Disclaimer: - I don't own Zelda. 'Tis the wonderful creation of Nintendo.
Chapter 6 – Good-bye...
In the Kokiri village, everything came to a halt as a strange blue light shot down from the sky into the clearing where the Great Deku Tree resided. All were silent as they watched.
Saria's face creased into a slight frown and she turned and ran to her tree house. Ima followed quickly.
"What are you doing Saria?"
"I have to get something. They'll be gone soon and I have to give it to them," the kokiri girl said, as she began to search through her belongings.
"What are you talking about Saria? Who are going? What do you have to find?"
Saria didn't reply.
It looks like their destiny has begun to unfold, she thought as she picked up the pale coloured ocarina. It will be sad to see them go but it is for the sake of the forest and the entire world.
Pocketing the ocarina, she ran from her own house to O-chan's. A tear trickled down her cheek as she climbed the ladder.
"I hope we will be friends for always," she murmured.
---------------
As quickly as it had appeared, the light vanished and O-chan's and Link's feet rested lightly on the grass. They looked around, astonished as only seconds before they had been deep beneath the Deku Tree's roots.
It took Link only a few moments to recover from the sudden transportation.
"Great Deku Tree! Great Deku Tree! We defeated Gohma! We killed the curse!" he cried, running up to the vast trunk.
The branches of the Deku Tree swayed and the bark seemed to crack as the deity's voice was heard.
"Ah Link...and O-chan, you have returned. Together you were able to break the spell," it said hoarsely.
"Yes Great Deku Tree! We broke the spell," Link nodded vigorously.
"But it seems...it seems that my life will not return to normal after all..."
Link's shining face paled. O-chan bowed her head and looked away. She knew what was coming.
"How can this be?!" Link shouted angrily, tears spilling from his eyes. "You can't die Great Deku Tree! We fought with all our might! It can't have been for nothing!" He was pounding his fist on the roots, burying his face against the bark. "It can't have been for nothing..." he whispered.
O-chan could feel the tears blossoming in her eyes. Though she had seen this scene a hundred times before she had never experienced the pain that Link was feeling. Now she was actually here, she felt her heart going out to him. It would be like losing her mother or her father. That must be how Link felt right now and she couldn't bare it. She broke down into muffled sobbing.
Iku flew down to her and landed on her shoulder, wings drooping. Her golden aura was dimming with sadness and though it couldn't be seen, she was crying too.
As the two kokiri's wept, the Great Deku Tree spoke again:
"Listen to me, Link...O-chan. As Gohma was eating me away from the inside, I could feel her own pain. She was cursed, as was I. She could not control what she did as she was under a spell. One of evil was controlling her. He is the Black King of the Desert and his desire is to conquer Hyrule and make the Triforce his."
Link looked up from the roots at the carved face of the Deku Tree.
"The Triforce?"
"Yes...the three sacred triangles that mark where the Three Goddess, Din, Nayru and Farore, left Hyrule," the Great Deku Tree said, the bark of his trunk cracking louder as he spoke. O-chan could tell he was growing weaker and weaker with every word. "They possess the power to create the world reflected in the heart of those who touch it. If a person...a person with a pure heart touches it, it will be a pure world. But if the person's heart is devilish and filled with hate then the world will be conquered by evil. A horrible crisis is drawing near to Hyurle... Thou must never allow the desert man in black armor to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce...Thou must never suffer that man, with his evil heart, to enter the Sacred Realm of legend...However, with your courage, Link and O-chan you can surely kill his ambition."
Link's eyes were filling with tears again. He looked through half blurred eyes at the fuzzy shape of O-chan and the dim golden light of Iku. Then he looked to Navi and finally down at himself, his sword lying on the grass. He screwed his eyes shut.
"No! How can we fight such an evil man?! We couldn't even save you from Gohma and O-chan was injured so badly! If this man is as bad as you say he is, how can we stand a chance?! We can't fight him! We –"
"You CAN !"
