Hi! It's been so long. i was having withdrawal symptoms. but now i'm over it. what am i saying?


Chapter Eight

"AAAHHH!"

The scream echoed through the corridor, followed by a roar. Link immediately forgot Kanami. "What the hell was that?"

"Our fate," Kanami answered solemnly.

"WHAT?! Really!?"

She shrugged. "Damned if I know. It sounded good, though."

He shook his head, peering into the blackness and straining at his bonds. He leaned forward . . .

. . . and jerked back as another roar filled the small hallway, at least twice as loud. Again it was accompanied by screaming. Breathing hard, his heart practically bursting through his chest, he turned back to Kanami. "Seriously, what the hell is that?"

She shrugged again, looking perfectly calm for someone on death's doorstep. "Just a monster."

"Just a monster?!" he repeated, his voice squeaky. "It could kill us!"

"Don't worry about it getting us; if it does, we'll be in much better hands."

Link shook his head, unable to believe that piece of crap. "Really."

"Uh-huh. Whatever's behind is much safer than whatever we're heading toward."

"Thanks for the pep talk. I feel so much better. You should be a motivational speaker or something."

She didn't smile. "It's the truth. Either way, we're screwed."

As if to punctuate that statement, the wagon stopped. Kanami smirked and raised her eyebrows as though to say, "You'll see."

The next thing he knew, the world exploded.


Saria crossed her arms, staring down at the dirt. Absently she sketched patterns with a stick.

"So, you're saying I'm some magical person? And I'm on a mission for . . . something." She gently shooed an ant away from her drawing space as she spoke.

"The Dark Triforce," the fat guy (who called himself Rauru) prompted.

"And I'm doing this because . . ."

"It'll help Link and Zelda," Rocky (a.k.a. Darunia) replied.

"Who are . . . friends?" The image of two blond children flashed into her mind.

"Yes!" Rauru leaned forward excitedly. "Do you remember now?"

She shook her head. "Nuh-uh. It's all fuzzy."

"It'll come back. Right?" Darunia turned to Rauru uncertainly.

"It already has begun to." He pointed at the dirt with a smile. Saria peered down at what she'd been drawing. It was a forest, with thick, tall trees and underbrush. In some places animals poked their heads out. In the center were three people. Saria recogized one as herself. The other two were strangers.

Frustrated, Saria shook her head. "This doesn't tell me anything!" she wailed impatiently.

"It does. Those people, and that forest, are part of your memories." Rauru gingerly stood, gesturing for Darunia to follow. "Think. It'll come to you."

"Wait! Don't leave me . . . augh." Alone, at the edge of the forest, Saria held her torch closer to her drawing. One of the strangers was a girl. Sullen, she glared defiantly at nothing in particular. She had long tangled hair and was wearing a torn dress. One hand held a stone on a chain, the other clutched at the hand of the other stranger.

He had short hair, neat and slightly floppy. He was wearing fancy clothes that were appropriate at a ball, but certainly not for a hike. He was laughing at the sullen girl, and a little band around his head glinted in the light . . .

"A prince?" Sara whispered. "I knew a prince?" Parts of the image were growing more detailed. The girl's dress hinted at light blues, and her hair shimmered slightly gold. Transfixed, she gazed at the drawing, watching it slowly come to life.

The girl shook her head, and her hair fluttered in the air, then fell to her hips. She looked annoyed. The guy just laughed at something she said. Saria led them confidently through the forest, music filling the air.

"If you want to find the Triforce, you'll have to come see our leader and ask permission," she said. She turned right sharply, and almost left the couple behind. "Come on! Hurry!"

The girl rolled her eyes. "Don't make me kill you," she threatened.

Saria laughed. "Unless you want me getting you hopelessly lost, you better be nice to me." She turned to the guy. "Ditch her."

"Whoa!" Saria fell forward, catching herself on her hands. The torch hit the dirt and spluttered out. "Who were they? How did I know them?" She shook her head, waiting in vain for a message, an epiphany, anything. Nada. Slowly she made her way back to the fire, slumping onto the ground.

"Anything?" Darunia asked.

"Just a little bit of a memory."

"What happened?" Rauru asked.

