Author's Note: Well, it didn't take well over a month to re-update this story. Still, I watched Frozen for the first time online and it was amazing! I love it so much that I've bought the album too. I almost cried! Anyway... let's get onto the reviews and then the story.

Reviews: TheBadBritKid: I love you too for reviewing!

ShadowNinja1011: I'm so glad that you loved it! I loved writing it!

Red (guest): Sorry for the update but it's hopefully long enough to tie you over for the next chapter!

G01den W01f 11: Sorry for the long update. And it wasn't subtle, was it? Still, I've talked to you about it and I cannot wait to hear your thoughts on it.

Favourites & Follows: Thank-you to "Crosswarrior5159", "Tangolikeoak", "Darthcourt", "GabiAnghel" and "PiColossus" for favouriting this story as well as "Tangolikeoak" again, "Schniedragon88", "GabiAnghel" again and "PiColossus" again for following it.

"The actual experience of awakening can only be in the present moment."

~Eckhart Tolle~

Ancient Roots

A Skyward Sword FanFiction

Chapter 14: Spirits

I am almost too shocked by my realisation that I freeze up entirely, with helps and hinders my situation at the same time. I open my eyes, noticing that his are still closed, colours and light blurring together as the applause continues on. As time passes, the world muffles even more as different times and my own shock spikes up and down, leaving me numb and perplexed until the two of us finally pull apart. As we stare at each other, I can only see the man from that other time where we danced together, and something must show on my face because Link is about to say something in confusion when he is cut off.

The islanders begin to disperse as Pipit and Karane walk up to us, seeming more comfortable in each other's company. "I guess that something good came from tonight." He says to us, eyes flickering to Karane every few moments to see if she will say anything to him. Karane, however, watches me with a warm smile, trying her hardest to not let her past be bought up again today.

We finally pull apart, and I find that I can barely meet the gazes of my peers. "Yeah..." I mumble, half in shock of what I have realised and half in awe and joy. "It really did." Shaking my head, I take a deep breath and smile. "Anyway, we should move away. We are probably going to get in the way of the dancers soon." Just as I say this however, the band start up again, drawing in groups again like the Kingdom Dance had done. They create a remix of the song I played on the day of the Wing Ceremony with guitars and flutes.

"Still, you should take these first." She hands both Link and I a slip of paper as we go, only it isn't just a slip of paper. In my hands lies a Pictograph of Link and I kissing after the end of the Kingdom Dance. The black and white image brings back memories, and I soon realise what has happened in the last few minutes, but my mind is racing so much that it is fuzzy and bright.

I feel myself being lead back towards the steps, people passing comments of happiness or of Link's well-being after the Tornado. I, myself, cannot find myself focusing as them to be quite honest. I only remember the words to the song the band is playing and soon realise just how important they actually are. "Oh youth, guided by the servant of the Goddess. Unite earth and sky, bring light to the land."

The song sounds like Fi and I, I feel, but how can I "unite earth and sky"?

I am guided into a seat upstairs when I finally snap out of my daze, surrounded by my friends from the Academy, thankfully Groose not present here. The group is all laughing and joking in seconds, and I find that I fall into this influence too, Kina rushing out food for us by the bucket. And yet, I tend to lose my concentration during the time that we're all talking, either because of what happened after the Kingdom Dance or the concern that I have about those lyrics piecing together my fate under my very nose.

I just can't believe that this was all planned out somehow thousands of years go, I think in a daze once more. And if that was already predicted by a song, then what else haven't I noticed that has been in plain sight all along? And as I think about this, my mind returns to what I realised when I finally got my wish from the Wing Ceremony. And if reincarnation is real, then what regrets did the man who took possession of Link in the Spring have? Clearly he had some, otherwise Link wouldn't have been lost like he was that day.

And yet, it all barrels down to one question of, why?

To help myself feel a little better, I think back to the other part of the Kingdom Dance that I adore so much. After how many times we have been distracted and separated across the years, I finally grabbed my moment and so did he. No matter what this Mission may have in store for us, we can always know that we have each other. A shiver courses up my spine at the thought of it. Even if those three words weren't said at the time, I know deep down in my heart that we both know those words and will say them at some point in the future.

Blessed Butterflies blossom in my stomach at the thought of this, so I push myself closer to Link. He does the same at my gesture, tossing back something to somebody's joke, causing the rest of the group to laugh in unison; who the joke originally belonged to is beyond me. I don't feel like I've heard such a relaxed laugh from him in ages, even if it is has only been a few days since the Ceremony. I find myself back in the unknown world of daydreams, thinking of everything that I love about him, only to be torn away from such thoughts by the sound of Father's voice quietening the crowd and band down into silence.

