"Elaine, come on! You have to get up!" My younger sister, Zelda, was trying to get me to get out of my bed by jumping on the sides, making sure to not actually jump on me. Today held no importance to me. The only thing that was happening was that there was the ceremony for Link, Groose and his two minions. Besides that, nothing.
"Zelda, I swear to the Goddess. If you don't remove your weight from my bedside, I will end you." I grumbled from beneath my white covered pillow. I've always spoken in a more formal way than the others. Thankfully, no one seemed to mind. That is, those who actually spoke to me. You see, I'm a little… different, than the other students and senior knights. I have certain abilities that they didn't; meaning that I could use magic. No one else, in all of Skyloft, had these abilities. Just me.
"Fine!" Zelda exclaimed. "I need to go meet with Link anyway," she grumbled as she left my living quarters.
"Ugh, finally," I mumbled as I sat on my knees, looking to the door after she slammed it shut. "Siblings…" I growled as I stumbled out of my bed and over to my desk where many scattered papers and a mirror lied. I picked up the large mirror and stared into it, looking at how messy my brown and blond hair was. My hair would normally be short in the back and then gradually grow to my collarbones as it went to my front, though from here it just looked like a tangled mess. I found my brush and brought it through many times until it looked presentable.
I looked back in the mirror and saw that my eyes looked absolutely exhausted, with emerald green eyes against pale peach coloured flesh, though the skin around my eyes were darker due to lack of sleep.
You see, lately I've been having these horrible, freak-ish nightmares where some large, scaly… beast, would wreck havoc on some innocent, pure forest, then turn towards me and charge. I would always wake up at that point, with the night still young.
I strapped on my blue belt with a diamond clasp and adjusted it so it fit nice and snug, then tugged on my cape of the same colour as my belt, shrugging my shoulders to get the seams matching.
The hallway on the second story was absolutely vacant; not even Mia, my father's remlit, was here. All was silent. The only sound was the soft clacking of my boots against the ceramic floors. As I opened the doors that led outside, I instantly raised my arm to shield my eyes from the blinding sun. I gave my eyes time to adjust from the ball of light, and by the time I was at the bazaar, my eyes were well adjusted.
"Elaine!" That would be Karane, another senior knight such as me. I turned swiftly on the balls of my left foot and greeted the female with a brisk nod. "Have you heard? Link's loftwing is missing!" She breathed as she caught her breath.
My eyebrows knit. "I'm on it." I turned back around and bolted off of the launch dock, whistling loud enough to allow my loftwing to fly beneath me and let me latch onto my cobalt blue bird. I flew around the island, searching the smaller islands as well to make sure it didn't crash land on any of them injured. Sadly, I didn't succeed in finding it. I guess Link will have to resign from the race.
I leapt off of my bird and landed swiftly on my feet, looking behind me just in time to see Groose and his minions leap off. I turned back around and saw Zelda and Link run off, probably still in search for his bird. Growling to myself for not finding it, I turned to the left and started on my way back to the Academy.
"Elaine!" The voice sounded like Pipit, and when I turned to the right, my guess was correct. He ran up from the sparring hall area, smiling nervously at me as I gave him an unamused look. It was still too early to have so many people speak to me. "Who do you think'll win the race?"
Small talk; one of the many things I did not enjoy even slightly. "I do not know. I have never been to any of their flight lessons."
He put his hands on his hips. "But you're almost always on your bird!" He exclaimed with a shocked expression on his narrow face.
"That does not mean that I examined their lessons. I would generally be close to the Pumpkin bar some islands away." I waved in the vague direction of the said pumpkin-shaped building. "I find no interest in reviewing the younger students' flight lessons. There is nothing in it for me. Now, if you excuse me, I am in need for something to quench my thirst." Pipit looked confused at what I just said, the words taking a minute to register. He then nodded and jogged off, allowing me to walk the rest of the way to the kitchen by myself, taking a mug and filling it with water, chugging it down happily.
To be honest, I could honestly care less about the race. It was when I was on duty where things got interesting. I was soaring out through the skies along with one of the other senior knights, making sure to keep the idle chattering to a minimum. It was when I saw one of the largest, biggest tornados I've ever seen. But this wasn't a normal, big tornado. The thing that threw me off about it, besides the size, is that it was black. Normally they would be translucent, but this was just… darkness in the shape of a tornado. I heard shouting and screaming, and as soon as the tornado subsided, I saw a flash of red in the distance. "It's Link!" I shouted to the other knight as we urged our loftwings forward. Once I was close enough, I saw a small figure almost pass through the barrier. I continued to urge my bird forward, reaching my arm out towards the falling form. I almost missed him, but luckily my hand latched on to a wrist, the limp figure almost completely covered in the clouds. I allowed my bird to ease slightly since he didn't enjoy being next to the barrier just as much as I disliked small talk. I heaved the body on in front of me, realizing who it was.