She described it, wracking her brain for anything else.

"Wait," Darunia interrupted. "Describe the girl."

"She had blonde hair, wore a blue dress, blue eyes . . . oh, and she was holding this rock. She looked very pissed off."

"What did the rock look like?"

"Red and gold. Like a ruby." She shrugged; she hadn't really paid attention to it.

"That was Zelda. Well, Zelda's mother," he amended. "They have the same name."

"How do I know her?" Saria demanded.

"I don't know," Darunia replied. "She's dead now. I met her when she stole the Ruby--the rock she was holding. Somehow you met her too."

"The boy must have been Daphnes," Rauru said, speaking mostly to Darunia. "He fits the description. Besides, he's the only one stupid enough to go into the Forest without a small army."

Saria clutched at her hair, staring into the fire. How do I know these people? she thought bleakly. She wanted to remember. She just . . . couldn't.

A rustling sound made all three of them jump. Looking around, they instinctively moved closer to each other, staring into the darkness as the sound grew louder. It seemed to multiply until it felt as tohugh there were fifty . . . things out there.

Rauru gripped Saria and Darunia's shoulders. "We have company."


"AAHH!"

Zelda screamed.

The monster roared.

Navi clung to Zelda's hair as they burst through the wall. There was a jarring thud, and they were thrown forward, then fell back. Immediately they were thrown forward again as the monster's momentum kept him moving a few steps.

Finally . . . blessed silence. Dust and debris littered the ground, and the only sound was Zelda and Navi's labored breathing.

"So . . ." Maria said politely, gazing up at Zelda. "Where to, Miss?"

"Well . . . that is . . . um." Zelda turned to Navi. "Where to, Navi?"

The fairy closed her eyes, thinking. She brightened. "The creepy people who took Link mentioned something about a cavern." She shrugged. "That's it."

Maria kept staring at Zelda with a "I-worship-you" expression. Zelda sighed. "Didn't you hear her? To the . . . cavern thing!"

"Oh," Maria responded. "I think I know what you're looking for." She positioned the monster so that it was facing another door. "This way!"

"AAAAHHHH!"


A/N: uh . . . this part doesn't make much sense now. but it will! . . .i think. I hope so, anyway. just sort of go with it for now.
Areida, princess of Ryia, pulled on a brown dress, covering her head with a shawl. Then, making sure no one was watching, sneaked out of the castle, hiding in the shadows.

She normally didn't have to work this hard to leave the castle, but the instructions on the note had been very specific: "Come to the town square at midnight, don't tell anyone where you're going, and come alone. This is crucial."

Areida really didn't know what was going on, but she was concerned.

As she entered the town square, the only person there was a young woman, dressed in a bright purple outfit that would have looked more appropriate on a gypsy. Maybe she was a gypsy. What did gypsies look like, anyway? Areida hesitated. "Excuse me?" she called. "Excuse me, but did you want to speak to me?"

There was no answer. "Excuse me?" she repeated.

The woman disappeared.

Areida staggered back. Something was definitely weird. She backed into someone. With a small scream, she whirled around. The strange woman was waiting there, smiling slightly. She tipped her black hat at her.

"D-did you want to speak with me?" Areida repeated, standing tall.

"Yes. I did." The woman leaned closer, her brown eyes hypnotic. "There's someone who wants to kill you."

No hi, no how are you, no say, have you tried sushi?

"What?!" she gasped, pulling back. "Who would want to kill me?"

"A Democren lord," she replied.

Areida didn't know how to argue that. Democrens hated the Hylians and Ryians. "But . . . how do you know?"

She smiled gently. "I've heard some rumors. I kept an eye on you, and there is someone following you. He wears a cloak, even in the heat of the day. So what else could it be? He carries a knife. Be careful."

"Thank you," Areida stammered. "I-I'll talk to my father and he'll--"

"No!" The woman grabbed her shoulders, pulling her closer. "Have you ever seen a Democren? They're stronger than any human! Would you like your father killed?!"

She shook her head, swallowing. "No."

"Good." The woman stepped back, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "However, you need to be protected. What if I were to, say, step in, as a sort of nanny? Then I could protect you."

