Chapter Five: Leaving the Forest
Link screamed in terror as he plummeted downwards. So did Navi. Her first instinct was to let go and flutter down slowly, but she had promised Link she would stay with him. She really didn’t know if there was water down there or not; but she had stated her logic to Link, and it truly was the only choice they had. She just hoped she was right. Otherwise they were both....
The darkness grew deeper. Navi clung to Link’s tunic. Link’s only thought of comfort was that Navi kept her promise. If he died, at least she was going with him. All the sudden they were surrounded by something sticky. The spider web. It slowed them only slightly, then they fell even faster. Then they hit the water.
Link had never felt so relieved in his life. His whole body stung from the impact, and he was running out of air, but he was alive. Alive.
His need for air increased every second. He wouldn’t be alive for long if he didn’t reach the surface. But before he could reach the top, his will broke and he inhaled a mouthful of murky water. He needed to cough, but that required air. All he could do was flail and kick as hard as he could. Finally, he broke the surface of the water, and he came up coughing and sputtering. But alive. Navi had been knocked off his shoulder and was now laying in the wet dirt nearby, watching Link. Her glow, compared to the dark void he had just fallen through, seemed so bright Link could barely see. Panting, he hoisted himself out of the water and lay flat on his back.
“So,” he panted, “Do I pass the test?”
Navi laughed weakly and told him, “You know, I wasn’t even sure there was water down here. It was only a guess.” She turned around to face the door in front of them, and then she froze. “Hey Link, don’t look now, but we’ve got company....”
Link turned around as well, to see not one, but three Deku Scrubs all about to shoot nuts at him. He grabbed Navi and dove back into the water.
After a second, Link stuck his head up out of the water just enough so he could speak. “Now what? I can’t kill all three of them at once!”
“Don’t worry,” Navi said. “Just take them one at a time.”
Obediently, Link got back out of the water. He repelled a nut at the scrub on the left. The thinglooked dazed for a moment, but it had no effect. He tried the one on the right. Same thing. Link was getting frustrated. He tried the one in the middle. Its reaction startled him. It turned blue and made strange sound, while the others continued to shoot nuts. Link reflected a nut at the one on the left. No good. He tried the one on the right. It too, turned blue. Link, now knowing what was going on, hit the last Scrub with its own nut. The Scrub fell over, knocked out. Then all three of them disappeared.
Link sat down, breathing heavily. He saw something sparkle on the ground. What was that? He reached down, and picked it up. It was a key. Probably the one to the door in front of them. Slowly, he stood up and approached the door.
“So,” he said, trying to make a joke out of it, “What do you think is in here? What’s going to eat us for lunch?”
Navi glared at him.
Taking her silence as an order to open the door, Link cautiously put the key in the lock and turned, anticipating what would be inside. His heart was pounding; he somehow knew he wasn’t going to like whatever was behind this door. This was the evil the Great Deku Tree had asked him to vanish. This was the real test of courage. He opened the door and went inside. Bloodstained bars came crashing down after him. He was trapped.
Link saw something move on the ceiling. It was pitch black here, with a low fog. The thing moved closer. Link looked up into a giant orange eye. He yelled in surprise and fright. This caused the creature to drop to the ground. Link backed away several steps. This monstrosity was a gigantic spider. Evil laughter rang out in the room. Link looked around wildly, trying to locate the owner of the voice. It sounded so familiar....
His heart stopped when he realized that the voice belonged to the man in his dream.
Then the voice spoke. “Well, boy, you’ve managed to get this far, but you’ll get no further. Queen Gohma could use a little snack....” The laughter, the awful laughter rang out again.
Link drew his sword, held his shield in front of him. He was going to die, like he thought would never happen....
But I am not going down without one hell of a fight! he thought furiously. If Mido couldn’t take him down, he wasn’t going to let this thing.
Before Navi could tell him to watch his language again, he was off and running, swinging his sword in every direction he could. The “Queen” was covered in a thick skin, however, and it did no good. After awhile of Link swinging and dodging, the spider walked up the wall and onto the ceiling. For a moment, Link had hoped she was retreating. But instead, she laid eggs. Tiny spiders sprouted out, and Link took them out quickly with his sword, Navi flying near them to give him light. The Queen was still on the ceiling, staring at him with her huge orange eye. He wished that eye would stop staring at him. The back of his neck was starting to tingle....
Link’s eyes widened. Why hadn’t he thought of it before? He had three seeds left. He put them all in his slingshot at once, took aim, and fired. Gohma fell to the floor, roaring in agony. Link went up to her and slashed her in the eye with his sword. Messy as it was, it got the job done. The Queen now lay lifeless before his eyes. Link, who had suffered much damage as well, passed out.
***
When Link woke up, he found himself back at the Deku Tree’s Meadow, Navi sprinkling water on his face. Slowly, Link stood up. He gasped. The Deku Tree looked gray all over, and his leaves were brown and dry; Link knew he was dying.
“I was too late....” Link said bitterly. “Too late....”
“No,” the tree murmured. “Link, thou came not a moment too soon. You see, when the spell was put on me, I was destined to die. But do not grieve for me. We have so...so little time.... Link, thou must take this stone. This is what that man wanted from me so badly that he put this spell on me. Thou must take this, and find the Princess of Destiny...let Navi guide thee. I...I am growing weak. I know thee had many questions...I am sorry I never had the time to answer them.... Please, Saria, let her care for the other object. You...take the stone...Navi...watch over him.... Good...bye....”
The Deku Tree’s leaves fell down from the branches, and in the piles of them, Link discovered a green stone, and what looked like a very large Deku Nut. Link picked them up and ran out of the Meadow, fighting tears. He had been too late...too late....
He ran into something solid. Mido. Mido took one look at Link’s face and said, “You killed him, didn’t you? Didn’t you? Well, get out! You can’t stay here! I ought to kill you myself! Get out! Get out!”
Link didn’t need telling twice. He didn’t care now if Mido killed him or the outside world did. He was sick of this. He was leaving. He got a few things, including his journal and a few things Saria had given him, took his stuff, and just left. Mido’s angry cries followed him. Link shoved past the guard going to the outside, and was soon on the bridge that connected the forest to the outside. Saria was waiting on him. She looked confused.
“Link, what happened?”
Link shook his head. “If I ever come back, I’ll tell you.” His voice was cold and unfeeling, he knew, but he was trying his best not to get upset.
Saria grabbed his arm. “Wait,” she said. “I want you to have this. I made it myself. It was going to be your birthday present...when you play it, think of me.” Saria’s voice broke then, and she started to cry. Mido’s voice got louder.
Link nodded, unable to speak. He took the Ocarina she had carved for him into his hands. Link then got out the seed that the Deku Tree wanted her to have. He gave it to her. She seemed to know what it was, even though he had no idea. Her face was now shining with tears. “So...it’s true? He’s really...gone?”
Link nodded, unable to speak.
Mido appeared in the gateway from the Kokiri Forest. “Get out!” he screamed. “Out! Out! Out!”
Link hated Mido. He hated him like hell. He would never, ever, ever, forgive Mido for this.
“Get out! Get ooooouuuuuut!”
Link hugged Saria, shot another glare at Mido, and, without another word, left his home behind him.