10

The Visit Home

Ganondorf spat onto the floor in his dormitory. He had a bit of a hangover from last night; he ordered bottle after bottle of rum, until he passed out on his bed. He knew why he did it though. He had finally found out who murdered his favourite pet: a kid! No more than a mere child went ahead and slew Queen Gohma. It made him extremely angry. The kid was right in front of him! What was his name? Link? He would never forget it. If he hadn't have been undercover, he would've strangled the child until his head popped off! He could only imagine what that kid would attempt next. He calmed down, and convinced himself that it was only a mere unfortunate coincidence that Gohma was dead. Even if the kid tried to take on any of his other major followers, he wouldn't stand a chance! King Dodongo, for example, has far too many troops for the kid to handle, and if the kid even did manage to reach the king himself, his pathetic wooden shield would be useless against the lizard's fiery breath. He chuckled to himself. What was he worried about, anyway? The kid was only going to learn from his mistakes, or he would perish trying to do more. Ganondorf kicked back and laughed. All was still going as planned. His army was now tallied in the thousands, and the foolish King of Hyrule was still oblivious to what he was planning. It was all too easy. In as little as a few days, the world would be his, and it would be his time to start his reign as king.

There was a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said, trying to be polite. A guard poked his head into the room.

"Ganondorf? Sir? Is there anything you would like?"

"Actually, now that you mentioned it, I would like another bottle of that rum you've been giving me. I quite like it."

The guard nodded. "Absolutely sir," he said as he left. Ganondorf lay down onto the bed. He couldn't wait to take control of this world, but now was not the time to get his mind worked up on anticipating that. He set his thoughts onto looking forward to that bottle of rum.

"Now, don't be too long in there, we haven't got much time. You have two hours, all right?"

"Two hours…got it."

Kaepora had carried Link all the way back to the Forbidden Forest. The owl was skimming the treetops, and was barely missing the branches as it soared over them. Kaepora suddenly took a swift bank to the right, and circled the carcass of the Great Deku Tree. His black canopy stood out from the rest of the trees, of course. Link couldn't bear to glance upon his trunk; it was too devastating.

"I will let you off here. Meet me back here in two hours, at the most, and if you're not here by then, I will come looking for you, got it?"

"Got it."

Kaepora continued to circle the dead tree until it got close enough to the ground. That's when he slowed down, and put Link onto the ground. Link rose to his feet, and checked his cap to see if Navi was still there. Before he could touch it, the fairy bolted right out of his hat.

"Oh! Fresh air! Forest air! It's so good to be home!"

"You said it," said Link as he watched Kaepora soar up to one of the Deku Tree's branches and perch there.

"Well, go on. Say hi to all your friends. The clock is ticking."

"Oh, right! Come on, Navi! Let's go!"

Link sprinted out of the Deku Tree's meadow, and burst into the pass. Link swerved his way through, with Navi struggling to keep up. He was so excited to see everyone again. Even Mido would be a thrill to see! He couldn't believe he was back home, where he was supposed to be, and the way he was supposed to be. The vines that hung down in the pass occasionally smacked Link in the face, but he didn't care. He continued to run through the pass, until he reached the end, and saw the village: his home.

Link could've collapsed and kissed the ground, but he was too bent on moving forward. He bounded over the rocks in the small stream, and ran across the lush grass. He passed many Kokiri along the way to Saria's house. He could hear them calling out.

"Is that Link!"

"He isn't dead…he must've never left the forest after all."

"Wow, look at him run!"

Link could've stopped to talk to them, but now he was keen on getting to Saria's house. He saw it not too far in the distance, which only made him run even faster. The fireflies burned extremely bright, and the house came closer and closer. Link finally reached the door, and blasted into the home.

"Saria! I'm –"

No one was there. She must've been wandering around the forest. He thought it would be best to leave and ask someone if they knew where she was. Thusly, he turned around, and headed out the door. He was about to run back the way he came to ask some Kokiri where Saria was, when who would show up but the one and only Mido, the "big boss of the Kokiri". Mido's eyes glanced upon Link. He flinched, and might have backed up a few steps.

"Oh…it's you," he said. It seemed like he was cowering. Link knew why, though.

"Look, Mido, about the other day…I'm sorry for hitting you. I just lost my temper, that's all."

"Okay…"

"Mido, do you know where Saria is?"

"You don't know where she is? Ha! It seems you know her very well indeed." Mido had returned to his normal self suddenly. "Well, well. Mr. No Fairy doesn't know where his girlfriend's favourite spot is?"

"Mido, she isn't my girlfriend."

"She isn't? Well, perhaps this might refresh your memory?"

Mido began to pucker his lips and make little smooching sounds to taunt Link. It seemed that Mido used what once made him angry to make fun of Link.

"Anyway…" Link cut in. "Where is her "favourite spot"?"