Link and I exchange a quick glance before rising to our feet and joining everybody else at the edge of the balcony, my hand wrapped tightly around his. Father stands where I was on the stage, hands clasped together with a broad grin. "I hope that everybody is enjoying the Autumnal Equinox Celebration this evening. But before people begin drinking the night away—" The crowd lets out a hearty laugh at this. "—we must say our prayers to the Goddess who we have been honouring all night."

I am forced to let go of the boy beside me as we all clasp our hands together, bowing our heads and letting our eyes fall shut as the entire population of the Sky Realm lets out one large prayer together, united under one entity.

"Great Goddess of the Sun, the Moon, and all living things. We thank you for all the joy and prosperity that you have given to our race. We thank you for our food, our water, and our shelter. And we beg that your spirit will live on in the new generations to come." My balance starts slipping, and I struggle to concentrate on the prayer as I attempt to quell my unsteadiness. Father's words start to muffle over, just like the did after my song before. "May you carry on blessing us in the years to come, favouring those who need it through clouded times."

I snap my eyes open when the prayer is complete, refusing to let myself stay in the darkness for any longer. But then, from the suddenness of it, I tumble off to the left and into one of the support beams by my side.

"Continue to bless your creations, dear Sister." I barely hear the voices, as they sound like twinkling chimes rather than physical sounds, but they ring around my mind as if they penetrate my mind only. "Favour those who you have Chosen to be a part of your Mission."

My breathing picks up as their voices trail off into nothingness, and the world of reality soon returns to me. "Zelda?" I never knew that I was looking down until Link's voice makes me look up to his worried face. "What's wrong? D-Did you awaken a memory?" I stare at him for a long time until it fully processes what he has said to me. I slowly shake my head, allowing him to help me back into a more balanced and upright position. In the background, my friends are sitting back down, not noticing us, and the band begins to play a random song once more. "Do you want to go home? Just in case it gets worse?"

It takes me a moment, but shake my head again as he releases me. "I'm fine. I think so, anyway." I reply quietly, messing with my hands. "I just need... some water."

Link knows that I'm acting weird, so why aren't I just telling him what I heard?

"Here." He takes out a yellow rupee, changing the mood. "Take this in case they're still charging for drinks tonight." I nod slowly and take the rupee, not even fully coherent to argue against using his money for my own benefit. "Do you want me to come with you?" He asks suddenly, then rubs the back of his neck like he always does when he's nervous. "Or do you need some time to yourself? You can, of course, I don't mind—"

I smile and plant a kiss on his lips. "I'll be fine on my own, but thank-you."

He smiles as I slip my hand out of his and turn to leave, looking over my shoulder as he watches me leave before leaning over the edge of the balcony, and I think that I see him explaining where I am going to Karane when she spots me leaving. Shuddering, I quickly move downstairs, passing through the large group of people and even more compliments over the dance and the song, but I only mutter small responses. By the time that I reach Pumm behind the counter, barely managing to get through the queue of people trying to give in requests for the band, I force a smile and say, "Hey Pumm, do you have any water to spare?"

Pumm smiles warmly at me, but shakes his head. "Sorry, Zelda. We ran out 'bout a half-hour ago, and we've been too held up here to get any more. His eyes suddenly light up when I start to move away, and so I watch as he rushes over to a shelf of glasses and mugs. "But don't you worry yourself, there's a water pump in the storage shed outside. You can use that if you want."

"Thank-you." I say, taking the glass, glad that I will be getting some fresh air too. "And if anyone comes looking for me, can you just tell them where I am?" He agrees and returns to his work, leaving me to head outside into the cool evening air.

The oranges clashing elegantly against the purple shadows of the clouds have all but faded from this realm, paint palette of the skies dotting the sky around me with a deep purple, tiny sparks of the glistening stars. Times has passed so quickly when you have fun, just like the saying goes, but I just cannot tell whether that is a good thing or not. The wind has died down a lot now, but even still the chill of it against my bare skin leaves me hugging my body tightly around my mug as I step outside.

Closing the door behind me, I begin walking down the steps before me and take a right, moving down a ramp into the storage shed where Pumm said that the water pump was, remembering the many days that Kina and I spent down here laying about without a care in the world. Spotting the dark handle and spout of the pump, I slowly relax as the shelter above me cuts off the gentle breeze, even if the thumping of the crowd's feet and the rhythm of the band still booms on loudly from here.

