Knowing what was in store, Link braced himself as he slipped the new mask over his face.
Immediately, pain shot through his body as the object latched onto his skin. The wood fused into his flesh, digging deep like the roots of a mountain into his Hylian form. After that, he felt his body growing outward and upward, his frame forced to expand and harden with muscle and thicker skin. It was a horribly uncomfortable and painful experience, his bones rearranging and popping as they were forced to conform to his body's newest shape.
An agonizing pain erupted from Link's back, as did rocks that tore from his insides like miniature hills. As they slowly forced their way to the surface, Link was surprised that blood didn't flood from his back and onto the floor, but he supposed that was the magic of the transformation at work.
More and more he grew, until he was taller than he was when he was forced into an adult's body, yet he still kept going! On top of the suffering, he was going through, Link simultaneously felt a sense of strength flowing through his body. With all the muscle he was gaining from becoming a Goron, that was hardly a shock.
While the process almost seemed like it took a full minute at least, it all happened within only a second or so. From Tatl's perspective, she barely even blinked and no longer was there a Hylian before her, but instead a mighty Goron! Like most members of the species, Link wore basically nothing, but at least in his case, he got to keep his hat, and wore a green loincloth. On his arms and feet were gauntlets and boots that seemed to be made of metal, and there was a necklace of sorts around his neck. He had hair, just as Darmani III did, white as the snow that threatened the Gorons outside.
The fairy circled around Link, who was looking down at his new form, flexing his hands a bit. "How do you feel? It sure is a lot different from that Deku form…" Tatl murmured, feeling relieved that at least this mask let him turn into something powerful! As a Deku, Link was only better off in some pretty specific situations…
"I FEEL-" Link shouted out, but by accident. He quickly cut himself off, embarrassed at his bellowing. Like before with the Deku, he wasn't used to his new body, so even speaking was unusual. His voice came out as almost a yell, despite him trying to speak normally. Taking a deep breath, he tried to just whisper. "I feel stronger." The false Goron replied, still speaking louder than he intended.
Tatl flinched a bit at the initial shout, but quickly realized the cause. She still remembered how much trouble Link had speaking at all when he first became a Deku. The fairy also recalled how she mocked him for it, laughing at him all the while. Trying to shake those memories away, she nodded. "Good! I'm sure you'll need that…jus try not to yell at the top of your lungs, okay?" Even if she wasn't going to be horribly nasty to Link, she could at least poke fun a bit. "You should probably stay in here and walk around a bit…so you don't fall down that wall or something…"
He ignored the light ribbing and nodded along with her suggestion. "You're right." Link whispered, his voice still coming out as a half-shout. Moving around as a Deku wasn't too bad, but he was a lot larger than he had ever been, and there was the case of rolling as well. He was sure it'd come in handy to be able to do that. It could even help him get through the snow, maybe!
Yet, as he pondered this, Link's mind wandered to Darmani himself, the Goron whose soul he was essentially wearing on his face. He assumed it was the Deku Butler's son that he had as the Deku Mask, but Link never met him. For Darmani, though, Link spoke with him, or at least his spirit, and that just made this situation feel so…odd…
Link felt surges of guilt and depression through his alien body. He knew this had to be the remnants of Darmani's soul having a light effect on him. The boy even felt a sense of despair as he gazed upon the grave for the fallen Goron hero. It almost felt as though he were looking at his own corpse instead, as unusual as that was.
Shaking these thoughts and feelings from his head, Link tried walking around the area a bit. He went nice and slow, swinging his arms a bit to get a feeling for those, too. To his surprise and relief, it wasn't as hard to move around as he expected. Maybe it was because of the shape of their bodies, but the boy sort of thought that Gorons looked like they should be a bit clumsy, even though nothing he saw really showed that. As he walked about, he realized it wasn't true at all, and he simply felt stronger and a bit heavier in his steps.
All around, it was pretty easy.
"How's it feel? Hey, it must be nice being so tall now, right?" Tatl lightly joked. She felt a bit awkward giving friendly ribbings like that. It wasn't something she was used to, but she wanted to try and be nicer to Link, and she just wasn't sure how to do it…so she simply hid behind humor like a mask.
Link's heart practically felt like a hand wrapped around it at that question. A part of him wanted to snap at Tatl to never say something like that again, but he bit his tongue. The boy despised the idea of ever growing taller, but of course there was no getting around it. Time marched on and there was nothing Link could do to stop it. Sure, he could now reset it to a certain point, but it would still go forward whether he liked it or not.
Swallowing heavily, the false Goron nodded. "It feels fine. Easier to move than I expected." He had to wonder if maybe Darmani was somehow helping him? Was that even possible? Or maybe Gorons and Hylians moved in ways more similar than the boy realized?
"What about curling into a ball? Can you do that?" Tatl prodded, wanting to make sure the two had things set before they went back out there. Being a Goron wouldn't be too helpful if he wasn't familiar with the body of one!
"I'll try." The boy replied, looking down at his feet. He wasn't sure quite what to do. Just…get on the ground and tuck his legs to his chest? It seemed to be more than that when Gorons did it, though. As he pondered, he once more felt a light sensation in his mind, Darmani's lingering spirit echoing within him. It was hard to explain, but what Link did next felt like second nature to him. He simple leaned down, but kept going until he'd normally fall over, but instead, he tucked into his own body, and within a quick second, he was curled into a ball on the floor!
Tatl was pretty surprised he got it on his first try! "That was fast! Roll around a bit! Is Darmani whispering in your ear or something?" Given all the oddities of this quest so far, it wouldn't shock her.
Once more, Link found himself acting as if through a second nature. Without having to really think about it, he started to slowly roll forward. Even when his face was to the floor or facing straight up, he was somehow able to sense the world around him. While he couldn't see what he was doing, he didn't need to in order to get around. Was this how Gorons were able to roll around without hitting objects? Link didn't fully understand it, but he supposed it wasn't necessary.
