"Can you remember who you were, before the world told you who you should be?"

~Charles Bukowski~

Ancient Roots

Chapter 20: Providence

I scream, hot tears streaming down my face as I desperately reach out for his hand. He plummets into an abyss of pure whiteness, but there's only the two of us tumbling into this land of nothingness. Something at the back of my mind screams that none of this is real, yet there's a feeling rooted deep inside me screaming that although this may not be real, a real danger will be coming—coming for Link—and I must protect him.

As the world continues to drag him down and far away from me, I throw my hand out as far as I can, our fingers brushing for the briefest of moments. With a cry, I finally grab his pale hand, closing my fingers in and around his before he can be taken away from me again. A grunt escapes me as I draw him into a tight embrace, flinching as we jolt into a halt all of a sudden.

Silence befalls the void, only the sound of my pounding heart and shaking breaths breaking through it. Despite the fear raging in my heart, I take solace in knowing that I finally have him back. He finally opens his eyes and my heart skips a beat as his sky blue eyes lock onto mine; blue on blue. They're blurred with confusion, and I can't help but notice a glint of gold dancing in his pupils—distorting the eyes of the boy I know and love.

"Zelda?" he murmurs, as if unsure that I'm really here, and his free hand moves to caress my cheek to prove I'm real.

I break out into a broad grin and slump against him, losing all sense of time and reality as we hug tightly. My tears return with full force—not that they'd ever really stopped in the first place—as I cling to him. The mere act of him smoothing back my blonde hair and feeling his fingers becoming entangled visibly relaxes me after everything that we've just been through.

"Don't ever leave me again, Link," I whisper, my voice and sobs muffled by his shoulder.

"Oh, Your Grace, but he must."

A new voice suddenly enters this strange realm, instantly sending a wave of dread into my gut as Link visibly tenses beneath me and I do too.

I know that voice anywhere.

"Ghirahim."

The voice chuckles and continues, "He bears something we need. And we must obtain it…" Without warning, I'm lifted into the air by an invisible force, suspending me in the air above Link and leaving him all alone to be pulled back into the void. "Say goodbye to him, Your Majesty, because you will never see him again."

My heart hammers against my chest as I fruitlessly struggle to free myself, crying out with all of my might as the whiteness below morphs into a land of shadow which threatens to consume Link within moments. The force that holds me back remains persistent despite my best efforts, but I will not stop. I will be free, and so will he.

I am so much stronger than the darkness.

Or at least I thought I was.

I wince as a burst of light invades my vision, a river of gold appearing from the darkness and flies towards me. Particles of light, so warm and bright and achingly familiar, soar past me and to a place somewhere beyond my vision, and my stomach drops when I finally spot its source.

"Link!" I cry out in vain.

But he's gone now. All that's left is the sound of our screams echoing around the void as I'm caught up in a torrent of darkness and—

Three figures float in the distance, ignoring my plight and beckoning me to join them. They say nothing before their bodies burst into three singular flames—one green, one blue and one red. Before I can even think of trying to protect myself, the flames fly at me and I scream.

But there's no pain.

" Search for the three and you shall find the path to your beloved…"

~*O*~

I bolt upright with a gasp. I slump back against my bed when the world catches up with me and I close my eyes. It was only a nightmare, even if this one seems to be recurring. But despite the fact that I've had this dream before, I'm starting to understand the meaning of it and that alone fills me with dread—something's been trying to warn me about what would happen this entire time and I had no idea.

And now I've lost Link just like in my dream, but I will get him back.

It's night now, although I'm not sure what time it is. Ever since I had my realisation earlier in the day, I've tried to keep to myself. Only my father knows what's happened and I'd like to keep it that way. With Pipit still recovering, people need to focus on him, not me. And besides, who's really going to believe me? Even my father was too speechless to react.

But I know I'm right.

