Link hefted the heavy hammer in his hands. "And this thing... has been made to kill Volvagia?"
"Any dragon, actually," Darunia said. "As most dragons have a hide of thick scales, normal blade weapons can't penetrate them. Not even the powerful fists of a Goron would help... but the Megaton Hammer is sturdy and heavy enough. Still, there's only one point where it could actually hurt the dragon... it's only vulnerable point..."
"Where?" Link asked.
"His face," Darunia said.
"This Volvagia..." Ukyo pondered. "Where does it come from, anyway?"
"Volvagia is an ancient menace," Ryoga grumbled. "My people fought him long before I was born."
"That is correct," Darunia nodded. "My grandfather told me the story when I was a little boy. Volvagia was a tyrant, an evil dragon, born in the magmas beneath Death Mountain, and he wanted to rule us all. He also was the one that forced us into war with the Gerudos."
"That true," Shampoo said in surprise. "Great-grandmother told me that ancient Goron war was caused by evil dragon king of Gorons."
"But we Gorons never wanted it this way," Darunia insisted. "Most were just too scared to resist him. Until one day, a skilled smith and craftsman decided that enough was enough. He skillfully created the Megaton Hammer, the only weapon that could slay Volvagia."
"And it was sensei's ancestor who defeated him in the end," Ryoga grinned.
"Yes," Darunia nodded. "But now the monster has returned, resurrected by Ganondorf's black magic, as an undead abomination, and he has sworn to take revenge on all Gorons."
"Wouldn't Volvagia see Ganondorf as competition?" Tatl asked.
"Maybe," Ryoga shrugged. "But it seems like he is loyal to him at this point. Maybe he is just grateful that the Gerudo king released him."
Darunia laughed. "That beast, grateful? Certainly not! I rather suspect that Volvagia knows when someone has more power than yourself, so he has no other choice than to serve Ganondorf for now. It wouldn't really surprise me if at this moment, he's already plotting the dark king's downfall."
"That would take care of a few problems..." Ukyo pondered.
"I'm afraid we can't allow that," Link said. "If he plans to kill all the Gorons as revenge, we must kill him! There's no other way!"
Darunia nodded. "Yes, and you should be the one to do it."
"But... why me?" Link wondered. "I can see that Shampoo and Ukyo are not strong enough to lift this thing..."
"Hey!" an irritated Gerudo warrior and okonomiyaki chef snapped.
"...but what about Ryoga? He's a strong Goron, he can carry it."
Ryoga shook his head. "I never learned to use any weapon," he said. "I'm afraid I would just drop that thing... I prefer to fight with my fists!"
"Then it is settled," Darunia nodded. He walked up to Link and put his hands on his shoulders. "I'm counting on you, young warrior!"
"Well, okay..." Link sighed. "Somehow, I always turn out to be the hero who saves the day..."
"Don't worry, Link!" Ukyo grinned. "I think it suits you."
"They are coming, you know that?"
Volvagia blinked in irritation as the fire hag hovered above his head, once again. "So? They don't mean anything to me. They can't hurt me with their feeble weapons. I will crush their bones."
Koume's brow twitched. "You know, they have found the Megaton Hammer."
"They did?" Volvagia asked in a surprised voice. Then, he shrugged. "Whatever... Darunia is too exhausted to fight me, and I doubt anyone out of his bloodline will be able to handle this weapon as skillful as his ancestor did. I am in no danger. Let them come!"
"Well, you seem pretty convinced that you really can handle them all... very well, but I will stay here, in case you need some assistance."
"Did you not hear me, woman?" the dragon roared. "I don't need any help! No go away and leave me be, witch!"
Koume gritted her teeth at his outburst. "You will pay for that, dragon! You should have killed the Sage of Fire when you had the chance! Let this be a warning to you: If you don't kill him when he arrives in your chamber... I will not come to save your hide! You will be a traitor to our case!" And she turned around her broom and flew away.
"Irritating old hag..." Volvagia grumbled. "Does she really think I'm afraid of her and her foolish master? They are just humans... they are NOTHING compared to me!"
