Silent Courage: The Rewrite

by GerdenGerudo

Day-to-day life is not as easy for Link as she would hope. With being the Princess' own Personal Knight, dealing with the loss of a friend, and all of Hyrule thinking she is a man, she has enough on her plate as it is. But when old forces, once forgotten, begin to awaken, it is up to her and allies, old and new alike, to rise against it. A rewrite of my first story. Fem!Link. Now M

4. Chapter 3: Brothers in Harm

To AMaeJay: That's sure a coincidence XD Aww, thanks ^_^ Yeah, I hate writing each character's death (except a certain someone) and I'm glad you got excited at PO'ed Link XD Writing Link when she's angry is fun, I'm just sad I had to kinda cut it short due to the poison in her blood :/ You're welcome! I hope to get the next one up faster ;)

To Spotty-Chan: I-is that a good thing? XD

To A Reader (Guest): Thank you ^_^ They probably will. Not sure where I can fit them, but I'm positive I can figure it out. Thanks! That's something I really wanted to improve upon XD Shadow can semi-hear what Link is thinking. Because he is technically 'a Link' he can get the gist of it, but not full thoughts like Zelda or Midna (or the certain person we meet in this chapter ;)) so no, he doesn't know she's a she yet. Thanks! And whoot \(^0^)/

To Guest: Sorry for the wait!

Chapter 3: Brothers in Harm

A pleasant breeze greets me as I begin to come to. The air rustles the grass around me and flings my hair into my closed eyes. I feel calm, even if something is nagging at the back of my mind that I shouldn't be.

I stifle a yawn as I open my eyes, only to close them when a blinding sun hits my face. I rub at my eyes, but stop when I realize they don't hurt. Blinking slowly I sit up, looking around to find I'm in the middle of a large field, knee-high grass and flowers spread all across it. In the distance I can see a forest, mountain and swamp, with the grey walls of a castle nestled within the trees. I stand up, confused as to where I am. Something about all this doesn't seem right.

"Oh finally!" a young voice behind me makes me jump and spin. A girl stands there, just taller than me. She has green hair tied back into a braid, vines entwined with her forest-green locks and it seems to reach just to her back. She has wide green eyes, currently looking at me with annoyance, and wears a green skirt and shirt. Although she seems to be tanned, I can almost see a gold aura surrounding her. Even standing a few feet away I can feel the power radiating from her, and I have to admit it makes me nervous. "Honestly, all of you guys can be real lazy butts sometimes!"

Do...do I know her?

The girl covers her mouth, stifling a giggle. "Wow, you really are similar! You all act like you've never even thought you'd meet me!"

I blink, shortly glancing to the castle in the distance before looking back at the girl. That just makes me more confused. "Alright fine, looks like I'm going to have to tell you, too." The girl is surrounded by a green tornado, making me jump back as she begins to grow. As the tornado dies I see her skin begin to turn gold. Not just in colour, but actual gold. Her hair becomes stiff as, for a moment, she takes on a statue-like appearance. With a final blast of wind so strong it throws me to the ground, the girl glows brightly and blinds me. When I'm able to look back I see a golden woman instead of a young girl. The woman, now wearing a long gold dress that touches the grass, curtsies deeply as she leans her head forward, eyes closed.

"It is my great pleasure to meet you in person, My Champion."

Still seated on the ground, I stare up at her. A part of me feels like I should have known, but I can't quite believe what I'm about to think.

"Farore?" I jump at my voice, wrapping my hand around my throat. I can speak?! Then that must mean I'm in a Sacred Realm. But this isn't the Chamber I was in before. Am I...?

"You're not dead," Farore grins, surrounding herself in another tornado. She reverts back to the form I just saw her in, brushing her hands on her skirt. "You came close, like you always do, but you managed to survive. Your friends had found enough Heart Berries to cure the poison."

Poison?

"Oh right, you must be confused," she leans over, offering a hand. Timidly I take it, letting her help me stand back up. I've never even thought I could ever meet her, or any God for that matter, before I died. "Do you remember what happened last?"

I look at the ground in thought. I remember being in the Forest Temple, the one in the Lower Lost Woods. We'd just found Sage and Shelley, but I encountered Zant again. Somehow he was alive and summoned an army of Undead Bokoblins, including that Moblin Morbid. My friends and I fought, but I can't remember how we won.

"You were flung into the Cursed Water after catching Sage. It sunk into your skin, but thankfully it was slow because of the enchantments on your tunic. It managed to knock you out, sure, but you would have died without it."

Sage...Sage! "Is she alright?" I rub my throat. It's so strange to suddenly be able to talk.

"Well, frankly, she's the Sage of the Forest. The Deku Sprout, or Tree as he is now, figured, because she was the descendant of Saria, she'd be a Sage eventually so named her after it. Don't tell me you didn't consider it was her?"

"I had a feeling..." I mutter, not willing to admit it caught me off guard just a little bit. "But if she's the Sage, what made her wake up?"

Farore winces lightly. "It's complicated, and I don't have time to explain. Your friends are getting worried with you sleeping so long. I'm sure you'll find out eventually anyway."

I don't get another thought in before a familiar tornado surrounds me. As it reaches my face everything goes dark.

-0-0-0-0-

I take in a deep breath, feeling a burning pain in my lungs as I do so. The pain causes me to open my eyes again, only this time my vision is obscured by the misted tree tops of the Lost Woods. A deep pain throbs in my chest, making me sit up and grasp at it, feeling a burn run through my blood.

"Link?" I look down at my hat lying beside me, finding Navi resting on top. With her aura I can't tell if she's lying down or sitting, but I can feel her eyes on me. "Link!" she lets out a joy-filled jingle as she flutters to my eye. "Thank the Goddesses you're okay! We thought we'd lost you after we were sent here."

I look around at 'here'. We're in the Great Deku Tree's clearing, my friends and I are resting under one of the branches. They've all fallen asleep, but I don't see Vaati or Shadow anywhere close by. If I strain my hearing I think I can hear them, but I don't bother when Navi catches my attention. "How are you feeling? I don't think the berries could drain all the poison from your blood."

The ache remains, but I don't want her to worry. Besides I haven't taken a Potion in a few weeks, it should be safe for me to have a bottle or two once we get back to the Castle.

I'd kinda been foolish enough to think I wouldn't need more than a single bottle. Doesn't help that, after looking through my Baggie, I find it shattered inside. When did that happen? 'What happened, anyway? I don't remember how we got outta there.'

"Well after you killed Morbid the whole place started to fall on our heads. We'd just managed to escape before it collapsed entirely. The Deku Tree used his Stored Magic to warp us all here so we could cure you and say our goodbyes to Sage. Also please never get that mad again. You were pretty scary and I swear I saw your eyes glow."

'Oh, sorry 'bout that,' I blush, rubbing the back of my head. 'I tend to lose my temper when a kid is hurt, let alone killed. You should have seen me three months ago when Colin and Talo were cornered by some raiders.'

"What?" Navi asks, clearly confused.

'Eh, I'll explain another time. How's Shelley? I had a feeling she wasn't too keen on having Sage be the, well, Sage.'

"She's okay. She's had to go through this before, twice technically."

Eh?

"But it was still a blow to her. She'll recover and soon a new Kokiri will be born in Sage's place. There must always be an equal number of Fairies and Kokiri, or else there will be conflict between everyone."

While I don't entirely understand, I just nod and smile. Maybe I can understand in my own time, right now I just want to fall back asleep until we get back to the Castle.

But before I fall asleep...

"Hey, Link, what was that whole turning into a wolf thing about? And who was that man?"

Should have figured she'd ask. There's no harm in it, but it might be difficult to explain since even I don't understand. 'Well, it all started about...seven months ago. Before all this-' I wave a hand down my tunic '-I was a simple farm girl working on a Goat Ranch. Everything was fine until the Bulbin attacked the Village, taking my friend and the children with them. I was lucky to be knocked to the ground, unnoticed and forgotten by the creatures. Unlike someone smart, who would have gone to the adults, I ran after them, only to be stopped by this tall, black wall with orange runes dancing across it like ripples on the water. I had stopped, but a black hand came through the wall and grabbed me, pulling me in. Those Shadow Messengers we saw in the Temple Ruins? It was one of those, but less melt-y and more terrifying. It began to choke me, slowly crushing my windpipe as the strange darkness around me made my head ache. My hand grew warm and a bright flash came from it, blinding the creature and making it throw me to the ground. After I landed I began to feel nauseous, I could hear each heartbeat in my ears, making pain fill my entire body. The darkness was affecting me, morphing me. I began to change. It was slow and painful. Goddesses, I can still feel it sometimes.' I stop to shutter, unable to forget the torture I had to go through to stay sane in Twilight. Navi wait's penitently, sitting on my shoulder. I gulp before pushing on.

'I blacked out during that pain, but the last thing I remember was my scream turning into a howl. When I woke up, I was in a cell, changed into a wolf. That was how I met my friend Midna, although I'll spare you the details of how much we hated each other back then. The darkness was called the Twilight, a place where no Light Dwellers, people in Hyrule, could live properly. No one even knew what was happening, they just felt a constant, draining darkness. Only those born in the Twilight and a few others were not affected. Zelda, she was able to stay the same. But it was more torture to her. I was turned into a wolf, which prevented me from sharing the same fate. After a while through the journey I was cursed, I couldn't change back. Midna was hurt badly, too. We were saved thanks to Zelda's help, and we could use the Twilight Shard that cursed me whenever I wanted. Before Midna left she destroyed it, not wanting any traces of her people left on this side. I don't know how hitting the pressure point on my neck changes me, but I guess the curse is still in me a little.'

And another reason why I despise all forms of magic.

"Who's this Midna exactly?"

'She's the Princess of the Twilight Realm, a very beautiful place. The Twilight in Hyrule was a cruel copy of it. She broke the only connection between Hyrule and the Twilight Realm two months ago. She also ties in with my confusion of Zant, the man who we saw. He's a Twili like Midna, but a crazy tyrant bent on taking over. Midna and I confronted him many times, all ending with me close to death. The final time we got back some artifacts he had taken from us when he cursed me, artifacts only Twili could use. Midna managed to tap into that power, only just a little, and killed Zant in her rage. He actually blew up. Not like what happened to previous creatures we had to face. Not Zant, he blew up in a show of blood, guts and bone. Needless to say I was a little more than terrified. So I have no idea how he could be alive now. I know it was him.'

"Hm. I can't help on that front. I could feel some form of dark magic around him, but I've never been good with that sort of stuff."

'Don't worry about it. I just hope I can defeat him by myself.'

And I wonder if Midna knows about this at all.

"I'm sure we'll find a way to deal with him."

I hope so. The only thing I can think of doing now is warning Zelda. I guess before going to find the next Sage we could use a day to recover. I turn my head to my companions, who are currently all still sleeping. Somehow I doubt they'd be up to rushing to the next destination.

Well now that my life's not in immediate danger I curl up on the spot for some more hours of sleep. If the others aren't awake yet, I don't have to be.

-0-0-0-0-

We wake and prepare to leave early. Adam and Nura have gone off to hunt while Alex, Shadow and Vaati collect some water. I've been saying my farewells to the Kokiri and Deku Tree, thanking them for the help. I'm not sure how the Sages will help Hyrule, but the fact they helped me and my friends without expecting any payment is so selfless. Sure the Kokiri don't have currency, but they won't even like a Rupee to keep as a pretty rock?

I turn to Navi, who is sitting beside Shelley on a small branch. The Fairy must sense my eyes on her since she lifts off the branch, hovering in front of my face. 'Thanks, Navi. We'd probably be screwed if I hadn't found ya,' I grin.

"I should thank you. Those Mad Scrubs would have hurt me too much for me to move," her wings flicker lightly. I see the silhouette of her body cross her arms behind her back. "Link, I was wondering if I could go with you to Hyrule. It's been so long since I've been outside the Forest and I've been getting restless. It'd also be nice to get to know you other than just who you were before," I chuckle when her aura turns light red around ridges. Is she embarrassed?

'Sure you can come if ya wanna. What stopped you before?'

"Well, I'm not a very strong Fairy," Navi bobs up and down in a shrug. "Fairies gain the energy to fly from the larger creatures we come into contact with. The Kokiri only have so much energy to give to a single Fairy. I was born beside another Fairy and wasn't assigned a Kokiri until Link came along. I get tired easily and my magic isn't very strong."

Hm, being a Fairy sounds complicated.

'Well whenever ya get tired you can duck inside my hat to rest. Probably safer than a pocket or somethin'.'

"Thank you," Navi tingles like a bell and sits on my shoulder for now. "Oh, your copycat is back."

"Psh, copycat?" Shadow snickers as he walks over, a sack flung over his shoulder. "You say that like I was born last. Other way around, Fairy. Which makes me your big brother," Shadow flicks my nose. I roll my eyes. Is he really coming with us? The golden-eyed man shrugs. "Me 'n' Vat gotta job to do. Things to collected, monsters to kill and whatnot. We'd figured we might as well come with you and settle down at the Castle."

'Whatever it is I don't wanna part in it,' I mind-mutter. The last thing I need is the aid of a Mage.

Shadow smiles and walks away, muttering so quietly under his breath I don't even hear him.

'He's weird.'

"I'd be cautious around him. Shadows are hard to trust," Navi says.

'I trust 'im as far as I can throw 'im. But if they're willin' to help I guess it ain't all bad.'

"Just be careful."

'I will.'

"Hey guys. It isn't much but it will have to do," Nura and Adam come back, the Gerudo holding two skinny hares in her hands. "Not like we haven't gone hungry before."

"The Kokiri also gave us some berries," Adam holds up a small pouch, the bottom dark from the juice.

Well if we get a few herbs or mushrooms we can make a soup. I always carry a pot or two with me in case I run out of dried meat. It'll make a decent meal if we end up stuck without anything else. Even if it's fall there should be some kinds scattered about.

Lost in thought it takes me a few moments to realize everyone's looking at me. I blink at them all, feeling my face heat up. 'Wh-what?'

"Are you coming or do you want to be a Kokiri?" Adam asks. I notice they're all packed up and my stuff is still sprawled across the grass. I flush and scramble to pack everything away.

"Sadly not even he could be a Kokiri. For once he's too tall," I hear Nura sigh.

"He could have fit in really well as a kid, though."

"True. Hey, Link, how tall were you when you were littler?"

As my two red-haired friends joke at my expense I finish packing. I stand and walk quickly to catch up to them as they are already moving. The Gerudo and Hyrulian continue to tease me for taking so long. Occasionally Shadow will make a short quip. What great companions I have.

But honestly I'm happy I didn't have to come alone. I wouldn't have survived the poison without these buckasses. And I hate being alone with my thoughts. The silence is almost deafening.

Before I know it we're already at the slope separating the Upper and Lower Lost Woods. Vaati tells us all to stand back and brings him his arms, summoning a surge of magic into his hands. I subconsciously half-hide behind Nura, who smirks back at me. The magic sinks into the slope and before my eyes they revert to a staircase, a purple aura shimmering around and in it.

The Mage lowers his arms and begins walking up them. I take up the end and glance back at the Lower Lost Woods with Navi hovering beside my head. 'Are ya sure you wanna come? You ain't gunna miss it too much?'

"I always miss it, but I'll be okay. Besides I want to see how beautiful it is in Hyrule," Navi's aura brightens lightly in delight. I chuckle, turning to face the stairs again before I can trip up. Luckily I make it to the top before I do that. The stairs turn back into a slope as I step off and the seven of us begin our trek back to Faron Woods. When we enter a small clearing in the trees something jumps onto my shoulders, making me stumble to a stop.

When Skullkid's face greets me I roll my eyes, the two Fairies beside his head snickering. "Hiya! Glad to see you alive!"

Thanks for believing in us.

"Heh, nice makeup purple dude," the scarecrow-like boy jumps off and onto a tree trunk. Vaati promptly ignores him and keeps walking, which delights Skullkid even more. "Aww, he's mad at me."

I shake my head at the boy's antics and notice Navi and the other two Fairies talking to each other.

"This is where you've been?" Navi speaks in a strange dialect. What's even stranger is that I understand what she's saying.

"Yeah. Skullkid and us thought it'd be safer from the others. Since, y'know, we're 'tainted'," the purple Fairy grumbles.

"They were assholes anyway," the yellow Fairy bobs lightly in a shrug. "'You're not welcome for helpin' a human!' Blah blah blah. Lucky I didn't pull off their stupid beaks."

I tilt my head lightly, wondering what kind of dialect they're using. It's familiar, yet I feel like I shouldn't be able to understand them.

"Hurry up, we don't have time for this," Alex calls, still walking. "We need to get back to the Castle to warn others. Prepare them for whatever is going to attack us."

"He's just in a hurry to see Maria," Adam whispers to me. "He hates being away from her. Especially with the baby expected in a few months."

