Author's Note: 250 reviews! ^-^ Well, I certainly didn't expect such a fast update. I'm probably sure that you didn't either. Anyway, I've been really happy about this chapter now that it's had some major editing stuff added into it, but there are things that I wouldn't be so proud about. I'll leave that for you to tell me, though, so it's out of my hands now :3

Reviews: destinyschild02: Happy birthday to this story! Thank-you so much! I really like using Latin, so I'm glad that it isn't boring for you. Thank-you for being such a constant support for this story!

TDDolphin: Yeah, I had massive writer's block on that part; especially with such a fun part. But I'm glad that you liked this test too. I had Frozen on the brain at that point, yet I'm happy that it was all right to read. It really is a good thing that it was tame, but authors like myself don't like to keep things tame for long. Those Poe Sisters were amazing too, the the game of course! Yep, I'm so glad that you got the reference. Viridi is my favourite character (PitxViridi, sorry!). And I totally could. That would be awesome. Did you see the trailer for Lady Palutena with the anime-style where Link and Pit were fighting too? Thank-you so much!

MiniJen: I'm so sorry for such the long wait! I'm so glad that the Meg was was up to scratch, plus the Zelink of course. Like I say, I had Frozen on the brain! It is such an amazing game, and I love your novelisation! It has to be one of my favourites, and that's hard to beat. I thought that I saw references to B&S/W&C/L&S. Hope this chapter is good for you!

ShadowNinja1011: Thanks. Did I tell you that I really like Frozen? And thank-you!

Schniedragon88: I don't think I have, have I? Thank-you. I didn't think that I had done it all that well, but it's nice to know that it was all right. And I did change the lyrics, so don't worry. The original didn't really fit well with the story, in my opinion, so I changed it up a little. I have to tell that to my friend. That's beautiful! I really liked writing the "cold" part and the Meg fight, because I had always wondered about them. And life really is a pain in the behind. Thank-you!

Daisy Bokoblin: Yay! I'm so glad that it was all right, especially the Meg fight. Oh, the wondrous life of fangirling, don't I know it. I love the Poe Sisters so much! I didn't want to replace it at first, but I couldn't leave you waiting for too much longer; but I'm so happy that you preferred this version. I love writing all the romance too, so there's more coming you way!

G01den Unicorn 11: I'm back! I'm so glad to be here, and getting all these wonderful reviews. I will change it up for each parts of the Song, though, (hopefully that isn't disappointing). There will be links to the game, but things will also be a bit different too. Hope you enjoy!

CupcakePride101: I'm so happy that it was worth the wait! I love Frozen too much to leave it out of my story when it's on the brain! Yes, she was, and it actually would have been. Nice idea you've got there! And, yes, I made reference to that amazing game. It is so good, and good luck with high school!

Favourites & Follows: No favourites, though thank-you very much to "Carriedreamer" and "Mearn-Tahl" for following this story :3

"The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power."

~Mary Pickford~

Ancient Roots

A Skyward Sword FanFiction

Chapter 39: Ash

"Faron!"

I charge down the coral steps and onto the main platform in Faron's Shrine, my face like stone but my eyes on fire in the water's reflection. She turns to me, sitting tall and regal as I make my way towards her, confused by my anger. On the journey back to Lake Floria, I had only managed to work myself up more over what she did, so by the time I stand before her my fists are clenched and she raises a brow at my expression.

"Whatever is the matter—"

"Why did you send me out to claim the first part of the Song of the Hero, only to send a Poe after me?" I demand. Link is silent and has been for the entire trip, knowing that when I'm annoyed no one can calm me down until I've had my say. "Am I not worthy in your eyes? Was it a test to prove myself to you? What did I do to deserve such treatment?!"

For a fraction of a second, her composure is lost.

Then she chuckles, and I nearly shout further, though I try and keep calm when she finally speaks.

"Ah, Farore… you have done it again."

"W-What?"

"I did doubt Her Grace's choice when you were carried out from the Ancient Cistern at death's door," she admits, to which I lower my head in shame over how weak I was back then. "However, when I saw the Master Sword at your waist, I knew that I was wrong. I suppose when I sent you to the Temple, Farore decided to throw one test at you." She smirks. "I never saw Farore as such a fickle Goddess…"

I turn my eyes up to her, attempting to divert the conversation away from my sudden outburst. "The Poe in there mentioned Viridi. Do you know why?"

"Viridi was the name that Farore used when she once graced this land with her presence, Your Grace," she says simply. "She wished to interact with the people that she had created, and so used a name that reflected one of the deities that once watched over the land's nature."

'That must be where I knew that name from,' Link murmurs. 'I remember people mentioning Viridi to the first Bearer during the Great War.'

