Link felt like he didn't belong.
The Lost Woods gave off a foreboding presence unlike anything he had ever felt while growing up. As he expected, the forest around him grew lighter as he entered it properly. Yet the trees still blocked the sunlight that he had grown accustomed to since his quest began. Things went back to the muted, foggy state they had that he was so used to. In a way, it felt comforting as did the sight of trees in every direction he faced.
This was the only comfort.
Link could practically feel the trees around him and even the spirits of the Lost Woods themselves staring at him with dark intent and wanting him to turn and walk right back out. And the dark and rotten feeling from outside the trees intensified with every step that he took forward into his old home.
"It feels so awful…" Navi murmured, looking around. She didn't have that feeling of being out of place that Link did. Yet the rotting and evil energies in the air were more intense for her. Her heightened affinity with nature sure backfired a number of times on this adventure. "How are you holding up?" The fairy asked, still remaining on Link's shoulder.
At first Link didn't respond, just looking around him. He heard the distant howls of Wolfos, and he swore there was murmuring in the air. Disembodied voices were calling out to him or cursing his name. Was it real, or just his paranoia? "I don't feel welcome here…"
And Navi knew why. It was his adult form. The Lost Woods didn't care that Link had spent ten years of his life between the trees and living peacefully amongst the Kokiri. The forest was somewhat lenient on children, but adults…they were hated here. Even the fairy's presence would help little, if at all. "I doubt even the other Kokiri do." She replied, feeling herself needing to look around as well to feel safe. "I'll do my best to lead you to the Forest Temple."
Link pondered that, shaking his head after a moment. "We need to check on the rest first. The village itself might be in trouble! We have to see if they're okay!"
Navi had to admire how pure hearted Link was. Despite how most of the Kokiri treated him, he wanted to make sure all of them were okay. "Right. Okay. That's a bit easier…or at least I hope so." Who knew how the Lost Woods may operate thanks to Ganondorf's influence?
Taking off from Link's shoulder, Navi would start to lead the boy onward.
The disturbing noises around them kept ringing out, the distant sounds seeming to fluctuate in how close they were at random. At times it seemed that massive footsteps were mere feet for them, though they saw nothing, and at other times it was almost deafeningly silent.
In the distance fog, both Link and Navi would spot various shapes fading in and out of focus. Some of these shapes were humanoid, but many looked like beasts that the two did not recognize. Awful, horrid parodies of shape that made them sick to their stomachs just to see the vague outline of. But this wasn't normal for Navi. The Lost Woods created these illusions for intruders, for Hylians and the other races if they dared to cross into forbidden territory. Fairies like her never saw or heard these false sights and sounds before. It seemed Ganondorf's magic truly had grown in the past seven years, the Gerudo able to even change the basic laws of the forest.
Something very real, however, struck Link in the head, right between the eyes. He let out a noise of surprise and stepped back in shock. It wasn't something that seriously injured, however, in fact he glanced down and saw that it was merely a small rock. Looking back up, he had a feeling he'd know what he saw before he saw it.
Out of the fog came a familiar figure. Short in stature and wearing raggedy red and blue clothes. In its hand a flute that it raised from its mouth. It was a Skull Kid! But things were different than the last time he encountered one. Rather than mischief and mirth in his glowing eyes, there was only rage and hate.
"Hey! Come on, Skull Kid, we don't have times for these games!" Navi scolded, floating between Link and the imp.
"What are you doing palling around with an adult?!" The Skull Kid demanded, pointing a finger accusingly at Navi. "They're good for nothing and just cause trouble! Not even the fun kind either!" His voice matched its eyes, full of malice and no hint that this was merely a twisted game of sorts.
Link held up his shield, in case the Skull Kid charged at him. He wasn't going to fight back, not against this. The Skull Kid clearly wanted him gone, but he wasn't a monster or anything of the sort. "I'm not an adult! I'm a Kokiri!" The boy in green retaliated, feeling foolish the second his deep voice left his throat.
"Hah!" The Skull Kid practically spat. "That's a pretty lousy attempt at a lie! Ya don't even smell like a Kokiri let alone look like one! Ya got weird green clothes, though. And a lot of other things I can't wait to sort through!" He put a dart into his flute, one that undoubtedly had some sort of poison on it.
The Skull Kid fired his shot, Link blocking it with his shield as he started to run off to the side. Really, he had no idea how fragile or durable Skull Kids were, so he didn't want to risk any chance of killing him by accident by fighting back!
Giving chase, the Skull Kid kept shooting out rocks and darts at Link, Navi trying to talk some sense into the creature, but he wasn't listening. It seemed the imp was determined to get rid of what he saw as an intruder to the Lost Woods; something that would harm its very existence even further.
Link could hardly blame the Skull Kid, the Kokiri along with the rest of the inhabitants of the Lost Woods had a distaste towards adults. Even though he himself was friends with Darunia, Link felt the same way. When outside in Hyrule, he much preferred the company of fellow children rather than adults.
