Chapter 10: The Moment of Truth
I was too afraid…too afraid to open my eyes. The air around me was thick with an evil aura. The smell of it made me sick to my stomach. I still couldn't move and the ground was cold beneath my body. I knew I was lying on in the grass; I felt like I was already buried in the earth. Footsteps crunched the ground around me. It was sporadic and consistent at the same time, as if someone was disappearing and reappearing around me. It was Ghirahim; his magic was binding me to the ground.
It was at that moment I realized, he was preparing me as the sacrifice for the revival of Demise. When Ghirahim stopped circling me, I felt a surge of power, pulling me skyward. I felt like something had shot through my chest was now pulling on the fragmented skin to lift me into the air. The pain was excruciating and I prayed for it to stop. All I wanted was for the pain to stop; I didn't care how and what cost, I just didn't want to feel it anymore. And then I was lifted off the ground. The pain intensified with each passing moment. The magic was being pulled from me and I could feel myself growing weaker.
"Hear me, my hordes! The spell is nearly complete! The demon king returns and until then, you will keep that whelp from interfering with my ritual!" Ghirahim commanded. At his words, bokoblins appeared on the other side of the gate and they roared ferociously. I quickly prayed for Link's safety. "I don't care if the whole lot of you get lodged on the end of his blade. You will buy me the time I need. Do not fear him, fear my wrath if you fail me!"
I was more afraid of Ghirahim during that ritual than ever before. The pain was becoming more and more unbearable. I prayed for Link to hurry. I prayed the entire time Link fought his way through the army of bokoblins, that he would take care of them as soon as possible. Ghirahim continued his ritual; every now and again, he would whisper words to himself that I couldn't make out due to the amount of pain I was in. I also thought of my father and what he might've been going through. I hoped that he would be alright on Skyloft by himself. I did not know if I would make it out of this with my life but I did believe that Link would fight until the very last ounce of strength he had.
"You're far too quick boy." Ghirahim announced. The sound of his voice startled me until I realized it meant that Link had made it to me. "I realize a simple child like you knows nothing of magic, but spells like this take time and a steady hand. Can't you wait quietly like a good boy?!" Ghirahim had passed the point of irritated; but so had Link. They were about to collide and I was going to be caught in the middle of it.
"There's just one problem with that." Link said. "You have someone that is very important to me. And I am going to make you rue the day you took her from me."
The sensation of my body being pulled had finally stopped. "You petulant brat…you have pushed me too far. I've waited my whole existence for this moment…this is my moment. You know what…fine…" I screamed when Ghirahim kicked me in the back. I was sent flying into the sky and suspended high above the two of them. "If you're so intent on hurrying to your grave, let me show you the way!"
"Zelda! Hang on!" Link called to me.
"This time, there will be no heroic escape. I was a fool to toy with you and let you walk away with your life before. But I won't make that mistake again. That I promise!" Ghirahim transformed into his demonic weapon form; he was more than determined to wipe Link off of the face of Hyrule forever. I knew Link could do it.
Ghirahim created three levels of barriers for the two of them to duel on. When the battle started, Ghirahim managed to land a few blows on Link. Ghirahim sent Link flying onto his butt. I tried to smile when Link looked up at me but I couldn't. Link nodded his head and got back on his feet. Link shoved Ghirahim off of the first elevated battleground and struck him in the belly with his sword. Surprisingly, Ghirahim survived and got back on his feet and raised his sword again at Link.
"If only I'd put you in your place from the very beginning. Show a human a little mercy and the next thing you know, he thinks of you as his equal. It is sickening."
"I've beaten you before, and I will beat you again." Link looked up at me again. "And I will get her back."
"Link…" I whispered. I hardly had the energy to call to him. I was so exhausted; I felt myself slipping further into unconsciousness. "Link…help…me…" I waited helplessly as Link fought harder to defeat Ghirahim. Link swung his sword with great valor, endlessly striking Ghirahim without remorse. Without fail, Link struck Ghirahim, sending him off of the second level of the trap.
Ghirahim growled ferociously. "I will take great pleasure in casting your body into this pit and snuffing out the flame of your life!"
