Hey everyone! I know it's been a good month since I last uploaded, but I'm still alive! Even with all the uncertainty the coronavirus is causing right now, we'll still stay strong! Besides, if you're currently stuck in quarantine right now, I just gave you a new opportunity to pass the time! As for my upload schedule, I'll upload more frequently since corona is canceling everything and opening up more time for me to work on this story. I know there's still more chapters to go, and I don't plan on giving up the story any time soon! (By the way, this isn't an April Fools prank)
We pick up with Link's group as they continue to traverse the unknown. However, they soon find their intneded destination. What awaits them there? Read on to find out!
As always, don't forget to fave, follow, and review! Now, let's get back into this story!
Lost Woods Southern Entryway, World of Light
After a painstaking journey throughout a barren desert full of dangers and a towering structure, Link, Kirby, Pit, Sheik, and Shulk all finally made it to their destination. The Lost Woods.
The group was just outside the main pathway leading to the foggy and isolated forest up ahead.
"It looks like we're finally here. If that's what you really believe, Link." Said Shulk, expressing some doubt.
"I do." Replied the Hero of the Wilds. "Like I said before, I know it's the forest we need to enter because that large tree I mentioned before stands out among the others like a boulder in a shallow river.
Link then pointed to a certain tree which the others could follow almost immediately.
"Okay. Now I see." Said Shulk.
Before the group got to enter, Link got in front of them. "Everyone, I know this has been a long and arduous journey ever since the light happened, but this is the final stretch in our trek into the unknown. We've built bonds, shared laughs, and fought dangers beyond what any of us were expecting. For me, my destiny lies in that forest. But, each of yours lies elsewhere. If you choose to go into the forest alongside me, something in you will undoubtedly change by the time we leave. I won't force any of you to stay, but I also can't force any of you to leave either. That choice lies in each of you."
After a moment of silence among the group, Pit was the first to speak up.
"No way." Said the angel. "We've made it this far in this adventure we've been on and you now you expect us to leave? I'll stick by you because you've been a good friend to me ever since we met in Skyworld! I would never leave you behind!"
"That goes for me too." Said Sheik. "I shall stay with Link. I haven't told the rest of you, but we've been friends long before the Great Light Convergence. We've been through so much together that we've become inseparable. I will happily stay with him."
With two heroes standing by Link, two more were left that had yet to make their decision.
Kirby gave the question some thought, but he decided to stick with the group. Once the puffball stood by his friends, all he could do to indicate his decision was hug Pit's leg, representing the tight friendship he had with the angel ever since the Subspace War.
Finally, all that was left was Shulk. He was conflicted on what to do, but made up his mind. "I'll stick around. No point in leaving this thing early now, right?"
This put a determined smile on Link's face. "I'm glad to hear it, Shulk."
The five heroes then all looked toward the dark foggy forest that awaited them.
Before they could enter, Link decided to give one last piece of advice before they all blindly walked into the woods. "Nobody lose their way."
Lost Woods Northern Entryway
Little did the group know, there was another visitor entering the forest. He looked to be a blond haired boy in his early teens. He carried a normal looking sword and a wooden shield. The boy also sported a green tunic and cap. Finally, he had long pointed ears similar to Link and Zelda.
He was about to enter the forest because his Triforce of Courage called him to whatever was waiting for him in the center.
"The Triforce resonation leads me here, but this forest reminds me of the time I stumbled into Termina." Muttered the boy with apprehension. "I feel like something similar might happen."
After mustering up the courage to overtake his fear, his resolve became more solid. "It looks like I have no choice. I need to enter there if I have to understand what's really going on with that light. Besides, I don't plan on meeting a terrible fate today."
The adolescent then entered the forest, dead set on finding out whatever awaited him within.
Once the group of five had fully entered the forest, they all found themselves within an infinite stretch of trees covered by thickening fog. As a result, it significantly impeded the sight of each fighter.
"Man! I can't believe how dense this forest is!" Exclaimed Pit.
"Don't worry." Responded Link. "I know a way that we can navigate safely without ending up lost. "
The hero then pulled out a torch and lit it with a piece of a red flammable jelly-like substance in his pouch.
Shulk got confused by Link's past action. "How's a torch gonna help us?"
"The wind will guide our path through." Replied the Hero of the Wilds.
After a few more minutes of roaming through the forest, Link decided to turn around and look back at his comrades, only to find no one.
"Guys?" Asked Link confusedly. "Guys? Where are you?"
