A/N: I tend to have too many ideas for story plots. This is one of them that got out of hand and turned into a ONE-SHOT monster.
Warning: There's some swearing!
Please enjoy!
Frozen Destiny
The big, ugly demon was upon Gray Fullbuster faster than he could count to one, appearing like a massive, deep purple wall of pure muscle. Eyes that shone a yellow burned with uncontrollable madness as they bore into the Ice-Make mage. Its protruding jowl, armed with sharp, vicious teeth and a pair of long, pointed tusks, opened wide to release a monstrous roar that deafened the ice-user's ears as it attacked. A big, meaty fist the size of a boulder came down fast, wanting to shatter every bone in its opponent's shrunken body.
Gray was crouched low on the ground covered in magical ice that refused to melt and break. His body was that of a child's – reverted back to his seven-year old self – all thanks to the curse cast by the berserk demon before him. His strength and magic power had drastically weakened due to the transformation. And he was injured; his face and body were bruised and bleeding by the big brute's fast, hard blows and his arms and back were scraped bloody from his rough landings. In spite of it all, Gray wasn't ready to give up fighting. His determination burned like the hottest flame in his chest and his head was as clear as the shimmering ice under his bare feet. He knew just what to do and could only hope his plan worked or else he would be dead. There was no chance of surviving the powerful punch coming his way so it was all or nothing.
With one hand grasping at the cold crystal beneath him and the other aimed at his incoming foe, Gray concentrated on absorbing the magic imbued within the ice. An intense chill rushed into his fingers, his hand, up his arm and throughout his entire body within an instant as the magical energy was drawn into his being. The magic was unlike anything he had ever felt. It was cold – colder than his own ice – and it was frightfully dark and familiar. The unnerving sensation overwhelmed him and broke his focus. He lost control on the power he gathered. It burst from his form in a blinding flash of white, consuming him in freezing energy.
Gray suddenly couldn't move; he couldn't breathe; he couldn't feel anything. Both mind and body had gone numb and he saw nothing but white. Everything was deathly quiet.
Then he heard her voice again, hush and gentle; "I'll always be watching you… no matter what happens. Be brave…"
He saw her briefly just as she spoke the last of her words, appearing through what looked like thick, white fog. He caught a glimpse of her smile before the fog shrouded her completely, taking her away. The world fell silent again as darkness began to fall. It was pitch black and empty until he started to dream.
Voices whispered in the shadows, tickling his ears. Gray couldn't fully understand what was spoken nor could he distinguish who was speaking. It was like a dream; his mind too muddled to comprehend. He caught a few words:
"… ice… so cold…"
"… boy… hair… shadows…"
"… this mark…"
"… hurt… maybe a Wolfos…"
"… dead?"
Something warm touched Gray's cheek. He tried to open his eyes but found his eyelids as heavy as lead. He was extremely tired, feeling as if he had expended all his magic energy in a fight. He couldn't remember what happened to him. Thoughts wandered and strayed, never becoming clear. Whatever touched his cheek was now touching his forehead, gentle and warm. He forced his eyes open, managing only a crack in both. His vision was horribly blurred and his head was aching. All he could make out was a round ball of white light and it was moving, bobbing up and down above him.
"He's alive!" someone gasped in a shrill, feminine voice that sounded so far away. It came in the direction of the light.
The glowing orb quickly moved aside as the dark silhouettes of two people came into view. Gray couldn't make out their faces.
"Don't worry. You're okay now," one of them said. It was a girl whose voice was young, kind, and distant.
"Let's take him back to the village," said the other. This one was a young boy. He, too, sounded as if he stood a mile away.
The last thing Gray knew, he was being lifted off the ground by strong hands.
He dreamt. In his dream, the world was covered in ice; the mountains, the forests, the lakes, the towns, the cities, the castles, the people, animals – everything was frozen in time, forever doomed to be sculptures of ice. Even the sky was frozen, with crystal clouds and a diamond sun. There was nothing moving except for a large shadow looming in the horizon where the icy forests met the frozen sky. The darkness flickered like living fire, creeping into the trees. It was an ominous presence that made Gray involuntarily shiver.
He woke up to the sound of someone's angry voice; "… an outsider! Do you know how dangerous this is? You shouldn't have brought him here!" It was a boy, different from the previous one. Louder too. As if he stood in the same room as the mage.
Another person sighed. "We couldn't leave him in the forest. He would've died," this one replied. It was the kind girl, recognizable by her tone. She, too, shared the same room.
