A/N: I had a bit of difficulty writing this chapter, and that's why it took so long to get here. As you can tell, I'm greatly enjoying writing this story so far - Zelda's kind of turning into my new Sierra WinterBreeze (who is my Wizard101 OC), and I missed writing about Sierra. First person PoV has always been my thing, so I like this more than Shards of Time.

The problem was that this chapter just stumped me. There was so much that I had to think about here... and therefore, it's rather long. Oh, and also... MAJOR SPOILERS THIS CHAPTER! Don't read anymore if you don't want spoilers and haven't completed the first six dungeons and seen the cutscene with Zelda! (If you're in Sky Keep, though, you're good. XD) Haha, I decided to reveal everything a lot sooner than originally planned, simply because I couldn't see any point in keeping it away from poor, ignorant Zelda. I've still got lots of surprises planned, though (or at least surprises if you haven't played the game), so stick around.

Anyway, enjoy!

AWAKENING

Chapter 4

"Please don't do this, Your Grace!"

"There is no other way, Impa. You saw what the Demons did to your people. I don't want another race destroyed because of my own weakness."

"That wasn't your fault. You know that it wasn't."

"Yet the blame somehow still falls on me. What would your people say if they were still alive? Would they forgive me?"

"..."

"No. They wouldn't. That is why I must do this. Someday, in the future... I will return to the Surface. But for now... I must protect these creatures... no matter the price..."

xXx

The first thing I was aware of was the sound.

It was not the constant hustle of the daytime in Skyloft as I'd grown accustomed to, nor the flapping of Keese wings and occasional mewing of a Remlit that I always heard at night. It was quiet... but not entirely silent. It almost sounded like a subdued version of the noise at the little spot on the top of the Waterfall. Link and I had found this quiet meadow up there one day while flying. The faint crashing water drowned out the sounds from town, leaving only the songs of bugs and whispering of the wind. This was like that – I heard the wind and the bugs... but also some other noise: a high-pitched, short tone that I could only describe as... chirping.

My eyes fluttered opened, and before me was the strangest creature I'd ever seen, pecking at the Goddess's Harp laying on the ground. It reminded me of a Loftwing, but it was small, smaller even than the Guays that I sometimes found flying around with stolen rupees. It was so tiny, I thought I could almost encompass it in one hand. However, when I reached out to test this theory, the bird flapped its petite wings and soared into the sky.

Dumbfounded, I pushed myself up into a sitting position with my hands and gazed around, open-mouthed with awe.

The area was covered in green – more green than I'd ever seen in my whole life. Plants both familiar and foreign surrounded me. Beyond the vine-covered stone walls that seemed to surrounded my current position, the trees were innumerous, implying that this place went on forever in every direction, incomprehensibly vast. I felt as small as that bird from earlier in comparison.

This definitely wasn't Skyloft.

Panic beginning to overwhelm me. To keep from hyperventilating, I took multiple deep, calming breaths and then tried to stand and stretch out my stiff muscles. However, a sharp pain rushed through my ankle, halting my attempts and making me cry out, collapsing back to the ground.

Oh Goddess... that hurt!

Delicately cradling my foot, I pulled off my boot, gritting my teeth against another gasp of pain. Something was definitely wrong with it. Upon closer examination, I realized that my ankle was unusually large and swollen. No wonder it hurt so much.

How had this happened? I browsed my memories. The last thing I remembered was flying with Link, about to pour my heart out to him and reveal my feelings... but there was that tornado... and the clouds... and my friend's terrified but determined face, ready to dive into the raging winds, desperate to save me...

With a jolt of horror, I realized what that meant. Yes, by some miracle, I had survived the tornado... but who knew whether Link had...

Frantically reviving my visual search, I scanned the vicinity, despair filling me when I didn't see him. But, as my gaze swept over a little path behind me...

I noticed something standing there.

I drew in a sharp breath as I examined the creatures from afar. There were two of them, both a dull, ugly red in color, with odd clothing and plump bodies. Each carried a rather primitive-looking sword in their hands. I was pretty far away, but my training from the Knight Academy led me to believe that, as far as I could tell from this distance, the blades were very dull. It would take a long, hard, brutal beating to kill me with that. On the other hand, I'd never been good with weapons anyway, preferring books and academic studies, so I could have been completely wrong. Fortunately, the two creatures seemed not to have noticed me, but they were sniffing around as though they were looking for something. Or maybe someone.