Still wanting to practice a bit, the false Goron rolled around the room, weaving between the stone spikes in the floor and the grave marking for Darmani. After a few minutes, he uncurled and stood up, surprisingly not even dizzy. "I can feel Darmani, or traces of him. I think he's somehow helping me." This wasn't something he understood at all, but as long as it helped, he supposed it didn't matter. He did wonder why the Deku whose soul he wore didn't do anything similar…maybe an effect of what the Skull Kid did to him…?
"Well, I guess that's pretty convenient." Tatl said with a shrug. "But come on, we gotta get going! I can barely tell what time it is because of all the clouds, but we still should hurry!" The fairy only knew it was some point during the Second Day, but that was it.
Nodding, Link started to stomp towards the door, his footfalls heavy despite him trying to be casual with his walking, but another itch hit his mind. "Wait." He unintentionally bellowed, walking back towards the grave. "There's one last thing." Darmani's will urged him to go back around the small stone monument, and there Link saw there were what seemed like handles. Gripping them, the false Goron pulled back, finding the task far easier than he expected due to his new strength.
The grave was pulled back fairly easily, and when it was moved enough, a metal grate was revealed. Within moments, water started to rise from the ground and through this grate! It was green in color, but not a dirty, murky sort. Steam rose from the liquid as it filled the center of the chamber as though it were a bason. It was nice and warm, and Link found that it smelled nice too.
"A hot spring?! What the heck was it doing under here? But hey, it's so warm…" Tatl remarked, floating near the surface of the water. It was too much for her to enter it directly, but hovering nearby it was very pleasant. After spending so much time in that awful, biting snow, this was just what she needed!
Link vaguely recalled hearing about those before, seeing a picture of one in a book he flipped through within the castle library. Zelda told him some basic details, about how there were pools of water out in nature that were naturally warm. The castle had heated water, warm baths that Link could take…they were some of the only times in the last two years he felt a sense of peace, wrapped up in the warm embrace of the water…
The false Goron sat in the water, letting out a heavy breath through his nose. He hadn't gotten to rest in this manner in…how long had he been in Termina? Weeks? A month? Two months? He didn't even knot anymore. There was no hot water at the inn, only cold baths, so this was remarkably pleasant for him…
Before he knew it, Link had spaced out, staring off at nothing as he tried not to think or feel anything. It was only when Tatl flew in front of his face and said something did he snap back into reality. "What? Did you say something?" Link asked, standing up.
"I said we should go! The spring is nice, but we have to get to Snowhead!" Tatl all but ordered. She herself had spaced out a bit, only shaking it off a few moments before going over to Link. "Come on!"
Link felt a bit embarrassed, getting all wrapped up in the spring. For a moment, he actually felt relaxed. Even during his Break Cycles, there was always the sense of urgency picking away at his brain and making it impossible for him to fully calm down. That dip in the springs was by far the most pleasant experience he had since entering Termina by a long shot. "Right. Sorry. Let's go back to the village."
The two went towards the cave exit and back to the biting cold of the cursed mountain. Link, though, found that the cold wasn't as bad as it was before. Even though they were still suffering, it seemed the Gorons at least had a bit of a natural resistance to cold weather! Almost as soon as they went outside, a voice rang from their side, that of a Goron. "Darmani?! Is…Is that you?!"
Turning, the false Goron and the fairy saw it was one of the two Gorons by the cavern entrance that had spoken up. The one that was mostly frozen was still, but the other one was staring at the unusual pair and was the one that spoke.
For a moment, Link was baffled, and felt his insides churn. Despite wearing the Goron Mask, having felt Darmani's will and thoughts, and even looking like the deceased hero…it took him a moment to realize that it was indeed him that the shivering Goron was talking to.
The idea really made Link feel sick to his stomach, that the poor Goron thought that he was actually Darmani. Not only was the boy wearing the soul of a deceased hero on his face, but he was accidentally tricking someone into believing he was that hero! For a moment, Link was tempted to simply tell the truth…but he knew he shouldn't. For one thing, telling this Goron, or any other, that he was parading around changed into their hero would surely upset, maybe even anger, them. And if they thought that Darmani had come back to life, only to find out that wasn't the case…it'd surely crush them.
For the sake of the Goron before him, Link swallowed down his self-disgust and nodded. "Yes, it's me. I have no time to talk. Take your friend and go inside. The spring waters will warm you up." Link bellowed out, still unable to talk properly.
Blinking a few times, the Goron seemed too stunned to react for a few seconds. Then, a wide grin broke out on his face, and he raised up his hand as if in prayer. "Oh, Darmani! You've returned! As a ghost, I'm sure, but you're back! You'll save us, won't you?" He practically cheered out, not seeming to have heard the fake Darmani's instructions.
Well, the Goron was sort of right, in a way. In a sense, Link was at least acting as Darmani's ghost. Trying to get over how awkward and uncomfortable he felt, he gave a nod. "I'll stop the curse at Snowhead. Now, enter the spring inside." He prompted again, gesturing to the cave entrance. "Bring your friend and stay there."
This time, the message got through to the Goron a bit, who nodded in understanding. "You're right, of course! If you're really sure since it's your gravesite! Well, wait, what am I saying?! You're back with us, so it's not really a grave anymore, is it?" The Goron said, apparently unable to decide if the Darmani before him was a ghost or a living being.
Either way, the shivering Goron started to help his friend, who apparently wasn't quite frozen solid, into the cave. The worse-off Goron moved stiffly and slowly, barely seeming aware of his surroundings.
When the two Gorons disappeared into the cave to warm up, Tatl cleared her throat. "That's uh…kind of weird for you, huh?" The fairy asked, glancing over to Link. "They really seem to think you're actually Darmani…" She let out a light laugh, shrugging. "But hey, the others will probably think so too, and you'll be a bigshot hero!" Tatl was sincerely trying to just look on the bright side of an awkward situation. Who didn't want adoration from lots of people?
