Chapter 10: Wrestle of the Wild-eyed Weybour Warriors; Race for Control
Winter Crisis in Snowhead Arc
Disclaimer: I don't own The Legend of Zelda, this is just a Fanfiction.
Featured Music: "Neutiquam Erro" - Fire Emblem X: Radiant Dawn OST. Chapter Briefing.
"Burning Sword" - YS IV: Memories of Celceta OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).
"Boss Clear" - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask OST. Scene 1 (Second Half).
"Giants' Theme" - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask OST. Scene 2 (First Half).
"Snowhead Clear" - The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask OST. Scene 2 (Second Half).
"Character Select (Full Mix)" - Super Street Fighter IV OST. Scene 4 (First & Second Halves).
"Main Menu" - Street Fighter V (Vanilla) OST. Scene 5 (First Half).
"Trail on Powdery Snow (Reploid Remix)" - Megaman Zero III OST. Scene 5 (Second Half).
In Tatl and Link's crusade through Termina they have done many things; locating missing people, assisting those in desperate need, fighting through hordes of angry fiends and even purifying the fallen spirits of a swamp and a haunted mountain. It is through these largely selfless acts that Link at last begins to gain some kind of recognition through the people of Termina; in great spite of the time-travelling that he and Tatl endure as a result of their effects, the people of the country are not mindless.
They realise that someone out there is doing something to help them.
To match the high morale that drove him on through Link's adventure was the constant shock and awe in which he delivered to the doubtful Tatl; again and again she remains flabbergast at the incredibly deceptive level of strength that the former Hero of Time displays before her. Something that she fails to register toward him, instead opting to gift him with her usual cold-shouldered attitude.
It is only now, however, at possibly the worst time of all, that the great skill that the Hero of Time possesses soon becomes challenged, for within the dark and forgotten halls lies the infection that Skull Kid and his nefarious mask have installed is a different kind of evil.
One that keeps Weybour and Snowhead drowning in snowfall and despair.
Scene 1
DAWN OF THE SECOND DAY
-60 Hours Remain-
"'Getting tired yet', really?"
Tatl's annoyed comment couldn't help but brighten the already-amused grin that the Goron-formed Link.
"I mean, from all that watchin' that you do...," he began, grinning on as he curled his form up, presumably to roll forward off the long and icy vertical platform he stood on.
SKRRRRRRRRRR...
In a powerful grinding of the ground below him, Link effectively sent up sparks and flare up from the sheer strength of his roll. Eventually, once his form had gained enough traction and momentum, his fast-rolling figure grew metal-like spikes and he was off like an great-arrow shot from a ballista. Just as with his Aegir affinity came the power of fire and it was no exception to his Goron form; a great aura of flame and fire encircled his body, almost acting as a second skin to the young boy.
SKRRRRRR
At last he landed and, with his ever constant grin plastered across his expression, scraped across the ground before uncurling and skidding his large boots down; his rapid advance at last coming to a stop. As it did however he swivelled his grin 'round on the little guardian fairy following behind him, eager to finish his earlier cheeky sentence.
"You may as well open a bird watchin' centre."
When the pair at last entered what seemed to be the grand chamber of Snowhead Temple, they found it oddly sparse indeed; resting ahead appeared to be what looked like a racetrack of all things, a road of sheer dirt and ground.
Strangely, there also appeared to be gigantically frozen sight at that to boot.
Sitting squarely in the room's back seemed to be some strange animal-like form resting within a similarly huge chunk of ice, effectively fixed within time and glaciers. A group of tall snow-covered stalactites covered the space 'roundabout the bull-like form before them, seemingly almost a kind of deterrent. As Link's likewise sky-blue eyes scanned the remainder of the track, he found what seemed to be a similarly snow-coated steep incline that dotted itself around the rest of the pathway.
Odd, the frowning Link ruminated to himself.
One would think this was designed simply to race on.
When he turned his eyes back on the form hidden behind its icy prison however, his thoughts were soon reinforced with confirmations.
Maybe it wants a race, he added silently.
"I wonder what it is...," Tatl murmured, floating up to hover thoughtfully above it. "It looks real."
"Probably 'cause it is real," he quipped back, his grin re-growing as he stepped forward to join her. "I know whatcha mean though," the youth relented, folding his muscular Goron arms as he stared up at the spectacle above. "Sure is ugly."
"Implying you aren't?" Tatl threw over her shoulder in a limp-eyed murmur; a kind of quick and fiery blister delivered with enough tact to make the former Kokiri chuckle regardless of her intentions.
"Well...," the grinning Link chuckled on, ever the comedian. "I guess we should wake up our friend here, huh?"
"Mm, I'm not so sure...," Tatl replied, a similarly dubious frown within the soprano of her words. "I mean... look at it."
The curious Hero of Time did just as she requested and, still, in spite of her unfamiliarity and hesitancy, found himself disagreeing.
"It looks like a goddess-damned Stralanavian bison that's in armour."
He couldn't argue with that.
For once.
"I guess it kinda does look like a- wait," he stopped himself mid-speech, half of his Goron face scrunching up in curiosity before his oceanic eyes shifted up to stare down the little guardian fairy suspiciously. "The hell is a Strala-whatever-bison?"
"A bison," Tatl clarified as she 'rounded her glowing form on the frowning youth. "It's kind of a subspecies of a cow; you know cows, right?"
"Oh," he blinked back, half-unsure. "Yeah I guess I do," he answered on before focusing his concern on the part he nearly missed. "And what's... uh... Strala-?"