Gray pried his eyes open but saw only darkness. He panicked for a moment, thinking he had gone blind, but soon realized that wasn't the case. Something comfortably hot and damp was covering the top-half of his face. He tried to move his arm to take it off, but his limbs were heavy like stone. He had no strength to even lift a finger. He was lying on something hard, his body covered by a rough, but warm blanket that smelled like fresh mint.
"Those who get lost in our forest are destined to stay lost forever, Saria," the boy continued heatedly. "If the Great Deku Tree was still with us, he wouldn't have allowed you to interfere."
"If the Great Deku Tree was still with us, he would understand that this boy wasn't lost," the girl named Saria argued.
The boy snorted. "What do you mean he wasn't lost? You guys found him in the Lost Woods, didn't you?"
"Yes… But he wasn't lost."
"How do you know?"
"I… just know."
"Saria–"
"Mido, I know you want to protect our village. He's not a danger to us. I can sense it; the forest can sense it. He is not destined to die in the Lost Woods."
Who are they talking about? Gray wondered in a daze. It couldn't be him; he wasn't a boy but a grown man.
The one named Mido huffed, "He's still an outsider. He doesn't belong here."
There was a short pause before Saria replied, "Yes… I know. Once he's well enough, Link will take him home."
"Hmph. That guy better keep his word," Mido grumbled. Footsteps began to walk away. "That outsider is not allowed to wander the village and he's not allowed on the sacred grounds of the Great Deku Tree while he's here, got that?" the boy gruffly added as he left the room.
After a moment, Saria let out a disgruntled sigh.
"He can be so stubborn sometimes," spoke another person in the room. It was another girl with a higher pitch in her voice.
"I couldn't agree more," said Saria, obviously amused.
Gray could hear her approach his side, her footwear quietly scuffing on a wooden floor. He tried to speak, but his mouth and throat were as dry as sand. He could only moan.
The object that covered his eyes was gently pulled away. He had to blink several times to adjust to the light of a burning oil lamp mounted to a nearby wall. Eventually his vision focused on the face of a young girl with short green hair looking down on him. She wore clothes that were different shades of green, matching the hues of a forest. Most peculiar were her ears which were long and pointed.
"You're awake!" she said, looking quite relieved. Her blue eyes gleamed like sapphires when she smiled. "Hello, my name is Saria. I'm here to help you, okay? Here. Some water."
She carefully lifted the mage's head and brought a wooden cup to his dry lips. Refreshingly cool water was poured into his mouth and he greedily gulped it all down. He was laid back down. With his thirst quenched and his mind now fully functioning, Gray suddenly realized something very important.
"Wh-Where am I?" he managed to croak out, his jaw stiff and hurting from a swollen bruise. The last thing he could recall he was in the Sun Village, a place full of enormous buildings and stone structures, intimidating giants fifty times his size, and craggy mountains surrounded by forests – all cursed under the power of ice. This was definitely not the Sun Village, he was confident about that. Unless one of his teammates had managed to break the curse while he was out…
"You are in–"
"Wait, Saria!" A ball of white light with a pair of insect-like wings came into view and flew before the green-haired girl's face, lighting up her features in a soft white glow. It spoke, possessing the voice of a girl with a high pitch; "Mido will probably get angry if we reveal this place to outsiders."
Saria frowned at that, but nodded in agreement nonetheless. "This place… is a secret," she answered instead hesitantly.
Gray didn't pay any attention to her for he was captivated by the flying orb, wondering what the hell it was. It looked similar to a glowbug, those black-shelled beetles that had bodies that shone with a bright white light. However, glowbugs didn't talk and this thing didn't have a visible insect body.
"Ah! I'm really sorry!" the thing apologized to Gray when she noticed his staring. Bashfully, she fluttered down to the side of his face and surprisingly turned into a blushing pink light. "I-I didn't mean to sound rude."
He furrowed his brow. Glowbugs didn't change colours either. "What are you?" he asked the shining ball. At that moment, he noticed his voice sounded odd. He cleared his throat.
The winged creature flew back as if struck. "What? Don't you know? I'm a fairy!"
Gray slowly blinked and continued to stare, not sure if he heard right. He slightly tilted his head and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. There were no such things as fairies in Earthland…
There was giggling coming from Saria. "I don't think he's ever seen a fairy, Seri," she said, taking a seat, on what looked like a tree stump, beside the bed that was as hard as rock.
"I thought all little boys and girls outside of the forest knew about fairies," the orb replied in disappointment, moving to hover over the girl's shoulder.
The mage suddenly took offence by the creature's comment. "Hey, I'm not a little boy. I'm a man," he corrected. And yet his voice sounded far younger than normal. Saria gave him a skeptical look and if he could see the 'fairy's' face, she would probably have the same expression.
