Link landed in the Isle of Songs, and travelled to the crest. He performed a Skyward Strike, and summoned the Goddess Statue.
*Master, a new message. He who seeks the sacred flames, listen well, for I am the one guiding you from my place at the edge of time. The last of the sacred flames still eludes you. To obtain it, you must claim another sacred gift. For each trial you overcome, you shall be blessed with another gift. Make use of the power of these gifts, and you will most certainly find the path to the sacred flames. Now, I bestow unto you another melody. Let it serve as a key to unlocking your final trial. It awaits you upon Eldin Volcano,* Fi said. Link felt his hands move on their own once more, as he played a new tune. This one had a strong sense of drama and a grand scale to it.
*That song is called Din's Power. The might of it will allow you to find the final trial,* Fi said. Link nodded, and he went to fly back to Eldin Volcano.
Link dived to the Eldin Volcano, and checked his wings. He gritted his teeth, and decided to fly through the area. He found the gate to the Silent Realm, and played Din's Power. He touched his sword to the flower pattern, and arrived in Darunia, Din's Silent Realm. He whistled, and checked the size of his wings. They were surprisingly large, but he would still be unable to fly. He ran through the area, feeling his muscles power through the mountainous area. There was quite a bit of Waking Water and lava, but Link persevered. He triggered the Guardians only once, on a large slide. A gliding Guardian narrowly missed him, thanks to the slide. He filled the Spirit Vessel with Tears of Din, and found Malon. She seemed a little sickly, and Link gently nursed the side of Malon's beak. She smiled, and spat out the third treasure. Link spun around, and presented the Fireshield Brooch. He left Darunia on this note.
Link returned to the normal world, and put the brooch on his chest. It sunk in, and his body became a lot cooler. Link could enter the heated area of the volcano summit, and began his search for flames. He travelled through the area, and spotted a familiar face.
"Gorko!" Link said.
"Ah, hey, Link!" Gorko said. He bounded up, and gave Link a hearty pat on the back.
"How's it going, you winged little hero!" Gorko said.
"How did you?" Link asked, his wings expanding.
"I saw you in the Temple of Time. Great work helping me open that. But more importantly, how did you get wings?" Gorko asked.
"…It's a curse. Thanks to a Demon Lord, I am now an Angel, or a demon," Link said.
"That's a curse? Do you know what I wouldn't give to be able to fly?" Gorko asked. Link opened his mouth in shock.
"Anyway, enough about that now. I was exploring this area, but there are flames here that even I, one of the fire-resistant Gorons, cannot pass. Do you have ideas to extinguish them?" Gorko asked. Link looked around, and used his thinking eye.
"That frog up there… it looks thirsty," Link said. He pointed to the frog statue in question, and looked up at it.
"Really? Well, whenever there's something big like this, there's always odd puzzles like this one… so let's give him some water. But how do we do that? Bottles don't appear to be sufficient…" Gorko said. Link gave it some thought.
"I have an idea…" Link said. "Remain here… I'll need to use you as a guidepost when I come back with some water."
Link knelt down, and jumped up in flight. Link soared through the sky, and travelled over in the direction of Lake Floria. He went back to the basin he collected for Faron.
*SCRLD301,* Fi said. Scrapper soared into the area, and looked down.
*Transporting this basin of water again? Sir Shortpants, you're pushing your luck… ah, I was just joking about, Lady Fi. Your wish is my command!* Scrapper said. He picked up the basin again, and filled it with water. Fi created a circle, and something appeared over the basin.
*This basin will not spill, or become evaporated by the volcanic region,* Fi said.
*I don't need no stinking shield! I mean… thank you, Lady Fi. Sir Shortpants, I blame you for this!* Scrapper said. Link rolled his eyes, and escorted Scrapper back to the volcano. Link shot away all Bokoblin Archers that tried to attack Scrapper, and got him to Gorko and the frog statue. Scrapper dropped the water into the frog statue's mouth.
*Wow, that was heavy. I'm not lugging something like that for that long again! …Unless you ask it of me, Lady Fi,* Scrapper said.
"Great work, Link! There's nothing you can't do! You'd better go into this place. There might be some tough foes in there. Nothing you can't handle, I'm sure!" Gorko said. Link bowed.
"Thank you, Gorko. And thanks for, you know, not treating me like a monster," Link said.
"You're a monster? …Oh, right, the demon thing. Yeah, that doesn't really count," Gorko said. Link smiled, and entered the Fire Sanctuary.