Mido crossed his arms. Rotu seemed to be snickering a little after Mido's little impression.

"She's in the Lost Woods, stupid. You'd better get a move on, if you want to make it in that far in."

"She's in the Lost Woods!"

"Yeah…what's wrong with that, Mr. No Fairy? Is she in danger? Ha ha ha!"

"Actually, she is. I'll catch you later."

Without waiting for Mido's response, Link bolted in the direction of the Lost Woods. He remembered Zelda telling him about Phantom. Saria would surely be in danger if she stayed for any longer. He had to hurry. He dashed up the hill, and entered the premises of the Lost Woods. He kept on running through the tightly packed trees. He didn't know where Saria was, but he kept going deeper and deeper into the foliage. Things began to get dark, and more eerie. Now Link began to get scared. He had no idea where he was, and he had no clue where Saria was either. He looked around desperately, but saw nothing but black. Navi's light didn't seem to be doing anything.

"Saria? Saria!"

No answer. Things began to look helpless already. He had only been in the woods for 30 seconds, but he already was starting to give up. He began to hear things. He something rustling in the bushes.

"Link? Is that you!" came a far away voice.

"Saria! Where are you?"

"Follow my ocarina! Don't stop moving!"

A soothing, yet playful ocarina song came amidst the trees. Link sprinted in the direction of its origin. He put his hands out in front of him to make sure he didn't run into anything. He pushed what he thought to be branches or vines out of the way occasionally, and continued to blast through the trees. Now he was sure something was following him. It only made him run faster. The thing rustled like a bush, but seemed to be alive at the same time. Things began to get a little lighter. He could see the trees, and the fallen leaves, the vines, branches and bushes. He turned around to see what was following him.

The creature was sort of odd looking. Indeed, it did look like a bush, but at the same time it had a face. It was basically like a head with small feet. It had orange and red leaves for its hair, giving it a plant-like disguise. It had no nose or mouth. Instead, it had a small snout with a large hole, like an elephant or an anteater, but it was only about an inch long and an inch wide. The creature stared at him with its glowing yellow eyes with a threatening look. Compared with Queen Gohma, this creature was harmless, perhaps if Link hit it with his sword, it would run away. Link withdrew his weapon, and charged at the creature. Surprised by Link's actions, the creature just stood there. Link swung his sword, and made full contact. The creature's "leaves" were rather hard, and acted as a shield, but Link still hurt the monster. It squeaked, and scurried off into the Lost Woods. Now that that was over with, Link could concentrate on finding Saria. He continued to follow the ocarina, and the light shone brighter and brighter. Sooner than he knew it, Link entered a clearing. This was the brightest place he had seen since he entered the Lost Woods, but it was still pretty dark. When he looked around, he saw the magnificence of this place. There was a large stone building in front of him. The entrance to it was too high up for Link to get into, and it appeared that the stairs leading up to had been destroyed a long time ago. He looked up, and realised that this building was gargantuan. It towered above him menacingly. It was almost as high as Hyrule Castle itself! This building must've had some important purpose, but now was not the time to dwell on that. He had to find Saria. Just before he was about to press on through the woods, he saw her on a tree stump beside the structure.

She was still playing her ocarina, which in fact was similar to Link's, as if she didn't even notice that he had appeared. Link slowly approached her. Her feet were tapping to the music she played, and her head rocked side to side. Link crept slowly towards her. Suddenly, she opened her eyes, looked at him for a brief second, then closed them again, and continued to play. It was rather strange; somewhere inside Link, he knew that Saria already knew what he was going to say to her. Looking at her, the thoughts of Phantom slowly disappeared from his mind.

"…Saria?"

Saria took the instrument out of her mouth. Her eyes were still closed.

"What is it?"

Just before Link could tell Saria what he wanted to say to her, Phantom popped back into his mind.

"Saria, we need to get out of here, now!"

Saria finally opened her eyes with shock and confusion.

"What? Why?"

"There's no time to explain! We're both in grave danger!"

"Danger?"

Suddenly, rumbling was heard from behind them. It was coming from the building! They both turned around to see what it was. Bright red mist billowed out from the entrance to the tower. Saria and Link ran to the front of the building to get a better look. The red mist didn't seem natural. It was coming from something they had never witnessed before. Soon, Saria and Link stepped back a little; two ominous eyes glowed through the mist, looking directly at them. They could soon hear wicked laughter.

"I see you…"

"Who are you!" demanded Link.

"That is not for you to ask, child! Kill them both, my minions!"

Five figures slowly emerged from the red mist. Each of them had a pair of ghoulish eyes. Once the veil of red slipped away from their figures, Link and Saria almost jumped out of their boots. These "minions" were living skeletons! They were about as tall as Link, but they didn't look like real human skeletons, more like they were their own breed of living thing. They seemed to be limping as they walked, and their arms were outstretched, like zombies. Link, Saria, and Tamil were too scared to say anything, so Navi was the first to speak.

