The sudden change from raging storm clouds and agonizing roars to the peaceful, moonlit night sky was jarring. Link shivered terribly under his soaked, heavy clothes in the cold, midnight wind. He made his way directly to the Faron Woods portal, shining bright and green as he approached. With the likely return of the Imprisoned, Levias' possession, and Zelda's absence, Link felt all the more desperate to find the sacred flames and awaken the Master Sword. He felt he had no time to rest or even to inform Gaepora of what he found in the Thunderhead. His body, mind, and heart all drove him with palatable urgency, the kind that makes one feel that the world is moving faster than it really is, and that one has to race to keep up with it. Diving into the portal, he noticed it was a bit more daunting in the darkness, with little more than the moon and stars to light his way.
"Master, I am detecting the Goddess' power welling in the central forest. It would be wise to descend there."
Link landed near the large tree where he had previously met Bucha. However, the Kikwi leader was nowhere to be found. Link swallowed harshly and sighed through his nose, disappointed not to see Bucha or Machi. His attention was drawn when Fi emerged from the sword and began to drift around the area in search of the source of the Goddess' power. Link followed slowly behind, keeping a cautious eye out for monsters. After a long search, Fi stopped on a seemingly uninteresting dirt patch. As Link approached, a circle of light appeared, and an illuminated triangular symbol lit up at the center. Fi positioned herself in front of the symbol and gestured to Link.
"This is the location of the first trial, Master," she said with a small bow. "Farore's Courage will open it to you."
With a nod, Link produced the Goddess harp, closed his eyes, and began plucking the upbeat, rhythmic tune of Farore's Courage while Fi sang along, just as they had at the Isle of Songs. This time, in sync with the music, glowing shapes that looked to be beautiful, teal flower petals laid down one-by-one around the circle of light. With each one, Link felt more and more energy filling the surrounding air. When the song and the circle were complete, Link felt his heart lifting again, and his body and spirit felt invigorated, as one would after receiving positive news from a dear friend (and Link was envious of this feeling as good news seemed hard to come by). However, upon observing Fi, Link began to feel heavy once more. Though her expression remained unchanged, Link could sense a seriousness building in her gaze, enough to make his limbs tense up.
"I have new information for you, Master," she said.
Link swallowed dryly and nodded, holding his breath to brace for whatever was to follow.
"This is a door to the Silent Realm, where the Goddess has prepared three trials for you," she began. "Your spirit will depart into the realm to partake in the first trial. Your body will remain here."
Link noticed his jaw tightening, not liking what Fi was telling him, though it was only going to get worse.
"The sword and I must also remain here," she said.
Link's countenance fell as Fi's words sank in. Twice Fi had provided him with the optimism and esteem to continue pressing on when his heart had otherwise fallen too far or the challenge seemed beyond him, and the sword had been the source of his mounting strength throughout the journey. Knowing he would be deprived of both filled him with a sense of dread, which Fi easily detected.
"It is fitting that this trial is a test of your courage."
"I don't feel very courageous right now," he admitted, scoffing disingenuously.
Fi's head tilted unusually quickly. It was the first time Link could interpret a sense of shock coming from her.
"It is my understanding that courage is an action, not a feeling," she said.
Link's brow curved curiously.
"It is not the eradication of fear, for fear cannot be eradicated," she stated, drawing closer to Link. "Rather, it is the perseverance through and contention with fear that makes one courageous." She nodded her head. "As such, you have only exhibited courage thus far, and I project with great confidence that you will continue to do so."
A sting hit Link's chest, and yet it was pleasant. He drew in a warm breath that filled his belly. His chin lifted as Fi's gracious words brought with them a sense of renewed confidence.
"Good luck, Master," she said plainly.
Link slowly drew closer to the triangular symbol. Sword in-hand, he felt the blade being drawn to the ground as if by magnetic force. He held the sword high above his head, blade facing downward. He closed his eyes tightly and held his breath, which made the quickening pace of his heart all the more apparent. His arms seized up, trembling under the weight of the sword and the uncertainty of the trial before him. Fi's words resounded in his mind.
