The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess Novelization

Link left Castle Town through the western gate and trekked southwest across the open country. His lungs burned, but he did not slow, even when faced with shadow creature patrols. Hours passed, and the terrain became more rugged. Rolling plains became gentle ridges and shallow bluffs. Link pushed up a steep slope and found himself looking out at a vast basin encircled by mountainous cliffs. The far side was barely visible in the Twilight haze, the distant rock face fading into shadow. A colossal bridge of pale stone crossed over the lake basin from north to south. It dwarfed the Eldin Bridge, with squat stone towers and repeating, heavy arches. “Great Bridge of Hylia” was etched into the surface of the first arch. The crossing was exposed, making it ideal for an ambush. Link stood at the crest and peered down at Lake Hylia, or what was left of it. Like the rest of Hyrule’s waterways, it was running dry. Only a shallow pool remained below the bridge, little more than a pond gathered in the basin’s lowest point. I need to hurry. Link dashed onto the Great Bridge of Hylia. A sharp, acrid scent hung in the air. As he moved farther along the bridge, the odour thickened. Midna wrinkled her nose. “Do you smell something?” Link’s paw sank into something thick and sticky. He froze. The bridge was coated with a glistening black sheen. A sudden realization struck him. Oil. Oh no. Another scent cut through the oil – foul and unmistakable. Link’s fur bristled. He lifted his gaze toward the far end of the bridge and growled. A corrupted Bulblin stood at the precipice, its bow in hand, watching him. It dipped an arrow into the oil and touched the tip to a waiting torch. Nocking it, the Bulblin drew the bowstring back and fired. The arrow struck the stone behind Link, and fire raced across the oil in an instant. The Bulblin dropped the torch at its feet, igniting the bridge ahead. Fire roared in from either side. Dammit. We’re boxed in. He looked over his shoulder at Midna, but she was already moving. She leapt from his back and glided toward the edge of the bridge. Peering over the side, she spun back to him. “Over the side! We have to jump!” Link darted to the edge and looked down. Is she insane? A blast of heat from the advancing flames licked at his back. He inhaled a lungful of smoke. I’d rather fall than burn. He exhaled, squeezed his eyes shut, and hurled himself over the side of the bridge. For a heartbeat, air whipped against Link’s face. Then cold water closed in around him. He thrashed, unable to tell up from down. Just as darkness crept at the edges of his vision, Midna’s hair snaked down and wrapped around him, hauling him toward the surface. He emerged with a loud gasp and paddled desperately for shore. When his paws finally struck solid ground, he staggered forward, shaking out his soaked fur in a spray of water. He collapsed onto the bank. Midna sat beside Link, watching him closely. For a brief moment, something in her expression softened, but when he looked at her, her usual smirk snapped back into place. Link rose and surveyed Lake Hylia. Dead fish and withered plants littered the exposed lakebed. High above, empty boardwalks clung to the basin cliffs, stark evidence of how far the water had receded. Midna scanned the empty lakebed. “Look at this place… It’s completely drained. What could have done this?” Something tells me we’re going to find out. Link’s gaze drifted to the eastern edge of the lake, where the mouth of Zora’s River gaped. Normally the lake’s lifeline, it lay just as barren as the basin beneath it. Just as Link started forward, Midna grabbed him by the ear and turned his head toward a cave entrance carved into the nearby cliffs. Ornate reliefs and marble pillars framed the opening, weathered but still imposing. Link felt the presence of the final Light Spirit from within, yet the entrance was beyond reach. “That must be Lanayru Spring,” Midna said thoughtfully. “We need to fix the water problem. Until then, we’re stuck.” What could cause the water to run out? A blockage? A curse? I won’t find out standing around here. Link jerked his head back in a silent signal, and Midna climbed onto his back. He started up the steep bank, and faint whispers drifted to his ears. Three spirits stood together in the distance. As Link drew closer, he recognized them as members of the Zora tribe. Each carried a long