Chapter 16: Trial of Wisdom
Pipit walked along the path leading to the Skyloft Knight Academy. It was early in the morning, about eight o'clock. After explaining things to his mom, along with talking about their issues dealt with, now came the part where he explains things to Headmaster Gaepora. Despite knowing that Gaepora would likely be calm about his new look, Pipit felt nervous.
Pipit noticed Link leaning against the main doors leading into the academy.
"Hey," He greeted.
"Hey, Link…"
"Everything went okay with your mom last night?"
Pipit gave a small smile. "It was…better than I expected. Way better."
"Glad to hear it."
"…The Headmaster-?"
"Gaepora is in the Sparring Hall. Owlan, Horwell, and Eagus are with him as well. He figured they should all know about this too since they are his close advisors if it's alright with you."
"Not like it can hide all of…this." Pipit gestured all of himself.
They made their way to the Sparring Hall. Inside, they found Gaepora, Instructors Owlan & Horwell, and Knight Commander Eagus waiting at the other end of the hall.
"Hello, Link. And good morning to you, Pipit," Gaepora welcomed them warmly.
"Good morning, Headmaster."
"I'm glad you can make it over before you and the others set out to find Zelda. Link told me that you went through some new…changes."
"Isn't it obvious?" Pipit gestured to the symbol on his chest and his green eyes.
"The crest of Farore…." Owlan gazes upon the symbol curiously.
"And your eyes…they're green. Not just any green but Farore Green," Horwell added on.
"But those are not the only changes, are they? Link told me that you acquired some...abilities?" Gaepora pressed on.
"It's true."
"Could you…show us? I am rather curious."
All four gaze at Pipit inquisitively. The yellow-clad senior knight tried his best to hide his anxiety as a part of him was afraid of how they would react. One comforting pat on his shoulder from Link was enough to ease any worries.
Pipit demonstrated by teleporting across the room and back to in front of the adults. With that done, he proceeded to conjure up a small ball of air in the palm of his hand. All four men watched with pure awe as Pipit demonstrated his abilities.
"I can teleport and control the wind, to put it simply."
"By the Goddesses…" Owlan breathed out astonishingly.
"That is amazing! How did you acquire such abilities?" Horwell asked with enthusiasm.
"While Link was doing his trial made by Hylia, Farore called me out to partake in a trial crafted by her. I passed it, and she blessed me with part of her essence, which allows me to do what I just did as a reward."
"I'm sorry, but did you just say that Farore herself gifted you with a part of herself, as in the actual Farore?" Eagus questioned the senior knight.
"Yeah, Farore. She was surprisingly laid back. Pretty cheerful and is a bit of a jokester." The adults could only stare at the boy, unsure what to make of the information given. "I know all of this sounds crazy, but it's true."
"We do not doubt you! It's just, well…" Eagus rubbed his head nervously.
"It's freaky, I know. No need to hide it," Pipit put it bluntly.
"It's not freaky. I think Eagus was trying to say that this is something neither of us expected to hear," Owlan explained. "I think what you have here is extraordinary."
"Owlan is right, Pipit," Gaepora joined in. "You have something truly remarkable. No one in the history of Skyloft has ever received such a gift. Frankly, I would be honored."
"I am, believe me. My mom took it well, but…I'm not sure how everyone in Skyloft will take it. I accidentally showed my wind magic around some people, and they seemed pretty freaked out by it."
"That would explain why Cawlin asked to borrow my idol of Farore last night," Horwell mentioned.
"And if I can guess correctly, you want to tell me so I can properly address the public?" Gaepora concluded.
"I've been thinking about this for a while…." All eyes were brought onto Link. "I'd hope to have Zelda back here by now, but this quest…has become more complex than I thought. It'll probably be a little while until I can bring Zelda back. People are starting to notice Zelda's absence. There's also the matter of light pillars in the sky showing up. Some have been freaking out about it. And with Pipit's transformation, they're gonna get even more confused. Maybe you can tell the truth."
"What would that be?" Gaepora raised his brow.
"I, Pipit, Karane, Fledge, and Zelda have been called upon in a mission for the Goddesses. The light pillars and Pipit's transformation are all part of it. All of this is done to protect them and the world. Everyone will believe that, I'm sure."
"That's not a bad idea. I say we do that," Owlan suggested to Gaepora. Horwell & Eagus agreed with him as well.
Gaepora sucked in a breath. "I'd hoped my daughter would be back here by now, but as you said, Link, this whole quest has become much more complex by the day. I, too, have noticed the worried whispers around not only the academy but around Skyloft as well. The next right thing to do is properly address the island. We'll take care of everything. Leave the public to us. You four focus on finding Zelda."
Link gave a thankful smile. Pipit, on the other hand, remained quiet.
"Is there something else on your mind, Pipit?" Owlan asked with concern.
"There is actually…." Pipit responded. "Farore told me that I wouldn't be the only one tested. She chose me because I was closest to her virtue of Courage. Her sisters, Nayru & Din, will test Karane & Fledge next. Which one for which, I have no clue."
"You mean... Karane is going to be tested?" Owlan wondered.
"And Fledge?" Eagus followed as well.
"That's what she told me. We won't find out who's next when we get to Lanayru."
"In that case, don't let us keep you. May the winds be at your back," Gaepora said.
"Thank you again, Headmaster," Pipit replied with gratitude.
A loud grumble emerges from Pipit. Link gave an amused smile as Pipit's face became flustered.
"Forgot to eat breakfast?"
Pipit rubbed his neck. "I was in a hurry to get here."
"Let's get you to the Dining Hall. Fledge & Karane should already be there."
The pair exited the Sparring Hall, leaving the four men inside.
"Well…that was certainly unexpected," Horwell commented once the boys were gone.
"Indeed," Gaepora responded. "Come. We must prepare to address the island."
Horwell agreed with the Headmaster. Owlan and Eagus, on the other hand, agreed silently. Their minds were elsewhere, with questions & concerns. Owlan for Karane and Eagus for Fledge.
"Here you go. Enjoy your breakfast."
Henya handed over the plates of the breakfast she cooked up on Link & Pipit's trays.
"Thank you, Henya. It smells good," Link commented.
"I certainly hope so!" The old woman turns her head to Pipit. "By the way, I like the eyes."
"T-thanks…" Pipit replied, unsure what to make of Henya's comment.
Link and Pipit strolled through the Dining Hall to join Karane and Fledge at their table. Students & Skyknights had their eyes on the pair. Specifically, Pipit, whispering among themselves even long after they sat down.
"Hey, it's Pipit."
"Woah, look at him…Do you think it's true?"
