Author's Note: On a side note, chapters 2 to 4 are now edited, and I will be going through the rest of them when I can; there is a schedule on my profile if you ever wanted to see what I am looking at next. Other than that, I am pretty happy with this chapter and hope that you enjoy it too. It did take a lot of planning, though I would like to know what you think of it.

"My past has not defined me, destroyed me, deterred me, or defeated me; it has only strengthened me."

~Steve Maraboli~

Shards of Time

An Ocarina of Time FanFiction

Chapter 17: Kokiri

It's the smell that hits me first. While I had grown used to the forestry across Hyrule over the past seven years in particular, I haven't seen nor smelt such vibrant greenery in my life before now. The grass, it seems, has be left for so long that the tips of the blades now brush against the bases of my kneecaps, the overgrowth extremely hard to traverse through. The moon shines brightly in the sky, the stars twinkling as the constellations come alive.

Even though we were ready to rush through the small village and go straight to the Temple, we stop dead in our tracks as soon as we cross the bridge leading into the town. I look around in awe, never believing that such a place existed, while Link glances around with a sad smile. It's not like I would believe that there was a town of immortal children that lived in trees, but I guess I am sorely mistaken. "It's beautiful..." I whisper, the Gerudo seeping out of me for a moment. I then cough, realising what I have said.

"I know that I wasn't one of them." Link mumbles from beside me, Navi flying around our heads. "A Kokiri, I mean. But... it still feels like home. It must be like you and the Desert, but a little different, I suppose." I open my mouth to say something in response, to agree with him actually, but I notice a look from his Guardian Fairy above, and I stop short. She shakes her head at me, and I understand.

After all that has happened, his situation is not one to be pressed until he grows used to it.

He moves on ahead without me, so I allow myself to walk around while I can. Sprites and Fairies dance past me as I shift through the village without a care in the world, the moon lighting up their forms even further. The homes are spread out unevenly, mostly because of the distribution of trees, but it doesn't make it any less beautiful. Makeshift bridges guide any traveller through the village, leading them high into the treetops.

I move away from homes and shift towards the small waterfall producing water that creates a stream through a third of the village. Kneeling before it, I scoop up some of the pristine water and drink from it, filling a bottle for the future. I dunk my head into the stream, opening my eyes and seeing nothing but clear water. When I pull my head back out into the open, I rise to my feet and take a step away from the water's edge; extremely lightheaded all of a sudden.

And yet, I step on something other than thick blades of grass.

My eyes widen as a large Deku Baba spirals up into the air. Drawing my scimitars, I slash straight at the stem, although it seems almost fortified. Venom drips from its mouth, and I immediately leap out of the way when it lunges at me, gaining a sudden speed. I roll around the side and am forced to saw at the stem until it knocks me aside, almost being bitten twice before I finally stab into it once last time; killing it.

Breathing deeply, I notice Link and Navi running up to my side. "What happened?" Link asks as soon as he skids into a stop, watching me with concern as his Guardian Fairy checks for injuries that aren't present.

"I'm fine." I respond instantly. "I must have just stepped on its roots and startled it. Either way, it's gone, and—wait..." I tilt my head suddenly, catching their attention. "If this is a village of immortal kids, there sure are more monsters than kids. If the Sage of Forest is here, then what's the betting that Ganondorf is trying to seek them out?" The atmosphere darkens a little, and nothing that I can say will alter it. When I do try and say something, however, there's a childish cry.

"Hey, look!" From out of the homes, small figures begin to appear from the doorways, spotting us near immediately. They race out, apparently uncaring for the monsters that lurk around the village, circling us before we can run or do anything. Before they get to me, however, I sheathe my scimitars and hope that they aren't afraid of Gerudo; or know who they are. The flurry of children is near unbearable, especially with how similar they dress to Link, although I can see from the look in Link's eyes that he is happy to see that things haven't changed.

"Who are you?"