He's not alone wanting to be quick.

'Navi, who were those Fairies you spoke to? I've never heard them talk before.'

"Oh that's Tatl and Tale. They're friends with the Skullkid and me as well. They helped Link when they were in Termina."

'Termina?' I tilt my head back and look at the canopy. 'I've never heard of that.'

"Well, you can't get there by normal means. It's a world parallel to Hyrule, very similar but also a lot different. There are only a few entrances between the two worlds. If you couldn't imagine Link went there after his first adventure. Saved it from the moon."

'The moon?'

"Yeah. Skullkid was under the influence of a mask that-"

Navi is interrupted by a low, menacing growl. I stop in my tracks, hearing my heart thud in my ears. I glance around the shadows, seeing a shape move among them. I unsheathe the sword and walk slowly towards it, a faint idea what it is in mind. A loud roar comes from the shadows as three fake-Messengers run out, almost falling apart with the effort of running. I yelp and hop backwards, swinging the blade in an arc. It hits the shoulder of the closest Messenger, but doesn't stop it's charge. It rams into me, sending me flying back into a tree. I feel the wood splinter from the impact, a small piece getting through my chain-mail and into my scar. I wince as I land harshly on the ground, rolling onto my stomach then to my feet when a shadow lands over me.

I bring up my shield in time for the Messenger to rake its claws across the surface, sending sparks to the grass. Its claws also fall off from the strike, melting into the ground with the smell of burned leather. My eyes burn from the smell. I hear a noise and risk a glance sideways, seeing Nura and Vaati fighting the other two Messengers.

By instinct I bring up my shield and turn to the Messenger with a swing, digging the edge of the blade deep into its side. But to my horror the slashed flesh begins to reform, encasing itself around the sword. I tug it free before it can be taken from me and back up. My back hits the tree and I duck, hearing the Messenger hit the trunk. I roll under it and come up behind, holding the sword in both hands and slicing across its neck. The slimy flesh slips over the edges of the sword, making the blade pass harmlessly through. Now black slime covers it as I pull myself away.

How do I kill something that's immune to the Blade of Evil's Bane?

"Stick a bomb inside it when you leave a hole! Not even ChuChu's can survive a bomb in their stomach!" Navi flutters around the head of the fake Messenger, turning a bright yellow.

I pull one from my pouch and stab forward, watching the slime separated from the blade. Before it closes I toss the bomb inside and back flip away from it, covering my face when a shower of black ooze flies at me. When I pull my arms away I see the slime slipping off me like water and onto the grass. The remains sink into the ground and make it bubble dangerously before dying down and out of sight.

I blink at the spot for a few seconds before looking to the side to find Vaati blow one apart with a tornado and Nura shove one of Adam's bombs down the last one's throat.

"What...the Din's Hell was that?" Alex pants, having been shielding Adam from the fight. The younger brother looks annoyed by this.

'Creatures called Shadow Messengers. But they're all wrong. They're not supposed to be gooey and slimy, or fall apart. These are fakes of what were,' I rub my upper arm, memories of the lives I'd unknowingly ended resurfacing. This has to be Zant's doing. He's making copies of the formula he learned to make them in the first place. Only difference this time is he has no solid 'base' to warp.

Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

Navi hesitates before trying her best to explain what the fake Messengers are, while I begin to walk out of here. Somehow the air has gotten a lot colder.

'Midna'd be able to help,' I think, closing my eyes. 'Why'd ya have to break the Mirror? There's no way I can kill Zant.'

Hyrule is so doomed.

-0-0-0-0-

Coming out to South Hyrule Field it is just midnight. We were able to get through the smog thanks to Vaati, who cleared the way with a blast of wind. It took little time to get to the horses after that. Only problem was that Vaati and Shadow couldn't keep up without horseback, so Shadow's been riding with me while Vaati rides with Nura. Alex wouldn't allow Adam to help out and he refused to help, so it ended with us dealing with it.

Shadow's been poking me in the center of the back for the last hour. Unknowingly by him he's been digging the bark shard deeper into my scar. I don't want anyone to panic over something that can never be fixed, so I've said nothing. I'll just have to take it out when I'm alone.

We dismount to set up camp to the east of the field entrance. To my dismay we come across a familiar dark cave. I wince as we enter and find the place empty, save for piles of bones and rotten cages in the back.

My first human fatalities. Unfortunately not my last.

Only this time I can see everything in even better detail. The husk of the Hornet nest is nothing but dust near the scorched hole where the fire pit was and the bones are yellowing. I force myself to look away and begin unsaddling Epona. She nudges me with her nose as I take it off and I chuckle, running my fingers through her mane.

'Thanks for trying to cheer me up, buddy.'

"So!" Adam claps his hands loudly, pulling the rabbits and berries off his horse's saddlebags. "What can we do with this?"

I snap my fingers and dig through my Baggie, pulling put a cooking pot. The others stare at me and I just shrug. What? Like I'm going to leave a cooking pot after I had to eat a rabbit raw. I ignore their looks and set it down beside the pit, taking out some wood we had found and begin preparing the fire. It only takes a quick flick with flint and steel to light an ember and the flame quickly picks up. I set the pot on and pour some water into it from my canteen. It's no big deal I can refill it at the river later if I have to. The canteen fills the pot about halfway.

I point from the rabbits and berries then to the pot, hoping they get the idea to skin and de-bone the hares while I go out and find some mushrooms or herbs. Maybe both. Only to remember Navi can tell them for me.

As she does I leave the cave and walk into the field of grass. I look up at the sky to see a full moon slowly moving across the sky. I grin, remembering the pressure point on my neck. I trace the spot with my fingers as I think. I could try to find herbs as a human...but as a wolf I'll be able to sniff it out much better.

Besides, it's been too long since I've been a wolf.

Looking back to be sure the others aren't around, I hit my neck and feel a shutter as a mass of Twilight Particles covers my body, bending my spine and warping me into a wolf. I close my eyes as a pleasant coolness passes over me, ending with me covered in fur.

I take a moment to look down my body, seeing my tail wag quickly. My eyes feel so much wider, my world clearer. My ears perk and swivel at the smallest sounds, from a cricket chirp to a bird call in the distance. My senses flare and I take in a deep breath, letting out an exhale with a sigh.

'I've missed this,' I think to myself as I begin to walk forward. I glance at the moon and feel a rumble in my chest. My heart pounds and I begin to run. I run through the grass, going sightless yet not blindly. I can sense every movement around me, letting me know when to leap to one side or the other. Because of this I avoid any unnecessary fights with the field's monster population.

I push myself to go faster. Pure bliss enters my mind as the wind pushes back my ears and fur, whistling in my ears and urging me to go even faster. My legs don't tire as I bound over a log, across a creak and under a tree branch. The rumble continues to grows in my chest, slowly rising to my throat as I reach the peak of a cliff. I stop at the edge, looking down on the large field before me.

The rumble escapes me. I throw back my head and let out a howl, singing in the only way I can. Singing to the moon. To the stars.

I hold the howl for as long as I can. My only reason to stop is that I'm running out of air. I let out a pant as I lower my head, looking down once more.

I wish I discovered this sooner.

After a few more minutes of sitting here, I turn around and begin to sniff around. I came out here for a reason, after all.

Following various senses I soon acquire a mouth-full of basil, truffles and even a few roots. My snout and paws are coated in dirt, mud and grass but I could care less. In fact this is the most fun I've had in a good while. There's not much room to get yourself dirty when you're the Princess' own Knight. I have a small courtyard that is behind my room that I like to visit, but there's no room to plant food. And flowers aren't for eating.

I stop moving when my ears pick up a small sound. I crouch to the ground, my stomach touching the dirt as I sneak forward, senses alert. Through the short grass I can see something moving around. Getting closer and I spot a rabbit. I make a wolfish grin, tensing my muscles and placing the collected herbs on the ground at my paws. I am careful to step over my goods and use the grass to hide, my shoulders moving as I prepare to leap.

I slowly raise a paw off the dirt and bound forward when the rabbit lowers its head. In the same moment I see another shape dart from the taller grass, towards the rabbit. Mid-way through my jump I let out a yelp and flail my paws. I collide with whatever jumped from the grass and we tumble through the grass, coming to a stop a little ways from the rabbit. From the commotion it runs off.

I rise to my paws and let out a huff. Turning to what I ran into I find a man standing behind me. I yelp and scoot away, tail in the air and a paw off the ground. I watch the man's eyes, finding the deep crimson colour unnerving, and take a moment to study him. He's certainly tall, with muscles showing clearly from under the strange clothes he's wearing. A ripped grey tunic covers his torso and underneath is a blue outfit. It covers his body from his wrists down to his feet, tight-fitting. Wrapped around his head is a grey bandage, but it isn't tight enough to be holding a wound. Instead it's loose and lets his sand-blonde hair fall out over his left eye. On the grey tunic is a crimson eye of sorts, with a drop falling from the center. With a jolt I recognize the sign from the Howling Stones.

My eyes flick to his right hand when it moves. I jerk when I see a silver chain wrapped around his hand, lying limp at the ground at his feet. But he's holding it like one does a weapon so I take caution of that.

He stares down at me, his own eyes looking me over. He seems to be deciding if I'm a threat or not. Getting mad at him for chasing off a rabbit doesn't seem like the best course of action. Instead I lower myself to the ground, ears flat and tail low. If I submit will he just leave me alone?

Those crimson eyes look into mine, making me shiver and feel like he's reading through my very memories. After a moment the tense silence is broken by a voice from the grass.

"So did you get some dinner or what?" a girl steps out, dressed very similar to the man but instead of a blue outfit she has black. She has black hair tied back into a tight braid, and do I see thorns wrapped in it? Her eyes are just as red as the man's, but seem much softer. She stops shortly when she sees me. I expect her to pull a weapon on me as well but instead she smiles. "Aww, did you make a friend?"

"Be careful," the man snaps when the girl crouches at my side. I lower myself to the dirt. "Wolves don't wander alone."

"I think this one does. Or do you hear any other howls in the night?" she asks rhetorically, offering her hand to me. I watch them both carefully, not daring to move. "Put your weapons away. You're scaring her."

The man raises a subtle eyebrow. "Her?"

"What kind of male is this small?"

"A runt."

Great, even complete strangers like to debate over my size and sex. And they don't even know I can understand them!

Nonetheless the man keeps his chain out, but lets his arm go slack. He continues to study my face as the woman reaches a hand to my muzzle. I scoot back a little and pin my ears back. I hate it when strangers try to talk to me, let alone pat me as a wolf. Her gaze grows softer and she giggles. "Aww, you shy little one?" she closes the distance between her hand and my forehead and runs her fingers through my fur. I'll be hard-pressed not to admit it feels nice, but I'm not so comfortable with the stink-eye the man is giving me.

Despite my best efforts to ignore the patting, I feel my tail start to wag when she scratches behind my left ear. Her face brightens when she notices and she looks over her shoulder. She opens her mouth to speak, but the man interrupts. "No, you can't keep it."

"But she's cute!"

"It's a wild beast and we can't find enough food for ourselves, let alone a pet."

I like you now.

"Besides, animals are noisy, messy and pointless to train."

Never mind, jerk. I was going to wag my tail at you but you just lost that honour.

"Sorry, little wolf, he says I can't keep you," the woman pats my mane. She drops her voice and whispers, "If I see you again I'm stealing you."

The man's already walking away when the woman jumps to a stand and skips off after him, humming happily.

...And she looks like the older of the two.

I watch them disappear among the grass, the night aiding them, before I stand. My mind needs a moment to catch up to what just happened. I scratch behind my ear with my hind paw in thought. Who were they and why did their outfits look like the Howling Stones?

And why is that man's sent familiar? Like hot sands and a warm breeze.

I shake myself, pushing the questions to the back of my mind. I pick up senses as a human that are amplified as a wolf, I must have run into him at some point in the past.

Well at least my search was successful. I found more than enough mushrooms and herbs to make something better than a watered-down rabbit soup. I pick the collected items back up and walk back to the cave, using familiar smells to lead me back. I see the light of the fire through the grass and stop, looking down at my paws.

'Now to change back...' I look around and spot a branch hanging low to the ground. I place the items on the ground and walk over, hoping this will be enough pressure to change me back. Luckily I begin to change back. Only I hit the back of my head on the branch before I'm human again. Rubbing the spot I also take a moment to reach my arm down my tunic and find that blasted wood chipping.

I let out a happy sigh when I find and pull it out. It's been more uncomfortable than painful. With my small task out of the way I pick up the items and walk into the cave, waving as I come over to the fire.

"Took you long enough," Alex snaps.

"Cut him some slack. He wanted to howl at the moon," Nura winks at me. Oh, they heard me?

"I didn't think you'd be able to," Adam says as I crouch next to the pot and begin stirring the mushrooms and herbs into the boiling broth.

Well to be fair I can make noises.

I think I would have been doomed without the Hero's Shade's help.

It only takes a few minuets for the meal to finish. I pour it into several bowls I had also brought and hand them out, serving myself last. I sit down beside Adam and begin to eat, smiling to myself. Yep, much better.

Everyone starts eating, making small noises of content, while Alex looks down at the soup, hesitant. I smirk, chewing some meat, and watch his face closely. He scoops some up and eats.

"This is really good," Adam nudges my shoulder with his elbow, making me look at him. "I never took you as someone who liked to cook."

'Ain't that hard,' I shrug, letting Navi share my meal.

"Don't just shrug it off. Look, you've even gotten Alex to like it!" Adam smiles at his brother, who looks almost lost when I also look at him. He quickly hides it and grunts.

"I'm only eating it because there's nothing else. It isn't good at all," he says before taking another bite.

Adam smirks and winks at me. "He likes it. He's savouring the taste."

At this Alex promptly scarfs down the rest, putting the bowl down with a loud clang. "There. It wasn't that good." I look down to hide my smirk when I see him glance at the pot.

Thank you for caring, Alex.

-0-0-0-0-

It takes another day for us to reach Castle Town. Shadow and Vaati've disappeared before we even entered, but I guess they're taking a detour? With how badly Castle Towners react to anything that isn't them I can understand.

I still get stared at for my ears alone.

Luckily it is quiet so late in the evening, letting us get through the Center and up Castle Way quickly. The guards stand stoically, but I wave at them as we pass. They have really dull days when they have to wait around so I try to get them talking as much as I can, no matter how bad of a conversationalist I am.

I smile when I see one offer a quick wave back before looking forward like he hadn't just broken his stoic facade.

We stable our horses and I stay behind a little longer, giving Epona a good scratch on the neck and a few extra sugar cubes for her hard work. She nickers and sniffs my face affectionately.

"She's a very good horse. I don't think I ever got her name," Navi says, coming out of my hat. We had decided she'd better hide through Castle Town.

'I named her Epona,' I smile. 'She's been by my side since I was ten. I even watched her be born!'

"Epona?!"

'Why do you sound so surprised?' I ask, patting Epona's nose as the mare gives Navi a curious tilt of the head.

"Well, Epona was the name of Link's mare long ago. I just didn't think you'd name her that."

I shrug slowly. That could explain where I got her name from. It just popped into my head when I saw her and thought it fit. Thanks, Past-Me!

'Alright, 'Pona, I gotta go,' I bump my forehead with hers. 'Heh, maybe I'll talk to ya later.'

I leave the stables at a jog, hoping to catch Zelda in her studies and not in a late council meeting. That's happened before and I didn't stop getting teased by the Princess for a solid week. If anyone ever told you the Princess was a sweet, innocent angel don't believe it. Inside she's a mischievous prat. And, of course, that's why we get along so well.

As I round the corner heading to our chambers I run into something. I stumble back but something grips my arms, preventing me from falling. Once I'm steady on my feet I look up and blush at the glint in Zelda's eyes. "What have I told you about running in the corridors, Link?"

'...That I shouldn't do it or I'll run into somebody?' I shrug sheepishly.

She shakes her head and hugs me around the shoulders. "I didn't expect you to come back so soon. Did everything go alright?"

'Eh, sure? But I got some bad news to tell ya.'

"I'd assume so with our history of luck, but tell me while I go to the Throne Room. A diplomat from Termina wishes for me to have a privet audience with him."

The very place Navi mentioned? I push it back in my mind, there's more pressing matters.

'Zelda, I hate to think this, but Zant's alive.' She stops walking for a heartbeat before looking at me in shock. 'I know, I didn't wanna believe it either. I confronted 'im inside the Temple where I helped awaken the Sage. He ran away before I could do anythin' though.'

"How could he be back? Midna killed him, didn't she?"

'Yeah, I saw it happen. I dunno how it happened, he was smart enough not to tell me, but I'm worried. He was able to summon this stuff called Cursed Water that infected anyone who touched it with poison. I got some of it on me and trust me, it hurts like fire. He's also found a way to make fake Shadow Messengers.'

