Hey guys! Sorry, something called 'life' crept up on my pretty quickly the past few days. But here is chapter sixteen for all you anxious readers out there!
You stay classy!
Review, re-read, love the Legend of Zelda, and keep on keeping on.
Cheers!
[ZELDA]
"Mom," I whisper, running into her now open arms. She smiles as I crash into her, rubbing the hair on my head back into place. She knows we can't stay like this for long, and I know it, too, but for the moment I feel happy.
"Impa," Link starts. He sounds nervous for some reason. Confused, I turn out of Impa's grasp and find worry etched on his features. Impa holds an arm up cutting him off from whatever he was going to say.
"Believe me when I say this, hero, you are ready. Have no fear. If you have fear, Ghirahim will win. He can bend situations to his will, and that's the last thing we need. When we have obtained what lies in this temple, we will have the advantage. Come," she beckons us to follow her up the impressive stairs, turning to climb.
Link and I turn to each other. I take his hand as we fall into place behind Impa.
We walk in silence. Since entering, we have caused some sort of sound, but as we walk farther into the temple, the more I feel relaxed. As if time itself flows differently here. There is magic lingering here, and it has done so for probably centuries. Link's ancestor, the Hero of Time, visited here in the past. I look around as we ascend and take in the details that have been rubbed away by time.
Goddess symbols and images of the Triforce line the walls and ceilings, along with other depictions of the Hero of Time's story. How he opened the Spirit Realm, causing Ganondorf to wreak havoc to the land along with its people; and by traveling through time he sealed him back in ending his reign of tyranny. How he also had to save a small town called Termina in three days from a falling moon. His family and descendants depicted in a family tree of sorts also was held in an impressive side chamber. It makes me wonder if Link would like to see his family tree.
As we continue through the temple, I take glances at Link. His expression oscillates between tense and confident, and his grip tightens and loosens as a result. I squeeze his hand reassuringly and he smiles at me. It doesn't reach his eyes like it normally does, though. I give him a small smile in return. Impa stops ahead of us at a set of impressive stone double doors. Link and I stop and gaze at the intricate details lining the edges.
"Link," Impa says as she turns around, folding her arms. "Are you ready, young hero?"
I look up to him, his face expressionless as he takes a deep breath. He closes his eyes for a bit and opens them.
They are on fire. There is a sudden passion and confidence I have never seen in them. It is beautiful. I smile, letting the warm happy feeling inside of me grow. I turn back to Impa as she nods her approval.
"Good," she responds, stepping aside. "Place your hand on the door."
Link walks up to the door and does what she says. Nothing happens for a bit. Then, suddenly, a bright light swirls around him and condenses to form the Triforce on his right hand. I stand in amazement as Impa, looking slightly troubled, moves to put her hand on my shoulder.
"Don't be shocked by what you see, Zelda," she whispers into my ear. "For you, too, have a similar power that dwells within you. Embrace it. Then you might even awaken your portion of the Triforce."
I snap my attention to her. She smiles sadly at me, as if I am about to carry a heavy burden. But what did she say about me having a part of the Triforce in me?
Me?
I thought that was only a legend until Link placed his hand on the door to enter the temple earlier. All my ideas and theories about it shattered in an instant. The Triforce, which I had learned about in school, existed within people in the past, actually dwelt within people. I thought that was just a legend, a bed time story my mother made up to me to get me to sleep, about the Hero and the Princess Zelda and how they, with their Triforce pieces, saved Hyrule all by themselves—as kids, none the less.
But it is real. And I am witnessing that first hand as we speak.
And if it actually dwells within Link and he is able to access that power, then—
"This is it," I hear Impa say next to me, placing my train of thought at an instant halt. Link backs away slowly, covering his eyes with his arm from the bright light that spills out of the room. Covering my eyes from the brightness as well, I blink a few times to get the tears out. Then the light fades to nothing and reveals a grand room with only one thing in it.
A sword.
But not just any sword—this one in particular I have seen throughout my history books, on tapestries, heard about in stories, and also believed to be legend.
This is the Master Sword. It is very real, accessible, and sitting before my very eyes.
Link slowly walks forward, taking small but confident strides, straight toward the most powerful sword in history. I follow suit, but Impa holds me back. I look up at her confused.
"No, Zelda," she says soothingly, "this is something he must do on his own."
I drop my gaze to watch Link as he ascends a couple small sets of stairs and takes in the sword. He slowly brings his right hand up to wrap it around the hilt. The sword glows along with the Triforce on his hand. In the ethereal gold light, I see him smile. My jaw drops in amazement. His handsome features grow instantly more mature in the light as he slowly draws the sword from the pedestal, as if he has just gained wisdom incomparable to even the wisest men, and a burden only the courageously pure can endure. As he lifts the sword skyward, it emits a pillar of light, shrouding Link in its bright depths. As the light narrows to where Link is left stood, it lessens in brilliance, and takes on a different form. It moves to Link's side and takes on the form of a female. The light continues to swirl around the figure as she lifts up her arms and spins in a circle, like a graceful dancer. She slows her spinning as the light dims down revealing a young woman with blue skin.
Is it skin? Is she even human? She flies around doing a few circles around Link and comes in close to examine him, hovering. He takes a step back in shock, dropping the sword to face the ground.
