"Time passes, people move...Like a river's flow, it never ends...

A childish mind will turn to noble ambition; young love will become deep affection...

The clear water's surface reflects growth...

Now, reflect upon yourself, look into your reflection...

What do you see?"

(Sheik)

Chapter Eleven
"Fallen Leaf"

"It's sad, isn't it?" Zelda was saying. She knelt by the grave of her fallen companion, Volvagia. She was in a ruined portion of the castle. The grass was all dead, replaced by lifeless dirt.

Zelda placed a bundle of flowers on the grave and kept her head down, whispering, "I've finally found Link. I felt alive again as soon as I saw his face. And even after all this...I let him get taken away?"

She stood up slowly, holding herself as the wind blew. She shivered.

She was all alone.

Her ears perked up as she heard footsteps behind her. She turned and found Link. The two of them looked at each other quietly, neither moving a muscle nor saying a word.

Meanwhile, across the castle yard and safely behind some rubble that used to be the castle's wall, Saria, Malon, Daphnes and one other member of the Red Lions stood at the ready. Daphnes had ordered the other two to stay behind and guard the boy.

The one with them was a young boy, about eleven years of age. He was the fastest runner out of the group. He would run to the horse waiting in the ruined Hylian Marketplace and pass the message to evacuate the others along with survivors at various parts of Hyrule if something were to go horribly wrong.

Zelda and Link's eyes locked.

Zelda's lips formed a very faint smile, "...are you real? You're not a fantasy?" She stepped forward, walking slowly and cautiously towards Link. Finally, they were less then an arm's length away from each other. Link didn't move as Zelda slowly raised her hand up, touching Link's face, "...you're real."

Zelda's eyes watered as she leapt forward and hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shirt, crying.

Link and Zelda stayed like that for a few precious minutes before Zelda let go slowly. Link looked down at her and said quietly, "Zelda...what have you done?"

Zelda gave him a confused look, wiping the tears from her face, "...What?" she didn't expect his first words spoken to be so accusing.

Link backed off, out of her reach. Zelda looked as if she were about to cry again, but then she said, "...What's wrong?" she searched Link's eyes for the answer, finally, she noticed the sword strapped to his back, she said sadly, "...Are you...going to use that?"

Link stayed quiet. Zelda stepped closer, "What did I do wrong?" she lowered her eyes, "Did...my father send you?"

Link drew his sword, the steel blade made a metallic shing that echoed along the walls of the ruined castle.

Zelda took another step forward, "Link, don't let him trick you. He's evil and he's trying to kill me, Link. You're still my hero, right Link?"

"Stay back!" Link yelled. Zelda stopped. They were so close they could feel each other's breath.

Zelda unbuttoned the top portion of her shirt, letting it open partially as she reached out and touched his left hand. She looked down at the sword he was holding. The sword was meant to cut her up. She looked back up to Link's eyes, "You're my hero, right?" She leaned her face in for a kiss, the first kiss she would have after six years of loneliness. Link tilted his face away. Zelda stopped, heartbroken.

Now, after all these years, he wouldn't even let her kiss him?

"Don't you love me?" she said, as if nothing was fair in the world. She places her other hand on the side of his neck. She leaned in and lightly brushed her soft lips against the skin of his neck. She missed this feeling.

She lightly kissed his neck, then she brushed her soft lips up to his cheek, then to his ear. She leaned in closer, breathing into his ear, she whispered, "Link, I missed you...I want you."

Link dropped his sword. He couldn't do it.

Saria, who had been watching intently the entire time along with the others, stood up with fury in her eyes, Daphnes grabbed her arm and yanked her back down before they were seen. Saria looked at Daphnes and said with an angry tone "She's manipulating him! I—we have to stop this now!"

Daphnes looked at Saria sternly, "Saria...calm down. Don't do anything you'll regret!"

Saria couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Regret! I'm regretting sitting here doing nothing while Link is being toyed with!"

"Give him some more time." Daphnes said softly, trying to calm her down.

Saria angrily yanked her arm away and went back to watching Link and Zelda.

Zelda whispered again, kissing Link's cheek, "Don't you love me?"

