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[Husse]

Well, stop praying. It's long, and I hope it osn't boring, but...there's a LOT of dialogue.

[Husse]

OH! THAT MGS! Duh. Of course, I know Metal Gear! "Snake, find the data. You must not be seen." "On it, Otacon."

WAIT till the tuning fork strum migraine is revealed in the story? You'll be waiting a while then, b/c it's not revealed until the VERY end, hope you guess it before then.

And, oh! There are lots of little modern references in the real Zelda, no one will kill me for having one here!

ZELDA CHAPTER!!!!! *Star-Spangled Banner plays*

This one's pretty over the top emotional/long/involved/confusing if you know nothing about Zelda, BUT I think I captured her character exceptionally well, and hope I conveyed to all the Zelda fans in a subtle way WHY they ain't lovers! In fact, I'm not sure why I like this chapter so much, but I have a theory...

When I first started writing this, I was getting bogged down in the endless details and swampy characters, (especially trying to figure out Castle Town.) I was considering quitting, but almost every Zelda fan I know has tried writing OoT before, and guess what? Quit. So I set a goal. I said, "I have to get to where he meets Zelda. I get there, and I'm not impressed with how I'm telling this tale, and I'll stop."

Writing this chapter was a joy, I felt it breeze by, even as elegant as it is, and my excitement for writing this got bolstered more....Until Dodongo's Cavern. BUT, that's another story...

Yes, the chapter's called Zelda, narrated by Zelda. *eyeroll* I is unoriginal.

[center]18
Zelda
Zelda[/center
 
I was doing it again. I?m ashamed to say it, but, not for the first time I was spying on my father?s business. It was hardly a ladylike practice, but I was very interested in these recent events. Father was once again ranting about something, about a late emissary from the desert, a Gerudo come to swear allegiance to his throne as his royal attendant.
 
That?s what I was worried about. Something about this man was not right. I could feel it in my heart, and besides that, I was having dreams again. These dreams were always making me the talk of the town. From time to time, I?d received prophetic visions, little glimpses of important events. This dreaming was a rare gift, my father had told me, but I should not rely too heavily on it to tell me anything important.
 
But this was important. A new dream had arisen; a frightening omen of something to come. And I felt like this new envoy from the desert had something to do with it.
 
And that is why I was spying on my father that day. I was in the inner courtyard, the safest place to be outside, peeking through the window on the front wall. I could see the Royal Throne Room from here, from the right side of the red carpet, like a soldier, closest to the throne. Though I really shouldn?t have been outside in my nice clothes. My royal pink dress and crested turban were still on from the banquet that morning, and I had probably gotten them dirty tramping down here!
 
But as I was looking through the window, listening to Father go on and on about the powerful man who was kind enough to come and work on his behalf, I heard a scuffling behind me, as well as a soft twinkling noise. It didn?t sound like a guard?or my attendant?an intruder!
 
I whirled around and gasped, ready to scream for help if need be. But upon sight of the intruder, I instinctively cupped my hand to my mouth. The guards didn?t need to come. This was?him. The one that?I paused, frozen, staring at the little boy in green who had snuck into the courtyard. He stared at me from the foot of the steps, shocked, and then dropped to his knees. I relaxed. At least he wasn?t going to harm me. The sword on his back had made me uneasy. My throat was dry and raspy, but I managed to muster a whisper.
 
?Who?!? I whispered. I cleared my throat and continued, ?Who are you??
 
But I already knew. Somehow, I felt like I already knew, but a white wall of blankness covered the name in my brain.
 
?I?? he began to speak, but I cut him off, still nervous.
 
?How did you get past the guards??
 
?I?m very sorry to intrude, Princess, but??
 
?Wait, don?t speak,? I interrupted, ?What?s that there??
 
The little twinkling thing was hiding behind the lad?s shoulder. It slowly came out from behind him and glowed at me.
 
?Is that?a fairy!?? I gasped.
 
The little creature jumped and flew under the boy?s hat, not at all friendly towards me.
 
?It?s, um, my fairy, your Highness,? he replied.
 
?Then,? I stuttered, ?Are you?are you from the forest?? It had to be him; it had to be!
 
?I?m a Kokiri, yes.?
 
?Then?then?you wouldn?t happen to have?the Spiritual Stone of the Forest, would you? That green and shining stone, an emerald.?
 
?Why do you want to know,? the boy asked protectively.
 
?Please tell me the truth,? I replied, ?I know you have it.? Actually, I didn?t. But I really wanted him to have it. It had to be him!
 
Slowly, he reached into his little shoulder pouch, withdrawing carefully the Kokiri Emerald, and flashing it, only to clutch it close again. But that was all I needed.
 
?Just as I thought!? I cried, ?Please, come up the steps to me. I have to talk to you!?
 
He approached me slowly and sat down on the marble beneath our feet. I smiled sheepishly. All right, I thought, breathe. Act royal. This should be second nature. You don?t want the guy to think you?re crazy or anything, what if he just came to the castle to deliver a message and you start spouting prophecies? He?ll think you?re crazy!
 
?So,? he started to speak, ?I came to find Princess Zelda, and I guess I was mistaken, I mean?I thought you were the Princess, but I guess you aren?t, and if you could tell me where the Princess is, that would be great, because I really need to speak to her about something and I?ve come a very long way to get here, and please don?t call the guards or anything, because this is a really important issue.? He bit his lip. I stifled a laugh.
 
I tucked my hair into my turban casually, ?Tell me stranger, do you believe in dreams??
 
?Well, yes,? he replied, ?Of course. Everyone dreams.?
 
?Well, then,? I added, ?Do you believe that dreams can tell us things? That dreams can be predictive and visionary??
 
?Sometimes. I think I do, why?? he asked.
 
?Well, what if I were to tell you that you reminded me of a dream I?ve been having? A dream that I think is predictive and visionary??
 
?Then I?d want to hear it,? he smiled, warming up and sitting cross-legged on the stone like he was listening to a great story.
 
?Well, you see,? I began, ?I?ve been having this dream. In the dream, dark storm clouds were billowing over the land of Hyrule. They covered every inch of the land, coating in darkness every speck of earth. None escaped it. It scared me. But, then, suddenly, a ray of light jumped up from the forest and shot to earth, parting the clouds and lighting up the ground, bathing every shadow in radiance. The light turned into a figure, holding a green and shining stone, followed by a fairy. It was then that I woke up, but I never forgot the dream. What do you think??
 
?I think it sounds like me,? he said, inching away from me noticeably.
 
?Yes, I thought you might be the one. I know this is a prophecy that someone will come from the forest. And I was wondering, if maybe??
 
?If you?ll excuse me,? he said, slowly getting up, ?I really do have to get going.?
 
I was losing him! I had to have answers! Oh, I?d blown it! But it wasn?t too late?
 
I grabbed his arm and he shot me a nervous look. ?Oh, I?m sorry,? I nearly yelled it, ?I got carried away with my story and didn?t even properly introduce myself. I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule.?
 
The boy sat back down and smiled from ear to ear, ?I knew it was you! We need to talk. I?ve come a long way to find you! A minute ago, I thought you were just some crazy little girl!?
 
?I am a crazy little girl,? I laughed, ?A crazy little twelve year old to be exact. I?m really more of an adolescent. But, anyway, what is your name? I don?t know where my manners are today! It must have been that dream.?
 
?It?s Link,? he grinned, ?My name is Link.?
 
I froze. The blank wall in my mind toppled like it was made of dust. Link?Link?What was it about that name?
 
?Link,? I muttered, ?Strange. It seems somehow?familiar. But, enough of my ranting! Tell me why you?ve come here!?
 
So Link told me his story, of bullies, Scrubs, and a dying Tree. When it was over, I knew what I had to tell him. He was connected to my dream, all right, and it was time to tell him more of the legend the Tree had told him on that fateful day.
 
?Alright then, Link, I?m going to tell you the secret of the Sacred Realm that has been passed down by the Royal Family of Hyrule. But, you have to keep it a secret, now! There are few who know this, and, when told to the wrong person, it could cause trouble.?
 
?Okay,? he sighed, ?I?m ready for another story!?
 
I smiled. I liked this boy. I liked him a lot.
 
?Well, the legend goes like this??
 
?Wait, is this the one about the creation of Hyrule? I?ve heard that one, remember??
 
?Well, I?m going to pick up from where the Great Deku Tree left off. Now listen: The three goddesses supposedly hid the Triforce somewhere in Hyrule. There is a power one receives when obtaining the Triforce. It is the power to grant the wish of the one who holds the Triforce in his hands. Any wish. The Triforce can make its bearer incredibly powerful. If someone with a righteous heart makes a wish, it could lead Hyrule to a golden age of prosperity. But if someone with an evil mind has his wishes granted, the world in whole will be consumed by evil. That is what has been foretold.?
 
?I can see why someone would want it, then,? he concurred, ?But no one has found it yet. So where is it??
 
