"There is a fine balance between honouring the past and losing yourself in it."

~Eckhart Tolle~

Ancient Roots

Chapter 14: Spirits

We stand there for what feels like eternity, yet I don't want it to be over. Time is lost to me and, for the first time in a long while, my mind is still. I let myself live in this blissful moment that I've thought about for so long now, letting the world fall away for the briefest of moments before the cheering crowd and loud voices zone back into my awareness and we pull away to catch our breaths. Our eyes meet and laughter bubbles up from my chest before I can stop myself.

He feels the same, the child in me says over and over like a mantra. Goddess above, he feels the same…

Around us, the islanders begin to disperse and return to their tables while the two of us remain until Karane and Pipit make their way towards us and the latter remarks, "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting that."

"It gave everyone a good show, though," Karane adds. I can imagine her grinning without having to look over at her. "If either of you had left it any longer, I'm sure the Goddess herself would've gotten involved."

"All we needed was a little nudge," says Link without looking at either of them. His eyes are still trained on me and his smile hasn't left—I don't ever want it to. "Isn't that right, Zelda?"

I blink and I clasp my hands together, "Exactly." I can feel Karane failing to hold back a laugh, though she manages to maintain some sort of composure as she speaks up.

"Come on; let's go back to our seats."

We nod as the band starts back up again, guitars and flutes recreating the song I played on the day of the Wing Ceremony; the same song that's taken me back to the time of the Great War numerous times now. Hearing the song dampens my spirits a little as I follow the others back upstairs and consider the lyrics—if the servant of the Goddess is Fi like I'm assuming it is, then am I that youth who's being guided by her?

I shake my head. Now's not the time to think about these things; this is a happy time and I refuse to ruin it with overthinking everything. I feel Link's hand against the small of my back as we head up the stairway and I do my best to focus on that rather than anything else. His presence is more comforting than ever, and not just because of our confession; although it's a big part of it.

I glance back and throw him a small smile, hoping that he can see what I'm thinking—'I'm just glad that you're here…' He smiles warmly back at me—a smile that reaches his eyes for the first time in a while—and my heart flutters. I snap out of my daze as we reclaim our seats at the table and let the reactions commence.

"What a display that was!"

"I knew something good would happen tonight; I should've betted on it."

"Nah, I wouldn't have betted on it if my life depended on it. Have you seen how shy Link is?"

"Hey," the man in question cuts in with mock offence. "I'm not that shy."

I snort, "Sorry Link, but I have to agree with them on this one." He shakes his head at me as if I've betrayed him in the worst way possible, but I'm grinning from ear to ear and he can't hold out long before he's doing the same. I turn my head back to the group, "But, in his defence, he plucked up the courage when it counted the most."

Reactions range from fake retching to genuine smiles and I suddenly realise that Groose isn't here. It's certainly not a bad thing, but I'm surprised he isn't up here and putting forward his case for why I should choose him instead. Either way, Groose's presence (or lack thereof) won't change my mind—especially after tonight.

Kina appears with perfect timing and distributes another round of drinks around the table, much to the delight of the knights. She whispers something in my ear that I don't quite hear and Karane, having heard it instead, nearly chokes on her drink. Confused, I raise a brow at her as Kina returns to the bar and ask Karane what I missed.

"She said that the shy ones are always the best kissers."

In a cruel twist of fate, I wrongly decide to take a sip of my drink as she says this and almost spit out my drink too. Karane chuckles and pats my back until I've recovered and I offer Link a meagre smile when he hears me coughing. I wave him off and fall back into conversation, determined not to think too much about what Kina said in fear of my face going red.

Soon enough, the group is back to laughing and joking and remains as such for the hours to come. Although the threat of Ghirahim and his monsters lingers at the back of my mind, I allow myself to relax and give myself this night at least and having the others at my side helps immensely. Whenever I zone out or sense that something's off, it's one of them who eases me back into the conversation or comforts me until I'm smiling again.

Where would I be without you all?

