**Sorry it took me so long to get this up. I've been kind of busy lately,
but I didn't forget about it. I did kind of feel like the last chapter was
a little fluffy after I reread it, so sorry about that. I'll try to make
this one better. Thanks to everyone who is keeping up with this!**
Link stepped out of the Zora's Domain utterly confused. Ruto was the kind who would do anything to help her people, but it seemed as if something wasn't right. He knew she was proud of the Zoras, and that they weren't the type to ask for aid even when they needed it, but if someone offered it, they were not so proud that they wouldn't accept. Link felt that Ruto's behavior meant that something even more sinister than a plant or Poe ghost was at work there, and that perhaps he would have to do some further investigating at a time when she was not there.
Link pulled out his ocarina, intent on calling upon Epona and riding over to pay a visit to the Gerudos. It was rather unnerving that they would attack him, and he wondered if one of them might have an explanation for him. He didn't realize that at that very moment his help was needed elsewhere.
Saria was in the Lost Woods, making the rounds, seeing that everything was in order. It was a duty of hers, but she didn't look at it that way. She had always had a deep connection with the woods, and for her, the walk was therapeutic. She had never felt unsafe in the woods, but today, there was something not right. Something strange lingered in the air.
Saria knew the woods like the back of her hand, and she knew which spots were usually alive with activity and which ones were usually more still and peaceful. Today it seemed as if nothing was peaceful, as if the entire woods and its inhabitants were anxious and on edge. It made her feel uneasy, and she spent more time walking today, looking for the cause of the problem.
When Saria came upon the Sacred Forest Meadow, she felt as if the atmosphere grew heavier. Nothing stirred and an eerie silence had descended upon her. She knew the feel the woods had now. It was the feel of evil. She recognized its presence, and she also recognized that she was probably in trouble.
Saria tried to summon up her powers to leave and call in for help, but found that she could not. It was as if some force was preventing her from exiting. Fear made her breathing heavier and her heart beat faster and a cold, clammy sweat broke out all over. She moved forward, determined not to let whatever this thing was scare her from a place she had visited since childhood.
"I've been waiting for you, Forest Sage," called a deep, male voice from somewhere above. Saria stopped dead in her tracks and searched for the source. Laughter sounded and echoed all around her, and she took a step back.
"Who are you?" Saria called out. She had meant to sound strong and ready to fight, but instead her voice cracked and came out dry and weak. Laughter sounded again.
"You need not be afraid. The pain doesn't last long, I promise." Saria gulped in spite of herself. She tried again to use her magic, but found it useless. "Your magic is futile in my presence. I have been given the gift of power from Irnan, the first goddess of the earth, and none can defeat it. There is no point, little green one," said the voice.
Irnan. Saria had heard that name before. Where had she heard that name before? Was it Link? Suddenly she remembered, and the fear that had surrounded her heart before this, doubled. The first evil. Saria knew now that she was doomed. If this voice had acquired his power from Irnan, there was no chance she would survive.
"Why does this Irnan feel that it is necessary to defeat a mere Kokiri with such a strong powerful force such as yourself. Does she really fear me that much?" Saria asked. She was trying to buy herself more time.
"Fear you?" called the voice. Then it laughed. "Oh no! Irnan does not fear you! You are a nuisance. She's tried twice before to get rid of you. Once she thought that it had worked. But both times you dodged her. She wonders how, and she wants it to never happen again. She wants to be rid of you, for sure, but she does not fear you. You stand in the way of her excellent plan, that is all."
"But how could one as small and insignificant as me possibly stand in the way of one so mighty and strong like Irnan?" asked Saria.
"The goddess does not tell me everything. She simply gives me instructions. I follow them without question. Now this is enough talking. I have a job to do, and I am in the mood to kill." With that, the producer of the voice descended. Saria tried to scream, but no sound would come out of her mouth. It was a wolfo. Those normally didn't frighten her. She had encountered them many times in the woods, but this was not a normal one. It was three times the size of an average wolfo. Something told Saria that this was not the normal form that this thing took on. Irnan had probably given him this so that he could easily defeat her.
The wolfo came toward her, saliva dripping from its mouth as it gnashed its teeth. Saria started to run backwards, unable to take her eyes off of the wolfo's and fell down. She scrambled to get out of the way, but it pounced, pinning her to the ground. Its hot breath heated her face and she winced at the smell that went up her nostrils. He lifted a giant paw and swiped at her, sending her flying across the forest floor. She hit a nearby tree and nearly blacked out.
Saria knew that this was probably the end. She thought of everything that had led up to this moment. Everything that she wished she still had time to do. She though of Mido and of all the other Kokiri that she was letting down. She thought of Hyrule and how her death would be a strike against the land and a victory for Irnan. Finally her thoughts came to Link.
Saria loved Link; there was no doubt about that. She knew that he knew she felt that way. She also knew that their last visit together had been an unhappy one. She had hurt him, and she knew that he didn't know it, but she had hurt herself as well. She wanted what Link wanted; she just had the practicality to realize that it could never happen. She wished now that she had handled the situation differently. She wanted a chance to tell Link that she was sorry, and that she did care for him, and that she would try to make things work.
Tears filled Saria's eyes as the wolfo made his way towards her again. Pain racked her body and she couldn't move. She felt a warm liquid trickling down her back and she realized that it must be her blood. She tried to get out of the way, but the pain was just too great. She braced herself for another blow from the wolfo, and prayed that she would black out before the pain became too unbearable.
