Author's Note: Ancient Roots turned 1 on the 22nd! *Throws confetti through the screen* It's been such a long journey, and we've been through so much, but we still have a long way to go. You guys have helped me through so much. And so say thank-you for helping me so much and sorry for leaving you for such a long time, here's a 7,000+ worded chapter (without the Author's Note!) for you! I do hope that it's good ^-^
Reviews: ShadowNinja1011: Thank-you, and I'm glad you got the reference!
Daisy Bokoblin: Things really aren't going well for Linky, or for anyone. And it's all right, I know exactly how school is (just look at the gap between updates), it's horrible when you want to read/write!
TDDolphin: Glad you got the reference, and the foreshadowing with it. Frozen is a great film, and doesn't deserve all of the stuff that it gets (even if Tangled will be my favourite for a long time). I'm so glad that the fight was all right, because I always get worried about those. Link lost part of his Soul in Lanayru at the Temple of Time, and then with the previous fight with Demise; just so you know. You don't know how much writer's block I got for this, so I hope that you enjoy.
CupcakePride101: I just had to :3 I'm always bad at the Demise fights, so hopefully I'll get better at those when it comes to editing and stuff. He really isn't doing well, but you'll have to see what happens in this one. And Zelda really does love Linky, but her dark thoughts from the Mission are clouding over her. And it was referring to the present Zelda and Link, but it would have been cool if it was the first Link and Hylia. I'm doing all right in school, but I hope that you do well too! Oh, and don't worry about that. I didn't even realise myself!
MiniJen: Thank-you so much! I really do, don't I? Don't worry, you can settle down for this chapter (maybe). And I'm so sorry for the wait!
destinyschild02: Gotta love Frozen, and you was shocked almost as much as I was when I wrote it. I was scared of my own writing! I didn't know I was going to do it until I wrote it. But you don't know how much that has made my lifetime. Thank-you for being so wonderful, but sorry for the wait!
Vampire-Queen-Kazumi: Sorry! I had a bad feeling that things were going slow, but than k-you for telling me. Now that Demise's fight is over, things should hopefully pick up a little bit more; but do tell me if it happens again. Sorry for that, and the long wait too!
Schniedragon88: I'm glad that I got that across, but I'm so sorry for the update. I'm not so consistent now, am I? :/ School is a pain...
NoSignalBlueScreen: No problem. I do that all the time! So glad that you enjoyed the chapter, though.
Favourites & Follows: Thank-you very much to "Mattellai" for favouriting this FanFiction and "explodingbunnies52" for following this FanFiction. I love you all, and sorry for the wait!
"The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor man perfected without trials."
~Chinese Proverb~
Ancient Roots
A Skyward Sword FanFiction
Chapter 28: Farore
After a night plagued with nightmares, I wake with a gut full of anxiety. I can't help but feel uneasy about the rest of this Mission and the chances of me actually finding the Triforce, especially with Faron Woods flooded and with it my only way of meeting with the Water Dragon, who has the part of the Song of the Hero that I need. Stretching, I rub my eyes and yawn.
And when Link bids me good morning, it sounds like he didn't rest well either.
Impaz is already awake and beginning her morning prayers at the top of the steps. When she notices me stirring, however, she passes me a warm smile. "Good morning, Your Grace. Did you sleep well?"
"Well enough," I lie. "Did you?"
"Well enough," she parrots with a toothy grin, only to frown, "Although I am still uneasy about the flooding of Faron Woods."
I hum. "I don't sense any evil force nearby, and Lake Floria couldn't have caused such a massive flood like this."
"Perhaps it was the will of the Water Dragon," Impaz muses as I take a seat next to her. "After all, she would have the power to do such a thing. Whoever caused this flood, it would be wise to speak with her nonetheless."
Why would she flood the forest? I wonder. She is far too strong to be controlled by the darkness, but she had no reason to do it. I can't get rid of the water, anyway, not with such little of Hylia left in me…
My shoulders slump forwards as I place my hands in my lap. "I will find her. If she did do this, then she may do something else soon. I'll do what I can to stop her and get rid of the water."
