Author's Note: Um... fair warning... There may be a few "wtf errors" here and there during the chapter so... yeah.


Chapter 11: The Sorceress of the Woods


In Faron Woods, a large group of Hyrulean troops were already in combat against a crowd of green colored beasts. One inexperienced soldier had gotten overpowered by one of the larger monsters as it swung its large weapon at him, and forced him to the ground. Just before the beast could bring down its weapon once more to end the soldier's life, a bolt of lightning struck the creature, killing it, and its surrounding comrades, instantly. A young girl landed onto the ground, and looked back as the soldier rose slowly to his feet. "We won't last much long longer at this rate..." she lamented.

SLASH!

The girl spun around to see a boy, clad in a green tunic and a blue scarf, slaying the creatures with relative ease. After the boy finished, he locked his gaze on the girl, who stared at him with wide eyes. "Y-you..." she stammered.

"You're not one of our tropps." a voice noted.

Just then, Impa landed right next to Link, followed by another person, obviously a woman.

The girl remained quiet.

"You can use magic." the general noted again, "Where did you learn your craft?"

Is that even important right now? Link thought.

"Oh," the girl began her answer, "well... I'm a sorceress. I came from the same magical clan as Cia, the one who started this war."

"That explains it..." Impa said to herself, "And what does this 'Cia' want from Hyrule?"

The girl smiled, "You really want to know?" she asked as her eyes rolled, mocking a thought process, "Well... help me defend the forest... if you do that, I might tell you." the girl leaned forward slightly as she finished, glancing quickly at Link as she did so.

Impa's hands balled into angry fists, "You-"

"No time!" the girl interrupted, "They're here!" the girl turned and sped away towards the incoming hordes of monsters.

"I guess we have no choice." Sheik said, "Besides, the denizens of the forest need our help."

"What denizens?" Link asked.

"Kokiri." Impa answered, "You may not see them, but they're here... and they're watching."

Sounds creepy, Link thought.

"Hyrulean soldiers!" Impa began, "prepare for battle!"


"Scatter those Hylian pests!" the Dark Wizard screamed, "Exterminate them!"

Elsewhere, after clearing the charging horde of monsters, the girl turned to face Impa, "A wizard's been harassing the citizens of this forest. We've been fighting since yesterday, and most of us haven't had a chance to rest. Myself included."

"I see." Impa responded as she walked alongside her, That damned wizard, she thought, I have a feeling he'll be a thorn in our sides.

Just then, a strange plant-like monster burst from the ground.

"What the hell is that?!" a soldier exclaimed.

Without a word, Link, who wasn't too far from behind, charged at the plant as it lowered itself, opening what appeared to be its mouth.

"Wait!" the blue haired girl called, "That's-"

Before Link could respond, the plant launched some sort of poisonous gas directly at him, causing him to collapse to the ground on his back as the plant continued to spray its poison.

"What is that?" the girl heard Sheik ask.

"That's a Deku Baba!" she answered, "If we don't kill it, he'll die of poisining!" Upon finishing her statement, the girl pulled a bow and arrow from... somewhere, and stretched its bow string as she prepared an arrow. Her aim true, she launched the deadly projectile at the plant's stalk, bisecting it, and killing the monster instantly. Next, as the poison vanished, the girl rushed to Link's side. After lowering herself to a seated position she placed one her hand on each side of his ribcage, directly over the boy's lungs. Then, a blue glow enveloped her hands as Sheik moved toward her.

"I'm purifying the poison in his body." the girl told Sheik, already knowing what she was about to ask, "He'll be okay, but just tell him to be more careful- I may not be around if it happens again."

"Are you sure you can't tell him yourself?" Sheik asked, pointing down at Link as he came to.

The girl gave Sheik a bewildered look, "What are you-" she paused abruptly as she saw Link rise to a sitting position.

The boy exhaled, "Damn it..." he cursed, "That monster caught me off guard." Link looked at his blue haired savior. No words were spoken as they stared at each other in awkward silence.

"What?" he asked the blushing girl.

"Oh! Um... w-we need to take care of the rest of those monsters." the girl stood. "Let's go- we can't lose anymore soldiers!" With that, the girl charged away.

"Get up." a stern voice ordered.

"General!" Link gasped, jumping to a standing position, "I-"

"No time for talk. We must dispatch of those poisonous plants before we all die of poisoning."

"Right!"

There were four more Deku Babas in the immediate area. The strange, blue haired girl use her bow to launch an arrow at one.

Impa used her magic to conjure up a kunai knife made entirely of water, but just as dangerous as a real one, as shown when it was used to neutralize her target.

Sheik used one of the many real kunai knives strapped to her thighs to defeat a Deku Baba. And Link...

