Link descended within the shining light and landed safely on the platform in the center of the Chamber of the Sages. He looked around for Starswirl, or even Fluttershy, but found neither. "Hmm..." he murmured. From the corner of his eye, he saw a bright green light emanate from the same colored platform. "Oh?"

Fluttershy rose from its center and looked around once she stood still. She didn't appear to be nervous, or scared, or even worried, which was new for him to witness. "Link," she said, "you really grew up in the past seven years, huh..."

"Yeah, all in a matter of minutes. For me, anyway. 7 whole years passed while I was trapped inside this room, and I'm not all that thrilled about that." He drew the Master Sword and held it in front of him, looking down at the blade he held in his right hand. "This sword here transported me to the Chamber we're in, and I was locked here for the 7 years you know me to be gone for."

Fluttershy listened to his part of the story. "I didn't even know you left, to be honest. I wasn't around." She glanced to the other platforms. "Maybe if I was... I don't know..." She sighed.

"Don't tell me anything about what happens after I get back, or even about what I do until I disappear for good. I don't need to know." He looked straight on at her while he stowed his sword. "What I want to know is how you all got caught."

"Okay," she said, taking a breath. "We... our friends... Uhh, the shadow pony you fought in the Nature Temple came for us in Ponyville. We weren't as prepared as we should have been, and he captured all of us. We tried to fight, but he was just too strong. There was nothing we could do. Note even the Elements of Harmony were any match." She directed her attention to her Element that she wore around her neck - that Link didn't even notice until she pointed it out - and sighed once more. "But, there is one thing more I can tell you. Our friends are the other Sages."

"I kinda figured that one out." He looked to the platform she stood on. "So that would make you the..."

"The Sage of Nature," Fluttershy finished for him. "Fully realized, thanks to you and your efforts. You defeated the evil in the Temple of Nature and freed me. I thank you." She looked at her platform, then at him again. "There is something I want to give you." She tapped her Element with a hoof. "A power I've been holding in reserve for this very moment."

"You want to give me your Element?"

"Well, sort of... It's more like... It's built up a power of mine and I can give it to you." She stood up straight, then hovered into the air. Her body became outlined by a light green energy. It spun around her and concentrated on the butterfly of her Element. Once it was condensed enough, it fired off a ball and flew into Link's outstretched palm. The magic ball spread throughout his entire body. Unlike the Great Fairy's gift of fire, he was not blessed with the information needed to wield it.

Link felt it warm his body before returning it to normal. "And what does it do?" he asked. When he looked at Fluttershy, he could see a yellow swirl mixed with light green bordering her. She had already landed on her platform. "Huh?"

Fluttershy smiled at him. "I just gave the power of Nature to you." Seeing a modicum of confusion on his face, she elaborated. "Do you recall when Rainbow competed to be the Best Young Flyer? " He nodded. "Well, do you remember when I made a mention of one of the other entrants being nice?"

"Barely."

"Well, I had used magic perception to know it. Most pegasi can sense another's magic inherently. It's made them capable of flying in so tight a formation when they need to without turning their heads to see or straining their ears to hear."

"And I can do that now too? See another's personal magic? Like, the kind that they're made of?" Fluttershy nodded. "Can I turn it off?"

"With practice, this power can do much for you. But eventually, you should work towards full mastery of this power. So much so that you could use it in your sleep." She waited a moment. "Keep in mind that while magic gave you this power, it is not a spell itself. It is a natural ability you now possess."

Link looked at her some more and blinked a few times. "Okay, so I have to train this power. Right, the other guy said that he gave me a power of his. He said his power allowed me to have stronger magic while being more cost efficient. His power became a natural part of me, too. So I am led to believe that our friends - the other Sages - will have powers they grant me as well."

Fluttershy looked slightly worried at that. "Y-yes, that's right."

"A bonus, then, because I was already going to save them. If that is their thanks, then I accept." He gave a bow to her. "You have my word, our friends will be freed."

"I trust you," Fluttershy replied with a smile.

"What happens to you now?" Link asked.

"Now, I wait for the moment we seal the darkness, but that day is both near and very far. I know you can do it, Link."

He nodded at that and shuffled the shield on his back. "You bet I can. Count on it." A shining blue light came from the platform under his feet and teleported him back out of the Chamber of Sages and onto the stone platform just outside the Temple of Nature.

Emmy was perched atop a nearby stump humming her favorite melody while swaying in the light breeze. The sword he let her borrow was leaning up beside her. She stopped humming when he approached her. "Hey there, you." She looked up at the temple's entrance. "I knew you were the right guy for the job, Link. I can feel the temple's magic return to what it was."

"So you guys are good now, right?" Emmy nodded. "Hang on a sec... If the Temple of Nature is what kept you guys young, and that magic got blanketed 7 years ago... How come they were all still children?"

Emmy's expression turned straight into concentration. "Because the ... the magic that keeps them young is still going on!"

"But how?"

"The Great Forest Treant!"

"We watched it wither," Navi said.

"You watched the parent wither. There's gotta be a seedling there somewhere that's carried on the duty. We have to find it" She started walking quickly down the path. "Actually, if we could take just one small detour... There's something I'm sure will be of incalculable value to you."

Link nodded, picked up his loaner sword and followed close behind. What could be so valuable to me that it can't be described? I'll find out when I get there.

Pretty quick one. Enjoy~
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Getting back into the flow of writing and having a lot of fun with it, now that I've got a clear sense of what I want to happen.