What should I do? I wondered. They didn't look friendly, that much was certain, but how could I escape them? Looking down at my ankle, I ruled out running for my life, so instead I slowly crept back, thinking irrationally that maybe if I hid in the corner they wouldn't notice me.

Just as I scooted back my first inch, one of the creatures perked up, its beastly oversized ears twitching. I froze. It turned then to gaze at me, hideous beady eyes meeting my own. It grunted, and then elbowed its friend. And then they both stared at me.

We held each other's gazes for awhile – my frightened blue ones timidly meeting their unintelligent black as they scanned over me. Then, as though an unheard command had been spoken, they screeched out in triumph and charged.

I shrieked, adding to the chorus of their guttural war cries, and struggled to stand, but I only managed to bring tears to my eyes and overwhelming pain as I put weight on my foot. Helplessly trying to gain my footing, I was forced to watch as their raised swords approached me. I was sure this was it. I would die in an unfamiliar place, facing unfamiliar monsters. And with those dull blades, my death would not be a quick one.

I gave up, closing my eyes and bracing for the darkness to take me.

And instead, I heard their screeches cut off abruptly into strangled gurgles, and then the unmistakable sound of two bodies hitting the ground.

Hesitant, I peeked opened an eye and surveyed the scene. In front of me were the two hostile creatures, face-down in the dirt. I didn't have to look twice to know that they were dead. Off to the side, holding a hand out with her palms facing the monsters, was the newcomer.

I stared at the odd-looking person. She was an elderly woman, the kind of figure that suggested wisdom and kindness. She wore a red and orange cloak over deep blue clothes which, despite the bright colors, still seemed old and worn, and her small, hunched body didn't make her appear any less unusual. With a long braid that swung close to the ground and skin that was so wrinkled it almost looked like wood, I couldn't help but wonder who – or even what – she was.

For the moment, though, I could disregard her as a threat, even if she'd apparently slew these beasts; she barely even looked like she could move. Not that I had much of an advantage there. I wasn't going anywhere with the state of my ankle. Fortunately, she looked a lot nicer than those creatures that she'd just killed. And a lot more human.

The silence between us stretched on and on until finally I decided it was time for me to make the first move toward communication. "He... Hello."

I thought I sensed the woman smiling, but from this distance and with that hood that almost completely coved her eyes, it was impossible to tell. She dropped her outstretched hand back to her side, under the long cloak. "I was wondering when you would arrive, Spirit Maiden. Though I must admit, I wasn't quite expecting this entrance."

Confusion bloomed in me, and then astonishment. "Spirit Maiden!" My father had mentioned that!

And... now that I thought about it... that voice in my head did, too...

"Who are you?" I murmured, unable to say much else while I was so stunned.

Something in the woman's expression changed, the hints of amusement disappearing. "That is not important. What you should be doing is asking that of yourself."

I frowned. "What does that mean?"

She sighed. "Perhaps nothing right now. You have a lot to learn before you're ready to answer that question."

I stared at her in puzzlement for a while, and then shook my head, looking back down at my ankle. "Well... if you won't tell me your name, can I at least know whereI am?"

"Ah, yes," the woman said, sadness lacing her voice. "This is probably very disconcerting for a sky child." She slowly raised an old, withered hand and gestured to our location. "This is the Faron Woods. More specifically, we are in the Sealed Grounds." She paused. "And I suppose you should know that you're on the Surface."

My whole body went numb with shock. "The... the Surface?" I squeaked.

The woman nodded solemnly. "Indeed. You've heard of it, correct?"

"Yeah, but..." I paused, still trying to process what I'd just been told and translate my bewilderment into words. I was on the Surface. The Surface. The very place of my childhood dreams. But... but... this was impossible. Beyond impossible! "I... this is just so... I mean..." I huffed, frustrated at my own incapability to form a sentence. "The... the Surface is just a myth. It isn't real..."

"You sound doubtful, young one," the woman chuckled.

I remained silent. It wasn't like I could tell some mysterious old woman all about my fantasies, savior or not. I still couldn't believe I was talking to her at all. She'd appeared out of nowhere, killed two strong beasts, and I'd only spent a few minutes in her company but already felt... safe around her. Despite everything, somewhere deep within my soul I knew that I could trust her with my life. It was almost like the feeling I had when I was with Link.

