The Legend of Zelda: the Secret of the Sages (ZEROKI PLEEEZE)

Sarah wasn't quite as skilled at pulling vegetables as her brother was, because she kept pulling at the carrots and falling backward every time her hands slipped and lost hold. It wasn't until Dante decided to come over and began digging away at the base of the vegetables that the little girl could pull them out. Of course, Dante being a dog, the dirt flew everywhere as he did so; much to Sarah's amusement as she giggled.

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"Nyx, why don't you put those daggers to some constructive use and help with cutting and peeling the vegetables?"

There was distinct growl from Nyx before she responded while drawing one from its sheathe "How about I put them to constructive use cutting off your....!" Turning to look at her now empty hand, the young woman now noticed that Moira had snatched the dagger from Nyx calmly. "Not in the house please. When you two are out and about, you can cut off whatever you'd like." She said, a smile tugging at Moira's mouth as she replaced the dagger in it's sheathe once again.

"I wouldn't ask you to cut vegetables with those daggers anyways. They're made for battle, not vegetables." She said, smirking lightly as both she and Nyx headed toward the counter, picking up vegetables and potatoes respectively. Retrieving two knives hanging from the wall, Nyx set about peeling the potatoes as Moira began slicing down what vegetables they had since the children were retrieving more.

"Tell that me you have someone to go back to, Nyx." Pausing halfway through peeling a potato, Nyx looked momentarily confused. "Do you have someone waiting for you, after this adventure of yours is over?" Moira clarified. Thinking of Talon, Malon, and Oberon; Nyx smiled lightly. "Yes, I do."Looking up from her vegetables, Moira looked at the young woman; nodding lightly with a faint smile on her face. "Keep them in mind, on your adventures. Never lose sight of getting home to them."

Nyx smiled as she resumed peeling the potato in her hands. This felt natural, like she used to feel when she and Malon would help Talon with dinner. Moira snuck a glance at the dark-haired Hylian standing next her. “So are you and Link...” she said, trailing off with a mischievious smile at the woman next to her, who promptly turned a brilliant shade of tomato red as she gawked at Moira “Seven hells no!” Moira couldn't help the laugh that escaped, though she had at least made some attempt to stifle it.

Though Moira's first question did rouse a sort of icy fear in Nyx.

What if they didn't make it home?

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Troy walked around the edge of Moira's workspace to a large pile of wood stacked beneath a small extension of the roof. He began handing wood off to Link before he began loading his own arms down with more wood. “So how long do you think your quest will have you in Zemlya, Link?” He asked, a sandy brow quirked in curiosity as he continued loading their arms with firewood...[/color]

Link accepted the firewood from Troy, scarcely noticing the female conversation. His own question was much the same as Troy's, and the answer to both was the same. He gave a shake of his head. "I don't know," he admitted, "Days? Weeks... After we deal with Moldorm we'll probably have to move on to find the other sages... It's not the first time I've been on this kind of quest, though to be honest, it's the first time I've had a real partner. Last time, all I had was my horse, and my fairy companion, Navi."

He paused and looked upward. "Sometimes I wonder why fate chose me to carry the Triforce of Courage," he admitted, though it was more to himself than to anyone else.

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Ethan laughed as Dante came over to help. He'd been getting frustrated with his sister's slow pace, and the dog's antics were a welcome distraction. He knelt down to pet the dog, grinning as he pulled his own vegetables, and between the three diggers it didn't take long to finish... though by the time Dante was done, the garden would likely look a mess. "Hey Sarah... You think Link and Nyx have any stories about other adventures they've been on?!" he grinned, "I mean, if Link isn't afraid of Moldorm, he must have seen some really scary stuff!"

"Hey Sarah... You think Link and Nyx have any stories about other adventures they've been on?!""I mean, if Link isn't afraid of Moldorm, he must have seen some really scary stuff!"

Sarah shook her head. "I don't wanna hear about the scary stuff. I wanna hear about the cool people he met!" She said while she loaded her basket full of vegetables and potatoes. Dante however, panted as he looked between the two children while he pushed his head into Ethan's now dirty hands for the petting.

The five year old began walking towards the backdoor to take the food in, finding the basket harder to lift with her smaller stature but being a determined little child; she used her foot to shove the door open. Toddling inside, Dante followed behind the girl.

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"I don't know,""Days? Weeks... After we deal with Moldorm we'll probably have to move on to find the other sages... It's not the first time I've been on this kind of quest, though to be honest, it's the first time I've had a real partner. Last time, all I had was my horse, and my fairy companion, Navi."

Troy quirked his eyebrow, a fairy? Well now, that was interesting. "Well, Nyx seems a spirited young woman and a good friend at the very least."

"Sometimes I wonder why fate chose me to carry the Triforce of Courage,"

Although the musing hadn't really been meant for him, Troy looked up from where he had grabbed the last log for himself to carry, straightening up as he did so. “Heroes are made by the paths they choose Link, not the powers they are graced with.* If you are regarded a hero, it is because you do the right thing regardless of whether or not it is easy."

* - “Heroes are made by the paths they choose, not the powers they are graced with.”
― Brodi Ashton, Everneath

The man seemed to watch Link for a beat before starting back into the house just as Sarah charged in, basket full of vegetables and potatoes with Dante running in behind her, legs covered in dirt.

