Author's Note: Phew, another chapter! Anyway, again, I have very little to say other than this is the second-to-last chapter of Ancient Roots. The next chapter, the fiftieth (wow!), will be the Epilogue that I have been waiting for! Still, a few rates to thank and then I'll let you get on with the chapter! I still cannot thank you all enough for your support over the course of this story. I love you all! ;3

Favourites & Follows: Thank-you to "mintress345" for favouriting this story along with "TheHighSchoolGaki" for following this story. Thank-you for your support!

"Choose your thoughts carefully. Keep what brings you peace, release what brings you suffering. And know that happiness is just a thought away."

~Nishan Panwar~

Ancient Roots

A Skyward Sword FanFiction

Chapter 49: Peace

The shifting sounds of the final Gate of Time is the first thing that I hear when we emerge in the present again, a place that I never believed I would come back to. The next thing that reaches me is the honey glow from the setting some appearing through the cracks in the ceiling, and I can't help but smile at the feeling of the sun's warmth on my skin as we step back into present.

I try my best to ignore the lingering smell of dried blood.

Those memories no longer have a place here, and I'll do anything to forget about them.

I shake my head I smile at my companions as we finally allow ourselves to relax, following Link with my eyes as he makes his way to a spot a few feet away, kneeling down and taking something into his hand. Moving after him, I notice the remains of the Timeshift Stone in his hand, glass edges glittering in the sunlight. Memories flash in my mind's eyes despite my best efforts.

"I've had enough of your silent connection," his voice growls in the back of my mind. "It's much too infuriating."

"I-I'm sorry for what happened," I confess quietly. "Everything that happened to you… it's all my fault…"

He shakes his head at me, finally catching my gaze. "It wasn't your fault," he says softly. "It was his and his alone. We're all here now, and that's all that matters."

I don't think he believes his words, but if it reassures us both for now, it's all I can ask for.

Before he can reply, we're all stunned to silence when the Gate of Time bursts into light. I stand and whirl around, my hand flying to the hilt of the Master Sword, only to relax moments later. We watch on as the two cogs at the top bursting into white particles in unison before the main Gate follows. The whiteness left behind floats off into the breeze, and I can only muster one thought.

The final Gate of Time in existence—what we all shed blood, sweat, and tears for—is gone; never to return…

Then I remember what Impa had said to us in the past, "I shall take care of the Gate of Time once you all pass through, young ones."

Karane gasps suddenly, breaking me free from my thoughts as she runs over to the other end of the Temple, the others joining as a small figure makes her way down the steps. She smiles warmly at us as I watch them make their way towards her, clasping my hands over my heart with a small smile of my own.

"Grannie!" Groose exclaims, taking her hands into his. "We did it. He's all right!"

Impaz tries without avail to fend off Groose's bear hug and smiles at the rest of us. Once the two break apart, she passes a warm smile to the others—patting Link's shoulder in a small, silent, gesture to show her gratefulness at his wellbeing. I take a step forwards, only to spot something shining around her neck that I never noticed before; something that Link notices too.

Around her neck is a silver chain, a eye charm adorned with a singular ruby poking out from her robes.

No… it couldn't be…

"I-Impa?" Link breathes.

Impaz meets his eyes with a soft smile. "See? I told you that we'd meet again."

"B-But…"

"I was tasked with protecting you all and aiding you throughout the Goddess's Mission," she clarifies. "I agreed with the Goddess that I would live until I had served my purpose as your guide, no matter how long that took."

The others exchange shocked glances as I make my way towards them slowly, something at the back of my mind sparking at her words. She lived for this entire time, a solitary existence, waiting for the spell that Link cast upon himself in the past to be broken—she waited for thousands of years for us to arrive, to begin our journey at the Sealed Temple, and then for us to end the Goddess's Mission.

She was here for so long…

"I-Impa?" Pipit stammers, pulling me away from my thoughts. "A-Are you alright?"

I snap my head up, noting how she's suddenly rather unsteady on her feet.

Then she tumbles to the ground in a heap.

Groose and Link immediately fall to their knees to catch her before she hits the ground harshly, all of crying out as we join them. Link holds one hand, Groose steadying her while I hold the other. "W-What's happening?" Karane breathes with glassy eyes.

But we already know.

The Goddess's Mission is over, and with it her purpose; just like Fi.

