Morning sunshine greeted her, accompanied by the chorus of birds singing the praises of the new dawn. Ket started to sit up, then stopped as a painful cramp knotted her back. Wincing, she lay back down and stretched, feeling the tense muscles being to relax. A velvet muzzle prodded her face, and Ket grinned. "Morning to you too, Zephyr," she greeted, petting the stallion's face.
He nickered in greeting, then pulled back and dipped his muzzle to the creek, taking a deep draught of the chilly water. Sitting up, Ket followed his example, savoring the refreshing taste. Splashing some of the water onto her face, she used the front of her tunic to dry the liquid away, and stood up. Zephyr pranced beside her, a mischievous look in his eyes. "Want to go for a ride?" asked Ket, not at all hungry for breakfast. She wanted to move, to get rid of the pestering thoughts that hounded her from her dreams.
Zephyr's answer was to sidle beside her, offering his back. Crouching low, Ket tensed her muscles, then leaped, reaching for Zephyr's mane, using it to help pull herself up. She had seen Impa do this once, and always wanted to try the move herself. With a little bit of luck and help from Zephyr, she clambered on, balancing herself right behind his withers. She kept hold of his mane for extra balance, since his back was slicker than the saddle she was used to, and urged him forward with her calves.
They reached the village entrance, and she leaned back, her head coming to rest on Zephyr's haunches. They managed to clear the low tunnel and enter into the Kokiri forest. Since trees clotted the landscape, galloping was impossible, but they could still enjoy a leisurely jaunt through the woods. Ket let Zephyr pick his way across the earth, allowing herself to relax to the gentle swaying of his movements. They ambled along in no particular direction, watching the scenery pass by, rowans changing to oak, laurels waving their branches by elms. Very few faeries frequented their path, and a preternatural twilight hung over the woods.
They had gone a good distance, almost a couple of miles by Ket's recollection, when the sounds of someone yelling caught their attention. Roused from her daydreams, Ket turned her head in the direction of the noise, Zephyr following suit. Wondering if she had mistaken an animal cry for a human's, she halted Zephyr and waited, straining to hear the sound again. It rose once more, unmistakably human.
Ket urged the golden to follow the noise, and he responded without hesitation. Not much time passed before they came across the source of the cries. Aves, the Kokiri who befriended her by the creek, stood before another log tunnel, worry and fear marring his boyish face, making him seem years older. He paced back and forth before the entrance, stopping every now and then to yell out a name. Ket dismounted when they got close enough, and walked over to him asking, "Aves, what's the matter?"
Aves jumped at the sound of her voice. He nearly ran until he finally recognized her. Up close, Ket saw that tears stained his cheeks and his eyes were red from crying. "Rill went into the Lost Woods," he said, worry making his voice tremulous. "I told him to stop, that he was an idiot for even thinking about it after all that's happened, but he wouldn't listen. Grebe dared him, not thinking he would actually attempt it. He's back at the village getting help. I don't know what to do." The last words came out as a moan, tugging at Ket's heart.
She looked past the sobbing boy, to the tunnel entrance to the Lost Woods, remembering what Mara had said about the land birthing new dangers with every passing day. But Rill was lost there, possibly hurt or, unthinkably, dead. She could not live with herself if she only stood by and watched, her conscience would never allow it. Sighing deeply, she turned to Aves and said, "I'm going to find him. You wait here with Zephyr and tell the others not to come in."
Aves' eyes enlarged to the size of dinner plates. "You don't have to go in!"
A half-smile appeared on Ket's face. "But I do," she said softly. Turning to Zephyr, she said, "You keep an eye on him, alright?"
Zephyr bobbed his head in assent, watching her head to the tunnel with worried eyes. He stepped over to Aves, lowering his head to nudge the boy gently, offering whatever comfort he could. Aves buried his head in the horse's silky mane, unable to watch the outsider enter the realm of death they called the Lost Woods.
When Ket first entered the Lost Woods, she wondered what all the fuss was about. Sure, the land appeared more wild than the forest before, no faeries glimmered at all, and an eerie quiet hung over the land, but that was about it. No giant monsters or drooling beasts that she had first expected came rushing out to greet her.
The entrance tunnel ended in a little glen, the high canopies of trees acting like a verdant ceiling. Despite the covering, a diffuse glow filled the Woods, lighting the foliage that grew in wild tangles. More tunnels appeared before her, each in a different side, and she thought with resignation, Oh great. A maze. She hoped Rill was not too far into the Woods, or she might be stuck here as well, spending an eternity searching for him.
Deciding on the right tunnel, she proceeded forward, feeling an inkling of the tension she remembered while in the bathing pool with Mara. Another glen like the one before spread out, offering more tunnels to choose from. Trusting instinct, she chose another and walked through.
