Author's Note: So I did a performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" yesterday and it went so well. Sun-burnt like hell, though. Oh well, I wanted to write a new chapter in honour of this event anyway; so I hope that you like it.

Reviews: MiniJen: I'm so glad that you liked it! And thank-you so much for all of the support that you are giving me!

Guest (guest): Yes, Link will certainly be in this chapter. And you'll just have to wait and see with Groose.

CupcakePride101: They really are young, and he was just trying to make her panic; don't worry! And oh Groose...

Schniedragon88: It really is, and I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter. And thank-you for telling me!

Vampie-Queen-Kazumi: Yeah he is, and I agree with him being annoying. Hopefully I can change that.

Clashing Swords: Totally agree!

Clashing Swords: Like with many characters, I want Groose to be different from how he was in the game just to make it a little more unique. Glad you're enjoying it!

Favourites & Follows: No favourites, but I think that I may have lost a follower. I'm sorry to whoever that was!

"A good companion shortens the longest road."

~Turkish Proverb~

Ancient Roots

A Skyward Sword FanFiction

Chapter 27: Trust

~Interlude~

"Impa?" Link asked rather timidly, "Who was Sheik?"

She stiffened at the question. The Sheikah had never had much company over the years, and with that she was able to avoid questions such as that one. The topic of Sheik was a rough one to say the least, but with the trust that she had developed with Link, she couldn't deny him the answer. He must have noticed her hesitation, because he gave her a reassuring smile.

He must have remembered Impa talking to the first Bearer about Sheik.

Sitting down beside him at the top of the grand staircase, she brushed aside her worries and clasped her hands together in her lap. "Before the Great War, my father and I had found a Sheikah orphan left by his clan. He was around my age, and told us his name was Sheik. He had nowhere else to go, so my father allowed him to stay in our village."

A tiny smile crept onto Link's face, "I'm glad you had a companion, Impa." Then he noticed the sadness in Impa's eyes. "What happened to him?"

Reaching into her pocket, she produced a small wooden band. "Sheik wished to be my lifelong companion, even though my father didn't quite agree because of his last of titles. When the Great War broke out, Sheik joined the soldiers fighting the Demon King to prove my father of his worthiness." She paused. "I never saw him again."

"I'm sorry, Impa," Link murmured.

"Don't be," she replied with a forced smile, "The past is the past, nothing more, nothing less."

They fell into a natural silence then, lost in their own thoughts. It had only been a few days since Impa had performed the Discidium, and since then they had been focusing on protecting the newest Bearer's Soul from those who seek to claim it for their own. The hours had been long and hard, but they were making slow progress.

Then, without any warning, Link muttered, "I'm not going to make it out of this, am I?"

Impa blinked a few times and looked at him, confused, "What?"

"I can feel it, Impa. I can feel something bad waiting for us in the distance," he said without meeting her gaze, "I dreamt of Zelda laying in front of a green flame, barely breathing. I dreamt of her placing flowers on a grave in Skyloft. I dreamt…" His breath hitched for a moment, "I dreamt of him taking me again… of the Discidium."

"They could just be—"

"My fears?" Link finished, cutting her off. He was looking straight ahead of him, his eyes hazy from fatigue, "These aren't just bad dreams, I just know it. The Goddess's Mission isn't easy, and I have to warn Zelda before calamity hits her. I can't lose her…"

Impa simply wrapped her arms around his shoulders with a sad smile, unsure of what to say.

~Zelda~

Darkness.

I'm stuck in the darkness for so long.

My memories are hazy, and I can barely make sense of everything.

Then I hear a voice, her voice.

"Go and do not falter, my child…"

The next thing I know, something cool rests on my forehead and something warm clutches my hands. I try to open my eyes, but they're too heavy and I'm still too weak. I stretch my hands, causing whoever is nearby to grow flustered. "Grannie, I think she's waking up!"

I know that voice…

"F-Fi…" My voice barely comes out as a croak, but it's enough to call on a familiar figure. The flustered person cries out in alarm, releasing my hand immediately, and their voices all blur into one. I groan as their voices send pain through my head.

"Calm down, young one," another voice softly cuts in. Someone places a hand on my cheek. "She's coming around…"

It takes some effort, but I finally open my eyes. I'm no longer in the Ancient Cistern, but in the Sealed Temple. My thoughts are still foggy, but as my vision clears, I start to remember more of the Ancient Cistern and the fight against Koloktos. And then I remember her voice.

