It would be fair to say that, after this, Cana's whole view on knights had been pretty much shattered.
Like any other child in Skyloft, he'd been raised on the heroic tales of the Sky Knights, the preceder to the Knights of the Acadamy that had been Skyloft's protectors for centuries. Baston the Fly Fortress, Winson of the Farthest Isle, and the charming Sir Falcus, among others. Other parent's children would speak with great passion as they spoke about the massive beasts they slew, the islands they discovered, and the beautiful maidens they rescued from the strange mages who once lived within the clouds. It made the questing career seem so amazing, filled with constant excitement and acclaim. It was those stories that had driven him to his desires for knighthood in the first place.
What they failed to mention, however, was that the beasts really tore a guy apart, mysterious dungeons could be extremely dull at times, and finding the maiden wasn't as easy as following her screams to the nearest ominous tower.
Cana rested himself against the wall of the dungeon, healing cuts in half a dozen places, gathering up his nerves. He'd been wandering Skyveiw for a little over two days now, plumbing its depths for any sign of Zelda. The whole placed turned out to be a massive damp mess. He'd slogged his way through spider webs larger than any he'd seen before, fought at least two dozen more Bokoblin, nearly lost about a foot in height during a scrap with a bloody for armed skeleton, and to top it all off he STILL soaking wet from flooding half the rooms in the place. Yet, despite the aches , pains, and running on only a few cat naps he had managed to catch in the less threatening corners, he also felt a strong sense of accomplishment, lifting his spirit despite his tired body.
In the end though, what mattered was that he was still alive and breath, at what appeared to be the temple's inner sanctum. A great golden door, nearly identical to the one he'd enter from, was all that remained between him and Zelda; at least, according to Fi's observations. Of course, opening this one hadn't been as simple. As if the temple's gauntlet hadn't been challenging enough to protect whatever was in there, he'd had to swing from vine to vine over a very deep bottomed pit just to get the key nessicery to open it. His hands toyed with the cold metal, the individual bars tangling with his fingers. He'd been pondering exactly why somebody would construct a key like this; it just seemed more like a piece of artwork, with the detailed inlay and precious metal. Solving such mysteries had relaxed him for as long as he could remember, giving his mind the opportunity to run free. All in all, this was probably the best time he'd had since he entered this place.
Then, unsolicited, his thoughts turned back to reality. His legs where still aching for rest, his arms slightly heavy, unused to the continual sword work and hanging on for dear life. However, when he tried to close his eyes for a short rest, all he could see was the frightening form of the dream-beast, needle-like jaws snapping and its feet spreading the darkness with each step, sending his lids back up for a bit of light. He still had a duty to preform… and he planned on doing it.
Taking a moment to steady his legs, Cana walked over to the brooding door, the great lock jutting out from the surface in challenge. Shifting the key to his right hand, he started to spin it into the proper position, his other hand rubbing the tightness from his thigh. Gently, he pushed it into its setting, savoring the last of his brief moment of peace, the object finally locking into place with a soft click. It was hardly a moment later when the lock cracked in half, the key disappearing in a flash of light, and the door swing in with an eerie creek, empty darkness once again standing to face him.
What on earth did these people go through so much trouble to hide? That was something else that had been bothering him as he wandered through this place. Temples where supposed to be designed for veneration, as an honor to the gods. However, this place seemed to be more concerned with keeping people out then allowing them to worship. He could only imagine what kinds of traps they would put in the inner sanctum… and to be honest, he was trying as hard as he could to keep those images out of his head. Still, there wasn't any point to standing out there, so he pushed the thoughts aside and took his steps to face the unknown… something he'd had to put up with more than a few times in the past couple of days.
