The Legend of Zelda
A Noble Deed
Link dashed up the trail of Death Mountain. Every now and then he would take a quick glance up at it's peak for a reference. The circle of clouds which surrounded it were at their normal state, but blue-hued like a cold mist, and the peak was capped with a blanket of white shrouded in an evening dusk. Link knew something wasn't right for the temperature had always been at a comfortable level.
He sped along as quick as his feet could carry him and he quickly came to the great round hole in the mountain known as Dodongo Cavern, where he found a lone Goron seated near the entrance on his flat bottom, breaking open and feasting on a dusty looking red rock. It's round yellow head carried an excited smile like a child with his favorite toy. However, as Link came racing along the mountain, the Goron heaved his meal rock at the young man with poor accuracy. It then drew his knees up and fell forward, it's face smashing into the ground as it stooped into a ball with a loud bellow.
As the Goron's rock came wizzing by his head, Link slowed his pace and approached the creature. He was one of the smaller ones, which when balled up, reached up to Link's ankles. He could hear it's heavy breathing like an iron lung in the still air. It's little body quivered in fear; Link could hear an occasional whimper seep from it's lips. Link couldn't help but to feel sorry for the Goron. He gazed upon it as a scared boulder, but he kneeled down to the little fellow, "It's okay," he said softly, "I'm not here to hurt you." He placed a leathered hand on the Goron and at once it stopped it's fearful quivering, as if it could sense the truth behind his touch. The little Goron peeped his head up and caught a better look of the face of a familiar young hero.
"Link!" he cried, rising to his feet; head level to the man, "You've returned! Do you remember me?" He cast a playful battle pose.
"Of course." said Link, who too, rose to his feet with a smile on his face, "You are Dariuna's son, Link."
"Great!" said the Goron, wrapping his little arms around the man. Link pat him on the head and glanced up. It was the snow-capped mountain peak that reminded him of his journey. He broke the young Goron's embrace and kneeled down to him.
"Why are you down here alone?" he asked. Dariuna's son; his face grew somber. "Because," he started to say, "I was running."
"Running from what?" Link inquired.
"From the terrible, terrible creature up in our home." said the Goron. "I ran but I found a delicious rock to eat. It was so good, I - I guess I just forgot."
"It's okay." said Link, "What did this creature look like?"
"I don't know." replied his goron counterpart, "I couldn't see him, but I felt cold. It's never cold up here. I thought you were it when you came running up the mountain." He cast his gaze to the man with tears developing in his big blue eyes. "I could see my friends, my family, they all turned ice infront of me! I was so scared. I couldn't see it, but I wanted to beat it! I wanted to beat this invisible force just like the great Dodongo Buster and Dragon Slayer: Link did when he saved us!"
Link smiled proudly, "And I'm sure you would have fought well, but you cannot beat what you can't see, Link." he said to the Goron. "Your time will come, but I want you to let me handle this just like I did in the past. You run into Dodongo Cavern and hide for me so that you won't get hurt, understand?"
The Goron nodded agreeable. He dropped to his butt, pulled himself into a ball, and rolled, tumbing into the long dark passage of the cavern until he was out of sight. Link spun around and proceeded to race up the trail of Death Mountain. Even with the knowledge bestowed to him, bearing his Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and a fearless spirit, the young Hero of Time's journey became a brutal determination.
Only a few more moments passed before Link stepped up past the Goron's flag and up to what used-to-be the entrance to Goron City. However, a vast boulder, one of immense mass, obstructed the entrance and blocked off the easiest way inside. With time pressing on, Link examined the rock, finding that not even his hand could squeeze through. By some way of instinct, he brought out his Lens of Truth in search of a possible way hidden in the boulder. He found none. With a sigh, he knew a bomb from his bag wouldn't be sufficient enough for such a obstruction.
After more careful examination, with both his naked eye and the Lens of Truth, Link realized that he had no other choice. Normally keeping them hidden away, the young man produced from his belt, the Golden Gauntlets which he obtained from a hidden treasure chest in Ganondorf's Castle. He bound them to his hands and stretched his muscles, for he knew this would be the largest object he had ever moved. He crouched down and as he clasped the boulder, he felt a great surge of power blast through his arms and body, allowing him to slowly lift the massive rock over his head with realitive ease. Instantly, as if the gates of winter had been opened, an intense arctic gale rushed from the opening with a great howl, almost causing Link to drop the boulder on himself. With a huff, the young man flipped his arms back, launching the giant boulder behind him. It soared on a fierce flight through the air only to crash somewhere far off the mountain.
