The wind blew harshly around the area, the crackling sound of dark magic mixing with it.
"Will you stop that!" yelled the Hooded Man as he swung from his seated position toward a short figure dressed completely in purple.
"This is the fifth cup of tea your wretched wind magic has spilt all over me!" yelled the Hooded Man angrily. He slammed his cup on the ground beside him in frustration. Red eyes narrowed at him from a few yards away.
"Well, if you hadn't decided to sit where I'm trying to practice after my long absence then that wouldn't have happened now would it?" asked the purple robed man before turning away from him again. The Hooded Man took a deep breath as his companion resumed his practicing. He then lifted his hand and slammed it on the ground toward where his companion was standing.
The ground cracked and light erupted from where his palm hit the ground and leap toward the purple clothed man like a lion on a hunt. His companion was thrown off his feet and landed several feet away from where he'd had been standing.
"You best remember who's in charge here. I could have left you trapped for another six hundred years! And I was sitting here before you started practicing! So, go somewhere that is far away from me if you're going to continue that!" growled the Hooded Man. The purple robed man climbed to his feet and spun toward the Hooded Man but held in what he truly wanted to say.
"No appreciation for everything I do. I have to practice, since, as you said, I've been trapped for six hundred years! So, I need to get back to my god-like strength that has gotten rusty over this long period of time. That is the only reason those little cretins have gotten passed me," grumbled the purple robed man as he dusted himself off.
"Oh. So it wasn't the cat and spirit wolf that made you freak out and crawl away like a frightened child? Good Lord…let's just get going. We have to make it to the Forest Temple before the Hero of Twilight does," said the Hooded Man. He stood and strode away. The purple robed man soon stormed after him. His left eye twitched, as if he wanted nothing more than to swallow the mysterious man in front of him with his dark magic.
"Why can't you just warp us there?" grumbled the purple robed man. The Hooded Man sighed, annoyed.
"Because I've never been there. I can't just warp to some random location when I don't know what it looks like. I might warp us into a wall, or through a tree," said the Hooded Man. The purple robed man just grumbled some more. He glared at the mysterious man's back but then suddenly froze mid step.
"What is it now?" asked the Hooded Man when he didn't hear the others footsteps. He was shushed. Hooded Man narrowed his eyes and was about to tell him off for his disrespect until he noticed that the other was looking around as if searching for something.
"What's wrong?" asked the Hooded Man. The purple robed man walked a few more paces toward the right and then grinned.
"Wow! What a nice atmosphere of malicious spiritual activity. This place is swarming with angry sprits. Just what I need. I wonder what caused this? Spirits don't just become angry and haunt an area for no reason," said the purple robed man gleefully as he brought his arms up. He closed his eyes and focused. Suddenly his whole body pulsed as a dark aura sprang forward and begun to drain the energy of the area.
"Hmm…they all seem to point their anger at a single source…I'll have to look into that later," muttered the purple robed man as he finished. He suddenly turned and pointed to his right.
"We need to go this way," said the purple robed man as he passed his taller companion.
The Hooded Man cursed and quickened his pace to catch up with him.
"How do you know this?" said the mysterious man.
"Because it's in their memories. What…!" exclaimed the purple robed man as he suddenly stopped mid step again. The Hooded Man jumped and rose his hand to burn an unseen attacker.
"There's even more angry spirits here! Whatever did this to them has something to do with the Forest Temple I think…none of them are very happy that I'm heading that way. Too bad for them," said the purple robed man. He then rose his hands and begun draining the energy of the area again.
The Hooded Man looked ready to throttle his companion, but just took a deep breath to calm himself. He then strode in the direction that they were originally going in. He eventually climbed up a hill, and then stood at the top and grinned.
"Finally," muttered the Hooded Man as he gazed at the temple in the distance. It was almost hidden by the tall trees that surrounded it.
"We must almost be there. These spirits were even more malicious then the last group. Ah, here we are! About time. I was getting sick of the sight of green everywhere," said the purple robed man as he approached his companion.