The sudden bellow from the Great Deku Tree shocked Link so much that he fell back into the grass. O-chan fell too; her tears suddenly stopping as though crying would anger the Deku Tree further.
"You can," the Deku Tree repeated in a softer tone. "You can and you will. Your valiant efforts to break the curse were successful, but I was doomed before you started...Yes, I will pass away soon...but do not grieve for me. I have been able to tell you of these important matters. This is Hyrule's final hope...The future depends upon thee, Link...and O-chan...Thou art courageous. Go out into the outside world and grow."
Link was silent and bowed his head. O-chan couldn't speak either. A light breeze blew her hair from her eyes as she stared up at the Great Deku Tree. Her ears twitched slightly and glancing back she could just make out the outlines of the Kokiris gathering at the entrance to the glade. They, too, were silent, their eyes fixed on the Great Deku Tree. None of them understood what was happening but they knew it was important. O-chan found herself looking down. She felt awful.
Slowly, she got to her feet and walked over to where Link stood. He raised his head but didn't look at her.
"Now," the Great Deku Tree rasped, "You must go to the Kingdom of Hyrule. There you will find the Princess who was chosen by the Gods. The Princess of Destiny..." As the deity spoke, a strange green light was forming amongst the leaves. It cast shadows across the faces of the kokiri as it danced through the air, swirling and twisting into shape. As they watched, it solidified into a glistening green stone. It descended slowly, glittering with ancient magic and hovered just above Link and O-chan. "Give this stone to the Princess. Take the Kokiri Emerald that that man wanted to the point that he would curse me for it."
Link and O-chan both raised their hands to the stone, each taking hold of it. As soon as they touched it, it emitted a bright green flash that bathed the entire glade in light. Both of them had to look away but it was gone within a matter of seconds. O-chan looked at Link.
"You take it," she said quietly, letting go.
Link didn't reply but simply tucked the stone away in his pouch. Then he looked back to the Deku Tree. O-chan looked to and was sure that, if it were possible, the Deku Tree was smiling.
"I believe in you," it whispered. "Please do this for me."
O-chan nodded. "Yes."
Beside her, Link was silent but then he smiled.
"I understand, Great Deku Tree. I will do this, for you."
"Thank you...Navi, Iku...Help Link and O-chan to carry out
my will...I entreat ye... Navi...Iku..."
The two fairies bobbed in unison, showing that they understood, and flew to their respective partners.
"Everyone," the Great Deku Tree addressed the rest of the kokiri, his voice no more than a hoarse whisper now. "Everyone...I bid you farewell...Good...bye..."
And before their very eyes, the leaves of the Deku Tree wilted, the trunk became discoloured and brittle and the spirit of the beloved forest deity vanished.
"GREAT DEKU TREE!!"
The wailing cries came as one from every kokiri in the glade. The tears flooded from every pair of eyes and the only sound to be heard was the choked sobbing.
"He's...he's gone..." Link said quietly, picking up his sword.
"Link..." O-chan began stretching out her hand but he brushed it aside and raised his own hand to wipe his face, setting it into a determined frown.
"Okay, O-chan, Navi, Iku, let's go!" he commanded, turning towards the passageway that lead out of the village but his path was blocked by Mido. "Out of our way Mido! We don't have time for this now."
The usually obnoxious kokiri scowled and pushed Link backwards. His own face was wet with tears.
"And where are you planning to go?! Huh?"
"To Hyrule, like the Great Deku Tree instructed," O-chan replied.
Mido shot a glare at her.
"You know perfectly well Kokiris cannot survive outside the forest!"
"If the Deku Tree said it was alright for us to go then it can't be dangerous. Why would he send us to find the Princess if we could die as soon as we leave?" O-chan argued.
"I don't know!" Mido shouted. "I don't know! All I know is that he is dead! And you were the ones who saw him before he dies. None of us know what happened. How do we know it wasn't you that killed him!"
SMACK!
The kokiris all gasped as O-chan slapped Mido across the face. She was crying again.
