The light that filtered through the trees the following morning was wan and dull, the color of dry bone. The usual sounds of the forest were stifled by an oppressive weight that hung in the air. The forest folk opened their eyes to find their hearts heavy with dread, made all the more disorienting by how alien it was. What was this feeling? Where did it come from? Why did they feel this way?

Then came the whispers. Dead... The Great Deku Tree... Not moving... Just a husk... Rotted through... They all sounded too horrible to be true. Just terrible words spoken by a wicked person to distress and upset them. But as the whispers grew louder and more frequent, the truth slowly began to sink in. He was dead. The Great Deku Tree was dead.

The truth of this was a terrible weight too great for any of them to bear. But no one was worse affected than Link. To know that all his efforts, the dangers he had put himself through had all been for naught. He felt all the joy he had experienced the night before drain from him, leaving him feeling weak in the knees. Yet the worst was still to come. The dread that the other Kokiri had been feeling twisted into feelings of panic and rage. The Kokiri who had been praising his name just the day before now gathered around him hurling insults and accusations.

"You were supposed to save him! But now he's dead! How do you explain that?"

"You're no hero! Just a pretender! You only pretended to slay a monster! That makes you a liar!"

"I wish it was you and not the Great Deku Tree who's dead!"

Then a loud voice cut through the cacophony, "I told you he was suspicious!" Several Kokiri parted and Mido stepped into view. "I told you all he wasn't anything but trouble! I'll bet he came here so he could kill the Great Deku Tree and take his place."

"Th-That's not true!" Link cried, horrified that Mido would think that of him.

Mido continued as though Link had never spoken, "He was never one of us, you all know that. We all knew there was something wrong about him, so why did we let him stay? We should have kicked him out when we had the chance. Now it's too late! The Great Deku Tree's dead! And who killed him?"

"LINK!" the Kokiri all roared at once.

Mido's eyes blazed with grim satisfaction. He lifted his fist. "Who should pay for his death?"

"LINK!"

"Right! So how are we going to do it?" He swept his burning gaze on the others while Link quailed in horror at this turn of events.

Gerta mumbled from his shoulder, "We should throw him into the Chasm of Demise."

This was met with a babble of agreement that only got louder and more venomous with each passing moment. It wasn't long before Link found himself surrounded on all sides by Kokiri reaching for him, all of them shouting, the blaze of hate burning in their eyes. Many hands seized the front of his tunic and many more pushed at his back, forcing him on through the village toward its boundaries. He tried to resist, knowing that it was an endless drop that awaited him, but there were too many angry Kokiri. He couldn't help but reflect on the irony that after battling a giant parasite it was his own people he was helpless to defend against.

They came to the chasm that surrounded their woods. Many of the Kokiri hesitated, but a few bold ones pushed Link right to the edge. Faced with his imminent demise, he dug his heels in with renewed strength and turned to his persecutors. "Please," he begged, "don't do this to me! You know I tried to save him! You know I tried!"

Mido stepped forward, his arms folded over his chest and an ugly sneer on his face. Gerta's was a triumphant smirk that wrinkled her pug nose. Mido spoke in a quiet voice that was nevertheless heavy with finality, "But you didn't. You didn't save him. And now because of you, he's dead. We have no place for traitors like you. You don't belong here and you never did. So now... get lost."

Mido stretched out his palms toward Link and took a step forward...

...

"He's dead now because of you!"

Faron, currently in her guise as a young girl, turned her green eyes to the irate newcomer, her expression hard as stone. "Have a care with what you say, little one," she said, her tone deceptively gentle.

Navi though was shaking with rage and so ignored the warning. "You could have saved him! Used your magic to purge him of his affliction, and yet you send a child to do your work for you, knowing he would fail! What sort of monster would mock someone so deserving of your help with empty gestures? Why send someone so clearly incapable of such a dangerous task? Are you not a Great Fairy? Is not your role to soothe and rejuvenate all who seek your help?"

Faron gave a careless wave of her hand and a gust of wind picked Navi up and pressed her to the ground. She gasped for air which the wind took while Faron glided slowly up to her. She crouched and regarded the tiny being solemnly.

"Do not make the mistake of believing you are the only one who cared for him." She never raised her voice but it now carried a sharp edge. "I have known him since he was but a sapling. By comparison, you are but a blink of his eye."

