Saria, Hero of the Forest

by digitalSatyr23

There is a prophecy that a young boy from the forest would one day leave his home, aid a princess in her quest, and ultimately vanquish evil with the help of the Ocarina of Time and the Master Sword. But something has gone wrong. Saria, a Kokiri from Kokiri Village, must take up the mantle of hero and save Hyrule before the world is unraveled by the prophecy undone.

9. Chapter 9: Ice & Fire

Sheik felt dizzy. The ground was soft and slippery, the air was acrid and foul, and everything was wet. He could have never imagined being inside a whale would be so… Unpleasant. Standing up proved difficult, but he managed to find his footing. All around him were meaty red walls. Sheik hadn't traveled far. He was still in the mouth, just past a wall of large sharp teeth. Up ahead was a pool, though of what, Sheik didn't want to think about. More alarmingly, Ruto was nowhere to be seen.

Where did she go? She didn't run off without me, did she? Or was she pulled further inside?

Above the pool in front of Sheik were large bouncing bubbles. Sheik ignored them as he moved further in, towards the throat. When he stepped foot in the pool, however, two octoroks emerged and fired stones at him.

Octoroks, in here?!

Sheik dodged to the side, not accounting for the floating bubble nearby. After bumping into it, the bubble burst, releasing a burning slime all over Sheik. Most of it landed on his headwrap, so he discarded it before too much got on his scalp. The octoroks fired again, but this time Sheik kicked one of the rocks back at the purple mollusk before tossing a needle at the other. As the creatures died, Sheik did his best to wipe off the rest of the slime on him with a cloth.

Even the very gas bubbles are dangerous. I have to hurry before the princess gets hurt!

Up ahead, a thin membrane acted as a barrier, though looking up above at a strange pale growth, Sheik had an idea of how to dislodge the membrane. Hopping into the air and giving it a flick, this caused a reaction in the whale, opening the membrane. This led to a fleshy circular corridor with a path hugging the left wall, a long drop down in the center of the room, and a pair of conspicuous crates sitting nearby. Sheik stared at the small crates in disbelief.

What are these doing here? Were they left by the enemy or do the Zora… Sheik put the thought out of his mind and continued along the left path.

After avoiding an electric biri and opening another membrane, Sheik found himself in a large room full of dense flesh, holes in the floor sealed with soft membranes, and in the case of one of the holes, an undulating tube of sickly green and yellow flesh connected to the ceiling and passing through the hole in the ground, though what it was, Sheik couldn't even begin to guess. It was then that Sheik heard a yelp, realizing more biri were harassing Princess Ruto nearby. A few quick needle tosses took care of the biri, but the princess looked hurt. Sheik quickly rushed to Ruto's side.

"Princess, are you all right? It looks like those things stung you."

"Huh? There you are!" Ruto shouted. "Where have you been this whole time?!"

"I wasn't pulled in too far, so I was still near the teeth. What about you? Were you pulled in further than that?"

"I…" Ruto looked away, grumbling. "More or less. Monsters started chasing after me, but I couldn't find you. Do you know how scared I was?!"

Sheik knelt down, lowering his head. "My apologies, princess. I won't let it happen again. If you need it, I can treat those wounds. Just give me the word."

Ruto seemed taken aback by this display, blushing. "N-never mind that! Stand up already!"

"Very well." After standing, Sheik said, "So what is this place? We should be as far back as the tail by now. These rooms don't seem physically possible."

"Lord Jabu Jabu is a divine being. His insides are more like a temple than that of a fish."

"Have you ever been inside before?"

"Many times, actually! In order to make sure his lordship is doing well, it's common for us Zora to venture inside and clean things up. But this time… Things are different. I've never seen monsters in here before, or any of these strange holes. That witch must be at the bottom of this! I'll make sure she pays!"

"Since you've been through here before, can you guide me? I don't even know where to begin."

Ruto sighed and said, "Very well, I shall help you." Ruto then sat down, hugging her knees. "Now then, let us be off."

"Pardon?"

"Don't stand there gawking, carry me! Whenever I enter this place, it is customary for my servants to carry me about. You are Sheikah, are you not? And aren't Sheikah servants to the Royal Family?"

"Yes…"

"Then as allies of the Royal Family, it only makes sense for you to serve me as well."

Sheik had some disagreements with Ruto's logic, but he did not wish to upset the girl, so he followed her command and hoisted her above his head.

"Very well, princess, I am here to serve."

"Excellent. This should give me a good view of things. Now a lot of gunk tends to collect at the far end of this floor. Head straight across this room, and we can see what that witch left here to make Lord Jabu Jabu so sick. Onwards!"

Without saying a word, Sheik ran across the room, keeping the young Zora held high. More than once did Sheik have to dodge more biris, and even a bari with its sharp spinning fins. After safely making it to the other side of the room, Sheik passed through another barrier, finding himself in a strange hall that split in multiple directions. It took a moment to adjust to the room, as the floors seemed to move on their own, pulling Sheik further in at a slow but steady pace.

"Tailpasaran, dead ahead!" shouted Ruto.

Three sets of three-pronged mandibles were sticking out of the ground. When the creatures took notice of Sheik and Ruto, they slithered up into the air, revealing strange wormy bodies made up of sparking balls of blue electricity. Sheik set Ruto down and drew his blade.

"Excuse me, princess… This should take but a moment," said Sheik.

The boy ran ahead, swiping at the mandibles of the tailpasaran. While the first two went down with ease, the third dodged Sheik's attack, whipping him with its tail. Electric currents coursed through Sheik's body, stunning him with an immense amount of pain. Sheik fought through it and slashed the mandibles of the monster in half, killing it as well.

After walking back over to Ruto, Sheik said, "It is done. Let us continue."

"But you're hurt!" complained Ruto.

"It is fine. I have dealt with worse."

"Nonsense!" Ruto stood up, looking indignant. She marched over to Sheik and held out her hands. "Stand still!" A watery aura of magic emanated from the girl's hands, washing over Sheik and soothing his body. The aches and pains of battle faded from memory.

"Healing magic?"

"Hey, at least thank me properly!"

"I… I apologize. Thank you, princess. You have done well. I was just… Surprised."

Ruto crossed her arms and stuck her nose up. "Hmph! You should know better than to doubt me. I am the princess of the Zora, after all. Of course I would be studied in the ways of magic." She then sat down and said, "Well, let's get a move on, then!"

