Table of Fonts:

Standard Text: Regular Dialogue/Storytelling

Italics: Emphasis, Sound Effects, thoughts

Bold: Navi's annoyingness, Boss Name

Bold Underline:Special Attacks (this is cried out)

Bold Italic: Deity speech

CAPS: Yelling

Underline: Flashback/History, name of location

Italic Underline: Dream

BOLD CAPS: Dungeon name


Chapter 7: Gaining Darunia's Trust! Restore Dodongo's Cavern!

Around midday, Link and Sora made their way to Kakariko Village. The old rustic town had an otherworldly feel in the air. After asking the locals and the workers for directions, Link and Sora headed toward the back of the village. There, they were stopped by one of the Kakariko guards.

"Halt! By a royal decree issued by His Majesty King Hyrule, only those who know a particular tune are able to pass through these gates." the guard informed them.

"Why?" Sora asked. The guard shrugged.

"Apparently, the Gorons are having some issues and requested that only a messenger of His Majesty be allowed to pass." The guard shrugged her shoulders at the end of her statement. "Sorry, kids, but orders are orders." she added. Link then had an idea. He pulled out his Fairy Ocarina, and played Zelda's Lullaby. The guard jumped, startled. "Wait a minute! I know that song anywhere! That isn't the song the King requested, but I know that is the song taught to those with a connection to the Royal Family of Hyrule! Are you the two sent by Princess Zelda?" she asked. The boys nodded. "Good. Her nursemaid, Impa, came by and told me to let you two pass. Since Impa watches over this place, her word is law around here. Hang on, and I'll let you two pass." she told them. The guard turned around and entered a guardhouse. Shortly afterward, the gate opened, and the two boys stepped through the gate, entering the boulder-hewn Death Mountain Trail. After a few steps forward, the two boys found themselves ambushed by a red, insectoid creature. Link noted that it had four legs and one eye. The spider jumped and hopped about the landscape haphazardly, nearly crushing both boys as they frantically dodged it and tried to get in a good attacking position. Navi decided now was a good time to pop out of Link's hat and give them some advice.

"Hey! Be careful around the Tektites! They're very agile. As you can see, they jump about with no regard for their safety, mainly because they can survive long drops! Try to take them out from a distance if you can!" the fairy warned the boys. Sora nodded, summoning his Keyblade.

Strike Raid!

The Tektite, not noticing where it was jumping, was struck by the Keyblade. It withered away as it was defeated. The boys then continued to make their way up the Death Mountain Trail, and were ambushed by three more Tektites. Link opted to use his Slingshot while Sora kept throwing his Keyblade at them. Soon, the three Tektites fell to the two adventurers, who continued up the trail. Along the way, they saw a giant boulder blocking part of the path. By looking at the sides of the mountain wall, they could see that it blocked a cave. Sora then pointed out that the boulder was a different color than those they'd seen on the trail. Link nodded.

"Yeah… not only that, but this boulder is smooth, too. And look at the size of it!" Link said, feeling the boulder. The other boulders the boys had seen were barely taller than Sora, but this one dwarfed both of the boys combined. "I bet that Ganondorf has something to do with this." Link then said. Sora nodded in agreement. At that moment, another boulder came rolling down the trail from a higher point. The boulder stopped itself before it could crash into the wall or the giant boulder. To Link and Sora's astonishment, the boulder unrolled itself and became a humanoid figure. The round body resembled a stone, and Link noted that the hide of the back held ridged stones. The creature also had small eyes, a crop of white hair on its head, and prominent lips. The rest of the skin on the creature was light brown. Navi came out of Link's hat long enough to tell the boys that they'd just laid their eyes on a Goron, one of the rock-eating inhabitants of Death Mountain. After disappearing back under their hat, Sora asked the Goron for directions to the Goron City. The Goron gave them directions, pointing up the mountain. Link took the time to note that the Goron had square teeth that were unaligned. Link and Sora followed the Goron's directions, eventually coming upon the Goron City.

Inside the city, Link and Sora took notice of how huge the place was. The first thing they saw was a pedestal sitting on an island in the middle of the city. The only ways to get across were three climbing ropes stretched horizontally to the island. Link and Sora managed to get across the rope, only to find that the pedestal was empty. A lone Goron on the island turned to the boys as he noticed them approach.

"Are you two here for the delicious-looking red stone?" he asked them. The boys nodded. The Goron sighed. "Big Brother Darunia has it. I think he was afraid of everyone eating it since we don't have access to the tasty rocks from the Dodongo's Cavern. I came over just to give it a little lick…" the Goron informed the duo, sighing sadly at the end of his explanation. Link and Sora crossed back the way they came and decided to ask around the city. The Gorons told them that they were starving because they refused to eat ordinary rocks, only accepting the delicious rocks from the Dodongo's Cavern. They also told the boys that with the cavern being closed off, their prized crop was getting harder and harder to find. Eventually, the boys found themselves on the bottom level of the Goron City. Link asked one of the Gorons standing in front of a door where Darunia could be found. The Goron perked up at the mention of the name.

