05-15-2015, 06:54 AM
The passage through the gate was as jarring as ever. That strange sensation of tumbling endlessly through space was one which Ganondorf couldn’t seem to get used to. It was made worse by the abrupt finish when he finally set foot in the Dunes; a feeling like hitting the ground after a long fall and a sharp sinking of the stomach. Still, Ganondorf thought as he took in a breath of desert air, it was good to be back. Though it would never compare to the Gerudo Desert, his birthplace, the longer he spent in this Omniverse, the more the Endless Dunes began to feel like home.
Of course, thinking of home reminded Ganondorf of his Keep… and of Enel. These thoughts pricked at his ego, spurring the Gerudo into motion, and he began to long trek to the Town with No Name. Each step along the path seemed another insult to the great King, and his anger steadily grew along the way. By the time he arrived in Town, his anger had grown to a roaring blaze, a red-hot flame burning in his chest. A flame which immediately burned down as Ganondorf strode into the town square. He looked around in wonder at the strange commotion going on around him. Here and there, the townspeople bustled back and forth. The air practically hummed with the sounds of conversation, laughter, and shouting. Pavilions lined the street, in which peddlers plied their wares. It was a far cry from the atmosphere of depression, apathy, and debauchery Ganondorf had encountered when he’d first come here.
For a moment, the Demon King simply moved with the crowd, the general mass heading towards the Sheriff’s Office, outside of which the largest pavilion stood. As Ganondorf neared, he was shocked to hear a voice at his side speak to him.
“Lookin’ to join up in the game?”
Turning, Ganondorf saw that it was the same blonde fellow who had ‘welcomed’ him to town all that time ago. “Game?” he asked, an eyebrow raised in quizzically. The guy nodded and continued, “Something called ‘Dante’s Abyss’. A gameshow, or something… I dunno. Seems like something only a crazy person would get themselves into, if you ask me.”
He paused for a brief moment before continuing, “Ya know, I almost didn’t recognize you, Ganondorf. Trying out a new look?”
Ganondorf’s mind was still reeling over this ‘gameshow’ talk, so he was caught completely unprepared for that comment. The giant man nearly staggered back at his words and asked, “What are you talking about?”
The blonde man gave him a coy grin and shrugged, “I guess you ain’t looked in a mirror lately, huh? Well, just take a look at your hands. And check your hair while you’re at it.”
Curious as to what he meant, Ganondorf complied, and was shocked again to find that he did, indeed, look differently than he did before he died. Well, at least the parts of him he could see. His hands were covered in golden gauntlets, his hair was FAR longer than it had been, and even his clothing seemed to have changed, gaining a look more akin to armor. In fact, if Ganondorf had to guess, he’d say that he looked awfully similar to Demise himself. The Gerudo scowled at the memory of the demon and sincerely hoped that Demise didn’t think that simply changing that way Ganondorf looked was a fulfillment of his promise of power.
“Kinda weird you didn’t know, Ganondorf… you don’t seem the type to let things happen without your knowledge. Or maybe you’re some kind of Shapeshifter? Don’t seem the type for that either, but I’ve been fooled before.”
Finally having gotten over the shock of his surroundings, and of his changes, Ganondorf merely shrugged absently and looked back to the pavilion. Still, the Sheriff had given him something to consider. If his appearance had changed before, who’s to say it couldn’t change again? Perhaps that was the gift Demise had given him. Seemed a poor excuse for ‘hidden power’, but it was certainly better than nothing. As the Gerudo gazed at the line of people moving towards the tented area, he spoke again, “Tell me more of this game.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later on, Ganondorf found himself sitting in the Sheriff’s Office proper. Having gotten the information he’d desired from the blonde fellow, the Gerudo had requested a meeting with Deschain to discuss their arrangement. Before entering, he had toyed with the possibility that he would be able to change form, and was pleasantly surprised that he could in fact do so. After experimenting with a few different looks, even going so far as to emulate Link, he had decided to meet with Deschain in his previous form. Across from him, seated behind a mahogany desk, the gruff Sheriff looked at Ganondorf and said, “Continue.”
