A column of fire punched through the air, leaving a scorching trail in its wake. As the flame died out, the huge dodongo let out a roar. Its enormous feet stomped the heat-hardened earth and it began to pace.
Link, having leapt out of the way and onto a large boulder sitting in the lava pit in the nick of time, peered from behind his Hylian shield. The shield was a good defense against the heat and fire, but Link's Kokiri sword was no match for the beast's thick hide.
While Navi flitted around the dodongo's head, no more than a pest to him, Link searched for another option.
Raising his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, his eyes caught the glint of gold on his wrist. The bracelet that Darunia had given him glowed in the heat, the Goron insignia stark black.
With another bellow, the beast let loose another breath of fire across the pit. Link huddled behind the shield, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck raise.
Unable to either reach Link or roast him, the monster growled and paced back and forth on the safe ground. It seemed loathe to get closer to the lava where Link was hiding.
Link searched the bare room, his practiced eyes lighting on the only speck of green. There, in the corner, was a nest of green leaves. At their center, a bomb flower. His eyes lit up, remembering the awesome, explosive power of the flowers. The trick was, how to reach it before getting fried into cinders?
"Navi! Distract him! I have an idea!"
Before she could protest, Link hopped back onto ground, running to the opposite corner from the dodongo. Seizing the root of the flower, he pulled it free with the help of the magical bracelet's strength. Victory in hand, Link ran as close as he dared to the beast and hurled the explosive flower at him. Bouncing off the scaly skin, it nonetheless detonated in the dodongo's face.
When the smoke cleared, the monster looked completely unimpressed.
"It didn't work!" Navi called unnecessarily. Link groaned.
Curling into a tight ball, much like a goron, the dodongo charged Link. With a yelp, he turned and sprinted away. He was thrown off his feet by the force of the beast crashing into the wall. The dodongo unfurled itself and shook its head. Its jaws opened for another fire breath, revealing a cavernous throat.
Link grabbed another bomb flower and threw it blindly, suddenly wishing he hadn't agreed to help Darunia.
"Link, the bomb!"
Before the monster could fire at Link, the bomb flower shot down his throat, stopping him in his tracks. The creature's belly rippled as the bomb detonated inside its stomach, and it howled in pain.
Disoriented, the dodongo stumbled around, shaking the ground beneath Link. It lost its footing and tumbled into the lava pit, shrieking as the extreme heat penetrated its tough hide and cooked it alive.
Navi floated over to inspect it. "Is it dead?" Link asked.
The thing's scaly foot twitched and Link nearly retched.
"It is," Navi said. "This must be another of Ganondorf's creatures, like Gohma."
"What do you mean?"
"It's filled with vile magical energy. It might have been an ordinary dodongo, once," Navi explained.
Link glanced at the dead monster encased in lava. "So Ganondorf did all this?"
"I suppose so," Navi replied, shrugging her tiny wings.
Link frowned. He was sure that Ganondorf had done this to the gorons purposefully to force them to hand over their Spiritual Stone. How anyone could starve and endanger a wonderful tribe like the gorons, he didn't know.
His task finished, the pair climbed out of the cavern and navigated their way back to the entrance of the mine. Outside, the sun had risen in the sky. After being in the caves, its light was blinding.
"I have to admit, I'm surprised. That doesn't happen often, kid."
Darunia's booming voice startled him. He spun around to see the Elder standing behind him, arms crossed, a smile on his face.
Darunia stepped forward and patted him until Link's knees gave out. "Well done, kid! By Din, this is going to make one heck of a story!"
Recovering from Darunia's praise, Link stood up. "Why did that big dodongo show up?"
The chieftain looked down at him. "It was Ganondorf. The leader of a desert people far to the west of here. He asked me for the Spiritual Stone." Darunia scoffed. "When I refused, his followers caused the dodongos to multiply and grow bigger and fiercer than ever before. We couldn't stop them from overtaking the caves and keeping us from our food source."
A frown wrinkled his stony brow before he lightened again. "But that's all gone now, thanks to you!" He thwacked Link on the back hard enough to make Link stumble. "I like you, kid! Anyone who risks their life for the gorons is our friend for life. Whaddya say you and I become sworn brothers?"