"It was Farore who tested me, not you…" The Water Dragon goes silent for a moment, and a pregnant silence ensues. Desperate to break it, I kneel before her and place a hand over my heart. "I apologise for my rudeness, Your Excellence. Please accept my deepest apologies—I acted using my heart instead of my head, that is all."

Another silence fills the room so much that I'm scared that I'll choke on it, and I almost do when Faron bursts into a fit of laughter. "Oh, Your Grace, you must rise! As I have said before, it should be I bowing to you." I do as she asks meekly, to which her eyes glitter with mirth. "You need not apologise, for you have been tested more than enough in these past few weeks—I understand your anger."

"Thank you, Your Excellence."

"Now, now, do call me Faron. We both agree that titles are overused, hmm?" I smile. "My brothers, Eldin and Lanayru, are waiting for your arrival. I suggest you make your way to them before the Demon King attempts to threaten this land again, wouldn't you say?"

I nod. "I will. Thank you for your help, Faron."

"Though before you leave," she adds as I move to go. With a wave of her hand, a bundle of arrows with silver arrowheads appear in her hands. "Take these, Hylia. These are Ice Arrows and shall freeze anything that they make contact with. Use them, and you will never go astray."

Placing the bundle into my quiver, I bow again, "Thank you, Faron. I will take great care of these."

Bidding her one last farewell, I turn on my heel and exit from Faron's Shrine. The smell of damp grass reaches me first, only moments before the sound of birds singing from their nests. I smile as the sun, no longer blocked by the clouds, shines down on me. Basking in its warmth for a moment, I'm glad to see the Woods blossoming again.

'Who will you visit next?' Link asks me.

'Eldin, I think,' I tell him. 'We went to Eldin Volcano after Faron Woods the first time we came to the Surface, so I guess it's nice to be nostalgic.' I can feel his smile. 'I've only met Faron, so I can only hope that her brothers are kind enough to give me their verses without me having to do anything for them.'

'The Goddesses love making you work for your rewards,' Link can't help but joke. 'But the sooner I'm out of this thing, the better.'

I call upon Fi to transport me back to the Sky Realm, and thankfully the journey to Eldin doesn't take too long—the sun beginning to set as we fly. Crimson caws in confusion as I fly straight past Skyloft, and even Link asks why I'm not going home.

'I'll go back when I need to, but until then I need to keep focused—especially with Demise breaking the Seal faster every time.'

Link goes to argue but knows that it's a losing battle and keeps quiet.

Soaring towards the red Column of Light, I think more about the Seal holding Demise back. There's going to be a day when the Seal breaks and I can't be there, I just know it. I can't let Pipit, Karane, Groose, Impaz, and Link fight that battle on their own, not when I am one of two people who can create the Seal—I can't let that burden fall onto Impaz alone, not over and over again.

Demise is growing stronger every time, and I need to be there to meet him every time.

I shake my head as we near the red Column of Light, Crimson almost blending in with the Column's hue. 'I remember Eldin,' Link mumbles, seemingly lost in a trance as he continues, 'It was always too hot. I remember a mission once where we had to cut through rogue Goron forces to capture the two Mountain Keeps there and secure a new alliance. That was before the imprisonment, though...'

'That wasn't you, Link,' I press as I swing my leg over Crimson's back and ready myself to jump. 'That was the first Bearer. Your Souls are intertwined, but you aren't him.' He says nothing for a moment, so as I begin my plummet I add, 'Tell me about Skyloft, sleepyhead. Talk to me about—'

A sound so loud that it nearly bursts my eardrums cuts me off suddenly. Knowing that it's too late to call for Crimson and fly away from any disasters, I search around for the source of the sound, my stomach dropping at the sight before me.

'Zelda, what's going on?'

But I can't speak—the sight shocking me to the core and cutting off my vocals.

Eldin Volcano has erupted.

A cloud of fire and smoke spirals up from the summit of the volcano, the skies above it dyed a charcoal black within seconds, edges of clouds highlighted with a terrifying blood red. Pulling out my Sailcloth, I brace myself for the cloud of ash surging towards me at a fast pace, my ears starting to ring from the eruption.

'Zelda?'

Link still calls out to me, but I have no time to answer him. Holding the Sailcloth above me, I flinch as the first wave of heat and smoke collides with me, the force of it throwing me off course. I almost lose my grip on my Sailcloth, sending fear jolting through my body as the second wave of smoke then hits me.

'Zelda, please!'

When the next wave slams into me, one hand finally loses grip on the Sailcloth and I scream as I tumble down towards the earth below, unable to grasp the piece of cloth with the other hand.

I have no time to react before a crag emerges from the shadows and I crash into it, my vision going dark for a second as my head hits it first. Tumbling down the craggy face, I groan when I finally roll into a stop against the ground.

I black out to Link's fearful voice.

'Zelda!'

