Book 1: The Rescue of the Saviour

By JoeMoron2000

Chapter Four: The Beast of the Sages

The man bowed his head and kneeled respectfully.

"Miss Saria, I presume?" he asked in a deep, almost distant voice.

Saria stared in shock. Here was a stranger, an outsider, in the Sacred Realm. It shouldn't have been possible. And yet here he was, kneeling before her, as though this were a daily ritual of his.

"Who…who are you?" she managed, trembling. The man was easily twice both her height and build, and most of his body was covered by his tattered brown cloak. His seemingly ancient sword he kept in its scabbard, on which was written in a long-forgotten language, only increased his intimidation. There was something strange about this man. He had every physical indication that this was a man with whom you did not trifle. The stranger quickly glanced at her, before bowing his head again.

"Yes, it must be," he added, more to himself than to Saria. "Only a Kokiri would have such a young appearance after ten years. Miss Saria," he said slowly, this time to the Sage, "I have an urgent matter which needs your attention."

Despite this man's physical strength, he did not show any indications or intentions of harming Saria, but she remained firmly terrified.

"I asked who you are!" she said, a little stronger than before. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I am but a weary traveller, but I am here to ask for your help in a matter of dire importance. A disaster is approaching, the likes of which we have never before seen." The man paused, letting the full effect of his words sink in before he continued. "And when it does, it will put to the test all that we have striven to build."

Saria looked at the man in awe. His strange, angelic-like voice seemed to echo inside of her. Slowly, her fear left, to be replaced by a dawning sense of unease at the man's announcement. What disaster was coming? What could be done to stop it? And, more importantly, how did this…impossible man know about it?

She decided to voice her questions. "What's coming?" she asked tentatively.

The man looked directly at Saria for the first time, and she was taken aback by the appearance of his face. Despite his clearly old, ripped, and worn clothing, his features had the youth of an adolescent–sharp, with trimmed hair, and clean-shaven–but lacked its liveliness; Instead, his vermillion eyes seemed exhausted, as though they had once shown the world to an excited boy, but had long since forgotten what such an experience felt like. When he spoke again, it awed her that such a man could have such a deep, resounding voice.

"Tell me, Miss Saria, what do you remember of ten years ago? What single memory stands out at you the most?"

Saria shook herself out of her trance, thought for a moment, and answered. "Umm, ten years ago? That would have to be when Link–," she faltered, remembering with more clarity–and pain–than any time since she awoke as the Forest Sage, but she forced herself to continue, "–when Link left the…the Forest…" She ended almost in a whisper, as now it was as thought she was being forced to remember happier times, when Hyrule was safe, and, more importantly, when she was with her friends. The man noticed her eyes watering, and he respectfully lowered his head while Saria wiped them. "I remember meeting him on the bridge between the Forest and the Unknown Lands – I mean Hyrule. I…I gave him my ocarina."

"And do you remember why he left?"

"I think he said something about wanting to explore Hyrule." She thought again, and it occurred to her that she had never asked why he had left. She had only ever vaguely linked his leaving with Ganondorf's rise to power, but it seemed obvious now. "And I guess to stop Ganondorf."

The stranger took a deep breath, looked up, and began speaking again. "Yes and no. Ten years ago, Link was warned of the impending danger that Ganondorf posed, presumably by the Great Deku Tree. It was he who gave to Link a sacred and powerful relic entrusted to him centuries ago, according to the legends, the Spiritual Stone of the Forest – the Kokiri Emerald. He then spent the following weeks scouring the land for the remaining two Spiritual Stones, during which time, I'm sure he must have thought of home often. In fact, he even returned to visit you, did he not?"

"How do you – how do you know that?" Saria asked uncomfortably. "That was personal!" But, as she reacted, she couldn't help but feel something stirring inside of her. Looking at him talk, listening to him, she could sense there was a force within him that was gaining strength – or was he regaining it?

"I apologize for intruding, Miss Saria, but I cannot let matters of such importance go unchecked. I do hope you forgive me." His tone was apologetic, unthreatening; but her suspicions began to grow. The man continued.

"Link fought against demons that would have made men thrice his age cower in fear, and he defeated them. His courage as a young boy, only ten years of age, was astounding. Though, courageous as he was, he was only a boy, not yet ready for the full burden of being the Hero of Time he would become. Bravely, he collected the Spiritual Stones and opened the Door of Time. After weeks of struggling, and the flight of Princess Zelda, he pulled the Master Sword from its pedestal, and was put into an enchanted sleep of seven years. That is why he did not return for so long." The stranger's excitement rose, and as his speech drew on, the sense of urgency in his voice increased with it.

"Memories are precious things. They serve as reminds to one's history, one's loyalties…one's friendships. A single positive memory can make a person do wondrous things. Imagine what a lifetime of them can do.

"That is what Link had as he awoke after his long slumber – a lifetime of memories of friendship, given to him by his friends – the Kokiri – and by you. The Hero of Time, with his heart full of love and kindness, set out to rescue this land. But the first thing he did, the first place he went, was home to the Kokiri Forest, to visit you, because you, Miss Saria, are the most important person to Link."

Saria's heart leapt at his words. Could Link really have felt that way? But if he had, then where was he? Why hasn't he returned to the Forest? She glanced at her emerald orb, with its enchanted glow, and then at her "garden," and her doubt grew again. This was a nice story and all, but what was the point? And who was he, anyway?

"You doubt me," he noted, reverting to his slow, deliberate tone. "I can see your hesitation. You would like to believe, but there is something stopping you, something holding you back."

"You still haven't told me anything about you," Saria snapped defensively. The man had been there for no more than fifteen minutes, and he had already triggered emotions that Saria had not felt in over a decade. This one was agitation. "What's your name? How do you know all of this? And by Farore's Wind, how did you get here?"

This sudden outburst caught him off guard. For the first time, the stranger looked uneasy, and he paused. He shook his head slowly, and replied, "The answers to any of your questions would simply confuse you further, and that is if you believe any of them to begin with, which I doubt. Trust me."

Again, long-tamed emotions freed themselves from deep within her, and she felt angry for the first time in almost two years. Having the appearance of a kid was one thing, but being treated like one at her age, regardless of how she looked, was insulting. "Try me," she dared, narrowing her eyes.

As if on cue, the plants and plotted shrubbery around them seemed to threaten him with her. For the second time, the man appeared uncomfortable, as though he knew what was about to happen.

"You don't have to go that far," he said after a moment, with what sounded like a trace of panic in his voice.

But Saria didn't hear him. Bottled up anger and fear were fighting their way out; anger at Link, for abandoning her; anger at Ruto for taunting her; anger at Impa for treating her like a child; fear that she would be alone forever. Most of all, she felt anger at this man; a deep-seated hatred of him and what he represented. She couldn't place it, but it was there, and she succumbed to its will.

"You will answer my questions!" she screamed, and at once, the vines, which had slowly been snaking towards her, launched at the man and grabbed him.