The Demon Lord's Inner Battle

I wake up from the usual nightmare that has plagued me for days on stretch.

Today is the day of the wing ceremony. The winner will become a knight of the academy.

I was training for this in secret for long.

After getting up from my bed, I head into the bathroom of the academy.

“Alright. Today’s the day.”

I ball my hand into fists as I get dressed and head back to my room to fetch the brush for Crimson, my loftwing.

As every day I leave the academy and head towards the goddess statue where I whistle for my feathered friend.

“...”

Weird... Usually he comes flying within seconds... I whistle again but still nothing.

“Crimson! C’mon, buddy!”

I close my eyes, focusing on my senses, that connects us but I can’t feel his presence. Something must have happened to him!

I dash away to look for clues as Zelda comes into my direction.

“Oh, Link! Good morning!”

She smiles at me. Maybe she knows something.

“Morning, Zelda... have you seen Crimson today?”

Her eyes widen and she looks into the sky. Sapphire, her loftwing is flying in circles above us but Crimson is nowhere to be seen.

She whistles for him and he immediately lands in front of her, holding his beak towards her for pets.

“No... I didn’t... Sapphire. Did you see Crimson today?”

She looks her loftwing in the eyes and he flaps his wings and lets out warning shouts.

“He... he knows! Sapphire, please show me where he is!”

I rush to him and look into his eyes. He calms down and lowers his back for me to climb on. I look at Zelda and she nods.

“You go. I’m going to ask my father to wait with the ceremony.”

I nod at her and fly off with Sapphire. We circle around Skyloft as I hear faint screams.

“Crimson!”

Sapphire speeds up and lands at the space under the waterfall. Crimson is locked up by some wood.

“Damn, I don’t have anything to cut the ropes with!”

Crimson flaps his wings and screams out panicky, wanting to get out of his prison.

“Shh... it’s alright, Crimson. I will get you out of there.”

I pet his beak through the bars. Sapphire approaches me with a sharp rock in his beak.

“Thanks, Sapphire.”

I take the rock from him and cut through the ropes. The wooden bars fall to the ground and Crimson steps out, flapping his wings excitedly. Then he comes to me and I pet his head.

“Hey, buddy. Are you hurt?”

Crimson nudges my stomach and lets out a cheerful scream.

“Haha. Good. Let’s go then, we have a race to win!”

He and Sapphire take off to fly as I run towards the wooden platform and jump off. I whistle and within seconds Crimson catches me and we fly off.

“Alright, let’s head back to the academy. Zelda must be waiting for us.”

The loftwings circle around the island and land at the academy entrance, where Zelda and Instructor Horwell are waiting.

“You found him!”

Zelda runs towards us and hugs Sapphire. Then she pets Crimson. Instructor Horwell takes a step towards me.

“Link. Is your loftwing injured?”

I shake my head.

“No, instructor. We’re ready for the ceremony.”

He nods at me with a smile.

“Now that’s what I like to hear.”

We head towards the plaza, where all the other participants are waiting already.

As we approach Groose, Crimson screams and hides behind me.

“Wh... Crimson... what’s wrong?”

I turn around to my loyal friend and pet his beak.

“Hey... it’s all okay... I’m here...”

I feel his fear slowly fade away as I talk to him. Then I turn to Groose.

“Hey, Link. What’s your stupid bird’s problem?”

He grins at me. Sapphire, who stood next to Crimson until now, approaches Groose with angry screams.

“You! You did this to him! Is that the only way you can win against me?! You go through the lengths of imprisoning my loftwing?! How dare you!”

I hold Groose by his collar as his fear filled eyes are staring at me.

“That’s enough.”

A deep voice breaks the silence at the plaza.

“Headmaster Gaepora...”

I release Groose and take a step back from him as I look to the ground.

“I’m sorry. I lost my temper.”

The headmaster sighs and looks at Groose, who’s trying to catch his breath. Weakling.

“Groose. Is it true what Link said?”

His eyes stare into Groose’s as he scratches his head.

“W...well... y...you see... I...”

Sapphire takes a step closer to him, a threatening pose as Groose holds his arms in front of him.

“Y..yes! Yes, it’s true! I did it!”

The headmaster closes his eyes, deep in thought.

“Alright. Goose. As punishment, you will be forbidden from participating in the wing ceremony.”

Strich and Cawlin run next to Groose.

“But wait! It was us who did it! Groose just made the plan!”

The headmaster looks at the three of them.

“Well then...”

The two grin at each other.

“You two are also not to participate.”

Their jaws hang low as Instructor Owlan speaks up.

“But Headmaster. These 4 are the only ones participating in this semester’s race.”

The headmaster’s gaze travels towards me. He strokes his beard, thinking.

“Hm... true... alright. Link.”

I straighten at my name.

“You’re going to race against Instructor Owlan and Instructor Horwell. You will win, if you get the birdstatue within one minute while they will try to get into your way.”

I swallow hard as I look at the two instructors. They both stand next to the headmaster, their arms behind their backs.

Do I even have a chance like this...?

“Wah!”

I’m startled by Crimson’s beak in my back. He opens his wings and nudges my side. I smile at him.

“Yes, you’re right, buddy. We will win.”

He screams and ascends into the sky.

“We’re ready, Headmaster.”

He nods and takes a step back. I take a starting position with my two instructors and dash off the wooden platform. We whistle and our loftwings come flying immediately.

“Alright Crimson, let’s do this!”

Crimson locks onto the golden loftwing with the bird statue in his claws.

“Left, Crimson!”

He immediately reacts to my shout and dodges the incoming attack from Instructor Horwell.

“Not bad, Link.”

We’re centimeters away from the bird, I can almost grasp the statue.

“C’mon.... just a little...more...”

Crimson dodges Instructor Owlan’s attack now, causing me to almost fall.

“You have 15 seconds left.”

He informs me, chuckling.

“Damn! C’mon Crimson!”

Crimson screams and dashes towards the golden bird yet again.

“Only a few more seconds! Crimson! Faster!”

I stretch my arm as Crimson gets closer.

Damn. They approach from both sides!

“Crimson!”

He immediately understood my plan and rushes towards the bird. Just before they hit Crimson, I jump over his neck towards the golden bird.

I grab the statue and Crimson catches me from my fall.

“We did it, Crimson!”

We fly back and land. Instructor Horwell pats my shoulder.

“The bond you share with your loftwing truly is amazing, Link.”

Instructor Orwell comes up to me from the other side.

“I didn’t think you would come up with such a plan so fast. Impressive.”

At last the headmaster steps forward.

“Link. Your performance was a knight’s worthy. Your time was 58 seconds. Congratulations.”

Crimson flaps his wings as I pet his feathers.

“Good job, buddy! We did it!”