by N Felts
room. Without warning, the whip cracks at the open air, causing Linu to flinch as he mashes his eyes shut. With a sadistic snicker, the masked woman struts out of the shadows, coiling her instrument in her hand as she exits. Now alone in the room, the boy ceases fighting the tears as he listens to the water drip down through the ceiling, tapping on the sandy ground intermittently.
Ordering the guards to stay put with a silent gesture, the king of thieves quickly moves across the sandy grounds of the complex, entering an inconspicuous doorway. Inside the small room, he shoves a bookcase aside with little effort revealing a secret passage leading down. Making his way through the darkness, he stealthily arrives at his destination, peering through a thin drainage grate of the torture room. Still hanging pathetically, Linu waits in agony for whatever terrible fate he is to meet. No stranger to stealthy tactics himself, Ganondorf focuses on silencing his breathing as he watches the dim room with great interest. The sun has all but vanished beneath the horizon when the extraordinarily patient ninja finally makes her move. Seeming to crawl out of the shadows themselves, Sanzu dips into her comrade’s vision, pressing a finger to his lips before studying the restrains.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d find me,” Linu admits, weakly coughing as Sanzu hushes him once again.
“Careless boy,” she whispers, drawing a knife from the small of her back and slicing through the leather soundlessly. “Of course I would,” After catching the depleted soul, she examines his back, cringing at the sight of the dried lacerations. “You’re okay now. I’m taking you home,” she assures, briefly glancing around before slowly situating the boy onto her back.
“He’s looking for the sages,” Linu sighs, grunting painfully as Sanzu lifts him into the air. “Zelda was right.”
“Keep quiet,” she promptly retorts, pulling on his arms to situate him comfortably on her back. “Save your strength. She’ll look after the sage. You need only worry about how badly she’ll scold you when we get back to the castle,” she jokes with a sad smile, vainly attempting to lift his spirits. Satisfied with what he has learned, Ganondorf silently makes his way out of the hidden passageway, emerging into the twilight hour upon the sands. Noting his guard’s passive state, he is certain the skillful Sheikah would sneak past them with ease were he not there to alert them.
“Fools!” He bellows, snapping the women to attention. “While you twirl your hair about your fingers the prisoner is being freed!” He informs, keeping his voice down as best he can. “You,” he commands, pointing at the woman holding the whip. “Send for additional guards. You two,” he scolds, pointing at the naginata touting duo. “If they get past you, you’ll both answer to me,” he declares, pointing through the doorway leading to the dark staircase. “Do not so much as blink.” With that, he begins to ascend into his fortress, finally reaching the throne room with a sinister smile. Zelda protects the sage of light. The castle would be too obvious a hiding place, but the church is too ideal to be overlooked. Bursting into his chambers, he immediately begins to strap on his armor, not noticing the pair of women seated on his bed. Pulling on his gauntlets, he finally takes notice of Aveil consoling one of his mistresses, though the fact ranks at the bottom of his list of concerns. Rising from the bed, his queen approaches him carefully, obviously attempting to avoid angering him.
“My king, I have joyous news,” she starts, the knowing tone of her voice clearly indicating it is a rehearsed line. “Young Maya has been with child for many months. The way it kicks and bounces around, she is certain it is a boy,” she reveals, controlling her demeanor in a very calculating fashion. Imperceptible to most, the king recognizes the repressed twitches of a woman scorned. “You are to reign over all soon. Would you name the child you heir?” She continues, trying desperately to sell him on the notion. “To grow in—“
“Get rid of him,” Ganondorf interrupts, his voice void of emotion. “If she voices protest, dispose of her as well,” he instructs as the donning of his armor is complete. Leaning into Aveil’s face, his eyes are of a stranger. Some compassionless beast she has never known. “I am the king. No one else,” he concludes with a slow and deliberate tone. Coldly shoving her aside, he marches through the throne room with a devilish smirk. All thoughts of heirs and relationships are nowhere to be found, his feral mind focusing in on one essential goal. Just outside of the throne room, he is surprised to find Less awaiting him. Resting on a knee, she makes no attempt to speak out of turn, simply hoping he is not too preoccupied to acknowledge her. A brief nod to his guard captain waiting beside the throne room entrance assures her that their previously agreed upon strategy will proceed as planned. Dashing toward the stairs leading down into the barracks, the Gerudo woman vanishes from sight as the king returns his vision to the lone blonde crouched before him. Still having use for such a skilled warrior, he marches over to Less with a stern expression.