"You have to hit me first." Link's words angered him further and he struck Link harder than he ever had before. Ghirahim's anger fueled his resolve, he charged Link with everything he had; but Link was slightly faster. When Link had something to fight for, he was focused. Link was not going to lose, that much was certain.
Ghirahim grazed Link's shoulder with his blade; Link jumped back and winced, holding onto his shoulder. Blood dripped from the wound but Link was not going to give up. He raised his sword as if it was nothing and slammed it into Ghirahim for a final time. He fell to his knees, grasping the hole in his chest. He huffed and snarled at Link; he wiped his sword and sheathed it.
"This…is preposterous. Driven to my knees by a mere child of man; laughable. No matter how many times we clash, you think I can't win against you. Boy…what are you?"
"I'm your worst nightmare." Link said.
Ghirahim just laughed. "Never mind that. Victory is still mine to savor."
Link unsheathed his sword and pointed it to Ghirahim. "What do you mean?"
"While we fought, the ritual continued. At last, it's complete. The demon king shall devour the soul of the goddess and resurrect in his full glory." All of a sudden, my essence was being shoved out of me; I felt fresh stabs of pain all over my body. They were more excruciating and they pulled every last bit of strength out of me.
"LINK HELP ME!" I screamed; I couldn't control myself; I had to let it out. The earth shook and quivered. Black smoke rose up from the seal on the ground beneath Ghirahim's feet. I looked down and gazed upon the imprisoned beast. The earth quivered under its massive feet; the air went cold and the wind dared not blow. It reared back its awful head and roared; a tear fell from my eye as the pain increased. I prayed for the pain to stop, and then a thought pierced my mind; whom was I praying to? I was a goddess incarnate, there was no one else to pray to. And as that thought wrapped itself around my mind, my last bit of hope shattered.
"At last, it's complete!" Ghirahim panted, trying to hold himself in one piece. "The demon king shall devour the soul of the goddess and resurrect to his full glory!" The pain increased once again. The ground quaked beneath me; I was losing consciousness now. One of the last things I saw was Link being enveloped by thick, black smoke. Out of the smoke, The Imprisoned beast crawled out of the cracks in the earth. Its deafening roar hurt my ears, the very sound of it caused the earth to shiver even more so.
Then, it ripped the energy from me. It felt as if a serrated knife dug into my skin along the outline of my body. It ripped my soul from my body, my pain became unbearable. When he finished sucking the very life out of me, an enormous energy burst through the air. Ghirahim laughed manically. "Don't you see? It's all over! You and your kind have lost. This world and everything in it now belongs to the darkness. They belong to my Master!"
Demise rose from the darkness, restored to his previous form. The air around him was as black as pitch. He towered at least ten feet tall, his black shoulders were massive and uncovered by the fiery locks. His grimace was terrifying, malice filled his face, and he snarled at Link. Without looking at me, he raised his hand and sucked the last remaining essence of light from my body. The pain was more than I could take; I screamed in total agony.
"Let her go!" Link shouted. Demise silenced him and beckoned Ghirahim. Ghirahim placed his hand over his chest and bowed to Demise.
"Welcome back to us, Master." He snarled. Demise curled his fist and a low growl rumbled in his throat. Without warning, he shot his arm towards Ghirahim, causing him to fall backwards. I gasped in shock. I couldn't believe that he struck down a loyal supporter as if he were nothing. I waited for Ghirahim to hit the ground but Demise raised his hand and lifted Ghirahim from the ground with his power. Ghirahim was lifted six feet off the ground and then, Demise yanked a long, black sword from deep within his chest. Ghirahim coughed as the sword sliced through his body, his breath finally catching as the tip of the blade escaped his chest.
The sword flew across the gap and Demise caught it in his massive grip. The sword hummed and began to glow a brilliant, fiery red. The sight of it was breath-taking; I had no words to describe the fear in my throat as I watched this unfold before me. In one last radiant plume, Ghirahim disappeared into the sword and the two became one. Demise proudly eyed his sword; the reunion in his eyes astounded me. This being had been longing to hold this sword and he looked unbeatable. And yet, Link braced himself for battle. He raised his sword up, tensed and ready for Demise to come at him.
