To Capture the Heart of a Hero

Chapter 25 – Death Mountain

That morning, the tour group packed their things back into the wagons and prepared to saddle their horses once more. Similar to the previous day, the townspeople of Kakariko Village gathered outside of the inn, forming a crowd next to the procession. They were all eager to get one last look at their guests before they departed for good.

Naturally, Zelda planned to give them one final speech as they said farewell. "Good people of Kakariko Village, thank you so much for welcoming us into your home. Your hospitality has been nothing shy of wonderful, and we are incredibly grateful for the memories that have been made here. I would also like to thank you for being strong and enduring the hardships that have come about because of the Twilight Invasion. I assure you that the Hyrule Council and Hyrule United Roundtable will do everything in our power to continue making improvements across the Kingdom. I encourage you all to stay strong, and I humbly request that you continue to bless us with your trust and support."

Zelda bowed her head towards the crowd, and they all applauded. Clearly, they were more than happy to continue supporting the monarchy that looked out for them. Zelda just smiled, feeling incredibly grateful to have been blessed with such wonderful subjects.

Renado soon stepped out from the crowd, and extended a hand to Zelda. The Princess obliged, placing her hand on top of his, and the Shaman soon brought it up to his lips so he could give it a gentle kiss.

"Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Your Highness. I think I can safely say that we of Kakariko have enjoyed our time together just as much as you have. We wish you all a safe travel as you continue on your tour, and may the Goddesses bless your journey."

The crowd applauded again at this, showing their agreement with their leader's words. Zelda simply smiled and bowed her head once more before giving the villagers a curtsy. She wanted them to know just how grateful and humbled she truly was.

Once the farewells were settled, everyone saddled up and hopped in their wagons. The guard at the front of the procession then blew a small horn, indicating that they should all begin the march forward. As the horses began trotting towards the edge of town, Zelda made sure to give the villagers one final wave goodbye. They happily continued to applaud her in return until they eventually disappeared around the corner.

From here, the tour group began the long and arduous trek up towards Death Mountain. The terrain in this region was far from easy to traverse, as it was rough and rocky and consisted of numerous cliffs that their horses were completely unable to ascend. Fortunately, the group encountered a guide who had been stationed at the base of the first cliff. He was a Goron by the name of Daleg, who was here to show the party how to access and traverse the secret mountain path. This path was the only known means of getting both horses and wagons up to the Goron dwelling near the summit, but it was hardly straightforward. In order to avoid the numerous cliffs in the area, the path curved up and around the rocky terrain, sometimes even going through tunnels that had been carved in the mountain's side. Fortunately, Daleg knew the way and was able to safely lead the procession through the mountains with ease, but it still created quite the detour.

Needless to say, it took almost a full day's worth of travel before they eventually made it to the top. Here, they were finally able to gaze upon the tall mountain spire that contained the Gorons' home within. The outside of the mountain was carved by a path that spiraled up to its top, and consisted of numerous metallic structures that had been constructed around it. It was a rather breathtaking example of the Gorons' natural skill with both metal and stone.

The group was soon led to the base of the mountain, where they encountered a few more Gorons who gladly came to their side and greeted them. They offered to lead the horses to a nearby cave, where they would be fed and safely stored alongside the wagons. The Gorons had no place for such animals in their city, so this cave was the only "stable" that they had available. It wasn't the most ideal substitute, but it worked well enough.

By this point, it was late afternoon, and the sun was steadily making its descent towards the horizon. Needless to say, Zelda couldn't help but notice how warm it was. She had visited this mountain before, and she recalled that it naturally exuded a heat so strong that it could honestly be a bit unbearable at times. Still, she felt like she would be able to endure it, at least for the duration of their stay. Fost, on the other hand, was a different story.

"Oh heavens," he mumbled as he attempted to fan himself. "Couldn't the Gorons have settled down somewhere cooler? Why'd they have to pick a location with such overbearing heat?"

"It's okay, Little Fost," one of the Gorons spoke up in a deep but friendly tone. "It's much cooler inside some of the tunnels."

Fost just blinked at the mention of the word "little" before his name. "What the–? Where did you learn of that title?"

"From our Chief, of course."

Fost soon scowled and began muttering under his breath. Zelda wasn't sure what he was saying, but she managed to catch something about a "foolish old Goron".

