"You must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope."

~Martin Luther King Jr.~

Ancient Roots

Chapter 2: Gain

I'm dreaming…

In fact, I must be dreaming, I'm certain of it; there's no other possible explanation. Either I somehow hit my head when I blacked out or the grief is making me delirious. But no matter how many times I rub my eyes, the sight before me doesn't go away.

A figure floats in the air before me, waiting for me in the hallway as soon as I stepped out of my room. She, I think, is nothing like anything I've ever seen before. The soft candlelight reflecting off her blue skin, shining as if she's made of metal, and her arms resemble wings, the edges rustling even though there's no breeze inside. Her simple purple dress and strange green marks criss-crossing around her legs are far from any Skyloftian garb I've seen, and she isn't wearing any shoes either. A large sapphire gemstone, which doesn't look like a necklace but rather something embedded in her skin, glints in the light with her gentle swaying.

So, I have to be dreaming. I need to go and sleep off whatever delirium I'm experiencing and focus on processing everything that's happened today.

But then she speaks again and I have a hard time taking my eyes away from her. "Dominae… your time has come. Follow me."

I take a step forward, feeling strangely trusting of this illusion despite the grief still roaring in my heart. Something deep inside me feels as if I can trust her, that she knows how to help—help do what, I don't know. I move towards her again, more cautiously than before, as my mind races with all sorts of questions. And yet, she glides away when I reach out for her and flies down the corridor.

I stumble down the corridor after her, audibly gasping when she disappears through the door in a flash of light. I leap back in surprise, the movement sending my vision a little fuzzy. Taking a moment to brace myself against the wall, I push the heel of my free hand into my eyes before pressing on, questioning what I'm doing but feeling unable to stop myself from finding out what's going on.

I gingerly make my way to the door and grasp the handle, staying close to the wall if I need it. I open the door and step out into the cool night air, my lips tugging up into a small smile at the sight of a sky of stars twinkling down at me. I shudder when a gust of cool late-summer air hits me, the thought of colder seasons both nostalgic and harrowing to think about—he won't be there to make memories with, and it's all my fault.

I sigh as tears threaten to fall again, hating myself for daring to hope that everything will be fine and I'll find him safe and sound. Such childish thinking will only make the pain worse.

Shoving my dark thoughts down, I return my focus to the figure who floats a few feet away. I can't help but notice how beautiful Skyloft is at night as I chase after the spirit, feeling my strength slowly returning with every step I take. With monster numbers on the rise, namely Chuchus and Remlits—the tiny house pets that become demonic when the moon rises—nobody is allowed outside the Knight Academy at night apart from trained knights.

The spirit girl continues to glide away from me whenever I get too close, guiding me across the island and towards the wooden steps leading up to the Statue of the Goddess. I anxiously follow her, anxiety gnawing at my cut at her unblinking gaze and the thought of where she's taking me to. Terrible things happened after I left this place the first time, and now I'm losing my mind as I chase after a spirit this time.

Goddess above… what am I doing?

Using the wooden railing for support, I clamber up the stairway with strained effort, having no choice but to take a break every few steps. But I push onward nonetheless, keeping my eyes on the spirit who waits for me to recover before moving again. I stumble on a loose rock at the top of the steps and fall to my knees, one hand holding the railing for support whilst the other clutches at my chest as it strains with each breath.

Movement in the corner of my eye forces me to raise my head and watch as the figure floats before the entrance to the courtyard, bars blocking the entryway as they do every night to protect the Statue of the Goddess from monsters. I raise a brow as she glides through the bars, causing them to glow an ethereal colour before disappearing entirely.

I blink rapidly at the entrance. This… this can't be real.

"Dominae… your time has come," she repeats from within the courtyard. "Follow me."

For a second, I stay on my knees and allow myself to doubt what I'm seeing. Despite the strange feeling in my heart telling me to trust the spirit and to believe what I'm seeing; my mind can't comprehend it enough to let my heart win. After everything that's happened today, there are many reasonable explanations for what I'm seeing and all of them are linked to the fact that I'm still recovering from a horrible, natural event.

But my heart refuses to give into reason.

My body acts of its own accord and before I know it, I'm moving again, albeit slowly. I push myself back onto my feet and follow the spirit into the courtyard, ignoring the memories that invade my thoughts and nearly reduce me to tears again. The figure waits for me at the base of the statue as if she knew I'd come eventually.

"W-What are you?" I rasp. "Why are you here?"

She stares at me blankly for a long time before simply repeating, "Dominae… your time has come. Follow me," and flies into the statue. I stand there and blink a few times, unsure of what I'm seeing is exactly what happened. I jump backwards when the Skyloftian Crest carved into the base of the statue suddenly glows brightly and a tunnel appears before me, leading inside the statue.

