Saria's Song- Chapter 5: Awakening

 Chapter 5

Awakening

All was quiet in the Sacred Forest Meadow. The Moblins appeared long gone, and nothing disturbed the silence save the soft footfalls of a boy pacing back and forth before the doorway leading into the temple. With each lap, he cast a look back into the temple, pausing only to listen for any telltale sign of another creature coming his way.

"Mido, I don't think we should stay here," Mori said. "There's bound to be more wolves around... or worse..."

"We have to go back for her," Mido said, still pacing.

"She told you to go back to Great Father's grove if anything happened," Mori reminded him.

"I know," Mido muttered, looking towards the temple. "But I'm not leaving her in there. She's in trouble... I just..." Mido stopped, looking at the gloomy entryway, half expecting to see something come creeping out of the darkness to finish him. There were no magical barriers to stop it. Those had disappeared the moment the Soulless sent his Wolfos after them. Mido hadn't paused to consider what that meant.

"I told her this was a bad idea," he muttered. He didn't know what had happened to Saria. Once those wolves had started their chase, he had just run.

He'd run the day Great Father died...

Mido's lip trembled as he looked down at the ground.

"I just ran, Mori..." He sniffed, wishing Mori would just look the other way. He didn't want her comfort. Not now. "And now she's..."

He didn't finish. He hated the prickling behind his eyes.

"Mido... It's not-" Mori began.

"I should have helped her!" He rounded on Mori, fists clenched, causing his fairy to flinch away.

He should have talked Saria out of this. He should have done something!

A soft crunch of footfalls startled them both, and they looked up to see that strange Sheikah woman standing just a few feet away, garbed in that peculiar tabard and a weird get-up around her head.

Mido took a reflexive step back, then tried to hold his ground. The woman... if the figure was even a woman... was looking at him with red eyes...

Sheikah...

She was the one who had driven the Moblins away.

"Who..." Mido's voice wavered, but then he steeled himself and tried again. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sheik."

She sounded like a woman, but Mido still couldn't work it out. Not with that weird clothing she was wearing... he had only ever seen a Sheikah once, and their clothing hadn't been anywhere near as weird.

"Are you hurt?" the woman asked, her voice gentle.

"No," Mido said, a touch more firmly than he meant to.

"Your friend. Saria." Sheik's eyes travelled to the frieze above the doorway and back to Mido. "Where is she?"

Mido's voice caught in his throat. He swallowed before managing, "She's in there... but we... we got separated. She told me to go back to our grove, but I couldn't just leave..."

Hang on a second...

He frowned... Sheik had said Saria's name.

"Wait... how do you know her?" Mido asked, unable to keep the surprise from his voice.

"A mutual friend. Link."

"Link?" Mido blurted, and now his head was starting to spin. Link? But that was impossible. Link was... "He's alive?"

"I cannot explain all that has transpired, not right now," Sheik said, and there was a sudden tightness to her voice that hadn't been there before. "If I am to save Saria, then I must hurry."

"Let me come with you!" Mido exclaimed.

Sheik looked annoyed now. Not much, but the expression on her face was enough to know she didn't think much of that idea. "I travel better alone. I will return as soon as I can... stay out of sight. This temple isn't safe."

Sheik turned and started towards the temple, but before she had gone more than a few paces, Mido called after her.

"Wait..."

She stopped and glanced back, though from where Mido stood, he could no longer make out her expression.

He swallowed, trying to unstick his tongue. It hadn't been this dry before, and at first his voice wouldn't work.

Just say it.

"If you see Link..." he stammered, taking a breath, "Tell him I'm sorry... for being so mean to him..."

"You can tell him that yourself..." Here, the Sheikah paused, considering something. "But I shall tell him, should I see him before you."

With that, she disappeared into the temple, leaving Mido and Mori
alone once more.

~ 0 ~

"Let her go!" Fora shrieked as the Phantom held Saria aloft, gripping her throat so tightly that she could barely breathe.

Fora clawed at the Phantom's mask, but the demon ignored her. Saria, for her part, thrashed like a hare caught in a wolf's jaws. Her breaths were little more than a desperate wheeze, and with each desperate kick she grew weaker and weaker.

Fora was still attacking. Still clawing at the mask, but it was to no avail. All Saria could see were the Phantom's burning eyes, as the world grew dark.

"You are strong, little one," the demon said with a chuckle, "but then I would expect nothing less from a Sage... when you awaken, it will be as my master's thrall."

Saria snatched at the Phantom's gauntlet, clawing with hands that were too small to deal any real damage... not against a foe such as this. Had she ever stood a chance?

Saria's strength gave out, the world spinning around her.

There was nothing she could do. It was useless. All so useless...

And then, suddenly, the pressure around her throat was gone.

The Phantom's grip slackened. Its eyes were wide, shocked even, and then Saria was falling. She had just enough time to catch a glimpse of something protruding from the demon's gorget before she struck the ground.

Light exploded across her vision, but if there was any pain, she didn't notice as she curled inward, coughing violently. Realising the danger was far from over, she rolled onto her back, still wheezing, and saw the demon pull something from its neck, inspecting it in surprise.

A knife? Saria thought dully, unable to think coherently.

Saria could just make out the figure standing a few feet away from the demon. She had to blink a few times to clear the spots from her vision, but she could just see a woman garbed in a most peculiar outfit. Her face seemed to be covered in bandages fashioned into a headdress that obscured most of her features, save for her eyes and a tuft of blond hair. Bandages similarly covered her wrists, and she was wearing some sort of blue armour with a white tabard and a familiar weeping eye, but that didn't catch Saria's attention so much as the murder burning in the woman's red eyes.

It was the woman who'd been standing on the wall. The one who'd fought off those Moblins. She'd come back!

The demon snarled in frustration, but a light blossomed from the woman's hand, a dazzling ball of energy crashing straight into the spectre. It staggered backward, appearing stunned for a moment before it adjusted its stance, the spear in its right hand now poised to strike. The attacking warrior was not cowed. Instead, she stood straight, another knife now in hand.

"Touch her again, and I swear, you will rue the day your master created you!"

