Chapter Thirty-Five: Time Slips Away

Rayne: Twilight Realm

"Rayne?" Lilith asked. I hung my head.

"She's… she's gone." I whispered, a tear falling from my eye onto Nadia's cheek. I cradled Nadia's head in my hands, sobbing. Lilith turned away, shutting her eyes tightly. Kade looked downcast as he took Lilith into his arms.

It couldn't be. No. She couldn't be dead. Our child… it couldn't be dead. No. I couldn't… I wouldn't…

"Nadia, please. Please just let your pulse be feint." I whispered near inaudibly. I let my hand go down to her stomach, where I felt a sharp kick. I looked up with a gasp.

"Rayne?" Kade asked.

"The baby," I whispered, "it kicked." A tear fell again. Shade and Kade looked to me, but Lilith rushed up, wanting to feel for herself what was happening. Lilith placed her hand next to mine and she smiled.

"It is kicking, how?" Lilith looked to Shade.

"I have no clue." Shade said softly. Lilith focused her light red eyes on Nadia. Lilith placed a hand on Nadia's throat pulse, her light red eyes confused.

"I don't know how to say this," Lilith paused, "but her heart's beating, albeit slowly and it's barely discernable."

"She's alive?" I whispered.

"In a coma. She's barely hanging on." Lilith said, looking to Nadia.

"Why? What happened?" I said, a pointed glare being cast at Shade. Shade cleared her throat.

"She's not in a coma, she's in a state of suspended animation. Her brain, her subconscious, is being bound by magic, a stronger magic than mine." Shade said.

"Nayru…" Lilith and Kade said in unison.

"She's holding Nadia hostage." I said.

"She's set on Nadia's death. She chose Nadia as her Triforce holder and now… now she's trying to kill her. Nayru's corrupt, as is Farore and Din." Lilith said.

"I think the goddesses are asking for a fight." Kade growled.

"They've got one," Lilith looked to Shade, "send me back."

"Are you sure?" Shade asked.

"Send me back, dammit! I won't let my best friend die." Lilith lied down. I looked to Nadia, feeling helpless.

"Rayne, it's best you stay back." Kade said softly. I nodded.

"I know. Good luck, Lilly." I said. Lilith groaned.

"Call me Lilly again and you'll regret it." She said. Shade took a deep breath.

"May Oni and Majora guide your soul." Shade said.

Nadia: Unknown

I looked around. I was… in the clouds? What was this?

"Nadia." A cold, deep female voice said. I turned around to let my eyes meet Nayru's.

"Nayru…" I said.

"Kill that child and remain celibate. I will send you home." Nayru demanded. I growled.

"Kill my child? Never. I never would kill my own flesh and blood, unlike you, who tried." I said, my anger rising.

"When did I try, Interloper?" Nayru asked, her voice deadly serious.

"Majora. You sealed her away, only because she's a goddess like you and cannot die," I scoffed, "well, you say you cannot die, at least." I said with an eye roll. I felt a sharp slap across my skin, sending me flying across the ground with a thud. I tasted blood in my mouth, sending an icy glare to Nayru.

"I only did that for the Hylians' well being! If Majora had continued, she would have killed all!" Nayru shouted.

"She wouldn't have! If it weren't for her, the father of my child wouldn't be back in my life! Or do you remember? Your sister Din's chosen sealed him away from me! Majora is the Goddess of Love, and I wouldn't expect the Goddess of Wisdom to understand!" I shouted back.

"Watch your step or I will kill you here and now." Nayru said, her voice quiet and cold again.

"Kill me? Never. You cannot kill the shadows." I said, shifting into a black wolf, glaring at Nayru.

"So you choose Majora's Path? Oni's Path? You'd rather die an evil being?" A high-pitched women's voice asked. I looked up to see a woman with golden brown hair, fair tanned skin, and deep green eyes. Farore.

"I think she does." A deep female voice said. I made eye contact with pure orange eyes and fiery red locks. Din.

"She chooses death, then." Nayru lifted a fair-colored hand, a sword appearing. Din ended up with twin scimitars and Farore ended up with a sword and shield combo.

"Then let us give it to her." Farore giggled mirthlessly. I howled, a challenge, a battle cry. Only when I leveled my head did the goddesses' eyes seem anxious.

"A war cry will do nothing." Nayru said as she lunged forward.

Lilith

I woke up in a place filled with mist. I glanced around, unable to recognize where I was.

"Lilith." Majora said. I spun around to meet the orange eyes of the Goddess of Love.

"Majora. Where's Nadia?" I asked.

"The Golden Goddesses, they… they're trying to kill her." Majora said.

"Take me there. Take me to Nadia. She needs my help." I said, tears burning my eyes.

