With the help of the golden cucco, Zelda and Rusl made their way across bridges that were moved by the wind, as well as other gaps that had swinging branches which had threatened to knock them from the sky. They now stood before the entrance to the Sacred Grove.
"I think perhaps I should warn you of what is to come," Rusl said solemnly.
"Please do," Zelda said as she blew out her lantern.
"It is a maze."
"Surely you know the way by now?" Zelda asked.
"It is led by a creature known as the Skull Kid through the game of hide-and-seek," Rusl continued, ignoring Zelda. "He is mischievous and changes the path every time someone – myself included – wanders through. If we are to be separated, do not wait for me, and I won't be waiting for you. He is quick to close off the paths and is quicker at stalling you. He uses these strange creatures made of nothing but wood – Puppets – I have learned to call them. As you can see, since I am standing right before you, I have not been lost. If it was not for the small lantern the Skull Kid carries around, leaving a faint glow of light wherever he travels, I would have become lost many years ago."
"Do you fear becoming one of the lost souls?" Zelda asked curiously.
"No. I do not fear anything anymore," Rusl said darkly. Zelda tried to ignore what she saw flicker in his eyes, but found she was beginning to worry about her safety. Could she really trust this stranger? Sure, he had taken her to the Sacred Grove, but she didn't know anything about him! Everything he had told her could have easily been a lie! But, she found herself dismissing these doubtful thoughts. Rusl did seem like a genuine fellow… One who has simply had a tough life.
"Let's continue," Zelda said with a smile.
"As long as you're sure…" Rusl said.
"I am. I must do this."
"Very well," Rusl said, walking through the stone archway and into the Sacred Grove. Zelda followed hesitantly.
There were so many trees that the early morning light was now dimmed. Zelda stayed close to Rusl as they walked. He seemed tense, like he was waiting for something.
Suddenly, a child-like, high-pitched laugh echoed through the trees. Rusl turned to her.
"The Skull Kid is coming… He will lead us, but will try to kill us once we've reached the end. I know I said I would take you to the Sacred Grove because that is all you asked, but I knew you really meant the Temple of Time. When we reach the end, sneak through the final door once it has been revealed; I will deal with the Skull Kid." Rusl said very quickly, getting all the words out as fast as he could.
Just as he finished speaking, a spiral of leaves began spinning in the air in front of Zelda and Rusl. Another laugh echoed through the trees as a small child-size creature appeared from the leaves. He had gray skin and wore simple brown clothing and a hat, both adorned with leaves. He carried a strange sort of instrument and a lantern, and he wore a giant leaf as a cape on his back. He had pointed ears that had two rings of blue stone hanging from them as earrings and wore little brown boots. What caught Zelda the most off-guard was his glowing yellow and orange eyes, as well as the smile he wore, baring his small pointy teeth.
"Do you guys want to play?" The Skull Kid asked, his smile never faltering.
"Yes," Zelda said. The Skull Kid laughed again, disappearing in a swirl of leaves.
"So we begin," Rusl mumbled from beside her, his eyes already searching the dark for the glow of the lantern. Zelda caught sight of a faint glow from an opening that had just appeared and ran that way so she wouldn't fall behind. She heard Rusl follow her.
Another laugh sounded through the trees and the light of the lantern disappeared. Zelda looked around, carefully scanning all the trees for another secret opening. She screamed as something struck her shoulder. She turned around to see wooden creatures bearing the same facial expression as the Skull Kid: his Puppets. There were three of them, but Rusl already had his sword out and easily sliced through them.
"Are you alright?" He asked. Zelda nodded.
"Yes, I was just startled," she lied.
"More will come," Rusl said. Ignoring the constant throb of her shoulder, Zelda followed the sound of a strange horn. She caught sight of the lantern glow and quickly ran after it. Before Zelda could take in her surroundings, Rusl was scrambling up a tree that had been carved out into steps. The Skull Kid rested at the top playing his strange instrument. As he neared the top, a horde of Puppets fell from the trees, making their way over to Rusl. Zelda unsheathed her sword and ran to them, slicing through them with ease. They turned on her and wound up their arms, slashing at her with more force than she would have expected.
When the Puppets had been taken care of, Zelda looked to see what Rusl was doing. He brought back his sword and sliced the Skull Kid with it. A laugh echoed through the trees as the Skull Kid disappeared in a whirlwind of leaves and reappeared at the entrance of a door that hadn't previously been there. Without waiting for Rusl to clamber down, Zelda took off after the Skull Kid, the light of his lantern guiding the way.
She entered the doorway and was met with a waterfall. It was beautiful. She began to walk towards it but was snapped out of her daze as a Puppet, then another and another, struck her back and shoulders. She turned on them with her sword still bared and sliced through the wooden creatures just as the Skull Kid began playing his horn again. She followed the noise and stepped onto the ledge that he was playing on. She walked closer to him and struck him with her sword. Once again, he disappeared in a swarm of leaves and a laugh.
She could hear Rusl just entering the waterfall glade, clearly fighting off a horde of Puppets. As he had said to do, she continued onwards, searching for the glow of the lantern. She couldn't see it, but walked through a new opening in the stone wall that had not previously been there. It led into a new glade which was covered with tall trees. She looked around and saw the light of the lantern fade around a corner. She ran after him as more Puppets dropped from the trees. They slashed at her before she could ready herself and ended up running from them. She could hear their wooden limbs clicking and clacking behind her as they followed. She rounded the corner and found the Skull Kid standing atop the highest tree in the small glade playing his horn.
She sighed. They only way she could reach him without a bow and arrow would be her magic. She quickly dispatched the Puppets stalking her and then sheathed her sword. She focused on her magic and grabbed hold of it, mixing it with her energy in the palm of her hand to form a sphere of golden light. She focused herself and lobbed the ball at the Skull Kid. It hit him in the face and he disappeared with a single laugh.
He reappeared as Rusl came into the glade with a bleeding scratch on his face. Together, they followed the Skull Kid into a circular glade with several stones of different heights placed around it.
"The game is over," the Skull Kid said, his smile bigger than ever. The clacking of wooden joints met Zelda's ears and she unsheathed her sword, ready for the Puppets. Rusl and Zelda took their fighting stances, prepared for when the Puppets dropped from the trees.
"As I said earlier," Rusl said in a hushed voice, "As soon as the door appears, you go! The Skull Kid will put up a fight as long as he can but he cannot hide the entrance forever. Brace yourself," Rusl said as the Puppets fell to the forest floor. In one swift movement, Rusl cut through three of the five, but five more dropped from the trees. Zelda bared her sword and ploughed through them as well, helping Rusl reach the Skull Kid.
As Zelda took on the Puppets, Rusl raced for the Skull Kid who was happily playing his trumpet. Zelda took down another Puppet as Rusl slashed at the Skull Kid.
He reappeared on a taller rock, one that was out of Rusl's reach. Zelda dropped her sword and focused her magic into the sphere again and hit the Skull Kid with it as more Puppets surrounded her. She quickly picked up her sword and slashed through the ones in front of her. But, two behind her slashed at her injured shoulder, and she felt it go stiff in pain – possibly now dislocated. She could no longer use her right arm. She cried out in pain as Rusl sliced through the Puppets still attacking her.
"Zelda, the door appeared! Go now, I will finish him!" Rusl commanded. Zelda nodded through tears of pain and ran for the exit. She could hear more Puppets fall from the trees as she left the Sacred Grove.
