Dont own Zelda blah blah blah LETS GO!
Chapter 10: Gorons
Rani told Malon to stay put while she came out of the cave, it just so happens that the soldiers had stopped to spend the night right in front of the river. Rani quickly dived back into the cave, clambering onto Malon's hand.
"What did you see?" Malon asked curiously.
"We couldn't get out of this cave unnoticed, they've set up their camp right in front of the river." Rani frowned, her glow dimming slightly.
They sat quietly for another hour or two, the only sound they heard was water dripping from the low ceiling. Light had faded outside to the point the water couldn't reflect the sun. They sat in blackness for what seemed like years, hoping to themselves that light would fill the cave again.
Epona stopped, the snow was up past her knees and she couldn't move anymore. She knelt down her legs sore from the tough climb, she was too weak to help herself let alone save the boy upon her back.
Lief took in a sharp breath, his forehead was now beaded with sweat, along with the wet snow. When Epona knelt down his body fell into the snow, the cold freezing over him quickly.
Shadow chuckled, he could sense Lief weakening every moment. Nothing that happened now could stop his plan, he would succeed and Ganon wouldn't ever notice.
"Merge with me. Become me." He whispered as the last bit of him merged into Lief.
Lief coughed, his mind began to throb. Intinctively his hand reached out to Epona, her warm body sending chills down his back.
Something came through the heavy storm after some time. When it stepped forward it's foot hit something. The goron looked down seeing a horse almost buried in the snow and an outline of a frozen person. He quickly bent down brushing the snow out of the boy's face, then the horse's.
"You poor things." He mumbled under his breath, another goron walked up behind him.
"What did you find?" The second goron said.
The first goron motioned for the other to join him, the second gasped then rushed over to the horse waking her up. He grabbed her reigns pulling her up out of the snow. The other goron picked up the boy, who was near death. His face had lost almost all it's color and his whole body was cold and wet. They made their way back more slower than ever helping the horse along.
Shadow shuddered, something wasn't right. He could feel himself beginning to freeze colder and colder as his mind merged more to Lief's form. He put a hand to his heart, lief was near death. But how could that be, they were in a large field...unless somehow they were traveling up death mountain.
Lief felt his heart being ripped to pieces by something. His eyes opened and darkness was surrounding him. Choking him. Killing him.
Shadow felt the same thing, his plan was failing. Lief was dieing and he would die to unless he broke the connection. He spoke quickly closing his eyes to concentrate more. After a moment he felt pain rush through him as both Lief and Shadow disconnected.
Lief burst back into the small dark room, he felt himself fall over, he didn't know what just happened. All he knew now was the pain making his head and arm throb. The dream slowly faded to dark.
Shadow gasped as he sat bolt up right in a grove of trees, his fingertips were ice cold. He knew he had just barely escaped the great peril that would befall Lief any moment. He rubbed his head, then stood up and made his way through kokiri forest searching for a specific thing.
Lief's eyes bolted open, he gasped then coughed. The room he was in was spinning uncontrollably, flames widened then shrunk. Something tall stood over him, it spoke making a loud booming sound in his ears. His head went back and forth trying to rid his eyes of the bright lights that the flames created.
"The fever is still strong." The booming voice said, something cold was placed on his forehead. He couldn't put anything into words, his hand went to his eyes as he groaned. He suddenly felt nausious and wished he was dead, he had never felt this sick before.
"Where am I?" Even as he spoke, sharp pains went through his hand. He winced his vision blurring more.
The figure above him put rough fingers to his lips, not wanting him to speak. A small whinny could be heard nearby, making him turn his head. He could barely see the outline of a horse before he slipped away again.
The next morning Rani went out of the cave again, the soldiers were long gone. She went back to Malon, both of them coming out into the warm sunlight. Before anything they caught some fish from the river satisfying their hunger. Rani's wings dried out and she flew as far as she would dare searching for Lief. When there was no sign of him she returned back to Malon.
"What if they found him, Rani?" Malon said quietly, "Epona and Lief might be under Ganon's supervision at this moment."
Rani snapped at her, "Don't say that!" Although even as Rani said it, she felt doubt in her gut. Lief hadn't woken up when she sloppily shoved him on the horse. "C-come on, we can find some one on the mountain who might know. Thats where Epona was going." Malon nodded.
They headed up the mountainside, Rani knew some one in the ice fairy village so she kenw her way around alittle. The constant snow erased every track that epona and lief would have made so Rani just led Malon to the snow village only a short ways from here, there was a hut where two men made and upgraded swords.
Malon knocked on the frozen door, her knuckles completely numb from the frost. A short man answered.
"What do you want? We're out of business right now do to the never ending weather!" He looked rather grumpy, but Malon didn't flinch back.
"We need a place to stay, we're searching for our friends. They came up here during the night."
