Author's Note(s): Well, that WAS a lot quicker, wasn't it? And don't worry, guys. This time I remembered to use spell checker. And to fix my scene breaks. Speaking of which, the last three chapters have also been updated, as I kinda rushed them out and missed a few things.

This chapter took a while primarily because of the filler nature of it. That's when I decided to use the fact that it's a filler chapter to my advantage and explain a little more about Saria. The second half was rushed through, but really, it was all boring stuff, so I didn't want to deal with writing all that. I hope it doesn't damage the quality any...

Oh, and I've also now fully finished my chapter outline for Scepter of Darkness, though I already did know what I had planned for the outcome. And as for fillers, the next three-to-four chapters are not. You should expect those ones pretty quick. The fillers are really the harder ones I have to get past because I don't know what exactly I want to do in these brief segments.

Anyway, enjoy.

The Legend of Zelda: Scepter of Darkness

Chapter 25: Saria's Denial

Link assisted Malon in helping Saria recover from the beating she had taken. She was rather sore, but felt alright. Afterwards, he went out into the hall of the first floor of the inn, turned left and walked east down the corridor, and leaned up against the wall next to the window. There was a staircase going down just to his left, and the staircase to the third floor was just to his right.

He began thinking more about what had happened. Relm had also taken quite a beating, and Link himself was badly bruised, but Sheila was only scraped up a bit. The new girl, on the other hand, had come right at the last second, and just when Ingo was already wearing down. First she had thrown a bunch of tiny needles into Ingo's back, and then wrapped her chain around his neck to hold him in place. Normally it wouldn't have done much good, but he was already severely weakened, and the needles only added to the pain, further weakening him and leaving him vulnerable.

Sheik, as she called herself, was truly a hero that night. Of course, Link knew who she was, as did Relm. She didn't want her identity to be known, though, so the three talked in private, much to the surprise of the others… especially Saria. She seemed quite tense, recently, though Link realized that she had gone through a lot already, and now she had taken a few severe beatings right in a row.

This truly angered Link more than anything else. Even he was tempted to kill Ingo then and there when Ingo was trapped by Saria's power, but realized that he shouldn't. Then he ended up doing it, anyway, when Ingo broke free and captured Saria, then severely wounded he and his comrades.

Of course, it seems that nothing Link himself did truly mattered. It was all about the Sorceress. She was behind it all. She masterminded the entire thing with Ingo in the first place, gave him dark powers, and then transformed him into a monster… all the while tricking Ingo with power so that she could steal his soul.

That was another question, though. What did she want with his soul? Clearly there is more to this than meets the eye. Obviously she couldn't steal away his soul unless he was killed…

Link's eyes lit up. 'Wait, she's also the one who masterminded the Masa attack! They were after Saria! They were tricked into trying to kill her by sacrificing her to Volvagia… Then, after Ingo appeared, she said something about 'I'll come back for you, later,' and was looking towards Saria…'

"She wants Saria's soul…" Link muttered to himself. "But… why…?"

Link looked up, sighing. 'There's still too much I don't know... I can't jump to conclusions so quickly, but maybe…'

He pushed himself away from the wall and trudged back down the hallway. There were four rooms per floor, and all of them were on the south side, which was currently to his right. He walked up to the door of the second room and knocked lightly. Link waited a little while, but there was no answer. He knocked again, but again there was no answer.

"Saria…?" he asked, knocking again.

He paused. Nothing.

Link narrowed his eyes. He backed away, but then quickly charged forward with a flying kick. The door swung open.

"SARIA!" Link cried out, rushing into the room.

An evil power flowed through the room. Saria stood at the enter, arms at her side, staring directly towards the window, still as stone, as if she was in a trance… the silhouette of the Sorceress hovering a few feet in front of her. Her eyes were filled with a pure, bright green, eerie glow.

Link raised his sword above his head and slashed it across the silhouette. The image vanished. Saria blinked a couple times, collapsing forward. However, Link caught her quickly. When she opened her eyes again, they were back to normal.

