Dragon Goddess

I don't own Legend of Zelda and Warcraft is owned by Blizzard Entertainment.

…

Link sat up with a gasp. Sweat drenched his face and shoulders and his eyes were wide in fear. He panted loudly and tried to calm himself. Another nightmare… What does it mean? Maybe the Gods can help. But I have nothing to offer them.

"You don't need an offering if I'm already here." Jaina had poked her head into Link's doorway. Her eye was clouded with worry. "You don't look good. For the past few days you've been lethargic and tired. What's been keeping you up?"

"I've been having the same recurring nightmare. I'm standing before the gates of a kingdom when a swift white horse comes charging out. The girl riding it throws something into the moat just before a second, larger black horse gallops out, almost trampling me. There's a man riding the black horse. He gives me this evil glare and throws a bolt of magic at me."

Jaina froze at the mention of the horseman. "That's Ganondorf."

"Who?"

"Ganondorf. He's a Gerudo sorcerer who is trying to fool the Hyrulean King into joining him. Ganondorf wants the throne of Hyrule for himself. I tried to stop him once, but I only succeeded in letting him rip out my all-seeing right eye." Jaina shook her head. "Link, listen to me carefully. Ganondorf is not only a danger to Hyrule but the world of Azaroth as well."

"But why am I having these nightmares and not the King?"

"Cenarius is far too gullible to see Ganondorf's true intentions. He takes after his father. It must run in the family. I just hope Princess Zelda is able to see Ganondorf's plot."

Link lay back down in his bed and stared at the ceiling. "This doesn't make any sense to me. What do I have to do with any of this? Isn't there someone else who can stop Ganondorf?"

"No," Jaina said plainly. "At least, not alone. But then again, no one can stop him alone. That's why the Great Deku Tree sent you Navi."

A little white fairy flitted in through an open window and landed on Link's chest. She looked at the boy with knowing eyes. "You were right," Navi said. "He does have the aura of a hero. I haven't seen one like this since the Stormrage brothers and the Whisperwind girl." The pretty fairy hopped to the floor and sat down. "Now, how to explain it… Hmm…"

Link looked at Jaina, confused. "Explain what?"

The Goddess sighed. "I'll do it. Navi, stop pondering before you have a heart attack." Jaina looked Link right in the eye. "The Great Deku Tree has been cursed by Ganondorf and requests that you help him right away." She paused for breath. "Bring a sword, shield, and whatever else you'll need for a battle and go see him right now."

…

Jaina sat beside the Great Deku Tree while Link and Navi were inside, fighting Ganondorf's monsters. The Great Tree groaned in pain. "This is taking a long time. Art thou certain Link was prepared for this, my daughter?"

"Yes Popaa," the Goddess said gently. "I did as you told me to. Navi will guide the boy until he finds your tormentor. It won't be much longer now."

"I trust thee. I just- ARGH!"

"Popaa!" Jaina pressed her node to the Tree's cheek. "Popaa, don't worry. It'll be over soon. The pain will be gone."

"Jaina my daughter… I must tell thee one more thing… Please protect Link… He alone is the only hope this world has left… He is the last true hero…" The Tree groaned again. "I can feel it… The end is near…"

Seconds later, Navi shot out of the Tree's mouth, singing of heroes long past. Link, bloody and bruised, limped painfully after her. The broken and stinking carcass of the Queen Gohma was slung over his left shoulder, the sword still protruding from the eye. Link tripped and fell forward into Jaina's arms. The Deku Tree groaned once again.

"Link… Thank thee for killing the Gohma tormenting me… Now the curse is broken… This is my dying wish… Please hear me out… Take my Emerald to Hyrule's Princess Zelda… Then gather the Goron Ruby and Zora Sapphire… Bring them to Zelda as well and use the Ocarina of Time to stop Ganondorf… Thou must hurry… I thank thee again for helping me…"

The Tree's branches rattled and the Kokiri Emerald dropped into Jaina's left forepaw. The old Tree seemed to smile. Then he withered and died. Link turned away. "This couldn't be helped," Navi whispered. "There's nothing anyone could have done to save him. Even if the curse was broken the instant it was set he would've died anyway. Don't blame yourself Link." The fairy wiped a tear from the boy's cheek.

