END OF A LEGEND
PROLOGUE
With a spinning jump slash, the almighty god cleaved Majora's Mask in half. The monstrous humanoid creature groaned and then squirmed as it fell to the floor with a heavy thud. After convulsing for several seconds, it breathed its last breath and ceased moving.
"I-Is it over?" The yellow fairy asked. The glowing ball of light with small wings hovered cautiously over the fallen monster.
Instead of answering her, the Fierce Deity groaned in pain and felt his legs and body giving out. Before he collapsed to the ground, he slammed his long double helix blade into the ground and used it as a crutch. The powerful god was quickly losing his strength.
"Hey, what's happening to you?" The fairy asked, fear and concern in her voice.
The Fierce Deity just shook his head as his eyelids became heavier. "I think I used too much magic, Tatl."
The dark chamber they were in had begun to violently shake.
"What's going on now?" The fairy looked over at the remains of Majora's Mask and saw that it floated into the air before it began to shatter like pieces of glass. Beams of light pierced its body from the inside.
The Fierce Deity didn't know what was going to happen. All he did was closed his eyelids and felt his mind flying far away while the blinding white light enveloped the two of them. In no time, the rumbling became just a distant echo.
When Link opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was the bright clear blue sky. The demonic moon that loomed over the world for days was no longer in sight.
"It's over, right?" A sense of relief washed over him.
"Geez, you're finally awake. It's about time." Even without seeing who it was, Link recognized the familiar haughty voice that was with him for what felt like a lifetime.
"Tatl, it's good to see that you're doing fine too," he said with a wide smile.
"Hmph, well…thanks for worrying about me." The fairy responded with her usual awkward fluster.
Link looked down at his small hands. He was no longer in the adult body of the white-haired Fierce Deity. No longer a god with powers that can be described as frightening. He's now just a mere mortal. A short 11-year old boy.
He climbed to his feet as the other purple fairy and the Skull Kid came up to him.
"Thanks for reuniting me with my sister," the purple fairy said, expressing a surprising amount of gratitude.
"I-I help out too, you know," Tatl quickly interjected. "So don't praise him too much, Tael."
While this exchange was going on, the Skull Kid was busy sniffing Link's green tunic.
"Uh, what are you doing?" Link took a step back away from the Skull Kid who was ignoring boundaries.
"You smell familiar…" The Skull Kid finally said. "Like the one that taught me that song."
"Saria's Song? Hmm…I do recall teaching it to a Skull Kid near the Kokiri Forest."
"Now that you mention it, that was me." Link admitted with a surprised smile. "I'm glad that you still remembered the song."
The Skull Kid grinned under his large straw hat, or at least it seemed to look like he was grinning. He scratched the top of his head. "I really like that song. Thanks for teaching it to me." He then extended out his hand. "I'd like it if we can we be friends."
Despite all of the pain and trouble he had to endure because of this small creature, Link found himself surprised that he wasn't holding any grudges. "Sure, let's do that." He shook the wooden hand. "But only if you return the things you took from me."
"Is that all?" He happily reached into his pocket and dug out a seemingly small brown bag. "We never opened it so everything should still be inside."
"It's not like we were able to open it," Tatl quietly muttered at the side.
Link forced a smile and ignored what he just heard. His long ears weren't just for show. That was when he noticed the Happy Mask Salesman standing nearby, his usual smile seemed even larger now as he held Majora's Mask in his hands, treating it like a precious object.
"Isn't it about time you return home?" He advised.
"You're leaving now?" The Skull Kid asked with a hint of sadness.
The Hylian looked around him, at the fields of Termina, the mountains, forest and the sea in the distance. There was a small throbbing pain in his chest. Even he was feeling sad by the thought of leaving. It had become like a home to him, but it wasn't his home. "Yes, I think it's about time."
The Skull Kid's eyes fell to the ground, but he quickly raised them, his usual energetic self, returning. "Don't worry about me. I won't be lonely because I have friends here. But, we should have some fun when we see each other again!"
Link smiled at the suggestion. "Of course we will. We'll engage in some harmless mischief, right?"
The Skull Kid laughed, then waved his hands and began walking away to an unknown destination. Tael gave Link what seemed like a nod and then flew after the Skull Kid. Tatl remained hovering nearby.
