Chapter 6: Forest Temple Flashback
"SAIRA!" Kalo shouted, even if the strange, black and white image of Saria that he could see in this void could hear him, it wouldn't do him any good. She was dieing. And there was nothing he could do about it. "I'm sorry.." he cried, he had failed. No Kokiri had died due to leaving the forest in over one thousand years. Now, Saria was to be the first. "I'm her fairy, I should have realized that forcing her to come back was dangerous! I should have talked to her, let her tell me about that blasted water! I shouldn't have...abandoned her...I'm sorry..." he broke into tears muttering "I'm sorry." over and over
"Are you done blubbering?" Shadow asked, annoyed. "Because I really am getting annoyed by it."
'You! how dare you, Murderer!" Kalo shouted. "You dare complain after you just took an innocent life!"
Shadow rolled his eyes. "Can you please shut up?"
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Zelda suddenly felt something. "Saria!" The Forest Sage was getting weaker by the second, in a matter of minutes, she would leave this world. "I guess she couldn't leave the forest after all..." This wasn't supposed to happen. Saria couldn't die! "I need to help her" She was about to get up, when it happened. She looked down at her hand.
"What the?"
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Malon was looking at the gifts Shadow gave her. Two scepters, one red, one blue. "I wonder how they work?" she asked nobody in particular.
Suddenly Malon got that feeling, that same feeling she had gotten before her mother died. She realized what it meant. "Saria!"
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"No! Saria! You can't die! You can't!" Link was shaking the Kokiri, she was alive, just barely. She was in a coma, a coma which Link could see was soon going to be an even deeper sleep. "No! How could this happen!" It wasn't fair! She wasn't supposed to die! "Don't take her!" Link shouted to the heavens, "Take me! She doesn't deserve to die! I do! Take me instead!"
Nothing.
"No! Please...no..."
Link didn't even notice his hand starting to glow until it was bright enough to light up the whole room. "What in the world.."
His left hand was glowing, actually only part of his left hand was glowing. The light formed the shape of three triangles together, with the triangle on the lower left side being the brightest.
"The...Triforce of Courage? Why is it reacting?"
The lower right side of the Triforce symbol started glowing as bright as the triangle that represented courage.
"The Triforce of Wisdom? What is going on?"
The triangle on the top became the same as the other two.
"Now Power?"
The light became too bright for Link to bear, he shielded his eyes. When he opened them, what was there shocked him to the core.
The Triforce.
No, wait, not the whole Triforce, the parts that represented Power and Wisdom were transparent. They weren't really there. "This is new" was the only thing Link could say to this sight.
The Triforce descended upon Saria. Sending some kind of power into her. It then went inside of her. Making her entire body glow with heavenly power. The glow faded and the Triforce left her. The parts that represented Power and Wisdom faded away. And the Triforce of Courage floated into Link, the Mark appearing once again.
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Saria was in a void. 'Am I dead?' She didn't feel dead. In fact, she felt the same. Well, except for the total lack of sight, sound, touch and any other sense.
But she was in a void, you can't expect much in one.
She felt awfully calm. 'Maybe that's a side effect of being dead?' If she was dead, then the afterlife was pretty boring. 'I wonder if Link would like this place?' Probably not.
Then again, if she was dead, then this could be where souls wait to be judged before they are allowed into heaven, or cast into hell.
Saria really hoped it was the former in her case.
But what if she wasn't dead? Then why was she here? 'I'm getting a headache..'
Then the void was pierced, by a golden light. 'Something new is happening, that's good.' The source of the light got closer, until she could see it had a defined shape.
Three triangles, formed together to make one larger triangle. Saria recognized the symbol as one she had seen in her meadow.
'Why is this so familiar?' She was getting really bad Dejá Vú. 'What is going on?' Then a voice spoke to her It was gentle, yet commanding.
-Awaken, Sage of the Forest-
It all came back to her.
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Saria was looking at the ruins in her meadow. Monsters were becoming more and more common. benign Deku Scrubs were vanishing, being replaced by Mad Scrubs. Wolfos were all going rabid. Deku Babas were growing like weeds. The Stalfos were becoming more and more numerous. And creatures called Moblins were appearing in the Lost Woods.