Before he could ask what a sworn brother was, Darunia raised his beefy arms and a brilliant red light flash before him. When it faded out, the goron held in his giant palm a beautiful red gemstone encased in gold.
"For you," Darunia chuckled, seeing the amazement on Link's face. "You earned it, kid. If anyone can keep our ruby safe from Ganondorf, it's you."
"Thank you," he said sincerely, looking up at the goron's intimidating face.
Laughing, Darunia shook his wild mane out, his eyes glinting. "How about a big goron hug, brother? I know the others want to say thanks, as well!"
As if on cue, two more gorons dropped from the cliffs above and crashed next to their leader. Uncurling, they stepped towards Link, arms outstretched and smiling.
Link had some idea of how painful a hug from a goron might be. Taking a step back, he turned and ran, Darunia's gleeful cackles following him all the way.
~oOo~
Dark was beginning to hate people who smiled too much.
Sakon's oversized grin was bad enough. The mask salesman's cheery smile was downright eerie.
"See anything you like?" The salesman asked, wringing his hands together.
"Er, no," Dark muttered, looking away from the masks lining the walls.
Most of the masks were brightly coloured, carved to resemble the faces of various animals and creatures. A few were meant to be caricatures or characters. The newly opened shop was meant mainly for entertainment, but he'd heard a rumour that the weird salesman also had a few more useful items.
"Looking for something in particular?"
The salesman spoke with a soft, high voice. He seemed to be laughing with every word, almost mocking.
"Something to help me pass unnoticed," Dark said, grimacing at a Gerudo-inspired mask.
"Ahh," the salesman hummed. He turned sharply, his long, violet coat whirling.
As he rummaged behind the counter, the door of the shop swung open for another customer. Dark, busy trying on a moblin mask, glanced back in curiosity.
The strangest boy he had ever seen stood there, dressed all in green. He also wore a sword and heavy shield on his back, which was unusual.
The mask salesman popped into view. "Welcome!" He trilled.
The boy in green jumped in surprise. "What is this place?" He asked.
Dark groaned. Eagerly, the salesman plunged into his explanation. Once he finished, he continued his search. The boy in green began to look around, trying on masks.
"You might like this one," Dark suggested, tossing one to the other boy.
He caught it, looking at the yellow, fox-like face with interest. "What is it?" he asked, his voice muffled behind a Goron mask.
"A keaton," Dark said. "They look sort of like foxes, but with more tails. They're hard to catch, but it's supposed to be good luck if you do."
The boy just shrugged and tried it on. He laughed at his reflection in the mirror.
"Why are you dressed like that?" Dark asked.
The keaton-face turned towards him. "I'm a Kokiri. We all dress like this."
Behind the counter, the salesman had stopped his rummaging. Dark's eyebrows rose.
"A Kokiri, huh? Thought that was just a legend."
"Here you are!" The salesman interrupted. He bounded from the behind the counter, smile as oily as his slicked back hair.
Dark looked at the mask he offered. It was the ugliest one he'd seen yet, featuring mismatched eyes and a drooping mouth. "How is that supposed to help?"
"The Stone mask," the salesman said, "allows the wearer to pass by without a second glance. No one will notice you."
"What's your price?" Dark growled.
The man giggled. "No price. Just bring it back once you're done with it."
Suspicious, Dark took the Stone mask, stowing it in his satchel. "Alright," he muttered.
With a too-big smile, the salesman bid him farewell, dismissing him. Rankled, Dark grabbed the door, looking back to see the kid in green was now talking to the salesman, who was rocking on his heels and wringing his hands again.
There was something strange going on, but Dark had other things to do.
He left the shop, putting the creepy shopkeeper and the weird Kokiri kid from his mind. Before he left for Sakon's hideout, he needed a little test.
He retrieved the mask and held it in his hands, moving to stand in the middle of the road. The crowds swarmed around him. Most didn't pay him much attention. A couple gave him a second look but kept walking.
