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Author's Note: DISCLAIMER: I do not own Hyrule, Kokiris or anything related to the Legend of Zelda. So don't sue me. *hides under a rock*

Chapter One

      Athdar was the name of a Kokiri boy, a race of forest faeries that lived in the Lost Woods. The Kokiris never grew up, and their normal hair colour was blond, and the colours of their eyes were normally blue, as was the case with Athdar as well; a normal Kokiri boy he was.

      They wore green tunics, and the boys wore green hoods as well. The girls did not wear hoods, though. They were shy beings, and did not go well with humans, which they called the Frailty People. They were a merry people, though, and usually always stayed within their forest, and few there were that knew the art of fighting. Their ruler was a huge tree, whom they referred to as the Great Deku Tree, or simply Father, for it was he who had created them.

      Each and every Kokiri had his or her own guardian faerie. The name of Athdar's faerie was Tiria. She had dark hair and wore a green faerie dress. Tiria's duty was to guard Athdar with her life and heal him if he was wounded... and tell him when it was bedtime.

      Like all the other Kokiris Athdar lived in a tree that had been made like a house, but it wasn’t very big. However, Kokiris did not need big houses, because they were outside almost all the time.

      Athdar gazed down from the hillside, at the endless sea of trees, which was now covered in fog. It was raining, but the rain was light. Athdar had always liked the rain, though, because it was a healing force and always eased his heart. Due to all the things he had in common with the other Kokiris, due to the fact that he seemed like an ordinary Kokiri, yet he was not like the others. All his life he had dreamed of getting away, go on exciting, yet dangerous, adventures and find treasures.

      He had been on long trip throughout the forest, searching through the caverns he could find, but it had not been able to ease his heart. He longed for more, wanting to get away. He knew there once had been a Kokiri boy -- he had not known him personally -- who had left the forest on a journey and never returned. His name had been Link, and his faerie companion had been no one else but the faerie Princess herself, Spryte, which proved Link was a Kokiri destined to do great things. He wondered if maybe he should follow him. Maybe he should leave the forest and follow him, and maybe meet him.

      A Kokiri boy, who was a little bit taller then him, came climbing up the stone hill. Like him he was dressed in green, had blond hair and blue eyes. It was his best friend, Durian.

      “Hi, Addar,” he smiled as he reached him. “Dinner's ready.” Since Athdar was horrible at cooking they were always eating dinner together, along with Durian's girlfriend, Mila.

      “I'm comin', Duri,” replied Athdar, getting up. Although they looked like children they behaved very much like adults.

      The two Kokiris walked down the slope hill, almost climbing. At several occasions they almost fell, but they managed to stay on their feet. Soon they were under the trees again, and then the trip went northwards a hundred metres or so, until they reached a river. Then they took off westwards until they reached a stone bridge. They crossed it and entered the Village of Mori.

      Mori Village was a peaceful village with not too many inhabitants, and not too few. Most houses were fairly small, with the opening at the ground. There were some houses, though, that was tall and had the opening high up. To get into them, one had to climb a ladder up to a platform. There were also some suspension bridges that led from house to house.

      Athdar and Durian went up a small hill where there was a huge tree blessed with white flowers. Behind the tree was another, thicker tree, but that was a Kokiri house. The smell of fresh fish reached them and they could barely wait to get inside and get warm food.

      Mila was waiting for the two boys inside and she had already placed the dinner on a wooden plate on a table in the middle of the house. The house was fairly small, with only two beds, one in the left corner and one in the right, but Kokiris never cared much about size. There was only one window, which led towards north.

      Mila was a short-grown Kokiri girl with blond hair, and was as all other Kokiris dressed in a green tunic. She was very tomboyish and adventurous, but could act all sweat and innocent if she wanted to.

      “Finally some food,” smiled Durian, kissing Mila on her cheek. “I’m starvin’.”

      “Ya’re always starvin’!” laughed Athdar, sitting down on a stool. Mila took a mouthfull of fish with both hands and ate it.

      “Ya should eat in smaller portions,” pointed out Athdar, eating in a fairly smaller portion of fish. Mila just giggled and continued eating huge mouthfuls.

      “I just think it just makes her even prettier,” said Durian, giving her a dreamy look. Mila giggled.

      “Ya think everythin’ she does makes her even prettier,” sighed Athdar, eating some more.

      “Ya need yourself a girlfriend, Addar,” stated Durian.

      “No thank you,” said Athdar, shaking his head and taking a big bite. “I don’t need romance in my life; I have everythin’ I could wish for. I only need friends and a place to stay.”

      “Aww, ya’re so borin’, Addar,” replied Mila, making a grimace. “It’s soo much fun.” She leaned over and kissed Durian on his lips.

      “Cut it out, ya two, I’m loosing my appetite,” grimaced Athdar.

      “Aww, ya just don’t see how good it feels,” replied Durian, kissing her back.

      “That’s it, I’m not hungry anymore,” replied Athdar, making a grimace. He dropped his knife to the table and exited the house. The two lovers gazed after him.

