I don't not own any characters in this story, They all belong to Nintendo.

Author's note: I didn't get a chance to write all March break, so sorry for the wait. Thank you for the people who have reviewed and thank you for the nine-out-of-ten-master-swords Lord Augustus. Enjoy the Fic.

Chapter 3: The Woods of Mystery

Link looked at where the river of time had placed him. Surprise took as he was back in the bazaar in South clock town.

"Wha-Where are we Link?" Tatli demanded. She then got a good look at her surroundings and realised where she was.

"Everything has-has." She stuttered, then flew up towards the clock to confirm her suspicion. "Started over."

Link had stepped away from the clock to get a good look at the clock as well. It was exactly twelve o'clock.

The same time it was when he had arrived in clock town.

The moon wasn't as close to him any more, and it didn't look as threatening as it did before they had travelled back in time. Link however, wasn't paying attention to Tatli. He had his mind focused on something else.

Skull Kid had Navi.

He desperately wanted to see her again. He couldn't get her out of his mind. He then for some odd reason thought about Tael's brother. All crumpled in a heap. He didn't want to see Navi like that.

Tatli kicked Link in the head again to bring him back to reality.

"Hey. We gotta go to the mask salesman ya dimwit. Let's hurry."

"How can I forget!" Link said in surprise. He had his magical instrument. He rushed back to the clock tower, and thrust open the doors.

The Mask salesman was surprised to see Link back so soon.

"Did you give up already? You've only been gone for about a minute," The mask man said with curiosity.

"Actually, I got my magical instrument back," Link said triumphantly.

"Splendid! Splendid!" The mask salesman rejoiced. He then handed Link a piece of Paper with some musical notes on it. "Do you think you can play this song?"

Link looked at it. He had never seen a simpler song. Link brought the ocarina to his lips. It changed into the Deku pipes again, and he began to play the song.

It was a soothing melody. Link didn't know such a simple melody could be so beautiful. He finished the song, and realised nothing had happened.

He began to complain, "What's with this-Hey. My voice has changed." Link looked at his arm.

It was smooth, peach coloured skin.

He touched his face. He just kept touching himself all over to make sure it was real. He wanted to keep it forever. The song was so soothing, and distracting that he didn't even notice he had changed.

"Congratulations, you're back to your normal body," The mask salesman explained.

Link paid no attention, jumping with glee that he was his old self. He then checked to make sure he still had his sword. He reached back, and pulled it out of his scabbard, remembering the smooth feel of the hilt.

It felt so good.

He placed the sword back in his scabbard, and went forward to thank the mask man, when he stepped on something. He looked down, and realised he had stepped on a mask. The mask resembled the face of a baby Dekuscrub.

It was the Dekuscrub that link had changed into.

Link picked it up and stared at it.

"That song you played, Its called the song of Healing," The mask salesman explained as Link stared in awe at it. "The song will heal wounded and evil spirits, and store them in a mask. It was the same song that was used to seal the fate of Majora. You can release the spirit, by putting on the mask."

Link then asked, "So you're saying that if I put this mask on, I'll turn into a baby Dekuscrub again?"

"Yes."

Link shuddered at the thought of becoming a Dekuscrub again. He wanted to cast the mask into the gears, and crush it. He wanted to take his sword and slice it in half.

But all he could do was stare.

Finally, Tatli broke the spell by kicking him and telling him to snap out of it. Link quickly tucked the mask into one of the many Magical-shrinking compartments of his Tunic.

The mask Salesman then outstretched his hand and asked, "Now can I have my mask back?"

Link just stared.

"You did get it back...right?"

Link continued to stare, unable to answer.

"YOU DIDN'T GET IT BACK? HOW COULD YOU? YOU SAID YOU WOULD!" The mask salesman yelled while picking up Link and shaking him Link a rag doll.

He then set Link down forcefully, and grabbed his head. "Oh this is disastrous. You must get it back. You're the only one who can. That Mask has the power of a god. It will take over someone who overuses the Mask and destroy the world."

