Desperation

Chapter 1

"I have an announcement."

The great room was alive with laughter and joyful voices. A fire in the hearth chased away the dark of night, while drinks were consumed. The Dragmire royal family was relieved to be home from traveling. They briefly detoured to the barren land that was once the Great Forest of Hyrule. The Princess of Evil had hunted the Hero of Hyrule, entered the sacred woods, and burned the forest to ashes with a single arrow. A group that resisted the reign of the evil family attempted in vain to help the land flourish. The only purpose for the King of Hyrule to visit was to ensure no new life sprouted, especially any saplings of the Great Deku Tree.

The royal family visited Death Mountain for the purpose of business with the boss of the Gorons. Complaints had filtered up to the castle that the supply of ore from the mines in the mountains was dwindling, that the Gorons had grown lazy and began to refuse work, even when offered hefty amounts of rupees. An agreement needed to be made to appease all parties. The king knew only the Gorons possessed the physical might to mine the necessary ore, and skin as tough as rocks to endure the broiling heat of the lava for endless hours. The queen promised to persuade the Hylians that stealing from the Gorons and acting malevolently toward them was dangerous to their health, to encourage them to continue regular productivity.

Finally, a day of rest at Zora's Domain to catch up on all the details heard across the waterways by the agents of the King of Evil. They spent the afternoon swimming, fell asleep with the setting sun, and woke in the morning to journey home.

A delicious dinner was organized by the castle chef, consisting of roast cucco and wild boar, fresh fruits, and sweet pies, to celebrate their safe return to Hyrule Castle. They retired to the great room once their bellies were full to enjoy each other's company.

Ganondorf was seated on the bench at the organ, preparing to play for his queen. He lifted his goblet of brandy to take another swallow when his daughter called for attention.

Ganondora paused massaging her husband's shoulders and curiously tilted her head toward their daughter, waiting patiently for her to speak.

"Mom, Dad," the princess began bravely, her voice firm. She subconsciously combed her fingers through the tail of amber hair flowing over her shoulder. Her husband, a slender male Gerudo with scarlet hair, rose from the couch to rest an encouraging arm around her shoulders. "Felious and I are expecting." Din decided that statement might have been vague. There could be no room for interpretation. "I am with child!"

Ganondorf's strength failed and he dropped his crystal goblet to the floor, staining the carpet with his dark beverage.

At the same time, overcome with excitement, Dora abandoned the king's side and rushed to wrap her daughter in a warm embrace. "Congratulations! We must celebrate! I hope this isn't unexpected."

Din accepted air into her lungs after her mother's ecstatic reaction, and then she laughed. "Oh no. We have been trying for some time, actually. Like you, we had some difficulty." She glanced at her father, hoping his response would prove just as positive.

The King of Evil's expression was unreadable stone. His red and yellow eyes shifted from the spilled drink to the black and ivory keys, as if he broke free of a trance. He arranged his fingers on the beginning notes and gently pressed the keys to begin his song.

Dora shot a glare at the back of Ganondorf's head, and then kissed Din on the forehead for reassurance. "I'm not entirely surprised. I noticed a few of the signs. How far along are you?"

"Three months," Din answered, smiling. "Trust me, keeping this a secret from you was torture," she advised at her mother's look of concern. "It's that so often an unborn child can be lost early. I felt it best not to raise anyone's hopes."

"I understand. All that matters is that I am finally going to be a grandmother!"

Ganondorf leaned over the keys, transfixed on one spot without truly seeing them. His mind processed Din's spectacular news as both a father and a king, with a myriad of circumstances and situations revolving in his mind. Losing himself to the haunting melody and malevolent harmony ringing from the pipes helped bring clairvoyance. "Felious," Ganondorf called sternly, his fingers dancing elegantly across the keys like a master pianists. The prince hastened from his wife's side and stood at attention by the bench to anxiously await his father-in-laws direction. "Din must be protected at all costs," he said ominously, speaking under the volume of the organ. "Increase security around the castle and investigate the staff for possible traitors. As her stomach grows, so does the target on her back."

Felious nearly failed to restrain his laughter. He mistakenly assumed Ganondorf would react with fury and hate. Instead, the king acknowledged the events as if he anticipated them, and already set in motion measures to keep Din safe from harm. "No doubt some vile fiends may take this opportunity to strike, especially while Din is susceptible. I will always be by her side to defend her. You can rely on me. I'd give my life for hers," Felious promised.

"Good," Ganondorf responded, his expectations met.

Dora cracked a smirk to see Ganondorf privately discussing business with Felious. When the prince waved his fingers, Din rushed toward him. She wrapped her arms around her father's strong neck and kissed the top of his head. "Thank you, Daddy. I love you."

Ganondorf valiantly fought the powerful urge to smile, and failed. In the end, he turned his head to free the expression, while concealing his emotion from the others.

Chapter 2

His heart pounded steadily and swiftly within his chest. The thumping of his pulse in his ears combined with chaotic breathing was deafening. The hand pressed to his waist failed to staunch the flow of crimson gushing from the laceration in his waist with every step. The deep gorge was miles long, but at the finish was a ruined temple, nearly crushed by the weight of the surrounding rock. Behind him were three Yiga, the ones who delivered his fatal wounds. Each of them sprinted, intermittently teleporting short distances to gain ground. The man being chased wore dark blue attire, with an oval mask bearing a large singular eye in front of his forehead and a large tear down the middle. Those in pursuit wore red and black, their masks a direct inversion of the former symbol.

The man winced, the gash continuously tearing as a result of his great strides, soaking his gloved hand with blood before leaving a trail on the dirt. He reached the temple, but refused to lose his speed. The guardians that once lurked there were demolished for parts long ago. He only needed to weave around and leap over the rubble to reach the deepest region of the temple that was underground. The shrine between him and his destination stood proud, but dull, all of its magic having died a century ago. The edges of his vision blurred. His balance was lost and he slammed into the side of the shrine as he tried to go around. The collision knocked him off balance and he collapsed on his side with a horrible groan. Still not beaten, he crawled to the dais at the base of the goddess statue that reached the ceiling of the temple. He strongly believed this monument possessed the most direct connection to all of the goddesses, even Hylia. Although she sacrificed her immortal soul to be reborn and better able to protect her children, to defend the Triforce, he prayed with all his might that she may still lend an ear to the grievances of Hyrule. He lay, pitiful and weak, upon the ground and touched the stone. His time was limited.

"Goddesses of old, Hylia, Din, Nayru, and Farore, we are desperate. These are the words of the last Sheikah fighting against the evil that plagues Hyrule. We need your help!" He grimaced and hissed, his body ravaged by the sharp pains in his side. "Please. The last hero was killed by the Queen of Evil. Hylia has not been reborn. If you do not intervene, the world will forever remain in darkness." A cough violently shook his torso, and blood splashed the inside of his mask. Writhing in agony, he dug for the strength to continue. "Ganondorf has deceived many Hyruleans to believe he is a greater king than the ancestors of the Hyrule family. They cannot see the death he has brought to maintain this false peace. This is Hyrule's final hope!"

As the last words passed his lips, the Yiga sprang over the shrine and surrounded him menacingly. The three thrust their weapons straight down. The Sheikah screamed one painful cry as he was torn apart into three sections.

The Yiga tilted their heads up, looking between each other, until one advised, "We need to report to Felious immediately." In unison, they sheathed their weapons and placed their hands together in front of them, using a hand gesture to focus their energy. They bowed their heads slightly in concentration, and then vanished.

Chapter 3

Heavy clouds rolled in over the old kingdom. Rising from bed that morning would have been difficult for Felious, had he not been alarmed by three Yiga eagerly requesting an audience. The information he received was equally unsettling and welcomed. All the groggy traces of a restless sleep were erased. He needed to fulfill his responsibility of relaying the important details to the king and queen.

After breakfast, Dora would usually go out for a ride on her mare, but on such a dreary day that threatened storms with lightning, she enjoyed sitting in the study by the warmth of the fire to write in her journal. Before Felious sought his own bread and eggs, he located his mother-in-law exactly where he predicted. He was not surprised to find Ganondorf there with her, inspecting the newly discovered Cane of Byrna. In unison, the queen peered up from her parchment and the king twisted from his research. Without waiting for his presence to be acknowledged, Felious grinned and advised, "I can confirm that the last Sheikah has been eliminated."

Dora rested her pen on the desk and elegantly stood to address the prince. "At last we have achieved a long awaited victory. What has you so distressed?" she wondered knowingly.

"He led my Yiga to a goddess statue deep in a forgotten temple at the end of Tanagar Canyon, where he was able to offer a final prayer," Felious explained calmly. "My men are concerned for the ramifications."

Ganondorf's fingers curled around the blue cane and he stabbed the base of it into the floor with a thunk. "The final piece of any resistance is gone, which may convince the goddesses to intervene. Without Hylia, and the last hero recently executed, nothing remains to balance the darkness," he explained wisely, glancing at Dora.

"I must admit, I've been distracted by a sense of uncertainty since waking this morning," Dora confessed, and avoided dwelling on the manner of her adopted son's death. "This unease is usually put to rest after speaking with the Desert Goddess. Perhaps she will have some answers."

"Then go and visit the temple this afternoon," Ganondorf instructed. "With your connection, you should receive useful information."

"What could the goddesses hope to achieve?" she wondered her thoughts aloud with a laugh. "You have the Triforce, a source of immeasurable power. Nothing can hope to defeat you."

"Not only that, Queen Ganondora," Felious added.

"I told you the formalities are unnecessary," she corrected.

"Yes, I know. It's a difficult habit to break," he sighed. "The people of Hyrule are your secret weapon. Your evil may permeate the world, but the last generation has grown attached to you as their king and queen. Those who have accepted your reign, that have witnessed the proof of your ability as true leaders, would readily fight for you and this divine land."

"Therein lies my true power," Ganondorf said, amused. "These political games are a farce. My verdicts for justice are merely entertainment. It is all coming to an end. If the goddesses want to destroy me, they will need to go through the rest of Hyrule first."

Dora smiled, admiring her husband's cunning and intelligence. "I will leave for the desert in an hour."

"All I ask is we not disturb Din with this matter until absolutely necessary. She has enough to worry about," Felious humbly requested.

Ganondorf responded with a nod. "We will meet once Dora returns to decide the significance of this possible threat."

Chapter 4

The desert welcomed Dora home with searing winds, burning sand, and storms stirring up in the distance. She had torn through the paths around Hyrule Field at a gallop, parted the Gerudo Valley, but the sand was impossible for her horse to traverse. Gerudo Town was the farthest Dora could travel, using the man made paths laid out in the sand. She was greeted with pleasantly surprised Gerudo when she arrived. They eagerly led her horse to the covered stables for water, while others offered their assistance.

