Disclaimer: I don’t want to get in whatever trouble people can get into when using other people’s characters so - .The Legend of Zelda, Link, Zelda, Ganon, Hyrule and other related characters and settings belong to to that wonderous console company, Nintendo. No infringement intended.

By Kirsty Singleton (Indigo_Spacen@mail.com)

Chapter 2

    Link looked around the dreary interior of the Deku Tree, then looked up at Navi. "What do I do?" he asked, not sure.

"Watch out!" screamed Navi, just as a scrawny type plant rose from the ground, spinning madly at Link. Link raised his shield, just in time to deflect it's blow, but was still hurled back by the force and onto his behind. He let out a small yelp of surprise but quickly stood and faced the Deku Baba. He withdrew his sword and slashed forward, quite gingerly at first, then again, finishing off the troublesome plant. "You did great Link, now come on, climb up these vines, they're the only way at the mo'," said Navi, flying near a wall of thick green vines. Link nodded and jogged over, beginning to climb upwards. On the next floor, Link carefully edged his way along the circular room, when he cam upon a chest, and a wall full of skullwalltulla's, which were strange spider like creatures.

"Should I open it?" asked Link, motioning to the chest. Navi fluttered about it for a moment, as if trying to weigh up whether it would be safe or not. Finally she gave a nod. Link smiled at the faerie and carefully opened the chest, and looked inside it. He reached in a grabbed a scrap of material and looked at it inquisitively.

"It's the map, now we'll have a better idea of where we're going!" exclaimed Navi excitedly. Link smiled and shoved the rolled up map into his belt. He looked up at the vine covered wall ahead of him, and at the menacing skullwalltulla's.

"The question is, how do I deal with them?" asked Link, watching as they span around, mincing their mandibles.

"Well don't look at me!" said Navi, rather un-helpfully. Link rolled his eyes at the faerie.

"So much for your words of wisdom," he mumbled. Navi glared at him

"Oh, well that is lovely. After all this help I've given you, and this is how you repay me. Well, hmmph!" retorted Navi. Link grinned at Navi, a slight hint of apology in his eyes.

"I didn't realise you were so sensitive," he giggled. Navi frowned at the young boy.

"I really can't believe that the destiny of Hyrule relies on you!" she said snidely. Link threw up his arms in protest.

"Hey, I could be Mido!" he pointed out. Navi looked at him closely for a moment, considering the point. Finally she gave in.

"You're right. You could be Mido, that would be even worse!" she agreed. Link nodded.

"Well, now we're back to being friends, let's look for another way up, 'cos there's no way I'll be getting past those in a hurry," said Link, beginning to continue around the thin ledge around that level. Navi flew behind him.

"I thought you were supposed to be courageous!" said Navi.

"I am, but I'm not so courageous that I'm totally stupid," said Link, still walking.

    In the south west corner of the tree, they found another door. Link walked confidently through it, Navi behind. In this room, there was a clump of grass in the centre, looking quite conspicuous. Just as Link took a step towards it, a tiny little creature bobbed up from the grass, snuffling with it's snout.

"Deku scrub! Watch out for those seeds he shoots!" warned Navi, just as the little critter got off his first shot. Link quickly grabbed his shield from his back and used it to deflect the seed. The seed bounced off his shield and back onto the Deku scrub, causing it to begin to hop about madly. Link raced up to it, ready to confront it. Just as he was ready to strike, it spoke, it's voice thick and slow, like treacle.

"Please, do not hurt meee!!! I didn't know it wass yooouu masterrr!!!" claimed the scrub. Link looked at it, confused, then back to Navi who simply shrugged.

"Master?" asked Link. The scrub nodded.

"Uh-huuh, nowww I must goooo!" said the scrub, before dashing back to his hiding place in the small patch of grass.

"Strange guy," commented Link.

"He's not the only one around here," said Navi, somewhat cheekily. Link gave her a suspicious glance, then proceeded through to the next room.

    In the next room, Link and Navi were confronted by an apparently floating platform, with a further platform just after that. Link, before he even looked to Navi for advice, recklessly leapt across onto the floating platform, which began to shake, then he quickly leapt to the next, turning just in time to see the platform collapsing to the ground.

"Oh great! Now look what you've done! How are we going to get back across?" demanded Navi as she reached her human companion. Link looked up above the hollow were the door lay. He pointed upwards, above it. There was a ladder there, concealed within the cobwebs. Navi glanced over at the ladder. "Well yeah, but how are you going to get it down?" she said, still looking at the ladder. Meanwhile Link had raced over to a dusty chest and opened it, finding a slingshot within the dust. He turned around, armed the slingshot with a Deku nut, of which there had been an ample supply of in a pouch in the chest and shot it at the ladder, causing it to fall to the ground. Navi whirled around in surprise. "What in Hyru-" she began, but Link had already leapt off the edge of the platform and raced over to the ladder, grabbing it and leaning it against the wall. He then deftly climbed up the ladder, and waited for Navi who was staring, breathless, still on the other side.

