Chapter 16: A Life for a Life

Goron and dragon sank into the magma, Darunia gripping the dragon's neck with a strength that would have crushed anyone else. But if anything could match a Goron's strength, it was a dragon, and Volvagia was no exception. Indeed, he could have shaken the Goron Chief off with little effort were it not for the five-thousand pounds of metal draped around his neck dragging him down. Darunia kept his grip, knowing it was his best chance of surviving. As he was unable to see through the magma, letting go of the dragon now would leave him drifting, and, likely as not, he would be crushed under the weight of the train or torn apart by Volvagia. Until he knew where the two of them would touch the bottom, he was safest hugging the neck of the vengeful serpent.

They touched the bottom. Darunia immediately let go and waded his way toward the vibration that rippled through the magma. Some centuries ago when this temple was built, his ancestors had devised a way to help Gorons that had fallen into the magma find their way back to the surface by use of hollow poles called "guideposts" that constantly vibrated due to the heat of the magma. These stood next to ladders that the Gorons could climb. At the top of the ladder was a platform with a gong affixed that the Gorons could then use to summon a train to pick them up. With the temple overrun with Moblins, it was likely that anyone summoned would immediately try to capture or kill him, but for now, he needed to get out of the magma before he drowned or worse. It was a slow process wading through the thick magma - he sometimes had to push away floating rocks that had solidified in the magma on its way to melting again - and he could hear the screech of metal being torn apart by Volvagia, but he pressed forward relentlessly, directing his focus on the vibration of the guidepost to lead him to safety. He had to rescue his people. He had to make sure Lady Impa remained safe.

At last, swinging his hefty arm through the molten rock, his hand fell on the guidepost. It vibrated against his skin reassuringly. He swung his other arm around until he gripped the outer ladder section. Having found his escape, at last, he began to climb.

He sensed something swimming through the magma toward him. He tried to climb as fast as he could, sliding his hand up the ladder to minimize resistance, but before he had climbed two rungs, he felt a claw wrap around his throat and rip him off the ladder. He gripped the claw and attempted to break it, but he was suddenly being dragged through the magma and it was all he could do to keep the claw from strangling him as his body dangled in the dragon's grip. He thrashed his legs to see if he could connect them with the dragon's body, to kick him and force him to let go, or wrap his legs around him so that he at least could try to take him down with him, but to no avail. Volvagia had all the advantages in this environment and he was pressing them all.

And yet, it occurred to him moments later, Volvagia wasn't trying to kill him. His hold on him wasn't gentle, to be sure, but it wasn't deadly, either. The ancient dragon could kill him easily in a number of ways: drowning, crushing his throat, or biting off his head, but instead, he was dragging him along as though taking him somewhere. But where? And why?

He was to receive his answer soon. The dragon coursed through the magma at a speed that was truly frightening for any who had become his prey. It wasn't long before Darunia felt them shift upward and then they burst out of the magma and dropped onto an enormous crater. Darunia grunted as he tumbled down to its base. Fortunately, the crater was shallow and he was able to quickly get to his feet. Braced for combat, he took stock of his surroundings. He appeared to be in an underground cave, completely lit by the magma that surrounded the crater he stood on and by the burning veins on the walls. At the furthest end of the cavern, he saw a narrow shaft leading up. It didn't seem like a viable escape route as there was a gap of magma separating the crater from the shaft, and the shaft itself was too sheer for climbing. Then he noticed curious fixtures around the edges of the crater. At six points were anchors to which giant, golden chains were fixed, trailing to the center of the dish.

He looked up in alarm when Volvagia dropped onto the crater in front of him. The back half of his serpentine body fell into the magma as the crater was only large enough to fit the dragon's body while coiled. Once again, Darunia wondered what the dragon wanted with him, as he seemed to be restraining himself from killing the Goron chief. The fiery serpent fixed him with a hooded stare, the obsidian helmet he wore hiding his eyes. He hissed, "Thou knowest what this place is, yea?"

Darunia looked to the golden chains and answered, "This was your prison."

Volvagia bared his teeth in anger. "Yea. My prison. This was the place where I wasted away until naught but my bones remained. Twas my penance for revolting against the divine powers of this world."

"Until Ganondorf freed you."

"Indeed," the dragon growled, shaking his head irritably. "He brought me back with the fancy that I wouldst serve him, the insolent fool. But nay, his time will come. My grievance is with another for the time being."

"You mean Lady Impa," said Darunia.

