Chapter 8: Training

"Kelli! NAVI!" the caged fairy cried out, no less astonished than the pair of adventurers. Link merely stood there, his eyes wide and his eyebrow arching.

"Sis, how'd you get in there?" Navi gasped, approaching the cage. This fairy, Vira, was Navi's sister?

"Yeah, Vira, I thought you stayed in the forest," Kelli added.

"I did for a time, but awful things have been happening there lately!" Vira replied, seeming to shudder at the memory. "I left to find you, Kelli, and I heard you were in Kakariko, but just as I reached the entrance, something hit me in the head and let out a cloud of smoke. I passed out and when I woke up, I was here."

"Well, first things first. We need to figure out how to bust you out of there."

"Yeah, hey Kel, I think our arrows might be able to cut through those bars," Link suggested.

"I agree, but I don't want to accidentally hit Vira."

"Good point…"

"Hey, you wouldn't happen to be called Link, would you?" Vira wondered, turning her attention to Link.

"That's me. I had no idea Navi had a sister, though."

"Yeah, I haven't seen her in a long time. Not since she left to look for you."

"I see. Let me guess. You used to be Kelli's guardian fairy."

Both Vira and Kelli could only gasp upon hearing Link's words. Kelli in particular seemed shocked, and tense, at Link's words.

"You…found out, didn't you?" she finally uttered moments later. "That I spent some of my childhood in the forest."

"I did. From Saria and Mido. But enough about that, got any ideas on how to get this cage open?"

"Sigh… I'm thinking arrows are our only option. Our swords could work, but I'd rather not risk it. One errant swing and, well, 'nuff said."

"Agreed. Would you like to have the honors? I figure Vira would be more comfortable that way."

"Of course. Are you alright with this, Vira?" Kelli inquired, trying to inject a reassuring tone into her words.

"Sure, whatever it takes to get me out of this rat trap."

Kelli nodded and then drew her bow. Her hands trembled slightly as she noted just how small the target was, and how easily her arrow could go astray, striking her fairy friend. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves and readied an arrow regardless. After carefully aiming at a line of bars just beneath the top of the cage, and instructing Vira to move as far from it as possible, Kelli's still trembling hands released the bowstring. Kelli squeezed her eyes shut reflexicely as the arrow took flight but, to her relief, she heard the sound of metal snapping under the impact of the enchanted arrowhead. Letting out a very deep breath, Kelli raced over to the mangled bars and bent them outward from the cage. The unscathed Vira immediately flew through the newly opened gap to freedom.

"Man, I am so glad to be free!" she opined happily, flexing her wings and flying in circles in uncontrolled ecstasy.

"Are you sure you're unharmed, though?" Kelli inquired, still breathing raggedly.

"Of course. In fact, I've never been better. I was trapped here for what felt like days, after all. I haven't seen light in hours."

"Really?" Link wondered, arching one eyebrow.

"Yeah, it goes back to what I started to tell you earlier."

Vira explained that sometime after the forest had been invaded by monsters, she managed to escape undetected and immediately headed to Kakariko Village. It was where the fairy thought she'd most likely find Kelli. However, before Vira could even begin searching the village, a pair of bat-like monsters had suddenly appeared, trying to grab her by the wings. The fairy had managed to outrun them but, just as she reached the village, a cloud of smoke suddenly engulfed her. Overwhelmed by the choking fumes, Vira had careened through a window, crashed amidst several clay pots and passed out. She awoke in the cage Link and Kelli had just freed her from.

"Oh! That explains the noise from the other night!" Kelli realized. "As well as that fairy call I heard!"

"Yeah I thought doubted anyone would see me through the smoke, but I hoped the noise might attract some attention," Vira admitted. "I wanted to warn you of all the danger."

"I figured as much, but don't worry, Link and I are already well aware of what's going on," Kelli assured.

"Plus, I took care of things in the forest," Link added. "Everything is back to normal there, at least for now."

"That's all good, Link, but it isn't just that Hyrule's being attacked by creepy monsters again, you guys!" Vira protested. "These freakshows are in a class of their own compared to what we encountered in Mayia, Kelli!"

"I know, they've been tough to defeat," Kelli agreed. "They're stronger, smarter and know how to work in teams."

"No, worse than that! Kel, these monsters know your skills! They know you like I know my own wings!"

