...-()-..

Inside a cozy tree home, high in the forest, a pervasive odor of pine sap melded wholly with the smell burning wood embers from the fireplace. Sitting inside this dwelling on opposite twig bound chairs, Saria and Liz both looked down upon Links body, fidgeting under the hearth light.

"Do you think he knows?" Liz said

"I think so, if not, I can't imagine what else could have caused him to do this." Saria said taking a cool wash cloth from a bucket of water sitting next to his bed.

"You mean what caused him to just collapse in the darkest woods of Hyrule or to go fishing there in the first place?"

Wringing the damp cloth Saria patted Links brow and nodded.

"I mean, what could have caused this to his left hand?", "I got it to stop bleeding but its still to hot to apply doku ferns into the wounds."

Liz stared at the doku leaf bandage on the floor; it had erupted in fire when they first applied it to the welt. The thought had occurred to them to simply rest his hand in the water bucket, but after his hand had entered the water, steam rose from the bucket like it had felt the touch searing iron.

"I thought you were the sage, Mistress" Liz teased "Don't they tell you in Sage training what it means when the triforce goes all screwy?"

Saria gave a smirk and knew Liz had a point. She was a Sage; she should have some clues to why this was happening. She should of known what the goddesses were plans before they occurred - not like some bystander.

If she hadn't heard Link screams through the forest, she wouldn't even of known were to find him. Only by luck did she find him asleep, quivering on the forest bed, with blood flowing from the mark in his hand.

"I was never taught to be a Sage, I simply am." Then looking down toward him she thought "In that way, I am like Link, simply a tool of the goddesses."

"But we do have some clues, don't we Mistress?"

"We know nothing, except what those fairies have been saying and you know they love to gossip. Good, bad, anything to keep things exciting around here." Saria paused

"We do know that Link has a pretty nasty scare though."

"He couldn't have got that by doing that to himself."

"No, this has a magically property. I mean look." Saria took the rag and dipped it into the bucket of water again, then dropped some of the water onto his left hand.

The sound of sizzling cracked the silence. "Now look closely at his hand"

Three Points of the triforce were on his hand etched in ebbed blood. One piece for courage, one piece for wisdom, and one piece for power but in the center of those three a missing piece. Then as the water dripped away, the blood started festering again, washing over the three pieces like the wave over a shell.

"What do you think it means?" Liz interrupted as Saria began to stand.

"I think it means that something is going or has gone wrong. I'm going back to the forest temple, to contact the others."

"But, mistress, it safer to travel together" Liz stammered

"You are to stay here, Liz, I am after all the Sage of these parts. Trouble will follow those who dare follow me."

Then she took her leave making her way down the wooden ladder to the forest floors. Liz could hear her last footfalls as she left the ladder. Shortly she began taking to the job of washing Links brow. Skillfully she applied the water to his face, pressing in dabbing motions.

"I wonder what dreams your facing today, hero."

Her eyes took in the sleeping youth. He was much larger than her, at least five eight with large shoulders, muscles, and legs. A stark contrast to her dainty five two, with a frame that seemed to match the twig bound chair in which she sat. She looked on, toward his dirty blond hair which only seemed tamed by the tattered green hat he wore, she reached for it.

As she removed it his cap, an eruption of blue and white came flying out of it. Liz gave off a scream and tumbled backwards from the chair. Falling stiff onto the rigid wood floor, she looked up dazed just in time to see a fairy flying down at her face.

"Aaaaaaaaaah" Liz said tossing her hands in front of her face

"Now, now, is that anyway to treat a hero's fairy?" Navi said laughing and hovering above the young girl.