Thanks for the lovely reviews, Mimi and Jerviss! It's always really nice to hear that people are still enjoying the story! =D

Chapter 20: Unnatural and Wrong

Link had descended until the hole had given way to open air, the ladder clinging to what had to be the rocky side of Skyloft for a few rungs more until even that had curved away, and there had been nothing but a rickety ladder, uncomfortable and splintery in his hands, between him and the grasp of the bitter night winds. He'd folded his arms around it, holding the rungs from behind to keep himself better anchored; climbed step by grimly determined step.

He'd been asking himself how far it could possibly descend when, at last, his light had illuminated an equally rickety-looking wooden floor below. At last, his reaching foot hit something besides another rung, and Link stepped back from the ladder, still keeping one hand on its side. He didn't trust it, but he didn't trust the floor beneath him, either, or the cold night air buffeting him with its eddies so close to the side of the island. Somewhere beside his own awareness, his loftwing called uncomfortably, sensing the danger of Link falling yet too afraid of flying in the blackness of the night to circle below.

I'll be all right, Link thought, trying to soothe him. You'll come and get me if I fall. Just stay up there. If his bird had tried to fly in the night, Link didn't know what he would do. Other than his own lantern, the darkness beneath the island seemed absolute: beyond his own light he couldn't tell rock wall from clouded sky – and neither could the red loftwing, a deadly problem for a bird in flight. I've got to do this.

If the bird had been a human, if he hadn't been bonded to Link's very spirit, he would have argued. As it was, he knew as well as his rider how imperative the force driving him was, and merely squawked softly and unhappily, shifting his talons in the soft soil of someone's roof.

Link exhaled as he felt the loftwing's reluctant acquiescence, refocusing on his surroundings, still holding the ladder with his right hand. The flickering light of the lantern at his hip illuminated a platform made of mismatched planks lashed together with varying widths of rope, supported against the sloping rock of the island by bracing struts. None of it looked sturdy, and in place the gaps between the planks were wide enough Link could quite probably have put his foot through. To his left, his back to the sky, Link could see a path of long planks lashed together atop more struts driven into the wall, sloping downwards.

Surely, surely not even Kukiel would have come this way? Though Link couldn't entirely deny the thought that he himself might have at that age, especially in the daylight, not knowing any of the things he had seen in the last few days, the dangers he only now knew truly existed. Faced with a rickety path beneath his own home island, he too might have ventured down it… and the goddess only knew what might have happened at the other end.

If Kukiel had come here of her own volition at all.

Jaw tight, Link drew his sword, Fi's subtle cool blue light somehow reassuring to see.

"Fi, did Kukiel come this way?"

Yes, Master Link, came the response. The aura continues along that walkway. Similarly to the ladder, it contains a small quantity of demonic power, strengthening it. I calculate that it will bear significantly more than your weight.

Right then, he'd willingly have traded the demonic power for the chance of falling through it and into the sky below. Anything, to have there be no demons in Skyloft, preying on those who lived there. Forcing himself to unclasp his hand from the ladder, feeling desperately vulnerable in the night with no armour and no shield to protect him, he walked slowly across the creaking wood, every step cautious of the contrary winds so close to the rock face; of what unknown horrors might attack him from the darkness.

Setting foot on the walkway – not that narrow, no: three feet across at its narrowest, but flimsy and without railings – Link descended cautiously, his right hand held out slightly as much for reassurance as to aid his sense of balance, the softly glowing Goddess Sword in his left. As he made his way down, the platform at the base of the ladder left behind and his island of light showing only the walkway, the slanted rock wall beside him, and the overhang of the island's edge on the edge of vision above, he began to feel like an island of reality in an ominous dark void. A strange, whispering sound began from his left, almost inaudible beneath the wind at first but growing louder as he walked, a soft flowing susurration like distant ghosts murmuring to one another, until it seemed as if he was on the edge of making out words yet there were none to be found. A faint and shimmering light seemed to waver to his left, out in the black sky and impossible, motion down his vision flitting as if something were twitching the veil of reality away-

"Fi," he breathed, barely daring to whisper, hand locked tight on the hilt of his sword, "what's happening?"

The sound that you hear and the reflection that you observe are both created by water falling from Skyloft. I determine from this observation that we are beneath the remnants of the river.

