Sage of Fire

Link entered the crater and immediately sat down hard. He was seriously confused. Kariah had shown every intention of rejecting him, but now she seemed to be accepting. He wondered what had changed her mind. His heart was racing and he wondered if he actually had a chance with her after all.

Suddenly without warning a memory of a beautiful blonde woman entered his mind. She had sapphire blue eyes and Link almost felt mesmerized by this memory. He was certain it wasn't Kariah. But then he wasn't sure. He only saw her eyes in the memory and the colour of her hair.

Strangely she reminded him of someone that he remembered in his new past, but he also recognized her from his alternate past. He couldn't remember the details of his quest or why the blonde girl was involved.

Slightly confused, Link was almost going to turn around to talk to Kariah about it, but he decided that he would later when he got back. He could confidently say that because he knew the temple like he knew that the back of his hand held the Triforce of Courage.

He carefully manoeuvred his way around the boiling hot crater to the bridge that was out. He sensed that there would definitely be something missing from this picture, the strange youth known as Sheik. With a shudder of forlorn, Link continued on, remembering the path to the entrance to the Fire Temple.

Almost immediately on entering the temple, Link felt that something was really different. He could sense that this temple had been rearranged and filled with harder puzzles than the last time.

The first thing that he found that was different was the wall of fire blocking the staircase. He couldn't understand why the fire would care that he wanted to climb the staircase. Besides it was a rather stupid fire, he was tall enough to climb the wall beside the stairs. With a victorious smirk, Link sauntered along up the stairs and battled the dumb witted Like Like. He sensed that he was about to come face to face with his forgotten sworn brother. With a deep breath Link entered the room.

Darunia was still picking at the lock that leads into Volvagia's chamber. Link carefully crossed the pool of lava to stand next to the Sage of Fire. Darunia turned to face the Hero of Time.

"Who do you think you are Hylian?" Darunia said, rather grumpily. Link felt slightly crushed at the greeting but pushed it away from showing on his face.

"What if I told that you that we have met before but that you don't remember?" Link asked quietly. The Goron didn't respond for a moment for he sensed that the boy was vaguely familiar to him.

"I don't really know what to say, how is it that we have met?" Darunia asked miffed for a moment, he didn't have a clue what to say to this Hylian youth that had supposedly walked around his realm.

"I'm the Hero of Time, depicted in the legends of your people. However, they are slightly inaccurate. I wasn't the Hero of Time yet when I rid the cavern of the Dodongos and also, you were still the leader at the time," Link said, telling Darunia an important fact from the alternate timeline that all had forgotten. The information that Link had revealed seemed to confuse the Goron leader. He was certain that the legend was just that, a legend and that there was no way he was around when the Hero of Time had first made and appearance on the mountain.

"I beg your pardon Hero, but how is that possible that you and I have met before when I have no reconciliation of the event. Something that important isn't easily lost from one's memory," Darunia stated stubbornly, growing rather impatient to save his people. With a sigh, Link relented and asked Darunia a different question.

"Do you trust me enough that you will let me help you save your people once again?" Link asked glancing at the Goron leader. Darunia was certainly surprised by the question. His eyes grew thoughtful for a moment before he asked a question of the Hero.

"How do I know that you are truly the Hero of Time?" Darunia asked, his eyes suspicious. With a knowing smirk, Link drew the Master Sword that was engraved with the Triforce and had the magical aura of repelling evil's bane. Darunia's eyes truly widened at the sight of the legendary blade. He immediately bowed before the Hero of Time in an awestruck fashion.

"Brother, please, I don't need the formalities, your son did the same thing when we arrived," Link said quietly.

"There is someone with you?" Darunia asked almost fearfully. Link smiled gently. "Yes, my friend Kari has been accompanying me on my quest, but right now isn't the time to be worrying about that. The dragon that is terrorizing your people resides in the room behind you. I must ask that you wait here Darunia, without the Magnaton Hammer, it will be impossible to defeat the dragon…"

"We don't want to kill the dragon, he is the guardian of Din's Ruby," Darunia protested. Link raised one of his blond eyebrows.