?Well, a long time ago, there were no kings or queens. Hyrule was ruled by one representative from each race, called a Sage. When the Triforce was found, in a small portal through dimensions, an entrance to the Sacred Realm somewhere in the wilds, the ancient Sages built a stronghold over the entrance, called the Temple of Time, to protect the Triforce from evil ones.?
 
Link snapped his fingers, ?I?ve heard of that! It?s where the townsfolk hold special ceremonies from time to time, just on the northeast outskirts of town! That old building??
 
?That?s right,? I nodded, ?The Temple of Time is the entrance through which you can enter the Sacred Realm from our world.?
 
?Wouldn?t it be easy to just walk in and sneak into the Realm?? he asked.
 
?Well, first of all, only the Royal Family of Hyrule and our affiliates in the other races know that the entrance to the Realm is inside the Temple. And secondly, even if someone who did know about the entrance tried to get the Triforce, they wouldn?t be able to do it. The entrance is located in the back of the Temple, behind a stone wall called The Door of Time.?
 
?How do you open the door?? he prodded. So inquisitive!
 
?That?s where you come in,? I grinned, ?To open the Door of Time, you need the three Spiritual Stones of the Three Blessed Races: Kokiris, Gorons, and Zoras. You have one of them. Those are the keys.?
 
?What about Gerudos and Hylians?? he asked, oblivious to the fact that he held one of the keys to the Sacred Realm, ?Where do they fall into play??
 
?Gerudos,? I frowned, ?Separated from the providence of Hyrule long ago. They still live in Hyrule?s boundaries, in the desert, but they live by their own rules. They do not serve my Father, the King. As for we Hylians, we hold the final key, a treasure that the Royal Family keeps along with this legend.?
 
There was a pause. I half expected Link to say something, but no, he was waiting for me to tell him the name of the treasure.
 
?It is called The Ocarina of Time,? I smiled, ?And I?m the one who keeps it safe.?

Here you also see a central theme of OoT that I, um, added. *waits for Miyamoto to throw spears* Two themes we know HE made, are "the boy in the cave," heroism, as it were, and, the most obvious, passage of time.

But I added a theme I find to be prominent in MANY Zelda titles, namely OoT, WW, and of course LA. Dreams. Link dreams of being a hero. Zelda's dreams tell her what others won't see, her father dreams of uniting Hyrule, Ganon dreams of conquest, dreams are CENTRAL to Legend of Zelda, and to the character of Zelda, so I tried to make that prominent here.

[Husse]

Thanks. He shows up for only a second, but I hope I leave an impression!

[Husse]

Shortest edit reply yet: Thanks. I appreciate feedback.

NEXT CHAPTER!

I find it funny that the powerful villain that (I hope) leaves such an impression on these kids doesn't have a single line of dialogue till the forty-somethingth chapter. Tell me if I overplay/underplay his cameo here.

Also, should I have mentioned Zelda's mother? It gives feed to the Link is Zelda's brother theory, which I don't want, but I think it's important to develop on King Hyrule's character, and her death is a key element. Mind you, King Hyrule has little part in this story, we only see him for one chapter, but he IS a character, nonetheless.

19
A New Mission
Link

 
?You do?? I was stunned. You?d think they would lock it up behind a thousand chambers or something, but no! They let the Princess take care of it! Not that there was anything wrong with that, I?m sure the Princess was very protective. The first time I saw her face, I was awestruck.
 
Malon was cute. But Zelda was beautiful.

Just speaking to her, just hearing her voice, I felt like?I needed to protect her. I needed to stay with her. I didn?t understand it at first, and I wouldn?t understand it until much later.
 
?That?s right!? she said, ?It?s tradition, you know? And very few people know the secret, anyway, so the Ocarina is basically safe. But, that?s?what?s been troubling me.?
 
I nodded, ?The desert man. The Deku Tree told me about him.?
 
?The Gerudo,? she replied, ?That?s what I was doing when you came. Spying through this window, here. You can see my Father?s throne room from this window, and I thought maybe I could catch a glimpse of??
 
She froze in mid-glance at the window.
 
?What is it?? I asked.
 
?Look,? she replied, swallowing hard, ?It?s him. He?s here. The dark clouds in my dream? I think they symbolize that man in there. And, after hearing your story, I?m sure of it.?
 
I rushed to the window, and knelt down, trying to see without being seen. There was a massive dark-skinned man in black armor strutting down the red carpet towards the throne. He slapped his arm to his chest and it made me jump. Kneeling before the King, he was still twice my size! Over seven feet standing up, probably!
 
?Can you see the man with the evil eyes??
 
?Yes,? I whispered, ?It?s hard to miss him.?
 
?That is Ganondorf,? she replied, ?Leader of the Gerudos. They hail from the desert, far to the west, like I mentioned earlier. Though he swears allegiance to my father, I am sure he is not sincere. The black clouds in my dream must symbolize that man! And after what he did to the Tree??
 
I was still staring at this Gerudo, Ganondorf, hearing the King boast and rant about how proud he was to see him today, when he noticed me, Ganondorf I mean. His eyes, full and dark, slid slowly toward me, like snakes, impossible to look away from, and when he caught sight of me, he turned his head and glared. At the pierce of his stare, I felt a little shock run through my body, like his glance had fired a thunderbolt through me in less than a second, and I moved away from the window instinctively. I fell back to the ground, scared.
 
Zelda looked worried, ?What happened? Did he see you??
 
I nodded vigorously, ?Yes!?
 
?It?s okay,? she sighed, helping me up, ?He doesn?t have any idea what we?re planning? yet!?
 
?Why don?t you tell your father about this man!? I outraged, ?He?s evil! Anyone can see that!?
 
?I already told my father about my dream,? she spoke softly, ?But he didn?t believe it was a prophecy. He was too excited about the Gerudo coming to serve him. All he could talk about was the prospect of unifying the country from top to bottom, and bringing the desert people back under our wing, and adding their power to ours, and all that. But I can sense that man?s evil intentions! Father has already told him the secret of the Sacred Realm, where it is, and how to open it and everything!?
 
She seemed about to cry. I put my arm around her, but she pushed me away gently and started to pace back and forth on the stone steps.
 
?What Ganondorf is after must be nothing less than the Triforce of the Sacred Realm. That?s the only reason he came to Hyrule, to obtain it! That?s why he cursed the Tree, and who knows when he?ll try and obtain the other two stones! He wants to conquer Hyrule, no, he wants the entire world!?
 
?I know,? I replied, ?But what can we do? No one?s going to help us. No one important, anyway.?
 
?We don?t know that for certain,? she corrected, ?The leaders of the other races may help. But that?s beyond the point. This has to be a secret mission, or Ganondorf will find out and wreak his vengeance on my father! I don?t want anything to happen to him!?
 
?Alright, calm down,? I replied, ?What?s your point? What?s the mission??
 
?We are the only ones who can protect Hyrule now. I know it seems like I am exaggerating this, but?I feel like that man is just going to destroy Hyrule. He has such terrifying power, but he keeps it hidden from the King. And, I?ve had little minor dreams in the past, and my prophecies have never been wrong.?
 
?It?s okay, I believe you.?
 
?Thanks,? she sighed, ?That helps a bit. It?s very fortunate that you have come. This is our mission: We must not let Ganondorf get the Triforce! I will protect the Ocarina of Time with all my power. Your job is to get the other two spiritual stones.?
 
?Why?? I asked, feeling like I was being dragged into some mammoth conspiracy.
 
?Because we can get the Triforce before Ganondorf does, and defeat him! The treasure can be ours, too, right? And we wouldn?t use it for evil purposes!?
 
?I guess?? I moaned. The phrase ?can of worms? came to mind, ?But can you protect the Ocarina? It would be so easy for him to steal it from you when your father turns his back??
 
?Oh, honestly, my chambers are heavily guarded, and Father is extremely wary of men. If he knew you were here, you would be in the dungeon now! Anyway, you?d better get going,? she sighed, suddenly realizing that I was in a dangerous position, being here. I wondered if she was doubtful over the safety of her treasure.
 
?Yes,? I replied, ?This conversation dragged on longer than it should have. I really do have to go. Thank you for the information! I?ll be on my way!?
 
?Wait,? Zelda stopped me, ?Before you go, I have something here.?
 
She grabbed a quill pen and a small piece of fancy-looking paper from atop the windowsill, (which was lying next to some baubles, earrings, little charms, and a cloth ball,) and jotted something down, folding it and tucking it into my belt. Then she reached into a little pouch at her side and retrieved, (oh my stars and guarders!) two hundred Rupees!
 
?Here?s some money for the road, for food and tools and what not. And I?m sure this letter will be helpful,? she said, ?Just in case the guards give you trouble.?
 
?They gave me trouble, all right,? I muttered, still in shock from my recent leap in finances, ?Patrolling around the castle while I tried to sneak in.?
 
?Oh no! I didn?t mean the castle guards, I meant the guards at the foot of Death Mountain! That should be where you?re headed for the next stone. The castle guards will give you no trouble on the way out! I?ll just call my attendant. Don?t be afraid to travel with her! IMPA!? she called, clapping her hands twice.
 
Before I had time to open my mouth, I heard a light thud behind me.
 