~O~

"Why have you come to me, Your Grace?" The great Fire Dragon pondered as he rose from his bow. "While I am grateful to see you in the flesh again, surely you should be setting out the plans for the final strike in the coming days." The two sat mere miles away from the Fortress, the White Goddess having waited for the Fire Dragon to arrive atop a grassy knoll.

The White Goddess kept her head low as she moved down onto her knees, spreading out her skirts around her. She still wore the garments that she returned to the Surface in, her golden circlet resting evenly across her brow.

"I am afraid, Eldin," she confessed quietly, clasping her hands together. The Dragon leaned in closer, his tail still slightly dipping in the nearby lava. "While I may be here to help the people, they only have one life to live unlike us. If those lives are lost, their Souls will either be reborn later on, or they will be trapped by Demise's power and will aid the Demon Army. If they ever fell into the hands of the Demon King, I would never be able to forgive myself..."

She shifted her gaze up to the might Dragon, who studied her for a few moments. The Fire Dragon sighed, warm air blowing stray hairs away from Hylia's face. "Hylia, Your Grace, the point of this war will be to slay Demise once and for all. War is the only ultimatum against the Demon King, and lives will inevitably be lost. We must simply destroy the enemy before more lives are taken away."

"You are right," she said, though her tone betrayed her.

"That is not the heart of you concern, though, is it?"

Hylia shook her head after a few moments, looking back down at her lap. "This is a War between the Gods, and yet our foolishness has bought the lives of innocents into this mess. We do not hate life, Eldin, but our feuds are causing lives to be lost." Her eyes watered as she continued to avoid his eyes. "I have even put the life of my Champion into despair because of the Gods thirsting for power and justice. Where do we stop, Eldin? Where can we stop this entire War of the Gods?"

The Fire Dragon said nothing for a while, knowing that the White Goddess was correct. Because of the battle between the Goddesses and the beings from the Demon Realm, the lands caught in between the two realms were now stuck in the middle of a raging war. And until one side was utterly destroyed, the people of the mortal realm would continue to be dragged into the middle of such power struggles.

"Did the people fighting in this war choose to fight, or did they not have a choice?"

Hylia met his gaze evenly. "I gave them a choice—to stay and fight or leave with their families. Either way, the Gods would view them with honour."

The Dragon nodded, "And so they chose to serve you by fighting for you. The Goddesses, your Sisters, gave those lives free will to serve who they wanted to. And at this very moment, they serve you because they wish to fight in your name. Hylia," he then added, tucking his claw under her chin and lifting it up so she could see him. "They will willingly die for you and the cause that you follow—please do not let their sacrifices be in vain and slay Demise for the good of those people."

She smiled a little, her atonement intertwining with her resolve as a single tear slipped down her cheek. "I will."

~O~

I drift in and out of consciousness a few times, my vision a blur or reds and oranges whilst my head screams in pain. Anytime that I'm awake, a deep pain throughout my whole body lingers; my ears still ringing slightly. The few times that I recall being awake is a haze of pain of heat, my feet and shins aching as they're dragged across the coarse ground.

Then I'd pass out again and return to the darkness.

When I finally awaken, the memory of Hylia and Eldin remains at the back of my mind. Groaning, I blink rapidly and try to regain my bearings. I lie in some sort of hut, the only entrance in front of me blocked with wooden spikes. I lie on my side, my back pressed against the back wall, my hands roughly bound with rope and my mouth gagged—something heavy hanging from my neck, all of my items gone.

And with no way to speak, I can't heal my injuries.

Pushing myself upright with my elbows, I focus on how I can break free first; just like I did back on Skippers ship. The hut itself seems easy enough to break out of, the spikes are only wooden and they can easily cut the ropes, though it's what lies outside that worries me more.

The Mogmas wouldn't do something like this—too many of them know me and it isn't their business to lock people up in huts that they would never use. From the cries off in the distance, I can only assume that Bokoblins have taken over a part of the volcano and claimed it for their own.

They're easy enough to dispose of, I muse. But I need to find my things first…

Remembering how scared Link sounded when the volcano first erupted, I bow my head and call out to him, 'I'm alive, Link. The volcano erupted and I was caught up in it. I was taken by Bokoblins, but there'll be a quick way out of this, I promise.'

I wait for a response, assuming that he's resting.

He worries too much to sleep, I think when I hear nothing back. Something isn't right.

'Link?'

Still nothing.

I swallow thickly, the action reminding me of something heavy hanging from my neck. Reaching up, I feel a metal shackle around my neck—a chain tethering it and me to the wall, I soon realise.

Maybe this won't be as easy as I thought…

'Link, are you there?'

I feel under the shackle for my necklace.

It isn't there.

My heart drops.

Something's wrong…

"So, the Goddess has finally awoken from her slumber, hm?"