I hold the pristine glass underneath the blue-tinted pump, pushing down hard on the handle to release the water. The glass is slightly filled, some of it spilling onto my arms too, so I keep pushing at the pump until it works properly. As I go, I start to think back on everything. I'm still unhinged by the idea that Ghirahim and his minions could barrage straight into Skyloft while we are away, or even into the Lumpy Pumpkin once he realises that no one is there other than the few guards left on duty tonight.

I pick up my mug once it is filled and rise, turning away from the pump as it drips the last fragments of water.

But even still, both that idea and whatever is happening to me still—

"Oh Sister... there is no need to be afraid." I scream at the sight before me, dropping my glass. It shatters against the ground, pieces spraying out and catching my legs. Automatically, I reach out for the Goddess Sword, though I can only grasp at an empty space. Mere metres away are three floating figures, the ones with the chimes as voices, the moonlight casting silver sheets onto their forms. They look so real at first glance, but when I see that the light is going straight through them; I soon realise that they must be nothing but a figment of my imagination.

Right?

"Oh Sister..." They repeat in unison, their voices nothing but a whisper. "It is almost time for your destiny to be truly revealed. You must triumph to complete what you had done so long ago... Do not be afraid of the darkness that lies ahead of you, for we would have never let you complete this task if your Vessel was too weak to do so."

"V-Vessel?" I tilt my head as I step forwards subconsciously, completely taken in by their nature. Locked in a trance, I don't even care when I step over the bloody pieces of glass at my feet. Their forms will not be fully revealed to me, but they seem to look feminine by their body shapes.

Who exactly are they? And why do they keep calling me "Sister?"

If I have not yet have my "destiny truly revealed," then has what I have been a part of up until now meaningless, or just the beginning?

"Now this is not the end," They tell me calmly as I am almost arm's length away from them."It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."

I reach out to them, almost within touching distance.

And they disappear.

I gasp as if I have suddenly emerged from water, staggering back and holding at my heart as I sink to the ground, watching at the silver particles of light that sway in the air before me, lowering themselves to the ground before dissipating entirely. Their voices swing around my brain like a drug, as if something has happened from tonight that has awakened inside of me. What it is I don't quite know yet, but I do know one thing about tonight.

What is happening to me is starting to scare me.

Swallowing thickly, I force myself to my feet, the cold echo of the night slowly closing in and around me. Completely ignoring the broken glass, I dart up the slope and back into the eager sounds of the Equinox, breathing hard and unevenly. Blinking rapidly, I work my way around the front of the counter where Pumm is and catch his attention long enough to explain the situation and force him to take the yellow Rupee, whirling around and charging through the crowd once again in order to make my way back up the stairs.

I almost fall over, but Pipit catches me. "Are you all right?"

I shrug and push myself back up straight, finally arriving at Link's side on the balcony, and I realise that he has been watching me race through the masses all this time. He takes my hand lightly. "Let's get you home."

I feel weak, stupid, and scared, but the one thing that I don't feel is alone.

"What happened?" We sit comfortably on my bed, facing each other with our hands clasped around on another's. After we flew back to Skyloft together, Link assuring me that he was ready to leave soon as well (which I know is a lie, but he wasn't going to leave now), we walked through the empty streets to reassure each other that no monsters were about before returning to the Academy. Because of this, we chose now to fully explain anything that we have missed or had no time to go over, which includes what happened to me tonight.

I sigh, trying to think back as far as my mind will let me go before it stops me. "During the prayer I heard voices, but they weren't physical, they were... I can't describe it but I heard them." He silently urges me on. "And when I went outside, there was figures too... telling me about my true destiny being revealed soon, and that this was only the end of the beginning. I-I know that it all sounds strange and out of order, but I swear that I—"

He slips one hand free to hold my face. "I believe you."

There's a beat of silence, then, "What do you know about the last Bearer? Do you know how you are... connected?"

He raises a brow at me for a moment, knowing that I know something which he doesn't, but carries on nonetheless. "All I know is that he lived during the Great War between the Goddess and the great evil that tried to consume it, and helped a great deal even if he was not a part of that legend." I shuffle closer in curiosity, remembering the dance that "we" had together. "While the Goddess fought the Demon King, the last Bearer was the actual one who sent the survivors of the War into the Sky Realm." He pauses. "And that's how I recognised Impa in the Spring; it was through him."

I tilt my head, the memories awakened within me returning. "That explains who the man is in my memories, but that doesn't explain how the Goddess found that he had passed on between the time where the survivors left and the battle was won." I pause. "Do you know?"

