Out of The Shadows
By: Nightshade

Prologue

In the Kokiri Forest there was a story of a boy who slipped away about five years ago because of all the tormenting he got from the others. He was said to be the smallest of the Kokiri and the only one with dark hair. He talked a lot and sometimes ended up annoying others. For this and other reasons he was nearly banished. Even though he was smart others began to taunt despite his begging for it to stop. Instead of being forced to leave the forest he left himself, disappearing and was never seen again. This happened while he was still quite young, making most of his earliest memories those of despair and grief. Most of his remembrances were of his current life in the shadows. Some believed he was still alive and some believed he was dead. Most simply believed he was a myth. Kokiri being Kokiri, they simply forgot about the whole issue and he passed from knowledge.
It was light already. Stirring, Adam rubbed his eyes. His home consisted of a 4 by 3 foot knothole in an old tree deep in the Lost Woods. A couple of vines and tree branches acted as stairs until about the middle of the trunk where a niche in the tree provided shelter. All he had was some tools, a spare tunic, his crystal edge dagger and a strange medallion he had worn since birth. He carved shelves to store food and other things. He hated living like this. Not a friend in the world. Yet in his isolated life he still knew things in the forest. He heard about Link's great adventures by eavesdropping on the forest at night. He had seen Zelda, knowing only that she and Link were in love. He knew none of their names however. He felt terrible. Love, something he could never have. And when he saw the green haired girl he was instantly smitten with her. This only added to Adam’s emotional pain. He realized hungry and he had to find some form of food. A few berries, a fish, anything. He hadn’t eaten for two days. Five whole years he lived like this. He was very thin and dangerously underweight. Climbing once again down the vine he slipped into the forest.

Chapter One

"Link wake up! Link!" His eyes slowly opened to find Zelda preparing breakfast. "Come on."
"I'm awake already! He got out of bed and sat down at the table. "You look beautiful this morning," he complimented Zelda. She kissed him on the cheek.
"Eat up were going for a walk in the forest with Saria. Remember?" Both of them were about thirteen but with all their experience and maturity they acted in their own certain way. After their adventures they both lived in Link's home in the Kokiri Forest. Link finished eating and he accompanied by Zelda walked from his house to Saria's.
Saria herself was just finishing her breakfast. She was waiting to go on a walk in the forest with Link and Zelda. They always did fun things together. But something kept nagging at her. She seemed to be missing something but she couldn't put her finger on it.
She brushed the thought aside as Link and Zelda appeared. The specter thought panged her once again as she got up and grabbed her shoes. "You ready to go, Saria?"
"Yeah!" She yelled back as she came to the doorway. She thought about things for a second. Seeing Link and Zelda together seemed to bring about such feelings. She felt certain emptiness. She and Link were like brother and sister. She walked out to the waiting Link and Zelda. "You two look so happy together," Saria commented to Link and Zelda. They looked at each other and smiled. "Think we’ll find anything interesting today?" Saria asked.

Adam was on the complete opposite of the spectrum from Link, Saria, and Zelda. His whole life was just one bad thing after another since he could remember. His existence was one of hell. He couldn’t go back to the forest; he shuddered to think about what would happen if he opened that can of worms. All he could do to keep himself from going insane was to read books he had stolen from the Kokiri. Being bright was what got him in trouble in the first place And then, her. He shook the thoughts from his head. He stooped down to get a look at a plant. The leaves were edible and there was nothing else around to eat. He pulled a leaf and began chewing on the bitter plant. Why am I cursed to such an existence? He thought. It would be better if I just went to sleep and never woke up. He sat on the ground. “Why,” he asked himself this all the time. He wondered if he should’ve just stayed in the forest. But no, he was nearly forced out. After that he couldn’t live in the forest so he simply withdrew. He hated every minute of this.

A noise. He looked around, terrified. Three sets of footsteps were coming. He crept from behind the bush right into view of Link, Zelda and Saria. They looked at each other for a moment before Adam broke into a sprint, mentally cursing his stupidity. They started chasing him. He was unable to run very quickly due to asthma. He kept on running even as his breathing started to get heavy. He kept thinking to himself that he must not be caught. “ All to quickly he hit his foot on a rock and slammed his head to the ground knocking himself unconscious. They moved to investigate the figure lying on the ground. And there he was. Face down into the grass was the legendary Adam. He was pale and gaunt. Link knew he couldn't weigh much. His clothes were a deep shadowy purplish black. He had dark brown hair. They turned him on his back and looked at each other in amazement. Link caught sight of the dagger in his belt. Just in case As Saria and Zelda tried to rouse Adam, Link examined the dagger. "So this is the infamous Shadow Kokiri. " Link said to the others. Saria understood this but Zelda looked at him quizzically. “He was said to have disappeared five years ago after being tormented or something. I personally thought he was just a myth, but well, that seems to have proved me wrong.” “How sad.” Zelda responded. She felt sorry for him, after seeing him and hearing what Link had to say. Adam's eyelids began to flutter and all three gathered round. As Adam's eyes opened, he gasped in terror. Link, Zelda and Saria were all staring at him. He felt around for his dagger as if to slit his own throat before they could do something to him, but could not find it. He was cornered. “Don’t worry, you’re okay, were not going to hurt you.”
In a shivering voice he began to speak, "Who, who, who are you, what do you want from me?" Adam trembled. All three gave him a nice warm smile.
"Hello." the blond girl said in a soothing voice. It was obvious that Adam was scared of them. He started shaking. In an attempt to calm the terrified boy down, Zelda took his hand into hers.
He had forgotten how warm people’s hands were.
Link, Zelda and Saria looked at each other.
"We just want to help you," answered the blond haired boy. There was a long pause as they looked at each other.
"Why, why would you care about me?" Adam asked, still shaking.
The green haired girl answered him. “No one should have to live like this, Adam. You don’t deserve this.” Adam began to feel strange. Did he trust these people? The fact that he was actually meeting this beautiful green haired girl was surprising enough. On top of that, they seemed to care about him. Adam looked at each of them for a moment. Saria, deciding to take an initiative introduced herself to Adam. “My name is Saria, It’s nice to meet you, umm.” “Adam, my name is Adam.” “Link went next. “My name is Link, I’m glad we found you.” “I am Zelda.” They all looked at him. He was shocked. No ones ever cared before. “Can we see where you live, Adam?” Link asked. “Promise me, you won’t, you won’t…” “We won’t, Adam, I promise.” Zelda said, answering what she knew he meant without his even saying it. Zelda helped Adam up to his feet. She was surprised he was even alive given his physical condition.

