Skills Tested
Everything felt numb and heavy. In some way, he was vaguely aware of being jostled. Words tried to cut through the fog, but only bits and pieces managed to seep through.
"...careful!...help..."
"Calm down...alive"
"But… Bad… He's…"
Huh... that sounded like Navi, Link thought to himself. He tried to respond to the broken voice, and he thought he even managed to open his mouth. But the fog overcame him, and he fell unconscious once more.
When he woke the second time, the voices were clearer. Still, his head swam and yearned for relief.
"I've sent for the potion maker in Kakariko," the first voice said.
"Will that help?" An anxious second voice responded.
"...don't know... best..."
Link attempted unsuccessfully to move and groaned as darkness overtook him once more.
He became aware of the dull ache and throbbing numbness before he even opened his eyes. He was horribly uncomfortable. At first his jumbled thoughts could not make sense of it. Had he forgotten to fix up his leaf pile? Had Skully put rocks in his bed? He shifted uncomfortably, attempting to stretch his fingers, and became aware of how heavy his body felt, like a weight pressing down on him. Odd…
Then more of what he had been doing before began to crawl back. That's right, he was helping the princess... no, right now he was helping the Gorons. He had gone into that terrible, sweltering cavern… And then?
His eyes shot open.
As his vision came to, slowly focusing, he found himself in a cave. But not the red hot of caverns he had passed out in, but rather the cool earthy tone of the Goron village. His hands scraped along a rough, flat wooden surface below him. A table, probably. He was on his back, a scratchy hand-woven blanket covering him from the shoulders-down. His body ached as he attempted to raise an arm, feeling like the weight of the world pinned him down. Then he noticed wthe white gauze wrapped around his arm. In a couple spots a few faint splotches of orange peeked through.
That's right, he had nearly caught fire… the fact that he had not must have been a miracle, considering the circumstances.
Slowly, he pushed and rolled himself to the side to get a better look at his surroundings. As far as he could gather, he was back in the room where he had spoken with Darunia previously. The room was now void of the Goron leader, however. In fact, he could not see any other occupants from his vantage point.
"What do you mean you can't help him?"
He could hear people nearby though.
"Just that," an unfamiliar voice responded with a huff. "I can administer a standard red potion when he wakes, but that's the most potent thing I have that might work on your friend."
"Darunia said you were a master potion brewer though," the first voice - which Link now realized was Navi – responded tensely. "Surely you must have something else that can help?"
"I'm sorry, but my stronger potions are much more specific," the woman grumbled. "I have potions and medicines that will help Hylians and Gorons, and even Zoras. But nothing for forest monsters. I don't have any specialty medicines that work on any monsters."
Link winced at the use of the word. Monster. Several times since he'd left the forest, the word had been used to describe him. And he had not really thought about how it affected him. On one hand, it technically was not wrong, was it? On the other, surely, he had more to him than a common brutish monster like a tektite or a deku baba. Was it really fair to group him with creatures like that? He was no different than a Kokiri!
Was he?
Agonizingly slowly, he began to push himself to a sitting position, wincing as he brushed his arm the wrong way and grunting with effort as he realized just how much weaker his right arm was at the moment. He could not help but pause to take a look at his arm. The bark had been blackened, and even cracked apart in spots, a mostly-dried sappy, amber ooze closing off the wounds. He was fortunate; if it had completely burst into flame, he could have lost his entire arm. Or worse.
As soon as he was in a sitting position, he quickly slid off the table. Perhaps a little too quickly, as the world seemed to spin for a moment, forcing him to lean back and grab hold of the table again to steady himself. Once he was sure of his footing though, he began to make his way towards the exit, using the tables and wall as a means of support.
His exit was slowed to a halt, however, as he the sound of rock grinding against rock sounded from behind him. Hesitantly, he turned his head to look to the back of the room, just in time to see Darunia pull himself out from behind the Goron statue at the center before pushing it back into place with little effort. The Goron took a minute to dust his hands off before turning, eyes widening with shock as he realized that his guest was awake and on the move.
"Hey slow down fella!" The Goron called out. "You're in no condition to be up and about yet!"
The Gorons' outburst was cause enough for the two outside to return to the room, Navi rushing in first, flitting to Link's side. The second person to enter was an elderly Hylian woman, her most distinguishing feature being her long, crooked nose.