"Then why did you let him die?" Navi wheezed, trying to lift her head. "Why didn't you save him?"

"I could not have saved him any more than you could stop the leaves turning their colors," Faron replied. "There is a season for all things, including myself. To alter the natural course by even the smallest degree has grave consequences and thus it is not a power I exercise except in the gravest circumstances." She waved her hand again and the wind holding the little fairy down dissipated. She then gently scooped Navi up and held her to her face.

"There was a purpose guiding Link, the youth you were charged with aiding, to facing the monster. Allowing the Gohma to run unchecked through these woods would have been nothing short of disastrous as I'm sure you would agree. But the purpose for choosing the boy goes beyond that. There is a wider world out there, which is slowly suffocating beneath a pall of rising evil, and he needed to be made aware of the dangers he would face once he leaves these woods."

Navi's eyes grew wide and she stammered in reflex, "B-but... no one ever leaves the safety of Kokiri Forest."

"And yet, if the world is to be saved, Link must," Faron replied heavily.

...

Mido's hands pressed against Link's shoulders. Link threw up his own arms against Mido's shoulders but was once again reminded just how strong Mido really was. If there had been one contest that Link had never been able to best Mido at, it was wrestling. Now here he was fighting for his very life while the boy pushed him inexorably toward the edge of the ring where an endless fall awaited him.

"Please, Mido..." Link's voice was hoarse with terror and despair. "Please, don't to this to me..."

Mido gave him a cold look. With the very tips of Link's toes gripping the edge, he gave a final shove and Link fell into the chasm.

He screamed. His howls echoed in the mists with the intensity of his terror, the deepness of his despair, the agony of his regret. The wind that rushed up to greet him was cold and wet, and it howled along with him like the souls of others who had been lost to the void were greeting him. As the world spun around him, making him dizzy, making him sick, he thought of what he could have done differently. If only he had saved the Great Deku Tree. If only he had reached him sooner. If only he had seen the signs. If only he had visited the Great Tree's glade and seen the pain he was in...

His thoughts turned to the other Kokiri and a new feeling burgeoned within his chest: anger. Why hadn't they done something? Why had it fallen on him to save the Great Deku Tree? Who did they think they were, condemning him for something he couldn't be expected to fix? And where had Saria been when everyone had sentenced him to the depths of the chasm?

Saria!

Without warning, something tangled around Link's wrist, which he had been flailing instinctively. His downward fall veered, and he hit into a mass of brambles. It wasn't the most painless way to stop but at least his bones were all intact. After a few moments, Link regained his senses and he looked up the wall. He was surprised to see that had hadn't fallen far, little farther than the tallest tree in the village. Down below, the mist swirled, the bottom as inscrutable as ever. How far must he fall before he pierced that veil below? What would he have seen had he gone past it? An endless darkness? A strange, new world?

These questions did not stir curiosity in him, but instead he shivered and turned back to the top of the wall. He didn't see anyone on top of it, so they must have gone back to the village. Gradually, he began to climb.

...

The Kokiri were loud and boisterous as they returned from the Chasm where they had carried out their sentence, but it was a grim sort of victory rather than a joyous one.

"He got what he deserved!"

"Yeah, let's see him get out of that one!"

"What a relief I don't have to see his stupid face anymore!"

They laughed, they talked, they clapped and jeered, anything to reassure themselves that what they had done was justified and to distract themselves from the awful truth that not even vengeance could change.

But their bravado was hollow, a fragile shell. Its vain show drew in one who was disgusted by its veneer, and she intended to shatter it and show the others just how fragile and foolish it was. As the mob tramped into the village, they were brought to a halt by that single Kokiri, who stood with her hands on her hips and her mouth twisted in anger.

"What have you done?" Saria demanded with quiet rage.

The Kokiri shrank back in shame. They turned to Mido, who stood at the head of their group. He took a step forward and thrust out his chin in defiance. "We did what we had to, to keep our forest safe."

"So then you banished, Link?"

Gerta spoke up, "Even better. We threw him into the bottomless Chasm."

The blood drained from Saria's face. "You what?" She swayed.

"We made sure he won't be coming back," said another Kokiri, named Fil. "We can't let another disaster happen by having him around."

Saria's mind-numbing shock gradually gave way to seething rage. "You idiots!" she screamed. "Do you really think throwing Link down into the Chasm would fix anything? And in case you've forgotten, he was the one trying to help the Great Deku Tree while the rest of you stood around like a bunch of ninnies!"