Without a second thought and chattering teeth, Link plundged into Goron City. Down a short flight of stairs carved in the mountain, he stopped. The young man was struck with horror; It was as if he had stepped back into the Ice Cavern. Every rocky inch of this once peaceful tribe was frozen solid. He also examined that several Gorons were also completely frozen in an icy block.
"What happened here?" he thought to himself. He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, "Hello! Is there anyone here?!" But was answered only by the echo of his own voice. There was complete and utter silence and stillness. The crackling fires that had once kindled in the torches of the city were extinguished and the bomb flowers that florished had disappeared, all covered in a thick coat of ice. It reminded Link heavily of Zora's Domain. A beautiful shade of cobalt blue that glistened like polished glass was all that was visible; up the walls, along the floors, and even the centerpiece of Goron City where the Spiritual Stone of Fire (Goron Ruby) was once held.
Link, however was also reminded of danger that the Zoras were placed in and how it posed the same threat for the Gorons. He begin to run. Along side of the city, his boots tapped against the ice as he set down another flight of stairs to the third level in search of any clues. Nothing. Second level; Biggoron's brother showed no signs of life either. What had happened? Questions began racing through the young man's mind. Who was the culprit? Why the Gorons? It was then that Link began to grow paranoid of his surroundings, as if someone were watching him; stalking him; waiting for the right moment to strike him down. He unsheathed his Master Sword as a precaution before continuing on.
Finally, Link arrived at ground level where the Goron throne room was near. He gazed down and smiled, finally spotting something that wasn't touched by the cursed ice; The Throne rug. It's beige plush still felt soft and cushioned under his boots. He drew his attention away and rushed ahead. His smile faded and he fixed his eyes straight ahead. A swift darkness overtook him, but quickly disappated before he came into the throne room of Dariuna. He peered around. It was constantly left unwatched since the Goron King became the great Sage of Fire, so it was no surprise that it too, was frozen over. Pillars of cold mist belched up from the ice and it seemed to overtake him. The throne was home to a lone totem pole, engraved with a rich carving of an old goron statue that the Gorons worshipped as both a highly sacrad monument, but it too, was also a lead into the Death Mountain Crater which was useful to Link in the past.
The Hero of Time slowly treaded over and placed his hands on the pole, set on pulling it straight out, but before he started, a strand of orange, possibly a piece of spare rope, laying loosely on the ground caught his eye. He bent down to retrieve it, but soon realized that there was more to it. He waved his hand back and forth enough to see that the 'rope' he thought he saw was actually a band of human hair. Shocked, he kneeled and contined to wave the mist away until a feminine figure emerged on the floor. Her body was slumped to the side, head turned face down in the ice. She was naked and her body maimed and bloody, lying on what appeared to be a heap of her own clothing. Link carefully pulled the woman onto her back, her skin was cold and deathly pale, as if she had been unconscience for several hours. He brushed the poor woman's hair back out of her eyes. Her long face was bare, save a scarlett jewel on her forehead. Link's sword clattered to the floor beside him as he came to recognize it in a single devestating second. It was Nabooru: the former Gerudo thief and Spirit Sage.
"Nabooru?!" he cried out to her. "Nabooru!" He stripped himself of his green tunic and slipped it over her head and body. As hard as he tried to cover her, the clothing only fit above her thighs. Link half-lifted Nabooru and hugged her against him and desperately tried to warm her body. At the same time several new thoughts sprang into his head about the culprit and it's cruelity. A bout of anger and sadness ignited in his eyes.
The mists began to lower. Nabooru slowly lifted her eyes, but they were gray and melancholy with her pain. Her vision began to focus, and she saw Link; she pulled her face into a smile. Link sat with his legs crossed on the floor and lifted the Spirit Sage, sitting her on his lap. She laid curled between his strong arms, shivering, her head resting on one hand and her knees on another like a child at rest. One arm was slung across her breasts while she lifted the other and carressed Link's diligent face. The young man winced at her icy touch.
"You really are the Hero of Time." she managed to whisper. Her voice was frail and hoarse.
"Who happened?" Link asked. He tore a piece of linen from his sleeve.
"A man." Nabooru answered while Link dressed her wounds. "A madman demanding the power of the sages. He's extremely dangerous, Link."
"Is he the one who froze Goron Mountain?" Link inquired. "Is he the one who caused all this pain?!" The Hero of Time could feel his face burn with his anger.
"... I'm afraid so." Nabooru said with hesitation.
"What about the Fire Sage, Dariuna?" asked Link, "why didn't he protect it?"
"Because kid, he was defeated. The madman used a wicked form of wizardry and drained Dariuna of his power and turned Death Mountain into a ... glacier. I tried to assist him in the battle, but I too was cut down."
"Does he have your power now?" Link questioned.
"Not all of it." Nabooru smiled weakly, "he made the mistake of sparing my life, unlike the Fire Sage."
