Link

The world shook... or it seemed like it did. When you've just woken up and a giant bird is screeching outside your window you get the feeling of a lot of things that aren't true. Namely: the stars that are floating above my head. I stared at the ceiling with some of the most curious of thoughts; something about a black mouth, a light calling my name, and a blue Loftwing appearing out of nowhere. The same Loftwing that was perched outside my window this very moment.

Loftwings have a very odd way of communicating. Aside from the screeching and the rustling of feathers and the nibbling your ear hoping for a bit of food, they can sometimes, unexplainably, touch the mind of another living being (hence; the Loftwing appearing in the dream) the connection is strongest and most evident between a Loftwing and it's human partner, whom it's bonded to, which is quite unnerving for a 10 year-old Skylander when he or she is first bonded to his or her Loftwing... Where was I? Ah yes... the ceiling.

The dark blue Loftwing, who I can't remember the name of, spat something in my face. It bounced of me and landed at my side and I recognized it to be a piece of paper. The blue bird then gave a (softer) cry and left, snapping the window shut as it was gone.

Scratching my head, I picked up the paper which turned out to be a letter. I checked who it was from and I knew that it was friendly, but it was too early to get excited about her handwriting.

"Hey, sleepyhead. I know how much you like to sleep in, so I'm guessing this letter will be your alarm clock this morning. Did I guess right? Rise and shine, Link! Today's the Wing Ceremony! You promised to meet me before it starts, remember? You'd better not keep me waiting.

-Zelda"

'Oh yeah, I did promise that' I remembered the previous day, where she talked and talked about the upcoming ceremony and her role in it and my role in it and how it would be romant-... *ahem*... cool if I won the race that took place. I skimmed over the letter again and found my eyes steadying over her signature... and allowed myself hapless smile.

I barely stepped outside to Academy when I heard someone call my name.

"Hey Link, Up Here" And I directed my gaze toward the noise and (as was my habit) locked on to my target, examining the entire area that was within my sight in a split second, it was only after that split second that I recognized Horwell. And he recognized my lock on skill, and yet I still need more practice, the older knights can do it faster and analyse more than just the surrounding area, such as target's appearance, physical strength, possible weakness, height compared to the knight himself, the weather, all in the midst of battle and on Loftwing-back. It was to be exactly like them, that I resolved to train everyday at even the basics, and it was through this resolve that I went to return the Headmaster's cat on Horwell's behalf when he asked me a moment later.

And now to present myself to the Lady in Waiting... so to speak.

I said hello to the guy who was fixing the gate, I forget his name, and he reminded me to speak my prayers to the goddess through one of the statues, which I did when I came across one, and carried on my way to the statue of the Goddess.

The Statue stood at least 50 feet tall, and was placed at the back of a courtyard where in the centre stood a young woman. I smiled when I saw her, I couldn't help it. Her blond hair was neatly tied up into a bun after it flowed down her back past her shoulders. Her pink dress lightly hung of her delicate features and I heard music, from an instrument I was unfamiliar with but it wasn't unpleasant, in fact, it was more pleasant then a lot of music I had heard recently, and... I can hear singing, is she singing?

My heart hardly did anything, it sang with the chords and the melody just as calmly as the maiden did. I caught the words 'youth' and 'servant' before the singing silenced until nothing. The girl stirred and looked out of the corner of her eyes before turning to face me completely. If my heart sang with her music and voice then my body was a symphony at a glimpse of her smile. my mind buzzed and zipped and bounced off the sides of my skull, my stomach front flipped and back flipped and somersaulted back and forth, my eyes transfixed on the beauty of the world, my heart skipped one, two, three, four, maybe a dozen beats as the only way of expressing the wall of sound that was my body was through the smile that plainly fell on my face that sealed off the orchestra that screamed into silence.

In the next second, the symphony completely disappeared by which time I was back in control.

"Hey! Good morning Link" Her blue eyes matched my own "I'm glad to see my Loftwing got you out of bed, I was pretty sure you'd sleep in and forget to meet me this morning" she was right, I would've "but look at his instrument! And look at his outfit! they're mine to use today in the ceremony, since I'll be playing the role of the goddess" she held up the foreign instrument to let me have a look, it had a gold curve with a semi arch on each side that made it symmetrical, each end of the semi circle was connected with the other by a thin bar that had even thinner lines that I guessed were strings.

"Aren't they beautiful? Especially this instrument! They tell me it's just like the one the goddess was said to have in the legends. It sounds gorgeous too. I asked father about it, he says it's called a harp. And look at these clothes! I made this wrap myself and we get to use it in today's ceremony! Between the harp and the outfit, I'm going to make a great goddess today." the words weren't proud, or arrogant (as I think they look on paper) but joyous and bright with the task she had today. And that was Zelda: young, happy, selfless, and compassionate.

"I got you up early this morning because I wanted you to be the first to see me like this, Link. So how do I look?" My answer didn't hesitate

"Great" I said

"I'm glad you think so"

We spent a few more moments together, just enjoying each other's company for a while.

"Ah, there you are Zelda. Are you all prepared for today's ceremony? Spoke the Sky Knight Academy Headmaster

"Oh, hello Father"

"Ah Link, your here too. Outstanding. It's encouraging to see you up so early, given your capacity for sleep. No doubt today's ceremony had you too excited to close your eyes for once." In honest truth, I wasn't bothered about the ceremony. I know it's going to be a lot of fun, and I try my hardest at no matter what I do, but I don't mind who wins and losses, I'm just out there for me.