Picking tunnels randomly, she kept going, feeling the first traces of despair touch her with icy fingers. Time seemed to stand still in the Lost Woods, and she had no idea how long she had been wandering about. How did I get into this mess, she thought sourly, staring at another set of tunnels to choose from. I need to learn how to say no to my pushy conscience. Picking the left, she continued, her heavy heart weighing her down. Exiting the log tunnel, for the first time another glen with more tunnels did not appear before her. Instead a wide meadow offered relief and the prospect of hope. The grass was devoid of life, a gentle breeze ruffling the high stalks. High walls surrounded the meadow, giving the impression the only way out being the way she came in.
A break in the dark, earthen walls caught her eye. So there was another way out, she thought with satisfaction. Even if Rill never came by here, it was a change from the monotonous tunnels. She walked to the exit at the opposite end of the meadow, feeling a sudden rise in the tension of the air when she did. Ignoring the sensation, she proceeded through the crack. An involuntary groan escaped her lips. "Not another maze! Come on, is this fair?"
Not expecting a reply, she went ahead, praying that this one was shorter than the last. This maze seemed man made, unlike the one she ventured into first. The walls of the labyrinth towered above her, unnaturally smooth and crowding her with their close proximity. The grass at her feet was filled with bare patches, as if hundreds of feet long ago tread this path and now the earth was reclaiming it for her own. Choosing new roads at random, Ket wondered if she would ever escape the insanity of the seemingly endless convoluted passageways. Turning a corner, she found herself face to face with a dead end. "Jeez," she moaned, preparing to backtrack. The next tunnel offered a way forward, and she started on it.
Reaching the middle of the passage, she felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. Alarmed, she glanced about herself, looking for the source of her discomfort. Nothing appeared out of place, so she shrugged, trying to ease away the nervousness, and continued on. She had almost made it to the end, when a peculiar whistling sound entered her ears. Acting on instinct, she ducked, feeling the passing wind of some missile blow her hair back.
She glanced up in alarm, meeting the wild gaze of a Mad Deku Scrub. She recalled what Mara had mentioned about the insane plants, how they attacked anything that came within their radius for no apparent reason. Using the air forced from their snout as a propellant, they shot any type of hard seed or object at the offender, aiming to cause serious harm. Mara had said something about using a shield or other hard surface to bounce the seeds back, returning the Scrub's blows in the hope of hitting him, but she lacked any sort of tool for the job.
The Scrub reared back, preparing to fire off another round, and Ket panicked, racking her brain for some source of help. Waiting too long, Ket watched in horror as the Scrub swelled, filling his lungs, then forcing the seed from his long nose at an incredibly high velocity. For lack of a better plan, Ket dodged this one too, barely missing the projectile as it whipped past her cheek.
Not wishing to stand around and let the Scrub have another go, she rushed forward while it was busy reloading. Her brash actions startled the Scrub, and it ducked back into its hole in the earth, feeling the throb of her sprinting footsteps pass over it. Hoping for another chance, the Scrub popped back up, only to find she had already turned the corner, leaving his range.
Leaning against the earthen maze wall, Ket sucked in gasps of air. Never again, she admonished herself. Never again will I go off on some quest to help someone out for no reason. It's not worth the trouble. When her body finally had its fill of oxygen, she straightened, pushing herself off the wall. For the first time, she got a good look at her surroundings. "Great Goddesses," she breathed, awe apparent in her slack face and wide eyes.
A narrow passage, not unlike the ones from before, turned away from the maze. At the far end, Ket could see an impressive stone structure that emanated power. Following the new path, she studied the building, wondering what force of nature or man was capable of erecting such an edifice.
Reaching the end, she stepped into a new meadow, smaller in size than the first. The building's entrance stood at least five feet above her head, and had a set of marble steps leading to the ground. At least they once did, long ago. Now the staircase ended high up, the bottom step far beyond her reach. It looked like some giant force had smashed the last section of steps in a fit of rage, turning the marble into dust.
A dead oak grew next to the steps, once a tall and majestic denizen of the forest, now only a dried hulk of firewood. She continued to study the structure, her eyes unable to turn away from the sight. Not that the construction was particularly enthralling, but the force of magic that the building issued filled the meadow, leaving the very air to tingle with its presence. She could feel it fill her, too, touching every part of her living soul. She knew that if she stayed here long enough, the forest would reveal its secrets to her, influenced by this magic to do so. A whisper of a thought entered her mind. Something, from deep within the temple's recesses, called to her, pulling her forward with the strength of its siren call.