Navi was the first to break the silence. "Link!" The fairy exclaimed. "Thank Farore you're alright! You've been out cold for almost two days!"
The light of Link's eyes squinted as he tilted his head in response to Navi.
"That's right," Darunia chimed in. "You passed out in the mines. We had to carry you back. And call for help when you didn't wake up." He gestured to the elderly lady standing by the doorway.
"We don't know if you were dehydrated or had a heatstroke, or something else entirely!" Navi butted back in with an anxious flutter. "No one knows how to treat you. So, all we could do is wait and hope that you woke up." She paused for a moment, starting to flutter towards Link, only to stop in her tracks as something occurred to her. "Oh, but you're awake now! We should give you one of those red potions. That should perk you up!"
The skull kid stared blankly at his fairy companion for a moment before the Hylian woman approached him. Her movement was slow and cautious, but methodical. He tensed, training his gaze on her hand as she reached into a bag at her hip, brandishing a glass bottle with a viscous red liquid inside. Slowly, carefully, she worked at the cork holding the liquid inside until it came loose with a pop. Then she held the bottle out to Link.
"Here," the woman grunted. "Drink. It's a red potion. It will make you feel better."
After gingerly shifting his weight to support himself with his injured arm, Link hesitantly reached out to take hold of the bottle with his good arm, taking a moment to slowly swirl it around and watch the red fluid jiggle; it was thicker than honey, but moved more freely than the sap inside him usually did. Then he brought it up to his mouth and tipped it until the potion began to drizzle into his mouth, almost gagging on the odd taste.
At first, nothing seemed different. Perhaps it did not work on skull kids after all? But as a moment passed, he began to feel a warm, tingling feeling spread through his body. Then his strength started to return, particularly in his burned arm.
A couple moments of silence passed as the trio gathered around Link expectantly. Until Navi finally spoke up.
"Well?" She asked quietly. "How do you feel?"
"Better," The boy murmured, eyes darting to the floor. Sitting the bottle aside for the woman to retrieve, he took to looking around for his goods: his bag, the pilfered shield, and his sword.
"Ah right," Daruina said. He moved to pick up a vase to the side of the table, pouring out a few rupees before passing them off to the old woman and sending her off with a wave.
"Thank you. If we need more, I'll send someone down for it."
"Of course," the woman responded with a grunt before disappearing out the doorway.
For a moment, Darunia was quiet, hand brought up to his chin in thought. But his contemplative state did not last for long.
"Briggs, brother, would you close the door?" He called out towards the room's exit. "I need to have a word with the kid.
Link turned to watch as the stone door that just days ago had blocked his progress slid shut, leaving him alone in the room with Darunia and Navi. At the sound of a sigh, he turned back to see Darunia with his head down, rubbing his temples with two of his fingers.
Despite the Goron's obvious exhaustion and frustration, Link had only one thing on his mind.
"Where is my stuff?" He asked bluntly.
"We'll talk about that later," Darunia responded with a wave of his free hand. "We got other things to discuss first."
When the only response was the tilt of the skull kid's head, and a curious jingle from Navi, the Goron leader let out a sigh and continued.
"First off, I want to thank you for what you've done for us Gorons. By clearing a path out to the eastern tunnels of our mines, you've given us a temporary reprieve from our starvation.
"...But I also need to apologize to you."
"You never should have gone in there, Link!" Navi interjected. "You could have died! Easily!"
Link winced in response before shaking his head. Navi's statement indeed rang true. And yet...
Before he could argue, however, Darunia chimed in. "The fairy has a point. I should not have sent you in there, kid." He let out a long breath, shaking his head. "Tonight, I'm doing what I should have in the first place: taking care of it myself."
Link stared blankly at the Goron for a moment before turning his gaze to do the same to Navi. "But... we need that stone. I said I would do it."
"And I appreciate your courage!" Darunia exclaimed quickly and perhaps a little too cheerfully. "But even so, you're in no condition to go back in there. Stay here, rest. If all goes well, I will give you the stone when I return."
Link gave the Goron a skeptical look. That seemed... too good to be true. He opened his mouth to say something, but Navi spoke up first.
"That sounds very reasonable, thank you." She dipped in the air as a sign of agreement before turning to Link. "Link, you should say thank you to Darunia."
Link did not say thank you. "But... I promised that I would help," he responded indignantly.
"Link!" Navi snapped in an exasperated tone. "You! Almost! Died! Do you want to go back in there?"
