Edit: Revised Chapter 1. Took out most of the swearing and changed a couple of details that would lead to the next chapter.

Please enjoy!

Frozen Destiny

The big, ugly demon was upon Gray Fullbuster faster than the mage could count to one. Fast and monstrously huge, the fiend was like a massive, purple-blue wall of pure muscle with white eyes that burned with an uncontrollable rage. The demon released a deafening roar from its viciously fanged and tusked mouth as it attacked, swinging a giant, meaty fist the size of a boulder down on its opponent's head.

Fearless, Gray stood his ground, his eyes steadfast as he crouched low atop the magical, purplish ice that refused to melt or break. He was cursed – his body reverted to that of a seven-year old child – thanks to the damn monster towering before him.

Severely weakened in both strength and magic power, and badly injured from the demon's hard, ruthless blows, Gray could barely put up another fight. But in spite of the odds, he wasn't ready to give up just yet.

His determination burned like the hottest flame in his chest and his head was as clear as the shimmering ice beneath his bare feet. He knew what he had to do. He prayed for his plan to work or else he was going to die. There was no chance in surviving the powerful punch coming fast from above so it was all or nothing.

With one palm flat against the frozen ground and the other aimed straight at his foe, Gray was concentrating on absorbing the magic imbued within the ice. It was his element, therefore he should be able to manipulate it as if it was his own.

And it worked!

He felt an intense chill rush into his fingers, up his arm, and throughout the rest of his body as the energy was drawn into him. Too much, in fact. It flowed in like a busted dam, instantly overwhelming him.

The foreign magic was unlike anything he had ever felt. It was bitterly cold – colder than his own ice – and dark and powerful and frightfully familiar. The frigid, unnerving sensation fully shattered his concentration and he lost control. The incredible amount of magic he had gathered burst from his body in a blinding flash of white, consuming him in freezing energy.

Gray suddenly couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't feel anything. Both mind and body had gone numb and he saw nothing but white. Everything was still and silent.

The world was empty.

But then he heard a voice echoing from the void, hush and gentle; "I'll always be watching you no matter what happens. Be brave…"

For the briefest of moments, he saw her, appearing through a shroud of thick, white fog to stand over him. Her smile was the last thing he remembered before the world turned completely dark. He started to dream.

Voices whispered in the shadows, tickling his ears. They sounded so far away. Mind too muddled, Gray could barely make out what was spoken, catching only a few words:

"… ice… so cold…"

"… boy… hair… shadows…"

"… this mark…"

"… hurt… maybe a Wolfos…"

"… dead?"

Something warm touched Gray's cheek, slowly bringing back the feeling in his body. He felt heavy and overly exhausted, as if he had expended all of his magic in battle. He had no strength left to move.

What had he been fighting? He couldn't remember... With his head aching, thoughts wandered, never becoming clear.

Whatever had touched his cheek was now touching his forehead, gentle and warm. His eyelids weighed as much as boulders, but he managed to force them open ajar. Everything was blurry. And blindingly bright. There was a bobbing ball of white light seemingly hovering right above his face.

"He's alive!" the light spoke in a shrill, feminine voice that echoed from the distance.

The light quickly moved aside and the dark silhouettes of two people came into view, looming over Gray. Their faces were obscured by shadows and they sounded as young as children.

"Don't worry, you're okay now," said a girl, her words soothing and kind.

"Let's take him back to the village," said a boy, a hint of concern.

Before he knew it, Gray was lifted off the ground by strong hands. As he was being carried on someone's back, he started to drift into nothingness.

He started to dream. He saw a world covered in ice; mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, oceans, cities, castles, people, animals – everything was frozen in time, forever doomed to be sculptures of ice. Even the sky was frozen, with crystal clouds and a diamond sun. There was nothing moving except for a large shadow looming in the horizon where the icy forests met the frozen sky. The darkness flickered like living fire, creeping into the trees, slowly spreading throughout the land. An ominous presence that made Gray involuntarily shiver.

An angry voice intruded in his dream, stirring him awake.

"… an outsider! Do you know how dangerous this is? You shouldn't have brought him here!" A boy, different from the first. Obnoxious and louder too. As if he stood in the same room as Gray.

Another person quietly replied, "We couldn't leave him in the forest. He would've died." It was the kind girl, recognizable by her tone. She, too, shared the same room.

Gray pried his eyes open only to see nothing but shadows. He panicked, fearing he had gone blind. It took a moment before he realized that something was covering the top-half of his face. It was hot and damp. He wanted to take it off, but his limbs refused to move. He couldn't even lift a finger as he lay helpless on a hard surface with a rough, but warm blanket draped over his body. The smell of fresh mint overpowered everything else, reminding him of Porlyusica's home in the summer time.

"Those who get lost in our forest are destined to stay lost forever, Saria," the boy continued heatedly, soundly tapping his foot against a wooden floor. "If the Great Deku Tree was still with us, he wouldn't have allowed you to interfere."

