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Art by KRMayer on Deviantart

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Once Link and I had pulled apart, we made our way out of the pool. I placed my palms against the slightly slick edge of the pool and pushed upwards, lifting myself from the water. Link did the same, seating himself on the edge of the pool. I took a step back, knowing the Great Fairy would emerge in a moment. Link simply attempted to wring the water from his clothes, oblivious. Tera sprung up from the depths of her pool, so sudden that Link fell backwards with a yelp. "Aha!" she cried out happily as she shook the glitter from her hair and leaned down.

She gave us the most knowing look I'd ever been given, as though she was rearing to spread gossip, and raised an eyebrow. "So, you two were busy." I avoided her piercing gaze. "You're so lucky I have a soft spot for romance. It's been a while since I've seen something so touching!" Tera clasped her hands together and raised them to her cheek in bliss. "Ah, young love!"

I looked over to Link, who was still laying on the ground in shock. He blinked, rubbed the back of his head, and shakily stood up. Tera shifted her gaze to Link, who was now covered in sand and a bit of dead leaves. "Oh, how cute. You have your work cut out for you, dear," she said, smiling at me. "Now then, I suppose you want your items back. I've managed to repair everything, not that there was any doubt." She extended her hand, revealing the freshly mended Gerudo garments.

I took them from her graciously. "Thank you, Great Fairy." She beamed. "Not a problem. I've taken the liberty to make them a bit more resistant as well. Now, about that spear..." I expected the worst for a moment, until she held out her hand yet again. "Here, darling." My spear was lying in her palm, as good as new. "Now, I've never been tasked with repairing a weapon before, but there's nothing my magic can't do!" she announced proudly as I lifted the spear from her palm. She pressed her hand to her chest and smiled, beaming at her handiwork.

I spun my weapon around for a moment and extended the sails. A puff of glitter exploded from the fabric. I coughed and waved it away. Tera continued to stare, prideful as ever. Link blew some of the sparkles from his lips. "Wow..." The Great Fairy chuckled. "Charming, I know. But, I suspect you two have a long journey ahead of you. You must get going." I nodded and picked up my stuff. Link did the same as Tera watched, sadness glinting in her hazel eyes. "You'll try to find my other two sisters, won't you?" she said finally, her gorgeous eyelashes lowering as she cast her gaze downwards. I nodded as soon as she'd spoken. "Of course! How could we not?" She perked up, if only a bit. "Oh, that's lovely! Thank you, darlings." I smiled as Link waved shyly, his cheeks dusted with a warm pink. "Oh, I do hope someone comes to visit me soon. It does get awfully lonely here. If it wasn't for my fairies, I don't believe I'd survive!" I waited beside Link as she spoke, unsure of how to respond to her. Link shifted about uncomfortably, as though she'd said something quite strange.

"Ah, well. I suppose that's the way it has to be. I wish you two heroes the best of luck." Tera winked knowingly. "Give that nasty Ganon what he deserves."

"We will," I said with a smile. Link placed a hand on my shoulder, clearly wanting to leave. "Alright, alright. Let's get going." Link was more than happy to oblige. He started jogging immediately from the fountain and stopped next to the nearby shrine. I followed him at a normal pace. He was acting rather suspicious. He pulled me to him as soon as I was in range and pulled out his Sheikah Slate, typing away as he picked a location. "Hey where are we-"

We disappeared and reappeared far away from the Great Fairy. We were situated just outside Gerudo City. Link leaned against the wall and sighed. "Alright, alright. Now that you're back in fighting shape, we need to figure out what we're doing next." I nodded in agreement and relaxed next to him. "You keep saying we need to be stronger before we reach the final Divine Beast. Where should we even start?" Link asked. I wasn't quite sure what we should do. The only idea I'd had was to pursue the sword of legend, the one I'd heard about during my lonely journey. Typically, I didn't believe strange rumors shared through strange people, but something about that phrase rung a bell. 'The Sword of Legend...' Though it seemed far-fetched, something told me we should at least try for this treasure.