"Go and do not falter, my child…"

Whatever she did, she saved my life…

Tears dot the corners of my eyes.

She saved my life…

With Impaz's help, I sit up and take the water she gives me. Groose kneels beside me, torn between being happy that I'm awake and scared of Fi's presence. "The Goddess warned me of your dark path and sent the young man after you. When Groose bought you back with a weak pulse, I feared the worst…"

"When Crimson bought you back with a weak pulse, I've never been so petrified."

I smile sadly at the memory. "You've been asleep for two days now, but if Groose had not brought you here in time, you would no longer be with us. You owe this young man your life."

I smile softly at Groose, taking his attention away from Fi immediately, "Thank you… Groose." His cheeks flush and he rubs the back of his head, mumbling something incoherently before glancing away timidly.

"Hylia," I whisper softly. Impaz hums in confusion, "She saved my life…"

The priestess nods, "The young man did mention seeing something rather divine when he found you. I have no doubt that Her Grace did everything she could to protect you from the clutches of death."

A memory comes back to me as I take another sip of water, but rather than what I saw I only hear her voice again, "My Sisters have only permitted me to physically interfere in this world one time, and I would like to save it for when your Master arrives."

I go to ask Impaz about it, only to refrain.

I allowed myself to be reckless, and with it I've lost Hylia's aid… I've been such a fool to let all of this happen…

"From the state that you were in, I can only assume that she kept you alive long enough for us to heal you," Impaz continues when I say nothing. "The Gods smile down on us in these dark times indeed…"

But all I can think about is Hylia's words—does she have such little faith in me?

No… I can't let that happen…

I rise to my feet so suddenly that I stumble slightly from not using my legs in so long, and Groose immediately takes my arm to support me. I force myself to take my own weight and stand on my own, turning my gaze down to a partially concerned Impaz. "No words can ever thank you enough for what you have done for me…"

"I need no praise," she says humbly, "I only ask that you stay here longer to fully recover. Your body is still regaining its strength."

I nod and gesture to Groose, "I wish I could use my time in such a way, Impaz, but I'm running out of time as it is. There are still two Sacred Flames out there, and I have to find them as quickly as possible. And," I add before she can protest, gesturing to Groose, "I will start by relieving you of him."

And yet, as I move to retrieve my things, Impaz catches my hand, "Just one moment, if you will, my dear." She pauses for a moment, as if hesitant to say what she wants to. "I have been talking with your… companion, and after saving your life I believe that he may have a use for you during your Mission."

I should have known that this would happen.

But I can't.

I can't let more people suffer.

"I understand, but he is safer in Skyloft," I say firmly, "I can't let—"

"You can't let people get hurt like Pipit did," Groose steps in before I can. I lower my eyes and say nothing, still too upset at what happened to him to agree.

Fi drifts forwards, and Groose tries his best not to jump out of his skin at the sight of her, "Your concerns are admirable, Dominae, however the presence of a companion will greatly increase your chances of survival—as was shown by the Skyloftian's feat in the Ancient Cistern."

"We cannot lose you, dear," Impaz adds softly, "We are on the brink of another war, and you must understand your worth and role in this battle—not just that of the newest Bearer. You need as many allies as you can get."

Her words, though simple and short, are curt enough to cut straight through me. She's right—we're on the cusp of another war on the Surface, and it's up to me to prevent that. I can't do that alone, and as much as Zelda dislikes Groose's infatuation with her, Hylia can see the use he could have.

I can't rely on Hylia anymore to save me.

I don't want to die…

Sighing deeply, I turn to him, "We leave as soon as possible."

Groose beams and bundles me up into a tight hug before rushing off to gather some things for the journey. Once he's out of earshot, I kneel beside the priestess. "His emotions are going to get the better of him, Impaz, I just know it."

"Then tell him the truth," she responds kindly, "The Goddess's Mission will shape those chosen into new people—some believe for better, others believe for worse—but the more that boy understands what is going on around him, and what you and the newest Bearer are going through, he will begin to understand. Let destiny carve his path for him."

I nod but say nothing, thanking her one final time before Groose reappears with a pouch of items—one I soon find out is filled with first aid and, in turn, something else to remind me of my foolishness in the Ancient Cistern. I collect my own things and take a moment to inspect the Goddess Sword, which has grown in length.