It was Link. But… wasn't he with Zelda? My heart dropped at the thought of my sister being lost under the clouds forever, but I refused to think such a way. I focused my attention on getting Link the proper care that is required, so I urged my bird one more time until I was close enough so I could leap off, carrying Link bridal-style. I bolted off towards the academy, telling Karane to get the Instructors to check out his loftwing.
I opened the door to Link's bedroom; the boy never locked it. I laid him down gently onto his bed, straightening out his limbs and fluffing his pillow. He looked like he was in pain, though there were no cuts or bruises anywhere on his smaller body. I turned to get my father, but he was already at the door, making me yelp in surprise. "Father!" I exclaimed.
"Elaine, what happened?" He demanded as he rushed to Link's side.
"I am afraid I can't answer that, father. All I saw was the remains of a black tornado, and then Link and his loftwing falling. I managed to catch him just in time, but…" I looked down in shame.
"But what?" My father urged.
"He was with Zelda, and I couldn't find her…" I glanced up at my father and saw his eyes look like they were in so much pain. "I apologize, father."
He swallowed and then nodded stiffly. "Yes, well, it couldn't be helped. Stay with Link for the night in case he wakes up." He left the room, closing it harder than he normally would.
Great, he's upset with me because I couldn't catch her as well. I let out a sigh and sat down on the chair next to his desk, looking at the sleeping boy with a saddened look. "What in the Gods name happened…?" I wondered a loud.
I heard a soft jingling noise come from outside of the room, making me turn my head to the doorway. I looked to Link, then back out of the quarters. "He won't wake up yet…" I muttered, standing up and opening the door to the first story's hallway. I looked to my left, and saw nothing. But when I looked to my right, I instantly became stiff. There, standing at the base of the stairs, was a woman no older than 25 floating, her whole body different shades of blue and purple with gold accents. She said nothing, but something about her was telling me to follow her.
So I did. At first I was walking, but then as she got further and further away, it compelled me to run. She brought me around the Goddesses statue, making me shimmy across a tiny ledge and run up a slippery slope, and then leap onto higher and higher pieces of land that jutted out from the former ones. I turned behind me when I saw where she led me. "Seriously? I could've just walked forward…" I growled, mainly to myself since she was now inside the building.
I came into the somewhat rustic building, though I froze when I saw a blue sword stuck in a pedestal. I took two steps forward and the spirit burst out, flipping in the air before landing gracefully in front of the weapon, kneeling over in a bowing format. She then straightened herself out and stared at me with unemotional, blue eyes that matched her skin. "The one chosen by my creator. I have been waiting for you. You will play a role in a great destiny." She wasn't even touching the ground. She was simply… floating. "According to your social customs, I should provide you with my personal designation. Fi is the name I was given. I was created for a single purpose, long before the recorded memory of your people. I must aid you in fulfilling the great destiny that is your burden to carry." She turned towards the sword. "Come, Elaine. You must take up this sword. As the chosen one by my creator, it is your destiny." She turned back towards me. "The strange dreams troubling your sleep. My sudden appearance. Uncertainty surrounding the face of one you hold dear. Under the circumstances, it is only logical that you would exhibit some apprehension." I narrowed my eyes at her. "To minimize your uncertainty, allow me to share some information. My projections indicate that this information has a high probability of altering your current emotional state. The one you seek, honorable Zelda, is still alive."
My breathing ceased for a second, utterly relieved that my younger sister was alive, wherever she is.
"And this spirit maiden… the one you call Zelda… is another chosen one fated to be part of the same great mission. Therefore, should you wish to meet with her, I highly recommend you take up this sword before you set out to search for her. Does that information invigorate you? Are you ready to accept this sword?" I growled at her and rushed forward, though was caught off when she lifted herself even more off of the ground, now hovering above the sword. "I seems that further persuasive measures will not be required." She noted. "In the name of my creator, draw the sword and raise it skyward." I growled again. No need to tell me twice.
I stood before this sword, carefully grasping it within my hands, and carefully pulled it out of the pedestal. I tested out its weight for a moment before raising it skyward like Fi wished, feeling the energy build up within the metal. Fi watched from a short distance, still higher than my head. "Recognition complete, Master… Elaine… My master."