spear and wore elegant silver armour. At their centre stood a woman, taller than the others. She donned a mask shaped like a catfish, its carved whiskers sweeping down over polished stone. “The water has receded far quicker than we anticipated,” she said gravely. “Something must have happened to Zora’s Domain. It’s a race against time now.” Midna leaned back and crossed her arms. “Interesting. I guess we’re headed for Zora’s Domain.” Zora’s Domain lay far to the north, far beyond Lake Hylia. How were they supposed to reach it? Midna seemed to read Link’s thoughts. Slowly, her gaze drifted toward the dry mouth of the river. “Relax, we’ll find a way to get there. Let’s take a look around and see what this place is hiding.” The lakebed proved to be as barren as a desert. Near the centre of the basin, a lone building stood in disrepair. It rested atop two massive buoys, now useless against the cracked earth below. Once, it must have floated across the surface like a drifting raft. The spirit of a chubby, middle-aged man stood beside the building. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his blue pants, and a pink shirt stretched tightly over his round belly. Clown makeup was smeared unevenly across his face, and a green beret sat at a slight angle on his bald head. Intrigued, Link approached him. “I am getting too old for this,” he grumbled to himself. “Fyer and Falbi’s Water-top Land of Fantastication. It’s too bad there’s no water. Can’t believe I let Falbi talk me into this.” The man let out a miserable sigh and slouched against the wall of his shop. Link could not help but feel sorry for him. He was yet another soul suffocating beneath the Twilight. “Did the Zora have anything to do with this…? Or is this some curse from the spirit that lives around here? Maybe I should move back home. I can’t make money like this.” The shopkeeper squinted into the distance. “What’s that? Is that a customer?” Link followed the man’s wide-eyed stare to the south and spotted a shadowed Bulblin astride a monstrous black bird. The creature roosted atop a steep slope, vigilantly surveying Lake Hylia below. It was the same Bulblin that had ambushed him on the bridge. It was not patrolling, it was searching. When the shopkeeper realized the figures were not paying customers, he yelped and bolted for his shop. “Monster! Somebody help!” “That’s it,” Midna snapped her fingers. “That bird is our ride to Zora’s Domain.” The plan did not inspire confidence in Link. Nevertheless, he moved to confront the shadowy sentry. At the very least, he would remove the threat. The moment the Bulblin spotted Link, it yanked on the reins, and the monstrous bird surged into the air. An arrow was nocked and loosed in one fluid motion, striking the ground at Link’s feet. He sprang back as dust billowed around him. The bird swept low, black talons clawing at Link. He ducked, barely evading their lethal grasp. It wheeled around for another pass as the Bulblin loosed a second arrow. The shot flew wide, leaving the bird exposed. Link did not hesitate. The moment it dipped within range, he bounded forward and drove his claws into its chest. It shrieked and reared back violently, hurling both Link and its rider to the ground. The Bulblin scrambled to its feet at the same moment Link did. It reached for its quiver, but Link exploded forward. He was on it in an instant, slamming into the creature and forcing it to drop its bow and draw its heavy club. The Bulblin swung its leg in a brutal kick. Its boot caught Link square in the face, and he yelped as he staggered back. Before the creature could press its advantage, Midna intervened. Shadowy energy snapped from her hand, wrenching the club from the Bulblin’s grip. Link lunged and drove it into the ground, forepaws planted firmly against its chest. His jaws closed around its neck, and he twisted. There was a sharp, terrible snap, and the Bulblin went limp. As Link caught his breath, he felt Midna slip from his back. He looked up as she drifted toward the frantic shadow bird. Twilight magic pulsed from her outstretched hand, and the creature went rigid mid-struggle. Without breaking stride, she swung herself into the saddle. The bird bucked and twisted beneath her, but she snatched up the reins and wrestled it under control. “Hey, stop it!” she shouted. “I’m your new master now. Settle down!” The bird fought for a few tense seconds, wings beating and talons scraping against the