Chapter 17: Ocean of Sand

The group of knight students rested in a cave away from the scorching sun. The air was quiet between them as they allowed Karane to rest. Her knees were brought to her chest, head resting on top of them. Pipit sat next to her looking concerned as his eyes were glued to her. Footsteps caught his attention along with Karane's. Link and Fledge walked into the cave with a strange-looking fruit in each of their hands.

"Any monsters coming this way?"

"Not a single one," Link responded to Pipit.

Pipit brings his attention to the strange fruit in their hands. "What's that you're holding?"

"I found them growing on the cactuses…cacti? Anyway, I was a little curious and Fi told us that they're called Voltfruit." Fledge showed the fruit in his hand, which had evidence of a bite mark. "They're safe to eat, and taste very sweet!"

"Fledge is right. This fruit is good. Try one." Link tossed a Voltfruit to Pipit which he caught.

"We got one for you as well, Karane." Fledge handed the fruit to her.

"Thanks." Karane took a bite from the fruit. "This is good…"

"Are you ever going to tell us what happened?" Link gave a hard nudge with his elbow against Fledge's arm. "Hey! What was that for?"

"She doesn't have to share it if she wants to," Pipit scolded.

"No- it's fine," Karane said in a quiet tone. "I think you guys should know anyways."

Pipit shifted closer to Karane as Link & Fledge sat down around. Karane glanced at each of her friends, unfolding her arms and legs.

"Did I ever tell you guys about my parents…?"

"I remember that you mentioned that they were killed when those bad storms hit Windloft a few years back," Link mentioned. "Did that have something to do with your trial?"

"Something like that…"

Karane shared everything that happened in her trial. From the dark version of herself, reliving the day her parents were killed, how they sacrificed themselves for her, to the fake versions of them blaming her for their deaths, Nayru helping her come to her senses, and everything else afterward. Needless to say, the guys were overwhelmed with the personal details that Karane never shared about herself.

"Your parents died…protecting you?" Link spoke up first, clearly surprised by the revelation. Karane nodded in confirmation.

"Why didn't you tell us that before?" Fledge questioned her.

"I wanted to move on from that day so much," Karane revealed. "I didn't want to think about it because deep down I blamed myself for what happened to them…"

"You were just a kid, Karane!" Pipit argued gently, grasping her hand in an attempt to comfort her. "There was no way you could've known what would've happened. From what I heard that storm came out of nowhere. No one could've predicted how bad it would be."

"I know…but it didn't stop me from thinking my parents would secretly blame and hate me for what happened to them. Nayru helped me realize that is not true. She showed me that life puts us on unexpected paths and that it's up to us how to proceed on it. I need to move forward on this path by forgiving myself, and recognize that I can't always know everything. It's what my parents would've wanted."

Karane went silent for several moments. Then she moved to her feet. "We need to find that flame."

"Are you sure you're good?" Link asked her.

"I am. Since I have Nayru's Essence finding that flame won't be a problem."

"I guess that makes you our sacred flame tracker this time," Pipit stated.

"I thought you hated that?" Karane said to Pipit bewilderedly.

Pipit shrugged. "It's grown on me."

"Led the way," Link gestured out of the cave.

Karane exited out of the cave with the rest of the guys following her. They traverse through a section of the desert as Karane led them to the source of Nayru's Flame. It eventually took them to an area with piles of sand pouring down the side of the rocky wall in the same manner as a waterfall. In the middle of the sand wall lies a hidden tunnel. Link uses the Clawshots to reach up there whilst Pipit teleports the rest of the group to the tunnel.

"Those Clawshots can really attach to anything!" Fledge commented once Link made it to their spot.

"They are one of the goddess's sacred gifts. Master Link can extend their claws attached to chains to pull himself onto any surface can grasp on," Fi explained to him.

The group entered the tunnel which led them to a cave system. The cave led to them a wide second with dead grass. To the side lay a door with a lock. Karane clutched her head as an image of blue fire appeared in her vision, along with a structure that reminded her of a boat but…much bigger. There were also another presence detected but it was very faint compared to the flame's aura. That was not the main concern right now.

"The flames are through that door," Karane told her friends.

"How are we going to get through it?" Fledge wondered.

Humming echoed through the cave walls. A creature that resembled Gorko with a pickaxe in hand was using it on the wall of the cave, unaware of the group's presence. The students slowly approach him.

"Hello?" Link greeted prompting the creature to turn around.

"Woah! I almost never get visitors! Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Golo!"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm researching the legend of the three dragons, one of which is said to live here! At first glance, it would seem that there is nothing in this area, but I know there is something here. I will just keep on looking! Say, what are your guys' names?"

"I'm Link. These are my friends Karane, Pipit, and Fledge."

"Your names are Link, Karane, Pipit, and Fledge? I see…Not the easiest names to say, is it? And how bout you? Why are you four here…?"

"We're looking for a sacred flame," Karane answered the Goron. "Know anything about that?"

"You are looking for a sacred flame? That sounds like something I have heard of before, but maybe not…" Golo pondered on. "Sweet, goro, I remember now! I read something about it in ancient scrolls that spoke of the Lanayru Sand Sea. I do not remember all the details, but you can get to Lanayru Sand Sea if you just go through that door over there."

"Except for the fact that the door is locked," Pipit pointed out.

"Not to worry. I found this key digging around earlier. You can use it to get through that door."

"Wow…Thanks!" Link said as Golo gave him the key.

"It's a pleasure! Good luck to you guys!"

