"It is human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand. Exploration is not a choice really; it's an imperative."

~Michael Collins~

Ancient Roots

Chapter 4: Faron

You know, I'm not sure I'll ever get used to the beauty of the Surface, though I suppose its beauty comes from the unknown. In Skyloft, no images exist of what the land below the clouds looks like; we had to make it up based on what fairy tales we'd be told. But now, as we wander through these unknown lands, it's difficult to stay focused on the task at hand with so many of my senses being overwhelmed by the world around me. The trees, the greenery, the birdsong, the rustling of the leaves in the breeze—it's all so much to handle at once.

Faron Woods, Fi told us a few moments ago, has attracted various species to the region because of its lush plant life and water resources, and it's easy to see why. Despite her assurance that she detected the presence of a few monsters, most of which posed a low risk to our lives, Karane and I keep our swords drawn as we make our way down the forest path and deeper into the woods.

"Isn't it incredible?" Karane muses as we walk. "Imagine what the islanders would say if they were here now."

I let out a breathless laugh, "I doubt they'd believe us." She shoots me a look for avoiding her remark. I sigh. "I'm sure they'd be just as amazed as we are… it's just hard to think about that when we know so little about the Surface and the dangers it poses." But Karane waves me off as she always does when she thinks I'm overthinking things.

"We'll face whatever dangers come our way," she says. "And besides, it's nice to think about the irony of everyone coming back to the place we came from. It's a happy thought to keep us going whenever things get too much, you know?"

I hum but say nothing. While it's a nice sentiment—imagining the Surface truly full of life and joy like I'm sure it was before darkness plagued it—I can't possibly think that far ahead right now, even if it is just fanciful. As well as that, it's not like I'm planning on telling the islanders about where I am any time soon. I already have enough on my plate and I don't need curious islanders on top of that.

I let the conversation pitter out as we reach another clearing ahead. Lots of strange and colourful plants and mushrooms wobble back and forth in the warm breeze, and I can't help but flick a few of the mushrooms with a childish grin. I stop short, however, when I notice some movement out of the corner of my eye. I turn to find a small creature, reaching no higher than my waist in height, with light and dark fur. It doesn't notice us straight away as it wanders between the trees without a care in the world, its entire body moving from side to side with each step it takes. My heart squeezes at how cute it looks, though I quickly remind myself to stay on guard just in case.

I silently wave to catch Karane's attention without alerting the creature, but it spots us anyway and lets out a high-pitched shriek in the form of a, "Kwee-koo!" and waddles away before we can do or say anything.

We watch on in stunned silence as it disappears into the woods, even when Fi appears at our sides. "Based on the creature's characteristics, I must conclude that it was a peaceful, forest-dwelling animal known as a Kikwi. These herbivorous creatures are intelligent beings capable of speech and pose no risk to your lives." She pauses for a moment before adding, "In addition, I have also picked up a highly interesting reading from the creature you just encountered."

I tilt my head, "What is it?"

"When you arrived in the Chamber of the Sword, Dominae, I detected the presence of an aura surrounding the Loftwing feather that you were carrying—the aura of the Spirited One," she explains. "Readings from the Kikwi you just encountered elicited the same response as the feather you carried." Karane furrows her brow.

"So… are you saying that you detect Link's presence on that creature?"

"I am, Karane," the spirit confirms, and it's hard to breathe for a moment. We're getting closer to him; I just know it. "It is unclear why such a creature would elicit such a response attuned to the Spirited One. I propose that you follow the creature and investigate this phenomenon. I can lead you in the direction of the Kikwi in question through the process of dowsing."

"Dowsing?" I parrot.

She nods, "Yes, Dominae. Dowsing is when I detect the presence of an aura that you may wish to search for using the tip of your sword. The nearer you are to an object emitting the aura in question, the stronger the response will be. When you take out your sword and wish to dowse, your sword will glow brighter the closer you are to the target."

Once I dismiss Fi and she returns to the Goddess Sword, the blade pulsates with a soft purple light like she said it would. I point the sword in a few different directions to test out the dowsing method, watching as the light fluctuates depending on the direction. We head out in the direction that the Kikwi ran off in and use the dowsing to help track it down.

With Fi's words lingering in my mind, I start to focus less on the beauty of the forest around us and more on the implications of what she said. Although she isn't sure why, Fi could detect Link's presence on that Kikwi as strongly as she could detect it on Crimson's feather. Hope dares to thrive at the thought of him being nearby and the information we could potentially get from the forest creature about his exact whereabouts, and any doubts are quickly washed away when we soon spot the Kikwi nearby.