"My duty is complete, dear Karane, and so I entrust all of you with the land I've helped to protect for so long now," she rasps, confirming my suspicions. "You have all grown incredibly strong during our time together—I can think of no one else to pass such a duty on to."

"I'm sorry you lived such a lonely life, Impa," I whisper, brushing some hair out of her eyes.

She chuckles lightly. "You said something similar when we first met in this life. Do you remember what I said to you?"

"That you've had an interesting life," I reply with a tiny smile.

"That I have," she says, then, "Trust in fate to guide your feet, Zelda. You have come so far, too far to lose faith in yourself. It is my duty to serve you, so I'm sure it won't be long before we meet again."

I swallow thickly and nod, wiping away my tears.

She's done so much for us, and it almost feels selfish to want her to say—but she means so much to all of us, I don't want her to go to soon.

She turns her attention to Link, who silently watches her as he desperately tries to keep his emotions in check. "You don't need to hide them anymore, Link," she soothes. "You don't have to hide at all anymore…"

He bites his lip, voice cracking as he croaks, "It's all I know…"

"It's all I knew once… until I became your protector," she replies with a small smile. "You and Sheik… you changed me, made me feel more. You'll be fine… I know it."

Link forces a smile but says nothing, finally letting a tear fall. I reach out to him and squeeze his shoulder in support. He flashes me a smile back, thankful for it.

Groose starts to sob, making Impa chuckle again.

"Oh, don't be so emotional, Groose. You'll be fine without me," she says in an attempt to lighten the mood, but it doesn't work. Her expression shifts into a sadder one. "You once told me that I was the only family you had… but look around you Groose—you swore to protect these people, as they swore to protect you. Are they not your family?"

He gulps and scans us all, then closes his eyes and hugs her tightly. "I don't wanna lose you too."

"I'm not going anywhere, Groose. My spirit will be around to haunt you for the rest of your days until you're sick of me," she replies, making us all smile a little as she rests her head against Groose's lap. "Our journey has come to an end… Sheik is calling… we can all finally rest…"

There's a beat of silence.

Then her eyes fall shut, and she falls still against Groose.

We all fall silent, too emotional to cry out.

Before anything else can happen, her body is enshrouded in light and is carried off onto the breeze; breaking apart into particles of light before dissipating into nothingness.

Within moments, Groose is on his feet and storms out of the Temple—we leave him be.

We fall into silence again, though it isn't long before Fi calls out to me my mind.

"Dominae," her ethereal voice calls out. I straighten and look around for her to appear. "Do not fear the passing of the Sheikah. I can sense that her spirit has passed on and that she is finally at peace in a place where none shall harm her."

I smile a little, then recall what she said to me in the past.

"I believe that we shall meet again in the present day to discuss the long-awaited punishment of the Demon King's Famulus."

"Return to where you placed the Master Sword, Dominae," she says after a moment. "We have much to discuss."

I nod and rise to my feet. The others ask where I'm going when I make my way towards the back of the Temple but saying Fi's name is enough to stop them. Link, still trying his hardest to stay calm, makes his way onto his feet and joins me. He nods at me firmly, and I know that he heard what the spirit of the blade had told me in the past—he wants to see the Demon Lord punished as much as I do.

We walk towards the back of the Sealed Temple, turning our gazes down to the Master Sword before us, the blade glowing as Fi speaks without appearing. "Before abandoning her divine form, the Goddess Hylia strove to punish as many of the Demon King's commanders as she possibly could—trapping them all in a place known as the Animus Realm."

"Animus Realm?" Link parrots.

"Yes, a place between worlds which traps the victim in an endless void; rendering them alone for all eternity," Fi explains. "Due to the nature of these realms, the caster of the spell is able to arbiter the particular punishment that will come to pass there. Some of the commanders were sent to realms which dealt physical punishment, others dealt mental punishments and so on."

I swallow thickly and purse my lips. I have so much power over one life…

He deserves it—of course he does—but it feels strange to have so much power.

I shake my head; I can't lose my courage now; I have to end this.

"By casting a spell known as "Laqueum," you shall trap the Demon Lord in the Animus Realm for all eternity," she finishes before the Master Sword falls dim once more.

Now the decision is mine.

