Chapter 13: The Dragon of the Lake
"...And that was pretty much what happened."
Pipit finished describing the details of his trial. He and his friends were resting with the Kikwis. His friends listened to the details, along with several Kikwis who were also interested in the story.
"And I thought my trial was intense," Link softly uttered.
"You sure. Being chased down by giant statues sounds pretty terrifying."
"Trust me, it is," Link shudders to the memory of the Silent Realm Guardians first awakening and hunting him. "But facing a dark counterpart of yourself…I couldn't even imagine."
Pipit let out a breath. "It was freaky. Seeing that version of me like that. Saying those horrible things. Yet…it helped me in a way. After Dad died…I gave myself so much pressure to be brave for everyone's sake. I unknowingly feared that you guys would be disappointed in me if you realized it was all a façade. I'm eighteen, and all the younger students, including you, look up to me. All of you thinking of me being disappointed would've been devastating."
"Pipit…" Karane muttered, shocked to hear that.
"But I know all of you would never do that. Farore helped me see to that. She even told me my father was proud of who I became and loves me." Pipit wiped a tear that flowed out of his eyes. "Hearing all that was such a huge relief. Like I don't have to pressure myself anymore. I wish I was brave enough to see that long ago, but that's all in the past. I won't let my father's death hold me down. It is what he would've wanted. I promise to be more open about my feelings to you guys rather than trying to hide them behind a mask."
"And we'll be right here whenever you need to open up. We won't think any differently." Link patted his shoulder. Karane and Fledge smiled at him.
"Thanks, guys. You have no idea how much that means to me."
"There's something else that's bugging me." Everyone turned to Fledge. "You mentioned that the other goddesses will test Karane and me to see if we can help Link, just like Farore tested you."
Pipit nods. "Farore told me that when Link goes to his next trial, one of her sisters will test whichever of you two represents their virtue. Farore chose me because I represented Courage."
"Which only leaves Nayru, the Goddess of Wisdom. And Din, the Goddess of Power," Karane concluded. "Question is: which one do Fledge and I represent?"
"She didn't say so I have no idea. We'll cross that bridge when it comes. First: We find that flame. Link, you said you got one of those sacred gifts when you finished your trial?"
Link reached into his pouch to grab something. Laying in his palm for his friends to see were four necklaces, each with a large blue scale. At that moment, Fi joined in.
"Those are the Water Dragon Scales. It is one of the goddesses' sacred gifts. With them, it grants you the power to breathe underwater and even execute a spin maneuver. Now that you acquired this gift, we can continue searching for the sacred flame. It is somewhere within these woods…I conclude that this flame is likely in a part of this area you have not explored. There's enough for each of you to take."
"Pardon me, but I couldn't help but hear that you have the Water Dragon's Scale, kewww." Bucha, the Elder Kikwi, trotted to the group as Link passed out the scales to his friends. Link extended his arm out to show his scale. "That's amazing! I heard that if you have one, kewww, you can swim through the water as a dragon soars through the sky!"
"They're suppose to help up look for a flame."
"Flame? Are you perhaps referring to Farore's Flame?"
"You know about that?" Link questioned, surprised that Elder Kikwi knew about it.
"There was once a Kikwi that often spoke of it before he left on his own journey. Yerbal, I believe his name was. He often told how the flame was given to the Water Dragon, a great spirit that presides over these woods.
"Like a…actual dragon?" Karane expressed curiosity.
"Of course, an actual dragon. How else could you have these scales?"
"Woah…I would normally say that they're nothing but myths…Then again, I've seen a lot of myths coming to life the past several days."
"If I recall, the goddess left it in the care of the Water Dragon so that she could pass it to the 'one from the sky.' If anyone knows the location of this flame, it is most likely her. They say her lair is deep in Lake Floria south of here."
"Well, that explains that," Pipit stated as he rubbed his head.
"Explain what?" Link glanced at Pipit.
"Since I came back, I've felt a strong sense of energy coming from the south. It's like some sort of signal."
"Could that be the flame?" Fledge wondered.
"There is a 70% possibility that the energy is the sacred flame, Master Pipit. Like my dowsing ability, the power of Farore's Gale may allow you to feel the presence of any properties related to Farore's power," Fi hypothesized.
"Wow…" Pipit breathed out as he gazed at his hands in astonishment.
"That confirms it, then. We'll head over there and start looking," Karane declared.
"The lake is blocked by a gate. You need to open it with a goddess's power or something like that. I'm sure you can figure it out, keww." Bucha informed the group. "There is something I will warn you about. They say the Water Dragon is very persnickety about manners. I've heard stories of those who caught her in a fussy mood and ended up as mid-morning snacks. I suggest you all be on your best behavior and be gracious guests."
"Uh, thanks. Good to know," Fledge responded, clearly unsettled with that tidbit of information.
