07-18-2015, 05:36 PM
Ganondorf found himself regretting allowing Sinestro to choose their meeting place as the group followed Thaal into the rustic establishment he’d led them to. And rustic was being generous. A fine layer of dust and grit coated every horizontal surface in sight, once the Gerudo’s eyes adjusted from the blazing sunlight outside to the dim light within. This in spite of obvious attempts by the homely serving girl making her rounds at cleaning. It was just one of those unfortunate consequences that came from living in a desert. Every table and chair in the place seemed to lean or wobble, the glasses that stood upside-down in a row behind the barkeep were grimy, and the even the air itself seemed to hold an unclean feel as it entered the Gerudo’s lungs at every breath. The few locals who were ‘enjoying’ the restaurant seemed just as squalid as the restaurant itself, and no more happy about it than he.
Despite all of this, the Demon King couldn’t really complain. That didn’t stop Enel from turning up his nose and muttering an unsavory comment about how such a place was beneath a God. In spite of his aversion, he continued with the group to a nearby table, where the odd foursome seated themselves. In short time, their orders were placed and Ganondorf set to enjoying the first meal he’d had since that awful trail ration he’d consumed during the Abyss. While the cuisine was certainly lackluster to that which he was used to, as a King, it was a far cry better than that swill, and considering the state of the Town, it seemed the best it had to offer. The egotistical God, however, took a single bite and pushed his plate away with a glower.
“Enel…” Ganondorf began, taking his under-lip between his teeth and breaking eye contact as he sought the words he needed to speak. “I know that this place isn’t exactly what either of us are accustomed to.”
“I know we’re not on the best of terms right now, either,” Ganondorf added as Enel afforded him a disdainful glare for both touching him and address him by name. “Neither of those things matter right now. As much as our egos would hate to admit it, we’re not the Gods we were back in our own worlds. Here, we’re little more than men. We still possess great power, but we’ve been diminished. As such, we can’t afford to give up a chance to make new allies.”
The giant Gerudo looked towards Sinestro and Strazio as they listened to the two men talking, illustrating his point. “Our goals, like our prides, are large. Nothing less than everything will suffice. Am I wrong?”
His long-eared companion scoffed at Ganon’s words, crossing his arms. But the subtle shifting of his shoulders and the almost imperceptible twitch of Enel’s eye let the Gerudo know that he was, at least, listening to his words.
“Enel. We can’t fulfill our dreams alone. Not in any time frame that would satisfy us. As much as I dislike you, and don’t be fooled by my gracious tone, I do, I recognize the strength you possess. I’ve gained a measure of respect for you in that fight. So, while what you did to Firani I will never forgive, I’m willing to set that aside, for now.”
The Demon King’s gaze swept to the other two as he spoke, and he began speaking to them as a group.
“I’ve seen the state of these lands, and of the Omniverse in general. It’s in chaos. Its citizens cry out in suffering, yet the powers that be do nothing. Omni does nothing. He brought us here with little more than a brief explanation and set us upon a path to ruin. And so, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is up to us to create a utopia of this world. To bring order and peace to not just the Dunes, but to the entire Omniverse.”
“Us?” Strazio asked, a raised eyebrow directed towards the Gerudo. Ganondorf nodded in reply and continued.
“Yes, us. As I said, I know such a task cannot be done by any one man. An undertaking of this magnitude will take a group of men, and women, willing to do what it necessary to ensure the prosperity of the world and its people. To give them life where there is death, happiness where there is despair, and peace where there is anarchy.”
Enel scoffed derisively, picking a booger from his nose with his pinky as he spoke, “What do I care for the people? They’re nothing more than maggots, fit only to serve me.”
Ganondorf chuckled softly, lending an amused tone to his words.
“Those fixated on their problems won’t be able to give you your due respect. A people ridden with grief cannot give adulation to their God. Dead men can no longer give worship”
Giving Thaal a meaningful glance, Ganondorf continued, “And dead men cannot fear. Most importantly, a population stricken with death, thievery, hate, war, and strife won’t be able to serve us. Make no mistake that I do this for altruistic reasons, friends. My plans are completely self-serving, and I expect your own to be. I desire Omnilium, for it is the path upon which I will regain my former glory and the means in which I will overthrow Omni. I seek to use the means of my enemy to my own advantage, and I will use the people he’s brought here to see that my goal is attained.”
