The Lost Sage



Chapter 1: Changes

Link walked calmly through the cool shade of the Kokiri Forest. Oh how he missed his best friend, Saria. She was now a Sage and he hadn't seen her in so long that he could only barely recall her face.

"How is it that I can only barely remember the face of my best friend?" Link asked himself sadly.

With a sigh, Link made his way slowly to the entrance to the Lost Woods. When he reached his goal, he only sighed again and walked through the tunnel. He missed all his friends so much. Even though they were all there, around him, they didn't recognize him, and no matter how hard he tried, they wouldn't believe him when he told them who he was. They all firmly asserted that he was an impostor and therefore, they wouldn't listen to him. Link entered the Lost Woods and ran into Mido.

"Who are you?" Mido asked suspiciously.

"I don't suppose that you would believe me if I told you that I'm Link," Link said hopefully.

"You aren't Link!!" Mido exclaimed.

"That's what I thought, you won't believe me either," Link said with a sad sigh.

Link turned and walked deeper into the Lost Woods until he came to the Forest Temple. When he reached it, he heard a sad, unearthly voice singing a soft, lilting song. The voice seemed slightly familiar, but it sounded different at the same time.

"Saria?" Link asked softly to himself.

Suddenly, a young woman walked to the doorway of the temple and Link was startled to see that the woman's face resembled Saria's face so much that it was spooky, yet Saria wasn't supposed to age! She was so beautiful that Link was stunned into silence. She was slender and so delicate looking that she looked even more fragile than a drop of dew. She had deep green eyes that seemed to see right into the soul, long green hair that fell to her slender ankles, and smooth, fair skin. She had a slim, tapering waist and wore a pale green gown that seemed to be made of the morning mists. Crowning her head was a garland of silvery blue flowers that were shaped like little stars. She looked around as if she was expecting somebody, but then she sighed softly and turned to leave.

"Saria?!" Link exclaimed, finding his voice.

"Who is it that calls to me when I have not heard a voice here in years?" Saria asked to the forest.

"Saria, it's me," Link said from below.

"L-L-Link?" Saria asked softly in a tremulous voice, "Is it truly you? Or is it the cruel tricks of my mind that cause me to hear your voice?" Saria asked, and the pain and loneliness in her soft, lilting voice tearing at Link's heart.

"Saria, I am here, truly!" Link cried out.

Saria looked down and she let out a soft gasp, and covered her mouth with her slender white fingers.

"Link!" she whispered.

She ran to the edge and stepped off the marble balcony, floating to the ground in a sphere of pale green light. Saria ran to Link with her arms open and Link caught her in his arms and swung her around. Saria looked up at Link, tears shining in her eyes, and clasped him close in a warm hug.

"I can't believe it! You're back! My dearest friend is back!" Saria exclaimed joyfully.

"Yeah, I'm back. I promised you that I'd return, didn't I?" Link replied, just as happy.

"Oh Link!" was all Saria could say before bursting into tears, "I've been so alone!"

"Saria, what happened to you?" Link asked, stepping back a step so he could see her face.

"Things changed, Link," she replied in a soft voice, "I had to change with them."