~Chapter Eleven-The Fungus Problem II~
Kuro could not stop grinning. The boys’ reactions, when they learned that they’d be working with whom they had expected, were priceless. Warro had gotten on his knees, grabbed onto her leg, begging that she went with him instead, only to be dragged off the scene by Impa. Links reaction was not as dramatic, but in her opinion, it made him seem so much less of a hero and more of a sweet adorable boy from the forest that was just as clueless as Warro, but far less annoying. However, it did irritate her that Link was not the most talkative person in the world. At least Warro provided some conversation, however Link did allow her to think for once.
Right now, she was heading up Death Mountain Trail, with Link, to find the entrance to Goron City. In the city was the Spiritual Stone of Fire, also known as the Goron’s Ruby, and to receive it, they had to win the trust of the Gorons’ “Big Brother” Darunia. The job would not be easy, as usual. The ring-shaped cloud over Death Mountain was glowing bright red, when she woke up this morning. With recent events, this was too much of a coincidence.As they walked up the steep, rocky terrain, Kuro’s halberd became her walking stick to keep herself steady, while Link had to take it slow. It was an exhausting process of climbing, but it was the safest. As they reached a more level ground, at last, Kuro decided to take a rest and drink some of the water in a bottle that she was given in the village. As she wiped her lips with the back of her hand, she squinted her eyes to see what was up ahead. The trail took a turn, but after tat, what was beyond could not be seen.
“We’ve been climbing since this morning,” groaned Kuro. “We’re so high up and we’ve still haven’t found Goron City.” She looked down the cliff and forced herself back to save herself from the vertigo and falling off the mountain. “We should get going.”
Link nodded as he drank from his bottle. He corked his bottle, when Kuro corked hers and continued up the trail. Then as if they had been waiting for them…
“Ooooh, Hylians!” A deep voice called out. Kuro and Link looked up and saw a very large being standing atop the hill. His back had a rocky outcrop and as if his race was not obvious enough, his left arm had the symbol of the Gorons. The Goron curled up into fetal position and rolled down to Kuro and Link, before standing before them. Kuro was somewhat relieved that the Goron did not recognize that she was human. “I’m glad I found you so fast! Goro!”
“Why’s that?” Kuro asked.
“Dodongoes! Goro!” The Goron exclaimed, spreading his arms out. “They suddenly burrowed out from the ground in the city. They have a strange color on them and just as they emerged, strange bugs came through the path from the forest. They did something to our Special Crop! Goro!”
“Wait, did you say the forest?” Kuro asked, suddenly making the connection. She heard stories about how the forest linked up with most of Hyrule. If those bugs were what she thought they were…
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
“Yes, the forest, the bugs came—“
“Link?” Kuro asked, looking around. The darned forest boy was just as reckless as Warro, it seemed. He had run up ahead and then the thought of her finding his dismembered limbs that were blown away from those explosions came to mind. “Link!” she called out, running by the Goron and up the trail.
BA-BOOM! BOOM, BOOM!
As she got close to where the explosions were heard, she saw a great wall of dust and heard the soft dropping of rubble.
“HEEEYAH!”
“Link!“ Kuro yelled, rushing into the thick dust.
BOOM!
She was blind in the dense dust as Link yelled out with another attack, followed by another explosion. She felt craters in the ground from what she had supposed were from the last seven explosions. As she moved something jumped out at her. Had she not seen the black figure in the dust, it would have hit her. The blade of her halberd cut the monster in half and the two pieces fell before her. It was close enough to see clearly and Kuro’s eyes widened to learn that it was beet red. She jumped back, knowing what was next.
BA-BOOM!
Kuro coughed as dust was kicked up and small pebbles bounced off her head. She stood at that spot for a moment, listening to make sure Link was still in the same spot and just in case, she called out,
“Link! Stay right where you are!”
“Heeeeyah!”
BOOM!
Kuro took off towards where the explosion was and more monsters jumped out at her. They were the same as before. They were baby dodongoes and they only emerged when she moved. How they were under the city in such a large amount was a question for another day, because at the moment, Kuro saw a glimpse of green and the shining blade of a sword before her. “Link, don’t move! They can’t see you, if you don’t move!” From the silence that followed, it was safe to assume that Link had listened. The dust began to clear and the battle-scarred, baby dodongo covered ground was clearly visible. Blood was splashed all over the ground and there were many craters, a lot more than seven; the Gorons must have fought the babies before their arrival. She turned around and motioned Link to the entrance to the city they were facing. “C’mon. Don’t waste time on the babies, alright? We need to find where Darunia is and if he’s alright.”