Even though I initially hated the idea of having such a large party exploring the Surface after all the dangers we'd faced, I'm glad that we did this together. Although I have Fi in the Goddess Sword, I would have felt so lonely wandering across the Surface with no one there to keep me going or watch my back when danger arose. And, in some respects, Karane and Pipit were able to work through the grief of almost losing their best friend by coming with me and seeing the truth for themselves.

Without them, I wouldn't have been able to bring Link home. It might only be for tonight, but we managed to bring him home together and, for that, I'll be eternally grateful.

As time goes on, the others slowly begin to relax more too. Pipit and Karane, despite the obvious tension between them, even begin to warm back up to each other again. Although it's too loud to talk privately, Link and I often exchange little glances and knowing smiles. There's much to talk about after what's happened, but it can wait for now; it's clear that we both feel the same, so we can hold off talking about it for a few hours.

In one rather dark daydream, I cast my mind back to my faulty memories of the Earth Temple. As I felt the life drain from me—an awful sensation I never want to feel again—I thought about all the things I loved about Link, and I'm doing the same now. The way he jokes with the other knights but also flickers his gaze across to see if I'm alright, the way he sits close to me without being intrusive, the way he smiles and laughs as if he doesn't have the world on his shoulders; I love them all.

I'm suddenly torn away from my thoughts when the band below softly cuts themselves off and people amongst the crowds start hushing each other. We all glance at one another as we climb to our feet and make our way towards the wooden railing that overlooks the main part of the pub as my father makes his way onto the stage. I feel a hand on my shoulder and I can't help but smile at Link's small displays of protectiveness; it's like nothing's changed, yet everything's changed.

Father smiles as his eyes scan the crowds before him, "I hope that everybody has been and continues to enjoy the celebrations tonight. After tragedy struck our community, I feared tonight wouldn't be able to go ahead…" His eyes find the person behind me and the crowd follows. "But the Goddess has brought us a true miracle on this day and, before we drink too much, we should thank her for the joy she has brought to this night and our lives as a whole."

The crowd chuckles at the remark before falling silent once more and I feel the hand on my shoulder pull away as we all clasp our hands together and bow our heads, reciting a prayer we've all been saying since we were children. "Great Goddess, guiding light and protector of our people, we thank you for continuing to light our way through the clouded path of life. We pray for your continued protection and shall live on in your name. We…"

And yet, just like with my song, I start hearing other voices.

"We shall always protect you, dear sister," they say, though it's hard to describe what I'm hearing. It sounds like multiple voices—maybe three—and, rather than actual voices, it sounds like a twinkling sound, almost like chimes. Even though it sounds hard to believe, I can still understand what they're saying. "Now, continue this mission that you set out to complete many moons ago."

My breathing picks up as their voices trail off and I waver suddenly. I instinctively reach out and steady myself against the railing and the sound of it jolts me back into reality. Father's voice soon drifts back into my awareness and I open my eyes as I desperately try to catch my breath. As the others return to their seats and the band starts back up again, I jump at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Zelda?" I turn to find Link's worried expression. "Are you alright?"

"Sister…"

No… I'm just hearing things, I tell myself.

But the last time you heard voices, you ended up on the Surface, another part of me argues.

"Zelda?"

"I-I…" I stare at him for a long time until I can fully process what he said to me and I slowly shake my head, letting him help me back to my seat. "I'm fine," I say finally, fumbling with my hands as I try to get my words out, "I just need some air… maybe some water too."

He frowns, "Do you want me to come with you?"

"No," I say a little too quickly then, upon realising this, I squeeze his hand and add in a softer tone, "No, I'm alright… but thank you."

I don't think he's entirely convinced, but he knows me well enough that I'll be fine once I've had some time and space to myself and he lets me go. I miss his comforting presence as soon as I leave it behind, even if I do catch him glancing back at me as I walk away. I try not to think about what I heard (though it's not like I can hear my own thoughts over the din in here anyway) as I quickly make my way downstairs and through the throng of people towards the bar.

Slipping through the crowds, Pumm spots me straight away and grins, "Good evening, Zelda. What can I get for you?"

"Just some water please." His expression falters.