Saria could almost imagine the creature sneering behind that mask. It cackled, unperturbed by the warrior's threat. "I cannot be killed, Sheikah. You know that."

"Perhaps," the woman conceded. "But I know someone who can kill you, and if you so much as touch her again, there will be no place in Hyrule for you or your master to hide. He will hunt you, and I promise you, he will kill you."

The Phantom just laughed, unmoved by her words.

"Bold words, Sheikah," it said, voice mocking. "If you wish to join the rest of your kind, then I will send you to them."

Then the demon attacked, its spear lunging towards the Sheikah. The woman didn't move, anticipating its attack. Instead, as the Phantom advanced, she spun to the side, the spear barely missing her. A dagger flashed in her hand, and again she dodged away from the spear. A dagger against that monstrous spear should have been laughable, but it wasn't.

The Wolfos came next, but before Saria could work out what was happening, one hound was down, and the other was nursing a wound to its muzzle. With another flick of the Sheikah's wrist, the dagger was embedded in the animal's skull. Saria couldn't keep up with what was happening. The Sheikah was fast! Each attack of the spear missed by inches, the Sheikah twisting from its path and exploiting every opening before retreating beyond its reach.

It was then that Saria remembered the medallion nestled against the tree's enormous roots. It was still there, hanging around the statue's neck, an emerald-green amulet. It beckoned to her. Something tugged at Saria's memory. The medallion was important, though she didn't know why. Had the Great Deku Tree spoken of it?

There was no time to spare, and her head hurt too much to think clearly. It took every remaining ounce of willpower for Saria to push herself to her feet.

As quickly as her body would allow, Saria dashed past the combatants, praying to all the spirits of the woods and Hyrule beyond that the Phantom was too busy to notice her. The Sheikah had drawn another blade that must have been hidden in the folds of her peculiar garb, but Saria hardly noticed.

She raced to the foot of the tree, heart pounding, but just as she reached for the emerald medallion, the first Wolfos came lunging back into the fight. Before she could react, its powerful forelimb struck her side, hurling her against the tree.

Bones cracked. Pain exploded in her ribs, and her head smacked hard against the tree. She looked up to stare right into the drooling maw of a Wolfos. One of its powerful forelimbs had struck her side, her jerkin offering little protection against those sharp claws. Blood seeped from beneath the torn tunic, and Saria stared up at the beast as it unleashed a triumphant howl.

Expecting another swipe from the Wolfos, Saria tried to scramble back, but her limbs were sluggish. She shut her eyes, expecting the wolf's sharp canines to sink into her neck, and then it would be over.

An explosion of sound and an agonised whine made her open her eyes. She blinked, confused. The Wolfos' smouldering body lay in a heap beside the tree, and judging by the crackle of magic in the air, the Sheikah had heard its howl.

Seeing her chance, Saria didn't waste time. She knew that she had to get the medallion. Knew that it was the whole reason she'd been called into this accursed place.

Dragging herself towards the statue, Saria reached up and closed a trembling hand around the amulet. She pulled it free, letting the chain hang loose in her hand. The moment her hand touched the amulet, Saria felt a surge of magic rush through it, pouring into her. For a moment, her awareness of the forest around her became sharper. For an instant, Saria was sure she could hear a voice in her mind, as ancient as the stones around her.

"I see you, Sage."

Saria could still sense that sluggish pulse that ran deep through the earth like the beat of a heart. It was stronger now. Getting faster. It reverberated in her mind, and suddenly Saria could sense the mind of the spirit within the tree. It was stronger now, reaching out to her.

"Who are you?" Saria asked, but she already knew the answer. This ancient being was one of the old Forest Sages. It could no longer fulfil that role, and now she was to receive its mantle. In that brief communion with the ancient tree, Saria knew what she must do. She could feel the woodland spirit's power flood into her, pulsing through her, pouring into her core. Her senses were sharper now, keener. Without effort, she could sense the forest around her, the whispering of spirits trapped within the temple, and see the dark aura surrounding their captor, the Phantom. All her anger at what the Phantom had done, at what the Desert Man had done, blossomed into something new. Rage.

The Sheikah was being pushed back as the demon that had blighted her home pressed his attack, getting closer and closer. The Sheikah, for all her prowess, was slowing.

If the Sheikah warrior lost, any hope of saving the forest, of saving herself, would be lost.

Saria couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't let that happen.

Blood pulsing with energy, Saria directed that anger at the Phantom, watching in surprise as roots burst from the earth like brown fingers, small vines snaking around the Phantom's ankles, fouling his steps. The medallion in Saria's hand was searingly hot, but she barely noticed as more vines exploded from the earth, slithering towards their quarry. With a roar of fury, the Phantom hacked at the vines, cutting them, but each time he did, more roots erupted from the earth.

Saria could feel her newfound strength rushing out of her, draining her. The world lurched and spun as exhaustion began to take its toll. The Sheikah had stepped back to try and work out what was happening to Saria, but then, seeing the Forest Sage falter, she renewed her attack with a slashing strike. It was blocked, the Phantom snarling, still unable to move.

The Great Deku Tree had always warned Saria about the dangers of the Flow of Magic, and she had drawn far more than she would ever have dared. Her head was spinning, and she felt the medallion's power slip away from her.

The vines attacking the Phantom slackened and fell away. Roaring with fury, the spectre cut its way free and pressed towards the attacking Sheikah. Unfazed that her enemy was free, the Sheikah leapt back with terrific speed. Landing gracefully, she raised her left hand. Something shimmered there, but Saria was too spent to notice, her head still reeling.

A crackling explosion of energy erupted around the Sheikah, a burst of brilliant golden light. An unbearable heat swept throughout the grove, and then the Phantom was gone. All that remained was the Sheikah, her hand still raised, the earth around her scorched and barren.

Saria regarded the medallion, then glanced down at the crimson staining her tunic. It didn't seem that bad. She sank to her knees, medallion still clasped tightly in her small fingers, and then fell onto her side, the medallion slipping from her outstretched fingers. Fora was calling her, but Saria couldn't understand a word of what she said.