"I know, I know. I brought you here because I wanted to give you a hand," Majora handed me two masks, one I recognized as Oni's, the other looked similar to her, "these should help." Majora said.

"Masks?" I asked.

"My mask and Fierce Deity's Mask. They hold more power because of you and Nadia. Nadia wore Oni's Mask, and their power was revitalized. You must wear these, or you and Nadia will die." Majora said. I glanced at the heart-shaped mask, Majora's Mask, and sighed.

"Take me to Nadia." I said. Majora nodded.

"As you wish." She said.

A dim, twilight light surrounded me. I landed in clouds, seeing Nadia, a black wolf, backing from the Golden Goddesses. I growled.

"Get away from her!" I yelled. The goddesses looked up from Nadia to see me, holding two masks, anger in my eyes.

"Lilith, don't do this." Farore begged.

"I'm doing this because I can," I said, "and because you're all corrupt."

"Corrupt? You're holding the masks of two fallen deities." Nayru sneered. Nadia shifted forms, looking at me with crimson eyes. I threw Fierce Deity's Mask to Nadia, who caught it with ease.

"Fallen or not, they'll help us more than you ever will!" Nadia said, donning the mask of Oni. I smiled.

"She has a point." I donned Majora's Mask.

A true battle was about to begin.

Third Person

The Golden Goddesses watched in horror as the chosen holders of the Triforce of Wisdom and Courage transformed.

Nadia's skin became ashen white, her eyes completely white without irises or pupils. Her long chestnut hair changed into a white like snow. Her clothing became armor of white and silver. Ancient Markings, the Markings of the Fierce, adorned her face in purple, and the double-helix edge appeared at her side.

Lilith's transformation was almost as drastic as her counterpart's. Her tanned Gerudo skin became a light shade of blue, her eyes turning almost completely red with only pupils. Her long red locks stayed the same, but fashioned into a style that was reminiscent of a goddess's. Her clothing, once reserved, became very promiscuous, a black top showing her midriff, and a half-skirt of the same shade of black. Her face became marked with the Markings of the Ardor in a nice shade of deep blue, twin purple scimitars developed in her hands.

Both women focused their eyes on the Golden Goddesses, who all were gaping at the transformation.

"They…they…" Farore choked.

"They've given themselves to the Masks." Din said.

"No… the Masks gave themselves to Nadia and Lilith." Nayru said.

An indifferent smile passed across Nadia's lips. Lilith scoffed.

"You tried to stop us." Nadia's voice had merged with Oni's.

"And you'll always fail." Lilith's voice had become one with Majora's. Nayru made eye contact with Nadia, fear in her heart, but she wasn't showing it.

"No. You will always fail." Nayru said evenly. Nadia lifted her double-helix blade.

"Well… I could always end it now." Nadia/Oni said, lunging at the Goddess of Wisdom. Nayru gasped and lifted her blade just in time. Gods couldn't kill gods, but they could still greatly injure each other.

Nayru pushed Nadia back. Nadia had dug her one free hand and her feet into the ground to stop her acceleration. Once stopped, the Interloper ran for the Goddess, the double-helix sword meeting Nayru's holy sword.

Meanwhile, Lilith was barely holding back both Din and Farore. Din had proved herself a bigger threat than Farore, so Lilith had found herself fighting the Goddess of Power more often than the Goddess of Courage.

"Lilith, please, don't do this!" Farore begged.

"It's too late, can't you see that?" Din snapped to Farore, her own silver scimitars meeting Lilith's dark purple blades. Lilith used all her strength and pushed back the goddess. Farore attacked, her sword slicing Lilith's newly blue flesh. The Interloper of Courage screamed in pain, blood pouring down from her hip.

Nadia turned for only a millisecond to be knocked aside herself, Nayru's hilt meeting her ribcage. Nadia fell with a groan, Nayru going after her again. Nadia lifted the double-helix just in time so Nayru's sword didn't slice her throat. The Interloper of Wisdom kipped up, staring Nayru in the eye.

"It'd be easier to execute you if you'd stay down." Nayru said.

"Do you think I'll make it easy?" Nadia/Oni said. Nayru's eyes misted over. The way Nadia had said that phrase reminded her vaguely of Oni's comments when they had been lovers.

"Don't cry, Nayru." Nadia/Oni said.

"Oni?" Nayru asked, stepping closer to Nadia. Nadia only then lunged, slicing Nayru's left tendon. Nayru fell with a cry. Farore and Din then turned to their sister, while Nadia bounded for Lilith's side.

"Lil?" Nadia's voice was purely hers.

"I'm fine, Naddie." Lilith's voice was her own. Both Interlopers looked to the Goddesses, worried more of Nayru than the two Interlopers. Nadia helped Lilith stand.

"Now!" Nadia's voice was one with Oni's again. The two Interlopers rushed Din and Farore, Nadia taking Farore, Lilith handling Din.

