After re-hooding ourselves and getting Navi back in my pocket Rosso lead us to the stairs. This time we were headed up.

"Sorry for the third degree. Things have been pretty hectic here the last few days. We've all been on edge." Rosso sighed, his heft making him a lot slower up the stairway then the two of us. "You're lucky you even managed to get in here. Forgive Mig, he's a good man. I'd trust him with my back above many others. But he has no clue of the Prophecy, and is fiercely loyal to his Brothers. I figure if you're here, it confirms our suspicions of this having to do with that. Especially given your companion is female, and friend of a fairy no less."

"Yes Rosso, it's as you suspect. And thanks for the support back there." Kage nodded behind us. "I think we would have been goners otherwise."

"Heh, I'm just lucky Mig and his soldier's look up to me. Silly, really. I'm simply Head Engineer of the Mines; I've no real political standing. Yet they seem to think I do, and want me to lead them."

"I thought…Darmani was second in line, should Darunia be…unable to lead." Kage said cautiously. "Rosso, what in the Sacred Realm happened here? And why close yourselves off with no call for help?"

Rosso paused at the top of the stairs, the grimace on his face expressing it was not only to catch his breath. "It is a long story, and would be best told by those who were involved. Come, we're headed to the medical wing." Rosso ambled forward once more.

A hospital? My heart caught in my throat and I glanced to Kage. His mouth had fallen open.

Rosso turned a few paces ahead of us. "Well, are you coming? I can roll on ahead and meet you there if you'd like to stand and gape. It'd be better on my legs."

At that I snapped back. With new theories sprouting in my head, each worse then the last, we continued following Rosso.


When we reached the medical wing of Goron City, Rosso approached the desk and asked the Hylian receptionist to see someone named Renado. When she protested, noting he could but the rest of us couldn't, he assured her that we were here under his authority. She continued to argue with him, but when Rosso playfully threatened to hold back some moss that grew in the mines that I guess had some medicinal properties, the woman finally caved.

"Fine, Ross. But it's not my neck if Renado skins you alive." The woman humphed. "You know where he is. Here, for your followers, or the guards won't let them through." She handed him a sheet of paper.

"Many thanks, Marie." Rosso took the paper and ambled down the hall.

"You didn't have to threaten cutting supplies for us, really." Kage said when we'd gotten out of earshot.

"Ha! Don't concern yourself, Sir. The moss in question is merely one Miss Marie develops into a cosmetic for herself, nothing more." The Goron scratched his head as we turned a corner. "Though, given what the woman looks like without it, the threat of holding it back was probably more a threat to the rest of us then herself." He chuckled.

We walked through many corridors, passing by countless hurrying Healers and their Assistances, until finally we reached a door with two sentinel Gorons. Rosso handed them his sheet and told them something in Goronish when one of them pressed. Whatever was said seemed good enough, and we were nodded in.

It was a large room, curtains separating a few of the beds. A tall, dreadlocked and dark skinned man was standing at the foot of one of them. He looked up as we entered.

"Rosso? I thought you made your stance on staying out of this mess incredibly clear." The man frowned at our guide.

He shrugged. "I did, but seems the fates would have me dragged into it anyway. Nayru is a fickle mistress."

"Blaspheme on your own time." The man spat, writing something down on his clipboard. Our ornery Healer (whom I guessed was Renado) then did a double take. "And who the hell is this! No one is to-"

"I apologize, Healer Renado, Rosso acted in our benefit. We came to find out how we might help." Kage stepped forward, lowering his hood. Hopefully this would go better then last time…

"P-prince Kagen?" He gasped and dropped his clipboard. Phew, I'd take surprise over anger any day. I lowered my hood too, but hung back by the door.

"Young P-prince?" came a weak voice from behind the curtain by the Healer.

"No, please, stay down." Renado urged his patient. But a moment later the curtain was drawn.

It was a Sheikah woman, wrapped in many bandages and wincing with the weight of sitting up. Her hair was as red as her eye (one was covered with the bandages), and she could have been easily mistaken as a Gerudo for her tribe's dark skin if it weren't for her multiple tattoos.

