The mine cart was an uneventful, scenic ride through the bright morning light, past several decayed Guardian Stalker carcasses and enormous skulls peeking out of the lava like silent voyeurs, ending in the midst of cheering Gorons assembled on the shore.
Before they could jump down, they'd both been lifted onto the sturdy, unyielding shoulders of well-intentioned celebrants, and though he appreciated the ride Shadow Link could feel fresh bruises forming on his rear well before they reached Goron City. An even louder cheer went up as soon as they came into sight and the volume only increased as they were let down on Bludo's doorstep, where the aging leader was leaning heavily on a sturdy cane, stooped but upright.
Bludo's lone eye was sharp as it looked them both over, and something he saw in Yunobo made the elder's shoulders relax and his face split in a wide grin. "Well, I'll be. Would ya look at this?" He laughed, thumping his cane on the metal plate beneath his feet once as though he'd made an important proclamation.
Another roaring cheer went up and then lingered in the air. Shadow Link had been feeling his energy lagging, the long lack of sleep and a regular meal finally catching up with him, but the extended clamor was surprisingly invigorating.
Well, that and the enthusiastic claps on his back and shoulders. Even though he braced himself, the well-intended blows nearly sent him staggering a few times.
"All right, all right, now, that's enough. Let 'em breathe, blast ya!" Bludo commanded, cane banging on the ground once more. The crowd immediately calmed and took a step back. "We were worried somethin' fierce 'bout the both a'ya. 'Specially when it was reported that you'd disappeared from the armory without a trace. What happened? Where you been?"
"Inside the mountain," Yunobo replied.
Eyebrows shot up all around. "How'd you wind up there?" Bludo asked, a little incredulously.
"Well, it's the craziest thing," Yunobo began, launching into the story. The crowd reacted nearly as one, gasping and chuckling in the appropriate places, predictably shocked at the tales of legendary villains and fire-monsters come to life, as well as the Guardian that had attacked them. Awed silence and then rousing applause erupted after the story of Yunobo hanging by his fingertips over the magma and the much smaller Shadow Link pulling him to safety, though many faces remained concerned at the verification of Ganondorf's return.
While everything Yunobo said was technically true, his narrative painted Shadow Link as an unstoppable force meeting insurmountable odds and overcoming them with minimal help. But Yunobo had done more than hold his own, he'd been a big part of the reason they'd been successful. The Shadow related this information, going on to elaborate and fill in the details Yunobo had missed. He watched the Gorons around him physically shift both their feet and their opinion of their prince with the new information, their faces morphing from surprise and dismay to pride and delight as they celebrated Yunobo seeming to have come into his own overnight.
Yunobo might've heard some of the soft murmurs in the crowd that he'd shed his fear at last, as he said, "It's not that I suddenly wasn't scared anymore— I was. The entire time, if I'm being honest. But every time I felt the fear taking hold, I'd look over and see this tiny Hylian here doing everything he could to help us without— well, okay, he did complain," he chuckled, throwing a grin the Shadow's way. "But he still did it; put everything he had into it, too. And I could've never defeated Volvagia alone. Not to mention how he cleared the vents so the mountain could breathe again."
Bludo had remained silent, though his face was beaming at the end of the recounting. He smacked his cane on the ground. "Let's hear it for Shadow Link and Prince Yunobo!"
Another groundswell of cheerful noise filled the sunny valley, filling the Shadow's chest with warmth.
When it became possible to be heard again, Bludo announced, "Goron City, as well as all of Hyrule owes you both a debt of gratitude. But we'll address that later. Right now, you must be tired. Rest up; tonight we celebrate!"
Another wave of jubilation swept through the crowd even as it dispersed, most going on about their normal days now that the threat had passed while some began preparations for the party. Bludo lowered his voice to address Shadow Link and Yunobo. "Helluva thing you've done, boys. Helluva thing. Yunobo— son, you've made this old Goron mighty proud today. Your father would be, too, if he could be here, and that's a fact.
"Shadow Link, we can never thank you enough for what you've done here. Not sure if it means anything, but I'm mighty proud of you, too. You are forever welcome in Goron City; you'll find our most comfortable bed always ready for you at the inn— free of charge, of course! Now go on and take a rest, boys. We'll see you when you wake up."