I inhale deeply, faltering for a moment. As the Goddess Reborn, I have the power to punish him for all that he's done. He's done so much to me, to us, and he has to pay for the crimes he's committed against all of us. He's killed hundreds, tortured Link and the rest of us physically, mentally, and emotionally, and now that he and his Master have fallen, he can finally pay for it.

But something inside still holds me back—the morals of a mortal.

Link reaches over and squeezes my hand, forcing me to look at him. He nods once, and in that moment, I know what I have to do.

The Master Sword flashes once, and then a familiar translucent figure appears and hovers above the sacred sword.

There he is.

The man I've been fighting for so long.

He's still in the form that he took on before the end of the Discidium, hands clenched into fists at his sides. I hold my breath as the tension rises, balling my own hands into fists to stop them from shaking so much. When his pupil-less eyes open, they scan the room before locking on me, and his lips curve up into that sly smile that feels like it will haunt my nightmares forever.

"There she is…" His voice is just as it was before, filling my gut with ice. His eyes positively sparkling as he takes me in. I say nothing, staring him down with pursed lips. He chuckles lightly, the sound making the hairs on the back of my neck rise, then his voice drops into a whisper, "Hello Your Grace…"

"We meet again," I respond simply, my voice so low that Link flickers his eyes over to me for a moment in surprise.

My heart pounds against my chest as Ghirahim casts his gaze to Link, my body shifting into defensive mode. "You still choose to stand at her side even after all that she had done for you—tortured you, killed you, forced you to relive the past over and over until you understood how little you truly mean to her and her Mission?" He practically spits the words out. "I may have committed some terrible acts, but she… she has done things far worse than I was ever capable of imagining."

"Her actions were to ensure the safety of this world," Link retorts. "I will always stand by her side."

The Demon Lord almost rolls his eyes at the response. "You poor fool," he sighs. "She'll be the end of you… now that you've been infected by her charm, it's only a matter of time before—"

"Enough of your poisonous words," I snap, cutting him off. He thankfully stops, though his smirk is enough to make me swallow thickly. "All have met their fates but you, Ghirahim. Your time in this world is about to come to an end."

He chuckles again. "How do you intend to punish a man who cannot bleed?"

"You don't need to bleed to suffer," Link says so darkly and quickly in response that we all stop short for a minute. "Once you leave this world, your presence on this land will soon fade away with you. Your destruction will disappear, the wounds you inflicted will disappear, your words shall be forgotten, your name shall be forgotten… your memory shall cease to exist."

There's a beat of silence, then, "Is that all?"

"It's only the beginning," I respond before Link can, my voice so low it nearly matches his. I dig my nails into my palms and stare deep into the eyes of the Demon Lord—I'm not scared of him anymore. "Just like your brethren, you shall live out the rest of your pitiful life in a world filled with light, burning away at your metallic form until there is nothing left of you. But even long after you've melted away, your suffering shall not end—it shall be eternal, just like the Ultimate Power which corrupted your Master and began this war…"

Silence befalls the chamber for a moment.

Then Ghirahim laughs in my face.

"You truly believe that something so simple will have the ability to break me?" Ghirahim chuckles loudly. I ignore him and raise my hand towards him. "You may strike me from memory and bring harm to this shell, but it will only add another ghost to haunt you! Keep deluding yourself, Your Grace, for I shall never die in your memories!"

I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

It's time to end this…

Opening my eyes, I meet his gaze evening and call out, "Laqueum!"

My fingers instantly curl around a sphere of light in my palm. Baring my teeth, I shoot the orb towards his form and watch on as it devours his form. His laughter soon morphs into a stream of screams as the light starts to burn away at his body. And, before it can hurt my ears too much, they subside into nothingness as he is dragged down into the Animus Realm for all eternity.

May we never cross paths again…

"Mistress Zelda," Fi calls out, to which I turn to meet her gaze. "I can confirm that the Demon Lord has been successfully sealed away. And now that you have successfully protected the newest Bearer and defeated the Demon King, you have fulfilled your role as the Goddess Reborn and thus my purpose here is complete. Now that the Master Sword has been returned to its pedestal, this means that our arrangement as mistress and servant has been dissolved."

I gasp. "Dissolved?"

"Yes, Dominae," she confirms. "It is time to conclude our partnership. Once our parting is over, I shall return to the sword and enter a sleep without end."

Without end?

"S-So I…" I stammer. "I won't be able to see you again? You'll be all alone!"