I close my eyes for a moment and pray that my stubborn curiosity doesn't get me anymore hurt tonight before inhaling a deep breath and taking a determined step forward. I stop, however, when I feel something snap beneath my bare foot. I look straight down as I lift my foot, my expression twisting as I desperately try to hold back tears.

I crouch down and pluck the tiny red feather from the ground, part of its shaft snapped from where I stepped on it. His voice drifts back into my mind as I remember how nervous he sounded when he asked me, "You think maybe you'd like to, you know, go fly around the clouds together?"

And I said yes, not knowing what would happen.

I swallow thickly despite the small smile that makes its way onto my face, thumbing away a few stray tears as I murmur, "You're always with me, aren't you, sleepyhead?"

My hands shake as I raise my head towards the tunnel before me. As much as I want to ignore everything I've seen tonight and leave before I pass out from whatever delirium plagues me, I know that I can't ignore this. Whether it be some figment of my imagination or not, I can't let this go by without investigating it.

My fingers tighten around the feather and I know what I need to do.

I stand and make my way towards the entrance of the tunnel, raising my hand to make sure that it really is open. My hand passes through where the stone used to be and I can't help but flick my gaze between my hand and the open space it now hovers in. Chewing my lip, my pondering comes to a halt when the wind rustles the feather in my hand and reminds me of my resolve.

Clutching the feather close to my chest, I break into a run as I head into the tunnel, the sound of my bare feet against the stone echoing around me as I rush inside the statue. My heart pounds against my chest from the strain on my body and the storm of emotions inside, sending as many prayers as I can to the Goddess in hopes that she can help to make sense of whatever I'm seeing—I could use some divine intervention right about now.

Once I reach the end of the tunnel, I'm left awe struck at the sight before me. The chamber inside the Statue of the Goddess is outlined with pillars adorned in triangular carvings, towering up so high above me that the darkness obscures the tops of the pillars. They surround a dais decorated with lit torches and a sword in a pedestal—the hilt a light blue and the blade itself glowing a soft purple. A stone recreation of the Skyloftian Crest is situated on the other side of the room atop a pedestal of its own and the torches on either side.

Something about this place brings me comfort and I have no idea why.

"The one chosen by my creator. I have been waiting for you," the voice of the spirit girl calls as I slow into a halt, though she's nowhere to be seen. "You will play a role in a great destiny."

"Where are you?" I call out to her, unable to keep the hint of desperation out of my voice. "And who exactly are you?"

Without warning, the sword glows brighter and, in a flash of light, the spirit appears from within the sword. I jump back with a cry as she spins through the air and lands in a deep crouch before me, straightening after a few moments to blankly meet my fearful gaze.

She waits for me to relax before responding. "According to your social customs, I should provide you with my personal designation. Fi is the name I was given." Fi… I muse silently. "I was created for a single purpose long before the recorded memory of your people. I must aid you in fulfilling the great destiny that is your burden to carry, Dominae."

"Dominae?" I parrot, realising that she uses it like a title for me. I focus on that so I don't have to think too hard about the rest of what she said—it's too overwhelming. "What does that mean?"

"Dominae is a reverent title that is your honour to inherit," she explains cryptically before looking over her shoulder at the sword behind her. "Come, Dominae. You must take up this sword. As the one chosen by my creator, it is your destiny."

I narrow my eyes at her, refusing to take even a single step forward until I have answers. "I… I don't understand."

"The strange dreams troubling your sleep. My sudden appearance. Uncertainty surrounding the fate of the one you hold dear…" My breath hitches at her remark, failing to ignore the desperate flame of hope that ignites in my heart at what she might be implying. "Under the circumstances, it is only logical that you would exhibit some apprehension."

"How do you know about my dreams?" I demand, too confused by the situation to consider softening my tone. "And you're wrong. What happened today…" I grit my teeth when I trail off. "There's no uncertainty about what happened. I need to process it in my own time."

But Fi remains steadfast in kindling the pitiful hope in my heart. "Allow me to share some information, for my projections indicate that this information has a high probability of altering your current emotional state." I swallow thickly and desperately try to ignore the pounding of my heart. "The one you seek, honourable Link, is still alive."

For a moment, I don't react. I simply stand there, reeling from her words with no idea how to cope. Then my eyes fill with tears, but it's not from joy or relief; it's anger.

"You're wrong," I tell her firmly, sighing when I start to search for the right words. "The cloud barrier isn't… I've grown up knowing the dangers of the Sky Realm and the consequences of those who've fallen. What happened today was…" My fault? A horrific accident? An awful twist of fate? "You don't understand."