The news saddened Link. Dariuna was a great leader for the Gorons and a worthy sage to guard the Temple of Fire. Link fell silent and gazed towards the totem pole, imagining Dariuna, his swollen round head bearing a furious frown under a thick beige beard, then fluctuating into a joyous laugh while dancing to the upbeat notes of Saria's Song from Link's ocarina. The memory of such a massive Goron leader dancing quickly and gracefully in place was one that the young man could never forget.
"Do not be discouraged." said Nabooru, breaking Link from his train of thought, "Dariuna was taken, but when that man drained his power, a piece of Dariuna was taken as well. If the man is defeated, then the great Fire Sage will return." Her eyes glazed at Link's determined face, "You wish to slay him?"
The young man gave a solemn nod, "Even if I have to chase him until the end of time, I will kill him!"
A rumble echoed throughout the Throne Room. As if it were a trap, the stonewall that acted as a sturdy door slammed shut from the ceiling and in response, a voice called out to him as if from far away:
"Do not vow unless you intend to succeed, Hero of Time!"
Link rose to his feet with Nabooru cuddled in his arms. He could sense the malious in the voice and the danger in the room. He ran as fast as he could to the door where he discovered there was no way to escape. He glanced back to find that the mists began to rise once again placing them both in grave danger.
"He's here." said Nabooru; "that man is back here. He knows I'm not dead. The power of the Fire Sage is surging through his veins. I can feel it."
"Can you deal with the cold a little longer?" asked Link. the Spirit Sage gave a wee nod and Link set her in the corner of the room, beside the door. With a painful hiss, she balled herself up to conceal the warmth left in her body.
With the courage of 20 hylian knights, Link made a mad dash back into the center of the throne, where to his horror, hovering in the air, a man, thin and well-knit in figure, saddled on a big thick-limbed stallion with a body frame of roaring wind and a mane of blazing flames. The young warrior mounting the stallion grinned evil at the hero under sinister red eyes and long silver dreadlocks. He was clad in a dark heavy chain mail and brandished a monsterous sword. It's blade was long, broad, and sharp and the hilt was curved with polished dragon claws, making the blade both a devestating weapon and an exquisite trophy. Link took notice that one of it's was stained with blood; that of Nabooru.
"At least you know where your loyalities lie." said the man with a laugh. With his weapon-free hand, he held up Link's Master Sword. The Hero of Time in his haste to take the Spirit Sage away, carelessly left his sword behind. Surprisingly, the warrior returned it to the young man and responded with: "You're going to need it."
The warrior tossed his leg around the horse's head and dismounted. He rose and snapped his finger. At once, the stallion tossed his head and speed off with it's hooves cracking like thunder as it ran until it was out of sight. The man bowed his head low, and towering over Link, resumed his stance.
"I am Fenrir," said the man, "High Warrior of Gerudo and follower of Ganondorf." Fenrir cast an evil eye towards The Hero of Time. "Seeing you as you are, I do not understand how the Great Evil King lost to such a kid."
Bearing his sword, Link spoke: "Why are you doing this? The reign of evil is over. Can't you enjoy peace and justice in Hyrule?"
Fenrir broke into a laugh, "Just because you defeated Ganondorf does not mean that his followers will break away in dismay! I was the Evil King's greatest ally and now I seek to set him free once again.
'The Gerudo thieves found out about your betrayal when Ganondorf was sent into the sacrad realm, and so they appointed a new man for their tasks; me."
"How?" asked Link, "They don't like men."
Fenrir sneered, "They didn't have too." With his cold red eyes, he fixed them on Link's. Suddenly, a grueling image penetrated the Hero of Time's mind. At first, he didn't know what was happening, but then quickly learned; He was seeing what Fenrir saw; He was witnessing the work of a terrible monster inside of this warrior. Scorns of young Gerudo women, dead on the desert sands. Several more suffering in anguish with hewed limbs or moral wounds, dying painfully.
"How could you do this?" said Link remorsefully. He could feel a fire sear his body, "How could you put all of those women to that kind of pain?"
"For information." replied Fenrir. "One of those girls finally revealed to me that a young blonde haired, tunic wearing man was out to stop Ganondorf and that he could only be defeated by the power of the sages. It was said to be a rumor, but only I knew of the Evil King's true power and realized the truth behind this rumor.
'I fled Ganondorf's castle when it fell and I saw a man with the Princess of Time; Zelda. I had a feeling it was you. I crafted this blade here with my powers and now I am using it against the sages that you have awakened.
'I started with this mountain where the Fire Sage lurked. I met him in the temple and defeated him. When I drained him of his power, it told me everything about him, his name, his past, his friends and family, and most importantly for my sake, all about what he knew of you. That is when I found out about the hero behind Goron Mountain.
