Disclaimer:The Legend of Zeldais property ofNintendo and Shigeru Miyamoto, all rights reserved. I am in no way affiliated with these companies, or any legal proceedings concerning The Legend of Zelda. This story has been written purely out of enjoyment, and is not intended to make a profit, steal ideas, or offend anybody. Any similarities between my work and anyone else's is purely coincidental.
- Y -
"Elements of Hyrule" — Chapter Three: The Prophecy Comes Into Play
By The Last Princess of Hyrule
- Y -
"Navi . . ."
The strong summon rippled though the forest like a gust of wind.
"Navi, where art thou?"
The deep voice called again. Day had dawned in the Kokiri Forest, bringing life there into motion. The sky was clear and bright; birds were singing and woodland creatures scurried about joyfully. Yet, there was an unrest that only the keen forest spirits could sense, and it troubled them deeply.
"Come hither . . ."
A small orb of glowing blue light with a set of fine, glossy wings flew swiftly from the forest into the clearing of the Great Deku Tree. The fairy could hardly believe the magnificent tree had summoned her.
Delicately, she alit on one of the massive branches sprouting from even larger limbs. The fairy's pale glow melted away to reveal a small, elegant woman. She had beautiful blue hair that rippled down her back in waves like a forest stream. Her eyes sparkled like droplets of rain and her skin was pale as moonlight. The fairy's light, gauzy dress fluttered in the slight breeze.
Her tall, lean form bent down on one knee. "Yes, lord?" Her voice was clear and smooth.
"Ah, Navi the Water fairy." The tree acknowledged her wisely.
"Is there something you wish of me?" the fairy asked courtly, speaking in the respectful voice owed to her guardian.
"Listen to my words," the tree rumbled. "The words of the Deku Tree." The forest clearing was quiet and still. Navi dared not move. "Dost thou sense it?"
"Sense what, lord?" Navi asked in genuine confusion.
"The climate of evil descending upon this realm . . ." the Deku Tree answered. "Malevolent forces, even now, are mustering to attack our land of Hyrule."
Navi looked up, the realization of what the tree spoke beginning to sink in.
"For so long," her patron continued, "the Kokiri Forest, the source of life, has stood as a barrier, deterring outsiders and maintaining the order of the world . . ."
"But, lord," Navi interjected unsurely. "Our power dwindles. Only fear has kept the other races from entering."
"A fear that becomes weaker by day," agreed the Great Deku Tree.
"The Hylian woman nine years ago I saw enter," Navi recalled. "Her fear for her child outweighed her fear of the forest."
"Yes," the tree boomed. "And, this past morn, a Gerudo man entered here, a man with no fear."
"I sensed a dark aura around him," said Navi. "I felt a terrible strength . . . unnatural."
The tree was silent for a moment. "I fear Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi is about to begin," it finally stated.
The words sent a cold chill down Navi's spine. It can't be . . . she thought wildly to herself. The prophecy told of a great evil, worse than any Hyrule had ever been up against before, falling over the realm and driving it into oppression. The looming prospect of the dark foretelling froze Navi's soul every time she heard mention of it.
"Before that tremendous evil power," the Deku Tree continued, "even my power is as nothing . . ."
"Then . . ." Navi deduced fearfully. "We are lost?"
"Not entirely," her lord assured her. "The Hylians posses a sacred relic imbued with the power of the Goddesses of Creation. That could destroy the evil."
"A sacred Hylian relic?" Navi repeated.
"Yes." The Great Deku Tree creaked with a heavy, tired sigh, born by the burden it, like every significant ruler, was forced to bear. "It seems the time hath come for the boy without a fairy to begin his journey . . ."
"The boy . . . ?" Navi asked, mostly to herself.
"The youth whose destiny it is to lead Hyrule to the path of justice and truth . . ." the Deku Tree reiterated.
"The boy . . ." Navi said again, lost in her own thought. She uttered the words softly, feeling their fleeting impression on her heart like an old ache. Only she knew the truth to this feeling, and would never speak it to anyone.