"I need a seal to reach the Desert Colossus," Dora declared.

"Your majesty," called a voice trembling with age. A hunched elderly woman slowly approached the queen. "The desert is in turmoil. I must question your judgment in choosing to journey over the dunes today."

Since conquering Hyrule, Dora was proud to say the population of her people increased by more than double. The town even expanded to accommodate all the freshly blooming desert flowers. "All the more reason for me to make haste, Fayoru."

The elder consented to her queen's request. "I disagree, but I'm wise enough to avoid standing in your way."

"Come with me, your majesty," a young Gerudo said, motioning for Dora to follow. "I can offer you a seal and equip you with a shield," she graciously offered.

The queen immediately agreed to be escorted, while the others bowed as she left their presence. A jeweler's shop they passed was filled to the brim with vai of all races, even a few brave Zora. "My husband gave me enough rupees to buy that necklace I've always wanted," exclaimed an excited Rito woman. Dora smiled with content to see business thrived.

The Gerudo led Dora through an arch, into an alley filled with voices that carried from the windows of the canteen. The small lounge had been refurbished several times over the years, becoming a famous place to not only enjoy great company and excellent drinks, but also exquisite food. A few of the exceedingly skilled Gerudo, who prepared to cook for their future husbands, returned to prepare their succulent dishes for their own people, and to cure the hunger of the intoxicated. That novel concept quickly drew new faces to Gerudo Town, and the tables were always full.

Dora strolled down the alley to the northern exit of town. The seal renting business thrived, even becoming a popular attraction for women on tour of the desert. Seals ranging from brown, to green, to pink were cared for by young girls, one of them a blonde Hylian that Dora recognized as Esmerelda.

The woman aiding Dora offered her a cloak for protection from the sand and the sun. A rope was secured around her waist and attached like a harness to the rotund seal lazily resting directly in front of her. She thought the beasts to be atrocious, even if they made venturing into the desert a meager task. Dora firmly planted one foot on the back of the rusted metal shield, and slid the other into the hand grip.

"Remember to lean in the direction you want the seal to go. Most importantly, when you're ready to stop, tilt back on the shield and tug on the rope. The seals are trained to slow down when they feel resistance on their bridle," the woman helping the queen explained.

"I've done this before," Dora reminded with a glare, securing the cowl over her head.

"Yes, but you're obviously nervous," she pointed out.

"Let's not pretend as if the story of how I fell on my face the first time I rode a sand seal isn't a popular one to tell at the canteen," she said, annoyed.

"Yes, your majesty," the sand seal trainer acknowledged with a humble nod of her head, but failed to hide an amused smile.

"I'll be back in a few hours," Dora informed with an irritated groan, and then slapped the sand seal's side to take off. The jolt was always difficult, but she held her arms straight at her sides for balance. Her borrowed attire helped minimize the sand stinging her exposed skin. Turning accurately was a talent at which Dora was only a novice. She constantly leaned left and right to stay on course, but she lacked total control of the sand seal. Nothing compared to the therapeutic sensation of her long, fiery hair flowing behind her in the refreshing wind, and the rhythmic gallop of a horse's hooves drumming the ground.

The temple quickly came into view as she traveled north west. Approaching from the north and moving south was a blur of dark, swirling sand, looking to intercept Dora on her path to the Desert Goddess. She narrowed her eyes and resolved to race against the storm to reach the temple. That meant she needed to do something she never did before. The Gerudo queen leaned forward, lowered herself to the shield, and commanded the sand seal to go faster.

The storm marched furiously ahead to cause boundless destruction and swallow everything in its path. Dora tucked her arms in and clutched the rope as if it were all that kept her alive. The seal rushed forward bravely, swimming relentlessly in the sand. "Don't stop," she repeated, even as the distance between her and the storm quickly diminished. At first, she thought they might avoid it completely, but the goddesses had other plans.

Chapter 5

The sand storm collided with Ganondora. She threw one arm over head and focused on the rope around her waist. The temple had been straight ahead. As long as they continued that course, they would emerge mostly unscathed at their destination. The fierce winds beat against her left side, threatening to change her heading. She leaned into the wind to avoid being tossed into the sand, without straying from her target. The sand seal struggled to swim straight as his thick skin was battered by the needles of sand. Instead of being frightened and slowing down, he darted forward even faster to escape the storm. Dora clenched her eyes, pinched her mouth shut, and prayed.

A few minutes later, but what felt like an eternity, Dora appeared out of the storm with the temple rising before her. She exhaled a breath of relief and lowered the cowl from around her head. The sand seal slowed when she leaned back and pulled gently on the rope. Only once the seal came to a complete stop did she step off the shield. Her legs wavered uncontrollably from the strain of maintaining her balance during the storm. After resting on her knees for several minutes, she tied the rope from her waist to a post outside the temple.

The exterior was bland, constructed from the side of the mountain of the Gerudo Highlands. A pesky Molduga had constantly interrupted their work, but was quickly destroyed before any lives were lost. The stone from excavating the interior of the temple was used to build the likeness of the Desert Goddess, as the original was lost to time. The ruins were buried in the sands and impossible to determine which rock belonged to the temple anymore.

Dora ascended the short set of stairs and entered the temple. The statue of the Desert Goddess welcomed her, positioned in the center of the wall opposite the entrance. Her divine facial features, from the shape of her eyes to her nose and chin, were all Gerudo. A snake sensually curled around her body, and its head rested on her shoulder. On a typical day, other Gerudo would have occupied the building to offer their prayers. The dangerous weather prevented travel for all but the reckless.

A plush carpet was placed in front of the statue’s crossed legs, and that was where Dora kneeled, with her head bowed and her hands together in prayer. “Goddess of the Sand, I am in need of your guidance. Ganondorf needs answers.”

The queen listened to the wind howl outside the temple’s threshold, while searching deep in her soul for her faith, for her strength of will, and summoned it to the surface. A smokey orange aura drifted from the heart of the statue and entered Dora. She filled with emotions of clarity and serenity before the goddess spoke in her mind. “My dearest acolyte.”

Dora’s spirits lifted at hearing the voice of her goddess in those warm and welcoming tones. She said nothing and waited patiently.

“I do not have good news to deliver. Ganondorf, and Hyrule, are in danger.”

“What can we do to prepare?” Dora wondered.

“You have a difficult battle ahead of you, my child. You must be prepared to reinforce Ganondorf at all costs. My sisters will not hold back. They are determined to erase your family forever. Beware the Divine Beasts. They will once more rise to target the demon.”

“Those mechanical monsters can be easily defeated,” she responded with unwavering confidence.

“Those are not the only beasts in Hyrule. Then you will need to look to the sky,” the Desert Goddess said mysteriously.

The queen easily guessed at the meaning in her words, and suddenly felt her courage quiver. “I understand.”

The Goddess of the Sand added a warning. “Dora, you must defend Ganondorf. It may be necessary for him to embrace his own beast.”

“No! I would rather lose everything, Hyrule and the Triforce, than watch him be consumed by Ganon again,” Dora refused angrily.

“When the time comes, you will not be able to convince him otherwise,” she said, nearly scolding Dora for her defiance.

A tear rolled from the corner of Dora’s eye, the truth painfully penetrating her heart. “I know.”

“I will be watching over you in this trying time,” the goddess promised solemnly. In a lighter tone, she added, “Return to Ganondorf. Give him my best regards, and congratulations on your grandson.”

“Thank yo-... A grandson?”

Chapter 6

Ganondora returned home that same evening to relay the warnings offered by the Goddess of the Sand to her family. They all agreed to heed her warnings and assemble plans to defend their kingdom. After pouring immeasurable volumes of blood and shedding countless tears to conquer the enchanted realm, each of them was prepared to go to war to defend their prize. First and foremost, all of Hyrule needed to be informed of their impending fate.

The King and Queen of Hyrule descended from the grand castle, accompanied by the prince and princess, through the large iron doors, and across the drawbridge over the moat. Ganondorf wore average clothing, a tunic with pants and boots, decorated with a crimson cape bearing the symbol of the Gerudo, to mingle with the town’s people. Dora walked beside him, her arm locked with his, wearing a full length, sleeveless dress as dark as the richest red wine. Ganondorf was obvious because of his size and the chilling darkness that surrounded him, while Dora was prominent because of her rare beauty.

The appearance of the royal family alarmed most of the citizens. No explanation was offered as they silently perused the market and the alleys that reached many homes. By the time they arrived at the fountain that identified the center of the town, nearly every citizen in Hyrule Castle Town followed behind them, hoping to learn the reason for their mysterious stroll.

Ganondorf concluded his walk at the fountain spewing crystal clear water into the air, misting down like sparkling diamonds to the basin below. His voice rang out, deep and dominant, so that none could mistake his proclamation. “We have all lived in peace since the last war, the one in which I conquered this kingdom and claimed that which I was entitled. On that day, a new rule began, one that has brought this kingdom prosperity and wealth, in an emotional and material way, like she has never known,” he explained with ambition and exemplary charisma. “We owe this greatness to the sacrifices of many. Without sacrifice, we cannot flourish. The Sheikah are an entity of the past, but a new threat arises. Your goddesses!” Those nearest the king gasped in unison at the disgust in his voice, and turned to each other to express shock. “Do not be so incredulous. They intervened in our affairs before. You need only look to the legends of Hyrule to see the evidence: tales of a great flood that threatened to destroy us, and the entrapment of Interlopers to the Twilight. The goddesses separated our world and stole the relic is this kingdom’s foundation, only to fracture it because its power rivals their own. All of these despicable deeds were performed by your precious goddesses, resistant to change and desperate to maintain their rule. They are bound to an archaic duty which we have surpassed. Now that we have outgrown our need of them, they desire to exterminate us and start anew. We will not forfeit our way of life to these selfish goddesses. Hylia has abandoned you. The way I see it, each and every one of you are heroes in your own right. Will you cower like a weakling when the time comes to defend this magnificent kingdom, or will you embrace your courage to stand and fight against the oppression of ancient deities?”

Dora watched the mindless mass receive Ganondorf’s words. His voice was alluring and powerful. Anyone within range was compelled to absorb his knowledge. Pride swelled in her chest as the expressions of the crowd shifted from confusion and shock, to lucidity, and finally settled on determination. They were convinced by their honorable king that these goddesses were ready to ruin their lives, and not one member of the herd was ready to let them have their way. That was where Hyrule’s queen stepped in to help. With the audience already enchanted, she stepped forward and raised her profound voice. “The flame of my soul is ignited to know you have the strength to face this enemy. All the great races that inhabit this land are vital to our victory. Our first task is to gather supplies for crafting weapons and elixirs. I pray that we will all emerge from this battle unscathed, but we must be prepared to treat injuries and even expect casualties. We are unaware of exactly when the goddesses will choose to attack. Until then we will train, prepare the artillery, and remember that an attack could come at any hour. As your king and queen, we will be fighting alongside you. Only together can we remind the goddesses that they need us more than we need them.”

