I said I'll be doing 2,000 words per chapter but… I guess I lied.
Chapter 2: Thy Quest Commenced
Two full moons had gone by since the sudden invasion of the monsters in Hyrule's forests. The sudden attack had come out of nowhere and without any warnings, catching everyone unprepared. Casualties were heavy; plenty of fauna and flora were slaughtered indiscriminately by the monsters that mauraded their land. Although the forests were vast, most of it had turned corrupted in just a single night.
All that lived in the forest generally lived in the wild, but after the massive casualties that they suddenly gained by the attack, those that had survived rallied under one banner and gathered to the Sacred Grove: the home of the Great Deku Tree, and where most of the Kokiri reside. Prey, predators, tribes of various creatures—all put aside different matters to defend their homes.
Thankfully, with the assistance of the Great Tree by keeping the corruption at bay, they were able to make a decent fortress out of the Grove; A haven as large as the Hylian capital that offered refuge in a mountainous region that bolstered their walls with natural ones. There, they were able to defend themselves successfully against the constant invasions.
Yet even if they unified themselves to successfully defend from the monsters, it still left them at a losing battle. Day by day they were fighting what felt like an endless wave of enemies. They were stuck in their place, unable to call for outside help, and with dwindling supplies as more and more forest inhabitants sought refuge in the fortified grove.
So they sent a force to brave the forest. It was their only hope, to push back the monster and, if possible, call for aid to the neighboring kingdoms. All willing to were called to arms, and many took the risk. But it was clear to all… with the amount of monsters attacking everyday, the mission might as well be suicide.
Her friend was the one leading the troops. It was a morose feeling, to someone she knew march off in the distance into very well what could be their deaths. She knew she wasn't the only one to feel the same way—she saw the many crying faces that were with her saying their farewells, after all.
At first they had felt loss and grief… yet three or so days after they marched off, the monsters attacked less frequently. Their numbers thinned out, and had gotten significantly weaker as well. It was clear that something had happened, but whether or not it is a blessing or a prelude to a bigger invasion remains to be seen.
Then five days after their forces marched off, they came back, with victorious smiles on their faces. Banged up, but the most joyous they had ever been nonetheless. They brought home good news: the source of the corruption has been defeated, and the invasion is no more.
The announcement had sparked an ecstatic celebration among the inhabitants of the grove. She was feeling incredibly joyous as well, although she had refrained from participating in the activities. After hearing of the news, when it was time to end her shift from her assigned post she immediately knew what to do.
She was on her way to the glade of which the Great Deku Tree resides. While others were celebrating, she wanted to know the details of their time outside. She needed to know the explanations and accounts of what exactly transpired, and she wouldn't miss it for anything.
When she stepped foot in the glade, she felt a sereneness in the woods. A sacredness that would give oneself peace, of being one with nature. Immediately, she felt the tenseness she didn't know she was harboring disappear.
In the center of the glade was the Great Deku Tree himself, his aged face overseeing the lands and beyond. Although the Great Tree's eyes were closed, she could feel his vast magic permeating throughout the forest, weakening the monsters, and guiding those who fell victim to the invasion towards refuge.
And on the grass in front of the Great Tree was an open table where elders of the various groups that comprised their population sat: an old and almost withering Deku Scrub who was reading a scroll, a gruff and wizened wolfos waiting patiently with his eyes closed, and a youthful High fairy, belying her true age and with the same size as most Kokiris, sipping tea.
Saria decided to make her presence known and approached the elders.
The Deku Scrub Chieftain looked up from his readings when he noticed her near, and the fairy swiveled to look at her. The old wolfos' eyes remained closed, but she saw his ears flick in her direction.
"Ahh, young Saria. You did not join the celebrations?" the Deku Scrub chieftain asked.
She shook her head. "There are still pressing concerns to deal with. I'm happy that the source of the corruption was defeated, but I'd be more relaxed with knowing what exactly happened." she smiled sheepishly. "That is, if I have your permission to listen?"
The high fairy hummed as she looked at her critically. "Well… it would be quite a shame for us to deny a dutiful and curious mind that is full of potential, but you really shouldn't concern yourself too much dear. Leave these things to us old folks."
"Let her have what she wants." the wolfos spoke, his eyes opening for the first time to look at her. "If it gives her peace of mind, then let her have it. Besides…" his eyes flicker behind her.
