Ch. XIV

Sorrows healed

Link took a step backward, away from the floating apparition. The mighty Goron seemed to emanate sorrowful energy that washed over Link. He floated a few meters away and looked back at Link as if he were waiting for him to follow. He then turned his head and began floating away in earnest. Link began to walk behind him, and soon they were leaving the village.

After another minute or two of walking, the goron lead Link to a cliff and rose to the top. Link sighed in exasperation. "This better not be a trick", he thought as he grabbed a handhold in the rock. By this time, Tatl was very confused about where Link was going and was constantly badgering him about it.

"Hey, Link! The village is in the other direction! Hey, are you paying attention to me? Hey, listen!", she was exclaiming. Link opened his mouth to finally tell Tatl what was going on, but she cut him off before he could speak.

"Are you really wasting our time so you can go rock climbing in the coldest mountain range in Termina!?", she shouted. Before she could rant even more, Link interrupted her.

"Calm down Tatl. The lens that I found is called a lens of truth, and it's used to spot invisible items or people. I don't think it works for fairies, but trust me on this. I am following the ghost of a Goron, and I feel like he can help us. Maybe he knows where all the other gorons went!".

Tatl huffed and rolled her eyes at this, but landed on Link's hat and stayed quiet to placate him. As she did so, Link grabbed onto another outcropping of rock. The cliffside was covered in many hand and footholds, but the cold snow made the climbing much slower and harder. When Link, at last, made his way up to the cliff's edge, he was cold, hungry, and beginning to get annoyed.

"This better be worth it.", he grumbled.

Link looked up and saw a wide doorway in the cliff face that was carved with goron script. He was getting closer to finding the missing gorons! He pushed himself off the ground and wandered deeper into the darkness. After a few moments, a light appeared at the end of the tunnel. It wasn't a natural light though. It had the red tinge of fire, and Link was immediately drawn to its warmth. As he entered, yet, he was stopped in his tracks.

The room that Link was in was a large cave with a high ceiling, that had a mosaic floor filled with intricate designs. In the center of the room was an obelisk with a bust of an angry-looking goron on its face. More important, was the same goron who was floating in front of it. Tatl gasped on Link's hat, and he realized that he wasn't even using the lens of truth! He stepped forward, and the goron nodded at him.

"You may be wondering who I am", said the goron. "I am Darmani the Third. The blood of proud Goron heroes runs in me. This feels strange for me to say, but I was a renowned warrior and veteran when I was alive. Yes...When I was alive. But alas...I am now dead. I was fine until I marched off to Snowhead by myself, hoping that I could drive off a demon."

"It had been wreaking havoc on Goron Village...Then the blizzard at Snowhead blew me into the valley, where I was dashed upon the rocks. And now, here I lay. As I am, I can only watch as Goron Village is slowly buried in ice. I may have died, but I cannot rest."

"If you can use magic, then I beg you, please bring me back to life so I may save my people! If it is beyond your power, then I beg of you to do this for me instead...Please, heal my sorrows. Any way that you can do it will suffice. Please end my constant misery.", Darmani finished.

Link blinked. This mighty goron, who looked like he could crush rocks with his bare hands, was asking-no, begging him for help. Darmani had such a miserable face, that Link felt pity grow in his heart. He knew what it felt like to be useless when other people were suffering. He had to sleep for seven years and be helpless while Ganondorf ruled over Hyrule with an iron fist! He would do whatever he could to help this goron.

"I can offer you some red potion if you want-", Link began, but Darmani shook his head.

"Medicine works only on the living. It will do me no good.", he muttered. All of a sudden, Link remembered the Song of Healing that had healed him and removed his curse! Hurriedly, he pulled out his Ocarina and aligned his fingers with the finger holes. He admired its gorgeous blue color and put his mouth to its golden rimmed tip.

Link began to play, copying the song that Halvard had played to him. It reminded him of better days, playing among the lost woods with Saria, fishing with Navi, and Malon… . As he played the song, the sorrowful expression that was on Darmani's face slowly began to ebb away, leading to an if not happy, then peaceful expression. After the song ended, the great goron hero nodded his head, then faded into nothing, leaving a wooden mask on the ground in front of Link.

After a moment of respectful silence, Link stepped forward and picked up the mask. It was shaped in the likeness of a goron, with wide lips and a tuft of rocky hair at its bottom lip and head. As Link picked up the mask, water began to seep out from underneath Darmani's grave, and soon a pool of warm, soothing water washed over Links boots. The mask seemed, to sigh, and a faint voice echoed in his ears.

"Thank you…".