"How can you say that? HOW? I cannot believe you think we killed him! Why would we do such a thing? I know you're upset Mido but there's no need to make such stupid accusations!" She stepped back and wiped the tears aside fiercely, gritting her teeth. "Can't you see we love the Great Deku Tree just as much as you do?" she asked, her voice turning quiet. "Can't you see we wish he wasn't dead?"
Mido was stunned, his hand resting on his cheek where the red hand-shaped mark was forming.
"B-But...but you were so determined to leave..." he stuttered.
"Yes...I know, the Great Deku Tree told us not to grieve and he asked us to do this for him and that's what we shall do...because we care for him and we care for all of you. Do you understand?"
She looked up at him, her eyes still shining from the tears. Mido stared at her. Then he slowly nodded. She smiled.
"Yeah...well...I still don't think it's safe out there," Mido frowned, looking away from her.
Link stood up.
"We want to see the outside world, Mido. No matter how big it is, or what is there, we want to see it with our own eyes. Right?" he looked at O-chan and she nodded. "And as O-chan said, if the Great Deku Tree asked us to do it, it can't be dangerous."
Mido didn't answer.
"Don't worry. We're delivering the stone and then we will return."
O-chan jumped slightly at this comment and looked away to hide her sadness. True, they would come back but it would be seven years from now and they would be no more than strangers to the kokiri.
"O-chan, you coming?"
Link took her arm and she looked around at him.
"Yeah. I'm coming. Sorry."
He nodded and took one last look at the village. O-chan could see he was trying not to cry. He forced a smile onto his face and then disappeared through the tunnel, pulling O-chan with him.
Then he started to run, his head bowed. He wouldn't look back, he couldn't.
"Link! LINK!" O-chan cried, chasing after him.
Poor Link...
She could see him ahead of her, almost at the entrance to the outside world.
"Link..."
"You're leaving, aren't you?"
O-chan stopped and ahead of her, Link halted too. The two of them looked around at the familiar figure standing at the entrance to the tunnel.
Saria had her head bowed to hide her tears.
"S-Saria," Link said quietly.
"I always knew you two were different from the others," she whispered, "but, the forest will always be your home."
She raised her face to look at them and a smile shone through amongst her tears.
"Always."
The two of them smiled too and nodded.
"Always," they agreed.
Saria wiped her tears aside and then held out her hand. In it lay O-chan's white ocarina.
"I thought you might want this."
She took it and clenched her fingers around it. Saria then looked at Link, who had come up behind O-chan.
"And Link. I want you to have this. I'm sure it will be useful." And she handed over her own ocarina.
He stared at her, then down at the peach coloured ocarina.
"S-Saria, I can't take this...it's yours," he said.
"I want you to take it Link. I want you to take it and then when you are out exploring the world, you can play it sometimes and remember the forest."
Link was speechless as the ocarina was placed in his hands but then he clasped it tight and held it close.
"Thank you Saria."
She beamed at him.
"And one last thing," she added. "This is a song that will remind you of the forest that you can play. It is a song close to my heart so please take it with you."
As the words left her mouth, a strange melody began to echo around them. A cheerful tune that brought the image of leaves and trees and busy kokiri folk going about their work. Without hesitation, Link and O-chan raised their ocarina's to the lips and mimicked the song, their fingers finding the notes without trouble, as if by magic.
The forest's music slowly died away and the two of them lowered the ocarinas, staring with amazement at the strange green glow that radiated from them momentarily before dissolving into nothing. They looked at Saria.
"We'll be friends forever, okay?" she said.
"Okay!" they nodded in unison.
The green-haired kokiri girl smiled one last time and waved as they turned and ran across the rest of the bridge and vanished through the tunnel, out into the big wide world.
She lowered her hand and sighed, wiping a tear from her cheek. Ima hovered close to her.
"Are you okay Saria?"
"Yeah...I'll see them again...some day," Saria whispered, turning to head back into the village. "Some day..."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------
Lady-obsessed: Ah see, said I wouldn't make you wait long. Summer holidays are very useful. It was such a sad chapter to write, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review, I appreciate every single one of them and they are what motivate me to write.
