A/N: A few altered game mechanics are introduced in this chapter. The bird statues have been removed (explained early on) and replaced with an alternative method for returning to the sky. Fi's dowsing ability has also been replaced. Read on to find out what it was replaced with and let me know in a review if you like these changes. :)
Sleep evaded him, chased away by the burning desire to find Zelda and bring her safely home. He tossed and turned until finally, with a huff of frustration, he gave up on rest altogether. Instead, he used the late hours of the night to learn all he could from Fi. He learned Fi could conceal herself within the sword. When she did, Link could still hear her speaking to him. Meanwhile, anyone around them could not, with some exceptions. Fi told him that others who were also tied to the fate of the sword (namely Zelda) could still hear her if she spoke from within it. He was also told that the radiant beam produced by the sword was called a skyward strike. He could perform this at will, given he had enough strength and energy to do so. Link and Fi, with what little information they had, plotted their arrival on the surface. Link questioned if he would be able to return to Skyloft, considering his Loftwing would not go past the cloud barrier even if there was a portal. Fi told him that if he carved the shape of a circle in the ground with the power of a skyward strike (without releasing the energy), then an updraft would appear to return him to the clouds. This satisfied him for the time being, though he felt a little nervous to see if it would work or not.
He was beginning to accept this strange, new fate as the night gave way to morning. Though every so often he found himself wondering when he would wake up from this dream, as it all still seemed too surreal to fully believe. As soon as the sun dawned its first ray of light upon Skyloft, Link hurried to meet with Gaepora and the professors. They enlisted the help of Gondo, the best ironworker in the village, to prepare a shield for Link. They also helped him to gather necessary provisions. Lastly, Link was presented with a forest green tunic, similar to what the Knights of Skyloft wore. It came with strong chain mail and a sheath for the Goddess Sword. Link had basic knowledge of sword-based combat, having recently begun private lessons. He was nowhere close to ready to destroy any great evil. In fact, Link had already convinced himself that Fi was wrong about that, and that slaying anything was not part of his destiny. He only wanted to find Zelda. Nothing more, nothing less. When he was ready, he bade Gaepora and the professors farewell. The four agreed to share as few details as possible with the rest of the village for the time being. Therefore, Link and his Loftwing soared off long before the villagers had even stirred from their beds.
The flight to the portal was grueling. Link could feel beads of sweat forming on his face, despite the frigid morning air beating against his skin. His stomach felt ill and his chest felt as if it was containing the beats of a thousand drums. He closed his eyes and tried to manage his breathing, however, the more he tried, the harder it became. He was scared. Here he was trusting a being he had only just met to take him somewhere he had never known to find Zelda, though they did not know where. It was all overwhelming. Eyes still closed, Link felt by the change in the wind that they were now directly over the portal. He felt paralyzed and could not will himself to leap from his bird. No matter what he told himself, his body seemed to not cooperate. That was until he conjured the horrifying image of Zelda being sucked into the storm. He could not even begin to imagine what terror, and agony she must have felt. It physically pained him in his heart to think of her enduring this alone, and now being stuck somewhere on the surface. It would be pathetic and inexcusable of him to let his fear keep him from seeking after her. He knew that if the roles were reversed, she would risk life and limb to help him, and he resolved to do the same.
He glanced down at his bird, who dawned a look of sadness and concern.
"It's okay, buddy," he said quietly, stroking the bird's head. "Whatever happens, I need you to keep flying. Don't try to follow me."
The Lofting responded with a gentle squawk of both agreement and confusion. With that, Link held his breath and he let his body go completely limp, allowing himself to fall off naturally with no resistance. It took everything in him to not call his bird back to him before he reached the cloud barrier. Likewise, his Loftwing watched helplessly as his partner plummeted into the unknown. After several painfully long seconds, Link opened his eyes. He could make out what appeared to be the tops of trees. In the distance, he saw a large lake glistening under the morning sun. The trees and the lake looked inviting, which quieted his fears some. There were a few open areas scattered across the landscape as well, so Link steered himself to the nearest one. At long last, he opened his sailcloth and descended to the ground. The atmosphere, the sights, and the sounds were a lot to take in at once. Link stood still for a minute or so, absorbing it all as best as he could. Finally he let out a sigh, and Fi came forth from the sword.
"Master, I have new information for you."
Link gave a nod, signaling for Fi to continue.
"I can confirm that you have descended upon an area known as the Sealed Grounds. I recommend exploring these grounds thoroughly."
With that, she returned to the sword.
