The obvious person to ask about the Ballad of the Goddess is Headmaster Gaepora. He’s of course first interested in learning how Link’s quest to find Zelda’s going, and even though this Link is apparently prone to catching people up on what he knows and they don’t, the player hears none of it, so it’s hard to say how much he actually says. Link then asks about the lyrics, and Gaepora knows them, but is hesitant to sing and is relieved when Link says he doesn’t need them sung.
“Oh youth, guided by the servant of the goddess… unite earth and sky, and bring light to the land.
Oh youth, show the two whirling sails the way to the Light Tower… and before you a path shall open, and a heavenly song you shall hear.”
He notes that the Light Tower is the tower in the plaza. He’s not sure about the “whirling sails” are, but it’s pretty obvious exploring the island that it’s probably the two windmills along the south edge. The one closest to the academy has a pinwheel propeller that, when blown at by the Gust Bellows, turns the whole windmill counterclockwise; when it turns to the Light Tower, it lights up (but doesn’t lock into place, and if you go too far you’ve got to go another whole rotation). However, the one out by the graveyard lost its propeller, which flew off the islands and dropped below the clouds. (Fi: “I highly suggest you retrieve the windmill propeller from the land below to reorient the windmill.” I… yes, Fi, that’s a good idea. Thank you. Have a cookie.)
The man who told Link about the propeller says if Link was able to bring it back, he could fix it, but believes whatever’s gone through the clouds is gone for good. However, Gondo at the Scrap Shop has a heirloom flying robot that allegedly brought stuff back from beneath, so that’s the next stop. The robot’s fallen into disrepair, but with a treasure from Link and some tinkering by Gondo, it’s brought back good as new. Scrapper doesn’t think much of Link, barely managing a perfunctory thank you on Gondo’s prodding. He’s not inclined to haul stuff for Link, but when Fi pops out to tell Link he can dowse for the propeller, Scrapper’s smitten and will do anything she asks. Fi is weirded out, but recovers to say they can get the propeller now. Scrapper tells “Master Shortpants” (Link) he can detect Fi’s thoughts, so she just has to call and he’ll come.
Finding the pinwheel in the world is going to be a huge task, so Gondo suggests Link ask Sparrot, the fortune teller, for help. It can’t be more useless than last time, so Link gives him another try. Sparrot sees the propeller near the Earth Temple, and dammit, I saw the bloody thing while gathering keys, wondered what it was for, and promptly forgot all about it. It’s at the bottom of the hill where there used to be a Bokoblin watchtower. Link goes to it, has Fi call Scrapper, and leads Scrapper back to the windmill, which gets fixed. Link turns the windmill to the Light Tower, and the center platform of the tower rises to reveal a hidden pavilion. Link goes to the pavilion and plays the Ballad of the Goddess with Fi singing (with a really unnatural animation – which I guess is appropriate for what she is); the pavilion spins, and the sun shines through the ceiling onto a lens that focuses into a laser that opens a hole in the giant thundercloud in the sky.
Inside the Thunderhead, it’s gray and stormy and there are enemies that can damage Link if they get too close. There’s nothing to be done about them except try to outrun them and hope for the best. Link eventually arrives at a pair of islands; one, the Isle of Songs, is nearly entirely occupied by a tower, and the other has a puzzle involving statues on circular tracks. The statues correspond with the segments of the bridge and can be moved around their track with a central wheel, while a fourth statue with three gems raises barriers in configurations that allow Link to get the bridge segments to line up before being rotated into place. Inside the tower, there’s one of those crests for Link to Skyward Strike, and it brings up a statue of the goddess, awakening a message within Fi’s memory: “He who seeks the sacred flames, listen well, for I guide you from my place at the edge of time. The sacred flames are three in number. To obtain them, you must also earn relics known as the three sacred gifts. For each trial you overcome, you shall be blessed with one of the gifts… Make use of the power of these gifts, and you will find your way to the purifying sacred flames. Now, I bestow unto you a melody. It will serve you as a key, opening the first trial that awaits you deep in the wilds of Faron Woods.” The song is called Farore’s Courage, and Fi teaches him to dowse for the gate. (When Link gets a new dowsing target, the game starts chiming at him to use it right away. Game, I’m not going to find the gate here. Hold your fscking horses.)
Now that Link can access the Thunderhead, Goddess Chests there are available to him. There’s one he’s already activated, on the Isle of Songs, and it contains a gold rupee.
Next: Link tries to help, but in some cases, he probably shouldn’t have.