Link found the map almost immediately, and found that this was rather necessary. The dungeon was filled to the brim with lava. He could float about, but he found gliding over the lava heat was better than beating his wings. He walked through this lava room, and found the interior rooms were much cooler. He flew around these rooms, and began looking around. He found a room with a steel grate over a lava pit. Two massive hands called Magmanos appeared from under the ground. Link jumped, and knocked a plant into the Magmanos. The hands froze into stone. Link could now destroy the Magmanos. The pair popped, and turned into less deadly hands. Link picked them up, and put them over his Digging Mitts: they were Mogma Mitts, rare mitts that allowed Link to dig underground. Land, sea and sky… Link was a master of all three.
Link flew about, and found a few patches of soil to dig around in. Using his digging, he could dig up a carving for the boss door. He flew over to the boss door, and inserted the carving into the (funnily enough) key shaped hole. He entered the room ponderously, and heard a familiar laugh.
*Oh, hello there, Link. I see you're still alive and well. Fancy meeting you here!* Ghirahim said.
"Ghirahim… I'd say it's a pleasure, but it's really not," Link said.
*Ah, but there is a reason we bump into each other time and time again. It's no coincidence… we're bound by a thread of fate,* Ghirahim remarked.
"We are not linked to each other one bit, Ghirahim!" Link said. Ghirahim ignored this.
*Look at these old drawings! Until I found these, I was very upset about the goddess's guard dog did at the Gate of Time. Remember that twig? Impa? Well, these drawings up here suggest that there exists a second Gate of Time. My heart just filled with rainbows at the thought! I've been a busy boy, searching here and there and everywhere for that Gate of Time...* Ghirahim said. Link kept his reaction silent. He was about to open that Gate… what was he thinking? Ghirahim's goals could be extended by his actions…
*And yet, after all of that, I couldn't find a single clue. I got a little sulky there. It was frowns all around… The thought of never getting my hands on that darling young girl again was… well, more than I could bear,* Ghirahim continued, teleporting around the room.
"All right, you're asking for it now!" Link said, spreading his wings and jumping up at Ghirahim. Ghirahim dodged the blow, and landed on the ground lithely.
*That girl will be instrumental to bringing about the revival of my master!* Ghirahim said. *Although I feared she was quite beyond my reach, I despair no longer!*
"You'll never lay a finger on Zelda as long as I draw breath, Demon Lord!" Link said.
*Yes, yes… but remember, you little bird… or wait, what was it? Angel? You're a demon, Link. And I can punish you as a demon…* Ghirahim said. He shot a blast of dark energy, a blast that passed Link harmlessly.
*What?* Ghirahim asked.
"I'm… I'm still human?" Link asked, equally shocked.
*No matter. I'm sure that your demonic tendencies are just… settling in. We'll have so much fun together when you're a true Angel… or should I say… if? Because, as a matter of fact, I'll be killing you here and now,* Ghirahim said. His cape disappeared, and he exploded his gloves, revealing black skin underneath. Link tilted his head in confusion.
*Lovely, aren't they? You'll find the supple skin of my arms tougher than any armour. Doesn't their shape just leave you… breathless? My… this body is simply… stunning… although there's that one teensy, tiny thing I lack… mercy,* Ghirahim said, leering forward.
"It is on like Kiki Kong!" Link said, levelling his sword.
Fire Sanctuary Boss… …Demon Lord GHIRAHIM identified!
The Demon Lord leading the monsters. Again. The daggers that surround Ghirahim act as a defensive barrier. Removing the daggers should be an effective form of defence. Ghirahim uses his right hand to clasp your sword. His power is mighty, so removing your sword from his grasp will not be simple. Swinging in a direction not blocked by daggers or hand is optimal. Keep one eye on when his hand is moving too slowly to catch your sword.
Ghirahim approached Link, with two daggers around him. Link sliced as his knowledge suggested, and succeeded. Ghirahim fell back, and came forward with four daggers. Link repeated his luck, and Ghirahim snapped. He summoned two swords of his own, and stood on guard. Link struck, and Ghirahim summoned a wheel of daggers. Link's blow knocked all of them away, and he charged again. Ghirahim jumped, and missed Link narrowly with a dive. More daggers appeared, and Link knocked them all aside. Link pierced Ghirahim, and defeated him.
*Enough foolishness… I am Ghirahim, Demon Lord! It shouldn't matter how powerful that sword is, you are nothing more than a disobedient demon… no, a useless bird! And yet you prevail! You scamp… you have awakened a wrath that will burn for eons! I will drag you into an eternity of torment, whatever it takes!* Ghirahim said. He teleported away, and Link sighed in relief.