"Unlike humans, I am unable to comprehend the concept of loneliness," she explains, then, "When I first awoke and began this task, I perceived it as merely serving my function as your servant. However, I have come to consider the information corresponding to our time together among the most precious data I have on record. Therefore, I have this data as "company," as you might say."

I swallow thickly. "Fi…"

"I do not have the capability to fully understand the human spirit, Dominae, but at the end of my journey with you, I am experiencing a feeling that I am unable to identify." She lowers her head for a moment before continuing, "I lack sufficient data to be sure of my conclusion, however I believe this feeling correlates closest to what you call happiness."

My lips part, my eyes widening.

Fi truly has changed a lot over the course of the Goddess's Mission, but for her to say it out loud is enough to bring tears to my eyes.

"These feelings have been sparked because of you, Dominae, and so I wish to express my gratitude through relaying words to you that I recorded many times over the course of our journey." As a single tear streams down my face, she kneels before me. "Thank you, Zelda. May we meet again in another life…"

I take a step forwards to kiss the crown of her head. When she rises, she hands me one last smile before returning to the Master Sword one last time. The sword becomes alight with the familiar sapphire fire once more before dimming, leaving nothing but the holy blade behind.

Silence befalls the chamber.

I reach out and brush my fingers against the sword's pommel.

Thank you, Fi… thank you for everything…

Something touches my shoulder gently, though I already know who it is.

Link steps to my side and bows his head with me, keeping quiet throughout the entire exchange which I'm thankful for. He takes my hand and squeezes it, murmuring, "She was happy, and she'll be watching over us." I hum but say nothing. "Come on. Let's check on the others."

I nod numbly, allowing him to guide me away; knowing how long I'd stay here otherwise. Making our way back into the heart of the Sealed Temple, we meet back up with Pipit and Karane before moving towards the doors outside. Within moments we're suddenly awash in the late evening sunlight. The clouds are still dark from Demise's fading presence, but the sun dares to shine through despite this.

Knowing that the darkness is finally destroyed, the world can regrow again—the order of the world will be balance again.

Link tenses beside me at the sight of the Statue of the Goddess completely destroyed and parts of it stained with blood. I squeeze his hand in reassurance, spotting Groose on the damaged tracks of the Groosenator with his legs dangling off the edge. Whilst Pipit, Karane and Link make their way towards Groose, I make my way towards the circular design in the middle of the courtyard.

"Hey! Good morning, Link!"

I smile at the memory, closing my eyes and imagine the wind whistling by. The memories of the morning of the Wing Ceremony feel like so long ago now; wearing my Goddess outfit and practising my song for the post-race ritual feeling like a lifetime away. I glance back to Link, who still has the Sailcloth tied around his belt just like he promised, and the thought of it brings a smile to my face as he meets my eyes.

He smiles back.

He never broke his promise—any of them.

He's here… he's alive…

My attention suddenly shifts from him to my hand, where the mark of the Triforce glows softly. Snapping my eyes back over to Link, he's looking at his hand too.

Then, without any warning whatsoever, the Triforce of Wisdom and the Triforce of Power are suddenly ripped away from me, sending me to my knees in an instant.

Moments later, the Triforce of Courage joins them and I gingerly push myself back onto my feet, blinking in surprise as the three golden pieces join together once more. I watch it intently for a while as it hovers in the air before drenching us in a shower of light that I have to turn my gaze away from.

It takes a second before everything sinks in.

"When it has served its purpose, it must be secreted away to lie dormant once again—the knowledge of its existence hidden from mortal history."

The words Hylia said to Impa so long ago ring true; the Triforce is hiding itself away from mortal existence now that the Demon King has been eradicated.

But when it's safe to raise my head again, I no longer stand in the courtyard beneath the Statue of the Goddess.

Rather than that, I stand in a land of greenery that stretches further on than I can see, the sky bright white. I search around in an attempt to see if I can find anything, only to find nothing. Just like in my nightmare, I have been stripped of my weapons and clothes, my clothes clean but all I have to my name here. I shake my head violently, confused and worried about what might happen next.

But only moments later are my prayers answered, and it's far different that I could have imagined.

"Zelda…"

I stiffen, daring to turn to the source of the voice.

Is it…?

Then I see him.

"F-Father?"

