Well, sorry I haven't updated in the last couple of days, but I haven't felt all that well.
Hope y'all had a great New Years! 2010?! Can you believe it?!
Making our way up the mountain wasn't exactly as easy as I had expected. There were Goron guards posted everywhere, so we were always on our toes.
We climbed up the wall that led to the mountain trail, and were immediately greeted by the Goron guard who had knocked down Link before. He curled up into a ball and started rolling toward us at top speed.
Link had no time to switch his boots, so I had to use my powers to quickly switch them for him. Luckily they were heavy, because Link immediately felt the weight difference and acted accordingly: He crouched and readied himself, as if he was just stopping a charging goat. After all, that was what Bo had said to do...
I could feel this all going on through his emotions, which easily seeped from him to me.
The Goron and Link collided, and pain shot throughout both of our bodies, though I had to keep my head. Link could not know that I could feel what he did...
My knees and back erupted in pain as Link was thrown backwards. The boots were the only things stopping him from toppling over the edge of the cliff as he had the day before, so his body bounded backwards, while his feet stayed in one place.
"Left!" Link managed to yell when he got a good grip on the extremely heavy creature. I understood, and jumped to his left, just as Link tossed the Goron over his right shoulder. We turned and watched at the Goron flew over the cliff, yelling as he disappeared down the trail that led to town.
Link then kneeled over and took in deep breaths. His face was oddly red.
"Are you okay?" I asked, knowing that he wasn't. My body was throbbing as if I was the one who had stopped a charging Goron. I could only imagine what he was feeling, since emotions that I felt from others were often down-played by the time I read them.
"Kinda... That hurt my back and knees...a lot."
I grimaced as I moved toward him, since my body wanted to just stay still and not move at the moment. I reached up with my hand and placed my finger at the top of his spine. I slowly ran it down his back, praying a silent healing prayer as I did, and stopped when I reached his tail-bone. He shivered at that point, and I tried my best to ignore the pleasure I could feel seeping from him.
"Thanks. That's much better." I knelt down and placed both hands on his knees. I felt his relief, and sighed when I was able to stand with little pain.
"Are you going to be able to go all the way up the mountain doing that?" I asked.
Link shrugged as he tried to keep walking up the mountain, his boots clanging loudly against the ground. "I don't really know. But, I have no choice, do I?"
Midna popped out from her shadow, and I immediately had to stop myself from pouncing on her and finishing the job Link had stopped me from doing. Link must have felt my distress as well, 'cause he glanced at me out of the corner of his eye.
"No, you don't. Eee hee! Now get up that mountain, Mr. Hero!" She then smirked and disappeared again.
Link just stared at me, as though he was expecting me to jump him and try to strange him, instead. I merely sighed. "I'll stand behind you and keep my hand on your back. If I can manage that, then I can try to block out the pain you feel when you stop the Goron guards."
Link nodded and motioned for me to keep following him.
When they turned a corner, Link heard the unmistakable sound of something rolling down the trail just ahead of them. Sure enough, when they waited a few moments, they saw a Goron coming right for them.
Instantly, Link felt Maple's touch on his back, soothing his already aching body. She stayed there, even as the Goron collided with him. Link grunted as he managed to get a grip on the Goron.
"Right!" He yelled as he tossed the Goron to his left. He felt Maple shift, without moving her hand from his back. They turned and watched the Goron disappear down the mountain.
Link stretched, surprised at how much her healing touch had prevented his pain.
They continued up the mountain that way, her hand never once leaving his back. She would also use her strange powers to switch his boots as needed. Actually, the farther they got up the trail, the more he realized that he wouldn't have been able to get up the mountain by himself. She kept him in tip-top shape, and her ability to switch his boots was something even more appreciated. He definitely wouldn't have been able to do that himself so quickly.
After about half an hour of climbing up the mountain, they entered a giant clearing; one where they could clearly see Death Mountain above them. They could see that the trail continued up in a spiral-like fashion, up the mountain in the center of the clearing.
Link had been here before, when he had had to get the last of the Tears of Light. So, Link led the way down the hill, to the bottom of the clearing, where the trail started.
Almost immediately after they reached the bottom of the clearing, Maple screamed and tackled him, causing him to stumble a few feet and fall. As soon as Link felt his body hit the ground, an earthquake shook the earth beneath them. Link turned, and saw a great, flaming rock embedded in the ground, right where he had been standing.
Link felt Midna slither out from his shadow. "Whoa... This looks dangerous... Is this the traditional Death Mountain welcome? Eee hee!" She then disappeared.
Maple seemed to make a great effort to ignore Midna, because she smiled when Link looked at her.
"Let's keep going," Link said, just as the mountain erupted once again, raining rocks down on them.
Link and I walked through the doorway at the top of the mountain about a half-an-hour later. As we emerged into a large, round room, we were greeted by six Gorons, curled up into balls and ready to charge. Instantly, Link jumped in front of me and braced himself to fend off as many as he could.