"What do you mean fake?"

'Well, y'know how I told ya they were created from the base of the Twili? I don't think these ones had that. They were like ChuChus, constantly melting and reforming. It took bombs to blow them up. I don't think he could create them perfectly without the base.'

"They were surrounded in an aura I've never felt before," Navi says as she comes out of my hat, surprising Zelda quite a bit. "Oh, sorry Princess. I didn't mean to frighten you."

Zelda just smiles kindly. "Oh no, don't apologize. I just wasn't expecting Link to pick up more companions. Although maybe I shouldn't be too surprised."

"Thank you for telling me this, but I need to get to the audience. Do you mind attending and telling me after?"

I nod, following her through the Throne Room doors. We walk down the carpet and I stand beside her Throne as she sits, waving her hand at the guards at the door to let the diplomat in. The setting sun casts his shadow down the carpet before he steps in, the doors closing behind him. He seems tall, with blinding white hair that's styled so it falls over the side of his head in a mild curl and onyx black eyes. He's wearing a steel-grey tunic, black breeches and a short velvet red cape falls over his shoulders, tied together at his collarbone by some colourful gems. He walks up to the Throne with strong, confident steps and flashes us both a smile as he bows deeply.

"Greetings, lovely Princess. I am grateful you accepted my request. I am Duke Edward of Termina and it is a pleasure to meet you in person."

"The pleasure is all mine. Please rise," she smiles politely. The man rises and bows his head towards me, to my surprise. Not many people care to notice me beside Zelda.

"And you must be her Champion Sir Link. I must say your valiant battle against the wicked Gerudo man has reached very far," the man smiles. "I dare say it is still the biggest topic for us of Termina."

I feel my cheeks turn red. I don't often get praised for what I did, probably because I always feel flushed when it happens.

"Ah, modest as well? I must say, you chose a very good man to be your Personal Knight."

"I'm sure Link appreciates your compliments, but he's not a fan of attention," Zelda giggles. I huff lightly at her. "What do you wish to discuss regarding this treaty?"

"It is very simple, really. You and I both know that, because of how beautiful and rich Hyrule is, many threats have tried to take over. Termina faces the same threats often from across our sea. If we were to negotiate we could both make stronger armies and trade goods for the other's safety. Termina has very strong armour made from the ores found on our mountain. And I was told that the Gorons of your Kingdom mine diamonds in the volcano? Is that true?"

"Yes, it is. We have had a safe alliance with both the Gorons and Zoras for years, since the end of the Famine. The Gorons mine for ores for food and they keep a large majority and give the Castle a tenth of what they find. Diamonds are difficult to find and are the healthiest food for them."

"Very noble. I know many past Kings and Queens who would have taken the ores and let them starve."

I notice Zelda clench her hand on her arm rest, but her face remains composed.

"As do I."

"And what of the Zoras? What alliance do you have with them?"

"We are still working that out with them. Their Queen recently passed away and her son is picking up the pieces."

You have to admit for being only thirteen Ralis has done a damn good job.

"You seem to be on top of alliances within your Kingdom. Are there any people you don't have one with?"

"We are waiting a little longer to speak to the Gerudo. We have a servant in the castle who is one and she's informed me that they need to focus on their on economy."

"Even after what a Gerudo did to Hyrule?"

'See here, buckhole, that was just one man! No other Gerudo had any part in his grand scheme! Goddesses, people like you are the ones I hate the most,' I think angrily to myself, careful not to let Zelda hear. I've never understood how people can treat other races so differently. I often hear people call Zoras 'Fish' or Gorons 'Rock Munchers.' It's not right and down-right disgusting. That doesn't even compare to the insults Nura gets.

"Even after that. Ganondorf was a man corrupt by Power. All he saw was greed and a Kingdom he wanted to claim. I will fault no one else by those who stood by his side to watch innocent lives be killed. Now if that is all, I will have to discuss further negotiations with the High Council. You may meet us tomorrow at the tenth ring. Thank you for your time, Duke Edward."

"No, thank you, Princess. I request a pleasant room?"

"Of course. Please escort him to the Guest Chambers."

The Duke bows lowly once more, turning around with a swing of the short cape. I tilt my head when I spot his eyes glance at me and smirk. A soft shiver runs down my spine at the look.

'I don't think I like him. At all,' I turn to Zelda, a little confused by the shiver. She sighs and sinks back into the Throne, resting her forehead in her hand.

"But he is making sense. Hyrule needs extra support right now. Our army isn't big enough for a real battle."

'Oh yeah, army!' I think, digging through my Baggie for the scroll. 'Happy birthday, take this from my hands before I throw it into a pond.' I hold the scroll out gingerly, expecting it to come to live and eat my hand.

"Who gave you this?" Zelda asks, opening the scroll and reading it slowly.

'Some Stalfos I, eh, guess I befriended in the Temple? They said they always need a leader to follow, or they'll never 'reclaim their honour.' Grampadorf was their old one.'

She rolls her eyes at one of my many nicknames for the Pig-man.

"I see. And are you?"

'Heh, nope! I passed it onto you for a reason,' I brush the back of my head with a hand. 'Besides, I dunno how to lead an entire army.'

Finished reading, Zelda rolls the scroll back up. "Well at least we now have a bigger army."

'Plus two. In the Temple I got thrown into a dungeon-I know, okay? Don't gimme that look,' I pout at Zelda at the giggle fit she's holding. So far every time I've been in a dungeon I've made 'friends.' 'Anyway, I helped these other two guys out. They were sealed by one of our past lives and got unsealed to help us. I dunno about what exactly, they wouldn't say. Their names are Vaati and Shadow.'

Zelda begins walking back to our chambers. She hums, looking up at the roof. "Those names sound familiar. I might have even heard of Vaati in a book."

'Who would've thought,' I shrug, chuckling when she flicks behind my ear.

We reach our rooms and say goodnight. Finally, I can actually sleep. Even if I've gotten used to sleeping on the ground it's always a blessing to find a bed. I lazily pull my tunic and chain-mail off, laying them on the bottom of my wardrobe. Once I unwrap my chest and pull on a loose sleeping tunic I flop down onto the bed, burying my face into the pillows.

-0-0-0-0-

An echoing roar shakes my bed, causing me to jolt upright quickly and fumble sideways off the bed. I land with a crash amongst my covers, flailing to escape the tangle. Once I get my head out I yelp, finding my entire room flashing with dim orange light. At first I think a fire's been set to the Castle, but I don't smell any smoke.

"Thank the Sacred Realm you finally woke up!" Navi yells in my face. "I've been trying to get you up for an hour!"

'Wha's wrong?' I ask, rubbing my eyes as I climb out of the covers.

"It's Death Mountain, it's erupting!"

'It does that all the time.'

"Not like this! This isn't just a normal rainstorm of brimstone, there's reports of lava pooling down the mountainside! Zelda's already sent waggons to escort the Kakariko villagers out of there. She wants you there to help gather any stragglers."

'Yeah, yeah got it,' I rush to my wardrobe, hastily pulling on my normal clothes. 'B-but what was that roar?'

She dings lightly and I turn around, finding her a lighter blue colour. "Roar? What roar?"

'I...I heard a roar! Just now!' How could she not hear it? It was so loud!

"There was no roar, Link. But whether you imagined it or not at least it woke you up. Let's hurry!"

She flies to the door, fitting through the key hole as I snatch up my Baggie and run out, adjusting my hat to secure it. Did I just imagine that roar? But it sounded so real! I could feel it!

I shake my head, using the railing to go down the stairs faster. 'That doesn't matter. Kakariko's in danger.'

When I get to the stables I find a line of waggons sitting out front. People are being helped from them as supplies are taken from others. "Hey Link, finally up," Adam says humourlessly, carrying a box in his arms. "Can you help us take this stuff off before we go out?"

This must be bad of Adam of all people is serious. With luck it takes little time to empty the waggon and we're already on our way. The horses chosen to pull the waggons are ones built for speed, clearly, because the effort from pulling the waggon seems too much. I wince when the driver of the horses urges them to go faster with the use of his whips.

The blue sky slowly turns red as we race through the canyons and over the Bridge of Eldin. I don't think I've ever seen a Castle Trained horse gallop so fast in my life. Passing through the gates I jump off before we even stop and spot Nura and Alex. From their facial expressions they're not happy talking to this particular man. I get closer and start to hear their argument.

"Bah, I don't have to listen to you. I was born here and I'll die here."

"Your pride's going to turn you into ash. This isn't up for debate, sir, you need to vacate the village. Princess' orders," Alex says calmly, but I see the twitch of his eyebrow.

"With all due respect, the Princess is worrying over nothing. The mountain has done this earth shaking before. It's always erupting."

"You are such an idiot! You're going to melt alive if you stay here, do you understand?" Nura yells, grabbing the front of the man's shirt. "We are not going to let anyone, even stubborn asses like you die. Now get your ass in that cart or I'll hurl you in there myself!"

"Get your hands off me!" the man yells, punching Nura across the cheek. "I will not be told what to do by a boy and a Bird-Beak!"

The mocha-skinned woman's nostrils flare as she holds her cheek, glaring coldly at the man. "Would a sword be better?!" she brings out her elbow-blades, raising one to his throat. Before she can kill him I grab her wrists, pulling at them. I can't move her, but she notices what I'm trying to do.

"Ah, the Champion is here," the man says smugly, grinning at Nura. "Sir, arrest her. She dare assault me-"

I punch him in the throat, making him bite his tongue. He steps back, sputtering. I narrow my eyes into slits, looking him dead in the eyes. He stands up taller, stretching his neck to look further down at me. I see through his act and take a short, strong step forward. He yelps and climbs into the cart, grumbling lowly.

Damn right you don't insult my friend.

"Jeez, remind me never to get on your bad sides," Adam says, having just helped a young boy into a cart. We both look at him in a way to let him know he already is. He flinches and whistles quietly.

"Now that he's on, that's everyone. Thank the Goddesses for small villages," Alex says.

I look around, finding the village once again absent. While I'm more used to this, something about this seems wrong. Where are the Gorons? They can't still be on the mountain, can they?

The earth shakes, almost sending everyone to the ground. I look up through the shaking and see a shape among the smoke around Death Mountain. When the shaking stops I lose sight of it, but the shape remains in my mind. It looked like a snake, but since when can snakes fly?

It can't be coincidence that it appeared during an earthquake. Coincidences don't exist. It might even be what's causing all this. Whatever it is it can't be good. 'Navi tell the others I'm goin' up there. I wanna see if the Goron's are alright.'

"Are you sure? It seems too dangerous."

'Yeah, I'm-' I hear a quiet noise and turn my head to the canyon. It sounded just like the gust of wind I felt on the way to the Temple. 'I'm sure.'

I run to the canyon, ignoring the other's calling me back. I'm a Sworn Brother of the Gorons, I am one in their eyes. I trace the tattoo on my left arm, hidden by my tunic. A footprint-like mark with dark red paint. Not many people have seen it because I hide it. Anyone who's had to heal my injuries only, really. To be honest I'm surprised Navi didn't bring it up.

Speak of the Fairy, Navi flies up to my side and follows. "I feel you're going to do something crazy. Somebody has to be there to save your behind."

'Heh, yeah thanks,' I smile as I reach the chain-covered stone wall. I climb up it with practices ease and grow concerned very quickly. There's always a Goron or two posted on this canyon strip, in case any unwanted visitors decide to show their faces. They wouldn't be gone without a reason. I follow the familiar path at a sprint.

"They made you their Sworn Sister, didn't they?" Navi asks, ducking inside my hat.

'Brother. I earned the title after saving their Chief.'

She bobs as I run through the geyser fields. I stumble over one when another rumble shakes the ground, but manage to stay on my feet. I jump down the stair-like rocks into the lower valley, looking up for any signs of the falling rocks. While I don't see any, I spot the snake shape again. It dives back into the top of the volcano, a flash of red following it. Smoke rises from the opening as it descends out of sight. Closer now I recognize the shape. A dragon's causing all this? But there haven't been dragons in this area ever!

"Great Deku Sprout, is that Volvagia?" Navi shrieks, diving into my hat at the sight. "That thing should be dead! It fell apart!"

'What do you mean?' I ask, beginning to climb into the secret passage connected to the Goron's Center Chamber. To my dismay the iron cage is collapsed in on itself. I run back out and look up at the cliffs. How can I get up? My Clawshots can't dig into metal and stone.

"Volvagia's a dragon Link and I fought. I saw it disintegrate!"

Now you know how I feel about Zant. I am wise to keep my comment to myself.

'Maybe the same thing that brought Zant back brought it back as well. But we won't be able to fight it if I can't even get up this stupid cliff!' I punch the rocks, careful not to bruise my knuckles.

I feel the rim of my hat lift as Navi pokes her head out. "How did you get up before?"

'The Goron's would toss me up.' After they stopped trying to kill me. 'But since they're not here at all there's no way I can go further.' I push my back on the wall and sink to my butt, crossing my arms. 'Stupid rocks.'

"Well...there is one rock that can help." I raise an eyebrow as she looks into my left eye. Luckily she's dimmed her aura so I don't go blind. "Do you have the Kokiri Stone on you?"

'...No.' My ears flick lightly and I curse inwardly at the blank, 'I caught you' stare she gives me.

"You can't lie, can you?"

'I can so!' Again my ears flick. I blush as she giggles.

"And I'm seven feet tall. Can you think of any other way up?"

I remain quiet, slowly reaching into my Baggie. I cringe when I feel the wooden Ocarina in my hand. Navi flies off as I begin to play it, giving her a glare to tell her just how much I like this idea. When she flies down and I stand up I huff at her. She just smiles and goes behind me, lifting me up.

'I hate magic. Did you know that?'

"I know."

She puts me down at the edge of the Hot Spring Cliffs. I wipe a sheet of sweat from my forehead after playing the song, looking over the edge at the hot water. I grow deeper concern upon not seeing anyone. To be sure I'm not missing someone rolled up (it really is hard to tell), I climb down and gasp. The normally mild-warp water is broiling! I'm tempted to climb right back up, but then I spot something. Over by the small bar. I wade through the waste-high water, turning red quickly. I come to the bar and squint through the bubbling water before holding my breath and diving. There's something out of the ordinary about it-

Despite the heat, I feel my body turn cold as the face of a Goron lies in my hands. With a scream I stumble back, slipping in the water and banging the back of my head on the rocks. I gasp and sit up, seeing the world through a series of spins. I look down at my hands, finding them stained in thick brown blood, the blood of a Goron. My gaze turns to the head I dropped, terror causing me to shiver. The expression is one of pure horror, like he died quickly and suddenly.

I force myself to stand, bending back down to close the Goron's eyes. I close my own, feeling tears mix with the steam and water. I knew it. I knew the Gorons were in more danger. What could have done this?

'I'll kill whatever did this,' I think, opening my eyes and looking around the spring. I see the parts of other Gorons scattered among the water, turning the clear water dirt brown. My eyes narrow as I clench my hands, looking up at the volcano. The shape of the dragon circles the smoke ring, letting out a garble before going back inside the top. Once again smoke rises. It did it, didn't it?

"Link, we should look for survivors," Navi says gently, putting a hand on my neck. "Someone must have gotten away."

She's right. Find the Gorons first, then I'll hunt down that monster.

I force myself to walk back to the chain, trying to not look at the massacre around me. A race like them, who are so peaceful and caring, did not deserve this. No race deserves this. Even Ganondorf didn't deserve this.

How many Gorons had to suffer?

When I reach the top I begin scouting the area. Every boulder or corner that turns up empty increases my anger. The heat to my body did me no good either. I can't take extreme hot or cold to save my life. Right now I feel I could melt into the ground.

Not long after this thought comes to mind I see a pile of brown mush, forcing me to put a hand over my mouth to prevent puking. I place a hand on a cliff wall, doubled over as my body temperature rises. SCREW THAT DRAGON!

I search for an hour, looking around every wall and rock from the springs to the Center Chamber. The only signs of Gorons are the remains of them. I even step foot in the mines for a second, but can't stand the increased heat and the rising lava. I stumble out, my body starting to steam. I'll die if I don't cool down, but I need to find someone!

"B-Brother Link?"

The quiet voice is a blessing in Hyrule. I turn to a statue in the wall, watching it move slowly and reveal another passage. The one who pushed it is a young Goron boy. He stands only just taller than me and has clear tear stains darkening his cheeks. I smile in glee as I stumble over to him.

"You're here! I knew you'd come!" he wails, throwing his arms around my neck. I allow him the privilege of choking me to death. "When that dragon showed up we thought we were done for! The Elders and our Chief got most of us into the secret tunnels connecting through the mountain range, but so many decided to stay back and take down that monster!"

"Where does this tunnel lead?" Navi asks in a motherly tone. I can hear the higher pitch of her voice, she's crying too.