"The Forest accepts you. Are you coming to help us?"

"What do you want with us?"

"Do you know Link?"

The final question stuns me, though it shouldn't be surprising. It comes from a short boy with deep orange hair and stern eyes, which doesn't help with the way that he holds a hand on his hip. I refuse to laugh in front of the children, and it's hard. I stare down at the forest of children at my feet, ones that are excited at the smallest of things. "Do none of these kids ever hit puberty?" The children don't hear me, but Link does and turns to me, brow raised.

"Puberty?"

I chew at my lip, shaking my head at him as he kneels down before the boy. "That's because he's a child in an adult's body." He takes a moment to breathe for some unknown reason, and then responds. "Yes, I do know him. Why?" Navi flies towards him, only to be stopped by Link's hand. She mutters something under her breath, then floats away and back in my direction. The young boy huffs loudly, then pushes his "friends" out of the way harshly.

"Because if Saria was ever in trouble, then he'd be here, but he's not. I want to know where he is, and why he isn't here." The boy demands, as if he has authority.

Stepping forwards I say: "Actually, kid, he's—"

"Helping Saria." Link interrupts before I can say any more, passing me a pleading glare. I roll my eyes and let him carry on, unsure of why he is suddenly acting so hesitant all of a sudden. He gestures to me, turning back to the boy. "We saw him a few weeks back, and he's been doing a lot of things that will help Saria. We actually came here to help him do that. Where is she now, Mido?" I tilt my head, glancing up a Navi, although she understands something that I don't and flies away without drawing attention to herself.

The boy's eyes widen, and he blurts out: "How do you—?"

"I told you: we know Link. Therefore, we've heard a lot for stories from the "Mr. No Fairy"." I shift my weight, starting to realise just exactly what is going on here. "But you still haven't answered my question: where is Saria?" Mido, apparently, glances around at his fellow Kokiri, then at me. I stare down at him, knowing that my size and multitude of weapons is enough to show him that I mean business, and when his eyes cast down to Link, he sees that he doesn't have the same power that he apparently did before we arrived.

"She's gone to her special place. If you know Link so much, you'll know where it is." With that, he storms away from the group, leaving the rest of the Kokiri to stare at us with wild eyes. Perplexed, I watch Link as he rises and spin around to meet my gaze with a tender smile. He notices my complexion, or something on my face that reflects how perplexed I feel, but he doesn't choose to answer. At our feet, the children at trying to ask a multitude of questions in high-pitched tones, ones that Link vaguely promises to answer later before leaving.

Unable to hold it in any longer, I finally speak up. "What was that all about?" I press as an owl hoots heartily in the distance, following after Link as the children disperse back to their homes. He ignores me at first, eyes set on a small home that is unlit in the darkness of light. I climb up the ladder leading into the home after him, the Guardian Fairy finally joining at our sides. "Seriously, what—?" I stop short as I step inside, coming to terms with what is going on.

This was Link's home from childhood.

"I'm sorry for not saying anything." He apologises, sitting down on the mattress of his bed, patting the spot beside him as an offering. I follow suit, watching him as he continues on. "On the day that I had found you, that was the first day that I had ever had a Guardian Fairy. You know the stories about the Kokiri, right?" I nod, urging for him to continue. "Well, being the only one without one at the time, I was at the centre of all jokes. I wasn't ever going to fit in, and I left for the Great Deku Tree... and because they blamed me for his passing, so I ran to escape them too."

I frown. "But you..."

"When I came back," He carries on, ignoring me. "I thought that I could find a way to see what it would have been like if I wasn't at the centre of the jokes. And now that they wanted me back, I couldn't tell them that I wasn't a Kokiri when that was all that I was accused of when I was younger." He shakes his head, silent for a long time. When he does speak again, though, he is a little more composed. "My only friend isn't here any more, and my home is cursed. I think that this is the best welcoming feast that I'll ever see."