Until next time. TTFN
Chapter 6 – Good-bye...
In the Kokiri village, everything came to a halt as a strange blue light shot down from the sky into the clearing where the Great Deku Tree resided. All were silent as they watched.
Saria's face creased into a slight frown and she turned and ran to her tree house. Ima followed quickly.
"What are you doing Saria?"
"I have to get something. They'll be gone soon and I have to give it to them," the kokiri girl said, as she began to search through her belongings.
"What are you talking about Saria? Who are going? What do you have to find?"
Saria didn't reply.
It looks like their destiny has begun to unfold, she thought as she picked up the pale coloured ocarina. It will be sad to see them go but it is for the sake of the forest and the entire world.
Pocketing the ocarina, she ran from her own house to O-chan's. A tear trickled down her cheek as she climbed the ladder.
"I hope we will be friends for always," she murmured.
---------------
As quickly as it had appeared, the light vanished and O-chan's and Link's feet rested lightly on the grass. They looked around, astonished as only seconds before they had been deep beneath the Deku Tree's roots.
It took Link only a few moments to recover from the sudden transportation.
"Great Deku Tree! Great Deku Tree! We defeated Gohma! We killed the curse!" he cried, running up to the vast trunk.
The branches of the Deku Tree swayed and the bark seemed to crack as the deity's voice was heard.
"Ah Link...and O-chan, you have returned. Together you were able to break the spell," it said hoarsely.
"Yes Great Deku Tree! We broke the spell," Link nodded vigorously.
"But it seems...it seems that my life will not return to normal after all..."
Link's shining face paled. O-chan bowed her head and looked away. She knew what was coming.
"How can this be?!" Link shouted angrily, tears spilling from his eyes. "You can't die Great Deku Tree! We fought with all our might! It can't have been for nothing!" He was pounding his fist on the roots, burying his face against the bark. "It can't have been for nothing..." he whispered.
O-chan could feel the tears blossoming in her eyes. Though she had seen this scene a hundred times before she had never experienced the pain that Link was feeling. Now she was actually here, she felt her heart going out to him. It would be like losing her mother or her father. That must be how Link felt right now and she couldn't bare it. She broke down into muffled sobbing.
Iku flew down to her and landed on her shoulder, wings drooping. Her golden aura was dimming with sadness and though it couldn't be seen, she was crying too.
As the two kokiri's wept, the Great Deku Tree spoke again:
"Listen to me, Link...O-chan. As Gohma was eating me away from the inside, I could feel her own pain. She was cursed, as was I. She could not control what she did as she was under a spell. One of evil was controlling her. He is the Black King of the Desert and his desire is to conquer Hyrule and make the Triforce his."
Link looked up from the roots at the carved face of the Deku Tree.
"The Triforce?"
"Yes...the three sacred triangles that mark where the Three Goddess, Din, Nayru and Farore, left Hyrule," the Great Deku Tree said, the bark of his trunk cracking louder as he spoke. O-chan could tell he was growing weaker and weaker with every word. "They possess the power to create the world reflected in the heart of those who touch it. If a person...a person with a pure heart touches it, it will be a pure world. But if the person's heart is devilish and filled with hate then the world will be conquered by evil. A horrible crisis is drawing near to Hyurle... Thou must never allow the desert man in black armor to lay his hands on the sacred Triforce...Thou must never suffer that man, with his evil heart, to enter the Sacred Realm of legend...However, with your courage, Link and O-chan you can surely kill his ambition."
Link's eyes were filling with tears again. He looked through half blurred eyes at the fuzzy shape of O-chan and the dim golden light of Iku. Then he looked to Navi and finally down at himself, his sword lying on the grass. He screwed his eyes shut.
"No! How can we fight such an evil man?! We couldn't even save you from Gohma and O-chan was injured so badly! If this man is as bad as you say he is, how can we stand a chance?! We can't fight him! We –"
"You CAN !"
The sudden bellow from the Great Deku Tree shocked Link so much that he fell back into the grass. O-chan fell too; her tears suddenly stopping as though crying would anger the Deku Tree further.
