Link's Journey Begins
Link stopped calling for the Deku Tree, panting, hands hurting from clubbing the bark. Link held his breath, recalling what the Deku Tree had asked.
The boy realized that how he behaved was no way to prove he was ready. Thinking deeply, Link rested his head on the Deku Tree, and softly spoke into the bark, "Yes."
...
"Then enter, brave Link, and thou too, Navi..." Wood creaked, the Great Deku Tree's mouth starting to slowly open. "Navi the fairy... Thou must aid Link... And Link... When Navi speaks, listen well to her words of wisdom."
Link sighed from some relief. Deku Tree's odd behavior must be because of the curse...
Footfall.
A cluster of Kokiri appeared to see what was happening to the Great Deku Tree, one boy carrying a pillow underarm and yawning. Link and Mido were still up-close to their guardian, wondering if he was alright.
Saria paused, eyes worried. "Link? Mido?"
Fado seemed unbothered. "Heh heh..."
Link's hands remained on the Deku Tree's bark. He noticed something.
The bark made noise, "HEH HEH..."
A huge eyeball opened from within the bark, horrible pupil turning...
GLA
RE
Link reared.
SKLK
SKLK
SKLK
Segmented limbs with immense claws unfurled, clacking against the Deku Tree's bark as the monster descended. The horrible legs curled around their armored body embedded with a single, huge eyeball. The eye rolled backwards, flipping from blue to orange.
Mido was so terrified his hat jumped, his eyes bulging. "YIKES!" His fairy already flew off.
Startled, Link fell onto his bottom, mouth agape, forehead sweaty.
Navi hovering behind his head. "This is it, Link! This is the thing that cursed the Great Deku Tree!"
Link picked himself up, the thing's front limbs hooking into the earth at either side of him, dirt flicking. He hesitated, guts feeling like they swam up his throat, writhing in panic from what he beheld...
Navi chimed, proclaiming,
Parasitic Armored Arachnid
Queen Gohma
Petrified, Link forced himself to making eye contact with the segmented creature. He stood, looking up at the looming menace. By staring into the eye of what caused fear, a beholder will find bravery. He withdrew the Kokiri Sword and Deku Shield—the monster shrieked, lunging her claws...
Link swung. "Hyuh!" The blade bounced off Gohma's carapace. He raised his shield, Gohma's claws slamming upon him; his sword and shield flew out his hands. "AAHHH-huhhih!" He fell on his back, dazed. He felt around for his sword and shield, gasping that they were gone.
Link got up, wondering what to do.
Queen Gohma raised herself, horrible eye refocusing.
Terrified, the Kokiri hid behind Link, Fado behind his right, a girl leaping sideways to get into cover behind Mido. "YIIIIIKES!"
Gohma's demented glare examined the situation. She hadn't expected so many Kokiri, perhaps even feeling threatened? "Stone..." she hissed, scuttling around to the Deku Tree's front. "Give me... The stone... Hee hee... Hee..."
KLAK KLAK
Claws hooked around the rim of the Deku Tree's mouth, Gohma pulled herself into his wooden gullet.
SHHLP
"Where is the stone..." Gohma slowly retracted into the darkness. "HEH HEH HEH HEH..."
Link stepped forth.
The mere thought made Mido fall onto his rear, his two buddies hiding behind him. SHIVER SHAKE TREMBLE
Link stood before the blackness, frowning, unfazed. Gripping just his slingshot, he charged.
"Link!" Saria called, the girls nervous, even Fado.
He looked back as he ran forth. "I'm gonna get that thing!" He vanished into the darkness.
Mido's buddy's eyes went big; Mido leapt to his feet.
"Wait! I'm going to!" Mido shouted, fetching something from the grass. He raised a blade... "TA-DA. Look here! The legendary Kokiri Sword!" He marched after Link.
"Mido!" Saria called, getting his attention. He looked over his shoulder. She had found the Deku Shield, which she presented to him. Mido accepted, grinning, though Saria wasn't.
Saria had her calm, stoic face. "Now it's your turn to be a man."
Mido nodded. Shield slung over his shoulder, Mido ran after Link...
Link descended the gnarly slope, Navi serving as a light. Link paused, looking up.
Mido climbed down, facing the wood, absent of grace, his fairy reappearing.
Link frowned. "Oh, and now you have the Kokiri Sword and Deku Shield..."
Mido's foot slipped but he held on, looking down grumpily. "Hey! You lost them, not me!"
Mido's fairy rang. "Saria handed over the shield. You ran in without looking for them."
Link rolled his eyes. "I was distracted by wanting to save the Great Deku Tree!" He continued sliding down. "But whatever. Let's see if you really can help the Great Deku Tree...now that you do have a sword and shield, at least."
Mido's temples throbbed as he grumbled down. Nevertheless, the rivals reached the bottom, Mido power-walking forth, sword in hand.
Link wasn't impressed. "Don't get too excited, Mido."
Mido sheathed his sword then snapped back, "Shut up! I won't let you show off for Saria all by yourself!"
Link innocently looked at him. "What are you talking about?"
"HMPH!" Mido scowled, teeth barred, shoulders up. "I won't let you have her!" He turned away and stomped off.
Link stared cluelessly. ?
"Hey! C'mon out here, you monst—" Mido walked into a giant web, getting stuck. "AGHMMPH! What's all this goo?" He grappled against the silky obstacle.
Navi flew through the web. "Shh!" She hovered, aura gently wobbling. "I hear something strange..."