Waterfall? It was the waterfall? Link breathed out a shaky sigh of relief, his heart still pounding uncomfortably in his ears.

"You're sure?"

I have identified the waterfall with 100% certainty, Master.

She was certain. He knew it. It was the waterfall, only that, water spilling from Skyloft when the lake and river that ran through it were too full for their stone-built banks at either end. Though they grew slightly shallower in the summer and the waterfalls would briefly dry up, the passing clouds still always brought more.

Harmless or not, a reminder of where he really was or not, it felt as though it took all his courage to turn from the faint and wavering reflection of his own light; from the black on black hints of motion and the whispering rush of water spilling over the lip of the island and down into the sky below. The waterfall wasn't the real threat. Fi said it was the waterfall, and she was right. The real threat lay ahead of him, somewhere, growing closer with every step.

A shape spread out ahead of him, as if his pool of light had widened as he walked: another platform, lower, tucked away, around this last curve behind the waterfall. Just seeing the wider space felt both a relief and a threat. Much the same as the platform above, rickety-looking yet bearing his weight, it was only as he stepped onto it that something else loomed out of the darkness ahead, finally within range of his lantern's flickering light: a wooden wall, ramshackle and unkempt, partially and badly plastered, spiders' webs strung across its cracks and corners. A doorframe just slightly off square squatted in the centre, and as Link stepped slowly towards it, a childish scream split the night.

His heart seemed to stop in his chest.

"No!"

And he was running, slamming into the door with his shoulder, half stumbling through as it flew open, into a room lit by flickering smoky torchlight – he saw it almost without taking it in, eyes locked on the giant bulk of something in the middle of the room, maybe wings; the thing turned towards him, giant horns curving above angled yellow eyes and jutting teeth like a child's drawing of a demon, half keese, half nightmare. It flared its bony wings and roared – and, seeing the small figure of a child to its right, Link kept running: two steps more, the creaking wood floor giving way beneath his feet to the solid if chipped stone of a rocky outcrop, sword raised to strike; the demon cowered back, raising its arms to defend itself against the human who barely reached its chest, crying out in what sounded for all the world like fear-

"Stop! He's not a bad man!" a childish voice cried, and suddenly the girl that had to be Kukiel was somehow in front of him, almost pressed up against the demon's legs with her little arms raised high as if to catch his sword, and somehow Link stopped his swing with a jolt he felt through every muscle of his body.

"Stop!" echoed the demon, trembling. "Please! I beg of you… don't hurt me!"

The sword's bright blade was shaking nearly as much as the demon, Link's breath harsh and rasping, nothing seeming to make any sense. He drew it back sharply, knowing he was leaving himself open with every moment he remained frozen, not knowing what to do.

"Kukiel, come away!" Even his voice barely sounded like his own, rough with horror. "Get behind me!"

Kukiel reached behind herself and clung stubbornly to the cowering demon's loose gown, gripping the cloth in her small fists. "No! Mister Bats is my friend! I'm not going anywhere unless you promise not to hurt him!"

"…What?" Link could barely force the word out. His eyes flicked from Kukiel to the monstrous figure behind her. It looked… terrified.

Slowly, with all the force of his will, he took a step back.

"Oh goodness…" the cowering monster breathed.

"That's better!" Kukiel snapped, her loud voice turning shaky. "N-now promise! A-and say you're s-sorry!"

"I… but… you screamed…" Link managed.

"We were playing a game!" Kukiel wailed, and abruptly burst into tears. "M-mister Bats d-doesn't mind if – if I'm l-loud, and he always plays with me, and, and-" She sat down hard, sobbing. "He's my friend…"

Slowly, watching Link, the hulking demon knelt behind Kukiel and put its clawed hands delicately on her shoulders. "Dear girl, don't cry… I am quite all right." The tremor in its own voice rather belied the words. "This young man didn't hurt me at all. I'm sure he won't hurt me now he knows I mean no harm." The grotesque face looked up at Link almost appealingly, and Kukiel gripped its clawed hands as if for comfort. "Perhaps… perhaps an explanation is in order?" it ventured, hopefully.

Link nodded, still shaking and now utterly at a loss, the Goddess Sword bright in his hand, his instincts at war.