And now I'm going to carry on with the Goddess's mission—or rather, my mission—on my terms. No more companions, no more large parties; I'm doing this on my own. The Goddess chose me (or I chose me, I don't know) to fulfil my destiny as the Goddess Reborn and I'm going to do it on my own. She didn't choose anyone else, just me and Link, and that's how it's going to stay.

If only she didn't throw an identity crisis into the mix as well…

I lie there and shake off the last remnants of the nightmare, doing my best to focus on the pragmatics of my nightmare—it was only a dream, Link is still alive (or was when I last saw him) and nothing in that dream can hurt me. When I'd first tried to fall asleep after my realisation, my father had been here to comfort me when I saw flashes of the past—my memories—but now, when I need a hug the most, he's somewhere else.

I shake my head. That sort of thinking is unreasonable; he needs rest as much as the rest of us.

The strange thing is, I don't doubt what I know about myself now. Unlike when Fi told me of my destiny in the Chamber of the Sword, there's not a doubt in my mind anymore. Even without Ghirahim and Impa referring to me as Her Grace and even the first Bearer believing I had some sort of connection to the Goddess—Hylia, she has a name now—I know in my heart that I am the mortal incarnation of the Goddess.

Either way, it won't change my mind—there's someone out there who's far away from me right now and I want to bring him home safely. Nothing will stop me from doing that.

I'm not sure whether it's my nightmare or just the clarity of who I need to be, but I have the sudden urge to get out of here. Impa told me to go back to the Sealed Grounds and tell the priestess what happened at the Temple of Time and I can feel the pressure growing the longer I leave it. I need to ask about that seal and more about the creature that's trapped there so I can get a better understanding of everything.

That and I need to get going before that creature tries to attack Link again, no matter how far apart they are now.

And yet, it's not like I can whistle for Destiny and set out for Faron right now. We all know that Loftwings can't fly at night, but I also know that I won't be sleeping anytime soon. And if I can't sleep or go anywhere, then I have to do something to keep my mind going that'll help in some way.

Then I get an idea.

Swinging my legs over the edge of my bed, I rise and pull on a robe so I look a little more respectable. My bare feet slap against the floor as I step out into the corridor, glad that the lamps stay lit throughout the light as I make my way over to my father's office. Thankfully, he's left it unlocked and I slip inside.

I light all the lamps inside and cross over to the bookshelves, taking off as many books relating to the ancient texts that I can find and pile them up on Father's desk. If there's anything here related to the Goddess in more detail or anything that can help me in the future, then it'll be in here. As I plop myself down his plush chair and open up my first book, I start reading.

I hope you're doing better, Link. Wherever you are…

~Interlude~

"I'll see you again; this isn't goodbye, Link! I promise!"

No matter how many hours had passed since they'd gone through the Gate of Time, Link found it impossible to clear his mind. He tried to think of her in that moment rather than imagine what happened after he'd gone through the gate, though it was proving more and more difficult as time passed by. He pictured her telling him off for worrying about him so much and that made him smile at the very least.

The almost unbearable pain he felt at the Temple of Time disappeared as soon as they'd gone through the gate, yet exhaustion lingered on the edges of his awareness. It was a pain he never wanted to feel again but, with the Demon Lord's threats still ringing in his ears hours later, he had a feeling (like the one he'd told Zelda about) that he'd have to endure a lot more pain in the future.

Impa observed him from afar with crossed arms, deep crimson eyes glinting in the torchlight. It had only been a few hours since they'd gone through the Gate of Time and travelled to the Temple of Hylia, a place that brought back many memories for the both of them. The Sheikah scanned the silent temple around her, its peaceful demeanour a comfort to her after everything. The clashes of blades no longer rung between its walls; however, she could still sense darkness nearby.

She'd tried to speak Link, but he was still reeling too much from the showdown at the Temple of Time to answer her. That and he was still a little wary of her. The Sheikah recognised that he needed to trust her completely if they were to get through the coming days.