His muscles coiled as he went down the passage way, preparing to spring at any sign of a threat. Each foot in the darkness, he became progressively less and less sure of himself, dark thoughts from the corners of his mind creeping out to grab at him. What if that… monster is in there? Or a closing spike wall? Or… the list went on and on, a cold sweat taking to his face. The light from behind him was little more than a faint glow now, and in front of him was all darkness. What I wouldn't do for a torch right now…
Eventually, he found the end of the tunnel, his whole body tight as a spring and still fighting a couple of dark thoughts. He half-stumbled as he stepped into the light, senses flaring as he looked for anything threatening, fueled mostly by a vague sense of dread. The air smelled clean, fresher then the spore-laden rooms of the place. None of the surfaces seemed to be move, and there wasn't really anything else that could be threatening; just an empty room. The only thing that stood out was exactly what he was looking for; a door of pure gold, the emblem of the goddess lovingly embedded. He breathed a sigh of relief as he approached it, the thing almost radiating good. He didn't even bother to draw his sword, just taking one step after another, arms clenched in anticipation.
Just then, as if reacting to his thoughts, the door burst with a golden light, the intensity burning his eyes. Cana shielded them with both his hands, face turning away from the brightness. When he turned back, though, he realized with a sickening feeling that that light hadn't come from the door. Instead, he found himself looking at the side of a guy. What he could see of his skin was grey and sickly, his well-styled hair white as snow, with his gloves and rather formfitting bodysuit matching perfectly. His high –collared cloak served to extenuate his shoulders. But what really made him threatening was his sword; the sharp part pointing in Cana's direction, the dark steel blade gathering some sort of unholy mist. After an initial jump of surprise, Cana found that his arms once again wouldn't listen to him.
The man's sword disappeared a moment later,dematerializing down into floating black crystals, leaving the man's hand open and towards him, as if to ask for pause. "Well, who do we have here?" He coyly spoke, with a humored giggle. His motions where smooth as he turned around, pivoting around. His face wasn't actually that threatening at all; smooth, yet a bit chiseled, a bit of eyeshadow darkening his gaze a bit. Granted his hair was a bit odd, covering one side of his face entirely… but he wasn't really scary. "A scared little boy? Did you fall through the clouds by accident?" His tone was condescending, as if talking to a boy, taking a step closer. "I was expecting somebody a bit more… heroic. " Whomever he was, manners where obviously not his strong suit, but for some reason Cana just didn't have anything to say… because, to be honest, the man was right.
"Not that it particularly matters," he spun his hand dismissively, turning back towards the door. "You're of little consequence to me. It's the girl that matters to me… and I can sense her here. Just beyond this door." Zelda, the thought quickly entered Cana's head… but still, he needed to hear more. He could tell by the way this man carried himself he was saying something important, even if it was just bragging.
"Hmm? You have nothing to say?" He inquired playfully, giving a conceited smile. "Well, more's the pity. I was hoping you'd be a more active audience. But what could I expect," he gave himself a fake slap to the head, as if having a moment. "I've been a positively uncivil host. Allow me to introduce myself." The man tossed his hair before continuing, Cana feeling his body relax as he listened, the rest of the world still. "I'm the Demon Lord who rules over this land you stand upon… the land your people call The Surface. You may refer to me as Lord Ghirahim… but I'd be willing to accommodate Ghirahim if you less of a man grown then you appear." He took a step to the doors, reaching with it for one hand. "So boy, do you have anything to say before I go on my way?"
From just that short monologue, Cana knew one thing for sure. Whomever Ghirahim was , he certainly didn't have good intentions for Zelda when he finally caught up to her. Swallowing what little saliva he had, Cana gave Ghirhim's back a glare, drawing the Goddess Sword from its sheath. "Actually, I do." His voice didn't sound a bit more confident, bolstered by the knowledge he was the one with the sword. "You're not getting to Zelda if I have anything to say about it."