"Wisely spoken, Your Grace."
Forcing a smile, I make my way towards the front of the Sealed Temple. The unease in my stomach still lingers, making me nauseous as I push open the heavy doors. As I emerge outside, I find Pipit, Karane, and Groose standing on the partially built wooden platform that was there during the battle against The Imprisoned yesterday, working on a strange metal contraption.
"What is that?"
The three of them glance down to me at the sound of my voice, and Groose leans against the contraption with a grin. "Come on up and we'll show you," he says, to which I do as he asks and jog up to them. The wooden platform is a set of rails, it seems, to which the contraption is attached. The machine is made up of a simple lever and a scoop to hold something in.
"Me and Gondo had been working on the designs for this for a while now, but there wasn't a need for it back at home," he explains. "But down here is different. When that grease wad tries to break free, I can smack him with bombs and stun him for a while. It's my best work yet!"
"Though we need to help him on the name," Karane adds with a smile.
"Hey, you're just jealous that I came up with the "Groosenator," aren't you?" Groose retorts with a smirk, and for a moment I realise that the three of them are working together without arguing.
I never thought I'd see the day.
"We've got a lot more to do, though," Pipit remarks, diverting the conversation. "Groose wants these tracks around the whole pit by the end of tomorrow, so if you're sticking around, we could use an extra pair of hands."
"I would, but I can't stay," I say, to their dismay. "I have to stop the flood and start looking for the Triforce—Demise won't wait for me to."
Even though they clearly don't want to, they can't help but agree.
"How are you going to get to the Woods?" Pipit asks.
Fi then appears in a flash of light, hovering above the tracks elegantly. "As the direct way into Faron Woods is inaccessible, Dominae, I would recommend taking a gust of wind back up to the Sky Realm and descend from a height so that you may direct yourself into the forest."
I nod and thank her before turning to my companions. "That's my answer… I should get going."
Karane bundles me up into a tight embrace, whispering into my ear, "Be safe, Zelda."
I smile and squeeze her.
Stepping away, I smile at Pipit. "If I hear anything about Mallara, I'll let you know as soon as I can." He nods and hugs me for a moment before letting Groose say goodbye.
"Don't go getting into trouble with pirates again without me," he says, then, "Just be careful, alright?"
"I will."
Before I let myself stay any longer, I move away from them and ask for Fi to take me high into the sky like she mentioned. She nods and glows a soft lilac, and for a moment dread fills my stomach at what I'm about to do. Growing up in Skyloft, there's no need to be scared of the sky, but there is a need to be scared of falling. Swallowing thickly, I close my eyes and let the wind beneath my feet grow until I am lifted high into the sky.
Holding tightly onto my belongings, my stomach drops when the wind finally dies out and I open my eyes again—a sea of greenery and water below me. My heart stops as I start to fall, and I think of how Link must have felt to have fallen from such a height.
Fear jolts through my system as lean my body towards Faron Woods, the wind so strong up here that I can barely see through my hair as it whips around my face. I fumble around for my Sailcloth as the sea of water grows closer, and in a moment of fear I can't help but pray.
Protect me, Hylia. I can't fail…
'You're going to be fine, Zelda,' Link assures. 'Fi wouldn't do anything to put you in danger.'
'I know,' I reply with a tight throat. 'But now I know what you went through on the day of the Wing Ceremony. I'm so sorry I didn't protect you…'
I force my eyes to stay open as I hold the Sailcloth above my head, my stomach churning as the water rapidly comes closer. 'What happened that day wasn't your fault, Zelda,' he says strongly. 'I just wish you didn't have to feel what I felt…'
I go to reply, but then I realise how close I am to hitting the water and hold my breath.
I almost gasp in fright as I finally hit the water, thankful that the Sailcloth slowed my fall enough to stop me from hurting myself upon impact. Opening my eyes, I turn my gaze up to the water's surface and realise just how far away it is. Panic courses through my veins as I think back to how close I was to being trapped underwater on Skipper's ship during the battle against Tentalus, praying that it doesn't happen again.
