"What are you planning?" Darunia asked.

"There's no time! Just do it!" Link yelled.

Without another word, Darunia did as he was told. He picked up Zelda and got right beside Link.

"Ya'll wanna set me on fire! Allow me to return the favor! Din's Fire!" Link cried.

With that, Link swirled his arms around then plunged his fist on the ground. Flame swirled around him then flew outward, engulfing the soldiers in flames. Although they had wierd fire armor, their bodies were vulnerable to flame. They were burned severely. But they were prepared for such an incident. They all pulled out healing potion, drank it, and were fine. They all got back up and pulled out their swords. Their armor started glowing. It channeled into their swords for a horrible blast. Darunia, Zelda, and Link looked in horror. Then an idea hit Link.

"Nayru's Love!" he cried.

He swirled his arms around and brought them to the ground. A blue aura surrounded not only him, but Darunia and Zelda as well. And it wasn't too soon, for just as he did that the soldiers sent a blast of fire right at them. They were engulfed in the blast. But as the smoke cleared, Link, Zelda, and Darunia emerged unharmed, and a blue aura still surrounded them. Link and Darunia attacked them and quickly got rid of them.

"That was quick thinking!" Darunia cried.

"Yes, thank you, Link." Zelda said.

"Don't thank me. Thank the Great Fairy at the Desert Colossus." Link answered.

They went on, having to fight more guards on the way. They went through the tricks and traps, got the map and compass, and eventually made their way to the big room where the Megaton Hammer was.

"Darunia, go to the chest! When you're there, I'll hit the switch and you grab it before the flames surrounding it are restored." Link instructed.

"All right. And when this is over, you're going to tell me how you know all this." Darunia replied.

"It's a deal. Now get going." Link said.

"You are so impatient!" Darunia replied.

He went to the chest and turned to Link. Link stepped on the switch, but found he couldn't push it down. So he and Zelda jumped on the switch. It worked. The switch went down and the flames surrounding the chest vanished. Darunia opened it and took out the Megaton Hammer.

"Now we're ready for Volvagia!!" Darunia cried holding up the Megaton Hammer.

Darunia made it back to Link and Zelda. He looked at Link.

"Now what, brother?" Darunia asked.

"Now we- look out!" Link yelled.

Darunia turned around to see a flaming bat flying right towards him. Before he could do anything, the bat hit him, knocking him back. Unfortunately he knocked Link and Zelda back as well, and they fell down the big hole in the middle.

"Looks like this is it!" Darunia cried as they were falling. "It was an honor fighting alongside you brother!!!"

"It's not over yet!" Link cried.

Zelda was right next to Link. He grabbed her and slung her in Darunia's direction.

"Grab on to him!!" Link ordered.

Zelda did as she was told. Link then made himself fall next to Darunia. He unlatched the really big bag on Darunia's back and turned it upside down. The things in the bag fell out, but it opened really big. Darunia saw what he was doing and grabbed Link's ankles. The bag acted as a parachute and the heated air helped to make them slow down. They landed safely back in the room where they encountered the 10 soldiers, then they picked up the stuff that had fallen and put it back in the bag and picked up the Megaton Hammer.

"Good thinking, brother." Darunia said. "If it wasn't for you, we'd be as flat as a rock hit by this hammer."

"I know. But let's hurry and get to Volvagia." Link answered.

"Right." Darunia agreed.

They headed to the door just before the room where Volvagia lurked.

"Before we go in. I want you to know Volvagia's weak point." Link told him. "It's his nose. You'll have to hit his nose once to break the hard scales, then a second time to hurt it. It's a process you'll have to repeat, because once you do that, it'll plunge into the lava and reemerge with the scales on it's nose restored."

"Like I said before, when this is all over, you're telling me how you know all this." Darunia replied.

"Yes, oh Sage of Fire. Whoops!" Link caught himself. Zelda laughed.

