*Palace of Twilight*

Oh, how glorious it was to be back within the Realm of Twilight.

Of course, not given the current circumstances.

The darkness seemed to be stacked and staggered; a cumbersome domicile surrounding Link. Despite his vision being impaired, he continued a brusque pace forward. From what he gathered; he was in the main hall of the palace. He could feel the voids of empty space around him. The ceiling above him extended so far upwards, he felt as though he might float away into the solar system.

He couldn't see anything after all. With the vast space of shadow encompassing him, he swore he could actually hear his heart talking to him.

Each murmur from his chest, an anxious question.

Had Y/N changed her mind?

Had he managed to ruin her view of the light completely?

Her view of him?

Most importantly, her view on love?

Link was bemused by his own thoughts. He fought so valorously to uphold the image of the light for her, yet he never upheld that image of it for himself. He adored the serenity of the twilight. Even in his own realm, where he'd ogle the wonder of dusk falling upon him with Rusl.

Now as he was reunited with the twilight, Link couldn't help but wonder; why did Y/N want to give this up?

As he continued forward, he kept his hands a safe distance in front of him. His Triforce slightly aglow like a flickering flame to guide him through the darkness.

Until he noticed another flickering flame, in the form of a pair of eyes.

Then another pair.

And another.

The void of expansive black slowly began to fade into subtle laps of illuminated turquoise. Markings. Lots of them.

The turquoise began to take on a dull hue, as it spiraled about the room, allowing Link to see a multitude of Twili staring at him.

"Is that a Hylian? Here?"

"How'd a Hylian get into our realm?"

Link heard curious voices swirl around him. They were talking amongst themselves. Their language a befuddled smear above his lost mind. He was so used to Y/N. How was he going to communicate with them?

Midna. They must understand Midna.

"Excuse me," Link spoke out loud to no Twili in particular, "Can someone point me to where Midna is?"

Silence. Link let out a sigh of vexation. He wasn't vexed with the Twili. No, it was he who should have coerced Y/N to teach him Twili. She had so much to teach him. Goddesses, he couldn't wait to find her.

To be her student once more.

"Midna?" A voice piped up from somewhere behind him.

"Y-Yes! Midna! Please! I must see her!" The jumbled chatter of inquisition continued around him.

He felt a Twili step close to him, within his personal space. The numbingly limp flesh a breath away from his own. "Why do you seek Princess Midna?"

"You speak Hylian?"

"Yes, I am a student of my master Y/N. I am not very good. I can help you if your cause is noble."

Y/N! Link's heart swelled with pride. Even here, she was so respected for her dedication to this realm.  Link couldn't contain the excitement in his voice. "Y/N! Yes! I seek her! My name is Link! "

"Link..." The Twili's vacant irises of orange didn't seem to register his name. Then Link remembered something.

Y/N didn't know who I was until she saw my Triforce.

Link slowly raised his hand in front of him, showing off the illustrious tattoo of Hylia that was forever bound to his hand. The only ember of gold that emblazoned the room of teal markings and ruby eyes. Lifting his hand to show his Triforce to the Twili, was akin to presenting anyone in the Realm of Light with a seal from Princess Zelda.

It made him just a tad more distinguished.

The Twili in front of him stammered in what sounded like horror.

"T-The Triforce... OH MY OH--"

All the Twili around began to gasp at it. Once the wave of recognition made its way around them, they began to fall to their knees. Like a domino effect, he could hear one after the other plop on the palace floor, encircling his weary feet.

"HERO!" They began to chant in unison.

"O-Oh, please, this is not necess-"

Link's voice could never breach the volume of chanting around him.

"HERO! HERO! HERO!"

Y/N wasn't joking. This might not have been the best idea. No wonder she was speechless when she met me. Here I thought it was attraction. Maybe it simply was idol worship.

Link couldn't fight against the deflation he felt. Y/N's pupil spoke up, silencing the insufferable worship. "Hero, we can accompany you to Midna's study. Please, allow us to carry you."

Link gave the Twili a bashful wave. "I insist you do not. That's not necess-"

"No, hero, please. It would be a great honor for us. We are in the Hall of the Hero . We mustn't shame Midna with disrespect."

"The Hall of the Hero? You named a piece of the palace after me?"

She shrugged and looked down at her feet. The pedestrian garbs that hung loosely over her body reminded Link of Y/N's outfit when she first arrived in his realm. As Link observed Y/N's apprentice and thought of her, he felt his body become weightless.

A group of Twili hitched him up, resuming their previous incantation.  They carried him proudly in the air; an official human trophy. With all the ruckus the chanting created throughout the palace, Link was weary as to Midna's whereabouts.

Because he knew her whereabouts. She was in that room with Y/N. That room where there was no room for error or he could lose her for good.

Link gently felt Zelda's tear around his neck. Getting to the Realm of Twilight with it was no easy feat. As he had made his way back to the present ruins of the Temple of Time, he found the same oocca that had assisted Y/N at its entrance.

"Erm, you look like you need a lift?"

Link was so grateful, the feisty sky bird had warped him to the Gerudo Mesa where he could access the portal to the Realm of Twilight. It is said even without the mirror existing, there lies a glitch that responds to the tears. Link didn't fully understand it, but he reckoned he soon would.

They stood outside a door. The Twili gently lowered Link to his feet and bowed down once more in reverence. Y/N's pupil walked between them, positioning herself between Link and the door. Link could feel it deep within his soul that Y/N nor Midna was behind that door.

"This is Princess Midna's study. Please hero, enter." She quickly joined the others and bowed with her head facing downward.  "If we can assist you with anything more, please hero; we are forever in your debt."

This prompted another round of incantations. Link couldn't deal with it anymore.

He thanked the Twili, busting through the door of Midna's study. Link locked it behind him eager to escape the unabating chants of the Twili. Link's eyes scanned Midna's study for clues. He noticed Midna's headdress on top of her throne. The nostalgia of seeing it comforted him, momentarily warding off the dread that weighed his stomach down like concrete.

Link walked towards it, letting his fingers skirt down the horns. The Palace of Twilight rivaled Hyrule Castle in size. In fact, Link dared think it may be larger. One couldn't be certain because its stature remained anonymous due to the darkness.

He gripped both of the horns of Midna's headdress, gently placing his forehead against it. He closed his eyes in aggravation.

"I don't think that is befitting of a hero."

Link's eyes popped open at the voice he heard behind him.

Midna.

His eyes widened at the sight of her. The painstaking goodbye that he assumed would be their last was now officially an illusion. She was real. She was here. In front of his own eyes that had seen so much the past few weeks.

Her eyes twinkled tenderly at him. Even after all this time apart, Link could read the urgency in his old partner's gaze.

There was no time.

Midna held her hand towards Link. "You always have to be the hero. I've always said that. But can you be the hero of a broken heart?"