Disclaimer: All rights to the Legend of Zelda series and characters belong to Nintendo.
Chapter 1: Kokiri Forest
Long ago there existed a land now lost to the ravages of time. Blessed by heaven, it was known as Hyrule. A glorious kingdom, vast and far reaching, it was a place of true wonder and beauty. Its main inhabitants were the Hylians. They were human in appearance save for their pointed ears, which were reputed to have allowed them to catch whispers from the gods. In their blood ran ancient magic, giving them a tendency towards sorcery and psychic abilities. The Hylians lived under a monarchy, led by the King of Hyrule, who resided within Hyrule Castle. The Hylians lived in various villages throughout the kingdom, working communally with each other to live their lives peacefully.
Then there were the Gorons. A strong, mountainous race, the Gorons resided in Death Mountain, a dormant volcano on the northeastern edge of Hyrule's territory. They resembled humans in that they possessed arms, legs, heads, ears eyes and mouths, but the similarities ended there. These creatures were as massive as boulders, and with their dark, toughened skin, they looked like boulders too. They had a fondness for ingesting rocks, and had the intimidating ability to curl up into a semispherical form and blaze away, rolling far faster than any human could ever hope to run. They were a tribal society ruled by a chieftain, and while their raw strength and power made them terrible enemies, they were fiercely loyal to their allies, and never abandoned a friend. They were traditional allies of the Hylians.
The Zora lived on the eastern edge of Hyrule, up Zora's River and in what was commonly referred to as Zora's Domain. The Zora were an aquatic race with the ability to live both underwater and on land. They appeared a cross between fish and humans, with arms and legs, gills, fins, and webbed feet. A peaceful race by nature, the Zora lived under a monarchial rule, and their royal family held a close alliance with the Hylians' royal family. The Zora worshiped their protective deity, Jabu-Jabu, an enormous fish god who lay in a secluded lake in their Domain. It was the job of the Zora to keep the waterways of Hyrule clean, and they were often seen at Lake Hylia, a large body of water found in Hyrule's southern tip.
Off to the west lay an immense desert, inhabited by the Gerudo tribe. Not much was known about the Gerudo; historically they were an isolationist faction in Hyrule, preferring to keep to themselves in the desert rather than associate with the rest of Hyrule. They were not enemies of the other races of Hyrule, but neither were they allies. The region in which they lived was barren of most all life, except for what few, vicious monsters were able to survive in such a hostile environment. If one were to believe the rumors circulated about the Gerudo, then, journeying into Gerudo Valley, one would have happened upon Gerudo Fortress, a great stone construction housing a maze of passages only navigable by the Gerudo themselves. Perhaps the most intriguing rumor concerning the Gerudo was that they were a race consisting entirely of women. These women, bronzed by their time in the desert and made strong through years of combat training, were said to have possessed such beauty that men were driven mad by the mere thought of them. It was said that many an unfortunate soul had wandered into the Gerudo territory, hoping to catch but a glimpse of these legendary women, only to find themselves knocked unconscious from behind, awakening several hours later in Hyrule field, stripped of all valuable possessions. For the Gerudo were thieves. Stealing was their way of life, their culture, their creed. Even when, on occasion, a Gerudo woman was rumored to have journeyed outside the desert seeking a male partner—for again, males were essentially nonexistent within the Gerudo tribe—theft was ever on her mind. For she would find a willing partner; indeed, many, many willing partners! But after the act was completed, she would depart, leaving the man to boast to his friends that he had coupled with one of the fabled Gerudo. And she would journey back to the desert, having stolen what she had come for: a man's essence. Nine months later, the woman would give birth to a female child. No trace of the father would exist within the infant. Perhaps it was some mysterious magic the Gerudo possessed, but every Gerudo child was born entirely and completely Gerudo, her blood undiluted by the male parent.
There was a final rumor circulated about the ever secretive Gerudo. Once every hundred years, it was said, a male child was born into the Gerudo tribe. A child who would grow into immense strength, gifted with the ability to lead. And by Gerudo law, that male would become the leader of the Gerudo, ruling as king. But, of course, all was merely rumor.
There was another race that existed within the land of Hyrule, one almost as mysterious and mythical as the Gerudo. To the southeast, the land was covered by an immense forest, ancient beyond memory. It was a magical place, in which creatures of all sorts lived. The other races had never explored it, and did not wish to for rumor that it was protected by a great power, a guardian deity, even. Guardian deity or not, the forest, known as the Lost Woods, was an absolute maze with twists and turns that could bewilder even the most experienced of explorers. Many a brave soul had ventured into the forest, only to never return. As such, the forest was often thought of as uninhabitable by the other races. However, legend told of a reclusive tribe of humanoid creatures that made their home in the forest. One could never be sure of the accuracy of such stories, of course, but it was said that these creatures were childlike in appearance, never growing up, never growing old. Referred to as the Kokiri, they were said to live in a secluded area deep in the forest, known to them as the Kokiri Forest. Here they lived in their simple huts, working and living together in harmony. It was often told that each Kokiri child was accompanied by a fairy partner, assigned to them by the rumored guardian deity. The Kokiri never left the forest, for they believed doing so would result in their immediate deaths. As such, their existence had never been confirmed…
He was running. Why he was running, he could not discern, but his pouch felt unusually heavy to him. Without looking, he instinctively knew that within that pouch were three gems of unrivaled beauty. With them rested the fate of the world. But why? He was still running, his legs weary, his breathing heavy. On the horizon a structure rose up from the ground. A house of some sort? As he grew closer, the structure grew ever larger, and he realized with a shock that it was not a house.
Towers that seemed to jut into the sky itself were connected by great stone walls, each so high that even from a far away distance he had to look up to view their tops. They appeared to form a rough circle, perhaps enclosing some sort of town. A large wooden drawbridge blemished one of the walls; it had been retracted, cutting off entry through the walls. Still looking up, still running, he noticed that storm clouds were gathering, lightning crackling ominously in the sky, thunder booming in the distance. One storm cloud extended down to the top of a hill that rose out of the encirclement of stone walls, and upon which rested a brilliant white fortress. The fortress reflected what little light was let slip through the storm clouds, giving it a radiant appearance. Then he noticed that it was not a cloud connecting the fortress to the sky above, but rather, smoke. The fortress was burning.
He finally reached the great stone walls, and heard cries of terror issue from within. A vast, deep trench of water prevented him from moving any closer to the walls, but just then the enormous wooden drawbridge began to lower, as if welcoming his arrival. As it bridged the gap over the water, he heard a loud whinny, and suddenly a white horse dashed across the drawbridge, its two passengers urging it forward.
