Legend Of Zelda Fan Fiction ❯ To Forge the Master ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Link trudged in Sheik’s wake as they followed the trail that led to the Kokiri village. All around them the early morning forest was devoid of the cheerful noises of birds and small animals. Trees groaned softly as they swayed in the wind, causing their dappled shade to dance across the ground. Sheik’s green eyes shifted as they walked, and he kept one hand tucked under his armor.

“Stop dragging your feet,” Sheik snapped. “It’s only a little farther.” Link grumbled something in return, but picked up his pace anyway.

The forest opened abruptly onto a large meadow littered with stumps of trees that at one time must have been nothing short of massive. Each stump was at least fifteen feet across and stood ten feet high. Doors and windows were carved into the sides, only waist high on Link. The ground was covered in soft moss and tall grass, and a small stream ran through the meadow – complete with a tiny bridge. It seemed like a silly thing to build – not to mention a waste of wood – in Link’s mind, since the water could easily be stepped over by an average man.

Suddenly, one of the stump doors burst open, and a child dressed in green ran out. He had a floppy hat made in a cone shape that was too large, so that it fell down over his eyes with only a few red-blond locks sticking out of the bottom. He stopped abruptly, shoved the hat up, and peered at them with bright sky-blue eyes.

“Mido!” the boy shouted, spinning on his heels and running across the meadow towards a larger house. “Mido! Mido! Come quick!” The boy vanished into the biggest stump, still yelling. A moment later another boy, with an annoyed frown, stuck his head out. He blinked sleepily in the morning light, before disappearing back inside, grumbling.

“That was... different,” Link offered. Sheik snorted and shrugged.

The door to the largest stump opened again, and the second boy walked out, his floppy cone hat in his hand, rubbing his eyes then scratching the back of his blond head as he yawned. He could not have been older than ten. “This better be good. It’s way too early to be out of bed.”

“Well, greetings to you, too, O’ Great Mido.” Sheik gave a melodramatic bow. Link blinked in confusion.

Mido huffed and rolled his eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere. What do you want?”

Sheik straightened and gave a pleasant smile. “We need supplies, and wish an audience with the Great Deku Tree.”

“The supplies aren’t a problem...” Mido answered slowly, narrowing his eyes, “but no one can see the Great Deku Tree right now.” With that he abruptly turned and walked away.
“Crap.” Sheik sighed. “I was hoping he would let this go easily.”

“I’m sure we can find a grown up to let us in.” Link shrugged. Sheik looked at him in surprise, then chuckled and shook his head.

“I forget you were sheltered. Mido is the leader around here, and the oldest Kokiri alive.” He turned in the direction Mido had walked away in. “They are literally Children of the Forest. They never grow up, no matter how long they live.”

“Oh,” Link answered, looking after Mido curiously. “How old is he?”

“Couple of hundred years, I think.” Sheik shrugged. “Let’s go stock up, then we can work on Mido.” Link followed, still looking around curiously, as they made their way across the stream to a particularly wide stump. They had to duck to enter the door, but inside the roof was high enough for a normal-sized person.

The walls were lined with bags of grain, planks of timber, potted plants, slabs of dried meats, and most surprisingly weapons – all far too large for use by children. The Kokiri shop owner hopped up on a small stool, so he was level with the normal sized counter, and watched as they began to browse.

While Sheik began looking at the dried meats and other food supplies, Link wandered towards the weapons. He let his heavy bag drop from his shoulder as he picked up a bow from one of the racks. It was smooth and carved from a pale wood Link had never seen before. The bow felt light in his hand, and when he drew the string to his check and released it, it made a wonderful twang.

“Having fun?” Sheik asked. He had an armload of food supplies and an amused smile hidden under his scarf. Link grumbled embarrassedly. Sheik shrugged. “If you like it, get it. It never hurts to have a backup weapon or two.”

Link gave him a dull look. “Yeah, right. Unless you plan to spot me the money with no guarantee I can ever pay you back, or this bag,” he nodded down at the pack near his feet, “can magically produce money the way it produced perfectly fitting clothes. I don’t have anything to buy it with. You didn’t exactly let me grab a few rupees before we bolted out of there.”

“It can’t hurt to check the bag,” Sheik answered with another shrug. “Whoever packed it gave you new clothes in your size, they may have given you extra money, as well.”

Placing the bow carefully back on the rack, Link knelt next to the bag and dug into it. After a few minutes, he came up with a small money pouch that he upended into his hand. “I don’t believe it...” Link gaped. Sheik whistled and raised an eyebrow. In Link’s palm was a handful of brightly-colored, jewel currency – at least a couple hundred rupees worth.

“So, how much for the bow?” Sheik asked the shopkeeper as Link tucked the money away and took the bow back off the rack.
The little shopkeeper, who looked no more than eight, yawned and examined the weapon with a bored expression. “I’ll give you the bow, quiver, and two bundles of arrows... twenty rupees.”

“Twenty rupees?” Sheik frowned as he set the food on the counter and took the bow from Link for a better look. After several minutes, he could not find anything wrong with it. “Ok, what’s the catch? This is yew, which is not a tree native to Hyrule, it should be pretty expensive. Is it cursed or something?”

“Nothing’s wrong with it.” The shopkeeper stretched and shrugged. “Sold it plenty of times. But they all go off into the woods, despite the warnings, and they never come back. We pick up their weapons and sell them to the next adventurer.”

“How... nice... of you,” Link replied dryly.

“You want it or not?” The shopkeeper yawned.

“Sure,” Link replied, setting his money on the counter – paying for the bow and half the food rations. The shopkeeper took the money and bundled everything up for them.

“Here, Kokiri special, no charge,” he said, adding a couple of small drawstring pouches on the top of the pile.

“What’s special about them?” Link asked, picking one up. It looked entirely ordinary to him.

The shopkeeper smiled like a kid about to pull a really good prank. “Check inside.” Link shrugged and opened the bag. It looked ordinary enough inside as well. He reached in, hoping to find something along the inside lining, but found he could not touch the inside of the bag. No matter how far he reached in, he never felt the bottom. The pouch slipped up his arm, covering his hand, then his forearm, elbow, and bicep. Link found it disturbing to see his entire arm had disappeared inside the tiny bag. “Bottomless bags.” The shopkeeper puffed out his chest. “Made them myself. Never gets heavy, never gets full. Great for travelers with lots of stuff to carry.”