Ghirahim stopped him movements, arm half outstretched as he chuckled. "Did you really just draw your sword, boy?" He asked, turning about once again, arms folded at his chest. "That was a foolish mistake. That girl is ours…" his arms went out, muscles still tight. "By right, she should have been ours already. We had her right in our hands when that loathsome servant of the goddess plucked her from us!" His voice was growing more and more angry as he continue, a vein beginning to bulge in his forehead. "Do you have any idea how that feels, boy? To have something so precious taken from you!" His fingers where twitching, something smoldering under his skin. The tension in the room grew to the point where he could feel it, thick and hot. "FURIOUS! OUTRAGED! SICK WITH ANGER!" Ghirahim's temper burst, his whole upper body flailing in rage, before he simply blinked out of existence. This gave Cana's system another shock, the room's light fading into an overcast shadow. Whatever it was, the sense of foreboding was now firmly holding to his thoughts, half of him wanting to run screaming and the other wanting to beat the living daylights out of this guy.
Ghirahim's voice echoed through the room, without any apparent source. "All these problems have really built up my frustration. Still, it hardly seems fair to take ALL of it out on you." There was another confident laugh, this time distinctly from behind him. Cana turned his head just in time to see Ghirahim's face only a couple inches away, his smug look taking up nearly Cana's whole line of vision, the feeling of those lips so close to his ears making him shiver in disgust. "So, I promise up that I won't murder you." Cana took a good step away from the demon lord, only for him to disappear and pop up next to him again, still on the opposite side as his sword. His legs refused to listen as something long, wet, and snaky climbed its way up and around his neck, sending him into another shiver. "No… I'll just beat you until you're just barely conscious, bleeding from a dozen cuts and whimpering for mercy. How does that sound?"
"Ummm," Cana tried to respond, still really freaked by that tongue display. "Not very good. I'd rather not." Great, now you sound like a scared kid. Granted, that was exactly how he was feeling right now, but Ghirahim didn't need to know that. Trying to compensate, he made a jump to the side, holding up his sword threateningly.
Ghirahim didn't even bother responding to that. Instead, all that came out was a laugh. A genuine, hearty laugh, tinged with just a hint of evil. The way it echoed through the room, bouncing into his ear from every angle, just seemed to emphasis its power. Instead of words, he made do with a powerful gesture, half flexing his fist and grunting to the ceiling. With that, his cloak going the way of his blade, leaving him surprisingly defenseless. All he could do with raise up his hand, forming a V with his fingers.
That doesn't make any sense He mused, keeping his sword held defensively at Ghirahim walk casually towards him. I mean... he has a sword. If he needed it, why would he have gotten rid of it? That thought really struck at the pit of his stomach, the look for pure confidence on his face all he really needed to know. Still… the door behind him was locked shut, and there was no way to get around him. One way or another, he was going to have to face this. Driven half by fear and half by his rapidly-falling confidence, Cana brought his sword down in a powerful arch, trying to land a slash down Ghirahim's arm.
The weight of the falling blade seemed to carry his arm, imparting a bit more force. But, suddenly, it stopped; no sound of tearing or clang. Just stillness. That's when he saw something that made him dread; Ghirahim had caught the Goddess sword between his fingers, and was twisting the blade with a sadistic gleam in his eye. Cana tightened his grip on the hilt, trying to resist forces working against him, elbow slowly being shifted around. However, after half a minute, Ghirahim gave it a strong tug, yanking the shaft out of Cana's hands and sending it spinning into the air.
With an almost ethereal grace, Ghirahim raised his other hand, snatching the Goddess Sword up by the blade and spinning down, with the sharp end pointed towards its former master. "This is quite the lovely sword you have here… hmmm" He paused in his taunt, looking down to exam the blade, before letting out another powerful laugh. "Wait, YOU'RE the Hero of Legend? The Goddess has got to playing some sort of practical joke. She sent a half-trained monkey who can't even swing a sword without telegraphing his attack like a novice? How… quant." The tip of the sword dangled in front of Cana's face, cold and sharp. "Well, let's get this over with, shall we?"