Link walked into the next room, and delivered a Skyward Strike to the altar ahead of him, underneath the symbol of Eldin. It lit up, and a crimson flame flared into existence. Fi dived into this flame, and Link held up his sword. The flames shot into the blade, giving Link a bit of recoil. Link spun around, and presented his new blade.
The Master Sword: a sacred blade that demons revile. It can only be held by its rightful master, and deals more damage. In addition, Skyward Strikes charge faster!
Link sheathed his sword, and once more checked his right hand. A third triangle appeared on the back of his palm, creating a great symbol.
*Master, your sword is now the Master Sword. With this sword's power, you can awaken the Gate of Time in the Sealed Temple. Head there now…* Fi suggested. Link suddenly curled over in pain: a tune sounded. He knew what this was.
"He's coming…" Link said. He jumped up, and flew through the sky in a hurry.
"Link! Thank the goddess you're here!" the old woman said. The rumbles at the base of the pit were still sounding: the beast hadn't yet awakened.
"Oh, yeah… this is what I've been waiting for. Time to break out my new toy! That flabby bag of teeth doesn't stand a chance…" Groose called. He tapped the catapult beside him, along a giant railing.
"This is my awesome superweapon for fighting that thing! I call it… the Groosenator!" Groose said. "You wouldn't believe the time I've put in to building this beauty. In fact, Grannie practically insisted I summon you here… I'm sure this thing could seal the bag of teeth itself!"
"Groose, I told you… only Link can create the final seal!" the old woman said.
"Anyway, I laid these rails myself… I don't know how I did it, but I did! Direct my shots, and that monster will feel the hurt! In fact, unless you say stop, I'll probably fire a few myself… I'm a crack shot!" Groose said.
"…In fact, he hit that Sealing Spike a few times…" the old lady said.
"It's not quite ready, though… the beast awoke quite suddenly, and jostled it a little. Give me a few moments… you hold off the beast!" Groose said.
"Thanks for the heads-up!" Link said. He did a loop, and dived into the pit, and landed beside the beast. The Imprisoned leered out from the ground, and raised his hands… wait, hands? This fight was going to be much more fun.
The Imprisoned!
Full data is still unable to be deciphered. But there are limbs here that weren't previously present. Evil power has also increased. The same basic strategy that was used last time should once more function. Fingers and toes are still destructible, although patience is advised. Groose's apparatus will be effective, and a direct hit will stop the monster in its tracks. If the monster is in a blind spot, directing Groose is recommended.
"Oh, yeah… let's play catch!" Groose said. Link walked about, and slashed at the Imprisoned's toes. The Imprisoned turned, and tried to climb a wall.
"Oh no you don't!" Groose called out. He fired his Groosenator, and sent the Imprisoned to the ground. Link sliced the Imprisoned's spike, thrusting it in. The Imprisoned got back up, and Link flew up to the Imprisoned's spike. Groose fired another blast, and Link could strike. The Imprisoned began to slither about, and Groose fired again. Link stabbed the Sealing Spike once more, causing the Imprisoned to explode once more. The mess of scales condensed in the Sealing Spike, and Link dived down to reseal the Imprisoned, with a few more triangles on the pattern.
"Nice work, Link! Course, you couldn't have done it without me, but no need to thank me. Now, we need to activate the Gate of Time thing," Groose said. Link nodded, and flew on up.
Link entered the Sealed Temple, and saw the old woman sitting in front of the Gate of Time. On Link's arrival, she looked up.
"Thank you for your efforts, Link, Groose. I do not wish to dwell on what would have happened if you were not here to fend of that beast. But Link, your sword! There is no doubt. The sacred flames have purified your blade. Well done, Link. That sword holds tremendous power. That power is a sacred force. It is a divine power left to us by the gods of old. The same power spoken of in the Ballad of the Goddess. To look upon you is to see that same great power, now flowing through you and the sword you carry. Come, Link… open the Gate of Time. Now that the force dwells within your blade, striking the Gate of Time with a Skyward Strike will surely awaken it. Climb on the pedestal, and show the gate your sword's power!" the old woman said. Link climbed onto the pedestal, and performed his Skyward Strike.
"Link, you may wonder what that beast is. Once you enter that Gate, you will learn more," the old woman said. Link nodded, and watched the Gate. Little lights lit up, and the guardian pillar shattered. Small blocks swirled about, and reformed into a giant cog: the Gate of Time.
"The gate is reactivated at long last… within it, you may travel into the past. Where Zelda waits. If everything as I suspect, your reunion with Zelda lies in here," the old woman said.