"Come on slow coach, hurry up," urged Link, who was excitedly beginning to hop from one foot to the other. Navi shook her head in disbelief, then flew over to him and out of the room, into the next chamber, and then into the next.

    Link peered down at the drop below him.

"You want me to jump all the way down there?" he asked Navi. Navi nodded. "Do you think I'm crazy?!" asked Link.

"You have to aim for the centre, where that thick net of web is. It'll break your fall, I promise," said Navi. Link looked back down and gulped. Then he ran forward and jumped, letting out a shout as he fell through the air. He fell through the net, which snapped upon impact, and fell another thirty feet before splashing into a pool of ice cold water. He gulped in a mouthful, then quickly swam to the surface, spitting it out. Navi flew down beside him.

"You could've told me!" exclaimed Link, his eyes narrowing at his faerie friend.

"How was I supposed to know?" asked Navi, insulted by Link's tone. Link shook his head and swam over to the side, climbing up.

"You're supposed to look out for me, you are my faerie companion," said Link, wringing out his tunic.

"Uh Link, just one thing..." began Navi. Link looked up and saw a Deku Baba leering over towards him. It let out a belch of pungent breath, making Link step back, almost back into the water. He snatched his sword and leapt forward, striking the plant hard, killing it immediately. Link turned back to Navi.

"That one thing was?" asked Link. Navi looked at Link, then to the dishevelled plant.

"Uhm, I wouldn't bother wringing out your shirt, I think there'll be a lot more swimming to be done," said Navi. Link looked down at his soaking tunic.

"Thank you for that oh so wise advice," he retorted sarcastically. Navi gaped at the young boy. He was way to sarcastic and mature for his age. In a very business like manner, Link turned and walked over to a burning torch on the east side of the room. He snatched out a Deku stick from his pack and lit it with the torch, turning and setting alight to a mass of sticky web. It burned away in almost an instant. Behind it lay a single door. "Coming?" he asked, looking across at Navi. Navi nodded and floated across, before entering the door.

    In the next room, there was another patch of conspicuous grass in the centre of the room, meaning that there just had to be another Deku scrub. Link got out his shield and held it out, edging towards the patch of grass, when the little guy appeared and spat three Deku seeds at Link in rapid succession. But Link was already prepared, and the critter got three times as much pain as his earlier comrade. He let out a shrill squeak and began to bounce about the room, Link gave chase, just before Link attempted to deliver the final blow, he spoke out in protest. His voice more shrill and squeaky.

"Please, you no want to hurt me. I tell you secret 'bout my bothers up ahead, you have to kill them in right order see. Twenty three is number one see, that is the order see!" squeaked the scrub, before bouncing off back to his hiding place. Link shrugged, then proceeded into the next chamber, which was water logged, with a small platform tracking back and forth across the water, a huge turning spiked metal pole suspended just above the water.

"The water level needs to be lowered for both you and that platform to get under that pole, I bet there'll be a switch or something underwater," said Navi. Link looked into the murky depths.

"You fancy going in there?" he asked Navi hopefully.

"Sorry, no can do. You'll have to do it," said Navi. Link rolled his eyes, then dived in, swimming to the bottom. He looked around, then saw a blurred object not far from him, so he swam nearer and realised it was a switch just as Navi had said. He pushed it down with all his might, then quickly swam back to the surface, taking a huge breath as he resurfaced. "Good one Link, the level is going down, quick jump on the platform from here before it goes back!" shouted Navi. Link quickly swam over to his companion, and did as she said, deftly jumping onto the moving platform. He kneeled down as he went under the turning spike studded pole, then leapt off again as they reached the other side. Link nodded at Navi and grinned, pulling the map from his belt. It was a bit soaked, but still quite clear.

"This'll eventually take us back to the room we fell into, but there must be somewhere in that room that leads down to the next level," said Link.

"And it's my guess that'll be the level where we'll find that Parasitic Armoured Arachnid, Gohma!" said Navi bitterly.

"You what?" asked Link, quite not catching it all.

"Queen Gohma, she's the one who that despicable man of the desert planted here, she's the one who caused all this!" said Navi, motioning around with her arms. Link nodded solemnly.

