DONE DONE DONE-ED-Y DONE

In yo’ face, Ganondorf!

Hope you enjoyed. Still an epilogue coming up.

A side note: whenever I clicked on ‘add link’ here in the post creation screen… I giggled. I admit it.

This chapter felt… repetitive. I was so anxious to fit in all the dramatic lines that I think some points were kind of hammered in. And the Franz didn’t get the kick-butt speech that I wanted him to, because I forgot what it was about. It was something about unity, anyway.

 

Chapter 20: Storming the Castle

 

Chapter 21: Triforce of Power

 

They touched down somewhere in Hyrule Field, possibly to the east of the castle, and looked around wildly.

“She’s not really going to…” Zelda began.

“Oh, yes, she is,” Link answered grimly. “We don’t have any way to get back in there, do we…?”

Even as he finished his sentence, the ground rumbled. Although the sun was beginning to peer through the clouds near the horizon, lightening struck the castle.

The entire castle exploded, obscured in a colossal cloud of stone and dirt. Navi gasped.

Link stared, and he knew Zelda shared his stricken look. He really hoped the others had gotten out in time. But Midna…

Something was trickling down from the sky, something black, which resolved into a dark figure on horseback. A crimson cloak was blowing in the wind, and Ganondorf raised one hand high.

Link choked. In Ganondorf’s grasp was Midna’s empty helmet. Ganondorf clenched his fist, and the helmet crumbled and fell to the ground, broken, useless, meaningless.

Ganondorf drew his glowing white sword, spurred his prancing black horse, and charged them full on. Ghostly figures joined him.

Link gritted his teeth and flung his shield in front of both of them. It wasn’t much against the charge of a warhorse, but at least it would buy Zelda some time…

Zelda stopped him with a hand on his arm, and as he looked at her, confused, she nodded calmly, bowed her head and clasped her hands. “Spirits of the Light!” she prayed. “Wielders of the power that shines far and wide on the lands of this world…”

Ganondorf was almost on them, bare feet away and closing. Navi was making little screaming noises somewhere above his head, trying not to distract him but still terrified out of her wits. Link tensed his whole body in anticipation of the collision, clenching his teeth until they felt like they were sealed together. The thunder of the charge was shaking the ground like an earthquake. But he stood firm.

“In my hour of need, grant me the light to banish evil!”

Ganondorf’s giant horse was inches from them when the world flashed white around them, and they winked out of existence.

He was standing ankle deep in pale golden water under a black, blank sky, in some new spirit world. Briefly, he caught glimpses of the four Light Spirits, but mostly he saw their spheres of Light, swirling around Zelda. She stretched out her hands gently, and received a great golden bow and a quiver full of golden arrows.

He finally allowed himself to relax a bit as Zelda turned to him, her blue eyes apologetic. “Link…”

He gave her his best determined smile, and bowed to her. “I’m here.”

She raised him and smiled back, slipping into high formality. “Chosen Hero! Lend us your strength one last time!” And she bowed her beautiful head to him.

“Zelda…” He stepped towards her and held out his hand. “Don’t bow to me. I may be the Hero, but you are the Princess, and together Wisdom and Courage will stand against Power.”

She smiled and took his hand. “Link… thank you for seeing this through. You are truly the saviour of us all.”

“I couldn’t do otherwise. This is where I belong. This is what I need to do. I’m only sorry it took me so long to get back to doing it.”

“Don’t be sorry. You are here now, and that is all that matters.” She squeezed his hand. “Now let’s kick his butt.”

He grinned, took his hand back, and reached for his sword. “Ready when you are.”

The spirit world winked out of sight, leaving them back on Hyrule Field where they started.

“Link!” Navi screamed, hyperventilating. “You… you… don’t do that again!”

“Sorry, Navi.”

“We need Epona to fight him on his own level,” Zelda said, buckling on the quiver. They could see Ganondorf circling around far ahead of them. “One moment.” She clapped her hands, and with a flash, Epona stood before them, already saddled and looking extremely confused.

Link vaulted up to her back and gave Zelda a hand up behind him. “So, you shoot him, and I get in close and slash him?”

“That’s the plan. And try not to get slashed in return, of course. Just keep him in range!”

