You knew it was going to be hot. It was a given fact. But as you walked further inside the cliffs of Death Mountain, the area around you became more heated. The elixir Link and you had drunk granted you protection from the scorching pools of lava that sat far off the trail you were walking on, but it didn't protect you much from the rising temperature. Although the elixir allowed you to tolerate the hot air, you still felt uncomfortable as you walked toward the large tower. It had taken a while to get there, but a sense of accomplishment washed over you when you saw how close you were to the object.
"How long will it take for you to get up there?" You asked Link as you let out a puff of air. Your skin glistened from sweat that began to form, but you didn't care about it. You lifted the hem of your tunic and patted your cheeks before lowering it to look at the Hylian boy.
Link was also sweating, but he couldn't focus on that. "Uh," he hesitated as he swept his bangs to the side with his hand. "Maybe a couple of minutes?" He cocked his head back to look at the tall tower that waited to be climbed. Taking a deep breath, he strolled toward the not-so-cool railings and prepared himself to climb. He looked over his shoulder and sent you a dashing grin. "I'll try to be quick, okay?"
You nodded and took a step back, returning a small smile. "Alright, you better. I don't know how long we have until the effects of the elixir wear off."
"Right." Link looked back at the tower as a determined expression came over his face. Filled with motivation, the boy began to climb the large tower. He pushed himself greatly, stopping only to step onto the small platforms that were at the side of the tower and when his energy came back, he resumed the climb. It was a rather tedious task, having to go up just to get a map, but it was one he did without complaint. And though the parching air caused him to slow down every once in a while, he managed to continue climbing with ease.
You bit the inside of your cheek and observed him with knitted eyebrows. As he went higher up, you took a few steps back to keep your eyes on him and once he stepped onto the tower's platform, you let out a breath you didn't know you were holding. You fixed your satchel's strap and glanced around you. The boiling red lava that rested a few feet away from you made you sneer. You felt unsafe, being around a deadly liquid and all. What if I accidentally fell in? You shuddered at the thought and crossed your arms while taking another step back... to be safe.
A few minutes passed by until the towers glow turned blue, and once that happened you saw Link gliding down the tower. You side-stepped, watching as he plopped down beside you easily. "Got the map?" You asked as you helped him fold the paraglider.
"Yes," he replied with a grin. He pulled out his Sheikah Slate and showed you the new map he had distilled from the tower. "We finally have a map of this place." He looked at the screen and studied it.
"That's good. We can't risk getting lost here," you said as you looked around, flinching when the lava began to bubble. You gulped and glanced back at the boy, who remained unfazed of his surroundings. "So, do we continue down this trail?"
Link hummed, furrowing his eyebrows as he stared at the slate longer. He then raised his eyes and nodded. "Yeah." He hooked his Sheikah Slate onto his belt and took your hand with a smile. "But we should probably walk faster. It might take us a while to get to Goron City."
You naturally laced your fingers with his and sighed. "Alright, come on." You tugged him toward the trail while walking at a more hasty pace. The river of lava that flowed on your left radiated a ton of heat, so you made sure to pull Link to your side so he wouldn't get burned. "I think we may need to drink another elixir soon."
Link looked at you with a puzzled face. "Why?"
"You don't feel the heat?" You fanned yourself with your free hand a bit and let out gusts of air. The scorching winds gradually began to burn your skin, making you wince. It wasn't anything too painful, but you knew it meant the elixir was beginning to wear off. More sweat started to form on your face, and when Link saw this he frowned and stopped walking.
The boy reached for your satchel and grabbed it. He then rummaged through the bag until he found the fireproof elixirs. "You drank the first elixir a few minutes before me," he acknowledged as he opened the bottle before placing it on your lips. "Meaning the effects wore off first for you. Open your mouth."
You did as you were told and let him tip the bottle until the dark red liquid was dumped onto your tongue. You forcefully swallowed the undesirable elixir and shivered. Almost immediately the burning sensation you were feeling on your skin subsided, and the heat you were experiencing did too. "You're right," you grimaced while rubbing your throat roughly. "Thank you."
Link smiled and put the empty glass bottle in one of his leather pouches. "You're welcome," he said as he took your hand once again. "Did you keep track of how long the effects lasted?"
You shook your head. "No," you answered sheepishly. "But I think it lasted around fifteen minutes?"