ground. Then it yielded. Link watched, impressed by the grace with which Midna handled the bird. It reminded him of the way he handled stubborn mounts. She had been paying attention. “Okay, we have a ride,” Midna said as she brought the bird down to the ground. “Before we head north, we should visit the spirit and retrieve the Vessel of Light.” Right. Good idea. Link had been so consumed by the water shortage that he had forgotten about the Tears of Light. The Shadow Insects were still out there. The bird dropped at Midna’s command, talons closing around Link before lifting him skyward. It carried him to the spirit’s spring and set him down carefully near the edge of the cliff. Midna slid from the saddle and ordered the bird to stay. Then she followed Link into the cave. Lanayru Spring was unlike the other spirit springs. Twilight dimmed the cavern. A narrow overhang curved above a deep pool of water, fed by thin streams trickling from the stone walls. Thick tree roots hung from the ceiling, their tips hovering just above the surface. The Light Spirit’s drained form hovered weakly above the water, just before the stone overhang. Its dim golden glow flickered against the cavern walls, casting long, uneasy shadows. Link trotted forward and sat on his haunches at the edge of the spring. “Young hero. I am the last of the Spirits of Light…consumed by Twilight,” Lanayru said, its voice thin with strain. “You have done well to make it this far. Gather…my scattered Tears of Light.” From the depths of the spring, the Vessel of Light rose slowly into the air, its surface gleaming faintly in the dim glow. Midna reached up and plucked it from the air. “Dispel the last of the Twilight…that threatens to swallow this world. Good luck… young hero.” The Light Spirit’s harmonic voice dwindled to a fragile whisper before falling silent. Link felt a dull ache in his chest. The once-radiant being now flickered like a dying ember above the water. He could only imagine the pain it was suffering through. “Are you ready to go?” Midna interrupted Link’s thoughts. Yes. It was time to get to work. Link gave the fading Light Spirit one last look, then turned away. Outside, Midna waited astride the shadow bird, watching him. “Let’s find Zora’s Domain. The quicker we finish this, the better.” Her tone was cold. He barked his acknowledgment, and the bird’s talons closed around him at Midna’s command. They lifted into the sky and flew toward the mouth of Zora’s River, beginning the long journey upstream to Zora’s Domain. Midna kept the bird low over the riverbed to avoid the cliffs and jagged rock formations. Most of them should have been submerged, but the drought had left them exposed and treacherous. Several minutes later, Link eyed two of the Shadow Insects weaving between the rocks ahead. He barked sharply to alert Midna, and she nodded. “I see them! Get ready!” The insects scattered at the first sign of danger, but not quickly enough. Midna steered the bird alongside them, and Link lunged, crushing them in his jaws. Moments later, their stolen light shimmered within the Vessel of Light. Two down. An hour passed without incident as they followed the river upstream. Then another Shadow Insect appeared. They struck from below, killing it in an instant. Midna drew its Tear of Light into the Vessel and glanced down at Link. “I think we’re getting close!” she shouted. Finally. Link’s tail flicked irritably as he shifted in the bird’s grip. He had always hated being cooped up. The wolf in him hated it more. He forced the restless energy down and focused on the river winding ahead. The canyon gradually widened as the riverbed climbed into a valley enclosed within the northern mountains. Dense forest choked most of the terrain, forcing Midna to circle before spotting a small clearing on the opposite bank. The bird descended and released Link. It lowered its monstrous, concave head as Midna slid from the saddle. “This is the head of the river,” she said. The forest loomed thick and silent around the clearing. A cold breeze brushed against Link’s damp fur, and he shivered. The air was far colder than it had been at Lake Hylia. Midna hugged her arms to herself, far less prepared for the chill. “It’s freezing. Zora’s Domain is just ahead. Hurry up!” Link surveyed the valley. A dried tributary carved a path south into the forested slopes, its bed cracked and lifeless. To the west, a narrow dirt road clung to the riverbank before