Chapter 41: Finally Later

A Chapter by Vertigo Cat1111

Link has done it. But without Midna here, what was even the point?

Link's breath caught, finding himself on the other side of the Mountain of Storms. His heart leaped into his throat, and he could not swallow the ache. Memories of her swarmed the entirety of him, this very mountain. Her cruelness, saving her from Zant's attack, her confessions, her grin, their kiss, her hope for him, her truth, her face, her smell. Her light...

Her last words.

He gripped onto the mountain so tightly, as if it was apart of him.

The skies of the world stormed like they'd longed to since forever. She had saved him, died believing him, died loving him. She had died for him. Died so he could live. His eyes burned and tears couldn't stop falling. The rain beat against him, as he looked up for any sign of her. Nothing hurt besides losing Midna. He could almost feel her hand across his cheek still, teasing him, one fang poking out. He couldn't go on. He looked into the storm, into the Dawn.

He thought she was right in front of him, and reached out, then wept anew when he found she was not there- never again to be seen.

"For both our realms..." she had promised softly. Everything fell away.

But Link had forgotten. It was always darkest before dawn.

His breathing wheezed, everything hurt. His ribs screamed in pain, and his eyes were sore.

But he'd done it.

He'd never been more alone. He gripped at the floor of the Mountain as he cried. The tears fell and crashed against memories. Memories he could not bring back this time. Shards of her helmet lay there, and he toyed with them aimlessly, as if to fix her, bring her back. He always thought if one died, it'd be him- never Midna.

Nothing could ever heal him then, he knew that. His sorrow squeezed everything out of him, all his tears. He unleashed an unstrained yell at the pain, but he could not keep quiet, the song of the heroes heart making even the Earth's very core ache in grief.

"Midna..." he whispered.

Where was her voice?

As his heart thumped, everyone stared, wondering just what had broken the Hero. No one could understand. No one knew the entirety of what Link had been through, when Ilia and the children were first taken, to Midna's last, final words. They were... once again, 'See You Later.'

It must have been her cruel humor. No one, absolutely no one, could understand but her.

Suddenly, he went quiet and did not know why. He felt an urge to look up, and he saw a lump, a silhouette on the other side of the mountain, oh so far.

Link gasped, choking. He stood up at first, pushing lonely's awful company away, forever. He glanced around and then realized the battle.

He began racing, first a jog, then faster than ever. Nothing would ever get in his way agin. No God. No Sages, no Goddesses. He suddenly realized, the same strange figure was racing towards him.

Running made his broken ribs ache in a pain he did not know and wished he didn't but at the moment, he could not feel anything but joy. It was her.

Purple lips, red sleek eyes, tall, black robe. Serene beauty.

When he reached the figure, they met in arms, holding each other, tighter than ever.

His breath was gone. What to say- what to do? He was consumed. Under the light of the dawning day, it was her, his iris. He pulled back and stared in her eyes. Deep red, kind, sweet.

"What?" she giggled.

"Midn-Midna..." he gasped.

"I told you I'd see you later."

Midna- it was Midna... Midna was alive. She did not weep, just smiled gently. He was hers- she was his. She healed his every hurt he'd ever, ever bore on his broken soul. The voice of the Twilight Princess, his partner-

Her.

There was nowhere else he'd rather be. Suddenly, he fell, and she caught him.

Seeing the view upwards, of Midna's smiling face, the gray, raining dawn he realized-

'See you later' she had always said. In his mind, he'd whispered, 'I'll hold you to that.'

And they had been right.

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