Chapter 5: The Forest Temple’s Secret
Cody’s POV
“Our first stop should be the Forest Temple.” Link says and we start towards Kokiri Forest. We enter Hyrule Field and I gasp. “It’s more beautiful than I imagined…” I sigh as I watch the sun start to set. As it finally left over the horizon, Link and I grab our swords and Sheik grabs her kunai. I knew that the Stalchildren were going to appear soon, but when they did, it wasn’t just two or three. It was thousands. “Strange…normally only four max come out at once.” Link says. We were instantly surrounded and we get next to each other. I slice two and they disintegrate. Link and Sheik were having an easy time as well, until they started to push. Sheik was already having trouble readjusting to her fighting, but now she was about to be overwhelmed. Since none were attacking me, I save her from them. “Go!” I cry at them and Sheik obeys. Link stays, to my dismay, I urge him to go. Link shakes his head and says, “Can’t let you have all the fun, right?” I laugh as I kill off the final one. I turn to Link and he says, “You’re not a bad fighter, Cody.” I rub my head and say, “Actually, this is the first fight I have been in. I just use the knowledge of how you fight and try to imitate it.” Link is a little shocked but nods. We continue on towards the forest. After we enter Kokiri forest, it was getting late. Link insisted that we continue to the temple, but I tell him that Sheik needed some rest. She starts to object, but I turn to her and wink. She just nods and Link goes to find sleeping arrangements. “Why did you say we should stop?” She asks. “Because of two reasons,” I start. “The first being that I want to train with you, so we both can regain/learn how to fight. The second, you will have to wait and see.” Sheik nods and grabs her kunai. I shake my head, go over to a tree, and break off two branches. I break one in half and hand them to Sheik. She puts away her knives and takes the sticks. We square off and start to practice. After about 30 minutes, Link returns to find us talking. “You are getting your body readjusted rather quickly, Sheik.” I say. She smiles and says, “You learn quickly as well, Cody. But what was the second reason you wanted us to stop?” “Right…” I say and reach into my bag. Sheik is amazed when I pull out a sword. The hilt had an eye on it and was called Wayfinder, or the Sword of Wisdom. “I wanted to give this to you. Since you have the Triforce of Wisdom, I thought it fitting that you have the Sword of Wisdom as well. But the song that goes with this sword gives a warning. Who holds Wayfinder finds good roads, its master’s steps are brisk. The Sword of Wisdom lightens loads, but adds unto their risk.” “Thank you, Cody.” Sheik says and we follow Link to his house. He had three beds made and we go to sleep.
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We wake the next morning and head to the Lost Woods. After navigating through them and the Sacred Forest Meadow, we come to the temple entrance. Link Hookshots up to the entrance and tosses back the Hookshot. Sheik and I follow and I hand it back to him. We enter the temple and head for the main hall. “I went through this whole place last time and never found anything remotely interesting.” Link says. I look around and start to think. “What if what we are looking for is not in the Forest Temple…but above it?” I say out loud. I look at the elevator and smile. “Sheik, use Wayfinder real quick, please?” I ask her. She does and it points to the ceiling. “But the elevator only goes down.” Link says. “Not if I use my magic to reverse its magic.” Sheik says. She concentrates for a moment and says, “It should work now.” We all step on and the elevator speeds straight up. It goes through the secret hole in the roof and we climb miles above Hyrule. It finally stops in the Wind Temple. (An: City in the Sky, just not as big.) Link and Sheik look to me after we step off the elevator. “I had no idea this was here…this is a big break in my discoveries! This must be what the…” I close my mouth before I say something I shouldn’t. “The what?” Sheik asks. “Nothing...my mistake.” I reply. I hoped she couldn’t see through my lie. I could not tell them of their other incarnations. It might alter something. Sheik doesn’t notice anything in my face, so we continue onward. In one of the rooms, was a giant pit. There was only one visible way across and it was not safe. A bridge that had only one support beam was in the middle of the room and it was slowly crumbling away. I turn to Link. “I’m going to try and cross.” Link looks at me like I was crazy. “You know that thing won’t support you!” he says. “I have Coinspinner, or the Sword of Chance. I might make it. For the song says, Who holds Coinspinner knows good odds, whichever move he makes.” Link sighs and nods. I hold Coinspinner out for balance and cross. I make it across, but the bridge crumbles shortly afterwards. “Now what?” Link hollers over. “I think I see a Hookshot marker…” I holler back. Sure enough, I cut the rope and a Hookshot target falls into Link’s sight. He grabs Sheik and flies over. I stop and sit on the ground for a moment. “Are you alright, Cody?” Sheik asks. “I’m fine…you two go on ahead. I’ll be right there.” I reply as I put away Coinspinner. They go into the next room and the door bars shut. I knew they