vanishing into a deep ravine. Even beneath the Twilight, the landscape held a stark beauty. Link followed the path for several paces before a new scent cut through the mountain air. It was pungent. Human sweat, Link thought. He moved swiftly through the trees until a small riverside shack came into view. A sign beside the balcony read “Iza’s Rapid Ride.” The spirit of a young woman sat on the stairs, staring blankly at a pile of wooden canoes along the riverbed. She was fair-skinned, with dark eyes and brown hair shaped into a rounded afro. A blue tank top clung to her slender frame. The woman Link assumed to be Iza sat hunched, arms wrapped tight to preserve what little warmth she could. Each exhale drifted into the air in a faint cloud of frost. A deep scowl darkened her expression. “What are the Zora doing up there? The river’s completely dry. My boats are useless. I can’t live like this.” Iza sighed, shivering. “I hate this cold. I miss my fur coat.” Link’s head snapped up as the scent of a Shadow Insect hit him. Where–? Iza let out an ear-piercing scream and recoiled as the creature burst from the ground in front of her. “Please…! Stay away!” The insect skittered for the trees, but Link cut it off. Where do you think you’re going? He lunged and seized the insect in his mouth, crushing it with a single snap. It dissolved into the fourth Tear of Light, which Midna swiftly drew into the Vessel. “Where…where did it go? Goddesses, I hate bugs.” Iza hugged herself tighter. “Maybe I should go visit my brother until things settle down.” “Come on. We’re wasting time,” Midna said quietly as Link watched. She’s right. Against his instincts, he forced himself to turn away and head west. Until the Twilight was lifted, Iza was beyond his help. Link crossed from the forest into the ravine. As he ventured deeper into the mountains, the loose soil beneath his paws gave way to slick, solid ice. His footing faltered. “What in the world…?” Midna’s brow furrowed. Digging his claws into the ice for traction, Link pressed upriver until he reached an expansive clearing. Zora’s Domain lay before him – silent and entombed in ice. Pale, water-smoothed limestone cliffs towered overhead, lined with walkways and cavernous entrances in the stone. A great basin dominated the centre of the clearing, but it was frozen solid. High along the northern cliff, a massive waterfall loomed above the basin, also locked in ice. “Well,” Midna said flatly, “I’d say we found the problem.” How did this happen? Where are all the Zora? Were they forced to flee when the Domain froze over? A knot tightened in Link’s chest again. Something told him that was best-case scenario. Link advanced cautiously to the base of the frozen waterfall. Jagged ridges of ice jutted outward, forming natural footholds. He scaled the frozen cascade in swift bounds, ice splintering beneath his weight. The cold bit into his paws, but his thick pads dulled the worst of it. When he reached the top, Midna smirked down at him. “Took you long enough.” Ignoring her, Link followed a frozen stream into the cave. The chamber within was grand. The limestone walls curved smoothly upward, shaped by centuries of flowing water. Their surfaces were polished to a soft sheen. Tall, arched openings lined either wall. In warmer days, water would have poured from them, feeding a circular pool at the chamber’s heart. For a moment, Link imagined it in its prime. The gentle rush of water filled the cavern, reflected light shimmering across the walls and ceiling. Now it stood frozen and silent. A wide, shallow platform rose at the back of the chamber. Upon it stood the Zora throne, empty and sealed in ice. The craftsmanship was simple yet elegant. Carved from pale limestone, its sweeping lines favoured fluid curves over sharp angles. Movement flickered at the edge of Link’s vision. He turned just as a Shadow Beast lunged from the darkness. It slammed him to the frozen floor, snarling behind its stone mask. Without thinking, Link drove his hind legs into its chest and twisted free of its grasp. I knew the Twilight did this. Link bared his teeth at the Shadow Beast. Wherever the creatures prowled, suffering followed. He feared the Zora had already paid the price. Link felt the air shift behind him and pivoted. A second Shadow Beast stalked forward, black tendrils pulsing. It lunged and slashed. Link spun clear, claws scraping across the frozen floor as the creature’s strike cut through