Before the wonders of the world were whispered to her, before she could puzzle out the meaning of the call, she heard a soft sob from behind her. Thrown from her commune with the magic, she glimpsed back and saw Rill, his blond hair shining against the ivy covered wall he sat hunched against. Pleased and surprised at her good fortune, Ket darted forward to him. "Rill, you idiotic Kokiri, I've been searching everywhere for you!"
Rill looked up, stunned to see her there. His earnest blue eyes widened and he said, "How did you find me? I thought I'd be stuck here forever!"
"Got lucky," answered Ket truthfully. "Ready to leave?"
"I've been ready hours ago. What took you so long?"
"Don't start, boy," she said with a grin. She offered her hand to him, and he accepted, using her strength to boost himself up to a standing position. They walked side by side to the exit, when Ket halted, looking back at the building. "Do you know what that stone thing is?"
Rill glanced to over at the structure. "That's the Forest Temple. It used to be the house for all the forest spirits and such, but ever since the Lost Woods began changing, the Temple seems only to house malignant power. Even the Great Deku Tree can't find the source or cause of it."
"Do you think we can get inside?" asked Ket, peering across the meadow, trying to find any source of access. She was not sure why, but she had to get inside. Something waited for her within the cool, gray walls of the Temple.
"Are you insane?" Rill said incredulously. "Well, you must be to have come after me. But really, after all I've told you, you want to go in?"
Nodding, Ket began walking forward, searching the meadow and the walls that adjoined it, probing them with her eyes for any way in. An idea formed when she caught sight of the ivy holding the crumbling walls together behind the oak. If she leaned far enough, she should be able to reach the branches. "Are you staying here?" she asked, heading for the wall next to the Temple.
"No," snapped Rill. "I finally found someone, even if they are stark-raving nutters. I'm coming."
"Great." She reached the wall and grasped the wiry ivy, testing its strength. Satisfied, she clambered up the wall. Rill asked from below, "What are you doing?"
"Watch and see," said Ket, stopping at the same level as the oak's gnarled branches. She hoped the weathered wood would be able to hold her long enough to reach the stairs. Leaning away from the wall, she tensed her muscles, preparing to spring. Pushing off with all her might, she propelled her body forward off the ancient wall and reached for the wooden limbs. Her hand slipped on the first branch and she lost her grip, feeling her body begin to drop. Luckily another branch spread out below, and she latched on. Wrapping her legs and arms around the wood, she risked a glimpse at Rill. The sight of the Kokiri staring at her, mouth agape, brought a smile to her face. With a chuckle, she twisted her body, righting herself onto the branch. "Ready to give it a try?" she called down to him. "Don't worry, I'll catch you if you slip."
"You're insane!"
"So you've told me."
Grumbling, Rill shook his head and followed her example. When he got to the point of takeoff, Ket aligned her body to face his, ready to grab hold if necessary. Rill inhaled deeply, closing his eyes briefly to muster up all the courage his little body possessed. With a grunt he shoved off, flinging his arms for the secure hold of the oak. In an instant Ket knew he could not reach. Leaning forward as far as she dared, she grabbed hold of his outstretched hands as he flew towards her and pulled him in, helping him secure a hold on the tree. "There now, that wasn't so bad," said Ket, patting him on the back.
Rill hugged the branch with both arms and legs, his eyes pressed firmly closed. "I will never listen to a plan of yours ever again," he said haltingly.
Ket ignored him and started to shimmy down the branch. An ominous creak arose from the tree, and both she and Rill stopped with bated breath. The oak issued another groan, and Rill said softly, "Oh no, not good."
Ket threw caution to the wind and rushed for the end of the branch, ignoring splinters and twigs that got in the way. Reaching the end of the limb, she released her hold of the dried branch and dropped to the marble steps below. Rill was right behind her, nearly knocking her over when he hit the stairs.
Just as Rill's feet touched the cool stone, a resounding crash filled the meadow. Ket and Rill both peered over the edge of the stairs, examining the splintered tree limb far below their feet. "I'm never listening to a plan of yours ever again," Rill repeated, his eyes focused on the decimated wood.
"So you've said. Let's go." Ket turned away from the edge and entered the giant slate archway, moving along the tunnel until she reached another meadow. No other obstacles presented themselves before her, and she proceeded to the door set at the far end.
Reaching the latest entrance, she faced the door to the Temple, her jaw set. The call from before rose stronger, urging her on. She had to enter the Temple and find the source of the urgent pull. The hidden force was pushing her forward, filling her blood much like the magic of the meadow. She pressed her hand on the cool stone of the door mantle, feeling the throb of the power strain against the skin of the gray rock. "Are you going some time soon?" asked Rill peevishly, breaking into her thoughts.
