Chapter XV: The Forty-Five-LevelFireTemple
Link had entered the Fire Temple, a shrine originally built to give bloody sacrifice to the dragon, Volvagia. The sacrifices often would be Gorons, and thus the Gorons lived in fear of the mountain's bloodthirsty inhabitant. But according to legend, long ago a Goron hero rose to the defense of the Goron race. With a legendary hammer, the Megaton Hammer, he struck down the evil dragon, returning peace to the Gorons. It was then that this Goron became the first real leader of the Goron people.
The ancient evil ones who had given the sacrifices had long been extinct. But Ganon, who had researched all the evil powers in the land he could win over, came to the mountain to revive the evil dragon and punish the Gorons for their disobedience in not handing over the Spiritual stone seven years ago. He captured almost the entire Goron race, with the exception of the Goron leader, Darunia and his son. There was one in whose blood flowed the blood of the Goron hero. This one indecently was Darunia, the only strong, mature Goron that escaped Ganon's grasp. He felt it his duty to rescue his people and set out to find the Megaton Hammer, which he hoped still rested deep inside the Fire Temple.
Link knew nothing of the history of the Fire Temple when he had volunteered to rescue the Gorons. He knew nothing of what was inside of the Temple. He didn't know how large the Temple was; how dangerous. He didn't know the reason the Temple existed, and what it retained from that original purpose. He didn't know that someone had followed him in. And most importantly, he didn't know of the dragon that resided inside of it, and of its bloody nature…
Link: You make it seem like I don't know anything!
Narrator: Hey! You're not supposed to respond to my narration! Get on with the story!
Link: Ok! ahem Well…this is interesting.
Link was looking at a few humanoid shaped sculptures that seemed to be placed there for a reason.
Link: Creepy…
Navi: Come on! This place gives me the creeps! Let's just save the Gorons and get outta here!
Link (energetically): Ok!
Link walked up the stairs, at the top of which were some strange human-head shaped torches engraved in the wall.
Link: Even creepier…
Link saw two doors: one that was locked, and one that was unlocked.
Link: Well that's pretty obvious.
Link ran through the door to his left and was in a large room with a door at the end that was engraved with all sorts of evil symbols. In front of the door was a certain Goron…
Darunia: Hello brother! Fancy seeing you here!
Link: Um…do I look like your brother?
Darunia: Don't you remember? Well, it was a long time ago. Remember the day I gave you the stone? We became sworn brothers!
Link: Oh…right, the stone thing…(thinking)…I still wonder what happens if you give that to a girl…
Darunia: I'd like to talk to you sometime, man to man, but now is not the right time.
Link: Don't you mean Goron to boy?
Darunia: What do you mean? You've matured much, I'm sure, in seven years time. You are a man now!
Navi: I'd beg to differ…
Darunia: Now, brother, I have a big favor I need to ask you. I wish we had met at happier times, but right now my people are enslaved and are to be fed to the evil dragon Volvagia.
Link: Dragon? What?
Darunia: Don't you know?
Link: …No.
Darunia: There is a dragon in this mountain that is said to be the bane of all Gorons. It has a bloody history and has killed more Gorons than anything or anyone in all of our history. Long ago, a race of evil people inhabited the mountain, and before we knew their purposes, we had supplied them with Goron Tunics to allow them to survive in the heat of the mountain. (Link was nodding to sleep but Navi kept him awake using her usual methods.) But they eventually took over. They came to our city, disguised as ghosts, which were wreathed in fire. They came and captured Gorons. One day, a "ghost" had been caught by a mighty Goron whose name, legend does not recall. But this Goron learned that this race had been the ones threatening our people and feeding them to the dragon to appease their evil purposes. The Goron hero came to this very place, equipped with the mighty Megaton Hammer, and struck down the dragon, thus freeing our people. The "ghost people" then disappeared into the heart of the mountain, and legend does not tell what became of them. But now, Ganon has revived our nightmares, the one thing we fear above all else. The dragon has returned and Ganon is threatening to feed my people to it, as he claims, to "teach us a lesson". But I can see through his evil lies. He means to make the Goron race extinct. Link, I want to ask you to help me with freeing my people.