"Now that I've seen it, I can warp here. I'm going home to gather a few things, but you get over there and get that medallion before the Hero of Twilight does understand? Oh, and you'll have to do this from a distance. The power of the temple, no matter how much you try twisting it, will not allow you to enter. You can expect that from all of the temples actually," said the Hooded Man. He then rose a hand and seemed to draw a symbol in the air. Suddenly diagrams appeared below him, surrounding him in golden light and then vanished with a bright flash of light. The purple robed man glared at where he was last. He then turned and stormed toward the Forest Temple.
"That rat bastard still hasn't told me what he wants with these medallions. Why not just kill the 'hero' and be done with it? Whatever! It's his problem if the heroic fool accidentally ends up dying when my grand master plan comes into fruition!" exclaimed the purple robed man gleefully. He suddenly jumped when something landed on his head.
He reached up and swiped whatever it was off his head. His eyes widened when he saw that it was a fairy.
Then his red eyes narrowed when he noticed its light dimming until it finally faded away. He jumped again when multiple fairies suddenly dropped not more than a few feet away from him. Looking above him, he saw other fairies stumbling through the air until they joined their dead kin on the ground.
He glanced back at the temple and he stressed his power, but didn't sense any invading force within it. He frowned and tossed the dead fairy over his shoulder. He then strode forward, wondering what in the world was causing this, because it obviously wasn't him.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZ
Link yawned as the sun began to set.
"Can't we stop and rest for a bit? My feet are killing me," grumbled the hero. Sheik chuckled when Link tripped on a loose rock.
"Din damn it! I can't even walk without almost killing myself!" exclaimed Link frustratingly.
"Sure, we can stop. If you want to get chased by poes and monsters that is," said the skipping Skull Kid ahead of them, "They like coming out at night,"
Link cursed, glaring at the back of the Skull Kids head.
"Are we almost there? It has been several hours already," said Sheik as he walked behind Link. He covered his mouth to stop the laugh that threatened to escape when Link seemed to trip on nothing this time.
"What the hell?! It felt like someone had grabbed my foot! Now I'm hallucinating!" exclaimed Link as he pulled at his hair. Sheik thought he saw something wiz passed the hero but it must have a trick of the light.
"Almost! Can't you see the spirits are so much more lively here truth seer?" asked the Skull Kid as he skipped toward the left suddenly. Sheik blinked surprised, and then peered around more closely. He didn't see anything like a spirit. Sheik frowned as he turned back to glance at the hunched hero. Link was still grumbling, but then Sheik snapped his head back when he noticed movement.
The Sheikah's eyes widened when he saw what looked like a women come dancing up to him. Her long translucent hair swirled around her as she laughed softly. Other spirits suddenly came out in the open to join her. Some floated and danced right up to the oblivious hunching hero.
He didn't think they meant any harm, but quickened his pace to stay right behind Link anyway. The hero was startled and then stared when his green hat flew off his head then floated away. He cursed and chased after it. Sheik laughed as Link was chasing the spirit of a small boy in circles around the Sheikah. The boy teasingly kept Link's hat just out of his reach.
Sheik glanced up when he heard giggling. The Skull Kid was suddenly perched on a large rock, allowing him to be eye level with Sheik. He then pointed to his right toward.
"The Kokiri's Village is right past those trees. Oh, and you'd best not walk back. We wouldn't want our favorite hero to turn into a monster!" exclaimed the Skull Kid happily and then disappeared in a flutter of leaves. Sheik titled his head to the side, wondering why Link would turn into a monster if they walked through this forest. He would trust his advice though. Especially since it became painfully obvious why this place was called the Lost Woods once they had ventured not more than an hour into it. These woods would swallow anyone into its depths because each area looked exactly like. That strange child still seemed to know exactly where he was going though, even though Sheik would have bet that he was leading them in circles. He just shook his head and turned back toward Link. He laughed softly as the hero tried to climb one handed up a tree in pursuit of his floating hat.
Sheik smirked, and then teleported right on the branch above where Link was climbing. He quickly snatched the hat out of the boy's hands. He shook his head when the boy gave him a sad look.
"Maybe later…" whispered Sheik. He smiled softly when the boy clapped his hands together rapidly, through it made no sound. The boy then waved and hovered to the tree adjacent to them.
Sheik chuckled and then leapt out of the tree, landing gracefully on the ground. He turned just in time to see the look of astonishment that was on Link's face before he dropped from the trunk of the tree he was epically failing to climb.
