In a rush of wind, Saria and Link were together in the temple as ghosts again.

"Link! Oh thank the love of Nayru! We both made it!"

Saria and Link both rushed to an embrace, ecstatic to see each other once more. Immediately, Saria could tell something was different about Link, something in his eyes.

"Are you okay? Did something happen?"

"No... heheh... I think I'm the best I've been in a long time."

Her friend's wordy response made her raise an eyebrow, but she was too happy to see him to care.

"Eeehaha! Well done! Very well done indeed! You have both passed the trial of courage with flying colors! And what a show it was! Emotion in motion! You faced your fears! You two have proven yourselves worthy of the final piece of the great fairy harp."

"That means we can finally get out of this place! And... and smite the evil in my world."

Saria choked up thinking about how soon they had to part. But it was only fate. She swallowed and put on a bittersweet smile. Link noticed Saria's reluctance, but said nothing of it. The horde of Poes cackled once more, and opened a hole in their circle.

"You will find the harp this way. It is in the very depths of the melting pot. Your entertainment was much appreciated."

"Thanks? I guess we had better be on our way."

"May yours be the path of destiny, children of great fate. And may destiny prove relentless! Eeehahaha!"

The Poe horde vanished, leaving the children to float on down the hallways. Tilting her head toward Link, Saria scrunched her nose and mouthed the word "entertainment". Shrugging, the boy chuckled at her gesture. As they ventured through the ruin, the echo of the band's performance reached their ears.

"I've never heard music like that before... too bad we're missing it."

The tune playing was the same Link had heard Farrokh playing alone, but much fuller. There wasn't time to listen though, they had to find the harp. Finally in the absolute east most portion of the temple, both children marveled at the wonder beneath them.

"If this isn't the melting pot, I don't know what is."

Link and Saria levitated above a deep crevasse within the middle of the temple. It was absolutely swarming with spirits, some dashing to and fro, others sitting alone, looking to be crying to themselves. If one word described the area, it was despair. One beam of sunlight shone through a hole in the roof, and cast itself all the way to the bottom of the pit, revealing a purple gleam.

"The harp piece! It's down there! Ooh... this looks a bit spooky. Though, I doubt anything could scare me at this point."

"Let's not stick around to find out..."

Link flew headfirst down the chasm, leaving Saria at his tail. As they passed by the various souls, each shot a glance at the children.

"They all look so sad... Farrokh did say this is where restless souls go in the valley. Such a shame how many there are."

The deeper they flew, the more dense the congregation of spirits grew. Murmurs escaped the lips of the passerby. Though neither child could make out what they said, both could agree that they sounded unfriendly.

Beings of all kinds filled the cavern. Hylians, Gorons, Deku scrubs, Zoras, and creatures they had never seen before. There even looked to be a few fairies there. Saria grimaced to think so much death existed in the land. This was why they had to return the harp. To restore life and prosperity to Fairy Valley. Without it, death and chaos seemed to rule.

"You pair... why are you here?"

The spirit of a dejected old man flew before the children. One look into his eyes told Saria he knew nothing but sorrow.

"I beg your pardon?"

"You both look so young, how have you met your end even in your youth?"

Something about the old man... he had a wiseness to him. Neither could tell whether he was being friendly or demanding. Link backed up, before he realized they had become surrounded by other ghosts. What was going on?

"Well... uh... technically, we aren't dead."

"All who come here are dead or die. What do you mean you aren't dead?"

More ghosts approached the two. This didn't look good.

"Haha, funny story. You see, we were separated from our mortal bodies by the a song called the Concerto of Soul, and-"

"They are interlopers! Seize them!"

All at once, the ghost horde dog piled the children, and held them captive. There were so many of them that nothing in all Link or Saria's power could get them to budge.

"Ah! Hey, let us go! What do you want from us?"

"If you two have a mortal connection... then we seek to hijack it. We will restore ourselves yet, my brethren!"

The entire pit seemed to cheer for the old man, who leaned forward to leer at the children.

"For centuries have I roamed these very grounds. I will use your youthful bodies to revive us all! You should never have come down here, foolish children!"

"Link! Link! Please tell me you have a plan!"

"Working on it!"

Was that a lie? He really was trying to come up with something, but the situation had grown rather bleak rather quick.

"My brethren, today, we end our suffering!"

The strange old man held his hands together, and an orange glow began to form between them. Link had seen few people conduct magic like that before.

"Sage magic..."

"Wah?"

"Do you still have the magic of the sages?"

"I've only scarce power in this world, as I haven't been awakened as a sage here. I don't know if anything will work, but I can try! What spell?"

"Any spell!"

Saria clutched her eyes shut and said a soft prayer.

"Goddesses, give me strength..."