...was pulled back by his scarf by Impa.

"What're you doing?" Link asked, trying to hide his aggravation as best as he could.

"Only sharp, ranged weapons launched with the same force as an arrow from a bow can defeat these enemies. And you havef no such weapon. Fall back- you'll only get in the way."

Link stood, speechless as Impa defeated the remaining Deku Baba.

"Now," Impa began, "let's find our new comrade, and get her to tell us where that wizard is."

Link and Impa raced off in search of the girl. In a shorter amount of time than they thought it would take, they found her standing next to Sheik.

"Well," she began with a relieved sigh, "that takes care of the poison! What a relief!" the girl caught sight of Impa, who she had already deduced to be the leader of the reinforcements. "Thank you." she told the general, "With all the monsters gone, everyone will most likely head toward the Great Deku Tree."

"The Deku Tree?!" Impa repeated, "as in, the spirit of the earth?"

"Yes," the girl answered, "he saved me a few days ago; I'm sure he'll help you, too."

"Very well. Lead us to him, if you don't mind."

"Right! This way!"

Elsewhere, the Dark Wizard watched with a scowl on what passed as his face. "So," he began, "they're fleeing to that stumpy little bush are they? Fine!" the wizard turned to his troops, "Flatten it!"

The Hyrulean forces advanced to the Deku Tree, where the blue haired girl requested that the weary soldiers rest.

"Very well." said the tree spirit, "You have all fought hard to ensure the safety of my children, the Kokiri. I give you permission to rest within the hollows of my body."

The base of the great tree opened for to Hylians. As the soldiers poured into the opening, Impa stopped the girl who obviously had some kind of connection to the Deku Tree.

"While I am curious as to how you are on such good terms with the Deku Tree," she spoke, "that can wait until later. But for now, I must ask for your name."

"It's Lana."

"I see. Well, Lana, I offer you my sincere gratitude in allowing my soldiers to rest here."

Lana smiled, "Your welcome."

Minutes later, as Impa spoke to the troops from reconnaissance, Lana walked away toward a wall of the tree, and her weary body lean onto a wall. The sorceress slid to the floor, lucky that the wood didn't hurt her mostly exposed back. She immediately caught sight of Link, who had just entered the tree. The girl's eyes remained focused on him as a panicked soldier ran into the tree.

"Monsters!" he yelled, snatching everyone's attention, "There are monsters on their way here! They followed us!"

With a newfound sense of urgency, Lana jumped to her feet and sped toward the opening to the Deku Tree.

"All the soldiers in need of rest, stay put!" Impa ordered, "Anybody who is still in condition to battle, follow me!"

Lana followed Link and Sheik as they exited the Deku Tree to combat the enemy forces. Link, Impa, and Sheik had an easy time wiping out the enemies in front of them, but Lana, having fought for a much longer time than her new comrades, was having a harder time with her foes, her movements much slower, and her aim with her magic more shoddy. After clearing a crowd of monsters, the sorceress heard a shrill scream that hurt her ears. Then, a tall, slender creature wrapped in some dirty material moved into view. Lana's eyes widened as she realized she couldn't move, and was at the mercy of the strange beast. However before the creature could hurt her, Link appeared out of nowhere and bisected the monster with his sword, killing it.

Lana collapsed to her knees, breathing hard as if she were holding her breath as Link made his way over to her. "Are you okay?" he asked, extending his right hand to help her up.

"Yes," she answered, "thank you."

Link winced in pain as he pulled the girl to her feet, which didn't go unnoticed by her.

"Are you hurt?" she asked, worried.

"It's nothing." he lied, "C'mon- we have to kill the rest of these monsters."

Meanwhile, Impa lingered nehind to defend the Deku Tree from any northern attacks. Two of the strange monsters had indeed attacked from the north, and the general dispatched them bith quickly and easily.

Down on the southern end, Sheik had just defeated one of the creatures when Link and Lana arrived at her side.

"Is that all of them?" Link asked the mysterious Sheikah.

"Yes." Sheik answered, avoiding eye contact.

"Great." Lana said breathlessly, "Let's get back to the Great Deku Tree."

As the Hyrulean Army rendezvoused at the Deku Tree, the Dark Wizard watched from where nobody could see him. "Enjoy your little success, weasels!" he growled, "My next plan will burn your spirits to ashes! Hiya ha ha!"


"Is everyone accounted for?" asked Impa.

"Yes sir!" a captain answered.

Impa turned to him, "I was speaking to the Lieutenant General." She turned to Link, "Is everyone accounted for?"

"Uh... yeah, I guess." the boy replied as the captain stormed off.