"Please, be at ease, Shiekah. Lay down and rest." Kage waved her painful attempts at bowing to him away. She obliged, slowing lowering herself back down in her bed, panting in her effort.

"Thank you, Prince. You are…too kind, c-considering my failure."

Kage approached her bedside, looking down at the gasping woman in pity. "Please, Warrior, what is your name?"

"I am…Eran, m-my Prince."

"Eran, I'm sure whatever happened here, even in failure, only went to prove your loyalty to me and my Family. I thank you for honouring us, to such personal suffering." He gently touched her unwrapped arm.

"T-thank you, my Prince." The woman sniffed, her eye wet as she looked up at her patron.

"I'm thinking it's about time we explain that little issue." Rosso walked into the room as Renado sighed and pulled up a chair big enough for him. He turned and nodded to me. "Come on in Maiden, might as well get comfortable."

I strode forward soberly, Renado readying more seats. Halfway into the room, my head exploded into echoes.

"I do know one person who was able to best them and earn their trust-"

"-was just too busy mining all the time to mention it-"

"-oh, that's it-"

"-to go nuts if I'm cooped up here for much longer-"

"-return of her memory -"

"I am Darmani -. The blood of proud Goron heroes runs in me. -feels strange for me to say-. Yes… When I was alive."

It took me a moment to realize Kage was kneeling in front of me, shaking my shoulders.

"Sarah! Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

I coughed, grabbing my splitting head. I guess I'd fallen down, but the overlapping voices still whispered in the back of my mind, mingling and painful. Except for the last one. That one was clear.

I hadn't noticed Renado dive to my side, feeling my head and looking me over. My eyes were pulled to the corner of the room, where curtains were still drawn. I couldn't look away.

"-has this happened to her before?"

"S-sort of. She can hear through time, Healer, and has had similar experiences after that."

"Through time? Truly? I thought that was only capable by practiced monks."

"D-darmani…" I mumbled the name I'd heard in my vision. The name of a Goron who said he was…dead.

"How did she-?"

"I told you."

"But that's-"

The bickering to my side ceased as Rosso came into my view. He bent down and offered me his hand.

"Would you like to see him?"

I nodded, grabbing a finger of the lofty Goron's hand. He pulled me up and led me over.

"It's not a pretty sight, girl. Prepare yourself."

I nodded again, feeling peaked and shaky. I had to see him, I didn't know why, but I had to make sure. He couldn't be gone, not like this, I'd healed him before-

Wait. No… No, I'd never met him before.

S-so why did I think I did?

Rosso moved the curtains and I choked, hand flying to my mouth.

Before me was a Goron, massive gash running clear across his belly. The blood staining his bandages perfumed the air, making it heavy with a coppery tasty. He had other cuts across his body, but none so striking. His arm was in a cast, and his angled lying unnaturally chilling. Parts of his ground-level bed were littered with stones crumbling off of him. Even before Renado came forward I knew he was a man on his deathbed.

"We've done all we can but the gash is too deep; damaged too many of his organs beyond repair. Not to mention his snapped spine. I've made him as comfortable as possible, but he doesn't have long. I'm surprised he's hung on for days rather then hour. But Gorons are a tenacious lot."

"We tend to like to give our Brothers the proper chance to say farewell." Rosso replied heavily, overviewing Darmani.

I felt an indescribable sadness for this Goron I had never met. My eyes were streaming as I knelt down beside him and reached out for his arm.

His eyelids fluttered when I did, but he stayed asleep.

I had a longing to play a song for him. I didn't know why, but I wanted to pave this creature's way to the Scared Realm with music. The only problem was I couldn't move. I knew it had to be something specific, but I didn't have the right notes, and somewhere deep inside I felt unbelievably frustrated with myself.