"... perseverance through and contention with fear ..."
"... you will continue to do so."
He then conjured the memory of Zelda cupping his face in her hand and bringing their foreheads to touch. He dearly missed the warmth of her skin and the reassurance that she was present with him. Holding fast to Fi's encouragement and Zelda's memory, with an impassioned shout, he fought through the paralyzing fear and doubt and plunged the blade into the ground.
For a time, he saw, felt, and heard nothing, though he was fully aware of this nothingness. Then he felt paralyzed, and yet, perceived that he was moving, almost as if he had returned to the back of his Loftwing, only he didn't sense the softness of his feathers or hear his mighty wings flapping. Instinct begged him to fight against the sensations until, at long last, he was able to open his eyes. He was, to his amazement, still in Faron Woods, in the exact spot he had been before. However, everything was sapped of color. The world appeared cold, dead even. An otherworldly mist swirled around the flowers, shrubs, and trees. The sky itself was gray, and neither the sun nor the moon were anywhere to be seen.
Nearby he saw several large, white-armored beasts, each carrying a blade taller than Link himself. Their rectangular faces were downcast, and their metallic bodies looked as though they had not moved in ages. Link felt stiff just looking at them. The only sources of real light Link could see were coming from lanterns carried by other strange beings hovering about. They were draped in white, though their hands and faces were dark and menacing. The air felt heavy, and everything sounded as though he was submerged in water. Link was surrounded by the same circular light that had enveloped him on the surface.
After observing his surroundings, Link heard a strong yet still voice. He did not hear it with his ears or even in his mind. No, the voice seemed to come from the depths of his own chest.
"Long-awaited youth," the deep, feminine voice said, "you have come to your first trial."
"Who are you?" Link asked, though hesitantly.
"I am the Goddess, Farore, keeper and deliverer of courage. I am she who gives life to the ground and all who dwell on it."
Suddenly, Link felt a searing pain coming from his chest. He grimaced, and a long, distressed groan escaped from the back of his throat. Amazingly, a brilliant light began shining from where his heart would have been. From this light came what appeared to be a necklace. It looked to be threaded with pieces of wood or vine, and from it dangled bright, glowing circles that looked like pearls. Below these was the shape of a flower that seemed to be made of vibrant white marble and gold. Just as the pain and pressure in his chest was about to send him to the ground, it abruptly ceased, and the rest of Link's breath escaped in an exasperated sigh.
The beauty of the necklace hovering before him erased what was left of the pain. Enticed, he reached out his hand, but just as he touched one of the pearls, the necklace shattered with a piercing crash. The pearls projected through the air with unfathomable speed and scattered throughout the land. The chain of vine and the flower fell to the ground. Link felt compelled to take hold of it once more. It felt heavy and dead in his hand.
"This is one of your Spirit Vessels, Link," Farore's voice boomed. "It is the part of your soul that houses your courage, bravery, and valiancy."
"It's dead and broken," he replied plainly.
"Yes," Farore said, sadly. "Your trial is to find the tears strewn about the forest, reform your Spirit Vessel, and return it to me, that I may bless you and increase your courage."
Link looked out from the light surrounding him, his eyes landing squarely on the floating entities and the armored warriors.
"What are they?" he asked in a breathy whisper.
"They are the guardians of this realm. They have been tasked with protecting it from any spirits from the outside world."
"Like... me."
"Do you fear them?" Farore asked.
Link took several loud breaths through his mouth. His brow was curved upward, and his forest green eyes stayed fixed on the guardians. It seemed unwise to admit fear in a trial to test his courage, yet lying to a Goddess seemed even more so.
"I do," he said, most quietly.
"Your fear is warranted," she said kindly. "How you manage your courage will determine your success in this trial."
Suddenly, Link noticed a glimmer of green light coming from behind him. He turned to meet it, and from it, Farore's voice spoke even more boldly than it had before.
"Brave One, as you progress through the trial, your courage will protect you. Look to the light of the flower of your Spirit Vessel. As it burns brightly, you will be hidden from the guardians, so long as you avoid the light of the watcher's lanterns. However, as your courage wanes, so will your protection. Each tear of courage you find will illuminate the flower anew."