“We won’t let you down, your majesty.”

“That’s right. We will protect this land and its great king!”

“Those goddesses can’t control us!”

Dora smiled and turned her eyes up to Ganondorf. The cries of encouragement and support from the Hyrulean citizens was unprecedented in her past. In a great portion of Hyrule’s history, the King and Queen of Evil were who the people rallied to fight against. Suddenly, their current alliance was apparent. Dora tingled from head to toe because of the rising energy that filled the air, and from realizing she possessed the ability to command this powerful force. “Take some time to consider our words. This battle promises to change Hyrule, and it is up to you if it is for better or worse. All of you who choose to volunteer will meet in the walls of the castle tomorrow morning to be organized and receive your orders.”

Chapter 7

The chamber for the Yiga members who made up the guard for Hyrule was large, hidden within the foundation of the castle. The upper level contained all the single beds they shared when exchanging shifts. The lower level was open for a small sparring area, but mostly stored the various weapons collected over the centuries to replenish what was lost in the Calamity. The ground was seldom damp, only during the heaviest rain. Recently, the room seemed to be mostly abandoned. All the weapons were distributed to be used for training and the armor and shields given out to the growing army of Hyrule. A pile of guardian guns became a mountain over the months as their supply steadily increased.

“The Divine Beasts are hollow,” Felious explained, as he and Ganondorf ascended to the upper level toward the shortcut to the courtyard. The prince was comfortable with moving fast paced, but the King of Evil tended to take his time and absorb every detail. Felious admired that trait, especially since his father-in-law housed a demon in his body and lived forever, yet it irritated him at times. He waited at the threshold for Ganondorf to saunter into the corridor. “All of their parts have been mined to craft more cannons and guns,” Felious elaborated.

The dank corridor opened up into a boisterous courtyard. The green grounds were transformed into arenas to train the different factions of a militia. Sessions of archery were conducted to one side by a Rito man with pure white feathers, using the targets hanging on the stone walls. Dummies of straw and wood were used for beginners to learn the basics of swordplay, taught by Din and a few other Gerudo. A group of magic wielders practiced focus and healing, led by a Zora woman with red scales. “Training appears to be coming along better than anticipated,” Ganondorf noted, eyeing his wife who corrected the stance of a young woman bracing her crossbow. As he scanned the crowds with scrutinizing eyes, the awe of the unity the royal family orchestrated became apparent. The Yiga, loyal followers of Ganon and once feared as killers, stood side-by-side with Hylians as mentors, teaching them to efficiently wield a weapon. The strength in diversity before him was exhilarating.

“Exceptionally,” Felious proudly agreed. “We have constructed fifty ballistas, thirty-nine catapults, eighteen cannons, with nearly five hundred soldiers. I’m not one to argue with an eager spirit though, as long as they can lift a sword or have some form of talent,” he explained. “The Yiga have sacrificed many hours in training only the marksmen to use the guardian guns, but the kickback is powerful. In the wrong hands, we could see our own men disintegrated to ashes.”

“And the others?” Ganondorf inquired.

“The Rito tribes are gathering a diverse collection of arrows to be distributed. They and the Gerudo have been sharing bow techniques. We have a strong team of healers, both Gerudo and Zora, but I am displeased with their numbers. Gorons arrive daily with a new shipment of ore to craft weapons, but their brute force will be essential to any offense.”

“The monsters to the south?”

“Thriving, almost restless. They’re vicious. Ganondora seemed to straighten them out a few weeks ago. They are more organized now and focus on increasing their skill with their weapons instead of killing each other.”

Several minutes passed of only silence between them, but the air was filled with the clanging of metal, the strum of bow strings, and the shouts of pretend battle. Ganondorf finally admitted, “We have been granted much time to prepare. The goddesses failed to comprehend that to slay the demon means destroying the people they want to protect.”

“Now they need to decide if the innocent lives are worth the sacrifice,” Felious added to his father-in-law’s statement.

“The longer they wait, the closer my grandchild comes to arriving in this world,” the king said indifferently.

“I have a request, since you’ve mentioned the subject,” the prince stated suddenly.

Ganondorf acknowledged his statement with only a suspicious glare. Rather than remaining in the open yard, he turned and led Felious inside the castle. Not a word was uttered on their journey through the castle. Grunts and shouts echoed through the castle’s halls as a beat for their march. They arrived at the Observation chamber to gaze out at the gunners taking aim in the fields, obliterating rocks. “Tell me your request,” Ganondorf demanded as Felious entered the room.

“Din has grown,” he started.

“More than you could possibly hope to comprehend,” Ganondorf interjected with a tone that matched his fierce glare.

“I meant to say that she is large and unbalanced. She refuses to obey the nurses caring for her. I will not put her life in danger or allow the opportunity for her to be reckless and endanger the life of our child,” Felious said with earnest.

“I can protect her,” Ganondorf insisted.

Felious handled the topic with delicate words. “Din is, well, you know, tenacious. Nothing will stand in the way of what she has set her mind to.”

“Then what is your intent?” he inquired impatiently.

“I believe the best option for Din is to be completely removed from the battle.”

“To where? Skull Lake? Tingel Island?” Ganondorf wondered irritably, shaking his head. “She will never agree to that preposterous idea.”

“No, to the Yiga hideout in Karusa Valley,” Felious responded, annoyed.

The king thoughtfully replied, “Din would be well protected there. You assume I can persuade her to go.”

“Yes. She is proud to be your daughter, and would do it if it meant you were happy. Protecting Din from harm, whether it be intentional or not, is my main priority. She will be safe at the hideout. I just need you to convince her that is what is in her best interest.”

“My best interest?” Din yelled suddenly out of shock when she burst into the Observatory. She scowled at her father first, and then Felious. “I heard you two, trying to decide what I need, where I’ll be safe! What about how I feel?” she exclaimed, her voice cracking at the rise of tears in her throat. “I’ve even become a nuisance to the two of you. I’m slow and clumsy, and in everyone’s way all the time. Well, don’t worry about me. I’ll be so far out of the way you will never be able to find me!”

“Din, no! Wait,” Felious called as he lurched forward to snatch her hand, only for her to rip it free and race out of the room.

Ganondorf cleared his throat, drawing the attention of his son-in-law. “I don’t suggest following her. If there is one person who she trusts right now, it’s the person who gave her that fire.”

“How did Ganondora handle carrying a child?” Felious asked, frustrated and upset. “A far better question, how did you manage her strong will?”

The Gerudo king chuckled, amused by Felious’s exasperation. “I offered my guidance when necessary. The only decision I made was when it came time to choose a name. Most importantly, I allowed her the freedom to do as she pleased,” Ganondorf advised, falling serious. “I trusted her, as you need to trust Din.”

Chapter 8

The Queen of Evil’s attention was drawn from her students by the shouting of servants through the castle’s corridors, inside and out. “Princess Din, you must not rush off like this!” Dora closed her eyes as the past snuck up on her. There were many times her personal servant shouted the same words while she was with child a long time ago. “Come back, your majesty! You should not ride a horse in your current condition,” the servants yelled earnestly.

“Leave me alone,” Din screamed back.

“Keep practicing,” Dora directed, stepping away from her pupils that clearly heard the same ruckus. “I’ll return shortly.” She jogged up the sloping path to follow the voices, while wondering what minor catastrophe caused her daughter to overreact so harshly. When the queen arrived, Din had managed to secure the bridle and saddle on her chocolate brown stallion, in spite of the protests of the stable hands. The steed stood obediently firm while his owner planted her bare foot in the stirrup and attempted to heave herself into the saddle. The danger of the situation was apparent to Dora, and she foresaw the incident before it occurred. She rushed forward with her arms out to catch Din when her foot slipped from the stirrup.

Din was steadied by the strength in her mother’s arms that closed in a loving embrace just above her large belly. A surge of emotions exploded from her heart and seized her entirely. As her legs failed, her mother held tight to act as a guide to her knees. Din rested her head on Dora’s chest and locked her arms around her mother’s waist. The volume of her sobs increased with the amount of tears falling from her eyes. Stable hands came to retrieve the horse and return him to his stall, while other servants were frozen to their spots. Dora scowled at them, freeing them of their trance and provoking them to hastily leave the area.

Din succumbed to the childish notion of being consoled by her mother. Dora cradled her daughter with unwavering devotion, periodically kissing her cheek or forehead. The royal mother and daughter sat together for as long as necessary for Din to release her pent up emotions. Only when Din’s cries finally quelled did Dora pester for an explanation. “Din, what happened?”

“Everything,” she responded, her tears giving way to anger. “I can no longer fight, and even if I could no one will practice with me because they’re afraid of what Dad would do if I was hurt. I am sore from my shoulders to my feet. And look, they are so large no boots will fit me,” Din exclaimed, and wiggled her toes for her mother to see. “I can neither sit nor stand without being absolutely miserable. Everyone moves faster than me and grumbles that I am in the way. Felious is right, I should just go to the hideout until this is all over!”

Din felt the vibrations of Dora’s hum through her chest, prompting her to look up and find her mother’s knowing and tender expression. “Felious wants you to relocate somewhere safe so that you won’t do anything reckless,” she stated.

“Yes,” Din shouted.

“Suffice it to say you have no intentions of leaving,” Dora guessed.

“I will not be going anywhere! Did they care to ask me how I felt on the matter? Absolutely not!”

“They? Felious involved your father?” she asked in disbelief.

“He wanted Dad to persuade me to leave!”

Dora chuckled and squeezed her daughter. “You know it’s only because they love you.”

“I am an adult. I can make my own decisions,” Din declared firmly. “They should be less concerned about my well being and more concerned about how I feel!”

“When I carried you, a servant named Hanae was responsible for my care. She acted as a mother would, telling me the right food to eat, what I should do and what I should avoid. Hanae was always upset with me because I refused to listen. I rode my horse until the pressure became too much. I trained with your father until I was too imbalanced. Hanae reminded me daily that I needed rest and relaxation, but I was defiant,” Dora said fondly, recalling the precious memories of her time as an expectant mother. “ I’m glad I listened to my instinct, Din. At the time, there was a resistance working against us, so I needed to be prepared. I murdered a man when I was as large as you are now.” Din stared at her mom with wide yellow eyes of amazement and admiration. Dora locked their gaze when she continued. “You’re sore, you’re tired, you’re finished with all of this that comes along with growing a child. While everyone prepares to defend us and the castle, you have the most difficult and tiring task of all,” she said compassionately and stroked Din’s stomach as she spoke. “This is not an easy mission and can only be carried out by the strongest warrior. Your will is going to be pushed to its limits. You are developing the next generation of Dragmire. Listen to your body, follow your instincts. The only person you need to worry about protecting, is him,” Dora concluded, her index finger pressed to the roundest part of Din’s stomach. She was rewarded with the tiniest hand pressing out to greet her.