"What?" Kelli gasped, seeming to stagger under the shock of this revelation.

"Blast! That's right!" Link realized, having forgotten about the Stalfos he had encountered in the Lost Woods. "I was nearly overwhelmed by a monster that used one of your techniques in the forest!"

"Oh no…" Kelli uttered, staring into space. "Then they must know about the defeats I handed their brethren and Notu…"

"Which means they're out for revenge," Link finished. "But this won't stop us! Kel, I want you to teach me your techniques. These creatures are far stronger than anything I've faced before, and I know I'm eventually just going to get myself killed unless I get stronger. If I can, we'll overpower them! They may know you like the backs of their ugly hands, but I'm still fresh in their minds!"

"Yeah, that's right," Kelli agreed, a hint of relief in her voice. "Your idea is a good one, but the monsters will grow stronger as we continue. We should do whatever we can to even up the odds. So let's ditch this place and get started. Vira, do you mind sticking with me for awhile? It's much too dangerous for you to be by yourself."

"Psh, don't have to convince me," Vira replied, bravely working a quaver out of her voice.

"Good."

With that, Link and Kelli proceeded to the ladder, followed by both fairies, and began to climb. However, where there should have been an exit, there was instead a barrier of rock.

"Ah, curses…" Kelli uttered. "There's got to be another way out, that dungeon we just came through is a death trap and I don't want to go through it again."

Link, who had ascended ahead of her, had been studying the rock closely and, finding something, he let out a cheer.

"We won't have to," he replied. "This rock is pretty worn, so we can break through it."

"Link, do you think a bomb will blast through that?"

"It's likely. And this ladder appears to be made of metal, so it should be able to withstand the explosion. I'll head up and set one at the top. The rest of you, get back down and clear the room."

Hardly needing the warning, Kelli slid back down the ladder and put as much distance between herself and the explosion as she could, the fairies speeding off in her wake. Link, meanwhile, had scrambled up the ladder. Near the top was a small gap between the rock and the top rung of the ladder, one where he could firmly wedge a bomb in place. He then quickly jumped off and landed squarely on his feet at the ladder's base, thankful that it wasn't too far a drop.

"D'oh!" he snarled at the impact. "That hurt!"

Well, it was a short drop but not a painless one.

"Cover your ears again!" Link warned and placed his hands over his own ears. Kelli did not hesitate to do the same. Even from a distance, the close quarters and acoustics of the cave made the explosion seem almost deafening. The chamber filled with smoke, the sound of rocks crashing against each other and, thankfully, sunlight and a hint of fresh air.

"Alright!" Link blurted happily despite coughing from the smoke. "Let's finally get the heck out of here!"

The group then immediately raced up the ladder with Kelli climbing first in case she lost her footing and needed Link to catch her. After all, the ladder's steps turned out be rather narrow in width and hard to traverse as a result. Much to their relief, both warriors made it safely to the surface and into the light of day once more.

"Oh, sunlight! Sweet, sweet sunlight!" Vira blurted, who had reason to be the most relieved of all.

"Hey, we're on that plateau behind the windmill," Link pointed out moments later as he took note of where the group ended up and saw the windmill's blades spinning in the breeze. "Makes sense. We've got to get down and find his majesty, though. He's probably been worried like crazy about us."

"Oh! Yeah, you're right! Let's go!" Kelli agreed with a gasp. They had been gone a long time and someone had to have noticed that by now. However, before Kelli could take more than a couple steps, something caught her eye. An odd gleam was coming from a patch of loose soil near the hole Link had blasted open, the sun seeming to reflect off of something partially buried. Curiously, she bent over to scrape the loose soil away and, when the object was revealed, she gasped once more, this time in fear. In her hand, which was now trembling worse than it did when shooting Vira free, was a crimson necklace. A silver charm, in the shape of a sword, was splotched with crimson and tarnish.

"No…" Kelli uttered as tears trailed down her face. "How…how did I not notice this before…?"

"Kel, what's wrong?" Link quickly inquired.

"Link, this charm… It's Judo's…" she revealed. "And it's caked with blood!"

With that, she dropped to her knees and hugged the necklace to her chest, her face splashed with a grimace as tears continued to fall.