"You are mistaken, Dominae. What came to pass on this day was no accident," Fi clarifies. "Unlike storms that are native to the Sky Realm and appear naturally, the black tornado that plagued the sky today was created by a form of dark magic, something that has not been seen in this world for thousands of years." She raises her chin, determined for me to hear the confidence and assurance in her words. "The storm's intention was not to kill, but to forcefully uproot the Goddess's Chosen One and deliver him through the cloud barrier and to the Surface below."

I audibly scoff, "You can't break through the cloud barrier. It's impossible."

"I am incapable of lying. You must heed my words, Dominae."

A sigh escapes me, hating myself for wanting to believe her despite everything I know. "So, you're saying that he's alive?"

She nods, "The Spirited One, the one you called Link, is another chosen one fated to be a part of the same great mission you have been chosen to fulfil. Therefore, should you wish to meet with your friend, I highly recommend you take up this sword before you set out to search for him." If she could raise a brow at me, I'm positive she would when she then asks, "Does that information invigorate you? Are you ready to accept this sword?"

Accept this sword? I think to myself as I blink at her. There's a fire burning in my heart at her words and her lies. Balling my hands into fists at my sides, I say decisively, "No. I'm not ready."

"I do not understand, Dominae."

"Firstly, I have a name," I snap. "And it's not Dominae. Secondly, how dare you lure me here with such lies and talk of a grand adventure after what I've seen today!" Fi watches on blankly which only riles me up more. "Forgive me, Fi, but you don't know me. You don't know what I've been through. If anything, I hit my head so hard that you're just completely made up."

"I am a real entity," she says, but I roll my eyes and avoid her deathly blank gaze. Realising that she won't get through to me with the way she's currently speaking to me, she pauses to collect her words before adding, "What I do know is that, for the past few months, you have been hearing a voice calling out to you. A voice calling you into the unknown of the world below the clouds, a voice telling you that you aren't where you are meant to be, that your destiny is not to remain in Skyloft. A voice that makes you long to see the Surface with your own eyes."

My heart skips a beat. "How do you know that?"

"In addition, I also know that you confided in the Spirited One about your longings. You often talked to him about the potential land below the clouds, daring to hope that one day you would go there." Thinking back to the conversation I had with Link earlier in the day when we were searching for his Loftwing, I look back up at Fi. "There is a reason for this longing, for your nightmares, and for the voice calling out to you. You are destined to be more than what you are, and you have always known this in your heart."

I swallow thickly. A part of me wants to react, to deny her claims and leave this chamber in defiance. But there's another part of me, the stronger part of me, that knows she's right. My life is not extraordinary, nor did I plan on it being extraordinary, but there's always been a feeling rooted deep inside that questioned what lies beyond my mundane expectations of life—a feeling that questioned what my life will lead to.

As the daughter of the Academy's Headmaster, it seemed obvious what my life would become. I'd complete my studies, become a knight if I so chose, and follow on in my father's footsteps. But that never quite felt like enough, and it still doesn't now.

And Fi knows that.

"Listen to your heart, Zelda," she tells me softly. "You must believe my words."

And I do. I really do.

"Is he really alive?" I croak, Crimson's feather still held tightly in my hand. Fi simply meets my eyes and nods—it's the answer I need. Despite everything I've known about the dangers of the Sky Realm, I'm inclined to believe her. Maybe it's false hope, but I dismiss the thought. Something's telling me to believe her, and I've trusted that feeling before; it has never failed me.

My eyes fall to the sword behind her. I know what I have to do.

The sound of my feet against the stone tiles echoes around the chamber as I slowly walk towards the pedestal on the dais. I jump when Fi glides out of my way, floating high above me so I can reach the pedestal easily.

"It seems that further persuasive measures will not be required," she concludes. "In the name of my creator, draw the sword and raise it skyward."

Nodding firmly, I pocket the feather and wrap both my hands around the hilt of the blade, feeling it hum beneath my fingertips at my touch. Closing my eyes and inhaling deeply, I tug once on the sword and almost stumble back when it effortlessly comes free from the stone. My heart starts to pound in my ears as I do as Fi asked and raise the sword skyward, flinching when a bright light showers down from a non-existent hole in the ceiling.

Bathed in golden light, a strange feeling comes over me that's difficult to describe. Not only does a part of me react as if I recognise the sword in my hand despite having never seen it before—the same feeling that's been plaguing me since I came to the chamber—but there's an overwhelming sensation of trust.

On a night where I'm wallowing in my own grief and hearing all sorts of stories from a spirit girl inside the Statue of the Goddess, I know that I can trust this sword. Despite feeling like I've been swept up in a current with no idea where I'm being taken to, this sword is and will be the rock that I need to remain steady.

I can trust it.

It's a pillar of support…

I gasp as the light above me grows brighter.

~O~

She stood tall before him, long blonde hair and white garments swaying with the breeze. A sword sat balanced atop her slender fingers, the blade and purple cross guard illuminated by the afternoon light. The field they stood in was filled with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of knights and soldiers, however a momentary lull had washed over the large group as she spoke, her voice soft but held an underlying strength.

