Hi everybody. I hope everybody is enjoying my story. It will get more interesting. Well, hope everybody enjoys this one as well. Zelda doesn't belong to me. If I did own Zelda, I wouldn't write this story. I'd put this as a game. If anybody does put my idea into a game, I will so sue them far up the ass. lol. Anyway, enjoy fans. And keep reviewing. I may very well pull the plug if I don't see more reviews, but I don't want to; so please, if you like this tale enough to read this far, review. Thank you.
Book One, Chapter Four: The Last Night in Kokiri Forest
The small forest, home to the Kokiri, was a realm of both protection and entrapment for those that lived in it. Those from outside this realm, however, were not bound to these rules. If one were to travel to this forest and chose to live there, it would not take long for that person to leave the forest.
The Kokiri have never noticed the restraints placed upon them; they have never felt restrained to the forest because they have never left their realm. Few ever had the desire for adventure and those that did have it never pursued leaving the forest, for to leave the realm that was their own would mean certain death. For this reason, no Kokiri had ever willingly broken the taboo of leaving the forest. It was unheard of.
This does not mean that no Kokiri had ever left the forest. Although the Kokiri were just in the appearance of children, they had the intelligence that could surpass any adults. The Kokiri were long-lived beings that could age twice as long as any adult could. And, like any intelligent group, they set up rules that had to be followed. In a sense, they had created their own form of government by setting up these 'laws.' The laws, known as the 'Kokiri Codes,' were few in number and not that hard to follow, but those that did break the law were exiled from Kokiri Forest for the rest of their life.
The laws were set up by Renan, first leader of the Kokiri, over five-thousand years ago. After the Great Deku Tree bore the first forty seeds, which would sprout into the first generation of the Kokiri tribe, he realized that unless the Kokiri, his children, were placed under control by one that was equal to them, they would try to leave the forest, as well as try to escape the bond they had with the Deku Tree by destroying the forest, which would end in his, as well as their, demise. So, to prevent this from happening, he took one of the seeds and used his powers to bring the Kokiri within that seed to consciousness several weeks before the rest of the Kokiri were to awaken. After explaining the situation to the Kokiri, which he had named Renan, he asked him to come up with rules to prevent the destruction of the forest. Renan spent all his time thinking up rules that would protect the forest.
Just before the first generation of Kokiri was awakened, Renan had thought up the 'Kokiri Codes.' These rules were placed into effect by both himself and the Deku Tree. The number of rules that were placed into effect weren't that great and the rules themselves were not tough to follow. When the Great Deku Tree chose Renan to be the one to set up the rules he chose wisely, for Renan had the understanding of what laws could do, what laws should be placed and how they needed to be enforced. He did not put that many laws into effect and did not set up any laws unless he knew they could be enforced, even if some were harder to enforce than others.
Renan's goal was simple: to protect the Kokiri, the Deku Tree and the forest. He did not care about his status over the rest of the Kokiri and knew that, if he did set up too much power upon himself and his position, his predecessors would undoubtedly use it as a tool to rule over all the other Kokiri. So, to prevent this from happening, he stated in the 'Kokiri Codes' that the Kokiri, as individuals, would have to enforce these laws themselves and choose the appropriate punishment that would be carried out on those that broke these laws. He understood how many flaws that his plan had, and how hard it would be to enforce some of the laws, but he knew that, as long as the Kokiri were raised to be pure hearted people, the laws would be enforced.
So it was that the 'Kokiri Codes' were placed into effect and a Kokiri was chosen to head all activity among the other Kokiri. Even after five-thousand years the 'Kokiri Codes' have never been changed in any manner. The only flaw in the plan was the way of enforcing the laws and how to deal with the punishment of those that broke it. Because of a lack of fighters among the Kokiri and the fear of the destruction of the forest by those that broke the laws, the Kokiri tribe decided that those that broke the law would be exiled from the forest, never to return. Because of the legend that all Kokiri that leave the forest would die none ever willingly gave up their place within the tribe and tried their very hardest to abide by the laws. None ever left the forest on their own free will. It was too scary to attempt.