"Deeper into the mountain. We have a Temple we built there a long time ago. But when we got there it just got worse!"

"Worse?"

"A weird man showed up! He said he was the one who summoned the dragon! He said it would devour us all if we didn't give him what he wanted!"

"What did he want?"

"He wanted the ores from our mine," he sniffs, pulling away and rubbing his eyes. "We only had a couple to spare and he threatened to take it all! We would starve if he took them all, so Darbus told him to 'shove off.' He made a bunch of weird, dripping monsters show up and we couldn't do anything! The Elders were taken deeper into the Temple and Darbus was forced into that monster's chamber!"

'Navi I think he's talking about Zant. We need to get down there and help!'

"Link, that tunnel will lead right into the pit of the volcano. If you can barely stand in this heat that will kill you in seconds!"

"If heat's a problem, I can help," the boy says timidly. "Darbus was making a set of armour for you so you could take the heat better. I can take you in further, he left it behind with us."

I nod and follow behind him, the statue sliding into place. My eyes adjust as soon as it turns dark and I stay behind him down the long tunnel. I see a faint orange glow in the distance. While we walk on a downward inclination, the tunnel rumbles causing debris to fall from the roof and walls.

"These tunnels are sturdy. They won't fall on us. Here we go. Hey, guys! Brother Link is here!" he waves at a group of gathered Goron children. They all smile at me, standing from their curled-up positions to greet me. "Guys, give him some space. Judas can you go get the Goron Armour?"

He turns to a shorter Goron girl, who nods and rolls off towards the glow. She comes back just as quickly and unrolls, presenting a pile of black and red cloth to me. I smile at her thankfully and pull it up by the shoulders. There are two parts; a full-body red-orange suit with shining chain-mail underneath and a coal-black cloak stitched into the shoulders. The cloak looks like it is made of scales. Attached to the end of both sleeves of the cloak/suit combination are dark-red steel gauntlets with dark grey-blue spikes on the knuckles. On the neck of the cloak is a skull, it has a wide dome-shape skull, a long narrow snout with sharp teeth in the mouth, curved black horns on its temples and slit eye sockets. It's been painted in coal-grey paint with black circles around the eyes. There are hollowed holes at the sides of the skull for my ears. I look at the skull, feeling unnerved. What kinda lizard has a skull this shape?

"Chief Darbus made it himself from Dodongo skin and the ores we found in the mines," the boy who lead me here explains. "Their skin is heat-proof and very cool on the inside. The skull is from a young King Dodongo we found roaming the mines a few weeks back, the Chief thought it would fit nicely. He felt bad after you got sick for his sake."

He really is a gentle giant. I nod to the kids and walk behind a jutting rock to change into the new attire. It will be strange not to wear my iconic tunic and hat, but anything to survive this heat. As I change I have Navi look out in case any of the children get curious as to why I'm 'hiding.' I even take my time putting the suit on because it's just that much cooler outside my clothes. I smile at the fit, it's loose enough for me to move comfortably but just tight enough that it's not big on me. The cloak part brushes the floor only, making it so I won't trip on what's essentially my life-line. I fix the skull helmet around my head and smile as I look through its eye sockets. I adjust the gauntlets a little and smile at Navi, even if she can't see it.

'How do I look?'

"To be honest? Kind of awesome," Navi laughs, floating around my head as I pack away my clothes. "It fits with the glow of your eyes. Makes you seem bigger."

'Does it?' I tilt my head, tying my Baggie to the suit's belt and smiling. 'Cool. I might wear this more often, then.'

I come around the corner to hear the awed gasps from the kids. I shrug sheepishly, fiddling with the spikes on my right gauntlet as I walk to them. "Great it fits! Darbus was scared it would be too big," they all laugh lightly. "Thank you, Brother."

We part ways with a series of waves. They all cheer me on and wish me luck as I walk to the glow, an anxious worry making my heart pound. Will I find the rest of the Gorons in time or will I just find piles of rocks?

I shutter, the awful sight plastered to my mind.

Coming out to the glow I feel a heatwave blast my cloak back. My ears, being exposed, grow warm but not enough to be annoying. Surprisingly the suit seems to have enchantments to control my body temperature. My ears only feel like they're in the sun. The large chamber before me makes a hazy steam rise from every nook and cranny. It's a circular chamber, with a chain-mail bridge linked between the outcropping I'm currently on and a tunnel across the way. I look over the edge of the outcropping only to yelp and scramble back as a geyser of lava shoots up at my face. I sit and pant for a moment before looking back, cautiously this time. There's an entire pool of lava bubbling below, rocky pillars jutting out and reaching higher than even my outcropping. The lava seems to be slowly rising.

So I only have to cross a chain bridge over a lake of lava with frequent earthquakes almost stopping me from moving forward at all? Yep, seems like a typical run of bad luck for me. I hold my head up and take in a hot breath, stepping onto the rattling bridge with both hands on the handrails. My hands slide down them as I take steps forward, telling myself not to look down and not to think about the rumbling around me.

When I am half way across I hug the railing, closing my eyes as the cavern shakes. The bridge tosses and twists, causing my stomach to copy. As the shaking stops I open my eyes and see not much has changed, but one of the pillars has fallen over into the lake, making a geyser erupt. Though my legs shake I am able to stand and brace myself on the hand holds, focused on the other side when a small noise catches my attention. It's a small ting sound and reminds me of the noise the chain made when I was freed with Midna's magi-

My heart and stomach plummet as the whole bridge jerks. I risk a glance over my shoulder and see, almost slowed down, a single chain-link break in half. This causes a mass-breaking as the bridge begins unravelling itself. I hold back a scream and sprint for it, stumbling frequently from the swaying bridge. My scream is released when the bridge falls. I grip the chain-link and slam into the wall of the other outcropping, just managing to hold on through the jolt.

After I calm down my drum-like heart I look down and grow dizzy. The lava is so close the end of the bridge is dipping into it, causing the metal to grow hot. I look up and begin to climb. The Goddesses must smile upon me, I get to the edge of the outcropping safe and sound. I let out a relieved sigh and struggle to get up completely, but soon manage with a little moral support from Navi, who had previously tried not to faint.

I flop onto my back and allow myself a moment to gather my thoughts. When Navi lands between my eyes with a quiet gasp I cross my eyes and let out a pant. 'Well that could have been worse...'

She glares at me. I don't see it, but I can sure as Din's Hell feel it. I shrug slightly. 'Sorry. Too soon.'

I cup her in my hands and sit up, shaking my dizzy head and looking around. The bridge is beyond repair and now I'm stuck with another Temple behind me. I sigh. I swear I hate that word above all else. I stand and Navi flies out of my hands. The tunnel leads to a long, steep decline into darkness. I lean forward carefully, trying to see if I can spot the bottom.

'Eh, now what?'

"I guess we take this slow? Use it like a slide, maybe?"

'Guess that could wor-' My thoughts cut short when a blast of hot air hits my back, sending me forward. I yelp as I begin rolling down the decline like a log, unable to stop and gaining momentum. My brain feels like it's being knocked around and my stomach once again threatens to empty itself on me. Good thing I didn't eat before coming here.

The world spins and turns, leading me through a few detours of rocks, cracks and the occasional stop. My stops are always short and I get pushed on by sheer gravity. How did Gorons get up these things?!

I suddenly find myself flying, having not been able to prepare myself for the sudden rise of the decline. My scream is caught in my throat as I shoot off like a bolt, continuing to roll through the air. Then I hit something. My gasp mixes with another and I keep rolling, stopping several meters after hitting whatever I hit. It ends with my helmeted cheek lying on the ground and something lying horizontally on top my back. I let out a groan as my joints and newly acquired bruises protest against the weight. The horns of the helmet prop my head up, making it ache.

A deep groan comes from on top of me and I turn my head to see a person lying on me. Whoever they are sit up and cause my ribs to creek in anger. I let out a gasp and slam my hand on the ground, catching the attention of them. They get off of me and I let out a sigh, picking myself off the ground and standing up. While I dust off my front I look up, heart pounding from the tumble.

I jolt when I fall into the shadow of a tall, angry crimson-eyed man. The intense glare sent directly at me makes a shiver crawl up my spine, making me want to take a step back yet trapping me in place. His scowl darkens as he glances me up and down. My eyes widen when I recognize him as the man who chased off my rabbit. His gaze flicks between my eyes before he crosses his arms. "What the Din's Hell are you doing down here, kid? Are you not aware of the erupting volcano?"

I play with my hands, wondering how to tell him what's going on. Not like there's going to be a stick to sketch in the ash on the floor. Will he be patient enough for me to explain with my foot?

"Well? Are you going to say something or continue to waste my time?"

Goddesses I hate meeting new people. It always goes like this.

"Answer me, what is your reason for being here?"

At this I huff lightly and pull the hilt of my sword, only stopping when his knives slide between a very thin line between my helmet and neck. "Make another move and you'll regret it. Hand off the hilt, I don't need more blood on my hands."

Well that doesn't want me to take my hand off my only means of defence, but in the position I am in I can't exactly refuse. I lower my hand from the hilt and sigh when he takes his knives back, but doesn't sheath them. After a moment of looking at my face he scowls. "Great, just another pretend-to-be-Hero who thinks he can solve everything. I don't need arrogant assholes like you to get in my way. Now say why you're here or beat it," he says, shoving past me and walking towards stairs leading to several stone totems. I huff lowly, putting my hands on my hips and giving a displeased growl. The noise makes him pause and glance back at me, his face expressionless and cold. "What?"

I tap my neck twice and shake my head. The only way I can get across to people I'm mute. Of course the first thing everyone thinks is that I'm-

"You're mute?"

...sick.

Surprised, I need a moment for my brain to catch up to what he said instead of what I thought he would say. I quickly nod. Finally, someone who isn't a complete buckhole...

He's still a massive buckhole, though. The biggest.

"Great, the one person I decide to talk to in almost three years and you don't even talk back. Such a waste of time," he turns away and I narrow my eyes, running forward to catch up to his side. In a swift motion I'm on my back, him crouched over me with that chain wrapped around my torso and my helmet tossed a meter away. "Don't you ever come up to me from behind. You're lucky my skills are not as honed as they used to be."

I scowl at him, face already turning red from being exposed. Or maybe I'm pissed? That could be a good excuse, too. Here he studies my full face, eyes narrowed. I glare back. With a soft flick of his wrist the chain unwraps itself from around me, almost as if he controlled it entirely. It coils to the side of his belt and he turns his back on me for a third time.

"Get out. This is no place for a Fake Hero."

With a low growl I pull out the blade, slamming it tip-down into the rocky floor. He turns around with his blades ready, but I simply glare at him past the indigo hilt of the Master Sword. If this guy has half a brain he'll know what this means. Even that blonde bimbo knows what this is.

He remains silent, never blinking as his eyes subtly flick between the blade and me. After a few seconds he faces away, a smirk playing in his eyes. "Heh, everyone said you were short. They never said you were a full-on midget."

My ears flick back dangerously, turning red as embers. Right now Alex is my best friend next to this guy.

"So now what? So you're a Hero, Hyrule doesn't need Heroes. It just needs people who can get things done. And I get things done on my own. You can either piss off up that slope or deeper into the Temple, just don't get in my way."

'You are such a wa-'

"Link! Oh thank the Goddesses you're okay!" Navi cries as she flies from the dark slope. "I thought you got lost! You're okay, right?"

'Yeah, I'm fine. Just pissed off at this jerk,' I nod my head to the man.

"Oh, hello. Are you here to save the Gorons as well?"

"The Gorons can take care of themselves," the man shrugs. Is he not aware of the giant monster eating and melting them?!

Never in all my life have I wanted to punch someone in the face so much.

"They really can't. Not with Volvagia re-awoken."

This makes the man pause and turn. Does he really not know? Ha! Link one, whoever-this-jerk-is zero!

"That dragon from legends? It was killed long ago."

"You don't need to tell me that," Navi bobs, I imagine her rolling her eyes. "I was there. Someone brought it back to life and we're going to kill it again."

"You say that like it will be easy," he scoffs, shaking his head. "I've really had enough of this."

Well maybe I haven't had enough of you yet, buddy. 'Ask the buckass if he's going to help the Gorons or not.'

"Um, sir? If you're not here to help the Gorons, why are you here?"

"I see no reason why I should tell you that. I honestly see no reason why I'm speaking to you at all."

Probably just enjoys seeing me red as my tunic.

"If we're all going to be here we might as well go together."

"And make ourselves a bigger target for the dragon and whatever else is in this place? No thanks. I work alone and alone only. No short-cuts or loopholes."

He walks off further. I huff and grab my helmet, going up the stairs after him. 'Tell him I'm not following him. I have a real reason to be here.'

"Don't mind Link, the heat gets to him."

'Din's Hell no! I'm not blaming the heat for my anger. This jerk-off can think whatever he wants. Just tell him I'm 'pissing off' as he wants me to so badly.' I wince when I hear my thoughts. Sheepishly, I add, 'Please?'

"Well, we will be on our way, sir. Is it okay if I catch your name?"

"It's Sheik."

I pause for two reasons. One, that name is way to similar to Sheikah to be a coincidence and two, I know that name.

"Really? I knew a Sheik long ago. Could you be...?"

"Of course not. I know about the reincarnation deal, but I'm not one of you 'special' people. Sheik's a common name for my people."

'Kinda girly if you ask me,' I think, fixing my helmet around my head.

I ignore the nagging voice in the back of my head saying, You're one to talk, Link.

I turn right at the four carved totems to a perfectly-shaped oval in the wall. It leads to a large chamber with lava for the floor and brown pillars standing among it. On the far side of the room is a large boulder blocking a tunnel. Something in my gut tells me the dragon is beyond that blockade. At least that's half of my worries out of the way. Now I just have to find a way to move it-

"Brother? Ha, I knew you'd get here!" I grunt as a heavy hand slams on my back, almost sending me into the lava. I spin around and face Darbus, who's sporting a new scar across his face. Despite the heavy gaze in his eyes he smiles like always. "I was worried you'd never show. I see my son and his friends gave you your gift. You'll be able to help me with this dragon problem."

"Is it okay if I ask when it showed up?" Navi asks. Darbus doesn't flinch at all and smiles a greeting.

"Not too long ago. Just after the first few tremors of the mountain. At first I wasn't worried, you know how often this place shakes, but when that dragon came out of the summit it sent all of us over the edge. We rushed to get the children and Elders to safety, but some of my brothers and sisters stayed behind to protect us," he looks deeply into the lava, a haunting shadow crossing his face. I look down at my feet, fighting to keep the images out of my head. "I will always honour their sacrifice. And my first order of business is to kill that bastard."

"Will you be able to do that by yourself?"

"For some time. I may not be as strong as the first Goron Chief Megaton, but I am surly able to stop that dragon from escaping that chamber," he looks darkly at the blocked cavern. "I only worry for my people. We tried going deeper into the Temple for shelter, but strange creatures have invaded. Something across a bull and a man. An abomination in my eyes. They were just as strong as us, but had more numbers. I can't even begin to understand how they arrived inside the Temple without us knowing."

That doesn't sound right. "You're thinking the same as me, aren't you?" Navi asks. I nod. "Chief, we think the one responsible for this is the same man who awoke Volvagia."

"The frog-man?" Darbus scowls. "I thought we've seen the last of him." He shakes his head. "I will go further in and keep the dragon distracted. Brother, I hope it won't be much to ask for you to save my people?"

I roll my eyes and pull my sleeve's left shoulder down, revealing the red tattoo. He smiles and claps me on the back again. I wince when I feel blood trickle down my back slightly. "Thank you, Brother. At this rate we'll have to get you another," he chuckles, his eyes still dark. He rolls into a giant ball and builds up momentum, easily clearing the cap between us and the tunnel. He pushes the boulder aside and gives me a last nod before going inside, the boulder moving back into place to keep the dragon and Goron inside. I nod lightly to the boulder and I turn back, walking back into the first room. I see no traces of Sheik.

Good. I don't need another reason for my temper to be sour.

With nowhere else to go I search the room, looking for another path or something. I find one hiding behind the statues. Luckily they've already been moved so I don't have to do anything other than walk behind them. After a short walk through dim lighting, I come to another chamber with lava bubbling on the floor, small paths of stone bridging across and a whole lot of nothing else.

A clank to my left makes me jump and I blink as a knife embeds itself in the floor, cutting through a smaller projectile. Is that a dart? I hear a screech and jerk back, gaping as a mass of feathers falls from the roof, diving towards me. I dive to the side, unsheathing my weapons and bringing them up in a defensive position. The bird shoots back up virtually, barely managing to avoid hitting the stone. It turns and looks down at me with the face of a woman. I reel back in shock, remembering what the Stalfos Brothers showed me.