We reach an overhang which leads into another clearing, one dotted with thick trees and more strange mushrooms. The Kikwi stands close to the ledge I stand on with its back to us, desperately trying to catch its breath after its brief scare. Karane and I look on from above, thinking about the best way to approach the skittish creature.

"What should we do?" she asks. "We could try and corner it or take it by surprise."

I hum absently and glance down at the harp in my hand. "What about this? It might calm it down a bit, at the very least."

She shrugs, "You can try."

It's worth a shot, I think to myself, sheathing the Goddess Sword and silently hopping off the overhang. Karane follows suit a few moments later, though she stays put until we see how well my plan does. Adjusting the grip on my harp, I creep forward a few paces and start strumming the notes to the song I played for the Wing Ceremony.

And, miraculously, the Kikwi slowly turns to me with a somewhat awed expression.

"That's pretty," it squeaks. It's voice is different to how everyone at home speaks—it's more nasally in terms of how it pronounces the words—but I can still understand it well enough. I smile and move onto my knees, plucking the last few notes before cradling the harp in my lap, doing my best to show the creature that I don't want to hurt it. "You don't want to… eat me?"

I shake my head, "No, we don't."

It nods in understanding. "Kwee… well, you seem nice, even though you're scary." I hold back a chuckle as Karane cautiously kneels beside me. It waddles over and holds out a tiny hand to me. "I'm Machi, kee-paleep! I'm a Kikwi."

We introduce ourselves and shake its hand, though I quickly change the topic of conversation, "Have you seen someone like us today, Machi?"

"Yes, kee-koo!" he says happily. "A little while ago, I ran into another funny animal like you, but that one was a boy. I don't know who he was, but he seemed to be in big trouble when I saw him."

"What happened?" Karane asks.

"A pack of those mean red things were after him, kwee, but he defeated them all and escaped with the Kikwi elder," say Machi. Goddess above, Link, I almost whisper out loud. It hasn't even been a day and you've already been attacked twice, and maybe more since. A heavy feeling settles in my stomach.

"Where's the elder?" I ask the Kikwi.

Machi looks pensive for a moment before its face lights up, "Oh, I know! I can take you there right now. Just…" The Kikwi grows nervous. "If those red things turn up, then—"

And, as if ordained by the Goddess herself, a shrill cry pierces the air.

Machi instantly recognises the sound and falls to the ground with a shriek, its tail morphing into a small bush to cleverly camouflage itself into the environment. Karane and I spin around, and our collective yelps fill the air as our eyes land on the source of the shouting.

A pair of red-skinned creatures run at us, teeth bared and cleavers raised high. They're clothed simply and most of their bodies are left exposed, but I can't tear my gaze away from their eyes—bright green and burning with malice. From their appearance and Machi's reaction, it's safe to assume that these are some of the "mean red things" that have been plaguing the woods. My heart skips a beat when I recognise their weapons as the same ones we found scattered outside the Sealed Temple—these are the same monsters that have been attacking Link.

For a moment, something takes a hold of my heart like I've never felt before. In my mind's eye, all I can see is the blood staining the ground and cleavers in that clearing.

You won't touch him again, I promise them fiercely. I swear it.

I call on Fi's aid as they approach. "Target locked: Red Bokoblin," her voice from within the Goddess Sword echoes around the area. The creatures stop for a minute and glance around for the source of Fi's voice. "These monsters have plagued the land since ancient times. They each play different roles, and their weaponry varies. They prefer to act in groups." She pauses, then, "None of them are intelligent by any definition of the word. Curiously, they seem to have a mysterious obsession with fashionable undergarments."

I choke on the laughter that escapes me with her final remark, and Karane must have somehow heard her too because she does the same. When the Bokoblins finally reach us, however, I force myself to focus on the fight at hand and lower myself into a battle stance as I'd learnt at the Knight Academy.

As Fi had described, the Bokoblins are focused less on the overall outcome of the fight and more on simply attacking us thoughtlessly. They rush us with the weapons raised which perfectly leaves their chests open for attack. Thinking back to the person I'm so desperate to find and how these monsters have caused him enough pain, I slash forward with a yell before the Bokoblin running at me can even begin an attack of its own.