After picking Ruto back up, Sheik explored the tunnels, realizing most of them were blocked or sealed in some capacity - some even with fleshy tubes similar to the room from before.

"Is this place always like this?" asked Sheik.

"No… Lord Jabu Jabu's whole filtration system is blocked up. We definitely need to do something about this." Ruto looked around and said, "Over there, do you see that yellow lump on the ground? They're kind of like natural switches. If you put enough weight on one, it might open one of these barriers."

"All right. Let's give it a shot."

Sheik maneuvered over to the yellow switch and stepped on it. The pressure caused a reaction, prying open a mesh that was blocking one of the membranes. The room on the other side was much pinker than the previous areas, with a thin, springy floor. Green fins slid through the ground, moving like they were fish swimming in the sea.

"Stingers! Flush them out!" shouted Ruto. Sheik set the princess down and went to work, yanking the creatures out and striking them down, one after the other. When they were all gone, a healthy mix of red and pink colored the room, and a sparkle of magic swirled about in the room's center, revealing a large chest.

"What? What is this?" asked Sheik.

"I think it's a gift from Lord Jabu Jabu," said Ruto. "Perhaps this is his way of thanking you?"

Uncertain of the chest's nature but still curious, Sheik walked over and opened it up. Inside was a finely crafted jeweled boomerang. Ruto gasped at the sight and wandered over.

"I know of this! It's a sacred treasure passed on from the Royal Family of Hyrule to us Zora. It was given as a token of friendship by one of the kings!"

Sheik held the boomerang, admiring its pristine condition in a place otherwise coated in mucus and slime. There was a kind of weight to the weapon in that moment. Sheik couldn't help but wonder what kind of history it had.

"What should I do?" asked Sheik.

"What do you mean? We should take it! Lord Jabu Jabu gave it to you, after all."

"But… Is this really mine to keep? It feels wrong somehow."

"Don't worry about it. If you feel indebted, just use it to help Lord Jabu Jabu!"

Thinking on the matter, Sheik gave a nod, looked up, and said, "Very well. Thank you, your lordship. I'll put it to good use."

After that, Sheik and Ruto returned to the split halls, exploring and finding more switches.

"There's another one! Step on that blue one!" said Ruto. Sheik did so, causing another veiny mesh to get pulled free from a membrane. Stepping off of it, however, caused the mesh to return.

"Shoot, this isn't right," said Ruto. "Usually touching them is enough. How are we going to keep it open now?"

"I may have an idea, but…"

"But…?"

"You may not like it."

Sheik explained his reasoning, to which Ruto said, "You're going to leave me behind?!"

"Only for a moment. There could be monsters on the other side, so it will be safer for you here."

"No way! I am Princess Ruto, first in line for the throne of the Zora! I am not a paperweight!" A loud rumble, followed by the growls of monsters on the other side of the barrier echoed throughout the tunnel. Ruto then said, "But maybe it would be a good idea for you to clear a path."

Amused by this reaction, Sheik set Ruto down on the switch and passed through the barrier. On the other side was an especially tall room with a long tentacle protruding from the ceiling. It didn't seem to be part of the room, but instead looked like an invasive parasite. Taking one step forward, the tentacle reacted, lashing out at Sheik. The boy ducked and rolled away, dodging the attack. The force of the strike caused bruising on the ground where Sheik once stood. It was clear it had to be dealt with if he was going to save the whale.

Sheik tried striking the tentacle with his electrified chain, but it pulled away far too quickly. He considered tossing some needles, but he worried he might miss and hurt Lord Jabu Jabu. It then occurred to him to try the boomerang, giving it a toss at a thin part of the tentacle. Not only did the weapon strike true, but it also perfectly found its way back to Sheik's hand. A few more strikes, and the tentacle shriveled and died, falling to pieces.

Back outside, Ruto stood up and said, "Sheik! One of those tubes disappeared!"

"One of the ones blocking the tunnels?"

"Yeah! What did you do?" Sheik explained his encounter to Ruto, to which the princess said, "Then it's true. There really is a parasite inside Lord Jabu Jabu…" At first the girl looked saddened, but this quickly faded as the girl's face turned red with rage. "That horrible witch! How dare she!"

"Calm down, princess. We need to stay focused if we're going to save your guardian. Now what do you think we should do next?"

"I… No, we should check out that cleared passageway. We need to make sure there aren't anymore of those tentacles hurting Lord Jabu Jabu!"

"Very well. Come with me, then."

Sheik picked up Ruto and continued through the split hallways, going from chamber to chamber and clearing out the tentacles. On one occasion, Ruto insisted on entering a chamber with Sheik. In that room, the tentacle tried to strike Ruto, forcing Sheik to move in front of her and take the blow on her behalf. Fighting through the pain, Sheik did his best to keep the tentacle's attention until he was able to kill it. When it was over, Ruto ran to Sheik's side.

"You idiot! Why'd you have to get yourself hurt like that?!"

"I was merely trying to protect you, princess."

"But…" Ruto sniffled. "No, this is my fault. I wanted to help because I was feeling useless, but I just made things worse. Here I thought we could do this together, but you're doing all the work…"

Sheik watched as the Zora cried from both pairs of eyes, unsure of what to do. Though hesitant, Sheik reached out and put his hand on Ruto's shoulder in an attempt to comfort her.

"Listen, I understand how you feel. Not too long ago, I found myself in a similar predicament."

"Y-yeah? What happened?"

Sheik looked around. Feeling the room was safe for the time being, he took a seat, gesturing to Ruto to do the same. Once they were on the floor together, Sheik talked about his recent experience in the Sheikah training dungeon.

"Keep this between you and me, but… There's this girl I met not too long ago, and she…" Sheik paused, clicking his tongue. "She made me feel like a fool."

"What do you mean?" asked Ruto.

"In my people's culture, you can't become a true Sheikah until you pass an initiation test. I had been training for this test for years, doing my hardest to obey my master and follow her rules to the letter. Then, about a month ago or so, this fairy girl from the forest joined in. I knew of her. She had been running all around Hyrule trying to help people, but I had assumed most of it was dumb luck. Then, when she joined me in my training, she took to it like a fish to water. I had never seen someone so capable before. I don't know much about the Kokiri, but I assumed they were all just frolicking children in the woods."

"I don't know much about them either. The Kokiri never come out of their forest normally, and the few people who tried going in were said to have been guided back. I don't know if the forest is dangerous or not, but this girl's ability can't be a coincidence, right? Who knows what she's been through before she met you?"

