Conqueror

Darkness crept back into the forest of the world…Rumors grew of a shadow in the east…Whispers of a nameless fear…

-Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Chapter Six

The Forest was dark when Link entered it. It was never dark. Nightfall had come, just as the Deku Tree had told him so many years ago.

Link didn't have to look far to find out why it was so dark: hidden in the shadows were various creatures. Drawing his dagger, Link trembled only slightly as he approached one of the creatures. What was this thing? It looked like an enormous Venus fly trap, with a moving head and large, vicious teeth. The creature lunged at Link and clipped the side of his arm, leaving behind slimy green drool. Link sent the dagger at the creature's head and managed to damage it slightly. Cutting the head off at the spine, Link watched in horror as it dissipated into nothingness, leaving behind a small seed. Link picked up the seed and frowned. What was this?

He tossed it at the ground and was shocked as it exploded upon impact. It exploded with a huge flash and Link had to focus for several minutes before his vision returned.

Link avoided the projectile seed being spat at him by another creature as he ducked into Mido's house. Mido cried out when Link entered, and held up a slingshot. "Back, foul Hylian!" he shouted, his bravery covering his fear.

The other two little boys who sat on the carpet were now huddled against the wall.

Link held out his hands in surrender. "Woah, woah! Guys, it's me!"

Mido lowered the slingshot only slightly. "You who? You don't look familiar…and besides! We don't make it a point to be familiar with big folk!"

Link sighed heavily. "Mido, it's me, Link…I'm just…big now."

Mido lowered the slingshot to his hip and frowned deeper. "No way." He stared harder. "There is no way you're Link. Link's a Kokiri like us…not to mention, he was probably eaten by one of those terrible Kokiri-eating monsters outside! So don't be joking about a thing like that!"

Link shook his head and sat on the carpet. "Mido, what will I have to do to make you believe me?"

The arrogant boy shook his head and sniffed. "Nothing. I will never believe you, you lying Hylian."
Sadness was beginning to plague Link's heart. Mido and he had had their share of differences, but…this was serious.

"How long has the Forest been like this?" Link asked, sadness peaking in his eyes. Mido shook his head, sagging his shoulders in defeat. "A couple of weeks…it's terrible. We can't leave to get food or water the flowers or anything."
Link nodded. That's when my dreams started, he thought.

The Hero's eyes brightened as a new thought crossed his mind. "What about Saria?"

"No one can go to her," one of the twins muttered from the corner. Link's eyebrows furrowed deeply and he shook his head. "So no one knows how she is?" He stood. "I'm going to see if she's alright."

Mido cried out. "Hey! She's strong, she can take care of herself! Stay here and defend us if you really are who you say you are!" The determination and hope was right along with the fear and vulnerability in Mido's eyes. Link set his gaze on the young boy's face and sighed heavily. Taking Mido by the shoulders, Link nodded firmly. "I will come back for you."

Mido frowned and bit his lip. "If you are Link…" He paused. "I mean, if you really are…" He glanced at the two Kokiri in the corner of the room. "Then…this must be ordained by the Great Deku Tree. I mean…I've heard the stories that there was a Hylian boy brought to this forest many years ago…but I didn't know he survived." Mido blinked, admiration filling his eyes as he smiled warmly. "You must be the boy of destiny. Link. It's your fate that'll affect all of Hyrule."

The boy's prophetic words rang in Link's ears. It was all too similar to what he'd been hearing in his dreams. He squeezed Mido's shoulders. "I'll be back for you," he repeated and, as quick as he'd come, ducked out of the small house.

Link couldn't shake his worry. It had started weeks ago when he'd woken up screaming, seeing Saria's bloody ocarina laying broken on the ground. He'd accepted it as a strange dream brought on by sweets before bedtime and gone back to sleep, settled of his shaking.

Impa, however, who'd woken to his screams, lay on her bed in thought, smiling. His time had come.

As the young Hylian trekked through the Lost Woods, he took a few wrong turns and ended up at a puzzling crossroad. Above, on a large tree branch sat an owl. He was enormous for an owl… A disturbing size. He cocked his head several times as he watched Link, who eyed him carefully.

"That's a really huge bird," Link muttered to himself, wondering if it would let him by without attacking.

"Hoot! You know, it's fascinating…Hoot, hoot!"

Link paused and narrowed his eye. The bird was talking. He shook his head and shut his eyes tightly, allowing his hair to fall in front of his face while he mentally reminded himself to get more sleep at night. Pushing his bangs back away from his eyes, he was startled to see the bird still there.

