Disclaimer: I am currently in a state of non-ownership regarding the Legend of Zelda.
Author's Note: It's been a while, hasn't it? After nearly 10 months, chapter seven is here. I hope there are still people to read it. I'm afraid I can't promise much more than sporadic updates from here on out, but since its summertime I have a little more time to work on it. Here goes!
The bright rays of Din's Eye had barely cleared the horizon before Aaron wound his way up the trail toward Death Mountain. The best time to pick mushrooms was always just before dawn that way they would be fresh for midday's lunch. He glanced around, breathing in the cool morning air. Not much could grow on the mountain's barren surface, but he'd managed to find a damp, shadowy spot where some good specieswere growing. Aaron continued picking the best mushrooms of the lot until he heard a strange sound behind him.
He stood up with his sack of mushrooms and watched in wonder as a brilliant green light shot by him on the path. He watched it wind its way up the mountain pass, possibly heading for the Goron city rumored to be hidden there.
It was moving awfully fast. Almost as if it was in a hurry…
Suddenly, Aaron let out a choked gasp, sinking to his knees as the pain blossomed in his back. The bright green light faded as the darkness overtook him.
The spilled mushrooms were trampled by skeletal feet as they headed up the mountain.
Saria phased in at the entrance to the Goron City, surveying the city as she caught her breath. The entire city was housed in one gigantic cavern. It was layered into the rock of the mountain, with chiseled staircases leading between the city's many levels. Each circular level was smaller than the one above it, giving the appearance of a tiered funnel. A small platform was suspended in the center of the cavern by ropes extending from the top level. A pedestal stood upon that platform with a strange depression in it. Saria guessed that the pedestal usually housed the Spiritual Stone. But where was it now?
The Gorons themselves, Saria realized, were strange creatures, with skin nearly as hard as rock and the brownish-gray coloring to match. Their bodies were shaped like boulders, leading Saria to wonder how their slender limbs could support their weight. All in all they seemed nearly comical as they wandered to and fro, glancing surreptitiously at the young Kokiri.
"Excuse me," she said, accosting a passing Goron. "Where can I find Darunia?"
The Goron looked at the small girl, beady black eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Big Brother has locked himself in his chamber. He's not seeing anyone."
"It's a matter of utmost importance," Saria argued, ignoring the condescension in the Goron's eyes. "Could you please take me to see him?"
The Goron blinked in annoyance. "His chambers are on the lowest level." And with that, he curled into a ball and rolled off to the left.
Satisfied that she had gotten all she'd get out of the surly Goron, Saria turned and began to trek down the stairs. The temperature increased steadily as she descended. At about the third level down, crudely drawn paintings appeared on the walls. They seemed to depict points of Goron history, with the scenes laid out in bright reds and yellows. Saria stopped in front of one drawing, showing several Gorons fleeing from a large winged worm, ringed in a bright red glow and breathing flame. Saria shuddered. She could almost feel the heat exuding from the terrifying monster.
No, she realized, it wasn't the picture that was making her sweat. She had only one more level to descend. She could only imagine how far inside the mountain she was.
Soon the Kokiri reached the bottom level. A massive stone door stood across from her, with ornate drawings etched into its surface. It was flanked by two lit torches, and a plush decorative rug lay at its base. Saria approached the door, certain that these were Darunia's quarters.
"Excuse me," a Goron spoke up from beside the door, "Big Brother has locked himself in his chamber, and isn't seeing anyone right now."
Saria turned to the Goron. This one seemed to be more polite, at least. "I really must see Darunia," she began.
"I'm sorry," the Goron began, "but I'm under orders not to open this door for anyone."
"But it's very important!" Saria pleaded.
The Goron hesitated. "He did say that he was waiting for someone, and would not come out until they had come."
Saria smiled. "I believe I am the one he is waiting for."
The Goron looked at her skeptically. "Big Brother said the one for whom he waits will be able to see him anyway. If you are that person, then you may proceed."
Saria looked back at the door, perplexed. "But how am I to get through the door?"
The Goron simply shrugged and continued to watch her. Saria frowned, then shrugged mentally. She'd have to risk phasing; they didn't have time to waste. Taking a deep breath and summoning the remnants of her power, she phased through the door. She dimly heard the Goron gasp as she reappeared on the other side, smiling wryly.