"And don't you worry about me. I'll be here keeping that Imprisoned beast in check, Grannie safe and… naw, forget about that last one. When you see Zelda, tell her I said 'What's up?'," Groose said. He left for the Sealed Grounds, while Link stepped up to the Gate of Time. Link jumped through the rotating cogs, and through time.
Link arrived in a new Temple. And who should meet him but Impa.
"At last. I've been expecting you, Link. You are probably overwhelmed, so I'll do my best at explanations. This is the Temple of Hylia, but in the future, it shall be called the Sealed Temple… This is the past, where Hylia has only just sealed away Demise, and Skyloft is only a new place in the sky," Impa said.
"Do you have one of those Information things Fi mentioned? They bring me up to speed pretty well," Link said.
"I'm sure I can procure some Information. But for now, head through those great doors…" Impa said, gesturing behind her. "It is there that the person you've risked life and blood to defend waits."
Link nodded gratefully, and ran to the doors. Standing behind them, as he entered the room, was Zelda. She turned on the spot, and beamed.
"You've come so far, Link. I'm glad you made it," Zelda said. She held out her hand, and a beam of light shot Link in the head. Link felt thoughts flow through him, like they did before. He felt himself filled with the knowledge of what was going on.
"Well… welcome to the distant past, I suppose," Zelda said.
"… …Groose said 'What's up?'" Link said.
"Ah, Link… we are in the era where the wounds of the battle between Hylia and Demise are not yet healed. The fairy tales of this war we heard in Skyloft… they're all real. You are refreshed on the whole story?" Zelda asked.
"Pretty well… let's see… the old gods created the supreme power that gave its possessor the ability to… grow fields? No… shape reality… and fulfil any desire! The Triforce, I believe it's called. In a thirst to make the world his own, Demise created a massive Bokoblin… no, army of monsters for war. He wanted the Triforce… The goddess was scared of Demise… no, scared for her people. She used the power of the Triforce… ah, stupid pictures! Use her power to send her people and the Triforce into the sky on a slice of earth to become Skyloft. After the long, fierce battle, Hylia succeeded in sealing away Demise. After his imprisonment, Demise soon easily broke out… wait, his seal wouldn't hold long against his power. Don't rush me, Zelda, I'll get there! Hylia's grave injuries caused her to realise that if Demise broke free, stopping him would be an impossibility. If the demon king were freed, the end of the world would be spelled for five… no, all beings of this land. To end the demon, Hylia devised two plans and set both into motion.
"First, she created Fi. The spirit in my sword whose one purpose is to assist the chosen hero on his mission. Wow, I look so happy in this picture. Her second plan was to abandon her divine form and transfer her soul into the body of a mortal. She made her sacrifice so that one day she could use the supreme power created by the old gods. For while the Triforce was created by gods, gods could never wield it. Hylia gave up her divine powers and immortal form. And, to make sure Demise would never pick Hylia from a crowd, gave her chosen form… a seemingly crippling weakness…" Link exposited, before trailing off. He had realised who Hylia's mortal form was.
"So that's why you're blind?" Link asked. Zelda nodded.
"Impa has tried to help me regain the sight of an immortal, but I'm not doing so well… I can still only really see you, and then only as an indistinct green blob. But yes, I am Hylia. And you are my chosen hero, the Emerald Glider," Zelda said.
"Um… I'm actually crimson," Link said.
"…Emerald Glider sounds a little better. Anyway, on that day of the ceremony, Ghirahim's tornado tossed me into the world below, and gave you the powers that would be your blessing and your curse. Although, by definition, you are one of Ghirahim's minions, my choosing circumvents the lowly Ghirahim's efforts. You may be an Angel, but you are my Chosen Hero. I was nearly captured that day, and if that happened, things might have run differently… but I was rescued by the old woman in the Sealed Grounds. I didn't know I was ever Hylia, but she explained it to me. She taught me who I was, and what I had to do. I had to pray at the goddess statues located in the land's temples. Each temple gave me memory, little by little, before Impa eventually led me here, to the past. All of this is to prevent the revival of Demise," Zelda said. She was now close to Link, and he felt his wings spread. He looked at them rather happily.
"Stripped of his true physical form by that seal, his shape is that of an abomination. But even as hideous as he is, he's more than capable of devouring this land if we allow him to do what he desires. We must stop him from freeing himself at any cost…" Zelda said. "I intend to remain here in this time and place to sustain that seal as best as I can. As long as my vigil remains, we may be able to prevent the demon king from fully reviving himself." Link's Information clicked, and he realised what was about to happen.
