Favorable side Page 24

  running away from all he had ever known, all he had ever strived to protect.

  The hero, who believed himself to be nothing more than a monster.

  Link wasn't sure how long he had been running for, but he realized it had been quite some time as he eventually found himself in a part of Faron Woods that he was not

  familiar with at all. Even though he knew Midna was in no condition to pursue him, the hero still did not stop running, knowing that no matter how far he did go, it really

  would never be quite far enough away from all of his shame and heartbreak.

  As Link made it to woods that were by far thicker than Faron's usual clusters, he soon found the long crimson cape that Zelda had given to him begin to snag against the

  long clutches of the tree branches all around him as it blew in the very wind he was involuntarily producing. With a groan of aggravation, the hero finally decided that he

  had enough of being held back by it, especially as it began to choke him. And so, upon merely touching the cape as it hung around his neck, the fabric of it began to burn

  until it was no longer restraining him, the scorched ruby cloth simply hanging limply from the trees as he moved on, as if it were a sign of both the kingdom and they very

  mantle of the hero that he was leaving behind.

  Not long after this, however, Link finally slowed his pace into a walk in order to catch his breath, briefly glancing back towards the discarded cape behind him and letting

  out a long sigh. The winds were still whipping around him steadily and ice was still spreading across the ground below him as a steady flurry began to fall from the eternal

  night sky, even if it was largely obscured by trees. The hero wasn't sure if he was the cause of this light snowfall, and honestly he didn't even care anymore. All he wanted

  was to at long last be able to control his chaotic, dangerous powers, but after what he had just done to Midna, Link realized that such control would probably never come.

  No matter how hard he tried to keep a level head, how hard he tried to remain as emotionless as possible, there was always something, be it an event or his own

  thoughts, that would set him off, something that would lead to more destruction and devastation.

  The hero shook his head in frustration as he stopped in the middle of the small clearing and glanced down at the Triforce of Courage on the back of his hand, still brimming

  with the strange green light that it had before. And as he glared at it and all the trouble it had caused him, he realized that just how much of a curse this supposed

  "blessing of the gods" had become for him. He had never wanted to have powers before, and if there was any way he could get rid of them now, he would gladly give

  them up so that his life could return to normal, instead of lying all around him in shambles like it was now.

  For a brief moment, Link wondered if Zelda had ever had any problems controlling the magic that the Triforce of Wisdom granted her, until a brief burst of both fury and

  heartbreak coursed through him upon even thinking about the queen. This was all her fault, he reasoned, for certainly his emotions, and therefore his powers, would not

  have spiraled out of control as they had if she had not hurt his heart in such a brutal way. The hero wanted to believe that he was stronger than this, that merely being

  rejected by the woman he had once loved would not set him back as much as it had, and yet that seemed to be the only reason as to why he had was unable to reign

  himself in any longer. He had never faced such open rejection before, and to have it happen to him in such an unforgiving way had destroyed him more than he could have

  ever thought.

  And yet, as Link thought of Zelda, he realized that he had absolutely no one to turn to anymore. The queen certainly didn't care for him, as she had made quite clear the

  last time they had met, as well as through the guards she had sent relentlessly chasing after him. Ilia and the rest of the people of Ordon certainly feared him, for how

  could they not after seeing him mercilessly slaughter several men right in front of them? And then there was Midna. As much as Link didn't want to believe it, he knew that

  the Twilight Princess certainly wouldn't want to be around him any longer after how he had hurt her, even despite all of her promises that she would never leave him. After

  all, those were only words, empty promises that really meant nothing in the end. It was clear to the hero now that he was completely and utterly alone, with only himself

  to rely on now. Because now, he had nowhere or no one to turn to.

  However, despite what Link thought, he was not as alone as he believed. For as he stood in the darkened clearing, an unseen figure was lurking the shadows, watching

  him closely, especially as he glanced down, absolutely despondent and dejected, a small sob of despair finally escaping him amidst his great misery.

  He was vulnerable, which meant that it was finally time.

  In perfect silence, the shadowy figure swept out from the thicket behind the hero as he wept softly to himself, slowly moving in close to him with subtle steps. However,

  as they got even closer, Link soon began to pick up on the fact that he was no longer alone. On instinct, he quickly drew the Master Sword and spun around, somehow

  not at all surprised to see the Queen of Shadows standing right behind him.

  Verona simply smiled calmly at the hero as she stood apace from him, holding her hands behind her back as she returned his bitter glare. "Hello again, Link," she greeted

  him rather warmly, giving him reason to be suspicious over her strange behavior towards him once again. "It's been a while since we've last met, hasn't it?"

  "What do you want?" the hero asked harshly, still gripping his sword tightly as he tried his best to calm the telling winds that had begun to stir up a bit more.

  "Still so hostile towards me, I see…" the Queen of Shadows said, shaking her head though she was still smiling. "I already told you, Link: I have no interest in hurting you

  whatsoever."