"Link!" I gasped aloud, my thoughts reminding me of his uncertain state. I gave the woman a worried look. "Um, have you seen anyone else around here? He's my friend, and he was in the tornado with me–"

"Do not fear. He is safe." My face lit up. "But he is not here."

I immediately deflated, sorrow and terror returning. "Then where is he? If he's not here, how would you know he's okay?" My voice started rising to hysterics. "He could be anywhere. He could be hurt! He could even be dead! And I'm stuck on this Goddess-forsaken land in the middle of Goddess-knows-where that some crazy old woman tells me is the Surface! This. Isn't. Possible!"

The woman waited for me to finish before speaking. The grin on her face did not escape my notice, and I felt furious at her amusement. I was panicking here! "It's alright, Zelda. You really shouldn't worry so much. Calm down."

"Calm down?" I shouted back. "But Link–"

"He's fine." She said it with such conviction that I was taken aback. She looked at me sternly. "He is fine, Spirit Maiden. Completely fine. Destiny has decreed great things for that boy. I don't think the gods would let him die now, even if he wanted to..."

I frowned. This woman said a lot of strange things. Maybe I was talking to an insane person. How did she know all this, anyway? Still, her words had managed to calm me somewhat. I probably should have been grateful for that.

She seemed to snap out of her reverie and then motioned for me to follow her. "Come. We have much to discuss."

I watched as she turned around, and then glanced at my injured ankle. I again tried to move it, but it only brought a hiss of pain to my lips. "Um..."

"What is it?" She looked back at me, and my grimace made her gaze soften. "Oh. You're hurt. You should have told me earlier."

"Well, I didn't know if I could trust you," I replied as she approached. "I'm sorry."

"It's no problem, Your Grace," she said. The title confused me, but I said nothing as she placed her hands gently upon my ankle. It struck me how familiar we were acting toward one another – I mean, technically I still didn't know if I could trust her. Why did I think I could now? I didn't even know her name. I just felt so comfortable in her presence, as though I'd met her before. But that was impossible...

She turned over my ankle in her hands, slowly tilting it back and forth. She closed her eyes. "Uh, excuse me," I asked, failing to see the purpose in this. "What are you–?"

Suddenly I gasped as a brief but sharp pain seared through me, and then relaxed as a strange tingling sensation rose up from my foot. I gave the woman a questioning gaze.

"Try moving it," she suggested.

I gingerly did as I was told, wincing when I did, expecting to drop my foot in agony. But nothing happened. Amazed, I shifted it a bit more, even squeezing it slightly. There was no pain, no difficulty. I was healed.

I gazed up at the woman, surprised. "How did you do that? No, wait. More importantly, what did you do?"

"Just some simple healing magic," she responded, tiredly standing with a soft grunt. I marveled over my ankle, still twisting it back and forth with no negative consequences. The woman extended a hand down, and I gratefully took it. With surprising strength for an old person, she pulled me to my feet. I tested my weight on my foot, still unwilling to believe that it fixed. But it was perfectly fine.

"Come," she murmured, hobbling toward the path without a glance back. I blinked. I was still stumped upon the fact that I was actually on the Surface, and that I'd probably just barely escaped from those monsters with my life, and yet she wanted me to follow her to Goddess-knew-where. Everything was happening so fast...

Gazing around at the area full of trees and foliage, I muttered, "This is the strangest day I've ever had..."

"Zelda!" I flinched at the sound of my name, nearly leaping into the air as I spun to follow the woman.

"Coming!" I called back, scooping up my harp from its dejected position in the ground and rounding the corner. What I saw behind there made me stop short. A huge stone building stood imposingly in front of me. Two colossal doors blocked the entrance. The woman opened one of the doors with ease and motioned for me to enter. After one final examination of the edifice, I strode through the doorway without a moment's hesitation. It was almost like my feet were moving of their own accord. In fact, it was kind of unnerving how much I trusted this woman; I should have been more wary and terrified that I'd been whisked beneath the clouds to a world I'd only dreamed of, but I felt totally secure. In fact, I was almost more content here than in Skyloft.