"You can," the Deku Tree repeated in a softer tone. "You can and you will. Your valiant efforts to break the curse were successful, but I was doomed before you started...Yes, I will pass away soon...but do not grieve for me. I have been able to tell you of these important matters. This is Hyrule's final hope...The future depends upon thee, Link...and O-chan...Thou art courageous. Go out into the outside world and grow."
Link was silent and bowed his head. O-chan couldn't speak either. A light breeze blew her hair from her eyes as she stared up at the Great Deku Tree. Her ears twitched slightly and glancing back she could just make out the outlines of the Kokiris gathering at the entrance to the glade. They, too, were silent, their eyes fixed on the Great Deku Tree. None of them understood what was happening but they knew it was important. O-chan found herself looking down. She felt awful.
Slowly, she got to her feet and walked over to where Link stood. He raised his head but didn't look at her.
"Now," the Great Deku Tree rasped, "You must go to the Kingdom of Hyrule. There you will find the Princess who was chosen by the Gods. The Princess of Destiny..." As the deity spoke, a strange green light was forming amongst the leaves. It cast shadows across the faces of the kokiri as it danced through the air, swirling and twisting into shape. As they watched, it solidified into a glistening green stone. It descended slowly, glittering with ancient magic and hovered just above Link and O-chan. "Give this stone to the Princess. Take the Kokiri Emerald that that man wanted to the point that he would curse me for it."
Link and O-chan both raised their hands to the stone, each taking hold of it. As soon as they touched it, it emitted a bright green flash that bathed the entire glade in light. Both of them had to look away but it was gone within a matter of seconds. O-chan looked at Link.
"You take it," she said quietly, letting go.
Link didn't reply but simply tucked the stone away in his pouch. Then he looked back to the Deku Tree. O-chan looked to and was sure that, if it were possible, the Deku Tree was smiling.
"I believe in you," it whispered. "Please do this for me."
O-chan nodded. "Yes."
Beside her, Link was silent but then he smiled.
"I understand, Great Deku Tree. I will do this, for you."
"Thank you...Navi, Iku...Help Link and O-chan to carry out
my will...I entreat ye... Navi...Iku..."
The two fairies bobbed in unison, showing that they understood, and flew to their respective partners.
"Everyone," the Great Deku Tree addressed the rest of the kokiri, his voice no more than a hoarse whisper now. "Everyone...I bid you farewell...Good...bye..."
And before their very eyes, the leaves of the Deku Tree wilted, the trunk became discoloured and brittle and the spirit of the beloved forest deity vanished.
"GREAT DEKU TREE!!"
The wailing cries came as one from every kokiri in the glade. The tears flooded from every pair of eyes and the only sound to be heard was the choked sobbing.
"He's...he's gone..." Link said quietly, picking up his sword.
"Link..." O-chan began stretching out her hand but he brushed it aside and raised his own hand to wipe his face, setting it into a determined frown.
"Okay, O-chan, Navi, Iku, let's go!" he commanded, turning towards the passageway that lead out of the village but his path was blocked by Mido. "Out of our way Mido! We don't have time for this now."
The usually obnoxious kokiri scowled and pushed Link backwards. His own face was wet with tears.
"And where are you planning to go?! Huh?"
"To Hyrule, like the Great Deku Tree instructed," O-chan replied.
Mido shot a glare at her.
"You know perfectly well Kokiris cannot survive outside the forest!"
"If the Deku Tree said it was alright for us to go then it can't be dangerous. Why would he send us to find the Princess if we could die as soon as we leave?" O-chan argued.
"I don't know!" Mido shouted. "I don't know! All I know is that he is dead! And you were the ones who saw him before he dies. None of us know what happened. How do we know it wasn't you that killed him!"
SMACK!
The kokiris all gasped as O-chan slapped Mido across the face. She was crying again.