"They're Stalchildren! They are cursed creatures of the shadows! They are powerful in numbers, we have to run! We have to get back to the forest; we have to get into the light!"

Knowing Navi's knowledge on the different creatures in Hyrule, Link decided to take her advice and run into the bushes, telling Saria to follow him. Saria ran as fast as she could behind him. Link looked back to see that the Stalchildren had dropped down to the ground and were running at a fantastic speed despite their limp.

"Come on! Move, move, move!" yelled Link as he flew through the forest. Seeing Navi dart through and dodge trees told Link where not to go unless he wanted to smack into a tree. Suddenly, Link stopped; he heard Saria scream.

"Link, help me!"

"I'm coming!"

Link flew back the other way and followed Saria's screams to find her. They weren't screams of agony, but screams of terror; he wasn't too late, but he needed to hurry. Soon enough, he could barely make out Saria on the ground, with a Stalchild on top of her, ready to strike. Without a moment's hesitation, Link withdrew his sword and shield and charged at full speed. The Stalchild noticed Link's approach, and got ready for him. Remembering General Amentaris' advice, Link aimed down low. The Stalchild crouched down, still on Saria's stomach. That's when Link finally reached it and slammed its head into the ground with a full force vertical strike. Dazed and confused, the skeleton rose staggered back, leaving Saria free to escape. Link decided to finish the fiend off. He approached its stunned body, and sliced its head off with one clean stroke. It slid to the ground, and ceased to move.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes," said Saria as she brushed herself off. "I'm fine."

"We have to hurry. The rest of them could be here any minute."

But before they could step one more foot forward, the Stalchild's body began to move. It freakishly rose from the ground, and began to limp towards them again, this time without a head. That only set Saria and Link to the "flee" mode, and they took off towards the village. They soon caught sight of Navi, and began following her again. Tree after tree, bush after bush, they ran as fast as they could to get away from the Stalchildren. Soon, the woods began to light up again; they were almost there. They could see the trees again, and the sun's light began to shine through the leaves, creating rays of light. Soon, however, their hopes dropped; there was wicked laughter behind them. They turned around to see same evil eyes they saw earlier, except they were ten times bigger, and were coming at them fast. The red mist that they emitted slowly turned into flame.

"Fools! Fear my power! I will burn you to ashes!"

"Ignore him! Just keep running!" screamed Link as they edged closer and closer to the border of the Lost Woods.

"Beg for mercy before me, you cowards!"

"Keep running! Keep running!"

The heat from behind them became intense, and the back of Link's neck began to burn. The laughter ran through his ears like a river of evil. Before he could turn around and face the demon, Saria, Navi, Tamil and Link burst out into the village, tripped, and rolled down the hill. The apparition could no longer be seen or heard, thankfully. Having reached the bottom of the hill, Link got up and asked if everyone was all right.

"Yeah…I'm fine, thank you," said Saria as she rose from the ground, brushing off dirt and leaves. Navi and Tamil were yelling at each other fro some reason, but Link didn't bother asking why.

"Do you mind if we go to your house? I need to talk to you."

Saria crossed her arms.

"I think it's best to get some rest. I mean, we were just chased by five monsters and a giant demon. Okay, we'll take a stop at my house."

Saria began walking to her home, as Link followed. It wasn't until a few moments until Navi and Tamil caught up. It wasn't a long walk to Saria's house from the hill. Link was confused about Saria, however. It didn't seem that she was surprised to see him. It was like he never left. Did she expect him to come back today? After about a few moments' walk, they reached Saria's house. They came through the doorway, and the sweet aroma of her house entered Link's nostrils. Familiar smells always made Link a little easygoing. He paced into the room, and sat down in his usual chair. Saria sat in hers.

"Look, Saria, we need to talk."

"I know. You told me."

"It's about you and me."

A grin appeared across her face. It looked like she expected him to say that.

"Really…?"

"You see…about the other day…"

"When we kissed?"

"Yeah."

Saria shook her head and smiled.

"Don't think of it as meaning anything. It never did mean anything did it? That's why you wanted to talk to me?"

Link was extremely surprised and impressed.

"Yeah…how did you know?"

"Oh, I can figure things out on my own. It's just a coincidence that we both figured it out."

"Oh, okay," Link sighed with relief. "Well, that saves me a lot of grief."

Saria laughed, and then displayed a warm smile.

"It's nice to see you again, anyway, Link. By the way, I'm going to have to thank you for helping me out back there."

"Think nothing of it. I always enjoy cutting off a monster's head."

"Ew… anyway, now that your back and everything's back to normal, we could catch up a little."

Link sighed.

"Actually, Saria…it's not like that."

"What do you mean?"

"Everything isn't back to normal yet. In fact, things have gotten a lot worse."

Saria gasped.

"What? How? What happened with Hyrule Castle?"