My gut twists at the sound of the familiar voice, and I snap my gaze up to find the dark eyes of the Demon Lord twinkling as he studies me from the other side of the spikes, effortlessly slipping through them. As soon as I see him, all I can see is Father's face as he slowly dies beside me because of my failure.

Murderer!

If I wasn't gagged, I'd be screaming at him. I leap to my feet, only to groan and stagger back as my world spins—something Ghirahim takes great delight in. Gritting my teeth, I stumble towards him in a vague attempt to attack him, swinging my bound hands in his direction with a muffled yell.

Rolling his eyes, he merely grabs my wrists in one hand before I can hit him and takes the shackle around my neck in his other hand, sending some sort of dark but potent magic into the metal—sending me crumpling onto my knees instantly. Using the shackle to force my head back up, he smirks down at me.

"How flattering it is to have a Goddess on her knees before me," he remarks, releasing my hands but still holding my shackle; a steady stream of magic flowing through it to keep me down. "Now that's better, isn't it? Submission and obedience are good looks for you, aren't they, Your Grace?"

I narrow my eyes, to which he chuckles.

"When I heard that my brainless minions had managed to capture the Goddess, I had to say I was overjoyed," he declares with a grin, thumbing a bruise on my cheekbone I never realised I had—my flinch only adding to his joy. "They must have roughed you up more than I expected. To see you in such a sorry state just makes my heart flutter!"

I try to break out of his grasp, but it fails. Even looking at the man who murdered Father in cold blood, I scold myself when a tear slips down my cheek. Without bending down, he brushes the tear away—a display of his power over me, just like Scerva had done.

"Just look at how broken you are! The Goddess herself on her knees before me, her heart broken and her hope positively crushed!"

My head lolls against my chest when he finally releases my neck, and from the eruption and the dark magic lingering I'm fighting to stay conscious.

"You know what I need, and you know that I won't stop until you give it to me. Whether you leave this place dead or alive is up to you, Your Grace, but I will leave here with the information that I require," he asserts, circling my prone form. "And even though your petty affections for the boy were once a hinderance, they have now proven themselves to be an asset."

When he stops right in front of me, he dangles something in front of me with a grin.

The gift from the Goddesses; the Timeshift Stone.

Before I can stop myself, I reach out for it with a grunt—only for him to snatch it away from me at the last moment.

"Ah, ah, settle down," he tuts. "If you hadn't left your weakness out so openly, this wouldn't belong to me now."

It doesn't belong to you, I sneer in my mind, wishing that I could speak.

"It was the presence from this frail little trinket that caught my attention first. I thought nothing of it," he comments, then, "But then I heard a… special voice, shall we say?" I grunt at him and start to struggle, only for another spark of magic to stop me. He chuckles as he kneels, wrapping his fingers around the crystal and holding it close to me. "How much will you allow him to suffer before you finally break, hm?"

You can't do that… you can't!

"But," he adds after a moment. "There would be no fun in causing suffering that we cannot see." I watch in confusion as he tosses the Timeshift Stone to the ground and tugs the gag out from my mouth and leaves it to dangle from my neck—and in that moment I realise that my gag was my very own Sailcloth. Observing me closely, almost like a piece of art, he brushes some hair away from my eyes. "To send an emotionally fuelled child into war was the Goddess's greatest failure."

"Murderer," I rasp, to which he chuckles. "You won't break me."

"Oh, I have no time to waste on you, Your Grace," he remarks, nodding to the necklace in the corner of the hut. "I'm positive that when the boy hears your screams helplessly, he would do anything to save you."

My heart twists—he's right, but he can't know that.

"He won't tell you a thing."

Ghirahim merely smirks. "We shall see."

But I don't give him the chance.

He shouldn't have let me speak.

Mustering up all the strength I have, I yell, "Occido!"

In a burst of white light, the Demon Lord is tossed away from me in a grunt of pain. The strength of the spell is enough to shatter the shackle around my neck, and I immediately force myself to ignore my dizzy vision as I stand. Plucking the necklace from the ground, I simply narrow my eyes at his dazed form before slipping through the spikes and rush out.

'Link!' I cry out once I pull the necklace over my head, attacking a wave of Bokoblins with my Ventus spell as I go. 'Link, are you alright?'

'Zelda!' The response is instant, and I almost lose my footing at the relief that floods into my system. I run through a large cave made up of various huts, and I know that I have little time to find my things before the alarm is raised. 'Sweet merciful Hylia, you're alright!'

I thank Hylia when I spot my things beside the main fire, a spot now deserted after I knocked all the Bokoblins away. Scooping up my bag and the Master Sword, I sling my bag over my shoulder and simply carry the sheath—knowing that I have no time to waste here. Stars spark around the edges of my vision, but I can't allow myself to stop now.

