The Fires of Death Mountain, Scion of a Great Hero

With one Divine Beast back on the side of the good guys, it was time to move on to the next one. That one being Divine Beast Vah Rudania, who was roaming around the base of Death Mountain, an active volcano that is the hottest part of Hyrule, those even entering its range of heat without proper protection catching fire.

Luckily, the heroes were able to capture some critters that had fire resistance right outside the mountain and cook up long-lasting Fireproof Elixirs for each of them to drink right before they entered the range of Death Mountains scorching heat.

"Okay. Everyone got their Fireproof Elixirs ready?" Katara asked, holding a bottle of black liquid. Link was holding one as well, so was Chase.

"I finally got mine right, so I'm all set," Raimundo said, holding his own bottle.

"I'm all set too!" Luck said.

"So, we each will take them at once before going into Death Mountains heat range. That way we'll be good to go as we venture to Goron City." Chase said before he looked and saw that Ace… didn't have one.

"Uh… Ace? Dude? Wheres your Elixir?" Raimundo asked.

"Huh?" Ace asked.

"Your Fireproof Elixir? Y'know, the ones we've been making so that we can go into the region around Death Mountain so we literally don't get cooked like we're in an oven?" Chase asked.

"Oh, that. Don't worry about me, I don't need one." Ace said.

"Seriously? We all know you're made of fire, but does that really translate to being naturally fireproof?" Chase asked.

"Trust me, i'll be fine." Ace assured. "Drink your Elixirs and lets get climbing this mountain already.

With that, the five heroes who actually needed the Elixirs drank their shares, and the group headed into death mountain. Link made sure not to pack any wooden-based weapons, as they would catch fire immediately.

Making their way past the scorching cliffsides, Lava rivers and goron filled mines, along the way Link did a favor for a passing Hylian tourist, and got himself a chest piece for the Flamebreaker armor, which would make him resistant to Death Mountains intense heat without the use of an elixir. The set would altogether be found at a shop in Goron City, to which the heroes hurried over to.

When they neared the entrance to Goron City, suddenly they were rained down in front of by balls of scorching hot magma. After which, approaching the gates to Goron city, they heard a deep, guttural roar.

Along the face of death mountain, the heroes could see it, even from farther away. Climbing around the mountain was the weapon itself in the design of a Salamander, walking on all four legs with its feet on fire, likey from dipping them in the magma flowing from the mountain constantly as it was gripping to it like any lizard would, red lights glowing all over it.

"So that's Divine Beast Vah Rudania. Makes sense given how this place is so hot, it would be modeled after a creature that represents fire." Chase said.

"Yeah. Before we go after it though, we should probably get some more information about it, and probably how to drive it into a position we can board it." Katara said.

Firstly before that though, the group headed to the Armor Shop inside Goron City, Ripped and Shredded, to each get their own two-piece set of Flamebreaker Armor and Flamebreaker Boots (Ace didn't need his own because he was already fireproof). Once they were all dressed up in their unique versions of Flamebreaker armor, minus the helms, they walked around Goron City before they saw a large, elderly Goron grumble to himself as they approached him.

"That blasted Rudania!" he yelled out, garnering the heroes to approach.

"What seems to be the trouble, old-timer?" Raimundo asked.

"If ya came all the way here to Goron city, you've probably already seen the trouble yourself!" the Goron explained. "Didja see Rudania stomping around on Death Mountian further away?"

"It's a giant mechanical Salamander crawling around an active volcano, it's not that hard to spot," Chase said. "I guess it's been causing you trouble?"

"You bet it has! Thanks to it, the eruptions on death mountain have been getting really bad recently, messin' up our mining operations. I've had to lay off so many workers as boss around these parts," the Goron elder explained. "100 years ago, that thing used to protect us. That was then. This is now. We're all currently suffering cause of that thing. I can't tell you how many times we've used the cannon to chase that thing off. BUT IT ALWAYS COMES BACK!" he shouted before his back cracked as he hunched over in pain.

"Oh no, that sounded like your back cracking! Are you alright?" Katara asked.

"IM fine… its just a little back pain. Wait, who are you guys?" the elder goron asked.

"Oh. Were just a group of travelers making our way through Hyrule." Chase said.

"Ah, so you came all this way to Goron City to pay your respects to me? I like you already, brothers! …And Sister," the elder said. "My name is Bludo. I'm the Goron Boss who makes a crying child go silent… or makes a silent child cry. Either way works."

"Uh, it's nice to meet you. I guess you've been in conflict with Vah Rudania by the sounds of it." Katara said.

"Yeah. I was plannin' to drive it off like I always do, but then this back pain flared up out of nowhere," Bludo explained. "That blasted Yunobo, when will he return?"

"Yunobo?" Chase asked.

"He's a young Goron who helps me drive off Rudania. I sent him to get some painkillers from the Abandoned North Mine, but he hasn't come back yet," Bludo explained. "Slacker…. I bet he's off wastin' some time. Hey, do you guys think you can go find him and tell him I'm looking for him?" he asked before cracking his back again.

"I think we'd better go find that Yunobo guy before he really throws his back out," Raimundo recommended.

"Yeah, good call," Chase said.

The group headed out the north end of goron city and made it over to the abandoned north mine, a series of islands on a lava river. As they were making their way, they saw uniquely designed canons on rails stationed all over the place.

