The Wind Waker

IX

GERUDO, VOLCANOES were very hot! Link nearly tripped on the hard rocky path as he climbed upward. The path had led him into a dark expansive cavern. He had gotten very sweaty. There was molten lava all around him.

This was where the Rito took their kids? There were rickety bridges going over lava! What's more fun than being dangerously high up? High up above lava!

He pushed through his increasing uneasiness. It was okay. If a board broke, he could grab onto the chains holding up the bridge. Thankfully the bridges held, but they liked to sway.

Link finally got to a part of the cavern that was away from the lava, and the air became mercifully cooler. He rested a moment. He had done a lot of hiking today, and was very grateful for the cooler breeze of this part of the cave.

He took his cap off and let the wind blow through his hair closing his yes.
He thought for a moment about just stuffing the cap in his pocket, but he felt it would be disrespectful to wear this clothing, but reject part of it.

Besides, he had grown used to it, and he felt a bit weird without having it on.

It had been a long day. He felt a bit guilty in a way. He was doing this to help the Rito, but he also wanted to find a way to get Din's Pearl.

This was like when he'd first met Tetra, when he had been conditionally kind. He felt worse this time though.
Last time, Tetra had barely been grateful at all, and she had said they wouldn't have had a problem attacking the island.

The Rito hadn't threatened him, but he felt as though he was taking advantage of their problem to use it as a bargaining chip.

He had become little more than a mercenary - putting himself forward as a good person - but only if they gave him what he wanted. Would he be doing this if he didn't need Din's Pearl?

He didn't have time on his side. Aryll was in danger, and he needed to do all he could to get closer to saving her. He wasn't sure if he'd have decided to help the Rito. He tried to rationalize that it would because he didn't have time, but...

This was a very, very, dangerous, treacherous place. Every time he set his foot down he was afraid it would be the last footstep he ever took. The ground sometimes crunched beneath his boots. It wasn't very reassuring.

The volcanic cavern appeared to be criss-crossed throughout by Rito made tunnels. Link tried to use these cooler, more stable passages as much as possible, because they had wooden supports. Plus, the Rito probably knew better than he did.

However, it seemed like they hadn't been taken care of for a bit. Torches throughout the caverns were dark.

With the lack of light in the passageways, it was hard to see without the illumination of the lava.
If he got anywhere near the lava though, it became extremely hot.

Walking through a new network of tunnels, they seemed... old. They seemed like they belonged to a very different time. On several, he found drawings in faded black paint on them.

Though he'd seen paintings on the walls of the caves the Ritos lived in, they were bright, vivid, colorful murals.

These... these were different.
He'd heard people speculate before that Dragon Roost Island was what remained of ancient Death Mountain.

It seemed incredible to him. Perhaps he was touching the work of a Goron that had lived during the life of the hero of time. Perhaps the hero himself had walked where he walked.

He continued on, despite the stifling heat. It seemed that if these were ancient Goron caves that they were used for mining. Unfamiliar tools laid around.