Farore tried to stab, cut, or injure Nadia, but all Nadia had to do was dodge the blow. When Nadia had her guard down, Farore nearly stabbed her in the stomach, but Nadia did a backflip and landed perfectly on her feet, the double-helix landing feet away. Nadia shifted forms in midair, a snarling white wolf with purple markings.

"Why won't you just die?" Farore asked. Nadia answered with a growl and charged the Goddess of Courage, knocking her off her feet with ease, sending the sword and shield flying. Nadia snapped her jaws at Farore's face. Farore whimpered.

"No!" Nayru yelled.

Lilith and Din were at a stalemate, both pairs of scimitars a blend of day and night. Din would push Lilith, and Lilith would push back with twice as much force. Din then released her scimitars, trying to slice Lilith again. The Interloper of Courage, however, wasn't having it. She shifted forms, a blue jaguar with deep blue markings. She roared and lunged at the Goddess of Power, pinning her on her back.

"Din!" Nayru shouted, unable to stand due to her injured tendon.

"Do you want it to stop?" Majora asked, appearing. Nayru and Majora shared a long gaze to each other, both trying to read each other's emotions. Majora found herself unable to see Nayru's, and Nayru found herself unable to read Majora.

"Please. Don't hurt them." Nayru begged.

"Nadia, Lilith, let them up." Majora said. Nadia and Lilith did as they were told and looked to Majora.

"You would've let them kill us." Farore said. Nadia shifted forms, removing Oni's Mask, her form becoming normal again. Lilith did the same.

"We weren't aiming to kill you." Nadia said, her crimson eyes pained. Farore stared at the Interloper of Wisdom.

"But… why fight?" Din asked.

"You were trying to kill Nadia. She has a child and a husband. She doesn't deserve to die. No more than you." Lilith said.

"I can't bear that I served you and you turned on me." Nadia looked right to Nayru. Nayru gaped.

"I… I did not…" Nayru said.

"Yes, you did. You told me yourself." Majora snapped. Nayru's mouth shut tight.

"How could you do that to me? I had trusted you with my life, and you turn on me like that because the child I bear is one of twilight?" Nadia asked.

"Nadia has a point, dammit. I have to agree. What if it had been me?" Lilith looked to Farore.

"Or Amaro, if he were still alive?" Nadia glanced at Din. The Golden Goddesses dropped their heads.

"I am glad you realize your mistakes, and I will happily take the Interlopers back to the Twilight Realm." Majora said.

"Fine, but if I catch any of either of your descendants in Hyrule, I will not hesitate to put the Twili in peril." Nayru said.

"Shut up, Nayru." Din growled.

"Then so be it." Nadia said, her voice even. She looked to Majora.

"We will leave now," Majora paused, looking to her sisters, "but you never know what fate may have in store for the paths of the Twili and the Hylians." Majora said.

Majora, Nadia, and Lilith disappeared in a twilight flash, leaving the Golden Goddesses battered and bruised.

Nadia

I woke up with a gasp, breathing in air like I had been starved of it. Rayne started sobbing and held me close.

"I thought I'd lost you." Rayne whispered as his grip on me tightened. I held him tight too, his shoulder cradling my head.

"Don't hold me too tight, the baby may not like that." I whispered with a chuckle. Rayne laughed himself.

"I know. I'm just glad I still have you." Rayne said.

"You always will." I said, tears in my eyes. Rayne kept me like that for the better part of an hour before we separated. I glanced to Lilith and Kade, who were engaged in a deep lip-lock. I smiled.

"Love always finds a way, even in the darkest of days." I said.

"Always." Rayne smiled back, taking my hand. He put an arm around my shoulder and I leaned into him.

"Congratulations, Interloper of Wisdom, you are now the Twilight Princess." Shade said with a bow.

"How will everyone know?" I asked. I heard cheering near us. I glanced to Shade.

"I think they already know. You must see for yourself." Shade said. Rayne helped me out of the bed, Lilith and Kade, done with their kiss, followed us to the top of Clock Tower. There were people surrounding the Tower, all cheering.

"How do they know?" I asked Shade over the loud crowd noises.

"They know because Ganondorf was causing an evil shadow over the land," Shade began, "you ended it, you are now our ruler." She smiled. I looked from Shade to the people below me. I smiled.

"Do you think you can handle being Twilight Princess?" Rayne asked.

"Can you handle being Twilight King?" I asked. Rayne laughed and snaked his arms around my waist.

"I think so." He whispered in my ear. He released me, and I held one hand to silence the cheers. I may not have ever given a Royal Speech, but here I was, attempting it.

"My people," I began, "Majora smiles upon us. Ganondorf has been sealed, and we are free to live as we are…"

With their peoples' approval, Rayne and Nadia assumed the titles of Twilight King and Twilight Princess, respectively. They made it a rule, their family didn't have to be the Monarchy, the people could choose a ruler from any family.

