Veil of Twilight

Chapter III
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He was slowly becoming adjusted to walking on all fours. He stalked through the maze of gutters they were trapped in, his movements growing less and less deliberate. Midna, the little imp on his back, said they were in the sewers under the castle. Although he didn‘t see how they could be in Hyrule Castle, Link’s newly overdeveloped sense of smell testified to this; it smelled foul. For this reason, he made sure not to tread through the water when he could avoid it.

Link also avoided this for the purposes of his mental stability. It was one thing to become accustomed to the movements of this body. But sometimes, when he looked down into the murky puddles, he would catch a glimpse of his new self; long, pointed snout, wild, matted animal hair, carnivorous fangs. Only his eyes remained the same, human eyes in an animal’s face. It was almost too much to bear.

“So what were you doing in the woods?” Link’s thoughts were cut short as the devil’s voice echoed twice; once in his ears, once in his head. The question was unpleasant, reminding him what had brought him to where he was.

“My village was raided,” he thought. His wolfen maw no longer growled whenever he thought. “By monsters.”

“I know that,” Midna said, her voice laced with a mocking impatience. “I saw all of that. I mean, what were you doing in the forest?”

“I was looking for someone,” Link replied shortly. “And how did you see all of that? Have you been following me, or something?”

“Maybe,” Midna teased again. “Anyway, what does it matter? You’d still be in that cell without me.”

“At least I wouldn’t have a headache.”

“Oh, just shut up, why don’t you,” Midna said, a smile still in her voice. “Just be a good dog for a while.”

For a moment Link did fall silent, unable to articulate through his rage. How did he get stuck with such an intolerable little monster? They wound through the corridors of sewage, Midna’s gentle nudges signaling rights and lefts. After a while, Link tried his luck and spoke.

“So… what are you doing here?”

For a moment, Midna said nothing. The silence was tense, and for once since they had met, it seemed that Link had left her with nothing witty to say. But then she spoke, her voice cutting and sarcastic as always, as if she had never paused.

“Looking for you, of course,” she said happily. “I saw you dragged away by that monster. Would you rather I’d left you in that cell?”

The answer was obviously an avoidance. She was hiding something, perhaps an important something. But it was also obvious that, whatever it was, Midna wasn’t going to tell. Link dropped it. At least he was out of the cell.

…

They eventually came to a stony passage that wound upwards in a large spiral, taking them out of the lower levels. There were some gaps in the walkway, but Link found that with his new body, his quite an adept jumper.

The top came to a small door, slightly ajar, that led them into an actual castle corridor, decorated with a plush ornate rug and many glamorous works of art along the walls. There were several of the tentacle things stalking around; Link padded quietly passed, surprising himself with his animalistic stealth.

From there, Link reached the end of the hall and began ascending a large, spiraling stone staircase, towards the top of a castle spire. There were windows carved out, and through them Link could see that the sky was still poisoned with that golden black veil. His mind suddenly made a connection; what if the thing on his back had something to do with this? With the attack on Ordon, even?

His thoughts ceased as they reached the top of the stairs. They were in a tall, circular room. Before them, at the far end of the room, was a set of large, wooden double doors. One of them was open enough for them to see inside; a lone figure stood, cloaked and standing away from them, facing towards a large ornate windowpane. Midna nudged him forward, and Link entered the room.

The figure turned to look over her shoulder, her eyes wide and fearful. When she saw Link and Midna, however, her features seemed to relax. She turned fully to face them, and Link could see the lower half of her face beneath her hooded cloak; soft, feminine features.

“This is him?” the figure said, her voice pristine and regal. Midna nodded atop Link’s back.

“This is him,” she said cheerily to the mysterious cloaked figure. “I saw him change with my own eyes.”

The figure nodded, and reached up to her hood, pulling it back slowly. The woman revealed a face of composed beauty, if not a bit forlorn. She looked to be twenty years of age, with long, light brown hair and deep violet blue eyes.

“Welcome to Hyrule Castle, Link,” she said miserably, a small sarcastic smile on her lips. “I am Princess Zelda, would-be matriarch of this castle. I believe I owe you an explanation.”

Link nodded his lupine head. Finally, some answers.

“Your home is one of many that has been attacked,” Zelda spoke. “An otherworldly army is covering the land in darkness. You’ve seen them. They are creatures from another world, one parallel to ours. Their world is clouded by a sky of eternal evening, the twilight hour.”

Zelda turned to face the window again, drawing Link’s gaze to the golden black haze outside. Is that what it was? A cursed twilight hour?