“And for shopkeepers who don’t want to haul it back a piece at a time,” Sheik added flatly, watching with interest as Link withdrew his arm from the bag and wriggled his fingers to make sure they still worked properly. The shopkeeper smiled and shrugged. Sheik frowned, but they picked up their items and left without another word.

They found a sunny spot to pause, and arranged their purchases. Link placed his new quiver and a bundle of arrows on his back so they tucked neatly under his shield and next to his sword. The bow he rested on the ground while he transferred everything from his bulky travel pack to the magic pouch. The shopkeeper was right, everything fit easily, and the pouch neither grew in size nor weight. Along with the bag of rupees – that he tied to his belt for easy access – he found several bottles of potions, a dagger – Sheik told him to slip it into the side of his boot – and a map of Hyrule. He even packed the pack into the pouch, in case he needed it later.
“Now what?” Link asked.

“First,” Sheik sighed, “I suppose I should teach you to use that bow, before you–” Link calmly drew an arrow from the quiver, nocked it, and let the shaft fly. It whistled through the air, impaled an apple in a Kokiri’s garden, and stuck into a tree trunk on the other side of the meadow. “–hurt... some... one...” Link gave him a cocky smile before running to retrieve his arrow. He was still smiling when he returned, half eaten apple in his hand. “Where the hell did you learn to do that?!”

“Father taught me to use a bow when I was eight.” Link shrugged.

“And here I’ve been hunting the hard way all this time!” Sheik glared at him in annoyance, then abruptly smacked him on the back of the head. Link laughed, rubbing the back of his head and not looking the least bit sorry.

“It’s not my fault you never asked.”

“Let’s go find Mido,” Sheik huffed. “If we want to meet with Deku Tree, we’ll have to get past him first.”

They found the Kokiri standing, feet firmly planted, in front of a path leading deeper into the forest. His arms were crossed and a frown was set on his lips. Link could have laughed to see a child with such a stubborn expression on his face. Sheik crossed his own arms and drew himself up to his full height. Mido lifted his chin and snorted.

“Out of the way, Mido, we need to see the Great Deku Tree.”

“Well, you can’t,” Mido replied firmly. “No one sees the Great Deku Tree.”

Link gave the Kokiri a half lidded look. “And how exactly are you going to stop us? We are twice your size.”

“I don’t care,” Mido huffed. “The Great Deku Tree is sick and no one can see him.”

“Too bad. This is a matter that concerns all of Hyrule,” Sheik replied, and he shoved passed the smaller Kokiri – even as the child grabbed at his tunic to try and stop him. Link followed, waving patronizingly at Mido as he passed.

Mido fumed. “You’ll be sorry!!!”

The path Mido had tried to block was poorly marked and very narrow. It was obvious only the Kokiri used it with any regularity, because it was only clear from the waist down. Branches and vines grabbed at their clothes and slapped them in the face as they walked. Sheik muttered many a colorful oath and Link was soon doing likewise.

Finally the forest grudgingly gave way to a small ravine. The walls stretched only a few feet over their heads, but wind, rain, and time had worn them smooth. Thick vines draped over the edge, their broad leaves swaying in the light breeze. Sheik grumbled as he tried to get a small stick untangled from his scarf.

“Are we going the right way?” Link asked, looking around at the numerous identical-looking trees.

“Kokiri aren’t prone to lying,” Sheik huffed, finally succeeding in freeing the stick from his scarf. “If Mido tried to block this path, it’s the right one. Let’s just try not to lose it.”

“Right...” Link answered vaguely, still looking up at the trees. “Sheik, do you hear that?”

“Hear what?”

“Listen.” Link pressed his finger to his lips and they both stood still, listening.

“I don’t hear anything.” Sheik shrugged and began walking again.

“Exactly,” Link replied, reaching out to stop him. “There isn’t any sound. Not a bird or squirrel. Nothing.”

Sheik blinked and looked up. “Now that you mention it... Keep your weapons handy.” Link nodded as Sheik pulled his own slim swords from under his armor. Carefully, and as silently as possible, the two crept forward, keeping close to the ravine wall as they went.

Link could hear his heart pounding in his ears and a fine sweat breaking out all over his body. He had not been this scared since the Moblins attacked the ranch, and then it had all seemed too surreal to take in. This was too real. The silence all around them pressed in on his ears, the air felt humid and heavy in his lungs, and the slightest shift of the leaves in the trees made him jump.

They moved quickly, Sheik whispering harshly for him to keep up and keep quiet. The ravine got wider the farther they went, until it suddenly opened up into a huge clearing. The undergrowth was neatly cropped – probably by forest creatures – and the earth sloped down and flattened out so the trees closed off the back of the meadow.

The only thing in the clearing was a massive tree. It stood twice as tall as any tree around and Link guessed it was at least twenty feet across. Its boughs spread wide so that even though neither Sheik nor Link was close to any trees, they were still in the shade.

“That... is a very big tree,” Link whispered, craning his neck back.
“Yeah, big enough to hide something really nasty,” Sheik replied, his eyes shifting quickly around the clearing. “Keep your guard up.”

“Who art thou?” A deep voice, like distant thunder, rumbled through the forest. Sheik jumped and brought his swords up. Link spun around, searching desperately for the source of the voice, while his hand grasped the hilt of his sword. “Who art thou?” the voice repeated.

“Who’s there?” Link asked back, sounding braver then he felt. Sheik gave him a dour looked out of the corner of his eye.

“I am The Great Deku Tree,” the voice answered. “Who art thou to wander in my forest? What dost thou seekest?” Sheik frowned and looked around the clearing uncomfortably, but lowered his weapons a fraction. Link released the sword, but kept a grip on his bow.

“We’ve come seeking your wisdom and advice,” Sheik answered. “Show yourself. If you truly are Deku Tree, we mean you no harm.”

Rumbling laughter filled the clearing. The wind picked up, rattling the branches overhead so it sounded as if even the trees were laughing. “Child, I could not hide myself even if I so chose to do so.”