"The Master Sword," she mused, never taking her eyes away from the blade in her grasp. "The blade of evil's bane. It contains the power to rend the earth and act as a pillar of support as it floats up into the sky. However," she added after a few moments. "It was wrought by the Gods and meant for our hands alone. Yet I must allow a human to wield it in order to defeat the evil that plagues this land. It must be reforged by human hands." There was a pause. "Hands of the most valiant, honourable man in the land."

She raised her gaze to meet his then, blue on blue, and her heart broke at the sight of him. The life he led had clearly taken his toll, from the paleness of his skin to the scars—new and old—littering his skin and the dullness of his once vibrant blonde hair. But there was a fire in his eyes that shone as brightly than anything she'd seen before; his will was that of iron, and so was his resolve.

"Goddess, I was imprisoned for a long time," he told her calmly, but resolutely. His voice was strong despite the physical struggles he'd suffered in the past. "I am impure; my honour no longer exists. I could not possibly lay my hands upon a holy blade."

She frowned and held out the sword to him nonetheless, "The sword will decide whether or not you are impure… Link."

~O~

It's Fi that draws me back to reality, her voice muffled as I try to ground myself, "What you bear is the Goddess Sword. It is your honour and duty to wield its might."

I blink rapidly, hearing her words but not understanding them. My mind is too focused on trying to process what I just saw and why it felt so familiar, their words ringing in my ears as if they were speaking right next to me. Everything I've seen today has made little sense, and what I saw just only makes my inner turmoil worse.

"Goddess, I was imprisoned for a long time…"

He was speaking to the Goddess, the woman whose perspective I saw everything from, the same Goddess who joined forces with the land dwellers and fought the evil forces plaguing the Surface during the Great War, sealing them away. The same Goddess whose duty it was to protect the Ultimate Power she guarded from the hands of evil. And she wasn't alone in whatever I just saw. She was surrounded by knights and soldiers who were preparing for war—the Great War.

"The sword will decide whether or not you are impure… Link."

And the man she spoke to, the man who looked so much like my Link and yet not—who was he? The name isn't the most common, but hearing it after all that's happened today makes my heart squeeze. If that truly was something about the Great War and not something else my delirium has created, then why has no one ever spoken of someone clearly so close to the Goddess. Why weren't his efforts recognised?

I cry out when the Goddess Sword slips out of my hand and clatters against the stone at my feet. I finally let go of the breath I didn't realise I was holding and move to reclaim the sword, only to stop mid movement when I notice something else that happened after taking up the Goddess Sword.

Wisps of white light swirl around my body before retreating into the darkness, and I gasp when I realise that the clothes I was wearing for the Wing Ceremony have now been completely replaced. I now wear a long white dress that trails down to my ankles, similar to the one that the Goddess was wearing in that illusion but slightly shorter, the sleeves long and larger around my forearms. My bare feet have been replaced with purple sandals that are designed similarly to the Skyloftian Crest, and my hair is now loose and decorated with blue ribbons and beads.

"Recognition complete, Dominae," says Fi, her voice breaking out of my clouded thoughts. I snap my gaze up to hers as she adds, "Mistress Zelda… my Dominae."

And yet, before I can start to bombard her with questions and accusations, another voice suddenly echoes around the chamber, "My dear!"

No…

I spin around to find Father standing in the entrance to the chamber, my gut turning to stone as I dare to consider what's going through his mind right now. Not only will he have found my room empty after his daughter was recovering from an accident—except it wasn't an accident, I remind myself firmly—and then finds her in a place that's never been seen before, standing beneath a spirit and dressed completely differently.

Or, if this really is all a dream, then I have nothing to worry about until I wake up in my room again and start the grieving process. But I stop those thoughts before I can pursue them; I know what's happening right now is real, whether I like it or not.

Holding out my hands to him, I say as strongly as I can, "You must go back to the Academy, Father. I will explain everything when I return." But he shakes his head, dark eyes full of awe and wonder.

"I've had my suspicions, but until now I wasn't sure," he says, ignoring my words and staying put. "Yet here we are in the Chamber of the Sword, the very place where it was foretold the youth of legend would one day appear."

"W-What?" I stammer. "You knew about this place?"

He nods as I move to pick up the Goddess Sword again. "It is said that this place was left to our people by the Goddess herself. The very knowledge of this room's existence is a secret passed down to a select few each generation, along with a handful of words…" I subconsciously balance the blade in my hands, realising that the Goddess did the same with the sword she held. "When the light of the Goddess's sword shines bright, the great apocalypse will wake from its long slumber. Do not fear, for it is then that a youth, guided by my hand, shall reveal themselves in a place most sacred."