were in a fight and I actually thanked the goddesses. It gave me time to prepare my little trick. I pulled out Sightblinder, or the Sword of Stealth, and concentrated. I wanted to look different for both Link and Zelda. I didn’t know what form I took on for them, but I felt the magic around me. The bars lift and I head into the room. I see the creature disappear as I enter. Link turns around and gasps. “Ganondorf?! How did you escape the Sacred Realm?” He gets into attack position as Sheik turns around. “Father?!” She cries and runs to hug me. Both Link and I are stunned. I had no idea I had taken the look of Zelda’s father. “It is alright my child…I’m here.” I say, sounding like myself to my ears. Zelda just cries in my arms. Link, still seeing Ganondorf, is utterly bewildered. I concentrate on the sword and Link’s eyes suddenly soften. I guessed he saw what Zelda saw. He bows and says, “Your majesty, why are you in such a dangerous place?” I knew Zelda’s father was really dead, and so did Zelda. Well, at least she thought he was. Link, on the other hand, had no clue. “Father, I thought you were dead?” Zelda, returned to normal, sniffled. “I am, child…I am here to guide you.” I reply, trying to sound like the King. She looks up at me and I smile at her. “My daughter…you look so beautiful…just like your mother.” Zelda smiles and I wipe away her tears. Link just stands still and says nothing. “Come…Link, Hero of Time; tell me…do you know why you are here?” I ask. Link shakes his head. “You are here to find a sacred item that will aid you in defeating the evil threatening Hyrule.” Link nods and says, “Thank you for this information, your majesty.” I shake my head. “No…I should be thanking you. You already have defeated the evil Ganon and saved not only Hyrule, but my daughter as well.” Link blushes a little. “Now, I must go. You must not fail. And I believe there is a third member of your party, correct?” Zelda nods. “The young man has something deep in his soul that may hinder him in the future if he doesn’t know he can fully trust you two. And he has something to say to you, my daughter. Be sure to listen to his words and trust him no matter what.” Link and Zelda nod and I leave the room. I dispel the magic and put Sightblinder away. I enter the room and say, “What did I miss?” Link explains and I say, “Wow…to see the King of Hyrule in person…and he knew of me already…amazing. Well, we know what we are here for, so let’s go get it!” Link and Zelda, now Sheik again, nods. We head to the final chamber and find it empty, except for the jewel that was on a pedestal. We walk towards it, until a cloaked figure appears in front of us. “Cody! How wonderful to see you again! I’m glad that the fall into the volcano didn’t kill you. I regretted it the moment I left.” I remember the figure’s voice and say, “You! You are the reason I am here! What do you want? Why are you threatening Hyrule?” The figure laughs and says, “To resurrect my father, of course.” The figure tears off his cloak and reveals a Gerudo male. Normally, a male born into the Gerudo is only supposed to occur every thousand years. But somehow, this one was born sooner. “You mean Ganondorf, don’t you?” Link says. “And you must be the Hero of Time. Link, correct? My my, you look weaker in person!” “How dare you?!” Sheik says. “And you must be Sheik, or should I say Princess Zelda?” The man laughs as Zelda’s transformation disappears. “What?” She cries. “Oh, just a little trick of mine. It dispels all magic in the room. Now you two,” He makes a barrier around Link and Zelda. “Stay out of this. My fight is with the Hero of Blades.” I pull Sightblinder from my bag and a Deku Nut. “I have a little trick of my own…take this!” I throw the Deku nut, temporarily blinding the man. I focus on appearing as Ganondorf to everyone. As the flash dies down, everyone looks to where I was and sees Ganondorf. “Father!” the man cries. Link shields Zelda behind him. Since I had to look the part, I hit Link with a magic ball. I turn to my “Son” and say, “Leave…Now! These two are mine.” The man looks at me and says, “But father…” I turn to him and shout, “NOW!” The temple shakes under my voice and the man quickly leaves. The barrier dispels and Link gets a Light Arrow ready. I hold up my hand and say, “There is no need for that, Link. Are you two alright?” Link looks at me confused. “Why would you care you evil abomination?” “Oh! Excuse me for a moment.” I put Sightblinder back into my bag and the magic lifts. Link looks at me, shocked. “How did you?” He starts. “The Sword of Stealth is given to, one lowly and despised. Sightblinder’s gifts: his eyes are keen, his nature is disguised.” I say the song for Sightblinder. “The sword’s magic let’s me appear to be someone else…” I fall to the floor. “But using the magic twice leaves one weak.” “What do you mean twice?” Zelda asks. I look at her then quickly look away, blushing. Her outfit hugs her curves to closely when she is normal. “I used Coinspinner and Sightblinder to close together in timing. It drained me.” I reply. “Can you walk?” Link asks. “I think so…” I reply and try to stand. Unfortunately, I was too weak and fall back down. Link stands me up and puts my arm over his shoulder. He helps me to the elevator and we head back down. We head to Link’s house and I immediately fall asleep in my bed.