Ocarina of Time Chapter 12

 

Chapter 12

Dodongo's Cavern

Everything hurt.

Link opened his eyes, brushing away a film of dust that crusted his eyelids. Navi was calling him, hovering inches from his face. He sat up slowly, using the cave wall for support as he looked about the gloom of the tunnel. In front of him was a wall of rock and rubble, barely visible through the thick clouds of dust filling the air. Link blinked in confusion, sure he should be looking at the entrance to Dodongo's Cavern.

What happened?

He tried to recall what had transpired after he'd left Darunia's chambers, but his head was throbbing too much. Navi was no help as she loudly continued to shout his name. Link winced and looked up at her, so dazed that he was certain there were two fairies.

"Say something," Navi urged loudly.

"What happened?" Link rasped. He looked down at the scrapes and cuts along his arms and legs. Some of them were bleeding and stung painfully, but none were severe enough to warrant any immediate concern.

"When we entered the tunnel, the mountain started shaking," Navi explained. "I turned to see Jasper throw you forward, and then the roof collapsed. As far as I know, the volcano erupted- possibly some sort of magic trap to stop the Gorons from getting past the entrance. I noticed that the walls nearest the entrance had weakened... they were cracked when we entered. I assumed it was old damage, but now I wonder if it wasn't part of some spell."

Link barely heard Navi's words. On hearing Jasper's name, he gingerly propped himself upright on unsteady legs and looked for some sign of the Goron.

"Jasper?" Link called into the gloom. Only silence answered him.

"Link," Navi said, her voice trembling. "The tunnel roof fell on top of him. I think he's dead."

Link refused to listen, not willing to believe the Goron had died trying to get him out of harm's way.

"Jasper!" he called again. His throat felt raw as he shouted, "JASPER!"

"Keep your voice down. There are bound to be dodongos nearby. If they hear us-" Navi started, but Link was heedless to her warning.

No, he can't be dead, Link tried to convince himself. Please don't be dead.

He did not want to be alone, trapped in this lifeless cavern. Even with Navi's light, the shadows seemed to close in around him. He had to get out. He had to find Jasper. If he found the Goron, then together they might be able to move away the rocky debris.

Breathing heavily, Link limped to the fallen rocks and tried to shift some of the rubble, but the rocks were too heavy. He tripped on something. Navi gasped when she saw what it was- an arm with orange scales protruding from the rocky debris. Link's breath caught in his throat.

No! Don't leave us stuck here!

He bent down to tug on the arm. It was limp, lifeless. Refusing to believe the Goron could be dead, Link desperately tried to shove some of the rocks off him. They didn't budge. Thick black blood pooled beneath the rocks, but with only Navi's small light to guide him, Link didn't notice it.

"Link, I'm sorry, it's no use. Jasper's gone," she soothed gently. "There's no way he could have survived that."

Link gripped the Goron's hand, a prickling sensation starting behind his eyes as he fought back tears. What kind of hero kept getting those around him hurt and killed? He had struggled to save the Great Deku Tree, ultimately failing in his efforts. Talon and Malon had almost died because of him, and now Jasper was dead. Link had been little more than a stranger to Jasper, yet that had not stopped the Goron from saving him. After a moment's silence, he let go of Jasper's limp hand. Struggling upright, he brought his attention back to the immediate problem- the blocked entrance.

His first instinct was to try and attract the attention of someone on the other side of the rockfall, despite having no idea how much rock was between him and the Gorons outside. He pounded on the rock until his hands bled, driven by a desperate need to get out.

"Hello?" Link bellowed, his voice echoing throughout the cave. "Can anyone hear me?"

Silence.

Navi flew quickly to his side. He called out again, clawing desperately at the debris in a futile attempt to dislodge it. Fed up with his hopeless antics, Navi whacked him across one cheek. For such a small creature, her slap really stung.

"Link, calm down before you bring all the dodongos on top of us!" Navi pleaded with him. "Please, we'll figure a way out of this."

Link nodded, ashamed of his near panic. He wasn't used to being trapped. Here there was no sky, no plants, nothing familiar. Just darkness.

We are going to die in here, Link thought miserably.

If the tunnel had collapsed all the way to the entrance, there was no chance of being rescued by Darunia or the other Gorons any time soon.

Link's limbs felt clammy and weak as the last of his adrenaline drained away. He sat down, the boulder beneath him feeling cool on his skin, like ice on a warm summer night.

We're trapped, and there is no way out.

With that less than comforting thought, Link wept at his misfortune and the death of Jasper.

~ 0 ~

Hours earlier...

Link trotted beside Darunia. It was not difficult for him to keep up, especially without the weight of his wooden shield, which, according to Darunia, would be useless where they were going.

A crowd of Gorons met them at the main entrance, peering out of the doorway and speaking in urgent tones. Almost all of them were holding weapons- an intimidating array of maces, clubs, and hammers.

