Inside the Great Deku Tree

The light of the fairy flying in front of his face momentarily blinded him, but within a few moments, Link could see the world around him thanks to the winged being. Once he stepped out into the expansive space past the entrance, Link discovered that the interior of the Guardian of the Forest was larger than he could've ever thought! The walls were composed of the Great Deku Tree's own "flesh" that held more floors and levels than any home of the Kokiri, and there were several deep hollows in the foundation as if they were meant to be there. Aside from the ever-present prescience of deep brown bark, green vines and moss grew on the ground, blanketing the floor with a carpet of plush green fungi. But what drew Link's attention the most was the presence of a gaping hole in the center of the vertical inner chamber.

As well as what was covering it.

A tangled mess of thick webs covered the space, strands of white silk blocking any entry for anyone more extensive than a small animal. Or perhaps a fairy, but Navi wasn't going to risk getting stuck. Still, she sensed something emanating from the hole, an unknown trail of a creature not of the forest. "There's a presence here," Navi told Link, guiding the boy's eyes downward. "And it's coming from somewhere in here."

Link looked and saw nothing but darkness below the webs, pondering what lay underneath the silky blockade. Intrigued and anxious all at once, Link attempted to walk on the web to test its strength. Perhaps he could break it with his weight? Unfortunately, this plan didn't go over too well, as the sudden lack of anything solid underneath made him lose balance and fall over on his face. And when he tried to rise, he found it difficult due to the webbing's texture.

'What made you think that would work?' Navi wondered, sighing at her charge's folly. "I think you'll need more than that to get through," she told Link. 'Still, we DO need to get through, somehow.' She then looked above her, sensing even more strange presences that didn't belong in the Kokiri Forest, let alone the Great Deku Tree himself. "Look!" Navi said. "Up there!" Link couldn't see what she saw, her "fairy sight" sharper than his. "Try climbing up that," Navi told the young boy, flying over to a raised platform covered in vines and foliage. "Then we both can get a better view."

Link nodded and went over, grabbing the vines and using them to pull himself upward. As he did so, a small gathering of red-eyed creatures in shadow gazed down at him from above, watching his movements. "He's here," one of them whispered. "Does anyone need to go over the plan?"

"No, I think we've got it," another one of the figures answered. "At least, I got it. I don't know about the other guys."

"Hey, we got it!" Another one of the hidden squeaked. "We got the routine down and everything!"

"Yeah, the two of you up here and the three of us down there," the main leader of the small group looked downward at the hole in the center of the tree. "The Queen's dug passages for you to go through, so don't worry about him following you."

"Ok, great!" One of the tiny, armless figures turned to face some of his brethren. "Now, like we rehearsed, three, two…," he paused. "No, wait, was it three, one, two? Two, three, one?"

"What are you talking about?" One of them asked.

"The order we attack in! It's like what that guy with the shinies said! If this kid is who the Boss says he is, then we've got to slow him down as much as possible!" The other retorted.

"Eep! He's coming up now! Hide!" They then all scattered, some disappearing into darkened tunnels in the walls while others traveled through small, unseen passages to the section of the tree down below. But by the time Link had climbed up, there was no sign that anyone had been there.

"In case you're wondering, I can illuminate anywhere you go because a fairy's light can pierce natural darkness," Navi explained to her young charge. "I doubt this place is easy to navigate."

True, Link thought. It was wishful thinking, but he couldn't help but wish for there to be a box or chest somewhere with a map inside. A compass wouldn't hurt, either.

"Anyway, we need to find a way to get in there," Navi told Link, the blonde boy glancing downward at the large hole in the center of the lower "floor." "Which means you've got to survey the area and note what you find. Every detail is important."

