Ocarina of Time Chapter 25

 

Chapter 25

The Kokiri

Seers, healers, and guardians of the land. Once the Great Fairies of Hyrule were known as the children of the Mother Goddess. They were appointed to watch over creation, bringing healing to the sick, the weary, and the broken. Moriko, the Great Fairy of the Forest, watcher of the Lost Woods, was one of the last of her kind.

The moment she emerged from the cave where she'd been imprisoned for seven years, Moriko knew something was wrong. Closing her eyes, she let her mind wander amongst the trees, touching the plane of spirits as she searched for those who dwelt amidst the ancient sentinels. Nothing. She should have been able to feel something, even the slightest whisper of an animal scurrying through the underbrush. Instead, there was nothing but a stifling silence.

That was odd. She opened her eyes, frowning in consternation. The trees were withered, their brown bark turned to black and grey. They were almost skeletal, their branches resembling leafless arms twisting into the sky. As she began to fear the worst, Moriko noticed there were some signs of life as she spotted small leaf buds whose appearance marked winter's end.

It should be well into spring.

None of the creatures she expected to see on a spring day were present. The bowers should have been blooming and teeming with birds and insects, all looking for a feed.

Determined to find answers, she stretched her gossamer wings and flew towards the nearest of the Kokiri groves. Only when she landed and finally emerged into a clearing with a single large tree at its centre, she found the dwellings abandoned and neglected. Several treehouses had collapsed and were now a dangling mess of broken timber, some of which had fallen to the ground. The houses that were still standing were choked with vines and weeds. It seemed that the village had been abandoned for quite some time, as though the Kokiri had simply gathered what little possessions they owned and left.

That in itself didn't warrant much concern. Although it was quite rare, in times of poor harvest, the Kokiri would relocate if they were told to. That didn't put her at ease though, not given the state the woods were in.

She turned to the tree in the centre of the glen. It resembled the Great Deku Tree, except that it was half the size. It was one of the few trees in the woods that had been grown from a cutting of the Elder Tree long ago, however, it was quite young compared to the one in the grove that bordered Hyrule Field. She could still sense the tree spirit as it emerged from its slumber. When she reached it, Moriko closed her eyes and touched the tree, the faint hum of magic emanating from deep within it tingled her senses. Slowly, the spirit touched her consciousness and spoke to her in visions.

She saw the death of the Great Deku Tree, the raid on the Kokiri groves, and the demon that cursed the Forest Temple.

A rush of fear and anger flooded Moriko as she ended the meld. She seized the currents of earth magic flowing through the woods, letting it fill her. The curse that had tainted it was gone, and the sensation was as sweet as cool water to a parched tongue. She drank deeply until the current filled her.

This time, her calls were answered. A green mist rose out of the ground, and before she knew it, she could see the spectral shapes of dozens of animals emerging into the clearing. Amongst them were wolves, bears, and the child-like figures of the ancient Kokiri. They had lived in a time when the woods were far less peaceful, and they didn't look nearly as happy or go-lucky as their descendants. Warpaint decorated their pudgy faces, though it was hard to discern with their ghostly images. Some held bows in their small hands, and others clutched crudely made spears or daggers.

Only a few of the forest children wore their traditional plain tunics with their pointed caps. The closest Kokiri were two boys, one freckle-faced and the other fair-haired.

"Can you lead me to the others?" Moriko asked the freckled boy.

He merely nodded and pointed in the direction of Hyrule Field.

"Lead the way then."

The boy obeyed, apparently still too stunned by his transition into his new form to speak much. She had no doubt the memory of his death was still raw.

"Are you going to fight them?" squeaked the fair-haired boy. "The ones who took our home?"

"Not if I can help it," Moriko answered.

She did not intend to attack the Gerudo, despite the anger seething through her and the knowledge of what they had done. She was hoping the sight of the army of forest spirits might discourage them from fighting. Despite their prowess with the blade and spear, the Gerudo were fearful of the woods. Given how superstitious they were, Moriko wondered how the Gerudo had been convinced to come here in the first place.

With the army of forest spirits following behind her, some chattering in hushed tones, Moriko made her way to the Gerudo camp.

~0~

Aveil looked down at the dark-haired Gerudo kneeling on the mat before her, lips trembling with a barely contained rage. Maintaining any measure of self-restraint, or any of the dignity expected of her rank, was getting quite difficult, and she had to fight the urge to start pacing again. 

Three! How could you let three children escape?

She could almost picture the unpleasant conversation she would have with their king soon. Ganondorf did not look kindly upon failure. His temper was famous amongst the Gerudo, as were the cruel punishments he dished out on any incompetence that dared foul his ranks.

Aveil clasped a hand to her forehead, one hand on her hip as she suppressed a groan.

It felt as though someone had attempted to cleave her skull in two with a scimitar. Everyone in the camp had a headache ever since that strange plume of green light appeared from the woods.

The witches, Koume and Kotake, were supposed to go and see what had caused it. Aveil could still hear them bickering like two old women having a disagreement with a merchant in the market. Their voices rose shrilly from the next tent, and Aviel felt like personally going in and ending the argument herself. She would have done just that, except that it was a very bad idea to get in the middle of a fight between two witches. Especially those two.

It sounded like Koume didn't want to go near where the plume of light came from, and Kotake was trying to talk her into going. At least, that was what they were talking about until Kotake called Koume a batty old witch. Things went downhill from there.

For the love of the Goddess, Pahket. Can somebody gag those damned hags!

Shinju was looking back up at her, swallowing as though thinking the frustrated gesture was directed at her. Staring at the woman, Aveil sighed inwardly.

"I am disappointed in you, Shinju. I expected better of you than to let three children escape while under your care," she said with a calm she did not feel. "What of their fairies? They cannot have gone far without them."

"The fairies are missing too," Shinju answered. "The guards didn't see anything."

Aveil pinched the bridge of her nose. "So you're telling me two overlarge torch bugs just got out on their own, and nobody saw them?"

Shinju hesitated. "There was one person seen entering the tent."

"And you didn't think to bring this to my attention at once?" Aveil demanded. "Who was it?"

While she knew that some of the Gerudo pitied the Kokiri, Aveil allowed it, not anticipating that anyone would try to help them escape. There was nowhere to go; between bandits, wild animals, and whatever other creatures lived in these woods, attempting to flee was foolish.

"Letitia," Shinju replied quietly. "Shall I have the other Kokiri punished?"

"No, the witches will have me hand the Kokiri over to the bulblins, and I'm not giving those beasts the pleasure," said Aveil. "Send Letitia to me."