"My name is Batreaux," the demon began. "I know how bad this must look to you, but I assure you, I bear you and this delightful child nothing but goodwill. You see, dear Kukiel is the only person who doesn't scream and flee at the very sight of me! Since she began to visit me here, I've felt positively jubilant! You see, my heart's only wish is to become friends with the lovely people of Skyloft… but, as you can surely imagine, it has proven quite difficult to break the ice when they flee at the mere sight of me." The great wings, half-folded, drooped slightly. "That is why I reside here, in this humble dwelling below Skyloft. I know that I am a monster, and I wouldn't dream of terrorising the fine people of this town with my presence. Most humans run in terror in the very moment that they see me."

Something about the demon's words, so unlike Ghirahim's lazily mocking tone, rang true. Despite his own experiences, Link felt a stab of pity for the monstrous being.

"S-so…" he managed, "you were just… playing?"

Batreaux and Kukiel both nodded, the latter sniffling and wiping tears from her eyes.

"Mister Bats is the only grown-up who doesn't mind how loud I am."

"On the contrary," Batreaux said, "I find it positively adorable!"

"He lets me come down here and play Screams with him, where you take turns to try and scream the loudest and if you don't scream at all you lose. I can beat everybody at Screams except Mister Bats." Kukiel added the last part proudly, and, to Link's continued bewilderment, the demon smiled down at her fondly. "He wouldn't ever hurt me. Once I almost fell over the edge of the island, and he saved me, just like a loftwing would!"

"That was very good of him. Of you, Batreaux." It took two tries to slide the Goddess Sword back into its scabbard, and Link felt another pang of misgiving as he did, as if the sword itself – or rather, Fi within it – did not agree. His legs felt shaky. "I'm… I'm sorry for charging in and almost attacking you. I thought…" He shook his head. "Kukiel's parents have been searching for her for hours, and I – I was afraid something terrible had happened to her."

Batreaux took a deep breath, lifting the hand Kukiel had let go of and laying it over his heart. "I accept your apology with my humblest gratitude. I do understand how terrible it must have seemed. You have a truly kind and generous heart. Even if I could not sense it in you, I would know that now." Something that might have been concern flickered over the big demon's features. "Please do sit down, if you want to. You are most welcome in my poor abode, as welcome as dear Kukiel."

Link glanced around, taking in his surroundings properly for the first time. Poor was the right word for it: the walls were in no better repair inside than out, and about all that could be said for the wooden portion of the floor, near the door, was that he couldn't see sky through it. Ragged and mismatched strips of cloth that looked suspiciously like old torn bedsheets hung from the ceiling like a pitiful attempt at drapes, and an oversized stool nailed crudely together from scraps was most probably the demon's seat. Another stool perhaps served as Kukiel's, this one better-crafted save for one of its three legs, which was hacked crudely from a plank and nailed on. Some planks and offcuts of wood lay stacked against one wall, which didn't surprise Link: wood was a precious resource. He wondered where Batreaux had got as much of it as he had, even in as bad shape as it was. Above it, a painting hung on the wall: a self-portrait of Batreaux, head and shoulders against a backdrop of his darkly patterned wings. It was better than Link would have expected, and looking around again, his eyes fell upon several others, poorly framed but otherwise of a quality out of place in the hovel-like surroundings. One was of a single human, a girl Link didn't know who looked a bit older than Kukiel, standing on the river bridge, but most were of crowds, of people gathering outside in places around Skyloft. Though each one was painted as if seen from a distance, they looked… warm, inviting.

"Ah, you see my paintings?" Batreaux asked, clasping his hands together. "I do love to paint, but I do not get paints down here very often, you see."

"I could fetch you some paints, Mister Bats!" Kukiel offered instantly. "I still have some of my birthday money!"

"Oh no, dear child," Batreaux said, patting her on the shoulder as she finally let go of his other hand, and though his eyes lit with a strange longing his tone was sincere. "I couldn't possibly accept. You should spend your birthday money on yourself! Birthdays don't come very often, do they."

Link stepped sideways and sat down heavily on the smaller stool. It creaked a little under his weight, but held. How could this demon be so kind, so nice? It conflicted with everything the stories had ever said; everything his time on the surface had only confirmed was true. Yet he couldn't force himself to believe it was an act. Batreaux seemed genuine – genuinely sincere; genuinely afraid; genuinely forgiving.

"How did you get here?" he asked, instead. "I thought… I thought demons only lived on the surface." How can you be like this? Who are you? What are you?