?Hello there, little man,? a strange voice said.
 
I whirled around to face a strangely clad older woman staring at me, hand to her chin. She had a blue and black tight uniform with an eye emblazoned on it. The eye, I realized, Symbol of a Sheikah. The Sheikah woman had red paint lines under her eyes, and white paint on her cheeks, and she was pale white, with a sword at her hilt. Her hair was whitened, and pulled back into a plait, and she was well built all over with muscles that would have made a man shudder.
 
?Don?t be afraid,? she grinned, ?I am Impa of the Sheikahs and I will not harm you. Shall we take a walk??
 
So we walked back through the courtyard, saying good-bye to Zelda, while all the fierce guards parted before this esteemed Impa, and she spoke softly to me, ?You see, I am responsible for protecting Princess Zelda. I am her Shadow, and was the Shadow of her mother before her. Everything is exactly as the Princess foretold, and you and I seem to be the only ones willing to listen. Now then, you?re heading out on a big, new adventure, aren?t you??
 
?I sure am,? I replied, not knowing what else to say.
 
?And that makes you a very courageous boy, does it not??
 
?Well??
 
?I think so. And that is why I am going to entrust you with something the Princess did not think of??
 
?You were there with us??
 
She smiled, ?A shadow never leaves it?s person, and neither do I. I was hiding on the top of the wall, if you want to know. Now, if I may continue??
 
?Please do,? I muttered, embarrassed. What if someone else had been watching?
 
?I would like to teach you a melody passed down by the Royal Family of Hyrule. You see, when a messenger on secret business comes from the castle to deliver a message, he obviously wants no one to find out about it, right??
 
?Obviously,? I replied, ?If it?s a secret message.?
 
?Well, one of the ways that the members of different Royal Families can recognize each other at a certain spot is if one has a distinguishing characteristic. For our distinctiveness, we often use a song. If, say, the King of the Zoras is searching for our messenger, he may be able to recognize him, because the courier is whistling this??
 
At that, she started whistling a tune. After hearing a few bars of the melody, I gasped.
 
?What?? she asked.
 
?Nothing,? I mumbled, ?Just a hiccup.?
 
?No, that?s not it,? she stared at me intensely, ?How about you tell me the truth.?
 
I had forgotten about the Sheikah?s special powers.
 
?I?m sorry. Well, you see,? I licked my lips, ?I heard Zelda humming that song when I first saw her and?something happened. Like part of my consciousness exploded. It?s hard to explain.?
 
?Hmm?I?m not sure, Link. It could be something unusual. There seems to be mysterious power in these notes as old as time itself. Zelda does know it, of course. I sang it to her as a baby every night, and she adopted the song as her own,? she laughed, ?And named it too! Zelda?s Lullaby, she calls it.?
 
?Are you her mother?? I asked suspiciously.
 
?No,? she laughed more, ?Do I look like the queen? Zelda?s mother, the Queen, died a very long time ago, when Zelda was a babe. King Hyrule has never remarried, the poor man. I am her guardian, but indeed, it seems as I have become more to her since she has no mother.?
 
?Oh,? I replied, at a loss for words.  
 
?But, I?m going off on a rabbit trail, I really must teach you this song, if you are to be our messenger. Can you whistle??
 
?No,? I replied sheepishly, ?I can hum!?
 
?No, that?s not loud enough. There has to be something??
 
I reached into my satchel and pulled out my Fairy Ocarina, thinking of Saria briefly, ?I don?t know how to play it,? I told her, ?but I thought maybe you would.?
 
?Zelda?s a bit more musical than I,? she said, ?But I think I can sound it out.?
 
So, as we walked back down the path, out of the courtyard, back to Castle Town, and even into the field, Impa taught me how to play the ocarina. She taught me the notes and how to purse your lips, and, most importantly, how to play Zelda?s Lullaby on it, as we referred to it by that name. She guided me out further into the field and said,
 
?I must be heading back to the castle now, for I?ve been away too long.?
 
?Well, thank you, Ms. Impa. Thank you very much. Do you know where I?m supposed to be headed??
 
She pointed a long, metal-capped finger at a mountain to the east.
 
?Take a good look at that mountain. That is Death Mountain, home of a race of beings called the Gorons, the blessed race that keeps the Spiritual Stone of Fire.?
 
?The rock-eaters?? I asked, remembering some old stories.
 
?That?s right,? she said, ?Keep going in that direction and you will find a flight of stone steps leading to a village at the foot of the Mountain called Kakariko, where I, with many other Sheikahs, was born and raised. I am the one who founded the town for Hylians when we left it, and many farm folk live there. You should probably talk to some of the villagers there and stock up before you try to climb Death Mountain. And, remember, the song I just taught you will help prove your connection with the Royal Family. The Princess and I will be waiting at the Castle for the Stones. We?re counting on you!?
 
And then, suddenly, Impa reached into a pouch on the side of her belt, and retrieved a Deku Nut, holding it high in the air. Before I could ask what she was doing, she threw it at the ground, and disguised in the flash, disappeared without so much as a goodbye.  
I blinked a bit to shake the spots from my vision. Navi emerged slowly from my hat and whispered,
 
?Are they gone??
 
?Yes. You didn?t have to hide, Navi.?
 
?Well, I told you I?m not very comfortable around Hylians?you know that.?
 
I shrugged. Navi had seemed unusually wary of the Sheikah woman. Perhaps she was scared of her mind-reading talent; I?m not for sure. But, nevertheless, I had a job to do. So I walked slowly to the Zora River, across the bridge, and up the long granite stairway to Kakariko, while Death Mountain stared me down in defiance, as if to say, you don?t have a chance.

[Husse]

No Cucco catching at all.

But the chapter in the tomb of the Royals is one of my best.

[Husse]

Well, BlackHawk, we tired of waitin' for ya!

NEXT CHAPTER!!!

Is the carpenter boss rambling? I certainly hope so. I like his pants.

This one's a short chapter, preceding the eerie graveyard one. I won't be able to update till about Monday, so you'll have to yammer on this one for a while.

I realize the guard is annoying as heck, but it's very hard to make someone like him likable, you know?

20
Kakariko
Link

 
?Well, they don?t call it a village for nothing. It?s certainly not a town,? I mused.
 
?More of a dump, really,? Navi giggled.
 
?I wouldn?t go that far.?
 
A weary looking soldier smiled and beckoned us through the wooden gateway to Kakariko Village the minute we peaked the stairs. The gateway looked brand new and carved with excellence, but we soon discovered that there was nothing fancy about the area it presented. Planks of wood hung from splintered beams. Tall, sweaty men with funny hair jogged back and forth from shabby building to shabby building looking busy and tired. The only well-kept buildings were the dwellings of farmers and common folk, banal in structure and surrounded by crates of feed and clutters of Cuccos.
 
Directly ahead of me there was a tired looking tree surrounded by malnourished bushes, and a bald, angry looking man in a blue coat and tiger striped pantaloons stood beneath it, screaming at the working men around him,
 
?Hey, you slackers! Go faster! I?m embarrassed to be bossing you around at the rate you?re going! Faster! Take those beams to the brick lodge near the Cucco woman?s house! What do you mean by ?a break?? Do I look patient? MOVE! Who are you??
 
He turned and stared at me with his squinty eyes. He ruffled his mustache and snarled as I stuttered, trying to think of something to say that wouldn?t get me yelled at.
 
?I am the Boss of the Carpenters here in the village. I don?t have time for little boys in weird clothing to stand around and bother me! Impa has hired me to fix up this village, and fix it up I shall!?
 
?Impa ordered you to fix up this place?? I asked, forgetting my speechlessness.
 
?Of course,? he scoffed, ?She practically owns this place now that nearly all the other Sheikah are gone. But she was kind enough to open this place up to the poor people, and my apprentices and I have made it our goal to bring it out of disrepair and make it a true city worthy of Hyrule and the approval of the King!?
 
?Well, that was very nice of??
 
An irritated glare flashed in his eyes and he fumed, ?Not like that will happen very soon or anything. Young men these days have no ambition! I mean, look at my young hands here! Running around aimlessly not making any progress whatsoever! You know what I mean, kid? And they?re always nagging, ?We need a rest!? and ?You?re working us too hard!? and even ?Thievery brings more money than this?and you don?t even work as hard!? I gave young Shiro a whipping for that one. I don?t care how big he thinks he is, I?ll whip him ?till he?s ninety if he keeps up that mouth! They do half a man?s work and demand a full man?s portion! Worthless pigly?and my son! My own son doesn?t have a job, just wanders around all day, and at eighteen that?s almost a crime! The pitiful thing says he?ll run away if I don?t stop??
 
I snuck away from the screaming carpenter and looked around the town. Young girls and ruddy men rambled across the village, all working hard to build something or tear down something else.
 
There was a brick house, several clay houses, and a little wooden shack that served as a shop. Near the town limits there was a windmill, turning silently high on a hill, and a rusty well, dry as a bone. But what stood out most to me was the lonely canyon trail with a small arrow sign posted near it, reading ?Kakariko Village Graveyard, Burial Place of the Royal Families of Old.?
 
