Disclaimer:
The Legend of Zelda is property of Nintendo.
Author's Notes:
I hope everyone enjoys this chapter because I might not get the next one up until sometime next week. I have a lot of homework to do over the long weekend, and I might not be able to write much.
I know I was going to put something in the disclaimer for something I used in my story that had to do with Lord of the Rings. It was something else besides the Dwarven customs, but I can't remember anymore. So I guess I'll just say right now that I do not own Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.
This chapter really focuses on the Gorons and not so much on Zelda, Link, and Dek. The next chapter will probably not focus much on the three journeying elves either but rather on the Zoras, Gorons, and the Hylians' predicament.
Once again, everyone read, enjoy, and PLEASE REVIEW!
The Legend of Zelda: The War of Power
Chapter 18: The Strike of the Gorons
"Now that we're out of that place," Link said as he filled his water case in the large river, "Where are we going?"
"I never really thought about that," Zelda admitted, looking upwards at the full moon illuminating the dark night sky. The trees overhead were outlined by the light and the water of the river sparkled majestically.
"You two are hopeless," Dek said, shaking his head, "You don't even know how to get to Calatia, do you?"
"Not really," Link said.
"You morons are lucky to have me," Dek boasted, smiling, "I've been all over the world, and I know exactly where we're going."
"Well, then," Zelda said, "Where are we?"
"I not exactly sure," the high elf admitted. The princess glared at him while Link erupted into laughter. "Calm down," Dek protested, "It's not like we're completely lost. We just kind of ran blindly from Aldoren and I got confused. But if we follow this river it should lead us to some familiar territory."
"Whatever," Link said, setting off south alongside the river, "Let's go, then." His two companions followed as the light of the sunrise began to overtake the darkness and change the day to night.
***
"The time of our revenge is at hand!" Darunia shouted to his people. Over the course of two days, the king and Mahalda had waited patiently for the surviving Gorons to unearth themselves from the ground. Darunia had been immensely proud when he counted his people and discovered that over three-fourths of the warriors had survived the attack. He had raised the Gorons' spirits as he boasted about the toughness of the rock people. The king had boldly stated that it will take more than a few bombs and some underhanded techniques to rid the world of the strong willed Goron race.
The mountainside had been made into a graveyard dedicated to the many brave Gorons who died in the Battle of Death Mountain, as Darunia had named it. The survivors had then returned to the Goron cave in order to say goodbye to their wives and children before heading off to battle once again. Darunia had been relieved to return to the home of the rock people and discover that it had not been harmed by the Solatians. So, after a brief reunion and a ceremony and feast to honor the warriors who had perished, the Gorons prepared to attain their revenge upon the Solatian army.
"The Solatians will pay for the death that they have brought upon us!" Darunia boomed as the Gorons cheered and stomped their feet powerfully, shaking the ground slightly as they did so. He continued when the crowd had quieted. "To prepare ourselves, General Mahalda will brief us on the battle plans," the king said, gesturing to the large Goron at his left. Mahalda stepped forward and began to speak.
"The Solatian army is camped outside of the walls that surround Castle Town," he explained, "Our information indicates that the country of Hoshena had joined them also. In doing so, they have become our enemy as well and we will destroy them with the Solatian cowards. Although the enemy has increased in size, I am confident that we can wipe them from this earth. Although we were underestimated the first time we fought the Solatians, they will not make the same mistake once again, and we should not trust them to. I have devised a battle plan in order to ensure our victory. A little known fact is that the river that travels the perimeter of Castle Town is controlled by an underground dam. I will lead a small group of our elite soldiers to the dam, as it is likely that we will encounter resistance on our way. After we destroy the dam the underground river will overflow. The pressure exerted on the surface of the earth by the river will cause the water to explode in a way similar to that of a geyser. The water will sweep over the Solatian and Hoshenan armies who are stationed along the river and take them by surprise. In the confusion, the remainder of our military force will emerge from Kakariko village and destroy the enemy. These forces will be led by King Darunia. It is likely that the Hylians may aid us in this battle when they witness the first attack, but do not rely on the aid of any outside sources." The many Goron soldiers stood with a look of determination written on their features, eager for battle.
"You set off for Kakariko tonight," he said, "The attack will commence at sunrise tomorrow."
***
"Are the people preparing?" Kard asked the Sheikah as she returned to the palace from a trip to the marketplace. Impa had informed the Hylians of the plan that she and the general had devised, and the people had been frightened at the idea, yet willing to attempt it.