The pair exchanged glances before turning back to Gray.
"A man? Like… an adult?" Seri questioned dubiously.
"Yeah, can't you see…" Gray cut himself short when he looked down at his body and noticed that his legs were a lot shorter than expected beneath the gray-green blanket made of fiber. With effort, he pulled his hand from under the cover and nearly swore out loud at what he saw… His hand was the size of a child's…
What the fuck is this?!
Then he remembered the demon in the Sun Village – the one with the hideous face and purple skin. It had the power to weaken its foes by turning them back into children. And it had gone berserk after Gray pissed it off.
It had lunged at the Ice-Make mage, swinging one big fist that was aiming to kill him in one blow. But that moment never came because… Gray couldn't quite remember what happened next. It was all white and nothing more.
His head started to painfully throb when he tried to think about it.
"… okay? Can you hear me?" Saria leaned closer to catch his attention. She was worried. She reached out and steadied his shaking hand with hers. Her hand was larger and her skin was smooth and pleasantly warm. "You should get some more rest. We can talk some more later. My friend will be back with some healing medicine before nightfall so it won't be too long."
Gray shook his head, still shocked by his situation. "I… I'm not supposed to be a kid," he stuttered. Unless the demon was still around and affecting him with its power. The thought angered him. "Where is it? The monster that's doing this?!" he demanded, attempting to get out of bed. His whole body was protesting against it. The most he could do was roll onto his side.
Saria firmly pushed him back, held him down, and hushed in his ear. "Don't worry! It's okay! It's okay! There are no monsters around here. Only us. You're safe here. Nothing is going to hurt you. Please, close your eyes and get some more sleep," she coaxed, keeping her blue eyes locked on his. She gently brushed a hand through his hair, trying to calm him.
The mage stiffened at the word 'sleep'. Perhaps he was dreaming all of this. This was probably some weird, freakish nightmare he was having after getting knocked out cold by the demon or something. Or maybe he was on the verge of death and he was experiencing a vision of sorts or whatever kind of crazy bullshit this might be.
Wanting it to be over soon, Gray stopped struggling, nodded and shut his eyes, hoping he would wake up back on the other side where his friends were likely waiting. He listened as Saria wrung a wet cloth over a basin of water. When she replaced the hot cloth over his eyes and forehead, it didn't take long to fall back asleep.
He dreamt again – this time he was in the Sun Village that was all covered in shimmering ice. A demon was attacking it, smashing apart the giant stone buildings like they were only toys, and breaking the ice that was once thought unbreakable. But it wasn't the ugly fiend with the tusks – it was Deliora.
Bigger than the giants and taller than the mountains, the fearsome monster was crushing the frozen villagers under its massive, clawed feet, crumbling them into ice dust, and it was stomping towards Gray. Deliora saw him – its crimson eyes aglow with a malevolent light.
The mage was petrified with fear, feeling as if every limb was completely frozen like the giants. His body refused to move no matter how desperate he was to flee the evil coming his way. The shattering of stone and ice rang loud, but it was the booming, mocking laughter coming from the demon's hideous mouth that deafened his ears and rattled his bones.
"Run, Gray! Run!"
He turned his head sharply towards Ur's voice. He saw her down below, right in the path of the gigantic monster. She bravely stood before the enemy, her magic power radiating from her body in the form of cool blue energy. She had fallen into an all-too-familiar stance, ready to sacrifice her life to use the ultimate ice spell, Iced Shell.
"No… No!" Gray yelled, finally breaking out of his terror. Tears stun his eyes as he broke into a run towards his master. He tripped over something and landed roughly on the icy ground. As he got up, he saw his hands and they were small. He was only a little boy; weak, pathetic, and helpless.
"Ur!" he cried.
But it was too late. Her spell was complete. White magic circles surrounded Deliora and the ground was torn asunder by brilliant blue energy. She turned to Gray one last time wearing a sad smile upon her face. Then she was gone in a blinding flash and all Gray could do was scream her name.
The mage was shaken awake. "It's only a dream. Only a dream," someone softly cooed.
Gray gasped and held his breath to hold back a sob.
Only a dream… His heart sank the instant he recognized the speaker. To see Saria again meant he wasn't just imagining or dreaming about her and his current situation. She was real and that meant he was still stuck as a child.
She was sitting on the edge of the uncomfortable bed, gently dabbing at the tears rolling down his face with a cloth. Seri was close by, quietly observing right above Gray's head.
