The Legend of Zelda: The Silent Princess

Skyward Bound Part 5

Lanayru was covered with dust and sand. I was awed at the strange beauty of the place, recalling a time when it was green and full of life, something I would have never been able to bring to memory if it wasn't for the springs. I really was Hylia reborn. The guilt crashed on top of me all over again. It was the real reason I turned away from him. It hurt too much to know the past.

Impa finally appeared behind me, the pillar of light vanishing. I could tell she had chewed Link out. There was no other reason why it took her so long.

"I don't regret my choice. You'll see soon enough," I said to her, not looking her way as I stared at the Temple of Time, something else I wouldn't have known.

She huffed, "He still didn't reach you in time. The Demon Lord was right behind me, but that doesn't matter now. We need to get you into the past." She started to walk forward.

I came running after her while we walked to the temple's entrance. Making my pace faster than hers, I traced my steps backward for a while to look at her. I gave her a cheerful smile.

"Thank you, Impa," I said, "For waiting for my return."

She smiled, which was an image I'd never forget. Then I turned back to look where I was going while I stared at the symbol of the bird and what I knew to be called the Triforce just above it. There I would need to open the Gate of Time.

As I approached the stairs to led to a platform, I stared at the two bird statues, waiting for Impa to catch up. My thoughts told me what I needed to do, but I still felt as though I needed her there before I did anything.

There was a huge crash behind me. I spun around, worried that the Demon Lord had found us once again. Instead, I found Impa clapping dust off her hands as she walked away from fallen rocks that blocked the opening we came from. That wouldn't hold anyone off for long, but I understood why she did it. It made me rethink who actually was the one shutting every door I went through. It could have easily been her stopping the Demon Lord from reaching me.

"Do you know what you must do, Your Grace?" she asked as she stood by my side.

I nodded, placing the golden harp in a playing position as I faced the stairs again. My fingers gracefully danced across the strings as I played the Ballad of the Goddess in its entirety. I sang along with the music I played. It echoed throughout the empty space around us.

Then as soon as I finished playing the song, the ground shook a little as a beautiful stab of stone emerged. I stared at Impa, smiling. All that was left was giving it enough power to change into its true form--the Gate of Time. That would take a moment as I still was a mortal. The only other authority besides the power of a goddess that could open the gate was the strike of the sacred blade.

I lifted one of my hands, drawing in as much power as I had to open the path. It would take me some time. After waiting for hours on end, a blast of light came out from my hand, hitting the slab. Impa, who had sat down, suddenly jumped to her feet.

We both watched as the slab broke apart bit by bit. Slowly its pieces came back together, creating a large gear. Out of nowhere, parts of two other gears appeared, ready to move the main one. On the main smooth lavender gear, blue symbols materialized, hovering over the gear. The symbols shined brightly, embedding themselves into the gear's surface. The other two gears started to move, causing the middle to follow.

Impa put a hand on my shoulder, "The work isn't done."

I looked up at her, then my mind recalled the information I needed before she could explain. I lifted the harp again. The process would only have to be done once if anyone was ever to find the other remaining Gate of Time. I sang the Ballad of the Goddess, ensuring what period we would head to. That time would be just after my battle with Demise and after Link . . . died.