Blighted Memories

Chapter 14. Unbalanced Heart

   Link stood at the entrance to the Great Hyrule Forest at noon the next day. He gazed into the endless sea of greenery and ghostly mist, knowing that somewhere deep inside was the bane of all the evil in the world. A holy sword, specially made for him and everyone who preceded him and everyone who would succeed him, was hidden beyond the veil of vapor that drifted among the trees.

   The people of Hyrule seemed to rightly fear this place. Anyone who entered supposedly was drawn in, then almost immediately got lost, like some force either turned them in another direction or scooped them up and dumped them in a random section of the forest. As such, the Great Hyrule Forest was more commonly known by its other name, the Lost Woods.

   There were other reasons why people feared this place. Link had heard stories that people who got lost would eventually become a Stalfols, a long extinct monster. Others said they always felt like they were being watched, not by a single creature, but by hundreds of little eyes. Many people claimed it was the forest's resident fairies, but no one was certain they even existed, casting doubt on this theory. Some claimed the trees spoke to them, or that a frightful forest god dwelled in the depths of the woods, waiting for victims to feed on. No matter what story one heard about the Lost Woods, everyone seemed to agree that something about it was off, and they weren't sure what it was.

   Link could see why. Something about the forest was otherworldly in a way he couldn't describe. Perhaps it was the mist that made everything seem ethereal, or the lack of clear vision. It didn't bother him too much, especially not after being stuck in the horseman's nest. This place felt warmer and kinder in comparison.

   It even felt a little familiar, Link realized. Had he been here before? He felt simply standing here was reigniting some vague memory, but it was too fuzzy to see.

   He went through an unconscious motion of lighting a torch and checking which way the wind blew the flame. That was when Link realized he didn't know why he had done that. For this instance in these surroundings, it felt right. It was like his muscles recalled what to do when his mind couldn't recall why.

   Link decided this was as good a plan as any in a place like this. He gripped the torch and ran into the mist.

   The wispy shroud seemed to engulf him as he walked further in. He could barely see the path in front of him. However, sight seemed to be completely useless in this place anyway. He simply continued following where the gentle breeze was blowing, occasionally checking his torch every now and then to see if he was going in the right direction.

   The breeze shifted to a different direction every now and then. Link followed it as it drew him further and further into the forest, right toward the center.

   Link looked into the mist, staring at the trees he passed by. He noticed they all had faces. They all had large maws filled with teeth, empty eyes, and in the mist the branches seemed to be imitating claws. They were all positioned in a way that watched whoever was taking the path he was following. He took this as a sign that he was going in the right direction.

   The trees themselves didn't bother him though. Link studied their faces, one by one. The trees didn't grow like that, no. He knew better than anyone that something like this wasn't possible. They had been intentionally carved that way. If a person were walking and ran into one, perhaps it would look like a horrid monster when the mist obscured the finer details. But if examined closely, it became pretty obvious. He wondered why someone would do that. It was almost like the trees were scarecrows for people rather than for birds or other wildlife.

   Either way, the message was clear. Someone or something didn't want anyone here. But Link had no choice. The Master Sword was somewhere deeper in. He needed it.