Kicking my legs, I focus only on the surface, hoping over and over that I can hold my breath long enough. My lungs start to ache as I keep swimming, but I try my best not to focus on it and keep my eyes solely on the surface. I gasp when I finally break the surface, drinking in air in gulps as I spot a large lily pad nearby and clamber onto it.
Taking a moment to regain my energy, I scan the world around me. Only Faron Woods seems to have been flooded, but everything other than the branches of the large tree in the middle of the forest has been submerged. I notice the Kikwis huddled together on some lily pads in the distance as well as some logs floating nearby, but other than that the forest is completely flooded.
"Faron, Your Excellence!" I call out, trying my best to keep myself balanced on the lily pad as I stand up. "Please, I need your assistance!" I spot a shadow under the water in the corner of my eye, though it's gone when I look at it. 'She can't have left the Woods in this state,' I mumble to Link. 'I appointed her as protector of—'
Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, a gigantic shadow surges forth from the water in front of me and drenches me further. I cry out in alarm and instinctively reach for the Master Sword, readying myself for a fight.
"Who has dared to dip even a toe in my Domain without my leave?!" The shadow roars, their voice booming around the entire forest. As my eyes adjust, I shrink away at the sight of the Water Dragon towering over me. Once she realises who I am, she bows deeply. "Ah, Your Grace, I apologise for the scare. There has been far too much happening in my Domain recently, you see, so I will do anything to scare those pests away."
'She doesn't sound like she's under someone else's control,' Link observes.
'She doesn't look it either,' I add, noticing that her eyes are normal.
I bow my head. "You are quite forgiven, Your Excellence. I merely came here to find whoever caused the Woods to be flooded as well as for you to teach me the part of the Song of the Hero that I once entrusted to you."
She raises her claws and waves me off, and in a single motion I suddenly feel very small. "It was I who flooded Faron Woods. As it is my Domain, I have the right to do with it as I wish, and I had enough of those very irksome monsters running around and causing havoc—flooding the forest was the easiest thing to do."
Even though I entrusted her with this part of the Surface, I feel like I can't object to her—even Hylia within me feels the same.
"As for my part of the Song of the Hero," she continues. "I sealed it away within the Skyview Temple for safekeeping. Why you chose to honour such a man I will never know, Your Grace. Both then and now, he has only caused you emotional turmoil."
My lips part and anger flares within me.
'Ignore her,' Link instructs, but it's clear that he's hurt by her words. 'All you need is the Song of the Hero and for the flood to be gone. It doesn't matter what she thinks of me or the first Bearer…'
'It does to me.'
"Your Excellence," I begin, trying to keep my tone level. "I have always have and always will respect you for all that you have done for this land in my absence. However, I do not wish to hear such things about my Champions. They have and are sacrificing everything in their power for this world, and they do not need to have such things tarnish their names. Our world would be nothing without their heroism."
From the other end of time, I can feel Link's smile.
"I apologise, Your Grace," she says genuinely, bowing to me. "To atone for my words, I shall do what I can to aid you. Your task is far from over, and you are not exactly at home in the water. I shall revert Faron Woods back to its original state and freeze time so that you may reach the Temple with little distractions."
"I thank you for your help, Your Excellence."
Nodding firmly, Faron rubs her clawed fingers and creates a spark of blue light. As her power grows, her voice booms, "Congelo!"
I jump at the volume of her voice, falling onto my knees as the world beneath me grumbles and the water around me starts to drain away. I watch on in awe as the water disappears faster than I ever would have thought possible, soon leaving behind nothing left but waterlogged ground and droplets of water dripping from the trees.
"Once you step off from this lily pad, the Woods shall freeze, and time with it," Faron explains. "All of this has been rather draining, so I shall return to my hall. You'd best be on your way as well, Your Grace."
I swallow and nod firmly, letting Faron fly away before making any movements. Clutching my hands over my chest, I stare at the ground in front of me sceptically. What did she mean by Faron Woods freezing? Would everything just stop moving, or would something else happen to?
