Alaia Skyhawk: Not much to say lol, ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

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I don't own the Zelda series or anything associated with it. I do however own this story and any OCs, so please don't steal them.

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Chapter 38: I Hope this Really is the Last One

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Finding himself back in the Temple of Courage, Arkai let out a sigh and wearily trudged over to the pile of belongings in the middle of the floor. Dry trail crackers didn't make for much of a meal, but considering he'd again not had the chance to get food in the Realm he'd just been to they were better than nothing.

He thudded down onto the tangled mass that was his bedroll, grabbing a couple of the remaining crackers, eating them, and then washing the dry crumbs down with a mouthful of water. When his stomach grumbled in complaint at the pitiful meal, Arkai sighed again and curled up to get some sleep. The next trial would come soon enough.

Lying there, eyes resting on the locked door that would lead him deeper into the temple if he passed his next trial, Arkai frowned. What waited for him down there? Two more Realms? Something else? How close was he to the end of the trials here? Something had seemed different about the Water Realm, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. It had almost seemed too easy, well at least everything up until he'd fought Hierdaras had been. A few swamp babas, some mud and slime, nothing serious or particularly dangerous. All he'd really gained from it was the pep talk from Yorkl.

He blinked, something occurring to him. Maybe that was the point. He'd already had to prove his will to protect others in the Forest and Fire Realms. In Spirit and Shadow he'd been forced to use his mind to solve problems, and to use his will to resist the temptations of darkness. In the Water Realm something different had been asked of him... He'd been asked to listen and learn a valuable lesson. 'Don't forget who it is you're fighting for. Don't let victory go to your head.'

Rolling onto his back and staring at the blue stone of the ceiling, he mulled over the idea. These two Realms were about learning things other than how to think on your feet, or to have the bravery to stand up for others. If that were so, then what lesson awaited him in the Light Realm?

It was a pleased-looking Sage who appeared in the temple's sacred chamber, and a pleased one that, after a cursory check of the 'window' to see if Arkai was resting, then vanished again a moment later.

Taking note of her friend's cheerfulness, Navi chuckled.

"He's pleased... Arkai really performed in that one. If the guy can keep it up for one more Realm, you and I will finally get the chance for a bit of fun."

Link'aren grinned in reply, also chuckled.

"You're just pleased Link'iru used one of your ideas for the final trials... Personally, I just think your idea is sadistic."

Navi stuck her tongue out at him before rolling her eyes.

"Whatever... Like your idea will be any easier on the guy."

Weapons clanked as they were checked, cloth rustling as clothing was straightened beneath leather straps, careful fingers making sure everything was where it should be before their owner made their move. Arkai, satisfied that he was as ready as he'd ever be, turned to face the door beneath the golden sun symbol. He strode over to it, pausing at its threshold to take a deep breath... He then stepped though.

The first thing he saw was blue sky, and clouds... the next was the nearest of those clouds whipping up past him as plummeted from where the portal had dumped him so high up in the air that if there was ground below it was so far below he couldn't see it.

For the first few seconds he screamed at the top of his lungs, before forcing himself into silence as the wind rushing past made his eyes water furiously. Finally managing to stop his mad tumbling, he steadied facing the direction he was falling. So what was supposed to happen now? Was he supposed to be falling to his death, or had the portal messed up somehow?

He was seriously wondering if that were the case when something caught his eye. Lines of light wove like tendrils among the clouds, far enough away that they were just golden strands amid blue and white... Then he hit something, something that stretched at his impact before slowly rising upwards again to become perfectly flat.

He opened his eyes, having closed them when he'd felt what had turned out to be a rather soft landing. Pushing himself to his knees he blinked in surprise and awe at what was beneath him. The glowing lines weren't just lines, they were roads through the skies made of light woven into mesh like cloth. He'd just landed on one of them, and even as he stood up he found himself wondering just how the hell light on its own was able to stop his fall and support his weight.

He thumped a foot on that woven surface, getting back only the scuff of his own boot. The light neither gave way or reacted in any way, seemingly only flexing to cushion his landing before becoming solid and stable again. Still wondering over it, he looked at the skies around, above, and below him, quickly realising that only in this middle region did the roads of light exist, and that the ones he could see seemed to be converging somewhere to his left, which incidentally was where his own road pointed to.

With nothing else to do he started walking, sternly keeping to the centre of the aerial path and avoid the risk of plummeting to the doom he'd only just avoided. This place was certainly a change from all the previous Realms, what with their being no visible ground anywhere. The only solid place for him to walk was the woven light he was stood on, though at least it certainly seemed solid enough for him not to worry about walking on it.

Almost as if his thought were the key, his right foot plunged though the surface of the road, drawing a startled yell from him. Dragging his leg free he scrambled backwards, before inching forwards with a frown. There was a hole in the woven surface, strands of light flickering a frayed around its edges. He went around it, now warily watching where he put his feet, as the further he progressed the more and more holes and ragged edges he found. It eventually got go bad he had no choice but to stop, what little remaining solid weave being too narrow for him to be willing to risk trying to cross it.

Contemplating turning around and heading back the other way, he stopped when the sound of wings reached his ears. Hazel eyes searching the air around him for the source, he spotted something that filled him with as much awe as the road had when he'd first seen it.

A man with golden-brown hair glided down on wings woven out of light just like the road, a man who hovered over the damaged area to regard him with concern.

"Why are you on this path? It's dangerous!"

Hazel eyes met blue, the owner of the former unaware of the true identity of the latter.

Alaia Skyhawk: Well, on to the next one :)