"Stralanavia...," Tatl interrupted the youth, not without a hint of a superiority in her tone of voice; at last the oblivious Link managed to detect it, his facial expression turning comically deadpan as he did. "It's a country? To the far north?" She put forward, hanging in the air as she spoke; Link, as before, chose to stare back at her in unknowing silence. "There's a whole world outside of your precious little Hyrule y'know..." She muttered out, rolling her eyes as she about-turned to leave her light on him.
This time, the folded-armed Link found himself shining a well-intended grin back at her, his morale seemingly returned to him.
"'Stralanavia'... huh...," he murmured, a dreamlike grin drawn across his expression. Even as he thought on however he unfolded his burly arms and clicked his fingers, as ever in a noisy fashion.
CLICK
FRRR...
"The idea of even seein' places like that...," he trailed off, hovering the flame he ignited toward the huge chunk of ice before him. "I can't wait to go see 'em!"
SSSSSS...
As the sound of the small but strong flame that the youth formed ate through the frozen glacier before them, the sudden rash movement he made managed to make the wide-eyed Tatl swing back 'round in surprise.
"N-No! Stop!"
But by then, it had been far too late; as the last of the frozen water dissipated under the powerful flame, Goron Link stood below the similarly gigantic stature of the bison-like figure, his own form leant and grinning as if he were facing down any other foe. As it swayed its vision, side to side as if in search for something, it eventually fell square down on the smirking form of its new adversary below it. Eventually, its blood rose to a boil – remarkably quickly considering its abrupt resuscitation – and it slammed its gigantic metallic hoofs off the dirty ground, effectively destroying the icy stalactites that sat around it. But not before the powerful echoing roar it gave to go along with it.
SLAM-CRASH
GROOOOAR...
Masked Mechanical Monster
Goht
RUMBLE-RUMBLE...
Even as the raucous sound of the large metallic creature's incessant march continued, the grinning Link leaned forward and set his two muscular arms to his side, as if readying himself to roll forward in evasion. Instead however he picked up traction fairly quickly before curling himself up into a rocky sphere to pursue with; the great Goron Rolling technique.
"Darmani, wherever you are, I owe you one for this."
As his figure rolled comfortably across the dirt path below him, metal spikes of the Goron champion himself formed out from the bumps on his back; a message from his fallen companion to himself. While his thoughts toward the Goron hero drifted in and out, he found himself utilising one of the many great ramps stations throughout the track and the strength of which managed to send him sailing high into the air.
A fact he did not let go uncalled for.
"WOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
CRASH-SKRRRRRRRRRRR-RUMBLE-RUMBLE...
The rumbling echo of his relentless undulating was vented only with an extremely vigorous shout as he shot up high into the air before, eventually, crashing dead-on with the metallic bison's top.
SMASH-SKRRRRRRRRR-CRUMBLE...
In an incredible sight indeed the gigantic form of the bull-like foe fell head first to the ground, its hard body eating up through the dirt below it as it did, its legs falling limp to its two sides as if to recover. As the widely-grinning Link uncoiled himself, his ocean-blue eyes widened as he dove down upon the dizzied form of his enemy, pulling his dominant left arm back.
"Ready?!"
FWEEEEEE...
DROOOOOOM-CRACK-SCREECH
In a single powerful strike the former Hero of Time, like a bomb dropped from a cannon, smashed his fire-infused fist savagely upon the bison's metal armour and effectively managed to break through it. In doing so he spread a noticeably flame shade of red across its horrid wound and the otherwise intimidating body it carried. Before it could even recover and scramble to its animal-like legs however, the wide-smirking Link reached down and grappled at its lower limbs as if to pull it somehow.
"Link what the hell are you-?!"
FWWWWWWIP-CRASH-SKRRRRRRRRRRRR...
The wide-eyed and laughing Hero of Time defied the concerned Tatl's exclamations and, with incredible brawn seemingly rooted into Darmani's combat form, he managed to sheerly drag the huge Goht's body across the ground; a barbaric and near-godlike level of agony waited for the poor bison as it was yanked very painfully through the dirt path, leaving little to bare it. Eventually however, the grinning Link at last revealed the ending of his fairly basic technique by simply letting go of the bull; the masked mechanical monster let out a horrified scream as it was sent rocketing toward the snowy hillside on their right.
FWEEEEEE...
CRASH-DROOOOM-HOWL
In an incredible display of muscular strength, Link managed to send the roaring Goht head-first and far into the snow-coated hilltop next to them, crashing it roughly and achingly through the very surface of the hill itself. Even as it flew through the incline before it, the large metallic bison let out an angry roar as it somehow managed to turn mid-run; as it 'rounded to face the exit of the little man-made tunnel, Link couldn't help but shoot it an excited grin as if his senses had become thrilled and enthusiastic by the exchange.
"Link it's coming!"
In spite of Tatl's worried warning the young Hero of Time could only widen his toothy grin, even as the growling Goht at last came within charging distance.
"LINK!"
CRASH-SKRRRRRRRRRRRR...
With a single grunt, the grinning-faced youth managed to grab hold of the incoming bull's similarly gigantic horns with his Goron-shaped arms, and the pair soon found themselves rocketing toward the wall behind the young hero. In great spite to his seemingly augmented strength Link was pushed dead-set through the wall behind him and it blew apart in big chunks around them; a sickening display of chaos and anarchy.
Before the gasping Tatl could even catch up with the pair however the warriors managed to make it out of the chasm of their own creation before, eventually, a sign appeared atop the bison's horns.
Oddly, lightning sparks began to flicker at the tips and even the standing Link widened his eyes.
"Uh oh."
