Before I start, I have a thing to say... I now have a Patreon! On there you will be able to find exclusive bonus chapters and unspoken lore that won't be brought up in the story, also original content, I hope you choose to check it out. (Link is in story Description.)
It took a while for Impa to get back to where she left Zelda, but when she did, the sight was incredibly shocking, Zelda covered in blood.
"Holy-!" Impa almost let out as she dashed to Zeldas side, "Your grace are you okay?" She asked, but only got a laugh in return, "What's so funny?" She asked in confusion.
Zelda got up on her feet using a staff made of bone, "This isn't my blood." She reassured, then using the staff to reel in the meteor hammer and rope dart, "I was practicing and a few monsters passed by." She informed.
That information surprised Impa, "So you used their bones to..." She rationalized, looking the staff over, "Impressive." She complimented before turning to look at the top of the mountain, "Do you think you can make your way up there?" She finally asked, pointing to the top.
"I should... Why?" Zelda questioned with narrowed brows, "I need to make sure that Vexalia is coming, but you need to go ahead because only divine power can open the gate we need to take." Impa explained, using the hilt of her sword to draw an obelisk of some kind.
The sight of the obelisk caused Zelda to remember something and subconsciously used her power, changing the drawing into a cog, "...I see..." She said in understanding.
Before she could head off, Impa handed Zelda a sketch, "When you get to the temple, look for the passage hidden in the carvings above." She instructed before vanishing in a cloud of smoke.
Now alone, Zelda pocketed the sketch and began making her way up the mountain, using the bone staff to vault over lava pits and the rope dart to pull herself up some sections.
"I wonder how Vexalia is going to make it up here." Zelda thought outloud, the mental image of Vexalia sliding down a path too steep appearing in her mind and making her giggle, "She would be so PISSED!" Zelda barked that last word out as she swinged the meteor hammer at bokoblin that stood in her way, the impact sending it to the ground.
"Now where was I- Oh yeah!" Zelda remembered, lookig at the temple entrance in front of her, and how it was locked, "Where was the passage?" She muttered, taking the sketch from her pocket and seeing how one of the carvings above was circled.
One glance up to confirm which one of the carving it was, Zelda grabbed the rope dart and swinged around until she got enough momentum to anchor on top of the Temple entrance.
Once she finished climbing Zelda touched the carving and found that it opened like a hatch, "Huh..." She let out in surprise before entering, finding a hallway that went on for quite a bit.
"This one must have been scrapped." Zelda realized, noticing some faded out maps on the walls that showed a path much more intricate than this appeared to be, "...Hello? Is anyone in here?" She called out, thinking it might still be used for something, only to run into a door.
Kicking the door in frustration made it open with a loud bang, and revealed a room that was full of weapons, "Wow!" Zelda let out in awe, "I could use an upgrade~" She muttered silently, dropping the bone staff she had made and exchanged it for a metal one.
After checking if there was anything else she could take, Zelda went on until she found a wide open room, the one that should have had the Obelisk, the problem though was that it was in pieces.
"Oh no..." Zelda muttered, running over to the debris to see if there was anything she could do about it, "Lets see... Maybe if I..." She pondered, letting out power that covered the pieces and attempted putting them together, but the damage was too severe and it failed.
At that moment, Impa came in through the same way Zelda did, "I can confirm that Vexalia will... Arrive soon..." She paused at the sight of the destroyed Obelisk, "Dammit..." She said in irritation, "...We can still salvage this, focus on the leftover energy of the debris and open a portal near another source of it." Impa instructed.
With the new idea in mind, power once again poured out of Zelda, but this time it was focusing into the shape of a doorway, and once she finished, the main door to the spring opened, causing her to turn around and see Vexalia.
"Zelda!" Vexalia exclaimed happily, "Ve-" Zelda was about to run at her, but Impa stopped her, "Remember your Grace, you have a purpose to fulfil, you can't go to her." She reminded.
Zelda looked at Vexalia who seemed heartbroken at hearing that, "I... I have to go... I'm sorry Vexalia..." She excused herself and walked through the portal.
On the other side, the cold air of the night was a quick wake up call for Zelda as she shivered, "How long could that have taken...?" She wondered outloud as Impa stepped through the portal too.
"I was hoping I was wrong..." Impa admitted, "It's dangerous at night, we'll have to set up camp." She warned before sitting down and began meditating.
Looking at her companion be so serene despite anything made Zelda feel relieved, even if just a little, so she proceeded to take place beside her and began meditating too.
The moment the sun rised, Impa picked up Zelda, who ended up falling asleep while meditating, "What? Is it morning?" Zelda asked in confusion, "Yes, now we need to hurry, I'm afraid Ghirahim might know we're here." Impa informed and began the journey.
This journey was probably the most relaxing thing Zelda had to do so far, despite the occasional monster encounter, it wasn't that eventful, so when they got to the temple of time, it was a welcome surprise to find the entrance blocked as well, "That's a relief, no one should be able to enter." Impa pointed out.
As that went, Zelda looked at the Obelisk that was there and began pouring light into it, until it shattered to pieces and reformed into the shape of a cog, "Is it done?" Zelda asked, "Yes, this is the last stop." Impa confirmed.
At that moment though, a familiar voice called out, "ZELDA!!" Vexalia called out from across the bridge, and turning around, Zelda had the biggest smile, "VEXALIA!!" She called out back happily, but the moment was swiftly interrupted by an explosion that blew up the entrance to the temple.
"SO HE DID FOLLOW US!" Impa yelled, blocking dark knives that were sent flying towards them, "As if I was just going to let you escape!" Ghirahim mocked, but Vexalia rushed at him to stop his advance.
Seeing no other option and knowing what she was told, Zelda made a decision, "VEXALIA CATCH!!" She yelled, throwing her harp at Vexalia, who pushed Ghirahim away to catch it, "LISTEN! YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO!" Impa reassured Vexalia, before going into the Gate along with Zelda.
And this is how Zelda managed to finally get into the past, but the rest? That is to be seen in the next chapters.