"Din's Ruby has been removed from the shrine and is now sitting on the alter in the Temple of Time. Watched by the Sage of Light from within the Sacred Realm. The dragon lost the ruby from under it's nose and now judgement day has come," Link said coolly, not liking this Darunia much, so much had changed since the memories that he once lived in an unperfect world, but one that he knew like the back of his hand.

Link looked back at Darunia for a moment with a slightly haunted look in his eyes. He couldn't figure out why this was affecting him so hugely. In fact, he sat down really hard all of a sudden. The Goron leader knelt beside the fallen hero. Suddenly Kariah appeared by his side.

"What happened?" Kariah asked softly, kneeling beside the Hero as well.

"I don't know milady, he just suddenly had a funny look in his eyes and then he sat down really hard. I have no clue what happened," Darunia said defensively.

"Link, look at me please, you must snap out of you memories, they are no longer true. You must live in today, not what happened then and is no longer there. Please Link, I understand what is going on, please come back to us," Kariah said soothingly, gently shaking his shoulders. He remained still.

Link was stuck in a memory in time. He was in the Chamber of Sages and speaking with his sworn brother that truly remembered him as Link, the child that had saved the Goron race from starvation, not the Hero of Time that was depicted in legends…

Memory Flashback

Link followed the tunnel that eventually led him to a dimly lit room with strangely blue walls. Carefully finding his way around in the semi dark keeping his ears open for the sound of lurking creatures.

The sound of pounding soon reached his ears and he readied his sword. Link didn't have a chance at what was coming though, the Dodongo that was hiding in the darkness smelled the Hylian that had entered his domain. Link spun around as a wall of fire was suddenly speeding towards him.

His azure eyes filled with sudden shock and horror before Navi shouted. Her shout brought him back and he sought out a place to dodge the mass of fire that was almost at his backside. He quickly sidestepped into another passage and escaped being barbequed.

He whipped out a Deku Stick and lit it on fire as the fire from the Dodongo passed him. He cautiously peered out at the beast that had attacked him.

"That thing is huge!" Link stated almost calmly. Navi bobbed her small head in agreement.

"That is a Dodongo, spawn of the King. Anyway, the tail is their weak point," Navi said quietly. Link nodded a thank you and he carefully made his way back toward the beast, the light from his Deku Stick lighting his way. The Dodongo was still hunting for Link and wasn't too far away.

Link found some unlit torches in the room and he quickly lit them hoping that the brackets were still full of fuel. Most of the torches that Link came across had animal skin soaked in oils taken from the leaves of Deku Babas. They would burn forever because the oil was very hard to break down.

As soon as there was light in the room Link found that there were more than one Dodongo in the room. There were in fact three. Link also saw another torch close to the door out of the room. The Dodongos were right in his path!

Link muttered a curse under his breath and then he ran with his Deku Stick. Straight at the Dodongos. He switched the torch to his right hand and drew his sword with his left hand. As he passed the Dodongo he slashed his sword into it's tail. This distracted the others. Link ran full out to the torch, touched the skin and ran to the door as he heard the bars on the door retract. Getting out of the room in a hurry caused Link to stop and think for a moment…

… Link suddenly remembered his younger adventure as a boy through Dodongo's Cavern. Using that knowledge, Link avoided the annoying Keeses and their harsh flames. He also dodged the lava pools knowing the burning of his boots also in the cavern. He pressed forward through the Fire Temple. Determined to save the Gorons, Link pressed on through the heat of the temple…

End Flashback

Darunia and Kariah continued to try and snap Link to the present. Navi had woken up from the deep weary slumber of a fairy too long out of her natural environment. Link suddenly sat up straight and grabbed Kariah. His eyes were still glazed over but Kariah knew that this was a reaction from a memory.

"I can't find her Navi!" Link muttered under his breath. Navi gave Kariah a puzzled look and Kariah found that Link had released her. With a sudden thought, Kariah reached for Link's belt pouch were he kept the Ocarina of Time and Sage Medallions. She drew out the Water Medallion and tapped into Ruto's power. A torrent of water suddenly appeared and thoroughly soaked Link to the bone.