Din quietly absorbed her mother’s words, accepting them with all their experience and wisdom, until the end. “Him?” she repeated loudly.

“Hush,” Dora hissed.

“I’m having a boy?” Din whispered.

“Yes, divulged to me by the Desert Goddess. This stays between us,” her mother advised darkly.

Din smiled brightly. “You’re the best, Mom.”

Chapter 9

The sour clang of brass bells rang out from the east and west towers of Hyrule Castle. Guards feverishly shook the rope that beat the clapper against the bowl to sound the alarm of an attack. All at once the market and town bustling with people shifted, hurriedly emptying the square. Anyone who was not to be involved in battle, the young children and their mothers, the elderly and the crippled, were escorted to the castle and ushered to the library. All that remained were soldiers prepared to forfeit their lives for Hyrule and her king and queen.

“Everyone is moving into position according to plan,” Din advised, watching the units move toward their destinations. The canons were pushed to the front of the line beyond the walls of the village. The ballistas were behind them on the left and catapults on the right, with each one being loaded as it was hastily wheeled into place. Din turned to her husband who stepped up to her side at the balcony. He was dressed in his refurbished Yiga uniform, reinforced by leather armor, with gauntlets and greaves, and his mask resting on top of his head. She wore only a plain dress of a majestic royal blue, with padded shoulder armor, bracers for her arms, and her newly tailored boots.

“Everything is running smoothly,” Felious agreed and reassuringly kissed his wife on the cheek. He watched the Yiga rounding up the archers like cattle to fill in every empty space on top of the castle’s walls. All those remaining were fitted with armor and weapons in the courtyards, waiting to be unleashed if absolutely necessary. Felious twisted and waited to see who belonged to the fast approaching footsteps.

“I saw them,” Dora declared as she rushed into the Observatory, carrying the Cane of Byrna. Her sword was strapped to her hip, her bow and quiver on her back, with metal chest armor that still exposed her waist. She wore tall boots over her pants, and was protected by metal greaves. Dora followed Ganondorf up the stairs to the right and stepped out onto the balcony to witness the miracle of life. “Four orbs of dense light descended from the sky and crashed into the Divine Beasts,” she hastily explained, tying off her braided hair with the cane tucked under her arm. “Each one suddenly sprang to life!”

“That’s impressive considering they are nothing but metal husks,” Felious admitted, transfixed on Vah Ruta near Zora’s Domain. The sections of her trunk, her cannons, and the multiple eyes shined with a mystical light of the purest white. He glanced slightly to his left and found Vah Rudania resonated the same holy glow. His tail slung side to side to help him slither forward and descend Death Mountain. A resounding screech made Felious’s heart thump louder in his chest, and he turned to find Vah Medoh’s great wings lifted him from his perch.

Ganondorf shouted orders to the Yiga commanders to delegate to the entire army. “All cannons prepare to fire on Vah Rudania. Push the ballistas forward and take aim at Vah Medoh. Catapults focus on Vah Ruta!” His voice carried far, but the key was communication and execution. A dozen women were positioned to accurately and quickly pass along information for the commanders to act on. Soon enough, each faction began to follow his direction flawlessly.

The ballistas fired first, flinging large spears at Vah Medoh as he soared overhead. He tilted to adjust his direction and avoid a direct hit. The weapon at the tip of his beak blinked with a white light to indicate it was charging. Before the ballistas could be reloaded, the beam fired and hit the ground in the center of the ballistas with an explosion. Snapped and splintered lumber was carelessly thrown into the air, combined with mangled bodies and limbs. The wounded screamed and moaned for help. Healers immediately rushed to their aid. Those that were unaffected by Vah Medoh’s attack took aim with their newly loaded artillery and fired as he swooped around to prepare another strike. One oversized spear directly hit the underside of his left wing, causing his elegant flight to falter. He wobbled dangerously, losing altitude, until his wing scraped along the ground and then ripped in half. Vah Medoh shrieked as he went tumbling across Hyrule Field, until he came to a grinding halt. The pure light radiating from the Divine Beast flickered out.

Just as Dora witnessed the defeat of one, cannons exploded in succession to barrage Vah Rudania. Each enormous boom shook Dora’s bones and she held her breath, until every cannonball made impact. Mere dents remained where the heavy balls of iron collided with the beast’s shell. Vah Rudania was the closest of the three land dwelling beasts, and approached more swiftly than seemed possible for a creature so large. He rested atop the nearby Crenel Hills and his mouth sprang open to unleash a quick but deadly blast. Rather than target the cannons, he fired at Hyrule Castle, obliterating a portion of the wall to the dining hall.

The walls of the Observatory trembled, disturbing dust and loose pebbles that fell to the floor. Felious braced his wife until the room was still. “Din, we should move somewhere safer,” he urged. “It won’t be long before we are targeted here.”

“No,” she shouted defiantly. “I refuse to leave my parents!”

Vah Rudania closed the panels that formed his cone shaped head and decided to move closer. The cannons relentlessly continued their attack. Each successful strike slowed him down, but he was stubborn and refused to be stopped.

Felious roughly snatched Din’s hand, pulling her delicate fingers close to his lips. Din stiffened her arm, prepared to resist him if necessary. “If that is what you desire, my love, but know I will not hesitate to give my life for you,” Felious said with a grave expression.

Din smiled and melted into him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Thank you, Felious.”

With Vah Ruta in range, the catapults launched their ammunition into the sky. The collision of the boulders into the tough hide of the beast was enough to cause the massive elephant to wobble on her legs, but she marched ahead at a steady pace.

Vah Rudania fired suddenly from a closer range. The explosion was devastating. A whole quarter of the defensive wall to the market crumbled. He seemed to comprehend that ignoring the cannoneers meant he would perish before being destroying his true target.

Chapter 10

“Ganondorf,” Dora said earnestly, tearing her golden-speckled eyes away from the chaos to look at him. “There must be a way we can fight back. I will not stand here and allow the kingdom I fought to conquer be demolished!”

The King of Evil wore his gold crown with the unique orange gem, the same one he was gifted when he came of age to officially be crowned King of the Gerudo Thieves. His amber hair flowed from his head like a long, royal mane. A black, long sleeved coat, with a tall collar, touched the heels of his knee high boots and was strapped tightly to his waist, revealing a regal crimson vest underneath. He spared a malevolent glance at Dora. “If you must intervene, we can reach out to the Guardians,” Ganondorf advised.

Dora refused to admit her first instinct was to deny her ability to perform such an absurd feat. He extended his hand to her. As she slid her fingers against his palm, she understood. “We can control them, just as Ganon did once.”

“Precisely. They will secure our victory,” he added confidently, and enveloped her fingers with his. The King of Evil exercised his masterful control of sorcery to reach through the vast land of Hyrule and instantly locate his targets. All of the Guardians in the east came to life, even those that remained immobile. Those with their spindly legs still attached lurched from the ground and skittered across the kingdom. Their markings pulsed with the same aura as the Ganondorf’s black and crimson malice.

Dora struggled to expand the reach of her magic and became frustrated that the task was difficult for her to achieve. Through their physical connection she could feel the way Ganondorf manipulated his sorcery and she copied his tactics. The Guardians of western Hyrule burst forth, hastening toward the fields of Hyrule, their designs alight with a rich purple glow.

The King and Queen could not only share their power and feed from one another’s strength, but also thought as almost one mind. “You may focus on Vah Naboris,” Ganondorf acquiesced.

“I will tear that miserable rat down to scrap metal,” Dora promised and squeezed her husband’s hand tightly. Her murderous intent flooded the Guardians she commanded. They fed on her loathing to focus on destroying their target.

Vah Naboris marched as far as Gleeok Bridge when the Guardians swarmed at her feet. The camel’s neck creaked as she bent around to find the insects climbing her legs. The beam between the rotating ears in front of her face snapped to life and quickly fired twice to eliminate the pests trying to breach her hull. By the time she twisted her long neck to search the opposite side, the Guardians already penetrated her. Vah Naboris recognized the grim situation. All around her was the sour bleeping of the Guardians charging their laser guns. She turned her attention to the Sanctum of Hyrule Castle. A white orb expanded in front of her head as she charged her beam.

“Dora,” Ganondorf scolded in warning.

The queen’s brow creased with the strain of focusing all of her energy on moving all the Guardians swiftly to Vah Naboris. The lasers of the machines within the beast finally fired, piercing the metal of the beast’s hull in every direction. The two great humps on her back collapsed inward, crushing some unlucky Guardians before they could escape. Those on the ground that targeted the Divine Beast’s long legs opened fired all at once, obliterating entire sections. Shrapnel tumbled hundreds of feet to the ground, crushing the Guardians that were too slow. Some of the Guardians remaining climbed the wounded legs of Vah Naboris and dug in with their claws to rip her apart. The front right leg that supported her great weight buckled and her charged laser fired at the same time.

“No,” Dora snarled, gritting her teeth in frustration.

The beam struck lower than anticipated as Vah Naboris toppled over with increasing speed. The central most part of the castle was destroyed, the throne room and the master chamber, when the Sanctum floor gave way and crushed all the rooms below. The entire castle was rattled by the demolition, and Dora’s hate burned even brighter.

The land shook violently when the Divine Beast’s torso smashed into the ground. Her elongated neck rippled into the earth and her massive head smacked into trees, nearly destroying a small forest. Half of her skull was crushed by her collision. The Guardians swiftly climbed on top of her like ravenous predators ready to devour their prey, repeatedly firing their lasers to disintegrate Vah Naboris to dust. Guardians hurried to finish deconstructing her head with their claws, even after the holy light of life vanished.

“Enough,” Ganondorf ordered.

Dora sighed and called off the Guardians by directing their attention to the other two Divine Beasts that already reached the field. “I enjoyed every moment of her annihilation, as if I reached into her torso and tore apart her rib cage with my own bare hands,” Dora conveyed with immense satisfaction.

“Way to go, Mom,” Din cheered.

The two remaining Divine Beasts faced an army of Guardians, while still being barraged by artillery. Vah Rudania’s metal exterior was worn down by the constant battering, until cannonballs began creating gaping holes in his armor. He viciously defended himself from the Guardians using his powerful tail. By the time he trained his beam on the steel doors protecting Hyrule Castle Town, he left a trail of parts along his journey to Hyrule Field.