Thankfully, the boy's new and longer legs allowed him to outrun the Skull Kid fairly easily. The wooden troublemaker shouted curses after Link and Navi both, but soon it seemed to simply give in and stop the chase, receding into the fog.
Slowing down, Link was panting lightly as he kept walking forward. "I didn't know Skull Kids could be so…nasty…" Pranksters they were, he had never heard of a Skull Kid actually killing someone, nor attempting to. They always seemed to prefer more lighthearted tricks…even if light injury was also involved…
"Maybe it's Ganondorf's magic making them riled up." Navi suggested, she herself never having seen a Skull Kid interact with an adult before. She had no idea if this was normal or not. After all, the fairy tried to avoid the imps the best she could as a standard. "Or they know who is causing this curse, and will attack adults more savagely now…"
In the end, it hardly really mattered. If the two encountered more Skull Kids, they would just have to run away. Thankfully, they didn't. Navi kept leading Link through the Lost Woods, the duo ignoring the trickery that the forest tried to implement on them. At one point, Link swore he heard a woman's voice. One that was begging for help, for someone to help her and her baby, but…it was clearly a trick…
But somehow the voice seemed…
No. Just another trick.
"We're almost there, I think." Navi said, noting how the trees were becoming more spaced out. "The village should be just up ahead!" The fairy was grateful that even with Ganondorf's dark magic, the forest was still navigable to her.
Link prepared himself for seeing his home again, and those that he had grown up with. Even though many were not the nicest to him…he still worried dearly for their safety. But he had to wonder if they too would attack him…or if they were even still okay.
Either way, it seemed Navi was correct, as the two soon found themselves back in the Kokiri Village…for the first time in seven years. Of course, it didn't feel that way to them, and they were instantly distracted as they stepped foot into the area.
Because of the monsters.
Large blue bulbs were scattered about, massive Deku Babas that were twice or even three times as large as the ones within The Great Deku Tree. From the taller houses and some of the trees bordering the village hung Skulltulas, these two even bigger than the one that Link and Navi had dealt with in the past.
To their further distress, neither the boy nor fairy saw any of the Kokiri about. At the very least, there was no sign of violence was apparent. But this couldn't stand either way! Getting his Master Sword ready, Link started to approach the nearest Deku Baba.
As he grew near, the plant monster sprang form the ground, its bulbous head holding far more and far larger teeth than the last time Link encountered such a creature. It turned its face towards the boy, lunging towards him. He threw up his shield, the Deku Baba banging its head against the metal object and recoiling. Link took his chance to swing his blade at the creature, cutting off the top part of its head in a single swipe, killing it.
Link stared at the corpse, trying to ignore how easy it was to slay a creature that big. Looking around, there were dozens of others to take out…
Over the next twenty minutes, Link and Navi went around clearing the village of the creatures infecting it. Thankfully, there was nothing more dangerous than the Deku Babas or Skulltulas around, neither of which posed much of a thread to the two of them at this point. As it happened, they got through entirely unscathed, the plant monsters deflected easily with a shield and the Skulltulas forced to show their undersides before Link would go in to attack properly. During this time, Link made it a point not to look towards his old home, a part of him fearing it'd have been torn down or something in his absence. Thankfully, no monsters were nearby it.
The boy felt sick to his stomach at all the carnage around him. Never did he have to kill so many creatures at once like this. The village was littered with corpses and the smell of death got more and more intense with each kill. Even when they were all dead, he still didn't put his sword or shield away, in case anything else came from the trees to attack.
Looking around once more, Link gulped and readied himself before calling out. "Hello?! Is there anyone here?! It's safe now!" Hopefully the other Kokiri were simply hiding…
For a moment, nothing happened, and both Link and Navi feared the implications.
But after a bit…a child's head poked out from out of a nearby house. It was Uldo! "You…You did this?"
Link stared at the Kokiri for a moment, remembering how he let the shield he borrowed get burnt to cinders. Guilt hit his chest as he stared at a face he hadn't seen for so long. He found himself tongue-tied for a moment but managed to give a response. "I did. It's safe."
Uldo stared at Link for a second, as if trying to figure out if the not-quite-stranger had some sort of ulterior motive. "You have a fairy with you…" He murmured, staring at Navi before looking back at Link. "But you're an adult…"
Not an adult! He was one of them! Link almost replied he was a fellow Kokiri, if only out of instinct. But he resisted the urge for multiple reasons. For one, he was ashamed to be seen in his new form, even if the Kokiri would hopefully not recognize him. And the other reason was that they would never believe him if he said such things.
"…This fairy is my friend." Link replied, feeling bad for not referring to Navi by name or her proper title of Guardian Fairy. "I'm here to help you." To show he meant it, Link put his sword and shield away, offering Uldo a small smile too.
The Kokiri continued to study Link before slowly stepping out of his house and into the open. As he did this, more of the forest spirits did so. Lydo, Saldo, Ardo, even Fado came out, among others. Soon, all of the Kokiri were out observing the carnage and the 'stranger' in their midst. The only two that were missing were Mido and…Saria…
To his surprise, the Kokiri seemed pretty curious, some walking up to him as they looked him over. Maybe the slaying of these beasts was enough to gain their trust, or maybe they could sense his good intentions, but either way they seemed at ease with Link's presence despite his form. In fact, they even started to ask him questions.