The quartet made their way to the door with the key. The key thankfully fitted into the keyhole, granted them access to a tunnel with a light on the other end. The exit took them on a platform overseeing a gorge with large cylinder towers planted in. The other end of the gorge was the lower ground which overlook a vast desert. Fi exited out of the sword.

"A report, Masters. This is the Lanayru Sand Sea. This whole area was once a vast ocean. But the water has all evaporated, and now the area is a sea of sand. Signs indicate that this place functioned as a port, linking the land to the sea. This area operated on a new form of power."

At that moment, Karane let out a groan. The vision of the blue fire was brighter this time.

"It's out there….Somewhere."

"There is a 90% probability that you are correct, Master Karane. I recommend that you all explore the sand sea."

With Fi back in the sword, Link used his Clawshots to move to the port, whilst Pipit teleported everyone else across. The metal parts of the port had sections of it covered with rust. Large metal boxes scattered around, along with lose ropes laying around. Small lizards and ants scurry around on the port. A small metal pier stretches away from the port. On the end is the large vast sand sea. Nayru's Flame lies somewhere in the ocean of sand.

"That's one big desert…" Fledge commented.

"Any idea where to look for the flame?" Link looks at Karane.

Karane gazes upon the desert before her as she tries to feel the aura of Nayru's Flame. "Straight ahead." She said after several seconds.

"That's it?" Karane hummed in agreement.

"Wow, that took a much shorter time than me looking for Farore's Flame," Pipit stated.

"Farore's Flame was hidden through the Lake. This place is more open space, so I guess it made it easier to find," Karane pointed out to him.

"Good point."

"Then finding it shouldn't be a problem then if you sense it so quickly." Link's arm stretched out in the direction of the desert. "Ladies first."

Karane leaps down from the dock onto the sand with the guys trailing behind her. The quartet treks the way across the desert for what felt like hours. There wasn't a lot to see other than a stray dragonfly flying past their heads or a scorpion passing their feet. A gust of wind would occasionally shift the sands around them. They had one point pass by the carcass of an unknown animal, accompanied by large, unpleasant looking birds feeding on its remains. All this occurs as the heat of the sun pelt down on them. The heat started to affect the group sometime later. Even after all the walking, Nayru's Flame is still nowhere in sight.

"I don't know how long we can endure this heat…" Link glanced up to the sun, using his arm to shield his eyes from the rays. "Are we getting close to the flame, Karane?"

"It's still straight ahead but the presence hasn't gotten any stronger-" All of a sudden Karane ceased her walking, alarming the rest of her friends.

"What's wrong?" Pipit asked her after a minute.

"The flames, they're…they're moving," Karane stammered.

"How the heck do flames move?" Fledge questioned.

"I don't know. But they're moving. Fast."

"How fast do you know?" Link inquired from Karane.

"Fast enough to make it harder for me to pinpoint its location. It could be anywhere now."

"Damn…That's nice to know," Link placed his hands on his hips in frustration. "At this rate, we could be wandering out here for days. Weeks at the most."

"I'm sorry…" Karane said apologetically.

Link relaxed his demeanor. "It's not your fault. We just need to rethink this."

"We'll figure something out," Pipit assured his friend. "We have to."

Fi then suddenly appeared before the group. "Warning Masters. My senses detect a large sandstorm heading this way." Fi turned in the other direction. A dark brown wall lies at the horizon. "Readings show that the winds are high speeds, and visibility will be low, making traversing the desert difficult. I suggest we all return to the port to seek shelter. If we leave now there's a 96% chance we can arrive before the storm does."

With that said and done, the quartet hurried back to the port they arrived at. They took shelter in a cave of sorts, which they cleared from dozens of Arachas. There was a small hole roof of the cave that the sunlight peered in. The large metal boxes out front helped protect them from the high winds of the sandstorm when it arrived at the port. All they can do is now wait.

The quartet sat in their cave as they waited for the sandstorm to clear. The sunlight above grew dimmer indicating the hours that had passed by. The temperature had also decreased dramatically with the hot air becoming cold. Link, Pipit, and Karane had to cover themselves with their sailcloths to keep themselves warm. Fledge's scarf wasn't big enough to keep his body warm. Fortunately, Link had a spare blanket he had initially brought for himself that he gave to him.

The sunlight was soon gone which meant that daylight had passed. The winds of the sandstorm still went on strong outside.

"How much longer will that storm last, Fi?" Link spoke to the sword that he placed next to him.

"Based on my calculations, it will last throughout the night. The winds are still strong and visibility is still low. Not to mention none of you are properly equipped to deal with the extreme cold temperatures."

"Looks like we're camping here for the night."

"If only we had a fire to keep us warm from the cold," Pipit commented.

"Or at least provide light," Karane added.

Fi exited out of the sword. "I may be able to assist with that, Master Karane." The sword spirit's body then emitted a soft glow bright enough to light up the cave.

"You are just full of surprises, Fi," Pipit commented amusedly.

The quartet gathered around Fi. Link brought his gaze over to Fledge. The boy had been strangely quiet since completing the Silent Realm. He had noticed it when they both were scouting while Karane rested in the cave. It had worried him since Fledge was always happy to engage in any sort of conversation with Link.

"Are you doing okay, Fledge?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm doing fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. Why wouldn't I be?" Fledge responded, giving Link a confused look.

"Just making sure." Link moves on from that conversation by bringing his attention to Karane. "Can you still feel the flame, Karane?"

"Yeah, but I still can't pinpoint it." A yawn escaped from her mouth.

"We're in no state to go looking for it. We should get some sleep."