"Oh man…" Link responded, his eyes widening. "But hold on. Kel, this doesn't mean anything. Judo could still be alive. We don't know where this blood came from."

"True, but… I can't help but fear the worst…"

"Don't. Don't ever give up hope. We have to keep looking for him."

For a long moment, Kelli did not reply. For what felt like an hour, Kelli stared forlornly at the battered necklace. Then, with a long, indrawn breath, she stood up.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. It's too soon. I'll have to clean this up though. It was a keepsake from Judo's mother and he'll want it back."

Link noted a distinct change in Kelli's demeanor, and for the better, at the notion that Judo would want his keepsake back. After all, you had to be alive for that to be so.

"Good idea, but we'll worry about it later. Let's go find his majesty."

Kelli nodded willingly as she put the necklace around her neck and with that, the two descended the cliff that overlooked the cucco pen in hopes they would spot Daphnes amongst the villagers.

"I don't like the look of this," Link opined.

"Me neither," Kelli agreed. "I don't think it was another raid though, it's too quiet."

"All we can do is keep looking."

As the pair entered the village proper, they continued searching for Daphnes. The two fairies had joined the search, but all they found were tense guards and villagers who were even more jittery from the ongoing raids by the monsters. Eventually, a pair of guards noticed the pair and shouted to them.

"Sir Link! Lady Kelli!" one of them gasped. "We're so relieved to see you both safe and sound!"

"Yes, I bet you are," Kelli agreed. "Where is his majesty? We must speak with him."

"Yeah, we've been gone too long and he needs to know we're safe," Link added. "We've also learned more about the situation in Hyrule, and I think he'll want to know right away."

"I agree. He's resting right now in Lady Impa's house," the second guard replied. "You've been gone for so long that he began to fear the worst. You must go see him!"

"Oh dear… We'll go right away!" Kelli assured.

With that, the warriors rushed to Impa's house as fast as their legs could carry them. Since the village was small, and since the house was well known to both of them, it took mere minutes for the pair to arrive. Upon entering, they spied Daphnes himself. The aged monarch, now looking all the more elderly, slumped forlornly in a padded chair and gazed distractedly into the flames. His expression was grim, his eyes as dull as stones, as if he were silently imploring that the Ferryman of the Dead come for him and end his misery. Kelli needed no further incentive to speak up.

"Your majesty, are you alright? Link and I have returned! We're both fine!"

Daphnes, snapped out of his dismal trance, vaulted from his chair and whirled to face his visitors. His eyes shot open in disbelief, and then a weary smile overtook his features.

"Oh! Both of you are unharmed! I'm so glad…"

"Yes, we're so sorry to have worried you," Link added. "We never intended to be gone this long. We were trapped in a cave and it took us awhile to find the way out."

Link and Kelli then both explained their adventure in the graveyard's puzzling cave and how the spell inside trapped them until they could decipher the puzzle of its many doors and chambers. Kelli also explained the discovery of Vira's imprisonment and that she was part of the cause for the previous night's incident. Though he listened carefully to their story, Daphnes was astonished by the level of the monsters' intelligence. No one had been able to recreate the Manu Propria magic since it was first created. Now Daphnes knew that the evil threatening his kingdom was becoming more dangerous than ever.

"So that's what's been going on… Though when I saw you both go into the graveyard and never come out for so long, I grew fearful," Daphnes admitted. "I feared our only chance at saving Hyrule had been lost…"

"I understand completely," Kelli replied. "But don't worry, we're both here and we can still prevail over this evil!"

"I am glad. And, the information you bring us is valuable. If the rest of these Elemental Jewels can be found, then perhaps there is hope for us after all. As for that cave, I'll send guards and workers to barricade the entrance. If there are monsters in there, besides the ones created by the enchantment, then we cannot allow them to get out. As for your next course of action, may I suggest—"

Before Daphnes could finish his sentence, however, he noticed what was around Kelli's neck, and his eyebrows shot up into his hairline and his face turned ashen.

"What's wrong?" Kelli quickly inquired.

"Milady Kelli," Daphnes inquired, his voice quavering with something that sounded entirely too close to fear, "where did you find that necklace?"

"Behind the windmill," Kelli replied, her voice turning somber. "Link blasted a hole in the ceiling of the cave so that we could escape. When we climbed out, I found it partially buried. It's a little worse for wear, but I'm surprised the blast didn't crust it or blow it from here to Lake Hylia."

