Chapter 22: Time

Time is running out for Link and Midna, but they're lucky to get a boost from a new friend. But will it be enough?

The next morning, it'd been a struggle to leave. Harold- whom Midna was sure had the mind of a child, or was maybe just a very overgrown child- began to full-blown sob when he realized it was time for his newfound friends to go back on their quest.

Harold was on his knees most of the time, hands clasped together like a prayer.

 "Oh, please, oh please? STAY! PLEASE!" He would go from whining softly and sadly, to screaming in his fear of loneliness.

In utter honesty, Midna felt bad for him, despite being rude the night before. 

It wasn't personal, it was just her own emotions playing with her. Maybe because she played with her own emotions so much...

But yes, Harold had gotten on the furry crook of his legs, and begged, pleaded for them to stay. Midna nearly did each time it got to much, but then she'd remember what was more important. 

Clenching her fists, she knew she had to save Hyrule, and-  even tried to explain to Harold, it might be the best for him too.

The Gods would be ruthless. She could feel it. It was best to go, even if Harold's tears may, or may not have broken her heart.

"I'm sorry," Midna had said, "we have to go- for the safety of everyone... and that includes you, Harold! Our new best friend!"

That made him cry even more. He pounded his icy blue fists on the cave floor, wailing.

He then explained the only other friend he'd ever had, was a sweet, cute mouse.

It even had a sleepover with him, and apparently, it'd been great! Then he'd woken up the next morning, and was going to make them a wonderful breakfast...

Then he stepped on him.

Poor Harold.

And so, both Midna and Link had promised there newfound friend, that'd they'd come back for him, to visit. And even take him to visit Hyrule.

At this confirmation, he lit up. "R-really?" He stuttered joyously. His overbite stood out, grinning. His red eyes that seemed threating the sunset before, were now adorably excited. "Ooh! I'm so excited! And I can meet your friends, and they can be friends with me!" He smiled, 

Link grinned and nodded, unsure if that'd be possible. But he wasn't going to tell him that. And before they left, Harold swept them up in his big furry arms and hugged them- or as Midna would probably say- strangled them.

After several, long choking seconds, he let them go, saying goodbye millions of times, watching them walk away..

Finally, they walked outside, alone, and smiled at each other. Link was more laughing, and Midna was more exasperated. But nonetheless, they looked upward at their higher destination, feeling as if they'd been in that cave for a month. 

Breathing a sigh, Midna said, "well, it'll be a long journey up there..." she began, and Link wondered if she was gonna end it with some generic speech of encouragement. "I just wonder how long," she pondered, genuinely nervous, it seemed.

"Yeah... it might be time to start rushing things-" "Yeah, but rushing things on a mountain?" Midna frowned desperately, turning to him. 

"That could only end up badly, and you know- we know that best," Midna said, gaze serious. Link stared back for a few seconds, but then nodded himself, looking down. 

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I just feel like we took enough detours already, and I'm kind of anxious to get up there," Link admitted, shrugging his shoulders as he brought his gaze to the top of the Mountain. It was so high, they couldn't see it... but Midna was feeling the Twilight Power ebbing and growing each footstep they took up there. 

They'd yet to move forward today, though of course. But they WERE slowly edging away from the sobbing Yeti's cave. He howled, and wailed, screeched-!

Wait, where were the howling and wailing and screeching?

The companions seemed to notice it at the same time and stared at each other. Was Harold okay...? 

The only thing Link knew at that moment, was that he'd be incredibly offended if Harold got over his 'best, truest, silliest friends' THAT fast.

But the sound of stomping getting louder and closer to them made the two of them jump. Was the beast coming back to capture them to be friends forever? 

"You need to get up the mountain faster?" Harold shouted, bursting out of the cave. Link and Midna were barely turning around, when they were tightly grabbed and squeezed, by two ginormous blue fists. 

"Hey! Let us down!" Midna struggled, wriggling around. Link was frozen in confusion. 

"Here-we-GO, BUDDIES!" As he yelled the last two words, he flung them back, then up! He let go, and Link and Midna were alone in the air, flying north, panicking and yelling. 

