SS Manga - Chapter Two: An Audience With Gods

The sheer brightness of the outdoors nearly blinded him. After a moment, the land and sky grew distinct to reveal the silhouette of the mountains against a stormy sky. A sharp wind blew past his face, leaving the tips of his ears frigid. The smell of the land seemed to invigorate him, despite the scent of trepidation in the air.

Link waited a few moments to let the atmosphere seep into him. He stepped out of the shadow of the castle hall and onto the walkway. Cheers and shouts of joy rung out from the ground beneath him.

A crowd of soldiers and civilians alike, all armed to the teeth, were cheering. For him. Again, the strength of a hero—his strength—was needed.

A feeling of nostalgia swept over Link. This land of Hylia…. He spread his arms as if to embrace the wind. Though people's hearts may change, the pride and beauty of this land of Hylia is pure. He held his tattered hands in front of him as though seeing them for the first time and closed his eyes. If you should have need of me, he began as if in prayer, I will fight for you, and protect you for eternity.

Link felt a hand on his shoulder, bringing him out of his trance. Rasuka was by his side, gesturing for him to join the four knights in a circle. All their hands were stacked in the middle, waiting for Link and Rasuka to join them. They contributed their hands and together they chanted: "We fight together, children of Hylia!"

Then, for a moment, the sun seemed to blink out of existence.

Link shot toward the wall and shaded the sun out of his eyes, trying to get a glimpse of what was going on. Something red… a bird, maybe? It seemed far too large to be a bird, yet there was no other thing it could be. As it grew closer, a beak and distinct wings became evident.

Murmurs began to rise from the crowd below.

"Hey, what's that?"

"A bird?"

"It's coming this way!"

Panic began. "It's a specter! An evil spirit is coming this way!"

Some soldiers ran around aimlessly. Others cowered against the castle wall. Someone gave the order to fire and a shower of arrows peppered the sky. In a crimson blur, the bird flew towards the castle close to the ground, shattering the spears of soldiers who attempted to do it harm. Arrows splintered into pieces upon contact with the giant creature.

There was something weird about the creature. Link felt no malicious aura from the bird. No feeling of dread, unlike any normal demon. Then, the distinct figure of a white-clad person became evident against the red feathers.

"Wait! Stop shooting! There's someone riding it!" Link vaulted over the castle wall. He rolled the instant he hit the ground and broke into a run towards where the bird was about to land.

Obeying Link's order, the archers ceased their assault and parted for the creature. A clearing formed as the bird descended, leaving Link, the bird, and its rider in the center.

The rider of the bird dismounted and landed gracefully on the ground. Her golden hair seemed to flow as if it were the wind—or floating as if under water. Her snow-colored dress elegantly draped over her, leaving trails of white wherever she moved.

She stroked the bird gently, then turned to Link as his fellow knights caught up behind him - being too afraid to get any closer. "I am Hylia, the White Goddess," she declared. Her voice resonated through the air as if she were a harp. "This," she waved an arm towards the crimson bird, "is the god bird, Loftwing."

"Goddess?!"

"The guardian goddess Hylia!"

Link and the other knights stood stupefied.

Loftwing scoffed, as if mocking the knights' reaction. This was a fruitless effort, Hylia.

This was more than a mere huff of a bird. It was a voice. A silent voice, echoing in Link's head. Was Loftwing speaking?

The colossal bird spread its wings and waved its head about as if to indicate the crowd. These pitiful humans have such fear that they cannot distinguish between a god and a spirit! There is no reason to think that the person I want could be in this place. It sneered with its eyes. Then it spread its enormous wings as if it were about to return to the sky, but it remained attached to the ground. The one who would fight the Demon King with me…. The one who would be my rider!

Although Link respected the authority of a god, he felt insulted on behalf of his race. "You say our existence is pitiful?! If you want someone to fight at your side, look no further, Loftwing!" He stared into one of Loftwing's yellow eyes, letting his determination show through his expression. "We will bring down the Demon King at any cost!"

Something flickered in Hylia's eyes, just for a moment.

Hmmm… Loftwing examined Link closely, scanning him from head to toe. And who do you think you are?

"Link, a knight of the realm of Hylia."  Link approached the god bird slowly and deliberately. "A god such as you may look down on us puny humans, but we are not incapable of courage!"

Loftwing sauntered past Link, wings spread as if to strike. It turned to face him. Then you humans must show me your merit! Without a moment's hesitation, Loftwing shot straight upwards into the sky and disappeared amongst the dark clouds.

Standing in Loftwing's dust cloud, Hylia carefully held some sort of blade. She approached Link and the knights. "The Demon King would sear the land with the flames of calamity," she declared, an air of seriousness in her resonating voice. "As things stand, I would have to watch the people of my land be ruined. To prevent that, my people, you must escape to the sky." One hand let go of the blade and gestured to the sky, where Loftwing could be seen circling. "Loftwing desires that one of you would pilot him."

Link heard some murmurs of confusion behind him. "The sky?!"

Tou spoke up: "We are not birds. Besides, Loftwing has left us."

Hylia held up the blade she was carrying. "This is the Master Sword; a demon-repelling sword capable of cutting through the very ground. It holds the power to float the ground to the sky, and to become its supporting pillar." She ran one hand across the blade as one might comfort a sick child. "But, it was a blade created by the gods, and thus can it only be handled by one." Slowly, the goddess began to approach Link. He took one step back, but no more.

"In order to exert its power on the earth," she continued, "a human hand with a pure heart must temper it. The hand of the most honest hero in the land."

Hylia offered the Master Sword to Link—a gesture which he found eerily familiar. Just as when Rasuka returned his old sword, a feeling of inadequacy washed over Link. "Goddess," he began, attempting to hide the uncertainty in his voice, "I have long been imprisoned; I am weak." He broke eye contact with Hylia out of shame. "I could not possibly touch such a sacred sword."

Despite Link's hesitation, the goddess was undeterred. "The sword will judge your worthiness."

Link turned his head away and grimaced. It seemed that everyone thought him to be someone he no longer was. Why was that?

"Link…"

He closed his eyes.

"Would you take revenge on the country that wronged you?" Hylia pointed the handle of the sacred blade to Link, compelling him to grab hold of it. "Or would you save it from its dilema?"

Link's arm reached out for the hilt, but he stopped short of touching. Almost as if to himself, he spoke. "People are all the same—" he looked into Hylia's ocean-blue eyes "—even you gods. You all seek an answer from me. It seems I am only a person at your own convenience.

"Yet, even after all this time, it goes without saying:" Link turned to look at Rasuka, who smiled. "My spirit will always serve…" He placed his hand on the handle of the Master Sword and gripped it firmly. "…with my friends!"

A wave of energy shot up his arm. Link lifted the blade out of Hylia's hands and raised it—no, it raised itself—above his head. A wave of cheers arose from the multitude.

Link shouted above the cries of the crowd. "Light the fires! With the goddess's power, we will soar to the skies!" He headed to the forge, his fellow knights close behind him. He and his closest friends—the knights of Hylia—were to reforge the Master Sword.