Surprisingly enough, Link also seemed to be a person that easily attracted the Gorons' attention. Whenever one of them spotted the Hero, they would gladly walk up and greet him with a big smile.

"Brother Link!"

"It's good to see you again, brother."

"Brother, how are ya?"

"I'm doing well, thanks," Link replied, enthusiastically returning their smiles. The Gorons then gave him gentle pats on the shoulder before walking away.

Meanwhile, Zelda just stared at the Hero with a curious gaze. "My, you certainly seem popular around here."

"Yeah, the Gorons and I have always gotten along," he told her. "I like their simple yet strong nature, and it honestly feels good to see them again after all this time."

"They referred to you as 'brother'," Zelda noted, looking interested. "I believe that they use that as a term of endearment when referring to their own kind, and in rare circumstances, they even use it for outsiders whom they have taken a strong liking to."

"Is that so?" Link asked, looking surprised. "I had no idea. I just assumed that it was normal."

"I believe that Darbus uses the same term to refer to my father as well. You should consider it a great honor."

Link nodded. "Of course. At the very least, I know it's better than being called 'little'."

Zelda giggled a bit but quickly stifled it once Fost cast a curious glance in their direction. Fortunately, his attention was soon pulled away by Daleg, who began leading them towards the city.

"We'll follow a short tunnel through here that leads to an elevator," the Goron explained. "That will take us straight into our tribe's great hall."

The group soon entered the tunnel which was dimly lit by lanterns hanging on the walls. As expected, it was noticeably cooler in here, much to the relief of everyone, especially the guards who were wearing full suits of armor. The group walked until they reached the back of the tunnel, where a large metallic plate rested on the ground. Everyone safely shuffled onto it before Daleg joined them, stepping on a large switch on the floor. The plate shifted for a second before it slowly began to rise, ascending through the dark cave above.

The trip only lasted for a few seconds before the elevator arrived at its destination. The party was soon bathed in light once more as the metal plate came to a halt, thrusting them into a large, cavernous room. This place was noticeably warmer than the tunnel that they had just come from, and it too was lit by lanterns strung around the walls. This was the Gorons' great hall.

As expected, the room was filled with Gorons, each of them excitedly clamoring as they witnessed the arrival of their new guests. As Link and Zelda stepped out into the light, the Gorons immediately recognized them, and produced a thunderous applause in their honor. Zelda gratefully accepted it, and even Link seemed more comfortable with the praise for a change. The Princess wondered if it was because he was more familiar with this audience as opposed to the people of Castle Town and Kakariko.

Nevertheless, she soon pushed such thoughts away as she stepped forward and gave the Gorons a proper greeting. Similar to their arrival in Kakariko, she introduced herself and thanked them for welcoming her into their home. Naturally, this introduction led to more thunderous applause from the crowd, who were more than happy to host their guests.

Before long, Darbus stepped forward, his hulking form pushing his way through the crowds. He immediately greeted the Hero and Princess with a wide grin, and even gave "Little Fost" a smile as well. Truth be told, the Chief's greeting was far from formal, but Zelda didn't mind. She had known Darbus for long enough that she felt his behavior here was nothing short of natural.

Darbus soon led the procession further into the room and introduced Zelda to the four Goron Elders that helped lead the tribe alongside him. The Elders themselves were an interesting bunch, their bodies varying in size and shape, and surprisingly enough, color. The only thing they seemed to have in common was their age, as they all certainly appeared to be older than the rest of their brethren that filled out the cave. Nevertheless, they were incredibly kind, and Zelda was more than happy to make their acquaintance.

Darbus then invited the tour group to join his people in a feast. A long table had been set up at one end of the hall, where Darbus, the Goron Elders, and the Hylians could sit on one side and face the crowds. Meanwhile, the Gorons would simply seat themselves on the floor, perfectly content to have nothing but the earth beneath them. Zelda was happy to accept the invitation to dine, but some of her guards were a bit hesitant. The Gorons were a species known to only consume rocks and minerals, after all. Everyone couldn't help but wonder: would the rock creatures even have anything that could satisfy the Hylians' diet?

Fortunately, their fears were quickly allayed, as the Gorons and Ministers had prepared for this ahead of time. The Gorons knew that the Hylians wouldn't be able to stomach their earthly cuisine, so a group of them had departed earlier in the day to hunt down some of the local wildlife. The animals had since been brought back to the mountain, where the tour group's chef would now step in and prepare the meal for them. Upon learning that the silent but trustworthy man would be their meal-maker once more, the men began to relax. With him in the kitchen, they would surely be fed to satisfaction.

