The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Secrecy

Overworld Chapter 49 - Life Finds A Way

Endeavor and Link stopped as the skull kid floated over to them. Wudhi pointed his snout towards Link. "This here is the Hero."

Saruo looked Link up and down. "Well, I guess that sword is a give away for that, hm. We could use a Hero. Don't know why you brought these shrubs though. No offense, Wudhi."

Mismawn glowered at Saruo as Wudhi chuckled. The scrub glanced at Mismawn. "Oh, settle down. She's right. What good are we? We're not fighters. We came alone to show Link and Endeavor through the Lost Woods. Our task is done. We can wait here for the Hero to return from his quest to lead him back."

"I wouldn't if I were you," Saruo replied, crossing her arms.

Wudhi made a confused face at the comment. Link was curious himself. The bruise forming on his side didn't exactly excite him on the idea of heading for the temple so quickly.

Endeavor asked, "Does this have anything to do about the thing we fought in the Lost Woods?"

Saruo pressed her lips together, her bark-like skin creaking slightly. She nodded. "Whatever is in the Greenhouse is corrupting the woods. Before, Skull and Scrub seemed to be containing it, but now that they're, well." Saruo looked up at the deku trees behind her. "I think they've reached their limit."

"Where is everyone else then?" Wudhi asked, worry in his voice.

"I had everyone I could evacuate. We have a skull kid posted at each of our tunnels to keep people from using them, but they won't get any news until I can get out and tell them," Saruo explained. "The scrubs were easier to convince. They moved out pretty quickly to sell in Castle Town and Port City."

"There was some exceptions though?" Endeavor pressed.

The skull kid sighed and nodded again. Link felt a pang of guilt for Saruo. She had obviously been trying very hard to keep everyone safe here. After a moment, Link asked, "Saruo, if it's dangerous for anyone to be here, then why are you here?"

Saruo blinked, studying Link with an expression that seemed to say that thought was the strangest thing in the world. Saruo tilted her head back and forth, the motion going just slightly further than what was humanly possible, just enough to make the motion feel unnatural. "I speak to the deku trees. Someone has to take care of them."

"But if it's dangerous to stay here, why didn't you leave too?" Link asked again.

Shuffling her feet in the air, Saruo kept thinking for an answer. Link got the overwhelming feeling that Saruo was hiding something. Endeavor noticed the same thing. Link smiled. "If you weren't here though, we wouldn't know what had happened though."

Saruo looked up and nodded vigorously. "That's right." She put her hands on her hips. "I'm here to help you on your quest. And if I wasn't here to warn you, you wouldn't know what had happened to the skull kids and the deku scrubs."

"Yes, but why are you not corrupted?" Endeavor asked, eyeing the skull kid suspiciously.

"Ah, hm, hee hee." Saruo tried to laugh, but the sound seemed strained. Saruo knotted her fingers together, clearly struggling to find the words.

"You don't have to tell us," Link interjected.

Wudhi agreed, "It's ok, Saruo, you obviously did all you could."

As the scrub consoled the skull kid, Endeavor took Link by the forearm. "A word."

Link followed Endeavor off away from the deku trees. She glanced back at the hill, before turning to Link. "Hero, I understand you may be under a mental strain because of the woods and the trials we have recently overcome, but blindly trusting skull kids is a foolish mistake. Wanting to see the good in people after so much pain is unwise, despite its intentions."