Hyrule Warriors: Rise of Valoria

XII

Link woke up the next morning with a stretch. He didn't like the burning heat of Death Mountain. It felt so horrible and it made his skin crackly.

He begrudgingly paraglided down to the path. The first time Link came to Death Mountain, he was around 8 years old. His father had started to regret bringing Link along only because the child was complaining relentlessly about how hot the air was and how if the volcano erupted, they would get "moltened."

But that was nearly 12 years ago. The next few minutes were quiet other than the crackle of the burning air and the bubbling lava. Until Link realized something...

I turn 20 next week! Link thought forlornly. It was likely that he would be busy preparing for the supposed unfulfilled purppss that Rauru, Impa, and Ruto have hinted at. But he was hoping that the Hero of Time would give him a day's break.

Yes, because that's how great evils and ancient fossils that we call the Hero of Time works. They are SO likely to say "Oh, yes, Link. We can push our plans forward a day so you can turn 20." Psh, the evil part is more likely to say "Oop, you turned 20. Time to die, you lived long enough anyways." Link thought sarcastically. He laughed at the thought of anyone actually saying those things.

He continued onward until he reached the new outpost that had sprouted south of Goron City, near Eldin Tower.

The outpost had yet to choose an official name due to them focusing on getting their trading routes set up between Akkala Citadel and Goron City. As of now, they had a few merchants that kept business running around the place.

Link found Bludo standing at the entrance of the outpost.

"Hey, tiny hero! I heard from the queen that you'd be stopping by. A Goron by the name of Darunia stopped by. Said he needed you up by Darunia Lake. Said to bring an ancient stone or some sort. I guess he wants a snack or something." Bludo explained. He scratched the back of his head.

Link nodded and continued onward to the Southern Mine. He only encountered one problem along the way. The path near the Southern Mine had partially collapsed due to a recent lava flow.

Link had to use magnesis to bring a few metal boards that once were walkways along the path to create a bridge.

Then Link had a new idea. He brought out his Zonai Crystal and used a magic teleport like Impa had taught him. He ended up at the gate to the mining facility.

Wow, it actually worked. I thought it would go wrong. Link thought triumphantly.

He walked into the mine, which had expanded into a facility as well as its own village rather than a small source of income to Goron City. He quickly rested up and ate lunch at the mine.

He got a few greetings from passing Goron miners and a few Hylian tourists. Then, he continued down the path up to Goron City.

The archway and the statues of Daruk and two other iconic Goron figures in history.

Link followed the main path forward down the main road and up the winding path onto the hill. He made his way down to the Northern Mine.

A/N: The Northern Mine isn't abandoned in this timeline because it was said in Breath of the Wild that the Northern Mine was shut down when Vah Rudania was taken over and starting causing eruptions that filled up the basin and making it a lot more dangerous.

He followed the path through the facility until he found the sign pointing in the directions of Lake Darman and Darunia Lake.

When he finally reached Darunia Lake, he saw a Goron standing there.