A little ball of light came flying out of Areida's shawl. "I don't like it," the ball of light said.

"What's this?" the woman asked.

Areida blushed. "This is my fairy. Tal, this is . . ."

"Lindai."

"Right. Lindai, Tal."

"I still don't like it. Why do you care about us? I--" Tal began, but Areida shoved her back in the shawl.

"I'm frightened," she began. "But Tal had a point. Why do you care?"

"You found something. A trinket that many dangerous people are looking for. Something that will give you power you've never dreamed of. I need to protect that, as well as you, and make sure that nothing happens to it. I will be your guard. Nothing will hurt you, as long as I'm around."

Areida nodded, but then pulled away. "But I thought the Democrens were stronger than any human."

She laughed, and held out her hand. A ball of blue fire ignited out of the air, hovering a few inches above her palm. "Who said I was human?"


The Dark Triforce pulled its cloak closer around its body, quickening its pace. It hated being in the open, but there was nothing it could do. It darted through the empty town square, looking for something.

A few feet away, bathed in moonlight, was a young woman. It crept up behind her, and put its mangled, ugly hand on her shoulder.

She stiffened, then turned. She had shoulder-length, stringy brown hair and brown eyes. She wore a long-sleeve purple shirt that was slitted up to her ribcage on the sides, a dark purple skirt, a black Willy-Wonka-esque hat, and black boots. She raised her eyebrows slightly when she saw who it was.

"Master," she acknowledged, bowing slightly.

"Lindai," it replied. "Have you spoken with the princess?"

"Yes."

"Have you made a deal with her?"

"Yes."

"Are you ready for the next step?"

Lindai smirked. "You only need to tell me what to do."

"I will. In time. Await a message. Tiroko is keeping an eye on the others. When I know how they stand, you will know what to do." It turned and began to walk away, but Lindai's voice stopped it.

"There is a complication, Master."

It was suddenly at her side, a blade against her neck. "What kind of complication?"

"A . . . small one."

"For your sake, it better be. Tell me."

"The girl . . . has a fairy. The fairy doesn't trust me. She might affect the princess' view on me."

The Dark Triforce pulled away, sheathing its blade. "Take care of it, then."

"But . . . how?"

It smiled. "Do you doubt me?" It slowly melted, then reformed, looking like a girl it had seen in the market, with brown hair, green eyes, and strange markings. Then it melted again, becoming Demi--the old Demi, with curly black hair and a charming smile. Again it melted and reformed, into a young woman with brown hair and brown eyes. Lindai stepped back as the Dark Triforce leaned in closer, a mirror image of her. "Bring me the fairy."

Lindai smiled. "Of course, Master."


Link was slammed against the ground, hitting his head hard on the stone floor with a stream of swear words. Kanami landed next to him. A thud shook the ground a few inches away, rattling their teeth. Giant chunks of rock flew through the air, landing all around them, and dust coated everything with a layer of gray powder. Loud bangs and shouts reverbrated off the walls, and something roared, so loud it made the debris jump.

This did nothing to help his headache. He tried to climb to his feet, but he was held down by something. He glanced behind him to see the overturned wagon. Oh, yeah. He was still chained to that thing.

Painfully he turned to Kanami. "You all right?" he asked hoarsely.

She nodded, struggling to sit up. Giving up, she rested on her elbows, fiddling with her chains. "Do we know what that was yet?"

He shook his head. "Not a clue." He started to ask something else, but Kanami put her hand on his arm. Her startled eyes were focused on something behind him. He rolled over onto his other side.

Dust was still swirling in the air, so everything was blurry, but he could see a large creature. It dripped oil on them. One beanbag-chair-sized-claw was a foot away from his face.

Staring down at them was a blue ball of light, a girl with stringy black hair, and a very familiar looking face.

"Zelda?" he mumbled, rubbing the dust and oil out of his eyes. Brushing his hair back, he sat up as comfortably as he could with his feet and hands chained to the fallen wagon.

"Link!" she called back, sliding off the monster. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?" When she reached him, she knelt down, quickly scanning to make sure he was safe. Her eyes widened when she saw Kanami. "You're both here!" she exclaimed with relief, picking up one of Link's hands and holding it in her lap. "Where's Koey?"