Darunia's people let out a shout of joy at the sight of their leader marching over to them. They exchanged curious glances, murmuring to one another, as they saw Link. Following Darunia, they walked out onto the rock shelf and through a tunnel on their right, where Volvagia had been sleeping earlier. It led to a ledge overlooking Dodongo's Cavern and the road that wound its way down the mountain. Link's eyes nearly popped out of his head as he stared down at the sight on the rock shelf below.

Volvagia held a lizard as big as a full-grown bear in his mouth, shaking it like a rag doll. Then, as Link watched on with mouth agape, Volvagia tossed the dodongo over the side of the rocky scree. The other two dodongos were like two tiny mice trying to torment a cat, hissing and nipping at the dragon's hide.

"Come, brothers, let us go down and make sure nothing else gets out," Darunia shouted to his entourage.

The Gorons gave a battle cry loud enough to trigger a landslide, and with that, they jumped off the ledge, crashing onto the road below. It felt like a small earthquake and Link was sure they would break something. Darunia went last, quickly turning to face the dodongo closest to him. There was a sickening crack as his hammer met bone, crunching into the beast's skull before it had a chance to move.

"We should go down and join them if we want to keep our deal with Darunia," Navi suggested, snapping Link out of his mesmerized trance.

Link nodded in acknowledgment, so shocked that he couldn't make his mouth work to form words. Then, not waiting to see what became of the final dodongo, he hurried down the trail leading to Dodongo's Cavern.

"Ah, Link! I was beginning to think you had chickened out," Darunia jested, offering Link a smile as he approached. With blood still dripping from Darunia's hammer, and the pulverized Dodongo slumped beside the Goron chieftain, its head a bloody ruin, the gesture was about as comforting as the snarling fangs of a wolfos. Volvagia stood to one side of Darunia, and for the first time, Link noticed a large gaping wound on the side of the dragon's neck.

What could have done that? Link wondered, feeling like a lonely ant surrounded by giants.

Then his eyes fell upon what looked like a large lump of charred rock in front of the cavern. The other Gorons were staring at it with solemn expressions, and to his horror, Link realized what he was staring at. It was all that was left of Ilem.

Darunia's voice rumbled in a language Link did not understand. The other Gorons joined him, bowing their heads. Then Darunia let out a bellowing roar, his head raised to the azure sky. His call echoed off the rocks, nearly bursting Link's eardrums. The Gorons watched Darunia silently, and Link guessed it was some kind of mourning ritual. He'd heard of wolves howling to farewell a fallen pack member.

"If Ganondorf thinks we will stand here and suffer his curse, then I say let's prove him wrong!" Darunia yelled amidst an earsplitting chorus of agreement. It was so loud that Link was sure the people in Kakariko would have been able to hear the commotion. "Let's show him what happens when you mess with us! Who's with me?"

The Gorons cheered and bellowed in reply, and Link wondered if the noise would bring the mountain down on top of them. He stepped forward, his legs seemed to move on their own until he was standing directly by the cavern's entrance. He drew his sword, trying to ignore his fear and the voice in his head that told him this was a really bad idea. In his mind, he kept reminding himself that he had to get the Goron Ruby.

"You might be small, but you have more courage than most of the knights of Hyrule to stand in front of us," Darunia told him with a chuckle. "The dodongos won't be expecting you, but they will be expecting us."

That does not make me feel much better.

"How about you take the lead?" Darunia encouraged him. "Don't worry. I'll be right behind you, and if you're worried about any dodongos, just let us handle them."

Several Gorons exchanged looks that suggested they were not entirely comfortable with this idea.

"Let Onyx and I go with him," Jasper suggested, no doubt sensing Link's hesitation. "We will take the lead."

Darunia nodded.

"Very well. If you find that giant dodongo, step aside. I want him to get a taste of my hammer." Darunia growled. "A pity. That dodongo could have made a nice steed if it weren't so unruly."

Footsteps announced two Gorons approaching from the city. They each bore a torch, which they handed to Onyx and Jasper.

"Let's go," Darunia bellowed, urging Link and the Gorons forward. Seeing the expression on Link's face, he added, "Relax, kid. No beast will dare harm you with us around."

Surrounded by giants, friendly though some of them might be, and daunted by his task, Link felt far from relaxed.

"You have to relax when you're wielding a blade." Forenz's long ago lesson came back to him.

"What," Link had replied. "Relax when someone's trying to stab me? How am I supposed to do that?"

Relax, Link thought, recalling that memory. Yeah, easy for you to say.

He stared at Volvagia. The dragon was looking at him, displaying no outward concern for the wound in its side.

"Will Volvagia be coming with us?" Link asked.

"Not with that injury," Darunia replied. "Now, remember the plan? We steal an egg from one of the dodongo's nests. They come after it, and then we lure the brainless lizards straight into Volvagia. Just make sure you run as fast as you can, and this will go fine."

"Uhhh..."

Link could think of a lot of things that could go wrong with that plan.

"Hurry up, boy!" Onyx grumbled when Darunia finished speaking. "We're getting hungry just standing here!"