Vah Ruta perished to a fate similar to Vah Naboris. The elephant’s body was too massive to sustain when the Guardian’s blew open holes in her legs and catapults berated her relentlessly. She collapsed forward, crushing the forest below her, and the sacred white glow faded.

Dora and Ganondorf demanded the Guardians to rush at Vah Rudania and targeted all their lasers at once on the lizard’s head. The electronic sound of their cannons charging in unison was deafening. All of Hyrule held its breath, until the guardian’s fired. The Divine Beast’s skull turned to dust in an instant.

The army of Hyrule erupted into a roar of victorious cheers.

Chapter 11

Dora opened her eyes and laughed in relief. She latched her arms around Din who hugged her, hardly able to contain her own excitement. Gazing upon Ganondorf, Dora said, “We did it!”

The King of Evil did not join their celebration. “The information you relayed from the Desert Goddess indicates that was only the first of their strategies,” he darkly reminded. “We must not allow ourselves to lower our guard.”

“Yes,” Felious agreed somberly. “We still have wounds to lick, casualties to consider, and reconstruction.”

Din stepped back and freed her mother from their embrace. Before she could speak, a sudden chill washed over her skin like neglected bath water. She shivered violently and rubbed her hands along her bare arms for friction. “What is that chill?” she laughed nervously.

Dora turned her yellow eyes to the cloudy sky. As she tilted her head, an icy, soft flake gently alighted on her cheek. She wiped away the moisture left behind with slender fingers. “Snow,” she whispered in confusion.

A mighty, ear piercing roar curdled Dora’s stomach.

“Mom, is that a dragon?” Din shouted in disbelief.

“Naydra,” Ganondorf hissed.

The luminous, blue dragon descended from the clouds, swooping low, directly above the artillery and soldiers out front of Hyrule Castle Town. White, puffy orbs manifested from her mane made of solid ice, and rained upon the ground. The soldiers screamed in fear and horror, running hysterically to avoid falling victim to the dragon’s chilling magic. The commanders could be heard shouting at them, cursing their cowardice, and ordering them to stand with firm courage.

All four members of the royal family twisted their heads at the shouting of a woman. “The soldiers report the ballistas and catapults are frozen.”

“Archers, prepare to fire,” Felious ordered. “Release the gunners!”

Ganondorf watched across the market as the archers lining the tops of the defensive walls drew back their bowstrings. “Fire,” he bellowed. A hundred arrows were launched into the sky, bouncing off Naydra’s glimmering scales. The dragon hissed in pain for the arrows that managed to pierce her fleshy, lavender underbelly. “Again,” the king intensely ordered, and listened as the command was echoed to the farthest soldiers.

Six guards unlocked and opened the iron door between the castle and the market. Men and women, heavily armored and equipped with guardian guns, rushed out to their preordained vantage points. The moment the first gunner was in position, he pressed the button under his thumb and shot at Naydra. Soon after, a rhythm of charging guns and the boom of their release filled the air, accompanied by the sight of beams splitting the air and striking the dragon. The long range of the lasers made it difficult to escape. Naydra flew feverishly out of range, and the ice faded as her distance from them increased.

Dora leaned forward over the banister of the balcony, watching the sky intently. “Where are the other two?” she yelled, as if attempting to summon them. A different roar responded to her outcry, but no dragons came into view ahead of her.

Felious already bounded over the edge of the platform to the floor below and exited the back of the Observatory to confirm his fears. “Dinraal,” he yelled in alarm. “We must all evacuate!”

“Open the gates,” Ganondorf shouted with undeniable authority. “Evacuate the castle. Avoid the water at all cost!”

The door to Hyrule Castle creaked open, releasing the remaining infantry from the courtyards. Seconds later, the gates to the town were shoved open to offer access to the fields. The ballistas turned, taking aim at Dinraal and firing at their commander’s orders.

Din immediately recognized the problem with the majestic dragon that shared her namesake. Her scales were the color of white ash, but the two curving horns on her head, the spikes down the center of her back, and her underbelly pulsed as if her body were comprised of only lava. Huge orbs of wild flames were conjured sporadically from her long body and hurdled toward the castle. Entire sections of walls crumbled as the stone melted. Volleys of these orbs tormented Hyrule Castle, making her goal clear: Flesh out the royal family.

“Din, Felious, you must go to the soldiers and guide them through the chaos,” Dora ordered, noticing that Ganondorf never budged since ordering the evacuation. “They need your leadership now.”

“Mom, what about you?” Din asked, concerned.

“You already know I must remain with your father,” Dora reminded sternly. She lifted the blue cane resting by the wall just inside the balcony, and handed it to Din. “I will find you once the battle is over,” she promised.

The princess reluctantly accepted the Cane of Byrna, but her eyes were locked on Dora. They shared a message in their gaze, during the breath they were bewitched by each other, a reminder why the expectant mother’s survival was significant. Felious tugged on Din’s hand, and that was the only reason she abandoned her mother and father.

After they were gone, Dora returned to Ganondorf’s side with unwavering loyalty.

“Farosh,” he advised, glaring directly south.

On the ground, approaching from Lake Hylia in Faron region, was a mass unit of monsters chasing after the great, radiant green dragon that floated elegantly in the sky. Her body gently weaved back and forth, swimming as gracefully as a Zora in water. Orbs of lightning dropped from her body, which burst on impact with Ganondorf’s creatures, stunning or killing them.

Dora gripped Ganondorf’s forearm, her eyes wide in panic at the approaching monstrosity with one horn. “Ganondorf, I don’t know how to say this…”

“You’re afraid,” he pointed out abruptly, saving her the humiliation.

“Yes,” she replied, and swallowed that fear.

“Their power is magnificent,” he agreed, “but falls short when compared to the Triforce.”

“What do we do?” she wondered.

“Take my stallion and distract Dinraal. I will lead Naydra to Death Mountain,” Ganondorf instructed.

“And I will take Dinraal to Tabantha Tundra,” she acknowledged. “Your army should be able to handle Farosh. Summon me if you need.” Dora kissed Ganondorf tenderly, exchanging a brief moment of affection. He clutched her arm tightly as she turned to depart, forcing her to look back. The slight falter of his evil glare, a quick shift in his jaw, and his firm grip were more than enough to convey the message which he was incapable of speaking. “I love you too,” Dora said with a smile. “We’ll reunite once we’ve punished these dragons for threatening our home,” she exclaimed with energetic determination, and then rushed to the stables.

Chapter 12

Ganondorf was reassured by his wife’s fiery spirit. After he absorbed the sight of her swaying hips as she jogged away, he watched Naydra return to the battlefield. There was only one way to defeat this dragon without suffering more losses. He pulled back his arm, hand open wide with a glowing black orb in his palm. The energy grew denser and stronger as he charged the attack, his eyes narrowed on Naydra. He curled his fingers into a clenched fist and thrust it forward as if punching the air, and unleashed his power. The orb comprised of pure hatred darted through the air and exploded against Naydra’s lower jaw. Her head was thrown back, sending her whole body reeling in the same direction. Having successfully captured the dragon’s attention, Ganondorf hovered away from the balcony and calmly approached her in the sky. “You’ve tasted this malice before,” he growled, and summoned the Lightscale trident to his hand. “Now I’ll make you choke on it!”

Naydra recovered and purposefully disregarded the soldiers on the ground to focus on her primary target. Ganondorf was mere yards from her jaws. Puffy white spheres floated toward him, but he made no effort to dodge. The cold and ice was nothing with Dora’s barrier protecting him. When Naydra discovered her elemental offense had no impact, she lashed out to snatch Ganondorf in her serrated teeth. He darted to the side to avoid being chomped and launched his trident at her. The weapon spun as he guided it in an arch toward the dragon, only to watch it bounce off her scales with a clang. He drew the weapon back to his hand and scowled, changing his methods.

Ganondorf drifted back, continuing to lure the icy dragon toward Death Mountain. By air, the treacherous volcano could be reached quickly, but he needed to be patient. Naydra followed him, drawing close and swinging her massive talons. She grew frustrated at Ganondorf’s fluent ability to fly with such grace and avoid her attacks. The Gerudo sorcerer’s free hand was filled with magic once more, this time crackling as if he commanded the force of lightning. He waited for her to open her mouth to lash out. The orb flew out of his hand, screaming with the red lightning that engulfed it, and landed inside her mouth. Ganondorf yanked his arms apart and the ball of lightning exploded. Naydra shrieked, spiraling wildly through the air. As she lost control and sank to the ground, he pitched a flurry of corrupt energy at her to make recovery more difficult. Naydra tumbled and splashed into Hylia River, but she was far from being out of the fight.

In the time the dragon needed to return to the air, Ganondorf drew much closer to the lava spewing mountain. Naydra became wise to his trick and veered left to avoid the heat. Ganondorf glared and refused to lose this chance. He appeared beside Naydra’s snout and walloped her with a hard right fist, packed with a burst of energy to send her careening toward Death Mountain.

Ganondorf checked his position. Below him, to his left, were the ruins of Great Hyrule Forest and the Lost Woods. Directly ahead of him was the Goronbi River, which emptied into Darunia Lake. He might have used this river of lava to end the fight sooner, but that would not satiate his evil desires. Nothing would please him, except seeing Naydra drown at the bottom of Death Mountain’s crater.

The King of Evil rushed forward, summoning an ancient hilt to his grip. A large, shining blue blade, in the shape of an axe, extended from the hilt. Before Naydra regained her senses, he slashed through her scales, opening a deep wound in her side. She screeched and struggled to retreat. Ganondorf swung the ancient battle axe again with all his might, leaving another laceration directly beside the first. Enraged, Naydra twisted about and smacked Ganondorf out of the air with a giant talon. He sped toward the ground, unable to catch his body before he smacked into the side of the mountain near the Goron Hot Springs. Dora’s defensive barrier significantly decreased the force of the impact, but his entire body cried out in agony all the same. He gritted his teeth, his scream of pain coming out as an animalistic roar. Ganondorf rolled out of the cavity created by his frame’s ruthless collision with the rock. He freed the hilt of the axe and the mystical blade vanished. His eyes quickly turned to the sky when Naydra unexpectedly howled in pain, and found she was under attack by the Gorons. They lifted huge rocks overhead as if they were pebbles, and then hurled them at her with inhuman strength. Naydra was forced into retreat. The white orbs she produced disappeared instantly in the terrible heat. Ganondorf felt the sweat already pouring from his body. He needed to act, now or never. Despite his body’s protests, he ascended into the sky, a firm grip on his trident as he prepared for the final attack.