"I… I suppose you're right. She looked just like another kid to me, so when she started acting like she was my mom and tried bossing me around, it frustrated me. But given how much she's accomplished, maybe I should have taken her more seriously." In that moment, Sheik remembered his last talk with Saria before running off to Zora River. He hugged his knees, feeling remorseful. It hurt when she said it was all too dangerous for a boy like him, but… She wasn't wrong. Were it not for Saria, he would have never made it out of that dungeon alive.

"Sheik, are you okay?" asked Ruto. "You look so sad."

"I'll be fine. I realize now though that I need to make it out of here."

"Why is that?"

"Because I owe her an apology." Sheik stood up and offered Ruto his hand. "Come on, princess. We still have work to do."

Blushing, Ruto took Sheik by the hand and was pulled up, carried out of the chamber. As the two were on the move, Ruto said, "Hey, I think I have an idea. Those tentacles were causing those barriers from earlier, right? Didn't we see something like that in that room full of holes?"

"You're right. Maybe it was blocking the way to the rest of the parasite," said Sheik.

"Let's check it out!"

The two followed the path, jumping through the hole that was blocked off. They landed on a high-up cliff of hard white blubber. Another membrane up ahead seemed promising, so the pair passed through, entering into a circular room with a raised platform ringed with toothy spikes. Upon the platform was a glowing blue gem.

"Wait, is that the Zora's Sapphire? What is it doing here?" asked Sheik.

"Ah! Let me down! I need to get it at once!" said Ruto. The struggling Zora wrestled her way out of Sheik's grasp and climbed onto the platform. "Thank goodness, I'm glad my mother's stone is okay. I was worried sick about this. I lost it when I got sucked in and-" another rumbling, and the platform flew up into the ceiling. "Gaaaah! What is that? An octopus?!"

"Princess!" shouted Sheik.

Seconds later, the platform lowered itself, and a truly gigantic octorok was sitting in the center of the platform. It then hopped off the platform and charged towards Sheik, kicking up enough water to cause the spiky platform to spin in place. Sheik drew his blade and readied himself for combat.

When the big octo closed the distance, Sheik tried striking the beast, only for his blade to bounce off the creature's rubbery hide. The big octo then rammed into Sheik, knocking him to the ground. As it reached out to grab Sheik with a tentacle, Sheik threw the boomerang at it, striking it in the forehead and stunning it. Sheik only had a second to get back on his feet, for the big octo shook off the hit from the boomerang… Or so Sheik thought, because the beast turned around and ran the other direction. It was fast, though. Fast enough that if Sheik didn't stay on the move, it would ram him again soon. Sheik did his best to avoid the spinning spikes and chase after the octorok.

As he closed the distance, Sheik noticed a soft green spot on the back of the octorok. Striking the beast again with the boomerang, Sheik ran up and struck the spot. The big octo yelped in pain and spun around, trying to attack Sheik. It proved too slow, however, and the Sheikah nimbly avoided its tentacle strikes. Now that he knew the big octo's weakness, it was only a matter of time before the beast was slain. Upon the last blow, the big octo hopped into the air, crashed into the ground, and let out a weak puff of air from its mouth before melting away into nothing. Though the beast disappeared, there was no sign of Ruto.

So it didn't eat her. What happened, then? Did the witch abduct her?!

Sheik hopped onto the platform and rode it into the air. It led to a circular room with more biris, but no sign of Ruto or the Zora's Sapphire. After dealing with the biris, Sheik passed through another membrane, entering into a foul-smelling room with hard, lumpy, dark walls, a pool of green viscous fluid at the bottom, and wobbling blocks of red. They were lined up in such a way as to act as a path to the next membrane, but as they were, it seemed they would fight off anyone trying to stand on them. A strike from the boomerang proved enough to stun them, though. Sheik did what he could to hop across, stunning the meaty platforms, all while dodging attacks from more octoroks below. On the other side, the passageway led to a white blubbery platform that faltered under Sheik's weight, sliding down to the first room beyond the mouth.

Wait, that barrier… I don't remember it from before. Did this platform reveal it somehow?

The membrane was covered in a veiny mesh, with a blue switch in front of it. Looking over at the crates nearby, everything clicked into place.

Lord Jabu Jabu's insides are quite strange, but they do seem to follow some sense of logic… I just hope I can reach Ruto in time before she gets hurt.

One last chamber with walls similar to the green slime room, it seemed to be the source of those veiny meshes, covering parts of the wall like grape vines. More of the mesh blocked the way through another membrane, but a white growth similar to the one in the mouth was up on the ceiling. Sheik navigated the watery room, dodging and killing biri with the boomerang before climbing just high enough to strike the growth. Another rumble, and the way forward was clear.

Passing through the barrier, Sheik could hear the sound of crackling electricity. The large round room was filled with electrified jellyfish similar to the biri, and an oversized heart-shaped parasite was in the middle of the room, tendrils piercing the fleshy ceiling while other funnel-headed organs wriggled and twitched, almost like antennae on an insect. Sheik approached, blade and boomerang at the ready. As he prepared to strike the parasite, his instincts kicked in, and he dodged back. A blast of magical ice struck the ground where he once stood, and across the room, Sheik heard an old crone's voice say, "Drat!"

"Who goes there? Show yourself!" shouted Sheik.

An ancient-looking Gerudo woman on a broom with white-trimmed black robes, a curved nose, and a blue-jeweled headdress appeared, floating in the air.

"I was so hoping I could knab you too, but it seems you're going to be stubborn, aren't you?" The witch cackled. "No matter. I'll get you soon enough, just like your Zora friend."

"What?!" Sheik looked around, realizing that Ruto was across the room, encased in red ice once more. Sheik narrowed his eyes at the witch. "You're going to regret this."

"Oh ho ho, you've got some spunk, kid!" The witch cackled once more. "The great Ganondorf charged me with securing the Zora's Sapphire for him, as well as protecting Barinade from interlopers such as yourself. What a fine monster, too. It lets me have complete control over this whale and its magic. Observe!" With a single gesture, the witch sealed the room's exit shut. "I am the Gerudo witch, Kotake! Prepare yourself, Sheikah, for it's going to be a long winter in Hyrule! Ho ho ho ho!"

Kotake pointed at Sheik, and the electric jellyfish gathered around Barinade and clung to its body like armor. Then the parasite's funnel tentacles charged up, firing bolts of electricity at the Sheikah. The boy made use of his speed to dodge the attacks, though it wasn't easy.