The fairy's words struck a cord in Link, his fists clenching a bit at his sides. At no point in his life did the boy ever consider himself a hero. After all of his failures in Hyrule, how could he think otherwise? It made him feel sick to his stomach whenever Zelda ever muttered the words 'Hero of Time' in his presence, it being a title that the boy fully rejected. He was nothing but a failure, and even if his friends didn't see it, he sure did!
"That's wrong to do." Link replied, realizing Tatl was just kidding around. He still took it pretty seriously. "Even if I can't tell them the truth, I can't revel in their praise." There was zero chance that the boy would take credit for the work and sacrifices of someone else, especially someone that was dead…
"Giants abound, I was just joking…" Tatl grumbled, a bit annoyed. She was just trying to make light of a weird situation, and she didn't expect to be preached at. This kid was just so weird…who wouldn't want to be cheered for? Though she supposed she didn't understand what it was like to get praise when mistaken for someone else…
"Let's just go." Link replied simply, quickly realizing an issue as he approached the wall's edge. In this form, he couldn't see the railings, and he wasn't sure if he could manage to climb down them as a Goron. Walking around was one thing but going down something so dangerous was another story. He could just take off his mask, of course, but as he was about to, he suddenly had an idea. Link knew that Gorons were excessively sturdy beings, mainly composed of rock and all.
Tatl watched as Link curled up into a ball. " Uh…what are you…?" She started, before quickly realizing what the false Goron had in mind. "H-Hey wait, are you nuts?! What if-" Before the fairy could go on, Link rolled right off the edge! Yelling out in shock, Tatl swiftly followed as the boy plummeted to the icy ground below! She winced, unable to do anything to help, as Link struck the ground and…uncurled and stood up, clearly no worse for wear. That didn't stop the fairy from getting angry though, flying in Link's face. "What were you thinking?! You could've died! Do you have a death wish or something?!" She was trying to be more patient with Link, but a stunt like that was simply too much!
Link had a pretty strong feeling he'd be okay, knowing how sturdy Gorons could be. During his two years of recovery, Darunia even shared a story of how he accidentally let a Bomb Flower blow up in his hands, which barely hurt him at all. With that in mind, the boy was sure that a fall like that wouldn't hurt him, especially if he was curled up. Yet…he pondered Tatl's last remark. Normally, he'd never take such a risk like that, but here he did it without a second thought. Was it Darmani's will telling him he'd be okay, or…?
He shook the thought away.
"Gorons are sturdy. I knew I'd be okay." Link said simply, starting to walk back towards the Goron Village. He knew he could roll, and probably easily too, but it wasn't exactly second nature of him to do so. The false Goron still thought like a Hylian, and so chose to walk to his destination.
Tatl sighed, knowing that arguing would get them nowhere. "This kid…what's wrong with him…?" She wondered for what felt like the hundredth time. With each passing day, her curiosity about Link grew more and more. He just didn't act like a kid at all…in fact he barely even acted like a human as far as she was concerned. Why was he like this…? Was it even possible for someone to be like this naturally? Letting loose a second sigh, Tatl put the thought away for the moment and flew after Link…
The two passed by the starving Goron once more, the masked, shivering form not noticing the pair. Link kept a mental note to ask about getting some food from the village. There was surely something there he could bring back to that poor Goron! Speaking of which, Link found that not only were Gorons better at dealing with the cold, but they were better at traversing it as well. Despite his large size, the boy was astonished to see he walked through the snow at a far faster rate than he had before, pushing through the white substance being a lot easier!
Within just a few minutes, the pair arrived at the village and saw it was still empty…save for the gatekeeper Goron, of course. As the two approached, it was this Goron that spoke up first as they drew near. "Hey! What are you doing outside of the…" His words faded, eyes widening as he got a better look at Link. "D…Darmani?! Is that really you?! Oh…I knew you weren't gone! I just knew it! You were just recovering from what was surely a fierce battle!"
Once more, Link felt a sort of self-disgust as he was mistaken for the deceased Goron hero. He realized it wasn't even a rational emotion to feel. It wasn't like he was boasting about being Darmani…but he couldn't help but feel guilt. This was made worse because he felt he had to just go along with the charade and actively lie. "I'm in a hurry. I need to get inside here. There's a Goron that's starving nearby and I need to get him food." The false Goron bellowed out, still trying to make his voice leveled.
It seemed the Goron mistook Link's accidental tone of voice as impatience. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize it was an emergency! You must be exhausted from your trip to Snowhead, so I'll open the door to the Goron Shrine! Please, rest and then save us!" With that, the gatekeeper rounded up into a ball. He then performed an action Link had never seen a Goron do before! The smaller Goron shot up into the air, easily five or six feet, and then slammed back down!
As this happened, somehow triggered by the impact, the door by the gatekeeper slid open. Right away, a strange sound emanated from inside, but the mountain winds swallowed most of it up, making it hard to determine what it was. "Thank you." Was all Link said as he rushed past the Goron, seeing that the door was slowly sliding closed on its own, Tatl following behind him.
When the two entered the Goron Shrine, it was made quite clear what that odd sound was. It was the sound of a baby crying! Not just that though, it was the sound of a very loud baby crying! More than that, it was practically ear-piercing, Tatl covering up her ears right away as she let out a groan of annoyance. Link was tempted to do the same thing, but instead looked around the area.
As expected, the interior was made up of rock, carved from the mountain itself without a doubt. The area had a ramp along the edge, spiraling upward and lit with many torches. To light the way, of course, but surely also for heat. Even as the door slid shut, it was quite cold inside the shrine. At the very least, there was no wind to deal with! There were openings in the stonewall, the homes and shops of the Gorons if the layout was at all like Goron City back in Hyrule. Dotted around the shrine were numerous other Gorons, all with their hands clasped over their ears with miserable expressions on their faces.
"Giants abound, what is that noise?!" Tatl yelled, having to do so in order to be properly heard by Link. "A baby?! Do Goron babies just cry this loud?!" Not like she ever heard a Goron cry, after all!