However, with the changing of time and increasing of danger, some things that have never been attempted, regardless of how dangerous or taboo it was, were attempted. And, with the coming of a terrible battle, the Kokiri tribe was going to say farewell to one that is going to leave them, most likely to never return. None of the Kokiri knew that Saria was going to be leaving with Link, but some of them felt something; a change was going to happen, they knew that, even though they would never see the change. No Kokiri, save one, would know of Saria's disappearance from the Kokiri Forest.
xxxx
If one could tell of doing everything at once it had to be Saria who could tell it. She had awoken from her first full night of sleep since her arrival back to the Kokiri Forest. For the past week she had been getting up at about four in the morning to prepare for her leaving.
Everyday was a little busier for her, and a little longer as well. She would get up at about four and then spend the first twenty minutes getting ready for the day. She would then cook her breakfast, which consisted of two small fish caught from the pond, which the Kokiri had called 'Kokiri Puddle,' near the Kokiri item shop, a batch of deku nut seeds, some lettuce and a cup of fresh pond water that had been heated up.
After finishing her breakfast she would go see if Link had gotten up yet. If he had woken up, she would go over with him what they were going to have to get for the start of their journey. If he hadn't woken up, she would go over their supplies to see if anything was missing from the previous day. After they went over what they were going to need to get for the day, Link would go off through the tunnel which led to the Kokiri Bridge, the limit as to how far the Kokiri were allowed to go, and Saria would go over the supplies at her and Link's houses and keep record of what they had and if they were missing anything.
Once that was done with, she would go make lunch. Lunch consisted mostly as two freshly caught, or bought, fish and some deku nut seeds. This part of the day always seemed the most loneliest, for while she was preparing to get ready to go on this dangerous quest the rest of the Kokiri were doing whatever small projects they were amusing themselves with or playing a really fun game. She also felt lonely because she came to realize something: she no longer felt like a Kokiri. She remembered, not that long ago, she used to be just like them. She would always be playing a fun game that was made up on the spot. She would always do some fun project, nothing bigger than building forts, so she would have something to do if nobody could come up with a game everyone liked. She would always be talking and laughing about the simple things in life, things adults would only pretend to laugh at. Yes, she used to be just like them, but no longer; not since the troubles and burdens of expecting to be a sage were placed on her. Now, with the fate of the whole world partially on her shoulders, as well as Link's and the one who bared the Triforce of Power, she just didn't feel like finding these simple things funny anymore. She didn't feel as if she were herself anymore. Saria had become an adult and, like all adults, wished desperately to be young and carefree again.
After lunch was done with, Saria would then go to the training grounds of Kokiri Forest and practice fighting. Link had told her that there were creatures and monsters just outside the borders of Kokiri Forest and that she always had to be prepared to fight at any given moment. Link had given her his old slingshot, the one he had found on his quest to save the Deku Tree. She would always choose her target to be a small rock. At first she would practice standing in one spot and trying to hit it. It did not take her long to get used to aiming properly and hitting her target almost every time. She had now become accustomed to aiming at her target while she moved from side-to-side. This had proved to be harder to perform, seeing that she now had to take time into account as well as her aim. Even though she still needed practice with moving targets, she was doing rather well with her new weapon.
Saria would also train herself in using a deku stick. Link had told her that he didn't have a sword for her to use, not just yet, and until that time came she would have to use an item that could be used as a makeshift sword. Saria had chosen a deku stick due to the fact that it was the closest thing she could think of that could be used in such a manner and that she had learned how to use deku sticks in such a brutish way a long time ago. She was rather good at using the long, wooden weapon in such a fighting manner and knew that, if a monster would show how dangerous it was, she would at least get one good swing at it before it attacked her. The only problem she saw with using the deku sticks in this manner was that they were very weak and could snap in two if swung too roughly and struck a sturdy object. She knew she would have to find a sword during her quest with Link; she would not live long if she didn't.