I run.

Bolting down the nearest tunnel, I emerge on a pathway familiar to me—the same one that I took with Karane and Pipit when we first arrived here. Cries from Bokoblins and orders being roared by the Demon Lord far behind me, I clutch my aching head and run down the only path I know—praying that I can flee.

"F-Fi, I need… to escape," I pant, my breaths coming out in short gasps.

"The current volcanic activity impedes your ability to return to the Sky Realm," she confesses after appearing at my side. "However, I do sense the presence of the Fire Dragon atop the volcano, and you may be able to acquire safety with him."

I almost moan at the thought of scaling the volcano again as I stagger towards the wind vent that Impa had led us to so long ago. Even though I lose my footing a few times, I've yet to be completely assailed just yet. When I trip on a nearby rock, Fi helps me up as my vision blurs and Link's voice echoes in my mind.

'Keep going, Zelda. You'll be safe soon, I promise… just keep going. I can't lose you…'

I don't say anything in response, too exhausted to form a decent sentence right now. The spirit of the blade floats a little ahead of me, directing me whilst also making sure that I don't falter again. As I reach the cave with the wind vent, I dare to look behind me, startled at the sea of red surging towards me. I take a moment to hide behind the closest wall, hoping that none of them come in my direction.

And by some miracle, they are all too focused on scaling the volcano that they don't search the small space I'm hidden in.

I slump against the wall for a moment to catch my breath, blinking a few times to clear my vision. I wouldn't be surprised if I was concussed from the fall, the event itself a blur of pain and nothing more, though it's doing nothing but delaying me. I dread to think what will happen if I finally falter enough to be caught.

I can't be captured again, I tell myself firmly. Who knows what the punishment will be…?

I start towards the wind vent again, my heart hammering harshly against my chest whilst my breath is ripped out of my body so forcefully that my throat burns with each breath. My thoughts, frantic and cluttered, are too crowded and confused for me to fully understand where I am going.

I hug the Timeshift Stone close to me, feeling the warmth of the energy wrap around my clasped hand as I leap into the vent and fly upward, my head screaming in pain at the sound and strength of the wind battering my already weak body. Landing harshly against the ground, I tumble onto the floor and suddenly lose the energy I need to stand up again.

Come on, I growl at myself. Get up!

But I can't.

My vision starts to blur again, and my eyes start to droop.

'I'm sorry, Link,' I mumble. 'I can't…'

'No, no, no, Zelda,' he replies sternly, though I can vaguely hear the fear in his voice as Fi tries to help me up. 'I know it's hard, but you can't go to sleep yet, alright? Fi will keep you safe, but you have to keep going.' His voice breaks a little as he pleads, 'Please Zelda… you need to wake me up, remember? Then you can get in trouble as much as you want. But not now, Zelda. Not now…'

Tears burn at the edges of my eyes as my eyes lock onto the entrance to the Volcano Summit ahead of me, Fi doing her best to support me as she helps me towards what I pray is my salvation.

I have to wake him up, I tell myself over and over. You promised him…

Gritting my teeth, I make myself stand on my own and break out into a steady jog towards the magma filled caverns ahead of me; having no choice but to keep going if I want to stay alive.

I'm a survivor. I will survive this…

My Fireshield Earrings activate as soon as I burst into the caverns, protecting me as I follow Fi through a part of the caves that I only momentarily explored before. My world begins to spin a little as I stumble after the spirit of the blade, pressing my fingers against the side of my head when it pulsates with pain, only to see blood staining my hands when I bring it back.

But there's no time to think about that.

All that matters now is living.

Using some rocks to cross the river of lava ahead, we rush through the caverns and enter an open room, a large doorway ahead open and begging for me to reach it. The way ahead seems to end after the doorway, though Fi says nothing when I pass her a questioning glance. Putting pressure on the side of my head, I stagger onward.

And yet, as if by a cruel joke by the Goddesses, I falter at the last obstacle.

A scream escapes me when an arm is suddenly wrapped around my waist, dragging me back and away from my salvation only moments before I can reach it—the Master Sword clattering against the ground thanks to my moment of shock. I whimper as the sudden force sends pain spiralling through me, biting my lip as a familiar blade is held at my neck and my assailant leans into my ear.

"You thought you could scurry away from me, hm?" Ghirahim taunts in a low tone, and I have no strength left to speak as I weakly grab his arm to try and free myself. Fi draws her rapiers instantly, only for the Demon Lord to retaliate by pressing the blade closer to my neck and drawing blood.

"In her mortal form, she does not have the memories or the capabilities of giving you the answers that you seek," Fi states firmly. "Release her. You have no need for her."

He merely chuckles. "You have no authority to be making such demands, Fiona, not when I pull the strings."

I bite my lip harder when the blade cuts deeper.