"Who are you, mister?"
"How did you get here without turning into a Stalfos?"
"Why is there a fairy with you?"
"Where did you get that sword?"
"You're a Hylian, right?"
"Do all Hylians wear green clothes like we do?"
Link was overwhelmed at the questions and the sight of those that he grew up with. For so long they wanted nothing to do with him…but now they swarmed him and looked at him like he was something unique.
Navi watched, realizing quickly that Link really didn't want the Kokiri to know who he was. Otherwise, he would have introduced her, she was sure. "Hey, let's hold up a second!" She said, speaking before thinking. Hopefully, none of them remembered what she sounded like. "We're here to help, but we have to know everything that's going on first!"
That got the Kokiri to settle down and stop talking at once. They looked about each other, and it was Lydo that spoke up. "The forest has been getting worse." She started, frowning with clear worry. "More monsters have been showing up, and sometimes we get lost in the Lost Woods. We Kokiri never get lost here! And the air feels so horrible…"
"And we don't have our guardian here to help us!" Uldo interrupted, looking towards where The Great Deku Tree's clearing was. "He…died…a few years ago."
Guilt shot through Link's chest and he let out a shuddering breath. "I'm…sorry to hear that. Has anyone gotten seriously hurt?" He played dumb, knowing all but two Kokiri were present.
That made a nervous murmur break out amongst the group. "We don't know." Fado answered, looking to Link intently. The blonde girl really seemed to be studying him. "Saria said she could help somehow, going to find some sort of Temple…but none of us know where that is. Mido went to find her the other day but he hasn't come back! Everyone else is here, mister."
So, they didn't even know if Saria was okay or not. Mido was missing too? Link wondered if the self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri was able to get to the Forest Temple. Despite the awful things the bully did to Link…he hoped that he was alright.
"I'll go and help them, then." Link said, feeling it unnecessary to tell the others the full extent of the situation. It'd just worry them if they were aware that a being far more powerful than they can imagine is directly causing this. "I'll save them and the Lost Woods."
The Kokiri brightened up at that a bit, grinning and giving praise to Link which once more was surreal to him. It seemed they took a pretty quick liking to him because of the monsters he slayed. He wished it didn't take this long for them to appreciate and like him…
"First you need some rest!" Navi interrupted, landing on Link's shoulder. "You kept booking it from that shack to here, and you need to get some of your strength back!"
"What?!" Link exclaimed without thinking, making a few Kokiri step back. "I…I just think I have enough energy for this." How long was Saria going to have to wait?
"You're exhausted and you don't even realize! Trust me, I can tell these things better!" The fairy argued, crossing her arms. "I'm not talking about until tomorrow or anything. Just a half hour and eat a bit, okay?"
That wasn't as bad as the boy was expecting. And of course, he knew that his Guardian Fairy was right. He didn't want to admit it, but he was very tired. The last few days have been constant movement and poor sleeping conditions and it all added up. Of course, ever since he started this forced journey that had mostly been the case, but these last few days especially!
"Alright…Okay. I'll rest, but not any longer…" Link said, going to sit against one of the nearby homes and shedding his gear before he plopped down on the grass.
"We'll get rid of all this stuff, then." Lydo said, looking around at the corpses Link left behind. She didn't seem to mind, neither did the other Kokiri. Perhaps they were simply happy that the monsters were dead.
Nodding silently, Link took out some bread and fruit for him and Navi to eat as he watched the children clean. They gathered the corpses and took them off to the woods proper to dump them. He supposed they wouldn't want to eat cursed beings like these Skulltulas, and who knew if the Deku Babas could be eaten either?
As the Kokiri worked, one went up to Link. It was Fado, the blonde girl looking him over as she approached. "Say…what's your name, mister?" She asked, sitting in front of the boy and staring him in the eyes. She wore a small and pleasant smile as her own Guardian Fairy fluttered silently above her head.
Somehow, Link didn't anticipate one of the other Kokiri actually asking what his name was. For some reason, coming up with a good and fake one was alluding his frantic thought process. After a second he just stammered out a response. "I…It's not important. Don't worry about it."
Instead of seeming annoyed or upset, Fado slowly nodded as if she anticipated that answer. "I see. Why are you traveling with a fairy, then? You're an adult! Fairies don't travel with adults!"
Navi took the stage this time, floating between the girl and Link. "I'm helping him on his adventure, you see. We knew that the Lost Woods were in danger, and he couldn't get here without me showing him the way."
Once more, Fado gave a slow nod at the response. She never took her eyes off of Link, though. She seemed to be studying him, almost. "Sounds pretty important, and we're glad you came when you did. We can't really fight on our own." The Kokiri explained, not taking her eyes off of Link for a second when she spoke. "Mister, can I ask another question?"