Saria would train until Link came back to Kokiri Forest. By that time the sun was setting and she would have worked up a sweat. When that time came Link would go prepare dinner for them while she went and bathed in the 'Kokiri Puddle.' All Kokiri bathed in this pond. They were as smart as any Hylian, this is true, and because of that they had learned that all races were born into the world without the additional flesh and covering that hid one's bare flesh. Since the Kokiri were not born with the knowledge or desire of coveting another's body and flesh they did not have as much fear that most other races of beings had of hiding one's nudity from others. And, since 'Kokiri Puddle' was the only place of water in the village, the ability to prepare a bath in another place was very difficult to do; they did not know how to build an aqueduct system and filling a tub would be too long a process because it would require one to go back and forth between their house and the pond to fill it up with enough water in which to bath. So for these reasons the Kokiri simply took baths in the open, not afraid to hide their flesh from one another.
After her bath was done, Saria would go to Link's house and eat a well made meal with him. Dinner could consist of anything, seeing as Link traveled to the towns in Hyrule and brought back with him many different kinds of food. He would bring back meats, dried fruits, vegetables, drinks and sometimes something known as cakes, which Saria loved to eat. While they ate they would talk about what happened to each of them that day and make the best of their short time in Kokiri Forest. After dinner was done, Link and Saria would go see what Link had brought back with himself from Kakariko Village and record what was bought and how much of each was bought. They knew that, in order to complete their journey, they had to keep a good stock of items with them at all times and be wise as to what they buy. This process of checking and recording items was not that long a process, seeing as Link brought back only certain things that included food, mostly salted meats and dried fruits, water containers, jars, pots and pans, silverware, herbs, potions, arrows and bombs. They could not spend any rupees on anything they were not sure of needing.
Upon doing that, they would then say goodnight to one another and go to bed. By then, the time would be two hours before the moon's peak hour. This has been the loop into which Link and Saria had put themselves in for the past week. And yet, although the work was hard and her muscles always burned by the time she went to bed, Saria had never felt more needed in her life. She somewhat liked knowing that the world was counting on her and Link to complete this journey. For the most part, however, the importance of the quest was growing more and more apparent every day and she sometimes didn't want to go, but she knew that it did not matter whether she wanted to go or not. It was too late to back down now. She was going to leave the forest and, hopefully, nobody would know of her being gone before tomorrow. Tonight was the night of leaving and for the remainder of the day both Link and Saria would not do anything except relax and spend their remaining time as they wished. Both knew that, at this moment, it was the first of many calms before storms that they would have to see.
Saria gave a long sigh as she got out of bed. She looked up at the ceiling and hoped she had the courage to make it out of the forest. And she hoped that the legend of death upon leaving the forest was just a legend.
xxxx
The last of the bright sun's rays were settling beyond the horizon, touching other places that none in Hyrule knew of. Although the setting of the sun was a beautiful sight to behold, turning the yellow sun into a beautiful shade of orange and dying the white clouds into voluptuous shades of orange and pink, Link and Saria took no notice of the beauty that came about from the laying of the bright sun. They had other things on their minds, things that no other person would be able to tolerate.
Too many days have passed from the time Link told Saria what was to happen on the day they would leave for Hyrule Castle Town. He had told her that they would leave under the cover of darkness just before morning and would then go to Kakariko village, what Link estimated to be a two or three day journey at most. Upon staying there for two days or so, restocking on any supplies they might need and hopefully getting some rest, they would go to Hyrule Castle town, less than half-a-day's journey by Link's best guess, and try to meet with Zelda somehow, even though he had not yet come up with a way to meet with her. Now, on the very eve of their leaving, both wished they had left earlier; it would have been much easier to do so if they did.
