Author's Note: School is finally out today, and I am so happy. Still, September will be a pain and I am out between the 12th and 23rd of August. However, I do want to write during that time and get something posted for my birthday. Nonetheless, let's get the reviews done. Oh and please check out "Wisdom and Courage" by MiniJen, which is a part of a trilogy consisting as this story and the prequel to it: "Blood and Spirit". These are fantastic stories and deserve more than she is currently getting. Thank you!
Reviews: MiniJen: Thank-you very much! I am glad that you loved the atmosphere, and how Groose is following Zelda around now. I may need a little help with his characterisation, though, so I will be coming to you about that, if that's all right. I'm glad of the good response to the interlude, and Impa in general. Cannot wait for more of Wisdom & Courage!
Clashing Swords: I have seen some of Earthbound, but only so little of it – although I do want to see more of it in the future. Enjoy the chapter!
NoSignalBlueScreen: I'm glad that you like those parts, because I really enjoy writing them! Good to know that it's picking up now, but do tell me if it dips again.
CupcakePride101: I really want him to be different, but to still have what we love about Groose. And you'll just have to see about Link's warning and hope.
Schinedragon88: I must agree with that, and I can't wait to develop Groose's character further.
TheLampofMercry (guest): That sounds amazing! I have been wanting to have Link's Loftwing in the story after what other reviewers have been saying; so thank-you for the amazing idea!
G01den Unicorn 11: Sorry, but here's another update just to make it more complicated. Anyway, I hope that Impa's character gets better in the upcoming chapters, and I'm glad that the pacing is better!
Favourites & Follows: Thank-you very much to "Dais Bokoblin" four favouriting this FanFiction. I love you so much!
"The possibilities are numerous once we decide to act and not react."
~George Bernard Shaw~
Ancient Roots
A Skyward Sword FanFiction
Chapter 28: Wisdom
We finally discover the Trial Gate at midday, and even by then we're both exhausted from walking around in the heat—and I'm thankful that most of the area is still in its past state, something else which shocked Groose. As soon as my eyes spot the glowing mist and flock of Blessed Butterflies, I pick up the pace as my stomach begins to twist violently.
It's time.
I explained the concept of the Silent Realms to Groose as well as I could in the morning without divulging the horrors that I endured in the Trial of Courage. If I mentioned any part of that horrific Trial, I doubt he'd let me enter the other two at all. Once we stand before the glowing mist, I sigh deeply and call for Fi.
I take out my Harp and pluck a practice string, then nod to Fi and begin to play, closing my eyes as Fi starts to sing.
"Knowledge of old,
Wisdom to be told,
Insight, all the truth.
Revealed for the youth...
The great hero.
Gentle breeze blowing,
Soaring, gliding,
Laughter, happiness,
All are gracious
To Nayru..."
The flower petals grow outwards, just like before, and once the song is complete Fi confirms, "By striking the centre of the insignia will certainly transport you to the second Trial, Mistress."
A large hand suddenly touches my back, and I turn to Groose. "Where is this Trial?" I part my lips to reply, only to find myself unsure—do I tell him that my spirit is split from my body and taken to another world to be strengthened, or will that push him over the edge after all that he's heard?
Thankfully Fi steps in and explains for me, "Mistress Zelda will be transported to a place that is completely incomprehensible to the human mind, even though you shall see her body frozen in place here. From the previous Trial, time is greatly distorted in these Realms, and hours there are mere moments in this world. In turn, you shall only be waiting for a few minutes for Zelda to complete the Trial."
He says nothing back, probably because he's too confused to say much, and I nod to Fi. "She's right," I say, "This will be over as soon as I complete whatever is asked of me during the Trial."
If I'm not too traumatised to fail it over and over again…
Swallowing thickly, I stare down the Trial Gate. Fi mentioned this morning that this Trial would test my wisdom, but there's so many ways to describe the word that I have little idea on what I'll be tested on. Wisdom can mean anything from being wise, to having good judgement, to having knowledge, or to having lots of experience.