He kept on going through while thinking what may have happened. "I have no idea what happened. I believe we got separated. Either my fault, or one of theirs. Regardless, I should keep on moving forward. I'll look for them once I find the center."
"This is your trial to face alone." Said a new voice.
This immediately shocked Link, and prompted him to rapidly draw the Master Sword and Hylian Shield. "Who's there?"
"Do not worry." Continued the mysterious voice. "I am not your enemy here."
The voice got Link thinking about who would be orchestrating his predicament. "Are you a Sheikah Monk?"
"No. I am merely a shadow of what I once was. Left in this world to live in purgatory. Nothing more."
This satisfied Link for the moment, but still grew curious about the trial that laid before him. "What must I do?"
"Follow your resonation, but avoid the distraction." Responded the voice.
"Okay." Was all that Link could say before he carried on through.
In another area of the forest, Shulk got separated from the group due to the constant layers of fog. "Man! I can't believe this! It's like I'm in Mechon steam!"
After a few short seconds, something was coming up from the ground behind him.
Shulk immediately drew the Monado and got ready for what was about to come for him.
At a closer look, the creature digging its way out of the ground looked to be entirely mechanical. The robot had three spider-like legs, a domed head, and a singular eye. However, what really baffled Shulk was the design. It looked to be a stony bronze color adorned with blue and orange lighting.
"You don't look like an ordinary Mechon I'm used to fighting." Surmised the Monado wielder. "What are you?"
The robot then towered over Shulk as its head was lifting from its bottom torso, revealing a large storage space packed with three different types of advanced melee weaponry: A sword, a battleaxe, and a spear.
"Definitely not friendly that's for sure!" Exclaimed the swordsman as he began to defend himself.
"You must pass this major test of strength, young one." Said a voice.
Shulk got immediately confused. "What? Who said that?"
The voice then continued with some advice. "Keep your eye on the threat in front of you. Use your resourcefulness to defeat it."
The robot started his attack with a sword slash, followed by a spear thrust. Shulk had no problem defending and parrying against simple attacks like that.
However, over the course of a few minutes, the attack patterns began getting more complicated as it began using every weapon in its arsenal, including its eye blaster. As a result, Shulk was struggling with dodging and blocking attacks.
"This thing is insane! There's gotta be a way to defeat it!" Said Shulk as he stood his ground.
He activated his Shield Monado Art to gain a better defense advantage, and charge straight at the robot. "If I focus more on defending myself, I have more of a chance to lay down some damage."
Shulk then charged at the automation to see if his theory would be correct.
Kirby and Sheik were still together and roaming the forest, attempting to find any clues that may point the way to their destination.
Sheik was examining the trees and branches before she realized something that may guide her and the puffball closer to the center of the Korok Forest.
However, when she was about to let Kirby know about her breakthrough, the Star Warrior was concentrated on his own findings.
He found a few apples that had fallen from a tree nearby, and they were leading him down a trail into a thick fog. This was seen as too much of a risk for Sheik.
Unfortunately, it was too late. As he ate the last apple, his foot got caught in a rope as he struggled to get himself free.
The rope raised the puffball to where he was about fifteen feet above the ground.
Sheik immediately knew the predicament they were in as she threw some needles at the rope, severing it and freeing the Star Warrior.
Kirby was grateful for the save.
Then, the voice made itself known once again. "Follow the branch trail, but beware of what falls, for it may prove to impede your journey."
"Who's there?" Asked Sheik panickedly. "Show yourself!"
"Do not worry. This is a trial that you two must pass before you can reach the Korok Forest center."
The Hylian immediately knew this was some sort of test. This scenario reminded her of how Link went through dozens of Sheikah Shrines throughout Hyrule Kingdom, each with their own trial to overcome. The situation she found herself in was no different than one of them.
Sheik knew what she needed to do: Find the path from the branches while also avoiding any food that falls from the tree because it can cause traps to activate.
She immediately followed the trail the branches provided for her while also keeping Kirby away from any food. "Here's hoping we succeed."
As for Pit, he was undergoing his own trial through the forest, but he had no clue where to go or what path to follow.
"Someone help me!" Shouted Pit.
Unfortunately, no one can hear his voice.
"Relax, angel." Said the mysterious voice once more.
"Who are you?" Said the angel warrior.
"I am a guide. You wish to find the Korok Forest, correct?" Asked the voice.
"Yes." Responded Pit. "Of course."
"Then proceed through the thickest fog. Once you find yourself within it, you will become changed."
Pit traversed the fog without question, only for it to darken more around him as it became a raging cyclone.