The group bid farewell to the Kikwis before making their way to the lake. Soon they all found themselves standing in front of the stone gate which leads to Lake Floria. The door has the familiar crescent symbol of Farore, though the circle is missing. After much deliberation, they concluded that the one way to open the door was to complete the symbol by drawing the circle. Link used the Goddess Sword to draw it, thus completing the symbol. The stone doors slowly open, showing the path to the lake. Lake Floria is the largest lake they've ever seen, even bigger than the one back at Skyloft. Surrounding the lake were several large waterfalls towering over it. The mist from the falls hits the skin of the group. Pipit suddenly clutched his head as they reached the end. For a brief moment, he saw the image of green fire and some massive divine beast towering over it.
"You okay?" Link looks at his friend concernedly.
"It's here," Pipit told him. "I can feel it. Along with…something else."
"Like the Water Dragon?" Karane guessed.
"I think so."
"Only one way to find out." Link stepped close to the edge.
"Wait! We should think about this!" Fledge stressed. "We're talking about a dragon here! A large beast that could make each of us her breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert! I don't want to be any of those!"
"If we can handle The Imprisoned, we can handle a moody dragon. Now come on!" Link immediately dives straight to the lake below him. The rest of the group watched for several seconds before Link finally landed in the water.
"That looks like a long way down..." Fledge commented unsurely.
"Can't be any different from jumping off the docks at Skyloft. Let's not keep Link waiting."
Pipit leaped off the path's edge, diving into the lake below. The cool water surrounded him several seconds later. The yellow-clad senior knight opened his eyes and found himself entirely under the water. Instincts to hold his breath overcame him as he dashed to the surface until he felt a light tug.
"Take it easy." Pipit turned to see Link floating in the water, smiling at him.
"Link? Did you just speak? Wait! I just spoke underwater?! And I can breathe as well?!"
"Looks like these scales do work. We can breathe and speak underwater."
A loud splash caught the pair's attention. They both saw Karane floating under the surface before straightening herself.
"Wow! I can breathe!"
"Where's Fledge?" Link asks.
"I thought he was right behind me."
A faint scream caught their ears. It grew louder and louder until Fledge broke through the water's surface. The trio swam over to their friend. Fledge's eyes were wide as his body was limp for several seconds before finally moving.
"Are you doing alright?" Link followed.
"That was… kinda fun," Fledge answered with a hint of excitement. "Did I just talk underwater?!"
"He's fine," Karane confirmed. "Next phase: Find that dragon."
"Lead the way, Pipit," Link instructed.
"Me?"
"You said you can feel the flame. That makes you a…sacred flame tracker."
Pipit gave Link an unamused look. "A sacred flame tracker? Seriously?"
"I mean he's not wrong," Fledge spoke in Link's defense.
"If anything, you have a better chance of finding it than any of us on our own," Karane couldn't help but agree.
"I guess that's a good point. Alright, just give me a minute. I need to narrow it down."
Pipit spends the next few minutes trying to find where the source of the flames' aura was coming off the strongest. The rest of the group watches Pipit looking in one direction for several seconds before moving. Pipit then suddenly found himself staring in one direction for longer than a few seconds. Those few seconds became over a minute.
"It's over there."
"You sure?" Link clarified.
"Positive."
"Lead the way."
Pipit swam ahead, with the rest of the group not far behind. They took that time to take in the sights of the lake. It was filled with so many fish, along with beautiful strange-looking rocks. The perfect place for a water dragon to hide out. Their swim took them to a deep part of the lake. At first glance, there seems to be nothing around. Until they all felt themselves being tugged by an invisible force. They were caught in an underwater whirlpool inside a small tunnel. The water moved them at a fast speed, which caused their bodies to thrash around. The quartet was soon thrown over a small waterfall, landing them in another pool of water. Once they were sure they were in calm waters, they all surfaced above. They were now in some sort of underground water cavern.
"Is everyone okay?" Link called out to his friends.
"I think a bit of my breakfast got into my mouth." Fledge slightly gagged.
"Give me a few minutes for the room to stop spinning." Karane groaned.
"On the bright side…the flame's aura is much stronger now," Pipit groggily.
"ACK! More humans!"
A high-pitched voice caught the group's attention. A strange-looking aquatic creature lingers several feet away from them. It was red with weird-looking horns. Its body shape reminds them of an umbrella.
"Okay. Okay…I just have to avoid eye contact and back away slowly…"
The creature floated away from them before submerging back under the water. Of course, the group proceeded to follow it.
"Can you get a read on that creature, Fi?" Link asked the sword spirit.
"That is a Parella. They are an aquatic race that inhabits the shimmering waters of Lake Floria and the river that flows from it. This particular Parella is named Jellyf. More intelligent than other Parella, they follow her lead. Scans also show that she has the same aura matching that of the scales. There is a 90% possibility that she has been in contact with the Water Dragon."