Staring after them, he felt a sudden chill ripple through the air. The back of his neck tingled, and he sensed the arrival of a malignant presence. Whirling around, he found himself being stared down by a great black stallion, upon which was seated a large man. His body was muscular and armored, but where his head should have been instead rested the head of a fearsome boar, razor sharp tusks protruding from its bared teeth. He watched as the man slowly raised his hand, into which a crackling orb of black energy seemed to condense. There was a flash, and then there was pain…
Link awoke in a cold sweat, his chest heaving as his lungs sucked in oxygen from the surrounding room. Eyes moving wildly, his hands clenched the bed sheets underneath him, anchoring himself to this plane of consciousness, this world that he saw. Slowly, his breathing slowed, and his sweat-ridden hands relaxed. When at last his heart rate had resumed its normal pace, Link slowly sat up, pulling his covers around him to counter the chill his cool sweat had brought.
Another nightmare. They had been plaguing his sleep for weeks, always the same: running, stone walls, white horse, evil man. Link shook his head. But this time it had been far more vivid! Usually he only vaguely understood what was happening, but tonight he had experienced a clearer view of the events that had occurred in his unconscious. Had that great fortress been a castle? The Great Deku Tree had told the Kokiri tales of such vast buildings that existed outside the forest, but Link had never before seen one. And who was that horrid horseman? He had appeared more demon than man, brought up from the depths of the underworld to torment the living. Link shivered, recalling the hatred and bloodlust he had felt radiating from the man. Not for the first time, he considered bringing his troubles before the Great Deku Tree, but decided against such a course of action. If the Great Deku Tree already saw him as unworthy of a fairy, Link thought bitterly, then complaining of bad dreams would only serve to further damage his chances.
So instead Link sought to distract himself from the troubling experience. Peering through the nighttime darkness, Link took in the view of his single-room, wooden hut. His stuffed mattress beneath him, his eyes fell upon his oak dresser, oak trunk, and oak table with accompanying chairs, all positioned against the walls. So much wood! It really wasn't surprising, Link thought; he did, after all, live in a forest. And what more abundant building material could a forest supply, if not wood? Still, for the moment it seemed to put him off. Perhaps it was some lingering effect from the nightmare, but he felt a sudden yearning for something besides what a tree could provide. As ridiculous as it sounded, especially to someone who had lived for as long as he could remember in a forest, Link pined to see stone, vast amounts of stone: stone walls and stone hallways. But why? The only thing in his home, Link noted, still propping himself up with his drying hands, were a series of ceramic pots that he used to store supplies in: water, dried fruit, and what gems—known as rupees in his village, and used as currency—he could obtain. That, and one other thing.
Link's head now turned to focus his gaze upon a small, rounded object lying upon his table. Eyes finally adjusted to the darkness, he was able to make out its distinct features. Roughly the size of a potato, the object was made of hardened clay, a trail of holes running along its sides. A short mouthpiece extended from one end, leading into a hollowed out chamber into which air could be blown to produce light, lilting notes. Off white in color, Link recalled how difficult it had been to craft the object into its current form, having to fashion its many holes in precisely the correct size. Then it was two days of attentiveness at the furnace, keeping the fire roaring, and carefully observing the transformation of the object's soft clay body into one that was hardened and durable. After it had properly cooled and been finished with a thick, sappy glaze to prevent it from scratching, Link's project was complete: his ocarina.
It was perhaps not as elegant as Saria's ocarina, but then, the same could be said for his skill with it. Saria had been tutoring Link for months, their days always beginning with a morning practice session. At first his attempts to create soft, delicate, enlightening notes had resulted in harsh, ear splitting shrieks that drove away most anything in the general vicinity that had ears. As time had passed, however, the wince-inducing tones had been replaced by gentler, more pleasant ones. And though Link could now say with confidence that he was a fairly competent ocarina player, he just did not possess the natural flair that Saria did. There was nothing to be done about it, he supposed.
Suddenly remembering the current time of day—or in this case, night—Link realized with a groan that in only a few short hours he would have to force himself out of bed to meet with Saria for their practice session. Why did she always insist they play so early? Flopping back down onto his bed, Link tugged his blanket over himself and shut his eyes, willing his body to resume its slumber. An answer to his wish, Link felt his eyelids grow heavy once more, and his train of thought began to wander as restful unconsciousness overtook him. He prayed to the gods that he would not once more slip into a sleep of nightmares.
Link was awoken some time later by a gentle, if irritating, poking sensation. Lying sideways on his bed, his blond hair sticking every which way due to a difficult night of tossing and turning, he reluctantly opened one sleep eye to view the intruder. At the side of his bed stood a young girl, about his age—eleven or twelve—who had for the past five minutes been slowly prodding him on the forehead.
She had a peculiar appearance. Knee length boots, shorts that reached midway down her thighs, and a long sleeve shirt worn underneath a wool vest; all were of a dark emerald green. This in itself was not that unusual, as all the Kokiri chose to dress chiefly in green clothing. But this girl had taken things a step further. Her neatly combed hair, which fell down just to the top of her neck, had also been dyed a rich, forest green color. Combined with her clear, pale complexion and bright eyes, the overall effect was rather adorable.
"Wake up sleepy head," she said in a singsong voice, a smile stretching her lips.
Link groaned into his pillow. "Too early," he mumbled. "Why not wait a few hours?"
But Saria would have none of it. "Come on you," she spoke as she grabbed him by the arms and forcefully yanked him from the mattress. "All sleep and no practice makes for a sub par ocarina player." Link, torn between laughing and glaring, stumbled to his feet clumsily as Saria stepped back to survey him. She tilted her head to one side and crossed her arms, viewing him thoughtfully. "You look a mess," she said finally, gesturing to his unkempt hair, naked torso, and half lucid expression. "How about I go wait outside while you freshen up?" And with that, she skipped playfully out of his wooden hut, descending Link's ladder to return to the forest ground beneath.
Awed that Saria could always be so energetic, so cheerful, Link walked over to his trunk. Opening it, he found several pairs of woolen socks, brown leather boots, and dark green tunics. There were also several leather belts stored in one corner of the trunk, upon which several material pouches had been attached. Stepping out of his white night pants, he put on a pair of socks and boots, and pulled on one of the tunics, belting it at the waist. Shifting over to one of his ceramic storage pots, Link scooped up a handful of water to rinse his face and wet down his yellow blond hair. Grabbing his ocarina off the table, he was two steps from the door when he realized he had forgotten his hat.