“Come on, girl, fly for me!” Link called in a low voice to his horse, and she sprang away, faster than any other horse in Hyrule. His heart was beating hard. This was going to be interesting.

As Ganondorf crossed their path, he raised his arm, and a squadron of ghostly horsemen appeared from the right, charging on an intercept path. Link glanced at them, observing their direction and speed carefully. They seemed to be going in straight lines… if he just steered Epona correctly…

He slotted in between two of the ghosts, Epona’s tail just brushing the one behind them. Zelda was clinging to him with both arms, her bow bouncing on her back. “Just a little closer!” she called in his ear, and he nodded.

Slowly, Ganondorf was falling back to them. He juked left, across their path, and before he could get far, Zelda sat up, clinging to Epona with only her knees, and pulled the great golden bow from her back.

There was a deep ‘twang’, and a small bolt of light arced out at Ganondorf, followed by two more. The first one missed, the second one just grazed his cloak, and the third struck him square in the back. They heard him groan. Then he kicked his horse savagely and galloped away from them again.

Link followed as best he could. “Zelda, why don’t you ride Epona and I’ll catch up later? She’d go faster…”

“No, I need you here so he doesn’t think he can just attack me with his sword. And besides, you’re a better horseman than I am.”

The ghosts appeared, ahead of them this time, and Link broke hard left. Zelda hung on with her left arm, her bow in a vice grip in her right hand.

Ganondorf appeared on their tail, and Zelda twisted to aim at him. He dodged her shots, his white sword ready to swing at them.

“Link…!” Zelda cried breathlessly, and he drew the Master Sword and veered right, in time to block a swing from Ganondorf. Zelda ducked, clinging to his back low and out of the way.

Ganondorf bore down on him. He wasn’t getting enough leverage in this position, and broke right. Ganondorf followed them, laughing at them.

Epona turned an impossibly tight circle, and Link came up beside Ganondorf again, swinging the Master Sword down on him. Ganondorf deflected. They sparred for a few moments, galloping parallel to each other across the gently sloping plain.

“Look out!” Navi screamed, and Link looked up in time to see the ghostly horsemen charging them from the front again. He dodged… left, even closer to Ganondorf. So close that the white sword was too close to easily hit them.

Zelda grabbed an arrow from her quiver and tried to stab Ganondorf with it, but he grabbed her arm.

“Zelda!” Link, past the ghosts, reached out and caught Zelda’s arm too, preventing Ganondorf from dragging her off the horse. They were so close… he could hear Ganondorf’s breathing, hear his throaty chuckle at their struggles. He could feel Zelda’s tension, near panic.

He let go of Epona’s reins and went for the Master Sword, right-handed, and swung it at Ganondorf’s face. Ganondorf let go and moved away, leering at them.

“You okay?” Navi asked Zelda, and she nodded, rubbing her wrist.

“Just keep him in range,” she repeated, and set another arrow to her bow.

Link obediently followed Ganondorf, catching sight as he did so of a small group of people – some of them shining in various colours – approaching. Drat. The Resistance had come to help. But they couldn’t help. “Zelda! We have to finish him quickly, before the others get here!”

The great bow twanged, and Ganondorf jerked. Link slowed Epona to a walk, and they watched as Ganondorf tipped over, both him and his horse skidding on the rocky ground. A cloud of dust obscured their view.

“He’s probably not dead,” Link said. “Wait here. I’ll go finish him.” He dismounted and trotted towards the cloud of dust, Master Sword and shield in hand.

“Link… wait!” Zelda cried, too late. A yellow-orange shield flickered into existence around Link and the dust cloud. Epona neighed as she reared back, though Zelda kept her seat.

“Zelda, don’t touch that!” Navi said. “It’ll hurt you!”

Link stopped and stood, waiting. The dust blew away, and Ganondorf stood there, not looking significantly worse for wear, although his magnificent cloak was tattered now. The black horse lay still, unconscious or dead. The setting sun streamed out from under the clouds, lighting everything with a strange red glow.

“You wield an impressive-looking blade… but nothing more,” Ganondorf told him, drawing his white sword. “While I can kill you with any sword… But I will kill you with this sword, the sword those pathetic Sages tried to execute me with, that I have turned to my will, and my will alone!”