"Kalo, are you sure you want to go in there?" She asked, somehow she knew that the old building held to key to all this. So she was going inside. Even though the Great Deku Tree had forbidden it.
"Saria, I'll never leave you. I promise that." Kalo floated in front of her, his glow feeling warmer then usual.
"Thank you." Saria said with a smile. She turned to Mido, who had some with her. "Mido, I want you to let nobody come here except Link. Alright?"
Mido looked surprised. "Link? But he's-"
"He is not dead! I can feel it!" she shouted.
Mido shook his head "Whatever you say, Saria. I'll do that."
Saria smiled sadly, "Thank you Mido. Goodbye, I'll see you again someday." Saria turned towards the building, climbed up the ladder she had brought with her, and went inside.
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"It's called a Temple Saria." Kalo was explaining what he thought this odd building was.
"A temple? What is that?" Saria asked Kalo.
"A temple is a place where people come to worship the gods." Kalo looked at her "In times of old the forest was open to outsiders and this temple was ran by the Kokiri. The leader of the temple was called a Sage."
Saria was impressed, the Kokiri ran this place? Outsiders came here? "Are there other temples like this?"
Kalo nodded. "Yes, seven temples in all, the Temple of Light, the Temple of The Forest, the Temple of Fire, the Temple of Water, the Temple of Shadow, the Temple of Sprit and the Temple of Time. The Sage of the Temple of Time was the leader of the other six Sages."
The new information was almost overwhelming. "I'm right in assuming we are in the Temple of The Forest, correct?" she said with a smile.
Kalo laughed "Yes Saria, you're right."
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Wandering through the temple produced some interesting finds. Books on the history of the Kokiri and the outsiders filled an entire room. Another room was filled with gold, silver and jewels. Some rooms had alters to every god that Saria knew about, and some she didn't. Who is Valoo? Others seemed bare except for chairs and a podium in the front, a chapel, Kalo called it.
Finally they found a large stone door. On it was the inscription:
If thou wish to enter the scared chambers, play the Sages Song, and thy shall be granted the Keys.
"Looks like we're at a dead end, Kalo. I don't know any 'Sages Song' I guess we should leave."
Kalo seemed fidgety..."Um, Saria...I've been delaying this for a while...but it looks like I have no choice." he seemed resigned.
"What is it?" Saria was a little surprised. What did he mean?
Kalo sighed "Play your song, Saria."
Saria felt confused "Play it? Why?"
"Just do it, please?"
"OK..." Saria pulled out her new Ocarina and began to play her song. The cheerful melody echoed through the old temple. Saria felt her heart leap with joy as the song touched her soul. Then she heard it.
The sound of grinding stone! The stone door was opening! "What in the world? Why is it opening?" Her song? Her song is the Sages Song? "Kalo? What is going on?"
Kalos glow had dimmed. "Saria, I have something to tell you."
"What?" She was very confused.
"Saria...remember how I said the Sage is the leader of the temple, Saria...you are the Sage of the Forest Temple."
Saria was staring at Kalo. "What?"
"Your song is the Song of the Forest Sage."
"But...but I wrote that song!" She had thought it up after..."I heard it in a dream...I remember, A beautiful woman came to me, she was so perfect, bathed in an emerald light...She took out a gold Ocarina and played my song. She said it belonged to me...I felt safe around her...she called me her daughter..." she trailed off, the vision coming back to her.
"That was vision." Kalo said. "It sounds like the Goddess Farore came to you."
"Farore?" The Goddess of Life! Creator of the Forest! Mother of the Kokiri! She came to her?! "That...that's imposable..."
Kalo shined a golden color "It is Saria, the Song would not have worked otherwise."
"I understand..." It seemed imposable but it had to be true. "Lets go in that room to find those Keys."
Inside the room were four golden torches hanging on the walls. They seemed pretty normal, except for that they were lit with multicolored fire. "What in the world?" Kalo asked.
Saria stared at the four torches. Something seemed familiar about them. "These are the keys Kalo. I think I know what to do. There are four torches like this in the central chamber. We should try lighting them with the odd fire."
Kalo turned to Saria. "Hey, that sounds like it would work! I told you you were the Sage!"
Saria grinned "I...I guess I am."