Daphnes looked like he wanted to say more, but could not summon the right words. Kelli, however, spoke for him.

"You don't need to tell me it's Judo's. I already know. He told me it was a keepsake from his mother."

"I see," Daphnes replied, his tone still somber and curious. "You've learned nothing about Judo himself, then?"

"I'm afraid not," Link added, his tone also possessing a hint of somberness. "However, he could still be alive and well. In fact, for all we know, that blood might not even be his. It could've come from an enemy he fought and defeated and the necklace's chain might've broken in the struggle."

"That is a possibility," Daphnes agreed. "Still, you two watch yourselves. Be very careful out there. Link, I trust your retrieval of the Elemental Jewel returned the forest to normal?"

"Yes, Saria and the Kokiri tribe are all safe and sound. The Great Deku Tree Sprout is as well. I plan to go up Death Mountain next now that I have bombs," Link confirmed.

"Ah, to seek out Darunia no doubt. Wise plan. Any evil forces on Death Mountain could easily spread to this village for obvious reasons."

"Exactly. First though, I'd like Kelli to teach me a few of her skills, if that's alright with you, your majesty."

"Of course. Do whatever you need to ensure Hyrule is protected. I'll remain in here for a little while longer. These recent events have been...taxing on my health."

Kelli looked suddenly stricken; when a man of the king's years made such an admission, it was often a euphemism for admitting their time was growing short.

"Is there anything we can do to alleviate you ailment?" she inquired, trying not to let her dread show.

"Free my sworn brother and his Goron people, that will do nicely."

"Understood," Link complied.

"Oh, one more thing," Daphnes continued. "You two must take these. I probably should have given them to you sooner, but they will still prove very helpful now."

With that, Daphnes produced two arrows whose arrowheads bore a striking golden orange color enveloped by faintly glowing aura of the same shade. Kelli gasped instantly and nearly stumbled backwards upon laying eyes on the two arrows.

"Can…Can it be?" she blurted with astonishment.

"Yes, it is the sacred Arrow of the Sun," Daphnes confirmed. "Zelda discovered these buried behind Hyrule Castle sometime ago. She had been meaning to give them to you whenever you found the new Guardian of the Moon so both of you could use them. Luckily, she foresaw the danger in Hyrule and passed them on to me before she was taken away…"

"So you knew about the legend of the Sky Guardians all along…"

"Not much about it, but yes."

"So, can this arrow pierce the darkness like Kelli's sword does?" Link inquired.

"Yes. It can turn any regular arrow into a Sun Arrow and destroy the darkness within monsters of the moon," Kelli explained. "I'd been searching for it for over a year now. Your majesty, thank you."

"Yes, thanks," Link added as both warriors took the arrows.

"I'm glad to help. Now hurry so these monsters don't come back!" Daphnes warned.

"Right!" both Link and Kelli blurted at the same time.

With that, they rushed back outside and began planning Link's training session. Kelli explained they would need plenty of space as well as practice targets in order for it to work out. Link recalled the crates that were stored near a potion shop belonging to an old hag. They were stacked in front of a fence that stood between the small plateau on which the shop sat and the larger plateau that ran behind the windmill. Thinking they wouldn't be useful to anyone else during a crisis such as the one Hyrule was currently in, Link and Kelli hauled them into the large open space surrounded by the cucco pen, graveyard entrance, and cliff on which the windmill stood. They brushed their hands off as soon as preparations were complete.

"There," Kelli spoke up. "Now Link, since some of these techniques are more advanced than others, I think it's best that we begin with the simplest skills."

"Yeah, good idea," Link agreed. "What's first?"

"First is the ending blow. As its name suggests, it will ensure your victory over your foe. Now watch as I perform it on the left crate."

With that, Kelli drew her blade and gripped it with two hands. She leaped in the air towards one of the crates, reversed her grip on her blade half way through the leap and thrust the blade into the crate as she landed. She finished by back flipping off of it.

"Ah, I think I might have seen you use that one before," Link commented. "Looks easy enough."

"Indeed. Now you try."

Link nodded and drew his own sword. He then repeated Kelli's maneuver on the right crate. It took him a few moments to dislodge the blade from the crate's surface, but otherwise he performed the technique perfectly.