You won't know until you find out…
Taking a deep breath, I step off of the lily pad and onto the soaked ground before me. In a flash of gentle blue light, hundreds of tiny clear crystals growing out from where my foot landed, growing outward so quickly that I barely have time to react. The skies above me suddenly darken, grey clouds merging together and shrouding the forest from the sun completely.
The crystals spread out throughout the entire forest like thousands of fingers clawing across the land to claim it for their own. As the crystals take over the greenery, the trees and leaves cease to move, the flowers stop swaying in the breeze, and even the monsters in the far distance halt in place.
My lips part in pure amazement, and I don't even notice that Fi has appeared before I hear her voice. "Despite the low temperatures during the Winter months in Skyloft, the islands in the Sky Realm were unable to reach a low enough temperature to be covered in frost and ice."
"Frost and ice?"
"Ice is the solidification of water when temperatures reach low levels, and frost is the covering of the ground and other surfaces with ice needles, Dominae," she clarifies, continuing when I'm too stunned to say anything. "When Faron cast her spell, she froze the passing of time, and with it the expanse that she froze physically froze with it, despite the lack of low temperatures."
'What is it like, Zelda?' Link breathes.
'It's beautiful,' I reply. 'It's nothing like we've ever seen before. I wish you could see it.'
'Me too.'
And I'm not wrong—I haven't seen anything like this before, and not even Hylia experienced this during the Great War as she rarely left the Fortress. The water on the trees have completely frozen over, looking like glass dangling down, and the ground beneath me is a pure white unlike anything I've seen before.
The only thing I can relate it to is how Faron Woods looked when I first entered the Trial of Courage before I was transported to the horrid portrayal of the fire in Skyloft. The colours seem to have dulled from the spell, the shadows a stark contrast to the frost around me.
Even though the monsters won't be able to move, I draw the Master Sword nonetheless and start to make my way towards Skyview Temple. I call for Fi just to have her at my side as I make my way through the silent forest, walking down the path that Karane and I took when we first met Machi so long ago—neither of us knowing what was in store for us in the next few hours and days.
But as I make my way through the forest, things quickly start to change.
"A girl with no experience would want to fight me?"
I stop dead in my tracks, searching around in search of the Demon Lord. He had said that just before we first battled in the depths of the Skyview Temple, though I'm both unsure of why he would say such a thing again or why he could be here through Faron's spell.
Even though it was so long ago, his words still cut deep.
"Are you well, Mistress?"
Shuddering, I lie, "I'm fine." Shaking my head, I force myself onward. 'Did you hear that, Link?'
He says nothing for a moment, then, 'Hear what?'
'Nothing, don't worry.'
I'm losing it… I must be.
But then it happens again.
"You see, Your Grace, your "efforts" to defy me will end up tipping the fragile scales of fate in my favour."
He said that in the Earth Temple, and they still ring true. I stop again and lower my head, gritting my teeth as I realise how much I've messed up by trying to defy the Demon Lord and his plans. I will never stop defying him and his cause, but all I seem to have done is hurt people and let many more suffer.
'What's wrong?' Link asks as I emerge in the area where the white structure stands tall; the same structure that I first saw Ghirahim standing atop of all those weeks ago. The echoing voices start to make my head ache, and even closing my eyes for a few moments doesn't seem to help the pain.
I shake my head. 'Nothing. I must just be tired.'
"All of the death and decay in this world are on their hands, but rather than fix their mistakes they send you instead."
I swallow thickly, my heart twisting as Scerva's words hit me hard in the gut. No matter what happens, I will forever have the Triforce scar on my chest to remind me of my failure by being captured by her crew. No matter what happens, her words will always ring true—they sent me, a young, naïve girl with no fighting experience to fight a war to save the world and the life of the man she loves.
I really must look pathetic.
As we reach the Deep Woods, Fi slows into a halt. "Are you alright, Fi?"