All the Kokiri boys wore hats, green and pointed, often titled to the side of their heads. Link also possessed a green hat, but instead of pointing straight up, it extended from his crown to behind his head, and it had a tendency to whip around in strong gusts. Link could not recall a time when he had not worn his hat, and always felt more at ease when it was safely perched atop his head. Dashing over to his mattress, he snatched it off the oak bed frame, and at last exited his house.
Link stepped out his front door onto a raised platform some twelve feet above the soft earth. Kokiri Village surrounded him, with some three dozen huts strewn across a large clearing. None of the other Kokiri had quite taken to his idea to construct buildings above the ground, but Link enjoyed the view his elevated living space provided him, and was glad he had gone ahead with his project by himself. In the middle of the village an enormous fire pit had been carved into the earth, and a light trail of smoke arose from it as the Kokiri cooks prepared that morning's breakfast for the village.
"Link, would you hurry up?"
At the bottom of the ladder leading from the platform to the ground stood Saria, tapping her foot impatiently as she stared up at him. Link descended to greet his best friend, giving her a look to imply that he was still not happy at being roused from his slumber. "Hold your horses, would you? If you would just be willing play at a decent hour I might not be so slow to get out of bed."
Saria stuck her tongue out. "If you would just be willing to go to bed at a decent hour then you might not be so slow to get out bed," she countered.
Link rolled his eyes, and playfully flicked her on the nose. "Shall we be going now?"
Saria's eyes glinted mischievously. "I was thinking we should race," she said, white teeth flashing as she grinned.
Link shot her a shrewd expression. "We both know that you know the Lost Woods like the back of your hand, Saria."
"That I do," she responded, grin widening even further.
Link's look of frustration grew. "Whereas I can barely find my way into it, let alone through it."
A nod from Saria affirmed this statement. "Indeed," she spoke, voice cracking with mirth. "Which is what will make this so very amusing." And with that, she set off at a dead run, sprinting towards the edge of the village and to the more mysterious, less explored part of the forest.
Sighing in exasperation, Link chased after her. If he could just manage to keep on her tail, then at the very least he wouldn't risk losing his way to where they met to play their ocarinas. But this plan fell through, for the moment Link reached the edge of the clearing at the top of the hill—the border of Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods—Saria, who had already ventured into the trees, vanished from sight. Grumbling to himself, Link knew he had already lost the "race". No Kokiri, save Saria, had ever been able to successfully navigate the Lost Woods. He and the other Kokiri were forced to wander along a worn path that traversed through the woods, but never truly understood where they were at any given moment. Saria, on the other hand, was able to stray from the path; indeed, she could afford to avoid it altogether. This gave her an unfair advantage, as she surely knew a quicker route to the meeting place than the one the path offered.
Sighing in resignation, Link ambled over to where the path of the Lost Woods commenced, and started down it, toying with the idea that Saria would have quite a bit of time to laugh at him before he reached their meeting place. As he journeyed deeper into the woods, the early morning sunlight became obscured from view by the thickening trees and foliage. A silence engulfed him, as all sounds of life died out. It was a curious thing, this forest. The Great Deku Tree had warned the Kokiri that losing one's path in the Lost Woods meant certain doom, that the forest had a most peculiar, if not entirely benevolent, kind of magic. Link had heard stories that Kokiri who lost their way in the Lost Woods find themselves transformed into Skull Kids, demented looking creatures, forced to wander the Lost Woods forever. Link had never run across a Skull Kid before, although Saria had claimed to have met several, commenting that they were very nice, and a tad mischievous. Which, Link thought darkly, would mean that they and Saria would get along just fine.
Just then the beaten path split into three new routes. From memory, Link selected the right one, which would lead him to his desired destination. Walking further, he spied an antlered deer some ways off the path. Tall and majestic, it trotted through the forest with great intent, perhaps searching for a plentiful meal for its family. Link smiled. Truly, life was a magnificent thing. Although his own life had thus far been rather short, in the time that he had been alive, he had come to truly appreciate what peace and harmony nature offered. He couldn't possibly imagine wishing for anything beyond what this forest could offer. The Great Deku Tree had told stories of the outside world, but what did Link care of faraway lands? No, he was content living here, never growing old, and spending carefree days with his friends.
Still smiling, Link rounded another corner along the path and came to a halt. Some ten feet ahead, the trees gave way to an open view of the sky. Link walked into the small clearing, surrounded on all sides by foliage. Directly ahead of him lay an opening between two enormous thorn bushes, which he now jogged through. He then found himself faced with a much larger clearing, the ground spotted with more thorny hedges. He noticed several circular clumps of brown leaves lying upon the ground. Unassuming though they appeared, Link knew that these were actually concealed deku scrubs, lying just beneath the surface. Short and rounded, with tubular mouths, they had a tendency to pop up at the occasional passersby and pelt them with deku nuts; Link had been on the receiving end of such attacks many a time, and painfully recalled the unpleasantness of the encounters. Fortunately, at this time of day, deku scrubs tended to slumber, awakening more towards noon. Carefully tiptoeing across the clearing, Link moved towards the opposite side, where a large set of ancient stone steps led to higher ground. Reaching the top of the steps, he strode down a narrow corridor, enormous earthen walls blocking him in on either side. At the end of the passage, he at last arrived at his destination.
Link didn't know how Saria had found this secret hideaway, but it truly was a sight to behold. A rectangular area covered in greener than green grass, a barren tree trunk stood tall in the center, stretching its decrepit branches high towards the heavens, proving its strength and fortitude even in death. The stub of another tree crouched next to it some fifteen feet away. Off to the side rested a mysterious stone octagon, in the center of which was carved a large triangle. It was most peculiar, for it had been split into a further four triangles, three of which shone a dull, gold color. But by far the most fascinating aspect of this isolated enclosure was that its walls were constructed of stone bricks. Never before had Link encountered such an engineering feat, coming from a village where all building utilized wooden materials. On the far wall there was a large wooden entranceway some forty feet up from the ground. A raised platform jutted out from the entrance, but with no ladder or staircase to lead up to it, Link couldn't possibly imagine how one might reach it. Why would someone build an entranceway that could not be accessed from the outside? Link was pondering this when a sharp pain suddenly erupted on the back of his neck.
"Ow!" Link cried, clasping a hand to the injured spot, and whipping around to face his attacker. At first he had surmised that an early rising deku scrub had woken from its slumber to take a shot at him, but instead he found Saria at the top of the stairs he had just ascended, slingshot in hand, already loaded with a second deku nut.
"That's for being late," she said, laughter dancing in her eyes.
Link glared at her, still massaging his neck. "I hardly find it fair that you should be allowed to attack me for losing a race that I never had a chance at in the first place." He said bitterly.