"Fifteen? That's not a lot." He pursed his lips and looked ahead. According to the map, there was a lot left to travel and there were only a few elixirs left. "Let's hope we reach Goron City before we drink our last elixir then." He glanced at you, sending a small nod before walking at a fast pace.
•••
Link and you cautiously strolled across a metal bridge. The molten lava that flowed beneath the bridge gurgled quietly as it streamed down an unused trail, but the boy didn't look at the boiling liquid. His eyes were on you (since you walked right in front of him). There were a few holes in the metal bridge and when the lava underneath would bubble and pop, some of it would splatter through the gaps. Having seen this, Link thought it was best if you walked ahead. That way, if any lava were to bubble, he could have you walk faster and avoid being burned.
As you both walked, his eyes slowly lowered to look at your hair that would sway from one side to the other with each step you took. Link grinned unknowingly, but he looked back up when he heard a sound. Raising an eyebrow, he tapped your shoulder and spoke up. "Do you hear that?" He asked as you two naturally picked up the pace.
"Yes," you answered. The sound of metal clashing against rock continued entering your ears, and when you hopped off the bridge you saw what was making the noise. Up ahead, a crowd of rock-like beings simultaneously lifted their pick-axe and drove it down over and over again. "Who are they?" You curiously walked closer to the working individuals and glanced at Link.
"Goron's," Link replied as he jogged to your side. "If they're here... we must be getting close to their city."
"Well that's good, I can already feel the elixir wearing off." You looked around, watching as the Goron's worked hard. A few of them turned to take a glimpse at Link and you, but they would move their attention back to their work almost immediately. "Maybe we should ask one of them how far away the city is. That way we'll know if we have enough elixirs."
He glanced at you and nodded. "Alright... most of them seem busy though," he muttered before pressing his lips together. He scanned the workers, looking for any that were taking a break but most of the Goron's continued working, except one. A much older looking Goron sat under a rock that protected him from the rising sun. The Goron slumped forward as he studied the workers, but pretty soon his eyes fell on Link and you. "Let's ask him." Link gestured toward the elder and took your hand, having the two of you walk over to him.
The Goron kept his dark eyes on the two of you as you walked to him. When you got closer, he lowly chuckled and sat up. "What are two Hylian's doing here?" He asked in pure amusement. "Death Mountain isn't a pleasing place to travel through." The elder shook his head and leaned to the side, keeping his hooded eyes on Link and then you. "Do you two need something?"
Link blinked and rubbed his cheek. "We just wanted to ask how far away Goron City is from here," he responded.
"Ah, well if you continue down this trail you'll get there in about ten minutes." The Goron nodded his head and glanced at you. "I assume you two have enough elixir's, correct?"
"Yes," you answered this time. "But we plan to purchase fireproof clothing once we get to the city."
"Hmm... I hope you have enough rupees," the elder mumbled. He parted his lips to speak, but he caught sight of one of his workers slacking off. A frown then set on his face as he quickly rose from the ground. "Grayson! Get back to work!" He boomed, causing Link and you to shudder slightly at the sudden loudness of his voice. The Goron cleared his throat, waiting for one of the younger Goron's to get back to work before looking down at Link and you. "I need to go and oversee my workers. Excuse me." He bowed his head and stomped toward the active workers.
You bowed your head in return and watched as the Goron walked away. "We should probably get going," you said as you glanced at Link.
The boy nodded and looked back at the trail you both needed to travel through. "Do you want to drink your last elixir?" He asked as he began to walk with you.
"Not yet." You shook your head and peered at the trail. There was still a lot to travel, but in the distance, you could see a large metal arch. You figured that was the entrance to Goron City, so you walked with a bit more enthusiasm. The trail began to widen out more as you walked up a ridge, but you continued walking down the centre (since there was a lava waterfall on your right and a large lake of lava on your left). "I know this is barely the second Divine Beast location, but I hate this place."
Link snickered and looked at you. "Why?" He questioned with a grin. "Too hot or something?"
"Yes," you groaned and looked up when you heard something. "I mean the elixir helps me tolerate it, but the air is so humid. And the wind seriously stings."
"We're in a volcanic area (Y/n)," Link pointed out. "What do you expect?"
"I know that, but I can't stand the heat." You sighed and looked back down. You felt bad for complaining, but you were speaking the truth. The clothes you wore didn't help you handle the horrible environment you were in so you hoped the fireproof clothes you were going to buy soon did.