Wait, some of those tentacles… Could the boomerang cut them too?

Sheik dodged another lightning blast and tossed the boomerang, severing one of the tendrils connecting Barinade to the ceiling. Kotake shouted, "Hey! Stop that!" and fired a bolt of ice. While Sheik dodged the attack, the ice spread across the ground, causing Sheik to slip. Left vulnerable, Kotake directed Barinade to fire on Sheik once more. Sheik was blasted into the wall with a continuous line of electricity, shocking him to his core. It took all his strength not to cry out in pain.

"Ho ho ho, how I love to see rude children like yourself get reprimanded! I wonder what I should do with you now? Shall I kill you, or brainwash you? Perhaps your skills could be useful to the great Ganondorf…"

Clenching his teeth, Sheik said, "I will never work for Ganondorf!" Pressing through the pain, Sheik pulled out his last bottle of blue flame. He tossed it right at Ruto, causing the bottle to shatter and spread its flame over the red ice.

"Huh? How can you still move after all of that?!" shouted Kotake. She then looked down, seeing Ruto break free. "Drat! Double drat! Don't you dare move! I still need you as a hostage!" Kotake fired a beam of ice at Ruto, but the Zora princess held out her hands and seemingly blocked the spell, causing the magic ice to spread out and strike the walls. The Gerudo looked even more surprised than before.

"What? How did I?" Ruto looked around, seeing Sheik was still being electrocuted. She went red with rage and picked up a piece of broken glass, jamming it into Barinade. The parasite faltered, and Sheik dropped to the ground. Ruto quickly crossed the room and helped the boy to his feet.

"Are you all right, princess?" asked a winded Sheik.

"How can you ask that when you're so hurt?!" said Ruto. "Hold still for a moment. I'll try and heal you."

"Oh no you don't. Barinade! Attack!" shouted Kotake.

The bulbous parasite aimed one of its funnel tentacles at Sheik and Ruto. Sheik grabbed hold of Ruto and jumped away, dodging the attack. While they rolled across the ground, Sheik hucked the boomerang once more, severing another tentacle.

"I can still fight. You need to get to safety, princess," said Sheik.

"No way! I'm helping too!" Ruto looked at her hands. "I don't fully understand it, but I feel an energy coursing through me. It's like I'm connected to Lord Jabu Jabu." Ruto then turned to face Barinade and Kotake. "I'll make sure we both get out of here!"

"So that's how it is," said Kotake. "Fine, then. I can always puppeteer your body once I'm done with you." After swirling in the air, Kotake grew twice as big, her white hair now like frosty crystals of ice. "I'll freeze you both to your very souls! Ho ho ho ho!"

"I'll keep that witch busy. You handle the parasite!" said Ruto.

"That's fine by me. Just don't do anything reckless," said Sheik.

"Like you can tell me what to do." Ruto and Sheik smiled at one another, then charged.

Barinade fired a volley of electricity, but Sheik avoided it, severing the last grasping tentacle with the boomerang. After it came loose, it fell to the ground, its jellyfish armor coming loose. Sheik lashed out against its lumpy, spiky body until it shrieked, pulling in the jellyfish once more and twirling around the room. Meanwhile, Ruto was doing her best to dodge and deflect the incoming ice attacks from Kotake. Melting the ice and using the water like a whip, Ruto lashed out at Kotake and sent her spinning.

"Insolent child! How dare you use my own magic against me!" shouted Kotake.

"Well maybe if you weren't so old, you could keep up with me!" Ruto shouted back.

Kotake gasped. "How dare you! I'm not even a year over 380!"

With the Gerudo witch thoroughly distracted, Sheik was able to stay focused on Barinade. After avoiding its spinning attack, the creature slowed down, leaving itself open. Sheik used this opportunity to strike down the jellyfish connected to it, robbing it of its armor. Barinade retaliated with more lightning, but Sheik was too quick for the parasite. The boy dashed between the lightning volleys and struck it again and again with his blade. A rumble throughout the room followed. It seemed that the parasite's strength was waning.

"No, stop that!" shouted Kotake. After spinning about, several ice crystals formed in a ring around the witch. With a gesture, the ice crystals fired as swift as arrows, one after the other at Sheik. Though Sheik was fast, he couldn't avoid all of them, taking one to his shoulder. It froze his blood as quickly as it bled out from the wound. But this left Kotake open to attack from Ruto, who fired a cutting beam of water from her hands. The witch narrowly dodged, only suffering a cut across the cheek. Yet even this was enough to frighten the witch, who put a hand to the wound on her cheek and shook at the sight of her own blood.

"Sheik, are you okay?" Ruto shouted across the room.

"I'll be fine," Sheik said between heavy breaths.

Deep down, Sheik thought of Saria, and how hard she had fought to save him from the Dead Hand. The memory of Saria's bravery gave the boy renewed strength. Dashing towards the weakened Barinade, Sheik tossed a volley of needles at the parasite, then hopped onto its top, stabbing deep with his Sheikah blade. The parasite began to tremble, its flesh rupturing and turning a sickly green. Sheik hopped off of Barinade, and the parasite exploded into a pile of green blood and meat.

"No! Barinade!" shouted Kotake. "You… I'll make certain you don't leave this whale alive!" Kotake grabbed hold of her broom and hopped into the air, holding it more like a staff than a broom. A large white magic sigil appeared in the air, glowing bright and pulsating with great power. A huge beam of ice magic fired from the sigil, flying right at Sheik. He tried to move, but he stumbled, weakened from his wounds. Were it not for Ruto, that would have been his end.

Ruto jumped in front of Sheik, holding out her hands to block the spell. Sheik could see trace amounts of magic floating up from Jabu Jabu into the Zora princess, empowering her.

"I can't hold her off forever," said Ruto. "Can you still fight?"

"Of course," Sheik stood back up. "I'll finish her off in one blow."

"You better not be lying! If you are, I'll…" The spell continued firing with even greater strength, causing Ruto to fall to one knee. She continued holding it back. "Now get going!"

Sheik ran across the room towards Kotake. Though her main focus was being diverted by Ruto, ice crystals surrounding the witch acted on their own and fired at Sheik. The boy ran with all his might, dodging, tumbling through the air, and parrying the ice crystals as he closed the distance. Though Kotake tried to divert her main spell towards Sheik, Ruto was there to keep it at bay.