"Jellyf? Nice name…"
The group followed Jellyf through the underwater cave. Jellyf stopped in front of a tunnel boarded up by old weathered wood.
"Quit following me, you pests! If you don't move along, I'll be forced to tell Her Excellence the Water Dragon about your little incursion." Jellyf swam through a hole in the boards. "Ha-ha! Didn't see that coming. Did you? Yep, there's no way you're going to be able to follow me now! So, what now? Are you going to cry? If you all think you can make it through, just go ahead and try!"
"How are we going to get through?" Fledge wondered.
"Fi mentioned that these scales can let us make spin attacks," Link replied. "Maybe we can use it to break these boards."
"And how do we do that? Lock my arms to the side and twist around-!" As Fledge attempted to do a mock demonstration, his whole body spun around like a top. He successfully crashed into the boards, breaking them all apart.
"I guess we just do that…" Fledge said in his daze.
"GAH! How is that even possible? I've never seen a human pull off a spin like that!" Jellyf wondered before something caught her interest. "Wait…You four have Water Dragon Scales! Does that make you emissaries of the goddess, like the Water Dragon said?"
"I suppose we are," Link answered the Parella.
"Hmm, interesting. Hey, I've got an idea! Maybe you can help her Excellence!"
"What's wrong?"
"Yeah, about that…It happened recently. This weirdo came in here with a gang of monsters and went right after Her Excellence. My lady, the Water Dragon, is a fierce fighter, and, boy, did she gobble up most of those monsters in the first few seconds. The thing is, there were just so many of them! While she was distracted, the weirdo leading all those creatures managed to wound her."
"Is she okay?"
"She's healing up now, but she says we don't have enough special water for her to make a full recovery. So could you all please go talk with Her Excellence and see if you can help her out?"
"We will."
"Great! I'll take you to her. Follow me!"
The Parella lead the group through the underwater cavern. The humans took the opportunity to get used to the spin maneuvers that their scales provided. Their swim at one point brought them to a barred gate that they could not get through, much to Jellyf's annoyance. They made a graceful leap to the other side with the spin maneuver. Jellyf calls them perfect jumps, only to mention that such moves were only possible due to the scales. Their swim resumed after that with nothing significant happening. This continued until the group encountered a big purple-blue fish with a lump on its forehead marked with an X.
"YIKES! That's one of the fish that weirdo brought in here and used to attack Her Excellence. Watch out! They're as mean as they come!"
Without even hesitating, Pipit swam toward the fish. The giant fish turned red once it noticed him. Pipit executed a spin attack to strike against the X on the fish's forehead. Pipit used it again to finish it off once a for all while it was dazed. All his friends could do was give bewildered looks at the yellow-clad senior knight.
"What? It was pretty much obvious how to kill it!" Pipit waved his arms.
"Wow! The goddess sure knows how to pick them! You did great!" Jellyf praised. "Say...Is that a crest of Farore on your chest? Are you a devotee to the green goddess?"
"You could say that..."
"That's cool! You know, I have a good feeling about you. And by the way, you have very gorgeous green eyes!"
The group once again resumed following Jellyf. Soon they all arrived at a massive door.
"At last, we're here! Her Excellence, the Water Dragon, is just up ahead. Hang on just a second." Jellyf then sticks her head through a small hole in the door. She then turns herself, much like a standard key. Once she was done, the door slowly opened up. "Please, come in."
Everyone enters a large water-filled chamber. In the middle of the room lay a large stone platform. Many other Parellas of different colors, shapes, and sizes were swimming around, only to cease to gape at the sight of the humans.
"Humans? Here? In Her Excellence's chamber?"
"How is that possible?
"Have they come here to help Her Excellence?"
"My fellow Parellas, I have brought emissaries of the goddess with me! The ones that Her Excellence spoke of many years ago!" Jellyf addressed her kindred right before turning back to the humans. "Please help Her Excellence recover!"
"Help her! Help her!" The other Parellas chanted pleadingly.
"We'll do what we can to help," Link promised.
The quartet swam to the platform's top on the water's surface. In the middle of the platform resides a large bowl of sorts. Sitting in it is a reptilian-like creature with blue scales, and long antennas pointing out its head. On the center of their forehead is the symbol of Farore.
"Could she be...the Water Dragon?" Karane tilted her head in confusion.
"She's much smaller than I thought she was..." Pipit clearly wasn't impressed.
"Don't let her hear you! Are you trying to become her snack!" Fledge reprimanded the pair in a hushed tone.
"Enough! Let's approach this calmly." Link took a step forward toward the creature. "Uh, hello there."
"Humans?! How did you get here? You have intruded into my home, a sacred place few are permitted to enter! This is no place for one such as you. And yet here I see four where you stand! You will explain how you all got here and quickly." Despite its current state, the creature addressed the group with authority in her.
"Are you…The Water Dragon?"
