by N Felts
toward the door, stepping between the bits of rubble. His disclaimer of bravery was no ruse, but still, he can’t help but try his best to impress the mysterious woman. His meager amount of initiative will have to do for now.
“A special place in the forest. I’ll show you the way.” Shuffling through the massive stone architecture, Rift makes his way back into the forest. The sun strikes his eyes through the canopy as he exits the temple. Absently pulling his hood back over his head, he trots down the short staircase and proceeds across the loft of roots. “We need to get back to the Lost Woods,” Mai instructs as Rift makes his way back down the ladder of roots he climbed the night before. “Do you think you can climb up a vine?”
“I don’t know,” Rift admits, thoroughly uncertain of his athletic prowess, though he’s never truly tested it.
“I believe in you,” she conveys sincerely, adding, “we won’t let anything get in our way. We’re going to save Hyrule.”
“You really think we can?” He asks, spotting a low hanging vine on this side of the gorge. Dangling at different distances and lengths, a plethora of thick, ropey foliage sways gently from the canopy far above. A rush of startled birds pours from distant trees, rapidly concealing and revealing the sun. There is some potent spirit within the realm of nature. A concept Rift has never grasped, despising most outdoor activities. The beauty of the forest is beyond him, but it is of little consequence.
“I know we can. First things first, let’s get out of this place.” After a deep breath, Rift takes hold of the vine, slowly working his way upward. Once again, the dim blue triangle fills his vision, and succumbing for only a moment, he quickly sets his mind back to the task. “You’re doing great,” Mai cheers, “use your legs for momentum to get to the next one.” Heeding her advice, Rift kicks back and forth before making the short leap to the next vine. Gaining a little confidence, he continues upward, the vines offering a path all the way up to the very ledge he fell from. Several jumps later, Rift successfully grabs hold of a vine, but the slightly thinner circumference snaps the moment his weight is applied. With a panicked scream, he tumbles downward, all of the available vines just out of his reach as the fear takes hold. “Here!” Mai shouts, the faint outline of a ghostly hand pushing a vine closer to him. Reacting just in time, Rift grabs hold and squeezes the leafy weave of stems in a death grip. His falling momentum causes the vine to swing all the way to the wall of stems and roots overlooking the gorge. Colliding with the soft wall, he grabs hold, letting the vine that saved his life swing back without him. “That was close,” Mai breathes, relieved he managed to survive the fall. Withholding comment for the time being, Rift struggles to pull himself up the gradual slope of the wall. The weave of earth and roots feels uncomfortable against his soft, uncalloused hands, the dirt working its way between his fingernails equally unwelcome. Finally emerging back onto solid ground, he gradually catches his breath.
“You can move things?” He asks after calming his racing heart.
“Small things,” Mai shrugs, not thinking the feat particularly awe inspiring. “It’s because I’ve been trapped so long, my powers in this world are weakened. I should be able to help you more once I get the hang of it again.”
“I just,” he starts, not sure what questions to ask to achieve a better understanding.
“Hmm?” Mai asks curiously.
“Nothing,” he concludes, shaking his head and pulling his hood back up. Continuing forward, Rift is relieved to find no deku shrubs in the area. The deku baba are much easier to spot in the daytime, and he avoids them without incident. Still, the carnivorous plants watch him pass with great interest, their sense of smell capable of tracking far better than most of their vision based competition. Soon enough, Rift can almost recognize his surroundings as he emerges back onto the beaten path. A short bridge of wood and rope connects a small gap in the roadway. After passing beneath a dark archway of earth, the narrow passage expands into a large valley. The area seems to have been inhabited once upon a time, but now it is void of any occupants at all. “Where are we?”
“This is where the Kokiri lived before the drought. See the stream bed over there?” Mai points out, the yellowish-green blight upon the ground shaped in such a way it could have channeled water long ago.
“Yeah,” he nods, the depression in the earth looking as though it hasn’t seen a drop of water in quite some time. At the far end of the valley, thick overgrowth blocks what must have been a passageway a long time ago. Several large, decaying tree trunks have entrances carved into them, but the potential of dangerous creatures inside is enough to quash Rift’s curiosity.
