IV

Time was altering Saria's perception in a way it hadn't before. Usually, as the Kokiri soothsayer, she experienced a real flow of time unknown to the rest of her people. But the more she saw of the tiny bright woodland fairies bouncing above the heads of her fellow Kokiri, signifying their presence from afar, the more it felt to her like they'd been a part of their world forever. Even Tera seemed to feel as if the fairies completed each Kokiri villager, like they'd never been apart in spirit. It felt right to Saria, but she was still afraid that this was only a secondhand effect caused by the Forest Father's gift, one that meant everything would be changing soon.

One hazy evening, or what the Kokiri referred to as evening since the day's light never changed within the forest, Saria's dreams took her to the Sacred Grove. Father Tree loomed before her, his gnarled branches seemingly enveloping her in a solid embrace. She could almost see a face carved from the wood of his trunk, something she'd never seen before. As she watched, the face's mouth gradually opened and the Forest Father let out a cracking groan. From the mouth emerged wisps of darkness that smelled of rotting leaves and turned the air around Saria black. Skulltulas of varying sizes creeped from within, followed shortly after by what appeared to be a woman. Her pale naked body was wrapped tightly in the wisps of darkness and she seemed to be running from something within. Her yellow hair was gradually turning black as the wisps clawed at her face. Eventually she shouted, voice layered with multiple tones, crying out for help.

Saria awoke with a start to see her little fairy bobbing above her head. She was jingling in what Saria could only assume was anxiousness.

"Saria!" Tera chimed. "Saria, wake up!"

Saria sat up slowly, holding a hand to her forehead. It was sleek with cold sweat. "I'm okay."

Tera's jingling calmed. "You were having a nightmare, weren't you?"

"I think I need to see the Forest Father," Saria said through deep breaths. She tucked her green hair behind her lightly pointed ears.

Mido stirred beside her. She looked down to see him clutch the coarse blankets to his chest in an effort to remain asleep. Saria got out of bed and threw on a green dress and brown slippers before heading out of the little hut. She climbed down the ladder and saw a few fairies bouncing along the distance, revealing the presence of a few Kokiri who didn't feel as if it were evening yet. It made unnoticed escape quite difficult, since there was no determined sleep schedule within the forest. Only Saria and Mido seemed to sleep around the same time.

Still, it was simple enough weaving her way through the village and toward the Sacred Grove. The others most likely assumed she was heading off to pray to the forest guardians. Once she and Tera made it to the Grove, she found herself rushing inside nervously. She needed to make sure nothing horrible had happened to the Father Tree concerning these ominous wisps of darkness. Sure enough, as soon as she saw the enormous tree safe and sound, she let out a breath of relief.

"Your nightmare must have been terrible," Tera said beside her.

Saria didn't say anything. She only took slow steps toward the tree, feeling somewhat calmed by the serene presence it had. But something was tugging at her, and she tried to make sense of it.

"Darkness is coming to Hyrule," came a gentle yet authoritative voice, that of a much older female. As if on cue, a beautiful woman seemed to emerge from the intertwined branches of the tree. She was three times the size of Saria, and had a misty haze about her that made the Kokiri question whether or not she was a physical being. She had long green hair that seemed to turn into the tree's vines as it fell down her back, matching with the foliage that covered her body. Unlike the fairies that now swarmed Kokiri Village, this beautiful woman had no wings, nor shining necklace of light.

Saria wasn't entirely sure what she was seeing. "You're the spirit of the Forest Father?" she said.

The woman let out a laugh that sounded like the chatter of fairies, only much more graceful and distant, as if a giant bell had chimed in a faraway land.

"The Great Deku Tree merely accepted and welcomed me into his sanctuary," the Fairy answered. "I am Maia, the Great Fairy of Courage, and I watch over your forest."

"How do I stop the forest from dying?" Saria asked hurriedly.

Another laugh from the Great Fairy sounded through the glade. "The forest is cursed, little one. Timelessness is not something to treasure. With death comes growth, and the birth of new things."

"But this means the Forest Father and the Kokiri will die," Saria said, tone panicked.

"The Kokiri are safe in the arms of the fairies and the Great Tree," Maia said. "But you must know of the dangers that come with change." The Great Fairy descended from the tree, hovering in the air until she was just above Saria's head. "A new age is dawning on all of Hyrule. This is why it is necessary for the forest to die, and for new things to grow in its place. However the time is encroaching much too quickly. The forest must live on or else it will become corrupted, and nothing new will come of it."

Saria felt like her mind were racing out of control. A new age? What did that even mean? She wasn't even sure if she could trust this Maia. But for the time being, it was all she had.

"What do I do?" she said.

Maia seemed to float nonchalantly in the air. "Music has always pleased the gods," she said with an air of supposition. "And in the new age that is dawning, it will rule the skies. The birth of the new princess will grant the people of Hyrule the music of the goddesses, which when played by the chosen hero can be used for the good of the land and the people." The Great Fairy waved a hand through the air, conjuring up a small wooden item. "Fashioned from the bark of the Great Tree, I grant you this ocarina, Saria of the Kokiri."