Mido stepped toward her. "Look, Saria, we all know Link never belonged here. He was never one of us...

"NO HE WASN'T!" Saria roared, startling them all, including Anai, who reflexively put distance between her and her Kokiri. "Because he had more courage and common sense than all of you put together! I am disgusted by all of you! I'm ashamed to call myself a Kokiri! And if the punishment for that is to be thrown down into the Chasm then throw me in, too!"

Gerta stood up from her perch, her eyes gleaming strangely. Mido paid no notice of her, as Saria's declaration alarmed him. He held up his hands in a placating gesture and said, "Now calm down, Saria. No one's going to throw you in..."

"Then I'll do it myself!" she declared and marched into the horde. They scrambled backward out of her way, except Mido who grabbed her by the wrist. "Saria, listen to me!"

She punched him right in the jaw. He reeled backward and she ripped her arm out of his grip. Then before he could recover, she started running.

"No, Saria, wait!" both Mido and Anai called. Anai sailed overhead while Mido charged through the aisle between the Kokiri.

But, despite her tears, despite the thundering rage pounding in her ears, Saria was faster. She ran through the woods, nimbly dodging around trees until she reached the edge of the Chasm. She looked down into its depths, the silver mist coiling and slithering like a nest of ropes.

She heard Mido's breathless panting come up behind her. Anai hovered just in front of him, her eyes wide with panic. "Saria, please, don't do this!" she said. "Think about what you're doing."

"The way all those woodheads did?" she sneered. "They weren't thinking. They were reacting. Blaming someone who had been trying to help them and then punishing him for it. Well, I'm a Kokiri, too, aren't I? Shouldn't I do what Kokiris do? Act before I think?"

Mido forced his voice to remain calm, "Saria..."

She stuck out her tongue at him. Then she turned her back on him and then jumped.

"SARIA!"

She had always felt a thrill in falling. The rush of air blowing past her body made her feel as though she were flying. She had taken many a tumble with these escapades - always jumping from higher and higher platforms, chasing that thrill. The others marveled that she could do this without hurting herself, and yet she could, having mastered the art of tumbling when she landed. She had passed on this skill to Link in the hopes that he would find it as thrilling as she did. She wondered as she gazed at the mist rushing up to meet her if he had landed yet and was waiting for her. She wasn't afraid. So long as the two of them were together, she was certain they could take on anything that might be waiting at the bottom.

Then she felt something clamp on her shoulders and then she was swinging upward. A voice hooted solemnly at her, "Would you truly throw your life away so carelessly?" It was the owl, Kaepora.

"They pushed Link into the Chasm!" Saria sobbed. "He's down there somewhere! I need to go back!"

"Calm yourself," said Kaepora as they came above the chasm and glided toward the enbankment on the other side. "He hasn't fallen in. He waits for us now outside the boundary that marks your home."

They passed the embankment and through the trees. Before long, they were in a clearing where Link awaited, standing before a girl with silver hair and intensely green eyes. The moment Saria's feet touched the ground, she threw herself on Link and cried, "I'm so glad you're alive!"

"Yeah," said Link, squeezing her back. "The others tried to throw me into the Chasm but I caught myself on the roots sticking out and I climbed back up."

"Well, that'll show them!" snapped Saria with savage pride. "We'll go back and show them that you really can't be beaten! And if they try to mess with you again..."

"No."

Link and Saria turned to the silver-haired girl. Saria planted her hands on her hips and cocked her head. "Excuse me?"

The silver-haired girl met Saria's hot glare with a cool gaze. They all failed to see the sadness hidden behind it. "He cannot return with you. The time for him to leave this forest and fulfill his destiny has come."

The words hit Saria like a sack of rocks. She felt as though the breath had been knocked out of her and she swayed on her feet. Link put out a hand to steady her.

"Now?" she rasped when she had regained her senses. "Link has to leave now?"

"I am afraid so," said the girl sadly. "What happened to the Great Deku Tree was no mere tragedy. He was killed by a malevolent will."

Navi, who had been perched on the silver-haired girl's shoulder, spoke up, "But why?"