By this time, Link didn't need to be kept awake. He was too afraid.
Link: No thank you! I'm no dragon-killer!
Darunia: No, I'm not asking you, nor expecting you to help me defeat the dragon. I want you to go throughout the Temple and release my people from their cells. I would do this myself, but someone will need to keep the dragon at bay. I've tried to find the Megaton Hammer, but I fear that it has been lost to the fires of the Temple. I thank you, Link, for your help.
Link: Wait! You mean you're going to take on Mr. Goron-killer!?!
Darunia: There is no other choice.
Link: Wait, can't you just stop and think for a second!?!
Navi (sarcastically): Yeah, like you do all the time.
Link: Shut up.
Darunia: I'm sorry Link, but my destiny calls me.
Link: NO! WAIT!!!!
At that, Darunia turned and walked through the evil-looking door.
Link: Stupid oaf! He's gonna kill himself!
Navi: What are you gonna do about it!?!
Link: I…I dunno.
Navi: Maybe you should just do what he asked?
Goron: Sounds good to me!
Link: Wha?
Goron: Over here!
Link went over to where the voice was coming from and found a lone Goron behind some bars.
Goron: Hello. I'm a Goron. We eat rocks.
Link: …
Goron: I think that switch over there will open the door.
Link activated the switch and freed the Goron.
Goron: Oh YAYYYYYY!!!!!!!! Thank you Mr. Link!
Link: Sure.
Goron: Let me help you with the Temple.
Link: Ok.
Goron: Inside of my cell there is a chest with an item that you might find useful! Please, save us Gorons!
And with that, he walked off.
Link: What kinda help was that!?!
Navi: Um…Goron help?
Link: Weird.
Link opened the chest to receive…
Music: Du du da duuuuuuuuuu!!!!!
Link: Um…a key…whoopee.
Navi: Didn't we see a locked door back there?
Link: No.
Navi: Stop it! You did too!
Link: Fine.
Link walked back to the room with all the humanoid things and unlocked the door across from him. As he walked in, he beheld the largest room he had ever seen. The floor was all lava, save for the small islands of land here and there. A large bridge spanned the gap over the lava and lead to the other side of the room. And there was no ceiling. The top of the room just kept on going.
Link: Whoa.
Navi: Yeah.
Link: Wow.
Navi (getting agitated): Uh huh.
Link: Man.
Navi (annoyed): Ok, stop it all ready!
(Pause)
Link: Why?
Navi: DON'T YOU START THAT MISTER!!!!!
(Pause)
Link: Why?
Navi: ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Navi had completely lost it this time and had sent her tiny body flying into link. But rage can be a powerful weapon, and even though she was small, she had enough force to make Link loose his balance and he tripped over the side of the bridge.
Link: AH!
Navi: Oh no…
(Now to one of those really creepy black and white flashbacks…)
Great Deku Tree: Navi, listen to me.
Navi: Ok!
Great Deku Tree: My time on this earth is now limited. I cannot help the Hero in the way I wish I could. I ask you to assist him in my stead. Look after him, and make sure that no harm comes to him. Protect him with your very life. Do you understand, Navi?
Navi: Sure, whatever Great Deku Tree.
Great Deku Tree: Promise me Navi, that you'll look after him.
Navi: Fine, fine. I promise…
(Now back to the colored world…)
Navi: …LINK!
Navi flew behind Link and with all her might, tried to save him from that deadly fall into the lava below. But there are other forces, greater than rage and she managed to get Link up onto the bridge.
Link: Why'd you do that Navi???
Navi: I'm sorry, ok! I just got carried away!
Link: No, I mean…you saved me.
Navi: Oh…well, you know…theGreatDekuTreesaidIhadto. So there. Don't get any ideas!
Link (energetically): Ok!
Link waked a few yards forwards until he reached a large gap in the bridge. He jumped over it like it was just a little crack. He had been through so much by now that things were becoming more and more casual to Link, and he was becoming less fearful of them. But soon, that would be no help to him…he could never be prepared for what he would soon encounter…never…
Link walked a little ways until he found a path that seemed to lead to the wall to his left. He followed it and found another Goron there.
