Here it is! The fourth chapter of Disembodied Sword! In case your new, let me inform you of the pattern; every odd numbered chapter will be narrated by Blaze, and every even numbered chapter will have Silver as the narrator. So… let's get things started, shall we?

Chapter 4

The Sealed Grounds

It was the morning after the night Blaze, Link and I followed Fi to that secret chamber, and we started this epic adventure. All of us were currently in Link's dorm, as he finished donning the outfit he earned for winning the Wing Ceremony. It was basically this tunic with a chain mail underside, tights, brown, leather boots, and this long, pointed hat. I had to admit, green suited him perfectly.

To be honest, I could somehow picture several heroes of this world wearing a variant of that outfit for generations to come.

"Green was a bit of a last minute decision on my part," Gaepora admitted. "But I like how it turned out."

Link obviously agreed with that statement. With that, I returned to the Psycho Sword (A/N: That's what I'll call Blaze's sword during the story, okay?) and watched Blaze and Link leave the room. Outside, one of Link's fellow students gave him a pouch he could use to carry items in. Both he and Blaze recognized that they would need a few things before they departed, and we all made a quick trip to the Skyloft Bazaar to purchase a few items. While Link was acquiring some health potions for the trip, something in the item store caught Blaze's attention. It was this iron shield that depicted a roaring flame and a torrent of what would match my own powers circling each other in this yin-yang pattern not unlike Aaron's eye colors do whenever he's ticked off. Circling the edge of the design were the seven Sol Emeralds.

"Like it, miss?" The shopkeeper asked her. "This is the Otherworld Shield, a sacred treasure of the Goddess. It is said that the Goddess crafted it for a Hero from another realm. It is made from the hardest metal, and will not break no matter how much damage it receives. Its sister shield, the Hylian Shield, is guarded by this thunder dragon that is rumored to live in a desert somewhere below the clouds."

I could sense Blaze's mind working at this. These peoples' Goddess clearly crafted the shield for her.

"How much do you want for it?" she finally asked the shopkeeper.

"For a fine kitty such as you, it's free."

"Thank you for your generosity." With that, Blaze accepted the shield from the guy, and left the bazaar with Link, his own wooden shield looking like a joke next to the divine Otherworld Shield.

As we all approached the wooden board walk over the edge of Skyloft, I felt Blaze become a little nervous about the next action. I understood why. But Link didn't.

"Uh, Blaze? Is something wrong?"

"N-no… you see… I don't handle heights very well."

"You're afraid of heights?" I could easily hear the disbelief in his voice. "Relax; I won't let anything happen, okay?"

Blaze was still hesitant, but Link just grabbed her hand, and dived off the boardwalk, dragging the royal cat behind him. As they were falling, Link gave this audible whistle, and the huge bird that I saw getting him away from that black storm flew underneath him, and caught him and Blaze on its back.

I watched Fi emerge from the Goddess Sword Link now wields, and was floating backwards while keeping up with the crimson Loftwing.

"Master, the opening you created in the cloud barrier last night is marked by the green pillar of light you see before us. I calculate an 89% chance that you will find Zelda somewhere down there."

As the spirit AI returned to her confines, Link guided the Loftwing to the pillar, and as soon as it was directly over the opening, boldly jumped off the bird and dived into the opening in the cloud barrier, Blaze hesitantly following him.

As everyone passed through the hole, I was able to make out a forested area under us. I could only assume this would be where we could begin our search. Blaze landed easily on her feet (she IS a cat, after all), and Link used a Sailcloth he had received from Zelda (Gaepora told us) to slow his decent.

After the landing, Link looked around the area in awe. As Blaze Examined the place, I was able to see some of the features of the immediate area. There were stone pillars, crumbled with time, littered around, with this small temple close by. The clearest part of the place was this incredibly deep pit with a spiral, natural walkway leading down it. Even from here, I could feel this evil presence drifting up from the bottom of the pit. Fi made her appearance shortly after this.

"Blaze, Master Link, we have successful passed the cloud barrier. The area we are immediately in is known as the Sealed Grounds."

"Um… why do they call it that?" I asked her, emerging from Blaze's sword to do so.

"Eons ago, the Goddess Hylia defeated a horrible demon king, and sealed his essence here. Unfortunately, the demon's evil power appears to be sensible from the current location. I calculate a 90% chance that Blaze and Silver's arrival in this dimension may have disrupted the energy levels here, creating a pinhole leak in the seal."

Great, now I feel guilty.

"If my estimates are correct, a Skyward Strike should repair the leak. I recommend repairing the seal before doing anything else."