“It’s true I don’t have as much to call on as you do,” Link said. Navi circled around his head and came to rest on his shoulder. “Midna’s Fused Shadow had more power in its little finger than I have in my whole body. But you forget that I cannot rest until you are defeated, and I will not rest until you are defeated, because of this.” He raised his left fist, and the Triforce on it blazed out.

Ganondorf was unimpressed. “Do you forget, boy, that I have my own blessed power? You were only given that through a twist of fate. Through my actions!”

“I understand well enough what happened ten years ago,” Link said. “We tried to stop you by gaining the Master Sword, but you used the same door to touch the Triforce. The Goddesses deemed you were an unworthy holder of the complete Triforce, and so you were left with only the Triforce of Power, while Zelda and I were given Wisdom and Courage so we could stop you.”

“You have a lot of confidence in the most useless aspect of the Triforce, boy. Enough words! I will kill you now and end this farce!”

“Bring it,” Link shouted defiantly, setting himself in a ready crouch. The Master Sword flickered at his cry.

Ganondorf charged him, surprisingly quick, and Link backflipped and darted to the side. He lunged in, and Ganondorf blocked and counter-attacked. He was very big – about eight feet tall, and all bulked out – and very strong. For a few minutes all that could be heard from them was shouts and grunts of exertion.

Link couldn’t stop staring at the glowing white scar that marred Ganondorf’s abdomen and armour. For one thing, it was at about eye-level for him. For another thing, that was what he had attacked to defeat the Gannon form. Perhaps Ganondorf would be as weak to it.

But Ganondorf wasn’t letting down his defences any time soon. Link thanked the Hero from the past over and over in his head, because this was the battle of his life. Every reflex, every drop of skill he had ever used was being called into play here.

Even so, he was smaller than Ganondorf, and couldn’t help constantly being driven back, being forced to run around in circles around the taller man. The white sword and the Master Sword clashed again and again, and neither could find an opening in each other’s defences.

He heard a growing crowd assembling, and the next time he pivoted around Ganondorf, saw that behind him the Resistance had arrived, crowding around Zelda to watch. There wasn’t much else they could do – the shield arched over the duellists like a cage, and not even the spells of the Sages could break through. Link was physically completely on his own. But the support of his friends cheered him.

Ganondorf landed a lucky punch in his face, and he tumbled to the ground and got up again, his nose bleeding. He was getting tired, and it was harder to dance around, to roll and leap, the way he needed to.

They locked swords, and Ganondorf leaned in with all his weight. Link gritted his teeth, dug in his feet, and pushed back. It was like fighting with the Gorons again.

Millimetre by millimetre, the white sword shuddered back. The two swords grated on each other with a horrible noise.

Ganondorf suddenly broke the lock, just when Link thought he might be getting to tipping the balance in his favour, and slashed, sending him reeling back.

The white sword bashed the Master Sword one way, his shield another, and before he could recover, stabbed clear through his chainmail and into his gut.

He let out a whimper and fell to the ground on his back, the white sword releasing a spray of his blood as it withdrew from his body.

Dimly, he could hear screaming. He looked over idly and saw Rana clawing at the shield; her arms were beginning to blister, and Shoza was trying to drag her away. But her screams were for him, not for herself. Saria peered, horrified, from behind Rana’s leg. The rest of the crowd was a blurry mass of agitated movement.

Ganondorf was looming over him, but he couldn’t hear the words, only a deep rumble. It hurt too much. He had failed. It was up to Zelda and Rana now… Ganondorf would let down the shield, and everyone would swarm him… and die… But if they could just get rid of Ganondorf…

No, he had to do it. He couldn’t let Ganondorf kill anyone else! His hand tightened around the Master Sword, and he saw Ganondorf’s eyes widen in scornful disbelief. The white sword raised high.

“What are you doing?” growled another deep voice, and a white and blue and lavender blur appeared in front of him, and was impaled by the white sword. “Get in there, fairies.” Then followed a string of pained curses and swears in a language Link didn’t understand.