Link sucked in a breath. "Not really, but I don't want to break my promise either."
"Then just let Darunia-"
"-really not let a diplomat inside?!"
Navi cut off at the sounds of confrontation just outside.
"Big Brother is busy right now, you'll just have to wait your turn."
"Tell that lumbering- ngh. Tell your leader that we need to speak. Immediately."
The door began to slide open, just enough for a Goron to stick his head in from the other side.
"Big brother!" The goron hissed in a tense tone, his fingers clenching around the edge of the door. "The Gerudo man is back!"
Darunia frowned and gave his head a shake. "Tell him I'll be right out."
The door was slid shut again.
"Kid, you need to stay in here. I need to go have an... adult conversation. We'll talk when I'm done."
"But-"
"Whatever you do," he continued in a quieter, but firm voice, "Do not let him see that stone. If he realizes that you have it, or that you came here for ours, he might do something to you. He might kill you or kidnap you. Do you understand?"
Link continued to stare stubbornly for a moment, before finally relenting and lowering his head with a frown and a frustrated sigh.
Satisfied, Darunia gave the boy a curt nod before passing, slipping out the stone door before closing it behind him, leaving it only a crack open - not nearly enough for the skull kid to sneak out. "Sorry!" He could hear the Goron call out. "I had gone to our temple in prayer for guidance from the goddesses."
Link was still for a moment as Navi flitted in to rest under his hat. Outside, he could hear Darunia giving orders to another Goron.
A mischievous smirk flickered onto Links face. He darted over to the door, just out of line of anyone's sight. But just close enough that he could make out what the voices on the other side were saying.
"Darunia." The stranger's voice was deep and suggested hints of frustration.
"Dragmire." Darunia's response was flat, unamused.
"Please, you can refer to me by my first name. Are we not allies?"
"...We are both allies of Hyrule, Gannondorf. Perhaps we would be closer if you gave our people a reason to be."
"I see you and your people finally cleared out that boulder from your mines."
"We have."
"But have you cleared the monsters that have come out from the depths."
A moment of hesitance. "Not yet."
"Then why not let me do that for you. After all, it would be a shame if our allies down the mountain were to meet with a terrible fate should the monsters their way out. All I require as payment is your spiritual stone."
"Our spiritual stone is an heirloom, a gift passed down by the goddesses. A sign of trust and favor from Din herself. It's not something to just be given away or traded."
"Of course, of course. But it's not fair to ask for a favor so big for nothing."
"We never asked for your assistance."
The Gerudo grumbled something under his breath that Link could not make out before speaking louder. "That pride of yours could get you in trouble someday, you know."
"Let me worry about my pride, what help I accept is none of your business, Dragmire. Now if you'll excuse me. I am busy figuring out how to ration our latest yield from the mines."
"You'll regret this," Ganondorf warned. "You'll regret not accepting my help when you had the chance."
Darunia did not respond. From the sound of retreating footsteps and frustrated grumbling, Link assumed that the Gerudo had left. For now, at least.
A few minutes of tense silence passed with Link remaining in his spot beside the door. But when the rock suddenly began to shift and move, he scrambled back to his place by the tables, attempting to act nonchalant.
Darunia appeared more frazzled as he reentered the room, rubbing his temple with a long, exasperated sigh.
"Sorry about that kid," he started with a shake of his head. "Where were we?"
"We need to go back into the cavern."
Darunia shook his head. "Right… Wait, no that's not right! I need to go to the cavern. You don't need to go back in there at all. This is my people's responsibility. You need rest."
"Of course," Navi added, bobbing in place. "We thank you for your hospitality, Darunia."
"Wait," Link protested, reaching an arm out. "But-"
"Just focus on recovering your strength. I'll hopefully be back by morning."
"Link, let's take this chance while we can-" Navi started to say, but she was cut as Link slammed his foot down in a single, sharp stomp.
"Stop making decisions for me!"
For a moment, the room grew eerily silent. Both Daruinia and Navi stared at Link for a moment, shocked.
Navi was the first to break the silence. "Link," she started gently. "We just want to make sure you stay safe. Darunia says that the caverns only get more perilous the deeper you go. If we had trouble this deep, then we have no business going any deeper. Besides, you're recovering from a burn injury and heat stroke. Just… take this chance to get some rest before we move on, alright?"