Goron: Hello. I'm a Goron. We eat rocks.
Link: …Why do you ALL say that!?!
Goron: We're brought up that way.
Link: Oh.
Link stepped on the nearby switch and freed the Goron from his cell.
Goron: Oh THANK YOU Mr. Link! I'll tell you a secret for saving me. There is said to be a mighty weapon at the top of the Temple that can crush even the hardest metal to fine powder.
And with that, he walked out a quick as he could.
Link: How was that a secret? I already knew that!
Navi: Well we didn't know that it was at the top…
Link: Well then I guess we'd better try to find it. Maybe it isn't lost like Darunia thought.
Link went back to the door that he saw at the other side of the big room. He went through and found his way to the second floor. He was in a creepy green-colored room with a Goron in a cell.
Goron: Hello. I'm-
Link: A Goron, and you eat rocks. I've heard it before.
Goron: Oh.
Link: Hey! Where's the switch???
Goron: Oh, Mr. Link. You'd better forget about me. My switch is on the other side.
He pointed to the back of his cell where there was another door.
Link: Shut up. I'm saving you too. How do I get back there?
Goron: I think there's a hole that leads down here from the next level.
Link: All right then! See you in a bit. Don't worry; no one's gonna kill you as long as I'm alive!
Strange Voice (from far away): Hehehehehehe!!!!
Link: Navi…what was that?
Navi: I…dunno…
Link: Oh well.
Link climbed up a wall to his left. He found a strange creature there that he'd never seen before. It was red and had a fire on its back.
Link: Weird. DIE!!!
Link made a savage leap and brought his sword through the back of the creature. It screeched in pain, and scurried off to hide, its flame now extinguished.
Link: Hey! Come back here!
Link stabbed it one more time and it fell to the ground. He then came to a ladder and went up. As soon as he reached the top, he saw a demonic face engraved in the wall. The whole room was huge, but there was little room to walk. There were dozens of stone pillars, about thirty feet high that made the whole room into a weaving web of halls and corridors.
Link: Man, this place is creepy.
As soon as he said that he felt the floor start to shake.
Link: AH! What did I say!?!
Then he saw to his left, the biggest rock he had ever seen, and it was heading his way!
Link: Uh oh.
He started to run, the boulder following him. He felt it as if it was breathing down his neck, then he took a turn to his left and the boulder kept on rolling down the previous path.
Link: Whew.
He spoke too soon. Another boulder had fallen from the ceiling, and was coming at him again.
Link: It's like they're after me!
He began to run again and this time found a crevice in the wall to hide in.
Link: Man…pant…what's happening? Hey! A door!
Link went through the door to his left and found yet another Goron hiding there.
Goron: Hello.
Link: You'reaGoron, Youeatrocks, yeah, I know.
Link stepped on the switch and set the Goron free.
Goron: Thank you Mr. Link. This is something you might find useful. They say that there once were an ancient people that resided inside of this Temple, giving praise to the dragon. They were a wicked people, with an evil religion that worshiped evil itself. They say that there are many curses that they put on this place that could be awakened if their demonic spirits were disturbed. I warn you to keep your peace.
Link: I'm not afraid of them. What can spirits do to people?
Goron: If I were you, I'd choose my words more wisely, Mr. Link. The dead can do more harm to the living than the living can do to the dead.
And at that, the Goron ran out of the room.
Link: Man he was superstitious!
Navi: But he does have a point. I think we should be more cautious of what we say here.
Link walked back out of the room and was facing another demonic face in the wall.
Link: Was that there before, Navi?
Navi: I don't think so…
Link felt the ground rumble again and this time two boulders fell from the ceiling both heading towards Link: one from the right and one from the left.
Link: Uh oh.
Link ran to the nearest corridor and continues down it. He glanced back to see the boulders turn and come down his path! He looked ahead and saw two more turn from their paths down his and one more fell from the ceiling onto the path to his right. He was cornered. There was nowhere to go. Then suddenly, the boulders stopped.