"Right. I'm going."

Link still wasn't sure he liked the whole idea of going in front, but it wasn't his choice anymore. Making sure to keep in step with Onyx and Jasper, Link walked forward into the threshold of Dodongo's Cavern.

"Here goes," he breathed, holding his sword ready as he plunged into the darkness.

The flickering light of the torches guided them forward. The small light cast trembling shadows against the cave wall, leaving Link with a sensation of unease that steadily grew as they pressed on.

They had not gotten far when Jasper gave a shout.

"Wait! What is that?" he asked. Link took a few more steps forward and then realized the Gorons had stopped.

Link couldn't see anything. He looked over his shoulder to see Jasper holding a chubby finger to his lips.

"I hear it, too!" Onyx growled. "That's no dodongo."

A deep rumble came from the mountain itself. Before Link or Navi could say anything, the ground began to tremble. At first, Navi did not notice that, but she did see the dust starting to fall from the cave's roof.

"Everyone, take cover!" Darunia roared from somewhere behind them.

Beneath Link, the earth shook, heaving and convulsing like an animal on death row. The rumbling reached a roaring crescendo, and deep cracks began to form along the cave walls.

"Link, the roof is collapsing!" Navi screamed as she turned around.

Link looked up to see large clumps of rock falling around him, crashing to the cave floor. Oddly, the cracks seemed to be confined to the walls nearest the entrance. Jasper gave a yell of defiance as the roof started to fall in, hobbling forward as Link jumped to his feet. As Link tried to dash away from the falling rock, the ground lost all solidity.

"Link, wait!" Jasper yelled, but the young Kokiri could not hear him.

Onyx, however, did look around to see Jasper going after Link.

"Leave him and run, Jasper," he roared. "We have to get out of here!"

Jasper ignored him, even as Onyx shouted his name.

Link sheathed his sword so he could run faster. He only made it a few feet, his foot caught on a rock, and he went tumbling to the ground. Ignoring the pain shooting up his legs and palms where he landed, he scrambled upright. Before he could move, Jasper dropped his torch and grabbed Link around the waist. He ran forward as best he could, while the falling debris smothered the light of their torch.

Link kicked wildly, struggling against whatever held him until he realized it was Jasper.

"Hang on, Link!" Jasper roared. Link could not hear him as the world seemed to come crashing down around them.

Jasper stumbled as a large jagged rock hit his back. A second hit his head, only just missing Link. Then, Jasper threw the boy clear of the falling debris.

The wind rushed against his face and, for a split second, Link felt weightless. He held his arms out to brace himself for the collision he knew was coming, but it was too late. Before he knew it, the cave floor rushed up to meet him.

~ 0 ~

Present time...

How long had they been stuck in this cave? Without the sky to aid them, neither Link nor Navi had any notion of how much time had passed. How long would they have to wait before help would come? Would they ever be rescued? For all Darunia and the other Gorons knew, the Kokiri and his fairy were dead. Link's tears had long since dried away. He decided he could not remain sitting any longer. He could either move into the cavern, wait until one of the dodongos found him, or hope rescue came soon. He wasn't optimistic about the latter option.

"We should move on through the tunnel. Maybe there is another way out," Navi suggested.

Link remained motionless on a boulder, eyes staring vacantly into the darkness as he wondered what to do. He sat with his arms wrapped tightly around his knees, as though this would give him some solace from his grim situation.

"Link?" Navi flew closer to him, breaking his thoughts. "Come on. We have to get moving...Can you walk?"

Link nodded glumly, swallowing a painful lump in his throat as he glanced down at Jasper's limp arm.

"Do... do you reckon Onyx survived?" Link questioned, struggling to form the words as it finally sunk in. Jasper really was gone, and they were alone.

"Onyx curled into a ball and went rolling back towards the entrance when I last saw him," Navi said.

He left us to be buried alive, Link thought angrily.

His unsteady legs struggled to take his weight, and it took a moment for Link to regain his balance. When he did, he cast his eyes about the gloom, wondering why they hadn't seen a dodongo yet.

"Maybe they were scared by the cave-in," Navi suggested in response. "I'm sure it was not a normal eruption. Normally there is some sign that an eruption is about to occur, and the Gorons would know what to look for."

So Navi was right. It was probably a trap, Link thought. It was a good thing the Gorons had not gone charging into the cavern with Darunia. That was probably what Ganondorf had been counting on.

How long had he been here? Hours? A day? He glanced back over his shoulder, regarding the mass of shattered stone.

"What if there's no way out?" he asked.

"There's bound to be another way out," Navi said, giving him no time to ponder the thought.

Even then, Link didn't share her confidence. "How do you know?"

Navi was silent, and Link looked at her.

"Can't you feel that?"

"Feel what?"

"Try this." Navi spat on one of her fingers and then held it up. "Try holding your finger up, and then tell me if you can feel something."