FZZZZZZZ...
He ducked his head, and rather suddenly at that, to avoid the incoming telegraphed projectile; a ray of artificial lightning.
CRASH-BOOM-BANG
As it collided harmlessly with the snow-top behind them, Link at last swivelled his Goron head back to face his masked enemy, flashing Goht with a grin as he did.
"My turn."
With that single greeting he grunted singularly as he began to pull on the creature's form; it widened its eyes behind the similarly large mask it wore and, as its form began to stumble, Tatl at last caught up with the pair. It was only when the grunting Link finally managed to topple the beast that she bore witness to his incredible feat of strength.
DROOOOOOOOM...
"Oh my goddess..." The wide-eyed Tatl could only murmur out, thrown aghast at the near godlike prowess before her.
As if reacting to her very words, the bull's armour blew up at the centre of its back, only to reveal what appeared to be a huge eye of horrifying sight.
It was something that reminded the little guardian fairy of the piercing and eerie eyes of Majora's Mask itself.
"Ready?!"
The grinning Link, and ever in his usual rambunctious fashion, managed to pull the enraptured pixie out of her thoughtful ruminations with an exclamation; one that he peppered with a fire-coated fist. As he pulled his muscular tanned Goron-shaped arm back, it shook the very ground on which the two combatants rested on, and it was then that Link at last put an end to the confrontation.
"HNGH!"
SMASH-KERASH-SCREEEEEEEEEEEECH
In a single fiery assault the ever confident Hero of Time managed to damage his enemy far enough, that its eye seemingly burst from the sheer pressure and stress that his beautifully-displayed technique was seemingly so plentiful in. As it blew apart so too did the infected juices that lay within, spraying all over the youth and the snowy hilltop behind him. It decorated the airwaves however with one final pained scream, the bison ripped up from its fallen state and began to run forward, still caked in what appeared to be the deep fire of Link's powerful Aegir.
STOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMPSTOMP
In a rough and chaotic rush Goht made its last charge and, with seemingly very little direction left, wandered through the remainder of the pathway they were racing on previously, no destination in sight. It was only when the poor mechanical bison made one final wrong turn that the race, and duel, effectively ended; as it turned its body 'round to its sharp-left it managed to collide directly into the wall next to it, and with no power to spare at that.
CRASH-RUMBLE-RUMBLE...
As Goht made its last stand, so too did the wreckage and debris left in its wake; rocks, boulders and all sorts of rubble dropped down from the wall to meet it, effectively burying it in remains and ruins of Snowhead Temple as with Odolwa in Woodfall Temple, an odd kind of symbol heavily resembling Majora's Mask itself rose up from within the wreckage below in a brief hover, before finally dissipating; a final mark of Goht's former existence and the infection with which it had seemingly suffered.
Only the somehow far-off sound of the familiar warp managed to bring the bewitched Tatl out of her captivated stare; as she swung around in a wide-eyed gasp to investigate the source of the recognisable hum, she found herself lowering her eyes to stare back down at her grinning-faced partner.
FRRRR...
FWIP
Still within the confines of Darmani's Goron form, Link's grin ever prevailed him as he shook his burning back-fist, coated in the deep crimson of his Aegir's affinity. When he turned his rocky-shaped head up to face the floating little guardian fairy he couldn't help but widen his smirk, almost as if satisfied somehow.
"Impressed?"
–
2
The sound of what seemed to be a behemoth's form echoed out from the deep white-shaded abyss before the two heroes.
Finally, having defeated Goht and the epidemic in which Skull Kid's dreaded mask breathed into, the temple in Snowhead and its surrounding village could at long last begin to heal.
"W-Where-?"
Link rose up his left index finger to hover directly in front of the similarly levitating Tatl, bringing her back from the precipice of disorientation.
"Ah...," she murmured out, turning her bulbous form around in search. "We're in..."
"This place again," the former Kokiri at last spoke up. As Tatl turned to face him he nodded his blonde-haired head forward, almost as if to direct her to something. "And... them... again."
Sure enough, just as he illustrated, the sound of the behemoth's deep bass toned over to meet the heroes; a powerful echo that vibrated the bright-white platform they stood upon.
"W-What exactly are all of you?" Tatl called forward, her small soprano voice carrying over the endless smoky abyss before them.
Just as before the pair was barely able to see the form before them; the giant itself, in full benefit of its name and title. Its long and powerful red-shaded legs carried it high into the air and above the dreamlike white smoke that pervaded around it. As the narrow-eyed Link drew his oceanic-toned eyesight above, he managed to clock what seemed to be leaves resting all across and under its face; almost as if it were a kind of mask the giant was wearing.
"G-U-A-R-D-I-A-N-S..."
Once again, the ever astute Tatl managed to decipher the large presence's odd ramblings into a clear and concise word; a fact that the narrow-eyed Link deepened his frown in place of.
"G-Guardians?" Tatl parroted herself in a similarly unsure blink. "Oh! You're-"
"Protective gods..."
As Link spoke, almost as if to break the non-existent silence, Tatl couldn't help but swing her head 'round to eye him, a frown on her tone.
"They are to Termina what the Sainted Three are to us." The firmly-frowning youth explained, a hardened look across his countenance in place of his usual childish overconfidence.
"Of course...," the murmuring little guardian fairy whispered out as she turned back to face the standing titan before them both. "That's why you're in these temples... but, then... why are the protective gods...?"
Seemingly somehow able to listen to the talking two, the huge goliath began to very slowly fade from view; almost as if sensing their conversation attempting to poke deeper, the mist and smoke around its form intensified as well as around their own ankles.