Grasping the handle, she pushed the door open, entering into the dim recesses of the Temple. An arched entryway unfurled before her, the deep gloom of the Temple shrouding the path's end in shadows, as if leading into infinity. Not a sound was heard inside the Temple; only she and Rill disturbing the omnipresent silence.
The walls of the passage were covered with more ivy like outside, and cobwebs clung to every corner. The presence of magic grew in strength, seeming to tower over Ket, leaving her cringing before it. A sense of wrongness coincided with the magic, perverting all that it touched. Something was wrong. Somehow the Temple had been desecrated with impure forces.
Ket forced the swirling emotions back and took off for the end of the path, striding along determinedly, Rill struggling to keep up. At the end of the passage, the walls furled back, opening to a cavernous room. Ket scrutinized the room, taking notice of the other doors she saw that crouched hidden in the dark.
In the middle of the room stood four pillars set in a square formation, cold, unlit torches perched on top of each one. The ivy had taken over this room completely. It clawed at the walls, dangled from the ceiling, clutching to every unsuspecting surface. A chill draft brushed against her face, living her skin feeling damp and clammy, like the skin of a corpse. "Remind me why you wanted to come here?" said Rill in hushed tones.
Ket understood his desire to remain quiet. The Temple felt like it was filled with watching spirits, and she loathed to disturb any of them, lest they strike out in anger. "I just do," she said succinctly. "Come on."
She walked to the pillars, trying to get a bearing on the magic she sensed and why she was drawn to it. Stepping on the stone square in the middle of the pillars, she caught sight of the pattern that decorated the floor. An intricate carving reflected the meager light there, the emblem a circle containing four lines of some wavy design that radiated from the center. The insignia tugged at her, and she wondered if this carving had anything to do with the power that reeled her in. "Do you recognize this?" she asked Rill, still staring intently at the design.
He came to her side. "No, I've never seen it before," he said after examining the emblem.
"Figures," quipped Ket, baiting Rill. "What good are you?"
The outraged boy turned on her. "What do you mean by that?!"
"Nothing," she said with a small smile. "I just wanted to bug you."
Letting out a sigh of exasperation, Rill turned back to the emblem. "Well, what do we do now?"
Ket studied the other doors. "Pick one of these and explore."
"I figured you'd say that," he growled. "But I get to choose the door. Knowing you, you'd pick one with some huge, slobbering beast inside."
Ket grinned. "Fine by me."
"I choose..." Rill perused each option. "I choose that one," he said, pointing at the door to their left.
"That one it is." Ket trotted over to the door, grasping the handle as she looked over her shoulder. "Ready?"
"As I'll ever be."
She threw open the door, taking in the deeper shadows that pooled at every corner. A faint blue radiance saturated the room, leaving the gray walls a steel color, like a drawn sword. The ceiling soared high above their heads, the end of the room hidden in the dark. "Forward, ho," Ket said, striding purposefully ahead.
"You're enjoying this too much," complained Rill.
"If I didn't try to have some fun, then I'd spend the whole time whining like someone I know."
"At least I don't run into danger like a witless idiot."
"I don't run," she said with indignation. "I walk."
"You're impossible."
"I know."
They reached the opposite end of the room, searching for another way to continue on. An ancient and beaten ladder caught Rill's attention. "If we can't go ahead, how about up," he suggested, grasping a wooden rung.
After climbing the ladder, they found themselves in a series of halls situated on top of the room. "Do you want to split up and explore?" Ket asked.
"Fine. But we meet back here in a few minutes."
"Agreed. Until then," Ket said in parting, picking a random path and heading forward into the unknown.
Rill choose another, trying to ignore the creeping feeling that invaded his body, leaving him jittery and tense. He felt that hundreds of unseen eyes focused on his every move, and that some great force was at work within the Temple. Maybe that was why Ket was drawn in, but that did not explain why he was here. He should have left the first chance he got, but his heart would not let him desert the girl in the Temple filled with a myriad of dangers. He was getting soft, he concluded to himself, turning a corner in the hall.
Lost in his thoughts, he forgot to watch where he stepped and succeeded in tripping over a foreign object, landing flat on his face. Grumbling loudly, he gingerly picked himself up, rubbing his sore forehead. He glanced back with a fierce scowl at the object he stumbled over, only to have the scowl change to one of bewilderment.
A scarred chest sat pressed against the wall, nearly hidden in the Temple's murkiness. Curious, he squatted in front of the chest and raised the lid, wondering what lay within. At first he saw nothing and was about to throw the lid down in disgust, when the light of his faery cast a faint glimmer inside and he spotted something.
