The Demon Lord's Inner Battle

Chapter 17

Once I say my goodbyes to Crimson and arrive at the surface I feel something's strange. There is this malice around... it's making me feel sluggy... what is this...?

"Link! There you are! Just in time! Hurry to the seal! It can't hold the evil sealed any longer!"

The old lady emerges from the shrine and calls out to me. The seal? Damn!

I dash off as quickly as I can and jump down to the seal. Hold on just a second longer! As soon as I arrive I charge my sword with all my power and hit it with a skyward strike. Some runes appear before me, picturing me strikes.

I copy them and was able of keeping the seal alive for now. The malice becomes weaker but I can still sense it. It's so powerful... that's Ghirahim's master...

I return to the temple and the old lady greets me outside.

"Thank the goddess. You were just in time. For now he's sealed again but who knows for how long. We have to hurry."

She gestures me inside and I nod and follow her.

"I know why you're here. So she went into the past."

I nod and hand her the letter.

"For summoning another Gate of Time you will have to revisit the area of Faron, Eldin and Lanaryu to find the sacred flames. With these your sword will unleash its full power."

I nod, listening carefully as Fi comes out of my sword.

"Master, if I may. I have message from the goddess."

I look at her and nod her to continue.

"He who seeks the sacred flames, listen well. The sacred flames are three in number. To obtain them you must also earn relics known as the three sacred gifts."

Trials, huh? Guess the goddess won't make it so easy for me. Sigh. I'm used to it already...

"For each trial you overcome, you shall be blessed with one of the gifts. Make use of their power and you will find your way to the purifying sacred flames. Now listen closely as I will bestow unto you a melody that will serve as a key to opening the first trial deep within the Faron Woods: Farone's Courage."

Fi sings a melody which stays immediatly in my memory. So I have to play this at the entrance of the trial. Alright... can't be so bad.

After Fi returns into the sword, I wave to the old lady and head into the Woods. Convinient that I have stuff to do here. I head to the waterfall and call for Ghirahim who immediatly appears before me, looking much better than yesterday.

"Why are you calling me again, sky child? I thought I made our relationship clear."

I take out the potion and hold it out to him. He sighs and drinks it, handing the empty bottle back to me.

"You don't have to care like this about me. You should be happy that I'm weakend. Don't you feel my master's presence growing stronger? Soon this meeky seal will break."

His eyes taunt me threatining but I hear sadness in his voice. Or maybe I just hope for it. Is this seriously what he wants? It can't be... He had so many occasions to kill me and never did. I refuse to give up on him!

"What's wrong, sky child? Why are you staring at me like that?"

I shake my head and put on a cheeky little smile and turn around, calling out to him over my shoulder.

"I will break your facade and see what you truly feel, just you wait."

I decide not to wait for his reaction and run off into the woods. Oh my. What was this sudden confidence I felt? Once I make sure I'm out of his sight I sit down on the ground trying to calm my racing heart.