"Sorry, we ran out 'bout a half-hour ago and I've been too held up here to get any more. But—" he adds before I can leave, reaching down to grab a clean mug from beneath the bar. "—there's a water pump in the storage shed outside you can use. You remember where it is, right?"

I nod and take the mug, happily remembering the many early autumn days I've spent here helping out with the pumpkin harvests. He grins and apologises again for running out as I head towards the entrance with the mug tightly in my grasp. It'll be nice to get outside and have a few moments to think about what happened back there without having to battle with the noise inside.

The once orange sky adorned with purple clouds has faded away and has been consumed by the night; time's gone by faster than I'd originally thought. The wind has died down too and, if it weren't for the thumping music inside the pub, it'd be a silent, peaceful moment. The early autumn chill nips at my bare skin as I use the blanket of stars above as a guide, carefully wandering through the darkness towards the storage shed nearby.

I head down the steps and down the ramp off to the right, spotting the dark handle and spout of the pump in an instant. It takes a few pushes on the handle for the water to come gushing out, and some of it splashes on my arms in the process, but soon enough my mug is full and I'm drinking greedily from it.

As I drink, I finally have the chance to reflect on what happened. That's the second time in one night that something strange has happened now. In all honesty, I was expecting something bad to happen, but I thought it would be Ghirahim attacking or something just as awful; nothing like this. Seeing another glimpse of the Great War and then hearing those voices (ones I've never heard before) just puts me on edge.

What else could happen?

And, as if ordained by the Goddess herself, something else happens.

"Oh sister… there is no need to be afraid."

I yelp at the sudden voices tearing through the quiet night air and accidently drop my mug in the process. It shatters against the wooden boards at my feet, but that's hardly what I'm focusing on right now. I instinctively reach down for the Goddess Sword, only to find air where it should be and I have to remind myself that I left it in my room. I spin around and part my lips to demand who's there, but the words die in my throat before I can utter a word.

What the—?

At first, it doesn't look like anyone's there at all. And yet, as I lean closer, I can just about make out the outline of three floating figures before me. Their voices sound just like twinkling chimes so it's safe to assume that they're the same voices from before, though I'm starting to worry that they weren't a figment of my imagination after all.

"This mortal body does not remember… but it soon shall. Do not fear the past, for within it lies the understanding of your importance within the Goddess's mission."

"Remember?" I parrot. "What don't I remember?" Their voices twinkle again, almost like they're laughing, and I subconsciously take a step towards them—ignoring the crunching of ceramic beneath me as I step on the broken mug.

"This is only the beginning of your journey," they tell me. "You will endure many hardships to protect the one you hold dear, but we shall continue to watch over you, dear sister…"

Sister…? But I don't have a sister…

I rush forwards and reach out to them, desperate for answers.

And yet, when I'm almost within touching distance, they disappear.

I skid and almost trip over myself, gasping for air as if I've suddenly emerged from underwater. I take a few minutes to catch my breath and focus on staving off any nausea I feel when I move. I don't know who those voices are or what they mean, and I really don't know what's going on, but it's starting to scare me now.

Swallowing thickly, I force myself to collect the broken pieces of my mug and slowly walk back towards the pub. The music grows louder with each step and, by the time I'm back in the fray of sound, I throw away the broken ceramic and apologise to Pumm before returning to the table upstairs.

My friends spot me straight away and, apart from their initial relief, seem worried at my exhausted demeanour. Pipit immediately stands and weaves through the people, "Is everything alright?"

A part of me wants to deny what happened, but I'm too tired to even try. I shake my head, "It's been a long night. I…" I pause, then, "I think I'm going to fly home."

"Do you want us to come with you?"

"No, no, I'm fine," I insist. "I think I'll just go back and rest up."

He goes to argue, only for Link and Karane to appear behind him and the former says, "It's dangerous to fly alone and Skyloft's still full of monsters. I'll come back with you and then leave you be if you want?"

Despite my previous insistence to go back alone, I nod numbly, "I'd like that, actually. Thank you."