The Goddess Sword cuts deep into its chest, and green blood sprays out from the wound and spatters onto my clothes. The monster stops short and its arm falls limply to one side, eyes bulging as it looks down to the large wound. We stare at one another for a few moments before the light disappears from its eyes and it falls forwards. I barely have enough time to stumble back before it can crash into me, my chest heaving as it tumbles to the ground, dead.

I stand there for a few moments, my heart pounding in my chest as I blink rapidly. Green blood drips off the Goddess Sword's magnificent blade, but the sight and smell of the creature I've killed is overwhelming. The Deku Babas, while monsters too, felt more like plants brought to life than an actual, somewhat humanoid in places, monster with life in its eyes that I snuffed out.

Before I can help myself, I quickly check that Karane is alright—though she's already taken care of the other Bokoblin—and race over to the nearest tree so I can retch.

I brace myself against the tree as I spit out any bile that arises, my arms shaky as I force it all out. Behind closed lids, all I can see is the monster's eyes going dull and the smell of blood nearby isn't helping. I jump when someone rests a hand on my shoulder, but I don't have the energy to look up; I can tell who it is anyway.

"If it helps," Karane murmurs as she pulls my hair back. "I did the same on my first patrol."

I force myself to look up at her, somewhat glad that she's looking a little pale herself. I swallow thickly and offer a meagre smile, looking around her to find that both monsters have disappeared like the Deku Babas did. Their blood still stains the earth and their weapons lie uselessly nearby, but at least I don't have to look at them anymore.

And to think you believed the Surface was a land of dreams, a dark inner voice mocks.

"Oh, koo-pleep!" a familiar voice squeaks. "Thank you for getting rid of those mean red things!" I push myself away from the tree and turn to Machi, who's back on its feet again after the battle's conclusion. "I can take you to the elder now, kwee. It's the least I could do."

I smile and nod, taking the cloth Karane offers me to wipe the blood off the Goddess Sword. Once we're ready, I let Machi waddle ahead of us and lead us deeper into the woods. Karane and I say little as we follow from behind, her staying on the lookout for anymore monsters who want to attack us and I still reeling a little from the fight with the Bokoblin. Nausea settles in my gut and, combined with the anxiety already there, does little to keep my spirits up in this beautiful but dangerous new world.

We follow Machi along a dirt path which curves upwards, various plants and mushrooms swaying in the gentle breeze that's almost silent compared to the wind in Skyloft. We wander past what looks like a white door with a strange symbol on it, so I briefly stop to inspect it. Metal fencing, like the Sealed Grounds, stands on either side of the door, which doesn't budge no matter how much I push my weight against it. Peering between the bars, my eyes widen at the amount of water far below us.

"That's Lake Floria, koo-weep!" Machi tells us. "But the door's locked tight. I think she's trying to protect the lake from all the mean things."

She? I open my mouth and turn to ask Machi what it meant, but the Kikwi has already run off down the pathway. Karane shrugs at me as she passes by and I have no choice but disregard what I heard, for now at least. Machi's waiting for us at the end of the path, where there's a gap between where they stand and the clearing ahead.

The Kikwi jumps across just as we reach the edge and we leap into the clearing ahead where a large creature lies face first on the ground. It looks similar to Machi with its light and dark fur as well as the camouflage on its tail, but it's certainly at least three times the size of me or Karane so the camouflage doesn't quite work.

"Kikwi elder!" Machi calls out. "I'm back, kwee!"

The large Kikwi, assumably the elder, leaps onto its feet and other Kikwis, all closer to Machi's size, appear from the vegetation too; they're much better at hiding than the elder. But my heart sinks when no one else appears in the clearing and I do my best not to assume the worst. We watch on as the elder regards Machi with a sigh of relief, its moustache draping across their large belly.

"Oh ho! You've finally returned, young Machi!" He, I think, then casts his gaze over to us and chuckles. His accent is the same as Machi's, so I strain to pick out all the words. "And you've found some new friends too! My, I've certainly seen many of your kind today. I don't know where you are or where you come from, but you have my thanks for returning Machi safely, kwee hee. I am Bucha, the Kikwi elder."

"We're happy to help, Bucha," I reply. "Machi told us that another of our kind found refuge with you. Are they still here?"

He hums sadly and I deflate a little at the sound. "Ah, the boy dressed in green. He looked like one of your kind." I raise a brow. It has to be Link—I don't think there's anyone else it could possibly be—but the remark about clothing confuses me. "Yes, he was with me. He said he had to travel to the temple deep within these woods, kwee. Oho, I tried to warn him about how dangerous it was there, but the clever little thing vaulted off my belly and ran off on his own just the same."