A faint green flicker appeared in her left palm, and with the flick of her fingers, she sent a clump of green sparks hurtling toward the old man. The ball collided right with his face, not for lack of him noticing the oncoming projectile. The old fellow seemed unharmed, but he was rather shocked beyond belief.

"Let them go! Let them go!"

All the ghosts instantly released their grip on the children, almost as perplexed as the man himself. The old man looked over the pair, and shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't believe it... leave us, please."

The horde of spirits all flocked separate directions, grumbling as they went. Saria and Link both shared a nervous expression. While the old man gave Link only a once over, he couldn't peel his eyes from Saria.

"You... are you really the new sage of the forest?"

"Y-yes sir... I guess."

"Bless Hylia... it really is true. Rauru was right... a second generation of sages has manifested."

"You know Rauru?"

"Of course I do... or did. He was once a fellow sage."

"Fellow? Do you mean-"

"Yes child. I am, or rather, was, a sage. An ancient sage of days long past. The sage of spirit."

"You're one of the ancient sages?! What are you doing here? This is a long way off from Hyrule."

"A good story indeed. Centuries ago, Hyrule was in chaos and turmoil, many seeked the golden power of the triforce. Rauru called upon six of the wisest men in Hyrule, myself included. He said that the goddesses had tasked us with protecting the triforce, and building a resting place for it in the sacred realm. The Temple of Light, as it came to be called. Of course, even with the temple of light, we still needed a way to keep evil from getting into the sacred realm. Thus, we built the Temple of Time, and used the Master Sword to seal the realm to all but those who were worthy."

"Link do you realize? We're standing with a legend! You built the Temple of Time?!"

"Wrong, I helped build it. It was the greatest achievement of our time. With its completion, the triforce was protected, and our duties as sages diminished. In my later years, I did quite a bit of exploring, and eventually, I happened upon this valley. I quickly bonded with the inhabitants, and the land was rich, so I settled here myself. As the sage of spirit, I built this crypt to wish the dead a worthy farewell to the afterlife. One day, however, a great quake split the very foundation of the crypt, and took my life with it. Since then, my spirit has lived on in anguish."

"Wow... you must be older than me!"

"Hm, indeed. I don't guess this odd boy of yours is a sage too, is he? A quiet one isn't he?"

The old sage gestured toward Link, who had yet to participate in the conversation.

"Haha! No, that's Link. He's just my friend."

Just her friend? He was the Hero of Time! Of course, Link didn't think it any good to go touting the title. It wasn't like it meant anything to anyone other than Saria anyway.

"Some place to bring a friend to. Some place indeed. So, do tell forest sage. Why have you and your friend crossed down to this land of sorrowful souls?"

"Please, call me Saria, heheh. My friend and I are both trying to get that!"

Saria pointed to the bottom of the pit toward the harp fragment. The old man seemed somewhat dejected at her suggestion.

"Oh... you wish for the purple relic? I guess if you need it, it must be of great importance..."

"Is something wrong?"

"Well... that from that thing emanates a strange life energy. A vigor of sorts. It is the only thing down in this pit that brings anyone any happiness. Even when one is at their worst, just sitting near the aura of that thing lifts their spirits. It is treasured by us all down here, by us who have no hope."

"Oh... I'd feel rather guilty taking it from you then..."

"Nonsense. If you, a mortal of the stature of a sage, require it, then it you shall have. I sense it is of much more use to you two than it is to all us anyway."

Link flew ahead to inspect the harp fragment. With all they had been through all ready, he wasn't really in the mood for a battle. Hopefully they could obtain it without one.

"Thank you, then! You will forever have me and Link's gratitude, mister ancient sage."

"Please, call me Kodaikari. I am not a sage anymore."

As Link approached the harp, other ghosts crossed into his path. Of course they weren't going to get off easy this time.

"Just what do you think you're doing, interloper boy?"

"Muku, lay off the child. His business is not ours."

The old man flew down to where the small gathering had collected, Saria in tow. The seeming leader of the group, Muku, was a youthful little yellow fairy. He seemed rather irate with both Link and the old man.

"He made his business ours when he came through here."

"He is with this girl, and she is a sage. You know of the divinity of the sages of Hyrule, do you not? They only wish for the purple relic, then they will be on their way."

"Of course, the only thing of any value to us down here! They want to rob us of the soul soothing life energy it emits!"

"And we will let them have it, Muku. If they came all this way, from Hyrule even, to get it, then it must be of great importance."

"I thought it might come to this. Old Kodaikari, just because your are the oldest down here does not mean your word is final."

More spirits showed up behind Link Saria and the old man. And here was the catch, was it not? Link began thinking how he might defend himself and Saria from the surrounding hoard.

"Muku... what are you doing?"

"Giving us all life once more, old halfwit! If you won't rob these kids of their mortality, then I will."