Moira turned to pick up the basket before she looked at the dirt on the children and the dog before she leaned to the side to look out the back door at the disaster zone that was the former vegetable garden. She could feel her eyelid twitch a bit, but said nothing. Taking the basket from her daughter and placing the basket on the counter so that Nyx and herself could continue making dinner.

"Now Ethan! You and your sister need to wash before dinner! I'm not going to have you sitting with dirt and mud at the table!" Moira called as she continued chopping food, instructing Nyx to start slicing potatoes while Moira started loading the oven with more wood, snatching more from Troy as he walked in the door. Grabbing a large metal baking pan, Moira started placing layers of thinly sliced vegetables and potatoes alternating each other and bits of cheese crumbled down between. Turning from the oven after she had placed what could loosely be termed a casserole, she herded the children (despite their protests) to a wash basin to get the dirt off of her hands as Nyx helped put away the wood that Link and Troy had brought in. She seemed quiet, if a bit bothered but she made no mention of it; especially with the two kids in such close earshot...

Link offered a smile and a nod to Troy's words, both regarding Nyx, and regarding his place in life as a hero. "She is a good friend," he agreed, "She wasn't happy to be dragged into this quest with me but... She's done a lot to see me through it." He began to carry the wood inside, pondering over the words that had been spoken to him by the older man. When he was relieved of it, he politely had a seat, unless asked for again.

As for Ethan, he groaned when his sister mentioned the people Link must have met. "It's always talk with you girls," he moaned as the two made their way in, "I want to hear about action! Adventure! Danger!" Holding his basket of vegetables in one arm, he pulled out a carrot by the stem, starting to brandish it like a miniature sword. "Hiyah! Hah! Take that evil monster! Haha!" Well, his acting needed work, but if nothing else, the presence of Link and Nyx seemed to have at least made him more brave than he previously had been. Other adventurers had just left him worried. Link... Link gave him someone to look up to.

Nyx laughed lightly, watching Ethan use the carrot as a play sword before she stood and looked down at Sarah, who stood nearby; holding a potato in her hand with a mischievous look on her face. Striding over, Nyx plucked the potato from the little girl's hand and then proceeded to tickle her ribs. Glancing up at Ethan, she grinned and gave a fake, over-the-top evil laugh as she continued to tickle Sarah.

Sarah for her part, waved her arms erratically as she tried to escape Nyx's tickling hold. "Ethan, save me!" Her squealing laughter echoing into the kitchen as she continued to try and escape Nyx's tickling.

Troy moved to stand behind his wife, hugging her about her waist and placing his scruffy chin on her shoulder as they watched their children with Nyx. They were both smiling fondly, it was such a happy scene and neither wanted to disturb it...

Link for his part stood back, smiling himself. As dark as these times were, he knew everyone, especially the children, needed to seize available moments of levity. He looked at the two parents, knowing it was likely doing them good to see the children so happy, and it was with a twinge of sadness he knew he likely wouldn't see them again for a very long time when this was all over. And then, they wouldn't remember him. He wondered whether Ethan would still be the heroic boy he was now... the one who reminded Link so much of himself.

It was Ethan who charged to his sister's rescue, still brandishing the carrot and poking Nyx harmlessly with it. "Back you evil monster!" he yelled, "Get away from my sister! Hiyah!"

Link raised a brow. The carrot was certainly a flimsy sword, but Ethan did seem to wield it with a natural degree of skill. He looked up at troy, eyes seeming to question whether the father had secretly been giving his son some martial training.

"Back you evil monster!""Get away from my sister! Hiyah!"

Nyx gave an over-the-top obviously fake groan as she fell over, tongue hanging out of the side of her mouth while her foot twitched every so often as Sarah jumped on her, hitting the woman harmlessly with a celery stalk. "Arrrrgh! You found my weakness! Vegetables! Agggggghhhhh!" The ebon haired Hylian cried in mock anger.

Moira couldn't help but laugh. Nyx was wonderful with children and it showed in how she interacted with her son and daughter. She held a hand over her mouth as she laughed, her smile reaching her eyes for the first time in awhile. As Nyx gave one final over-the-top death, Sarah jumped and hugged her brother around his neck and gave him a kiss to his cheek. "My hero!" She cried, grinning ear to ear because she was just waiting for her brother to start yelling about his sisters 'cooties'.

Troy moved his hand from around his wife before he clapped his worn hands. "An excellent display of carrotmanship, Ethan! You have slain the monster but now, you three need to come inside and eat!"
He laughed before he strode to the small yard, lifting his son and daughter easily about their waists as Nyx stood up, dusting herself off before following the blonde man.

Moira had pulled the 'casserole' from the oven and proceeded to fill bowls with the vegetable-laden dish. They had no meat at the moment, so the children would either eat what they had or go without. She passed the bowls around. There was still enough for seconds, as Moira had learned it would be eaten. Usually by her husband or by the children. She didn't know where they put it all, but she was secretly jealous of them for it. "Dig in, all!"