The Headmaster was a tall man with a white monobrow that stuck up at the ends like an owl; he had a moustache that covered his upper lip and a tuft of hair on his chin. The description sounds funny but the look suited him and I could tell he worked hard at his appearance. He was a powerful man that was respected inside and outside the academy, and one of my major role models... it's just ironic that he's Zelda's father.

"If you win today's ceremonial race you'll get to participate in the post race ritual with Zelda so give it your best out there and I'm sure you know the prize" whoever won the Wing Ceremony race will receive an instant advancement to the next class in the Sky Knight Academy, basically an instant promotion to the apprentices, however, to the old, more experienced Sky Knights (like the Headmaster) the prize of the race is an honour beyond lunch... and I like lunch, but the veteran knights don't get a say in how we should feel about the prize, the race is for apprentices anyway.

"Yes about that..." the voice was quiet and distant compared with the exuberant she held a moment ago "Father, I don't know if he can do it"

oh, here she goes, this is how she spent the other half of yesterday: nagging me to practice my flying skills with my own Loftwing to compete in the race, scolding me for not trying hard enough and apologizing for being too rough. I mean it's great that she wants me to win but it's not that important to me.

"Recently Link hasn't been practicing at all for the ceremony! And even when he's out riding his Loftwing, he's just lazily gliding around, probably daydreaming" I'm looking at the ground on this point "I don't know what he's thinking. He's going to have to be in complete control of his bird to win today." I'm never in control of him, and he's never in control of me. We work together as one to fly just like everyone should. Looking back, I should have said that out loud.

"No need to worry yourself, Zelda. Though you may have a point. Today's Wing Ceremony tests the skills of the rider as well as his bond to his bird. Victory will not come easy. And as you pointed out, I have not seen him practicing as hard as some of the other students. But you've known him since you were both very little, you should know better than to fret about him!

He has a point just give him a sec

"You see Link and his Loftwing share a special connection. I've never seen anything like it"

As I've said before, Loftwings have an odd way of communication. to be able to feel the mind of another living thing is a very personal and gobsmackingly amazing experience, when I was a child, I heard the grownups talk about their Loftwings and how during flight you communicate almost telepathically to the bird, telling him where you want to go... but somehow, their wrong. It's much deeper than that. I've said before that me and my Loftwing work as one to travel through the air, let me be a bit more clearer: Me and my Loftwing are one, and we live between us as two halves of a coin. He is me, I am him, and we are one.

The movement of my wings is just as familiar as the movement of my feet. The thought applied to using my hands is no different than using my beak. The exhilaration of a dive and the determination of a climb. the curiosity of myself and just how I can place my hand on my feathers and see the skin and the hair on my head while looking into my own eyes and wondering just how I could've existed without myself.

And that's what he means

We are Crimson, in both name and being: Bold, Odd, Wild, Passionate and with a bit of an attitude, I once had an argument with myself about why I have an attitude, my reply was "I don't have an attitude I have a Personality I can't handle, like me" to this day I still don't know who won... well I suppose I did, but it's hard to tell.

the crimson line of Loftwings were thought to be extinct, and old wives tale, a time when grandpa talks about the good old days, and yet six years ago, when I was just a boy, when I was still just Link, he appeared for me and I (me and him) have never looked back

Zelda

I looked at him... he was weird, ever since day 1, he was never without a smile, he's cute, for starts and he always knows how to make me happy. And at the same time he could be completely frustrating, like one time he convinced me to sneak in the waterfall with him and I was so frightened and he held my hand and promised to protect me no matter what happened. Hundreds of bats, getting stuck in some goo monster and a swim in (what I hope was) water and I'm grounded and Link is never to see me again. But he never went back on his promise, even when I started crying, he held me and promised to get me home. We were only children.

All this time, Father had been speaking and I came out of my dream stare on Link just in time to hear my father laugh.

I looked to the ground and thought of something to say "this contest is nothing to laugh at father, this ceremony is part of the final test for those training to become knights of Skyloft" and I can't bear the thought of doing the ritual with someone else, I just can't "If Link doesn't fly fast enough during the race..." I pictured giving the wrap I made for Link to someone else "What if Link messes up his big chance... what if he's not allowed to become a knight"

"Calm down dear it will be alright" said father. I am calm... I think "honestly, it's almost as though you become a completely different person when you worry about Link." I looked to the ground again

"Listen Link" I said "you'd better fly your heart out today. At the very least, you need to squeeze in a little practice time before the race!" and before he could protest I took his hand and lead to the jumping platform, he was looking back and forth towards me, my father and the platform. He was looking really worried now. "Come on! You'll thank me later!"

Once we reached the edge I began to push him forward. "Here we are. Go on now. Jump off the edge and call your Loftwing. It's almost time for the ceremony so try practicing seriously for once!" before I gave the final push, he looked back and held my arm. He looked terrified, he whispered into my ear. "Hmmm? Oh yeah? You can't 'sense' your bird out there? Oh get it. You're trying to weasel out of having to practice! Nice try, but you're not fooling me." and with one final push I sent him on his way... or so I thought. "Off you go"

"Ok Link, go ahead, whistle to call your Loftwing" I heard a high pitched squeal that signified the whistle,

...

"His bird is taking a long time to get here"

"Something's wrong"

Link

Zelda, you are so lucky I love you.