The Kokiri tribe, most of the tribe, was outside enjoying the setting of the sun and the colors that were covering the sky as it set, soon to bring out the darkness of night and the countless of stars that would engulf the heavenly body up above. Perhaps the only two not enjoying the beautiful sight were Link and Saria, who were sitting inside Saria's hut and trying to enjoy their last meal that they would eat in Kokiri Forest. Link had brought meat from an animal Saria had never heard of before, an animal called a cow, some fresh water and tea herbs, dried apples and bananas and, for desert, two pieces of cake that Link had bought the other day. Saria had to admit that the meat Link had brought was very tender and tasted really good. The dried fruits were very nice, yet she had grown used to their taste and had grown used to eating such things. The heated water and tea herbs were something new to her and she rather liked it. Link and Saria had not touched their cakes yet.
"Link," Saria said. "I was wondering something. What are we going to do after we talk to Zelda? We have not discussed further than that and I was just curious as to what we were going to do."
"I am not sure," Link said. "We have to get information from Zelda so that we may know what we must do first. Although we know that we must go on a journey to stop a battle that is between angels and demons, as well as find another to journey with us, we have no other information outside of that. We know not where we must go or what we must do exactly. Zelda may know what it is that must be done first, in which case seeing her is our first step to completing this quest. After that, we shall do whatever it is we must do to finish our journey."
"Have you thought of a way to see her," asked Saria.
"Not yet," said Link. "I have given it some thought and I am at a loss as to what we should do in order to get a message to her. I have thought about asking a guard to give her a message from us, but no doubt they would inspect the letter I hand them and read it themselves. If they see that we are trying to meet with the princess they may come after us and question us as to what we are doing or planning that requires us to meet a member of the royal family. Not only that, if I make a note sound too personal, as if I am asking for another meeting with the princess, they would probably want to know how it is that I have met her already and, if I did meet her, why is it that they were not told of it. Another thought that has crossed my mind is that we may try to sneak into the castle as I have done in the past, but I have learned that the castle guard around the castle has been increased considerably and that nobody could even step on the path leading to the castle without an archer or guard seeing it. If we did try to sneak into the castle we would probably be shot at."
"In other words, what we hope to do may be hopeless," Saria said, somewhat depressed from what Link had told her. "Without a means of delivering a message or meeting the princess we cannot learn what our first objective is."
"I did not say that," Link said. "There may still be a way to enter the castle or have a message delivered to the presence of the princess that I have not thought of yet. And, if I cannot think of any other way, than we'll just try giving a letter to a castle guard and hope for the best. Besides, until we try something, there is no way we can go on our quest, seeing as neither of us know what we should do first or where we should be going."
"That is true," Saria said. "We really know nothing as to what must be done. And we do need to find the one who bears the blessings of Din with him. It is just so hard to comprehend that we know much of something that may come about but know nothing as to what roles we play in it."
"I understand your troubles for I feel them as well, but if one tries to contemplate as to the outcome of what will happen more than what must be done next nothing will ever get done. For now let us not worry as to the battle between spiritual beings and focus more on our current state, which is that of getting information and leaving Hyrule. I am sure, once we find the bearer of the missing triforce piece, everything will fall into place and we can continue our quest to halting that terrible battle."
"Yes, that is indeed what we must do and I do believe we should not focus on the end of a game more than how we should win the game. I will try my hardest not to think farther than what will be the next step of our journey and where it will take us, and right now that next step is to see Lady Zelda."
Link and Saria stayed quiet after that, not wanting to continue the discussion any farther than was necessary. As they had finished their dinner and were eating their cakes, which Link and Saria loved very much, night was starting to settle on the now quiet forest of the Kokiri tribe. All those that lived in the forest, including the skull kids, began to seek whatever shelter that they have called their own and were trying to get comfortable within their dwellings. The forest, once lively with the sounds of laughter and excitement, was quiet and peaceful, save for the sounds of crickets rubbing their legs together.
"I must be off to my tree house," Link said. "We shall both retire into our slumbers as soon as we can manage it, for we must leave Kokiri Forest before sunrise."
