Author's Note: Well, Chapter 30 will be the longest chapter yet! Just have this as a thank-you for supporting me. At this rate, we will beat my biggest story yet (Skyward Sword FanFiction: 190 reviews) reviews wise, and we have already beaten it with favourites and follows. Words cannot express how much I am loving this story, and how much support it is getting. Thank-you! Also I recommend listening to: "Liquid Cinema - Fortitude (2014) "Aeterna"" during the fight in this chapter for extra epicness. Enjoy!
Reviews: ShadowNinja1011: I'm glad that you liked the ending!
Clashing Swords: Yep, it is. I'm going to have to figure that one out, but you'll have to wait and see!
Schniedragon88: I guess it is, and I really do like to have characterisation in there; so I guess that it's a good thing, right? Having Zelda alone wouldn't be a good thing, as you say, so I'm glad that I managed to get characters there helping her. And "it's dangerous to go alone". Thank-you!
TDDolphin: Yep, everything is in trouble! I'm thinking about putting more Gorons in the story, but it's a small chance now that we're into the main parts of the story. And Groose is acting weird because of that mainly, yes. And I am so glad that you are loving this story, because I love writing it. I'm so glad that I am writing the story well enough to meet your high expectations, and hope to continue this on in the future :3
And may I just say a massive thank-you to "TDDolphin", who has reviewed every single chapter to bring my story reviews up from 147-odd to a massive 174 in the space of a day or so. Thank-you to you and every other reviewer who has taken the time to help me with my story! I love you all!
Favourites & Follows: Thank-you very much to "Bookworm24680", "TDDolphin", and "Zelda Harkinian" for favouriting and following this FanFiction. I love you all so much!
"Don't let the past steal your present."
~Cherralea Morgen~
Ancient Roots
A Skyward Sword FanFiction
Chapter 30: Scerva
~Interlude~
He sat at the top of the spiralling pit, legs dangling over the edge with his hands on his knees. After another day of training, to say he was exhausted was an understatement. With every attempt at the Discidium, he was growing stronger and more resistant to everything Impa threw at him, and he was starting to master the new spell as well.
But there was still something at the back of his mind screaming that he was going to fail no matter what.
A lone wolf howled in the distance.
The newest Bearer ran a hand over the earth he sat on. Not long ago in this era did the Goddess herself walk on this land and send a chunk of earth into the Sky Realm to protect her people—and leaving behind the very pit he stared at now, the Seal weakening with each passing moment that he sat there and did nothing.
He prayed that Zelda was alright, wishing that he could be beside her just one more time.
But that wasn't going to happen until this was all over.
If we ever finish this Mission…
"You do not need to fear what has come to pass, young one," a new voice assured softly. "The past, unlike the future, cannot be changed."
Link turned his attention to the source of the voice, lips parting when he laid eyes on the lingering spirit of the first Bearer who sat atop a small mound of rubble a few paces away. He looked exactly as Link had seen him in the memories he awakened, and the two stared at each other during a pregnant silence.
"I'm dreaming…"
"I can assure you that you are not dreaming," he replied with a chuckle. "Our Souls are but one, and with it I can feel your spirit shaking under the pressure of destiny. I am here to help you in whatever way I can."
Still not quite believing what was happening, Link stammered, "I-I'm fine. I know what I must do."
His ancestor chuckled, reading the newest Bearer like a book. "You remind me of myself when I was your age. Lying about your wellbeing will do nothing but bring upon your downfall, young one." Link glanced away, guilty. "There is an anger in your spirit that will soon be uncontainable. I faced a similar emotional struggle when I fought beside the Goddess."
"What does it matter?" Link bit out. "All that matters is the destruction of the Demon King. What happens to me doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things…"
As soon as he said the words out loud, he suddenly felt very small in the world plagued by darkness.
His ancestor said nothing, to which Link finally met his eyes and asked, "How did you do it? How did you fight against the odds when they were stacked against you?"
The first Bearer sighed, thinking on how to say what he wanted before speaking. "The stories you grew up with in the sky told of a raging war that ended swiftly after the arrival of the Goddess, correct?" Link nodded. "Authors of such tales fail to grasp the struggles that all endured to claim such a victory—such pain doesn't make a good story."
Link swung his legs away from the edge of the pit, his attention solely on his ancestor as he continued. "At the end of those seven gruelling days, fewer soldiers returned from the cusp of the daily battle, and those who did manage to survive dragged their heels in the dirt more with each passing day. Even the Goddess, in all her divine strength, was not immune to such weariness."
The Goddess too…?
