"There it is, Fire Breath Mine."

Link slowed Epona to a halt, jumped off her back, and helped Saria dismount. A lone sign was all to give the hole a name, but the heat emanating from within backed up the inscription.

"Wow, we haven't even gone in yet, and I'm sweating! Where did you put those tunics, Link?"

Casually, the boy reached into his pouch and removed the two crimson red shirts, still folded. He slipped one on over his normal clothes, and tossed the other to Saria.

"They're red? I don't know... red has never been my color. It might clash with my hair a bit."

"What color did you think they were gonna be?"

"I don't know, green?"

"Just put the dang thing on, Saria. I thought you were in a hurry?"

The forest girl hesitated for a moment. She didn't want Mari catching on too quickly. She had told her most of what was going on, but she still didn't tell her why she was there. Instead, she had done something she'd never done before, she lied. Rather than giving her actual reason for being there, she told Mari she was escaping a doomed future. While that wasn't entirely false, it was still a lie.

"Was I in a hurry?"

"Yes. Earlier, you were acting almost like someone was chasing you."

'Time and Ganon are, and they're both relentless.' Saria thought to herself.

"I was just a little excited Mari, I wanted to see if these things worked."

"Just a moment ago, you were complaining about their color."

"Doesn't mean I can't be curious."

Mari eyed the child for a moment with suspicion, but she dropped the conversation. If something was going on, she would figure it out later. Saria slipped on her red shirt, and looked at it in slight disgust.

"I've never been a really big fan of red, it's a scary color. But I'm pretty sure this thing works, I feel cool as a spring breeze!"

"Brilliant! Now, let's get in there."

"Will you be okay in the heat, Mari?"

"I've got my own magic to protect me, I'll be fine."

Link took point and lead the group into the cavern. The only source of light was the occasional torch on the wall, clearly helping to heat the atmosphere. Their every footstep echoed throughout the tunnel, bouncing from wall to wall, distorting across uneven surfaces.

"Wow... I've never seen anything like this place! It's huge, and it's got the best echo I've ever heard! I wonder what my ocarina would sound like in here?"

"Oooh boy..."

Saria pulled out her small woodwind instrument, and played a simple scale. The resulting chirps bounced all around her, giving the illusion of a whole army playing along with her.

"Woah... this is gonna be epic!"

"And loud..."

Giddily, Saria played her song and listened as her own music turned into a whole orchestra. She skipped and danced along the rock path with glee as she performed the melody of her heart. No matter what kind of funk she was in, Saria's song always raised her into joyful spirits, the tune never failed to lift others' moods either. Even Link hummed along as the expansive cavern filled with wondrous sound. Mari always told herself she found the song annoying, after all, Saria played it near daily, yet, every time she heard it, the melody put her in a good mood, and she would find herself appreciating each and every note. The children happily hopped along with the tune, and Mari bobbed in the air to it. With an epic crescendo, Saria played the last few notes of her tune, and listened to the sound as it echoed off into the tunnels surrounding them.

"Wow, you're good!"

A voice, breathy and high, pierced through the silence. Saria jumped and squealed, nearly dropping her ocarina. Link's hand flew to his sword.

"Woah, easy there! Can't a guy appreciate a good piece of music? I won't hurt you."

The voice's figure walked into the light of the torches, wide set arms and short legs revealed. It was a Goron! He wore about as much clothing as a Goron normally would, bar a helmet made of rock that sat on his head.

"How did you kids get so far into this mine without having a heat stroke?"

After pairing the voice and the body in her mind, Saria couldn't help but snicker. He looked like he could punch through solid brick, but his voice was so squeaky, that it could have come from a fairy. Link put his sword back away, and gave a simple bow to the being. Mari tried to shush Saria, she didn't want her laughing at what could be their only help.

"Is something funny, girl? The mine is not a place to laugh about."

"Oh, don't worry, I'm pretty sure that's not what she's laughing about. We're looking for something down here."

"Oh, a fairy! The fairies are finally coming back! Now maybe it won't get so hot down here!"

"Hot?"

"Oh yes, very hot. We Gorons usually love the heat, but ever since the fairies left, some parts of the mine have gotten too hot, even for us! We've had to seal several shafts and abandon rich deposits because of it! All the best rocks were down there... now there's hardly enough food to go around, we've had to lay off many workers. I probably won't even have a job here soon."

"Hm, sounds about like the harp's meddling. Do you know what might have caused the sudden rise in temperature?"

"No, but the boss thinks it's coming from the bottom of the cavern, the molten rivers."

"Hey, that's where we need to go! Could you take us there?"

"Are you crazy? You kids shouldn't even be here! Down there, us Gorons can't even take the heat!"

"Oh, I think they can handle it, Link?"

At the fairy's word, Link took a torch down from the wall, and held it to himself. The Goron wasn't all that impressed, until suddenly, Link put the torch on his head flame side down. He removed his fiery hat, and showed to the Goron that he had no burn marks or singed hair whatsoever.

"Woah, that is a great trick! Can you teach me?"

"Heehee, I'm afraid not, mister. My name is Saria, what's yours?"

"Rodergi, little music maker. Are you as fireproof as your friend?"

"Yup! I think so. Listen Rodergi, we really need to get down there, could you at least point us in the right direction?"

"I'm sorry, even I'm not allowed to open the seal leading down there. Only my boss can do that."

"Well, can you take us to your boss? Maybe he could help us."

"Oh no, believe me when I say you don't want to meet him. He isn't too keen on outsiders sniffing around his mine, but he has been especially irritable as of late. It's probably because all this heat is really hitting hard on our profits."

"Well, sir, what if I told you that we might could help with that?"

"Oh? How so?"

"We're warriors, see our swords and shields?"

There she went again, Saria seemed to like to flaunt her supposed 'hero status' whenever she could benefit from it. Rodergi twisted his head and groaned with exasperation.

"Little girl, even if you could get down there, what would you and your friend's little metal sticks do about the heat? Your shield looks like it probably wouldn't work too well down there anyway."

"Why not?"

"Because it is made of wood. It's much to hot down there for anything wooden to do any good."

"Oh..."

"He's got a point, Saria. Besides, we don't even know what's down there, it's probably worse than that nest of peahats!"

"Oh, are you those heroes?"

The three travelers stared between each other. Did this Goron know of their exploits in the forest of confusion? Link began to glare at the heavyset once again, eyeing him with curiosity.

"What heroes?"

"The heroes who saved Mayor Briggi's son, Junior!"

"I suppose we are, then. How did you hear about that?"

"Oh, me and the mayor go way back, me and him used to play together."

"Er... play?"

"Yup, we were in a band! Just like you, we made wonderful music. We had to break up not too long ago, though. We all got in a disagreement with our lead singer and parted ways, but me and Briggi still keep in touch."

"Wow... uh... it's a small world."

"It is! It really is! I know you guys will be able to handle whatever is down there if he trusts you!"

"Wait, so you're going to let us go to the molten rivers?"

"No, I'm going to persuade my boss to let you go. But before you go down there, you need a better shield, kid. Your friend's should do good enough, though."

"Where am I going to get one of those?"

"We can make one! Us Gorons forge our metal right here in the mine. I might have to make a new mold for you, though. All of our shields are adult sized, and you are much too tiny for them."

"Yeah, I suppose I am kinda small."

"This way, I can't wait to introduce you to my boss!"