Inside the Forest Temple
It was dark inside. Link took a moment to let his eyes adjust. The air was cool and crisp, and grass crunched beneath his feet. It seemed quiet, but his keen sense of hearing picked up on the sounds of scuffling, and then a low growl, coming from the far side of the room.
Link bent his knees immediately, drawing his sword and shield. He sidestepped right, intending to hide in the darkness until his eyes adjusted to the lack of light.
His shoulder collided with something solid and he gasped. Two yellow orbs appeared in the blackness, zeroing in on him. The object he had hit was a tree; a massive one. Link reached up and felt along the bark, looking frantically for a handhold as the growling because a howl. The yellow eyes came closer. Link's fingers closed over a slimy vine and he slipped.
He raised his shield. Not a second too soon, as the wolf had pounced on him.
Using his shield as a barrier, Link gathered his legs under him and pushed the beast off. The wolf howled again and started circling him, closely joined by a second wolf. Both were an ashy gray color, making it difficult for Link to see them. Their eyes glowed brightly though; Link stared at a point just below their eyes in order to see.
"Link!" Navi was by now zipping around in the darkness, trying to assess the situation.
"Navi!" Link shouted back. "Fly a little lower!"
Navi did as he asked, flying dangerously close to the two wolves circling Link. Irritated, the beasts snapped at her as she hovered just out of reach. The glow from Navi's wings provided Link with enough light to see, and he raised his sword.
In two quick swipes, he dispatched the first wolf and knocked back the second. The remaining wolf had been faster, and avoided a fatal blow. Its companion lay whimpering on the ground. Link stepped towards the second wolf, swinging again.
The wolf dodged him and quickly followed with a swipe of claws. Link knocked it back with his shield as Navi hovered between them, shouting bits of advice at Link.
"Don't be so stiff-kneed!" she chastised him.
"I'm not trying to be!" Link said, frustration making him swing madly at the gray wolf.
The wolf rose up on its hind legs, raising both paws with an intent to bring them down on Link's skull and knock him down. Link took the opening and slashed at the wolf's exposed belly. The animal shrieked in pain, collapsing into a heap next to its friend.
The two wolves lay there, moaning pitifully for a moment, before their bodies suddenly exploded with orange, fiery bursts. Link took a surprised step back, raising his shield. Twin clouds of dark smoke were all that was left.
"What just happened?" Link asked, kneeling down and tentatively passing a hand through the fog.
Navi flitted down to examine the smoke. "Those were wolfos, not regular animals. They were Ganondorf's monsters, summoned from the Dark World. Once you defeat them, they return to where they came from."
Link watched the smoke slowly dissipate before standing. "Strange."
Link and Navi continued through a narrow passageway, overgrown with moss and vines that snaked along the stone walls like veins. They soon reached what looked to be the central room of the temple, judging by its size, made all the more imposing by its vaulted ceiling, and the number of rooms that branched off from it in all directions.
Dead ahead of them was a wide, descending staircase. The steps and railing, beautifully carved with a design of leaves, were made of the same pale, elegant stone as the rest of the temple. Like everything else, the stairs were worn with age.
Link stepped down a couple of steps, peering into the shadowy corners of the room. Unsurprisingly, the room was quiet, dark, and damp. Empty.
Link walked until he met the altar-like construction in the center of the circular room. Another thing he had noticed was the cold; it wasn't an uncomfortable chill, but the room was distinctly lower in temperature than the previous one. It felt soothing, though, like the forest did after a rainfall.
Even so, there was something off about the room. The altar, in particular. Link studied it. It was difficult, but his eyes had adjusted, and the darkness wasn't nearly as impenetrable as he would've thought.
There was a wooden structure, rectangular, open on all sides excluding the top and bottom. It was tall enough for a man to stand in, with four carved pillars holding up the flat top. A carved wooden figurine stood atop the wooden box; it depicted a winged maiden, wearing a dress that appeared to be made of leaves, vines and moss. Her hair was long, flowing down her back and partially covering a quiver full of arrows. In her hand she held a bow.