"Verily so. Twas her ancestor who sealed me here eons ago and every one of her spawn afterward who remained to keep vigilance on my prison. With this gift of life and freedom granted to me by that insolent human, I may visit retribution on her."

Darunia beat his chest in challenge. "Yeah? Well, you'll have to get through me first."

Volvagia laughed. "Spare me thy foolish words. Thou hast not strength enough to hold me. Thou art alive only to lure in my true prey, that Sheikah woman who reeks of dark magic."

With a roar, Darunia took hold of the serpent's nostrils and attempted to slam him into the ground. Volvagia merely grunted in discomfort and swung his head to the side, tossing the Goron effortlessly.

"Pathetic," Volvagia hissed. "Thou doth bring shame to thy patron, the Goddess of Power, Din."

Darunia ground his teeth angrily as he pushed himself slowly to his feet. "I'll show you... pathetic..." he huffed.

The dragon didn't seem to have heard him. "Rest assured," he growled, "I have little grievance against thee. The curse of death is one I wish upon only one soul, and that is the Shadowmaster who serves the goddess, the one you call Impa."

Darunia pushed himself to his feet, rocking unsteadily as he waved his fists. "I don't fear death if it means protecting Lady Impa. In fact, the shame of failing her would be greater, so again, if you want to get to her, you'll have to go through me first."

With a sudden hiss of anger, Volvagia thrust his snout at the Goron chief. "Thou hast no fear of death? Thou dost not know what death is! What fancies dost thou have of life after death? A grand hall with a never-ending supply of food and drink? A meeting with all those thou callest friends and family? A paradisical garden? Nothing but lies! Foolish fancies told by those who have resigned themselves to the inevitable.

"I shall tell thee what death is. Canst thou imagine drowning? Surrounded on all sides by a smothering dark mist? Canst thou imagine a place with no solid ground to plant thy feet? Canst thou imagine feeling the need to roar, to vent thy anger but possessing no mouth to vent it? Canst thou imagine a pressing silence, total and absolute and unbroken by anyone or anything else? Canst thou imagine what it is like to know beyond a certainty that thou art truly and utterly alone? This is the death that awaits all of us. In death, thou hast awareness enough to know that thou exists but only just. And it will drive thee mad before long. Feeling the need to do something but possessing nothing to do it with. Even the need to scream in pain and anger is a blessing in life for thou cannot do it in death. That is why when I heard his voice, I answered it. He pulled me from that interminable hell, and I have no intention of ever going back.

"Knowing all that I have told thee, dost thou still wish to die for that Sheikah?"

Darunia barked out a contemptuous laugh. "You really think you can shake my faith that easily, wyrm? Clearly, you don't know a thing about us Gorons."

Volvagia roared in anger and struck the Goron chief down. The impact the chief made when he hit the ground left a sizable crater and his body paralyzed with pain. The dragon hissed down at him, "Insolent insect! Thou fancies thyself a mount of iron but before my might, thou art naught but a pebble to be crushed beneath my heel. And faith or not, thou wilt see the truth soon enough." Then he disappeared into the magma, leaving Darunia alone in the chamber.

...

Impa spat out a curse. These Moblins were no fools. This island gave them every tactical advantage. Little wonder then why they chose to imprison the Gorons here. Din's Arena was large enough to accommodate both the prisoners and their captors, the Gorons locked in pillories and chained together in rows while the Moblins stood guard in a circle around them. There was only one entrance to the arena, accessible only by train. Other than the shallow seats surrounding the arena, there were no walls for a shadow to conceal herself. Even if there was, the Moblins would smell her magic. She was already consuming magic as it was to prevent the intense heat of the volcano from cooking her alive. She would never be able to get in close enough to rescue the Gorons without giving herself away.

There was a reason why Moblins had been so feared back in the early wars. Any glimpsing them for the first time might assume they were mindless beasts who only knew how to swing a club. Nothing was further from the truth. They were cunning beasts, born and bred for war, and while they seemed to favor brute strength, their ability to adapt to any strategy used against them made them opponents to be feared indeed. Many had thought them to be wiped out at the end of the wars, but clearly, the Moblins had managed to survive. Not fools at all.

She also knew the reason they had chosen to capture the Gorons rather than kill them. One reason alone: bait. The Gorons were meant to draw someone out. Herself, perhaps. After all, she had done much to frustrate their war efforts: sabotage their equipment and supplies, disrupt their chain of command through assassination, and spirit away their other prisoners to name a few, so this may have been a way to bring her into the open. Waiting them out wasn't an option. Even if she prevented supplies from reaching the Moblins here, they wouldn't hesitate to kill a few Gorons for their meat. Seeing no other option, she realized she would have to play along and see if she could tip the scales in her favor.