"If the Great Deku Tree was still with us, he would understand that this boy wasn't lost," the girl named Saria argued evenly.

The boy scoffed. The tapping of his foot stopped. "What do you mean he wasn't lost? You guys found him in the Lost Woods, didn't you?"

"Yes, but he wasn't lost."

"How do you know?"

"I… just know."

"Saria–"

"Mido, I know you want to protect our village, but he's not a danger to us. I can sense it. The forest can sense it. This boy is not destined to die in the Lost Woods."

Who are they talking about? Gray wondered in a daze. It couldn't be him; he wasn't a boy but a grown man.

The boy named Mido huffed, "He's still an outsider. He doesn't belong here."

There was a short pause before Saria murmured, "Yes, I know... Once he's well enough, Link will take him home."

"Hmph. That guy better keep his word," Mido grumbled under his breath. "That outsider is not allowed to wander the village and he's not allowed on the sacred grounds of the Great Deku Tree, got that?" were his final words before he started to walk away.

Once Mido was clearly gone from the room, Saria let out a tired sigh.

"He can be so stubborn sometimes," spoke another girl in the room, clearly disgruntled. Her voice was higher in pitch, making her sound younger.

"I couldn't agree more," said Saria, amused.

Gray could hear her approach his side, her footwear softly scuffing on the floor. He opened his mouth to speak, but his throat was as dry as sand. All he could utter was a raspy moan.

The object that covered his eyes was gently pulled away. He had to blink several times to adjust to the bright light in the room. The face of a young girl with short green hair and kind blue eyes eventually came into focus. She was looking down on him, her lips curling into a friendly smile. She wore clothes that matched both her hair and the hues of the forest, being various shades of green. What caught Gray's attention the most were her ears, which were long and pointed, similar to the mythical elves in stories and ancient folklore.

"You're awake!" she exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with relief. She placed a hand upon her chest as she sat down on the edge of the hard bed Gray was lying on. "Hello, my name is Saria," she kindly introduced, "I'm here to help you, okay? Here, some water."

Gently, she lifted the mage's head and brought a wooden bowl to his dry lips. Refreshingly cool water was carefully poured into his mouth and he greedily gulped it all down. Once the bowl was empty, he was laid back down. With his thirst quenched and his thoughts and senses now clear, Gray suddenly realized something very important.

"Wh-Where am I?" he managed to croak, his jaw stiff and hurting from a swollen bruise. The last thing he could recall he was in Sun Village, a place full of enormous buildings and stone structures, intimidating giants fifty times his size, and craggy mountains surrounded by forests – all cursed under an indestructible layer of ice. This was definitely not Sun Village, he was quite certain about that. Unless his friends had managed to break the curse while he was out…

"You are in–"

"Wait, Saria!" A ball of white light with a pair of insect-like wings suddenly flew right in the girl's face. It spoke, possessing the voice of a very young girl with a high pitch. "Mido will probably get angry if we reveal this place to the outsider!"

Saria frowned, but nodded in agreement nonetheless. "This place… is a secret."

Gray didn't pay any attention to what she said for he was captivated by the flying orb, wondering what it was. It looked similar to a glowbug, which were black-shelled beetles with bodies that shone with a bright white light. However, glowbugs didn't talk and this little creature didn't have a visible insect body either.

"Ah! I'm really sorry!" the ball of light apologized to Gray when she noticed his staring. Bashfully, she fluttered down to the side of his face and turned into a blushing pink light. "I didn't mean to sound rude..."

Gray furrowed his brow. Glowbugs didn't change colours either. "What are you?" he asked the shining creature. At that moment, he noticed his voice sounded odd. He cleared his throat.

The orb flew back as if struck. "What? Don't you know? I'm a fairy!"

Gray slowly blinked and continued to stare, not sure if he heard right. He slightly tilted his head and raised an eyebrow in disbelief. A fairy? That couldn't be true, there were no such things in Earthland...

There was giggling coming from Saria. "I don't think he's ever seen a fairy, Seri."

"I thought all little boys and girls outside of the forest knew about fairies," the orb replied in disappointment, moving to hover over the girl's shoulder.

The mage suddenly took offence by the creature's comment. "Hey, I'm not a little boy. I'm a man," he corrected. And yet his voice sounded far younger than normal. Saria gave him a skeptical look and if he could see the 'fairy's' face, she would probably have the same expression.

The pair exchanged glances before turning back to Gray.

"A man? Like… a grownup?" Seri questioned dubiously.

"Yeah, can't you see…" Gray cut himself short when he looked down at his body and noticed that his legs were a lot shorter than expected beneath the fibrous blanket made plant material. Through sheer effort, he pulled his hand from under the cover and sharply gasped at what he saw. His hand was the size of a child's...

What... What the hell is going on?!

