Chapter 22
A True Hero
With the final blow, brilliant beams of white light radiated from the Master Blade in all directions, dissipating the shadows lodged within, no longer needed, and shattering all shadows cloaking the castle. In that brief but pivotal moment, Hyrule knew peace again, most of its inhabitants ignorant of the true evil that could have befallen it....
Link could not share their bliss though. Ever in his dreams and memories, as he envisioned that brilliant moment of triumph, the dark clouds returned. They returned in the form of her face, floating before him but a final second before she snatched herself from him for all time.
Even Zelda’s declaration: “Truly, she had a good heart,” did not console him by granting a beautiful memory of Midna. Its beauty was marred by the fact that, at the end of all things, such beauty could not be his to hold and treasure forever.
Why? Twas the constant question bombarding his mind night after night as he lay wide awake in his tree house, staring at the stars through the window in his ceiling. They twinkled like old friends, but even their familiar sparkle could not illuminate his lonely heart. Zelda offered him grand honor as chief amongst her guard—an offer he knew she knew he would refuse—but there was nothing for him save to return to his wood. His ventures completed, he desired nothing more now than quiet. He’d tasted adventure. Tasted it with another. Now, he wished again for his normal life, except to live it....
With another. Another he could not have.
Even Sarita could not be that other. Even she, in her constant visits and encouragements, could not dispel the clouds from his heart. Even she, in suggesting a visit to the Gorons or even the world of Twilight which Link had drawn her many pictures of in the sand—though he could only imagine what most his drawings should look like—could not distract him. Even she...
Even she was not she.
And, above all things, his deepest regret was the most human thing he’d never allowed himself to feel. He never kissed her. He never allowed himself that simplest expression of his love. Before, how unworthy he would have felt to do so; now, he didn’t care. If he could, but just once...
Her face, floating towards him through the darkness. Then, her entire body. This was new; his heart pounded. Was this reality instead of memory? Did she yet live? Or had he died and joined her?
But then, he realized he was surrounded by darkness, all stars vanished. He floated not in the midst of time and space but of dreams. She drifted towards him in his dreams….
“No, not a dream, silly boy,” she assured with a half-smirk. “Though also not in your realm, as you might think. I am, indeed, dead to that realm. But I visit you from the spirit realm, just this once, before allowing my soul to pass on completely.”
He knew he should have thrilled, attempted to throw his arms around her and hug her tight. But perhaps shock still triumphed over joy, for only anger and hurt swelled inside him. He frowned, tilting his head and furrowing his brows demandingly.
Midna bowed her head humbly and said, “Of course, you want to know why. I think, in your heart, you know why—I did it to save Hyrule and all it stands for. But of course, why sacrifice myself?
“The Goddess of Time, being a Spirit, could not die. She passed her Triforce on willingly, as did the others we encountered. But for the full Triforce of Wisdom to be obtained, either Zelda or I must perish. One of us must pass on our pieces of the Triforce to the other, sacrificing our life to do so. But I knew the Triforce could only be wielded fully by Hyrule’s heir, the heir of the Light Realm. From there, Zelda could impart her power to you....
“So I had to do it. It was the only way.”
The more she spoke, the more his heart softened, leaving room only for sadness, love, and a longing throbbing all over his body and at the deepest core of his heart. Just to hear her voice again…and the more its melodious sound resonated, cutting the wounds of his heart deeper while patching others....
Stepping even closer to her until their noses nearly touched, he slowly reached up a hand and cupped her cheek. She felt solid and warm beneath his skin, as if still living, whether because she brought him into the spirit realm or because they really did exist in some sort of dream together, he didn’t know. He didn’t care. For now, she was real. She was realer still as she raised a hand to press his more closely to her cheek. She was realer still as he leaned his face close to hers, his lips drawing so close to hers that he could taste her sweet exhale....
She was realest as she pressed a finger firmly to his lips, making him back away just enough, crushing his heart once more as she breathed, “No, Link. No.”
He studied her eyes. Their fire flickered, wavered, shattered as did her heart and his both. Again, the question: Why? So clearly, she desired the same as he. What harm could it do? If it bound him to the spirit realm by some strange magic, he would do it. If it was the only kiss they ever shared and the pain lingered with him through the rest of his life, it would be worth it. If...
As Midna took a deep breath, she took his hand from her cheek and instead lifted her hand to touch his, stroking it gently.
“Link,” she whispered. “I must go. I must be with them. I must find peace. I cannot take you with me this time.”
Link glanced up as a soft white glow glittered in her eyes. The outlines of many white, floating souls glittered behind her, singing in soft whispers, beckoning their new child home.
“Link,” she said quietly, her warm gaze embracing him firmly and with all the love she could give, “When I met you the first time, as my first Link, I thought it was good I leave you so that you could belong to one of the Light, one of your own kind.
“Now, I see you belong not to one, but to all Hyrule. If I—or anyone—was to bind myself to you, then you could no longer be that Hero which Hyrule will always need. If not in this age, then another. If the line of heroes was ever to cease, especially because of me...
“So I must break my own heart to spare the hearts of thousands. I must kiss you only in my dreams inside the Spirit Realm.”
Her hand slipped from his cheek as gently as a cloud whispering good-night to the setting sun. His eyes watched her, shimmering like two oceans begging the sun to return to their horizon. If ever a man could speak his heart, none do so as fervently as did his eyes in that moment.
Her eyes mourned in return but loved just as passionately. Strength shone within her gaze, the same strength he knew he would need in the days to come without her, the only strength that could make him bear their parting, the strength which came from knowing...
They had done the right thing.
As she floated slowly back, preparing to merge with the sea of celestial souls, a single tear slipped down her cheek. Lifting a slender finger, she caught it, gracefully raised her hand, and let the same wind carrying her away carry that tear to him. It hovered over his heart and then solidified into a perfectly round sapphire. The gem dropped in his pocket, and then, gently, a brilliant light enveloped him....
He was in his tree house again. Lying snug, safe, and secure in his cot. It was as Midna said. Nothing had really changed. He was safe, okay, where he’d always belonged, if only he’d known it before.
Tears quietly filled his eyes as her absence weighed heavy upon him. But its weight was lifted just a little as he realized that he yet owned all the people of Hyrule, and they him. This was where he belonged, and as time healed him, he could take comfort in that. He was home. He was who he was meant to be. He was a friend to the Kokiri, the Hylian, the Zora, and all other peoples of their three realms.
He was forever a true hero.
The End
About the Author
Christine E. Schulze has been creating books since she was too young to even write them in words. Her collection of YA fantasy books, The Amielian Legacy, is comprised of series and stand-alone books which can all be read separately but which weave together to create an amazing fantasy. She hopes to inspire readers throughout the world wit
h these books by publishing in both traditional and electronic formats to make them available to all readers.
Christine has published several stories with Calliope and Kalkion magazines. She has also published several Fantasy and Christian Fantasy books which are available at various online retailers, as well as publishing several eBooks via Writers-Exchange.
Her latest and most exciting venture includes her publications with Old Line Publishing: Bloodmaiden and Lily in the Snow with Old Line Publishing, as well as releasing The Chronicles of the Mira with Writers-Exchange in both paperback and electronic forms. She is also the newest and proudest author at Book By You, a publisher specializing in personalized books, and is happy to release Song Quest, Black Lace, and Dark Embrace with them.
Christine currently lives in Belleville, Illinois in her first and most thrilling apartment.
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Silent Hero: a tribute to Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda Page 28