I place a hesitant hand onto his shoulder, biting my lip before answering. "But you haven't let your past define you." He meets my eyes, confused. "I mean, the first thing that you heard about the Gerudo was that they were savages, and yet you've let me in. You were told ever since a child that you would die if you left the Forest, but you didn't care when you left. And when you found out that weren't of Kokiri blood, you still were determined to live your life in the best way possible. If you let your past define you like it has done with me, then you won't live. You are the hope for them; don't forget that."

He laughs lightly. "Who knew that you would be comforting me after you nearly knocked Sheik out yesterday..."

I shove him playfully, shaking my head. "I'm rather unexpected, Link, and you should know that. Now, go and get some sleep. There's no point in going after the Sage if we're going to fall asleep while doing it." I rise from the matress, smiling at Navi, who watches us both with a small smile. Link moves to say something, but I anticipate it straight away. "I'm not weak enough that I need to sleep on a mattress. I'm fine on the floor." He knows not to protest, and so settles down, pulling the mattress from the bed so that he can sleep more comfortably.

"Ciren..." He calls out as we settle down. I hum in response. "Thank you."

I smile. "I'm not going to let you fall like some have with me. I'm here." He mumbles something in reply, though is muffled, and he's asleep in minutes before I can ask him properly what he said.

I lean back against the wall, taking a deep breath as a wave of nausea suddenly washes over me now that I am no longer on my feet. Navi's words are coming back to haunt me, and I don't like it. Through my deep breathing, the spherical ball of light that I have grown used too all over again flies towards me, the beating of her wings easily recognisable. "Are you sure that you're all right?" Realising that I have been caught, I avoid her gaze for a moment as she softly lands on my knee.

"Me?" I shrug, acting as if nothing is wrong. "I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

She sends me a look, seeing straight through my ploy. "Because you aren't a Kokiri."

"Neither is Link, but you aren't asking whether he's all right."

"That's only because I can't say much at the moment. And still, his pain is mental, and yours is physical." I move to retort immediately, however the Fairy holds a hand up, silencing me as she adds: "I may not be your Guardian Fairy, but I know what you are feeling. The Forest is affecting you, draining you a little because it doesn't like outsiders. Link is all right because he grew up here, it recognises him, and I have Kokiri blood. You don't fall into either of those."

I don't like it when she is right, but she is. I wave my hand, brushing off such concerns as I shift my weight, causing her to hover in the air for a moment while I do so. "I'll be all right if I just rest a little. You don't need to worry about me. She scoffs, making me smile a little. "And Navi..." I add as she flies off towards her spot again. She turns. "Whatever you do, don't tell Link about this. He doesn't need anything else on his plate right now."

She opens her mouth to say something, then shuts it. After a moment, she then responds. "All right. I won't. But if he catches on, and he will after a while, then you can't blame me if I say anything." She finally leaves me alone, returning to the table to sleep on. I swallow thickly when I know that she has fallen asleep, hugging my abdomen as I try and submit to the clutches of sleep. Hearing her words do not scare me, nor do they worry me, I just don't want people to start worrying like Hylians. I'm not dying, nor am I in pain, so there is nothing to be panicking about.

As I drift off into sleep, a single bout of fire courses through my veins, and then I know no more.

~*O*~

There are seven figures in the distance, though the darkness cloaking the realm of sleep is cutting off their appearances, blocking me completely from seeing who they are. I run forwards to meet them, though they do not grow closer nor do they grow farther away. "Rauru told us about Sages that need to be awakened." Navi's voice echoes around me, causing the seven figures transforming into seven different orbs of colour: yellow, green, red, blue, purple, orange, and gold.

The Sages; that's who the figures are.

"You are not wanted here..." An imposing voice whispers out to me, tendrils of darkness stopping me from reaching the Sages and freeing them in order to fulfil the duty that Kaei had told me of in Kakariko. "You are not bound to this place."