Link sighed once more. The sick feeling in his stomach was subsiding, he could feel his heart rate slowing, and each breath came easier than the one preceding it. Now that he had his bearings and a name for the place where he stood, his normal sense of calm was gradually rebuilding. He could see that this area had been inhabited at some point. A dark iron fence, obviously crafted by a skilled worker, protruded from the ground. In addition, there was a clearly defined path leading downward in a large, spiraling pattern. At the base of this, there appeared to be a stone platform of sorts, with a strange, lone pillar in the very center. Seeing nowhere else to go, he started off down the path. At one point, he noted a large area of downed trees and other natural rubble, perhaps caused by a storm or a quake. While there did not appear to be anything there, the place stuck out to him, as if he could feel something within it beckoning to him. Figuring he could return to it later, he continued down the winding path.
As he descended further down the path, Link observed tiny birds (they looked like miniature Loftwings) and other woodland creatures, as well as various kinds of foliage sprouting from the earth. The air felt lively and pleasant and smelled of delicious pine, and the sunlight beaming through the trees was warm and comforting. Drawing closer to the bottom, however, Link noticed a tickle in his throat, and the shadows cast by the trees seemed darker somehow. He tried to clear his throat with a swig of water but was unsuccessful. As he ventured further, the tickle grew into an irritation, and the air felt hot and thick as it filled his lungs. Despite the temperature rising, his body began to feel icy. Goosebumps bubbled up on his arms and a chill went down the length of his spine. As he reached the bottom, almost every breath was being expelled in a painful cough. The lone pillar before him caught his eye. It seemed strange, out-of-place even. Perhaps it was the last surviving remnant of some long-lost structure. Stifling another cough, he examined the pillar carefully, finding nothing of obvious note. Just when he turned to re-ascend the path, the ground beneath him began trembling. Then, without warning, a horrid, thick black smoke rose from underneath the pillar. It engulfed Link, so much so that he could no longer see his way out from it. It swirled around him in a dizzying rage. He knelt to the ground and covered his face with his elbow. His nose, throat, and lungs burned terribly, and he felt he was being choked from within. He coughed bitterly and was reminded of the scaled beast from his nightmares.
Fi appeared, though he could hardly see her through the swirling cloud of smoke.
"Master, I have some—"
"Go ahead, Fi," he managed between coughs.
"I have confirmed that the cloud surrounding you is a form of malice. One function of the skyward strike you learned is to dispel malice."
Link stood up, though as the ground continued to shake, it was quite difficult to maintain balance. Keeping his nose and mouth covered, Link used his free arm to raise the sword. He bowed his head and focused until he felt the same static-like sensation as he had the night before building in his body. As the sword illuminated, the surrounding malice drew back, as if it had come under threat. Link, unsure of what else to do, swung the sword and sent the energy barreling toward the pillar from which the malice was coming. Upon contact, the malice stopped its violent swirling and became eerily still. Then, it rushed back underneath the pillar until all that was left was the crisp, clean forest air. The force pulling the malice back was so strong that Link found himself bearing down with his heels to keep himself steady, and it whipped through his hair with almost painful speed. The ground ceased its quaking, and the pillar sunk an inch or two further into the ground. Link coughed and pounded his chest a few times to ensure all the malice had been expelled from him.
"I do not detect any malice in the nearby area," Fi began, "or within your body."
Hearing this, Link's brow raised curiously as he sheathed the sword.
"How do you know that?" he asked, a little perturbed.
"I can monitor many things within your body," she replied. "Including your heart rhythm, respirations, and whether your bones and organs are intact and functioning."
Normally a very private person, Link was unsure of how to take this.
"Can you… see what I'm thinking?" he inquired, cautiously.
Fi's head titled slightly.
"This is not a function that I have attempted before."
"Give it a try."
Little did he know, Link would come to regret such a dare. Though Fi's expression remained unchanged, Link could sense that her focus on him was intensifying. His own eyes squinted as he tried to hold fast to the thought he had conjured, though he doubted she would be able to—
"Master, what is the significance of a hot semi-liquid made from what you call… pumpkin?"
Link's jaw dropped, though he quickly composed himself to save face. He wanted to brush it off as a lucky guess, yet deep down he knew Fi had read him fair and square. She waited patiently for a response. Finally, he chuckled.
"It's called pumpkin soup."
"And what is its significance to you?"
"It's just… good," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "It's consumed for sustenance, but also for enjoyment."
Link started back up the path, with Fi hovering behind. He did not suspect Fi to be one to engage in small talk (and to be honest, neither was he) so the two traveled in silence for a time. He scanned the area for another path or any accessible way to leave, and any sign of Zelda, yet found neither. However, when he came across the pile of trees and rubble once more, he felt the same as he had previously. Something beckoned him to it.