The woman-bird Hybrid dives again, the unfitting beak where it's nose and mouth should be open to tear through my flesh. I bring up my shield and let it slam into it, gasping when it causes my boots to skid across the stone. I stop shortly, feeling the heel of my boot over the edge, but don't get a chance to attack as the Hybrid pumps its wings to send itself backwards. Back in the air it circles me, its face bruised from my shield. I jerk away from the edge of the platform, watching it closely. It dives again, but this time its long talons are between it and me. I stab my sword out and up, but the creature moves up slightly. Its talons grab my forearms through my (rather poor) defence, but I see the tips crack grabbing the gauntlet.

Instead of trying to dig its talons in further, the Hybrid spins and throws me. I slam into the ground on my back, my weapons jerking out of my hands and clattering a few feet away. I feel my heart thud in my ears when I see the Master Sword balance on the edge of the lava. The Hybrid flies at me and I hold back a yelp, unable to find time to get the blade.

I hastily pull out my bow, firing a weak arrow at it. The arrow makes it jump back, but it flies forward with an ear-splitting screech before something gold and red hits its head. Cat-like claw marks are left above its right eye and it turns its head to the sky, scowling at something flying above. It's too fast for me to make out. The creature turns away from whatever hurt it and raises its wings, revealing sharp claws on the elbow-bone. I bring my bow up clumsily, shooting an awkward arrow up. It impales itself in the creature's breast, but only enough to draw blood. The creature snickers but doesn't get another attack in as it stops moving suddenly, arching its spine back as if in pain. The life fades from its eyes and it falls to its side.

I blink at the blue-clad man standing behind it. He gives me a heavy scowl. "You must be stubborn or extremely stupid. What kind of fighter lets themselves get unarmed?"

I flinch, for a moment seeing an equally angry Imp in his place.

"How Hyrule was saved by someone like you is nothing short of lucky."

Well he isn't wrong.

I get up and collect my things, trying to ignore the eyes digging into my neck. 'What?' I glare over my shoulder at Sheik, who stands silently. 'Navi, can ya ask 'im what his problem is? He's really gettin' under my skin.'

"Um, I'm sorry but can we help you with something?" she asks shyly.

"No. I think I've found what I was looking for," he shrugs, taking his knife out of the creature's back.

I walk up to him and grab his arm, glaring at him. 'So what? You're going to abandon the Gorons even knowing they're lives are in danger? Selfish pricks like you are the reason Hyrule falls into ruts all the time!'

He brushes my hand off calmly, which only irritates me more. "Oh no, the Hero is glaring angrily at me. I'm so terrified."

I clench my fists, growling lowly. He stares at my eyes at the noise. 'What the ever-lasting Din's Hell is his problem?! An entire race of people are going to be murdered by an undead dragon and this pompous buckass thinks he can just waltz in and out?' I can't even understand how someone can be so selfish.

"Look, Hero, I'm not connected to the Gorons. I'm not a Brother, so I am not obliged to help every single soul in the kingdom. Tell me, if you weren't a Brother would you have come anyway?"

I immediately nod. 'I may have only crossed their paths because of what was happening, but if I was given the chance to help them I would. I still will. I will always help people who are in danger. I'll be the one to take that burden on my shoulders if it means I can take it off other's.'

Through the thudding in my ears it takes me a few moments to realize how quiet it's gotten. Only the angry garbling of the lava fills the chamber. The blood-eyed man looks at me critically with the eye I can see, the gaze sending a shiver down my spine once more. Finally he turns away. "I need to go."

My temper flares like the very core of Death Mountain.

"I have other arrangements. But before I go, Hero," he raises a hand lightly, looking at me from over his shoulder. We make eye contact again. "I'll have you know Sheik is a unisex name. Unlike Link."

Time freezes around me. I stare off after him as, with a crackle of light, he's gone from sight. No. No no no. That did not just happen. Nope. I did not hear an implication that a complete stranger can hear me and knows I'm a girl. Not. At. All. The heat is messing with my head or I must be getting paranoid. Only specific people can hear me. Not some guy I knocked to the ground. Not some guy who's an utter buckwipe and deserves a good smack. NO.

"Um..." Navi flutters in front of my eyes sheepishly. "Well...on the bright side, he's gone, right? Now he won't make you mad. Right?"

Oh Goddesses what if he's a Mage? Sweet Nayru's Love did I just make an enemy out of a Mage? Shit the chain! Oh shit he was controlling it. Shit shit shit. He could use it to choke me. Or hang me upside-down over the lava. Or crush me under a boulder.

"LINK!"

I yelp and stumble back, raising my arms to my face. 'I HAVE A SWORD!'

"Link, calm down. He's not going to hurt you. Honestly, he had plenty of opportunity to. If he had meant you any harm he'd have done it. Now calm down and get up."

I gulp, flushing behind my helmet. That doesn't settle my jumbled thoughts, but it at least brings me out of my daze. I slowly get to my feet, mind-muttering his last words to me. It unnerves me, how did he hear me? Didn't I have my mental walls up? I quickly check, finding the pressure in my skull build as I focus. I release it and blink several times. Yes they were up. That means he could only have heard me through my direct-thoughts, but even then I was only thinking to myself, maybe Navi if I was too angry to focus entirely.

I feel a great sense of dread. What if he tells others?

The feeling is broken when a gold-on-red ball of fur appears at my face. "Hi there!" the cat-sized creature says. It has the body of a cat with gold fur, its long tail waving like a banner, but its torso and head look similar to falcon or eagle. The feathers coating it are a dark red and its eyes are gold as its fur. Between the feathers and fur are two wings flapping eagerly. "You lot sure saved my tail. That Harpy would have eaten me if you didn't show up!"

For some reason the concept of a talking cat-bird isn't as shocking as I think it should be.

"That creature was called a Harpy? I've never heard of it."

The little cat-like creature opens its beak as if to say something, but pauses and hums lightly instead. "Oh yeah, guess this isn't our home."

"If you're not from Hyrule, where are you from?"

"Hyrule? Neat name. Our place doesn't really have a name. All the different creatures that live there call it something different. My flock and I called it Mirage Plains."

"If it's not too much to ask, what are you and how did you get from these Mirage Plains?"

"The name's Felix, I'm a Gryphon. My flock and I were migrating south when this strange circle opened in our watering pool. It sucked most of us in. We weren't sure where we ended up, but we were found by this weird man. He said if we helped him he'd get us back home. He ordered us to capture these talking rocks-"

He lets out a squawk when I grab the fur behind his neck, coming Dodongo-snout-to-beak with the Gryphon. 'What?' I see him shiver, but can't control my rage. He helped imprison the Gorons.

"Wait! I didn't help! My Sis and me were looking around and found these smaller talking rocks. They told us they were hiding and we helped them escape! The pale guy found out and ordered for us to be killed! My Sis is still back there and I was grabbed by that Harpy the other guy killed!"

I let him go, looking into the lava absently. So that's how the kids got out of here if they had all fled this far.

"You'll have to excuse Link," Navi says. "He's worried about the Gorons; the talking rocks. There's a dragon that's been killing them inside this volcano."

"Don't worry about it. If you need any help I can lead you to these Gorons. It's a really big maze through there," he turns his head to three tunnel entrances across the lava. "I think I came through the one on the left. Hard to know where you're going getting hunted."

"Thank you."

I glance back at the entrance before following Felix. Hold on Darbus, I'll be back as soon as I can.

"So Felix, what can you tell us about your Mirage Plains? Are there others like you?"

"Yeah," Felix flips to his back in the air as we walk down the dark tunnel. "There are other species that live in the Plains, like our cousins the Hippogryphs, or the Harpies like you saw back there. But what all of us agree on is that Minotaurs are the worst. Their race mostly consists of males, not sure why, and they'll attack any female from another species when their 'in the mood', so to speak."

"Ew, sounds nasty. What do they look like?"

"Not hard to miss. Big, bulky things that look sorta like a bull but sorta like, well, whatever you guys are," Felix points to me and over my shoulder. "Like you and the blue guy."

Despite walking inside a volcano, I feel my blood turn cold. No, he can't be talking about the creatures Darbus told us about, right? That would make all this that much dangerous and...

'Farore's Spirit,' I reach through the mouth of the helmet to pinch the bridge of my nose. 'I am so screwed.'

Perhaps even literally. I shutter at the involuntary thought.

"Oh dear, are they in this 'mood' at this time?" Navi asks, glancing at me by the way her wings tilt. "If so Link we'll have to be more careful."

"Why? What have you got to fear?" Felix tilts his head, flipping back up-right.

"Well Link's a girl."

"What?!" Felix squawks, his feathers puffing up. "No, you have to be a guy! Right?"

Everyone else in Hyrule might be confused about my gender, but I assure you I am a girl.

"Shoot," he snaps his talons together, tail lashing about. "Well, I think we can sneak past them. They may have great smell to tell the difference between males and females and have good eyesight, but their borderline deaf so...that's good, right?"

I see his chest rising and falling rapidly and worry his heart will burst. He's more worried about this than he has to be. Even if these Minotaur creatures can sniff out I'm a girl, there's no way in Din's Fiery Pits of Hell I'll let them get anywhere near me. I'll send an arrow through their eyes or maybe even slice off their bits with my sword if they do get close. I've never faced creatures like this, but they are still creatures out to kill me. I've dealt with thousands of them, what's a few dozen more?

"Felix, calm down," Navi says soothingly, running a hand over Felix's head. "It does sound worrisome, but Link and I can handle any monster we face. We've done that before and we can do it again. After all we..." Navi falters, wings twitching as I feel her eyes look back at me. "...We've defeated those Fake Messengers, right?"

'Well, we've done a bit more than that, I think,' I smile, knowing what she was going to say. It's hard to let go of the past, even for someone who's lived a thousand years of it.

"If you're so sure. But I'd advise running from them if you can."

The tunnel ends at last, opening up to a plain, light-stoned chamber. Cracks line the floors and walls and the ceiling is high, and there are no signs of other life. The only way out of here is a-door? Why is a wooden door inside a volcano? I look at Felix, who studies the chamber.

"Hmm, this isn't it. Sorry, ladies," he rubs the back of his head. I wave it off and turn around, but see a figure blocking the way. They seem far away, but I can see they're big. The size of a horse, maybe. They're broad and their mass seems to fill the tunnel. Glowing silver eyes stare at me before the figure crouches, two large wings lifting above its body. "Sis?"

With an ear-bleeding screech, the creature shoots forward, talons extended and aimed at me. I roll to the side but tumble off the small step onto the cracked floor. I stand quickly, a light heat on my cheeks, and unsheathe my weapons as the Gryphon crashes into the spot I was just in. It has a reddish-brown cat body and the feathers covering its head and shoulders are bronze and fuller than Felix's. Its wings pump and take it into the air, where it growls at me.

The Gryphon swoops down, but I bring up my sword in an arc, aiming for its right shoulder. My attack is halted when a wall of flames shoots up my left leg. I yelp and stumble to the side, looking down to see embers die into the crack my foot had been on. While the tunic's breeches protect me from the burn itself, the heat causes my skin to itch underneath. A huge talon strikes my side, hitting with enough force to send me across the room. My back hits the door before I fall to the ground, the world spinning.

When I try to get up, something heavy slams down on my back. It pins me to the floor and I wince, trying to pull my legs out from under it without prevail. Through seeing the world in threes, I spot the Gryphon lung at me again. I grip the Master Sword, which I wasn't aware I still had until now, and raise it awkwardly.

Before the Gryphon gets to me, Navi flies into its face, glowing brightly. It recoils and flaps its wings quickly, blowing her onto my head. She groans, but seems otherwise okay. I blink rapidly as the dizziness begins to go away, replacing my skewered vision of the world with the full fury of a large Gryphon.

'Oh, um...hi?' I grin up at it.

It swings at me, knocking my helmet off my head. Navi takes flight before she can get hit and sits on my shoulder. I look up at the Gryphon and see another strike coming. I close my eyes and turn my head to the left, crying out when I feel talons rake across my forehead and eye. The force of the hit also makes some bones in my neck creak, but not break thankfully. I glare up at the attacking creature before Felix rams into its head, flying off before it can spot him.

"Ha, still alive, runt?" the Gryphon's voice is gruff and male. He places a talon on my flushed, bleeding head and forces it into the earth, right above a crack in the floor, digging dust and rocks into my cuts. My heart pounds as I hear other walls of flame burst from other cracks. "To think that Harpy didn't eat you. Maybe you can survive until your growth spurt after all. Though I doubt it. Now what is this you've brought with you? Did you convince this creature that you're the good guy here? You and your cowardly sister betray us for some sentient rocks? Ha!"

"Leave him alone!" I hear Felix say. I begin pushing on the floor to try and wiggle out, but spot an amber glow through the crack. I flinch, using all my strength to push the talon off. Unfortunately for me that means nothing when getting your face is being squished by a giant Gryphon.

'Hel-'

The Gryphon's weight is suddenly taken off, allowing me to stumble back and stare as the wall of fire rises a moment later. I let out a short sigh before Navi tugs my ear. "Move!" I roll to the side and see the door I had hit fall onto the floor. After a few moments it rises again, making me stare at it. "Fake doors. I should have known."

I turn my gaze when there's a shriek and see the Gryphon now chasing Felix, sporting a scratch between his eyes. Felix weaves around, able to stay away from the bigger, slower Gryphon. I reach into my bag and stand, readying an arrow. Thank the Goddesses I'm left-eyed. My aim is a little off without seeing through my right eye, but I manage to hit the Gryphon in the flank. It stops mid-light and glowers at me, switching targets. I prepare another arrow and open my right eye with a wince, feeling blood trickle into it. I shoot and the arrow pierces the Gryphon's eye, digging deep into his brain. He falls forward, crashing into me. His wings and tail twitch frantically, before falling still. I sigh and spread my arms above my head, closing my right eye and giving myself a moment to breathe.

"You okay?" Navi asks, sitting on my forehead beside my cut. "Oh dear, that's pretty deep. Do you have any Potions on you?"

'Yeah, I gotta couple,' I push out from under the Gryphon's body and sit up, pulling out one of two Potions. I drink half, shuttering at the bitterness, and pour half of the rest onto a cloth. I wash it over my face and feel the cuts slowly seal. For good measure I drink the rest and sigh at the empty bottle. If this keeps up I'll have to stop drinking these. I run a hand over my slightly-swollen wound and stand, grabbing the helmet before my head sets aflame. I look over at Felix, who's hovering just above my shoulder.

"You alright?" I nod, looking at the fallen Gryphon with a grimace. "Don't worry, I don't blame you. He actually broke one of our own self-laws: Never engage in combat unless attacked first. Gryphon's aren't supposed to be aggressive, we fight in defence or to hunt."

"How'd you establish that?" Navi asks. We walk towards the tunnel, hopefully the next one will lead us to the Gorons.

"Well Gryphon's may be intimidating, but we do not like to spill unnecessary blood. If we can avoid doing so, we will. It is dishonourable to other Gryphons if you disobey and attack. And trust me, if he had wanted to hunt you he would have remained hidden and strike you before you would even know."

Yay, more happy thoughts.

"Alright, it has to be down this one," Felix points to the center tunnel. "I remember because I flew down that one first but it lead to a dead end," he gestures to the right.

As long as we don't have to waste anymore time.

The center tunnel turns out to be much shorter than the last one, which makes Felix chirp in glee. He says that the chamber we're in now, a low-roofed and straight path to a hole in the wall, is familiar. There are clay pillars embedded in the walls for support. "Just this way. These things like to shoot fire, but it shouldn't be too bad," a stream of flame bursts from the clay pillars as he says this. He squawks and hides inside the folds of my cloak, his head and talons propped on my shoulder. His feathers are puffed up.

Somehow I don't think the tunic won't catch fire if I'm reckless with it. It wasn't like the Zora Tunic prevented me from getting wet. Is this random or can I judge when they'll spew fire?

Navi suddenly chimes like a bell, her wings fluttering quickly. "Behind us!" I glance back and see a familiar amber glow. It shines from the tails of a group of three Dodongos, their forked tongues tasting the air. My eyes lock with the Dodongo leading them and I see its eyes gaze at the skull over my head. After a few moments it lets out a nasty hiss and opens its jaws. In a swift motion I pull out my Hylian Shield, smirking when I see the fire dance around it and strike my gauntlet-covered fist. I lower my shield and spot a Dodongo charging at me. It's only now I remember I'm in a rocky hallway with a roof so low I can touch it with my palm.

I shove my arm forward, knocking my shield into the Dodongo's jaw. It jerks back and hisses, embers and smoke flaring from its mouth and nostrils. I have no room to get behind them and strike their tails. I look back through the corridor once before sheathing my shield and running towards the other end. All three Dodongos run after me. Fire licks at my cloak and heels, dancing around my torso and head from all directions. Funnily enough, I feel an almost pleasant coolness instead of an intense heat. The Goron Tunic, while coated in fire, doesn't allow any heat from touching my skin. I smile, tucking my ears near the skull on my head.