It was hard talking to the Kokiri like this. Link felt embarrassed, almost humiliated at his physical form. He knew they didn't recognize him, but he still felt so disgusting. Even with Navi, he was once more out of place amongst them. "Sure. Go ahead."
"You've seen a lot of outsiders, right?" Fado asked, causing Link to nod in response. "And you've been all around what lies beyond the trees, right?" Once more, Link nodded. "…Have you ever met someone named Link?"
The question punched the boy in the gut, taken aback and his eyes widening as he stared at Fado. He quickly fixed his demeanor, forcing himself to put on a mask of neutrality. Her expression grew a bit more serious, nearly frowning up at him. "Link? Who…Well, who is he? A Kokiri? I thought they couldn't…leave the Lost Woods."
"We can't. Not normally. Link was…special, I guess. Saria explained he had something very important to do." Fado explained, sounding almost upset. "He left one day to do this important thing and…never came back." The girl ran a hand through the grass, as if seeking some sort of comfort. "I was wondering if you had seen him. He wears green clothes like we do…like you do."
For a second, Link thought that Fado had him figured out…but she stopped there. "…No. Sorry. I haven't met anyone named Link…"
Gulping, Fado gave yet another nod, but didn't seem surprised at the answer. "I thought so. It's been seven years now. We…um…" She cleared her throat. "We weren't nice to him. Except Saria. She was close to him from the time he was born and until he left. After a while…we started to realize how awful we had been." The Kokiri gripped the grass, nearly tearing some of the ground but paused and let it go.
Link had to stop himself from confessing right there and then. The others…regretted how they treated him? Really? Saria mentioned how she tried to get the others to not blame him for their father's death but hadn't been too successful. He also remembered how it was Fado who first swayed her opinion. It seemed maybe she held more guilt than the others.
"I'm…sure you weren't that bad." Link said, unsure of what exactly to say, yet feeling compelled to soothe Fado's woes somehow. "And I'm sure he's fine…"
"We were that bad." The girl responded, almost bitterly. She stated it as fact, undeniable truth. "And maybe he is…but then why hasn't he come back? Maybe he decided to just stay away from us. I could hardly blame him."
This was getting to be too much, Link needing to get away from this. "…I hope you get to see him again." Was all he could think to respond. Standing up and gathering up his gear, he glanced to Navi. "We should go soon…right?"
The fairy felt awkward watching all this, not wanting to interfere. She wanted Link to deal with this how he wanted. If he didn't want the Kokiri to know who he was…then she wouldn't interfere with that. "Yeah. Saria, and maybe Mido, need our help."
Nodding once more, Fado stood up. "Well, good luck." She said yet followed Link and Navi as they made their way to the edge of the village. "Hey, mister, can I ask you a favor?"
As Link was about to step out into the Lost Woods prior, he turned to Fado. "Yeah. Of course. What is it?"
Fado paused, as if trying to decide whether to actually ask or not. After a moment, she kept going. "If…you go out to the outside…and you see Link…could you apologize to him for us? We'll welcome him back…he can stay with us if he comes back."
Link had to turn around, he couldn't look Fado in the eyes, feeling tears stinging his eyes as he struggled to keep his voice steady. "Sure. If I ever see him…I'll tell him that." They would take him back? After all he did? The cruel irony in it all…this awful form he had to take to finally hear those words from someone other than Saria. Unable to stand this interaction anymore, Link walked into the Lost Woods, Navi silently following him.
The blonde Kokiri stared after Link, not tearing her gaze off of him until he was out of sight entirely. Only then did Fado sit on the ground, sobbing bitterly. "I'm so sorry, Link…" She murmured to herself. "I hope you find Mido and Saria safe and sound. I know we have no right to ask…but please save us…"
Off in the forest, Link himself was crying, leaning against a tree as his emotions spiraled out of control. It was all just too much and too fast for him to handle. He tried to hold back his emotions, but he couldn't help but let them just spill out.
Naturally, Navi was patting at Link's face, trying to calm her boy down. "It's okay…It was just overwhelming, is that right? Is that what's wrong?"
Link nodded, choking out a sob as he felt embarrassment course through him at Navi seeing him cry yet again. "Yeah…I-I…I've waited so long for one of them to say that to me…" Even if it was in that indirect way, he had been fantasizing about such a moment for years. It wasn't quite the same the day Navi arrived because it turned on him so quickly.
"I'm happy for you, Link. Once this is all done…I'm sure you can return to your normal form and join the others." It hurt her to say that, knowing he'd grow right back up. But this wasn't the time to spill the truth to him. Not yet. "Now you have even more to keep you going forward, right?"
"Right…" And he was happy, despite his tears. It all just hit him so hard and made him feel overwhelmed he couldn't help but cry. But he forced the tears back, knowing that Saria and Mido both needed help. He leaned off the tree, sniffling and wiping the tears away with the back of his hand. "Let's go…"
Once more, it was up to Navi to lead Link onward, the fairy feeling for that maze area that the two needed to reach with her instincts. As before, the Lost Woods called out to the duo, dark voices and unnatural shapes assaulting their senses as they went.