"I am." The dragon scoffed as if they should've obviously known that. "Those with manners address me as Faron, warden of the woods. I was appointed by the goddess herself. Though my current stature is less than, well, intimidating, shall we say, know that you all stand in the presence of a loyal servant of the goddess!"
Before she could keep on speaking, Faron's dignified expression turned intrigued.
"...Hmm? I say you four have MY scales! How did you manage to obtain them?"
"I earned them by partaking in one of the goddess's trials and passing it," Link answered her.
"But a sacred gift such as that could only be earned by the goddess's chosen hero. But could you really be him? This raises questions. Even with those scales in your possession, finding the hall is no easy task…How did you all find me?" Faron pondered but quickly got struck with a realization. "Was it that cackling, old Kikwi, Yerbal? He must've babbled it to other Kikwis. Honestly, I can't remember how many times I've told that scruffy thing to keep his mouth shut. That's the last straw. Next time I see him, he's dinner!"
"Actually, Your Excellence, I lead them here," Pipit stepped forward to the dragon, who looked at him with puzzlement.
"You? A mere human lead them here? How is that-... Wait a minute! Your eyes…They're peculiar. Step closer, boy, so that I may get a better look at you."
Sucking in a breath, Pipit moved to the dragon. Faron leaned her head down close enough that Pipit could feel her breathing on his face. The dragon spent the next few minutes just merely examining the boy.
"Tell me, what is your name?"
"Pipit."
"Well, Pipit, these are some intriguing eyes you have here. I've seen humans with green eyes before, but none were as green as yours here. Yours are in the same shade as Farore's. I thought I felt a presence similar to my power entering this lake, but I merely thought it was my injured state toying with my senses." Faron pulled her head back, high above the senior knight. "Now I see the truth. The power of Farore's Gale dwells in your soul."
"You figured it out?"
"Of course! Only because I, too, have Farore's essence within me, as it gave me a life long ago. In a way, that makes you and I connected. But to further confirm it, show me the power Farore granted you."
Pipit summoned his ability and disappeared in the green flash. He appeared behind Faron, then on both sides of the platform. He noticed a ledge on the other end of the room and used it to teleport over there. Several minutes later, he teleports right back in front of Faron.
"There's no doubt about it. You are indeed Farore's Blessed. Tell me. Can you sense a sacred flame?" Pipit nodded to the dragon. "And you've all come here seeking a sacred flame, have you?"
"We have," Link replied.
"I knew it. But I'll be straight with you. While I could see this one being Farore's Blessed, a shrimpy boy like you hardly looks the part of the goddess's chosen hero."
"He's certainly not shrimpy! Link's tougher than he looks. You would know if you've seen what he's gone through!" Pipit voiced abruptly.
Link looked at his friend with shock, surprised that Pipit would be so upfront with the dragon. Sure, Pipit had stood up to others before. Though it was usually towards Groose, or people who were considered below him in terms of status. He never stood up to those that would be his superiors, or in this case, a divine dragon, even when they were wrong about something. Karane & Fledge grew nervous expressions. The Parella's watching the conversation all let out collective horrified gasps.
"Did he talk to Her Excellence like that?"
"No one has ever spoken to her that manner and gets away with it!"
"She's going to gobble him up for sure!"
Faron gave a firm, stern look at Pipit. "You know I could eat you just for speaking to me like that."
Pipit did not flinch. Keeping his eyes onto Faron's. "With all due respect, I don't like anyone talking down to my friends like that, Your Excellence."
Faron stared at the yellow-clad senior knight with a neutral look. Slight tension builds in the air for those watching, waiting for the dragon's reaction. Much to everyone's surprise, Faron's face grew…amused.
"You are a bold one. I can see why Farore would choose you to carry her power. I usually wouldn't allow this insolence, but perhaps I can make an exception for you, boy."
The Parella's once again gave out collective gasps. Pipit's friends all exhale a breath of relief that the dragon will not eat their friend.
"Despite that, I still intend to test your friend to prove he's everything he says he is. Shortly before your arrival, I was attacked by a pompous creature calling himself Ghirahim."
"Ghirahim?! He was here?" Karane exclaimed.
"Judging by your reaction, I assume you are acquainted with him?" Faron inquired.
"Unfortunately, y-yes," Fledge responded.
"We've had some…unpleasant run-ins with him," Link told the dragon.
"I see…Anyways, I stood against this self-proclaimed Demon Lord, but I was wounded in the encounter. The wounds he's given me are stubborn things. I have been forced to recuperate in this basin of sacred water." Faron gestured to the bowl she was resting in. "Unfortunately, the healing properties of the sacred water have diminished, and I am now in need of another dose to freshen up my healing bath. Bring me the container of fresh sacred water that I require."
"Okay, no problem. We'll all go find you some water."
"Not so fast." Faron leaned down at Link & Pipit. "I want you both specifically to do it. The girl and the one in orange will remain here."
"Why can't they come?" Pipit questions the dragon.
