(I decided to move this into chapter 6.

I still love Twilight Princess and I am not abandoning this story until complete! Trust me. The only thing that'll hold me back is death. :P I'm glad people are enjoying this and I hope to get back on track! When I get 20 reviews I'll write more, and even if I don't, I'll probably add more. We're getting to the good part! Be aware that SOMEONE WILL BE CAPTURED in this chapter! (spoiler? sorry!)

As they exited the hut, they saw that the sun was setting behind Death Mountain. They went to the horses, and made sure they were secure. "We can't take the horses over the mountains," Rusl spoke in his low voice. "We'll have to climb by foot."

"It only makes me wonder," Shad mumbled, changing the subject as he followed Rusl to a large slope, where he was sure was the only safe way into the mountain, "if these potions will really work. How is Renado sure they'll work?"

"You worry too much!" Ashei chuckled. "We'll be fine. I trust Renado."

"Well, I do too, but what if something doesn't work, or the Lizalfos aren't effected? Obviously, he hasn't tested them on a Lizalfos."

"Well, this is our only chance of actually getting them. I'm sure if we didn't have the potions in the first place, we would still subdue their queen by brute force. So we can just try the potion, and if that doesn't work, we would do what we would've done had we not had them." Rusl explained. "We'll have to strike her down without killing her, and tie her up and drag her to the City in the Sky if we have to."

"I don't even know how big it'll be." Shad said. "And how are we going to fit it in a cannon?"

Suddenly, Junior poked his head out of Shad's pocket.

"Oh!" Shad exclaimed. "I completely forgot about him!"

Junior hovered into the air, then said, "I can teleport her to Mama!" He made a beelike humming noise with is wings as he flew around Shad in circles. "Just like this!"

"Now, don't get carried away! We don't want to teleport right now." Shad said hastily.

"Oh, okay." Junior hovered back into Shad's pocket, and peeked out so he could see where they were going. "Tell me when you get there!"

The three proceeded to climb up the slope. The rocks were jagged and rough, and the three had to take caution so they wouldn't trip and hurt themselves on the hard stones. Soon, they had almost reached solid ground, but Rusl stopped them.

"There's a tribe of monsters that live nearby." He whispered. "They like to shoot people from the high ground with their arrows. If we're quiet, we can make it by without bothering them or hurting ourselves."

He pointed to an opening in the mountainside which led to the smooth ground. "That's their hunting ground. If we trigger one of their traps, we might end up as their prey. If we get across, we're home free to the Gorons."

"How do you know this area so well?" Shad asked as he followed Rusl slowly to the opening in the stones.

"I've been here before," he said quietly. "A long time ago. I never forgot my mistake of wandering into this hunting ground, and I learned from it. Now if you follow me closely, we can make it across."

Shad and Ashei followed Rusl as he slowly stepped into the large area. He then began running, swiftly and quietly, to a nearby rock. Shad and Ashei hesitantly followed him. They knew that they were trusting their lives in Rusl's memory, and neither of them knew just how sharp he was.

Sheilded by the night sky, the three of them passed safely across, without triggering any traps laid by the hunters. They soon came to the borders of the Goron tribe village. As they approached, they heard a pained moan from nearby.

"Look!" Ashei pointed to a small nook created by a hole in the mountainside. A Goron lay refuged inside, on his stomach, so his hard, rocklike back faced up.

The three ran to the Goron's side.

"What happened here?" Rusl asked.

"Ahgh! A friendly voice at last..." The Goron wheezed, turning his head so he could see them. There was clotted blood on his forehead. "Our tribe was attacked... many of us were captured by them... the Lizalfos..." He coughed, then sat up slowly. "They are no longer the wimpy little lizards they used to be... our tribe was so puffed up with pride that we all thought we could kill them all, but they unleashed unimaginable power... We killed about twenty of their twenty-five warriors, but the remaining five attacked with such force... it was as if each time one of theirs was defeated, the remaining Lizalfos's power grew stronger..."

"So theres' only five warriors left in their colony?"

The Goron nodded. "The rest of us who escaped... are hiding in places such as these, scattered about Death Mountain..." he then choked and coughed, then laid back down, as if just sitting was too much for him.

"We can help you!" Shad said, then fumbled in his small backpack, trying to find something to give the Goron medical treatment, but the rock-man refused. "No... no, sir Hylian. Do not waste your supplies on me! I'll be fine..."

"What's your name?" Ashei asked.

"Gor Naaro." He said. "And you?"

"I'm Ashei, and thats Shad and Rusl." She pointed to the two respectively. "We want to know where the entrance of their nest is, Gor Naaro." She said.

"Just near our mines, in a tunnel. Why? You aren't actually planning to go in there, are you?!"

"We need to free the rest of your people and capture their queen." Shad explained. "We have the means to, as well! Renado gave us these potions."