"His eyes are so green…like REALLY green."
"They look cool on him, to be honest."
"And attractive~!"
"Someone told me that he conjured a ball of wind with just his hands. Can you believe that?"
"I heard from somebody else that he overheard Cawlin muttering about Pipit having Farore's power. Now that sounds insanely awesome!"
"You think he is like…a demigod now?"
"Man, weird things have been happening since The Wing Ceremony. Zelda goes missing. Link has a weird sword. Those light columns showing up. Fledge wearing a Senior Knight uniform. And now this thing with Pipit. What the hell has been going around here lately?!"
"What if all of this is a sign of the end times?"
"You think Pipit can conjure up a tornado? That would be wicked!"
"Maybe he'll do us all a favor and blow Groose and his stupid ass hair off the island. Hehe..."
"Ha! Wouldn't that be nice. Where is that asshole anyway…?"
An annoyed groan escaped from Pipit, placing his hands on his head as he overheard the whispers.
"Look at the bright side, Pipit! At least they're whispering good things about you!" Fledge tried to cheer his friend up.
"Ugh, I know," Pipit muttered. "It's just…I'm not used to this much attention. Guess I'm going to have to learn to live with it. I never thought I would say this, but I cannot wait to leave for Lanayru."
"Speaking of which…What exactly happened to you before Farore called for your trial? One minute you were fine, and the next, you clutched your head like you were in pain and passed out."
"I hear someone call my name, then you guys and everything around me froze in time. A woman in a hood appeared and talked to me. Then she tapped my forehead with her finger, which is how I got that headache. Why do you want to know?"
"I just want to know what to look out for when I get tested once we find the gate in Lanayru."
"What makes you think you're next?" Link gave a quizzical look at Fledge.
"It's obvious, isn't it. Pipit got tested by Farore because he was the best representation of Courage. It makes sense because he has the more courageous traits. All that is left is Wisdom & Power. Power is associated with strength, and I'm clearly not on the strong side, so it would be expected that Nayru would seek me for wisdom. I do get good grades. Not only that, but Karane is pretty strong, so I definitely can see her representing Power. You agree with me, right Karane?"
The female Senior Knight did not respond. The same look she had back at the Isle of Songs after listening to Nayru's Wisdom painted her face. Pipit & Link gave unsure glances at each other. Her behavior was almost precisely how Pipit was before he was called by Farore…Fledge, on the other hand, didn't seem to notice.
"Karane?!" His voice broke her out of her thoughts.
"Oh yeah! It's a plausible theory. You are pretty smart."
"See, guys? She agrees with me!"
Karane brought her attention to Pipit. His demeanor gave away just how uncomfortable the whispers were, even if they were positive. Pipit is not the type who likes to be the center of attention. Karane was about to offer words of comfort when a loud voice rang out.
"Hey, Pipit! Catch!"
A wadded-up ball of napkins flew straight toward Pipit's head. Thankfully he caught it by summoning a ball of air around the napkin ball, similar to how he stopped the dirt. Everyone watched in awe, some letting out 'ooohs' and even giving quiet claps.
"Well, well...looks like it's true after all."
Much annoyed, Pipit looked up to see none other than Strich.
"What the hell was that for, Strich?!" Pipit barked at the tall student as he let the napkin ball drop to the floor.
"Take it easy, Mr. Senior Knight." Strich lifted his arms in defense. "If it were Cawlin or Groose, that would've been a dirty napkin or something grosser."
"That doesn't explain why you threw it at me."
"Cawlin spent half the night praying to Farore for forgiveness and muttering something about you being some sort of wind demigod now. I just wanted to see if he was telling the truth. You must've done a number for him to freak him out that much."
"First, I only stopped a clump of dirt that HE threw at me. Second of all, I'm not a demigod. I just have Farore's essence that makes me control wind and teleport and only those things. Satisfied?
"Very. That is a much more impressive answer than I thought. I can see why you're the talk of the academy right now."
"Don't remind me," Pipit groaned.
"Why so glum? If I were you, I would be soaking in the attention. You're pretty much a celebrity now. Your days of normalcy are more than likely over." Strich strolled away from Pipit. "My advice, enjoy it!"
Pipit could not tell if Strich was genuinely giving out good advice or not. One thing's for sure it made Pipit feel even more annoyed.
He could not wait to get back out there.
The sands of Lanayru Desert met with the boots as the group landed near the Lanayru Mining Facility. They figure it would be an excellent place to start looking for the trial gate. Thanks to the activated Timeshift Stones, one of the robots wandering around mentioned a small group of butterflies gathering not too far from the entrance. Sure enough, there were several Blessed Butterflies just several yards away.
"Is this it?" Pipit voiced once they arrived.
Link pulled out the sword to dowse, and the tip glowed rapidly.
"Yep. That's the gate."
Link pulled out the harp. The symbol of the trial gate appeared after he strummed the instrument. Like before, Link played with the pulsing light until all petals appeared. Fi sang, this time a vocalized version of Nayru's Wisdom. Link continued playing until the gate was fully activated.
"Thrust your sword into the center of the mark and open the way to a new Silent Realm," Fi instructed Link before retreating into the sword.
Link hovered the sword over the center. Hesitation was evident on his face as he glanced at his friends, knowing full well what would occur once he brought that blade down.
"You guys, stay safe."
"Don't worry about us," Pipit assures. "You focus on your trial."
"Good luck!" Fledge cheered.
Link thrust the sword down, kneeling with it in his grip. His body glowed as his eyes closed, signifying his entrance to the trial.
"Is he…?" Pipit trailed off.
"Master Link has entered the second trial known as Nayru's Silent Realm, which will test his wisdom. Like before, neither of you can interact with him in his current state until he exits the trial," Fi's voice echoed. "All you can do is wait for him."
"We got it, Fi."
"Now that Link is in his trial, that means someone should be here soon to test me," Fledge confidently stated. "How did it go again, Pipit?"
Karane stood to the side as the two boys discussed. For some reason, she felt something…off. Not the wrong kind, but she couldn't exactly pinpoint it. It's been like that around the time they left Faron Woods yesterday.
"At long last, you're finally here…."
The sudden voice of a woman pulled Karane out of her thoughts. It was calm, nurturing type of tone in her voice. Karane tried to find this woman, but it was all for naught. All she could see were Pipit and Fledge, now frozen in time along with everything from them to even a tumbleweed passing by, with her being the only unaffected. The world around dimmed dark. Then Karane, at last, found her.
A figure of a woman dressed in a cloak, hood covering her face with only her blue lips in a neutral line. One strand of blue hair dangled at her forehead. Karane was quickly on guard.