She followed the elder's gaze and saw her friend, Mido, running to the glade out of breath. She beamed at seeing her friend for the first time in a few days. "Mido!"
He turned to her, then his face morphed into a bright smile that mirrored hers. "Saria! You're here!" he was about to say something, before holding back as he saw the elders. "A-Ah, I'm glad that you're here Saria. But I need to talk to the elders first before we can talk. Is it alright if—?"
The high fairy smiled. "She's here to listen too, boy. Now hurry along and deliver your report. We wouldn't want to delay your reunion during the celebration, would we?" she said teasingly.
Saria giggled at the high fairy's joke, but when she turned to Mido she saw that his face was a sheen of red. Before she could voice her concern though, Mido shook it off and approached the table where the elders sat. He took a deep breath, then looked at them with his face set on grim determination.
She'd seen that look on her friend's face many times, and she knew that it's time for business. She prepared herself to pay attention fully to what was to come.
"Elders. I'm here to deliver a report about what happened in the past five days since we left." he said solemnly.
The elders paid full attention to that. The Deku Chieftain put away his scroll, and the high fairy put her tea down. The elder wolfos meanwhile, didn't move an inch, yet she saw his eyes lock to Mido with intensity.
"Please do." the high fairy spoke.
Mido nodded, and for a moment he struggled on what to say, before letting out a weary sigh.
"From the beginning… to be honest, from the start of our march, we were completely overwhelmed by the amount of enemies throwing themselves at us." he bluntly said.
Mido paused, then looked out in the distance, his gaze far away from everything as if looking at something not present. Saria frowned in concern.
"Day and night we were forced to defend ourselves without even a chance to rest. We weren't even halfway to the outskirts of the forest and we already suffered plenty of casualties." he spoke hauntingly. "It was a nightmare. More monsters than we could ever think of surrounding us constantly. We retreated to avoid getting wiped out from a skirmish, but there were times that we had nowhere to go and had no choice but to stand our ground."
The elders didn't speak, but they were listening with regretful looks on their faces. She knew that it was them that ordered the troops to venture out in the first place—even knowing how dangerous it was to leave the walls of the Sacred Grove. It was a hard decision, one that Saria held them no fault for choosing… and though the mission was successful, the reality that they could have sent good people to die was there nonetheless.
"Morale was low, but we soldiered on. We stuck on our routes and camped on the ruined settlements that we cleared of monsters. When we reached the third day…" he trailed off and shook his head. "Our scouts reported a large wave of monsters coming, bigger than anything we've seen. It numbered in tens of thousands; they covered the ground as far as we could see, and we could hear their screeches from a mile away."
The number made Saria pale, but before she could react Mido continued.
"Things felt hopeless, but no one was willing to let it head straight here in the Sacred Grove unimpeded." Mido let out a mirthless chuckle that saddened her heart. "We were prepared to lose our lives, and so we set out a plan that would do the most damage and hopefully lead them in disarray. We scouted positions and observed the army closely, and from it we realized something—the monsters were being rallied by a leader, one that made us doubt what we were seeing."
"The monsters were led by a Queen Gohma."
W-What!? Queen Gohma!? Those monsters were real!?
She looked at Mido in shock, and with how serious his face was, he wasn't lying at all. There really was a Queen Gohma that was leading the monsters in the forest… which made sense, now that she thought about it.
Queen Gohmas were mythical monsters that were known to topple civilizations with their corruptive pestilence and endless brood; but as far as anyone knew, the monster was only present in legends of the old, and not as something that can be encountered in Hyrule itself. If the monster were real, and the legends were actually the truth… she turned to the elders and saw that their eyes were tinged with concern at the news, no doubt realizing the same thing as she did.
"I see, so these monsters we've been battling so far… they're Gohma offspring." the Deku scrub chieftain muttered. "There are little to no records of these monsters, and nothing concrete aside from a few folklore or legends."
The high fairy shook her head. "These monsters were long before my time; one of the many wicked creatures banished to the evil realm by the Goddess Hylia. Any records would be riddled with inaccuracies that wouldn't be helpful." she frowned. "Though, the mere fact that one exists outside its realm is worrying."
"There is time for discussion about what we learned. For now, we should focus on knowing what has happened." the elder wolfos interjected. He looked at Mido. "Please continue, young Mido. You say this source of corruption was defeated? How did you manage this?"