It was then that Gray remembered the demon in Sun Village; the huge, hulking monster with the ugly face and purplish skin. The fiend had the power to weaken his foes by turning them into children. Once a man, he had gone berserk and transformed after Gray had completely pissed him off.

Images of the battle flashed through the mage's mind. He remembered the demon towering in front of him, swinging a giant fist down on his head, aiming to kill him in one blow. But the moment never came. Gray had no memory on what happened after that. Only blank white emptiness.

A headache started to pound mercilessly against his skull as he tried to think about it.

"… okay? Can you hear me?" Saria leaned in close to draw his attention, her brow knitted with worry. She gripped his trembling hand in a steady, assuring hold, fingers easily overlapping his. Her skin was smooth and her touch was pleasantly warm. "You should get some more rest. We can talk some more later. My friend will be back with some healing medicine before nightfall so it won't be too long."

Gray shook his head, still shocked by his situation. "I-I… I'm not supposed to be a kid," he stuttered. Unless the demon was still around and affecting him with its power. He stiffened at the thought, his eyes growing wide. He suddenly became angry. "Where is it? The monster that's doing this?!" he demanded, attempting to get out of bed. His whole body was protesting against it. The most he could do was perform a half-roll before Saria firmly held him down.

The girl hushed in his ear. "Don't worry! It's okay! It's okay!" she coaxed, keeping her eyes locked on his. As she spoke, she gently brushed a hand through his hair, trying to calm him; "There are no monsters around here. Only us. You're safe here. Nothing is going to hurt you. Please, close your eyes and get some more sleep."

Gray tensed at the word 'sleep'. Perhaps he was truly dreaming; caught in a bizarre nightmare after getting knocked out cold by the demon. Or maybe he was on the verge of death and he was experiencing a weird vision of sorts... Something crazy like that.

Wanting it to be over soon, Gray stopped struggling. He nodded and shut his eyes, hoping he would wake up back on the other side where his friends were likely waiting.

He felt Saria pull away and heard her wring a wet cloth over a basin of water. She placed it gently over his eyes and forehead. Nice and hot, the heat soothed the pain in his head and he quickly fell asleep.

He dreamt again. This time he was standing in the middle of Sun Village, everything encased in shimmering purple ice. A demon was attacking the place, smashing apart the huge stone buildings like they were only toys and shattering the ice that was once thought unbreakable. But it wasn't the ugly fiend with the tusks – it was Deliora.

Bigger than the giants and taller than the mountains, the fearsome, gargantuan monster was crushing the frozen villagers under its massive, clawed feet, turning them into sparkling dust with ease. In the midst of its rampage, Deliora saw Gray and began to stomp towards him.

Crimson eyes that glowed with a malevolent light petrified the mage with utmost fear.

Gray couldn't move, feeling as if he was trapped in ice like the giants. He was desperate to flee but his body refused to listen despite the evil threat marching his way. The sundering of stone and ice rang loud, however it was the thunderous, mocking laughter coming from the demon's gaping maw that hurt Gray's ears most.

"Gray! Run!"

His head turned sharply towards Ur's voice. He found her down below, right in the path of the gigantic monster. She bravely stood before the enemy, her incredible magic power radiating from her body in the form of cool blue energy. She had fallen into an all-too-familiar stance, fully prepared to sacrifice her life in order to use the ultimate ice spell: Iced Shell.

"No!" Gray screamed, finally able to snap out of his terror. Tears stun his eyes as he broke into a run towards his master. He tripped over something and landed roughly on the icy ground. As he scrambled back up, he noticed his hands were small. He was only a little boy; weak, pathetic, and helpless.

"Ur!" he cried.

But it was too late. Her spell was complete. White magic circles surrounded Deliora and the ground was torn asunder by brilliant blue energy. She turned to Gray one last time, a sad smile upon her face. Then she was gone in a blinding flash and all Gray could do was scream her name.

The mage was shaken awake.

"It's only a dream. Only a dream," someone whispered softly in his ear.

Gray gasped and held his breath to hold back a sob.

Only a dream? His heart sank the instant he recognized Saria's voice. She truly was real and not a figment of his imagination, which meant he was still cursed as a child and not where he was supposed to be.

Saria was sitting right next to him, gently dabbing at the tears rolling down from the corners of his eyes. Seri hovered over the girl's shoulder, quietly observing.

"It was only a bad dream," Saria assured, giving him a smile and a light touch on his cheek.

He swallowed a lump in his throat. It wasn't a bad dream; it was a bad memory. He said nothing as she worked on cleaning up his face for he was too weak to do it himself.

The room was darker now, signifying that night had fallen. A pale, blue glow coming from the large, bioluminescent mushrooms growing on the nearby wall lit up Saria's face alongside Seri's natural light.

"Are you okay now?" Saria asked, furrowing her brow in concern.

No… I don't know what the hell is happening... Gray wanted to say but he bit his tongue and nodded instead.