The next thing she knew, she was staring up at the sprawling limbs of the tree, its branches cast in a black silhouette against the mist. She could've sworn the bark on that tree looked somehow... healthier...

A face appeared in her vision. It was the woman, her red eyes looking into Saria's own. She was shaking Saria's uninjured shoulder now; her mouth was moving, but the words sounded so very far away...

Saria just wanted to sleep.

So tired... Her eyes were heavy.

Then the woman was speaking, her words gentle and kind. Saria couldn't understand what she was saying, unable to do anything but give an inaudible groan.

And then Saria knew no more...

Somewhere, someone was playing an instrument, a beautiful sound, soothing and gentle. It came from far away, drifting in and out of Saria's awareness like the rise and fall of the wind. It made her think of rain pattering against the leaves and splashing into the small forest ponds.

"Pretty." Her words were a croaked whisper, a tiny wisp of sound emerging from cracked, dry lips. The music stopped, and then she could feel the tiniest trickle of water against her lips. Even though she opened her eyes, the world was a kaleidoscope of colours, but enough coherent thought returned for her to realise somebody was offering her water. She drank. Parched... and then she slipped away again.

Her thoughts came and went in an ebb and flow, memories claiming hold of her as she drifted in and out of consciousness...

"Time passes, people move... like a river's flow, it never ends..."

"Saria?" The voice that floated through the darkness sounded urgent. "Saria, can you hear me?"

Saria opened her eyes briefly to take in the sight of the strangely garbed Sheikah standing over her. Everything was blurred, and the light stung her eyes. She could make out little else aside from those red eyes. Eyes filled with concern...

Darkness claimed her again. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind, memories stirred, rising like bubbles in some long-forgotten pond.

"Sa," the young boy piped up. "Why can't we leave?"

The soft crunch of boots upon leaf-litter was the only sound that broke through the woods. Link, now half Saria's height, was looking in the direction of the forest's edge, his expression filled with consternation as he pointed away from the village.

Saria's steps nearly faltered, her heart dropping a little at the question. She adored Link's curiosity, but every day it seemed he came closer and closer to understanding just how different he was from the Kokiri. The Kokiri were wary of anything beyond the woods. They didn't want to know about the strange land of Hyrule with its many denizens of all walks of life.

"Because," Saria said slowly, trying to consider how to word her answer. "If we leave the forest, we'll die."

"Why?" Link asked. Such an innocent question, and yet it still sent a painful shard through the Kokiri girl's heart.

"The Great Deku Tree's power only extends so far." Saria searched for an easier explanation, knowing that Link's young mind had almost no way of understanding the Great Deku Tree's ability to control creatures within his domain, and that this power weakened over distance. If the Kokiri got into trouble, he couldn't reach them. "He can't hear us beyond the forest. It's too far away, just like I can't hear you if you're too far away."

"Oh," was all Link said. They continued walking side by side, both briefly looking up to see the treehouses nestled within the branches of the towering trees. Bridges of woven vine connected the leafy abodes, and stairways wound their way down each trunk, interrupted by small platforms. The Kokiri wandered to and fro on various errands, many pausing to greet Saria, but almost none of them even spared Link more than a passing glance. They didn't want to talk to that 'weirdo.'

Saria heard the names, though nobody dared use them when they knew she was within earshot.

She knew many of the older Kokiri thought Link was weird. He was too curious. Too strong for a boy his age. He grew too quickly. It made him different, and that was reason enough to dislike him. Nobody knew of his true heritage, save the Kokiri Elders, and as far as they knew, Link had been made a Kokiri upon arriving in the forest.

Only Mido seemed particularly resistant to this, and that probably wasn't helped by their unceremonious introduction when Saria had handed the little bundle to Mido, only for the squalling babe to decide that this was the most opportune time to relieve himself. Even though his clothes had taken the brunt of the mess, Mido hadn't been spared. At least he hadn't dropped Link, or perhaps he'd been far too shocked to do anything except stare in horror as the other Kokiri let out a chorus of exclamations of sympathy and disgust. Some even laughed, right up until Mido glowered at them.

Yes. That probably hadn't helped. As they entered the village, Link started trailing uneasily behind Saria, as if sensing trouble. His feet dragged in the dirt, and he was staring forlornly at his boots, which were caked in dried mud. Saria noticed, beckoning him to keep beside her.

"You know I don't care what anyone thinks about you, Link," she said softly so that her voice wouldn't carry. "You will always be my little warrior."

She ruffled the fringe of his hair, which was almost completely hidden by that green cap Link always wore. He blushed, smiling in a way that told Saria he was embarrassed. There were too many other Kokiri around, and he didn't like Saria doting on him when they were watching. They passed little wooden dwellings that were built into the smaller trees on the forest floor. The youngest Kokiri, of whom there were only a few, were busy playing a game of tag, laughing, but whereas a year ago Link might have joined in, he only watched now. His eyes weren't just on the children as they laughed, their voices rising in joyous cries, but they were on the fairies too. One hovered near each child, and it wasn't lost on Link that those Kokiri were younger than he was.

"The Great Deku Tree told me you'll have a fairy when the time comes," Saria said. Those words were ash in her mouth. Though her words weren't a lie, she knew that a fairy would only come when the Great Deku Tree believed it was time.

Great Father said Link was special, and it was her task to prepare him for the hardships ahead. Even now, it was hard to grasp the enormity of that task. Had anything she had done been enough? She understood that the Great Deku Tree didn't want to make Link's roots in the forest dig so deep that leaving would do irreparable harm, but to let him suffer, not understanding why he was different... that seemed its own kind of cruelty, in spite of any good intentions.

"Soon?" Link asked, crestfallen, looking up at her. He was beginning to get frustrated, and Saria could see it in the hardening of his eyes. She almost bit her tongue. "When is soon?"

There was a hard edge to his tone that had never been there before, and it seemed like a pointed barb that struck right at Saria's heart, even though she knew that wasn't his intention. He was frustrated. She understood that, but she was at a loss as to how to help him.