They both became interested in their bonds, fiddling with them silently. "Oh," Zelda whispered. Link glanced up at her face. It was expressionless, but white, and her hands tightened their grip on his.

The other girl leaned forward. "Um, Miss? Is everything okay? We're not at the cavern yet; I think I misjudged where we were a few doors back . . ."

"It's okay," Zelda said, smiling hesitantly, keeping her eyes on Link's. "We found what we were looking for."

"Is there anything else you'll be needing?"

"Yeah. An exit. But first, do you know how to get these off?"

"Yep! Just a second, Miss!" She leapt down, armed with a wrench, and began freeing Kanami.

Link leaned forward. "Who the hell is she?" he hissed, glancing at her.

"That's Maria. She's annoying, but she'll get us anywhere."

"With style, obviously," he muttered, shaking the dust out of his hair. "Where's my hat?" Zelda placed it on his head, rolling her eyes.

Kanami, released from her chains, started off down the hall. She knelt down at the edge of the wagon.

"Wait," Link said. "Is that guard still around?"

"That's what I'm checking." She leaned forward, then back, a disgusted expression on her face. Maneuvering around the fallen stones, she called, "He's not a problem anymore. Didn't get away from the wagon fast enough."

With a grinding sound that made him grimace, Link's chains snapped off. Maria squatted next to him, untangling the metal from her wrench. She sprang up. "Ready to go?" she asked cheerily. "We better hurry. The mermaids are going to come looking for us soon."

The monster growled softly, glaring down the hallway.

Maria amended her statement. "Never mind. They're coming."


Saria stomped on the fire, throwing them into darkness. Now the sounds were louder, and once she thought she saw a flash of movement in the shadows.

"Saria?" Rauru said, his voice low and even. "Not the best idea." He quickly lit a torch, illuminating five pairs of green eyes peering out of bushes. The eyes gazed at them for a second, then disappeared.

A harsh wind blew through the clearing, rustling the leaves and snuffing out the torch. Rauru swore, then attempted to relight it. When he finally did, they all pulled closer together.

They were surrounded by five girls with bright green eyes. They had dark tan skin, and either red, black, or blonde hair. Each of them held knives and wore animal skins. They had a wild, frightening appearance.

"This is less than ideal," Rauru muttered.

"Is that bookworm talk for 'we're screwed?'" Saria asked nervously.

"Yes."

"Good to know."

A girl with black hair and a wreath of flowers on her head stepped forward. She held up her hand, and the girls put away their weapons. "Makai tioa koph?" she demanded.

"We don't speak . . . whatever the hell you just said," Darunia responded.

Taking in their puzzled expressions, the girl said, "Who . . . are you?" She spoke slowly, haltingly, as though she barely knew any Hyrulian.

"Uh . . . we're . . . people?"

"Brilliant, Saria. I'm sure that will help loads," Rauru hissed sarcastically.

"Thank you."

The girl raised her spear. "What are you . . . doing . . . here?"

"We came to speak with you," Rauru said easily.

"You did?" the girl asked, looking incredulous.

Saria turned to Rauru, the same expression of disbelief on her face. "We did?"

He ignored her. "We need to find out about the Dark Triforce."

The girl froze. "Kenay fashcio du hige-se pouer wo?!" She began rambling frantically in whatever language she spoke. "Kai, kai, kai . . . ri youiko . . . ri youiko." She lunged forward, grabbing Saria's arm, pulling back her sleeve and staring at her palm. With a sigh of relief, she checked Rauru and Darunia's palms. "Ne?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes narrowing.

"Eh?"

She slapped her forehead, clearly not knowing how to say what she wanted in Hyrulian. She turned to the other girls, whispering intently. (As I said in Genesis, I don't think any of you can speak Ackakian (I forgot how I spelled it; something to that effect), so I'll translate. These are the same girls. (By the way, what she said earlier was "You want to know about what?!"; "Damn, damn, damn . . . the Evil . . . the Evil"; "Why?").

"Shit! That's all the Hyrulian I know!" the black-haired girl said.