Reaching in, he grasped the object and pulled it out into the dim light. A meticulously carved bow met his gaze, the dark wood blending in with its surroundings. Rill ran a delicate hand over the bow, listening to the string sing against his ministrations. On a hunch, he dipped back into the chest and his hand closed on a leather quiver filled with arrows. Everything was fitted for a Kokiri; even the bow was the right length and tension. Hardly believing his good luck, he slipped the quiver over his shoulder, feeling the reassuring weight of the arrows come to rest on his back. Setting the bow around his neck, he decided to head back and show off his new find to Ket.
Ket, having found nothing of interest in her hall, meandered back to the ladder, wondering if Rill had discovered anything exciting. She found the Kokiri already waiting, wearing a decidedly smug expression. Upon closer inspection, she spotted the source of his complacency. "Nice bow you got. Ready to try another hall?"
Rill's face fell. "That's all you've got to say? Aren't you even curious as to how I found it?"
"I bet you fell over it," Ket guessed shrewdly.
Rill only glowered, refusing to admit she was right. "We'll go this way," he stated, trying to regain his composure.
Ket chuckled and headed after him.
They continued to explore the unfathomable recesses of the Temple, wandering further into the domain of the watching spirits. Ket still had not found the source of the call, becoming more frustrated with every passing moment.
Picking another arbitrary door, they found themselves inside a courtyard deep within the Temple. Ket turned her face up to the sun, like a flower drinking in the solar rays. She relished the touch of the light after being in the dank halls of the Temple. Hearing the sound of running water, she glanced to her side, spotting a small stream that gurgled near the mossy, far wall of the courtyard. A small peninsula of land rose above her head and lay surrounded by the water on three sides. On top of it sat a mammoth-sized bolder of deep red stone. She thought she saw something glint metallically on top of the rock, but from her vantage point it was hard to tell. "Do we have to go back in?" said Rill watching the water slip away from beneath him as he kneeled by the stream. "I don't think I can take another minute in there."
Ket silently agreed. "But we have to get out sometime."
Sighing deeply, Rill said, "I know. But let's stay out here for a while."
"All right." Ket plopped onto the springy grass that thrived near the water, enjoying the soft breeze that somehow found a way into the Temple's core. She wanted to rest in the sun forever, not go back into the eerie house of malignant spirits and magic. But she still had not found the source of her call and with every second that slipped past and bore no fruit, she became increasingly desperate. The call would not leave her alone and she knew that to leave without discerning its source was impossible. She did not think Rill felt it, though she knew he sensed the presence of the magic and wraiths that occupied the sacred building. When am I going to find it? she thought in frustration, slamming her fist into the soft earth.
Rill glanced up when he heard the hard smack of her hand hitting the ground. He wondered what she was thinking, wondered why she continued to press on. Obviously something drove her forward, though what, he had not the slightest inkling. It better be incredibly good, he thought irritably. He opened his mouth to call out to her and ask her about what she searched for, when he stopped, his mouth still hanging open. His eyes threatened to pop out of his head, and he clutched at the grass in panic. Ket, sensing his sudden change in mood, looked at him in puzzlement. "What's wrong with you?"
Rill's only reply was to mutely point behind her. Following his finger, Ket scanned the area behind her and felt her body respond in a similar fashion to his. Heart pounding in sudden fear, she sprang up, backing away from the ivy covered wall. A baleful yellow eye scrutinized her and Rill from its vantage point high atop the courtyard wall. Spreading its leathery, bat-like wings, the beast let out an unearthly roar, filling the Temple and resounding through Ket's bones. Sinewy, powerful limbs attached to equally strong fingers dug into the stone wall with razor sharp claws, easing the creature's passage to the floor where its prey waited. A shaggy coat of ebony covered the beast in shadow, and it raised its wolfos-like head to get a better look at the two below. Licking its massive jowls, it relished the feel of its mouthful of fangs, enjoying the way its tongue ran over the sharp points that promised of death. It had been a long time since it last fed, and the two were welcome intruders.
Ket nearly fainted on the spot when she saw the wolfos-like monster stare deep into her eyes, sizing her up. The thing reeked of foul magic and Ket guessed that once the beast had been an ordinary wolfos before twisted magic disfigured it to its means.
Rill stood frozen beside her, unable to look away from the harbinger of death that slowly moved towards them, playing with them before it killed. When the creature reached the ground, it sat on its haunches, watching them with a lupine grin. The mocking tone of the beast awoke a fire within Ket. She refused to be prey to this beast, no matter how strong or terrible. She had never quailed before anything in her life, and she was damned if she started now. She gripped Rill's arm roughly, shaking him from his stupor. "Snap out of it," she hissed. "Use your arrows or something!"