Fledge let out a yawn. "I agree. Today was busy." He lay on the ground

"We barely made any progress." Karane snapped back, then she realized the tone she had spoken. "Sorry…" She said more softly this time. "I'm a little drained out."

"Then get some sleep. We have a lot to cover tomorrow," Link advised her.

"Should one of us stay awake to keep watch?" Pipit proposed.

"I will take care of that, Master Pipit," Fi responded to him. "I do not require any sleep so I will be on guard. If I detect any type of danger I will alert you all immediately."

"You heard her, Pipit. No need for night patrol." Link quipped at his honorary brother as he laid himself down.

Pipit was about to lay himself on the ground until he remembered that he was next to Karane. "Uh, is it okay if I sleep here, or do you want me to move somewhere else if you're uncomfortable-"

"I don't mind if you sleep next to me," Karane replied quickly.

"Alright. Goodnight." Pipit lays himself on the side with his back facing the female senior knight

"Goodnight." Karane settled herself on her back. Her sight glues to the roof of the cave. Sounds of her friends breathing, with Link giving out quiet snores. Finally, she turned on her side, facing away from Pipit, closing her eyes to retreat into slumber.

All four students were sound asleep. Fi stood in the center of all her masters. As her eyes glance at each one of them, images briefly appear in her mind. There were blurry memories from another life with her human form accompanied by several figures. All of them, including herself, all appeared very happy. A sad frown grew on her lips before it shrank back to her usual neutral line.

Fi could not dwell on such memories. That was the past. Her current companions need her now so she retreats into The Goddess Sword, staying alert for any intruders.

Link awoke at some point during the night. The rays of the moonlight pierce through the hole above, keeping the cave somewhat lit up. He glances over to Pipit and Karane still peacefully sleeping. Link was about to go back to sleep when something, or rather someone caught his eye. Fledge sat several away from the group facing the cave walls.

"Having trouble sleeping?" Link walked over to Fledge.

"Sorta. Just a lot on my mind..."

Link sat right next to him. "Like what?"

"It's nothing to worry about," Fledge insisted.

"It is if you're losing sleep over it." Link gently grasps Fledge's shoulder. "What's eating you?"

Fledge sucked in a breath. "I just don't understand…"

"Understand what?"

"I was sure I would be the one to be called for Nayru's trial. It just made sense that way. But Karane was chosen for Wisdom by Nayru. Pipit got tested for Courage by Farore. That just leaves Din for me…"

"Why would you be disappointed by that?"

"Do you know who Din is? She's the goddess of Power. Power! Look at me! Does power come to mind when someone looks at a person like me? I'm the weakest person in the academy. Power has strength. Something that I obviously don't have. I can barely swing a sword properly most of the time. Hell, I can barely lift a barrel. I just…" Fledge places his hands on his head. "What if I fail Din's trial? What if she's wrong about me? Why would she choose me? How can someone like me be worthy of Power?"

"I don't have the answer for that," Link simply told him. "But I think you're giving yourself very little credit. I think you're more worthy than you realize."

"How?"

"There was when you stood up to Groose the other day." Link mentioned with pride. "The words you told him I don't think even I had the strength to do that."

"I wouldn't call it my proudest moment…Even if he did deserve it."

"What about that Aeralfos that you took down?"

"A juvenile Aeralfos to be specific."

"Which are still dangerous. Fledge, you were basically on your own when you faced that thing. Despite the odds, you stood your ground and didn't abandon Orielle, even when she told you to leave her. I think that takes enormous strength. To me, that's proof that there's something in you that Din finds worthy. Whatever trial Din has for you, I know you can do it."

"You really think so?"

"I don't think so. I know so."

Fledge's frown grew into a small smile. It was quickly replaced by a yawn.

"We should probably go back to sleep," Link suggested to Fledge. "Busy day tomorrow."

"You're probably right."

The pair trek back to their sleeping spots where they left their sailcloth/blanket. Link had gotten himself comfortable to fall back asleep when he heard Fledge's voice.

"Link?"

"Yeah?" Link turns his head in Fledge's direction.

"Thanks for cheering me up."

Link smiled. "You're welcome."

With that said and done, both friends fall back asleep.

Link woke up again hours later. This time sunlight peered in the room rather than the moonlight indicating that it was morning. The green-clad senior knight sat upright, stretching out his arms & stiff neck. Clearly, his body was not happy sleeping on the hard cave floor rather than the comfort of his bed. The Goddess Sword started letting out the familiar chime just several minutes later.

"Good morning, Master," Fi greeted him. "I can report that the sandstorm outside has finally ceased. You and the others can now traverse the Lanayru Sand Sea to search for Nayru's Flame. However, I detected several new large life forms outside of this cave."

"Monsters?" Link inquired.

"I do not detect any evil aura but there is a 30% possibility it could be a monster. I advise you to approach with caution."

Link nods to Fi. After she went back into the sword he walked over to Fledge, gently shaking him to rouse him out of his sleep.

"Fledge. Fledge, wake up."

"Huh, morning already…?" Fledge uttered out tiredly.

" 'Fraid so, buddy. Time to get up."

"Alright. Alright." Fledge rubs his tired eyes, yawning loudly as he did so.

Link walked over to Pipit and Karane. What he saw surprised him, but it did give a smile to his face. Fledge walked up next to him wondering what caught his interest. A sweet smile grew on his lips once he saw it.

Pipit and Karane were enveloped in each other's arms, whilst still sound asleep. Pipit slept on his back with his arm around Karane's backside. Karane laid on top of Pipit with her arms wrapped around his torso as if she was cuddling him like a giant stuffed animal. She did not once stir as Pipit's chest gently rose up and down with every breath. Their expressions on their slumbering faces seemed content.