"It's not alright!" Link snapped. "I told you, I'm not some helpless Kokiri - I can take care of myself!" Spinning around on one foot, he began to march towards the door. "Where's my stuff? If you don't want to help me, I'll just have to keep going on my own."
"Link-" Navi started, but Darunia cut both her and her charge off.
"Now hold on just a minute you two."
Link paused half-way out the door, eying the Goron skeptically.
Darunia let out a long breath, choosing his words carefully. "I can't let you just go back in there after what already happened. At least... Not like this." When the skull kid tilted his head, Darunia slowly continued. "We… have something we sell to let Hylians survive in hot conditions that would usually kill them - it's a garb they usually use to travel into the temple we guard. If you're really set on helping… we can see about getting a set adjusted to fit you.
"However!" He continued, holding up an open hand before Link could say anything. "I do have a condition for this. Obviously, you're not in the best shape, and a red potion only heals so much." He began to make his way over to Link. "Back a little way outside our city, there's a cliff that you could should be able to find. From there, there's a path further up the mountain that leads to a fairy fountain. If you can reach the fountain in your current condition and return by sundown, I will take you with me into the caverns. But if you can't make it, or if you don't make it back here in time, then I will have to go on without you. With Dragmire skulking around, time is of the essence."
The Goron, now in front of the skull kid, stooped down and offered out a hand. "So, do we have a deal?"
Link stared at the hand offered out to him for a moment. On one hand, it could just be a way to keep him busy. On the other…
With a determined look in his eye, Link reached out, letting his hand be encased in Darunia's hand shake.
"Glad we could make an agreement," Darunia exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "Now go gather your things and stop by the shop on your way out. I look forward to seeing you tonight!"
Link gave him an excited nod before dashing off, leaving an exasperated Navi to trail behind.
"I still don't think this is a good idea. I hope we don't regret this…"
A quick detour to pick up his equipment and a stop by the shop to be sized for a tunic later, Link was back outside, heading back down the mountain path with sure of himself gait. This time, the sun was bright overhead, casting early afternoon light. He went over the plan in his head. Head back to scale the cliff by the wooden pole, follow the path up to the fairy fountain. Bring back proof of his trip by sundown.
Silently, he considered his options. He could bring back water from the fountain, but technically he could get that anywhere – unless the water has special properties. He could try to bring back a fairy, but he had no place to keep hold of one, and catching a fairy with his bare hands is easier said than done. Plus, if he kept it in his hands, he wouldn't have a way to climb back down. Perhaps he could convince it to stay in his bag for a little bit?
Navi fluttered out of his hat, shaking him out of his thoughts.
"There it is."
Link looked up, noticing the scrap of fabric flying from a pole ahead. The trip this far had been fortunately uneventful; no monster ambushes had slowed his trip so far. He took off at a light jog, ignoring the slight pain of his jostled scrapes and bruises.
It was less a cliff, and more a sheer rockface dotted with smaller cliffs. Link immediately got to work climbing, jumping from cliff to cliff, making sure he judged his leaps carefully.
The top was just a little out of Link's reach, a little taller than he could stretch. To give himself the best chance, he took a moment to remove his oversized shield, tossing it over the top. Then, taking a few steps back, he sprang up, grabbing hold of the edge. His feet scrabbled against the side, trying to find a hold, while his injured arm screamed in protest. For a second, he thought he might not be able to keep his grip. But then his feet found a hold, and he scrambled up over the top, panting.
After a few seconds of recovery, he scooted away from the edge before standing up and pulling his shield back onto his back. Then he finally began his trip back up the path.
The ground around here was uneven, small holes and indentations spattered around the path, as well as a few moderately sized rocks and boulders here and there. The path forward dipped at first before heading up at a slight angle. Fortunately, falling to his death was not much of a worry, as both sides of the path were walled by dirt and stone. In the distance, he could see another wall at the end of the path, small cliffs jutting off in places.
Link groaned and began to make his way up the road, taking care to avoid holes and do his best not to trip on the uneven ground. For a while, he and Navi traveled in silence.
But the peace could not last forever. As they neared the half-way point, Link was brought to a stop as the ground seemed to rumble and shift below him.
"An… Earthquake?" Navi mumbled at first to herself as she flit around, until her attention was caught by smoke rising out of the top of the mountain. "No… It's going to blow now?"
The rumbling seemed to stop as soon as it started. Navi let out a sigh of relief before ducking under Link's hat. No, not yet.