Link did, puzzled but curious, and held his finger out as Navi instructed. At first, nothing happened. He stared at her, wanting an explanation. Then he felt it, a faint whisper of a breeze against his fingertip.

"That means there's another way out," Navi told him. "It may be too small for a Goron, but not for us. Now, we just have to work out where it is. There's no point waiting; it could be a long time before Darunia finds us."

Assuming they know we're alive.

"Didn't Darunia say Ganondorf had blocked the other entrances to the mines and the cavern?" Link asked, recalling something of what Darunia had said as he led Link through the Goron city.

"He did," Navi acknowledged, "but that doesn't mean we can't find a way out, even if we have to dig a hole ourselves."

Her mouth twitched in a near smile at Link's incredulous expression.

"Let's go. There's no point hanging around here."

Silently agreeing, Link looked down the tunnel and clambered over the fragments of rock that had fallen during the cave in. They trudged awkwardly forward, the ground peppered with rocks and stones that Link could barely see. Before long, Link caught the faintest hint of a repugnant smell, like rotten eggs. He began to see signs of life now: claw-marks gouged into the rocks, bones cracked and broken, some big enough to have belonged to a goat. It was strange to think anything could live in here. They reached an odd metal track that Link assumed was to mark some sort of path, but what Navi told him was in fact tracks used to move carts back and forth down the tunnel. These were rusted, with entire sections buried under the earth, suggesting they hadn't been used in some time.

The tunnel twisted and turned, the smell Link had caught a whiff of earlier getting even more repugnant.

"What is that smell?" he asked, scrunching his face in disgust.

"I think it might be Dodongo dung," Navi said without inflection.

Great, Link thought. Well, I guess there's a reason it's called Dodongo's cavern. Nobody told me it smelt this bad.

With each step forward, the smell became stronger, becoming so putrid that Link was almost gagging. There was an acidic quality to it that burned his throat and nose with each breath he took. Occasionally, he came across dark patches of what looked like blood splashed across the rock. A trail of it led in the same direction that they were headed. Whatever had managed to lose that much blood must've been really badly hurt.

They came across side tunnels now, and every time they did, they would stop while Navi checked to see if there was any breeze. Sometimes they seemed to stand forever before Navi decided they should carry on. At some point, the tracks ended, having been torn up, with only the occasional bolt and plate remaining. Eventually, they came to a point where the tunnel opened up into a small chamber. To Link's dismay, there were three more tunnels intersecting the chamber, with no obvious clue as to where to go. A wrong turn could lead him into the jaws of a hungry reptile.

"Which way now?" he asked, walking up to the nearest tunnel. Suddenly, and with a squelch, his foot landed on something soft and moist, sinking until he was almost knee-deep in the muck. It was still warm.

"Ewww!" Link sprung away, his leg now coated in the stuff. "Ugghh! That's disgusting."

Dodongo droppings.

"You really should know to watch where you're going by now," Navi chided him without malice. "On the plus side, the dodongos might ignore you now."

"Thanks." Link shot her a look, unamused. Navi just turned to examine the tunnels, noting the odd runes carved into the rocks at the mouth of each tunnel. The only other distinction was the start of a new set of tracks, marked by a buffer, and an empty cart that looked to be about twice the size of the one pulled by Talon's horse. Link doubted he could've pushed it, though the thought occurred to him.

Navi chose the passage on the far right, the trail of bloody puddles leading the same direction.

"Why that one?" he asked.

"The other two lead to the mines and the Fire Temple. Hence why the mining cart is there," Navi explained. "Here." She pointed at the calligraphy etched into the stone. "These signs are a warning to trespassers. The Fire Temple and mines are dangerous to Hylians, so I think it's safe to assume it's dangerous for you too."

"It's blocked anyway," Link pointed out. "Remember?"

Just then, there was a deep rumble in the distance, almost like thunder. It rose and fell, getting fainter each time.

"What was that?" Link asked, not expecting an answer.

"I don't know," Navi answered, her voice hushed.

I hope it's not the giant dodongo, he thought, swallowing.

He exchanged a worried look with Navi and then pressed on.

The air was heavy with the stench of dung now. The fact that it now coated Link's leg didn't help. There were more mounds of the stuff and the ground was littered with bones. A rib-cage here, a spine, a dodongo's skull lined with sharp canines. There were puncture marks in the skull, a similar size to the dodongo's teeth, which suggested it had been the victim of cannibalism.

Link moved on, trying not to flinch when he trod on a small skull that cracked underfoot. A breeze tickled his face now, giving him some hope that he was getting closer to a way out. Eventually, as Link began to contemplate how tired and hungry he felt, the tunnel widened into a broad circular chamber. It was pocketed with strange pits, almost like the pits of a fire, each occupied by a large mound of...

Even before he could discern what he was seeing, he was certain that the pile of smooth round rocks were in fact...

Oh no.

Eggs.

A shadowy mound in the center of the chamber that Link had mistaken for a misshapen boulder stirred, letting out a rumbling growl as it did so.