"I sense a strong presence from within Skyview Temple," she reports. "As the Water Dragon's spell did not reach the Temple, I believe that this being is waiting for you. However, this is the presence of being that you have never encountered before. You must proceed with extreme caution, Dominae."
Oh Sisters…
Starting towards the Temple, the voices begin to start up again. The first is Gonzie when she and Senza dragged me up to the top deck to fight Scerva, another fight which I lost. "Come on, Goddess," her voice sneers in the back of my mind. My burn acts up suddenly in response, as if her nails are digging into it again. "I thought you were a symbol of strength…"
But I'm not. Hylia was the symbol of strength and protection, I'm the Goddess Reborn—reborn as a mortal, not reborn with the same divinity and strength that the world needed.
As I reach the chasm blocking the way between here and Skyview Temple, I thank Faron that her frost and ice has managed to create a bridge over the gap. I'm hesitant to walk over it at first, but when I remember my Harp doing the same thing before I press myself into motion and cross the chasm with ease.
"You are destined to lose, Your Grace," the Demon Lord's voice booms through my mind as I stand before the entrance to the Temple. "You may be the Goddess Reborn, but you are nothing but a mortal—a mortal child!"
And I did lose—I lost my only living parent, and with it one of my last fragments of hope. I lost him because I was a mortal child, and his loss will never leave me.
I narrow my eyes at Skyview Temple, wondering if the presence inside is stirring these memories within me or I'm simply just looking back on my failures. The voices are silences once I step inside, a chill running down my spine at the sudden drop in temperature.
Like Fi had said, Faron's powers haven't reached the Temple, so everything is vibrant and alive once more. As my shoes click against the cobbles beneath me, I slash at some nearby Bokoblins and dismiss Fi so I can talk with Link alone.
'Link?' I call out, to which he hums. 'Am I… do you think I'm a failure?'
'W-What?'
'All I've done is fail you,' I say after a pregnant silence—it feels too sickening to talk so truthfully about myself. 'I barely saved you back at Skyview Temple, let you be tortured at the Earth Temple, lose some of your Soul at the Temple of Time, forced you to live alone and in constant fear on the edge of time itself, and even now you have to fight every single day to stay alive. It's all my fault…'
Link says nothing for a moment, then simply breathes, 'Oh Zelda…'
'Throughout this entire Mission, I've been so emotional and hurt so many people because of it, and now I'm just cold and emotionless. I think… I think Hylia made a mistake…'
When I finally say it all, I stop and slump against a nearby wall, tears burning at the edges of my eyes. For so long I've kept such horrible words in, letting them gnaw at me and tear me apart inside as I've lost more and more in my life. And since Link hasn't said anything in a while, I can't help but worry that he thinks it's all true.
But when he finally speaks, his words cut through me.
'When I was listening to you tell the others what you've done over these past few weeks, I wanted to break free from this damn crystal and steal you away so you didn't have to suffer like that anymore,' he finally says, then, 'We've all changed because of this Mission, but when you talk I can still hear the Zelda I know and love inside. The Zelda that almost gave up her own freedom to save Groose and Skipper. The Zelda who fought through poisoning just to get one step closer to being reunited with me. The Zelda who saved her home from being completely destroyed. The Zelda who doesn't even realise her own strength.'
'But Link…' I breathe. 'I'm not her anymore… I'm cold and heartless and failing you…'
'You're different than the girl I used to know, yes. But you aren't cold and heartless—if you were then you wouldn't be asking me these sorts of things. You wouldn't be working day and night just to help everyone live their lives normally. You wouldn't be letting your memories tear you apart. You might be different, but to me you are my Zelda, the Zelda who's going to wake me up when this is all over, isn't that right?'
I let a sob escape me. 'I am…'
'And Hylia hasn't made a mistake. She needed a strong woman with a heart of gold who would fight for what she loved, and she found that in you. You are the one that the Goddesses believe can stop this, and they weren't wrong.'
I sink onto my knees and cover my face as tears fall.