"Gah… Guess I don't know my own strength," Link opined when he finally removed his sword from its target and back flipped off of the crate.

"Heh, don't worry, I still do that myself sometimes," Kelli assured with a small laugh. "Anyway, the next technique should actually be even simpler for you than the ending blow, but truth be told, I kinda struggle with it. It's called the shield attack. All you do is thrust your shield forward, but see, I've never been good with shields…"

"Oh, well, I think I can help you with that. You do know that you have to be strong enough to even hold a shield properly in the first place, right?"

Kelli looked chagrined.

"Of course. I can hold it just fine. The training I went through enabled me to do so. I just can't seem to keep it steady."

Kelli then drew her shield and attempted to thrust it forward. However, it wobbled slightly and nearly fell from her arm.

"Gah… See?" the young warrior commented.

"Ah, yeah. You just need to practice keeping a firm grip on it. Watch what I do."

With that, Link repeated the shield attack with his own shield.

"Oh, yeah, that could be my problem," Kelli agreed. "I do notice your grip seems to be tighter. By the way, the shield attack is used to open a hole in your enemy's defenses when your shield strikes them. It can also repel magical projectile attacks."

"Oh, awesome. That'll definitely come in handy," Link surmised.

"Yep. I think two techniques ought to do it for now, though. I'll teach you more another time. Can't keep the other Sages waiting too long, you know."

"True that. I guess this means I'll be heading up Death Mountain now."

"Right. One more thing though. That roll attack of yours from that battle in the cave is pretty clever. Could you show it to me again real quick?"

"Sure, I don't see why not. All you do is roll forward and… BAM!"

As he spoke, lunged forward and, in midstride, launched himself into a forward roll. As he regained his feet, he thrust his sword forward.

"Simple, no?" Link continued. "After you roll, you can even replace that basic thrust with a spin attack. How cool is that?"

"Oh wow, that's a great maneuver! I'm sure that with our combined skills, we'll defeat whoever's behind all the trouble for sure!"

"You've got that right! I'll see you later!"

Kelli waved good bye as Link turned his attention to Death Mountain. If something caused a rockslide to block the trail's entrance, then nothing good could be going on up there. Link recalled fighting the King Dodongo and the dragon Volvagia in the dark future, and was well aware of how dangerous Death Mountain could be. Evil power must have struck the Goron tribe as well and Link now wanted all the more to hurry up to their city before it was too late. When he took a glimpse at the high mountain as he approached the blocked gate, Link watched as the dark clouds hovering around its peak convulsed and moved with even greater violence. Thunder roared from the sky around them as bolts of lightning flashed through the darkness. Suddenly, just as Link was about to set a bomb near the boulders which barricaded his way forward, another bolt of lightning soared through the sky and struck the side of the mountain. Startled, Link covered his ears as rocks crashed onto the trail and thunder boomed overhead.

"WHOA! Holy—!" he blurted, getting cut off by more falling rocks.

"L-Link…I don't wanna go up there…" Navi pleaded, shaking behind Link's hat.

"I don't blame you. Geez…"

"Yeah, but… I know I have to go. You need me."

"True. I wonder why no one heard any thunder or saw any lightning before though. Unless…"

"Whatever's going on up there has gotten worse!"

"My thoughts exactly. We've no time to lose. I'll try to protect us as best as I can with my shield."

"A-Alright…"

With trepidation for what might be awaiting him, Link proceeded to set his bomb. He ran back and ducked behind an outcropping of rock as the bomb detonated, reducing the boulders to pebbles. Without a moment to spare, he immediately charged up the trail as soon as the smoke cleared. As he had anticipated, rocks were lying everywhere on the trail and some even blocked Link's way forward until he set more bombs. It also hadn't taken long for him to notice Dodongo's Cavern, the place that housed the Goron tribe's favorite meal, rock sirloin, was barricaded by large boulders as well. Link felt a whiff of nostalgia as he recalled that the cavern had been blocked in the dark future as well, and that he had opened it and slew the beasts within. However, the boulders blocking the cavern now were so huge and appeared to be so solid, that Link could easily tell no ordinary bomb would so much as crack them. And since the food the Gorons ate was inside this cave, Link already began to fear the worst for them and hurriedly made his way towards the entrance to their city.

