Ch. 10
Horrible visions of Ganon torturing Zelda slid through Haeda's mind in a constant stream. He tried to reach her, but as much as he ran he couldn't get any closer. Ganon was looking at him, a disgusting smirk spread across his face. There was a demonic look to him – and it wasn't because he was evil. It was like something about him was changing…
Zelda's screams reached their peak and then ceased.
No!...
But then her voice came to him. It relieved him so much. Haeda…Haeda, I'm trapped!
Haeda instinctively shrank away from the mental contact, but let hers brush against his again. …Zelda? Zelda! Are you okay?
There was a short pause. …For now, I guess.
Where are you?
I, well, I don't really know.
Describe your surroundings, then. Is there a window you can look through?
He seemed to feel her movements vaguely; sensing that she was standing up. She walked over to another point in whatever room she was in and leaned forward. She sucked in her breath.
I'm in the air!
What?! How are you—
Zelda gasped, and her conscience started to slip away.
Haeda reached for her again. Zelda! Zelda, what's going on?
There was no reply.
The boy jumped up, looking around wildly. It was morning and everything was glistening with dew. The ruined Temple of Time was nearby. Haeda cursed at the stone laying at his feet, presuming it was what hit him in the head. Then he realized something was running down his face, and found that there was a cut on his forehead. He kicked the stone hard and it flew and tumbled through the air. It clacked across the rest of its brethren and laid to rest in the pile.
Haeda cleaned his cut and covered it in some cloth. He found Etota and Pellopa grazing by the temple, waiting for his return. As Haeda swung into Etota's saddle, he started to ponder his surprise conversation with Zelda. "In the air?" He idly asked, fumbling with the reins. "What could that possibly mean?"
A breeze rustled the leaves of nearby trees, striking up a quiet chorus. The air in front of Etota seemed to ripple, and something nearly invisible appeared. It looked like an elderly woman, glowing a soft white. The white of a ghost!
Etota neighed and stepped backward, tossing her mane. Haeda quieted her and tried to focus on the translucent woman.
She bowed slowly, causing wisps of ghostly aura to trail into the air. "Greetings, Haeda." She said voice ancient and cracked. "I am an old friend of an ancestor, come to you."
Haeda's expression became puzzled. Old friend of an ancestor?
"Why are you here?" He replied, bowing his head in return.
The ghost shifted, making more wisps appear. "I have come to help you, child. I know how you can reach Zelda."
Haeda jumped forward. "What? I can still get to her? But how do we even know she is still alive?" He blurted.
The ghost hushed him. "An ancient beast of the sky – the Teota Bird - is the only possible way to get to the Floating Castle in which Zelda is imprisoned."
So she is in a castle. In the air! "Teota Bird? I thought that thing was only legend-"
The ghost gave him a wizened look, and Haeda looked downward, blushing.
"Oh, yeah…That's right…"
The ghost floated closer to him and continued. "Teota only comes to you if you recite his Summons. To find that, you must climb a blustery mountain. Be careful of the ice and snow; you can fall to your death if you slip in the wrong places." She turned to the north, toward the mountains. "You shall find this blustery mountain due north. It is blanketed in snow – you should easily be able to distinguish it from all the other mountains. Keep to the mountain path!"
Haeda gazed at the mountains, blurry on the horizon. He seemed to already feel the cold of its snow and ice in his stomach. "Do you think I can do this?" He asked the ghost.
She laughed. "Of course I do! You are probably the only being in Hyrule that the Teota Bird would even accept-"
"It has to accept me to help me?!" Haeda exasperatingly bursted. "How will it even help?"
The ghost shushed him and explained. "Yes, Teota only helps those he thinks are worthy and deserving of it. But I know he will. Never doubt that! When you do find his scroll and call his summons, he will come. And he will fly you to the Floating Castle, cloaked in a storm only he can navigate."