"I didn't say it before, but thanks. It's been fun too."
"The same goes for me. I couldn't get here without your help. So thanks, I appreciate it."
A tinged of red appeared on the yellow fairy. "I-I hope that you find your partner someday." And with those parting words, she quickly chased after her brother and friend who had already began to disappear in the distance.
"In such a short time, you were able to touch the hearts of many people and change their lives for the better," the Mask Salesman said after they were alone. "I'm impressed."
"I had some help," Link thought, reaching into his pocket and confirming that he still had the Ocarina of Time. "What happens with Majora's Mask now?"
"You have no need for concern. All magic had been extinguished from it. It won't be able to wreak havoc anymore."
"Ah!" Link suddenly shouted and then reached into his other item bag. He took out his remaining masks, the Deku Scrub mask, the Goron mask, the Zora mask, and the Fierce Deity mask. They suddenly began glowing and then from the light, appeared the spirits of each of the masks. Their bodies floated in the air before they disappeared once again. Even though the spirits said nothing, Link felt like he understood what they wanted to say.
"It seems like those spirits can finally rest," the Mask Salesman noted. "Well, I don't know about that god though. But in any case, it doesn't really concern us, now does it? You best return home soon. I opened a magical path from inside the clock tower. Just go back the way you came from. It's opened until the end of the day in case you want to stick around a while longer." After saying goodbye, the mysterious man disappeared.
"Now what to do?" Link said to himself and rubbed his chin. In the direction of Clock Town, he could hear people celebrating in the distance. "No way I'm missing out on that. It's about time I get to see what the New Day brings."
He was about to call Epona with his Ocarina, but he noticed her munching on some grass a few feet away. Together, they returned to Clock Town within a few minutes.
The town was the most active he had ever seen since he first arrived here. Hundreds of people were crowded together in the southside plaza. They were all joyously dancing and singing as they celebrated the New Day. People from all over Termina had come together. From the Gorons, Zoras, Deku Scrubs and even the Gerudo. There were a lot of familiar faces as well such as Romani, Cremia and those others that he helped while on his journey to defeat Majora's Mask.
It was an uplifting scene that he was sure that he would never forget. He bought some meet kebabs from the stands and watched the celebration from high up in the balcony. A few hours flew by and the celebration continued as loudly as before. But for Link, it was time for him to make his departure. He called Epona and they had somehow slipped past everyone until he made his way to the large clock tower. With one final look at the people of Termina, he entered the Clock Tower and disappeared from the world, as if he was never there.
CHAPTER I: LIVING IN DIFFERENT WORLDS
Link groaned and then shifted his body on the ground. He rubbed his throbbing head and then slowly opened his eyes. Everything was out of focus and it took a while before the scene in front of him became clear. Tall dark trees loomed over him, casting their large shadows around him. Fortunate for him, there was enough sunlight to pierce the branches and leaves that covered much of the sky.
"Epona!" Link cried out when he saw his horse collapsed on the ground. He gently shook her upper body before life returned to the animal.
She shook her head and then got back on her feet, not appearing hindered or in pain.
"There, there, good girl," he rubbed the top of her head. "Seems like you're fine. As for where we are…" He examined his surroundings once again and then recalled that after entering the Clock Tower, they retraced their path from when they first entered Termina. Not thinking too much about it, they descended the tower at a normal pace until they stumbled into a hole and fell for who knows how far. At some point afterwards, he lost consciousness.
"Epona, do you know where we are?"
The horse neighed and then blew air out of her nostrils.
Link sighed. "Somehow, I knew you'd say that." He looked at the large trees again. "It does look like the Lost Woods, but that can be anywhere. Hopefully, we aren't too far away from Kokiri Forest. Time to make use of my long ears again." He closed his eyes and concentrated on the sounds. Other than the ongoing breathing noises that Epona was making, the Lost Woods was deathly quiet. There wasn't any evidence of life. Not even the chirping of a bird nor the howling of a wolf.
Seconds flew by and then a minute, and another minute. He was about to give up when he heard an extremely feint sound. Despite how quiet the sound was, it was still a nostalgic sound for him.