Demise was unimpressed. "So, you are the chosen knight of the goddess. Intriguing. The goddess lowered herself to a mortal to imprison me. How pathetic. This bag of flesh pales in comparison to the magnificence of her previous form." The pain still throbbed within me. I truly felt this was the end of me; I had no will to live a moment longer.
I was airborne. I had no idea what hit me but I went soaring upward and toward the temple. I screamed; I didn't want to die. As I plummeted back to earth, I heard Groose shout to Link that he had this. I crashed into him; his massive body safely kept me from meeting my true end. Though, falling into his arms still felt like falling into a pile of rocks. My head was disoriented from my flight but I could still make out Groose's cocky grin. Though he was a jerk sometimes, I was thankful he was there to help Link, and to catch me.
"Link!" Groose called out. "I caught her, she's ok." And after that, everything went black.
I don't know how long I was out. The light of twilight had been blocked out by Demise's dark presence. I blinked a few times, trying to clear my vision. As the world became clearer, Groose's face was so close to mine and he was worried out of his mind.
"Zelda! You're awake. How are you feeling?" He asked, impatient for my reply. I grumbled once and sat up. "Easy does it now, don't overdo it."
"Where's Link?" I asked groggily. My head ached tremendously. My mind felt as if a giant boulder sat atop and gravity was working its magic. I cradled my head for a moment, attempting to find my balance once more. Groose lent a hand and lifted me from the ground. The air rushed into my face, and I was finally able to regain my surroundings. There was a peace in the air that I hadn't felt in so long. "Groose, what has happened?"
"I don't know but that….thing turned into this giant….man." Groose looked as if he was still trying to wrap his head around everything that just happened. This wasn't Skyloft after all, he was out of his element. "And then this portal opened up and the guy when inside and well, Link jumped in after him."
"Is he alright? Has he come back?" I looked around for my dear friend. I couldn't see any sign of him. What could have happened to him? Did the Imprisoned kill him? Would I ever see my friend again? "And what of Impa? Where is she?"
Groose pointed to the temple up the hill. "Is that her?" My gaze wandered in the direction his finger pointed. I saw Impa's familiar back walking into the temple. I silently wondered what purpose she had inside but I didn't hesitate a moment longer. I told Groose that we should join her and perhaps my dear friend would make his way there as well.
It was a silent walk up the path. I was thankful that Groose was there to catch me and to assist Link in his battle; however, there was a certain…awkwardness that shrouded the moment. It was no secret that Groose became very nervous in my presence and that led me to believe he had feelings for me. But my heart, I realized, had belonged to Link and Link alone. I didn't know what to say or how to thank him. I had no idea what he would say in return, so the conversation did not sprout. We just walked to the temple doors and opened them in time to hear Impa praise Link for doing a wonderful job defeating the Imprisoned.
The moment I saw Link, relief washed over me entirely. He was slightly battered and bruised but did not appear to be severely injured. My heart was filled with joy. Not only had my dearest Link defeated the greatest evil, he returned safe and sound as well. Groose was also delighted to see Link in one piece, which was a nice change from life on Skyloft.
"Link." I said. I didn't know what to say at first but I opened my mouth and let the words flow. "Thank you. I think it's over. Finally, it's all over." Relief flooded over me, shrouding my entire being. No longer would I have to take on the role of Hylia; no longer would I have to worry for my friend, my home, and my kingdom's safety. I could breathe again. Overwhelming tears began to flow from my eyes; I couldn't stop them. I was so happy in this moment, happier than I had ever been.
"Don't cry Zelda." Link reassured me.
"Nice going you two." Groose interrupted. "You guys were totally amazing in this little adventure I'd like to call, the Legend of Groose." He paused a moment. "That was a little joke." Same old Groose. Link chuckled.
"Joke or not," Impa inserted, "your contributions to our efforts were heroic. You have my thanks." Impa told him, smiling warmly.