He then bent down and told Link: "Majora was an Evil god who hated all. He thought the world was nothing but Filth. A young girl who betrayed him wounded his spirit. He tried to crash the moon into the Earth, but the girl sung the Song of healing and concealed him in a mask.

"Long have I searched for this mask. It can't be destroyed, and the song of healing won't work unless you want to conceal Skull kid into that Mask forever.

"And nobody deserves that fait."

Link realised that going back up there wasn't going to work. He would have to do something more drastic.

"How can I win then?" Link asked.

"Listen to your dreams, young one. You are sensitive to them for a reason."

Link couldn't help but wonder what that meant. He then slowly headed out into the bazaar. Only when he stepped out did he realise what He meant.

He was talking about his nightmare with the Giants. That's when he realised just what he had to do.

Tatli...Mountains, Swamps, Oceans, canyons...uh...the four...uh...the four... Tael's dying words echoed in Links mind.

"Tatli," Link shouted at her suddenly, catching her attention. "We need to leave right now, and I need your help." Tatli fluttered her wings a bit, caught surprised by Link's sudden outburst.

"What kind of help do you need?" She answered.

* * *

"It's beautiful," Link said admiringly. He had stepped out of clock town, and into Termina field. Trees were scattered everywhere. Flowers sprouted up from the ground in tall patches of grass, making their presence shown. The field itself wasn't huge at all.

It was bigger then huge.

Link began stepping out of the doorway of south clock town, and he began heading south towards the swamp. Link could see a slight purple cloud rising in the distance.

"But Link," Tatli argued. How are we going to save the four giants in three days?"

"Tatli, you worry too much. I'll simply play the song of time again," Link explained, and he sprinted towards the general direction of the Swamp, according to Tatli.

Link's plan was simple. He would go and see what he could do to help a giant he didn't know about. His guess was that Skull kid had imprisoned them so they couldn't stop him.

All Link had to do was set them free.

He didn't know how, he didn't know where, and he didn't know why, but he had to save Termina.

And Navi, he thought.

Halfway to the swamp, Link was forced to give in to his exhaustion after a half-hour of running. He was in a hurry as he only had three days to get there and save the giant before he had to play the Song of Time again, but he couldn't run forever.

He stopped, reached into his Tunic, pulled out a bag of nuts and began munching. He had bought three bags of nuts and a flask for a mere 5 rupees. He figured he wouldn't need all that, but he took extra just to be safe.

He rested under a log that provided welcoming shade from the veracious eye of din. Link somehow wished that he still had Epona.

She could make this trip in five minutes, he thought.

He pulled out the flask and let the cool water trickle slowly down his dry throat.

He began lean his back against the coarse texture of the log wall, when something caught his eye. Tatli was staring at a drawing on the other side of the wall. The drawing was crudely scratched on by a rock, but the picture was recognisable.

It was a picture of Skull kid with two fairies on either side of him.

"I remember the day I met him. It was poring rain. Thunder boomed out over us. Tael and I spotted the log and immediately took shelter beneath it. But we weren't the only ones in the log.

"Skull kid was there as well. He was cold, and crying. We comforted him, and then drew this picture to pass the time. After that, we kinda bonded to him. The day after, we played together. We shared food, tools, everything.

"Then one day, Skull kid found the Mask salesman, and stole Major's mask and then...

"Well, you know the rest."

Link was stunned. He didn't know that Tatli spent so much time with Skull kid.

Then he decided that they had had enough rest, and said, "We better get going now. I wanna get to the swamp before noon." And with that, he stood up, and started running towards the swamp once again.

* * *

Link reached the entrance of the swamp. It was a simple wooden arch mad with two Totem poles that had no carving with the exception of two Dekuscrub heads at the top, and a crudely carved Log.

In short, it wasn't all that impressive.

Link ignored it and shot through. He wasn't in the mood to admire bad art. As he entered the dreary swamp, he noticed one thing.

The water was and odd purple colour.