"Renado gave you his potions?" Gor Naaro chuckled. "We've been wanting to test his prized potions for ages, but he's always told us that he was saving them for when the time came... you are lucky to try out his famous alchemy."

"Famous?"

"Well, famous around here, anyway. They say he uses special herbs found in only the deepest places of the world mixed with the waters of the spirit oasis. You can't get much better then that!"

"Thank you, Gor Naaro." Rusl said. "We'll come back soon, trust us."

"Good luck! And have faith in those potions!" Gor Naaro called as the three began to walk reluctantly away from their ally. The hard hearts of the Gorons were impossible to shake once they made a decision- and they were afraid that Gor Naaro's refusal of Shad's medical gear would be his decision of death.

Rusl proceeded to lead the way through the rocks and to the Goron tribe headquarters, where the entrance to the mines were. When they reached their tribe center, they gasped at a greusome sight before them. There were three Gorons on the floor, sliced into pieces, some missing body parts, others were completely mutilated.

Ashei saw Shad shut his eyes and turn away out of both nausea and mourning. The Gorons were allies of the Hylains and were always ready to lend a helping hand. Rusl and Ashei continued to stare, nearly petrified.

"These Gorons..." Ashei clenched her teeth in anger. "We must avenge them! I will kill every last one of those hybrid Lizalfos!"

Rusl turned and laid a supportive hand on Ashei's shoulder. "Don't worry. We will avenge the Gorons, but don't get carried away." He then turned to Shad, who was still facing the entrance of the room, motionless and speechless.

"Shad?"

"I... I can't handle this, Rusl... what am I doing here, anyway!? Why don't you just take Junior and finish this yourself?"

"We need you, Shad. You're the brains of this." Ashei growled, trying to calm herself down.

"Junior, go with Rusl." Shad told the little Oocca.

Junior looked up at Shad with is big eyes, then said, "no! You're my friend!"

"Junior, I don't want to go in that cave." Shad told him. "Please go with them and help them."

"I only listen to you! You're the Journal Man!"

"What?"

"Your Journal, kid!" Junior squeaked. "You're the one who writes the journal! Studies us! I like you, kid! I only trust you!"

"But... what does my passion have to do with anything?!" Shad asked. "You trusted Link!"

"You and Link are both chosen by the spirits of this world! You are both chosen by destiny! You both have a task and talent so use it, kid!"

Shad closed his eyes and sighed, then turned around and braced himself. He opened his eyes, allowing himself to look at the gore in the room, then said with determination, "He's right. If he won't listen to anyone but me then I have to go with you. You're stuck." Shad smiled sheepishly.

"Great." Rusl patted his back, then pointed to a large opening in the wall, that looked as though it had been blasted from the inside. Steam rose from the opening, as if it was very hot inside. "That's where we're headed. Let's drink the potions now."

As they began to dig for their potions in their pokcets, something appeared at the entrance of the cave. The three of them quickly drew their weapons, preparing for battle, but the shady figure raised its hands and cried, "stay your weapons!"

The voice sounded Lizalfos, but Shad recognized it. "You're... you're the Lizalfos I showed mercy to!" He said.

"That I am, Shad of the Hylians. I am not your enemy." The Lizalfos bowed. "I had a thought that you would come here. I told no one of your coming. In fact, I would like to guide you through the maze of my home."

Ashei continued to hold her weapon tightly. "We don't trust you! Obviously you had something to do with the murder of these Gorons!"

"No!" he said. "I hid in the shadows while my companions did the slaying. I truly want to help your friend Shad."

"And you won't help me?" Ashei questioned.

"I help you by helping your ally," the Lizalfos sneered. "You deserve no direct assistance from me."

Ashei rolled her eyes and sheathed her sword. "Fine then."

"Well, so we can easily identify you, I'm going to call you Green." Shad said to the Lizalfos, "because you have a spot of green on your forehead. I haven't seen that on any Lizalfos I've met."

Green smiled. "Green it is."

"Now, then, we're going to disappear here in a second, but know that we're still following you." Shad showed Green his potion. "This vial will cause us to disappear, but you need to know that we're still following you."

"Strange magic?" Green asked.

"No, its science." Shad grinned.

They each took their vial of potion and drank every last drop. It had a strange flavor, neither tasty nor pleasant, and they found no need to complain about its flavor. Shad looked up at Rusl, and blinked. It was as if his mind told him that Rusl wasn't there, yet his eyes told him that he was. Shad's brain concluded that Rusl was in fact, not there. Yet, Shad's eyes told him that he was there.

"Um... this is weird... yeah?" Ashei said hesitantly, looking at her own hand. "You guys still there?"

"Yup..." Rusl said. "I feel funny, like... floating or something... I can't describe it."

"Well, since we're all not here now, let's go into that tunnel."

(TO BE CONTINUED at 20 REVIEWS)