Aveil barely knew the woman; Letitia had only just passed the trials of the Desert Colossus, meaning she was amongst the youngest to join the ranks of the Gerudo warriors.

Shinju didn't so much as twitch until Aveil's gaze locked with her own. She flinched and whispered, "She's gone too."

"Gone?" Aveil repeated, infuriated. "What do you mean, gone?"

Shinju was busy fiddling with her bangles. "Nobody has seen her since last night. She was friendly with one of the Kokiri, the same girl that escaped."

"She was helping them?" Aveil asked, her eyebrows raised.

Shinju nodded, trembling now. "It would appear so."

She expected to be punished. Aveil was not eager to have one of her most trusted companions whipped, but she knew it would be far kinder than having the witches offer to do it themselves.

"Shall I have more guards look for the missing Kokiri?" Shinju asked.

"No," Aveil replied.

She turned towards the table in the centre of the tent, and slammed her palms onto it harder than necessary, nearly upsetting a tray with two untouched cups of tea. One of the Kokiri had brought it in, right before scampering off at the stormy expression on Aveil's face.

A map of Hyrule and the surrounding kingdoms lay sprawled out beside the tray. Aveil's lips pursed as she examined the small figurines on the map. The Mithiran army, by far the largest of all Ten Kingdoms, was approaching Faron River, and by recent reports, they were camped near Mabe Village. That put them only a few days from the river, which meant they could reach the Gerudo camp within a week. There was too much going on to worry about the whereabouts of two children. Besides, Ganondorf's phantom was patrolling near the Forest Temple, as were the undead sorceress sisters- victims of an ill-fated journey into the woods, driven insane by the ancient spirits, or so Ganondorf had explained. Even if that weren't enough, there were moblin patrols throughout the forest, and it was more than likely the trio would run into one of them.

Aveil's skin crawled. She didn't want to consider what might happen to Letitia if she was caught by one of them. If they could catch her. Some things were better left unsaid.

Just then, Aveil noticed a new pair of angry voices coming from outside her tent; her guards were yelling at someone attempting to gain entrance.

What is it now?

Aveil sighed, ordered Shinju to remain where she was, and strode out of her tent. About ten Gerudo guards, all wearing the traditional headdress and veil, had formed a circle around something.

As she drew closer to the circle of Gerudo soldiers, Aveil realized that they were guarding a woman with black hair and pale skin.

She doubted anyone would be fool enough, but if they'd captured a random Hylian noblewoman under the impression she was the missing Princess of Hyrule, Ganondorf would not be impressed. One of the officers, marked by a jewelled headpiece adorned with a blood-red ruby, came over to Aveil the moment they spotted her.

"Have we resorted to kidnapping Hylian maidens now at random?" Aveil asked as the officer stopped before her.

"This woman claims to be the Great Fairy of the forest, Moriko," the officer replied. She stepped in line with Aveil, who quickly strode over to the tall black haired figure.

A Great Fairy?

Aveil nearly scoffed, but then the two women nearest her shuffled out of her way, and Aveil stopped dead in her tracks, looking at the woman's gossamer dragonfly wings.

She is a Great Fairy.

As far as anyone knew, the Great Fairies were dead. Now one stood in front of her, and Aveil wondered how she had survived.

The officer who'd spoken to her earlier quickly filled Aveil in. "We found her at the edge of the clearing. She demanded to speak to you."

"You have a lot of nerve wandering into our camp unannounced," Aveil said as a hush fell over her guards. "What do you want?"

"You are a long way from home, Aveil," said the fairy, ignoring Aveil's question. "My name is Moriko. As for why I'm here, you have something that belongs to me."

A loud irritating cackle announced Koume and Kotake. The urge to turn around and snarl at them was quite strong, but Aveil refrained... only just.

Why are those witches so damn nosy?

"Well, well, Kotake," said Koume as she strode forward. "If it isn't the tooth fairy."

Aveil's soldiers looked bemused. Moriko apparently understood; she scowled, her white face going a shade of scarlet.

"You know who I am, sorceress," said Moriko in an icy tone.

Aveil ignored the exchange and turned to the two witches. "Speak sensibly, Koume, and quickly. You told me she was dead."

"Well, I thought so too," Kotake croaked. "This is all Koume's fault; she was the one who set the trap -"

"I was not!" Koume shouted, her face going as red as the ruby on her tiara.

"Hey, this is no way to behave in front of our guest," Kotake screeched.

"ENOUGH! Both of you!" Aveil bellowed. The witch's mouths went slack. They were not used to being talked to like that. Aveil hid a satisfied grin.

Finally, I made them quiet.

She turned back to Moriko and opened her mouth, before a noise from her left interrupted her. The two witches were not content to remain silent for long. Aveil struggled to maintain some sense of dignity and not attack them. As much as she hated to admit it, that would probably end badly.

"Well... umm, we can see to it she dies this time," Koume said. Raising her hand in a semi-dramatic gesture, she held her palms out towards Moriko. Nothing happened.

Kotake cocked her head, looking at her sister expectantly. The other witch tried the gesture again and gave a cry of disbelief, "Nothing's happening!"

"Told you you're getting old," Koume said dryly before attempting the same gesture. Nothing.

"Maybe you're the one getting-" Kotake interrupted.

"What are you doing?" Aveil demanded, stepping in before the pair could argue.

"We can't cast magic. We can't draw on the power of our gems-" Kotake said, sounding shocked.

She looked up at the gems on the tiara the witches wore. Neither Koume's red ruby nor the diamond in Kotake's headdress were glowing as they normally did when the wearer used them.

"Having problems?" Moriko asked.

Aveil's eyes fell on the pendant around her neck, and she wondered if that were somehow responsible. An amulet of protection, perhaps?

"You!" Koume cast a dramatic finger at Moriko, who was looking rather calm for someone the two witches were attempting to kill. "You did this! What have you done? Ganondorf will hear of this defiance!"

"Be sure to give him my regards," Moriko replied coldly.

The woman had some nerve. As Moriko's attention centred on her, Aveil did her best to maintain a mask of calm.

"As for you, Aveil," Moriko said. "you have something that belongs to me. I will offer you the chance to return them unharmed. Or I will take them by force."

The Kokiri?

The threat to take them back by force did not sound idle.

She's bluffing.

"And just how do you propose to do that?" Aveil asked. "You stand alone, and I see you have no army. Do you intend to make the Kokiri fight for you? Only a Sheikah would do that."

There were wary glances at the name of the Gerudo's old nemesis. More than one soldier made a sign with one hand- a gesture to ward off evil.

