Link hurried through the dark grassy tunnels wondering what could have happened in the meadow. Soon he arrived at his destination and was shocked at the sight before him. All of the sprites and fairies were lying all over the grass, lights dimming and none moving through the air. He ran over to where they all were and knelt beside them.
"Who would do such a thing?" He quietly asked brushing a hand lightly over some of the little things lying motionless around him. He jumped up clutching his sword tightly in one hand anger beginning to slowly boil up inside him. "Who the hell are you and what do you want!?" He yelled looking up into the dark sky for any signs of movement. Suddenly there was a strong gust of wind that sent all of the sprites and fairies tumbling about the meadow. There was a loud bang behind Link who hastily span around to see a shadowy figure just a bit shorter than him. It slowly advanced towards him.
"Haha, I see my little sister did a fine job of destroying the hope in this meadow." Link frowned realising who this shadow really was.
"So you must be Saffron." The shadow stopped moving towards Link and began to glow revealing a girl of about seventeen, dark brown hair streamed down her back that matched the two dark eyes, finishing off her evil look.
"In the flesh." She smiled then added. "And the thing that I want? Well that is you, Hero of Time." At this she darted towards him slamming him against the temple wall with immense force. Link struggled under her grip but managed to push her off, he raised his sword ready for a fight.
"So you wanna' fight huh?" Saffron chuckled, a long black sword appeared out of nowhere in one of her hands, on the handle was a small carving of one of the Triforce pieces, supposedly the Triforce of Power. "Then let the battle commence!" She grinned holding the sword out in front of her and charging towards Link for a second time. This time he was ready, he rolled under her causing her to crash into the wall with the sword. He twisted around slashing at her with his own sword. But Saffron had other ideas, she flickered out of sight and reappeared behind him sending a heel into his back knocking him onto the floor. She was about to send her sword sinking into his back when he rolled out of the way letting her sword go down into the earth. Link leapt up, took out his bow and placed a light arrow in it. With a swift action Link let the arrow fly out of the bow and into Saffron's arm. She shrieked in pain as the light blinded her and the arrow cut open her arm. She fell to the ground holding her wounded arm with the other arm's hand. This was not what she had planned at all, she needed to make a quick escape. Before she left Saffron said something under her breath and a horde of flying stalfos came falling into the meadow.
"This isn't over by far!" Saffron screamed as she vanished from sight leaving the group of monsters to take care of Link. Using what strength he had remaining Link charged up his sword until it turned a dark orange, then with one rapid movement he let the sword spin him around sending a blast of orange magic everywhere making most of the stalfos either fly away or fall to their deaths. Only two managed to dodge the attack, one was on either side of Link and both were ready to charge. Link stood waiting for the moment they would decide to attack, soon enough the two dashed towards him holding their hands out ready to claw at him. Link had been hoping they would do that so he back flipped out of the way and watched the two monsters crash into each other. He turned around and casually chucked a bomb behind him listening to the explosion that destroyed the monsters. He sighed and sat on the ground out of breath.
Saffron flew angrily across Hyrule field blasting anything that got in her way. Entering the cave she spotted her sister lounging on her usual rock. As soon as Saffron entered Ebony sprang up and ran over to her.
"Whoa, Saffron what happened to your arm?" Saffron stormed around the cave yelling about failed plans.
Ebony gave her sister a worried look hoping she would calm down soon.
"Link! That is what the matter is! That damn boy ruined my plans!" Saffron growled settling herself on a rock with a bandage for her arm. She went on to explain about the fight in the woods.
"Wait a minute, why were you in the woods? You went to check that I'd poisoned those sprites properly didn't you!?" Ebony clenched her fists trying to control herself from giving her sister a wound in the other arm. She hated the way Saffron didn't have faith in her.
"Next time you want something done you can do it your darn self, that way you won't have to go along afterwards to check if you did it the right way!" Ebony kicked a few stones that were near her and exited the cave not taking a single glance back at her sister. "I'll show her what I can really do, I'll show them all!" She yelled flying out into the night coating herself in shadow.
The next morning was a dull one. Heavy rain poured over the land causing the Zora river to over flood sending water gushing onto Hyrule field. Ruto sighed looking out of the Zora carriage window at the rainy scene, not that she minded the rain, but too much wasn't very good for the river. The occupants of the carriage were herself and Zelda who were going to the forest to help Link, Saria and Mido pack up and enjoy their last few days in the Kokiri village. The carriage pulled up on the Lost Woods bridge and let the two girls out. Zelda took out her umbrella before even getting out into the rain while Ruto just jumped out and danced around loving it.