Ethan beamed as he vanquished the "monster", but groaned as his little sister kissed him, "Eyuch!" The boy quickly wiped off his cheek. "Nothing worse than sister kisses," he declared. That was when Troy came and offered his praise. Ethan tried to raise his carrot again as if in challenge, but soon enough he, along with Sarah, was scooped up into his father's strong arms. "Dad, I can walk!"

Link followed behind, a somewhat-sad smile upon his face. Growing up among the Kokiri, Sariah had been the only mother figure he'd known. She'd cared for him when he was sick, or when nightmares threatened. She'd even protected him from Mido's taunting when he came of age without being chosen by a fairy. He envied Ethan and his family... envied that they enjoyed a family life he likely never would. Being the hero of time, everyone was his friend... but there were times he felt more than a little alone.

He tried to brighten up as he joined the family in the kitchen and sat down at the table. He took his share of casserole and took a bite. "It's delicious," he complimented, "You're a wonderful cook, Moira."

Like many little boys, Ethan took his food, but he insisted on playing with it first. His mind was filled with notions of monsters and adventures. Where previously he had been timid, afraid to even speak the name of Moldorm, now he looked ready to strike out on his own to fight against it. The visit of these two adventurers, however brief, was filling him with courage. He actually took the time to mold his food into the image of a creature with a gaping maw. "And now, I shall vanquish you too, dinner beast!" he declared, stabbing at it with his fork before taking a bite himself. "Haha!"

Nyx watched Ethan form his food into a monster before 'destroying' it by eating it. There was a faint smile on her face as she watched the little boy while Sarah giggled at her brother and his antics. Troy was across the table with an eyebrow raised at his son with a bemused smile on his face. Moira looked from her son to Link when he complemented her cooking, her face changing to a shade closer to fiery red hair as she blushed.

Looking from Ethan to Moira Nyx nodded her head with a smile "I agree with Link, Moira. It is delicious and if you didn't already have your pottery business; I'd say you should be a chef." Moira only turned a deeper shade of red at the praise while Troy laughed at his wife, having long since finished his own bowl. "That would be an idea, but then there wouldn't be any stopping these two when they get into trouble." He said while using his spoon to point at the two children sitting near the adventurers.

"As my wife said before, we would offer you accommodations but we lack any additional beds." Troy sighed a little bit "But the innkeeper is a good friend of mine, if you tell him I sent you I'm sure he'll cut you a good deal. Lord knows I've fixed too many door hinges for him that he owes me one or three at this point."

The sun was going down too, so it wasn't too much longer before Link and Nyx headed to the small inn only a short distance away from Troy and Moira's abode. Instead of actually charging them when they explained Troy had sent them, the man had given them a room for free. Apparently Troy had been fixing many things around the inn and the rather portly innkeeper was more than happy to let them have a room for the night. And it had two beds! What a miracle!

Nyx sat on one of the beds with a light sigh. "You think we'd be able to find that boy that Sarah and Troy mentioned? Jack I think his name was? Perhaps he'd be able to help us find Moldorm." Dante looked at the two of them before sitting on Nyx's feet, rubbing his head against her knee because he wanted to be pet. She absentmindedly scratched his ears as she mused out loud. "If he lives wild in the forest like Troy said, then surely he will have noticed or seen Moldorm." Nyx said as she looked up a Link. "What are your thoughts? Don't tell me you're going to be silent the entire time we're here."

Link was glad to enjoy the rest of the evening with the family. The talk of adventures, pranks, and even broken door hinges served to temporarily remove the young hero's mind from the trials that lay ahead. Indeed, when the time came to finally part company with them all, he smiled sadly. He knelt down, placing a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "Ethan, no matter what anyone says, you have a true, courageous heart," he assured the child, "Because you were brave enough to tell the truth even when no one believed you, the forest may soon be free again, goddesses willing. I don't know if we'll see one another again, but I've been privileged to meet all of you."

He stood, and with goodbyes said followed Nyx to the inn. Surprisingly, he was the first one to flop into his bed for the night, staring up at the ceiling even as Nyx's flurry of questions barraged him. He sighed. "If Moldorm is made up of the same kind of magic as Tentaclus was... the forest is probably being corrupted the longer it resides there. I hope we find this... Jack boy, but I fear for him... We'll just have to pray the goddesses keep guiding us like they have so far."

"If Moldorm is made up of the same kind of magic as Tentaclus was... the forest is probably being corrupted the longer it resides there. I hope we find this... Jack boy, but I fear for him... We'll just have to pray the goddesses keep guiding us like they have so far."

Nyx sighed as she laid back on her bed, pulling her boots off before she buried herself beneath the thick quilt. If they were to be fighting Moldorm the next day, they would both need sleep. Dante paced the room a moment before he jumped onto the end of Link's bed, laying his head on the Hero of Time's feet.

It took little time before Nyx managed to fall asleep. How she was able to sleep no matter where she was probably had it's roots in her young life in Holodrum. Her sleep was not restful, though she did manage through five hours or so before she awoke in a cold sweat; her heart thundering in her chest. Nyx placed her forehead against her palms, taking deep deliberate breaths as she tried to calm her pounding heart.

Damn, that same dream. But it seemed worse this time around. The bandits had turned on her with knives, before it had shifted into a great ghastly insect; larger than herself or Link several hundred times over. Those eyes...and the pincers.