"What?! Did you just call me the Sage of Fire?!" Darunia asked. "That's a good one, brother! Me?? Old wild Darunia, the Sage of Fire??"

Darunia burst out laughing, then finally stopped.

"This is a time to be serious." Darunia then said. "Let's go."

They then opened the door and headed in to the lair of Volvagia.

"No, it is you who will bow down to me. Do you think I would ever bring to life something I couldn't control?"

"And what affect will a mere crystal have on me?"

"Just in case you think about turning on your master," the man replied." I know how disagreeable you can be."

Volvagia tried to slash the man but he quickly jumped away and held the crystal up high. It began to glow. Volvagia was feeled with pain. He couldn't breathe.

"Anytime you want to bow down I'll be ready."

"Very....well," Volvagia said defeatedly.

He slowly lowered his massive head.

"Now isn't that better?"the man said.

He dropped his hand and the crystal stopped glowing. A knight in armor entered the room. He had a scar going down his arm and he walked with a slight limp.

"Darunia and a couple kids are heading this way,"he said.

"Then what are you doing here?"the man in the dark robe barked.

"I had to feign death just to live," the knight replied. "I'm out of potion.I wasted it on my earlier fight with one of the kids."

"Here's some more, now find them and kill them," the man said as he tossed a bottle of red potion to the knight.

The knight left through one of the many doors in the large room. The man turned around but Volvagia was nowhere to be seen.

"Do you think that you can control me?" Volvagia rasped. "I find it offensive to even imagine a weakling like you commanding me."

"Oh, really?"The man said." He pulled out the crystal.

Fire flew out from a dark corner of the room and hit the robed man's hand. He dropped the crystal and it burst into a million pieces. Then when things couldn't get any worse for the man Link, Zelda, and Darunia bounded into the room.

"Just what I need," the man muttered.

"Stop right there," Link yelled.

Volvagia recognized the small kid somehow. It was the young man that had killed him during Ganondorf's reign of terror.

"Hello, Hero of Time," Volvagia said. "You're not quite the warrior I fought earlier or would that be later?"

Link was suprised.

"How did you know?" Link asked

"I'm beyond time, just like Rauru, a friend of yours, I'm sure."

"What is he talking about, Link? "Darunia asked. How does he know you?"

It's a long story," Link replied.

"And look its the seventh sage, Zelda, and Darunia, Sage of Fire. All my enemies save a few are here," Volvagia declared.

He raised his scaley arms and the floor broke apart revealing a river of lava.The top of the room flew off revealing the clear blue sky above the crater. Lava from above then fell down into the room in a cascade burning away even more floor area. Volvagia laughed.

"Guards," the robed man yelled.

About twenty knights came in.

"Kill them. All of them," he ordered.

The man with the limp stepped forward.

"We're not your servants anymore," he anounced. "You forget we are loyal only to lord Volvagia, not you."

They charged their suits and hit the man full force. When he recovered, he wiped the blood off his face and shot a blast of energy at the guards killing a few.

"Well, I know when to take my leave. There are other ways to receive power after all."

But before he could leave, Volvagia breathed fire at him. In pain and in terror the man slipped off the side of the ledge he was on and fell to his death.

"That's what happens to those who dare oppose me," Volvagia said. "All I need now is the two recipients of the Triforces of wisdom and courage."

Darunia had waited long enough he lept upon the dragon and grabbed hold of the mane. He pounded Volvagia in the face with the Megaton Hammer.

"AAAAAGGGHH!!!!"the dragon yelled.

Link and Zelda looked at the incoming ten or eleven guards that were left. And leading them all was the knight with the limp.

"Ok, kid," the knight began. "I let you off easily last time. This time you will die."

He was then interupted by a blast of heat from Volvagia flying into the molten lava. Darunia came down on top of the head knight that Link had fought.

"How about you pick on someone your own size?"

"With pleasure," the knight slashed the goron with his double edged sword as he got up.

Darunia countered with a smash from the Megaton Hammer. The knight collapsed inward.