The conversation I saw between the Goddess and her Link drifts to the back of my mind as I look at my father, confused and concerned by his words. "I'm not dreaming?" I murmur, my voice almost childlike. "This is…"

"It started days ago," he explains when I trail off, nodding down to the Goddess Sword. "The sword that I've kept safe all these years began to give off a faint, otherworldly light. At first I was sure that I was seeing things, here alone with the sword. There was simply no other explanation." His voice becomes almost wistful as he meets my gaze, still shocked by what he's seeing and almost mournful that the sword chose me. "I never dreamed the prophecy of legend would come to pass in my lifetime."

For a moment, I wonder if he prayed that the prophecy of legend wouldn't come to pass in his lifetime. I don't know what dangerous path I'm about to walk down, but I can see in his eyes that he wishes it wasn't me who had to wander down that path. His reaction to my being here doesn't ease my worries.

"The words I have sworn to keep secret are coming true before my very eyes," he continues when I don't respond. "The youth will be guided by one born of the blade—one who is also youthful in likeness yet wise with knowledge immeasurable." He recites the passage as easily as any ceremonial speech. There's a strange gravity to his words that I've never heard from him before.

Fi hums and draws our attention back to her, speaking for the first time since my father arrived, "Ah yes, oral tradition, one of the least reliable methods of retention and transmission." Floating back down to our level, she relays a passage that, from Father's reaction, had been lost to the ages, "The youth who draws forth the guiding sword shall be known as the Goddess's Chosen One, and it is them who possesses an unbreakable spirit. They shall be burdened with the task of abolishing the shadow of apocalypse from the land—such is their destiny. With the spirit of the blade at their side, they shall soar over the clouds and plummet below. And, united with the Spirited One, shall bring forth a piercing light that resurrects the land."

I glance at my father, but his eyes are solely on Fi's as he reels from the implications of her words. 'They shall soar over the clouds and plummet below,' that's what Fi had said. I know what her words imply, but I'm still struggling to believe it.

"Some of Father's old texts talk about a place called the Surface," I'd mentioned to Link only earlier today. "The old tales describe a whole world below, far more vast than Skyloft!" And my dream of finally seeing that world below, one that hasn't been seen or explored in thousands of years, will finally be fulfilled. It's my destiny; mine and Link's.

"Mistress, you must embark on a great journey beneath the clouds to the vast realm of the Surface. It is through this journey that you can fulfil the mission set before you by my creator, the Goddess." My lips part in shock. Her creator was the Goddess? Though I suppose, after everything that's come to pass tonight, that isn't the most surprising thing she's tole me. Fi inclines her head and catches my attention. "It is also the only method available for you to reunite with the Spirited One, honourable Link."

I swallow thickly, that desperate hope of finding Link alive still battling against the pragmatic voice in my mind. Then I start to fully process her words and frown, only for Father to speak my thoughts aloud.

"But this is no easy task. The world below is a forsaken place, and to reach it you must pierce the cloud barrier below." He takes an uncertain step forward and places a comforting hand on my shoulder. "In living memory, no one has ever done this." Until the black tornado, I think to myself, though I refuse to say it out loud.

In response, Fi silently raises her arms towards us and an orb of blue light appears between them. The orb then transforms into a thick, stone tablet with some semblance of a map carved into it and an emerald adorning one corner. The tablet glides towards me and hovers in the air, allowing me to hand Father the Goddess Sword so I can take the tablet into my hands. I grunt a little at its weight.

"This tablet will illuminate a path through the clouds to the land below. To do this, the first thing you must do is hit the crest sitting in this room with a Skyward Strike." I shift the weight of the tablet in my hands and raise a brow at her in a silent question. "These blasts are formed of pure energy that charges within your blade when you lift it skyward."

I nod and make my way towards the stone Skyloftian Crest on the other side of the chamber, placing the tablet down next to it before taking back the sword from my father. Doing as Fi asked, I slowly raise the sword heavenward, unable to hold back a gasp when the blade is bathed in a divine light. I swing the sword down towards the crest and the light is unleashed, leaving the sword and colliding with the crest. It spins around and absorbs the light, the reaction causing a small altar to rise from the ground.

Since this is far from the strangest thing I've seen tonight, I push the tablet onto the altar which causes the small gemstone to pulsate with light. Moments later, I hear a faint grumble from somewhere outside and Fi clarifies, "It is done. Until now, a cloud barrier created by the Goddess has separated the world you know from the one below. The tablet you placed into the altar has opened a small rift in the barrier. You can use it to travel through the clouds to the realm below."

I sigh and nod slowly, the impact of such a tiny action pressing such a colossal weight onto my shoulders. Father seems to notice this because he speaks up, "And you will follow my daughter and protect her from the arduous trials ahead?"