The giant dodongo.

It was huge. A massive bulk of muscle, its brown scales illuminated by fairylight. As Navi's glow touched the beast, Link could see one of its black eyes regarding him, the other a mess of ruined flesh.

Of all the dodongos that could have stayed to guard the eggs, it had to be him. The giant monster lumbered forward, almost squashing one of the nests, raising its enormous head, taking in Link's scent, nostrils flaring. It opened its powerful jaws, saliva dripping, teeth as big as Link. Then it let out a bellowing roar that rattled Link's bones, the blast of the beast's hot breath nearly knocking Navi from the air.

There was another roar in response, fainter, and then another answer and another. The other dodongos were coming, and judging by the ridges of the giant Dodongo's rib cage, Link knew the beast was hungry.

"Run!" Navi hissed.

"Which way?" Link cried out.

"The breeze came from this direction!" Navi was already shooting towards a tunnel on Link's left. He followed her, his legs pumping furiously as he ran faster than he'd ever run in his life. He saw other tunnels leading off from the chamber, barely managing to ignore his doubts as he followed Navi. What if it was the wrong way? What if it led to more dodongos?

Just run, he thought.

Behind him, he sensed movement. The giant dodongo was turning, following him.

It's right behind me!

When he heard it breathing in, followed by a strange scent in the air, Link knew what was going to happen. Fire belched from the dodongo's maw, and he felt the blistering heat of flames as a stream of fire struck the ground behind him. In an instant, the cavern was awash with light, revealing several more dodongos entering the chamber with lumbering strides, their serpentine frames no taller than Link's waist. Then the torrent of fire struck earth. The impact sent a spray of rocks flying through the air. One stone hit Navi, and with a scream, she tumbled earthward.

"Navi!"

The giant dodongo breathed in again. Link halted in his tracks, searching the ground for his fairy. Navi was struggling to her feet, one wing at an odd angle. He darted towards her, scooped her up into his palm, and then bolted. Another wave of translucent flames went billowing through the air, slamming into the spot where Navi had been a few heartbeats earlier.

Link made a mad dash into the tunnel, confident the giant dodongo could not follow him through the narrow opening. He hoped this was the right one; he had no idea where he was going.

The giant dodongo let out an enraged roar as it came after him. Link heard its lumbering gait, felt the earth trembling beneath its weight. He knew a moment of heart-stopping terror as its head snapped towards him, so close he could smell its breath. Then, as Link looked back, staring into the monster's maw and knowing he couldn't escape, the giant froze, suddenly distracted as one of the smaller lizards tried to take a chunk out of its leg. Before Link could blink, the dodongo swung around, its thick tail nearly smashing him against the rock. With a loud crunch, it grabbed the smaller reptile in its mouth. There was a loud snap like a branch breaking and the other dodongo hung limply in the gargantuan monster's jaw, its head lolling to one side. With a flick of its head, the giant dodongo sent the smaller reptile slamming into the cave wall. This made the remaining dodongos pause, all growling.

Then, the giant dodongo turned, regarding Link with its burning eyes. No longer entranced by the terrifying spectacle, Link found the will to move. He ran. There was a shudder, and the crunch of a nest being squashed, and Link knew the giant was after him. Link cast a look over his shoulder, nearly stumbling, and saw all the dodongos were chasing him. He reached the tunnel, nearly running headlong into a buffer that marked the start of a new set of tracks, but even then, Link didn't stop.

There was a scream of breaking metal and a crash as the giant dodongo made short work of the buffer, which clearly wasn't made with the intention of stopping it, and kept going. With a crunching sound, followed by an angry snarl, the giant tried to squeeze itself into the tunnel. Agitated snarls announced its smaller companions, who found themselves unable to pursue their prey, stuck behind the giant lizard.

I hope it gets stuck, Link thought desperately.

Much to his dismay, it didn't.

He could hear its body scraping against the cave walls as it shuffled along the tunnel. Link ran faster, if that were even possible, ignoring the pain lancing through his leg. He tripped and was unable to stop himself from falling face first into a pile of dung. Somehow, he managed to keep his hand that was holding Navi free of the smelly heap. She coughed and spluttered, appearing overwhelmed by the smell.

"Goddesses, I think that stench is going to kill me before that thing does!" Navi exclaimed when she could finally speak, her words laced with pain. "Get up and run! Hurry!"

Scrambling up and gagging, Link flicked muck out of his eyes, feeling a strong urge to vomit. He kept running.

Then he heard the dodongo breathe in again.

Oh no. This was it. He was going to be roast dinner for a dodongo.

FWOOSH!

A wash of flames blossomed from the dodongo's mouth, tearing towards Link with frightful speed. An ominous, red glow danced upon the walls of the cave as the flames leaped closer.

"An opening to your right!" Navi screamed, and Link spotted what she meant, the cart tracks turning down the same tunnel.

