A/N: Wow, it's actually back! After two years, I've finally gotten my rear in gear and begun to write this again! Thanks, everyone who still reviewed and stuff, and especially to that person who recently PMed me basically demanding that I write more. I will finish it. I will. Really.

So this two-year gap should explain any errors in continuity that may slip by me in the future. Just point them out if you see any and I'll have to fix them!

Sorry for such a cliffhanger! Ooops!

...I think Volvagia is totally the hardest boss in the game. ; Anyway, here we go!

The room behind the door was hotter than any of the others, as hot as the crater outside. The constant thrumming pressed in Link's sensitive ears and he tightened his grip on the hammer.

"Where's Darunia?" Navi whispered.

"I don't know," Link answered, looking around. "I don't like this, Nav'."

He hopped across the remains of a stone walkway and landed on a large square platform. Nine fiery potholes glared back at him as he looked around. "I don't see a dragon, either."

Both of them heard a rumbling sound and spun in time to see the rest of the walkway crumble into the lava below. There was no turning back.

The rumbling grew in volume and the room shook. Rocks fell from the walls and ceiling. One of the holes in the platform bubbled, shooting sparks into the air, and in the next moment Volvagia emerged. The dragon was long and snakelike. Poisonous emerald eyes glowed from its boxy, coal-black skull. Its scales shimmered and heat rippled around it, as though it were made of lava.

"A sssnack for me?" it laughed. "Much lesss crunchy than a Goron. Ganondorf hasss sssent me ssssomething tender."

"I'm prickly, too," Link answered. "I'd probably stick in your throat. Why don't you come over here and try?"

"Foolissssh-" Volvagia began, but it stopped, its red-pupiled eyes resting on the hammer. "The Megaton Hammer," it hissed. "And the Massster Sssword. The Blade of Evil'ssss Bane."

"That's right," Link said, hefting the hammer. "Come and get it!"

Volvagia flinched backwards, then dove back into his pit.

"He's scared of the hammer!" Navi said. Link went over to the hole, but the dragon was nowhere to be seen.

"He ran away?" he said incredulously.

"Behind you!" Navi cried. Volvagia burst from a different hole, shrieking as he flew into the air. The noise was deafening. The cavern shook harder than ever, and huge rocks fell from the ceiling wherever Volvagia went. Link dodged with effort. He managed to avoid being crushed, but was pelted by smaller rocks as they broke off of the boulders.

At last, Volvagia disappeared beneath the ground. Link stayed on his guard this time, ignoring the pain from his wounds. He scanned all of the fiery holes.

"Over here, Link!"

At Navi's shout, he whirled to see sparks flying from one of the pits. Volvagia's upper half emerged. The dragon braced itself on skinny forelimbs, inhaling deeply.

"Watch out!" Navi screamed. "He's going to breathe fire!"

Link threw himself out of the way and flame spurted from Volvagia's mouth. Heat rippled across him, and Link realized that he would have been incinerated on the spot. He swung the hammer wildly and it glanced off of Volvagia' rocky skull. The dragon shrieked and slid back into the ground.

"You need to hit him properly," Navi said.

"I know!"

This time, Link saw the sparks before Navi did. The moment Volvagia's head appeared, he slammed the hammer down on it. Instead of slipping back into the depths of the lava, the dragon slumped onto the ground, a spiderweb of cracks appearing in its skull.

"Now, Link! The sword! Finish it off with the sword!" Navi shouted. Link dropped the hammer to the side and drew the Master Sword. Volvagia inhaled, trying for one last fiery breath, but the silvery blade of the Master Sword sliced through its neck. The headless body shot into the air, twisting around and around as bits of molten lava dripped from it. It disintegrated like ash, leaving only the head. For a moment the green eyes glared balefully at him.

"Masssster Ganondorf," it hissed, and then the glowing eyes faded.

"You did it, Link!" Navi laughed, dancing around his head. "Look, another one of those giant hearts!"

Link touched the heart and his burns and cuts vanished. He sheathed the Master Sword and picked up the hammer before turning to see a beam of white light. He stepped into it, letting it lift him into the air.

He appeared in the Chamber of the Sages. Darunia stood before him on the symbol for Fire, beaming.

"Thank you, Brother!" the Goron boomed. "Thank you on behalf of the entire Goron race! You turned out to be a real man, just as I thought you would. Isn't it funny that I, the wild Darunia, turned out to be the great Sage of Fire? Well, this must be what they call destiny. Nothing could make me happier than helping you to seal the evil here. Now take this Medallion. It contains the power of the Fire Spirits… and my friendship."

He clapped his hands, and the sound echoed through the chamber. A red disc spiraled down to rest in Link's hands. He touched it to the chain holding the other two and it melded on smoothly.

"Don't forget," Darunia reminded him. "Now you and I are true Brothers."

"True Brothers," Link repeated with a grin, as the light brightened around him once more, hiding Darunia from sight.

Link and Navi reappeared in the crater.

"Do you think the Gorons got home safely?" Navi asked. "We should check, just to be sure."

They entered the Goron City through the secret passageway and found Link the Goron in his father's chambers.

"Everyone's back!" the little Goron said. "You did it! You really are a hero, just like Dad said!" He hesitated. "Where is Dad, anyway?"

Link balked, but luckily Navi took over.

"Your father is going to help us fight Ganondorf," she said. "He may not be back for a very long time, but always remember that he's fighting to keep you safe, wherever he is. While he's gone, you should help him by taking care of things here. You'll do that, won't you?"

Link the Goron nodded. "I'll do my best," he said, "even though I'm a little scared. Isn't that what you would do, Mr. Hero, sir?"

Link the Hylian reached behind him and pulled the Megaton Hammer from his back. He held it out to the small Goron. "You should keep this," he said. "I won't need it anymore. It belongs to you. Use it to protect this city if Ganondorf comes after the Gorons again."

Link the Goron took the hammer with awe. "Thank you," he said in a hushed, almost reverent tone. "Come back here anytime. We'll do whatever we can to help you. And keep the tunic, too. It might help you in other places."

"Where to now?" Navi asked Link as they headed back down the mountain. Link had changed back into his Kokiri tunic. The Goron tunic was useful, but it was too warm for everyday wearing.

"Zora's Domain," Link said at once. "We can't let it stay like that. The king is frozen solid, and we didn't even find the rest of them."

"Look," Navi said, and Link turned to follow her. The cloud ringing Death Mountain's summit had returned to normal. "That means that everything's all right there now."

"I hope it stays that way," Link said, thinking of Link the Goron and the enormous responsibility Darunia had left his son with. He reached up to finger the medallions around his neck. He now had three.

"Three left," Navi said. Link nodded.

"We'll find them," he said. "And then we'll find Princess Zelda. We'll defeat Ganondorf, and everything will go back to normal."

A/N: Thank you all for your continued reviews and such!