"Keep going," she instructed the boy. Once he had begun to make his way up the path again, she continued. "Listen, Link. Death mountain is actually a volcano."
"Volcano?"
"Sometimes, it spews rocks and Lava from the top. It seems like it Might erupt soon. We need to try to finish here before it does, because it could get dangerous around here."
"It was already dangerous though," he pointed out.
"I know but… just trust me, you don't want to get hit by a flying rock."
Link responded with a grunt as he carefully stepped around a particularly deep crater in the path, continuing a few feet further before more rumbling forced him to have to stop and brace himself. More smoke was spewing out of the mountain top now. As soon as the tremors subsided, he continued with haste in his step.
The third tremor was the worst. He had nearly reached the cliff face by now, and could make out more details. Small ledges had been cut into the cliff face to give any would-be climbers a reasonable way up. But before he had a chance to close the gap, strong tremors made him lose his footing, sliding into a crater in the ground.
He looked up in alarm as the sound of an explosion rang out above, just in time to see a rock come whizzing by and hit the ground not far off. With a frightened cry, he sprang to his feet and scrambled out of the crater before taking off for shelter at the end of the path as fast as he could on the uneven ground. Sidled up against the rock face, he watched for a moment as several more rocks sailed by. Only when the coast appeared to be clear did he step out with a sigh of relief.
The sun had already started to dip in the sky. He had maybe a couple hours now before dark. With dismay, he realized it was unlikely he would make it as it was. But he could not turn back now, not when he was so close. After a moment to take a drink of water and asses his options he began his ascent, carefully grabbing hold of a ledge before lifting a foot and pulling himself up. Another ledge grabbed with his bad hand. He winced as he pulled up with his weight focused on that hand, sucking in a pained breath.
And so began his agonizingly slow ascent, shifting to climb as fast as possible when his weight was focused on his other limbs and carefully dragging himself up when he used his injured one. All the while, the sun continued its journey towards the horizon.
The sky was tinted orange by the time he dragged himself over the top. He laid still for a moment, until Navi poked out from his hat to check on him. Then he crawled away from the edge before standing up to take the view in. From here, he could see all the way down the mountain to Kakariko. And beyond the tree line, he could see Hyrule field beyond. Even the castle was a visible dot in the distance. He wondered what Zelda was up to now, and if she was as busy at work saving the world as he was.
But now was not the time to stand around staring, even if the sight was breathtaking. No, he had more important things to deal with. He turned his back on the view of the small bit of world he had explored and turned his attention to where he was now.
There were two entrances in front of him. Or at least, there appeared to be two. But the second one had suffered from a rockslide recently, from the look of things. Rocks of various sizes blocked the entrance, leaving only a thin crack at the top for air to pass through. Sat between the two was a sign, pointing towards the open entrance.
Link quickly nodded to himself before beginning to make his way towards the open entrance. But as he stepped into the shadow, Navi darted in front of him to stop him.
"Link wait, I don't think this is the right way." When Link tilted his head in response, she continued. "The sign back there says that this path leads into the mountain's crater. I don't think the fairy would make her home there, and it's not safe for you to enter."
Link paused for a moment before taking a few steps back. She was right; going into the crater would probably just lead to the same issues that he was already having. But what if she was in there?
The sound of wings beating sounded behind, followed by something landing hard. Link turned to check the commotion, finding a bird had landed outside. A familiar bird, in fact. The same bird that had appeared to him back when he had left the forest.
"Kay… Kaepora Gaebora, right?" Navi started. The bird bobbed its head in response. "What are you doing here?"
"I've come to congratulate you," the bird started. "You've done well to come all the way up here. This is the summit of the sacred Death Mountain! It is said that the clouds surrounding this peak reflect the condition of Death Mountain. When they look normal, it is at peace."
The bird paused while link took a look up at the sky. The clouds seemed relatively normal, as far as he knew, other than the smoke still billowing out from almost just above them.
"That can't be all you were here for," Navi protested.
"How keen of you, my fairy friend," the bird responded with a ruffle of his feathers. "If I'm not mistaken, you two came up here to meet with the great fairy, did you not?"
Link nodded slowly. "How did you know?"
"Oh, it just made sense, my boy. After all, the only places here are the fairy fountain, and the entrance to the crater. I came because I want to see you make another smart move…"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Navi questioned.