"I can't either, but it is what it is." He ran his fingers down his hair and exhaled. He wasn't a big fan of high-temperature areas either, but he knew there was nothing he could do about it. "Let's just hope the next Divine Beast location we go to isn't placed in a very hot area."
You crossed your fingers and showed it to him. "Hopefully, but now that we're on that subject... where are we going after appeasing Vah Rudania?" You lowered your hands and tilted your head.
"To a place called Gerudo Town..? I think that's what it said on the Sheikah Slate." He hummed in thought and pulled out his slate to make sure. He began to press a few things until nodding his head. "Yeah, Gerudo Town. There we, or well, I, have to appease Divine Beast Vah Naboris."
"Vah Naboris? These mechanical beasts have very interesting names," you smiled and turned away from him. "How far away are we from that place?"
"By the looks of it... maybe a couple of weeks away? Months even," he said as he analysed the screen.
"Really?" You scrunched your nose and parted your lips, but you paused when you heard noise coming from the sky once again. You knitted your eyebrows and looked up, trying to see what was making noise, but you didn't see anything. You rubbed your neck and moved your gaze back down. I must be imagining things, you thought as you continued walking casually, though you clearly heard a faint crashing sound in the distance. "Well," you began to say to keep your mind off the faint noise, "you better appease this Divine Beast quickly then."
Link laughed and put his slate away. "I'll try," he grinned and gazed at you, "but what happens if I take forever?"
"I'll smack you for making me wait for you too long."
"Oh?" He smirked and nudged you with his shoulder. "I don't want that to happen, so I'll try to take control of Vah Rudania as fast as I can."
Your lips curled in a smile. "Good." You glanced at him for a few seconds before directing your eyes forward. As you hiked up another ridge, you began to feel the scorching heat around you much more, which let you know the effects of the elixir were coming to an end. Quickly, you opened your satchel and grabbed your last bottle and uncorked it. You then lifted the revolting vial to your lips and drank it. The elixir's effects kicked in quickly and just as you were about to place the glass bottle away, you heard Link gasp. You raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "What's wrong?" You noticed that his eyes were staring at the sky and when you followed his gaze, your eyes widened.
Large boulders flew out the mouth of the volcano, however, their weight caused them to plummet toward you. They fell at a fast speed, but Link reacted quickly. He grabbed your hand and tugged you up the steep ridge. Of course, outrunning the falling boulders was not an option, but he couldn't stay out in the open either so he quickly looked around. There was a small cliff that curved out a few feet away from him and when Link spotted it he sighed out in relief. He hurriedly pulled you toward the rock before the boulders had a chance to crash, but as he got closer he discovered that there wasn't enough space for the two of you to hide beneath.
Though he could scan the area for a bigger cliff to hide under, he knew there wasn't enough time so he did the first thing that entered his mind. Link pressed you against the rocky wall and placed his hands on each side of your head. He then moved dangerously close to you but doing this protected the two of you from the crashing boulders that exploded when they touched the ground. Link flinched as the loud booms of erupting boulders entered his ears, but when he felt your gentle hands press on his chest he calmed down.
You gulped and gripped his tunic, jumping lightly each time a boulder hit the ground. However, the same calming effect you gave Link, he gave you. You bit your bottom lip, exhaling quietly when you felt his hands now gently hold your arms. The two of you stayed in that close position until the falling rocks stopped, but even then you both didn't move. That is until you made eye contact. You stared into his azure eyes and smiled a bit sheepishly. "That was close," you said with a shy giggle.
"Yeah," Link chuckled somewhat nervously when he became aware of how close you two were. This caused him to completely forget about you both nearly dying from falling boulders. His mouth hung open as he thought about what to say, but when nothing came to mind he swallowed and took a step back to give you space. "Y-You're not hurt, right?" He stuttered as he felt the fine hair on his nape stand.
You shook your head and shyly moved away from the rock wall. "No. How about you?" You asked as you went toward him.
"No, I'm alright." He displayed a tiny smile and looked up to make sure there were no more boulders flying down. After staring at the clear sky for a few seconds he nodded and turned his attention back to you. "Come on," he said as he took your hand. "We better get into the city before more rocks are thrown in our direction."
