Predictably, Shad barely noticed Tails drop down to join him, being fascinated with the statue that he'd seen every time he passed through here, yet barely ever noticed. It was similar in some ways to the statues he'd animated back in the Temple of Time, with carved grooves over it that gave the otherwise perfect cylinder an owlish look.
"Still studying the statue?" Tails asked him.
"It gives me something to do," Shad shrugged. "They're as mystifying as ever though."
"They? There's more than one?"
"Six others, that I know of. Besides this fellow here, there's one not far from the north side of the Bridge of Eldin, one in Kakariko Gorge, another in South Faron Woods..." he paused for a moment, then took out a notepad and continued, "Oh yes, now I remember. One in the ruined area just outside the east gate of the Castle Town and another just near the north end of the Lake Hylia bridge."
Tails counted them off, then said, "That's only five, you said there were six others."
"I've heard there's another one in the Gerudo Desert, but I've never been there to see it myself. Your little blue friend – or at least I assume he's your friend, that's what he told us – has gone to see it for me. I'm hoping it'll tell me something new."
"Maybe I can help a little," he suggested, making some show of rummaging around as he breathed, "Midna, the book Impaz gave us."
Shad didn't appear to notice anything out of the ordinary, being still focused on the statue. "I think this could help you," Tails told him, handing it over.
Shad looked over the old, unmarked cover curiously, then almost before he'd read a few words of what was inside he exclaimed, "Ancient sky writing! Where in blazes did you get this Tails?"
"Oh, I just found it on my travels," he answered, concealing a grin. "I heard it was related to these statues."
"Legends say these statues were left by people from the sky," he nodded. "It could well be. These words... they look almost like some kind of incantation."
"The key to finding out more about these statues, maybe?" Tails suggested.
"One way to find out!" Shad quickly scribbled down his own copy of the words, returning the book to him then reading out what sounded like a series of gibberish words. While Shad was distracted watching the statue for any kind of reaction, Tails noticed a slight glow appear beyond one shoulder.
"Whatever he just did, that Dominion Rod looks like new again," Midna murmured. "Maybe we should give it a try on these owl statues of his?"
Tails didn't reply, as Shad returned from the statue looking downcast.
"Not even a glimmer of light," he sighed. "Maybe it just isn't this statue, maybe it's meant for one of the others. I'll have to make my rounds of them again." He paused, frowned and said, "Was that rod on your back lit up like that a moment ago?"
"Yes," Tails lied smoothly. "You probably just didn't notice it, being so distracted."
"Yes... that's probably it. Anyway, thanks ever so for this Tails. Maybe we'll meet up again at one of these statues, if you decide to investigate them too."
As Shad made his way out, Tails muttered, "Not if I get to them before you."
"Which you probably will," Midna replied. "After all, you've got me to get you around."
"Remind me to put these statues back when we're done," Tails told her. "Just so we don't make him wonder why they've moved."
"What are you going to do if we catch him at one of these statues?"
"I'll think of something," he replied, flying up out of the basement. He nodded in passing to Renado as he left. "I think we'll go through them in reverse order. Shad seems like a methodical kind of person, I reckon he'll go through them in the order he told us about."
"So by going the other way, you reckon you'll have a better chance to miss him?"
"Something like that. He also told us Sonic would be up at the desert one too. It'll give me a chance to see what else he's been up to. If you'd do the honours, Midna?"
Midna appeared at last, started to raise her hands to transport them, then paused. "I've got an odd feeling, Tails," she said. "As if we're being watched."
"No one can see you," he pointed out. "And if you can't see anyone, chances are they can't see us."
"Guess you're right, wolf boy. Want me to leave you a wolf once we get there?"
"All the better for running through the sand with," he laughed.
Once the desert had formed around him, he was off again. He was going to miss running as a wolf once this was over, he decided. Unless he kept the shadow gem, and found a safe way of using it on himself.
Shad had not been too specific about the locations of the owl statues though, leaving him to search most of the desert himself. Since the portal here had left him where they'd found the missing bridge piece earlier on, he decided to first search the desert this side of the canyon.