"The Great Fairy lives that lives on this mountaintop should be able to grant you a new skill, or at least some sort of gift. But you may have noticed that the entrance is a bit hard to get into, hoo hoo! She is adamant that her visitors find their own way to reach her. I want to see what you do."
Link looked back to the blocked entrance with dismay. There were no bomb flowers around here to help him clear the way. And the small opening at the top was not nearly big enough for him to slip through. And if he tried to move the rocks, it could take too long, and then he would not make it back in time to leave with Darunia.
He could give up and return now. If he timed it right, he could possibly sneak in after Darunia had already entered. But then he would not have the tunic to protect him. Or he could attempt to get into the fountain, but even if he did manage to enter, it was unlikely he would do so in time.
He turned his back on the cliff. There was only one way he might be able to succeed.
He took a running leap at the pile of rocks, scrambling his way to the top. Once he felt steady enough on the top, he took to picking up or pushing the moderate sized rocks, throwing them down the pile. At the moment, the gap at the top was big enough that he could stick his arm all the way through, waving it in the empty air inside. A good twenty minutes of lifting and heaving more than doubled the gap, where he could almost fit his head through. He took a moment to catch his breath before going to work on a particularly large rock in his way.
With his shield sat aside and his back braced against the wall, Link began to push against it with his feet with as much strength as he could muster. The stone rocked precariously for a moment. But finally, the stone dislodged, rolling down the pile, sending pebbles tumbling down after it. Link, no longer held up between the two surfaces, fell with a startled cry, skidding halfway down the pile himself.
After only a second to groan and catch his breath, Link sat up before turning to look towards the hole.
"That should be enough," Navi mumbled, poking out from his hat.
Link gave a nod of agreement before crawling over to the entrance, afraid of slipping and falling down the pile. He sat down with legs dangling in the hole, took one last glance at the sun - now having begun to dip below the horizon, and slid down through the hole and into the room beyond.
The room was brighter than he would have expected. Though the entrance was dimly lit, the fountain at the end of the hall shone bright. A path of marble had been laid out, leading up to the fountain with water pooling on either side. Water flowed from somewhere above around the edges, filling the fountain and shallow pools on either side of the path before draining somewhere. On either side rose two short pillars, flame crackling at the top. Behind the waterfalls, light twinkled from glowing stones embedded into the walls around the fountain, giving the illusion of a starry sky.
Link slowly made his way up to the fountain, struck by its beauty. Navi, too, flew out from her resting place to admire the fountains pristine condition.
"This is so much nicer than the fountain back in the woods," she whispered breathlessly.
But despite the beauty, something seemed like it was missing. Something very important.
"But… where's the Great Fairy?"
Link came to a stop at the water's edge. Navi made a good point. Not only was the Great Fairy missing, but there were no fairies at all as far as he could see!
"Could something have happened to her?" Link asked.
"There's no way!" Navi exclaimed. "The Great Fairies are some of the strongest beings left in this world, second only to the Guardian Spirits. Nothing should be able to defeat them!"
"Ganondorf was able to kill the Deku Tree," Link pointed out with a sinking feeling.
The two stared at the pool with dismay. Were they really too late? Had they come this far only to fail?
"Well," Navi finally mumbled. "We could at least take some of the water back and see if that would be proof enough. If you're really sure about this."
Link mumbled an agreement before reaching to the side for his flask. As he looked down, however, something caught his eye in the flickering firelight. Something golden under his feet. He paused and took a few steps back to look at it curiously. Overlaid on the tiles was a design in gold. A square outline lined the edge. And in the middle…
"The… Triforce?" Link murmured.
Navi turned to take a closer look. "Hey, isn't this like the one we saw in Kakariko?"
Link suddenly perked up. It was! And if that was the case, then maybe…
He swapped the flask, replacing it with his ocarina. One note of practice, and then he played Zelda's Lullaby once again, letting the notes ring crisp and clear with an air of confidence.
As the song came to an end, echoing in the chamber, nothing seemed to happen at first. Link let out a sigh and returned the ocarina to his bag, starting to turn away.
Until feminine laughter from behind him made him turn back.
He stared at the water as started to bubble, until a single fairy burst from the water. At first, nothing seemed different. Then the fairy started to grow rapidly. A flash of light made Link shield his eyes.
As the light faded, he brought his arm down, mouth hanging open in a surprised gasp at the fairy that appeared before him.