I reach the gaping hole and continue running, only to find that it quickly descends into a slope. "Hyaa!" I yelp as I lean my spine back, trying to grip the walls for support as gravity forces my legs to move faster. Blood pumps in my ears as the slope then turns into a straight-up pit, taking me off my feet as I plummet.

Falling through a wide hole, I land with a harsh crash. My back takes full-force of the land and I curse, mouth agape as the sticks I've landed on snap on impact. I feel a couple try to dig into my flesh, but the chain-mail of the tunic prevents it from penetrating. My face feels drained of blood, nonetheless, as I know I've broken a bone somewhere in my body. Din's Hell, maybe even every bone in my body.

After a few moments of trying just o breathe properly, I force myself to sit up and gasp, holding my ribcage. I rip of the helmet to cover my mouth, feeling my stomach revolting from the pain. Navi and Felix fly down in panic. "Great Golden Goddesses, please tell me you don't feel as bad as you look!"

I gulp down bile and take my hand from my mouth, forcing a smile that comes out as a grimace. 'I'm fine, nothin' but a few broken-gak!' I lean to the side and retch up, not tasting the contents of my stomach but a coppery substance. I cringe when I pull my hand from my mouth and see blood caking it. 'You gotta be kiddin' me.'

"Gah! That's blood! You just puked blood!" Felix shrieks, his talons gripping his head and his feathers making him look two times bigger. "Do your kind normally puke blood? Does she normally puke blood?!"

"Calm down, you screaming isn't going to help!" Navi snaps, flying to my bag as I wave my hand at her. Her aura turns a dark purple-ish/black and I can just feel the scathing glare from her. "Don't you dare say you're 'fine'. I've seen what you Links call 'fine' and this is on that list! Now sit still and take the Potion, I don't care if you start craving it or I have to force it down your throat, but for the Love of Nayru just take it!"

And in three gulps I down the Potion, feeling the after-affects of a pissed-off Navi chilling my neck. I guess she doesn't enjoy taking the 'I'm okay' excuse when I'm clearly in pain. I feel my insides mend and my ribs snap back into place, where they aren't piercing my lungs. It unsettles my stomach, but I manage to keep it together as my internal injuries heal. As they do I take this moment to look where I've landed.

I can see the hole I fell from lingering above and several branching off tunnels lining the stone walls. There are no signs of anything hostile thank Nayru, and the chamber seems to be very large, with only the pile of sticks I've landed on as anything different or eye-catching. I feel one of the sticks digging into my thigh and pull at it, glaring at it as I bring it closer to my face. It's thick and heavy, with a course, almost rocky texture and filled with holes. The colour is like charcoal and when I let it sit on my lap I can see it smears on my dark gauntlet, although it is hard to see.

'Why would a bunch of sticks be inside a-' volcano...

...Where a dragon...has been eating...Oh Goddesses...please, no!

I toss the 'stick' away and stand abruptly, promptly falling out of the pile I landed in. A short roll ends with me on my side, eyes wide and pupils shrunk in terror. Without pain and with my Twilight Sense in full use, I gaze with horror at the pile of Goron bones. Each is filled with holes, blackened with soot and cracked, as if whatever had defiled them had been feeding off the bone marrow inside. I hold my stomach and turn away, the remaining Potion that hadn't mixed with my body yet spilling across the soot-covered chamber floor. My shaking knees collapse, my hands flying out to stop me from falling into my own vomit. I pull myself into a ball and cover my ears.

I hear a scream then. Is that me? I don't know. All I can see are the desecrated bodies and bones of my Sworn Brothers and Sisters, thrown away like a dead rat.

Tears dripping down my chin, I see a shadow darken my vision before it goes completely black.

-0-0-0-0-

*shiff...shiff...shiff*

"And this is what we were warned about?"

Who? Who's...there?

"It seems so. Got to say, not really impressed."

"He killed Fletcher. He has to have some skill."

*shiff...shiff...shiff*

Ow. Am I...being dragged? Urk. That was a rock.

"Be careful! That guy said he wanted this thing alive remember?"

Why can't I move? Or see? Or...anything? What is, oof, pulling me along?

"Hurry, we have to cage him up with the rest. The grey guy said not to underestimate him."

Navi...Felix...anybody...where are you? I...I don't know what's happening.

...I'm...

*shiff...shiff...*

...So scared...

*shiff...*

-0-0-0-0-

"Brother!" A firm hand grasps my shoulder, causing my eyes to shoot open and I sit up fast, feeling light-headed. I hold my head and feel the hand rub my shoulders. "We were starting to worry you would not wake up."

That voice...

'Elder Gor Coron!' It can't be, he's alive? I look around, jumping in shock. I don't think I've ever been happier to see Gorons alive. All the Elders are here, with several adults and teenaged Gorons in the mix. A few have scars across their bodies or are covered in soot, but thank the Great Goddesses they're alive.

The weathered Goron smiles grimly, heavy bags darkening his eyes and giving them a sunken look. He's sporting a nasty molten bicep that distorts his Goron Tattoo, which in of itself is sad but not nearly as sad as the alternative.

I've seen far too much of the alternative for my lifetime.

"You are alright? Those Gryphons brought you here and we feared the worst." I nod. "Good. I wish we could have seen you again under better terms, however," he frowns. "Those Gryphons will not allow us out of their sights." He looks up and I follow, spotting a large open hole above us with high walls surrounding us. So we're in the bottom of a pit. I see several Gryphons flying above the hole, watching us and looking out of sight.

"Those monsters have been slowly taking us out one-by-one, feeding that forsaken dragon whenever it craves our flesh," Gor Coron sits down heavily. "It will not be long until we are all killed by that beast."

I look up at the hole of the pit forlornly, my ears fallen down completely. I vaguely notice the lack of Dodongo skull, but keep my focus on the far-off escape. The recent memory of me passing out crosses my mind and I sigh, closing my eyes. How could I have let myself faint like that?

"Do not give yourself further grief, Brother Link," Elder Gor Liggs' voice makes me look at the corner he is seated in, legs crossed and head tilted back. "You do not have to carry such a weight on your shoulders. You have come across a massacre, do not think yourself weak for succumbing to your limit."

"Elder Liggs has been meditating all this time," Elder Coron says. "He is upset he did not foresee this, but has been doing everything in his power to see what will become of our path. He is unclear still, but saw you coming to rescue us."

I see. Can he see how I can keep my promise to protect them?

"Hmm...Brother Link, sit beside me." I look from Elder Coron to Elder Liggs, standing hesitantly and walking over. I feel the burning gaze of hawk-like eyes on my neck, but refuse to look up. I sit beside the youngest Goron Elder. His eyes are closed. "Your stay with us will not be much longer. A Gryphon will come to take you. Do not fight back. Let them take you. You have nothing to fear from them."

I blink a moment before something heavy lands behind us. I growl at the golden-furred, black-feathered Gryphon, ears pinning back and bearing my teeth. It has a broken beak and coppery eyes that leer down at me. "Come," it -she- barks. She grabs my bicep and tugs me to my feet, lifting off the ground. I look down at the Gorons, praying they'll remain safe and no one else will have to be killed.

The Gryphon flies me out of the pit. I spot even more Gryphons sitting around almost very edge of the pit, sitting like gargoyles. The Gryphon holding me flies towards a cave settled near the top of the high ceiling. She brings me inside and drops me, landing at the edge and only escape route. Not like I'd be stupid enough to jump from this high. Still on the floor, crouched on my hands and knees, I growl at her once more. To my surprise, a smirk crosses her beak.

"Feisty. Calm down, now, I'm going to help you out," she takes a step towards me, but I back away, standing up and reaching for my blade. Only to discover air. I pat down my body to find my baggie and weapons missing. "Stop panicking. I'm going to get you out of sight and to Felix and your friend."

How does she know Felix? She smirks at my suspicious glare. "The little fledgling wouldn't stop freaking out when I found you passed out. You're lucky it was me, otherwise you'd be in even more trouble. I tried to be gentle, by the way, but the others showed up. Had to play it up like I sided with them. The idiots have no idea," she snickers, stretching her talons out.

"Get your stuff on. I'm going to get you out of this chamber but you have to be quiet."

Trust me, not a problem.

I walk to the Gryphon, who spreads her wings out. "Climb onto my back and hold tight. I'll be able to hide you between my wings while flying, just don't do something stupid," she leans forward to let me on. I don't like it, but I have to trust she'll really help me. Elder Liggs said not to fight back. I climb up and grip her neck feathers, flattening myself to her back as best I can. "Heh, good thing you're a runt. This should be easy," she crouches, her rump and shoulder blades shifting in anticipation. She flies out of the cavern, the pump of her wings almost tossing me off. I hold on tighter and press the side of my head into the mass of feathers.

She flies above the pit and I glance at the surviving Gorons. I'll make sure there are no more deaths. I promise. 'Please, just give me some more time,' I pray, closing my eyes tightly. I've never felt so drained.

The Gryphon is stopped for a moment, hovering in the air as an all-silver Gryphon confronts her. "Where are you going? What of the creature?"

"Well...I had it, but it escaped." I blink, glancing at the back of her head. She lets out a screech when her neck turns sharply. The silver Gryphon pulls back his talon, now dripping with blood.

"You have one more chance, traitor. We must get home."

"I know! It's not my fault!" she clicks her beak. "I was standing guard and it slipped through a crack in the wall. In that cave," she flicks her tail at a different cave than we were in. "See for yourself."

"Just get to your patrol. And if I find that brother of yours is alive I will kill you."

She hisses not unlike a cat and continues to fly, swooping down into a short tunnel. It leads into a lava-filled room, lava flowing from holes in the walls and ceiling. Before she lands the first earthquake in a while shakes the cavern, causing rocks to fall and crash into the pool. We're almost hit by them and the splash. The Gryphon flies into a path following a river of lava. We arrive in a small side-path and she lands, unfolding her wings.

I slide off and frown at the small alcove. There's absolutely nothing here. Why did she fly here so directly?

"Link!" I feel something tackle my neck. "Thank Nayru you're alive!"

'What happened?'

"You fainted, then Elsie here found you," Navi says, pulling up to my eyes. "Felix and I hid inside your helmet to keep safe until she came back for your things."

"That sword of yours burned my talons," Elsie says. "But your Fairy insisted I take it. Be grateful."

Elsie walks towards a boulder, Felix hovering beside her head. "Thanks for the help, sis."

The boulder reveals another tunnel, with a pile of my stuff sitting at the entrance. The security of the Master Sword and Hylian Shield on my back lets me breathe a sigh of relief. I always feel naked without them on me. I pick up the helmet and let out a shuttering breath as the image of a pile of bones plays in my mind. I don't know how much more of this I can take, I've already reached my mental limit and I can't take anymore Potions. I clench my fist and look at Navi.

'We need to save the Gorons. But how do we get them out of that pit?'

"I don't know. But with luck Darbus fighting Volvagia will give us time to figure out a plan."

'But we saw Volvagia outside the volcano at one point. What if he's escaped?'

"Volvagia's a hunter with a thrill for battle. Have you simply dropped your sword and stopped fighting?"

I feel my scar itch profoundly, grateful the helmet hides my red face. She doesn't need to know about how Ganondorf gave this to me.

"He'll fight Darbus until one of them drops. I've known a Goron who was not much taller or stronger than an average Goron able to hold his own against him. Darbus should still be fighting him which gives us the chance to find the Megaton Hammer."

"It's not that simple," Elsie speaks up. "How long has this Darbus been fighting the dragon? And where?"

"He was at the beginning of the temple, going to a blocked-off chamber. That must have been...at least three to five hours by now."

Elsie's eyes turn grim as she plays with her broken beak. "I don't mean to make everything worse, but the Gorons have been getting taken from the pit every hour since that grey man summoned us and the Minotaurs here. I've had the disgusting honour of stacking those bones. I've never once seen the dragon. I think your Darbus friend was wrong about where the dragon was."

'WHAT?! You can't possibly tell me Volvagia's roaming around the temple! How could we not have found a giant dragon?!' I grab the horns of the helmet, tugging down on them. Has Darbus been killed or was he really wrong about Volvagia?

I pray he was wrong.

As if on cue, a loud roar shakes the alcove. I put my hand on the wall to stay steady and pin my ears back as it echoes along the tunnel. It's distant.

"Hurry, through the tunnel," Elsie waves us over. She follows behind us and moves the boulder back in place. "We won't get anywhere if we hang around here."

Be okay, be okay, be okay.

-0-0-0-0-

After several detours through a wrong tunnel or down a slope, we find ourselves in a circular room. A spiral staircase wraps around the walls to a high-up pedestal. It's been uneventful since entering the cave, and that just makes me feel more uneasy. The room opens up to a grey sky, filled with a ring of smoke. I hadn't realized there were more than one volcano opening. But I guess we're farther inside the Death Mountain Range and not the Mines themselves.

I begin walking up the staircase, curious what is at the top, when Elsie pulls me into her side with a chortle. "No no no, runt. We're not taking the long way up." She tosses me onto the back of her neck, just in front of her wings. Yeah, this is kinda not what I wanted. Before I can get off Elsie takes flight, reaching the top of the stairs in a few seconds.

There is nothing here but a mark in the stone. I hop of Elsie's back, tapping a line with my foot. It's a perfect circle. Why did they bring us here? "This is where we first arrived," Felix explains. "The portal closed once we were taken through and the grey man appeared a while later, promising he'd take us back. Elsie and I thought it was a bit too convenient, but kept our beaks shut at first."

"We all just wanted to go home. We were willing to do anything. Then the Minotaurs showed up. They didn't care they were in a world we didn't belong in, they chose to capture the rock people because they wanted to. They wanted to cause death and suffering. Those beasts are the worst kind of Mythical Monster," Elsie's talons dig into the stone as she clenches them. Her feathers make her look three times larger puffed up. "There were only a few. A dozen, maybe two. Not like us who had almost half our flock taken. After they dug that pit, they forced the majority of the rock people into it. They've disappeared since, with maybe three left in the volcano at all. Felix and I don't know where they went."

"We can stay safe here for a little while. Figure out a plan."

"I have to get back to the pit," Elsie says. "I can't get them mad at me again," she runs a talon over her beak gently. She takes flight and gives us a final salute before leaving the cavern. Felix sighs, sitting down on my shoulders.

"Any ideas?"

The entire cavern shakes, throwing me off my feet. On my back, I see a lean shadow pass over the opening of the mountain. A red haze surrounds it and an orange light brightens the sky outside. 'It can't be...' I sit up, feeling my heart in my stomach. He's really out? Where is Darbus if he was never behind that boulder? Is the Patriarch going through the Temple now or was he killed, too?

I see a sheen of orange and red enter the cavern through the smoke. Felix ducks under my cape again and Navi flies inside my helmet on my account. My heart pounds as I hold the sword and shield out, the dragon flying. It spots us quickly and straightens its neck. Or, I guess it's its neck. The dragon looks like a snake, with a long body twisting in the air. The scales are an orange-red, with a lighter orange underbelly and a mane of fire surrounding its black horns. Its head is black with glowing yellow eyes and it only has two front arms, but they're long with four sharp claws. It circles around us, a ring of smoke flaring from its nostrils.

Volvagia.

'Oh screw me with a Deku Stick,' I mind-mutter as he begins to speak.

"I thought I smelled a snack wandering through my domain." His voice is raspy and deep, as if he's constantly suffering from smoke inhalation. "But you wouldn't even satisfying me for a morsel."

I grip my weapons tighter, watching him closely. He flies down, his claws scraping the floor and his neck rising high while his body disappears from my sight. 'Navi, what do we do?'

"I don't know," she whispers, looking through the right eye socket of the skull. "When Link and I fought him we were in a closed space and had the Hammer. Without either we have little hope to defeat him."

"Not like I'd waste energy eating you. Those minerals were more than enough to fill my famished body," Volvagia releases a stream of smoke from his mouth as he says this, which covers the whole platform. It blows my cloak and Felix back, sending the small Gryphon out of my sight. With stinging eyes and a struggle for breath I try to spot Volvagia through it but can't find him.

My legs are suddenly tugged and I let out a yelp as I'm left dangling in the air, held upside-down at the dragon's face. Luckily I keep hold of my weapons. Unluckily I spot Navi's glow left behind in the cloud of smoke. "I do not know why a pitiful creature such as you feels entitled to roam my volcano, but I don't need any of that. I can tell by your sent; you've seen the Gorons. You've been with them. Which tells me you are here to save them, aren't you?" He waves his tail, shaking me around. I struggle to hold onto my things. "Now that is something I certainly don't wish to happen. They've done well supporting me. That grey man who revived me was offering their entire tribe to me, which I've seen has grown since I was last alive. I intend to stay alive."