"It was only a bad dream," the girl continued, giving him an assuring smile.
He swallowed a lump in his throat. It wasn't a bad dream… it was a bad memory. He said nothing as she wiped the last of his tears away because he was too weak to wipe them himself.
The room was darker now, signifying that night had fallen. The lamp in the room lit up Saria's face in a warm orange glow. "Are you okay?" she asked, knitting her brow in concern.
No… I have no fucking idea what the hell is happening… Gray wanted to say but he bit his tongue and nodded instead.
The girl turned her attention to someone else standing in the room and motioned for that person to come over. It was a boy who was about the same age as Saria and wearing a similar style of clothing consisting of a green one-piece tunic belted by the waist and a matching green cap. His ears were the same as the girl's – long and pointed – and his eyes were blue as well, as bright as the sky. Blond hair framed his young face as he looked upon the wounded mage with great relief. And just like Saria, he had a 'fairy' companion hovering right above his shoulder.
"I'm glad you're all right," said the boy, giving Gray a kind smile. He reached into a satchel by his hip and pulled out a glass bottle that was corked with a reddish liquid inside. "Here. Drink this potion. It will make you feel better."
Gray eyed the strange looking medicine in suspicion as the boy opened it. Saria helped the mage sit up which was an agonizing process for the ice-user. Every muscle was sore, every joint was aching, every open cut was stinging like mad, and every bruise was throbbing. His head was dizzy and hurting, making it hard to focus. He needed support to stay upright which Saria didn't hesitate to provide.
He felt something cold pressed against his lips before smelling a mildly unpleasant odour that made him wrinkle his nose.
"It's not poison. I promise you," the boy assured when he saw the mage's face. "Drink it slowly. Just a small sip at a time," the boy with blond hair instructed in a quieter tone as he carefully tilted the bottle.
The instant a drop of the medicine hit Gray's tongue, he couldn't help but cringe in disgust. The potion was horrid in taste and thick like syrup. It was like drinking mud. He wanted to gag and cough it out when the stuff filled his mouth. Through sheer willpower, he swallowed the gross medicine and turned his head away when the boy offered him more.
"Uck! That's freaking nasty, kid," Gray muttered, scowling at the repulsive concoction. He stuck out his tongue from the bitter aftertaste.
The boy grinned and thankfully put the bottle away. "It doesn't taste the greatest, but it gets the job done," he said with a shrug. He then raised a blond eyebrow. "And who are you to call me a kid? You're obviously younger than me."
Gray scoffed before glancing down at his body to confirm he was still cursed by the purple demon's power. He was shirtless, his chest and arms all scraped up and bruised. Someone had applied a minty smelling ointment on the open wounds. He found the energy to lift his right arm and lightly press his fingers against the dark blue sigil of his guild on his chest. "Younger? I'm far older than you, kid. I'm not supposed to be like this," he growled, dropping his hand. He stared at it, flexing each finger to check if it really was his body. Unfortunately, it was and this was no dream. Everything he was feeling at the moment was just too real.
Gently, he pried Saria's hands away for he no longer needed her help. He was slowly regaining his strength, probably due to the disgusting potion's quick effects.
The boy in green moved to sit on the stump by the bed. Gray met his curious gaze. "Saria mentioned you said you are a man. Is this really true?" he inquired.
The mage hardened his expression. "Yes. I'm eighteen, not seven."
"Eighteen? Is that really old?" Saria asked, cocking her head in his direction.
Gray raised his brow at her strange question. He was quick to remember that she was just a kid and had yet to learn what it was like to be an adult.
"You're all grown up when you're eighteen," he explained to her. "But I got turned back into a kid by – wait. Did you see him? The big purple demon? Is it around?" he suddenly demanded of the children and their talking orbs of light.
The other boy shook his head.
Gray was distraught by the other's answer. It didn't make sense: when he had fought the ugly freak, he shifted from an adult to a boy and back again due to its fluctuating power and emotions. If the demon wasn't around, Gray should be back to normal. Was the bastard hiding somewhere nearby? No – Gray would have detected its vile power. There was no evil energy affecting this place. The children in the room were actual children, not cursed like him.
The blond-haired boy's face suddenly turned serious and he narrowed his blue eyes inquisitively at the mage. "This demon you speak of... It attacked you?"
"I was fighting it. So, of course, it attacked me," Gray clarified.
Both the boy and Saria looked surprised.
"Demons are bad monsters, aren't they?" the girl asked, frowning at Gray.
"Don't you know? They are evil beings," Seri answered, visibly quivering as she hovered above Saria's head.