My heart leaps up into my throat at the sight of him looking so healthy and vibrant, his clothes crisp and clean just like I remember them. I can't hold back the tears that instantly fill my eyes. He smiles warmly at me, like he's proud of me after all that I've been through and all the pain I caused him.

"My dear Zelda…"

I can't hold back anymore. I surge towards his open arms and land perfectly between them. He holds me close so his chest, releasing a hearty laugh as I cry into his robes, feeling so warm and alive that it sends another wave of emotion through me.

"F-Father," I sob, clutching him tighter. "I'm so s-sorry…"

He holds me at arm's length and kneels before me, thumbing away my tears softly. "You've grown so much, my dear," he murmurs. "I couldn't be prouder of you…"

"B-But you're g-gone…"

Father smiles sadly and cups my face just like he used to. "I'll always be with you. You'll never be alone, my Zelda." My lip quivers, tears streaming down my cheeks. "You'll be fine now. You don't need me to look after you anymore; just look at how strong you've become."

His eyes grow glassy, so he hugs me again to hide his tears.

Everything that's happened is so much to take in.

But having him here, even for just one more moment, is enough to start the healing process.

"Please don't leave, Father," I mumble into his clothes.

He strokes my hair, smoothing it back as he replies, "I have to, my dear. But don't cry; it's all going to be alright." Standing, he reaches down and presses his hand over my heart. "Your Mother and I… we'll always be in here, my dear. We'll always be with you no matter how lonely you feel…"

I smile a little. "I know…"

He takes my hands one last time, kissing them both. Drawing me into one final, tight embrace, Father kisses the crown of my head before letting me go. I reach forward for him as the light begins to take him from me, but he soothes, "I'm so proud of you, my beautiful daughter. I love you…"

My hands are shaking too much to wipe my tears away. "I love you too Father…"

Light fills my vision for a few moments before the courtyard beneath the ruins of the Statue of the Goddesses return, and I stagger into someone's arms. I glance up to find Karane holding me with a glint of worry in her eyes, "Are you alright?"

I smile and wipe away my tears. "I'm fine…"

Breaking apart, I find Link making his way towards me and reaching out tenderly for my hand with a soft smile. I squeeze his hand, still overjoyed that he's back with us again, and turn my attention to Groose when he joins us and speaks up, "Well get a load of that…"

We follow his gaze, lips parting at the sight.

The cloud barrier that Hylia once put in place to protect us from the Surface is starting to break—more gaps opening up to reveal the Sky Realm above.

It really is over… for now anyway…

"Now that Demise is gone, there's no more need for the cloud barrier," Pipit remarks from next to us. "Wait until everyone in Skyloft sees this…"

"Maybe it's a sign," Karane adds quietly. "A sign telling us that we can finally go home and be safe again; that we've finally come to the end of our journey."

We all nod, the very thought of returning to Skyloft again both filling me with joy and fear at the exact same time at the thought of so much left to do in reconstructing the island. But we've faced far worse, and it won't be long now until our homeland will be back to its former glory—it won't ever be the same, but we can make it better.

"Or maybe it's telling us to leave home," Link says all of a sudden. I snap my gaze over to him, but his eyes are on the clouds above. "We can make a new start down here, if we want to."

I smile; I like the thought of that.

But that choice isn't ours—it's that of the Skyloftians.

"We can think about that later," I decide after a moment or two. "Whether it's a sign or not, it's time to go home."

The others nod and whistle out for their Loftwings, waiting and hoping for them to appear. I even call for Destiny, hoping that she'll be able to fly again after the arrow that she took during the horrible attack on Skyloft. The gorgeous evening sunlight comes in through the clouds and bathes us in its warmth as we wait for them, praying for them to be the first Loftwings to come through the cloud barrier.

And one by one, five Loftwings appear.

First land's Groose's Loftwing, Mido, then Karane's Loftwing, Lily, then Pipit's Loftwing, Darmani, then Crimson and finally Destiny.

"Destiny!" I exclaim, rushing forwards and wrapping my arms around her tightly; glad that she's alright.

Crimson spots Link immediately and shoves him roughly to the ground, cawing with emotion at the sight of him as she pines for his attention.

I look over my shoulders and back at my companions, silently asking them if they're ready to go. Once Link manages to pry himself free from Crimson, he joins us in mounting his bird. We all look around, scanning the destroyed courtyard before nodding in silent agreement and take off into the sky, filled with a mix of emotions with what waits for us back in Skyloft.