'You'll never know how much you mean to me, Link,' I murmur. 'Goddesses above, I love you so much…'
I can feel his smile as he replies, 'I love you too, Zelda.'
As I regain my composure and wipe away my tears, I shakily stand and continue onward, talking to Link about trivial things as I take my mind away from my breakdown. I don't know how long it will take before I truly believe what Link has said, but right now all I know is that he believes in me and that he knows how much I'm fighting for him.
Making my way around the dome where Karane and I fought the Stalfos so long ago, I break into a jog towards the large door—and with it so many memories come flying back. The last time I was here, the sun was setting and Link was on the other side of this door fighting for his life, none of us knowing just exactly what roles we had to play in this Mission yet.
And we wouldn't know for so long after.
Fi appears beside me, purple particles following her movements. "Mistress, if you permit me to, I ask to scan the room ahead of us so that I may accurately prepare you for the being that waits inside. Because of its strength, I wish to fully understand this creature so that I may preserve your safety as I was created to do."
I nod and wait for her as she glides inside, hiding behind the door so that the creature can't see me. I can do this, I tell myself. Link believes in me, as does everyone else. I can do this…
Tension thickens the longer I wait for Fi, hearing nothing back from her. I start to worry about her, and before I can wait any longer, I tighten my grip around the Master Sword and rush inside.
My footsteps echo around the chamber as I run inside, my eyes squinting at the lack of light in here. I scan the room, noticing the remnants of the glass bottle that I smashed into Ghirahim's face during our battle here, dust collecting around it like a forgotten memory. But what catches my attention more is the fact that the spirit of the blade is nowhere to be seen.
And yet, before I can call out for my companion, a tiny voice speaks.
"Please don't leave…"
'Please tell me you heard that,' I beg.
'I did.'
Snapping my attention to the source of the voice, there's a small girl standing in the middle of the sun design on the ground. Her dark brown hair is plaited down her back, deep blue eyes watching me with curiosity. She wears a lilac dress that just reaches her knees, though she isn't wearing any shoes.
"W-Who are you?"
"Father said I shouldn't talk to strangers…"
I shake my head. "I'm not a mean stranger. I'm just looking for my friend—maybe you saw her?"
"I haven't seen anyone here but you, miss."
'Zelda, who is it?' Link asks, perplexed.
'I don't know… it's a little girl, but I don't know how she got here…' I say to him before asking the girl, "Can I go through that door? I need to find my friend Fi."
The little girl tilts her head. "Fi? But that's my name. That's what Father calls me, anyway." My stomach drops, and I blink a few times to try and understand what's actually going on. "But you can't go through this door, only Miss Viridi can go through there."
'Viridi sounds so familiar…' Link muses. 'I've heard it somewhere before…'
But as I'm about to go and sheathe the Master Sword, the little girl is engulfed in a violet light so suddenly that I take a few steps back in concern. If Link hadn't heard the voice too, then I would be certain that I was delirious. But that still doesn't change that fact that Fi is missing and I don't know what is going on here.
'I feel something,' he adds after a few moments, just as the light before me begins to dim. 'I don't know what it is, but there's a strong presence around you. Be careful, Zelda…'
'I promise.'
Then the light finally fades away, and I come face to face with a familiar figure.
"Fiona…"
The woman from my memories stands tall before me, dark hair cascading down her back and complementing her purple tunic. Her eyes meet mine instantly, and she draws a blade exactly like the ones that Fi has fought with in the past. I swallow thickly as she holds the rapier out towards me, eyes glinting with anger.
"You have failed to masquerade as Her Grace, and now you shall forfeit it with your life," she growls.
"N-No," I breathe. "I'm the Goddess Reborn, not—"
"You are a fool to lie to a servant of Her Grace," she snaps, cutting me off. "Fear the light, you Demon! And fear this blade, for it is the blade that will end your life!"
Before I can say anything else, Fiona flies at me with such speed that I can barely parry her attack. Tugging out my Harp, I stay on the defensive as she battles me with anger rather than using her skills. 'Did the first Bearer ever spar with Fiona?' I ask Link as I shove her away.