Pulling herself from the wall that she was resting against, Impa climbed the steps to where he sat and kneeled before him. He raised his gaze to look at her, though he didn't react to her presence. The Sheikah suddenly realised that she wasn't sure what to say. She'd been raised in wartime and often dealt with soldiers rather than regular citizens. And while he shared the same soul as one of her comrades in arms, he was far from the first Bearer.

I don't know how to comfort him…

Swallowing thickly, she murmured, "It seems you always knew that you'd be leaving them behind, but there was nothing else that could be done for you to stay, not with the seal waning as it was. But the Demon Lord's plans have been foiled and you survived."

"It doesn't matter if they're dead," his first words since they'd come through the gate were muttered hoarsely, angrily. He wasn't angry at her, but himself. "I abandoned them and I didn't have a choice."

"They'll be fine and, deep down, you know that too," she assured him. "We both know how strong they are—how strong you are—and I have no doubt that they'll be just fine. Now, Bearer—"

"I have a name," he snapped. "And it isn't Bearer."

Impa sighed; she'd made another mistake. If he was going to trust her then she needed to be more honest, "I'm sorry. I'm a Sheikah and woman of war—it's a habit I must grow out of."

"You used my name when you spoke to Zelda. Is it so hard to say it again?" he asked plainly. She hesitated and he dropped his head into his hands, "Sorry."

"It's alright," she said as she took a seat next to him. His eyes followed her, less wary now and more curious as she turned her head up to the ceiling, "I'm a Sheikah who grew up with reverent titles for the chosen ones, and I'm a woman of war where I built trust with soldiers before using their names." She looked down and offered him a small, genuine smile, "But we're not amongst Sheikah and we aren't amongst soldiers, are we, Link?"

He smiled before he could stop himself, "No we aren't, Impa." But his smile soon turned into a frown and he murmured, "So… what happens now?"

That was a question that would take some time to answer, yet Impa took a deep breath and did her best, "Zelda's destiny will lead her here in the future, but until then there is lots to be done." She paused, knowing that the mention of Zelda's name would lift his spirits, then continued with a more sombre topic, "I'm sure you can sense the seal nearby."

He nodded, "The seal imprisoning the Demon King."

"Yes, but that seal will not last forever," she explained. "By the time Zelda arrives here, we must have a foolproof plan in place that will ensure the seal holds long enough for her to fulfil her destiny of defeating the Demon King for good."

Link raised a brow, confused and a little worried, "Her destiny? I thought we'd be united in fighting him."

"You will be, but you will have different roles to play." It wasn't the most satisfying answer, but it would have to do for now. After all, what was another question added to the list of others he had no answers to?

"Alright. Do you have a plan already in mind?"

She nodded, "I do, and it requires you learning another spell." His eyes lit up at that and a smile tugged at her lips. "But there's much you must learn first. You and Zelda are in the dark about much of the past and, thus, many of your questions have been left unanswered so far."

"You can say that again."

"There's something outside that you need to see. It'll be a trek, but I'm sure it'll clear up a few things at the very least," she said, then, "And in the meantime, I can fill in all the gaps in your knowledge."

He nodded silently and she gestured for him to join her, but he stayed where he was for the moment. His eyes were downcast and he thought back to one of the bigger questions he didn't have an answer to. Raising his head, he asked her, "Was Ghirahim right about the ritual? That it'll…"

Tear me apart piece by piece, he wanted to say, but he couldn't speak it into existence.

The Sheikah's eyes softened as she took a seat at his side again and, going against everything she ever knew, wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Not only was the Demon Lord correct, but that wasn't the end of it. As a Sheikah who knew the origins and implications of the ritual, an ancestral guilt coursed through her every time she thought about the ritual and how she'd need to train Link to resist its power. But she wouldn't hide the truth from him—she'd lied to him enough.

"He was, but that's what else we'll be doing during our time here. As a Sheikah, I understand how the ritual works and, therefore, I know how you can fight it." He said nothing, unconvinced. "I won't deny the truth of the ritual; it's a horrific, twisted spell that'll bring about much pain and suffering if ever conducted on you… but I will do everything in my power to protect you from it."