"Now..." the general continued, turning to Sheik who had been listening to them, "It's time for you to answer my questions. Why-"

"Wait." Sheik interrupted, "Do you smell that?"

Impa paused for a moment. Smoke? she thought, But that would mean...

"HOLY SHIT!" a soldier screamed.

Lana looked around in confusion at... well, everybody. Her sensed have been dulled due to her mental and physical fatigue, so she didn't know what was happening. It wasn't until she followed Impa's gaze that she saw it...

Fire.

As the soldiers all panicked, some sprinting out of the tree, Lana could only stare at the flames, her eyes wide, and her mind blank.

"We must to quench these flames!" Impa yelled, snapping the girl out of her temporary trance.

"General!" Link shouted, "What about your magic?!"

"It won't be enough!" she shouted in response.

"The Great Fairy!" Sheik called to them, "I sense her presence!"

Impa looked over at her. "...She right!" she finally confirmed, "The northeast! She's in the northeast!"

Just then, Lana sped away in that direction. Sheik and Impa followed after her, and Link, having been injured previously by the Dark Wizard, could only focus on leaving the Deku Tree.

"There's no way you can put out that fire!" the wizard cackled, "I'll see you burned to a crisp!


As Impa, Sheik and Lana advanced to the northeast, followed by soldiers who decided to go with them, a gate to an eastern keep opened, releasing the monsters within.

"We don't have time for this!" Impa yelled, "Quick, we must-"

The general was then interrupted by an appalling sight.

Lana had created several rectangular prism shaped objects lined up on both sides of the keep. Next, she leaped from tile to tile without even touching the floor, leaving a trail of electricity between them. When she landed, she sent a ball of electricity at one of the shapes, and one by one, theyI burst with an electric explosion.

The Sheikah stood by, shocked, before rejoining the sorceress. As they did so, they noticed that her speed had greatly decreased.

She uses the Element of Lightning, Impa noted, and she used it to clear an entire keep in one attack. And all while she's this tired. She also has a connection to the one responsible for this war and the Deku Tree. I had better keep an eye on her.

As the three approached the fairy fountain, one of the monsters from before rushed towards them. Just then, with a strum of her harp, Sheik summoned a burning rock, which struck the beast, and ignited it on contact.

Then, the fountain opened. Ignoring the Cucco inside, Lana rushed to the Magic Circle. After a few seconds, the Great Fairy burst forth from the fountain, and fixated her eyes on the girl.

The Great Fairy stared for a moment, "You look familiar..." she noted, "Tell me. Were you present when Hylia-"

"No time!" Lana interrupted, to the great shock Impa and Sheik who had just entered the fountain, "The Great Deku Tree is on fire! Please! We need your help to put it out!"

The Great Fairy said nothing more as she summoned a numerous amount of her fairy companions. They balls of light sped away toward the sky as Lana ran outside. Next, a large, dark cloud form above the Deku Tree.


"What the..." was all Link could say as a black cloud appeared from out of nowhere. Then, large raindrops showed the Deku Tree, and in moments the Deku Tree was no longer engulfed in flames. They must've made it to the Great Fairy, he thought.


Lana sighed in great relief as the flames on the Deku Tree deteriorated.

"Lana." Impa called.

"Yes?" she answered, her eyes locked on the Deku Tree.

"Do you know the Great Fairy personally?" asked the general.

Lana sighed, "The Great Fairies were assigned to their respective fountains by the goddess, Hylia."

This caught Sheik's attention.

"My... clan was in existence even then..." the sorceress continued, "but they knew Cia, not Lana."

"What does that mean?" asked Sheik.

"More importantly..." Impa cut in, "Does this mean this 'Cia' is immortal?"

"Well..." Lana said, "Let's get back to the army and check on the Deku Tree."


Link stared at the Deku Tree as his female companions, walked up to him.

"Great Deku Tree!" Lana called, "Are you okay?!"

No answer.

Impa looked up at the tree with a straight face, "We were too late."

As Lana collapsed to her knees, Sheik let out a sigh. "Who would set the Deku Tree on fire?" she asked nobody in particular.

"Wizzro." Lana replied in a small voice.

"Who?" Impa asked.

"The wizard... his name is Wizzro."

"He must know where the princess is!" Impa yelled.

Sheik looked at the general.

"I sense him in the northwest!" She turned toward her companions which, by now, included the rest of the Hyrulean Army, "Everyone! If you're in condition to fight, follow me! Our reunion with Princess Zelda may be at hand!"

The general led her able-bodied troops away. Sheik stared at them all for a moment, then ran to catch up with them.

Lana decided not to follow them. Words could not describe how tired she was, and she had just lost the Deku Tree. She sniffled as she looked up at the tree. That was when she noticed Link walking into it's interiors.