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After lighting the torches in the central chamber. (The fires seemed to jump from the small torches to the large ones.) An wooden platform rose from the center of the room.
"What is it?" Saria wondered. Looking at the strange thing...
"I think we should step in." Kalo suggested.
Saria nodded. She slowly walked onto the wooden platform. Suddenly, id began to drop! "What's going on now?!" Her question was answered by the platform landing in another room.
"Wow..." Kalo whispered.
It was a large, octagonal room, branching off at two points at opposite ends. One lead to a hallway with many doors in it. The other lead to a small corridor that ended with an elaborate door. Each wall of the room was lined with shelves that were covered with books. Tables and chairs were placed everywhere in the room.
"Saria, I think we've reached the chambers of the Kokiri that lived here! Of course! This part of the temple wasn't open to the public. So it was locked using those torches!" Kalo seemed very proud figuring this out. "These books must hold the hidden knowledge of the Forest Temple...a large portion of this information can't be found anywhere else in the world..." Kalo was flying back and forth, looking over everything "Saria! As the Sage of this Temple it would be best of you learned as most as this as possible."
"I agree Kalo."
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Saria spent the next five months in the Forest Temple. Learning as much as she could. She lived off food stores that had been preserved by magic. She considered leaving to tell the other Kokiri about this, but something always held her back, Saria guessed it was the Temple telling her she wasn't ready yet. Saria had learned rather quickly, that like the forest which it represents, the Temple was alive. She learned a lot. Including the six Songs of the Temples (The Temple of Time and the Temple of Light had the same song.) As well as some powerful magic. But Gannondorf would not ignore this hidden sanctuary for much longer...
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Six months after Saria first entered the temple. She was resting in one of the gardens When Kalo came to her. "Can't you feel it? Evil has entered the Temple."
Saria could feel it to. It was strong, standing out against the purity of the Temple of The Forest. "Lets see what it is. They went into the main chamber.
There were Wolfos there. Not rabid Wolfos, tame Wolfos. Only instead of the Mark of the Kokiri they had on them what Saria recognized as the Mark of the Gerudo. What was a Gerudo, people of the desert, using Forest Magic to tame Wolfos? They saw her. With an ear-splitting howl they charged. "Kalo! Get ready to help me fight them!" Saria shouted.
"What!?" Kalo shouted "Are you nuts?"
"I'm the Sage, remember? " Saria asked, giving Kalo a lopsided grin.
"Oh fine, you win."
The first Wolfos struck! Swinging its claws at Saria, she sidestepped the blow, having been one of the better tamers, she had a lot of experience with Wolfos. She knew if she could hit the tail, where a large portion of its nervous system was, she could stun it, or kill it outright. Rolling over to the side she flung her fist towards it tail. But the Wolfos jumped away.
"Saria! Two more have shown up! And they're surrounding you."
Kalos warning saved Sarias life, with that she managed to dodge a blow from a Wolfos that had been behind her. The five Wolfos had formed a circle around her. blocking any chance of escape. The began closing in on her, all ready to attack at once. Saria had an idea. "Kalo! Stay close to me!"
Kalo listened and flew onto Sarias head. Good, now lets do this. She reached inside her soul, calling forth the power that was within her. Thrusting out her arms she called out the spell.
"SCOURING WINDS!!"
A massive tornado appeared around Saria, it expanded, engulfing the Wolfos. The winds blew violently for a long time. When they died, there was nothing left of the Wolfos.
"Very good, Kokiri Child."
Hovering ever the elevator (she had read that's what it was called) Were four things. "Poes..." Kalo whispered. The Poes were staring at her, not blinking, just staring, the Purple one spoke.
"You are strong Kokiri Child, are you by chance, the Sage of this temple?" She seemed uncaring about it. That belief was shattered by what she said next. "Sadly, if you are not then you must die. But do not worry, your Soul shall sustain me and my sisters for many years, so you will not die for nothing..."
"Poes live off the souls of their victims, each soul lasts as long as the victims natural life would have been.." Kalo said to Saria, like she needed to know that!
"Yes, you ugly ghosts! I am the Sage of this temple and as the Sage I order you to get out!" Saria shouted, hoping that they would listen to her.
They didn't.