"Saria, are you alright?" he asked.

She shook her head, and then looked up. "L-Link…?"

Link nodded. "Saria, I don't think you told me everything. There's something going on around here, and I can't help you unless you tell me."

She backed away quickly, but tripped and fell back into the bed. She sat up, but stopped quickly and turned away. "I… I don't know…" she muttered to herself.

He sighed, again, turning away and crossing his arms in front of him. "You're a poor liar."

Tears began to form in Saria's eyes, but she rubbed them away with her hand. Link noticed, though, and walked toward her. "Saria…?"

She looked down.

Link sat next to her and raised his right index finger to her eye. "You're crying…" he muttered.

She turned and sunk into his chest, the tears pouring down. "I… She's trying to control me… She's trying to use me as a catalyst for her own gains. I'm too… weak… to resist… This is why she wants me dead. If I'm dead, she can restore my body and take it for her own, for she has none of her own."

Link opened his eyes, wide. "But… wait… I fought her!"

She looked up to him. "Did you really…?"

He closed his eyes, thinking things over. "Wait… no… She never touched me personally, and I never touched her…"

"Her power is strong now that she has awakened," Saria added, "but she still has no physical body to call hers. She's bound to the scepter."

Link closed his eyes. 'Is this what Rauru meant…? Maybe he wasn't warning me that the Sorceress was trying to control Saria…'

"I'm sorry," he replied. "I didn't understand the situation. I realize now why you were keeping it secret. I won't question you any more."

A smile appeared on Saria's face. "Thank you…" she muttered, backing away a bit. "It means so much to know that you're here by my side… just like old times…"

Link laughed. "Except in that case, it was more so you by my side."

She nodded. Shortly after, though, she sighed again, sitting down next to Link. "I don't remember the last time I played the Ocarina… I still remember my song… I don't know how well I'd be able to play it now, though."

Link chuckled a bit. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'd do just fine. You know that your song is quite popular, correct? Others have heard it and said it was beautiful, and so full of life. I'm sure they'd like to hear it again."

She sniffed, looking up. "Like… who…?"

"Like Darunia, also known as Big Brother, the leader and patriarch of the Goron tribe. He loved the song so much he danced like crazy after hearing it."

She blinked. "You've met Darunia?! So… it was you who played it for him? He came to the forest one day seeking the one who sang the song, and everyone redirected him to me, for they knew it was my song. This was about five years after you left. After this, he came by once every week just to hear me sing. I learned much about the sages, and of my duty as the Forest Sage."

Link nodded. "Ah… that explains it… So Darunia is the one who taught you about the sages?"

She nodded her head. "Yes, he did, but I didn't know I was a sage right away. He began telling me more about them and about the seven sages from the seven regions. When he mentioned the Forest Sage, I questioned him about it, but he said he didn't know who it was, yet. He wouldn't tell me who the others were, either. This got me curious, so I wandered into the Forest Temple, and that's when it happened…"

She paused for a bit, but then continued, "I traveled to the depths, and I heard a voice calling my name. A light enveloped me, and I awoke in a large room with stars around me, and seven stands. I looked down and saw the forest symbol at my feet. Suddenly, six others appeared in front of me, and the eldest stepped into the center platform. He explained that he was Rauru, the Light Sage, and that I had now been awakened as the Sage of Forest."

"Of course, Darunia was there, also, and I saw the other seven. Darunia remarked that he had been listening to me sing all this time and never knew I was the seventh sage. Apparently, except for the high sages, the sages of Time and of Light, the sages did not know the identities of those who had not yet been awakened."

"They also explained that the sages are actually eternal spirits of seven wise men from the far past. When the body of one sage dies, the spirit of that sage arises and remains in a spiritual form until a successor is found. The successors are often descendants of old sages, but this isn't always the case. Only a noble heart can bear the essence of the sages. Apparently, the chosen are already known upon birth, and the spirit enters into the chosen one upon birth, but the power does not enter the chosen until he or she is awakened."

Link nodded his head. "Hmm… That is interesting… I've known about the sages for a long time, but I've never known all of this..."