The sound was getting to Link too, but he kept himself composed. He didn't have much experience with babies, being the youngest in Kokiri Village and there of course being none in Hyrule Castle. He saw a few during his quest, but most recently as he went through the marketplace on the way to Lon Lon Ranch, he sometimes saw a baby or two. If it hadn't been for his anxiety of the large crowds and noise, he might have stopped to observe them closer, but he had just moved on. So, the wailing of a baby in despair was entirely new to him, making it far, far more annoying than it normally would have been!
"We should see what's going on." Link bellowed, this time more on purpose so he could be heard over the crying. The two needed to know exactly where to go to reach Snowhead and where to get food for the starving Goron. He doubted anyone would be much help with that baby crying!
Tatl whined, diving under Link's hat in a desperate attempt to block out the sound, if only a little bit. "Fine! Just do it fast! I can't stand this!" She yelled, feeling like the crying was rattling up her insides!
It was hard to tell exactly where the sound was coming from, but it seemed to be higher up in the shrine. Link went up, noting that the Gorons were screwing their eyes shut as thought that would help somehow, so none of them even noticed that the visage of their hero walked right by them. The crying just got worse as the boy went higher, wincing as it felt like his eardrums were going to burst! After he reached the top, he saw a long red carpet on the floor leading into another room, where the crying seemed to be coming from. Looking to a Goron right outside the room, Link decided to try and ask him what was going on. Going over, the boy placed a hand on the Goron's shoulder, startling the suffering person as his eyes shot open.
Instantly, the Goron's gaze widened, and his mouth went a bit slack. "Darmani?! Is that you?!" He shouted out, both in clear excitement and to be heard over the crying. "I knew you'd return! And just in time, we can't stand this crying anymore!"
Once more, Link tried to ignore being called Darmani. "What's happening? What's with the crying?" He asked, still so very tempted to clamp his hands over his own ears…
"It's the Goron Elder! He thought you were dead, so he went to Snowhead himself!" The Goron explained quickly, having to take his hands off his ears to talk properly and feel the full brunt of the crying. "He's so old and we tried to stop him, but he insisted! Anyway, his son misses him and won't stop crying! Please, talk to him!"
That was dire! Link, while annoyed at the crying, felt bad for the child. "I will. And the way to Snowhead, where is it?" He really had no idea how to ask for this information without seeming suspicious. So, he just went for it.
"Huh? Did you hit your head in battle or something? It's right behind the village! This isn't the time for jokes!" The Goron scolded a bit. "Please, talk to the Goron Elder's Son!" With that, he put his hands over his ears once more and screwed his eyes shut.
Glad that went better than expected, Link nodded and entered the next room. Inside was a lightly furnished area, a small bed against the far wall. Sitting on it was the smallest Goron Link had laid eyes on, a lock of hair on his head and a mouth that was wide open as he let out a torrent of cries, tears falling down his face.
"Daddy! D-Daddy!" The child cried out, hiccupping a bit, the only relief from the crying before it started again. "Where are you?! I'm cold! Daddy!"
Approaching, Link knelt down and placed a hand on the child's shoulder, making him flinch as he had apparently not noticed anyone was approaching. "Please, calm down." The boy said, trying to ease the baby's woes. "I'm here to help you. Your father went to Snowhead, right?"
Hiccupping out again, the Goron Elder's Son looked to Link with wide, pleading eyes. "Darmani…? I was told you died! Please, find my daddy! He went to the Temple! Please, I miss him! I…I…" He tried to form another sentence, but just started to wail again.
Withholding a sigh, Link had hoped that he could at least stop the baby from crying, if only to ease the pain of the other Gorons. Quickly, he left the room and started his way downward again but stopped midway. He needed food! Goron food! With all the crying, he had nearly forgotten! He couldn't leave the village again without helping that poor, starving Goron! He noticed there were signs above some of the entrances, which of course he couldn't read.
"Tatl. Come out here." Link prodded, taking his hat off to reveal the fairy, who was still covering her ears desperately.
"What?!" She exclaimed, her head starting to really hurt. Her tiny ears were so much more sensitive to his noise than Link's or the Gorons around the shrine, so she was really suffering. "Can't we just leave?!"
"I need you to read the signs. Is there anywhere to get food for that starving Goron?" Link asked, pointing to the nearest one. He was essentially going to steal some, not wanting to waste time with a proper transaction. But it was for a good cause, so he didn't feel bothered.
"Fine! Fine!" Tatl exclaimed, looking to the sign Link pointed to. "That's just an inn!" She explained, wanting to get this done fast. The two went down the ramp, the fairy reading out more signs. Near the bottom, she saw one that made her feel a sense of relief. "Food storage! Go in there!" She said, staying out from Link's hat, since diving under it hadn't even helped at all.
Doing as he was told, the false Goron entered to see a room with large chunks of edible rocks stored in crates. There was no one there, so he simply took a particularly large chunk and went out. Approaching the exit, he realized he couldn't just open the door. Putting the rock down, he curled up in a ball. Hoping for Darmani's will to help him once more, he felt a tingle in his brain. Moving muscles, he had no idea he had, Link went up in the air and slammed down, making the door spring open!
With haste, Link grabbed the rock back up and left the shrine along with Tatl. When they got outside, the moved away from the shrine until the door closed, the crying becoming mute to them. Panting a bit, Tatl took her hands off of her ears. "Are you okay?" Link asked, not realizing just how much the crying had taken a toll on her.
"No…" She replied miserably, now rubbing her temples. "Us fairies are a lot more sensitive to stuff like that than you humans…or Gorons, I guess." The fairy was still sort of getting used to Link being in a brand new form. "Just give me a bit…" Without another word, and without asking, she ducked into Link's hat once more.
Deciding to just let Tatl be, Link made his way back towards the smithy's place. The Goron Elder needed aid for sure, but that starving Goron came first! It was only a few minutes before Link reached the masked Goron once more, still shivering up on his ledge. "You, up there. I brought you something to eat." Link called up, tossing the rock up in front of the Goron.