“Then where are you?” Sheik demanded. Link’s brow furrowed and his grip loosened on his bow. Slowly, as if his feet had a mind of their own, he moved farther into the clearing, drawing closer to the enormous tree. He tilted his head slightly and the light seeping through the trees leaves gave the huge tree an almost ethereal green glow.

“Link, what are you doing?!” Sheik hissed sharply. “Get back over here!” Link ignored him and crept closer to the tree. Carefully, he reached out a hand and ran his fingertips over the smooth bark, surprised to find it very warm even though the shade should have kept it cool. The bark shifted under his touch and he jumped, though oddly found the movement did not surprise him as it should have.

“Thou art Farore’s boy?” the voice rumbled. This time Link could even feel it in the ground under his feet.

“I...” Link faltered a bit. “I was named the Hero of Hyrule. What do you mean about me being Farore’s boy? I’m not... Her son, am I?” The very thought made him queasy, but it sounded like the perfect kicker to the past week of his life.

The rumbling laughter filled the clearing again. “All beings are Farore’s children.”

“Where are you?!” Sheik demanded again as he gave up on Link staying close and closed the distance between them himself.

“The tree,” Link answered, laying his hand on the bark again. “He’s the tree.”

“The... tree...” Sheik repeated, looking at Link like he had truly lost his mind. “Link, I think your sickness is coming back. Maybe you should rest.”

“I’m serious.” Link frowned. “Just touch him and you’ll see what I mean.” Sheik gave him a skeptical look, before reaching out and touching the tree. His eyes widened and he gave a small gasp.

The deep rolling laughter filled their ears again, and vibrated through their bones. “Art thou now convinced?” Sheik stared unblinking up into the branches. “What advice dost thou seekest so deep within my forest?”

Sheik opened and closed his mouth several times without any sound coming out. Link grinned. “Great Deku Tree, the goddesses sent me in search of the...” Link faltered slightly, and prayed he said it right, “Spirit of the Forest. Can you tell us where it is to be found?”

There was a long silence, filled only by the wind whispering through the branches and the rustle of the leaves. “The Spirit of the Forest? ‘Tis not a simple question thou ask.”

“Please,” Sheik found his voice at last, though he seemed uncomfortable about talking to a tree. “We need to know.”

“Very well.” The Tree’s sigh shook the earth. “Sit, my children, and I shall tell ye the tale.” Link and Sheik looked at each other and shrugged. Link tucked his bow away into the pouch as he sat, but Sheik laid his twin swords on the ground next to him.

“What is the Spirit of the Forest?” Link asked. “A huge emerald maybe?”

The Tree’s rumbling laugh filled their bodies and their ears again. “The Spirit is a whom not a what. She is as old as time, perhaps older, and the only creature made before time as we know it began. She hath always been and shall always be.

“The forest is her body, the wind is her breath, and the streams and brooks are her blood. She begot me, and my ancestors before me, and all those who shall follow me. She is the forest, and the forest is she.” Sheik was giving the Tree an impatient look, but Link elbowed him in the ribs before he could say anything.

“Then how do we find her?” Link asked. For a very long time the tree remained silent. When he finally spoke again, his voice was low as if he feared being overheard by the other trees.

“The Spirit resides deep within the very heart of my forest. If you truly wish to meet her, you will have to journey through the Lost Woods.” The wood groaned and Link got the impression the huge tree was looking at him. “Thou hast the mark of the goddesses upon thy soul. So I shall grant thee safe passage, and so long as thine companion stays at thy side, his steps shall be guarded as well.”

“You? Guard me?” Sheik snorted, and half a smile showing behind his scarf. “Boy do I feel safe now.” Link made a rude gesture and Sheik laughed. Even the Deku Tree gave a rumbling chuckle, but he sobered quickly.

“There is more thou shouldst know. The Spirit is suffering; she hath been trapped by the creature Gohma.”

“Gohma...” Sheik breathed. “I thought that was just a legend to scare small children.”

“I fear ‘tis no myth,” The Great Deku Tree sighed, the sound shaking the forest. “She hath invaded the forest. She feeds upon mine dear Kokiri and forest creatures, and her children feast upon my fairies and birds.”

“Where is she?” Link asked, climbing to his feet, his brow set in a frown. Sheik gave him a funny look and Link shook his head. For a moment he had felt something, but it was gone again before he could identify it.

“Trust thine heart, young hero, and thou shalt not be lead astray,” The Tree answered calmly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Sheik asked with a frown, but The Deku Tree gave no answer. “Hey!” Sheik shouted. “Didn’t you hear me?! What does that mean?”

A gentle pull brought Link’s attention away from Sheik and the Tree. He turned, feeling a gentle wind caress his face and hair, like long fingers on a mother’s hand. He closed his eyes and breathed it in. He could smell the forest, alive and breathing. The wind carried the scents of water, damp earth, and the sweetness of rotting wood and leaves. It filled his lungs and infused itself into his blood.

When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see a pale green light winking through the trees. He squinted at it and frowned, sure it had not been there a moment ago. Then as strangely as it had appeared, the light was gone and the wind died with it.

“Sheik,” Link called over his shoulder.

“What?” the other replied with a huff.

“I think it’s this way.” He began walking, following the strange tugging feeling in the direction the light had been. Sheik looked between him and the silent Tree, then grabbed his weapons and followed.

“Someone has changed his tune. What happened to that scared little boy I found at the ranch a few days ago?” Sheik elbowed him lightly in the ribs. Link stumbled and blinked in confusion. He brought his hand to his head and rubbed his eyes, trying to rid himself of the momentary dizziness. Sheik frowned at him. “You’re not getting sick again, are you?”

“I don’t think so,” Link replied, blinking hard and giving his head a shake. “Just zoned out for a minute is all.”

“Well, don’t do that. You need to keep alert at all times.”
“Yes, O’ Great and Mighty Teacher.” Link smirked and Sheik smacked the back of his head. They walked in silence for several minutes, Link following the strange pull, and Sheik following Link. Around them the forest was eerily silent; no birds sang, no insects chirped, no small animals crunched the leaf litter as they scurried about. The silence put Sheik on edge, and even made Link a bit nervous. “Hey, Sheik?” Link whispered, as if he would wake the very air around them if he spoke too loudly.