The golden gaze of the Gerudo King once again swept over the others as he paused to give weight to his words.
“I don’t expect any of you to help me out of the goodness of your heart, and that’s not what I’m proposing. I seek to create a group of… well, not quite like-minded individuals, but perhaps people who share an interest in bringing order to the Omniverse. We’ll each pursue our own goals, as before, yet we’ll do so knowing we have allies at our back to assist us in attaining those goals.”
A meaty finger pointed to each of them in turn as he drove home the point. “Enel: You wish to attain your former glory, your status, and to destroy Omni. In your endeavor, I vow to lend assistance. Strazio: You seek to bring peace to Darkshire and to destroy the evil besieging it. In this I also vow to help. Thaal… Well, our goals are the most aligned of any at this table. We both seek order. You have my assistance in your endeavor. We Lord of the Arid Waste will bring the Omniverse to heel and in doing so create a utopia for all. We shall bring LAW and order to the people and they will thank us for it. We will be Gods amongst ants and they will worship us as our iron fist protects them from the horrors that would otherwise over run them.”
The three men sat in silence a moment after Ganondorf finished, a silence broken as Strazio spoke up.
“And how exactly are we going to do this?”
Ganon grinned malevolently, a deep chuckle issuing from within his throat. “Freedom, Mr. Rockwell. It’s the bane of the masses. The more free they are, the less secure they will be. I want nothing more than to create a world where any man can be happy, healthy, and safe. Our LAW will be harsh and absolute. At first, they will rail against our policies, but before long they will see the wisdom of our rule. They will settle into their roles and be the happier for it. They will fear nothing if they adhere to our rules. And those which break the LAW… they will be dealt with in a manner which will send a message to further transgressors.”
Thaal, who had been doing little more than listening until this point, spoke up, “And who would be in charge of this… Lords of the Arid Waste? This LAW of yours. You?”
Ganondorf shook his head and smiled warmly. “No. Any one in charge would need to be constantly looking over his or her shoulder, wary of betrayal and being usurped. Just as I want all our subjects to be equal under us, I wish that we also be as equals. As I said, we will all pursue our goals, and assist the others in doing so as well. No one person will stand above another in the LAW.”
The great Gerudo hulk leaned over the table and eyed each of them in turn before asking, “So, who will join me in this crusade to bring peace to the world? To join me in this alliance of mutual benefit as we work together to attain our dreams? Who is ready to become a Lord of the Arid Waste?”
Despite all of this, the Demon King couldn’t really complain. That didn’t stop Enel from turning up his nose and muttering an unsavory comment about how such a place was beneath a God. In spite of his aversion, he continued with the group to a nearby table, where the odd foursome seated themselves. In short time, their orders were placed and Ganondorf set to enjoying the first meal he’d had since that awful trail ration he’d consumed during the Abyss. While the cuisine was certainly lackluster to that which he was used to, as a King, it was a far cry better than that swill, and considering the state of the Town, it seemed the best it had to offer. The egotistical God, however, took a single bite and pushed his plate away with a glower.
“Enel…” Ganondorf began, taking his under-lip between his teeth and breaking eye contact as he sought the words he needed to speak. “I know that this place isn’t exactly what either of us are accustomed to.”
“I know we’re not on the best of terms right now, either,” Ganondorf added as Enel afforded him a disdainful glare for both touching him and address him by name. “Neither of those things matter right now. As much as our egos would hate to admit it, we’re not the Gods we were back in our own worlds. Here, we’re little more than men. We still possess great power, but we’ve been diminished. As such, we can’t afford to give up a chance to make new allies.”
The giant Gerudo looked towards Sinestro and Strazio as they listened to the two men talking, illustrating his point. “Our goals, like our prides, are large. Nothing less than everything will suffice. Am I wrong?”
His long-eared companion scoffed at Ganon’s words, crossing his arms. But the subtle shifting of his shoulders and the almost imperceptible twitch of Enel’s eye let the Gerudo know that he was, at least, listening to his words.
“Enel. We can’t fulfill our dreams alone. Not in any time frame that would satisfy us. As much as I dislike you, and don’t be fooled by my gracious tone, I do, I recognize the strength you possess. I’ve gained a measure of respect for you in that fight. So, while what you did to Firani I will never forgive, I’m willing to set that aside, for now.”