"I have recognised your daughter as my master, and so it is my duty to follow her wherever she may go." She nods to the sword in my hands. "I reside within your sword and will accompany you in your travels, Dominae. You may summon me whenever you require my assistance."

Fi, knowing that her momentary task is complete, turns into a ball of light and disappears into the hilt of the Goddess Sword. Her no longer looming presence is a relief, though the thought of whatever's to come crushes that relief before I can enjoy it for too long. I lower myself onto the steps in front of the altar and set the sword down next to me, resting my elbows on my knees and letting my head drop into my hands.

I hear footsteps a few seconds before a familiar arm comes around my shoulders and gives me a comforting squeeze. "I…" I fumble around for the right words, deciding on a simple, "It's a lot to take in…"

"If only I had known about the role you were destined to play, then I would have told you much sooner," he sighs, then, "I wish I could have protected you from such a fate."

"I know now, and that's all the matters." It's a pitiful attempt at comforting him, but I don't have the energy to say much else on the matter. I frown. "At least I didn't wake up on the Surface with no one there to tell me why."

"The Goddess watches over the both of you, my dear. She will ensure that he's not alone." I hum absently, unable to truly believe his words. "Just think—if what this Fi says is true, then Link is alive! Alive and no doubt coming to terms with whatever it is the Goddess has in store for him. Whatever you may face, especially down there, it soothes a father's heart to know that you will face the unknown together."

I raise my head to meet his gaze. "And if I fail—if I fail Link—what happens then?"

Father is silent for a long time, watching my sombre expression as if desperately trying to read me. As I turn my attention back to the floor before us, he says softly, "Listen a moment, my dear. The nature of the great apocalypse mentioned in the old texts is a complete mystery to me. But whatever it turns out to be, it seems that both you and Link have big roles to play in the destiny of this land. What we're seen here today defies explanation, but it is only the start of your journey."

"I know… it's just so much…"

He takes one of my hands and squeezes it gently. "I know it's a heavy load to shoulder, and it pains me that you're the only one who can bear its weight… but I trust in the Goddess, and I trust in you. The Goddess believes in your strength as I have all these years. You will do your people proud, as you will do me proud—you always have."

I swallow thickly, "Thank you, Father."

"Come on," he says, pushing himself onto his feet with a grunt. I slowly follow suit. "Dawn is drawing near. It has been a long night for the both of us, hasn't it? We should try and get what sleep we can."

I nod and silently follow him outside the Chamber of the Sword, the Goddess Sword heavy in my hand. My head is still spinning from it all—my nightmares, the black tornado, Fi, the Goddess Sword, the strange vision of the Goddess, Father knowing the prophecy—and I trail behind my father as we return to the Knight Academy.

The walk back through Skyloft is a blur of occupied thoughts and before I know it, Father has bid me goodnight and I'm alone in my room again. Without a sheathe for the blade, I place the Goddess Sword on my desk. As I do, I notice Crimson's feather lying on the desk too, the same one that I stepped on earlier tonight. I smile and cross my room to sink onto the edge of my bed with a huff.

Deep down, I know that I need to sleep. If what Fi said is correct, and I have little reason to doubt her, then I'll need all the strength I can give if I'm going to the Surface. The thought sends my mind spinning again, a mix of dread and childish wonder plaguing my thoughts. But with my thoughts like this, I know that sleep will evade me for a few hours yet.

When the sun rises, I'll be diving into the unknown. Literally. Figuratively.

And he's down there right now…

I pray that Father was right and Link isn't completely alone down there; that the Goddess has enough grace to give him the company and answers he'll certainly be searching for. Although it's a relief—though relief feels like an understatement—to know that he's alive, a part of me won't believe it until I see him and, if it really is true, it's not like he's safe down there.

Be careful, I pray, begging that he somehow hears me. You always got into trouble when I'm not around… just hold on until I can protect you…

~Interlude~

The first thing he became aware of was the deafening silence.

As someone who hailed from the Sky Realm, Link wasn't used to it being so quiet. Between the constant whistling breeze in Skyloft, the constant noise from people, waterfalls or Loftwings, there were few places where it could be so quiet. Through his daze, the strange quiet instantly put him on edge in a way he'd never experienced before.

The next thing he felt was pain. It was a dull sensation that spread to every part of his body, from the soles of his feet to behind his eyes and the back of his head. His thoughts were still clouded, but surely he would have remembered falling hard enough to feel like this. But any memories continued to evade him, only flashes of colours dancing behind closed eyelids which meant nothing to him.

He tried to open his eyes, but to no avail. It was a surprising effort and he simply didn't have the strength to do it. Now confusion and a hint of concern was beginning to take over. He was lying on his side and, from the smell of the earth beneath him, was seemingly outside the Sparring Hall or nearby the caves on the north-eastern part of the island—the only two places in Skyloft where the ground wasn't cobbled.