Mido gave a slight grimace. "It… wasn't us that defeated the Queen, sir. It was someone else." the declaration made her and the elders' eyes widen. "When we took position and were about to commence our plan, we realized that a part of the army of monsters were fighting something else. Our scouts reported a large knight with dark and intimidating armor brutally executing the monsters all by his lonesome. We didn't exactly know what was happening or where he came from, but his appearance was an opportunity."
"The knight continued his rampage towards the Queen, and when it was time, we attacked with him." Mido's gaze turned distant. "I… had the opportunity to be with him up close. I was almost devoured by a monster that was a parody of a plant, with bunched petals as large maws filled with carnivorous teeth and a thorned stem for a body. My life was saved when the knight intervened, and I was able to point him where the Queen was."
"We made way for him as much as we could so that the knight could get to the Queen, and we were successful. The knight and the Queen Gohma fought fiercely with one another and we watched as the knight, when he lost his sword from a hit, beat the Queen to death with his fist. With the Queen's death, most of the monsters disappeared, and the flames that burned the forest were no more. We decided that we should go home with that victory, and so for the past two days we marched home clearing monsters on the way."
The entire glade was silent as everyone digested what Mido had said. Saria, on her part, was speechless.
"This… knight. He is here?" the elder wolfos asked after a while, and Mido nodded in assent. "Tell us more about him. Is he an ally?"
"He is an ally." Mido said certainly. "He fought beside us and saved some of my comrades while we were with him in the past couple of days." he paused, then turned subdued. "However, he is… mysterious. We never heard him speak, despite the grunts I could hear from his helmet during combat. He never initiates any conversation nor does he seem to care about having one. And there is also a matter about his appearance when we saw him outside his armor once… he looks like a hylian, but he lacks their pointed ears."
"Lacks pointed ears? What does it look like then?" Saria asked, feeling incredibly curious.
"It resembles the curved ends of some species of monkeys." he answered.
Huh. A monkey? How peculiar. Sariah thought.
"Strange… it feels as if I can recall a race like that." the high fairy contemplated. "I believe that her ladyness, the Greater Fairy, has said it in passing once in my youth… ah, yes! I remember now. That race is called—"
"A human."
Saria, Mido, and the elders perked up upon hearing the voice, and they turned to see the Great Deku Tree's eyes open slightly, indicating the Great Tree's rise from slumber whenever he watched the land. The elders stood up from their seats while the two kokiris stood straight in attention.
Saria watched in awe as their patron shifted its wood and turned more animate, giving a lifeness to it so different from the statue-like structure it once was. She stared at the visage of nature's protector itself, half excited and half anxious, as she never had the chance to talk with their patron in all her years of life
"Great Deku Tree, we are humbled by your presence." the Deku Scrub chieftain bowed. Saria and the others quickly followed suit.
"...Thy respect is appreciated, but there is no need to bow thy head. All of you." the tree said with a tinge of… exasperation? Saria raised her head and faced the Great Deku Tree, and she felt that the Great Tree held the air of a elderly grandfather looking on his children. It was a contrast to the holy and wisdom-filled legendary figure that was taught to her as a child.
"Pardon me, oh Great Tree. But you recognize this 'human'?" the high fairy asked.
"A race that belonged once in this realm, but had moved to others in due time. Similar to hylians, but has an edge in physicality to compensate for a lower capacity for magic." the Great Deku Tree spoke. "To find one here means that they are an outsider in Hyrule."
"An outsider? A human, and a mythical monster, out in their respective realms… is it merely coincidence, or something more?" the wolfos pondered.
"You believe that there is a connection between the two? A cause and effect, perhaps?" asked the high fairy. "And yet, young Mido had vouched for the knight's goodwill."
"It was a simple conjecture. It may be ungrateful for the lives he had saved, but one is never too careful." the Deku Scrub Chieftain interjected smoothly. "There are different avenues to the thought, but the timing is too close for the two to be unrelated."
"That is correct." the tree declared, cutting the discussion of the three elders. Saria felt that behind the eyes from its wooden visage, lies a wisdom that far exceeded than any other being in the land. "There is a connection between the two, and from my sight, I can feel the slight traces of the three Goddesses' influence. A sign that of which brings bounty, or ruin, in all of Hyrule."
Saria's eyes widened. T-The three goddesses!?