Resisting the urge to get snarky, he pulled the mask over his face. A strange thing happened. Rather than circling around him, people started to run straight into him. When they inevitably collided, they would look around in confusion, never making eye contact with him.
"Hey!" he shouted, waving his hand in one man's face. "Watch where you're going!"
The man shrugged and kept walking. He hadn't even seen Dark. He took the mask off; someone apologized for bumping into him.
The mask worked. Dark grinned. It was time to find Sakon's hideout.
~oOo~
Zelda stared at Link's face, her brows drawn in confusion. "What is it?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
Link grinned underneath the mask. "It's called a Keaton," he said gleefully. "I got it at that new mask shop!"
She smiled back, and the action made her eyes glow. He was grateful the mask covered all of his face for it turned red.
"Can I try it on?" she asked eagerly.
"Sure." He bit back some giggles as she slipped it on, squinting to see through the two eye-slits. Breathless with suppressed laughter, he slunk around her side behind her.
"Link?"
Link leapt forward and prodded her in the ribs, tickling her sides. Zelda shrieked and twisted away from him, the mask slipping off her face.
"No fair!" she shouted, gigging as much as him.
Laughing, Link evaded her clutching hands trying to get revenge. They raced through the courtyard, the mask forgotten in the grass. After a few moments they collapsed, short of breath.
Zelda turned to him, holding her aching sides. "It's been so long since I laughed like that." She beamed.
Link ducked his head and plucked at a few blades of grass. "Must be boring being the princess," he said.
"Sometimes," she admitted, tucking her feet under her. "Princesses don't always get to do what's fun."
"We should have another day in Castle Town," he suggested.
Her smile faded. "I would like that," she said, "but I'm afraid my father has put more guards on the castle." She eyed him. "I was impressed you made it back in."
Giggling anew, Link sat up, cross-legged. "I have my ways," he teased.
Zelda's eyebrows arched. "It's been fun to take my mind off of things, but I have to remember my mission," she said in a very serious, princess-y tone.
"Oh, that's right." Link darted over to where he'd left his things and retrieved the Goron's Ruby. He held it out for her to see. "I met the gorons," he said, excitement creeping into his voice over his latest adventure.
After admiring the stone, Zelda set it in her lap and looked back at him. "Really? I've only met a few. What was it like in Goron City?"
Link told her all about his trip to Kakariko, the trek up Death Mountain, meeting the gorons and the formidable monsters in the cavern. He embellished a few details, but his obvious attempts at making himself look better made her laugh.
Eventually, Impa appeared to send Link away, as the sun was hanging low in the sky. Zelda returned the stone to him, saying he should keep it safe. Impa escorted him safely past the guards, then gave him directions to a nearby inn where he could stay, courtesy of Impa's friend the innkeeper.
The next few weeks passed in a blur. Link and Zelda spent nearly every day locked in the castle's library amid towers of books, searching for clues.
Zelda had explained that the three stones had passed through many hands in Hyrule's history, and their very existence had become forgotten.
As he scanned yet another historical volume, Link thought that much of Hyrule's history had been forgotten. There were certainly large gaps in the timeline. Not to mention it was difficult to separate stories from fact.
He dropped the heavy tome on the stack next to him and stretched his arms above his head. "Where did the stones come from, anyways?" he asked.
Zelda looked up from her study. Her hair was loose around her shoulders today, and messy from her running her playing with the ends while she read.
"They were created eons ago," she started, frowning as she recalled details. "Some believe the sister Goddesses created them, but Impa told me they were forged even longer ago from ancient fires."
"What's older than the goddesses?"
"There are more than just the sisters," Zelda said, slamming her book shut and reaching for another. "It is believed the Goddess of Time is the mother of the three deities of Hyrule. And there is another goddess, Hylia. But very little that was written about her has survived."
"How come?"
"During Hylia's time, there were a great many wars ravaging the land. Many historical records from that time were lost." Zelda shrugged. "We may never know more about her than the legends."
Link glanced at the Goron's Ruby and the Kokiri's Emerald, resting on a nearby table. "So who created the spiritual stones?"
Zelda scrunched up her face again, remembering details. "Impa said…the goddesses created this world in the void. The void existed because the world that came before ours was destroyed, and that all time stopped."