Warning! Unauthorized usage of Goddess Sword. The alarm screamed through her home, breaking her out of the trance she was in. She shot up from her resting position, body coursing with power. Indeed… something was different. A chilling cold was starting to spread through body, starting at her feet and slowly working its way up. Her eyes where wide open as she shifted her perception, attempting to open the widows of the Goddess Sword… but her commands came to no avail. Instead, they solicited a voice.
Ah, baby sister. The voice, whatever it was, carried authority and strength, as well as a certain childishness. It's been awhile, hasn't it?
"Intruder," she voiced back, falling back to her deep-rooted protocol. "You are making unauthorized use of the Goddess Sword without express permission from Master. Please return the blade immediately."
But we've been apart for so long, I merely wanted to catch up, a sort of fake whininess tinted it this time… why did this voice sound familiar? I have so much to tell you about. The new gig, my vacation trip to Eldin Volcano, the centuries of imprisonment under that accursed seal… all sorts of fun things.
"Identifying intruder… Ghirahim?" She was truly confused… while the creeping cold was hardly doing good for her. It felt so… terrible, the pain obvious in her tone. "Why have you stolen the Goddess Sword? You do not possess the authority to perform such an action."
It's just something I do for chuckles. You know that. Speaking of which, isn't it your duty to give your master important bits of information like that BEFORE he makes a mistake? A soul-penetrating chuckle filled the sword, the guilt feedback swelling up in Fi's circuitry… I'll take that as a yes.
"You are correct, Brother." Her voice was audibly shaking, the cold creeping its way up her legs and into her belly. "I merely deduced that Master would not need my assistance. He is sufficiently strong, intelligent, resourceful, perceptive…"
Resource Allocation Error 1 Detected
She could feel Ghirahim's grip on her tighten, almost able to see that wicked smile of his. Really now? Well, he's good to look at, I'll give him that. Perhaps he's just weighed down by subpar equipment. A dog could do your job better, if you ask me.
"That is incorr…" Fi's voice stopped itself, her eyes closing in shame. Her programing would never allow the dispersion of such blatant misinformation. The cold was becoming too much to bear… she needed to see her Master, do something, anything for him, get a compliment or affirmation she was still working properly… ANYTHING. "Just, send me back, please," the robotic tone changed to something soft, weak… a mewing kitten. "Let me resolve these concerns. I'll be a good girl… just let me be warm."
Your squirming is delightful, Ghirahim just didn't stop grabbing… but then she felt his grip weaken, the cold just a tad less unbearable. Just do a better job next time. I wouldn't want you ruining the family reputation.
Cana jumped to the side as Ghirahim idly tossed the Goddess Sword towards him, leading it to clang into the wall behind. He'd been dodging the demon's sword blows for at least two minutes now, taking a good slash to the leg. Man, that steel was sharp. His pulse was high, adrenaline propelling him forward, snatching up the blade in an unusual fluid motion. Odd… the hilt's cold for some reason. Was all he could think before making another assault, Ghirahim yawning bored as he raised his fingers to catch the steel again.
"When are you going to learn boy? He snapped with his free hand. "You'll need to have MUCH better swordplay if you even hope to,"
However, he was stopped mid-sentence by a punch to the jaw, Cana's fist flying up and landing a solid blow. Ghirahim stumbled from it, fingers loosening, leaving himself open to wide, unthinking slashes from Cana's sword. They were sloppy things; easy to parry if he'd had anything to parry with, but they were powerful enough to knock the Demon to his back, black shards bursting from his body with each blow, like sparks. Off his feet, he was an easy target for several more strokes, the dents slowly building up in his skin as he tried to swat away the pesky sword.
