~Okay, on to chapter 10! Just a few more chapters left for part 1, and then it's on to part 2! I hope you're enjoying this… If you haven't reviewed in a while, I urge you to do so! (You do realize I'm going to keep asking this of you right?) I want to know what's good and what's bad.

Just want to thank Evil Riggs and Everia for their multiple reviews.

Enough of that, though. On with the show! (Oh yeah, I don't own LoZ.)~

I'm shooting arrows into a target when Tingle finally decides to come back; it's been four days since he left for Windfall. Apparently it's nothing new either, because when I expressed my concern for my "mentor's" absence, the others shrugged it off, saying "He's been gone longer before."

"Ah! What a nice break!" Tingle sighs as he skips towards me. Pulling my arrows out of the target, I ignore him and begin to walk to the ladder.

"I know! Magic! We still have plenty of time for you to get it down!" He now follows me up the ladder. "Okay, ready? Lift up a box, using magic!"

But instead of lifting up a box like he dictates, I lift up the floor board to the living quarters and climb down that ladder to my room.

Tingle screeches down at me. "Where are you going?"

"Home!" I yell back at him, without stopping. It takes Tingle a second to register what I said and now races down the ladder after me. I get off at my platform, as does Tingle a few seconds later.

"What do you think you're doing, leaving so early? You have a long time to stay here at Tingle Tower, my apprentice!" he says in a wheezy tone, clearly worn out from speeding down the ladder.

Annoyed, I sigh deeply.

"No, Tingle-"

"What did I tell you about calling me that? You know how to properly address me."

"Sorry, Master-Fairy-of-Complete-Kick butt-Awesomeness, but my one month here is done. So, bye."

A small noise, like a combination of fear and desperation, escapes from his mouth.

"Well, uh, won't you extend your fabulous stay here at Tingle Tower?" he says, frazzled.

Fabulous? I would say this experience has been the complete opposite of 'fabulous'. He worked me hard; got me up at five in the morning and had me do 'magic' until midnight. Whippings and slappings found their way into the routine quite often, too. But those things were trivial; much worse pain has been inflicted on me before: losing Ayrll, falling in lava, being punched by Ganondorf.

What's bad about this place is that it strips one of their dignity. Wearing stupid spandex leotards and pointed hats, addressing Tingle as 'Master', and screaming 'I am a fairy' so loud every night that everyone on Windfall can hear you are just some of the ways Tingle attacks your pride.

"No," I simply say, answering Tingle's question, and walk into my room.

Through the door I can hear Tingle: "Now look what you've done! You've drove him off! Sorry, sorry… It's just he's not a very good apprentice! He doesn't listen and he can't do magic! Geez! ...Fine let's see if you can do any better!"

I roll my eyes at Tingle talking to himself, yet feel a pang of pity for the man, seeing as it's probably a side effect of Marsha leaving him.

I begin to pack, but freeze when I realize that the dimly lit room is now a lot brighter than before. I search for the source of the light, only to come to the realization that it's the Triforce of Courage, glowing with a light as bright as the sun. Then it begins to burn with a blazing fury that makes me want to scream. What's going on?

I black out.

"Link…"

An unfamiliar voice calls my name… it's warm and welcoming, like a mothers might be.

Slowly, I open my eyes to greet the voice, but a quick sweep of the surrounding area shows no sign of human life. In fact, nothing here looks familiar… Where am I?

I now sit in the middle of an expansive sea of flowers of the most brilliant blue, red, and green. The sky boasts a pre-storm blue-gray color, and on the horizon fog and terrain mix to create a clouded effect.

I reach out and touch a blue flower, but recoil as it turns to water at my touch. Curious, I touch the nearest red flower, which scalds my hand it's so hot, and then pick up a green one. Nothing happens so I put it down and get up, readying my bow, which made the journey with me, in case of an attack.

Then I hear it again, drifting on the air. "Link…" it calls, getting louder every second.

I jump as I hear my name from directly behind me, and turn around.

Standing there is a young woman with long, flowing hair, adorned with ornaments similar to Zelda's and flowers, rippling even in the absence of a breeze. Her long, strapless gown is like something a princess might wear, but I know that the green, kind eyed figure before me is more important than mere royalty; she created Hyrule; she is the reason there is life; she is the one who flooded her land to save the people.

"Farore," I whisper, not sure if this is real or not.

"Yes, my child." She bends down and picks up the green flower I recently set down, cupping it in her hands. "I see you have figured out that each flower stands for each of our attributes. Fire and water can be manipulated by humans at any time, but to control life takes a lot of patience." A small chirp comes from what seems to be the flower, still cupped in her hand, but when she opens it a baby seagull has replaced the flower. She watches it fly away before turning back to me. "I'm sure you're wondering where we are? This is the Garden of the Gods, a sort of sanctuary for me and my sisters. But enough about me; how have you been, Link? How are things on the Great Sea?"

"Well, I haven't really noticed anything new or sinister, but… well, I've been stuck with other duties," I say hesitantly, not wanting to say anything rude about my 'master' in front of a goddess.

"Ah, yes. How has Tingle been to you?"

Taken aback, I ask, "How did you know about-"

"My child, I watch each of my children carefully. I know everything they do, everything they think." As my face flushes because of all of my negative thoughts recently towards Tingle, she laughs warmly. "Don't worry; I do not blame you for that. I know how hard it is for you there." I begin nodding when she shoots the next part of the sentence at me.

"But you must stay at Tingle Tower."

Suddenly it feels like a dagger has been shoved through my stomach. "But… why?"

"I know what you're thinking, my chosen hero. I hate seeing you suffer in that place, but you must stay for a few more days."

Defiantly, I ask, "What good will it do?"

"A lot. You shall learn more at a later time." Before I can object, she glides over to me and wraps me in a nurturing embrace. "Link, Hero of Winds, please do for the people of Kokiri what you have done for the Great Sea."

A flash of light later, I find myself in my bed at Tingle Tower, a worried looking Tingle hovering around the bed.

What just happened? Was that real? Or have I simply gone insane?

"You're alive!" Tingle shouts with joy. "So… have you changed your mind about leaving?" he says somewhat slyly.

I stare at him blankly and respond: "Yeah. I'll stay."

~Well, that's it for a while while I write and type chapter 11. Farore pleads you to review. Reviews make me update faster. ;) Thanks!~