"Link, have you heard anything about the 'Sword of Legend'?" I asked curiously. A glimmer of recognition flit across his blue eyes, but it was gone in an instant. "That name... sounds familiar."

"I know. A traveler I met on the way to Rito Village mentioned it. I know it sounds crazy b-"

"Maybe... maybe it's not that crazy. I mean, we're legends ourselves aren't we? Stories have been told about us for the past one hundred years, as though we were some sort of fairytale, yet here we are. Who's to say that sword isn't real?" I hadn't thought of it that way before. If what Link was saying was accurate, then we could gain an upper hand on our enemies. "So... do you have any idea where it is?"

"Oh- I think so. After encountering that guy, I noticed a particularly... strange forest up atop a mountainside. It was a ways behind Hyrule Castle just... looming there." Link gulped and pulled the Sheikah Slate from his belt. "Are you sure about this?"

"I think we have to. If we take on another creature like that, or Ganon himself, I don't think we're going to survive. If this sword is truly there, then we're going to need it." Link nodded nervously, selecting a location near the spot I'd described to teleport to. I held his arm and offered one final note. "You know, no one has ever returned. But, I'm sure we'll be fine." I caught his horror struck eyes as we were teleported away.

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After arriving at the designated location, Link and I had recollected ourselves and set off for the mysterious forest. We'd teleported to a shrine that lie along a rocky lakeside. We followed the path to a nearby stable then traveled up through a secluded path. The land shifted into a steep incline, which Link and I followed, hoping to catch sight of our destination. I could tell that not many people had taken this path. The ground was quite overgrown. I glanced to the side of us to see a large lake. This was far from the clear blue waters we'd seen in other locations. The surface of the clouded water seemed to bubble. Various wooden structures had broken down and collapsed within it. I shook my head and continued.

We finally drew close enough to see the highest leaves of the strange forest. They looked to be a rather pinkish color... 'Strange.' I thought as I pointed up towards the dense foliage. "This is it. Can you feel it too? That eeriness?" I turned for a moment to see Link struggling, his back turned to me. He appeared to have dropped his stuff while I wasn't looking. I sighed and knelt down. "Link you have to be more... Oh, Hylia!" Link looked incredibly guilty as he clutched a particular jar to his chest. Inside was a tiny pink fairy, pressing against the glass in fear. Her insect-like wings fluttered unhappily as she tapped on the bottle. I gasped and seized the little jar from him. "Link, what is this? You better have a damn good explanation!" I said as I dug my fingernails into the cork that sealed the bottle.

Link turned red from shame as he attempted to ease my anger. "Well, we're always getting hurt. I figured we should take a little magic with us!" I stared at him incredulously. "But stealing a fairy? Seriously?! That's kidnapping!" I finally wrenched the cork from the mouth of the jar. The tiny creature leapt out and flew from side to side. I got a clearer look at her as she stopped and placed her tiny palms to her cheeks. She had short, glowing hair and wide, bright eyes. All of her skin was a light pinkish color, and glittery fairy dust loosened itself from her wings as she flew. Tiny bits of white and rosy fabric covered parts of her body, cascading like petals off of her flushed skin. She looked to be on the verge of tears as she glanced around.

Link didn't seem to quite understand what he'd done. "What? They're pretty much insects aren't they?" The poor thing grew angry, pointing at him harshly. "How rude! Where have you taken me?" I shook my head. "Link, they're living, intelligent creatures! You can't just stuff them into bottles whenever you need one!" Link shrunk down, letting the gravity of his actions sink in. I turned to the girl, hoping to offer some comfort. "Um... hello?" The fairy buried her head in her hands and drifted down, resting on the petals of a young flower. "No, no, no..." She shook softly as she sat. "Miss? I am so sorry for this idiot's actions." She glanced up, her large eyes glossy. "Who are you?"