Power thrummed in the glade as… something, from the edge of Sara's senses gathered. The wind picked up and rustled nearby grass and leaves, and they all watched as the Great Deku Tree continued to speak his wisdom upon the world:
"And so I declare with the wisdom bestowed upon me by the Goddess Naryu—a quest, by a group of three, One of which the knight they sent, to spread the news and prepare! This tragedy that befell upon us will not be the last, and we must warn the others and unite our factions. A great evil is foretold; we must muster our strength, and must combat this evil as one!"
And with that, the wind turned calm once more, and the glade returned to its earlier serenity. A silence had enveloped the area as they all registered what their patron had told in front of them
The declaration shocked them all.
"G-Great Deku Tree, t-this is… are you sure? A great evil? Unite Hyrule? How can one accomplish such a thing?" the Deku Scrub Chieftain asked, stunned.
The high fairy's wings ruffled in worry. "If the Great Deku Tree had foretold it, then it is as good as true—it is best if we think of the people we shall send now, for consequences might be dire if we do not act in haste."
The elder wolfos grit his teeth. "We need to send the most capable, yet those that can be called those are numbered. And there is the fact that we also need them to protect our home." the elder wolfos looked at Mido, who was slack-jawed still at the Great Tree's declaration. "Mido is one of them, although he is best at commanding troops instead of going on a journey in his lonesome."
"I shall send one of my fairies; the brightest and smartest of them all. She was my apprentice for a while now, and I vouch that she will be a boon to the journey." the high fairy spoke.
The Deku Scrub Chieftain collected himself, then shook his head. "I am afraid I cannot do the same. The best of my warriors are either injured, or too old. They are better at protecting the fortress and its walls."
"The same here; although some in my pack have potential, they are far too young and impulsive. They cannot help in this journey." the elder wolfos said apologetically.
The three of them turned to Mido, who regained his senses and noticed their gazes. He hesitated for a moment, looking at the Great Tree, his gaze returning to that distant look, then back to the three elders. Looking at him closely, Saria realized that her friend's hands were shaking slightly.
Mido… he is hurt. She realized. The march towards the outskirts must have left a mark on him.
Mido swallowed and opened his mouth.
"I… I'll—"
"I'll do it."
There was a pause, and Saria realized that she was the one who spoke.
Mido turned to her with an alarmed look on his face. "Saria, what are you talking about!? Don't joke about things like that!"
Saria took a deep breath. Well, it's now or never.
She shook her head. "I'm not joking, Mido. I'll be the one to do it—and don't say anything about me not being strong enough! I may not be proficient with the sword, but I can beat most when it comes to archery and magic!"
"She is telling the truth. I've seen her in the field." the high fairy stated her assent, mostly for the elders' benefit. Turning to her, the high fairy smiled. "Although there is no need to be humble, young Saria—you are easily the best when it comes to those two in the Sacred Grove. I believe that many others are willing to back me up on that front—many had seen your performance in your assigned post, with some even calling you their 'Rising Star' within the Guard."
The sudden compliment and reminder of her embarrassing nickname took her off-guard. "A-Ah, well, thank you." she said with red dusting her cheeks, before shaking her head. "Anyway, did you hear that? I should be more than qualified to participate in this quest!"
She looked at him meaningfully. Mido should be fully aware of how capable she is, having fought her in spars. She knew he knew just how hard she trained to be strong and how it rewarded her to evenly match him in battle—and surpass him at times.
Mido was about to protest, before thinking better of it and sighing. "Alright. I… suppose that's fine." she didn't miss the tension that left his shoulders when he said that.
She smiled. Good.
"Then, it is decided." the Great Tree declared. Then after that declaration, they felt the Great Tree exert his power once more unto the glade.
They all watched as a bright light manifested in front of them, approaching Saria. She brought up her arms and the light settled onto her hands, its light slowly glowing dimmer and turning into a beautiful glimmer of green.
T-This is… the Spirit Stone of the Forest. she held the holy gem in her hands.
"Take it, as a sign of legitimacy while thou travels to Hyrule. Now go, young Saria. Prepare and leave in haste—for our time is limited."
"Saria. The Sacred Grove will support you as much as we can. Take as many supplies as you want." the Deku Scrub Chieftain said to her.
"Leave tomorrow, at sunrise. The troops will assist you until you've left our premises." followed the elder wolfos.
"My student will be with you shortly as you might also be best if you search for the knight as well. Get to know each other, as you will need one another's cooperation to succeed." the high fairy cautioned soon after.