"So is everything in place?" Drane inquired.
"We have the supplies, 30 men and our weapons. So you really think we can extort a ransom from the Hyrule Castle by holding the Kokiri Forest hostage?"
"Like I said, it would look terrible for the country if the king didn't do anything, and according to our source inside the castle, Zelda is staying there with that one kid, the Kokiri hero, what is his name, Link that's it. Besides, we can take some of the locals and use them as slave laborers. They can build our weapons and help us build an army. Think about it. Soon, we could attack Hyrule Castle.”
"So when is it?" Tare asked, getting excited.
"In two days we'll be ready," replied Drane.


"We're almost there," Adam announced as the rain started to come down. They reached a clearing. "Follow me," he instructed as he climbed up a bunch of vines. He moved some brush revealing his little knothole where he lived. The other three were shocked. Not even a home. All it was some space in a partially hollowed out tree. All that was inside was a blanket and some books he took with him when he fled.
"Adam," Saria began, "how could you live like this for so long?"
"Do you want to move back to the forest?" Link suddenly asked. Zelda jabbed him with her elbow. "I'll make sure no one bothers you."
"I sort of do, but I don't want to go back to the way things were.”
"Adam, you can't live here any longer, I won't let you," Saria added.
"You know there is that safe house place in the forest," Link started. "You can live there until your ready to move back."
"Okay," said Adam, overwhelmed by their kindness and lovingness. "This is all I have so can, um, I move in now?" Adam was hesitant about asking for something, especially a home.
"Yeah let's go, I cannot stand to see someone live in those conditions any longer!" Saria insisted. The three of them climbed out of the tree. Adam, with a small sack with his few possessions, took a long look at his old home and started sniffling.
"I can't believe it, five years and now I'm going to return."
"Let's go, Adam," Link said. Adam followed their lead until they reached a small cabin that the Kokiri used to use as camping site when they played in the forest. The forest however grew more and more dangerous over time so it was all but abandoned. "This'll be your home for a while until your return. Is that okay?" Link asked. Adam happily nodded. Link opened the door.
Once everybody was inside Link picked up two sticks and rubbed the together to start a small flame. This he transferred to a lamp on a table, instantly lighting the torch and shining light on the entire room. The cabin was made of a single room but it was very large inside and had some chairs, tables and several beds. Adam set down his bag. And smiled at the three with glee. "Thank you so much!" he exclaimed. He started crying with joy. "I finally have a home."
Then Link brought up another subject. "I'm hungry, Saria where's the food?" Saria hit herself in the head.
"Rats! I forgot let me get it." After reassuring Adam he was safe she started running into the woods back home. Adam gave a loving sigh as he watched her leave. Link and Zelda looked at each other.
"Is Mr. Shadow in love?" Link began teasing. Zelda glared at Link then looked down at Adam.
"It's okay if you love her, Adam."
Link pulled out a book from Adam’s bag. Adam slapped his hand to his forehead and made a face as if he swallowed poison.
"Yeah look this poem he wrote," Link said looking up from a book from Adam's bag. "Adam, you're sweet," Link commented.
"Can I see the book, Adam?" Zelda asked.
"Fine it's not secret anymore, is it?" Adam replied.
In this book he wrote his deepest feelings. Mostly, those of frustration and heartache in the form of poetry. The most saddening was the one detailing why he left the forest.
Zelda read for a few minutes and started tearing up. "Adam it's really beautiful, I never knew you could write like this."
"Zelda, you just met in what seems mere moments ago.”
Link began laughing. "He's got a point you know."
“You probably didn’t know this Adam, but Zelda here is the princess of Hyrule.” Adam jaw dropped. These are the first people he had talked to in years and now he’s talking to a princess. “I, um, your highness, its an honor to…” Zelda put her hand in the air and cut him off mid sentence. “Please, I cannot stand the fame and applause, I’m just a normal person like you or Link. Most people in the castle town cannot recognize me walking through. So please, just talk to me like you would a regular person.”
“The problem is, I really don’t know how to talk to regular people.” Adam said.

Suddenly Adam started turning really pale. "Adam are you ok?" Link asked concernedly.
Adam nodded. "I'm just tired. I haven't had a good night's sleep in those five years."
"You can sleep here now if you want. We'll protect you," Zelda reassured.
"Okay, good night then," said Adam. He walked over to the bed, removed his medallion and climbed in, immediately curling up and falling asleep.
"Poor guy," Link said. The door creaked open. It was starting to get dark out. Link and Zelda immediately put their fingers to their lips and pointed to the sleeping Adam.
"Oh, okay," Saria whispered. "Anyway here is the food." Saria pointed to the basket in her hand. The three sat down at the table and unloaded the food, taking care not to wake Adam. After setting aside a portion for Adam for when he woke up, they began eating. They noticed the medallion on the table. Link picked it up and noticed the inscription.
He tried to pronounce the words on it. "Noctornus ex artimes shadan." As soon as he finished speaking the words the medallion began to glow. A beam of light shot out and hit Saria. Before she could react, she became enveloped in an orb of light. It began spinning for about thirty seconds as Link and Zelda watched, scared stiff. The light died down and Saria's feet touched the floor again. Only now she looked different. She was taller. Her hair was longer, down to her shoulders. She also grew in the chest area.
"What happened, I'm bigger?" Her voice was also more adult sounding.
"Saria you've grown up!" Link exclaimed. The medallion glowed again and shot another beam of light. This time it hit Adam, who was still in bed. He seemed to float in the air for a second before the orb surrounded him. Thirty seconds later his feet hit ground. Link, Zelda and Saria looked at Adam as the light died down. He seemed to have woken up. He stood before them, somewhat stunned. He was now 5 feet tall. He was still a few inches behind Link and Zelda but he was almost as tall as Saria. He had well combed hair, a slender figure and a more serious face. Adam's eyes opened. His eyes were no longer childish but a deep piercing blue.
"What the heck just happened?" Adam inquired, his voice no longer high pitched but a deeper tone. Saria and Adam looked at each other for a moment.
Almost simultaneously they said to the other,” You grew up!"
"That's how it seems," Link started. "That medallion had the power to break the curse of the Kokiri."
Adam looked at his arm, noting a scar. “I’m thirteen, he announced to them, still focused on the scar. “See this scar, every year it seems to get a little bigger. It eventually learned how to time it to a year.”
"I wonder what else that medallion can do." Zelda asked curiously.
"Oh yeah, Adam. I have your knife," Link said. Adam looked down at his waist. Sure enough no dagger. Link handed it to him. "Thank you, Link."
"Adam, you look hungry so we brought food," Zelda offered. Adam smiled. Here sit down and eat. She showed Adam the food on the table. Adam almost fainted at the sight of all of it. Fresh fruit, bread, fish and some items he never saw before. He looked at them in amazement.
"Th-tha-thank you!" Adam sat down and looked at all the food before him. He never ate this much even when he lived with the Kokiri.
"While you're here, Adam, can you tell us how you lived for the past five years? Its pretty amazing that someone could live in that forest for five years with no external contact." Adam pulled his face out of an apple.
He swallowed and said to Link, "OK, can I just eat a little more first?"
"Of course you can," Saria replied.