"I have a mission, Saria. I have to save Hyrule. The man you saw sap the life out of the Deku Tree is plotting world domination. I have to stop him before he reaches the Triforce."

"The Triforce? What are you talking about?"

Link told Saria everything that Zelda told him. He told her about the origin of the sacred triangles, and the legend behind them. He told her about Ganondorf, and his plan to overthrow Hyrule's monarchy. He told her about King Dodongo, and how he was going to have to confront him. He even told her that he only had two hours to be here.

"By the gods…I'm so sorry, Link."

"It's okay. I'll be fine."

Saria bit her lip.

"You should leave here right away then."

"What! But I only just got here!"

"I know, I know…but if you have to fight a giant creature today, you might as well do it now."

"Saria…I need your support. I can't go on alone."

"Hey!" yelled Navi.

"Oh, sorry Navi, but it's not like that. Saria, can I at least stay a little longer?"

"No, but I have an idea."

"What is it?"

"Do you remember the song I was playing earlier?"

Link suddenly remembered it.

"Yeah, I do. It's pretty good. I like it."

"Thank you, I wrote it."

"Wow."

"Do you want to learn it?"

"Sure."

Saria taught Link the basic finger patterns for the song. Since Link was a fast learner, he began to do the pattern more fluently. The song was a very playful one, and it made Link feel happy. It was pretty simple, but it seemed to have some kind of mystical power behind it.

"I know what you're thinking," she said. "It feels magic, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does."

Saria leaned close to Link, and whispered into his ear.

"It is…"

"What! It's magic!"

"Yup. The notes trigger some kind of a magic spell that allows you to communicate to the person who taught you the song. So, if you play this song at anytime, you can talk to me telepathically."

"Wow…I don't know what to say…"

"You don't need to thank me. I'll be happy to talk to you anytime, but now you need to get going."

Link sighed.

"Okay…"

They both got up out of their seats, and exited through the door. Link thought he'd be staying for a little longer than this, but he decided it was for the best. He wanted to talk to Saria more in person, but he guessed it would be more beneficial to his mission if he were to talk to her though his ocarina. He didn't know why, but he had a funny feeling that Saria would play a crucial role in his destiny in the future.

They hopped the stones in the small stream, and headed towards the pass. As they winded through the snake-like path, Link was reminded of memories from a few days ago. It seemed like weeks though. Cold air was still blowing through the ravine; the Deku Tree's death was still causing spikes in the atmospheric currents. It was like the forest was getting out of order now that its guardian had passed. Sooner than he knew it, he was once again face-to-face with the Deku Tree. He still winced at the sight of him, but surprisingly, Saria didn't. She had probably spent some time in the Great Deku Tree's Meadow a lot during the time that he was gone. Link looked up and saw Kaepora Gaebora, still perched in the tree's canopy. When he spotted Link, a look of surprise swept across his face.

"Link? What are you doing? It hasn't even been half-an-hour yet!"

"I've decided to leave early. I should be on my way anyway."

"Very well then," said Kaepora as he flew down towards Link. Navi flew into Link's cap once again. With a quick swoosh, Link was caught in the owl's talons. He was then carried upward.

"I'll be sure to talk to you using this! Good-bye!" he called at Saria.

"I'll be waiting! Good luck!" she called back. In an instant, she and the forest were gone.

"Kaepora, how long is it until we reach our destination?"

"It will be a few minutes…not too long."

Link lay back and tried to rest himself, for his biggest challenge yet awaited him.

"Ha ha ha! He is on his way, I know it! This shall be a day I will never forget!"

King Dodongo was still residing in his chamber in Dodongo's Cavern. He had been waiting for this day for a long time. Now the hero was finally going to come face to face with him. He had ordered his troops to bring the man to him alive and armed, ready to fight. The hero would probably be planning to meet with the Gorons before he came into his chamber. His strength grew with every second of his own anticipation. Master Ganondorf would be overjoyed with him defeating the man that defied him. Surely he would make him one of his most prized generals.

"Guards!"

Three Lizalfos and two Dodongos entered the room.

"What is it, my lord?" asked one of the Lizalfos.

"The hero would probably wander around outside for a while before infiltrating our stronghold. Do not attack him until he is inside. I want him to at least meet with his precious Gorons first. I want them to see his corpse when I am through with him, as a sign to all of those who oppose me. Even the hero that defeated Queen Gohma is not match for me! Understood?"

The Lizalfos bowed and the Dodongos snarled, showing that they understood. The five guards soon left their King in peace, to prepare to annihilate their little "threat".

"There it is, Link; Death Mountain!"

The mountain itself was nothing like Link had ever seen. It was by far the largest, of course. It wasn't really a mountain, but an active volcano! The mountain seemed pretty calm at the moment, thankfully. There was a mysterious cloud ring circling the volcano's peak.

"Hey, Kaepora?"

"What is it?"