When we entered the building, I was instantly overcome by a wave of recognition so strong that I almost collapsed. As it was, I drew in a sharp breath and placed a hand on the wall to support me, my eyes raking over the area in shock. I knew this place. I'd never been here before in my life, but I knew this. I could almost hear the voices of a memory stirred by the familiarity of my surroundings, all speaking with grave importance. But the memory was just barely out of reach, the words indistinguishable.

I slumped back against my support wall, still trying to sort out reality from the half-knowledge I had of this building. No... this temple. I wasn't sure how I knew the structure's purpose, but I did. It was my – I mean, a temple.

Where were these memories coming from? I apparently remembered being here, but the visions were so old and fuzzy and faded...

"What did you call this place again?" I asked weakly. There was no answer for a moment, so I looked up at her. I found her regarding me curiously.

"Do you remember this place?" she questioned.

I blinked in surprise. "Y-Yes... kind of. How did you know that? Do you know why I'm getting these visions?"

She sighed. "I do indeed. But it is a long story."

I straightened quickly, turning on her in complete outrage. "What! You knew? Then tell me!"

"It is a bit more complicated than that, Zelda..."

"I don't care! I'm not leaving until you tell me." I stubbornly crossed my arms across my chest.

She examined me carefully, and then she let out a small chuckle. "Yes, just as I remember. Obstinate as always. Well..." She turned, heading to the back corner of the room and pulling out a stool. "I suppose I was going to have to tell you eventually. Come and sit."

Reluctantly, I accepted the chair she offered. In all honesty I didn't want to sit after just getting the use of my legs back, but I chose not to complain. The sooner I listened to her, the sooner I'd have some answers.

She paused, once more scrutinizing me. "Alright... where should I begin?"

"I don't know," I grumbled, slightly exasperated. "At the beginning?"

She smiled. "The beginning was a very long time ago, child. But..." She hesitated. "How much do you know about the Surface and Skyloft? How much do you know about how they were separated?"

"They were separated?"

She let out a soft laugh. "Well, that answers my question. I have a lot more explaining to do than I thought. Hmm... perhaps I should instead ask this: How much do you know about Hylia?"

The name sent an involuntary shudder through my body, and the memories from earlier surged to the surface once more.

"There's another way! How will the people react when the great Hylia vanishes? Please, Your Grace..."

And then I abruptly came back to myself, starting as though I'd just awakened. I blinked in confusion before realizing that I'd heard the voices in my memory. Amazed, I scanned though the memories again, but they were gone as quickly as they'd reappeared. But the real question was why.

Why were the voices in my head talking about Hylia, and why had the name caused such a reaction within me?

I mean, of course I recognized the name. It was an older way of addressing the Goddess, but these days no one said that. Some people even considered it disrespectful.

But this woman wasn't asking if I knew the name – she was asking what I knew about her. What I knew about my Goddess.

I pondered over this question. What did I know about the Goddess called Hylia? In reality, not much. She was a figure of great power, the protector of Skyloft and hero of our people. She had left behind many prophecies for us as well, foretelling that dark events would one day attempt to conquer and destroy Skyloft. But those days weren't supposed to come until far in the future, of course. Or, at least that's what we believed...

I never really realized it before, but I honestly didn't know anything about the Goddess beyond that. There were plenty of stories, but that was all they were: stories. They weren't real.

So I told the woman, "Um... not much."

"I suspected that. Hylia was a minor Goddess – not as powerful as the gods of old, but strong enough to decimate an entire city in the blink of an eye if she wished. Of course, she didn't wish that; she, instead, was the barrier against such forces that would attempt to destroy our world. Those forces were terrible Demons of evil and hatred. They came from the darkest pits of the earth, crawling out as abominations created by the more sinister human emotions. Their king thirsted for power and bloodshed, and thus his minions did as well.

"At first the attacks were small," the woman continued. "Just a few Bokoblin raids here and there, and maybe a few injuries, but the evil was always driven off in the end. Hylia was unlike other gods in the way that she spent her time among the people, in the form of..." She paused and looked at me. "...of a young human girl with long blonde hair. She took note of the attacks, and she sensed the gathering darkness. But, by the time she could convince the people to fight back... it was too late."

She fell silent, seeming deep in thought. I was too. This all sounded familiar to me, but I couldn't quite place where I'd heard it. "What happened?" I inquired.