In response to her sincere kindness and gratitude, Groose grew nervous. He anxiously scratched the back of his head and stumbled over his words. "Aww, well, you know…Just glad I could make myself useful. I'm happy things turned out okay." He cleared his throat and turned back to Link and me. "Hey, so things look sewn up here. What do you say guys? Want to head back to Skyloft, and our own time?" He chuckled under his breath at the thought of being in another time period. He didn't fully wrap his head around the time traveling thing.
Groose also mentioned that the old woman of the temple was very worried about Link and me. That woman had helped me so much and I wondered to myself how things changed back in our time now that we had defeated the Imprisoned. Groose told us that we shouldn't keep her waiting longer than we needed to, so as not to upset her. Link and I agreed. Before we could take a step toward the gate, a blinding light shot from the mighty Master Sword on Link's back. She looked like the hilt of the sword with mighty blue and purple wings. Half of her skin-tight outfit was blue like the sea and the other was violet purple. Radiant diamonds lined down her chest and to her feet.
I had never met this spirit. And yet, the more I looked at her, my soul, Hylia, began to recognize her. When she did speak, the spark of recognition burst into brilliant flame. Fi was her name. She was the spirit that resided inside the great Master Sword and she was my loyal servant. I had trusted her with many things and the latest memory that came to mind was the messages I left for Link. For her to guide him along his journey to defeat Demise and save Hyrule.
"Hylia, your Grace, or perhaps you prefer 'Zelda'. It pleases me to know you are safe." She said robotically. Same old Fi. And then, with great urgency, she told Link that she must speak with him and privately. I overheard their chat after Link marched up the stairs to the pedestal where the Master Sword rests. I knew what would happen the moment before Fi spoke. She informed him that his duty in defending me and defeating Demise had been completed; now it was time to end their master-servant relationship. She instructed him to place the sword back within the pedestal and place her in a deep endless sleep.
Link was astonished at her news. I imagined that he had grown rather attached to her. I couldn't wait for Link to tell me all about their adventure but I knew Link. He cared deeply for his friends and he would do anything for them. She reassured him that he fulfilled his duty to the goddess and that the time came to end her great mission. As quickly as she sprang from the sword, she leapt into the air, burst into a ball of light, and launched herself into the sword upon Link's back.
He sauntered a little from the shock of the impact. I made my way to the bottom of the steps and halted when I saw him straighten up. He peeked over his shoulder, and once he saw me standing there, he looked at me with a heart-broken, unsure gaze. I was saddened for my friend as well but Fi was right. The mission bestowed upon him was finally complete and he needed to place the sword back where it belongs. I nodded my head for him to do what he must. We didn't need to exchange the words. Link nodded back. He removed the sword from the sheath and slammed it into the pedestal before him. The same blinding light started at the hilt before it encompassed the whole sword in its brilliant light. In the blink of an eye, the light disappeared and Link lingered in front of the pedestal.
Groose had joined me at the foot of the stairs. He asked me if Link was okay. I told him that Link thought of her as a friend and he must say goodbye to her now. Link heard her voice again and she told him a final, personal farewell. She came out of the sword again and told him that he had changed her perception of the human soul. He made her feel things she didn't know how to handle. She cherished the "data" she held onto from their journey and she was happy. The last thing she said to him was, "Thank you, Master Link." Link looked overcome with sadness and grief that Fi must sleep within the sword and that they must part. I knew not how to comfort my friend but I was determined to help. Finally, she left; to sleep for years in the Master Sword. I hoped we would all meet in another life.
Impa lead us all back to the gate and wished us well. I turned to her and begged her to come with us. She hung her head in great sadness. When she looked up, she said to me that she could not come with us and that she must stay. "Impa, but why? Come back with us!" I begged her.
"Zelda, Your Grace, you possess the memories of the goddess. You must understand why that is not possible." She informed me. "I am a being of this age. My place is here."
I was heart-broken. Impa had saved my life time and time again. It would have made me so happy to have her in our time. But, I knew the truth in her words. She was right and I didn't want to admit it. "I know that but…" I couldn't say it. Impa knew, however. She turned to the gate.