Saria breathed a sigh. "I know it's not easy waiting, but you'll get your fairy. Sometimes we have to wait a long time." When Link opened his mouth, she cut in. "But that doesn't mean there is anything wrong with you, understand?"

Link shut his mouth, looking miserable. He didn't believe her.

She put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't let anyone tell you that, okay?" she said, lowering her voice so it wouldn't carry, but still trying to be gentle. "Understood?"

Link nodded glumly.

"And if they say otherwise, you tell me, and you get to make them do chores for as long as you want..."

Link's 'I don't believe you' was almost comical.

"Even Mido?" Link asked, a hint of mischief on his face.

"Especially Mido," Saria told him, hoping her voice was low enough not to carry.

"Can I make him do chores forever?" Link asked.

Saria almost laughed at the absurdity. "I don't know about forever... but we'll see... You tell me if he's mean to you again, okay?"

"He called me a wimp because I used Forenz's practice sword left-handed. He said only wimps use their left hand."

"Well..." Saria sighed. Boy, she was going to have a long talk with Mido when she found him. A face full of soup might just be the least of his worries. If only she could find a Cucco to put in his house. He'd probably never go inside again. "I don't think you're a wimp. I think Mido's just being silly."

They stopped at Link's treehouse, a tall stump nestled in the shelter of one of the Deku Trees, a balcony marking its front.

"Want me to come up?" Saria asked, thinking Link might appreciate some company. Long gone were the days when Link would drift off to sleep as Saria told him a story or played a gentle lullaby on the ocarina, but even she couldn't make him hang on her every word; she knew it was important to be there for him.

"I'm fine," Link said softly, eyes downcast.

He turned to face his treehouse without a parting goodbye, and Saria felt a tiny piece of her heart break as he did.

"Sleep well," Saria said cheerily, but Link didn't respond. He just climbed the ladder onto the balcony and disappeared into his home.

Saria stood staring up into the doorway, as if hoping he might reappear, but he didn't, and there was no sound from inside.

"Saria?" Fora said. The Kokiri was so lost in thought that she nearly jumped as the fairy hovered close to her ear. "I can come back and check on him in a little while. He'll be fine - provided you haven't left any pots in there for him to smash."

"He's far from the first youngster I've ever dealt with," Saria assured the sprite.

Those words got her thinking. He might not be a Kokiri, but there was something she could do. Saria headed towards the Great Deku Tree glade, an idea forming in her mind. In hindsight, it was a selfish idea, but such was the nature of hindsight, and she wanted her boy to be happy.

"You seem troubled, child," the Great Deku Tree said as she entered his grove, her eyes lingering on the spot where Larisa's noble horse was buried. Had they even given the mare a name? "What brings you here?"

"It's Link, Great Father. He is having trouble getting on with the other Kokiri. Except for the younger ones, it's getting worse."

"We have spoken of this," the Great Deku Tree said, his voice not unkind. "His path is a troubled one." The vague response sent a hot rush of anger through Saria's blood. "A child's mind seeks knowledge as a tree seeks water, and so he seeks to understand who he is and his place in this world. His heritage will no doubt mean that his mind blossoms differently from a Kokiri's, and that difference is what sets him apart."

Saria wasn't one to get angry, but now she was the one getting frustrated, not just Link.

"Why can't you just make him into a Kokiri?" she demanded. "Then he won't have to leave, and the others will accept him!"

Her question was met with silence, and for a time, only the Great Deku Tree's emotions in her mind gave any answer. Sorrow. Reproach.

"I know this pains you, Saria, but you well know a tree cannot grow within its parent's shadow... and to deny him his inheritance would be a grievous insult to all that he is. If the prophecies speak true, your wish, though it comes from a noble heart, would doom us all, and when he is of age, the wards will begin to affect him."

"What do you mean a tree can't grow in its parent's shadow?" Saria asked.

"We can merely guide him," the Great Deku Tree continued, "but we cannot walk the journey for him. Perhaps we can give him a role to play amongst the Kokiri. A hunter, perhaps."

"He hates hunting," Saria said. "Brynn took him hunting, and he spent the rest of the day bawling because he killed a rabbit."

She winced at the memory. Mido had spent the rest of the week calling him names until Saria had thrown a bowl of soup in his face. Fortunately, it hadn't been very hot, and one of Brynn's hounds had been more than happy to clean it off his face, much to Mido's disgust.

"It will take time, but the world will harden him one way or another," the Great Deku Tree told her. "He must be as ready for the day he leaves the forest as you can make him... Savour the years that you have, child." A grim edge crept into his tone as he continued, "I sense an evil wind brewing. I do not know precisely how long we have, but I know a time of change is fast approaching, a storm like no other these woods have seen in millennia, and none, not even I, I fear, will be safe from its touch." There was a note of pain in his voice. "It is natural for all things to resist change. I understand that you wish to protect this boy, just as I wish to protect all those under my care, but you cannot prevent him from becoming the one he is destined to be... "

"I still think he should have a choice," Saria murmured. She knew she was overstepping her place, knew that there was a certain level of decorum expected of her when conversing with a minor deity such as the Great Deku Tree, but she didn't care. Link was her boy. She had made a promise to protect him.

"He is the Hero Reborn."

"How can you expect me to prepare him for that?" Saria asked angrily. "I know the old stories, the ones you taught me, but I don't know how to help him!"

Saria clenched and unclenched her fists, feeling a rush of anger and frustration. This wasn't fair! How could anyone expect this of Link? He was just a boy! Only eight years by the Kokiri's count.

"You will find a way to help him, and there shall be others too that will aid him," the Great Deku Tree answered calmly. "I am sorry, Saria, but there is no way to avoid what is coming... You yourself have felt this... the call that beckons you to the home of the ancient Sage grows stronger each day, and I too can sense it. As the eldest Kokiri, you will someday take on the mantle that is your birthright."

"You mentioned that I might be appointed a Sage?" Saria said, not understanding.

Another silence, this one broken by the sway and creak of the Great Deku Tree's branches.

