Warm air wrapped around me, enveloping my Loftwing and I into the summer breeze as we coasted along the patterns of wind. I gripped onto Leila's, my Loftwing's, purple feathers telling her silently that I was tired. Crowing in reply she voiced concern for my health and sank lower on the breeze and closer to Skyloft.
"I'll be fine Leila, it's been a while since you and I were able to fly together," was my reply. I knew Leila was unable to understand my speech, but through our connection she knew what I meant.
A low croon was what I received and she flapped her large purple and blue wings once and we started to fly closer to the Lumpy Pumpkin. I shook my head quickly, I wanted for us to be alone for a while so I could think.
The Wing Ceremony is in just a few hours, yet Link hasn't bothered to train in such a long time. The thought that my favorite student would not pass the test sent a queasy feeling to my stomach. All day I've been having a feeling that something would happen, that something would go wrong, and it had only grown stronger with each heartbeat. Speaking of which, where was that crimson Loftwing of his?
Leila turned her head so that she could see me with one giant yellow eye. No, Leila hasn't seen Link's Loftwing since early this morning.
Hopefully Link and his Loftwing were fine and Link was just taking care of the crimson Loftwing like I'd taught him to. Perhaps that was it. The feeling bubbling in my stomach didn't dissipate however, only doubling until I felt like I was going to be sick.
Sensing my queasiness Leila quickly made her way through a warp-stone, soon flying over Skyloft. I clutched her feathers again, bile rising to my throat. I couldn't land like this, my hands wouldn't have enough grip to hold onto the sailcloth from my own Wing Ceremony. As softly as she could Leila landed and trotted over to the doors of the Academy and cawed while I hunched over.
Opening the door, Horwell quickly grasped the situation and took me gently from the saddle as Leila sat down. By this point I knew I was sick and I didn't mind Horwell holding me protectively as he made his way to the bathroom downstairs, ignoring anyone who cried out in worry. Horwell held my hair back as I got rid of my breakfast from this morning, trying to sooth me by tracing circles on my back. Instead I only felt more disgusted and my stomach clamped again. Eventually I sat up and look at Horwell.
"Aren't you glad I broke it off?" I asked jokingly, knowing I looked like a wreck. Sweat covered my body and sick-induced tears leaked down my face.
Trying not to laugh Horwell handed me a cup of water to rinse out with, "What made you so sick?"
"Nervous," I muttered shamefully.
Horwell raised an eyebrow in surprise, "You? Nervous? If you're this sick when you're nervous, I'm glad I don't have to take care of you when you're truly sick!"
"For Link. That's why I'm nervous." I ended the sentence.
Horwell paused in his astonishment, "Does Link mean that much to you?" I thought I saw a trace of hurt in his eyes, but I ignored it. He would have to get over me eventually.
"He's the closest thing to family I have, Horwell."
He sighed, grabbing a towel and began to wipe of my face, "I understand." After that he was silent until he asked for permission to help me up to my room.
With his help I was able to make it up to my room, out of my chain mail, and under the blankets. And there he left me with orders to not get up and most specifically, not to go to the Wing Ceremony.
Disregarding that first order I shakily sat up and reached for a pencil and some paper. If I wasn't able to go to the Wing Ceremony then I needed to tell Link somehow that I was there for him. The letter was brief and wished him good luck, but it still took a toll out of me. I asked Leila to bring it to him when he woke up, for I was certain he was still asleep by at this point of the day.
Although I mentally protested it, I realized the only way I would get better was if I slept. I hated the idea of being asleep in case something happened, but my body wouldn't be able to fight in any case.
Right before I fell asleep I wondered at that thought. Why would I need to be able to fight?
My opened with a snap, every hair on my body standing on edge. What had woken me up? I searched my dreams for a hint of a nightmare, but all I could remember was darkness. My body felt stiff and I realized I was holding my breath. That feeling in my stomach was back, and worse than before.
A jolt ran down my spine, causing my body to tense up again and me to utter a small gasp. Something was not right.
I remembered when I had felt this feeling before; it was right before an accident that caused the death of Zelda's mother. I had just been made an orphan, but I was so sick that Oreille came to take care of me.
It was worse this time.