I shivered a bit. Graveyards were another thing humans had that Kokiri didn?t. Death?it was a frightening thing. My mind wandered to the Forest. How were my friends now that the Deku Tree was gone? Reluctantly, I turned from the path to the base of the mountain, just to my left up a hill. As I walked, I noticed the grass had lost its color, and the soil, heaping in dusty piles, was getting redder and redder. After a short trek, I reached the mountain?s foot, where an iron barred wall blocked the path, and a stern guardsman was beside it.
 
?The road is closed beyond this point!? he announced.
 
?What?? I replied, disappointed at having been stopped so soon.
 
?The road is closed beyond this point! Didn?t you read the warning signs? No wait; don?t tell me?your mother never taught you to read. Ha ha! Children these days!?
 
I clenched my teeth, trying not to get upset. Of course I could read! ?But I have to get up the mountain! The Princess Zelda herself sent me on important business!?
 
?Is that right?? he smirked, leaning on his spear, ?Zelda, eh? Well then, by all means, step right up, and I?ll take you there!?
 
?Really?? I asked.
 
?No.?
 
Navi buzzed out from underneath my hat and flew into my little shoulder bag, coming back out with a little folded piece of fancy paper.
 
?Here!? Navi beamed, ?This is proof that the Princess sent us!?
 
I grinned. It was a good thing that Zelda had written that letter for us. The guard stood up and snatched the note, startled by the sudden appearance of Navi. I guess he had figured out that I was a Kokiri, and, like most humans, felt a bit of contempt towards our secretive race. As he unfolded the note, his jaw dropped, his face paled, his eyes widened, and he gasped, aghast.  
 
?This?this is?this is surely Zelda?s handwriting. I-I apologize. Really I d-d-do. Alright, then?hm.?
 
There was a pause, and then his face broadened in a big smile.  
 
?What is it?? I asked, ?What does it say??
 
?I don?t suppose you?ve read this note already?? he asked, suppressing a laugh.  
 
?No??
 
He burst out laughing, ?It says, ?This is Link. He is under my orders to save Hyrule!? Ha ha ha ha!?
 
He laughed until I thought his lungs would pop out. I was already so irked by him that I was ready to beat him over the head with them.
 
?What kind of funny game has our Princess come up with now??
 
I grinned. ?Yes. Funny. Hysterical, even.?
 
?Alright, Mr. Hero, you can go up the mountain! Saving the world and all, I suppose that?s as good a business as any!?
 
He stamped his spear into the ground twice and the iron bars rolled back like a sliding door. He grinned and stepped aside, allowing me to pass. But as I marched forward?
 
?Wait!? he hollered, holding his spear out in my path.

?What?s wrong now?? I moaned. The Princess was counting on me!

?You?re going up to an active volcano, you know! It?s no ordinary mountain! That flimsy shield of yours will either be shattered by the massive rocks, splintered by the quaking earth, or be set ablaze by the flames in all the crevices of the mountain. I think it?s safe to say, Mr. Hero, that you?ll need something stronger than a Deku Shield if you want to be safe. Though I see you?ve got up the sense to get a weapon.?

?Well, what would you suggest?? I asked.

?A Hylian Shield like mine, that?s what!?

I looked his shield over. It was solid iron all over, silver in color, with two leather strips to slip around the arm on the back. The front was articulately designed, blue on the front, except for the silver edges, with the crest of Hyrule, lions, ivy curves, and the Triforce in the center. There was just one problem?

?I?m afraid it?s much too large for me,? I muttered.

?That?s all right, Hero boy! I?ll run down to Castle Town and get you one special made at a discount! Do you have seventy Rupees??

?Well?? I thought of my two hundred. It was a very thrifty purchase, but?it was for a good cause.

?It?s normally one hundred and eighty,? he grinned, his words oozing appeal.

I gave him my money and he trotted off to Castle Town.  

?I shall return briefly!? he called back, ?Try to entertain yourself while I?m gone!?

Navi turned to me and shrugged, ?Now what do we do??

I bit my lip. I knew where I wanted to go. It was a place no Kokiri had ever been before. Then again, not many Kokiri had ever been in the wide world period, but?this was different. No Kokiri had ever, would ever, venture into the house of death?unless they were to visit a graveyard.

WHOOP! I just caught my own blooper. Link sold his shield in Castle Town, didn't he? Well, I'll have him sell something else...

[Black Knight]

It's good, but why are there ? marks on both sides of words?

[Husse]

Th "blooper" was that in Castle Town, I had Link sell his Deku Shield, it's gone by this time, and the guard notices it and says it's too weak. I'll fix that.

[Husse]

Anyway....

NEXT CHAPTER!

This is one of my favorites...doesn't mean y'all will like it, though, as I have recently discovered. There is some *gasp* more FAN FICTION here, but I think it's a plausible theory for Re-Dead, do you not agree?

Hee hee. I like Navi's taunting pun at the Keese, I remember that now. I have no idea where I pulled that from, but it's kinda cute.

21
A Gruesome Distraction
Link

?I hope you realize this is dangerous, Link,? Navi whispered, ?And at that, stupid. As your guardian fairy, I will have to recommend that you not enter this frightening necropolis.?
?I?m not being stupid, it?s just??

?Just what?? she demanded, turning red.

?It?s morbid curiosity,? I replied with a flourish.

?Fine,? she steamed, ?Have it your way. But I warn you, a graveyard is not at all inviting!?

As we tiptoed into the burial ground, a strange silence filled the air. I shuddered. There were Hylians here. Hylians who had been on the earth too long, whose bodies had shut down. Who lay beneath the surface of the earth, no longer moving, just staring emptily, or sleeping forever. Were they still in there, the people? Were they in constant mourning because they no longer moved? Most all didn?t think so. There was an afterlife; that was the common belief. A person?s soul would float away to the Sacred Realm or the Evil Realm, depending on the person, but?there were always the tales of ghosts. Folk who were still in the world, even after they were dead, because they were not ready to die. I shivered some more. Terrifying, really. Why had I wanted to come here again?

Oh, yes. Morbid curiosity.

That was a stupid term.

We walked into the graveyard, under the overhanging sign reading, ?Cemetery,? and glanced around. The graveyard was leveled, with less important headstones at the bottom of the hill, near the entrance, and the tomb of the Royal Family at the top of the hill. There was a shack in the corner of the area, with a rusty tin door and a small smoke pipe. I snuck over and examined it, reading aloud the small sign on the door,

??Property of Dampe the Gravekeeper. Come to my Heart-Pounding Grave-Digging tour at midnight for frightening fun!? An advertisement? Doesn?t sound like my idea of fun anyway. I suppose this Dampe is the caretaker of the grounds??

Suddenly, the door swung open and a downright bone chilling man stepped out, ?Yes I am!? he boomed, ?And I sleep during the day, my quarters are cramped, and it would be nice if you would leave me to my slumber!?

He was tall, hunched and fat, with only burlap for clothing. His head was bald and his face misshapen, blind in one eye. He had large swollen lips that spewed spit when he talked and he glowered at me like an ape, waiting for me to leave. I was eager to, he reeked of dirt.

I stuttered, ?Yes sir!? and backed away from his hut, receding against a large tombstone at the foot of the hill.

He frowned and slammed the door, muttering, ?Sorry, little boy, you caught me at a bad time. I usually try to be more accommodating. And I happen to enjoy my graveyard tour, and my appreciation of the mortician?s art!?

I sighed, and turned to look at the tombstone I was against. It was large and opulent, but still at the base of the hill. It read: R.I.P. Here lie the souls of those who swore fealty to the Royal Family of Hyrule. The Sheikah, guardians of the Royal Family and founders of Kakariko, watch over these spirits in their eternal slumber.  
 
Servants?and Sheikah, buried at the bottom of this hill. Low in stature, but worthy of a grand burial. It made sense. But the carving of the Sheikah symbol, an eye, on the tombstone sent little shivers up my spine. I walked up the hill, past the rows of less important headstones, eager to see the tomb of the Royals.
 
?There it is,? Navi whispered, ?The vault probably extends through this whole graveyard, deep below the ground.?
 
I kneeled low at the headstone, on my knees in a patch of green grass, stained yellow in some places to paint an earthen picture of the Triforce. The Royals? headstone too, was inscribed with a Triforce, and listed up and down were the names of the Royal Family members, stopped short at the end for more names in smaller print, and far down at the bottom: R.I.P.
 
?Well,? I sighed, ?I suppose there?s nothing more to see. If I ever get back to Kokiri Forest, I can tell everyone I saw a graveyard. How thrilling. I wonder if the guard has returned yet?? But to tell you the truth, I wasn?t really bored with this serene place at all. In fact?something entranced me. Something about that headstone or?what lay beneath.
 
?Wish I had some flowers,? I muttered to no one, ?It?s not as if I know these people, but, you know, it would be nice to leave them something. Death is such a tragic thing.?
 
