Link woke up in a cool sweat, his breath catching as he realised where he was. He'd had another nightmare of that great, scaly beast; it was somehow much more real this time, and Link shuddered, a sense of relief washing over him as he curled up under the blankets once more, taking in the sweet smell of Zelda that hung over them. His eyes flicked open as his forehead bumped against something cold and hard, and as he studied the harp in front of him, he remembered vaguely that Gaepora had given it to him. Something about some ballad he'd read about.

As he stared at it, the sun shone through the window, and Impa's words repeated in his mind: "Time is of the essence."

Resignedly, he sat up, letting out a yawn and stretching his arms above his head. He had to do some sort of trials, Impa said, that the Goddess had laid out for him. It must have been some sort of test. She'd said that he was learning three things, but all of yesterday was a blur, and he could hardly remember what they were. He remembered the desert, the dry heat and the sand that stuck to his shoes, the birds that dropped rocks all around him, and the little robots that made strange, mechanical squeaky noises while they spoke. And Nil, he remembered, and the gate, and Impa and Zelda, disappearing into time.

He grabbed his pouch from the chair sitting at Zelda's desk, pulling out the strange contraption Nil had given him before. It had a blue light on the side, and definitely looked like something that had been made in Lanayru; the patterns and colours on it were a giveaway.

From his sword and shield, hanging on the back of the chair, Fi appeared.

"Master Link, what you are holding is called a Gust Bellow. I must conclude that it is the only one of its kind. It allows you to blow strong, constant, gusts of wind. I calculate a 100% chance that it will come in use on your journey."

The two of them stared at each other then, and some sort of unspoken sympathy seemed to travel from Fi to Link. She disappeared before he could make any sort of statement about it, but he smiled nonetheless. Her and Nil seemed to have that in common; although they'd been constructed by someone else to serve a purpose, their heart was unmistakeable.

He tucked the gust bellows back in his pouch, along with his harp, and stood up. Lifting his white nightshirt, he studied his injuries. They were recovering quickly, no doubt due to the ridiculous amount of red potions he'd been drinking. His chest was still bruised, but it was fading fast, and as he pulled up hi sleeve to look at his left arm, he was surprised to see that it seemed nearly gone already. The nurse really knew what she was doing.

He changed into his green tunic once again, strapping on his sword and shield, and the adventure pouch that Fledge had made. He was surprised with how well it stuck together, and how much he could fit inside of it; the kid really knew what he was doing.

After filling two of his bottles with red potions at the bazaar, and getting Gondo to patch up his shields and upgrade them, he stood on the edge of the dock, behind the statue of the Goddess. He had no idea where he was supposed to go to find these trials; the only person he could think of who would help was the old lady at the Sealed Temple.

Deciding his path, he launched himself off the dock, whistling for the loftwing, which, sure as ever, came and picked him up. As they flew, he gave the bird a few reassuring pats on the head.

"Thanks, bud. You really helped me out. Sorry for worrying you."

The loftwing let out a cheerful cry in response, diving down towards the green pillar of light. He jumped off once more, and flew down through the sky. A shadow seemed to overtake him then, and he glanced up curiously to see Groose flying down behind him; looking terrified, but determined.

Link yelled in shock as Groose, heavier than him, grabbed onto Link's leg, hanging off of it as they tumbled down through the cloud barrier.

"You stupid kid! Do something!"

Link pulled out the sail cloth, but Groose was still too heavy; a much heavier addition than Zelda, at any rate, and their descent wasn't balanced. They tumbled onto the grass behind the sealed temple, scaring away a flock of small birds as they did so.

"Wh-what is this!" Groose exclaimed, staring up at the trees and cliff sides in shock. Link retrieved his sail cloth, which had been draped over the bird statue, and turned to face Groose, who was heading towards him, rolling up his sleeves.

"At least no one down here can see me beat you up! And then it'll be my turn to rescue Zelda!"

Link drew his sword aggressively, pointing it straight at Groose, who took one look at the sharp edge, still stained with dried blood from Nil, and backed away, hands up.

"I mean- woah, Link. Geez. That's not fair at all, you know I don't have a sword…" the red-head laughed nervously, backing away, but looking genuinely scared. Link couldn't help but grin.

"This, down here? It's the Surface. We're behind the Sealed Temple right now. That's where I was going to go, to meet the old lady, so she could tell me where to go… That is, before you decided to join me," he said, clearly frustrated.

"W-wait, what's it like down here?"

"There's monsters and stuff, you know. Giant carnivorous plants that try to eat you, stuff like that," Link said calmly.

"I can handle that. Pssh! I'm the mighty Groose. I can take on anything."

"Wrong," Link said flatly, and Groose ignored him, heading down the path towards the sealed temple.