'He was easily taken down, and so was the Spirit Sage. I will continue to persue the other four until the seal which keeps my master contained is broken! YOU, Link, are the only thorn in this bush! I demand you step away!"
"I've had enough!" cried Link. He launched himself at the man with sword clenched firmly in hand and struck. A crash of metal shreaked through the mountain as Fenrir defended himself. He was caught off guard when Link tossed his leg around and knocked Fenrir off his feet, following it up with a downward stab. Fenrir rolled off the icy floor in time to evade and back onto his feet. There, the two men engaged, fighting sword to sword; Link vs. Fenrir; The Master Sword vs. The Evil Dragonclaw Blade. It was a grueling bout with only one victor to emerge. Fenrir used his wicked sage powers he obtained from Darunia while Link could only defend with his sturdy Hylian Shield; it proved useful in defiance.
Link fell to his knees, exhausted. His opponent was unlike anything he had ever fought; He possessed phenomenal stamina, fought with remarkable swordsmanship, and carried devestating magic up his sleeve. Fenrir lifted his sword, it gleamed white at it's tip, and he prepared to kill. Link, in a false show of weariness, sprung his attack and struck. Fenrir gave a cry. His chain-bound arm clammoured to the ground with his sword still clasped. He dropped to his knees, clenching his wound, crying in pain. Link rose to his feet and kicked the man over onto his back.
"Release the sage." he demanded; "Release him and then leave this land."
"My skill..." hissed Fenrir, "You took my skill."
"Do it!" said Link.
Forced to watch Link, Fenrir saw the Hero of Time stepped over to his severed arm and rip the blade from it's grasp. Helpless to stop him, Fenrir witnessed the destruction of his precious blade, shattered to pieces by the Master Sword.
With the shards of the Dragonclaw blade at rest by his feet, Link silently declared his victory and demanded the sage to be released once again. When Fenrir turned down his demands, Link intended to kill him and drive the sage's spirit out. However, The Hero of Time produced his ocarina and pursed it to his lips. An idea that would satisfy his noble intentions sprang to mind. He began to play the beautiful, soothing notes to the Bolero of Fire. A scarlett aura radiated around the wounded Fenrir; the spirit of Dariuna was resonating with the enchanting song.
Instead of dividing spirit from the body like the Hero of Time had intended, a transformation took place. Fenrir was thrown into a world of pain; his stomach grew unbearably round and his lithe body was plundged with muscles, blasting the black armor off his body. His skin hardened into a yellowish rock; his long and sinister face shaping into a gruff, round head. Platinum hair was substituted for a thick head of shaggy beige hair and a great beard took it's place at his chin. Red eyes bulged to great blue. Finally, Fenrir's arms grew unbelievably long and stout while his legs froze and shortened, twisting with muscles down to his massive feet. Then it ended. The creature before Link was no longer Fenrir, the follower of Ganondorf and magical warrior; Dariuna, the great Sage of Fire, bearing a grand smile, stood before him.
"Brother!" cried the Goron. Link couldn't believe his eyes. His heart leaped for joy upon the sight of his childhood friend and 'brother'. "You feel proud of yourself?"
"Extremely." replied Link, "Are you okay?"
"Because of you, my spirit is free of that accursed soul. I can't believe such an evil man could exist! It will make an incredible story."
Link smiled, but it quickly faded as he remembered Nabooru, whom he left back at the gates of the throne room. He sheathed his sword and straped his shield to his back. He ran, followed by Dariuna to where he left her. The door was still closed, but Nabooru had vanished. Dariuna's veins buldged outward as he lifted the great stone wall, allowing he and Link to slip from under it, and then letting it slam shut once again once they were safely on the other side. It seemed little had changed, for the crystal-blue ice still remained, however the helpless gorons had vanished as well.
Moments later, as the red sun was sinking into an enchanting orange- hued horizon, the Hero of Time, stained with the blood of Nabooru, and the Sage of Fire, alive and well, emerged from Death Mountain and were greeted by the uproarous race of clapping and cheering, not to mention unfrozen Gorons and the Spirit Sage, who was still clad in Link's tunic. Her tanned skin color had finally returned to her body and the beauty of her eyes sparkled. However the wounds that plagued her body would remain as scars. She approached Link and embraced him, burying her head into his chest. He smiled and returned the hug, relieved that she was alive and the gorons were back to normal.
Despite the cheers and the dancing that seemed to travel through the entire mountain, Dariuna leaned over and whispered only loud enough for Link to hear: "Hey brother, will you play that nice little tune again?"
