((So, I've been trying to 100% complete Majora's Mask 3D, and I played it a ton yesterday and that got me in a Zelda mood. And I should be writing Lavender Diamonds instead, but eh I haven't updated this one in a while. Also while I was working on this Fanfiction messed up and logged me out so a chunk of my work didn't save, so that's why the beginning is so rushed because I didn't feel like rewriting it all.))

Character Pronunciations:

Ranike: Rah-nye-kah

Baldemar: Bald-e-marh

Locke set off into the Faron Woods, her arm still sore from all the hugs given to her by her family and the villagers. "Wait, Locke!" A voice called, and she turned around to see Old Grey running up to her with his sword. "You have earned this my child. Use it well in your travels." She took the steel sword and after placing it on her back gave Old Grey another hug. "You will always be like a second daughter to me and Nina." The old man whispered as they broke off their hug. After one last goodbye Locke continued on her way.

She had made it pretty far into the woods with no trouble until something stopped her. "Psssst!" She looked around, confused. "Psst, down here!" She looked down, still bewildered. "On the rock!" Her eyes lit upon a copper colored snake who was coiled on a rock.

"Eh?" She asked, unalarmed.

The snake looked surprised. "Not ssurprisssed to sssee a talking sssnake?" He asked, his thick lisp now obvious.

"No. Not the first time I've seen a talking animal."

"Well, the namesss Ranike. I've been sssent to assssissst you." He placed his tail infront of his chest and lowered his head as if to bow. "Hey, what'ssss the cccyinical look for?" Ranike asked, noticing her face.

"You expect me to trust you already?" She crossed her arms and looked skeptically at the reptile. "Who sent you anyway?"

"I can't sssay. But I wasss ssssent to find ssssomeone with great courage, and I wasss there when you fought the Lizalfossss. Ssssee, the world isss about to change, and I'm here to make sssure you follow the right pathhh."

Before he could say anything else, a Guay swooped down and grabbed the snake. "HEEYYY! DO SSSOMETHING!" He screeched down to Locke, who sighed and pulled out her trusty slingshot which she had used to keep these very monsters away from the farm. Loading it with a seed, she tried to focus on the Guay who was flying around erratically. After a few misses she finally hit the bird square in the chest, causing Ranike to fall from its grasp and into a pile of leaves.

She ran over to the pile and he slithered out of it, unharmed. "Think you could have made the landing sssofter?"

"You are pretty ungrateful for just having your life saved." She huffed and picked up the snake.

"Too many monssstersss out to get me." He slithered up her arm and into her hat, where she felt him curl up ontop of her hair. "Much better."

Locke sighed, the snake had pretty much allowed himself to join her. "Fine. You can come."

"Wait, theresss sssomething I can teachhh you! Ssee that rock? Focussss on it."

Locke focused on the rock, and when she moved she found her eyes were glued to the rock.

"Ssssee? Thatsss called ZL targeting. Don't know why, but thatsss what it'sss called. Asss long asss I'm up here on your head, you can ussse it!"

Locke nodded and walked on, the forest ended soon.

As expected, Locke soon stepped through the thick trees and into the open Hyrule Field. She had been out into the field often, but every time it felt so amazing. She reached into a pocket and pulled out a worn map that she had poured over countless times. Ranike popped his head out of her hat and looked at the map."Do you even know where we're going?"

She nodded. "Death Mountain."

It had been a long journey to Death Mountain, made longer by the fact Locke refused to go through Kakriko Village and instead took the long way around through Northeast Hyrule Field, much to Ranike's bewilderment. They reached Death Mountain Trail by nightfall, so they set up a camp which only consisted of a small campfire, and ate some roast Tektite for dinner before retiring for the night.

The next morning, Locke was woken up at first light by Ranike prodding her. "Come on Locke!"

It took her a bit to wake up before she got up and stretched, rubbing her sore neck. She was use to a lot of physical labor and getting up early, but definitely not sleeping on the ground. Ranike slithered up her arm and into her hat as she put it on. "Let'sss get a move on!"

Locke pulled out a leftover Tektite leg from last night and munched on it as she put on her bag and sword. "You're eager to get going."

"Yesss, I have my reasssonsss."

Locke shook her head and began to walk up Death Mountain Trail, still eating the Tektite leg. Her Aunt always told her stories about the Goron blacksmiths who lived and worked up here, they made all the weapons, armor, and pretty much anything made out of metal in Hyrule. She had wanted to go up there all the time as a child, but back then the mountain was very active and it had been too dangerous for her to go up there, so her and her Aunt had decided back then that when she was old enough to go exploring that Death Mountain would be the first place she'd go.

Her eyes clouded from the thoughts of her Aunt, but she was pulled out of her mind when the trail came to an end. Her eyes gazed up the large mountain, she had never imagined it to be so huge in person. It was a formidable mountain with metal structures erected all around. Several caverns had been made throughout the base of the mountain, home to tracks for minecarts. A much larger cavern with several metal totems surrounding it most likely led to the Goron village, while a crude set of steep stairs wound around to the top of the mountain, which Locke noticed wasn't releasing smoke like it usually did.

Ranike prodded her. "Look over there. Ssssomething'sss up." Locke turned to see several Gorons arguing around one of the mine entrances. She approached them, listening in to the argument. "Someone has to goro- do it!" "Why don't you goro-go since your so eager!" "You know that's suicide-goro!"

A larger Goron walked up to the others. "You fools, this is getting us nowhere!" He turned, seeing Locke standing there. "A child? What is a child doing here alone?" The other Gorons turned to stare.

"But look-goro. She has a sword!" A Goron exclaimed.

"No-goro, she has to be a child, she's much too small!" One of them chimed in.

Locke's ears grew hot, she was in fact very short. "I'm 17." She growled before calming herself. "What is going on?"

The large Goron stepped up. "I am Baldemar, leader of the Goron Blacksmiths. I apologize for my friends here." He gestured to the other Gorons. "I am surprised you don't know what is going on, you must not have come from nearby."

She nodded. "Name's Locke. Born in Kakriko, but lived in Faron Village for 5 years. That is until yesterday."

Baldemar rubbed the goatee on his chin. "All the way from Faron? Impressive." He paused, thinking for a moment. "You may be able to help us. You see, the Mountain has stopped producing its heat, and without it we are unable to produce materials with the precision and strength that we need. We sent several of our brothers to find the problem, and only one made it back." He lowered his gaze, eyes clouded with sadness for his lost companions. "The survivor, he reported a strange beast was blocking the fire, and it lay deep in the abandoned mine."

Locke tilted her head. "And you want me to slay the beast?"

The Goron nodded. "Yes, but I don't expect you to do it for nothing. See, when an outsider does a great deed for us, we give them the Goron's treasure as a symbol of lifelong gratitude."

Locke felt Ranike tense underneath her hat. "Agree." He whispered to her.

"I'll do it." She didn't know how she'd be able to succeed against a monster who destroyed a party of Gorons, but she guessed she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

Baldemar nodded and gestured to a blocked off tunnel down at the base of the Mountain. "The entrance is there. I wish you good luck, Locke."

((Well, that chapter took forever to write! And by forever I mean 3 days. I'm sorry the beginning was so half assed, she was originally going to say a real goodbye to her adopted family and it was really heartfelt and stuff. Also, I have no idea why I made Ranike a snake, he's actually been around as a character of mine for much longer then Locke. I do know his name was created by pressing random buttons on my keyboard and that's what I got. More you know?

Anyway, don't be afraid to leave critiques, I want to know what I should change just as much as wanting to know what you guys like!))