"Fi?"
"Yes, Master Link?"
"Do you suppose there's anything behind all of this?"
Fi drew closer to the wall of fallen trees and looked it over.
"Indeed, Master. I am detecting a hollow structure beyond this point."
That was satisfactory enough for Link. He removed whatever debris he could piece-by-piece. Rocks, stumps, branches, vines, and more. The work was exhausting, but he neither ceased nor complained, driven by the thought that perhaps Zelda had been sheltering in whatever hollow structure was behind it. At last, he caught a glimpse of something made of metal with a strange pattern etched into it. His efforts were paying off. It took him the better half of an hour to clear away enough of the debris to finally reveal an enormous door, the largest Link had ever seen. It looked old. Ancient, even. Despite that, it was still incredibly sturdy, as it took much of Link's strength to push it open. Link and Fi then found themselves in a large room, perhaps a sanctum of some kind. The floors, walls, and pillars were all made of chiseled stone, most of which had been covered in moss. The sunlight poured in through several large holes in the ceiling. At the opposite end there was a staircase which seemed to lead nowhere, and in the center of the room there was a small stone platform.
"What a strange place," Link uttered, his voice echoing off the walls.
To his surprise, an unfamiliar voice responded.
"A strange and sacred place, indeed."
Link was startled, though not threatened, by this voice. He turned around and was surprised to be met by an elderly woman. Were it not for her tall, red hood, she would have been only half of Link's height. The hood cast a dark shadow over her eyes, concealing them entirely, and it trailed behind her for a good few feet. She wore a teal-colored robe, and her long blonde hair was braided. Her hair was so long, in fact, that the braid she wore had been curled into a circle, and it swung like the pendulum in a clock. She brought her small, frail hands together and bowed her head slowly.
"I have been waiting for you, young hero."
Link's brow furrowed. He did not like being called a hero, though he also was not going to correct an elder who, for the time being, appeared to be an ally.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"You may call me whatever you like. I am but a humble servant of the Goddess Hylia. And what is your name?"
"Link."
Her wrinkled lips curled up into a satisfied grin.
"Link. What a fitting name."
With some effort, she turned her body and began walking further into the room.
"Come," she beckoned.
Link followed until they came to what looked like the makings of a small campfire. There were twigs and dried leaves, above which hung a metal spouted pot. As she drew near, the old woman waved her hand over the twigs, and to Link's astonishment, a small fire immediately began to burn.
"Are you a sorceress?" Link asked curiously.
"As I said," she replied with a small laugh, "I am but a humble servant of the Goddess Hylia."
She produced two small cups made from wood. After the fire had been burning for a time, Link assisted her in pouring the contents of the pot. It was perhaps the earthiest thing he had ever tasted, yet out of respect, he drank it graciously and hid his disdain. She told him about the room in which they sat. Long ago, it had been revered as the most sacred of places, used by the Goddess Hylia herself for many years. It now served as a guardian, separating the Sealed Grounds from the rest of the world. It was now known as the Sealed Temple.
"What is the temple guarding the outside world from?" Link inquired.
There was a long pause.
"I believe, deep down, you know the answer to that," she replied.
She was right. After what occurred at the pillar earlier - the horrid black smoke, the tremors in the earth - Link had begun to realize that the scaled beast was more than just a conjuring of his nightmares, though he didn't feel ready to fully accept this.
"What is it?" Link asked, quietly.
The old woman drew in a long, deep breath.
"It is called the Imprisoned."
A jarring chill rushed through his body. He had heard all he wanted to about the Imprisoned for now, and the old woman sensed this.
"Young hero," she said, to which Link shook his head, clearly bothered, "the spirit maiden that you seek, lady Zelda, arrived here not long before you did."
His eyes widened and his lips parted.
"You've seen her?"
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, rising to his feet with a hint of frustration seeping into his tone. "I could have caught up to her by now."
"Because the time for you to be reunited has not yet arrived," she answered bluntly. "Link, you must understand. You and Zelda are two parts in one destiny. However, your paths through it are vastly different. For the time being, she must follow her path, and you must follow yours."
Link swallowed harshly.
"Was she okay?" he asked, almost in a whisper.
The old woman nodded. Link accepted this, letting his frustration pass over him. The woman gestured behind Link. There he saw a door, much smaller than the previous one.
"You must go into Faron Woods and seek out the leader of the Kikwis. He will guide you from there."
Link offered a curt nod and thanked her for her kindness and hospitality. Before he exited through the door, she called out to him once more.
"We will meet again soon, young hero."
