchen table as I started to break down, losing the heroic demeanor I usually wore. I was away from prying eyes, so I didn’t care. Nothing mattered as I sat down, and reflected on what it all meant: my adventures with her, my feelings, her sorrowful look as she disappeared back into the Twilight as the mirror shattered. I finally knew the answer as I placed my tear-stricken face in my hands, sobbing in my home.

I loved her…and she loved me…

Well, wasn’t that uplifting? I felt bad for Link as he watched Midna enter the portal at the end of Twilight Princess. He seemed so sad and lost as he rode back to Ordon. Oh well, that was my take on it. Reviews would be nice, I greatly appreciate them. Please don’t be too harsh, as this was my first one-shot attempt, but constructive criticism is fine. If you want to check out other pieces I’ve written, you can always check out my author’s profile. Well, time to get back to work on LAH: Life After Hyrule, I guess. Again, thanks for reading everyone, I hoped you enjoyed this one-shot!

-Chief