A sign that the encounter was soon ending.
"N-No! Wait!" Tatl called out vainly, hopeful in her soprano. "Wait!"
Rokuro, ever shaking and gasping in place, could only cringe as with each hopping step he took was paved with the frigid cold of snow beneath him.
"Ohhh I want out Scoria... I do...," Rokuro groaned, his eyes growing limp as he rubbed at his arms ever incessantly in an attempt to generate some form of heat, all of course in vain. "I say we go on vacation to Great Bay..."
"W-Wait, look!"
Almost as soon as the Goron next to him spoke however did the snow beneath them begin to melt and at an incredible rate at that; Rokuro's eyes widened and, just like magic, so too did the powerful chill in the air. Rather shockingly, as a result of whatever caused the temperature shift, it essentially gave Weybour a new lease on life; as the two Gorons turned their amazed eyes downward, they saw the endless snowfield beneath them vanishing with the rest and even the frozen lake that joined it similarly leave, returning it to a simple pond as it always was.
"Darmani you old dog...!" The watching Scoria whispered out, his surprised frown soon switching to a wide-open grin, marked with a swiping click of his fingers. "Just like he told us!" The Goron called out in his enthusiastic grin, 'rounding it on the similarly bewildered Rokuro.
"Oh...," he murmured out initially before, eventually, widening his eyes a second time almost as if in realisation. "Oh!" He called out again, his memory serving him. "'Tropical drinks'!" Rokuro exclaimed in a boisterous laugh, lowering his likewise muscular arms to rest upon his stomach, as if to balance himself. "He certainly wasn't joking!"
"He certainly wasn't...," Scoria responded in his knowing, remembering grin. Even in his well-served memory he could see the overconfident, childlike grin that was on Darmani's face when he spoke to him about it all; a quality that was unlike the world-weary and cautious man. As Scoria nodded to pepper the finality of his next sentence, he couldn't help but chuckle as he shook his head, as if to bolster his faith in the once-deceased Goron hero. "He most certainly wasn't."
–
3
NIGHT OF THE SECOND DAY
-36 Hours Remain-
As he was dropped down, seemingly via the warp's powerful magic, the frowning Link found himself in Hylian form as he once was within the giants' dimension.
Whatever's inside the power of that warp has the strength to change my form like that, he thought on quietly.
Funny old thing.
"Well... it's just like you said," Tatl spoke up as she floated down to join him, turning her eyes 'round on the beautiful spring landscape that rested around them, now seemingly at last breaking through the dying snowfields that once caked it in bright-white. "They'll be sipping tropical drinks in no time." She spoke, this time in a noticeable chuckle; a smile in her soft-toned soprano.
Surprised, Link could only swing his blonde-haired head up to eye the guardian fairy, a small grin growing on his own expression. "Didn't expect that from you," he admitted in his enthused grin, turning to walk toward the valley into Weybour Village ahead of them. "After all those cold shoulders?" The youth dramatically called out in his grin as he shook within place, almost as if a sudden frigid breeze blew over the pair. "Brrr!"
"All right I'll admit...," the rolling-eyed Tatl shot back, her own tone suggesting a light smile in her voice. "That in spite of yourself you have brief moments where you're not completely juvenile."
"I think that's the closest you've ever came to givin' me a compliment!" The rambunctious youth exclaimed, gripping both sides of his stomach, as if in some fit of hilarity. "Hey, I'll take it!"
In an annoyed groan Tatl rolled her eyes for what felt like the umpteenth time; she lost her smile in favour of her usual frosty frown and re-opened her mouth to retort.
"So what now?" She pressed him, curious. "Now that Weybour's free of the infection... we should probably move onto Great B-"
"Ah but not yet," the grinning Link halted the blinking little guardian fairy as he marched forward; a rise of his left index finger the catalyst of his speech. "We're about to make this..."
SHHHIIING...
To mark his words he unsheathed the seemingly weathered Razor Sword, previously having been buffed earlier by the mountain smithies when they first arrived.
"A lot stronger." He grinned to finish his sentence, swinging the pointed and joined blade forward, as if to direct themselves to their next destination.
"But then... how...?"
Link answered her, re-directing his sky-blue eyes through the new warm spring that they had managed to bring to Weybour and its people.
"To Medigoron!"
With an impressive level of strength, fit of course only for a Goron, Link managed to carry a Powder Keg itself through Weybour Village itself and past its once-frozen lake. Having unlocked the doorway into Medigoron's relatively small study, (thanks to the new spring that they brought onto Weybour) the two heroes made their introductions to the large Goron. Seemingly he appeared to be the manufacturer of the 'Powder Keg'; a much more powerful and enhanced version of the Bomb product the Gorons employ which, of course, is based on their Bomb Flower crop.
With added power and strength comes the incredible weight of responsibility and trust; a single Powder Keg has enough gunpowder to demolish a single domicile.
Powerful enough to instil a large sense of caution...
But also powerful enough to rid them of the giant boulder hanging around the Goron Racetrack.
A sentiment that drove the ever-grinning Link on in his quest to free the one and only obstacle in his search for his missing companions, Navi and Epona.
Surprised that the Goron Elder's son however, Taba, was standing just outside of the plugged Goron Racetrack, Link could only double-take in response to register his understandable shock.
"Darmi!"
As he swung his rocky-shaped head 'round to eye the small Goron standing next to him, his eyes widened before swiftly narrowing as they shot back up to the ticking Powder Keg resting in his grip high above him. In a single muscle-filled grunt he tossed the large bomb-like device forward and readied his expression to cringe, almost as if preparing for some kind of inevitable disaster.
