Aria: Darunia's starting to bug me about changing the goddesses back into
their original forms again. I ALREADY TOLD YOU! NOT UNTIL CHAPTER TWENTY-
NINE!
Darunia: But, that's only two chapters!
Aria: DUH! I know that! You'd think that I'm not the one who wrote this
story by the way they act like I don't know what's going to happen! I'm
omnipotent and omniscient! That means all knowing.
Darunia: *sweat drops* Can we just get back to the story? Who's the main
character this time?
Aria: You'll just have to find out on your own. I'm not telling, but
there's a little surprise ahead.
Darunia: I hate it when she's being cryptic. Anyway, Aria Zephyr, my boss,
the authoress of this story, and the owner of this story, does not own the
Legend of Zelda games, their characters, blah blah blah.
Aria: Enjoy!

Chapter 27: The Mysterious Spirit

The force of the blow coupled with the intense magic that swelled around
her as she fell into an unknown place knocked her briefly out of
consciousness. When she awoke, she was vaguely aware of warm sunlight and
the sweet smell of flowers. She blinked as she opened her eyes and saw
many pale flowers stretching out before her. She blinked again, this time
in surprise, and sat up.

She was sitting in the middle of a massive meadow with thousands of tiny,
blossoming flowers all around her. She looked behind her and saw the stone
arch, but not as she knew it. It was not beaten with weather and age and
no plant of any sort clung to it. All of its stone was pure white and
looked very smooth. Also, the carvings were not clogged with years of
grime and wear; they were as sharp as the day they were carved, so it
seemed. The golden medallions were still there, but the ones on the
pillars seemed to have switched places.

While she was trying to understand what had happened, a zephyr whirled
through the serene land and blew some of her hair into her face. She
brushed it away in annoyance with her right hand and realized that her hand
was sheathed in a white, elbow-length glove and the golden symbol of the
Triforce flashed upon it. With much shock, she realized that, somehow, she
had become Princess Zelda once again.

"Surprised that the Triforce of Wisdom found you again when you placed the
Key of Courage in its proper place again?" a soft voice asked from behind
her. Zelda turned and faced a woman who looked strangely familiar. She
had long, golden hair that fell down to her waist and sapphire blue eyes
that seemed rather amused at the girl's puzzlement. She was wearing a
long, pink gown and gloves that looked very much like her own. And, a
golden tiara crowned the top of her head.

"I'll bet you're wondering who I am, Child," the woman said in soft, silken
tones. "Well, to be perfectly frank, yes," Zelda replied after she got
over her surprise. "I am one who has known you for a very long time. Ever
since you were born, even," the woman said. "Did you know my mother?"
Zelda asked. "I did, but not as a friend," the woman replied. "Then, who
are you, exactly?" Zelda asked.

The woman's eye twinkled with amusement and a smile formed on her face.
"Such determination.people once said I was like that," she murmured. "You
still haven't answered my question," Zelda said with impatient accents.
The woman laughed and said, "My dear child, you are most certainly of the
royal blood of Hyrule!"

"How do you know about Hyrule? Most people in my time don't know a thing
about it," Zelda said. "What do you mean by that? Have the people
forgotten their homeland?" the woman asked with alarm. Zelda was hesitant
to say anything, but the look on the woman's face called for an
explanation. "Most people don't even know its name anymore. It's just a
legend," she said.

The woman looked shocked and she turned her face away. "I never thought in
a thousand nightmares that the people could ever forget Hyrule. The
endless meadows and forests; beautiful Lake Hylia; how could they forget?"
the woman whispered.

"It's covered with water. What used to be Hyrule is what people in my time
know as the Great Sea," Zelda said with failing accents. The woman looked
back at her with a shocked expression that quickly died away. "Of course.
The goddesses sent the flood to save Hyrule at the last moment and everyone
left. The land was washed away. I remember now," she said.

"You lived in Hyrule during that time?" Zelda asked in shock. "Yes, I did.
I remember how Hyrule was when Ganondorf tried to take it for his own,"
the woman said. "B-but, if you were alive then, that would make you a."
Zelda spluttered. "A ghost?" the woman asked with a gentle smile. "Nay,
Child. I am no ghost. I am merely a spirit who speaks to you now because
you have entered the Land beyond the Physical Land."

"Does that mean that I'm." Zelda asked hesitantly. "No, you are not dead.
You merely crossed into this world through the only physical gateway there
is. Alas, that there is one. It is a great danger to both lands," the
woman said with a troubled shake of her head.

"What do you mean by that?" Zelda asked. "The fact that there is a gateway
through which the living can pass into this world poses a great danger as
those who would use the land's purity for evil purposes," the woman
replied. "But, who would do that?" Zelda asked. The woman gave her an
inquiring look before shaking her head and saying, "No, if I tell you now,
you won't understand. I must tell you about something that happened before
Hyrule's fall first."

Darunia: You are a very cruel authoress at times.
Aria: I know! *giggles* Can anyone guess who the mystery spirit is? If I
haven't been obvious enough, tell me. But, I'm pretty sure you all can
guess.
Darunia: *sweat drops* Are all authors and authoresses like you?
Aria: Some of them. But, others are much worse.
Darunia: Oh goddesses! *faints*
Aria: *leans over edge of cloud to look at him* Was that my fault? Oops!
*giggles mirthlessly* He'll wake up; eventually. Okay! How'd you like
these latest installments? Tell me, tell me, TELL ME! I want to know!
Believe you me! See ya in chapter twenty-eight!