"What!? How did you get it? And why was it floating away from me to begin with!" shouted the frustrated hero as he stomped over to Sheik.
"I bet it was that pesky Skull Kid! Still messing with me! Can't give me a moment's peace can he?! Why not just a hand shake? Or maybe a hug? But of course not! He's just got to squeeze every ounce of misery out of me before disappearing like the punk he is!" exclaimed Link frustratingly. He glared when he noticed Sheik was shaking from the effort to not burst with laughter.
"What! What is so funny!?" shouted Link. Sheik tried to respond, but just ended up laughing once he noticed several spirits of children all behind Link. They were making silly faces at the oblivious hero. Link jumped when one of them suddenly untied the strings of his white under shirt, and then gawked when the child started to play with them.
"As you can see Link…this isn't the Skull Kid. These are forest spirits I'm guessing, and they seem rather fond of you," said Sheik once he was able to speak again. Link just continued to gawk as another spirit child floated closer and ruffled his hair while others joined in and started moving his clothing around.
"Ah huh…" muttered Link. He then shook himself out of his daze and darted over to Sheik's side.
"I don't like this forest. Everything in it just loves to mess with me," muttered the hero. Sheik rolled his eyes, and then pointed to their right.
"The Skull Kid said the village of the forest children would be passed those trees," said Sheik. He quickly gestured at the spirit children just were hovering over the hero to stop.
"Enough," said Sheik sternly. The children gave him a sad look, but then a peculiar one among them that Sheik recognized as the one that had taken Link's hat leaned over the rest and said something them. They all immediately smiled, and then waved before floating away. Link glared at him.
"You can see them!? Why didn't you say something when I was chasing my hat all over the place!?" exclaimed Link. Sheik raised an eye brow.
"Because they weren't doing you any harm. I saw no reason why I should yell at a child when he merely wished to play," said Sheik. He then handed Link back his hat, and then turned to walk toward the direction of the village.
"Now come. It will be night soon and it doesn't seem safe to stay out here in the dark even without that strange child's warning," said Sheik. Link just threw his hands in the air before finally stuffing his hat on his head and following him.
They walked passed the trees that the Skull Kid had mentioned but then saw three huge woodened logs that were hollowed out to make pathways.
"Of course it's not right where he says it is. Got to have some surprises thrown in there," grumbled Link. Sheik chuckled, and then pointed to the one in middle of them.
"We need to go through that one," said Sheik. Link raised an eye brow as he tried peering through the pitch blackness that hid everything from view on the other side of the huge logs.
"You sure? I can't see anything in there. I wouldn't trust anything the Skull Kid said that easily anyway," muttered Link.
"Not all of us can be fooled by what is not actually there," said Sheik with a smirk. Link hit his palm against his forehead.
"Right. Eyes of truth. I forgot," muttered Link. He then gestured for Sheik to lead the way. The Sheikah rolled his eyes and then walked through the huge hollowed log. His steps echoed as he went but he immediately disappeared from view to Link.
Sheik reached the other side, and then waited for Link to cautiously step out of the opening of the huge log.
"That was kinda creepy, but cool at the same time," said Link as he approached the Sheikah.
The hero paused suddenly when he picked up the scent of acorns, fresh grass and chocolate. His strong sense of smell hadn't been very reliable since that bastard's last attack but this place…it brought out a strange sense of homesickness within him. Sheik looked at him curiously but then Link strode passed him until he stood right in front of a low fence. Sheik walked up beside him, wondering why he was standing there.
Suddenly the hero fell to his knees and clutched his head. Sheik was startled but quickly kneels beside him worriedly. He watched the hero's behavior and was glade at least to realize it didn't seem to an issue with his cursed arm. He didn't know what was happening though.
Suddenly Link lifts his head up and blinked owlishly.
"This place is…familiar…but I've never been any farther then the forest surrounding Ordon. I kept seeing things though. Things that I've never done. So many things…a blue fairy, drawing in the dirt with a stick, fighting with wooden swords with three boys that all looked alike, talking with a girl that made me feel safe, punching a kid that made me feel unwanted, and then a nightmare that had Ganon on this wicked looking horse brought me back to my senses. I couldn't really focus on their face though. Except Ganon. What is happening to me?" muttered Link. Sheik frowned as he thought about it.