Link traveled with Navi up the winding path, passing by vine-covered walls of tree bark with bits of moss clinging to the surface. The fairy mentioned something else about how he should take each step carefully, but he was taking in the world around him, in awe that a place such as this even existed inside the Great Deku Tree. And as he traveled upward, he was overcome with a strange sense of familiarity. He had never seen this place, yet everywhere he looked brought a sense of deja vu. But how could that have been? It was only now that he realized the Great Deku Tree was this spacious, so why did it feel as if he were in a place he was beginning to associate with comfort and safety?

It felt more like home than even his treehouse.

"Hey!" Navi's voice interrupted his thinking. "Listen," Link noticed that her "Heys!" almost always had a "listen" of some kind following after. "You'll have to be an actual hero for the Great Deku Tree, so you must understand how important it is to be careful."

Yeah, that's right, Link thought. He WAS a hero now. Link grinned, placing his hands on his hips and puffing out his chest.

"Hey, this is serious!" Navi told Link. This isn't like one of those stories you've been told! You'll be in REAL danger and possibly face some nasty critters here!"

Hey, that was no problem, Link concluded. He had the sword he found, didn't he? Yes, the Great Deku Tree said that the Kokiri Sword wasn't something that could be stolen, but it wasn't as if Link chose to find it himself. The Guardian of the Forest made it sound as if, ironically enough, the sword found him.

"Yeah, you have that sword," Navi observed, not exactly impressed. If anything, she thought Link looked foolish, making himself look tough. "But you've only had it for a short time. Do you even know how to use it?"

The blonde boy gasped, shocked that she would even ask such a thing. Of course, he knew how to use a sword! After all, he practiced with a stick in the Lost Woods whenever he wasn't practicing with his slingshot! True, they broke much easier than metal (a fact he was reminded of time and time again), but he had some knowledge of how to use a long object in his hand well enough! At least, that's what he told himself.

Despite his outward confidence, Navi wasn't convinced. What was the Great Deku Tree thinking, sending this kid in here? Nevertheless, it appeared that the mighty tree had chosen this boy to be the one to aid him, so it was her duty to make sure that he fulfilled that task. Assuming that he didn't get himself killed first. She saw white strands of thick webbing and silk higher above.

"Look," Navi said, guiding Link to one of the more enormous webs clinging to the space between the current and upper "floors" of the tree. "There's more of them," she observed. "Up there, too," As Link saw what Navi spotted, the boy's skin began to break out in chills at the sight of the thick silk and uneven, chaotic webbing. "Hm? Oh, what's this?" she said coyly. "Surely someone as skilled and brave as you wouldn't be afraid of a few spiders?"

Link's cheeks grew red, and he puffed out his cheeks. "N-No way!" he protested, crossing his arms. As if to prove it, he brought out his sword and swung the blade downward, intending to cut through the web. Unfortunately, he humiliated himself as the Kokiri Sword got stuck, the sticky silk strands far thicker than the webs he had sliced through at Flint's house.

"You need some help there?" Navi giggled.

Link found himself growing quite annoyed with the fairy. Was she just sent here to abuse him? Regardless, he concentrated on pulling the sword out of the webbing. Still, he found he was having some difficulty. The boy looked back at Navi, silently asking if she would be willing to lend a hand. Or wing, whatever.

"Oh no, I'm not going to risk getting caught in that," the fairy said, refusing to go anywhere near the webs. Link huffed as if to say, "fine!" and began to pull harder.

As she looked on, however, she found herself growing sympathetic for the boy. He was clearly in over his head (seriously, what was the Great Deku Tree thinking?), but his willingness to step into the role of "hero," misguided as it was, was somewhat admirable. Finally, after another few moments of watching him struggle, Navi decided to fly over and provide some assistance. She grabbed the back of Link's green tunic and pulled, providing little extra force, but it was the best she could do without getting too close to the webs. Whether it be solely from Link's strength or Navi's additional help, the Kokiri Sword was eventually wretched from the grasp of the silk.