With that, Bludo limped back into his hut and Yunobo turned toward Shadow Link. "You won't leave before the party, will you?"
"Nah, I'm exhausted. Prob'ly sleep for a week," he exaggerated, shaking his head, but it wasn't too far from the truth. Despite the Heart Container, he was ready to drop. In any case, his plan was to call Epona to take him down the mountain, since he had to stop at Foothill Stable and pick up his gear, so he wouldn't leave until near dark anyway.
Satisfied, Yunobo held his fist out for a bump before they parted ways.
Shadow Link headed for the Rollin' Inn, just down the sloping metal road from Bludo's place. Situated just above the gurgling lava, the inn boasted a surprisingly hospitable atmosphere. To the right of the entrance, a communal space with a table and seats sat near a window cut into the rock and left room in the corner by the service counter for a stage large enough for one Goron, complete with a microphone and ruby spotlight.
Across the room were the beds, and assurances aside, nothing about them looked comfortable. They looked to be made of slate and featured small boulders for pillows. The second open window accomplished little to move the hot air around, any cooling breeze rendered moot by the surrounding mountain and proximity to the lake of liquified rock.
The elderly proprietor simply nodded at him and gestured to a bed; a moment later Shadow Link had settled down, almost immediately regretting it. Before he could even sigh, though, a soft jingle sounded from behind his ear and in the next breath he could swear he was lying on a cloud, closing his eyes and allowing the cares of the world to fall away.
It was obvious that he was dreaming, even though he opened his eyes to the same room in which he'd gone to sleep. The colors were just slightly… off. Dull. Muted beyond what darkness could explain. He spotted the imp lounging on the next bed, one hand propping up a drooping head, dark circle underneath the one visible heavy-lidded eye.
"Are you Midna, the Princess of Twilight?" No sense beating around the bush.
A satisfied, weary grin momentarily lit up the imp's face. More than that, it visibly appeared as though a heavy weight had been lifted from the tiny body. "You're lucky to have the Sprite with you," Midna remarked, finishing on a powerful yawn. "I figured if you had any brains at all, you'd talk it over with her."
He couldn't help snorting, a little disappointed that it didn't come out in a colorful plume like last time. "Yeah," he allowed. "Did Ganondorf kidnap you and imprison you in the jewel on my sword? Are you why it glows and shoots energy beams? Is that what you meant when you said you'd been helping me?"
"Yes to all of tha-aaaaaat." The word was nearly swallowed by another yawn.
No wonder she was so tired; she must've expended a ton of energy bringing Ganondorf to his knees with that last strike. Just like after the battle with Zant, she probably needed to rest for a bit.
"Is he siphoning off your power? Is that the purpose of my sword?"
"Yes, but he's not taking not as much as he thinks. He's not entirely aware of just how powerful I am," she let out a snicker that morphed into an enormous yawn. "Ugh. I'm so tired that even this stinking rock feels comfortable. How are you sound asleep on this horrid thing?"
He huffed out a laugh. "Navi put a spell on either it or me, don't really care which."
"Mm, good Fairy," she murmured, closing her eyes. A second later, the smallest snore reached his ears.
He smiled, recognizing a growing fondness for the imp, and settled back down on his own bed, Midna's rhythmic breathing lulling him into slumber.
When he woke, the sun was settling down to rest and the celebration was already in full swing, though the thick rock walls of the inn muted the noise considerably. As he sat up, the bruises across his shoulders, back, and rear screamed at him so he took a moment to grasp the Zora charm around his neck and felt Mipha's Grace ease his aches.
Remembering his dream, he grabbed his sword and held it in front of him, frowning. The jewel was quiet and dark, its unwilling occupant taking a well-earned rest. The knowledge that Midna was indeed trapped inside sat heavily in his chest. When he was alone, he'd have to tell Navi what he'd discovered, but the innkeeper was merrily humming to himself behind his desk.
He wandered out into the crowd and was greeted with music and laughter, raucous good cheer filling the sweltering valley.