“What?” Sheik hissed back, looking around as if to make sure they were truly alone. He tightened his grip on his swords convulsively.

“Back at the ranch, you did this thing – at least I think you did it – where you threw one of those Moblin into the air. Can you teach me to do that?”

Sheik leveled him with a half-lidded look. “You’re thinking about this now?”

Link shrugged innocently. “It looked like a useful trick.”

“It wasn’t a trick, it was magic,” Sheik snipped testily. “And worry about mastering your sword before you think about the fancy stuff. Now, keep your head about you. Just because you can’t hear or see something, doesn’t mean it isn’t there.”

Link frowned, but drew an arrow from his quiver and notched it. “Has it occurred to you that you’re paranoid?”

“You would be too if you’d–” Sheik stopped abruptly when a twig snapped behind them. “Put your back against mine,” Sheik said, his voice so low Link almost did not hear him. “And keep your eyes peeled for anything.”

Link swallowed hard and did as he was told. His grip tightened on his bow as he brought it up, ready to fire at a moment’s notice. Around them the forest was as silent as ever, not even the wind dared to breathe. Link flinched when he stepped on some dry leaves, the crunch almost deafening. His own breath sounded loud in his ears and his throat refused to moisten.

A crunch of leaves a flash of movement on the left caused both to turn suddenly. Link drew the arrow to his cheek and held his breath. Again silence reigned.

Suddenly, the figure broke from the trees, running hard. Link barely pulled up in time to miss the small Kokiri girl, the arrow hitting the tree behind her with a resounding thud. She screamed and covered her head as the arrow whistled overhead. Behind her, something lunged out of a tree and scurried across the ground like a shadow come to life, its single red eye gleaming in the darkness.

Link drew another arrow and fired before the girl had even cleared the space between him and trees. This time his aim was dead on. The shaft tore through the air, and embedded itself in the creature’s eye. There was a horrid sound – like the screeching of nails on glass – and the creature crashed headlong into the ground, crushing leaves and sticks as it did.
The girl did not stop until she literally ran into Link’s legs, then swung herself around to hide behind them.

“Nice shot!” Sheik punched him in the arm.

Link smiled before turning to the girl. “It’s okay,” he soothed. The girl looked about the same age as Ray, and the red-rimmed eyes reminded him of the many nights his sister had crawled into his bed after a nightmare. “I killed it. See? It can’t hurt you anymore.” The girl peered up at him with forest-green eyes under an disorderly mess of straw-colored hair, and shook her head vigorously. Then she pointed off into the trees.

They followed her finger in the direction they had come. Nothing moved; there was not so much as a single red eye gleaming out of the shadows.

“Just because you can’t see it...” Sheik whispered. “Let’s move.”

“Stay close.” Link ordered the girl gently. She nodded back mutely, reaching up and wrapping her tiny fist in the edge of his tunic. They moved quickly, the Kokiri to take three steps to their one, forcing Link to ultimately carry her. The forest rushed past, trees looking all the same as they passed, and always with the silence.

Suddenly, the trees thinned and broke. They stopped, looking down at the depression in the earth before them. It stretched for miles in all directions, and was devoid of trees. Only a circle of low walls and buildings – made of worn stone – formed a circle on the ground around a small pyramid. The roofs of the buildings had long ago worn away and fallen in, making way for thick tangles of vines that crept up the crumbling walls.

In the center of the structure was the pyramid. It rose so that its topmost stone was no higher than the edge of the depression. The throbbing light pulsed out of the top stone, which sparkled like liquid emeralds in the sunlight.

The Kokiri in Link’s arms shivered and shrank away from the sight.

“That’s it,” Link whispered. The tugging in his chest grew stronger with each pulse.

“Humm.” Sheik frowned. “Well, you’re the Hero.” He tilted his head towards the younger man. “No time like the present I guess. Let’s go.”

“What about her?” Link asked, bouncing the girl a bit as she started to cry again. “We can’t take her in there with us.”

Sheik frowned and rubbed his chin through his scarf, then shrugged absently. “We’ll have to hide her.” Link looked around. The land was bare except for grass and small plants all the way down the slope, until it hit the vines and stones. Behind them, the silent forest spoke of foreboding and hostile creatures lurking within.

“Uhh... where?” he asked.

“Er...” Sheik looked around. “Crap. She’ll have to come with us.” Sheik studied the dilapidated structure, his dark hair falling into his eyes. “Draw your sword. It looks like it will be mostly closed quarters, but keep your bow handy just in case. Stay close, stay alert, and follow me.”

Link nodded and placed the girl on the ground beside him as he drew the sword and unhooked his shield. The girl reluctantly took hold of the edge of his tunic again, looking anxiously between the forest, the building, and the two men.

Slowly, they made their way down the slope. It was a lot farther than it looked, and before they reached the vine-covered walls the forest had come alive all around them. Glowing red eyes peered out of the darkness. They hung from trees, and shuffled among the underbrush, yet hesitated at the tree line. The creatures hissed and scraped their legs together, as if arguing among themselves.

“What are they doing?” Link whispered, tightening his grip on his sword and pushing the Kokiri girl behind him.

Sheik raised his slim twin blades as he slid into a ready stance. “I don’t know. Maybe they can’t stand the sunlight. Let’s just keep moving.” They slowly worked their way down the slope, Sheik keeping himself between Link and the creatures, until they were next to the vine-covered wall. Link carefully probed the vines in search of a hidden door, while Sheik guarded his back. It took almost an hour to find the door – or at least where the door used to be – all that was left was a gaping hole in the wall hidden by vines. All the while the creatures glared down at them, but never advanced.

Inside the walls was a very different place. The vines draped themselves over the top, leaving long spiraling fingers hanging down in thin wisps. Carvings of trees, animals, plants, and Kokiri decorated the stone. The old paint had chipped away in places, but the art was still easily recognizable. The place gave off an air of serene silence, as if nothing beyond its walls mattered. A sweet perfume of flowers hung in the air, making Link feel lightheaded. The floor had once been smooth dirt, but time had covered it with dead leaves, moss, and small plants. Small insects scurried along the walls and floor.