"We're not too far away from home now, Epona. Let's go." Link got onto Epona's back and together they traversed the path that was invisible to the eye.
The ride lasted for several hours and Link had to take several breaks along the way. There wasn't any food on them, but fortunately, there was enough water in the canteen for both him and Epona. For each time he felt fatigue overcoming him, his desire to quickly return home grew stronger. Epona shared his sentiments and was willing to power through their exhaustion until the familiar open Kokiri Forest into view. As always, returning to the village after a long journey had brought peace and comfort to his heart and mind.
"Except that one time in the future, that is."
In contrast to the dark and enclosed Lost Woods, Kokiri Forest was more opened and brighter. Sunlight shone through the clouds in the sky, illuminating the village. It felt more alive. Just by closing his eyes, he could hear the rippling of water, feel the spring breeze brushing against his cheeks, and smell the sweet aroma of flowers. He opened his eyes. Despite it being daytime, the mysterious particles that floated around the village were visible.
Link spotted several Kokiri wandering around the village, but it was the blonde haired Fado who noticed him first when he got off of Epona.
"Hey Link, when did you get back?" She shouted from her treehouse.
The door to Saria's treehouse swung opened and the green haired Kokiri ran out of it. Link's close friend looked down the railing with large opened eyes and without a word, she climbed down the ladder, and ran towards him.
Despite getting caught off guard by her sudden leap towards him, he caught her in his arms so that they ended in an embrace. "Did you miss me that much?" He joked as they separated. "I wasn't gone for that long, right?"
"You were gone for more than 6 months you know," she responded with visible displeasure.
"T-That long?" Link was surprised on how long his journey took. "Maybe time moved differently in Termina," he surmised.
"Yeah, so I got worried…" she quietly said and then got a better look at Link. "I think you've grown a bit taller too."
"Really?" A very pleased smile appeared on Link's face.
"By the way…" She looked over his shoulders. "You couldn't find her?" It was less of a question and more like a statement.
"Yeah, I still don't know where she is," he gloomily replied.
That was when somebody loudly and intentionally cleared his throat. They turned their attention to Mido, the moody leader of the Kokiri. His narrowed eyes were focused on the close proximity between Saria and Link. "So, you're back. I thought you were gone for good…Where did you go anyway?"
"Oh, just traveling here and there," Link vaguely replied.
Mido didn't seemed to have accept his answer, but that was when he noticed the golden Gilded Sword hooked around Link's back. "You brought back a new sword? What happened to the Kokiri Sword?"
"Oh…" Link began, then felt sweat pouring down his forehead. That was when the other Kokiri were gathering around at Link's return. "Actually…this Gilded Sword was forged from the Kokiri Sword."
"…What!? You lost our treasured sword?" They could see the Kokiri leader's face turning bright red like a tomato.
"Well not really lost," Link quietly clarified. "It's still there, just in a different shape…"
Mido's mouth opened and closed several times, but it didn't seem like he could shoot out any words.
"Let's take this chance and get away," Saria said as she grabbed Link's hand and guide him towards his treehouse. Epona followed after them and then started eating the grass at the base of his house.
Saria pushed Link into his own home and then secured the door with a makeshift lock. She wiped her forehead after making sure the door wouldn't open. "Well, that could've gone worse."
"I know, right?" Link laughed and then Saria quickly joined in. He didn't know how long they were laughing, but it probably could've gone for a long time if not for Saria's fairy flying between them.
"Everyone knows that Saria is your closest friend so I didn't say anything as you two get caught up, but I think it's time you acknowledge my presence."
"Sorry about that, Kylie." He flashed her an innocent boyish smile. "I'm glad to see you again."
The fairy sighed. "Better late than never. Well, you two can continue with your discussion while I amuse myself over here." She flew over to the other side of the house where his bed was located.
"Still the same as ever, huh."
"Don't worry about her, she's just being considerate," Saria grinned. "So tell me what happened when you left."
Link was exhausted during the entire ride back to the Kokiri Forest, but for some reason, his fatigue disappeared when he set foot into the forest. "Okay, but it's a long story."
"I have time," she said, sitting down on a wooden stool and urging him to start.
