Link awoke, for the first time that he could remember, alone. Without Zelda, there was no one to bonk him on the head, or pull him out of bed, or mess up his covers. He pushed the depressing thought aside. He couldn't think about not having her right now. He had to think about the fact that he was going to find her. He could not loathe in self-pity. Whatever she was going through right now could be far worse than what he was.
And, as he would later find out, it was.
Link got up out of bed, mentally preparing himself for the day ahead. He looked on his desk to find a green knight uniform neatly folded, just as Gaepora had promised him. He took off the dreaded clothes he had worn on the day of the ceremony and dressed in the new night uniform. He admired the maker's handiwork. It was a forest green, with tan pants. He tucked his pants in his boots and synched up his belt. Link heard a knock on the door and answered it to find Gaepora with a plate of breakfast for him. He thanked him, and began to gorge himself on the meal, for he did not know when he find another one as nutritious.
Gaepora advised him to stop by the Bazaar before leaving Skyloft. Link donned his gloves, and broke them in a bit. Gaepora smiled at him with satisfaction.
"That green uniform is what our knights this year will be wearing. I had my doubts about the color, in all honesty. But upon seeing you wear it, I couldn't imagine a more fitting color. Link, it's as if you were born to wear it!"
Link smiled genuinely for what felt like the first time in ages.
"Thank you, Headmaster," he replied.
Gaepora regained his seriousness, as Link's departure was nearing.
"Take care on your journey, Link. I will return to my office and see if I can find anything of use to you on the road ahead. I'll begin with the ancient texts to glean what I can for this mission."
Link nodded.
"And Link? Know that if you need me, I'm right here. You and Zelda will be and my prayers, day and night. May the goddess guide and watch over you both."
Link flatly thanked Gaepora, too overwhelmed to be emotional. Gaepora hugged him, and left before he shed any more tears.
Link stopped at the platform in the courtyard by the goddess statue. He turned around to gaze over Skyloft, the little piece of floating land that had been his home. He couldn't see all of it, really, but he purposefully chose to dive off of this platform; the one Zelda pushed him off of the morning before.
He took a deep breath, and jumped off. As he felt his feet leave the ground, he knew the next land he would be stepping on would be the surface. He had no idea what to expect. Fear and anxiety coursed through his veins. But the thought of Zelda alone to fend for herself kept him going.
He called his loftwing, and was soring within seconds. As Link flew away, he turned around slightly. He saw the place where he and Zelda had been, not twenty-four hours before, talking about the surface and her desire to see it.
Little did she know…, he thought.
Link remembered the two of them stepping in to hug each other before being interrupted by his loftwing. Link mentally kicked himself again for not taking the time to give her one last hug. His stomach dropped at the thought of never again feeling her skinny arms slip around him, and her head rest right beneath his shoulder. He might never again be able to caress her long hair and hold her close to him when he was in despair. Of course, he hadn't ever been in as much despair as he was now. He longed to hear her words of encouragement, just one more time.
Link snapped out of his stupor as he approached the large green pillar of light. His loftwing seemed a bit hesitant, but Link pet him slightly to assure him that it was okay.
Fi popped out of the sword to tell him that they were nearing, and that he should pull out his sailcloth to keep from thrashing onto the ground. Link did not find it encouraging.
He steered his loftwing right toward the light. He stooped down so that he was right over the break in the barrier. Through it, he could faintly see shades of green covering the land beneath. It was already larger than he expected.
Of course, Link thought, I don't know what I expected to see, anyway.
Rapidly, the terrain of the area began to get clearer. With that being said, it also got closer. Link was astounded by the view that he hadn't realized how close he was getting to the ground. He quickly snapped out of his trance at the land and whipped out his sailcloth. He landed on his feet, stumbling a bit from the momentum of the fall.
"Make sure you take good care of that, okay?"
Zelda's voice rang through his head upon seeing the sailcloth. Link held it to his face and inhaled her scent before gently tucking it back into the adventure pouch that Fledge had made for him.
After saying a quick prayer for Zelda and imagining her in his mind, he decided to survey the area. The ground was hard and solid. It felt as if there were miles of it under his feet. Link took in a deep breath. There were so many different smells and textures to the air. It seemed heavier, and…sticky, in a sense. There wasn't nearly the kind of breeze there was in Skyloft, and from what Link could see, there were thousands of trees. Hills got in the way of his view of the vast land, but he could tell that it stretched on forever. He was truly stunned by everything around him But, for some reason, in a way, he welcomed it.