"Yes," Impa said, "They realize that we have no choice. They will be ready to leave by dawn tomorrow."
"If Lohen doesn't arrive first," Kard said quietly.
***
Zelda seated herself atop a small boulder as Dek rummaged through his pack. He shortly found the item he was looking for and tossed each the princess and Link a large carrot before taking one for himself.
"This is breakfast?" the Hylian said, eyeing the vegetable quizzically, "Don't we have anything better than this?"
"I don't want to hunt for anything this early," Dek began, "And we can't sit around for long. We shouldn't relax until we're a good distance away from Aldoren."
"Those Shadowlings might have taken over by now," Zelda pointed out. The two male elves could barely contain their laughter upon the mention of the evil dwarves' name.
"What kind of idiot came up with that?" Link wondered aloud.
"The name makes people laugh rather than instill fear into their hearts," Dek agreed.
"How much longer are we following the river?" Zelda asked suddenly as she watched the flow of the water.
"We really should've bought a map," Link said.
"I don't need a map," Dek boasted, "I know my way around easily. This is, after all, not very far from Halthierien, where I-" The elf suddenly stopped and slapped his hand against his forehead in disgust. "I mean…" he started before Link cut him off.
"So that's the name of your city," the Hylian said, "Halthierien. You've finally let it slip, Dek."
"Oh man…" the high elf moaned, "If the elders find out about this…"
"You mean that's where Dek's from?" Zelda asked Link. The Hylian nodded.
"Yep," he said, smiling, "In all the years I've known him he's never revealed its name."
"Don't ever say that name again," Dek warned Link, glaring menacingly, "It can't ever be revealed to the outside world."
"What does the name have to do with anything?" Zelda wondered, "It's still hidden in a secret location." Dek began sweating as a sly gleam flashed through Link's eyes.
"So that's how you find it," he said, smiling as Dek grew increasingly nervous.
"What are you talking about?" the high elf said with false obliviousness.
"Yeah," Zelda said, "What do you mean, Link?"
"The name reveals the path to the city," the Hylian explained smugly, "Isn't that right, Dek? All we have to do is decipher the name and we could find your city." To Link's surprise, the high elf's nervousness disappeared and he smiled.
"You are an idiot," he said to Link, "You thought you had it all figured out. The name alone doesn't direct you to the city; it's just a small part of the hidden path. You have to know the rest of the song." He stopped abruptly, realizing that he had revealed more than intended. "I did it again," the elf said, shaking his head.
"So there's a song," Link said, smiling, "If I kept you talking, you'd tell me exactly how to get there. You're losing your touch of elven secrecy, Dek."
"Shut up," the high elf said, "I'm not going to slip anymore. And if you ever say that name again I'll kidnap you and feed you a dragon."
"Alright," the Hylian said, "I won't say it. Don't worry. Of course, you might want to stop talking in your sleep before you end up accidentally singing the song." Link grinned before turning and continuing down the river, Zelda following, as Dek angrily hoisted his pack over his shoulder.
"You must really think you're smart," he said as he caught up with his two companions.
"Yep," Link answered, "I'm feeling pretty good right now."
"I'm serious, though," Dek said sternly, "You can't ever mention the name again. It would bring disaster to my people."
"I understand," the Hylian said, "I'll try to forget I even know it."
"I doubt that," Dek grumbled.
***
Mahalda studied a detailed map of the area surrounding Kakariko as his soldiers stood ready with bombs at hand. He traced his finger to a clearly marked spot on the crumpled paper and surveyed his surroundings. He then looked at the ground just before him.
The general and his elite squad of ten Gorons stood at the western section of the mountain base, an area just a mile north of Kakariko. Mahalda had attained the map which depicted a section of the large underground river many years ago from General Kard of the Hylians, though it had not been put to use until now. He knelt and pressed his head to the surface of the earth and soon could sense a tunnel that ran just underneath him.
"This is the spot," the general said as the soldiers placed a pile of the bombs on the ground before him. The Gorons backed away from the spot as Mahalda flicked the fuse on a single bomb, igniting it instantly. He tossed the bomb toward the pile, detonating the explosives upon impact. The rocky ground was dissolved in the explosion and Mahalda looked upon a large opening through which a dark tunnel could be seen a fifty feet down.