Batreaux looked back at him again, and rose to his feet, Kukiel getting up in front of him. "Oh, silly me… I should have realised you would want to know that. It is quite a boring story, I'm afraid." With delicate care, he swept Kukiel up effortlessly in his clawed hands and deposited her on the larger stool, backing away. "Are you sitting comfortably?" he asked, in an almost sing-song voice, and Kukiel giggled, swinging her legs back and forth and nodding. "Then I'll begin."

"Long, long ago," Batreaux began, "before there were any islands or humans in the sky, I lived here with the other sky spirits, such as the great spirit Levias, although of course I am far beneath one such as he." He placed a hand over his heart. "My friends were the birds and bats that migrated every year, and even the insects that swarmed this high. But then, one day, after a terrible evil began to cover the ground below –" He shuddered with distaste, and Link didn't think it was an act. "– the islands lifted into the sky, as it pleased Her Radiance Hylia, and the clouds became solid, and there were almost no birds or bats or insects any more. But…" Batreaux almost fidgeted, shifting his weight from side to side. "There were humans. Such marvellous people! I had never seen them up close before, and now here they were! I told myself I should not bother them, and I did not for hundreds of years, but over time I could not help myself. I started to watch this lovely town of Skyloft, and oh…" He wrung his hands together, the long claws interlacing mesmerisingly. "I realised that really, in all of the world, nothing could possibly delight me so much as to become a human, and live among such wonderful people every day. And that is why I made my home here, beneath your beautiful island."

Link frowned. "So you were always a demon that lived in the sky, even before the goddess brought us here?"

The sword over his shoulder glowed sharply, and Fi abruptly emerged from it, making Kukiel jump with a squeak – but, Link noticed, Batreaux didn't even blink. Had he already known she was there?

"That is incorrect, Master," Fi stated. "The demon Batreaux has omitted an important element of the tale."

"Who are you?" Kukiel asked, wide-eyed. "Where did you come from?"

Fi spared her a glance with her blank eyes, her head unmoving and yet Link was certain he saw, or felt, her gaze flicker to the little girl. "I am the spirit of the sword. My personal designation is Fi." She returned her attention to Link and carried on, and somehow he also knew that a part of her awareness was fixed intently on Batreaux. "Master Link, it is clear from the tale he tells that the spirit Batreaux once was has grown overly attached to humans. He has departed from his nature; from the purpose of his existence, against Nayru's Law, and has thus become a demon."

Batreaux wrung his hands together again. "Oh goodness, I am afraid your friend is telling the truth," he admitted woefully. "I barely knew what to call it, when I felt myself changing. I tried to seek out great Levias, but I was terribly afraid he was going to eat me, so I fled again. But I resolved I would never hurt anybody, even if I am not entirely the spirit I used to be." He clasped both clawed hands over his heart. "I could certainly never harm anyone as adorable as Kukiel. Despite my current, regrettably demonic state, I assure you, my heart's only wish is to be friends with all the people of this wonderful town." He looked at Link with a hopeful appeal.

"I… think I understand that," Link said slowly. Fi's words and Batreaux's agreed, for all that he could still feel the sword spirit's purity of purpose focused on the demon, telling him in indefinable subtleties that here was something wrong, to be destroyed. "I'm sorry, but I need to ask this: Fi, do you think he's telling the truth, too?"

"I do not detect deception, Master," Fi said calmly. "However, his intentions do not alter the fact that he is a demon. I have confirmed that he is the source of the weak demonic aura surrounding Skyloft. This aura is inimical to all natural life."

Batreaux hung his head, the giant horns looking more awkward than menacing. "I truly do not wish to harm anyone! I want only to live here in peace."

"You shouldn't be mean to him," Kukiel added, glaring at Fi. "He's really nice, just like he says! What's wrong with wanting to be human? I want to be human too!" She tapped herself stoutly on the chest with one little fist. "Just 'cause he looks scary doesn't mean he's nasty."

Link nodded, slowly. "I believe you, Batreaux," he said, and Kukiel brightened instantly, giving him a wide smile. "I don't think you mean any harm." He ran a hand through his hair, flyaway and loose after the bath earlier. "I need to take Kukiel home, though. Her parents were really worried about her. They must be frantic now."