"ENOUGH!" A booming voice sounded through the room, causing the six Gorons to stand straight and turn around. We followed their gazes, toward the tunnel at the back of the room.
Out walked a small Goron with a lyon cloth wrapped around his waist. "Are these young ones such imposing enemies that you must all gang up on them? I think not, Little Brothers."
I saw Link smile out of the corner of my eye, most likely at the fact that this Goron had called the other Gorons 'little,' when he barely came up to their chests in height. The small Goron then motioned for us to cross the room to him.
As we did, I noticed that the room was centered around a wrestling ring, like Bo's house had been.
"I am a Goron elder, little humans. I am called Gor Coron. Because of certain...circumstances, I must lead the Goron tribe in place of Darbus, our tribal patriarch."
Link bowed slightly. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Link. This is my partner, Maple." I bowed as well, ignoring the burning sensation that touched my cheeks as the Gorons in the room looked at me at the sound of the word 'partner'. Gor Coron smiled at me as well.
"Tell me, little humans, do you come from the village below?"
Link shook his head lightly. "No. We come from a village far to the south of this place."
Gor Coron smiled. "You have done well to come this far. You are strong...for humans."
"We have come in search of an item, said to be held deep within your mines," I said, when the elder paused. He looked at me.
"However... The mines beyond here are sacred to my tribe. Outsiders are not allowed. Unless..."
I tried my best, as I looked the elder straight in his eyes, to convey my feelings to him without using words, showing him that we intended no harm upon their sacred mines. The elder then turned to Link, who followed my lead by slightly sticking out his chest as he conveyed his courage and strength.
Gor Coron grinned. "I could make an exception...but you would have to beat me in a contest of power." Gor Coron looked at me. "Except for your female, who has no need to show her power. Are you willing to try that, little human?"
Link nodded. Gor Coron then motioned for Link to follow him to the center of the ring.
The match lasted seconds, since Link was not currently wearing the Iron Boots. I could not switch them there, for the Gorons would notice and kick Link out for cheating.
"Your body is skinning, Brother, and so you are too light. You do not stand a chance. Try again later, Brother..." Gor Coron said to Link, who was laying on the ground panting.
Link walked over to me and moaned. "Why didn't you switch my boots?" He whispered.
"I couldn't. They'd notice." I motioned my head over to the other six Gorons, who had been spectating the match. I then grabbed Link's arm and led him out the doorway. Once we were outside, Link quickly switched the boots himself.
We walked back inside, Link's boots echoing loudly off of the walls, although the Gorons seemed not to notice. When Link entered the ring once more, Gor Coron gave him a skeptical look.
"Eh? What is it? Do you want to try again, little human?" Link nodded. "You think you are tough, do you? Let us find out."
This match lasted much longer than the ones with Bo had. With the added weight of the Iron Boots, Link was as heavy as the small elder, making the match fairly even. Link was also very strong for a mere human, so he was able to keep up with the Goron well.
After what seemed a lifetime, when both men were soaked with sweat and after many close calls, Link finally threw Gor Coron from the ring, causing the other Gorons to gasp out of shock.
Gor Coron panted as he spoke, "Young warrior... You have a strong will...and sharp eyes. Fine traits..." He breathed out heavily as I joined Link's side. "Want to see how well you can use them?"
Link followed Gor Coron to the tunnel in the back of the room, where the elder had emerged from. I took note of the two guards standing near the doorway, to make sure none entered.
"You have seen it, I would bet... The mountain, erupting without pause..." Link and I both nodded. "When the mountain began to rage, all four of us elders and Darbus, our patriarch, went inside to investigate its anger."
"Why not let the mountain's rage run its course, instead of risking your lives?" Link asked.
"We have a treasure that was entrusted to us by the spirits, and we must protect it. Do you understand?" Link nodded. "But the moment Darbus reached out and touched the treasure...everything went wrong."
"What happened?" I asked. I really had to need to ask; I already knew what he would say next.
"He collapsed...and before our very eyes transformed into an unspeakable monster!" I grimaced. This was the exact reason why my sisters had ordered the Fused Shadows to be hidden away. They were dangerous. "He began to rage through the mines, trailing ruin behind him...and the eruptions grew more frequent and more severe. We used all of our strength to seal him deep inside the mountain... It...grieved us to do this to our patriarch...but we had no other course of action."
"Do not fret; you had no choice, as you said. All will be well soon," I said.
Gor Coron smiled at me before turning back to Link. "I ask this favor of you, young warrior... Go to the aid of Darbus! Make no mistake, the spirits have guided you here. I, Gor Coron, need your help... On behalf of my entire clan, I ask you for your aid!"
"I will aid you, but under one condition." The elder nodded. "Maple will be allowed to pass, as well."
Gor Coron looked at me for a brief moment, as if he was judging wether or not I could survive.
"You two!" He yelled, not looking away from me. "Let the young warrior and his female pass."