"The Demons, united under their king, gained enough power to attack. They went to the volcano first. The Mogma race managed to burrow under the ground and, for the most part, protect themselves, but the Gorons didn't have such a luxury. They were almost completely eradicated by the attack. Only a few lucky souls managed to survive. Most of them decided to leave their mountain home and travel the world instead of rebuild."

It was odd how I understood everything that the woman was telling me. I didn't recognize the words "Mogma" or "Gorons", yet I knew that the Mogma were a subterranean race that lived in the Eldin region and the Gorons were a peaceful rock-eating people whose massive, threatening outward appearance belied their inner friendliness.

"That was when things became serious. They struck at Lake Floria, and the Parella just barely avoided extinction. The robotic desert race struggled to keep their power sources running as they fended off the attacks to the best of their ability. Then the Demons grew bold and attacked Sheikah and human towns. The Sheikah were known for their incredible battle skills, but they, too, faced near-annihilation, their most competent warriors easily defeated.

"Hylia used her abilities to fight back against the dark forces, but their leader had grown so much that he was equal in power to her. The attacks grew more frequent and deadlier. Forests were burned to the ground. Water and food sources ruined. The land turned red with blood. All of this... because the Demon King had heard of a great power hidden away on the Surface.

"It was the ultimate power. Rumors said it could grant any heart's desire in an instant. The gods of old had created it as a symbol of their power, and left it in the hands of Hylia. Unfortunately, she could not use its abilities, for the gods had ensured that the power could only be accessed by a mortal. She knew that they were fighting a losing battle upon the Surface; she knew that soon she would not be capable of stopping the evil king from stealing this ultimate force.

"So she hastily formed a plan. First she split up the ultimate force into three separate pieces. Then she gathered up the few surviving humans onto a small outcropping of earth and gave them instructions on how to obtain this power if it was ever necessary. She also handed the humans her harp and her sword, the two greatest symbols representing her power.

"Satisfied but not overly happy with her work, the Goddess sent the outcropping into the sky. This is the land you lived on until yesterday, the only world you had knowledge of: Skyloft. With the humans, the chosen race of the gods, safe from harm, Hylia then turned to the dark invaders and united with the other remaining land dwellers to seal them away. The battle was fought here, right outside this temple. They could not be entirely eliminated – weakened from using so much power, Hylia lacked such strength. Instead they were beaten back down into the earth from which they came, crippled and debilitated. The efforts of these warriors and this extraordinary battle became legend among the Surface dwellers."

The woman paused, and I blinked, just now realizing where we were. I'd been so absorbed in the story, and I'd pictured everything so vividly – I'd forgotten that I hadn't actually experienced any of this. Oddly enough, now that she was mentioning a war, I actually did recall a children's tale of the Goddess similar to this. It was a bit shocking to think that all the stories I'd heard as a kid might actually have some truth to them.

"However," the woman said softly. "There is one part of this legend that most Surface dwellers do not remember."

I frowned curiously. "What's that?"

"Hylia needed all of her strength to defeat the dark forces – even that which she did not have. She used up the last of her power in the battle, and to a Goddess... that power is the force that keeps oneself alive."

She let this sink in, and I sat there, stunned. "So... Hylia... I mean, the Goddess... died?"

The woman sighed. "Yes and no. Gods are immortal, and thus Hylia was incapable of death. However, she couldn't use up all of her life force and not suffer consequences. In that moment where she used up her power, she also used up her immortality. She became a mortal." She paused. "And, as a mortal, she was suddenly very, very fragile compared to her godly form. She was stronger than most mortals and still possessed divine powers, but she was still a mortal. She would die eventually."

"Then why did she do it?" I whispered. "Wasn't there another way?"

"That's what I thought," she murmured. "But Hylia knew this would happen. She became a mortal for more reasons than one. She would not be around for when the Demons returned in an attempt to subjugate the world. She would fail her duties as a protector. Thus... she used up her small remaining power to ensure that she would not disappear forever when that time came. Instead of submitting to the abyss of the afterlife, her soul would become reborn into the body of the Spirit Maiden. That way, she could still return to protect the people. She made the ultimate sacrifice... all for the people."

I was silent, processing this information but then something struck me. "But... wait. You said... you said I was the Spirit Maiden."

She nodded solemnly. "That I did."

