A/N: I listened to "Run" by Snow Patrol while writing a portion of this chapter. That part is indicated by four asterisks. Feel free to pull up the song on YouTube and listen as you read along when you see "****"

TRIGGER WARNING: Death of a parent.


The sun had begun its descent when Link and Machi set off. It was getting rather dark when they came to an open clearing, at the end of which stood a large structure made of white stone. At the top of this structure, there was a small watchtower where they stopped for the night. Link's body was dragging by the time they arrived, weighed down by the events of the day and worry for Zelda. Link started a fire and shared a small meal with Machi. He roasted a bundle of deliciously crunchy tree nuts which paired nicely with pumpkin and berry pastries he had brought with him from Skyloft. Finally, each enjoyed a plump, juicy apple drizzled with warm honey taken right from the hive. Machi eagerly told him all about the Kikwi and the woods. Link was quite entertained as the creature emphatically told various stories, many of which he acted out with great conviction. The moon was high in the sky when Machi finally wore himself out and sat down across from Link.

"Tell me about where you come from," Machi requested excitedly, though Link sensed that he was getting sleepy.

"Well," Link began, pausing for a moment to think, finishing off his apple, "the place where I come from is actually in the sky."

"THE SKY?" Machi exclaimed.

"Yes," Link chuckled. "There are many sky islands. The one I live on is called Skyloft."

"What's it like there?" Machi asked, sprawling out on the ground as if to prepare for a bedtime story.

"It's warm and windy most days," Link began, "and everywhere you look you're surrounded by the open sky. Most of the clouds are below us." He chuckled, but it sounded more sad than humorous. "I didn't know that anything existed below them until today. Honestly, it all still feels pretty surreal." Link trailed off for a moment as he reflecting on all that had happened since leaving Skyloft. He wondered if Zelda was feeling as overwhelmed as he was. Shaking his head, he resumed. "The people there are mostly peaceful and pleasant."

"What about your family?" Machi inquired.

Link lowered his head slightly, saying nothing. After a few moments, Machi interpreted the silence appropriately.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Machi said quietly.

Link continued to share about Skyloft until Machi dozed off to sleep. Link covered him in the sailcloth, which still exuded Zelda's flowery scent, to protect him from the cold nighttime breeze.

"Hey, Fi?" Link called out.

Fi emerged from the sword.

"Do you ever sleep?" Link questioned.

"No Master, I do not require the state of unconsciousness that your kind calls... sleep."

"Will you keep watch for the night?"

"I will, Master."

"Wake us at dawn, if you will."

Link laid down by the fire, which had burned down to little more than an ember. He cushioned his head in his hands and looked deeply into the cloudless night sky. While the moon was still bright and beautiful, Link couldn't help but to feel a bit saddened by how far away it seemed. It reminded him that he was far from home, in a strange, unknown world, all on his own. He was thankful for Fi's companionship and Machi's company, but it just wasn't the same. Worst of all, he still did not know where Zelda was, where she was going, or who was after her. This thought kept sleep at bay for a time, along with Machi's squeaky snoring, until finally exhaustion won out and he was able to drift off. That night, he dreamt of his tragic arrival on Skyloft, and the first time he ever saw Zelda.


Headmaster Gaepora and Professors Owlan and Horwell had received an urgent letter from one of the outermost sky villages. It was an impoverished community with few on-site resources. A doctor they knew and respected had sent the letter on behalf of a young woman who had been ill for some time. They were asked to come as quickly as they could, for the situation was dire. They arrived at dusk and were ushered into a house. The house was bare, both outside and in. Cold air seeped into the house through broken, cracked shutters. The furniture was made of splintered wood and rough stone, and two small lanterns burned dimly, offering little light and even less comfort. There was one other room separated by a single drape which blew back and forth in the wind. They were met by the doctor, who explained to them the plight of the young woman.

"I did everything I could," he concluded. "Unfortunately, she passed away just a short time ago."

The three men of Skyloft bowed their heads mournfully.

"In what way can we offer our help?" Gaepora asked.

The doctor beckoned them to follow him into the second room. Drawing back the curtain, they saw a small bed, though it was nothing more than a mat on the floor with a single blanket draped over it. On it laid the deceased, and beside her sat a young child, no older than the age of six. His skin and his clothes were dirty, and he looked quite thin, though otherwise he appeared to be in good health. He turned and gazed upon the three strangers. His striking green eyes immediately captured them. Without saying a word or displaying as much as a hint of emotion, he turned back and looked over the woman, who they presumed had been his mother. Her pale face was turned towards the boy. She appeared to have passed peacefully, aided by the protective and loving watch of her child.

"We knew this disease would take her life," the doctor began solemnly, "but we did not expect it to happen so suddenly." He looked at each of the men squarely. "She had meant to send this to you."

He handed them a letter, which they read carefully:

"To Headmaster Gaepora and the Professing Staff of the Knight Academy,
I am writing to you in my time of greatest need. I have no family and nothing
to offer in return. However, I am making a desperate plea to you as my
one and only dying wish: That my son, Link, be entrusted to the care
of the Knight Academy. Otherwise, I will be forced to send him to an orphanage,
as my time to leave this world is fast approaching.