"Do not fear what lies around you. Focus on what lies ahead." Said the voice once more.
Once it became its darkest color, illusions of his allies began to form around him.
First was Palutena, who appeared in front of him. This got Pit surprised. "Lady Palutena? What are you doing he-"
"~Do you not remember what I told you~?" Interrupted the goddess. "~You choose to stick with mortals instead of bringing goodness to the world like I ordered you to! You're no angel! I never should have trained you!~"
An illusion of Dark Pit then came into view. "~You were always weak. Palutena and Viridi always preferred me by their side instead of you, Pit-stain. You'll always be living under my shadow! Even in death!~"
Pit's mind began to become overwhelmed as figures from all over his past attempted to break him down piece by piece.
However, the angel still held on to hope. Hope that he will get out of this mess and find the light at the end of the current journey.
As Link was carefully navigating his way through the foggy maze, his Triforce of Courage's illumination became brighter by the second.
Unfortunately, he was too focused on his hand to watch the path ahead of him. A moment later, he bumped into something that felt like another person, causing both individuals to fall over.
When the hero recovered, he got a good look at who he collided with. He saw that it was a blond haired boy no older than thirteen. He was also regaining consciousness from the impact.
However, when the hero took a closer look at the back of his left hand, he was shocked beyond belief.
"Impossible!" Exclaimed Link as he looked at the brightly glowing left hand. "He has a Triforce of Courage! Just like me!"
As the boy became aware of the situation he was in, he immediately drew his sword and shield. "Who are you? What are you doing here in this forest?"
"I could ask you the same thing. Kids like you shouldn't be roaming through somewhere as dangerous as here."
"Look. I'm more than just some kid. Not that you'd believe me." Responded the boy.
"I don't want to fight you. I just need you to tell me why someone like you is out roaming these parts." Demanded Link.
Just when the boy was about to explain the situation he was in, he noticed the sword hilt on Link's back.
"Your sword." Said the boy with some slight curiosity. "You mind pulling it out?"
Link accepted the boy's request and immediately drew his sword. Once he did, the kid almost fell on his back again. "I-I-It can't be!"
"What do you mean?" Asked Link.
"How did you get that sword?" Demanded the boy. "Was it some divine prank by the Goddesses?"
"No. I got it from this very forest to vanquish an evil that threatened my kingdom. But now I need to power it up to defeat a being bent on universal domination." Explained the Hero of the Wilds. "I still need to know why you're here."
The boy looked like he was about to say something, but decided to explain the situation he was in. "A mysterious voice guided me here. He claimed he had a new path laid out for me. Once I made my way here, the symbol on the back of my left hand began to glow like crazy."
The gears immediately began to turn inside Link's head. "I've had that voice speak to me too. Also, I have a symbol exactly like yours as well."
Link then showed his Triforce marking to the boy. This left the adolescent in shock. "I can't believe it! Two Triforces of Courage!"
"Indeed." Said the voice once more. "Your inherent gifts drew you two to each other like magnets. But now, there is an even bigger one pulling both of you to your destination. Follow it, and fulfill your journey together."
After some looking around, the two warriors found the direction in which they needed to head. Without any further delay they followed the trail, dead set on finding the Korok Forest any way they could.
A while had passed before the backs on both their hands illuminated brightly like fireflies.
Link and his younger counterpart knew their Triforces of Courage were resonating with their destination. Because of that, they started to follow it.
The younger adventurer was undoubtedly confused, but Link remained wholeheartedly set on finding his destination.
After a few more twists and turns, the two people could see the light at the end of a tunnel of trees and overarching branches.
Both adventurers took a quick glance at each other. Link was the first one to speak. "You ready?"
The adolescent hero remained determined to see what was on the other side. "Ready as I'll ever be."
With a quick nod, they both walked towards the light, with both Triforce emblems shining even brighter than before.
Ten steps have passed. They feel the light growing bigger as they continued approaching the gateway.
Twenty steps have passed. As the light got closer, it became more blinding with each centimeter they covered.
After thirty steps, they finally crossed the last arch of branches with the light waiting for them on the other side.
Once the two heroes adjusted their vision to their new environment, Link saw how the middle of the woods had changed. It was foggy and dark before, but now it felt a lot more hospitable and tranquil. Birds were singing, and light was coming through the top.
With this change in scenery, the Hero of the Wilds knew that he was in the right place.
"Where are we?" Asked the boy as he was rubbing and blinking his eyes.
Satisfaction was all that Link could feel for the moment. "We're here. Welcome to the Korok Forest."