"I am sorry, Forest Sage, you do not rule this temple, the King of Evil, our master, and ruler of this world, Ganondorf does." The Poe responded.
Gannondorf? Is that the reason all this evil is corrupting the world? And where has she heard that name before? "I do not believe you. Ganondorf does not rule the Forest. So he can not rule the world."
"Foolish child, He rules all, you just do not realize it yet. Now we must capture you, for we can not have you fully awaken."
The red Poe flew foreword. Wrapping her clawed hands around Saria, it laughed. "Sisters! See how she has accepted her fate? She does not struggle. This shall be simple!"
"Sorry," Saria said in a matter-of-fact tone, "but you're wrong." She then cast one of her most powerful spells, it needed physical contact with the one it was being cast on, though, kind of a drawback.
"HOLY OBLIVION!!"
There was a massive white explosion, however, instead of being obliterated, like Saria had hoped, the red Poe was blown back, screaming in pain. "My hands! My hands!" she shrieked. Her hands were, for all intents and purposes, melted, white smoke was pouring off them. "Sisters she has burnt my hands off!" she screamed in agony, and then fled.
"You have made a foolish mistake, Forest Sage," the green Poe said, her voice shaking in rage, "we shall make sure you suffer before we capture you." The three remaining Poes advanced. Their claws growing longer, sharper. Their eyes becoming balls of flame. "Prepare to suffer, Forest Sage!"
The blue one threw a ball of fire at Saria, quickly raising up a barrier, she blocked it. The purple on swiped one of her claws at the Kokiri, and Saria jumped over the attack.
"Saria! Look out!" Kalo shouted just in time for Saria to dodge a ball of darkness shot by the green one. Saria started charging her magic, ready to release her spell. Slamming her fists into the ground she let the power go.
"DINS FIRE!!!"
The sphere of flame flew out around Saria, spreading out beyond her. It slammed into the three Poes, knocking them into the ground. The Poes struggled up.
"That is quite enough Poe Sisters." A cruel voice said.
The thing that spoke looked like a man, dark skinned and wearing black armor. But his head was clearly not human. He was carrying a trident. And seemed displeased. "Our Master will not stand for weakness, as you for obviously are."
"But-" the Purple began
"Quiet! I shall deal with the Forest Sage myself."
The Poe Sisters faded away, whimpering. The man chuckled. "So strong, and not even awakened yet."
"Who are you?" Kalo demanded.
"I am Phantom Ganon, I have been sent by my master, King Gannondorf, to find the Forest Sage. I see that I have accomplished that."
Saria glared at Phantom Ganon. "Yeah, you've found me, now go away!"
"I happen to like it here Forest Sage. However, I have something to tell you."
"Listen bub, Saria will not let herself be held hostage by some phantom!"
"I understand that, however I do not wish to waste my energy capturing you, instead, I have an offer to make you."
Saria narrowed her eyes at the ghost "What kind of offer?"
"It is quite simple really, You swear allegiance to my master, and you shall get whatever you desire."
"All I want is the forest left alone and safe."
"And he can give you that! He has power, enough power to grant your wish and more! You could be made ruler over the whole of the Lost Woods! To do what you please with it! All you have to do is swear allegiance to him. Believe me, he rewards those who serve him handsomely." he stopped, before smiling, "Well? Is there anything you want to say?"
"You think that I can just make that decision so easily?" She began to think 'What do I do? Ganondorf, I know I've heard that name before...but where?'"
...His name is Ganondorf, he killed the Great Deku Tree...
Links words from almost seven years ago rang through her head. "Ganondorf Killed the Great Deku Tree." Saria said suddenly "Your master killed our father and god. I will never serve him."
Phantom Gannon just sighed. "Forest Sage I gave you a chance now we'll have to do this" his trident started glowing "the hard way!" Leaping up into the air, he charged, still flying.
Saria held out her hands, ready to blast the ghost with a spell, she never got the chance.
"HA!" Phantom Ganon held out his hand and released a spell. Instantly a green Crystal formed around her and Kalo.
"What the?" Kalo shouted. Saria was in shock, how could she lose so quickly?
-Saria! Saria! It's me, Link!-
Link! Saria shouted in her mind, Link had contacted her! After all this time he had played her song! Help me! I'm in the Forest Temple and I'm trapped by a monster please help me!