"I'm gonna go talk to that old lady and find out where to go! Don't worry, Link, Groose is taking over from here on out!"

He broke into a run down the path, and Link let out a sigh. It was almost embarrassing to have to face that old woman now, since she'd know he came from the same place that Groose did. He was going to give all of Skyloft a bad name. Still, Link didn't have any choice but to follow. By the time he walked into the temple, Groose was already all in a panic.

"You're messing with me. Say it again, I dare you!"

"I only speak the truth. You are not the one who will save her. The spirit maiden, your Zelda, can only be saved by another. It has been his fate to do this thing, and in doing so, save us. As it was decided long before you were brought crying into this world."

"Shut it, grannie!" Groose yelled, anger overcoming him. Link watched awkwardly from the doors, and then slowly began walking towards them.

"You obviously don't know me well, 'cause if you did, you'd know that if anyone's going to save Zelda, it's Groose! How could it not be me? Pfft, if it ain't me, why would I even be here? If I'm not up to the job of being the hero, just who is?" He looked up in surprise as Link walked up the steps towards them, and stopped on the other side of the old woman, crossing his arms.

"Oh, now I getcha," Groose said quietly. "Link, grannie here has been trying to tell me that you're gonna be the big hero who rescues Zelda. What a joke! Look, all I've heard so far is a bunch of babbling about destiny, but that's a load of garbage. I know you, and you're no hero, shrimp!" He let out a frustrated yell as he walked away, unloading his anger on the wall for a moment before heading outside the temple. Link watched him go, and then turned to the old woman, who spoke to him as if nothing had happened.

"Greetings, Link. How has the journey been?"

"Impa took her through the gate of time," he said simply, and the old lady smiled.

"Ah, I see, so the guardian was there as well, was she? She is a being sent forth by the goddess to aid Zelda in her quest. However, since Impa destroyed the gate that they used, there is only one way left to find them. You must make use of your harp." Link took it out of his pouch then, surprised that the old lady knew he had it.

"Tell me, Link, have you attempted to play the harp you received? My sense is that you have not yet familiarized yourself with it. I shall teach you how to play it. Strum your fingers along it in grand movements, and play to the timing of my swinging braid."

Link watched the pendulum of hair move back and forth, and he moved his hand along the harp accordingly, back and forth.

"Good, you learn fast," she said, nodding in approval. "Next, play to the tune of the light. When your timing is right, I shall join my voice to your harp. Listen well, for the song I sing will be of great help to you in your journey."

Link stood below the stairs now, harp at the ready, and was shocked to see a pulsing circle of light appear around his feet. It moved in and out, and when he figured out the rhythm, he began strumming back and forth. A series of lights appeared around him, pointing up to the sky, as the old woman began humming a tune. The song sounded familiar, and when it was finished, the old woman nodded once more.

"Good. That was the Ballad of the Goddess. Now, pay attention behind you, Link."

He turned, and his eyes widened as another stone tablet, identical to the one he'd seen in Lanayru, appeared in front of him.

"The second gate of time," he said outloud.

"Yes. The harp you hold is known as the Goddess' Harp. It is a divine instrument of the Goddess who once looked over this land."

"So… obviously not a replica," Link said with a laugh, remembering what Gaepora had told her.

"Certainly not. The melodies it brings to life have the power to produce a variety of strange and otherworldly effects. That slab in front of you, as you noticed, is the second gate of time, and the last in its existence. It is the only portal binding our world to the one where Zelda now resides. If you manage to open the gate and pass through, you will likely end up in the same place as Zelda. But you will need to endure many hardships and put yourself in great danger to awaken the gate from its dormant state. Though your journey will put you in harm's way, Link… You must endure. It is your fate as the chosen hero of the Godde-"

The ground shook then, and Link nearly lost his balance, sticking his harp away immediately and trying to regain his footing. A great roar took over the land, louder even than the cracking thunder he'd heard in Faron. He inhaled sharply when he realised what it was; the same sound the beast in his dream had made. That great, scaly monster that swallowed Zelda and paraded around his nightmares, gloating to him… that was the sound it made.

"This shaking… I fear the seal has been broken."

"The seal?" Link asked in a panic, turning around to face the woman.

"Yes. I expected it would react to your awakening the gate, but I never imagined the seal would break so quickly. Link, there will be time to explain later. Right now, you must hurry to the bottom of the pit outside."

He'd been there once before, the first time they'd visited the Sealed Grounds- the first time he'd come to the surface with Zelda. As terrified as he was of the great beast in his dreams, he could do nothing but run to the doors of the temple, and push them open, heading outside. The air was thick, suffocating, like the entire area had changed. Groose, cowering on the side, let out a yell.

"What's with all this shaking! The whole ground is heaving- I thought it was supposed to be solid down here!"