"What's up with the ring of clouds over there?"

"No one really knows the story behind its origin; not even me. All I can say is that it has always been there. I personally believe it symbolises peace on the mountain. Nowadays, things aren't so peaceful, so I am afraid that that cloud, which makes Death Mountain stand out from all of the other peaks in Hyrule, will disappear or transform into something else unless something is done."

"Hm…"

Kaepora flew in low so that Link could get a better look at the slopes. He spotted a giant boulder along the way.

"That is the boulder blocking the way to Dodongo's cavern. You'll need to get the Gorons to assist you into getting into the cavern, and you have to convince them to give you the Spiritual Stone of Fire. I'll fly you in close to the entrance to their city."

"They have a city? Like Hyrule Castle Town?"

"No, not that kind of city. This is more of an underground cavern. They should let you in freely. After all, they are expecting a messenger from the Royal Family."

Kaepora swooped down towards a small cave on a small plateau on the mountainside.

"This is the entrance to Goron City, Link. Although they are a friendly tribe, you must be cautious. You don't want them mistaking you as one of Ganondorf's followers."

Kaepora slowed way down near the plateau, and dropped Link onto his feet. Navi flew out of his cap almost immediately. He turned around to give Kaepora his thanks.

"Don't mention it," he said. "I wish you the best of luck. If you are successful, I will meet you back here. Remember, Link, if your heart is strong, and you mind is focused, you can overcome any evil that walks this earth."

With that, he was gone. Link turned around to face the passageway. He too a deep breath, and began to step into the cave.

"Navi, be ready for anything."

"Got it."

Once Link was inside the tunnel, he noticed that there was a convenient flight of stairs below him. He cautiously crept down them, and continued to walk down the darkening cavern. The walls were neatly carved. This place must've been used a lot. It had to be the entrance to Goron City. As he turned a corner, the cavern was lit up by torches in this next passageway; he was getting close. He began to walk casually down the cozy tunnel until he reached another corner. That's when he heard voices down the hall. They must've been Gorons. Link crept around the next corner, and saw two Gorons talking. At least…he thought they were Gorons.

There was no simile to properly describe these creatures in general. A turtle would've been the best answer, but even then, it wouldn't be even close to accurate. These creatures were, in a way, cute. They had round, somewhat cone shaped heads and had large bellies. Their skin was a chocolate brown, and on their backs was a shell, that looked like it was made of gravel and small rocks, complimenting the rather large guts. Their legs were about the same length as a human shin. Their arms, however, almost went from their shoulder to the ground, and were fairly bulky. They all had one chunk of hair on the top of their heads, and a small goatee. Their mouths were huge, making it possible for them to give a constant, adorable grin. Their eyes, however, made them especially charming. Their pupils were so large, that they covered their entire eye, making their eyes small, beady, and dark.

There particular Gorons seemed to be having a nice conversation, for they were laughing. Link thought that it wouldn't hurt to ask them if this was really the right passage to Goron city. He began to walk down the next set of steps, and the two Gorons paused their conversation.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" asked one of them.

"My name is Link, and this is my guardian fairy, Navi. We've been sent here by the order of Princess Zelda, and –"

"Princess Zelda? Did you say she sent you?" asked the other one.

"Well…yeah."

"Well why didn't you say so in the first place?" the other Goron beamed. "We've been expecting you! Come on, follow us. We'll take you to Big Boss!"

"Big Boss? Do you mean King Dodongo?"

The two Gorons stopped and shuddered a little, but then spontaneously burst into laughter.

"No, kid. It isn't King Dodongo. The last thing we need it to get that guy mad. We're talking about Darunia!"

"Oh…right…"

Link thought it would be best not to say anything until he met up with Darunia. The Gorons led him down the passageway a little further. They still seemed to be having a conversation as they walked. One more turn around the corner, and Link's eyes widened in amazement; he had entered Goron City. This place was almost like a palace, except inside out. It was like a giant tube going deep within the earth's crust. It was about 200 feet in diameter, and it went so deep, that Link couldn't even see the bottom. There was a series of paths that circled this giant hole, and many Gorons could be seen walking around them. On these paths, there were hundreds of doors. Link supposed that they lead to dorms, shops, restaurants and all the things you would find in Hyrule Castle Town.

"Where is Darunia, by the way?"

"He's at the bottom floor. That's where he usually likes to spend most of his time."

Link once again looked down the seemingly endless pit. It was a long way down. It would take them forever to reach Darunia!

"How long will it take to get to him?"

"Oh, not too long. Maybe a minute or so. We're going to take the elevator."

"An elevator? What's an –"

Before Link could finish his sentence, he saw the elevator, and it explained to him everything he needed to know. It was a small wooden box with enough space to carry three or four people. It was attached to a series of pulleys and ropes that the passengers inside could pull, to bring them up and down. This would make the trip down to the bottom a lot faster.