'Once or twice,' he replies as our swords meet. I grit my teeth at her sudden burst of strength, and I almost succumb to it. 'She was fast, so he knocked her legs out from under her to pin her down.'
Even though having Link's memories are good for the fight, they soon disadvantage me when Fiona comes at me whilst I'm distracted. Her speed matches that of the Demon Lord's as she collides with me, shoving me up against the wall so harshly that the air is knocked out of my system for a second.
Holding her blade against my neck, she grins and hisses, "You are weak. You will never win." She steps on my previous worries of failing without even meaning to, and for a moment I stare at her with so much fear in my eyes that she laughs at me. "I neve thought I would see a Demon so scared."
She thinks I'm a Demon, but I'm not, I think to myself. I'm the Goddess Reborn, and I won't lose to her.
As she readies herself to end the fight, I push Fiona away with all the strength I can muster, using her sudden stunned self to kick her knees, effectively knocking her to the ground. I leap onto her and pin her down with my knees, resting the Master Sword at her neck.
"This battle is over, now leave this place and allow me to continue on with my task," I demand firmly, pushing the blade closer against her throat when she says nothing.
And then, after a horrible long moment, she grins at me, reaching up and tearing my necklace from my neck before disappearing in a cloud of dark smoke.
I collapse against the ground, leaning on my hand holding the Master Sword as I reach up to my neck. 'Link?' I call out. 'Do you feel the presence anymore?'
There's no response.
I pat my neck, and within moments I realise what she took.
No…
She took my gift from the Goddesses—my only way to communicate with Link.
Without warning, a pair of familiar boots come into my field of vision, and a simple broadsword is pressed against my neck. I swallow thickly and move when the sword shifts to push my chin up. As I do, I meet a pair of painfully familiar blue eyes, and for a moment I wish that he was really here for me to hold him close.
"Link…"
He stands tall before me, dressed just as he was the last time I saw him, but the hatred in his eyes sends a chill down my spine. "Do you really think I meant what I said to you?" He demands of me. "That you didn't deserve this suffering? That you haven't failed me? That I love you?"
I choke out a sob. "Please don't do this…"
"Don't do what?" He scoffs. "Don't force you to see the lives you've affected and the people you've made to suffer because of your inaction? Because of your failure?"
He makes me stand using his blade, kicking aside the Master Sword and my Harp. "I know what I've done," I concede. "And I know how so many people have suffered because of it. But I can make things right again. When I find the Triforce, I can end all of this pain for everyone—even you." I reach up hesitantly and touch his cheek. "Please… just let me go…"
He says nothing for a moment, seemingly affected by my touch.
Then he shakes my head and hits me in the side of the head with the pommel of his sword.
My vision goes dark for a second as I slump to the ground, my world returning moments later in a blur of colours. I spot Link in the corner of my vision, groaning as he snatches me by the neck and picks me up, holding me just off the floor as he drags me over to the nearest wall. I claw at his arm instinctively despite his delicate grasp, although my attempts are weak at best.
Once my back meets the wall, I'm finally at eye level with him. I can't help but feel sick at the sight of his beautiful eyes filled with such strong emotion towards me, and combined with the agony in my head I'm completely vulnerable to whatever he wants to do to me next.
"P-Please…" I beg, feebly scratching at his wrists. "I'm sorry… for everything…"
He narrows his eyes at me. "You don't deserve the mercy."
I let out a small sob as he raises his blade towards me, the sight so horrific that I can't bear to look at it. Squeezing my eyes shut, I know that this time I am going to fail completely. The Goddesses wouldn't let me die any other time because this is how they wanted me to go—by the hand of the one I loved and vowed to save.
Then, by some pure miracle, I am dropped and saved from the clutches of death, somehow strong enough to land on my feet.
And then I open my eyes to an image that will never, ever leave me.
Link stands before me, completely motionless—a sword poking out of his sternum.