Swallowing her nervousness, she nodded. "Y-Yes."
"Be brave, young Saria. The quest will be perilous, but we have faith for thee." the Great Tree spoke.
"I…" she didn't know what to say with their patron believing her. Should she be honored? Sure, some may think of her having potential… but she wasn't that big of a deal. In the end though, she found herself comforted by those words. "Thank you, Great Deku Tree. I'll try to do my best."
The Great Tree smiled. "I know thou will."
She clutched the spiritual stone in her hand. From it, she could feel the distinct feeling of nature and of her home, reminding her of what was at stake and why she volunteered for this in the first place. A sense of determination filled her heart and pushed the anxieties away from her mind, and from that moment, she swore an oath to herself.
I won't fail. For the Sacred Grove, and for the sake of Hyrule.
She can only hope that she won't break that promise.
The entire Sacred Grove was in celebration due to the victory over the monsters. Everywhere Saria looked, she could see people dancing, playing and generally having fun. Their entire community decided to start an entire festival, bringing out decorations to hang up on the trees and houses, with some even using the opportunity to gain rupees by opening food and play stalls.
She smiled as she basked in the joyful atmosphere. Although things have changed a lot recently, this place was home. A place that she would treasure very much… especially now that she was going to leave it, possibly for a long time.
The thought made her smile fall slightly, but she was thankfully distracted by something else when a voice called out to her. Someone who was the reason why she was out here in the first place.
"Hi! Are you Saria?" a lively voice asked. Saria turned to her side to see a small fairy floating near her.
She nodded and politely smiled. "Yes, are you Navi then?"
"Yeah! Our high fairy sent me here. She told me that we'd travel together for a quest?" the friendly fairy sat down on her shoulder. "I'm a bit nervous. It was a bit sudden, and she told me it was a big deal."
"It was sudden for me too." Saria admitted as she started to walk. "I can't deny being nervous as well, but I think it's something that all assigned with a quest have to deal with. Anyway, did the high fairy tell you what we're going to do?"
"Of course! She told me about how we need to unite the other tribes and kingdoms in Hyrule." she paused. "...It's that part that makes me nervous really. Many kings and queens have tried to do that but failed, so it really makes me wonder how we can do such a thing."
"True, but I don't think they also had the threat of evil on the horizon—And also they'd be going against the wisdom the Great Deku Tree had advised. Leaders had followed what he had told them for less." she pointed out.
Navi's shined brightly. "That is true! I guess there is hope for us after all!" she giggled. "So, we're looking for our third companion right? Do you know where he is?"
Saria shook her head. "I don't know actually. My friend, Mido, had traveled with him, and when I asked about where I could find him he just told me that he had no idea. I was hoping that you'd actually know."
The fairy on her shoulder hummed. "Well… from what I recall the high fairy had told me, your friend mentioned he was quite a fighter? A mysterious one that focused more about defeating monsters instead of banding with others. If he's as obsessed with fighting as he acts… then I believe that he should be maintaining his weapons and armor right now."
Saria blinked as she stared at the fairy. "That is… a very valid deduction. I don't think I'd have thought of that."
The small fairy rubbed the back of her head. "Hehe, I'm proud to say that the high fairy called me smart. I study a lot and know many things—which is probably why I was chosen to be one of your companions. If you want to know something, just ask!"
Saria smiled. "I definitely will." she hummed in thought. "So a place to maintain armor and weapons… definitely a smithy. Now the only problem is, which one?"
Smiths in the forest used to be few and far between. With the majority of the creatures living in the forest respecting nature's laws, there wasn't much need for metalworking services. Majority preferred to use magic to create structures out of natural materials and imbue them with toughness, which obsoletes the use of metals. There's also the fact that there were no mines found in the forest, and materials had to be taken from the outside.
Now though, with the pressing concern of monsters, the use of metals for armor and weapons became necessary. With the majority having little idea of how smithing works, those few who had learned had become keys to the survival of their community. In the present there are now at least a dozen shops found in the Sacred Grove, working closely with the guard.
She, along with Navi, searched for their third companion. They checked out a few establishments but they weren't able to find anyone that matched his description. Asking about his whereabouts to other people had turned out to be helpful though, but the answers that she got to her questions made Saria worry.
"You mean the monster-looking thing that was walking around, earlier?" said the familiar kokiri she saw from time to time, but never really interacted with.