"Link, Zelda, do you think that you guys can hold off the soldiers long enough for me to destroy Volvagia?" Darunia asked.

"We'll try," Zelda replied.

"Thanks, I knew I could count on you and Link."

Volvagia emerged from the lava and spit fire at Darunia. The goron dodged the attack. He picked up a spear and ran toward the ancient dragon with the hammer and the spear in hand. He landed on Volvagias back and held on tight. He let go long enough to smash Volvagias nose again with the Hammer. He then took the spear and shoved it in the weak place that was left on Volvagia's nose. He pushed it further and further in. The evil dragon spun out of control and hit the ground below. The shaking that resulted in the crash knocked a few of the knights into the lava below. He flipped over and slashed Darunia and kicked him toward the fiery pit in the center of the room.

"Nooooo," Link cried out as Darunia went off the side of the ledge.

But Darunia somehow managed to grab hold of it.

"I'm fine," Darunia said, he was obviously in pain.

Link had been distracted long enough. The lead knight had recovered and had also grabbed Zelda from behind. The three other remaining soldiers attacked Link, but he simply called out Din's fire and burned them.

"Very nice, kid," the knight yelled across the room. "But I'm still not finished with you yet."

He flung Zelda aside and walked toward Link. He slashed Link across the stomache. Link collapsed.

"Not so tough now huh?" he laughed.

He kicked Link in the stomache.

"I let you off easy last time."

Link pulled out his sword and slashed the guards knees again. The knight fell down. He pulled out the bottle of potion he received earlier and was about to drink it until Link threw his boomberang and knocked the bottle away. The room began to shake.

"What's happening?" the soldier yelled.

"Your wonderful master has put this place under too much pressure," Link replied. "We need to get out of here."

"Don't worry about me," Darunia shouted. "Just get Zelda."

Volvagia stirred.

"Watch out!" Link shouted.

But it was to late. Volvagia snapped him up and flung him into the wall.Link knew there was nothing he could do for Darunia so he picked up Zelda and climbed out the top of the structure and proceeded to leave through Goron City.

"Help me," the knight shouted to Volvagia. "I can't walk,that little punk kid got my legs again."

Volvagia flew down to where the knight was.

"Your effort was appreciated. Yet as you are you are inadequate to the tasks I demand of you but perhaps with time...."

He quickly made up his mind.

"Come with me and I will make you more powerful than you could have ever dreamed."

"Ok," the knight replied. "Just take me with you."

"Very well."

He scooped up the knight and then he glanced at the fallen leader of the Gorons.

"And as for you, my foe," the evil one began. "You deserve an even more painful death than this."

And with those words he scooped up Darunia in his other clawed hand and flew off as the Fire Temple began to collapse and Death Mountain began to erupt.

Link had escaped with Zelda to the foot of Death Mountain. The Gorons would be safe because they were deep inside the mountain and Kakiriko Village was to far down the mountain to be affected. So there would be no more casualties. He left Zelda with Midoro in Kakiriko. He then looked up in the vast blue sky and saw the long outline of Volvagia disappearing off in the distance.

"Not so fast, Volvagia," Link said to himself.

He saddled up the young Epona and followed after the dragon.....

Link hurried as fast as he could after Volvagia on the young Epona. But Volvagia's flying speed was just a little bit faster. He was being left behind, Epona had tired out. But he then realized where he was going. He got down off Epona.

"Epona." Link said, getting in front of her. "Go home."

He pointed her at Lon Lon Ranch, slapped her butt, and she took off. She knew the way home, back to Malon. Link then pulled out his fairy ocarina. He played the Serenade of Water. He was turned into blue energy and was instantaneously transported to Lake Hylia. He looked in the sky to see Volvagia heading straight for Lake Hylia, just as he predicted. He then ran on the bridge, he looked ahead and saw an old friend: the wise old owl Kaepora Gaebora. The owl heard footsteps on the bridge and turned to see Link running up to him. He smiled as he saw the young hero.