The other 'fairy' whose name Gray had yet to learn fluttered up to the ice-user. "You are brave to battle a demon," she praised with admiration. Her voice slightly differed from Seri's by being one pitch lower.
"A demon with the power to turn you into a child. This is rather unusual… I've never heard of such a thing," the boy mused, looking off to the side with great unease. He turned his attention back to Gray. There was no disbelief in his expression, but understanding. He knew the other spoke the truth. "No wonder your pants are so big."
Gray peeked under the covers and was grateful he was still wearing his boxers and pants albeit they were a couple sizes too large at the moment.
"Can you tell us what happened?" the boy pressed on.
The mage didn't answer right away. He studied the boy intently, curious to know who he was. The kid was acting more mature than most typical ten-year olds, which was a rather big surprise. He glanced between the children and the winged orbs, wondering who they all were exactly. He had a strong feeling they were more than what they appeared to be.
"Was it you two who found me?" Gray asked instead, shifting his attention from the boy to Saria who still remained close by.
"No, it was the four of us!" Seri piped in.
"Yes. It was us who found you unconscious in the Lost Woods," Saria answered with a nod, gesturing to her three companions.
Gray furrowed his brow. "The Lost Woods? Is that what you call the forest around the Sun Village?" He remembered facing the tusked demon in an area surrounded by trees encased in ice.
Both children looked confused while the two 'fairies' shared a glance.
The boy crossed his arms and tilted his head. "Sun… Village? There are no other villages nearby. Kokiri–"
"Hush, Link!" Seri interrupted, flying up to the blond's face. "You can't tell him about this place!"
The boy named Link perked an eyebrow in confusion. "And why can't I?"
"Don't you know? Mido will get angry!"
Link waved the 'fairy' away like she was talking nonsense. "Hm. That guy doesn't know anything."
"Please don't give Mido any disrespect, Link," Saria told her friend in a stern tone, "He's only trying to protect us now that our guardian is gone."
The boy bowed his head in shame. A hint of sadness crossed his features for only a second before he nodded. "I'm sorry… But still… There's no need to hide this place from someone who needs our help. I know he will not be a danger to the Kokiri." His blue eyes fell on Gray. They were full of trust. "You are in Kokiri Forest, uh… I have to apologize, I still don't know your name. I am Link. This is Navi," he nodded at the second flying orb that bobbed up and down in front of the mage then gestured to the girl, "Saria. And her fairy partner, Seri."
There it was again… the word 'fairy'.
Gray still wasn't convinced that the talking orbs with wings were the mythical creatures his beloved guild was named after. There are no such things as fairies… But then again, he didn't believe in giants either and that had all changed the moment he stepped foot in the Sun Village.
He would have to ask about these 'fairies' later. "My name is Gray."
"Oh! What an odd name," Saria exclaimed with a little chuckle.
Offended, Gray pouted. "What? What's so odd about my name?"
She gently tugged on the ends of a few strands of his hair. "It's odd because your hair is so dark! Darker than shadows. It's not gray at all. I've never seen anything like it before."
The Ice-Make mage gave her another strange look. He had to assume there weren't too many people with black hair around this region, wherever the hell he was. 'Kokiri Forest' didn't sound familiar and Link had claimed that there were no other villages nearby. So where in Fiore did he end up and how did he get here? His mind was a blank when he tried to remember everything about the battle between him and the purple demon. Not knowing what had happened troubled him deeply. He rubbed his forehead to ease the headache that was still present.
"Are you okay, Gray? I'm sorry! Did I say something wrong?" Saria asked worriedly, placing a supportive hand on his bare shoulder.
Gray shook his head. "Fu–" he cut himself off from swearing in front of the kids. "I mean, no. I just can't remember what happened… I was fighting the demon in the Sun Village… then I woke up here."
"Where is this Sun Village?" Link asked.
"Should be around where you found me."
The blond furrowed his brow. "But there are no other villages near the Lost Woods," he said again. He leaned forward and propped his left elbow on one knee to rest his chin on his knuckles. "Where in Hyrule is this village?"
"What? Is 'Hyrule' what you call this region?"
"Hyrule is the name of this land," Navi explained. "There are several different regions. Lost Woods, Lake Hylia, Hyrule Field, Gerudo Valley, Death Mountain, Zora's Domain… Where is the Sun Village located amongst them?"
Gray was utterly confused by those foreign names. "The hell? I've never heard of those places."
"Never? How… can this be?" the 'fairy' replied, flabbergasted. "Are you not from Hyrule?"