Link drunk a bottle of milk and then relayed that he entered the world of Termina through the Lost Forest. The world interestingly enough, was that most of the people there were identical to the ones he met in Hyrule.
"Did you find my counterpart over there?" Saria asked with great interest.
"Not that I remember. That goes for the other Kokiri too." His answer made her visibly disappointed.
"Now that I think about it, I didn't meet my counterpart either."
Continuing with the story, Link mentioned that there was a massive moon that would fall down from the sky and destroy Clock Town and all of Termina after three days. He survived through it by turning back time. This gave him enough time to free the four giants who helped him defeat Majora's Mask.
When he was finished, Saria's eyes were wide opened with excitement. "That's amazing! It's like something from a story."
Link shared her excitement as he recounted his story, but now, he suddenly remembered that she never left the Kokiri Forest in her entire life. That thought saddened him and he tried to hide it by drinking another bottle of milk.
"It would've been great if you found Navi," she said, now becoming somber herself.
Link just responded with a simple "yeah."
The atmosphere got heavy, but before it became too unbearable, Saria asked, "Did you bring anything back?"
"A whole lot actually." Link took out one of his item bags and revealed the plethora of equipment he obtained from Termina. It wasn't everything, but it was still a lot.
"I would've liked to have kept that Bunny Hood…or the Giant's Mask." The thought of him as a giant, crushing trees and buildings brought a mischievous boyish grin to his face.
"Well that's what happened with me, but what about you?" He inquired. "Did anything interesting happened here while I was gone?"
"Something interesting?" Saria furrowed her eyebrows and looked up at nothing in particular. "Just the usual stuff." Link wasn't quite sure, but he detected a hint of sadness in her voice. "Well, there was this time where Mido fell into the pond when he tried to jump over it, but didn't make it. Oh, and there's this time when Fado played a prank on Mido by misplacing his hat."
Even though Saria continued to tell stories of very mundane events, Link gave her his full attention as he felt his soul being comforted. He wasn't sure if it's because of the stories itself or by the soothing sound of Saria's voice. At some point, his eyelids drooped and he doze off into a peaceful sleep.
On the following days after Link's return, not much happened afterwards other than the mundane-like events that were similar to Saria's stories. The-Know-It-All Brothers gave lectures to Link and the other Kokiri about various things, Fado playing pranks on a number of Kokiri, and Mido bossing him around. Basically, the usual.
He also decided to venture into the Forest Temple, a place where he hadn't step foot in since he gotten back from the future. Unlike the previous times he went there, the temple was free from dangerous enemies. Just a few Deku Scrubs and large Spiders who made their home in the temple were there. A sign that it was free from Ganondorf's influence. The venture didn't last long, only just about a day. He did retrieve the Fairy Bow which was still too big for him to use properly.
Although Link was happy being back with the Kokiri and he enjoyed his daily life in the forest, he became distracted by several things that lingered in the back of his mind. He wondered what he should be doing with his life from this point on. He left on his journey to find Navi and while he still greatly missed her, he had no idea where he should even continue searching. Months have already passed and he hadn't made any progress. Then there was the outside world, Hyrule. When he left, Ganondorf had not been caught so the idea that he was still somewhere out there made a shiver ran through his body. He had no news from what had happened since then. And lastly, there was his origins. The other Kokiri still didn't know and even though Link never told Saria, he had a feeling that she always knew even before telling her his Hero of Time stories.
"Is it alright for me to stay here?"
These were the thoughts that occupied his mind in the past few days. While he was still mulling over these thoughts, three surprising visitors entered the Kokiri Forest. Their appearance would force him to take action in regards to two of the thoughts that had been plaguing his mind.
On this particular evening when the moon had just replaced the sun in the sky, Link was lying awake on his bed and looking straight up at his ceiling, concentrating on nothing in particular. That was when he suddenly heard one of the Kokiri girls scream out loud. By reflex, Link quickly equipped his Hero's Shield and Gilded Sword and he was out of the door in mere seconds.
The scream had come from the Kokiri Forest's entrance and along the way, he saw several other Kokiri, including Saria made their way to the entrance as well. When Link arrived, he saw a Kokiri girl hiding behind Mido while Mido himself was trying to stand strong against the three figures in front of him. His legs and arms were trembling with fear against the three figures who were partially obscured by the shadows.