Curious, Navi floated up to study the figurine while Link explored the rest of the room. In total, there were six doors leading out of the main chamber. Excluding the entrance and a door that was situated on an enclosed stone balcony a floor above him, it left four possibilities.
He tried to use the hook shot to bring him to the balcony door, but the spearhead merely bounce off the wall, refusing to burrow itself into the smooth marble. With no other anchors for the hook shot to latch onto, that left the two rooms situated under arched corridors in the northeast and northwest corners.
One of them was blocked by a cave-in from the ceiling. The door directly north was unlocked, but simply led to a second, smaller, circular room. It too, was empty. The only other unlocked door was the one in the northeast corner.
Upon opening the door, there was a series of loud screeching sounds, and a flurry of Keese sailed over his head. Link crouched, raising his shield over his head as the Keese passed into the other room.
Peering under the metal edge of the shield, Link took in his surroundings. The room was a triangular-esque shape, and the floor was covered in soft grass. A Deku baba sprung out of the grass as he took a step forward, but Link easily dispatched it with a swipe of his sword.
There was a quiet pool in the corner, several feet deep, with a smaller, grassy island at its centre. There was a stone structure built on the island, with a door atop that Link couldn't reach. He circled the room, trying to climb some of the vines growing on the walls or find an anchor for his hook shot. Aside from the pool, there was an empty well and more rooms that Link couldn't reach or that had been caved in.
Eventually, Link decided to try the unlocked west door, hoping it would lead somewhere. Coming back into the large altar room, Link's peripheral vision caught movement to his left. He spun, one hand reaching for his sword. His tension faded when he realized it was just his shadow passing over the smooth stone of the wall. Link took a single step forward.
He froze abruptly. His hand was back on his sword again, drawing it this time.
Link turned to stare accusingly at the dark shape of his shadow, flickering in and out on the wall. He shouldn't have a shadow. This room, as far as he had seen, had no visible light sources aside from the faint glow of Navi's wings. She was far away, there was no possible way.
Link inhaled sharply. "Navi…" he called out, his voice laced with apprehension.
"Link," Navi replied urgently, the blue light surrounding her getting brighter. "I think there's a fairy spirit trapped inside this figurine…"
"Navi," Link repeated, more insistent.
"What is it?" she finally asked, turning her attention from the wooden maiden.
Link didn't answer, using the angle and shape of his shadow to judge where the light was coming from. His gaze landed on the four stone columns surrounding the altar. They were also rectangular, but, if his guess was correct, there were four invisible sources of light atop each one; a torch of some kind, judging by the flickering nature of his shadow.
When he said as much to Navi, the fairy flew over to the nearest pillar, using a bit of fairy magic to dispel the illusion. A magical flame appeared, floating by itself above the marble column. To Link's surprise, it was green, rather than the red-orange of natural fire.
"What?" Link asked in confusion.
Suddenly, the remaining three flames burst into visibility with a series of crackling sounds. The rest were purple, blue, and scarlet, too red to be a regular flame.
Link drew his blade as Navi retreated back to the wooden figurine, circling to keep an eye on all four magical flames. Four wicked cackles followed on the footsteps of the crackling sound, and four Poe spirits appeared next to the columns, their bright orange eyes fixated on Link.
Cackling again, the four Poes captured the flame that matched the color of their torn, ragged cloaks, stowing it inside their lanterns. They floated about the room, taking the light with them.
Link's eyes were struggling to adjust to the sudden brightness, and he avoided looking directly at the Poes. He raised his shield, deflecting both the light and the balls of fire the Poes threw at him as he jogged around the perimeter of the room.
"This way!" Navi called to him, hovering near the blue Poe. The creature shrieked and swatted at the fairy, quickly spinning in a circle and disappearing from sight. Only her blue lantern remained to indicate her position.
"Navi, don't get so close to them!" Link shouted, dodging another flame projectile. "I can't hit them unless I can see them!"