"My name is (Y/n) and his name is Link," I said, gesturing to each of us in turn. "What's your name?" The fairy thought for a moment, wondering whether or not she could trust me with this information. "Lilah," she said, placing her hands in her lap. "I-I've heard about you. You're the Hero of Legend, and his Guardian! You freed Great Fairy Tera from her stupor," she announced, her rosy orbs shining with wonder. "You're going to defeat Ganon, right?" Lilah asked with a kind of childlike hope. "That's right!" I said, happy she knew us. Knowing that we were trying to do the right thing would hopefully help her to forgive Link.

"That doesn't make much sense. No hero would kidnap someone for their magic!" Link finally spoke up. "I-I'm sorry!" I elbowed him, hoping for a more sincere apology. Lilah leaned away from Link as he spoke again. "I am very, very sorry. I was just hoping we could use some of the Great Fairy's magic even after we'd left." The pink pixie contemplated his answer. "B-but we can bring you home of course!" he added quickly. Lilah watched him, her disgruntled expression slowly melting as she watched the blonde stumble through an explanation. It was clear he was far from the wisest, even to the tiny girl. "You're truly sorry? For all the stress you've caused me? Oh, just look at this! My wings and clothes are a mess!" Link frowned and looked to me for help. I waved as though to tell him that this was his fault, and entirely his problem. He sent me a pouty expression before responding. "Yes, I am so very sorry for all of that. We can bring you back right now."

Lilah stood up and brushed down her clothing, smoothing out the teensy wrinkles that had begun to line the fabric. She gave an indignant "Hmph" before delivering a most unexpected answer. "If you truly are the hero of Hyrule, then you're going to need all the help you can get," she gave him a once-over. "Clearly, you'll need it. I heard you two were traveling to the Lost Woods."

"The Lost Woods?" Link asked. She nodded and flew around the bud she'd been resting on, rearranging the petals so that they were properly shaped once more. From far away, she was but an orb of pink light, flitting about on matching insect wings. "Yes, the Lost Woods. According to the tales, that's where the Sword of Legend lies. The Lost Woods have been forgotten for quite some time now," she explained in her airy tone, "It's a dark, frightening place..." Lilah shivered, as though scared by her own story. "But, if you're going to be saving the world, I must do my part!" She placed her hands on her hips and smiled brightly, regaining the typical, mirthful attitude of the carefree fairies. "Oh... I do hope we'll make it out of there. I haven't the slightest idea what to expect..." She sighed and flew towards me. I tilted my head curiously and extended a finger as she approached me. She walked across my skin, her tiny feet leaving specks of glitter wherever she moved. "Let's climb that mountain first, and worry about whatever's in the forest later. Baby steps." I raised an eyebrow, unsure if that phrase was appropriate for this situation. Lilah tilted her head. She had bits of odd jewels and strange metal that lined her hair, as though forming a hairband. They twinkled and chimed slightly as she made her head motion. "Are we ready? Tera must be expecting me back soon." I nodded and raised my hand to my shoulder. She stepped off and seated herself there, feeling as light as a feather.

I shook my head at Link and kept walking, stopping quicker than I'd expected. As we entered the shallow schism near the forest, the temperature seemed to drop. The light of the sun disappeared and the air began to glow with a ghostly luminescence. I clutched my arms and shivered, stepping back from the rocky pass. "What's going on?" I asked Lilah. She glanced up at me with a worried gaze. "O-oh, I'm not sure. I've never seen anything like this..." I frowned. Luckily, I'd changed into my normal clothing before we'd arrived, but I still felt as though there was something crawling at my back as long as I was in that area. Link slipped his fingers through my own. "It'll be fine. We're still a ways away. Let's get going." I met his eye and gathered my courage. "Okay."

Our trio kept moving. Lilah sat atop my collar, burying herself in the warm fabric of my coat. The spectral fog swirled around us, lighting the air as though we were underwater. As we drew closer, I could've sworn I was hearing playful spirits, watching us as we neared their homeland. Link stared up to the sky. I looked up. It almost seemed like we were walking through a bubble, as though a filter was spread across the sky. Link and I finally reached the entrance of the forest. It was an old, deteriorating place. The gate was crumbling and clearly hadn't been touched for quite some time. A murder of crows grew agitated and flew away before settling into new spots amongst the dead trees and watching us with beady eyes. I felt Lilah rest her head against my neck as I took a deep breath and stepped through the gate.