The group soon settled into their seats at the table, Darbus taking the center position with his four Elders to his right. Meanwhile, the Princess sat at his left, followed by Fost and then Link. The guards that had accompanied them were seated at another table off to the side. As the food was served, Darbus was more than happy to strike up a conversation with his guests. Specifically, the Princess.

"It has been too long since you have last visited our home, Princess Zelda," the Goron said with both a smile and a shake of his head. "You really should consider visiting more often. We would always be happy to welcome you."

"Thank you, Darbus," Zelda said with a nod. "And forgive me, I too realize how long it has been since our last visit. I believe I was just a young girl back then, gawking up at the Gorons that towered over me."

Darbus grinned before reaching over and grabbing Zelda by the shoulder, pulling her close to his hulking figure. "Not much has changed there, eh? Ga ha ha!"

Zelda just smiled. It was true. Compared to someone of his size, she still seemed like nothing more than a child.

Darbus soon released her, before shaking his head some more. "Ah, it saddens me that brother Caius could not be here as well. It has also been many years since his last visit."

Zelda nodded. "Yes, perhaps once he's finished recovering from his condition, I'll suggest that he come to visit. I'm sure that he'd be more than excited to return to your home after all this time."

Darbus's face lit up into a bright smile. "That would be wonderful, Zelda. I eagerly look forward to that day!"

Zelda returned his smile, happy to have given the Goron something to look forward to. Still, she wasn't sure how long it would be before her father would be able to fulfill that promise. Even after all of these months, he was still suffering from the effects of his poisoning, and it was unclear just how much longer it would go on for. Zelda just silently prayed that his health would continue to improve in the coming weeks.

"But enough about future events," Darbus soon continued, waving his massive hand in dismissal. "Today, we should be focused on entertaining our current guests."

"That is very kind of you," Zelda said, smiling once more. "However, I can assure you that my party is already more than entertained by the meal and atmosphere here. I hope you realize that you don't have to go out of your way for us."

"Nonsense!" the Goron barked back. "If you think that this is entertaining, then just wait until we conduct the festivities that we have planned. I can assure you that every brother in the hall will have their eyes glued to the contest!"

Contest? Zelda wondered to herself. She had to admit, this word had quickly captured her curiosity. "What exactly did you have in mind, Darbus?"

The Goron just grinned down at her. "Tell me, Zelda, have you ever heard of sumo before?"

"Sumo?" she repeated. Truth be told, she actually had heard of it before, from a book she had read when she was younger. From what she understood, it was a sport that consisted of two men wrestling each other, until one of them was forced out of bounds. It was a contest that required strength of body as well as quick reflexes, and it was naturally beloved by the Gorons.

"I am somewhat familiar with it," Zelda answered. "Although, I hope that you don't expect me to participate in such a thing."

Darbus just laughed, loudly and cheerfully. "Ga ha ha! Of course not, Princess. We understand that the womenfolk generally hold little interest in such things."

Zelda smirked a bit. "I'm glad that you understand us so well."

"However," Darbus continued, taking on a confident expression, "we would be more than happy to accept any challenges from your menfolk."

Zelda just frowned before raising her eyebrows at this. "You would like to wrestle with my guards?"

"Of course," Darbus said with a nod. "If there are any who are willing to take on my brethren."

Zelda just gave him a look of disbelief. Was he being serious? "Er…Chief Darbus, while I appreciate the invitation to have my men join in your contest, surely you understand that there will be no competition in such a thing?"

Darbus just stared at her, looking confused. "What do you mean?"

Zelda could only sigh. Did he really not understand? "I believe that what I am trying to say should be rather apparent. My guards, while strong and muscular, simply cannot hold a candle to the strength that you Gorons possess. It is beyond the limits of us humans. Even if they did walk into the ring with one of your brethren, they would simply be tossed away a second later."

Darbus stared at the Princess for another second, but soon smiled and chuckled a bit. "Ah, but that is where you are wrong, Princess. While it is true that the strength of Gorons tends to overshadow the strength of man, that does not mean that there are no Hylians capable of competing with us. Why, I myself know of two men who were able to compete with us on even terms, and even managed to secure victory."