"Be at ease. I am not here to harm you," Blue Lips told her gently. "Do you know what is going on?"
Immediately Karane remembers the information Pipit revealed about the circumstance before being called to his trial.
"I heard someone call my name, then you guys and the area around me froze in time. A woman in a hood appeared and talked to me…."
"If I had to guess, you've come to test me?" Karane managed to respond to the woman.
"Then you likely know who I am, but that does not matter now." Blue Lips turns her head to Pipit. "Your friend over there was tested by Farore due to his spirit best representing her virtue of courage." She turns back to Karane. "You will go through a similar trial. Only yours will see the depth of one of the goddess's virtues you share most: Wisdom. To see if you're capable of aiding Hylia's Chosen Hero."
Karane glances away as she places her hand under her chin. "I'll be honest…I wasn't expected to be next, but everything makes sense now." Karane faces the woman. "So how is this test going to go down? Are you going to…quiz me or something?"
The woman didn't respond. With both arms behind her back, she circles around Karane.
"You are a bright young woman, Karane Bellamy. I can see you being quite the scholar in the future. Your quest for knowledge of the world is truly quite admirable…But I want to ask you this." Blue Lips brings her attention to Karane. "How much do you know about yourself?"
"What?" Karane staggered back. "What kind of question is that? I obviously know a lot about myself."
"You should know that it's unbecoming of a scholar to share false information." Blue Lips moved close to Karane until she was just mere inches away. "How can you help those around you if you don't know about yourself fully? How do you know what is the truth and what is a lie around you when you can't even figure it out about yourself?"
"I have no idea what you're on about…."
"I think you do, yet you still lie to yourself. I see now that you have yet come to your senses. I apologize for what I am about to do next."
Blue Lips tap Karane's forehead with her index finger. A heartbeat echoed as Karane's eyes bulged, followed by a sharp pain in her head. The world returned to its original state, with the Blue Lips nowhere in sight. But her friends quickly noticed the change in Karane as she let out a small groan while clutching her head, barely standing on her feet.
"Are you okay, Karane?" Fledge called out to her.
"Head…hurts." Both her legs toppled, crashing on her knees, and she released a cry of pain.
Pipit instantly realized what was happening to Karane. "It's her! Karane has been picked!"
"What?!" Fledge exclaimed.
Pipit slid down right next to Karane. She dug her fingers into her hair as tears of pain built up in her eyes. Heavy pants also came out of here with an occasional small cry of pain. Even though Pipit knew this part was necessary, it hurt him to see Karane like this.
"You're going to be okay, Karane. This is…normal. Just don't fight it and let her in. It'll be over soon," Pipit tried to comfort her.
Karane heard Pipit's words though she did not let out any response or even lookup for she was too focused on her pain. Blue Lips' voice echoed in her head.
"You foolishly avert your eyes from the truth. A deplorable situation indeed…This cannot be allowed to go on. Part from the lies and see the truth of yourself. The world is filled with truth and lies. It's time for you to see which is which."
Karane's vision slowly blurred as the woman's voice spoke to her. Finally, it went completely black as she felt herself landing in Pipit's arms.
"Let your trial commence."
Rubbing her head was the first thing Karane did when she woke up as the remnants of her headache faded. Even though she partially expected it, she never imagined how painful that headache would be. Pushing that thought aside, she took in her new surroundings. None of her weapons and gear were on her. The world was in a green filter, with her skin glowing. A familiar golden door stood in front of her. It was precisely how Pipit described his trial, except Karane wasn't at Skyview.
"This looks like the end of the mining facility. And that's the door that leads to the chamber where Moldarach was."
"Master Karane, can you hear me?" Fi's voice echoed in the room.
"I can."
"You have entered your trial. Much like Master Link, it will test you on your wisdom. But like these trials, I cannot follow you to this realm, for it calls to you alone. This domain is only accessible to you. Your spirit has temporarily separated from your physical body so that you may undertake this challenge. Based on Master Pipit's statements, there is a 91% chance that this trial will have a similar structure as his. Once you go beyond that door, I cannot reach you. Do you understand?"
"I do."
"Then I wish you the best of luck. I will eagerly await you and Master Link in the outside world."
Karane set her sights on the gold door. Anxiety builds up in her chest as she recalls Pipit's experiences of his trial. Despite wanting to avoid that door, she knew completing this trial would be the only way to help Link and Zelda the most. She pushed on the doors, allowing her to enter the chamber. Much like the real world, the room was filled with sand for Moldarach to hide underneath. The door slammed shut behind her and then vanished into thin air.
"No turning back now…" she muttered.
"Took you long enough to get here…."
In the middle of the chamber stood a figure of a young woman. Her clothes were dark and grey, while her skin was sickly green with dark green veins and evil yellow eyes. They also wore the exact clothes that Karane had, even sharing the same round hat. Karane remembers this was the detailed description Pipit shared of his dark counterpart in his trial.
Who she was looking at was a dark version of herself.
"Don't you know keeping a lady waiting is impolite?" Dark Karane chided.
"You must be my dark counterpart." Karane simply concluded.
"You know who I am? I feel so blessed!" Dark Karane emitted dramatic gasps. "And here I thought I had to worry about explaining things to you. Nice to know that there are brains under that pretty face!" A creepy grin grew on her lips. "Oh…what fun we'll have together!"h
The way that she said that last sentence did not settle well with Karane. Knowing what Pipit's dark version put him through, she was afraid to ask.
"I'm unsure if you and I have the same definition of fun…." Karane told her.
"Aw, no need to be such a sourpuss. I just want to have a chat with you. No harm to that…." Dark Karane moved close enough to make Karane uncomfortable. "I want to see what going on in your lovely little head."
"Nothing of interest. There couldn't be anything for you to pick at."
"Has anyone ever told you that you're such a shitty liar?" Dark Karane gave the most unsettling smile. " Tell me what's really going on…."
"N-nothing!"
Dark Karane could only roll her eyes. "Again, with the lying! Ugh! Well, you know what they say 'It's not a lie if you believe it.' You are really dedicated to this. Since you are so deluded with yourself, let's let the sands of time show you.
Dark Karane snapped her fingers. The sand in the chamber blew around them in a vortex. Karane shields her face from the onslaught of the sand. After several moments the sand died down.
No longer was Karane in the chamber in the mining facility. Here she was on an island similar to Skyloft. But this place is not was not her home. Skyloft did not have a large windmill that oversaw the entire island. The buildings here are made with wood and/or stone, while Skyloft's buildings tend to be made from concrete.
"Do you recognize this island?" Dark Karane questioned her.