"She's the sword's spirit," Impa explains in rushed whispers. "She helped guide the Hero chosen by the Goddess, Hylia, to save Skyloft. He was one of the first in the line of Heroes."
"She's beautiful," I whisper. Impa simply grunts in agreement.
"Master," I hear a voice say. Or was it three voices? I couldn't really tell from this distance. "I am called Fi. I am here to serve you in every way I can. The Goddess, Hylia, commanded I lay dormant in this sword until I was again needed. My last master had a—striking resemblance to your aura. What is your name?"
"Link," I hear him say, surprisingly confident for meeting a sword's spirt.
"Link—" She drops off, then looks him straight in the eyes. "I calculate a ninety five percent likelihood you are the successor of non-blood relation to my former master, also Link, and have been chosen to inherit his powers of the Triforce of Courage. I conclude that you are allowed to wield me because the goddess, Hylia, along with the Three Sisters, made it so, due to you hosting the power of the Triforce of Courage. I have been summoned, I assume, because a great evil has arisen, correct?"
"Sort of," Link says. "There is a man named Ghirahim who is wreaking havoc and has threatened the life of someone dear to me. Someone who, Impa and I have been led to believe has the power of the Triforce of Wisdom hidden inside her."
I raise my eyebrows. Link knew? He knew and never told me?
We'll be having a talk later.
"This friend," Fi starts, "I calculate an eighty seven percent likelihood that she is a descendant of the goddess Hylia's human form, Zelda."
"Yes, actually," Link admits, pointing my direction. I blush. Fi flies over at a remarkable pace and leans in close to examine me. I take in her face. There are only grooves and bumps where normal human features would be located. Her skin is made up of almost a metal of sorts, shiny and immaculate blue and purple. Remembering those are the main colors of the sword, and that this is its spirit, it suddenly doesn't seem so surprising that she would be made out of something so sword like.
"I detect the blood of my mistress, Hylia, flowing in your veins," she confirms, then tilts her head to the side, curious. "I also detect blood of the Sheikah tribe. Friend of my master, what is your name?" She asks.
"My name is Zelda," I respond with confidence. I feel Impa's hand on my shoulder. Fi turns her head to Impa and nods.
"I calculate a ninety three percent chance that you are Zelda's mother, am I correct?"
"Yes, I am Impa. I am named after the first Impa, servant to the goddess Hylia, during the fall of demise. My great-great grandmother."
I look up to my mother. My mother I hardly know thanks to certain circumstances. I hope that changes in the future.
If there is a future for me. What a positive thought.
I look back over to Link, who examines the sword, as he walks over to us. I give him a soft smile when he stands next to me and hold out my hand to him. He grabs it, intertwining our fingers, and kissing the top of my head. There is a new confidence in him that I have never sensed before. Impa smiles as she folds her arms.
"Now, then," she starts, "let's talk plans. Now that Link has officially gained the Master Sword, along with his Triforce of Courage, he will be an even match, if not better, than Ghirahim. That is, as long as he can wield it."
"I paid close attention in my fencing courses at school. I think I can fend for myself," Link states, not with overconfidence, but as fact. Impa nods.
"Yes, but you will need to learn some techniques left to us by your ancestor, the Hero of Time. I have a scroll for you," she reaches behind her into a bag and pulls out an extremely old scroll.
"For the battles to come," she simply says. Link lets go of my hand, takes it gingerly and places it in one of his bags.
"Zelda," she turns to me. I don't know why, but the way she says it makes me feel anxious—like my life is about to change.
"As I stated a little bit ago, you are the wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom. It lies within you, waiting to be awakened. Part of the reason you are here in the first place is to train you and wake it from its slumber. The other part," she cuts off, hesitant.
"Tell me, mother," I push. "This situation is getting worse each day, so you might as well lay it on me."
"Yes," she furrows her eyebrows, "the other part is to train you as a Sheikah. There are many rooms with obstacles in the temple here, and they are perfect for training a newly realized Sheikah. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. I will train you myself," she adds, dropping her hand to my shoulder, "to ensure everything you need to know has been passed on to you."
"How long will it take to train me?" I ask, curious. Impa frowns and looks to Link. He simply shrugs.
"You might as well just tell her," he says. I raise my eyebrows in question.
"Yes," she submits again. "Zelda, it will take at least a year to truly master the ways of the Sheikah. Unfortunately," she brings a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, "we don't even have a month until Ghirahim figures out a way in here. The seal to the Sacred Realm is gradually breaking, and the dark lord Ganondorf is planning an escape, that involves your life, and Ghirahim is his tool. With the weakening of the seal, evil forces can make their way in here if they are incredibly strong."
Well, what a crapshoot of a situation.
"So," I begin, "since Ghirahim has now found us, I'm assuming he knows where I live, and that we are to stay here with the seal on the doors to protect us as long as it holds, correct?"
Impa gives an apologetic look. I sigh. Link wraps his arm around me after sheathing his sword.
"It's the best option we have available to us, yes," he says.
"Okay," I take a deep breath, "I guess since we're already behind the curve on training, we might as well get started, right?"
Impa smiles and I almost don't like how mischievous it looks.
"Let's begin."
I have a feeling this will be painful—very painful—but I'll just have to learn how to grin and bear it. We have to defeat Ghirahim to protect those who we hold most dear. I guess I will just have to do my best, learn what I can, and try to awaken the Triforce of Wisdom that slumbers inside me.