Your eyes flickered down to his hand and then back to him. "Okay," you replied with a timid smile.
The entrance to Goron City rested a few feet away, so the two of you walked at a hasty pace. But as you neared the towering metal arch, a loud cry erupted. The sudden noise startled Link and you and as you both raised your heads, you saw where the sound came from. Vah Rudania, the Divine Beast, roared as it circled the volcano and each cry uncomfortably pounded into your ears. From afar, the mechanical beast's cries were vaguely heard, but now that you were much closer to the volcano, its roars shook you and the ground beneath you.
"Woah," Link gasped. "It looks so much bigger now that we're closer."
"And scarier," you shuddered. "But, nothing you can't handle, right?"
He pulled his eyes away from the beast and turned to look you. "Sure," he replied with a half-smile. He glanced back at the Divine Beast and pressed his lips together as he led you into the city. The Goron's that resided inside the city took notice of his arrival almost immediately, but Link paid no mind to their curious whispers and stares. Instead, he looked around and gently let go of your hand. "I think this is the perfect spot."
You arched an eyebrow. "What?"
"For the picture."
"What picture?"
"Don't you remember?" He chuckled as he grabbed his Sheikah Slate. "Back in Zora's Domain, we decided to take a picture each time we reached a Divine Beast location. And this spot is perfect!"
You nodded your head in understanding and looked ahead. The boy was right, the spot he chose gave you a perfect view of the volcano that rested not too far away and Goron City. And despite there being so much lava around, the sight was pretty amazing. You smiled and looked at Link, who was fumbling with the slate. "You having trouble?" You asked with a small snicker.
"The rune won't activate," he muttered, smacking the screen. He grinned when the tiny hit turned the Camera rune on. "There we go." Link hummed happily and grabbed your arm. He then pulled you to his side as he lifted the slate, having the camera face you. He looked at your reflection in the screen. "What pose should we do?" He glanced at you.
You hesitated, keeping your eyes on your reflection. You subconsciously fixed your hair as you thought. "I don't know. A funny one?" You suggested, flickering your eyes at him.
Link smiled at the idea and wrapped his arm around your shoulder. "Alright. On three say Death Mountain," he said, facing the camera.
You looked at the arm that was draped over you and smiled to yourself. You slowly snaked your arm around his waist and lifted your head to look at the camera. "Okay," you chuckled and counted to three. Both of you shouted 'Death Mountain," before striking a funny pose, and once Link snapped the picture he quickly removed his arm from your shoulder and looked at the Sheikah Slate's screen. There was a goofy grin playing on his lips and when you leaned forward to look at the picture, you couldn't help but grin as well. You and Link had done the same pose and as you stared at the image you laughed.
"Best picture we've taken so far," Link laughed as well and stared at you. "What do you think?"
"I love it." You looked at Link at the same time he looked at you. "But in my opinion, the one we took at Zora's Domain is better."
He playfully rolled his eyes and hooked his slate to his belt after shutting it off. "Hmm, well I disagree." He turned on his heel and sighed as he scanned the rocky city. "Anyway, where do we have to go?"
You did the same and looked around. "A shop where they sell fireproof clothing."
"Right," Link's voice trailed off as he examined every building. His eyes then landed on a shop that had a sign with a shirt on it. "Maybe there?" He pointed to the store and waited for you to say something.
You followed where his finger pointed. "Maybe," you said as you gently grabbed his wrist. You led him toward the shop, but before entering you peered inside to make sure it was the right place.
A large Goron sat behind a rocky counter and when he noticed Link and you standing outside he threw his arms open and smiled widely. "Customers? Wow, we rarely get any Hylian visitors here in Goron City!" He spoke loudly, but with joy. "I'm Rogaro! Hmm, I see you two don't have fireproof clothing... can I interest you on the armour I sell? I made it specifically for Hylians." The Goron gestured toward a set of armour that was hung on a wall.
You blinked at the sudden kindness. Nonetheless, you smiled sweetly and pulled Link inside the store. You nodded your head while Rogaro spoke about the armour and as you got close to the attire you pursed your lips. "It's rather bulky," you commented, running your fingers over the set's rough exterior.
The Goron chuckled and placed his hands on the counter. "The Flamebreaker Armour is meant to be bulky. It offers extra protection from the lava that surrounds us here," he stated. "It may be heavy when you put it on, but trust me it's worth it."