"Do whatever you want to me," I hiss, my words slurring slightly. "But I'll die long before I tell you anything…"

But I know that I wouldn't be able to last long.

As he begins to talk at Fi and gloat over his potential victory, I realise just how small of a chance that I have of getting out of this alive.

I'm too weak to heal myself, my weapon lies on the ground and out of reach, Fi is unable to do anything without risking my safety, and I know that I don't have long before I slip out of consciousness again.

My lip quivers at the sight of my freedom ahead of me—if only the Fire Dragon was waiting and could have helped.

But the Goddesses wanted me to get out of this on my own, and I failed.

Then Link says something that snaps me out of my daze completely.

'Tell him, Zelda…'

For a moment, I stop struggling.

'W-What?'

I can hear the fear in his voice as he speaks again, the gravity of his words clear in his tone. 'You are the last hope of defeating Demise once and for all. Without you, we have no chance.' He pauses. 'I can give you the time you need to find the Triforce—it isn't how we planned to fight this battle, but we can't lose you to this…'

He's right.

I know he's right.

But I can't do this to him.

'We?' I almost yell at him. 'I don't care about everyone else right now—I only care about you! You're just as important in this Mission, but more so than that you're my best friend; a person I love with all my heart. I could never put you in so much danger, and deep down you know that too—not even for this forsaken Mission. Or do you really believe that Zelda is gone?'

He sighs, his voice cracking a little as he replies after a moment, 'You're still the girl from Skyloft that I know and love, which is exactly why I can't let you do this. Whether you were the Goddess Reborn or not, I can't let you suffer for me—not when I'm trapped in this damn crystal unable to do nothing but hear your pain!'

He strikes a nerve so hard that my breath hitches.

He's right, I realise. No matter who we were in another life, if our places were switched, I wouldn't want to hear him suffer like I will…

'Please Link… don't do this…'

'I'm sorry, Zelda,' he murmurs. 'It's the only way…'

I swallow thickly. 'I'm scared, Link…'

'It'll be alright, Zelda,' he says after a long moment, though he doesn't sound confident in his words.

As I work myself up to speaking out loud, my own words transport me back to the memory that resurfaced before I woke up—the conversation between Hylia and Eldin. "I am afraid, Eldin," she had said. Hylia, despite being immortal and a symbol of hope, was still scared; the thought alone gives me comfort.

Then it hits me—the voice of Eldin.

"If you ever have need of me, Hylia, simply call and I shall offer you all I can…"

I don't remember when he had said such as thing to the Goddess—to me—but the vague, random memory sends emotion flooding though my system so suddenly that my heart skips a beat. Hylia had called upon the Fire Dragon mentally, and he had come to her aid. I may not be immortal like she was or have the same magical abilities that she had, but I have no choice.

I have to try.

Closing my eyes, I focus on my breathing and distract myself from the world around me—letting it fall away until I am alone in the darkness, far away from even Link's presence. I try my best to take myself back to that grassy knoll where Hylia waited for the Fire Dragon, imagining Eldin soaring through the skies and to my aid.

Sending a brief prayer to Hylia for her aid, I lower my head.

I need you, Eldin, I call out into the darkness. My life, and the lives of every living being, depends on it…

For an eternity of a second, there's nothing. Remaining in the darkness, I continue to cry out for Eldin's aid until I exhaust even my mind.

And yet, I am snapped back into reality by a great roar booming throughout the caverns.

I raise my head and open my eyes, anticipation rushing through my veins as everyone falls silent—even the Demon Lord seems to falter for a moment at the sound. I remain tense and alert as the echo fades away, praying to Hylia that this isn't the end and I still have one final chance to fix my mistakes.

There's another roar, and then in a gust of air I am freed from my captor.

The suddenness of my freedom sends me to the ground, and I reach out for the Master Sword as fast as I'm able to. As Fi glides over to me and helps me onto my feet, I collapse against her, leaning into her hold as my legs give out from underneath me. Her rapiers dissolve into purple particles and she helps me to limp away from the great shadow surging towards the Demon Lord at a great speed.

The Fire Dragon's strength effortlessly outweighs that of the Demon Lords. His brown scales look razor sharp even from afar, his dark claws menacing and his dark eyes glinting with determination. His crimson robe is decorated with many symbols of Din, the entire front part of his body, much like Faron, dripping with magma—sliding down his body and dripping off the end of his tail.

"You tarnish my Domain with your presence," Eldin growls. "Leave before I burn you to a crisp like I did your brethren."

"Come, Dominae," Fi says quietly, guiding me away from the battle. "You must rest and recover."