A knock on the door startled the two of them, and they quickly jumped up. "Who?!" Link asked.

He didn't have to do that at all, though. Link left the door open, so Sheila simply knocked on the inside of the door and peeked around the corner. "Hey," she proclaimed, "are you guys coming down any time soon? Malon wanted to know where we should go next."

Link sighed. "We'll be down in a minute. Go tell her that, please."

Sheila nodded in reply. "No problem. Should I—"

"Just go!" Saria called out, giggling.

Sheila rolled her eyes. "Fine."

She disappeared, again, and Saria turned back to Link. "So, what is it? It's obvious that you wanted to tell me something."

Link nodded. "The truth is… I really don't know where to go next. However, I have a strong urge to go to the forest. I need to talk to the Great Deku Tree. Maybe he can answer some of our questions. Right now, many questions have been solved, thanks to you, but… I'm still not sure… There are too many loose ends. I want to talk to him."

Saria turned away, but didn't appear upset or sad. Instead, she seemed to be deep in thought. "Hmm… I've had that same urge…"

A smile crossed Link's face. "I know where we have to go next, then. Let's head outside first."

She turned back to face him. "Yes, of course… let's go!"

XXXXX

Sheila ran out to Malon and explained everything that Saria and Link had told to her. Sheik stood in the middle of the path leading to the exit of the ranch, and Relm was leaning up against the side of the rock formation in front of Malon's house. When Saria and Link finally got back outside, though, everyone grouped together and talked things over.

Link explained the plan about returning to the forest. Sheila desired to go with, as well, hoping to find a way to restore herself fully back into a human. Relm and Sheik, on the other hand, wanted to go along for the adventure. The only problem, though, was that there were only two horses. Malon then offered to lend one of her horses, and Relm reluctantly agreed to let Sheila ride behind her.

As soon as everything was settled, the four of them rode off. Beforehand, though, Link agreed to come back later and help Malon rebuild the ranch, but that would have to wait until this whole thing was settled.

As usual, it took many hours to reach the forest. Time now passed into the late afternoon, as they had spent the first bit of time riding down to the ranch, and much of the time they were battling. With all that trouble, though, they had rested for quite a while before deciding on where to go next. Link and Saria, of course, kept their little situation secret, not wishing to get the others involved in this whole ordeal. They may learn about it later, but for now, they simply did not want to raise any suspicions.

For now, the three riders—and two passengers—continue the trek across the fields of Hyrule. They stopped briefly to get a drink at the riverbed, but quickly pressed on and finished the ride to the forest. Saria questioned Link a bit, but Link was insistent that he knew what he was doing. So, they journeyed deeper into the woods, and then came to the maze…

"Every path looks exactly the same…" Relm muttered, riding up beside Link.

"Indeed…" Sheik added.

Saria sighed. "Link, what do we do now? How'd you get through?"

Link smiled. "It's a maze the Ordonians cut out and worked through in order to ward off intruders. We should simply be able to ride straight through and reach the village. It's supposed to confuse those who would trespass and make them think that they aren't getting anywhere. Let's go."

The others looked strangely at him, but agreed to follow behind. Link led the way, Saria riding with him, followed by Relm and Sheila, then Sheik in back. They road straight through, ignoring the appearances around them, and sure enough, they saw a clearing in the distance... along with two armed guards holding spears.

"Halt!" they called out.

Link raised a hand. "It is I, Link. I wish to seek passage further into the woods."

The two raised their eyebrows. They stood tall and saluted. "Sir Link...? Please enter! You are most welcome here."

Saria gasped out in surprise. "Wh-what?!"

Link smiled. "Don't worry. They trust me. See, I told you we'd make it through alright."

The three riders road further into the village, and were promptly greeted by the chief. He graciously welcomed them, and also apologized to Saria about what happened before. The five dismounted and were offered dinner, to which they obliged. Over dinner, the chief explained everything that had happened.