"Nice to see you again, Hero of Time." Kaepora said to him.

"It's good to see you too." Link said.

"What brings you here?" Kaepora asked.

"That." Link said pointing.

The old owl looked in the direction that Link's finger was pointing to see a long creature with a person riding it and person hanging from it. He couldn't exactly make them out, it was night time after all. He squinted, then saw who it was.

"Volvagia!!!" Kaepora shouted.

"So it's safe to say you know him." Link said.

"Oh yeah." Kaepora replied.

But before Link could say another word Kaepora scooped Link up and flew him into the sky. Kaepora flew straight in for a collision course with Volvagia. Volvagia saw him coming and countered by breathing fire at him. The sky lit up from Volvagia's hot breath. A battle could be seen in mid air in front of a full moon, with neither gaining an advantage. Link was surprised that Kaepora Gaebora could actually fight this well.

"I've got an idea!" Link yelled to Kaepora. He pulled out his fairy ocarina.

"This is no time for music, Link!" Kaepora scolded.

"The kind I'm playing sure is! I hope your eyes are adjusted to bright lights!" Link replied.

Link then played the Sun's Song. Almost instantaneouly the sun came out and turned night into day. Volvagia was adjusted to such bright light and was blinded. He started swirving and dropped Darunia. Kaepora dived to catch Darunia but Volvagia shot fire right at them. Kaepora made a sharp stop in the air, and unfortunately dropped Link. Link fell right by Darunia and they were falling side by side. They realized, though, that they weren't about to fall in the water, and Kaepora couldn't get to them either. Volvagia had finally adjusted to the bright light and was trying to set Kaepora ablaze.

"I'll kill you my age old enemy!" Volvagia called after him.

"Goodbye, brother!" Darunia called. "We don't have a big bag this time!"

"No! But we have my ocarina!" Link replied. "But I've never tried a group transport before!"

Before Darunia could ask what he was talking about, Link played the Serenade of Water once more, then grabbed Darunia's hand. It was a very slow process but they were transformed into blue energy and transported back to the Triforce platform safe and sound.

"Oh Brother!" Darunia cried. "I thought we were dead for sure this time!"

"That makes two of us." Link replied, panting.

"I don't know how you accomplished that feat, brother, but I'm sure glad you were able to." Darunia added.

"Kaepora!!" Link shouted, looking to the sky.

Kaepora was in an intense battle with Volvagia. Volvagia was spitting out fire like loogies. Kaepora was looping, swirving, and darting out of harms way with ease. Kaepora then darted down with lightning speed and swirved back up right under Volvagia. He hit him right where the guard was riding, knocking the guard off. The guard fell and hit the ground hard. But somehow managed to survive. Perhaps it was the armor, or perhaps it was because he landed smack dab on the lookout on the Lake Hylia observatory. He saw Link and Darunia from the distance, then dived into the water for a sneak attack on them.

"We've got to help Kaepora!" Link shouted.

"The owl? How can we help him from this distance?!" Darunia asked.

"Lightning!" Link exclaimed.

"Lightning?!" Darunia shouted. "Where are you going to get lightning?!?"

"From a storm!" Link answered.

Darunia looked at the sky.

"There's not one cloud in the sky!" Darunia cried.

"There will be in a minute!" Link replied.

Link pulled out his ocarina and played the Song of Storms. But he kept playing it over and over. Darunia looked at him strangely until he heard thunder. He looked up to see the sky filled with clouds as dark as coal. Rain started pouring down like waterfalls and lighning was all over the place.

"Kaepora!" Link shouted. "Get out of the sky!!"

Kaepora barely made out his words and immediately darted for the ground, with Volvagia in hot persuit. But right as it seemed that Volvagia was about to get Kaepora. The biggest bolt of lightning Link had ever seen struck Volvagia, giving him the shock of his life. Volvagia hit the ground with a sickening thud, hurt badly. He weakly got up. Link and Darunia jumped for joy, but it was cut short when Link noticed the limping soldier coming from behind. Darunia noticed him, also, attacked, and flung the soldier like a rag doll. The soldier was about to land on a post when Volvagia scooped him up. With what strength was left he flew off.