Saria didn't seem convinced as she continued to frown. She turned her attention to someone standing off to the side and motioned for that person to come over with a nod of her head.

A boy with blond hair and blue eyes stepped into Gray's line of sight. He was about the same age as Saria and dressed in a similar style of clothes. Atop his head was a green cap that matched his one-piece tunic that was cinched by a brown belt around the waist. Strapped diagonally down his torso was another brown belt that held a small sword, its hilt poking out from behind his left shoulder. And just like Saria, he had the same long, pointy ears and a 'fairy' companion fluttering beside him.

"I'm glad you're okay," said the boy, giving Gray a kind smile. He reached into a satchel by his hip and pulled out a glass bottle that was corked with a reddish liquid inside. "I have a potion that'll make you feel better. Please drink it."

Gray warily eyed the strange-looking medicine as the boy twisted the cork off.

Saria helped Gray sit up. Despite how gentle and careful she was, it was still an agonizing process for the mage. He was sore, stiff, and aching all over and every open wound stung like mad. The effort to move took his breath away, leaving him winded and dizzy. And to top it off, that awful headache had returned in full force. He had to lean against Saria in order to stay upright, which she wasn't hesitant to do.

Something cold pressed against Gray's lips. He caught a whiff of an unpleasant, earthly odour that made him wrinkle his nose.

"It's not poison, I promise you," the boy assured when he saw the mage's face. In a softer tone, he instructed, "Drink it slowly. Just a small sip at a time. It will help heal your wounds and bring back your strength."

The instant a drop of the medicine hit Gray's tongue, he couldn't help but cringe in disgust. The potion was horrid in taste and thick like syrup. It was like drinking mud. Some of Porlyusica's medicines were bad enough, but this stuff was somehow ten times worse.

Gray fought against the strong urge to gag as the potion filled his mouth. He really did want to get better and could only trust in the words of the boy that the repulsive concoction would do just that. Through sheer willpower, Gray swallowed the nasty liquid. He could only stomach a second mouthful before he finally turned his head away when the boy kept offering him more.

"Ugh! It's so yucky!" Gray blurted, sticking his tongue out from the bitter aftertaste.

The other boy chuckled and gave Gray an apologetic smile. "Sorry. I know it doesn't taste the greatest. Until I can find a healing fairy, this will have to do." He shoved the bottle back in Gray's face.

Again, the mage turned away like a fussy child and shook his head. "I can't drink any more of it. Keep it away from me, kid."

The blond pulled back his bottle and raised an eyebrow. "If you haven't noticed, you're a kid too," he pointed out. "And younger."

Grunting, Gray glanced down at his body to confirm that he was, indeed, still cursed by the demon's power. He was shirtless, his chest and arms covered in ugly scrapes and bruises. Open wounds were dressed in large leaves that were held in place by a sticky, minty-smelling white goop. It didn't look like any bones were broken, so he was fortunate about that. His eyes lingered on the dark blue crest of Fairy Tail on his chest as he suddenly found the energy to lift his right arm to touch it. He frowned.

"I'm... not supposed to be a kid," Gray murmured, dropping his hand upon his lap. He stared as he flexed each of his little fingers to form a tight, trembling fist.

Without a word, Saria placed a hand over of his, once again to steady him in a firm, assuring hold. He met her compassionate gaze, seeing the face of someone who truly wanted to help. In many ways, she reminded him of Wendy.

Gently, Gray pulled away from Saria, no longer needing her full support to sit up thanks to the surprising effects of the awful potion.

The other boy joined Saria in sitting on the edge of the bed. He leaned forward to look Gray over closely with curious blue eyes. "Saria mentioned you said you are a man? Is that really true?"

Gray nodded and hardened his expression. "Yes. I'm eighteen years old. Not seven."

"Eighteen? Is that really old?" Saria asked, cocking her head in his direction.

Gray blinked at her odd question. She was still young, so he had to assume she had yet to learn what it was like to be an adult.

"You're all grown up when you're eighteen," he explained to her. "But I got turned back into a kid by – Wait, did you see him?" He looked between the children and their hovering orbs of light; "The big purple-blue demon? Is it around?"

The other boy furrowed his brow and slowly shook his head, obviously not sure what Gray was talking about.

Gray was distraught by his answer. It didn't make sense. During the battle, Gray had shifted from an adult to a boy and back again due to the demon's fluctuating power and emotions. If the demon wasn't around, Gray should be back to normal. Was the vile fiend hiding somewhere nearby? No – Gray would have detected its presence. There was no evil energy affecting this place as it had in Sun Village when the demon fully transformed. The children in the room were actual children and not cursed like him.

The blond straightened and narrowed his eyes inquisitively at the mage. "Was it the demon who injured you?"

Gray nodded and growled in anger, "I was fighting it. But the bastard cursed me – turned me into a weak child so he could easily overpower me." He should be dead, honestly. There was no way he could have survived the demon's last attack. But he just couldn't remember what happened no matter how hard he tried to think about it.