Wait, I thought, I do have something! I reached into my shoulder bag and retrieved my ocarina, rubbing the fairy carvings on the outside. Saria. How I missed her. I wondered if she was all right, in the forest alone, without me. In any case, she was certainly better off than me. I wasn?t protected out here, who knows, I could be killed! But then?the Deku Tree was gone. Was anyone protected anymore? Did it matter?
 
I shook it off and held the instrument to my lips. Zelda?s Lullaby, as I thought of it, that?s what I would play. It was the official song of the Royal Family, was it not? And if Impa was right, there was power in the notes. Maybe it would bless the grave just to have the familiar melody float through the air. In any case, I hadn?t thought to bring posies.
 
?Link?? Navi started to ask, ??Never mind.?
 
?What?? I replied, stopping in mid-song.
 
?Nothing, it?s just?you play so beautifully. I think you have a real talent. Saria made you the perfect gift.?
 
?Thanks,? I grinned, and finished my rhythmic ode.
 
I started to my feet, but then, the strangest thing happened. Thunderclouds rolled overhead. The sky darkened with clouds rolling together, gathering above me. A stab of fear struck my heart icily. Had I done something wrong? Navi says that I looked more scared then than she had ever seen me before or since. I sort of froze for a minute, watching the thunderheads, watching the rain come in slowly increasing sheets. Suddenly, the tombstone before me, the Royal headstone, was struck by a meandering bolt of lightning. The stone crackled and sparkled like electricity, and a small pinprick of light, like a crack in the glass of a window after you?ve thrown a rock at it, formed in the center of the stone. It expanded, cracking more, then radiated out of control, a cracked electric monument. I leaped back out of the way, yelping, just as the gravestone exploded into pebbles.
 
There was a tense moment of silence as the darkness cleared. Navi and I didn?t move, just gaped, riveted by the strange occurrence. A smell filled the air. Rank, dead air, that?s what it smelled like. And a noise?grateful? Sorrowful? Some strange mix of the two?
 
?There?s a hole in the ground,? Navi explained quietly, ?Where the stone used to be.?
 
?Maybe we?re supposed to go down there,? I replied. Ridiculous! But?
 
I walked slowly to the hole and dropped down, into the darkness. Navi followed me, a little beam of energy quivering with me. It wasn?t a very long fall, barely six feet, but I felt the impact as I hit the mushy soil of the crypt. Light shining down from the hole and Navi?s radiance illuminated the area enough for me to see, but?I certainly didn?t like what I was seeing. Gray, dripping limestone surrounded us in the arid cave. Bones littered the ground, but they weren?t noble bones. I?d heard tales about crypts like these. Sometimes people snuck in to rob the bodies, scientists and thieves and such. But many a time they were locked in, by a rival or their carelessness, or purely by chance. These were their bones lying here, in scattered places, and some in whole skeletons.
 
Did I have the willies? Yes, I most certainly did. What if my hole caved in? I would be trapped in here, never to see the light of day until I withered with hunger and joined the bare corpses here. Did I have the willies? I was quaking with them. I was all set out to leave if it weren?t for what I?d seen next. At the end of the caved hallway, there was a door. A large stone slab serving as an entry sat at the top of a small set of stairs, flagged by two torches that had been quenched long ago. The entrance to the vault! Was I that curious? Well, if I was going to come down here anyway?
 
I approached the slab. I reached slowly, shaking, to an edge where I could pull. The slab opened its eyes and looked at me?
 
Eyes?
 
Hanging on the slab was a bat. I jerked back. But no, not just any bat. This was a smart bat, an aggressive parasitic bat called a Keese. They often swarmed and nibbled an innocent pedestrian until they passed out or worse. I could only hope this one was alone. It grinned and licked its tiny saber teeth. Around it, in the gloom, three more pairs of eyes opened. Four Keese! They were enough to pester me, but hopefully not hurt me. The first one flapped and lunged, but I held it back with the blunt end of my sword. His comrades recoiled, not at all eager to be impaled.
 
?Let me pass through,? I said.
 
It squeaked and opened its mouth, snapping and drooling at the air in anticipation, struggling. I pressed it down harder.
 
?Or perhaps you?d like him to shear off your wings and leave you waddling around this reeking cave like a baby Goron,? Navi smirked, ?How does that sound??
 
The Keese froze and whimpered, folding itself up like it was sleeping, and shook. I slowly lifted my blade and opened the stone slab ?door.? The Keese unfolded in a flash and lunged for me, mouth agape. I shoved the slab back in place behind me to the sound of a satisfying thud and a squeak.
 
?Saber-toothed furry mosquitoes, that?s all they are,? I muttered, ?No brains at all.?
 
Navi started to giggle, but froze instead, quivering, all four wings vertical and parallel to each other. I knew that look. Navi was terrified. And as I looked around the tomb, so was I.  
 
These royal dead ones were most certainly not resting in peace. As a matter of fact, they weren?t resting at all.
 
They were standing up, moaning, staring into space. Their bodies were slumped and brown, skinny and shapeless. Their faces were featureless, save two round holes cut into a mask of wood, and a mouth hole, also round, the masks stuck to their faces, concealing their real faces. I was glad, too. Who knows what people look like after a hundred years or so?
 
?I?don?t think they know we?re here,? Navi whispered, stunned.
 
I tiptoed slowly to the other side of the room, to a mysterious chamber at the end. I couldn?t leave now. Something here was wrong. I glanced around suspiciously. Some bodies were lying down, veiled, like they should be, but then there were these others, standing, moaning, unshrouded, maybe even?I gulped?not dead. One sad face I passed moved a little, turning its head toward me. Were you Zelda?s mother? I thought.
 
I wasn?t expecting an answer.
 
But I got one.
 
The head tilted more, hesitated, and screamed. It screamed very, very loud. I thought everyone in Hyrule had heard it, echoing from under the ground. The body walked toward me, slumped. I tried to back away, but found I couldn?t move. I was frozen, paralyzed in the wake of the scream. My muscles all throbbed to the pitch of the noise, and all I could do was stare as the corpse approached me, hands out, almost begging, with a lonely look in its round black eyes.
 
Too bad I wasn?t the least bit interested in making friends. He reached for my face, moaning.
 
Fortunately, Navi was unaffected. She rushed my side and shoved me, petrified and nearly prostrate, away from the thing. ?Move your arm!? she said, ?Stretch it! Open the door!?
 
The other chamber! Right behind me! I?I couldn?t move! The creature was advancing! Then, as I concentrated, I felt a tingling in my fingertips, stretching slowly down my arm. I moved, oh so slowly, to the door and pushed. Navi rammed into me at top speed, and the door closed behind us, sealing the moans of the being behind us.
 
I cracked my jaw and shook my head, ?What was that?? I asked.
 
?Tell me, Link,? she whispered, returning with a question, ?Did you see more bodies or just those?not quite dead things??
 
?There were more bodies, why??
 
?I think?the ones not resting are usurpers,? she sighed, ?Cheaters of the throne, men not of noble blood who passed as nobles. They aren?t resting, because?they don?t belong here. They haven?t been admitted into the Sacred Realm. They haven?t been forgiven, either.?
 
I didn?t reply. I was staring at the slab ahead of us, inscribed with something most interesting. It somewhat resembled the headstone above ground, only?it looked like there was a special message here.
 
?Let me read it,? Navi beamed, ?It looks important. It says, ?This poem is dedicated to
the memory of the dearly departed members of the Royal Family.? A poem? How quaint??
 
?Read it,? I ushered.
 
Navi cleared her throat, ??The rising sun will eventually set, A newborn's life will fade. From sun to moon, moon to sun...Give peaceful rest to the living dead.? This is an interesting poem...huh??
 
?Kind of eerie. Is there anything else??
 
?Yes,? she muttered, ?Someone has scrawled a musical staff at the bottom, hurriedly, it looks like. It says below it, ?Composer Brothers, servants of the king, valuable research, please read, ye of good intent. Restless souls wander where they don?t belong. Bring them calm with the Sun?s Song.? A cure for those frightening usurpers, perhaps??
 
I retrieved my Ocarina, ?Only one way to find out.?
 
I played the Sun?s Song, there in the gloom. It was very quick, and light, with a mellow tone, and I wasn?t sure it would do any good. But as I finished, I heard a groaning from the burial chamber. Navi and I slowly wandered back, peeking through the door at the commotion. Slowly but surely, all the bodies turned gossamer white, and walked slowly to a place to lie down. They let out a final sigh before the white faded, and they moved no more.
 
?I?m glad they?re asleep now,? I said.
 
?Same here,? Navi hissed, ?Now let?s get out, quick, we?ve done all we can do for them.?
 
There was a rustle behind me, and I peered into the gloom. Twenty pairs of eyes opened and blinked. Forty saber-teeth gnashed hungrily, and two hundred toe claws released their perch as the Keese came swarming toward us.
 
I ran, yelling, through the burial chamber, into the first cave and leapt for the hole six feet above me. Navi nudged my feet, giving me two more inches, and I gripped the ground above me just as the Keese came for my legs. Hauling myself up, I shook the parasites off, and they yelped back down into the grave, scared of the daylight.
 