KRUNCH KRUNCH
CHOMP CHOMP CHOMP
Mido gripped the Kokiri Sword two-handed, en garde decent but his heart lacking. Link held his slingshot, ready to pounce despite his forehead a bit sweaty.
Navi flew over, illuminating a corner and revealing a huge, hand-like silhouette.
KRUNCH
"The stone... Where's the stone..." CHOMP CHOMP
Despair fell upon Link's face, mouth agape. "Is it eating the... ...Great Deku Tree?"
The creature's stout neck leaned over, eyeball rolling backwards until the red pupil appeared. GLARE
KRUNCH
KRUNCH
CHOMP
CHOMP
The parasitic monster spun around, rearing, finger-like limbs unfurling overheard, immense claws poised. "Shall I... ...take a bite out of you two, as well?"
Mido leaned back, teeth bare yet petrified, sword pointed yet pointless. "Y... Y...
Y
I
I
I
K
E
S
!"
Link stepped forth, determined.
Upon seeing such easy prey, Gohma thrust a foreleg... Link jumped sideways...
SKR
UNNK
The immense claw rammed into the ground, Link landing on his back while he readied his slingshot, BYOONG
"Return the Great Deku Tree to normal!" He released a Deku Seed, FWIP
TINK KLONK
The seeds bounced off the monster's closing eyelid as it rushed forth. She stood, glaring as Deku Seeds bounced off her face, PLINK PLINK
"Give me the stone...
RRR
KKK
GGK
Where is the stone?"
Navi flew above Gohma, going in circles. The queen looked up, eye spinning around and around with Navi, Gohma becoming dizzy and confused.
The Deku Seeds bounced off Gohma, falling to the ground.
Link grunted and ran back. "It's no use!"
Mido stood cluelessly, drooling out his mouth, his fairy having flown off somewhere. Unable to figure it out, Mido commented, "What stone is it talking about?"
Gohma regained herself, spinning eyeball coming to a stop. She faced Mido, who just shook, teeth clicking against each other, CHATTER CHATTER
"Link!" Navi cried, flying over, "Mido is—"
Link looked back, frowning, mouth open.
Queen Gohma crawled to Mido, segmented arms unfurling and twitchy, SKRUNNK
Link leapt into Mido, shoving him out of the way as claws slammed into the ground!
Link landed in a kneeling position by a fallen Mido, Kokiri Sword and Deku Shield missing. Link frowned at Mido. "That was close! Don't freeze up!"
Eyes partly closed, lower lip widened, Mido dismissively stared back. "Sh-Shut up! Leave me alone!"
BONK
A stone landed on Link's head, stunning him into a goofy pose. "Ouch."
Mido just watched, unamused.
W
O
O
S
H
An arachnid claw slammed into the ground.
Link leaned away from the impact. "Y
I
K
E
S
!" Slingshot loaded, Link released a seed, harmlessly clinking against Gohma's claw.
FWIP FWIP
The next two shots fared no better. Link's hand trembled. "Only one shot left..."
GLOMP
Taken aback, Link hesitated, heart beating heavily, targeted by the parasitic queen's horrid visage.
GLARE
He looked back. "I... I..." His mouth dropped. "I can't move!" His back was stuck against a huge web.
Gohma groaned, approaching the trapped boy, claws clacking against the ground.
Link's guts swirled as the eyeball neared, his heart strumming against his ribs. "Don't come any closer! Darn monster!"
He held his breath, forehead sweaty. Eyes moist, a single teardrop rolled down Link's cheek. "G-Great Deku Tree..."
KLONK
A rock bounced off Gohma's carapace. She looked over...
"Blast!" yelled Mido, "Link's attacking, but so am I!" He kept hurling rocks, annoying the queen.
Navi ducked mid-air. "Where are you aiming? Sheesh!" She barrel rolled as a stone whizzed past her. "Tsk! You missed!"
The hurled rock bounced off the wall, spiraling overhead Navi then flicking into Gohma's red eye, KLONK
TRE
MM
M
B
L
E
G
R
R
O
A
R
! ! Navi rang aloud. "A-ha!" She whizzed underneath Gohma then flew up before Link, who had tilted but remained stuck. "Link! Gohma's weakness is her eyeball! Aim for her eye!"
Slingshot raised, eyebrows furrowed, Link fearlessly aimed...
Gohma approached, arachnid legs poised like scorpion tails, the beast lurching over the boy.
Link screamed, releasing his final shot.
HIT!
Gohma reared straight up, eyeball rolling backwards, GRRROAR
Link frowned, wondering what to do...
Mido's fairy flew up and down where the Kokiri Sword and Deku Shield had fallen. Mido scurried over, picking them up. While Gohma was stunned, Mido charged. "YAAAH!" He swung heavily and repeatedly, tears squirting out the parasite's eye.
Queen Gohma sat up, eyelid closing. She walked backwards...
"Oh, no you don't!" Mido charged. Gohma shrieked, Mido shaking in his boots. The queen reared, claws poised—Mido's fairy flew in circles above Gohma's eye, confusing her as Navi had done. Mido took the advantage and...ran away. He crashed into Link, the boys falling over each other while Gohma disappeared in the darkness.
Link pushed Mido off. "Now you've done it! Gohma got away!"
"Shut up, Mr. No Fairy!" he snapped, pulling the sword and shield close to himself.
Link raised an eyebrow.
Navi chuckled. "Did you already forget, Mr. Perspective?"
Mido grunted, dismissively waving them off and stomping into the darkness...