Legend of Zelda: Beyond the Horizon
Chapter Two
It was several days after the great festival at Lon-Lon Ranch, and Mido felt awful. After the Kokiri had returned to their forest village, the other children had gone back to playing and laughing. A few Kokiri, having experienced the outside world for the first time, couldn't wait to go back out and wasted no time readying their possessions and saying good-byes. All in all, a half dozen boys and girls had set out the very next day to see the world and have grand adventures together. Mido was jealous of them, but he couldn't go out himself. He was now de facto leader of the Kokiri since Saria's disappearance, and he felt a keen responsibility for his people. It seemed that ever since Saria had left, Mido had the world upon his shoulders. Now, he spent his time wandering the forest and brooding in his treehouse. Sometimes at night, the lanky red-headed Kokiri tossed and turned for hours, worrying about things that were completely alien to the Kokiri lifestyle.
On top of that, the comparative childishness and carefree attitude of the rest of the Kokiri bothered him. The other kids didn't seem to realize the scope of the epic struggle that had taken place around them. Mido had heard adults of other races at Lon-Lon talking and relating tales of the danger, hardship, fear, but most of all, the courage that had characterized Ganon's rule and Link's adventure. Mido had been spellbound: he had never knew that the great world held so many terrible and wonderful things. Things like hatred and magic, greed and war. Things like love and honor, justice and righteousness. The others, however, showed no inkling that they understood.
Early one morning, Mido was finishing his breakfast with two other Kokiri boys, Sid and Frink, out on the common ground beetwen all the treehouses of Kokiri village. The three chatted amiably and munched on deku wafers and forest nuts while drinking cool springwater, laughing and bantering while exchanging greetings with other Kokiri who passed by. Mido breakfast, the first one he had enjoyed in a while, was interrupted by a yelling Kokiri who charged into the common ground. Everyone stopped what they wre doing and raced towards the panting youth. Mido recognized him as Zeke, one of the Kokiri who'd been put in charge of gathering forage from the Lost Woods.
"Moblins!" he cried in fear, "Moblins are coming through the woods! They're coming this way!" The Kokiri gasped in unison. One or two of the girls shrieked. Mido was paralyzed with fear. Moblins? The bipedal giants of the forest were huge, towering four times the height of a Kokiri. Mido fought down his fear, sensing a general panic growing in the hundred-odd Kokiri of the village.
"Stop!" he cried out, roaring loudly in a manner quite unusual for a small Kokiri boy. "Don't panic! We don't have much time!"
"What're we gonna do, Mido?" Frink asked, his voice shrill in fear.
"We'll…" Mido trailed off, his brow furrowing. What would Saria or Link do? Certainly not run away. But the Kokiri were not fighters, and stood no chance against the warlike monsters that were tromping towards their village. "I'm not sure what we'll do, but I'll think of something."
"Let's ask the Deku Sprout!" Sid suggested, "He'll know what to do!"
"Good idea." Mido said, "Let's go…fast!" The Kokiri all ran through the village and to the clearing that was the home of the Deku Trees. The dead hulk of the old Deku Tree loomed overhead; ignoring it, the Kokiri raced towards it's roots. There, only a little over the height of the Kokiri, grew the Deku Sprout.
"It's about time you guys showed up!" he said grumpily. "I've been wondering when you'd notice the Moblins that were blundering through my forests towards you folks!"
"Deku Sprout, what should we do?" Mido asked. The Deku Sprout's eye widened in surprise.
"You mean you don't know?" the Sprout was incredulous, "Why, you must escape! You must find help!"
That made sense…the Kokiri looked at each other and nodded. Why hadn't they thought of that? But Mido was not as happy with the idea. He'd already thought of that, to tell the truth, but he'd shunned away from the thought of abandoning the defenseless Deku Sprout.
"But Deku-" he started, but was cut off.
"Go on, kids!" the Deku Sprout ordered firmly, "There's not much time! Get to Kakariko Village or Lon-Lon ranch where you'll be safe. Be careful, now!" The Kokiri all left the clearing, running to their houses to get their most precious possessions. All save Mido, who stood defiantly before the Deku Sprout.
"I'm not going." he stated flatly, "I'm not gonna let you stay here alone."
"Ah, brave Mido." The young Deku Sprout said mournfully, "You're last weeks have been troubled greatly by the burden of responsibility that you have taken on. Listen to me, Mido. You are brave, but you are not a warrior. If you stay, you will surely be killed. You must go."