You looked back at the armour and hummed in thought. "How much for the entire set?"
"Three thousand three hundred," Rogaro said.
Your eyes widened. "I'm sorry, what?" You scoffed and looked at Link, who seemed baffled. "Don't you think that's too much?" You turned your attention back to the Goron.
"Being that it's a fireproof set, no."
You chewed on your bottom lip and stared at the rough attire. Normally, you wouldn't buy something so expensive, but you didn't exactly want to drink elixirs every fifteen minutes. You sighed and nodded as you grabbed a set for Link and you. "Alright, I'm getting two sets." You walked over to the counter and scavenged through your satchel. When you found your pouch of golden rupees you took them out and placed the right amount of money needed. "This enough?"
Rogaro glanced down at the number of golden rupees and smiled. "Yes, thank you."
You nodded your head once and turned around, snickering when you saw Link's surprised face. "What?" You asked as you set your weapons and satchel down.
"You just wasted about six thousand rupees!" He whispered-yelled.
You shrugged. "I wouldn't say waste. This is something we need," you said as you began to put the bulky fireproof trousers over your normal ones. "You see, rupees are essential Link."
Link let out a puff of air and followed your example. "No kidding," he mumbled as he changed into the new clothing. He put everything over his clothes, but before he put on the helm he sneered and looked at you. "Do I have to put this on? It'll just add to the weight I'm feeling."
You placed the last piece of armour on your head and looked at him with a roll of your eyes. "Yes, Link. You have to." You shook your head and stood in front of him. "It'll protect your head from the scorching air," you spoke as you grabbed the helm from his hands. It was heavy, yes, but there was nothing you could do about it. Carefully, you lowered the helm onto his head and once it was successfully on you took a step back and giggled.
"Why are you giggling? Do I look bad?" Link huffed and rolled his arm around since he was trying to get used to the extra weight the armour put on him.
"No, it just looks funny," you said as you examined the armour that made him look big. You then glanced down at yourself and stifled a laugh. "Anyway, where to now?" You bent down to grab your weapons and satchel before looking up at the boy.
Link hesitated as he helped you pick up your things as well as his. "I think we need to talk to the leader of Goron City."
"Okay... and who is that?"
He paused and then looked at Rogaro. "Excuse me, Rogaro. Who's the leader of Goron City?"
The Goron counted the number of rupees he had in his hands before responding. "That would be Bludo, our boss." Rogaro finally looked up and leaned over the counter. "You can find him over there." He pointed to a large structure that was placed in the centre end of the city.
Link followed where the Goron pointed and then nodded. "Okay, thank you," he said, bowing his head before grabbing your hand. Without another word he led you out the small store and began making his way toward Bludo's abode. During the short walk, he glanced around the city in a touristy manner. "You know, despite there being so much rock and lava, some parts of this place are pretty nice."
You studied the many rock-built structures and smiled. "That's true. I prefer to be around more green though."
The boy grinned and looked at you. "Me too, but you have to admit the view of the volcano is awesome."
You cocked your head up to look at the view and then hummed. "It is, though it's also
terrifying. I mean, that volcano can throw more of those exploding boulders at any second."
Link followed your gaze. "Hmm, true. But don't worry, if that happens again I'll protect you." He glanced down at you and though his helm covered parts of his face, you could see his charming grin.
You half-smiled and clasped your hands together. "Really? Aw, my hero," you said in a playful tone. You gently nudged him and giggled when you saw his pink cheeks.
"Oh hush." He shoved you away gently and hid the growing smile that played on his lips. It sounded funny, you calling him your hero, but something about that made him feel proud. Link rolled his eyes jokingly and turned his head when he noticed a larger looking Goron pacing back and forth in front of him. Something about the white-bearded Goron made the boy feel slightly queasy and as he walked closer he concluded that this wise-looking being was Bludo, the one he needed to speak to.
"Is that him?" You asked in a whisper.
"I think so," he answered. He took a deep breath and neared the mumbling Goron. Link made a move to speak up, but he was interrupted by Bludo's loud muttering.
"That blasted Rudania!" Bludo growled as he slammed his foot on the ground. His shaking arms and screwed face screamed frustration in every possible way.
Link furrowed his eyebrows and took a step forward. "Uh... sir?" He wasn't sure how to address the Goron. "What's wrong?"