"Navi . . ." the tree boomed. Navi jumped, suddenly remembering herself. "Go now! Find our young friend and guide him to me . . ."
A cracking to their left drew their attention. Navi looked in time to see one of the tree's immense limbs splinter and crash to the ground. It landed amidst a pile of dead branches and crinkling leaves that had accumulated only that day.
"I hath not much time left . . ." The vast tree let out a groan of pain. "Fly, Navi, fly!" the tree suddenly cried urgently.
Navi leapt into the air, her body immediately shroud in the glow of blue light. She sped out of the clearing without second impelling.
"The fate of the forest . . . nay . . . the world, depends upon thee!" the Great Deku Tree shouted after.
An instant later, the fairy disappeared into the forest.
- Y -
Though the sun was up and the meadow where the Kokiri children lived was bustling with activity, the tree house Navi entered was dark. Silently, the fairy fluttered over to the outline of a bed she could barely make out. Its occupant was sound asleep.
"Hello?" she called loudly.
The boy in the bed groaned and rolled away from her.
"Hello?" Her tone was more insistent.
No response.
Navi was beginning to get frustrated; she hated being ignored. "The Great Deku Tree wants to talk to you!" She hoped the statement might jog some interest in the sleeper.
It didn't.
"Get up!" Navi snapped, flying up and down near the boy's face.
The boy covered his head with his pillow. "Go 'way," was the sleepy, muffled reply.
Navi landed on the pillow. "Come on!"
"Lemme alone . . ."
Navi groaned. "Can Hyrule's destiny really depend on such a lazy boy?" she muttered to herself. "Get up!"
The boy let out a loud sigh and yanked the pillow off his head.
"Hey!" Navi leapt into the air as the surface she had been standing on was jarred roughly from under her feet. As she hovered, fuming with anger, before his face, the boy got his first good look at the creature that had forced him from a much-needed dreamless sleep.
"A f-fairy . . ." he whispered in awe.
"About time you woke up," Navi said, hands on her hips. "I'm Navi, fairy of Water."
The boy sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed, his eyes never leaving her. Navi fidgeted self-consciously. "What?"
"Huh?" The boy whipped his head around furiously, clearing his thoughts. Navi arched an eyebrow. "Sorry," he apologized. "It's just . . . I never thought I'd meet a fairy . . . not like this."
Navi felt a stab of guilt, thinking of how he must have felt. She knew very well what it was like to be the odd one out in such a close-knit society. "The Great Deku Tree asked me to be your partner from now on."
The boy gaped at her. "Really? I have a fairy partner?"
Navi nodded. "Say, what's your name?"
"Link," the boy answered. "I'm Link."
"Nice to meet you, Link," Navi said with a courteous bow.
Link leaned back on his palms. "Wow . . ." he said to himself. "A fairy . . ."
Navi fidgeted uncomfortably. Are all Kokiri like this when they first meet their partners? she mused as she thought of the Deku Tree's words. "Link, I was sent to you now because the Great Deku Tree has summoned you."
"Me?" Link repeated.
"Yeah." Navi beat her translucent wings anxiously. "Let's get going!"
"Right." Link pulled on his boots and hurried outside, dropping down his ladder at an amazing speed. The moment he turned around, he found himself face to face with Saria, who was about to climb up the ladder. The Speaker looked as surprised to see Link as he was to see her.
"Uh . . . hi Link." Saria blinked at him as she backed away, giving the boy room. "Where are you off to in such a hurry? I've never seen you come down that ladder so fast."
"The Great Deku Tree summoned me," Link answered proudly. "And he sent me a fairy partner!"
"A fairy?"
"Hey Link!" came an indignant voice from atop the balcony. Navi fluttered down to his shoulder. "You left so fast I couldn't keep up."
Saria gaped at Link. "A fairy finally came to you?"
Link beamed. Saria's fairy shifted restlessly on the girl's shoulder.
"Saria, this is Navi the Water fairy; Navi, this is Saria, Speaker of the Kokiri," Link introduced the two.
"Link-" Navi began.
"Sorry, Saria," Link said, heeding the fairy's reminder, "but I have to go. Navi said my summon was urgent."