"I doubt that we will encounter any opposition now that we have reached the cave," he said, looking over his men, "After the dam was created it was completely sealed off from the outside world and left unguarded. Only King Darunia, myself, and the leaders of Hyrule know about its location. It was created long ago for an unknown purpose, and old and evil creatures may lurk inside. Be prepared for anything." Mahalda leapt down the hole, his warriors following immediately after. Several of the Gorons lit large torches which cast a glow over the dark tunnel. The general proceeded down the tunnel, using his eyes to search for any sign of danger.
"We are approximately twenty miles from the dam," he said, "Our destination will be reached by midnight, and we have only to wait until daybreak to destroy the dam and flood the river." Mahalda looked to the Goron carrying a sack of three small cuccos in his hands. The birds had been taken because their natural instincts would cause them to announce the coming of day even in a dark, underground cave.
"When the cucco crows, we strike," he reminded his men as the Gorons set off at a quick pace through the tunnel.
***
"We should strike back," Mikau told the princess, "We should not sit idly while the Hylians are slaughtered." He looked to Ruto, sitting next to him upon a small hill in Hyrule Field. She gazed at the gates of Castle Town through a telescope that the scientist at the lake had allowed the Zora to borrow so that they may study the progress of their enemy. Mikau had looked through the device just a few minutes earlier and had discovered the Solatian army waiting outside the gates of the Hylian city.
"But an attack will just bring more death," Princess Ruto argued, "I don't think we can take anymore pain."
"My warriors are eager to seek revenge upon the Solatians," the general said, "Those men killed off our families, and we must prove to them that the Zora will not be pushed aside so easily."
"I know it makes sense," Ruto said, "And I know we should help our friends. They would aid us if they were in our position. But a part of me thinks we should leave this place and find a safe haven for ourselves. There are hardly any of us left. We would be marching to our death if we attacked the Solatians."
"Although their army far outnumbers ours," Mikau started, "They do not match the skill of your people. We stand a greater chance than you realize, my Princess."
"Are you sure?" Ruto asked hesitantly. The general nodded. "Alright," she said reluctantly, "I trust your judgment. We will fight."
"The females and children can remain at the lake for the time being," Mikau said, "Then after-"
"No," the Zora princess interrupted, "The women will fight. You know quite well that all Zora are born warriors. The women will not remain here while their husbands march to fight a hopeless battle. The mothers may stay in order to care for their children, but all others will fight. I will be coming, too."
"Princess, I don't think that's a good idea," the general argued, "The women may fight if they desire, but you should remain here with your people."
"If I will not fight for our cause then I expect no one else to," Ruto explained, "I will be coming."
"If you insist," Mikau sighed, knowing it was a hopeless argument, "But I will not leave your side. We will attack at the break of dawn tomorrow."
***
Mahalda assumed that the time must be nearing midnight as the group of Gorons trudged through the shadowy tunnel, having not stopped once through the day. The general took another step forward and felt the narrow space of the cave expand suddenly and without warning.
"We're in the cavern," he said, recognizing the feel of a large, open area. The torch holders among the group held their lights above their head and gazed upon a massive dam. The structure was constructed of large stone blocks and towered over the Gorons, reaching the roof of the large cavern. Small streams flowed down the wall of the dam and created the river that surrounded Castle Town. The water traveled into a dark tunnel and disappeared from view. Mahalda tore his eyes away from the sight, however, upon recognizing a flicker of movement from atop the dam. He immediately flicked the fuse on the small bomb in his hand and hurled the weapon to its target. The surprised Hoshenan soldier had no time to react as the bomb exploded upon impacting his chest and he was thrown off of the wall and into the river.
"They're here," Mahalda whispered to his soldiers, "I don't know how the enemy found this place, but they're guarding the dam. We may have to battle. Extinguish the torches and press on." The Gorons obeyed obediently and crept forward into to the darkness, becoming one with the earth. They felt the presence of the dam through the eyes of the underground cave and could sense every rock and crack along the ground. The warriors moved toward the structure swiftly without so much as a sound until they had arrived at the massive wall. Mahalda divided his men into three sections, taking two Gorons with himself and creating two groups from the remaining soldiers. One of the three cuccos was entrusted to each of the sections.
"Place your explosives on the opposite side of the dam," he said to one of the groups before addressing another, "You will set up the bombs near this end of the structure. I will lead my team into the heart of the dam and we will plant our explosives within. Take care of all opposition by whatever means you see fit. Report to this area when your work is done." The Gorons nodded and Mahalda sought out a door within the massive dam and entered quietly. He blinked rapidly as light streamed into his eyes from the torches that lined the deserted corridor. The general and his two officers, Gorons by the names of Balk and Groud, slunk through the passageway and soon reached a door at the end of the hall.