"I do." He says quieter, causing concern to wash over me. "When the beasts first attacked the Surface, the last Bearer was injured from spending four years in prison for a crime that was not his own, from what I don't know; that's what I felt in those fragments that I awoke. He had made the mistake of coming into contact with the Demon King, almost being killed from the encounter." He pauses again, his eyes clouded with memories not from his own. "The Goddess blessed the blade she had given him, using that to send the survivors to the sky; which is the sword that Fi lives in. However he was so wounded that he never lived to see the peace that he bought."

I can feel my heart mourning in a personal way, something that hurts and confuses me. "But you two are connected in a way that is above and beyond."

"What do you mean?"

I chew at my lip, remembering Fi in the sword that is resting against the bed. "In the Earth Spring, I saw a time during the War where Fi and Ghirahim interacted, however when the War happened they were split apart and she was in love with the last Bearer." His eyes widen a little. "Although he wasn't able to kill the last Bearer when he saw them together, Ghirahim proclaimed that he would destroy any remnants of the last Bearer in the future because of his Master, and I'm starting to think that this may be why he is after you all along; to do what I don't know."

Silence befalls us.

We don't say anything for a long time, trying our hardest to work out minds around what we have seen and emerged from in the past few days; enough to last a lifetime at the very least. But all I can feel inside of me is the fact that this is somehow all my fault, everything from the Great War to where we stand right now. I don't know how, I don't know why, but I am moving the pawns in this game and I don't want to.

"Do you remember what we will be celebrating in the next few weeks?"

I raise my head, almost too lost in thoughts to hear his voice. I blink a few times, glossing over his question as a means of trying to lighten the mood, however I soon realise that he is being completely serious. Scanning over the various dates ahead of me, I come up with nothing but sadness and the Goddess's Mission. "I don't know, Link... what are you getting at?" While I attempt to push a playful tone into my voice, it clearly fails.

Link, however, ignores this. "I suppose that being friends for so long with do that to you." I tilt my head. "If we can finish the Goddess's Mission in the next few weeks somehow, then we will all be safe to celebrate my birthday."

My lips part. How did I manage to forget this, the eighteenth birthday that I have been working so hard for that is always after the Autumnal Equinox?

"I'm going to try and finish this before then." I resolve seriously, voice stern. "I don't care what it takes, but you are not going this this pain and torture on your birthday, and neither am I." Link smiles warmly at me, wrapping his hands around my waist and lifting me into his lap; his chin resting atop my head as he goes through his own thoughts. How did I forget that? It's the one thing that I've been waiting for!

I notice something on his expression that betrays his hope, though. I use my free hand to touch his face like he did with me. "Hey, it's going to be all right." He smiles, but it's forced. "None of what has happened is your fault, and you aren't holding any of us back so don't even begin to lose hope, not now. Not when we need you the most."

"But—"

I shoot him a look that shuts him up. I continue to hold his cheek for comfort, which he responds by covering my hands with his. "We're all going through a tough time, and the little things are getting to us. Like Pipit in the Earth Temple, like Karane with her ability to trust, and like us with, well, everything." I pause, managing to get a smile out of him. "Just try your best and we'll all be celebrating your birthday happily in no time." He kisses me deeply on the lips. Once we pull away, I stay close and whisper, "Come on. Let's get some rest before it gets too late."

He simply nods before rising. He moves over to the door, something still clearly on his mind. "I'll see you in the morning, Zelda." He slowly opens the door, knowing that he could not manage to sleep on a single bed with me, forcing one last smile at me ad saying, "You know where I am," before he closes the door behind him, leaving me alone again.

For a moment, the smile tugs further at my lips.

And then I remember how tired I feel.

I strip off Karane's special dress and slip into my pale pink nightgown, stepping through the duel wooden screens and lay the dress on her bed. Yes, she wants me to keep it, but I won't because of how special it is to her. I scribble on a piece of paper, 'Thank-you for the best dress ever, and for being my friend. You're always there for me,' before placing that on top of the dress itself and pushing the screens back into place.

Removing my shoes from my feet, the cool floor against my feet is soothing as I go to remove the flowers from my hair, my hands hesitate and then refuse to take away something that reminds me of the betters parts of tonight. Hearing Link shifting about beneath me, I contemplate sneaking into his room, but soon decide against it; knowing how easily uncomfortable he can get and how little I want to keep him awake in case I have a nightmare.

Shaking my head, I dive into my bed and turn onto my side, only for me to close my eyes and fall into the abyss of sleep faster than I ever thought possible. Despite this, my sleep is restless and overwhelming. And yet, the dreams that soon shroud my mind aren't the happy dreams that I usually have. No, they're the worst nightmares that I could ever think about, and that doesn't even count the hazy ones where I dance with the last Bearer like I knew him so well.