He flies up quickly, the pressure of the air making my ears pop. My weapons fall and he takes me out of the mountain, high above the ring of smoke he creates in his wake. I feel a wave of vertigo as I see Hyrule Castle in the distance, shadowed by dusk. He continues to climb in altitude. I won't survive this if he keeps going and I won't survive if, possibly when, he drops me.

I'm going to die.

I grit my teeth, watching the Death Mountain Range grow smaller. There has to be a way to escape this stupid lizard! Something suddenly hits the bottom of the skull, prompting me to feel it. The shape of the Kokiri Stone meets my gauntlet and I wince lightly, looking at the underside of Volvagia's head. I am so dead.

I pull my helmet and gauntlets off as quickly as I can, storing them inside my bag and switching for my ocarina. I feel ice beginning to form on the wooden instrument and bite down on the mouth piece, the echo of the notes filtering through the clouds we enter. I escape Volvagia's hold, hugging myself into a tight ball as I quickly am sent plummeting downward.

Above me a roar makes my ears ring and I see a shape descending towards me. It strikes me and I'm flattened to Volvagia's forehead, luckily unseen by his eyes. His 'head' is actually a skull like my helmet. I smirk for a moment before looking over my shoulder. We're still very high above the ground. He stops suddenly and I barely hold on enough so as to not get flung off. He growls, looking around.

'Alright then, let's give ya what you want,' I think. Blood pumps through me as I climb up to the top of his helmet, waving a hand in front of my face at the heat of the mane. The Ocarina, which I was able to hold firmly, comes back to my lips as I jump into the mane, switching with my gauntlets the moment I'm back to normal. I grab the mane and tug hard, making Volvagia hiss like a snake. 'Surprise, buck-licker!'

Volvagia swings his claws at me, but can't reach behind his head to fling me off. Ha, rely on your mane to protect you here, don't yo-? A strike as solid as a tree trunk slams into my side, knocking me off with the force of a catapult. His tail, I forgot about his tail. I plummet again, seeing Volvagia vanish as his roar shakes the very air. With my back facing the ground I glance at the Castle, seeing only the outline. I close my eyes after a few seconds, praying it's quick.

Damn, didn't think I'd see Farore again so soon.

I feel heat hit my face, wrapping around me with the air pushing at my back. I hear the bubble of lava. The smell of brimstone. This isn't going to be quick.

Then something wraps around me, knocking the wind out of my lungs and opening my eyes from the shock. Yet I see nothing. My cloak, it's encasing me. I kick my arms and legs, trying to escape it, but find my arms pinned to my sides. Ground suddenly greets me and I roll into a stop, tangled in a pile of cloak and limbs. I manage to push it off my head and take in a deep breath, looking around. I blink, finding myself at the outcropping of a volcano, a broken chain-mail bridge hanging in the lava.

I'm...outside the Temple?

I look around, trying to find whatever caught me. But I see nothing. Slowly I rise to my feet, looking towards the Temple entrance. After all, I may have almost died, but I have a promise to keep.

-0-0-0-0-

Standing atop a stone pillar was a lone figure. They watched the scale-clad Hero run back into the Goron Temple with a smirk. After the Hero vanished from sight the figure jumped off, a small piece of slightly-charred grey fabric falling from them. It landed in the lava below, vanquishing all traces of the figure as they used their advantage of the night.

-0-0-0-0-

'Ow, ow, ouch, oof!'

With a final roll I land at the base of the steps, not human body stopping me this time. I groan, sitting up and rubbing my tender head. That'll hurt more in the morning, if I live through this. I stand and brush off my front, walking up the steps. I stare in each direction, contemplating where I should go first. I need to find Navi and Felix first, even if I want to check on Darbus. If he is dead I'll be wasting time worrying them.

I don't get to step through, however, when a tall figure ducks out of the room over. I freeze on the spot. A large man-like creature looks down at me, the waste-up covered in curly black fur that gets thicker as it gets closer to the head, which resembles a bull with a wide skull, large horns and soulless black eyes. A golden ring is pierced between the creature's two nostrils and it snorts. The creature has thick human-like legs ending with cloven hooves and very-male...bits which make me turn pale. It's easily eight feet tall and the shadow itself feels heavy on me.

Well the thought seeing these things with weapons on my back and two friends at my side is a much different scenario than confronting them with nothing. I don't even get to finish a comprehensible thought before he lets out a bull-like roar, prompting me to turn tail and run into the direction Darbus went. I pause for just a moment before the Minotaur's hooves shaking the ground encourages me to jump forward. I barely make the jump onto the center rocky pillar but run forward, clearing the second one a lot easier.

Then I run into a bigger problem, the boulder. It stands unmoved from its spot, making me slap it with my palms. 'Shit, NO!' I let out a cry as the Minotaur jumps to the center platform, charging forward. If he catches me death is the least of my problems. I look around the empty room and spot another pillar to my right. I just have to get around him and to the other side, then I can run to the...Goron bones and find my way from there.

Jumping to the next pillar proves harder than I thought, it's risen about a foot higher than the last one and leaves me holding on with my arms, my feet scraping the side to boost me up. Just the shake of the monster's hooves behind me gives me strength to pull myself up. When I get up I pull my bow out, aiming for his head. To my horror the arrow ricochets off his skull and back at me. I duck and hear a clink as it lodges into the wall behind me. And thusly the Minotaur is thoroughly even more pissed off.

Seriously, scre-

Y'know what? Not even gunna finish that thought.

I suppress a scream and take a leap of faith, somehow landing on a small platform only inches above the lava. I crouch on it, half-turning to the platform to see the Minotaur looking down at me. He quickly makes up his mind and follows me, landing roughly on the other side of the slab. His weight causes the slab to tilt slightly and I scramble to my feet, jumping off the peak of the edge. I land with a shortage of breath on the edge of the center platform, my left foot dipping into the lava. I wince lightly and begin to pull myself up when the ground in front of me shakes, ending with two hooves at my face.

I scream when I'm picked up by the horns of my helmet, being brought to the Minotaur's face. He tosses me on the ground, I skid across until my head is dangling over lava, and I let out a scream as he steps on my chest heavily. He presses down, slowly pushing my head closer to the lava. Even with the helmet and heat-proof enchantments, I feel sweat trickle down my forehead. I see it drip and sizzle in the lava.

Then it stops. I feel the pressure lift off my chest and make the mistake of sitting up, getting a face-full of the Minotaur's face. He grabs the front of my tunic and lifts me up again, grabbing my helmet and ripping it off. He tosses it over his head and leans my face closer, sniffing the top of my already-baking head. I wince, fighting back a whimper when he grabs my chest roughly, making me squirm. S-shit.

With all my strength I reach my gauntlet back and punch his eye, driving a spike into the socket. It roars, dropping me. I clamber to my feet as he stomps on the ground, almost crushing my foot. I jump to his side but he swings his arm out, grabbing my hair and smashing my face into the ground. I feel my nose break and feel that couple with multiple cuts drip blood down my chin. I struggle to get his hand off, but I feel a knee on my back. Oh Goddesses, please no. I kick up but feel my face grow further pale as he catches it in his hands. I feel him shift and scream as the bones in my leg are snapped like a dry twig. Tears mix with the blood when its hand presses down on my lower back and head.

'Somebody hel-'

"Get off my friend." Just like a feather, the Minotaur is thrown off my back. Large hands pick me up by my shoulders, gently planting me on my feet. I look up with swimming vision to see the gigantic form of Darbus standing above me. Through the blur of my vision I see him smile softly and rub my head. "You're okay, kid. Just give me a second to kill this piece of meat," he cracks his powerful knuckles, but picks something up from the band around his head. A silver-headed, bronze-hilted hammer. As if he threw a pebble Darbus lobs the hammer at the Minotaur's head as he stands up. Bone, blood and brain matter splatter onto the wall behind him as his body is pushed into it by the force. Slowly the body falls forward, the blood sizzling into the lava pool. "Sit."

He pushes me to the ground gently by the shoulders and collects the hammer and my helmet. He crouches beside me and hands me the helmet, which falls heavily into my lap. Farore's Spirit, that had been too close.

"You okay, Sister?"

I jerk my head up at him. He gives a friendly smile. "I saw the thing's eyes, the desire. Don't worry, he's dead and you're safe. How is your leg?"

At the mention of it a burn shutters up my leg, making me wince. I wipe the blood gushing from my nose on my sleeve, sniffing. "Can you stand?" I look up then back at my leg, twisting myself to my hands and knees. I push myself up, but gasp and stumble forward when any pressure is put on my foot. Luckily Darbus catches me and supports me. "Hmm. Have any Potion?" I shake my head. Even if I did I've reached my limit of consumption. Any more and it will be more dangerous to take it. I'll have to let this heal on its own. "A splint?"

I don't normally count on myself getting so injured in a single day, but luckily Zelda's been practically ordering me to bring at least simple first-aid supplies. I sit back down and reach into my bag, pulling out the splint and gauze. Darbus helps fasten it tightly, not Goron-tightly thankfully, and gives it a soft pat. "Did you ever free my people?" he asks, his voice low and soft. People tend to be intimidated by him not knowing how such a big softy he is. I wince, hating myself for not being able to keep my promise to him. "We will find a way. I've gotten that dragon backed into a corner," he smirks. "It won't get passed me."

'Wait, what?!' I gawk up at him. I look at the boulder, which has been moved. So he was in there this whole time? Fighting? I point at it and give him a confused look.

He returns it. "Yes I've been in there. That dragon was smaller than I expected and was even hoarding the Megaton Hammer!" he pulls up the weapon. "Coward kept diving into the lava where I couldn't get him-what's wrong, Sister?"

I shake my head rapidly, forcing myself to my feet. I point to the Temple's entrance and motion to towards the boulder, shaking my head and crossing my arms quickly in front of my chest. Please tell me there aren't two dragons.

"What are you trying to say, Sister?"

"LIIIIIIIIIINK!" A small light strikes my nose and I cross my eyes, blinking as Navi hugs the bridge of my nose. "Thank every God you're alive! When that dragon took off Felix and I thought you were killed! What happened to you?"

'I escaped with the stone, rode on his mane for a few seconds and was tossed off. Something caught me and I ended up in the crater with the bridge. Had to go down the slope again. But Navi Darbus says he's been fighting Volvagia all this time!' I think quickly, beginning to hyperventilate. How could Zant summon two dragons?!

"Slow down. First off, hello Darbus. Second, pardon? We saw Volvagia, Link. He's still flying around the mountain peaks!"

"Impossible," Darbus says gruffly, crossing his arms. "Volvagia is at the end of this tunnel, in a room much like this one. He's been hiding in the lava a lot and I've only gotten a few hits on him. He hasn't even struck me once."

"Darbus, Volvagia grabbed Link and tossed him-"

"I know my Sister is a girl."

"-Oh, well he tossed her from the air. He almost killed her! He...he's been slowly eating the rest of your people," Navi's wings wilt as she sits on my head. It's dawned on her. "There are two dragons."

Darbus scowls lightly, looking at the ground thoughtfully. "Well then, let's get rid of the dragon inside there then get Volvagia. He won't be able to resist my size." He grabs the hammer before turning to me. "Here, Sister, it may not be as intimidated by you as me. You could lure it out."

I nod, reaching out to take the hammer. I gasp as it dully thuds into the ground at me feet, almost breaking my foot. Well I hadn't expected it to be so heavy. "Oh Link, what happened to you? Was this from the fall?" Navi brushes my nose and a cut on my lip gently. I wince and glance at the body of the Minotaur, which I find Felix is sitting beside in awe. Navi follows my gaze. "Oh Link...y-you're okay, right?"

'Well...I'm still a virgin,' I joke weakly, to which she deliberately bites my ear. 'Ow!' I rub my sore ear and blush sheepishly at her. 'S-sorry. I just wanna get it off my mind.'

"That is so like you," she hugs the same spot she bit. "Brushing off an experience like that with a joke. You Links are so alike."

"I guess we go get ourselves some dragon skulls," Felix offers, landing on Darbus' head. The Goron Patriarch simply chuckles at the hybrid. "Oh, you don't mind this, do you sir? My wings are tired."

"Not at all, little one."

Before I take a step, Darbus picks me up not unlike a baby and steps into the lava, walking across to the boulder. I cross my arms and huff lightly, fixing my helmet onto my head. It's getting a bit too warm in here for my liking.

Darbus walks down the tunnel and we enter a room with a single circular platform surrounded by lava with a path connecting it to us. There is no way out into the sky and I grow worried, cradling the hammer to my stomach as Darbus puts me down on the platform. The weight of the weapon makes my arms sag, but for some reason it seems a little lighter.

'Where is it?'

My question is answered when I see the head of a dragon emerge on the opposite side of the platform. It peeks over the edge and I growl at it. It looks exactly like Volvagia, with orange-red scales and a mane of fire. The only difference is this dragon's eyes, they're an ocean blue instead of a fiery yellow. Its eyes lock onto me and it tilts its head lightly, almost like a curious puppy.

Hello.

Darbus rolls into a ball, charging full-force at the dragon. It takes flight and flies above our heads, showing it has hind legs unlike Volvagia and is much shorter in length, still about as large as four house widths though.

You've gotten big!

It weaves through the air almost gracefully, only its tail getting struck by Darbus' attack. The dragon hisses lightly in pain, lifting its tail. I can see a series of bruises and lumps along its body, including a half-broken horn.

Wow, these're as big as my head!

The dragon dives into the lava pool to my right. I brace my legs, putting most weight on my right leg, and watch the bubbling magma. The dragon going in leaves behind a stream of where it's swimming, unaffected by the molten rock.

Hey, the fire don't hurt ya, does it?

It flies out of the lava next to me, its blue eyes catching mine. I swing the hammer with all my strength. It pulls upward to avoid the hit and I miss. The hammer head hits the ground with a mild quake and I growl at the glorified snake.

Grr, see? Just like that!

It flies to the top of the cavern and I see a rock being thrown at it by Darbus. The dragon dodges to the side, but its chest is struck. It lets out a roar of pain.

It's okay.

The dragon retreats back into the lava. There are no signs of where it is. We all wait with bated breath. It's going to strike one of us soon, but who? Who will this monster eat next?

Don't be scared.

A burst of lava appears behind me. The splash lands around me and I turn, seeing the dragon rising above me. The memory of Volvagia prompts me to swing the hammer horizontally. It strikes the side of the dragon, the same side Darbus hit. It jerks to the side in pain, coiling up on the edge and shivering. Despite my injury I find it in me to sprint at it, ready to avenge the Gorons it's slayed.

I won't hurt you.

I lock direct eye-contact with the dragon. We stare into each other's blue eyes, I'm ready to bring the hammer down on its head, when I see something in those eyes. Time ticks by slowly as a whole memory, almost forgotten in the sands of ages, resurfaces in my mind. A memory too painful for me to remember. My eyes widen and I loose all will to fight, but find my swing is too-far-gone and too-strong. At the last possible second, I close my eyes and wince as there's a thud.

"MA!"

I'll protect you.

There's heavy breathing and I open my eyes, not welcomed by another head smashed in, but the frightened eyes of a young dragon. I drop the hammer's hilt, falling to my knees before the dragon's muzzle. Tentatively, ignoring the confused voices of the others, I take off my left gauntlet and reach out. My hand presses onto the dragon's nose, without a helmet, and feel the smooth, warm scales under my fingers.

The moment I make contact the dragon relaxes, its head once again tilted. It leans its face upward, closer to mine, and licks my hand with a rough forked tongue. After it does I see its entire body wags, its tail thrashing happily in the air. I don't think I ever imagined I'd see you again.

'Rocky.'

-0-0-0-0-

Sneaking out of Ordon Village at night, I found myself in the South Hyrule Field. The grass was so green and so tall. It rose even higher than my head and made me feel like a mouse in a field. I had giggled, exhilarated by my risk of getting in trouble. If Rusl or Uli ever found out about this they'd kill me.

And yet I went further, going right at the Faron Province's exit. After a few minutes of wandering under the night sky, which at the time was only lit by the full moon, I came across a small hole in the cliffs. It was so small that only a child of my size could get in. Which is exactly what I did. I crawled through and found myself enchanted by the stalagmites and stalactites.

I wandered far into the cave until I came across a reddish-orange object. It was oval-shaped and had a black smoke-like image in a ring around it. I picked it up, despite it being about as big as me, and put it in my lap. It began to crack and I began to grow sad, thinking I'd broken it. It cracked more and more until the object shattered, leaving behind a small, slimy creature in my lap. It was about the size of an adult cat and lifted its head weakly. Even coated in goo it had a light-orange body and blue eyes. Those eyes had reminded me of my own.

The small creature let out a quiet chirp, trembling terribly as it gazed up at me. I smiled as gently as possible. Hello. I waved at it, running a hand down the small, wet tuft on its head. Don't be scared. I won't hurt you. I lifted it so it was no longer lying on its back, instead I cradled it in my arms, albeit awkwardly. I'll protect you!