"Well…wasn't expecting that," Link stated with amusement.

"Aw, they look adorable sleeping like that," Fledge fondly admitted.

Link knelt at Pipit's side gently nudging his shoulder. It was enough to rouse the yellow-clad senior knight out of his slumber.

"Oh...Morning Link! Time to head out?"

"Just about, but you should probably wake Karane up first."

Pipit gave a tiredly confused look until he finally noticed the extra weight on top of him. His tired eyes grew wide with petrification when he noticed Karane sleeping on top of him. His face was as red as Karane's hair while his heart raced with a mix of happiness and horror. To add to his internal panic Karane woke up at that moment. Karane tried eyes glanced up at Pipit's blush-ridden face. Her's painted in the same color once she realizes she was straight up cuddling him.

"Pipit?!" Karane quickly moves away from him. "Oh, Goddesses! I'm sorry! I didn't know how I got there! I swear!"

Pipit lifted his arms in assurance "H-hey it's fine! No hard feelings. I'm sure it was purely an accident."

"I'm not so sure about that…" Link muttered under his breath.

"Maybe since it was cold you instinctively held me close to keep warm...?" Pipit suggested.

"Yeah…yeah that could be why. Totally that," Karane breathed out nervously.

Link quietly let out an irritated groan as he facepalmed. "Oh goddesses, these idiots right here..."

"Well if you two are done warming each other up, get your gear on. Fi says there's company outside," Link addressed to the pair.

"Monsters?" Pipit questioned.

"Fi couldn't tell so we should go out there to check it out, carefully."

The quartet geared up in a matter of minutes. They quietly left their cave with Link leading ahead. The group stay behind the cover of the large metal boxes as a cluster of strange bark-like noises emitted from the other end. All four ducked behind a smaller metal box and peaked their heads over the top to get a good look at the newfound neighbors. Several strange-looking creatures gathered around at the port. They did not share any features from the monsters they encountered on their quest. These animals were large, had yellow fur, parts of their bodies with fuzzy patches of the fur, two flippers, a round tail at the end, and all of them had two tusks dangling from their mouths.

"Are those monsters, Fi?" Link said to the sword.

"Those are Lanayru Seals. They had been here back when this region had water. Evolution has allowed these seals to use their large flippers to move through the sand as if they were swimming. They rely on their excellent hearing to find their way while submerged in the sand. Their large, distinct tusks look pretty ferocious, but their favorite food is fruit."

"Look at the size of them," Pipit commented. "They look monstrous at first glance."

"What's got their attention over there, I wonder," Link wondered.

The group continues watching the seals. Several of the seals shifted away, revealing two more members of the pack. Unlike the others, this one seems to be the biggest of the seals, and has more fur in the color of blue, longer tusks, and has several battle scars. Fi informed that this particular seal is most likely the leader of this pack, the alpha, and it was a female. But the seal wasn't alone. Next to her is a seal that was smaller than the rest. Way smaller. It had no tusks, a small batch of fur in the same color as the alpha. The little seal let out several distressed barks. Closer inspection revealed that the little seal's tail was stuck underneath one of the metal boxes that appeared to topple over, probably because of the storm. The little seal continued to cry in distress as the alpha seal tried to calm it down. The quartet deduced that these two seals were mother & child.

"That baby is stuck. Poor thing…" Fledge said with sympathy.

The quartet watches the other seals attempt to move the box off. Their effort was in vain as they could not maintain a good enough hold to even make the box budge. The baby seal continued to cry out in distress, whilst its mother desperately tried to move the box despite no effort. It honestly was heartbreaking to see. Karane especially could see the desperation in the alpha seal who was doing everything she could to save her baby. It reminded her of someone she once knew.

"We can't leave them like this. It wouldn't feel right," Karane announced to the group.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Link admitted.

"We're going to help it?" Fledge questioned with a hint of hope.

"I don't think that would be a good idea…" Pipit voiced hesitantly.

"You're not seriously suggesting we leave them like this?" Link said in a chiding tone.

"Of course not!" Pipit retorted back. "But these are wild animals. Like ACTUAL wild animals. We know nothing about them. For all we know, they could pounce the moment they lay eyes on us."

"Damn…You do have a good point." Link had to admit that Pipit does have a good argument. These animals aren't creatures they were familiar with. Unlike Loftwings, they didn't know how they behaved, what ticked them off, and whatnot. One small move could result in the seals attempting to kill them. Yet…the other part of Link aches to see the baby seal in its state. "But we can't abandon someone in need. You would do it if it was a baby Loftwing."

"You got me there…" Pipit said, knowing that Link was right. "So what do we do?"

"Stay behind me and do this gently. Don't do anything that might scare them." Link instructed his friends.

The quartet moved out from the safety of the cover. Slowly, they walked over to where the seals were. The creatures all peered their eyes at the humans. It was a mix of being on defense, with a small hint of genuine curiosity. The group had to do this very carefully to not set off the seals. The Alpha in particular let out a deep gruff.

"Easy girl…We want to help." Link lifted his arms in an attempt to calm the seal down. When he got closer to the baby, The Alpha let out an angry roar which made Link stagger back.

"She clearly doesn't trust us," Pipit pointed out.

"They probably have never seen humans before so they would be rightfully cautious," Link concluded. "We're going to have to find a way to make her trust us."

"How?" Fledge questioned.

As the group stood thinking about what to do, Karane got a sudden idea. "Fi did say that these seals eat fruit right?"