"Its… it's my old home. Windloft Island," Karane disclosed.
"And do you recognize that house over there?"
Dark Karane pointed over to a small blue house. Karane walked over in its direction. It screamed familiarity to her. Noises emitted from inside the house, prompting her to move to a window to peer in.
Two people were in a kitchen of sorts. One was an average-built man with a nose similar to Karane's and a mustache and hair as red as hers. The other is an average-built woman with light auburn hair. Minus her small nose, the woman's face resembles Karane's heavily. Similar face shape, blue eyes, and even her bangs are in a similar style to Karane's. The woman also had a round hat in the color blue.
"Breakfast is smelling good, Balea. I can tell it's going to be a good one," The man said from the table he sat at.
"I certainly hope so. It's what kept you alive during these years, Arus," The woman said back as she finished cooking.
Those names…Karane knew those names. They were the same as her…
"Morning, Mom! Morning Dad!" A small girl with red hair styled in pigtails, appearing to be around nine years old, entered the kitchen.
"Good morning, Karane," Balea greeted. "Did you sleep well?"
"I did." Young Karane sat at the table with her father. "Hi, Dad!"
"And how is our little girl doing today?"
"I'm doing great! Breakfast is smelling good, Mom!"
"I hope so. It's your favorite, after all." Balea walked to the table with a stake of pancakes.
"Yum! Blueberry pancakes!" Karane beamed happily.
"Elinor from next door had a batch she harvested yesterday and gave them to me because she knew how much you like blueberries," Balea told her. "Be sure to thank her for the next time you see her."
"I will, Mom!"
"Now that we're all here, can you share why you took a while to get ready? You usually don't take that long," Arus inquired his daughter.
"I was tying these ribbons in my hair." Young Karane held out two blue ribbons in her hair. "I was trying to do it the way mom does it. She makes pretty ribbon bows."
"That is quite the problem. Perhaps you can give our angel a hand, Balea," Arus suggested to his wife.
"Not a problem." Balea moved to Karane, taking the two ribbons. She spent several minutes tying the ribbon in elegant bows on each of Young Karane's pigtails. "And there we go."
"How do I look?" Young Karane eagerly asked her mother.
Balea boops Young Karane's nose. "Like our sweet little angel." The girl giggled in response. "Now hurry and finish your breakfast, or you'll be late for school."
"Can I ask you both something?"
"What is it, sweetheart?" Arus questioned his daughter.
"The butterflies at Windloft Garden should be coming out of their chrysalis today. Can I go over there right after school to see them?"
"By yourself?… I'm not sure," Balea contemplated.
"Please, Mom? I'm turning ten next year, old enough to have my Loftwing! I'll go to the gardens and come back straight here when I'm done."
"Karane has some good points," Arus argued.
Balea pondered her thoughts, placing her hand under her chin. Young Karane gave a hopeful look in her eyes as her mother thought. Several moments later, Balea gave in.
"Alright, you can go to the gardens, but ONLY the gardens. And be back by supper. No dessert for a week if you're late or go anywhere else. Do you understand, Karane?"
"Yes, Mom! I promise"
Balea smiled at her daughter. "Good. Now let's finish eating."
Karane remained outside the kitchen window, watching the family eating breakfast, her mother wiping the crumbs off her face, and her father ruffling her hair. Seeing her younger self with her parents, alive and well, gave her a small smile, quickly replaced with a frown. It was heart-wrenching for her to see, knowing that Karane could no longer have these moments with her parents. Her gaze continued on the family until they finished their breakfast. Young Karane exited the house, waving her parents goodbye as they watched her go down the road.
"Look at her go. Our little girl facing the world again," Argus stated while having his arm lovingly wrapped around Balea. "What she said in the kitchen made me realize how fast she's growing up."
"She gets bigger and bigger every day." Balea leaned close, her hand over her Arus' chest.
"Hard to believe that this time next year, she'll have her Loftwing, and she can finally fly alongside us."
"And before we know it, we'll walk her down the aisle at her wedding…."
"Woah, let's not get too far ahead, honey." Balea giggled at Argus.
Karane gave a sad frown as her eyes glued onto her parents. Even though she knew she wasn't there, she wanted to hug them and never let them go.
"Aww…They look like a happy little family. Don't they," Dark Karane jeered a little too cheerfully, casually leaning against the house. "If only they knew what was in store for them in the next several hours…You do know what day this is, don't you?"
Karane didn't even bother to reply to her counterpart, much to Dark Karane's displeasure.
"Why not jump ahead a few hours?
Dark Karane snapped her fingers, warping her and Karane to another location. There was a large field of flowers of all beautiful shapes and colors. In the middle of it, all Young Karane was chasing the many butterflies that had recently come out of their chrysalis flying in the air. Her face beamed the happiest smile her face could plaster. She quickly stopped in her tracks once she saw even more butterflies. Both of her eyes filled with so much wonder & innocence as she watched the insects. Laughter filled pure joy emitted from her as several butterflies flew around her. She laid herself on the grass below, facing the cloudy sky above. The butterflies fly away to the sky, leaving her behind.
"When I get my Loftwing, I'll fly alongside the butterflies and Mom & Dad," Young Karane told herself. "It's gonna be great…." A yawn escaped from her mouth. Then her eyes slowly closed, feeling herself pulling into slumber.
The skies were covered with dark clouds, the wind pushing against the flowers, and no butterflies were in sight. It was clear that some time had passed. That peacefulness was brought to an end when a sudden loud thunderclap caused Young Karane to bolt upwards.
"Karane?! Are you here?" A familiar voice calls to her.
Young Karane followed the source of the voice. Both her parents were wandering in the gardens.
"Mom? Dad?"
"Oh, thank Hylia!" Balea ran over to Young Karane, lifting her in her arms.
Young Karane looked at her parents confusedly. "What's going on? Did I miss supper?"
"No, no. You're fine, Karane. We came here to get you because there's a storm heading this way," Balea told her.
"A storm? But it was nice just a short while ago."
"It formed rather quickly. Practically came out of nowhere. Everyone is scrambling to get to shelter," Arus explained to her.
"Is it bad?"
"I'm sure it's just a simple storm. Let's focus on getting home."
The family exited the gardens with Arus leading the way and Balea holding Young Karane in her arms.
"I'm sorry I didn't come when the storm formed. I fell asleep in the garden," Young Karane apologized.
"It's okay, honey. We're all together now," Balea gently assured her.
"Am I still not allowed dessert for a week?"
Balea lightheartedly chuckles and boops her daughter's nose. "Don't worry about that."