Navi quickly backed off, and the blue Poe showed herself, hurtling blue fire Link's way. All four Poes stayed well out of reach of his blade, taunting him as they flew around him, forcing him to maintain a defensive stance.
"Damn it!" Link swore, frustrated as the purple Poe evaded another swipe from his blade.
The Poes attacked him relentlessly, and Link ducked underneath the wide staircase just in time. He looked around for Navi, but she was hovering over the wooden figurine again.
"Navi!" Link called, ducking as the red and blue Poes sent two fireballs his way.
"Almost," she assured him, reaching for the tiny bow the maiden held in her hand.
To Link's amazement, the figurine's wooden shell cracked and fell away, revealing pale flesh beneath. The tiny fairy, her skin now glowing with soft green light, stretched out her limbs and fluffed out a mane of long dark hair. Her wings stretched out freely, and she removed the quiver and bow, handing them to Navi.
Fighting off more attacks from the Poes, Link watched as the freed fairy thanked Navi, winking out in a flash of pale green light. Quickly, Navi joined Link, holding the miniature bow and quiver in her pale blue hands.
"I knew it!" she said in satisfaction. "I told you there was a fairy spirit trapped there."
"Now isn't really the time," Link replied, exasperated. "I need something to hit these things with!" he said, gesturing to the giggling Poes.
"Oh, right." Navi smiled sheepishly, murmuring a spell over the bow. The tiny weapon started to grow in size, rapidly expanding until it was too big for Navi to hold. Link seized it, and watched as it grew in his grip until it was a normal size.
"Perfect!" he said, slinging the quiver, also now a normal size, across his back. He placed his shield on his back, sheathing the Master Sword as well. Link rolled from behind the staircase, the fire projectiles bouncing uselessly off his back.
"Come and get me," he taunted the Poes, fitting an arrow into the bow and raising it high.
The fairy's bow was sturdy, made of the tough, yet flexible wood of a Deku tree. It sported the same interwoven leaf design as the green fairy's dress, and bowed accommodatingly beneath Link's grip.
He let the first arrow fly; it pierced the defenses of the red Poe, causing her to shriek with pain. Her body crumbled into ash, and she dropped the lantern to the floor. It shattered, releasing the red magical flame. Link did the same with the blue and green Poes, the freed magical flames returning to their respective columns.
The final Poe, the purple one, cackled menacingly at him. She bared her tiny, pointed teeth, dodging every arrow he shot at her. Her image shifted, splitting into four phantom figures that became corporeal. Link gritted his teeth, trying to search out the real one among the copies. The first two arrows sailed through air, hitting fake Poes. The real Poe giggled with delight and threw more fireballs at him.
"Damn it all," Link muttered.
The purple Poe shifted into four once again, and this time Link watched carefully. He aimed his next arrow at the Poe on the far right, his fingers releasing the taut bowstring. The arrow hit its mark and didn't pass through.
Link smiled in victory. "Found you," he murmured.
The Poe was reduced to ash, and the purple flame joined its companions atop the marble pillars. As soon as all four flames had returned, the floor shifted beneath Link's feet. He threw his arms out for balance, noticing with shock that the rectangular box in the centre of the room was moving. It descended, slowly, until the flat top was flush with the floor, and then it continued downward, leaving a square opening where it had once rested.
Navi flew over to inspect it. "There's another room down there!" she exclaimed. "Link, whatever is down there, it's what's causing so much trouble in the forest. Evil energy is thick down there."
Link nodded. "Come on, we have to go find it and destroy it. Whatever it is probably has Saria."
The blue fairy nodded in agreement, moving back as the wooden elevator shuddered upwards, resuming its original position. Cautiously, Link stepped into the centre of the wooden box, his heart leaping into his throat as it shook slightly, descending once again. He took a steady breath, reaching back for the reassuring hilt of the Master Sword.
Who knew what awaited him below.