"What? Oh yeah." Rill obeyed, drawing up his bow and setting an arrow to the string. The beast only watched with mild interest, appearing to not understand the danger he was in. Rill aimed, trying to hold his shaking arms steady. Lining up the metal tip with the beast's torso, he let the arrow fly, praying the missile would find its home in the soft flesh of the beast.
With a quick flip of its wings, the beast rose above the arrow, seeming to laugh at their stupidity. It settled back to the ground and began to amble towards them, its body the epitome of predatory grace. "What do we do now?" asked Rill, panicked.
"We need to distract him so he can't avoid the arrow," Ket said, keeping her eyes focused on the beast, studying its every movement.
"Distract him how?"
"Don't worry about it. You just worry about hitting the target I give you."
"You're insane!" he exclaimed to her departing backside. Shaking his head, he grabbed another arrow, ready to fire.
Ket felt her legs turn to water as she walked closer to the beast. Her brain clambered for her to turn and run, very fast and very far away. She resolutely ignored it, putting steel into her limbs, praying she could give Rill the opportunity he needed. If she could, at least one of them would survive.
Inhaling a shuddering breath, she faced off to the beast who studied her intently, unused to its prey coming to it. Ket kept her eyes focused on its entire body, ready to spring away at the slightest sign of movement. It came in the form of a twitch at the beast's shoulders. Ket tucked and rolled underneath the beast as it soared over her, landing heavily where she once stood.
Popping back up, she turned and faced it again, her heart unsteady in her chest, threatening to explode. The beast's sulfurous gaze met her own glacier one, and they locked, starting a battle of mind and body. The beast circled to her left and Ket moved in the opposite direction, keeping it in front of her as the two began an orbit of deadly intent.
Searching for an opening, the beast lashed out with its massive forepaw, catching her tunic with a razor claw and shredding the material like gauze. Gulping, Ket kept a wary eye on the beast, fully aware of the power it wielded. She chanced a glimpse at Rill, seeing that he had his bow drawn and ready to fire, awaiting the prospect of attack.
When she took her eyes off it, the beast reacted with a startling swiftness at odds with its bulk. Rill cried out in warning, but he was too late. The monster descended on Ket, pinning her under its tremendous weight, digging into her weak flesh with its razing talons. She felt the points puncture her skin, felt the blood begin to spill out in response. The hot, feral breath of the beast bathed her face, filling her nostrils with the stench of rotting flesh caught in its teeth. It licked her face once, savoring the taste of her skin on its tongue, drawing out her pain and fear to its max. It started to lower its head, its eager muzzle reaching for the vulnerable, exposed throat beneath, when it screamed.
Rearing back in pain, the beast clawed at its face, trying to pull out the arrow that lay imbedded in its ruined eye. Seizing the chance, Ket scrambled out from underneath it, wincing at the sharp pains that filled her body.
Rill scrambled for another arrow as the beast sprang again, its teeth snapping for his little Kokiri head, yearning to crush his skull between its jaws in retribution. Ket jumped in to block its path, but the beast flung out a paw, catching her in the stomach and flinging her like a rag doll to the peninsula where the rock hulked. Stars exploded in her head when she slammed against the boulder, blackness threatening to overcome her senses.
A hoarse shout filled the courtyard, and Ket struggled back to reality. Rill needed her. She could not rest yet. Using the boulder for support, she slowly pulled her aching body up, feeling her legs tremble beneath her. Her hazy vision showed Rill trapped beneath the beast who was slowly tracing patterns over his skin with a talon, leaving a trace work of ruby behind.
Enraged, Ket searched for any type of weapon she could use, the urge to kill the thing that threatened her friend a raging fire in her chest. She would never forgive the beast for hurting him.
Light glinting off steel caught her eye. On top of the rock, buried hilt deep, rested a sword. Perfect, Ket thought with wicked delight. Grasping the beveled hilt in her sweat-slicked palms, she freed the sword from the rock, admiring the way the sun played on the blue-gray metal, especially when it concentrated on the sword's double edges, the light turning to an intense beam on the finely honed steel. For a moment, she sensed a power from within the sword, accentuating her strength and giving her the reserves to fight on, to withstand any arduous task.
Hearing a torturous scream rise from Rill's lips broke through her thoughts and Ket's eyes narrowed, her face twisting in fury. Gathering her last dregs of endurance, she leaped from the peninsula, clearing the river, and landing on the bank in a crouch, the naked sword thirsting for blood in her hand.