Returning to Skyloft is swift, though it goes by almost too quickly—after all, I'm still a tad nervous to go back. The three Columns of Light that used to allow us onto the Surface are still present, though they serve little purpose now that the cloud barrier is beginning to crumble. I hold onto Destiny's reigns tightly, pausing to glance over at Link a few times to check if he's alright. Compared to the time we flew across the Sky Realm to travel to the Lumpy Pumpkin for the Autumn Equinox, his confidence is better than compared to before. He was terrified before, not wanting to follow his parent's deaths, but now that things are looking up, everything is different.

But as the shadow of Skyloft comes into view, we see the destruction that still reigns there for all to see.

Many homes are still uninhabitable, the Knight Academy barely standing due to the scaffolding encasing it. The rubble around the Bazaar is thankfully gone, small and temporary settlements built atop it. None of us speak, idle conversations feeling meaningless as we look upon it all.

I know that I had no choice but to keep Link's location a secret, but I have the blood of many people on my hands; and from the look in Link's eyes as we fly, I know that he blames himself too.

I wish I had the Timeshift Stone to reassure him that it isn't his fault.

I pass him a smile, though he's too lost in his own thoughts to reply.

So, as our Loftwings finally land against the Plaza of Skyloft, we take everything in. In years to come, when this place is either thriving or empty, I know that one person will arrive and take it in like we have too. This little city in the sky, a place either filled with the chants of singing or bargains at the Bazaar or a deathly silence that even the wind cannot dare to slice through, will hopefully never be forgotten.

The people walk around Skyloft, most likely volunteers who have stopped for the evening to go home and rest, seem to look sadder and more exhausted than before. To them, they lost a leader, family and friends, and soon after the Statue of the Goddess too.

But now we'll give them a small bout of hope again, and hopefully it will lift their spirits even just a little.

"Pipit?"

I snap my head up, my thoughts cut off abruptly as we all snap our gazes to the source of the voice. Mallara, dressed in far duller colours compared to her usual orange garments, stops dead in her tracks before the five of us; staring at her son with wide eyes. She carries a basket of wet laundry and towels with her hair pinned back to reveal the dark circles around her eyes, seemingly having had as many sleepless nights as I have.

I look over to Pipit, who bites his lip as he tries to calm himself. Her eyes fall onto his cuts and scrapes, and the two share an awkward silence for a moment. "I-I'm sorry, Mom," he whispers after a moment. "I-I'm—"

He immediately gives up on words and rushes towards her, wrapping his arms around her tightly as he holds her close.

She drops her basket in surprise, then eagerly returns the embrace.

"Hush now," she soothes, stroking his hair softly like Father did with me. "It's alright now, my little bird. It's alright…" They hold each other for a long time, leaving us to smile at their beautiful reunion since he's the only one of us with a parent left. By the time that they pull away, they both are teary eyed. However, when Mallara takes in the rest of us, she almost gasps at the one person at the back. "Link?" He steps forwards shyly. "You're… alive?"

He smiles at her, unsure of what to say. Mallara's complexion soon breaks out into an even broader grin, and she leaves Pipit's side to hug Link too. Pipit laughs, recalling the last time that this happened, and I watch with a content smile too. Mallara was almost like a second mother to Link, and it must have tortured her to lose hope on where he was and what was happening to him—only seeing him once throughout the entire Mission itself.

And then, it seems, that more and more people are drawn to the Plaza.

The people of the island start noticing our return, then voice it to others and attract them—most of them stunned at Link's sudden appearance after being missing for so long. Soon enough, a crowd begins to form around Link, all taking the time to cry with joy and take him in. The rest of us hold back, not wanting to break through the crowd's mirth over one of their own returning to them.

"Praise the Goddess!" One voice exclaims over the din of it all. "You've returned!"

"Link!" Another gasps. "Where have you been?! We thought that you were…"

"The Statue of the Goddess is gone! Skyloft is destroyed, but our boy has returned! Have we strayed too far from our path?"

"We must rejoice! Our youths have returned!"

"Link, where have you been?! I never saw you after the Autumn Equinox…"

It soon becomes so crowded that the four of us climb onto the first part of the Light Tower. As I go to climb the ladder after Karane, I spot Link's slightly panicked look at everyone surrounding him. My face softens at the sight of him, realising just how changed he must be, and carefully weave through the crowd and guide him back towards the Light Tower—he squeezes my hand in thanks.