It emitted a purple steam cloud, which explained the purple haze hovering above the swamp. Link decided to stay a good distance away. He began assessing the rest of the area. The place was covered with wilting Ferns. Dead flowers littered the area. The trees sagged, as if they needed the strength that the water was taking away from them.

All the more reason to stay away from the poisonous water.

To his right, was a cabin, all boarded up. A dock extended out into the poisonous water. A faded sign was hanging from the top, but Link was unable to make out what it said.

He decided to head down the bank of the poisonous river, and see if he could find anything. All the way down the river, he could see brown lily pads floating in the water attached to thin brown threads.

Dead fish floated along here and there, some stuck on a bank, lying lifeless. The stomachs were rotted out and gave off a horrible stench.

Link was beginning to lose the breakfast he had eaten.

He trodded on, plugging his nose all the way, remaining silent. Tatli was silent too. He reached a fork, in the river, and decided to go left, as that was the only way he could go unless he wanted to cross the treacherous river. He kept going, and reached another turn. And another, and another.

It was like a maze, but the only way he could go was to the left.

"Link, are we lost?" Tatli asked.

"No, of course not."

"Sure sure."

He eventually reached a dead end, but was able to go around the end of the river and continue on.

Link was growing tired. He was sweating, his breathing was heavy, and for some odd reason, he was getting a headache. He looked up at the eye of din, trying to decide the time. Unfortunately he couldn't see past the haze of purple clouds. But then he noticed something else.

There was a small puff of green in the midst of the purple haze. He immediately headed for it. He reached rounded another bend, and found a log fallen across the river. Careful not to fall in, he crossed the river, and headed left towards the cloud of green

Link rounded another bend in the river, and finally spotted the source of the cloud of green.

An unusual cabin.

The cabin was up on stands, and a rope ladder snaked itself up to the balcony. The cabin looked like a giant orange bottle with clear, round windows all around the cabin. Green fumes of smoke protruded out of the chimney.

"Tatli, do you see anyway I can get over there?"

"Not that I can see," Tatli answered. "You could try hopping over those dead Lily pads, but your probably too heavy."

"Your right I am to heavy- Oh man I'm gonna hate this."

"What?"

"Well I just got a brilliant idea that I'm not gonna like in order for me to be lighter."

"You don't have to do it you know."

"We're running short on time. I don't have a choice."

Sighing, he pulled the Deku mask out of his Tunic. Bracing himself, he slowly slipped it on his face.

His world suddenly went dark as the mask stuck onto Link's face. His whole body began to harden into wood, and his limbs began getting shorter, and shorter.

In a few seconds, he had turned into the little baby Dekuscrub that Skull kid had turned him into.

He looked at Tatli and said, "I didn't feel a thing. That wasn't so bad."

Tatli just looked at him in disgust, and said, "That was the most horrifying thing I've ever seen. Warn me next time your going to transform so I can hide my eyes."

"Alright, next time I will," Link replied.

Link then turned to his next problem. He jumped towards the first Lily pad, prepared to jump back if it sank. To his good fortune, he didn't sink. He jumped to the next one, and the next one, and the next one, until he was on shore.

"Uum, Link, how are you going to get that mask off?" Tatli asked.

Link began to worry. He could always play the song of healing again, but he decided to try something else. He put his chubby wooden hands up to his face, and tugged at the rough surface.

Surprisingly, the mask came off. Link's skin softened in to flesh, and he sprouted up to his old height.

"I SAID WARN ME NEXT TIME YOU TRANSFORM BEFORE I VOMIT!" Tatli shouted in to Link's ear.

Link recoiled at the sudden burst of sound and replied, "Ok Ok. Next time don't blast my eardrums."

He began climbing the rope ladder. It swayed back and forth from his swift motions. Link got to the top, and vaulted up. A sign was posted on the door.

"Madame Hooch's potion shop," Link read. "Why would you have a potion shop way out here?"

"Beats me," Tatli replied.

Link turned the doorknob, and entered.