They stepped in the elevator one by one. Link was first, followed by his escorts. One of them began pulling the rope inside the elevator, and they began descending down into Goron City. Link looked out the small cut-out window in the box, and watched the many levels of the giant city pass by. He noticed that the Gorons came in all shapes and sizes, despite the fact that his escorts were virtually had the same dimensions. He feared for these poor creatures; they would be defenceless if an attack broke up against them. It didn't look like these were beings of war, but of peace and harmony. Now, they were caught in the middle of a dispute with hostile forces. Link watched each Goron pass by with wild interest. He observed that if they wanted to get around faster, they would simply curl up into a ball and roll around as if they were tumbling rocks. Every so often, Link would see a somewhat giant Goron, about twice the size as most of the others. Usually they were crowded by others as they boasted about their size and strength. Link guess he wouldn't blame them; he would probably do it too if he were that huge. As Link saw the diversity of this tribe, he got more curious about what their leader, Darunia. What did he look like? The elevator plunged deeper and deeper into the cavern, and the giant hole seemed to get narrower as they went along. Link got a little anxious as the tunnel got more mysterious. Link looked over to another ridge, and saw another of those giant Gorons wearing what looked like a lizard suit. Was that what a Dodongo looked like? The children around him seemed quite amused by it, nonetheless. A wry smile swept across Link's face upon seeing it. Sooner or later, the disguised Goron slipped out of sight as the elevator got too far away. Link continued to wonder if the costume was what his enemies looked like. The next thing Link knew, the elevator stopped with a loud CLUNK.

"Here we are…" mumbled one of the Gorons as he beckoned Link outside. The Gorons seemed to get a little more serious, now that they were in the premises of their leader. Link began to wonder if Darunia wasn't the most pleasant of characters. Even so, Link stepped out of the lift. The Gorons began to walk across the poorly lit ground, across to the other side. There were a few torched by the door that they were heading to, indicating its importance; they must've been very close to Darunia. From close observation of the Gorons in front of him, Link might've thought that they were getting into an orderly fashion; the way that they were behaving only made Link get more nervous to actually meeting the "Big Boss" of the Gorons. They stepped through the doorway, and began to walk up a short flight of steps. There was warm air coming in through this small passage. Link could see thumb paintings on the wall. It appeared that they were portraits of previous Goron leaders. Some seemed a little friendlier than others. It looked like the leaders were pretty random when it came to sternness. Maybe they didn't come from a bloodline, and were just picked off randomly? Perhaps it would be best to ask Darunia himself that question.

They turned the corner, and entered a small, yet beautifully decorated room. To Link's left, there was a large stone statue of an ancient Goron. The back of it seemed a little charred for some strange reason. He decided to ignore it. The ceiling was strewn with many mini-flags bearing a strange symbol. He remembered it from before, because a lot of the Gorons had this symbol tattooed onto their shoulders. On the wall opposite Link, there was a series of weapons, mostly spears and such. They seemed as ancient as the statue. Link was in such awe looking at the many things he had seen just now; he forgot to look to the right of the room. Once he managed to turn his head in the correct direction, he saw the great Goron leader: Darunia.

Link couldn't really get a good look at him because he was on a bench press, but he saw that he was unimaginably built. His biceps pulsated with every beat of his heart. They might've been even bigger than Link's head! With that body, he might've been even capable of defeating Ganondorf! Link shut that thought down; he knew that Ganondorf could not be defeated by such physical means such as brute strength.

"Big Brother? The messenger of the Royal Family has arrived!" exclaimed on of the Gorons, but a little hesitantly at the same time. Darunia grunted, and slowly put the barbells down onto their rack. He sat up, and stretched his neck. Link could now get a good look at his full appearance. Indeed, he was not mistaken with the leader's colossal strength. Although he had a large belly, Link wouldn't want to take on this massive Goron. Although Darunia had the same sized mouth as all of the other Gorons, his was used to perform an unyielding frown. His eyes were like stone, and didn't have a strong gleam as most of the others. His hair was more wild and untended than the other Gorons; he had a long grey beard, separated into several points. His feral hair ran up the side of his head and onto the top, making several other spikes similar to his beard. He wore several thin, overlapping wristbands and anklets. His fists, maybe larger than his head, clenched violently. His aggressive expression didn't make Link feel any more comfortable.

"Who is this?" he snorted. "You said the messenger had arrived!"

The Gorons panicked slightly. It appeared that Darunia didn't believe Link was in fact the messenger of the Royal family. "But this is the messenger! He arrived just now!"

"Have you two lost your puny little minds? This kid? Hyrule's messenger! Why would you believe this?" he growled as he spat ferociously onto the floor.

"He claims to have been sent here by Princess Zelda…"

Darunia's eyes narrowed ominously. "Princess Zelda? And what proof does he have of this?"

The two Gorons looked at Link as if they were expecting him to do something. Darunia's stare didn't make him feel any better either.

