What a treat! Two updates in the past two days! Yay!

Thanks to all you classy classy folk. You truly motivate me to write as well as I can.

Here is chapter seventeen for you all.

Cheers!

Three weeks.

We have been holed up here in the Temple of Time, training and preparing for our showdown with Ghirahim for three weeks, and it feels like it will never end. The lessons my mom gives me are draining, I barely have enough energy to climb the main steps and climb into bed every night they are so strenuous. I try not to complain, though. This will help me in the long run if I want to gain any skills and knowledge about the ways of the Sheikah. Half of who I am.

I flop down on the makeshift mattress that I have called my bed and embrace the blankets, throwing them around my frozen body to heat it up. Lately, for some reason, my training has hit a wall. Granted, she did say it would take a year to master it fully, but I didn't think it would be this hard. Physically, I just cannot keep up with the regiment she instilled to our practices. Mentally, I can. Learning the theories and history of my people is where I excel at, not the physical.

Unfortunate for me, that physical training is all we are doing day in and day out.

I sigh deeply, letting the dark room calm my racing mind and try to get some sort of sleep, goddesses know I need it, and close my eyes to the world. The next thing I know, I wake up to something moving beside me. Link came to bed, wrapping an arm protectively around me, and instantly crashing. I actually believe he crashed before his head even hit the pillow.

Sleepyhead.

I shake my head amazed how easily he can fall asleep, and try to continue doing the same myself. My mom said she would wake me early in the morning for a special training.

But for a little while longer, I get to enjoy the healing power of sleep with Link right beside me.

I walk down a dark alleyway, trying to be as discreet as possible, and find myself at the main street of a large town I have never been in before. It must be nighttime. It's not just dark in the alley. I look to the sky and see there isn't even a cloud. Or stars. Just darkness. Unsettled, I turn around to see if anyone has followed me here.

No one is behind me. Good.

I turn back to the hustle and bustle that lay in front of me, keeping an eye out for a particular person.

Then I see her. My sister, Ilia.

I move in, about to step out into the street as she passes a shadow covered alley on the other side. A pair of arms reaches out from the darknes and grabs Ilia, pulling her in.

No!

I run across, bumping into people as I do, and try to catch whoever grabbed her. But to no avail. They are already gone. No traces of them anywhere.

I feel someone touch my shoulder and turn to see who it is. I find Impa standing there, her face solemn.

"Zelda," she says softly, shaking my shoulder.

"Yes?" I respond.

"Zelda, dear," she repeats shaking my shoulder harder.

Then everything around me turns to light.

"Zelda," I hear someone say. I open my eyes slowly to see Impa kneeling by the bed, shaking my shoulder.

Oh.

I was dreaming. I bring a hand to my eye to rub the water out of it as I sit up. I notice that Link is gone. Probably already practicing. He seems determined.

Impa backs up to let me stand. I grab my things, change my clothes quickly, and make my way out of the room behind her to our practice chamber.

During the first day here, Impa had gone out to gather some provisions and clothes for us. We notified our friends, letting them know we were dropping off the radar for a little while, and that we are fine. We didn't tell them where we are though, just in case Ghirahim decides to hunt us down.

As we walk through the temple, there are a few hallways where the ceiling is starting to decay, leaving holes behind where there used to be a ceiling. I look up as the sunbeams fall on my shoulders. I close my eyes and breathe deeply, smiling. It has been so long since I have seen the sunlight in its full glory, and have taken a breath of fresh air. I almost desire it more than anything else right now—simply to be outside. Winter, though short and only lasting for a couple months on the surface, has just drawn to a close. The birds are chirruping through the cracks all around the temple, the air is warming up, and all around spring is in the air.

"Come, Zelda," I hear Impa say, almost sadly. I lower my head and reluctantly move forward, looking back as I do to catch one last glimpse of that glorious beam of light, into the darkness of the temple.

"Concentrate, Zelda," Impa yells over my strained grunts. I focus harder.