Feeling another wave of that demon's evil spirit, I had to agree with Fi's suggestion. If that thing manages to squeeze through that leak… it can't be pretty. Link and Blaze wasted no time in making their way over to the pit. As they were passing the temple we saw earlier, I noticed that the entrance was magically sealed. It must have automatically locked when that pinhole leak formed.

As Blaze turned her attention back to the bottom of the pit, I could see this huge stone needle with this sinister aura billowing around its base. A wave of the dark energy washed over the duo, and I felt my own spirit be forced into the same dark place Link and Blaze were dragged to. I looked around to see this vast, dark place, and directly where that pike was, I could see this horrifying creature, covered in large black scales, with no facial features except for this enormous mouth filled with sharp fangs. I looked down at it in horror, and panicked a little as it started flying up to me. But as it got closer, I saw something riding the monster.

Closer and closer the beast and rider came, but I seemed to be frozen in fear. I could do nothing to evade the terrifying demon. Finally, the beast was close enough that if I were to reach out, my hand would brush the scales. I could finally make out the rider, and was surprised to see… me?

Well, sort of. The shape of his body was the same, and he had on the same boots and gloves, but it was like looking at a photo negative. Black where it should be white, a sinister purple where it should be sunlight gold, green where it should be red, white where it should be black, and a dark orange where it should be teal.

Could it be that…?

This negative me grinned evilly at me, then it and the Imprisoned flew off into the distance.

"Silver?" I heard Blaze's concerned voice break through my empty dimension, and I found myself back at the Sealed Grounds.

"I-I'm okay." I hastily muttered. I couldn't tell them about what I saw. Not yet.

Link made his way down to the bottom of the pit, Blaze following behind him cautiously. I returned to Blaze's weapon to rest and calm my nerves.

Following Fi's advice, Link charged a Skyward Strike, and launched it at the sealing spike. At once, the evil aura dispersed, and air geysers around the pit suddenly went active. Fi emerged from Link's weapon soon after.

"Master, I detect a substantial change in the immediate area. I am also detecting an aura akin to your sailcloth. I calculate a 99.9999999999999999999999999% chance of this being Zelda's aura. I can now dowse for Zelda's aura."

"Dowse?"

(A/N: I think I'll skip over Fi's explanation of dowsing. Wastes too much time in an action story.)

After Fi instructed Link on how to dowse for various things, Link followed her instructions, and discovered that Zelda might be in the temple back at the top of the pit. As we arrived at the temple, I could see that the magic seal was gone. I think I was right; the seal was there to ward off the demon's aura. With nowhere else to go, Blaze and Link followed the trail of Zelda's aura, and entered the temple.

The interior of the temple was a little worn with time, and it was incredible how it was still standing. At the back of the temple was this old woman with this long hat that hid her eyes from view.

"You have arrived, chosen hero of the Goddess," She addressed Link. He bowed to her in a clear display of respect.

"I can sense you are searching for someone close to you. Coincidentally, she was here not long ago. But the manner in which she arrived was not the prophesied way. I think that someone of evil intent is attempting to throttle fate, and forward his own dark goals."

This made me worry. Who could be tampering with destiny? And his goals… could it involve the demon that's sealed here?

"There is more troubling news," the sage stated suddenly. "It concerns both of you, beings from another realm." Blaze instantly straightened at this.

"What problems have developed great sage?" Blaze asked her.

"As I am sure you may have noticed, there was a small leak in the demon's seal before it was mended by sacred power."

"Yes. Fi believes it may have been a result of Silver and I arriving in this realm."

"This is half correct. It was not you directly that upset the balance of power here, but the crystallized power of the sun that was brought here with you."

"Crystalized power of the…" Blaze stopped suddenly as she realized what the old woman was talking about; the Sol Emeralds.

"Unfortunately, when the pinhole leak formed, an empty shell had fallen from the realm you dwell in, and a small piece of the demon's essence was able to take control of the shell. Now, I believe it may be aiding the dark one who tried to kidnap the spirit maiden."

Blaze looked away sadly at the sage's words. She and I, Link, the sage, even Fi knew what that empty vessel was;

My body.

"Is there any way… that I can… expunge the evil presence from Silver's body?" Blaze asked in a hopeful manner.

"Not with your current power, there isn't. However, if you collect the seven Sol Emeralds that have come here with you, you can use their positive energies to cleanse your loved one's shell of the Imprisoned's essence."

Both Blaze and I blushed at the woman's last words. Is it really that obvious that we have… feelings for each other? I think I know how this will play out… but then the evil ones are trying to control the past.

"The doorway at the side of the room is open. I have also granted you the ability to place beacons at your desired destination. There is also a treasure at the left side of the room that I believe will aid you in your quest."

Blaze and Link thanked the old sage for her words of guidance, and after picking up the woman's gift, we all left the temple.

Well… there it is. Now, submit your reviews, please.