Link suddenly pushes Zelda away. Zelda stumbles backwards and looks at Link, shocked. Link regains his composure and says defiantly, "No."

Zelda's face filled with shock, she said almost speechless, "...What?"

Link repeated, "I said, no. The girl I loved was kind and sweet. You're just a murderer."

Zelda's sad face was suddenly filled with anger, "Is it Saria? Is that stupid bitch responsible for this! Where is she?" she looked around quickly and saw Saria, their eyes met.

Saria quickly moved out of view, she exclaimed, "Shit! We have to move, NOW!"

Zelda charged up an explosive spell and was just about to pitch it at Saria and the others when Link rushes forward, grabbing her wrists just as she fires. Link managed to disrupt her aim as the wall a few yards away from the others exploded.

Zelda and Link struggled a bit as Zelda screamed in frustration and blew Link away with a telekinetic blast. Link kept his footing as he slides along the ground, kicking up dust and dirt. Zelda looked at Link with a hurt expression, she shouted, "Saria's controlling you, isn't she?" Zelda still refused to believe that Link was doing this on his own free will.

Zelda turned and ducked as an arrow flew over her head, she looked around and saw Malon in her wheelchair with a bow in her hands and a quiver full of arrows strapped to her back, Malon yelled out to Zelda, "Back off, Princess! Fairy Boy's with me!"

Zelda, in a rage, charges up another blast and was about to fire it, but Link intervenes once more causing her to miss and hit the ground a few inches to Malon's left. The force of the explosion knocks Malon off her perch and she lands on the ground.

Malon uses the fall as momentum and rolls onto her side, drawing another arrow from her quiver.

Zelda looks at Link, tears streaming down her face, "Why are you doing this?"

Link was about to say something when an arrow flies and slices Zelda's right leg, if the arrow had hit it's target, then Zelda wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

Zelda screamed, letting her emotions go as she releases another blast of psychic energy, knocking Link away once more, Malon muttered, drawing another arrow, "That's payback!"

Zelda looks at Malon with fiery hatred and launches another powerful spell directly at her. Malon's eyes widen as the spell struck her in the chest with deadly accuracy, she screamed.

She never had a chance to fire her arrow.

The explosion threw fire, dirt and blood every which way. When the dust settled, there was only a puddle of blood and burnt cloth where Malon had been. Malon's flaming arrow falls from the sky and the arrowhead impales itself into the center of all the blood. Malon was no more.

Link got up, and yelled, "MALON!" he ran straight for Zelda, picking up his sword without losing pace.

Zelda didn't know who to trust. Link is obviously trying to kill her, she didn't understand why. Link swung his sword at her, she moved in time as the blade cut her cheek, this made her panic and she fired the spell at the ground in front of Link, Link yelled out as the ground directly in front of him exploded, he flew back and hit the wall, sliding down it slowly, blood dripped slowly down from the back of his head. He didn't move.

Zelda realized what she had done and rushes towards Link. As she neared Link she was suddenly blown away by a strong gale of wind, forest leaves followed.

It was Saria.

Zelda got up as Saria rushed forward and tackled Zelda back into the ground. The two girls rolled along the ground, each trying to get the upper hand. Finally, Saria managed to fight her way on top, pinning Zelda down by the shoulders.

Zelda laughed, "I win." Saria looked confused.

She glances down to see Zelda's palm pressed firmly against her chest.

"No..." Saria whispered as Zelda unleashed her attack. The red orb of light struck her in the chest, launching Saria off Zelda and into the air with a trail of smoke. She landed a few yards away with a thud.

Saria gasped for air as she rolled onto her back, she crawled to the wall nearest to her and backed up against it. She slid up to her feet, her breathing was shaky.

Zelda rushes a disabled Saria and her fist slams into Saria's stomach, knocking out her second wind, Saria tried to scream, but couldn't as tears rolled down her cheeks, blood oozed out of her mouth. Zelda's free hand grabs Saria's hair and pulls her higher off the ground, letting her feet dangle. Saria couldn't move.

Zelda laughed, insanity once again creeping over her visage, "...Saria...oh Saria...I've waited a long time for this. I've dreamt of killing you for so long. This is like a dream come true."

Another tear fell from Saria's face, splattering onto the ground.