Saria took the ocarina from the ethereal being's hands, eyeing it closely. It was smooth and oblong in shape, with several holes etched into the round surface. "How is this supposed to help the forest?"

"There is a song you must play," said Maia, returning to her perch in the branches of the Forest Father. "It was stored away within your heart from the moment you set foot on the ground, and can ebb the death of the forest. But know that when it is time for you to pass on your ocarina, it is time for the forest to die."

Saria gazed up at the fading entity of the Great Fairy. "How will I know? Great Fairy, please, how will I know when to pass on the ocarina, and how will I learn the song?"

Maia paused, turning to flash a smile at the Kokiri. "The forest will guide you, little one, as you harbor a wise spirit." And with that, the Great Fairy let out a peeling laugh and vanished within the Forest Father.

Saria gazed down at the wooden ocarina in her small hands. She had no idea how to play, but she knew that in order to save the forest she would at least have to try. Each and every word Maia had said clung to her skin like tree sap. A new princess? What did that have to do with anything? Saria had read before about the legends outside the forest, of the goddess Hylia reincarnating whenever trouble would fall upon the land. It always made her wonder how the Hylians could revere such a reincarnation, if it meant bad things were coming.

"The Great Fairy is right," Tera said quietly, fluttering by Saria's ear. "The death of the forest may be frightening, but it is inevitable."

"Who is this Great Fairy?" Saria asked suddenly, turning on her companion with a frightened gaze. "Why does she live inside the Father Tree?"

"I told you that the coming of the woodland fairies would unearth many truths that were long forgotten," Tera said. "The Great Fairy of Courage has been watching over and protecting the forest for ages."

"But why now?" Saria said. "Why make herself known now? If she can protect the forest, why is she allowing it to die?"

"Saria, you must accept the forest's death if you are to save the Kokiri," Tera said. "The Great Fairy will grant you the courage you need to see this through."

Saria looked down at the ocarina again. After a moment she clutched it to her chest and closed her eyes. "All right," she said. "For the good of Hyrule."

Before Saria returned to the village, she tucked the ocarina away inside her small satchel. Something about the nature of her visit with the Great Fairy made her feel as if her new task must be kept secret, even from Mido, and she had to cut through Kokiri Village in order to get to the ancient temple in the Lost Woods. She wasn't sure why, but she imagined the magic there would be helpful in her learning the song of the forest.

Sure enough, Mido was waiting just inside the village for Saria. "Saria," he said, rushing up to her. "What happened? Did the Father Tree speak to you again?"

"There is still hope," Saria said simply, with a smile. "The Father Tree predicts a prosperous time for the forest."

A few surrounding Kokiri grinned happily, but Mido regarded Saria skeptically. "Saria," he said below his breath, "what are you not telling me?"

Saria felt pained by the look of concern in Mido's eyes. She knew that keeping such a big secret from the Kokiri leader would only create distance between them, but she felt it was necessary. She merely smiled at him and turned toward the entrance to the Lost Woods. She felt Mido's eyes on her back as she walked briskly.

If the forest's timelessness was a curiosity to outsiders, the Lost Woods were an enigma beyond explanation. Anyone unfamiliar with their layout, as the name suggested, would be lost within seconds, finding themselves exactly where they started without turning in any direction. Even many of the Kokiri could not navigate its territory without losing their sense of direction. Saria, in her soothsayer wisdom, was not afraid and knew that the woods only wanted to be left alone. Curiously, they always seemed to allow her unhindered passage.

Once she found the ancient temple, she felt within her the pain of the dying foliage, the leaking energy from the overgrown building. She watched Tera flutter around the entrance to the overgrown building, which towered above them.

"Something is awakening the power from this place," the fairy said delicately. "It must be the new age that the Great Fairy mentioned."

"It once held the power of a gate that let one transcend time itself," Saria said, although she knew the fairy must already know the temple's history. "It has been empty for centuries."

"But it is being rebuilt," Tera said suddenly, fluttering down to Saria. "The gods are filling it with renewed energy. It must be why the forest around it is dying; the new surge of energy is too much for such a static place." She paused, wings flitting rapidly. "Do you feel the song of the forest?"

Saria closed her eyes, feeling the pulse of the temple's new energy. The melody whistled through her like a cool breeze, lifting her spirits. She reached into her satchel and pulled out the ocarina, feeling the energy flow through it. Pressing the mouthpiece to her lips, she began to play. The speed of her fingers startled her, as well as the immense power she felt at the melody's sound. She played through a whole song, and then repeated. She kept on repeating, feeling buoyed by its lightness and empowered by its abilities. She could vaguely make out Tera's whistling voice, crying out, "It's working! Saria, it's working! The grove… it's regenerating!"

But in her mind, a whole orchestra of forest instruments had joined in. She danced in place, overjoyed by the tune and the energy.