He fumbled with his hands and avoided her gaze, "And… if you can't protect me from it?"

"Then I'll have every faith that you'll have the strength to fight it enough for us to save you."

But he didn't want to be saved. He just wanted to go home.

Releasing a shaky breath, Link stood and held a hand out to the Sheikah, "We can think about that later. Right now, you owe me that explanation." It was obvious that her words bothered him, and it would be naïve to think that he'd simply get over the idea of someone hunting him down to the ends of the world to tear him apart, but she had promised to protect him with everything in her and she wouldn't go against her word.

Impa took his hand and stood before leading him towards the front of the temple, pushing open the doors and stepping outside, "Let's start at the beginning…"

~Zelda~

A yawn escapes me as I flip over another page. Goddess knows (can I even say that anymore?) how long it's been, but it's still dark outside and I'm only halfway through the pile of books. Normally, the ancient texts are only referred to in class and they barely even leave the Academy's walls, so it's a novelty to have access to them all whenever I please.

Not that they're helping much right now, mind you.

The problem is, not only are there lots of texts of texts to sift through, but most of it's also irrelevant and any parts about the Goddess are vague at best. Reading the texts hasn't been the hard part, just the pain of having to sit and translate certain passages. A part of me would just ignore them, but who knows what could be waiting in that passage to help me? Then again, I think I'm more scared of mistranslating the passage and misinterpreting it.

Footsteps sound outside every few hours as knights flit between patrols, though no one comes in here and I'm glad for it. With just me, my thoughts and these books, I have more than enough to keep my occupied. I haven't dared go down to see Pipit since earlier. I'm still ridden with guilt over him getting hurt and I don't think I can face Mallara again for a while, not after how I left things. I hope I didn't worry her too much—she looked scared when I tried to leave, as if she saw something on my face that betrayed how I was feeling.

Returning my attention back to this particularly tricky passage, something stirs in me with every phrase I translate, whether it's about the Goddess or not. Reading about the past makes me feel nostalgic and I can't help but feel oddly comforted by that. There's always been this feeling deep inside that's comforted me and made me feel like I'm not alone, and I suppose now I know what that is. And after losing Link at the Temple of Time, I crave a comforting presence.

I just didn't think it would be the presence of the Goddess Hylia.

Hylia, I muse. It's a name I've never heard (the closest I've been is the Hylian Crest) but it feels so right. It's a nice name, I conclude.

A part of me can't help but wonder how far this'll go. What happened to Link in the Earth Spring has weighed on me for many different reasons, and now I have another to add: will the same thing happen to me? Hylia hasn't tried to take control of me like the first Bearer has, but she has to be more aware of what's going on than him. He was lost, confused—a Goddess can't be that.

Either way, it's unsettling to think about whether or not I'll go through what Link did.

My fingers brush the edges of the next page and I let it fall as that thought makes my mind wander. I sigh and let my head drop into my hands. I feel like there's a pressure now that wasn't there before. Well, there was a pressure, but that was just out of wanting to protect my friends and figure out the truth. Now I have the Goddess herself with me and I can't keep making mistakes. No more ambushes, no more hesitation—I have to be the person I'm destined to be.

"No pressure at all then," I huff.

I go back to my books with a sigh and rest my chin on one hand as I flick through the pages. My mind's still so active that I'm not tired at all. I just need to push through until morning and then I can get out of here and head to the Sealed Temple. It's the only lead I have to getting back to Link and, even though I understand much more now, there's still so much I don't know.

So far, I know that Ghirahim's central motive in his hunt for Link is to use him as a sacrifice in a ritual that'll resurrect his Master—the same creature that the Goddess fought and sealed away thousands of years ago. He's safe for right now, but both the Demon Lord and I won't rest until we find another way to wherever the Gate of Time led Link and Impa, so the sun needs to rise so I can get started.

"Your time will come, dear sister…"

I jump at the sudden trio of voices before forcing myself to relax—they're practically a part of my everyday life now. Then I realise just exactly what they said.