"Why must we leave at such an early hour," Saria asked.
"I would rather start our journey peacefully," Link said. "I know that if I leave the forest with you in the early-light hours of the day many Kokiri will want to know why it is that I am taking you outside of the forest with me. They may think that I am trying to kill you by doing so and, if that thought does cross their minds, they may try to attack me. I have also thought of going at the hour of which the moon has neared its peak, but many creatures appear during the night and may attack if we stray off the path that shows in Hyrule Fields. By going through the tunnel just before dawn we shall, most likely, leave the village undetected by any curious eyes and will also have the better chances of not running into any night creatures that may pose a threat to us for at least one night."
"What kind of creatures are you talking about," Saria asked.
"Do not worry about that," Link said, after taking his last bite of cake and eating it. "I have seen your training and I believe you can hold your own against any creatures that may hinder our way. And I will be there with you as well, so do not worry about small details such as that. Now we best get some sleep if we wish to leave before any other Kokiri awaken."
"Alright," Saria said. "Good night Link, and have sweet dreams. I don't think we'll have any nice dreams for a long time after tonight."
"Do not worry about such things Saria," Link said, after he got up from Saria's table and was preparing to leave. "Besides, if you go to bed with a thought such as that in your mind I don't think you'll ever get to sleep tonight. Good night Saria and sweet dreams to you as well."
"Before you go Link," Saria said. "Can I ask what I'm going to be using as a weapon once I enter a battle? I know the deku sticks are strong, but I know that I will eventually meet enemies that will be stronger than me and I know they won't be as easily beaten with a stick."
"I know," Link said, sounding as if he was deep in thought. "I am sorry to say that I do not have another sword with me. And I have checked all over the Hyrule market for a place that either sells or forges swords and have found naught. I fear that it may be some time before you may carry a blade on your being, but that cannot be helped right now. For now, we will just have to avoid as many battles as possible. I am sure that, after we leave Hyrule, we may find a blacksmith that can forge a sword for you.
"Let us not worry over such things that cannot be helped or changed at the moment. The last of the sun's rays have fallen behind the distant lands and the stars are showing through the heavens. We must rest ourselves as quickly as we can for we must not be here when the sun returns to Kokiri Forest. Goodnight Saria, and have dreams that keep you in a deep and joyful sleep."
Saria watched as Link's form walked outside of her hut and turned left, heading in the direction of his tree-house. As his form vanished from her sight she took a deep, heavy sigh that needed to be let out. She then walked back to her table and was about to take the dishes to the pond when she decided not to do so. She realized that she was not going to take those dishes with her, so they no longer held any purpose for her. She may as well leave them there and let the ants take care of cleaning the crumbs off the dishes for her.
Saria rested her body under the covers of her small bed just as the crickets were starting to get loud and noisy. She closed her eyes and fell asleep almost immediately.
Had she stayed up just a little bit longer, just for another hour or so, she may have noticed a Kokiri enter her hut and lay a sword within it, next to the entrance. Then she would have seen the messy red-haired Kokiri with freckles sprint back to his hut, which was the closest hut to the tunnel that Link and Saria would be leaving through in less than ten hours from now.
xxxx
Link waited patiently outside Saria's hut. He had been awake since the third hour of the new day and had been outside Saria's hut for over an hour. A pack laid on the middle of his back and within the pack was about half of the supplies that he had gathered from Kakariko Village and Hyrule Castle Town. He had decided to carry the heavier supplies, consisting of pots, pans, heavy weaponry and any other thing that Link believed would be too heavy for Saria to carry at the moment. On his belt he had attached his water container, which was just filled at the 'Kokiri Puddle,' his rupee wallet that was almost emptied due to the amount of supplies that needed to be bought, his trusty hookshot, a bag of bombs, which were used mostly for destroying large pieces of debris that was in his way, his bow and his sword, which was only moved to his belt because of the pack needing to be placed on his back. The one thing he was having a problem carrying was his shield. Having not thinking ahead about where he would put such an important item, he placed the mirror shield under his pack. Under his shield rested a quiver that held many arrows that would come in handy during many battles that he and Saria would be involved in.