The great owl replied, "They were after something. Something he guarded for millennia. They could not, of course, broach the boundary of the First Woods while the Great Deku Tree lived, so they infected him with a parasite." He turned to Link, nodding low to him. "The Great Deku Tree passed to me a message for you. He said to tell you that what happened to him was not your fault. You did more than what could be expected of someone your age. He also gave me an item which I was to give you." He hopped toward Link and then extended his claw. Link held out his hand and felt something drop inside. It was smooth and cool to the touch.

The youth held it up to the light. It was a green stone set in gold that had been shaped like the stem of a flower. The stone gleamed with a light that seemed to come from deep inside it, blooming in a pattern that reminded Link of rose petals.

"What is it?" he asked.

Kaepora nodded. "That is the Spiritual Stone of Forest, the keepsake that the Great Deku Tree had been guarding. He told me it was one of three keys needed to open the door behind which rests the Golden Power of the Goddesses, the Triforce."

Navi gave a gasp of recognition. Saria's eyes grew wide and Link himself felt his heart beating very fast. The Triforce. He'd heard of that. It was the most powerful magical item in the entire world. The world had almost been destroyed several times because of it, but thankfully, the different heroes had managed to save it just in time. He had always been in awe of these heroes, how they had always managed to defeat the villains just before they could use the Triforce to destroy the world, and he had always wondered what it would have been like to meet them. To see them facing evil head-on, knowing that the odds were stacked against them. Now it seemed he was to follow in their footsteps. Had they had the same doubts he now felt?

The owl nodded. "You must protect that at all costs. Do not let it fall into the wrong hands, for should they gain access to the Triforce, all our world will fall to ruin."

"I will keep it safe," Link promised and tucked it deep into his pocket.

"There is more," said Kaepora and he ruffled his feathers before settling down again. "The Great Deku Tree told me that there is another child of destiny that you must find. The two of you together are the key to turning back the tide of darkness."

"Who is he?" asked Link.

The owl smiled. "She is the daughter of King Bernard Fredrickson Hyrule, Princess Zelda. Go to Hyrule Castle Town and seek her out. The Great Deku Tree has assured me that events will proceed as they should once you accomplish that."

"So we just need to find a Princess," said Saria, thrusting out her chin determinedly. She swiveled on her heel and nodded to Link. "Come on, Link. Let's go! The sooner we fulfill this destiny, the sooner we can go home."

Faron turned to Saria and raised an eyebrow. "'We', dear child?"

Saria spun to the great fairy and set her mouth in a firm line. "I'm going with him."

"You are not." The fairy's green eyes were as hard as emeralds. "Do you not remember what you were told when Link first came? You must allow him to answer the call of destiny. You must let him go."

"But why?" cried Saria in frustration. "Why do I have to let him go? I can go with him! I can help him! He can still fulfill his destiny if I go along, can't he?"

Faron closed her eyes and sighed. "Listen, child. The Great Deku Tree is dead. The Kokiri will be lost without him. It will be up to you to protect and guide them in the Great Tree's absence."

Saria's eyes filled with tears. "But..."

"Your place is here, child. You have done your part to prepare Link for his journey, and very admirably, too, but now you must let him go."

Link took Saria by the shoulder. "Saria, listen. I'll come back. As soon as I fulfill this destiny thing, I'll run back here as fast as I can. I'm sure it won't take long." He glanced at the silver-haired girl. "I can come back, right?"

Faron smiled and nodded. "Of course."

"There, see? I won't be gone long. Just be patient. I'll save the world and..." For a moment, he hesitated, impressed by the full weight of his destiny. Then he shook his head and said, "It'll be fine. You trained me, remember?"

She took his hand. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her ocarina. To Link's surprise, she slapped it into his palm and then squeezed it tight. "You promise me you'll come back soon, okay? Promise me!"

Link nodded. "I promise."

"Okay..." Saria released his hand, leaving the ocarina in it, and took a step back. "Okay..." She lifted her chin, doing her best to hold back her tears. "I'll be waiting."

Link nodded. Then he turned to Faron who nodded solemnly and said, "Come, I will show you the way." She glanced at Navi who leaped off her shoulder. The silver-haired girl nodded to her and then began leading the way through the forest. Link and Navi traded looks and then, with an unspoken understanding between them, followed behind the goddess.

Link glanced back once. Saria's hands were clasped to her chest and she was biting her lip. She gave a start then put on a brave smile and waved. He waved back and then turned again, trying to pretend he hadn't seen the tears.

Only when Link had disappeared into the trees did Saria allow herself to cry.