"To prove that you are truly worthy of what you say. Surely this is a task that Farore's Blessed and certainly the goddess's Chosen Hero can do on their own. Do me this favor, and I'll gladly show you where to find the sacred flame you desire. What do you say?"
"We'll do it," Link promised.
"Excellent. If you continue down the path behind me, you will find a shortcut back to the woods. Now run along. One does not keep a dragon waiting."
Both the green and yellow senior knights walked back over to their friends.
"Us splitting up? I don't like this one bit," Karane stammered.
"I'm not thrilled about it either, but we have to find that flame no matter what it takes," Link told Karane, but she didn't respond.
"We'll be fine, Karane. Don't worry," Pipit assured her.
"But where are you guys going to find this sacred water?" Fledge brought up.
The group stood as they pondered on any candidates. Pipit was also deep in thought. He recalls the first day of this whole expedition. The same day his arm got bitten by the Deku Baba. Then later when they were in the spring in Skyview Temple, Fi suggested dipping his injured arm in the spring's waters for it to fully heal it.
"Skyview Spring…The water there helped my arm heal after I got bit by that Deku Baba. Maybe it could help Faron as well."
Fi chose that moment to appear. "I concur with Master Pipit. My readings show small traces left in Faron's basin here that match the water found in Skyview Spring. I detect an 85% possibility that the water from the spring is the sacred water Faron mentioned."
"Then Skyview Temple it is," Link announced.
"What about us? What should we do?" Karane asked.
"Uh…Talk to Faron…?" Pipit suggested sheepishly.
"Talk to her? You do realize she admitted that she would've eaten us under normal circumstances just a few minutes ago," Fledge retorted.
"Then give her reasons NOT to eat us. You know, be friendly and all. I feel there's more to her than she lets on."
"Hoo-boy…"
"We'll try to return as quickly as possible," Link promised.
"Just be safe," Karane said.
"We will."
Both senior knights proceeded down the exit just behind Faron. This left the female Senior Knight and the orange-clad student with the divine dragon. Faron had her eyes on the pair left behind. Both ends awkwardly stared at one another for several moments.
"Well…go talk to her!" Fledge urged Karane.
"Why does it have to me?"
"You're both girls, so maybe she'll be easy on you. Besides, I'm not good at talking to girls."
"You talk with me, Zelda, and especially Orielle, alright."
"That's because I know neither of you would have me as a snack for saying the wrong thing."
"I can hear you both, you know." Faron's voice bellowed out of the chamber. "I may be injured, but that doesn't mean I lost my hearing."
"Uh…sorry, Your Excellence. It's just...well, how do we put it," Fledge stuttered.
"We've never seen a dragon before," Karane told the dragon.
"Is that so?"
"Where we come from, we only know about dragons from stories. We have never seen them."
"It's understandable, but that's no reason to be hush, hush around my presence. Let that be clear to you both."
"Yes, Your Excellence."
"Now that we cleared that up, I want you both to step forward. I would like to ask you a question."
"And w-what would that be?" Fledge wondered as he and Karane moved close to the dragon.
Faron leaned her head down close to the pair. "Why are you TRULY here?"
"What do you mean?" Karane asks for clarification.
"I recall the goddess mentioning a chosen HERO, not chosen HEROES. Yet I see this alleged Chosen Hero accompanied by you two, plus that Pipit boy. Why do you mingle into a destiny you weren't meant to participate in?"
"Zelda…" Faron gave a curious look to Karane. "Ghirahim plucked her from the sky. At the time, we thought it was a freak storm. Then Link, the Chosen Hero, went to find her alone."
"And so you join in." Faron concluded. "For what reason? To share the glory?"
"We did it because they're our friends. We couldn't let Link go alone," Fledge responded to the dragon, who seemed satisfied with that answer.
"That is a noble gesture, but that still doesn't answer my question about Pipit. How did he become worthy enough to carry Farore's Gale within him?"
"That's another thing. From what we know, Hylia somewhat anticipated us joining, but she wasn't fully sure. She asked the Golden Goddesses test us. Pipit was tested by Farore when Link was taking his trial," Karane revealed.
"So Hylia anticipated this happening, yet she wasn't sure." Faron glanced down, muttering to herself. "Given the state she was in the last time I saw her, I wouldn't be surprised why she wasn't sure..."
"What was that?"
"Nothing of your concern, girl. Anyways, that at least answers my questions."
"Then can I ask you something, Your Excellence?"
Faron look at Karane. "I suppose it's fair. I asked you a question. Therefore you ask me one."
"You said that you were created by Farore's essence, correct?"
"I have."
"Farore is associated with the power of the wind, yet you're a water dragon. Water is associated with Nayru, but you were created with Farore's power. How is that possible?"
"Simple. I chose this power."
"You…chose your power?" Fledge questioned.