"No… No! This cannot be!" the Gerudo hissed. "How is this possible?!"

Sheik then ran up the wall behind Kotake, jumped off of it, then flew through the air, slashing at the witch. Kotake coughed up blood, mortally wounded. Without the strength to use her magic, she spun to the ground, collapsing on the fleshy floor of the room. Sheik landed as well, flicking the blood off of his blade before sheathing it. The battle was finally over.

"Ganon… Dorf… I'm… Sorry…" Kotake's body finally gave in. It disappeared in a puff of smoke, and in its place, a spiritual apparition of the witch with a halo above her head manifested, floating in the air. "Gaaaah! I can't believe you two actually beat me!" The ghost of Kotake threw a fit while floating up higher and higher. "Ah, no matter. Even without control of the river, this changes nothing. I'm sure you predicted even this, didn't you, my lord?"

"What do you mean? Was this just a distraction?" asked Sheik.

"Ho ho ho! I'm sure you'd like to know! Go out to the fields. You'll see what I mean soon enough! Ho ho ho ho ho!"

Kotake's spirit vanished, and both Sheik and Ruto were left alone. Ruto ran to Sheik, hugging him tight. With her empowered magic, she was able to heal Sheik's wounds in a matter of seconds.

"Princess, I…" Sheik paused, looking at Ruto's crying face.

"You idiot! Do you know how scared I was? Not for myself, but for you! How you could fight with so many wounds…" Ruto sniffled. "But it doesn't matter now. The witch is gone, and Lord Jabu Jabu has been healed. And, well…" Ruto looked away. "You probably need to get going, huh?"

Sheik gave a nod. "Do you think you'll be okay? There are still monsters in the area."

"Don't you worry about that. Lord Jabu Jabu and I have made a connection. With his magic, I'll be able to force out the intruders and melt the ice. You just focus on what you need to do, okay?"

"Of course. Thank you, Ruto."

"W-wha? Why are you thanking me?! You're the one that saved me and defeated those fiends!" Ruto crossed her arms and looked away, blushing. "I know I saved you too, but I still don't think we're even. If… If there's anything you'd like before you go, just name it. But hurry it up!"

Thinking about it for a moment, there was only one thing that came to mind. Sheik said, "The Zora's Sapphire… May I have it?"

"You want our spiritual stone? Why?"

"Because I believe it's the key to stopping Ganondorf."

Ruto looked confused, but said, "Fine, I can give it to you if you really want it. My mother once told me I should only give it to the man who would be my husband, but… I'm sure we can work something out." Ruto then raised her hands up, causing the spiritual stone to manifest. It was a beautiful stone, made up of three round sapphires wedged together in a golden frame. After passing it over to Sheik, a magic circle formed around the boy. Before Sheik was teleported away, Ruto smiled at Sheik and said, "Don't tell my father…"

The fires of torch sconces flickered in the dusty prison, their embers floating in the air before disappearing into darkness. Saria, bloody and bruised, sat on the cold stone with her back against the wall. Despite all the training Impa had put her through, she ended up as yet another prisoner to the Gerudo. Resting her head against one knee, she thought only of Sheik and their last exchange.

"If you truly cared, you would believe in me the way Impa does. But clearly you see me as nothing but a child."

"You are a child!"

"Bold words for a failure…" Saria mumbled.

Saria had been stripped of everything, save the clothes on her back. Even Poppy had been taken away by the witch, Koume. She felt hurt, helpless, hungry, but most of all, alone…

But she wasn't completely alone.

"Saria? Saria? Can you hear me?"

"Wait, I know that voice… Kaepora Gaebora?" Saria scooted closer to the left wall of her cramped cell, putting her ear to the stone.

"Hoo hoot! So it is you! I must have slept through the commotion. What happened to you?"

Saria sighed, saying, "I messed up. I snuck into the fortress and was trying to rescue everyone, but I got caught instead. What about you? I haven't seen you in forever!"

"It is a bit embarrassing for me to say, but I shall say anyway. You see, I was flying over the fields, searching for the next spiritual stone when I saw strange movement near Gerudo Valley. I flew closer to take a look, but a sling stone struck my right wing, and I crashed to the ground. The Gerudo thought I was a spy, so they brought me here and I've been imprisoned ever since. At least there are always rats to keep me fed! Hoo hoo… Hoo." The owl's chuckles died down. "I'm sorry, Saria."

"No, it's okay. How's your wing?"

"Oh, it's as fit as a feather! It took time, but a kind Gerudo lass nursed me back to health, so the only thing keeping me here are these bars."

Saria was silent for a moment, a question on the tip of her tongue. Finally she asked, "Who was the one that helped you?"

"I think I only heard her name once before. Ki… Kitoga I believe? Ah yes, that was her name."

"You don't say…"

"Hmm? Is something wrong?"

"No… It's nothing."

"Well all right. If you need someone to talk to, just let me know!"

Saria turned around and rested her back against the wall adjacent to the owl's cell. Her mood lifted somewhat, she started thinking about what to do next. Two guards patrolled the prison chamber at all times, so even if she tried something on one guard when she got close to Saria's cell, the other would be quick to notice. The bars were too strong to bend or break, and digging a tunnel was completely out of the question. What, then, was the answer? While Saria contemplated this, someone new entered the prison chamber.

"Lady Nabooru!" said one of the guards. "What are you doing here?"

"It has been some time since food and water has been brought to the prisoners, so I thought I'd help," said Nabooru. "We are not barbarians, after all. We can afford to spare them some bread."

"B-but my lady, surely someone lesser should-"

"Now now, just because I was once chieftain doesn't mean I can't help out every now and then. I don't have any title or rank anymore, remember?"

"Of course…"

The two guards bowed their heads to Nabooru, who went about the prison chamber, handing out pita bread and pouring water into small clay cups. One by one, Nabooru passed by each and every prison cell until she wound up in front of Saria's. The pair gave each other a look of recognition, with Nabooru looking neither angry nor disappointed. Instead, she merely gave Saria food and water like she did with the rest of the prisoners.

"Better eat up while you can, Kokiri. I hear they'll be tossing you into the arena soon," said Nabooru. The Gerudo woman then walked away, continuing her trip throughout the prison.

The arena? What does she mean? wondered Saria.

While crouched down and turned away from the guards, Saria ate her meal. The pita was soft and warm, and the water refreshing. The pain in her belly subsided, and she could even feel a smidgen of her magical energy returning. Despite being in a prison, the meal was a touch better than the gruel that Impa had fed to her over the last month.