He was surprised to find crusty bread, fragrant mushroom soup, grilled vegetables, and steaming meat piled on a long buffet table along with what he assumed were dozens of different gourmet rocks. He made himself a hearty plate and found a place to eat and watch the festivities. Some Gorons were dancing while others had set up activities in different areas— in one spot they rolled a palm-sized round rock at ten slender rocks set in a triangular pattern a set distance away and competed for the lowest score; in another, they had marked out a track and were having rolling races. Loud cheers and groans erupted at odd intervals from all around. A band seemingly consisting of all drums had set up somewhere hidden behind dozens of Goron bodies; their lively tunes carried across the gathering and the strong, rhythmic bass tone kept a second heartbeat in his chest.
He was finishing his second helping of the surprisingly-delicious feast when Yunobo found him. "Hey, little guy! If you're all done, you wanna come with me?"
The prince led him through a virtual sea of Gorons, greeting each by name. Shadow Link was met with nods, warm pats on his back and shoulders, and shouts of gratitude as they passed. The short trek ended in Bludo's hut, the space bursting with Goron elders who greeted them with approving grunts and nods— including Bohrin from the Southern Mine, who laughed and patted Shadow Link's shoulder hard enough that a small cloud of dust rose around his feet.
"All right, let's get on with it. Ahem. Shadow Link and Prince Yunobo," Bludo began in an official tone, "We, the leaders of the Goron people, have gathered here to formally express our gratitude and appreciation for your bravery and heroism on behalf of Hyrule as a whole." The elders all made the same affirming hum; it reverberated off the stone walls and created a deep, surreal undertone. "I'd like to take this opportunity to formally invite Prince Yunobo to join the elders in the leadership council until such time as he comes of age and takes his rightful seat on the throne, then to assume sole leadership."
Yunobo hesitated. "Would the elders be amenable to remaining in an advisory capacity?"
The elders looked to each other, each nodding to the other in turn. "Aye," Bludo accepted.
As subdued as a person could be while their face was beaming, Yunobo nodded and gave a perfectly solemn bow. "Then I accept. I won't let you down."
Bludo nodded, making his own bow. "We have an accord."
The elders nodded and bowed as one, giving a deep, final-sounding hum.
Upon straightening, the prince turned to the Shadow. "Shadow Link. Your heroism and bravery have halted the eruption of Death Mountain and saved countless lives, including my own. We offer this ore as a small token of the unpayable debt owed to you," he said, gesturing to an enormous pile of assorted gemstones behind the column of rocks by the entrance.
"Additionally, you've seen the red crystal bubble that sometimes surrounds me in battle." He waited for Shadow Link's nod. "Before the Great Battle, my ancestor, the Champion Daruk, was given a special ability that allowed him to manifest an impenetrable shield around himself. He passed this on to his son, and it was eventually passed on to me.
"Daruk also found a way to harness a part of that power in a special ring he forged outta titanium he extracted from right here in this mountain so that his friend Link would always be protected. I'd like the same for you." He unfurled his fist to reveal a small silvery ring set with three tiny rubies and a slightly larger one, all cut and set in the shape of the Goron symbol. "Please accept this as a token of my friendship and gratitude, and that of all Gorons. It'll help keep you safe on your adventures the way you did for me today."
The Shadow blinked and nodded, floundering for a moment. This was another gift that would likely be incredibly useful in the future. It fit the first finger on his left hand perfectly, gemstones playing with the flickering light in the room. Fascinated, he ran his thumb along the nearest ruby, pressing it slightly— and was suddenly encased in a transparent crystalline bubble that was only slightly pink from the inside, reflecting the soft glow of the jewels.
A chorus of hums signaled the Gorons' approval, and Yunobo gave a cheerful chuckle before advising, "Now, I was told that it does have its limitations; after every three uses it will need to recharge, and that takes a few minutes. However, it will protect you from just about everything but falling in the lava— and you've got that covered already!"
"Yeah," he agreed, still slightly overwhelmed by the generosity of the Gorons. The small mountain of ore alone would be more than enough to live on comfortably… assuming he ever got to relax and enjoy life, of course. "Thank you," he said sincerely.