“Right!” squeaked a vaguely familiar little voice, and three fairies that were not Navi appeared over him; one yellow, one purple, and one a healing pink. The pink one slammed into his chest, and he felt the massive wound in his stomach closing. That was going to leave a big scar.

Demon was leaning casually on Ganondorf’s sword, grinning dementedly around the pain he was surely feeling. “Sorry, youngling, you can’t kill this boy yet. I still need him.”

“What are you?” Ganondorf hissed, ripping the sword out sideways through Demon’s rib cage. The spirit didn’t even falter, though his massive Helix Blade still hung on his back and not in his hand.

“I am ancient power. I am survival. I am tenacity almost the equal of the Triforce of Courage, joy in destruction, delight in strength. I was there when they made the Fused Shadow. And I escaped from the wrath of the Goddesses, from the vengeance of the Sages. This boy conquered me with his strong heart, and so he has my allegiance.”

Link stumbled to his feet. “Demon!”

“It’s up to you, now, child,” Demon told him, and quivered and shrank into a mask. Ganondorf made to step on it, and Link shoved him backwards before he could.

“You don’t hurt my friends and allies,” he said, cold blue eyes locked with Ganondorf’s.

Ganondorf took another step back and regarded them. “What is the meaning of this!?”

“I’ll tell you what this means,” Franz said unexpectedly from beyond the shield. “It means evil will never triumph. Not all of us can be as brave as Link, but all of us, everyone in Hyrule and in all the lands in all the worlds, we oppose you. You can gather what minions you will, perhaps you will even have the upper hand for a while, but while you are around, we unite to face you. We can be defeated, but we can never be broken.”

“And I can be defeated, but my master and I can never be stopped,” Ganondorf snarled. “This cycle will continue no longer, for I will not be defeated this time!” He flung out a hand and Link, tired and caught by surprise, went flying back into the shield. His scabbard saved him from burning against it, but he stumbled and fell to his knees.

And he got up again, still glaring at Ganondorf. He would always get back up. He wasn’t as strong as Ganondorf, but he wasn’t afraid to keep going, to take more punishment, as long as his opponent was still standing.

Their blades locked again, and Ganondorf felt as heavy as Death Mountain itself. But still he pushed back, and slowly, achingly slowly, he was gaining the upper hand. And as he did, he felt a new rush of hope, of energy, of strength, and sent Ganondorf stumbling backwards with a sweep of the Master Sword. Ganondorf flailed, his defenses wide open.

Link went for it. One, two, three slashes on the glowing white scar, and Ganondorf howled and fell to his knees, and then to his back.

Link backed up a pace, got a running start, and leaped on him, finishing him with a downward stab.

He rolled off, his last strength spent, the Master Sword still embedded to the hilt in Ganondorf’s body.

He heard a strange, crescendoing, gargling noise beside him, and realized that Ganondorf was screaming his death scream.

Or was it?

The shield fell, but smartly, none of the crowd rushed straight to him. He rolled over and unsteadily climbed to his feet.

So did Ganondorf. The evil one’s fist clenched-

And the Triforce of Power faded from the back of his hand.

It began to rain gently.

 

“The cycle will continue,” Zelda said softly. “But for now, we have won.”

Link looked around. Ganondorf was dead, but his body was still standing, Behind Link, all those who had fought with him and for him had gathered a bit closer, Zelda in front of him.

He reached out, gripped the hilt of the Master Sword, and pulled it from Ganondorf’s body, kicked it over as he did. He wiped it and sheathed it, and turned to the others.

Rana was the first to move, sprinting to him and throwing herself into his arms. He had just enough presence of mind to brace for her impact. “You did it!” she said. Someone had healed her arms, although they were still discoloured where she had been burned.

“I did it,” he answered softly, and kissed her hard. She kissed him back, a tiny pained noise in the back of her throat that told him just how much she felt for him.

And she released him and drew him into the crowd, where everyone wanted to hug him, to pat him on the back, to congratulate him.

Someone cleared their throat, and there was Impa, unfolding to her full height. “Well, now I can fight, after the need for fighting has passed. You have no idea how frustrating that is!”

Zelda laughed and hugged her stern bodyguard. “Impa! I’m so glad you’re all right.”

