Chapter 1: Stolen Twilight

I walked out onto the balcony, feeling troubled and tense. I propped my elbows against the railing and gazed out at the misty golden Twilight landscape. I took a few deep breaths until I felt myself relazing. It was fortunate that the soothing effects of the Twilight realm worked so well to calm me, because my recent ascension to Princess had been anything but simple.

It had been obvious for a while now that I would be chosen as the next ruler of the Twilight Realm, although not everyone was pleased with that turn of events. I'd hoped everything would settle once I was officially appointed Princess, but that hadn't been the case.

Zant.

He had fought tooth and nail to become the ruler of my people. He certainly had his supporters and his place in the line of succession. But fortunately I wasn't the only one to see his dangerous faults. There were others who noticed that craving for power. It was people like him who had gotten us banished to the Twilight Realm in the first place. Several generations ago out ancestors were punished for trying to steal the power of the gods. We made sure that it was never forgotten. It was a mistake no one was eager to repeat.

Because of the soothing light of our world, and the memories of how we came to be here, the people of the Twilight realm remained peaceful.

If Zant were allowed to rule, he would destroy that peace that we had worked so hard to keep over the years.

His behavior after my coronation was proof enough that he wasn't capable of dealing with the stress of kingship. When he thought no one was watching, he fled the coronation ceremony, no doubt to throw a tantrum like a spoiled child.

Come to think of it, I hadn't seen him since he'd fled that day. Maybe he decided to leave the palace. Although I suppose I shouldn't get my hopes up. He probably wouldn't give up so easily, even though his streak of power was broken.

Thinking about Zant made me tense up again. I lowered my head, resting it against my arm. I watched the flecks of twilight energy flutter up into the air. A few black clouds stood out against the golden sky. I wondered if it would rain soon. We could use the rain.

At first I didn't notice the tapping sound behind me. I was taking deep breaths to pull myself together. I had plenty of work to get back to. By the time I realized that I was hearing footsteps, the person was only about fifteen feet away.

I turned around, expecting to see someone from the palace.

Instead my blood ran cold.

Because standing behind me was Zant.

I took a step backwards, only to back into the railing

Zant was wearing a strange, peaked helmet. The mask had round, staring eyes, and a tongue curving out of the mouth. I suppressed a shudder.

"What is it you want?" I demanded.

"My dear Midna," he said, spreading his arms, and stepping towards me.

"You stay away," I snapped. His sudden appearance and his strange mask were unnerving enough. But above that, there was something different about him. A strange energy was making me uneasy.

Although I couldn't see his face, I could imagine Zant smiling. But he did stop walking.

"I just came to congratulate you," he continued. "I never did get a chance to do so after your coronation. Although I suppose it is sad that your reign had to be so short."

I bristled. "What are you talking about?"

"Why, I'd think it was obvious. I'm here to claim what is rightfully mine. And now that I have the power of my God, there's nothing you can do to oppose me."

I scoffed, but took a step to the side so that I wouldn't feel so cornered against the balcony railing. "Your threats are empty, as usual."

Zant gave a light chuckle. "Oh, Midna, when will you learn? When I make a threat, I most certainly mean it."

He started walking towards me again. I felt a faint fizzing sensation in the air. Magic.

I began backing away from him.

"You are nothing now," Zant hissed. "Nothing."

The aura of magic expanded, crackling through the air and washing over me. It was a deeper, larger magic than I'd ever felt before. I'd never felt anything like it in the Twilight Realm. It frightened me. I knew I couldn't stand against it.

Where had Zant gotten such power?

I automatically raised my hand in front of me, as though that would be enough to slow the rush of power pouring from Zant.

Zant raised his hand as well. For a moment, he stared at me. Then he flicked his hand sideways. It was a careless gesture, almost as though he were swatting a fly away. And yet that simple movement contained enough power to hurl me off my feet., even though there were five feet between us.

I fell, and as I dropped through the air I felt a strange, lurching sensation inside of me. I felt like I was spinning uncontrollably instead of falling straight for the ground.

I landed heavily on the balcony floor.

"Oof," I gasped in a strange, high-pitched voice. Had that sound come from me? My voice wasn't that high.

Nausea washed over me as I pushed myself to my hands and feet.

That was when I saw my hands.

I froze. An icy horror slowly slid down my spine and washed through my body. I sat up, trembling, and stared wide-eyed at my hands.

What had he done to me?