The short man let her in, his excuse was the cold air was letting the heat escape. His partner, a taller man, gave Malon hot cocoa and Rani a smaller cup. Neither of them had spotted Epona or Lief, the short man said it was rather foolish to travel up death mountain in the winter.
Rani watched Malon's face, she was worried sick and if she worried anymore she would literally make herself ill. She couldn't let Malon go back to her father's ranch, she would end up worrying her little head off even more not knowing what became of anyone.
The taller blacksmith convinced his friend to let the two stay in their warm hut. In the morning they would head up to the gorons' caves. However, the two men said the goron's hadn't been trusting any human for some time now.
Laying in the blanekts on the floor, Malon weeped. She probably caused the death of her two friends, and she would never be able to forgive herself. If they couldn't speak with the mighty tribe all was lost; she would end up going home always wondering what became of them.
Lief woke up the next morning, he looked over seeing Epona munch on some hay, she was wearing a warm winter horse blanket and he was under a stack of large fleece blankets. He pushed them aside and sat up. The last thing he remembered was telling Malon to be careful while going down to the river. Now he had no idea where he was, or what had happened.
A goron entered the room, he was small, and smiled when he saw lief. "you're awake! our shaman was afraid you weren't going to make it." He said.
"Are you...a goron?" He asked, not ever seeing one before.
"Yes, and you're lucky to even be in our caves. We don't like letting outsiders in our caves anymore. Especially humans, they put a curse on our patriarch and caused three dangerous monters to invade our mining caverns."
"Are you sure it was humans?"
"Positive, at least that what my papa says." The little goron smiled.
Lief smiled back, "Thank you, I don't know what came over me..."
The little goron left the room bringing back an older goron, he looked Lief up and down then patted him hard on the back. "You're strong thats for sure!" He put his rough hands on his hips. "I think you'd be good at our favorite sport,"
"Sport?" Lief felt confused.
"Sumo Wrestling, come I will teach you!" He led lief through multiple tunnels through the mountain city, other gorons were standing by fires, others were rolling down the paths doing different assignments given to them.
The caves were lit with lanterns, a large platform rose above the city in the center, one goron was there watching everyone making sure they were doing their jobs. When they reached their destination, Lief noticed a large round area in the center of the room. Two gorons were staring eachother down in a crouched postion.
"Watch" The goron told him. Before Lief's very eyes the two goron's clashed, one would force the other one way then the other would gain control and push the one the opposite way. They would duck, dodge, punch...truly this was a scary game.
Finally after a few moments a winner was decided and they stood straight up with pride, both gorons laughed and shook hands accepting their place in the battle.
"You turn," The goron said pushing lief forward.
"Wait what?" He said as he was pushed onto the arena, before he could actually register anything a hard rock hand hit him square on in the face. He fell flat on his back putting a hand to his bloody nose. The opponent looked down at him, he was already off the edge of the fighting area.
"You sure about this Darbus?" The goron looked over at the older man unsure.
"Oh yes i'm sure. have fun Darunia" Darbus smiles and walks out of the room.
The goron named Darunia walks over helping Lief up, "Come on, I will train you from now on."
Lief looked dumb struck, "Why though, you don't even know me, I just woke up from a coma, and i'm pretty sure my nose is broken!" Lief touched his nose again, "ow..."
Darunia laughed, "Don't worry, if it's broken we'll mend it. But later. Now you train!"
Lief's eye slightly twitched, but he obeyed. More and more the day past, Darunia went his hardest, making Lief study and learn quickly. Finally it became nightfall, Lief was covered in bruises, scratches, he probably had a broken rib, but who knew.
Darunia found himself on the ground out of the ring looking up at Lief who stood tall with pride. The goron smiled, this was the first time a student of his had learned so quickly. When he came out of his thoughts Lief fell forward, Darunia quickly caught him and carried him back to his room where Epona stood waiting.
None of his bones were broken, and his nose was perfectly fine. Darunia wore him out that's for sure, but in a good way. He was stronger now, in body and in mind. Tomorrow they would train more and soon Lief would be strong like the gorons.
Darbus walked into the room and leaned against the opening. "How did he do?"
Darunia came out of the chamber and into a hallway of the tunnel. "He's learned quickly, I beat me with the rest of his strength."
"He beat you? Darunia you're our best sumo wrestler. You are telling me a human is stronger than a full fledged goron!"
He nodded, "This boy is different, you hunch was correct."
Darbus watched his friend closely. "So the records of our ancestors are true..." They came to a stop above the city, looking down the deep hole in the center.
"Darbus, I think he can beat them."
"I agree." Darbus grew very serious, "Tomorrow we'll ask him."
Both gorons stood there for what seemed like ages, night fell and hope was once again returned to the Goron Tribe.
PLEASE R&R!