However, even traversing the short distance between Link and Goron City proved to be easier said than done. The unnatural storm above continued to bombard the mountain with lightning and fierce winds, sending boulders careening down into Link's path. Link's pair of blue earrings shook in his ears as he side stepped nearly every few seconds in order to avoid being popped by a rock, or worse, crushed by a boulder. Navi followed his lead and thankfully remained untouched as well. Link, however, was more worried about the fairy than himself. While many of these rocks would merely bruise him or be easily blocked by his shield, just one of them would squash Navi like an insect. Deciding not to risk it, Link quickly advised her to take refuge under his hat, an idea which the fairy did not hesitate to comply with. Along the way, wherever he could find shelter from the storm and rock slides, he also practiced the sword techniques Kelli taught him. He could never know when he would need to use them efficiently.

After what seemed like hours, Goron City's entrance finally came into view minutes later. Since it was situated underneath a large canopy of rock, and the city itself carved into a huge cavern, it was safe from the falling boulders. Still, Link knew that that was the least of his worries as he hurried inside. Just as he had set foot inside the city, however, all his hopes of finding the Gorons there safe and sound were instantly destroyed. Instead, the place was deserted. The Goron City resembled, more than anything else, three concentric craters dotted with living quarters, passages, murals and braziers. Yet, the City was empty and eerily silent. Even Darunia's chamber at the bottom of the cavern was deserted. The City itself seemed untouched, showing no telltale signs of having been overrun by the monsters, but that still left open the question of where the Gorons had gone.

"Curses… Where the heck could they be?" Link mused aloud angrily as he came out of Darunia's chamber.

The last place to look was the shop next door, but obviously, a whole tribe of Gorons wouldn't fit in there. That is, unless like the forest, Goron City too had areas Link didn't know about. Knowing that he'd already found friends in hidden places, and having no better ideas in any event, the warrior quickly entered. Just as he had surmised, however, it was empty. All that remained were the bombs it normally stocked and a few other pieces of merchandise. Sitting on one shelf was a set of garbs Link was quite familiar with. They were Goron Tunics, the very same outfit he had worn when exploring the Death Mountain Crater and Fire Temple during Ganondorf's reign. They were enchanted garbs that allowed a regular adult to survive in an otherwise unbearably hot place such as the crater.

"The crater!" Link realized as he stared at the red tunics. "I almost forgot. I know the Gorons can survive in there, and who'd be crazy enough to follow them? Besides me, that is. I'll have to slip into one of these first, but it's our best bet."

With that, Link grabbed one of the Goron Tunics and quickly changed, hoping the Gorons wouldn't mind him borrowing it for awhile. His easy-to-fold green tunic was then stashed away in a satchel attached to the backside of his belt.

"Well, let's go," Link declared once he was ready. "I know the Gorons can hide in the crater, but I don't know why they would go there. Unless…"

The warrior then quickly returned to Darunia's chamber and pulled the large statue inside away from the wall. The crater's hidden entrance was still there. That was a relief. The last thing Link wanted to do now was have to climb all the way to the mountain summit in the weather it was in and use the normal entrance. Glad he didn't have to, he quickly rushed through the hidden doorway.

What Link found on the other side, however, hardly astonished him. Just as he had hypothesized, the entire Goron tribe had taken refuge there. Unfortunately, Darunia was not among them. Had a similar curse to the one from the forest struck Death Mountain as well? Questioning the Goron tribe would likely lead Link to the answer. Thankfully, they soon took note of him.

"Hey, everyone! Link has finally arrived!" one blurted joyously. The rest of the tribe soon surrounded the young warrior heavy relief washing over them.

If Link had only recently discovered acceptance and friendship among the Kokiri, he'd discovered it long ago from the Gorons.

"Oh, happy day! We're so glad to see you, Link!" another cried. "As frightened as we've been, we never stopped believing that you would return, even though you've been gone for seven years!"

"Yeah, I apologize for disappearing for so long," Link replied. "Can anyone tell me what in blazes is going on?"

"Ah, well, we're not exactly sure…" a third Goron somberly admitted. "The storm above us has been rampaging for days. Big Brother decided to investigate the crater, but he hasn't been seen since."

Link's eyebrow arched. This sounded unsurprisingly familiar.