When I question Fi, she replies promptly, "Farore's Flame—which you found in the depths of the Ancient Cistern—tempered the Goddess Sword and transformed it into what is known as the Goddess Longsword. With this enhanced blade, the Goddess Longsword bestows a greater reach and a sharper edge in battle."

I thank and dismiss her before turning to Groose, who is still conflicted about Fi. "Her name is Fi and is the spirit that dwells in the sword I have. She has been charged to guide me across the Surface and help Link in any way that I can."

The priestess smiles at my patience with Groose, and although he falls silent, he nods and follows me outside once we bid farewell to Impaz. He does his best to stay calm as Fi returns us to the Sky Realm with a large gust of wind and is quiet for the entire journey back to Skyloft—giving me time to think.

Three days. It's been three days since I began my search for the first Sacred Flame. At first it doesn't feel like much time has passed at all, but with every passing moment the Seal in the Sealed Grounds grows weaker and the Demon Lord is closer to finding Link. With everything hanging in the balance, I have to keep going as fast as I can.

It's up to me, after all.

We land gently in Skyloft's Plaza, and I'm quick to send Groose away to gather supplies and weapons for the both of us. Not only does it prepare him, but it also keeps him out of sight for a while. Thankfully he does as asked and leaves me alone to release Destiny back into the sky. The normal Groose is still there with his doting and mood swings, but there's something different about him.

Maybe it was the sight of you dying of severe poisoning…

My gut twists, knowing it's true.

He shouldn't have seen that…

I fish out the necklace that Impa gave to me in the Earth Temple, hoping to find some comfort from it. I wonder what you'd say to me letting Groose stick around, I think with a smile. I hope you're safe on the other side of the Gate, Link. I'm going to protect you for as long as I live, I promise…

The poison must still be working out of my system because my vision blurs for a moment, and someone catches my arm to steady me. When my world finally clears, I find a familiar pair of eyes looking down at me with concern, "Pipit…"

"It's been a while, hasn't it?" Pipit says with a smile, "I'm sure the Headmaster will be happy to see you."

And, as if nothing had happened, we fall into step with each other as we make our way towards the Knight Academy. My eyes quickly find his heavily bandaged shoulder, "Shouldn't you be resting?"

"I had enough of laying in there doing nothing. The Instructors said some exercise would do me some good, anyway," he adds, then, "When I woke up you were already gone, so I never had the chance to talk to you about what happened."

My shoulders slump forwards, "I'm so sorry for what happened to you, Pipit, I—"

"You can't blame yourself for what happened down there," he cuts in suddenly, meeting my gaze firmly, "I chose to come with you, and so did Karane. What happened down there was because of him and no one else."

I still don't accept what he's saying, but his words do give me some comfort.

We carry on walking, and after a while I finally mutter, "Groose is tagging along." Pipit merely raises a brow at me. "He came down to the Surface with me after I left and he… he saved me. And now everyone thinks it's a good idea for him to join me even though he'll end up…"

Like you did…

Pipit thankfully doesn't finish my thought and thinks for a while before saying anything back. "He may not be the most… ideal person to have at your side, but at least you have someone who will always have your back."

I smile, seeing his humour, "As long as he isn't clinging to me in fear, anyway."

We both share a breathy laugh as we enter the Knight Academy, saying goodbye before parting ways. I visit Father to reassure his worries for my safety, although I feel terrible for excusing myself not long after greeting him. I briefly talk to Karane as well, feeling worse for keeping both her and Father out of the loop.

But they can't know what's happening down there—only enough to ease their worries.

I find Groose in the Bazaar with a new sword—he hasn't brought a shield, though he was always too confident to carry one with him during practice anyway, and I can't find the strength in me to argue—and buy some potions. It feels strange having Groose with me, and I pray to the Goddesses that he doesn't become a burden.

Hylia, help me...

Heeding Fi's advice, we leave Skyloft almost as quickly as we arrived. Groose tries to argue for me to stay and rest, but he seems a little hesitant to now after Hylia's ability to take control of me momentarily. I appreciate his concern, though I hope for his sake that he soon understands why I can't delay.

"Then tell him the truth," Impaz's words ring in my mind, reminding me to take my time with him.

We fly deep into the Thunderhead, a place where only few could enter before I created a gap in the cloud coverage, and straight towards the Isle of Songs. Groose seems unnerved by the new experience, however he tries his best to put on a strong front by flying slightly ahead of me for "protection," as he called it.