      “Have ya noticed that ‘e has started to behave kinda strange lately?” questioned Durian, turning to his girlfriend.

      “Uh, yeah,” replied Mila. “He never plays with us anymore; just sitting on that hill all day.”

      “I think I should go an’ talk to ‘im,” suggested Durian. Mila nodded.

      “Do that, Duri,” she replied, kissing him on his cheek.

      Athdar walked along the river, at the north side, deep in thoughts. Lately he had had strange dreams every night. Some were just weird, others were true nightmares. In one of those dreams he had seen a daemon, in the shape of a pig, standing in fire. Then he had seen a holy sword, a calmaca, as they called it. It was stuck in a pedestal, somewhere in a hidden cellar. Then it had been pulled up by someone who looked like a Kokiri, yet he was grown up. After that his vision had turned black, and he had seen a sacred shrine. He knew that shrine, because he had been there. It was the sacred Forest Shrine, not far away from the Deku Tree. It was the shrine where the Kokiris protected the Elemental Pearl of the Forest, a sacred pearl they needed to keep the forest in balance. Then he had seen an evil looking person taking it away. He did not remember anything more, because he had woken up. As he walked there, deep in thoughts, something caught his eyes. He hurriedly hid behind a huge tree.

      “Hey, Addar!” called Durian, as he came from behind. “We need to talk!” Athdar turned around, hurriedly.

      “Sssh, be quiet!” he whispered, waving him over. “Look there!” He pointed at two Moblins who were talking next to a cave. Both were very unusual. One had purple skin, while the other had orange.

      “I tell ya, bro Mashgrath, we kun’t ‘ave our keep ‘ere!” said the orange one. “Wut witt dat tulkin’ tree?” The purple Moblin, who obviously was Mashgrath, laughed.

      “Haw haw, ‘ee’z just a tree. ‘Ee kun’t do nuthin’,” replied Mashgrath. “Dun’t ya wurry, bro Zushgrath.” Just then a taller, blue Moblin came out. By the look of him, he was surely a captain, or something.

      “Dis cave nut big enough,” he said. “Uz need ta find enother cave.” The three Moblins then went westwards, and Athdar and Durian sighed in relief.

      “C’mon, we better tell the Great Deku Tree,” said Tiria, the others nodded in agreement.

      “I have a pony, I shall tell him,” suggested Durian. “C’mon, Niria.” Niria was Durian’s faerie companion, and Tiria’s younger sister. He ran off at full speed.

      Athdar also got up and returned home in a slower pace. He did not know why, but deep within his heart he felt that his long awaited adventure was about to begin.

      Athdar stood in a huge field. The rain was pouring down from the grey -- almost black in fact -- clouds. Normally he liked the rain, but this time it was different. This time there was something evil in the rain. He looked northwards, and a ray of lightning lit up a city in the distance. The walls that surrounded the city were made of white stone, yet the darkness made it look grey.

      He started to walk in the direction of the city, but suddenly he found himself staring at a huge mountain. Now the weather was clear and the sun was shining, yet to him it looked deceitful. Soon he learned why, because he soon found himself in the crater of the mountain, which obviously was a volcano. It was packed with monsters, and on a cliff stood the same pig-like daemon that had bothered him in his dreams for so long.

      Athdar woke with a start, as if something had startled him in his sleep. He was back in his small house, yet he could feel that not everything was as they should have been. Outside it was night. He got up and lit a candle. He then exited his house*, looking around. He lived in a tall tree, and therefore had to climb up and down a ladder if he wanted to get out or in. There was only silence outside, yet Athdar felt that there was something out there, an unknown evil. Shaking off the thoughts, he returned inside, blew out the candle and went back to bed. After some minutes he entered a dreamless sleep.

*: The Kokiris didn’t have sheets; therefore they slept with their clothes on.

      Athdar woke up as someone was standing above him. He rubbed his eyes, and looked sleepily up. It was Durian, and he looked distressed of some reason. Athdar had never seen him looking like that before.

      “Mmm, Duri, what’s the matter?” he questioned sleepily, sitting up.

      “Addar, ya better hurry, somethin’ has happened,” he replied. Athdar could see that he had been hurrying.

      “Huh? What’s happened?” inquired Athdar, getting up.

      “The Great Deku Tree has sent me to get ya,” explained Durian, taking a short break as he was collecting his thoughts. “Someone has stolen the Elemental Pearl.”

      “Wha--?! The Elemental Pearl, stolen?!” asked Athdar, almost yelling. “But what does that have to do with me?”

      “I don’t know, he just told me to get you,” replied Durian. “You can borrow my pony, but first you need some breakfast.”

&nbpsp;

      After breakfast Athdar went to the small wooden stable outside of Durian’s house. There he mounted his friend’s pony, which was a brown pony with a black mane. Durian wished him good luck and off went Athdar on the pony.