Demonic Voice: Thou have no fear of spirits long dead?
Thy mind shall change before long.
Thy heart shall fill with dread,
Of those who have long been gone.
While thy bones yet move, and thy blood, flows,
Evil blooms, and darkness grows.
Now feel the anguish, the terror, the fear,
Thy time on this earth, your end is near,
The dead whom you do not fear are here,
To come to take thee to where they dwell,
To the eternal fire, the fire of hell.
At those last words, the ground shook terribly. Link HAD begun to fear. For the first time, he felt truly afraid. For the first time, he felt like his end WAS near. For the first time, he wished he was not the Hero of Time. He wished it were not him who had drawn that sword, the sword of evil's bane, the Hero's Blade. But now, it was too late. All he could do was wait for the next thing, to see what the evil was going to give him. He could guess it: death. The shaking stopped. He waited. Then, humanoid figures burst out of nowhere, all aflame. They began to dance an evil dance; their dance of death. The boulders began to move again, and Link was again without anywhere to go…it was his end, as he thought. He felt woozy…his mind was going…his vision was blurred…he fell on his knees, his mind was bursting…the only thing he noticed before he fainted, was a dark shadow that seemed to kneel down beside him…he felt something grab him…then his mind went blank.
Link: Wha…where…am I?
Navi: Oh Link! You're…AH! I mean, WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG!?!??!?! Taking your pretty little time asleep, huh? For a second there…
Link (still drowsy): What? What are you talking about?
Navi: Oh never mind.
Link scratched the back of his neck and felt something was missing. Sure enough…
Link: My sword! The Master Sword! It's gone!
Navi: Yeah, that thing took it from you.
Link: What thing?
Navi: The thing that saved you. It brought you here.
Link: Huh?
Navi: Arghh! Why do you have to be so clueless? Here, in this cell.
Link: Oh. YOU MEAN I'M CAPTURED!?!?!?
Navi: Sort of. Look.
She gestured to the top of the cell. There was no ceiling.
Navi: I bet you that you could climb to the top of that and go out the door to your right. I've been scouting and I think that door leads to the next level.
Link (energetically): Ok!
Navi: Come on, you've been asleep far too long. The Goron's are probably dead by now.
Link climbed his way out of the cell, and came to the door Navi spoke about. The door did lead to the next level, but it was on top of the pillars that made up the corridors that Link had raced through earlier. He came to a ladder that led down a couple levels and brought him to the other side of the Goron's cell. Link stepped on top of the switch and the cell opened up.
Goron: Thank you so much Mr. Link! I'm so glad you didn't forget me!
Link: Sure.
Goron: Now Mr. Link, let me tell you something important. There is a way to face off the dead. The dead in this Temple have feared us Gorons sense we had defeated their great dragon, Volvagia. And so, they fear our "special crop". If you ever have need to give them a scare, bring out a sample and the tables will turn on your encounter!
And with that the Goron headed for the exit.
Link: Wait! Goron's special crop??? What is that!?!
Navi: Well think. What do the Gorons specialize in?
Link: …Eating rocks?
Navi: No, no, what do they sell?
Link: …Rocks?
Navi: ARGHH!!!!!
Link climbed back up the ladder and as soon as he reached the top, he noticed another demonic face that was engraved on the floor.
Link: No!
Link ran as fast as he could, jumping over gaps, to reach the door. But he heard something that made him stop.
Goron (far away): Help!!! Goro!!!!
Link: Oh no…
Link ran as fast as he could towards the voice. He reached him, and set the Goron free.
Goron: Hello-
Link: Don't talk, just go! Now!
The Goron ran for it, while Link was trying for the door. But once he got there…
Link: What the??? The door is gone!
Demonic Voice: Thou shall not escape evil's wrath
We shall bar thy doors, change thy path.
Thou escaped us once, but not again,
For this time thou shall have no friend.
Now we come, thy body we break,
Thy mind we conquer, thy soul, we take.
At that, three of the fire demons appeared out of nowhere and began to dance once more. Link, out of despair, searched his pack for help.
Link: Hookshot? No. Deku nuts? No. Bombs?