“I am sorry, Princess. I was caught before I could return to your side.”

“Don’t blame yourself, Impa. Zant and Ganondorf together had too much power.”

“Speaking of power…” Link knelt and picked up Demon’s mask. “Does anyone have a spare fairy?”

“Who is that?” Rauru demanded. “He does not sound like a good character. He is a friend of yours?”

Link smiled. “He’s… interesting. He’s better than he appears. Tatl, Tael, how did he behave on your travels?”

“He was actually pretty nice,” Tael said matter-of-factly. “He just watched people for like three years, and then, uh, something almost happened to us, and he started actually being nice to people! He’s still a total grump, and he talks mean, but he’s… changed.”

“I am going to murder you slowly, fairy,” Demon’s voice drifted from the mask. “I am not nice.”

Link laughed. “Good to know, after you saved my life, and possibly all of Hyrule.”

“He was a jumpstart little twerp. He doesn’t deserve to win.”

“In the meantime, we’ll get you fixed up as soon as we get back to base.”

“Link…” Saria said, pulling the hem of his bloody tunic. “Look.”

He turned, and at the top of the nearby hill, backlit in the remaining light from the sun that had just set, there were the four Light Spirits… and a small lump.

Was it a trick of his eyes, or did the lump have… horns…?

He turned away from the others, passing Demon to Rana, and began to jog up the hill, then run faster than he had known he was capable of doing in his level of exhaustion. He came to a stop, panting hard.

It wasn’t Midna. It was a lump, draped in a black cloak…

Which stood, and turned, and he was looking into familiar red eyes in a pale, blue-white-skinned face, framed with orange hair.

But she was seven feet tall, and breathtakingly beautiful.

She smiled, and his mouth fell open.

“What?” she said, and her voice was the same, gently teasing him. “Say something!” Her smile grew. “Or am I so beautiful you’ve no words left?”

“Now I know why you were so disappointed you didn’t get your own body back…” Navi said.

Link fell forward and hugged her. “You’re alive.”

She hugged him back, tightly. “Not something I was expecting.” He wasn’t even angry, anymore, that she had sacrificed herself for them. “Link, you’re getting blood all over my clothes.”

He backed away, embarrassed. “I think I got blood on everyone’s clothes.”

She laughed. “I was teasing. I don’t actually mind.”

“Actually, most of us are covered in blood,” Franz put in. “Princess Zelda seems to have been the only one to escape injury.” Although she, too, had hugged Link, and her beautiful silk dress was ruined now. She didn’t look like she cared, either.

“And Shad’s in one piece,” Ashei reported, tugging on the scholar’s arm.

Midna did something, and the blood disappeared from her skin and clothes. “It’s easy to get rid of, see?”

“Speak for yourself,” Saria grumbled, picking at her tunic.

Link laughed and swung the diminutive Sage through the air, settling her on his shoulders. “Let’s call it a day. I’m exhausted.”

Zelda looked from the city to Kakariko. “I think Kakariko Village is closer from here. Shall we go there?”

Midna snapped her fingers. “Your wish is my command, Princess.”

“We can let the children know that we won,” Rusl said.

“All right,” Link said, moving over to Epona and taking her reins. “Lead on, Midna.”

 

In Kakariko, the inhabitants were startled to see such a huge crowd appear so suddenly. The uninjured ones, especially the Sages, helped Renado to patch up the injured ones. And Link went and restored Demon in the Spirit’s Spring.

That was one of the reasons he believed Demon was a good person now: he reacted to the same healing methods that Link and the others did, and he didn’t flinch from the Master Sword.

To his amusement, the first thing that Demon did was move over to where Midna was talking to Zelda and Franz, and begin hitting on her. “Well hello, beautiful! Come here often?”

She looked flatly down her long nose at him. “Only for the time being. Who are you?”

“He lets me call him Demon,” Link said helpfully.

Demon grinned, one of his slightly unhinged grins that meant he was trying to disturb people. “If you really are descended from the Shadow Tribe, you might know me as Ajarai.”

Midna hurriedly backed up several steps, looked around to make sure that no one was behind her, and backed up again some more. “Ajarai!? The… the Fierce Deity?”