"Then we'll make her pay, and him too, they won't get away with this," vowed Link as they progressed into the next room.

The next room was octagonal in shape, with some strange objects hanging from the roof.

"Don't walk under them, it'll disturb them, best to just skirt around the room," advised Navi. Link nodded.

"Okay," he agreed. He turned to be confronted by yet another Deku Baba. "Jeez, you guys really suck," said Link, bashing it twice, killing it. He surveyed the room once more, before spotting another web covered cove, so grabbed a nearby Deku stick and lit it with a nearby torch, he jogged over, lit the wed, then looked into the cove. There was a small hole, which he proceeded to crawl through.

    "Here we are again," commented Link as he stood up, looking around. They were back in the main room, the one he had fallen over 60 feet to get into, except on the higher level. He was first confronted by a huge skulltulla, which swung viciously round at him, knocking him a foot backwards. Link immediately got up, drew his sword, readied his shield and cautiously approached the grinning beast. After a few moments, it swung around, revealing it's soft belly. "Big mistake pal," muttered Link, jabbing the skulltulla in the belly. It wheezed, then collapsed to the ground. Link carefully stepped over it, then got a better look around. He saw another web covered hole, not too far away, and pointed it out to Navi. "Hey look, that must be the way down to the final level!" he exclaimed.

"Yeah, but how do you break it?" asked Navi, twisting her lips a little in thought.

"Easy, I'll burn it!" said Link, whipping out his Deku stick.

"With you and what fire?" asked Navi critically. Link rubbed his top lip a little, then looked around, finally he spotted what he was looking for. He replaced the Deku stick back in his bag, then walked over to a huge block, engraved with moons and stars.

"I push this down here," started Link, beginning to demonstrate his point, as the block began to edge little by little off the platform. Link finally succeeded in shifting it, then jumped onto it, and onto another platform. "Then I light this stick," he added as he grabbed his Deku stick and lit it on the same torch he had used to burn the webbed doorway when he'd first entered the chamber. He turned, jumped back onto the block and onto the platform Navi was floating above. Then he threw the Deku stick, which had almost burnt down to his fingers into the centre of the web. "Et Voila!" he finished with a flourish in a distinct Gerudo accent. The web burnt and sizzled up immediately.

"Very impressive," admitted Navi.

"Ain't it just," said Link, self satisfied. He looked down into the hole, and saw the sparkle of water below, then he noticed a network of thick, sturdy vines on one side of the hole. "Methinks I'll climb down this time," said Link. Navi nodded in agreement.

"I agree totally," said Navi with a smile, as she supervised the climb down.

    Finally, Link made it to the bottom, to find himself thigh-deep in cold water. He turned around, and saw a small sandy bank on the other side of the chamber, so he half waded, half swam over. Then he spotted three more patched of grass, and snatched out his shield. Almost at once, all three scrubs bobbed out from under the grass, all snuffling excitedly.

"These three, look it must've been the order that guy told you about, these must be his brothers!" whispered Navi to Link as he deflected a projectile seed from one of the Deku scrub's.

"What was the order again?" asked Link, scrunching up his forehead in concentration.

"Two, three one, twenty three is number one. So get the middle one first!" said Navi quickly. Link nodded, inching forward, shield in front as protection. The middle one shot off another Deku seed at him, but it deflected off his shield, hitting it. It let out a moan then stood up, turning blue. Link turned to the third one in the order. "Nice one Link, keep it going," encouraged Navi. As Link approached the next Deku scrub, a Deku seed came flying from behind him, hitting him in the back. He fell to the ground with a yell of pain, but quickly pulled himself back up, trembling slightly, but ready for the attack of the Deku scrub that faced him. He again deflected the seed that shot from the Deku scrub's mouth, hitting it square in the chest. It howled like it's brother, stood up, frozen and blue. Link wheeled around to face the last of the Deku scrubs, just in time to deflect another seed. It didn't hit however, going a little askew, but Link wasn't bothered as he closed in on the Deku scrub. It tried to hit him again, but Link's shield served him well, hitting the little guy in the face. He howled and began to jump around, Link giving chase, it eventually stopped, turning to Link.

"How did you know our secret?!" it whined, it's voice a kind of medium of that of it's two brothers before him. Link just stood there, hands on hips. "How irritating! It's so annoying that I'm going to reveal the secret of Queen Gohma to you, hehe! In order to administer the coup de grace to Queen Gohma, strike her with your sword while she's stunned. Hehehe!" said the Deku scrub. He turned a little, as if looking to the entrance to the next cavern and called out sweetly, "Oh Queenie..." before joining his brothers as they hopped off into the shadows. Link looked up at Navi who nodded.