Naydra roared viciously at the onslaught of boulders. Each hit grew more painful the closer she was forced to the hottest part of Death Mountain. The Gorons chased her clear to the Bridge of Eldin, where Ganondorf patiently floated high above, glaring down with superior arrogance. The pain that throbbed through his entire body faded fast, and he owed that to his queen. He raised his trident over his shoulder like a javelin, aiming it directly for Naydra’s skull. Ganondorf flung the trident forward and pierced her directly between the eyes. As the prongs sank into her flesh, a burst of dark lightning stunned the dragon, and tendrils of malice wrapped around her head like crimson chains. Ganondorf charged forward. Just as he was about to collide with Naydra’s head, he snatched the grip of his weapon and drove her down toward the crater of Death Mountain. The heat was so intense, Ganondorf thought he might have burst into flames without the barrier. When enough momentum was gathered, he pushed off with his feet and escaped the heat to watch the dragon perish.

Naydra screeched and cried in anguish from the torturing heat searing her scales as she plummeted inside the crater. She desperately flailed when her body met the lava, but her attempt to flee was futile. The broiling molten liquid hungrily consumed her like quicksand, and the more she struggled the faster she was burned alive. Her gut-wrenching death cries echoed throughout all of Hyrule, until the lava devoured her completely.

Ganondorf smirked, pleased with the gruesome nature of her death. He turned his back to Death Mountain and made his way toward the fields of Hyrule to learn the outcome of the other battles.

Chapter 13

Dora found the stables were partially crushed, but all the horses appeared to have escaped unharmed. The Gerudo Stallion waited there, towering over the other steeds, and surpassing them in majesty and strength. There was no time for Dora to bother with a bridle or saddle. She threw herself onto the horse’s back, squeezed her thighs into his torso, and commanded him forward. They leaped fearlessly over fallen rock and skirted around the stone rubble that was once a puzzle piece of Hyrule Castle. At the stallion’s fastest gallop, they rushed by the soldiers in Hyrule Castle Town, around the fountain in the square, and then barged out through the gate to the fields.

Dinraal had not stopped her punishment of the soldiers and the town. Many of the homes and stores were destroyed, as well as most of the defensive wall. Men and women lay moaning in agony with severe burns. Dora’s lips pulled back into a snarl, swearing to make the dragon pay with a horrible death.

Dora nocked an arrow flaming with darkness of a royal purple aura, twisted to aim at Dinraal, and fired. The magic engulfing the arrow allowed the queen to alter its direction and speed. The arrowhead found its place in Dinraal’s fiery underbelly and exploded with a big bang of corruption. She roared in agony.

The Queen of Evil was glad to find her first attack used barely any of her stored power, which meant Ganondorf fueled her, while refilling his own power with the Triforce. She prayed the dragons could be defeated without the help of that demon beast.

Dora bounded across Hyrule Field toward the Breach of Demise, her trusted long bow in hand, and a quiver stuffed full of arrows on her back. The stallion’s powerful hooves kicked up dirt with each mighty gallop. With Dinraal successfully enraged by the Gerudo queen, Dora directed the stallion to weave back and forth across the fields, avoiding the red hot orbs that threatened to burn her to a crisp. She continued to fire arrows of the same strength at Dinraal to guarantee she was a constant nuisance.

The stallion entered the Breach of Demise where Dora was unable to continue her assault. Overhead were sections of decayed dirt, protruding like porous teeth, that blocked her view of the dragon. She turned her focus back to balancing on her horse without a saddle. They sped along the desolate path, a scar in the glorious land of Hyrule that refused to fade with time. At the fork in the road, Dora guided the horse sharply right to head north. After exiting the area drained of all life, she readied her bow and immediately fired an arrow at Dinraal to draw her in the same direction.

Dora’s greatest disadvantage was being confined to the ground. The tundra was on the opposite side of Tanagar Canyon. Instead of continuing straight on into the snowy terrain, she would bear slightly east only to turn back west, allowing the dragon an opportunity to attack.

Before Dinraal could unleash a slew of fiery orbs upon her victim, arrows rained on her from the west. The dragon raised her mighty head and found the talented archers of the Rito taking aim, half of them with arrows imbued with ice magic. Each scale struck with the arrowhead of ice crystallized and broke free. Dinraal yelped in pain, followed by a frustrated growl at losing pieces of her protective hide.

Dora unleashed another dark arrow at Dinraal, and then noticed the flock of Rito that gained the dragon’s attention. There was no wasting the precious minutes the archers awarded her. She barreled forward, around the tip of the canyon, and back toward Tabantha Tundra.

Suddenly, she screamed out in agony, as if every bone in her body shattered. Dora clutched the stallion’s bright orange mane to her chest. He whinnied in protest and reared back, tossing her away. She hit the snow covered ground with a horrid thud, scraping open her shoulder on a hidden rock. The stiffness in her back, combined with the throbbing in her head and all of her muscles, made her seethe as she rolled side to side. Dora blanketed herself in a protective shield, while she used her expert healing ability to cure Ganondorf of the afflictions he suffered. Her pain faded, indicating his diminished as well. She opened her eyes to see a ball of fire tumbling toward her. The protective shield prevented her from being burnt, but the heat was intense enough to melt all the snow surrounding her.

The steed returned to his rider, pressing his nose to her face as if to apologize for losing her. Dora placed her hand on his snout, and then shivered. She was not properly dressed for the cold snow, but she needed to push on. In one fluid motion she rolled to her knees and then straight up to her feet. The Rito maintained their bombardment of arrows on Dinraal. Dora could not lose this opportunity. She climbed onto the horse’s back and ushered him into a gallop, plowing through the snow.

Dora checked her supply of arrows to find only eight remained. Her magic strength was still on full. She searched the skies to determine the status of her enemy. The Rito squad successfully lured Dinraal deep into the tundra. Her wails of agony intensified and echoed between the mountains. Hundreds of arrows pierced her skin where her scales were removed. The light of her horns flickered like dying embers of a campfire. Dora aimed and fired, lodging an arrow imbued with darkness into Dinraal’s exposed neck. The queen sacrificed all the mental focus she could spare to charge the arrow with more power, and then commanded it to burst. The evil energy tore open the dragon’s throat and ate away at her skin like acidic Lizalfos saliva. The fiery dragon plummeted to the ground, spraying snow in all directions when she crashed.

Dora cantered straight at Dinraal, speeding toward her as fast as the stallion allowed. The dragon rolled, throwing her arms, and valiantly working to ascend before the Queen of Evil could strike. As Dinraal’s head lifted from the ground, Dora closed in. She was determined to make this the final cut, so she needed to improvise. After securing her bow, she pulled her legs toward her and planted her feet on the horse’s back. She sprang forward and brandished her sword midair. The curved blade pierced Dinraal’s neck near her jaw. Her screams left Dora’s ears ringing sourly and her vision blurred. She clutched the sword as the dragon skid across the ground on her side, dragging her through the freezing snow. Dinraal struggled to fight back with her claws despite being entirely drained of energy. Dora avoided the short reach of the talons and tore her sword along the whole width of the dragon’s neck.

Dinraal’s howling groans faded as death consumed her.

Dora stepped back until she bumped into the Gerudo stallion. Her eyes widened as the pure white snow was quickly stained crimson. “That is the biggest neck I’ve ever sliced,” she whispered, and watched her words become mist in the cold. A chill shook her, but not as much as the scream from Death Mountain. Dora twisted in time to watch Naydra disappear within the crater. Relieved, she mounted the stallion and hurried home.

Chapter 14

Ganondorf settled near Romani Plains and marched toward his army. The lightning threat of Farosh was successfully defeated by the soldiers and the sacrifice of the evil monsters. Although victorious, the damage to Hyrule was extensive. The casualties were high, but no more than anticipated. The structural damage was debilitating, and years would be dedicated to repairs. Ganondorf already planned the reconstruction in his head, while the back of his mind was satisfied enough with having beaten the goddesses. He stumbled, and was torn from his thoughts when Din rushed up, as graceful as a woman nurturing an unborn child was able, and hugged him tight.

“Dad, I am so glad you’re safe,” she said in relief.

Ganondorf firmly locked his arms around her, even if it was just for show to inspire sympathy from the surviving soldiers.

“We’ve exhausted all of our ammunition,” Felious advised, calmly joining them. “The only weapons remaining are the guardian guns, which will burn out eventually. That is, except for our most powerful weapons, you and Ganondora, of course. I never imagined one person could challenge and defeat a dragon,” he commented, acknowledging their spectacular feat.

The three Gerudo turned in the direction of the rapid hoof beats to see Dora fast approaching on the black stallion. She ordered the horse to a halt directly beside Ganondorf. He patted his steed’s neck in praise, and to show his gratitude for returning his wife safely.

Dora was thrilled to see her family well and exchanged a warm hug with Din, but the scene before her was gruesome. The healers helped to save as many wounded as possible, but the ground was littered with corpses. The Yiga heartlessly directed the survivors, mourning their lost family and friends, to begin cleaning the carnage. The artillery still standing would be deconstructed for materials to help rebuild. The situation was bleak. The damage appeared impossible to repair. Dora felt this surge of grief and abandoned hope from her people and was compelled to address them. She inhaled a gulp of air to raise her voice and gather their attention, but was interrupted by a haunting howl.

Every last citizen of Hyrule stood petrified.

Ganondorf was irritated to find he recognized the sound, and angered when he discovered the source. From the direction of what once was Great Hyrule Forest, a wolf, taller than a Hinox, padded toward them. The beast jumped from the forest to Rauru Hillside, and then stepped over Hylia River as if it were merely a stream. A pair of determined sapphire eyes locked on Ganondorf and his kin. The wolf’s ethereal body, as large as a Divine Beast, shined with the continuously rotating and pulsating energy of the goddesses Din, Farore, and Nayru.

“Is that what I think it is?” Dora whispered with dread.

“Words never fail you, do they?” Ganondorf retorted, smirking at his wife.

She responded with a vicious glare. “I’m serious. That is the appearance of the hero when cursed by Twilight!”

“It’s bad comedy,” Ganondorf sourly remarked. “Taking that form will not make me forfeit this fight! This is my kingdom, and not even the goddesses will steal this from me,” he declared.

“Felious, collect as many arrows as you can. I need to restock my quiver,” Dora instructed, and then turned to Din as he swiftly obeyed. “You need to help your people. Do you understand?” Dora asked, her voice grave. “Use the cane. Keep them safe.”

Din eyed the approaching beast with horror. “I don’t want to lose you. Just make the goddesses leave us alone!”

“You are not a child, Din,” her mother scolded. “You cannot change the fate of this battle, whatever that may be. You are the Princess of Hyrule. You can help by protecting your people and praying to the Desert Goddess! No matter what happens, I will be more at ease knowing you are safe.”

“I love you, Mom,” Din said, swallowing her fear to replace it with courage.

“I love you too,” Dora replied, touching her daughter’s face with her fingertips.