"If events transpire as has been foreseen, then yes," the Great Deku Tree answered at last. "A Sage, when called, must enter the Sacred Realm. Once, that task was mine, but that was before my spirit was forged into its present form. Though I still retain the wisdom of a Sage, I cannot fulfil that role. There is a malevolent force growing within the desert. A darkness whose power far exceeds my own. I will do what I can to forestall its arrival, but against this coming storm, I am but a meagre fledgling... You, Saria, will be one of the next Sages, but you must not share this knowledge with anyone... not even Link, until the time comes. For if you do, the eyes of Ganon's servants will fall upon you, and even the old wards will not be enough to keep them at bay."

As that distant memory slipped away, lost amongst so many others, Saria opened her eyes. Still, that grey fog shrouded everything, and even the edges of the temple courtyard were a vague, misshapen outline.

To her surprise, she was lying beside a campfire.

Her head was resting on a blanket, and somebody had bandaged her wounds, including the one across her ribs, which ached terribly. There was an odd sound coming from nearby, and the Kokiri turned her head, an effort that sent her head swimming. To her bemusement, the Sheikah sat nearby, gently plucking the strings of an instrument she'd never seen before. It was beautiful, Saria thought, entrancing. Gentle.

"What..." Her voice was a painful, dry rasp, not at all her own. As she stared, she remembered exactly where she was and what had happened- escaping from the Gerudo, arriving at the temple with Mido, and the demon with its terrible eyes. "Mido?"

How long had she been out cold? Was he still alive? Was he hurt? She grunted as she tried to push herself up, but her body was spent, her movements sluggish.

"Saria!" Fora burst into view from somewhere nearby, her dazzling ethereal glow nearly blinding the poor Kokiri. "You're awake... thank Farore!" She paused, noticing that the music had stopped, an unsettling silence falling in its wake. They both looked up, and even that action made Saria feel ill. The Sheikah was standing, her instrument propped up against the roots of the enormous tree.

"How do you feel?" the woman asked, coming to kneel by the injured girl.

"I met a Sheikah once..." Saria managed. Her head still hurt too much to recall much else. "Her name... it was Impa... I think. Are you... one of her people?"

There were other Sheikah, the Shadow Worshippers, but Saria doubted this woman was their ally. There was no shock in the Sheikah's red eyes. In fact, there wasn't much to go on at all.

"I know her," the Sheikah replied, not elaborating.

"This is Sheik," Fora said. "She saved us from the Phantom."

Sheik gave the fairy a polite nod. "It is a pleasure to meet you at last, Saria of the Kokiri."

Saria opened her mouth to respond when something odd occurred to her. The Sheikah was speaking to her in Kokiri. She blinked, confused.

"You speak Kokiri?" she said, bewildered.

"I possess many talents," Sheik said, not offering any elaboration. "You will be pleased to know your friend is safe. I told him to stay out of sight until I could return for him."

"Thank you," Saria said, closing her eyes briefly, relieved that Mido was okay. She placed a hand on her injured side, wincing. The mere thought of what might have befallen her friend made her eyes glisten. "I hope he didn't give you too much trouble."

"It was nothing I couldn't handle," the Sheikah said, a smile finally touching her lips. "He wanted to follow you, but I told him it wasn't safe. The Phantom still hunts us."

"That thing," Saria managed, shivering at the mere thought of the Phantom. "Where did it go?"

She thought she knew the answer to that already, but if it was still hunting them, why hadn't it attacked again? Why were they still in the temple?

The Sheikah hesitated, looking thoughtful, her eyes drifting to the patch of burnt ground not more than forty feet away. "I only drove it off, but we'll be gone before it comes back. My wards will keep it at bay, for now."

Saria couldn't say she felt particularly relieved. The memory of that Phantom made her shiver. Aware of a small weight upon her chest, she raised a hand to hold up the emerald medallion resting against her chest. Someone had retrieved the medallion and hung it around her neck. The symbol etched across its warm, smooth surface was identical to the one carved into the frieze above the temple entrance. Energy pulsed deep within it in a steady rhythm, almost like the beat of an animal's heart.

"Do you understand what this is?" Sheik asked, following her gaze. "I admit, I wasn't expecting you to use it. Not in the manner you did."

"It's a medallion worn by one of the ancient Sages," Saria answered, running a finger along the symbol. "That's what the Great Deku Tree told me..." The ancient being must have used it once, when he was still a Sage. "He told me there may come a time when I have to take on the mantle of the Forest Sage... I didn't understand what he meant by that..." She rubbed a finger across the medallion's surface. "But now I do, or at least, I think I do."

"That amulet was indeed worn by the ancient Sages," Sheik affirmed. "It is a vessel of power that can store vast amounts of earth magic, but that wasn't its only function. Do you know what else it does?"

Saria tried to remember, but when she couldn't, she shook her head.

"It will also open a gateway to the Sacred Realm, a gateway that will only open for you. If anyone else tried to use it, the guardians who protect the Sacred Realm would close the rift before it could form."

"The Sacred Realm?" Saria repeated, recalling the Great Deku Tree's tales about a realm in which the Goddesses had placed the sacred relic. "That's where the Triforce is."

"It was," Sheik answered grimly, expression sour. "The one you call the Desert Man, Ganondorf Dragmire, invaded and tried to claim the Triforce, but it split instead, and he ended up with a single piece. Only with the combined power of the Sages can a seal be created to imprison the demon king."

"Ganondorf," Saria said, each syllable of the name like ash on her tongue. "He's the reason everything is dying." She regarded the courtyard draped in leafless vines and ringed by dead hedges, anger and sorrow warring within her. "He's the reason the Gerudo attacked the forest. But..." She thought about some of the Gerudo she'd met during her captivity, giving her food and medicines, the ones that had helped her escape. "The Gerudo, they're not all bad people."

"No," Sheik agreed. "They're not, but they need our help to banish Ganondorf."

"And he's the reason Link died," Saria continued, her voice tightening on those words, emotions long buried stirring. "Link left because the Desert Man killed the Great Deku Tree... the others blamed him, and they banished him. The Great Deku Tree said he was bound to become the Hero Reborn, to stop what was coming, but then..." she halted, a tightness in her chest that had nothing to do with her cracked ribs. "He died."