"I'm not certain. I would guess that since each hero is a reincarnation of the original then perhaps all of you have some kind of connection with each other that will manifest if you are within places that mean something to one another? Maybe what you saw are memories of another life but you can't see them properly because you aren't the one that experienced them," said Sheik thoughtfully. Link sighed but then patted his partner's back as he stood up.
"And that is why you are the 'Hero's Guide'. Just can't help but have wisdom pouring out of you, huh?" snickered Link. Sheik chuckled and then shoved him lightly toward the way down the hill.
"Oh, hush you. Now get moving before something else happens to you," said Sheik. Link grinned but then walked down the hill and then went behind a hut. They emerging from the other side and jumped off the ledge beside the hut.
As they walked out into the open, Sheik turned and saw a red headed boy that was struggling to lift a rock. The fairy flying beside him zoomed back and forth, trying to give him advice on how to lift it better. The boy's head flew up to gawk at them once the fairy suddenly shouted in a high pitched voice.
"Ah…is there someone called Saria here?" asked Link. The kid just continued to gawk at them until the fairy bumped into his head, shaking him out of his daze.
"Um…ya. She's here, but who are you? Grown-ups aren't supposed to come here," said the child hesitantly.
"I am Sheik, and this is Link. We mean you no harm child. We merely wish a see Saria to resolve an important matter. Will you take us to her?" asked Sheik. The child's eyes widened and then spun in Link's direction. He was about to reply when someone suddenly stomped out of the hut they were standing beside.
"Yapping isn't going to help move that rock-!" started another child with orange hair, but he froze as he swung in their direction. His blue eyes widened in surprise but then narrowed as he regarded both of them. Link also narrowed his eyes, not really understanding why this kid suddenly made him defensive.
Why do I feel uneasy around his kid?
"What are you guys doing here?! No adults allowed! And why are you wearing Kokiri clothing?" shouted the orange haired kid as he pointed to Link.
"You can't fool me! Trying to sneak in here and cause trouble! Well that's not happening so just turn around and go back!" exclaimed the orange haired boy. Sheik stepped forward but Link growled at the kid.
"We don't want to cause trouble! We just need to see Saria!" shouted Link as he stepped closer to the kid. The kid stomped the ground and pointed a finger at him.
"Hey! I'm the boss here! So, what I say goes! And you're not getting anywhere near Saria! I bet your some kind of weirdo. Walking in here with those fake Kokiri cloths! Well, I'm too smart for you weirdo! Just get out!" shouted the orange haired kid. Link suddenly felt strangely withdrawn, not wanting to fight with the kid anymore. So he strode passed the glaring child, making him gawk at Link's retreating back. Sheik was startled at Link's sudden change in attitude, but quickly followed him. This was someone else's home so he shouldn't be so rude. Especially when they needed to find someone that lived here!
The orange haired kid then snapped out of his daze and ran after Link.
"Hey! I said get out, you jerk or you're going to regret it!" shouted the orange haired boy. He skidded to a stop in front of another hut with a pink swirl around it when Link suddenly stopped and whirled around to tower above him.
"I don't have the patience to deal with you! So, shut up Mido!" yelled Link. They both froze and stared at each other suddenly. Sheik stood a few paces behind the orange haired boy and gave the hero a look of surprise.
What…? I don't even know this kid!
Mido had the same expression on his face, perfectly aware that he never said his name. Then the red haired boy that had been trailing behind him suddenly grinned up at Link.
"I knew it! It is you Link!" shouted the red haired kid as he rushed up to Link and wrapped his arms around him.
"It's been forever since you visited! I didn't even recognize you! Why are your cloths different though? Like, what's that silver thing under it?" asked the red haired kid excitedly. Link was too overwhelmed to understand a word he was saying.
Sheik turned to see several over kids approach them. They all were dressed in the same style of green clothing that the hero was wearing.
"Wha…how…how do you guys know me?" Link finally was able to say to the crowd of children that surrounded him. They all laughed as if he just made a joke. Sheik just stood off to the side, unsure of what to do.
"What's going on here?" asked someone from behind Link. He turned to face this new person, and suddenly felt calm when he caught sight of a pair of blue eyes framed with green hair.