"T-The name's M-Mido, boss of the Kokiri," he announced with difficulty. "Outsiders are not welcomed here. So l-leave this place at once!"
Despite the obvious fear that had taken ahold of Mido, Link felt admiration for the courage that the Kokiri leader was displaying.
"I can't just stand back and leave it all to Mido though." Link took several steps forward in front of Mido and brandished his blade.
"Link, is that you?" One of the figures called out to him.
The familiar voice stopped Link in his tracks. As if on cue, the shadows dispersed and revealed three people who he met before.
"Why are you all here?" Link asked, his mouth hung open at the surprise.
Saria placed a hand on his shoulder. "Link, do you know them?"
Link breathed out a sigh of relief in response and then sheathed his blade. "Yeah, I told you about them before." He glanced over at the blond-haired girl around his age. Different from her usual attire, she was now wearing a simple short sleeved brown tunic, shorts and a hood. "This is Zelda."
The Princess of Hyrule smiled and said, "Hello" after being introduced.
Link then turned his attention to the tall muscular woman with a light chestplate and blue leggings. "She's Impa. Zelda's attendant."
Impa only nodded in confirmation at her introduction.
Finally, Link looked over at the most surprising visitor. The dark-skinned red head was wearing her usual small bra top and light pink slacks.
"And Nabooru."
"Hey kid, looks like you're doing fine," she said. Despite her words, she didn't appear to look very happy at meeting him again.
"I take it that you're all Link's friends?" Mido asked, sounding more confident than before.
"Something like that," Zelda replied with a smile.
"Then how did you all meet him?" A quizzical eyebrow rose on Mido's forehead.
"Where you say?" Zelda looked at Impa and then at Nabooru.
"We met while I was just wandering around," Link quickly interjected.
Again, Mido only frowned at Link's vague response. "Then what do you all want?"
"We just want to have a talk with Link," Zelda responded, taking a few steps towards Mido. "We aren't here to cause any harm."
Mido's eyes shifted away when he noticed Zelda looking straight into his eyes. "O-Okay, since you're all friends of Link, then you guys can stay a while."
"Thank you." Zelda then looked over at Link. "Mind if we go to your home?"
"Okay, it's over there." Link motioned over to the treehouse that was quite close to them.
Zelda and her company proceed forward on their horses. When she got near Saria, she stopped and smiled at the green haired Kokiri. "We finally meet. I'd like it if you join us as well."
The Kokiri was perplexed at the invitation. "I…But why?"
"This must be the Forest one," Nabooru interjected. "Even I could feel it in my soul."
"That's right," Zelda said. "Even if you're not currently a Sage, this might be important for you too."
Without another word, Saria followed after the visitors. They could all hear the audible whispers among the Kokiri at this unusual event.
"Nice place you have here," Zelda said once she settled on a tree stump. "It's quite comfy."
"More like small and cramp," Nabooru added while adjusting herself on her seat. Impa stood near the doorway while Saria and Link sat around the small table.
Link wore an amuse smile on his face. He didn't recall if there were ever as many people in his home as it did at this point.
Nabooru squinted her eyes at Link. "Now that I got a good look at you, you seemed to have gone through quite a lot since the last time I saw you. What did you get yourself into? I can see it in your face."
"Just went on an adventure," Link replied. Before they could ask him the details, he got to the heart at the matter. "Why are you all here?"
Zelda glanced over at Saria. "You heard about Link's adventure in the future, correct?"
"Yes, he told me about it."
"About the Sages as well?"
Saria nodded.
"I see." Zelda lowered her eyes. "Time has change and we are now moving on a different path. I don't think we will awaken as Sages anymore, but what will come will affect all of us regardless."
A shiver ran through Link's body. It was as if the temperature in the room had significantly dropped.
Zelda continued. "When Link warned me and my father about Ganondorf's schemes and the dreadful future, we confronted Ganondorf and attempted to captured him. However, he eluded capture. We knew that Hyrule would not be safe from danger while Ganondorf roams free."