“Who is that?” Zelda asked, confused.

“Zelda, this… being destroyed three villages while wearing the Fused Shadow! We still tell stories about him and his mad lust for destruction! Link, how can you be friends with such a monster!?”

“Well,” Link said mildly. “It’s been a long time since then. Would you know Majora, then?”

“Majora was even worse than Ajarai! He didn’t destroy… he warped and twisted. How do you know these creatures?”

“Well, I’ve saved your precious Link several times over…” Demon scowled. “Though I have to admit he freed me from servitude to Majora.”

“I met Majora a while back,” Link explained, for both Midna and Zelda’s benefit. “He was in the form of a mask, and had taken control of an innocent Skull Kid and was terrorizing the land of Termina. I got involved when he kidnapped Epona and Navi. So Tatl helped me rescue them.” He reached up, and all three fairies – Navi, Tatl, and Tael – came to rest on his hand. “Majora himself gave me Demon’s mask, and I had to convince him that I deserved to wield his strength.”

“He does,” Demon said gruffly. “He has fun with it. I respect people who have fun swinging around massive swords.” He patted the Helix Blade at his back. “And then he got my interest by telling me that using strength for destruction… ruined it. I wanted to see what else you could use strength for.” He nodded at Link. “It’s been an interesting journey. I had forgotten what it was like to have a human form, to interact with normal people.”

“You let him talk to normal people?” Midna said, aghast.

Link frowned at her. “I’ll work with anyone who’s not flat-out evil. By the time we parted ways, I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to blow up a continent or anything.”

Demon smirked. “That still sounds like fun. But then I wouldn’t get the fun of intimidating all the people in it.”

“He still has… odd priorities, but he’s not all that bad to know,” Link said to Midna. “I’m sorry for his flirting, though. I didn’t know he was capable of that.”

Demon glared at Link. “You are an idiot. Have you no eyes?”

“Demon, I have a girlfriend.”

“So?”

Link put his head in his hand as Zelda, Franz, and the fairies laughed.

Demon ignored them all and turned to Midna. “Did we get off on the wrong foot? I am Ajarai. But I’m not the Ajarai you tell tales of. Long years of servitude to a madman wore me out, and this boy civilized me. I’m not going to apologize for what I did. But I would like to be able to converse with you, Your Highness.”

Midna’s expression was wary, but she slowly came forward and offered Demon her hand to shake. “Very well. I am Midna, Princess of Twilight. I have been traveling with Link for the last few weeks, and… I will admit he tamed me as well. I used to hate the Light World for banishing us. But the people here are actually very kind. A lot like my own people.”

Luda came up to Link. “Do you want Daddy to look at your injuries? Are you going to have a bath before dinner?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Link said. “I’d fall asleep there. Maybe afterwards.”

Indeed, it was difficult for him to keep awake during the feast that the others had hastily prepared. Though it was worth it to see Ruto reunited with her little brother, Ralis, and to see Rusl hugging Colin and the other children. Through it all, Zelda floated gracefully, Impa never far behind her, greeting her subjects with a casual cheerfulness that suggested she had left her crown at home for the evening. If she had been dressed as Sheik, she would have fit right in.

Tatl and Tael were excited to meet Saria and Nati, as they hadn’t met many fairies on their travels. She promised them a place to stay in the Kokiri Forest, if ever they parted ways from Demon. But it seemed they were very fond of the grouchy mask, and it didn’t look likely that they would ever leave him. “Too exciting to leave,” Tatl put it.

Goron Link was running around hyperactive with all the excitement, all the strange people from all over Hyrule. Link was sure he had never seen so many humans and almost-humans in one place before. Ilia was walking around in a daze. Impa greeted her, and she squeaked, intimidated by Impa’s usual form. The Sheikah blinked in incomprehension. Rauru and Auru were off to one side, either arguing, or laughing about something.

He smiled sleepily at the gathering, sitting in a corner with Rana beside him. It was good to see Hyrule essentially united in celebration.

Saria came to sit by him. “I guess you’re pretty tired. Is that why you’re all the way over here?”