The monster sensed her arrival and the immanent danger she posed. Abandoning Rill, it bared its teeth at her, growling deep within its chest. Ket returned the bestial noise, ready to murder the enemy that threatened her friend. With a reverberating cry, she rushed to the beast, allowing her innate sword skills to come to the surface.
Rearing back on its haunches, the fiend lashed out with a lethal swipe, catching her in the face and drawing a hot lance of pain down her cheek. Ket ignored the blow and pressed on, running at the beast at full tilt, anger replacing any fear that threatened to make her hesitate. Her brazen moves surprised the mutant and it faltered under her furious assault.
Seizing the unspoken opportunity, she thrust with all her might, burying the sword hilt deep into the beast's chest and savagely twisting the blade when it rested in its warm home. A feral grin was emblazoned on her face and her eyes burned hotly when the monster cried out pitifully, its burning stare turning cloudy with death. Muscles going slack, the beast sank to the ground, its eyes focused on her in open defiance and hatred before closing in eternal sleep. Freeing the blade, she wiped the steel in its silky coat and coolly walked over to Rill's prone body. Dropping to her knees beside him, she asked, "Are you okay?"
Rill's faery sat on his chest, her palms pressed on his bloody forehead. "He'll be fine in a little bit," she said, her gaze never leaving Rill's slack face. A glimmer of violet appeared over Rill, accentuating the indigo color of his faery. She was healing him, like Mara's faery had done for her, she realized.
Relieved that her friend would be all right, she got up and walked near the stream's edge and flopped to the grass, her exhausted muscles starting to feel the affects of the adrenaline that still coursed through her body. A tickling sensation trailed down Ket's cheek, and she gingerly touched her face, wincing at the pain that shot across it. Pulling her hand away, she saw blood glistening on her fingers. Dragging her body over to the stream, she studied her battered face in the watery mirror. A deep gash disfigured her countenance, starting under her brow and ending at her chin. Almost hit my eye, she thought emotionlessly. It'll leave a scar, that's for sure. She ripped a hank off her already ruined tunic and dipped the material in the icy water, using it to wash the blood off her body.
After she finished, she glanced back to Rill and his faery. His face was pinker and he no longer resembled the living dead, but he was still unconscious and his faery was starting to shake from exhaustion. Knowing there was nothing she could do, even if the thought ate at her like acid, she sat on the mossy bank, watching the clouds drift past high above.
Shifting into a better position, her hand brushed against cool steel. Startled, she realized she had forgotten about the sword, her concern for Rill's well being sweeping all other anxieties away. Now that there was nothing left for her to do, she turned back to her newly found weapon. Three golden triangles lay interconnected, pressed deep into the steel of the sword. The Triforce, she thought, recalling the ancient symbol that was so prevalent in Hyrule. Clasping the ridged, navy blue pommel in her hand, a tingle began to fill her arm. Magic, she thought in awe. Realization dawned over her. This is what I've been searching for! Holding the sword erect before her, watching the sun play on the shining metal, blazing when it hit the golden triangles, she understood why she was pulled into the Temple. This sword called her, yearning to be held within her grasp. Why, Ket did not know, but it did not matter. Not while she held the sword, the tantalizing sensation of raw magic filling her body, heightening her perception of everything around her.
A harsh cough pierced the courtyard's quiet. Rill sat up groggily, his eyes unfocused and bleary. Ket rushed to his side and helped steady him. "How do you feel?" she asked.
"Like I got attacked by a monster, what do you think?" he quipped.
"You can't be too hurt to crack jokes."
"He better not be," snapped a tiny voice from Rill's lap. His faery lay sprawled there, her normally bright glow dimmed. "I haven't the energy to do that again."
Rill looked on her with concern. "Are you all right?" he asked his faery, worry etched on his haggard face.
"Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure," she said, smiling up at him.
Rill smiled in return, relief evident as he let out a gust of air. For the first time he really looked at Ket. "You're not fine, though."
"Oh, this," she said, brushing her fingertips to her cut. "Nothing a good night's sleep won't cure," she mimicked, winking at the faery who giggled in return.
"I'm glad you find being maimed funny," Rill said sourly. A flash of light caught his gaze, drawing it to the sword she held at her side. "What's that?"
"What I came here for," she replied cryptically. "So now we can go."
"Don't have to tell me twice." Rill slowly rose, wincing at every ache and pain his faery failed to heal. He wavered for a moment and felt a strong hand steady him. He looked up, watching Ket's intent face as she supported him. The cut glared an angry red, rivulets of blood dripping from her face. He was unconscious when she must have defeated the beast and received the mark, but he remembered feeling an immense wave of power and magic filter into his deadened state. There was more to this girl, and the sword she held in her hand, than he had first thought. "Ready to go?" inquired Ket, rousing him from his musings.