The first thing he took note of were the three pigtails of bright pink hair, vines and flowers woven into the locks. Her body was clothed mostly by vines and leaves, woven and wrapping around her chest, torso, and upper legs. Her look was completed by brown stockings that rose to just over her knee.
The woman turned to float lazily in the air on her side.
"Welcome Link," the woman started in an airy voice. "I am the Great Fairy of Power."
"You… You know my name."
The woman gave an airy laugh. "Of course, young one. We, the Great Fairies, are gifted with knowledge beyond the comprehension of mortals. I knew your name just as surely as I knew you would one day come, requesting my help."
Link stared for a long moment. When he said nothing, the fairy continued.
"I would like to grant you a sword technique. Please, take off your shoes and step into the water."
Link was quick to do as instructed, sitting his boots to the side before wading into the pool until he was almost knee-deep. As he watched, the water began to turn green, tendrils snaking out from where he stood before diffusing into the water. He let out an alarmed squeak.
"Do not fear," the fairy said in a gentle, yet firm voice. "The water is responding to the latent magic inside you." She turned so that she was floating as if laying on her belly, lowering her body to be almost eye-level with Link. "You have a great forest magic within you. And yet, you have never been able to tap into it, have you?"
Link shook his head slowly. The magic his kind should have been able to use had never come easy to him. More than once, he had tried to teleport, or fade into the forest. He had come close once even! But he had never succeeded.
The fairy hummed in thought, bringing her hands up to her chin. "I may be able to help with that." She backed up for a moment, rubbing her hands together before blowing on them, a shower of powdery, sparkling dust fell onto Link.
"Receive it now!"
Link stared back up at the woman. Was… was that supposed to do something?
Then he felt it, like a little spark in his chest. He let out a gasp, bringing one hand up to grasp his tunic, feeling the rough barky texture beneath.
The fairy smiled faintly, reaching down to place a finger - nearly as big around as his palm - against his chest.
"I've ignited a spark of magic within you, young one. With it, you should have the potential to use my skill, and other magic for that matter. If you wish for help learning a skill, seek out my sisters. They may be able to help you unlock your potential."
Link stared for a second, considering what she said. "What about my sword skill?" he asked blunty.
"Link," Navi hissed, "Don't be rude!"
The Great Fairy, however, seemed to find it funny. Laughing as she returned to her original position, she waved her hand nonchalantly. "Think of your blade as an extension of your arm. If you focus your magic into your arm, you can channel it into your blade, and strike those that would harm you with more power."
Link slowly reached back to run his fingers along the hilt of his sword, considering her words. Would he really be able to do that?
While he silently considered his supposed new power, Navi remembered the reason they had arrived. "Wait, we still need proof that we came here!" She blurted out.
The Great Fariy tilted her head, smiling slightly. "Oh? I think I have something I can do for that. Hold out your injured arm."
Link hesitated before lowering his good arm, and stretching out the injured one to the fairy.
The woman made quick work of removing the injured arm's wrappings, taking care not to jostle it. For the first time, Link could see the extent of the damage. Much of the bark on his forearm had blackened, completely burned away in some spots. Amber sap had oozed out in some spots creating a sticky, but protective coat around the worst of his injury.
The woman took the arm in both hands, closing her eyes. A warm, gentle light formed between the two. Link watched as the injury was slowly replaced by fresh growth and the sap seemed to melt away, until his arm was just like he remembered.
The Great Fairy pulled away, returning to her resting position floating on her side.
"Link, what do you say?" Navi coaxed.
"Oh, thank you."
"Of course, young one," the fairy responded. "I will part ways with you now. But please remember, if battle ever makes you weary, you can always come back to see me."
Link gave her a firm nod. With his affirmation, the woman rose into the air, laughing, before shrinking back down to the size of a regular fairy. Then she was gone in a bright flash of light.
For a moment, Link stood in the water, staring at where the Great Fairy had been a moment before. Then he turned and stepped out of the fountain, shaking droplets of water from his legs before slipping his boots on and heading back out the way he had come.
Navi darted ahead, flying out of the hole in front of Link. The skull kid scrambled up behind her, climbing up the rocks and squeezing through the gap he had made earlier.
"Oh no!" He heard the fairy exclaim.
As he popped out, he looked in Navi's direction and realized with dismay that the sun had almost finished its trip below the horizon. He'd never make it back in time. He pulled himself up out of the hole, shoulders slumping as the realization hit him.