"Yes, I chose my power. When I was brought to life in this world, Goddess Hylia gave me a choice to choose my power to control. My brother, Lanayru, had the same idea when given the choice of his power."
"Brother? You mean there's more of you?"
"There are indeed more dragons like me. I have two brothers. Lanayru and Eldin. Like me, those two were created with the power of their respective goddess essence. Eldin was Din, and Lanayru was Nayru. When given a choice, Lanayru chose the power of lighting, despite his essence's provider being associated with water. He chose the power of lighting because it was fascinating to him. Eldin was the only of us to keep the original power of his respective goddess."
"Are they still around?" Karane inquired curiously.
"They live in their respective regions. Eldin lives in the depths of Eldin Volcano. And Lanayru is somewhere in Lanayru Gorge. It's been a while since I've seen them. Lanayru fell ill some time ago. Out of fear of his illness spreading to us, he prohibited Eldin and me from visiting him. He said he would send word to us when he was better. It had been centuries since I'd heard from him. I can only guess his illness is taking longer to recover than anticipated."
"So you haven't seen your brothers in years? That's so sad," Karane stated glumly.
"You must be lonely…" Fledge looked at the dragon with sympathy.
"It is, admittedly, but I do have the Parella's. Clingy as they can be, they are pleasant to have around. But…it's not entirely the same as being around family. It's a feeling you both probably don't understand."
"Actually…I think we do." Faron glanced at Karane. "I…I lost both of my parents when I was nine."
"My father died when I was only a baby, and my mother died when I was six," Fledge added.
"Link lost his parents, and Pipit lost his dad as well. So…we all know what it's like to miss someone you love."
"I…I see. I suppose you understand what I'm feeling then," Faron replied solemnly before straightening herself. "Back to the topic on hand. While I was created with Farore's essence, I could've had any power I wanted. Now I could've chosen the power to control wind much like my provider. No disrespect to Farore, but I didn't find controlling wind entertaining. I find the water relaxing and fun to manipulate, so I chose that. And so Hylia turned my scales blue, granting me the ability to control the water and allow me to swim through the water as I do in the air. I'm sure you've got a feeling of it with my scales."
"We have." Fledge looked at his scale. "The ability to breathe underwater is pretty cool."
"Just as long you're conscious, of course."
"What do you mean?" Karane questioned.
"My scales have enough properties to allow me to maneuver under the water no matter the circumstances. However, when they detach from me, they contain only a small fragment of my power. The scales will only work for as long as the human is awake. I would be fine if I were knocked out under the water, but a human possessing my scales would drown. I hope you and your friends keep that in mind whenever you need my scales."
"We'll remember that," Karane promised.
"Kinda stinks that something like that can happen," Fledge commented.
"I know it may sound like detrimental information, but great power does have limits. Even the most powerful can have weaknesses." Faron let out a pain-filled groan. "I think my current state is a good example of that. I do hope your two friends will find that sacred water soon."
Link and Pipit stood right outside the immense golden doors of Skyview Temple. The journey over here could have been smoother due to the monsters on the trail. Some of which decided to make the temple their home. They also ran into one of the Mogmas, Kortz, who came looking for treasure only to turn up empty-handed, rambling on there's nothing but water. Link noticed Pipit's neutral gaze at the large doors.
"Are you doing okay?"
"Felt like I was just here. Everything from the trial is still fresh."
"We'll be quick. We'll get the water and head straight out."
The large doors slowly open in the same manner as before. The pair walked into the dark chamber, where it all began. The section is empty. At least, that's what the pair believe until something draws their attention to the middle of the room. Three separate piles of skeletal remains lay there, holding a pair of large swords.
"Were those bones here last time?" Pipit stepped closer to get a better look at them.
Link squinted his eyes as he examined the bones. A quick gasp exited his mouth as he realized what they were. "Stay back!" Link grabbed his friend's arm.
The three piles of bones suddenly scrambled together. All of which became living skeletons. Each of them, armed with a spiked headband and metal shoulder pads, wore an old torn cloth around their waists and worn-out boots. All three carried a pair of large swords. Their teeth are sharp, and red orbs fill the holes where their eyes would be. Link was familiar with this enemy. He had fought one when he first visited the temple before gaining the Beetle.
Link drew his sword & shield. "Dammit. Didn't think I would see that again."
"Mind filling me in?" Pipit requested to know as he drew out his weapon as watched the skeletons march upon them.
"These are Stalfos. They were once knights when they were alive. Now they're undead soldiers. I fought it when I first visited here. Except for last time, it was only one."
"You know how to defeat them?"
"Shatter their ribcage, then go for the spine. The problem is their swords are big enough to block our swords. You need to find an opening to strike. But if you can, bash them with your shield when they hit you. It will cause their arms to fall, giving you enough time to get a few blows. And try to keep it moving."
"You know your stuff, eh?"