Both Saria and the boy looked surprised.

"Demons are very bad monsters, aren't they?" Saria asked, frowning at Gray.

"Don't you know? They are evil beings," Seri answered, visibly quivering in fear as she hovered above Saria's head.

The other 'fairy' whose name Gray had yet to learn fluttered up to him. "You are brave to battle a demon," she praised with admiration. Her voice slightly differed from Seri's by being one pitch lower.

"A demon with the power to turn you into a child..." the blond boy mused out loud, looking off to the side with great unease. He was pondering over something for a moment before turning his attention back on Gray. There was no disbelief in his expression, but understanding. He knew the other spoke the truth. "No wonder your pants are so big," he commented with a little grin.

Gray peeked under the covers and was grateful he was still wearing his boxers and pants albeit they were a couple sizes too large at the moment.

"Can you tell us what happened?" the other boy pressed on.

Gray didn't answer right away. He studied the blond intently, curious to know who he was. Looking no more than at least nine-years old, the kid behaved quite maturely for his age. The same could be said of Saria, which made him wonder who these children were exactly. He had a strong gut feeling they were more than what they appeared to be.

Instead of answering, Gray looked between the children and asked instead, "Was it the both of you who found me?"

"No, it was the four of us!" Seri corrected, bobbing up and down with Navi joining right beside her.

"Yes, we are the ones who found you unconscious in the Lost Woods," Saria answered with a nod, gesturing to her three companions.

Gray furrowed his brow. He vaguely remembered battling the demon amongst the frozen trees surrounded by mountains. "The Lost Woods? Is that what you call the forest around Sun Village?"

Both children looked confused while the two 'fairies' shared a glance.

The boy crossed his arms and tilted his head. "Sun Village? There are no other villages nearby. Kokiri–"

"Hush, Link!" Seri interrupted, flying up to the blond's face. "You can't tell him about this place!"

The boy named Link perked an eyebrow in confusion. "Why?"

"Don't you know? Mido will get angry!"

Link waved Seri away like she was talking nonsense and grumbled irritably, "Really? Mido has no reason to get mad over that. That's dumb and unfair."

"It's just his way of trying to protect us now that our guardian is gone," said Saria, a hint of sadness in her tone.

Link sighed and softened his expression. He nodded in understanding before looking at Gray with trustful eyes. "I don't care if Mido will get mad. You need our help so I will tell you that we are in Kokiri Forest, uh... Sorry! We still don't know your name! I am Link and this is Navi," he smiled at the glowing, winged orb that fluttered in front of Gray's face and gestured to Saria; "And you've already met Saria and her fairy partner, Seri."

There it was again. The word 'fairy'.

Gray still wasn't convinced that the talking balls of light were the mythical creatures his beloved guild was named after.

There are no such things as fairies… But then again, he didn't believe in giants either until he stepped foot in Sun Village.

He would have to ask about these 'fairies' later. "My name is Gray."

"Oh! What an odd name!" Saria exclaimed, her eyes wide with fascination.

Offended, Gray pouted. "What? What's so odd about my name?"

Giggling, Saria gently tugged on the ends of a few strands of his hair. "It's odd because your hair is so dark! Darker than shadows. It's not gray at all. I've never seen anything like this before."

Gray stared in slight disbelief. He could only assume there weren't too many people with black hair around this region, wherever the hell he was. 'Kokiri Forest' didn't sound familiar and Link had mentioned that there were no other villages nearby. So where in Fiore did he end up and how did he get here? Again, his mind could only draw a blank. Not being able to remember troubled him deeply.

His concern must have shown on his face because Saria soon apologized.

"I'm sorry, Gray! Did I say something wrong?"

Gray shook his head and looked away. "No... I just can't remember what happened..." he muttered, furling his hands in frustration. "I was fighting the demon somewhere near Sun Village... then I woke up here."

"Where is this Sun Village?" Link asked.

"Should be close to where you found me."

"But there are no other villages near the Lost Woods," Link said again, shaking his head. "Where in Hyrule is this village?"

Gray stared at him. "Huh? Is 'Hyrule' what you call this region?"

"Hyrule is the name of this kingdom," Navi began to explain, slowly fluttering back and forth as if she was pacing in the air. "There are several different regions. Lost Woods. Lake Hylia. Hyrule Field. Gerudo Valley. Death Mountain. Zora's Domain. Do any of those names sound familiar?"

Gray knitted his brow in confusion. "I've never heard of those places..."

"Never? How can this be?" Navi questioned, flabbergasted. "Are you not from Hyrule?"

"No, I'm from the Kingdom of Fiore."

Gray's answer brought perplexed looks. They've never heard of Fiore and he had never heard of Hyrule. Something was definitely not right. There was a sense of dread growing in the pit of Gray's stomach as it was becoming clear that his situation was a lot worse than he had thought.

