Tya had most definitely walked in on something she wasn't supposed to see. There was no arguing that fact. But after the day she had had, she couldn't help soaking up the little bit of positivity she could find, and that positivity was solely coming from the fact that this was amazing. Ancient, important, filled with magic. With the way it opened, she could easily guess that this place hadn't been touched since Skyloft became Skyloft. Her stomach fluttered at the thought of the things that could have happened here. The history written on these walls, the stories that could have begun or ended in this very place.

She wanted to look at everything. Especially the sword and especially the altar that stood behind it with an idol of Hylia's crest. The etchings on the floor, bordered in gold, the art embossed into the pillars she stood against, the aging paint on the walls- there were… Goddess she was too short and it was dark… Were there even carvings and designs on the domed ceiling overhead…?

It had always been true that Tya was too curious for her own good. She'd explored the depths of Skyloft, the islands, the caves. The only thing she hadn't dared to delve into was the waters. She could swim, but she wasn't fond of the activity. She hated the cold water and the chill that would cling to her after she would get out.

She would plan these things early in the mornings just to avoid being seen or spoken to if her destination was on the mainland, but she would often pack picnics for herself and Corrdrin if she was going to fly. He was very fond of sweets, as was she, so Tya would often explore with the Loftwing close behind awaiting the snacks she'd packed him.

There were a few odd little things around Skyloft, but none compared to this. To what Link was privy to, and what she was encroaching on. She had thought she was going to get off Scot-free and perhaps even be able to come back later to examine all the things she wanted to examine.

Then she remembered why she was there. Her dreamstate was ripped away, forcing her back into a reality with the simple stating of Zelda's name. The sinking in her stomach was immediate, but as she tuned into the conversation she wasn't meant to hear, her breathing hitched in her throat.

"The one you want to find," the spirit had said. "Zelda."

Tya's gaze flickered to the pair, anxiety frozen in sickening seriousness, all of which was put at ease by the almost unbelievable statement that followed.

"She is still alive."

It was said so simply. She had no idea how the ghost could know such a thing, nor did she know if it was true at all, but either way Tya clasped both hands over her mouth just in time to keep back the instinctive "where?!" that almost fell out. Link wasn't so quick to catch himself, though given that this was all for him, he didn't really need to.

The spirit, instead of answering the question, swayed gently to the side, flowing ruffles extending out like an arm may, to indicate the sword that glowed its soft blue in her presence. "Take up this blade and raise it skyward in the name of my master," she said. "The fate that awaits you is one intertwined with the Spirit Maiden. Through this, you will find her."

Again, didn't answer the question, but Tya was glad to see Link lunge for it as she very well may have should he refuse. Not… that it would have done her much good, but if a sword was all that was needed, she would figure it out.

Link halted at the pedestal, hands on the hilt of the blade, and she could see his form freeze like he was holding his breath in anticipation. There was no struggle in withdrawing it though, and upon dragging it from its place, he did as he had been directed.

Light gathered at the blade's sharp tip. The glimmer of magic engulfed the blade, and the silver shined under it. On pure instinct, Link flicked the sword downward, and the light radiated out in a sharp beam.

That alone was breathtakingly amazing, but just before it could fade, the light shattered, coating the crest and seeping into the metal. It illuminated the room's depths with ease, causing Tya to step back with wonder as she could now see in clearer detail, the beauty and age of the structure she stood inside.

It was a fight, then, to keep her focus from straying. She loved Zelda. But it hadn't quite sunk in that she would never see her again. The weight and fear were there in the thought, but her mind failed to grasp that now it was a reality rather than the ever present fear that often plagued her upon realizing she was attached to the girl. It still felt like tomorrow she would wake up to Zel barging in and bouncing on her bed, asking what she thought of the ceremony…

"So it's true…" A voice echoed from the doorway.

Surprise broke a squeak from Tya's throat as she hurried aside a few steps. In her haste, her silent footsteps faltered and she thought that perhaps her cover had been blown. But the sway of the Headmaster's robes cloaked the subtle sound of her movements, and the echo of his voice, that of her surprise. She was just lucky to have ducked some steps away from the doorway in her rampant desire to study the walls.

He moved inward, and Tya took that moment to dart for the doorway.

There was a sound behind her- almost like someone wanted to speak but didn't have the time before she was out. She had been caught and she knew it. She could hear Gaepora say "I will speak with her later" and then "this is far more important."

She took that as her sign to get the fuck out of there while she has the chance.

Dawn had just begun to breach the sky when she found herself out and at Skyloft's edge. Adrenaline still courses her veins, shaking her breathing as well as her hands though that part wasn't abnormal. They had a pretty consistent tremble with them that she couldn't ever stop. But seeing the light caused the words "she's still alive" to ring in her mind all over again. If she was, where? What exactly was happening- what was Link a part of?