"Wait… sister?"

Hylia had sisters…?

So that means—

I flinch when my vision blurs and my head starts to pound as twinkling voices whisper out to me, "Before time began, before spirits and life existed… three golden Goddesses descended upon the chaos of the land. Din, the Goddess of Power. Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom. Farore, the Goddess of Courage. They descended to the land and brought order to the world…"

I sit there with my head in my hands long after their voices have drifted away, squeezing my eyes shut as I fail to stem the tide of pain in my head. The thought of other deities out there is overwhelming enough, but there's also something else. Maybe it's Hylia's presence (though we're the same) but hearing the Goddesses names feels like a part of me is home after a long time away.

"Ow," I grunt as the pain finally goes away. Glaring up at the ceiling, I ask, "How many more of these memories are you going to give me before my head explodes?"

I get no response.

I glance down to the ancient texts below and, as if ordained by the Goddesses (I need to get used to saying that), the book is opened to a page where three androgynous figures are depicted—one red, one blue and one green. I wouldn't have thought anything of it if it weren't for the divine intervention going on in my life. I can't help but smile and shake my head.

I guess this fixes my problems of whether or not I can say the Goddess's name in vain—I have four to pick from now.

Looking over to the partially open window, my heart skips a beat when I notice the top of the sun just starting to peek over the horizon—it's almost daybreak. Suddenly elated after that new memory, I jump to my feet and start collecting the ancient texts from the desk so I can put them back on the shelves. It's time to get going.

That's sudden voice startles me, "Dominae." I jump and whirl around to find Fi floating next to the door. I left the Goddess Sword in my room so it's a surprise to see her here.

"F-Fi," I stammer. "Is everything alright?"

She nods, "Yes, Dominae. I have a status report. Now that daybreak has arrived, I advise you return to the Sealed Grounds as the Sheikah had instructed. I also recommend you restock on all provisions and potions before setting out."

"I will," I say, though I suddenly realise something. "Fi… why didn't you tell me about Hylia before? Surely that would've made things easier."

But the spirit shakes her head, "My creator gave me a single purpose: to assist the chosen one on their mission. She insisted that any information pertaining to your identity as the Goddess Reborn be kept a secret so you may understand your destiny for yourself."

I frown, "But… I'm your creator."

"And I serve you dutifully, Dominae."

Before I can ask anything else, there's a knock at the door and Fi disappears in a burst of light. I grit my teeth and call for whoever it is to enter, blinking when my father slips inside. He seems surprised at my presence here, though he sees the pile of books in my arms and frowns at me.

"My dear… have you been here all night?"

"I have," I confirm. "I couldn't sleep and I needed to wait for sunrise before I could head back out to the Surface, so I thought I'd look at the ancient texts."

He takes the last few books from the desk and helps to put them back as he asks, "And did you find anything about this… Hylia you spoke of?"

"Not anything more than what we already know—her name isn't there, at least," I say, noting how he doesn't look too convinced. "You don't believe what I told you, do you?"

"No, no, it's not that," he's quick to reassure. "It's just… I'm rather worried about you returning to the Surface so soon. For you to proclaim such a thing and then leave without having the time to process it…"

I sigh, "I know you don't want me to be leaving so soon, Father, but I can't sit idly by while Link's still in danger. I know he's safe, but who knows what situation he's found himself in since then. I have a duty to him, the land and the sky, and I won't shirk that."

There's a long moment of silence where neither of us speak and, for a moment, I don't know what he's going to say. I wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't believe what I said about Hylia. After all, it came so out of the blue and no one's heard of the name Hylia before. And then his daughter comes back home, tired and emotional from her time on the Surface, and claims to be the Goddess reborn as a mortal. I doubt any other parent has had to go through this before.

"I will process what you told me in my own time," he says after a while. "But you must remember that you're only human. You haven't slept, nor have you eaten much and by going back to the Surface now, you're putting yourself at risk that I cannot allow as a father. I know it must be tough to hear, but Link is safe for the moment and he's well protected. I wish to fulfil my duty as a father and his wishes by watching over you."