"But at the end of each day as we nursed our wounds and mourned our losses, Hylia would stand before us all and say the same thing, "We have survived against all odds, for you have been blessed with unfathomable strength of will. And when the dawn chases away the depths of the night, we shall fight again. And we shall go into this fight not telling ourselves that we shall fall, but that we shall go forth knowing that we are fighting for those we care for the most—and if we do fall, we shall not go down without a fight!" Every night she said the same words…"
For a moment, Link was struck by the Goddess's words. Every night despite her wounds and exhaustion, she would fire up her troops to combat the darkness. It wasn't her fault that the Demon King was trying to choke the life from the Surface, but she did everything in her power to save it and her people from suffering.
The first Bearer's eyes had clouded over, lost in the past, "Even when there is a voice at the back of your mind telling you that you are going to die and that this land will perish under the forces of evil no matter how hard you try, and that you are merely a pawn in this complex game of war, then you shall give into your own darkness."
"My own darkness?"
"No matter how brightly a Soul shines, so too will it be plagued with shadows," said the first Bearer. "The battle you fight now is not just against the darkness seeking to claim you, but against the darkness threatening to destroy you from the inside as well. Many soldiers fled from the heat of battle because of this darkness, and with that came more bloodshed."
Link said nothing, momentarily speechless.
"No one wants to die, but only when you stand before death itself shall your spirit be truly tested." The first Bearer stared straight at his predecessor. "Now go and do not falter, my child!"
The doors behind him suddenly groaned open, and Impa appeared with worry glinting in her eyes, "How long have you been out here?"
"Not long, I just…" Link turned his gaze over to where the first Bearer was once perched, only to find no one there. Shaking his head, he stood. "Never mind, I just needed some air." The Sheikah nodded and gestured for him to go back inside, and as he did the words of the first Bearer echoed around his mind.
"Now go and do not falter, my child!"
~Zelda~
Scerva's name haunted the oceans long before the Great War began, and with Hylia's memories I can recall the story vividly—it begins with a mother's firstborn cursed to become a Stalchild. The firstborn was a beautiful baby girl with auburn hair, however her left leg bore no skin or muscle; only the raw bone. Hiding her from the world, the mother scoured the world for a cure.
But alas, none could be found.
As the child grew older, it was clear that she wouldn't live long. Despite the mother's best efforts, her last resort was to send her child away to have her leg replaced with a robotic one to prevent the spreading of the curse. The operation did nothing to prevent the curse, and in a fit of anger Scerva left behind her home and joined the first group of people she found.
She came across a woman known as Tetra, and the two immediately struck up a tight bond. They began searching for a ship that would take them both far away from their pasts, however being women, they were turned away by many. One in particular who turned them away was the captain of the Prince of Red Lions whom Tetra had history with.
In the dead of night, Tetra crept into the captain's cabin and murdered him to prove her power despite her gender—however she did not return to her partner by sunrise.
Abandoned by both her mother and her only companion, Scerva stole a ship of her own and recruited women to join her, masquerading as men as they terrified all who sailed the oceans. Aboard her newly named ship, the King of Red Lions, she pillaged towns and murdered all men who got in her way.
I can only assume that she saw Skipper's ship as an upgrade to her own and stole it mercilessly.
I'm broken free of my daze by the sound of shackles clicking into place, holding my hands above my head against the wall of the cargo hold. After our submission, Scerva took great delight in stripping us of our weapons and splitting us apart, choosing to take care of Groose whilst her crewmates roughly escorted me to the lower parts of the ship.
Being at the bottom of the ship, waves crash against the windows lining the walls every time they collide with the side of the ship, a mix of water and sea foam dribbling down the walls and onto me. The smell of salt fills the stale air, my nose scrunching up as the two pirates open up a crate for something to eat—the odour of raw fish wafting through the chamber.
I tug aimlessly on my chains to check their stability, and despite the rust they seem to still do their job well. Tucking my knees underneath me, I force myself to keep still as one of them—wearing a red bandana with a strange mark over her chest—brushes some hair out of my face.
"Yer as pretty as they say," she muses, glancing back to her companion who is more tanned and has darker hair. "Senza, you sure we can't—"
I lash out before she can finish, kicking her in the side with such ferocity that she staggers away. I glare at the two of them, refusing to say anything as they stare at me in surprise.
After a few moments, the woman I kicked lets out a laugh, "So fiery!" My gut twists, remembering his words. "So fiery! It'll be a spectacle to crush such fire." Her lips twist into a snarl as she raises a fist, "Yer gonna pay for that—"
"Gonzie!" Senza cuts in, grabbing her partner's wrist before she can attack me. "We'll 'ave our fun later."