=This story is dedicated to my best friend Ryuko for her vast amount of support for each of my stories=
Link dashed up the trail of Death Mountain. Every now and then he would take a quick glance up at it's peak for a reference. The circle of clouds which surrounded it were at their normal state, but blue-hued like a cold mist, and the peak was capped with a blanket of white shrouded in an evening dusk. Link knew something wasn't right for the temperature had always been at a comfortable level.
He sped along as quick as his feet could carry him and he quickly came to the great round hole in the mountain known as Dodongo Cavern, where he found a lone Goron seated near the entrance on his flat bottom, breaking open and feasting on a dusty looking red rock. It's round yellow head carried an excited smile like a child with his favorite toy. However, as Link came racing along the mountain, the Goron heaved his meal rock at the young man with poor accuracy. It then drew his knees up and fell forward, it's face smashing into the ground as it stooped into a ball with a loud bellow.
As the Goron's rock came wizzing by his head, Link slowed his pace and approached the creature. He was one of the smaller ones, which when balled up, reached up to Link's ankles. He could hear it's heavy breathing like an iron lung in the still air. It's little body quivered in fear; Link could hear an occasional whimper seep from it's lips. Link couldn't help but to feel sorry for the Goron. He gazed upon it as a scared boulder, but he kneeled down to the little fellow, "It's okay," he said softly, "I'm not here to hurt you." He placed a leathered hand on the Goron and at once it stopped it's fearful quivering, as if it could sense the truth behind his touch. The little Goron peeped his head up and caught a better look of the face of a familiar young hero.
"Link!" he cried, rising to his feet; head level to the man, "You've returned! Do you remember me?" He cast a playful battle pose.
"Of course." said Link, who too, rose to his feet with a smile on his face, "You are Dariuna's son, Link."
"Great!" said the Goron, wrapping his little arms around the man. Link pat him on the head and glanced up. It was the snow-capped mountain peak that reminded him of his journey. He broke the young Goron's embrace and kneeled down to him.
"Why are you down here alone?" he asked. Dariuna's son; his face grew somber. "Because," he started to say, "I was running."
"Running from what?" Link inquired.
"From the terrible, terrible creature up in our home." said the Goron. "I ran but I found a delicious rock to eat. It was so good, I - I guess I just forgot."
"It's okay." said Link, "What did this creature look like?"
"I don't know." replied his goron counterpart, "I couldn't see him, but I felt cold. It's never cold up here. I thought you were it when you came running up the mountain." He cast his gaze to the man with tears developing in his big blue eyes. "I could see my friends, my family, they all turned ice infront of me! I was so scared. I couldn't see it, but I wanted to beat it! I wanted to beat this invisible force just like the great Dodongo Buster and Dragon Slayer: Link did when he saved us!"
Link smiled proudly, "And I'm sure you would have fought well, but you cannot beat what you can't see, Link." he said to the Goron. "Your time will come, but I want you to let me handle this just like I did in the past. You run into Dodongo Cavern and hide for me so that you won't get hurt, understand?"
The Goron nodded agreeable. He dropped to his butt, pulled himself into a ball, and rolled, tumbing into the long dark passage of the cavern until he was out of sight. Link spun around and proceeded to race up the trail of Death Mountain. Even with the knowledge bestowed to him, bearing his Master Sword, Hylian Shield, and a fearless spirit, the young Hero of Time's journey became a brutal determination.
Only a few more moments passed before Link stepped up past the Goron's flag and up to what used-to-be the entrance to Goron City. However, a vast boulder, one of immense mass, obstructed the entrance and blocked off the easiest way inside. With time pressing on, Link examined the rock, finding that not even his hand could squeeze through. By some way of instinct, he brought out his Lens of Truth in search of a possible way hidden in the boulder. He found none. With a sigh, he knew a bomb from his bag wouldn't be sufficient enough for such a obstruction.
After more careful examination, with both his naked eye and the Lens of Truth, Link realized that he had no other choice. Normally keeping them hidden away, the young man produced from his belt, the Golden Gauntlets which he obtained from a hidden treasure chest in Ganondorf's Castle. He bound them to his hands and stretched his muscles, for he knew this would be the largest object he had ever moved. He crouched down and as he clasped the boulder, he felt a great surge of power blast through his arms and body, allowing him to slowly lift the massive rock over his head with realitive ease. Instantly, as if the gates of winter had been opened, an intense arctic gale rushed from the opening with a great howl, almost causing Link to drop the boulder on himself. With a huff, the young man flipped his arms back, launching the giant boulder behind him. It soared on a fierce flight through the air only to crash somewhere far off the mountain.
Without a second thought and chattering teeth, Link plundged into Goron City. Down a short flight of stairs carved in the mountain, he stopped. The young man was struck with horror; It was as if he had stepped back into the Ice Cavern. Every rocky inch of this once peaceful tribe was frozen solid. He also examined that several Gorons were also completely frozen in an icy block.