"I have an army of forest spirits that have now surrounded your camp," Moriko declared. "They have kept away from your patrols thus far. You have until nightfall to grant my request. Release the Kokiri unharmed with their guardians, or I will take back what is mine."

"How dare you defy the great King Ganondorf," Koume yelled. "We should kill her for this insolence, sis.'"

"With what? Your broom? Your magic no longer works within the confines of the forest. You know the legends of the forest spirits. You know what happens to people who dwell too long in the Lost Woods when the forest spirits sense them as a threat, mages included."

Aveil had heard those stories before, and they explained the origins of the sorceress sisters in the Forest Temple, the ones Ganondorf had mentioned. The Sheikah spoke of a time when the Hylians first crossed the mountain ranges. Persuaded by their greedy king, they destroyed much of the woods that were home to the forest children. Ever since the king was toppled, and the war ended with a truce between the two races, the spirits of those children were said to guard the forest. The Kokiri vanished soon after, far from prying eyes. Aveil did not know what would happen if Moriko wasn't bluffing. She doubted the forest spirits would be grateful for Ganondorf's armies ransacking their realm.

She didn't want to lose the Kokiri and retreat from the forest like a pack of frightened hounds with their tails between their legs, either. The Mithiran army would not hesitate to pursue them if they did. Unless Ganondorf could use his powers to move enough of the bulblin hordes behind the Mithirans and strike them from the rear.

"Should we kill her?" one of the soldiers asked, pointing her spear at the fairy.

"Do that, and I can guarantee you will be attacked," said Moriko.

"Perhaps we should drag her out of the forest and kill her," Koume suggested.

"Don't even think about it," Moriko replied coldly when the witches stepped forward.

"I cannot give you back the Kokiri. Even if I could allow it, my master would not. He would sooner come and slaughter them himself than let them escape," Aveil said at last. "Even you know the powers that have kept these woods safe are nothing before his."

"Has your king become so cold?" Moriko asked, regarding Aveil cooly. "Tell me, what did he promise you when he took Hyrule's throne? Did he offer you a promised land? Or perhaps he promised an entire continent stretching from here to the distant shores that were once part of the Old Kingdom of Hyrule? The land is dying, tainted by a curse that has spread far beyond Hyrule's borders. Your people are hungry, and I know as well as you do that an army marches on its stomach. How loyal will you be when your food runs out?"

"This is folly! I say kill her now!" the soldier nearest Aveil said loudly.

Not everyone looked as though they agreed with her, and murmurs spread amongst the soldiers. Koume and Kotake shot each other accusing stares as though blaming each other for this dissent.

Nabooru would never have let this happen.

"To speak of the king in such a manner is treason, Moriko," Aveil said calmly.

"I serve no king," Moriko replied briskly; the fairy's green eyes were fixed on Aveil with an icy glare.

Aveil admired Moriko's tenacity. The witches were right; she was an insolent creature. Under different circumstances, Aveil would have been impressed. Braver people would have quailed and fled under the murderous stares she was getting from the ring of Gerudo. They were disciplined warriors, however, and would not attack unless Aveil ordered them to. She didn't.

"I will need to speak to my advisors first," Aveil announced. "You will have my answer in an hour."

"Very well," Moriko announced. "I will return then."

"Escort her out," Aveil ordered, turning her gaze to the nearest officer. They nodded and barked an order. With that, the Gerudo formed ranks and quickly escorted Moriko away.

For the longest time, Aveil stared after her.

"We should use the Kokiri as shields," Koume suggested. "She won't attack. That is, if she is not bluffing."

"Their fairies would be far easier," Kotake offered.

"No, you can't do that!" the horrified gasp came from Shinju. "Do that and none of us will get out of this forest alive!"

"Shinju is right. You will do no such thing!" Aveil snapped at the two witches. "If you even lay a finger on them before I come up with a plan-"

"How dare you threaten us!" Koume yelled, her large eyes nearly popping out of her head.

"Let me speak to Ganondorf first."

"Perhaps we should summon Volvagia?" Koume suggested, sounding ecstatic. "He would burn the woods to the ground."

"You will do nothing of the sort!" Aveil said sharply. "That dragon is about as useful as a rabid dog."

Koume clicked her tongue. "Well, the enchantment may require some perfecting, but..."

"No," Aveil cut in.

Despite Ganondorf's efforts to keep the beast under control, Volvagia had broken free of the enchantments that controlled him on more than one occasion. If Ganondorf hadn't intervened as quickly as he had, the results would have been disastrous. No, Volvagia was rabid and far too much of a risk to her people.

Without another word to the witches, Aveil turned and strode to her tent. Her guards stepped aside from the entrance, avoiding her eyes. She didn't blame them. Aveil snapped an order at them, telling them to go and see if there really was an army surrounding them.

She strode towards the mirror at the far end of the tent, its surface shimmering and rippling as she approached it. Aveil was sure this was not a conversation she would enjoy. She had already smashed one mirror.

Aveil hated the woods. She hated everything about them. This and the war the Gerudo had fought for the last seven years. It was supposed to have been quick. There was never meant to be a war with Hyrule's neighbours. The Triforce was supposed to give Ganondorf the power to conquer the entire realm. Only it hadn't.

Why am I thinking like this? These were treacherous thoughts; if she voiced them aloud...

No, she breathed deeply. Ganondorf is my king.

Aveil shook her head, composed herself, and looked as calm as she could manage as the rippling mirror formed an image of Ganondorf. The Gerudo king was scowling as he approached the mirror. Aveil gritted her teeth and braced herself for the storm of words sure to come.

~0~

"By the light of the creators, we pray you find shelter in the embrace of the Goddesses. May the power of Din grant you strength. May the wisdom of Nayru guide your spirit, and may the courage of Farore dwell within you." Sheik placed her fingers on her cowl as she finished the short blessing. "Though the flow of time is cruel and its speed seems different for each person, no one can change it. A thing that does not change with time is a memory of younger days. Sleep now, sweet child. May you find peace in the embrace of our creators."

The sombre glow of twilight lit the Great Deku Tree's meadow. To the west, the sky was bathed in shades of orange, red, pink, and yellow that melted away into darkness. The first stars of the evening appeared in the heavens, glowing like distant fires. As Sheik finished her sombre speech, a strange hush fell over the woods and only the stirring of leaves could be heard.

Vaspin was standing by the Great Deku Tree with Rin and another Skull Kid. Though the Elder Tree had given him and the other cursed forest dwellers a chance to return to their original forms, they had asked for time to consider it. After so many years, they'd become accustomed to their strange appearance.