Link gasped in shock and looked around. He was really confused and found a rather weary looking Kariah and a worried Darunia.

"What happened?" Link asked, looking to Kariah.

"You were stuck in a memory from your past Link, now listen to me. You mustn't think too much about that alternate timeline. Don't dwell on it you need to focus on the here and now. You must save the Gorons from Volvagia," Kariah said quietly.

Link looked at Kariah carefully and observed that she was definitely hiding something from him, but he knew that she was also right. He didn't want to try and figure out where he belonged right now. Whether or not this was his time or the alternate time was. It was too mind boggling right now.

"Darunia, I want you to wait here for me to return with the Megaton Hammer. You aren't going in there to get killed," Link said, his azure eyes daring the Goron leader to protest. The leader looked to Kariah and wondered exactly who she was and how she understood what was going on.

"Link, take Navi with you, the temple has been rearranged from the last time you were here. You will need to work together and watch out for him Navi," Kariah said, giving Link a look of concern, but there were other emotions hidden behind her eyes. Kariah looked away before Link could identify them.

With a sigh and not a word, Link found his way to the first prison cell. He freed the Goron and continued on through the temple with a newfound strength to go on no matter how confused he was.

Eventually he found his way back to the boss gate with the Megaton Hammer and the Boss Key. Darunia had waited for him but there was no sign of Kariah.

"Where is Kari?" Link demanded, looking around for her.

"She left, she told me that she would wait for you back at Goron City. There is something very different about that girl," Darunia stated. Link nodded but didn't say anything; instead he unlocked the door with the Boss Key. With a deep breath, Link called upon the memory that would help him defeat the boss of the temple.

Darunia was surprised by the way that Link walked confidently and almost arrogantly through the door. The Goron followed more cautiously behind Link. Link leapt to the platform and landed on the main battlefield. Link's eyes hardened as the dragon appeared. Link drew the Megaton Hammer and waited for the beast to show his head.

Eventually Volvagia appeared really close to Link. With a battle cry, Link flew through the air in a furious jump attack. It hit the metal plate on the dragon's head with a crunch. The beast screamed in pain.

Kariah and the Gorons that had been rescued heard the scream of the dragon and Kariah saw the image of her brother being destroyed. Her heart cried out for the brainwashed dragon, but there was nothing they could do but destroy it.

Link finally hit the metal plate one last time and the dragon Volvagia, guardian of the Gorons, fell. Darunia felt the wave of evil vanish from the mountain, and the fiery cloud disappear. The whole mountain seemed to shudder as the dragon screamed one last time before falling to the Hero's feet.

Link was breathing lightly and a blue light descended into the chamber. Link was surprised by it but he looked to the Sage of Fire.

"Darunia, come with me to the Chamber of Sages situated in the Sacred Realm. You must come with me," Link urged, seeing the doubt on the Goron's face. Darunia didn't trust the ring of light. Link remembered something then, Kariah didn't teach him a sage awakening song.

He wasn't sure if he could recall the song that Sheik taught him. He closed his eyes and grasping memory strands, Link played softly. Slowly the song was issued through the ocarina. The Bolero of Fire caused everything that had happened to Darunia in the alternate time to come crashing on his memory.

Link knew exactly how Darunia was feeling. After all he had a crash of memory bombed on him as well. After a few moments, Darunia remembered his place and together, Darunia and Link walked into the circle of light that would lead to the Chamber of Sages.

Upon entering Darunia found himself upon the Fire Medallion. With a smile Darunia spoke,

"Well done brother. I'm sorry that I didn't remember or recognize you, the goddesses seem to have erased my memory."

"Yours wasn't the only one erased, mine was too, and only just recently have I been able to get some of them back," Link said, frowning slightly, but happy to finally be remembered. He wasn't alone in the memory department.

Darunia nodded and then he lifted his arms, looking up, Link saw the Fire Medallion falling towards him.