I understand that he is far too young to enroll as a student.
However, he is compassionate, kind, intelligent, and obedient.
He will make a truly honorable student when he comes of age.
I can send him with nothing more than the clothes on his back
and all the love in my heart. Please, accept and care
for my child in my absence. My gratitude to you
will surely continue on into the next life.

Signed,
A Dying Mother"

Gaepora, Owlan, and Horwell stepped out to discuss the matter, and yet all three found themselves to be lost for words. Being the community leaders that they were, difficult matters were frequently brought to their attention. This, however, was perhaps the gravest situation they had faced for a long time. Horwell spoke up first, cautiously.

"The Knight Academy is not an orphanage," he said. "I do not say this to reject the child, but I have to ask: Can we fully attend to both his care and that of our students?"

Gaepora countered. "Zelda is growing up in the Academy. She is around the same age as the boy, and to my knowledge, this has not been an issue. Neither my duty as her father nor my role as Headmaster have been neglected."

"That's just it," Horwell replied. "With respect, Zelda has the luxury of you, her father, being present with her. This young boy would not have that same fortune. In addition, we cannot set a precedent that the Knight Academy can care for young children."

"What do you propose we do?" Gaepora inquired.

Horwell sighed, pausing for a moment in thought.

"Would it be possible to ask one of the townspeople to care for him?"

"I do not doubt the generosity of our people," Gaepora replied. "However, we cannot assume that anyone else will step up to raise him."

Owlan had been listening carefully, his long, thin fingers stroking his bare chin. At long last, he spoke up.

"I feel it in my heart that we must take the boy. My soul was deeply moved upon seeing him, and I sense yours were as well."

Gaepora and Horwell nodded. They too had felt something that they could not quite name.

"I pledge to accept the majority of the responsibility for him and his care, if the two of you will support me as you can," Owlan declared. "This is the way to only honor his mother, who tried to turn to us in her time of need."

Neither Gaepora nor Horwell presented any resistance. It was late into the night when they returned to Skyloft with the boy. Young Zelda had been sleeping peacefully, but stirred at the sound of the three men walking the halls. Startled, she opened her bedroom door and peered out. She saw her father and the professors, and then she saw the young boy. Their eyes met. Though she was only five years old, she could see the evident sadness, pain, and fear in his eyes. Her heart ached for the strange boy, and she wanted to know who he was and how he had come to the Knight Academy. Still, she knew this would be disrespectful, so she returned to her bed without a sound. The image of his sadness and fear burned in her mind, keeping her awake for some time.


"... Master."

Link's eyes shot open at the sound of Fi's voice. It took a moment for him to recognize his surroundings and recall where he was. The sky was painted with captivating shades of orange and violet, and the morning dew glistened in the light of the rising sun.

"It is now dawn," Fi continued. "I have woken you, per your request."

"Thank you," he said, rising up slowly.

Part of him had secretly hoped to wake back on Skyloft, with everything from the past two days turning out to be nothing more than a terrible dream. His heart sank a little when he realized that wasn't so, though he didn't let it show. Link woke Machi with a gentle nudge. The two ate some fruit and promptly set off. Machi pranced on with a skip in his step, feeling refreshed and excited to be helping Link. Link, however, had not fared well on the cold, hard ground, evidenced by his slow and labored walk. Machi assured Link that they had only a short distance to go to reach the temple. They arrived by mid-morning.

"Here we are," Machi declared. "Skyview Temple."

A stone staircase led up to a large building made up of stunning white bricks. Massive, peculiar roots protruded from the structure, showcasing its age. After marveling at the building, Link turned and crouched down to Machi's level.

"You have been the best guide," he said with a warm smile, though sadness was welling up in his heart. "Thank you for helping me, but I think it's time for you to go back."

"Oh? But why?" Machi asked sadly.

"I suspect there might be monsters inside... or worse," Link replied, recalling Bucha's stern warning from before, "and I would hate to see anything happen to you."

"Aww, but... will we see you again?" Machi murmured, reminding Link once more of a young child.

"I hope so," Link said, trying his best to reassure him with a smile.

Link was taken aback when the small, childlike creature reached out and embraced him. He felt a little stunned at first, but finally relaxed and returned the embrace. Link was not the fondest of hugs. That said, he felt glad in that moment to receive such a kind gesture from his little friend. Machi turned to make his way back to the other Kikwi. Link, meanwhile, tried to find a way into the temple. The door had been sealed, and every effort to push it open failed. Link searched the area for a switch or lever and found none, until suddenly, he was momentarily stunned by a blinding light. The morning sun reflected brilliantly from a vibrant, magenta-colored artifact shaped like a diamond that was floating high above the doorway. Fi emerged from the sword.

"Master, it is 98 percent likely that this artifact is the mechanism that will open the door."

Link nodded in agreement. He had collected a few large, dense seeds as he had been walking with Machi the day prior. He used the slingshot, gifted to him by the Kikwis, to catapult one of these seeds into the diamond. On contact, it turned to a stone gray color and broke apart into several, smaller diamonds, though they continued to float in midair by some magic or strange power. The door creaked and groaned until, finally, it opened. Behind it was a long, dark flight of stairs that appeared to have no end. The air inside felt cold and damp. Link felt goosebumps bubbling up on his skin. Whether it was from the cold air or the apprehension he felt in his heart, he did not know. What he did know was that Zelda had, for whatever reason, come to this temple. If he was to find her, he would have no choice but to enter in, and so he did.