"Let's just kill them, Moko!" one of her friends suggested.

"Quahi would hate it."

"Quahi's dead. Thanks to these Hyrulians and their 'youiko.'"

Moko slammed her fist on a nearby tree trunk. "That's not the truth, damn it! Quahi died because of the youiko; created by the Democrens, not the Hylians! Besides, they don't bring the youiko with them."

The girl sighed. "Fine. But if this comes crashing down, it will land on your head. And it will come crashing down. Hyrulians are not trustworthy."

"Thank you." Moko turned from her friends, facing the strangers. "Um . . . why do . . . you want . . . to . . . know?"

Rauru, the unofficial speaker for the trio, answered. "We want to stop it."

"And why have . . . kai, kai, giil--" ("Damn, damn, think")--". . . you come to us?"

"We've heard that you've . . . encountered . . . the person possessed by it. Or, at least, that he was here. On this island. Yeah."

"Khla mae! So what if we have?" Moko was pleased that her Hyrulian--which she had picked up from a stranded sailor--was improving steadily.

Rauru was puzzled. "Did you not hear the part where we stop the evil relic from destroying the universe?"

"Hmm. Well, we don't know a thing. Good luck leaving."

"Wait!" He grabbed her arm. "We really need this."

She smiled sadly. "If I knew, I would tell you. We have met it. It killed our princess. These girls would like nothing more than to see it die. But a Democren created it; a Democren must destroy it." She started to walk away. At the edge of the clearing she stopped. "You will not be harmed as long as you leave. Immediately. Best of luck on your journey." She turned and left, blending into the shadows instantly.

Saria slumped down, picking up her stick and scribbling in the sand. "Well, so much for that idea."

Darunia pulled the burnt wood into a pile, bundling them together. He didn't know how that would help, but it kept his hands busy. "What do we do now?"

Rauru didn't answer. He sat on a rock, thinking.

"Rauru?" Saria asked. Even though she didn't remember either of them, she felt like they had a relationship. And around them, she felt confident that she would remember. "You okay?"

"Shh." He continued to stare at nothing. Saria placed her stick in her lap, gaping down at her doodle. It was the inside of a tree. Inside the tree were three people. Saria, the girl--Zelda, right?--and the boy--Daphnes. They were all gazing at a triangle. As she watched, it began to glitter, sending off rays of red, blue, green, and gold light. The people began to move and speak . . .

Daphnes reached out, touching the triangle. He jerked back. Saria couldn't fully see what he was doing. He appeared to be playing with it, though. He kept poking it, then pulling away.

Zelda cleared her throat loudly and impatiently. He flushed, then placed his hands on the triangle.

Suddenly he tensed, then picked it up.

Lightning nearly obliterated them, cutting a jagged hole through the tree. "What the hell did you do?!" Zelda screamed. She turned to Saria, lifting her up to eye level.

A flash of light, and they were in the Great Deku's Tree's grove.

Wait, Saria thought, nearly breaking through the memory. Who's the Great Deku Tree?

Just go with it, she commanded herself, eagerly reentering the memory.

'What do you think you are doing?' the tree demanded.

"We, were, uh, just using the Triforce," Daphnes explained nervously.

"The Triforce!" Saria exclaimed, and was immediately brought back to the present.

"What?" Darunia and Rauru were at her side instantly. "What happened, Saria?"

"The . . . the Triforce," she breathed. "That's what they were looking for. That's what he took. He knows where it is. He knows what it does." Her eyes widened. "I know what it does, too." She knew her babbling didn't make sense to them, but she was suddenly remembering things. "The Great Deku Tree . . . K-Kokiri Forest . . . Link . . . and Zelda . . . her mother . . . Daphnes. I remember! I remember everything!" Breathing hard, she clutched the stick until it snapped. "Except . . . I don't remember . . . how I got here. We were on a boat, right? And there was something in the water. I was fishing. But what happened after that?"

"Well . . ."

A spear sliced through the air, sticking into the ground at their feet. Rauru ripped the paper from the quivering shaft. In thick black words, it said,

I thought you said you would leave. You have fifteen minutes. After that, I will not restrain the girls.

