"We cross our bridges when we come to them and burn them behind us, with nothing to show for our progress except a memory of the smell of smoke, and a presumption that once our eyes watered."
I suspect the history of this war will be one of stark contrasts. The Hero never came, and there was nothing to be done. Zelda failed, Ganon succeeded in obtaining the Triforce and the world helplessly fell into shadows.
Legends will forget and exaggerate the details. They will paint Zelda with broad strokes as an infallible saint, and Ganon as a ruthless villain who finally succeeded because of Link's absence.
My lament is that the true story will be forgotten in favor of embellishments and drama: light winning out over darkness against all odds; a kingdom forsaken by the gods and one woman singlehandedly saving her kingdom from a careless, cold infinity. The true story is illuminated by moonlight.
This was not the day Hyrule fell to the shadows. It was the end, yes, but Hyrule, Lorule, Termina, and the Twilight died fighting. We fought for years. Zelda was Queen of Hyrule throughout the entire war. Her handmaiden and bodyguard Impa served as steward when Zelda traveled to preserve her kingdom. Hilda and I stayed true to our royal duties as well. The war lasted so long that when the Lost Woods opened, and Terminan refugees emerged, the land of Termina was annexed to Hyrule. This was a war that waged over four realms that should not be linked. Ganon never succeeded in taking power from Zelda, Hilda, or me. Ganon was hindered and helped by the blackened chaos scorching the skies. The wheel of our fates intersected with another.
Hyrule and its connected realms are crumbling around us as I write. Zelda, Hilda and I are ensuring that the legacy of our kingdoms live on. Hidden throughout Hyrule are its relics, to be discovered and scattered throughout time.
In Link's absence, Zelda has taken the role of Hero, awakening the sages in disguise and seeking the Triforce. We have fought Ganon's forces at every turn, and defeated them. Ganon's monsters are easily dispatched, but our armies are outnumbered. Our kingdoms have survived similar odds before. This strife is simple. We could easily win. Zelda and I reached Ganon, and nearly defeated him in battle for the Triforce, but the black beast devouring our world disrupted our efforts, and Ganon escaped with the Triforce of Courage. Ganon had the Triforce of Power and the Triforce of Courage. When he sieged Lorule, he obtained the Triforce of Willpower. Zelda held the Triforce of Wisdom, Hilda held the Lolian Triforce of Knowledge. What we fought over was the Lolian Triforce of Emotion. One piece. But even with that one piece, Ganon would need to be defeated. Or deceived.
Link's absence does not matter. This is not something that can be avoided, only softened. The Gods themselves contend in vain.
This war will be the end of Hyrule, Lorule, Termina, and the Twilight Realm. Not because of Ganon, but because of the interference of the black beast. This is the end. We are not destined to defeat the beast, and these relics will remain as fossils of the never-were.
Notes
Midna's Lament contradicts certain aspects of Zelda's Epitaph, and directly mentions that the truth of the Last Great War of Hyrule will be forgotten in favor of generalization. Midna also alludes to the presence of Alduin in the events of the war, and explains that she helped hide artifacts from Hyrule's history from the Dark Army. Her actions are therefore part of the reason that items from Relics of Hyrule are found scattered throughout Skyrim.
Midna's Lament also emphasizes the inevitability of Hyrule's demise.
Background and Inspiration
Midna's Lament was included in version 6.0 of Relics of Hyrule and was found in the Ruptured Towers. It was accessible only after completing the dungeon. The book was included to clarify the lore of Relics of Hyrule and to indicate that not all lore books are necessarily accurate or consistent. This was done to establish the age of Hyrule's legend, and to add realism and uncertainty to the story. This ambiguity was intended to allow players to imagine details for themselves within the framework of events that are established as "true" within the context of the mod's story.
In 6.3, the book was moved into Midna's Tomb with its companion books.
Midna's Lament is named for a piece of music from the soundtrack of Twilight Princess. The same piece was featured in the trailer for version 6.3 The book quotes Tom Stoppard's play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, as well as Die Jungfrau von Orleans by Friedrich Schiller. The opening quote comes from the former, while the quote "the Gods themselves contend in vain" is an abbreviated quote from the latter. The book also quotes Doctor Who with the phrase "fossils of the never-were." Midna's Lament also quotes the Nightwish song "The Greatest Show on Earth" with the line "careless, cold infinity."
See Also
The Last Great War of Hyrule (book)
The Battle of a Thousand Heroes