~oOo~
Snowhead, Termina
The forest clearing was hushed, the sounds of nocturnal animals still absent as winter breathed its last. The air had warmed significantly, announcing spring's coming, and Dark barely felt the chill as he shifted his weight on the rock, waiting expectantly for Fierce to speak. The moon was waning tonight, its pale glow reflecting off the other man's silvery hair.
Eventually, Fierce opened his mouth to speak. "You know of Hyrule's Unification War, I presume?"
Dark shrugged. "Bits and pieces. I never paid much attention in history classes."
Fierce actually chuckled. Dark arched a brow at the rarity. "No, I suppose not. It began well before you were born, and ended mere days after your parents were slain."
"What does it have to do with that night?" Dark asked.
"Under the circumstances, I thought a little background information might help," Fierce explained, crossing his legs and resting his hands on his crossed knees. "Tensions had been high for quite some time, and war had broken out between the tribes of Hyrule. The Gerudos had amassed a significant force, as they had gained the loyalties of other desert tribes, either through force or promised rewards."
Dark raised an eyebrow skyward again. "The Gerudo have always disliked the Hylians," he commented. "They've finally taken control of Hyrule, which I suppose was their goal all along."
Fierce gave a half-shrug, continuing with his story. "The Gerudos possess the ability to wield black magic, the polar opposite in terms of energy that the Hylians use. This difference alone has caused many to fear them. It is also true that they consider Hyrule's lands rightfully theirs, since in centuries past they were driven out of Hyrule after a past ruler exiled them."
"What happened?"
"A group of individuals stumbled across dark magic. They believed they could use it to gain control of Hyrule's hidden power source. The dark magic consumed them, however, and the Gerudo tribe was exiled for the crimes committed by the Gerudo members of this group. This sentence, of course, triggered many occasions of strife between Hylians and Gerudo. Eventually, during Queen Aldera's reign, a peace treaty was signed and those Gerudo who renounced dark magic could return to Hyrule. This, however, caused another problem."
"They were still using dark magic?" Dark guessed.
Fierce shook his head. "You know that among the Gerudo tribe, only one male baby is born once every hundred years?" he asked. A nod from Dark confirmed it. "Before the exile, this was not so," Fierce revealed, much to Dark's surprise. "For thousands of years before Hyrule even existed, the Gerudo tribes coexisted with the Hylians and many other tribes. Eventually, children who were both Gerudo and Hylian were born. These children possessed the ability to wield both types of magic, making them extraordinarily gifted. It was a man born to Gerudo and Hylian parents, gifted with magic, who used dark magic to accomplish his own ends. It was because of him and his followers that the ancestors of the Gerudo were exiled."
Dark's eyes widened. "What happened to the dark magic users?"
Fierce inhaled slowly. "They were called the Interlopers. Their punishment was banishment. They were cursed to roam the plane known as the Dark World. The Gerudo were banished to the desert out of fear, and the curse of bearing a single male child every hundred years cast upon them, so that it would be more difficult for them to bear children gifted with both kinds of magic. Now, it is against Hylian law for men to consort with Gerudo women. The descendants of the gifted ones who had not been banished eventually grew apart from both races, and became known as the Sheikah, who have served Hyrule's Royal family since the kingdom's birth."
"The Sheikah are a cross between Gerudo and Hylians?!" Dark blurted.
Fierce gave him a small smile. "Yes and no. They are a perfect hybrid; a mixture of the two forms of magic. They were blessed with unique power, and even, in rare cases, visions of the future. Their power made them a great threat. But the Sheikah have existed for thousands of years Some believe they predate both the Gerudo and Hylians and that those nations came from the Sheikah. After the exile, they grew apart from their Gerudo ancestors and eventually allied instead with the Hylians. Many years later, the peace treaty was signed and all was well. However, after the death of Queen Aldera, the current Princess Zelda's grandmother, the Gerudo began to stir. They craved the unique power of the Sheikah, and they had just been blessed with a male child, the one destined to become their leader."
"Ganondorf," Dark said. Fierce nodded.