Link, along with several groups of Hyrulean soldiers, searched of a spot to rest inside the tree. The boy wandered around for a minute before finally resting on one of the few wall that hadn't been charred.

Lana rose her feet, and slowly made her way towards him. Link bowed his head in fatigue as the sorceress paused in front of him. The girl gulped nervously, deciding to stay at this distance.

"Excuse me." she called to him in a small voice.

Link looked up at her.

"Um..." the girl glanced to the side, hoping her blush from their sudden eye contact wasn't visible to him, "Aren't you gonna go with them? I mean..." Lana's gaze dropped to the floor as her tone changed from nervous to almost... sad. "...you... want to save the princess... don't you?"

Link didn't answer.

Lana, noticing the boy's silence, watched him in confusion, "...Don't you?" she asked again.

"Sure." Link finally answered, "I'm just... tired."


Impa burst into the Enemy Keep, ready to capture Wizzro.

Wizzro spun around, startled, and seemingly sunk into the ground, escaping Impa.

Impa, just missing him, stabbed at the ground he he had sunk into, "Coward!" she yelled.

Wizzro manifested onto the tree just above the Hyrulean troops, "Ooh... what if I had it kill them?" he asked himself, "Hiya ha ha! That's so naughty! I love it!"

"Impa!" Sheik called, "Where is the wizard?"

"He got away." Impa replied, "This is getting-"

THUD!

Both Sheikah stared up at the giant, insect like monster that had been dropped into the keep. It had a giant, shield like body part near its eye.

"It's huge!" Sheik noted

"That's no ordinary enemy!" Impa yelled, stating the obvious, "Be on guard!"

The creature began its assault by shooting a laser beam from its eye. Impa managed to form a barrier around her and her troops while Sheik simply jumped over the beam. The rest of the soldiers who weren't lucky enough to react quickly, were bisected at the waistline, coloring the surrounding area red.

Before Impa could react, she heard a loud, horrified gasp from Sheik. The Sheikah gave horrified glanced to the fallen troops.

Impa looked back up at the monster. The beast was already preparing to attack once more, how aiming at the soldiers it hadn't killed with its first attack.

That one attack took out at least fifty troops at once.

Sheik collapsed to her knees as the blood of the Hyrulean soldiers flew into the air, with a lot of it landing on her clothes. Sheik appeared to have finally lost her composure.

Impa used some of her water magic to attack the monster, but it was apparently to no avail. The creature swiped at Impa, cutting her across her abdomen.

"Impa!" Sheik screamed.

As the Sheik ran to Impa's aid, the monster leaped into the air...

...but didn't come back down.


Crash!

"What was that?!" Lana panicked.

"It came from outside!" Link responded, rising to his feet as Lana sprinted from the tree.

Outside, soldiers who had been standing by broke into panic. "M-M-Monster! one cried. As Lana exited the Deku Tree, she witnessed the creature literally rip two soldiers apart with its armor-like front legs. Next, it swung at Lana, who was barely able to dodge thanks to her fatigue. Link, who had saw everything, had finally made it outside.

Immediately, he unsheathed his sword, and aimed for the creature's eye before it immediately shielded itself using its shield-like limbs.

Just then, the creature's eye turned blue as it prepared to shoot Link in the face with its laser at point blank range.

"LINK!" Lana screamed.

The boy leaned backwards until he dropped to the ground, effectively dodging the creature's laser. He then looked up at the creature as it appeared to be stunned. A sudden idea them formed into his mind.

"Lana!" Link called, "Use those arrows! Shoot 'em in the eye!"

Lana gasped That's right! she thought, An arrow to the eye should really hurt it!

Not missing a beat, Lana took up her bow and arrows, and shot the beast in the eye.

The creature then rose on its hind two legs, and rolled onto its back, exposing its eye as it leaked green blood.

Link jumped to his feet, and stabbed beast in its eye. Next, as the monster roared in agony, Link slashed at the eye again and again until the creature's movement ceased. When he finally stopped, he took a few steps back.

"...It's dead." Lana noted.

"Excellent work, lieutenant."

Link turned to see Impa and Sheik making their way towards him.

"Lieutenant"? Sheik and Lana thought in unison.

"I hoped Princess Zelda would be here." Impa lamented, "But apparently that hope was in vain."

Lana looked at Link, noting his silence.

"Where could she be?" Impa continued, "May the goddesses watch over her..."


Author's Note: Well, despite the errors that may have been in the chapter, I hope you readers enjoyed it! The next two chapters won't be based off of any missions in Hyrule Warriors. Those of you who watch anime *cough* Naruto *cough* can call them fillers.