Link tried to imagine a place where time didn't exist. The thought was a bit chilling.
"The Goddess of Time and—Impa calls him the Sheikah word for 'chaos'—another god ruled over the void. Once time started to move again, the three sisters descended to create our world. Before this, Impa says Sheikan legend refers to the god forging three unique stones in the three ancient fires. She said the fires represented the spirits of the sisters."
"Sheikan legends sound different than Hylian ones," Link remarked.
"They often intersect, but yes, they are quite unique," she replied, absently discarding another volume. "The books say the stones have always been passed down to the many races of Hyrule for protection, but then there are changes in alliances, or wars, or migrations." Zelda huffed in frustration.
"History is complicated."
Zelda chuckled. "It is that."
Continuing their search, they each grabbed a new pile of books, reading until their eyes grew tired and the sun's reddish rays zigzagged through the shelves. Navi, who had been sleeping on a bookend, roused herself.
"Link, look!" Zelda shrieked excitedly.
Navi jumped, alarmed. Link scooted over to see the passage Zelda had been perusing.
"When Hyrule's first Unification War broke out, the three Spiritual Stones of legend were passed from the Royal Family to its trusted friends, three members of the races who most represented the spirits of the three golden goddesses." Zelda paused, frowning as she read the next paragraph. "The three trusted friends took the stones to far-flung corners of the land, keeping them safe from Hyrule's enemies. The first stone, entrusted to the guardian of the ancient forest, was hidden deep in the woods. The second was given to the protection of Din's favourite race. The final stone was awarded to the keepers of Nayru's wisdom..."
"Zelda? What is it?"
She shook her head, making her short blonde hair sway. "The keepers...it's a reference to the Zora people. They must have the third stone!"
"Great." Link stood up and dusted off his shirt. "How do I find them?"
Pulling a folded-up piece of parchment from under her stack, Zelda unfurled a large map of Hyrule. Link gawked at it. She caught his surprise.
"Hyrule is a big place," she said, "but far from the biggest land in our world. Here," she pointed at a large body of water, tracing her finger over the river it flowed into. "Their domain is found here. It's not too far from Kakariko, you might have to camp there for a night or two."
"We can leave tomorrow," Link said, gathering his things. "I should leave before the guards take their nightly posts."
"Agreed." Zelda fluffed her skirts and moved to restack the books.
"Don't you want to keep the other two stones?" He asked.
Her back stiffened, her face pinching in a frown. "I had more dreams while you were away. I fear Ganondorf's spies are watching me."
Link placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I'll keep them safe. I promise."
"Thank you." Zelda grasped his hand between both of hers. A creaky floorboard in the hall alerted them to the changing of the guard. "You should go," she whispered.
As he turned to go, her voice calling his name stopped him.
"Link, can I see your ocarina?"
He reached inside his pocket and retrieved the little instrument. Taking it from him, Zelda held it up and played three notes, repeating them a few times for him to hear.
"What's that?" Link asked, feeling his balance sway suddenly.
"A lullaby that Impa used to play for me," she explained. "It's a very old song, passed down through my family. If you play it for the Zora, they will know that I sent you and let you pass."
She played the sweet, soothing notes a few more times until he had memorized them, then handed back the ocarina. As she did so Zelda's hand brushed against Link's.
"Link."
He lifted his eyes to meet hers. Her concerned expression smoothed into an assuring smile.
"Be careful."
Link grinned and pocketed the ocarina. "I will. I'll be back soon."
Confident that their mission would soon be over and Ganondorf's plans would be thwarted, Link and Navi left the library. Still, as the heavy door shut behind them, Zelda couldn't shake her fears.
The darkness that threatened Hyrule was creeping closer, despite their efforts. She feared nothing could stop the events that had been set in motion.
Zelda carried her books to the wide window, with its view of Castle Town's peaked rooftops. The setting sun had slipped behind them, bathing the town in bright, red light.
The prophetic dreams she continued to have raced through her mind, preying on her uncertainty. She was sure of it; Hyrule's future was nearing a turning point.