She pulled herself up from the scaffold of the tracks and walked into the arena. The instant she was inside, the Moblins turned to her, raising their spears in readiness. A Moblin stepped forward and tossed his head. "So the Killing Shadow reveals herself at last."

"You were using them as bait," Impa replied in an even tone with a nod to the pilloried Gorons. "I thought Moblins didn't take prisoners, especially you, Morga the Merciless."

Morga snorted, "You dare to lecture us on honor? You who steals in the night like a thief and cuts our throats as we sleep? We do not conquer our foes through virtue. We conquer them through strength and cunning. We destroy them by exploiting their weaknesses. And yours is through these pathetic creatures. That is how we conquer."

"It wouldn't work though if I didn't think you would honor a bargain," she answered. "And you know I am not swayed easily by pity."

Morga laughed. "Ah. You speak truly. A good game of war isn't just physical prowess. Very well then, let us strike a bargain."

"I offer my life in exchange for the release of these Gorons and any other prisoners you have."

The Gorons erupted in protests until the Moblins struck them with the butts of their spears. The head Moblin laughed, "A fair trade, indeed! But before we seal this agreement, there is one more thing we would like from you."

Impa raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"

"We want the boy in green. The one you call Link."

As a Sheikah, Impa was well trained in keeping her expressions neutral. Even so, this request was almost enough to cause her to hesitate. "What do you want with him?"

Morga seemed to have sensed her unease, for he smiled. "Our master has taken a fancy to him. He seems to see great potential in the boy."

"You mean your master, Ganondorf?"

"Ah," he seemed to find this amusing for some reason. "Yes, our master, Ganondorf."

Keeping her feelings under tight control, Impa pressed him, "You haven't told me what it is exactly your master wants with him."

"And I see no reason to. All you need to know is that those are the terms of this agreement. If it does not suit you, I will simply kill all these fools." He turned and gave a signal. As one, the other Moblins rotated their spears to pierce the Gorons.

"Enough!" Impa barked and Morga turned back to her. "Kill them now and you lose your bargain."

"True, but that only means we will find some other way to strike you down. And even a Sheikah can't evade us forever. Besides, we exterminate them all here and they risk dying out completely. You don't want that, do you?"

The shadow tamer wanted to grind her teeth in frustration but remained aloof. "Very well. We have an agreement. But I will need time."

"I will give you an hour," Morga told her. "As I understand it, the boy has already been spotted in the volcano. Bring him here, surrender yourself to our spears, and these Gorons shall go free."

Impa raised her brow dubiously. "How will I know you will honor the bargain, Morga the Merciless?"

He smiled. "The same way we know a Sheikah will honor hers, Impa the Killing Shadow"

...

Despite the heat of the volcano, there was a cold knot in Impa's stomach. She had no time to dwell on it; however, she had to find Link. She was already forming a dozen different plans in her mind, all with considerable risks. Even distracted as she was, her feet automatically found purchase on the tracks, carrying her toward the Forge.

Suddenly she hesitated. Then she shot forward just as Volvagia burst out of the magma and snapped his jaws over the spot she had been a mere second before. With a hiss of frustration, he plunged back into the magma. Impa sprinted as fast as she could, but Volvagia swimming through the magma was faster; he reemerged before her, his jaws open wide to catch her. Using her momentum to carry her, the Sheikah leaned as far back as she could, her body dipping below the tracks, allowing her to slide under the vengeful dragon. He tried to catch her but he missed her by a hair's breadth. With a twist, he went back under the magma and a moment later burst through the tracks in front of her. She launched herself up and used his jaw as a stepping stool to boost herself onto his snout and vaulted over him. A fine-link chain shot from her wrist, fast as an arrow, and stuck to the metal frame of the Forge with a magnetic grip. One moment later, she was pulled to the great pillar of obsidian and iron before the dragon could drop beneath the magma again. She scurried like a Skulltula up the pillar and was halfway up when Volvagia emerged again next to the Forge.

"I had hoped time wouldst soften the discipline of the generations," he hissed up at her. "Alas, thou art as irksome as thy great grandmother."

"I already offered my life to the Moblins," Impa answered him as she continued to climb. "I don't plan to die to you."

"They offered the lives of the Gorons, yea? Thou wouldst cast thy life aside for weak fools who hast forgotten their birthright? Nay, they are nothing without their chief."