The smell of evil and rot got stronger, and the two even encountered some Gold Skulltulas near the bases of some trees, showing they were getting closer. After dispatching of these cursed objects, a voice called out. This one was clearer, crisper, and was far closer than the cursed whispers.
"Hey! What are you doing here, outsider?!"
Turning, Link and Navi saw a male Kokiri with red hair approaching them. His form was defined and solid, not seeming to be an illusion that the forest cast upon them. He wore a scowl that Link had seen countless times before. Suspecting blue eyes peered back at the two.
"M…Mido!" Link couldn't help but blurt out.
That made the Kokiri jump a bit, taking a step back. "Yeah…I'm Mido…I'm the boss of the Kokiri, you know! How do you know my name?!"
Thankfully, there was an easy lie to fall back on. Link felt he had to do this more and more since starting his quest…
"The other Kokiri told us about you. We were at the village not long ago." Link explained, managing to keep his voice despite dealing with his childhood bully. Or, at least, the worst of his bullies. "They said you and Saria had vanished…"
Mido squinted at Link, as if trying to see if he was lying or not. Apparently, he decided that he was telling the truth, and his stature relaxed. "Okay…You wouldn't really be able to know my name otherwise, I guess…" He crossed his arms lightly, looking Link over, seeming to study him. "But you still didn't tell me what you're doing here! How did you get so deep in the Lost Woods?"
Navi stepped up once more, knowing she needed to just reuse the excuse that they had before. "We're on a quest, and part of that involves us going to the Forest Temple and helping the Lost Woods. He only got this far because I was able to guide him trough the trees." That last part at least wasn't exactly a lie…
Once more, Mido gave Link and Navi a look as if trying to detect a lie. "Mmm…Why would you do that? You're a grown-up! An outsider! Why help us Kokiri?"
"Because I'm Saria's friend." Link blurted out, not even knowing where his mind had went. He instantly regretted it when he saw Mido lightly recoil in clear surprise at such a bold statement.
"Her friend? An outsider and a grown-up?" Mido asked, scoffing lightly. "And why should I believe that? That's the biggest lie I've ever heard!"
Navi had to wonder what was going through Link's head when he said something like that. She assumed he didn't mean to given the light wince he gave after Mido's reply. "Well, why would we lie about that? That doesn't get us anything." The fairy pointed out.
Mido let out a humph, walking slowly around the duo and looking them up and down. "But she never mentioned you! How did you meet? You've been in the Lost Woods before?"
"Please, we don't have time for this!" Navi piped up, sighing in exasperation. "We can help cleanse the forest, but we need to get to where Saria went first!"
"No!" The Kokiri responded, scurrying around so he was in front of Link. He held his arms apart like a barrier, giving the two an intense look. "If you can prove you're Saria's friend, I'll let you past! Otherwise…you're a potential threat!"
Link was really kicking himself now! How could he be so stupid?! Him being Saria's friend was just the truth, or rather a small part of the larger truth…and he just spat it out without thinking! Now he had to provide proof he and Saria were really friends! How…? He racked his brains before suddenly realizing something he could do!
Knowing things would go by faster if he just provided proof, familiar with how stubborn Mido could be, Link got the Ocarina of Time unclipped. Raising it to his lips…he closed his eyes and started to play. Throughout the disgusting air of the cursed wood, a beautiful and jovial melody managed to pierce through. Saria's Song floated high above, seeming to reach even the invisible tops of the surrounding trees.
Mido's eyes widened as he stared at Link, his jaw even hanging open a fraction as the song soon faded. When the supposed stranger lowered his Ocarina, the Kokiri blinked a few times. "You…know her special song…" He blurted out. "But that doesn't make sense! Who are you? How does an outsider know Saria?"
Putting the Ocarina back on his belt, Link shook his head. "I'd rather not say. But please, Mido, I…I have to go and save here. I just proved she and I really are friends…"
The supposed leader of the Kokiri paused for a moment before letting out a sigh and lowering his arms. "I guess you're right…" He grumbled, clearly displeased in being proven wrong. "You can go…but you'd better save her! Or else! I couldn't get past the maze, but you're bigger than me, so you don't have an excuse!"
That maze? What was in the maze that gave Mido so much trouble? Certainly, it couldn't just be the Mad Scrubs that got in his way. "I will, don't worry." Was all Link said, quickly walking by the Kokiri as Navi silently lead him onward towards the entrance to the Forest Temple.
As Mido watched the pair walk off, he frowned heavily. "Can't believe you really came back after so long…" The Kokiri murmured to himself, sighing before slowly walking back towards the village…
It wasn't long after when Link and Navi reached the entrance to the maze they had once traversed so long ago. The boy paused and looked around, remembering the Wolfos he had slain there, a faint whimpering echoing in the trees…or at least in his imagination.
"What do you think is in there?" Link whispered, afraid of alerting whatever may be patrolling the maze that scared Mido off. Of course, he never saw Mido take on anything that was his size, but he was still worried.