Zelda gave the Goron a skeptical glance. "Surely you are exaggerating."

Darbus shook his head. "Nope, it's entirely true. Ask any of my brethren and they'll say the same thing. The feats of these two men have been forever inscribed into our memories, like words written on stone."

Zelda frowned, still hesitant to believe such ridiculous claims. "Is that so? Then tell me, who exactly were these two men?"

Darbus laughed a bit before grinning. "Believe it or not, Princess, you already know both of them."

Zelda's eyes immediately widened in surprise. "I do?"

"Of course," Darbus said with a nod. "The first of which is Mayor Bo, from Ordon Village."

"Bo!?" Zelda exclaimed, now even more surprised.

"He visited us many years ago, and managed to defeat a number of us in the ring. We were quite amazed to see a human contain such strength."

Zelda felt equally amazed. She knew that Bo was a large man, but she could hardly imagine him wrestling with a Goron, let alone achieving victory. "And who is the other?"

Darbus grinned some more. "Why, it is none other than your companion, Link, the Hero of Twilight!"

For the second time that day, Zelda felt her eyes shoot wide open. "Link!?" she repeated, feeling stunned. She soon glanced over to the Hero who sat a few seats down and was currently talking with another Goron, oblivious to her and Darbus's conversation. "You're telling me that he managed to defeat your people in sumo?"

"It's true," Darbus said with a nod. "Many of my brothers claimed to have witnessed it, even though I myself wasn't there to see it with my own eyes."

"How do you know that it wasn't just an exaggeration?" Zelda asked, still feeling doubtful. Sure, she knew that Link was strong, but he might as well have been a twig when compared to the mighty Gorons.

"Please, allow me to reassure you, Princess," one of the Elders said, suddenly speaking up from the other side of Darbus. His name was Gor Coron, and he had been the Chief of the Goron Tribe prior to Darbus. "I watched with my own eyes as the Hero singlehandedly wrestled with some of our strongest brothers, and time and again, he managed to toss them out of the ring and secure his victory. Finally, I decided to step forward and challenge him myself."

"You did?" Zelda asked, her eyes widening again. Even at a glance, she could tell that this older Goron was still quite muscular, and far from being considered an easy opponent.

"Yes," Gor Coron said, nodding. "And lo and behold, brother Link managed to defeat me as well. Our brothers were shocked to see such an outcome, but we could not deny his strength. Link is arguably one of the best sumo wrestlers we have ever seen."

Darbus soon laughed. "And that isn't said lightly. For many years, Gor Coron here was the reigning champion of Death Mountain. To defeat him in the ring is something that only the greatest of men could accomplish."

"I can't believe it," Zelda said, glancing over at the Hero once more. "To think that he was this strong…"

Darbus just laughed some more. "Come now, Princess. If anyone should have faith in the Hero's abilities, it should be you!"

Zelda felt a bit taken aback by this. "What? Why me?"

"Because!" the Goron insisted. "Brother Link saved you, didn't he? You should know just how capable he truly is!"

Zelda couldn't help but blush a bit. True, she did know better than most just how strong and capable Link was, but she didn't necessarily appreciate what Darbus seemed to be implying here. That the two of them were closer to each other than anyone else…

Doesn't he know that Link doesn't have feelings for me? Zelda thought glumly. He's interested in someone else, and the two of them are far closer than he and I will ever be…

Suddenly, Gor Coron decided to speak up again, pulling Zelda out of her depressing thoughts. "I have an idea, Darbus. Why don't you challenge the Hero to a sumo match? That way, the Princess will be able to see the boy's skill for herself."

Darbus's mouth fell open, but it soon widened into his biggest grin of the day. "Why, brother Coron, that is an excellent idea!" he exclaimed before playfully patting the elder on the back. "I always regretted that I wasn't able to witness Link's skill in sumo firsthand. But now we have the perfect opportunity!"

Gor Coron nodded. "I expect that our brethren will also be keen to see his skill once again." The Elder then paused before glancing at Zelda once more. "Princess, with your permission, would you allow our Chief to challenge the Hero to a sumo match?"

For the umpteenth time, Zelda felt surprised at this turn of events, but she soon found herself nodding. "Why, of course. As long as Link is willing to accept, then I have no qualms with it."