Gonzie flashes me a glare before lowering her hand and storming off, and I watch her go. They may have chained me down, but I won't let them think that they hold any power over me because of it. Gonzie slams the door shut, leaving me alone with Senza, who kneels before me; eyeing me up in case I lash out again.
But I won't, not yet anyway. I need to keep them on their toes at least.
Leaning in close, she grabs me by the neck and sneers in a low tone, "Keep lashing out like that and we'll hang yer friend from the mast."
I swallow thickly as she releases me and saunters away, leaving me alone in the cargo hold. The thought of them hurting Groose, who barely understands what he's gotten into as it is, is enough to snuff out the courage I once had. Think with your head, not your heart, I remind myself. That's the only way to get out of here alive…
I rest my head against the wall behind me and let out a deep sigh. I won't have any luck in breaking out of the chains of my own, not without slicing up my wrists anyway, so the only way I'll be able to get out of here is by making some sort of deal with Scerva. From the stories Hylia heard during her time on the Surface, the pirate was a deadly opponent and a ruthless killer—so any chances of winning a fight are close to zero.
So I sit there for a moment, curling my hands around the shackles, and for a moment, I think back to Link chained up in the Earth Spring.
My head snaps over to the door when it creaks open, revealing Scerva as she walks in confidently, holding the scabbard of the Goddess Longsword in one hand and the blade itself in the other. Wading through the ankle-deep water, she casually makes her way over to me, inspecting the sword with interest.
When she finally meets my eyes, she smirks. "Do I still need to bow to a Goddess in chains?" Scerva remarks with a chuckle, sheathing the Goddess Longsword and tossing it into the water without a care.
I say nothing, clenching my jaw to stop myself from retorting.
"Nothing to say, hmm? No begs for mercy?" I bite my tongue before I can say something I'll later regret. "I suppose you're too humiliated to speak, after all. The great Goddess Hylia captured by pirates… it doesn't match your façade of perfection."
"Release the boy, the robot and his crew—you have no need for them, only me," I finally bite out, allowing Hylia to take over.
"The sorry little machine and what's left of his crew will be thrown into the ocean," she says simply, then, "As for the boy… he's rather useless, though I suppose none of the girls have had a man aboard for so long…"
Thankfully Hylia is in control, because Zelda would have lashed out.
Getting nowhere fast, I change the topic. "What do you want?"
"The whole world knows about you, my dear," Scerva replies with a devious smile, taking my chin into her fingers without kneeling down—a simple show of her power over me. I wriggle out of her grip, only making her smile more. "I'm sure there would be many out there who would pay anything to have the Goddess herself in their possession."
"So you only thirst for money? Are your goals so simple?"
Her lips twist into a frown at my mocking tone, though she doesn't falter as she steps away from me and begins to pace through the water. "I never said that it would come to that. I have the Goddess herself, and I have the chance to show your Sisters what I truly think of them…"
She produces a piece of dirty cloth and stalks towards me with a glimmer in her eyes. I subconsciously shuffle back against the wall, but it doesn't help me in any way as she gags me tightly with the cloth. Bile rises in my throat as the taste of it, and I try my best to steel myself as she drinks in my vulnerable state.
"That's better," she coos into my ear. "Now I have your attention…"
For a moment, I don't see her—I only see him as he holds me down with Koloktos. "I finally have your attention."
I force myself out of the memory as she begins to pace again, having picked up the Goddess Longsword again whilst I was distracted and running her fingers over the blade. "This war began because of them and their "gift" of the Ultimate Power," she spits. "All of the death and decay in this world are on their hands, but rather than fix their mistakes they send you instead."
Hylia falters within me for a moment.
"Farore created the earth, and with it she created the life of the witch who cursed me," Scerva bites out, turning on me so fast that I jump out of my skin. "You will never know the feeling of your skin peeling away from your body or the pain of losing a limb to try and stop it. She created the person that ended my life!"
In that moment, I realise that both of her legs are mechanical, and one of her hands has been replaced with robotics too.
"Then there's Nayru," she continues, "She could have used her so-called wisdom to save me… to bestow someone with the knowledge to stop me from wilting away. But she didn't, did she? She's let me decay and watched it with so much joy, not even thinking for a moment about how her creation is suffering…"
I try to speak, but it only comes out as a muffled choke.
"And Din… she gave men such dominating strength, didn't she?" Scerva sneers, too lost in her thoughts to notice me. "Even when she tried to prove herself, all those men on board murdered her. They probably had their fun with her before tearing her apart and dumping her in the sea, didn't they?"
Tetra…
My heart drops when she finally looks at me, a fire in her eyes that terrifies me.
