Courage Divided- Prologue
A Beginning, and a Sickness

Silver City...
"Yes, yes... uh-huh, what's new? Come on, something good already!" A pause as the man on the phone listened, then, "WHAT!! No way, no way. Marl, you're joking, tell me you're joking... you aren't. Damn. Well, thanks for the warning. I've arrangements to make... yeah, same to you, buddy."

Hanging up the phone, James Harken, alias Jim Hawk, sat back and shuddered. The news he had just gotten was bad, very bad. 'I'll have to warn the wife, maybe take her and run. But what about Jack? He can't come along, he's only ten! Wait, maybe...' Jim picked up the phone again and dialed a number. It rang four times before someone picked it up. "Dad? It's me, James...things are terrible, Dad. Listen..." Jim lowered his voice, as if afraid someone might overhear.

"...And that's how it's going down, according to Marl. Jenny and me are going to have to skip out of town for a while...yes, that's why I called. Jack needs a safe place to stay until this blows over...no, if I hurry, I can avoid any fallout..." He lowered his voice again. "...You'll take him? Thanks, Dad! I owe you one...yeah, yeah, maybe I'll take you out to dinner when all this is over. All right, I've gotta skip. See you in a few days."

Moon Mountain...
"Mistress, there is a darkness in the caves! Those who have gone in to investigate don't return!" "I know of this curse, Inky, but I do not know what to do. Something clouds my vision..." "Mistress! Are you sick?" "Ha-ha! No, little one, I am not sick; merely afraid. The villagers depend on the fruits of the mountain more than they know; if it sickens, so do they." "Mistress, what about...?" "Hmm, good idea. But is it too soon? Let me see..." Closing her eyes and sinking back into the pool, the Harvest Goddess sent a thought to her friend in another world, a world that was so close to this one, yet so far away. 'Deku...'

The Void of the Ether...
'Ah, my dear. It is good to hear from thee. Would that thou hadst called at a better time...' 'What? Deku, what do you mean, "a better time?"' 'A foul curse hast fallen over me, and I grow weary of life. My time draweth nigh, I fear...' 'No! Deku, you can't fail now! Darkness begins to spread here, too! If it is in both worlds, as you say...' 'What? Explain thyself!' 'The Harvest Sprites have told me of a shadow that covers their inner caves and consumes all that enter it. At the same time, it is fouling the water that feeds a nearby village, and is also tainting the soil from which the wild produce of the mountain springs. None of the humans have taken sick, but I fear for the old ones. Especially...' 'The one whose grandson has the mark of Destiny upon him. I see. My dear, I believe it is time for the Awakening. Nothing else can turn back the Shadow.' 'No! Not the Shadow! ...But you are correct. I should have seen the signs. Very well, I shall begin the process.' 'Dear... I fear that when thou and I next speak, I will be without a corporeal form.' 'Don't worry. Things will turn out...'

The Lost Woods..
"Navi... Navi, where art thou..." At the sound of his voice, a small ball of light came flying out of the woods to hover before the great tree. "Here, Great Deku Tree! I'm here!" "Good. You know the boy without a fairy? His time draws nigh... bring him here..." "'Time has come?' No! Oh, Great Deku Tree, say it isn't so!" "It is... hurry, for my time draws nigh, as well..." Sobbing, the little ball of light flew off. "It can't be true, the Great Deku Tree is our guardian! If he dies... Oh, that boy had better be- ow!" The ball of light had flown smack dab into a fence rail. "That hurt! I'd better hurry." Paying attention this time, it flew between the rails and onward, onward to a large stump that served as the home of a very unique Kokiri. The only one without a fairy...