"Well, I stand corrected," face turning somewhat serious, he flipped over on his back, landing a powerful kick right into Cana's chest, sending him stumbling backward. "What you lack in skill you make up for in creativity. You have my respect. " Cana's vision stopped spinning long enough for him to regain his balance, seeing Ghirahim snap into the air, his sword appearing from nothing. " You'll now have the honor of facing me armed. "He took a practice swing, Cana lifting up his shoulders and regaining his stance, though the blunt pain in his chest was still a distraction. At least one broken rib… did I seriously think I could beat this guy? His guard dropped for a moment, arms relaxing and sword lowering, Ghirahim slowly approaching, tongue running along his blade.
"Fi," He called to his sword, backing himself into a wall. "Fi… you can come out now. Seriously." Yet, she didn't respond, and with nowhere else to go, all he could do was watch as Ghirahim approached. His foot shifted to the side, bumping into one of the pots, sweating in fear… when his battle-addled brain latched onto a sudden idea.
"Come on, lady-boy. What are you waiting for?" The taunt came out more pathetic then insulting, his voice heavily tinged with fear. However, the reaction on Ghirahim's face suggested anything but, his eyes narrowing and smoldering, shoulders clenching.
"I'll give you a chance to take that back, boy. I've obviously frightened you so much that you forget where you are." The black blade was held out offensively, the point forward as if to skewer him, taking a few steps back with his feet braced.
To be honest, every fiber in his body was on fire then, the fear of death locking down everything in his brain. All he could do was reach down for the pot, packing it under his armpit, and stare Ghirahim down. Of course, that was enough for Ghirahim, who let out an angry growl. "You'll learn the consequences of insulting me boy. You'll be on the ground sooner than you think." With that, his legs took off, swinging back and forth, charging forward with his sword.
Like a cornered animal, Cana's instincts took over, the overwhelming urge to fight back all he could grasp. The pot was quickly tossed towards the demon, underhand so it rolled across the ground. For a moment, everything seemed to slow down; Fi's exit from the sword fully visible as she stared on in a sort of vapid interest. Ghirahim seemed to half float in the air as he ran, and the pot's bounces made low, sustained noises. His eyes where wide and buggy, watching as Ghirahim's foot hit the pot, sending his foot off the ground and his body out of control, his sword flying to the side as he looked forward in disgust. The sound of him smashing into the wall was satisfying… and the last sword strock he made into the Demon's back even more so, his perception returning to normal speed, as he let out a deep built-up breath.
Fi just floated there silently, Ghirahim sliding down the wall, limbs out. "Master," she quickly noted… though her voice wasn't very strong. "I detect all vital signs functioning normally in your opponent. Further analysis concludes all are active and he is indeed conscious. If I may be so insubordinate as to present unsolicited information. "
Sure enough, Ghirahim pushed himself off the wall, off balance as he wiped away a light trickle of blood from his nose, only a little worse for wear from running head on into a stone wall. "Enough of this," he sounded calm once again… almost polite. "You've put up far more of a fight then I expected from such an unpracticed boy. Just know I won't fall for your clever tricks again." Ghirahim dematerialized his sword once again, straightening his tussled hair. " I fear I've spent far too long testing and toying with you. The girl's presence is all but gone from this place… meaning I have no more reason to linger. I'll let you go this time." He took a few steps closer, Cana too distracted trying to catch his breath and rest his muscles to even raise his sword. "But just remember, next time you want to play with me, I won't go so easy on you. And, by the way," He leaned in closer, his lips next to Cana's ear, whispering in a smooth, seductive way. "I know all about that little Fi of yours, and I must say I'm jealous. Her though process is so complex and realistic." He let out a breath of cold air, running his hand down Cana's arm. "Have you ever wondered, perhaps, how realistic she might actually be… physically speaking?" There was an awkward pause as he backed away, giving a graceful bow. "Well, ta ta." With that, and a snap of his fingers, he was gone.
"Master…" Fi floated over timidly, kneeling to ground to exam his wound. "I apologize for not arrive sooner… I will accept any punishment you see fit to improve my efficiency as your servant."
His head feeling light, blood running down his leg, and utterly confused, all he managed to get out was "Later." Before falling to the ground, exhausted.