"That's what Fi told me," Link replied with confidence. He recalled during his first fight with the Stalfos. The enemy had admittedly given him a bit of trouble. That was the first time he actively asked Fi for advice to take down the skeleton. Her advice had helped him immensely. It made him realize just how helpful Fi is.
"Alright. I'll try to draw at least one of them away."
Pipit shifted to the side as he yelled out to the undead knights towards his way. It worked as one of the skeletons moved towards him, leaving Link to deal with two of them. Pipit would've preferred two Stalfos to be on him, but he figured Link could handle it. The Stalfos that was focused on him intently looked at the yellow-clad senior knight. Pipit kept moving on his feet, as did the Stalfos. The undead soldier blocked its body with his large swords. Pipit waited for the moment to strike. The Stalfos shifted its block, and Pipit hit the exposed side. Pipit mentally praised himself once he saw the rib cage had gained cracks.
On the other end, Link faced off against the two Stalfos. Unlike before, he would not let these two give him any issues. He had struck each one whenever they left themselves exposed. This went on until the moment came. Both Stalfos decided to attack the hero with their weapon simultaneously. Their swords were met with the surface of Link's shield. One lost their arms while the other merely dropped their weapons. Link took that chance to execute a spin attack. The second Stalfos disappeared from his view. The other quickly recovered its arms and attacked Link before he could locate the second one.
Pipit was still facing his opponent. Its ribcage is almost decimated. Pipit narrowly manages to get a shield bash. His timing on shield bashing needed some work. He then decided to try something else. The Stalfos lifted its swords while letting out a shriek. Pipit disappeared in a green flash when the undead soldier's sword went down. The Stalfos gazes down in pure confusion. Pipit appears right behind it. He sliced through the skeleton's backside, shattering its ribcage and spine. The Stalfos crumbled to the ground. As Pipit gazed at his handwork, he was unaware that the other Stalfos fighting Link had decided to set their sights on him. Link destroyed his Stalfos that he was previously engaged in battle. When he saw the final one approaching Pipit, he yelled out to his friend. Thankfully, Pipit blocked the incoming attack just in time. He held on long enough for Link to swipe at the skeleton. They both took turns striking the Stalfos before it finally collapsed for good. The room lit up, as did the door on the other end.
"You okay?" Link asked Pipit.
"Yeah."
"Good. Let's get that water."
Link and Pipit entered the spring. It was beautiful, as it was the first time they had all seen it. They reached towards the small goddess statue lays. Fi exited the sword.
"A report, Masters. My readings now show a 95% probability that the water here is identical to the water within the Water Dragon's basin. I suggest you gather it and take it to her as soon as possible."
Once Fi retreated into the sword, Link pulled out a spare empty bottle and dunked it into the spring waters. He waited until the bottle was filled to the top before pulling it out and sealing it with a cork.
"We got the water. Let's get going."
"Link, wait." Pipit grabbed Link's arm.
"What is it?" Link noticed the sober expression on Pipit. "You okay?"
Pipit wrapped his arms around himself. "…I never allowed myself to be vulnerable around anyone, you especially. After Dad died, I still wanted to show that I was the brave boy you thought of me as. You've looked up to me for as long as I can remember. Not solely because I didn't want you to be disappointed in me, but because….I look up to you too."
"You do?" Link was surprised to hear that.
"You always put others before yourself, even if you hurt yourself. You were willing to go on this quest to find Zelda alone. How the hell do you do it? Meanwhile, I couldn't trust myself to be more open about my feelings." Pipit let out a scoff. "Some role model I turned out to be, huh?"
"You are a role model, Pipit, and you still are. You're one of the bravest people I've ever known. Being open about how you feel… does take bravery. When my parents passed…You never left my side, even when I wanted to be alone. I will always be happy to return the favor, no matter what. Because you're my brother. Like I said, I'll be here whenever you need to open up. Not just me. Fledge, Karane, and Zelda as well.
Pipit pulled Link into a crushing hug. "Thank you…For everything, Link."
"No problem. And…even though I wasn't willing, I'm glad you're here, Pipit."
"You know…I think I can see why Hylia chose you to be her hero. I can say she made the right choice."
"And Farore made the right choice to make you her Blessed."
The pair eventually pulled away from their hug.
"Come on. We got an injured dragon to heal." Link reminded me before they both exited the spring.
Karane and Fledge had continued conversing with the Water Dragon. They described their life on Skyloft, and Faron told stories about herself and her brothers. To their surprise, she was rather enjoyable to talk to. This halted as they heard two large splashes. The female senior knight and student stood on their guard until they saw Link and Pipit climbing on the platform from the water.
"You're both back!" Fledge exclaimed. "How did it go?"
"Nothing we couldn't handle," Pipit simply replied.
"Did you find the water?" Karane asked.
With a smile, Link pulled out a bottle filled with water.
"Hmm…" Faron looked at the bottle before her face widened with delight. "Yes! Just look at that color. There's no doubt this is the water I need. Quickly, boy, put it into my basin!"
