As I fall through the clouds, my eyes widen at the infinite green below me. I grab Zelda's sailcloth and slowly float down to the ground. When I land, I look past the fence in front of me and into the massive spiral fissure leading down to a large strange burn mark. In the center of that burn mark is a stone spike. I have sharp eyes, so I can see it easily from here despite its distance. I look over to my right, following the fence, and see a huge temple. I realize that the entrance is sealed with a magical barrier. Fi pops out of my sword.
"Master Adrienne, we've arrived. This is the fabled surface that has long been part of Skyloft legend.."
"What is this place, Fi?"
"By my calculations, you are currently positioned in a location known as the Sealed Grounds."
"It's beautiful," I murmur.
"Please proceed with caution, Master."
"I will. Thank you, Fi."
She retreats into my blade and I walk along the fence to reach the temple. Along my way, I encounter two plant monsters. They open their mouths and bare their teeth at me. I draw my weapon and swing at them. A few slices later, I defeat them. One of them drops a slime blob. I pick it up and place it in my inventory. Moments later, I reach the temple. I stare into the abyss again, only this time, I notice something new. Black smoke pours from the stone spike. Suddenly, a rush of wind and smoke slams into me, clouding my vision completely.
Another hallucination…
Shielding myself, I look through my fingers and see that same creature from before. I clutch my head with both hands and scream. Somehow, the sight of it sets my skull on fire.
Why does this monster keep haunting me?
Suddenly, the beast rises high above me. I release my hands and reach for my sword. However, before I can attack, the beast opens its mouth full of razor-sharp teeth and consumes me. I drop to my knees.
And then, I open my eyes.
Now I have to know.
Getting a running start, I jump as far forward as I can. Luckily, I fly far enough forward. I grab the sailcloth and float down into the center of the fissure. Landing delicately on my feet, I approach the stone spike. Suddenly, an old woman's voice calls out to me.
…Young one…
I glance around for a source but find no one.
Child of destiny descended from the sky… Raise the sword of the goddess skyward… Take aim at the evil aura and unleash its power…
Now at the bottom, I notice the smoke again. Drawing my sword, I raise the point to the sky, allowing holy energy to charge the blade. Once ready, I swing downward, releasing a silvery blue blast of light against the black smoke. Immediately, the spike glows with ancient runes, and soon after, the smoke vanishes. I hear various rushes of wind nearby after the moment of impact. Looking around, I notice multiple geysers spraying air from the ground. Fi pops out of my sword.
"Master Adrienne, I'm sensing a change in the area that was triggered by your Skyward Strike. I have also detected an aura that correlates closely to your sailcloth. I surmise this aura belongs to Zelda. I can lead you in the direction of this aura through a process known as dowsing. Would you like me to explain this process to you?"
"Yes. Please, tell me more."
"Understood, Master." She briefly explains the process of dowsing, then retreats to my sword once again. Now that I have a lead on Zelda's location, I know where I need to go first: that temple. I glance around at the geysers again and suddenly have an idea. I grab the sailcloth and, opening it up, stand on top of one of the geysers. I shoot high up above the ground, then levitate through the air to the next geyser. Continuing this pattern, I soon return to my original position in front of the temple.
"Excellent," I say. Walking over to the temple's entrance, I watch as the barrier fades into nothingness. I push open the ancient wooden doors and step forward. Upon entering, I spot a shaft of golden light pouring down onto a cloaked figure. A set of stairs lead up to them. Ivy vines creep across the ceiling and stone walls. One of those bird statues sits against the left wall.
I should probably save… but first…
I rush up the steps and stop at the very back of the temple. Before me sits an ancient woman with long, braided blonde hair tied in a large circle swinging like a pendulum, a dark blue overlay, and a large red cloak with a tall point reaching my height. Her hands are interlaced. On her right arm is a beautiful glowing bracelet.
"Ah… The traveler descended from the clouds above. I welcome you, child of fate. Tell me, what is your name?"
"Adrienne, ma'am."
"...Adrienne? Ah, Adrienne. Good. Very good. I sense you have already gained control over the sacred power that fills your sword when pointed skyward. The Skyward Strike is yours to command."
"Yes, that's right."
"It is proof that you are fit to bear the blade you carry, the Goddess Sword. I have sat here for many years waiting for you to arrive. All so that I could fulfill my purpose as your guide. You stand under the roof of the Sealed Temple, a place built by the goddess an eternity ago. Your arrival here was predestined many, many years ago. The spirit maiden you seek arrived here shortly before you, descending to this land in a shower of light. There's no doubting it. The gears of fate have begun to turn."
"You know Zelda?" I ask.
"I do. Yet all is not as it should be. The spirit maiden was not meant to reach this land in the manner she did. I feel an evil power working in the shadows. It moves to warp the destiny of which you two are a part. Adrienne… You are concerned for the spirit maiden and seek her whereabouts, yes?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"...That is understandable, but for now you must focus on moving forward. That girl has her own purpose she must pursue, as do you."
"I… I understand." I lower my gaze sadly.
"She set out for Faron Woods to discover that destiny for herself, and you must follow. Show me your map."
"Oh, sure." I reach into my adventure pouch and pull out my map. With her delicate hand, she marks Faron Woods with a red X.