"No. I'm from Fiore." Gray's answer brought perplexed looks. They've never heard of Fiore and he had never heard of Hyrule. Something was definitely not right… Was he suddenly in another country? Did the bastard of a demon drag him to some new land for reasons unknown? Gray was desperate to find out. "Where you found me… I want you to show me."
Link's blue eyes widened slightly from the other boy's request. He glanced towards the entrance of the small room, which was an actual door-less, rectangular hole in the wall made of wood. On the other side was only darkness. "It's very late. I'll take you during the day when you're well enough to move."
Gray stared out the hole, realizing he was looking out into the night. The room he was sharing with the children and glowing orbs was the only room in the window-less building which, upon closer inspection, looked like the hollowed inside of a giant tree. There was very little in furnishings decorating the tiny abode. Three oil lamps were mounted to the bare walls. The one above the single bed was the only one lit, its little orange flame surprisingly bright enough to light up half of the room. A few brown, clay pots were situated around the wooden floor and there was a shelf on the far side, full of everyday objects and other things.
The mage didn't like to wait, but he had no choice given his condition and the fact it was pitch black outside. "I'll be better tomorrow morning. Take me then," Gray insisted.
Link wasn't quite fond of that idea. He reached into his bag and pulled out a familiar bottle. He held the potion up to the other, wearing a smug grin. "Only if you drink more of this. Then we'll see how you feel in the morning."
Gray was irked at the thought of having to put that repulsive red liquid back in his mouth. He made a face and pushed the bottle aside. "Yuck! I'm not drinking any more of that crap!"
The medicine was shoved back into the mage's face. "It'll heal your wounds and give you back your strength by morning. Trust me."
Thankfully Saria was on Gray's side. She plucked the bottle from Link's hand and slid off the bed. "He doesn't like the bitter taste, Link. How about I sweeten it? Do you like honey?" she asked the smaller boy as she strolled over to the shelf with Seri following over her shoulder.
"I… don't mind it," Gray mumbled, watching her pour what was probably honey from a small brown jar into the glass bottle.
Saria corked it, shook to mix it, twisted the cap off, then handed the medicine to Gray with a smile. "There. It shouldn't be too bad now."
Gray was still reluctant. However, Saria's warm smile was rather prompting. Sighing in defeat, he slowly brought the opening to his lips. He felt everyone watching him. He shut his eyes, plugged his nose, and took a big swig. Saria was half-right. The added sweetness made the potion slightly less disgusting. He slapped a hand to his mouth to hold back the urge to spit it all out. It took effort to swallow the medicine.
"Ugh… so gross," he groaned through pained tears, holding the now-half empty bottle for its owner to take. He could feel the potion working, soothing the pain from his wounds and lessening the ache in his head.
Thankfully, Saria gave him a cup of water to wash away the aftertaste.
Link smirked in satisfaction as he put his potion away and stood up. "Get some more rest, Gray. I'll return in the morning." He gave Saria a meaningful nod and the dark-haired boy an assuring smile before heading for the exit with Navi not far behind. Strapped upon his back were a small sword and a wooden shield Gray hadn't notice before.
The mage watched the boy and his 'fairy' leave until they disappeared into the night.
Saria took the only seat in the room, her kind smile still present on her face. "Gray, Link's right. Even though there's a lot I want to ask you, you should get some more rest."
The ice-user was hesitant to oblige. He didn't want to dream again, especially not of the terror that was Deliora. As he was now, the terrible memories of that dreaded demon were fresh in his mind as if the incidents had happened only yesterday. He'd rather stay up than go back to sleep.
"Saria, where will you sleep tonight?" Seri asked, fluttering before her partner.
The green-haired girl pursed her lips and pondered for a brief moment. "The floor, I suppose."
Gray was a little shocked. "Eh? Wait… is this your bed?"
She nodded. "Yes. This is my home."
Gray was suddenly embarrassed. He was sitting in a little girl's bed. And it was the only bed in the whole house, which made him wonder. "O-Oh… This is your home… So where are your parents?"
Saria tilted her head at his question, confused. "My parents?"
Her glowing friend bobbed up to Gray. "Don't you know? The Kokiri race don't have parents! They never grow up and stay as children forever."
The boy was stunned by that. "What? For real?!" He gaped at Saria and she nodded and giggled at his reaction. This place was starting to get so bizarre. Just where the hell was he? And how did he end up in some weird mystical forest full of age-less children?
Not only that…
Gray stared intently at Seri. "Are you… really a fairy?"
The winged orb flew closer so she was an inch from his nose. "You didn't believe me when I told you? It's the truth! I'm a fairy and I'm Saria's eternal partner. Don't you know? There are many other fairies in the world, not just us in the Lost Woods."