But that didn't make sense; why had nobody checked to see if he was alright?

Finally mustering the strength to finally open his eyes, bewilderment continued to plague Link as his fuzzy vision cleared to reveal a place he didn't recognise. He flinched as bright light invaded his vision, a few moments passing before he saw the clearing he lay in, bathed in an orange glow; it was sunset, he realised. A long stretch of ground lay before him, dotted with grass and, beyond the craggy walls nearby, trees towered above like nothing he'd ever seen before.

He must have hit his head when he fell. Surely, this was all just a figment of his imagination.

And yet, before he could dwell on this illusion for too long, he suddenly heard screaming.

Snapping his attention towards the source, Link recoiled as a mass of strange, red skinned creatures ran at him with dirty cleavers raised skyward. He unconsciously shuffled back a pace, eyes widening when he realised that they were coming for him and him alone. He reached back for the sword he vaguely recalled borrowing from Eagus earlier in the day and, to his delight, his hand met a familiar hilt.

His sword cleared his scabbard just before the creatures reached him, though he didn't have time to stand before they surrounded him. Their eyes, green orbs with red irises, shone with glee at the sight of him and it terrified him to wonder why they were so excited to see him. They crowded around without attacking him, too close for him to bring down his weapon without the chance of him hurting himself in the process.

The creatures lunged at him like a child would for their new toy, except these creatures wanted to take this toy into their possession and mutilate it until it submitted. Link's world quickly became a blur of red and metal that shone in the dying sunlight. He wasn't quite sure when he lost his weapon—something which had never happened to him before, but it wasn't like he could have done much with it anyway with how adamant the creatures were in overwhelming him.

He had no idea how these things had managed to reach Skyloft, but if he really had hit his head when he fell, then his mind was creating an incredibly vivid illusion that he prayed he would wake up from soon. He could picture it now; he would wake up back in his room and finally be able to remember what in the Goddess's name happened, and maybe Zelda would be there too, ready to scold him for doing something stupid.

But wait—he stopped short as his back finally hit the ground again. He remembered something. It was a brief moment, only a fragment, but he remembered looking up at Zelda's panic-stricken face as her hand was wrapped tightly around his wrist. He could feel the wind around him as they hung in the air precariously.

"Don't let go."

"Never."

It wasn't much, but the memory sent his mind spiralling out of control.

One of the cleavers slicing through his sleeve, catching his skin in the process and effectively pinning his arm to the earth for a moment, dragged his frantic mind back into reality. Realising that he was finally down, the creatures' sharp fingers grabbed whatever they could—his arms, his clothes, his throat. And despite Link's best efforts, they easily overpowered him.

The group were so engrossed in their victory that they failed to notice a figure hobbling out of the nearby temple.

The figure's bare feet sunk into the earth with every step they took, their red cloak collecting dirt around the edges as it was dragged along the ground. Their jewellery shone in the sunlight's dying glow and strange markings adorned their parchment skin. A small gasp escaped them as they laid eyes upon the scene before them, having come outside to investigate all the ruckus.

But the time has not come for his arrival, they mused, eyes widening as they realised the implications of what was coming to pass before their very eyes. Unless it was not the Goddess's magic at play…

The sight of the monsters only seemed to prove their theory.

Raising their hands towards the red creatures and uttering an incantation, a flurry of light shot out from their hands and soared towards the monsters. Within seconds, the monsters cried out in pain before collapsing to the ground. The figure watched on as the young man instantly tugged his sleeve free from the cleaver and scrambled away from the monsters. The creatures disappeared in bursts of purple light, a strange skull appearing through the fog being the only sign of their demonic spirits passing on before the fog disappeared.

Utterly baffled by the sudden change of events, Link did his best to ignore the blood on the ground—maybe he was more hurt than he'd first thought—and catch his breath as he turned his attention towards his saviour. They came towards him at a surprisingly quick pace despite their age, creating a stairway of light to help them down the craggy wall separating them.

All he could do was watch on with wide eyes as the figure knelt before him, a part of him still too fuelled by adrenaline to trust the figure despite the fact that they had saved him. He didn't want to think about what would have happened if they hadn't appeared when they did.

"W-Who—"

"Do not speak, young one," the figure—a woman, he realised—softly cut him off. He leaned forward to meet her gaze, surprised to find a pair of red eyes peering back at him. No one he knew had eyes of that shade, but he felt strangely comforted by them. Her eyes quickly fell to the cut on his arm, his arm and sleeve caked with blood.

The woman raised her hand above the wound and, after murmuring a few words he didn't recognise, guided the particles of light that she created into his arm. He flinched and made to snatch his arm away, but the woman grabbed his wrist before he could do so. Her grip was firm but reassuring. As the light faded away, Link pulled back his sleeve to find only a white scar where the cut used to be. Blood still stained his skin, but that was fixable.