THUD
When it landed however it rent the air with surprise and a great one at that.
Silence.
But then came the ever-present ticking, seemingly now as loud as the water that gladly flowed beneath them in the lake they managed to unfreeze earlier.
"Huh...," Link murmured out, lowering his muscular Goron-shaped hands from his head as his expression shifted from a scrunching to a simple frown. "I guess he made those things to be sturdy."
"What's that mean?"
Before he could answer Taba's odd prodding however the Powder Keg seemed to give its own answer to the infant's proposition.
DROOM
CRUMBLE-CRUMBLE...
In an incredibly brutal, yet very brief show of fireworks, the huge boulder that sat a few feet away from them met its end; a powerful blast that only the highest-tiered level of explosives could manage.
"Darmi!" Taba exclaimed a second time, his own eyes similarly widening in surprise, as he swung his head back 'round to face him. "You did it! You opened the doorway! Now I'll get to see the Weybour Winding Warpath!" The little Goron called out, his wondering frown soon swivelling into an open-mouthed smile. "Thanks again so much!"
Link merely chuckled, his ego being stroked as he dusted himself off. "Ain't no skin off my nose kid."
"I'm going right in!" The little Goron declared passionately. "I'll be waiting for you, so you have to come race! Or at least watch with me!"
With that, the small infant turned and began to run as fast as his little legs would allow; a humorous little patter that left the watching Link with an amused folded-armed grin.
"A race?" Tatl posed ahead as she hung her bulbous form forward, hanging in his line of sight. "What are you hoping to-?"
The grinning-faced Link, this time, opted to silently raise up his right index finger; a silent gesture for her to quieten down and, indeed, stay silent herself. His grin widened as he re-opened his mouth to speak, but only a little.
"I'm gonna show you some gold before this cycle's over baby."
–
4
As the two heroes entered the once blocked off racetrack even the seemingly knowledgeable Link was somewhat surprised by the size and its occupants; it was a rather large one with a great stand for the audience in the top right. Resting just below it appeared to be a desk with a pair of Hylian men, one younger than the other.
The older one, seemingly the ringleader between them, appeared to be dressed in what looked like fancy and official clothing; something that the watching Link would have expected to see back in Hyrule Castle, or even in Mayor Dotour's office in East Clock Town.
The younger one, seemingly almost a renegade in his own right, appeared to be dressed fairly casually and even carried a hat as if to compliment his younger appearance.
That's odd, the narrow-eyed Link thought as he turned his oceanic eyes on the pair sitting by the desk.
"I think I recognise them."
Sure enough, to match his ruminations, memories of passing by the sign-up desk in Hyrule Castle in his very first quest while accompanied by Navi and Zelda, flew by him.
"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost."
The frowning Link swung his rocky-shaped head 'round to blink back at the guardian fairy before slowly regaining his grin once more.
"Just feel like I've seen 'em somewhere before," he answered her, turning his head back 'round to eye the two relatively differing men sitting on the desk nearby. "That's all."
"What a turnout tonight, thank you all for joining us this night ladies and gentlemen!"
The older man's voice, a simple enough baritone, sounded out through what appeared to be some kind of small stone but it was one the watching Link recognised; as beautifully divine-blue as it was, it bore an unmistakeable resemblance to the similarly-shaded Gossip Stones residing throughout his own country as well as Termina.
What was even more surprising however was the bigger versions sitting behind the two men.
Link's oceanic eyes widened in shock when he caught the sight of two huge chunks of beautiful-blue stones; seemingly the output device of the small sky-blue ones on the desk below.
Incredible, the frowning Link thought to himself.
They must be sort of like speech enhancing devices.
Indeed, just as he ruminated on the very notion, the giant rocks behind the two men seemed to be carrying their voices and with respectable force at that; it was enough to send vibrations through the very ground on which they walked on and the audience stand sitting comfortably behind them.
"I'm Mr. Marshall!"
"And y'all know me! I'm Tasty Seth!" The younger man grinned out through the stone he spoke through, his own tenor commanding enough to cause a ripple through the cheering audience behind him. "I'm the partner-in-crime, the man on the scene, the-"
His voice, mid-speech, soon found itself failing as the frowning disapproval of his seeming partner to his right caused him to seemingly realise he was going off tangent.
It seemed to draw a humorous chuckle from the watching crowd of Hylians and Gorons behind them.
"Welcome, one and all, to the Weybour Winding Warpath!" Mr. Marshall called out through his Gossip Stone, his baritone echoing out noisily through the output stone behind him. As before the audience behind him cheered boldly. "It's been one hell of a Grand Prix this year folks I don't mind telling you... but I just love watching those Gorons ruin those tracks!"
"You ain't kiddin' Marsh!" The young man, presumably Seth exclaimed, before he leaned forward and bumped fists softly with the older man; a brotherly sign of camaraderie. "Five wins'll get ya that fifty-thousand Rupee prize that everyone's chasin'!"
"Right you are Seth and for those of you just joining our circuit today we have a complimentary first prize of Gold Dust!" Marshall exclaimed out, his voice booming through the similarly cheering crowd behind him. "That's right folks, only of the highest quality; Laminite!"
"Laminite's a hell of a drug Marsh!"
An awkward silence abruptly descended down upon the pair; something that was appreciated by the chuckling and chortling the congregation of Hylians and Goron gifted them with.
"I guess those guys are the announcers then, huh...," the low-grinning Link spoke in with a light laugh of his own, leaning his head to the side as he watched them. "I wonder if we're gatecrashin' this party then..."