    Link looked at the door tentatively. So this was the lair of Queen Gohma, whoever, or whatever that was. "Come on Link, what're you waiting for?" asked Navi impatiently. Link looked up at his faerie companion, as if she had to ask. Taking a breath, he stepped through and into the lair...

   Mist surrounded the whole cavern, a thick blanket upon the floor and walls, a musty smell lay in the air, which Link could not quite place. Link gulped, his legs quivering so much, he would've sworn if they knocked together, they would've echoed throughout the lair. He stepped forward, saw nothing, again he stepped forward and then, behind him, the door slammed shut pounding against the ground. Link whirled around in surprise. "No turning back now," whispered Navi. Link drew his sword, and his breath then turned back round. He heard a creeping, a rustling of foliage, then he saw it, a gleaming solitary eye, cutting through the darkness. He waited, watching it as it stalked through the foliage above, swinging one great arm then the other, then it turned in Link's direction, stopped, saw Link's lone figure. It raced forward, faster than Link expected, then dropped to the ground, crashing to the earth and reared right up into the air, showing it's full height. It let a thin, terrifying scream, then charged towards Link. As it neared him, Link's heart raced with fear. As it reached him, Link put up his shield to defend himself and she reared up again, crashing down on top of him. He was protected by the shield, but her impact had jarred every single bone in his body, he remained untouched though. Gohma glared at him, then reared up again, ready for a next attack. "Strike her with a Deku nut!" hissed Navi in his ear, and Link obliged, sending the creature to the earth with a blow from the explosive seed. Gohma wheezed in pain, and Link took his opportunity, striking Gohma in the eye with his sword. She screamed again, then retreated to the back of her lair and climbed the wall, once again creeping up into the foliage. She glared at Link, sending him a bloodied eye stare, then turned upside down, appearing to be doing something.

"What's she doing?!" asked Link, Navi shrugged.

"Beats me, but it doesn't look good, whatever it is," said the faerie. At that moment, some kind of larvae came crashing at Links feet.

"What is that?!" asked Link, watching as the larvae form writhed and cracked.

"Don't ask me, it's like what we saw upon the roof before, but it looks alive, kill it quick!" said Navi. Link lunged forward to stab it with his sword, but it had already hatched, a mini Gohma now standing, knee deep in the mist. It stood, looking at Link curiously for a minute, then ran forward at Link, ready to attack. Link promptly stabbed it, and it turned to retreat, but Link gave chase and leapt forward, bringing his sword down upon it, killing it instantly. It wheezed and feel to the floor, instantly engulfed in the thick carpet of fog. Meanwhile, two more larvae had fallen to the ground, but Navi quickly zapped them before they could hatch.

"Thank Navi!" called Link, who was preparing for Gohma's second attack. This time though, Link ran towards Gohma as she dropped to the ground, hurling another explosive Deku nut her way, then ferociously striking her twice in the eye. She howled in pain, then got up and back tracked, back to the safety above.

"Way to go Link!" congratulated Navi, casting a quick heal spell on her companion.

"A few more hits and she's out!" stated Link, swiftly destroying three more eggs that dropped by his feet.

"Go Link go!" cheered Navi, beholding admiration for the youth, whose pure courage shone through, shredding every fear he had had into tatters. Gohma crashed before Link, who simply smiled, launching another Deku nut her way. As she lay stunned, Link performed an incredible three strike move, which made Gohma scream out in agony, she reared into the air, her life energy wreaking through her in a blinding flash of light, and then she collapsed, disintegrating before Link and Navi's eyes, a shining blue portal left in her place. Navi turned and kissed Link on the tip of his nose excitedly. "You did it Link, you broke the curse, the forest is saved! Your courage prevailed just like the Great Deku tree said it would!" she said happily.

"No, we did it Navi, without you're help..." began Link shyly.

"Come on, through the portal!" interrupted Navi, grabbing Link by the hand and pulling him into the portal. Link felt an inner calm soothe through him as the blue light surrounded and encased him, gliding him slowly from the ground. Seconds later, he found him being gently guided back to the ground in the glade of the Deku tree, before the Great Deku tree himself. The trees featured shifted ,emitting a huge creak, onto the young hero before him, a gentle smile upon his face.