Navi: That's it! It's bombs! It must be!
Link (energetically): Ok!
Link pulled out a bomb and chucked it towards the three dancers. They howled their evil furry, and disappeared.
Link: Ok, let's get outta here!
Once the demons had disappeared, their evil magic had too. The door was once again in its rightful place. Link went through and found another door that seemed as if it was the next one to go through.
Link: Ok, here we go.
He went through the door and came to a room that was covered in torches that were blowing flames, Fire Keese in the air, and walls of fire that seemed to be there just to make it more difficult to pass.
Link: This is crazy!
Navi: Well we have to try it! I have a feeling that the Hammer is nearby.
Link (energetically): Ok!
Link began to dodge flames and Keese until he reached a door on the other side of the room, but when he tried to open it…
Link: Huh?
The door started to wiggle then fell on top of Link.
Link: AHHHH!!!!!!
(Thud)
Link: Ow! What in the world?!?
High-Pitched Demonic Voice: Hehehehehe!!!
Link: Oh! You wanna play rough, huh?
He pulled out a bomb.
Link: I'll play rough then!
He tossed it at the door.
BOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The door lay shattered, and behind it was another door.
Link: Cool!
He went through it and found himself in a pitch-dark room. The door closed and locked behind him with a bang.
Link: Uh oh…
Mysterious Voice: So, you are the foreseen Hero?
Link thought that he had heard this voice before.
Link: Who are you?
Mysterious Voice: I will be the one to ask the questions, seeing that I am the one with the advantage here. You are locked in here; with no way to see whereas I…I can see. I live in the darkness. I am the darkness so to speak. I was created in the dark, and I reside in the dark.
Now Link knew he had heard that voice before…it was so familiar…
Link: Fine. Then what do you want?
Mysterious Voice: Plain and simple, I want to know who you are, why you exist, what your purpose is. I want to know why you came here and what you plan to achieve. And most of all, I want to know if you are indeed the Hero that legend tells of. If you will answer these things, then you shall leave, unharmed.
Link could feel and hear the owner of the voice walking around him.
Link: And if I don't?
Mysterious Voice: Then I will have no choice but to take from you the one thing you possess that is worth more than all else, save your life.
Link: And what would that be?
Link felt the voice's owner stop pacing.
Mysterious Voice: This.
Link heard a chink sound and recognized it right away.
Link: The Master Sword!
Mysterious Voice: Now if you will answer my questions, then I shall return this thing to you that you need so direly, but only if you answer my questions. Now, are you the Hero, or are you not? They say that only the Hero can pull the blade from its resting place, but did you perhaps take it from the true one? You do not seem like the Hero that legend speaks of.
Link was not sure if he should answer the question, but he did know that he needed the Master Sword back.
Link: Yeah. I pulled it out of the Pedestal.
Mysterious Voice: Ah. Then answer this: Who are you, why do you exist and what is your purpose?
Link could almost see the voice owner's eyes now. They seemed red, or maybe orange. He couldn't tell exactly due to the darkness.
Link: I'm Link, a Kokiri-
Mysterious Voice: Are you?
Link: …Yes…
Mysterious Voice: Hm…but the Hero was said to be a Hylian. Are you not the Hero then?
Link: I am what I told you.
Mysterious Voice: Hm…go on then. Why do you exist?
Link: I exist…to…to be me.
Mysterious Voice: Hm…then what is your purpose?
Link: My purpose…is…to save Hyrule.
Mysterious Voice: Hm…from what?
Link: From Ganon, the King of Evil.
Mysterious Voice: Ah. So you came here to do what?
Link: To save the Gorons.
Mysterious Voice: And how do they fit in to you plan of the salvation of Hyrule?
Link: I think…that a Sage-
Mysterious Voice: Ah! A Sage you say? So, you are gathering the descendants of the Ancient Ones to defeat the King of Evil?
Link: I…I think so…
Mysterious Voice: So that must be what you plan to achieve then?
Link: Yes.
Mysterious Voice: Hm…well, I believe you have kept your promise, so I shall keep mine.
Link heard the Sword being thrown to his feet.