"Correct. As soon as Ganondorf took power, he set his sights on Hyrule once again. He had become obsessed with the secret power that lay hidden in Hyrule, just like the Interlopers before him. He broke the peace treaty, and invaded Hyrule. Hyrule was unprepared. Princess Zelda's father had just been crowned, and the strained alliances with the Zora and Goron tribes left Hyrule in a vulnerable state. Ganondorf's armies devastated the kingdom and wiped out much of the Sheikah tribe, and the hope that the new king would lead them to victory dwindled."
Dark frowned. "But the late King didn't fail, he succeeded. The Gerudo were driven back and the peace treaty restored…until Ganondorf broke it again," he added, scoffing.
"Indeed," Fierce confirmed. "The new Princess Zelda was born, and the King strengthened his ties with the other warring races of Hyrule, and brought an end to the civil war. This is where your father comes in. I told you that he was a soldier, and he fought in the Unification War. In one of the last battles, your father attacked Ganondorf himself. Many considered it brave, others foolish. But he managed to wound Ganondorf gravely, inciting the desert king to seek revenge."
A shadow crossed over Dark's face. "So he came after my parents. He's the one who killed them." His mouth was set in a grim, determined line.
Fierce gave him a sympathetic look. "Yes, it is why. He had other reasons, but his desire to defeat your father consumed him. As revenge often does," Fierce hinted, giving Dark a meaningful look.
Dark scowled. "I get it, already. Revenge will consume me, blah, blah, blah."
"You should take my warnings seriously," he said, lasering Dark with his glare.
He glared at Fierce. "This man killed my parents. He's done much worse, too. It would be wrong of me to let him live."
Fierce paused a moment. "Ganondorf is fated to meet his end, and soon, but I must warn you against confronting him. It is not your fate to be the one to defeat him."
He scowled again. "What do you mean?"
"There is another thing I have not told you," Fierce began, his eyes taking on a hint of sadness again. "You remember that you became separated from your mother."
Dark, in a state of unease, shifted his weight again. "Yeah…so?"
"Do you remember your infant brother?" Fierce asked, his eyes flashing.
Dark's brow furrowed. "Vaguely…"
Fierce nodded. "Yes, she escaped into the forest, and used the last of her strength to take your brother to a safer place. She died from her wounds soon after, however."
Dark stood up, unable to keep from pacing. "I don't get it," he said, frustrated. "You give me a history lesson, just to tell me how my dad got caught up in it all, only to tell me everything I already knew, then add on the fact that the man currently seated on the throne of Hyrule is my parents' murderer, but I won't be the one to kill him. What's the point?"
He emphasized the last word by striking the boulder he'd been sitting on with his fist. The stone groaned in protest, the crack echoing in the trees. Dark stared at his hand, amazed by the sudden surge of strength he had felt.
Fierce was at his side in an instant. "You are different, Dark," he said quietly. "You possess unusual abilities, much like the Sheikah. But the path you tread will not lead you to the revenge you seek. The man destined to remove the darkness from Hyrule is someone else. You must understand that. Revenge is an empty ambition. Your focus must be elsewhere, or the cost will be great."
Dark took a deep breath in, shocked to see sparks had been dancing along his knuckles. They dissolved along with his anger, however, and he turned to Fierce. "Who is destined to take out Ganondorf, then?" he asked.
"That is the other thing I must tell you," Fierce said solemnly. "The man who will be Ganondorf's downfall is your brother."
Dark might have laughed, if not for the utterly serious expression on Fierce's face. He thought for sure he had misheard him. He'd always thought his brother had died years ago.
"What?" he managed to croak after several minutes of stunned silence.
Fierce met Dark's eyes, his gaze intense. "Your brother is still alive."
~oOo~
Beneath the Forest Temple
It was the strangest room he'd ever set foot in. The most eerie, as well. Also circular, it was quite small, with the same vaulted ceiling and cool, stone walls. The design etched into the floor had long since faded, the image indiscernible. Evenly spaced throughout the room were paintings, all identical, featuring a dirt path snaking its way into the vanishing point, and bordered by dark, skeletal trees on either side. The horizon was an unnatural deep purple, giving the paintings the appearance of spooky eyes that watched him wherever he turned.