"Oh, dear; I am so sorry," Batreaux apologised, wringing his hands. "I know I should have sent her home hours ago, but you see, when dear Kukiel came to visit me today, we were having such a nice time, we didn't notice it was getting dark. I couldn't risk letting her go out on her own, it could be far too dangerous, so I told her she could stay here and keep playing until morning."

Kukiel nodded vigorously. "He's scared for me just like my parents. They don't let me go out at night either. So I'll go home and see them in the morning."

"I'll take you back," Link insisted gently. "You don't know how worried they are. Your mum thinks something terrible has happened to you. Please?"

Batreaux shifted, reluctant. "I would love to have you stay here, Kukiel… but oh, I don't wish to cause your parents any anguish. Perhaps you should go back with him." He cast Link another pleading look. "You will be able to protect her, won't you? It can be dangerous at night."

Link nodded, gesturing over his shoulder at the shining sword as he stood, though Fi's emotionless blank gaze felt almost disapproving. "I'll protect her, I promise."

"You can come back here tomorrow," Batreaux added hopefully to Kukiel, and she frowned, then nodded.

"Well, okay, then." Kukiel grumbled mulishly. She brightened up a few moments later. "And I suppose this way I get to go out at night without anyone telling me off!"

Oh dear… Link met Batreaux's yellow eyes, and realised the demon was thinking the very same thing.

"Only while you're with me, Kukiel," he warned her.

"I know, I know." Kukiel hopped off the oversized stool and looked up at Batreaux. "I promise I'll come back and play tomorrow, Mister Bats!" She opened her arms wide, and the demon knelt in time to receive an enthusiastic hug, one that he returned with delicate care. Fi returned to the sword with a faint flash of light, but Link could still sense her conviction that the scene before him was wrong.

He'd get Kukiel home, he resolved. He could only hope that he'd be able to figure out what to do after that.

As Kukiel finally let go of her strange friend and crossed to Link's side, Batreaux spoke up again.

"Please do be careful out there. You have such a generous heart, I hope we can be friends as well, and I would be distraught if anything were to happen to you. And do give Kukiel's dear parents my warmest regards."

"I, uh, I will." What am I going to say to them? He supposed he'd have to figure that out, too. "I'll… try and come back here when I can."

Batreaux clasped his hands in gratitude so intense it sparked another stab of pity. "Oh, thank you! I would dearly love to see you again as well. My goodness, I might have two human friends! Isn't this delightful!"

As Link took hold of the door – still standing open from his panicked entry – to shut it behind them, Kukiel turned to wave, and despite his misgivings, he waved too. Batreaux waved back, his grotesque face contorted into a smile.

It really did seem as if the demon was simply lonely.

So I hope that I've succeeded in really impressing the level of fear drawing us into all this, and the eeriness and terror of the descent! The game absolutely fails to sell it several times and then falls flat at the end for me: I run to Kukiel first to check she's okay; Kukiel asks why I look so scared; I determine from this that Bats is clearly a good guy, and am then left awkwardly stuck by the game as you can't talk to him and nothing proceeds until you take a swing. It would have worked better to just have the whole run in and strike thing as a single cutscene. Using the bed mechanic works poorly as well: we're so desperate to find her that we're going to take a little nap? I see why they have to, since that's the only day/night mechanic the game's got, but interacting with the gravestone with a "wait" option to hang around until the sun had set would be more in-character, assuming that it stuck to the "must be night-time" requirement.

However, having spent a few years living across the road from a young childrens' school, I absolutely believe that Link can't tell the difference between a child shrieking in play and a child shrieking because something horrible has happened. Some days it really sounded like a bunch of kids were being murdered out there!

Patch Notes:
- Aura of fear and menace added.
- Kukiel now reacts to her surroundings.
- Long-term treasure hunt mechanic replaced with long-term problem.
- Batreaux's presence in the sky above the demon-proof cloud shield explained.
- Variety added to Batreaux's paintings, reflecting his desires.

Like everything else in this story, this is all Hylia's fault. Batreaux was having a fine time chilling, doing his little sky spirit job, and then suddenly someone came along and put a floor under his sky, and there were no giant flocks of migratory birds and bats and other high-flying things any more. Can you really blame him for drifting slowly into caring for the people of Skyloft instead? (See my partner stories "Out of Time" and/or "A Hunger to Swallow the World" for more on how gods, greater and lesser alike, can Fall…)