Everything registered half a second late. Link's legs worked against him. One step, stumble, two quick steps. Link fell against a wall and propped himself up. The sting of bile and alcohol forced a groan from his throat. A gentle hand led him away from the wall.
"Link, are you okay?"
Zelda stood in front of him, yet she felt so far away. Her voice rattled in his aching head. He turned away, breakfast and beer leaped from his stomach.. Zelda wrinkled her nose. The smell gave her a decent idea of his ailment.
"You can't give your speech in this condition." Zelda said, more to herself than Link. "You've never had a drink before this, have you?"
"What? No speech? I'm good, I really am." Link said. Zelda ignored him and hoisted the intoxicated Hylian on her firm shoulder. His height over her proved difficult, but those years training as Sheik gave her the strength to hold him.
A huge explosion rumbled the air. It gave Link a staggering burst of sobriety. He drew a knife and shoved Zelda aside. He watched the sky light up while a procession of gorons pounded ceremonial drums. Their heavy march sent Link reeling.
He dropped his knife and rubbed his temples. Control of his legs left him and the young Hylian ambled into the parade of gorons. One larger goron kneeled. The procession paused their march. The beat of the drum like wild horses galloping.
The pot-bellied goron raised a smooth stone tube towards the air. A smaller goron reached over and filled it a rocket. He sparked the fuse and curled up into a ball. Link crashed into the stone tube and knocked it over. A lanky pair of guards shouted over the din of the crowd. A gray-haired woman scooped up a child and shambled away. A shop-keeper ducked beneath his stall.
A great ball of fire burst forth from the tube. It struck the building behind the shop keeper's stall. A deafening explosion reduced the stone facade of the building to rubble. Debris smashed into the ground, a narrow spike of stone stuck into a wall. The sound, the quaking, it all became too much. Everything went black.
***
"Quite a show you put on, brother."
The familiar voice reached out to him through the remainder of his drunken stupor. Most of the alochol worked its way out of his system hours ago. He rubbed his eyes. Link, or Darunia's son rather, looked down at him with those thoughtful beady eyes so familiar to a goron's complexion.
"What happened?"
"Hundreds of rupees in property damage, injuries, and one dead cucoo I believe." Said the goron. "You were quite lucky we got you out of the market before anyone could figure out you caused it."
"I didn't do that, that weapon..."
"The mortar? Something Biggoron cooked up this past summer." Said Link the goron. "He never intended it for use as a weapon. Just a parade attraction. Though a very dangerous one in hindsight."
Link sat up. The stone surface that served as his bed left a tight knot in his back. He twisted, each vertebrae popped. A sigh of relief left Link's lips. He looked around himself. Waning sunlight lit up behind the thin tent walls. He turned to the goron that shared his name and craned his neck up.
"This is your caravan isn't it?" Said Link. He poked his head out of an opening in the tent.
Tall red mountains surrounded him on all sides. Hyrule castle a mere dot in the distance. Link rubbed his eyes and watched the sunset on the horizon.
"Ugh, I missed the parade."
"Not much left to miss. Princess Zelda calmed down the people and urged us to get you to safety." Said Link the goron. "We obliged, partly because we never leave a brother behind and..."
"And?"
"Father requested you come visit him after the parade. We were to invite you after the festivities, but somebody blew up a caterer." Link the goron flashed link an impish grin.
"Darunia isn't with you?"
A cold wind brushed past Link's face while the sunlight gave way to darkness.
"Father...is..." Link the goron's jovial tone fell.
***
"You can't be dying!" Link shouted to the goron patriarch.
The faint torchlight cast growing shadows on the walls of the throne room. Darunia's hard stare softened at the outburst of his old friend. He sighed and turned to his attendants.
"Leave us." Said Darunia. The guards and attendants obeyed their leader.
Link the goron and another unfamiliar goron remained present. Darunia turned towards them. A frown on his face.
"You two as well. This is for me and the Hylian only."
What could he have to say that he couldn't say to his own son? Link the goron turned to the door reluctantly, but he trusted his father. The Hylian that served as his namesake held a bond that transcended age and species with his father. Something no one but them alone could ever understand.
The other goron stood his ground.
"Brother, your behavior has been inexcusable." Said the goron. "What secrets do you have to keep from us? From me? This puny Hylian could not possibly undertake anything you ask."
"And that sort of behavior is exactly why I have called him, Grouger." Said Darunia. "This human has done more for my people than you or the kingdom of Hyrule combined. Leave us, and do not make me repeat myself."
The one called Grouger turned to Link with the deepest fire in his eyes. The Hylian gulped and turned to Darunia. Even in his current state, he still carried the strength to destroy any unruly pests in his presence. Grouger stormed out of the room and closed the doors behind him.
"My time is short, Link." Said Darunia. "My late wife's brother watches me like a piece of meat on a spit. By birthright and seniority, he will take the tribe."
"Isn't your son next in line?"
"That boy, bless his heart, is too weak to stand up to his uncle. He knows no hardship nor the darkness some are capable of." Said Darunia. "Yes, Grouger will take it. What's more, I fear it is all by design."
Memories flooded back, when Ganandorf killed the only father he ever knew. He cursed the Great Deku tree, and with that curse came his death.
"You don't mean to say..."
"My illness is not natural, I cannot say how I know, just that I do." Said Darunia. "You are the last hope I have for my tribe."
"What do I need to do?"
Darunia smiled.
"You are my successor Link." Said Darunia. "I have chosen you to take my place."
Taken aback by the offer, Link shook his head.
"My duty is to Hyrule Darunia. Besides, gorons won't follow a Hylian chieftain. That's pushing it a bit too far."
"Hyrule is in serious danger if Grouger gets his hands on my throne." Said Darunia. "He sees your kind as weak. Why should a creature with such soft skin and bone be the ones in charge around here?"
Link did not speak. That still did not answer his second question. Darunia pointed to a small chest beside his throne.
"As for your Hylian issue, I must ask a sacrifice of you." Said Darunia. "Within this chest is the means to ask the goddess Din a favor."
The Hylian walked to the chest and threw the latch. The lid creaked open. Inside revealed a fine cut ruby. Within the gem appeared to be a dancing flame.
"One miracle per chieftain, and this is the miracle I have chosen for you." Said Darunia. "Go to the Goron's hall of chieftains, and present this gem to the statue of Din. You will become a true goron brother by her magic."
"Sacrifice my humanity to become one of you..." Link looked at the special gem. "If that's the only way, I guess I have no choice. Not like the hero of time is needed anymore. Ganondorf is long gone."
"You always held the strength of a goron in your soul. Now is a chance to let that strength come forward physically." Said Darunia. "I knew I chose wisely, now go, before Grouger becomes more suspicious than he already is."
Link stepped out side of the throne room, the ruby felt heavy in his pocket. He looked over his shoulder, the dancing torchlight faded to embers, then only darkness. He took a deep breath. The weight of this task grew heavy on his shoulders. He wished things could only be simple again. Then again, he did not have to do this alone. Perhaps he could take a friend?
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