The Legend of Ilia

~Chapter 21~ The Complication

Shortly after my explanation, Midna, Link, and I prepared to exit the Twilight Realm through the Mirror of Twilight portal.

"All these years, and it's back," she said resentfully. "Two questions. First, how in the world did you manage this?"

"The Sage of Shadow and her descendant combined their powers," I explained.

"Okay..." Midna replied unsurely. "Second of all, Link, why are you wearing that ridiculous armor? Green kind of suited you."

The prince looked down at his shiny, golden tunic. "Oh yeah... While you were gone, I kind of married Princess Zelda."

Midna snickered, then hit his shoulder playfully, while saying, "Link, you dog!"

Link blushed intensely.

"Princess, Link, we have to go," I told them urgently. "The world is waiting."

Without further ado, the three of us exited the realm by evaporating into bits of black dust. We reappeared on the imaginary walkway that linked from the Mirror to the portal.

Zelda, who appeared to have been waiting anxiously, walked over to Link and threw her arms around him, but said nothing. She seemed to be one of few words.

"Princess Zelda. It's nice to see you again," declared Midna, grinning.

Zelda kept her same stony, dignified expression. "I'm glad you made it back, Midna." Her eyes seemed wistful, yet no tears shed.

"Princess Midna!" cried Saria. "We are almost out of time!"

"But, Saria," I interrupted thoughtfully, "can't we just use the Song of Time?"

"No," she huffed. "We Sages are not bound by time. Our fate draws near, no matter what time it is."

Saria called everyone to stand in a circle around her, all except for me.

"What about Impaz?" Agitha piped up.

"We shall use her body in the ritual. It still houses her Sage power and ability. Impa, do you mind hauling her next to Agitha?"

Impa gave one nod and dragged Impaz' lifeless body next to Agitha, and suddenly the ground was emblazoned with a circle pattern. Each Sage descendant stood in one circle.

Saria called Zelda, Link, and Midna -- the Triforce wielders -- into the center of the circles. A giant Triforce symbol appeared, and each of them stood in a different triangle.

"Perfect. Now everyone repeat after me..."

Saria called out a chant that sounded like it was another language. The nine people, not including Impa, repeated the hex. Finally, the chamber lit up. Each element, water, fire, Forest, spirit, shadow, and light, contributed. And the three Triforce components added to the formula.

The light of morning overhead darkened, and only four of the six pillars started to glow. Impa returned to her stand reluctantly, leaving Impaz behind. Her pillar was then illuminated brightly.

Just as Saria was about to walk to the sixth pillar, when on of the pillars' shine faltered, then died away completely. A Goron had awoken. He held a massive hammer in his hand. I knew this to be Darunia, Darbus' ascendant and the Sage of Fire.

"Darunia..." the Sage of Forest began.

The Goron's speech was garbled and demonic as he swung his hammer at her.

"I...must...have...the Triforce!"