Before long he'd come across some sand-worn ruins that he'd found before, though paid little attention to. After nosing around among them they found the owl statue Shad had spoken of, identical to the one in Renado's basement.
"You know, I wonder if I can use this thing myself," Midna mused, causing the Dominion Rod to appear in her hands. Tails ducked slightly, recalling when she'd first tried to use a sword on his back. "Don't worry, wolfy," she laughed. "I'll make sure I don't hit you."
To take care of that, she floated up off his back before she swung the rod. Sure enough, it worked just as well for her. The carved grooves filled with the green light from the Dominion Rod. When Midna floated aside, the statue obligingly turned and followed, revealing underneath a glowing rune where it had been.
"Well that's interesting," Midna remarked. "Wonder what it's for?"
Tails brushed the sand off a nearby stone and scratched onto it 'book'.
"You think it could be in that book of sky writing? I don't know that'd do us much good wolf boy, that Shad didn't give us a translation at all."
This time he wrote out 'check anyway'.
"Well, if you're sure," she said doubtfully, causing the book to appear in her other hand. It opened of it's own accord to the last page, the glowing rune flying up from the ground to the page. The book flashes for a moment when the two collided.
"Well what do you know?" Midna said in surprise. "That rune transferred itself to the book. Maybe these owl statues are hiding some missing part of the book between them?" She glanced down when she heard the sound of him scratching at the stone again to add, 'Lake Hylia'
"Right, but unless you want to be shot out of a cannon again, we'd better go from just outside the castle town, and that'll let us get the one nearby there on the way. Save us making two trips there." She paused a second time as she prepared to transport him and said,
"I've got that feeling again. I still can't see anyone, but..."
At each of the owl statues they'd gone to the same thing had happened, another rune had been revealed and added to the sky book.
They'd then made a second deviation from the original plan by going to the Bridge of Eldin statue followed by the Kakariko Gorge ones, finishing up at the one in Faron Woods. To reach this one he'd had to cross the pool of purple fog that still pervaded the area, so to save time had returned to his own form to just fly over.
Unlike the other statues, this owl statue was set into an ornate carved archway around it, but otherwise it was identical to all the others.
"You know Midna, the only thing about these things I don't get is why they're here. I mean, if the sky book was protected in Impaz' village, why go to all the trouble of hiding the last words?"
"Well if doing this takes us to this place in the sky, we can ask the people there if it bothers you that much. Going to move the statue?"
"What? Oh, right. I almost forgot."
"Good wolfy," she said absently, from her favourite perch on his left shoulder. The Dominion Rod allowed him to pull the statue forward, bringing the last rune out from underneath to join the others in the book.
"That looks like all of them. Now what, I wonder?"
"You didn't think that far ahead?"
"Not really, no. I guess we could try to read them out like Shad did, but I don't have any idea how to pronounce these letters."
"Maybe a walk will clear your head," Midna suggested. "Rather than having me carry you everywhere."
"Question is, where to go?" Tails replied, setting the statue back in place before he flew back over the purple fog.
"Heeey!" a familiar voice called as he landed. Tails groaned when he heard it.
"Here we go again," Midna laughed.
"Greetings, Mr. Miles!" the postman greeted him. "I have a letter here for you. It is from Shad!" he announced, handing it over with a flourish. "My business is concluded – onward to mail!"
"What's the letter say?" Midna asked him.
"Shad's waiting for us in Kakariko. He says Sonic visited the statues for him, but he needs to talk to us about them."
"You don't think he knows just how quickly we've been to them, do you?"
"How would he know? I don't think Sonic would have mentioned it to him."
"One way to find out then," Midna shrugged, transporting them to Kakariko Village. "That's odd," she muttered as they arrived. "Every time I did that at the other statues, I felt like someone was watching, but not that time."
Tails didn't reply, not since he'd spotted Talo and Ilia just outside Renado's house talking. They hadn't seen him arrive, or if they had they made no reaction to it.
