Chapter six:
Kokiri forest
Mr. Hawkins sat at his desk within his room in the castle.
He kept thinking to himself. "Koume and Kotake.. The twin witches also known as Twinrova in their combined and very much feared form. One is said to have the power of fire while the other wields ice. They can be found in the Spirit Temple mostly. But seeing as how Zant absorbed some strange power from the lost woods.. perhaps they'd go there too once things have quiet down."
Mr. Hawkins grabbed himself a cup of tea before returning to his desk and continued to get lost in his thoughts.
"The Spirit Temple. It lies deep within the Desert Colossus, to the west of the Haunted Wasteland. The haunted wasteland is a dangerous area to cross. It had always kinda scared me. There were so many bad stories about that place. During storms where lightning lit up the sky they say that an odd shape can be seen in the skyline."
Mr. Hawkins took a small sip of his tea.
"It's not just the scary stories that make me weary of that place. You also have to go through so called trials. More like death trials. The first trial is crossing the River of Sand, do this wrong and you drown in quicksand. From there you have to follow the flags, otherwise you'd end up lost. It is said that once you reach a stone monument a phantom will appear and guide the one's with a true sight. Not only that but Leevers and Guays inhabit this area. It will be risky but those witches might be our only chance."
Hawkins had almost finished his tea now, but his mind was yet to be at ease.
"We should scout the lost woods first, as soon as things calmed down. Maybe we'll even run into that strange kid again. If we do not find those two witches.. then I fear we'll have no choice but to go to the Spirit Temple..." Mr. Hawkins put down his now empty cup.
He was so worried and scared of having to go to that place that he couldn't fall asleep at all.
Meanwhile in the lost woods Skull kid also skipped some sleep.
Due to him sneaking around the woods of cause.
He had found a group of five monsters and carefully sneaked around them to get a good view around.
It didn't look like there were any other monsters around.
So Skull kid pulled out his trumpet like item again.
And he quickly played a small tune, again the sounds of the forest made it impossible to tell exactly where it was coming from.
The monsters started looking around but Skull kid had already managed to sneak up on one of them.
He hit it from a very close range with a magic orb sending the monster flying as lighting surrounded it.
Meanwhile the puppets Skull kid had summoned with his instrument attacked the other four monsters.
It was a quick but effective sneak attack.
The monsters started fading into black and blue dots and floated back to the mirror of twilight.
Now Skull kid knew they were beatable, without necessarily killing them.
Skull kid didn't want to hurt them too badly since he could feel that the monsters weren't themselves.
He knew this because with the Majora's mask he too had the power to transform people.
He only didn't turn them into his slaves, like Zant did.
Anyways Skull kid was traveling through the lost woods until he came across a large hallow tree that layed down as an entrance to Kokiri Forest.
The small forest like town layed completely abandoned.
That was because the Kokiri had vanished and no one else wanted to live there.
Mostly because the trees there had withered and the water had drained.
It was nothing more than a dead part of the forest now.
Skull kid looked around the empty tree houses but didn't see Navi anywhere.
"Strange.. I was sure she'd be here.." Skull kid thought to himself.
After all it was the only place nearby where fairies used to live.
Skull kid snooped around some more until he found a small entrance to a slightly hidden area.
It was then that he realized what kind of damage had been done.
The large deku tree that had lived there for centuries had died.
It's wood had turned a dry grayish color, it's leaves were completely gone.
There were large cracks and cuts engraved in the wood, looking as if it could collapse any second.
Skull kid carefully walked around the tree and when he did he saw a smaller tree, most likely it's successor.
But it had sadly died as well.
Skull kid knew this meant bad news, with the tree gone it was easier for monsters to roam around.
And for dark power to linger.
And now there wasn't even going to be a successor to protect the woods.
The lost woods was completely defenseless.
That must also be why the Kokiri are gone.
Just when Skull kid wanted to turn back he heard a nice.
Skull kid quickly hid behind the dead smaller tree sprout.
Meanwhile at the castle Hawkins had finally come up with a plan.
He called in a secret urgent meeting with the other staff members of the castle.
I say secret because he didn't want Zelda or the other guests to find out.
He then explained that he wanted to go back to the lost woods to see if the amount of strange magic power lured the witches there.
It was risky and foolish but in his thoughts it was less risky that the haunted wastelands.
Then there's the problem of the Gerudo not letting in any males.
You had to pass thought their village to even reach that dessert.
Luckily Hawkins knew the Gerudo very well since the king always sent him there with important messages.
But even if they allowed him in it would be difficult to convince them to let the other male soldiers in.
Of cause there are also female soldiers but just the females aren't enough.
Hawkins knew this but he also knew how strange magic attracts the witches.
It wouldn't be the first time they'd do something like that.
However normally the Hyrlians would leave the witches alone regardless.