This startled the starving Goron, who squinted down at Link. "Oh! I…I can't tell who you are from up here…but I thank you!" What followed was some very fast consumption as the Goron wolfed down the rock food, soon finishing it off and letting out an impolite belch. "So much better! I can feel my energy coming back! I can move now!" With that, the Goron leapt down from the ledge, letting out a happy sigh of relief. Closer now, he looked to Link again, his eyes widening. "Darmani?! I didn't realize it was you! You were going to Snowhead, weren't you? I've been up there for days, so I have no idea what's been going on…"
No matter how many times it happened, Link felt that twinge of guilt in his gut when he was called by the deceased Goron hero's name. "Things came up." The boy replied vaguely. "I'm going to look for the Goron Elder, then go. You should go to the village."
Instantly believing Link's words, the once-starving Goron nodded. "Yes, of course! But I can't let you go without a reward! Please, take this! It's call Don Gero's Mask, named after the god of frogs that used to dwell here!" Without waiting to see if Link would even accept, the Goron took the odd mask off and handed it over. "Thanks again! Good luck, Darmani!" Once more, without waiting for Link to even say anything, the Goron curled up into a ball and rolled off towards the village.
As Link looked over the new mask he got, but never really wanted, Tatl peeked out from under his hat. Her head was feeling a bit better after a few minutes of resting her eyes. "Don Gero? I think I heard of that guy. Some huge frog that could talk to other frogs. Kind of a freaky mask…are you going to keep it?" She asked, floating out of Link's hat to look at the mask closer.
"It was a gift, so I must." Link replied simply, feeling too nasty about throwing away something given to him out of gratitude, even if he didn't want it. Shedding the Goron Mask, Link was instantly shrunk down to his normal form, which made him feel dizzy for a split second. Putting Don Gero's Mask into his bag, he then donned the Goron Mask once more.
"You're kind of sappy, you know that?" Tatl joked, giving Link a bit of friendly ribbing. "And doesn't it feel weird to change back and forth like that?"
The false Goron ignored the sappy bit but nodded at Tatl's other question as he started to walk back towards the village. "It does, but I'll be fine." He said simply, not thinking Tatl really cared and was just curious. The fact she was acting far less hostile than before was still throwing him off a bit…
Would it kill this kid to talk in longer sentences? The fairy swore he always said the exact amount of words necessary, and it was just so strange to her. Another weird quality of the boy's to be sure. Tatl was used to kids never shutting up, but with Link it was an effort to get him to say more than ten words at a time unless he was instructing someone or asking important questions related to his quest. Smalltalk just wasn't in his nature, apparently…
After getting back to the village, the two went beyond it, keeping their eyes peeled for the Goron Elder. There was a large expanse of flat, snowy terrain behind the Goron's homes and buildings, leading to even more mountainous terrain. However, in the mountain, there was a stone staircase built in, one that lead to a stone door that was sealed shut and depicted a mural that looked vaguely like Darmani. The stone door looked very old, and the mural didn't look exactly like Darmani…but the deceased hero was Darmani III, so the mural could be depicting his father or grandfather.
Of course, it didn't really matter. The two walked around the terrain, the wind kicking up snow that, combined with the snowfall from above, made it hard to see too far. "There's not a lot here, so this should be easy, right?" Tatl asked, hoping it would be. She knew full well that convincing Link to just go straight to Snowhead and leaving the Goron Elder was impossible, so she decided not to even bother. To her, cleansing the Temple would surely save the elder, if he was even still alive, but she was sure Link wouldn't find that good enough…
Yet, the two didn't see any Gorons around. Link and Tatl kept going around the flat terrain, but they seemed to be alone. "Maybe he went through that door? I think I heard someone say he was really old…" Tatl said, only having half-listened to the conversations Link partook in within the shrine. All she knew was the Goron Elder was missing and his kid missed him.
"But that one Goron said he was old. Could he open the door?" Link wondered, getting closer to the slab of stone to take a closer look. As he did, he and Tatl noticed something by the staircase. It took him only a moment to realize the shape was that of a Goron, nearly frozen in the snow!
Quickly approaching, Link and Tatl looked the Goron over, inspecting how severe the situation was. The Goron was unlike any Link had seen, a massive, hunched back that went up and above his head! Speaking of which, his head was mostly covered by long, white hair that totally covered his eyes. Aside from that, the most visible part of his face was his mouth, featuring a very large, protruding lower lip. Around his neck was a small rope, a small bongo drum resting against his chest. The Goron, surely, the elder, didn't react at all to the duo…because he was coated in ice!
"Giants abound, he's totally frozen! How the heck did this happen?!" Tatl exclaimed, floating around the Goron Elder and getting a good look at him. "Is he even alive?!"
Link had no idea if he was or not, but he had to help! Normally, he'd take the elder back to the shrine, but…it was hardly any warmer in there than it was outside, so that wasn't going to do much. That being said, he had a far better idea! "I know what to do." He said, without explanation, as he wrapped his arms around the elderly Goron and picking him up. Link ignored the biting cold that came with it and started to walk back towards the village.
"Huh? Where are you taking him? Into the shrine?" Tatl asked, following behind, noting that the Goron Elder didn't stir at all…and in fact, he probably couldn't…
"No. It's not warm enough." Link responded, surprised at how light the frozen Goron felt in his grip. He went right past the village, the gatekeeper too busy trying to warm himself up to notice anything. The false Goron walked right out of the village and to the smithy's. As he and Tatl approached the building with the frozen elder, he spoke up again. "That hearth the smithies have will work a lot better." That or the hot springs, but getting up there with the frozen elder and unable to use the Lens of Truth was simply not going to happen.
"Oh! Right! That hearth of theirs will do the trick!" Tatl said, watching as Link approached the door, knocking at it with his foot.