Farore tested my courage to let go of the past, so how could Nayru test my wisdom?
Putting my Harp back into my bag, I force myself to seize the moment and draw the Goddess Longsword, stepping into the Trial Gate nervously. Raising the holy blade above my head, I pray to Nayru that I can prove myself to her without experiencing the pain that I did in the Trial of Courage.
With one final prayer, I drive the Goddess Longsword into the dusty earth and my world becomes awash with white light.
I can't fail…
~Interlude~
"I failed again… didn't I?"
"You're getting stronger and recovering quicker, Link," Impa consoled, "You will master it soon."
His shoulders slumped as the Sheikah helped the newest Bearer stand, bitter disappointment flooding into his system. It had been wonderful to see his Zelda again after so long, even if it was only in a dream—and even if the behemoth outside the Temple reared its head again and tried to break free from the Seal as they spoke. Hopefully his warning would be enough…
After Link had successfully managed to hold the beast back, Impa had began to train him relentlessly both against the Discidium as well as a new spell that would hopefully buy Zelda more time in the present day. Although he had been doing well with the new spell, training to fight the Discidium was becoming harder and harder with every attempt.
Which what brought them here, to his newest failure to fight the ancient Sheikah ritual.
Bowing his head, he mumbled, "I'll never be ready, will I?"
"Don't lose faith now, Link. You're improving every time," she reassured him.
He looked up at her with such dejection in his eyes that Impa suddenly saw how young he was. "I'm scared, Impa," he murmured, "I don't… I don't want to die…"
The Sheikah drew him into a tight embrace, unable to find something to say. They stayed there like that for a while before she guided him to the top of the stairway, sitting him down on the top step. He needed to focus and take his mind away from such thoughts.
"Tell me about your family," she blurted.
"What?"
"I'd like to know more about the person behind the destiny, Link. Is that not too much to ask?"
A smile cracked through his previously stoic features as he rubbed the back of his neck, "I guess not."
They spoke for a while about the place he once called home, and the people who only existed in his memory. Even though it had happened long ago, the pain of losing his family was still very much present in his heart—he had never truly given himself time to move on, simply do other things so he didn't have to think about what had happened.
The two sat there for a while until Link finally asked, "Why are you asking me so much about my past, Impa?" He paused. "Not that I mind… but shouldn't we be training?"
She smiled, "This is our training." He raised a brow, confused. "Each time I perform the ritual, your weakness is found within your memories," she clarified, to which he lowered his head. Impa took his hand into hers. "But what you must understand is that your memories can be both a weakness and a strength."
He said nothing, still perplexed.
"One way of using the Discidium against a strong-willed person is by distorting their memories," she said. "To counter this, your memories must become a source of strength and determination to succeed rather than a source of pain and grief—with a ritual as complex as this one, you must learn to fight with purpose rather than impulse."
"And how can I do that?"
"I will show you, but for now go and take a break. We both need it." She forced a smile until he was out of sight.
Please prepare him for the trials ahead, Your Grace, Impa silently prayed. He cannot succumb to this Mission…
~Zelda~
I open my eyes anticipation, my hands balled up into fists at my sides as I try and quell my fears. Much like the Faron Woods I saw when I first entered the Trial of Courage, Lanayru Desert is draped in a soft blue glow, the wind silently moving the dust over the cracked ground.
Fi's voice calls out as soon as I pull myself together. "Mistress Zelda," Fi calls out to me, her voice relaxing me. I search around for her presence, only to realise that she won't be here now. "As you know by now, I cannot follow you into the Silent Realm for these Trials call out to your mind alone. Once you step out from the protective ring, you shall commence the Trial of Wisdom."
"Thank you, Fi. And please take care of Groose while I'm gone," I add as an afterthought.
"Of course, Dominae."
And just like that, I feel her presence drift off into the breeze.