Chapter Two

Tare walked up the stables, carefully inspecting each of the horses to be used in the attack. He started to wonder though if it was really necessary to bring this much of a strike force into a little forest populated by a bunch of kids. "Well better safe than sorry," he told himself. It seemed like overkill but whatever his boss said, he thought. He finally finished counting. Two days from now twenty-nine of his comrades would storm through the Kokiri Forest, seize the kids and send off a ransom. All of them would be well armed. Figuring that there was about twenty Kokiri, twenty stalfos and four humans would have no problem doing this. To him this was no problem. He had some of the best weapons around at his disposal. No worries he reminded himself. This was going to be a breeze.


"So that's how you've been living for the past five years?" Link asked dumbfounded. The three were almost to the point of tears. He nodded.
"Well it's all over now, Adam. You've found us so you don't have to live like that anymore," Zelda comforted. Adam smiled at her. It was getting late. Adam was looking pale again.
"We better go to bed," Saria said. "It's getting late."
"Yeah let's hit the hay," Link agreed. So all of them got ready to go to bed. Soon everyone was sleeping.


Tare was standing over a map of the forest. His four top lieutenants accompanied him. "Okay let's review. We enter the forest here, fan out and take as many prisoners as possible, then, we have our foot soldiers take the houses over. Then we search the forests for stragglers. We centralize all the little punks in this big house hear. It almost appears to be a social hall or something."
One of the other men took a sip of his rum, cleared his lungs and asked, "How are we supposed to fortify our position?"
"Excellent question, Zachit. After we take the main area we start loading our supplies to some of these center houses, we take shifts watching the brats to pack everything up and ready to ship back out. It will be a cake walk people." Zachit looked satisfied. And with that they were dismissed.
"Wait a minute, Zach!" Tare called out before he left the room. We have a special job that may require your attention."

You know that the Kokiri probably cannot resist our invasion. But we have to worry about Link and Zelda. If they are not taken care of before this starts, they
can raise some sort of alarm they might be able to fight back. And this is where you come in. Your job is to nab Link and Zelda before the invasion even starts. That way our victory is insured. You are authorized to use any methods necessary for Link but we need Zelda alive. We don’t know the exact number of the Kokiri; My guess is somewhere in the twenties. You can handpick a few of our human soldiers to go with you. The rest guard the boss in his stagecoach near the forest.” “I understand, Tare, I’ll start preparing now.”
The horses neighed as fierce winds and sand blew into Tare’s face. It was finally happening. He waved foreward and several horses bearing his men trotted up. They were about to leave their headquarters in the Haunted Wasteland. Several more horses moved up. These pulled the cartridge with Drane and his bodyguards. Zachit’s handpicked team moved next to him. He looked around. “This is it” he yelled over the deafening wind. “Ya.” He slapped his horse and sped foreword and with him the invading forces. As they galloped into the desert towards their secret gate, he wondered “This thing with summoning the stalfos better work.” They passed the gate. The gate being the only other direct route into the Haunted Wasteland besides the Gerudo’s fortress. And the Gerudo were not about to just let them walk through their land so they build another secret entrance. It was well hidden and it served its purpose. They still had some way to go the Forest.
Dawn was breaking. Link and Zelda were already awake and Saria had left. Alex stirred then sat upright. The first thing he noticed was that that she was gone. “Where, where,” “She left during the night and said that she didn’t want to arouse suspicion among the Kokiri.” “You hungry, Adam?” Link asked. Adam nodded. They all sat down and ate. Zelda giggled watching Adam eating so voraciously. “What?” Adam and Link looked at each other and shook their heads. When they were done, Link asked Adam, do you know anything about sword fighting. “A little.” “Let’s see what you can do.”



“Good. That’s enough” Link set down his sword. “Adam, how did you get to be such a good swordsman.” Adam just shrugged his shoulders. Adam sat down looking sullen. Link and Zelda knew why. “Don’t worry about Saria. I’m sure that you and her will go great together. She just isn’t used to this kind of thing.” Zelda said, trying to reassure Adam. “And if not, there are plenty of fish in the sea, as they say.” Adam was gravely nodding his head the whole time. “Adam?” He picked his head up. “Did you leave because of her?” Tears started to well up in his eyes. “No, There was someone before her.” Link and Zelda sat down close to him, trying to help him cope with his memories. “A Kokiri girl named Kirsten.” They tried to comfort him. Zelda put her arm around him. Adam put his head on her shoulder. He proceeded to tell them everything about Kirsten. Link knew her, having been raised a Kokiri. He remembered her once saying something about a creepy boy but that’s all he knew on the matter. This obviously pieced it together for him. They listened as Adam poured his heart out. He told them of how she baselessly rejected him, rallied other against him, while others exploited this and promised in return for favors, an audience with Kirsten. That audience never took place…

“Saria? What happened to you?” Saria feigned not noticing anything. “What ever do you mean?” “You’ve grown, and in more ways than one.” The little Kokiri pointed to Saria’s chest. Saria knew that there would be some explaining to do. And she couldn’t tell the truth. That would expose Adam. She told the Kokiri girl she didn’t know and ran towards the Lost Woods.


Zachit and his forward scouts were creeping through the forest. From the west came a vertical shaft of green light. “Damn it, they summoned too soon.” He waved his men towards him. He told them to link up with Tare at a forest clearing. They had set up a makeshift base there. It basically was a tarp tied between trees with several tables and chairs and the like set up there. It was to be used as a regrouping point for the invading commanders. Zachit and his special team did all this in the past few days. His men left him to meet Tare. “This is going to have consequences.” He thought aloud. When his men were gone he caught sight of something moving. A green-haired girl was walking by. He silently moved behind her and mashed a cloth into her face. She struggled for a few seconds before passing out. Zachit put the girl over his shoulder and started walking towards the clearing to see if he could get any information out of her. Little did he know that the Kokiri girl earlier questioning Saria was following her and caught sight of what happened. She overheard him mention the forest clearing. She knew where that was. She started to run back to the Kokiri to tell Mido and figure out what to do.