I shake my head, dragging myself to my feet and reaching for any weapon. What I find, however, is that I am empty on defences. "Who are you?" I call out into the far distance, starting into a hot dash once again no matter what darkness I can feel nipping at my toes. Faces of those who I have met fly past my face, though I can't stop to attain help from them before they have all crumbled to dust.

"You have tainted the Forest, and for that you shall suffer!"

I cry out as I am thrown onto the ground once again, the light of the Sages snuffed out as the inky blots of shadow finally reach me, drowning me in its suffocating power. I fight it as much as I can, however it saps my strength and energy, leaving me isolated in such a solitary world. When the shadows finally retract, I stare down at my hands, eyes bulging from my skull at the sight of skin, flesh, and life replaced with cold, hard bone of death.

A Stalfos.

"If the Forest doesn't protect you..." A voice of a child enters the world, giggling manically. "You'll live the rest of your life as a Stalfos!"

I rise onto my feet, searching around for any form of light to save me from what fate has befallen me. My bones groan with the effort, any movement (even raspy breathing) eroding the bones into sand. The longer that time goes on, I start to drown in the decaying grains of dust, nothing else there to help me. I reach out desperately for anything, even the power of the Goddesses, but nothing wants to help me – not even the faces of those who I had seen before.

Suddenly, without warning, a figure appears as only my skull and arm remains. "I could have lived perfectly happy without giving my trust to a traitor!" Nisah screams, throwing a match into my remains. I scream as the fire engulfs me, my consciousness fading as her golden eyes gleam with absolution...

~*O*~

I wake with a start, unsure of what is real and what isn't as I slowly but surely return to reality. I check all over my body for any sign of what I had seen in the nightmare, only to discover that I haven't been physically affected by the Forest at the moment. Sighing, I lean my head back against the wall, flashes of what I saw bursting through my mind at random intervals when I blink. What I saw was no premonition, though it has put something in perspective for me.

What this is, although, is something that I can't yet figure out.

The morning rays filter in through the door and windows of the small house, the serenades of the Forest outside bringing me to my senses. Dragging myself to my feet, I glance around to assure myself that I didn't wake two people in particular from my startling awakening. And yet, what I do find is that the spots where both Link and Navi had fallen asleep are empty and desolate, but I'm not worried in the slightest. Link's weapons are gone, though I know him and his Guardian Fairy enough to know that they wouldn't leave without me; not after Kakariko.

Scooping up my own weapons and supplies, I take one last look at the tiny home before returning to the open light. Even though there is a large canopy of trees above me, the morning is still rather bright and warm in the Forest. The immortal children are all ready up at the crack of dawn to play and act as any child, sans Gerudo, would. It's a strange sight to behold: children simply messing about with each other and not sparring, although the life that I come from is all ready corrupted enough.

Shaking my head, I leap off of the edge and land squarely on the ground, beginning my search for the two of them. As I make my way up the small incline, a small shadow rushes up to me. I halt suddenly, eyebrow raised as the light of dawn floods onto their face. It's a small girl, one I remember vaguely from yesterday, although there were so many Kokiri that it's hard to put a finger on her in particular.

Her blonde hair bounces around her face, blue eyes gleaming with mirth. I plaster on a small smile, not quite sure how to speak to a child who I thought didn't exist for most of my life. "Good morning!" She chirps eerily, tucking her hands behind her back as she stops before me, eyes wide in awe at my height towering above her. "Everyone is in the Great Deku Tree's Meadow, if you're looking for your friends." She giggles to herself, her laugh abnormal to that of a child's.

"Thank you." I say simply, shifting past her and looking for the glade, not taking long to find it in such a small village.

However, the little girl sticks to my side, desperate to make conversation with the "outsider". "You're a Gerudo, aren't you?" I would ask her how she knew who the Gerudo were, since they cannot leave the Forest, though I suppose they have heard more than enough stories from the Great Deku Tree before it withered away. I hum instead, agreeing. "Does that mean that you're friends with the bad man that came through here?"