I readjusted my position on the stool nervously. "And you said... She transferred her spirit to this girl."

"Correct again. It's good to hear that you were paying attention."

"So you're saying that I... I'm... "

"Yes. You're the incarnation of the Goddess Hylia."

I stared at her, incredulous and slightly faint. And then I burst into laughter that was so pathetic I was certain the woman saw right through me. "You're... you're kidding, right? I'm not a Goddess. Not even the reincarnation of one."

"Then why did you recognize this temple?" the woman questioned. "Why are you having strange glimpses of memories you cannot place? How did you know immediately that you could trust me, that I was not one of those horrible monsters?"

My false laughter died off. "Um... I–"

"It does not matter. Believe what you will for now, Zelda. You will realize your true identity in the end."

I stood, placing my hands on my hips, unnecessarily furious all of a sudden. "Oh, yeah? Well, maybe I won't. Maybe you're wrong. What makes you think I'm this 'Spirit Maiden', anyway?" I considered her last words, and then my eyes widened. "Wait a second, how do you know my name? I never told it to you! And this isn't the first time you've said it, either! Does this have something to do with this whole 'Spirit Maiden' thing? Or can you read minds?"

The woman seemed surprised at this accusation. "Oh... I hadn't even realized you had yet to tell me your name. Goodness, you're perceptive... though of course, I could expect no less from you, Your Grace."

"I'm not a Goddess, so don't call me that!" I shouted.

"As you wish, Zelda. In answer to your previous question... no, knowing your name had nothing to do with being the Spirit Maiden. It's something much, much more complicated than that. You'll find out in due time."

I considered arguing just for the heck of it, but decided against it. I had enough to deal with. "Alright. Then what am I – as this 'Spirit Maiden' - supposed to do? Fight off evil with my celestial powers of justice? Because I have news for you: I have no special powers. Nothing I've done in my life has ever indicated that I might be the Goddess."

"Don't worry – it is completely normal that you or others haven't sensed anything special about yourself."

"Oh, because I'm sure you've had plenty of half-goddesses to deal with, right?" I muttered sarcastically.

Much to my chagrin, she simply laughed. "No, you'd be surprised. I'll have you know you're the very first half-goddesses I've ever met." I scowled but she pointedly ignored it. "Anyway, it is normal because, as of right now, you are not Hylia."

This caused me to stumble a bit. "Wh-What? But that's what you told me earlier!"

"Yes... I did say that. And you are Hylia in spirit, but mentally you are not. Right now you are more Zelda than anyone else. Despite all your similarities to the Goddess, Zelda is ever so slightly different."

"So I don't have any special powers," I said flatly.

She shook her head. "Not yet. If you studied magic, you might find that you had a strong affinity for it, but otherwise no. First you must regain Hylia's memories."

"And what..." I hesitated, not entirely sure I wanted to finish this question. Doing so would admit that I believed her, and that I was willing to take on this responsibility as a goddess. Was I ready? As I looked into her expectant gaze I decided that here on the Surface, far from home, I had nothing to lose. "What would I have to do to get my memories back?"

The woman smiled approvingly. "I thought you'd never ask. You'd have to travel the Surface and pray at each of the Goddess Statues across the land."

"Goddess Statues? You mean like the one in Skyloft?"

"Yes. These were built to honor the Goddess in the most sacred places in the whole world. Here you could reconnect with your celestial heritage and slowly gain your memories." Her expression became serious. "I must warn you that it will not be easy. Dark forces are scouring the land for you. If I had not fended off those Bokoblins earlier, you would have been captured today." I guessed that she was talking about the red guys from earlier. Bokoblins. So that's what they were called. "You were not meant to arrive on the Surface from the tornado – it was created by evil to lure you here prematurely," she continued. "So instead of letting this unexpected turn of events throw us off-guard, we must embrace it and use it to our advantage. They may have begun the ordeal, but we shall end it."

"Wait… me?" I asked worriedly. "The king of evil is after me? Why?"

"I thought you would understand by now. Hylia's power was used to seal away the Demon King. Over time, the seal has weakened, allowing small monsters to penetrate through, but it cannot be fully eradicated unless the power that binds it is either withdrawn or destroyed. Therefore, if they were to get you..."

"They could free the Demon King," I breathed. I nodded solemnly. "I understand. No getting captured. Got it."