"That is correct Master Karane," Fi replied.

"Where are you going with this?" Link look at her interested to what she had in mind.

"I think I know how to earn their trust."

"How?"

"The same way we do with wild Loftwings."

"You think that's a good idea?"

"Got any other suggestions?" Karane retorted. Link didn't respond.

Karane approached the alpha seal. The seal roared at her in the same matter she did to Link. Karane did not back down. Instead, she reached into her pouch. In her hand were blueberries she had intended to snack on during the journey. Karane uses her other hand to grab several berries and reaches out to show the berries to The Alpha. The large seal's expression relaxed. Her large snout sniffed the fruit. The Alpha nibbled on one of the berries. She let out what Karane figured to be a happy grunt and proceeded to eat the remaining berries in Karane's hand.

"These are blueberries," Karane told the alpha seal, even though she knew the animal wouldn't understand her. "I have some for your little one."

Karane knelt next to the baby sand seal. The Alpha let out an angry roar again until she notices the remaining berries in the girl's hand which then The Alpha relaxed. Karane places the berries in front of the baby seal. The baby gave a cautious sniff before finally eating. The baby seal let out a happy bark as they ate the berries eagerly. The poor thing was most definitely hungry. After they finished eating, the baby seal nuzzled its head against Karane's hand.

"See? We want to help free your baby," Karane said to the alpha seal.

The Alpha glances at the female senior knight and then her friends, who had hopeful looks. The large seal gave full-on eye contact into Karane's Nayru Blue eyes. Finally, The Alpha let out a nonaggressive roar, prompting the other seals to let the other humans approach the alpha's trapped baby.

"Looks like what you did seemed to work," Link told Karane with pride.

"If you gain the trust of the leader, you gain the trust of their subjects as well," Karane quoted casually. "Something Owlan once told me."

The quartet gathered around the large box. They positioned themselves to maintain a good enough grip.

"Okay, on three we lift this," Link instructed his friends. "One…Two…Three!"

The students collectively attempted to lift the box, letting out loud groans and grunts. The box had barely moved at the end of their first attempt.

"This box is heavy," Pipit panted.

"We're not giving up." Link reassured him. "On three again. One. Two. Three!"

The second attempt started the same as the previous attempt. Yet towards the end, they did manage to move up several centimeters above the baby seal's tail.

"Hey, I think I felt it move this time!" Fledge informed his friends almost cheerfully.

"Then let's hope the third time will be the charm," Karane stated with perseverance.

"On three again." Link beckoned out. One! Two! THREE!"

The quartet gave it all their effort to push the box harder this time. The box moved up from barely a few centimeters and several inches. It lifted wide enough to release the pressure on the baby seal's tail. The seal slowly crawled away from the area of its confinement, with the assistance of its mother. When it was clear the baby was away from danger, the group released their grip from the box, letting it drop with a loud thud.

The group of knight students panted heavily from the exhaustion of lifting the box for several moments. When their strength returned they bright their sights on the seals. The baby hopped around, barking out in joy, happy to be free from its confinement. The Alpha nuzzles her baby head, letting out purrs of relief. She then nudges her baby in the direction of the sand sea. The baby seal seemed more than happy to obliged. The little one jumped into the sands at the edge of the port. The baby moved around the sand in small circles effortlessly. It then decided to swim further away, its mother then jumped in to join her child.

The knight students watch the mother & child pair move around in the sand, the other seals let out chants of happy roars.

"Woah…look how they move in the sand," Fledge exclaimed with wonder.

The pair of seals continue to swim in the sand. The baby jumped all happily as its mother continued to keep up with her child. Judging by how the baby moved, its safe to assume its tail didn't suffer from any major injuries. After a while of mother & child swimming around in the sand, they reached back to the port. The baby happily moved over to Karane, rubbing its body against her legs affectionately. The Alpha nudged her head against her body in a showcase of gratitude. The Alpha seemed to be so grateful that Gratitude Crystals formed above her head.

"Looks like you made some new friends, Karane," Link stated as Karane collected the crystal.

"It would appear to be."

"Did you see the way they moved in the sand? They moved in the sand just a gracefully as a Loftwing flies," Fledge exclaimed excitedly.

"They swam as fast as a Loftwing flies as well," Pipit added. "If only we can travel that sand sea as fast as they move."

Karane's expression widened as Pipit's statement echoed in her head. She walked over to where she saw the ropes scattered, which was not thankfully blown away in the sand storm. Her hand moves under her chin as her mind ponders.

"Seems like you have something in mind?" Link's voice echoed in her ears.

"I might have an idea. It may sound odd…" Karane trailed off as she glances between the ropes and seals.

The sands of the Lanayru Sand Sea was as still as stone. Until several large bodies move passed by. A small pack of seals swam in the sands of the region. They were not alone. Four of the seals, their alpha included, were decorated with old but strong ropes. Trailing behind the seals with their grip on the ropes, and riding on their shields were the four knight students.

"How's everyone doing?!" Karane shouted out to her friends as she rode behind the alpha seal.

"Doing fine I think!" Link yelled back with a mix of nervousness and excitement. "This kinda fun to be honest!"

"Nice to see you and Nabooru are getting along!"

"I can't believe you already came up with names for these seals!"

"If we're going to be acquainted, we might as well name them!" The alpha seal let out a bark as if she was agreeing with Karane. "Urbosa here agrees with me!" At the moment the baby seal pops in between Karane and Link's seals. "And so does little Riju!"

"Aveil and I seemed to be doing well over here," Pipit's voice echoed.