"Yeah, and then the storm got worse," the first Goron added. "Lightning began striking the mountain not too long ago. We saw rocks crashing everywhere and they blocked Dodongo's Cavern. We're afraid that if this keeps up, our whole city will cave in from the pressure and then we'll nave neither a home nor food!"

"Just as I suspected," Link commented. "I want to fix this, but I don't know what I can do."

"Well, just before he left, Big Brother told us to tell you something, though none of us could make much sense of it. His words were 'when Link arrives, tell him to look for the retreating lava. It will guide him forward.' He believed you would come too!"

"I see. I don't quite understand what he's saying either, but I'll take a look around. I hope you all don't mind me borrowing this tunic for awhile."

"Oh, not at all. Do whatever you have to! You must find Big Brother!"

"And I can assure you I will."

On that note, Link began his exploration of the crater. Even though it had been years since he last set foot inside it, he still remembered much of its layout. The Fire Temple's entrance was straight ahead on the other side of the crater. The entrance to a Great Fairy Fountain was across the bridge to Link's right. Past there was the second path to the mountain's peak. Link decided that the Fire Temple entrance was the best place to begin searching. He just hoped he wouldn't have to actually go in the temple, as some of his least favorite monsters resided in there the first time he explored it. He didn't even want to think about how they could've been made smarter and deadlier since he'd been there last.

"Man, I'd forgotten this place is really freaking hot no matter what you wear," Link complained as he wiped sweat from his forehead. Trying vainly to think of the Ice Cavern in Zora's Fountain, he pulled out his hookshot and used it to carry himself across a broken bridge.

"It seems the monsters never forget to leave some calling cards behind either," Navi added, gesturing towards the burnt state of the bridge and a toppled pillar at the Fire Temple entrance. Several stone blocks from its roof had fallen as well, blocking the path inside.

"You've got that right. And it seems we won't be going in there anytime soon."

Link sighed with relief, for once in this adventure being glad the monsters had attacked.

"Still don't want to see another Torch Slug, eh?"

"Nope. It's been years since I last saw those gross—"

Link cut himself off when he noticed something particularly peculiar and just stared at it, perplexed. A chunk of rock had been removed from the wall to the left and down below from the Fire Temple entrance. Whether it had been a consequence of the deadly environment of the Crater or if someone had pried it out deliberately, Link could not tell. Whatever the case, what appeared to be some sort of metal lever was sticking out of the resulting hole.

"Um…Link?" Navi called, flying in front of his face.

"Ah, sorry. I couldn't help but notice something strange. Look over there," Link replied and pointed to the lever.

"Huh, I wonder where that came from. That lever wasn't there the last time we were here."

"Exactly. But there's no time for puzzling over it right now. Let's see what it does. I just hope after I jump and grab it, my feet won't end up in the lava."

Even though it was a risky move, Link knew jumping off of the cliff he stood on and reaching for the lever was the only way to get to it. He took a breath to steady his nerves, thankful that the Goron Tunic also protected him from the smoke and other fumes, and vaulted for the lever. Fortunately, he managed to grab the lever with both hands. Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, however, the lever suddenly descended a few inches, leaving Link dangling less than a foot above the boiling lava. His weight had been enough to pull it down, and had nearly been enough to guarantee him death by flambé.

"Yeesh, that scared the daylights out of me!" Link blurted, his body shaking slightly. "Funny, up until now I thought I had my weight well under control."

Before Navi could respond to his joke or near miss, however, the lava in the nearby corner began to roil. Fearing it might be rising, Link tried vainly to swing on top of the lever but, to his relief and astonishment, the lava instead was draining. Gradually, it surged away from the area and then dropped by several meters, revealing a hidden staircase that descended into the depths of the mountain. As the lava came to a halt just inches away from where Link dangled, he eyed it curiously.

"Wait a second… Retreating lava!" he realized. "This is what Darunia was talking about! I bet he's down there somewhere and he wants me to find him!"

"Which means he also wanted you to find this lever. Let's go check it out!" Navi added.

"Definitely."

Without hesitation, Link swung himself over the remaining lava and landed safely on the rocky floor next to the staircase. He then traversed it carefully, certain that the next dungeon, and with it Darunia and the next Elemental Jewel, was at the bottom waiting for him.