With a nod, the Gerudo said, “It’s fortunate that the supply train was able to arrive without my assistance, of course, but I do apologize for being unable to fulfill my part of the agreement. Unfortunately, Enel has gone out of control. He’s ousted me from my own Keep, and killed me as well. And while it’s fortunate that death isn’t permanent in this Omniverse, I’m still left with the predicament of regaining my home. This leaves me little recourse but to say that I won’t be able to provide further assistance to your town until the man has been dealt with.”
Roland waited a moment, composing his thoughts, before speaking, “This Town will make do without you, as it had before your arrival. While I can’t say I’m happy about our supply situation, I work hard to keep this town free and you’re also free to do what you want. I wish you luck in dealing with Enel and hope we can work together in the future.”
Nodding in agreement, Ganondorf stood, shook the man’s hand, and left. With that formality out of the way, it was finally time to return home. As he exited the building, the Gerudo noticed that the crowds hadn’t diminished in the slightest. In fact, if anything, they had grown. It seemed this Dante’s Abyss business was popular. Perhaps popular enough that if he were to win it, he’d gain enough of a hold over these peon’s hearts to bring them to him. The promise of Omnilium was enticing too; if the man he’d spoken to earlier were to be believed there was to be a substantial prize of it waiting for the victor. Still, these were thoughts for later. For now, he had to remain focused on his Keep, and Enel. Who knew what the man was up to in his absence?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Ganondorf looked upon the grandeur of his Keep, he couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride in what he created. And a deep pain that the man who had killed him had taken possession of it. The Gerudo King stood outside the gates of the castle and stared at the polished wood of them. His hands were shaking, his heart pounding, and the sweat beading on his forehead had nothing to do with the heat. Ganondorf cursed himself for a coward and even though his rage had burned bright on the way here, now that he stood mere feet from confronting Enel, a tinge of worry had worked itself into his emotions. The man inside had bested him once before, and if Ganondorf couldn’t maintain his calm, it was likely that the two would be in conflict again. The Gerudo was not eager to find out if another fight between to two of them would result in the same conclusion. At least, not until he felt secure in his own victory. That meant gaining more power, and some allies wouldn’t hurt either.
So, he thought, I must keep Enel calm, and most importantly off-balance. I can’t allow him to stay here. The insult is too great. But neither can I force him to leave… not with any guarantee of success. Tact. That’s the key. I must be cautious, but neither can I be subservient. After our battle, he’ll see right through that. Hrmm… An idea suddenly came to the Gerudo and a sly grin crossed his lips. Yes… I think that might work.
His mood much improved, and a plan in mind, Ganondorf’s confidence returned and he pushed open the grand doors. Once his eyes adjusted to the dim interior, it was clear that things were even worse than he had imagined. Upon the high dais, and in his throne no less, sat Enel, peering his way and squinting in the harsh outdoor light. At his feet, his servants sat, gazing up at the ‘God’ in blank-eyed adoration. Worse still was the fourth person at his feet, a bruised woman with her eyes fixed firmly on a place somehow beyond the stone at her knees. Her red hair, like one of the others, has obviously groomed to the point of pain, her hair done in a tight ponytail at the back of her neck. And though she was stripped nude, it was hard not to imagine her in her Gerudo garb… as Firani was when last Ganondorf had seen her. He stepped fully inside and as they were designed to do, the doors closed behind him. Upon the throne, Enel scoffed slightly and said, “Pet, go see who’s here for daddy.”
To Ganondorf’s irritation, Firani immediately leapt to her feet and hurried down the dais to him. The entire time her eyes remained on the floor, yet when she came close, they rose to take in his face. Despite his new appearance, those eyes of hers shone in immediate recognition and a relieved smile spread her recently bloodied lips.
“L-lord! You’ve come back!”