"This isn't over yet, Hero of Time! I'll be back for you, that meddling owl, and you Sage of Fire!!" Volvagia shouted as he disappeared over the horizon.

"I'll be waiting." Link said darkly.

"Sage of Fire?!?" Darunia cried. "What is he talking about?! Do you know, brother?"

"I guess you might as well hear the tale." Link said.

"I guess I should." Darunia demanded.

With that, Link commenced in telling Darunia about his adventure, from the beginning.

After Link finished, Darunia was astonished. "I was the Sage of Fire, huh? Well, imagine that! Me, the Sage of Fire." Link looked in the direction where Volvagia left. "So, Volvagia is outside of time. I hope that none of the other monsters that plagued the temples are also outside of time." Link said. Link sat down because he was tired after that fight with Volvagia. Then he remembered what he had set out to do in the first place. "Oh yeah... I was going after the Triforce." Link remembered. He went back into Kakiriko village and got Zelda.

Zelda was unhappy. "You got to have all the fun with Volvagia, and I was stuck here. Well, at least we can continue the search, now." Darunia turned to the duo. "I'm sorry, but I can't go with you. I have responsibilities with the Gorons." Link and Zelda were shocked, but they understood. "You guys are still welcome back into our city at any time. See you guys later!" And with that, Darunia left.

Link and Zelda then turned to Kaepora, but he had vanished for some reason as well.

"So, where do we go now, Link?" asked Zelda. Link thought for a second. "Do think that the Triforce is still in the Sacred Realm?" Link wondered. "Well," answered Zelda, "the Master Sword is the way in, and since we are supposed to leave it there, we had better hope that it is not there." Link hoped that Zelda was right. Navi turned to Link. "Um, Link." "Yes, Navi?" Link answered. "Remember when you said that you hoped that no other monsters were also outside of time?" Link suddenly didn't like the sound of this. "...Yes..." Link said reluctantly. "Well, I hate to say this, but... I feel a peculiar cold wind coming from Zora's Domain." Link realized that Navi was correct. "I think that we should head over there at once!"

It took them a few hours to get there. Link walked over to the familiar Triforce and played Zelda's Lullaby. Zelda looked at Link, "I feel weird with you playing that song, and I have no memory of you learning it." Link just shrugged and went into Zora's Domain.

Link and Zelda breathed a sigh of relief. Zora's domain was not frozen after all. Link saw Princess Ruto and blushed remembering what almost happened to him. Zelda smirked at Link. "Maybe I should go tell Ruto about your adventure" Zelda teased. Link blushed more. "Come on Zelda, please don't, I don't think I could stand it." Zelda laughed. A Zora ran up to them. "Hello Zelda, and hello to whoever you are." said the Zora. "Normally I would make full acquaintances, but there is a problem. You see, a portal has opened, and it isn't closing anytime soon. I think that this portal is here to stay. This portal could go anywhere. We need someone to find out what is in there." Link turned to Zelda. "Well, since we don't seem to have anything better to do, why not?"

Link jumped into the portal, believing it was a portal to the Golden Land or the future, favoring the latter, as the cold winds wouldn't come from a perfect realm. Surprisingly, he was spit back out!

Nobody was more surprised than the onlookers, though. They were staring at Link as if his brain was falling out of his nose. Link checked, and he found no leaking gray-matter, but found another change had occurred.

His hands were bigger. His nose was bigger. He was bigger! Navi sighed and said, "Not again..."

He had all the equipment he never received, and all the tokens he never got, and all the maturity he never got too soon. He had aged seven years, but the rest of the world hadn't. He checked to see if he had the legendary blade in his backpack. He didn't, but he did have Biggoron's sword. He would need a new blade, as the giant knife was too big to skillfully use.

