The Smallest and Most Important Realm There Is

Chapter Thirty Four

Professor: Looking back, I probably should've split this into two chapters. *shrugs* Oh, well. Enjoy, and no, I still don't own anything.

...

They held the funeral at daybreak, three days after the final battle. It was a private affair, with only the group of heros and the Sages in attendance. The wind blew softly and the smell of the salt in the water grew only stronger as they lingered. Rauru would've wanted it that way. Peaceful, with the light barely beginning to shine on the water.

Darunia, for his part, got what he wanted as well. Dying an honorable death, in a honorable battle against the greatest threat of his lifetime. A true way for a Goron to die.

It was mostly silence, broken by the sounds of nature as no one really said much, they just didn't have the words to explain the emotions going through them.

The group stood there long after the sun had risen and the island had come to life behind them. Long after their friends' bodies had floated beyond their sight into the ocean.

...

"I'm leaving."

It was short and abrupt, breaking the heavy silence between the two friends. Saria looked up at the words and saw Impa watching her.

The Kokiri girl sat alone on the sand of the beach, long after her friends had departed after the memorial. She wasn't ashamed to be showing her emotions or to be seen with tears still rolling down her youthful cheeks.

"What?"

Impa turned her gaze to the ocean and sighed slowly, if a little tiredly, "Ganon is defeated Saria. Medli and Makar are the Sages here. There's no need to stay."

"Where will you go?"

She was quiet a moment before she responded, "I don't know yet. I was thinking of going back to Hyrule. Our Hyrule, under the waves."

Saria stared at her in confusion, the wind whipping her bangs into her eyes, "Why? There's nothing down there anymore."

Impa shook her head, "My village is down there, even if it is submerged. Kakariko is where I belong, it is the birthplace of the Sheikah."

"But what will you do?"

"I will rebuild my tribe." she said, voice filled with a purpose, "Slowly, but surely. I'll start by getting whatever information I can from the old library down there, repair what information I can."

Saria didn't respond but turned to look at the ocean again. Impa turned and looked back down at her small, green haired friend. Gently, she said, "If you so wish, you are more than welcome to accompany me."

She stayed quiet so Impa continued, "I've invited Nabooru as well. We are the remaining Sages, it seems fitting that we spend a little more time together."

"Yeah...I suppose it does." Saria murmured quietly.

Impa took notice of her diminished attitude, "What is it Saria?"

She sighed, "Impa...I've dealt with more loss than any Kokiri in history. The Great Deku Tree, who was the closest thing I had to a father. The Doctor left us last time and will leave us again soon. Even my fairy left me, when I became a Sage and that was like losing a part of my soul. Then Ruto, who I thought of as a sister. Now I've said goodbye to two more members of my family."

The Sheikah sat down and pulled the Kokiri girl close, one arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"I don't know how much more I can take," her voice was close to breaking, heavy with the grief she carried.