"Um…I've gotta be somewhere," Link muttered and tried to step past the owl. The enormous bird flapped his wings in a large gust and hooted once again.

"A long time in this world is almost nothing to you, is it? How mysterious. Hoot, hooooo!"

Link frowned. What was that supposed to mean?

"Even I thought that the tales of a boy who could travel back and forth through time was merely a legend."

What? Link sighed and licked his lips. This owl…wasn't really real, was it? A figment of his stressed imagination. It had to be.

"Hooooooot hoot hoooo! Link, don't you see? It's your destiny to be following this path!"

"Then shut up and let me follow it," Link replied with a curt smile. The owl twisted his head upside down momentarily. "Well, perhaps manners are left behind in some cases. Hooooo! Either way, young hero, you shall be deciding the fate of us all."
"You know, I'm really tired of hearing that. I need to go and see if Saria's alright, so if you don't mind…"

"Hoooo! Go and see the Sage, Link! You have learned your own destiny…So now you know what you must do. You must save the land of Hyrule!"

Link paused just as he was about to take his leave. "What did you just say?"

"Would you like to hear what I said again?" the owl asked. Link thought it might be a good idea to throw his dagger at the owl's head and see what he had to say about that, but for now, he only had Saria on his mind.

"Just the last part. About the destiny."

"So now you know what you must do. You must save the land of Hyrule!"

Link sighed. "I've…heard that before…"
"Your dreams are no secret to us, Link." The owl cocked his head again before taking to the air, leaving Link visibly shaken. The tone the owl had spoken his last words in was frightening. People knew about his dreams…but Impa did, so perhaps the owl knew Impa?

Link shook the thoughts from his mind and hurried through the remainder of the Lost Woods until he got to the clearing he was looking for. The meadow. Approaching the old tree stump where he and Saria would always play together, Link confirmed his worst fears. Dropping to his knees, he started to tremble as tears clouded his vision and he let out a sob.

On the ground in front of the stump was a broken, bloody ocarina.

--

Mido wiped his eyes. "She's…a Sage," he muttered. The twins had assembled themselves on opposite sides of the room and Mido sat on a small chair while Link knelt on the floor, slouching in despair. He'd brought the ocarina back with him, cradling it so gently he thought it would break if Mido held it wrong.

"Sage?" Link questioned, looking up at the Kokiri with sad, tired eyes. The owl had said something like that…

"This…owl in the woods told me to see the Sage. The Sage…is Saria?"

"Legend says that Hyrule's governed by the seven Sages. The Sages earn their Sagedom, if you will, from doing a noble deed…by giving a great sacrifice."

"Their life," one of the twins mumbled.

"She sacrificed her life protecting the Temple," the other twin said.

"The Forest Temple," Link concluded. "How did she become a sage?"

"That's…not known for sure," Mido continued. "I've heard stories about people being visited by Sages in their dreams, but…who knows, really. Saria's…gone. She's a Sage now. We can't see her in this life."
"How can I see her?" Link asked quietly. Mido shook his head. "That's beyond me. You might want to ask someone…from the outside world. Like, is there someone out there who'd know something about this?"

Link nodded quietly to himself. Impa would know everything.

"I know who I'll go see," the hero said and stood. Mido rose from his chair and held out a hand to stop him. "Wait! There's rumor also…it's rising. The Deku Tree once mentioned…a shadow from the east. It's…something from the east with incredible power that wants to take over all of Hyrule."

Link paused, thinking. The east of Hyrule…that was Gerudo Valley. A shadow in Gerudo Valley? He'd ask Impa about that, too.

"Thanks Mido…and twins. You've been a great help." Link ruffled Mido's hair and waved to the twins. "Be safe, guys. Stay inside."

"Easy for you to say," Mido mumbled as Link left the house.

Heading for the exit, Link sighed heavily. Maybe it would be a good idea to check out Gerudo Valley before he headed to Impa. But Impa might know things that she could tell him about…she could warn him of the possible dangers in going to investigate. Perhaps…she could try and talk him out of it? Link chuckled to himself. Nonsense. He was supposed to be playing hero, not chicken.

Link sat down on the bridge between the exit to Kokiri Forest and the entrance to Hyrule Field. Dangling his legs over the edge, Link weighed his options. Either way, Saria was gone and there was no way to find her. No way…unless someone knew how to contact the Sages. Link took this time of privacy to allow his emotions to flood through. His best friend was dead. Her blood was on her ocarina, just like his dream. He'd been right. And she was gone.

Link let the tears stream down his face as he cried silently for the loss of his best friend from childhood, and a part of his soul.

--