The scouts had already left the meeting point and left for the entrance of the forest. They arrived in time to see the stalfos rising out of the ground. A full twenty of them. Drane was standing on top of his carriage with a glowing stone in his hands. He addressed them. “Move towards the forest. Take the children prisoners and secure the forest. As he continued instructing the raiding party the scouts walked through the column of skeleton warriors. They were almost frightened by them save that they knew that their boss solely controlled them. He was finished speaking. The stalfos eyes glowed fiercely red and they marched towards the bridge to the forest. The scouts relayed the news to their boss.
He was furious. “I told Tare to get pick someone who would competently fulfill my orders. What’s done is done. Redirect Tare to oversee the occupation. And give him this,” Drane handed the stone to the head scout. “Tell Tare that I’ll meet him back at the stronghold.” And with that Drane mounted a horse and rode towards their fortress in the Haunted Wasteland.

The Kokiri girl, Kira, was shocked when she got back to the forest. She arrived just in time to see the stalfos marching on the forest. She watched as they systematically entered the houses and took captive the occupants. Several of the Kokiri managed to flee into the forest. They seemed to be running towards the direction of the abandoned cottage, which, unbeknownst to her, housed Link, Zelda and Adam. She started running that way too, hoping to find Link or Zelda or anyone who could possibly do anything about the Kokiri Forest invasion.

Adam had finished with his story about fifteen minutes ago. Then they saw the sky to the west illuminated with the eerie green light. Link ran to the forest to investigate. It was just Zelda and Adam in the cottage. Link hadn’t returned. Zelda began to get worried.

Link also witnessed the invasion. He knew he couldn’t do anything because he was gravely outnumbered. He turned to run back to report his findings to Zelda and Adam.

Tare was ecstatic. Everything was as planned, minus Zachit’s little disappointing performance. Everything was in his control. He divided command of the stalfos to his three remaining lieutenants, leaving several for himself. He walked over to the Kokiri social hall. About fifteen crying, frightened Kokiri were sitting there, all tied at the feet. He yelled at them all about how they better stay shut up, mainly to break what little hope they had left. The terrified Kokiri felt complete despair; just the way Tare wanted it. One of the girls asked if she could go to the bathroom. He walked up to her, almost as if to say yes. He struck he on the face and pushed her to the ground.

Saria awoke feeling sleepy. After a few seconds the grogginess dissipated and she opened her eyes. She was bound sitting on a wooden chair, half naked. A man had various objects and bottles laid out on the table. “Have a nice nap?” He nearly said calmly to her face.
Saria’s expression totally changed. She bore on her face a look of pure terror. Without warning the man walked up and slapped hard on the face. He took a swig of out of one of the bottles. Saria smelled alcohol. “Where’s Zelda?” The man demanded of her. Saria would never betray a friend. She could only guess what would happen if she told him.
When he realized she would not tell him he got right in her face, “I’m going to love doing this to you. You will pay for your insolence.” He took a strangely curved knife and held it in from of her face. He suddenly jabbed her on the stomach with it. Saria screamed. Tears started pouring from her eyes. Tare grabbed the bottle he was earlier drinking from and poured some of it on the wound. Saria screamed again, in agony. He took a horsewhip and began to hit her with it. She was never in such pain before. This man was enjoying doing this to her. She received hit after hit. Her face was bruised, as was much of her body. Saria was in misery. “Where is she?” He snarled in her faced. Saria wouldn’t say a word to betray her friends. The man continued his torture. “Just kill me!” she herself was surprised she said that. She just wanted this to end. Death seemed the only way.



Kira reached the cottage. Panting, she burst into the door. Adam nearly flew to his feet, sword drawn at the door. She had an expression on her face that told Zelda and Adam that something terrible had just befallen. She was stuttering trying to explain what happened. “The, the forest was invaded. A man took Saria, huff, to the huff’ big clearing.” As soon as he heard these words Adam bolted out the door towards the clearing. Zelda knew he only had one thing on his mind, find Saria. She tried to calm down the hysterical Kira. “Its okay, your with me now.” She told the little girl. Inside Zelda asked herself where on earth Link was. She also worried about Saria and Adam. She knew what Adam could do with a sword, and she knew that he was going to mow down anyone who stood against him.

Adam ran through the forest at a pace he never thought possible. He was short on breath but he didn’t care. Only Saria mattered.

Link appeared at the door and saw Kira in Zelda’s arm. “Where’s Adam?” Kira shot straight up upon hearing this. “He, he, he’s alive?” “You just saw him run out the door.” She sat back down an looked puzzled. “That was him?” Link nodded. Zelda asked. “Wait, what happened?” Link inquired. Kira tried to calmly explain what she saw happen to Saria. “I have to go find him.” Link ran out the door to try to find Adam before he does something stupid.

A scream emanated from the deep of the forest.

Adam reached the clearing and nearly went ballistic at what he saw. The first thing he saw was a man left hooking in the face a bruised, cut, and agonizing Saria. Adam’s fury at that moment was unleashed. A sword in his left hand, his dagger in his right, Adam let out a cry of rage that caught Zachit’s attention from torturing Saria. He turned to face Adam, a machete in his hand. Adam was already running though. He charged at Zachit and swung his sword into his machete, knocking them both out of hand. Adam jammed his dagger into Zachit at the top of his rib cage and dragged it up, popping out his shoulder blade. The stunned man fell to the ground. Adam pulled out his dagger and slammed his foot into Zachits’s face, shattering his nose and jawbone. Blood pooled on the ground from his wound. He snarled in the bleeding man’s face, “Your lucky I don’t kill you right here.” He said, putting his dagger at the man’s throat. Adam shook his head. Saria. He came up to Saria. She was bawling hysterically. “Saria, Saria, It’s me Adam. She opened her eyes fully. Adam was standing right in front of her. He cut the bounds holding her and she collapsed into his arms, weeping.

Link just arrived in the clearing. He nearly slipped on the pool of blood forming around the in shock Zachit. “Oh God, Adam, Saria.” Adam turned around and looked at Link. “What happened here.” Adam summoned strength he never knew he had and picked up Saria, carrying her across his arms, her head on her shoulder. Adam explained to Link what he saw on the way back to the cottage, there was work to do. It was starting to get dark

Chapter 3


Link threw open the door and in walked Adam, still carrying the still bawling Saria. The only light in the cottage was that from candles. The windows were covered to minimize the risk of detection Several Kokiri children were in the room. Apparently Zelda explained to the about Adam still being alive and how he and Saria are older now. The children were still shocked to see Adam, though. He set Saria on a bed and did his best to comfort her despite the terrible pain she must have still been feeling. Zelda did her best to try to clean the wounds. Link bandaged them. The whole time all three were trying to psychologically comfort her. Adam seemed best suited to this task because he was the one to rescue her from her abuse.
The Kokiri just stood back and watched. When the wounds were finally properly addressed they put a tunic on her. She just lied on the bed she was on and quickly went to sleep, exhausted from her ordeal and feeling safe and secure. Dusk had fallen and it started to rain.