Tossing the Goddess Longsword back into the water, she tugs out a knife from the small scabbard on her back. "This was never mine. It belonged to someone very dear to my heart… one that the Goddesses let die so I could suffer more." My eyes widen as she towers over me, the shadows covering every part of her face except for her wild eyes. "But now they can watch you suffer at my hand…"
She tugs down the collar of my dress and hovers the blade against my chest. Panic floods into my system, and I can't help but cry out in fear as she holds me down with her knees and other hand. Triggering some sort of mechanism in her hand holding the knife, her entire arm becomes electrified—and with it the knife too.
No… please…
But no amount of prayers can prepare me for the pain that ensues.
Scream after scream is ripped from my throat as soon as the knife makes contact, the electricity coursing through my body. I squeeze my eyes shut as I try my best to push through the pain, but I know that I can't. My world goes back for a moment, and I swim back into consciousness just as Scerva retracts the knife.
I slump against the wall, whimpering in pain as I tighten my hands around the shackles, biting down on the gag as the pain slowly begins to subside. My muscles twitch as the electricity fades away, but my vision is still a blur of colours. Cold tears run down my cheek, only for Scerva to wipe them away tenderly.
"I hope that your screams reached their domain," she murmurs into my ear softly, "If not, I'll take great delight in helping them to hear your suffering."
As she plants a mocking kiss on my forehead, the last thing I hear before I black out is her laughter as she waltzes away.
It's the next afternoon when I'm visited again.
I groan as someone kicks me in the side and tugs my face close to theirs. As my vision clears, Gonzie sneers in my face, "That's for kicking me before."
Senza, I soon realise, unlocks the chains above my head, causing my arms to unceremoniously collapse at my sides. Relief swells in my shoulders as the pain is relieved, though I have little time to relish in it when they both drag me to my feet and bind my hands behind me with coarse rope as tight as possible, Gonzie smirking when I grunt in pain.
"Come on, Goddess," she mocks when I struggle to keep my feet under me. Her nails scrape over the burn that Scerva left behind yesterday—the Triforce, fittingly. "I thought you were a symbol of strength…"
I make no sound, staring down at my feet as I make myself walk as proudly as I can. The two tower over me as they drag me out from the cargo hold, roughly escorting me up many flights of stairs—clearly walking faster than normal so I can fall behind more. Despite the darkness gnawing at the edges of my vision, I try to keep up as best as I can.
As we go, I worry over Groose and Skipper. With Scerva's threats still lingering in my mind, I pray that they haven't been harmed whilst we've been here, and that I can at least free them if not myself too. I'm the one that Scerva has an interest in, not them—they can't end up suffering because of any mistakes that I've made.
I think more on Scerva's words too, and how much she despises the Goddesses. Her time for mourning and working past her pain has never ended, and even though I wouldn't expect her to fully grieve over everything she has lost during her life, the way that she has twisted that loss into anger chills me to the bone.
No matter what happens, I will never forget the wildness in her eyes as she cut into my skin.
I shudder at the memory.
Senza kicks open the door, and I flinch at the harsh sunlight that floods my vision. They drag me out onto the open deck before finally leaving me be. I blink rapidly as I try and make sense of everything around me, forcing myself to stand straight despite the strain on my body. I spot Groose on the other side of the deck, thankfully unharmed but still guarded by at least four pirates.
It seems to be early afternoon, the sea around us calm. A few pirates, including Senza and Gonzie, are dotted around the deck and atop the mast. The wind whistles through my hair, but it's all still too quiet on the deck for me to relax. With me left in the open and vulnerable, Groose heavily guarded and no sign of Skipper, this is only the calm before the storm.
"Well, well, well," a familiar voice booms through the silence. I turn back to the doors I came from as Scerva strolls towards me. "The Goddess looks a little worse for wear, doesn't she?"
Her crewmates laugh.
Scerva stops in front of me and tugs the cloth out of my mouth forcefully, and I take no time in remarking, "Finally bored with torturing people who couldn't fight back?"
She scowls but says nothing as she starts to circle me, her boots thudding dully against the wood as I follow her gaze with every step she takes. "I have a proposition for you, my dear," she says, "I'm a generous woman, and it wouldn't be right for me to simply do whatever I chose to you and pass you onto to someone else for a high price without having your say, am I correct?"
I say nothing, merely narrowing my eyes at her.
"I will release the boy and that box of gears can leave with his crewmates," she proposes. "In exchange, you belong to me."
"No!" Groose yells but is held back by those guarding him.
She's a fearless fighter. I have no chances of besting her, I tell myself. But there is another way…
And, for once, my head and my heart agree.
I take a deep breath, then take the plunge.