My body jumped out of my bed and I felt sore and sick all over. I leaned against my desk as a wave of dizziness washed over me and I straightened. Pulling my chain mail over my head I felt the familiar weight land on my shoulders and my blue tunic over that. I reached into my wardrobe and brought out my sword and shield as well as a few potions I have been saving along with my stash of Rupees. It was just a feeling, but I sensed I would need them. Glancing at the window I could tell that I had only slept for about four hours. As I ran out the door I quickly pulled my hair away from my face and into a braid so it wouldn't get in my face as I flew. Or fought, a part of my mind whispered to me. My lips pressed together in a firm line. I hated to do it, but if I must I would fight for my people.
The door opened up at my touch, revealing Instructor Owlan. He turned to me in surprise, "Fallon, you're still supposed to be in bed!"
"I'm feeling better," I lied, trying to decide where the trouble I was sensing was going to come from. "By the way, how went the Wing Ceremony?"
"Link won," Owlan smiled, "You trained that boy well, Fallon. Although he almost didn't make it in time. Groose, Strich, and Cawlin stole and hid his Loftwing but he was able to get to him in time to make it to the Wing Ceremony."
Anger slightly boiled in me at the thought of foul play. Next time I see them I was going to give those boys a lecture on chivalry. "Where's Link right now?"
Owlan thought for a moment, "He and Zelda should be up at the Goddess' Temple right now. Though I imagine they're done and flying around by now."
"Thanks," I quickly set off in the direction of the nearest platform and dove off. Quickly whistling Leila swooped under me and carried me over Skyloft. My eyes scanned the clouds for the two Loftwings of Link and Zelda and I spotted them across Skyloft from me.
Nothing looked wrong, but I started to slowly glide towards them anyhow. As I got closer I noticed the smiles on the two youngsters' faces and I smiled myself. Those two were so good together, though Zelda seemed to push Link around a lot, sometimes literally. Then I looked below the two and saw clouds swirling.
The smile dropped from my face and I swore. "Leila!" I shouted, alerting her to charge. As she spun I saw the clouds leap up and form a twister, with Zelda in the middle of it. My heart stopped at what was happening.
The tornado ripped Zelda away from her Loftwing as Link was sent flying in the other direction from the force. Leila flew as fast as she could and we flew right into the twister. This wasn't like any other twister that you would normally see, there was something wicked about it. And no matter how hard I held on, I soon found myself falling through space without Leila beneath me.
Everything seemed to slow down and I saw Zelda below me, the force of the wind tossing her about. Her eyes were closed and body pale. Gritting my teeth I realized that I needed to get to her and dove, cutting through the wind until I grabbed Zelda and wrapped her in my arms. It was then that I noticed how far we had fallen, and still were falling. The clouds were fast approaching, and there was nothing that would stop us from going beneath them. My heart berated my ears and blood rushed in my veins. We were going to die. No one has ever been below the clouds, not in hundreds of years. Even if there was something still below the clouds, we would not land smoothly. I could not hold onto Zelda and use my sailcloth. I, at the very least, was sure to die.
Closing my eyes I sent a prayer to the Goddess to keep Zelda alive, all the while positioning my body under Zelda's so that when the impact came, I would take most of it. It would mean that I at the very least would have a broken back, but I doubted that I would make the landing. All I knew was that Zelda could not die.
We spun inside that tornado for what seemed like eternity, winds pulling at our bodies ferociously like rabid Loftwings. I kept my eyes closed the entire time, not wanting to know when I was about to hit the ground and die. My hands shook and clenched, my body telling me what I already knew and what everything was afraid of: I was going to die.
The thought sent a panic through me, and I rebelled at the thought that I would never do something worthwhile with my life. I would never ride Leila again. I would never scold or teach my students again. I would never pat Link's head when he did a job well done again. I would never visit my parents' graves again. I would never joke around with Henya about how Link doesn't eat enough or how Groose is a muscle head.
I would never find that special someone to live the rest of my life with.
Then, the panic subsided, leaving me in peace. If I wasn't meant to do those things again, then so be it. I was sad of course but there was nothing I could do about it. At least I wasn't feeling sick anymore.
The wind rushed past my ears and my braid came undone. My only hope was that if someone finds us that it isn't a monster and it doesn't try to eat me or kill Zelda. Hopefully someone will find my body and bury it somewhere nice. The thought of a monster eating me, even though I would be dead, disgusted me.
Those were my last thoughts, right before I hit the ground.