I look at the target across the small exercise room, focus the magic into the needles Impa had supplied to me, and release them all at once. I have to throw all six needles, imbued with a stunning spell, at the same time into the bull's eye of the target to move on to the next stage of training. As they make a resounding thud on the target's surface, I see that I, once again, failed. I only hit two onto the center. Granted, the other four are just barely outside of the middle ring, but it's still not good enough. Impa grunts, taking in the result, and folds her arms.

"Again," she says flatly. I run over to the target and grab the needles from the fabric, pulling hard. Once I have gathered all the needles, I take up my position again and focus.

Since coming here, I have found that my strength is steadily increasing. I can hold spells for longer periods of time, run for longer distances, and am picking up on new things relatively quick.

I also still can't believe that I am the wielder of the Triforce of Wisdom.

We have done a few training sessions—rather, meditation rounds—trying to waken it, but it had no effect. I don't know how Impa figured out that I am the wielder, but she believes it to be true. So does Link.

I remember that conversation as if it were yesterday.

"You think I'm the wielder?" I ask, curling up to him in the darkness of our room.

"Definitely." He says it confidently as he wraps his arms around me.

"How can you tell?"

"Because I know you. You are wise beyond your years, Zelda, in addition to the fact that you are the human form Hylia's descendant. That had a big factor in figuring it out. Impa said it wasn't your father. She investigated that theory for years, and came to a dead end. She also said that when you were born, there was this glowing power emitting from you. Typical trademark, apparently. I remember my parents saying the same thing about me when I was born." He holds me a bit tighter. I give him a kiss on the cheek. He misses them. Immensely.

"I know you can do it," he adds quietly, bringing his forehead to mine. "I have faith in you," he whispers as he closes the distance.

We stay there for a bit longer simply enjoying the moment.

I hear the needles thud against the target again, and this time more got in the center. Just one remains outside the circle. Barely. I glare at its taunting nature.

Challenge accepted.

Impa doesn't need to tell me 'again' or 'hustle', I'm already at the target ripping out the needles with a new determination. I take my stance and concentrate harder than I ever have before. Focusing the spell into the needles and imagining the field between me and the target getting smaller. I let loose the needles and find all of them soaring through the air straight to the center. As each one thuds individually, I look with confidence, knowing I hit all of them on the bull's eye. Smiling as I confirm, I turn to Impa, who also has a smile on her face.

"Well done," she says, almost laughing. I beam. "Let's take a break and continue this afterward. I want to see you do it three consecutive times to know that you can do it perfectly, on command."

I smile as I nod. I know I can do it, and she does, too. I can't believe the strength and skills that I already have, and am currently building to become stronger. As she unfolds the rations we'll eat, I sit down on an exercise block in the corner of the room, letting my head back to rest against the wall as I close my eyes.

I wonder how Link's training with Fi is going.

They leave the temple early every morning, and return late at night. I hardly ever see him anymore, but when I do he looks exhausted. I think I feel tired, then he straggles into the room and I instantly feel bad for him. He is training with the old scroll from his ancestor. I can't even imagine what is on it that makes him that spent at the end of the day. Needless to say, I don't envy his training one bit. I feel a bit sorry, that he had to be chosen for this adventure, too. Preferably, if it were even possible, I would take it upon my own shoulders and no one else would get hurt that way. I would sacrifice myself.

Then again, this training will help to prevent that. Hopefully.

Impa hands me the rations as I take a deep breath. She smiles as she sits next to me on the block.

"So what is next on the schedule of training after this" I ask her. She ponders for a bit.

"I think we might try to awaken the Triforce," she simply states, taking a bite of her food. I look down to mine in my hands. My meal of champions contains two pieces of bread along with a cup of water and a bowl of broth. So much sustenance. I eat, trying to imagine it is a more exquisite dish than bread and broth. Dipping the bread makes it better. I smile sadly.

"I was thinking we could get more variety of rations," I mumble. Impa outright laughs.

It was the first time hearing it since she left when I was little. It was the same. Light, airy, and singsong like. It takes me back for a bit, and then I join in. It's the little moments like this that make all this training worth it. They remind me what I am fighting for.

I fight to have more moments like this—to gain peace in this calm before the storm. We continue to laugh, rations forgotten.

That is, until Link comes bursting through the door, dripping in water and a frantic look on his face as if he had just seen a ghost.