Link stepped out of the Zora's Domain utterly confused. Ruto was the kind who would do anything to help her people, but it seemed as if something wasn't right. He knew she was proud of the Zoras, and that they weren't the type to ask for aid even when they needed it, but if someone offered it, they were not so proud that they wouldn't accept. Link felt that Ruto's behavior meant that something even more sinister than a plant or Poe ghost was at work there, and that perhaps he would have to do some further investigating at a time when she was not there.
Link pulled out his ocarina, intent on calling upon Epona and riding over to pay a visit to the Gerudos. It was rather unnerving that they would attack him, and he wondered if one of them might have an explanation for him. He didn't realize that at that very moment his help was needed elsewhere.
Saria was in the Lost Woods, making the rounds, seeing that everything was in order. It was a duty of hers, but she didn't look at it that way. She had always had a deep connection with the woods, and for her, the walk was therapeutic. She had never felt unsafe in the woods, but today, there was something not right. Something strange lingered in the air.
Saria knew the woods like the back of her hand, and she knew which spots were usually alive with activity and which ones were usually more still and peaceful. Today it seemed as if nothing was peaceful, as if the entire woods and its inhabitants were anxious and on edge. It made her feel uneasy, and she spent more time walking today, looking for the cause of the problem.
When Saria came upon the Sacred Forest Meadow, she felt as if the atmosphere grew heavier. Nothing stirred and an eerie silence had descended upon her. She knew the feel the woods had now. It was the feel of evil. She recognized its presence, and she also recognized that she was probably in trouble.
Saria tried to summon up her powers to leave and call in for help, but found that she could not. It was as if some force was preventing her from exiting. Fear made her breathing heavier and her heart beat faster and a cold, clammy sweat broke out all over. She moved forward, determined not to let whatever this thing was scare her from a place she had visited since childhood.
"I've been waiting for you, Forest Sage," called a deep, male voice from somewhere above. Saria stopped dead in her tracks and searched for the source. Laughter sounded and echoed all around her, and she took a step back.
"Who are you?" Saria called out. She had meant to sound strong and ready to fight, but instead her voice cracked and came out dry and weak. Laughter sounded again.
"You need not be afraid. The pain doesn't last long, I promise." Saria gulped in spite of herself. She tried again to use her magic, but found it useless. "Your magic is futile in my presence. I have been given the gift of power from Irnan, the first goddess of the earth, and none can defeat it. There is no point, little green one," said the voice.
Irnan. Saria had heard that name before. Where had she heard that name before? Was it Link? Suddenly she remembered, and the fear that had surrounded her heart before this, doubled. The first evil. Saria knew now that she was doomed. If this voice had acquired his power from Irnan, there was no chance she would survive.
"Why does this Irnan feel that it is necessary to defeat a mere Kokiri with such a strong powerful force such as yourself. Does she really fear me that much?" Saria asked. She was trying to buy herself more time.
"Fear you?" called the voice. Then it laughed. "Oh no! Irnan does not fear you! You are a nuisance. She's tried twice before to get rid of you. Once she thought that it had worked. But both times you dodged her. She wonders how, and she wants it to never happen again. She wants to be rid of you, for sure, but she does not fear you. You stand in the way of her excellent plan, that is all."
"But how could one as small and insignificant as me possibly stand in the way of one so mighty and strong like Irnan?" asked Saria.
"The goddess does not tell me everything. She simply gives me instructions. I follow them without question. Now this is enough talking. I have a job to do, and I am in the mood to kill." With that, the producer of the voice descended. Saria tried to scream, but no sound would come out of her mouth. It was a wolfo. Those normally didn't frighten her. She had encountered them many times in the woods, but this was not a normal one. It was three times the size of an average wolfo. Something told Saria that this was not the normal form that this thing took on. Irnan had probably given him this so that he could easily defeat her.
The wolfo came toward her, saliva dripping from its mouth as it gnashed its teeth. Saria started to run backwards, unable to take her eyes off of the wolfo's and fell down. She scrambled to get out of the way, but it pounced, pinning her to the ground. Its hot breath heated her face and she winced at the smell that went up her nostrils. He lifted a giant paw and swiped at her, sending her flying across the forest floor. She hit a nearby tree and nearly blacked out.
Saria knew that this was probably the end. She thought of everything that had led up to this moment. Everything that she wished she still had time to do. She though of Mido and of all the other Kokiri that she was letting down. She thought of Hyrule and how her death would be a strike against the land and a victory for Irnan. Finally her thoughts came to Link.
Saria loved Link; there was no doubt about that. She knew that he knew she felt that way. She also knew that their last visit together had been an unhappy one. She had hurt him, and she knew that he didn't know it, but she had hurt herself as well. She wanted what Link wanted; she just had the practicality to realize that it could never happen. She wished now that she had handled the situation differently. She wanted a chance to tell Link that she was sorry, and that she did care for him, and that she would try to make things work.
Tears filled Saria's eyes as the wolfo made his way towards her again. Pain racked her body and she couldn't move. She felt a warm liquid trickling down her back and she realized that it must be her blood. She tried to get out of the way, but the pain was just too great. She braced herself for another blow from the wolfo, and prayed that she would black out before the pain became too unbearable.