The spirit of the blade guides me into the final chamber, one which seems to reflect the architecture of the Earth Temple. Large pillars support the dome-shaped ceiling above us, images of the Great War and the Goddesses themselves carved into the walls in between them. A mural of Din's insignia adorns the ceiling, and as Fi leads me up the iron steps I notice the bubbling magma surrounding the platform.

As my adrenaline starts to drain from me, so too does my strength. The air is thicker and hotter in here, sending my vision spinning.

In the reflection of the Master Sword, I see my fear-stricken face and pale skin—blood trickling down my neck.

"I have to go…" I mutter, trying and failing to stand again after Fi gently sets me down on the floor. "The song…"

"Mistress, the skies above Eldin Volcano still prohibit you from leaving this place, and you are in no physical state to escape safely without risking collapse," she reports sternly. "By attempting to continue on without sufficient rest brings risk to your life that I was created to prevent."

'Sleep while it's safe too, Zelda,' Link pleads. 'Please…'

Feeling my eyelids drooping, I nod numbly and move onto my side, clutching at the Timeshift Stone around my neck. As my headache returns and my ability to stay away diminishes, I pray to Hylia one last time for her protection as the Fire Dragon continues to battle against Ghirahim outside this chamber.

I slip out of consciousness to Eldin's roar of power.

~Interlude~

The great Fire Dragon slammed the doors shut into his Domain with a wave of his hand, running his hand over a scrape on his arm dealt by the Demon Lord. The scales of the battle were clearly in Eldin's favour, but that didn't mean that he was invincible. After crushing his enemy's spirit enough to force him away, Eldin retired to his chambers victorious.

What waited for him was the Goddess Reborn resting soundly, kind and fair just like Hylia herself. He knew of her return to the land, however was surprised when she had managed to call out for him as she had done many times during the Great War—shocked at the capabilities of a mere mortal.

My, what do we have here, he mused as something around the mortal's neck shone. Careful not to disturb her, Eldin lightly shuffled the cord from around her neck and smiled at what he found—the scale of the Water Dragon, his sister. She must truly be the Goddess Reborn if even my sister approves of her…

Allowing the scale to fall back against her chest, he noted a pair of special earrings looped through her ears—the Fireshield Earrings. And even the Golden Goddesses have shown their favour too…

Eldin frowned at the resting mortal, anxious over how weak she seemed compared to the magnificence of her previous form. He understood perfectly why the White Goddess had abandoned her immortal form, although he wasn't expecting a human so small to be chosen as her predecessor.

Nonetheless, she had the strength to carry her destiny admirably, and for that he had no doubt that she could protect this land as Hylia had done before her.

Beside the sleeping woman was a strange figure adorned in various blues and purples. Bowing to him, the figure introduced themselves, "Great guardian of the earth and flames, I am Fi—the spirit that resides in the Master Sword charged by Her Grace to guide and protect the Goddess Reborn. I am grateful for your presence in my Mistress's hour of need."

Eldin nodded, signalling for Fi to rise. "There is strength in asking for aid, and I was happy to oblige for Her Grace." He paused momentarily, then, "Though I must admit that it was my power which caused the volcano to erupt, and with it caused Her Grace such suffering. I wished to clear out the monsters invading my Domain and instead caused more harm than good."

"Due to the eruption, Her Grace was concussed and assailed by the Demon Army," the spirit reported. "However, there is no need to lay blame on yourself. It was the presence of monsters that lead to this eruption, and their presence that has caused many to suffer at their hands—it is because of them that we fight, and therefore them which must be blamed."

After a moment, a smile creased the deity's face. "You are wise beyond your years, Fi. I am pleased that Her Grace created such a loyal and intelligent protector. I can rest easy knowing that you are at Her Grace's side."

Fi simply nodded, unsure of how to respond to such an emotional remark. Casting her gaze back down to her charge, the spirit of the holy blade briefly analysed the latter's wellbeing. "I believe that there is a low chance of my Mistress recovering adequately in such a warm environment. Is there a safe place we can transport her to?"

Eldin nodded silently and scooped up the Goddess Reborn, knowing that nothing else would come for her now that he had purified his Domain. As the Fire Dragon soared out from the caverns, the spirit of the blade discreetly followed behind; analysing the world around her.

Glancing down to her Mistress, thousands of potential possibilities of the outcome of their battle flooded into her calculating mind—potential victories, potential losses, every single one of them and their chances of occurrence. Fi had believed that the chances of Eldin coming to their rescue was little to none, and for her Mistress to prove her wrong was both surprising and uplifting.

The Goddess Reborn had truly come a long way since the day of the Wing Ceremony.

~Zelda~

When I finally drift back into consciousness, the air is much clearer, and my head soon clears up when I murmur my healing spell. I lie in shallow water, my hair lazily swirling around my head; sticking to my neck when I force myself upright. After I fell asleep, someone must have brought me to the small spring I found outside the Volcano Summit, allowing me to rest in what little comfort you can find here.