Saria's giggles echoed around the enclosure. "Attack has such a negative connotation," she reflected. "I think 'surprise' would be a better word."
"Well your 'surprises' are going to be the death of me," Link said in a sarcastic tone. But by now he was grinning too. "Where'd you get the slingshot? Can I have a look?"
Saria tossed the slingshot to Link, who caught it with a swing of his left hand. Holding it up to the intensifying morning light, he noted its fine craftsmanship. The frame had been carved from a very supple wood, from a willow perhaps. An elastic material stretched between the two prongs, and a leather grip was tightly wrapped around the handle. Looking closer, Link noticed at the very bottom of the handle, a miniscule inscription was carved: L&S
"L&S….Link and Saria?" He muttered half aloud. Link looked up at Saria, whose angular cheeks had suddenly reddened, and she averted her gaze to the ground.
"I-I made it for you. I thought," she said, a fluttering nervousness present in her normally composed and self confident tone, "that you-that you might like it." Her cheeks still burning, she looked up at him, awaiting his response.
Link stood there for a moment, expressionless. Then, his face broke into a smile. "I love it Saria."
Her cheeks reddened even further, but then she too smiled. "Really?"
Link nodded in affirmation. "Really," he said. "This is an awesome present Saria, the best I've ever gotten!" He slid the slingshot into his belt, and then strode over to her, enclosing her in a warm embrace.
At this Saria's entire face blushed, but she seemed past caring. "Just don't go using it to attack Mido, okay?" She asked. Link stepped back from her with a look of disbelief. She broke out into another round of giggles. "Okay," she relented, "You can use it on Mido, just go easy on him, alright?"
"But when has Mido ever gone easy on me?" Link asked, smiling mischievously.
"Bleh," Saria uttered, as she hit him lightly on the shoulder. "Enough of that now, we need to get to practice!"
She skipped over to the tree stump and took a seat upon it, whipping out her smooth, well crafted ocarina that had a slight pink tinge to it. Link followed, opening one of his pouches situated on his belt, pulling his own ocarina, trying not to think how much cruder it was than Saria's. After taking a seat on the stump beside Saria, the Kokiri girl nodded at him, "Let's go ahead and warm up." And they commenced with playing a progression of notes, starting with low tones and working their way up the scale.
When at last Link's mouth had loosened up a bit, he inquired, "I don't suppose today will be the day you teach me your 'song', will it?"
It went without saying that Saria was talented enough to craft her own melodies and tunes. But a year or so back she had developed what she considered to be her "masterpiece". She had affectionately named it "Saria's Song". What it lacked in originality of title, it made up for in musical quality. A mysterious melody, Saria played it whenever a Kokiri child had need of a pick-me-up, or when she decided to wander off into the Lost Woods alone, performing for nearby woodland creatures while she walked. Every time Link heard it, it instilled in him a kind of peace that made him feel at one with the world around him.
Saria had never taught anyone else her special melody, claiming it was too difficult for others to master. Privately, Link suspected that she simply wished to keep the secret of the tune to herself. Whatever her reasons, they had not prevented Link from constantly and consistently bothering her to teach him, but she had always refused. He doubted today would be any different.
Saria sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. Then she opened them, looking him straight in the eye. A small smile played on her lips. "Well," she said at last, "I suppose you've earned it through all your hard work."
Link felt like jumping up with a whoop of celebration, but kept a tight lock on his emotions. "Yes," he agreed, fighting to keep a straight face, "It has been awful difficult to put up with you for all this time."
Saria feigned offense, and then motioned for him to lean in. "Alright wise guy, you better watch your mouth if you want to learn my song." Link abated, and held up his hands in a gesture of cessation. Satisfied, Saria proceeded to show him the proper fingering on the ocarina required to play her unique melody. "And then," she finished, "With some practice, it will turn out like this:"
She placed her ocarina to her lips, and a moment later, "Saria's Song" sprang forth. Link fell into a state of awe as the cheerful, light hearted melody washed over him. Happily entranced, he reflected on the remarkable girl sitting next to him. When Saria touched her lips to an ocarina, music such as only the gods could produce sprang forth. Graceful in every sense of the word, she always seemed to be in tune with her surroundings. In addition to being the only Kokiri child in the village who could successfully navigate the surrounding Lost Woods, at times Saria appeared to be an extension of the forest itself. Which made sense, thought Link. After all, the Kokiri were the children of the Great Deku Tree, the powerful forest guardian who watched over them like a tender parent. But Saria was different; she was more than just a creation of a tree deity. She was more connected with the forest than any of the other Kokiri children, and Link suspected she knew it too.
Link mused on this thought for a while. Perhaps that was why Saria was so popular among the other Kokiri; she was to them, subconsciously perhaps, an embodiment of the forest, of their home, a place where they were safe. It might also help explain Mido's rather obvious crush on her. Link grinned. It had always given him dark pleasure to know that Saria preferred him to Mido, despite everything Mido did to try and impress her. Perhaps that was why Mido so detested Link; he was jealous of the close friendship Link and Saria held.
But then, Link corrected himself, what he and Saria had was more complicated than merely a close friendship. The gift of the slingshot had been just one of several gestures made by Saria over the past few months. She obviously felt more for him than what a friend would; he always noticed her staring at him when she thought he wasn't looking, and no matter the situation, his presence always elicited a cheerful smile from her.
Link, on the other hand, wasn't entirely sure how he felt about the situation. He greatly enjoyed Saria's company, that was a given; she was his best friend. But to be more than that…he just didn't know if he felt that way about her. And he couldn't think of a situation in which he would be able to tell her that and still keep her as a close friend. What would he do?
Gradually, Saria ended her song, pulling her ocarina away from her lips, looking at Link expectantly. "Well," she asked impatiently, "are you going to try it out, or are you just going to sit there all day like a deku baba?"
Link ceased his musings, and quickly placed his ocarina to his parted lips. Trying to recall the finger positions Saria had taught him, he cautiously sounded out the tune. After a few moments of timid playing, Link strengthened his air flow into his ocarina, and sounded Saria's Song in bold, lilting tones. He found himself caught in his own music, which once more settled a distinctive peace around him. Looking over at Saria, he noted that she too was not entirely immune to the song's effect, and had closed her eyes in relaxation.
When Link finished, the calm that had descended over the clearing lingered for a minute, before dissipating as Saria opened her eyes. Beaming, she leaned over to hug him. "You did it Link! Congratulations! You're a true ocarina player now!"