There was no hint of confusion in Sheik's eyes. No surprise. She didn't ask who Saria was talking about.

"I believe you are mistaken, Saria," Sheik said, placing a hand on her shoulder. Saria looked at Sheik, blinking, sure that her ears were deceiving her. Not daring to hope, she was barely able to breathe.

"What?" she asked, confused.

"Your friend, Link?" Sheik continued. "He is still alive... Despite all that has befallen Hyrule, he is the one destined to save this realm, but he needs our help."

Alive?

It took Saria a long time to register that word; everything else the Sheikah said didn't matter. Was Link alive? After the Great Deku Tree had died, and Link had left, Saria had presumed her happy-go-lucky boy was gone. Castletown, the seat of Hyrule's throne, had fallen, and the entire realm had been ravaged by a war. Not even the Kokiri Forest had been spared, with the Gerudo taking its populace into captivity.

He was alive.

That single word broke open seven years of grief, and Saria finally dared to hope.

"Alive?" she repeated, her voice cracked. "How?" She sat up through sheer force of will, her eyes not leaving the Sheikah's face, and forced some strength into her voice. "How do you know him?"

"I was sent to find him, to help him awaken the Sages," Sheik explained as simply as someone describing the weather. "He returned to Hyrule recently."

"Returned?" Saria asked, confused. She didn't understand a word of what was going on, but a desperate need to know kept her focused, distracted from her injuries. She wanted to know more, needed to know more. Anger crept into her tone. "From where?"

"There will be time to explain everything later," Sheik said, not in the least bit cowed by the angry Kokiri. "First, I must get you to safety. I saved you once, and I may not be able to again. My wards will not keep us safe forever."

"I have to see him," Saria said, not fully grasping the magnitude of Sheik's words, not caring about the danger they were in. She tried to stand, but a spasm of pain shot through her injured ribs. She gasped - groaning that simple action made her ribs spasm - and she would have fallen if Sheik hadn't grabbed her. Still supported, Saria sat down.

"Can't you at least tell me where he is?" Saria asked once she could breathe once more. She had to know he was all right, had to know where he'd been for the last seven years. "Please?" She paused, thinking for a moment. Hadn't Sheik said that only one person could kill the spectre? She didn't mean... "Wait... he's..." Saria couldn't suppress the growing fear as she realised what that meant. "He's not coming here, is he?"

Sheik paused, considering her answer. "He is," she said slowly. When Saria opened her mouth to protest, Sheik held up a hand. "I will be close by if the need should arise, but you have to trust me. He will be fine. Without his help, I cannot hope to destroy the evil that has befallen this temple, nor can you."

Saria wanted to argue, to object, but something in the Sheikah's tone, a finality, told her that arguing was pointless.

"You must trust me on this, Saria," Sheik asked, voice gentle. "You can help him, but you cannot do so from here. Not now. Can you trust me?"

Saria held her gaze, still driven by a desperate need to protect her boy. She wanted to find him, to tell him it was too dangerous to venture into the temple, to say how much she missed him... but if she was to help him, and the Sheikah spoke the truth, then she knew what had to be done...

"Yes," Saria said.

"I'm glad," Sheik said gently. "Once you reach the Sacred Realm, you will meet another of the Sages, Rauru. He's a good man. He'll look after you."

"Wait..." Saria glanced with sudden alarm at her fairy. "What about Fora?"

"I'm coming with you," Fora assured her, flying between the Sheikah and Saria. She cast the warrior an uncertain look. "We'll go together, right?"

"I am certain you will, so long as you remain close," Sheik said, to which Saria breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "Kokiri cannot remain apart from their fairies for long, as I understand?"

Saria almost chewed her lip. She knew what the Sheikah meant. "No. We can't."

Sheik turned to her bag and pulled out a bottle of red liquid that Saria recognised. The Kokiri had made it often enough. Even though it was made from herbs found in the woods, the smell strongly resembled the business end of a bear on a bad day.

"Healing potion," Sheik told her, offering Saria the bottle. "I couldn't risk giving you too much. As a Sheikah, I am well-versed in many things, but Kokiri physiology isn't one of them."

"Thank you." Saria shivered as she unstoppered the bottle and let a few drops of the foul-tasting liquid touch her tongue. She swallowed, and soon an odd warm sensation filled her belly, spreading out to her limbs. The sensation didn't last long, but once it passed, Saria felt her strength returning. She checked the wound on her leg and was pleased to see the swelling was receding, even as she watched.

Handing the bottle back to Sheik, Saria gingerly climbed to her feet, testing her injured leg before she trusted herself to stand. Confident she wasn't about to fall over, she took one look at the old Deku Tree and the surrounding plaza. Even as she did, she was certain she could see shadows moving and shifting at the edges of the firelight, like the lumbering shapes of predators hidden in the night. Watching. Waiting. A strange mist clung to the edges of the plaza, floating above the ground, dark and foreboding, creeping forward ever so slowly. Saria noticed with a growing sense of alarm that the black fog was getting thicker with each passing moment, black tendrils creeping towards the firelight and then jerking away as if struck, as if testing the Sheikah's wards.

"What is that?" Saria asked, pointing to the converging mist.

Sheik grimaced, and for the first time, an expression of worry crept across her face.

"Ganondorf's Phantom seeks to test my wards. They will not last much longer," she said calmly. "Are you ready?"

Saria didn't want to wait and see what would happen if the Phantom returned. She understood, at least in part, what she had to do. If it meant helping Link, the Kokiri, then she would do it. That was why she had come here...

Saria nodded, looking down at the amulet again, feeling its warmth beneath her dirt-stained fingers.

"Hold the medallion, draw its power into you as you did before... understood?" Sheik asked, forcing Saria to look up once more. "Once the portal opens, there's no going back, and I cannot tell you how long you'll be in the Sacred Realm. Time flows differently there." Sheik paused, allowing Saria a moment to process what she had said. "Do you understand what this means?"

"Wait... how exactly does this work?" Fora asked. She'd remained quiet for most of this time, but now she sounded worried. Suspicious even.

