A building far larger than any he had seen before loomed up before him, seperated from Link by a murky mote. It was dark, stormclouds hanging ominously in the sky. The drawbridge to the gigantic
fortress before him dropped slowly, crashing to a halt at his feet. A grey blur shot past him; he looked at it, seeing the terrified face of a beautiful youth he felt he knew well.
All at once, it was gone into the distance.
Heavy hoofthuds sound from behind him. He turned.
A huge, black horse rose above him, rearing to the sky. Upon it sat the most terrifying being he had ever seen. The man-thing's face was olive green, framed by a mane of red hair. His features were
accentuated and grotesque. His eyes were a septic yellow, full of poison.
He raised his hand.
Link's body was racked with chills, as if suffering disease. His eyes forced open, screaming pupils scanning his room for the unseen threat.
The surreal moment passed, and once again only Link lay in his small treehouse, panting heavily in a cold sweat.
Throughout the next few months, this increased in frequency from a few times a month to twice a week. It seemed to Link, with each nightmare, the scene became just a little clearer. The
man-thing's face became more pronounced, the blur became more solid. A few times he could even make out a blue object shooting out from the blur, hitting the water of the mote, before
the man-thing came upon him. On occasion, when the dreams were most vivid, he could hear the crack of distant thunder and the vicious gurgling of the mote.
But these dreams were the least of his problems. With the Deku Tree's proclamation, he became distant from Saria, trying as best he could to remain as aloof as possible. This was difficult;
their strange relationship opened a rift between them and the other Kokiri, them showing Saria impartial regard and Link simple exclusion, which gave them both much personal time.
It was during the change toward the cloudier, warmer seasons that Saria finally managed to corner him.
He had been resting against a large oak tree near the Lost Wood's entrance, drifting in and out of consciousness. The forest was silent, moist and warm under the dark grayscale of early
dawn.
For the longest time he heard nothing but his own labored breathing, a quiet and solemn sound echoing through the empty wood.
Then, as if from the tree he lay against, a high-pitched, melodious sound shaped the air around him. It sounded familiar, a callback to a tune he used to hear in the deep corners of his mind.
It charmed him, lifting his spirits; his head rose, assuring itself out of the dreamscape, and he knew at once where the sound came from.
Behind him lay Saria, on the other side of the oak, playing softly on a small, wooden instrument. The sky darkened further as a cool mist fell upon them, collecting into small rivulets rolling
down their tunics.
"Link?" Her words were mottled by the shower's rising strength, but he heard them; he could think of no other answer.
"Hi," he said, fully aware of how foolish he sounded.
The drizzle grew to light rain, blowing against him; his tunic quickly dampened, the cold sinking into his skin. He steeled himself against the quickly strengthening rainfall, huddling alongside
the tree's immense bulk.
If Saria had said anything, it was lost to Link; the rain was coming down at an alarming rate, his tunic now completely soaked. This being so, he was quite surprised to feel a deep warmth
assure itself on his left; she had, for no reason Link could understand, moved from the shelter of the tree to sit closely beside him.
Now they were both pelted relentlessly by the violent rains, sheltered only by the oak's foliage. As the water exploded around them, Link was only aware of Saria leaning toward his ear.
"I love the rain," she whispered, her breath a whisp to the torrential roar of the downpour.
Finally, Link turned to her; the rain had blown her soaked, green locks across her face, framing it like damp hemlock.
Link was about to speak when he felt a cold finger across his lips. "Let's go to my place, quick," said she, pulling him and herself up from the oak.
Soaked, Link complied, trailing behind Saria with some difficulty; the pathway had become slippery, and he stumbled more than once.
But he persisted, and eventually they came upon the Kokiri clearing. Mido, who was lounging in his entrance frame, snapped up to greet Saria from afar, sparing Link only a deep frown; it
was no longer any secret of Mido's contempt for Link, though Saria still seemed oblivious to it.