"No." I reply sternly, instantly. "I'm not."

She laughs lightly, melodic. "Well, if you're going to Saria's special place, then you should be wary of the Lost Woods." I finally look down at her as we near the glade, stunned by her sudden change in tone. She sounds giddy by an apparent dark subject, permitting her to continue. "If you get lost in the Lost Woods, the Forest won't protect you if you don't come from Kokiri Forest. If the Forest doesn't protect you, you'll live the rest of your life as a Stalfos!"

All of those Stalfos that had, and still plague, Hyrule we're those who had become lost in the Lost Woods.

When I twist my body back down to see her, she has skipped on ahead and out of sight, laughing and singing as she goes. "You are not wanted here... You are not bound to this place." I watch on intently, a cold sensation building at the base of my stomach as I force my stiff limbs into movement, following on after her as I attempt to push such thoughts to the back of my mind.

The grass continues to spill out into the glade as I enter it, staring at such a sight to behold. The open Meadow is filled with many types of wildflowers, blossoming despite the curse that has befallen such a place. The Great Deku Tree still stands tall on the other side, though grey and worn away by time and weather. The commanding force that is now gone must have been the stimulus for the curse here, as well as the Sage of Forest's presence. Its mouth is shut, eyes dead and devoid of colour.

My foot snaps a twig on the ground, but not catching the attention of the Kokiri sitting in the glade, a flurry of Fairies hovering above them and the familiar face perched in the centre of all of the immortals. Smiling a little, the children listen intently as Link recounts a story to them, acting as if he was never one of them, but one who knows how to look after children in such a way that I was never taught.

When I was a kid, all I was taught was to devote my life to the Golden Sisters, my actual Sisters, and the King. There was no period in my life where I could act like a child without burdens, because that never happened. Of course, Nisah and I had played pranks on our Sisters and had some bouts of fun, and there were other times where I could ride on Luz with a carefree attitude. And yet, there were only moments where I could forget.

I was always thinking of the pathway of my tribe, nothing more, nothing less; no matter what.

On the other hand, the children here are completely different. They weren't given a blade and sent out to prepare for any impending battles against your tribe and the "savage" reputation that it held. In the Gerudo tribe, any opinion and voice was silenced because of the King and the influence that he swayed upon us. Our voices were silenced, and we had no choice but to get on with our lives and close up our scarred hearts.

In places like the Kokiri Forest, however, all they know is how to have fun no matter what the weather. They weren't given blades and sent out to fight, and their curiosity was answered through the Great Deku Tree. While Ganondorf stilled our tongues, the Great Deku Tree would have urged its children to speak out. No matter what fights it may have involved, they were happy with having such a pleasant childhood. I don't regret being a Gerudo, but I regret not trying to have a voice.

I suppose that's another positive with meeting those like Link, Navi, Kaei, and the rest. They act with their hearts instead of their minds, unlike myself, but at least they will listen to those who they know want to speak out. They are willing to sit there for hours and listen. It reminds me of when Kaei had listened to my solemn rant before we came here, and he had helped me to see sense. None of them want to push me away; they want the opposite no matter who we are.

I am broken out of my long train of thought when all of the Kokiri, Link included, are staring at me. Blinking a few times, I cross my arms. "What?" They all laugh a little, although not as badly as the little girl who had giggled earlier at the prospect of us turning into Stalfos if we were to get lost in the Lost Woods; a childish story or not. My lips turn down into a frown. "What?" I repeat again, casting my eyes to the only non-Kokiri in the group before me.

"Nothing." Link replies calmly, rising to his feet and dusting himself off, his weapons apparently not concerning the Kokiri whatsoever. Making his way towards me, he smiles tenderly at my dull look. "I asked you if you were all right, and so they found it amusing when you didn't hear me. They're only kids, after all." There's a shadow that crosses through his eyes, as he really is the same as them in a sense, yet it fades as quickly as it appears. "You ready to set out?"