I bring up my arm, finding the same flower tattooed onto the inside of my wrist as before—waiting for me to begin the Trial before it starts to wilt away. I stare down the edge of the protective circle, hesitant to move out of it. Whatever Nayru has in store for me, it will test me to the best of my mental abilities.
Get a hold of yourself, I chastise before I panic. The quicker you start, the quicker you can figure out what to do.
Taking a deep breath, I leap out of the circle.
The world is dyed crimson, a high-pitched wail screaming in my mind before the world around me disappears and is replaced with a new one.
Adjusting to the sudden darkness, I look around. My shoes are gone, leaving my feet bare and vulnerable to the cool floor. I can barely see the chamber around me other than a torch sitting on an elegant stand made from silver—Nayru's insignia carved into the metal.
The chamber is small and outlined with six high arches, although whatever is through these archways are consumed by the shadows. I take a hesitant step forwards and take the torch into my hand, a familiar voice reflecting around the room once I do.
"Conquer the labyrinth and take the light to safety, dear Sister," Nayru instructs. "Do so and I shall bestow upon you a Sacred Gift."
I nod in understanding. I must solve the puzzle as fast as possible—seems simple enough being said, let alone done.
I hold out the torch and follow my gut on which corridor to head down first, choosing the one to my direct right first. I break into a job as I make my way down the long pathway, jumping out of my skin when I see myself running on either side of me. Skidding into a stop, I inspect my reflection and quickly realise what is happening.
It's a maze of mirrors, made to only add to my confusion.
Shaking my head, I scold myself for wasting time and move along, my bare feet slapping against the mirrored floor as I run. With every turn that I make, I seem to lose my sense of direction, and with the added darkness I can only see so far. There haven't been any sightings of Guardians just yet, but I can feel them nearby—waiting in the shadows for a moment to pounce.
But that's when it happens.
I spot an opening in the way ahead and race forwards, hoping that I have somehow managed to find the exit with time left to spare—only to look down to my arm and see that the flower on my wrist has barely wilted; as if Nayru has gifted me with more time to think.
My thoughts are silenced when I race into the chamber ahead and realise that it's the exact same room that I started the Trial in.
I let out a yell of frustration.
"What do you want from me?"
Faint feminine laughter echoes between the corridors. "To think, dear Sister. That is all I ask of you…"
I sigh and lower my head, following her advice. So far I've been using my instincts and my gut feeling to conquer this labyrinth, and that has only returned me to the start of the maze. Nayru doesn't want me to think with my heart like the Trial of Courage required me to, she wants me to think with my mind—that's where wisdom comes from.
And so I think with my head. The Trial wouldn't give me enough time to master an entire maze, and even if it tried to I wouldn't be able to follow such rules.
There must be a way around this, I just need to look at everything from a different perspective…
And in the corner of my eye, I spot something.
In five of the six corridors, there is only darkness waiting for me, and with it mirrors designed to confuse me and disorientate me. But the light from the torch doesn't react the same, it merely reveals a mirror behind me, my own reflection staring back at me. I smile when I remember a proverb that Mother used to tell me: 'sometimes you have to look behind you to help you understand what's ahead of you.'
Look behind me…
Something clicks in the back of my mind.
I hold the torch against the archway, causing the mirror itself to disappear in a plume of smoke—allowing me to look behind my reflection and into a small, dark spiralling staircase. "Nothing is ever what it seems, dear Sister," Nayru whispers to me softly. "Now go, your true Trial awaits…"
Filled with accomplishment, I head forward and down the staircase—the only way accessible to me. The air seems to become thicker the further down I go, and the steps never seem to end. I keep going until a blue light signals the bottom of the stairway. My true Trial starts here, I think to myself. What could that even mean?
As soon as I emerge from the staircase, the exit is engulfed by shadows and disappears completely. I blink in surprise at how quickly my exit is gone before calming myself and turning towards the rest of the chamber. It seems to be identical to the chamber upstairs, made up of six archways and a mirrored floor, but something doesn't feel right.