Link turned his head in one direction after another, taking in his surroundings and watching for any who may be looking upon him. While looking for any such beings he took his time to absorb all the places he had become familiar with in the forest realm that he had lived. His mind raced with memories of days long past; of times before and after his first quest. He remembered of his first time meeting Saria, when he had no real friends to call his own. He remembered his first time meeting Mido and how much they had both disliked one another and how they always competed against each other in every little thing that they had to do and, by doing so, they had started to develop an understanding for the other; some went as far as saying it was a friendship, though Link was not sure if it was. He remembered when he fell from his ladder and he thought he almost broke his leg.
Link also remembered the time when a small pack of wolfos had wandered into the Kokiri Forest. Before anyone could be warned they started attacking the Kokiri, killing one of the boys and injuring several others upon the first strike. All the able Kokiri boys and girls, including himself, Saria and Mido, had gathered what weapons and deku shields they could and fought the seven wolfos that attacked the village. This was Link's first feel for battle and he hated every minute of it. By the day's end all the wolfos, along with six Kokiri boys and two girls, had been killed in that terrible battle. All the Kokiri that survived the battle came out with at least one injury. Link had been clawed across the chest; had the cut been a little deeper the injury would have killed him. Saria had been bitten on her left hand and lost much blood. Mido had been clawed on his left shoulder and had a mild fracture on his left arm, but he had become the hero among the Kokiri that day by leading the Kokiri to the very end of the battle and single handily killing one of the wolfos, which was the same one that injured his arm. That battle became known as 'The Great and Terrible Battle of the Kokiri' and will be a part of Kokiri history for as long as the Kokiri tribe exists.
Many other memories were recalled by Link, some he liked and some he didn't like. He had seen and experienced much with the Kokiri tribe. Even though many considered him an outsider and shunned him for it, he had grown to love each of the Kokiri as if they were his family. He knew that, by leaving the forest again, he would never return to the Kokiri Forest and would have only memories to remind him of the fun, wonderful and terrible times that he had experienced with the Kokiri. Link sighed and looked back at Saria's hut.
Just as he was looking back at Saria's hut a form started walking out of it. The form had a pack on her back and her hair was still messy, showing that she had gotten up and didn't bother with brushing her hair. A pack hanged off her back that was resting over a shield that Link had bought from the Hyrule Castle Town Market. Her attire looked messy, as if she had gotten dressed in a big hurry and didn't bother to check how she looked. The one thing that had confused Link was the fact that Saria had, in her right hand, a sword that seemed the right size for a Kokiri. The scabbard was attached to her belt and was brown and plain, no designs or etchings could be seen on it. The sword had a polished wood hilt and attached in the middle of it was a small sapphire. The blade was made of a light metal and looked like the original version of the Kokiri Sword; the only difference that Link could see was that the sword was somewhat longer than the Kokiri Sword used to be.
"Saria," Link said. "How is it that you have come into possession of a sword? I thought that the Kokiri Sword was the only blade that the Kokiri had."
"I am not sure where it came from," Saria said. "Upon waking from my dreams I had found it lying next to my door. The thought of you bringing this sword to my hut had crossed my mind when I had first laid my eyes on it, but with what you have just said I know that is not the case. I have a troubled mind now, as I thought that we were to leave in secret. If one of the Kokiri tribe members brought to me this sword while I lay in my slumbers than does that not mean that our leaving in secret is no longer an option?"
"You have said my thoughts," Link said. "I am not sure how one found out of our plans of leaving this forest realm, but that cannot be helped at this moment. The feeling of being watched by shaded eyes now grips me and I would rather we leave this realm before the yellow eye of the goddesses reaches Hyrule and exposes us to all within the tribe."