I wheezed and panted on the soggy grass, catching the breath I?d lost from all I?d been through. The blunt end of a spear nudged my back, and I struggled to my feet, whirling to face the attacker.
 
The guard laughed, ?Well, Mr. Hero, I?m glad I found you here! Now are you going to head up the mountain with this shield or have you had enough adventure for one day??
 
?Yes and yes,? I moaned, ?Lead the way, guard.?

Woo! Night of the Living Dead! For some reason, I was thinking of the beginning of Jurassic Park, readin' that again. You know, where the guy's frozen, and the other guy's like: SHOOT HEERRRR!

BTW, these songs are getting to be a pain. Do you think I'm losing an audience when I describe the importance of these songs, and there's no way to connect?

[Husse]

Weird. I kinda thought I had, but regardless, I might it creepy enough without having to describe deeply what the Stalchilds were, because they aren't as important.

It turns out Ganon's servants are the ReDead, which makes sense, really. I'll let you read the chapter later, but when a "rebel" group attacks him in his chambers, he takes the leader and redeadifies him.

Sound okay? Not too far-fetched?

[Husse]

Oh, believe me, you should be blown away when we meet Ganondorf, I hope. At the beginning, of course, we just assume he's evil or greedy. Little by little, we begin to see his motives, feel a little bit sorry for him, I hope, but then, once he comes into power, all that gets dusted off, we can tell he's 100% wacked, and no one feels sorry for him when he's locked in a void for eternity, if you want to know his character.

Oops, I ruined it. Well, you knew anyway, I think...

The town is rather dumpy, but that's only to emphasize the bustling place it becomes later. Same with Dampe'. We need to meet him here to create a sort of "Oh yeah, him!" feeling when he dies later.
And I would never consider not writing the songs into it, that'd be like, a crime or something, but they are a pain, and I wonder if there's a better way to do them...musical scales in the appendix, maybe?

NEXT CHAPTER!!!

Nothing special here, but tell me if this Goron is to darned smart. And I hope he's funny. I do like the Goron rolling perspective, I think that'd be fun, if it weren't for me weak stomach. Well, Link'll find out about all that in the sequel anyway. (Mustn't think ahead, musn't think ahead...)

22
Goron City and a Problem
Domigoron

 
I was hungry and tired that day. But that wasn?t a surprise. I was always hungry and tired. Or, more properly, I was tired because I was hungry, and I was hungry because of the rock shortage.
 
Perhaps I should explain. I was but one of the many Gorons in the Goron City who was starving. We eat rocks, normally, and you may think that rocks would be more than aplenty in the mountain, but perhaps you are looking at it the wrong way.
 
Let?s pretend, for the moment, that you are a Zora?or maybe a whale?or maybe a very peculiar human being that doesn?t eat anything but fish. You are a fish-eater. Yes, that makes sense! Now pretend again that you live in the ocean, with lots of other fish-eaters. You eat fish, morning, noon, and night, and there are nearly endless fish supplies, right? Well, now, let?s say that the fish lived close to the surface of the water, and deep below were nothing but whales, porpoise, and bottom-feeding organisms.
 
What if all of a sudden, someone threw a net?or maybe a bubble?or maybe a very large rock, no, that doesn?t make sense, but you understand anyway, I hope, over the first two hundred leagues of water in the ocean, where all the good fish are. Now, you are restricted to the rest of the ocean. Sure, there?s a lot of ocean, but all there is is whales, which are much too big to sink your teeth into, porpoises, which, well, the very thought seems too evil and cannibalistic, and bottom-feeding organisms which just don?t taste very good at all.
 
Well, such was the case with us poor Gorons. Someone had thrown a very large rock over the opening of a cavern that hosted all the most delectable rocks. Now we were all restricted to the mountain itself, which was much too big to sink your teeth into, the rocky backs of fellow Gorons, which, well, the very thought seemed too evil and cannibalistic, and dusty sedentary rocks that just didn?t taste very good at all.
 
Fortunately no one had been in the cavern when the rock tumbled. We had all been scared away by the sudden appearance of Dodongos, fire-breathing reptiles who?ll eat anything, even a Goron twice their size! We?d all fled in panic when they started attacking, and soon after, the rock crashed down! Oh, for another crunchy sirloin rock?but no. Thinking just made my belly growl. I needed to keep up my strength.
 
So I was sleeping, burrowed, curled up, my back to the sky, trying to conserve energy, trying to look like just another rock, when someone sat on me! It wasn?t very heavy, so it couldn?t have been another Goron, (who surely would?ve known anyway that I was not just another rock,) it wasn?t really light, so it wasn?t a pesky Tektite, and it talked, so it definitely wasn?t a falling rock. I didn?t move. Maybe it would go away.
 
?I?m bushed,? the something said, ?Isn?t there anything to eat around here, Navi? We?ve been hiking for forever.?
 
?I suppose if we got a fire going, we could roast a Tektite,? a chipper voice replied.
 
?They don?t look very tasty,? the back-sitter said, ?And I?d rather eat vegetables or plants. I?ve been given nothing but meat since Castle Town.?
 
?Well, then, just sit around like a bump on a rock and wait for your strength to return. I?ll buzz around and see how much further the city is.?
 
The thing still sat on me, yawning and mumbling. I tried to stay quiet, but he wasn?t making it easy.
 
?How I?d love something to eat something now,? he sighed, ?Something juicy and firm. Leeks maybe, or carrot stew with celery, if I?m not forced to eat meat again. Not that meat is bad. Nice, hard T-bones with juicy fat and red meat dripping. Oh, wow??
 
I knocked the stranger off and sat up, ?Stop it!? I yelled, ?Stop it, I?m starving!?
 
The ?stranger? was a little kid, dressed in green, blonde-headed, and scared half to death. I calmed down, cleared my throat, and apologized. There was a tense moment between us. A small, shiny, winged ball of light floated down toward us.
 
?Great news!? the ball said, ?There?s a Goron settlement just up the mountain another half mi?wow! Where did he come from??
 
?Pleased to meet you,? I grinned, extending a beefy hand in friendship, ?I am Domigoron of the City Gorons! The settlement you speak of is my home town!?
 
?Charmed,? the kid answered, wary.
 
?I?ll take you up the mountain to the city if you wish,? I replied, ?It?s so nice to get visitors, they?re so rare these days. Pardon my asking, but, um,? I whispered, ?Have you got any rocks with you??
 
The kid sighed and pulled off his boot, shaking it vigorously. Three small rocks tumbled out. ?You can keep them,? he said, ?They?re nothing but a pain to me.?  
 
I grasped the beautiful little things in my hands and gobbled them down. I needed all the food I could get. I couldn?t complain at the little boy, but?yuck! They weren?t very good at all. But, then again, it was near impossible to find any good rocks anywhere.  
 
?You may have the rest back,? I groaned.
 
?Keep them,? he replied, ?Please.?
 
I slowly got to my feet and munched on the grainy things. The boy fidgeted impatiently, glancing at the hill, ready to go. I told him of my plight, and it seemed to calm him down for the most part. There was a stalwart look in his eye, a desire to help.  
 
It took us a while to go up the mountain, me being so weak and all. The slow incline was a little much for anyone weighing three hundred and fifty pounds, (my goodness, I was losing weight!) but the little boy was very helpful, pushing me along with a ?steady,? and ?careful? every once in a while. The trip had become very quiet, so I spoke up.
 
?You?re a sweet little Hylian,? I grinned, taking a step.
 
?Oh, I?m not Hylian,? he replied, ?I?m Kokiri kind. You know, children of the forest??
 
?No, I?m afraid I don?t. Pardon my mistake, you know, you smelled human! Say, what is a forest, anyway??
 
The youth rocked like he?d been slapped. ?You don?t know what a forest is??
 
?Nope.?
 
?Well, it?s a beautiful, peaceful, green grove full of trees and plants, and Kokiri and fairies. Do you?uh, remember now? Surely you?ve heard of the forest!?
 
?What?s a tree? And a grove? With green rocks? I don?t understand.?
 
The boy shook his head. His pet light ball floated over to me and explained, ?You wouldn?t understand even if he told you. Imagine a place with lots of very big, very different flowers.?
 
?Flowers! We have those! Our one flower! Very beautiful. Alright, then, a flower-filled place. I see.?
 
?You have to speak the language,? the ball chirped to the boy. Suddenly, the living light froze. We had been walking around a wide path circling the mountain when the peak came into view around the bend. She was beautiful, gently spouting smoke as she?d been doing for a thousand years, but the blue ball?s attention was focused somewhere else. In the fork in the road ahead, a sign was posted, next to the forlorn red flag that pointed the way to Goron City.  
 
GORON CITY: RIGHT. FOLLOW FLAGS
GREAT FAIRY?S FOUNTAIN: LEFT. TRAVELERS MUST ASCEND MOUNTAIN.
 
?LINK!? she cried, ?You must take me to the fairy fountain! It?s where The Great Fairy lives! Oh Link, oh Link! Please take me! Please! To see a fountain again?and The Great Fairy!?
 