Reaching the Isle of Songs, we open the doors together and make our way inside. The crest at the end of the pathway is dull again, so I quickly reactivate it. Upon this, Fi appears from the Goddess Longsword and floats above the newly activated crest, surrounded in a soft blue light. "Another message was awakened within me upon striking the crest, Mistress. Please allow me to relay its information to you…"

She raises her arms above her head, causing the blue light to swirl around her as she begins to dance, "My dear Sister, the one who seeks the second Sacred Flame of legend, listen well to the words of your older Sister Nayru." Groose watches in confusion, though is too awestruck to question it. "Two Sacred Flames still remain… and should you desire to possess them, then you must obtain the other two Sacred Gifts."

My stomach drops. Two more Trials…

Spinning effortlessly, she continues, "Harness the power of these Gifts, and let there be no doubt that you shall find yourself standing before the majesty of the Sacred Flames. The next Trial awaits you in the shifting sands of Lanayru Desert, and this song shall guide you to its location…"

My world is awash in blue and white, and a gentle lullaby reflects around the chamber. Its gentle melody reminds me of the lullaby Mother used to sing to me in the evenings to help me sleep. When I open my eyes, a world filled with clouds unfurls before me. A gentle breeze tickles my skin as I move forwards to watch the scene before me.

The clouds part to reveal a grassy knoll ahead, the sun shining brightly above me. Hylia plucks the strings of the melody on the Goddess Harp for her sleeping Champion, smiling as she hums the tune as well. She presses her lips to his forehead, and then the scene fades away.

Fi's voice draws me back into reality, "The song you heard is known as "Nayru's Wisdom," and will open the way to the next Trial that awaits you in Lanayru Desert." I nod as she returns to the Goddess Longsword without another word, and there is an awkward silence between Groose and I.

"Zelda. What is—?"

"Let's go, Groose," I cut in without warning, suddenly filled with a desperate desire to get this Trial over with as fast as possible. I push open the double oak doors and head outside without him, my heart feeling empty as he follows silently without delay. "We have no time to waste…"

"Why have you been ignoring me, Zelda?"

I avoid his eyes as I poke at the fire with a stick and lie, "I haven't been ignoring you."

We travelled through the Lanayru Mines for the rest of the day without finding the Trial Gate, and with prompts from Groose and Fi we settled down on the outskirts of the desert entrance for the night—especially as the temperatures dropped drastically once the sun had set. Thankfully we're far enough away from any monsters to be in danger, but I'm still on edge nonetheless.

"Come on, Zelda, I saved your life back in that Temple! The least you could do is act a bit nicer to me."

"I—" I start to raise my voice, only to stop myself before I can.

He doesn't understand any of this, I remind myself. I can't be so hard on him…

Finally looking up at him, I force a small smile onto my face, "You're right. I'm sorry, Groose. It's just…" I trail off for a moment. "I miss him so much…"

And instead of making some snide remark, he moves closer to me and asks, "Where is he?"

"I can't say," I tell him, which is the truth—who knows who could be listening in.

There's a pregnant silence. I discard the stick and wrap my arms around my knees. Groose fights between keeping his distance and moving closer to me, something which I try my best to ignore. Two Trials, two Flames, and then I can see you again… please be there waiting for me…

My thoughts are cut off when Groose says something I should have expected, but still fills be with worry.

"What's going on down here?" I place my hands in my lap, knowing this question would come at some point. "Grannie told me that it would be better coming from you."

I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath, "If you're sure then I'll tell you, just… please don't interrupt…"

He says nothing, just nods, and so I cross my arms behind my head and lay on my back, focusing on the twinkling stars above as I tell him everything. True to his word, he doesn't say a word—as much as his face morphs with every confusing twist and turn in this story, he doesn't interrupt whatsoever.

I tell him about Link, I tell him about Ghirahim, I tell him about Hylia, I tell him about the other Goddesses, I tell him everything.

By the time I finally finish, the fire is almost dead and the moon has almost reached its zenith. Groose stares at me in shock, blinking slowly as he digests and processes everything. I take some dry twigs from our pile nearby and relight the fire, shuddering from the cold.

"You're the Goddess Reborn?"