“The entrance to the woods is up there,” Mai reveals, a pair of steep hillsides to Rift’s left making the climb difficult, but possible. A large, hollowed tree trunk acts as a cylindrical hallway into the thick woods atop the hills.
“Through here, then turn right,” Mai announces with an upbeat tone.
“How do you know which way to go?” Rift can’t help but ask, feeling permanently lost in the lush environment. The deeper into the forest he travels, the more lively and vibrant the trees and wildlife become. Sparse patches of dehydrated grass slowly become lush blossoms of ferns and flowers. The rich smell of young tree bark grows overwhelming, and pure.
“I can hear the music. It will lead us to the Kokiri. Left, then right again.”
“Music?” He mumbles, listening intently while following her directions. The hollowed trees serve simply to disorient, every intersection virtually identical to the previous one. The rarely traveled dirt path offers no clues as to the choices of previous adventurers either.
“One of the children are playing I’m sure. Left.”
“Children? In the forest? Isn’t it dangerous?”
“Not for these children,” she chuckles, ignoring their surroundings while feeding Rift directions. “The forest is their home. The drought has forced them much deeper, but I suppose one patch of trees is as good as any other. Straight through here, then left,” she continues to instruct, the music swelling with every hollowed trunk they pass through. The multitude of insects swells with every corner rounded, the dragonflies seeming to glow in the beams of sunlight. The occasional squirrel scampers away from the path, not desperate enough for food to risk a confrontation with a traveler. The vivid greens are a humbling sight for someone so accustomed to the decay of Castle Town.
“Will they let us through?” Rift asks, failing to mask his nervousness.
“Of course, they’re friendly to other kids, but they don’t like adults. Turn right.” Traversing the final trunk, Rift finds himself in a large clearing populated by children dressed in green. Hovering above each and every child’s head, a fairy dances through the air. Massive tree trunks serve as homes, the large arches carved out serving as doorways to the wooden abodes. The architecture is of a minimalist nature, some of the colossal trees serving as multi-story apartments, but only altered just enough to be inhabitable. Awestruck by the stunning visual, Rift ponders if the man he followed to the temple lives here.
“Hey,” Mai calls, snapping Rift from his brief trance as he takes in the sight. “Just to be on the safe side, you should cover your hand with something.” Having forgotten about his faintly glowing triangle, Rift takes a moment to determine the best way to conceal it. Finally, he tears a large portion of his cloak, revealing some of his tattered, dirty shirt beneath. Wrapping the cloth around his palm, he secures the knot using his teeth. A small hole, already present in the material, offers a space to put his thumb through. Finished with his work, the meager, glove-like accessory is only mildly suspicious.
“Looks great!” Mai exclaims, beginning to seem excessively impressed by everything Rift does.
“You think so?” He asks, reassured with his handiwork.
“Absolutely. Let’s go.” Proceeding forward carefully, Rift meets friendly faces as he makes his way through the clearing.
To the left, a series of plateaus serve as the agricultural area, a variety of crops strategically positioned to receive water from the weakly trickling creek slithering in from deeper in the forest.
“Hey, you need some arrows? Deku nuts, maybe?” A voice calls from the doorway of a hollowed tree with a decorative awning. After a moment, Rift realizes it’s a sales pitch. A blonde girl with pig-tails stares at Rift mysteriously from atop the awning of the store, something in her eyes advertising her intense interest.
“I don’t have any money,” he admits with a shrug.
“Well then get out of here! Don’t need any gawkers driving away business,” the store owner rants, though no one seems the least bit interested in entering the store. The blonde girl’s unblinking eyes never drift from Rift as he continues through the area.
“Why is she staring at me like that?” Rift mumbles under his breath.
“Maybe she likes you,” Mai declares, her words always encouraging. “We need to get past the ginger up ahead. He doesn’t look like the welcoming type.” The steep, earthy walls of the area narrow to a small passageway at the far end. Standing beside the almost empty creek bed, a tough-looking boy stands guard.
“What should I say?”
“Just ask him to