He could feel a warm blast of air billowing before the flames, and then he heard the flames roaring up the tunnel behind him. Up ahead, he spotted one of the metal carts stopped in the middle of the tunnel. Realizing it might be fireproof, he leaped behind it, using one of the large wheels to further shield himself.

The intense heat from the fire behind them left Link panting, sweat rolling off of him in waves. Silence followed, broken only by his rasping breath.

Thinking it might be safe to peer around the cart, and Navi too dazed to realize what he was doing, Link stepped from safety. Only then did he hear the dodongo unleash another burst of flames down the tunnel.

"Look out!" Navi managed to cry out.

Too late. The liquid flames gushed around the corner. Link darted back for his meager cover, letting the flames slam into the cart. This time, Link hadn't been careful enough to make sure his entire body was protected by the cart's wheel. The flames washed beneath the cart, and Link cried out as fire briefly washed over his leg.

White-hot pain seared through his limb as his skin blistered and burned. Dropping Navi beside him, the blonde-haired boy collapsed, teeth clenched as tears flooded his eyes. Looking down at his left leg, he was horrified to see that it was badly burned.

He leaned against the cart's wheel, biting back a cry of pain, but unable to stop himself from breaking into fitful sobs.

"My leg!" he cried out. "It hurts. Navi, it hurts!"

"Link," Navi began feebly, then more strongly. "Link, listen to me. You have to fight the pain."

"It hurts," Link repeated in a gasp. He had enough sense to grasp the fairy and hold her against his lap.

"I know," Navi replied with a wince, looking up at Link with sorrowful eyes. "We can still stop that creature."

In the distance, the cave shuddered with each lumbering step the beast took- the giant dodongo was coming.

"How?" Link asked, moaning as he tried moving his blistered and burned leg.

"Use your hat. Wrap the bombs Darunia gave you in it and throw the bag into the creature's face when it gets close enough," said Navi, her voice getting fainter. "He said only a really hot flame can ignite them. I think that thing's breath is hot enough."

"What if it doesn't work?" Link asked.

"It's our only chance," Navi gasped. "Just do it and get out of here!"

The fairy's eyes fluttered closed.

"Navi, stay with me. I need you," Link told her, his voice breaking as tears trickled down his dust-smeared face. "Please. Don't leave me here! I don't want to be alone!"

"You won't be," the fairy smiled sadly through the pain, her eyes fluttering open, "Go, Link."

Link picked Navi up from the ground, but when he held her close, he realized she'd fainted.

"Navi?" He was whimpering now. "Navi, wake up! Please. Wake up!"

The little fairy didn't stir.

Swallowing back tears, Link took a bottle from his bag, emptied it of its contents and placed his wounded companion inside. Removing the Goron bombs from his satchel, he placed Navi inside the bag and prayed to the forest spirits that she would be alright.

That done, he hastily stuffed the bombs from his bag into his hat, using one hand and his good leg to prop himself into a more comfortable position.

Finishing quickly, he made his way back down the tunnel, using the wall to fumble his way forward. He was next to blind, using the tracks to guide his way forward, half expecting to find himself walking into the giant dodongo's jaws. After crawling along for a short time, his heart hammering madly in his throat, Link remembered he had the Kokiri Emerald, and he quickly pulled it out. Its light cast a green glow across the closest tunnel walls, allowing him to easily find the corner of the passage he and Navi had taken refuge in.

Stopping out the corner, terrified to peer around, Link took a breath and finished preparing his makeshift weapon. He looked sadly at his hat before tightly knotting it at the end, careful of the bombs. Now came the difficult part- standing with a scorched leg. Gripping the wall, Link struggled upright. Teeth clenched, he sucked in air, desperately trying to ignore the blistering agony of his injuries. The steady stomp stomp of footsteps and a shuffling sound announced the approaching dodongo.

Abruptly they stopped, and Link held his breath. When nothing happened, he inched closer to the tunnel's corner and peered around.

The giant dodongo was only a few feet away from Link. It spotted his green clothing and the glowing emerald and its head turned in his direction.

It appeared the Kokiri Emerald's ability to calm creatures didn't extend to the dodongo, or perhaps Ganondorf's curse was controlling it. The beast roared, and taking his chance, Link threw his hat and its explosive contents towards the beast's hungry maw. It landed straight in the dodongo's mouth, and the unsuspecting creature inhaled the deadly meal.

Not waiting to see what happened, Link started half hopping, half limping back up his tunnel.

BOOM!

Link turned, and a rush of air knocked him flat to the ground. A gory mess of flesh, blood, viscera, and bone splattered the walls of the tunnel, covering him from head to toe. Rocks rained down on the dodongo's remains, forcing Link to stumble out of harm's way.

When the roar of falling rocks finally ceased, it took Link a second to realize what had just happened, and exactly what he was covered in. His stomach heaved, and he vomited onto his boots.

Weak and sick, Link staggered away from the mess and clutched the wall for support as he limped towards his bag and Navi. When he made it to his satchel, falling beside the metal cart, Link took out the bottle with Navi's listless form inside.

