The Legend of Ilia

~Chapter 5~ Saria, Sage of Forest

I looked down at my dirty clothes. I had done way too much adventuring and evading for one day. It showed on my dress and knee-length slacks. Yet, I wasn't quite ready to give up and retreat this soon.

Dusk was falling over Hyrule, and the sun rays brushed the stone peaks above the valley we were in. I stepped into Eldin's Spring and felt wonderfully revitalized by its healing and cleansing properties.

Then, something very strange happened. A glowing orb of light rose over the spring, illuminating the pool of water. Time seemed to stop as the light assumed the form of a young girl, dressed all in green.

"W-Who are you?" I spluttered, on the verge of calling for Telma or Renaldo.

"Ilia, don't worry. I'm not Eldin, true. But I am the Sage of Forest, Saria."

A ton of questions cluttered and raced through my mind. Instead of strategically summing up all these ideas in a single sentence, I got out, "Why are you here? This is a volcanic land, quite in contrast to the forest..."

Saria smiled. "Yes. But I had to find you. You're the only contact I could find to this earth."

"Oh? Why not consult the Hero of Twilight, for what it's worth? He seems skilled in the art of discretion. Me? I'm an open book," I said flatly.

She frowned, still illuminated by green light, standing in Eldin's sacred water. "Ilia, give Link credit, okay? I may not be from this universe in itself. But I know he's experienced near-death experiences all for you and the safety of Hyrule. Anyway, I've come to ask your help."

I raised an eyebrow as Saria approached.

"You're aware of the Seven Sages of Hyrule, no?"

I thought back to my father's lectures and all my knowledge of Hyrule. "Er... Not really..."

Saria grinned. "Well, they reside mostly in the Sacred Realm and other heavenly places for the sake of a balance in the elements of Hyrule. However... The Sacred Realm became infested with denizens bent on conquest that disrupted the peace of the place. They were after this powerful, dark relic called the Fused Shadows."

"Fused Shadows..." I commented. "So they invaded the Sacred Realm?"

She shrugged. "Well, they were there to begin with. And they got along nicely with us Sages, until their lust for power grew... They wielded powerful, dark sorcery in an attempt to banish us good-doers from the Realm. Fortunately, that never happened, for three light spirits were created and locked away the darkness."

I spent short time processing what Saria explained before she continued.

"Anyway, these sorcerers weren't truly as evil as we thought. They evolved into creatures known as Twili who thrive in darkness and shun the light."

"Wait, what has this got to do with the Seven Sages?" I inquired bluntly.

"I'm getting there," Saria snapped. She continued, "Yes. While the Sacred Realm was also a home for the Triforce, that power was moved from there to Hyrule, where the royal family guarded it dearly. As for the Sages... We were forced to reside within the invisible parts of Hyrule and watch over the Mirror of Twilight, which is the only link to the Sacred Realm, once a certain dangerous Demon Thief was imprisoned within."

"Okay? And your point? Why do you need my help? To lock away the Demon Thief once more? Sounds like a job for the Hero of Twilight..."

Saria narrowed her eyes, then softened again. "Ilia, have faith in yourself. You see, that's the thing with us simple village maidens cast aside by the sacred hero... We have destinies that are oft-times more significant than the hero's job."

I gasped. "You were in love with the Link of your time?"

"Oh, very much so," the green-clad girl answered dejectedly. "I was just a girl living in Kokiri Forest, until one day Link set out on a journey to save the whole kingdom. I even have him my grandmother's Fairy Ocarina, you know... And he still had an eye for someone else. The princess."

I gaped at the Sage. "Saria, I'm sorry..."

"Don't be."

I sighed, then squared my soldiers. Inhaling deeply, I told her, "Saria, I'm ready to accept whatever you and the other Sages have in store for me."