Chapter 1: Light and Shadow

After being told by the light spirit, Farore, about the dark power which resided in the temple near the spring, Link and the Imp, Midna, followed the spirit's words. Link had a run in with the hero's shade before going through, but he was no enemy. He taught Link a devastating attack, the Finishing Blow, and reminded Link that there are more to learn. Midna nagged the hero on and on, never relenting even when getting things done in the forest temple. One final challenge stood in their way. With the help of a baboon named Ook, the hero brought down a mighty beast of poison and fumes. The beast housed what the pair were looking for. Thus begins the story.

The foul beast was dead after a few swings to it's eye, or tongue, or both. Honestly, Link didn't care much about that anymore, just happy that he could finally rest and sit down. Ook the baboon made one final cry and waved goodbye to Link, leaping away to return to his tribe of fellow primates.

The massive poisonous plant started to then… explode? Link wasn't sure, but he watched as it disintegrated into thousands of black particles which littered the air. They quickly began merging again to form what looked to be a kind of stone tablet that housed a black Aura.

"Good work!" His shadow chimed in, "That's what I was looking for," then taking the tablet into her hair-hand.

Admittedly, Link was shocked to even hear these words from this Imp who has done nothing but berate him, he shook it off though so as to not show his surprise.

"What… is that, Midna?" he'd asked her, though was not fully expecting an answer from her.

Midna looked at the man below her, amused but seeing his curiosity as a possible incentive for him to keep up with their goal.

"This, is a fused shadow, mister big important hero," saying it as condescending as possible, "These hold ancient, powerful magic your kind could never wield nor understand. I wear one on my head, and now I hold another piece thanks to you."

"You're implying that there are more pieces. How many more?" Link asked bluntly

"Ugh, so stupid, do I really have to tell you everything? To complete this we need 4 pieces, so two more to go, got it? I'll make you a deal, get me the rest of them and I'll tell you what you want to know."

Link nodded at Midna, unaffected by her insults but intrigued with her sudden offer, which didn't go unnoticed by his partner. She scoffed and created a portal on the ground.

"Well, come on then, let's get out of here." motioning her hair-hand for him to come over to her

For once, Link agreed on something his companion said to him. He ran to the portal, suddenly feeling that strange sensation again when he warped from Hyrule Castle, and then everything faded to black.

Midna had placed the two of them right outside the Forest Temple where the monkeys greeted the hero with claps and screams of joy.

"Look at that," Midna smirked playfully in his shadow, "You've become a little favorite of sorts to these guys haven't you?"

The hero was not amused, however, he grew tired of this Imp who did nothing but pester him. His pain, her enjoyment, that's all it was to her. So he said nothing, and walked back to his home in Ordan where he laid his things down to get ready for sleep. But the imp was impatient and tried to stop him.

"What do you think you're doing, boy?" clear and plain agitation in her tone, "So what? You think just because we're done in the forest means you can call it a day? Get up now!"

"Or what," he scoffed, brushing the imp off, "You'll kill me? Your threats are empty, you know that? You won't do anything besides bite my head off at any wrong turn. We leave at dawn."

She contemplated his words, and heaved a heavy sigh to know he was right. This made Midna livid at his recourse.

"He's supposed to be my servant, my errand boy, not the other way around. Since when did he get the idea he could talk back to his master."

Link smirked at the silence and fell into slumber soon after. The imp hated that the man she designated as her servant made her shut up so effectively, but he was right. She wouldn't hurt him because she needed him, which Link was well aware of at this point.

"Fine then, fool, but you won't like what happens next." With that she retreated to his shadow

"Hero chosen by the gods my ass. He'll always be nothing to me no matter how high his light deities put him on a pedestal."

Midna then found herself drifting into sleep herself, as much as she hated to admit it to herself, she did need some rest, but she would never let him know he was right. She'd get him back. Link was plagued with horrible nightmares of the children he failed to save being cut down and served as meat. They never stopped and never seized to strike fear into his heart. Because of this he was startled awake early, but he felt rested enough to keep going, and so he got ready.

Midna was jolted awake suddenly, hearing Link wake up and put his gear on startled her. Was it already dawn? Then she remembered she had a bone to pick with him.