"Well…" Navi started slowly. "Look on the bright side? Sure, you won't make it back in time, but you won't have to put yourself in danger either. And you still will get the stone when Darunia returns."
Link shot the fairy a frustrated look. This again? Why couldn't she just choose a side? Preferably his!
He opened his mouth to say something, but the sound of ruffled feathers behind him caught his attention instead. He turned his head to see Kaepora Gaebora was still sitting on his perch, Link's Hylian shield at his feet.
"Why are you still here?" He asked.
The bird did not answer his question. "It looks like you've grown a little from the Great Fairy's power…"
"I don't think I can grow," Link countered.
"Maybe not physically. But in character, in spirit, your encounter has changed you. But you still don't really look like the hero who will save Hyrule. At least not yet!"
"How do you know that we're going to?" Navi questioned, having turned and landed on Link's shoulder.
"Call it intuition, if you wish," the bird answered cryptically. "Perhaps I'd like to help you. If you are going back down the mountain, I can lend you a wing."
"You'll… carry us down the mountain?" Navi asked, receiving a bobbing nod of the head from the bird.
"Actually, could you take us to the Goron City instead?"
"Of course I can!" The bird exclaimed. "Come here and grab my talons!"
Excited, Link raced forward to do as instructed, stopping to pick up his shield first. Maybe, if the pushed it, they might make it back after all.
"Hold on tight!"
The last slivers of sunlight were making their journey below the horizon, soon to be snuffed out by the darkness of night. At the entrance to the Goron City, Darunia stood waiting, watching for the boy's return. His hammer stood in front of him, his hands resting on the end of the handle.
The task he had given him was not impossible, but was indeed unlikely. His people had something of an honor code for defending the weak. Something he had failed to do when his emotions got the better of him. If the skull kid managed to come back in time, then he had proven his strength and skills. But if he failed to make it in time, then he was doing the boy a favor by keeping him from entering the most dangerous parts of the caverns.
Was he really doing the right thing, he wondered, agreeing to give him their sacred stone? He could not be certain. He could be lying, working with the Gerudo man in an attempt to bring his people to ruin. But he saw the spark of honesty in the child's eyes. And unlike Gannondorf, he had agreed to help first. No, he had chosen to trust him, and he would see that promise through.
As he looked back towards the last rays of light, a speck in the sky caught his eye. A speck that seemed to be growing bigger and bigger, until finally he could begin to make the details out.
The speck was a large bird, far bigger than any he had seen in the area. But the bird was not what really shocked him. Holding tight to the bird's talons, dangling in the air, was Link. The boy seemed to be holding on for dear life as the bird began it's descent, slowly circling lower and lower towards the ground at a slight angle. Until finally, they were right in front of Darunia. As soon as Link realized he was at ground level, he let go, landing on the rocks on his bottom with a wince. Once its rider was on the ground, the bird gave a hoot before climbing back into the air, flying back down towards the village at the mountain's base.
Darunia looked down on the boy with a slight smile. Well, he certainly had found friends in high places to return in time. But had he succeeded on his mission none the less.
"I believe I asked you for proof of your journey, kid," Darunia started without moving. "What can you show me?"
Link stared for a second, before Darunia's words registered. As soon as he realized what was being asked, he proudly held up his previously injured arm, which looked almost as if it had never been burnt in the first place.
Darunia's smile widened. There was only one thing he knew that Link could have done to heal that fast.
"Alright kid, I'm convinced. A promise is a promise. Let's get you suited up."
Lifting the war hammer up over his shoulder, Darunia turned and began to make his way back into the city. Link after dusting himself off, followed suit, leaving the darkness of night for the warm, inviting light of the city.
A/N: Some of you might be wondering why I chose to have Link visit the Great Fairy in between, instead of after the end of the dungeon. In short, I had planned to break up the action of Dodongo's Cavern with a chapter like this already. But originally, he was just going to convince Darunia to let him go with his words, or else be so stubborn that he chases after him into the mines. But honestly, I felt like it did not make for a very interesting or long chapter. And I felt like Link needed to do something to prove himself- both for himself and for Darunia. And the fairy fountain made for the perfect opportunity. Plus, i got to up the stakes a tad by having Ganondorf show up and be a bit menacing, so win-win.
Like I said when I started this fic, this is not a word for word adaptation. Some events shift around to fit the way the narrative changes. This is a great example of that, and there's more of it to come.