"Link? Is that you?" asked the green haired girl. She giggled as her fairy sped around her head in excitement.
"It's been ages since you visited!" exclaimed the green haired girl cheerfully. She then walked up to where Link was struggling to stand up straight from the children that clung to his body.
"Come on guys! Give him some air. He's probably tired," said the green haired girl as she giggled again. Everyone then detached themselves from him. He smiled gratefully as he approached the green haired girl.
"Thanks, but I think you guys have me confused with someone else…" said Link as he stood in front of her. She looked confused for a moment, and then stepped closer to peer closely at his face.
"Oh…your hair is darker. You're younger too. Well, then you can't be him. You're like him though…what did you need?" asked the green haired girl.
"We're looking for…you I think. Are you Saria?" asked Link. Saria blinked, and then tilted her head as she smiled at him.
"Yep, that's me. You have some of his memories then? Well, what can I do for you?" asked Saria.
"Well, I was attacked a few days ago and barely made it out alive because of Sheik here and now I have a wound that is cursed and won't heal naturally. I was told that you could help me with that," said Link as he gestured to Sheik when he mentioned him. He then lifted his injured right arm to show her. Her eyes widened and then quickly grasped his hand and led him inside the hut with the pink swirl around it. She gestured for Sheik to follow as she went.
The Sheikah walked inside of her house just as Link took a seat and Saria was unwrapping his bandages. He walked to Link's side and sat facing the door.
"Oh dear…" muttered Saria once she saw the wound underneath the bandage.
"There is powerful dark magic coursing through it…I recognize it too. He came here a long time ago with wounds that felt just like this. He never said who did it though. It really doesn't matter because I can't create the antidote for this without the full use of my power," said Saria.
"You keep saying 'he'. Who is 'he'?" asked Link. Saria smiled softly as her fairy settled on top of her head.
"He was my best friend. He grew up here and everyone liked him. Well, almost everyone. Him and Mido and were always at odds but they made up years later. You have been seeing some of his memories haven't you? I think he was the first one in your line," said Saria thoughtfully. Link laughed incredibly. Sheik leaned forward, intrigued. The origin of the Great Hero's was a piece of history that had always been a mystery.
"The first in my line? The Hero of Time was a Kokiri?!" Exclaimed Link. Saria giggled.
"No, silly. He was a Hylian that was raised as a Kokiri. I don't know where he came from. The Great Deku Tree introduced him to us the same way he did with every new member of the village. I always thought he seemed different than the rest of my friends but I didn't care. I was sad when he left for the first time though. That was the day we both knew for sure that he wasn't a Kokiri," said Saria. She looked to the side, lost in thought but then looked up to smile at him.
"After he saved Hyrule he came back to visit occasionally. He even brought his partner with him. He was a lot like you Sheik," said Saria with a giggle. The Sheikah tilted his head to the side. It wasn't that surprised he supposed. He did meet his ancestor. It was only logical that he would have traveled with the Hero of Time just like he was traveling with Link.
"Well, that's a cool piece of my family tree. Anyway, do you need time to prepare or do you need something to have the full use of your power?" asked Link.
"Well, my power is housed in the Forest Temple, but it recently has been overrun with monsters. I can't go inside anymore so I can't renew my power…I'm sorry" said Saria sadly. Link reached over to ruffle her hair with a smile.
"It's ok. I'll just have to improvise when I go down there and clear the way for you," said Link. Saria smiled softly but Sheik's eyes widened when he realized what the hero must be referring to.
"Link! You can't mean that you're going to try and take on the Forest Temple without your sword arm? Are you sane? What are you going to do if your current weapons are not strong enough to protect you when you need them most!" exclaimed Sheik. Link sighed and then lifted his cursed arm to test it's flexibility. It felt even weaker then when they left this morning. He didn't think that he had to strength to stop the little bastard from doing anything drastic this time either. He finally turned to face again Saria.
"So, without the Forest Temple cleansed you can't help me?" asked Link. Saria nodded, looking between the two adults as they stared at each other.
"Sheik…I can't avoid this. Unless you have an alternate way that can heal my arm before entering that temple, then cleansing it as I am now is the only option," said Link to Sheik. Saria asked her fairy that had begun to hover near her head to get someone to get them fresh bandages. Sheik sighed and thought about it.