Firani embrace Ganondorf as a person holds onto their last bastion of hope, sinewy arms tight around his mid-section and her face buried in his chest. With a soft sigh, her master held her in his arms as well, gently stroking her hair and whispering soft calming noises to her. Enel, having been distracted by his mindless wenches feeding him small fruits and other delicacies called out without looking, “You’re taking too long, Pet. Who is it?”
Firani immediately pulled herself free of her embrace, her gaze returning to the floor for a moment. Slowly, she seemed to fight against this conditioning and looked up at Enel. “Lord Ganondorf has returned,” she said in reply, he voice stammering with fear. Enel laughed, as he sat upright to look down at them.
“You can’t be serious. I killed that fool. Boiled his little brain out of his skull. I doubt very much he could come back after that.”
The God upon the Throne gazed down at the two of them for a moment, tilting his head a bit, before speaking again, “That guy does look a bit like him though. Another pretender, no doubt, and no less easily dispatched if I have the mind to.” Enel scoffed, waving his hand dismissingly.
“Easily dispatched wasn’t what I remember, Enel,” Ganondorf replied, his voice firm despite the worry that remained with him. “I recall that you had quite a time of it.”
The baldy sputter in surprise, and anger, at those words and glared down at Ganondorf, “So, it is you… you might look different, but you sure don’t sound different.”
Just as suddenly as the anger had come upon him it left, and Enel chuckled softly, kicking a leg up over the arm of the throne.
“So the red-headed step-child comes back home, like a dog with his tail between his legs. I have to say, you might be a loser, Ganondorf, but you have good taste. This place is fantastic. Needs a little redecoration, of course, but overall it’s ALMOST good enough to be my toilet. Still, it’s the best this dump of a place has to offer, so I think I’ll stay. If you’d like, I might be convinced to give you a place to sleep at the foot of my bed. Well, after some time outside. Bad dogs do need to be punished, after all.”
Anger rose in Ganondorf at Enel’s insolence, an anger he quickly shoved down before he replied, “Actually, I was just coming to check in on things, Enel. And I’m honestly a bit surprised to find you here.”
“Why would that be surprising,” Enel asked, picking his nose with a pinky, “It’s my home now, after all.”
“Of course, of course…” Ganondorf said, hands raised at his sides, “You beat me, so that’s only fair. Still, I thought you had some agenda with our host Omni. Don’t tell me this opulence has you complacent?”
Enel snorted in derision, rising back to an upright position and staring daggers down at Ganondorf. “I’ll deal with that fool when I’m good and ready, Ganondorf. It’s not your place to question a God.”
In reply, Ganondorf nodded his head, “Of course. You’re right. I’m sure you’ll get to it as soon as you want to.”
“You’re damn right I will!” Enel shouted, standing from the throne with staff in hand. Ganondorf sighed and returned his attention to Firani. She stood before him, her back pressed against his chest. Her eyes fluctuated from looking up at Enel in triumph and staring at the floor in defeat. Her legs were shaking and even from behind her Ganondorf could tell tears were falling from her cheeks. Taking hold of her shoulders, the Gerudo King turned her to face him and smiled down at her.
“It’s ok, Firani,” he said. “It will all be over soon. He’ll never hurt you again. I promise.”
As those words left his lips, his hands slid from her shoulders to her throat. Her eyes, so full of hope and happiness, grew suddenly frantic and fearful. She beat at him with her fists, and her legs kicked as the muscular man lifted her from the floor. Tears slid down her cheeks, wetting Ganondorf’s arms, yet no sound could escape her lips. For a long moment, she struggled against him, yet her motions grew sluggish and eventually she fell limp. Her large green eyes stared blankly at Ganondorf, and her Master gently took her into his arms.
A clanging from above drew Ganondorf’s attention back to Enel. The man was staring at him in shock, his staff having slipped from his grasp at the moment of Firani’s death. Ganondorf spared Enel a slight smirk and a shrug, before turning for the doors. “If you’ll excuse me, Enel. I have matters to attend to. Have a good day.”