On the other side lay an unlit torch. It stood there ominously as we glanced around. I noticed a group of other torches spread out evenly along a path. Their burning embers floated along the wind, each leading towards the next torch. "I guess we follow them," Lilah said nervously from her place on my shoulder. Link looked to me for confirmation. I nodded. "I don't think we have a choice. We shouldn't stray from the path." He agreed and neared the next torch.

This pattern kept us safe for some time, until we came to a duo of torches. Strange trees were laid out behind them. It was as though they had faces. Each was contorted in various shapes of sadistic pleasure and pain. They were unsettling, to say the least, but I didn't think they'd be a problem, at least until I noticed that the torches had stopped.

Link glanced around with worry. "(Y/n), do you see any-"

"No," I replied nervously. There was a handheld torch lying next to one of the larger ones. "But maybe we could carry our own?" Link stood there for a moment until his eyes lit up with understanding. "O-oh! Right!" He picked up the torch and lit an end of it in the flame. He held it above his head and looked to me. "Now what?"

"Look at the embers. So far, the direction they've moved has led us to the next destination. I bet this'll do the same." Link's eyes traced the glowing fire. It was easy to see, as it contrasted greatly with the air around it. "This way," he said, taking charge.

Eventually, the last torches disappeared behind us. Walking through this forest was terrifying as the path was lined with those horrid trees. Each face was contorted with long silent screams or looks of threatening malice. I couldn't stand to keep watching them. Link and Lilah could feel it too. I could tell as Link was on edge, and I could feel the fairy's tiny body shivering against my own.

Suddenly, a stag came running through the clearing, brushing past our trio. Link stumbled backwards in alarm as the light of his torch went out and we were left in the threatening fog. Link immediately wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me to his chest. I sighed, releasing the pent up adrenaline that that scare had brought me. We looked around, hoping to see something to aid us. No such thing appeared.

I glanced up at Link. He'd became a bit hard to see through all the phantom mist and flickering lights. "What do we do?" I whispered, feeling as though someone was listening in. "I don't know. What can we do?" I surveyed the surrounded area as best I could. As I looked up, I remembered the sky. It still seemed as though a bubble had formed atop us. Maybe if I flew up, I could see where we need to go.

I motioned for Link to step back. Lilah grudgingly floated beside him as I explained. "I'm going to try to see where we are," I said as I called upon Revali's spirit to give me a boost. His familiar power swirled around my feet. I sprung up and glided on the gale of wind. It didn't have he effect I was intending.

The fog grew thicker when I moved away from Link's spot. It clouded my vision and made it all but impossible to scout out the land. I began to hear voices. It was as though they were... laughing at me. I gasped as I felt something grasp at my arm and struggled. I lost my grip and fell down through the trees. Luckily, I regained control of my glider with just enough time to spare. I had a rough landing, but I wasn't dreadfully injured. I heard Link race to my side. I must've fallen not too far from him. "(Y/n)! Are you okay?" he asked as I took a few calming breaths. I took his hand and allowed him to pull me to my feet. "I'm fine. I don't think that was a good idea though. Lilah gave a light sigh of relief. I watched her float for a moment as an idea popped into my head.

Wherever she flew, she left a trail of pink fairy dust that floated along the wind. "Lilah, could you move over here please?" She looked confused, but listened to me. Link caught on to what I was doing. "You're a genius!"

"What's going on?" Lilah asked. Her glittery trail had changed directions once she'd moved. "Your fairy dust, Lilah! We're going to need you to lead the way." She gasped and raised her hands to her cheeks. "You're right!" The fairy spun in a circle, trying to see for herself before placing herself at the front of the group. "It's hard for me to see it. You two will have to be my eyes." We nodded and followed her trail, traveling deeper and deeper into the Lost Woods.

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