“As you can see,” the princess continued, “our world is now suffering a similar fate. The Hylian throne has been usurped by the ruler of the Twilight Realm, Zant. Why he has broken the coven between our worlds, I could not say. Regardless, he was too powerful to resist…” Zelda hung her head in shame. “I had no choice but to succumb to his demands.”

“The cursed twilight engulfs Hyrule now. Our world was not meant for such things. The people of Hyrule know nothing now but eternal agony, cursed to an endless, nightmared slumber, a painful and sad half existence. They will stay that way forever, unless the twilight is lifted.”

She turned to Link. “This is why I need you.”

“Long ago, the people of Hyrule worshipped three great goddesses. They watched from the heavens, and created a sacred power known as the Triforce, which was split in a great battle. Hyrule has long since forgotten the goddesses and their sigil, but they still remain. Those chosen by destiny wield the shards.”

Zelda outstretched her right hand, and from the back of it glowed a pure, golden light.

“I am a direct descendant of the princess of legend,” Zelda said. “I hold the Triforce of Wisdom. And you, are the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, just as the Hero of Time was. This divine power is why we have not succumbed to the twilight, as all others have. You shard has even embodied you within the courageous wolf.”

Link tried his best to keep up with everything the princess was saying. He had never heard of these goddesses she mentioned, nor the Triforce. None of it made any sense, and none of it explained how they were going to solve this problem.

“You are the only one who can save Hyrule, Link,” Zelda said. “I tasked my…” she paused for a moment. “associate, Midna, with finding the one who did not succumb to the twilight. Your power could be sensed from afar. Now, I must ask you to make a perilous journey. You must banish the twilight from Hyrule and take the throne back from Zant.”

Link said nothing; not that he could. It was all so much to take in. He had the courage of the goddesses? He certainly didn’t feel that way. He had never been particularly brave. How could he rid a kingdom of a curse?

The more important question was: how could he say no? Everyone’s lives depended on him now. Everyone he had ever known. The villagers. Colin and Rusl. Even Ilia. Link nodded his head once more, the only response he could offer. Zelda smiled.

“Well, princess,” Midna said from atop him. “I think that’s a yes.”

“Yes,” Zelda said in agreement. “It would seem that-” she stopped dead, her eyes wide. As the other two listened, they found they could hear footsteps, quickly ascending the stairs.

“He’s coming!” Zelda whispered. “Leave, now! Midna, go!” Link looked to from the princess to the imp confusedly. But already, he could feel it again, that feeling of lessening as she began to dematerialize, taking Link with her.

…

He pushed open the doors to Zelda’s quarters, flanked on either side by his tentacle faced minions. The captive princess stood before him, her hood down, her eyes staring at him defiantly.

“Hello, princess,” Zant said formally, his gaze darting around the room, unseen beneath his mask. “I trust you are well?”

The princess said absolutely nothing. She just stared, her lips pursed tightly. Zant felt the stirrings of rage within him.

“I know someone was in here, princess,” Zant spoke. “Who was it?”

The princess said nothing. Her eyes faltered. Zant stepped closer to her, so that they were mere inches apart. The maw of his headdress pulled back, revealing a mouth full of needle like teeth.

“Was it her, princess?” Still Zelda said nothing, although she now gazed down at her own feet.

“Answer ME!!!” Zant screamed. Zelda flinched, but still did not speak. He trembled with rage. He turned to leave the room, signaling for his minions to follow him. He stopped in the doorway.

“If I find her here,” he said, slowly, flatly. “I will kill the both of you.”

With that he left her, slamming the doors shut behind him. He seethed as he descended the staircase. How dare that insolent girl defy him?

And what was worse, he knew that he couldn’t really kill her. He certainly had the power, too. Ever since he had acquired his new powers, his strength seemed limitless. God like, even.

But still, he could not kill her. It was not part of the plan. And if he couldn’t do that, what power did he have over her, really? He had already taken her kingdom. What more could he hold over her head.

Fear not… a voice spoke.

Zant shivered as It spoke. That voice, one he alone could hear. He secretly loathed that voice, loathed and feared it.

The Voice of his Power.

It spoke to him often, more than he would’ve liked. It helped him, though. It helped him seize the throne of Twilight, and then the throne in the world of light. All It asked in return was for Zant to fulfill It’s demands. It had a plan, It would tell him. But It would not say what the plan was. It’s grand design, It assured Zant, would become clearer in time.

If she defies you again, the Voice said. I will take care of her. Just do as I say, my friend, and all will go as planned.

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Here's the third chapter. Thank you all so much for the support so far. I promise, this one is gonna be good. Next chapter up before too long. Please Rate and Review. and ENJOY!!!