But you really should have seen the faces of the crowd! Zelda was surprised, but only in the least compared to the others. King Zora, who had been the first to see the portal, conviently located in his chamber, was very shocked at the young man coming out of the portal. Some Zoras were afraid, but others were ready to attack with their nearly-perfected aqua-fireball. Ruto, however, instantly fell in love with her never-once-fiancé.

Link stared into the water, admiring his reflection. He barely noticed a aqua-fireball heading his way. As he saw it, he used his mirror shield to reflect it into the portal. "Not a smart move," he thought as the thing came back, although it wasn't the same aqua-fireball. It wasn't even a fireball, it was solid! Well, not very solid, but solid nonetheless. It was a weird gelatinous sphere, with somehow simalar patterns. He recognised the threat, as the water was turned into a jelly.

"Morpha!" Link cried out with anger. He slashed it with Biggoron's sword, yet it was still strong. It didn't really want to fight or kill. That is, not yet. The nucleus was propelled by the pseudopods into the fountain, than into the air. Above was none other than Volgava, who caught the ameoba in his mouth. He began flying toward the Lost Woods saying, "Now for the poe sisters..."

The entire population of Zora's Domain stared up into the sky after Volvagia and Morpha left. In the stunned silence, Link walked up to King Zora's pedestal and spoke.

"King Zora," he said reverently. "Something has stirred these lords of the Temples into action. It appears that Volvagia, who was resurrected by that cult of the Fire Temple, may be trying to marshal them together for some purpose unknown." Link took a deep breath. "I request that you allow your daughter, the Princess Ruto, to come with Zelda and me, to assist in their defeat."

Behind Link, Ruto gasped with something akin to childish delight. Zelda started to turn pink.

Zora rubbed his wide chin with his childlike fingers. "While I do not condone the idea of my daughter rushing headlong into such a dangerous undertaking, I believe that the situation calls for such action. I will therefore give my daughter permission to join you, although I am unsure if she will wish to join you..."

"Of course, father!" Ruto shouted out suddenly. In the silence that followed, every single person in the chamber turned to look at the Princess. Ruto looked down, embarassed.

"I mean, I shall join the Princess of Hyrule and the Hero of Time on this mission and assist them in any way within my power."

Zora sat up and sighed. "However, there is the matter of this portal here in my Domain. Link here has proved that it may have some control over the relative age of a person, but we must test it first, and maybe find a way to seal it."

"Let me try, your highness." Link jumped off the pedestal and towards the swirling maelstrom. Flashes of light and darkness flew inside a field of such unimaginable power that it defied the mind. Slowly he walked through the portal...

...and a second later, walked out as a child again. King Zora shifted on his throne, surprised and happy.

"Well," he said, "now that we have proved its use, and now that Link is his former self, I believe we can close this portal, with the aid of a spellcaster who is skilled in such temporal disturbances..."

While Zora was spouting off and trying to sound dignified, Link, Zelda and Ruto were discussing something in a huddle. Finally they stood up. Ruto faced her father.

"Father, Link, Zelda, and I have thought it over, and we think that the wisest course of action would be to leave the portal open."

Zora looked dubiously at his daughter. "Is there any particular reason to do so?"

"Yes, father." Ruto, Zelda, and Link stood in front of the portal. "If we closed it, we'd be old before our time." Without warning, the three stepped into the vortex.

King Zora stared at the portal, his jaw open. "Ruto," he called softly. "RUTO!"

And then the vortex lurched and spat out three figures, each enclosed in a pod of light. Slowly, majestically, the light faded and the three stood.

King Zora was expecting three adults to come out of the vortex, but he was unprepared for the sight he saw when they stood. Link was yet again the tall, muscular Hylian, with all his weaponry and strength. Zelda stood as a beautiful young lady, graceful and dignified. And Ruto had been transformed into a slender Zoran teenager, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.