Some time later, a new guard entered the prison chamber, holding a pair of iron manacles.

"Prisoner!" shouted one of the guards. "Put your hands through the hole!" The Gerudo stood before Saria's cell, having opened the same latch that was used to funnel food and water to her before. Saria complied, and the manacles were latched around her wrists. "Now stand back!"

After Saria stepped away from the bars, the cell was unlocked, and the guard gestured for Saria to walk out. The guard then led Saria out of the prison chamber and down a series of corridors. The deeper the pair went, the more their surroundings changed. The upper levels of the fortress were made of a simple grey and brown brick, with flat featureless walls and little décor. The lower levels, however, were much more ornate, with a reddish stone used for the architecture. Pillars supported the walls with carvings of fanged serpents, and a diamond symbol with two eye-like circles in the middle could be seen every now and then, such as on rounded blocks of stone used for stairway posts. The air was especially dusty in the lower levels, but this was nothing compared to the stench of blood coming from below.

Saria was forced to travel down many stairs, which spiraled downward and circled some great sandpit. Tall thin oval window holes on the left walls gave Saria the occasional glimpse into the pit, though its true nature did not become clear until she reached the bottom of the stairs. Bones of beasts and men littered the outer ring of the pit, and large metal gates sat on its four sides. After the gate Saria stood before was opened, she was kicked out into the sandpit, with the gate promptly shut afterwards. Soon enough, Saria could see onlookers up above her. Guards and warriors peeking through the window holes, and even other prisoners that were brought out to watch.

"This must be the arena," said Saria.

"Correct!" said Koume from up above.

Saria tilted her head back, realizing that the old witch was sitting on a stone throne on a high-up balcony overlooking the arena. Bordering both sides of the witch were heavily armored knights with Gerudo-patterned waist cloths and battle axes.

"What am I doing here? What do you want from me?" demanded Saria.

"Just a bit of entertainment! You've been a thorn in the great Ganondorf's side for quite some time, but it'd be a waste to execute you like a common prisoner. Instead, I'll make your demise into a show for the other! Hee hee hee!" With a gesture, Koume said, "Now, release the moblins!"

Chains rattled as one of the gates to the arena was opened, and in the darkness, Saria saw beady red eyes full of malice stare back at her. One by one, dog-faced warriors in leather and chainmail armor walked out, spears and clubs in hand. They raised their weapons to the air, howled, then readied for battle.

The moblin in front of the pack charged with his spear, intent on running Saria through. Saria rolled out of the way, and the moblin crashed into the arena wall. While the monster stumbled, Saria leaped into the air and wrapped her manacle chains around his throat, choking him. The moblin growled, doing his best to try and pry Saria off. Another moblin with a rough-looking metal club came in swinging, trying to squash Saria. Instead, she let go of the first moblin, causing the second to smash the first in the back, killing him. When the first moblin burned away, Saria snatched the monster's oversized spear and pointed it at the club moblin. Up above, Gerudo booed and cheered.

"You dogs can do better than that! Kill her!" shrieked Koume.

More moblins rushed out of the gate, spears in hand. While hopping out of the way, the club moblin swung horizontally. Saria ducked, jabbing her spear into the moblin's knee. The beast staggered, and Saria stabbed him in the gut, finishing him off. The other spear moblins kept up the pressure, jabbing at her with their spears and howling with rage. Saria was eventually backed into a wall after suffering several cuts.

""Kill! Kill! Kill!"" cheered some of the Gerudo.

With few options available, Saria decided to drop her spear and call upon the fires of Din. After casting the spell, a great dome of fire grew and grew, burning away the attacking moblins until none remained. What's more, Saria used the spell to target her manacle chains (though not the manacles themselves), heating them up and making them soft.

"What? The Kokiri can call upon the Great Din's power?" scoffed Koume. "Fine then. Release the lizards!"

Another gate opened, and lizalfos scurried out from the darkness, hungry and ready to kill. One rushed Saria with its mouth wide open, tongue flapping in the breeze. After swinging its sword, Saria hopped back at just the right moment, letting the beast strike her chain instead, tearing through the shoddy hot iron. After backflipping away from another strike, Saria grabbed another moblin's spear and pierced the lizalfos through the heart, killing it before taking its sword. The prisoners let out a resounding cheer.

"Talon, Talon, look! She's free!" cried Malon.

"By the Goddesses, she's really doing it! Go, Saria! Go!" cheered Talon.

Saria continued defending herself against the lizalfos, ducking, dodging, and parrying their attacks, all while slicing and stabbing when the lizards let their guards down. After killing her fourth, an especially large and fearsome lizalfos stepped out from the gate, with large sharp fangs visible from its underbite, and a spiky ridge running down from the top of its head to its tail.

That's no ordinary lizalfos, thought Saria. Even the other monsters are cowering before it. Maybe if I take it down, the others will be too scared to fight.

Saria readied her blade, standing her ground as the dinolfos moved in. After the beast stared at her with its yellow saurian eyes, it slashed with its blade, cutting Saria's blade in two.

Oh.

The dinolfos cackled with murderous glee and continued its attack, forcing Saria on the run. Up on the balcony, Koume clapped and cheered.

"Yes, yes! Now this is what I want to see!" said Koume.

Saria scrambled to grab other weapons, but each time, the dinolfos proved too strong, breaking the weapons before she had the chance to use them. Once more, Saria found herself cornered. One of the few weapons remaining was a metal club left behind by a moblin, but it was so big, Saria wasn't sure if she could even lift it.

I could try Din's Fire again, but if it turns out this monster is resistant to fire, I'm done for.

Saria eyed the club once again as the dinolfos leered at her, licking its blade. Then the beast bent its legs before leaping into the air, stabbing downwards. Saria dodged at the last second, kicking sand into the dinolfos' eyes before rolling to the side and grabbing the club. Its weight was immense, but she had an idea. Holding onto the lowest parts of the handle, she tried dragging it around, pivoted on her heels, and began to spin. Channeling magic into her attack, the Kokiri spun faster and faster around the arena, kicking up a storm of sand while bashing any stray lizalfos out of the way. Though the dinolfos tried to attack, it too was knocked away by the force of the club, and the beast went flying into a wall, smashing into it and leaving a small crater. It slumped to the ground, lifeless, and burned away into nothing. Saria finally stopped, completely dizzy from the attack.