Winds suddenly picked up at high enough speeds, almost knocking the couple down. Rain poured heavily, small debris flew around the air, and the windmill spun like crazy.
"Damn…I didn't expect the storm to pick up this quickly," Arus observed as he shielded his eyes from the pelting rain & wind.
"Can we make it back to the house like this?" Balea wondered.
"The speed the winds are going, I don't want to risk any of us getting blown away." Arus scanned the area for any shelter for the family to hide in until the storm calmed down. His sights went to a small barn. "The barn!"
The couple held each other's hands and dashed to the barn. Balea used her other arm to keep Young Karane from falling. The little girl clutched onto her mother tightly. Arus kicked the barn door open, letting his wife and daughter in first. The barn held garden equipment, food for the island's Loftwings, and non-dangerous items. Balea carried Young Karane to the end of the barn while Arus focused on closing the door.
Young Karane let out small sobs as she shook with fear. Balea did her best to keep her calm.
"Shh…It's going to be okay, Karane." The woman rubs the girl's hair in an attempt to soothe her.
"Mom…I'm scared." Young Karane shuddered as small tears ran down her eyes.
Balea wiped the tears off. "I know, honey. I know. It'll be over soon. We'll just stay here until the storm calms down. And when we get home, I'll make anything you want for dessert."
"Like blueberry pie?"
"Yeah. Yeah. That sounds good. I'll make you as many as I'm able to. And I-"
A large gust of wind entered the inside of the barn. It let out an unsettling roar. Arus was struggling to get the door closed.
"BALEA, I NEED YOUR HELP WITH THIS DOOR!" Arus cried out desperately.
Balea set Young Karane down to the floor and knelt to the same eye level as her, her hands in a firm, gentle grasp on the girl's shoulders.
"Karane, listen. I need to help your father. Stay right here, okay?" Young Karane nodded her head. Balea leaned in to kiss her forehead. "We love you, Karane. Don't forget that."
Balea ran to her husband's side to aid him in shutting the door. Young Karane stood still in her spot, shaking with fear. As she watched her parents struggle to close the door, a window near her suddenly shattered, with glass flying everywhere. It was so sudden that it made her yelp, and she staggered to the middle of the barn to avoid getting hit by the flying glass, and the roar of the wind echoed through the inside. Balea & Arus got the door finally secured shut. Collective breaths of relief came out of their mouths.
Then it happened.
The roof of the barn started shaking. One by one, the beams supporting the ceiling began to crack. It breaks, causing the roof to collapse, the debris heading straight for an unaware Young Karane.
"KARANE!"
That was the last thing Young Karane heard as her parents embraced her as the barn roof collapsed on the family, turning her world black.
What happened next was a blur. Karane recalls being awake briefly as she heard muffled voices and panicked shrieks of Loftwings. Her dark vision becomes muddled with light as the voices become clearer to make out.
"Hey! HEY! There's a kid underneath here!"
"Is she alive?"
"She's breathing, so it looks like it!"
"Get her out of there! Carefully!"
"There's a couple with her. Oh…Oh, dear Hylia."
Young Karane did not hear the rest of the conversation before she blacked out again. The next time she woke up, sunlight greeted her vision. She is lying on some sort of makeshift cot. A woman she didn't recognize leaned over her.
"Thank the goddess, you're awake. Are you alright, dear?" She spoke to her.
"Who…who are you?" Karane quavered.
"It's okay. I'm a doctor. Can you tell me if anything hurts? Your head, limbs, stomach, anywhere?"
"I don't think so."
If that's the case, you only suffered from some scrapes & bruises, then. That's a good sign."
"What happened?"
"You were pulled out from the barn. After the storm cleared up, two Loftwings flew around, all panicked. We deduced someone was trapped there, and it seems we were right."
"My mom & dad, where are they?"
"You're parents?" The woman raised a brow.
"They were in the barn with me. Where are they?"
The doctor's expression unexpectedly grew grim. "...I don't think that's something you need to know right now. Is there anyone I can take you to?"
"There's our neighbor Elinor, but why can't I see my parents? I want to see them!"
"I think you should relax until we-"
Young Karane did bother to listen as she ran away from the doctor toward the barn. When she arrived at the scene, it wasn't anything she expected. Where the barn once stood was now nothing but a pile of wood. Several people were carrying the debris. Two Loftwings hovered near two large white objects. She could make out who the birds were when she got close enough. They were her dad & mom's respective Loftwings, Rusl & Uli. Then she looked down at the objects.
White blankets were covering two objects that would've been around the same height as her parents. Bits of red hair peaked at the top of one figure. The other had her mother's blue hat on the middle of the blanket. When she knew who was under those blankets, a small gust of wind pushed against her. The blue ribbons on her hair, which had gotten loose, flew off her pigtails, carrying on in the wind.
"Mom…? Dad…?"
People who were helping with the cleanup slowly took notice of the girl. Young Karane dropped to her knees as tears welled in her eyes, letting out cries as loud as anyone could hear. The doctor that had been tending to Young Karane walked to her side.
"I'm so sorry, dear…." The doctor gave a comforting pat on Young Karane's shoulder.
Young Karane was too busy sobbing to respond as her cries echoed through the area. The Loftwings trotted over to her, rubbing their beaks affectionately against her head to comfort the child. The people around just watched, only able to offer looks of sympathy once they realized what was happening.
Karane remained silent as the entire memory played out before her. She hasn't thought about this dark day for nine years. Her body remained still even as the scene changed back to the chamber at Lanayru Mining Facility.
"Such a tragic event to happen to such two wonderfully people…" Dark Karane cooed with feigned sympathy, placing her hands on Karane's shoulders as she rested her head there. "Their lives tragically cut short." Dark Karane leaned close to Karane's ear, whispering. "...And it's all because of you."
"What?"
"Isn't it obvious? They were out there because of you. They got caught in the storm because of you. And your parents died…because of you."
Karane gave a hard slap to her dark counterpart's cheek. Dark Karane rubbed her cheek, but the pain of it didn't seem to bother her. An evil smirk grew on her face.
"Why so defensive? Can't handle the truth?" Dark Karane taunted. "It all makes all sense now. Why you want to be a Skyknight. You tell yourself it's because you want to help others. Oh no, no. You do it as atonement. To make up for your grave mistake. Deep down, you know the truth.
"You don't know what you're talking about!" Karane snapped.
"Oh, I do, sweetheart. That truth: You basically killed your parents…!"
"No...That's not..."
"Wow, you still lie to yourself even with the evidence before you. Perhaps you need some persuasion from some familiar faces…."
Dark Karane snapped her fingers.