* * *

The cabin was all one room. It wasn't very big. The whole room was filled with a slight haze of green smoke. Cauldrons littered the walls, with boiling green liquids inside. Ladles stirred the cauldrons with nobody holding on to them.

On the far side of the room was a counter, with shelves filled with bottles behind it. Also behind the counter, was an old woman.

She had dark, wrinkled skin and white hair tied up in a bun. She wore black clothing that was littered with dark, purple pearls. Her eyes were a penetrating Yellow. Her nose was huge. Link could see it twitching every once and a while.

Link approached the counter and asked, "Excuse me, but I need some-."

"Omigosh. What's a little boy like you doing out her. You could be lost forever out there with no food or water to drink," The old lady half-shouted at Link in surprise.

"Where am I?" Link asked.

"You're in Woods of Mystery right now. This really isn't a very good time. Here, drink this." She handed Link a bottle with a red boiling liquid in it. Link plugged his nose and took a drink.

The liquid was cool, despite the fact it was bubbling. It had no taste, yet it soothed Link's insides. His body immediately stopped shivering, and his headache disappeared. Link felt refreshed, and energised.

"Wow," was all Link could say about the potion. "What is that stuff?"

"It's my speciality," The Witch said proudly. "I make potions for travellers in these parts. The Woods of Mystery and the swamp is a major tourist attraction. The boat cruise is located right at the swamp entrance.

"But about a month ago, the water started tasting bad. It usually tastes fresh and you can drink it right out of the river. Then after about a week, it started turning, murky, and then it turned purple, and began emitting puffs of purple clouds. The water level has decreased immensely since then.

"If I hadn't given you that potion, you probably would have died from the poisonous fumes."

So that's why I got a headache, Link thought.

"Now, why is it that your here laddy?" the witch asked.

"Well, I'm looking for a Giant."

"A giant? I don't think we have any Giants out-. Oh That Giant. Are you new around these parts?"

"Yes. Is there a legend about four giants?"

"Oh yes of course laddy. There are four giants. Each giant guards one of the four regions of Termina. Odalwa guards the swamp, Goht guards the mountains, Gyorg guards the oceans, and Twinmold guards the Canyons. Each giant is worshipped by a certain race inside a temple.

"The Dekuscrubs located somewhere in this swamp, and are the ones responsible for worshipping Odalwa. He's not doing a very good job of protecting the swamp though. I heard that the Dekuscrubs can't even get into the temple because of the poisonous water."

"Can you tell me more about this temple?" Link asked, intensely interested.

"Well, the temple is above a waterfall, located on the other side of lost woods. It feeds the river to Woods of Mystery. The temple is the place that purifies the water, but since they can't get up there, they don't know what's wrong. But there is another way up there."

"There is? Can you tell me?"

"Why do you want to go up there?" The witch asked. Link hesitated a moment, trying to think of an excuse.

Then an idea struck him.

"I came from clock town, and was sent to see why the tourist convention wasn't running. They said to get it back in business at all costs, even if it means going against religious acts," Link explained, hoping she was gullible enough to fall for it.

It seemed to work, because she sighed and said, "Very well. There is an owl somewhere near the temple entrance. He should be able to help you."

"Thanks, I'll be on my way," Link said, and he turned to leave.

"Oh no you don't," The Witch shouted as she grabbed him and pulled him back. Link lost his balance and fell with a thud on the floor. "You're not going anywhere without supplies. You'll have to throw out all your food as it probably has been ruined by the smog, and you need a bath."

* * *

An hour later, Link was turning the doorknob. He had a map of The Woods of Mystery, a brand new flask which had a protective seal to prevent any poisonous fumes from sneaking into the water, a brand new hand bag with the same seal filled with fresh fruit, a bottle of some of the red potion, freshly washed clothes, and a new weapon.

The witch had given him a bow, with a quiver of arrows. He slung the quiver under his shield, and hooked the Bow to the Hilt of his sword. The witch said she once had a son, who hunted for a living. He unfortunately died in the poisonous river.