Link's grin of accomplishment shifted to one of sarcastic playfulness. "What, so you're saying that only those who can play your song are true ocarina players? I didn't realize you were so conceited Saria."
Fed up with Link's teasing, Saria did not respond, but simply and effectively tackled him to the ground, resorting to tickling Link in order to prevent him from retaliating. His laughter was soon joined by hers, and their happiness filled the enclosure.
Rather than "racing" back to Kokiri Village, Link and Saria instead chose to stroll together along the path that Link had originally taken. Conversing merrily, the two made their way back through the woods and into the large clearing that was Kokiri Village.
"So what shall we do now, Link?" Saria asked.
Gesturing at the position of the rising sun, which indicated that it was now late morning, Link responded, "Well as it's no longer the crack of dawn"—he shot Saria a playful glare—"the store should be open, and I have a few things I need to pick up."
Saria looked like she wished to inquire further, but instead shrugged. "Suit yourself," she said. "I'm off to convince the cooks to give me an early lunch." Grinning wickedly, she winked at him and skipped off.
Shaking his head at her mischievous antics, Link turned in the direction of his house, as he didn't have any money with him with which to purchase the items he had ordered from the shop. Along his way, he came across another Kokiri child, who was hunched over a stone the size of Link's head that lay in front of what he recognized as Saria's house, with its characteristically green painted door.
"What's up Fado?" He asked.
Fado was outfitted in woolen shorts, a short sleeved shirt, with elfish shoes and a short hat pushed to one side of his head. As was the Kokiri norm, his vestments were entirely green. His long, messy hair fell into his eyes, hiding half his face from view, and had been dyed a dark orange, which privately Link felt did not go very well with the green clothing. Beside his head hovered a small globe of light, which upon closer examination was revealed to be a very tiny humanoid creature with wings, perhaps only five inches tall: Fado's fairy.
"Oh hey Link," Fado said, straightening up and pushing his sweaty orange hair out of his eyes, only to have it fall back. "Mido told me to remove all these rocks in front of Saria's house. I think he wants to impress her by telling her that he did it."
Link's expression darkened. Typical Mido. "Do you need some help?" He inquired.
Fado shook his head wildly, which sent his long, unkempt hair whipping around his face, accidentally hitting his fairy in the process. She flew back a foot, and Fado immediately turned to her with an apologetic expression. "Sorry Seeri," he said.
Seeri flew over and began speaking in his ear, her voice too soft for Link to hear. She tugged on Fado's long hair, and Link held back a chuckle as he guessed at what she was telling him.
Fado began to pout and muttered to her, "I do not need a haircut…."
Link couldn't help but laugh at this. Fado suddenly looked at him, as if remembering something. "Oh Link, I meant to warn you: Mido's been looking for you. He's in a bad mood today, so I'd recommend you avoid him and his gang if at all possible."
Link grimaced, but nodded to Fado. "Thanks," he said, "I'll try. Alright, well I'll see you later then." Fado waved goodbye and resumed his work. Link turned around and started walking towards his house.
Arriving at the hut, Link jumped up the ladder two steps at a time and dashed inside, going straight for the ceramic pot in which he stored his rupees. The pot was rather full, and Link pulled a handful out and stuffed it into one of the pouches on his belt. Link smirked as he did so. It was actually thanks to Mido that he possessed such an abundance of rupees. Mido, the self proclaimed "boss of the Kokiri" had assigned him to the group known as the village groundskeepers, along with Fado and a few others. It was their duty to keep the village clearing free of any weeds or rocks. While Mido had obviously thought back breaking manual labor to be a punishment for Link, it had in fact, been a blessing. For one, pulling up weeds and large stones all day had kept Link in excellent physical condition; he was one of the strongest Kokiri in the village. And the greatest advantage of being a village groundskeeper was that there were often rupees and other useful items hidden beneath stones, or among the weeds. It was a jealously guarded secret among the groundskeepers, who knew that if the other Kokiri realized what lucrative positions the groundskeepers had, then they all would want to be assigned to the group.
Grinning at the irony of the situation, Link exited his hut and made his way over to the Kokiri Village Store. It was manned by a dozen Kokiri, and sold all variety of items. Link had placed two orders in the store, and his items had finally been collected and were ready for his purchase. Entering the wooden building, roughly six times the size of a regular Kokiri house, Link noticed the three Know-It-All Brothers inquiring about a healing potion, discussing its effects and usage with one of the salesgirls. Link walked to the center counter, behind which a Kokiri girl stood, wearing a green skirt and sleeveless shirt. Her dark brown hair falling down to her shoulders, she smiled when she saw him. "Hey Link, are you here for your order?"
Link nodded.
"One moment then please." She turned to her fairy, which was glowing pink next to her head. "Where did we put Link's order?" The fairy flew close to her ear to remind her. The girl then gave a soft exclamation, and hurried off to the back room to retrieve Link's items.
She returned a moment later carrying a bundle of dark sticks and a carved, wooden shield with a strange symbol painted upon it. "One Kokiri shield and a dozen deku sticks," she announced, placing them upon the oak counter. "Getting ready for tomorrow's tournament, huh?"
Link nodded in affirmation. "I was worried they wouldn't be ready in time." He said. "How much do I owe?"
"Seventy rupees," the girl responded. Link collected the amount from his pouch and handed it to her. The girl then leaned over the counter, her voice hushed. "Good luck tomorrow Link, we all want you to beat the pants off Mido."
"Thanks," Link said, a grin spreading across his face. "I'll do my best." The girl chuckled, and with a wave, Link exited the shop.
He hadn't taken but three steps from the doorframe when something shoved him painfully back against it. He dropped the bundle of deku sticks and the shield he had been carrying. Pain erupted from his back, and it took him a moment to focus his vision on what had hit him.
A Kokiri boy stood in front of him. He was Link's height and age, with dyed orange hair pushed back under a pointed green hat. Like Fado, he wore green shorts and shoes, but this boy wore a sleeveless shirt. Under his shirt, he wore a thick white garment that gave him the appearance of a puffed out chest; it was quite obviously his intention to appear as physically intimidating as possible. This persona was enhanced by the ugly expression he wore upon his face, normally rosy cheeks flared in anger, upturned nose scrunched in a look of disgust as he gazed at Link. Behind him stood a group of Kokiri boys who wore similar expressions—his lackeys.
"And what do you think you're doing freak?" The boy asked Link, scorn evident in his tone.
Link moved away from the wall, glaring at the boy. "Mido," he said, "what's your problem?"
Mido's expression darkened. "My problem," he began, "is that I heard a fairyless freak was hanging out with Saria earlier."