Immediately, Link heard Fi's chime as she flew out of the sword.
"Master Link, we've arrived. This is the fabled surface that has long been part of Skyloft legend. By my calculations, you are currently in the Sealed Grounds. Please proceed with caution, Master."
Link was still looking around while she talked, but was careful to take in the information that she spoke.
He decided he would explore the area, with hope of finding anything that would lead him to Zelda. Link pushed back the thought of finding her any condition that couldn't be considered alive and well. He remembered the snap of her arm and the height of her fall, but he hung on to what Fi said the night before.
Link had only taken about three steps when a Deku Baba emerged from the ground. It had looked like only a flower, but once he got close to it, its vine neck extended. It turned its head to him, ready to strike. Link jumped back, startled by the sudden appearance of an enemy. He drew his sword from its sheath. He struck once toward the plant, but it merely turned its head and bounced back. It struck for Link, but he jumped back, evading its disgusting teeth.
Link took notice of the position in which it opened its mouth. It reminded him of the logs he had practiced on in the sparring hall back on Skyloft. Realizing the proper way to attack, Link skillfully swiped his sword horizontally, right through the creature's mouth. Its head split and it fell dead to the ground.
Link sheathed his sword, pleased with his ability to figure out how to destroy the monster. It wasn't long until two more popped up; but he easily took them out.
Link came to the end of the path and jumped down, landing in front of a giant stone temple. The terrain seemed to spiral downward, until it reached a stopping point far below the temple. It was about a 100-foot drop from where he stood.
He took a step forward cautiously. There seemed to be another presence with him. He looked around, but he could see nothing.
Abruptly the area around him flashed with black and red. Link stopped, realizing his mind was beginning to feel foggy. He walked toward the edge of the first level that he stood on, looking down to the center of the spiral. Black tendrils of an unknown smoke or steam were bellowing out of the ground. The ground began to shake, and the area around him went black and red again. The strange smoke blew up toward him. Link shielded his face from it. Upon reopening his eyes, he couldn't see anything now. He felt like he was in one of his nightmares yet again. Then he heard an all too familiar roar. Link looked down to see the beast from his dreams coming out of the center of the ground.
He looked at it, confused. He felt a striking pain in his head, suddenly. Link dropped to his knees, unable to bear the pain. The black fog now began to consume him. Link opened his eyes to see the beast before him. It didn't appear to have any eyes., only sharp scales and a monstrous mouth with rows and rows of teeth. Link prepared to unsheathe his sword, but the beast was too massive. It gave a final roar before opening its mouth to devour him.
Link opened his eyes again. He was relieved to find that he was back in front of the temple, and the beast was nowhere to be seen In fact, the whole thing had been another dream. Or rather, vision. He peered over the edge a bit more for good measure, to ensure nothing of his vision had actually happened.
A slight breeze hit his face, which calmed him. It seemed to speak to him. Link turned around to finally study the temple. Half of the giant dome that once covered it was gone, leaving only a half circle over the portion of ground that he stood upon. The doors to the temple seemed very old and heavy. A strange glowing symbol covered the doors.
Link approached them, hoping to find a clue as to what to do once inside. But when he neared them, it was impossible to even touch the doors. The glowing light made them hot, unbearable to even attempt to open. He heard Fi's chime and watched as she gracefully flew out of the sword.
"Master, some important news. Even though the doors have been opened recently, they are now sealed with an ancient magic I cannot identify. Proceed around the nearby area to find a way to break the seal if you wish to enter."
Link's heart skipped a beat when he realized what she said. The doors had been opened, and recently. He knew it had to have been Zelda. The thought of her just behind the doors in front of him made him overjoyed. He was so close.
Link thought momentarily about what to do to break the seal. He did the only thing he could think of, which was jump off the ledge and see what evil was spewing out of the ground at the bottom.
Link ran and jumped off, pulling out his sailcloth just before hitting the ground.
He approached the design on the ground, and noticed the strange spike that floated above it. His head slightly ached due to being in the presence of the evil that surrounded it.