As she reached the end of the short hall, Saria was greeted by a big booming voice.
"Saria! You've come at last!" Darunia bellowed, enveloping the girl in a bear hug. The small Kokiri gasped for breath. She'd forgotten how dangerous Darunia's hugs could be.
"Yes, Darunia. We have problems, though," Saria said, fighting back the tears that came with every memory of the forest.
The Goron's rocky face crinkled into lines of worry. "What happened?"
"There's no time to explain," Saria said, shaking her head. "Do you have the Spiritual Stone?"
Darunia stomped over to his throne, pressing down a hidden button with his iron fist. The head of the statue behind the throne rolled backwards, revealing a sparkling ruby set in a golden collar. The leader of the Gorons reached up and took the Spiritual Stone, extending it towards the Forest Sage. The stone was nearly as big as Saria's head.
"Keep it with you," Saria instructed. "We have to bring it to the Lost Woods."
"Now?"
"As soon as possible." At Darunia's confused look, Saria sighed. "Ganondorf is after the Spiritual Stones again. He may be here at any time."
"Ganon? Escaped?" Darunia's voice betrayed his disbelief.
"I'm sure Zelda will be able to explain it all much better than I can," Saria voiced wearily. "She'll be waiting for us there."
"Let's go, then," the Goron chief decided, sweeping the Kokiri girl off her feet with a single burly arm. Saria soon found herself perched on the Goron's broad shoulders, the solid door sliding open before them.
Odd metallic clangs rang through the city. Darunia paused beneath her.
"Something's not right…" he said, half to himself.
Saria glanced up at the top layers of the city. What she saw made her blood run cold.
"Darunia!" she cried out, "The Stalfos are attacking the city!"
"What?!" the Goron bellowed, looking to the top levels. An army of skeletal Stalfos warriors was streaming through the entrance to the city, attacking the unsuspecting Gorons above. Some Gorons curled into their protective balls. Others who tried to flee were soon cut down by the jagged blades of the Stalfos.
Darunia swung Saria to the ground and pressed the Spiritual Stone of Fire into her hands. "Take the Spiritual Stone and head to the Lost Woods. The entrance is one level up," he called as he stepped towards the stairs.
"Where are you going?" the frightened Kokiri called.
"To protect my people!" the Sage of Fire bellowed, phasing to the top of the city in a furious flash of red light.
Impa phased in, facing the waterfall that shielded Zora's Domain from the outside world. While she could have phased through the city, that would cause more of a commotion than was advisable. All she needed to do was find Ruto and the Spiritual Stone, not cause a riot among the Zoras. Taking a deep breath, Impa brought two fingers to her lips and exhaled, whistling the mystical song, Zelda's Lullaby. The waterfall parted before her, revealing the entrance to the domain. Wasting no time, Impa slipped through the entrance and strode toward the palace. The dull roar of a majestic waterfall echoed throughout the chamber. Most of Zora's Domain was underwater; Impa was moving along a ledge at the side of a large lake, ignoring the whispers from the amphibious Zoras. Sheikah were barely more than a rumor in this part of Hyrule; her presence would surely cause a mild commotion.
Soon Impa had mounted the massive staircase leading to King Zora's throne room. She gave a brief nod of respect and waited for the portly king to shift his attention to her. The monarch sat atop a small waterfall that served as a throne. Its waters flowed into a small pool that took up the majority of the throne room and surrounded the pedestal that Impa stood on. These waters were the source of Zora's River, and continued out of the throne room to form the large waterfall in the middle of Zora's Domain.
Impa's mind came back to the present as King Zora sucked in a nasal breath. Like all his subjects, King Zora had slick skin that reflected the torchlight on the waves of the pool, but unlike most of his subjects, that skin contained considerably more girth. It made movement difficult for the king, and his mind seemed to have drifted into laziness with his body.
"Impa," he boomed. His voice was still strong, evoking memories of the strength of will the monarch had once possessed. "It has been long since we've received a messenger from the King of Hyrule."
"It is of utmost importance that I speak to your daughter, Your Highness," Impa said shortly. She couldn't afford to let the long-winded Zora get started.
