Chapter 37: Duty
~~~"The Goron Ruby? Then that would explain it. Your green clothes, you are the Chosen Hero, are you not?" Dumande said, with much surprise.
Link nodded.
"The Great Deku Tree of Kokiri Forest has charged us with the task of reclaiming the Master Sword. Without it, he cannot affront this surfacing evil that plagues Hyrule," spoke Eroraf.
Dumande turned to the statue behind him. To everyone's surprise, the statue held in its hands, the Goron Ruby. Days of searching had led up to this moment.
"Will you give it to us?" asked Link in a hopeful tone.
"Yes," began Dumande, "On the request of the one who shall bequeath it to you. Like the Chosen who have come before you to take ownership of the Goron Ruby, you must prove that you deserve it."
"Let me guess, you want us to quell your little insurrection?" replied Nid, scornfully.
Dumande frowned, narrowing his glare at him. "It seems I need not explain myself then. Brother!"
A muscular and tall Goron appeared from the tunnel.
"Gather up the army. Lead them into the mountain where I shall be."
"Yes, brother." The Goron returned from where he came.
"How would you know where the traitors are hiding now?" asked Auru.
"The reason why the mountain shakes so is because of Dogoro's attempts to awaken the mountain's spirit. He must be at the peak in order to do so."
"Then that's where we need to be," said Link.
Uryan held his hand out, just as Link began to charge into battle, signaling him to halt.
"What's the problem?" asked Link.
"Remember what we discussed about your curse mark? If you run into Dogoro, you'll no doubt become Dark Link, shortening the time we have left."
"I won't fight him then!" Link said as he began to charge.
Uryan turned to him, standing in his way. "Listen to me Link. You must not fight, or even be near Dogoro. His influence on Dark Link is the same as the influence Anodro had on him. If you make one mistake, Hyrule is doomed."
Link's eyes grew wide. He gulped, realizing the danger that he had found himself in. "I understand."
Uryan stepped aside, letting Link go forth.
Dumande stood up and took form to fight. "Prepare to die, traitor!"
He flew his fist at the feeble Goron who lay on the ground. Suddenly, Dogoro blocked Dumande's punch with his hand, as if he had the strength of a Goron twice Dumande's massive size.
"What is this?"
"What, you did not expect a feeble old stone like me to block the punches of a cur?"
Dumande was blown back by a counter-punch from Dogoro, landing near the opening of the mountain. Dogoro stood to his feet.
"You interrupted my ceremony. Today is the day the Spirit of the Mountain will manifest itself. Your blood will be a tribute to its physical birth."
Dumande, with a single motion, went into a roll, going full speed. Dogoro was slammed by the collision, crashing into a rock formation. Dumande quickly met him again, following up with a punch that was once again blocked by Dogoro's mysterious power. Not letting himself be open to another counter-attack, Dumande continued his offensive, letting loose a flurry of punches, all of which Dogoro blocked successfully. Suddenly the ground shook, and a formation of rock jetted from the ground beneath Dumande, tossing him into the air. Dogoro leaped from his position to Dumande and grabbed his arm and spun him around in the air. Without notice, he let go of Dumande's arm and Dumande crashed into the ground.
"You will heel like a good cur and wait!"
Rock formations shot from the ground and trapped Dumande, pinning him to the ground. He struggled to free himself, but in vain. Dogoro hovered over the opening once again and shut his eyes and began chanting. The mountain began to furiously quake like never before. Jets of magma began to leap out of the mountain. Dogoro opened his eyes and smiled.
"It is time…"
"Zelda, what's going on?" asked Medi with a look of terror on her face.
"I don't know. The mountain is shaking harder than before."
"It's that Goron, Dogoro," Nid said, pointing to his small image, hovering over the mountain.
"He is using his piece of the Fused Shadow to summon something from within the mountain."
"The Fused Shadow? What are you talking about?" asked Medi.
"It's a relic that houses unspeakable power within it. Somehow, Dogoro got a hold of it," Eroraf said.
"What should we do?" she asked, beginning to panic.
"Stay here. That is the best way to stay safe and to help them," said Eroraf.
From the moment Zelda joined Link on this quest, she had undoubted suspicions about Uryan, Nid, and Eroraf. They were obviously planning something sinister by how they secluded themselves and barely communicated with them on any level other than for business. Now though, she wasn't so sure they were as evil as the appeared to be. They seemed to care for them. They have strange ways of showing it, but there was evidence.
Link would have long since been a Silhouette if not for their magic. They would have been likely captured if they didn't defend them with the Bublin ambush. Link would have been putting himself in danger with Dogoro if not for Uryan's counseling, and she and Medi would be forced to defend themselves if not for them. Maybe they weren't as bad as they seemed…
Darmani's bloody fists continued their righteous berserk on the many that opposed his comrades. His body was bruised and beaten, but the pain was little in the face of his determination. Suddenly, the constant tremors that had been happening throughout the battle became so powerful, that he, along with everyone on the battlefield, lost balance and fell.
"What is happening?"
Lava and ash spewed from the mouth of Death Mountain as the tremors grew more and more powerful. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't gain his footing. A loud crackle sounded, followed by a shift in the ground. The tremors were causing fissures in the mountain. Suddenly, images of his fight with Kaiser Dodongo came to his mind. It was as if everything was repeating itself again.
"Dogoro! You can't do this to us!"
Link could not get to his feet. Every time he tried, he fell again. The quakes were too mighty to overcome.
"Something's happening,"
'The reason why the mountain shakes so is because of Dogoro's attempts to awaken the mountain's spirit. He must be at the peak in order to do so.'
"I have to stop this!"
Link forced himself up, despite the power of the quakes. He suddenly felt as though he suddenly received a power beyond what he had. It wasn't the power of Dark Link, but something else.
"Go, Chosen Hero… Thou hast been given courage to face me… Now I hath given thee power to destroy me… Hence forth and maketh me light work…"
"Who said that?" yelled Link, alarmed at what he heard. Suddenly, a bright green light shone from his belt pocket. He opened it to see the Kokiri Emerald, shinning brightly.
'Thou hast been given courage to face me…'
"Could that have been…the Spirit of the Mountain?"
Loud explosions began to sound from the mouth of the mountain. The air was becoming heated and dark with the ash and flame the rose through the opening. Link began to make his way to the summit.