"And this is where I come in," Nabooru said, her face serious and grim. "The last time I spoke to this kid." She swung her face in Link's direction. "He stopped me from entering Ganondorf's headquarters and convinced me to keep watch on his activities. At first, Ganondorf stayed within the Spirit Temple most of the time, but it didn't seem like he was planning anything. Until a few days ago that is." She paused as the candles flickered back and forth. "On that day, Ganondorf made an appearance at our fortress. That was when I overheard him speaking about preparations for the future."
"What did he mean by that?" Link asked, swallowing built up saliva in his mouth.
Nabooru shook her head. "I didn't hear anything else, but based on my experience, it means that a large-scale attack is coming. In other words, War."
The Gerudo's final word created a thick atmosphere to manifest in the room. Link didn't have any memories of wars or fully understood the concept itself, but from what little he knew, was enough to put him on the edge of his seat.
"Once I heard enough," Nabooru continued. "I got in touch with the princess at the advice of our short green friend here."
"Don't tell me you went straight up to the gate," Link said.
"Of course not. I snuck past the guards and made direct contact with her." Nabooru looked at Zelda and grinned. "I'm not really the type to criticize, but your guards…are no good. I fear for our future in their hands. I think even a child could sneak past them."
Link forced out an awkward laugh that sounded like a cough.
"I plan on becoming stricter with them in the future," Impa said, her first words since entering their forest.
Zelda returned her attention to Link. "And that leads us here. Whatever happens in the future, I…" She shook her head. "Hyrule will need your help, Link. You saved Hyrule before and I think you can do it again."
Out of the corner of his eye, Link saw Saria open her mouth, but then said nothing and turned to look outside the window.
The last time Link fought Ganondorf, it was simply terrifying. The man was ruthless and incredibly powerful. His defeat felt like a run of luck when he would think about it. "But to fight him again?" The thought alone was frightening.
"Although as you are, I don't know how much help you can provide, but I'm sure any assistance would be helpful," Nabooru said. "If we can buy some time…"
"No Master Sword and with a body like this…"
"How much time are you talking about?" Link asked, his gazed lowered down to his hands.
Nabooru shook her head. "If Ganondorf is really serious with the War, it'll take some time to prepare for it, personnel, equipment and such. It's a whole different process from his original plan. I'd wager we have a few years, maybe 3 at most."
"Just 3 years. Is that even enough time?"
"War will involve fighting with a lot of people, right?" Saria asked.
"There will be thousands, on both sides," Impa replied. Her response made Saria visibly pale.
Link was sure that this was going to be something that he wasn't used to. Despite his combat and battle experiences, this was a different matter.
"I need time to think about it," Link finally said.
"This is asking a lot for you so please take as much time as you need." Zelda looked at Nabooru and Impa who both nodded in agreement. "We like to spend the night here."
"Okay, then Zelda can-"
"-Stay with me," Saria said. "If that is acceptable."
"Of course it is," Zelda replied with a warm smile.
"I'm fine with staying out on the lookout," Impa decided.
"I don't mind staying here," Nabooru declared, already lying on Link's bed.
"I'm okay with it," Link said as he got up to look for some spare pillows and cushions that he could use.
"Are you sure about that? I am a thief you know."
"I trust you."
The Gerudo let out a laugh as the party dispersed to their destinations.
At Saria's house, Zelda and Saria were each lying down on separate beds. Saria had a spare since the other Kokiri girls would often spend the night at her place. The conversation earlier on had troubled her quite a bit. She laid wide awake, looking up at the ceiling.
"Are you still awake?" Zelda asked.
"I am."
There was a pause. "I forgot to ask for your thoughts about our discussion."
"What kind of thoughts?"
"Are you okay with Link leaving to fight if that is what he chooses?"
"Of course not." A temper could be heard in her voice. "It's going to be dangerous and he could very well die out there. But even then, I'm sure he will choose to fight. That's the kind of person Link is." Her voice had grown into a whisper. "At least he would be able to move on."
"What do you mean?" Zelda turned over to her side so she could better see the Kokiri. With the candles out and the only light came from the moon, it was still hard for them to see each other.
"I'm envious of you, princess. You were a born a Hylian. You can grow old and live happily with the people you care about."
Zelda didn't say a word and silently urged Saria to continue.