"She is currently paying her respects to Lord Jabu-Jabu," King Zora replied shortly. "You may speak with her when she returns."
Impa hesitated a moment, wondering how much to press. Her time was short.
"I fear, King Zora, that your daughter's life may be in danger," Impa said firmly. "I don't wish to alarm you, but I really cannot wait."
King Zora's gills ruffled, a sure sign that the King was worried. Impa regretted having to use the King's love for his daughter against him, but she'd resorted to worse tactics before. Just not on an ally.
"Very well," the monarch rumbled. "You may proceed." He gathered his strength as he prepared to move.
"That won't be necessary," Impa cut in, leaping from the pedestal to the platform beside the King, then quickly up the river behind him before the Zora's bulbous eyes could blink. Impa ignored the surprised splashing behind her and rounded the corner to Jabu-Jabu's shrine. She quickly spotted the young Ruto standing in front of the gigantic fish lord, feeding him his morning meal.
"Ruto!" she yelled, slowing as she reached her.
The Zora princess turned, startled. "Impa? What are you doing here?"
"There's no time. Where is the Spiritual Stone?"
Ruto's rebellious side flared up and she frowned disapprovingly at the Sheikah woman. She wasn't used to being ordered around like that. "Show me a little respect! I am at least your equal, Sage of Shadow."
Impa turned her coldest glare on the young Zora, causingeven the hot-tempered princess to stop short. "All right," she said, pouting, "Follow me."
They walked a short distance away to a large branch protruding from the surface of the lake. Ruto twisted a knob and a short panel opened far below the water's surface. Impa watched the Zora princess dive into the depths and return with the Spiritual Stone. The golden piece shimmered in the early morning light, its three sapphires nearly glowing. Impa had just began to let out her breath and reach for the stone when a chilling screech sounded through the morning air. Neither Sage had time to react before a large crow snatched the gem from the startled Zora's hands.
Impa was about to act when an echoing screech sounded behind her. She turned just before the swarm overtook them.
Darunia skidded to a halt on the upper level just behind the line of retreating Gorons. Some had tried curling into their protective balls, but those were merely overturned and brutally stabbed by the merciless Stalfos warriors. Darunia bellowed a war cry and hurled the bomb flower he'd picked towards the advancing army.
The resulting explosion was more than he'd hoped for. The initial blast destroyed two of the skeletal warriors, and the sword from one of those had spun off and decapitated another. The rest were merely stunned, but Darunia took advantage of the momentary respite.
"Retreat to the bomb stores, my brothers! Arm yourselves and then attack anything skeletal!" His directions lent order to the confused retreat. Satisfied, the Sage of Fire turned to face the attackers as his people fled behind him.
He still had to hold them off until his people could situate themselves.
The Goron chief let out another bellow and rolled into a ball, picking up speed as he charged the front line of Stalfos. The invaders met his rush with one of their own, leaping towards the lone Goron.
This was the response Darunia had been counting on. Shifting direction, he focused his power as he skidded past the first Stalfos. Fire erupted in his wake, quickly disintegrating all Stalfos unlucky enough to come into contact with it. The sage continued his path, quickly encircling the left flank of the advancing army. Some of the smarter ones broke away from the main group and charged forward after the retreating Gorons.
Well this just went from bad to worse, Darunia thought. He came out of his roll early and extended his palm, sending a sheet of fire blasting out ahead of him. Half the advancing group was incinerated, but the other half continued after his brothers. Turning, Darunia smashed his rocky fist into the chest of a Stalfos, who collapsed at the impact. He picked up the fallen soldier's shield and hurled it at the next, who managed to look surprised before his head was detached from the rest of his skeleton.
Nevertheless, the momentum was quickly turning against the Goron, as the rest of the army finally attackedhim, dodging the burning flames and closing on the sage. Darunia fired a shot at the first one to approach him, then caught the next Stalfos's blade in his huge fist, using his other hand to rip its head off. As that enemy collapsed, the Goron threw its head at the next. The Stalfos deflected the blow with its shield, only to lower it as the fire bolt connected with its chest.