"Th-thanks for busting me out of there, buddy!" Coro panted as he came out of his cell.
"I always help a friend in need," Ryoga smiled. Then he looked past his Goron friend into his cell. "Say, this chest is much bigger than the ones we found in the other cells..."
"Yes, the Gerudo witch brought it in here soon after I was imprisoned," Coro nodded. "There wasn't even a lock on the bars, so the key inside the chest was of no use to me."
"Lemme take a look..." Ukyo said as she opened the chest and looked inside. She then took out the golden, shiny key. "Yup, looks like the dungeon's Master Key, all right!"
"Just like in the Forest Temple," Navi nodded. "So, where's that dragon?"
"Beyond the western chamber," Darunia explained. "With the key, you should be able to enter. But beware his powers, young ones!"
"What, you not coming?" Shampoo asked in surprise.
The Goron leader smirked. "I am getting too old for this, girl! The last battle with Volvagia, followed by the escape from the Flare Dancers, took too much out of me... I'm exhausted... I need some rest."
"Stay here and we'll take care of everything, sensei," Ryoga said as Darunia slid down the wall and sat on the floor. "Coro, could you stay here and make sure he'll be all right?"
"Yes, no problem!" the other Goron nodded.
"Then let's go," Link said as he grabbed the hammer's handle tighter. "We have a dragon to slay..."
A narrow bridge lead the four warriors across a pool of lava. In the middle of that pool, a circular island of stone was situated. Several craters were scattered across its surface, steam and bubbles coming out of them.
"Here we are," Ukyo said and looked around. "But where's the dragon?"
"He must be hiding..." Ryoga grumbled. He then shouted out loud: "Volvagia! Come out, you spineless worm of a dragon! Are you too scared to face us all?"
Suddenly, one of the craters started to erupt violently. Flames and sparks came shooting out of it, until finally, the ugly head of the dragon came shooting up into the air, followed by its long, serpentine body. A mane of flames was trailing behind his skull, and his eyes were gleaming like two pieces of green coals.
"Scared?" the dragon roared as he circled above their heads. "I'll give you something to be scared about, little Goron!" And he exhaled a huge flame that whooshed over their heads and set the suspension bridge aflame. Within seconds, the whole bridge was burnt to ashes.
"Well, crud!" Ukyo growled. "Now he has us trapped."
"Yes, indeed!" Volvagia laughed. "Trapped like rats! And you will be glad when this is over, because I shall make your deaths painful and slow..."
"This guy talks too much!" Tatl grumbled. "Link, how about teaching him some manners?"
"Good idea!" Link grinned and took out his bow. He took aim and shot an arrow at the flying dragon. Of course, it couldn't penetrate his thick, scaly skin, but it made him visibly upset.
"How dare you, puny Hylian?" he angrily roared. "I'll make you pay for this!"
He spat another lance of fire at the heroic foursome, and Shampoo, Ukyo and Ryoga quickly rolled out of the way. Link, on the other hand, just raised his metal shield. It protected him from the fire, but the searing heat made him wince. When it was over, he looked up just in time to see the dragon flying at him.
"DIE, VERMIN!" Volvagia screeched as he slashed at the brave Hylian with his claws. Link ducked underneath him and raised his arms in surprise when the dragon disappeared in one of the many craters around him.
Nervously, he jumped back to his feet. "Wh-where is he?" he muttered.
"Careful, Link!" Navi shouted. "Keep your eyes on those craters!"
Link nodded while sweat was pouring down his face. He tightened his grip on the Megaton Hammer when the crater in front of him began spewing sparks and flames.
He was very surprised when the first thing that came out of the hot depths was not Volvagia's head, but his blazing mane. Link skipped over it and saw how the dragon's ugly skull came out of the crater.
"Puny mortal!" he roared. "Die already!"
"Not a chance!" Link yelled and swung the Megaton Hammer over his head, bringing it down on Volvagia's thick skull...
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(Posted Fri, 21 Dec 2007 13:27)
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