"These must be the cannons Bludo mentioned. But i don't see any ammo for it to fire," Chase said. "Or how its even supposed to shoot something."

"Hmm…" Katara said, looking at the funnel. "I think something is supposed to go in here. Link could you put a Remote Bomb in that funnel?"

"Sure." Link said, spawning a spherical remote bomb and dropping it in the chute. They then aimed the cannon at a Lizalfos tower.

"So uh, what now?" Raimundo asked.

"Hmm… i think were supposed to…" Link said detonating his remote bomb as a ball of magma blasted out of the cannon and demolished the lizalfos tower.

"Holy jeez!" Chase said.

"That was amazing! Do it again!" Luck cheered.

They continued on, using a few more magma cannons to blast their way through the attacking monsters, before finally using one to blast open the entrance to the mine. Inside, they saw a young Goron the same size as Bludo wearing a blue scarf like links tunic, with some sort of protective shield up.

"Huh? What's that?" he coward before seeing them. "Monsters! They found me!" he panicked as he ran around the cave before stopping as he realized they weren't monsters.

Yunobo

Goron Youth

"Now that I've gotten a good look at you...you're humans! Were you the ones who broke the crag to rescue me, goro? Thanks so much!" the goron said. "What brings you all out here?"

"Were looking for a Goron that goes by Yunobo. I'm guessing you're him, right?" Ace asked.

"That's right. Boss must've sent you to come find me. Whew, thank goodness. In any case, i'm sure glad you saved me, Goro. Like you deduced, my name is Yunobo. But everyone calls me… Yunobo. Makes sense, Goro." Yunobo said.

"We came looking for you because your boss, Bludo, said that you went missing looking for some Painkillers for him. Did you get trapped in the mine?" Katara asked.

"Yeah. A magma bomb caused a rockslide and i couldnt get out. Howd you clear the debris away?" Yunobo asked.

"We used the cannons!" Luck said.

"Wha?! You used the Magma Cannons? I thought only Boss knew how to operate them, theyre difficult to use. Look, I gotta go. But feel free to stop by the boss's place. He's always willing to repay a favor." Yunobo said as he ran past them.

"He doesnt know we already met Bludo." Chase said.

The heroes and Link then backtracked to Goron city to see Bludo, hoping to see Yunobo there as well, but only found the Goron Boss himself alone.

"Hey. Yunobo told me how you helped him, tiny travelers. Thanks to those painkillers, I'm feeling a whole lot better. So, it's time I went to the Bridge of Eldin to meet up with Yunobo. I mean no disrespect to Daruk's legacy, but if I'm not up there to give Rudania a good walloping…" Bludo said.

"Daruk? Whos he?" Luck asked.

"He was the Champion of the Gorons, Rudania's original pilot. See that statue up there? That's him." Bludo said, directing the group to a carved mountain statue of a powerful-looking Goron with several children.

Link gazed upon the statue closely, before he was hit with yet another flashback.

It showed Link atop Vah Rudanias back as it was scaling Death Mountain, alongside the very same Goron depicted in the statue.

"Yeah! I think I'm finally getting the hang of controlling this Divine Beast!" the Goron declared proudly while stretching. "Let those other champions know, that they'd better eat their gravel if they wanna keep up with Daruk. Speaking of which, can you believe this view? Look at all those delectable rocks sprinkled on those mountains."

"Uh… sure. Whatever you say, Daruk." Link replied.

"I may not know a whole lot about this Calamity Ganon thing… but mark my words, I'll protect this land of ours to the death! Right, Little Guy?" Daruk asked as he slapped links back.

"Yeah. ANd I will too." Link nodded, recovering from the slap.

"By the way, congrats on becoming the princess's appointed knight. That's a big deal. Seriously though. The princess has a strong personality, so strong she can't see the range for the peaks. Remember that and you'll be fine." Just then, the mountain began to shake as boulders were coming down on them. Daruk raised his fists as a protective shield deflected the rocks. "All right. So what was I saying? That was a little strange. As far as I know, Death Mountain hasn't erupted for decades. But if the mountain is shivering enough to send down boulders this size... never mind. Forget I said anything…"

Link then snapped back to reality.

"Hey, you okay? You were starin' off for a few minutes there. You sure are strange…" Bludo said.

"Link… you mustve remembered Daruk just now." Chase thought.

"Anyway, this might be hard to believe, but Yunobo is actually Daruks descendant. Thats why he can use Daruk's Protection," Bludo said.

"Was that the shield we saw around him earlier?" Katara asked.

"Yeah. When hes shielded like that, we use him as a cannonball to fire him at Rudania. Now, its time to..!" Bludo said before he yelled in pain as his back cracked again.

"Are you okay?! That one sounded really bad…" Katara said.

"Youre right… it looks like I've got no choice. I'm calling the attack on Rudania off." Bludo reluctantly decided. "I know what you're gonna say, givin' up on my home, people and prosperity sounds really bad, but this is my well being here. You guys should go to the Bridge of Eldin and tell Yunobo the attacks off."

The six heroes looked at each other. At that moment, everyone knew what the other was thinking. It was time for them to step up and do their job of taking back Divine Beast Vah Rudania for the side of good.

And they werent going to do it alone. They were going to have the help of Yunobo, who as a descendant of one of Hyrules great heroes long since passed…. Is a Diamond in the Rough.