As he opened the door Mahalda thought it strange that they had encountered no further opposition though he had clearly seen the uniform of a soldier upon the dam wall. He had recognized the crest on the man's armor as being from the country of Hoshenan, and he decided that the leaders of Hoshena must have followed the path of the river downstream into the underground to discover the hidden dam and immediately set their men at work guarding it. The general pondered these thoughts as he entered the next room.
Water flowed through the center of the room, cutting the stone floor in two, before passing completely through the dam and filtering into the river outside. Mahalda took this as the sign that they were indeed near the center of the dam, and he motioned for his officers to follow as he easily leapt over the small stream. The group then entered another room that was designed in exactly the same way, though the stream was larger by a small amount. The general remembered that the water that poured forth from the dam had been divided into separate miniscule rivers that all combined to form the Castle Town river. Each of the streams gradually increased in size from either side, making the innermost stream the widest.
The group traveled through three more rooms before opening a door and looking upon a stream larger than any of the former rivers. Mahalda nodded to his companions and they immediately set to work. The general opened the pouch at his side and removed two small bombs. The explosives were of a special breed of the Goron's bomb crop and were designed specifically for covert operations. They were half the size of the average bomb, yet far more powerful, and had been set to explode after the exact amount of time it would take the Gorons to escape the dam. Balk and Groud quickly set their explosives in place near the cornerstones of the room and attached the fuse of each of the weapons together with longer, faster-acting fuses that combined at the end. Mahalda attached his set of bombs to the same master fuse. He seated himself in the center of the room and patiently awaited the crow of the cucco.
***
Mahalda stood to his feet after sensing that almost five hours had passed in the torch lit room of the dam. He still wondered about the fact that they had encountered only one enemy soldier throughout their stay in the structure. The general figured that the Solatians were in hiding and that they were waiting for a chance to ambush the Gorons, but he had decided to remain in the dam despite this fact, as the success of the battle depended on the destruction of the dam. He was planning to eliminate any threat as it came and wait for the Solatians to make their move. The enemy was fast running out of time, he knew, for the cucco would crow within the hour and the dam would be destroyed.
At that moment Mahalda heard footsteps approaching the doors on either side of the room.
"Ready yourselves for battle," he said to his two officers, "If the enemy approaches, then they have made a fatal mistake by choosing to reveal their presence to us." The general faced door opposite the one the group had entered in while Balk and Groud prepared to meet the onslaught that would emerge from the other. They stood battle poised and waited.
The wooden portals were suddenly swung open violently and arrows streamed into the small room. Mahalda ducked and raised his large forearms in front of his face as the projectiles were deflected by his stony body.
"You attack a Goron with pitiful arrows?" he snarled as he charged the Hoshenans in the doorway. The soldiers fired desperately as Mahalda pulled his hammer from his back and swatted them away like pebbles. He quickly forced the men back through the door and into the hallway, fighting with speed abnormal of a creature his size. The general did not press on further, however, but remained just inside of the room with the bombs. He easily held off the Hoshenans as he waited to hear the crow of the cucco. The mass of soldiers suddenly backed away from the Goron and parted to create a path through which a man walked toward Mahalda, smiling. His armor and uniform suggested that he was the leader of the Hoshenan squadron.
"I'm impressed," the man said, standing just a few feet from the large general, "I stationed my men here in the chance that you may discover this dam, but I never truly expected you to actually have knowledge of it."
"How did you find it?" Mahalda growled.
"I suspected that such a structure as this existed when I noticed the calm river seemed to spring up from the underground," he said, "All it took was a few explosives at the mouth of the river on the surface and some hours of rowing upstream to find it. But there will be no further questions until I have properly introduced myself. I am General Dalbrior of the Hoshenan military. From the information I have gathered, I assume you are the renowned General Mahalda of the Gorons."
"You are correct," Mahalda said, eyeing the Hoshenan suspiciously.
"I further suspect that you are attempting to destroy the dam and flood the river," Dalbrior said, "Although it's an effective plan I have easily countered it. Your soldiers outside the dam have most likely been destroyed by now and their explosives have been disarmed. Even if you manage to detonate your own weapons, the explosion would not be powerful enough to destroy the dam." Mahalda smiled upon hearing the general's words.
"You underestimate us," he said, "My soldiers are the Goron elite. Your men will not be able to defeat them as easily as you think, if at all."