“Yeah…”

“He’s more tired than I’ve ever seen him,” Navi said. “I bet you’re going to hurt tomorrow.”

“I am.”

“You should have that bath and go to bed.”

“I suppose.” He didn’t feel like moving, even though he felt disgusting and his tunic was practically falling off with all the damage it had taken.

“Come on,” Rana said, getting up and putting his arm over her shoulder. “Wish everyone goodnight, and I’ll help you get to bed.”

“Will you stay with me?” he asked, giving her his best puppy eyes, and she giggled and nodded.

He sank into bed twenty minutes later, clean, bandaged, in fresh clothes, and out like a light.

The next few days were spent in hectic activity, though not for Link. Link, Navi, Midna, Demon, Tatl, Tael, and Darunia stayed in Kakariko, while the others dispersed to their homes to spread the news. Not that anyone had known of Ganondorf’s almost-coup, or heard more than a rumour of Zant, but they would get the whole story now. So Rusl and Ilia and the children went to Ordon, passing through the Forest where they dropped off Saria; Ruto and Ralis and Shoza returned to Zora’s Domain, and the Resistance and Zelda and Franz – and their respective bodyguards – returned to Hyrule Castle to see how much damage had been done. Rana went with them – Zelda valued her company and input.

Link was glad for the rest. It took him a few days just to recover his strength, and he hoped that no world-threatening evils showed up in the meantime because he really didn’t feel like fighting them, at the moment.

On the fourth day, Midna announced to him privately that it was time for her to go home. He was a little sorry for that, because he had very much enjoyed spending some unstressful time with the Twili Princess. But she had her own people to look after, and they had been oppressed worse than Hyrule.

Zelda happened to visit on that day, and so Midna took the two of them only when she teleported to the Mirror of Twilight. The Fused Shadow had been destroyed for good, but restored to her true self, Midna had a great deal of power on her own. When Link asked how they were going to get back, Zelda smiled and told him she would handle it. So he let her. His job for the moment was done, and he was going to take his vacation until tomorrow.

So they arrived at the Mirror quietly, unobtrusively.

Midna was silent for a few minutes. “I guess this is it.”

“Is it?” Link asked, smiling.

She smiled back, but there was something sad in it. “Light and shadow can’t truly mix. But… Just… never forget that there is another world bound to this one.”

“Shadow and Light cannot exist without each other,” Zelda said. “What is easy to forget is that neither are evil. I think I know why the Goddesses left this Mirror with us. It was their design that we should meet. A shame it had to happen under such adverse circumstances. But you are always welcome in Hyrule, you and any of your people who… are able to visit.”

Midna considered that thoughtfully for a while. “Zelda… your words are kind, and your heart is true. If all in Hyrule are like you, and the people I’ve met… then perhaps you’ll do all right.”

She turned to stand in front of the Mirror, on the spot which would activate the stairs to the portal. “Thank you, both of you.” She turned back to Link. “Well, the princess spoke truly: as long as that Mirror’s around, we could meet again…” She bowed her proud head a little, and one tear trickled out of her eye. It sparkled and floated, and she lifted a hand as if to push it away. “Link… I…”

What was wrong?

“See you later…”

The tear floated into the very centre of the Mirror, and it cracked and splintered – in one piece, for now, but it was definitely…

“Midna!” Link cried in shock, and Zelda gasped. He turned to Midna, his eyes pleading.

Midna skipped up the stairs of light to the platform at the top and turned, shoulders set bravely, smiling. She locked eyes with him, and he could feel his own eyes filling with tears. After all they had been through together…

She dissolved into the portal, still smiling sadly, gently, and the Mirror burst into a thousand shards, twinkling as they floated through the air to the sand of the floor.

Link took a deep shuddering breath. “Only the true ruler of the Twili could destroy the Mirror.”

“She did say she would see you later,” Zelda said softly. “I guess she thought the Mirror was too dangerous to leave here, where anyone strong enough could get it.”

“Hyrule and the Twilight Realm are a lot alike,” Link said. “There will be another way. She’s right. We will meet again. For now…” He turned and smiled at Zelda. “Let’s go home.”

She smiled back, and they became spheres of light that shot across the evening sky, back to Hyrule.

 

Epilogue