Adam turned and faced Link, Zelda and the few Kokiri kids that made it to the cottage. Five in total. “Well as you know, Adam, The forest was invaded.” They moved to the table. Only the light of the few candles provided illumination. Link found a map of the Kokiri Forest and Lost Woods and spread it out on the table. “The invasion seems to have carried out, the grunt work at least, by stalfos, skeleton warriors. It appears that several humans are in command of this whole operation.” One of the Kokiri spoke up. It was Mido. “I barely managed to escape. They were questioning some others about the where Zelda is.” “My guess is they were looking for Zelda to extort a ransom from the castle.” Link explained. Adam was surveying the map. “How many more Kokiri escaped?” Mido shook his head. “I just don’t know.” “I know there’s more than just us, a bunch scattered towards other directions in the forest.” Kari, Kira’s sister commented. Adam could feel all their eyes trained on him rather than the map. “Look, I may have been a shadow to you for five years but we can settle that later, we have more pressing issues at hand. If were here,” Adam said, pointing to a spot on the map, “we have a pretty good chance of keeping hidden. Just no one do anything to draw attention to this area. If they find us, were screwed.” “Zelda gravely agreed. “If they have twenty stalfos, its going to be a hell of a long shot for three of us to fight them off.” Adam looked puzzled. “Whose the third.” He asked. Zelda pulled the side of her dress up a little, revealing a sword. She drew it. Link looked at Adam and smiled in a proud manner. Adam shook his head, obviously impressed. “And that’s not all.” Link announced to Adam. “Mido.” Mido walked up carrying three machetes. The Kokiri used them for cutting trees. Adam picked on up and ran his finger along the edge. “We’ll need to sharpen these.” Adam said. Link and Adam went looking through the drawers in the cottage. Link found large flint used for lighting campfires. “This’ll work, I think.” Mido and the two other male Kokiri in the room, Yara and Hoki began striking their machetes against the rock, still listening for any ideas from Link, Zelda or Adam. “Adam, I think we should do a little sweep of some of the forest.” “I agree but who will watch the cabin.” “I’ll watch over it and the kids.” Zelda offered. “Don’t worry Link, I can use a sword.” “Let’s go. Adam” Link said. They both left the cabin, swords in hand.

Kirsten was completely exhausted. He friend Mary came up behind her and nearly collapsed in the underbrush. Two stalfos and a human were close behind them. “Follow me.” Kirsten whispered to her friend. She crawled out from the bush to another one. Mary followed. “I think we’re clear” she told Kirsten. She stood up to face a stalfos’ blade. “I think not” The man declared, “I am Miranu, I will be taking you captive today.” He said to the girls. “Now come with me back to the forest, and don’t try anything funny. There are two stalfos right behind you.” He started leading them back to the occupied Kokiri Forest.

Link and Adam were silently moving through the forest when they heard a noise followed by voices. Link ran then slid down into a bush and motioned for Adam to follow him. Adam did the same. He ran foreword and waved Link to come quick. He pointed to two Kokiri girls walking through the forest, two stalfos behind them and a man in front. Adam pulled a hood over his head that seemed sown into his tunic. A mesh covered his face. He drew his sword. “I’ll hold off the stalfos, you take the human.” Link instructed Adam. “I’ll draw the stalfos away.” Link said and he crept away. Adam ran forward to some brush ahead of Miranu and the two Kokiri girls. Link walked into plain view behind the stalfos and yelled. The stalfos turned around and faced him, swords drawn. “Take him down.” Zachit commanded, instantly realizing it was Link. “You two, keep walking.” He said to the girls, walking behind them and drawing his sword. He prodded the two girls foreword as Link tried to keep the stalfos occupied. Adam walked out in front of them, his face hidden. Adam started speaking in a loud whispering voice “Out of the forest, get out of the forest.” He started walking to Miranu with his sword held vertically, directly in front of him, holding it with both hands. Miranu, obviously now fearful for not knowing what was in front of him, despite it being smaller the he was, held his sword with shaking hands, ready to try to defend against this strange challenger. He tried to take the offensive, striking his sword against Adam’s. Adam parried his move and with a blow of his own, struck Miranu’s arm, causing him to yell in pain and drop his sword. Adam continued to advance towards Miranu, pointing his sword in the direction of the man’s chest. Miranu, who was holding his wounded arm, kept backing up as Adam pressed on. Finally the man couldn’t take it anymore and turned and fled towards the forest, alone. Adam let him go, knowing that his tale would inspire terror in the invaders. He ran to the girls, standing almost petrified from terror. “Go to the cottage.” He instructed them, still keeping his voice to a whispering hiss and his face masked. The girls nodded and ran towards the direction of the cabin, deep in the Lost Woods. Adam picked up Miranu’s dropped sword and ran to help Link. Link popped out behind a tree parried the nearest stalfos. The skeleton swing his sword, barely missing the ever moving Link. Adam ran at it at full speed and slammed his sword into the monster’s spine. It fell and disintegrated into the ground with the same kind of green light it appeared into the world with. The other stalfos tried to sneak behind Link, but Link was ready for him. He spun 180 degrees and hit his sword against the stalfos’. Adam came up and stood next to Link, ready to help. The stalfos tried his wide swing again. Adam parried and Link came from the side and hit the skeleton in the neck bone, killing it. It decomposed the same way the first one did. Adam pulled back his hood. “Thanks a lot, the thing almost had me.” Link thanked Adam. “That guy got away. I couldn’t outrun him.” It was starting to get really dark out. Adam was very hard to see in his shadowy tunic. “We’d better get back to the cottage. Can you tell the way in the dark.” Adam nodded. They started back to the cabin deep in the Lost Woods.