"Okay." Saria nodded and smiled. "Come find me when you're done."
Link returned the smile and hurried off.
"Mi, stop fidgeting," Saria complained to her fairy at last. "Is something wrong?"
"That was Navi . . ." Mi whispered. "I can barely believe it . . ."
"Huh?"
"Navi's the only fairy that didn't want a Kokiri partner." The pair watched the blue fairy fluttering around Link's head as he walked. "She said she didn't want to be tied down like the rest of us."
"What changed?"
"I don't know . . ." Mi sounded distant.
- Y -
"So, why does the Great Deku Tree want to see me?" Link asked as he walked east, toward the large clearing in which the forest patron grew.
Navi looked uncomfortable. She was unsure what she was supposed to tell Link and what only she was supposed to know. "I'll . . . let the Great Deku Tree explain," she answered evasively.
"Is something bad happening?" Link asked.
Navi turned and looked on her partner with new light. "What makes you say that?"
"A lot of weird stuff's been happening in the forest lately," Link answered, jumping deftly across a small stream. "Like that Gerudo yesterday morning."
"How did-"
"Hey you!"
Navi's question was cut off rudely by a small, but loud, Kokiri just in front of them. Link groaned as the other boy walked up. It was Mido, self-proclaimed leader of the Kokiri. Arrogant, self-centered, and egotistical were all four and a half feet of him. Mido was the perfect example of what a lifetime in an eleven-year-old mentality could do to a Kokiri.
"'Mr. No Fairy'!" he taunted as he stalked over to Link. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To speak to the Great Deku Tree," Link answered.
Mido stuck out his chin. "What's your business with the Great Deku Tree?" he asked obnoxiously. The leader closed his eyes and stuck his nose in the air. "Without a fairy, you aren't even a real man!"
"Stupid twit," Navi muttered before raising her voice. "He's got a fairy!"
Mido opened one hazel eye. His fairy, an elegant pink Wind fairy, snickered from her place on his cap.
"Just who I'd expect with this fairyless trash; poor pathetic Navi," the fairy, Laralene, said haughtily. "'I'm too good for a Kokiri'. Isn't that what you said the other day?"
Navi clenched her fists, her calm blue glow becoming an angry red. "I never said that," she retorted through a tight jaw. Link had seen Mi do such once when she lost her temper with Saria. Unfortunately, he also remembered the unpleasant effects. Link put a calming hand on his shoulder where she rested.
"How ironic that the disgrace of the fairies and the disgrace of the Kokiri should be partners?" Mido sneered.
"Oh, shut up," Link said. "I don't have time for this."
Mido didn't budge. "I don't believe the Great Deku Tree actually summoned you. Why would he want a low-life like you and not the great Mido?"
Link felt himself beginning to lose his temper, but tried his best to stay cool. Mido only picked on him because Saria liked Link better. The whole forest knew Mido had had an incurable crush on the Speaker for ages. Apparently, he thought if he bullied Link enough, he would step aside and give Mido claim to Saria's heart.
"This isn't funny . . ." Mido crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently.
"It's not a joke, Mido," Link said. "I'm serious."
"I don't believe it!"
"So?"
"So, I won't let you by!"
"That isn't fair!"
"It is too!"
Link's body had gone rigid with anger, Navi had turned the color of a cherry, and Laralene's face seemed frozen in a smug smile.
"Besides," Mido added hotly. "You aren't even fully equipped yet."
"What?"
"How do you think you're going to help the Great Deku Tree if you don't have a shield and sword ready?"
"What are those?" Link was thoroughly confused. "And what would I need them for anyway?"
Mido wracked his mind quickly for some conceivable reason. "Defend it," the little bully blurted out. "Yeah, to defend the Great Deku Tree. I guess I might have to go instead of you."
"Wait a second . . ." Link started. "You don't have any 'sword' and 'shield'." While he had no idea what Mido was describing, Link knew the leader wasn't carrying anything he hadn't heard of.
Mido shifted uneasily. "Well . . . mine are at home! If you want to see the Great Deku Tree, you need to find some."