And with that, Ganondorf pulled open the gates and left. But it wasn’t just the Keep he left behind, as he strode across the desert. He left in that place the last vestige of the Gerudo he once was. The only consolation he had was that Enel had been too far away to see the wetness on his cheeks. Some distance away, the great Lord of the Darkness set to burying the one person whom had cared for him unconditionally in this world.
Of course, thinking of home reminded Ganondorf of his Keep… and of Enel. These thoughts pricked at his ego, spurring the Gerudo into motion, and he began to long trek to the Town with No Name. Each step along the path seemed another insult to the great King, and his anger steadily grew along the way. By the time he arrived in Town, his anger had grown to a roaring blaze, a red-hot flame burning in his chest. A flame which immediately burned down as Ganondorf strode into the town square. He looked around in wonder at the strange commotion going on around him. Here and there, the townspeople bustled back and forth. The air practically hummed with the sounds of conversation, laughter, and shouting. Pavilions lined the street, in which peddlers plied their wares. It was a far cry from the atmosphere of depression, apathy, and debauchery Ganondorf had encountered when he’d first come here.
For a moment, the Demon King simply moved with the crowd, the general mass heading towards the Sheriff’s Office, outside of which the largest pavilion stood. As Ganondorf neared, he was shocked to hear a voice at his side speak to him.
“Lookin’ to join up in the game?”
Turning, Ganondorf saw that it was the same blonde fellow who had ‘welcomed’ him to town all that time ago. “Game?” he asked, an eyebrow raised in quizzically. The guy nodded and continued, “Something called ‘Dante’s Abyss’. A gameshow, or something… I dunno. Seems like something only a crazy person would get themselves into, if you ask me.”
He paused for a brief moment before continuing, “Ya know, I almost didn’t recognize you, Ganondorf. Trying out a new look?”
Ganondorf’s mind was still reeling over this ‘gameshow’ talk, so he was caught completely unprepared for that comment. The giant man nearly staggered back at his words and asked, “What are you talking about?”
The blonde man gave him a coy grin and shrugged, “I guess you ain’t looked in a mirror lately, huh? Well, just take a look at your hands. And check your hair while you’re at it.”
Curious as to what he meant, Ganondorf complied, and was shocked again to find that he did, indeed, look differently than he did before he died. Well, at least the parts of him he could see. His hands were covered in golden gauntlets, his hair was FAR longer than it had been, and even his clothing seemed to have changed, gaining a look more akin to armor. In fact, if Ganondorf had to guess, he’d say that he looked awfully similar to Demise himself. The Gerudo scowled at the memory of the demon and sincerely hoped that Demise didn’t think that simply changing that way Ganondorf looked was a fulfillment of his promise of power.
“Kinda weird you didn’t know, Ganondorf… you don’t seem the type to let things happen without your knowledge. Or maybe you’re some kind of Shapeshifter? Don’t seem the type for that either, but I’ve been fooled before.”
Finally having gotten over the shock of his surroundings, and of his changes, Ganondorf merely shrugged absently and looked back to the pavilion. Still, the Sheriff had given him something to consider. If his appearance had changed before, who’s to say it couldn’t change again? Perhaps that was the gift Demise had given him. Seemed a poor excuse for ‘hidden power’, but it was certainly better than nothing. As the Gerudo gazed at the line of people moving towards the tented area, he spoke again, “Tell me more of this game.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Later on, Ganondorf found himself sitting in the Sheriff’s Office proper. Having gotten the information he’d desired from the blonde fellow, the Gerudo had requested a meeting with Deschain to discuss their arrangement. Before entering, he had toyed with the possibility that he would be able to change form, and was pleasantly surprised that he could in fact do so. After experimenting with a few different looks, even going so far as to emulate Link, he had decided to meet with Deschain in his previous form. Across from him, seated behind a mahogany desk, the gruff Sheriff looked at Ganondorf and said, “Continue.”