The mage had somehow ended up in another kingdom, cursed as a child. Did the demon decide to drag him here instead of killing him? Or could it have been something else entirely?

Desperate to find out, he demanded, "Take me to the place where you found me."

Link was taken aback by the sudden command. "It's very late," he said, glancing towards the entrance of the small room.

Gray followed the other boy's gaze and saw no door, but a rectangular hole in the wooden wall that led straight outdoors. It was clearly nighttime, likely with a full moon high above for there were silvery rays shining through the gaps of trees.

It was then that Gray took a quick look around and realized that they were occupying the only room in the building. It looked like they were inside the hollowed trunk of a giant tree, similar to Porlyusica's home in East Forest. There were no windows and the only light source – aside from the 'fairies' – were the numerous glowing mushrooms growing out of the walls. There were multiple shelves carved out from the inner trunk stacked with wooden and clay utensils, dried and fresh herbs, pots and jars, and many other miscellaneous objects.

Near the entrance was a small stone pit for a cooking fire and a wooden basin for water. The only furnishings were two short tree stumps for stools and the one bed Gray had taken over.

"Lately, it's been getting very dangerous at night in the Lost Woods," Link continued, slightly frowning at Gray, "so we'll take you during the day. And once you're feeling better."

Gray didn't like to wait, but he had no choice given his condition. "I'll be better tomorrow morning. Take me then," he insisted.

Link was skeptical as he looked Gray over, his eyes lingering on the mage's more serious injuries out of concern. He held out his bottle of red potion, his lips curling into a smug smile. "Drink the rest of this and we'll see how you're feeling tomorrow morning."

Gray hesitated, his face morphing into absolute disgust. He was about to stubbornly refuse when Saria decided to pluck the bottle out of Link's hand.

"Gray doesn't like the bitter taste," she told the other boy, sliding off the bed. She started to walk over to one of the shelves with Seri following right behind. "How about I sweeten it? Do you like honey, Gray?"

"I don't mind it," the mage mumbled, watching her pour from a small brown jar into the glass bottle.

Saria swirled the bottle to mix the potion as she returned to the bedside. With a smile, she handed the medicine to Gray. "There. It shouldn't be too bad now!"

Gray was still reluctant. However, he didn't want to disappoint Saria. He had to remember that she and Link were just trying to help. At least they didn't physically force him to take the medicine, much like how Porlyusica loved to do whenever he needed to take her remedies.

Sighing in defeat, Gray slowly brought the opening to his lips, sensing everyone in the room watching him. He shut his eyes, plugged his nose, and chugged the entire potion down as if he was competing in a beer-drinking contest against Cana.

Saria was half-right. The added sweetness made the concoction slightly less disgusting.

"Yuck… so gross," he groaned, shuddering at the foul aftertaste. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and glowered at the empty bottle. To his surprise, he felt the potion work almost like magic, instantly soothing his headache and the pain of his wounds. "What's this stuff made of?"

Chuckling, Link grabbed his bottle back and shrugged. "I don't know. I bought it from a Deku Scrub."

"A what?"

"A Deku Scrub," Link repeated as if Gray was expected to know exactly what that was. "Anyway, get some more rest. I'll come by tomorrow morning to see how you're feeling, okay?" Seeing the mage nod in response, Link smiled and got up. He exchanged a look with Saria before turning around to leave with Navi fluttering alongside him.

As Gray watched Link step out into the night, he noticed a small wooden shield with a red symbol strapped to the other boy's back that he hadn't noticed before.

Saria sat back down on the bed beside Gray, her kind smile still present on her face. "Link's right," she said, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder; "Even though there's a lot I want to ask you, you should get some more rest."

Gray was hesitant to listen to her. He didn't want to dream again. As he was now, the terrible memory of Deliora was fresh in his mind as if the incident had just happened yesterday. He'd rather stay up than experience that nightmare all over again.

"Saria, where will you sleep tonight?" Seri asked, hovering before her partner.

The girl looked over at one of the shelves. "The floor, I suppose. I do have a mat I could use."

Gray blinked at her. "Wait a minute, is this your bed?"

She nodded. "Yes. This is my home."

Gray was suddenly flushed with embarrassment. He was sitting in a girl's bed. Not only that, it was the only bed in the house, which made him wonder. "Oh… Your home… You live by yourself? Where... Where are your parents?"

Saria tilted her head at his question, confused. "My 'parents'?"

Seri flitted up to the mage's face. "Don't you know? Saria is a Kokiri! The Kokiri race don't have parents! They never grow up and stay as children forever."

It took a moment for Gray to process that information. "Ko-kiri race? Wait... R-Really?!" Stunned, he gaped at Saria in disbelief, seeing her nod and giggle at his reaction. If she stayed as a child forever, did that mean she was immortal and was far 'older' than how she looked?

