Gray

When they reached the spring, Midna held out the filled light vessel over the water, letting it float from her grip into open space. Gray sighed with relief as the twilight melted away, taking his and the other Links' animal forms too. It was good to be a proper hylian again.

"Aw, I was just starting to have fun! Don't forget that Fused Shadow!" Midna's black figure floated in front of him, arms behind her head, "Eee hee hee! See you later!" she popped into his shadow.

"Unfortunately," Gray heard Blue mutter under his breath.

Gray frowned at him, even though he did agree Midna was being extremely irritating. As rude and ungrateful as she was, they still needed her help.

The pool glowed golden, a swirling and blindingly bright sphere lifting out of the water and the form of a very large, golden-white owl rose out from behind it and settled upon it.

"My name is Eldin," it introduced solemnly, "I am the light spirit that guards these lands. Oh hero, chosen by the gods, and his companions, the dark power that you seek lies in the sacred grounds of the proud mountain dwellers."

"Do you mean Gorons?" Green asked.

"Yes," Eldin replied, "But be wary, their grounds have already been defiled, draped in shadow and seeded with evil. …You must go to those sacred grounds and cleanse them."

"Yeah, I was already planning on doing that," Gray sighed, "Judging from the pattern I'm seeing, I bet the Zoras are in trouble too…"

"…I believe they are as well," Eldin replied carefully, "But you should focus on the problems here first. Also, I believe some children are waiting for you. Farewell," Eldin spread his wings wide and faded away, the spring losing its luminescent golden glow and turning normal again.

"…The children! They're alright! I found them! Hah!" Gray laughed in relief, hardly able to believe it.

"Why don't we go see them now?" Red suggested, grinning from ear to pointed ear.

"Too late, they found us instead," Vio nodded at the safe house. Gray looked over. Indeed, Colin was standing in the open doorway, his eyes glittering with relief, the other kids poking their heads out from behind the door. Gray froze, staring at them.

"Link?!" Colin gasped.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go on," Blue prodded him in the back, nudging him forward a few steps. Gray stood for a moment longer, before surging forward with a laugh, the kids running too. In his haste, Talo knocked Colin over and reached him first, Beth not far behind, while Malo strolled more slowly over.

"Ha ha ha! See, Beth?! I told you Link would save us!" Talo crowed, as Beth jumped up and down. Gray kneeled down on one knee to say hi, and looked over at Colin who was still lying in the dirt, peering at him with shining eyes. Link gave him a smile and a nod, and then Colin picked himself up and rushed over, embracing him in a fierce hug.

"I knew you would come," he whispered. Gray pulled him out of his embrace and stood, examining all of them. Aside from some dirty faces, they looked alright.

"Hey, I wouldn't just leave you in danger, now would I?" he said. Then he noticed the man with braided hair, Barnes, and the girl had all approached him too.

"You are the one from Ordon whom these children spoke of?" the man asked. Gray nodded.

"Yes," he confirmed.

"Then we are well met. I am Renado, shaman of this town," Renado introduced, "And who are your companions?"

"Oh," Gray answered, he had almost forgotten they were there. He felt a little awkward about that, "Uh, this is Red, Blue, Green, and Vio," he pointed to each respective Link, "Guys, this is Talo, Malo, Beth, and Colin."

"Nice to meet you!" Red beamed.

"Why are all of your names colors?" Talo asked, "And you all look the same!"

"Well, our real names are all actually Link, but that would've gotten too confusing so we all have nicknames," Vio explained, "He's Gray now," he added as an afterthought.

"Weird!" Beth commented, as Malo muttered something indiscernible under his breath.

"I see. This," Renado looked to his left, where Barnes and the girl stood. Barnes lifted his mask and raised a hand, but was disappointed when the shaman finished with, "Is my daughter, Luda."

Barnes tossed his hands in the air in defeat and strode away.

"The beasts took us and left us to die… but Mr. Renado found us," Colin explained in his soft voice.

"At first, I couldn't believe they had come from so distant a place as the Ordona Province…" Renado trailed off.

"Yeah, I… We don't remember much," Colin spoke up again, "All of a sudden everyone was captured, and then… Until now… It's been like…"

"…A nightmare," Malo finished quietly. Colin glanced at him for a second.

"Yeah! It was like a terrible dream and we couldn't wake up…" Colin agreed, and shuddered. Gray felt horrible. He should have been there for them. If only he hadn't gotten knocked unconscious in the spring! …Ilia! If she wasn't here… Where was she?

"Mmm… Nightmares are everywhere these days, it seems. This village has certainly seen its share of recent hardships…" Renado spoke again, "The dark beasts attacked, but even worse was the sudden and inexplicable change in the mountain-dwelling Goron tribe. They had long been our friends, but suddenly treated us as foes. Even now they refuse to permit us entry into their mines. It strains the limits of belief… to think that such a gentle and proud tribe could change so suddenly… It makes me wonder if something in those mines is the cause of this change…

"In any case, you must take these children and flee this village before more nightmares descend. I, of course, cannot leave my village in such a time. There is no telling what may happen to us here, …but it is my job to try to coax the Gorons back from their recent change of heart."

Malo, Talo and Colin turned and gazed at him.

"I don't wanna leave all these people just to save ourselves!" Talo complained.

"Come on, Link! …Gray! Can't you do something?" Beth added.

"Isn't there… some way to make up with the Gorons?" Colin wondered.

"You'd think someone could just go to the mines and do something…" Malo finished.

"Besides, we're not helpless! I can fight!" Talo boasted.

"Yeah!" Beth agreed.

"And… if something does happen… you'll be here to help us, right?" Colin asked.

"Guys… I can't stay here forever. I'm not going to always be here to protect you… I have a job to do," The kids slumped their shoulders, "But," Gray continued, holding up a finger, "Since you got captured in Ordon in the first place… I suppose you aren't any safer there than here. So… I suppose you can stay."

"Thank you!" Beth exclaimed.

"YES!" Talo pumped a fist in the air.

"On one condition," Gray said, "You have to stay in town and listen and follow Renado's instructions."

"We will!" Talo agreed eagerly.

"Renado, I'm putting these kids in your care. They may be a bit safer at home, but not by much, and also, even if home is better, the road there is certainly not."

"…Very well. And what are you to do?"

"Us? We're going to check out those Gorons, right guys?" Gray asked.

"Yeah!" Blue agreed. The others nodded.

"I want to come too!" Talo complained.

"No, you're not coming," Gray said firmly, and Talo started to pout. Afraid that he'd try and follow them anyway, Gray finished with, "Besides, who's going to protect this village then? We need someone here, and I bet you'd be great for the job."

"Okay!" Talo brightened considerably, "I'll be the best protector ever! You'll see! I'm going to find a good lookout!"

He raced down the path, Beth following and calling after him, "Wait for me!"

Renado sighed deeply. "May the goddesses protect you, sons. Go, the Gorons are up that mountain path. And… thank you, for helping us."

"Not a problem!" Blue said.

"It's our pleasure!" Red agreed, "We're heroes, after all!" then, they started up the mountain path.