Chapter 27: Saria and Maiku

The Kokiri Forest was still as green and peaceful than it had been seven years before, the Kokiri children were still as joyful and cheerful than they had ever been. Mido was nowhere to be seen, not in his house or guarding the path to the Great Deku Tree. But the forest was less comforting than it had been, Saria had been waiting for her best friends Link and Maiku to return, but none of them ever came back.

Her cerulean eyes were still so full of life, and her light green hair still had that gentle glow to it. But now, her eyes were full of fear as she made her way through the forest temple to its main chamber underground. "Saria.." started her fairy, "Maybe we should go back."

"No, Keco..." Saria replied, "I can't go back. I feel as though I belong here."

"But why can't we wait for Link or Maiku a little bit longer?"

"Because, I've waited long enough for either of them to come back. I can't wait any longer."

"But why?"

"Every passing day the monster population in the forest increases. I need to protect them. I need to purify the forest-" she stopped as she heard the sound of a young man's voice. She followed the sound down a hallway and onto a balcony overlooking one of the gardens to eavsdrop on a young man with long black hair that was tied back and was wearing a blood red tunic, black pants, dark silver gautlets, and black boots; who appeared to be talking with ghosts of four young women.

"Poe Sisters." Maiku started, "In about a day, Link will be here. I need you girls to delay him by any means nessessary, understand?"

"But Maiku." replied a woman wearing all amethyst

"What is it Meg?"

"How do you suggest that we do that?"

"I don't know. Do what you're best at." he folded his arms across his chest and leaned against the wall behind him, "Just don't do anything that will make it easy for him to defeat you four. Ganondorf's Phantom is, I fear, any easy opponent for the Hero of Time's skill."

On the balcony, Saria was overhearing the whole thing; but didn't make out the name of the young man because of the woman's air thin voice.

"Oh yeah... and Meg..." he said

"Yes?"

"Don't screw up. Ganondorf does not tolerate failure."

"Yes, I understand."

The serpent like pupils of Maiku's crimson eyes became smaller as his ears picked up the sound of a young girl's breathing. "Who's there?" he said in the direction of the breathing but had no answer come back. "Meg."

"Yes?"

"Get whoever is up there and bring her down here."

"At once." she flew up to where Saria was and grabbed her arms, forced them behind her back and brought her down to him.

"Let me go!" Saria screamed as Meg's grip became tighter.

"Release her." Maiku ordered

Saria fells to her knees as she was released, "What are you doing here?" she demanded, "You are the cause of the sudden increase in the monster population in the forest, aren't you?"

"So? What if I am, Saria?"

"How did you... know my name?"

"Because... you knew me..."

"That black hair... You're Maiku, aren't you?"

He nodded

"But why are you doing this?"

"Because... I grow weary of all the love and kindness from all the little protagonistic weaklings around Hyrule. Plus... it's also because of a certain little object..."

"You can't mean...!"

"Yes..."he searched around in his pack and took out a smooth black object that resembled an ocarina, "The ocarina that we made from the wood of the Ankoku Tree those long seven years ago."

"You wanted that madness to come to you, didn't you?"

"Yes." he kneeled and put his right hand on her shoulder, "But don't worry, Saria. I will not kill you. You are.... important to me and Link in a way I cannot explain." He smiled under his mask, "You have some importance to me, still... I'm not letting you live as an enemy... rather, as a friend."

"You've lost your mind..." she put her head down and closed her eyes, "You're not the Maiku I used to know."

"Exactly... that's the point."

She snapped her head upwards to face him, "What?"

He held her chin in his hand, "That's the reason why I didn't want your Fairy Ocarina when I left the forest for the first time. Now, my precious Forest Sage.... I need you for something."

"What did you just call me?" her eyes became watery as she started to cry for a reason that Maiku could not understand

"Forest Sage. You did know that, right?"

"I... I...."

"Pathetic... can't even answer a question... I am disappointed in you, Saria." he glanced over to Meg, "Meg."

"Yes?" she replied

"Take her to the portrait room... and make sure that she does not have a way to get out...."

"At once."

"Maiku!" Saria screamed. "Please don't do this! I know you are a good person, look deep into your heart and reconsider your actions!"

"Oh really?" he snapped at her, "Do you really know who I am and where I came from?"

"What are you... saying?"

"Oh nothing..." he gestured for Meg to take her away, "Meg, make sure she is well fed. I don't want Link to find a deathly ill Sage."