"We don't have any more of The Goddess's Tears, but it was only a temporary fix anyway. It couldn't even stop it from spreading. The princess doesn't have that kind of power, and other potions only make it worse. I see no other option then…we will have to find a place to get a fairy first. As far as I can see, that will be the only way to heal any wounds that I'm sure you will get," muttered Sheik. Saria stood up and walked to the doorway when a bushy blonde haired girl walked inside to hand her a pile of bandages. Her fairy zoomed in circles around her head.
"I'll just get you guys something to eat, ok? You both can sleep in my house. I can just sleep over at Lisa's," said Saria as she handed Sheik the new bandages. She smiled at them both and then walked outside with the bushy blonde haired girl.
Link sighed, and then turned toward Sheik just when he pulled out his scroll and set it on the ground next to him.
"I haven't read this all the way through yet. I think I will do that before I go to sleep. The information may help us tomorrow, but first this needs to be cleaned," said Sheik as he pulled a moist cloth out of the folds of his suit. Link frowned at it. He could smell the same things that he had the first day they met. Chamomile, sage and rosemary.
"What do the herbs you soak this in do? How does it stay moist and not make you uncomfortable too?" asked Link curiously. Sheik chuckled as he gently cleaned his wound.
"You don't always need something created from magic to help heal injuries. Its faster of course, but the herbs that are soaked in this cloth are from the earth and will help your body heal itself. Magic is basically how it stays moist without me feeling the damp cloth against my skin and doesn't allow it to mildew. I'm not entirely sure how, but my body suit is a tradition among Sheikah. My father could have explained it because it was his," said Sheik. He was silent after that and Link didn't push so he just waited until he was done.
Once he cleaned Link's wound he wrapped it back up and then stretched his legs out. He nodded when Link smiled in thanks and picked up the scroll laying on the ground and started to read.
Link yawned and stretched his arms outward. He then laid down with his back next to Sheik and closed eyes. He listening to the occasional sound of moving paper when the Sheikah lengthened the scroll to read the next section.
Sheik was finding it very hard to concentrate when the hero was pretty much laying against his outer thigh. He closed his eyes for a moment, and then remembered something. Ker had offered him the chance to gain the skills to merge with the shadows. He didn't know if he could trust him or not. He didn't even fully understand what it meant to become part of a shadow. Surely the spirit of murder didn't just go around helping people? That's like the spirit of peace going around and starting war.
Then he recalled what Ker had said to him. He didn't normally help others, but he doesn't want this evil to prevail any more than they did. So, he was offering help only out of necessity then? Sheik glanced down at the snoozing hero and frowned. He couldn't risk putting him in danger…but, he also couldn't bear the thought of an enemy killing Link because he wasn't able to protect him.
Sheik sighed and decided to meet Ker one more time to try and see if the shadow panther was sincere in his offer before he actually revealed it Link. His breath caught in his throat when Link suddenly sighed in his sleep and then turned his body and snuggled against his leg. His snoring was soft but barely heard since his leg muffled the sound.
The Sheikah cursed silently to himself but then took a deep breath. This was ridiculous, he was taught to not be so emotional! But he couldn't help it! The hero was able to bring out a whole new side of him that he didn't even know about to begin with!
Sheik continued to stare at his scroll but not really reading anything anymore…until something caught his eye. That definitely didn't belong there…or was his ancestor just messing with him?
"Here we go! These are my favorite! I'm sure you guys will like it," exclaimed Saria happily as she stepped back into her house. She paused but then laughed when she noticed Sheik had pretty much done a cat leapt to the ceiling while Link was giving her a sleepy look of confusion.
"What happened?" muttered the sleepy hero. Saria set the tray in front of him, making his eyes widen.
"Food!" exclaimed Link. He then dug in, not really caring what it was.
"Good Nayru!" said Sheik as he tried to compose himself. He slowly approached the tray that was next to Link.
"Alright, I think I will eat and go to bed. Before anything else happens…" muttered Sheik. He paused and then picked up something on the tray that was brown and looked familiar…
Sheik dropped it suddenly when he realized that it was a cricket. What in the world was covering it then?
"Hmmm…kinda crunchy, but I like it. What is it anyway?" asked Link as he popped another one in his mouth. Saria giggled as she watched Link pull off a long piece then threw it in the air and catch it in his mouth.