I lowered the sword so I could inspect it more closely, though was completely shocked when I heard my father exclaim my name, so much so that I jumped when I turned to face him.
He was gaping at me. "I've had my suspicions, but until now I wasn't sure." He murmured. Yet here we are in the Chamber of the Sword, the very place where it was foretold the youth of legend would one day appear." My eyebrows knit. "It is said that this place was left to our people by the goddess herself. The very knowledge of this room's existence is a secret passed down to a select few each generation, along with a handful of words…" I turned around to face him, carefully holding my sword as he spoke the next few words, even looking down at it as if it were a newborn child. "When the light of the goddess' sword shines bright, the great apocalypse will wake from its long slumber." I winced slightly. Peachy, now we're all going to die.
"Do not fear, for it is then that a youth, guided by my hand shall reveal himself in a place most sacred." I scoffed, not exactly wishing for all of this. I would be perfectly fine if I were to live my life peacefully in Skyloft.
"It started days ago." My father went on. "The sword that I've kept secret all these years… It began to give off a faint, otherworldly light. At first I was sure I was seeing things, here alone with the sword. There was simply no other explanation. I never dreamed the prophecy of legend would come to pass in my lifetime." He looked up at Fi, and I turned to look at her form as well. "The words I have sworn to keep secret are coming true before my very eyes. 'The youth will be guided by one born of the blade—one who is also youthful in likeness yet wise with knowledge immeasurable.'"
"Ah yes, the oral tradition, one of the least reliable methods of information retention and transmission. It appears that critical sections of the passage have been lost over the generations." My father gasped and I could feel his gaze on me for a moment. Fi then lowered herself to the ground, though she was still hovering. "The youth who draws forth the guiding sword shall be known as the goddess's chosen hero, and it is she who possesses an unbreakable spirit. She shall be burdened with the task of abolishing the shadow of apocalypse from the land. Such is her destiny. With the spirit of the blade at her side, she shall soar over the clouds and plummet below…
"…And united with the spirit maiden, shall bring forth a piercing light that resurrects the land." I gasped at what she said last, thinking of words that Zelda once spoke to me.
"Some of Father's old texts talk about a place called the 'surface'. The old tales describe a whole world below, far more vast than Skyloft!"
Fi disrupted my thoughts again. "Master, you must embark on a great journey beneath the clouds to the vast realm of the surface. It is only through this journey that you can fulfill the mission set before you by my creator, the goddess. It is also the only method available for you to reunite with the spirit maiden, honorable Zelda."
My father gasped once again. "This is no easy task, Elaine. The world below is a forsaken place, and to reach it you must pierce the cloud barrier below. In no living memory, no one has ever done this."
Fi lifted her shawl-covered arms and summoned forth a shard of a large piece of clay-esque material, sending it my way. It hovered before me until I took hold of it.
"This tablet will illuminate a path through the clouds to the land below." She informed us. "Take it, and place it within the altar behind me. Master, the first thing you must do is hit the crest sitting in this room with a Skyward Strike. These blasts are formed of pure energy that charges within your blade when you lift it skyward."
I nodded and walked forward, doing just as she informed me to do, allowing a large cylinder to rise out of the ground. I placed the tablet in the rectangular hole, carefully sliding it into place.
"Master Elaine, it is done. Until now, a cloud barrier created by the goddess has separated the world you know from the one below. The tablet you placed in the altar has opened a small rift in the barrier. You can use it to travel through the clouds to the realm below. I have recognized you as my master, and so it is my duty to follow you wherever you may go. I reside within your sword and will accompany you in your travels. Just say my name whenever you require my assistance." She lifted herself into the air and flipped as she entered my sword again.
"Elaine, listen a moment. The nature of the great apocalypse mentioned in the old texts is a complete mystery to me. But whatever it turns out to be, it seems that both you and Zelda have big roles to play in the destiny of this land. Just think—if what Fi says is true, Zelda is alive! Alive and no doubt coming to terms with whatever it is the goddess has in store for her. Should you heed the call of destiny, I don't know what dangers you may have to face, Elaine. Especially down there… But if you've decided to brave the unknown, please find your sister and bring her back. What we've seen here today defies explanation, but it is only the start of your journey. Please, see it through and prove the legends true."
"Yes, sir." I nodded firmly.