Nodding, he straightened his legs, forcing them to hold steady. He placed Sylph, his faery, on his shoulder, feeling her comforting weight settle there. They headed for the doorway they had used to enter here, when something caused him to halt. "What's the matter?" Sylph asked. "Are you too hurt to walk?"
Mutely shaking his head, he perused the courtyard, searching for what had caused him to pause. A tugging sensation filled him, asking him to stop, to wait a minute longer. Something monumental would occur here, and they would be lucky enough to see it, if only they stayed a while.
As he searched, the body of the beast was the only thing out of the ordinary that met his gaze. A wisp of gauzy smoke rose from the dead creature, and Rill stepped closer to inspect it. He leaned close to the corpse, when the entire body erupted into flames, singeing his eyebrows.
Jumping back with a yelp, he watched the grim spectacle as the body turned to ashes, the white-hot tongues of flame licking at the body eagerly. He glanced back at Ket, who studied the corpse closely, her hand gripping the sword's hilt tightly, turning her knuckles white. What did she know, that he didn't? That filled her face with apprehension?
Figuring the only way to find out was to continue to watch the burning corpse, he turned to it, only to discover the body was gone, the flames finished with their meal. They must have been incredibly hot, to have turned even the bones to ash and smoke. He absently kicked at the pile of soot, eliciting a sharp reprimand from Ket. "Don't," she repeated, coming to his side. Crouching low, she gently brushed the pile of ash away, exposing the green turf underneath.
As she bent over the ground, glistening drops of ruby blood fell from her face, dotting the grass. When the scarlet liquid hit the earth, a faint glow filled the area of exposed land. For a moment, Rill wondered if his eyes failed him. Then the verdant sparkle began to congregate over the cleared pile of ash, too weak to really notice at first. Soon the glitter grew in concentration, nearly blinding him with its light. He shielded his eyes, trying to peer at the glow from under his upraised arm. Then the light winked out, leaving the bright afterimages dancing before his eyes. He heard a soft gasp from Sylph and felt her weight leave his shoulder. When his vision returned, he saw Ket kneeling before something, his faery hovering above her shoulder. "What are you looking at? And what was that light?"
"Come and see," Ket said, not bothering to face him. Puzzled, he came up behind her, peering around her shoulder. A flower had blossomed where the corpse once lay. Resembling an overgrown lotus flower, the giant bud's deep, green petals still contained traces of the sparkling lights from before. They danced over the soft corolla, and Rill noticed that most of them sat in the middle, peeking out from beneath the closed petals. His mouth dropped open in realization. He looked up to find Sylph watching him with amusement. "I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out."
"I've never seen one before," he said defensively. "I've only heard Quill and a few others describe it."
"Isn't it amazing?" the faery breathed. "To find such promise here in these ruins."
Before he could reply, the shimmer over the blossom grew, then died, as the petals of the plant began to open. Ket watched in wonder, awe filling her being, akin to the moment when her hand had first touched the sword. A pair of emerald eyes blinked sleepily at her, the solemn, pink face regarding hers. The eternal moment stretched on, only to be broken when the Kokiri baby smiled widely, her cherub face filled with a light more brilliant then the one that filled the courtyard only moments ago. A smile stretched over her face in response, and the little Kokiri giggled. "I can't wait to tell the other faeries," said Sylph softly, watching the tiny Kokiri baby with delight. "There's going to be fights on who gets to choose her."
"I don't believe it," Rill breathed. "I got to see a Kokiri being born. I got to see one born!" He ended his proclamation with a yell, jumping up high, his pain and exhaustion forgotten. He danced around the courtyard, his raucous cries echoing off the stone walls. The baby watched him curiously, then turned back to Ket, the wide grin never leaving her chubby features. "Looks like we've got another to take back," Ket said, reaching out to the baby with her hand.
The Kokiri emulated her, her tiny hand coming out to press against Ket's, their palms touching in an intimate bond. Ket held her breath, afraid of destroying the connection she felt as her skin made contact with the child's.
Rill did the job for her when he rushed up to them, face flushed and eyes snapping with excitement. "I can't wait to tell the others about her," he said, ruffling the baby's green tresses, who gurgled softly in pleasure. "I wonder what her name is."
"You guys don't pick names for new babies?"
"Nope. That's the Great Deku Tree's job. He's the only one who can tell which Kokiri it is that was reborn and give them their name back."
Ket studied the little girl's face. I know what I'd name you, she told the little girl silently. Seren, Dalitian for star. I met a girl named that once. She was filled with the same starry light of peace and wisdom that you are. Seren, or as we would say it in Hyrule, Saria.