The Demon King’s gaze swept to the other two as he spoke, and he began speaking to them as a group.
“I’ve seen the state of these lands, and of the Omniverse in general. It’s in chaos. Its citizens cry out in suffering, yet the powers that be do nothing. Omni does nothing. He brought us here with little more than a brief explanation and set us upon a path to ruin. And so, I’ve come to the conclusion that it is up to us to create a utopia of this world. To bring order and peace to not just the Dunes, but to the entire Omniverse.”
“Us?” Strazio asked, a raised eyebrow directed towards the Gerudo. Ganondorf nodded in reply and continued.
“Yes, us. As I said, I know such a task cannot be done by any one man. An undertaking of this magnitude will take a group of men, and women, willing to do what it necessary to ensure the prosperity of the world and its people. To give them life where there is death, happiness where there is despair, and peace where there is anarchy.”
Enel scoffed derisively, picking a booger from his nose with his pinky as he spoke, “What do I care for the people? They’re nothing more than maggots, fit only to serve me.”
Ganondorf chuckled softly, lending an amused tone to his words.
“Those fixated on their problems won’t be able to give you your due respect. A people ridden with grief cannot give adulation to their God. Dead men can no longer give worship”
Giving Thaal a meaningful glance, Ganondorf continued, “And dead men cannot fear. Most importantly, a population stricken with death, thievery, hate, war, and strife won’t be able to serve us. Make no mistake that I do this for altruistic reasons, friends. My plans are completely self-serving, and I expect your own to be. I desire Omnilium, for it is the path upon which I will regain my former glory and the means in which I will overthrow Omni. I seek to use the means of my enemy to my own advantage, and I will use the people he’s brought here to see that my goal is attained.”
The golden gaze of the Gerudo King once again swept over the others as he paused to give weight to his words.
“I don’t expect any of you to help me out of the goodness of your heart, and that’s not what I’m proposing. I seek to create a group of… well, not quite like-minded individuals, but perhaps people who share an interest in bringing order to the Omniverse. We’ll each pursue our own goals, as before, yet we’ll do so knowing we have allies at our back to assist us in attaining those goals.”
A meaty finger pointed to each of them in turn as he drove home the point. “Enel: You wish to attain your former glory, your status, and to destroy Omni. In your endeavor, I vow to lend assistance. Strazio: You seek to bring peace to Darkshire and to destroy the evil besieging it. In this I also vow to help. Thaal… Well, our goals are the most aligned of any at this table. We both seek order. You have my assistance in your endeavor. We Lord of the Arid Waste will bring the Omniverse to heel and in doing so create a utopia for all. We shall bring LAW and order to the people and they will thank us for it. We will be Gods amongst ants and they will worship us as our iron fist protects them from the horrors that would otherwise over run them.”
The three men sat in silence a moment after Ganondorf finished, a silence broken as Strazio spoke up.
“And how exactly are we going to do this?”
Ganon grinned malevolently, a deep chuckle issuing from within his throat. “Freedom, Mr. Rockwell. It’s the bane of the masses. The more free they are, the less secure they will be. I want nothing more than to create a world where any man can be happy, healthy, and safe. Our LAW will be harsh and absolute. At first, they will rail against our policies, but before long they will see the wisdom of our rule. They will settle into their roles and be the happier for it. They will fear nothing if they adhere to our rules. And those which break the LAW… they will be dealt with in a manner which will send a message to further transgressors.”
Thaal, who had been doing little more than listening until this point, spoke up, “And who would be in charge of this… Lords of the Arid Waste? This LAW of yours. You?”
Ganondorf shook his head and smiled warmly. “No. Any one in charge would need to be constantly looking over his or her shoulder, wary of betrayal and being usurped. Just as I want all our subjects to be equal under us, I wish that we also be as equals. As I said, we will all pursue our goals, and assist the others in doing so as well. No one person will stand above another in the LAW.”
The great Gerudo hulk leaned over the table and eyed each of them in turn before asking, “So, who will join me in this crusade to bring peace to the world? To join me in this alliance of mutual benefit as we work together to attain our dreams? Who is ready to become a Lord of the Arid Waste?”