"Do your father proud, Elaine!" He took my hand and leaned down to kiss my forehead. "Dawn is drawing near. It has been a long night for the both of us, hasn't it? You have a great journey before you, Elaine. Take care on your journey, and be sure to stop by some of the shops at the bazaar here in town to equip yourself properly for the travels ahead." I nodded at all of the information he told me, and patiently waited until he was done.
"Father, if I may ask, may I stay here with Link until the time comes?" I asked, stepping towards the exit of the building. My father nodded and clasped his large hand on my slender shoulder.
"Of course. If I do not see you before you leave, then may the goddess watch over you. And Zelda, as well."
I forced a small smile then turned and ran off, unsheathing my sword as I made my way back to Link's room. It was so awkward having this sword of my own, feeling its unfamiliar weight in my hand. Normally I would use my father's sword which was a long, thin katana, which was very easy to use and fence with. I couldn't handle using a shield, so in exchange I used another sword. I swung the two around to test their companionship, though the two swords were incredibly different, in every way possible. I would have to get used to it, then. I sheathed my sword as I came into Link's room, though I pulled off the strap and set it down next to the door, then took off my other sword and set it down as well. I sat down at Link's desk again and kept an eye on him, though I would occasionally doodle on some pieces of paper I brought to keep myself entertained while the boy slept.
This continued on for almost four days. No word was spoken until he woke, shooting up in his bed with a soft exclaim. He seemed dazed at first, but when I spoke, he snapped his head in my direction.
"Ah, you're awake," was all I said, my head still resting in the palm of my hand with my elbow on my crossed knee.
Link rubbed his eyes. "What happened…?" He asked quietly.
"You tell me. I only saw what was left of the tornado, and I just barely kept you from getting forever lost beneath the barrier. You were limp and unconscious, and have been in such condition for four days, now. I feared the worst," he knit his eyebrows at me. "That you have passed on. But fortunately, you don't seem to bear any horrible injuries, and for that much, we can be grateful."
Link's face relaxed slightly and he turned his head away from me, looking down at his feet in a shameful way. He sighed and rested his forearms on his knees.
"Link… Where is Zelda? She was with you, yes?" I stood up and walked over to the foot of his bed. He remained silent. "…What has happened to my sister?"
He glanced up at me at first, but then began explaining everything that happened, occasionally clearing his throat or coughing. I gave him some water I got before I came in. "A black tornado, you say?" I groaned. "That is no ordinary storm." I turned away and took a few steps forward, though turned back around when I heard fabric rustle, only to see Link trying to stand up. "You must not push yourself. You are still in recovery. You may feel fine, yet you must take everything slowly for a few days until you have gotten your energy back. Now, tell me, when you last saw my sister, did anything about her seem… off?"
Link looked up at me again, explaining how she told him that she had been hearing voices and about the surface.
"I see… She was talking about the surface, then?" I crossed my arms and Link nodded. I stayed silent for a moment. Only when he said my name did I snap out of my thoughts. "…My apologies. I am concerned for Zelda, but as long as she remains with her Loftwing, I am positive that she will be fine. Either way, daybreak has yet to arrive. It would be incredibly difficult to spot one girl and her bird in the dark of night, and also very dangerous. Rest now, Link. Zelda is going to be fine. She is out there, alive." I lowered my voice. "I know it." The last sentence was more for me, since I've been stressed out over her for days. "I must leave now, Link." I pulled on my two swords and adjusted them.
"Leave? Where are you going?" He asked me.
"To find my sister."
"Let me come with you!" He exclaimed, his voice cracking slightly.
"No." I turned around and shot him a stern look. "It's too dangerous for a new kid like you." He took offence to that. "Your skills are no where near ready for this." He narrowed his eyes slightly and rushed at me, as if he was trying to show that he was ready. Though since I already saw it coming, I took his wrist, twisted his arm, and slammed his chest against the wall, pinning his arm behind his back. "No where near ready." I hissed in his ear. "Please, Link. It will keep something stable in my mind, knowing that you are safe. I will not allow another person's life to depend on me. Stay here, and until Pipit declares you ready, never leave the skies. Ever." I growled out the last word and released him, then left his room, left the academy, and left Skyloft for the Surface.
This is why I haven't been uploading my Twilight Princess story. Sorry, guys. :x I need to get out of this Skyward Sword mode, though I've been in it since I got it and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it. xD;;
But yeah, this is my story. Elaine is based off of me, though she is nothing like me. The main similarities we have is looks(though my hair is a different style), and her skills. I've taken archery and some self-defense, so I can safely say that I know what I'm talking about. :]
Please review! It means a lot when I know that people are actually reading my story. x3