She glanced over to Link's bed, where he was still sleeping. Good thing, too. Nyx was not accustomed to falling apart in front of people. Least of all Link, despite how close of a friend he was. Moving the covers off of herself she stood up slowly, her bare feet making no noise on the wooden floor as she crept her way from the inn to stand outside on the small porch in front of the inn. Crossing her arms she looked skyward, as the stars glinted in the inky darkness.

The sun would rise soon. Besides, she couldn't sleep anymore; not after that nightmare...

Link lay quietly for awhile. He sat up as Dante jumped on the bed, but merely scratched the dog between the ears before he lay back again, staring up at the ceiling. He was awake just long enough to see Nyx fall asleep before he too succumbed to the darkness of slumber.

Unlike Nyx, he didn't dream. His mind was dark, and so was his mind's eye. The task before the pair was herculean, and he still didn't have enough information to work with... Perhaps he could try to focus on guessing who he'd be rescuing. Link had learned the power of positive thinking over the course of his adventures...

Ruto had been rescued from the ocean. Did that mean Saria would be their next rescue? He hated to think that his best friend from childhood, his second mother, could possibly have been turned into the great insect-like Moldorm. But Ruto had seemed no worse for the wear, and when he'd rescued Nabooru from Kome and Kotake's influence during his last quest, she'd quickly come to herself. Saria would be fine. She had to be.

Link woke not long before the sun rose, not long after Saria. He sat up and stretched, reaching out to pet Dante again. "We'll need to buy some food for you before we leave, boy," he smiled. Standing up he made his way outside, hoping for the chance to take in the sunrise.

Dante groaned lightly under Link's touch with a small 'woof' before he followed the Hero of Time outside, tail wagging lightly.

Link would find Nyx sitting on the set of stone steps, meticulously sharpening the daggers that Troy had given her on a whetstone. Clearly she had been at it for awhile because the dagger edges shown bright in the coming sun. She didn't seem irritated, but rather than that she was concentrating. "Sleep well, Link?" Her comment was not spoken with spite, but she seemed to be thinking. Truthfully, Nyx was trying to figure out why she kept dreaming of the old man and the bandits. She didn't understand it, she couldn't recall ever having meeting him. His face was familiar, but didn't know him, and had no name to place to his face.

Having finished, Nyx stopped with the daggers and replaced them in their sheaths before setting them at her feet before she looked at the eastern sky as the sun slowly rose above the horizon. She seemed placid, but it was a well-placed veneer that hid the fact that she was terrified.

"Get back here boy! You're going to pay for that!"

The cry of a baker went up as the man chased a thin boy down the street. It was quite obvious that he didn't live in the town, given what he was wearing. His clothes had at one point been a normal green, but now were a dirty-olive green. He was wearing boots that were no better, with ragged pieces of leather nearly falling off in some spots. Brown hair nearly shoulder length had a few sticks and leaves sticking out of it as the boy quickly scrambled onto the roof of another store while holding the bread in his teeth. Whoever the boy was, he was certainly agile, and climbing was clearly his element. The baker kicked at a wooden box before yelling at the boy who had now disappeared over the other side of the roof. "Jack! You're going to pay for that! I'll make sure of it!"

However fast the boy was running, he was clearly out of the baker's reach and well past the point of him being able to chase him. The baker huffed and stomped back to his shop.

With a slight sigh Nyx went back inside a moment to retrieve the Fairy bow and arrows before coming back outside. "I know Dante needs to eat before we head out. We'll need to find that Jack boy, I'm sure I can catch him once we find him; though."

It took little time to get Dante his fill of meat, which he wolfed down quickly; as dogs were known to do. Dante's tail was wagging wildly as he ran halfway down the street and then back to the two adventurers. Whether Dante knew what was going to be happening, Nyx didn't know but he at least seemed to have an optimistic outlook on it.

Troy had been right, though. The trees in the forest were indeed thick, arrows would do little good unless they were coming from above in the treetops. Everything was quiet, all things considered. It was actually too quiet. The crackle of a branch above their heads alerted Dante, who growled. Nyx looked upwards as the thin ragged boy known as Jack was using the thick canopy of branches above to run from what he must've thought were villagers out to make him pay for his desperate theft.

"Link, you'll want to follow along on the ground and I'll follow behind him in the canopy."

Nyx seemed surprisingly confident that she could follow him. She had purposely left her cloak behind for this very reason. Jack was very adept at running and climbing, as Nyx had been as a child and still was. Quickly she scurried up the tree, tightening the strap on her quiver so as to hug it tightly against her back.

Jack for his part, was a speedy little devil and it took a little bit of time for Nyx to catch up with him. He was surprised that someone was actually able to give chase in the trees, nobody had been able to as of yet. Nyx finally caught hold of the skinny youth's arm as he nearly fell out of the trees while she held fast to another branch. "Okay! Okay! I was just hungry! Don't hurt me!" he cried out in fear. This had been why she needed Link on the ground, in case Jack did slip and she couldn't catch him.

"We aren't here to hurt you, now calm down and stop running!"

At Nyx's command, Jack seemed to slowly relax in her grip. "I want you to climb down, my friend and I would like to ask you a couple of questions, that's all."