  "Then why are you here?" Link demanded, not in the mood to put up with any of her games this time.

  "Well… I was just… passing through the area and I just so happened to overhear you little argument with my cousin back there a while ago," Verona said, her tone gentle

  and casual. "You seem to be in quite the predicament, don't you, Link?"

  "It's none of your business," the hero said crossly, turning away from her. "Now, leave me alone."

  The Queen of Shadows frowned slightly at this as she took a step in closer to him. "You know, Link…" she began, moving around him so that she could circle him slowly.

  "You really do have quite an extraordinary set of powers. Why, where I'm from, most people would kill to know the kind of power that you do. And yet, no one in this

  realm seems to realize just how special they are… not even you…"

  "They're not special…" Link muttered, staring down at the ice covered ground in shame. "They're dangerous. They only cause destruction… That's all I seem to be doing

  anymore…"

  Verona's smile deepened a bit upon hearing just how low his confidence had fallen, knowing that this would only make her task much easier. "That's only because you

  don't know how to properly use them yet," she said almost consolingly. "But if you learned how to utilize their full potential… If you learned how to properly control them…

  just imagine what you could do, how powerful you would be."

  "I can't control them," the hero said with a frustrated sigh. "No matter how hard I try…"

  "You cannot control them simply because you are limiting your own self," the Queen of Shadows said eloquently. "You have such power for one so young… Honestly, I

  can't really blame you for not mastering magic immediately. It is something that comes from years of practice and expertise. You've never
really had much exposure to

  magic before this at all, so it only makes sense that you don't understand how it works just yet. In that regard, there is nothing wrong with you at all."

  Link was admittedly stunned into silence upon hearing this, finally meeting Verona's kind gaze as she smiled encouragingly at him, almost enough that he believed it was

  real. Her words were certainly uplifting in light of everything that had happened, but he was still wary about believing anything she said. After all, she was the one who had

  cursed him, who had beset Hyrule with this unending night. She was his foe, someone who was not to be trusted lightly.

  Seeing that he was not going to offer her any sort of response, the Queen of Shadows simply went on as she continued to saunter around him slowly. "What you need is

  someone to properly train you in the art of magic, not yell and fuss at you as Midna did," Verona said, the slightest hint of distain in her tone upon mentioning her cousin.

  "You need someone to mentor you and educate you, so that you can reach your full potential, so that you can become powerful and unstoppable. Someone who will

  encourage you and support you… Someone who will not turn their back on you… Someone… like me…"

  "You?" the hero asked in disbelief, thinking that she simply wanted to lure him into a trap somehow. "How could you possibly help me?"

  "Link, if you trust me in nothing else, trust me in the fact that I know how magic works," the Queen of Shadows said with confidence. "After all, I have been practicing it

  my entire life. I've studied nearly all types of sorcery known to both your people and mine, including that of the Triforce. Once you get the hang of it, the possibilities of

  what you can do are endless… All you have to do is believe in yourself… and in me…"

  The hero didn't respond to this, but Verona noticed that his gaze had turned from all-out distrusting to at least considering of her offer. All she had to do was sweeten the

  deal. "Do you see that tree over there?" she asked, pointing out a nearby tree. "Freeze it."

  "I can't," Link said diffidently as he glanced down at the ice still surrounding his feet. "I don't know how to do it on my own…"

  "It's quite simple, really," the Queen of Shadows insisted. "Ice is an element that is precise, focused. Its energy, in its simplest form, is derived from careful thought and

  intention. And so, all you have to do in order to create it is focus on nothing else but conjuring it and it shall appear. Try it; I know you can do it…" She gave him a small,

  almost benevolent smile, one that the hero didn't really know was a false one. But all the same, Link decided to heed her advice as he held out his hands towards the tree,

  forgetting his former anxiety and devoting his attention solely to creating enough ice to freeze the tree over. He closed his eyes and took in a deep breath, feeling

  strangely calm and relaxed as he felt the burst of cold escape from him. And, when he opened his eyes a moment later, he found that the tree was now perfectly covered

  in a thin, even, almost beautiful coating of ice.

  "It… it actually worked…" Link said with a small, relieved smile, one that widened as he noticed that the winds he had unintentionally created had finally begun to still. For

  the first time since he had killed the guards or since he had burnt Midna, he finally felt at ease with both himself and his powers. However, what he didn't see was Verona,

  grinning darkly behind him, knowing that her manipulation was already beginning to work.

  "Well done…" the Queen of Shadows congratulated with apparent pride. "It's just like I told you: you are in control of your powers only as much as you wish to be,

  regardless of your emotions. Now… try to burn it."

  "What?" the hero asked, his smile steadily fading as he remembered what he had done and who he had hurt the last time he had used fire.