Ilia took him aside just before he entered and told him, "Shad came back just a moment ago with your friend. He looked a little bothered by something. Maybe you can help him again?"
"I'll see what I can do for him," Tails promised gently.
"Aren't you busy though?" Talo asked. "It's like you're trying to help everyone in Hyrule, not just us!"
"Well, I am a Hero you know," Tails laughed. "It's what I do. Don't worry, I'll make sure I get you all back to Ordon safely too."
"We can wait for you, the Postman lets us keep in touch with everyone there. They miss us, but at least they know we're alright."
"Even if he is a bit insane," Midna remarked from his shoulder. Tails pretended not to have heard, slipping back inside to find Shad and Sonic at the owl statue below.
"Back already?" he asked Shad. "I got your letter by the way."
"That postman is almost as quick as I am," Sonic muttered.
"I saved some time by looking into some of the statues myself," Shad explained. "Sonic helped me with the others."
"Did that incantation reveal anything?" Tails asked.
"You tell us," Sonic answered. "I saw you in the desert and at Lake Hylia."
"And thanks to the loan of a horse – oh not yours, don't worry – I was able to see what you did at the Bridge of Eldin and Kakariko Gorge. Well, once Sonic explained to me that the wolf I saw was you, at least."
"I told you someone was watching," Midna said.
"And I should also mention I can see you too, miss... Midna, isn't it?" Shad added. Midna almost fell of his shoulder in surprise.
"You can- but how?"
"I told him," Sonic supplied. "I've been able to see you ever since we went through the Arbiter's Ground together, and I ran into Jet last time I went to your workshop. He told me he couldn't see her until you went to some Temple of Time, and also after it. I wasn't sure if telling Shad would work, but..."
"You could have asked me!" Midna spluttered.
"We can't do anything about it now," Tails told her. "Just like I told Sonic back then – I'm helping Midna, she's helping me, and we're both working on something that will help all of Hyrule."
"And now you've come to see what this statue reveals with that rod of yours?" Shad suggested.
"Actually, I thought I'd get you to read the runes that the other statues added to the book. I haven't a clue how to read them," Tails explained, handing over the book yet again.
"We saw something happen every time you moved one of the statues, but I had no idea that would be it. It looks like another incantation to me, but completely different to the last one."
"Try this one then? Maybe it'll reveal something."
Shad looked doubtful, but read it out anyway. This time the owl statue responded, shrinking down a ways. Shad shared a curious look with Tails, who took the Dominion Rod from Midna and activated the statue to bring it out, revealing a cavern beyond.
"After you," Sonic said. "Knowing the kinds of trouble that you get into around here." Tails stuck his tongue out at him before heading through the narrow passageway to the cavern. It was empty except for a large and old looking cannon.
"It's clear," he called back through. "Nothing to worry about."
"Except another cannon," Midna said. "If this is how we reach the city in the sky..."
"Oh, please no," Tails groaned.
"I recognise this!" Shad exclaimed, having come through after Sonic. "I read about it before, but I never thought I'd see it – this is the Sky Cannon."
"It is," Tails groaned again. "I hate getting shot out of cannons."
"It looks like it could do with a bit of patching up," Sonic told them, looking it over. "I'd get it repaired before you use it."
"I suppose I could do that," Tails said resignedly.
"I should say a better idea would be to take it to someone who knows a great deal about cannons, Tails," Shad disagreed. "Not that I doubt what I've heard of your technical capabilities, but it looks quite old."
"At least I won't be engineering my own flight to the sky if I do."
"Oh quit that," Midna told him. "It's not like there's any other way to get there. I'll carry it with us straight down to that guy at Lake Hylia. If he can make something like that cannon he has there, he'll surely be able to do something with this old thing."
"You, miss?" Shad said. "Forgive me, but how will you carry something this large?"
"You didn't tell him?" she asked Sonic.
"I couldn't figure out a good way to put it," he admitted, then turned to Shad and said, "You know what you told me you saw as they left Kakariko?"
"Disappearing into a cloud of black squares?" Shad said. "Of course, why?"