He moved down the tree slowly, cautious of the young man and dog on the ground. When he finally made it down he attempted to bolt, only to be stopped with Nyx's firm hold around his arm again. "I told you we're not here to hurt you. Calm down."

Up close, Jack really was a filthy little thing. Troy was right, the boy couldn't have been any older than six, if that. His hair was dark brown and stringy, and his clothes were little more than olive-colored rags with more patches than anything. His boots were falling apart but somehow stayed on his small feet, going only halfway up his calves. His eyes were large and a deep soulful brown. Nyx felt a pang of sadness for the boy, both for where he was and how he was living. Clearly he was resorting to theft to stay alive.

"Jack..." Nyx began, holding the small boy's shoulders. "We're looking for a very large creature, looks like a giant bug. Can you show us where it is?" she asked. He looked a little timid at her question, as though afraid to answer..."But why? It's my friend, you'll make it go away and then I'll be alone again. I don't want to be all alone again."

Jack stared up at the two, but he looked like he was fighting off tears. "What're you going to do to it?"

Link was quiet himself for most of the morning, simply offering a nod at Nyx's question. He had a lot on his mind too. He wondered what Jack looked like, wondered why it was the boy hung out in the forest, like a skullkid. He fondly thought of the faceless young beings back home who played their merry music in the dark woods surrounding Kokiri forest... They loved him as a child, but for some reason, they always attacked adults.

Link had come to the conclusion long ago that they weren't wicked... simply lonely and frightened. He'd never seen a skullkid enter Kokiri Forest. Perhaps they could not... Perhaps they were simply lost... The Dark Woods had a kind of corruption all their own, like this place. Link could feel it pressing in.

He didn't have time to really think further though as the boy suddenly bolted past. He sighed and shook his head. At least that answered the question of who Jack was. Still, there were other priorities. He'd promised to take good care of Dante, so to the meat market it was. He reminded himself again as he paid the butcher how good it was he'd brought along his giant's purse. Dante wasn't an overly large dog, but he could certainly eat!

Soon enough the two were on their way again. It seemed feeding Dante had paid off, since the dog's keen nose led them quickly in Jack's direction, even if the canine wasn't quite sure what or why he was tracking. Once the two entered the forest, Link shuddered. Normally he enjoyed the calm of the forest, but this place definitely had a sickness lying over it. Link wasn't sure if it was because of his piece of the Triforce, but he could definitely sense an evil here.

Jack bolted past from nowhere, and with Nyx's instruction, Link gave chase, Dante barking happily the whole time as if this was some sort of game. Thankfully, it was his companion who caught Jack first. Link let her handle the questioning for the most part, but when the boy asked his question, Link sighed.

He knelt down. "Jack," he said softly, "My name is Link... I'm an adventurer... and I'm trying to help some of my friends who were taken from us by force. Moldorm is... I think, one of those friends. He isn't... really that giant insect. If I'm right, he is a girl who probably wouldn't look much older than you, named Saria... It's my goal to help her... I know it's scary, but if you help us, I'll do my best to see to it you aren't alone anymore... Perhaps Troy's family could take you in for a little while... but you have to help us first... please..."

"Jack,""My name is Link... I'm an adventurer... and I'm trying to help some of my friends who were taken from us by force. Moldorm is... I think, one of those friends. He isn't... really that giant insect. If I'm right, he is a girl who probably wouldn't look much older than you, named Saria... It's my goal to help her... I know it's scary, but if you help us, I'll do my best to see to it you aren't alone anymore... Perhaps Troy's family could take you in for a little while... but you have to help us first... please..."

Jack looked up at Link, his big brown eyes wide with tears. He wasn't by his nature brave like Ethan was, he was much more willing to back away from a fight. But it wasn't monsters he was scared of, it was generally people. (If the amount of running he'd been doing from the two of them in the past hour hadn't indicated that.)

"But..." Jack started, but trailed off; looking down.

Nyx gave an inaudible, sad sigh before she knelt down and looked at Jack at his level. She carefully removed Link's hand from Jack's shoulder. Jack shook a bit, she could see it starting in his shoulders as she opened her arms with her palms up. The boy looked up at Nyx, looking almost unbelieving of what she was doing. His face trembled before he ran into her arms and cried. Nyx wrapped his smaller form tight in her arms. Jack shivered and sobbed into her shoulder as he hugged Nyx around her neck.

Rubbing his back a little bit, Nyx shushed him; humming a little bit before she picked Jack up standing as she did so. "Jack, please?"

The pitiful bundle in her arms was quiet for a long moment, a silence that could be cut with the Master Sword. "Okay."

It seemed like no sooner than Jack had agreed, several leaves fell from the shaking trees as the ground shook and a rumbling could be heard. A screech like none other followed it sounded like the dead were walking with clacking bones. Nyx turned only to see something coming their way, the trees doing little to stop the creature. She held Jack tighter before she put him down "Jack, run!" Nyx yelled.

Jack made a quick getaway as Nyx retrieved the fairy bow and a light arrow from her quiver and notched it. "Link! Get ready!"

Link was rather glad to have Nyx along in this instance. She was far more maternal than he, and while he'd been able to bond with the adventurous young Ethan, Jack seemed far more emotionally delicate. In short, he needed a woman's touch. He stood quietly and watched the two interaction, actually cracking a smile when Nyx got the boy to agree to help.