"With the knowledge of us leaving by one of our tribe," Saria said, concern becoming apparent in her voice. "Is it not possible that many among the tribe now wait for us to try and leave so they may try and halt our advancement out of the forest?"
"I do not believe such is the case," Link said. "Let us recognize the one among the tribe has given to you this blade. If one were to truly attempt to stop us from leaving the forest would it not be foolhardy to give the one they wish to overcome a weapon in which to defend themselves and not instead keep the weapon in the hopes of stopping us from leaving this realm? I do believe that the one who has given us this weapon wishes us not to leave but does not question our judgment upon the matter. It is best that we leave here soon. The moon is sinking in the same place that the sun has sunken and the dawn's first rays of light will soon appear over the horizon. Come; let us leave now and hope none watch us depart from this forest."
Saria sheathed her new weapon and followed Link. As she neared the tunnel, which would lead her to the bridge that separated Hyrule from Kokiri Forest, she began to feel a pain in her chest and her wind pipe suddenly start to close on her. Part of her believed that the curse had already begun to take affect upon her, that she would die in another moment and never even leave the forest. She knew, however, that such was not the case and that she was feeling a hesitation to leave the Kokiri tribe and the forest in which the Kokiri had named as their home. She did not wish to leave that which she had named her home and all those that she had named as her family. She knew that, if the world did not need her assistance, she would never have agreed to leave with Link. She also realized that Link must of felt the same as he was leaving the forest for the first time; grabbing Saria's present from her and sprinting out to the tunnel that is said to give death to all Kokiri who pass through must have been the hardest think Link had ever done in his life. Saria now understood as to why he ran from her that day. Had he not run he would of never left the forest and the world would be in absolute disorder and chaos under the throne and mighty iron grip of Ganondorf. Knowing this gave her more courage to leave. She did not wish to let the world fall under a cloud of death because she was unsure of what would happen to her if she left the woods.
Such deepness was she in her own thoughts that she did not realize that she had already come upon the bridge. Link looked at her with kindness and uncertainty within his eyes. A part of him wanted to tell her that she did not need to leave the forest and that he could do what needed to be done on his own. He knew, however, that to leave the world only within his hands would mean the end of it. He knew that he had never been the sole savior of Hyrule; had he not had the Princess Zelda and the six sages to seal Ganon within the Sacred Realm he would of never been able to best the power of the goddesses. Even now the world and those that lived within it needed not just Link, they need the powers of Saria and the one who bears the Triforce of Power as well.
"Saria," Link said. "The sun has risen and the creatures of the night have returned to their underground shelters. It is time for us to leave the Kokiri Forest."
Saria said nothing in return. Link knew what was on her mind and did not ask for any pursuit of it.
Link began walking on the bridge with Saria following behind him. The boards creaked and moaned at the weight that was suddenly placed upon them. Link grabbed onto the ropes that acted as rails for the bridge and began moving forward again. Upon reaching the end of the bridge, standing within the tunnel that connected Kokiri Forest to Hyrule, Link looked back to see Saria coming closer to him, holding onto the ropes for support. Upon reaching the tunnel Saria looked at Link for assurance and than looked down the tunnel, which seemed to house a never-ending darkness that threatened to engulf her upon entering it. Part of her wished to abandon the quest. To simply flee from Link and return to her hut within Kokiri Forest seemed so simple and logical that Saria wondered why she wasn't doing it.
Link put a hand on her shoulder and Saria returned to her common sense. She felt that she could now brave whatever was behind that darkness within the tunnel and felt no need of abandoning the quest. Her courage was back and she relaxed a little, even though the lump in her throat refused to leave.
Saria took one look back upon the tunnel that led to Kokiri Forest. The laughter of the Kokiri was starting to find its way to the tunnel that Link and Saria were standing in. She knew that she would never see the Kokiri again and that she would never again hear any of their laughter; she did not regret it.
Link started walking through the tunnel, heading towards Hyrule Fields with every step he took. Saria followed him and soon their forms vanished within the darkness of the tunnel.