"I wish I can say the same for me and Buliara," Fledge's voice rang across the group. "She seems to like moving more roughly."

"You'll get the hang of it buddy!" Link said back in an attempt of reassurance. "Now that got some sort of transportation we can cover more ground in half the time!"

"Where should we start looking?" Karane asked.

Without any warning, the seals made a sudden turn before anyone could make a suggestion. The seals pulled them to an island of sorts made entirely of rocks, some of which stood high above the desert sands.

"Looks like our friends decided for us," Link stated.

It wasn't long until they finally arrived at the island. At first glance, it would seem there is nothing but rocks. Then they noticed it. On the very top of the island, there was a rock carving of sorts that resembled a face of sorts, accompanied by a mustache. On top of said carving like a small shack.

"That looks like some type of house," Link observed.

"Who would be living out here in the middle of this wasteland?" Pipit stated out loud, which earns him some angry huffs from the seals. "No offense to you guys of course."

Something bright got caught in the corner of Karane's eye. There was a large pile of sand at the end of another dock. She walked over there to get a closer look at it. Moving at just the right angle there was something shiny underneath the piles of sand.

"Help me get this uncovered!

With the combined efforts of Link using the Gust Bellows and Pipit's wind ability, they uncovered the sand in no time. Standing below the dock stood what appeared to be a small boat. Laying at the edge of the pier are the remains of another one of the ancient robots.

"It's one of those robots!" Fledge stated.

"There's something different about this robot…" Link trailed off. "Tell us what you know about this robot, Fi."

"This unit's designation is LD-301N Skipper. It is the leadership model of this series of artificial life-forms. The original purpose of this series of robots was mining. It is the supreme model of the mass-produced robots."

Karane stared at the remains of the robot. All of a sudden she felt a small ache in her head as the image of blue flames entered her view. This time robots stood in front of it. One which appeared similar to the one residing in front of her.

"Are you okay, Karane?" Pipit said to her when he notice her rubbing her head.

"I think this robot has been around Nayru's Flame. Maybe he could help us," Karane concluded.

"And just our luck, the boat has a Timeshift Stone," Link pointed out.

With one strike from Link's sword, the crystal was activated. The area close by was engulfed with the effects. The dock gained color, the sand around the boat turned into water, and the Skipper was brought to life. This particular robot wore a black hat with a feather and had what appeared to be a mustache.

"Hmm, who are you? Some humans?" Skipper addressed the group.

"Hi. My name is Link. These are my friends, Pipit, Karane, and Fledge. We're looking for something called Nayru's Flame. Do you know anything about it?"

"Why of course I do! You're looking at the proud skipper of the ship that protects Nayru's Flame!" Skipper informed the group with pride.

The humans all looked at each with bewilderment.

"Uh…what's a ship?" Pipit asked Skipper.

"You don't know what it is?" The humans shook their heads in response. Skipper seemed to be by this revelation. "Well…um you see the boat right behind me?"

"Yes…" Fledge answered back.

"Now picture that but a hundred times bigger. That's what I'm talking about. The flame is on that ship. I was tasked by Her Grace, Hylia, to keep guard of it."

"Do you know where we can find it?" Link questioned the robot.

Skipper suddenly lowered his gaze. A grim look grew in his eyes. "...It was the day of the storm, shortly after Hylia departed from the world. My crew and I were navigating the seas as usual…And then those brutes…the pirates suddenly attacked us. They were after Nayru's Flame. My crew was imprisoned and I was thrown into the sea!" Skipper exclaimed with despair. "I drifted on currents until I found this boat. After that, I went searching for my ship and crew, but they were nowhere to be found. It haunts me, wondering where my ship and crew could be…"

Link could feel sympathetic for the robot's situation. It reminded him all too well of the current state of Zelda's whereabouts.

"I'd bet they turned the ship invisible and are hiding out somewhere! You can't see it."

"Invisible?" Link looks at the robot quizzically.

"In order to protect Nayru's Flame, the ship has a function that allows it to become invisible."

"That could explain why I'm having trouble sensing its location," Karane stated.

"You can sense the flame?" Skipper questioned the girl with interest.

"I…have a part of Nayru's Essence within me. It helps me sense the flame, but I've been having issues."

"I see…" Skipper muttered out. "That is quite a unique feature. It would explain the bright blue eyes you have there. But I think it's very likely the invisibility feature is causing some sort of interference with your…signal. You said you all are searching for Nayru's Flame? What for?"

"We need it to find someone important to us." Link revealed.

"Oh…So you need Nayru's Flame to find someone important to you. In that case, you all should help me search for my ship and crew! If you'll help me then I guess I'll let you on my boat."

"We'll help you," Link promised him.

"Really? Well, in that case…" Something then catches Skipper's eye. "There's something weird about that map of yours." How Skipper manage to deduce how the map appeared Link doesn't know. "If you're going to navigate these treacherous waters, then you need a proper sea chart! There's a sea chart in my shack on the very top of the island. You'll have to be the one to get it since I can't wander from the boat because of the Timeshift Stone."

"Wait…you know?" Karane inquired.

"I'm aware of my current state, and the state of this region. Judging by how things look I can assume I've been out for quite a while." Skipper said with a sad grimace. "My design allows me to have a higher intelligence than most of the standard models."

"You're certainly nicer than the other robots," Fledge commented.

"It's not entirely their fault. It's just how their programming affects them. Not me and my crew. We're independent thinkers!" Skipper exclaimed with pride. "Anyways. You head onto my shack to get my sea chart so that we can navigate properly. After that, we'll start searching for my ship at the Shipyard. That's where we used to build our ships, including mine. I reckon we will find clues there! Let's hop to it!"