"You will release my companion, Captain Skipper, and his crewmates as a gesture of goodwill," I bargain. "I shall fight for my own freedom."
Scerva stops in front of me again, a smile tugging at her lips. "There seems to be some fire left in you yet," she muses, then cuts the ropes around my wrists, "I accept your terms—if you win, then you shall be free along with the others. But if you lose, then our ship will be having a new figurehead!"
An image of me tied to the bow of the ship bursts through my mind, and my stomach drops.
"You can never truly know everything, dear Sister," Nayru's voice from the Trial of Wisdom reminds me. "You may only imagine what is to come and how your actions will affect this world."
I nod firmly, and the deal is made.
Scerva orders one of the pirates to retrieve two rapiers from storage, and minutes later the two of us have dropped into battle stances. The weapon is strange and unfamiliar in my grip compared to the Goddess Longsword, and far from anything we trained with in Skyloft, so I do my best to adjust to the weight of the blade and breathe deeply.
We slowly begin circling each other, like animals about to feast, and neither of us make the first move. "Come on, little Goddess," she taunts. "Does the thought of attacking me not send fire through your bones? Does your heart not seek vengeance against me? Or is the boy the fighter out of the two of you? Is he your next Champion to die?"
It takes all of me to push Hylia back and not give Scerva the pleasure of taking the bait.
"Unlike you, I don't take pleasure in the suffering of others," I retort.
She finally caves and rushes at me with her rapier, and I somehow manage to dodge out of the way—though I can already feel the pain in my muscles at the sudden movement. Don't focus on the pain, otherwise it will destroy any chances at winning, I tell myself. Pain is temporary…
We dance across the deck—Scerva constantly attacking whilst I constantly defend in hopes of finding some sort of weak spot in her robotics or skeletal form that I can take advantage of. In this moment I wish that Fi was with me for both her analysis of the battle and simply her comforting presence. Groose's presence keeps me on edge as he flinches with every swing of a blade, and I simply wish that I wouldn't see his wide eyes every so often.
I slip past another of Scerva's attacks and manage to counter it with a quick slash to her metal thigh, sending her staggering back as her leg momentarily ceases to function. Calming my breathing, I briskly defend as she rushes at me, and I don't realise how fast I'm moving backwards until my back hits the railing without warning.
I can hear Groose's gasp as my back arches over the wooden railing, the waves loud in my ears as Scerva's weapon meets mine and pushes it against my chest, hers grazing my burn. I whimper as the blade barely touches the wound, still raw with pain. The sound of the sea and my oncoming defeat roars in my ears, and for a moment fear runs through me.
That's when I hear her soft, warm tone.
"Go and do not falter, my child…"
"You did well not to die so soon, but I'm afraid that this is where your fight ends, Goddess," Scerva whispers with a winning smile before looking over her shoulder. "Grab what rope you can, ladies, we have a new figurehead to adorn our new ship with!"
The pirates cheer whilst Groose cries out in alarm, and I can do nothing as Scerva disarms me in one fell swoop and takes me into a firm grip, holding her rapier against my neck until her crewmates return with the required rope.
As the pirates begin to wrap each of my wrists with rope, I notice something. It's only subtle, but the waves are growing stronger, and the boards beneath my feet are quaking. Whilst Scerva and I were fighting, it seems as if the clouds are merging together like a storm is coming, but something in my gut is telling me that it's something far worse.
And as Scerva laughs in my ear and her crewmates eagerly drag me towards the bow of the ship, a dark shadow suddenly tears through the wooden boards and send everyone flying in different directions.
I land against the deck with a harsh thud, and it takes me a few moments to recover from the harsh fall. With no one here to hold me, I reach over and grab my rapier—cutting myself free from the rope just as Groose rushes over to help me back onto my feet. He draws me into a tight hug, only pulling away when I wince in pain.
"Zelda..." Groose murmurs as he holds me at arm's length. "What did they do to you?"
I have no time to respond before more shadows start to attack the deck, and I fear the worst. "Sea monster!" Scerva yells. "Quickly, to arms!"
"Fi," I breathe. "I need Fi…"
I push my weapon into Groose's hand and break out of his grip, thankful that he takes a second too long to understand what I'm doing before trying to run after me. He calls my name over and over, but the battle stops him before he can stop me.
Slamming into the doors, I leap down the stairway. Despite my daze when Gonzie and Senza brought me up to the deck, I remember the route enough to make my way back down to the cargo hold. Dodging out of the way of another shadow, I run down the corridor do the right and knock open the doors.
An explosion of wood greets me as I run down another corridor, shielding my head as the shadows start to claim the ship for its own. Passing doors into the other parts of the ship, I spot the next stairway off to the right and barely dodge another shadow as I rush on through.
