"It is said that the Hero, who rises when Hyrule is in need, rose from the Forest in the very beginning…That the Forest is the Hero's, as the Hero is the Forest's…But they also say that…The Hero serves none but his Queen."

-A Complete Collection of Hyrule's Mythology and Folklore

"If we can recreate the Cycle, it is possible to summon the Hero…"

-Lord Rauru

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"Lord Darunia! Lord Darunia! Look it!" Darunia cracked an eye open, frowning as a small green blur slammed against his stomach. He was very large even for a Goron, a veritable mountain of muscle, yet the child who was now attempting to wrap her arms around his stomach was not hurt in the slightest. She peered up at him with wide emerald eyes, the green dress she wore stained with dirt and her small feet bare. She was thin, a wide smile on her lips, and her hair hung in a large tangle around her head, giving her the appearance of a green cotton ball.

"What are you doing here, Lord Saria?" He asked, his deep voice rumbling throughout his body.

"Look!" She squealed insistently, releasing him and shoving an ivory-colored sack up at him. He frowned at her and carefully picked it up, struggling to not put his usual strength into the movement. He held it up to the light and frowned, seeing lavender spots swimming beneath the pale surface.

"What are-"

"They're seeds!" She cried, interrupting him. He handed it back to her, raising a craggy eyebrow.

"They'll grow on the mountain! And they'll eat rock!" Saria was obviously excited and the green-haired child began hopping up and down, emerald eyes wide with pride. Saria loved her plants, and was proud whenever she managed to create some new monstrosity.

Darunia couldn't say much, however. He was the same way with his monsters, save they were of molten rock and stone. And, he had hinted to Lord Ruto he would love a surprise such as this.

"Wonderful, Lord Saria. Why don't you find a place to begin planting them?" He said slowly. She squealed again and tore out of the room, vanishing in a swirl of green light.

"Oh, Lord Darunia, you do know you are one of her favorites, hmm?" The laughing voice surprised him, and he glanced over his shoulder as Lord Nabooru walked out of the shadows.

They stood in a large circular room with pillars ringing the edges, large stained glass windows circling the walls just below the ceiling. A circle of seven stone chairs had been set up in the center of the room where he stood. Light streamed into the center of the room but kept the edges dark. Darunia raised an eyebrow-Nabooru was infamous for despising darkness.

"I am aware." He said softly. Relationships between the Lords were close and intimate-Lord Nabooru and Lord Zelda were lovers, as he and Lord Ruto were and as Lord Impa and Lord Rauru were. Lord Saria was a daughter to him, just as she was a daughter to Lord Ruto, the others like aunts and uncles.

"When is Lord Rauru coming?" She asked, yawning like a cat as she dramatically dropped down onto a chair. Nabooru's ruby hair was tied in a silky ponytail, golden earrings jangling against her dark skin. Her almond-shaped eyes were a gold further accented by the golden paint brushed across their lids and her high cheekbones gave her a striking appearance with her full lips. An ornate headdress set with a large ruby rested above her forehead, her hair woven into the metal. She wore revealing white silk, most of her skin bare. She had a figure more Hylian-like races appreciated. As he watched, she shivered, drawing her arms closer to her body. Darunia slowly lowered himself down into a seat beside her, sighing softly.

She hated leaving the warmth of her desert, and he couldn't blame her. Already he missed the volcanic heat of Death Mountain.

"I've no idea, Lord Nabooru." He murmured. A light hand landed on his shoulder and he glanced up, smiling when he saw his lover's face.

Now, Lord Ruto's figure he could enjoy. Gauzy fins hung elegantly from her arms, stretching from her wrists to her biceps, and others dangled from her hips to form a skirt-like structure. Hylians considered her hips grotesquely wide, and her waist thicker and breasts not as large. But to him, she was perfect. She was strong enough to resist being crushed if he hugged her too tightly as well, which meant everything to him.

Her lips pressed against his, and she dropped gracefully onto his lap.

"Where's Lord Saria, Lord Darunia?" She asked softly, resting her head on his chest. He stroked his beard, nodding towards the room's only entrance.

"Out planting on the mountain." He said quietly. She let out a sound of acknowledgement.

"There you are!" Lord Nabooru cried, making Darunia look up. Lord Zelda walked in, dressed in a white silk gown vaguely resembling Lord Nabooru's outfit, save the fact it was just as preservative as her lover's was provocative. She had waist-length brown hair adorned with beads made of precious metals, high cheekbones and grey-blue eyes. She appeared very distant-but then again, most raised as royalty did. Lord Zelda smiled at her lover and settled beside Lord Nabooru, just as elegantly as always.

"How've you been, Lord Zelda?" He asked. Her gaze rose to meet his, and a smile flicked across her pale lips.

"Wonderful. My previous experiments have proven successful…I can provide a demonstration later, if you wish, Lord Darunia."

"We'll be there." Lord Ruto said, smiling.

"Are we all here?" A new voice spoke, and all four of them looked up. Lord Impa walked by and sat in a chair closest to the wall, figure shrouded by a thick black cloak that hid all of her save her garnet eyes. Lord Rauru followed, a tall, heavy-set man well past his prime. His snowy beard flowed to his sizable waist, hair just as bushy. He smiled, blue eyes twinkling as he gazed about.

"Ah, no, Lord Saria is playing on the mountain. I'll go fetch her." Lord Ruto said, drawing a chuckle from Darunia as his lover vanished in a flurry of aqua light.

Saria would be terrorizing the Gorons. Her plants had probably already sprouted, and he knew they'd be hungry. He wasn't upset by that-they needed to be reminded every so often of what he could do to them if they forgot their place.

"Has anyone had trouble with their holds?" Lord Rauru asked suddenly. Darunia slowly nodded his head. Nabooru did as well, and Impa followed suit.

"Ruto has, and judging by how angry Saria was last time I saw her, I assume she did too." Lord Zelda said quietly.

"Good!" Lord Rauru cried, clapping his hands.

"Good?" Lord Nabooru echoed, looking shocked.

"Yes! It's working!"

It took a very long moment for Darunia to realize what Lord Rauru meant. Then a slow sigh escaped him.

"Good. " He murmured, making Nabooru giggle. He felt Ruto and Saria reenter the room a second before the green-haired child clambered up onto his lap, his lover settling in the chair at his side. Saria's hair had been smoothed down and the child hummed to herself, oblivious to the adult's conversation.

"Will I still-"

"Yes, Lord Impa. After our…game is up, you'll still get what you want." Lord Rauru said, nodding his head.

The Lord relaxed visibly, and Darunia watched Lord Zelda hide a smile behind a gloved hand. Lord Impa's obsession amused all of them.

"Are we done here, Lord Rauru? I left my favorite pet in the middle of an experiment…" Anxiousness was obvious in Lord Zelda's voice. She cared deeply about her experiments, entirely enthralled with them. Often she paid more attention to them than she did her own needs. Perhaps that was why Lord Nabooru was her lover-the Gerudo woman was much lighter than Lord Zelda, and often pulled Lord Zelda out of her serious moods.

"Ah, yes! You said something about a demonstration?" Lord Rauru said, eyes wide with interest. Delighted, Lord Zelda nodded, and one by one, the Seven Lords vanished in a flurry of multi-colored light.