I dream of the potential reality of the Goddess's Mission.

~*O*~

"Zellie, don't go in there! It's too dangerous!" I care none about the words of my friends as I dash through the dull summer breeze plagued by smoke and ash. I feel hands of my companions hold me back, screams sounding from all around me freezing my Soul, but none of that matters. I have to find him, no matter what happens during this night. There's a deep sense of fear bubbling up inside of me, screaming that something has happened whilst my back was turned, and I know that nothing is going to hold be back from losing him again.

The flames dance in the eyes of those around me, these said golden flames fanning across the grass as they start to consume the Academy while those survived being evacuated to the great Statue of the Goddess; none of that matters. My plaited hair whips at my pale face, the flowers that were once in there falling out as I reach the large building. As I skid into a halt, the cloak wrapped across my shoulders falls and pools around my feet as I gasp for air, only to force any tears threatening to fall away as shove the door open.

The Academy is a bur of fire and thick smoke, doors and entrances completely barring me off from getting through to who I want to find. As I search through the wreckage to find him, I constantly cry out his name, but then I come to terms with the fact that he is draped over the ruins right before me. "No..." I whisper in shock, running as fast as I can and crumpling at his side. He lies on his side, skin deathly against the golden flames, motionless. I check briskly for a pulse, covering my mouth with my hand to get rid of the smoke.

And it isn't long before it finally hits me.

He's dead.

I sob loudly into his form, wishing that I had found him sooner so that I could have maybe been able to save him, protect him, do something to stop this. He has no burns, but I can tell effortlessly through the daze of smoke and horror.

"His Soul." I snap my head up, clinging onto his body like a mother to her son. A tall woman stands on the other side of a wall of flames, bright blonde hair draping across her features laced with white to reveal her age. She steps through a small parting between the flaming rubble, but I still can't see her through the waves of heat wafting from the flames. "He has lost his Soul."

I stare back down at his face for a few moments, his pale painless face, then back up at the woman. "Go!" I shout over to her, my voice automatically cracking as I cough on the smoke. "Y-You'll die!"

Even through the fire, I can see a smile creasing her features as her body slowly fades. "Oh, my dear." She whispers soothingly, shifting back into the flames. "I am already lost to this land... you almost watched it happen, honey." The flames devour her form, although I am not allowed to scream in fright as the smoke continues into my body and starts choking me from the inside out. I cannot even call out for help before my vision darkens and I black out.

"Mother..."

~*O*~

I bolt upright, panting heavily as a sheen of sweat settles upon my face. I cough loudly, pain erupting within my throat as I do so, as if I had just spent a long period of time in the smoke and flames that once plagued the corridors of the Academy, destroying it entirely. It was just a dream... I whisper in my mind, the words echoing around as my entire body shakes with fear.

"Oh Mother..." I choke out in a deep sob, sunlight streaming in through the stained glass window, remembering as clear as day the time that I had spent in the flames that she was encased in as she died. I bring my hand up to my face, inhaling and exhaling deeply to try and calm my nerves. "Oh Link..." I look across, letting my hand fall from my face as I see just exactly what is before me.

I'm in his room.

In the middle of the night, I vaguely remember slipping into his room in a dull attempt to ward off the dreams and nightmares falling on my sleep.

Thankful that I have him at my side to calm my nerves, knowing that he isn't dead and "without his Soul," I look down to where his sleep form lies.

But my hope dies when I see nothing but empty sheets.

My breathing picks up once again, my thoughts running wild as I leap out of bed, the flowers coming loose from my hair and tumbling to the floor as my bare feet unsteadily make their way towards the door, just like they had done in my dream. Still stuck in the haze of my nightmare, I panic. He's gone! He's gone! I look around frantically in the corridor, wishing that I could call out his name if my throat wasn't acting up so much. I force my feet into a run as I dash towards Link's room, only for one smell to fill my nostrils; and I'm not imagining it.

The smell of smoke consuming the Academy.

Goddess no!

Author's Note: Well, did you expect that ending. I have been told numerous times that some don't know who's talking so I'm trying to so that by going through the chapters again soon but it may not be for a while, okay? Still, got to update my other stories before I'll be back here again so it may be a while before I am back here. Sorry! Anyway, please drop a rate and review if you haven't already, and I'll carry on with my Mega Edit!

*The figures said a rather famous quote from history, "Now this is not the end, it is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning," and was said by Winston Churchill during WWII.

~RandomButLoved~