I was ten when I first discovered Rocky in that cave. I remember naming him that because the cave was rocky. So creative on my part. I had sneaked out of there with him, had brought him to my Treehouse to take care of. At this point I lived by myself with frequent trips to Rusl and Uli. I liked living in that tree house. I had fed him Goat Milk and Pumpkin Soup, alongside rabbit and a little deer the village hunted. It was around this time I got very invested in cooking. I was able to raise Rocky for a few months inside there, until he began to grow too big. After the fifth month, by this time he was as big as me, I was able to get him out into the forest.

I taught him all I knew about hunting, but turns out dragons are natural hunters. He'd catch deer for himself easily. I'd visit him every night when the village was asleep. I loved being with him. He called me his 'Ma' and I felt like I was, to be honest. I'd play with him, earning some of the many scars I carry on my arms and legs, and it had been among the best two years of my life.

But then Rusl found him.

"Link, no! That dragon has been eating our hunting game and we can't afford to feed it and us," he said as he held me back from attacking the Hyrulian Guards who had been written to. Rocky struggled restlessly, roaring and looking at me for help. For protection. I couldn't give it to him. The Guards took him away, I thought to be killed. I hadn't gone near Rusl for a solid month before I could bring myself to forgive him. I still feel guilty about shutting him out.

-0-0-0-0-

I lift the helmet up, but not off, and smile at the dragon I had once raised. Between all that's happened in this bloody temple, I let myself have this moment and throw myself around his muzzle, to which he purrs happily, licking my face.

"M-ma? Link, what are you going?" Navi asks, floating beside Darbus. I look at her from under my arm, still intent on hugging Rocky's head until I grow tired. "It's dangerous!"

"Sister, that's one of the beasts who are killing my people," Darbus scratches his head. Everyone stares at me, so confused. "I have to kill it."

"Wasn't me." We turn to Rocky, who's looking at Darbus with wet eyes. "I've lived here for a long time. A few years. The mean-but-nice people in armour brought me here to live on King's behalf. They said I was a lost treasure of the Royal Family and would be protected. I go over the mountains to hunt and eat the horses, goats and a few birds from there. It hasn't been until that scary man with that hammer came that people knew I was here. But now Ma's here!" he nuzzles my back, gently flicking me onto his head. I pat his mane gently, amazed when it doesn't harm me like Volvagia tried to do.

"You haven't been eating my tribe?" Darbus asks, walking close to Rocky and leering at him. The young dragon tucks his head into his shoulders, tail flicking in fear.

"Why would I eat you? Ma made it clear biting people is bad," he sheepishly looks up at me, probably remembering my 'lessons'. It wasn't that bad, if he bit me I just wouldn't give him any snacks or treats. "I would never eat anything that could talk to me. I was lonely here without you, Ma," he plucks me off his head and hugs me, which almost crushes me, but instead of scolding him I just hug back.

"I can't quite wrap my head around this, but if he says he hasn't been eating anyone and Link trusts him, I do, too," Navi says. "What's his name?"

'Rocky.'

"So that is why you refused to fight me," Darbus bows to Rocky, the creature who resembles his people's sworn enemy, and smiles. "Forgive me."

"I do. Sorry I gave you a scare."

"Great! Happy reunion! But we still have the Gorons to actually save," Felix says, pointing out of the chamber.

I brighten up, still held in Rocky's claws. 'Oh! Navi, Rocky will be able to scare the Gryphons away! We can have him take the Gorons out to safety! Oh Goddesses we can save them!'

"You mean he'll set fire to Gryphons around Gorons who will be terrified?" she repeats skeptically.

I blush. 'Well yeah, they'll be scared at first, but Rocky doesn't breathe fire. Instead he breathes scolding water!'

"How?"

'Not sure, I think he's a slightly different dragon, though. He's able to breathe underwater as well, we discovered this when he fell in the Spirit Spring as a baby,' I rub the back of my head.

"We have a plan to save your people. We might be able to take out Volvagia as well with Rocky on our side. And Rocky, Link's leg is very hurt. I want you to make sure she doesn't walk okay?" I can feel her eyes on me as she says this. Okay, fine. I'll sit on Rocky. Kinda wanted to anyway. My dragon nods and gently places me on top of his mane, his arms are longer than Volvagia's.

For a moment I wonder just how I could have thought they was so similar.

I lean forward, crossing my arms on top of Rocky's head, and trace his broken horn. I feel immensely guilty for hurting him. I rest my chin on my arm, smiling softly. Well, I'll make sure we're not separated by force again.

-0-0-0-0-

Rooooaaar!

Squaaak!

"Retreat! Retreat!"

Grrrrr!

Screeeech!

The final Gryphons fly out of the pit room, with the help of Rocky spewing as-hot-as-lava water at them. The heat itself almost killed several, but I pulled on his mane when I found we was going too far. I don't want to kill them simply because they want to go home. Although I did allow him to kill two other Minotaurs who had entered during the chaos. At least I've never eaten beef, I think I'd be off the stuff after the smell.

When Darbus looks into the pit, the sheer relief and happiness from my Brothers and Sisters renews the hope inside of me. It had been tossed, twisted, shaken, broken, shattered, burnt, bruised and Goddesses-know-what else, but just this single moment has brought it all back. I look at Navi happily. 'We have so got this.' She giggles lightly.

Rocky, and Elsie who had nearly been roasted if not for Felix, help get the Gorons out of the pit. Almost all but the Elders are scared of my dragon and I understand every ounce of it. We've all seen and known the horrors of today.

"You know these tunnels well, Brothers and Sisters. Go back to the children and inform them of what has happened. Our Brother Link and his Fairy friend told me the bridge is out, but you should be able to build the speed to clear the gap. Elders, wait at the entrance for Brother Link's dragon. I will bring the bones of our fallen Brothers and Sisters back with me. I must do that dragon a favour for what it has done."

We separate from the Gorons, but we do so with light hearts. We have a dragon, two Gryphons, a Goron Patriarch and Navi and I with a hammer. I have no doubt we will be able to take Volvagia on this time, on even ground. I just hope we all survive this.

Although Rocky clearly shows signs of struggle when carrying Darbus down the lava river, he manages to pull through with encouragement and we enter the chamber Zant brought the Gryphons from. The entire center pillar is sunken deep into a circular molten pool in the center, a single ring with the rubble of the stairs lining the walls.

There's no sign of Volvagia, but I think I know the perfect wait the lure him here. 'Me 'n' Rocky will fly out of the mountain and taunt him inside. He'll be mad I'm still live and kickin'.'

"I hate this, but we'll be ready. Give Darbus the Megaton Hammer, he can throw it at Volvagia for an initial hit," Navi says. I push the hammer off my lap, then spot my sword and shield. They fell to the right of the lava pool, which makes me smile. I think everyone would kill me if I lost the Master Sword. I nudge Rocky's eyelid and point to my weapons. He picks both up with ease, I notice he doesn't even notice the burning affect of the Master Sword, and hands them to me.

'Thank you, Rocky,' I pat his head and sheathe my shield only, gripping his mane with my right hand. I fix my helmet so it's perfectly seated on my head and point my sword upward. He lifts up, using his own passive magic to creature air currents around his body. I remember the day we first took flight, it had been the day before he was taken from me. 'Okay, Volvagia, let's dance.'

We fly above the smokey ring, seeing a clear night sky as far as the eye can see. I don't let my guard down as I look around us, then above. I see the flicker of orange among the clouds. "Hyaa!" I cry out, alerting Rocky. He twists to the left, avoiding the attack. Volvagia descends from the clouds, opening his jaws. My dragon, who is so much better, flips in the air. While he flips he opens his own mouth, a stream of steamy-hot water making a ring around us. Some of the water from the ring hits Volvagia in the eye, the same on I hit him in. He let's out his infamous roar and charges faster.

At the end of the flip, we end up pointing downward to the mountain. Rocky is smaller and leaner, giving him the upper-hand where-as Volvagia is most likely stronger. And, let's be honest, has more fighting experience. Rocky clears the entrance and takes a sharp turn to the left, righting us and looking back. Volvagia quickly follows and opens his mouth, but doesn't get a chance to strike us when the Megaton Hammer closes his jaw abruptly. This causes smoke to burst from between his teeth and his eyes turn to Darbus, who cups his hands around his mouth.

"Want a final meal? Well," he hits his chest several times, "I'm ready to dine when you are."

Volvagia forgets about me and Rocky. He dives at Darbus as I catch the Hammer as it falls, Rocky twisting around to be behind Volvagia. Darbus throws a boulder at the dragon, which he dodges and lashes out in retaliation. Darbus rolls backwards, letting Volvagia's claws dig into the remaining ground.

Rocky appears behind him and spews him with more water, making his attention turn back to us. Before he can strike, Felix and Elsie attack the sides of his head. Felix digs further into his injured eye, making him swat at the two. They fly away unharmed, followed by a close-call when he breathes fire. Rocky and I fly by the Goron, dropping off the Hammer.

Volvagia's tail lashes out suddenly, striking Rocky in the head and sending me careening off. I plummet towards the lava, only to be caught by Volvagia's tail and thrown directly into the wall. The force creates cracks on impact and I fall back down, getting saved by Rocky. In his hands I smile up at him, then spot Volvagia behind him. I let out a yelp and he cups me to his chest, diving around Volvagia. Volvagia rakes his claws across Rocky's side, causing him to roar, and he cups me further into his claws as he dives into the lava.

Everything becomes muted as he blocks out every drip of magma. After a few moments I feel him rise and hear a roar, prying his claws apart to see Volvagia get stricken again by the Gryphons. Rocky's side is dripping, but he shakes his body and plops me back behind his horns.

Volvagia turns to us and opens his mouth, but while he has to charge his fire Rocky doesn't have to charge water. The broiling liquid is sent into the bigger dragon's throat, dying down the flame but not extinguishing it. Rocky flips so his belly is facing the front of the fire and he barely winces as he dives under Volvagia, flying back behind him as the Gryphon duo attack his eyes again. He swipes at them and catches Elsie's wing, sending her into the ground about a centimetre from the lava. Felix flies down to her side as Volvagia dives at them.

Darbus, now with an opening, strikes Volvagia with the thrown hammer a second time. The enraged dragon grabs the weapon as it falls and throws it back, charging quickly after it. Darbus dodges the hammer, which impacts the ground, but isn't fast enough to escape Volvagia's grab. The dragon turns, only to be met by me and Rocky. Rocky spews into his face, making him blind and drop Darbus onto the ground. He picks up the hammer again.

Volvagia roars and straight-up grabs Rocky, headbutting him forcefully. This squishes me between their skulls and sends us back into a wall. We crash onto the ground and I find myself trapped under Rocky's unconscious body, unable to move from his weight and the pain in my leg. I look up at the dragon, who is now focusing fully on Darbus. Darbus is only able to throw the Hammer again, which breaks Volvagia's mask with the force. Then, unable to do a thing I watch as the dragon grabs the Patriarch and brings up and out of sight. I struggle to get out from under Rocky, watching in silent horror as Volvagia and Darbus disappear among night.

Not a single noise is made. Then, I spot something. Darbus: plummeting towards the molten rock without anything to catch him. I watch in terror as he hits the lava, his body looking like he hit solid ground, and sinks. I wait as bubbles form from the lava, hoping he'll emerge and say something along the lines of a joke then get to fighting again. Then, the bubbles stop. Nothing comes up.

Volvagia descends into the chamber, laughing darkly and wasting no time coming towards us. I push on Rocky's side, looking at his head. He stirs at the last second and looks up, grabbing me and taking off. He latches onto the ceiling around the mountain exit and holds my shaking body close.

Not another one...

"Pity he was a waste," the wicked dragon hisses in mirth. "But I still have you to finish, runt."

'No more else will be killed by you,' I think, pointing to the exit. Rocky detaches himself from the roof and flies out, unleashing another fury of scolding water down. We hear a faint roar as we ascend. I look up at the clouds, a crazy idea growing in my mind. The clouds are cold enough to create ice, will it be able to cool Rocky's core enough so he can freeze Volvagia in his tracks?

"Oh, I see. Good thinking, Ma." I blink at him as he faces the exit. He responded like he heard me. "Hey, magma brain!"

Volvagia appears from the smoke, mouth already blazing with fire. He fires it at us and Rocky tucks me into his mane, letting it hit his chest. Despite the hiss escaping his maw, the strike pushes us upward faster. He twists in the middle of the blast and flies into the cloud cover. I look behind us to see Volvagia follow us in. Now, to hope he doesn't burn it all away.

I heart Rocky inhale deeply and watch in astonishment as the moisture from the clouds enters his jaws. He closes his mouth, smiling lop-lopsidedly at me, and dives back down. We meet Volvagia and he releases the water, revealing it to have been turned to shards of ice. They scrape across Volvagia's cheek, but he retaliates with his own breath. It hits Rocky in the face which flips him back. I only barely manage to hold on.

I frown as Rocky appears below the clouds, huffing and puffing while holding his chest. "Dumb idea. Dumb idea. Sorry, Ma, that hurt," he looks back at me. "What now?"

He lets out a roar when Volvagia comes down in the middle of his long spine, making me fly off. I flail at the air wildly until my right hand catches on Volvagia's tail. I grip it as tightly as possible, smiling as the would-be blast of air is pushed around my head by the helmet. I begin using the tough, rough hide of Volvagia and the grip of the gauntlets to climb up his body. He suddenly pushes off Rocky, sending my dragon to crash on the side of the mountain, and lifts up with the recoil. This makes me slide down and I hug his tail tightly.

He swings his tail around so I face him and I smile sheepishly at him, waving timidly. He grabs me in his claw and begins to crush me, bringing me frighteningly close to his maw. "I have had it up to my wits' end with you!" he flips me in the air like a Rupee casually, grabbing me by my broken leg. I hear a sickening pop and let out a groan, followed by a yelp as I'm tossed into the air above is awaiting jaw.

But it's Rocky's turn to tackle someone. He crashes into Volvagia's head, grabbing me and kicking off with his hind legs, following with a slap across his head with his tail. Rocky smirks, flying up while backwards. "Sorry, Ma isn't food."

The scolding water evaporates off Volvagia as smoke erupts from his mouth and nostrils. He breathes fire at us and Rocky twists around the flames, heading directly for the other dragon. "Ma, grab your sword and get him! His head isn't so tough," he yells. I unsheathe the blade and he bucks his head, sending me at Volvagia's head. I hit and grab his horn, legs flailing behind me uselessly as he ceases his fire and begins flying into the clouds again. I pull myself forwards and force myself to stand, bringing the sword above my head.

'Screw! You!' I thrust the blade between Volvagia's eye sockets. The sword slices through like butter. Blood and brain burst from the stab and Volvagia's eyes roll back. He lets out a final fiery breath and twists, tossing me off. A stream of fire hits me directly, scorching my ears and turning my entire body hot. I scream, falling head-first downwards beside a giant dragon. His long body hits me and I fly off into a random direction. I feel something wrap around me as my vision blackens.

-0-0-0-0-

I jolt awake, mostly for the lack of pain in my body. Instead a serene coolness refreshes my body and mind. I let out a sigh, feeling the pressure of the whole day simply melt away into my worries for later. That seems to be a growing concern. I look around to find myself sitting in the Chamber of Sages, facing the red circle.

And, somehow I am surprised by this, Darbus stands on top, no traces of any injuries on his body. He smiles at me, offering his giant hand. I let him help me to my feet. "You've done so much for my people, Sister Link. I don't know how I can repay you."

"I don't need anything'," I say, watching him jump at my voice.

"Ha! Even more surprises from you, eh?"

"How will the Gorons handle this? Do you think they know?"

"Elder Gor Liggs is most likely aware. I have no fear, the Elders will train my son to be the next Patriarch. I have no doubt he will be a good tribe leader. Now, you deserve a rest for all that you suffered in that Temple. And I don't just mean your body."

As the world fades around me, I feel my head tilt back. "I entrust the future safety of my people in you, Sister Link."

Gery: I meant to get this out a month ago, but the same week I had planned to post this I was handing out resumes, got an interview and was hired in the span of four days. Since then I've been very busy and was focused on getting ToaL out on time (I have a personal calender for each chapter) so that's why this is so late. Anyway, yay for long chapters for chapters that were already fifty pages long! And I didn't mean for this chapter to get so dark, it just kinda came to me considering this is a genocide. I apologize.

Also, a little 'fun fact', there are three names I messed up names in this story. One was Naoko, who has a feminine name by accident. One was one I'll point out when it comes. But the very first one was Elsie the Gryphon. Her name was supposed to be Elise, but I mixed up the 'S' and 'I' and I had already half-way finished introducing her so I rolled with it XD