The Humans made their way to the shack as Skipper waited by his boat with eagerness. Unaware to both parties they were being watched from afar.

Ghirahim had arrived at the desert to search for more clues that would help him revive his master or at least another way to reach The Spirit Maiden. It wasn't long till he realized that he wasn't the only current visitor in this region. He was of course less than pleased to see that Link and his merry band of friends manage to survive Koloktos back in The Ancient Cistern. Normally he would confront them, but he decided to observe them. To see what they were searching for in this wasteland.

He watched them assist the seals. Ghirahim was surprised to see that the species managed to thrive after all these centuries. Not that Ghirahim cares or anything. Then he looked as they all rode the seals through the desert. It was honestly pathetic to watch. They all looked so undignified riding those animals. No one in their right mind would agree to that. Nonetheless, he followed them out into the desert. Now he found himself perched on a rock just out of view of the humans exploring what he remembers to be Skipper's Retreat.

Ghirahim witnesses the group bringing the robot back to life with the use of the Timeshift Stone. From what he can make out from their conversation they mention something about a ship. It took Ghirahim a moment to realize they were referring to the ship that used to patrol the area back when it still had water.

"What is on that ship that got the sky children so interested?"

The Demon Lord could feel some sort of otherworldly presence here. The Ancient Cistern had that same feeling as well. What they were, Ghirahim didn't know. What he did know is that he must prevent Link and his friends from reaching it.

After a while, the humans and that robot rode away in the boat to go search for the ship. This left Ghirahim plenty of time to plot his next move to eliminate the band of sky children. And so he began his search.

Ghirahim spent a good chunk exploring the sand sea. It was a pity to see this region disintegrate into this state in the one thousand years since Hylia left. Something to add to Ghirahim's list of the goddesses' failures. Finally, after fruitless searching he found it.

Large skeletal remains stood up from the sands of the desert. In the center of the bones resided a large skull with a round gap at the center of its head, along with sharp teeth. A wicked smile grew across Ghirahim's lips.

"Perfect. Just what I need…"

All he needs now is a Timeshift Stone. Ghirahim vanished in a flash of diamonds to begin his search.

"Well, the ship definitely is not here!"

Link and his friends exited out the construction bay of the Shipyard. Unfortunately, there weren't any signs of the ship here. Though that didn't mean the search was not uneventful.

"I still feel woozy from that minecart ride." Fledge groaned as he clutched his stomach. "I swear I thought I was going to hurl my entire innards out."

"I don't think I would've noticed anyway since I was busy holding on with dear life and screaming…" Pipit groaned out.

"And just our luck, Moldarach had a twin here…At this one didn't nab me," Karane uttered out. "But the flame's presence still feels faint…."

The quartet made their way back to Skipper on the docks.

"Judging by your expressions, I'm assuming my ship isn't here?" Skipper guessed.

"Sorry no," Link responded apologetically. "But we did find some 'pleasant surprises."

"I'm truly sorry for the trouble. Honestly, I wish can help you all but I can't wander far cause you know. At least your seal friends make good company." Skipper gestured to the seals that the group had befriended, including Urbosa, Riju, Nabooru, Aveil, and Buliara swimming around in the water emitted by the Timeshift Stone. "It honestly brings me joy to see these wonderful animals still thriving even with the dramatic changes here."

"Uh…the ship," Link reminded the robot.

"Oh right! If the ship isn't here then there is only one place left for us to look for clues…" Skipper's eyes went grim. "This could be scary, but…we have to head to the stronghold of the pirates who stole my ship! So let's not waste any time and get moving!"

The group and Skipper jump back on the boat. Skipper piloted the boat as the human rode along the waters emitted by the crystal. All the while the seals still accompanied them throughout the trip.

"This is pretty scary…" Skipper fretted at one point. "The pirate captain is a mechanical maniac! He's got no shortage of evil underlings too!"

"What makes this captain so bad?" Karane questioned the robot.

"He goes by the name Scervo. He was part of an older model of Lanayru robots. Things were fine for a while until the line started to express some…problems."

Karane took notice of the grim way Skipper uttered the word. "What kind of problems?"

"...They started acting aggressively. Almost killed some humans. Hylia ordered them to be shut down. Scervo managed to escape but seemingly vanished. We all believe he was dead. That is until the day he stole my ship. Figures he waited until Hylia was gone to seize it. I never wanted to lay eyes on him again. But…If we want to take the ship back, then we have no choice! The pirate stronghold isn't too far from here! Tighten up whatever you humans have instead of bolts, and let's get going!"

The boat moved at full speed. It wasn't long until they all arrived at the Pirate Stronghold. The stronghold is designed with the head of some sort of creature with sharp teeth, and the front of the building appears to be some sort of snout. Despite its frightening structure it appeared to be deserted.

"I don't see anyone or anything!" Pipit pointed out when they arrived.

"You sure you don't see anything? They usually have guards lurking about," Skipper questioned.

"It looks pretty deserted," Fledge affirmed.

"I don't think we'll encounter any trouble here," Link confirmed.

"Plus, based on your accounts, Skipper, you probably were out for one thousand years," Karane added on. "Anyone living here at that time is most likely long gone."

"Hmm…now that I think about it, that does make sense," Skipper acknowledged. "They should be all dead. The only reason I'm up and about like this is because of that Timeshift Stone on the boat. So I have nothing to worry about! I feel better now! Boy, what a relief! Now that we got that established it's time for you guys to go look for my ship! I still encourage you all to be careful! I'll wait here of course."