Unsure of what to do, Link began to get closer. Suddenly, a voice spoke to him.
"Young one…" it called.
"Child of Destiny who descended from the sky… raise the sword to the sky… take aim at the evil aura and unleash its power…"
Link expected Fi to pop out of his sword, but nothing happened. He didn't know what any of that meant, and he couldn't get his mind off of the way he was addressed.
"Child of Destiny"? I'm no Child of Destiny. I'm just a kid trying to find his best friend. They've all got the wrong person.
Link only knew what it meant to, "raise his sword skyward", having done it before when Fi told him to.
He unsheathed his sword and held it up, feeling a surge run through it. Link slashed it forward toward the floating post.
The spike glowed with a heavenly light temporarily before apparently shoving itself into the ground. The black streams of evil ceased coming out of the ground, and all grew quiet.
Link heard what sounded like the wind come from all around him. Suddenly, out of tiny holes in the ground, air began to blow up. Link had never seen such a thing happen before.
He heard Fi and waited for her to explain.
"Master Link, I sense a change in the area that was triggered by your Skyward Strike," she began.
"I also detect an aura that correlates closely to your sailcloth. I surmise this aura belongs to Zelda."
Link's heart began to race. She was alive! And she was near. She had to be near. Sensing his excitement, Fi continued.
"I can lead you in the direction of this aura through a process known as dowsing."
"Wait, what is dowsing? How can you do that?" Link asked her, both excited and confused.
"Dowsing is when I detect the aura of something you wish to search for using the tip of your sword. The nearer you are to the object emitting the aura, the stronger the response will be. The response manifests itself through vibration," Fi answered.
Link took out his sword eagerly. Sure enough, he felt the sword begin to vibrate. He pointed it up, and the vibration got stronger.
Link looked around for a way up to the temple, where he knew she had to be. He judged that if he pulled out his sailcloth and jumped over the strong streams of air, he would float up to the next level. He walked over to one and tried.
With success, he landed softly on the next level up. He did this again and again until he reached the top. Link pulled out his sword and felt the vibration. It was extremely strong now, especially when he held it toward the temple. Link approached the doors again, noticing that the seal was fading.
It faded completely, leaving Link able to walk in. He pushed on the doors with all his might, nearly stumbling when they finally opened.
His heart raced as he imagined finally finding Zelda. It had only been about twenty-four hours since the horrible tornado appeared, but it felt like days.
Link stopped when he entered the temple. Stone pillars were perfectly aligned with moss covering them. What used to be stone on the ground was covered with grass in most places. The ceiling was also stone, except for the few holes in it. In the middle of the temple was a small set of steps leading up, a gap, and more steps leading down. It was as if something was supposed to go in the gap, but it was vacant. Behind the tiny steps were bigger steps, leading to a set of giant double doors. Sunlight shined through the hole in the ceiling (which reminded Link of Zelda for some reason), cascading down into the temple in front of the doors.
That is when Link noticed her. At the top of the steps, sitting on the ground, was a woman. She sat cross-legged under what looked like a teepee, but upon studying it briefly, Link realized it was her cloak. She had a braid that hung in front of her, which had been coiled up, and swung like a pendulum. Link watched her for a moment. She spoke before he had the chance to.
"Ah, the traveler who descended from the clouds. I welcome you, child of fate."
Link recognized her voice as being the one which called out to him moments before. He was still confused on why she kept referring to him with these names such as, "Child of Destiny" or, "Child of Fate".
Seeing he was still confused, the old woman spoke.
"Tell me child, what is your name?"
Link had to think for a second to remember what to say, or how to even speak.
"L-Link…ma'am." He said, trying not to sound rude.
"Link? Ah, very good. A good name."
"Um, yes. Thank you," he replied.
The old woman studied him for a while, a slight smile on her lips. Link studied her too, taking notice of her strange clothes and long braid that wrapped around her head. Her skin was darker than his, and wrinkled. A faint tattoo of a tear came from her eye. He liked her; she reminded him of some of the elders back on Skyloft, whom he always enjoyed talking to.
"I see you have gained control over the sacred power of your sword, the Skyward Strike, which is yours to command. It is proof you are fit to wield the blade you carry, The Goddess Sword. I have sat year for many years waiting for you to arrive, all so that I could fulfill my purpose as your guide."