"You even eat like him! This was his favorite too, but he did always say that I make the best berry jam," said Saria. She took a piece herself and broke it in half to show him.
"See? There are hundreds of these little guys that come around Woody during the night. So, we catch them and cover them in chocolate! Isn't it good?" said Saria with a giggle. She laughed when Link looked down at his half eaten cricket in amazement.
"Wow…I never knew bugs would actually taste good. I'm sure the chocolate is helping that though. Hey, Sheik try one! They aren't not as bad as you think," said Link as he offered one to Sheik. The Sheikah gave the cricket a sour look.
"Oh come on! You need your strength right? So, you better eat up," snickered Link. He laughed when Sheik gave him a glare and then snatched the chocolate covered bug from his hand.
The Sheikah sniffed it, then broke it in half and looked at it suspiciously.
"It's not going to jump up and attack you Sheik. Just eat it! It's good, I promise you," said Link as he popped another one in his mouth. The Sheikah frowned and then turned his head away before finally taking a hesitant bite. He swallowed it quickly, but it wasn't as disgusting as he had thought it would be.
"I suppose it isn't that bad…" muttered Sheik as he swallowed the chocolate covered bug. The chocolate seemed to drown any kind of after taste the bug might have left behind. He took another one, eating it much quicker this time.
"There, was that so hard? Though I would like something to drink though…hopefully you guys have something other than water?" asked Link. Saria rolled her eyes and then stood up.
"Well, of course silly. Don't you think we'd get sick of water if we drank it for the rest of eternity?" asked Saria with a smirk. She laughed as Link gave her a pointed look.
"I'll go see what I can find," said Saria before she walked out the doorway.
"I wonder who Woody is?" asked Link as he popped another chocolate covered cricket in his mouth.
"I suppose it could be just another one of those children," said Sheik as he munched on a cricket. Link gave him weird look.
"Why would crickets be around one of these kids at night?" asked Link.
"I don't know. Why do they live to be perhaps a thousand years old and still live longer?" asked Sheik. He grabbed his scroll and gestured for Link to come closer. Curious, Link crawled to Sheik's side.
"What is it?" asked Link. Sheik pointed down at a particular spot on his scroll.
"Read that and tell me I'm not crazy," said Sheik. Link raised an eye brow.
"Come now Sheik. Everyone is crazy. It's just to what degree. It seems you can be rather forgetful though, because I can't read Sheikah," chuckled Link. Sheik gave him a dull look.
"This part isn't written in Sheikah. It's written in Hylian…by a child I think," muttered Sheik. Link's eyes widened, and then he peered down at where Sheik was pointing to. There was messy writing squeezed on the top of the most perfect hand writing Link had ever seen.
"The Sheikah writing here, that's been crossed off, said that this song was called the Heart of Shadows…but my ancestor doesn't seem like the kind to do something like this," said Sheik. Link suddenly collapsed on the floor laughing.
"Then it really is there then," muttered Sheik as he rolled his eyes at the laughing hero.
"Oh my Goddess! That's the most awesome thing that's happened all day! Remind me to tell your ancestor that if we ever see him again," said Link amusingly. He finally sat up to look into Sheik's glaring red eyes.
"Oh, come on! You can't say that wasn't the best surprise after reading all that boring documentary stuff and then that comes along? It's like he was trying to keep you interested," snickered Link.
"We don't work like that Link! We don't create a powerful melody and then name it the Epic Song of Epicness! Someone must have gotten a hold of this scroll without my ancestor's knowledge. Because it hasn't left my person since I got it," said Sheik. Link was about to reply but Saria walked in with two cups.
"All I could find was apple juice…" said Saria. They both took a cup but Link noticed the worried expression that was on her face.
"What's wrong Saria?" asked Link. Saria looked up at him, and then gave him a weak smile.
"Its…ah, it's a feeling I've been having. I just recently conferred this with Woody so he's been checking out the forest. He just told me to meet him now…I'm just worried about what he might have found," said Saria worriedly.
"Do you want me to go with you?" asked Link. Saria clasped her hands in front of her, giving him a sheepish look.
"You wouldn't mind…? I mean you must be tired," said Saria. Link shook his head.