"Hey!" she yelled at him, facing him with direct eye contact. But he didn't listen, he wasn't in the mood and just wanted to get this over with so as to be rid of this nuisance. He noticed she wasn't following however.

"You coming or not?" he asked, back still turned towards the imp as her fury only grew. She chose to hold back on blowing up at him though, so as to not ruin the surprise. The thought made her giggle with glee and without saying a word, she flew back into the hero's shadow.

With Epona gone and Hyrule field ridden with monsters, the hero knew this would not be an easy journey to the second twilight patch. About a 2 days long trek to Eldin's spring, he would need to plan his steps well.

Hyrule field was as large as it was dense, unfortunately. Though he did not have as much trouble with enemies as he thought he would have had to deal with, the walk was excruciating. The walls of twilight never felt like they were getting any closer and Link was exhausted. Midna was anxiously waiting for the moment he would ask for her help, to which she would swiftly say no. But it never came. Night glossed over the field, Link would need to plan his moves better here.

Skeletal dogs suddenly began appearing from the ground and immediately charged at Link. He dispatched of the group with ease and continued onward until another group, larger this time, appeared to him. Link charged head on, swinging his sword at his foes, each going down with one swift strike of his blade. One, however, got to him and took a sharp bite in his arm. Link winced in pain and stabbed the dog through its skull, collapsing to a pile before the hero.

Link looked at his arm, the dog cut a deep gash through it. It was bleeding a lot and could get infected, but he didn't have any bandages with him- he would need to hurry to the twilight wall. But his shadow objected, seeing the whole battle take place.

"You're not really planning on going on, are you? You're so stupid! These dogs you've been fighting will only continue to attack you until it's day again. We need to stay somewhere safe you idiot!"

Link turned around to face the angry imp, and made a smirk that made her blood boil.

"What would an imp, a coward, who does nothing but hide in my shadow know what is safe and what isn't? You never have to put yourself in danger while I carry out your task. I will get this done, but I will do it my way, you got that?"

Midna wanted to speak, no, she wanted to scream at this man of the light world. Did he know of her past? If he did, how did he find out? But those thoughts quickly answered themselves. How dare he speak to her in such an insulting manner. He didn't have the first idea of what she's been through to get here. Out of anger and sadness, the imp chose to remain silent, lest she do something she would regret later. Seeing she had no response, Link turned toward his goal.

"I'm going, you can stay here, or you can follow me, it's your choice."

"Don't move one step, boy," Link's words pushed her over the edge, and Midna's composure was thrown out the window. Link turned around fearlessly, hearing her anger simply amused him rather than striking fear. The hero sat down, resting his hands on his knees and stared at this imp who followed him, stone cold. Seemingly in tandem with their fight, it began to rain throughout the field. Neither paid it any attention.

"Who are you to call me a coward. You think just because your goddesses say you're some "chosen hero" that you're any special? You haven't got the faintest idea in hell what I have been through to get to this point! You need me, you need my help to get you anywhere close to saving those children. Do not think you can push me around, you arrogant fool. You will regret it, trust me."

Midna was angry, insulted, but most of all ashamed. The hero could see it in her eyes. Link averted his gaze from the imp and scoffed, annoyingly coming to grips with what she'd said. He did need her, she was his only gateway into the twilight realms, to finding the children. But this did not distract him from the fact that she needed him too for whatever the reasons were. And so he stood up to meet her gaze, speaking calmly

"Yes, it is true that I need you," Midna smirked for a second at hearing this, seeing she might've brought Link down to where she thought he belonged, but he was still going, "But I know that you need me too. Do not think this one sided."

It was true, she needed him probably more he needed her in all honesty, but she would never tell him that. It would make her seem weak. She made up her mind to continue on with him, but she would not like it. Fading back into his shadow, Midna stayed silent, nothing more to say to Link, she was too angry at the "hero" she was forced to work with.

"Midna…" but he chose not to say anything else, anything he would've said he knew he wouldn't mean it. Still having bitter hatred towards this little imp who had no business thinking she was on a higher pedestal.

