#▲ verse: shards of wisdom [ the legend of zelda ]

[heartpieced]

tag dump

[talesfantastic]

Muse Introduction: Midna (Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess)

History:

Generations after the Interloper War, the banished mages within what is known as the Twilight Realm had formed a society. When the queen passed, the mantle of rulership was given to Princess Midna. On the cusp of earning the title of “queen” herself, Midna found herself facing down with one of the castle servants, a sorcerer by the name of Zant who had believed he had a stronger claim to the throne. While she should have had more than enough power to subdue him, Zant revealed seemingly endless power and quickly defeated her, cursing her to the form of an imp and usurping the throne.

The cursed form was more than a physical change - it also sealed the bulk of Midna’s power, making it impossible for her to challenge Zant again. Furious but refusing to accept defeat, she began searching for potential ways to gain more power herself, so she could challenge him again. History told her of the Fused Shadows that had gotten the Twili’s ancestors banished in the first place, and legend told her of a hero that would appear as a Divine Beast. Hopeful, she departed for the World of Light.

She was shocked, upon arrival, to find the world had been submerged into Twilight by Zant. Some looking around led her first to Hyrule, where she found Princess Zelda - one of the few who had not been changed, preserved by the Triforce of Wisdom. She did not reveal her true identity to Zelda, though the light’s princess quickly discovered Zant was searching for her. Midna did not stay long, instead moving throughout the kingdom in an effort to determine where the gods would have sealed the remaining Fused Shadows.

It was during her roaming that she witnessed one of Zant’s Shadow Beasts dragging off a large wolf. Knowing immediately that this had to be the hero of legend, she followed discreetly until finding where he had been deposited in the dungeon of Hyrule Castle. With full intention of using him to help navigate the World of Light, she guided him first to Zelda to hear first hand what had occurred, and then back to his home, with the promise that she would help him save his kidnapped friends - if he helped her.

While she proved true to her word, she did not explain to Link what she intended to use the Fused Shadows for - her hope to return to her true form, and defeat Zant once and for all, saving her world and her people from his tyrannical rule. Perhaps if she had trusted him, things might have gone differently when Zant confronted them in the spring of the spirit Lanayru. Zant easily takes the Fused Shadows from her, and attempts to talk her into joining him. When she refuses, he holds her up to the light spirit, gravely injuring her, and leaving her for dead and turning Link back into a wolf before departing.

Desperate to save her, Link hurries to bring her to the only one he can think of who might know how to help - Zelda. Moved by Link’s selflessness and resigned to her death, Midna only asks Zelda to help Link break his curse and find the Mirror of Twilight, to defeat Zant.

Zelda realizes at last who she’s been dealing with, and instead transfers her soul to Midna, healing her. Sombered by such a selfless action, Midna vows to work with Link to defeat Zant and save both of their worlds.

They travel to the desert, and Midna explains the history of the Twili, and what Zant has done. While she doesn’t confess to being the Princess, she does admit that she is a member of the tribe. She then tells him of the Mirror of Twilight, their only chance at getting to the Twilight Realm. When they reach the Mirror Chamber, they find it broken, and the Sages come forth to explain that Ganondorf is the power behind Zant. That, long ago, they had attempted to seal him away in the Twilight Realm. Midna was not surprised, though certainly bitter about it. Still, when given the locations of the mirror shards she and Link set out at once.

When they return to put the mirror back together, the Sages reveal Midna’s true identity and she confesses to what happened before she met with Link - Zant’s assault, her transformation, and how she knew Link was the hero she was looking for.

With the mirror restored, they head to the Twilight Realm and confront Zant. Ultimately, Link does defeat him, but Midna’s curse is not lifted. Furious, she lashes out with a fraction of the power of her Fused Shadow and manages to kill Zant herself. However, they realize Ganondorf must have made it to Hyrule and hurry back.

Having gotten the Fused Shadows back from Zant, Midna uses their power to transform and destroy the barrier around Hyrule Castle so they can make their final assault against Ganondorf. When they first arrive, Ganondorf uses Zelda’s body as a puppet to fight them in his stead. When Link defeats her, Midna uses her power to drive Ganondorf’s spirit out of her - leaving him to reform as Dark Beast Ganon.

When Ganondorf is seemingly defeated, Zelda’s spirit leaves Midna and revives her body once more. They barely have time to speak before Ganondorf rises again. Midna summons the Fused Shadows, and teleports Link and Zelda away to safety before taking Ganondorf on herself. However, she is unsuccessful, and left laying in the castle as Ganondorf quickly comes after them, brandishing the Fused Shadow she had worn as a helmet.

Link and Zelda combine forces to fight him one last time, and ultimately Link ends up dueling him to the death. As he dies, the Light Spirits appear and within their light on the horizon he makes out Midna’s form - first as an imp and then, by the time he arrives, back to her true form. The curse has been broken, and at last, Midna is able to go home.

Description: True Form

At 6’2, Midna stands a head above both Link and Zelda, and strikes a stunning figure. Like the rest of the Twili, her skin is pale blue and black, marked with green tattoos and almost entirely on display. Her only clothing is a hooded garment with short, wide sleeves that falls down to her ankles, and a belted sarong as a vague nod to modesty. Both garments are black on the outside and a green that matches her tattoos on the inside, covered with bronze geometric designs, lined in green.

She wears an ornate headdress designed to pierce through the hood, the gold pendant hanging down over her forehead. It has a single red gem that matches the brilliant crimson of her irises, prominent against pale yellow sclera and contrasting sharply with lavender lipstick. Her fiery orange hair is pulled into an elaborate style, bangs framing down around her cheekbones and the lower portion pulled around to rest on her chest, secured in a gold clamp.

Description: Cursed Form

In her cursed form, Midna is just barely three feet tall, not counting the Fused Shadow she wears as a helmet. Said helmet is the only piece of clothing she wears, though the pattern of black against the paler blue on her skin appears much like clothing. She has extensive tattoos in a brilliant green shade, even on her long, pointed ears. Her eyes are larger, still the same red-on-yellow, and her fiery orange hair is pulled back in a ponytail. When she smiles, a single fang can be seen.

|| character tag || verses ||