Saria stirred in her bed and then sat up. She saw Zelda pacing back and forth in front of the door, sword in hand. Several of the Kokiri were sleeping sitting down on the floor against the wooded walls. One was crying while the other tried to comfort her. Saria was still in some pain from her torture. She remembered what that man did to her, and Adam, the look on his face when he saw what was happening. At first she thought she was dreaming or in delirium. But when he picked her up, she knew it was real. That man probably is still there. She thought to herself. She pulled back the sheets covering her and stood up. She was wearing her old tunic, now with rips and tears all over her clothes from her attacker. She could still feel the deep wound in her stomach and the chemical burns. She could feel the lashes, the punches. She sat back down on the bed and started to quietly cry to herself. Zelda, who witnessed this walked over and sat down on the bed next to Saria, putting her arm around her shoulder. Saria wept on. Zelda understood her emotional pain. “It’s okay, were her for you. Kirsten and Mary came through the door. Quick as lightening Zelda was on her feet, sword aimed at the two walking in the door. Zelda eased from her sword-fighting stance.” Kirsten, Mary. Where have you been?” Zelda inquired as she closed the door. “We managed to escape from the forest but we got caught by some man and two stalfos.” Mary began “He tried to bring us back from the forest when Link showed up. The two skeletons chased Link back into the forest.” This news worried Zelda. “When the man, his name was Miranu, I think, was alone with us, something in dark clothes appeared.” Kirsten said. “It looked like a ghost. You couldn’t see its face.” Zelda drew the mental connection between the “ghost” and Adam. “It talked in this high whisper. Scared the heck out of Miranu. The thing knocked the sword clear out of his hand and put a nice size cut in his arm. The guy turned and ran for his life. Then the thing came to us and told is to come here.” Zelda wondered how they could talk so calmly after such a thing happened, but then again, she thought to herself, if she could treat Adam the way she did and not care about how he felt, then she probably could talk about anything without much emotion. She couldn’t figure out what Adam saw in her. “Zelda are you listening to me.” “Yes, I am, a ghost or something came and saved you. ”
“What are we going to do, our homes were invaded.” Kirsten started sobbing about the situation. Mary hung her head sadly and slumped to the floor, head in her hands. Kirsten slowly sat down, still sobbing. “Don’t fret. Link will be back soon. You did see him right before you saw this “ghost” didn’t you?” Zelda asked, not yet giving away Adam. Mary answered yes. “And this “ghost” told you to come back here to us, didn’t it?” Mary picked up her head and saw Saria, bruised and cut. “What’s happening to us? Why is this happening to us? What did we do to deserve this?” Mary was getting hysterical. Zelda tried to give her hope “We’ll pull through. You survived the Deku Tree dying. Don’t worry, were safe here.” The crying girl nodded her head, still tearing and sniffling. Zelda got back on her feet and walked over to another group of Kokiri. She knew she had to give them hope. Without it, they couldn’t win. She also had her doubts though. Part of being a princess was being able to put on a good public face. Inside, she was truly scared for her life and the lives of those she loved. I have to keep strong, she kept thinking to herself. More than anything though, she just wanted Link to hold her in his arms until it was all over. Link once again burst through the door. Adam was close behind. Kirsten and Mary looked at him, half in fear and half in curiosity. The “ghost” pulled back his hood, revealing Adam’s face. They barely recognized him. Some of the children busied themselves by making spears out of pieces of wood that they found in the cabin and pieces of the flint that they broke off and sharply cut.

Tare waved one of his men over to him. “We have to leave soon. If we cannot find the princess then we have to just take our prisoners and get the hell out of here. How goes the pillaging?” The man, Igzadra replied to him. “We took all the valuables out of the houses. They’re all bare.” “Good, soon we leave. Remind me to personally torch the houses.” “I nearly forgot. The house over there built into the tree is where Zelda was staying with that hero type person.” “Damn it we couldn’t find Zelda, but we did find some things of value.” A loud moan caught both their attentions. Tare unsheathed his sword and ran to the source, followed by Igzadra. They found Miranu, holding his bloody hand, barely conscious from loss of blood. “What the f-, wha, What happened? Your supposed to be one of our best swordsmen.” “A, a boy in green, I think it was Link. He popped up out of the forest, He drew away the stalfos. Then , something in this deep shadowy color, seemed to walk right up in from of me. It, it , demanded we leave. I challenged it with my sword but, it knock the sword right out of my hand and cut me. I managed to outrun it but I was wounded and collapsed here.” Tare shook his head. “Dammit your supposed to be able to handle these things. Did you see what this “thing” you speak of was?” “It’s head was, ma, masked. It had gloves. No sign of skin. About five feet, I thi- think it may be a wraith of some sort.” “You idiot, it was probably one of the Kokiri.” Miranu was shaking his head. “It would be too tall, and don’t Kokiri wear green.” At hearing this Tare paused. “Then it was probably the princess. You said it spoke to you?” Miranu nodded. “It was a cross between a whisper and a hiss. You couldn’t tell if it was male or female.” Tare was clearly growing angry. “I cannot believe you let it get the best of you.” “Help me, I need a bandage for the wound.” Miranu begged. Tare was about to slice Miranu’s head off for his incompetence but Igzadra held him back. “Right, get up” Tare and Igzadra helped Miranu to his feet and helped him back to the occupied forest. “Find Zachit and bring him back here.” He ordered Igzadra

Adam looked around him at all the despairing Kokiri. He handed put down the sword he took from Miranu on the table with the map. Saria picked it up, anger on her usually peaceful face. But a lot had happened, and peace was the last thing to describe the recent events. “We have to do something.” Saria whispered to Link. It was obvious that Saria was talking about taking back the forest. Link subtly waved Adam over to him. “Get ready, were going to fight back.” “I’ve been ready, what were we waiting for?” Zelda walked up and study the looks on their faces “Your going to try to take back the forest?” The three solemnly nodded. “We strike at dawn, riding the first rays of the sun.” Adam said quietly to them.

“Oh great, just friggin great.” Igzadra thought aloud when he found Zachit. “What happened to you?” Zachit looked at Igzadra. “About bloody time someone got here.” “Bloody seems to fit the look of things.” Said Igzadra, looking at Zachit’s condition. He was cover in blood, lying on the floor. “I found some green haired girl, she was just walking down the forest. So I drugged her and brought her back here. I was interrogating her, trying to find out where Zelda was, you know, and some kid came and beat me up. He stabbed me and cut her loose. Then some kid in green, I think it was Link, came up. He didn’t do anything but he looked surprised at what happened. And now, for about seven hours now, I’ve been lying here on the ground.” Igzadra pulled the wounded man up and put his arm around his shoulder, trying to help him walk. “Let’s get back to the forest.”


Zigadar, the fourth human lieutenant, was combing through the bridge to the Kokiri Forest and the surrounding area with five stalfos to try to find any Kokiri escapees. At their base camp in the Forest there were the other thirteen along with the rest of the human contingent. Igzadra came to the camp where Tare greeted him. Tare took a look at Zachit’s injuries. “I know this is the question of the day. But what happened?” Zachit explained to Tare how he was attacked. Go over by Miranu and try to clean those wounds. Damn, what the hell is happening here?” Tare asked himself.