I feel a presence behind me suddenly, but it's too late to react.
A shadow appears, darting across my vision with such inhuman speed and plucks the torch from my grasp—and with it my only source of light.
I cry out in surprise.
Then the world descends into chaos.
My wrist burns in pain as the flower finally wilts, and the presence of Guardians send the hairs on the back of my neck on end. I have to get the light back, I panic. It's my only way to freedom!
I instantly start after where the shadow ran off to, not stopping even as my lungs scream for air. The all too familiar laugh of the Demon Lord echoes around the maze of paths, the torch's light flashing around the corner before I have a chance to reach out for it. Every time I feel like I'm getting closer, I seem to fall behind just as quickly.
"This is what becomes of the world when it loses its pathetic light," Ghirahim taunts from somewhere I can't place. "Once the life of one boy is lost, the entire land falls into chaos!"
Along the mirrored walls, cloudy images begin to appear—but none of them are pleasant. Flames lick the walls, Mother failing to break free from the mirrors as the fire consumes her. Pipit lying alone at the Temple of Time, bleeding out with no one there to help him this time. Groose being overwhelmed by dark shadows far taller than he ever could be.
Father clutching at his heart before collapsing.
Link reaching out to me with a pale hand as a golden light is drained from him.
The behemoth in the Sealed Grounds bursts from one wall of mirrors to another, scaring me so much that I fall to the ground in fright.
"We are all bound by the Thread of Fate, Your Grace. You are about to lose everything, and it's not just the boy that I am speaking about," the voice whispers.
Over and over again.
"We are all bound by the Thread of Fate, Your Grace."
"You are about to lose everything."
"You are about to lose everything…"
As the creature from the Sealed Grounds jumps into another mirror and tears Link away from me, I slam my fist into the walls in a vague attempt to free my loved ones, but to no avail. Anger rises in me as I drag myself onto my feet, begging that I could do something to help them.
"You can never truly know everything, dear Sister," another voice says, "You may only imagine what is to come and how your actions will affect this world."
In the distance, I hear the presence of a looming Guardian.
Fear and panic floods into my system, and I run, hugging the walls in case I round a corner and find a Guardian looming over me. Memories and visions keep screaming out from the mirrors no matter how far I run from them, and the flame from the torch lingers forever out of my grasp.
I finally manage to catch up with the lost light, which now floats idly in the room I entered via the staircase. I skid into a stop before it, only for the flames to disappear behind the archway dead ahead, becoming trapped in the mirror that replaces it—leaving me trapped and unable to reach the light.
Unable to reach Link.
Because that's what all of this means, isn't it? Nayru is testing my wisdom to see the unknown from a new perspective, like I did so many times when first exploring the Surface. And now she wants me to be wise enough to free the light of this world when all feels lost.
I charge forwards and begin to bang my fist on the glass, shoving my body against it in a feeble attempt to break it. Tears burn my cheeks as the clanking sounds of Guardians' footfalls reach my ears, so many of them scouring through this maze to find me no matter what the cost.
"Please!" I cry. "Please let me out of here! Let me save him!"
And I failed at the last moment because I didn't follow my gut.
I failed…
"To be wise is to not act on impulse, but to act with purpose," a voice murmurs in my ear.
And then it hits me.
To be courageous is to act with your heart and in the heat of the moment.
To be wise is to focus on the purpose rather than what your gut screams at you to do.
You can't always listen to your gut.
So I listen to my head.
My eyes in the mirror's reflection light up.
I grab the discarded piece of wood and slam it into the mirror once, twice, three times.
Finally, after numerous attempts, the mirror shatters.
And a Guardian stands behind the broken wall.
I scream and stagger back as the flame returns to my torch, and I spin around in place as the other entrances are blocked by Guardians as well. They all stalk towards me, knowing that they have me exactly where they want me. I brush away my tears with my fist and focus on my breathing.
I can escape.
I just need to focus.