"I don't feel it anymore…" Navi mused, looking around with a confused look on her face. "Maybe we're in the wrong place."
"Maybe," Link agreed, eyeing the nearest painting warily.
He stepped towards the entrance of the strange room, and metal spikes suddenly erupted from the floor, barring his way. Link halted, stunned to hear what sounded like a horse behind him, snorting and pawing the ground. Confused, he turned around to see a jet black stallion, mere inches away, real and very much not a figment of his imagination. What was even more startling was the rider.
"Ganondorf!" Link shouted, drawing his sword as the rider laughed, reaching a hand up towards his face.
Ganondorf covered his own face with a hand briefly before drawing it away. With it came his dark flesh, leaving only stark white bone. Link's jaw dropped in horror. The man who looked like Ganondorf was now a ghost rider with a skeleton face.
His body was non-corporeal, the black armor encasing nothing but air. The stallion had become an unearthly beast, its flesh stretched tight across its bones, its face gaunt and terrifying. It snorted, rising into the air as its rider let out a wicked laugh, raising a staff above his head.
The horse reared, and Link was forced onto his belly as the beast leaped through the air over his head, horse and phantom disappearing into the painting behind him. Link and Navi stared at the painting, watching as the image of the horse and rider moved along the path, fading to a speck of black.
"It's a spell," Navi reasoned, tugging on Link's collar as he started to stand up. "Get down!" she shrieked as the phantom emerged from the painting opposite, charging right for them.
Link ducked again, avoiding the blast of energy the phantom left in the centre of the room. The staff in his hands crackled with electricity. Link stood and sheathed his sword, realizing it wouldn't help him against this enemy. He instead pulled out the fairy's bow, knocking an arrow and switching his gaze from painting to painting, unsure where the phantom would appear next. A few tense moments passed before Navi perked up.
"There!" she said, pointing to a painting across the room.
Link's back met the wall, staying as far as possible from the center of the room where the phantom would pass. He could see the dark shape moving through the painting now, and then the burst of dark energy as the ghost forced its way back into the room.
Link let the arrow fly. It hit the phantom in one of its glowing orange eyes, causing it to let out an unearthly howl and retreat into the painting.
Ganondorf's phantom galloped through the room on his skeleton horse several more times, throwing bursts of dark energy at Link. He managed to avoid them, rolling and dodging out of the way while shooting as many arrows as possible when the ghost's body became temporarily solid.
Eventually, the phantom abandoned its steed, the horse whinnying as it dissolved into dark ash. The phantom laughed again, the sound hollow and unnatural.
He began to circle the room, floating feet above the ground and easily dodging any arrows Link sent his way. The ghost raised the staff, creating another sphere of dark energy, and sent it flying at Link. He didn't have time to evade it, or raise his shield in defense. His first reaction was to raise the bow, which did nothing to protect him. The energy hit him with shocking force, throwing him onto his back as he was electrocuted.
"Link!" Navi screamed, trying to get past the waves of dark energy coiling around his body.
Link's vision swam. He would've yelled or fought back, but his teeth had clamped together painfully, his limbs stiff as he jerked around helplessly on the floor. Finally, the white-hot pain stopped and he was left feeling numb instead. Link struggled to get to his feet, his brain struggling to relay commands to his body to move.
The phantom laughed again, orange eyes mocking him as he sent another dark spell Link's way. On instinct, Link reached for his sword, drawing it just in time to deflect the orb of dark energy back at the ghost. Unprepared, the ghost was engulfed by its own spell, its body becoming solid and paralyzed. His legs feeling like jelly, Link stumbled forward and slashed at the phantom before it recovered. It howled, jerking up into the air and raising its staff to strike.
Another sphere came sailing his way, and Link swung the blade clumsily. It missed the spell, and Link was left temporarily paralyzed again. When he could stand, Navi flew over to stand on his shoulder.