The army continued topress, knowing it would achievevictory through sheer strength in numbers. The next two came at him in tandem, and Darunia shot a sheet of fire at one as the other stabbed towards his midsection. With no time to see if his attack had connected, Darunia spun with the thrust, feeling a gash open along his side as he grabbed the skeletal arm and hurled the second Stalfos at the enemy he'd heard sneaking up behind him. Both toppled over the edge towards the city below, but Darunia heard movement behind him and knew his first shot had missed.
He tensed for the blow he knew was coming.
And it never came.
The Goron turned quickly to see his would-be killer crumble as spreading vines consumed it. The little green Kokiri girl flashed him a worried smile before turning to face the loose ring of Stalfos that still surrounded them.
"Thank the goddesses, Saria! I thought I told you to get out of here!" Darunia rumbled, not sure whether to be furious with her or start laughing. He counted a dozen warriors still standing, though the assault had halted for the moment as they took stock of Saria's sudden entrance into the fight.
"I wasn't going to let you take these guys alone," Saria scolded him, not daring to look away from the ring of warriors. Explosions started to echo from the lower levels. Darunia scowled and made ready to break from the circle.
"Darunia, look!" Saria screamed, pointing. The Sage of Fire followed her gaze and groaned as wave of Moblins entered the city. "It's time to leave!"
Suddenly, the circle of Stalfos attacked as one. Behind him, Darunia saw a flash of green light streak upwards. Following suit, Darunia phased upwards, leaving the Stalfos to crash into themselves. He followed Saria and rematerialized outside the entrance to the Lost Woods. Looking across the way, he could see some of the Gorons engaging the Stalfos valiantly.
They were horribly overmatched.
"Gorons! Retreat to the Lost Woods!" he called, the shout soaring above the din of battle. Goddess, they could use Din's help right now.
The Gorons abandoned the battle and charged for the gate, even as some fell to the Stalfos' attacks. Saria fired a shot at the skeletal warriors, and Darunia quickly followed suit, providing cover for his people as they ran.
"Saria!" he yelled.
"What?"
"Take the stone to the woods! We cannot let them have it!"
Saria fired another shot off, grimacing as she did so. "What about the Gorons?"
"I'll hold the gate open long enough, now go!"
Saria only hesitated a moment longer before phasing down the passage behind him. Darunia forced the girl and the stone from his mind and focused on his people, blasting a Moblin with his fire.
Nearly all of his people were through. Two more and he'd be able to seal off the passage. He fired off another shot as the first Goron made it through the passage. Suddenly, the second Goron stumbled. Darunia swore to himself and fired off two quick blasts over the Goron's head, then leapt forward and started dragging the Goron towards the Lost Woods.
"Leave me, brother!" the Goron cried. "You must escape."
"I'll escape, and take you with me!" Darunia replied stubbornly.
They half-ran, half-stumbled down the damp, murky hallway. Several bomb flowers were growing here in the damp earth, and suddenly an idea came to Darunia.
"Keep running," he told the Goron. Darunia turned and bellowed at the onrushing army. The ferocity of his cry was such that the leading attackers paused, briefly wondering if it was wise to challenge this Goron. But the press from behind soon forced them forward.
Right where he wanted them.
The fireball he'd been forming in his hand flew outward, nearly clipping the head of a Moblin as it charged. It did, however, connect solidly with one of the bomb flowers on the floor, which exploded magnificently in the midst of the charging army. The tunnel continued to shake with a massive chain of explosions as Darunia turned and fled.
He certainly hoped he could outrun his own fire.
Impa's Sheikah reflexes took over as the swarm of crows descended. Rolling into a crouch to avoid the birds, she flicked her wrist towards the crow with the Sapphire, impaling it with a previously concealed needle. The bird screeched horribly and collapsed, dropping the Spiritual Stone into the lake.
"Ruto, the stone!" Impa screamed.
She couldn't wait to see if the girl obeyed, for the flock had reoriented and swooped back toward her. Impa waved her hand, greeting the assault with a fan of needles before turning to run. A sudden idea struck her and she shifted direction, heading for one of the sheer cliff faces around the lake. Cutting quickly to the right, the Sheikah heard several of her pursuers fly straight into the cliff; the rest of the flock was quickly gaining on her. The Sage stopped short and leapt into the air. Part of the flock passed in front of her and looped back, only to be met with a dense cloud of smoke. Screeches of confusion echoed from all directions as Impa held her breath, swimming just below the water's surface.