Slumping against the door of the control room for a moment, I breathe the air back into my body before starting off in a sprint again, feeling tiny pieces of wood bounce off of me from various explosions behind me. Relief floods into me as I spot the doors leading into the cargo hold, although I'm only happy for a moment until I enter the room and cry out from the sudden wave of cold hitting my shins.
The cargo hold has flooded.
With the grip the creature has on the ship now, the cargo hold seems to have slanted dramatically since I left here, allowing sea water to fill up at least half of the hold in mere minutes—the water level rising with every passing moment. The lights above me sway back and forth drastically, casting long shadows over the murky water.
My heart leaps when I spot the Goddess Longsword in the water, its scabbard as well as my bag bobbing on the water's surface nearby. Stomaching the icy cold water, I grab my bag and take the scabbard before holding my breath and diving into the depths. In my weakened state, I have to come up for air just as quickly as I dove down.
Focus, Zelda, I scold myself. There's no time to waste…
Diving into the water again, I finally manage to grab the Goddess Longsword and push against the floor to help me surface quicker. Gasping for air, I soon realise that the various crates of cargo are starting to block the entrance—and with it my only chance to escape.
Sheathing the Goddess Longsword, I hold the scabbard in one hand and swim with the other, kicking with all my might until I reach the doorway. Crates and barrels are clogging up the entrance, and with the water level rising quickly I only have a few chances to move them out of the way.
The first attempt completely fails, and the second barely goes any better, and on the third attempt I panic at the fact that this will be my final chance before the water fills the entire room.
Taking one last gulp, I force myself into the water.
Ignoring the consequences if I fail, I keep kicking downward as I wedge the scabbard between the two largest crates, straining my arms as I try to break them apart. I can feel my air running out, and with one last shove the crates finally give way.
I break the water's surface with a choke, breathing in all the air that I can as the water washes me up on the stairway. As I recover, a familiar sound reaches my ears. "I apologise for not being present at your side during your time of need, Dominae."
"I-It's fine… Fi," I breathe as I start to rise and clamber up the rest of the steps. "What's happening?"
"Various appendages, known commonly as tentacles, have begun to tear into the ship and break it apart," she explains as my pace slowly picks up. "These tentacles belong to a creature of considerable size; however, I cannot calculate an accurate body mass of the being. However, if this creature is not defeated soon, I am certain that the ship will be submerged."
Finding these Flames will never be easy, will they?
As a tentacle tears through the corridor, I ask, "How can I get rid of these, Fi?"
"These tentacles are infused with a dark power, so I believe that using sacred power will drive them back long enough for you to further access the situation." I nod at her in understanding and pull out the Goddess Longsword. Calling forth a Skyward Strike, I unleash the sword's power and smile when the tentacle is split in two.
By the time I reach the penultimate stairway before reaching the deck, my stomach sinks at the sight of the pathway completely torn away by the creature. Retying the scabbard to my size, I take a few steps back before leaping over the gap, my foot almost slipping off of the other platform.
But I can't stop.
Using the railings for support, I clamber up the final staircase and break out onto the deck once again. Over a third of the ship has been submerged by the creature, and yet the monster has yet to appear. Immediately going after the tentacles, my back meets Scerva's.
"I was hoping you'd drowned," she sneers at me.
"The Goddesses seem to be protecting me," I mock before rushing off again, shielding my face from the sudden downpour of rain. "Stay alert, everyone," I shout. "The creature is—"
The entire ship smashes in half, sending our portion of the deck upwards for a moment before crashing back down into the water—sending sea water flooding across the deck. Thankfully we all manage to survive, and any who were thrown into the water manage to climb back on within moments.
Then the monster finally chooses to appear before us.
The gigantic creature leaps out of the water, soaking us through with the surge of water that it sends our way. With everything that I've seen so far, nothing can compare to the size of this creature. Twitching tentacles fall over the monster's face and two tentacles rising from the sea for the monster's arms. The entire mass is a sickly purple colour, not elegant like Fi, and what makes it worse is the large eye that scours the deck in search of us with sharp teeth thirsty for blood.
"Tentalus," Scerva hisses as she readies her rapier. I glance over at her in confusion. "Been terrorising us pirates for decades, centuries even. None of you know how many lives that thing has taken, and I'll be the one to take its life with my sword! Girls, go get your weapons—oh, and a bow for the little Goddess too!"
My lips part, but I have no time to object before they're gone and Tentalus is attacking us again. I've only ever used a bow a few times in Skyloft, but I haven't been as good of a shot compared to the other Knights. So when I do manage to yell an objection, Scerva merely laughs.