Months passed, and Nadia birthed a happy and healthy Twili female. She had Rayne's amazing blue eyes, white-blue skin, but Nadia's genes came in and gave her blond hair. She and Rayne decided to name her Keira, for she was similar to the dusk.

Lilith and Kade married. Lilith quickly became pregnant, and birthed a son with her red hair and Kade's red eyes, but skin a light shade of green, which was named Ajax. Nadia and Lilith promised their children to marry each other one day, to rule the Twilight Realm, and start the generation anew.

Soon, all memories of Nadia and Lilith's feat were forgotten in Hyrule. The people moved on, but that didn't stop Mason from contacting his sister every chance he got. Nadia loved seeing her brother grow into a fine man, marry, and have a family of his own.

That was when contact between the siblings became slight. Nadia wondered why her brother wouldn't contact her as often as he used to, but wrapped herself within her daughter to forget the pain.

One night, when Nadia and Keira were under the deep dusk sky, Nadia told Keira the whole story of the Interlopers, of the dark powers she'd seen, and her tale of love and loss, so Keira could pass her story onto her children.

And this, my children, was the story of how the Twili came to be, of the Interloper's fight against Ganondorf trying to take the Sacred Realm, a story often lost in time.

So, do not forget the blood-born Interloper's fight, although all of Hyrule already has, the Twilight Realm never forgets love, loss, and war, for it was once Termina…

*^|0|^*

Midna stops her reading from the book. Two pairs of eyes stare at her. Midna smiles at her son and daughter.

"Coin for your thoughts?" Midna asks.

"Mother? Did that really happen?" Her son asks. Her son showed his Twili side more than he did his Hylian side, having a blue-colored skin and his eyes were completely blue, sclera and all, like Midna's, although his hair was colored dark chestnut brown.

"It did. You see, your father's and my plight was much easier than Nadia's and Lilith's. We didn't have to deal with as much as Nadia and Rayne did to bring your great-grandmother into the world." Midna says.

"Did great-great grandmother really meet two goddesses?" her daughter asks. Her daughter, however, looked more Hylian, having pink-colored flesh, her eyes having distinguishable irises that were crimson red, and dirty blond hair like her father.

"According to the story, yes, she did. And she spoke to me herself, Calla," Midna tells her daughter, "Majora helped her retrieve her love, just like she helped me retrieve your father." Midna says, stretching the truth a touch. Nadia hadn't actually helped Midna find Calla and her son's father, Midna had taken the path Nadia had made.

"But… Mother… Goddesses just don't show up!" Her son says.

"That's true, Caber," Midna pauses, smiling a touch at her son's name, "but they do to very special people. You never know, if you're really good, they may show themselves." Midna says. Caber and Calla crawl into their mother's lap. Midna smiles and laughs.

"I hear laughing." A powerful male voice says. Link appears, his dirty blond hair disheveled. Calla and Caber run to their father. Link crouches to hug his children and smiles at Midna.

"I was telling them Nadia's story again." Midna says, rising from the throne to give her husband a kiss on the cheek.

"Ah, I see. You two love that story, don't you?" Link looks between his son and daughter.

"We do!" Calla says.

"It's a good story!" Caber says.

"I see," Link pauses, "and now, I think your mother and I think it's time for bed." Link says.

"But Father!" Calla protests.

"We're not even tired!" Caber says. Midna laughs and crouches next to her family.

"We're the parents, and we say it's bedtime for you two. Come on." Midna lifts Calla, while Link lifts Caber. They put the twins safely away in their room and shut the door tight. Link smiles at Midna.

"What?" Midna asks.

"I remember when you found me again." Link says softly.

"I do too, every single day." Midna says quietly

"You just appeared in Ordon Village, looking into my eyes and telling me you loved me. It was enough." Link says. Midna kisses her husband.

"I found you, like Nadia found Rayne." Midna says. Link puts his arms around her.

"And I'm glad you did." Link says.

"Together, like Nadia and Rayne, we ascended." Midna says softly.

0*0*0*0*0*0

Either the over-tiredness is making me teary-eyed, or I added a bit of emotion here.

I bet you couldn't tell that I was making this book-form for Midna's benefit. If you think about it, the first chapter was in third-person. It was only fit that part of the last chapter had third-person to end it. And a little MidnaXLink Romance to top it off never hurts.

All good things must come to an end, and so must this story. I would like to thank all who reviewed, even if their reviews were unkind and callous, and all who faved/followed this story!

For the record, I might write shorter stories surrounding KadeXLilith, Keira, and MidnaXLink that tie to this story. I just don't know when yet.

One final review for me please? It'd be an awesome Thanksgiving present!