"Come on Sarah, let's move now, okay?" Kage had returned, hand again on my back. I stayed still. "Sarah, he's got every comfort available right now. I'm sure he'd appreciate you staying with him, but we have to find out what did this to him. Right? Up we get now."

Kage pulled me to my feet and I was shaken out of the last bit of my trance. He held my hand tenderly as he led me to chair beside the warrior Eran's bed. I wiped my messy face and sniffled. Renado moved the curtains to give the Goron some peace and then joined us.

"I'm s-sorry." I stammered, still dabbing at my eyes.

"It's okay, Maiden. I was pretty much in the same state when I saw him there the first time," Rosso sighed, patting my back.

Kage was keeping a hand clasped on mine, rubbing his thumb down the back of it. "So what caused all these grievous injuries? And the Shiekah, they said more then one Warrior was sent to you. Are they out searching for the one responsible?" Kage looked around the room.

"…They are dead, m-my Prince. I couldn't s-save…any of them," Eran shuddered from both the pain and holding back her emotions.

"…Dead?" Kage repeated. "What on earth…could kill such an advanced team?"

Everyone looked away, faces fighting with the answer. Finally, after a desperate "Well?" from Kage, Rosso replied.

"It was Darunia."

Renado took the torch and started from the beginning. "Nearly a week ago, Eran and her team arrived to Goron City, offering to help us remove Agahnim from the throne. They also wanted to help us protect the citizens from any magic he might send our way, since Darunia's threats would undoubtedly bring…retaliation."

Rosso humphed. "At least he stood up to the false King. It's more then any other race of Hyrule has done thus far."

"Maybe not openly, Rosso. But it did put a target on our back, like I warned. Though I thought you wished to remain out of the decision-making? You can't have it both ways." Renado narrowed his eyes at Rosso, who just rolled his but said nothing. Renado continued.

"For a few days, planning and protecting the city, everything went fine. Then, during a meeting to figure out the plan on how to make their way into Castle Town, Darunia went ballistic."

"Did he…disagree with someone?" I asked meekly.

Renado leaned heavily in his chair, studying the hands in his lap. "No, it was more then that; like nothing I've ever seen. He was arguing with his brother Darmani, who implored Darunia to stay behind, and actually…wait for your Family's word, Prince. We'd discussed the likelihood of this being related to the Prophecy, and Darmani figured, with his brother being the Patriarch, one of you might reach out to him through means only a leader would recognize. Darunia doubted it, but their arguing escalated. Darunia, a Goron so compassionate he insisted we seal the City first so no one would get hurt, even accused his own brother of trying to take the spotlight and use it to steal his Chiefdom from under him. The accusations got more absurd from there. Gorons occasionally settle things with brawn in gatherings, but when Darunia went after his brother it was with the look of a killer."

Renado closed his eyes and leaned back. "It was a bloodbath after that. Goron Officials, the Sheikah; when it became apparent Darunia meant true harm all tried to stop him. But he was not made Goron's City leader lightly. Darunia crushed everyone. I tried to aid the wounded, but only the two here survived his onslaught… Darunia ran out after his attack, even killing some citizens in his escape. At that point Darmani was only suffering from a broken arm, and ran after his Brother. When he returned…well, Darunia threw him from above the City's cave, mangled, dying, and then ran off back to the Mountain peak. He's been there ever since. Darmani was able to tell us he fought him in the ancient crater Runes, but that was all. We've been trying to figure out what to do, or if we just…leave him there. Something in his mind must have snapped, but what, we've no idea. Nor how to mend it…or what he has done."

Kage was bent over, eyes wide, palm to his face, trying to comprehend this. I was immobile in my seat, odd, familiar dread oozing up from my stomach into my chest. Even the spot where Navi sat felt chill.

That's when I recognized the feeling. I squeezed Kage's clammy hand, and he glanced over.

"Kage, it sounds like when he-" I could only finish my sentence by grabbing my left forearm.

Realization washed over his face.

"You think…Agahnim…?"