The others smile, visibly relieved that I won't be alone, and head back to the table. We ignore the hoots and whistles that come our way as we walk down the stairs as people make the wrong assumption about our departure, but I allow myself a small smile at least. After all, I feel exhausted, scared and drained, but one thing I don't feel is alone.

After flying back to Skyloft and wandering through the dark, empty streets hand in hand, Link and I decide not to go straight to sleep but to stay up and talk. Well, we don't necessarily decide on it but instead naturally fall into this routine like we've always done. Thankfully we aren't attacked by any monsters and we return to the Academy without a problem.

"It started with the song I sang," I explain to him as we lie on his bed. "Then, during our prayer, I heard these… voices. And then I went outside and I saw—" A breathless laugh escapes me. "Goddess above, it sounds so mad to think about now."

"It's alright," he reassures me. "I've heard worse."

I smile at his attempt at humour before continuing, "I heard them again and I saw… something—it looked like people, but they weren't really there. A lot's happened in these past few days, but everything tonight just happened too close together."

"Are you feeling a little better now you're here?" I curl further into his side.

"Better with some company. Thank you again for coming back."

He squeezes me, "Of course. After what you said to me—which I'm really hoping wasn't a dream—I don't think I can let you out of my sight."

"Same here… and it wasn't a dream," I whisper, then remember something. "I've been meaning to ask: have you seen anything else about the first Bearer? O-Only if you want to say, of course," I add quickly when I feel him shift his weight uncomfortably.

"It's alright," he murmurs, then, "I, uh, remembered—if that's the right word—the most in the Earth Spring." I cringe inwardly for bringing up such terrible memories for him, though he continues before I can apologise, "I don't know much, but I remember he was imprisoned; I'm not sure why. I remember him being released and fighting alongside the Goddess. He tried to fight the leader of the darkness, but he died after the encounter."

I hum, thinking back to watching the Goddess discover his body, "I remember…" Then, recalling what I saw in the Earth Spring, I add, "Do you remember anything about Ghirahim?"

"No, why?"

I sigh, "He and Fi lived before the Great War. He befriended her—I'm not sure why, but I assume it was planned in some way—and he was tasked with killing the first Bearer. I… this is a lot more personal than I ever could've thought."

I sit up and let my hands fall into my lap as I cast my gaze over to the Goddess Sword resting against the bedframe. Silence befalls the room as we both lose ourselves to our thoughts for a while. From the moment I started hearing that voice calling to me from the Surface, who would've thought we'd be sitting here after going through so much? So much has emerged and come to light since the Wing Ceremony; it's hard to keep up.

Will we ever learn the whole truth?

The problem is, there's a feeling rooted deep inside me telling me that this is somehow all my fault. I'm sure it's just the Demon Lord's words getting to me, but my heart is screaming that I'm more important to all this than I'm making out. Obviously Link is at the heart of this entire mess, yet I can't be so quick to assume that I'm not as well.

"Let's leave it for the night," he says finally. "We should focus on some happier things."

"Like what?" I ask without looking back at him. I hear him sit up and feel him take one of my hands.

"Do you remember what we'll be celebrating soon?"

I think on it but come up with nothing, "I don't, no."

"Well, you have been planning it since I turned seventeen," he laughs. "I think you were more excited for this than I was. So, I can assume I'm not getting a big party then?"

My lips part. How could I forget?

"It's your birthday soon," I breathe, not wanting to believe my own words for a second. Casting my gaze over to him, he smiles at me and my heart sinks. "How I could I forget your eighteenth birthday?"

He's right. Ever since he turned seventeen, I was overjoyed to think about what I could do to help him celebrate his eighteenth birthday since it's when the youths of Skyloft are considered to have "come of age." Since his family aren't here to do a proper celebration, I'd taken it upon myself to do it for them. The Wing Ceremony distracted me from planning anything special, and now I'm even more determined to end the Goddess's mission soon so we can celebrate his birthday in peace.

"Eighteen," he whispers more to himself than the both of us. "I know it's still young but… I already feel so much older after everything that's happened."

"And you became a knight before you came of age, just like you wanted to be," I murmur as I twist around to sit parallel to him. "You did it, Link."