With a nod, the Gerudo said, “It’s fortunate that the supply train was able to arrive without my assistance, of course, but I do apologize for being unable to fulfill my part of the agreement. Unfortunately, Enel has gone out of control. He’s ousted me from my own Keep, and killed me as well. And while it’s fortunate that death isn’t permanent in this Omniverse, I’m still left with the predicament of regaining my home. This leaves me little recourse but to say that I won’t be able to provide further assistance to your town until the man has been dealt with.”
Roland waited a moment, composing his thoughts, before speaking, “This Town will make do without you, as it had before your arrival. While I can’t say I’m happy about our supply situation, I work hard to keep this town free and you’re also free to do what you want. I wish you luck in dealing with Enel and hope we can work together in the future.”
Nodding in agreement, Ganondorf stood, shook the man’s hand, and left. With that formality out of the way, it was finally time to return home. As he exited the building, the Gerudo noticed that the crowds hadn’t diminished in the slightest. In fact, if anything, they had grown. It seemed this Dante’s Abyss business was popular. Perhaps popular enough that if he were to win it, he’d gain enough of a hold over these peon’s hearts to bring them to him. The promise of Omnilium was enticing too; if the man he’d spoken to earlier were to be believed there was to be a substantial prize of it waiting for the victor. Still, these were thoughts for later. For now, he had to remain focused on his Keep, and Enel. Who knew what the man was up to in his absence?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As Ganondorf looked upon the grandeur of his Keep, he couldn’t help but feel a swell of pride in what he created. And a deep pain that the man who had killed him had taken possession of it. The Gerudo King stood outside the gates of the castle and stared at the polished wood of them. His hands were shaking, his heart pounding, and the sweat beading on his forehead had nothing to do with the heat. Ganondorf cursed himself for a coward and even though his rage had burned bright on the way here, now that he stood mere feet from confronting Enel, a tinge of worry had worked itself into his emotions. The man inside had bested him once before, and if Ganondorf couldn’t maintain his calm, it was likely that the two would be in conflict again. The Gerudo was not eager to find out if another fight between to two of them would result in the same conclusion. At least, not until he felt secure in his own victory. That meant gaining more power, and some allies wouldn’t hurt either.
So, he thought, I must keep Enel calm, and most importantly off-balance. I can’t allow him to stay here. The insult is too great. But neither can I force him to leave… not with any guarantee of success. Tact. That’s the key. I must be cautious, but neither can I be subservient. After our battle, he’ll see right through that. Hrmm… An idea suddenly came to the Gerudo and a sly grin crossed his lips. Yes… I think that might work.
His mood much improved, and a plan in mind, Ganondorf’s confidence returned and he pushed open the grand doors. Once his eyes adjusted to the dim interior, it was clear that things were even worse than he had imagined. Upon the high dais, and in his throne no less, sat Enel, peering his way and squinting in the harsh outdoor light. At his feet, his servants sat, gazing up at the ‘God’ in blank-eyed adoration. Worse still was the fourth person at his feet, a bruised woman with her eyes fixed firmly on a place somehow beyond the stone at her knees. Her red hair, like one of the others, has obviously groomed to the point of pain, her hair done in a tight ponytail at the back of her neck. And though she was stripped nude, it was hard not to imagine her in her Gerudo garb… as Firani was when last Ganondorf had seen her. He stepped fully inside and as they were designed to do, the doors closed behind him. Upon the throne, Enel scoffed slightly and said, “Pet, go see who’s here for daddy.”
To Ganondorf’s irritation, Firani immediately leapt to her feet and hurried down the dais to him. The entire time her eyes remained on the floor, yet when she came close, they rose to take in his face. Despite his new appearance, those eyes of hers shone in immediate recognition and a relieved smile spread her recently bloodied lips.
“L-lord! You’ve come back!”
Firani embrace Ganondorf as a person holds onto their last bastion of hope, sinewy arms tight around his mid-section and her face buried in his chest. With a soft sigh, her master held her in his arms as well, gently stroking her hair and whispering soft calming noises to her. Enel, having been distracted by his mindless wenches feeding him small fruits and other delicacies called out without looking, “You’re taking too long, Pet. Who is it?”