Link winced involuntarily. Although he had for the most part grown used to Mido's taunts, it still stung when he pointed out Link's lack of a fairy. Behind Mido, his gang was jeering at Link, chanting "no fairy, no fairy".
Mido continued his tirade. "And so I thought to myself," he said, "who's the only one in Kokiri Village who doesn't have a fairy? Oh yea, it's you!" He crossed his arms, satisfied with his logic. By now a small crowd of Kokiri children had accumulated on the edges of their argument. Those in the store were peeping out of the windows, while many Kokiri, on their way to breakfast, had stopped by to observe. Some of them were speaking to each other in hushed whispers, and their fairies, shimmering above them, were darting back and forth, obviously upset at the conflict.
Mido's last comment had really upset Link. "Saria can hang out with whoever she wants!" He spat furiously.
"Saria is a Kokiri," Mido said. "Kokiri associate with other Kokiri. You are not a Kokiri, and therefore you have no right to associate with her."
"I am too a Kokiri Mido!" Link shouted. "Why else would the Great Deku Tree have accepted me?"
Mido smirked. "Obviously," he said, acting as if the answer was indeed obvious, "The Great Deku Tree took pity on you, even though you're an outsider. I heard a rumor that you were found in front of the Great Deku Tree in the arms of a woman who came from outside the forest."
Link clenched his fists. He'd heard the rumor too, but he didn't believe it. He was a Kokiri, even if he didn't have a fairy.
"Stop it you two! Stop it!" A new voice had entered the conversation. Both Link and Mido looked to the side, where Saria was making her way towards them, her face in distress. "Mido!" She shouted. "Why do you always have to be so mean to Link? Why can't you just accept him as one of us?"
Mido was taken aback by this, and even his lackeys stopped jeering at Link. Saria had that effect on people. Link shot a grateful look at Saria, who returned it with a soft smile. The exchange did not pass unnoticed by Mido, however, who quickly regained his composure. "Saria," he said, eyes locked on Link. "All Kokiri have fairy companions." He motioned to his own fairy, which emanated a dark glow as it hovered above his head. "The fact that the Great Deku Tree chose not to give him one is proof enough that he's different from us. He's an outsider, and should not be accepted into Kokiri society." Mido suddenly turned to look at Saria, wicked grin spreading across his face. "And nothing, not even you telling your fairy to stay at your house for the day, will ever change that."
Saria's eyes widened, and she turned to Link, who was staring at her with shock. He hadn't even noticed that morning that her fairy had not been with her. Judging by her expression, Mido had been correct in guessing that she had asked her fairy to remain at her house for the day. Saria had probably done so in an effort to keep Link's mind off the ever present fact that he did not have a fairy. Link now lowered his gaze to the ground, refusing to acknowledge the apologetic looks Saria was sending his way.
Mido smirked, clearly satisfied with the results of his speech. Behind him his lackeys had once more begun to chant "no fairy, no fairy". The crowd of Kokiri that had gathered to watched had ceased their whispers, and even their fairies held still, anxious to witness the conclusion of the confrontation. And then, Link looked up, staring Mido straight in the eye.
"Mido," he began, "you act like a big man. But deep inside you're littler than anyone here." Mido's face contorted with rage, and he began utter a retort, but Link cut him off. "See I know why you bully me," he said, now baring his teeth in a bitter smile. "You have a crush on Saria, we all know it. You've liked her for as long as I can remember. And you're always trying to impress her." Mido's furious face now flushed with humiliation, and fists clenched, he once more began to speak up, only to have Link continue to talk over him. "And the reason you have it out for me, the reason you set your group of lackeys on me all the time, is because you're jealous. Jealous that Saria likes me more than you. Jealous that she prefers to spend her time with a fairyless, outsider freak, than with you—"
But Link was prevented from finishing, for at that moment Mido had tackled him, sending both boys crashing to the ground, fists flailing. The crowd around them erupted into shouts of encouragement, yelling either for Link to kick Mido's butt, or vice versa. Link, who had been taken by complete surprise by Mido's attack, spent a few moments on his back, the wind knocked out of him, trying to block Mido's furious punches. After the shock of the initial blow had abated, however, Link immediately turned the tables. Intimidating as Mido may have appeared, Link was by far the stronger of the two, and was able to flip Mido onto his back and pin him down.
Just as Link was about to strike the Kokiri boy with his raised fist, however, a dark glow flew straight into his face with a force comparable to Saria's slingshot. Knocked backwards off Mido, Link clutched his face as his eyes watered in response to the pain. The dark glow then began to pelt various parts of his body, each impact landing with bruising force. The glow was moving too fast for Link to catch it, and so he did everything he could to move away from it.
"Enough, Coel," a voice sounded. The impacts ceased, and Link looked up to see Mido standing over him, with the dark glow, Coel, hovering next to him. Link sat up, trying hard not to wince at the pain resonating all over his body. Mido grinned at him, his smug composure having returned. "This," he said, gesturing at Coel, "is just one of many benefits afforded by the companionship of a fairy. Of course, you wouldn't know anything about that, would you, freak?"
Mido's lackeys had now moved in front of him and were picking up the items Link had dropped earlier. "Look at this Mido," one of them jeered, picking up Link's deku shield. "He's bought himself a bunch of sticks and a shield. He must be competing in tomorrow's tournament!" At this, the others began to laugh. Mido's smug smile widened.
"That true, freak?" He asked. "You think you can compete with us real Kokiri? Heh, you're more pathetic than I thought." Mido turned on his heel, and began to walk away, the crowd of Kokiri parting to make way for him. His lackeys followed, the one holding Link's shield throwing it back to the ground. "Be prepared for the beating of your life tomorrow, freak!" Mido shouted over his shoulder, before disappearing around a wooden hut.
Link slowly rose to his feet, struggling not to wince from all the bruises covering his body. The shop girl he had talked with in the store rushed out with a bottle of red healing potion, which he gratefully drank. The bruises faded, and Link felt a surge of energy course through his body. Thanking the shop girl, he picked up his shield and his bundle of sticks and slowly made his way through the still parted Kokiri crowd. He felt Saria's gaze on him, but he ignored her and continued on his way. Link remained silent until he had reached his hut, climbing up the ladder and walking inside. He tossed the shield and the sticks onto his bed and let out a sigh of frustration. Sitting down at his table, he put his face in his hands.