Their footsteps thumped softly as they moved down the corridor. The places where the dirt showed through the cluttered floor small, round indentions pierced the soft earth. Sheik bent down and ran his fingers gently over the impressions, his green eyes narrowed.

“What are they?” Link asked, his voice low though he was not sure why.

Sheik looked up at him, the scarf unable to hide the frown on his face. “Not sure. They don’t look like any animal tracks I’ve ever seen.” He picked up a thick, black hair from the leaf litter and rolled it carefully between his fingers. “And this isn’t animal hair, either.” The Kokiri girl made small noise in the back of her throat and edged closer to Link’s side. “Whatever they are, they were moving out into the forest. Let’s find a better place to be before they decide to come back.”

Link nodded and they moved down the hall more quickly. The hallway turned sharply and suddenly opened into a large room. Sheik put his hand out and stopped Link at the edge of the doorway. “What is the matter with you?” he hissed. “You don’t just walk into a room; it’s a good way to get killed.”

Link mouthed the word “paranoid,” but stepped back to let Sheik go first. The older man carefully slid along the wall and peered around the corner. Green eyes scanned the whole room with a critical glance. After only a long moment he stepped back, put his finger to his lips, and motioned for Link to follow him.

Dead leaves crackled under their feet, sounding loud in the still air. They made their way halfway across the huge room without incident. Suddenly Sheik put his hand up to stop. A thin fog was seeping into the room between the stones, collecting around their ankles. “Back up,” Sheik hissed through his teeth. At that moment there was a loud scurrying sound that seemed to come from all around them. “Scratch that, get ready to fight.”

“Fight what?” Link asked as he put his back against Sheik’s and pushed the Kokiri girl behind their legs. The fog was up to their knees now, and Link could hear something scratching and scurrying underneath it. “I can’t see anything.”

“Floormasters,” Sheik growled back.

“Floorwhat?” Link asked, panic rising in his chest. Sheik started to answer, but was cut off by a frightened scream. The Kokiri girl was suddenly yanked away, disappearing under the fog. Link dove after her, but as the rush of air cleared the small patch of fog all he saw was the floor.

“Link! Stand Up! Now!” Sheik yelled, grabbing the back of his tunic and hauling him forcibly to his feet.

“But-”

“Forget about her! She’s gone. Worry about your own skin.” He released Link and turned back to face the fog. The fog rolled around them and the rustling sounded closer. “WIND!” Sheik crossed his forearms and a great gust welled up around them. It tugged violently at their clothes and kicked up dust. Sheik threw his arms out and the air expanded, sucking up the fog and clearing the room.

Link recoiled at the sight of the creatures it left behind. At least a dozen severed hands, each as large as a medium-sized dog, stood on their fingertips. Long nails extended from each finger, a crust of what appeared to be dried blood was wedged under each nail. The creatures’ flesh was a rotten purple and the place where they should have connected to an arm was a festering wound.
“Those are Floormasters,” Sheik hissed. “Shit, there are a lot of them. Don’t let them grab you. If you get a chance stab them.”

Link swallowed hard and nodded mutely. The Floormasters scurried about them, seemingly not noticing the loss of their cover. Slowly they closed the circle around Link and Sheik. Link could not even hear the sound of their fingers on the ground with the blood rushing in his ears. He could feel sweat creeping down his neck, his jaw ached from clenching, and his sword and shield suddenly felt very heavy.

One of the Floormasters lunged. Link started and brought up his shield. The creature slammed against it and latched on, trying to wrench the shield off his arm. Link swung his sword in an awkward arc, clipping one of the creature’s fingers, severing it. It released the shield and scrambled back, shaking itself. The finger flopped on the ground like a worm freshly cut in half.

Sheik flicked his wrist, bringing a circular piece of metal to his hand. With another flick, wickedly curved blades extended from the sides of the circle. He pulled back and threw the weapon, sending it slicing through the air. It went straight through one Floormaster, leaving the two halves twitching in its wake. Another creature lunged at him and he met it with his sword, slicing the thumb and pointer finger clean off. The creature stumbled around, unable to balance properly, and Sheik drove his sword through the wrist and out the palm.

Link swung at the next attacker, striking the creature’s thumb, but not cutting it all the way through. The Floormaster faltered, trying to drag itself away with its remaining fingers. Link hesitated for only a second, then the frightened eyes of the little Kokiri girl appeared in his mind and he plunged his sword into the back of the monster. Rotten blood splashed up onto his face and clothes as he yanked the sword free with a tremendous effort. Another came at him from the side and he swung his shield, slamming the brute across the floor with the heavy slab of metal.

Sheik pulled his twin swords from one broken form and threw himself at another. He had lost count of how many he had killed. He slashed another monster, sending blood into the air. He left one sword imbedded in the beast and turned, raising his fist as if to throw a punch. “FIRE!” A flame bloomed around his hand as he slammed his fist forward. A wall of fire rushed across the room, charring everything in its path to cinders. The flames evaporated when they met the stone wall.

Link thrust, stabbing his blade through the open palm of his attacker. He blocked another attack with his shield, then used the still struggling creature skewered on his sword to bat another away. He was already tired; sweat rolled down his neck and his shoulders screamed for rest. With all his might he swung the sword, sending the Floormaster flying off the end, a trail of blood in its wake. Another came at him from the left. He crouched, getting into the position Sheik had mercilessly drilled into his head. Suddenly, a flash of steel tore the creature’s fingers from its hand, sending it to the ground with a sickening thump.

The crunch of leaves came from his right and Link spun around and swung. The clang of metal on metal broke through his daze and he looked into Sheik’s annoyed green eyes. “Your stance is too open, and your swing too slow and predictable. But it’s good to see you lived. And not more than a scratch on you.”

Link lowered his sword with a weary smile. Sheik smiled and shook his head. Then he looked down and his smile twisted just a bit.

“You remember what I said about how to kill things?” Sheik asked.

“Uhh...” Link stumbled. “Go for the brain, heart, and... liver... right?”

“That’s right.” Sheik walked around him and put his foot down on the back of the Floormaster that had lost its fingers. The creatures was trying to pull itself away with its thumb. “But creature created by magic, like these Floormasters, usually don’t have brains, hearts, or livers.”