The sand below their feet shifted behind Karane. Two new figures stood side by side with their heads down. Their eyes were covered by darkness, but the rest of their bodies were uncovered with characteristics that Karane recognized, to the red beard and the blue hat.
"Mom, Dad…?!" Karane muttered.
"It's your fault..." A dark voice that resembled Balea spoke.
"You did this to us…" Another voice similar to Arus spoke in a similar tone.
"W-What…"
"You…You caused our deaths!"
"I…" Karane stammered.
"That's right! YOU KILLED US!" Other Balea pointed an accusing finger at Karane. " I wish you had never been born! That way, we would still be alive, you wretched demon!"
"We did everything for you, and this is how you repay us?!" Other Arus snarled.
Karane was stunned to move as the figures spoke their harsh words. She knew these weren't her parents, yet they sounded all too real.
"I'm…I'm sorry…-" Karane choked out, doing her best not to break down.
"You're sorry?! Sorry doesn't change the fact that we died because of you!" Other Arus barked back.
"It's your fault! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Other Balea's angry voice echoed through the chamber.
Karane covered her mouth with her hand and wrapped her other arm around her stomach as she appeared to not throw up. An unpleasant feeling grew inside her, trying to hold up the wall of tears threatening to break through.
"This time…YOU'LL BE THE ONE TO DIE!"
A vortex of sand surrounded the figures. When the sand died down, it revealed the forms of Moldarach with its tail perched high above and Koloktos armed with its swords, towering over Karane. They marched over to her, and all the while, her parents' voices emitted from them.
"Murderer!"
"You killed us!"
"Demon!"
"It's all your fault!"
Karane strolled back to distance herself from the monsters in front of her. Her tracks stopped as she suddenly started sinking into the sand below. No matter how hard she tried to escape, she fell even quicker. Her head was the only part of her body above the sand when Dark Karane stood over her, with Moldarach & Koloktos behind.
"Well…it seems like the truth is out," Dark Karane declared with that creepy smile. "I think this would make an excellent tomb for you. Buried underneath the sands, just like you buried your guilt. A fitting fate."
Dark Karane pointed her index & middle upwards. Moving them down, Karane went fully submerged under the sand.
The female Senior Knight found herself in an endless dark room. There was no hope for escape. Bent over on her knees, her weeping echoed through the infinite void. A feeling of hopelessness stung her chest. The last time she felt this way was the day her parents died.
"It's my fault…Mom...Dad...you both died because-Because of me," Karane's words trembled between her sobs.
"Do you believe that?"
Karane looked up at the voice with her tear-filled eyes. The cloaked woman with blue lips stood in front of her.
"You…"
"You believe you were the reason that your parents died. Why do you think such a thing?" Blue Lips gently inquired.
"Because…Because I napped in the gardens long enough for that storm to hit. They were out there looking for me when the storm got worse. We would've been safe in our house if I hadn't gone to see the butterflies. They would still be alive."
Blue lips went deep into her thoughts. Her expression was unreadable.
"If that's the path you're willing to fly on, then perhaps your parents were also responsible."
"What do you mean?" Karane looked at the woman bewildered.
"They could've just said no to your request. You would've kept your word on that. If anything, they're responsible for what happened to them."
"How dare you say that!" Karane barked at her.
"You seem insistent on finding a scapegoat. My observations say that they caused their own deaths."
"You're wrong!"
"And why do you say that, Karane Bellamy? Tell me your reason."
"They can't be responsible for their deaths because they didn't…know." A look of realization was painted on Karane's face. It struck her like a Loftwing crashing into a building. "...They couldn't have known a terrible storm would be coming, especially that quickly. They had no clue…just like me."
Blue Lips moved directly before Karane, lowering herself to the girl's level. Karane's gaze was glued to the ground. Blue Lips gently placed her fingers under Karane's chin, making eye contact. She even wiped the tear from the girl's cheek. Much similar to how Balea did to Young Karane right before she died.
"It's a difficult feeling you're going through. You keep thinking, 'If only I could've done something differently. If only I could've stopped it somehow.' It's easy to believe it when you look back. But the truth is, there was nothing you could've done at that moment. A mortal's life will have many paths to go on. You can go on one, but sometimes the world will put you on the path you do not plan to go on." Blue Lips turn her head to the side. "Isn't that what Owlan once told you?"
Karane moved her gaze in the same direction as Blue Lips. She jumped to her feet to move closer once she saw what was before her.
The scene showed her room back at the Knight Academy. Nine-Year-old Karane sat on her bed, unpacked bags resting around the base. Her room had yet to be decorated with lace and knitted stuffed animals plastered around the room. Young Karane rested her arms on her knees close to her chest. The sound of a door echoed throughout the room, with Owlan entering inside.
"Hey, Karane, how are you doing?" He spoke to her with a gentle smile.
"Fine…" Young Karane responded as she wiped the stray tear from her eye.
"Sorry, I haven't been around. I get so caught up in my work that I lose track sometimes." Owlan sat at the edge of the bed.
"It's okay." Karane shifted herself so that she could be right next to him.
"How have you been settling in? Do you like it here?"
"It's alright so far. The staff here are nice. Most of the students here seem nice. Except for that Cawlin kid."
"Is he giving you trouble? You know you can come to me if someone gives you problems."
"No, he's just annoying. The Headmaster's daughter, Zelda, thankfully scares him off.
"Have the two of you been getting along?"
"I like Zelda. She likes talking to me. She even introduced me to some of her friends. They're nice too. Zelda even helped me sew a button onto Cheshire."
Young Karane held out a stuffed cat toy to show Owlan. The face showed a new shiny blue button representing its eye.
"I'm glad to hear you're settling in well. You know I have some free time tomorrow. Thunderloft Island is having Loftwing races. We can go if you like."
"That sounds great…" Karane commented tiredly, not once turning her gaze to Owlan.
"I know this hasn't been an easy time for you. New place. New faces." Owlan places a hand on Young Karane's shoulder to comfort her. "Believe me when I say I felt the same thing when I moved away from Windloft to live here years ago."
"I just don't understand why all this happened. We had so many things we had planned. Why did my parents have to die?" Karane exclaimed.
Owlan didn't respond. The white-haired instructor turns his head away, contemplating what to say next.
"They say the Goddesses have plans for every individual in this world. But even the best-laid plans sometimes go differently, no matter how well they have been crafted. They design our world to have a mind of its own. Sometimes the world will unexpectedly put you on a path you didn't intend to go on, and there's nothing you can do about it. Things happen. Some of it is good, and some of it may be bad. That's the way the world works. The future is not set in stone. It's unpredictable, and the outcome is unknown. It may sound scary, but it doesn't have to be bad. You have that choice on how to proceed on that path you find yourself on. Your pathway may be dark now, but it will light up again. And know that you don't have to walk on it alone. That I can promise you, Karane. "
Young Karane lifts her head to meet Owlan's gaze. She envelops him in a hug as tears stream down her eyes. With a gentle smile on his face, Owlan hugged her back.