The old woman went to stand next to Groose, and rose her hand to Link.

"Go quickly, Link! You must get to the sealing spike at the center of the pit. There is nothing natural about these tremors. That monster could free itself any moment. Approach the pit with caution!"

Not letting himself think it over, he dove off the edge of the cliff and flung out his sail cloth several times before landing on the ground in front of the seal. The blackest of smoke was flying up from the bottom, and the seal markings on the ground were glowing red, fading in and out. "That monster…" the old woman's words echoed in his head, in a fast panic. The monster. The beast.

The smoke spread along the ground, seeping to the edge of the markings and suddenly growing in size. In one sudden movement, with a roar that shook Link to the bones, the monster that he'd been expecting to see threw itself out of the ground, stretching up and placing its big feet in front of Link, with three giant, white toes on each one. It looked down at him, with a teeth full of mouth, and seemed to sniff at him. Link's eyes darted to the sealing spike on his head; he'd have to hit it there, no doubt. It didn't seem to have any other weak spots, but getting it on the ground would be the issue. Surely taking out his feet would do the trick?

Still, as it stretched its head above itself and roared once more, turning the sky black, Link could only feel his heart sinking lower. This was his absolute greatest fear. Besides losing Zelda, he reminded himself, and it was that thought right there that prompted him to draw his sword and shield. Knowing that Groose was up there, watching him, judging him… that was motivation as well.

"It must not reach the temple! Do not allow it to escape the pit!" the old woman yelled, and Link broke into a run towards the toes. As he slashed away at them, the beast became increasingly more irritated, and a strange sort of red electricity was emitted from his feet as he took his large steps. Careful to avoid getting squashed, Link took out all of the toes, and for a moment he thought it wouldn't be enough; until the monster let out an agonized cry, and fell backwards, down onto the ground.

Running as fast as he could towards its head, he struck the sealing spike deeper and deeper into its head, but it lifted up after a moment, clearly knowledgeable with what Link was trying to do. It flung itself forwards, and body glowing red, began to slither at a high speed along the ground. Panicked, Link lifted himself up onto the next level with his sail cloth and a spurt of air. He ran down to meet the beast, and for a moment he thought he was going to be squashed. However, it lifted itself up and reared, letting out another roar before proceeding to walk.

After a few more repeats of the toe slashing and hitting the sealing spike into his head, the monster finally glowed a bright white colour and seemed to stop. Link held himself on the wall, heart pounding. He watched as it burst into hundreds of little black scales, which flew straight down into the middle of the pit.

"Quick, to the pit," the old woman called out, and Link headed down there as fast as he could. Sealing it like he had before, he did an extra three slashes this time of his skyward strike, finally aiming at the ground and finishing the seal. The spike hit the ground once more with a loud thud, and the geysers around the area began bursting with air again.

"…Nice going, Li-"

Groose, behind Link, was cut off as the old woman had made her own way down the spiral ramp of earth.

"Ahh. Though the Imprisoned had only just begun to awaken and break its bonds, I am impressed you were able to restore the seal keeping it captive. Unfortunately, you have only succeeded in buying us a little more time in which to act. The behemoth you beat back into confinement is a horror of unspeakable power. Judging by what I saw, I would not be surprised if the seal gave way again soon. So you are left with precious little time to complete the task with which you have been entrusted. Return to the Sealed Temple, Link. There is much to discuss."

She turned away then, heading back up, and Link followed her until they got to the temple. She stopped in front of the dormant gate of time.

"As you can see, the gate is nothing more than a slab of cold stone for now. It is sleeping. 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. However, for now, your sword lacks the power necessary to awaken the gate. First, you and your sword must grow together. Faron Woods… Eldin Volcano… and Lanayru Desert… A sacred flame is located within 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 which you search. 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. Return to Skyloft. Somewhere on your island is one whose knowledge of this old song will point you in the right direction."

Link thought absently for a moment about Zelda, and the song she'd been singing. He couldn't remember the lyrics properly, or what they meant, but the heavenly sound of it still stuck in his mind.

Before he could concentrate on it, the doors opened behind him, and him and the old woman looked up in surprise to see Groose. He had some sort of twisted grin on his face.

"I hate even sayin' this, but I guess you got it all figured out, Grannie. Me, well, there's nothing I can do to help Zelda. I'm useless." "Ah. You sell yourself short, my friend. You'll see in time that you have your own role to play in all of this."

Link was nearly more surprised than Groose at that statement, giving the old woman a shocked look. Groose? His own role to play? What sort of a joke was that? Groose was clearly not interested, or was too embarrassed by what he'd already spoken, and the boy left through the front gates again. The woman turned to Link once more.

"Link, go now. Trust in fate to guide your feet. Your mission depends on it, as does Zelda's fate."