"Monster?" Saria shared a look with Navi, who was floating beside her. "What do you mean?"
"Well, we saw it lumbering around here. It was very scary, like, I feel as if I'm in danger around it." he turned to his friends. "You guys felt like that too, right?"
His friends, a juvenile wolfos and a teen deku scrub, nodded their heads. "Yeah, I almost pissed myself." the wolfos added.
"Don't be crass!" the deku scrub chided.
The kokiri coughed. "Anyway! I think the guys that returned will take care of tha—heck, they probably already did!. They defeated the boss monster, after all!" he said brightly, before looking at her and turning sheepish. "Uh… so anyway, Saria, are you free right now? Can I invite you to celebrate with me—us, I mean?"
She let out an uncomfortable smile. "I-I'm actually in a middle of something right now. So I'd have to decline…"
The kokiri slumped in disappointment. "Ah, drats. Well it's okay Miss Saria. I wouldn't want to hold you up."
She nodded thankfully, before walking away and leaving the three behind.
Navi sighed when they were out of earshot. "That's the fourth time someone mistook our companion for a monster. Should we be concerned?"
"W-Well, my friend said he looked intimidating. Perhaps it's just the armor?" she suggested.
"That might be true…" the fairy muttered. "But with those reactions, I think the descriptions given to our friend as simply being 'mysterious' might be a bit of an understatement."
"Well, we have the opportunity to meet him. Best to refrain from judgements before the real thing." she paused from her walk when she noticed something. "Uh… hey, did we go there already?"
What she was looking at was a run-down giant hollowed-log building, with grass and flowers surrounding it untrimmed. If one were to look closely there is actually a sign situated on the wall beside the door, looking fairly new in contrast from the mold and damage on the wood surrounding it. The sign reads: "Deku Scrub Metalsmithing: Cast, Polish, We Got It Here!".
"I don't think anyone would be going there, Saria. That place looks abandoned." Navi answered uncertainly."Not to mention structurally unsound." she said, looking at the disheveled walls.
"I mean, look. There's smoke coming from the chimney—there's someone in there that must be using the forge!" she replied to the fairy, who let out a doubtful hum. She rolled her eyes. "Come on, I see someone hanging by the entrance. Let's talk to them."
With Navi following after her, Saria approached the person hanging by the forge; a deku scrub who seemed to be counting… a bag of rupees? He seems to be having a good time, if his giggles are anything to go by.
"Um, hello?" the deku scrub yelped and turned around to face her.
"Ah! I'm sorry that I didn't give you change, I swear it's because I wasn't able to—! Oh, you're not him." he sighed. "Nevermind."
"Uh…" Saria shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I'm looking for someone. Did you perhaps see a large person wearing armor around here?"
The deku scrub paused. "...Big, wearing dark armor, and intimidating?"
She shared a look with Navi again, before the both of them nodded uncertainly. The deku scrub sighed.
"It's best if I show you." he motioned her to follow him, and he opened the door to the forge.
The first thing she noticed was that the inside of the building was as run down as the outside, but it wasn't as messy as she thought. She was led to a reception area that was free of any dust and looked like it was in good condition. The reception table where the clerk attends looked fairly new compared to the floorboards, and she could see that the window glass was completely pristine.
…This is impressive. How much work was put into restoring all this? Saria thought as she observed the room more.
"Over here." the deku scrub cut off her thoughts as he swiveled a plank hinged on the desk to enter it. She and Navi followed shortly, and they walked to a door on the back of the room. As they neared, Saria heard a muffled clinking noise that seemed to come beyond the door.
The deku scrub motioned her to open the door. "Please be careful. I still haven't finished refurbishing this part of the building yet, so some parts might be fragile."
Saria nodded, then moved to open the door—
Immediately, the sweltering heat of the forge hit her. She entered the forge followed by Navi—and from there, she could see the back of a person who sat down while hammering something on an anvil.
"He arrived here a couple of hours or so earlier. I still wasn't ready to open the place yet and he just came out of nowhere. I thought he was a monster that got inside the walls, but he just gave me a bag of rupees and walked inside." the now revealed shopkeep supplied, sighing.
"He didn't try to explain himself and ignored me even if I tried to help him since forging is my expertise. Frankly, he seems to know his stuff, but my pride as a merchant is making me feel bad…" he stops. "Ah, forgive me for rambling. Please, if you need something just call. I'll be taking my leave."