"Oh who cares," Tatl shot back, a small grin in the tone of her own voice. "We could do with some fun especially after everywhere we've been."
"Hah," the grinning-faced youth replied in an agreeing and appreciative nod. "You ain't kiddin'."
"Darmi! Over here!"
The small infant's voice, so surprisingly standout, managed to make the blinking Link swing his head up through the crowd of warming up Gorons standing around him. Standing near what appeared to be the starting point for the racing track, the little Taba waved him over, a big smile drawn across his countenance. The frowning Link soon switched his frown into a light smirk as he exchanged a look with the floating Tatl before stepping through the crowd to reach his position.
"Darmi, I've been waiting for you!" The little Goron grinned, waving at him with both arms in a childish fashion as if to suit him. Link flashed the toddler his usually-charming grin as he placed a hand as ever to rest upon his hip. "I just love these competitions!" Taba exclaimed out. "Prima really do the best ones!"
"Yeah, I guess they do." Link chuckled, swinging his half-amused grin 'round on the booming sound of the announcers' voices to his right.
"Are you going to enter tonight's race?"
As he turned back to regard the little Goron below him, the young Hero of Time blinked initially in confusion before, as usual, his overconfident smirk recovered in full form.
"Obviously," he shot back, ever the picture of assurance. "I'm gonna smoke 'em all."
"Yeah!" Taba called out, laughing as he jumped up in place, his enthusiasm joined by his idol's. "No-one could ever beat you when you got up to full speed! Remember the last Weybour race?"
"Uhhh..."
"Hey, Darmani!"
Saved by the introduction of a foreign voice, Link gladly swung his firmly-shaped head 'round only to find an approaching man of similar race; with a grin on his face he folded his arms as he stood before him.
"I just knew we'd see you hanging around here again!" The man called out boisterously, a similar grin upon his face as he spoke. "Hoping to steal the title away from me again?"
Do I know this guy, the youth wondered.
He's talking like he knows me.
Maybe it's Darmani he knows and not me.
"Ah heh... maybe...," the sheepishly-chortling Link replied, scratching at the side of his head as he raised a curious eyebrow forward. "Who...?"
The Goron, surprised, dropped his beam in favour of a stupefied frown.
"It's Andy," he clarified, tilting his head lightly as he did. "Andesalt?" He spoke once more, this time in a growing chuckle. "I was only Weybour's national champion for five years running... before you took it away from me."
"Andy! Right, got it," Link grinned back, clicking his fingers in a greeting gesture, pointing his two index fingers forward together. "Sorry; I've had my plate full." He apologised in a nervous chuckle as he rubbed the back of his head; an old habit come true.
"So we've all seen," Andesalt chortled, a comparable grin drawn through his gravelly face. "We all owe you for that by the way," he smiled this time, nodding forward in what seemed to be a gesture of respect. "You really saved us... again!" The man laughed out, tilting his head back in his well-intended humour as he did. "Seems like every time there's some kind of a crisis you're there to save us all."
"Come on now Andy...,"
The interjection of a third voice, similarly deep and chalky, managed to make the pair of Gorons swivel their heads 'round to give attention to it; another Goron, presumably one of the other racing contestants, marched toward them in a similar folded-armed grinning-faced state.
"I'm sure I could have dealt with that long winter issue down in Snowhead myself," the seemingly unknown man snickered as he joined the pair. "And if not me then there's always you!"
Although the man appeared to be gifting his seeming companions with some kind of a compliment, it was thinly veiled at best; something that even the listening Andesalt caught onto. Although his earlier cheery grin had died down to a simpler one, it was still relatively sociable; he cast the listening Link an appreciative glancing grin. The youth, ever still in his disguise of Darmani, couldn't help but chuckle very quietly to himself as he translated the look in Andesalt's eyes.
"After all, no-one's ever stopped Flint when he gets up and goin'." The third Goron at last introduced himself with, his arms seemingly ever folded.
It was only when he double-took to the little presence resting beneath their towering forms however that his somehow eternal smirk fell in favour of a surprised frown.
"Taba!" He exclaimed out, bringing the attention of the similarly watching pair of Gorons next to him. The small infant, his name having been called, couldn't help but extend his wide grin to exchange it with the watching trio. "Does Roru know you're out here at this time of night?"
"Yeah!" The little toddler grinned, thrusting a finger to the large audience stand to the group's side and his own left. "It was his idea! He's sitting over there!"
Sure enough sitting in the very top shelf of the auditorium appeared to be the Goron Elder himself; as the surprised-faced Link caught him looking, ever gripping his long and hardwood walking stick, he waved back in a lightly greeting smile.
"Well it's always nice to rub shoulders with the boys up top, eh, eh?" Flint spoke back up, his smirk ever returned to his face as he nudged the young infant softly in his lowered and leaning position, drawing a lightly-amused giggle from him in response.
"Man I can't wait for this race to start!" Taba exclaimed out, raising up his two small rocky fists and balling them up together, as if in excitement. "Darmani's gonna win!"
"Well I dunno about that," the likewise-faced Link shrugged back exaggeratedly, his eyes briefly shut as he did. "But I'll definitely do my best kid." He finished, this time in a simple smile as he lowered his left hand to pat the infant's head affectionately. Watching on from the side, the grinning Flint chuckled, shaking his head in response to the statement almost as if in some kind of heckle.
"Not if I have anything to say about it," the man boldly claimed, tilting his head mid-speech as he did. "I guess, between all these other donkeys...," he began again, leaning forward in his light smirk, eyes hovering between the watching Link and Andesalt. "It's gonna be a three horse race." He finished, scanning the pair with a kind of hungry competitive look in his eye.