“Link, what’s going on?” Mido asked. “Simple, were going to take back the forest.” Two other Kokiri heard him say this. The rest were sleeping on the floor or in chairs. Link, Zelda, Saria, and Adam had taken turns resting on a bed. “It’s going to be light soon. In about another hour or so.” “Will they fight with us?” Zelda asked. “This is where Adam and Saria come in. They’ll try to encourage them. We can do this, its going to be one hell of a shot be were going to do it.” Zelda nodded. She knew that they couldn’t do nothing. They couldn’t sneak out the forest because it was definitely going to be watched. If they did nothing they would be found and. What preceding and scared Zelda. If they were looking for her, she shuddered to think what would happen if she was caught. She sat on the bed next to Link and laid her head on his chest and hugged him tight. “You can stay here, Zelda. You don’t have to fight.” “NO! If something happens to you… No I want to go with you. If I stay here I might get found.” Link knew it was pointless to argue with her. Link and Zelda loved each other with their souls. Link knew that she would follow him into battle, no matter the risk to her own life, as long as she was with him. Dawn was approaching quickly. Adam had made his decision; he was going to tell Saria how he felt. “Saria, can I talk to you for a second.” Adam felt the same way about Saria that Link felt about Zelda. Unbeknownst to Adam, however, a something inside Saria drew her to him. She was feeling love for Adam, since she met that desperate soul that day. When her rescued her, she felt the bond grow stronger. She could almost sense too, how Adam felt, at least that was how she hoped he felt. She sat on the bed next to him. “Saria, I-I-I um, I. I love you, Saria.” There he said it. Saria smiled and embraced him. “I love you too, Adam.” They sat there in embrace. Link tapped Zelda on the shoulder. She looked up lovingly into his face. “Look, over there.” He whispered into her ear. She saw Adam and Saria. Link and Zelda smiled at each other. “I knew it.” She whispered back. “Come on Zelda, we’ve got a forest to recover.” She sat up and nodded. Link shot a glance to Adam. He knew what he meant. Action must soon be taken. “Saria, sweetie, I have to go fight.” “Of course, and I am fighting with you.” “But what if if, if, something happens?” Link shot him another glance, telling him without words not to start that argument. They let go of each other. Link began going around and waking the sleeping Kokiri. Adam stood in front of the seven Kokiri. “I guess you know what I’m going to say, we are going to fight. You have those weapons. You have your homes at stake. We’re going to fight dammit.” “What if they beat us?” Kira asked him. “Then we’re going to drag them down with us.” This obviously got their attention. He watched as one by one, the Kokiri got their weapons and stood in front of him. Saria took Miranu’s sword. Zelda and Link stood ready. Adam opened the door and they walked out, ready to strike. An ember floated by them, the turned towards the forest and saw fires. Liberation was at hand.
They began a slow, somber, march to the forest, knowing well some of them may not return.



“Miranu, they got you too?” Zachit asked. “I do not believe this.” “Some kid in black came up stabbed me.” “In black? I saw on too, it damn near took off my hand.” Miranu said. “Doesn’t matter, the scouts are all ready on their way back. Zigs out on final patrol, they are starting the burnings, we’ll leave really soon.” Zachit shook his head. “Let’s hope so, this place is giving me the creeps. It’s like there’s hostile forces at work here.” “You worry to much, Zach.”

They were standing at the edge of the forest, on the crest of the hill overlooking the forest, under cover of darkness, watching their homes being destroyed. “I count thirteen stalfos there, Link.” Zelda said. He nodded and turned to the Kokiri behind him. “If you want to turn back, do it now.” “Do you think we’re going to stand bye and watch our homes and lives be destroyed?” Mido said back. Murmurs of support emanated from came from behind him. They all looked at each other grimly. Zelda took Link’s hand and kissed him. “If something happens, remember, I’ll always love you.” He put his hand on the side of her face, “I love you too.” Adam and Saria said nothing to each other, only looking into each other’s faces, letting their eyes speak for them. “Ready, Adam, Zelda, Saria?” The three nodded in unison. Adam waved forward the waiting Kokiri. On three, charge. Take out the stalfos first.
They outline of the sun was beginning to rise over the horizon.

“One”

“Two”

“Three”

“GO!!”

The group charged down the crest of the hill, weapons forward. “What the? Stop them!” Tare yelled. The stalfos mobilized to confront them. Igzadra drew his sword and got ready to fight off anyone that made it past the stalfos. Zachit couldn’t move; he was too weak. Miranu managed to stand up and take a sword. The Kokiri slammed into the stalfos in a whirl of metal. The small, quick Kokiri almost seemed to have an advantage against the simple minded, less maneuverable stalfos. They held them at bay and Link slammed into one trying to flank them, killing it. The stalfos line seemed to give way as Zelda slashed one of them across the neck. One of the skeleton warriors managed to push Kira back, almost hitting her in the neck with the blade, but for Adam’s quick block and Saria’s stab. Standing back watching the battle was Tare. In his right hand he had his sword, in his left, the stone. Adam and Saria ran towards the back lines. In between two of the burning buildings they found Zachit and Miranu. Zachit instantly recognized the green haired girl. Adam charged Miranu, who was holding his sword in his weaker hand due to the wound in the other. Adam took on swing and knocked the sword clear out of his hands, again. Adam placed an uppercut onto the man’s chin, and a right hook into his nose. The man doubled over. Saria was running to help when she saw Zachit lying on the ground, defenseless. With out missing a beat she yelled “You bastard!” and connected her left fist with the side of his head, knocking him out. Miranu too, was totally incapacitated. They kept going, trying to find the leader of this little operation.

“Watch out! Hoki!” The blade came down on his chest, piercing the skin and cutting deep. She fell back, in shock. Yara, enraged by seeing friend being hurt, charged up in and stuck his blade into the bottom of the monsters skull. “Hoki!” Yara came up to his fallen friend. He was already dead. The monster’s blade had cut through his heart. He stood up and grabbed his fallen friends blade. He charged one of the nearest stalfos, killing it. Another one came up and tried to hit him. He parried with one blade and jabbed with his other.

Adam found him. He was standing back, watching the battle unfold. Saria and Adam split up momentarily, trying to find the ringleader. Adam ran up to him and tried to strike with his sword. But Tare blocked it with his own sword, whipped it around and struck Adam in the side. As Adam recoiled he kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

Zigadar’s patrol had returned, putting more pressure on the already embattled Kokiri. They did their best to hold them back. The stalfos were now on the offensive.

Saria just saw what happened to Adam. She didn’t know what to do. Link and Zelda were trying to hold off Igzadra and some of his stalfos guarding the captured Kokiri. Things weren’t looking good for them.

Saria saw what happened to Adam and he jaw fell. “Adam!” She screamed. At lightening speed, in a single fluid movement she ran up, grabbed the dagger from his belt and slashed upward at Tare, severing his hand holding the stone. He yelled in pain and recoiled as he looked at the girl who did this to him. The stone and his severed hand hit the ground. The stone shattered.

All the stalfos stood still for a moment, and then collapsed. Zigadar and Igzadra looked in horror as their skeleton soldiers fell to the ground, useless. They both ran towards the forest entrance where their horses were. They knew they were defeated.

