Link hurried down the tunnel towards the Sheikah City, wearing the pendant around his neck. The tunnel wove ever downward, and yet, as he neared the end, Link noticed a growing orange glow and a rise in temperature. Soon enough, he reached the tunnel's end.
The Sheikah City was enclosed entirely within one large cavern, a blazing bonfire burning in its center. Link noticed that the fire's wood was not being consumed by the flames, and at first he was puzzled by this; however, he quickly deduced that the flames must have been enchanted. The dwellings of the Sheikah were simply tunnels dug into the stone walls. At the far end of the cavern, the symbol of the Sheikah Eye was carved into the stone wall. Below this were strong oaken doors. Other than the Eye, however, the cavern bore no decorations.
Many Sheikah were gathered in the outer city. Some wore robes similar to Byrna's, but most of them were wearing skin-tight full-body suits. All of the Sheikah bore platinum hair, even the children. Many of the citizens bore ritual markings tattooed into their skin, and some even covered their faces with masks.
As Link was taking this scene in, Byrna strode up beside him. "Congratulations on returning from the Halls of Valhalla unharmed and successful," spoke the sage. "You have truly proven your courage this day. Now, the Sheikah Elder would like to have a word with you." And without waiting for a response from Link, Byrna mad his way towards the far end of the cavern.
Link quickly followed, making his way through the crowd but barely able to keep up with the sage. Finally, they arrived at the oaken doors, which opened immediately. However, as soon as they entered, the door slammed shut once more.
Link noticed that, although the chamber was lit, there seemed to be no source for the light. The chamber itself bore the same simplicity as the outer cavern, except for a raised dais, shrouded in shadow, at the far end.
"You must speak with the elder alone," Byrna instructed Link. "When you are finished, I will be waiting for you at the entrance to the city." With that, he left the chamber.
Alone, Link approached the dais. When he was nearly a yard away from it, an aged voice forcefully croaked, "That is close enough, young man." Link stopped immediately. "You must be quite a brave lad to venture alone into the Halls of Valhalla," the croaking voice continued. "Long has it been since the eyes of men have seen the Pendant of Courage, carved from the Pearl of the Wind Goddess, Farore. It seems that you are truly descended from the Hero of Winds."
"Are you the Sheikah Elder?" Link asked. His voice was less timid than when he had first approached Byrna.
"That I am, young lad," the Elder replied. With that, the center of the dais illuminated, revealing an ancient woman wrapped in a thick red hooded cloak. "My name is Impa," she continued, "and I am a descendant of one of the Sages who sealed Ganon in the Dark Void between realms. In addition to leading the Sheikah people, I have also served as nanny to the Princess Zelda, who escaped from the castle three nights ago."
"Do you know where the Princess is?" Link asked, concern in his voice.
"Ho ho, do you wish to protect her?" Impa asked, chuckling. "Well, young lad, you have been doing so all along! She is here!"
At this, the rest of the dais lit up. Sitting at Impa's right hands was a beautiful young woman wearing a pale blue gown. Link couldn't believe his eyes.
"Lucinda?!" Link shouted, awestruck. "How can this be so?"
"Ho ho, is that what you have been calling yourself, my dear?" Impa asked Zelda. "You are a clever one, I'll give you that!"
"Link, I am sorry to have deceived you," said Zelda. "It is true that I am the princess. However, our friendship is not changed by this fact."
"But, we kissed!" Link blurted out, still shocked by the turn of events.
"I am free to kiss whom I want," Zelda replied, smiling though her cheeks had reddened.
"Ho ho, a young love is blooming, it would seem," said Impa. "However, there are more sinister activities being planned as we speak, and if the Evil One were to rise again, there would be no place for love in this world. Link and Zelda, you must hurry. The Pendant of Wisdom is hidden in the castle. Zelda, I believe you know where it is hidden." Zelda nodded. Impa continued, "There is a forest surrounding the southern edge of Lake Hylia, in which you will find a secret passage leading to the castle. The castle itself is still under the control of Ganon's minions, so you will have to be careful. The hour grows late. You must hurry!"
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Back in the house with red shutters, Link and Zelda were saying their farewells to Byrna. Zelda had changed into her old riding clothes, so as to draw less attention from others.
"Princess, I would think it wise that you continue to use the name of Lucinda while in public," the sage stated. "I am sure that Ganon has sensed the power which radiates from the stone of Farore, and I fear that his spies are many. His efforts to find you will surely increase."
"I will protect her with my life," replied Link. His tone was much more somber than before.
"Let's hope that you don't have to pay that ransom," Byrna replied. "Now, I have acquired a second horse for you to ride, Link. You need as much speed as possible in the next leg of your quest. However, do not attract too much attention to yourselves." He paused for a moment, smiling. "Link," he continued, "you have shown great courage thus far in your quest. I believe that you have the power to challenge Ganon. When the time comes, I will fight alongside you, but for now, I can only send with you my hope. Farewell, Children of Destiny!" And with that, he vanished in a flash of light.
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They rode a couple of hours that night, camping along a small creek. After traveling a day longer, they reached the shores of Lake Hylia. The lake shimmered with the morning sun, its clear waters gently rolling with the summer breeze. The castle of the family Hyrule stood as a mountain island upon the lake's surface, but the banners of the royal crest had been replaced by flags bearing the semblance of a boar's head. Zelda shuddered at the sight.
"Let us make haste to the forest," she said.
They had reached the forest by midday. Fairy lights flickered amongst the beech, birch, and oak, as well as the underbrush; while birds chirped merrily in their perches. Although the canopy of leaves provided shade, they also prevented the air from moving, to the effect that the forest grew hot and stuffy as the afternoon drew on. Link and Zelda knew not where they needed to search, and after only a few hours in the woods, hot and confused, they grew frustrated.
