The Legend of Zelda: The Missing Link

Chapter 20: The Twilight Realm

Link slowly meandered through the rubble of the Twilight Palace, looking for any sign of Midna he could find in the wreckage. The whole area looked bleak, weary, and forgotten, especially drowning in the orange glow of the Twilit sky. He felt the emptiness that Midna had left behind grow within him, and he could almost scream. Why had she left him? He knew the answer to this question but he chose to ask it, again and again. Link knew exactly why she left. But he still asked; maybe he was trying to convince himself it was for the better. Maybe he just wanted a different, more acceptable answer. He didn't know.

The air smelled of ash and sorrow; Link breathed it in deeply, as it reminded him of him and Midna's first meeting. He wished desperately that he could just reach down into the rubble of the Palace and pull up a map that led him to her. The feelings that Midna had left him with were more than he knew how to deal with-after all, he was just a simple ranch-hand that was thrust into this world of heroism and greatness. He didn't care for the fame, or even the adventure itself, really; he cared about the time he spent with Midna. It was now that Link started to realize where his true adventuring spirit came from: it was something that wasn't in him, but in Midna. He only ever wanted to move forward in his quest because Midna was there beside him, because both her land and his were in peril. He would do it all again, he would travel the world while carrying it on his back, risk his life several times over, even face off with a hoard of goddamn Cuccos if it meant reuniting with his love.

That's what she is, Link realized. His love. His one and only true love. He never noticed it before, but his feelings for her were too great to just be ones of friendship. His heart ached, longing for her company, even more for the feeling of her touch. The two had not often embraced or even shook hands, but the few times that Midna had leaned on his shoulder, or reached out to rest her small hand on his face, Link felt a fire stronger than the magic of Din spread through his body, and the effects of it lingered for long afterward. When he witnessed Ganondorf crush the Fused Shadow that Midna had always worn atop her head, just the thought that she could be hurt or possibly even dead enraged Link to no end. It gave him the strength to plunge the Master Sword deep into the chest of the Demon King. Afterwards, when he saw that silhouette against the twilit sky, the imp-like shape that could only belong to her, he could feel his heart leap out of his chest, watching as the Light Spirits surrounded her and restored her true form. He clearly remembered barreling towards her, desperate for reconciliation. He remembered thinking that she was even more beautiful in her true form, with her long neck, bright red eyes, sharp facial features, billowing cloak, Twilight-patterned skin; standing before him, he felt as though he was in the presence of a true goddess.

His feelings for Midna helped to explain why Link was still searching for her rather than Ganondorf. He knew in his heart that he needed to protect Hyrule-after all, he was the hero chosen by the goddesses. But he could never ignore the fire in his heart, the rage, anguish, emptiness. He pushed aside all logic in favor of following his emotions, something that he wasn't used to doing.

So here he was, desperate to find his other half, stumbling through rubble and despair while clutching to the small hope of finding her again. Gripping tightly to his last memories of her and sailing off from there.