“These things are made?” Link choked. “HOW?!”

“I’ll get to that at another time.” Sheik waved off the question. “The point is magic creatures can’t always be killed by conventional means. Some have immunity to magic, or certain types of magic. Some can use magic themselves, though usually in only a limited capacity. Take Floormasters, for instance. They can create a mist to hide their approach, and it can cause disorientation if you breathe it in.

“But, I digress. The point is they lack the normal ‘kill spots.’ But they are pretty easy to kill, annoying, but easy. They are weak against fire, none too smart – not having brains and all – and if you just make them bleed enough, they die.” He twisted one of his swords and stabbed it down into the creature, wrenched it around, and yanked it out. Blood oozed out across the ground as the giant hand gave its final death twitch.

Link looked at him, then down at the dead and dying Floormasters. Blood was seeping into the brown earth, staining it deep crimson. Severed fingers still twitched and the palms spasmed convulsively. There was no sign of the Kokiri girl.

“Put her out of your mind, Link,” Sheik said gently, wiping the blood from his sword.

“But...” Link started, unsure if his distress showed too clearly.

“She’s gone and you can’t change that. Don’t forget to clean your sword, blood causes rust.” He offered Link a rag from his own bottomless pouch. Link took it and slowly did as he was told. Sheik patted him on the shoulder as he moved to retrieve his lost throwing stars. “You can’t save everyone, even if you want to.”

His hand tingled as he relaxed his grip on the sword’s hilt, and he wiggled his fingers little to get the blood flowing again. When he took hold of it again to wipe it down, he could feel an odd humming. It was a gentle note that eased the tingle in his hand. Cleaning the last of the blood from the blade he slide it back into its sheath. Still the calming hum made itself known.
Link sighed as he tried to get the blood off his tunic. He was surprised when it came off rather easily, but did not care enough to question it at the moment. Finally, Sheik gave him a nudge and they moved towards the only door in the room except the one they had entered through.

It led them down another hallway. This one curved so they could only see a few feet in front of them. Sheik took the lead, with Link following close behind. More flowering vines grew here, their scent so heavy it gave Link a slight headache. Under the vines, more depictions of forest life were carved into the stone, but Link forced himself to keep his eyes ahead and his mind clear.

The hallway suddenly opened up into a very long room. The floor here was not compacted, but carefully plowed into rows. Dead plants were neatly spaced along the tops of the rows. Huge weeds grew everywhere. Some were blue-violet and bulbous, with large spiky leaves surrounding them like a protective wall. Others grew low to the ground, spreading their red and orange leaves wide.

“I’d say it looks empty, but so did the last one,” Link whispered.

“Careful, Link.” Sheik grinned. “I might start thinking there is actually something between those long pointed ears of yours.”

“Ha ha,” Link snorted.

Sheik’s humor faded as quickly as it had risen as he leaned into the room and took a look around. Nothing moved. Quickly he pulled back into the hall. Link raised an expectant eyebrow.

“I don’t see anything but the plants, but keep your guard up.”

Link rolled his eyes and stepped into the room. “Oh, yes, because plants are such– ” He yelped and ducked as a nut the size of a large rock came zooming past his head. From one of the low red-leaved plants what appeared to be a shrub had reared up. Two glowing red eyes glared at him as if he had broken some long-standing taboo. It made a strange coughing noise and shot another nut out of its horn-shaped mouth.

“Don’t take– ” Sheik stepped up and used the flat of his sword to bat the next nut back the way it came, “anything for granted.”

The nut slammed the little shrub in the face. The creature stumbled back in surprise and pain, uttering a shrill cry. Suddenly, one of the bulbous plants shuddered, and the bulb rose twelve feet into the air on a long stalk. It peered down at the disoriented shrub, then snapped it up like a cat pouncing on a mouse. In seconds the shrub was gone and the bulb settled back into its nest of thorny leaves.

Link’s eyes were wide as he stared in shock. “Wh-wha-what was that?!”

“Deku Shrub and Deku Baba, respectively,” Sheik answered. The best strategy is hack and slash... or I could just do this.” Keeping his arms close to his body, he spread both of his hands as if they were pressed against a wall. “FIRE!” A wall of flames sprang up between Link and the room. It spread from wall to wall, burning all it touched.

Sheik thrust his arms out as if he was pushing off the wall, and the flames slid forward. The dead plants in the rows turned to ash instantly. The Deku Shrubs sprang from their homes and ran ahead of the flame, straight into the jaws of the Deku Baba. Those that escaped the ravenous plant still fell prey to the flames as they reached the opposite wall. The Deku Baba were unable to avoid the fire, but blindly snapped at it as they would anything else, and were quickly devoured by the hungry flames.

When the fire met the opposite wall, Sheik let his hands drop and the flames went out.

“Show off,” Link snorted.

“What’s your point?” Sheik smiled down at him. He reached out a hand a pulled Link to his feet. “Come on, Hero. Let’s go save the world.”

“Hey, Sheik, look at the vines.” Link pointed as they passed a clump of the same hanging vines that decorated the entire wall. Sheik looked in surprise and frowned. Moving to the wall, he took a single vine in his hand and examined it more closely. Every petal and leaf was just as it should be, not a scorch mark in sight.

“These could be useful,” he muttered to himself and gave the piece of foliage a yank. The vine did not budge. Sheik shrugged and hacked at it with his sword. The blade bounced off like the plant was made of rubber. “What the heck is this?” He fingered the plant a bit more, but could not match it to anything in his memories.

“You can ask the Forest Spirit when we find it,” Link suggested.

Sheik shrugged and sighed. “Guess so.”

The next hallway was more of the same, finally opening up into a relatively small room. A large table sat in the middle, one of its legs broken so it leaned to one corner. Four stools had been scattered about, broken and abused. The table was set with what had probably been a wonderful feast. Large leaves, once used as plates, had long since dried out. The food that had been there was no more than stale crumbs.

This room was empty of anything dangerous, but the vines and flowers grew more heavily along the wall than before, obscuring anything that may have been depicted there.