She smiled. "Good. Now, I have something for you." She walked over to the corner, where a small pile of cloth was sitting. She handed it to me, and I squinted at it, suddenly realizing that it was actually a spotless white dress.

"Why do I have to change?" I complained, reluctant to leave behind my current garb. I was still in my clothes from the ceremony, and it, besides the Goddess's Harp, was the only thing I sill possessed from Skyloft.

"That dress is a bit too formal for traveling. You wouldn't want it to be ruined after all that time you spent on it, would you?" I frowned, wondering how exactly she knew that I'd made it. "Besides, it's rather dirty; I would suggest something more fit for a Goddess."

Apparently she failed to see the irony in that statement, because when I started giggling she just stared at me. It was odd because my current dress was, in fact, supposed to represent the Goddess. I was supposed to represent the Goddess. Who would have guessed that I actually was the Goddess?

...Not that I believed that just yet. Even with all the evidence, it was beyond my comprehension that I might actually be Hylia…

Finally seeing the wisdom in her words, I unfolded the dress, and then jumped back when something heavy and metallic clanged out of it, clattering loudly on the floor. I reached down at picked up the small items. There were four of them, all elaborate, intricately designed patterns forming a hollow cylinder. They were all a gorgeous shade of shimmering lavender that seemed to shift and change depending on the way the light hit it. "Um, what are these?" I inquired.

"They're... accessories."

I frowned, turning them over in my hand. "Why do I need them?"

"They... they belonged to the Goddess, Hylia. I suspect they might have some kind of magic in them, though she never told me. My instructions were simply to pass them on to the Spirit Maiden."

"Oh." I stared at the objects with a newfound respect.

"Alright, then. You should go change. You can go around the corner if you're shy."

Somewhat grudgingly, I scooped up the metallic 'accessories' and dress and trudged out of sight. I pulled off my current dress, and only after I managed to examine it in front of me did I realize just how filthy it – and my body – was. Carelessly discarding the torn clothes, I kind of felt guilty as I slipped the pure, immaculate white dress over my grimy body. Since my boots were rather unkempt as well, I took them off and decided that for once going barefoot might be more sanitary.

I then lifted one of the elaborate objects and, upon carefully examining the item, I guessed that I should fasten one around each wrist like bracelets. That still left two longer charms, and, after debating over what exactly I should do with them for a decent amount of time, I decided to just ask the woman.

So, picking up and carrying my muddied boots and clothes, I went back around the corner. "Hey, what should I do with–?"

I stopped short at the expression on her half-concealed face. For the first time, the woman seemed stunned, staring at me with utter shock. I self-consciously reached down to smooth out my dress, but one glance at my grubby hands made me think twice about it.

"What... What's the matter?" I questioned nervously. "Is something wrong with me?

"N-No... you just..." She shook her head, as though warding off unwanted thoughts. "You just look... a lot like someone I know. I'm sorry." She smiled, but it seemed halfhearted. "You look absolutely radiant, Zelda."

"Okay..." Though I hadn't quite forgotten the look of shock on her face, I plopped the dirty clothing and shoes on the ground and held up the two metal accessories. "So what are these supposed to be used for?"

"Those are for your hair."

"My hair?"

"Yes. They go in your braids."

"Really?" I held them up to my hair, noticing that they seemed to be exactly the right width to fit them. "Wow. It's almost like the Goddess wore her hair the same way!" I joked.

"She did."

I blinked at her in surprise. "What?"

"The Goddess did wear her hair exactly like that. You look identical to her, Zelda. And, as I mentioned earlier, your personalities are very much alike. She was just a tad bit more serious than you, and more willing to believe in the impossible," she said wryly.

I paused, considering this for a while, but then something dawned on me. "The way you talk... you act like you actually knew the Goddess."

She shifted uncomfortably. "Ah... yes. That's because I did."

"How?" I asked, surprised. "That was centuries ago!"

"And I'm centuries old, my child," she chuckled. "I am from an ancient race known as the Sheikah. We live a lot longer her than humans."

Sheikah. Another word that I somehow knew despite having never heard it. And somehow I also knew that her people had almost completely died out in the war. Filled with remorse, I didn't make a comment in case it brought up unpleasant memories.