"It's all right," Saria soothed her. She didn't sense any malice from the Sheikah, nothing that suggested the Sheikah wished to do her harm. She smiled tiredly at Fora. "We'll be back soon, I'm sure of it."

Trust your instincts, Saria told herself.

She held up the medallion and closed her eyes. She could feel the power pulsing within, could sense its ceaseless rhythm. Narrowing her awareness, Saria focused on that pulse. She could hear its rhythm echoing in her mind, feel it deep within her bones, and suddenly warmth was blossoming through her core. She opened her eyes, aware of the medallion's glow, the aura growing to encompass her.

"The Flow of Time is always cruel," Sheik was saying, her words sounding far away. Blood was pounding in Saria's ears, and she could barely hear. "Its speed seems different for each person, but no one can change it... A thing that doesn't change with time is a memory of younger days... Good luck, Saria of the Kokiri. We shall meet again soon..."

As Sheik spoke those final words, a strange tingling sensation crept through Saria's body; she could hear the hum of magic like a distant song. A whispering wind... getting louder... and louder. Light seemed to explode around her, and Saria gasped, shutting her eyes. She felt the medallion slip from her fingers as she was pulled into darkness.

When clarity returned, Saria had the strangest sensation that she was floating, but when she opened her eyes, only the pitch-black of night greeted her. Except there was nothing to ground her. No cold stone or bark beneath her. She was simply floating.

A sudden, terrifying thought occurred to her. Perhaps she was blind. Perhaps something had gone wrong. What if it had? Before the thought could solidify, another light exploded across her vision. She shut her eyes against the glare as a cold gust of wind slammed into her. A moment later, she struck polished white stone.

She can't have fallen far, and when she opened her eyes, it was like waking from a particularly vivid dream. She knew a bewildering moment of panic, but a familiar voice snapped her to awareness. She was lying on a hexagonal dais, surrounded by smooth, pristine stone walls, with Fora beside her.

"Are you okay?" Fora asked. She was the first to stir, turning to look at Saria before getting up.

Saria didn't hear the fairy's next words; she was sure her ears were full of water, as if she had just been pulled from a river. She certainly felt like a half-drowned animal, but mercifully the discomfort was beginning to fade. Trying to stand proved a mistake, and Saria nearly fell flat on her face. Fora took to the air, but Saria didn't notice where she was going.

Taking a steadying breath, Saria managed to get to her feet and take in her surroundings. She was standing on a hexagonal dais with intricate carvings- six circles around its vertices, each bearing a different symbol, and at the centre, three triangles joined to form a symbol of the Triforce. They were in some kind of tower, its tall windows high above opening into a stormy sky, but none of that seemed as strange as the man that stood just a few feet away. He was an older man, dressed in richly embroidered robes of orange and deep scarlet, with a red centrepiece that featured a familiar Triforce emblem. A kindly smile lit up the man's face as he regarded Saria.

Fora darted protectively between the two.

"Welcome, Saria," the man said in a strangely familiar voice. "It is good to see you... The discomfort will pass."

"Who are you?" Fora asked before Saria could. She sounded on edge, and given everything that had happened, Saria didn't blame her. "What happened?"

"I am Rauru," the man explained, gesturing widely. "And this here is the Chamber of Sages."

Safe.

They were safe at last.

Saria looked down at her feet, noticing for the first time that her wounds were completely healed. There was no sign of them. Not even a scar. She examined her arms next, placed a hand on her injured ribs, but there was no pain there, not even a tightness...

Her injuries were gone.

For the first time since entering the Forest Temple, Saria understood her place, her role in what was to come. She was the Sage of the Forest.

"You've been asleep since you arrived here," Rauru explained to her. "It was the only way to heal your injuries."

"How long?" Saria asked, a slight tinge of fear creeping into her voice.

Rauru still smiled as he replied, "Not long... a few days. I think you will find the curse on the Forest Temple was broken whilst you were asleep..." His smile broadened beneath his white moustache.

When she concentrated, Saria could still sense that power pulsing within her. It was stronger now... more... alive...

"I do believe," Rauru continued, a kind warmth in his voice, "there is someone here who would like to see you..."

Saria had a sneaking suspicion she knew who it was, but her emotions were strangely mixed. Joy welled up inside her, knowing that he had done it. Knowing that Link had broken the curse on the Forest Temple. He must have arrived not long after her. But if he were coming here... would she recognise him? How much would he have changed?

No. She knew her fears were just the irrational meanderings of her mind. He was her boy. Her little warrior. Nothing would change that.

Rauru was watching her, but perhaps seeing her mixed emotions, he cleared his throat and made a half-turn towards the door.

"There will be plenty of time for you to begin your training as a Sage," Rauru said. "I'll let you two speak in peace, but..." and here his smile wilted slightly. "Whilst the Sage Medallion that brought you here can summon him here, in spirit, it cannot keep him here for long."

"I..." Saria found herself unable to speak. She swallowed and choked out, "I understand. Thank you... but how does he have my medallion?"

"It brought you here, but remained in the temple for him to find. In his possession, it can form a bridge between Hyrule and this chamber. Only briefly, however, so keep your greetings short."

Without another word, Rauru swept from the room, disappearing out the door that was directly opposite Saria.

It was then that the dais in the middle of the floor glowed with an intense light, the Triforce symbol burning as if it were on fire. Then, there was a flash of blue light, and he was standing before her.

Link was still wearing the same silly green hat and dorky green tunic. But he'd changed too...

"Little warrior," suddenly seemed like entirely the wrong thing to say. The green-clad Hylian towered over her, momentarily dazed as he took in the chamber. Navi hovered by his side. Saria's powers had been enough to summon her, and upon seeing Saria, the little blue fairy froze in surprise.

"Saria!" she exclaimed, as Link's attention finally settled on his friend. His eyes, no longer clouded by confusion, widened in shock.

And then Saria was rushing forward... blinking back tears that threatened to spill.

"Saria?" Link gasped, falling to one knee. "Saria, it's really you!"

And for the first time in so very long, they embraced.