The quartet started their exploration of the stronghold to find an entrance. They eventually did find an entrance on the side of the stronghold. This brought them to a dimly lit room lit up by torches. In the center of the room stood a familiar-looking pedestal. The moment they got close enough to it Fi appeared before them.

"Masters, please take a look. This device looks like it is meant to hold a Timeshift Stone, but there is not one currently installed. There is a 95% chance that it is the same type of device as the ones we encountered in Lanayru Mine. Signs indicate that Timeshift Stones were used in this facility as a kind of power source. I suggest you all search the stronghold."

The group then explored the insides of the stronghold. Several long hallways, Two Lizalfos, couple Beamos, and a sandpit later they arrived in a room. In the center had some sort of orb that emitted the same power as a Timeshift Stone.

"Masters please take a look at the orb," Fi addressed them once again. "This object is called a Timeshift Orb. I conjecture that, unlike Timeshift Stones we've seen, this device was designed to be carried around and installed in different locations."

With that tidbit of information, the group carried the orb back in the direction they came and back to the pedestal to place it. The building in the shape of the beast opened its mouth slowly. The group felt the effects of the change as the room shook. After it finally stopped Fi confirmed that change of the structure and they should go outside to inspect it.

The quartet went outside this time from the top of the stronghold. Standing along the path stood small masts with old worn sails hanging above. As they passed them, Fi exited the sword.

"I have information to report, Masters. Please take a look." Fi gesture to the masts sticking up from the sand. There is a 60% probability that these masts and these sails are from the ship that protects Nayru's Flame. You can now set your dowsing ability to search for the ship that holds Nayru's Flame."

"Well, at least we got a way to find it now," Links stated after Fi retreated to the sword.

The quartet made their way back to Skipper.

"I'm guessing my ship wasn't here either…" The robot spoke with disappointment.

"We did find a clue," Karane revealed. "Link's sword has a dowsing feature that'll help us track that ship down."

"You know the place? Some kind of thing called dowsing? That's amazing! This time we'll definitely find my ship. Lets get going!" Skipper exclaimed with newfound hope. He hovered back to the boat with the humans not too far. "I do wonder...How are we going to search this whole huge sea? I have no choice but to ask all of you to do it for me! So get cracking! There is a high probability that the ship is currently hidden from our view. But if we attack it, then we might catch a glimpse of it. So here's what we'll do. Link, Karane, you both will help navigate. Pipit and Fledge, you'll man the cannon on the boat. When your friends give the signal, you'll fire the cannon. I'll pilot the boat. Let's do this."

And the process of searching for the ship began. Link used the sword to help track down the large vessel. He would be focused on where the dowsing would react strongly, whilst Karane would yell the change of direction to Skipper. Despite the ever-changing movement they manage to catch up. Much to everyone's surprise, the seals also joined in the search for the ship. The seals swam ahead, jumping from the water back into the sand. The animals then started barking loudly as if they were getting their attention. Link moved the sword in the direction. The tip of the blade gave a strong reaction.

"The ship is close. Straight ahead." Link announced. "Pipit, Fledge, do your part."

With a nod, the pair positioned the canon in the direction of the signal. Then they shot out a cannonball. The ball struck something. For a brief moment, a giant boat appeared before vanishing. At the same time, Karane clutched her head. The aura of Nayru's Flame instantly grew stronger.

"Did you see that?" Fledge exclaimed.

"I did!" Pipit concluded.

"The flame is on there!" Karane revealed it to everyone.

"That's my ship alright! We must pursue!" Skipper increased the speed of the boat so suddenly that the humans almost fell. "Keep pounding it with the cannon!"

"How is it still moving on its own?" Link wondered out loud.

"This ship is equipped with autopilot," Skipper responded. "I'm surprised it's still working after all these years."

With the combined efforts of Link's dowsing, Karane's brief moments of tracking the ship and the seals, it wasn't difficult to stay within firing range. After several long minutes of firing cannonballs on the ship, it finally broke the invisibility cloak on it. The ship made a slow stop as it became visible to the world.

The boat moved over to the side of the large vessel. Frankly, the humans didn't expect the ship to be quite this big. This wonder was short-lived as Karane clutched her head. The image of the blue flame was now bright and clear in her vision.

"This is the ship, alright. I can now feel the flame," Karane comfirmed.

"In that case, I'll leave it to you four then. There's a ladder on the side of my ship." Skipper moved the small boat to the side of the ship where a ladder indeed resided at. "There should be a Timeshift Stone somewhere on my ship. You'll have to find a way to activate it. I caution you all to be careful. Who knows what could have crawled onto my ship after all this time."

"We will, thank you," Link said to the robot politely.

The quartet all faced the ladder leading up to the ship. Frankly, they don't know what to expect to find on such a huge boat. Not that would stop them anyways.

"Well, c'mon guys!" Karane hollered to her friends "We got a crew to save and a flame to find!"

Karane was the first to start climbing up the ladder. Link and the rest of the guys were quick to follow.

Yo ho yo ho a pirates life for me!

I like the sand seals and decided to add them. I mean Zelda games prior to Breath of the Wild only had you search a section of the deserts. I like to assume we just don't see the seals because Link didn't explore enough of the region. Plus, Sand Seals are cool.

Our heroes braved the Lanayru Sand to search for the ship, not without taking some extra steps. Now all thats left is searching for Nayru's Flame. What awaits them in the Sandship?

Another thing. I'm seeking a beta reader for this fic. If any of you are interest I would very much appreciate it!

Favs, Follows, and Reviews are appreciated!