Sheik stood beside a grave that had been dug in front of the ancient forest guardian. Flowers speckled Mido's body, a myriad of blue, pink, and white blossoms. A single feather and a flute lay atop these, and a pendant adorned Mido's neck, the tooth of a wolf worn upon a chain.

Link scraped the dirt back into the hole. The skull kids had acquired the shovel, and even though every inch of Link's body ached with exhaustion, he poured his remaining strength into his solemn task. The soft scrape of dirt against metal seemed loud, and he barely noticed how sore he was, too numb to care.

I'm sorry I couldn't save you, Mido.

Navi sat silently in the branches of the Great Deku Tree, one arm draped around Mori who was staring at the grave with grief-stricken eyes.

Forenz used his hands to help scrape the last of the earth back into the hole. Leaving his shovel against the tree, Link retrieved the Kokiri Sword, dug its tip into the Great Deku Tree's trunk, and began carving the knife along the wood. When he finished, he stood back, examining the name he'd just carved.

Mido.

"Saria would be proud of you," Forenz said as they both stared at the name. "Do you reckon she's watching us? You know, from wherever it is she went."

"The Sacred Realm," Link reminded Forenz. "Knowing Saria, she would be watching us. If she can."

He had explained Saria's fate but was not certain Forenz understood. He wondered if Saria could see them. Was she watching as they buried Mido? He knew from what little Sheik had told him that Rauru could catch glimpses of what was happening by using the Sage Medallions or a scrying mirror, so perhaps she could.

Link scratched Doran's name further along the trunk and then handed Forenz the sword. The boy carved one final name.

Arden.

Link wanted to remember their names. He wanted to remember what had happened to them and not let them become just another memory, a name on the list of people he and Navi had known. It motivated Link to remember why he fought. To honour those who Ganondorf had killed, to avenge them, and make sure their deaths were not meaningless.

To think Saria nearly joined that list.

To think of how close he came to losing her sent a chill down his spine. The thought of the Gerudo King and what he had done to Hyrule made Link angry. He hated Ganondorf. Hated what he had done to the woods, to his home and to Hyrule.

I have to stop him. He has to die for what he has done, even if I have to go down with him.

Could he kill Ganondorf? Could he end the cycle to which the Goddesses had linked their fates? There had to be some way to stop it.

He stared down at the mound of dirt before walking away, exhaustion finally claiming him as he just about fell onto a nearby tree root. Wearily, he looked up at the Great Deku Tree's lifeless trunk, seeing the fallen guardian in a new light. He wondered about the Sage who'd merged his spirit with the Deku Tree and watched over the Kokiri for so long.

Who were you? he wondered.

"Saria will come back, though, won't she?" Forenz asked, approaching so quietly that Link was almost startled to find the boy standing just a few feet away, apparently guessing that Saria was the source of his musings. "The forest will be awfully quiet without her."

He took a seat next to Link, looking up at him with bleary eyes.

"I don't think you could keep Saria away from here long," Link said after a long pause. He was almost too tired to make conversation.

How long would it take him to find the other Sages? Weeks? Months? Years? Did Hyrule even have that long?

Sheik wanted Link to head for Death Mountain next. There had been trouble between the Gorons and Ganondorf. What it was, Link had no idea, but it brought back unpleasant memories of a giant dodongo trying to burn him to a crisp. He didn't want to talk about it, or much else, with her just yet. Before they'd left the Forest Temple, Sheik had tried to determine how much the Elder Tree knew of the First Sages, and if the forest spirits would aid her in Hyrule's conflict. The latter had put her at odds with Link, for he was not at all comfortable with the idea.

The tree's reluctance to share what little he remembered of the First Sage, and its greater reluctance to involve the forest spirits in Hyrule's war, had further annoyed the Sheikah. As to why the Elder Tree didn't remember, all the tree would reveal was that this was an effect of being isolated from the Sacred Realm for so long.

"The Sacred Realm is a membrane that separates your world from that of my kin. For a time, the ancient Hylians and Sheikah could cross it and commune with their gods. Not all the gods were benevolent, and some sought to turn Hyrule against their creators, convincing them that they should be the ones to rule both realms. The bloody war that followed nearly destroyed the inhabitants of the Sacred Realm. To preserve it, and as a punishment for humankind's greed, the surviving First Sages severed the link between our realms, vowing that no mortals, save those chosen to safeguard the Triforce, should ever cross into the Sacred Realm again. It was because of that conflict that I became as I am."

Link and Sheik's questions had yielded no answers, and so he'd given up trying to find out more. Sheik had tried as well, asking if the tree were actually a Sage, to which the only reply was, "I am but a memory of him, a shadow left by his passing. I possessed his knowledge and power, but I am not he."

In the end, Sheik had been left disappointed, and the Elder Tree's refusal to have anything further to do with Hyrule's war, except for saving the Kokiri, had nearly toppled the Sheikah's temper.

Link had found himself siding with the Elder Tree. The idea that Sheik expected the Kokiri to somehow fight, or become more involved in the war than they already were, seemed abhorrent. Link probably would've started arguing with her, if Rin hadn't intervened, asking if the two could have a quiet word.

After that short discussion, it had been time to return home and visit the place where Link's solemn journey had begun. There were no songs or ceremonies to be had here now, no tales of old to be heard, only a lament and a prayer for the dead.

Trying to keep himself distracted from his thoughts, Link gazed at the centre of the glade where Saria had given him the Kokiri Emerald. A young Deku tree stood there now, a face carved into it just like the Great Deku Tree. It had repeated what the Elder Tree had told Link: he was not a Kokiri. At least it had tried to offer him some comfort, for which Link was grateful.

"You may not be a Kokiri. But in your heart, you will always be one. The forest will always be your home," the sprout had said. "Even though you were different, the Great Deku Tree loved you and treated you as one of his own."

The sprout then thanked them for returning Mido's body, permitting them to bury him in front of the Great Deku Tree. Link had wondered at whose spirit resided in the Deku Sprout, but he had refrained from asking. Despite the young tree's surprisingly cheerful demeanour, Link didn't want to offend it. Not that it could do much... or at least, that's what he assumed.

"Don't worry, my bark is far worse than my bite," the Sprout offered, reading Link's mind.

Link regarded the sprite and shook his head, not quite amused by the apparent jest. By now, darkness had fallen, and after pitching their tent, the Sheikah had started a fire from bits of scattered kindling. Link could smell rabbit cooking over the fire, and it made him realize how hungry he was.

Navi flew down to his shoulder.

He smiled weakly, "Hey, Navi."

"You should get some sleep soon, Link. We'll need to start early if we're going to find a way to rescue the others."