I grit my teeth, "So, you tried to stop him, but when he left anyway you didn't bother to send anyone after him to make sure he was alright?"

"The deepest parts of the forest are not a safe place for my Kikwis, kwee koo," the elder counters easily. "I will not put them in danger for the sake of a stranger's safety." I go to say something else, but Karane stops me with a hand on my arm. I swallow my reply and let her speak, pulling the map out of my bag and showing it to the elder.

"And if we wanted to follow him, where would we go?"

He points to the large, white structure on the most northern part of the map, "To there—it's known as Skyview Temple. But be sure to take great care if you follow him. That area is crawling with monsters. Oho!" Bucha adds before we can thank him. "As a reward for returning Machi to us, I will give you a previous Kikwi heirloom. Let me just fetch it for you right now, kwee. Pardon me a moment…"

He makes a vague gesture for Karane and I to move out of the way before collapsing to the ground. We watch as Bucha's tail morphs into a bush which sprouts to reveal a small object inside. He orders me to climb on and take the item, and when I do I'm hit with an old memory that I'd almost forgotten about.

It's a small slingshot and bag for ammunition which ties onto my belt easily, its green handle contrasting with the red decorations. I hop back onto the ground and run my hand along the wood grain. It's almost identical to the one that Link's father had made for his son's birthday. I can't remember which birthday it was, but he must have been young if his parents were still alive. I remember how excited he was to try it out and how many days we spent trying to annoy the knights on patrol and sneak onto Beedle's airship.

I couldn't have been older than nine when I'd started to learn the lyre, using my mother's old one rather than the harp I have with me now. We had a test to study for, but I'd been confident enough at the time to take a break from revision. As usual, Link hadn't studied and wasn't too keen on working—he usually did well anyway, frustratingly. He'd practically begged me to spend the day with him instead of learning a new song on my lyre, resorting to stealing my lyre and running off with it so I'd chase him down.

My lips twist up into a smile at the memory before I can stop myself, the memories of younger days acting as a great comfort after everything that's happened.

Karane glances at me for a moment before thanking the Kikwi elder, who hums happily, "Of course! With that slingshot, kwee, you should be able to find a path into the Deep Woods where that temple is. To start, why not try shooting that curled up vine over there? If you run out of ammunition, just grab some seeds from the fruit that grows on the trees over there."

His words snap me from my daze and I nod, grinning when I think about all the competitions Link and I had over who could shoot the most amount of fruit from the trees with the slingshot. Taking one of the seeds from the bag the elder gave me, I slot it into place and pull back the string, aiming up at the vine he was referring to and hit it first time.

It's a good thing I always won those competitions, I think to myself smugly.

"Amazing shot!" Bucha praises as the other Kikwis clap. "Now go find that boy! I'll be rooting for you both, kwee heh!"

We smile and bid farewell to the Kikwis, not before hugging Machi when he runs up to us and demands one. The vine I knocked down is well supported by the tree branch it hangs from, so we're able to swing across and deeper into the woods without a fuss. With the sun just passing its zenith, we delve deeper into Faron Woods with a new weapon in tow.

The first part of our afternoon is spent navigating the woods, stopping by the large tree I saw during our descent to the Surface so we can use the pool of water at its base to clean the blood from our clothes as well as clean and rebandage my wounds from the Deku Baba. We take a short break by the great tree to hydrate and eat before heading off again, using the map and Fi's dowsing to find the Deep Woods, as Bucha had called them.

It's not long before we discover a white structure in the distance, though Fi quickly confirms that it isn't Skyview Temple, though the Deep Woods are in that direction. We clamber up the steps, taking out the few Bokoblins on patrol there (and thankfully I'm able to swallow back any bile that rises in my throat), and help each other up onto a ledge surrounded by thick trees.

That's when I see it.

"Wait," I say as I pull her up, my eyes focused on something ahead of us. It looks like a figure, but they're too far away for me to make anything out. All I know is that it's definitely not the person we're looking for. "Do you see that?"

I blink just as Karane snaps her head towards where I'm looking, both of us frowning when we see no one there. "Maybe it was just a shadow?" she offers.

I narrow my eyes at the spot where the figure used to be. She's right: there isn't anything there now and someone can't just disappear into thin air. But there's a feeling in my gut, the same feeling that I felt right before the black tornado appeared, and I can't simply ignore it—I know what happened last time I ignored that feeling.