Link walked up to the basin to pour the contents of the bottle into it. Once the bottle was empty, Faron ducked into her bowl. It grew quiet. Too quiet. Until the basin started shaking. Slowly before erratically. The students took a few steps back as the basin continued shaking. A large splash emerges, along with a loud yell. Faron floated above the humans. Though she was much, much larger than she was moments ago. They can now see that Faron wore a dark blue robe with strange black knots on the back. And she had a very long tail.
"Woah…" Karane uttered.
"Look at her," Fledge mentioned with pure awe.
"What was that about her not being big?" Link nudged Pipit.
"Huh, what? I-I didn't say anything about that!" Pipit denied, barley hiding the nervousness in his voice.
Faron did not hear the conversation below. For she was happy as she could be.
"Mmmmm! Exquisite! I can feel its energy surging through me! Behold the full majesty of Faron. Water Dragon and guardian of these lands! I stand tall-healed and whole once again!"
The Parellas all cheered.
"Her Excellence is healed!"
"She's going to be fine!"
"Hooray!"
"Humans! You both have done well to bring me the sacred water I ask you for. I see now it was no coincidence that you completed the goddess's trial and obtained my scales. And that Pipit is Farore's Blessed. In turn, I will grant you these rewards. I noticed that your shields look worn, correct?"
All the humans took glances at their shields. A few more hits, and they would no doubt shatter. Like Faron said, they indeed looked worn down.
"Then allow me to grant you this gift."
Faron waved her hands above the group. Magical particles fell out of her hands. All of which landed on their shields. A sensation was felt on their backs. It was gone after a few minutes. They all turned to see that their shields were metallic, felt lighter, and were colored in rich purple and yellow. Fledge had wing designs, Pipit & Karane both had talons printed on theirs, and Link had the image of Goddess Hylia.
"I have transformed your shields into Sacred Shields. The Sacred Shields can block various attacks, including fire, electricity, and curse magic. But I will warn you that it is more fragile than your previous shields. It has the magical capabilities to repair itself, but be careful. I trust that you will treat them kindly?"
Link nodded to her.
"Now I will grant you the favor you have asked of me and lead you all to the sacred flame of my land. Follow me."
Faron led the group through the same passageway Link & Pipit came through. Faron revealed another path blocked by the walls except for going to the exit. Outside that path was a sizeable secluded pond with a stone path partially submerged under the water leading towards a waterfall. Faron moved herself to the waterfall.
"Now…behold."
Faron lifted her palms in front of the waterfall. Her eyes closed as she was deep in focus. With a loud yell, she slammed her hands on the falls. Link's group gaped as the water completely evaporated from the bottom, revealing a large stone building carved like a fish. The mouth of the fish showed a pathway lit up by torches.
"Go. The sacred flame you seek lies within this place. While the waterfall has barred entrance to this place for many years, monsters have still found a way in…and inside, they flourish." Faron turns to the humans. "Ah, but you are the goddess's chosen hero, and you Pipit are Farore's Blessed. Not to mention you have those delightful friends with you. Excellent listeners, by the way. Swatting a few monsters will be no trouble for all of you. I imagine we will cross paths again. Until then, do not lower your guard. Farewell, humans."
With that, Faron flew away.
"You know, she's not all that bad," Fledge commented.
"I thought you were afraid of her," Link brought up.
"I was, then we talked to her. Turns out she's just...lonely."
"She was surprisingly pleasant," Karane admitted.
"So I was right then," Pipit said with an accomplished smile.
Link gave him a look. "You knew she wasn't going to eat you when you spoke up to her, didn't you?"
"Faron and I have Farore's essence in us. As Faron said, that makes us connected in a way. The moment I looked at her, I could…get a feeling of her emotions."
"So you could feel her feelings?" Fledge asked.
"That's the best way to describe it. That and I figured that Faron didn't want to endure Farore's wrath if she had her Blessed for dinner."
Link let out a laugh as he playfully punched Pipit's shoulder. "You are definitely one of the bravest people I know."
The group walked along the submerged stone path to the stone fish's mouth. They looked around, amazed by the beautiful patterns littered along the walls. Once again, an image of green fire flashed in Pipit's vision. Pipit suddenly let out a groan as he clutched his head with both of his hands.
"Are you okay, Pipit?" Karane gently touched his arm.
"It's here…the flames."
Link gave a determined stare down the stairs leading into the structure. Pipit walked to his side. Giving each other a nod, they descended the stairs with Karane & Fledge trailing behind them.
The group meets Her Excellence The Water Dragon, Faron and help her out. Next Stop: The Ancient Cistern!
I also put in age guide for some of the characters in the notes at the first chapter. Just thought I let you guys know that.
Favs, Follows, and Reviews are appreciated! Also, Merry Christmas! to everyone who celebrates the holiday. If you don't then Happy Holidays to you as well.