Gray was speechless, overwhelmed by the bizarre – yet fascinating – new things about this strange, new place.

The Kingdom of Hyrule. The Kokiri, a race of eternal children. And...

Gray stared intently at Seri. "Are you... really a fairy?"

The winged orb shifted closer so she was an inch from his nose. "You didn't believe me when I told you? It's the truth! I'm a fairy and I'm Saria's partner for life. Don't you know? There are many other fairies in the world, not just us in the Lost Woods."

If that is true, then how come no one in Earthland has ever reported seeing one?

But that wasn't the important question Gray had in mind. Squinting, he studied the fairy closely and saw only transparent wings and light. "Do you have a tail?"

Seri flew back in shock while Saria burst out in laughter. "A what?!" the orb shrieked at the top of her lungs, making the boy wince. She flashed red. "Does it look like I have a tail?!"

Sheepishly, Gray rubbed the back of his neck and looked off to the side. "Well, it's hard to see–"

"I don't have a tail!" She was right in his face all bright, red, and angry.

Gray held up his hands in defence. "Okay! Okay! You don't! Sorry for asking!"

Seri huffed, turning back to a calmer white. She joined her giggling partner's side. "Where'd you get the idea that I would have a tail?" she grumbled in annoyance.

"Um, well…"

Saria held up her hand to interrupt, all the while trying to stifle her laughter. She had to take a few deep breaths before she was calm enough to speak. "I think that's enough questioning. It's a far walk where we found you so it's best you get some more sleep, Gray."

The mage shook his head. "I'm not tired," he lied. "And I've taken your bed. You can have it back." He got as far as throwing off the blanket when Saria quickly held him back, her hands firm on his shoulders.

She wasn't so easily fooled. "Don't worry about me and the bed. Focus on getting better, okay? It's not easy to get through the Lost Woods. You'll need all the strength you can get. Please, lie back down." When he didn't make a move, she added, "I can play a song for you so you can fall asleep easier. How about it?" She left the bedside and headed for the closest shelf, right by the foot of the bed.

"No, it's fine," Gray replied, resuming to climb out of her bed. Seri however, flew right at his face. He felt what could possibly be the smallest hand smack him between the eyes. The blow didn't hurt, but it made him flinch in surprise.

"Don't move!" the fairy warned in a stern tone.

Saria returned with something in her hand. It was a wooden wind instrument in the shape of an egg. "Link taught me this new song the other day. It's called 'Zelda's Lullaby'. It's a beautiful melody. I'm sure it'll bring you pleasant dreams," she explained with a cheerful smile.

Pleasant dreams? Perhaps he'll wake up back at the Sun Village where Natsu, Happy, Wendy, Carla, Lucy, and Erza were waiting for him. He could only hope.

Heaving a weary sigh, Gray finally gave in. He lay on the hard, wooden bed that was only cushioned by a thin-layer of spongy plant material. At least the pillow was slightly softer than a rock.

Saria pulled the blanket back over Gray and sat on the edge near his feet. Above her head, Seri bobbed up and down, excited to hear her partner play.

Taking a deep breath, Saria brought the mouthpiece of her instrument to her lips, closed her eyes, and began to fill the room with music.

The Lost Woods was rarely calm and quiet when the sun was down. Creatures of all sizes lurked in the endless shadows. Night beasts hunted and foraged in the dark and many insects sang. And with the Great Deku Tree no longer protecting the forest, more monsters had begun to appear.

Silently, Link carefully ventured through the trees, keeping his senses in full alert. Flying ahead was Navi, acting as both a torch and a guide to light his path. The young swordsman wasn't only watching out for the typical monsters that dwelled in the woods, but also the purple-blue demon who could turn grownups into children.

They hid behind the large trunk of a tree when they reached the ancient stone gate that led to the Sacred Forest Meadow. A pack of Wolfos were prowling by the entrance in search of a meal. The pack didn't linger for long and were gone before Link grew tired of waiting.

The boy quickly traversed the maze-like passageways that were bordered by tall, ancient, crumbling stone walls that were covered in moss and thick vines. He had cleared the area of monsters earlier in the day and was glad none had yet to return.

As he climbed the mossy steps carved between two rocky cliffs, Navi finally broke the silence that had fallen between them ever since they left Saria's home.

"You believe that boy, don't you? That he is truly a man and not a child?" she asked, moving to fly over her partner's shoulder.

Link nodded. It was a story he would not have truly believed if he had never left Kokiri Forest. The many different things he had seen and experienced beyond the boundary of trees had opened his eyes to the real world. It was so much larger than he had ever imagined, full of mystery, wonder, and new things to discover. Anything was possible, he was quick to learn. If there was such a thing as a Skulltula Curse, then the curse to turn people into children could also exist.

After all, Link was sort of in the same situation as Gray at the moment, having travelled through time from the future to the past.