"Hmph! I can't believe this! If the lizards can't kill her, then release the stalfos!" shouted Koume.

Another gate opened, and skeletal warriors walked out. But after looking at the wounded, tired, and half-crazed Saria who had just picked up the dinolfos' blade, the skeletons looked at each other and shook their heads, walking back into their den.

"What? You cowardly bags of bones! Fine then." Koume turned to one of the armored warriors by her side, snapping her finger. "Kumegi, it's time. Execute Saria at once!"

The armored warrior nodded, hopping off the balcony and landing on the arena floor with a loud thud. The impact kicked up a wave of sand. Saria covered her eyes with the back of her arm, and after lowering it, she saw the warrior grip its axe in both hands, raising it to the sky before growling in a metallic, distorted voice.

"Wait, did that Gerudo say Kumegi?" asked Talon.

"Huh? What's wrong?" asked Malon.

Down below, Saria was worn down from all the fighting, but she gathered that this warrior was Koume's last ditch effort to kill her. Believing this, she gripped her sword firmly and charged. The iron knuckle easily blocked the attack with the shaft of its axe, shirking Saria to the side before swinging. Saria ducked the attack, but the force of the blow was so great, her green cap went flying off of her head. It swung again, and Saria tried to block, but she was pushed back, smashing into the wall behind her. Saria coughed up blood, her arms shaking and feeling weak. She could barely hold onto her sword.

This warrior, this… Monster… It's unlike any of the others. Is this to be my end?

"Don't you dare give up, Saria! You can win!" shouted Malon! "Come on, everybody! Cheer for her!"

One by one, the other prisoners watching the fight started cheering, drowning out the boos and hisses of the Gerudo. This enraged Koume, causing her to slam her fist down on her throne.

"Silence! Silence all of you!" But no matter how hard she screamed, she couldn't be heard over all the cheering for Saria. Even the iron knuckle hesitated when Malon first began to cheer.

"Looks like it's now or never."

Saria gripped her sword with all of her might and charged, howling all the while. The iron knuckle swung with its axe, but Saria leaped over the attack, slicing right at its helmet. After she landed on the ground, the iron knuckle faltered. The helm split in two and fell to the ground, revealing the face of a Gerudo woman.

"It's her! I knew it!" said Talon. "Kumegi! Kumegi, can you hear me?! Up here!"

"Kumegi?" questioned Saria. The Kokiri turned, realizing the Gerudo woman had a glazed look in her eye. It was clear that she was not in her right state of mind. Then something clicked in Saria's head. The vanishing Gerudo, the way even Kitoga was abducted by Koume…

They're brainwashing their own people, aren't they? thought Saria.

Then came an explosion, and then another. Saria heard the sounds of shouting and fighting up above.

"Huh? What's going on?!" shouted Koume. Then another Gerudo rushed to the witch's side and got down on one knee.

"My lady, we're under attack!"

"Under attack? By who?"

"It's Nabooru! She's betrayed us!"

"That foul woman! I should have known!"

It was around this time that another gate to the arena opened up. It was the one Saria had been forced through before. On the other side was none other than Nabooru herself, with a pair of Gerudo at her side.

"Come on, Saria! It's time to leave!" shouted Nabooru.

"Right!" said Saria. The Kokiri grabbed her green cap and ran towards the open gate, but then she stopped, looking back at the iron knuckle, Kumegi.

"We can worry about her later. Come on!"

Koume noticed what was happening and shrieked, "Oh no you don't!" Taking to the air on her broomstick, Koume flew after Saria and Nabooru as they left the arena, only to smack into the gate as it shut. "Grrr. You think this gate can hold me? I'll melt it into paste, then I'll burn you all to your bones!"

On the other side of the gate, Saria and Nabooru took off running. There was fighting on the stairs leading up. Those loyal to Koume wore purple, while those loyal to Nabooru wore white. Saria rushed ahead, striking down two of the guards with her blade. Nabooru looked to her own warriors and said, "Make sure the prisoners get to safety! I'm taking Saria to the surface!"

""Yes ma'am!"" the two women said in unison.

As Nabooru and Saria kept running, Saria said, "So what's going on?"

"I had been readying myself for a coup for some time, keeping it secret while playing along with those witches. But things have changed, and I couldn't wait any longer."

"But why?"

"Because Ganondorf is attacking Hyrule!"

Even though Saria knew it was coming, hearing the words still shook her. After processing things, she said, "Tell me what I need to do."

"First, we need to get you your things. No sense sending you to that battlefield empty-handed."

"I can work with that, but why me? I want to stop Ganondorf as much as you do, but I'm just one Kokiri."

More Gerudo sprung on the pair, and the two worked together to fight them off, with Saria swinging her sword and Nabooru striking with her scimitar. When the guards were defeated, Nabooru turned to Saria.

"While I was looking after the prisoners here, that oversized owl told me something. He told me I was destined to help you defeat that man… I didn't believe him at first, but after seeing the way you fought in the arena, I think you really could defeat him. It might sound crazy, but something is telling me I need to get you to that battlefield."

"Then I'll gladly accept the help," nodded Saria.

"Don't think you'll get away that easily!" shrieked Koume. The witch had grown twice in size, and her white hair had taken on a fiery visage. With a gesture, a gout of flame fired from her fingertips.

"Look out!" shouted Saria, pushing back Nabooru. The Kokiri dodged as well, though one of her sleeves had caught fire. After patting the fire out, she readied her sword once more, looking up at the Gerudo witch. "You! Where's Poppy?"

"The fairy? Right here," Koume patted a fold of her robe over her chest. "I hear fairies are quite handy for those close to death, so I'm keeping her as a good luck charm! Hee hee hee!"

Saria gritted her teeth and charged. Fairies were not just simple companions to the Kokiri. While the Great Deku Tree acted as the Kokiris' father, each and every fairy was like a second parent, guiding, teaching, and raising the Kokiri until they were swift and clever enough to survive the dangers of the forest. Poppy was no mere friend to Saria. In many ways, she was like a surrogate mother to her. The idea of holding Poppy captive and using her magic like that against her will… It made Saria's blood boil. With no words left to exchange, Saria attacked, ready to bring the witch down.

Koume was quick to blast Saria with flame as she leaped towards her. Saria called upon the magic of the spinning technique, slashing through the fire before striking Koume in the chest. Saria had lost most of her momentum, but she didn't intend on cutting deep with the attack. Merely cutting open the pouch Poppy was kept in was enough. After landing on the ground, Saria caught the falling bottle and uncorked it.