There was silence for a moment, but then the woman straightened up and cleared her throat. "Anyway, before getting off on your journey there are a few things I should tell you. First, there is one Demon in particular that you should look out for. His name is Ghirahim. He is the current leader of the Demons, working in the place of his trapped king. I am quite sure he has more power than you're capable of handling right now; you cannot hope to defeat him in your current state. So if you find him – or he finds you – your only choice is to flee. Please, Zelda... don't try to be brave and face him. Even if you are captured, there is always a chance that you will escape. Promise me this."

Well, that was easy enough. Why the heck would I ever attack a super powerful Demon Lord? What exactly would I fight him with, anyway? "Alright, I promise. What else?"

"You should seek the aid of the servant of the goddess, appointed by Hylia specifically to protect you."

I nodded thoughtfully. "Where can I find him?"

"Her," she corrected kindly. "And... you probably won't meet her unless her help is desperately required. Likely it will be a while before you are acquainted with her." Her voice lowered so much that I supposed I wasn't meant to hear it, but I did anyway. "Of course, other things have changed, so who knows what will happen?"

I slumped back in the stool, wondering how she expected me to remember all this new, overwhelming information. Everything had kind of been dumped on me in one day, and I was both thoroughly confused and completely enlightened at the same time.

"...I am sorry, Zelda. I only just realized how traumatizing this must be for you." It seemed as though she'd read my thoughts. The woman regarded me with an expression of pity. "I'd been so focused on my task – educating the Spirit Maiden – that I hadn't bothered to consider how confusing this is. I never once paused to ensure that you weren't lost..."

Great. Now I was the one feeling guilty, just because I'd made her feel guilty. "No, it's fine. Really. I think... maybe these memories that I have from Hylia are helping me out a bit. I understand everything." Well, most of it, at least.

Genuine relief flooded into her, and she seemed to relax. "Good." She glanced around, as though surprised by the dimly lit room. The sun was apparently setting outside. "Oh, I hadn't even realized how much time we'd spent here! It's getting rather late, and you'd better rest before your journey."

I frowned. "But I'm not tired. I spent a portion of the day unconscious, remember?"

"Being unconscious is not the same as sleeping," she explained. "Besides... the forest is already dangerous enough during the day. At night is when the really powerful Demons can come out, and... you wouldn't want to be out there. Not when they're looking for you. You have no way to defend yourself."

"I'm not completely helpless!" I insisted, although it was a complete and utter lie. Yes, I'd learned a few things about survival in the Knight Academy, but everyone just thought it was a useless skill and I hadn't paid close attention. I distinctly recalled Instructor Owlan teaching us how to sharpen a stick into a weapon, but the memory was too long ago for me to accurately replicate his demonstration and I probably wouldn't be able to use it, anyway. I always did poorly in the physical challenges. Link was good at that – not me.

The woman was still looking at me expectantly, so I huffed, "Okay, fine. I'll stay here for tonight."

She brightened immediately. "I'll go get some bedding for you."

As she wandered away, I sighed and once more examined the darkened temple. I felt relatively protected in here, but some part of me couldn't help but think about this perilous new world, where everything seemed like it was out to get me.

I knew that no matter how familiar this temple was, I wouldn't be sleeping well tonight.

A/N: I hope that wasn't just a huge information overload. O_o Next chapter will be better!

Please forgive me if there are some inconsistencies with either the game, or even the fic itself. I mean, I told you that I wouldn't be copying the game exactly - I'm playing around with the Skyward Sword plot anyway. But I DO want to make it as canon as possible. I wrote down this lovely little tale without looking at the game, and then, upon doing a bit of research (AKA watching Let's Plays) I discovered some problems with my own theory. There's also that odd part of the game that even contradicts itself. In the credits you see Zelda awaken and look over to find the woman in the Sealed Grounds, but in two different cutscenes (the one where Debbie/Ghirahim first meets Link, and the other when Zelda reveals her true identity) it is stated that Zelda was almost captured by evil forces when she first arrived on the Surface. When I first wrote the scene, it was purely based on what we see in the credits, but when I heard that I tried to add in some last-minute Bokoblins. Tell me how it was.

As always, thanks to Leina16, Pianist707, Rose Starglen, sailorswetart, jquackers, MagmarFire, and Skyward Wolf (Thanks, GameFreak :D).