–
5
"I tell you ladies and gentlemen there is an electricity in the very air that we breath here tonight," Mr. Marshall began, his professional baritone booming down the very Gossip Stone in which he spoke through. "A palpable hue of anticipation itself; immortality, my friends... one simple victory away here, tonight."
In response, as seemingly always, the audience behind him cheered uproariously.
"It's all up to these incredible Goron racers now folks," Marshall smiled through the small bright-blue Gossip Stone laying down on the table below him. "Men and women that have come from all corners of the world in order to showcase their incredible rolling talent!"
"Just look at these guys Marsh...!" The watching Seth hissed out through his speech device, eyes widened as he beheld the sight before him. Numerous Gorons, all as muscled and as brawny as the next, all stood together on the racetrack's long white line, seemingly finishing with their warm-ups. "We could be looking at the next Weybour and Terminian national champion!"
"Right you are Seth and with that, let's introduce tonight's racers!" The older commentator smiled on as he turned his free hand in a gesture to point toward the ready Goron contestants. "Standing near the front appears to be the former champion himself; Andesalt Tabard!" He called out grandly, his amplified voice bringing rise to the inevitable cheer of the watching and listening audience behind him. "This man, having won the championship for an impressive five year reign, is one to be feared for sure folks," the well-dressed man smiled, nodding in his enthusiastic illustration. "In his incredible tenure as Termina's champion, he was said to have been nicknamed fondly by his fans as the White-Light!"
"Yooo Marsh I remember those days!" The grinning-faced Seth shot in with, leaning back in his chair as he did. "Back then if you put any Rupees on anyone else you were certifiably insane!"
"A true lesson to be taught indeed," the smiling Marshall nodded as he leant his head toward the young man next to him before turning back to the race ahead. "Standing next to our former Terminian champion would be a relatively new up and comer; Flint Bradshaw!"
As with his previous introduction, the resting crowd behind him let loose with a debilitating applause, morale-filled and all.
"In the absence of Termina's current champion, Flint has managed to beat all of his former world records," the well-dressed Marshall explained briefly, the light smile on his face telling all. "Truly, a worthy adversary in name and title!"
"We got one more, right?!"
"Besides the countless others that survived through pools? Right you are Seth...," Marshall chuckled lightly; an amusement that brought a similar sounding chortle through the listening audience behind him. "And finally, last but certainly not least...," he began again, his smile ever-widening into a small grin, almost as if his pleonastic nature was leading straight up to this moment. "Our current national champion and your town's personal hero, everyone give it up for Darmani the Third!"
As expected the sporting congregation behind him let loose a deafening roar of approval even stronger than the last; enough to vibrate the very floor on which the grinning-expressed Link stood on.
"Once considered heir to the very throne of Weybour itself, Darmani's incredible strength carried him through multiple gauntlets of Prima's hard demanding races," Marshall's deep baritone boomed, laying his inevitably successful foundations out on the table before him. "A success that saw him win these very races into Termina's national champion!"
"Yo this is too hype," the beaming Seth spoke, though in a light grin, a shake of his head indicated his position. "We got one hell of a season finish with these racers Marsh!"
"You damn right we do Seth!" The older man agreed, this time in a narrow-eyed frown, directing a click of his fingers toward the watching racers and the restless audience. "So let's stop talking about it and get down to it!"
The resounding cheer from the assembly in the stand behind him reinforced his wishes.
"Three!"
The smiling Andesalt, standing at Link's right, nodded toward him; a gesture of respect and sportsmanship.
"Two!"
In response to the announcer, all other Gorons 'round the starting line curled up, but not before the smirking-faced Flint nodded his head upward at the raised eyebrow that Link batted back.
A similar look of friendship and yet leagues apart from one another.
"One!"
At last the narrow-eyed Link curled his own form up, a low grin of his own taking hold of him to match the overconfidence he exuded so boldly.
"Here we go..."
Tatl's worried whisper did little to dissuade the Kokiri-bound youth; even as he stared a completely unknown field of events within his vision, he remained as steadfast as when he began.
"GO!"
CRACKLE-BOOM
In a showy display of fireworks, presumably via some form of Aegir behind them, the contestants were off and like Keese out of the Dark World they fired forward, their Quintessence moving them to incredible speeds.
"And they're off!" The smiling Marshall called out, seemingly beginning his commentary. "It's a one and a two to the long and winding track; just as well we laid out some pots of Aegir for our hungry racers!"
"You ain't kiddin' Marsh," the ever-grinning Seth agreed, ever the rambunctious one. "They're gonna need it; look!"
Just as he pointed out, the racers had very quickly come to the first hurdle and point of interest; as they 'rounded the second corner they appeared to come into a long inclined hill, dotted with a single ramp and two large green pots of Aegir hanging in the sides which, alternatively, drew downward as opposed to upward.
Link's form, powered by a huge aura of fire and dotted with long spikes of metal 'round his body, stood out amongst the group of Gorons as they all rolled toward the ramp. As he began to quickly approach the ramp however, the similarly quick form of Flint quickly started to gain headway on the youth and advanced on him from the rear. Sensing his fast approach the young Hero of Time slammed his fiery-coated body into his opponent's, successfully sending him veering off in the other direction.
"What a collision!" Marshall's voice called out above the din of the Gorons' rumbling rolls. "Darmani's taking no prisoners tonight folks; Flint veers off course from that savage assault!"