Link did not know how, but he felt as though Farore was smiling upon him.
"I offer you my shelter here in this light. Return to me as you need. Do you understand well the task given you?"
"Find the tears quickly, don't get caught," he replied bluntly.
Farore's voice faded, followed by the light. Link turned to face the dark outside world. He reflected on stories he loved to hear growing up. There was always a hero, someone who faced any danger with admirable, unshakable bravery, willing to sacrifice their lives to save the world or perhaps someone in distress. Fi seemed to believe he had done the same up to this point. Because he was trying to get to Zelda, nothing felt brave or courageous. It had just felt natural. Now that it was the focus, Link felt that his courage had left him completely.
"Don't fear them," he whispered to himself. "Don't fear them."
Drawing in a breath, Link stepped out from the circle, and at that very moment, the air was filled with a thunderous sound. Everything in view pulsated, like a strong series of ripples roaring over water. The shades of gray all around were replaced by hues of amber and rust. Even the sky took on this ominous, fiery glow. Worst of all, the guardians, which formerly appeared to be nothing but statues, all raised their heads and their eyes were illuminated. They raised their weapons and began charging at Link.
He felt immediately nauseated. He could see his own death in their eyes, all the more vividly the closer they came. He turned to run, but the world seemed to slow down around him, or perhaps he was slowing. Every swing of his arms and every kick of his legs felt helplessly heavy. He was reminded of past nightmares, when trying to run was impossible, like running through a pool of water. All the while, the guardians were raging towards him. He could feel their thunderous steps vibrating through the earth, drawing closer and closer, louder and louder. The thought of finding a tear had already fled his mind. His only instinct in that moment was to outrun and survive the beasts. And yet, the closer they came, the slower he moved.
A threatening shadow came over him. On his back, he could feel the momentum of one of the guardian beasts looming just behind. A small cry escaped his lips as he turned to see the guardian's weapon being raised overhead. It now looked twice as tall and deadly as it had previously. It bore down on him. Somehow, Link managed to side-step just in time.
"Don't fear them!" he screamed out in his mind.
Alas, the beast's terrible weapon collided with Link's abdomen, sending the boy to the ground with a pained shriek. His vision became tunneled at once, and he felt consciousness leaving him. He was filled with a sense of dread like he had never felt before. Link tried to rally, straining to rise up to his feet, but it was for naught. He had failed. His body flopped to the ground and everything grew dark and deafeningly silent for what felt like an eternity crammed into a split second.
A groan escaped him. His eyes opened, and he found himself lying in the circle of light. Before everything could come into focus, he heard Farore's voice once more.
"Child..." she said.
Clutching his abdomen, he rose to his feet. The circle of light grew brighter as Farore's presence and power filled it, and as it did, Link felt the residual pain and sense of fear leaving him.
"Have I failed?" he asked breathlessly. "Is there no hope now?"
"Until the day the world falls into shadow, and even beyond that day, there will always be hope, Brave One. These trials are not made only to test you. They are also to train you."
An exasperated growl escaped him.
"Why are you fighting so differently here?"
"I don't know what I'm doing!" Link half-shouted back, quickly subduing himself. "Much less what I'm doing differently."
"Tell me the words you spoke to yourself upon leaving this circle before."
Link sighed, feeling a sting rising in his belly, as if he was about to admit to wrongdoing.
"Don't fear them?" he replied with a hint of uncertainty.
"Is that what the spirit of the sword instructed before your spirit departed from your world?"
"No."
"What did she tell you?"
"That courage is perseverance through fear."
Then, Farore asked a question Link could never have prepared for.
"And what of the charge your mother gave you, child?"
Link's face became void of expression as these words pierced him through his chest. A burning sensation welled in his stomach. He wanted to feel angry, which Farore perceived.
"Peace, Brave One, for I am the one who gave her those words."
A terrible knot squeezed up into his throat as the threat of tears stung his eyes. The agonizing memory of his mother's final moments played over in his mind. He knew she was suffering. He knew she was hurting. And yet, she smiled.