From inside, Zubora's friendly and laid-back voice called out. "The door's open! Come in!" It really seemed he wasn't afraid that someone potentially dangerous could be at the door. Though that made sense with only the peaceful Gorons living nearby…and the fact that Gabora could easily dispatch any invader. Even some of the larger Gorons probably stood little chance against the hulking behemoth…
Placing the elder down so he could open the door, Link then carried the frozen Goron inside. As he entered, he placed his cargo right next to the hearth. Turning to a lightly surprised Zubora, he closed the door as Tatl landed on his shoulder. "Sorry for all this, but we need your hearth."
Zubora blinked a few times, sitting up on his couch. Gabora wasn't in the room, off somewhere else in the cozy building. "Wait, is that the Goron Elder? I met him a few times…! What in the name of the Giants happened to him?"
Link watched as, already, some droplets of water started to fall from the frozen form of the elder. "He tried to go to Snowhead, and he ended up like this. We can use your hearth, right?"
"Of course, of course! I wouldn't consider refusing!" Zubora insisted, calming down a bit from his surprise. "I just didn't expect something like this to happen. But, hey, you look a bit familiar. Have we met…?"
The false Goron withheld a sigh, his hands nearly clenching into fists. "My name is Darmani." He lied, feeling disgusted by using a dead hero's name in such a manner. While Link was heavily bothered by the true Darmani unloading his problems onto the boy's shoulders, the Hylian still held a respect for him. After all, he gave his life for his people…how could he not respect that?
"Ah! The hero! Well, you don't have to worry! If the elder's okay, our hearth will get him out!" The smithy declared with confident. "While we wait, how about some food? Gabora is a stupid oaf, but he can at least prepare something to eat! We don't have any rocks that you Gorons eat, but…"
Link had indeed planned on staying, not feeling it right to leave without confirming that the Goron Elder was okay. And, thinking of it, he hadn't eaten for quite a long while. His bag, along with almost all his other possessions, vanished mysteriously when he changed forms, so he couldn't access his own food supply. So, he nodded as he sat on the floor next to the door. "That'd be good, thank you. I want to stay and make sure that the Goron Elder is alright." Even as he spoke, a small puddle was starting to form around the frozen figure's feet…
Smiling, Zubora nodded. Then, without warning, he yelled off into the back of the smithy. "Hey! Lunkhead! Get some food for our guests!" An intelligible grunting came from some other room, and it was enough to satisfy the smaller smithy. "He'll be back in a bit!"
After this, things got pretty quiet. Gabora brought back a big plate of sandwiches, everyone eating their fill. Zubora then took a nap as Link and Tatl watched the Goron Elder thaw out as Gabora went off to a backroom to do…whatever it is he did in his spare time.
Tatl, perched on Link's head, looked to the frozen Goron. The floor was starting to get wetter and wetter as the puddle grew, and she swore she saw a finger twitch at one point. "What do we do if he's not okay?" The fairy asked, knowing such a scenario might be coming up…
"We go back in time. Get to him sooner." Link replied, having thought ahead. "We go straight to him and bring him here."
"What if that isn't enough? What if he's doomed before we can reach him?" Tatl pressed, trying to be realistic. After all, the Goron Elder was literally frozen in place, and who knew how long he had been like that?
Link glanced between Tatl and the thawing Goron a few times before answering. "I don't know." He answered honestly, not sure what action he could even take. Really, the boy had no idea if he could bring himself to tell the Goron Elder's Son what befell his father if it turns out it's impossible to save him…
As Tatl was about to answer, a low groan emanated from the thawing Goron, startling both the fairy and Link as they turned to look. The Goron Elder was actually moving! Standing, swaying, his chest moving as he heaved for breath! He was alive! "Hmmm…Wh…?" The old Goron murmured, looking about. "Wh…? What happened? Where…?"
Standing up, Link went over to the Goron Elder, helping him stay on his feet. "Take it easy. You're at the smithy's." He explained, keeping the thawed Goron steady. "Here, let me help." The false Goron gently aided the feeble figure, so he was sitting on the floor. "Are you okay?"
The Goron Elder moaned out again, too weak to do much else but let Link move him about. "Mmm…Wait…are you…?" He leaned closer, apparently his version of squinting as his hair covered so much of his face already. "Darmani…? I thought you died…"
This again. It never got any easier, no matter how much Link heard it. "I was just injured. But I'm back, and your son wanted me to find you."
"Yeah, he's been crying up a storm! A really, really loud storm…" Tatl complained, actually feeling relieved that the old Goron was okay. It felt…unlike her. She felt like she was gaining more sympathy lately. Before, she might not have cared if the foolish Goron Elder had frozen to death or not, but now…she was a bit happy to see him kicking…
"My son? He's…crying for me? My poor boy…" The Goron Elder asked, trying to stand, but unable to do so. "Oh, I feel so weak…"
Link shook his head. "You should rest. I'll tell him you're okay." The false Goron promised, wanting to do so quickly so he could then go to Snowhead.
The Goron Elder shook his head. "No…you'll need this…" He slowly reached to the rope around his neck, taking the drum off and placing it on the floor. "To soothe him…play the Goron's Lullaby…" He slowly tapped at the drum, playing three notes before stopping. "Mmm…Wait…" The Goron Elder mumbled, doing it again before pausing a second time. "Was it…?" He once more played the same three notes.
"Is that it? Not much of a lullaby." Tatl remarked, shrugging the song off. "We really just can't bring him with us?" She asked, directing the question to Link.
"He's weak, so it's a bad idea. He needs rest." Link said with a light shake of the head. It was a miracle that the Goron Elder survived this far…there was no way Link was going to risk him dying now.
The Goron Elder sighed. "Oh, I just can't remember the full song! I'll teach you what I remember. Please…play it for my son…" At this, he played the same three notes, but repeated it to make six notes.