If that is true, then how come no one in Earthland has ever reported seeing one?
But that wasn't the important question Gray had in mind. Squinting, he studied the fairy closely and saw only transparent wings and light. "Do you have a tail?"
Seri flew back in shock while Saria burst out in laughter. "A what?!" the orb shrieked at the top of her lungs, making the boy cringe. She flashed red. "Does it look like I have a tail?!"
Sheepishly, Gray rubbed the back of his neck and looked off to the side. "Well, it's hard to tell–"
"I don't have a tail!" She was right in his face all bright, red, and angry.
"Okay! Okay! You don't! Sorry for asking!"
Seri huffed, turning back to a calmer white. She joined her laughing partner's side. "Where'd you get the idea that I would have a tail?" she grumbled in annoyance.
"Erm…"
Saria held up her hand to interrupt. "I think that's enough questioning," she said, trying to stifle her laughter. She had to take a few deep breaths to calm down before continuing. "It's a far walk where we found you so it's best you get some more sleep, Gray."
The mage shook his head. "I'm not tired," he lied. "And I've taken your bed. You can have it back." He threw back the blanket and tried to get off, but Saria was quick to hold him back.
She wasn't so easily fooled. She frowned and said, "Don't worry about me and the bed. Focus on getting better, okay? It's not easy to get through the Lost Woods. You'll need all the strength you can get. Please, lie back down." When he didn't make a move, she added, "I can play a song for you so you can fall asleep easier. How about it?" She left the bedside and headed for the shelf.
"No. It's fine," Gray replied, resuming to leave her bed. Seri however, flew right at his face. He felt what could possibly be the smallest hand smack him between the eyes. The blow didn't hurt, but it made him flinch in surprise.
"Don't move!" the fairy warned.
The girl returned with something in her hand. It was a wooden wind instrument in the shape of an egg. "Link taught me this new song the other day. It's called 'Zelda's Lullaby'. It's a beautiful melody. I'm sure it'll bring you pleasant dreams," she explained with a cheerful smile.
Pleasant dreams? Maybe this time he'll wake up back at the Sun Village where Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Lucy, and Erza were waiting for him. He could only hope because this land with fairies was so unbelievable.
Heaving a weary sigh, Gray lay on the hard, wooden bed that was only cushioned by a thin-layer of spongy plant material. At least the pillow was slightly softer than a rock. Saria pulled the blanket back on and sat upon the stump with Seri hovering above in a slow circle, anxiously waiting.
The Kokiri girl brought the mouthpiece of her instrument to her lips, took a deep breath, closed her blue eyes, and began to play.
The Lost Woods was rarely calm and quiet when the sun was down. Creatures of all sizes lurked in the endless shadows. Night beasts hunted and foraged in the dark and many insects sang.
Silently, Link carefully ventured through the forest, keeping all his senses alert. Flying ahead was Navi, acting as both a torch and a guide to light the young swordsman's path. It wasn't just the typical monsters that dwelled within the woods he was looking out for, he also had to be wary of a purple demon capable of turning men into children.
They hid behind the large trunk of a tree when they neared the ancient stone gate that led to the sacred forest meadow. A pack of Wolfos were prowling by the entrance in search of a meal. The pack didn't linger for long and were gone before Link grew tired of waiting.
The boy entered the passageways that had tall stone walls made of old, crumbling pale gray rocks that were covered in hanging plants and vines. He made his way through with ease, making short work of the few foes wanting to harass him. As he climbed the mossy steps bordered by rocky cliffs, Navi finally broke the silence that had fallen between them ever since they left Saria's home.
"You believe that boy, don't you? That he is truly a man and not a child?" she asked, flying closer.
Link nodded. It would have been the most unbelievable story he had ever heard if he had never left Kokiri Forest and experienced the world beyond the boundary of trees. Since he had learned of his fate and ventured out, Link had quickly grown to understand that anything was possible and nothing was truly considered 'normal' in the land of Hyrule. If there was such a thing as Skulltula Curses, then the curse to turn someone into a kid again can also exist.
After all, Link was like an adult in a child's body at the moment, having travelled through time from the future to the past.
"He's sort of like me. I know how he feels. And besides, his pants are way too big for him," he answered, giving his partner a lopsided grin. His smile soon faded. "He was transformed by a powerful demon and nearly killed." This demon could possibly be hiding somewhere deep within the woods. Link had yet to sense any evil presences and neither did Navi.