"But you need me," Mido said forcefully, "And we need you. The Kokiri can't survive without a Deku Tree."
"That's not true." Deku Sprout said softly, "The Kokiri can live outside the forest now…I am only a guiding influence, not a life source. And the Kokiri need you, brave Mido. I sense a great evil rising in the lands…" the Deku faltered, "Ganon seeks to return to Hyrule. The world needs courageous people like you, Mido."
Mido nearly choked on his own breath. His fear increased tenfold, but he stood his ground.
"I won't let them get to you!" he snarled, turning and dashing away. The Deku Sprout called something, but Mido didn't stop to listen.
Kokiri Village was empty; running to his house, Mido threw himself through the little door. He rummaged through his belongings until he found what he wanted: a slingshot, Deku staff, and wooden Deku Shield. Strapping on the shield, he took up a pouch of super-hard Deku seeds to fire from his slingshot and raced back outside.
Mido could hear the Moblins roaring and crashing through the forest: they were almost to the large clearing that Kokiri village was built in. Moving swiftly, Mido took up a position between the forest and the Deku Tree. Preparing to make his stand, he threw down the Deku staff and shield and set out a dozen Deku seeds. Readying his slingshot, Mido hid in some bushes and waited. He didn't have long to wait.
The first Moblin clomped out of the forest and looked around, growling. The beast was huge and hairy, with a bulldog-like face that sprouted two wicked tusks. It wore ratty animal hides for clothing and carried a large, barbed spear. It narrowed it's piggish eyes and roared, charging towards a Kokiri house. The monster ripped into the large treehouse, bashing in great portions of the wall and ripping huge gashes with it's spear. Another Moblin appeared, and another, and another. They tore into the neat little treehouses, leveling them with brute force. More Moblins appeared…there were a total of eight. Mido gritted his teeth and tensed as one noticed the path leading towards the Deku Sprout's domain; the monster started moving towards the clearing with a ponderous gait.
Mido took aim and hurled a Deku Seed at the Moblin. The little missile bounced off the Moblin's furry skull, startling the creature. Roaring in shock, it whirled, brandishing it's spear suspiciously at it's fellows. Mido sent another seed hurling into the monster's ample rear end, causing the beast to roar in more keenly felt pain.
This time, all the Moblins looked up in alert silence, snuffling and tasting the air. Then, the wounded Moblin gestured at Mido's hiding place with a massive paw and bellowed. The little Kokiri gulped in fright and readied more Deku Seeds.
The Moblins began trotting towards the little copse of bushes that Mido hid in. Steeling his jaw, the Kokiri raised his slingshot again and began launching seeds. Moblins yowled and yelped as seeds bounced off their thick hides, but they kept coming, undamaged and angry.
Mido dashed from the bushes and stood, blocking the path to the Deku clearing. He shot off another seed and then tucked away his slingshot, taking up his Deku staff and shield. The little boy in forest green waved his makeshift weapon and clanged it against his shield, shrieking warlike cries and feinting towards the giant monsters. The Moblins, surprised at this behavior, stopped their advance and peered intently at the little Kokiri. Finally, though, one snorted and leveled it's spear at Mido.
Mido….run! It's too late!
a voice seemed to materialize in Mido's mind, Save yourself! The voice was that of the Deku Sprout. Mido stopped his war dance and blinked. He'd heard that the Deku Trees could speak directly into the Kokiri's minds…Mido…avenge me!
came the voice again, Run away and save your people!Mido's eyes narrowed as the Moblins lumbered forward. Baring his teeth, he hurled his staff like a spear at one of the Moblins; the ineffectual missile was knocked aside by a spear swipe. Mido had nothing with which to fight the Moblins with…nothing that could actually hurt the creatures, anyway.
Deku Sprout
, he thought, We'll die together.No, Mido… not for me. There is a greater task you just perform…you must stop Ganon. Now go! I'll distract the Moblins!
Suddenly, a burst of green slight shot out of the Deku Sprout's enclave, passing over Mido's head. The light flashed in the Moblins' eyes, and the monsters dropped their spears in agony. The blinded giants pawed at their eyes, roaring in anger.
Go Mido!
When the monster's sight returned, the little Kokiri was nowhere to be seen.
Mido stood in the fringes of the forest, silently watching the Moblins run down the path to the Deku clearing. The giants seemed to realize where the beam of light had originated, and they were enraged.
Good-bye, Deku Tree.