"What happened here?" he thought to himself. He cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, "Hello! Is there anyone here?!" But was answered only by the echo of his own voice. There was complete and utter silence and stillness. The crackling fires that had once kindled in the torches of the city were extinguished and the bomb flowers that florished had disappeared, all covered in a thick coat of ice. It reminded Link heavily of Zora's Domain. A beautiful shade of cobalt blue that glistened like polished glass was all that was visible; up the walls, along the floors, and even the centerpiece of Goron City where the Spiritual Stone of Fire (Goron Ruby) was once held.
Link, however was also reminded of danger that the Zoras were placed in and how it posed the same threat for the Gorons. He begin to run. Along side of the city, his boots tapped against the ice as he set down another flight of stairs to the third level in search of any clues. Nothing. Second level; Biggoron's brother showed no signs of life either. What had happened? Questions began racing through the young man's mind. Who was the culprit? Why the Gorons? It was then that Link began to grow paranoid of his surroundings, as if someone were watching him; stalking him; waiting for the right moment to strike him down. He unsheathed his Master Sword as a precaution before continuing on.
Finally, Link arrived at ground level where the Goron throne room was near. He gazed down and smiled, finally spotting something that wasn't touched by the cursed ice; The Throne rug. It's beige plush still felt soft and cushioned under his boots. He drew his attention away and rushed ahead. His smile faded and he fixed his eyes straight ahead. A swift darkness overtook him, but quickly disappated before he came into the throne room of Dariuna. He peered around. It was constantly left unwatched since the Goron King became the great Sage of Fire, so it was no surprise that it too, was frozen over. Pillars of cold mist belched up from the ice and it seemed to overtake him. The throne was home to a lone totem pole, engraved with a rich carving of an old goron statue that the Gorons worshipped as both a highly sacrad monument, but it too, was also a lead into the Death Mountain Crater which was useful to Link in the past.
The Hero of Time slowly treaded over and placed his hands on the pole, set on pulling it straight out, but before he started, a strand of orange, possibly a piece of spare rope, laying loosely on the ground caught his eye. He bent down to retrieve it, but soon realized that there was more to it. He waved his hand back and forth enough to see that the 'rope' he thought he saw was actually a band of human hair. Shocked, he kneeled and contined to wave the mist away until a feminine figure emerged on the floor. Her body was slumped to the side, head turned face down in the ice. She was naked and her body maimed and bloody, lying on what appeared to be a heap of her own clothing. Link carefully pulled the woman onto her back, her skin was cold and deathly pale, as if she had been unconscience for several hours. He brushed the poor woman's hair back out of her eyes. Her long face was bare, save a scarlett jewel on her forehead. Link's sword clattered to the floor beside him as he came to recognize it in a single devestating second. It was Nabooru: the former Gerudo thief and Spirit Sage.
"Nabooru?!" he cried out to her. "Nabooru!" He stripped himself of his green tunic and slipped it over her head and body. As hard as he tried to cover her, the clothing only fit above her thighs. Link half-lifted Nabooru and hugged her against him and desperately tried to warm her body. At the same time several new thoughts sprang into his head about the culprit and it's cruelity. A bout of anger and sadness ignited in his eyes.
The mists began to lower. Nabooru slowly lifted her eyes, but they were gray and melancholy with her pain. Her vision began to focus, and she saw Link; she pulled her face into a smile. Link sat with his legs crossed on the floor and lifted the Spirit Sage, sitting her on his lap. She laid curled between his strong arms, shivering, her head resting on one hand and her knees on another like a child at rest. One arm was slung across her breasts while she lifted the other and carressed Link's diligent face. The young man winced at her icy touch.
"You really are the Hero of Time." she managed to whisper. Her voice was frail and hoarse.
"Who happened?" Link asked. He tore a piece of linen from his sleeve.
"A man." Nabooru answered while Link dressed her wounds. "A madman demanding the power of the sages. He's extremely dangerous, Link."
"Is he the one who froze Goron Mountain?" Link inquired. "Is he the one who caused all this pain?!" The Hero of Time could feel his face burn with his anger.
"... I'm afraid so." Nabooru said with hesitation.
"What about the Fire Sage, Dariuna?" asked Link, "why didn't he protect it?"
"Because kid, he was defeated. The madman used a wicked form of wizardry and drained Dariuna of his power and turned Death Mountain into a ... glacier. I tried to assist him in the battle, but I too was cut down."
"Does he have your power now?" Link questioned.
"Not all of it." Nabooru smiled weakly, "he made the mistake of sparing my life, unlike the Fire Sage."