She nodded dumbly, only half-listening to the deku scrub excusing himself back to the reception area as she stared with curiosity at the 'human'. So this is my third companion…?
Big. That was the first thought that came into her mind. Kokiris are small due to their childlike bodies; and while she may have seen how tall hylians can grow, the 'human' that was in front of her was much bigger than that. Enough to rival a Goron in height.
Something inside her was also telling her that this person was… dangerous. He was unarmored, unarmed, and with his back turned; but despite that she could feel that he was watching her every movement the moment she entered the room.
She had felt the aura of malevolence that monsters seem to exude. It felt like corruption, of ruin—a deceitfully foreboding feeling that strikes terror to hearts that are not ready, but can be overcome and defeated if one is courageous enough. But what she was feeling right now… it felt like she was staring at something much greater. A threat much more real. A feeling of death that is being held back only because it has no reason not to.
She felt a bead of sweat fall and she was sure it had nothing to do with the hot air displaced by the forge. Is… is this what those people we asked were feeling earlier? If, if so… I think I understand…
She paused, then shook her head. No, don't think like that Saria—It was him that saved us from getting invaded. I have no right to think ill of him. She breathed deeply. Be courageous; you're going to be companions now!
Gathering her resolve, she approached the human and cleared her throat.
"Um… hello! My name is Saria, and this is Navi." she pointed to herself and the fairy behind her, who was still frozen. "It's nice to meet you!" she said cheerfully.
"..."
He continued hammering, not showing any sign that she had heard of what she said.
She continued, unheeded. "We're aware of your role in the previous battle with the Queen Gohma. If you weren't there, the monster never would've been defeated, and we might have gotten invaded by the monsters…" she took a deep breath and bowed down deeply. "So with that, thank you very much." she said solemnly.
The hammering continued without pause.
She held her position for a few moments, before straightening back up. "U-Uhm… although we have no right to ask of you something even when you've done so much of us, the Great Deku Tree, in his wisdom, had said that you would be part of the quest to unite Hyrule for a great evil coming." she rummaged on her pack and brought out the spirit stone of the forest. "The Great Tree gave us this to—"
The hammering stopped suddenly, and she cut herself off in surprise. For a moment she saw him turn his head slightly towards them for the first time, focusing solely on the stone on her hand. Then just as fast as it appeared, it was gone. The man carefully picked up the helm he was hammering with a pair of blacksmith tongs and quenched it in water, sizzling and bubbling the liquid in the container.
"..."
He placed it on a rack to cool, and he walked towards a corner, where his armor was neatly stacked. One by one he fitted the armor to his body in silence. The process took a long time because of the many things needed to connect with the full plate armor.
Saria was left fidgeting in silence as she debated whether she should speak or not.
"U-Uhm…"
Soon enough, the helm had already cooled down just in time for the man to finish. Going back to the rack, he took it in his arm and wore the helm on his head, covering his face. There, stood in front of her, was a fully-armored knight, one that was just like what her friend Mido had described him. His armor shined proudly in dark colors, with a slight shade of… green?
Saria blinked, and she realized that the knight had already moved past her and back out the reception area. She hurriedly scampered when heard the alarmed squawk of the deku scrub owner. "W-Wait!" she flusteredly called out.
She went back to the reception area and saw a scene of the terrified owner on the floor surprised at the sudden appearance of their third companion. The person himself is unaware of it, or uncaring, only opting to go outside. Saria saw him lower his head to fit on the door as he exited.
She quickly approached the deku scrub and bowed. "We're so sorry! Please forgive him, I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it!"
The deku scrub waved her off. "N-No worries, it was my fault. I was just surprised."
She apologized once again before hurriedly walking outside, her thoughts racing in worry. W-Why did he suddenly leave!? Oh no, did he get upset!? A part of her mind thought in panic. We did decide that he will participate without his input, so is he going to refuse or—
Her thoughts halted when she saw his figure waiting outside the forge. He stared at her with eyes not visible underneath the helm, but she could feel the intensity behind them. Saria gulped involuntarily, before approaching him.
"..."
"..."
The two of them stood in front of each other, staring. Neither of them spoke up.
A soft breeze blew, ruffling the leaves of the trees around them as the only thing that accompanied the silence.
Saria fidgeted under his stare. W-Why is he just looking at me silently? Is there something on my face? Was I supposed to say something? J-Just what should I do here!?