I feel Karane's eyes on me as I stare out into Faron Woods. I won't ignore the feeling in my stomach, but I also know that I can't pursue it right now. "Come on," I say finally. "We need to keep going."

She nods and we head down the passageway that's hemmed in by tall trees. Compared to the part of Faron Woods that we've travelled through this morning, this part of the woods feels darker, and not just literally. The trees are more densely packed together here which effectively blots out most of the afternoon sunlight, but there's a shift in the air that's hard to describe. I tighten my grip on the Goddess Sword.

"Dominae, we have reached an area locally referred to as the Deep Woods," says Fi from within the sword, confirming our theory on where we are. "We should continue toward the temple in search of the Spirited One."

I nod and we move down the only pathway we can see, defeating the few Bokoblins that have wandered this far deep into the woods and following Fi's dowsing deeper into the area. Strangely enough, the pathway is made of the same white stone as the structure we just explored. The stonework's cracked and covered in moss, but it's still easy enough to see. If there used to be a purposefully built path here, then the temple must be nearby.

We carry on down until we reach a large chasm before us, the only thing standing between us and another large structure which is far larger than the one we went through before. The terrain has opened out a little so we can see what I can only assume is Skyview Temple on the other side. A grand staircase leads up to the building, though the white stone is marred with greenery, and nature has done its best to reclaim the forgotten structure because I can see trees growing out of the dome at the top.

The problem is I have no idea how to get over there.

"So," Karane remarks, "How are we gonna get past this?" I glance around the area for any signs of a way across, but the walls are either too steep for us to climb or too far away for us to jump to. I glare at the white building ahead of us, as if it could give us the answer, and I kick a nearby rock in frustration when I realise we're stuck.

Fi appears in a burst of light and turns to me specifically, nodding to the harp in my hand. "Dominae, you must make use of the harp returned to you by the priestess at the Sealed Temple. It is a divine instrument that can affect the world around you." I raise a brow at her, confused. "If you raise the harp into the air, I predict that the way open shall be revealed."

I eye her sceptically but do as she instructed, sheathing the Goddess Sword and cautiously raising the harp into the air. It gleams in the sunlight and, without warning, a golden light descends upon the chasm. Karane and I jump back and I hold the harp close to me protectively as the light settles around us, a path of light appearing over the gap between us and the temple.

I turn to Fi and open my mouth to blurt out all the questions running through my mind, only for her to say simply, "It is now safe for you to step across the chasm, Dominae," before bowing her head and returning to the Goddess Sword at my side.

Karane and I turn our attention back to the path of light before us, exchanging a look before I take a tentative step forward. Karane holds onto my arm tightly as I stretch out one foot to test the pathway, the knight ready to catch me in case something awful happens. We both gasp when the light beneath me supports my foot completely, the light solidifying beneath my foot instead of letting me fall into the abyss.

"You're seeing this too, right?" I breathe, desperately hoping that it isn't a dream.

She nods, "I'm seeing it too."

Karane places her foot onto the path too and finds that it also supports her weight. I take the plunge and place my full weight onto the light, feeling over the moon when I don't fall. We look at each other one more time before Karane joins me and we briskly make our way across the chasm, praying for every second we're above the abyss that the magic doesn't drop it.

And, miraculously, it doesn't.

We reach the other side and take a few steps forward before collapsing to our knees, releasing the breaths we were holding for that entire trip. I place a hand to my chest in a vague attempt to calm my pounding heart, staring down at the harp with the same bewildered expression as Karane. This harp, the same one that my father gave me in Skyloft, had the power to do such an incredible thing this entire time.

"It is a powerful instrument, Zelda, and it is your duty to protect it," Impaz had told me. And now I'm starting to wonder what else this harp can do.

But then I feel that sense of foreboding that I felt earlier. Karane mustn't feel it because her eyes are still on the harp I hold, but I feel it and I can't ignore it any longer. I snap my head up and feel my stomach twist when my eyes find a figure standing a few feet away. For some reason, I know without a doubt that this was the person I saw earlier. Terror grips my heart as I paw for Karane's arm without looking away.

"Zelda, what—?" But she loses her voice too.

The first thing that strikes me is how deathly pale he looks, the pallor of his skin only worsened by the sunlight on his face. As well as the lightness to his skin tone, the rest of his clothes are white too though, when I squint at them, his clothes look like they're a part of him. The garb is entirely white with small, diamond shaped portions cut out to reveal the skin beneath. Apart from the large gemstone at his waist, similar to Fi's, and the crimson mantle around his shoulders, he looks like an apparition.

