Epilogue

From the Royal Records

Their story amazes me even today, thirty years after recording it. No doubt some of it has been lost over the years, but nevertheless it remains the prized possession of the Royal Library.

I finally have the time to record the many events of the past decade. To begin, Link and Queen Midna assented to let me step down as High Chancellor and become full-time Royal Historian. Shortly thereafter, Princess Mystearica, who had long been courted by one of Hyrule's finest knights, Colin of Ordon, left for Hyrule. A year later, the two were married. I was told it was a joyous occasion; I cannot say if it was, as only the Royal Family ventured to the realm of Light to witness the event. It is rumored that the princess and her knight faced a deadly quest at one point, but I have neither been able to confirm or deny these rumors. Prince Eirias will ascend to the throne in a week's time. Both the king and queen wish for it to be so; he has proven to be a fair, virtuous ruler thus far, and both Link and the queen wish to retire to the peace of the palace. I believe that they leave the kingdom in capable hands. The Fierce Deity Mask, which held the spirit of the vengeful god Oni, was recovered only a week after Link's return. It was immediately sliced in half by the king, never to be worn by anyone again. "Oni should never have the chance to manipulate anyone else" were his exact words after the pieces had been thrown into the darkest part of the palace. I cannot agree with our king more; the damage he caused in that alternate timeline is beyond anything words can describe.

Not all has gone well these past years, though. Link seems to have lost the ability to turn into a wolf; if Zant's corrupted version of Twilight still existed, I shudder to think what might happen to him. His strength seems to be waning, as well; whether that be due to the loss of the Triforce of Courage or old age, I cannot say. His wounds now heal at a normal rate, and his skills have begun to lose their edge. It is good that we live in a time of peace; war would spell the end of a hero fallen from the grace of the Goddesses. Queen Midna's magical prowness has dropped significantly; Majora's verses, the most destructive of spells, are now out of her reach. The Fused Shadows remain dormant despite her best efforts to awaken them. It appears that her death and resurrection cost her much of her power, but nevertheless she remains a formidable sorceress.

There is a troubling piece of news that has reached my ears via the Royal Family, and I thought to record it here. A fell wind, its origin unknown, seems to be blowing across Hyrule. It is an ill omen; as bound as we Twili are to the light, what will happen to our beloved Twilight if Hyrule falls? It is a question that none can answer, and all have no wish to know.

The queen has brought something to my attention, and I believe she has a point. As I read over the lines of these volumes -- from the defeat of Ganondorf to the shattering of the Triforce of Courage -- I cannot help but deem it necessary to give these tales a suitable title. After much deliberation, I have decided upon one. The light dwellers, Hylians I should say, have their legends of the Princesses Zelda and their champions; it is only fitting that we Twili, the shadows of the light, have legends as well. And what better title than one that includes the name of the Twilian who began it all? The queen who fought alongside her love to end Zant's tyranny, who brought down the sorcerer Majora and sacrificed her life to defeat Oni, and whose king defied death itself to bring her back. None can deny that she is at the center of these tales that will soon become legends among our people. Without a doubt, her story shall be told throughout the ages.... for this is The Legend of Midna.

Royal Historian

Balore

A/N: And so, after 2 years of writing, The Legend of Midna has finally come to an end.

To all the former Nsiders and Nsider2ers who are reading this: Thanks, you guys. You were the first (but certainly not the last) to encourage me to keep on writing this story, and I thank you for sticking with this story even in the long periods of draught (i.e. between chapters) began to appear.

To all who reviewed: I can't thank you enough for reviewing this story. It has been a pleasure reading (and sometimes responding to) them, and to be honest, they kept me going at the very end. I think it's safe to say that without you guys, this story would have had a slim chance of finishing. So thank you for reading and replying with words of encouragement and critique.

To my beta: You know who you are. Thanks for sticking with me and bothering to proof/critique the chapters even when you were busy, and for discussing ideas and holding random conversations with me. And thanks in general for being awesome.

To everyone: Thanks for everything! If you have any questions about the story, drop a review or a PM and I'll get back to you (hopefully within a week...)