Zelda lets go and slams two hands into Saria's stomach, shooting off a blast of pure light, the light flies through Saria's stomach and through the wall behind her, she screams while Zelda laughs.

Zelda shoves her hands deeper into Saria's body, soaking them in blood, she held her there.

Saria coughed violently while crying at the same time, tears streamed down her face, blood poured out of her wound and onto the ground.

Zelda leaned in to Saria's ear, whispering with pleasure,

"No matter how much you've grown, Saria, you're still a scared little ten year old girl on the inside who doesn't know what she's gotten herself into. You've never amounted to anything. You've lived a pointless life trying to win Link's love when he obviously loves me. Nothing you did was worth anything to Link. Look at yourself. You're a stubborn, stupid, idiotic little bitch. Link doesn't deserve some little runt like you. He deserves me. I'm a Hylian like him, you Kokiri are just second rate garbage. That's why I did the world a favor and killed your little friends." She laughed.

Saria managed to whisper faintly, "...I...may be a little girl on the inside...but...at least...I'm fighting...for someone I love!" Saria raised both palms out at Zelda's face. Saria yells as loud as she could and launches a powerful wind at Zelda from point blank range. It was like being blown away by a hurricane. The blast blows Zelda away, slamming her hard into the opposite wall, the wall cracked.

Saria charges up another spell and fires blasts of wind at Zelda, again and again and again, yelling as she fired each volley. Zelda felt her body racked with pain as Saria's machine gun attacks began to drill her deeper and deeper into the wall.

Finally, the flurry of rapid fire attacks stop, Zelda slowly looks up to see Saria, who was bleeding profusely, putting the last ounce of her strength into her final attack, Saria screamed as loud as she could as she fired, striking Zelda dead on in the chest, blowing Zelda through the wall and through the one behind it, then through another wall and another.

Link regained consciousness and had seen the entire thing.

He ran towards Saria, catching her as she fell forward.

Link held Saria, lowering her down and holding her head, Saria gasped for air.

Link felt tears rolling down his face, "Saria..."

She cried, "Link, it hurts so bad. I'm scared. I...I don't want to die." she grabbed on to him, holding tightly. She was shivering.

Link shook his head, "Its ok, just keep quiet, save your strength. You'll be fine."

Saria smiled softly, "...you were never good at lying."

Link wiped a tear from Saria's face and said "Sorry."

Saria coughed out some blood and said weakly, "...Don't be. That's not really a bad thing. That's why I like you, you're honest."

Link cried, "Saria, why didn't you leave? ...you could've run away."

Saria whispered softly, "People do crazy things for love. Besides..." she moved a trembling hand up to Link's face and nudges his head back playfully, "...that's what friends are for, silly!"

Link laughed quietly at this and brushed the hair from Saria's face.

Saria gasped again for breath and spoke weakly, "...I...I never thought it would end like this. I wanted so much to be with you. I was...I was just too scared to say anything about it to you."

Link shook his head, "Its ok. Don't worry about it."

Saria coughed and tried her best to smile, "Remember that time when I first showed you our secret spot?"

Link nodded, holding Saria close, Saria coughed again, the pain slowly began to numb, she said, "I missed those days. Everyday was fun. I liked being with you, I wanted us to stay best friends forever." She felt herself fading away, "When Zelda took you away, I felt all alone. And you didn't seem to think about me anymore, I didn't want you to forget me. I figured that if you grew up without me, you'd never come back. That's why I left the Kokiri Forest. Even if you hadn't disappeared, I would've gone anyways."

Link said, "Saria...you didn't have to."

Saria closed her eyes, "...I don't regret doing it. It gave me a chance to be with you. That's how much you meant to me. I knew I'd give my life for you because we were friends, and I had hoped we might have been...more than that someday."

Saria felt herself fading fast. She knew she had to say it. She had to tell him openly how she really felt. She wasn't going to hide it anymore. "Link..."

Link leaned in.

Saria trembled as everything got dimmer, "I...love...y-...y-..." Saria didn't know if she had said it or not as she let out her very last breath.

Her body went limp in Link's arms.

Saria, Link's childhood friend and Sage of Forest, was dead.