?So, it?s Link?? I asked, ?You never told me.? Not that he was rude or anything.
 
?Yes,? he said, ?And this is Navi.? He gently released the ball?s hold on his tunic.
 
?Charming sister,? I chuckled.
 
Link raised an eyebrow. ?We?re not related.?
 
?Ah, well. Don?t expect an old Goron to know. By the way, we?re here.?
 
?Here?? Link had time to ask before he stumbled on a rock and fell flat on his face. Ahead of us was the entrance to Goron City, like I?d promised. It was about halfway up the mountain, in an alcove. The city itself was a beautiful cave. The entrance was adorned with leather banners and streamers welcoming all Gorons to their capital. And of course, the ceremonial pedestal of rocks before it, what used to be the center of the town that become a metropolis. I grinned. Home. Well, unless they caught me?
 
?DOMIGORON!? a voice boomed, ?What took you getting back here? We need all the Gorons we can get!?
 
?I?m sorry, Boss,? I mumbled, ?I was so tired. I haven?t eaten in forever.?
 
?Well, if you?d help, like everyone else, that wouldn?t be a problem, now would it??
 
Link rubbed his forehead and jerked up, ?Who?s that?? he asked.
 
I gulped. Did he really need to know? Boss approached me glowering, and pointed to the bomb flower garden and the line of waiting Gorons kneeling by their own flowers, ready to pick. This, thus far, had been our only solution to the problem at hand. Each Goron would go to the bomb flower patch, pluck a flower, and roll quickly down the hill to the blocked cavern, hopefully making it there in time to blow up the rock blocking our food source.
 
Unfortunately, this caused another problem. No Goron, not even the fastest, and certainly not an old codger like me, had been able to roll all the way down the hill before the bomb flower blew up, bruising and scratching the poor unfortunate Goron bearing it. But, if at first you don?t succeed, try try again!  
 
This would probably be our one thousandth try, though. But the plan made sense! Maybe we were just rolling too slowly. I shrugged at Link and hobbled to the patch of flowers. What?s a bomb flower, you may ask? Well, it?s the type of flower we have in the mountains. I?ve heard there are many types of flowers, but we Gorons know only one. The bomb flower is bluish -black and bulbous, with barbed green leaves at its base, and delicate white petals at its crest, and with a golden stamen atop. When plucked, it grows hot and hisses, flickering reddish-purple until it explodes in self-defense. Fortunately, they grow quickly and are quite decorative staying where they?ve grown. But we needed them to explode now. If only there was some way to get down there quicker. The bomb flowers would not grow in pure rock, close to the cavern.  
 
I kneeled down and readied myself, nearest my flower. We were running short. What would we do when we were all out? Only about thirty left. I gulped. I had to make it down there! I curled in my knees and tucked in my head, exposing my rocky back, and rolled, pulling the bomb flower with me. It hissed and sputtered, clouding my little bit of air and I gagged. Faster! Blast! I was getting dizzy, but I couldn?t slow down! My field of vision flickered like I was running by a post fence. Road, black, road, black, rock, black, dirt, black! Dirt! Had I only gotten that far?
 
There was a concussive heat blast near my stomach and I groaned, unfolding and bouncing back a bit. I?d lost the flower. I dusted the ashes from my belly and made the long trek back up to the city doorway. I was going to starve.

One more thing: think that quote about Domigoron mistaking Link for a Hylian is too much? I think maybe it gives away the secret too quickly, or is perhaps unnecessary.

[Kwicky Koala]

Still good reading. I'm really looking forward to when he becomes an adult now.

[Husse]

Oh, all right, he's not stupid enough...

Well, if that's "old/MAYBE wise" (loophole!) Goron, I suppose it's acceptable...

[Husse]

NEXT CHAPTER!!!

Nothing to sing about here, evcept the totem pole. For some sick reason, I thought it was funny. I thought, well, how did I get down there when I played? Taking the stairs was too darned boring, didn't I just...yeah, I bet I jumped off the platform in the middle! But Link's not that stupid, what will he do? Hmmm. And of course, through my own sick designs, he is bodily harmed and horribly splintered.

King Darunia was supposed to come off as mean and powerful, but I think I overdid it. At least his character's likable later. He and Link have some great dialogue scenes.

Again, I do the fire thing for two reasons. One, it'll help this Goron like Link later, something he needs to do, and two, it adds to Link's character, that he's a person who'll do something for a complete stranger even if it's not in his best interests.

23
King of the Rock-Eaters
Link

 
Navi and I watched Domigoron disappear down the mountain with the ?bomb flower.? I wasn?t exactly sure what they were doing, but I wasn?t about to run up and ask the muscular scowling Goron they called ?Boss.? Whatever it was, it either took a lot of Gorons, or took a lot of tries. Or both. Could it have something to do with the famine?
 
We walked casually past the line of Gorons toward the gateway to the city. What was it we were looking for? Ah yes, the Spiritual Stone of Fire. The Stone of the Forest was called the Kokiri Emerald, so what would this one be? The Goron?something? I had to ask about it casually, by its common name, lest I look suspicious. We walked into the city. It was very dark at first, and I was worried that I might have to feel my way around the place, but once I got into the torch lit interior, everything changed.
 
Gorons, young, old, male and female, (though it was hard to tell the difference between those two,) were rolling all over the place, napping in corners, or just sitting and talking with old friends. The city was divided into four layers or balconies, much like the Deku Tree, only much, much bigger. It was circular too, like an O, with tunnels, paths, and rooms on each balcony, and the entrance to the city at the top, where I came in. I stumbled right out into the street and walked to the little fence (on the inner curve of the street, overlooking the circular city?s core), and looked down at the rows of land beneath me.  
 
?Long way down, huh Navi,? I mused.
 
?LOOK OUT!? she cried.
 
I hugged the fence just as a rather large Goron went tumbling past and hit the outer wall with a thump. ?Watch it, young man!? he cried, then curled up and bounced along his merry way. I?d have to watch for traffic in the future!  
 
Leaning over the fence, I froze. In the center of this grand city, I could see a totem pole, tall, standing from the bottom of the city to our top level with a pedestal on top. There was a Goron sitting on the pedestal, but that?s not what caught my attention. ?Navi!?
 
She fluttered over to me. ?Navi, can you read that Goron symbol on that pedestal over there? Atop the totem pole at our level, in the center there.?
 
Navi brightened, ?Yes! It?s a very simple Goron hieroglyph. Translated roughly? Spirit Stone Fire.?  
 
?We need to get to that totem pole,? I nodded, ?Think if I stood on this fence, I could jump??
 
?Maybe, maybe not,? she replied, ?But I know if you?d use the ropes connecting the pole to our balcony over there??
 
Sure enough, there were three ropes planted with stakes evenly all around our level?s floor. Tightrope walking was the way to do it. Three careful steps, don?t look seventy feet down to the floor, and jump! Easily, we had made it to the pedestal! All we had to do was grab the Stone and run out of the City. Simple!
 
But the stone wasn?t there. There was nothing but a very surprised Goron on the pole next to me. A very surprised Goron who took up a lot of space! If he moved one inch, I would topple! Fortunately, it seemed he?d rather sit down and gape.
 
?Hey!? he grunted.
 
?What?? I shrugged, ?Is this spot yours??
 
?In a manner of speaking,? he snorted back, ?It?s dangerous for a little kid like you to come out here. You might fall down!?
 
?I know, but I have to. I don?t suppose you know what happened to the??
 
?Say no more,? he pointed his chubby finger at me, ?If I?m not mistaken, you came here to eat the red stone! Well, too bad! It?s not here! And if it was, it?d be mine!?
 
?Well, maybe, maybe not. I was looking for the Spiritual Stone. Is that it??
 
?That?s the delicious-looking red one!?
 
?What are you doing on its podium then?? I asked, afraid of the answer. If he?d eaten it-
 
?I was so hungry that I thought it would be OK to just give it one tiny little lick...so I snuck out here. But, it was already gone! I think Big Brother took it away. He always says that everyone is after that red stone! Well, we have good reason! The famine drives a Goron mad!?
 
?Big Brother?? I asked.
 
He nodded, ?Big Brother Darunia is King of the Gorons. But to call him King would be unlike the united Goron way of life! He is our Big Brother! And he has the stone! Now, if you?ll excuse me, I?m going to sleep here until someone big walks across that rope and rescues me!?
 
Navi clicked her tongue. ?While you chat with your articulate friend here, I?m going to go find out where this King may be found.? She flittered away, muttering under her breath about Gorons and their silly eating habits.
 
I stifled a laugh, ?Where can I find him? This is urgent.?
 
Just before dozing off, the Goron yawned, ?Big Brother has shut himself up in his room saying, ?I will wait in here for the Royal Family's messenger!??
 
I sighed and shook my head. If I was learning one thing about the Goron race, it was that they were sweet, stubborn, and not too terribly bright. I peeked over the edge of the totem at the ground far below, and Navi came buzzing up to meet me.
 