Soon, however, they heard the tinkling of a waterfall in the distance. Lured by that irresistible sound, they pushed onward at a quicker pace, struggling to lead their horses. Eventually, they came upon a clearing in which rested a pool of the clearest water imaginable, a waterfall cascading into to it from a high stone wall.
"Please, Link, allow me to bathe in that pool for awhile," Zelda pleaded. "I am not accustomed to such brutal conditions."
Link agreed, albeit grudgingly, and taking the horses, he walked far enough into the woods to ensure her privacy, yet close enough to come quickly to her aid. After a few moments, though, he began to notice something strange.
"That's strange," he spoke to himself, "I can't hear the waterfall that seemed so enticing only a moment ago. I can't feel its irresistible pull, either." Then he knew that the force they had felt earlier was an enchantment, and he rushed back towards the clearing. No sooner had he started than Zelda's scream rent the birds' chatter. Coming to the clearing, however, he found no sign of the Princess.
"Lucinda, where are you?" he shouted, not risking to reveal her true identity.
"I'm here behind this bush," came her reply from behind a tall bush. "Don't come any closer, though, as I haven't got any clothes on!"
"Where are they?" Link asked, fighting back his adolescent urges.
"They were stolen by pixies," she replied, obviously losing her patience. "Link, see if there are any clothes in our saddlebags for me to wear!"
Though he had the strange feeling that they should not waste any time with this, Link nevertheless rummaged through the saddlebags, quickly producing his old buckskin pants and Zelda's fur-lined coat. Nothing could be done for shoes, so she would have to go barefoot. Link left the clothes in the clearing, and left Zelda to dress in privacy. After a few moments she called him, and he returned to find her in the odd-looking outfit. It was obvious that she had been crying, and she looked very uncomfortable in the hot clothes.
"The pixies flew into the forest," Zelda explained, pointing across the pool. There seemed to be a path there leading deeper into the forest. "Hurry, Link, we must catch them!"
Link felt that Zelda's reaction was silly and that they should hurry on with their quest, but he dared not express this concern. After quickly tying up the horse beside they pool, he lead Zelda along the path. This trail led straight for a ways, then branched into two curving paths, one leading forward and to the left, the other leading forward and to the right. They decided to follow the right-hand path.
Eventually, though, this path once more curved in to the left, as though it were part of a great loop. However, after seemingly circling this loop, they never once came upon their original path.
"Does this path spiral inward forever?" Zelda asked, looking tired. There was a hint of a whine in her voice.
"There's one way to find out," Link replied, a cunning look on his face. He then removed his hat and tied it loosely around a low tree limb. "There," he said. "If we do not come upon it after one loop, the path must spiral inward, and we can come back the way we came."
"And if we do come upon it?" Zelda asked, awed by this ingenious plan.
"Then we've been hoodwinked by the pixies," Link replied.
With this, the pair continued on along the path until at last, they came upon the tied-up hat. Link removed this from the limb and replaced it upon his head. "Just as I thought," he explained. "Their magic has sealed our original path."
At precisely that moment, they both heard a high-pitched giggle. Suddenly, a pixie, surrounded by a pink aura, shot forth from the tree where Link's hat had been tied and dived straight into the path, cutting through the earth as though she were a fish cutting through water.
"Look there!" Zelda exclaimed, pointing at the spot where the pixie had vanished. "The path at that spot has a different texture!"
This area, in fact, was made of cracked rock, whereas the rest of the path was dirt. Recognizing the situation, Link placed a bomb on this area and pulled Zelda out of the blast radius. The ensuing explosion revealed a pressure plate in the ground. Link stepped on this, and immediately, a path appeared in the central hub of trees leading to a cave. Link and Zelda looked at each other, then quickly followed this path and entered the cave.
Nearly a dozen pixies hovered over a pool of water, each pixie bearing a differently-colored aura. As soon as Link and Zelda entered the cave, the pixies swirled together and dove into the pool. A moment later, a much larger being swirled out.
She was a Great Fairy, though her wings were diaphanous like those of an insect. She was clothed in the leaves of the forest, and her bushy pink hair framed a wildly beautiful face.
"I am sorry to have deceived you, but it was the only way to lead you here," she said, giggling. "Besides, it was much more fun this way."
"Fun?!" Zelda shouted, outraged. "I have never been so humiliated!"
"Come, I could make it much worse," the fairy jokingly threatened.
The fairy's good cheer was infectious, and instead of being further outraged, Zelda began to giggle and Link laughed heartily.
"Now, let's get you dressed properly, Princess," the fairy said. She pointed her finger towards the ground beneath Zelda's bare feet, where there now shone a pink light. This light rose as a curtain around Zelda, shielding her from view. Then, in a flash, the curtain of light disappeared.
She was dressed in a green blouse, over which was a brown leather vest; a green skirt supported by a leather belt; and soft leather moccasins. Her hair was tied in a ponytail, and she wore a green bandanna over her head. A knife hung from her belt, and a quiver of arrows and a bow hung on her back. She looked just like a woodland huntress.
"These weapons will help you in your quest," the fairy explained. "Princess, you know the castle well, and should therefore lead this expedition. Now, I shall reveal the passage you have been searching for."
She lifted her arms above her head, and the pool drained in a whirlpool. Where it had lay, a hole now appeared with a ladder leading downward.
"Farewell, young heroes," the fairy said, giggling, "and may the way of the Hero lead to the Triforce!"