"Saria!" shouted Poppy. "You're alive!"

"Not for long!" shrieked Koume. "Take this!" Rather than a simple gout of flame like before, Koume summoned several small flames that shot through the air like fast-flying birds, pursuing Saria and Poppy as the two were forced to stay on the run. Spotting a fallen piece of rubble, Saria ran over, grabbed hold of it, and threw it at the pursuing spells, causing them to trigger mid-air and explode.

"The next one's gonna hit your head!" shouted Saria. Koume shrunk back from this.

"Y-you don't frighten me, fairy girl! I've been pulling the Gerudo's strings for over 400 years! Do you know how many would-be heroes I've put down?!"

"Only 400? You look way older than that," said Poppy.

"Gah! How dare you! You'll die first!" Koume summoned another swarm of pursuing fireballs, creating them one after the other. With so many in the air, if they were set off like before, the chain reaction would turn the whole room into rubble.

"Time to go," said Saria. She lifted her cap to hide Poppy and ran for it, doing her best to ensure the spells didn't strike anyone else.

Nabooru, who had been kept busy fighting another iron knuckle, saw Saria running and gave chase as well, following Koume and the spells after ducking a strike from her opponent.

"Saria!" shouted Nabooru. "I've got you!" After making a gesture, Nabooru summoned a blue crystal to encase the pursuing spells. The crystal shrunk down, containing the explosions before dissipating into shards of light.

"What? Since when did you learn that spell?" asked Koume.

"Since I spoke to a certain great fairy out in the desert," Nabooru smiled.

The witch's eyes grew bloodshot at this, and Koume said, "I knew I should have kept a closer eye on you! Of all the girls my sister and I have granted the title chieftain, you are by far the most troublesome!"

"I'll take that as a compliment," Nabooru winked. "Now then, Saria! It's time to finish this old crone off!"

"Crone?! I'll turn you to ash for that!" Koume fired another gout of flame at the Gerudo, all while Nabooru gestured once more with her hands. Saria was quick to cross the room and step in front of Nabooru, taking the attack. Only, Saria wasn't harmed at all, for the same blue light that the Gerudo had captured the flames with before now encased Saria, turning her into a living shield.

"Good timing," said Nabooru. "I wasn't sure if you caught onto my plan."

"When you didn't look frightened, I had a feeling you were up to something," said Saria.

"Oh, silly girl, I'm never frightened."

Koume looked too angry to even speak at this point. She just chucked spell after spell at the pair, with Nabooru dodging and Saria taking the blasts like a champ. The spell would continue to protect her, but for how long, Saria wasn't sure. Despite her confidence, it was clear Nabooru was growing tired, so Saria knew she couldn't waste anymore time. When Koume raised her hand for one last spell, Saria made her move.

Saria dashed ahead, tossing her sword like a spear. Koume dodged out of the way, just as Saria predicted. The sword pierced the stone wall behind the witch, acting as a springboard for Saria to jump off of after she ran up the wall. After leaping into the air, Saria came in with a spinning kick, striking Koume across the face. Saria then kicked off the opposite wall, striking Koume again before landing back where her sword was, and with one last leap, she pulled the sword free and charged the witch. Though Koume tried to put everything into her spell to blast Saria, the protective spell held out just long enough. Saria charged through the flame, slicing Koume right down the middle. When Saria landed on the ground, the protective spell broke apart and faded away. Koume then fell to the ground, twitching.

"Your reign of tyranny is over," said Saria. "Goodbye."

Koume's body then disappeared, and in its place, a ghostly apparition looking like Koume manifested, floating in the air.

"Nyaaaah! I can't believe I lost to such brats! If my sister was here, you would have been dead for sure!" Koume then looked up, putting a hand to her ear to listen. "What? Kotake, is that you? What do you mean you lost too?! You were supposed to guard that blasted whale! You what? No! You idiot! Come over here so I can strangle you and kill you a second time!"

Nabooru stepped forward and said, "Hey now, don't be mean to your sister. She's all you'll have on the other side!"

"Yeah! Be nicer to your family!" shouted Poppy after lifting up Saria's cap.

Koume's ghost looked ready to explode with rage, but then the fire in her died down. She sighed, saying, "Maybe you're right. Instead, I should be angry at all of you! If I ever figure out how to, I'll haunt all of you! A pox! A curse! No matter what, I'll never let you reeeeest!"

The ghost of Koume flew up into the air, vanishing. With the witch defeated, the surviving Gerudo loyal to her were routed, and the fortress came under Nabooru's control. After that, Saria was taken to where her things were kept, and with Nabooru and Poppy's magical aid, Saria's health and stamina were restored.

"Thank you for the help," said Saria.

"No, thank you. For too long have Kotake and Koume puppeteered the Gerudo from the shadows, prolonging the conflict that had been ongoing between my people and the Hylians. While our future is uncertain with Ganondorf's army on the rise, I will do what I can to offer the Hylians support from now on."

A Gerudo in white rushed down the stairs to where Nabooru and Saria were, saying, "My lady, I have brought the owl to the surface just as you have requested."

"Very good!" said Nabooru. "Saria, whenever you're ready, Kaepora Gaebora will take you out of the valley."

"All right," said Saria. "Before I go, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?"

"Can you look after Malon for me? She'll probably be eager to chase after me now that she's freed, but the battlefield I'm going to is no place for a child like her."

Nabooru gave Saria a puzzled look but then said, "Very well. I had planned to keep the former prisoners safe anyhow. I have a sinking suspicion Malon would not want to leave at this moment… Now then, off with you! The battlefield awaits its hero!"

Saria gave a nod then ran up to the surface, thinking to herself, Hero, huh? I'm not so sure…

Outside, Kaepora Gaebora was roosting on a supply crate. Upon seeing Saria, he said, "Hoo hoot! There you are!"

"Sorry for the wait."

"It's no trouble. Now grab hold of my talons, and we'll head to Hyrule Fields!"

"While we're flying, can we check on Zora's River? A friend of mine should be in the area and I want to make sure they're okay."

"Of course, but let us not dally anymore."

Kaepora Gaebora spread his wings and took to the air. Saria grabbed hold of the owl and held on tight. With luck, she would reunite with Sheik, and from there, they would face down Ganondorf together. The Kokiri felt a heavy weight in her stomach, but was it the flight, or worry? Whatever it was, Saria ignored it, gathering her courage for the upcoming battle.