"I did it," Link told her.

She was still emitting the same ethereal glow she always had, so she was still alive. He just had to get help.

And soon.

Somehow. It took all his will not to break down in a crying heap, fear clenching an iron grip around his throat. He was breathing in shaky, shallow breaths, trying to calm himself, but all too aware of the darkness pressing in on him from all sides. Coiling. Crushing...

Just breathe... he thought, fighting against a rush of purest terror. Just breathe.

"Navi?" he called, momentarily forgetting where she was, forgetting that he was alone in this desolate cavern. "Saria?"

Memories stirred, rushing to claim him.

"It's alright. I know it hurts, but you'll be okay... Saria will look after you... c'mon, up you get."

Slumped against a tree, still aware of how sore he was, Link gazed at her with big eyes, one broken arm held in a crude splint. He was breathing raggedly, still frightened after being alone for what had seemed forever since falling out of a tree he shouldn't have been climbing. In reality, it hadn't been long.

"Just relax your breathing. You're safe now. In and out, in and out... that's it."

"You're not mad at me?" he asked in a small voice, barely able to catch his breath.

"I could never stay angry at you for long, my brave little warrior. Come on." She caught Link by his good arm and helped him up. "That's it."

Awareness came back to Link, his breathing returning to some semblance of normality. With it came a renewed agony, white-hot pain pulsing through his leg. Link stood up. Using the wall as support, he limped back into the tunnel. The rockfall hadn't blocked the way forward, but it had buried the dodongo, preventing any more of its kind from pursuing him.

Link started up the tunnel, his leg throbbing angrily, each step sending an agonizing wave of pain through him. On and on the tunnel went like a seemingly endless warren. He stumbled, dragged himself onto tired feet, and then stumbled again. It went on and on. He tripped, nearly gave in to a fit of weeping, but still he pulled himself up and kept going. Every bit of him hurt.

"I can't do it!" Link snapped, almost throwing his ocarina in frustration. He doubted Saria would like that very much.

Saria gazed patiently at the small child seated on the tree stump beside her, sighing at the sight of his flushed face.

"You're almost there," she said lightly. "Just one note at a time... after me... that's it.... see, you can do it!"

Link sagged to the cave floor, sobbing from pain and fear. He just wanted to collapse in a heap and let fate have its way. He didn't remember taking out Saria's ocarina, but he sat there, rubbing its wooden frame beneath sooty fingers. It would be dirty, he realised. Saria wouldn't like that.

"Keep going," her voice seemed to say from some distant part of his mind. "Just one more step... another... you're nearly there..."

Choking back yet another sob, his body in more pain than he could ever recall, Link pushed himself to his feet once again. He screamed through clenched teeth, his injured leg nearly causing him to topple over. Placing Saria's ocarina in his bag, he focused his thoughts on Navi. Gazing at the bottle that contained her, he saw her familiar glow, so faint... so weak. He remembered her encouragement and Saria's, tried to bolster what little strength he had, and he kept stumbling on, half delirious with pain.

"I'm ready!" Link peered out from around a tree, eager eyes darting about to see where the other Kokiri had gone. "Ready or not, here I come!"

Only silence answered him, but that was to be expected, they were playing hide and seek after all. It was the first time Mido's friends had offered to let him play with them. They'd even let him try using a slingshot, much to his delight.

Still no sign of the other Kokiri. They couldn't have gone that far. Link spotted a hollow log, partially hidden by shrubs. It was the perfect hiding spot! He looked inside, but to his disappointment, there was no one there.

As the afternoon waned into dusk, worry was forming a tight knot in Link's gut. He'd searched every nearby nook and cranny, but there was no sign of the boys he was looking for. Just him and an endless vista of trees. Was he even going in the right direction?

"Guys?" he called, worry turning to fear as night settled. His initial excitement was gone and Link was growing desperate. "Guys? Where are you?"

He'd taken too long. They'd given up on him finding them. Link was truly afraid by now. Confused even. Saria would be back home, and once she knew he wasn't there, she'd be upset. Birds called their evening tunes, insects chirped, but no one noticed the young boy staring wide-eyed and lost in the woods. For he knew now that the others had gone. Why would they leave him? Maybe they'd lied.

The young boy didn't know why some of the Kokiri mistreated him. Maybe he was bad, maybe he just didn't have a fairy yet, or maybe it was because something was different about him.

Remembering Saria's advice to stay put should he become lost, Link settled against a tree and hugged his knees, shivering now. Why hadn't the others waited for him?

"The stalchildren might get you," Fado's voice mocked him in some distant memory. "That's what happens to Kokiri who don't have a fairy. The stalchildren come in the night and snatch them away."

Tears spilled down Link's cheeks, as he sat feeling abandoned.

Link wrapped his arms tighter about his legs, shivering. It was cold, and the night was full of strange sounds. He couldn't see anything and every creak and groan of the windswept trees seemed so loud. What was that crunching noise? It sounded like something treading through the undergrowth.x An animal? He could hear it breathing. Or maybe it was a stalchild, its bone-white arms reaching for him.