"Umm…" her confusion was interrupted with Navi finally speaking for the first time, and both Saria and the human turned their heads to look at her. "T-The elders told us that we are going to leave tomorrow at dawn, and the time we have for today is to prepare for what we need. We're planning to venture out of the forests and travel to the city capital of the Hylians, where we'll seek audience with the Royal Family and tell them of the Great Tree's prophecy. W-We're hoping that you would lend your strength to our cause…"
The human stared at the fairy for a few moments, unreadable and silent, then nodded. He turned around after that, walking off somewhere and leaving them on their own.
After he was completely gone, she sent a questioning look at Navi.
She sent out an uncertain smile. "I, uh, wasn't sure about it but… he looked like he was waiting for you to continue speaking, so…" she trailed off.
Her cheeks colored, then she coughed. She didn't notice anything like that! "I-I see. How observant of you." she complimented.
The two of them went quiet as they stared at the direction where the knight had gone.
"Our third companion, he was definitely… interesting?" Navi spoke up.
Saria gave her a tight smile. "Yes, it looks that way, doesn't it?"
"Will he, will he always act like that?" the fairy asked worriedly.
Saria paused at that. "I don't know…"
She didn't know who their third companion was, and it looks like he has no plans on sharing it either. She didn't know what life he lived for him to act the way he is, and it feels like they would never know. He felt dangerous, incredibly so—but despite his scary demeanor and silence, he never acted in ill will.
Saria felt herself grow determined at that. Perhaps there is hope after all.
"Maybe… maybe we just need to know him better." she muttered.
She turned to the fairy beside her and smiled.
"Now, come on—let's not waste any time. We still have many things to go through, right?"
…
…
Soon, it was time.
The Great Deku Tree looked at the horizon, at the distant sun rising at the crack of dawn, yet his faraway sight was trained to those he had sent: a talented and courageous kokiri, a smart and knowledgeable fairy, and a mysterious but powerful human. From his glade, to which he was at his lonesome, the Great Deku tree simply watched quietly, pondering.
A shadow from high above was cast, and a great bird of wisdom—an owl—landed upon his branches.
"..."
"..."
Neither of them spoke, only bearing witness upon the beginning of a journey that would decide the fate of the people living upon his Sacred Grove, and perhaps, those even beyond it.
"The goddesses had not shown any signs, not ever since the last thousand years."
The wise bird broke the silence first, still staring into the distance.
"...And it shall remain so." the Great Tree replied after a while.
The unspoken went acknowledged. There was no sign of the goddesses to be noticed, nor was there any prophecy to begin with. Different from what he had said to his people's leaders and to the kokiri who belonged to his chosen three. But it was not a deception made out of malice, but rather…
"...A half-truth." the bird concluded. "A white lie, for a ray of hope. For hope can best even the most despairing destinies that lie ahead—something they will surely need, as Evil is showing itself once more… and with the hero still nowhere to be found."
The Great Deku Tree turned silent.
"...Or is it?" the Great Tree asked rhetorically after a while, gazing at the human in particular. "Perhaps it was us that simply lost sight of what we are looking for."
"You speak of the mysterious knight." the owl paused. "He carries much wrath in his heart, and you believe that he will be the hero?"
"...Perhaps. Perhaps not." the Great Tree spoke. "Fate is cyclical and ages will repeat; good and evil will battle once more as it always will… but many traditions were broken, and one could only wonder how things will go from now."
Their wisdom let them see what most wouldn't. In their long lives they had observed that the world they were in, no matter how fantastical and chaotic it was, had a fundamental constant… but as far as they know, it isn't being followed now.
…Perhaps this was the true sign of the goddesses. A message that times are changing, and a fate that they had never seen before will come. And how the appearance of the mysterious human was a symbol of that.
If that change will bring about a new age, or doom the realms to ruin, is undetermined.
"In the end, what we are seeing right now… may be a reflection of the times that lay ahead."
No action this chapter, with it mostly exposition and starting the journey. I hope the AU part of this fic is expressed clearly, and also that people would find it natural enough to fit in the setting. I also hope I got the interactions right and not make it stilted and unnatural.
Apparently, you can't fit these all into 2,000 words without sacrificing quality. I might be facing a problem again if each chapter is going to always be like this…
Anyway, thank you for reading. I hope you all enjoyed.