Heaven's Battle
A Zelda Fanfic written by: Steven Jester
Chapter 1

Notes Disclaimers and Bullshit: I don't own the Zelda franchise, pure and simple. Let's see where this one takes us, eh?

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Lightening raked across the sky. Thunder boomed through the plains. The earth shook. I stood alone, facing the monster before me. His face came near. My heart fluttered in fear but my will stood strong. Before the monster struck the Death Blow across my frail form I heard someone call my name.

"Saria!"

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I awoke drenched in sweat. My green hair flew into my face as I rapidly inhaled the life giving air. Night still gripped my little home in our village. The only light in the room came from my ever present companion fairy, Váinan. Váinan was still asleep so I gently got out of bed and walked over to my desk and pulled out a small journal. I opened it to the next blank page and began writing.

Tenth Night of the Third Moon of the Ordinary Time, one year after the passing of the Deku Tree:

I had that dream again. I'm beginning to think that it's a sign of something. Váinan still disagrees with me though. I haven't woken her yet to tell her about this latest dream though. It went farther than before. Right before the monster tried to kill me someone called my name. I think it was Link.

I haven't seen Link in almost a year. He left looking for Navi and hasn't been back since. I miss him. I hope that he's ok.

I've made up my mind. I'm heading to the Forest Temple. Váinan can have all the objections she wants but I feel that my answer lies in there. I will leave as soon as I'm packed. I can't keep doing this every night.

I closed the journal and hurriedly started changing out of my bedclothes. Changed into my usual green sleeveless shirt and skirt I started packing for a trip through the Lost Woods. At this point Váinan woke up. "Huh—Saria, what are you doing up?"

"I need to go to the Temple."

Váinan sighed, "You had that dream again. Saria we talked about this, you shouldn't go to the temp—."

"I've made up my mind," I said, "Link called me."

"Link? With your song?"

"No, in the dream."

Váinan sighed again but didn't say anything until I had everything packed. She flew on to my shoulder and said, "Look, Saria. I don't suppose I can talk you out of it this time—"

"Nope."

"—but I'm going to warn you. Ever since the last Forest Sage died the temple hasn't been in the best condition. And we don't know exactly what we're going to find."

"I know," I said before turning to the door, "But what we find may be what I need."

And with that we departed in the dead of night towards the Lost Woods.

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Sometime later as dawn started to break on the eastern horizon, Váinan and I arrived in the Sacred Forest Meadow at the entrance to the Temple. What we came to, however, made me—well, frustrated.

"Seems we've run into a slight problem," Váinan said chuckling in my ear.

"Oh be quiet," I muttered as I surveyed the area.

You see, I used to come to the Sacred Forest Meadow a lot, but I had never needed to go into the temple. I had forgotten that the stairway leading to the Temple Entrance had been damaged.

"Ok, I just need to find a way up there," I said looking around. I saw an old tree that was positioned just right so a branch stayed over the landing. "If I can just climb that tree I'll make it."

"Saria, I wouldn't—"

By the time Váinan had spoken up I had already started to climb up the tree. The tree had some holes, so it was easy to climb. About halfway up I could hear the tree start to crack. "Saria! The tree's—"

"I know! I'm hurrying!" I yelled. The tree started to shake under my weight. I finally got to the top, the tree buckled. I ran and jumped, making it onto the landing. The tree came crashing down. I sat there and caught my breath, my only means of escape gone. "Well, guess we have to go in now," I said dryly.

"Ha, ha," Váinan said right before I got up and walked through the door.

Walking into the antechamber I got the profound sense of exactly what Váinan meant about the temple not being 'in the best condition.' The light from outside trickled in and there was barely enough to see. The door in front of me stood ajar, but not fully open. "Well, time to start exploring." I said and started to walk towards the door.

Instantly the door shut and a Wolfos appeared in front of me. "Saria! Watch out!"

As I backed up I had to doge the Wolfos' attack. I did the first thing I could think of, which I admit fully that I shouldn't have done first. I whipped out my ocarina and started playing my song. Now I don't know why I did that but the strangest thing happened; instead of another attack the Wolfos stopped. The door glowed, the earth beneath my feet rumbled, and the Wolfos vanished. The rumbling slowed, the door opened, and I stood in awe as the main chamber came into view. An eerie light filled the room from the four torches surrounding what appeared to be a central elevator. "Saria—oh, by the Three I can't believe I'm even suggesting this!—try the elevator."

I looked at my guardian fairy with a sense of suspicion. "How do you—"

"Look, just do it before I say this is a stupid idea and tell you to turn back."

I smiled and started to walk towards the elevator. As I stepped on the elevator, it started to descend. Through the floor we went, and I started getting nervous. "Váinan, how'd you know the elevator would work?"

"Fairy's intuition, perhaps? I don't know!"

I giggled.

We stopped on the bottom floor; the door way straight ahead was glowing. Without a second's hesitation I rushed the door and it opened. I ran up the steps and into a room with several paintings of the forest, each with a Kokiri girl—well, all except one. The girl in the one to the left of the empty one then started to move. I suddenly found myself paralyzed with fear, but all she said was, "We've been waiting, Saria."

"How do you know my name?" I wondered aloud.

"We know many things, Saria. We know that you are to be the next one of us."

"I-I don't want to be a painting," I yelled in fear.

The girl chuckled, "You won't be for a long time yet. Do you know who we are?"

I looked closer, the girl seemed familiar. "Am I speaking with one of the ancient Forest Sages?"

"Yes," she said, "You will become one of us; you will be the next Forest Sage."

I stood in shock. "H—how?"

The girl didn't answer; instead a strange sense of calm wrapped itself around me. The tension I didn't know I was feeling suddenly lifted from me. It felt like the forest itself was giving me energy.

Then it happened.

At first it was subtle. But then the onslaught of power rushed into me. And the memories! I received seven years of memories that I never knew existed. It flooded me so much I almost passed out.

Then it stopped. And I regained my senses and noticed that I was not wearing what I was wearing before. No, now I was wearing a long dress made of the purest green silk. Around my neck hung a necklace with several diamonds and a pendant, which somehow I knew had the seal of the Forest on it.

"I know now," I said in wonder.

"Yes," the girl said smiling, "As the Forest Sage you are now the leader of the Kokiri. You are also able to leave the forest, which you should as you need to honor our treaty with Hyrule."

"I remember this from before," I said. I looked at the girl again, I remembered who she was. "You're Sida, right?"

"Yes, I was the last Forest Sage. Listen to me Saria, what you will endure for the rest of your life is going to be difficult. The Forest Sage is one of the advisors in the Court of Hyrule. You may not remember, you were young back then, but I died shortly after Link came to stay with us. Yes, I know what Link is. It was I who suggested he live with us.

"Since my death the Gorons have been representing our interests. But since you are now the Forest Sage—"

"I know, it will be the first thing I do."

Sida smiled, "Anything you need just ask me. Now, I believe you're needed outside."

And in an instant a light enshrouded me and I was transported to the landing outside the temple. The stairs had appeared to be magically fixed, and the entire Kokiri tribe seemed to be gathered. Upon my appearance there was a great silence. Mido most of all was staring in awe. He seemed to shake free of his stupor long enough to say:

"Behold, the new Forest Sage! Long live Saria of Kokiri!"

End of Chapter 1