"LINK!" The Hylian heard Midna yell. Harold had thrown with a force Link had not yet felt in his lifetime till now. It was silly to think so at that moment, but Link was wondering how good Harold would be as a guardian or even fighting. 

But the last thing he wanted was for poor, innocent Harold to be hurt. 

Or worse. Or even kill on his own! Harold would hate that more than anything. Well, maybe unless they were hurting his friends.

Here was Link, thinking ever so casually, while Midna flailed her arms and screamed, scared of falling. You see, Link was ever so used to this. Ever since his last cannon trip, he didn't mind this so much, which was a rather pleasant surprise, because he used to hate it. 

But that's when he felt his head hit a branch, and the rustled through them and landed on some sort of solid ground after what felt like forever.

Both fell on their bums, and Link barely registered it, but Midna was breathing heavily, as he hands clasped onto the grass they'd landed on.

"Why, thank you, Harold!" Link shouted from all the way up there, as he leaned over the edge to see him But he was the tiniest speck of white, in all that snow, and 

Link could barely make him out. How far had they gone? 

"You're welcome!" Harold shouted happily back.

There was a moment of silence, as Link smiled downwards, then he pulled back, smiling at Midna. It dropped suddenly as he saw the dizzy, scared look on his poor companion's face. "Oh, jeez. Sorry, Midna," he apologized. "I forgot. Are you alright?" he asked, scooching to her. He stared as her wide and muddled eyes stared ahead.

Link stood up after a moment and looked around. Luckily, they were out of the snow, and icy habitat. 

They were in a lusher green and rocky type of setting. 

"He threw us a couple of days of travelings worth up," he realized aloud, turning around. He faced the top of the mountain now and that's when he realized... If they kept traveling NOW, they'd be there in about two more days. 

"Midna, LOOK!" "Link, LOOK!" 

They shouted at the exact same time. They whipped around to face each other, and that's when they both saw exactly what the other was yelling about. Midna gazed at the top ever so close, and she could feel the sword in her palms already. She gasped. "We're almost there!" 

"But the view!" Link shouted, looking at what Midna had yelled about.

The view was amazing. Rows of mountains, of trees, deserts, new lands they had yet to explore! But... what would it look like at the very top? It already took his breath away, and he didn't want the air to leave his lungs forever.

As Link stared he was reminded... this is why he loves adventure so much. You never know what could happen, how long you live. So that's why you have to live like you're gonna die. There's no other way. And he loved this, he loved it all, even if he was a target of some Gods, somehow he felt stronger then them. 

At this moment, he most definitely did.

And Midna was more than ready, her head tilted up, holding her very own breath. This was it. In the very next few days, she'd have it in her grasp, and her wish would come true. She would be able to protect Link from anything. Even the Gods. 

Anything that so much as dares to grimace at him, had to go through her first. Maybe it was a silly thought she wouldn't be thinking at the beginning of this year, but it was almost a new year now... and things changed.

No matter how hard she had tried to stop them from doing so.

Turning back to each other at the same time, they found themselves smiling, grinning even. Midna tried to drop hers, ever so secretive about her feelings as always. But Link's was appearing to be superglued on. And he nodded at her. 

"Ready?" 

She shrugged. "More than ever."

"Then let's go."

-----

Zelda ever so anxiously paced her throne room. Something was wrong. It was unreasonable to ask, but Link and Midna better hurry. Or else, even if something wasn't wrong, the world would be turned over soon. Her shoes clicked on new bricks, and it reminded her, her efforts had returned some vigor to Hyrule, and most certainly Castle Town.

But praise to herself wasn't distracting her from the pain in her heart, knowing something bad was about to happen. And every single time she'd felt that she'd been right. And this time it was regarding the only two people who could save Hyrule. 

So, she better trust it.

But she bent and fiddled with her fingers, then kept holding her breath and letting it go. Everything felt unbalanced, and she was dizzy. Then, she wondered, am I just exaggerating, from a bad feeling in my heart? She wondered. 