He shrugs aimlessly, "Not quite. I won the Wing Ceremony, but I still have a way to go before I'm an official knight." My lips curve up into a smirk.

"Maybe so, but you missed out on your uniform ceremony; that's a big milestone in itself." And it's true. It sounds simple enough—it's a ceremony where the winner of the Wing Ceremony is given their official knight's uniform for that year—though with the black tornado, the ceremony was forgotten about. My eyes suddenly light up and Link immediately understands what I'm about to do.

"Oh no, Zelda, you don't need to—"

But I'm already on my feet and crossing the short gap between the bed and his wardrobe. Link silently watches on as I rifle through his things clothes until I spot the simple blue tunic I was looking for—the only tunic he owned before the priestess gave him the one he's wearing now. I turn back to him and nod to the space between us. He hesitates for a brief moment before standing before me.

"I know it's not the same, but it'll do for now," I confess. "Ironically, the priestess gave you the same colour tunic as the one we'd picked out for this year, so you could say that the Goddess ordained it. But…" My eyes flicker down to the blue material in my hands. "I guess this can be a symbolic one?"

He smiles sheepishly and rubs the back of his neck, "I'll do my best… though I didn't get the chance to memorise the words." I roll my eyes.

"As the one chosen to act in the Goddess's stead, I suppose I shall take mercy on you for this." He shoots me a look and I barely stifle a laugh. I quickly force myself to be more serious as we he silently asks if I want to do this and I nod firmly.

Although it's my father who presides over these ceremonies, I've been to many of them that I've unintentionally memorised it all myself. Normally, the ceremony would take place between the end of the Wing Ceremony and the Autumnal Equinox and would be more of a public affair. Compared to the ceremony where official knights are given their own swords, this one is far less formal, yet as we stand here in his dorm, everything feels perfect.

And yet, as he kneels before me, I suddenly see a Sailcloth in my hands and not the tunic. There are cobbles at our feet, not his bedroom floor, and I realise that the first Bearer kneels before me and not my Link. I swallow thickly and shake my head, my heart soaring when I snap back into reality and hold out the tunic for him.

"Valiant youth who grasped victory at the celebration of the bird folk, you have received the blessings of the Goddess and have chosen to swear yourself into knighthood." I hold out the bundle to him and, since he's seen his fair share of ceremonies himself, he places his hands underneath mine. "I swear, in the name of the Goddess, to dedicate my life to the protection of others."

I pause so he can repeat it back to me, "I swear, in the name of the Goddess, to dedicate my life to the protection of others."

"I swear to defend those who cannot defend themselves and devote myself to fulfilling the three virtues of knighthood: courage, kindness and discipline." He repeats it and moves to take the tunic from me, but I stop him before he can and he looks at me quizzically. I ease myself onto my knees and meet his gaze firmly as I pledge, "And I swear, in the name of the Goddess, to dedicate my life to protecting you."

His eyes widen and he shakes his head, "Zelda, you don't—"

"I swear to defend you," I continue loudly enough that he stops talking, then in a softer tone add, "Though you can defend yourself, and shield you from the darkness that threatens to steal your light. Now take this symbol of our pledge and wear it with pride." And he does, though only so he can place it on the ground beside him and bundle me up into a firm embrace.

We stay like that for a while, simply holding one another with only our quiet breathing breaking through the stillness. I didn't plan on any of this, but I'm glad that I said it. As a friend, I've always silently vowed to take care of him as he's always done for me—it's a silent, mutual agreement we've had ever since we were young—but now things have changed both between us and in our lives as a whole. He needs to know that I'll still be there for him, as I always will be.

"Thank you," he murmurs, though I don't think he's thanking me for just the ceremony.

"We'll have to do an official one, but I'm sure this'll do for now," I say anyway, shying away from his thanks. He pulls away with a smile and lets it go, allowing us to both stand and sit back on the edge of his bed. He takes the tunic with him and places it in his lap, his expression unreadable as he stares down at it for a while. "Rupee for your thoughts?"

He shrugs, "Official or not, I wish they were here for milestones like this. They're important and, well, they won't be here to celebrate with me."