The bow was well made. The witch said she had even put some of her own magic into the bow, so it wouldn't break. No matter how far back he pulled. He spent some time trying it out. It was smaller then the one he had back in Hyrule, so it would be easier for Link to use. The arrows were razor sharp as well.

Link had to give up the rest of his rupees for the fresh supplies, but it was worth it. He also got one more gift from the old witch.

A boat.

It was a wooden raft, wit railings. Link didn't even half to steer. All that he had to do was let the current take him, and she said it would lead him straight to the Deku palace. Link laid down low, for most of the time. He didn't want to remain high where the fumes were, so he decided to take a nap.

* * *

He had another dream again. He dreamed that he among three creatures. One was a baby Dekuscrub, another was a Warrior Goron, and one was a Warrior Zora. All of them, including Link, stood in a circle holding different Masks. The Masks were too blurry to make out though.

Then one more person joined the circle. It was a girl. But she was a pale blue. Her hair was streaked with blue linings, and it flowed in an invisible wind. Her eyes were a shimmering black. Her body was dressed in leather armour.

On her back, was a sword. The girl drew the sword. It was in the shape of a Massive Helix, and made Link's sword look like a twig. It glowed with an eerie light.

* * *

Link was awakened with a jolt. Tatli was sleeping soundly under his hat. However, There was one more figure on the raft. A monkey was standing in front of Link. Link sat up with a jolt. He sprang to his feet cat like.

"Get off my raft," Link shouted at the monkey harshly, then he dived at the monkey. But the little monkey was so agile, that it merely jumped aside. Link landed with a crash. The monkey ran to the other side of the raft, and waited for Link's next move. Link sprang to his feet again.

He wasn't going to let a monkey make a monkey out of him (no pun intended).

He dived at the monkey again. The Monkey once again side jumped out of the way, but Link was ready.

In mid-dive, Link whipped out his bow, and used it to Lasso the Monkey. The Monkey's head was stuck in-between the bow and the string. Wasting no time, Link grabbed the monkey around the neck.

"Sorry bud, but I can't let you stay on and steal my stuff," Link apologised to the strangled monkey. He pulled his arm back to throw the monkey to shore, when a shrill voice spoke.

"Wait. I came to ask for your help." Link gave a yelp and dropped the monkey, for he was the one who had spoken.

"Y-You can talk?" Link stuttered in surprise.

The monkey merely said: "Yes."

"I'm sorry," Link said sympathetically, bending down to the monkey's height. "What did you want to ask me?"

"My brother has been kidnapped by the Dekuscrub King. He was searching for the temple, but couldn't enter it. You need a special song to enter the temple, so brother went to the Deku Kingdom. The King thought the monkey had captured the princess since she had taught him the song. He was captured when he went to visit the temple for the second time.

"I know your trying to get into the temple to, so could you please rescue him? He'll help you."

"How did you know I needed to get into the temple?"

"I overheard your conversation with the witch."

Link wasn't quite sure what to do. He didn't know if he would have enough time to rescue him. But considering the Monkey's brother knew how to get into the temple, he would just have to risk it.

"Alright, I'll help."

"Thank you. Look, there's the Deku palace now." Link looked up. In the midst of the purple haze, was indeed a giant wooden structure. It looked a lot like Hyrule castle, except it was made out of huge logs. Link could see two tall totem poles with the Dekuscrub heads on top. Just like at the entrance of the swamp.

Link turned back to the Monkey, but he wasn't there anymore. Link began to question whether he was ever there, but he would just have to risk it.

He steered the raft over to shore. Then, he decided to wake up Tatli.

"Tatli," Link whispered while shaking his hat.

"What do you want?"

"I'm transforming."

"What?"

"It'll be easier getting into the Deku palace if I'm a Dekuscrub."

"What? Oh. Were there." Tatli flew out of Link's hat to get a look. She then flew behind a tree. Link braced himself again as he put on the mask, then headed towards the entrance of the Palace.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next Chapter: Getting in to the palace is easy, but getting out, is a completely different story (and possibly chapter).

Word Count: 4 270!
Word Count for story so far: 13 950!