"Be brave, Link," he recited, though he heard Farore's voice alongside his own. "Have courage. You have to have courage."
"I thought I was being brave," Link said, his voice catching. "This whole time. Zelda needed me to. She still needs me to."
"Has any of this bravery been brought about by not fearing what's before you?"
"I'm not sure," Link gave in, frustratingly confused by the question.
"Allow me to remind you," Farore replied, her voice growing stronger.
Suddenly, Link felt as though his skull was being filled with overwhelming pressure. He closed his eyes with a grimace, and yet before him he saw a familiar sight: the portal to Faron Woods open in the clouds below him. He felt sweat forming on his palms and heard his frantic heartbeat thumping wildly in his ears. The confused expression of his Loftwing met his gaze. It was the moment before he first fell into the portal, which seemed like ages ago. This vision faded, and what took its place was a door inside Skyview Temple, behind which he faced off with the Stalfos. The fear channeled into his hand, trapped in a helpless tremor as he tried to muster the courage to unlock the door. He was then taken to the very moment when Ghirahim's knee crushed his rib, feeling every sensation of pain and brokenness. He felt the air being expelled from his lungs and heard his own pained yelp echoing through the room.
His throat taken in the grips of the Lizalfos and the sensation of not being able to breathe.
Watching Zelda tearfully walk through the portal of light in the Earth Temple and the world crumbling around him.
Facing the Moldarach without the Goddess Sword in his grip.
The feeling of the Ghirahim clone's blade all but touching the skin of his neck, just before Zelda's powers had been unleashed.
Watching the Gate of Time crumble to ruin by his own action.
A cloud of dust revealing the evil gaze of the Imprisoned, staring into the depths of his soul with absolute malice.
Each of these moments flashed before him, and he felt the full brunt of the fear he experienced in them until, at last, with a sharp gasp, his consciousness was returned to the Silent Realm. His knees faltered, though he remained upright. Once more, he stared into a beautiful green light that housed Farore's spirit.
"Do you now understand?" she asked, sincerity beaming in her wondrous voice. "Courage can only manifest in the face of fear. You must let fear pass over you, not through you. Then your courage will carry you, as it has all along."
Link drew a deep breath in, quieting the knot still plaguing his throat. He wiped away a nearly-escaped tear with the sleeve of his tunic as Farore's words sunk in. With each breath, a sense of weight was lifted from his shoulders, and he began to feel a renewed sense of confidence.
"I understand," he said boldly, with a nod.
"Good, Brave One," she replied. Link could tell by her voice that she carried a smile. "Allow me to help you further."
Link observed as beams of green light rose up, speckling the forest.
"The tears?" he asked.
"Find them and bring them to me."
Her light and her voice faded. Link stepped up to the light circle, and with a deep breath in, crossed over it once more. Déjà vu ensued as the atmosphere immediately changed. The aura of the world turned from dark and gray to fiery and menacing. The guardians awoke and resumed their hunt. Tightening his grip on the Spirit Vessel, Link fixed his eyes on the nearest tear, which looked to be atop the small watchtower Link and Machi had stayed the night at. While it was still tedious, Link found himself able to run at a faster pace than he had previously. He was tempted to repeat his "do not fear them" mantra, but he now understood that it was not the goal. Instead, he focused on running while allowing the sense of fear and dread coming over him to remain, though not allowing it to dominate his thoughts or actions. One of the guardians quickly came close enough to take a swing at Link, yet he dodged the weapon and continued towards the tower.
He raced up the steps with the guardian practically nipping at his heels. He felt a disturbing, unwell feeling in his gut. Still, he kept running, until he finally reached the top. The tear, sensing the presence of the Spirit Vessel, was quickly pulled into the necklace, where it briefly emitted a shining light. Then, in the blink of an eye, the world became still again. Link cautiously turned to find the guardian with its weapon raised not five inches away from him. A startled jolt rocked his body for a brief moment until he noticed that the creature's eyes were dark. Its long, rectangular face was looking downward, away from Link. It had returned to its stagnant state.