Renado looked between us. "We did suspect Agahnim at first of course. But there is no magic available that could do such a thing, especially from that distance. We know Spirit Users can influence others, but it is advanced magic, much more mutual a type, and requires physical contact. We closed our gates to everyone but the Sheikah guards immediately after the King's murder was announced, and no foreign Spirit users are among us, nor were any in the meeting. It is impossible."

"No, it's not. We've experienced it first-hand," Kage glanced at me as I studied my boots. "Agahnim has found ancient symbols he can use to possess others, if he possesses a part of them. Hair, blood, something like that. How he got such from Darunia baffles me; maybe he kept it from a time the Chief visited the Castle. But what you described is exactly how it happened to us, just a few days ago ourselves."

"He possessed you Sir?" Rosso asked, mouth agape.

"No," I interrupted, not daring to look up. "He possessed me."

"So what did you do to right her?" Renado pressed, not bothering to hide the desperation in his voice.

"The symbols in question cannot get a grasp on my unique magic, so I used a blessing to bring Sarah back to her senses. She is currently protected by a Shiekah charm I've amplified. But thankfully it would seem Agahnim has no more of her essence to attempt possession again."

I hadn't known he amplified it. That made me feel a little better, considering all that we just learnt had happened.

A muffled gasp drew our attention to Eran. "My P-prince," she breathed, eye wide in realization. "I-I think I may know how the False King acquired p-part of the Goron Chief's essence."

"And how's that Warrior?" Kage asked as Renado stood and put a wet cloth to her forehead, dipped in some medicine.

"A d-day previous the Chief's attack, a-after one of the strategy meetings, I returned for a parchment one of the G-goron Officials forgot. There I found my Commander, w-who appeared as if he just item warped something. He said i-it was a message to the Elder, but…I had wondered w-why he stayed behind to do such, and was standing beside the Chief's chair."

"You think your Commander was a double agent?" Kage asked incredulously. "I can't see how that's possible. You of all of us should realize how terribly he would have been exiled. I can't see a Shiekah having been involved with this, can you?"

"I simply…w-wanted you to know what I s-saw, my Prince." Eran seemed to cower at his doubts.

"While it might not be probable, it is possible." I interjected, playing with my charm. "And the most suspicious thing we've heard so far. Elder Matria said they'd been unable to contact the Gorons, but don't you think she would have mentioned getting a message from one of her Sheikah inside the mountain if she'd gotten one?"

"Well put Maiden. That is quite odd, and adds merit to this theory." Rosso reached out and pat my head. I shrunk down at the weight, and felt my face flush. It was like he was trying to treat me like a family member or something. "But regardless of the particulars on how, from what you've told us thus far, you lot are our only hope at bringing our true Chief back."

"So it would seem…" Kage stared heavily at the floor.

"That may be so, but perhaps we can sort out our own strategy in the morning." Renado stood over Eran, holding clean bandages. "I must attend to my patients, and it's getting late. I believe we'll all need the renewed strength the morning will bring. If we truly can save Darunia, we will all need to be in top form to do so."

At least we could all agree to that. Rosso offered us room in his home, so we could still stay anonymous to the people. As we followed him out back into the hall, mind buzzing, I turned and looked once more to the curtained corner of the room.

My chest ached with the feeling I'd failed to save the same Goron twice.


I can't hold onto all these Fast Facts!

We'll, the shit really hit the fan there, didn't it? And originally, that wasn't going to happen like that. Darmani was meant to play the more Rosso role, but that was in a very different version of what happened, so I needed poor Darmani to be in a similar pickle to his previous iteration :C. Made me a bit sad I couldn't characterize him like I wanted, but I think this iteration goes waaaay smoother then my many other ideas.

Also, playing with Renado was very interesting too. I think, given his dichotomy with Rosso, I made him a bit more of a grump then I meant to...but I kind of went with it and ran. I like to let the characters speak more for themselves! I'll pave the story with outlines of what needs to happens, but if I discover the character's personalities are different than I intended, I'll work more on fitting it in then changing it and making them seem weird. Much better in the long run that way, at least in my writing!