"Zant's rule must be brought to an end," Zelda explained, "Of that there is no doubt."

"But...if he is in another realm—" Link began hesitantly.

"Doggy forgets so easily," the twilight princess interjected, her infuriating smile still glued to her face.

She snapped her fingers so as to prompt his memory. Link remained ill at ease.

"But to another realm—?"

"There is a mirror that links our two worlds together. It is hidden away in a desert fortress, but Midna should be able to deliver you there without issue," Zelda clarified.

Midna rendered a nod of confirmation before tilting her head ever so slightly to one side.

"Shall doggy and I be on our way?"

"Link, Midna. His name is Link. And, no, we require more preparation."

Midna scrunched up her nose as though she'd caught a whiff of some terrible smell, but ultimately she said nothing. Zelda knelt down beside a chest just a few paces from where she'd stood, opening it to reveal a suit of chain mail carefully tucked away. She held it out to Link.

"You will be needing this."

Link accepted the offering slowly, slipping it on over his head. Even though it fit quite well, he felt odd wearing any armor other than his own.

Zelda delved deeper into the receptacle, withdrawing a chestplate. She advanced toward Link, moving as though with the intent of garbing him herself. Realizing this, Link pulled back.

"Really, your Highness, I can manage—"

"Please, allow me."

Despite his wish to protest further, the knight felt he could not refuse the wish of his princess, so he swallowed his scruples and outstretched his arms so that she might proceed. After she was finished, she armored him with spaulders, greaves, and vambraces. The whole time she behaved as one attending a funeral, her head bent, her expression somber. It certainly didn't help to ease any of Link's doubts about the situation.

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With her task completed, Zelda stepped back.

"This armor belonged to my father as a young man," she explained, "Now I hope it serves you well."

Link looked down at the well-worn surface of the chestplate.

"I...I shouldn't be wearing this. I'm not worthy of this armor."

"I haven't an inkling of what doggy is babbling about," Midna said, sounding bored, "But I agree he does not need your light-dwellers' clunky armor."

"Midna, we cannot afford to be careless. This may be our only chance of saving both my world and yours. I would prefer if you took him to the resting place of the legendary blade so that we may at least determine beforehand whether or not he is the chosen hero of our land, but I understand the time constraints at hand. This, however, I will not concede on."

Midna grumbled something under her breath, turning away.

"Legendary blade? Chosen hero? You can't possibly mean those old stories about Hyrule?" Link queried, baffled.

"I do. You may see them only as fanciful stories, but they are much more than that. I know the location of the Master Sword. It is as real as you or I."

"It might well be a sword of commendable design but that doesn't mean it has any true power or that some mystical hero will appear to take it up."

Link became flushed as he remember just who it was he was talking to.

"I'm sorry, Princess," he apologized hastily, "I've forgotten my place. It isn't my right to speak out of turn."

"I understand your skepticism," was all her Highness said.

She reached inside her cloak, drawing forth a sheathed longsword and holding it out to Link.

"May the blessings of the goddesses attend you," she said as the knight accepted her steel.

Link opened his mouth to reply but then the distinct sound of Midna snapping her fingers caught his ear and he immediately plunged into blackness.

When he rematerialized, there was sand underfoot and chamber walls surround him.

"What was that?!" Link snapped, rounding on where he thought Midna would be.

A giggle emanating from somewhere off to his right forced him to readjust his position.

"Doggy is upset. Who can know why? Doggy is exactly where he needs to be."

"You didn't even let me say farewell to the princess. And I have friends! I want them to know where I'm going in case...in case I don't—"

Link left the sentence unfinished. Midna cocked her head, her sanguine eyes boring into the light-dweller.

"In case you don't come back?" she queried.

Link gritted his teeth.

"Yes."

"Doggy needn't worry. I promise doggy will return to his friends safely."

"That's not much comfort..."

Midna straightened, clasping her hands together. Her face donned a strangely tranquil, almost benevolent expression.

"I promise," she said softly.

Link regarded her in puzzlement. However, she seemed to take his silence as a positive acknowledgement, her mouth twisting into a dazzling grin. She threw up a hand, and Link turned to see the mirror Zelda had mentioned. His jaw nearly dropped at the sight of the radiant surface casting light onto a massive stone monolith directly across from it. And just like that, a shadowy doorway opened, beckoning the unbecoming heroes forward.

"Ready, doggy?" Midna asked.

As ready as I'm going to be, I suppose, Link thought dispiritedly, stepping toward the threshold of his world and hers.