Link let out a long, slow breath, though his relief would not last long. Looking down at the Vessel, he could see the petals of the flower beginning to fade. He needed to find the rest of the tears and quickly. The watchers continued hovering about with their eerie lanterns. In the open, they were easy for Link to avoid. He obtained a handful of tears with relative ease. Alas, he came upon one that was high up in a tree. Link thought perhaps it was the same tree he had rescued Lopsa from. Biting down on his lower lip, he tried to think of a way to get the tear down. He tried throwing the Vessel up toward it, unsuccessfully. He decided against trying again out of fear the Vessel itself would get stuck.
In his pondering, Link failed to notice a faint light approaching from behind. He thought he heard the tinkering of tiny bells, though they sounded less than pleasant. His forest green eyes widened as he became aware of the light and the likely source of the bell chiming.
It was a watcher.
Just as Link turned to meet its gaze, the creature shrieked and vanished. The world around him changed once more, and at once he heard the thunderous steps of the guardians approaching. He swallowed painfully dryly, turning his attention back to the tear. In desperation, he tried scaling the tree, however, with no low branches to cling to it was no use, even for a skilled climber like himself. Without much thought, he stepped back and thrust a kick into the trunk of the tree. To his amazement, the tear moved, though only a little. It was then Link was inspired with a terribly risky idea.
Fists clenched tightly, Link turned and planted his feet as he watched a guardian rush toward him. It roared, and Link found himself wanting to throw his hands over his ears, though he kept them subdued at his sides. With bated breath, he waited, his spirit feeling heavier with each passing moment. Finally, the monstrous beast came to a sharp halt just in front of him.
It raised its weapon over its head and bore down with a mighty swing. Link pivoted out of the way at just the right moment, though the metal had come so close he could practically smell it. Then, the guardian threw its blade sideways. Link ducked, and the beast's weapon collided with the tree. The force knocked free dozens of seemingly lifeless leaves, as well as the tear. Link felt his body slowing as his fear mounted. Still, he dove forward, extending the Vessel as far out as he possibly could. All the while, the guardian's weapon was chasing him to the ground.
He landed with a thud, and the Vessel came close enough to pull in the tear. In a flash, the world returned to its peaceful yet gray and dead state. Link sighed and glanced over his left shoulder. The frozen guardian was right on top of him. Its blade was but a thread of two away from his back. Carefully, Link wiggled himself out from underneath its blade. It reminded him of the hit he took early on, and the longer he thought on it, the more he felt his abdomen aching.
When at last he was down to the final tear, Link observed and found that it was high up in the tree where he had met Bucha. The massive tree practically touched the sky. It was mostly surrounded with what Link assumed was water, though it looked more like a rainbow had melted into a pool of sludge, and it was quite disorienting to look at. Finding a bit of earth that safely led to the tree, Link began his ascent up the branches. It did not take long for him to realize that he would run out of time before reaching the final tear. Just as he was hoisting himself up onto a high-up branch, the air was once more filled with a thunderous sound. The sky radiated orange, and the roars of the guardians erupted throughout the forest. One quickly made its way to the base of the tree and, as if driven by a furious hunger, began climbing up after Link.
The branches were getting further apart. Before long, Link found himself having to leap from branch to branch in a spiraling pattern up the tree, with the guardian quickly gaining. Each time his feet left one branch and he felt himself at the mercies of gravity itself, a sick, queasy feeling pierced him right in the gut. Soon enough, each leap became so great that he was forced to grab onto each branch and pull himself up by the strength of his arms. Each time, an exasperated sound escaped from his throat, and he could tell that he was slowing considerably. Suddenly, he heard a growl like that of a frantic, starved animal, followed by the undeniable scraping of wood. Looking over his shoulder, he saw the guardian was just a few feet, clawing its way up the trunk of the tree, obliterating the bark with every movement.