“What was this place?” Link asked, poking a particularly spiny plant with his sword. A tiny Deku Baba reared its head and snapped at Link’s boot. Absently, Link shook it off, snapping its stalk like a twig.

“Possibly an altar of some sort,” Sheik answered as he picked up a large leaf from the broken table and turned it over in his hands. “Maybe the Kokiri made offerings to the Spirit to keep the forest safe or something. Either way, there’s nothing here. Let’s go.”

“In a hurry to get us killed?” Link asked mildly as he caught up.

“Why not?” Sheik grinned and threw his arms wide. “The sun is shining, the air is fresh, and we are on an adventure. It’s an excellent day to die!” Link rolled his eyes.

The hallway, rather then continuing around in the circle, made a beeline for the pyramid. It opened up into a large circular room. Link and Sheik both stopped and blinked in open amazement. Rather than the destroyed mess that dominated the other rooms, this one was fairly neat and orderly. A tiny, but untended, herb garden stood in front of a small house that appeared to have grown into place. Short, thick trees made up the walls, while their wide, sprawling branches made the roof. Over the gap that would be the doorway, hung a curtain of vines. Soft green moss made up the floor.

“Keep up your guard,” Sheik warned as he slunk across the open space like a cat. Link followed with much less grace. Sheik pressed his back against the trees and used his sword to lift the vines. Inside it was pitch black. “Stay close,” Sheik whispered and Link nodded. They slipped quietly between the vines and into the room. “Fire.” Sheik hissed, and a small flame appeared on his upturned palm.

The room was larger on the inside than the outside appeared to allow, since the room extended into the pyramid. At the far end of the room was a ladder. The floor and walls were covered in a thick layer of vines and flowers and the scent in the room was so heavy it made Link dizzy.

“Let’s get out of here before I’m sick,” Link complained, rubbing his eyes as they began to water. He took one step before Sheik’s hand flew out and pressed against his chest.

“Don’t move.” Sheik nodded upwards and Link followed his gaze. Along the ceiling were thousands of red and white spheres. Each appeared to be made of thick silk and anchored into place by several heavy silk lines. The entire ceiling was then covered in a thin layer of gossamer threads like a giant safety net. As the pair stood there, the spheres began to writhe, as if sensing their presence.

“What are those?” Link asked in his smallest whisper. The spheres shuddered overhead.

“Eggs,” Sheik answered. “And unless I miss my guess, they are Gohma eggs.”

“What is a Gohma anyway?”
“A very big, very nasty spider,” Sheik answered. “The eggs lie dormant until a meal passes underneath, then they hatch en mass.”

“Can’t you just roast them?” Link asked, still watching the ceiling as it began to ripple like the surface of a pond when many stones are tossed in all at once.

“Not without knowing what’s above them. Baby spiders can be stomped; falling, burning trees are bit more deadly.”

“So...” Link asked nervously.

“Run like hell for the ladder, and climb. I’ll cover you.”

“But–”

Sheik leveled him with a glare. “Don’t argue with me. Once they are on the ground, I can roast them.” He looked up again, watching the eggs move ever more frantically. “Go. Now!” He shoved Link hard. Startled, the younger man stumbled, but quickly gained his footing and dashed for the ladder. Overhead, the sound of splitting shells filled the room. The sword and shield suddenly felt very heavy. His heart pounded in his ears. Behind him he heard the thumps and thuds of many things falling to the floor. Sheik’s footsteps were lost in the fray.

Link reached the ladder and looked back. Sheik had stopped a few steps behind him and turned around. Beyond him a horde of spiders, each the size of a large cat, carpeted the ground. They clicked and chattered as they rubbed their pincers together in anticipation of a meal.

Sheik swung his arm in a sweeping arc and summoned the magic flames again. The spiderlings stopped, chattering angrily as they reached the flames. The spiders in back crowded forward, forcing the ones in the front into the fire. Link winced as the high-pitched screams filled the air. They scurried back, taking a few flames with them on their wire-furred bodies. Desperate to get rid of the fire they stumbled about, catching their siblings on fire in the process.

“Go!” Sheik commanded, shoving him towards the ladder again. Link grabbed the nearest rung and began to climb. They quickly put some distance between themselves and the panicking spiderlings. All around them, the walls were covered with the flowering vines. In some places it was so thick it was hard to tell where the ladder was.

Link had no idea how high they climbed, but by the time they reached the top he felt like he could not breathe. Even Sheik was sweating and panting as they hauled themselves onto the ledge.

“Din!” Sheik gulped down air. “Did we just climb to the top of the pyramid?”

“Feels like it.” Link sighed, relaxing into the soft earth. Sheik stood up and peered back over the edge. Far below, the mass of spiderlings writhed in one massive black patch. Even though the flames had long since gone out, they seemed to hesitate climbing up after their escaped prey.

“Hey, look at this.” Sheik beckoned.
Link groaned as he rolled onto his hands and knees and pushed himself to his feet. Looking over the edge he raised an eyebrow. “What are they doing?”

“I don’t know,” Sheik answered. “Logically they should have followed us up.”

Link gave him an incredulous look. “So why in Farore’s name did we come up here if they could follow?”

“It’s more defensible,” Sheik answered as if it was obvious. “Down there they could easily surround us – up here our back is covered.”

“Oh...”

“Still, they should be following us.” He rested his chin in his hand and thought for a long moment. Then he shrugged, “Thank the goddesses for small blessings I guess.” He turned and looked at the wall behind them. A large door covered in vines was deeply embedded in the earthen wall. Taking out a single sword, Sheik moved to the door and began hacking at the vines. Link joined him and shortly they had cleared the majority of the foliage away.

The door was very large and ornate. Each plank seemed to be made from a different type of wood, but all had grown dark from the passing of unknown centuries. A pattern of faded gold formed twisting vines with emerald leaves that sparkled in the dim light. The vines wound their way to the center of the door, where they encircled an oblong knothole in the middle plank. There was no handle or hinges to be seen.

Link leaned down and peeked inside the knothole. “How do you suppose we open it?”

Sheik shrugged and knocked on the wood. “Sounds too solid to break.” Link stood up suddenly as a bolt ran down his spine. The tugging had come back, and this time it was stronger than ever. “What?” Sheik asked.