    "Well done Link...thou hast verily demonstrated they courage...I knew that thou would carry out my wishes...Now, I have yet more to tell thee, if thou wouldst listen..." started the Great Deku. Link nodded, still unable to find his tongue in the presence of such a great entity. "Now, listen carefully to me young hero, as I told thee, a wicked man of the desert cast this dreadful curse upon me...This evil man will ceaselessly use his vile and sorcorous powers in his search for the Sacred Realm that is connected to Hyrule...For it is in that realm, that he wishes to find the divine relic, the Triforce, which contains the essence of the Gods..." began the tree. Link listened intently, standing to attention, Navi by his side. His expression was solemn, and mature beyond his years. His short trip into the hell-hole below the Deku tree had made him grow up faster than any boy could. The Great Deku tree continued. "Thou must never, never allow the man of the desert in his black armour to lay his hands upon the sacred Triforce...Thou must never suffer that man, with his black, evil heart, to enter the sacred realm of legend, if this were to happen, the consequences for this world would be unthinkable, even in your worst nightmares...That evil man, who cast this dreadful curse upon me, sapping me of mine energies, has brought my end about, yes it is true, my end is nigh...I will pass away soon, but do not grieve or mourn...Your efforts to break the curse were valiant and courageous, but I was doomed before you even began...It matters not now, for I have been able to tell you of these matters of vital importance, and that is all that matters...This, you, are Hyrule's final hope...Link, go now to Hyrule castle, for there you shall surely come across the Princess of Destiny...Take this stone with you...The stone, wanted so much by that man of evil that he cast this curse upon me..."

    A bright, almost blinding flash of light lit up the clearing, and there it was, the Kokiri Emerald, the spiritual stone of the forest. Link looked up at it as it levitated in front of his eyes in amazement. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, the Emerald in a unique gold setting. Link held up his hands and watched as it settled there.

   "The future depends on thee, Link...Thou art courageous...Navi, help Link to carry out my will... I e n t r e a t y e . . . N a v i, L i n k, g o o d b y e . . ." Link watched on helpless as the Great Deku tree's bark began to creak and ripple, taking on a stony grey effect, the rich green leaves withering and dying on the branches, others falling, dishevelled to the ground.

"Let's go Link, to Hyrule Castle, to carry out his will," said Navi, her voice no more than a whisper. Link looked up at his faerie companion, he tears shining in her eyes. He looked up at the Great Deku tree, a lump in his throat. Was it his fault? He turned on one foot and ran from the glade. Navi looked up at the Great Deku, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Good bye, Great Deku tree, you shall be missed," she whispered, before flying after her companion.

    Link ran through the small passage from the glade, where he was confronted by Mido, who glanced past Link, and saw the grey mass of what was the Great Deku tree.

"Hey! Link! What did you do?! The Great Deku tree, did he...die?" asked Mido slowly. Link shuffled his feet not knowing what to say. "How could you do a thing like that?! It's all your fault!! You can leave this forest, and never come back! We never want to see you again!!" yelled Mido. Link let out a small cry of protest then pushed past Mido, running through the stream and the full length of the small clearing, past his home, past on looking Kokiri. Navi flew after him, calling out his name, but he had already left the clearing.

    As Link ran across the bridge, ready to leave for the big, wide world, he heard a voice call his name. He turned and saw Saria, his best friend, his dearest friend he had ever known, leaning against one of the thick ropes that supported the bridge.

"So you're leaving...I knew you would one day, because you're different, you're special...But that's okay isn't it, because we'll always be friends forever, won't we Link?" said Saria, her face mirrored the sadness in her voice. Link, whose own voice was caught in his throat through emotion, managed a weak smile and a nod. Saria opened her side purse and pulled out a beautifully crafted ocarina and held it out to Link. "I want you to have this ocarina, please look after it. I just want you to have it as a memento, and a reminder of our friendship, and I hope that every time you play it, you'll think of me, and the forest, and come back to see me. Please do Link, because if you don't I'll miss you so much, and I'd be so sad if I never saw you again," said Saria, tears shining in her eyes. Link looked down at the ocarina.

"No, I couldn't..." he protested. Saria shoved it into his grasp. "I, I don't even know how to play..." he added.

"Then learn Link, learn for me," said Saria softly. Link turned his eyes back to Saria and smiled at her.

"For you," he said softly.

"Thank you Link, for everything. Even if I never see you again, I'll never forget you, never..." called Saria as Link turned and left the forest, alone...

   "Excuse me, you didn't happen to see Link go through here?" asked Navi five minutes later, she was breathless from her chase through the whole clearing. Saria looked up at Navi and nodded.

"Just before. You're his guardian faerie aren't you?" said Saria. Navi looked down at Saria and nodded.

"Will you look after him please, he's so special to me," said Saria. Navi nodded again.

"Believe me, I have to look after him, because soon, he'll be very special to a lot more people than just me and you," said Navi, before following Link out into Hyrule field.

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