“Dad,” the princess called, and waited for his piercing yellow eyes to look at her. “Please, come home to me.”

He nodded a curt promise.

Felious returned with a bundle of arrows, more than what would fit in Dora’s quiver, and offered them to her. At the same time she grabbed them, she snatched his arm to pull him close. “You must protect her,” she hissed, her tone promising death.

The prince was alarmed by her threat. “I will. You have my solemn oath that no harm will come to your daughter.”

“Or my grandson,” Dora added.

Felious stared with suddenly large, bewildered, honey yellow eyes. “Son? I… How do you..?”

“Go,” Dora ordered, and shoved him back, retaining the arrows. He wasted no more time. Felious gripped Din’s hand protectively and guided her away.

Dora filled her quiver, mentally preparing to take the fight to the goddesses, and listening to Din shout for everyone to follow her. She held the cane gloriously over her head, casting a protective barrier that swirled around any Hyruleans within range of her to protect them from all harm.

“I can end this,” Ganondorf said suddenly. Dora glanced up and found his hand bearing the Triforce clenched and surrounded by a blinding golden glow. She also realized the wolf drew near, leaving them with little time to discuss the matter. Before she could protest his decision, the sacred beast lunged forward at them. Without thinking, she answered the call to action. Dora brandished her weapon and rushed out in front of Ganondorf. Her scimitar sliced horizontally and a rush of fiery orange energy was expelled from her blade, knocking back the sacred animal when her blade met its snout. The queen was also berated with a burst of the goddesses’ divine energy, throwing her back. She concealed herself in a barrier that cushioned her fall, but she rolled several feet, until she stopped on her back.

Ganondorf lost his balance and stumbled back at the burst of energy. The pain of the light coursing through Dora’s veins was twice that of what the Master Sword could inflict. The wolf was stunned, lying on its side, so Ganondorf hurried to Dora and yanked her to her feet when she offered a hand. Her cuts and bruises swiftly healed. “I spent thousands of years watching Ganon devour you. I won’t do it again! We can take this goddess without the demon’s aid,” she pleaded, catching her breath.

“You’re only prolonging the inevitable,” he said callously, watching the wolf warily and ignoring her emotions. “Gauge its power, Dora. Combined, we fall short, unless the full power of the Triforce is unleashed.”

“This was the Desert Goddess’s final warning,” Dora realized gravely. “She told me this would come to pass, so she must have known this would be their third phase, and probably their final strategy.”

Ganondorf turned a weakened glare to his wife. “And what did your predecessor say you should do when the time comes to awaken the beast?”

“That I would be unable to convince you otherwise,” she answered, upset. “That means you will become a monster!”

He chuckled cruelly, but a tender glint touched his eye. “I am already a monster. What does it matter if I take the form of a man or demon?”

Dora recognized that, in the simplest terms, he was right. “Promise me, swear on our eternal lives, on our marriage that has stood the test of time, that you will not lose yourself to the hate!”

Ganondorf tilted his head up in surprise, raising an amber eyebrow. He never saw his wife so desperately demand something so pointless with such ferocity. “The beast is tame, just as I once tamed you. I swear you will not suffer loneliness again. I have complete control.”

She inspected his eyes and found the sincerity she needed.

“Do you trust me?” he asked, cracking a devious smirk.

Dora relented with an amused smile. “Yes,” she admitted, and then cautiously stepped back.

Chapter 15

The Triforce flared to life, absorbing Ganondorf in its sacred light. That golden glimmer was snuffed out by the release of anger, hate, and malice. The wave of this evil hit Dora like a tsunami and she barely remained on her feet. Watching his transformation this time was just as horrible as the first, or every other time. The black aura consumed Ganondorf entirely, dragging him to his knees. He clawed the ground, compacting dirt under his nails, and snarled like a caged animal bashing against his iron prison for freedom. Red and purple energy pulsed within the darkness and wrapped around him like vines, as if they could contain the demon.

Dora’s mind was sent reeling. She clutched the scimitar’s hilt on her left hip, praying for the strength to will away the pain. Her flesh felt stretched and torn with the agony of a foreign element trying to escape her body. She crumbled to her knees, grasping her head tightly in her hands. Her mind screamed for salvation and her limbs begged for release at the same time Ganondorf’s arms expanded, his legs shifted, and his entire face transformed, leaving only his crown and long, amber hair.

Her pain subsided like receding ocean waves when the change was complete. Dora dropped her arms at her sides and gazed up at the blue sky, exhausted. Ganon grunted to gain her attention, and she watched as he placed one hoof out. “Climb on,” she heard in her mind, in a voice that was almost Ganondorf. This simple gesture erased all of her doubts that he would be stolen by the demon again. A burst of excitement coursed through her veins as she sheathed her scimitar and rushed to climb Ganon’s leg.

His body was covered with wisps of red fur, from his snout to his long tail, but his skin was solid black. Large tusks curled out under his lips from his top jaw. Dora sat behind his head, nestled in his thick hair. An aura as orange as the setting sun emanated from her body and quickly enclosed Ganon in a protective shield to weaken the wolf’s attacks. She equipped her bow and readied an arrow engulfed with darkness.

As the wolf prepared to pounce, Ganon lunged forward. His tusks caught the wolf’s torso, dragging across the belly and tearing it open. Dora released her arrow into the beast’s eye and it whined when the burst blinded that eye, leaving behind an empty void. Ganon charged while the wolf was wounded, once more using his tusks as weapons and piercing its torso with both of them. With the wolf stuck to his tusks, Ganon ran across the field, using the sacred beast to knock over trees of a small forest. He threw the divine beast away by flicking his head, and watch it roll into Hylia River.

Dora relentlessly fired another arrow with the same effect, not allowing the goddesses a chance to recuperate. Where the arrow landed in its side, a splotch of solid black corruption remained, as if tainted by her hatred. Ganon waited, pondering the wolf’s next tactic.

Suddenly, the wolf rolled from its side to its feet, and raced at Ganon. He prepared to block the same as before, but was fooled. The wolf leapt to the side before coming close enough to be ripped open by the tusks a second time. It darted forward and hit Ganon’s side, knocking him over with surprising force. Dora held on only because she gripped his hair with both hands. Ganon roared with pain and rage when the wolf’s teeth latched on to his underside and tore him open with all its might. Dora screamed, grabbing part of her exposed stomach. Tears met her eyes, both from the severe pain and remorse in knowing that Ganon directly suffered this agony. He smashed his back hooves into the wolf’s face, and was rewarded with a terrible yelp.

Ganon wearily rolled to his hooves. He seethed and growled from deep in his throat, which Dora felt rumbling through his whole body. A snort passed his snout and he opened his mouth, launching an orb of magic that bolted straight for the wolf. Dora added an arrow to the attack, both impacting and exploding in unison. While Ganon shifted, preparing for another devastating strike, his queen launched two more arrows to prevent the wolf from regaining its senses. The demon beast charged ahead, while Dora yanked back an arrow and waited. Ganon’s tusks slipped under the wolf and he tossed his head up, throwing the wolf into the air. Dora fired.

A sphere of orange energy attached to the arrow as it passed through the barrier around them. When her arrow was guided to and solidly hit its mark, the power of the Desert Goddess was released. The orange entity spiraled around the wolf like a snake constricting its next meal, and then spun back to swallow it whole. The wolf was sent hurtling to the ground with incredible speed that would have snapped the spine of any other beast upon meeting the ground.

Dora took the time gained by the ruthless attack to focus her healing power on her stomach to heal Ganon.

“Do not waste your energy,” he advised inside her head.

“What? Why? You’re going to bleed to death,” she said, frustrated.

“Your power cannot heal a wound inflicted by the goddesses.”

She grimaced, as if knowing that fact made the pain increase tenfold. “I understand. I assume that goes for them as well.”

“Yes. They cannot heal the darkness,” he confirmed.

“Then allow me to fill that atrocity with so much darkness they’ll be more evil than you!”

Ganon snorted, amused. “I wager that’s impossible.”

“We’re about to find out,” Dora exclaimed, firing another arrow at the lame beast. It stumbled to stand against her onslaught of arrows leaving behind large marks as black as the King of Evil’s heart. The light could not purge this evil, and simply adjusted. Enraged and snarling, the wolf sprinted forward, meeting the injured Ganon and avoiding his tusks. They grappled, pushing on each other to gain the upper hand. Dora launched an arrow, striking the middle of the wolf’s head and blinding its last eye with hate. Ganon gained the upper hand and knocked the wolf on its back. He jumped forward to stomp his hooves into the wolf’s torso, but was surprised when the sacred beast’s powerful hind legs smacked into his ribs and flung him across the fields.

Dora clutched Ganon’s hair, holding on to save her life. When they landed, she wished she had let go.

Chapter 16

Ganon’s great mass crashed into Hyrule Castle Town, destroying what remained of the market and the village. Dora was spared any major damage, but the aches and bruises Ganon suffered from the stone and wood breaking against his back was punishment enough. The wolf did not show mercy. The goddesses leapt into the air and came down on Ganon, the mouth of the beast wide open to devour its prey.

Dora dropped from Ganon’s back and tumbled to the ground, adding more scrapes to her already beaten body. She limped forward, wincing at the throbbing of her muscles. She focused on comforting Ganon’s bruises through their connection, but more than that she called upon the Desert Goddess.

The sacred beast latched its jaws around Ganon’s throat and he screeched in agony, while Dora helplessly watched. The Desert Goddess came to her aid immediately and helped cut off the excruciating torture Ganon endured. Dora brandished her scimitar, only feeling twinges of pain from the sharp teeth tearing at the throat of the demon beast. Her shining blade with an edge that never dulled came to life with dancing flames full of spirit. She raced forward, avoiding debris, and jumped at the wolf. Her blade sang through the air and sliced open the beast’s waist. The power of the Desert Goddess intensified the laceration with a burning fury that sent the wolf whimpering and writhing. Dora steadily chased her enemy with bursts of energy that flowed from the curve of her blade when she swung. The wolf snarled and snapped at her attacks, but they were merely a distraction. Dora thrust the point of her scimitar forward and divine orange energy lashed out, taking the form of a cobra snake. The fangs of the Desert Goddess sank into the wolf’s neck.

Ganon rolled to his side, his raspy breathing quick and shallow. The Queen of Evil began to feel his strength waning as her own diminished to heal his wounds. Her vision blurred, but she marched forward regardless, with determination and a deadly scowl. The snake clutched the wolf beast in her jaws, pinning it to the ground for Dora to deliver a swift blow. Her strides hastened from a march to a jog, and then to a run. When she reached the sacred beast’s snout, she lunged from the ground, two hands on the hilt of her sword pulling it high in the air. On her descent, she thrust the blade straight down into the wolf’s head, between its tall ears. The wolf howled in agony, desperately struggling to throw its head and toss Dora aside. She grasped the hilt, refusing to be thrown aside like a common flea. Darkness bled from her hands, crawled down her blade, and was injected into the beast of the goddesses. An inhuman shriek, as if Din, Farore, and Nayru themselves savagely screamed in terror, filled the fields of Hyrule.