He's right. I do need to be more careful if I'm to fulfil the Goddess's mission—my mission…

But I can't keep stalling like this. Not with so much on the line.

"Please, Father," I plead, praying that what I'm about to say next won't hurt him too much. "If it was me down there then you wouldn't stop Link from leaving."

His eyes widen and his lips part. I don't think he was expecting me to say something like that, but we both know it's true. If I was in Link's place right now then he wouldn't be stopping anyone from going out there and finding me. Of course, he'd still look out for Link like he's doing for me, but I have to go—as the Goddess Reborn, it's what I have to do.

And, deep down, he knows that too.

He sighs, "You're right. But you won't leave this island until you've eaten and have all the provisions you can take with you."

"I promise, Father," I vow, trying to hide my visible relief at him letting me go. "I won't fail you." He smiles sadly and pulls me into an embrace.

"Oh, my dear… you could never do such a thing."

I do as Father asks and grab breakfast from the kitchen before the other students are awake. Since the Bazaar won't be open for a while yet, I ask Instructor Owlan for some spare potions and be on my way. By the time I'm back in my room to start getting dressed for the day, I pick up my bag that hangs from the back of my chair and restock it. My heart squeezes when I realise that I'm now packing for one and not four people.

So much has changed…

"It's better this way," I try and comfort myself out loud. "This is how Hylia—how I—intended things…"

My eyes fall to the wooden figures on my desk, the same ones Link had given to me for the Autumnal Equinox. He was here not too long ago and now Goddess—Goddesses—knows where he is now. I can only hope that he's alright and that I'll see him soon just like I'd promised.

"Just focus on staying safe and, soon enough, we'll be back together to celebrate your birthday in peace, won't we?"

"Fi," I murmur. The sword at my side glows and the spirit appears immediately. "It's going to be Link's birthday soon and I'm worried I'll lose track of time and forget what day it is. When the time comes, could you remind me?"

"Of course, Dominae."

Now I have a timeframe in which to work because I refuse to let him celebrate his birthday in any other way than in peace.

Checking over my things one last time, I take one last lingering look at my room—the place where I realised who I really was—before lowering my head and exiting. Even though I know what I have to do, leaving Skyloft gets harder and harder each time as the stakes continue to heighten. But I have to leave for everyone's sake and I refuse to let my emotions get the better of me.

My shoes click softly against the cold floor as I make my way down to the lower floor of the Academy and set out for the day. I spot a light coming out from Link's dorm before I even pass it and I don't want to be childish and avoid the room altogether. I ball my hands into fists and force myself onward.

That's when I hear a familiar voice as I pass by.

"So, I guess you're going to sneak off and leave without saying goodbye then."

I pause mid step and cringe before turning into the room. Pipit sits inside with his exposed upper half against the bed frame, his expression carefully guarded at the sight of me fully equipped and ready to leave. Mallara's suspiciously absent from his side, though I assume it's so she can get some rest. The sight of his bandages makes my stomach twist uncomfortably and, knowing that I still need to talk to him after I promised him answers, lean against the doorway.

"How are you feeling?" I ask. He shrugs.

"I'm fine. Going a little stir crazy already but I wouldn't be here if I hadn't been so reckless." I raise a brow in surprise at how honest he is. Usually, he wouldn't talk about himself like this, but the use of the word reckless makes me think Mallara's spoken to him—I know how she gets frustrated when Pipit gets prideful like his father. "It'd be easier if I had some answers, though."

Link is Pipit's friend too, I remind myself. He deserves to know what happened.

I silently step inside and take up the empty chair next to the bed, dropping my hands into my lap and make sure I meet his gaze as I explain, "It's a complicated story, but I'll do my best." He says nothing, so I take that as my cue to continue. "Link is instrumental in Ghirahim's plans of reviving an ancient monster—the same one the Goddess fought."

