A link to the twilight part 1

See you later… That was all that he could think of, even if he knew there was going to be no later. She was gone… forever. Why did he have to be the chosen one? Why did he have to be the hero? Just to suffer the rest of his life! The green clothed boy put his head on his knees and cried. A shadow came across him. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"What's the matter Link?" asked a young blond woman.

"This is where we started our journey…" whispered Link.

The hero let himself fall in the water of Ordon spring. The young woman looked down at him with a sad face. Link wasn't the kind to stay sad and depressed all day. Something was definitely wrong. She sat beside him and patted his shoulder for a couple minutes.

"I don't know what is haunting you but if there's anything I can do…"

"No, there's nothing to do about it Ilia," said Link in a broken voice.

"Can I at least know what it is? You know you can trust me," said Ilia gently.

Link turned his head to look at her. He smiled. She returned it, still waiting for an answer. Link turned his head back. "You wouldn't believe me," he answered closing his eyes.

Ilia sighed. She was feeling very concerned even if she didn't know what was haunting Link like that. She was very close to him. Much like a brother and sister. She felt like it was her job to help him feel better. Unfortunately there was work to do at the ranch and Ilia's father came to the spring to remind Link of his duties. He looked at the mayor without saying anything and got up. He blew in the little piece of wood that Ilia gave him to call Epona. She arrived in no time like usual. Ilia looked at her best friend going away. He was walking slowly, holding Epona's reins and looking down. "It's like he doesn't care about anything anymore... or anyone," thought Ilia to herself.

Link went to the ranch with Epona without his usual happiness. As he passed through the village, Collin came across him and walked slowly beside Link.

"Hi Link. You're heading to the ranch?" asked the little boy.

"Yes," he answered without even looking at Collin.

"You know, I've been thinking about making another fishing rod so we could go fish together sometimes," said Collin with excitement.

Link stop suddenly. He didn't want to hear anything about anyone at the moment. He just wanted to get done with his duties and get out of here quickly.

"Look Collin, I don't have time for this. I just wanna be alone. Why don't you go play with the other kids? And… take this with you while you're at it," shot Link, dropping the slingshot on the ground.

The hero continued to walk, leaving the poor kid completely stunned. Collin started to cry as he took the slingshot. Then he ran to his father.

Link got done with his duties but this time it took him much longer than usual. He wasn't even whooping at the goats to scare them to get them into the barn faster. Fado was really surprised of Link's attitude. Like Ilia, he tried to discover what was going on. And, like Ilia, didn't get an answer. Worse, Link ignored him and went back to his house. The wounded hero lay on his bed and cried to try to make his pain go away. But the more he cried, the more he was devastated. He cried so much that even Rusl heard him from outside when he paid him a visit.

"There, there Link. What in the world is troubling you like that?" he asked, gently.

"She's gone! She's gone!" screamed Link.

"Who, Link? Who's gone?" Rusl asked, patiently.

"Forget it! You can't understand! Leave me alone!" shouted Link.

"There's no need to be rude Link. You're hurting yourself and the ones who care about you. If I'm not the one you want to talk to then find the one who will have a better understanding," advised Rusl as he was leaving the house.

Rusl's last words made Link think. The only one he could talk to was Zelda. Maybe he could visit her at some point. Link decided to go to the spring to help him feel a little better. He took Epona's reins and walked slowly to the spring. Once again, he let himself fall into the healing waters. His cries stopped and his heart could finally take some rest. He closed his eyes and thought of his last moments with Midna. He saw in his memory her marvellous silhouette fading away in a dust of light. He never had the chance to say those words that were torturing him since she left. Not even a goodbye, not even a simple move of her hand. A simple tear that forever broke their fragile and only link. He will never know why she did that, never know what she really wanted to say. A simple "see you later" that meant farewell. So much questions were disturbing his mind. So much questions without answers that were going to haunt him for the rest of his life. No! He couldn't take that! He was the hero of twilight, of Hyrule! Didn't he have the right to have a little reward? Link got up and lifted his arms toward the sky.