"My guide? I'm sorry ma'am, but I think you have the wrong person. I'm not a hero; I'm merely looking for my friend. Have you seen her?"
The woman only continued to stare at Link, clearly waiting for him to explain.
"I know I have had dreams troubling my sleep about a great mission, and that I have the sword and all, but I really don't think I am the one who is supposed to carry this thing out," he finished.
The old woman smiled at him.
"Oh my child," she said calmly. "You are indeed the one. Your meekness only emphasizes it. You cannot run from your calling, young man. You try to, but still yet you continue on in your journey. You have an unbreakable spirit."
"That's what I keep being told," Link muttered. He never wanted any of this. He was happy on Skyloft, striving to become a knight and spending his days with Zelda. It was only because of her that he was here; not some great mission.
"You will see, my boy. Trust in what you hear, for it is all true. Do not despair, all your questions will later be answered."
"And until then?" Link asked, deciding to stop denying what she said.
The old woman smiled and looked around.
"You stand under the Sealed Temple, a place built by the Goddess an eternity ago. Your arrival here was predestined many, many years ago. The spirit maiden you seek arrived here shortly before you, descending to this land in a shower of light. There is no doubting it. The gears of fate have begun to turn."
Link realized she finally answered his initial question, which was whether or not she had seen Zelda.
"So she's here? She is okay?" He asked, hearing his voice rise with each word.
"She is okay. But yet, all is not as it should be. The spirit maiden was not meant to reach this land in the manner in which she did. There is an evil power working in the shadows. It moves to warp the destiny which you two are a part of."
"So the beast in my dreams, and the one I saw in a vision coming out of the ground…it is the evil that is trying to destroy everything?" Link asked her, beginning to put what little information he had together.
"Indeed it is. Link, I know you are concerned with the spirit maiden and seek her whereabouts. It is understandable, but for now you must focus on moving forward. That girl has her own purpose she must pursue, as do you. She has set out to Faron Woods to discover that destiny for herself, and you must follow."
The old woman reached in her cloak, pulling out an old piece of paper rolled up. She took it and began writing on it before handing it to Link.
"This is your map. Take it with you on your journey. I have prepared it for you. The "x" on it locates the path that will lead you to Faron Woods. You will be traveling through unfamiliar land, and many monsters have settled there. I advise you keep a sharp eye and steady hand on your road ahead."
Link thanked her for the map and tucked it within his shirt, wanting to keep it safe.
"Go now, Link. You must head to Faron Woods and chase after the spirit maiden…the one you call Zelda. On your way, take the contents in the treasure chest in this room. It should prove to be useful on your journey."
"What about Zelda?" He asked her before leaving. "You said there were monsters in this land. What if she cannot protect herself?"
The old woman smiled again at Link.
"You sell your friend short, young hero. I think you will be surprised to find that that girl is well capable of taking care of herself. She has the goddess on her side, Link, as do you. Do not worry. Go now, seek her out."
Link nodded and began to walk to the treasure chest. Inside was a potion that would replenish some of his health. He recognized that this bottle itself might also be kept and used to store other potions.
"Hero from the skies!" the old woman called out before he went through the door.
Link turned to face her, realizing that he actually answered to the name.
"That girl may be able to take care of herself, but that does not mean you shouldn't do everything in your power to find her. It is you who will abolish the darkness with your hand, and her at your side. Only together can you succeed. You are still assigned to protect her."
"Yes ma'am," Link said.
"And, Hero," she called one last time. "Good luck."
A/N: Hey guys! I know it's been a while, but time got away from me the past few days. Which leads me to this: I know this chapter is a lot of game-play which, frankly, is not my cup of tea. But I really didn't have time to go through and change it, and I wanted to go ahead and post this one. So leave me some reviews and let me know what you think. It's hard finding a happy medium between not glazing over game stuff and explaining enough. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. It's tough now because I don't have complete freedom like I did with the first five chapters. But, I digress. Hope you all enjoy and bear with me here, I'm trying to improve my writing. Thankfully I have a person to beta my stuff now! So thanks to them it's not as bad as it was. Thanks guys! Hope you all continue reading!
If you were notified recently that I updated, I was just editing this chapter. Thanks!