"You must return to your own time. I will take care of the gate once you pass through." I decided it was now or never. I had to tell her what was on my mind.
"I can't do that!" I protested. "You and I have been through so much together. I don't want to leave you alone." I grabbed her hands, hoping to persuade her. "Please Impa, come back with us."
She placed her hand on my shoulder and looked deep into my eyes. "Zelda, at the command of the goddess, I passed through the Gate of Time. I did so to protect you and aid the fight to prevent the world's destruction. The last remnants of Demise are decaying slowly within the sword. Someone must stay behind to watch over this blade. His spirit must not reawaken. He must never be allowed to threaten the world again. This is the nature of the task given to my tribe. As a member of the Sheikah, the goddess's chosen guardians, I gladly welcome this duty."
My heart grew heavier than before. Her words rang so true in my heart and I knew there was a greater purpose for her. I was sad that she could not come and yet I understood the duty she had. I hung my head. She continued. "Zelda, I shall watch over the Triforce. Its power is too great to leave in the hands of man. Dependence on its might is an invitation to disaster. When it has served its purpose, it must be secreted away." Her words blended together in my ears. I did not want to process the things she was saying; I longed to hear that she changed her mind and would come with us. But alas, her words cleared up in my mind like clouds floating through the mid-afternoon sky.
"These are the words spoken by the goddess long ago," Impa continued. "As you may now remember." I did. I finally lifted my head and looked her in her blue eyes. I nodded my acknowledgement. I looked down at my hands and I was inspired. I grazed my figures over my purple bracelet around my left wrist. I removed it, holding up my offering to Impa.
"Please take this as a token of my friendship. So that you may never forget me." I told her.
She took the bracelet from me with great care. "Do not despair Zelda. You and I will surely meet again someday." With that, we said our final goodbyes, and Impa opened the gate. Groose and Link joined my side as we prepared to step through the gate. The great spirals opened wide, as if a great darkness was consuming it. The three of us grasped hands and we stepped through the Gate of Time one last time.
Back in our own time, the air also rang with peace and silence. The birds chirped pleasantly in the warm air, fluttering through the trees with their brilliant song. Groose, Link, and I stepped onto the platform of the Sacred Temple, though this one was aged further than the platform we came from.
"Somehow, I remember that being a lot more intense." Groose said, scratching the back of his head again. I never understood why he did that; perhaps he had "visitors" or he was just constantly nervous.
"Well last time we were scared for Zelda and she was unconscious I'm sure." Link added.
"Oh I had no idea what to expect when that gate opened. Ghirahim moved so quickly and I truly was unconscious." I told them.
"Well good for you then," Groose said. "That is an experience I will never forget." We chuckled together. All of a sudden, we were startled when we heard a loud groan, and felt the warm glow of light on our backs. When we turned back to the gate, the lights and gears that clicked were fading from the cold stone. In a fierce burst, the whole Gate of Time was gone forever. I realized that Hylia had created it for this purpose and this purpose only. Everything was sincerely in order and the world was at peace.
In its place, stood the kind old woman we had come to know and love. Her kind smile was as welcoming as usual. Link and Groose rushed to her side. As I hung back, I noted that the old woman was stroking something on her arm. I looked even closer, squinting my eyes to determine what it was. I couldn't believe my eyes! It was the same purple bracelet, engraved with the Triforce, that I had gifted to Impa before we left. Impa? It couldn't be; she would have to be over hundreds of years old, possibly thousands.
But in that moment, I didn't care. All that mattered to me was that I saw my dear friend all this time. I had Impa with me from the very beginning, just like she promised. That was the quality that made me adore her so. When she promised something to you, she delivered. She was true to her word and she never gave up. She was a strong woman that her tribe could be proud of.
Groose and Link were chatting excitedly about the adventure Old Impa had missed.
"You should have been there Granny," Groose went on. "There was this…big machine and I used it to throw a bomb flower at the giant…monster thing."
"Yeah, and then he turned into Demise himself! And he took us through this portal to a realm that looked like….a cloud but the whole floor was covered in water!" Link told her.