"Oof!" Unfortunately, Link fell back atop the fairy that had just stepped in to help him, eyes widening in horror upon meeting the ground. "Gah! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Link apologized, getting up and spotting a groaning Navi sprawled out and twitching from the pain.

"Oooh…Ow…" the fairy moaned, slowly rising.

"Are…you ok?" Link asked, sensing that the fairy wasn't too happy with nearly being squashed.

"Well, lucky for you, I may have ONLY cracked a few ribs," Navi told the boy, still in pain but able to be much more communicative. "But be more careful next time! You might never know when you'll need my help!"

Would that help come with another lecture? Link wondered, noticing a small shadow moving along the nearby walls. What was that? Link moved towards it, leaving Navi behind as she continued prattling on about how she was possibly the only thing keeping Link out of trouble.

"...and that's why you should never doubt or question the knowledge of a fairy…?" Navi finished but found her young charge was gone. "Hey, where'd you…?!" She saw him going through one of the hollows in the bark walls. "Hey! Don't leave me!" she flew over into the open dark space, quickly finding Link. "Don't go off without me!" she scolded him. "You may still be in the forest, but it's still dangerous to go anywhere alone," she explained. "This is why you should appreciate that I'm your guide."

Yeah, a very chatty, nagging, annoying guide, Link thought. His fairy or not, Navi was grating his nerves by this point. The two went through the hollow and came to find themselves in a smaller chamber with a grassy floor with flowering plants, the bark walls much more coated in healthy moss and vines. But the spider webs remained ever-present. Link noticed that a single bush was planted in the center of the small chamber, resembling those he saw in the Lost Woods, but it didn't feel like it belonged here.

The boy looked the bush over and drew out his sword and shield. "Hey, careful with that, remember?" Navi reminded Link, to which the boy nodded. However, he looked away for a moment to roll his eyes. Honestly, did this fairy think he was inept?

Nevertheless, Link slowly approached the out-of-place bush, treading lightly on the grassy ground as he drew closer and closer. A part of the young boy felt ridiculous being cautious around a bush, but he remembered Navi's words. Even if most of what she had said had been nothing but continuous nagging, she did speak of potentially dangerous creatures that possibly roosted here. Still, if what he was investigating was indeed just a bush, he felt he would look like a total idiot. Once he finally reached the stationary plant, Link lightly poked at the leaves with his sword but got no reaction.

That was until he lightly jabbed at the wooden branches underneath, finding a wooden head instead.

"Ow! Watch it!" the "bush" yelped, rising out of the ground and glowering at Link with bright, glowing eyes.

"A Deku Scrub!" Navi exclaimed, unaware that Link had seen them before. "But what is it doing here?"

The Scrub's anger then transformed into shock upon realizing just who was before him. "Y-You!" the talking plant squeaked.

Link raised a brow. "Me?"

"Yeah, you!" The Scrub answered. "You're not supposed to be here yet! I'm not ready!"

Link was puzzled. "Do you…want me to leave?"

The Scrub thought about this for a moment. "You know what? Nah!" He said. "I've got enough nuts piled up; I think I can take you out!"

Link was confused. Take him out? What did he mean by-

"Watch out!" Navi shouted, the Deku Scrub shooting a sizable nut in the boy's direction. Link ducked just in time, the nut flying over his head and into the bark walls, a bright flash momentarily blinding the boy. Thanks to her superior sight, the fairy's vision wasn't affected by the nut's explosion, but her assigned child was still struggling to regain his sight. "Hurry! Get up!" Navi told Link, grabbing a hold of his right ear and pulling to try and steer him out of the way of another incoming nut.

Unfortunately, Link didn't act fast enough, the Deku Scrub landing a direct hit on the boy's forehead. The Kokiri child was sent flying back, crashing into the hardened structure of the Great Deku Tree before sliding down to the ground.

"LINK!" Navi cried out, wings beating rapidly as she flew over to the boy. "Are you hurt?! Are you ok!?" she asked, only the boy didn't answer. "Hey! Are you ok…?"

