Rage of the Rathalos (Saga)

[Illidan Stormrage]

"You'll 'deal' with it?" Link said, dropping his guard as the stone smouldered a few steps away. "Do you have any idea how powerful Ganon is in that form? If you can 'deal' with him while he's like that, you're welcome to come back to Hyrule seven years ago."

The Hylian's words were drowned out by the collision of the green dragon against the firm cave wall. Link turned just in time to catch the Triforce fueled monster gore the scaly beast with its thick tusks. Blood gushed from the wounds. The Rathian slammed back onto the ground and bellowed, enraged by the deep incisions in its chest. The successful attack distracted the guy who tried to stop Link's advance, and thus the Hero of Time sprinted forward, ready to skewer his quarry through the throat like times of yore.

Perhaps it was the enhanced olfactory sense due to the enormous snout that Ganon sported, but he spun about to spot him. In his furious eyes, primal and shimmering with white light, a glint of recognition registered. Ganon trudged forward, blood slinking down his tusks. His thick red mane shook with each hooved step, massive arms swaying calmly by his side. As the other adventurers rallied around Link, sensing the impending clash, he remembered that stormy night when he sealed Ganon away. He could almost hear the crackling of thunder as the monster's hooves splintered the ground beneath him.

Then Ganon stopped and stared at Link, as if surprised to see him. A howl burst from his porcine lips, jostling the cavern on a scale not seen by the dragon's fury, and his body fell apart in front of Link's eyes. He watched in horror as Ganon underwent some form of rapid decay, clumps of flesh and fur slipping clean off and building a mountain of gore. In short order the man-boar was gone.

Link couldn't fathom what he just saw. A mound of slick giblets was all that remained of Ganon, and for ostensibly no reason. Then, as if nothing was wrong, Ganondorf arose from the carnage, body wet and slimy. Was that how he left his bestial form while suspended in the Sacred Realm? Link never saw that, and he was glad for it.

In his typical bravado, Ganondorf tossed his cape aside and readied to fight again. The man who stopped Link earlier approached the Gerudo King and offered his name. Hairy, or something just as obtuse. In any case, Hairy had some impressive powers of his own; a short ritual conjured a pulsing hand of energy and it seized the remaining dragon's snout. A spurt of smoke jetted from the monster's nostrils, flames spitting from between clenched teeth. The Rathian wouldn't be so easily contained this time.

Link didn't care. There were enough people here to handle the dragon. Now that he knew Ganondorf was still capable of his Triforce induced transformation, he was too dangerous to ally with, even for a short time. No doubt weakened from demon-boar to Gerudo, there was no better time to strike.

Link grasped his bow, notched an arrow and watched a tiny flame burst over the arrowhead until it engulfed it. He released. The fire arrow sped through the air, a cape of smoke flapping behind in its wake. Ganondorf's head cocked and he spun. His eyes widened when he spotted the flaming projectile, but his shock didn't affect his reflexes. The arrow clang sharply against the Gerudo's forearm and rebounded harmlessly. A small fire lit on his arm and he quickly put it out.

Ganondorf grinned. "Your aim is off, boy. The dragon's over there."

Link returned his bow over his shoulder and withdrew his Master Sword and shield. "I know what I was doing." He charged forward, leaving the others incredulous at his actions.

"What are you doing?" Hairy called out as he struggled to keep the dragon subdued. "This is no time for fighting each other!"

Link ignored him. What the strangely dressed mage didn't understand was the extent of Ganondorf's power. He once conquered an entire kingdom by himself, and all Hairy was worried about was a dragon with two deep wounds and dwindling energy? No, the true battle was with the Gerudo. It was masked to all but Link, but he wouldn't let it pass him by.

The Hylian soldier took two long strides and lept into the air, Master Sword poised over his head. Ganondorf's countenance changed from derision and mockery to the unfabricated hatred the two men shared for one another. For a split second, Link suspended in mid air, they shared the first real exchange since their final battle amid the ruins of Ganon's Castle.

Moving like a leaf on the wind, Ganondorf dodged the downward slash and quickly counterattacked, his hand consumed in purple flame. Link copped the Warlock Punch on his shield and slid backwards, his feet dragging trenches through the dirt.

"This is no time to be settling your grudge with me, kid," Ganondorf sneered.

Link tightened his grip of his goddess forged weapon. "I disagree. This is the perfect time."