Chapter 4



When Link awoke he found himself sitting tied to a chair in what he recognized as the throne room. He had been in here once before. To get the Fire Spirit Stone from Darunia. That had been over fifteen years ago and from what he saw, things had not changed much. He wondered why the Gorons had attacked him. Before he fell unconscious, didn't he hear one of them call him the imposter. Why did they think he was a imposter, a imposter of what? He head waw exploding with pain and he knew that the Gorons who had taken him hostage had not been kind with moving him. His whole body ached ad he knew he had a few broken bones here and there. Link sat in the chair for several minutes trying to fight past the pain and stay awake. The sounds of the volcano in which this village dwelt was rumbling behind the walls. He heard the crackling of the fires used for illumination. Link was letting his mind wander and listen to the sounds around him when he heard something else. It sounded like breathing, like heavy breathing. " Who's there" he cried out. " Show yourself. Why was I attacked?" " Silence vile creature" came the thunderous reply. " Why have you come here. Why have you taken the form of our blood brother? I should smash you right now." Out of the shadows came Darunia. He was much older then Link remembered him. Link forgot however that Darunia was already an adult when he met him and that was over fifteen years ago. Still Darunia was a Goron and could make good on his promise to smash Link if he wished. " Darunia listen to me. It is me Link. I am not an imposter. Why would you think I am?" Link asked. " You come with him and you tell me your not an imposter." Darunia hissed. Link looked to where Darunia was pointing to and noticed Ganondorf was also tied to a chair, he also had a blue aura glow around him. " So he can't use his magic" Darunia said reading Links mind. Link almost laughed. Ganondorf made good on his promise. He didn't fight back. Link knew that if he didn't want to be captured Ganondorf never would have been, and this Village would be in ruins. Link knew that Darunia knew that as well. That was why neither of them were dead right now. Darunia was trying to figure out what was going on. Link knew that his only chance for them both to survive was to convince Darunia that he really was Link. " Listen by brother" Link started. " Seventeen years ago I came to you for a precious stone. It was need for me to fulfill my quest and get the Master Sword. That day I stopped a creature from eating you and your people, letting you back into you sacred cave. That day you gave me the stone and your oath to be my blood brother forever. Seven years later I returned from the sacred realm and saved your people from the fire dragon that was realized by that man over there. That day I acted as your blood brother. Today I ask you to do the same for me."

Darunia looked at Link for a long while saying nothing. He moved around his throne room thinking hard about what Link had just said. Link knew that he had struck a cord with him. Link hoped that Darunia would see him for being the true Link and set him free. Darunia stopped and looked at Link, evidently coming to a decision. " What you say is true, however it is no secret. Every Goron child knows the stories of the hero of the Goron people. It would be easy for you to get that information. I still do not believe you to be the true Link." Link hung his head. He had said everything he could think of to try and convince Darunia that he was really Link and not a imposter. He would surely die now and all of the lands with him. " There is however a way for you to prove to me you are the true Link" Darunia started. Link looked up quickly, this was his chance, he must not fail. " I have never told anyone why I sent the young man named Link into the cave. I was not going to talk to anyone that day, but this young lad played a song for me on his ocarina. If you can play that same song, I will know you are truly the Link of Legend." Link smiled, he knew the song he was talking about. Darunia let his hands go and gave him his ocarina. Link put it to his mouth and started to play Sarias song. Link stopped, he had forgotten how it went. His mind drew a total blank. Oh no, what was the melody? Darunia was growing impatient and Link knew if he didn't deliver soon, he would be finished. Darunia shook his head and began to walk towards Link. Link knew that he was coming over to crush Link. "This is it" Link thought. Darunia was right in front of him. Link tried desperately to remember the song, but he could remember the melody. Darunia had a hatred in his eyes, that Link had never seen in someone before, even in Ganondorf's. Darunia was reaching for Link and had a hand around Links throat. He began to tighten and Link knew that in a matter of moments he would be dead. Then nit hit him, the melody, it hit him. He quickly put the ocarina to his mouth an began to play, but no sound came out. He had no air coming out of his throat, Darunia was cutting it all off. Link tried to tell Darunia to let go and he would play the song, but Darunia was beyond all reasoning. Link waited for the imminent crack of the neck, when all of a sudden Darunia flew off of Link letting go of his throat. Link chocked and coughed trying to get air into his lungs. He looked up and saw Ganondorf standing over Darunia. " Play the damn song before he gets up" Ganondorf yelled. Link put as much air into his lungs as he could get and played Sarias song. The melody filled the room with images of the forest, the Kokiri and the Deku Tree. Darunia got up immediately and danced, and danced, and danced. When Link stopped playing Darunia started to cry. " Oh my brother, please forgive me. I thought you were an imposter and had stolen your soul. Can you ever forgive me?" Link came over to the weeping Goron and put a hand on his shoulder. " You never have to ask for forgiveness with me. I understand why you did what you did. It would have looked that way to me too." Darunia looked up and smiled. Link helped him to his feet and sat him in his chair. " So tell me Link, why have you come to me once again? What danger is threatening the land this time? Why are you traveling with him?" He said pointing to Ganondorf. " I will tell you my friend, but you may not want not hear it".

Link told Darunia everything. His dream, the conversation with the Deku Tree and the reluctant pact with Ganondorf. Darunia sat there listening to every word Link said. When Link was done Darunia remained silent for many minutes. Finally he said, " I don't know what to say. I am a Goron and we as a race are scared of very little. I do know however that the only person who ever scared me was Ganondorf here. Now you tell me that there is a evil thing coming that makes even the great Ganondorf scared. That I find hard to believe. I however know that it must be true if you are going on this quest to destroy it. So what do you ask of me?" " I want you to come with us" Link replied. Darunia shook his head. "I wish I could my brother. But if what you say is true, then my people need me here. If this evil does come they will look to me for guidance. Plus I am not as young as I used to be." Link sank, he had counted on Darunia coming on this quest. He had to find twelve more people and he didn't know many who would come with him. He had thought Darunia would be one of them, now what was he to do? Darunia seeing Links disappointment laughed. " You didn't think I would totally abandon you did you?" Link didn't know what to say, what could Darunia mean? " Even though I cannot go on this quest with you I will send someone even better in my place." Darunia grabbed a horn and blew into it. The noise was deafening. In a few moments a young Goron came into the room and immediately got into a attack stance. " What happened father, did they escape" he asked. Darunia laughed. " No my son, I would like to introduce you to someone. Link this is my son..Link." Link looked at Darunia and Darunia nodded in agreement. " Yes Link I named him after you. After the man who save all of the Goron race". " I think I am going to be sick" Ganondorf said. Link looked at Goron Link and extended his hand. "Please to meet you" he said. The young Goron looked tentatively at him then at his father who nodded approval. The young Goron looked at him in awe. " It's really you, after all these years I finally get to meet the great Link; the man who single handedly defeated the Fire dragon Volvaga. The hero who fought the hideously vile man Ganondorf and won. The hero who saved all of Hyrule. " Now I know I am going to be sick" Ganondorf retorted. The young Goron looked over at Ganondorf and then looked at his father. " I thought you told me this was that same Ganondorf". " I did and he is" Darunia told his son. " Then why" the young Goron began. " Sit down my son" Darunia sighed, " your life is about to change forever."