"Has the Goddess forgotten the skills she was renowned for having in the battle against the Demon King?" Scerva merely shouts in response. One of her crewmates passes me a simple bow with a small quiver of around thirty arrows.
I suppose I don't have a choice now.
I nod at her, feeling strange that we are working together, only to shake my head and dodge out of the way when a tentacle comes down at me, almost killing Groose in the process. Panting my breath back into me, I tell Fi, "I-I can't shoot well, Fi. What do I do?"
"Unfortunately, much to your dismay, using the bow provided will be the most effective way to defeat this Abyssal Leviathan," she says simply.
My shoulders slump, so after repelling more tentacles, I sheathe the Goddess Longsword and take the bow into my grasp. I swallow thickly as I try my best to recall the stance, nocking an arrow and slipping my fingers into place around the string. Breathing deeply, I let the world fall away and draw the string back to the corner of my mouth, comforted by Hylia's presence within me, feeling her helping me with my shot.
"Zelda!"
The cry cuts through my concentration, and my shot completely misses Tentalus. But that doesn't matter, because as soon as I find the source of the yell—Groose, of course—I barely have time to register why he's running towards me so quickly before Tentalus, realising what I was trying to do, moving in to strike with its tentacle.
It never reaches me.
Groose, trying to be the hero, shoves me out of the way and takes the hit for me, flying off into the ocean from the impact.
No…
No…
"Groose!" I scream in horror as his form is engulfed by waves, taking me back to the Black Tornado in an instant. Securing the bow over my shoulder, I break off into a sprint in a vague attempt to find him.
I can't leave him. He only wanted to help me…
But before I can even begin my dive into the icy deep, Scerva wraps her arm around my waist and tugs me back with a grunt, sending the two of us into a heap on the deck.
Dragging me back onto my feet, she pushes her soaked ringlets out from her eyes and heaves, "Kill it first, then think about the funeral."
Bile rises in my throat.
A funeral…
Please no…
Then the shock seems to lessen for a moment, only to be replaced by pure anger as I face the creature again.
You killed him.
Now you will pay.
I nock another arrow and redraw the bow, calling upon Hylia for her aid. Thankfully she helps where she can, for the shot strikes true—piercing the creature's pupil perfectly. Swapping the bow out for the Goddess Longsword, I smirk as Tentalus cries out and collapses against the deck, allowing me to take the final blow and end this once and for all.
And then start planning a funeral…
Scerva breaks me from my horrid thoughts again, shoving me back before I can go and end the battle. "I'm not having the Goddess take the glory," she snaps. "I still need to take care of you!"
My mouth parts in surprise as she charges forwards, only for my eyes to widen as I cry out her name.
She never sees it coming.
As she raises her rapier to strike the creature's eyeball one more time, Tentalus brings down one final attack with its tentacle and wraps its appendage around the pirate captain. Tentalus plucks her into the air before losing its strength and dropping her back onto the deck, crushing her under its weight.
Scerva…
The anger returns.
Surging forwards, I take advantage of its sudden weakness to raise the Goddess Longsword high above its eye.
It finds me, and for a split second it fears me.
But that can't stop me.
I plunge the blade deep into its eye, tugging it out before Tentalus can take the sword with it.
Arching its back, Tentalus screeches and rises high into the air before falling backwards into the ocean—sending one final wave of water over us as it sinks into the murky abyss beneath us.
It's over, I think as I sink onto my knees, completely exhausted by everything. It's finally over…
My eyes grow warm as I think about everything that's come to pass in the past few days, and I can't help but cry and hold my stomach as I mourn everyone who has suffered because of this Mission—myself included. Scerva hated the Goddesses, but I couldn't wish such a horrible demise upon her.
And Groose…
He may have been annoying and emotional and stubborn, but I can't deny that his company was a good support for me during this. As he tried his best to understand everything that was happening around him, he became a companion to me—even a friend—and to die in such a horrible way…
I jump when a hand touches my shoulder, and I find Gonzie looking down on me sadly. "I don't like ya," she says, but the crack in her voice takes away her firmness. "But you reminded the captain o' Tetra, y'know. She 'ated it."
I force a smile, knowing that she's trying to compliment me. "I'm sure she did."
Each of the crew members gather around the spot where Tentalus dragged the corpse of their captain into the ocean, bowing their heads in silent respect. Despite everything that the pirate put us through, I act with my heart and take up her fallen rapier, passing it to her crewmembers.
"Honour her legacy peacefully," I say softly, unsure of what else to say.
Before they can say anything in response, there's a groan behind us.