?Good news,? she said, ?The King?s chambers are at the bottom floor, in plain view, below all the balconies. If you don?t mind a little jogging, we can take the stairs.?
 
I shrugged, ?No thanks, stairs aren?t real appealing right now, I?ve done too much walking. In fact??
 
I gripped the rough, rounded edge of the totem top. This would be dangerous, but, well, who wanted to take the dumb old stairs, anyway? I shifted my weight, sat on the lip of the surface, and slid off slowly, tender fingers clinging to the wood, boots clutching the niches of carving. Then I flipped around and shimmied down the pole, nodding to Navi, and glancing at the gaping Gorons on the balconies surrounding me as I passed. Very funny, really. Hilarious even. Funny that is, until my boot lost its ever-present foothold and dangled, throwing me off kilter.
 
I sucked a breath and noted very quickly that I was two balconies from the cracked rocky floor. A floor that would probably shatter bone, flesh and organs, if a big chunk of Kokiri landed on it from forty feet up. Navi cried out and my brain raced, legs scrabbling for a safe hold, fingernails scratching what must have taken an acrophobic Goron a very long time to carve. Green and rotted wood slimily faulted my foot again, and I jerked, my knee smashing against the grainy wood. Panting, I wrapped my arms and legs around the pole like some living bracelet, eyes staring white all around at my all-knowing fairy. Then I loosened, and slid down the pole at top speed.  
 
Like a heavy drop of water on a reed I raced, my head knocking on the pole every second or so, as if to remind me of my grave error. My arms were burning, smoldering, being ripped apart by the needle-teeth of a thousand angry Keese. I hugged the pole tighter and slowed in agony, a few feet from the floor, finally. Navi, parallel-winged and growling, descended to me.
 
?Stairs?? she asked, ?Next time??
 
It wasn?t a question, it was an edict. I looked at my hands. They were bubbling with blisters and white with disconnected skin. I shuddered as I plucked loose a splinter or two.
 
?Stairs,? I replied, ?Next time. Every time.?
 
And with that, we strutted to the large, opulent, rectangular slab door of King Darunia?s chamber. A lone Goron was watching it, an attendant of sorts, half-awake, and he struggled to his feet to greet us. This fellow hadn?t eaten in a very long time.  
 
He groaned, ?Coming to visit Big Brother? Good luck with that. He still won?t talk to us, he?s so worried about the village. I think he?s disgusted with Boss? efforts to tell you the truth.?
 
?Oh. Well,? I shrugged, ?Wasn?t he waiting for the Royal Family?s messenger??
 
?I don?t know. Maybe. I?m so hungry I can?t think about anything but food. The fires of many torches have gone out in the city. It means something, I don?t know what. Everyone seems so?depressed.?
 
He rubbed his forehead. It must have been quite a speech for a Goron.
 
?You should ask Big Brother about complicated things, not me. I?m so hungry all I can think about is food! But if you are the Royal Family?s messenger, I?ll tell you a secret.?
 
I nodded. Anything would be helpful.
 
?I am Big Brother?s actual brother, so I know how he is. If he's in a bad mood, he'll probably get mad at you...it can be pretty scary. But...I know his secret. He may not look like the type, but Big Brother loves to dance, like many a fun-loving Goron around! If he gets in a rhythm, he'll surely think highly of you. But, from what I gather, opinions aren?t what you?re here after.?
 
I shook my head,? No, not at all. But thanks for the tip.?
 
?If it does you any good,? he said, ?I mean, if you even get to meet him at all, could you bring fire from his chambers to me? My favorite torch here, at my post, has gone out with many others, and it would be great to have the company of fire once again. I have here something you may capture it with. A something extremely rare from the mythic lands of green.?  
 
He pulled a small object out from behind his back and I barely contained a laugh. A torch, he marveled to me, not made of iron, but some other gritty material. I told him he could keep it; I already had my share of Deku Sticks. If it was fire he wanted, fire he would get.
 
I rapped on the door and winced as my mangled knuckles rubbed the dusty stone. The door stood stolidly in place, unreceiving, the dancing Gorons and hieroglyphs of rubies chiseled into it seeming to mock me. So I called, ?Darunia, King of the Gorons! Please let me in! I have come to seek your counsel on behalf of?the Hylian Royal Family.?
 
I winced again. That was only partly true. I was a guerilla messenger for a twelve-year old princess on, shall we say, questionable business.
 
This time, a voice boomed from behind the door, ?Thieves and messengers sound exactly the same. I open for no one but the true emissary of the Royal Family!?
 
I pounded on the door. This stubborn Goron was going to end my journey before it even started. Then I stopped. If it was proof he wanted, well, I had proof to give him! I withdrew my Ocarina yet again and played the familiar melody. At least, I hoped it was familiar to the throaty Rock-Eater behind the door. The notes came smoothly now, easily, and I could play them quick and light as I could say my name. Before I had time to finish, the stone slab retreated quickly, no doubt pulled by levers, and the booming voice gasped, ?Come in! Come in!?
 
I trotted lightly into the grand throne room of King Darunia and gasped. The area was laden with tapestries, rugs, and banners of soft, gray leather and etched into every bare spot on a wall were beautiful carvings of swirling designs. Quaint four-legged tables stacked with pots and plates of smooth rocks surrounded the chamber, and, in the center, with an opulent mat before it, was the throne, shaped like a squatting, simply modeled Goron, and the King that sat upon it was grinning from ear to ear.
 
At least, he was grinning. And then his grin turned to a scowl on a cold face that only a very devoted mother could love. Sitting down, he was a sight to behold, but standing, furiosity stamped on his face, towering eight feet above, he was terrifying. He had small stocky legs, a round belly, and a back adorned with rocks like most other Gorons, but the similarities ended there. His long arms were popping with muscles and bulging vessels, sinew screaming to everyone near to stand far, far away. He had tattoos up and down his arms, golden bracelets on his wrists, and sitting atop his proud shoulders was his scowling face. His eyes were dark and shining, his frown wrinkling his cheeks until they lumped at his stunted neck, and his hair! Whereas most Gorons had a little tuft of white fuzz on their slightly pointed heads, King Darunia?s locks were brazen, white and spiked, even down to his beard, making his face look like a brown sun. Overall, he was a downright striking sight to behold, and I backed up slowly, kneeling on the mat.  
 
?What the heck?!? he cried, ?Who are you, shorty?!?
 
I stiffened. Rather rude for a Goron of his stature. He put his big meaty hands on his hips and waited.  
 
?Well, you tell me,? I shrugged, ?You let me in, your eminence-?
 
?Big Brother Darunia.?
 
?Big Brother, you let me in. Did you think I was someone important??
 
?When I heard the song of the Royal Family, I expected their messenger had arrived, but...but?you?re just a little kid! This is an insult to top all other insults! A child at a time like this!?
 
?Well, sir, I have something important to tell you. This doesn?t come directly from the King, but I?m in need of something that you-?
 
?Has Darunia, the big boss of the Gorons, the kingpin above all kingpins, really lost so much status to be treated like this by his Sworn Brother, the King of Hyrule, the King of all Hylians? The shame! The ever living shame!?
 
?Mr. Darunia, are you listening to me??
 
?Why must I be let so down by my kin, when I have waited long for help, for-?
 
"Big Brother Darunia,? I spat, ?I?m not coming from the King, I?m coming from the Princess! I have to talk to you, so will you please calm down??
 
King Darunia?s jaw sagged into an even deeper frown, his hands balled into fists, and his muscles tensed and pulsed. I was sure that at any time they were going to pop out of his skin and strangle me.
 
His words came slow, and harsh, his rock breath slapping me in the face,
 
?Now, I'm REALLY angry! Get out of my face, now!?
 
His hand swept across a table, sending rocks, pots, and platters flying across the room. He stomped toward me and swept me up in his hands growling and stomping towards the exit. I was tossed onto his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.
 
?Why are you so upset?? I yelled, pulling a Deku stick out from my bag.
 
?You?re asking why I'm in such a bad mood right now? Why, that?s an excellent question! Let me elaborate!?
 
?Ancient creatures have infested the Dodongo's Cavern!? he shouted, as I leaned for a torch in the corner.
 
?We've had a poor harvest of our special crop, Bomb Flowers!? he screeched, as I held the sizzling stick out at arm?s length.
 
?Rampant starvation and hunger because of the rock shortage!? he moaned, as we reached the door to the chamber.
 
?But?? I started, ?Maybe I can help you!?
 
?But?? he mocked, setting me down hard on the floor outside his room, ?This is a Goron problem. We don?t need any help from strangers!?
 
He put a death grip on the stone slab-door above him and scowled one last time.
 
?Goodbye little messenger! Tell the Princess to bother some other King!?
 
And with that, he wrenched the door shut, and it hit so hard that it bounced twice upon hitting the floor.
 
I had lost my chance at getting the Spiritual Stone of Fire, and helping Zelda.
 
But for what it was worth, one Goron guardsman would sleep with fire tonight.

Hope you likey! I'm going to have to reupdate with that floppy soon, I'm running out of updated chapters!