That was when she realized, the unsure feeling had grown in her heart and settled then in her very soul. 

Nearly gasping in her breaths, she paused her pacing for a second, and though she knew what was wrong was ever so real, the princess told herself to take a second, and realize it's never as bad as your mind makes it out to be. Her father and mother always told her that.

But right now, she thought, as she sat exhaustingly upon her throne, how could she ever believe that? Sighing as heavily as she could, she buried her face in her hands, and she realized she was shaking. Was she being cowardly? 

If that was true, then what was this feeling. She was scared! For the lives of the two people... the only who could save Hyrule. The thought gave her the chills. 

Suddenly, doubtfully, she wondered if she should really put her faith in those two.

Shouldn't it be Zelda and Link? But, ah yes, if it was, this wouldn't even be happening.

If Midna had just stayed put, gone back if Link had-

No. She couldn't think like that! And they were the two heroes, even if Midna got little to no credit. But maybe she preferred it that way.

Sighing once again, Zelda readjusted her legs and realized how incredibly dry her mouth was. She pulled herself up from the red throne when a booming noise threw her back in shock.

She choked, her gasp caught in her throat when in one blink the Gods appeared above her, and Zelda could feel their anger. She stared up at them. "I-I-" she began to stutter.

"Zelda..." Ordona spoke. It's calm tone greatly contradicted the feeling that surrounded them. Their radiant light shimmered around them like a blanket Zelda had forgotten. Its voice rung through the air instilling a calm within Zelda, peace... as long everything were to stay the same. But she shook it off, frightened. 

It was a truly wicked form. Zelda stared at them in fake puzzlement. "Where are... Link and Midna?" Ordona's voice ever so gentle still boomed around the room.

The fear in Zelda made moisture well up in her eyes as she fought to speak, but she was forced to look away and blink back the fearful tears. 

The stag like creature lifted it's head higher, prouder. "O, royal youth," its voice was strong. Zelda thought she'd never been able to pull away from this fear. "You are one of the many royalties that have protected Hyrule. Save Hyrule."

"The blackness will soon spread. It will come to seize the light you and I yield." 

Zelda listened close. 

"The entire kingdom," it said, "will be reduced to a hell ruled, by a fusion of light and darkness. And if you do not tell us, we will not be able to save Hyrule."

"But-"

"The entire world will fall into eternal darkness, and pain. To save this land, we need to send Midna home. But they have already made it clear, that won't happen."

"But that doesn't-"

"There is but one who can persuade them, and redeem the world now... you."

Zelda stares in confusion at this. What would she say now? She was to change their minds? How could she trick them?

"They have still not unleashed the full evil," Ordona hummed. "Hyrule will be transformed by darkness and will not recover."

Zelda squinted. So they wanted Link and Midna apart... forever. "If you are to send them back, now- then, we will find the means to regain Hyrule to its normal state."

But... Link and Midna were already gone? But, she would never do that! The Gods were wrong. She merely had to create a white lie. 

She nodded. "I have a meeting with them soon. I'll convince them."

"Where... are they?"

Zelda froze. Damn it. "They're ou-out. Just adventuring. I'm unsure of their whereabouts-"

"Finding the Twilight Sword?"

The Princess panicked. "No-no, no- I don't"

With that, the light spirits of the Gods burst apart in a spectacle of bright lights. Their animal forms disappeared, and the orbs dissipated into the air with them. Everything grew quiet but left Zelda with a bigger storm than before.

Anxiety coursed through the entirety of Zelda's being. There had to be a way to stop them.  She had to be fast, run with her heart pulsing. It was almost hopeless. She looked around. Or was it? She ran to a draw of hers and found a blue instrument of hers, she had found in the water around Castle Town.

She pulled out a book, filled with musical notes, and went to the section of weather.

The sheer fear and hope that engulfed her now meant everything. Every prayer of saving Link and Midna.

Author's Note

Uh ohhhh... What book is Zelda even looking at? Hmmm. All rights go to Nintendo besides my own stuff!