“Damn you!” Tare shouted at Saria as he turned to run, holding where his left hand once was. Saria didn’t give chase. She knelt down next to Adam. “Adam? Are you okay?” Saria took a look at the cut in his side. It wasn’t too deep. “I think.” Link and Zelda ran up. “How is he?” Zelda asked Saria. “It’s bleeding a little but its not that deep. He should be fine.” Link helped Adam up. He clutched his wound and red blood flowed over his hand. “We have to clean that.” Zelda said. Adam asked her. “Shouldn’t we put out those fires first? And what about the captives?” “Don’t worry.” A third voice responded. They turned to Mido. “I already took care of freeing the Kokiri, but we cannot really do much about some of the fires. They’ll have to burn themselves out.” All the houses save for Links and the Kokiri’s meeting center, where the captive Kokiri were, were on fire. Few of the Kokiri’s possessions were managed to have been saved.

Tears flowed from the Kokiri. They mourned over the loss of their homes, and the loss of two of their own. Hoki and Kira were killed in the forest’s liberation. As Saria and Zelda were helping Adam bandage his wound, Link dug graves for the two fallen. Adam got up and walked over to Link to give him a hand. Almost in unison, the liberated Kokiri gasped at the sight. “Adam!?” Adam almost collapsed under the wide eyes of the shocked Kokiri. Saria walked to his side. “Saria, Adam? What happened, why are you all big now?” “It’ll be kind of long to explain.” “We have work to do.” Adam said to the crowd. “We have to rebuild our homes.”

Epilogue

-One week later.
Zelda had gone back to the castle. While there she had explained to her father, the ruler of Hyrule, King Fortran, what happened in the forest. A special team of the castle’s crack guards were sent to collect Miranu and Zachit, held captive by the Kokiri. The Kokiri were scared of these soldiers on horseback, but once they saw Link talking to them, their fears vanished and they were glad to have their two prisoners of war off of their hands. Now they could fully concentrate on rebuilding their homes.

Reconstruction was coming along nicely. Adam, Saria and Link were eating a quick meal before going to the castle.
“I can’t believe it. A week ago I live in a tree, and now I am meeting the King of Hyrule.” Saria asked Link. “Do they know were coming?” “Well the guards know me. And as long as your with me, you’ll be okay. They trust me enough to let me bring guests. Of course you actually are the first of such.” “And the King, what’s he like?” “Well, he’s actually a really kind person, he’s almost like a father to me. He’s about six feet tall and of medium build. You wouldn’t know he was king just by the way he looks. Now, he’s heard about Saria from Zelda and I, but Zelda only recently told him about you Adam.” Link said.

“Daddy, is everything ready?.” Zelda asked. “My dear, don’t worry. The dinner will be great. This will nice, seeing this Saria and this Adam.” Impa walked in holding a bottle in her hand. “Since this is a special occasion, I brought one of the best bottles of wine. The Old Delphi stock. Is that okay?” On such on occasion the king didn’t disagree, after hearing of such battle he thought it justified. “I don’t see why not.” Zelda’s father replied.

Link, Adam and Saria stood at the edge of the forest, about to go over the bridge separating Hyrule Field from the Kokiri Forest. For Saria and Adam, who have never left the forest before, this was monumental. They stepped into the field. Adam and Saria were holding hands, as if this may be these last moments together.
“See? It’s okay out here. Come on, let’s pick up the pace a little.” They started walking rather quickly to the castle drawbridge. Saria and Adam were admiring the sights of the things outside the forest. “See over there?” Link said, pointing to the ranch. “That’s Lon Lon Ranch. My friend Malon lives there.” They reached the drawbridge and entered the castle town.

Never before had Adam seen so many people before. He walked closely behind Link and slightly to the side of Saria, forming a walking triangle of sorts. Link could feel how edgy Adam was. Adam always had one hand on his belt, ready to grab his dagger should a need arise. Link just chuckled to himself as they walked. Saria was a little nervous too. She hoped her green hair didn’t attract too much attention. Link glanced back to see Adam, white as a ghost from fear, dart his eyes around at the crowd, as if someone was going to leap out of the crowd and attack him. They walked up the steps to the castle gate. “Well hello there Link!” The guard said. “Hello Mr. Cobol.” He quickly opened the gate and let them pass through. Adam seemed to ease up a little. As they keep walking Adam and Saria looked stunned. Never before had they seen anything so luxurious before. Another guard nodded to Link and opened up the main doors to the castle courtyard. Zelda ran up and hugged Link, kissing him on the cheek. “Come on, don’t want to miss dinner do you?” “What are we eating?” Link asked. “Steak.” She said as she began leading them to the dining hall. Saria’s and Adam’s jaw dropped upon seeing the magnificence of the inside of the castle. “Steak?” Adam asked, “You mean, beef, cow?” Link nodded. “You’ll love it.” They arrive in the dining hall to see Impa and the King standing, waiting. “Hello Link. You must be Saria,” he said extending his hand towards her. She shook it. “I’ve heard so much about you. And you must be the mysterious Adam.” Again he extended his hand and Adam shook. “So nice to finally meet you two.” Adam started to bow, but the king stopped him. “Please, that is not necessary.” “My name is Impa, I am Zelda’s attendant. It is an honor to meet you.” Impa said to them. “Please sit down.” As if an unseen bell had rung six men carrying plates walked in and set them down on the table. The round table was designed actually for the seating of six so this was no problem. Zelda’s father poured wine in the glasses and passed them around the table so everyone had one. Then another crew came in, bearing the plates of food, and set them down. Adam stared down at the twenty ounces of rib eye in front of him. “That’s wine.” Zelda said, answering the question Saria was about to ask. She took a sip. “This isn’t that bad. Adam try some.” He did. “This is good.” He agreed. The whole group began eating. As soon as Adam swallowed one piece of his steak he declared “This is great!” “Glad you like it” Zelda’s father replied. After a while of talking and eating, they were done. The servants came in and took the plates. Surprisingly, only Adam finished all 20 ounces of the steak. The rest of them were obviously impressed. Fortran spoke up. “Well. If you were trying to prove something, I think you did pretty well.” Adam smiled. Comfort, something he had not known had finally been delivered to him. They talked for about an hour and a half. Impa stood up. “Allow me to show you where you will be staying.” She led them down to a hallway with nine rooms in it. At the end was the king’s, Next was Zelda’s. Impa’s was at the edge of the hall. The rest were guest bedrooms. After saying their goodnights, Adam sat down on his bed and felt the silk sheets. As got into bed he thought of how great things were going for him. Blissfully comfortable in his soft bed he quickly fell asleep. In the other rooms around him, the same thing happened. They had all found happiness.

The End.