"Well, excuse me!"
"Sheesh!" Mido rolled his eyes as Link stalked off in the direction he had come.
- Y -
In her house, Saria was sitting on the bed, washing her Shine fruits from the previous day. All of the sudden, her door flap was thrown open and a very angry Link stormed in, trailed by the equally annoyed Navi.
"Link?" She got off the bed and walked over to him. "What's happening? I thought you were going to see the Great Deku Tree."
"I was," Link said as he sat down on one of Saria's wooden stools. "Mido stopped me."
"Mido won't let you see the Great Deku Tree?" Saria repeated.
Link nodded.
"Oh, that bum!" Saria sighed. She walked to her cupboards and pulled out a wooden bowl, slamming it on the table. "I don't know why he's so mean to everyone."
"Yeah," Link agreed glumly.
"What'd he say?" Saria asked as she began to pile her Shine fruits into the bowl.
"That I had to have a 'sword' and 'shield' to be of any use to the Great Deku Tree," Link complained. "I don't even know what those are! I bet he just made them up."
"Hmph," Saria snorted. "They're real. A while ago, I would have said what he said was totally untrue, but now . . . well, I guess it isn't really a bad idea."
Her angry look had turned to one of concern.
"What do you mean?" Link asked.
Saria grabbed a fruit out of the bowl and took a bite as she sorted her thoughts, trying to find the best way to put them into words.
"Well, it's the forest," she began, wiping her chin. "Strange things have been happening here lately." She paused. "Like that Gerudo for one, and the things the spirits are whispering about."
"You can talk to the spirits of the forest?" Link looked surprised to learn this about his lifelong friend. "How?"
Saria walked over to her bed. From its fluffy coverlets, she picked up something and brought it back to Link. The item was an ovular instrument shaped something like a sweet potato. It was off-white porcelain with ten small finger holes opening to its hollow interior; eight on top, two on bottom.
"I can use my ocarina," she explained, putting it to her lips and playing the first bars of a lively melody. "When I'm playing in the Sacred Forest Meadow, I can talk to the spirits."
Saria set the ocarina on the table, her grim expression returning. "They're very restless right now. A very powerful prophecy is about to come true . . ." Saria paused again. "But now's not the time for that; you need to find a sword and shield."
She stood again and walked to the tall shelves behind Link, who turned to watch her rummage through their contents. "Where is it?" she muttered to herself repeatedly as she shoved items aside. "I know it's here . . ." Saria pushed herself onto her tiptoes and craned her neck to peer over the top shelf. "Aha!" she announced triumphantly as she reached back and grabbed something.
There were actually three somethings that Saria set on the table; one, a huge, dark brown wooden chip. If Link held his arms in a circle, the chip would have fit perfectly inside. It appeared old and worn, but painted on one side in bright red was a large curving figure, the sign of the Kokiri. Attached to the other side was a long leather loop and another shorter one.
Saria picked it up. "This is a shield. I made it out of an old bark chip the Great Deku Tree let me have," she explained, turning it over in her hands. "I made it to keep my head from being hit by the big seeds when I'm talking to it. Anyway, see this big loop? Put this over your head . . . good, now grab the small strap with your left hand." Saria stood back. "Here." She handed him a fruit. "Hold this in your right hand."
Feeling very silly, Link did as she asked. Saria examined him for several moments before asking, "So, how does that feel?"
Link was utterly confused. "I don't know. How is it supposed to feel?"
"Hmm . . ." Saria rubbed her chin. "It doesn't look right . . ." She stopped. "Here, give me the fruit."
Link surrendered it.
"Now, let go of the strap and try gripping it in your right,"advised Saria as she helped him change. "There, is that better?"
"Sort of, I guess . . ."
"Well, it's good enough. You can put it down. Just let go of the handle and slide the leather loop until it's on your back . . . yes, like that. Now you'll be able to grab your shield quickly if you ever need it."
"Wow . . ." Link was impressed.