The same one I fought, I mentally add, though I'm not getting into that now.

"And what does that have to do with Impa?"

"The seal on that monster weakened when we were at the Temple of Time and Link was caught up in it," I tell him. The memories bring back a mix of emotions that I try not to show too hard. "He was in trouble and I didn't know how to help him. Impa told me that going through the Gate of Time would protect him, but it was her duty to take him through whilst we stayed here."

He furrows his brows, "But how—"

"Link trusted her and… so do I," I cut in before he can finish. He raises a brow at me, confused. "It's complicated, but we both believe that Impa really is on her side and she only faked being on the Demon Lord's side so she could find out his plans. I know it's confusing, but just trust us."

"So, she destroyed the gate so no one could go after them?" he asks, and I nod numbly. A sigh escapes him and he rubs his face absently. "Do you know where they went?"

If only… I think to myself, then say, "No, only that it's far away from Ghirahim and the monster he's trying to bring back. Impa told me to go back to the woods and talk to someone Karane and I met there."

"Is Karane going with you?"

A part of me wants to lie and tell him yes, but he'll be able to read me like a book and I'd rather be honest, or at least half honest, "No, but I won't be long. I only need to go down and talk to her, then I'll be back and I'll go from there." He goes to protest, but I stand and tell him, "Just focus on getting better and I'll update you when I come home."

"Fine," he says after a pause. "Just don't be stupid down there. I want the both of you home and that won't happen if you're out there getting yourself hurt."

I smile but say nothing. He watches me go without saying anything else and I'm glad for it. Thankfully, that wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, although I'm sure it's because Pipit's had time to think about what he saw from the other side of the temple as Impa fought Ghirahim and spoke to me.

The sweet autumn air greets me as I step outside, and it feels like I'm free. Of course, I'm weighed down by worries and thoughts of what the future may hold, but it's my burden to bear now. Having Karane and Pipit with me was a good comfort and a great help in battle, but now it's time for me to focus on the Goddess's mission without having to think about the problems of a large party.

It's just me and the path ahead now.

I don't even ask Fi if I'm ready by the time I reach the plaza because I'm so ready to get started. With Hylia's presence in my heart and the motivation to find Link fuelling my drive, I take a few steps back before leaping off the wooden platform and whistle for my Loftwing. For a moment, I see Crimson rather than Destiny, but it feels like a memory from Hylia's time rather than from Zelda's time—my time.

Goddess above, this is going to get confusing.

Either way, those robots mentioned Hylia having a Loftwing so I'm sure I'll be having more and more of those little memories as I go. Though that begs the question: is this what Link's been going through ever since the start—seeing these little flashes without me noticing? If so, then he's definitely been coping with them better than I have, that's for sure.

As I fly towards the green Column of Light, I cast my mind back to this identity crisis I'm having. Am I supposed to be Zelda or the Goddess? Are we—they? I don't know what to use—supposed to be interchangeable or two separate people? I see Link and the first Bearer as two different people, so I guess I should do the same, right?

But he isn't connected to the deity who created this mission in the first place. Maybe Zelda—me—will just fade away so Hylia's in complete control when she fights this great apocalypse.

I shudder at the thought. But I don't want to lose myself…

I'm still struggling with my inner conflict as I arrive at the Column of light and Destiny naturally starts to circle it until I'm ready to descend. I shake out my Sailcloth and swing my legs over the edge. I hear a Loftwing behind me but I shrug it off—they're a species of early birds, after all. Trying to pull my thoughts back to the present, I take a moment to breathe and ground myself before dropping down into Faron Woods.

Whatever I am, I need to—

"Zelda!"

I blink at the sound of a rather girly screech above me and I wonder why I recognise such a squawk. I haven't pulled out my Sailcloth so I glance up before I do so and all I can see is a shadow plummeting towards me with flailing arms and legs. I squint, unsure who they are but realising that they clearly don't have a Sailcloth.

"Zelda, help!"

Then I see their bright red hair.

"G-Groose?!"