"I'm not sure." Navi found herself whispering back. "I'll take a look…" The fairy floated up into the air, looking into the maze and freezing at what she saw. Inside were massive creatures, each nearly reaching the top of the maze walls! Easily seven, maybe eight feet tall! They were armored humanoids, mud brown skin and piggish faces. Each one glared ahead with piercing red eyes as they patrolled through the maze. And the worst part was every creature was armed with a spear, a weapon nearly as tall as the wielders and frighteningly sharp!
Link frowned when Navi slowly descended downward, a clear frown on her face. "What is it? What's wrong?" He knew he wasn't going to like this…
"I…I think those were Moblins…!" She said, shuddering lightly. Navi then noted the confused look on Link's face. "Oh, right. You wouldn't know. Honestly…I didn't think that Moblins were real. No one has claimed to see them in centuries…and they were said to be an army of monsters wielded by those with evil magic. I thought they were just fairy tale stories or myths!"
An army of monsters?! Link hadn't even seen a Moblin and yet he was already terrified as he stared at the maze entrance. Listening closer, he heard heavy footsteps he hadn't noticed before. "How many…are there?" He asked, face paling.
Navi had been so shocked to see the Moblins, she hadn't actually taken the time to count them. "Well, the maze isn't too large…maybe ten?" She swooped up back into the air, eyeing the patrolling beasts closer before coming back down. "I think ten, yes. Ganondorf clearly doesn't want us going into the Forest Temple."
Link nodded slowly, once more eyeing the maze entrance as if the entire lot of monsters were about to charge out of it at once. He glanced up to the top of the maze, realizing that even in this new form of his, it was too tall for him to climb up it. If only it were a foot shorter, he could get past these Moblins much easier! "So…how do we go about this?"
"I'll have to hover above and watch out where the Moblins are and try and guide you through." Navi replied, remember how big and sharp those spears were. If one ran him through…it was over…hopefully the tunic's magic could protect him. But he had never had something like a spear attempt to pierce it, so who knew if it could hold up?
"Right…Okay…" Link felt numb, a heavy fear coursing through him as he gripped the hilt of the Master Sword until his knuckles turned white. The maze was so confined…would he be able to fight there if he got seen? But he knew standing out there would accomplish nothing and gave a nod. "I…I'm ready…"
Floating up again, Navi turned back to Link. "Okay, go in and turn left…"
The next few minutes were extremely tense for the boy and fairy. As they got further in the maze, Link could hear the heavy footfalls of the Moblins, even hearing their breathing or snorting as he waited for one to round a corner at Navi's instruction. She would hover above and tell Link where to go or when to pause or go down a dead end. Thankfully, the Moblins didn't seem to go down those paths, apparently each one going in a strict pattern.
Rounding a corner, Link even saw a Moblin, nearly gasping out loud as the lumbering beast turned a corner and away from him. It was so surreal for him to see a monster with such heavy armor like that…like one of those Hylian guards. The Lizalfos were the closest thing, but they weren't quite on the same level.
As they were halfway through the maze, a roar from behind made them both cry out in alarm. Navi had to watch basically all the Moblins at once and had missed one that came up behind Link!
The beast was several yards from Link, its red eyes honed in on him in a blatant rage. It roared out again, readying its spear as it charged at him. He didn't have time to move! It was so massive, yet so fast! There was nowhere to really run, anyway, and he instinctively raised his shield to try and block the blow! The Moblin shifted the spear at the last second and hit Link in the chest.
Link let out a strangled cry as he was lifted off the ground as the beast kept charging, up until he was pinned against the wall, his grip miraculously still right around the Master Sword. Navi screamed out as she flew closer, only to see that Link wasn't even bleeding! It turned out the Great Fairy's magic was stronger than the Moblin's spear, as it hadn't pierced his tunic at all!
The Moblin noticed this quickly, letting out a snort of confusion as it looked down at where its attack failed to gore Link with a single stab. Link acted by the new instincts he had gained since he started on this forced quest, raising his sword and running it through the exposed neck of the Moblin.
The creature let out a pained cry, a horrible and guttural noise. It couldn't get enough air to make noise for much longer as Link pulled the sword from its body, a disturbing dark blue blood oozing from its neck and getting all over the Master Sword. It lowered its spear, strength draining and letting Link drop to the ground and gasping horribly. With one last strangled noise, the Moblin fell backwards with a loud thud, red eyes glazed over as it died.
Shaking all over, Link stared at the corpse of the beast as blue blood stained the grass. For a split second, he had forgotten the Great Fairy's boon, and was shocked at how he himself wasn't pierced. The place where the was stabbed, however, ached horribly and he could tell without looking it was heavily bruised.
"Link, you're okay!" Navi blurted out, knowing a second after she said it that 'okay' was hardly the right word. "I-I mean…you're…the spear…" She too forgot for a moment about the tunic's power, just glad that the spear hadn't run him through…
"I…thought…I thought I was about to die…" Link murmured, forgetting for a moment where he was…forgetting that another Moblin could have been attracted by the noise and come running. He just sat there, catching his breath and wincing at the pain.