Link picked up the Gohma's corpse again. "I'm… going back to the village. I'll see you back there, I guess." He limped up the path to the village.

"Hey Link!" Navi said. "Wait up!" She flew after the boy, leaving Jaina alone in the clearing with her dead father.

"Oh Popaa, I only wish I could have told Link that the thing that was killing you was also keeping you alive. But then he never would have come to break the curse. Oh, this will not be easy to do."

Jaina's ears pricked at the sound of Mido yelling at Link and pushing the injured boy into the water. The Goddess sighed and looked back at the dead tree one more time before bounding up the path toward the commotion in the village. Jaina roared and jumped into the village area but being the klutz she was, she tripped over her own paws and almost fell into the water herself. She whipped her head around and glared at Mido.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Link broke the Great Deku Tree's curse and saved the forest! Yet you have the nerve to beat on him? Look at him Mido! He's already injured enough without you adding more pain! Don't think you can worm your way out of it this time! Link single-handedly slew the Queen Gohma tormenting the Great Tree! What he did was a heroic act! The Gohma killed the Great Tree, Link killed the Gohma, and I promised to protect Link!"

Jaina lowered her head and fastened her jaws on the back of the collar of Link's tunic, carrying him like a kitten back to his treetop home.

…

Jaina hung the preserved body of the Gohma over Link's doorway, positioning it so that its eye was looking out like it was studying anyone who might be approaching. Inside, Link was on his bed in the fetal position, crying in pain and sadness. Navi was trying desperately to calm the boy down but was finding it hard to do so.

Link looked up at the sound of footsteps on the floor. Saria was slowly approaching her friend. "Link, I know it was hard for you to watch the Great Tree die, but you did it to save the forest. That's something Mido would never be able to do, no matter how hard he tries." She sat on the edge of the bed and hugged Link. "It's okay. I understand. It's hard for everyone right now but we'll all get over it in time. Navi told me about what the Great Tree said and that he would've died regardless. It's not your fault."

Link cried into Saria's shoulder. Jaina sat outside and listened. She made sure no one approached the tree, even though the unseeing, staring eye of the dead Gohma would've done that anyway. Navi perched herself on Jaina's left antler and sang in Ancient Hylian.

It was just past midnight when Saria stepped outside. Navi worriedly looked up at the girl. "How is he?"

"He's asleep. He was so tired from fighting those monsters. He fell asleep a while ago. I thought he was having a nightmare so I stayed. He seems to be doing better now." The Kokiri looked up at the Gohma. "It's like a trained Wolfos almost."

"It's an old custom from a distant land," Jaina said. "The natives there mount the preserved bodies of slain enemy leaders and beasts over their doorways. They say it keeps away evil spirits and monsters. It seemed to work well enough."

"That's… a little…"

"Disturbing?"

"Yeah. But if it works, it works. Besides, I think it looks pretty cool the way it's watching out for unwanted visitors."

Navi flew up and landed on Saria's head. "I bet Noto was scared out of his mind." Navi was referring to her brother, Saria's fairy guide Noto. "He always was a coward."

Jaina sighed. "Hey, it's late. Saria, go home and rest. You'll want to see Link tomorrow morning before he leaves."

"Where's he going? He's not leaving the forest is he?"

"I'm taking him to the Kingdom of Hyrule to see Princess Zelda. My father told me to bring Link there to help defeat an evil sorcerer who threatens the whole world. Now, go home and get some sleep. I'll wake you. He'll want to see you one last time before he leaves the forest."

Cenarius is the name of another Warcraft III character, and the Stormrage brothers and the Whisperwind girl are three important Night Elf characters.