The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Queen

Epilogue

The forest was restless, as though it waited with breath held. Waited for a time that may never come just as easily as it could come immediately. The sunlight that drifted down from the old towering trees seemed distant and gave barely enough light to brighten the shadows, yet stepping into the streams of light was blinding.

Link, wearing his bloody and dirty hero's garment, took an unsteady step forward out of the darkened tunnel that led to the secret and Sacred Grove. He took a step out into the light and watched as his shadow stretched out behind him like a giant. Link was weary; his recent endeavors had left him wounded and weak. You could see it in his shadow how tired he was, stretched thin like butter over too much bread. His shadow looked weaker than he did, if that could be thought possible.

Link absentmindedly reached his hand to his face and traced the path of a fresh wound. Starting at his hairline, the cut followed his jawline and finally stopped at his chin. His fingers skimmed over the bloody edges of the jagged line. It was a trophy. Proof of his victory. A victory he had not wanted and did not want to be reminded of every single day.

He took another labored step forward. Blood drops laced the grass where he had stood.

"Skull Kid!" Link yelled, the harsh and unwelcome noise shattering the precious silence. Link shuddered. He'd hoped this would be an easy simple business.

"Link," someone somewhere behind him called. He looked back, yet saw no one.

"Who's there?" This time he spoke in a whisper. He didn't want to anger the forest with any more loud noises.

"Me." The word came from the ground, so that is where he looked. His shadow pulsed and changed shape. It became a spiraled staircase, leading down into the darkness. At the bottom of the stairs was the beautiful Queen of Twilight. A sweet smile lit up her face as she climbed the stairs. The battle had taken a toll on her too. Her skin, normally a stunning blue-gray. Was an irritated purpled, streaked with the occasional dark blue of her twili blood. If Link hadn't saved her, the light would have killed her. Then again, if she hadn't saved him before, he would also most certainly be dead. She wore a black dress with long flowing sleeves and a light chainmail vest over that. The fabric was tattered and dyed red with blood.

As she reached the top of the stairs, she turned to smoke. Cursing the Goddesses for the brightness, she flinched away from the sunlight that beamed from gaps in the leafy canopy.

Link looked at first surprised and glad to see her, but that was replaced with disappointment.

"You shouldn't have come. It's not safe for you here." He looked pointedly at the sun. "I have to do this alone."

"Eee hee hee. Is that what the silly wolf thinks? Eee hee."

"What's so funny? I am being serious," he responded gruffly.

"You don't have to do this alone. You have me. So no more of this I am a lone wolf crap. We're a team, that was the deal. Now, step into the shadows so I can kiss you. Eee hee hee."

Link sighed, but he didn't see any point in arguing with her. He took a few steps forward, his foot tangling in the overgrown grass. It was something that normally wouldn't have been an issue. Yet in his spent state, it was. It sent him falling.

Midna caught him gracefully, her arms appearing enough to hold him and her voice laughing gently. Link, face flushed pink, was even more embarrassed when she pulled him in for a kiss.

"Come on hero. Don't we have places to be?" She stepped away, letting go of him.

Flustered and now colored a bright red, he nodded. He took a few steps, but a smooth execution of this was thwarted by the unruly grass. This time Midna was too far away to catch him, so Link tumbled to the ground.