"I know…I understand…" The fairy responded, hovering above to see where the Moblins were. Oddly, none seemed to react to the noise that they would surely have heard. Perhaps they were trained not to react to anything but seeing intruders? It was a tight maze, after all, if they all came running at once, it'd just be chaos! "I…think I have an idea, though."
Wincing louder, Link got himself to his feet, leaning against the maze wall and trying to ignore the Moblin's corpse. "An idea…?"
"I think you can take out the Moblins from afar…from behind…with that new item we found." The fairy replied, pointing to the supposed treasure they got from the Kakariko Graveyard. More specifically, the blade end. "I think if that's shot out…it can pierce a Moblin's neck. I…know how much you hate to take lives…but I think it was a lot of luck you're still standing…"
Link couldn't deny that last part. If the Moblin had hit him anywhere that the tunic wasn't covering…he let out a shudder just thinking of it. "…If you think that's really for the best…" To his disgust, it had actually become almost easier for him to take the lives of the monsters he came across. It always made him feel guilty and sick…but the feeling had started to become more muted since he killed those cyclopic monsters beneath The Great Deku Tree.
"I think it's worth helping to lower the risk of you on the bad end of another spear…" Navi replied, nodding.
"I understand…" Link turned to where he had been going, wincing again as he went onward.
The rest of the maze was safer, if not more traumatic for Link. He did as Navi suggested, using the new tool he had to take out the Moblins he came across. As their backs were turned, he readied the object and fired the blade end at the back of their necks. To his relief and horror, the blade pierced right through before retracting back and taking chunks of flesh with it. The Moblins would quickly drop dead, oozing that thick blue blood as they let out guttural and strangled sounds as they died.
It wasn't much longer since the two came out of the other end of the maze. Blue blood had splattered onto Link's tunic and face as it coated the blade of his new tool as well, which he tried to get onto the grass instead. Before them was a massive figure blocking the staircase to the Forest Temple. To their shock, it was yet another Moblin, but far larger! It was two…maybe even three times as large as all the others! Its armor had large spiked adorned on it, and rather than a spear it carried a large club with a boulder stuck on the end.
"You've got to be kidding me…" Navi murmured.
The Club Moblin's red eyes zeroed in on Link and it let out a roar he could feel in his bones. It ran towards him with massive and heavy footsteps as it readied its club. As a reflex, Link shot the bladed tool at its neck, but missed his mark and hit off to the side a bit, near the shoulder. It still tore out some flesh and made the creature bleed but didn't come close to stopping it.
It swung its weapon down at Link and Navi, the fairy flying away as the boy dove to the ground. The club hit the forest floor and cracked the earth beneath. Putting away the tool, Link took out his Master Sword and swiped at the creature's tree trunk of a leg. It dug into the flesh but couldn't cut through. The dark blue blood oozed out as the Club Moblin roared, turning to Link who had ran behind it.
The Club Moblin turned, readying its weapon and doing a sweeping swing this time. Link raised his shield up, the attack coming too fast for him to properly dodge. The impact on the metal object send the boy flying, landing on his back and knocking the air right out of him! As the titanic creature went in for the kill, Navi swooped in and started flying in its face, letting out a blinding flash wish caused the monster to howl out in pain.
While it was distracted with its inability to see, Link managed to recover, feeling a dizzying ache from his head to the tips of his toes. He grit his teeth through the pain and ran forward, driving the Master Sword into the Club Moblin's leg again, stabbing as deep as he could go before retracting it. He managed to pull this off several times, the beast's mutilated limb buckling and the creature falling backwards onto its back.
Wasting no time, Link climbed onto the Club Moblin, walking across its chest so he could plunge his sword right through its neck. Like the smaller, spear-wielding variants before it, the gigantic creature let out a gurgling groan as it lost the ability to breath. It was drained of energy fast, not even able to lift up its club as it soon perished on the forest floor.
Panting heavily, Link stood atop the creature, staring down at it as he withdrew his blood soaked sword. Navi flew down to him, looking her boy over. "I'm…surprised you could still stand after that blow. You really need to use some Red Potion, Link!" A part of her was impressed with him, that he could take down such a formidable foe. But she knew he'd hate to hear that, so she didn't mention it.
Wearily, Link stepped off the corpse and did his best to wipe all the blood from his sword and the chain tool onto the grass. He managed to get most of it but would certainly wash the rest off in a river or pond the next chance he got. Taking one of the Red Potions from his bag, he sipped at it, taking in half of the foul tasting liquid. Within a minute, he felt the aches leave his body, and before long he was healed entirely. He still had half a bottle and three full ones left…
"These really are amazing…" Link couldn't help but marvel, turning away from the Club Moblin and towards the stairs. He had noticed how much…better he had gotten at killing since he started this quest. These moves and strategies just came to him…and he felt so much less hesitation before slaying the creatures before him.
It made him feel sick.
Slowly, Link made his way up the steps as Navi fluttered beside him, the feeling of rot and disease in the air growing stronger as they climbed higher and higher. And then…they reached Saria's Secret Spot.