Mysterious Voice: Now I shall ask you one thing in return for what I have done for you.
Link: What you have done for me!?! You just stole my sword!
Mysterious Voice: Did you think your fairy friend saved you from those spirits? No, I did. And I also got rid of the fire spirit that guarded this place. You would have been helpless without the Hammer. And so I ask you in return…to stay alive.
Link: Um…ok…
Mysterious Voice: We shall meet again, Link. For that is our fate.
And he disappeared. As he did, a flame appeared and lit up the room. Link saw his Sword and put it back in its scabbard.
Link: Man that was weird.
Navi: His voice…I've heard it before…but it was…different.
Link: Yeah, I thought so too. Oh well! Look, I think that'll take us up to the next level.
Link and Navi stepped onto a platform and the instant they did, it started to rise. At the top, they got off and Navi instantly spotted a chest surrounded by fire at the end of a spiraling slope.
Navi: THERE! That must be where the Hammer is!
Link: All right then! Let's get it!
Link stepped on a nearby switch that extinguished the fire around the chest. He ran to the chest and received…
Music: Du du da duuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!
Link: Yay! The Hammer! Let's go kill…never mind!
Navi: Come on! You gotta help Darunia!
Link: Awww, do I have to?
Navi: Yes.
Link: Oh darn it.
So Link went back down to the foot of the slope and found another exit to his right that he took. It eventually led down to a cell with a Goron in it.
Goron: Hello-
Link stepped on the switch.
Link: Tell me what you know.
Goron: Um…ok. There is one thing that can dispatch the evil dead of this Temple better than all else. It is the same thing that they feared hundreds of years ago. It is also, what you can use to destroy their statues, which block important doors in the Temple.
Then the Goron left.
Link: Why do they always leave me with riddles??? ARGHHH!!!!
Link then began the long trek back to the first room of the Temple. Link went to the room where he had met Darunia and he found the door to the dragon locked up tight.
Link: WHAT!?! It wasn't locked before!
High-Pitched Demonic Voice: Hehehehe!
Link: Oh. Great. Fine, I'll go find a key then!
So Link went back a room, to the room where he first entered the Temple. There he found one of the statues the Goron had spoken of, and the same one that he had seen when he first entered.
Link: Ooooo! Fun!
He smashed the statue to pieces.
Link: Ahahahah!!!
Navi: You're sick, you know that?
Link went through the door he had just revealed only to have it lock behind him.
Link: Not again…
Then, the tiles on the floor that had demonic faces on them began to rise from the ground. They spun a round and, one by one, began to throw themselves at link.
Link: AH!
Link dodged the first one by jumping out of the way, and the second one by rolling. The third one grazed his shoulder and for the fourth he held up his shield. One caught him off guard and hit his shield arm. The final one Link dispatched with his sword.
Link: Ow! Stupid tile!
Link nursed his arm for a bit then headed towards the door to his left. And again, the door locked behind him. Out of a platform in the center of the room, came a fire demon, the same one that the mysterious figure had got rid of earlier.
Fire Demon: Your friend helped you once, but this time he won't! Now die to my dancing, Hero!
The demon started to dance, but Link pulled out a bomb as to scare it off.
Link: What about this, fire butt!
Fire Demon: Hahaha! I am not afraid of such childish things!
He blew a flaming breath that blew the bomb up in Link's hands and sent him flying back, smack against the wall.
Link: AH! Ow…oh…
The demon began its dance again, but link remembered suddenly…The Hammer! He brought it out and mustered enough strength to send it smashing into the side of the demon.
Fire Demon: NO!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! boom
Music: Du du da da du du duuuuuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!
The door ahead opened and Link went on through. There was a Goron, with a large chest in the center of his cell.
Goron: Hello-
Link stepped on the switch and the Goron was free. Link grabbed the key in the chest and went off.
Goron: Hey! You didn't even let me say thank you!
Link came to the door of the dragon's again. He saw the same demonic face that he had seen so many times in the Temple, engraved on the door along with many other devilish looking symbols. He let go a large sigh of anticipation and opened the door. Inside he saw…nothing. There was a large island of rock in the center, with nine fiery holes, but that was all…no sign of Darunia.