"Do not judge them so hastily," she said as she approached the open top of the Forge. "Their bloodline has not been lost. And I will not allow it to die to arrogance."

"Arrogance?" Volvagia hissed angrily. "That is a vice created by mortals who cannot afford to pay its price! Are you truly so blinded that you cannot see what it is I speak of? I hold their chief captive!"

Impa stumbled to a halt and, for the first time, shock showed on her face. "Darunia is alive?"

"Verily so. I hold him in the Chamber of Penance. Go there if you wish to save him. I will be waiting." With these words, Volvagia dropped into the magma and was gone.

Clinging to the walls of the Forge like a dark Skulltula, her arms shaking whether from shock or exhaustion it mattered not, Impa wrestled with an impossible decision. Who should she give her life for... the Gorons or Darunia?...

His knees were beginning to feel stiff. He couldn't stand it much longer, and so he shuffled them, causing the chains to rattle.

Nadog hissed next to him, "Quiet! Do you want them to kill us?" He jerked his head to indicate the Moblin pacing down the row of pilloried Gorons toward them.

"We're as good as dead anyway," Bereg whispered back. "Do you honestly think they'll just let us go once they have Lady Impa?"

"I know they won't hesitate to kill us if we defy them!" Nadog snapped.

Bereg growled at him in irritation. Then with a shake of his head, he snarled, "How did it come to this? We were once a proud people. Our ancestors would never have allowed themselves to be captured."

"We had no other choice! We thought our bastion was impenetrable, but then there they were as we awoke with our own weapons at our throats. Our sentries had been slain as we slept; we heard no alarm, and Big Brother had vanished. What could we have done?"

"Fought tooth and nail, that's what we should have done," Bereg answered stubbornly. "Weapons or no weapons, we should not have simply surrendered and allowed them to shackle us as common beasts. Even had we died, we would have made them rue their cowardly stratagem. We could have made them cold with dread at the mere mention of our name, but this only served to make us a laughingstock to them. No, to all!"

Nadog lost his temper. "Fine! If you're so eager to die in the name of honor..." Suddenly his eyelids slid halfway shut and his head bobbed. He snapped back up with alarm. "What is this?"

Bereg tipped sideways and his own eyelids slipped down. He answered with a slur, "I feel... so sleepy... What..." With great effort, he looked up.

He and Nadog weren't the only ones affected. All at once the imprisoned Gorons and their captors the Moblins were nodding off. Many of the Gorons slumped forward, bringing their brothers down with them. The Moblins staggered and shook their manes as they struggled to stay awake, but moments later, they began to drop like stones, one after another.

Bereg's face was close to the ground, having been dragged down by his shackled brethren. He fought against the lethargy, but his strength waned fast. The last thing out of his lips before he slipped into unconsciousness was the words, "Is that... music?"

Din's Arena soon rumbled with the resounding snores from deep lungs of both Goron and Moblin. It wouldn't take much effort at all for a Sheikah to sneak around here. Still, old habits were hard to break for Sheik as he tiptoed silently inside. He went straight for Morga the Merciless's belt where the key to the Gorons' shackles hung. Faster than the blink of an eye, the belt was cut, the key off the loop and turning in the lock of the first Goron. Sheik moved quickly down each lock, opening each pillory until they were all undone. Then he turned to the Gorons themselves, touching each of them on the forehead and whispering this word, "Awake." By the time the first Goron was fully awake and aware that he was free and his captors were defenseless at his feet, Sheik had touched the last Goron.

Sheik strummed his lyre to gain their attention. He held a finger to his lips and then said quietly, "All of you, take your enemy's weapon and slay them all at once. Once you have done this, you must hurry to the Repository. Link is there, and he will need your help."

Bereg stepped forward. "Who are you? Why are you helping us?"

Sheik shushed him and then answered, "My name is of no importance. What you need to know is that Link is hurrying to save your chief. Now please, do as I say. You must hurry!" Without allowing Bereg any time to ask more questions, he spun and vanished.

Bereg harrumphed. Then he turned and gestured to his brothers to do as the strange Sheikah had asked. They all gathered up the Moblins' spears and held them above their foes. On Bereg's command, they thrust the weapons through the Moblins' chest.

"Right," Bereg said, speaking at a normal volume now that all their enemies had been taken care of. He smiled, "I believe it's time to save our chief and take back our mountain. What say you all?"

The volcano rumbled with the sound of their assenting cries.