I nod silently in agreement, holding up my bag of supplies. I expected the group of Kokiri to follow us as we leave, although they seem to be happier with watching as we exit the Meadow, then return to their conversations in the happy atmosphere of the Great Deku Tree's glade. As we walk back through the village, I can't help but ask: "Did they not question why Navi was with us?"

"They did." The Guardian Fairy responds nearly straight away, anticipating the question. "But I told them that I had come with you on "Link's" behalf."

I shrug, saying nothing in response as we climb through the overgrowth, managing to take care of little Deku Babas that do not plague the Meadow before reaching an overturned, hallow log, much like the one that we had used to enter the village of Kokiri. "I suppose that this is the Lost Woods then, the maze of strong magic, huh?" Link and Navi turn to me, confused on how I know such things. I shake my head. "I've heard some stories about this place from the kids. It's not the greatest things to have around, is it?"

They don't say anything in reply, and I don't really blame them. Without hesitation, I push on through despite all of the warnings that we have been given, brushing the vegetation out of the way as we enter the Lost Woods. It's rather different from the village, I guess, since the canopy of trees is lower, causing even the brightest days to look like the stormiest. No sprites or Fairies zip about through here, the dark Forest expanding out so that the trees are distributed unevenly across the rugged ground.

And, because of the strong magic, I stumble unsteadily as Link takes the lead, guiding the rest of us through the maze of upturned trees. I manage to mask what I can of my shaky limbs, keeping to the back and smiling whenever he meets my gaze. At some point, we do pass a spring that Link requests a break at, leaving me with the perfect opportunity to sit down and drink. Constantly does Navi pass me questioning glances, but I sit upright and wave off any concerns.

It isn't much longer before we are up and moving out again, thankfully at a quicker pace that takes my mind away from everything for a while. I ask Link questions about his childhood and the Kokiri, asking about this "Saria" that they kept talking about. From what I can hear, she was one of his only friends, like Nisah with me, and was the only one who saw Link as an innocent person when the Great Deku Tree died. He didn't want to take her for granted, but he did because he didn't have anyone else.

Hours pass before Link is sure that we have reached the "special place", the Lost Woods opening out again, large sloping walls standing tall above us. This part of the Woods seems to be what many would think of when hearing the word "maze", as its twisting pathways apparently lead the way towards Saria's special place. And yet, Link and his Guardian Fairy stop at the sounds of grunting ahead.

"There are Moblins in the Sacred Forest Meadow." Navi reports from above us, stretching far into the sky before returning back to us from her high vantage point, sphere of light wavering a little. "The way ahead is easily to work through, but only if you can defeat the Moblins." We nod without hesitation, peering around the first corner of the maze, finding a tall figure carrying a spear larger than me plodding away from us. Steeling my courage, I draw my scimitars and rush forwards.

It spins around, though dies when it meets my blades perfectly.

The Moblin collapses to the ground, and we clamber over its corpse and push onward. Link guides the way still, since he knows exactly where to go in order to easily reach Saria's special place. We meet at least another five Moblins that patrol the narrow corridors, and most of them have their backs to us and so are easy to take care of; with the Master Sword or otherwise. The last Moblin proves a challenge, because it merely stands on the other side of the pathway, tiny eyes gleaming with alertness.

"What do we do?" I hiss in Navi's ears, all three of us peering around the corner, watching the Moblin from the safety of a pool of water. The way to the end of the Sacred Forest Meadow is halfway between us and the Moblin; however they are fast for being so heavy.