Nearly one year previously, the Great Deku Tree had informed the Kokiri children that he wished for them to hold a combat tournament. It was to include every Kokiri resident—including Link, much to Mido's dismay. The children were to fight two at a time in a single elimination tournament with wooden swords and shields. As such, deku sticks and deku shields were in high demand at the Kokiri Village Store. The Kokiri had been given the past year to train and prepare, and all hoped that their efforts would be enough, for the winner of the entire tournament would receive one of the Kokiri's most precious treasures: the Kokiri Sword. Locked in a wooden chest in a remote enclave in Kokiri Forest, the Great Deku Tree had decreed that whosoever won the tournament would be granted possession of the weapon. This had caused quite a stir amongst the Kokiri, as had one final rule set by the Great Deku Tree: fairies were not allowed to aid the combatants.
Mido of course had been beside himself with fury, arguing that the fairies of the Kokiri were as much a part of them as their arms and legs. Link had also suspected that Mido wished to place him at as much of a disadvantage as possible. Nevertheless, the Great Deku Tree had been firm about his decision, and not even Mido dared provoke the wrath of the tree deity. So for the past year the Kokiri children had been training, each hoping to win the Kokiri Sword and recognition from the Great Deku Tree. Most thought that Mido would win; or at least, he had proclaimed his imminent victory so often that they agreed with him in hopes that he would shut up about it.
What the Kokiri children did not know, however, is that every night, after they had gone to bed, Link slipped out of his hut, taking a deku stick with him. Walking past the path leading into the Lost Woods, past the Kokiri Village Store, and then past Saria's house, Link strode towards the far side of Kokiri Forest. There he found a winding path cut through the trees, beyond which lay a large enclosure. Lined by soft grass and flowers of all sorts, the enclosure was dimly lit by thousands of fluttering balls of light: fairies. Flying a hundred feet above the ground, they were not, however, what the eye was first drawn to.
In the middle of the enclosure rested an enormous tree. Its trunk was thick enough to encompass half of Kokiri Village, and taller than the stone walls in Link's nightmare. The canopy of branches and leaves that sprawled from its top was so thick and so large that it entirely obscured Link's view of the nighttime sky. Roots spread from its base, rising from the ground only to return inwards, like sea serpents in water. But the most peculiar feature of this massive plant growth was that upon its trunk was a great face. Massive eye sockets rested above a nose of bark. The mouth was so large as to be able to swallow up Link's hut.
"Good evening, Great Deku Tree," Link called out, dropping his deku stick and his deku shield—which he had brought now that he finally had it—to the ground.
The massive mouth opened wide. "Welcome Link," the Great Deku Tree rumbled, his dark, gravely voice well suited to his rough exterior. "The other trees tell me that Mido hath given thee trouble today."
Link's eyes widened; he had forgotten that the Great Deku Tree was connected to all of the forest, and saw all that occurred within it. "I'm so sick of him picking on me, Great Deku Tree," Link said.
"Mido hath great jealousy of thee, Link," the Great Deku Tree rumbled. "In time, he shalt understand the error of his ways."
Link heard bitterness and anger seep into his voice. "And until then he'll continue to pick on me! Why can't you just give me a fairy Great Deku Tree? Why am I the only Kokiri in this forest without one!"
A general rustling of leaves sounded in the clearing, although there was no wind to cause it. It was as if the Great Deku Tree was sighing. "As I hath told thee before, Link," he said, "you shalt receive thine fairy when the time is right. And," he continued, and the hollow sockets carved in his trunk appeared to focus with a sudden intensity upon Link, "even if I gaveth thee thine own fairy, would Mido stop his attacks? No, for surely he would search for a new way to torment thee."
Link saw the sense in this, and lowered his head in acceptance.
"Do not fret, young one," spoke the Great Deku Tree. "Thou art more special than thou think. Now," he said, his gravelly voice taking a more businesslike tone, "I do believe that thou hath cometh for practice?" Suddenly an array of monsters—deku babas, deku scrubs, and more—appeared on the forest floor around Link.
A fiery look coming into Link's eye, he nodded fiercely at the Great Deku Tree and arranged himself in a combat position, picking up his deku stick and shield to guard against attacks. One of the deku babas, its green stem rising from the ground to support a large blue, bulbous head lined with thorny teeth, whipped its head forward at him. Link easily blocked it with his shield and in one swipe of his deku stick, severed the head from its stem; a gooey green liquid leaked from the broken stem of the now dead monster. Several more came at Link, and as he defeated each of them with similar ease, he marveled at how much he had improved in the past year. Shocked at being invited by the Great Deku Tree to train in secret every night, Link supposed the only downside to the ordeal was that he was unable to "go to bed at a decent hour" as Saria had suggested earlier. Still, he thought, now deflecting a deku nut spat at him by a deku scrub, the training had paid off. Link did not know why the Great Deku Tree had singled him out for private swordsmanship lessons, but he was not about to complain.
Enemies lying dead around him, Link turned to face the Great Deku Tree, a proud grin stretched across his face. "Very good, Link," rumbled the Great Deku Tree. "As this is the last night before the tournament, I hath decided to give thee one final challenge."
At his words, a moving shadow appeared at the edge of the enclosure. As it moved closer, Link gasped. The new arrival was, quite literally, a walking skeleton. The size of a grown man, it carried with it a sharp metal blade and a heavy wooden shield. Thick leather boots encased its bleach white feet, and a faint red glow shone in its hollow eye sockets.
It was a stalfos. Link had heard stories that outsiders who lost their way in the Lost Woods were transformed into these monstrous creatures, but he had never seen one for himself. That had quite obviously changed.
Link turned to the Great Deku Tree, who was merely looking at him expectantly. He turned back to the approaching stalfos, who had now sighted him and was making its way across the clearing. Link didn't know how he could possible defeat the thing without a proper blade. But glancing back at the Great Deku Tree, Link realized that he was obviously expected to try. Setting his jaw, he began to walk towards the monster.
As Link strode within striking range, and stalfos let out an unearthly cackle as it eagerly swung its sword at him. Link rolled to the side, avoiding the attack. But then another strike came, and this time Link caught it on his shield, the force of the blow nearly knocking him off his feet. The stalfos growled in frustration, and several more blows followed in quick succession. Link could just barely follow the movement of the stalfos's sword, and twice almost had his head taken off.
Then the stalfos drove forward and thrust its blade directly at his chest, catching Link by complete surprise. Purely on instinct, Link raised his shield to block the attack. WHAM! The blow struck his shield and sent him skidding backwards several feet. Then Link noticed that the sword thrust had been so powerful that the blade had actually become lodged in his shield, something the stalfos had also noticed. It tried to wrench its weapon free, but to no avail. Sensing his opportunity, Link raised his deku stick high and swung down at the stalfos's arm, purposefully aiming for the elbow joint. With a crack, the stalfos's forearm was disconnected from the rest of its body, and it let out a howl of fury, murder burning in its eyes.