"That's how I'll carry it," Midna told him. "If you want, I'll take you two along with us. Just so you can see."
"Thanks for the offer Midna, but count me out this time," Sonic said. "I always feel a bit strange afterwards. Besides, the kids asked me to drop a special message down to Ordon. Catch you later," he added, then dashed out.
"Shad?" she asked.
"This is all so much to take in," he shook his head. "But I can't miss this! I'll tell you what – I'll even talk to Fyer myself and see if I can get it repaired at a special rate for you."
"That'll be good," Tails said. "We'll be able to go off up to the Castle Town and finish up some things there while we wait for him to finish with it."
Shad had stood stock still for several moments once they'd arrived, not quite believing what had happened to him. Once he'd recovered though, he headed quickly off to see Fyer, talking animatedly with him.
"What's this business in the castle town you've got, wolf boy?" Midna asked curiously, transporting him there.
"You know those howling stones I've been seeing? And that grey wolf we see now and then?"
"Of course. I never did get around to asking about them."
"The howling stones tell me where to find the wolf, who's actually a past hero of Hyrule that it's goddesses have put into service teaching me useful skills. You saw him when we went into the past Temple of Time with Jet."
"Him? That guy in the same green you've got with the fairy?"
"That's him. We'll see him just up ahead again, as a wolf, then he'll teach me what I think is the last skill he's got for me."
Sure enough, Link awaited him at the edge of the yellow barrier that covered Hyrule Castle, transporting him for the final time to the misty version of it.
"At last... the time has come for me to pass on the final skill of the Hero of Hyrule," Link murmured. "A skill that can never be learned or mimicked by any who do not hold the Sword of Evil's Bane."
Tails drew out the Master Sword from its place on his back, examining it.
"Looks like I meet that requirement, wouldn't you say?"
Link gave a faint smile, then continued, "You should be warned, Tails. What I teach you now will only work if you are uninjured. You may be wise to find a healing potion to store in your bottle – another of which I will give you when we are done here, as my final gift to the new Hylian Hero."
"I'll remember to pick some up," he replied, recalling the shop he'd found back just outside Ordon run by the little bird Trill with it's red potion.
"You have learned of course of the spin attack," Link began his instruction. "While you are brimming with health, the great spirit of the
Hero housed within you can be channelled out through this attack. Simply focus on your blade until it is filled with energy and execute the attack, and you will perform the Great Spin, with a far broader and more lethal range than the standard spin! Now, come at me – I have little doubt you need no demonstration any longer!"
Tails swung the Master Sword outward once, holding it there as he focused. A spark of light seemed to travel up the edge of the blade until it reached the tip, somehow giving him the distinct impression it was, as Link had put it, filled with energy. The resulting Great Spin it gave sent Link flying a fair distance away.
"Perfectly executed," he remarked, wincing slightly as he got up this time. "More than perfectly, I should think. I actually felt that this time. Perhaps... there is something else I could teach you."
"I thought that was the last thing?" Tails asked.
"The last thing it was requested I teach you," Link corrected. "But I think you can make good use of this too. You recall the spark that travelled up your blade? Focus as you make a slash – though away from me this time, if you don't mind."
Tails did so. This time as he made the slash, the spark leapt from the tip of the blade, becoming a phantom sword that shot out as if launched from a bow.
"Now that could come in useful," Tails said. "Especially if I'm out of arrows."
"I thought you might find it useful. Now go – Hyrule awaits its new saviour. Restore it to the land as it has always been known, the land chosen by the gods." As his view started to fade, he added, "May the way of the Hero lead you to victory, Tails."
Midna awaited him when his sight returned.
"You spaced out there a moment," she told him. "And that wolf disappeared. Did you see him?"
Tails nodded. "He passed on the last skill, and a few other things. Can we quickly stop by Ordon? I want to fill my bottles with some red potion from a shop there before we go back."
"Whatever you want, wolf boy. Next stop Ordon, then on to being blasted to the realm in the sky."
"Don't remind me," Tails shuddered.