"She didn't leave anything with me that can prove I have spoken with her."

Darunia got up off of the bench while chuckling in disbelief. Link shrunk slightly in embarrassment. Darunia walked over to the giant statue on the other side of the room.

"So what makes you think I should believe you then, kid?"

Link's lip curled slightly. "You contacted Zelda telepathically yesterday. I was right in front of her when it happened. So she sent me to help you."

Darunia turned around with a smirk on his face. He nodded. "That's right, but anyone could've picked up telepathic waves." Darunia turned to face Link. His expression had transformed swiftly into that of distrust. "I think this kid is working for Ganondorf!"
Link flinched at that remark. His escorts did the same.

"But, Big Boss, he's only a child! How could he be working for Ganondorf?"

Darunia grunted. "That man could brainwash anyone. He's probably used this kid to make us least expect a spy!"

Hearing this, the two Gorons backed away from Link slightly. Link had to stick up for himself.

"I hate Ganondorf! I'm here to defend your people from his evil!"

Darunia burst into laughter. "I'm sure you are, kid! Let's see what you have on ya, shall we?"

Darunia approached Link, and started moving his hands along Link's clothing, searching for anything suspicious. Link didn't squirm, for it might make Darunia even angrier.

"Aha! What's this?" Darunia exclaimed as he pulled out Link's ocarina. "Do you two know what this is?"

The two Gorons shook their heads.

"Well, then. Perhaps this kid knows; he's the one who brought it here…"

"It's a fairy ocarina. It's an instrument?"

Darunia's eyebrows rose. "A fairy wha…?"

"Ocarina. You use it to make music."

Darunia crossed his arms and a smug grin was sweeping across his face. "Really? Well, if you're telling the truth…" Darunia passed the ocarina back into Link's hands. "Play me a song then."

"What?"

"If you are telling the truth, then play me a song."

Link decided to go along with Darunia's request, seeing that it would be the only thing that would prove that he was indeed sent here by Princess Zelda, but what song? Link didn't know any…but what about the song that Saria taught him an hour ago? Maybe that would work? Link slowly put the ocarina into his mouth.

"This should be good…" snickered Darunia. With a little bit of hesitation, Link began to play Saria's song. The playful, quick tempo melody flowed through him, as if he were back in the forest once again. He closed his eyes, and saw leaves, trees, plants, and all parts of the forest. He opened his eyes to look at Darunia. His arms were still crossed, and the same stern expression was still on his face. Link stopped playing. Darunia's eyes widened.

"Hey! I didn't say stop! That's pretty good. Keep going…"

Delighted to hear this, Link immediately inserted the instrument into his mouth and continued where he left off. This time, he kept his eyes open to see what Darunia was doing. After a while, Darunia began grooving his head, snapping his fingers, and tapping his toes. He seemed to really like the song. This gave Link a burst of energy that made him play the song even louder.

"Yeah! Keep going!" he yelled over the music Link was performing. Darunia was rocking his head more enthusiastically now. Even the Gorons beside Link began to dance a little. Link tapped his toes as well as he played the song; he began to get a liking for it as well. Suddenly, Darunia ran to the other side of the room, and opened what looked like a secret cabinet. He pulled out a pair of bongo drums, got the beat of the song, and began to improvise a drum line. Link tried not to smile, for if he did he wouldn't be able to play. He knew the song was coming close to the end, but he didn't want to stop. He knew he had to though, so he held the final note. Darunia did a little bit of a solo as he held it, and soon, Link ran out of breath, and finished the song by letting go of the note, and letting Darunia do a final slam on his drums.

"Wonderful! Spectacular! I haven't had that much fun in years!" exclaimed Darunia with a laugh. Out of the blue, Link suddenly heard Saria's voice in his head.

"What is it, Link? Do you need something?"

Link laughed a little. He forgot that every time he played that song, he'd hear Saria's voice. "No, everything's fine. I'm just testing it out."

"Oh, okay. Well, good luck then!"

Sooner than he knew it, her voice was gone.

"Who are you talking too?" asked a confused Darunia, putting his drums away into the cabinet.

"Oh, no one," recoiled Link as he slipped his ocarina back into its pouch.

"Okay, maybe you're a little bit delusional," he grunted as he stepped back in front of Link. "But I think I like you. A brainwashed servant wouldn't be able to concentrate hard enough to perform a song of that quality. I trust you, kid. What's your name?"

Link cleared his throat. "I am Link."

Darunia calmly directed a finger at Navi. "And who's…"

"This is Navi, my guardian fairy."

Darunia suddenly burst into hysterics. "A guardian fairy! It doesn't make sense to me…but okay!" Darunia didn't seem to notice the rise in Navi's glow's intensity. "So," he said as he turned around, took out a cup of some sort and poured himself a glass of a substance in a beaker. "I know you can't be an actual messenger of the Royal Family, but I believe your story of being sent here by the princess. Have a seat. You two leave us, would you?"