It didn't last. Link instinctively drew his sword as the sound reached his ears. He was glad the boy made a quick getaway, as it looked like he and Nyx would need a bit of space for this one. "Nyx, get your arrows ready," he hissed, though he doubted it was a necessary command. The thing that came bursting through the trees was like something out of one of Link's nightmares.

The insect was like a giant centipede, almost twice his height at its head, which was its tallest part. Glowing red eyes pierced the darkness like flaming arrows... arrows pointed at that moment toward the Hero of Time and his companion. Its entire body was black like ink, and its feet were tipped with sharp, spear-like claws. Perhaps worst of all was its mouth, filled with row after row of teeth at least as long as his kokiri sword. They almost seemed to rotate, made for grinding rather than chewing.

Link risked a glance at his friend before rushing the beast. Moldorm reared up on its back four legs, revealing at least six separate rounded body sections. "LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINK!" it screached. Link fought to keep from clenching his ears. The monster came back down, forcing the hero to roll left to avoid being crushed by Moldorm's weight. As he snapped to his feet, he swung his sword hard against the side of its head... only to cry out as he found himself thrown back, the body apparently armored and capable of repelling its blows. "Great... guess we'll have to find another way to do this..."

Nyx was all but stunned by the size of the creature but she rolled out of the way when Moldorm came crashing back down. She heard the sharp 'clang' that the Master Sword gave off when it failed to pierce Moldorm's thick exoskeleton. Wasting little time, she notched another arrow and let it go; watching it bounce harmlessly off of Moldorm's head.

They needed to find a weak spot, a chink in the armor! But for the size of Moldorm and the thickness of the trees, it was hard to survey him.

Wait...the trees!

She glanced at Link. "Distract it a minute!" Nyx figured she'd really only need a couple of minutes, tops but she knew that was asking alot all things considered. Running back into the trees, she scurried back into the canopy, running over the branches, trying to find any spot that Moldorm could be harmed. Anything within immediate site was armored, plated to withstand injury.

It seemed to be curling around it's tail, whether that was the centipede instinct but it had to be attempted. Nyx notched a light arrow and sent it flying at the creature's tail.

There was a nearly instantaneous reaction when the creature roared before it turned to the tree that Nyx was in and started using that fearsome set of jaws to take the tree out. She felt the tree start trying to give way as Moldorm used those jaws to take the wood apart. Nyx looked down at the creature's face before she jumped out of the tree and onto Moldorm's face with those silver daggers unsheathed.

Right after she landed, Moldorm reared up again as the daggers pierced it's eyes and blinded the creature. "Link! The tail! Hit the tail!"

The creature whipped it's head around to dislodge Nyx and sent her flying some feet away into the base of a large tree. She stood back up but stumbled, momentarily stunned before she rolled out of the way of aforementioned tail rushing to try and stab her. A nearly two foot long stinger squirmed in the wood for only a moment as Nyx grabbed a light arrow and foregoing the bow, stabbed the creature's tail with it before rolling away again as the creature thrashed wildly...

Link was on his feet again in an instant as the creature crashed after him. "Nyx, what are you-" He didn't have time to finish his question. Moldorm's massive girth crashed down, causing the Hero of Time to fall back on his butt. He stood again, pulling his Hylian shield from his back.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do... This thing's armor was like the thickest stone he'd ever seen, but at least it seemed focused on him for the moment. He leaped forward and struck, bouncing back again, but this time the young Hylian was ready, using the energy of his repelled sword to flip backward. He dodged left, right, always mere inches from the beast. "Anytime you wanna' lend a hand, Nyx!" he yelled.

He was answered an instant later as she came down with her knives, driving her daggers into the creature's eyes. Nodding his affirmative, Link circled, minding the thrashing chain of armored death for all he was worth. Nyx was thrown, and Link's eyes widened as he saw that tail stabbing at her, but that seemed to be the weak point.

Link slid closer to the rear of the beast, raising his shield just in time to dodge a painful (and likely poisonous) sting from Moldorm. Stepping back he raised his sword and took a leap, bringing down the full strength of the Blade of Evil's Bane on the creature's tail, shield quickly sliding between the hero and the stinger.

Nyx notched an arrow but Moldorm was thrashing so much it was difficult to keep true aim. At least Tentaclus she'd had distance in her favor for the aim. This forest was too close together, too many things were in the way to make her miss her target. She was forced to dodge Moldorm's body as it crashed down again in an attempt to smash the two Hylians.

She stood back up as Moldorm continued stabbing blindly with it's stinger. Nyx was much more quick to jump away, after all; she didn't have a metal shield to protect her. It wasn't until Moldorm's tail stopped moving a moment and it hissed again as it's tail seemed pinned. Jack had fetched a length of rope and had tied Moldorm's tail to a large oak behind them. How the boy had managed it with Moldorm's thrashing was beyond her but Nyx wasn't going to let the boy's bravery go to waste as she notched a light arrow and fired it at the creature's tail. Light exploded out from where the arrow met Moldorm's tail and the creature screeched once more as the rope snapped and Moldorm's tail sent little Jack flying some 20-odd feet and much to Nyx's horror, the boy did not move after his body came to a stop.