"Thank you, Shadow Link," Yunobo emphasized, holding out his enormous forearm. Instead of just a shake, however, the prince pulled and the Shadow was suddenly enveloped in living rock.
That brought the formalities to a close, the elders meandering back out to join the festivities (or possibly retire to their respective homes). while the Shadow went about storing away his new cache of precious ore before informing Yunobo that he was taking his leave.
The prince nodded. "I figured, that's why I wanted to catch you before you left. I know you're busy; we've heard a little about what's been going on down there, and I heard what Ganondorf said to you so I figured you'd be off to see Princess Zelda soon to warn her, but I hope you'll come back and visit us sometime."
"Whenever I need to warm up," Shadow Link quipped, earning a laugh from Yunobo.
They exchanged final farewells and the Shadow made his way out of the hut and through the gathering, heading for the city gate. He called Epona, earning a few startled and awed gasps from some Gorons near the entrance who'd turned to look, and took off down the mountain.
The journey back down Death Mountain to Foothill Stable passed without adverse incident. They made excellent time, having left no monsters alive on the way up, so other than a few Fire Chus spotting the road there was nothing to hinder conversation.
Predictably, Navi had some strong opinions regarding Midna's imprisonment and imminent release. "What are you waiting for?! Free her!"
He frowned. "She's sleeping."
She snorted. "And?"
His head tilted, confused. "And what?"
"And what if you were the one trapped in there?"
That unsettled his stomach and left a bad taste in his mouth for some reason. He felt his face scrunch up unpleasantly and had to swallow.
"What if you were trapped in there and the only person who could help you… didn't."
Conceding the point, he sighed heavily. "Shit."
Navi glimmered in an annoying, self-satisfied way.
Epona slowed beneath him as they neared the dropoff that had been too sheer for her to climb on the way up. He dismounted and they looked down together. "Ooh, that's a long way. The Horse God said you were fast, not invincible." He looked at her. "Can you make that jump?"
She looked down again at the distance they needed to span and then tilted her head and looked back at him, giving him the Stalhorse equivalent of a shrug.
"Hmm. Well, let's worry about that in a bit. Since we've already stopped, I suppose now's as good a time as any." Drawing the Dark Master Sword, he laid it on the ground and withdrew a Light arrow, its glow surpassing that of the waning moon.
His free hand came up to shield his eyes as he brought his fist down. The whole area became a localized, miniature supernova accompanied by the sound of breaking glass and a startled, familiar voice.
"Oh!" Midna breathed, lone eye blinking. "Am I dreaming?"
He snorted. "That's a switch. But no." In her imp form, she barely reached his waist, even with the added height of the Fused Shadow. He reached for another Light arrow, intending to finish the job. "Hold still."
Unexpectedly, Midna recoiled, throwing out a hand to stop him. "No! Stop!"
He halted, confused. "But I thought—"
"I appreciate the intent— I truly do— but you mustn't destroy the Fused Shadow! I need to take it back to the Twilight Realm intact." She spent a few moments futilely attempting to remove it, then gave up and rolled her eye, frustrated. "Which I can't do while it's stuck on my head."
"Oh," Shadow Link said, utterly unprepared for this outcome. "Okay. Uh… what now?"
She shrugged. "Might as well stay with you if I can't go home yet. We seem to make a pretty good team," she grinned, one sharp tooth showing. "Speaking of which, where's the Sprite?"
"Right here," Navi said, sparkling to where they could all see and speak to one another. "Hello, Your Majesty," she said with a miniscule formal bow. Epona also nodded her head respectfully.
"Hello, Epona," Midna said, smiling at the Stalhorse. Then she looked at the Fairy and rolled her eye. "Navi, how many times must I ask you to call me Midna?"
"At least one more, my lady," she glimmered cheekily, glow shifting to pink as she blushed.
Midna shook her head with a genuine smile, flaming hair flowing behind her. "It's good to see you." Then the imp turned to him. "Before I forget: thank you, Shadow Link, for liberating me from the jewel, and for showing further heroism in your noble offer to destroy the Fused Shadow." She bowed her head to him solemnly before meeting his eyes again.
He snorted. "Thank Navi for that. She's the noble one; I was going to wait until after all this bullshit was over, just in case." Might as well be honest.