"Link," I say, jumping to my feet, not without spilling my broth. Great, there went my feast of kings.

"Ghirahim. He," Link tries to catch his breath, but places his weight onto his sword and tries to hold himself up. Just before the sword loses grip on the floor, I run over and grab him, swinging his arm over my shoulder and supporting his weight. Impa is here as well, grabbing his sword and carrying it over to a matt. I help Link over there, too, and lay him down. Kneeling down next to him, I rub the hair on his head back down and softly quiet him down. He slowly relaxes, closing his eyes and relishing the fact that he is laying down rather than training or fighting. I bring my hand down to rest on his cheek and he takes a deep breath, opens his eyes, and places his arm on top of my legs to hook into my belt loop. I place my other hand on top of his damp arm. We haven't really had time to spend together since coming here due to training, and are happy to finally be together for the time being. I can see it in his eyes.

I also see fear.

"What happened, Link?" I hold his gaze. His expression falls.

"Ghirahim made his move," he starts slowly, unsure how to tell us. His resolve slowly hardens. "He threw the entire surface into a realm of darkness. One step off of the path and he knows exactly where you are. He has creatures everywhere looking for us. They move in packs, like hunters."

"Bokoblins," Impa mutters, then turns her attention back to Link. "Any other creatures you noticed?"

"No," he admits, "those are the only ones I encountered, but I wouldn't rule out other monsters."

Impa nods. Then stands to pace the room in thought. I turn back to Link taking in his features. They have matured. His jaw line sharp, rounded cheeks flattened, and his eyes. His eyes changed the most. They hold knowledge beyond the average Hylian. Like he has seen darkness, endured it, and escaped it. And he did. He told me his experience of waking his Triforce piece when he was unconscious after the Lumpy Pumpkin incident. He told me I was the reason he made it back to the world of the living. I smile softly, remembering.

Link looks at me, and his expression softens. He loosens his hold from my belt loop to bring his hand up to my waist, pulling me down to lie next to him. I blush as he does. He notices.

"What's wrong?" He asks as he pulls me into a wet hug.

"My mom is still in the room," I whisper. He laughs softly.

"She's fine with it. Trust me," he looks over my shoulder to where my Impa paces back and forth, "she gave me the talk. I will never step out of line with her. And especially with you. She cares for you, Zel," he says before pulling me into a slow kiss. I wrap my arm around him, pulling myself closer, and not caring about how wet my clothes are getting. I then break off the kiss, feeling something sticky on my hands. I sit up, examining the red liquid that stains my pale skin.

"Link, you're bleeding," I say, getting up to step over him and turn him on his side. I can't see the injury well enough with his baggy shirt.

"You're going to have to take your shirt off, Link," I say. He sits up and complies, revealing an even more toned set of muscles as he drops the damp shirt on the ground, along with a series of cuts all over his back. I kneel and set to work, summoning the magic and focusing it to my hand. As soon as I touch his back, I hear him sigh with relief.

"I didn't know it was that bad," he admits. "I guess I kind of endure the pain until it becomes unbearable."

"And by doing that, you will get yourself killed." I chastise. He shrugs.

"As long as you're safe," he mutters. My heart skips a beat. Surely he doesn't mean—

"Okay," Impa says, stopping my train of thought, "I've got a plan. Ghirahim has taken over the surface, we are almost out of rations," I look to my spilled broth and scold myself, "and we need other necessary supplies like salve and ointment for training injuries. We need to make a trip. Link, do you still have your parent's cloaks?"

"Yes, I have one and I gave my mother's to Zelda." I finish his back and begin using the last of the salve on the remains of his wounds. Then begin to massage his tense shoulders. Slowly, he begins to relax. His skin feels hot. I think he might be running a fever.

He is running himself into the ground. For me. I grimace.

"Good that. Now, here is my plan," she folds her arms in front of her, and turns her attention to us. I don't see how any plan going outside where Ghirahim can find us in an instant can be beneficial to our survival. Then I look at Link's back again and decide to go along with it. We need the supplies.

And I have a feeling I know where she is going with this. Impa sighs, closing her eyes, then opens them to look at us.

"We head to Castle Town."