"The X upon your map marks the path that will lead you to Faron Woods. You will be traveling in unfamiliar land. Many monsters have settled here, and a map may not prove guidance enough for your journey. And so I will give you the power to create beacons. When a beacon is marked on your map, a column of light will stand at that location. It will act as your waypoint from afar."
I place a beacon onto my map.
"Though you cannot see it from where we are, a beacon stands outside to guide you. Leave the temple through the front doors, and see for yourself. Use your beacons well, and you will never fear getting lost. Go now. You must head into Faron Woods and chase after the spirit maiden… the one you call Zelda. On your way out, take the contents of the treasure chest within this room. What you find there should prove useful to you on your journey." She gently flicks her hair, unlocking a nearby door. "You are ready. Leave through the door before you, and head into the woods. I wish you safe travel."
"Thank you, ma'am." I start to walk in the direction of the door, but stop in my tracks. "Wait… About Zelda…" I begin. She raises a hand and stops me.
"Know that all the questions you have now will be answered in time. For now, Adrienne, go bravely!"
"...I understand. I'll see you again soon."
With that, I head for the now open door. I notice a chest nearby, so I lightly kick it open with my foot. Crouching down, I take out the contents, a bottle of revitalizing potion. I remember that this potion replenishes not only my shield strength, but also my health.
Useful indeed!
I return to the nearby door and open it, stepping out into the outside world for the very first time. Before me lies a wide set of steps leading up into Faron Woods. My beacon shines bright with a pale blue light stretching upward. I start sprinting toward it. Rounding a corner, I leap off a small cliff face and find…
Wait a minute… is that a Goron?
A cluster of red bokoblins, goblin-like monsters, stands around a tall, bulky creature with hardened orange skin and white tribal tattoos. I decide to sneak up on the bokoblins, slowly drawing my sword and raising it high. As soon as it charges, I release my skyward strike on as many of them as I can, killing them instantly. I slash away at the remaining ones, finishing them off. I collect an ornamental skull from one of them. When all of the bokoblins are dead, I speak to the Goron.
"Whew! Thanks for jumping in there to rescue me, bud! Just who were those red pests? I did not expect to run into a pack of them in this peaceful forest. Same goes for you. This is the second time I've bumped into one of your kind today. I tell you, all sorts of weird things are going on lately. I owe you big for taking care of those guys, so let me tell you something fascinating." He walks over to the nearby bird statue. "Hey, bud! I'm Gorko the Goron. I am researching the ancient history of these woods here. According to the ancient texts, there is some kind of place up above called the Isle of the Goddess. Far up in the sky!"
About that…
"Apparently, these old statues serve as landmarks to those traveling up to the sky or down from this Isle of the Goddess place. If you find one, be sure to examine it to keep tabs on the number of landmarks. They are rumored to be quite useful. Supposedly, this statue is special, as it is said to have the ability to activate all the other statues. The whole thing sounds a little crazy, I know, but I for one believe it to be true! Otherwise, why would all these statues be here all over the place? It is a real head-scratcher, bud. Makes you want to know more, does it not?"
"Yeah." I nod.
"Ah, sounds like I have a fellow connoisseur of ancient cultures here! All right, bud, you had better brace yourself, because I am about to blow your mind. So get this: people actually live on this sky island, and they get around by flying on the backs of huge birds that are way bigger than birds down here! Up there everyone reveres the goddess, and the residents of all the islands in the sky live in a perfect society, totally free of conflict or unhappiness! Not only that, but from what I can tell, their civilization is way, way more advanced than ours down here. But it does not even stop there, bud! This Isle of the Goddess has even more stuff to marvel at! The place was crafted by the goddess herself, so it figures that it is filled with wonders we do not have here. The buildings are all made of gold! An endless spring of mystical water feeds a river through the place. One sip of that stuff, and you live forever! The trees are heavy with plump fruit that cures all disease! The fields are crowded with pumpkins that never rot! Magic wildflowers bloom everywhere! And the weather. Oh, the weather, bud! Not too hot, not too cold. No chance of sweaty heat in this garden paradise! That is the Isle of the Goddess…
Ah, um, that's not… entirely true…
"Amazing, right?"
"Oh, uh, y-yeah!"
"WRONG! IT IS BEYOND AMAZING!" he shouts. "You want to hear more about it, don't you, bud?"
"S-Sure."
"Good to hear, bud! I am completely obsessed with this place. I cannot get enough of it! I wish I had more to tell you now, but I will need to research these statues to learn more. Next time I bump into you, I will give you the latest info."
I slowly approach the bird statue, and suddenly, it begins to glow.
"WHOA! What in the world just happened? Did you use some kind of magic? The statue reacted the moment you got near it, bud. How crazy is that? I have to examine this statue further, bud. Who knows what I might find out!"
I decide to save the game here.
"GORO! What was THAT?! The statue just reacted to you! What did you do? Come on, do not make a big guy beg! I have got to know!"
I awkwardly laugh and shuffle away, then pass through the iron gate leading deeper into the woods. As I head for my beacon, I can't help questions rising to the front of my mind:
Why does that creature keep haunting me?
Who is that mysterious old woman?
What lies in Faron Woods?
And most of all…
Are you safe, Zelda?