True to his word, he kept walking toward Eldin's Province. In total the trip took as long as he anticipated, two days. Now he stood before the menacing walls of twilight, its orange glow dominating even the sunlight. Midna emerged from the hero's shadow and smirked back at him knowing he would become under her domination again.

"So," the imp inquired, "what will you do, mister big important hero?"

"Just take me through, let's get this over with, Midna."

"Ah come on, Twilight isn't that bad is it?" she teasingly asked, trying to mock his dislike of wolf form. "Ah well, I'll bring you in and we'll get the tears like you're so desperate to do."

Midna outstretched her tiny hand to which Link grabbed and followed her in. Link cried out in pain as he felt his bones, tissue, and muscle suddenly rearrange to form the four legged beast he was forced to undertake, then Midna hopped on his back once his transformation was complete.

How degrading, Link said to himself.

"Ah," the imp sighed in relief, "Finally back home, I feel so much more at ease here." She looked down at her mount and grabbed his ear so as to make Link face her.

"You look so much better like this than in those baggy, dusty clothes. As far as I'm concerned, this is your true form," the imp smirked and laughed at the once human now wolf who refused to be like this longer than he had to be. "Now get going, wolf. Wouldn't want to leave those kids waiting would we?"

The twilight was the same orange and black it was in Faron and at Hyrule Castle. Though it was gloomy, the sky reminded him of his world's time of sunset, the hour of twilight most called it. Link chuckled at the irony of its name, now realizing where it stemmed from.

What a coincidence

"Yes, it is, isn't it?" his imp smirked teasingly at him, "You light dwellers don't know the half of it."

Link looked surprised, did she just read his mind?

"Forgot to mention this, but I can hear your thoughts while you're in this form," now wiggling her finger, "You can't hide anything from me anymore, hero. Guess you'd better hurry and get those tears shouldn't you?

Thankfully for Link, he could hear the spirit's cries nearby, just past a large gate that was barred shut and guarded by two twilit bulblins. Clearly they were trying to keep something in, but what could it be? Link saw no other course of action other than to get rid of the demons which lie in his way. He lept at one and bit its head with such force it caved it. Link eyed the second enemy and leapt at it, tearing it's arm clean off. The beast that was the hero spat the arm out, the demon still screeching in pain as the beast ended its misery.

...Wow, that was brutal, the imp thought with a shocked face.

With the gate unguarded, the hero made his over to his prize, but soon found it would not budge open.

"So what will you do now? You can't jump over the gate can you? Oh well," she shrugged her shoulders, trying to sound disappointed, "You might as well give up."

"I'll do this," and Link began digging under the gate's exposed end, ending up on the other side.

Midna smirked at this, "Well, well, well. Guess you're not as stupid as I thought."

Link ignored her though and just ran off, leaving Midna with the demons that grazed the field. Seeing her wolf companion running into town without her, she became afraid of being out in the open alone.

"W-wait for me, stupid!" quickly flying over and forcefully landing on the wolf's back, wanting it to sting, even if it was just a little. Link smiled a little on the inside, amused at the imp's fearful cry.

Following the path set before them, the duo found themselves staring face to face with a small town, called Kakariko village. It was so small, so empty with naught but an inn and a bomb shop with a few empty shacks scattered here and there. No one was roaming outside and the village was so quiet save for the sounds of Link's breath. Suddenly they were attacked by 3 of the shadow beasts to which Link dispatched them quickly. Midna decided to mention that every time he'd killed those things that a portal would open in that area, so now there was a little more of an incentive.

"Blue… eyed… beast…, you have arrived. Shadows have overtaken this once flourishing land of light. Take this vessel, and return the light that was stolen. You have done well to make it this far, brave youth chosen by the gods. Return to me when my light is restored.

Using the last of the goddess' power, the deity revealed the locations of the insects which housed the tears of light which the gods needed. Eight in this town, four in the graveyard, and another eight up Death Mountain. Link chose to begin in the first building that he was presented with. It was a large, round, dome shaped which Link could smell signs of life, they were all too familiar too. Midna smirked, knowing that he just found the children. Link ran over to the home as fast as he could to try and open the door, but it would not budge. Giggling, Midna pointed out a spot they could jump up to, where they would then fall through a hole in the ceiling.