Then there's his eyes, like two pools of darkness on his face. I don't like his eyes. The Bokoblins' eyes were terrifying enough with the gleam of malice in them, but his eyes are somehow even worse. They don't reflect anything. They're just voids that, despite the lack of reflection in them, burn with a strange and terrible sense of glee.

And then he speaks.

"Look who it is…"

For a moment, I feel my heart stop. His voice, unlike the Kikwis, has no accent—much like Fi's and Impaz's. I can understand him perfectly and his words send chills down my spine. But then realisation dawns on me, and horror creeps into my gut when I realise why I recognise his voice.

"Oh, Your Grace, but he must. He bears something we need. And we must obtain it…"

"It's you," I breathe. Karane's eyes flicker over to me for the briefest of moments. The man doesn't react. "You're the voice from my dreams." There's a moment where no one does or says a thing, but then his lips twist up into a satisfied smirk and my heart starts to beat faster.

"Well, I thought that tornado I stirred up would have tossed and torn you apart, yet here you are—not in pieces." His eyes find the harp in my hand and the Goddess Sword at my side, as if he recognises them, and he adds, "Greetings, Your Grace."

I blink, confused by the title he's given me—a title we've never used in Skyloft or anywhere in the sky—only for my brain to catch up and realise what he said first. "You created the tornado," I mutter, then raise my voice, "Who are you?!"

He rests one hand on his hip and the other on his chest, feigning offense, "Out of you and the boy, I thought you'd be the one to recognise me." He scoffs. "How asinine…" But his musings only anger me more.

"Tell us who you are!" The figure refrains from rolling his eyes, but only just.

"I am the Demon Lord who presides over this land you look down upon, this world you call the Surface. You may call me Ghirahim." I blink, taken aback by his name and how my heart skips a beat at the sound of it. He looks off to one side and continues, "In truth, I very much prefer to be indulged with my full title: Lord Ghirahim. But I suppose I can't be fussy if you were unable to remember me at all."

I climb onto my feet and tighten my grip on my harp to stop me from jumping at him. I struggle to keep my breathing and voice in check as I ask, "What do you want with him?"

"Ah, ah," he tuts, knowing who I'm referring to without having to ask. "If I spilled all my secrets to you right now, then I'd ruin all the fun of our little game."

"Game?" Karane parrots. "We haven't got time for—"

"I wasn't speaking to you, sky child," he interrupts. Karane's eyes flash but she doesn't fire back a retort. Ghirahim turns his attention to me, and I suddenly feel very small. "Now, Your Grace, I propose a game I like to call: 'Find the Spirited One.'" I can feel my face paling and he takes great delight in it. He gestures to Skyview Temple. "If you manage to find the boy in there before I do, then I promise to tell you of my intentions. If I find him first, well, then it's finders keepers for me and you'll never see him again."

My heart squeezes at his bluntness and the implications of if I "lose." I grit my teeth. "And if we don't want to play?"

A bark of laughter escapes him, "When did I ever say you had a choice in the matter?"

I can't take it anymore. Whether it's the anger over the self-proclaimed Demon Lord's demeanour or fear for what will happen to Link if I don't find him first, the Goddess Sword clears its sheathe in an instant and I fly at him. Yet Ghirahim merely chuckles, expecting my move, and disappears into thin air—nothing but a flurry of diamonds fluttering in the space where he once stood before dissipating too.

I stagger past where he once stood and spin back around, holding my sword in a white knuckled grip as I scan the horizon for any trace of him; I find nothing. My shoulders slump forward as I exhale deeply, closing my eyes for a second when tears threaten to fall. My brain is nothing but a jumbled mess of thoughts, questions and emotions that I can't sort through until I see Link is alive and safe. But with the Demon Lord's words ringing in my mind, I'm worried I won't even find Link before it's too late.

"Hey," a voice drags me out of the darkness in my head. My eyes flutter open and find Karane closing the space between us. Her eyes flare with anger directed at the Demon Lord and concern aimed at me. I stop myself from sinking to my knees and wallowing in the emotions boiling inside me. "We'll get through this, Zelda."

"And if we don't?" I ask darkly then, when Karane raises a brow at me, I sigh. "I'm sorry, I just…"

She waves me off, "It's alright, I understand. Now come on," she adds after a moment, her eyes on Skyview Temple behind us. "We've got a game to win."