CLANG
Like sword against sword, Flint's body made a loud metallic ringing sound as it managed to stay on course thanks to the timely intervention of one of the many other Gorons; in mid-air as he shot off to the side and off the bridge nearby, a falling Goron managed to save him by accidentally coming into contact with him at the last second, effectively sealing his own fate into falling off and out of bounds.
"Ouch town; population you bro!"
Along with the watching audience's deafening cheers came the inevitable laughter that followed; a jolly reaction to the ever childish broadcast that Seth delivered.
BOOM
In a powerful explosion a second Goron, seemingly having collided with another racer, managed to drop out of the race through making contact with one of the track's stationary Bomb Flowers.
"And that's another poor contestant knocked out of the game; what of a pity!" The watching Marshall called forward, his baritone booming through the Gossip Stone he spoke through.
"Here it comes Marsh!"
At the wide-eyed Seth's exclamation came from the side, leaning forward on the desk he sat at to point a finger forward, as if his very excitement carried him through.
"Ah, of course!" Marshall nodded, turning his narrow-eyed frown back toward the track before him. "Our racers now approach the Pelican Timberland section of the raceway; an obstacle course filled with the greatest of trees provided for us by the royal Deku clan of Woodfall!"
Just as he seemingly announced it, the ever-grinning Link found himself weaving in and out of the many large trunks of wood resting around the track he manoeuvred; a diagonal cross through in which the hot-rolling Andesalt and Flint soon followed, joined by a gaggle of similarly undulating Gorons behind the three dominant challengers. As the group of racers exited the small forest, they travelled through an underpass and soon came out to a steep hill that gave birth to many ramps, this time dotted with large green-shaded pots of Aegir for them to feast on.
"Here we go Marsh! The Mammoth Bluffs!"
"Right you are Seth!" The smiling Marshall agreed in a light nod, his smile soon fading as he recovered his professional-like frown, his eyes turning back to the track before him. "A second bridge on this championship track that really tests a racer's balance and even competence...!" The man hissed out, his eyes narrowing toward the tiny space that the bridge ahead even allowed for the competitors. "I don't envy these aspirants one bit!"
As the older, and seemingly more wiser man illuminated, Link just barely found himself fitting through the space atop the hardwood of the bridge he rolled across; an issue that found itself claiming many victims behind himself and his two challenging companions, Andesalt and Flint.
"Look at that Marsh!" The young Seth exclaimed out, mid-laughter as he watched the rest of the racing Gorons all drop back onto the race's beginning portion. "It's rainin' Gorons!"
"Those little piggies all went roll, roll, roll... all the way home." The smiling Marshall quipped in a light tilt of his head, eliciting a cheering chuckle from the listening audience behind him.
In the popular pair's announcements came the fifth and final hurdle; a long and winding track that was fraught with steep inclined bumps. A track that bent to the right sharply; one that only the ever-grinning Link, Andesalt and Flint managed to stay ahead in, the rest of the Goron contestants behind them bringing up the rear.
"Here it comes Marsh! The end!"
"Here we go ladies and gentlemen; the true end to the Weybour Winding Warpath!" The older man called out, standing up from his seat to continue commentating, as if in excitement. "Only three of our racers remain in front! Darmani, Andesalt and Flint! Who will take the championship tonight?! Only one can win!"
To match his inspired calls came the inevitable screaming cheer of the crowd behind him, rallying on their support for the three remaining challengers; a rally that saw all three continually clashing and colliding with one another in a savage and ruthless contest for control. As they began to make the final approach however, the hot-rolling Andesalt took one of the steep inclined bumps ahead to leap up off of, presumably to gain some air-time and jump out in front of the pair.
"Mistaaaaaaaake!"
In accordance with the enthusiastically informing shout that the grinning Seth began, it was indeed a blunder, for when the wide-eyed Andesalt found the similarly-smirking form of Flint fast approaching in mid-air, he held back from gasping.
KTAAAAAAAANG-THUD-THUD
In an incredible smash, their fire-coated forms found themselves crashing together and one in favour for the smirking-faced Flint; the poor Andesalt, his trajectory effectively swivelled 'round, found himself dropping down to the far-left of the track. Having lost too much momentum and speed, he collided roughly with another Goron racer and the pair exclaimed a pained shout together as they uncurled up, essentially now out of the race.
"What a turn-around!" Marshall exclaimed, gripping the small brightly-blue Gossip Stone he spoke through passionately, eyes widened at the scene before him. "In a single brutal smash, Flint not only managed to eliminate a racer, but increased the chances of his own victory! This race isn't done yet!"
"Seth's gon' need new shorts!"
Choosing to ignore the laughing and cheering audience as always, the narrow-eyed Link and glaring Flint found themselves locked in what felt like an endless struggle for first place; as they came closer and closer to the finish line so too did the metal spikes on their forms clash into one another ceaselessly. At last, however, the two quick-rolling Gorons made the final approach into the finish line; a fact reflected in their similarly hurried undulating. As they continually clashed with one another their speed was similarly lowered, but only temporarily, and not without quick recoup; something that the watching paired announcers readied themselves for.
"Our top two are neck and neck folks!" Marshall called out loudly, sitting up from his chair in a showy display of fervour, joined by his younger companion and partner. "This is it! A pictograph-finish!"
"Goooo you crazy son of a Poe go!"
Even as the two announcers finished their declarations, so too did the wide-eyed Flint and narrow-eyed Link end their stalemate; as their Goron forms at last rolled within view of the finish line itself, a loud click called out. It was one that managed to temporarily freeze the very flow of time itself; one that made the watching audience, as well as their amazed commentators, bate their breath in a joined and thrilled hush.
CLICK