Several of those spirits were all huddled in one place, Link knew these had to have been the children and maybe some of the residents. He focused his senses, and he was correct, here were the children, sitting together which a man and a girl he did not recognize. Besides the eldest man, each one shared the same face of absolute terror on their faces, how it pained Link to see them all in fear.

"Who did it? How did the shadow monsters die," another man with a face shield huddled in the corner questioned, "They didn't seem too impressed with my bombs, whoever or whatever killed them is surely coming after us next."

"Barnes!" The eldest man called his name forcefully, "Do you want to scare the children senseless? They already have enough to endure already. Let them be at ease for now."

"Why would we want to sugarcoat anything? Child or not these, once these beasts find us that's it. We're all dead."

Beth began to sob at the hopelessly blunt man's remarks, she lost hope like he did. It was only a matter of time before its effects would take hold of all the persons present. The eldest man looked angrily at Barnes, but his resolve did not change. The whole thing was horrible to watch for Link and he was about to leave to find what it was he needed to do to help these young kid who were family to him. That was until the youngest of the kids, Colin, stood up. Having a look of ferocity and hope in his eyes, he smiled.

"Link will come for us, I know he will," the young boy said, right fist clenched in front of him, determination filled his voice. Everyone looked at Colin after he'd said that, Beth stopped sobbing, and everyone smiled and Link could see the tension leave the room in its entirety.

"Who is this… Link, you speak of, young man." the eldest man inquired.

Colin faced him, told him of the many great things he saw Link as. A role model, a hero, a brother. The elder smiled at hearing this young man tell the stories of a man he did not know, he enjoyed the sound of hope in Colin's tone.

"He sounds like a good man, I too believe now that he will come to bring us out of fear."

Link had had enough, he didn't understand how these children could still have so much faith in him after what happened at the Ordan Spring. He let them be captured, he let them down, yet not only were they singing his praises, they were putting all their faith into him. It was too much, Link stopped listening to their conversation and trudged onward.

"How sad it must be," Midna chimed tauntingly, "To see your loved ones and listen to them put their faith in you, only for them to not even know you were right by them the whole time."

Link was angry at her statements, but decided against acting on his anger knowing it would be a waste of time and energy. So he paid her no mind like usual. The search for the tears went by quickly with very little opposition. Though, Link did blow up a store-house above the bomb shop on accident. Midna abandoned him there to die if he couldn't make it out, but he paid that no mind either, expecting such a thing from the imp.

The graveyard was no different, little to no opposition found its way to the hero. But he found a strange sealed stone blocking a pathway, it had the mark of Lanayru on it and would not budge. Next to the stone, a strange, rounded stone with a hole in the middle of its body stood. He wasn't sure if Midna could hear it, but Link could hear the faint whistle of a melody, and so Link was drawn to the sounds that came from the stone. Suddenly, upon getting close enough to it, Link felt as though his entire essence was pulled into the stone. He woke back up again on a slab of land seemingly floating in midair. In the distance he could see what looked to be a golden wolf much like the one that seemingly attacked him before entering the forest temple.

Link called out to the wolf, trying to get the attention of the only other living thing he could see in front of him. But it did not work, the wolf did not notice the hero calling out to it from what Link could tell. The golden wolf began howling the melody he'd heard coming from the stone, when it was done, the wolf faced Link.

"Let teachings of old pass on to you. Take sword in hand… and come find me."

The world around Link just seemed to fade away and everything went to black. His conscience returned to him and he was swifty bombarded with the twili imp's persistent nagging.

"You done fainting on me randomly? I'm beginning to think you're way more of a liability than a help to me. Snap to it, wolf!"

Again, he paid her no mind and continued up the mountain where he got the last of the tears. Not before being crushed by a massive slab of volcanic rock that almost fell on top of the two. But the deed was done and the spirit's tears were recovered. Link returned the vessel to its owner and the twilight realm was disbanded, the spirit of light making an audience with Link.

"Hero chosen by the goddesses, I am Din. By order of the deities who created this world, I have guarded the light of this province of land. The dark power you search for is in the sacred mines owned by the Gorons, go there to find what you seek. But be warned, the power you seek has already taken its hold on those who found it."