I don't even have to ask who "they" are. Link was only twelve, almost thirteen (and I had just turned twelve), when he lost his entire family in a single night. He lost his father, Raven, his mother, Wren, and his newly born sister, Roperi (who was quickly nicknamed Crimson because of her strawberry blonde tufts of hair, and who Link named his Loftwing after).

It's tradition for new-borns to be blessed by the Goddess on the island of Austri in the southern skies, but usually families go within the first two weeks of the child's birth. Since Wren was still regaining her strength, almost a month had gone by and they were determined to have Roperi blessed as soon as possible.

They left one night and, because of what we can only assume was a storm, they never came home. It was by accident, or fate, that they left Link behind that night or he would've joined them. That's what made the black tornado just as hard to bear, and something I would've thought about more if it weren't for the Goddess's mission—Link had almost died just like the rest of his family.

Even though I lost my mother a few years later, I still had my father—Link had no blood relations left, apart from some aunts and uncles who weren't a part of his life anymore. The aftermath of their deaths was a permanent scar not only on him, but the entire island. His parents were loved by everyone and were pillars of the community; we all felt their loss like a void in our lives.

"They'd be so proud of you," I tell him. "I know you've heard it all your life, but they really would be." He hums but says nothing. "Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"

He snorts breathlessly, "I doubt the Headmaster would approve of that." I nudge him and roll my eyes at his quiet attempt at humour.

"You know what I mean. But seriously, I can stay if you want."

He thinks about it before replying, "I'd like that," with a vulnerability in his voice that makes my heart ache. I nod and rise, giving his shoulder a comforting squeeze before leaving him behind, letting him know that I'll be back in a minute.

I quickly head upstairs and start to get ready for bed, starting by taking the flowers out of my hair and detangling the plaits before changing into a simple nightdress and hopping into Karane's room to place the dress back on her bed. I scribble down a little note saying, 'Thank you for lending me such a lovely dress and for being my best friend. –Zelda,' and place it on top.

When I return to take the Goddess Sword with me as a precaution, my eyes catch the two statuettes of the Goddess and her chosen hero on my desk—the ones that Link made for me. After everything that's happened tonight, I've had little time to consider the best part. Knowing that we both feel the same has lifted a weight from my chest, one I never realised was there before, and I feel oddly renewed.

I feel a little strange as I make my way back downstairs without any shoes on, and I'm still smiling about it by the time I'm knocking on Link's door and I hear him calling for me to go in. He's ready and waiting for me in his night clothes as I step inside, unable to let my smile fade as we settle down.

"Do you remember when we used to do this growing up?" I ask. "I don't know how they managed to keep us apart."

"They didn't," is all Link says at first before grunting as he shifts over to give me room, "Though we've both grown since then—I wish the bed had too."

I scoff with mock irritation, "You're the one who always takes up all the space. Look, you're still doing it now." He rolls his eyes as I force him to move over some more so I'm sleeping against the wall—a protective measure that I'm not blind to, though I don't complain—and so we can both fit.

"I'm bigger than you and it's my room; I can take up all the space I want," he protests. "And besides, the floor's there if you want it." He laughs at the look I shoot him and holds out one arm so I can shuffle closer. Peering down at me, his eyes flicker down to my lips and he meekly asks, "Can I…?"

I smirk, "You don't have to ask." Sensing his hesitancy, I take the lead and we have just about enough self-control to leave it at one kiss before he rests his chin on top of my head. "Goodnight, sleepyhead. I love you."

"I love you too, Zelda. Sleep well."

For a moment, the smile tugs at my lips. And then, when I remember how tired I feel, I sink into his embrace and allow sleep to take me.

However, even after everything that's happened tonight—good and bad—my dreams decide to give me no mercy.

~*O*~

"Zellie, don't go in there! It's too dangerous!"

But I refuse to listen. On this fateful summer night—the summer after I turned fifteen—I tear out of someone's grip and dash towards the Knight Academy as it continues to burn. The night air is plagued with smoke and ash, the once purple hue now engulfed with a haunting orange glow. Terror gnaws at every fibre of my being as people continue to scream my name from behind, but their voices soon fade out; they can't follow after me.