Not a sound passes his lips as he tumbles onto the ground and falls still, blood pooling around his body as he twitches. Turning my head towards my saviour, I breathe, "F-Fi…"
I stagger forwards, only to stumble into her arms as my energy leaves me. "I apologise for my absence, Dominae," she remarks. "I am unsure of what came to pass when I first came to this chamber, however I am certain that it was due to this creature."
Fi turns her gaze down to Link, and I force myself to do the same, eyes widening when his body shifts into a small figure comprised entirely of dark matter, lilac cloth draping over its form. "W-What is it?"
"This creature is known as a Poe, Mistress," she explains without looking at me. "They were once inhabitants of this land who did wrong and were punished by the Goddesses to take on dark forms. From my additional scans, I believe that this one used to be called "Meg," and is a perpetual servant to the Goddesses for her wrongdoing."
I lower my head, wondering what horrible thing she could have done to be transformed into such a thing, only to notice the gift from the Goddesses in her outstretched shadowy hand. Forcing myself to pluck it from her open hand, I retie the broken cord and put it around my neck again.
'L-Link?' I call out. 'Are you there?'
After a moment, there's a response, 'I'm here, Zelda. What happened?'
I step away as Fi reclaims her rapier and hold my hands over my heart. 'The creature stole the necklace and took on your form and… n-never mind. Are you alright?'
'I'm fine… I did feel something against my cheek, though.'
My heart jumps—he felt my touch.
Turning to Fi, I thank her again before dismissing her and make my way into Skyview Spring. Clambering up the steps, I place my Harp back into my bag and sheathe the Master Sword too. Fi appears as I reach the end of the pathway, memories stirring in the back of my mind of when I had Link at my side.
Floating elegantly above the water like she had done the last time that we were here, she clarifies, "In order to claim the part of the Song of the Hero that the Water Dragon hid here, you must use the spell "Liberum." Once you have this portion of the song, you will have two pieces remaining on the Surface."
I nod and bring up my hand, noticing how the Goddess smiles down at me warmly despite what I've been through so far. This is how the people saw Hylia—strong, happy, and loving. Nothing like she must have really felt after experiencing all that she did in the Great War and its horrors.
Breathing deeply, I utter, "Liberum..."
My hand glows and a steady stream of golden light soars towards the Statuette and fills it with its light. As I lower my hand, a old scroll hovers before the Statuette for a moment before crossing the gap between us, allowing me to reach out and open it gently. Inside are words written by the Goddess herself thousands of years ago; the lyrics of an ancient melody.
"Oh, Hero,
You will do great things,
Indeed.
Listen to me,
And you'll always be
Unafraid."
The Ancient Hylian slips from my tongue effortlessly, and in the back of my awareness Hylia stirs at the old, emotional words that she once wrote down. With this part of the song now in my grasp, I only have to visit Eldin and Lanayru before returning to Levias—and then the way to the Triforce will be open.
Goddesses how far I've come since the Wing Ceremony…
As I leave the Spring and make my way out of the Temple, I'm glad that Meg's corpse has disappeared from sight. Once I emerge from the Temple, I realise that Faron's spell has lost its effect and the Woods are alive once again, and the thought is enough to make me realise something.
Faron must have sent that Poe after me to test me…
Anger sparks in the back of my mind.
The Water Dragon tested me to see if I was ready to claim her part of the Song of the Hero. She claimed to be helping me by clearing the way to Skyview Temple, only to set a Poe on me to test my skills and courage. Irritation burns in my veins as I break into a run, desperate for answers.
I've had enough of everyone testing me…
Author's Note: And there you go! I am really sorry for the wait, but the last year of high school is going to be rough. Anyway, please drop a rate and review if you're still around; I really appreciate it. I hope that the chapter was good enough to meet your expectations, but do tell me if something was up with that chapter; or any of them in particular, or if you have questions etc. :3
*The lyrics to the Song of the Hero at the end were by OoTFreak1, however they were for for Fi's Theme instead as there weren't any lyrics to the song.
** Congelo means "freeze" and Liberum means "Free," both in Latin.
~RandomButLoved~