The two Gorons bowed and slunk away. As Link actually stepped inside the room, he noticed there were some wooden chairs on the wall that he couldn't see in the entranceway. He casually took a seat in one of the middle ones. Darunia took a seat on the bench where he was working out. He took a sip of his drink.

"So, what new game has our little princess come up with now?" he joked. Link leaned back in his seat a little.

"It isn't a game. It's quite serious, actually." Link bit his lip a little. "I've been sent here to take care of the issue about King Dodongo."

Darunia burst into laughter yet again. He almost held his sides; he was laughing so hard.

"Kid…err…Link, you can't be serious. You, battling King Dodongo? That would be good for a joke!" Darunia sighed and seemed to wipe a small tear out of his eye after having a good laugh. Link wasn't amused by this, however. Darunia tapped his chin; he was thinking. "The only person that I can think up of off of the top of my head that would even stand a chance against that tyrant would be the legendary one that recently defeated Queen Gohma."

Link displayed a mischievous grin. "Really? Because I know where that guy is."

Darunia leaned forward in his seat slightly. "What? Where is he?"

Link crossed his legs calmly. "He's closer than you think."

"You don't mean to say…"

Link pointed a finger at his chest. "He's me."

Darunia waved a hand at Link. "Don't try to trick me, Link. We both know that if you were the hero, then you would have the Sacred Stone of Forest."

Link almost broke into a laugh as he reached into one of his pouches and took out the shining emerald. Darunia jumped out of his seat upon seeing its magnificence.

"No…impossible! You must've killed the warrior and stole if from him!"

Link shook his head and laughed as he leaned back even more into his seat. "Then that would make me even more efficient for the job, wouldn't it?"

Darunia sighed, and lay back onto the bench. While still lying down, he put his drink on the small table beside it. He sat back up. "Okay, I believe you. So, the legendary one is right in front of me at last," he said as he relaxed a little. "I never expected that he would be in fact a mere child. How did you kill a beast as great as Queen Gohma, anyway?"

Link sighed and shrugged at the same time. "I wish I could answer that question. I've been trying to for a long time. I guess I might've been lucky that one time, but I'm a much better swordsman now; I've gotten training from General Amentaris."

Darunia stretched his neck again. "Amentaris…really? Anyway, what are your terms?"

"What?"

Darunia poured himself another drink. "You know, you help us out with the Dodongo problem, and we give you something in return."

Link's eyes brightened. "If I were to rid you of King Dodongo…"

"Yes, go on," said Darunia as he took a sip of his drink.

"I would want the Spiritual Stone of Fire."

Darunia spat his mouth's contents all over the floor. "The Spiritual Stone of Fire! Do you mean the Goron's Ruby!"

Link leaned back and put his hands behind his head. "If that's what you want to call it, yes."

Darunia grinded his teeth, and looked up at Link with a little bit of annoyance. "Fine, we'll let you have it, but only if you succeed."

"But of course, although things worry me. First of all, I'd like to get some information. Have you bothered to attack Dodongo's Cavern?"

Darunia threw his arms up into the air in frustration. "Yes! We tried, oh how we tried. We've suffered countless casualties, and I'm not even sure if they've lost one of their comrades. It's all because King Dodongo has too much experience when it comes to war. He's able to organize his troops so ingeniously, that we don't even stand a chance. If only they were without a leader, we'd be able to take them easily."

Link leaned forward in his chair. "Wait, did you say that if they were without a leader, you would be able to take them?"

Darunia raised an eyebrow. "…yeah."

Link clenched a victorious fist. "King Dodongo knows I'm coming. He wants to see me alive in front of him, so he can battle me himself. If I manage to defeat him, then his troops will be unorganized, so when I give the signal, you can run in and take care of his army!"

Darunia leaned back in astonishment. "That's the craziest idea I've ever heard…it just might work."

They both laughed. Link tried to kill the butterflies in his stomach, but now they were flying around like crazy once Darunia got up out of his seat. He paced around the room with his hands behind his back. He saw that there was a hint of worry in Darunia's eyes.

"Well, if this is the only plan that you've got," he said as he stopped pacing and looked at the ground.

"It is, unfortunately," Link replied a little solemnly.

"Then what do we have to lose? I'll open the cave, and you can go ahead. While you're inside, I'll rally up the troops and we'll await your signal." Link jumped out of his seat.

"What? Why so soon?"

Darunia growled. "Link, our people are starving. They've gone without food for days now. If things continue, we will waste away. This isn't something you should wait on. We have to end this madness once and for all."

Link winced, and with some effort, nodded.

"Come on, let's go." Darunia opened up the secret compartment where his bongo drums were located, but this time pulled out a small, mysterious bag. Carrying it, he speedily walked out the door. Link followed.