"I'm a Kokiri. I won't age and will remain this way forever. But Link isn't a Kokiri. He will slowly grow older and bigger. He belongs with his people, like you, princess. We can't stay together. We belong in different worlds after all." Saria's eyes became watery and so she turned her back to Zelda. "This is for the better."
"I'm glad that Link has somebody that cares about him as much as you do and I wish that I had words that I can give you to make you feel better," Zelda lamented. "But since I'm still an inexperienced young child myself, all I can say is that I hope that you can find some sort of happiness in the future. Regardless of what Link decides, I will do my best to keep him safe."
"Thank you," Saria whispered through her tears.
Link woke up early on the following day. Well, he didn't really sleep at all so it was more like he stopped trying to sleep. He left the sleeping Nabooru and went outside. The sky was still dark, but signs of the morning sun had begun to appear. Just like last night, his head was full of the impending war.
After wandering aimlessly, he found himself at the Great Deku Tree's meadow. Even after months have gone by since his passing, the large figure of the Great Deku Tree remained standing tall from where he was always at. Link slowly slid a hand down the now rough trunk of the Great Deku Tree.
"O Great Deku Tree. This young one seeks thy great wisdom. Never before have I been unsure of myself in these dark times. What should I do? Thou always hast answers."
As expected, there was only silence that answered his plea. He sat down and rested his back against the thick trunk. At times like these, he wished Navi was around to listen to his concerns. He could've talked to Saria, but a part of his worries had to do with her.
The war frightened him, but he didn't think he could just ignore it. He would regret it all of his life. If he did choose to fight, then he had to prepare for it and he couldn't do it here. That meant separating from Saria once again. That thought made him greatly conflicted.
"I lost her once. So I don't want to leave her again."
After spending an hour mulling over these thoughts, he suddenly came to a conclusion. "Okay, I'll just have to move forward." He got up to his feet and with determination in his eyes, he made his way back to his treehouse. Unbeknownst to him, the Triforce of Courage glowed on the top of his left hand.
After morning had arrived, Link gathered Saria and the three visitors at his home.
"Have you decided?" Zelda asked.
"I'll do it," Link said with conviction. "I'll fight in the war when it happens." He glanced over at Saria who just made a small smile.
"Then we'll make preparations to-."
Link quickly cut her off. "I won't be staying at the castle. I'll fight in the war, but in the meantime, I want to live my childhood."
Nabooru was visibly perplexed at Link's words, but Zelda just nodded her head knowingly.
"Will that be at Kokiri Forest or…"
"It would be better if I lived outside of the Forest. I need to accept my lineage as well."
"Is that so? Then we will support you the best we can." Zelda nodded at Impa who brought out a brown bag. "Some funds for your new life. Spend it however you see fit. When you have settled in, let's meet again." Zelda got up from her seat, signaling the time for them to leave. "Until then."
Zelda and Impa walked out of the home. Nabooru placed a hand on Link's shoulder. "That's quite a decision, kid, but I feel strangely reassured. I'll continue my watch on Ganondorf and I'll inform the princess of any further developments. Just do your own thing."
Link and Saria followed after the three visitors who got on their horses and quickly left the Kokiri Forest. The two close friends remained silent for several moments after their departure. It was Saria who spoke first.
"I guess this is goodbye again, huh."
Link couldn't quite make out what kind of face Saria had since she was looking away. But even he could hear the sadness in her voice. "You always knew, right? About me."
"Yeah."
"I'll come visit."
"Yeah."
"Huh, did the others leave already?" Mido asked from behind them. He walked up to them and looked past the entrance. "Weird people, they are." His attention returned to the two. "Something going on between you two?" His eyes narrowed as he cast an accusatory look at Link.
"I guess it's about time."
"Mido…I'm going to start living elsewhere," Link declared. "Actually, outside the forest."
Mido was expressionless at first, then he became puzzled. "In the outside world? You'll just die."
"Well…not really."
That was when the other Kokiri had gathered at their location, curious about the visitors and whatever the three of them were talking about.
Link breathed out a heavy sigh. "I'm actually a Hylian, not a Kokiri."
Again, Mido was expressionless, then he looked confused. Finally, his eyes shot wide opened. "Whattttt! You're not a Kokiri?!"