Link was just about to reply when he heard footsteps approaching from the other side of the Great Deku Tree. It was about this time that the Deku Sprout decided to warn him someone was approaching the clearing.

Judging that the newcomer meant no harm, or else the Deku Sprout would have said so, Link got to his feet and turned, just as a tall black-haired woman came wandering towards him.

The two fairies looked surprised to see her; both were staring, their eyes wide with shock.

"You are easy to spot when someone lights a fire in the middle of a clearing," the woman said, coming to a halt a few paces away from Link's small nook. "I would have expected your Sheikah companions to have more sense, even with the wards restored."

Link didn't reply immediately, for Navi's light had just revealed the gossamer wings stretched out behind the woman. Only then did he realize that he was looking at a Great Fairy.

"Elisia?" Link asked, utterly befuddled.

"You have me mistaken for my sister," the fairy said with a smile. "I am Moriko."

She gazed at the two fairies next, who still looked a little stunned. "Well, don't just stare at me. Where are your manners?"

"Mother," Navi said, her voice hushed. Link jerked his head in her direction. "It's good to see you again."

Did Navi just say what I think she said? It didn't seem like an honorific, for he hadn't heard of the faeries being referred to by a title.

"Where have you been?" Mori asked.

"It's a long story. I have only just returned to Hyrule," said Moriko. "I am sorry about Mido and for Arden."

She inclined her head towards Forenz, who bowed his head so no one else could see the tears glistening in his eyes. Link offered him a hand on the shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" a voice demanded. "Who are you?"

Sheik and Rin emerged from the shadows, their sudden appearance taking Link by surprise. Sheik, he noticed, was still limping. Despite treating her injured leg earlier, the wound had reopened, forcing her to ride on their surviving horse as they bore Mido's body back to the Kokiri Forest. They hadn't found Link's horse, and so they'd been forced to go on without it.

"Please, do forgive my companion's brusqueness," the other Sheikah added. "We've had good reason to be suspicious of strangers walking these woods. What brings you here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Moriko replied, turning to face the two Sheikah. "There weren't many Sheikah around when I left Hyrule, and something tells me that has not changed."

"It hasn't," Rin replied evenly. "Princess Zelda assigned us to help find the Sages, and so our task brought us here, to the Forest Temple."

At least that part of the phantom's tale had been a lie, Link thought, thinking about Zelda.

Link had asked about Zelda's whereabouts when they left the Forest Temple, worried that Sheik hadn't been entirely truthful about the whereabouts of Hyrule's princess. The phantom's words still made him cold, sapping the warmth from his body. Rin hadn't said much, only that she was alive and well.

As he shivered slightly from that horrid memory of the phantom's laughter, he became aware of Moriko's gaze on him.

"The Great Deku Tree spoke most highly of you," she said with an appraising smile. "I believe you are the one that broke the curse on the woods? For that, you have my thanks."

"I had help," Link told her, glad nobody saw the flush of colour in his cheeks.

"I take it you are Moriko?" Sheik asked, in a tone that was gentler than her last.

Moriko tilted her head in acknowledgment. "That is correct."

"We were going to find you in the morning. The Gerudo have captured the Kokiri. Some of them are here in the forest."

"I know," said Moriko. "I need you to help me rescue them. I tried to get the Gerudo to release them, but they refused. They are not eager to remain here, and some want the Kokiri to be freed. Unfortunately, the majority are still under the effect of a spell used to brainwash them."

"I feared as much," Sheik muttered. "It is the only way Ganondorf could have remained on his throne this long without the Gerudo declaring him unfit to rule."

"How did you come by this information?" Rin asked.

"I could sense the spell when I spoke to them, like a web of darkness infecting their mind and bending them to Ganondorf's will," Moriko answered. "The wards are weakening that curse, but it may not be enough, and the witches Ganondorf has left in charge may attack the Kokiri if we wait too long. If we are going to rescue them, we must act soon."

"How?" Link asked. He desperately wanted to do that, but with Sheik's injury and the rest of them exhausted, they were in no condition to rescue anyone.

"I will heal your wounds, then you must come with me, and I can sneak you into their camp," Moriko answered. She took a step towards Link. "You may feel a slight discomfort."

You know, Link thought, already feeling more than a slight discomfort. The last time someone told me that, I threw up on my boots.

Without waiting for a response, Moriko placed a hand on Link's forehead, and a sensation like being doused in cold water washed over him. He shivered, gasping as the feeling rippled through him.

When it was over, he brushed his fingers across his neck to reveal the smooth surface of a scar. His exhaustion was gone, his senses revitalized as though he had just woken up from a full night's rest. Next, Moriko healed Sheik and Rin. Forenz was last, since he was in better shape than his companions.

"Forenz, you can stay here," Moriko said as she finished. "Perhaps Sheik can remain here with you. You have been through quite enough already, I fear."

"No, I want to come. I want to rescue the others. Besides, it will help them to see a familiar face," Forenz said, sounding determined. He looked at Link and added, "two familiar faces."

"Mid-" Mori stopped mid-word as she went to object to Forenz's idea. Looking horrified at the slip, she took a deep breath and tried again, "Forenz, I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"Mori is right. You have been through a lot. Let Link help your friends," said Moriko. "Rin, will you come with us?"

Rin nodded. "It's not the first time I've had to sneak where I'm not welcome. How many Kokiri are in the Gerudo camp?"

"From what I could determine, only half-" Moriko replied.

Half? Link's breath caught in his throat. He looked at Forenz who didn't seem remotely surprised. He hadn't questioned Forenz about his experience or escape, despite knowing the details could help them rescue his companions. Sheik, much to Link's relief, hadn't even broached the idea.

Noticing Link's wordless horror, Moriko added. "Don't worry. They are alive."

"Where are they?" Link asked.

"The Fortress of Sands," Forenz said heavily. At Link's blank look, he added, "It's the Gerudo capital, in the desert."

Link's heart sank at those words. There was no way they could easily rescue the Kokiri trapped there. Getting in would be next to impossible. For now, he'd just have to hope the others would be alright.

A slim chance of that.

There was every possibility that Ganondorf might attack them in response to what they were about to do, but the alternative was worse, and the very thought almost made Link ill.

"This is the one chance we have of rescuing as many of them as we can," Moriko said. Forenz looked stricken and seemed ready to protest when Moriko shook her head sadly. "I'm sorry, but it would be too dangerous to rescue those trapped in the Gerudo's territory. Even if you succeeded, the journey back would be treacherous."

Link bowed his head, refraining from biting his lip. He understood Moriko's reasoning but cursed himself that he couldn't rescue all of them. Catching sight of Forenz, he noticed the boy staring despondently at the trees.