      The pony, whose name was Era, was faster than what was normal for a pony. She galloped through a mile-or-so long canyon, then up a small hill. She crossed a river and at the left side of him Athdar saw a village in the distance.

      After about an hour or so he reached a huge cliff. Looking down he saw a huge city in the trees, Ardoru City. The Kokiris there were not like others, well most at least. They did not live within the trees they lived in houses on platforms in the tree-tops. Those that lived on the bottom were the exception, though, because they lived like most other Kokiris.

      This whole place was protected by a magickal light and it was the original home of the Kokiris. From there neither the sun nor the stars could be seen. As Athdar raised his glance he could, far in the distance, see an enormous tree on an island in the middle of the lake. He knew that there was a bridge leading over to the island.

      Athdar turned to his left-hand side and started to ride the pony slowly down the steep road. After about a minuet he needed to turn almost completely around in order to proceed further, this time to his right-hand side. After several such turns he finally found himself under the trees again.

      He continued towards north, until he reached the great stone walls that protected the city. There he met two Kokiri guards, both armed with spears. They came to greet him. He recognised the shortest of them as an old friend.

      “Athdar!” he greeted. “It must have been a century since last time we met.”

      “Indeed it is, Aldin,” smiled back Athdar. “We never have time to meet each other anymore, ya being a guard an’ all.”

      “Athdar,” said the other guard. “You better hurry. The Elemental Pearl has been stolen, or so I’ve heard, and the Great Deku Tree wants to talk to you.”

      “I know that already,” replied Athdar. “Just let me through.”

      The gate opened and Athdar rode Era into the city. It was strangely quiet for a city. That, he thought, was either because most people were high in the tree-tops or because the Elemental Pearl had been stolen.

      There were some people hurrying back and forth in the streets, though, and the market place, in the centre of the city, was bustling with people. That was also the only place in the city where there were more than just one or two people.

      The journey through the city was about an hour long, but it would have been more if he had ridden around the city, even if he had galloped. At the other side he yet a time reached the protecting wall. The guards led him through without asking any questions. He then spurred Era into a gallop and hurried towards the Deku Tree.

      As he got closer the magickal feeling he had felt when he entered the valley grew even stronger, and he felt his spirits rising. There were lots of faeries in these parts and the whole valley was blessed with a very magickal and often huge tree-type called ellana, which meant holy in their language.

      Very soon Athdar reached a hill which led down into a long canyon-like pathway. He rode down into the ‘canyon’ at full speed, suddenly getting a feeling that he had to hurry. He rode through the ‘canyon’, round a swing and soon he was on his way up. There he met with some more Kokiris. They stood up as he reached them. He got off the pony, and one of them led the pony to a stable.

      “Are you Athdar?” inquired the one who seemed to be their leader. Athdar nodded.

      “Yes, that is me,” he answered.

      “Then you shall receive entrance to the Great Deku Tree,” replied the Kokiri, making sign for the two Kokiris who were guarding the bridge to the island were the Deku Tree was to let him pass.

      “Good luck, Athdar,” wished the Kokiri. “I hope you know what honour it is for you.”

      “I do,” smiled back Athdar, stepping onto the bridge.

      The bridge was longer then he had imagined, and it was made of solid stone. He wondered how many Kokiris had cooperated to build this bridge. He could hear the sound of birds as he walked across the bridge. Underneath him the sea was calm and he could smell the smell of salt water.

      In front of him the Deku Tree was growing bigger and bigger as he got closer. He suddenly felt nervous, or maybe shy, and constantly was fighting against the urge to turn around and run back. But, he defeated that urge and eventually he had finally arrived at the Deku Tree’s island. He fell to his knees.

      “O, Great Deku Tree, what makes thou want to speak to me?” he said, his head so low that he touched the grass.

      “Stand, my child,” began the Deku Tree. Athdar stood up. “Thou dost not need to bow for me.” He made a break in his speech. “Long haft I, the Deku Tree, foreseen the return of darkness, but never did I know when it would happen. Will thou listen to my tale, young child?” Athdar nodded, although he didn’t have much choice. The Deku Tree continued, “As thou, my child, already know, Moblins haft appeared in our peaceful forest. That is, indeed, very troubling news, but it is sadly not all.” The huge tree sighed. “This very night an evil minion, who called himself Blind the Thief, of a darkness I can not yet see entered the holy Temple of the Forest and stole the Elemental Pearl of the Forest from its sacred shrine.”

      “Yes, I’ve heard about that,” replied Athdar, sighing. “But, won’t the forest be cast into chaos then?” The Deku Tree sighed.

      “Yes, eventually it will, therefore I shall send thou on an adventure to win back the pearl,” said the Deku Tree. Athdar stared at him with surprise in his blue eyes. “On the day that thou was born, young Athdar, I foresaw that thou was destined to do great things. But, to test thy skills in battle thou must go to the Temple of the Forest and defeat the monster I haft created there to test thy skills. A young Kokiri boy called Lindor shall take thou there and give thou a weapon.” Athdar bowed and went back to the bridge.