Firani immediately pulled herself free of her embrace, her gaze returning to the floor for a moment. Slowly, she seemed to fight against this conditioning and looked up at Enel. “Lord Ganondorf has returned,” she said in reply, he voice stammering with fear. Enel laughed, as he sat upright to look down at them.
“You can’t be serious. I killed that fool. Boiled his little brain out of his skull. I doubt very much he could come back after that.”
The God upon the Throne gazed down at the two of them for a moment, tilting his head a bit, before speaking again, “That guy does look a bit like him though. Another pretender, no doubt, and no less easily dispatched if I have the mind to.” Enel scoffed, waving his hand dismissingly.
“Easily dispatched wasn’t what I remember, Enel,” Ganondorf replied, his voice firm despite the worry that remained with him. “I recall that you had quite a time of it.”
The baldy sputter in surprise, and anger, at those words and glared down at Ganondorf, “So, it is you… you might look different, but you sure don’t sound different.”
Just as suddenly as the anger had come upon him it left, and Enel chuckled softly, kicking a leg up over the arm of the throne.
“So the red-headed step-child comes back home, like a dog with his tail between his legs. I have to say, you might be a loser, Ganondorf, but you have good taste. This place is fantastic. Needs a little redecoration, of course, but overall it’s ALMOST good enough to be my toilet. Still, it’s the best this dump of a place has to offer, so I think I’ll stay. If you’d like, I might be convinced to give you a place to sleep at the foot of my bed. Well, after some time outside. Bad dogs do need to be punished, after all.”
Anger rose in Ganondorf at Enel’s insolence, an anger he quickly shoved down before he replied, “Actually, I was just coming to check in on things, Enel. And I’m honestly a bit surprised to find you here.”
“Why would that be surprising,” Enel asked, picking his nose with a pinky, “It’s my home now, after all.”
“Of course, of course…” Ganondorf said, hands raised at his sides, “You beat me, so that’s only fair. Still, I thought you had some agenda with our host Omni. Don’t tell me this opulence has you complacent?”
Enel snorted in derision, rising back to an upright position and staring daggers down at Ganondorf. “I’ll deal with that fool when I’m good and ready, Ganondorf. It’s not your place to question a God.”
In reply, Ganondorf nodded his head, “Of course. You’re right. I’m sure you’ll get to it as soon as you want to.”
“You’re damn right I will!” Enel shouted, standing from the throne with staff in hand. Ganondorf sighed and returned his attention to Firani. She stood before him, her back pressed against his chest. Her eyes fluctuated from looking up at Enel in triumph and staring at the floor in defeat. Her legs were shaking and even from behind her Ganondorf could tell tears were falling from her cheeks. Taking hold of her shoulders, the Gerudo King turned her to face him and smiled down at her.
“It’s ok, Firani,” he said. “It will all be over soon. He’ll never hurt you again. I promise.”
As those words left his lips, his hands slid from her shoulders to her throat. Her eyes, so full of hope and happiness, grew suddenly frantic and fearful. She beat at him with her fists, and her legs kicked as the muscular man lifted her from the floor. Tears slid down her cheeks, wetting Ganondorf’s arms, yet no sound could escape her lips. For a long moment, she struggled against him, yet her motions grew sluggish and eventually she fell limp. Her large green eyes stared blankly at Ganondorf, and her Master gently took her into his arms.
A clanging from above drew Ganondorf’s attention back to Enel. The man was staring at him in shock, his staff having slipped from his grasp at the moment of Firani’s death. Ganondorf spared Enel a slight smirk and a shrug, before turning for the doors. “If you’ll excuse me, Enel. I have matters to attend to. Have a good day.”
And with that, Ganondorf pulled open the gates and left. But it wasn’t just the Keep he left behind, as he strode across the desert. He left in that place the last vestige of the Gerudo he once was. The only consolation he had was that Enel had been too far away to see the wetness on his cheeks. Some distance away, the great Lord of the Darkness set to burying the one person whom had cared for him unconditionally in this world.