"Ugh…" My breath hitches in my throat at the sound, and I whirl around as a familiar figure hoists himself back onto the deck.
"Groose!" Tears start to fall again as I rush over to him, drawing him into a big hug just to make sure that he's really here. He's confused at first, then accepts the gesture as he coughs out the last of the water he must have inhaled. When I pull away, I stammer, "I-I thought…"
He flashes me a grin. "Nothing could keep old Groose from protecting you."
I lightly punch him in the arm. "Never do that again."
"I'll gladly never take that swim again." I shoot him a look, but he knows what I mean and smiles anyway. Glancing over to the mourning crew, he asks, "What happened?"
"Tentalus is dead," I say, "But so is Scerva."
He sighs in relief, and all he can say in response is, "I'm glad that's over and done with. I guess that means we can go home soon."
Home…
Just the thought of it makes me happy. The thought of going back to loved ones without thinking about death and suffering, if only for a few hours, is enough to send me into a fit of tears again.
"Goddess…" We both look up to see Senza standing before us. Rising to our feet, she says simply, "You won the battle. Your freedom is yours, as is the boy's and the robot's."
I nod but say nothing, allowing her to go back to her mourning.
Thinking on her words, I call into the air, "Fi, where is Skipper?"
"When Tentalus attacked the ship, I managed to use some of my power to transport Skipper and his crew to his home retreat nearby. They are all well and unharmed," she clarifies without emerging from the Goddess Longsword. "From my analysis of the ship's remains, Nayru's Flame is situated towards the bow of the ship."
I nod and quietly make my way in that direction, spotting a familiar pedestal on the upper parts of the ship that Tentalus didn't manage to completely destroy. My memories of Farore's Flame are hazy at best, so I take solace in knowing that I will remember this Flame better than the other one.
Groose remembers the pedestal too but for different reasons, though stays quiet as I activate the crest before us, watching as a pure blue flame is ignited atop the pedestal—the colour almost like the calm after the storm.
And what a storm it's been…
I step forwards, my heart lighter than ever as I realise what this means. There it is… the second Sacred Flame…
Fi appears in front of the pedestal and turns away from me. "Please raise your sword, Mistress."
I follow her instructions, my eyes widening as she raises her arms heavenwards—causing the Flame to swarm around her body. Vaguely recalling this happening before, I keep the Goddess Longsword up as she directs the Sacred Flame towards it, tempering it with its heat. We watch in awe as Nayru's Flame transforms the blade before our very eyes.
The hilt is now a holy white, and the blade itself has grown longer as well. "What you hold is known as the Goddess White Sword, Dominae, and the power of Nayru's Flame has expanded my powers," explains Fi. "I will have stronger dowsing abilities as well as now having the ability to aid you during battle at your request."
My lips part for a moment. "You'll fight with me?"
"Only temporarily," she confirms, "But yes, I will be able to fight alongside you when you request so."
I smile and she returns to the Goddess White Sword, leaving us alone. I take one last look at the brilliant sword before sheathing it and turning to Groose. "We have everything that we needed from here," I say to break the silence. "All that's left now is to go back to Skyloft and start again with the final Flame."
Groose looks over to the crew. "What about them?"
"We're free in their eyes, Groose. I think it's best if we leave them to mourn…"
He nods after a moment, and with Fi's powers she returns us to the Sky Realm without any further delay. It pains me to just leave the crew behind, but our presence will only make things worse. Maybe, when this is all over, we could go back and help them in whatever way we can.
I smile at the thought.
Soaring into the sky, we quickly call out for our Loftwings and begin the long journey back to Skyloft—the sun beginning to set. I can see the exhaustion in Groose's eyes, and I'm sure he can see the same in mine. After being poisoned, travelling through the desert, tortured, and then battling a sea creature, it's safe to say that I'll take all the rest I can when we return to Skyloft.
I'm sure you'll let me off, Link, I think with a small smile. After all, you always slept…
But when I go to say something to Groose, I realise that all of the colour has drained from his face.
"G-Groose?" I stammer as I follow his line of sight. "What's—?"
No…
My stomach drops, and I suddenly feel ill.
Skyloft is under attack.
And there's only one person who would do such a thing.
The chilling voice from the Trial of Wisdom haunts the back of my mind as the screams of monsters and islanders merge together into one great cacophony of suffering.
"You are about to lose everything, and it's not just the boy that I am speaking about."
Author's Note: Well, that was a long chapter; but the Sacred Flame of Nayru has finally been collected. Scerva is gone and Skyloft is going down by the second. What will happen next? You'll just have to wait and see! Please drop a rate and review if you haven't already, and I cannot wait to write more of this great story!
~RandomButLoved~