Tya looked out over the lightening blue of the sky and then without a thought, leapt over the edge, calling forth her bird as she did.

He swept her up with ease, carrying her out a short distance before circling back to glide over the land. She didn't guide him, so he was simply left to soar whilst she leaned forward and onto his back, nestled in his feathers.

She wanted to search, but she had no idea where to start. A large part of her wanted to leave it to Link, but was that fair ? It seemed unfathomable that he would need to do anything aside from go get her, but this whole setup seemed far more like something she would read about in a book- like the beginnings of a grand adventure.

It was unreal… she couldn't even begin to think of what Link may need to do, it seemed so simple. Just go fucking get her.

...If only Tya knew where she fell…

She straightened, looking back and around the sky, toward the statue she'd just left. They had gone off around there, and Link came back from there as well. Was it a stupid thought that she might just leap off and hope to fall in the same area?

Yes. Yes it was.

But if she was still alive, Tya had a feeling that she wouldn't have fallen beneath the clouds. It was a long, long way down… which indicated that she must have been lost somewhere here.

Tya pulled the harness to direct Corrdrin to the mainland once again. With more determination, she led him to drop just outside of her cottage. He folded his wings at his sides and nudged her and she responded with only an idle pat as she hurried inside her home.

The door was left ajar, allowing Corrdrin to peek his head in and watch as she went about gathering things. What should she even gather? Her first stop was the kitchen, which she grabbed various food items from and, in the process, grabbed Corrdrin's attention too.

She tossed him a piece of fruit and he seemed content with that at least until he scarfed it down and hoped for something else. But by then, she had tossed a satchel with a few things in it onto her couch and hurried off to the bedroom. It was always cold when she was flying, and that was all she could think of aside from food. Clothes. She pulled on a cardigan despite already wearing a sweater, and then secured her sailcloth again. There was probably more, but even after standing in the middle of her living room and staring down her confused bird, she couldn't manage to put together a coherent list. Food and water was all she could manage, and with that, she shooed Corrdrin back so there was space for her to leave, and after she closed her door, hoisted herself up and onto him again.

Ever confused, he lifted off, complying with her directions back toward the goddess statue.

They weren't in the air long before Corrdrin squawked in surprise and flailed to try and gather himself.

She held tight, asking aloud "what's wrong?" despite knowing full well he couldn't really answer. So she followed his gaze instead, and was stunned to see a beam of bright green piercing the barrier of clouds, sending up waves of mist in its wake.

Her lips pursed, and though Corrdrin tried to fight her, she rerouted them. There was no way in all the hells that this was a mere coincidence. It had to be connected to Link and thus, to Zelda.

"Please," Tya begged softly to the bird that had, for the fourth time, rejected her attempt to fly him down and through the opening in the barrier.

He didn't want to go, but fear was holding her to the hope that maybe he would break before she did. That wouldn't be fair to him though, and she knew it, but what other option did she have ?

She would have to jump…

No. That was a stupid, stupid thing to do.

She should just go home. Go home and mourn the fact that she had quite possibly killed another person she loved. Irrational? Perhaps.

Especially if the ghost was to be trusted.

That was the most ridiculous statement to pass through her head.

All of this was ridiculous.

She really should have gone home- this had to be some sort of delusion. Maybe she was asleep. Maybe she was so stressed that her mind was making this all up to cope. Maybe she had actually gone to dinner with Zelda and the food they had eaten was drugged to hell and back.

That column of light was definitely there… She could see trees beneath the clouds. So, so many of them.

And that spirit had said Zelda was alive just before this opened up.

All of that drama and then coincidentally, purely at random, this appeared?

No… it was connected. Corrdrin wouldn't go with her. Zelda was down there.

But Link was the one involved in this. She should go home. Go home and maybe wake up from this acid trip, this stress induced hallucination, this weird fucking dream.

Zelda may not have thought anything she did was really that important. She was just being herself and doing it in Tya's direction. But it was.

She had motivated her to get a job. She had dragged her out of the house to see the sunlight, to see Corrdrin, to go have fun… to make memories.

Zelda's mere presence was so, so much.

Even if this wasn't real, was that really what she would do? If the girl that had guided her back after she had been lost, had somehow lost her own way, would Tya really go home and undo the work Zelda had put into her, and let her wither away somewhere?

What was the worst that was going to happen if she jumped?

She died?

Tya took hold of the straps sewn tight to either end of her sailcloth and straightened.

"I'm sorry, Corrdrin."

If she died, she died.