"I told you that practice was necessary!" she hissed in his ear.
Link barely heard her. The phantom was already preparing another energy sphere to toss at him. That ball of energy got closer and closer, and Link raised his sword in shaky hands, his fingers not listening to his mental commands.
"Link, now!" Navi shouted.
Link's fingers suddenly woke up, gripping the blade's hilt with determination. The Master Sword had begun to glow with white light, emanating a sense of strength that reverberated through his arms and into his chest, lending him the boost he needed.
He sliced straight through the orb, sending tendrils of dark energy ricocheting through the room. The phantom's glowing eyes widened as ribbons of its own spell came bouncing towards it, slicing it to pieces before Link's eyes. The phantom screamed as the dark energy consumed it, its solid form crumbling into a heap of ash on the floor. Its glowing eyes remained, staring menacingly at Link, until they too were wiped out by the remainder of the spell.
The surge of adrenaline and strength left Link and the Master Sword's blade had stopped glowing. His legs could no longer hold him, and he collapsed to his knees, breathing hard. His fingers uncurled from the blade, too weak to hold on. Navi hovered in front of his face.
"Link?" she asked tentatively.
"I'm…all right," he gasped. "I just need to rest."
Navi was about to reply, but sharp blue light erupted from the centre of the room. It had no origin point; it simply burst from everywhere, filling the room and blinding the pair. When the light faded and Link could see, there was a circle of the same blue light next to him, glowing brightly and then dimming in a slow pattern. Standing, Link nudged closer to the circle. He had seen this radiant blue light before; recognized the way it moved slowly, almost sensuously, beckoning him forward.
With Navi hanging onto his shoulder, Link stepped into the circle of light. The light intensified, the rays growing until they soared over his head. The light changed shape, forming the solid form of a crystal around him.
Darkness started to fall again, and Link blinked. The forest temple had faded to nothingness, and Link found himself in the Chamber of Sages a second time. Navi buzzed excitedly, looking around in wonder as the crystal shield dissolved.
Link stood in the middle of the platform once again, only this time he faced the bright green pedestal, instead of the golden yellow. And once again, he was not alone.
A young girl stood there, maybe eleven or twelve years old. Her hair, the same color as the pedestal beneath her feet, was cut short and curled around her pointed ears. Her clothes were simple, comfortable, and different shades of green in color. She smiled as Link met her eyes. A deep, enchanting shade of blue.
"Saria."
Link was shocked at the sound of his own voice. It sounded cracked…broken. A terrifying thought crossed his mind even as Saria smiled at him more broadly. Will she remember me?
"Link," Saria replied, causing a sigh of relief to escape him. "Thank you. Because of you, I can awaken as the Sage of the forest." Saria paused, clasping her hands together and holding them against her chest. She lowered her eyes, speaking quieter than before. "I always knew you would come back."
An emotion he couldn't name swept over him. He wanted to tell her that he was sorry. Sorry that he'd been gone so long. Sorry that his leaving had caused so much trouble for the forest. He opened and closed his mouth several times before he found his voice.
"Saria, I—"
Saria held out a hand, gently interrupting. "No…you don't have to explain," she said, her gaze returning to his. She smiled sadly. "It is destiny that you and I can't live in the same world. I must stay here. I will remain and help you…Hero of Time."
Any words he could think to say died in his throat as Saria raised her arms skyward. There was a flash of green light, and Saria's emerald medallion appeared as the Light Medallion had. Link held the token in his palm, admiring the design.
The ground suddenly felt lighter beneath his feet, and he panicked as he felt himself start to fall. He reached his free hand towards Saria, who was quickly fading from view.
"Saria!" he called out to her, his eyes frozen to her face.
Saria gave him another smile, wistful yet sad. She'd had the same expression on her face the day he'd left the forest. Her next words were softly spoken, but Link heard them even as the darkness enveloped him and Navi, bringing them back to the world of light.
Link…I will always be…your friend.