"Another time, then?" Saria asked, rising to her feet.

"Sure."

They ran.


"Well, this worked out beautifully, didn't it, Zel?" Link snapped, beheading a merman advancing on them. "All thanks to that weird friend of yours. Maria, right? Gotta thank Maria."

"Shut up!" Zelda shouted back, quickly ducking under a merman's swing, then stabbing him. "It's not her fault."

"Oh, really?" he demanded sarcastically. "You could have fooled me."

Kanami and Maria were nowhere nearby. They had been ambushed by a small army of merpeople at a fork in the maze-like corridor. Maria and Kanami went to the left, and Link and Zelda went to the right, which led to the roof. They, of course, had been followed.

"I hope they're okay," Zelda murmured, kicking an enemy in the face.

"Yeah, sure hope they're okay. We only have a million people trying to kill us, but hopefully they're all right, not fighting anyone." He raised an eyebrow at her.

Zelda made a "hmph" sound. "For all you know, they have to face that Tiroko guy."

They were suddenly slammed back against the low wall that surrounded the roof, their heads hanging over the edge of the roof. It was flat, then slanted, so that if a person were to fall, they'd get to enjoy rolling, then falling. It's a very odd roof. Just picture a trapezoid (if that's the right shape).

Anyway, they were about to fall off the roof. A mermaid had each of their arms, and there was a knife at each of their throats.

The mermen parted, letting someone through.

"I don't think they're worrying about Tiroko," Link whispered.

He appeared, looming over them evilly. "Now you will die," he said menacingly.

Navi flew out of Link's hat, armed with a stick. Frantically she began beating him with it. He staggered forward, tripping over the people holding Link and Zelda back. All three of them did this rather cool flip over the wall, then rolled off the roof, landing with a sickening splat on the ground below.

The merman stared at the spot where Tiroko disappeared for a moment, then at Link and Zelda. He grabbed Navi, shoving her back in his hat. "Thanks," he whispered.

"No problem," she answered, her voice muffled. "Anytime."

"Now what do we do?" Zelda asked.

Them mermen were glancing at each other, hesitantly drawing thier swords. Link flung his arm around her waist, stepping up onto the wall. "I think . . . we should . . . JUMP!"

"Wait--" But it was too late. Screaming, they jumped, leaving the bewildered army to stare after them.


"Hyrule," Saria said with relief. She clambered out of the boat, splashing into lake Hylia. It was late, and all she wanted to do was sleep. She turned back to Rauru, who was just sitting in the boat. "Sorry we didn't get anything," she said apologetically.

Without a word, Rauru stood, and grabbed a lantern. Leaving Saria and Darunia to tie up the boat, he waded to shore, trying to reach the castle.

"What's with him?" Saria asked.

"He's thinking," Darunia answered, not bothering to tie up the boat. He shoved it downstream. "We'll give this to the Zoras, okay? We won't be using it."

"Thinking about what?"

"Oh, I don't know. He knows; there's probably something we're overlooking."

Saria closed her eyes, tilting her head back. The moonlight touched her cheekbones, her shoulders, her eyelids. The water and the air was cold. In her forest, she was sheltered by all that. There was no moonlight; it couldn't penetrate the trees. Neither could the extremely cold or extremely hot. She relished being outside, in the harsh beauty of the real world. It was because she was a Sage.

She opened her eyes, running a hand through the cool water. "I should get back," she said, wading toward the shore.

There was something they were missing. But what was it? She pressed the heels of her hands into her eyes until splotches of color erupted in the blackness, trying to force some conclusion out of her body.

"A Democren created it; a Democren must destroy it."

Her eyes snapped open and her head jerked up. That was it. She just took that to mean it was a lost cause. But what if it could be done? . . . She pulled out a necklace, decorated with acorns. Link had made it for her.

He's going to do it. The realization made her freeze, although it wasn't that much of a surprise. He's actually going to try to bring a demon here. To try and destroy . . .

The necklace fell to the ground as she sprinted to the castle.

"Rauru!"


Yay! This is goofy . . . I'm kind of sleep deprived . . . so this was probably funnier to me than it is to other people (all two of you; and thanks you guys!). whatever.