Ignoring him, they progressed to her roomy wood-house. Saria disappeared into a room nearby, returning with some woven towels. Throwing one to Link, she laid hers down on the half-log
table nearby and began working on a fire in her small wooden fireplace.
Soon, a small fire began to crackle, and the two sat beside each other on the warm carpet, drying off.
Link began to speak, but Saria once again quieted him. "I think I understand," said she. "You've been acting strange ever since we went to the pond, after seeing the Great Deku Tree," she
gave him a stern look, "so spill it. What did he say?"
Link found it hard to meet Saria's eyes, but managed it under great strain. "He told me we shouldn't... be so close. He said it would lead to trouble."
Saria's look changed from sternness to incredulity in a flash; he saw in them, too, similar fears. In that moment he learned his feelings were mutual, both a joy and a lament to him.
For a few minutes, they just sat there, looking at each other.
Then, from across the room toward the entrance frame, a shuffling and scuttling could be heard; Link turned fast enough to catch the greedy emerald glare of Mido's eye before the dark rain
swallowed him. "What is it?" Asked Saria, giving him an anxious glance; she didn't see Mido, but knew well to trust Link's instincts.
He hesitated a moment, then relaxed. If Mido overheard the conversation, there wasn't much to fear; they hadn't gone into detail. But, enough was said to be cautious about. Yes, cautious.
"Nothing, don't worry about it."
But she obviously was worried. Link already had harder nerve than most, and he didn't jump at shadows. But she decided against inquiry; they had a lot to talk about, and she trusted his
judgement.
So, once again, they sat in silence. Saria thought and mulled over the Deku Tree's words to Link, and why he would think them being close would 'lead to trouble'. True, they were closer than
most, but they were friends, and friends are supposed to be close. But Link was a lot closer than any of her other friends, even her fairy, who spent more time dozing in treebranches than
with her.
But something still, something more, felt different with him. It was strange; a tugging sensation crossing her skin, a rippling of her pores, a most curious sensation in her stomach...
She'd been alive for a very long time, and never felt that way before around anyone; it didn't scare her, but it was certainly unusual. Looking at his distant gaze into the fire, the towel
draped around his shoulders, she felt that feeling return; it wasn't unpleasant at all, to be honest. Soothing, in the way the tide laps her feet. Soothing, in that warm, soft way.
She caught his eye and smiled wanly. "Know what?"
"What?" He returned with a monotonous look.
"I don't care what the Deku Tree says. There's nothing wrong with our friendship," spoke Saria. He had to have misunderstood the Deku Tree; there's no way he would have said such a
thing to Link. "And don't you worry about it either, okay?" He gave her a distant nod, once more returning his eyes to the flickering flame. This began to scare her; Link was acting stranger
than ever. "There was something else, wasn't there," asked she.
Link began to speak, but halted himself; Saria was worried enough, and he didn't want to go into detail about the recurring dream anyways.
But Saria was not disinclined so easily. Tactfully, she quieted herself, instead pulling her ocarina out of the folds of her towel and raising it to her lips. Recalling a lightening melody, she
played a quiet score, hoping to brighten the mood. Finishing with a lilting tone, she decided to pose the question once more to him, in a softer voice. "Was there anything else?"
Link, who was at that point resting on the rugged carpet with the towel propped under his head like a pillow, raised himself up to meet her. "It's nothing," he responded, "just some odd
dreams. Nothing to worry about." He gave her a quiet smile before once again resting his head against the warm towel.
Following suit, Saria bunched her towel and curled up beside him. For awhile, they listened to the crackle of the fireplace and the increasingly distant sound of rainfall. The day, which had
been for the most part dark and stormy, began to brighten into an overcast midday; the sun made brief appearances in the sky, but was for the most part canopied by the clouds.
Glancing toward his closed eyes, she wished fervently that she could see into his mind for just a moment, to understand his thoughts and feelings, without the halted akwardness of carefully
selected words.