Nyx notched one more arrow and shot it's tail once again, her face livid with anger as the creature thrashed before collapsing, stunned momentarily by the light arrow. Link should've only needed one more good hit to take it out...

Link was trying his best to get in as many good hits as possible, and he'd managed to land at least three strong strikes, but the creature's thrashing wasn't making it easy. He dodged and rolled and backflipped in an effort to keep away from the tail one minute and Moldorm's jaws the next. Unlike Nyx, the Hero of Time was far more used to fighting in close quarters, but that wasn't truly helping him here, given the number of trees that kept getting in his way.

Suddenly the beast stopped, its tail high in the air. Link watched in a amazement as Jack tied off the rope. Nyx fired her arrow... and by its explosive light he watched in horror as Jack went flying. Gripping the hilt of his sword tighter, the hylian choked back a cry for the boy. Instead, he narrowed his eyes and turned back to the creature. Sword held out, he gathered his energies, filled the blade with power, ghostly blue light acting as the deadly weapon's sheath, then gold.

With an enraged cry, Link jumped forward and let loose, spinning his weapon around him. The blade struck the tail once, twice, three times, and with each strike the power of the Triforce penetrated the creature's hide. Moldorm went limp, falling to the ground, its body suddenly bathed in ghostly blue flame. Link watched to see what would emerge. He could only hope his last, angry assault had done its job.

Nyx watched as the body of Moldorm finally fell over and the ghostly blue flames engulfed the body. The exoskeleton began to fall away as the body burned from the inside out before it too, burned to dust. All that remained from inside the fire was the small body of a green-haired kokiri girl, who stirred just as the last of the flames died away.

She knew it wasn't an enemy well enough, the kokiri clothing was familiar enough as she leapt to her feet and rushed to where little Jack was not moving. Nyx's hands shook as she moved the boy, his ribs not moving in breath. Turning the boy to face skyward, Nyx felt tears gather at the corner of her eyes.

Jack's face stared heavenward blankly, the light gone from his innocent eyes. His stomach had been deeply scraped with the stinger, Nyx could see the greenish-yellow oozing venom. She closed her eyes a moment, feeling the tears gather beneath her lids before she opened them again; the tears spilling down her cheeks. Reaching forward, Nyx closed Jack's eyes and the illusion took place of the small dead boy that he was only sleeping.

Nyx sniffed before she gathered the small boy in her arms, hugging him close; the kind of contact that the boy had clearly been denied for so long that it had been foreign to him. She buried her face against the dead boy's neck, holding the back of his head as she cried. It was no secret to Nyx that life was not fair, but Jack had barely had a chance to live his. Her shoulders shook hard as she bitterly sobbed for the little boy gone.

"I'm so sorry Jack..."

Her voice was cracked and shaking as she apologized to him. Dante approached slowly with a whine. It didn't matter whether Dante truly understood what happened to the boy, the sorrow surrounding Nyx told enough. The dog whined again and bumped his head against Nyx's shoulder, finding that his attempt at getting the woman to smile was worth naught...

Link was relieved to see Moldorm finally disinigrating. Inside, Saria was on her knees, but she was breathing. It looked as if she would be okay. The hero fell to his knees as the exhaustion brought on by the battle finally overcame him. His arms felt heavy, and his legs felt as if they would buckle under his weight, but he stabbed his sword into the ground and forced himself to his feet.

As the last of the ghost flames faded, Saria managed to stand. She blinked a few times before her pretty blue eyes looked up at her old friend. Even though he'd grown, Saria recognized Link instantly. She had always known he was not an ordinary Kokiri boy. Link couldn't help but smile. "Link, it's.... it's good to see you again," Saria offered, "You're taller than when I knew you last. You've grown like a Deku Sprout!"

Link moved toward her and knelt down, extending his arms. Saria's arms wrapped around the Hylian. "It's good to see you too, Saria," Link returned, "When I heard you and the other sages were taken, I feared the worst."

Saria smiled, but then a dark shadow fell over her eyes. "The worst is not over, Link," she said softly, "I was only the second sage taken... and the curse over those you've yet to save grows stronger by the day."

Link nodded and turned to look at Nyx, and Jack... poor Jack. The boy had been so heroic, and even Dante seemed to mourn him. The Hero of Time made his way over to Nyx's side, sheathing his sword as he did. He knelt down and stretched out his hand, brushing the child's cheek. "He just wanted friends..." he whispered, "He was like some of the skullkids I knew back home... lonely... but with a good heart. I'm... I'm sorry we didn't get to give him what he truly deserved."

He closed his eyes, fighting back his own tears. Saria walked silently toward the two. She knelt down herself and closed her eyes. Saria was probably no older than Jack, at least not in appearance, but her eyes betrayed the wisdom of hundreds of years. Being eternally young didn't mean she ever stopped learning. "There is no such thing as death," she said, looking down at the boy's heavenward face, "As snow falls, a tree seems to die. Its leaves fall, and its seeds drop into the earth... but with the spring, the tree wakes to life anew, and from its seed, new life is born. All things are a cycle... Life, death, renewal... And from the seed of his courage, and his kindness, Jack will have life anew. It is my power as the Sage of Forest to give this to him... and my thanks for his looking beyond my monstrous form when the dark magic surrounded me."