The news saddened Link. Dariuna was a great leader for the Gorons and a worthy sage to guard the Temple of Fire. Link fell silent and gazed towards the totem pole, imagining Dariuna, his swollen round head bearing a furious frown under a thick beige beard, then fluctuating into a joyous laugh while dancing to the upbeat notes of Saria's Song from Link's ocarina. The memory of such a massive Goron leader dancing quickly and gracefully in place was one that the young man could never forget.
"Do not be discouraged." said Nabooru, breaking Link from his train of thought, "Dariuna was taken, but when that man drained his power, a piece of Dariuna was taken as well. If the man is defeated, then the great Fire Sage will return." Her eyes glazed at Link's determined face, "You wish to slay him?"
The young man gave a solemn nod, "Even if I have to chase him until the end of time, I will kill him!"
A rumble echoed throughout the Throne Room. As if it were a trap, the stonewall that acted as a sturdy door slammed shut from the ceiling and in response, a voice called out to him as if from far away:
"Do not vow unless you intend to succeed, Hero of Time!"
Link rose to his feet with Nabooru cuddled in his arms. He could sense the malious in the voice and the danger in the room. He ran as fast as he could to the door where he discovered there was no way to escape. He glanced back to find that the mists began to rise once again placing them both in grave danger.
"He's here." said Nabooru; "that man is back here. He knows I'm not dead. The power of the Fire Sage is surging through his veins. I can feel it."
"Can you deal with the cold a little longer?" asked Link. the Spirit Sage gave a wee nod and Link set her in the corner of the room, beside the door. With a painful hiss, she balled herself up to conceal the warmth left in her body.
With the courage of 20 hylian knights, Link made a mad dash back into the center of the throne, where to his horror, hovering in the air, a man, thin and well-knit in figure, saddled on a big thick-limbed stallion with a body frame of roaring wind and a mane of blazing flames. The young warrior mounting the stallion grinned evil at the hero under sinister red eyes and long silver dreadlocks. He was clad in a dark heavy chain mail and brandished a monsterous sword. It's blade was long, broad, and sharp and the hilt was curved with polished dragon claws, making the blade both a devestating weapon and an exquisite trophy. Link took notice that one of it's was stained with blood; that of Nabooru.
"At least you know where your loyalities lie." said the man with a laugh. With his weapon-free hand, he held up Link's Master Sword. The Hero of Time in his haste to take the Spirit Sage away, carelessly left his sword behind. Surprisingly, the warrior returned it to the young man and responded with: "You're going to need it."
The warrior tossed his leg around the horse's head and dismounted. He rose and snapped his finger. At once, the stallion tossed his head and speed off with it's hooves cracking like thunder as it ran until it was out of sight. The man bowed his head low, and towering over Link, resumed his stance.
"I am Fenrir," said the man, "High Warrior of Gerudo and follower of Ganondorf." Fenrir cast an evil eye towards The Hero of Time. "Seeing you as you are, I do not understand how the Great Evil King lost to such a kid."
Bearing his sword, Link spoke: "Why are you doing this? The reign of evil is over. Can't you enjoy peace and justice in Hyrule?"
Fenrir broke into a laugh, "Just because you defeated Ganondorf does not mean that his followers will break away in dismay! I was the Evil King's greatest ally and now I seek to set him free once again.
'The Gerudo thieves found out about your betrayal when Ganondorf was sent into the sacrad realm, and so they appointed a new man for their tasks; me."
"How?" asked Link, "They don't like men."
Fenrir sneered, "They didn't have too." With his cold red eyes, he fixed them on Link's. Suddenly, a grueling image penetrated the Hero of Time's mind. At first, he didn't know what was happening, but then quickly learned; He was seeing what Fenrir saw; He was witnessing the work of a terrible monster inside of this warrior. Scorns of young Gerudo women, dead on the desert sands. Several more suffering in anguish with hewed limbs or moral wounds, dying painfully.
"How could you do this?" said Link remorsefully. He could feel a fire sear his body, "How could you put all of those women to that kind of pain?"
"For information." replied Fenrir. "One of those girls finally revealed to me that a young blonde haired, tunic wearing man was out to stop Ganondorf and that he could only be defeated by the power of the sages. It was said to be a rumor, but only I knew of the Evil King's true power and realized the truth behind this rumor.
'I fled Ganondorf's castle when it fell and I saw a man with the Princess of Time; Zelda. I had a feeling it was you. I crafted this blade here with my powers and now I am using it against the sages that you have awakened.
'I started with this mountain where the Fire Sage lurked. I met him in the temple and defeated him. When I drained him of his power, it told me everything about him, his name, his past, his friends and family, and most importantly for my sake, all about what he knew of you. That is when I found out about the hero behind Goron Mountain.