In the midst of her dancing, she spun around and briefly opened her eyes, and suddenly the music stopped. Her fingers froze above the keys, and the symphony of instruments in her head ceased. There, standing at the entrance of the Lost Woods, was a Skull Kid.

What could have been years and years ago, on Saria's first day, Mido told her the tall tale of the Children of the Forest. The warning goes that if a Kokiri finds himself so lost within the woods that he cannot find his way back, the forest will eat him up and turn him into a Skull Kid, a scarecrow-like bandit that is always and forever alone. Saria read that Hyrule theorists called them Children of the Forest, for the cautionary tale was not necessarily true. One theory suggested that a Kokiri once mated with a Deku scrub, producing a mutated half-breed that has become a somewhat rare occurrence in the woods. Another theory, the one that gave these creatures the name Children of the Forest, suggests that they are truly children of trees, grown from Deku seeds that have been graced with a Great Fairy's tears, or the light from a woodland fairy. All scholars, however, agreed that the creatures did not exist. So when Saria saw the Skull Kid standing silently at the woods' entrance, her heart nearly stopped.

The Skull Kid had eerily gray skin, thin stick-like limbs, and two beady, orange eyes with no whites hiding deep in what must have been its face. It wore dirty rags that resembled deteriorated Kokiri clothing, including the straw hat of a Kokiri worker. The brim of the hat shadowed its face, but Saria had an upsetting hunch that no matter what angle she tried to look through, she wouldn't see a face at all.

"Play it again," the Skull Kid said, voice like crunching leaves.

Saria was breathing heavily, from a combination of exhaustion and fright. The creature before her looked like a demon the forest had spit out, simply because it had been too hard to swallow. It was sagging and empty, and certainly seemed alone.

"Did you hear me? Play it again."

Saria swallowed the lump in her throat and pressed the ocarina to her lips once more. She searched for the melody inside her heart, but it didn't come to her. Her fingers were trembling, and she knew that without the spirit of the forest within her once more, she could never move them according to the song's swift melody.

"Play it again. Play it again, play it again."

It was acting like a little kid, like a whining child that wanted its way. And Saria had no idea what would happen if it didn't get its way.

"I can't…" she breathed, looking down at the ocarina.

"You were just playing it," the Skull Kid said, eyes boring holes into Saria's. "What do you mean you can't?"

"I don't know how… I was just…" Saria felt her heart pounding in fear. "Please don't hurt me."

The Skull Kid lifted its head slightly so that the hat could no longer possibly shadow its face. But where a face would be only darkness resided, with a large grin revealing two rows of rigidly sharp teeth. "Hurt you?" it echoed, sounding confused. "I just want you to play that song again. Play it again."

The Skull Kid took a step forward, and Saria shut her eyes, hoping it was somehow an apparition. But she heard Tera's tingling voice beside her whisper, "Ignore it. Let the voice of the forest flow through you again. You can do it, Saria."

Saria did just that, and was once more playing the joyful melody of the forest. She opened her eyes this time, watching the Skull Kid carefully, and to her surprise it began to dance. It hopped from foot to foot, eyes closed in joy. Then, to add to Saria's surprise, it whipped out a thin, wooden flute and pressed it to its lipless mouth. "Teach me," it exclaimed, interrupting the musical session.

Saria paused. "If I were to be honest," she said, choosing her words carefully, "I don't necessarily know how to play it. It's the ocarina."

The Skull Kid's glowing eyes landed on her ocarina. "Can I have it?" it said.

Saria's heart rate increased once more. "It was a gift. I cannot give it to you."

Suddenly the Skull Kid's perpetual grin turned somewhat sinister. "But I want it. I want to play it."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot give it to you," Saria said. She bit her lip, thinking. "How about I come to the forest once a day to play the song. Then you can enjoy it without me giving you the ocarina."

The Skull Kid seemed to consider her offer. It didn't seem too used to compromise, although Saria was sure it wasn't accustomed to much social interaction in general.

"Okay," it said finally, grin no longer malicious. "Play it again?"

Saria pressed the ocarina to her lips and played. The song was easier to find this time, and she could begin to place her fingers correctly without letting the energy completely take over. Perhaps one day she would be able to teach the Skull Kid.

The two of them were there for quite some time before the Skull Kid grew bored and left Saria and Tera in the grove. The Kokiri collapsed beside a stump, which was all that remained of a tree that failed to grow back. Now however, after a while of playing, leaves and flowers had begun to spring on its surface.

"Skull Kids are real," she muttered to herself. "Skull Kids are real."

Days passed and the soothsayer refused to admit why the forest was suddenly healthy again. Saria could feel Mido's suspicion every time she visited the Lost Woods. She always requested to go alone, and usually stayed there for a much longer than anticipated.

One day she returned from the woods to see Mido's belongs cleared of their hut. She momentarily resented everything that had happened to her, all the way back to becoming the Kokiri soothsayer. But she knew what needed to be done. She was no longer fighting to protect the Kokiri, or even the forest. She was fighting for the entirety of Hyrule.