Link reached forward, playing the same six notes back at the Goron Elder. It was like with the pipes when he was a Deku…somehow he knew exactly the right way to play this unfamiliar instrument. The only one he ever played aside from his Ocarina back home was a gorgeous piano within Hyrule Castle. In any case, he assumed if he tried to use the Ocarina of Time when in this form, he would gain a new instrument, surely drums, to use instead. "I'll play for him, don't worry. You stay and rest. The smithies will care for you." The false Goron promised, standing up.
Nodding, the Goron Elder let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Darmani. I just need a quick nap first…" He mumbled before leaning forward, growing still as a steady snoring started to come from him.
"Geez, for a second I thought he was gonna just croak…" Tatl murmured with a sigh. "He was frozen and then takes a nap? Whatever…" The fairy looked over to the exit. "Let's just go play that song for the kid and go to Snowhead already!" She insisted, wanting to get this all done so they could leave this stupid mountain!
Link went over and left through the door with Tatl, sure that Zubora would take good care of the Goron Elder. This time around, the false Goron curled into a ball and started to roll forward, going through the snow with an even greater ease than when he walked! The white material seemed to practically part away in front of him, and the boy had no trouble telling where he was going! Within just a minute or two, he and Tatl reached the village to boot!
As he neared the village, Link stopped and quickly took off his mask, unclasped his Ocarina from his belt, and put it back on. As a false Goron, clutching an Ocarina, he tried bringing it to his lips. Like with his Deku form, the instrument changed shape. For this shape, the Ocarina changed to a set of five drums that were held by a rope around his neck and shoulders. Trying to put them away morphed the drums back into the Ocarina of Time.
Tatl watched on as this happened, really wondering how some of this magic worked…
In any case, the two said nothing as Link approached the gate, rolled into a ball as he held the Ocarina of Time safely at his stomach and pounded into the ground. Just as before, the door slid open and the cries of the Goron Elder's Son went out into the mountain air. As Link entered, Tatl once more dove under his hat. Nothing had changed at all since Link was in the shrine last, the crying just as rampant with various Gorons about clasping their hands over their ears with their eyes screwed shut.
Quickly, the false Goron made his way back up to the crying child's room. "Daddy! Daaaddy!" The Goron Elder's Son kept wailing, hardly seeming aware of 'Darmani' entering the room once more. "Please come back!"
Link decided to try talking to the sad child first. "Your dad is okay." He bellowed out, purposefully to be heard over the crying. This got the Goron Elder's Son to pause, hiccupping and sniffling. "He was out in the snow, but I got him to the smithy's. He's resting now."
Sniffling more, the Goron Elder's Son only seemed partially pacified. "B...But…I-I want my Daddy! I want him now!" He started to hiccup again, clearly mere moments from bursting out into a full cry.
Deciding that words would do little, Link presented his drums once more, which startled the Goron Elder's Son into a brief moment of silence. It was just enough for the false Goron to play the part of the Goron's Lullaby that he had been taught.
The effect was immediate with the Goron Elder's Son, who stared on at the Darmani imposter before him. "That's…the song Daddy always played to me…before I sleep!" He sniffled once more. "I-I'll sing the next part!"
To Link's surprise, the Goron Elder's Son stood up and cleared his throat. Harmonizing, he sang out the part of the Goron's Lullaby that his father had played earlier. He then added on two notes to the end! At that, he sang the entire song again, looking to the false Darmani as he played the song back on his drums.
As Link played, the notes seemed to drift all through the shrine, and the false Goron even felt a bit sleepy as the song echoed out. Apparently it was a very effective lullaby, even to someone merely shapeshifting into a Goron! The impact was far greater on the Goron Elder's Son, who yawned out before curling into a ball and almost instantly falling asleep.
Tatl peeked her head out, letting out a sigh of relief. "Oh, that's so much better! Finally, that kid stopped!" The fairy said, floating out of the hat properly. "We're done here then, right? Let's get going!"
Link shook the tiredness from his body, turning the drums back into his Ocarina. He was pretty relieved too, both for the crying stopping and that he could help someone like the Goron Elder's Son. Honestly, the boy had felt bad for the baby, who just wanted his parent to come back…something he could relate to, in a way.
Even though it was useless, Link wished at times he could meet his own mother, his birth mother. She had died so he could live, but he had no idea what she looked like or anything else. Saria may be the truest mother he had growing up, but he still loved and adored the woman who sacrificed herself for his sake. At least with the Goron Elder's Son, his father would come back…
"Right. Let's get going." Link said simply, walking out of the room and back into the main shrine. To his and Tatl's surprise, all the Gorons in there were curled up and asleep as well. Whether it was because of the lullaby, exhaustion from the child's crying, or both, they were all fast asleep! Tatl tittered a bit as Link went down to the stone door, opening it before heading out into the mountains once more.
As they made their way to the door with the mural on it that lead to Snowhead, Tatl piped up. "So, how do you open this thing? Just slam down like the other one?" The fairy asked, wondering how that other door even worked.
"Probably. Only one way to find out." Link said, approaching the door up the stairs before curling into a ball and smalling down. As expected, the large stone slab slowly rose up, allowing the two to pass through. They found themselves in a short, manmade tunnel that lead back out into the mountains. On the other side, they were suddenly hit with a nasty, negative energy, and this let them know just how close they were…
Up ahead was a structure that just had to be the Snowhead Temple. It was a large, imposing sight that was a far cry from the Woodfall Temple. This building seemed like it was simply carved from the ice and rock of the mountains, a long domed structure that reached up to the sky, icy spikes protruding from the top as if to defend from outside forces. A large, icy bridge lead towards the Temple, a seemingly bottomless pit surrounding the building otherwise.
"What a creepy Temple…" Tatl murmured, shivering a bit, and not from the cold either. "I feel sick just being near it."
"Just like with Woodfall." The false Goron mused, mostly to himself. This was unfortunately a sensation Link was all too familiar with, even before entering Termina. Without wanting to waste another second, he started to march forward, Tatl floating by his side. Without warning, a large gust of wind blew towards them, making Link slide back and nearly knocking Tatl to the ground.