"Wonderful!" Darbus said, clapping his hands together. "In that case, let's not waste time, shall we?"

The Goron then abruptly rose to his feet, and began making his way over to where the Hero was seated. Zelda just watched him go, all the while flashing a nervous expression. She wasn't sure why, but she suddenly felt a little uneasy about the whole thing.

Before long, Link turned around and glanced up at the massive Goron that was approaching him. He was currently in the middle of chewing his food, but he still managed to greet the giant with a smile. "Oh, hey Darbus. What's up?"

"Brother Link!" the Goron shouted, his booming voice being loud enough for the entire room to hear.

Link just froze as his name echoed across the hall. "Er…yes?" he asked, his mouth still full of food.

Darbus grinned before standing tall and balling his giant knuckles into fists. "I hereby challenge you to a sumo match!"

The reaction was immediate. The entire room fell silent, while Link managed to yelp out a "What?" as his eyes shot wide open. He then paused as he gasped a bit, swallowing his food and subsequently choking on it.

"Link!" Zelda exclaimed, immediately seeing the danger he was in. She rose from her seat and ran over to place a hand on his shoulder. "Link, are you all right?"

Link coughed for a few seconds before nodding and forcing the food down his throat. He then gasped again before turning back to the Goron with fearful eyes. "D-Darbus…you want to do sumo…with me?"

"Of course, brother!" Darbus replied. "My brethren have witnessed your strength and skill before, and now, we would gladly like to do so again! Isn't that right?"

Every Goron in the room immediately stood up and began cheering. It was clear that they were eager to see the Hero in action. In response, Link just felt his jaw fall open in shock.

"I…I don't know, Darbus," he said hesitantly. "I'm not sure that I'm as good as you say I am."

"Nonsense!" Darbus replied confidently. "You managed to defeat Gor Coron, one of our best wrestlers, didn't you?"

Link frowned. "W-Well, yes, that is true…"

Meanwhile, Zelda just gave the Hero a curious glance. Why did he appear so nervous? She admittedly had her own reservations about this challenge, but was it possible that Link felt the same way?

It was around this time that Fost decided to speak up. "Oh, come now, Chief Darbus. Can't you leave your roughhousing for another time? We're still in the middle of our dinner."

Darbus just gawked at the tiny man. "Little Fost, how could you say such a thing!? Sumo is the favored pastime of our people!"

Fost scowled a bit. "Very well, but must you drag Master Link into this? I'd hate to see our Kingdom's Hero get hurt from playing in your games."

"Of course, brother Link must join us!" Darbus insisted. "It would be incredibly disappointing not to see his amazing skill on display!"

Link just gulped. He could already feel the pressure from everyone in the room starting to weigh on him. Was there really no way out of this situation?

Fost frowned some more. "Hmm…What do you think Princess?"

Zelda just sighed and shook her head. "I'm afraid that I've already given my permission for them to host such an event. If they want to start their sumo competition, then we should respect that."

The Princess then blinked as the Hero turned to face her with a bewildered expression. Suddenly, she couldn't help but feel a little guilty. Why did Link look so forsaken? Like the Princess had just sealed his doom?

"Well, brother Link?" Darbus asked, grinning once more. "Do you accept my challenge?"

Link just sighed, letting his shoulders sag a bit. What was he supposed to do now? It wasn't like he had any excuses. None that he was willing to share, anyway.

"Very well, I accept your challenge," he murmured solemnly.

The entire room soon erupted into cheers and applause. Everyone was more than excited to see their mighty Chief and famed Hero climb into the ring together.

Meanwhile, Zelda just continued staring at Link, wondering what could possibly be making him feel so nervous and afraid…

The Gorons did quick work, constructing a raised platform out of earth in the middle of the great hall. The crowds soon gathered around it, eager to see the match unfold. Even the Hylian guards seemed rather interested in seeing how this would play out. It wasn't every day that you got to see a human take on a Goron, after all.

Link, on the other hand, was far from thrilled. He just stood off to the side, looking glum as he glanced around at all the excited faces. How was he supposed to pull this off? It wasn't like he had that special item with him to give him a fighting chance. Without it, his prospects for victory were basically nonexistent. Wasn't there any way for him to back out of this?

"Is everything okay?"

Link soon turned to find Zelda staring at him with a worried expression. He frowned some more, feeling guilty. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

Zelda just raised her eyebrows at the Hero. "Are you certain? You seem kind of nervous to me."