"Yeah! But Zelda and I didn't get to see it you see." Groose said over Link. The boys stopped their childish rambling when I stepped in between them. I grabbed the bracelet on Impa's arm and held it dearly. She looked up at me and smiled, realizing that I caught on to her real identity.
"See?" She spoke so quietly compared to her younger self. The years hadn't been kind to her but she fought on as was her nature. "I'd told you we'd meet again."
"It's good to see you again my fri…." She pulled away from me. "What's wrong?" Impa was vanishing away, just as the Gate of Time had. I was heartbroken all over again. Impa held on long enough to see Link and I make it through the gate and back. I hoped she and I would have more time together but those dreams shattered. All that remained was the bracelet that I had given to her. It crashed to the floor with a loud clang.
"Granny?" Groose whispered.
Link and I bowed our heads out of respect. I placed my hands together and prayed for her eternal rest.
"Impa, thank you….for everything." I said.
The three of us set out to tie loose ends. Link told us of a statue that could summon our Loftwings. I longed to see her again, my beloved girl. The walk to the statue was short but long enough for Link to answer all of Groose's questions about Fi, the Master Sword, and even the portal that Demise and Link had gone through for the final battle. I was also curious about the trials Link had to overcome in order to reach the Gate of Time and rescue me from Ghirahim's clutches.
Just as Link had said, when the statue whistled for our Loftwings, they glided right down to the ground to fly us back to Skyloft. My island home had never looked so beautiful in my entire life. I used to think of it as a place I could never leave, but if I learned anything when I was face to face with death, it was that home was the place I wanted to be. I wanted nothing more than to be with the ones I loved, in a place that held my heart.
I noticed that the statue of the goddess was gone from Skyloft and Link explained that when we finally landed on my home island. Everyone I had ever known and loved clapped and greeted us once our Loftwings landed safely. There was one person missing from the crowd, however.
"Where is Father?" I asked.
"He followed the statue through the cloud barrier. He should still be there waiting for you." They told me. We hopped aboard our companions once more and flew back through the cloud barrier. Link spotted my father at the base of the statue and we directed our birds to land near his Loftwing. I was overcome with joy when I saw my father holding his arms out to me to greet me.
"Father!" I shouted, jumping from my Loftwing and running right into his giant arms. "Oh Father, I have missed you!"
"My dear Zelda, I missed you so much. It pleases me to see you in one piece and in good health once again."
"I have much to tell you Father, so much to discuss."
"In due time my daughter. For now, let us celebrate Link's successful rescue and…"
"Hey Groose!" His posse called from the sky. They landed next to Groose and rushed to see him. They must have been lost without Groose to tell them what to do every second. "We're so glad to see you! Are you okay?"
"Yes, yes I'm fine. Nothing that good ole Groose can't handle." And once again, Groose was back. They praised him as he spun the tale of how he heroically rescued me from the clutches of evil and everything else he was told by Link. They ate it right up, as they usually do. Some things will never change.
I suggested to Link that we go to the top of the statue to chat for a while. He quickly agreed and we directed our Loftwings to fly to the top of the statue. The view was incredible, almost completely indescribable. The trees of the forest were so vibrantly green and lush. They gracefully blew in the breeze. More birds twittered and sang, happy and gay now that the monsters were all gone. I looked over the Sacred Temple we left moments ago; the place I lost my dear friend. I didn't dwell too much on that for I was distracted by Groose and his friends gliding off through the sky. Groose waved to Link and me and they ascended through the cloud barrier.
"Look around us!" I exclaimed, completely overcome by this view. "As a child, I always dreamed of a world below. I wanted to see the surface with my own eyes and feel the land's warm breeze on my skin. I…I think I want to live here. I always want to feel the solid ground beneath my feet, see the clouds above my head, and watch over the Triforce." I told him. "What about you, Link, what will you do now?"
"You know, as long as I'm with you, I will be happy. Let's do this."
"That makes me ever so happy." I told him. Together, we watched over the Triforce, keeping it safe out of the reach of evildoers. And we lived happily, ever after.