But now it was Link's turn to attack. He leapt forward, shoving his shield into the stalfos's, thus preventing it using its shield to block his deku stick. Link then dealt out another devastating blow at the stalfos's right knee. As with it arm, the thigh and calf became disconnected, and the stalfos fell to the ground. Link immediately lashed out with his stick at the neck, severing the stalfos's head from its body. The red glow in the eye sockets faded, soon vanishing altogether. Sighing a breath of relief, Link dropped his deku stick so that he could pry the stalfos's sword from his shield. When this was done, Link cast his shield aside and turned to walk towards the Great Deku Tree, waiting to hear his thoughts on the fight.
But behind him Link heard rapid movement. Turning around, Link saw the stalfos's body rearranging itself, its head reconnecting with its neck, its calf to its thigh, and its forearm to the rest of its arm, still grasping its sword. The red glow in its eyes had returned, and, as the stalfos's gaze fell upon Link, now unarmed, its bleach white skull almost seemed as if it were trying to smirk. Backing up in fear, Link tried calling out to the Great Deku Tree, only to find that his voice had deserted him.
The stalfos took one step towards him, its sword raised, poised to strike, when suddenly the ground beneath it shook violently as it split open. The stalfos fell down into the gap, a great growl escaping its jaws before the earth closed in on it, and then there was silence. Heart pounding, Link stood rooted to the spot for a few moments.
"Ye hath done well, Link," sounded a grumble from behind him. The Great Deku Tree was smiling, its great bark lips stretched across its trunk in a smile. "I did not think that thou would be able to defeat the stalfos," he continued. "Obviously, I was in err."
Link finally found his voice. "What-What just happened?" He asked.
The Great Deku Tree's smile grew wider yet, his trunk creaking at the exertion. "The stalfos are peculiar creatures," he explained. "As skeletons, they possess the power to reassemble themselves. As such, they cannot ever truly be destroyed unless their bodies are broken to the point that they can no longer do so. Bombs are often placed by their fallen figures in order to disintegrate them. As thou hath no such means of doing so, however, I took it upon myself to crush it beneath the earth."
Link's eyes widened in understanding. He tried to say something, but the Great Deku Tree was not finished. "But even if thou were not able to completely destroy it, thou still were able to best it in sword combat! And that is a magnificent achievement, Link. Stalfos are known throughout Hyrule as being skilled swordsmen, and thou defeated one! With a mere deku stick and not a proper blade, I might add! I am very proud of thee."
Link's confusion and terror turned to utter joy as he received the Great Deku Tree's praise. "Thank you, Great Deku Tree," he said, grinning broadly. "I owe it to you for training me this past year. I can't wait to beat Mido tomorrow!"
Something about the Great Deku Tree's demeanor changed, although it was subtle. "Ah yes, tomorrow," he said. "Tomorrow shalt be a very important day for us all." Link's expression turned to bewilderment, as he began to ask the Great Deku Tree if everything was alright, but the Great Deku Tree quickly spoke over him. "Well, go to bed Link, and rest thyself for tomorrow."
Sensing that the Great Deku Tree did not wish to be questioned, Link picked up his shield and stick, bowed to the Great Deku Tree, and left the fairy lit clearing. As he walked away, he thought he heard the Great Deku Tree mumble, "Tomorrow…"
The stars shone brightly in the nighttime sky, and a gentle breeze swept the hilly landscape. Off in the distance loomed an enormous castle town, gray in the moonlight. Far northeast from it stood a large mountainous region, one especially gigantic formation stretching above the others. A great cloud ring hovering above it indicated that it was some sort of dormant volcano. A wide river cut in front of this view, however, its rushing water flowing out of sight.
All this was very far away, however. Here, the soft grass of the ground ran up against a dense forest, so dense that it was doubtful that much moonlight was able to make its way through the branches. A family of deer—the buck Link had seen earlier that day, plus its doe mate and their two fawns—made their way out of the trees towards a small bush full of glistening red berries that rested just outside the reach of the trees. The buck had discovered it earlier, and had retrieved his family so that they all might partake in the meal. Bending their necks towards the berries, the family began to eat in the peaceful moonlight.
Four whistling arrows drove into the skulls of the deer family, felling them instantly. They dropped to the ground, blood pooling around their lifeless bodies. Several whinnying noises came from behind a nearby hill, and a troupe of horsemen rode over it and down towards the dead animals, stopping ten feet from them. A dozen of the riders were large, crude men, their bodies wrapped in rough leather and sporting several swords and battleaxes. Four others were the archers that had felled the deer, and their frames appeared feminine in nature, although it was hard to tell as they wore loose cloaks with the hoods up. The final horseman was a large man with red hair, malicious eyes and an overarching nose, like a beak on an eagle. Adorned in gleaming black armor, he was all the more intimidating seated upon his horse, a great black stallion. He was quite obviously the leader of the troupe.
The party dismounted, the four cloaked figures sliding their bows into straps connected to their horses' saddles. The leader of the group signaled to the crude dozen, six of whom took out knives and began to slice up the night's dinner. Three others commenced building a fire with which to cook the deer meat. As they walked into the forest, searching for dry wood, the leader spoke, his deep, cold voice matching his intimidating appearance. "Don't wander too far in," he warned the men. "There is a strange power to this forest." The crude men looked confused, but did not question their leader.
The leader smirked coldly as the crude men obeyed his instructions. That was the usefulness of mercenaries, he thought to himself. They always followed orders.
Now striding closer to the edge of the forest, he gazed deep into the trees. It was here, the thing he'd been searching for. He was sure of it.
"I'll be going for a little stroll in the forest," he said, not turning to look at his companions. "I should return within a few hours."
The mercenaries nodded, not questioning their employer's strange ways, but one of the four cloaked figures, who were not bound to the man by money, spoke up. Her voice revealed that she was in fact, a woman, its tones decidedly feminine. "My lord," she spoke up. "Shall we not accompany you?"
The man frowned, turning to look at the cloaked woman. This time there was an edge to his voice as he spoke. "No, you shall remain here. I will be fine; there is nothing in this forest that can harm me."
The woman mustered up the courage to ask one last question. "Sire, may I ask why we are here? What are you searching for?"
The man's frown turned into another smirk. Of course he hadn't told them what he was searching for. That information was far too important to entrust to anyone else. It was reserved for him and him alone. And so he turned away from the woman to face the trees once more. After a long silence, he responded to her question, although it did nothing to answer it. The man's deep voice rumbled with dark mirth as he spoke, "The third."
