Luminescence

The Moon's Many Craters

Two minutes later, an alarm, like the call of warbling birds, screeched across the realms.

"That was quick." said Jasmeen flatly.

Link said nothing. Luna's head hung down off the star's arm and the stone on her forehead barely glowed at all. Her skin had faded to the point even Jasmeen and Link stood out more than her in the twilight. The tall man had taken the time at the edge of the island to clean the blood from her chin with the edge of his rectangular robe, but her lips were still dyed a stark scarlet. He wanted to say something about how badly she looked, how desperately she needed help. But all he could do was swallow past his iron tight throat. Every part of him ached, but not out of any physical exertion. His mind buzzed loudly with violent anxiety, stopping any thought or words from being strung together correctly. Luna, Midna, white wings, dark cape, suns and stars—nothing really made sense anymore. But when had it ever?

Besides all that, they could already make out the flying forms of monsters with Twili riders upon their backs. Jasmeen turned his attention to the masked Twili about him and bowed. The next thing Link couldn't make out, for Jasmeen spoke to them in their tinkling language. They bowed their heavy heads back to him.

"I hate to ask," he said, hearing his voice as though from a distance, "but how are we going to get out of here?"

In answer, Jasmeen waved awkwardly underneath Luna to the Twili and they immediately turned around to face the oncoming birds. He then turned to Link and held out Luna.

"Take her. Quickly, mortal."

Link accepted her. Her wings felt surprisingly fragile folded up in his arms. He shrugged her head onto his shoulder, sending waves of her sandy white hair down his chest and back. The star raised his hands.

The Twili behind them fell into a gallop.

"We will only have a few seconds." he said. "When I open the portal, move."

The hero nodded. With this Jasmeen lifted those long fingered hands above his head and clapped them. The sound of the clap came out sharp as thunder and a small, doorway sized hole appeared before them. On the other side he could see the western bridge over Lake Hylia.

He leapt forward. At the last moment he thought of Midna, still waiting behind him, probably aghast that he had vanished. Taking Luna must have been the last straw of betrayal for her.

And that made him hesitate.

But by the time he could turn around, before he could really even consider what mess he was leaving behind, the portal had disappeared and the deep blue of predawn sky twinkled down at him. The sound of the lake hushed around him ever so quietly. It smelt of dew.

Besides him, the star stood, tall and grim.

"I will take her now."

He didn't know what made him do it, but he took a step back from him, clutching Luna to his chest. A sickening ache within him couldn't let go to the softness. Not after what he gave up for it. And he couldn't leave her hurt, he couldn't leave her with her last memory of him being dragged up by Twili after hearing about his intimacy with Midna.

"No. We need to take her to the spring first to heal."

The skin around the star's petrifying eyes hardened, and his brow lowered.

"We can heal her just fine, mortal."

"What if she doesn't want to be go back with you to the sky?"

"I'm not taking her back to the sky. She is too mortal now to do such. I am taking her where it is safe, and where we can work that out."

"Where?"

Jasmeen's lips pulled back to show his teeth—all perfectly white. "That is none of your business."

"Still, let her wake up. She...she did come to me, after all. I think she should decide on her own when she leaves. I don't think we should force her."

The star snorted. "Why do you care? You care not for this girl, let alone her feelings. If you had you would have released her ages ago."

"For the last time, I didn't have any choice in that matter! I tried! Just because Midna and I are...whatever we are—"

"I don't want to hear your sniveling excuses. You knew the girl's feelings for you, I presume. She has always been carelessly open and honest, and look how you have protected that vulnerability. She wouldn't have sung herself into this state if it hadn't been to save you in some way or form, and how do you repay her? Romancing another right in front of her."

Link took the abuse. Of course he was all too aware of what he had done. That was part of the reason he held to her so tightly, almost desperately, till he could feel a feather poking into his side. He had to make things right. He had to fix this. He had to fix something. Besides, whatever guilt or harm Jasmeen wished to dish out, he deserved it. It was he who had been foolish and careless, not Luna.

"I still am taking her to the spring." he said. "She's not doing too good. And...it's the least I can do." he couldn't meet those white eyes. "Please."

The silver-blue man considered him with a tight mouth and even tighter, angrier lines in the way his hands clenched and his shoulders hunched up. Finally, he gave a loud sigh.

"Very well. But once she awakens she is coming with me. That is final."

Link's hold on Luna didn't lessen. Nor did he lift his head.

"Thank you."