Link did not answer. Instead he stepped closer to the door and placed his hand on the wood. The door groaned loudly, and Sheik took a sharp step back in surprise. Then the emerald leaves lit up, filling the immediate area in blinding green light. The wooden door lurched in its earthen frame, then with a long-suffering groan, it fell inwards.

“Shit...” Sheik whispered through his teeth.

Link stared at the open space with an unsurprised expression. Then he blinked and shook his head. “Wha-what happened?”

Sheik looked back at him with a worried expression, his brow furrowed. “Don’t get sick on me again.”
“Huh?”

Sheik just shook his head. “Let’s go. You know the routine – stay close, keep quiet.” Link nodded as he drew his sword and readied his shield. Sheik drew his other blade and led the way into the room.

A thin layer of webbing clung to the floor and walls. It sparkled innocently in the light creeping in from the doorway. Above them skeletons of animals and Kokiri hung tangled in heavy web cocoons. Link flinched when a discarded rib snapped under his boot.

Suddenly the door slammed shut, throwing them into darkness.

“This, is bad,” Sheik whispered. Link swallowed hard and put his back against Sheik’s. As his eyes adjusted, the darkness retreated before a pale green light. In his hand the sword had begun to hum again. Chancing a glance up, Link saw a series of cracks running across the ceiling. Light the color of fresh moss filtered in, giving the room a soft, earthy glow. “Damn it! It’s pitch black in here. I can’t see a thing!”

“But,” Link started, “the light–” He was cut off when something grabbed him. He rushed straight up at frightening speed. Below, Sheik shouted up after him. Link struggled in the claw-like grasp. He managed to turn around, then froze. Less than a foot away, a single red eye stared unblinking at him. At least twice the size of his head, he could see his reflection in the dilated pupil. Two huge pincers scraped together ominously as they dripped saliva and venom.

His body rebelled. Every instinct screamed at him to run like hell and not stop until his legs gave out, but every muscle was locked tight. He could not move, he could not breathe. A scream rose in his throat, only to be trapped by a solid lump that had lodged itself there. He swallowed hard, even though his mouth was completely dry, and the lump dropped into his stomach like a block of ice.

Something whirled past him, nearly nicking his ear, and slammed into the monster’s head with a sound like a stone on metal. Startled, Gohma dropped him. Link pin wheeled his arms, grabbing for anything to stop his fall. But it was useless and he hit the hard stone floor below with a dull thud, his shield and sword clattering loudly.

“Link!” Sheik shouted. “Where are you?” He cursed as he stumbled over a discarded femur.

“...Here,” Link groaned as he pushed himself up. In the thin green light he could see Sheik’s silhouette picking its way towards him, swords held at the ready. “I’m here.” Link coughed, trying to regain his lost wind. “Watch out... Gohma–”

Link never finished the sentence. He was knocked back to the ground as the huge spider dropped down on top of him. Only luck saved him from the creature’s fierce jaws. He lifted his shield in time to block the next attack. Gohma grabbed it in her powerful jaws, her long fangs curving around the edge of the metal shield and almost scratching Link’s arm, and shook it violently. Link screamed as his arm was yanked back and forth. He swung his sword blindly around the shield, trying to beat the creature back, but to no avail. The sword bounced off, clanking like it did against the floor.

“FIRE!” Bright orange light flooded the room as a column of fire shot past Gohma, missing by several feet. Sheik swore angrily. But the attack surprised the spider so much that she released her hold on Link’s shield and scurried backwards. Link blinked as the room plunged back into the pale green light.

Gohma screamed her rage, a sound very much like many nails on a chalkboard, and Link had to cover his ears to block out the painful noise. The giant spider charged forward. Link ducked as she stormed over him – only missing stepping on him by a few inches.

Another blast of flames struck the spider in the face and she let loose a scream far worse than the last one. Short forelimbs scrubbed vigorously at its single eye as she stumbled back blindly. Link had to scramble to avoid the erratic movements. Suddenly, Gohma charged. Link shouted a warning, but over the monster’s continued screams his voice was lost. Sheik was thrown like a rag doll, landing across the room in a heap.

Link’s mind went numb. He did not even realize he was on his feet until he was standing over Sheik’s body. His sword hummed angrily in his hand. The scream echoed around him and he turned. Gohma’s single red, bloodshot eye glared at him from across the room.

Link swallowed and turned to face the creature completely. He brought up his shield even though his arm screamed with pain, and he wondered if a bone was fractured. The back of his head throbbed where it had hit the stone floor, and his back ached from the fall. He spread his feet the way Sheik had shown him, and gripped the sword tightly. He placed himself directly between the spider and Sheik, setting his jaw.

Gohma charged, her eight legs moving nimbly over the web-covered floor, her angry scream filling the room. Link raised his shield and set his heels into the ground. Gohma was almost on top of him in a flash. A tingle like hot water over icy skin wrapped around his sword hand and it shot out in a blur of steel and light.

The blade sank to the hilt in Gohma’s eye. Green ooze and thick blood spilled over Link’s hand and forearm. A final horrible scream ripped from Gohma’s throat as she stumbled back, wildly thrashing, slinging ooze and blood from her wound. She slammed into walls blindly, bouncing off only to trip on a tangle of webbing. She hit the ground with a booming thud. Her scream died away as she stilled.

Link stood there, his arm still thrust out, even as the tingle faded. His arm dropped to his side as Gohma finally stopped twitching. His head spun, a thousand questions racing through his brain at once.

Behind him Sheik groaned, and he turned back to his fallen companion. Sheik stirred gently as Link called his name, but then gave no further response.
Overhead there was a loud crack. Link looked up to see the thin green lines in the ceiling were quickly growing wider and longer. Looking around frantically, Link tried to find an escape route. There was only one door and it was still firmly shut. Another crack and a chunk of rock crashed to the floor. A shaft of bright green light spilled across the floor, causing the webbing to sparkle like emerald and jade dust. Overhead, the cracking stopped and the room grew silent.

Link blinked. The strange tugging was back. This time it was so strong that he did not even realize he had left Sheik’s side until he was bathed in the bright shaft of light. He stared up into the light as the strangest sensation of weightlessness filled his body.

Then his mind went completely blank.