The first thing he did was look towards the stump she would always sit in…and it tore into his heart to see it empty. Aside from that…the spot hadn't changed at all since he last visited. The tree with the hanging branch was still there, and the entrance to what he now knew as the Forest Temple remained out of reach. It felt more haunting, now, like the stone jaws of some strange beast rather than a building. The air around them was so quiet…as if no life had touched this area in hundreds of years. It was deafening almost, so much so that the soft footfalls behind the duo managed to ring out.
His sword at the ready, Link turned to see…Sheik! The mysterious youth walked towards the boy and fairy, with his red eye boring into Link's own once again. "I see you made it." The Sheikah observed. "And you have the Hookshot as well."
Hookshot? Was that what the odd device was called? Link stared at Sheik for a moment, wondering just how he managed to get here without a fairy or other spirit to guide him. "You're…all the way here? How?"
"I have more tricks up my sleeve than you may think." Sheik answered vaguely. "I have my ways, but I can't stay here for long. I have been observing you, however."
"Wait, you were watching us?!" Navi exclaimed, feeling some anger bubble in her. "You watched us deal with those Moblins and didn't help?!"
Sheik shook his head, looking back towards the Club Moblin's corpse which was barely visible even from up there. "I'm not a fighter, and I would have stepped in if I thought you couldn't handle it. But then again, you'd be doomed to fail if some Moblins were too much."
Navi felt her anger build, not finding that to be nearly good enough of an excuse. It wasn't like Link was exactly a trained warrior either! "Well…why are you here? How long have you been watching us? Since Kakariko Village?" The fairy recalled that feeling of being observed…
The young man shook his head, his red eye taking an almost confused demeanor. "No. I only started to watch you as you started to cross Hyrule Field. Why?"
Then what was…that feeling? "Nothing. Never mind. But answer the question. Why are you here?" Navi asked.
Sheik didn't answer at first, looking towards the empty stump. "The flow of time is always cruel. Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it. A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days." The Sheikah said, as if reciting a poem.
Link felt perplexed at the words, wondering why he was saying them at all. It almost sounded like Sheik was giving him some kind of a hint. But to what, Link couldn't understand. It made him think of Saria, though, the happy times they spent together as the boy grew up. He remembered how she would play with him…tell him stories…comfort him when he was sad. And, thinking of it, he supposed that middle part was quite correct. To him and Navi, these seven years went by in an instant. But for everyone else…not so much.
"And if you would ever like to return…" Sheik went on, snapping Link out of his thoughts. He produced a beautiful harp from somewhere in the baggier parts of his outfit. "…I will teach you a song. The Minuet of Forest. Its notes have special properties and will instantly place you here should you ever play it."
Link's eyes widened, wondering if such magic was really possible. He supposed with the number of songs he had learned thus far with their own powers…it was hardly impossible to believe. Silently, he took the Ocarina of Time off of his belt, holding it to his lips and waiting for Sheik to start.
Sheik started to strum skillfully on the harp, the notes coming out majestic and slow as the Sheikah closed his eyes to concentrate. The song was brief and elegant, not quite like anything that Link had heard in or out of the Lost Woods. Navi was reminded of a song played at fancy parties, the fairy having snuck into one or two as she explored Hyrule. It seemed like something high class Hylians would do a slow dance to.
Link started to play as Sheik played the last note, finding his fingers moving gracefully along the Ocarina, the boy managing to get the notes exactly right as he went. As he played, he thought of Saria and the time they spent growing up, shifting trees and dancing leaves filled his mind's eye.
Soon, the two played together, the harp and the Ocarina sending gorgeous notes into the foggy sky of the Lost Woods, bringing just a little bit of life into the empty and dead place that Saria used to frequent. Up above, a massive owl flew by, laying eyes on Link for the first time in seven years and enjoying the tune he got to experience as he went…
Once it was over, Sheik put his harp away. "You're quite skilled." He pointed out as Link put his own instrument away. "I don't know what you'll find in the Forest Temple, Hero of Time, but I wish you all the luck. We'll meet again soon."
Before Link or Navi could say anything, Sheik took something out of one of his pockets and threw it hard to the ground. When it hit, there was a blinding light for a moment, the boy and fairy flinching and covering their eyes.
By the time they stopped seeing spots…Sheik was gone, no trace of him left behind.
"Why did he have to leave like that…?" Link asked, rubbing his eyes and blinking excessively.
"Who knows? I'm not sure what to think of him…" Navi replied, now knowing how some of the monster she helped Link with felt. "But for now, we have to keep moving. Saria is waiting for us!"
Link rubbed his eyes one last time before taking out the Hookshot. Aiming it at the branch of that slippery tree, he fired, and the blade latched onto it. Being pulled up, he retracted the blade and fell onto the platform above. For years, he had wondered what was in this place, and now he was forced to find out.
Ignoring the scent of death, Link drew his Master Sword and readied his shield before entering the Forest Temple, Navi following close behind…