"There's every chance they will be okay," Navi said, addressing them both.

"I hope you're right, Navi," Link murmured. "It just makes me angry we can't rescue them all, otherwise I'd go right now, with or without the other Sages."

He didn't miss Sheik's sidelong glance.

I'm not an idiot, Link thought irritably. I know I'll need their help.

"I miss them. Brynn, Fado, and the others," Forenz spoke the words so softly that Link barely heard him. "Never thought I'd miss Mido too."

Link's heart ached to see Forenz in such a state.

"I miss them too," Link told him gently, wishing he could say more to ease his friend's troubles. Forenz met his eyes, a sad smile on his face. They held each other's gaze for a moment and then Link glanced at the Great Deku Tree, remembering the promise he'd made all those years ago.

Keep them safe.

If only he'd understood the enormity of that promise, he would have realized how impossible it would be to keep. He couldn't always keep the ones he cared about safe. He knew that now, and the knowledge pained him deeply.

"You will see them all again soon, Forenz," Moriko said. "It may take some time to rescue everyone, but Link or I will make certain they return." She glanced meaningfully at Link. "The sooner this is done, the better. Gather your supplies and come with me."

"Bring them back safely," Forenz said quietly.

"I will," Link said.

Another promise. This time, Link assured himself he would keep it.

He grabbed the Master Sword, buckled it behind him, and then secured his shield. There was little he needed, and so with Rin following behind him, Link took off after Moriko.

~0~

It had seemed like hours before they began to hear the ruckus of the Gerudo camp. By then, the cold night had soaked through Link's tunic, and he was freezing. As they approached the camp's perimeter, a strange green mist began to seep through the trees. Link was sure he could see the green, semi-transparent forms of four-legged creatures darting between the trees.

"The forest spirits don't like Hylians," Link noted as he recalled something the Deku Sprout had mentioned. "We'll be safe, right?"

"So long as you don't harm one of their own, they won't attack you," Moriko answered in front of them. Her voice was hardly comforting. "Besides, they will recognize the medallion."

The green haze was so thick by the time they reached the camp, Link couldn't see more than twenty or thirty paces. Despite the different colour and the fact that this one was glowing faintly as if it were a living creature, Link couldn't help but be reminded of the fog that engulfed the Forest Temple. He shivered- and not from the cold.

Moriko suddenly stopped in her tracks. Somewhere beyond their vision, Link could hear voices- at least two women- not far away.

"One of the patrols," Moriko said.

"What now?" Link's heart hammered madly in his chest. He wasn't sure how this was going to work and wished Moriko had explained it more.

"When I give you the signal, find the other Kokiri." Two ghostly spectres entered Link's vision. Wolves. His hand went to his sword hilt right before Moriko stopped him, placing a hand on his arm. "It's all right. They'll help you find the Kokiri and their fairies."

Uncertain, but nevertheless trusting that Moriko knew what she was doing, Link nodded.

"Ready?" Moriko asked.

The voices of the Gerudo patrol were getting louder, sounding alarmed and confused as they wandered through the fog.

Moriko shut her eyes and stretched out her hands. As she did so, the trees stirred as the wind brushed against their boughs. The gentle breeze quickly turned to a howling gale with a roar, as though the trees themselves were screaming. Navi had to take shelter in Link's hat, and then he could hear wolves. Howls echoed through the night, and suddenly the camp erupted in panicked shouts and screams.

"GO!"

At Moriko's order, Rin tapped Link on the shoulder and urged him to move. Their swords drawn, they followed the two wolves to the edge of the camp.

It was mayhem.

Dozens of ghostly spectres were charging through the camp's perimeter and Link had to keep hot on his guide's heels. They ducked behind tents to avoid the Gerudo as the spectres poured into their camp. The Gerudo's weapons did little to stop them; only magic would. By whatever sorcery they used, the spectres had no trouble attacking the Gerudo and bulblins. They avoided attacking any animals. Instead, they set them free, and soon horses, hounds, and livestock took flight, adding to the bedlam.

The fog swirled in the wind, taking on the shapes of Kokiri and yet more wolves. They ignored the retreating Gerudo, and instead focused their attention on the bulblins, their larger cousins, and the few women who decided to fight.

There were other shapes too. Tall and not quite human, antlers crowning their heads. Link could see where they'd been easily enough, for they left a debris-strewn path behind, but try as he did, he was unable to get a good look at one. He could hear the Blin try and take one on, and judging by their battered bodies, they had bitten off more than they could chew.

What has Moriko unleashed? he wondered.

Just as he came near one of the creatures, the coals of a kicked brazier set the canvas of a tent aflame, and the strange forest spirit hissed in alarm, retreating from the fire.

Link's path sent him away from the fire and deeper into the camp. Twice he crossed blades with a bulblin, cutting down the unfortunate creatures before his guide could even think about coming to his aid. Rin dispatched several more, shrugging off each attack as though they were nothing more than a minor nuisance. It wasn't long before Rin's guide led her down a different alley of tents and Link proceeded on without her, feeling very exposed.

It seemed like he was searching between tents for the Kokiri for ages, but his guide knew the way, at least, Link hoped he did.

This camp is as big as a village, he thought as they went between rows of tents in a seemingly endless maze.

The keening howls of the wind were quieter now, and Link felt less like he was going to be blown off his feet. He followed his guide past another tent, just in time to notice the spear plunging towards him. Link knew a heart-stopping moment of shock before his guide sunk its teeth into the bulblin's throat.

Once the Blin was down, the spectral wolf trotted off as though nothing had happened.

Glad one of us knows what they're doing, he thought, hurrying after the departing wolf and trying not to glance down at the innards splayed across the sodden ground.

Finally, they came to a tent where Link's guide stopped and sat down.

"Is this it?" Link asked the wolf.

Tail wagging, the ghostly figure cocked its head and lolled its tongue in a gesture that looked uncannily like a grin.

"I'll take that as a yes," Link muttered.

He pushed the tent flap aside and stepped inside. Small sleeping pallets were scattered across the floor in neat rows. Before Link could take in the forms huddled around the centre of the tent, Navi peeped out of his cap and cried out a warning. It was only then that Link realized someone had been standing next to the tent's entrance, a stick raised in one hand.

"Brynn!" Link exclaimed, feeling relieved despite the fact Brynn had been about to attack him. The boy's eyes were locked on Navi, but at the sound of his own name, his gaze shifted to Link.

"Who are you?" Brynn demanded, not lowering the weapon. "How do you know my name?"

"It's me, Link," he told them. Only the Kokiri from his village would have known who he was, but even the familiar faces gazed back at him with no recognition. That disheartened him a little.