"Ooooh, that looked like it hurt." the Deku Scrub winced.

Inspecting him closer, Navi saw that her concerns weren't entirely warranted. Link had taken a Deku Nut right to the head, but this just disoriented with a few stars in his eyes. Other than that, he was perfectly all right. It seemed that the nuts the Scrub was shooting weren't as lethal as initially suspected. Still, that began to make Navi wonder.

"Wait, what am I saying?" the Deku Scrub mentally kicked himself. "I'm supposed to be pounding you!" he then positioned himself to shoot, a slight click from inside the wooden creature signaling that he was readying ammunition. "So, get pounded!"

"Hey, c'mon! You've gotta get a hold of yourself!" Navi shouted, trying to get Link to come to his senses. "Here comes another one!"

Upon hearing that, Link snapped out of his daze and ducked again, avoiding the incoming nut by mere seconds. Spotting his sword and shield on the ground on both sides of him, Link grabbed each and rolled out of the way, avoiding another Deku Nut, but not its flash. He was again blinded, but his reaction time was faster than before, bringing his shield up to block the incoming projectile. The flash from that particular nut didn't affect him much due to his shield's protection.

"Yes, yes! That's how you use a shield!" Navi congratulated, giving the boy credit where credit was due. "But the battle isn't over yet!" Link then looked at Navi for any possible suggestions but was stopped from vocally expressing such by another Deku Nut coming his way. "Haven't you noticed that those nuts flash whenever they strike something?" Navi asked Link, the boy nodding in reply. "Maybe we could use that to our advantage?"

Yeah, that could work, Link thought; the only question was how to accomplish such a thing. He couldn't throw the nuts back at the Deku Scrub, so he had to get creative. He blocked another incoming nut, but it was then that he saw something unexpected and peculiar. The nut didn't break open and blind him. Instead, it appeared to bounce off the shield's surface, traveling at a speed where once it hit the wall, it broke open and allowed the inner section to create a small explosion of light.

Link turned his blue eyes to his wooden shield, then to his attacker. Navi saw the boy's face change, seemingly working something out in his mind. 'Just what are you up to?'

The Deku Scrub shot another Deku Nut, but this time, he found that his method of attack was turned against him. The freshly released nut bounced back against Link's shield, hitting the Scrub in the face. The nut released its flash into the plant-based creature's eyes, blinding and causing him to trip over his feet. He fell and rolled back until he hit the wall, slumping against it with his head swimming and dizzy. Then, just when he was regaining his bearings, the Scrub realized that Link was standing over him, sword in hand and ready to use.

"Eep!" the Deku Scrub squeaked, throwing himself at Link's feet. "F-Forgive me, Master!" he cried out, bowing up and down to appeal to the victor of the battle. "I wasn't trying to kill you!"

"Then what do you call that?!" Navi asked, gesturing to the several impacts in the walls.

Link nodded in agreement. If the Scrub wasn't trying to kill him, what was he trying to do?!

"Look, I'm supposed to rough you up, but it's just to test you out! See if you're the real deal!" the Scrub answered.

Link raised a brow, puzzled. What did he mean by that?

"Oops! I shouldn't have said that!" the Scrub panicked. "Look, if you let me go, I'll give you something really cool! Honest!"

Something cool? And not just that, really cool? Link debated with himself, but he was torn on whether or not to trust this Scrub.

Navi looked at the trembling Scrub; then she turned to Link. "He's not a friend or someone of moral character," she told the boy. "But he's not evil."

Still, there was a lot that he wasn't telling, but Link wasn't entirely sure if he would be able to get those answers. Regardless, the Scrub was anxious for Link to reach a decision.

"Look, what if I show you what I've got? How about that?" The Deku Scrub pleaded, hoping to score some points with the green-clad boy.

Link shrugged, which was essentially a yes. Just what was this mysterious item the Scrub had?