"Big Brother Darunia? He's our leader, you know. He's locked himself in his room here. He says he won't come out until he speaks with the King's Messenger. After all, Big Brother and the Hyrule King are sworn Brothers, so it makes sense that he'll only speak to someone who came here in his Brother's stead." the Goron told them. Link tried to open the door anyway.

"Who's there? If you're not my Sworn Brother's messenger, go away! If you are, prove it!" a rough voice shouted out to them. The Goron next to the door gave Link a look that clearly said "I told you so." Link pulled out his Fairy Ocarina and again played Zelda's Lullaby. The voice sounded out again. "Hey! I know that tune! You must be a messenger of the King! Come in!"

"That was easy." Sora said as the two opened the door. Inside, they saw Darunia standing in the middle of a sparsely decorated room. He was bigger than the other Gorons Link and Sora had seen, and had a beard as well, which probably separated him as the Goron Leader. Sora quickly took the time to note that the Goron did not look very happy, but couldn't point it out to Link.

"Who are you? Does my Sworn Brother mock me by sending a couple of brats as messengers!?" he shouted. Link stepped forward.

"Sir, we are not messengers from the King. My name is Link, and this is my companion, Sora. We were sent here by Princess Zelda and her nursemaid Impa to see if we could have the Spiritual Stone of Fire that you hold." Link told him, figuring it would be better to be honest. Darunia just laughed at the two.

"Oh, really? And how do I know that you aren't in league with that dark wizard, Ganondorf, eh? He already blocked off our food supply! All my brothers are starving!" the Goron Leader told them. Sora stepped forth.

"Would us removing the boulder help prove that we aren't on his side?" he asked, crossing his arms and grinning. Darunia just shook his head.

"Even if you pipsqueaks could clear the boulder, the Dodongo's Cavern has been infested by Dodongos! Do you two boys know what Dodongos eat?" Darunia asked, his voice taking on a creepy aspect as he leaned close to the two boys, who shook their heads negatively. He motioned them closer. They obliged, moving in to catch Darunias every word. "THEY EAT GORONS!" the Goron Leader shouted, causing the two to jump nearly out of their skins. Darunia sighed. "Anyway, this is a Goron problem, not a problem for you two young lads. I'm sorry, but I can't give you the Goron's Ruby." The two boys took their leave. Outside, they were confronted by the same Goron who'd told them about Darunia.

"Great… not Big Brother's depressed. I know that he likes listening to the music from the forest." he said. That gave Link and idea. Motioning for Sora to follow him, the two entered into Darunia's room again. There, they saw Darunia sitting on a stool, looking very sad. Link pulled out is Ocarina. As Darunia watched, Link played Saria's Song. Soon, Darunia couldn't help but get up and dance.

"Oooh, yeah! Hot, hot, hothothothothothot!" he cried out as he danced around. When he finally tired out, Link stopped playing. "Oh, yeah! That's a hot tune! You've lifted my spirits, boy!" Darunia told them. "You know, you kids got spunk! Tell you what. If you can clear the boulder blocking Dodongo's Cavern, and clear out the Dodongo infestation as well, I'll give you two the Goron's Ruby." Darunia told them. The boys nodded in agreement. Darunia then pointed them to the side exit of his room. "If you go out there, you may be able to find something to help you." he told them. The boys exited through the side exit. The only things they saw were a Goron, and a plant with a round, black fruit. The Goron turned to the two boys.

"Oh, hello. I'm just protecting this lone Bomb Flower from the sun. If you want, you can pick it up and toss it." the Goron told them. Link picked up the flower, and tossed it over the edge. As the boys looked down, they saw that the platform was directly above the entrance to the Dodongo's Cavern. The Bomb Flower exploded, causing a bunch of dust and rubble. Once it had cleared, the entrance to the cavern lay open for all the world to see. Link and Sora quickly passed through Darunia's room. The Goron Leader was able to guess that they'd used the Bomb Flower and cleared the cavern. That was the easy part. Now would come the hard part: clearing the cavern of those infernal Dodongos. The two boys sped their way back through the Goron City, passing many startled Gorons along the way. The boys didn't stop or slow as they exited the city, running as if they were men possessed or gone mad. They boys tore down the trail, and eventually wound up at the entrance to the Dodongo's Cavern. Nodding at each other, they stepped inside the cavern.


Notes on the Chapter:

1. Death Mountain... what can be said about it, really? Other than the fact that there will be no Medigoron or Biggoron...

2. I've always hated the Tektites. So, they get some cruel punishment from the Giant Key of Doom! (Keyblade)

3. Yes, the Bomb Flower is next to Darunia's Room. I felt it worked better there. No, Link doesn't need the Goron Bracelet to lift them.