“Arise,” he growls, staring daggers at the woman. Promptly springing to her feet, Less stares back at him with equal intensity, obviously harboring words she desperately wants to convey. “You’ve come to beg for mercy I assume?”
“Please forgive my failure,” she starts, her eyes never straying from his for a moment.
“I will forgive nothing!” He roars down at her, barely retaining his composure. “The castle stands defenseless, and yet you failed to take it with an army at your heels!”
“Not defenseless, my king,” she corrects, carefully monitoring her tone as always. “The newly named queen destroyed the bulk of the assault single-handedly. Her holy magic stripped me of our treasured artifact. I was not prepared for such resistance, and I failed you. I accept my punishment as you see fit,” she concludes, only now breaking eye contact to bow her head slightly.
“Moora was far more reliable,” he sighs, aiming to wound the woman who is far too proud for his taste. When she fails to answer, he knows he has succeeded. “Was this newly named queen with opportunity to kill you?” He asks after a moment, his curiosity getting the better of him.
“She was, and strangely, she hesitated… I do not know why,” she conveys, the first hints of mental weakness displayed with the confession, her pride now wounded beyond repair. As her king processes the expected information, Less decides to carefully plead her case. “My sister,” she breathes, determined to restrain the emotion from her voice. “She knew the cost of failure, as do I,” she starts as her emotions seep into her words.
“Pathetic,” he chuckles offensively, shaking his head. “To continue believing such nonsense,” he pauses, unable to find the words to communicate his distain. Her eyes find his once again, and for an instant, Ganondorf sees her mother’s face. Burning with hatred and potential violence, she resisted him with a memorable animosity. Though he was never certain why he kept her, locked away in secret all those years ago, he remembers an inexplicable attraction he could never shake. He has taught the rest of his kind to hate outsiders, and yet, the strongest of his soldiers is the result of a hopeless affair with a Hylian. It is the only reason he tolerates such blatant acts of disrespect from the defiant blonde standing before him. Despite the lies she was taught to believe, she is his daughter, and he feels oddly compelled to tolerate her. “You will wait for me at the Arbiter’s Grounds. If any but I approach, kill them,” he orders, staring into her eyes a moment longer before departing. Still as a statue, Less simply stares into space long after he has gone. Her emotionless visage would seem as though the hurtful words failed to affect her, but a single tear rolls down her cheek despite her best efforts.
Charging across Hyrule field on his armored horse, the dark lord notices the large ring of earth in front of the Castle Town gates, completely void of grass from a previous battle. The tall walls suffered significant damage, but even so, the siege failed. Dismounting his horse, Ganondorf approaches the edge of the moat, staring at the makeshift boards barring entry in place of the destroyed drawbridge. The base of the river,
almost completely dry a short time ago, has regained a healthy flow due to the recent rain. With a slight chuckle, he channels his power into his hand, letting the golden glow of the Triforce ripple along the stone walls as the dark orb of energy grows around his clenched fist. Leaping into the air, he summons a glyph at his feet, launching him across the moat, and into the barrier. Using far more power than necessary, the wood is annihilated by the punch, the splintered pieces spearing into the recently renovated buildings near the entrance. The two guards positioned on each side of the entrance climb back to their feet, thoroughly rattled by the sudden attack. A purple ball of energy blasts off the warlock’s palm, hitting the wall directly behind one of the guards and burying him in an avalanche of flying stone. The remaining guard charges courageously, thrusting his spear at the Gerudo’s back. Batting the weapon aside effortlessly, Ganondorf, steps into an open palmed strike, only touching the guards chest for the briefest instant. Paralyzed with electricity, the guard spasms uncontrollably, crumbling to the ground without a fight. Not finished with the sentinel just yet,