They all stared for a few seconds before Brynn broke the silence. "If you really are Link, then you must know where Saria is... do you?"

"She is safe," Link replied. He paused for a moment, then added, "She asked me to help find you."

"Was there a boy with her?" Fado asked, her eyes filled with a sudden hope as she came to stand next to Brynn.

Link felt a spasm of guilt at that, but then Fado's next question distracted him.

"How can we be sure you are Saria's friend?" she demanded. She's not mentioned anyone like you."

Ouch.

Fado's words stung.

"I'm Link," Link said, desperately ignoring the part of him that wanted to lash out at Fado for her unintended insult. "You remember me, don't you?"

"She told me Link died." Fado folded her arms, frowning deeply. "How do you even know him?"

"Didn't Link have a similar getup to this guy? He was always wearing that hat of his," one Kokiri offered uncertainly.

"Don't explain why he doesn't look like one of us," another boy offered.

Link frowned, sure that he recognised one of the know-it-all brothers beneath that grimy and gaunt face.

"Look," Link glanced at Navi imploringly, breathed a heavy sigh and tried again. "We don't have much time. You have to trust me. I am a friend of Saria's. I have to get you out of here-"

An idea struck him. Pulling out his ocarina, Link put it to his lips, and played the first few notes of Saria's Song.

"Umm... Link, I know the chances of us being heard over the noise outside are remote, but I don't think that was a good idea," Navi said. Link ignored her.

A ripple of whispers ran through the tent like a wave.

Fado's expression turned from suspicion to shock. "You do know Saria then? She only taught that song to her friends."

"Never mind that, or who he is," Brynn butted in, also looking at Link. "What's going on outside?" he asked. "We heard the howls. Is it really the forest spirits Saria kept talking about?"

A murmur of similar questions erupted from the gathering crowd of forest children. Navi quietened them with a quick, "Hey, Listen!"

"Nice to see you too, Navi," Brynn said, though he was smiling in that mischievous way Link recalled so well.

"We're here to take you home," Link said finally, once the tent was quiet. The briefest pause followed this announcement, followed by another explosion of questions and joyous shouts.

It was Brynn's turn to get everyone quiet.

"How are you going to get us out of here?" he asked at last. "I'm sure you've noticed, but those Gerudo aren't about to let us walk out."

Before Link could utter a word in reply, a loud familiar yip alerted Link to a bulblin behind him.

"Look out!" Fado screamed.

Link held up his shield as a club came swinging down towards him, aimed at his back. His shield met the club, and the blow sent a jarring pain down his arm.

Link pushed the creature back, putting his weight behind his shield as he surged forward, slamming the Master Sword into the beast's gullet. The Bulblin gurgled horribly and hit the dirt. Two more bulblins were darting towards them, but just before they reached the tent flap, one was sent crashing to the ground. Link's wolf companion sank its teeth into the monster's neck, tearing flesh in a spray of blood. The third bulblin ran, vanishing into the fog.

"Stay there," Link told the Kokiri behind him. "Grab a weapon to defend yourselves if you have to."

"Yeah," someone objected, sounding both annoyed and sarcastic. "Like they'd just leave us with a bunch of weapons to sleep with at night."

Leaving the flap closed behind him, Link stepped over the bodies of the slain Bulblins, checking both ways for any further danger.

A horn blew in the darkness.

Did that mean the Gerudo were retreating?

He turned to find Navi looking just as troubled. "Navi, watch the tent. Shout if anything comes your way."

Navi nodded her assent, flying back towards the entrance of the tent. Link did not have long to wait; a moblin came stomping towards him. It was slow compared to the phantom, and Link sidestepped its club, before slamming his shield into the corner of its face.

The moblin roared with pain and swung one fist straight into his jaw. Link avoided the worst of the impact, but even then the pain was blinding, and he staggered, ducking below its club again. As the moblin laughed, Link heard a small voice cry out.

"Leave him alone, ugly!"

No, get back, damn it!

A second later, an arrow pierced the Moblin's eye. It screamed, the horrendous screech of a swine about to be slaughtered. It overcame its pain quickly and made to rush its attacker, but Link quickly seized on the distraction, slamming his sword into its belly before it could charge more than a few paces.

Withdrawing the gore-stained sword from the moblin, Link shivered in revulsion. He turned to face Brynn who stood beside a bulblin's corpse, its bow now clutched in his hand. His eyes were still on the moblin, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just done.

"Brynn, get back in the tent. It's not safe out here!" Link ordered, not wanting Brynn somewhere where he could get hurt.

Brynn's eyes met his. "You're just jealous I'm a better shot than you."

"This isn't a game!" Link told him, wishing the boy would just obey.

"I worked that out a while ago," Brynn retorted. His determined expression told Link there was no stopping him from helping, despite what that had cost last time.

Navi flew over, her eyes flicking between Link and Brynn. Then she caught sight of something in the fog and Brynn's face turned to dismay.

A flash of steel swept across Link's vision as a curved scimitar cut towards his face. Hastily raising his own blade, Link stopped the intended blow. He saw the second scimitar, blocked it with his shield, and stepped back.

Goddesses, they are fast.

The Gerudo danced forward, her blades a flurry of movement. Behind him, Link could hear Brynn cry out, and there was a confusion of noise as more bulblins approach from behind.

No!

He wouldn't let Brynn or the others be harmed.

Link backed away from his attacker, knowing he needed to help Brynn and the others. He would not, could not, let them die as Mido had. He had to finish this quickly. Somehow.

Link had never taken a human life before, not willingly, and after trying to save so many lives, it felt wrong to end one now. Seeing his hesitation, the Gerudo smirked. Then, without warning, she stumbled forward, crashing straight into Link's shield. He saw the knife protruding from the woman's throat, blood dripping onto him. He cried out, stumbling, the dying woman on top of him. Hearing the Gerudo's last rasping attempts to cling to life, Link pushed her body away and looked up to see Rin standing calmly beside him.

How could she possibly look so composed after doing that?

She gave him a quick nod, then darted past, her attention focused on a skirmish that had unfolded between the Kokiri and the bulblins. Link knew a moment of sickening horror as he struggled to his feet, fearing to find Brynn and others dead or dying. It hadn't been that long since he'd buried Mido, and he didn't want to bury anyone else.