What the spirit meant, Link did not know for sure, but he was determined to get the treasure which the imp needed for reasons still unknown to him. Which his true form returned, he was ready. But he was stopped by the elder he remembered seeing comforting the children.

"Link!" he heard Colin shout and saw him running towards the hero. Link bent down and embraced the child he saw as his own little brother in a tight hug.

"I knew you would come back! I just knew you would!" A tear swept down the boy's cheek.

"I've heard a lot about you, Link. These children are very fond of you it seems." The man said tenderly, extending his hand out to Link for a handshake. Link followed and shook his hand

"My name is Renado, I am the shaman of this village. I'm sure you're wondering how these children got here, yes?"

Link nodded, he had been wanting the answer to this question for the last week and a half.

"I could hardly believe it myself, but I found the children alone out in the field. They happened to be lucky enough I was traveling from the forest gathering herbs with my daughter. I took them with me back to this village, but those black beasts appeared and we hid inside the sanctuary you see here." Pointing towards the same dome shaped building Link remembered all too well.

"I asked the eldest, Beth, where they came from. She'd said they were from Ordan, but that's on the other side of Hyrule Field! Is this true?"

Link nodded again, "Yes, I myself am from Ordan as well. These children were taken by beasts near our spirit's spring. It seems they escaped from the ogre's grasp and were lost out in the fields. I am very grateful for you taking them into your hospitality."

"There is no need for thanks," the shaman said in complete humility, "it simply felt like the right thing to do"

"Well, understand that I am indebted to you for what you have done for them. You've saved their lives, Renado."

The shaman smiled, but was too humble to really accept what he'd said. He looked to Link to speak to him again, but noticed he was looking upwards towards Death Mountain.

"Can I ask you a question?" Renado asked in curiosity, "Do you seek something in the mountain near our village?"

Link was taken aback by this, but thought it good to go with it. Maybe he'd get some much needed info out of this.

"How'd you know that?" he asked, flustered and surprised at just how the shaman knew he needed to go there.

The shaman laughed, amused at how Link could not see how obvious it was to a keen eye like his.

"You gaze at the mountain with a need, I could see that from a mile away, young warrior."

"I seek to find the Goron Mines, inside there is a treasure I must find. I believe it has the answer to what's causing the monster attacks throughout Hyrule. Do you know where it would be?"

Renado was amazed at the fearlessness at this young man, but there was something Link did not know about the Mountains recently. The shaman knew he would be sending the boy to his death if he went without this information.

"Link, before I send you on your way, you need to know this. For the longest time, the Gorons have been friends to this village. It was an alliance, we'd let them live in the mountains where they have stayed for generations. But in return they would give us materials needed for weapons and would provide us protection from threats attacking the village. In the last few months however, the Gorons began to act strangely. The normally friendly and kind hearted mountain men began seeing humans as foes rather than friends like they once did. No humans are allowed up on the mountain anymore and there isn't much we can do about it. The Gorons are a race of immense strength."

"So what do I need to do, Renado?"

Renado shook his head, "I'm not so sure, Link. Strong as you might be, you are no match for a Goron in strength. Unless... "

"Unless what?"

"Go into the sanctuary, I have an item for you. It was owned previously by an old friend, through the use of this item he gained the trust of the Gorons by beating them in their tests of strength. He left the item in there."

Link did as the shaman said, inside he found a chest he figured would have such what he was talking about. Link opened the chest and found a pair of what looked to be normal boots, that is until he picked them up. Each one had to have weighed a hundred pounds!

No wonder whoever used these was able to beat the Gorons

Link stored them in his magic satchel and felt the weight disappear soon after. The hero walked about outside to face Renado again. He thanked the shaman for his kindness again. He said goodbye to the kids, telling them he was heading up to the mountain and that he would be back soon.

"Ugh, about time," the hero's shadow suddenly appeared in front of him once he was out of sight of everyone else, "I thought you were going to talk that shaman to death, at least something good came out of it though. Let's put those boots to the test shall we?"

For a second time, Link agreed on something the imp had to say and he smiled, ready to ascend the mountain.