Karane glued her eyes onto the image of Owlan hugging her younger self until it faded. Blue Lips walked close behind her.
"Tell me, Karane. At any point since he took you in, did Owlan insinuate that what happened to your parents was your fault?"
"No…" Karane responded.
"Now let me ask you this. If it were you who died and your parents had lived on that day, would you want them blaming themselves for the rest of their life?"
"No…I would've wanted them to go on and be happy."o
"And wouldn't your parents want the same for you?"
"We love you, Karane. Don't forget that." Balea's final words to Karane echoed through the air.
"Tell me. Does that sound like someone who blames you?"
"No…but I-"
"It's your fault! IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!" Other Balea's venomous voice rang off Karane's ears.
"What spits at you is an illusion. A vicious curse you put upon yourself," Blue Lips told her. "You chose to listen to the lie rather than seek the truth yourself."
"I did. Because…I wanted someone to blame. I wanted to believe that Mom & Dad's deaths could've been prevented somehow."
"Now, this is your moment to make the right choice this time. What will you listen to too? A well-crafted lie? Or the heartfelt truth?"
It didn't take long for Karane to make that decision. A small hole emitting golden light opened right above her. An approving smile grew on the woman's blue lips.
Back in the chamber, Dark Karane stood waiting for Karane to come out. When it seemed there was no sign of Karane, she turned to walk away, chuckling darkly to herself as Koloktos and Moldarach turned away as well.
The sand that Karane sunk below had started shifting violently. Dark Karane looked bewildered as Koloktos and Moldarach stood ready to fight who intended to invade their chamber. Particles of sand blew into the air at high speed. Karane emerged from below and flew high above the room. Her feet made contact with Koloktos's head, causing it to stumble back. One of its swords fell on the ground. Karane immediately dashed over to grab it, much lighter than in the real world. With the sword in her hand, she sliced Koloktos legs off and struck square in its chest. Koloktos's body disappeared in a dark mist. Moldarach approached from behind and attempted to grab her with its giant pincer.
"Not this time…" Karane declared to herself.
She used the sword to slice Moldarach's pincer clean off before striking it right into its eye. Its body and the severed pincer disappeared in a puff of dark mist. With those two taken care of and sword in hand, Karane set her sights on her dark counterpart.
"You…H-how did you…?" Dark Karane stumbled with her words.
"Shut up!" Karane snarled, pointing the sword at her. "I won't let my life be haunted by lies! I realize now that I can't always know everything. But my parents would not blame me for what happened to them, even if it was my fault. My parents knew the risk, but they saved me anyway. They gave up their lives for me so that I could live on. I won't let their sacrifice be in vain by wallowing in misery! The truth is that I couldn't save them, but I can save others, like my friend Zelda who's out there waiting for me. And I won't let a creepy bitch like you bring me down!"
Karane ran over to Dark Karane. Emitting a battle cry, she sliced Koloktos sword through Dark Karane. A dark diagonal gash was painted on Dark Karane's chest. The darkness spread through her body before it finally vanished from the room.
The room shook with the sand level sinking in the similar manner it did after Moldarach was defeated in the real world. A door was revealed once Karane made it to solid ground. The emblem of Nayru resided on it. The symbol glowed a bright blue once Karane approached it. The door vanished, which led her to the room with the mine cart and the statues, just as it did in the real world. Except for the statues of the robots were replaced with her parents smiling down. Karane smiles back at them when she passes her as the minecart takes her to the other side.
The Temple of Time stood at the end of her path. Though it was the same as the one in the real world, there were notable differences. The stone walls and pathways were clean white, with no cracks or chunks taken off. The sand & rocks were replaced with luscious plant life. The endless pit that resided under the stone bridge is filled with crystal clear water. At the base of the giant statue of the symbol of Hylia stood Blue Lips, who kept her eyes on Karane as she walked up to her.
"Karane Bellamy. You have succeeded in passing your trial."
The woman gently removed her cloak, letting it drop on the ground, revealing a blue dress with a skirt that went to her ankles, long hanging sleeves, and blue flats for shoes. Silver jewelry accompanied her, including a circlet with a blue jewel in the center of her forehead as her waist-length blue hair flowed freely behind her. Her blue lips curve in a gentle smile.
"I, Nayru, Goddess of Wisdom, congratulate you."
"Wow...it's a pleasure to meet you," Karane smiled nervously at the goddess. "I'm not sure what to say."
"Then allow me to speak. You have passed the trial I had laid out for you: overcoming the greatest lie and seeing the truth of yourself. In doing so, you have proven that you have the wisdom to help Link and Zelda in Hylia's great mission. With your brilliance, you can help them overcome the challenges that'll come their way."
"Thank you…um, your grace," Karane bowed her head.
"Please, no need for titles. You and I are the same. As a reward for completing the trial, I will bless you with a portion of my power, much like Farore did for your friend Pipit. It will be helpful for the journey ahead from this point. Please accept my humble gift…Nayru's Grace."
Nayru places a hand over her chest, closing her eyes in deep thought. They opened again seconds later with her other arm extending out. A blue aura pours from her arm, forming a blue orb in her hand, moving it into Karane's chest. Karane feels the power settling in her. The water surrounding the stone bridge let out ripples.
"My power is a part of you now. Nayru's Grace will allow you to create powerful barriers to protect against attacks. It can even be used to repel them back. Of course, there's another part of my power, but you'll have to awaken that on your own. I have faith that you can achieve that."
"I will use it wisely. That I can promise."
"I know you will, Karane." Nayru paused. "...There's one more thing I must share before you go."
"What is it?" Karane looked at Nayru interestingly.
"I could tell you...But it would be better if I showed you. Look into the water."
Karane did as the goddess instructed her to do. A reflection of her appeared as she peers over the edge of the stone platform. The water ripple replaced her reflection with an image of her parents.
"You're heading there to see her now?" Arus spoke.
"Yes," Nayru's voice responded. "She and the others will arrive in Lanayru soon. I must be there when Link enters the Silent Realm to test her. Would you like for me to pass a message to her?"
"Hylia…I can't even think what to say," Balea breathed out. "It's been so long..."
"Just say what comes to mind."
"…I know she feels terrible regarding what happened to us," Arus shared solemnly. "I know deep down she blames herself for it."