The sun seems to have only just risen, and despite the dull lingering pain on the side of my head, I don't sway too much when I stand up. I can feel Link on the edges of my awareness, so I bid him good morning. Fi appears in a spark of light, floating just above the water as she regards me with a kind smile.

"Good morning, Dominae," she greets. "You have been asleep for eleven hours and six minutes, and from a general scan your vitals have greatly improved."

I want to smile, but when I recall why I'm here I frown and query, "Where is Eldin?"

Before Fi can speak, a large shadow appears in the corner of my eye, and within seconds the Fire Dragon glides down from the sky and hovers above the chasm beside the spring. Bowing, he greets, "I am afraid I had no time to properly reacquaint myself with you, Your Grace."

I bow my head. "Greetings are not needed. Words cannot express my gratitude for protecting me."

There's a brief silence whilst Eldin clasps his hands together, forming an elegant X shape with his bony fingers. "Now, Your Grace, you must have made your way into the heart of my burning hall for a reason, hm?"

"Yes," I confirm. "I have come to seek out the part of the Song of the Hero that I entrusted to you and your brethren after the Great War. It is our last remaining hope of destroying Demise once and for all."

Eldin bows his head.

I grow anxious at the pregnant silence which ensues, and when he finally says something, it's as if the world falls out around me.

"I was never entrusted with the song, Your Grace."

The spring falls silent.

'What?' Link breathes.

"I-I…" I stammer. "I'm afraid that I don't understand."

He gestures for me to sit down, and I do without word. "It was my older brother who you entrusted the song to, for I was too small to watch over Eldin after the Great War. Each part of the melody was supposed to be passed down, which is why you were led here, however my brother was stubborn and refused to give it up."

I try my best to let his words sink in—but it's almost too hard.

"So… there's no way of completing the Song of the Hero?" I ask quietly, gazing up at him with a heavy heart. "How will I locate the Triforce without it?"

"I believe that I may have a solution," Fi intervenes before Eldin can respond. "The Dragon who holds the fragment of the song lived for many years after the end of the Great War, and so I hypothesise that if you travel through the Gate of Time, then you shall be able to obtain the song from the past."

My heart lifts for a moment.

"But the land you stand in now will not be the same in the past, Your Grace," Eldin warns. "My brother violently fought with his brethren, so to tame him, his Domain was frozen over and remained in such a state for centuries. By braving that mountain, you would be risking your life."

I lower my head—he's right, but what choice do I have?"

"It's the only way, Eldin…"

I gasp at my words, a memory from last night emerging from the shadows.

'It's the only way…'

And then I remember.

I almost gave him up, I remember. I almost let him go… and it would have been for nothing…

Eldin hums in disapproval, though after a moment his shoulders slump. "Despite all that has come to pass, you have not changed." With a flick of his wrist, a bundle of arrows appears in his hands; the arrowheads dipped in bronze. "I gift these to you, Your Grace: Fire Arrows. In such volatile conditions, these could be the difference between life and death."

I curtsey and claim the arrows, "Thank you for everything, Eldin."

"That is not all," he adds, and with a blur of magic, he hands a set of white garments to me; golden embroidery glowing in the early morning light. "These shall protect you against the frigid cold that awaits you." Once I place them in my bag, he continues, "You have accepted the weight of a colossal destiny, and should you ever need my aid, you need only call for me."

I nod and bow to him one last time, "Of course, Eldin."

After bidding the Dragon farewell, Fi confirms that the skies have cleared enough for me to leave, and that the Demon Lord's presence is no longer nearby. As she transports me back to the Sky Realm, a massive weight is lifted from my shoulders at the thought of escaping Eldin Volcano alive.

But I almost didn't…

Link seems to notice my sudden shift in emotions. 'What do you think would have happened if I told him where you were?' I ask hesitantly.

He thinks on it for a while. 'I'm not sure. But thanks to Eldin, we won't ever have to find out.'

I hum but say nothing, dissatisfied.

As I glide towards Faron Woods once more, I can't help but wonder what would have happened. Would Ghirahim have slain me right then and there when he realised that he had no more need of me? Would I have found some way to escape and find the Triforce whilst Link battled for his life?

Would I have been able to save him?

The idea haunts me for the rest of the journey.

Author's Note: Well, after this edit a lot more happened in this chapter! I was inspired by the Dance of Dragons scene when Zelda called for Eldin, and the rest of the chapter was rather difficult to edit—it needed so much more adding to it! Anyway, please drop a rate and a review if you haven't already, and please tell me if there is anything wrong with the chapter too. Anyway, let me go and read Hyrule Warriors FanFictions (shout outs to Queenie Z, Skyward Princess of Time, and MiniJen), and off you go! ^-^

~RandomButLoved~