Strangely, during dinner, a messenger arrived…

"Chief, a girl has come out of the forest. She is looking for someone, but she specifically gave three names—Link, Saria, and Sheila. She said that she wanted these three and these three only."

Everyone turned to Sheila, stunned. She then opened her eyes wide, very much startled. "M-me…?!"

Saria turned back to Link. "I can understand us… I mean, the Great Deku Tree knows us… but Sheila?!"

On the other side of the table, Relm lowered her head. "So I guess that doesn't include me, then, huh?"

Link turned to her, nodding. "Apparently…"

The chief's wife then spoke up. "I'm sure you two can stay at our inn for the night. It'll be free for you. You can rest up while your friends are away."

"Thank you," Relm replied.

Link glanced around the table, looking to his left passed both Saria and Sheila, then across to where Relm sat, as well as the chief's wife to her left, and then to the right, where the chief sat. "Um… Where's Z… er, Sheik."

Relm's mouth dropped. "I… She was sitting next to me, but I guess she slipped away while everyone was distracted."

Link sighed. "I'd better go talk to her…"

Saria stood up, as well. "I'll go—"

He shook his head. "You stay here for now. I'll come back and get you and Sheila when I'm done and we'll go into the forest. I need to take care of this alone."

Saria watched Link leave. She didn't want to think about what he was planning to do. This Sheik was dressed like a male, but everyone knew Sheik was actually female. And Link and Relm apparently knew something about her that no one else knew.

Outside, Sheik stood next to the fountain at the center of town, playing with the water. She had pulled her bandages off slightly, revealing part of her long blond hair and her face. Anyone seeing her now could clearly attribute her to Princess Zelda.

"Hey, how you doin'?" Link asked, walking out to her.

Zelda sighed. "Are you coming out here to try and cheer me up?"

Link stopped next to her, chuckling a bit. "Heh… Well, that was the point… What seems to be the problem?"

She shook her head. "I… I came out here for an adventure. That's the main reason I went with you guys. I was being held back at the castle, not allowed to go anywhere… now when I'm finally off with you guys, I'm not allowed to travel further. Relm is being held back, too, but she's already been traveling with you a little while!"

Link shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know what to tell you… There must be a reason. Sheila was definitely a surprise, but I'm sure we can handle that. I'm just wondering why only three of us are allowed to go. Don't you worry, though; you'll still get some action. We'll come back and continue on again. You will see an adventure."

Zelda smiled. "I hope you're right."

The hero smiled back, and then returned to the house. However, he was stopped halfway. "Link, you have been summoned. Please, find your friends, and come with me," the girl said.

Link raised his eyes in stunned astonishment. "Wait… It's you! You're the girl I saw before, in the Sacred Forest Meadow…"

The young green-haired girl smiled. "You can call me… Nala."

He nodded back. "Alright, then, Nala… What do you want with us?"

The girl shook her head. "No, it is not I who wants you. I have been sent by the Great Deku Tree to lead you to the Kokiri Forest. Before, it was not time. Now it is time, and he wants to see you. Now."

He narrowed his eyes. "Why only three of us? Why can't the others come along? And how did you know about Sheila, anyway?!"

"It is the will of the Great Deku Tree. Only you, Link, the Hero of Time, and Saria, the Sage of the Forest, and Sheila, Ranch-hand of Lon Lon, are allowed to enter the forest. The two princesses must wait here for your return."

Now Link was stunned beyond all belief. "This… isn't possible… How could you know all this?! Know our names, the fact that Relm is a princess… the fact that Sheik is actually Zelda…"

"I have known you and Saria for a long time," Nala began, "but as for the others, that is a question for another day. You must bring Saria and Sheila to me, and I shall escort you."

Link nodded. "Very well, then."

He turned away and started to head back to the chief's house. He reached his hand for the door, but turned back to the young green-haired girl. 'She can't be as young as she looks… There's obviously more to her than meets the eye… Just who IS she…?' Link wondered.

'Well, I'll learn soon enough,' Link reasoned, before finally turned his head back, turning the knob, and sliding the door open. "Saria, Sheila… It's time to go."