To his relief, the Kokiri had been holding their own, having snatched up enough bows for several archers. Four wolves had joined the fray, making short work of the Kokiri's attackers. Then one of the tree-spirits, its human-like figure identical to the ones Link had seen depicted on the Forest Temple's reliefs, almond eyes full of rage, emerged from the shadows. It slammed a wooden arm into one bulblin's face, knocking it out cold, then snatched another in its clawed hands and threw it away screaming. A third bulblin thrust a spear into the creature's thigh, but this only enraged the spirit, which tore the spear out with a screech of pain and backhanded its attacker.

Seeing the immediate danger had passed, with the newcomer tearing through the bulblins as quickly as Rin, Link glanced back down at the dead woman at his feet, and then at himself. His hands and tunic were smeared in the Gerudo's blood. He stared, a cold chill shivering through his body. He caught the acrid smell of smoke, of blood and burning flesh as it wafted on the breeze.

Abruptly, it was more than his mind could bear. Far too close, and far too similar, to the terrors that plagued him.

He was in Castletown, the shops ablaze in a hellish inferno. He knelt on the cobblestones, trembling as his eyes fell on the body of a young girl. She was still warm, and the blood from her many wounds seeped between his fingers.

"Link?"

He could see Jasper's arm buried beneath the rubble, blood pooling beneath him.

"Link, snap out of it!"

Mido lay beneath the shadow of the Elder Tree, his white tunic turned crimson.

Link tasted and smelt the acrid stench of bile as his stomach heaved. His limbs went weak, and his heart raced. Whether it was from nearly being stabbed, or the sight of the blood, he was not so sure.

I have to get it off!

"Link? LINK!"

Link was jerked out of his terrifying trance by Rin clamping her hand hard onto his shoulder. Navi almost flew onto the bridge of his nose, looking worried.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Link nodded, feeling foolish for having lost control of himself so easily. Regaining his breath, he found his voice and looked up at Rin. "I'll be fine... it's just, I hate the sight of blood..."

"Hmm..." she observed, before adding mildly. "That is most unfortunate." Link stared, prompting her to add in a voice that was not unkind, "I won't fault you under the circumstances."

Nodding, Link focused his attention on more pressing matters, "Did you get the fairies?"

"I did."

Rin gestured to what looked like a dancing colony of fireflies behind her. At the sight of them, Brynn gave a joyous whoop, and the others echoed his delight. The noise attracted the attention of those still inside the tent and they quickly spilled outside.

"Most of the Gerudo fled towards the fields," Rin informed him. "I'll tend to anyone who is injured.... are you hurt?"

Link shook his head. "No. The blood's not mine." He tried not to look at the crimson stains on his hand. "Were there any other Kokiri in the camp?"

Rin nodded. "A few. I sent their fairies to make sure they kept out of harm's way. I believe there were a few injuries but none were too serious, and our friends here have made short work of any resistance."

She gestured towards the tree spirit that stood like a silent sentinel, watching everything. When it stood straight and still, the tiny leaves scattered along its body fluttering in the breeze, it was easy to think of the creature as simply a tree. Only its almond eyes and almost human face gave the illusion away.

Just then, Link caught the sound of approaching footsteps. He tensed, turning to face one of the nearby tents. Then, seeing it was Moriko with a small crowd of Kokiri gathered around her, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"Is it over?" he asked once Moriko was within earshot.

His voice was heavy with fatigue despite having recently had his injuries healed.

"For these Kokiri, yes," said Moriko. It took a second for Link to realize that she'd spoken in Hylian to avoid frightening the others.

"Where are they going to go?" he asked, also speaking in Hylian but not without almost tripping over the words. "The Great Deku Tree's grove is in ruins."

"The Forest Temple can provide shelter for now, with a little cleaning," Moriko said. Link frowned at that idea which prompted the fairy to add, "I will help them rebuild their homes in the meantime."

Link wiped a stray tear from his eyes. At last, he had done something right. With the battle over, Navi and Link turned to gather the other Kokiri. Nobody needed much encouragement to leave.

Some, in fact, most, gazed at the strange woodland creature that still stood at the edge of the shadows. There was some sort of green sap running down its thigh, but it didn't seem too fazed by its injury. More of its companions stood just on the edge of the fairylight. While most were no bigger than Link, for some were smaller, there was no arguing about their strength. He was glad that they didn't see him as a threat, or at least he hoped they didn't.

"What are those things?" Brynn asked when he caught Link staring, voicing the question everyone wanted to ask. "Are they forest spirits?"

"Of sorts," Link answered. Telling Brynn or the others that he thought the creature was a Kokiri who'd transformed through some ritual he didn't know, would take too much time just now. Nor was he sure that most of them would believe him.

"They won't harm you," Moriko answered, turning to the quiet figure nearest her. She said something to it in a language Link could not understand. The creature shifted its stance, eyes focusing on Moriko. It replied to her, its deep baritone voice sounding almost human. With only a single glance and a nod to the Kokiri who gaped at him, or her, Link really couldn't tell, the creature turned and left, its companions following behind it.

Hard to believe that thing had been a Kokiri once, Link thought, looking down at the broken bodies of the Blin.

"There are only a few of them left now," Moriko said, speaking again in Hylian, "That is until the others are ready to undergo the transition they all must eventually... quickly, we should leave this place."

Link, with Rin and Moriko beside him, led the way back towards the Great Deku Tree's grove. For the first time since Mido had died, or he had stepped out of the Temple of Time, Link felt something that seemed almost alien to him.

Hope.

"Are you alright, Link?" Navi asked him quietly. "You're awfully quiet."

Link nodded, and then offered her the barest hint of a weary smile, "I'm fine, Navi. Just fine."

Next Chapter

Reviews

Kitari Isengar chapter 26 . Apr 6, 2017 So ... is it sad that I heard the voice of kaepora as Deckard Cain? just curious.

SunPraiser31 chapter 26 . Jan 6, 2017 Sorry it's been so long since my last review. Finals week and the holidays were busy. Hope you had a good holiday season! I really enjoy the Gerudo perspectives. I always like seeing a story from "the bad guy" point of view. Interesting that Ganondorf felt the need to bewitch all of them, maybe Link will find a way to break it and turn them against him? From the sound of this chapter, there's a chance Saria could come back? I'd like that, I like her and Link together, though logic obviously says Link/Zelda is where this will end up. I wonder where Zelda is? Perhaps "Sheik" knows... The Kokiri get to go home! Yay! At least half of them. Hopefully Link can save the other half soon. They don't deserve what Ganondorf did to them. I'll try not to have such a large gap between reviews again. Thanks for your patience!  Lord Darth Yoda chapter 25 . Oct 10, 2014 As you said this chapter moved quick and I didn't have a problem with that. It got the job down and onto other things. Something bugged me about the GF though. I guess she was just too random and overpowered here for my liking.