Bludo directed just dark eyes toward Link and sneered. "With Rudania runnin' wild recently, Death Mountain's eruptions have gotten real bad," he vented before facing the large volcano. "Do ya see Rudania stompin' around up there on the mountain? They say that one hundred years ago, it actually used to protect our people from harm... but that was then, and this is now! Now, all it does is mess up our mining operations! We're all suffering because it's stoppin' us from doin' business!"
The Goron huffed and turned to face Link and you. "I can't tell ya how many times we've used the cannon to chase off that fiend. But it always comes back!" He exclaimed while throwing his hands in the air, but doing so resulted in him yelping pain. He bent over and rubbed his back with a grimace. "Darn back pains," he muttered to himself. Bludo sighed deeply and straightened his back while flickering his eyes between Link and you. "Wait a minute, who are you guys? I've never seen your faces around these parts."
Link cleared his throat and placed his hand on the small of your back. "I'm Link, and this is my partner (Y/n). We're travellers."
Bludo rubbed his chin as he nodded. "I see... so the two of you came all this way to pay your respects to me?" He asked with a proud smile. You hesitated and opened your mouth to correct him, but the Goron didn't you a chance to do so. "I like you two already! Now, seeing as you presented yourself I'll do the same. My name's Bludo. If you can't already tell, I'm the great Goron Boss. I'm sure you've heard of me?"
You and Link glanced at each other at the same time before looking at Bludo. "No," you both said simultaneously.
The Goron Boss had a shocked look take over his features. "What? I wasn't expecting that response," Bludo frowned lightly and then shook his head. "Anyway, I was plannin' to drive off Rudania like I always do, but then this blasted pain in my back flared outta nowhere... That blasted Yunobo, when will he return?"
The question was rhetorical, but Link felt prompted to ask about the unknown person. "Who's Yunobo?"
"Hmm? Oh, he's a young Goron who helps me drive off Rudania," he explained. "He went to grab some painkillers for my back from the Abandoned North Mine, but he hasn't come back yet. My guess, he forgot and is off somewhere wastin' time." Bludo formed a disapproving look and crossed his arms. "Say... you two don't seem busy. Do you mind looking for Yunobo at the mine's? I'd go, but my back is killing me."
Link knitted his eyebrows and glimpsed at Vah Rudania. He knew the importance of appeasing the Divine Beast, but he didn't want to be rude. Exhaling, the boy nodded his head and spoke. "You said he was near the North Mine, correct?"
"Yes. If you happen to find him, let him know I'm lookin' for him, yeah?"
"Will do."
The Goron Boss smiled at Link fondly and turned. He slowly walked toward his abode, and once he was out of sight the Hylian boy shifted to look at you. "Do you want to stay behind while I go look for this Yunobo guy or...?"
"I'm coming with you," you said firmly.
"Alright," he replied while turning on his heel. He looked around and let out a long 'uh' sound before turning back to you. "Which way is north again?"
You facepalmed. "Are you serious?"
"What?" He asked with a chortle. "Have you never lost your sense of direction?"
You shook your head, though there was a tiny smile on your lips. "Nope," you popped the 'p' and then pointed at a trail that went north. "We have to go that way."
"Liar." Link made a move to jab your side gently, but when he felt the bulky armour instead of your usual soft tunic he sheepishly moved his hand away. "You're positive it's this way?" He was already heading toward the trail, but he wanted to make you doubt yourself.
"Yes Linky, I'm sure."
He stifled a small laugh. "Why do you call me that?"
"I don't know," you said as you put your hands behind your back. You had called him by that nickname several times before, though he had never questioned it until now. "Want me to stop calling you that?"
Link faked to think hard about it, but a boyish grin crept onto his face. "No, I like it. But if you have a nickname for me, shouldn't I have one for you?"
"No, but if you want to have a nickname for me, you can."
He pursed his lips and pondered silently. "It has to be a good one."
You laughed softly and patted his back. "Have fun coming up with one."
Link dismissed your words and stared at his boots as he thought. He was so centred on creating a good nickname for you, that he didn't even hear his Sheikah Sensor indicating a shrine was near. You didn't alert him of this though. You weren't exactly eager on letting him go to another shrine, not after his near-death experience in the previous one. Therefore, you stayed quiet so he could focus on his thoughts while you were the one to lead him toward the Abandoned North Mine's.