'He was easily taken down, and so was the Spirit Sage. I will continue to persue the other four until the seal which keeps my master contained is broken! YOU, Link, are the only thorn in this bush! I demand you step away!"
"I've had enough!" cried Link. He launched himself at the man with sword clenched firmly in hand and struck. A crash of metal shreaked through the mountain as Fenrir defended himself. He was caught off guard when Link tossed his leg around and knocked Fenrir off his feet, following it up with a downward stab. Fenrir rolled off the icy floor in time to evade and back onto his feet. There, the two men engaged, fighting sword to sword; Link vs. Fenrir; The Master Sword vs. The Evil Dragonclaw Blade. It was a grueling bout with only one victor to emerge. Fenrir used his wicked sage powers he obtained from Darunia while Link could only defend with his sturdy Hylian Shield; it proved useful in defiance.
Link fell to his knees, exhausted. His opponent was unlike anything he had ever fought; He possessed phenomenal stamina, fought with remarkable swordsmanship, and carried devestating magic up his sleeve. Fenrir lifted his sword, it gleamed white at it's tip, and he prepared to kill. Link, in a false show of weariness, sprung his attack and struck. Fenrir gave a cry. His chain-bound arm clammoured to the ground with his sword still clasped. He dropped to his knees, clenching his wound, crying in pain. Link rose to his feet and kicked the man over onto his back.
"Release the sage." he demanded; "Release him and then leave this land."
"My skill..." hissed Fenrir, "You took my skill."
"Do it!" said Link.
Forced to watch Link, Fenrir saw the Hero of Time stepped over to his severed arm and rip the blade from it's grasp. Helpless to stop him, Fenrir witnessed the destruction of his precious blade, shattered to pieces by the Master Sword.
With the shards of the Dragonclaw blade at rest by his feet, Link silently declared his victory and demanded the sage to be released once again. When Fenrir turned down his demands, Link intended to kill him and drive the sage's spirit out. However, The Hero of Time produced his ocarina and pursed it to his lips. An idea that would satisfy his noble intentions sprang to mind. He began to play the beautiful, soothing notes to the Bolero of Fire. A scarlett aura radiated around the wounded Fenrir; the spirit of Dariuna was resonating with the enchanting song.
Instead of dividing spirit from the body like the Hero of Time had intended, a transformation took place. Fenrir was thrown into a world of pain; his stomach grew unbearably round and his lithe body was plundged with muscles, blasting the black armor off his body. His skin hardened into a yellowish rock; his long and sinister face shaping into a gruff, round head. Platinum hair was substituted for a thick head of shaggy beige hair and a great beard took it's place at his chin. Red eyes bulged to great blue. Finally, Fenrir's arms grew unbelievably long and stout while his legs froze and shortened, twisting with muscles down to his massive feet. Then it ended. The creature before Link was no longer Fenrir, the follower of Ganondorf and magical warrior; Dariuna, the great Sage of Fire, bearing a grand smile, stood before him.
"Brother!" cried the Goron. Link couldn't believe his eyes. His heart leaped for joy upon the sight of his childhood friend and 'brother'. "You feel proud of yourself?"
"Extremely." replied Link, "Are you okay?"
"Because of you, my spirit is free of that accursed soul. I can't believe such an evil man could exist! It will make an incredible story."
Link smiled, but it quickly faded as he remembered Nabooru, whom he left back at the gates of the throne room. He sheathed his sword and straped his shield to his back. He ran, followed by Dariuna to where he left her. The door was still closed, but Nabooru had vanished. Dariuna's veins buldged outward as he lifted the great stone wall, allowing he and Link to slip from under it, and then letting it slam shut once again once they were safely on the other side. It seemed little had changed, for the crystal-blue ice still remained, however the helpless gorons had vanished as well.
Moments later, as the red sun was sinking into an enchanting orange- hued horizon, the Hero of Time, stained with the blood of Nabooru, and the Sage of Fire, alive and well, emerged from Death Mountain and were greeted by the uproarous race of clapping and cheering, not to mention unfrozen Gorons and the Spirit Sage, who was still clad in Link's tunic. Her tanned skin color had finally returned to her body and the beauty of her eyes sparkled. However the wounds that plagued her body would remain as scars. She approached Link and embraced him, burying her head into his chest. He smiled and returned the hug, relieved that she was alive and the gorons were back to normal.
Despite the cheers and the dancing that seemed to travel through the entire mountain, Dariuna leaned over and whispered only loud enough for Link to hear: "Hey brother, will you play that nice little tune again?"
=This story is dedicated to my best friend Ryuko for her vast amount of support for each of my stories=