Link tried to give her a reassuring smile, but the results were less than believable. "Yeah, it's just, um…been a while since I had to do this sort of thing."

Zelda continued to eye the Hero up and down for a few seconds, but she soon gave him a soft smile. "Don't worry, Link. Darbus told me that you've succeeded at this before. I'm confident that you can do it again."

Link felt his fake smile threaten to collapse as he stared at the Princess's innocent gaze and listened to her encouraging words. To his surprise, he discovered that she was being completely serious. She actually believed in him. How could he possibly back out now?

The Hero soon sighed. "Thanks Zelda. I promise to try my best."

Zelda smiled some more before giving him an encouraging pat on the shoulder. "I'll be cheering for you, Hero."

Link couldn't help but blush a bit at these words. He really appreciated her confidence in him, but little did she realize, it was entirely misplaced. He soon turned back towards the ring, only to see his mountain of an opponent step inside.

"Come on, brother!" Darbus yelled with a wide grin. "Let's get this started!"

Link just gulped. He wasn't sure how things were going to turn out, but he at least had to try. He owed the spectators that much. Before long, he gathered his courage and slowly stepped into the ring.

Zelda simply watched him from her place in the crowd. She ended up placing a hand over her heart as it began to beat fast and strong. She wasn't sure why, but she had an uneasy feeling that something bad was about to happen. Based on what she had been told, she knew that Link was more than capable of handling this challenge, but if that was the case, then why did his behavior say otherwise?

I hope he comes out of this okay, she thought, aimlessly casting her silent prayer to any Spirit or Goddess that would be willing to listen.

Link and Darbus took their positions on opposite sides of the ring. Darbus was so large that his hulking figure almost covered a quarter of the platform. It was obvious to everyone that his weight and size gave him a massive advantage over his opponent.

However, this fact didn't deter the crowd's enthusiasm for the Hero. Many of the Gorons cheered out his name, excited to see him in action after all this time. The Hylian guards also chimed in, rooting for the Hero of Twilight with ceremonious grunts and raised fists.

Before long, the sounds of the crowd died down as some of the Gorons began playing numerous sets of bongos. They produced a rhythmic beat that reverberated throughout the cave. The two opponents soon crouched down, facing each other. Darbus, with the look of confidence and excitement, and Link, with a nervous yet determined expression.

The thunderous sound of the bongos continued to escalate until they eventually ceased completely. Gor Coron then called out in a loud voice, giving the signal for the match to begin.

Wasting no time, Link charged forward, hoping to get the first move in. If he could just make contact with the Goron, then he might actually have a chance…

However, Darbus didn't make it easy. He soon swung his gigantic arm forward, attempting to push the Hero back. Link managed to see it coming though, and used his quick reflexes to duck beneath it. He then continued running forward and managed to grasp the Goron's body with both hands. Using all his might, he attempted to push Darbus towards the edge of the ring.

The crowd quickly erupted into cheers and whistles. They were excited to see such swift movements from the human, and now the two of them had finally made contact! The question had presently been posed: whose strength would prevail? The mighty Chief or the courageous Hero? It was anyone's guess, but they were dying to discover the answer!

However, as the struggle continued, the crowd soon began to quiet down. They then began casting perplexed looks at the combatants. Despite all of Link's grunting and struggling, he had yet to move Darbus by even an inch…

Link's eyes just went wide as he too realized his predicament. He tried pushing even harder against the Goron's rough skin, but it was to no avail. His own feet just uselessly skidded along the dirt beneath him. Damn, I can't make him budge!

Darbus also glanced down at the Hero with a somewhat confused look, but soon laughed it off. "Ga ha ha! Nice try, brother! Now, it's my turn."

Wasting no time, the Goron Chief shook the Hero off of him, causing Link to stumble back a bit. The Hero then looked on in horror as the Goron flashed a grin and charged at him with his full body. Unfortunately, he had no time to react as the mountainous creature slammed into him.

The crowd went dead silent as they watched the Hero's body fly backwards through the air, as if he were lighter than a feather. However, they soon stepped out of the way as the pull of gravity caught up with Link, and he came crashing back down. With a startled grunt, the Hero fell flat on his back, utterly defeated.