  "You heard me," Verona urged with a nod. "Fire, unlike ice, is fueled by drive and passion. Aside from shadow, it is perhaps the hardest element to control due to its

  unpredictable nature. The way to do it properly is to let go of your inhibitions and don't hold back. Fear quells a fire, but strength, power, these things light it. Let those

  things be your guide above all else…"

  Although he was hesitant about using fire again, Link did as she said as he set his sights on the frozen tree once more, this time keeping his eyes open so he could watch.

  Before, he had always called forth fire by his rage and fury, but now he put those things aside for steadiness and strength. He was in control of his powers; his powers

  were not in control of him. And as he forced himself to grasp onto that concept, the burst of flame finally flowed forth from his hand in a controlled, directed manner. The

  fireball struck the tree squarely, melting the ice almost instantly upon contact and setting the wood ablaze. The hero watched with awe and slight horror as the tree

  burned, its branches curling into ash and dark smoke rising from it. For a brief moment, the memories of the guard burning to death at his feet, of Midna's scorched arm,

  came flooding back to him, reminding him of all the destruction he was capable of causing. Yet now he was being shown that there was a way to keep it under control, a

  way for him to learn how to use it only when necessary. A way for him to avoid hurting people with it anymore.

  "So…" Verona broke through his racing thoughts, her soft smile still present. "What do you think? Amazing, isn't it? How powerful you could be if you were simply taught

  properly? Doesn't that entice you?"

  Link didn't respond immediately as he looked to the woman he thought was his enemy, who had been told time and time again was nothing but cruel and evil, but now, he

  wasn't so sure that any of that was true. In actuality, Verona's intentions confused him more than anything else. She had pierced his heart with her shard, which as she

  had told him herself, could have very well killed him, even on top of trapping him in his wolf form for the rest of his life. And yet, she had taken it out of his body only a day

  later, returning him to normal, aside from a few minor side effects that didn't really seem to be taking any toll on him at all. And now, she was offering to help him harness

  his powers properly, all without asking for anything in return. But why? What did the Queen of Shadows have to gain by being so benevolent to him, especially considering

  the fact that they should have been enemies? The hero knew just from the small sample he had just received alone that her advice was certainly sound, and could

  certainly help him in the long run, but he was still apprehensive. What if this was nothing more than a ploy, a trap to bring about his downfall at some point? What if Verona

  was merely lying to him, in an attempt to gain his trust before capturing him, or killing him, or something even worse?

  And yet, who else could he really go to now? Midna had tried and tried to teach him how to use his powers, but every attempt had been a failure, most likely because she

  didn't understand how his powers worked either. Zelda was the only other person in the kingdom who could have powers even remotely similar to his, since she bore the

  Triforce of Wisdom, but Link knew that he could never go to her and ask for help again, not after how she had hurt him. It was quickly becoming clear that Verona was

  quite possibly his only choice left if he ever wished to control his powers, but the hero wasn't about to let himself be swayed so easily.

  "You… you can really teach me how to keep them under control?" Link asked with caution, watching Verona carefully in an attempt to figure out her true motives. The

  Queen of Shadows nodded with an easy smile, one that seemed genuine enough, though the hero wasn't about to take any chances. "Why do you want to help me so

  much in the first place?" he asked warily, still keeping h
is guard up.

  The Queen of Shadows let out a small, warm laugh at this, her constant elegant manner still unshaken. "The reason for that is quite simple, Link…" she said sweetly as she

  sauntered closer to him. "You have been wrongly led to believe that I am your foe, which is the sole reason why you think you have no reason to trust me. But I never

  wished to harm you in any way. In fact… I empathize with you. As I said before, you and I are very much alike. We were both cast out of our homes because of the fear

  people showed towards us, towards our power. You see, people often do not trust what they don't understand. People like Midna and Queen Zelda do not understand my

  ambition and therefore they cast it off as evil, even though it is really anything but. In the same way, people do not understand your abilities and therefore are afraid of

  them, and by extension, you. We have both been dejected, deserted. We have lost everything we know and care about to forces beyond our control, and have been

  forced to reap all of the pain and suffering that comes along with it. And though I had to go through the sorrow that you are experiencing alone, I find that it just isn't fair

  to watch someone else have to do the same. We both have so much to offer the world, you and I. If we were to combine my ambition with your abilities…" she finally

  paused for a brief moment, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder as she used some of her magic to subtly communicate with the darkness her shard had left inside of him,

  stirring it up and slowly nudging him to her side. "We could show everyone who hated us, who cast us out, who feared us just how strong we are…. We could show them

  that they have no reason to fear or hate us, but that they should respect our might… And it could all be so simple… Join me, Link. Not only will I show you how to control

  your powers; I'll show you what true power really is…"

  The hero was silent for a long moment, knowing that all of this was quite a lot to take in. And yet, as he listened to her, he was compelled to heed her soft, gentle, almost

  kind voice, her poetic words coaxing him into a way of life that certainly seemed much better than the one he was currently leading. Over the past few days alone, he had