A/N: Thank you for reading my novelisation of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. If you enjoy it, then I encourage you to leave a review. It is especially helpful for me to know what you would like to see more or less of to better enjoy the story. I will upload new chapters on Tuesdays. In the event that I am particularly inspired, then I will release additional chapters on Fridays.


His tired, green eyes slowly opened while a groggy, disoriented groan escaped from the back of his throat. Link found himself lying upon a vast landscape covered in unfamiliar foliage and crawling with strange, endearing creatures, some covered in fur and others in vibrant feathers. The long, thick blades of grass tickled the skin of his face as a gentle wind wakened him kindly. He cautiously rose to his feet and observed his surroundings in awe and wonder. The earth went on with no end, and thick, pillowy clouds streaked the sky with shades of deep magenta and amber. Whether the colors marked a sunrise or sunset, he could not tell, though the heaviness of the atmosphere felt more like an evening. Link felt as though he had been flipped upside down seeing the clouds above him, rather than below as normal.

Link knew he was dreaming, as he had been met with the same vision for several nights in a row. With each night, the sense of shock waned. The mystery and his sense of youthful, adventurous curiosity, however, remained strong. As much as he wanted to marvel at and explore this strange and wonderful place, he knew he could not. Closing his eyes and bowing his head, he waited in grueling anticipation for...

… it.

The thing - the horror - that would inevitably turn the scene from a wondrous dream to a dreadful nightmare. A low rumble deep in the ground met his bare feet and dissipated, soon succeeded by another, and another, until the tremors were strong and frequent enough to make his knees wobble. He leaned this way and that, trying to maintain balance and composure. Then, his pointed ears picked up a terrible, frightening sound. A long, high-pitched wheeze that would unsettle even the bravest of persons, followed by a low growl that sounded like distant thunder.

Only, it was not so distant.

His eyes opened once more, this time with a sense of urgency. He looked over his shoulder and turned to meet...

… it.

A wall of thick, black smoke was crawling through the air. He wasn't sure how, but Link just knew that this smoke would harm you to breathe or even to touch. Perhaps it was by observing the large, strong trees withering as they were touched by the smog; their mighty hickory trunks and their luscious leaves being sapped of all life and color as the smoke reached them. And yet, the dark smog was nothing more than a shroud covering the actual terror that approached. A menacing beast covered in sharp, black scales was lurking through the trees toward him. Its massive claws tore savagely through the surface of the ground with every earth-shaking step. The black smoke blew forth from its snarled nostrils, and its eyes… oh, its eyes. They harnessed the look of pure hatred, as much as a beast possibly could. Link felt paralyzed at the sight of its piercing gaze while the woodland creatures shrieked and ran past him for safety. He remained still.

Knowing he was dreaming provided little solace in the presence of this embodiment of evil. He closed his eyes as tightly as he could and clenched his fists until his nails threatened to break skin. He tried to concentrate on the thought of waking in the safety of his sky village while slowing his otherwise hastened breath.

"Wake up. Just wake up," he thought to himself, a pressured tone of urgency in his inner voice.

It was not working. The beast was drawing closer and growing angrier. Its thunderous steps became louder to the point where Link could feel the rattling all the way up to his head. He covered his ears and practically begged to wake. His heartbeat thumped wildly in his ears as he came to the edge of a full panic. Just when he thought he would lose his composure, the monster's disturbing breaths and its booming steps began to fade away. Soon, they were overtaken by the sound of his own heartbeat, and after several more painfully long moments, they disappeared completely. He slowly opened his eyes once more and was met by all-absorbing darkness and deafening silence.

The beast was gone, and with it, the land, trees, and sky. This was a darkness that could be felt, and yet, as heavy as it was, it was a welcomed relief in the wake of the nameless monster. He released the breath that had built up in his lungs, laying a hand over his chest and letting his head roll back. He swallowed dryly and resumed his efforts to wake, letting his eyelids fall to concentrate his efforts more. Soon, however, his ears were graced by a new sound. It was faint and muffled, as if he had been submerged in water somehow. His eyes shot opened. He saw nothing. The curious sound revealed itself to be a melodic voice, and it was calling his name.

"L…i…n…k… L…i…n…k…"

His breath caught in his throat as he found himself immediately enchanted by this soft, pleasant voice that was equal parts singing and speaking.

"L…i…n…k…"

"I'm here," he called out in response. "I'm here. Who are you? Where are you?"

No response.

Link wondered if the voice had cast some sort of spell on him, as the desire to find it now consumed his every thought. He didn't know how or why, but he needed to find who was calling to him. He turned to give chase, only to be met by two large, bulging eyes and a bright orange beak, which opened and unleashed a loud, shrilling screech.