"It is you who underestimates me," Dalbrior countered, "I will have to give you a demonstration. Our greatest scientists have devised a powder that can be used in place of many things such as lighting the tips of our arrows on fire. It only takes a small amount of the substance on the tip of the arrowhead and the pressure exerted on the projectile as it travels through the air to make the head of the weapon explode into flames. However, I have learned from extensive research that Gorons are nearly immune to heat. Because of this, it would be folly to attack with arrows that have been lit on fire, and you may think that the powder is useless against you. But, tell me, General, how do your people fare against ice?"
As the Hoshenan finished his sentence, the many soldiers fit arrows to their bows and fired in a swift movement. The tips of the projectiles suddenly glowed blue as they passed through the air. Mahalda was prepared for an attack though, and had already ripped the door of the room from its hinges as the arrows were launched. He held the door in front of him and felt the freezing projectiles impact the wood of the other side. The wood began to rapidly freeze over as Mahalda charged into the hallway. He heard several soldiers gasping in surprise as the door was thrown upon them. They dashed in all directions, though many could not avoid the attack. As the ice touched the Hoshenans it spread over their bodies and they soon were covered in an icy prison, dead. Many of the remaining soldiers attempted to climb over the mass of bodies only to find themselves overtaken by the strange ice and frozen rapidly as it spread throughout their body.
It was then that the cucco that had been resting atop a set of crates near the stream awoke from its sleep, sensing that the dawn was at hand. The bird crowed loudly, startling the Hoshenan soldiers who found their path to the room barred by the large door and their fallen comrades. They quickly realized that they could not pass over the ice that now covered the ground without being frozen themselves. Dalbrior angrily shouted an order and the soldiers began firing their ice arrows once again as Mahalda dashed behind the wall of the room and out of the doorway.
The Goron general looked to the other side of the room to see his officers fighting off swordsmen and archers as the enemy attempted to gain entry into the room. Balk's arm was half frozen over as was part of his back, and Groud was fighting in similar condition without the use of his frozen leg.
"We're leaving!" Mahalda bellowed. The large Goron dashed across the room, swiping his hammer at the master fuse as he did so. The fuse easily ignited and the general reached the other side of the room, joining his comrades. The three Gorons fought madly, hammering the smaller soldiers away with ease as they attempted to escape the explosion. Mahalda reached into a pouch at Balk's waist that Balk had not been able to reach because of his injured arm. He picked out a number of bombs and ignited them at once before throwing them into the mass of Hoshenan soldiers. The explosion shook the small room as the soldiers were violently thrown into the walls, their armor being charred and ripped from their bodies. Mahalda wasted no time in leading his soldiers into the smoke, slaughtering the confused Hoshenans. The Gorons charged through a number of the rooms through which the streams flowed and soon found themselves in the long corridor which led to the exit.
It was at that moment, as Mahalda and his soldiers were fighting the seemingly endless masses of the enemy, in which the bombs planted throughout the dam detonated. The Gorons heard the three immense explosions and felt the foundation of the structure begin to break. Mahalda barreled through the Hoshenans who had stopped fighting upon hearing the blasts and the three Gorons sprinted desperately for the exit, swatting away enemy soldiers as they too attempted to escape.
Mahalda charged into the door at the end of the hall, tearing it violently from the crumbling walls of the dam and the three Gorons emerged into the large expanse of the cavern. The general briefly noticed that the Hoshenans had lit a number of torches in the upper area of the cave that cast a glow across the dam. Mahalda and his soldiers continued running as the structure cracked and immense stone blocks fell to the ground.
The general was relieved to see his elite soldiers at the far end of the cave, awaiting his arrival. He counted the Gorons quickly and discovered that all had returned alive, although nearly all possessed a few limbs that had been frozen by the ice.
Mahalda turned to watch the dam crumble and plunge into the river. The structure cracked rapidly as blocks tumbled free and plummeted into the water. The ground in which the dam was wedged split violently as boulders were shaken loose and the foundation of the dam was destroyed. The Goron elite watched with pride as the dam toppled and fell into the large river. An immense wave exploded from the water upon impact and drenched the Gorons heavily, causing the ice that covered them to begin to melt away.
The river which had before been reduced to slow moving waters was now free. It surged forth from an opening in the cave and carried away the stones of the dam as it pushed itself forward into the tunnel. The small tunnel began to crack violently and sections of earth were thrown away by the powerful river. A smile decorated the faces of the Gorons as their mission was completed.
"Good job, soldiers," Mahalda said proudly, "Let's get out of here."