"The Medallion of Fire holds the power of the fire spirits and my friendship. We will aid you in rescuing the princess. Call to us when the time comes brother," Darunia said, as Link felt himself heading home. He returned to the platform with the fire symbol on it. With a sense of victory, Link headed back to Goron City.

Upon entering the city, Goron Link literally bowled Link over in a hug. The rest of the Goron's were cheering exuberantly. However there was one face that seemed to be missing. Kariah was nowhere to be seen.

"Link, where is Dad?" Goron Link asked the Hero. Link looked at the Goron gravely.

"Um, Link, Darunia he is going to be away for a while, but he will be back. Ganondorf has the King of Hyrule captive and the princess is missing. I will need your dad to aid me in getting the King back on the throne, but he is waiting for the call of the Sages before he come. I promise you though he will be back. Now where is Kari?" Link asked the young Goron.

"Um, Kari was waiting outside on the outcrop," Goron Link replied. Link nodded and with a wave good bye he headed to the exit on the top level of the city. Link found Kariah facing the breeze that was blowing around the mountain. It teased her bronze locks around her face and her violet eyes held a distant look. Link thought that she never looked more beautiful than she did at that moment.

"Kari," Link said, coming up to stand beside her. Slowly she turned to him and Link was surprised to see a sad look in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" Link asked, concern showing on his face and in his eyes. She shook her head slowly and turned away from him.

"You have one more temple to go through, but there is a slight problem, do you remember what that problem is?" Kariah asked quietly. Link frowned slightly but he couldn't remember.

"The Spirit Temple has two levels. One only a child can get through and the second only an adult wearing the Silver Gauntlets can get in. The Silver Gauntlets must be retrieved by a child," Kariah explained. Link could picture that part of the temple but he couldn't remember it very well.

"I'm sure there is a willing child to help us," Link said. Kariah faced him with horror on her face.

"It's too dangerous for any child to go through there. It was you who went through there the first time and that was because you thought you were doing a favour for Nabooru," Kariah exclaimed, moving away from Link, he was slowly moving closer to her.

"Ok, ok, we won't take a child with us but do you have another plan to get through the temple?" Link asked annoyed.

"We will see when we get there. We are heading to the Gerudo Valley. Now for your first lesson with the Ocarina of Time. Play the Serenade of Water and we will travel on the streams of time to the platform above the Water Temple. It is the fastest way to the valley. The horses have already set out in that direction, they will meet us there," Kariah said, gripping his arm.

Link was confused but he brought out the ocarina anyway. Slowly he played the Serenade of Water and then he felt himself and Kariah latched to his arm seem to slip away. Soon his feet hit solid ground again and he found himself looking at the crystal depths of Lake Hylia. Kariah was still attached to his arm.

Link turned his gaze into her amethyst gaze. Slowly, he lowered his head, hesitating slightly before he gently brought his lips to hers. Much to his amazement, Kariah slowly kissed him back. After a moment, Link broke away, blushing slightly. Kariah gazed calmly back.

"We are running out of time Hero, we must get moving. Who knows how much those Gerudos are going to give you grief for disappearing for three weeks," Kariah said calmly. Link had forgotten about the Gerudos. He also knew that Kariah was going to be right.

"I have a membership card that was given to me by Nabooru, but how are you going to get in?" Link asked. Kariah definitely didn't look like a Gerudo. She shrugged for a moment and then she started walking along the bridge to get to where the horses were waiting.

Epona and Arden both whinnied a greeting and affectionately rubbed their noses against them. Kariah was on Link's blind side and so she quickly used magic once again to change her appearance.

Her violet eyes became the hazel colour that belonged to the Gerudo. Her bronze hair became the colour of glittering rubies and straight and she adorned the respected green silks of the members that were just below the leader. Unknown to Link, she had observed him before he had ever become a Gerudo. Her Gerudo name was Zo and Nabooru was her elder sister.