"Goddesses, hear my prayer! Can't I have a small reward for the sacrifices I have made for both worlds?" he howled to the heaven.

No sign came to him. Not even a little whisper on the wind. Link turned to face the light spirit of the spring.

"I know that you're there and that you can hear me. I need her. I need to feel her against me, her cool breath on the back of my neck… Need to hear her little remarks that makes her who she is. I need Midna!" he screamed.

Still no answer. Link let himself fall again. Epona came to him and pet his cheek. Even if she couldn't talk to him, she understood her master. She had spent almost the full trip with him. She knew Midna. Epona would have liked to tell him something but instead she simply whined. Link caressed her mane. At this moment, the light spirit appeared.

Oh hero of twilight. I understand your sorrow but know that it is now impossible to go back to her world. She made her choice and you have to accept it.

Link got up as fast as Epona could run. He didn't expect an answer that fast.

"I'm sure she did it because she had to do it so nothing bad ever happens again!" said Link.

It seems probable. But nothing changes the fact that there's no way to return into her world. You will have to face your grief and find happiness with those who live with you. You have to not let yourself fall into darkness because of this loss. You have so much to live, happiness to know. Let her go and live for you.

On these words, the light spirit disappeared, leaving a Link completely out of words. "But…" he whispered. He sat in the water and thought a long time about the words the light spirit said. Words that were giving him no comfort. Worse, they were making him angrier. Link spent a long time meditating. As the sun set, he had made his decision. "If you want things to get done, you have to do it yourself," he told himself.

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Midna was looking at the portal slowly fading away in the dark. She wasn't regretting her decision. It was for the best. Better for them. They belonged to two different worlds that couldn't mix. "Forgive me Link…" she whispered. She turned to face her castle. Nothing was going to be the same. She knew it. Never was she going to feel his warm fur when he was a wolf. Never was she going to see his deep blue eyes. Midna started to walk slowly to her palace, head down, lost into her memories.

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The next morning, Link went right away to the ranch and worked harder and faster than usual. Fado was really surprised of this sudden change. He thought that Link found the solution to his problem and that he was going to get his usual happiness back. After his work, Link went to see Collin and apologized for his attitude. Collin smiled at him and gave him back his slingshot.

"No Collin, keep it with you. You need it more than me," said Link gently.

"Oh thanks Link!" said Collin, happy.

Link spent the day visiting every person of the village. He wanted them to have a good memory of him. At last, he went to see Ilia and took her to the spring. They sat in the water and watched the sunset.

"They say it's the only time when our world intersects with theirs," whispered Link.

"What? What are you talking about?" asked Ilia.

"Do you remember when you asked me what was troubling me?" asked Link, ignoring Ilia's question.

Ilia nodded. Of course she remembered! How could she forget this empty expression that he had in his eyes? Ilia didn't say anything about the fact that Link ignored her question. She wanted to let him talk.

"The truth is that I love someone. And that this woman cut the only link that we had. Not because she wanted to, because she had to. Well… that's what I like to believe," said Link.

"…"

Ilia's heart twisted within her. She looked down. She had always felt something for Link. Unfortunately, she just understood that they were never going to be more than good friends. Ilia lifted her head back to look at Link. She had to do something, say something. If she couldn't have his heart then she had to help him give it to the woman he loved.

"If her absence causes you so much pain and sorrow then do anything you can to see her again," advised Ilia though her heart was broken.

Link laughed slightly. He closed his eyes and sighed.

"That's the thing. There's no way to see her again," he answered. "No other way than my memories."

"Well, if you say so. But… what would you do or give to see her again?" she asked.

"Everything…"

"In that case, there's something to do. Maybe I'm not the one that can help you find that thing but someone will," said Ilia, smiling.

She got up because the sun was now gone. She started to walk toward the village and noticed that Link was still sitting in the water. She went home anyways, thinking that Link wanted to think about the conversation they just had. That's what Link wanted her to believe. He wanted her to believe that she helped him a bit. However, he would have liked his last moments with Ilia to have been a little better. Since yesterday night, he had made his decision. "No matter the price, I'm going to see her again!" he swore.