The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Queen

The Golden Shade

"Ahhhhh!" Link screamed as he landed on a floor made of soft clouds. It was like landing on pillows, he sunk in and was embraced by the fluffy white. When he stood, the ground became solid and flat enough for him to stand, but retained its cloud-like appearance.

"A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage," a voice that sounded old as time and creaked like rusted metal spoke.

"I'd like to see you fall from a height like that after being caught off guard," Link muttered under his breath, unable to help himself, and turned around to face his opponent.

"A hero should never be caught off guard." The one who spoke was tall and wore rusted metal armor so old that moss had taken up residence in the cracks. He had one eye, a haunting red that stood out against the white of his skull. The other eye was missing, but he hadn't told Link why. Back in the distance behind him, there stood a beautiful castle floating above the clouds.

"It's good to see you too." Link smiled politely and bowed his head. "It's been a while..."

"There is no time for idle chit chat, Twilight. Once again, you have become a disgrace to the proud green you wear."

"As I've told you before, it's Link," he said with a sad sigh. Of course he was a disgrace again! He would never be good enough... Not to mention, the 'proud green' he wore was tattered and torn and ripped and in general very disrespected. "I've already mastered all your seven hidden skills, there is nothing more you can teach me."

"You have a new threat, do you not? You are in need of a new skill to combat this foe?"

"I suppose." He shrugged. It wasn't really the foe that was the problem, it was getting to the foe.

"I have communed with the Goddesses. They have permitted me to grant you magic so that you may use the grounding pendant."

"I need magic to use the grounding pendant?"

"Yes."

"Hmm... I think I can figure this out on my own, but thank you for the offer." Training with the Hero's Shade usually resulted in Link getting badly injured. Last time, which was a long time ago, he'd failed to perform a skill he'd perfected on other monsters and had somehow managed to get horribly dizzy and take a blow on the head. It wasn't an experience he was too eager to relieve. Plus, he wanted to get back to the Twilight Realm sooner rather than later. He didn't want to worry Midna.

"Do you jest? To think you could gather the necessary amount of magic on your own is laughable, especially without a vessel to carry it in." The Hero's Shade did laugh, its armor shaking up and down and its helmeted head raised to the sky like a howling wolf.

"I don't understand what's so funny," Link mumbled, looking down to his feet in embarrassment. He hadn't meant to be funny...

"When you are stretched across time like I am, humor does not need to make sense," came the Hero's Shade's reply in a second of rest between laughter.

Link thought for a moment, then asked, "If you were a hero like me... Does that mean the Goddesses gave you control of time?"

"Maybe in another life, one where I left behind everyone I loved... Now I bridge the gaps between timelines. Watching, waiting. Enough talk. Kingdoms have fallen, been rebuilt and fallen again in the time we have spent speaking of nothing."

"Dramatic," Link mumbed and shifted to fighting stance out of habit.

"Hold out your hand." Link did. The Hero's Shade grabbed a dagger decorated with a silver hilt and carefully slit Link's palm. Biting his lip to keep from crying out, Link watched as the past hero drew a spiral in his blood.

"There." Link didn't feel any different, other than a little dizzy. "Try using the pendant now." Link grabbed the pendant from where he had quickly placed it in an empty pocket. It wasn't broken, thankfully. The glass filled with specks of silver hummed in his hand. It hadn't done that before...

"Using the pendant, you must give it magic and purpose. To do so, search inside yourself. Perhaps even close your eyes. Imagine the place you want to go. Picture it in detail. Now imagine you are there. Make it reality." Link did as he was told, closing his eyes. He pictured the Light Realm, particularly the Great Bridge of Hylia. He imagined the bricks that composed the bridge and the weedy grass that swayed at its base. He wasn't sure how to make it reality though. He tried to think of it like a memory, like it was something he'd seen when he was there. That didn't work. He tried to act like he was already there, but that wasn't it either. Finally, he used his courage to help him believe he was there. That worked perfectly.

The clouds beneath him rumbled and shook with tremors, like they'd been charged with electricity. The ground was yanked from under Link's feet, then... He was flying! No, he was falling, but it felt like the same thing. Wind rushed about his face and spun his hair around his head. He'd done it!

His falling stopped and his feet found the ground again.

"Good. You have done it." Link opened his eyes. He was not in the Light Realm, the great bridge did not stand towering in front of him. Instead, the stunning castle that floated above the clouds did. Yes, he was still stuck in the cloudy place.

"Why am I still here?" Link asked the Hero's Shade.

"I prevented you from leaving."

"Why? I thought kingdoms were dying and time was of the essence!"

"I wanted to tell you that you had succeeded."

"That wasn't necessary. I would have been able to tell without you saying so."

"And I wanted to give you a warning. Be careful with how often you use this grounding power. It will drain you of your energy and leave you in a weakened state if you over use it without rest. Good luck. You'll need it The trials in store for you, Twilight... I hate to think of the suffering you will face. Of the pain you will be subjected to. So may the Goddesses be with you."

"I... Thank you?" What was he supposed to say to that?

"Farewell, champion of Courage." Something about this goodbye felt more final than usual.

"Wait, will I ever see you again?"

"If you survive." The Shade's helmet nodded.

"Goodbye then..." Tears pricked Link's eyes as he was knocked off his feet and sent tumbling through the air and back to the Twilight Realm.