"How can you say that? HOW? I cannot believe you think we killed him! Why would we do such a thing? I know you're upset Mido but there's no need to make such stupid accusations!" She stepped back and wiped the tears aside fiercely, gritting her teeth. "Can't you see we love the Great Deku Tree just as much as you do?" she asked, her voice turning quiet. "Can't you see we wish he wasn't dead?"
Mido was stunned, his hand resting on his cheek where the red hand-shaped mark was forming.
"B-But...but you were so determined to leave..." he stuttered.
"Yes...I know, the Great Deku Tree told us not to grieve and he asked us to do this for him and that's what we shall do...because we care for him and we care for all of you. Do you understand?"
She looked up at him, her eyes still shining from the tears. Mido stared at her. Then he slowly nodded. She smiled.
"Yeah...well...I still don't think it's safe out there," Mido frowned, looking away from her.
Link stood up.
"We want to see the outside world, Mido. No matter how big it is, or what is there, we want to see it with our own eyes. Right?" he looked at O-chan and she nodded. "And as O-chan said, if the Great Deku Tree asked us to do it, it can't be dangerous."
Mido didn't answer.
"Don't worry. We're delivering the stone and then we will return."
O-chan jumped slightly at this comment and looked away to hide her sadness. True, they would come back but it would be seven years from now and they would be no more than strangers to the kokiri.
"O-chan, you coming?"
Link took her arm and she looked around at him.
"Yeah. I'm coming. Sorry."
He nodded and took one last look at the village. O-chan could see he was trying not to cry. He forced a smile onto his face and then disappeared through the tunnel, pulling O-chan with him.
Then he started to run, his head bowed. He wouldn't look back, he couldn't.
"Link! LINK!" O-chan cried, chasing after him.
Poor Link...
She could see him ahead of her, almost at the entrance to the outside world.
"Link..."
"You're leaving, aren't you?"
O-chan stopped and ahead of her, Link halted too. The two of them looked around at the familiar figure standing at the entrance to the tunnel.
Saria had her head bowed to hide her tears.
"S-Saria," Link said quietly.
"I always knew you two were different from the others," she whispered, "but, the forest will always be your home."
She raised her face to look at them and a smile shone through amongst her tears.
"Always."
The two of them smiled too and nodded.
"Always," they agreed.
Saria wiped her tears aside and then held out her hand. In it lay O-chan's white ocarina.
"I thought you might want this."
She took it and clenched her fingers around it. Saria then looked at Link, who had come up behind O-chan.
"And Link. I want you to have this. I'm sure it will be useful." And she handed over her own ocarina.
He stared at her, then down at the peach coloured ocarina.
"S-Saria, I can't take this...it's yours," he said.
"I want you to take it Link. I want you to take it and then when you are out exploring the world, you can play it sometimes and remember the forest."
Link was speechless as the ocarina was placed in his hands but then he clasped it tight and held it close.
"Thank you Saria."
She beamed at him.
"And one last thing," she added. "This is a song that will remind you of the forest that you can play. It is a song close to my heart so please take it with you."
As the words left her mouth, a strange melody began to echo around them. A cheerful tune that brought the image of leaves and trees and busy kokiri folk going about their work. Without hesitation, Link and O-chan raised their ocarina's to the lips and mimicked the song, their fingers finding the notes without trouble, as if by magic.
The forest's music slowly died away and the two of them lowered the ocarinas, staring with amazement at the strange green glow that radiated from them momentarily before dissolving into nothing. They looked at Saria.
"We'll be friends forever, okay?" she said.
"Okay!" they nodded in unison.
The green-haired kokiri girl smiled one last time and waved as they turned and ran across the rest of the bridge and vanished through the tunnel, out into the big wide world.
She lowered her hand and sighed, wiping a tear from her cheek. Ima hovered close to her.
"Are you okay Saria?"
"Yeah...I'll see them again...some day," Saria whispered, turning to head back into the village. "Some day..."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------
Lady-obsessed: Ah see, said I wouldn't make you wait long. Summer holidays are very useful. It was such a sad chapter to write, I hope you enjoyed it. Please review, I appreciate every single one of them and they are what motivate me to write.
Until next time. TTFN