But the demon's whereabouts wasn't what bothered the young Hylian the most; it was the mysterious appearance of Gray within the sacred forest meadow.
Link reached the top of the steps and entered the clearing before the Forest Temple. The night sky could be seen through the large gaps between the branches of the guardian trees. The radiant full moon was shining bright at its peak, its silvery rays shining down upon the meadow. The moonlight reflected off the steaming ice that covered the stone warp platform situated in the centre.
Huge, jagged formations of layered bluish-white crystal rose from the platform like the curved claws of an enormous ice beast. Link stopped before the crystalline platform, astonished by the beautiful shimmer on the ice's frozen surfaces, but also unnerved by its fearsome sight. It was within the centre of those clutching claws that he, Saria and their fairies had found Gray, wounded, unconscious, and somehow still alive in spite of the incredible cold. The young boy was as cold as the surrounding ice that Link had first feared him dead. For him to survive, his guardians must truly be watching him.
Link shivered from the chilled air emanating from the crystal structure. He narrowed his gaze as he examined the ice more closely. Over half a day had passed and the ice showed no signs of melting in the warmer environment of the forest.
Navi flew around the claws, making the crystals sparkle and gleam. She had concluded the ice was conjured up by magic when they had first discovered it and Gray. Whose magic, they didn't know, but they had to find out for the sake of the future.
Seven years from now, Hyrule will be vastly different; it will become a world completely covered in ice that refused to melt beneath the sun. Link had witnessed it first-hand when he had gone back to the future, ready to defeat the Great King of Evil and end his reign of terror. Hyrule was set to be free from Ganondorf's evil – Link had awakened all the Sages and was prepared to infiltrate the King's fortress. But when the Hero of Time had set foot in the future after a brief visit to the present, he was horrified to find the entire kingdom and its realm frozen over. Hyrule had become a frozen wasteland. Nothing in that world was alive.
As an adult, Link had tried to search for what could have caused such a drastic change, but there was no one left to help him. All friends and foes alike had perished, leaving an empty, ghostly land. The elements were extremely harsh and the terrain too treacherous to cross. No fire could melt the cursed ice, not even the blue flames that were effective against the magical red ice in the Ice Cavern. Even Death Mountain was affected with its once smoldering peak capped with frost.
Unprepared and lost at what to do, Link and Navi returned to the present time in search of any leads that may explain the altered future. They had explored most of Hyrule in desperate need of answers. It was mere coincidence that they paid Saria a visit and stumbled upon their first clue waiting in the Lost Woods.
"This ice is the same as the ice that will cover the land…" Navi informed, flying down to the boy's side. "Do… Do you think that Gray could be the root cause of it? Could this ice be his power to wield? I can sense some form of magic from him, but it is very faint."
Link crossed his arms and rubbed them to keep warm. He frowned at the troubling thought. "I don't want to believe he's the one responsible. There is no darkness in his heart. Saria has a talent for knowing this. It could be the demon that he spoke of."
"No darkness yet… There is still seven years to go before… Well, anything can happen between now and then. There's no way of predicting it right now," she replied.
The swordsman sighed and bowed his head, trying to mull things over. "Don't you find it strange that the future was suddenly changed? Why was Hyrule not frozen the first time we awakened from the Sacred Realm? We crossed time more than once and the future was still only under the rule of Ganondorf. So why did the last trip end up in a different future?"
The fairy didn't have an answer right away. She turned to the ice and slowly fluttered to the bottom centre, illuminating all the sharp claws to make them appear to be holding onto a magical light source. "Destiny has changed because of Gray and this ice… His presence has triggered something. I have a feeling he is not supposed to be here. How far away do you think he came from? Could he have warped here by accident during his battle with the demon?"
Link perked up at the suggestion. "Could be possible. That might explain why he ended up on the warp platform and the demon he fought is not around. He must be from somewhere far away… No one in Hyrule has hair as dark as his." He hardened his expression. "If destiny has suddenly changed because of Gray, then he is the key in preventing that future. If only he can remember what happened to have brought him here…"
Navi flew out of the ice and joined Link's side. "He may remember once he sees this."
The Hero of Time nodded and gazed upon the moonlit ice that he knew would one day freeze over the beautiful land of Hyrule. He was anxious to find out the truth. "We should get some sleep too," he finally said after a moment of silence. With that, he and Navi left the sacred forest meadow, hoping for the morning sun to rise.
A/N: Hope you guys liked the odd idea. Just wanted to share.
Anyone interested in taking up this story? Lest it will remain as a one-shot for eternity. I have no plans of continuing it since I have two main stories to focus on.
Thanks for reading and have a good day!