Zelda awoke to find herself lying on the ground. She wondered to herself how she had survived such a fall. To her amazement, she was unscathed, and the golden harp she had used in the ceremony was without a single scratch. As she sat up, she observed her surroundings and was overcome by sights and sounds that were foreign and overwhelming to her . There were more trees than she thought possible. She had lived her entire life with the sky all around her. Now the sky was above her, and there was solid ground as far as the eye could see. The birds she saw looked nothing like Loftwings. The tiny birds that scampered around her were small enough to sit in the palm of her hand. A large pit winded down in the center of the area, and Zelda wondered at it's purpose, thinking it odd.
Zelda realized she was not alone. An old woman stood in front of an ancient stone structure. She was shrouded in a red, pointy robe. She had tan, withered skin and there was a strange marking on her cheek. It appeared to be a tattoo, but its shape had been warped with age. She had an impossibly long blonde braid wrapped around her head several times. The rest of the braid was curled into a circle that swung in front of her like a pendulum. The old woman appeared to be studying Zelda intently, and she seemed especially focused on the harp.
There was an uncomfortable silence between the two, but the old woman began to hobble over to where Zelda was sitting.
"Where am I? Is this the surface?" Zelda asked.
"Indeed, it is the surface. This area is called the Sealed Grounds. That's quite the fall you survived..."
"...There was this terrible dark tornado and...I've been hearing this voice calling out to me. Spirit Maiden...I think that's what it called me..."
The old woman appeared to be hanging on every word Zelda spoke, but after the last thing Zelda said, the old woman's demeanor changed, suddenly becoming very abrupt.
"Please come inside quickly. You are not safe standing around out here. Once you are inside, I have much to tell you."
"Who are you?"
"We have no time to waste. Please follow me."
The old woman's reaction startled her, but something inside Zelda told her she needed trust the old woman, that her life depended on it. So with little hesitation she followed her inside.
Once inside, Zelda felt an overwhelming familiar feeling, almost as if she had been here before. Sunlight poured through holes in the ceiling. Nature appeared to be taking back the structure. Moss and foliage grew on the support beams and elsewhere. Their footsteps echoed as the pair walked towards a small set of steps in the center of the massive hall.
"I have been waiting for your arrival many, many years. This is the Sealed Temple, and it is a temple to the goddess, Hylia. The surface was once a peaceful, prosperous place, protected by the goddess. All of that changed the day the earth cracked open, and evil was introduced to the land when malevolent beings emerged from the fissure. They were lead by their king, Demise. Demise's goal was to obtain a precious possession entrusted to Hylia by the three golden goddesses. This precious possession was the Triforce, which could grant any desire. To protect the Triforce and her people, Hylia gathered them on an outcropping of land and sent it into the sky. After a long battle, Hylia managed to seal away the Demon King. However, Hylia had been gravely injured and could not maintain the seal for much longer. Setting her plan in motion, the goddess gave up her divine form to be reborn as a mortal. Hylia trusted me with the task of waiting for her return, and now you are here."
"I do not understand...you can't be serious. I'm Zelda and I come from Skyloft. You have the wrong person."
"Ah, the goddess said her mortal form would be born on the outcropping of land she sent into the sky. Your safe arrival here is proof that you possess Hylia's soul. You are the spirit maiden."
Zelda's education at the Knight Academy had often drifted to ancient legends, but they were always vague. Now she was hearing more information about the goddess than she had ever thought possible, information that had been long forgotten on Skyloft from the thousands of years that had passed. Even as well versed on the ancient texts as she was, she felt her mind snapping under the gravity of everything she had been told.
"Why me?" Zelda whispered to herself.
"There is another who has a very important role in this. He is a boy your age, that I'm sure you know. His name is Link."
"Link?! Link will come down here, too? Can I wait for him here?"
"I'm sorry, Your Grace, you cannot stay here too long. You must hurry, but first I have something for you."
...
Zelda looked herself over, admiring the garb of the goddess. She wore a long white dress that reached her ankles. She now wore sandals instead of boots. Her hair was decorated with lavender colored hair ornaments, and on her wrists she wore matching bracelets.
The old woman directed Zelda out a different set of doors on one side of the temple. Zelda was greeted by bright sunlight once again, a stark contrast to inside the Sealed Temple. They walked up a short stone staircase and came to a dirt path leading into the forest.
"You must make haste. I'd advise you to keep moving. Don't stay in one place too long. Beyond this forest is Skyview Temple, your first destination. You must purify yourself in a spring deep within the temple. The harp you carry will be an invaluable tool for you along the way. It will open many doors for you, and you must play it at each destination. The song you are to play is an ancient song that you are sure to know. It is the song your people call the Ballad of the Goddess. Then, you will go to the province of Eldin, where you need to do the same at the spring inside the Earth Temple. Do you understand everything I have told you? Purify yourself in the two springs, one to represent the sky and one to represent the earth.
Zelda nodded that she understood.
"It is my deepest regret to send you out like this, but I must remain here and wait for the arrival of the hero chosen by the goddess, your Link. However, a servant of the goddess will surely come to your assistance. She will instruct you on what you must do next. Now listen to me, you were predestined to come here, but that tornado was not meant to be. The seal is weak and I fear that the Demon King is trying to twist destiny in his favor. The surface is already teaming with monsters that were not here before. No matter what, do not permit yourself to be captured. For if that happens, all is lost."
"Captured? If the Demon King is sealed away, why should I worry about being captured? Is someone after me?" Zelda asked, her stomach coiling into knots.
"There's no time to explain. The servant of the goddess will tell you everything you need to know. You must go now. It's not safe here. You are exactly where they want you. You must make your way to Skyview Temple as quickly as you can. You will be in my prayers. The fate of the surface rests in your hands now, but do not loose hope, you are not alone."
Zelda gave another nod and took her first step into Faron Woods. The old woman watched Zelda walk away until she could no longer see her.
