Nayru, disguised as a beggar woman, had easily slipped into Kakiriko unnoticed. Now that was out of the way she would have to concentrate on getting past the Royal Guards. Just showing them her real form would be enough to make them faint, but that would be breaking even more rules.
She walked steadily up to the gate, blue hair confined beneath a meager brown cloak.
"Who are you?" one of the guards asked, yawning.
"I am here to see Princess Zelda, she knows me."
The guards exchanged a glance of disbelief, "Your name being…"
"Uryan." she knew Impa would understand.
Sure enough, after ten minutes of waiting, the guards opened the gate from the inside, looking bashful.
"Thank you."
Impa was just inside the entrance. The Sheikah bowed her head in recognition and led Nayru to a small, closed-off room. Then she dropped down on one knee.
Nayru grabbed Impa's shoulder and pulled her back up.
"Impa, we don't have enough time for formalities. Where is the Hero?"
The goddess followed Impa to another room. Link was there on the table.
Nayru walked up to him and shivered. She pulled back the sheet covering him and laid her hands over the wound. She almost drew back, but she forced her fingers to stay.
"Go to the other side."
Impa walked around the table and pressed her hands into Nayru's.
Suddenly the chant was in the air, rising to become part of them. Impa had to concentrate not to become entranced.
A blue haze surrounded the room and Link's body began to quiver.
Nayru's voice grew louder, commanding Impa's to rise with it.
Link's body was twitching, hands and feet moving jerkily.
Voices rose again. The blue haze thickened, and the chant merged with the goddess and the Sheikah.
The chant grew faster, louder, frantic. Impa could barely see, but she sensed movement and knew what it was.
Impa was shocked when the rhythm of the song grew dangerously fast, power on the edge of destruction.
Just as the chant became so fast Impa could no longer stay with it, Nayru called from the haze.
"Let go!"
Impa did, and there was a blue flash that almost blinded her
Then all the haze was gone. So was Nayru.
The Hero still laid on the table, not moving, the same in appearance as before.
Impa's legs gave out. It hadn't worked, there was no more hope. She felt tears fall down her face, and for the first time in eighteen years she cried.
Everything I ever lived to protect…it's all gone. Zelda has no chance, my people are gone, my village has been destroyed…
A guard outside knocked on the door and opened it.
"Lady, are you-- Din's Fire!"
Impa stood, confused. The guard was staring at Link. Impa saw nothing strange. But then…
She looked closer. Where there had been an open wound there was now just a ripped shirt with a bloodstain covering bare skin.
Impa laid her hand over Link's forehead.
"By Nayru's Love, Nayru's element and the Thousand Ages, you shall awaken."
Impa waited in silence, apprehensive, for a minute or two. She sighed and moved to talk to the guard.
"It was worth a try. You might want to… what?" The guard was staring at Link again, this time with wide eyes and open mouth.
Impa turned around again.
Link was looking at her.
