Zelda Skyward Sword Ch 22

Chapter 22: Thick as Thieves

A while later, Link and the old woman once again stood in front of the pillar that was the Gate of Time.

"…As you can see, the gate is nothing more than a slab of cold stone for now. It is sleeping," the woman said, nodding. "Rousing it from its slumber would require great power. Yes, I believe a shot of holy light from your Skyward Strike might just do it…"

Link walked towards the pillar, hand on hilt, eager to see Zelda.

"Ah, sorry to disappoint you, boy, but for now your sword lacks the power necessary to awaken the gate," the woman explained. "First, you and your sword must grow together."

She looked at the pillar, looking pensive. "Faron Woods… Eldin Volcano… and Lanayru Desert… A Sacred Flame is hidden somewhere in each of these lands. Seek them out, and purify your sword in their heat. Only after your blade has been tempered by these three fires will it be fully imbued with the great power for which you search."

She looked back to Link. "Clues to finding the Sacred Flames have been woven into the lyrics of a song precious to your people, the Ballad of the Goddess. These clues are your best hope of finding your way to the Flames."

She nodded to him. "Return to Skyloft. Somewhere on your island is one whose knowledge if this old song will point you in the right direction."

Link looked sadly at the floor, remembering the day of the Wing Ceremony when Zelda had been singing this song. He tired hard, but he just couldn't remember the words.

He heard footsteps behind him which pulled him from his pensive state. He turned to find Groose, arms crossed, looking glumly angry.

He gave Link a halfhearted smile before turning around to face the wall. "I hate even sayin' this, but I guess you got it all figured out, Grannie. Me, well, there's nothin' I can do to help Zelda. I'm useless."

He shrugged and began opening the doors leading back outside.

"Ah, you sell yourself short, my friend," the woman said. "You'll see in time that you have your own role to play in all this."

Groose walked outside without a backwards glance.

The woman turned to Link. "Go now. Trust in fate to guide your feet. Your mission depends on it… as does Zelda's fate."


Link hurried off outside, looking for a bird statue, and instead finding a streaming Groose fuming at the ground.

"Awww, c'mon!" he shouted, throwing his arms out. "I couldn't do a thing! I'm totally useless!" His voice squeaked a bit upon saying this, and then he ran off, scattering birds in all directions.

Link felt sorry for Groose. He cared about Zelda just as much as he did, but couldn't really do much about it. Being a hero was a big responsibility, and Groose was used to people doing things for him that were 'too hard' for him to do himself. He was just going to have to step up if he wanted to be of use, just as Impa had said to Link all those days ago.

After a moment Link found a bird statue and then he was whisked away into the great sky. Ethan caught him, and they flew back to Skyloft.

Upon landing in front of the Knight Academy, Link suddenly realized how hungry he was. Luckily, lunch was being served just then in the dining hall. He sat down and quickly ate a sandwich and some chips, washing it all down with some lemonade. After snagging a chocolate chip cookie he was out of there, licking his lips.

He sat in his room, trying to think of who would know about the Ballad of the Goddess. He took a bite of cookie, chewing thoughtfully. Zelda would, but of course she's not here. Then he thought of something: what about her father? Surely Gaepora knew about the song.

He stood up, brushing cookie crumbs off his tunic, and headed upstairs to where Gaepora's room was. He knocked.

"Enter."

He opened the door to see Gaepora sitting at his desk, writing with a quill pen. He looked up at Link, and a smile broke across his face. "Link, you're back! Good to see you're still in one piece! Please, come in!"

Link walked in, shutting the door behind him.

"So how's it going down there? Are you any closer to finding my Zelda?" He looked expectantly up at Link.

Link hesitated. How much should I tell him? Well he was, after all, her father, so he deserved to know at least a little. So Link tried his best to explain with as little detail as possible, saying Zelda was okay wherever she was at the moment, and he was trying his best to find her.

Gaepora looked at the ground. "Hmm… I see… My dear Zelda… Things must be terribly trying for her down there. And it can't be easy for you now either, can it? I wish there was more I could do to help you…"

Link inquired about the song.

"The Ballad of the Goddess… You know, I don't know the lyrics off the top of my head, but I do have a book here that has them in it. Now where did I put it…"

He rummaged through some papers and books on his desk, muttering to himself.

"Where is it… oh, that's right! I lent it to Zelda for the ceremony." He looked up at Link. "It should still be in her room somewhere. You have my permission to go and look for it."

Link thanked him and headed back out into the hallway. He walked past a few rooms and stopped in front of Zelda's door. He hesitated; he had never been inside her room before. But he had Gaepora's permission, so he tried the knob. It was locked.

He was about to go tell this to Gaepora when a voice from behind him made him jump.

"What're you doing? Are you trying to break into Zelda's room?"

He whipped around to see Cawlin looking at him, a huge smirk on his face. "Well, well, some hero you are. I thought heroes were supposed to respect other's privacy. But I wouldn't know." He shrugged. "You're just lucky Headmaster Gaepora isn't out here, or you'd really hear it from him!"

Link was about to explain himself, but Cawlin kept talking.

"Well, if you really want in, I know a way. Come closer."

Link knelt down to Cawlin's level, and Cawlin leaned towards him and cupped his hand over Link's ear. "I heard Groose talking to himself in the mirror about this one," he whispered. "Apparently the ventilation shaft that's connected to the bath is also connected to the ceiling above Zelda's room. You can get into the shaft from the chimney on the roof of the building."

He leaned away and Link stood back up. "Don't ask me how he knows that, but I'm almost positive it's true," Cawlin assured him. "Trust me. Groose knows his stuff when it comes to Zelda. Just don't tell anybody about it, okay? You didn't hear it from me."

Link promised and, feeling a little naughty, headed outside to find a way onto the roof.

The walls of the Knight Academy were made of smooth stone, so he couldn't just climb up it. So instead, he grabbed hold of the wooden trim that went all the way around the building. It was a lot less work than it had been at the Lanayru Mining Facility, and in no time at all he was pulling himself over the ledge of the roof.

He climbed to the top of the rickety chimney, using the uneven stones as footholds. He dropped down into it, and found himself in the ventilation shaft. Warm air wafted up from the bath directly below through a grate in the floor, and he began crawling along the shaft. At the end was a gap in the bottom, and he fell, landing on a soft carpet. He was in Zelda's room.

He stood and dusted himself off, looking around. There wasn't too much; just a bed, a desk, and a dresser, the same as his room. A portrait of Gaepora and Zelda was on the wall, and a book lay open on her desk. He looked at the cover. Skyloft: A History.

Perfect, he thought, flipping through the pages. He came to a chapter entitled Songs and Their Origins. The first one on the page was the Ballad of the Goddess.


Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess… Unite earth and sky… Bring light to the land…


Oh youth, show the golden power to the Light Tower… and before you a path shall open, betwixt the thunder clouds.


Huh? It wasn't very clear to Link what he was supposed to do. He did know about the Light Tower however; it was the very one in the town plaza. But what did it mean by the 'golden power'?

He shut the book and stood up, heading for the door. He unlocked it and went into the hallway. Cawlin was right where he left him. Link nodded his thanks, realizing that he was blushing. Cawlin snickered and winked at him, giving him a thumbs-up.