Link nodded, before the two of them made a break for the entrance, ducking under jumping babies and avoiding any contact between the blades of their weapons and the baby dodongoes. After entering the city, they slowed to a stop, shocked at the destruction that lay within. The central chandelier that was once held up by very strong ropes now laid on the ground, burning, while the gorons fought the onslaught of adult dodongoes along with a familiar face, to Kuro. The surviving larvae had found their way to Death Mountain. They were not full grown, but they obviously could infect other monsters. The ledges were crumbled from explosions, making it rather easy to descend. At the bottom floor, Kuro approached a Goron who had just finished off a Dodongo. He threw it aside, where it exploded, leaving a small crater where it had landed.
“Watch out!” the Goron exclaimed pointing behind Kuro. She turned around and took up her halberd. A young gohma had jumped off from the ledge above her along with several others.
“So, you remember me,” Kuro said. “Well, I sure as hell don’t remember, specifically, you.” She shoved it off the shaft and swung at it. She looked back at the Goron and could see that he and Link were dealing with a few dodongoes that had made their way down. “Can you tell me where Darunia is? We have a message from Princess Zelda!”
“I’ll take you to him, if you can help me take care of them,” the Goron responded. “We cannot let the throne room get seized! Goro!” The Goron punched a dodongo that was about to breath fire onto him through the mouth and ripped something—possibly it’s trachea —out from the inside. She then immediately turned back, feeling slightly squeamish and learned that now six more young gohma had joined the first.
“Oh, crap.” They all lunged at her and she went on the defense, parrying each one’s leap and countering with her own strike. The gohmas all cried out as the crowded around her. As the got close, Kuro quickly changed stances, tucking the haft of her weapon under her armpit and holding out a hand in front of her. As all side jumped out, she hit them out in front of her with her halberd and several kicks. They were all lined up, now. She slashed horizontally, cutting open their eyes counting off as she went. “One, two, three, four, five six!” The gohma sextuplets fell to the ground and Kuro turned and saw that Link and the Goron had finished their business with the dodongoes from the loud, resounding explosion the piled up corpses let off, crumbling the walls of the three levels. Her ears rang and she could not hear was the Goron was saying to her for a few moments, before that massive hand of his grabbed her wrist with amazing strength and pointed to a corridor that led to the throne room.
“Darunia is waiting for you in the secret passage behind the statue,” the Goron said. “He won’t be waiting long. He is leaving for the Fire Temple soon.”
“Why’s that?” Kuro asked, rubbing her wrist as the Goron let go. Link walked up alongside Kuro and looked at the Goron.
“The subterranean lava dragon, Volvagia, has been revived,” the Goron explained. “Big Brother’s anscenstor was a great hero, who had defeated the dragon long ago. He left with the spiritual stone of fire with the hopes of defeating the dragon, but without the legendary hammer, he cannot has little hope! He will be eaten alive! Goro! He sent for help from the villagers. We are lucky you came when you did. Goro.”
“We’ll try to help him,” Kuro said. “In exchange, though, we need that stone. Well, Link, let’s get going.”
Link nodded.
The heat was intense ad the red light at the end of the tunnel made it no easier to bear. It was not hard to guess where this passage way had lead them. They were entering Death Mountain. Kuro began to sweat as they exited the passage, where it suddenly became even hotter.
“Ah, I thought you would never arrive!” A Goron, larger than the ones they had previously seen turned around and approached them. “I am Darunia, leader of the gorons, the one who sent for your help.”
“We’ll be glad to help you,” Kuro said, taking in his physique. Darunia would have the strength to rip those other Gorons in half from the size of his muscles. His spiky beard looked as if it were made of rock just like his back. “We just have to ask of a favor from you afterwards.”
“A favor? And what may a human want with a Goron? You’re the—“
“Don’t give me that crap, you Goron,” Kuro said. “Pickers can’t be choosers and you asked for help. I’m just as strong as any Hylian. I won’t disappoint you.”
“You have guts, for a human,” the Goron said. “Had anyone said that to me, they would be thrown into that lava pit this instant, but considering the circumstances… I have no choice. Your friend looks familiar.”
“Oh, I forgot to introduce myself,” Kuro said, holding out her hand. “I’m Kuro. The boy--you should have heard about him—is Link.”
“Ah, Link! I have heard of you! Your friends with the Princess! You both are messengers of the Royal Family?”
“Sort of,” Kuro said, wiping her brow. “Can we explain once we’re in the temple?”
“Ah, business first, payment later,” Darunia said, taking Kuro and Link’s hands and gripping them tightly. They both tried to not wince as he nearly crushed their hands. “I’m starting to like you already, hu—I mean, Kuro.”