Link leapt to the branch on which the last tear sat, though it was still quite a ways out. Catching the branch by his underarms, he let out an impassioned shout as he tried hoisting himself up. Alas, he also felt something heavy and metal grasp his left ankle, threatening to crush it if it squeezed any tighter. The guardian was below him, unable to swing its weapon. Still, it pulled on Link's leg, prompting a cry of pain from the boy. He closed his eyes and gasped for breath, feeling his sense of fear rising up in his chest. Then, remembering Farore's kind words, he opened his eyes to a squint and stretched out the Spirit Vessel as far as his arms would allow him, though the stretching made him feel as though his body was about to tear in half.
The tear budged, feeling the Spirit Vessel in its vicinity. Link was then abruptly pulled down further with another yelp. Then, gritting his teeth and mustering all of his strength until his arms were trembling something terribly, he stretched out the Spirit Vessel one more time. Just as the tear flew into its place, the guardian gave one final pull, sending Link plummeting down the tree.
The sky grew dark once more as Link continued to fall, occasionally hitting a branch on his way down. Then, he was submerged in the colorful water, though it felt thick and very uncomfortable to be in. Link kicked his feet, though being unable to see, he did not know where exactly he was propelling himself. With a loud gasp, he emerged to the surface. His heart sank when he saw that the sky had once more turned to a shade of violent amber.
Then, he heard a large, deep splash behind him, the force of which nearly pulled him back below the surface of the glowing water. The guardian behind him raged forward, swinging its weapon as it swam, missing Link by mere hairs each time. When at last he felt earth beneath his feet, Link began to run as he never had before to the circle of light beyond him. Guardians were approaching on all sides, and he was reminded of when he had first stepped out of the circle. Once more, the thought of not fearing entered his mind, though he fought valiantly against it. Inwardly, he acknowledged the sense of dread that was mounting, and how it weighed his spirit down terribly. Yet he reminded himself to continue running, fixing his eyes on the circle of light that was slowly drawing closer. As his focus on the circle of light grew, his strides became faster and faster, until he was finally running at full speed as if he was no longer in the Silent Realm. Unfortunately, the guardians also moved more quickly somehow.
On the edge of the circle, three guardians raised their blades over their heads, their eyes glowing fiercely. Then, with a gasp, Link threw himself forward and between them, closed his eyes, and said a swift prayer.
The next thing he felt and heard was his body crashing down on the hard dirt ground, kicking up a cloud of dust around him. His right arm was outstretched, with the Spirit Vessel held tightly in his palm. After a few heaving breaths, he finally opened his eyes and was amazed to see none other than Fi hovering before him.
"Well done, Master," she said.
A wordless sound escaped his lips, perhaps out of gratitude and relief. The sun was rising, painting the sky with wild shades of viridian, with golden light coming through the dissipating clouds of gray. The grass was heavy with sweet-smelling dew, and he could hear the nearby water licking at its shore in the peaceful wind. Evening crickets were ending their harmonious tunes while the early morning birds began their own. Link sighed, glad to feel the realness of his own body and the world around him once more. He rose to his feet and placed the Spirit Vessel around his neck. Its otherworldly glow was fading, and yet, Link still felt a sense of power coursing through its vines.
"I have new information for you," Fi said, "from the Goddess Farore herself."
Stilling his breath, Link nodded.
"Carry this vessel with you as a token of your courage and bravery," Fi began, "take also with you the power of my sacred wind. With it, the spirit of the sword can summon me to carry you away to safety should you find yourself in need. Please use this power wisely, as I can bestow Farore's Wind upon you one time only," Fi paused and titled her head in reflection. "Even now I can feel Farore's presence inside me, Master."
"As can I," Link said breathlessly.
They stood silently for a time as Link decompressed from all that had transpired. When he felt ready, Link spoke up once more.
"Do you feel the sacred flame nearby?" he asked.
"Yes, Master. It is calling to me more clearly than ever before. Please, follow me."
They left the circle of light. However, with the first step, Link felt a painful pull deep within his abdomen. With a wince, he slowly lifted his tunic and chain mail. His heart sank when he saw a dark mark streaking across his stomach at a slant. Previously, he had assumed the effects of the Silent Realm would be contained there. However, he now knew that damage incurred by his spirit would be experienced by his body as well.