The crowd quickly turn their attention to us, more and more questions sprouting up about Link's return with every second that passes us by. I try my best to call out and silence them over the din, though Groose immediately silences them with a single bellow of, "Hey!"

The island falls still.

I take a moment before speaking.

"So much has happened to our little town recently," I begin, trying my best to keep my voice steady. "Link went missing, the Statue of the Goddess fell into the cloud barrier, Skyloft was attacked…"

I lower my head.

"It's okay," Link mumbles next to me.

I nod and force myself to continue, "After the Wing Ceremony, the Goddess guided both Link and I to the world below." Murmurs begin to rise, though others shush them. "The darkness from the stories we heard as children had returned, and we were chosen to go to the Surface and stop it."

There's a beat of silence, and I tense up—knowing what's coming.

Then I hear it; a small voice at the back of the crowd.

"What about the attack on Skyloft?"

My shoulders drop, and I can't bring myself to say it.

Thankfully Link speaks up for me. "The monsters that attacked Skyloft came from the land below, but they are now no more."

Silence.

Then someone cries out, "How can we be so sure?"

I close my eyes and swallow thickly.

The voices multiply.

Demise's voice growls in the back of my mind.

"Fear me, Hylia, for you and your kind will be doomed to wander in a blood-soaked sea of darkness for all time!"

I can't do this…

"Stop!" I call out so loudly that the group is immediately silence. My tone drops as I add, "There's no way for me to completely restore your trust, but I will do all that I can to protect you. As the Headmaster's daughter, I vow to keep you all safe from anything that seeks to threaten this island again. I will do all that I can to keep you all safe!"

There's a beat of silence.

Then another voice pipes up.

"What's this?"

We all turn to Kina, who holds her hands on the wooden banister between the diving platform and the crates of food and blankets. She looks over the edge in shock, and from our vantage point we can see exactly what she's looking at—the beauty of the land below revealed from between the numerous gaps in the clouds. Others move over to follow her gaze, gasping at the sight.

"I-It's the Surface!"

"The Goddess has returned Link to us and opened the way to the land of dreams!"

"It's true!" I shout over the murmurs of shock and confusion. "The darkness has gone from the world below, and so there is no more need for the cloud barrier. I shall do all I can to make sure that the Surface is safe before anyone else sets foot on that land. But the Goddess has opened the way to the new world—it's up to you if you wish to leave your perch or stay, but it isn't a decision to make lightly or right now."

I wet my lips, not sure of what else to say. This isn't my decision, or Karane's, or Pipit's, or Groose's, or even Link's. This is the decision of the people of Skyloft—of the individual—whether they wish to stay in Skyloft and continue on with our lives, or to move down onto the Surface and retake the land that we were once allowed to rule over by the will of the Goddesses themselves.

I step back and take Link's hand, hoping that I've done enough as they all begin to talk amongst themselves over the new information. I refuse to tell them everything—I doubt they'd believe it all anyway—but they know enough to make a fair decision. Yes, the Goddesses have opened the way, but leaving a place that they love so dearly may seem like giving up a child for some. They can still come back to Skyloft, but it will be like revisiting old scars that have healed wrong.

Nonetheless, I only know one thing now.

Skyloft will eventually make its decision, but will I be able to make my own?

As a child, I always dreamed of a world below. I wanted to see the Surface with my own eyes and feel the land's warm breeze on my skin. I owe it to myself not to abandon the Surface, and I owe it to Hylia to protect her people—wherever they choose to live.

Do I want solid ground beneath my feet, the clouds over my head, and watch over the land I vowed to protect?

Or do I want to stay in the island that's forever been my home, the place that Father watched over?

I glance over to Link—what will he do now?

I lower my head.

What will I do now?

Author's Note: Well, this certainly went in a way that I wanted and didn't. I'm pleased with the chapter, so to speak, but I can't go through this again after working on it all day. I just want to get to the next chapter, which, in fact, is the very last chapter of Ancient Roots. Gosh, it's been a long journey for us all, hasn't it? Anyway, please drop a rate and review if you haven't already, and I'll see you in the Epilogue!

*Laqueum is Latin for "Trap."

~RandomButLoved~