But due to the king himself being missing, it meant some unspoken rules were bound to be broken.
He was willing to take the risk if it meant saving the king he swore loyal to.
"Botrick? Gutter?" Hawkins asked.
"Yeah?" Both replied.
"Look after the princess would you? I'm planning of heading out as soon as dawn breaks through." Hawkins answered.
"Yes sir!" Botrick said.
"You can count on us!" Gutter added.
"Very well.." Hawkins then went to grab his robe and he went to get the horses ready.
After that he told all the guards/soldiers who would come along to get ready.
It didn't take long for dawn to appear and as soon as it did Hawkins and ten other soldiers went out of castle town.
Riding their horses at quick phase towards the lost woods.
While they traveled the princes had woken up.
She walked into the hallway and saw Sidon talking with Gutter and Botrick.
"What's going on?" Zelda asked in her half asleep state.
"Mr. Hawkins went back to the lost woods..." Sidon said.
"..ah that's nice….. Wait… WHAT?" It took Zelda a second to fully wake up.
Then Daru came out of the infirmary too see what the ruckus was all about.
"Why did he just leave without us?!" Zelda asked.
"Now now princess, there's no need to get all worked up about that. He just wants to keep you and your friends safe. He's only trying to do what's best for you." Botrick answered.
"What's best for me?! What's best for me is knowing what is going on in the kingdom I have to rule in the future! To know what he's planning! I have the right to know!" Zelda said as she gave Gutter and Botrick a confused and angry look.
"Excuse me?" Daru said, trying to prevent the moment from escalating.
"What?! ….Oh….oh you're awake… uhm.. my apologies, how are you?" Zelda said awkwardly after she had realized she yelled at the Goron.
"I'm doing alright.. I can't say the same from the new person you rescued, she's still out cold." Daru answered.
"I see, well I suppose she'll wake up eventually. She's the fourth person this week to end up in our infirmary.." Zelda said as she walked down the stairs.
"Princess.. I entrust that you won't try to go after Mr. Hawkins.. alright?" Gutter asked.
"Fine! I won't.. but he has a lot to explain once he's back!" Zelda said while Sidon and Daru both followed her to the dinning area.
Breakfast had already been served and the three could dig in immediately.
"Say.. princess?" Daru asked.
"Just call me Zelda." She said as she took a sip of a glass of water.
"Right. Zelda? Uhm.. are we really not gonna go after him? It seems kind of dangerous to me." Daru said.
"I bet the princess has an awesome escape plan! I mean she told me about all the times she ran away from the castle and it was epic!" Sidon said enthusiastically.
"No. Not this time. He will be fine." Zelda said while turning away.
She was clearly hurt to be left out of it.
"Oh.. well if you're sure.." Sidon answered.
"I'm sorry pri-.. Zelda.. but I'm not taking no for an answer. If you're not willing to escape suit yourself but I'm going." Daru then said while standing up.
"Going to where exactly?" Botrick suddenly appeared in the doorway.
"Bloody hell.." Daru said as he sat back down at the table.
Meanwhile Skull kid had hid from an approaching noise.
It were Ghirahim and Zant!
"Urg why did you drag me all the way out here?" Zant asked.
"Hahahah! You'll see! Now where was it..." Ghirahim said as he started looking around.
"Where is what?" Zant asked.
"Just help me look okay, you'll know it when you see it. Darn it and that after I knocked it out of the sky." Ghirahim answered while holding his hand above his eyes in a looking gesture.
Skull kid then saw it.
It was a blue fairy.. it was hovering very low above the ground just behind a root.
Ghirahim was coming closer towards it though.
Skull kid had to do something or else they'd discover the fairy.
Skull kid could feel his heart racing as he quietly tried to move toward the fairy.
Then as is fate was on Skull kid's side a branch broke off of the dead tree causing both demons to be distracted.
Skull kid took his chance and quickly grabbed the fairy and flew back past the old tree back towards Kokiri village.
He was in luck, the two demons hadn't noticed anything.
And thanks to the mask he was able to fly and make no noise whatsoever.
Skull kid then quickly went inside an old Kokiri house.
"Are you okay?" Skull kid asked the fairy who was resting in his arms.
"..Yeah.. you saved me.. thanks.." Navi seemed to be alright.
She only seemed to be exhausted.
"You're Navi right? Tatl and Teal told me to find you." Skull kid then said.
"Yeah.. that's right, and you must be Skull kid! Nice to meet you." Navi said.
"I'm glad you're alright. Are you sure you aren't hurt?" Skull kid just wanted to make sure.
"Yeah.. I'm fine.. Just a little tired from that lunatic following me around and trying to shoot me with magic!" Navi said as she started flying a bit again.
The two then waited a bit for the coast to be clear and as soon as it was they headed out again.
Back towards the large tree Skull kid had left his friends in.
However once there they stumbled across a horrific scene.