Navi sighed, but stayed otherwise quiet.
"I can thank both of you," Midna insisted.
He nodded, accepting it. "So how will this work? Won't the sun burn you?"
Midna crossed her arms, putting a finger to her lips and tapping her foot. "It seems most logical for me to continue assisting you until we can find a way to remove this cursed thing and I can go home," she said, pointing at the helmet. "During the day I can hide in your shadow—"
"Hide in my shadow?"
She nodded. "Yes, I can become a shadow myself and simply hide in yours."
He had a few other questions, not the least of which was—
"Don't worry, I'll give you privacy when you need it." Her pointy tooth appeared again as she grinned mischievously, then sobered some. "But I don't know if I can still imbue the sword with my power from out here."
She looked down at the weapon silently for a moment. Then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and suddenly the teal markings adorning her limbs and ears were aglow. Moreover, the sword was also shining with its familiar, unique darkness.
But as soon as she ceased feeding her power into the sword, its glow and hers darkened together, leaving everyone frowning.
"I was afraid of that," Midna lamented, crossing her arms. Her foot started tapping after a few moments, clearly unhappy with the situation.
Navi seemed to hesitate for a moment before saying, "It seems almost cruel to suggest, but what if we reformed the jewel? If you need to inhabit the sword physically, then let's give you a place where you can go to do that. And if you make it, you'll be able to leave at will. It won't be a prison for you again." She nodded to show that she meant it as a promise.
Midna tilted her head, thinking it over. "As much as I loathed it in there, perhaps you are correct and it won't be so awful if I can escape when I want." She thought for a few more minutes before nodding. "It's a solid plan, and I think it will work. Perhaps even have a bit of comfort while in there. But I will need a ruby. And a diamond, I think."
With the payout from the Gorons alone he was more than solvent for as long as he should live, so he retrieved the required gems and handed them to her. He probably owed her at least that much, considering all she'd been through with him.
While Navi shimmered curiously over both of them and provided a bit of extra light, the imp set the diamond on the ground and put the sword atop it so that the ore was right where the old jewel had been, and balanced the ruby atop the sword in the same spot. She stepped back, hands on her hips, eye narrowed at the odd structure. Suddenly, her fiery hair lengthened and formed a hand at the end. Without Midna's body moving at all, the blazing hair-hand reached down and enlarged until it was able to easily hold the whole works in its palm. Then it formed a fist and he had to cover his eyes again.
When the light subsided and the hand retracted, he could not tell the difference between the new stone and the one he had destroyed. "Holy shit. That's amazing."
"The hand or the sword?" Midna asked, tilting her head.
"Yes," he nodded.
Both of his companions chuckled, and he found his cheeks getting warm.
"You know what I meant." He grabbed the refurbished sword, holding it out toward Midna. "Should we try it out?"
She nodded, and her markings began to glow. In the next breath, she was gone, and the jewel in the sword swirled to life, then the rest of the blade. He swung it a few times, feeling no obvious change. He felt the same vibration in the hilt as he had during the fight with Zant and drew his arm back to make the quick, slashing motion, and a beam of purple-red energy burst out the end.
Then the light in the blade faded, the stone in the hilt darkened, and Midna stood next to him once more.
"Ooh, that was kinda fun," she marveled.
Smiling, he returned the weapon to its place on his back. "Excellent. All right, then if that's all settled, let's get going." He turned back toward the dropoff. "Oh, yeah."
"I can help now," Midna said, pointing to her hair. Then she pointed at him. "But you don't need my help; you can get down there yourself," she grinned.
"I can," he agreed, grabbing his glider.
"See you down there!" she waved.
As he jumped, he saw her bow to and mount Epona, then throw out her hair hand and launch the both of them over the edge. They had already landed and Midna dismounted by the time he reached their level, and he gently landed right on the saddle.
"Ready?" he asked, turning to Midna.
She was standing on the ground, in his shadow cast by the moonlight. She flashed a toothy grin, then snapped her fingers and— disappeared.
Even knowing it was coming, it was still jarring to witness. He shook his head, grabbed the reins, and held on as the Stalhorse took off into the night once more.