"But this is how things had to happen. No one needs to carry any blame." Balea gave a pleading look. "Please make sure that she understands that."
Arus grasps his wife's shoulders. "Tell her to shed any worries. No matter what, we still love her. And please have Karane tell Owlan…Thank you for looking out for her."
"And let her know…" Balea stopped breifly. "We couldn't be more proud of her."
Both Balea & Arus smiled, almost as if they were smiling back at Karane. Their image disappeared when a small drop dripped onto the water, leaving Karane's tear-stained face staring back at her. Nayru's reflection also appeared with a tender smile on her lips. Karane turns to face the goddess. Without any warning, she enveloped her in a hug. Nayru was surprised by the gesture but willingly accepted it by softly hugging her back. The goddess allowed Karane to remain where she was for several minutes before pulling back.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know what overcame me," Karane apologized as she wiped her face.
"It's alright," Nayru assured with a smile. "You know…you remind me of Hylia in some ways."
"I do?"
"She used to give me hugs like that back in her early days when she was created. We were always by each other's side."
"You two were close?"
"Very," Nayru's smile then turned into a frown. "I miss her a lot, you know."
"Miss her?" Karane stated confusedly. "Isn't she with you and the other Golden Goddesses?"
Karane's body started glowing at that moment, indicating that her time in this realm was just about up.
"I'm afraid that is a different story for you and your friends to find out for another time. You must go."
"…Thank you… For everything."
Nayru smiled again at her. "Take care, Karane. May life treat you well."
The blue goddess watches Karane being engulfed in a golden glow, breaking into particles flying above.
Link awoke from the trial gate shortly after passing Nayru's Silent Realm. Aside from accidentally running into one of the Guardian watchers, he had passed with flying colors. As a reward, he was given the Clawshot. After Fi congratulated him, Link glanced over to see his friends huddled around an unconscious Karane lying in Pipit's lap, his arms wrapped protectively around her.
"Link!" Fledge called out, prompting Pipit to look up.
"How'd it go?" Pipit asks Link.
"Passed." Link glances down at Karane. "I'm guessing she got selected."
"Yeah…" Pipit looks back at her with apprehension, moving a strand of hair that dangled in front of her face. "Even though I knew what was happening, seeing her in pain was still upsetting."
"Should we take her to some cover?" Fledge suggested.
"I don't think we should risk moving her away from the trial gate. Not until she wakes up," Link suggested.
High above in the air, unknown to the group, one of the large black birds inhabiting the Lanayru Desert caught sight of them. It let out an angry squawk as the muscle of its lower beak bulged a large round shape. It then shrank, revealing a boulder the bird threw at the group once it got close enough. The group noticed the boulder heading straight toward them when it was several feet away. Were it not for the sudden appearance of a blue, crystallized barrier covering the group, it would've landed on them. It also repealed the boulder back to the bird knocking it down. The boys stared in bewilderment at the barrier that came out of nowhere. The sound of someone panting filled the air.
All three boys turn their heads to see Karane, an arm outreached, her blue eyes in an even brighter shade. That was not the only noticeable change to her. A gentle glow grew over the image of the bluebird that rested over the right hip area of her uniform. When it died down after several seconds, the picture was now replaced by the blue emblem of Nayru. Karane lifted her arm down, and the shield covering them disappeared, smiling at her friends.
"How're you doing, guys?" She greeted them.
"We're okay," Fledge answered.
"Did you pass your trial, Link?"
"I did." Link confirmed it by showing the Clawshot to Karane.
"That looks pretty cool."
"How are you doing? How did it go?" Pipit asked her.
"I think I'm doing…great. It was a bit draining mentally, but I did it." Karane gazes at her hand. "Nayru blessed me with her essence. I can make barriers now and use them to repel attacks." Karane rubs her head. "I can also feel the presence of the flame. Nayru's flame."
"Why not rest before we start looking for it?" Link suggested. "Sounds like what you went through was exhausting."
"Resting sounds nice right now."
"I think I saw a cave around here. We can rest there, away from the sun," Fledge told.
"Good idea, Fledge," Link agreed.
Karane felt herself being lifted as the guys stood to their feet. It took her a moment to realize that she was still in Pipit's arms like a bride on her wedding day.
"...Pipit?"
"Oh! Sorry!" I figure you were so tired that you wanted to get off your feet for a bit," Pipit explained, a hint of blush growing on his face. "But If you want to walk, I'll put you down-"
"No, no! I…I don't mind at all." Blush also painted Karane's face as she smiled at him. Her arms wrap around Pipit's neck to secure herself.
"You sure?" Karane nods her head in response.
"You know…Since I saved you from getting crushed by that boulder, I guess you and I are even now?" Karane brought up as Pipit carried her while trailing behind Link and Fledge.
"Actually, if I can recall, there's still one more you own me," Pipit mentioned.
Karane let out a chuckle. Resting her head in between Pipit's shoulder and neck.
Elsewhere…
The orb emulating the darkroom showed Karane, still being carried by Pipit. Watching her stood a man & woman holding each other close. From behind, Nayru approaches them, gaining the attention of the woman.
"Balea. Arus," Nayru greeted them gently.
"Your grace," Arus blurted.
"Arus, I've told you. No need for titles."
"Karane…Did she pass?"
"She did, Balea," Nayru answered with a proud smile. Balea let out a breath of relief, Arus grasping her shoulders.
"I told you she could do it, honey," Arus beamed happily.
"And you were right. You were right…" Balea brought her gaze back to the orb. A stray tear strolled down her cheek. "Oh, Arus…Look at her. Our sweet little girl."
Arus wiped the tear off his wife. "She's not so little anymore. She's grown so much."
"She and the others have a chance to protect the world from the great evil that threatens it. Karane has grown to be a capable woman. I know for certain she can handle whatever comes her way," Nayru asserted.
"I know. I just…" Balea lowers her head, another tear strolling down. "I wish we were there with her…."
Arus held onto his wife. A tear strolled down his cheek. "Me too, honey. Me too…"
The couple brought their gaze back to the orb with bittersweet expressions. Both of which held each other closely.
Me every so often:...How angsty can I make this?
Once again I stuck to the bird theme for Karane's parents. This time for members of the crane bird family.
Balea (Karane's mom)= Balearica, which is the scientific name for Black/Grey Crowned Cranes.
Arus (Karane's dad) = Sarus Crane. A bird that inhabits several regions in Asia and Australia.
Nayru's Grace is, once again, based on Zelda's skill in Smash Bros which is "Nayru's Love"
Favs, Follows, and Reviews are appreciated!
Next stop we search for Nayru's flame.