"I must maintain the seal that I created so long ago and keep it strong for as long as I am able. With the memories I have returning to me, I can see that this is my purpose. Link, the goddess created Fi and that blade for very specific reasons. For the task of standing against Demise and that monstrous form rests solely on your shoulders. Back in our own time, you've driven him back into his prison twice now. I can't thank you enough for that, Link," Zelda said. Link nodded. The Information told him that Demise's monstrous form was the Imprisoned.
"During your long journey, you've grown so much. You've learned wisdom from puzzles and traps, as well as knowing when and how to fly. You've gained power by honing and tempering yourself and your sword. And by overcoming the trials the goddess has set before you, you have found true courage. Now that those qualities reside in you, you are worth of wielding the power the old gods left behind for our kind. You can claim the Triforce," Zelda said. She extended her hand, and Link took it, kneeling down.
Valiant hero, you have endured many hardships and journeyed far in your quest to reach this place. Along your travels you have found wisdom, power and courage, and for this I shall bless your sword with the goddess's power. May it give you and your sword the strength to drive back the abomination that threatens this land! Zelda said, in a voice that was not hers. The three triangles on Link's hand shone brightly.
"That mark is proof that you are the hero of legend and that within you dwells sacred power. It is the mark of the Triforce," Zelda said. She leaned over, and drew Link's sword. She gently tapped the blade to Link's shoulders, and presented the hilt to Link.
"Link… this is a serious situation, but there's no stopping you. Go ahead," Zelda said. Link smiled, spun around on the spot, and presented the True Master Sword, the ultimate form of the Master Sword, blessed by the goddess Hylia herself. Link felt a strange tingling sensation in his hand, but only for a moment.
"Link, before I say another word, I feel like I owe you an apology. The mark of the Triforce on your hand is a symbol of the greatest power in this world. If you can obtain the Triforce, we will have the power to vanquish Demise once and for all. The problem is, among the countless souls in this world, only those with an unbreakable spirit can wield its might. It's impossible to know the true reason why the old gods created the Triforce. But I have my own theory. They created it, but they specifically designed it so that their own kind could never use its power. I think that may have been their way of giving hope to the mortal beings of the land.
"Which brings us back to you. To face Demise and give the land hope, Hylia needed someone with an unbreakable spirit. You are that someone, Link. The fact that no one was able to send you into a wreck by calling you a useless demon is proof enough. But spirit alone wasn't enough. You needed to overcome many trials to awaken the hero within yourself so that you could wield the supreme power. Hylia… I mean, I… I knew that, if it meant saving Zelda, you would throw yourself headfirst into any danger without a moment's doubt. I… I used you. I can't begin to tell you how sorry I am for pulling you into this, Link. But this is war, and the fate of the land hangs in the balance. I needed your strength to tip the scales in our favour… It is well intentioned and true. But not right. It does not excuse my actions. I am prepared to pay the price for what I've done. I will ensure that the seal holds by remaining here in this time, in a deep sleep for thousands of years," Zelda said.
"You don't have to do that," Link blurted out. But he knew the truth.
"Yes, I do. I can't say it enough, but I'm sorry for the way I involved you in this. But I had no idea of our heavy destiny, until the memory of the things before our lifetime returned to me. Before all this, I was happy just spending my days hanging around with you in Skyloft. I wanted that feeling to last forever. While it's true that I am Hylia reborn, I am my father's daughter… and your friend… I'm still your Zelda. When Demise is gone at last, there will be no more need for the seal that binds him, and then I'll be able to wake up. So I'm going to ask a favour… Will you wake me up when this is all over?" Zelda asked. Link took in a deep breath.
"There is nothing else I could possibly do before that. Because, once this is over, there is nothing else I would want to do without you, Zelda," Link said, shedding a few tears.
"Thank you, Link…" Zelda said. She leaned forth, and kissed Link. She drew back, and felt herself drawn to the pedestal in the room. An orange diamond appeared around her, sealing her as she was: head downed in prayer, arms folded… and a sweet smile on her face. Link wiped the tears from his face, and walked from the room, head held high. Impa was waiting outside the room, and sealed the door behind him.
"I see you've said your goodbyes… And now you must keep your promise. You must find the Triforce. I am sure that, to claim it, those wings of yours will come into use… I do not think for a moment that Hylia would sit back and allow you to claim them if they weren't necessary. You must return to your time. There is work to be done. I will watch over her here. You must go and fulfil your destiny. When next we meet, please do not ask me if I need the bathroom," Impa said.
"That's in my past. I'm sorry in… advance?" Link asked.
"…Forget I said that. Just go back," Impa said. Link stepped towards the Gate, and jumped through time once more.