Saria beamed. "Now, I'm going to teach you how to use a sword." She grabbed the sword off the table and drew it from the blue leather sheath. It was a small blade, not much longer than half the length of Link's arm. The hilt was made from hard ebony wood, smoothed and easy to grip. At the center of the hilt was a tiny red gem, set in the wood with a few strips of gold.
Saria set the blade on the table and picked up the sheath, which was tied to a leather belt. "Let me help you put this on." She walked up to him. "It goes on your back and buckles in the front . . . yeah, like that. Great!"
She grabbed the sword again and passed it to Link, who grasped the hilt unsurely in his left hand.
"No, don't hold it like that." Saria grabbed Link's hand and corrected his grip. "That's better. Does it feel better?"
"A bit," Link answered uncertainly.
"Well, it looks right. Okay, so . . ." She picked up a short stick, about as long as his sword. "I'm going to teach you a couple of simple sword moves. For a regular horizontal slash, hold your arm straight out like this . . . good. Now swing your arm side to side . . . no, you're moving your wrist."
Saria stopped and walked behind Link, taking his hand. In one slow motion, she swung his arm, holding it erect. "Feel that? That's what it's supposed to feel like. Never ever swing a sword with your wrist. Trust me on that." Saria giggled. "Okay, well, a vertical strike is the same thing, just up and down. Go ahead; try it . . . now you got it! Great!"
Link beamed.
"The last technique I know is a thrust." She grabbed her stick and held it and her arm straight out in front of her. "All right. Hold your arm out like this . . . that's right. Now, pull your elbow to your side, but keep the rest of your arm straight . . . yeah, like that. This is where you start a thrust. Watch me."
Saria shot out her arm in one swift movement. "See? You try." Link tried and failed. "Not quite. Try to keep your sword pointed at the same spot the whole time. Your thrust shouldn't move . . . better, but try to do it all in one movement . . . remember, push out not swing out . . . yes, that's it!"
She dropped her stick and enveloped Link in a sisterly hug. "You did great! You're going to be an awesome swordfighter!"
Link blushed. "You're the one who'd make a good swordfighter. Where'd you learn to do that?"
"Joseph taught me," Saria admitted, shrugging her shoulders as Link tried to slide his sword into the sheath. "He said he learned it from a Hylian he found in the Lost Woods. The man was half-crazy and thought Joseph was something called a 'squire'. Then he gave Joseph this sword and taught him what I taught you."
"What's a 'squire'?" asked Link.
"I have no idea," Saria said. "I think it's a kind of Hylian." She grabbed Link's left hand and guided it to the sheath.
"Thanks."
"I'm not done yet." Saria walked back to the table and picked up the last item. "This is for you." She held out the object in her hands. It looked like a smaller version of the sword on his back. The little blade had a leather scabbard and belt, which were a deep mahogany color. The minute sword itself was no more than a foot long, nine inches the smooth steel blade. Its elegant gilded hilt was set with emeralds, rubies, and a sapphire at the pommel.
Link picked up the scabbard. "But you just gave me a sword. And besides, this is too small for me."
Saria took the sheath and slid the small blade into it. "This isn't a sword; it's a dagger. Put it on around your waist."
Her suddenly serious tone startled Link and he obeyed without question.
"If you ever lose your sword," she explained, "use this to defend yourself." Saria's eyes filled with tears. "I pray you never have to."
Link could tell by Saria's eyes that this was not a good time to ask questions. Besides which, he remembered his task at hand: answering the Great Deku Tree's summon.
"Thank you, Saria," Link said. "I'll be back soon, I promise."
Saria nodded with a sad smile as he turned, walked out her door, and out of sight. I'll hold you to that, Link.
Saria's fairy, Mi, rubbed her Kokiri partner's cheek. "I didn't know you still had that dagger," she commented. "I thought we'd lost it years ago."
Saria shook her head. "I promised Coquina I'd give it to him when he was old enough. She would want him to take it now, so he'll be protected."
Mi leapt gracefully into the air. "He'll need it now more than ever." A distant look captured the fairy's face. "Purhpciy fu hith Papuulcespi has indeed begun."
- Y -