"No talking to the Hero of Time, Forest Sage!" Saria felt her link with Link getting cut off forcibly. "Good Night!"
And everything went black.
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Next thing Saria knew, the crystal was shattered by a large sword smashing it into pieces.
"Saria! Are you ok? Saria!" said...Link?
"Link?" Saria asked, "is that you?"
"Yes Saria, it's me..." Link whispered.
"Oh Link!" she shouted hugging him tightly.
"Saria..." Link whispered, he was taller, his voice deeper, but it was still Link. Saria had never been happier.
Then the light built up around them. "Great, what's happening now?" Kalo muttered.
The Light engulfed Saria, and she heard a voice, gentle, yet commanding.
-Awaken, Sage of the Forest.-
Suddenly it all made since, she WAS the Forest Sage. Everything made fit into place. She found herself standing in the Chamber of Sages. Looking directly at Link, Navi and Kalo.
"Saria..." Kalo said.
"I have awakened, I am the Sage of the Forest. Thank you, Link." Saria felt a new power inside her, she drew it out. It was the Forest Medallion. "Link, take this, It will help you." She handed him the medallion.
"Saria I-"
"Shhh...there are no need for words. I understand." She smiled softly. "Good bye Link, Hero of Time." Link began to fade.
"Saria...." Link was gone, along with Navi and Kalo.
"I love you..." she whispered.
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Seven years of memories regained in an instant.
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Saria found herself once again in the Chamber of Sages. "Rauru?" An old Hyilan appeared on the symbol of the Light Temple.
"Saria?" The Light Sage asked. "How, how are you here?" He walked over to her and placed his hand on her head. Saria felt her soul being probed. "Hmmm, I see, interesting..."
"Rauru? What happened?"
"Saria, it was the Triforce. Links strength, his determination managed to access the power of the whole Triforce, it then granted his greatest wish."
"And, what was that?"
"To be with you..."
"To be with me?"
Rauru sighed, "Saria, in times of old, when the Kokiri still had contact with the outside world. There were laws forbidding relationships between Kokiri and any other race. Because it could only lead to heartbreak. The Triforce knew this. To be with Link two things had to be able to happen. You had to live.."
Saria nodded "Yes, and as the Forest Sage I carry the magic of the Forest everywhere I go, so I can live outside the Forest."
Rauru coughed, "The second part of his wish was...that to be with Link...you have to age."
Saria stared at the old Sage "Age? You mean..."
"You are still a Kokiri, because only a Kokiri can be the Forest Sage and the Forest Sage is too important to lose. , you'll be the first full-blooded Kokiri to grow up."
Saria took this in..."YAHOOOOOO!!!"
Rauru smiled, "Your taking this rather well."
"This is great! I can be with Link! Wait till he hears! Wait, how do I get back?"
"Your soul is here, while you body is still in Hyrule, you can return at any time"
Saria hugged Rauru. "I'll see you later then huh?"
The Sage of Light smiled. "I guess so."
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Link was watching over Sarias body. Her breathing was steady. She was still alive, but for how long? "Saria...I don't know why you would love someone like me" he began talking to Sarias sleeping form. "and in all honesty I don't think I deserve it. Any of it, I mean you are so kind, sweet, heck your perfect in every way. Everybody loves you, I don't know why you chose me. But thanks."
"Why Link, that is the sweetest thing I have ever heard."
Link did a double-take, "Saria!"
"Hi Linky!" She said, using the nickname she gave him when he was four.
Link winced at the hated nickname. But broke out into a ear-to-ear grin anyway. "Saria!" he wrapped his arms around her waist "Your alive!"
Saria giggled "I'm the Forest Sage, silly! Of course I'm alive!"
Link stopped "Forest Sage?"
"Yup! Plus I have all those not-so-pleasant memories of the Pit that was Hyrule!" she said in a chipper tone. "And Link." She kissed him. "Thank you."
"Your Welcome, Saria."
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"Ha! You lose!" Kalo shouted at Shadow, glowing a triumphant white. "What's the matter? Sad that your plan failed? Ha!"
Shadow just smirked, "Who said I failed?"
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