A sudden shift in the currents sent the Sheikah catapulting out of the water. Twisting in mid-air, Impa managed to land heavily on one knee on a small ledge overlooking the once calm lake.
Ruto was hovering just above the lake's surface, the water reaching up to support her. A huge pillar of water extended around her and had obliterated the smokescreen Impa had left – along with the flock of attackers still milling in confusion. The Sheikah watched as a few crows managed to spin out of the assault, but none of them looked ready to continue the fight.
Impa leapt down next to Ruto as the Sage of Water let up her assault and returned to the ground.
"You always did like to show off," she commented dryly.
Ruto sniffed. "Those birds were quite rude. I was merely helping them to clean up their manners."
Impa decided to ignore her comment. "You have the stone?"
Ruto raised her hand and produced a bubble, encircling the Spiritual Stone. "It's right here."
"There's little time to waste," Impa said. "Let's go."
Without waiting for the Zora princess to argue, Impa phased and began to travel down Zora's River. Ruto followed her shortly, their purple and blue lights twisting down the waterfall. Impa almost began to relax, when suddenly a dark flash of red brought her crashing out of the air. Impa landed roughly, dimly hearing Ruto land behind her as she spun to her feet, looking for the source of the disturbance.
"Always nice to run into sages," a dark voice sounded behind her.
Impa knew that voice. She whirled to her left and narrowed her gaze.
"Ganondorf."
The Gerudo King was mounted on horseback, flanked by two gigantic Wolfos. Impa felt Ruto step up beside her tensely.
"You have something I need," Ganondorf hissed dangerously. "Give it to me."
Impa ignored the man, whispering to Ruto out of the side of her mouth. "Can you phase?"
"No," Ruto replied after an instant. She glanced nervously around.
Impa swore under her breath. "I'll distract them. You take the stone and head to the Lost Woods."
"Impa…"
"Use the river… go!" Hesitating only briefly, the Zora leapt into the water and swam.
"After her!" Ganondorf barked, never breaking his gaze from Impa. The two Wolfos leapt down the riverbank after the girl, but Impa was confident that Ruto could avoid them while in her element.
A heavy silence descended between the Sheikah and the Gerudo King.
"You stand no chance," Ganondorf mocked, finally breaking the silence.
"I am the Sage of Shadow," Impa stated calmly.
"But I have mastered the darkness," Ganondorf countered. "Your skills are no match for mine."
Impa merely raised an eyebrow. "Shadows can betray you."
Ganondorf frowned slightly as he caught the movement of the shadow behind him.
Gathering her strength, the Sage of Shadow leapt towards the King of Evil.
A/N: Lots of action in that chapter, but things start to settle down in the near future. Here's review responses:
whitedragoon: Thanks for the encouragement!
Dr. Sipp: Yes, I suppose I do like to be poked, since I've taken up fencing at college. Saria's having a rough time, but she'll be alright in the end. Maybe.
ignorantly grinning: I try to avoid killing people because its so… irreversible. Glad you enjoyed, though I'm afraid Nabooru and Impa may be out of the picture for awhile…
Songstress Yuna Diamond: I'm glad you enjoy the story! You'll notice that Ganondorf did go straight for Zora's Domain… but he also took a shot at the Gorons, as well.
Veilius: If you were upset about the last wait, I can only imagine what you'd think of this one… and yeah, Link has allergies. Hero of Time or not, he's still human (or Hylian). As for pairings… you'll have to wait and see. But I'd say Link/Malon seems pretty unlikely, since Malon doesn't even remember the kid. Thanks for the review!
SilverCrystal Valkyrie: Name misspellings have always annoyed me… especially Ganondorf's. It seems like a lot of people like Nabooru. And as far as the Sages' magic… as the title of the story may suggest, the story hinges on those powers. Thanks for the review!
Kadevi: Thank you so very much for the compliments! I'm glad you're enjoying the story… I hope to manage to continue with it!
So once again, many apologies for the huge delay. I hope the old readers are still around, and maybe I'll even get some new ones!
Until next time,
-AE