The Deku Scrub them produced a familiar item from its elongated, wooden snout, Link's blue eyes widening upon realizing just what it was. His slingshot! Putting his sword and shield away, he immediately took the formerly confiscated toy from the Scrub, quite ecstatic to have it back in his possession.

"So, does this mean you'll let me go?" the Deku Scrub asked.

Link was about to answer, but Navi stepped in. "Not so fast," she said. "First, how about you answer a few questions?"

The Scrub paled (despite having wooden skin, in a sense). "Uh, yeah, sure. What?"

"Just what are you doing here? What do you mean that you were here to 'test' Link?" the fairy asked. "Who seems to need some more practice."

Link huffed, crossing his arms after putting away his sword and shield. Still, comment aside, he wanted to know what the Deku Scrub's words meant.

"Well…it's something that's sort of hard to explain," the Scrub answered. "Because, well," he shot out another nut, landing at Link's feet and consuming the nearby area in bright light. "Because I'm not explaining anything!" the Deku Scrub then ran off, leaving Link and Navi alone.

"H-Hey! Wait!" Navi called out, but the Scrub was already gone. "Aw…that went nowhere."

Went nowhere? What was she talking about? He got his slingshot back at least, Link thought.

"Well, there doesn't seem to be anything else of interest here, so I'd suggest we move along," Navi told Link, flying over to the hollow they had just entered. Looking around and seeing nothing that struck him as odd, Link followed Navi, exiting the small chamber and back into the central area of the Great Deku Tree

As they continued to travel upward, Navi began speaking again. "You know, you made a mistake back there, letting your guard down," she said. "You should never put away your means of defense when a threat hasn't been taken care of," she continued. "And another thing, after this is over, you need much more practice with that sword! Swinging it all over the place or not using it, you must know when to use it and how!"

She continued on and on, but Link was more focused on his slingshot, quite happy to have it back with him. He wasn't sure where the Deku Scrub found it exactly, but Link always wondered what the Great Deku Tree meant when he said he'd put the slingshot "somewhere safe," he just didn't know it would be this. Regardless, the boy was happy to have it back. Perhaps he could find a use for it somewhere down the line, for if the Great Deku Tree trusted him with a sword and shield, surely another weapon would be helpful, right? After all, he DID say he needed a hero.

It wasn't like Link was using that as an excuse to keep the slingshot for later. Nope, not at all.

But his train of thought was interrupted by running head-first into a sizable spider web. Link panicked, pulling the silk off him as fast as possible. It was then he also realized he had some in his mouth. "Bleugh!" Link gagged, spitting the offending wad of silk out.

It was disgusting, but she thought it was hilarious, judging from Navi's giggling. Her laughter died down when she surveyed the area around her more, noticing that the webs were becoming more and more prominent the further up she and Link went. "Be on guard," she warned Link. "Whatever made these, I sense them close by."

Link put his slingshot into his belt, as he had no means of using it. But just as he was about to question Navi about the nature of the webs, he heard noises coming from inside another one of the hollows on the surface of the walls. Link couldn't have been sure, but it sounded like a struggle. Was someone else in here? Were they in trouble?

Bringing out his sword and shield, Link ran into the hollow, once again leaving Navi behind. The blonde boy entered another chamber, more significant than the one he had previously visited, the bark still covered in vines and moss. But many silk strands covered the green flora and fungi, more so than before. The chamber appeared to be raised areas, and Link noticed they weren't spaced too far apart. The webs clung mostly toward the ceiling, but some had begun to come down along the walls and corners.

"Hey!" Link was prevented from moving forward by a pale-blue fairy flying in front of him, blocking his path. "I told you, don't wander off! You'll get caught in one of these if you're not careful!" Navi said, pointing to one of the thick webs all around.