The room remained in complete silence as they all stared at the Hero's resting spot with confused and stunned expressions. Everyone could hardly believe this turn of events. The Chief of the Gorons had just defeated the Hero of Twilight with hardly any struggle at all.

However, there was one person who was currently making noise, and she was quite frantic to boot.

"Oh my goodness," Zelda gasped as soon as she saw Link plummet to the ground. Wasting no time, she began pushing her way through the crowd, over to the spot where he had landed. "Link!" she cried. "Link, are you all right?"

Within seconds, Zelda managed to reach the Hero, and she soon crouched down next to him. His eyes were closed, and his limbs were sprawled out around him in random directions. In a way, he almost appeared lifeless, but Zelda wasn't about to entertain that thought.

"Link," Zelda called again. She then placed her hands on his chest and started shaking him. "Link, are you okay? Please wake up."

The shaking seemed to help, and the Hero's eyes soon fluttered open. He coughed a few times before letting out a low groan.

"Ouch…" was all he said.

Zelda breathed a small sigh of relief, happy to see that he had regained consciousness. Meanwhile, the rest of the spectators began murmuring amongst themselves, wondering what exactly had just happened.

"What was that all about?"

"The Chief tossed him away like it was nothing."

"You're sure that this is the same human who bested Gor Coron?"

Darbus also seem confused by this turn of events, and he soon approached the edge of the ring with a troubled expression. "Er…brother Link, are you all right?"

Link coughed some more, but gave a small nod. "Yes."

Zelda placed a hand on his arm. "Can you sit up?"

"I think so."

With his approval, Zelda helped ease him up into a sitting position. He winced a bit as he did so, feeling sore from his fresh bruises.

"Brother, what exactly happened to you?" Darbus asked, still looking concerned. "By our standards, that display of strength was rather…pathetic."

Link rubbed his neck a bit and tried to give a nervous laugh. "Ha ha, I, um, guess I'm just a little out of practice."

The Goron Chief turned his head, still looking perplexed. However, he soon grunted and shrugged. "A pity, that is. Perhaps we will have to try again at another time, when you are in better shape."

"Yeah, that would probably be best," Link agreed weakly.

Seeing that the match was clearly over by this point, the stunned Gor Coron soon cleared his throat. "Ahem, yes, well it would seem that Chief Darbus of the Goron Tribe is victorious!"

The crowd was expected to erupt into cheers once more, but all this announcement produced was a small and awkward applause. The crowd was still very much confused and trying to make sense of what had transpired.

Gor Coron just sighed before trying to move things along. "Now, who would like to step into the ring next? I'm sure our guests would love to see another match!"

Numerous hands shot up into the air as the crowd grew livelier once again. Meanwhile, Link just slowly rose to his feet, holding his back as he winced a bit.

"Are you sure that you're all right?" Zelda asked as she rose up with him. "You took quite the tumble there…"

Link tried to give her a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm just a little sore, is all."

Zelda nervously bit her lip as she stared at him. She still couldn't help but feel a little concerned.

Just then, one of the Elders appeared from within the crowd and began approaching the Hero. He was an incredibly small Goron by the name of Gor Amoto. He walked with a cane, and oddly enough, he had small wisps of smoke coming out from his hardened backside.

"Brother Link," he said in an old, trembling voice. "If you would like, I can show you to our hot springs outside. The warm waters are sure to soothe any injuries that you have sustained."

"That actually sounds pretty nice," Link said, trying to smile again. "Thank you, Elder."

The Elder smiled back before slowly turning around. "Very well, come with me then."

Zelda silently watched the Hero start to limp away. Truthfully, she kind of wished that she could accompany him, in order to make sure that he was truly all right and not just putting on a brave face. However, she didn't get the chance, as Darbus soon rejoined her, directing her attention back towards the sumo matches.

"Ga ha ha! Now this is more like sumo, eh Princess?"

Zelda just gave him a polite smile and nod. "Yes, Darbus, it is very entertaining." She then turned away as soon as he wasn't looking. She kept her eyes on the Hero as he made his way out of the cave. She frowned as she noticed his expression, looking both tired and defeated.

As he vanished from sight, Zelda couldn't help but wonder one thing.

What had went wrong?

There's a sport that's been on my miiind…All the tiiime! Su-Su-Sumo…ohh-oh!

Yeah, please forgive me. I'm just a dork who's trying to have a little fun here lol.