empty air. He bounded onto its back and drove his teeth into its neck. The creature howled and bucked violently, desperate to dislodge him. Clamping down, Link twisted hard and tore out flesh. Black blood spilled across the ground, and the Shadow Beast staggered. It collapsed onto its back, twitched once, then lay still. Standing over it, Link shook his head and spat, the metallic taste of its blood clinging to his tongue. The other Shadow Beast surged while he was distracted, but Midna intercepted it. A wave of dark magic burst from her hand, hurling it into the wall. Link moved to help, but the monster threw back its head and shrieked. The scream reverberated through stone and ice, rattling the throne room. Pain lanced through Link’s head, freezing him in place. His thoughts fractured. He forced a step forward, grimacing as the Shadow Beast rose again. Come on! Move! Fight! Midna leapt in front of Link, her amorphous hair hardening into a massive bludgeon. She lashed out, sending the Shadow Beast careening across the chamber. The opening was all Link needed. When it retaliated, he was ready. He ducked beneath its outstretched arm and sank his claws deep into its chest. Pinning it to the ground, he did not relent until the Shadow Beast went limp. The Shadow Beasts dissolved into dark particles and scattered. Link tilted his head, wincing as a sharp ringing lingered in his ears. His lupine senses had many advantages, but they could also be exploited. That was not the first time he had buckled under a Shadow Beast’s scream. I can’t stand those things. Link did not get much time to recover. Midna gasped, and he followed her gaze into the frozen pool. Beneath the ice, dozens of faint spirit flames flickered. The Zora. Link’s heart sank. Goddesses. There are so many of them. Many were frozen mid-stride, arms outstretched as if the ice had claimed them without warning. How many more were trapped outside? Midna stared at the frozen forms beneath the ice. “We can’t just leave them here. We have to do something.” What could they do? The ice was thick and unbreakable. There was no way through. Midna tapped her chin thoughtfully. Then suddenly her eyes lit up with sudden realization. “Wait, I have an idea.” The words caught Link off guard. He had grown used to her cryptic hints and sharp-edged remarks. For once, she stood beside him, not above him. Midna snapped her fingers, and Link felt his body splinter into shards of Twilight. Darkness swallowed his vision. When it returned, he was standing at the base of Death Mountain. He would never get used to Midna’s ability to warp in and out of reality. Link considered her plan. She was not thinking of transporting lava to Zora’s Domain…was she? He turned when heat brushed against his back. A jagged mass of obsidian jutted from the ground – a remnant of Death Mountain’s awakening. Its surface still glowed red with trapped fire. Midna appeared next to the rock and appraised it. “Yeah, this will do.” Oh. Of course. Hot obsidian would carve through ice as if it were nothing at all. Midna bit her lower lip in concentration, then thrust her arms to the sky. The rock tore free of the earth and shattered into a storm of black particles. Darkness closed around Link again, and the cold returned in an instant. He stood once more in the frozen throne room of Zora’s Domain. High above the pool, the chunk of obsidian materialized and plummeted downward. It struck the ice with a thunderous crack. Steam burst upward as the heated stone bored through the frozen surface. Water exploded skyward, hurling massive shards of ice across the chamber. The torrent surged outward, roaring over the cliffs to restore the great waterfall below. Freed from the ice’s grasp, the Zora dragged themselves from the pool. Many crumpled to the stone floor, gasping and dazed, unaware of the nightmare they had just escaped. The throne room filled with the sound of shuddering breaths. Link sat beside Midna in silence, watching her at the water’s edge. She did not look at him. Her gaze remained fixed on the flowing current. She had just saved an entire people, and they would never know. They would wake believing the thaw had come on its own, never seeing the hand that had pulled them back from the brink. Minutes passed before Midna returned to Link’s back. He rose slowly. The water flowed again, but the Twilight still hung over the Lanayru Province. Until it was driven back, peace would not last…