"Yes," I confirm as the fire finally relights, "I have been chosen by Hylia to eradicate the darkness threatening to consume this world, and everyone in it too."

He chuckles bashfully, "I always knew you were a Goddess…" He winces when he realises what he's said out loud. "S-Sorry, I—"

"I-It's alright," I murmur, letting it slide, "It's a lot to take in… and it's nice to have someone to talk to about it, I guess."

"It's a lot to take in alright…"

I rub my hands over the flames for warmth, "It is, and the only reason I've been ignoring you is because I'm still unsure about having you here. Don't take it personally," I add when he opens his mouth to protest, "I just… the people out there won't stop until this world is theirs. Adding more people just allows more people to get hurt."

I expect him to say something, but he's still getting everything through his mind that he can't. Instead, he simply says, "I'll take the first watch."

I'm too exhausted from the remnants of the poison and travelling all day to protest, so I shuffle closer to the fire and settle down, praying for some rest. A small weight has been lifted from my shoulders by talking about everything again, but the thought of the Trial tomorrow forces a crushing weight onto my chest.

After the Trial of Courage, what horrors will be in the next Trial?

~*O*~

"Zelda!"

His achingly familiar voice sends my eyes flying open. Tears dot the edges of my eyes at the sound of his voice, and only moments later does he come into view—exactly as I saw him last, just more fatigued. We stand in the courtyard beneath the Statue of the Goddess, though everything seems much more hazy than usual.

"Y-You're…" I can barely choke the words out before we wrap our arms around each other so tightly, even if it doesn't feel like he's there at all. He holds me at arm's length, concern in his eyes.

Something's wrong…

"What's—?"

"You have to be careful," he interrupts, holding my arms tightly, "I've seen what might happen to you… someone's—"

He grabs his chest suddenly, biting his lip in pain—so much so that it draws blood. I cry out as I become his only support, trying my best to hold him up as he breathes shallowly. The skies around us start to darken, and I can smell smoke in the distance. People start to scream as ash begins to clog the air.

"He's trying to break the Seal on this side," Link mutters under his breath, snapping his head up to me, "We don't have time—"

A deafening roar slices through the sky, and with it the behemoth from the Sealed Grounds breaks free from the cloud barrier below and rises towards Skyloft. With its monstrous strength, the island itself begins to crumble and break apart, and with it the courtyard as well. I cry out as a large crack appears between the two of us, and I barely have time to jump towards Link before where I last stood plummets into the clouds below—and the two of us fall to our knees.

"Someone's going to die, Zelda," he chokes out.

"Who will, Link?"

He shakes his head, "I… I don't know… but please be careful, I—"

The creature finally reaches the broken isle and splits up apart before we can do anything to stop it. I reach out for Link, only to scream as he sails straight into the mouth of the behemoth whilst I fall further and further towards the cloud barrier.

I failed him.

I failed him.

I failed him.

~*O*~

I bolt upright with a cry, clutching at my chest in a feeble attempt to catch my breath. Quickly scanning the world for any sign of Link or The Imprisoned, I soon reassure myself that I'm back in Lanayru Desert with only a few hours until dawn. It was only a dream, I tell myself. It was just a dream…

"Z-Zelda?"

I snap my head over to Groose, trying my best to hide my shaking hands from him. "It was just a bad dream, don't worry," I assure him, then, "I'll take the watch now—we need to be up in a couple of hours anyway." He goes to touch my hand, but I draw away before he can, "Please, Groose…"

Thankfully he finally lays down and is asleep in minutes, snoring every now and again. Fi also asks if I'm well, though I brush her off and ask for some time alone to think, which she respects. I cast my gaze up to the stars and try to remember some of the names that Link and I have given them in an attempt to calm myself down.

But that dream…

"Someone's going to die, Zelda," that's what he had told me. Was it just a dream brought on by stress, or had Link somehow managed to contact me? I pray for it to be real enough so that I can see him again in my dreams, but I hope that he was wrong—it can't be true.

But despite my best efforts, I can't help but feel like something horrible is about to happen.

Author's Note: So there was the next chapter. Did you like the back-story in this one, because I felt a bit hesitant about this chapter as a whole; but I'll just wait and see what you think of it. The Trial of Wisdom will be in the next one, so having another chapter with Link in will be unlikely. Still, please drop a rate and review to tell me what you think of this chapter, and I'll try and get this chapter out by the end of next week.

~RandomButLoved~