Saria held herself there. She needed to figure out what kind of dreams he was talking about, not to get distracted by her own thoughts.
A few minutes passed, and Link's breathing slowed. Glancing over to him, she was worried he'd dozed off completely. She needn't have; only a few minutes passed before he began to
sweat and turn. Soon after, the periodic shivering began, despite the warmth of the room; Saria put her hand across his forehead, gathering cold sweat between her fingers. At that, his
eyes snapped open; nothing in the world could unsettle her more than the look of terror in them. Within them she saw fire, shadow and storm, elements of the cruellest nightmares.
He sat bolt upright, panting heavily, seemingly unaware of where he was. For a few moments, his head swivelled left to right, searching for some unseen evil, before resting upon Saria's
familiar face. At that, he relaxed, laying back down onto the towel, still panting.
"What the hell was that?" Whispered Saria, the mask of shock still on her face.
"That was... That's what it's been like for the past few weeks," he answered, still only half awake; the man-thing was gone, but his shadow still haunted Link's mind. "I don't know what it
means, but I've been reliving the same dream constantly."
Saria at once noticed the shaded purple under his eyes and realised his aloofness was not only due to the Deku Tree; from the looks of it, he hadn't had a good sleep in weeks. Seeing this,
there remained only one option. "Well, whatever it is, it isn't natural. We need to talk to the Deku Tree, Link. It might be something serious!"
Link managed a small smirk, despite his headache. "I thought you were the one who didn't care what the Deku Tree said," said he.
Saria gave him a frustrated look; she saw that the last thing he wanted was to see the Deku Tree, so what was she supposed to do? Let him be about it? Or... "Okay, fine, I get it. No Deku
Tree," said Saria, "but you need some proper rest. Take my bed and sleep for awhile."
Seeing that there was no getting out of this one, Link nodded halfheartedly and pulled himself up toward her small bed on the opposite side of the room, laying himself heavily into the straw
coverings.
Saria hated to decieve him, but what else could be done? He's stubborn as a rock, thinking these kinds of things blow over? But what truly motivated her was the Deku Tree's words to Link.
Of course the reason for the secret trip to see the Deku Tree was purely concerning Link's welfare, but surely there's no harm in asking the Deku Tree to clarify what he told him? With this in
mind, Saria waited until Link's breathing slowed again before stepping lightly out toward the Deku Tree's meadow.
Easily bypassing the Deku Babas that stood sentry to the clearing, she made her way toward the gargantuan hulk of the Great Deku Tree, guardian of the forest. As if she didn't expect it so,
the Deku Tree sensed her arrival; not a moment after the tree became visible did she hear his booming, echoing voice deep in her mind.
Greetings, Saria.
The Deku Tree's intrustive method of communication was impossible to get used to, no matter how many times she heard it. "I'm here about Link, O Great Deku Tree-"
Concerning his dreams.
Taken offguard, but certainly not surprised, she responded with a strong nod.
Child Saria, we have much to discuss; for you must play a role in Link's quest, a vital role.
Now Saria was surprised. "What quest?"
Link's nightmares are a sign. A great evil threatens Hyrule, an evil which is destined to end my long life. Carve for Link an ocarina. You will know when the time comes.
The Deku Tree? Dying? This was utterly incomprehendable to Saria, a forest child who lived under her guardian's protection for over a thousand years. "I don't understand, Deku Tree. What
do you mean by 'A Great Evil'?"
In three days' time, I shall summon Link to my clearing. He will have a fairy. You must not show knowledge of these events, child Saria, it is imperitive.
Still lost on the concept of the Deku Tree's death, she nodded brusquely, only half listening.
When child Link leaves for my clearing, you must enter the Lost Woods, and play the song you taught yourself within. The spirits will guide you well.
With that, she turned and made her dazed way back to her house.
The Deku Tree made no attempt to stop her; his message was across, and Hyrule now rested in the hands of fate, the soft hands of the boy without a fairy.