"Hey, I can handle it. Besides, I doubt I can sleep now that I know that something could be wrong with this place," said Link. He chugged his juice and then turned to Sheik.
"You want to come?" asked Link.
"Why would I sit here by myself? Not only would that be against my duty to protect you, but what would I do if I did stay? Twiddle my thumbs?" asked the Sheikah. He then chugged his own juice and they both rose to join Saria near the doorway.
"You should try that. It's pretty fun actually if you pretend that your thumbs are battling each other," said Link with a smirk. Saria looked up with a look of surprise while Sheik gave him a look of disbelief.
"You still play thumb war?! You were always the best at that game!" exclaimed Saria. She giggled as Sheik shook his head in bewilderment.
"That's actually what I decided to call that game. The kids and I used to play all the time back in Ordon," snickered Link.
"That's not happening. I will never be that desperate to find something to do," muttered Sheik as they headed toward a pool leading to a pathway.
"You don't have to wait until you're bored. You can also do it just to mess with people. I once won like four hundred rupees because some guy thought I was a retard when I just started doing that during a poker game in Telma's Bar," snickered Link. He laughed at the look of surprise that shone from the Sheikah's eyes. They then jumped between a few platforms in the pool until they reached another pathway through the wall.
"You cannot be serious," said Sheik.
"I'm dead serious. It's not like I like hustling people though. I just really needed the rupees so I could get that magic armor before anyone else did," said Link. He suddenly paused and then lifted his head to peer up when they stopped in a clearing.
"Wow that's a big tree…" muttered Link. The tree suddenly moved to face him and a humanoid face morphed in its trunk.
"That's awfully rude Link. Just because you are reborn, it doesn't mean you can just drop your manners! Now, I take it that you wished for him to accompany you for support Saria?" asked the huge tree. Link gawked at the tree, while Sheik looked curiously at it.
"Yes…I asked him to come and Sheik came to. Is that alright Woody?" asked Saria as she took a seat in front of Woody. Link closed his eyes as images flashed before his eyes.
A tree that was like this one was giving me a shining green stone? Why was it suddenly wilting away…?
"That is fine. They should know about this anyway. I'm sure it will affect them before long," said Woody. He then let out a sigh that rattled his branches, making leaves fall to the ground.
"Saria, once we are finished, I want you to tell everyone that they are not to leave the village. Especially the fairies," said Woody.
"W-why?" asked Saria worriedly. Link and Sheik took a seat beside her.
"It seems the world's frail state of balance is starting to shift. You were the first to feel it because your power is nature itself Saria. I'm afraid it will not stop the chaos that will eventually follow this false sense of security though," said Woody. Sheik's eyes hardened but Link looked puzzled.
"What do you mean?" asked Link. Saria leaned against his side, so he put a comforting arm around her.
"The very flow of life is unstable, and the forest is suffering because of that…I suppose you didn't see any fairies on the way here?" asked Woody.
"Ah, no there weren't any that approached me," said Link.
"I hadn't seen any either. That did strike me as strange. The fairies I've met have always been friendly enough to come out and approach those they didn't think were threatening," said Sheik.
"That…! They are like that! You guys should have seen hundreds of them! Is something wrong with them?" asked Saria as her own fairy nestled herself in her hair.
"It seems the weak flow of life is starting to affect them. Fairies are one of the closest things to nature, but they are small, and rely purely on the natural energy of life to survive. So, they die easily when they don't have enough of it to sustain them," said Woody sadly. Saria turned her face and buried it in Link's shirt.
"So the fairies are dying…? What could be strong enough to do this?" asked Link. Sheik moved beside them, laying a hand on Saria's back to try and offer comfort for the crying girl.
"Nothing is cursing them…I sense no invading source at all," said Woody.
"What? Then what in the world is happening?!" exclaimed Link. Woody sighed again.
"I cannot fathom any reason why this would happen naturally…it is simply not possible. So, I can only think of one thing that can affect the very flow of life like this…I think its source is fading," said Woody gravely.
"Its source? The source of life? But that's…the goddess's is it not?" asked Sheik.
"I'm afraid so…" said Woody.
"Wait…but the goddess that created life was Farore...so you're saying that she's…dying?" asked Link in disbelief.