"Yeah," Link simply replied. He could hear the others talking about his origins.
"Is that why you didn't have a fairy?" One of the Know-It-All Brothers asked.
"No wonder he felt different," another Brother chimed in.
Mido turned to face Saria. "Did you know about that?"
Saria slowly nodded her head.
"Since when?"
"For a long time…before the Great Deku Tree passed away."
Mido's mouth hung opened. "And you didn't say anything?" He quickly returned his attention to Link. "No wonder I didn't like you. You don't belong here with us. Get lost!"
Saria jumped in between Link and Mido to prevent the matter to escalate any further. The act had caused visible pain to Mido as he clenched his teeth and walked away, fuming with anger.
Link noticed that the other Kokiri were maintaining their distance from him despite being obviously curious of his situation. "It could've gotten better," he said, forcing a laugh that didn't quite come out right.
"Umn," Saria replied. "You're leaving right now?"
"Yeah. I'll get my things ready."
"I'll help."
"Sure."
The two of them went back to Link's house and prepared a backpack to keep some of his things. Fortunately, his item bags were capable of holding most of his items and equipment. Afterwards, Saria went back to her home to give him some snacks and food that she prepared for his journey.
Half a day went by and they now found themselves on the bridge separating the Kokiri Forest and the outside world. A heavy wave of nostalgia swept through Link as he recalled the last time they stood here together on the bridge. It was a parting that weighed heavily on his heart and mind throughout his journey.
"It's kind of like the last time, huh," Saria suddenly recalled. There was a nostalgic smile on her face. "To think we would go through it again."
"I was going to talk to you about it, but I just was never sure how to bring it up," Link said, hopping off of Epona so that he was standing next to Saria.
"What do you mean?" She asked, furrowing her green eyebrows.
"I'm sorry for doing something selfish without talking to you about it first."
Saria was too confused at what Link was talking about to utter a word.
Without warning, Link grabbed onto Saria's hand and then ran through the tunnel that lead to Hyrule Field.
"Link…what…wait." Confusion had completely taken over her body and mind. Her legs just kept running with Link as he guided her through the tunnel.
As for Link, he didn't look back to see what kind of expression Saria had. He just ran with all of his might while holding tightly onto her hand. Epona galloped behind them. Moments later, the vast green field of Hyrule welcomed the two children. While still holding onto her hand, Link finally took a look at Saria who had kept her eyes shut.
"Don't worry, it's okay," he said.
At the sound of his voice, Saria slowly opened her eyelids. When she saw the scene in front of her, her eyes and mouth grew larger than Link had ever seen. There was no sign of any fear in her face. "This is…Hyrule field?"
"Yeah." A wide smile appeared on Link's face. "I always wanted to show this to you someday."
She looked up at the bright blue sky and then at the swaying grass and trees. "It's bigger than I'd imagined."
Link spent the next few minutes watching Saria as she took in her surroundings. The moment made his heart flutter. When she seemingly saw enough, she returned her attention to Link.
"I don't understand. How am I still alive?"
Link closed his eyes and recalled his conversation in the past.
"If you ever have a chance, I ask that you free the other children. Some may choose to stay, but there are others that seek freedom. Please help them leave."
"Won't they die if they leave?"
"That is not entirely correct. The Great Deku Tree was trying to protect us by making us believe this story. You can talk to him for further details."
"Is it true of what she says?"
"She speaks the truth. The Great Deku Tree's influence keeps the children from aging. Should they leave the forest, they will not die, but will begin to age like Hylians and Humans. It may be time for them to know the truth and decide from there."
"It's just a story," Link finally said. "About Kokiri leaving the forest. They won't die, but instead, they will start to age if they are outside for too long."
"Then that means…" Saria's eyes grew large again.
Link nodded. "If you want, you can live out here." When Saria didn't say a word, Link continued with what he wanted to ask her for a long time. "Do you want to live with me, in the outside world?"
Tears welled up in Saria's eyes and the next thing they knew it, they held each other tightly in their arms. "Of course, I will."
Link was then overcome with several different emotions and his mind couldn't think clearly. A wave of relief washed over him as he thought about the days ahead. This wasn't just the beginning of his new life. It was the beginning of their new lives.