Link ignored her, looking around for any signs of someone that was perhaps trapped in this place. He then saw a small figure on the other side of the room, seemingly wrapped in silk, twisting and writhing in their bonds. Link had decided to save them, but how would he get across? It was then that he remembered the raised areas and the short spacing between them. He'd have to be careful, but he would try to make it!

"There are several evil presences here," Navi warned Link. "Stay on guard…huh?!" only to realize he wasn't there. "Where did he go now?!"

Link knew he would get an earful from her, but he would have to take it if it meant getting to the trapped figure in time. After all, he was supposed to be a hero. He had to time his jumps carefully, quickly finding out that he would need a running start if he ever hoped to make the distance. Stepping back just enough so that he wouldn't fall off, Link ran for it and jumped once he had reached the edge, landing on the other platform. He repeated this process to reach the other, and finally, he reached the other side.

"Hm? What the…?!" the bound and webbed-up Deku Scrub yelped when he saw the tip of a blade nearly meet his wooden flesh. "Hey, watch it! What are you trying to do, shear me?!"

"Sorry, sorry." Link apologized, surprised at the supposedly supernatural sharpness of the Kokiri Sword, cutting through the silky confines with ease, but not to where it would potentially hurt the Deku Scrub.

Once the walking plant was free, he shook off the last bits of silk, angry at his former predicament. "Who do those stupid spiders think they are?! I don't even have blood for them to dine on!" the Scrub huffed. Then, he looked at Link. "Oh yeah. Uh, thanks, and stuff, I guess. I guess what the Boss said is true: you ARE a hero."

Link's cheeks grew red at the compliment, rubbing the back of his head. But wait a minute, he thought. Boss? Who was this Boss?

Before he could ask, Navi chose that opportune time to butt in. Much to Link's growing frustration. "What did I just tell you…?" The fairy was midway through a scolding when she noticed that Link had freed a Deku Scrub. A Scrub that resembled the last one she and Link encountered. "Hey, what are YOU doing here? I thought you left!"

"Huh? You mean you already met my buddy?" the Deku Scrub questioned the fairy. And then the second part of what she said dawned on him. "And he left?! That dirty little…!" he then ran for the exit, hopping across the platforms with surprising ease. Much more than Link had displayed before. In fact, the boy was feeling a little bit embarrassed.

"Hey! Wait!" Link was the one to shout Navi's favorite word (at least, he assumed so by this point,) but the Scrub was long gone. Link began to run to jump onto the platforms, but it was then that Navi spoke again.

"Watch out!"

Link stopped just in time, a massive figure plummeting downward and blocking the way to the other side, trapping the boy and his fairy in a corner. The fiend was a gigantic arachnid with black and yellow spindly legs and a dark underside kept out of view and reach of the boy's sword. The spider had a pair of feelers and a pair of sizable fangs, along with what Link saw to be twelve red eyes and a bright orange marking in the center of its head. But the most striking feature of the beast was the two sections of its body were shielded by a tough exoskeleton of white that resembled an angry, monstrous skull. The spider hung from a thin but strong strand of silk, somehow able to support its massive girth.

"A Skulltula?!" Navi shouted, clearly shocked. The boy was puzzled. Yes, it was a gigantic spider (though that didn't mean he was scared!), but it was just a spider, wasn't it? A giant spider around the same size as him…but that didn't mean he was scared! Navi flew closer to him. "No, you don't understand!" she told him, keeping her distance from the arachnid. "That's not a normal spider! That's not a spider at all! It's a monster!" she explained. "It's attached to the curse on the Great Deku Tree!"

The curse?! Link supposed he would have to slay this creature if that was the case! Getting into a defensive stance, Link swung the Kokiri Sword downward, intending to slice the spider down the middle, but the blade didn't even scratch the surface of the Big Skulltula's protective armor. The strike sent the giant spider swinging from side to side, but the movement didn't affect the creature. Link went to swing again, but the spider spun its entire body, twisting around at a rapid speed that knocked the boy off his feet and into the wall behind him.