"Sa!" he cried out, screaming so hard his throat hurt. "Sa!"

Was that laughter he could hear?

Eyes watched him from between the tall sentinels. Dozens of them, some peering closer. Skeletal shapes stirred amidst the trees, and he thought he could see those forsaken children, claws extended, arms reaching to drag him away...  

Saria found him, and by then it had been nightfall, a rather unhappy looking Mido beside her. He seemed relieved to find Link but offered no comforting words.

"It's okay," Saria soothed, gathering the small boy into her arms and rubbing his back, trying to calm him down. "It's alright, Saria's got you now. You poor thing, you must have had such an awful fright."

"They left me!" Link choked, forcing back a sob. "I was playing, and they left me..."

"Shh... Saria's got you. I'll never let anything bad happen to you again, okay?"

Her warm embrace told him everything would be okay. He was safe.

Oh, how he wished for her gentle words, to wrap his arms around her and know that he was safe. There was no Saria to comfort him now. Shaking, cold and frightened, Link trudged on, his body screaming in protest all the while. Memories of that day threatened to make him burst into tears again. He had only been five, or five winters by the Kokiri's count, since their view of the seasons depended solely on seasonal changes in the woods. Mido's friends had tricked him into playing a game in the woods, and then they'd left him. Mido must've found out and gotten scared that Saria would blame him. He hadn't been wrong.

Onward Link trudged in what seemed a journey that would never end. He had to get help for Navi, and he needed to stop the Desert Man.

Exhaustion dragged at him like a sodden cloak. Cuts and bruises added to his injuries, but he hardly noticed. Shadows seemed to move and stir, sometimes he thought he heard creatures in the dark, but there was nothing but him and his injured fairy.

Just a little further, Link told himself.

Then, finally, he saw light further up the tunnel.

Light. The sight had never looked more beautiful than it did now, and Link could almost imagine he was clambering out into a sunlit glade.

He scrambled towards it, the tunnel narrowing until Link's shoulders and chest grazed against the walls. The last stretch he had to pull through at a crawl, wriggling like a lizard. It was almost over, and he looked back down at his bag.

"We're nearly there, Navi."

A faint fear nagged at the back of his mind, and though he tried to ignore it, he couldn't help but heed it. Once he was free from the tunnel, he had no way of knowing what to do.

Worry about that later. Just get out first.

Perhaps this tunnel would bring him out close to the Goron settlement. There might even be more than one village. Or perhaps he'd find one of Navi's kin, unlikely though that seemed.

Slowly, Link dragged himself closer to the light. He could see the blue sky and a faint breeze ruffled his singed hair. It was a welcome relief from the suffocating interior of Dodongo's Cavern.

Exhausted, Link dragged himself slowly across the rock. With each heartbeat, he came close to passing out from pain.

Almost there.

He reached the lip of the tunnel entrance and hauled himself through, landing flat on his face as he did so. The last of his strength left him, and he lay listless on the ledge. Finally, he rolled onto his back, blinking as his eyes adjusted from the gloom of the cavern to the light of the sun-scorched mountainside.

We made it, Navi.

In the corner of his mind, he felt Volvagia's consciousness touch his own. A sense of amazement flooded the bond. You live? When I could not reach you, I thought you dead. Then I thought to touch minds with one of the dodongos to try and find you. It was then I saw a commotion and could not believe that it was you.

Link didn't pay heed to a word of what was said as warm sweet relief swept through him.

We're alive... get the Gorons to help Navi. Please help her, Link thought desperately. She is in my bag.

I come.

He didn't have to wait long. A flicker of movement caught his eye and a serpentine creature soared into view, great black wings spread wide as it rode gracefully upon the wind.

Volvagia.

Next Chapter

Reviews

SunPraiser31 chapter 13 . Nov 8, 2016 Hot damn. That was tense. That actually had me on the edge of my seat. That's a hell of a way to kill that thing, rather gory. As concerned as I am for Navi, and as dad as Jasper's death was, I'm far more distraught over the loss of Link's hat lol. Of course it's probably too much to ask for him to just be given the Ruby. To the Fire Temple! Wooo!

Vergil1989 the Crossover King chapter 13 . May 23, 2015 That's one way to kill that thing I suppose lol. But did you have to take out Link's hat to do it? Lol joking aside, this was another great example of a chapter done right.

Lord Darth Yoda chapter 13 . Aug 23, 2014 Poor OoT fairies. No one ever seriously uses your design. Not exactly a and thing lol The Ganon Nabooru stuff is still great , I like how you've given him a twisted get kind of reasonable explanations for want he's doing and how it's obvious it became more about the means than the end. Nabooru stuff is quickly becoming my second favorite after Navi (sorry link the fight with the owl elevated her) and I honestly can't wait .to see how things fall apart for the .Gerudo as twisted as that is.