"He's kind of like me. A body of a child, but a mind of an adult. And besides, his pants are obviously way too big for him," he answered, giving his partner a lopsided grin. His smile soon faded. "Gray was nearly killed... There is no monster in this forest that could have caused those kind of injuries so it must really be the demon he spoke of."

The powerful being could possibly be hiding somewhere deep within the woods. However, neither Link nor Navi could detect the demon's evil presence anywhere.

Its whereabouts wasn't what bothered Link the most however. Gray's sudden appearance within the Sacred Forest Meadow was truly a mystery, especially when considering the strange circumstances involved.

Link reached the top of the steps and entered the clearing before the Forest Temple. The starry sky could be seen between the branches of the towering, guardian trees with the radiant full moon casting silvery rays upon the misty meadow below.

Moonlight danced across the layers of steaming ice that had completely covered the stone Forest Platform situated in the centre of the meadow. Tall and jagged, the purplish-white ice rose from the platform like the curved claws of an enormous, glacial beast.

Link stopped before the ice, his eyes drawn to the sparkling shine on the frozen surfaces. Beautiful, yet fearsome. It was within the heart of those clutching claws that Gray was found. The injured, unconscious boy was as cold as the surrounding ice that Link had feared him dead. For Gray to survive, his guardians must truly be watching over him.

The ice chilled the air around the meadow, dropping the temperature so low that Link could see his breath. Shivering, he held his body and took a step forward to get a closer look. Over half a day had passed and the ice showed no signs of melting.

Navi quickly circled around the enormous claws, making the crystal shimmer like jewels. Powerful magic had created the ice, she had surmised; conjured up by someone or something unknown. Link and Navi were determined to find the one behind it for the sake of Hyrule's future.

In seven years, Hyrule will become a cold and cursed land; the kingdom completely covered in purplish ice that refused to melt beneath the sun.

Link had seen it with his own eyes when he had returned to the future, his mind set on defeating the Great King of Evil, Ganondorf, and end his reign of terror over Hyrule. The Hero of Time had awakened all the Sages and was prepared to infiltrate the Evil King's fortress. However, when Link had set foot in the future after a brief visit to the present, he was horrified to find all of Hyrule frozen over. The entire kingdom was trapped within thick layers of ice; an empty, frigid wasteland where nothing was alive.

As an adult, Link had tried to search for what could have caused such a drastic change, but there was no one left to help him. All friends and foes alike had perished, leaving a bare and haunted land. The elements were extremely harsh and the terrain too treacherous to cross. No fire could melt the cursed ice, not even the blue flames that were effective against the crimson ice in the Ice Cavern. Even Death Mountain was affected with its once smouldering peak capped with frost.

Unprepared for the weather and at a loss on what to do, Link and Navi had to quickly retreat to the present time. Upon their return, they began searching for answers that may explain the altered future, starting with Zora's Domain. Finding nothing amiss, they had decided to head to Kokiri Forest to visit Saria and take a rest when they happened to stumble across their first clue waiting in the Lost Woods.

"This ice is the very same that will one day cover Hyrule..." said Navi, zipping down to Link's side. "Do you think that Gray could be the root cause of it? Could this magical ice be his power to wield? I can sense some form of magic energy from him, but it is very faint."

Link vigorously rubbed his arms to keep warm. He frowned at the troubling thought and sighed. "I don't think he could be the one responsible. There is no darkness in his heart. Saria has a talent for knowing this. It could be the demon."

"No darkness, yet..." Navi murmured, tentative and cautious. "There is still seven years to go before... Well, anything can happen between now and then. There's no way of predicting it right now."

The boy bowed his head and closed his eyes, mulling over on what they already know. "Don't you find it strange that the future was suddenly changed? Why was Hyrule not frozen the first time we awakened from the Sacred Realm? We crossed time more than once and the future was still only under the rule of Ganondorf. So why did the last trip end up in a different future?"

Navi didn't have an answer right away. She turned to the ice and slowly fluttered to the centre of claws, making it appear as if the ice was grasping onto a bright light source. "Destiny has changed because of Gray and this ice... His presence has triggered something. I have a feeling he is not supposed to be here. How far away do you think he came from? Could he have warped here by accident during his battle with the demon?"

Link perked up at the suggestion. "Could be possible. That might explain why he ended up on the warp platform and the demon he fought is not around. He must be from somewhere far away… No one in Hyrule has hair as dark as his. If destiny has suddenly changed because of Gray, then he is the key in preventing that future. If only he can remember what happened to have brought him here…"

Navi flew out of the ice to join back with her partner. "He may remember once he sees this."

Link nodded and gazed upon the foggy, moonlit ice that he feared would one day freeze over the beautiful land of Hyrule. He was anxious to find out the truth. "Let's find a healing fairy before we head back for some sleep," he suggested after a moment of silence. With that, he and Navi left the Sacred Forest Meadow, wanting to help their new friend.

A/N: Thanks for reading and have a good day!