I bow my head in thought, and my answer is there.
The floor doesn't reflect what's around me.
It isn't a mirror… it's glass…
And beneath that layer of glass is a room with a stone brazier standing tall above the Trial Gate—the place of safety I needed to return the light to.
As the Guardians deal their final blows, I strike the ground with all my might.
The torch plunges straight into the glass and shatters it, sending jagged lines through the entire surface. My breath hitches as the wind from the sword around me brush over my head as I drop into the darkness below, holding onto the torch as tightly as I can until I slam against the stone harshly.
I grunt in pain as I pick myself up off the mossy floor, immediately looking up to where I once stood. The Guardians are frozen in place and show no signs of moving anytime soon, their swords unmoving as they stare at nothing. I take a moment to gulp in as much air as I can, clinging to the stone brazier for support.
Once I manage to finally catch my breath, I drop the torch into the middle of the brazier, smiling as it is engulfed in flames.
I will always protect the light of this land… he's too important to lose…
The flames suddenly shift to a light blue hue before dying down into mere embers, revealing a tiny yellow bud in the ashes, one exactly like the one I took from Mother in the Trial of Courage. Being careful not to burn myself, I reach into the ashes and pluck the bud out from the top of the pile of embers, smiling as I hold it close to me.
"You did well, Zelda…"
My heart skips a beat.
I snap my head up, and there he is.
"Y-You…"
Link stands on the other side of the brazier, dressed all in white, any scars and bruises gone—looking just as he did on the day of the Wing Ceremony with the same joyous light in his eyes. He makes his way around the brazier and takes my hands into his, making sure that I'm tightly holding the bud.
"Take this back to the real world. You'll need it to find the second Sacred Flame. I'll be waiting for you…"
I reach out towards him, just to touch his face.
But he merely fades away before I can.
Then my world is filled with a white light, and I know that I've passed.
But I can still hear his words in the back of my mind.
"We are all bound by the Thread of Fate, Your Grace. You are about to lose everything, and it's not just the boy that I am speaking about."
My grasp on the Goddess Longsword fails as if the hilt is on fire, sending me tumbling into the dirt beneath me. A voice lets out a surprised sound moments before a pair of hands wrap around my shoulders and lift me into a seated position. My eyes are still adjusting to the bright skies of Lanayru, and when the voice asks me a question, I'm too disorientated to answer.
"Breathe deeply, Mistress Zelda."
I do my best to follow her instructions, accepting a drink from whoever is supporting me.
Blinking the last dark spots away from my vision, I find Groose watching me with great concern whilst Fi floats a few paces away. "I-I'm fine, Groose," I manage to mumble, pushing myself away from him to support myself.
In my hand is the yellow bud, and I realise with a smile that it's over.
I did it… I passed the Trial…
While I didn't have to face the trauma of the past like I did in the Trial of Courage, I had to instead face the feeling of hopelessness and being lost. And I almost lost him again, I think. I didn't this time, but I always could… and every time I do I act with my gut instead of my brain.
Farore taught me that bravery and courage is found in moving on from grief and facing the future with true strength.
Nayru that there will be times where my heart will hinder me rather than help me—and relying on my mind is crucial when everything seems hopeless.
I turn my head up to the sky and close my eyes, ignoring Groose's constant questions of what the Trial was about and whether or not I'm alright.
"You are about to lose everything."
I frown.
Do I ignore such a taunt? Or do I heed it? With Link's prior warning and now another in the Trial of Wisdom, I pray that I am able to stop whatever may happen.
Either way, it's time to begin the search for the second Sacred Flame.
Author's Note: Well, I didn't really do much with this Trial, but I assure you that I have done much more on the Trial of Power planning-wise. Anyway, I hope that you have an amazing weekend and I hope that you can drop a rate and review for me if you haven't already.
*The lyrics to Nayru's Wisdom, exactly like Farore's Courage, belongs solely to "OoTFreak1."
~RandomButLoved~
