Love in Zora's Domain

Chapter 43 - Discovery

Summary: An unexplored part of the Forgotten Temple is discovered, but how to access it is not initially clear. Mipha continues to worry about her husband's possible involvement, and the Yiga Clan makes plans to involve themselves.

It had been two weeks since Purah's first visit to the Forgotten Temple, and Robbie was fully occupied with supervising the excavation work there. He couldn't help but feel satisfied with the Sheikah Slate that Purah had crafted for him, particularly useful for its picture-taking ability. He could document their progress and send updates to Zelda, Purah, and Link—the others possessing Sheikah Slates.

He also felt incredibly uplifted by Zelda's encouraging notes. She always found time to study the images he sent and offer feedback on his efforts. Only this morning, she remarked on how the temple looked so much better than when they started working on it.

Amidst all the work, the Gorons livened the atmosphere with their digging chant, each stanza of the melody sung in rhythm with the swing of their axe picks.

Pause! Aim! Swing! Clang!

Heave that axe! Feel the twang!

Crack! Split! Crack! Split!

Hew those rocks down! Bit by bit!

Chisel deep where gems might sleep,

In the earth, where secrets keep.

Rhythm strong, all day long,

Gorons chanting their proud song.

Gorons tended to be a jovial but no-nonsense group, happy to stick to the task at hand. They were certainly remarkable at breaking stones.

Suddenly, the chanting ceased as a loud crash resounded through the temple, and a heap of rubble collapsed. A group of Gorons cried out in surprise and jumped back as an enormous chunk of rocks fell, revealing a hidden wall with a stone door embedded within it. Robbie and nearby workers quickly rushed over to assess the situation.

"What an incredible discovery!" Robbie exclaimed, snapping a picture.

The uncovered wall was yellowish in color, with bricks that seemed freshly made and untouched by time. The door itself appeared to be a solid piece of stone, matching the hue of the wall perfectly. Etched onto the door was an emblem resembling a stylized image of a bird with outstretched wings. Its design featured sharp wingtips and an angular tail, while its wings were angled upwards and separated into individual feathers below. The symbol had a shiny, almost otherworldly look, reflecting various hues like an opal.

Robbie's curiosity burned as he gazed upon the massive door before them. "I wonder what could lie beyond this entrance?" he mused quietly.

In response to his question, Bando, a nearby Goron, spoke up confidently with his deep, rumbling voice: "I can help you find that out, Doc."

Without warning, Bando lifted his massive pick axe and swung it with all his might at the stone door. But instead of crumbling or cracking under the force, the axe head made a loud clang and then bent and broke off its handle, rendering it useless. Bando let out a pained wince and shook his tingling hands, still feeling the impact of the blow. To their utter shock, the stone door remained utterly undamaged, not even a scratch or mark to show for the failed attempt. The group gasped in amazement, realizing just how durable the stone was.

Wow! That's one tough stone!" exclaimed another Goron in disbelief. "You'd break a tooth for sure on that!"

"Maybe we'd have better luck attacking the wall instead?" said another Goron worker.