Link had been summoned to the Deku Tree, even if it was pouring with rain when you got summoned to the Tree you had to attend.
"You called Great Deku Tree?" Link asked getting soaked to the bone standing in the Tree's meadow.
"Yes, Link I have something for you from your mother that I promised to give you before you left the forest." Link looked mystified wondering what an earth his mother could have had that day she left him here. A small group of fairies flew over to him carrying a medium sized brown box. Link carefully took the box from them and slowly opened the lid. Inside was a dagger similar to the Kokiri sword but this one had a carving of the Triforce on its handle and above that were the three spiritual stones all neatly set in a line to finish off the handle. Link was amazed at the detail and design of this dagger.
"It was the only thing your mother had of your father's, take good care of it." The Deku Tree said as the fairies flew back to hide amongst his leaves. Link nodded putting the dagger back to rest in its container and closing the lid before hurrying out of the meadow into Saria's house.
Ruto and Zelda had now arrived and were also in Saria's house sat at the table playing cards while Saria was sat on the bed watching them. Link burst in from the rain hugging his box close to him trying to keep it dry. The three girls looked up wondering what he had in that box. He sat on the bed next to Saria and opened the box to reveal the dagger.
"Wow where did the Deku Tree get that?" Saria asked taking a closer look at the dagger as Link passed it to her.
"He said it was the only thing my mother had left from my father."
Zelda ran her fingers along the handle marvelling at the work that had gone into the making of it then passed it along to Ruto who gave it a little swung with her hand.
"You could do some serious shadow sister slaying with this baby Link!" Ruto exclaimed standing on her stool and fighting imaginary monsters with it. Saria raised an eyebrow at this.
"Shadow sister?" She asked looking very confused. Link cringed hiding his face behind the box lid. Ruto didn't know how to change the subject so Zelda jumped in.
"Let's play charades!" She shouted. Ruto gave the dagger back to Link and skipped back over to Zelda.
"Ok! I'll go first! Who am I?" Ruto asked jumping back on top of her stool, standing up straight with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.
"Impa!" Zelda screeched as she burst out laughing falling onto the floor. Ruto did the same by tumbling off her chair and landing on Zelda who was still chuckling to herself. Link was feeling uneasy amongst two hyper girls but was thankful that they had managed to avert the conversation from the shadow sisters. He tapped Saria on the arm and looked in the direction of the door. The two quietly left the house heading to Link's while the other two carried on laughing in a heap on the floor.. After a couple of minutes they untangled themselves from each other and looked around.
"Huh? Ah! Shouldn't we go over to Link's and help pack up?" Zelda asked. Ruto stood up stretching her arms.
"Hmm nah not yet, they're probably having a mad make out session, I mean guys who are soaking wet are a real turn on." Zelda began to laugh again but Ruto just shrugged.
"What? It's true, well in my opinion anyway."
Link rummaged through some old boxes scattered around his house. He came to one box and pulled out something he had forgotten he owned.
"I forgot I even had one of these." He said out loud turning and showing the object to Saria.
"A pink potion? When did you get one of those?" She asked staring at the light pink liquid.
"About five years ago just before that big tournament, I wonder if potions go off." He said to himself turning the bottle around in his hand then putting it into another box.
"So are you all packed Sar?" He asked looking over to see her silently nodding.
"I've packed all my one item." She grinned holding up her ocarina. "I guess this is all I really wanted." Link dropped the box he had been packing and sat on one of the stools by the table.
"You know what? You're right, I don't really need half of this stuff, just my weapons and a few other things." At that moment Ruto and Zelda came bounding in through the door talking about random things.
"We were just discussing where you two were going to live when you leave." Ruto explained bouncing onto the bed knocking some small boxes onto the floor.
"And we thought you could come and stay with me!" Zelda finished. Link looked terrified, he couldn't imagine actually living with Zelda and seeing her every single day, then there'd be the rules of the castle which would drive someone like Link crazy. Saria simply sat there smiling not really paying any attention to what was being said. Link decided to break the silence.
"That's really good of you Zelda, I suppose we could come and stay for a little while." That was a decent enough answer for the two girls as they jumped up and walked towards the door off on their way to help Mido with anything he wanted doing. After they had gone Link flopped down onto the floor groaning loudly, Saria slid down beside him leaning her head on his shoulder.
"It'll be ok Link, once the locket is fixed we could go and travel the rest of Hyrule or where ever and won't need anywhere to stay." Link sighed knowing she was right, staying at the castle for a few weeks wouldn't be that bad but staying there with a still missing locket wouldn't be easy. Suddenly a few screams came from outside followed by shouts.
"Fire! Fire!"