The last thing he heard was the sound of his own body crashing down on the hard stone floor.


His blurred vision was flooded by the light of day illuminating his bedroom, bouncing off of the sage green walls. It was finally morning, and a seemingly pleasant one at that. He sighed deeply and put a hand to his chest, feeling the weight of the nightmare roll off his body and be carried away by the sound of his slowing breath. From the floor, he turned his attention to the large, winged intruder poking its head through the window. By its royal blue feathers he could see that it was, of course, Zelda's Loftwing, carrying a letter in its beak. Despite being a bird, it dawned the most judgmental expression as it gawked at the boy stretched out on the floor. Rudely, it spat out the letter in his face before making its departure with another obnoxious screech.

"Thanks," Link mumbled, several seconds too late.

With a yawn and a most satisfying stretch, he rose to his feet, bringing the letter with him, and gladly read its fond words.

"Good morning, Sleepyhead. I hope you slept well and that my Loftwing woke you kindly."

Link scoffed and gave his green eyes a quick roll of amusement, his fingers running through his long, messy hair. He would have her know just how kind her bird had been to him.

"It's finally Ceremony Day; the day you've longed and trained so diligently for. If you can, please meet me at the Goddess Statue before the ceremonial race. There is something I want to show you. Signed, Zelda."

A warm, gentle smile crossed his lips as he looked over the letter. Zelda had that effect on him more and more these days. Sometimes just the thought of her would bring with it a sense of calm and gladness. Even the sight of her delicate, careful handwriting made him feel at peace. The last of the heaviness he felt leftover from his nightmare melted away with each word Zelda wrote. Link knew better than to keep Zelda waiting, so after a quick wardrobe change and running his fingers through his honey-blonde hair a few times, he made his way into the main hall of the Knight Academy.

Normally, the Academy would have been buzzing with activity. Students would be going to and from classes or completing chores while the professors imparted wisdom in the classrooms and even in the halls when given the chance. Today, however, was different. Most of the other students had already eaten and gone out into Skyloft to prepare for the Wing Ceremony, so the halls were quiet and empty, save for Fledge. The tall, slender young man was off near the dining hall, looking as if he had just run a mile. He was trying to lift a barrel that was obviously far too heavy for him. Suddenly, he buckled under the weight of the barrel. Fortunately for him, Link quickly stepped over and grabbed onto it before it crushed him. Together, they lowered it to the floor slowly. Well, Link did the lowering. Fledge just kept his hands on it to be polite and save face.

"Oh… thank you… Link…" Fledge managed between gasps. "I owe you… big time…"

Link had a soft spot in his heart for Fledge. Since the day they met, Link had served as the backbone Fledge had yet to find for himself. However, what Fledge lacked in strength or nerve, he absolutely made up for with compassion and integrity, which Link considered to be far more important in life. Link was glad to be friends with Fledge, especially considering that most of the other students were annoyingly stuck up by comparison. Link secretly doubted that Fledge would ever successfully complete training in the Knight Academy (though he never admitted this to anyone). However, he liked to imagine Fledge thriving with a role in the infirmary, as he was naturally very caring. That said, Link was beginning to wonder if he needed to take Fledge there. The younger boy struggled to catch a full breath. His gangly legs were trembling and his normally flushed cheeks looked as red as sun-dried tomatoes.

"What in the world are you doing?" Link asked, brow raised.

"The cook," Fledge heaved, "offered to pay me to bring these barrels to the kitchen. If I'm being honest, I could use the exercise and the rupees."

"And some help," Link added with a playful chuckle, trying not to talk down to his friend.

"Well, I won't lie…" replied Fledge, fidgeting with his long, orange tunic. "Help would be nice. I'll split the rupees with you. I just don't think I can do this on my own."

"Don't worry about the rupees," Link smiled as he moved to pick up the barrel, "just lift with your legs and do not drop it."

Together, one small step at a time, the two hauled the first barrel to the kitchen, much to the dismay of the cook. As they inched their way to the kitchen, they shared a rather comical exchange.

"I'm gonna drop it!" Fledge would cry out.

"No, you're not," Link calmly replied.

"It's slipping!"

"No, it isn't."

Link knew deep down that Fledge needed someone to have faith in him, so he tried to push and encourage him whenever he had the chance. Link, Fledge, and Zelda had been a close-knit trio, with Zelda and Link each taking the lad fondly under a wing. Fledge looked like he was ready to faint when they finally came to the kitchen. To save time (and possibly Fledge's life) Link took care of the second barrel himself.