I have to find them.

Through the few windows left and the empty window frames, the flames dance within the place that I've forever called home. The Academy itself is a bur of fire and thick smoke, doors and entrances completely barring me off from getting through to who I want to find. I skid into a halt and take a deep gulp of air as I angrily wipe away any tears that threaten to fall. As I hop through one of the empty window frames, I cover my mouth with my sleeve and start to run through the clouds of orange smoke inside.

Muffled shouts and screams bounce between the crumbling walls, although the smoke destroys any chance of me figuring out where the cries are coming from so all I can do is search each room and pray that I find them both soon. My vision blurs as my eyes well up from all the smoke, but I endure and continue regardless—I'm not leaving without them.

I'm dizzy and lightheaded by the time I reach his room at the end of the corridor, my body screaming at me to get out and my heart screaming louder that I can't leave yet. I can just about make out the smouldering rubble in the doorway and barring the entrance. I squint and peer inside, knowing who's in there and what I'll have to do to save him.

My heart soars when I spot him, yet my hope is quickly crushed when I realise what's happened.

I can just about make out his figure on the ground with one hand outstretched towards the doorway—towards me. Between the wisps of smoke, I can't make out any blood, but that's the least of my concerns.

His chest isn't moving.

"No…" I breathe, then burst out into a fit of coughs. "N-No, Link… please…"

This isn't real.

This isn't what happened.

I remember finding him; he was still alive. We tried to escape together.

This isn't real. This can't be real!

I collapse to my knees as the world around me continues to burn, uncaring for my dimming vision or coughing fits as I wallow in my failure to save him. I'd promised to protect him, to shield him from danger, and I failed to do that.

"It's only a dream, little bird…"

I snap my head up at the sound of the new voice—I recognise them instantly. Spinning around, albeit clumsily, I spot a figure created by the plumes of smoke, "M-Mother?"

And it's her, or at least it's a smoky apparition on her. My heart breaks to see her. "This is all one bad dream…"

"No… I-I can save you!"

Through my haze—physically and emotionally—I force myself to stand and rush towards the stairway. She was trapped in here too, up in my father's office, and I can try to save her at least.

It's blocked.

"N-No!"

I whirl back around to face my mother, but she's already gone—stolen away by the smoke. Collapsing to my knees, I wrap my arms around my middle and let the flames around me continue to dance. The people I came to save are gone, the place I called home is in flames and all I can do is wait until I black out and hope that someone saves me.

But nobody comes.

~*O*~

I bolt upright with a gasp, panting heavily as I hurriedly wipe the sheen of sweat from my brow. Even though I'm awake, I'm still struggling to focus on where I am and I instinctively start coughing as if the smoke's still here. My chest strains as I curl into myself and desperately try to catch my breath. Holding my head between my legs, I scrunch up my hands around the bedsheets and breathe deeply.

"It was just a dream…" I whisper aloud. "Just a horrible, horrible dream…"

But it felt so real…

Soon enough, my body slowly stops trembling and I can finally relax. It takes me a minute to remember why I'm not in my room, especially when I notice that I'm the only one in here. Sunlight peeks in through the cracks in the boarded up window, so I can safely assume that it's morning—it's time to get ready for the day.

Today, we'll probably set out for the "parched desert of Lanayru" that Fi spoke of in the Earth Spring. It would be nice to stay here for longer and rest up, but I'm already feeling restless enough without hearing those voices and seeing glimpses of the Great War so now I'm certain we need to head out soon before anything terrible happens here.

But first, I need to find a certain sleepyhead—if only to reassure myself after that awful nightmare.

Checking that the coast is clear, I silently sneak back up to my room to quickly change before returning downstairs so I can search for Link at this early hour. As I start down the stairway, however, I suddenly smell something that fills me with horror after the dream I just had.

The smell of smoke.

"Zellie, don't go in there! It's too dangerous!"

Goddess no…!

*Austri means "south" in Latin, as it's an island in the southern skies.