"I have a plan." Link whispers, slipping out before either of us can stop him. He raises his sword and shield, and I leap in after him as the Moblin notices the movement before it. Surging forwards, Link breathes lightly. "Stab him when you have the chance." I open my mouth to respond, although the Moblin is in front of us and pushing Link back from the strength of the run. My eyes widen, realising that it is pushing the both of us into the water, so I block with one scimitar and then use the other to thrust into the monster, thankfully killing it with two strikes.

We stagger back into the water anyway.

I spit the water out when I surface, wringing my ponytail out as Link bursts into laughter, something that becomes infectious. We both laugh, splashing water at Navi when she mocks us, dragging ourselves out of the water and over the Moblin before she can no longer fly because of her laughter. We rush up the steps, standing before another Moblin, only it carries a large club instead of a spear, throwing it down onto the ground to send out lines of shock waves.

Thankfully, the waves don't reach us, though we will have to leap out of the way of them when we move forwards. We split up, as the Moblin will not be able to hit the ground twice at once, and we jump out of the way of any strikes, the light of the Master Sword killing it instantly with its brilliant light. Releasing heavy sighs, we climb the last set of steps, entering the very end of the Sacred Forest Meadow after many hours of travelling.

Link stops, staring down at the singular tree stump that sits at the back, a memory returning to him. Steps leading into a shrine of sorts are completely worn away, although there is a high chance that I could use the Hookshot and laugh ourselves up there if there are any clues on the whereabouts of the Sage of Forest in there. I step forwards by a few paces, eyes suddenly locking onto a person as they jump down. "Sheik!"

"So you have made it through the Sacred Forest Meadow..." The Sheikah muses, his Harp still tucked underneath his arm. "I'm surprised. The Forest rarely accepts people, especially after being cursed by Ganondorf."

I cross my arms after sheathing my scimitars, frowning at him. "Then how come you're here, then? You don't have Kokiri blood either? And if you didn't have to come through the Meadow, then why didn't you take us with you?" Link breaks away from the conversation, sitting on the stump in deep thought as Navi bobs up and down around his head, moving close to his face to ask quiet questions as Sheik shifts closer to me. "You could have helped us, not waited until we got here before doing so."

"I had felt the presence of the Sage in the Temple—" He gestures to the shrine. "—once there had been a decrease in monster activity, most likely caused by your presence." He casts his eyes over to Link. "I thought that I could help you in every way that I could. The flow of time is always cruel. Its speed seems different for each person, and no one can change it. And yet, a thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days. If you ever need to return to this sacred place, you can play the Minuet of Forest. It's not the greatest help currently, but you may need it in the future."

Sheik draws out his Harp and begins to strum a calming song, playing it twice, then handing me a scroll, most likely with the notes on so that we can choose to learn such a song later. "I take it that the song is "magical" then?"

He smirks through his cowl. "The song has a certain reaction to the—" He cuts himself off when a sweet sound resonated around the Meadow. Some notes are played twice; others are out of place, although the person playing the song picks up how the Minuet of Forest goes after a few attempts. Sheik and I turn, watching as Link plays the song on the Ocarina of Time, eyes averted from ours. As soon as he finishes, Sheik smiles and remarks: "I suppose I should move along. I hope to see you return to Kakariko soon victorious."

"Sheik, but—" He tucks the Harp underneath his arm, pulls out a Deku Nut, throwing it down onto the ground. I grimace at the brightness of the explosion that it causes, only to discover that he is completely gone. "For the love of Nayru, why does he always do that? When we get back to Kakariko, I swear I'll—" Link places a soft hand on my shoulder, smiling at me. I run a hand through my bangs. "Let's find the Sage, all right?"

He pulls out the Hookshot, and I wrap my arm around his waist as he aims the contraption at a low hanging branch, the hook managing to lodge securely in place and lurch us towards the entrance of the shrine, the symbol of Earth carved into the wall above it covered in overgrowth. We part, deposit our things, then draw our weapons and head straight into the darkness ahead, our footsteps clicking against the soft stone at our feet.

"You have tainted the Forest, and for that you shall suffer!"