In fact it was her who had given Link the Gerudo Membership in the first place, in this time. Shortly after Link had been sent against the time streams, Arania had been killed and she had risen due to the memory modifications from before. She also sensed that this could become dangerous for Link's feelings for her.

She mounted and followed Link who had already started going. Arden nodded in appreciation for her and his coat changed colour as well. He became black as night and less powerful in appearance.

Link looked back and was surprised to see Zo, Kari was no where in sight.

"Zo! Have you seen a girl around?" Link asked as Zo galloped up beside Epona.

"A girl? I haven't seen a girl around. What does she look like?" Zo asked. Link didn't answer right away, he was trying to figure out where Kariah would have disappeared to so quickly. Arden too was missing, it's hard to hide a horse.

"She has amazing amethyst eyes and hair the colour of bronze that waves around her face," Link said, marvelling that Kariah was indeed beautiful. Zo raised a fire red eyebrow at Link.

"Seems to me like you really like this girl," Zo said her eyes watching him like a hawk. Link blushed slightly and turned towards the valley.

"By her description, she is not a Gerudo, you can't bring her to the valley, we will destroy her," Zo said harshly. Link gasped slightly but then was secretly glad that Kariah had disappeared.

Link glared at Zo and then steered Epona through the Gerudo Valley. Together, Zo and Link entered the fortress area. Because of Zo's rank, the purple band saluted as did the white, red, and blue bands. She curtly nodded back and continued on there way until a certain purple band member ran forward.

"Link!" She called. Link looked at the girl for a moment before he recognized her but Zo intervened before Link could answer to his name.

"Lania, you know better than to speak in my presence without permission," Zo said severely. Lania almost opened her mouth to retort but then thought better of it. Link grimaced at the harsh Gerudo rules, but there was nothing else he could do. If it wasn't for Zo, he wouldn't have a home among these women.

"Link, I need to speak to you in my office in ten minutes, make yourself more presentable," Zo snapped as she tied the beautiful black stallion at the hitching posts. Link nodded like an obedient Gerudo, he went to his living quarters to adorn his black silks that said he was fairly high on the status ladder and male.

Link's clothes consisted much like what he was already wearing, a black tunic and white hose. He adorned his belt, weapon and treasure bags as well as the Master Sword back where they belonged. He headed towards Zo's quarters.

He made it there with a few moments to spare and he was leaning against the wall killing time till he could go in. Gerudos were walking the corridors minding their business, scooting past Link who watched the coolly under hooded eyes.

Lania even came by but he ignored her. As a male present among the Gerudo and accepted by them, Link earned a great deal of respect. The hilt of the Master Sword glittered in the torchlight warning them away that he was armed and not in the mood to speak to them. And Link wasn't, he was still trying to figure out where Kariah had disappeared.

Link walked into Zo's room coolly and confidently right on time. She gazed at him with her hazel eyes for a moment before she spoke.

"A strange bird was sent to me carrying this message to me about you Link. It said that you were supposed to take Lania with you to the Spirit Temple to free her mother, Nabooru. It specified that only you and Lania were allowed to go, and even Lania wouldn't be able to help you the whole way. Do you know what this is about?" She asked dangerously.

"Kari must have sent it knowing that she wouldn't be able to help me once I crossed over into Gerudo land," Link thought.

"Um, well I guess we better do what the letter says, besides, Nabooru is a good friend of mine and I'm not going to leave her in danger. If the letter also specified that Lania come with me than she will," Link said calmly, like things like this happen everyday. Zo was a little surprised but didn't let it show on her features.

"Very well, but you must protect her, she is only twelve and she just made it from the child ranks to the purple rank," Zo said fondly and worrisome.

"I think you are attached to young Lania, and don't worry I will protect her as well as I can," Link grinned. Zo smiled a small smile and dismissed Link from her presence. Link was eager to get going so he quickly located Lania.

"Lania, we are heading out to the Desert Colossus. Mount and get ready," Link said in his no nonsense voice. Wordlessly, Lania got up and found her sorrel stallion, and together, Link and Lania rode out into the Haunted Wasteland.

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I don't Legend of Zelda, only my characters