“Sister! Please, release us,” they pleaded in unison. The Desert Goddess made no motion, and Dora continued her assault of darkness on their pure entity. Her hate spread into the goddesses like ink creeping across white parchment.

“I will never,” Dora screamed, driving her blade deeper into the wolf’s skull. “For all of the torment, the loneliness and heartache, the anguish, this is the retribution I deserve for your incessant attempts to steal Ganondorf away from me!”

The goddesses knew their existence was in danger. Dora’s loathing seemed to never end, but she grew weaker by the second. Ganon climbed to his hooves at last, still bleeding profusely from his neck, but trudged forward. He needed to reach Dora before she killed them by exhausting every ounce of her sorcery. They never before reached this critically low level, and there was no telling how far she would go before she was finished.

Din, Farore, and Nayru abandoned their solid form of the wolf all of a sudden, leaving Dora to fall and pierce the ground with her sword. The Desert Goddess’ aura shrank into the sword, and Dora pivoted to learn what the other deities were plotting. Their bodies were pure, solid energy, bolting chaotically in the air. Noticing Ganon made his way toward her, Dora sprinted to him to reunite. Except, with her stamina entirely drained, her legs seized and she tumbled to the dirt, falling short of reaching Ganon.

The goddesses landed on the ground, Din to the West, Nayru to the East, and Farore to the South in their Hylian forms. They raised their arms, summoning longbows to their hands. Each grabbed their bowstrings and drew back, an arrow of solid light appearing between their fingers. This was all the pure energy that remained after the Queen of Evil’s desperate attempt to destroy them, and all that was needed to defeat the demon in his weakened state.

Ganon reached Dora, standing over her just enough that her hair was tossed about by the warm breath escaping his snout. Before he collapsed, he withdrew the demon’s energy, swiftly returning to his muscular human form. He rested over Dora, on his elbows and knees, gazing down at her stunning, exhausted face with adoration. She stared back, disgusted by the vicious wounds in Ganondorf’s throat from the wolf beast's attempt to rip out his esophagus. Blood dribbled over, pouring onto Dora’s chest. Even if she could, there was no darkness left in her to heal him. She combed her fingers through his hair with tears welling up in her eyes. “I could not protect you. I have failed you, my king.”

He touched her face fondly with his left hand, and called on one more power the Triforce possessed. Ganondorf shared her suffering, the loss of magical and physical strength and the infestation of the pure energy wearing them down. “We will not survive their last attack,” he said hoarsely, fighting to swallow.

Dora nodded, already aware their end was near. The light of the Triforce shined golden and warm, resonating around them. Her entire surroundings, the blue sky, the mangled castle walls, the luscious field of tall green grass, all began to disappear. “Ganondorf, no! What are you doing?” she cried out in shock.

“This is our only chance for survival, Dora,” he affirmed with as much strength as possible. Ganondorf’s limbs failed to sustain his weight. He collapsed on his queen’s sensual body, his head landing on her guarded bosom. Dora enveloped him in a protective embrace with her arms around his shoulders. Burning tears of anguish and regret spilled over when she closed her eyes.

The golden goddesses released their arrows directly at the King and Queen of Evil, but never hit their mark.

Ganondorf sacrificed the remainder of his fading energy and permitted the sealing power of the Triforce to consume him and Dora, condemning them to the Sacred Realm.

Chapter 17

“Come on, Din! Almost there,” Felious urged.

The small room of Gerudo Town was not enough to restrain Din’s strenuous grunts and painful groans. She tilted her head back as far as she could reach, bearing down and pushing with all the strength of her warrior body. Her hand tightly grasped her husband’s, nails digging into his flesh unintentionally. No matter how much he thought she might break his hand, he never complained. He would much rather endure a little discomfort than trade places to be the one birthing their child in the desert heat.

Several Gerudo hurried around him, using damp cloths to clean Din’s sweat covered face and neck. One was at each foot to brace her legs, and he constantly peeked over to check her progress. “I see traces of hair,” he said with excitement.

“Give me one more big push, princess,” the Gerudo servant on her right urged. Din grit her teeth, curled her toes, squeezed Felious’s hand, and gave her best effort. She only stopped when the crying of a newborn babe filled the room.

“You’ve done it,” Felious laughed, and kissed Din on the forehead. He ignored the rest of what the Gerudo needed to accomplish between his wife’s legs, and scurried over to see his child that he waited nine months to meet. The babe was washed in warm water, a cloth wrapped around his waist and between his legs, and swaddled in a thin blanket. The moment the servants were finished, Felious lifted the boy in his firm hands and carried him to Din. His fussy cries only quelled when his mother accepted him, and held him to her chest. Felious asked, “How long did you know the baby would be a boy?”

“When you talked to my father about forcing me to the Yiga hideout before the battle,” Din retorted, her lips quivering. “Mom told me then. I still can hardly believe they aren’t here. I miss them so much.”

“If only, Din. They would be so proud of you,” Felious reminded with sympathy. “They will be back.”

“Oh, I have no doubt,” Din chuckled, wiping away a few tears of combined joy and sadness. “If only I could raise our son in the castle,” she whined.

“You will. No matter what those fools believe, this voting system to choose a new leader and make decisions, it will fail soon enough. They will be begging for their princess,” he said passionately.

“I pray you are right, my love,” Din said, gazing adoringly at her son.

“I suppose the name for our son is obvious,” Felious said with a devious grin.

“A strong and powerful name, so there is no question about his destiny, or his heritage. His name is Ganondorf.”

Chapter 18

A creature covered in varying shades of orange fur elegantly ascended the steps of the pyramid without a tip, her eyes transfixed on her bare paw-shaped feet. Her full length, rose red skirt danced in the calming breeze coming off the decaying fields. Rays of sunshine warmed the fur of her torso not concealed by the silky black top tied between her shoulder blades. “Din, please forgive us,” she whispered despondently. “Forgive me, for I was not strong enough to defend your father and defeat the goddesses, or to be there for the birth of your son.” She was startled by the approach of footsteps from above on the stone staircase, and lifted her head to find it was not a patrol guard approaching, but her husband.

“Sav’otta, Ganondora,” he greeted gruffly. She forced a smile at his coarse and unfamiliar tone, but avoided meeting his eyes.

“Vasaaq,” she responded drearily.

“I refuse to live with you in this realm for a century or more if you plan on sulking the entire time,” Ganondorf retorted callously.

Dora grimaced at his hurtful words, but only because they were truth. “I have been poor company haven’t I?”

“I like to believe I’ve been patient with you, considering the circumstances and our current condition.”

“I do not handle failure well,” she said darkly.

“You don’t need to remind me of that,” he said, regaining the slightest amount of compassion. He reached for the side of her face and she instinctively jerked away. “Dora,” he admonished, and she reluctantly allowed him to touch the soft fur on her cheek. Her eyes flickered around nervously, and he glimpsed the mesmerizing golden speckles that were magnified by the sunlight. “No matter the form you take, you are still my devoted queen and ruthless warrior. A vixen is a perfect representation of your soul.”

She smiled warmly at his compliment, and wondered how the expression must appear on the face of a fox. Her brow furrowed in concern when her eyes lifted to meet his throat. His skin wore pale markings where the wolf savagely attempted to remove his esophagus. Dora carefully rested her fingers below Ganondorf’s elongated jaw, and applied her healing magic directly to the scars. “I pray this will fade entirely.”

“With our lives extended as they are, we are bound to acquire a few trophies along the way,” he said wisely, allowing her to cure the mending wound that nearly stole his life.

While she reflected on his words, Dora stared at the brown fur along her arm that dissipated closer to her hand. Her vision drifted up to Ganondorf’s gleaming yellow eyes, and her heart skipped a beat. More than a week would need to pass before she was familiar with his frightening appearance. His once brown skin with a tint of green was replaced with short, olive fur. Tusks protruded from his pig snout and his head was topped with floppy ears. but he maintained a humanoid stance. His ornate crown decorated his small forehead, and short amber hair cascaded over his neck. Dora staunched her magic flow, and tenderly touched Ganondorf’s misshapen cheek. “How long will we remain in these forms?”

“Only until I finish the corruption of the entire Sacred Realm, and we replenish our full strength. Purging our bodies of the light will exert much stamina, and regenerating our own corrupt magic will take time,” he advised, touching his cursed snout.

“Yes. I remember,” she sighed with disappointment. “A century certainly wasn’t an exaggeration.”

He placed his hand on the back of Dora’s head, and then tapped the black tip of her tall, vixen ears with a clawed finger. She immediately swatted him away, to which he cruelly chuckled. Her tail swished from left to right in aggravation.

Suddenly, a grin lit a fire in her eyes, and she said, “When we return to Hyrule, we will need to officially change your name to Ganon.”

Ganondorf’s expression fell into a sour frown, and he snorted. “I forbid it.”

“Is it not sweet that Din named our grandson after you?”

“No,” he answered icily.

“There’s no need to be upset. She only wanted a way to honor you.”

“Then that runt will be the one shortening his name, especially if he cannot meet the expectations that come with the name of the last Gerudo king.”

Dora smirked, a glint of happiness returning to her eyes. “No one could ever dream of replacing you, my king,” she joked, leaning forward to contently wrap her arms around his unusually stout frame. He protectively embraced her, his thoughts lingering on the newborn child sharing his name. Suddenly, he felt her breathe in sharply and then free a heavy sigh. “I only wish we didn’t end up in the Sacred Realm again,” she whined.

“I am displeased with our situation, but desperate times require desperate measures,” he responded solemnly. “Our survival was priority.”

Dora stepped aside graciously to stand at the elbow of her king and turned to look out over the vast, decayed land. “You created a masterpiece this time around,” she complimented, grasping at her fading optimism.

“I was always fond of the Pyramid of Power,” Ganondorf confessed, relishing in the grandeur of the surreal Hyrule formed from his own dark heart.

“I feel as if we’ve gone into the past, back to Agahnim and the Seven Maidens,” she reminisced happily.

“None of that will be necessary for our return,” he assured his queen, looking down to her.

“I wonder what Hyrule will be like when we do. No royal families, no monarchy, and they might even go so far to denounce their goddesses,” she realized. “This will be a whole new way of life.”

Ganondorf laughed wickedly but amused. “No matter how Hyrule is governed, the great King and Queen of Evil will always return to dominate and prove that our reign is superior.”

The End