Link went over to the island and tried to find any signs of Darunia…even a sign of blood, but there were none. He hoped that Darunia was safe. But just as these thought came to him, the room dimmed…there was an eerie dark-red color to the room now…then…he saw it…
Link: No…not again…
The face. The evil, demonic face he had seen in the Temple, which was usually followed by some evil happening, had appeared now, above the doorway he had just come through.
Demonic Voice: Thy soul is courageous to get thus far,
But thy quest of this Temple ends here.
For we have other ways of breaking your bones,
Other ways of inducing fear.
The souls of the dead, the evil ones,
Have thus, your presence born.
But now they have grown impatient,
Now thy flesh shall be torn.
Now we shall show forth our blood lust,
Now Volvagia! Come to us!
At that, the dragon had heard its call. The dragon of the mountain, Goron's Bane, the one who they fear above all others had come out of the very rock that Link stood on. Up from one of the fiery holes, it thrust its mane of fire, its eyes searching for prey. Link was no match for the one before him, for the dragon, Volvagia. But the dragon was evil, and Link had one thing that could conquer evil. Good, and the blade of good, the Master Sword, the blade of evil's bane. He had also, the only weapon known to defeat the evil dragon; The Megaton Hammer. So, as the dragon swooped to engulf Link in flames, Link jumped to the side and sent the Hammer flying into the dragon's face. Volvagia roared in pain, and hid beneath one of the several holes in the rock. Then, the demon voices began to chant once more.
Demonic Voice: Evil shall conquer; good shall fail;
Hope shall fall; all shall fade.
Hero's shall in fire drown,
Bring the ceiling crashing down!
Slabs of rock began falling from the ceiling, and Link had quite a time avoiding them. After awhile, the dragon came back and the rocks subsided. The dragon began to circle Link, making its circle smaller, and smaller. Link made a savage swipe with the Megaton Hammer and the Dragon again, retreated into one of the holes. The voices resumed their chant and the rocks began to fall. But then, all of a sudden, they started a new invocation…
Demonic Voice: Evil shall win over your spirit,
And make thee now give in to fear.
We come now, to aid our evil,
Prepare thyself, your end is near.
The fire demons had appeared in the arena to destroy Link's courageous spirit. They began their dance of despair and death, chanting over and over:
Demonic Voices: Evil shall conquer; good shall fail;
Hope shall fall; all shall fade.
Link's mind was once again, going. His vision, blurring. He was giving in to despair. The dragon had pulled his head out of the fire and had a claw ready to crush Link's bones. Link felt the end coming…he could hear the words like flames in his mind, "Evil shall conquer; good shall fail;"…he felt his mind and spirit failing…"Hope shall fall; all shall fade"…but with one thought that kept him alive, the thought of Hyrule and its fate, he unsheathed his sword and thrust it between the eyes of the dragon. It screeched in anguish. Link, with his last bit of strength, sent the hammer crushing into the skull of the mighty dragon, increasing its pain ten times. The dragon had had enough and it burst into the flames that engulfed its body. It had been defeated at last. And with their demonic deity dead, the spirits faded into the darkness of the Temple, never to be seen again. And with those last blows, Link now had exerted his final bit of strength and fainted………
When Link awoke, he found himself in a familiar place: the Chamber of the Sages. He saw someone standing before him, smiling. It was Darunia.
Darunia: Well done brother, well done!
Link (still drowsy): Huh?
Darunia: You did it! You saved my people from their prison! You found the Hammer! You killed the dragon! You returned peace to my people! You did so much for us, Link, that I don't know how to thank you!
Link: A little bacon would be good about now…
Darunia: Sorry, I don't have any of that.
Link: Oh. Darn it.
Darunia: But I do have this medallion. Take it with you. It contains my strength, and my appreciation.
Link received the medallion of fire and was transported outside in one of the shiny blue thingies that he always was.
Darunia: Link, you will always be my brother…and my friend.
END OF CHAPTER
Link: Yeah, HE thinks so…brother. PUTH!