Saria stood and gently took Jack's body from Nyx, moving to lay it upon a soft moss bed, beneath one of the unbroken trees. She looked down at him a few moments, breeze blowing a few strands of her bright green hair from her eyes. Saria moved her hands to her heart and began to sing. Her voice was soft as a summer night's whispering winds, but it carried, and as Link listened, he felt as if his own energy was renewed. As if by some strange compulsion, he drew the Ocarina of Time from his pack and began to play along, eyes closing as he moved with the soft sway of the song.

From beneath Saria's hands, a soft green glow emerged. The trees around her glowed with this same energy, and numerous small sparks, each one like a fairy began to drift toward her, each one adding its light to Saria's glowing orb. she kept singing, even as she knelt down. She drew her hands from her heart The beautiful emerald orb of light she held was almost mesmerizing to link. It seemed to pulse in time with the song, to swirl almost like liquid. Saria's hands moved slowly lower, over Jack's stomach. Inches above his poisoned, injured form, she parted her hands. The orb drifted lower, sinking into the boy as if he were made of quick sand.

His body began to glow. The poison which has oozed from his wound evaporated, the wound itself slowly closing. Only the bloodied clothes remained to show any indication that an injury had ever existed. And then, as Saria ended her song... Link watched in amazement as the light returned to the boy's eyes... He blinked.

Saria closed her eyes and fell to her knees once more, clearly tired. Link rushed to her side and looked down. "J... Jack?"

Nyx looked at Link after a moment when he knelt down next to her. She looked for the lack of a better term, stricken with grief for the boy's death. Part of her felt she was to blame, Jack deserved so much better that what he had gotten.

She looked up as Saria knelt down as well. Nyx said nothing to Saria, but her emerald green eyes stared at the child-like sage. There was nothing she could really say to Saria, she knew it hadn't been the sage's fault for this. As she listened to Saria, she blinked once, twice, and three times when she said she'd bring Jack back to life. When Saria stood and started to take Jack, Nyx looked for a moment as though she didn't want to let go (she didn't, truthfully)

For the duration of the song, Nyx could only watch as she didn't know the song. She watched the small sparks, like little lights as they gathered under Saria's hands. Nyx was almost mesmerized by it. Watching closely as Jack's body healed under Saria's magic. Her body felt revived, refreshed.

When the light returned to Jack's eyes, the little boy stretched as though he had just woken up from a nap. The boy's large brown eyes looked confused for a moment as he looked up at Link, Nyx, and Saria. He sat up and looked around at the other three. "Link?" He looked at Saria for a moment before he smiled and gave her hug. "I'm glad you're okay." It wasn't that Jack knew Saria's name, but he just knew.

He then turned to Nyx on his other side, who's face was tear-streaked and her eyes red and swollen from her tears. Jack looked confused before Nyx reached out and grabbed Jack. She hugged him closely and tightly until the boy waved a free arm. "Nyx, I can't breathe, please let go." To which Nyx released the little boy, who looked a little embarrassed at the situation. "Ummm...what happened?"

Link smiled as Jack slowly sat up and hugged Saria. "You were... dead," Link admitted, kneeling down, "but Saria brought you back... Jack... This girl... Saria... she's a longtime friend of mine. She's the one who was trapped inside Moldorm."

Saria nodded her head slowly. "I am pleased to see that you are better, Jack," she said softly, "You are a good boy... In fact, you remind me of a certain blond-haired boy I once knew back home in the Kokiri Forest." She looked up at Link, winking and causing the Hylian to blush.

"We... We should get Jack home," he said quickly, eager to change the subject.

Saria giggled, but nodded. "I have a little more business first," she said. She turned to look at Nyx. "Nyx, remember all you learned here... When our hearts take root deep within courage and hope, even the most deadly of fires cannot destroy us completely. You do not understand yet, but you are a part of that very hope, Draw your arrows, Nyx."

Once the girl did as she was told, Saria reached out. "As Sage of Forest, I join my power to your own, so that as with Ruto, we may fight together... I will find my own way home and wait for my call to come."

Jack stared at Link as he told him that he had died. He remembered being struck, and how painful it was for a moment...then nothing. Looking to Saria as Link introduced her, he hugged her once again and tightly at that. What could you really say when you find out someone had just brought you be to life? But what struck him was that she called him a good boy. Nobody had ever really called him a good boy before, and it felt foreign to him but filled him with happiness deep in his chest.

Although Jack turned to look back to Link when he mentioned taking Jack home. "But Link...I don't have one." His brown innocent eyes were so large, almost with a little bit of fear. Where was he going to go?

Nyx looked to Saria. She was finding it frustrating that the sages seemed to know so much more of her than she did of them. They knew much more than she did, about her future than she did. In fact, she knew nothing of her destiny but she found it grinding on her how nobody would tell her.

She nevertheless held the arrows out to Saria, watching as Saria's green energy infiltrated the arrow. The light then began to shift from gold to blue to green, like the waves of water on the beach. Nyx pulled the arrows back as she looked at Saria earnestly. "Saria, please. Tell me what you know, because I mostly assuredly don't. What role am I supposedly to play in this hope?"