The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time - Part One: Awakening

Chapter Three: A Curse to Break

        Link had spoken with the Great Deku Tree before. A number of times, in fact. He remembered the first time he had gone to him, the first time Mido had openly revealed his distaste for him: tripping him over a short drop, landing in a mud puddle, spraining his ankle. The Great Deku Tree had been a source of comfort, and he had been kind to him. It was the first time he had met Saria as well. The Great Deku Tree had introduced them, and they had been friends since. She had been a source of comfort where the Great Deku Tree could not. After all, as great as he was, he was still a tree, not a person.

Most of the rest of the times they had spoken were when all the Kokiri gathered together underneath the great boughs, for festivals or meetings and other such events, where anyone could speak freely with Him. It was those times where he asked not for words of comfort, but of wisdom and knowledge. Many of the things that he knew of the forest, and all residing in it, had all been imparted by the Great Deku Tree.

But, he had never been summoned before. Being summoned was a great honor among the Kokiri. Or a great shame, had you done some horrible thing. Rumors told that the worst punishment was banishment to the Lost Woods. Those that became lost would eventually become Stalfos: skeletal remains of those once living with only a lust for blood. They were the stuff of nightmares and horror stories. Just thinking of them made his neck prickle and shivers run down his spine. It was better to be banned from the forest altogether, which, to the Kokiri, meant death.

Link walked slowly, his eyes focused on the ground in front of him, his thoughts racing. Had he done anything wrong? He didn't think so. So, why was the Great Deku Tree summoning him? Some favor or special task to perform? Curious and anxious, he turned the final bend, and entered the glade.

        The Great Deku Tree was a behemoth that towered over all else within the forest. His roots were as thick as the largest trees in the forest, stretching to the ends of the glade. The great boughs above were much the same, stretching high and far, a great shady cap atop the trunk which became his aged face that possessed all the sageliness that one could hold.

It was not hard to distinguish the face of the spirit that was the Great Deku Tree. Perhaps the most prominent feature was his nose, the protruding trunk large and slightly crooked downward, or at least Link liked to think that. His bushy "eyebrows", a tangle of small branches, stretched out just above the nose, while below his "mustache" flowed downward, made in the same likeness as the "eyebrows." There were no visible eyes, but there was no mistaking the feeling of being laid bare, every inch of you being scrutinized, and the feeling of being watched was heavy upon one's mind. To one not used to it, it was potentially very frightening. But the face of the Great Deku Tree had kindness etched into every line, and while there was also no visible mouth, if he had one, you could feel he would only ever smile.

Except for today. Today, Link could feel a sadness creeping over him. A sense of weightiness clung to the presence that was felt in the air.

Navi, who had been beside him, flew upwards towards the Great Deku Tree. He managed to catch a few words she said, including his name, before she returned to his side, hovering a few feet away to his right. He looked back to the Great Deku Tree, expecting to hear from him. For a good minute, nothing happened.

Then the stirrings began. They were gradual, nothing more than small tremors at first. They reminded him of the tremors felt from the rolling boulder. And these were the lighter ones. The tremors grew stronger. The ground shook violently, causing him to drop onto one knee.

Link stared up towards the Great Deku Tree, wonder and fear and concern all mixed into one. Never had the stirrings been this strong. It was as if it was taking all his effort just to speak.