Now that the creatures assailing him were taken care of, his lips parted as if ready to say something, but no sound would come out. His eyes flickered between the scar on his arm and the world around him, unable to decipher what was real and what was a dream. Surely it was all a dream, but it all felt too real; it wasn't a comforting thought.

The old woman's chuckles drew his attention back to her. She looked at him with a glint of recognition dancing in her eyes which only confused him further. He dropped his head into his hands and absently rubbed his eyes, as if that would get him to wake up from this dream.

"You are dazed and confused; that is to be expected," the woman remarked calmly, like a mother would to their frightened child. "But you must answer me this… did you come here of your own accord?"

Her simple question was enough to finally remember what had happened, and his memories came back with so much force that he struggled to process it all. He remembered the morning he spent searching for his Loftwing, the Wing Ceremony, the ritual with Zelda, flying amongst the clouds, his cowardice in wanting to finally tell her the truth, the black tornado, the overwhelming fear when Zelda almost fell, the overwhelming fear when he almost fell, the pounding of his heart, the shortness of his breath, the fear in her eyes.

Her fearful voice.

"Don't let go."

He remembered falling, and then it all went dark.

How was he alive?

Remembering her question, Link forced himself to croak out a mere, "No… no, I didn't…"

His mind raced with unanswered questions, sky blue eyes searching the scenery around him for answers he never got. Was Zelda alright? Was she here, wherever here was? How did he manage to survive? Who was this woman, and how did she manage to somehow heal his arm? Or rather, did he actually survive or was this some strange illusion created by his mind as he hung in limbo?

None of this was right. Everything felt wrong, and he had no idea how he could process it all without screaming. Link found himself scanning the world around him again, his eyes drinking everything in as if that would help his haywire brain to work again. He blinked up to the sky above and choked on whatever he was going to say as he realised there was a thick blanket of clouds above him.

He was definitely dreaming. The cloud barrier, the only thing it could be, was always below them. It was impossible that—

The horror of realisation dawning on him must have shown on his face because the woman placed her weathered hand onto his knee and gave it a gentle squeeze. "There is much I must tell you, but we cannot linger here." She motioned for him to stand, but he didn't move. Tucking a finger under his chin, she forced him to meet her gaze. "Evil beings are at play in this place, and they are coming for you. We cannot linger here."

"Here?" he rasped.

"The Surface," she replied, knowing that he wouldn't move until she had confirmed his theory. "It was your destiny to come here, but not for many years. The darkness has twisted and toyed with your destined path and will continue to do so until it has fulfilled its desires. Now," she added when he opened his mouth to ask more questions. "I will answer whatever questions I can, but we must do in safety. And if you would be so kind as to help me up… my joints weren't what they used to be."

Link let out a breathless laugh before he could stop himself. He knew, deep down, that he could trust this woman. Helping her onto her feet, he allowed her to use his arm as a crutch as the two made their way towards the crumbling building she had come from.

"What's your name?" he asked, suddenly realising that he'd never asked through the shock of everything.

"I am Impaz," she replied, unable to hold back a smile his politeness. The feeling of human contact and conversation felt alien to her, but she welcomed it with open arms. "I am the priestess that has presided over the Sealed Temple for many years."

"I'm—"

"You are Link," she cut in before he could introduce himself, the words spilling out of her mouth before she could stop herself. He looked down at her with wide eyes, to which she smirked and winked at him. "I meant it when I said that your arrival was predestined."

He wasn't quite sure how to feel about that. "I…"

She merely waved him off and tugged him along, her cryptic words echoing around his mind as he followed her. He tried not to think too hard about what she had told him and what he was seeing, desperately hoping that he'd eaten something so bad that it had caused him to have such strange, delirious dreams.

And yet, he couldn't deny the feeling in his gut telling him that it was all too real.

Before they could reach the temple, his boot caught something mid step and stopped his thoughts in their tracks. Snapping from his daze, Link glanced down to find an object that he recognised instantly—Zelda's harp. He knelt down and picked it up, brushed the dust off its golden surface and wondering how it had managed to follow him down.

"That is a sacred and powerful instrument," Impaz mused from behind him. "Like you, it has a predestined role to play in the world."

But he didn't really hear what she'd said. A tiny, yet genuine, smile crept onto his face as he remembered the harp's owner, her voice echoing around the back of his mind.

"Oh youth…"

Tucking it against the crook of his arm, he helped the priestess into the temple and took one last glance at the outside world before following in as he prayed that Zelda was alright—whether this was a dream or not. The priestess watched him from inside the temple for a brief moment before giving him some space.

After all, this was most likely the last moment of peace that he would have for a long time to come.