The riders dispatched onto the shore of the lake, and thanked Gogorongo for his assistance.

"It was nothing," he said sincerely. "I was heading through the sanctuary anyway."

"But I thought that Gorons weren't permitted to go beyond the sanctuary?" Jerry interjected.

Everybody turned to Gogorongo, who turned and snapped. "It's none of your business, human!" He saw the frightened faces of horses retreat away from him and sighed. "What I mean is, it is the Mother's wish that I leave Goron Caverns. I have a mission to carry out."

With no further information, Gogorongo advanced up the winding stairway which curled around the statue of the Mountain Goddess. There was a low rumbling sound, and everybody panicked, until they noticed the iron disc shudder and sink below the surface of the lava. Lamatte and Aurarius immediately followed behind the Goron, and he began to question what had just happened.

"Was that lion...the Mountain Mother?"

"No." the Goron sighed. "The spirit of the Mother remains trapped inside the body of our Chief, until he passes to the next life and she chooses another host."

"So you're saying it was something which was always in the sanctuary?"

"Maybe. But as the doors only open once a year, nobody is truly sure of what lurks in the sanctuary."

They continued to climb the path around the statue. Lamatte watched her spear lunge over his head, and heard the sound of more hooves behind him. "I notice that the beast did not attack you. Why?"

"That lion was probably a creation of the Mother, instructed to challenge you. She would never harm her own people. Therefore, the beast had to retreat."

The Goron and the knight finally arrived at the top of the stairway. The lantern which the statue held in her hand was now a glowing orange. Gogorongo hesitated and waited for the others to arrive.

"Beyond here is the world we Gorons have never seen. You will have noticed that the area is marked on your map, and so you will know which path to take from here. I cannot offer you any more guidance, but I should tell you that there is a pair of travellers who roam this area giving potions and food to those in the tournament."

Ruby reached into her pockets and retrieved a map, which she unrolled and surveyed quickly, before returning it. Gogorongo turned and marched through the door of the sanctuary, followed closely by the others.