"I missed you, my little warrior," she said, and even to her own ears, it sounded absurd. She looked over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of Navi, feeling a rush of relief that they were still together. "I missed you both."

"I missed you, too, Saria," he said, drawing back from her. There were tears in his eyes, and there was a strange, haunted look to them that hadn't been there before. His smile wilted as he cast a look about the room, confusion settling in...

"Where are we?" he asked.

"We're in the Sacred Realm," Saria explained. "Your body is still in Hyrule. Only your spirit is here. So long as you have the medallion that brought me here, I can still talk to you, as can the other Sages."

Link's expression changed at the mention of the other Sages.

"Wait-" Link stepped back, looking her up and down in apparent dismay. Saria tried not to let a sudden chill betray her. This was going to take a lot of explaining. She wasn't sure either of them was ready for it.

"You're the Sage of the Forest?" Link asked, and the fear in his eyes told her all that she needed to know. Yes, at some level, he knew what that meant.

Saria nodded sadly. "I want to help you, Link, and this is the best way I can." She looked down at her feet as she added, "But until the time comes when we are called to seal the Desert Man away, I cannot return to Hyrule-"

"What?" Link exclaimed, accidentally interrupting. Saria reached for his hand and squeezed it, feeling as if something were once again wrapping itself about her throat. There was horror in Link's eyes now. "What do you mean?"

"I will be by your side, in spirit if not in person," Saria said softly. "No matter what happens, I will always be your friend... and I know you will succeed."

"You can come back, right?" Link asked, his voice sounding so much more like the young boy she had known.

"In time, but not now."

Saria embraced him again for what seemed like an eternity. She wanted to hold him there forever, but she remembered Rauru's words. They didn't have long.

"Why me, Saria?" he asked weakly. "Why do I have to be the Hero of Time?"

"I don't know why it had to be you," she admitted. "I asked Great Father the same thing once. I still wish you'd been given a choice. But I know you, Link. I've watched you fall and get back up more times than I can count. Whatever the Goddesses saw in you, I saw it too. The Great Deku Tree believed you could do it. I believe you can. The only one you need to convince is yourself."

"And Ganondorf," Link replied dryly.

Saria gave him a weak smile. "Him too."

The smile vanished a moment later as she looked down at his feet. "There is something I wanted to tell you. I wanted to tell you ages ago, but the Great Deku Tree forbade me until you were old enough..."

"That I'm Hylian?" Link finished for her.

He knows?

Her surprise was quickly overtaken by regret. She had wanted to be the one to tell him. "Oh, Link. I wanted to explain everything. I was there when your mother brought you to the Great Deku Tree. I tried to save her, but it was too late..."

Link looked like he was holding back tears again. "My mother... what was she like?"

Saria considered her answer. He didn't need to know all the details of what had happened. That much she could spare him from. "We only met for the briefest moment... but she was the most beautiful woman I have ever met... well, the only adult Hylian I had ever met at the time." Saria gave a faint ghost of a laugh. "Despite her wounds, all she cared about was that you were safe. She loved you, Link, and so do I."

A promise made. A promise kept.

With those words, Link looked down, wiping a gauntleted hand across his face.

"You cannot remain here forever; your place is in Hyrule," Saria said.

"Wait... don't go." Link looked back up, realising that Saria was stepping away. His voice tore at her, but she knew it was time...

"I'm not going anywhere," Saria replied gently. "The forest spirits will help the other Kokiri now. You freed them. All of them. And if you see Mido, I think he will be glad to see you."

Link didn't wince at the mention of Mido's name, though she half-expected it.

Instead, a soft smile touched his lips. "I saw him. He said he was sorry."

Saria almost laughed properly this time. Somehow, it didn't seem quite appropriate here.

You finally did it, she thought. Mido had tried to make things right.

If Mido had been standing in front of her, she would've hugged him, which would have been weirder still. But for now, the look on Link's face was enough.

"I'm glad," Saria said. She looked past him briefly, towards the sigils that bordered the chamber's central dais. The others were still waiting to be awakened. "Find the other Sages," she continued, "and together, we can bring peace back to Hyrule." This was it. To meet again, only to part once more. But it had to be done. "I promise we will see each other again soon, my little warrior." Saria paused, considering her words. "I guess you're too tall for that now, aren't you?"

"I guess," Link offered, smiling ruefully.

Saria stepped back, glancing briefly at something Link couldn't see. "Go on, Link. May the spirits guide you."

"Wait..." Fora interrupted, causing them both to look at her. Except Fora wasn't staring at Link or Saria; she was looking at Navi.

"Navi..." Fora hesitated, looking to Saria as if seeking permission to go on. Saria nodded reassuringly, and Fora pressed on, "What happened to Doran... it wasn't your fault..."

Link glanced towards Navi. His eyes widened a fraction, and then he looked away.

"I know," Navi said in a small, trembling voice. "Nor was it yours. Either of you."

Saria struggled to keep her emotions in check as a painful knot formed in her chest. Link was looking at her, his expression pained, but she shook her head. Judging by his lack of surprise, he must have known that Doran had been Navi's charge before him.

"I never blamed you, Navi. I understood why you stayed away after everything that happened... until Great Father called you back for Link," Saria said at last, wishing her eyes weren't damp. "But with the forest cleansed, Doran's spirit can rest now. It's past time we let him go... all of us. He'd want that."

He'd want us to be happy, she thought. Like he always was.

Link's hand twitched as if he wanted to take hold of her, but he held back.

Yes. It was time to go. He still had a kingdom to save.

"Good luck, both of you," Saria said, watching as the sigil beneath Link's feet burned with a bright light.

There was a sudden flash of light that consumed everything, and then it dimmed. Link and Navi were gone. Saria and Fora stood staring at the space where they had vanished.

Soon, she thought.

Closing her eyes, she let her awareness drift outward as it had so many times before. It came more easily now. Far beyond the Sacred Realm, she felt the distant thrum of the Forest Temple and heard the spirits lingering within.

Their song had changed. It was no longer mournful. No longer afraid.

The curse was broken.

Now it was Link's turn. The Kokiri could return home.

And far away, the spirits sang in peace.