"Man, that was a strong gust! Be careful or you'll get blown right off that bridge!" Tatl exclaimed, reorienting herself. "What a pain…"
As Link approached, another burst of wind manifested, pushing him and the fairy back once more. "Something isn't right." He pointed out, noticing the wind died down as soon as they were pushed back far enough. Shedding his mask, Link had an idea. Something unseen was causing this wind, so maybe with the Lens of Truth…
Tatl watched as Link got the unusual magnifying glass from his belt and held it up to his eye. "What do you see? Some kind of a monster? Is that what's making the wind blow?" She asked, getting a bit of an idea herself that the wind was acting suspiciously specific.
What Link saw truly startled him, and not for the reason he expected. He assumed he'd see some massive monster, maybe even the monster manifesting the curse of the North. No, instead…he saw a Goron! The largest Goron he had ever seen, but a Goron all the same. He sat in front of Snowhead, almost the size of the Temple itself. Cautiously, Link took a few steps forward, and watched as the hidden Goron inhaled and blew a gust of wind that pushed him back.
"It's a giant Goron." The boy informed Tatl once he oriented himself. "He's blowing at us when we get close." But why? Why would a Goron do that? Thinking of it…Darmani had mentioned a gust blew him off to his death! Did another Goron really do that? For what reason? "I know what to do."
"A Goron…? That's so weird. Must be really big if he can blow us away. But what are you going to do from all the way over here?" Tatl asked, trying to keep up with Link's thought process. She had to admit, he could be a pretty quick thinker. A lot of the times, when he came up with some plan, it ended up working well…
Link put the Lens of Truth in his belt and donned the Goron Mask once more. As he was forcefully changed, he kept the Ocarina of Time in one hand, and converted it to drums once more. "I'll put him to sleep." He answered simply. Looking to where the massive Goron's face was, generally, the false Darmani started to play the drums. For a second time, he played the Goron's Lullaby, the notes seeming to swim through the mountain air, drifting all the way to the heavens…and to the Snowhead Temple as well.
In an instant, the giant Goron became visible, whatever spell was causing its invisibility apparently shattering. As Tatl let out a startled noise, the hulking figure let out a yawn that could be heard all the way from where the duo were watching. The Goron started to nod off, trying to stay awake…but it was no use. Letting out a second yawn, he curled up into a ball before rolling right off into the abyss below! Luckily, though, the pit wasn't actually bottomless. The giant Goron soon hit the bottom, half of its body still visible as its loud snoring rang out into the area. Link swapped back into his Hylian form to properly put the Ocarina away before becoming a Goron again, starting to walk along the ice bridge without any interference.
"I'm glad that worked. But what the heck was that guy's deal?" Tatl asked, looking at the slumbering form of the massive Goron. "Maybe the curse did that to him?"
"Maybe." Link found it hardly mattered. Darmani was dead before the First Day, so preventing the tragedy from happening was impossible. Whatever happened to that giant Goron, it was beyond his ability to help. Maybe cleansing the Temple would help, but that wasn't a given.
Within a minute or so, the two were at the yawning entrance of the Temple, the opening seeming pitch black and leading into nothingness. Link paused here, the air around him feeling much colder than anywhere else on the mountain, and the cursed energy draping over him like a heavy tarp. Even in his Goron form, it felt crushing against him…
Once more, the boy thought of the gods, and how they should be able to stop this. He glanced back at the Moon, something he had avoided doing since heading North this time around. It was so large, even just on the Second Day, and even though it faced South, Link somehow felt its gaze on him. Looking back to the entrance before him, Link once more pleaded, bargained with any deity that would listen to aid him. He'd do anything to be released from this burden…for the Moon to vanish and for him to go home…for his mind to be fixed. Surely the Golden Goddesses could do that much?
Yet, as he stood there…nothing happened.
"…Link? What are you doing?" Tatl asked, wondering why her companion had stopped. Was he afraid? Seemed silly to think about. As far as she was concerned, Link had no fear. He never displayed any, at least, and she couldn't imagine him being terrified of anything. That's what happened when the boy showed zero emotions whatsoever. What else was she supposed to think?
The fairy's question snapped Link out of his thoughts. This was all so, so unfair. What had he done to deserve this? Why did he have to play the part of a hero once more? It didn't help that he wasn't a hero at all, and he would never be one. "It's nothing. Just thinking."
"About what? You don't have to always be so vague you know…" Tatl remarked, trying not to snap out of annoyance. She swore he spoke more to just about everyone but her. He seemed so fond of giving her brief, four or five word responses almost all the time. Did he really hold that much of a grudge for when she was cruel to him?
Shaking his head, Link replied simply. "It's not important." With that, he walked into the Temple, forcing his new and sturdy legs to move him forward.
Tatl let out a sigh, not really surprised by his response, but still annoyed. Just once, she wished he could respond in a more meaningful and normal way. Whatever. Maybe one day she'd be able to pry something out of him.
For the time being, the fairy followed after the fake Goron, nervous to see what the Snowhead Temple held in store for them.
A/N: I'm sorry this chapter took so long. It ended up being a lot longer than I expected it to. Really makes me glad I decided to split it and the previous chapter into two. Despite the Northern part of Termina being my least favorite, it seems I'm getting the most out of it, at least in wordcount. I feel like I'm rushing through it, yet with the wordcount, it took quite a while just to get to Snowead itself. In any case, Tatl is starting to really warm up to Link, as clearly seen, despite the bitter coldness around them. I decided to just make a lot of the Goron abilities second nature, a vague prodding from Darmani's lingering spirit being responsible. Overly convenient, perhaps, but a lot better than spending pages and pages on Link trying to work out how to roll around.
Also, I've decided to try shilling for my Discord chat once more. It's a bit small and not too active, which is why I'm trying to get more people to join it once more. It's a general chat, by the way, and not made explicitly for my stories and nothing else. This site won't let me link it directly, but I did the best I could to do so in my profile.