'You seem to be getting knocked around a lot.' Navi thought, having dodged being crushed underneath the boy's weight. She flew to his side. "You'll get nowhere attacking like that," she told Link. "You have to find its weakness!"

Yeah, that's a little obvious, Link thought.

"Let me see," Navi told him, pausing for a moment and focusing on the Big Skulltula. "You won't be able to get past its exoskeleton," she said. "But its underside would perhaps be your best chance; nothing is covering that side," she explained. "The only question is, how we accomplish that?"

Locking its red eyes with Link's, the ruby orbs glowed with a fit of intense anger and a sense of hunger, making Link's pumping blood run cold. Then, the giant spider dropped to the ground and jumped at the young boy. Link yelped and backed up, barely avoiding the Big Skulltula's advances. But the place he was standing wasn't overly large, and he didn't count on the spider being so fast. It seemed now that the spider wasn't just viewing Link as a potential source of nutrients; it appeared that the boy's presence was sending it into an unbridled rage, the creature having nothing else on its mind save for killing him.

"It must sense that you're here to stop the curse," Navi explained. Honestly, it was the only one she could think of. True, this kid was here to rid the Great Deku Tree of this burden, but she didn't suspect that the Big Skulltula would react this aggressively toward him! "Look, just focus on getting out of this! The important thing is to somehow get to its underside!"

The spider jumped again, catching up to Link and pinning him to the ground. The boy held up his shield, keeping the arachnid's wriggling, dripping fangs of venom from making contact with his flesh. The boy pushed up against the Big Skulltula, the giant spider's weight greatly surprising him. He couldn't flip it over with his shield and arm alone; he would have to add more force to get the arachnid off! Once he had worked the spider off enough to where he could move his legs again, Link kicked the Big Skulltula in its abdomen, sending the eight-legged beast back and landing upside down, its vulnerable underbelly exposed.

"Hurry! Finish it off!" Navi told Link. "Do it now!"

Link had no problem listening to that. Running over, he lifted the sword over his head and stabbed downward, the blade of the Kokiri Sword piercing through the darkly-colored underside of the Big Skulltula. In his haste, Link wasn't prepared for viscous green fluid to spray out from the wound, some of it splattering on his face. This caused the boy to step back, wiping his face in disgust, leaving his sword in the giant spider. The Big Skulltula spasmed for a moment before its legs curled into its center, the last stages before its death. Then, before Link's eyes, the spider's body turned black and was consumed by a blue flame, burning away the arachnid's form until nothing was left in a second or two.

Nothing was left but a green splatter of spider juices on the ground.

"Monsters aren't of this world," Navi explained. "They don't leave a form behind when they are slain," she then paused for a moment. "Still, it is curious that monsters would be here. This curse must be stronger than I thought."

Suddenly, Link became aware of the sound of scuttling legs. Dozens of them. From the ceiling, walls, and corners of the small chamber climbed out other Skulltulas, smaller than that last but more numerous What in the world?! They came in other sizes too?!

Link didn't have much time to ponder this as Navi instructed him to "Run!" Link wasted no time in leaping from platform to platform again, yet he nearly slipped up a few times due to his panic in trying to avoid the incoming swarm of spiders. "Hurry! They're getting closer!" Navi wasn't just being dramatic; the Skulltulas were quite literally on their heels, even as she and Link exited the small area and went back to the main center of the Grea Deku Tree.

Link and Navi still saw the spiders crawling out toward them from beyond the tree hollow, wondering just what they were going to do now. Then, Link lost his footing and fell downward, gravity taking him as he was pulled further and further. A scream escaped the plummeting boy, Navi flying after him as quickly as possible. The web covering the hole in the center slowed the boy's fall, catching and keeping him from breaking a limb, but it didn't hold, the speed of his drop breaking through the thick material.

Link then fell into the darkness in the hole below, disappearing from Navi's sight.