"What's in these?" Link asked, catching his own breath.

"A week's worth of rice," the cook replied.

"Gosh, Link," Fledge said, composing himself finally. "I can't thank you enough," he allowed for a smile before pausing in momentary thought. "Wait, Link… shouldn't you be out practicing for the race?" he inquired sheepishly, now feeling guilty for taking up some of his friend's valuable time.

"Probably," Link replied, casually slipping out of the room before Fledge could fuss about the rupees or the race.

It looked to be the start of a perfect day on Skyloft. The weather was magnificent. Clear and warm, yet with enough of a breeze to keep it comfortable. Blue, yellow, and pink flowers were all in bloom, and the townspeople were equally so, preparing for the sacred Wing Ceremony as hurriedly as the springtime bees collect their delicious nectar. The entire village had been anticipating the ceremony for weeks, and Link was the rumored favorite to win, which kept him humble. Link was grateful to be taking part this year. That said, he was probably the least worked up about it compared to the others. He hoped to win, but could tolerate a loss, much unlike his self-proclaimed rival, Groose, with whom he would cross paths soon enough. Not three steps out the door, Link heard his name being called. It was Professor Horwell approaching to meet him.

"I know you have much more important and urgent matters at hand," Horwell began softly, his long, chestnut hair blowing in the wind, "but I must ask if I can solicit your help for a moment."

Professor Horwell was a tall, gentle man. He was regarded with utmost respect and treated others just the same. A young man of few words himself, Link raised his brow to show Professor Horwell that he had his full attention.

"It's the silliest thing," Horwell sighed, shaking his head. "Headmaster Gaepora's pet Remlit, Mia, has perched herself atop the Knight Academy, and she has stubbornly resisted every one of my pleas to come down."

Link frequented the roof of the Knight Academy, as well as the tops of many other trees and structures on Skyloft, usually with a book and/or an apple in hand. For that reason, Horwell knew he was well-qualified for the Remlit-nabbing job.

"I'll get her down, Professor."

It did not take long for Link to scale the building, almost effortlessly. The thick golden trimming along the side and top edges was the perfect width for Link's hands to glide across as his feet pushed against the bright outer stone wall. Some thick vines had scaled the second-floor wall and were sturdy enough for the boy to pull himself up by. The roof was steep, though with careful footwork, he was able to make his way to the center where it leveled out. There, he took hold of a tall, wooden flagpole with a lone red flag proudly flying above it. He was greeted by the irresistibly cute mews and purrs of Mia, who seemed to be very proud of herself and her high-up perch. Link crouched down and stretched out his hand toward the furry creature, wishing he had a fish or perhaps an herb to persuade her.

"Come on Mia," Link chuckled, "I'm going to be late."

After a few paces back and forth, she affectionately pushed her head into Link's hand, demanding a quick, pleasing scratch down her back all the way to her brown, bushy tail. Once she had been appeased, Link was able to scoop her up and secured her tightly against his chest. With the friendly fur ball in hand, he carefully made his way back to Professor Horwell.

"Most excellent!" he exclaimed, taking the creature from Link. "Thank you very much. Now tell me, are you off to practice for today's ceremony?"

"Something like that," Link shrugged, a little too casually, picking some of Mia's brown furs off of his beige, wool shirt.

"I expect nothing less than excellence from you," Horwell stated, his brow furrowing slightly.

Noticing a sudden hint of seriousness in Horwell's tone, Link gulped and straightened up his stance, ceasing his fur-picking.

"Yes sir," he said, a little more earnestly.

With that, he finally began making his way to the Goddess statue, where Zelda was waiting for him, hopefully patiently. He knew he was taking his time, yet helping others was part of his nature, and something Zelda deeply appreciated and admired in him. Therefore, he could use it as a valid excuse if needed. Link passed a few villagers and offered each a curt nod along the way as they bid him good fortune for the race. It wasn't until he met Jakamar, Skyloft's most skilled handyman, slugging at the wooden entrance gate with a hammer, that he paused one last time.

"Do you need a hand?" Link asked curiously.

"No need, my boy," Jakamar replied with a chuckle. "You just run along and get ready to win the race today, y'hear? A lot of us are pullin' for ya. I've even bet a few rupees on you, laddy. I'll split 'em with ya if you win."

Jakamar continued hammering away, leaving Link to the last stretch of his venture. He felt his sense of anticipation rising as he ascended the stairway to reach the Goddess Statue courtyard. He could see the face of the Goddess, etched in stone, smiling and looking down upon the village, her features strong yet soothing. It wouldn't be long now before he would see his fondest friend at the base of the statue.