"Are you alright, Captain?" Hilda asked as she slipped into the infirmary.

"I will be...as long as no one finds out I was defeated in one blow." he replied, bowing his head.

"If it makes you feel better, your men were too." she said, inwardly cringing.

"Yes, about that, my apologies are not en-" he began.

"Please, do not apologize, that man...it was a miracle we survived against power such as his." she said, her gaze shifting towards the open window.

"I've been meaning to ask...if I may." the Captain said as he sat up. "My men were trained, battle hardened warriors...how is it they were so easily defeated whilst you and Ravio fought evenly against him?" he asked, a confounded expression on his face.

"I suppose the Goddesses were watching over us." the violet haired Princess replied.

"Aye, must've been." the Captain said, groaning as he rubbed his back.

"You mustn't strain yourself, your injuries need to heal." Hilda said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Nonsense, I've taken worse, I'll be back out in the training fields in a day." he responded with a forced laugh.

"You were thrown across the corridor into a brick wall faster than I could blink." Hilda said as she narrowed her eyes."

"Was I really?" the Captain asked, shifting his gaze away from the Princess.

"It's fine, nothing to be ashamed of! Now get some rest, you've earned it." she said, the Captain bowing his head to her as she exited the room.

Hilda began down the corridor, stopping as a shiver crept up her spine. Ganondorf's aggressive features and gold eyes haunted her dreams the prior night and even now frightened her while she was among the waking world. At first she thought it impossible that the green-skinned Sorcerer that invaded her home was the same monster that possessed Yuga, as instead of an enormous, tusked boar, he was a tall, strong looking man that possessed civilized mannerisms and resembled not one feature of the beast he was. The Princess clenched her fists as she thought about him, his power was unreal, but she still wondered whether or not he was here of his own accord...or if Yuga's actions had trapped him in Lorule. The repercussions of such a man becoming a permanent enemy to her Kingdom being an intimidating thought indeed...but if Link and Zelda has fought him and won for generations...maybe she and Ravio could too.

oOo

Ravio hummed quietly to himself as he strode through the Castle's corridors, the sounds of masons working to repair the internal and external damage Ganondorf's storm had caused drowning out his tune. He nodded at courtiers and guards as he walked along, the befuddled individuals looking at him strangely as he passed, his newfound confidence puzzling them. He honestly liked how it felt though, the old, cowardly Ravio was gone, the new, improved, Triforce empowered version having taken over after a decent night's sleep. The purple haired boy felt stronger, faster, more agile, and braver, having also realized his wounds healed at an accelerated rate.

"Ravio!" Hilda called with a warm smile as he drew near.

"Princess!" he replied, continuing with a bow.

"You seem...different." she said with a cautious smile.

"I feel different...but a good kind of different...I feel better." he informed the purple haired Princess.

"That's fantastic! I worried for you after our confrontation with...him." she said, her voice fading at the end.

"Hilda, are you okay? You sound frightened." Ravio said, knowing the answer all the while.

"I just wonder...after his defeat...where did he go?" she asked, her eyes sweeping across the now sun-drenched land below."

"Hopefully somewhere far away." Ravio said quietly, "Looks as if he took his storm with him." he continued, a smile adorning his face.

Hilda smiled in return as she took it in, life had returned to Lorule, Ganondorf had not and will not take that away from her. "That he did...now, onto our next order of business...surveying the damage." she groaned.

"Princess, please, a small contingent of guards and I could easily take care of this job, you needn't stress yourself with it." he suggested.

"No, no, no, their regent must be present, I have to show them that I care and personally promise to make things right!" she shot back.

"Fine, makes enough sense." he responded with a smirk.

"I wonder what they'll say about me this time." she sighed.

"Doesn't matter, I'll silence any nay-sayers." Ravio said with a smirk as he gave his blade a twirl.

"Ravio!" Hilda called as her jaw fell. "I know that was a jest." she warned.

"You've caught me in a show of false bravado, my lady." Ravio said with a laugh, Hilda following.

oOo

Ganondorf stood, arms crossed at the largest window of the fortress, the sky a dark purple above as snow fell around it's black walls.

"This is where we've taken up residence since our Master's defeat." the mysterious legion's leader, a man Ganon now knew as Verik stated.

"It will need to fortified...but it will serve it's purpose for now." Ganon responded.

After a moment of hesitation, the Commander spoke. "With what you've shown us, I can say without question that I am loyal to you, but some of the men, they remain fearful of your power." Verik said, casting an unsure glance at the man in front of him.

Ganon turned away from the window, he had considered fear a powerful motivator in the past, but found it ultimately lead the frightened to defect when the opportunity presented itself. He'd need their loyalty if he wanted to topple the Princess and Hero in this land, as it was the only way he could return to Hyrule and take what was his, without the whole Triforce, he was trapped here in Hyrule's strange, so similar yet so different reflection. "How many do you number?" Ganon asked calmly.

"Just over three-hundred, my Lord." Verik answered.

"Gather them all at once." Ganon stated, Verik bowing before leaving the room.

The Demon King walked across the room, his mind wandering as he looked over the multitude of symbols along the walls. Verik had informed him that they had merely stumbled across the structure while seeking shelter and had taken up residence there due to it's large size. He grimaced as he acknowledged the truth...the symbols on the wall were Gerudo in nature, he could read them all with ease. What stuck out to him though, was the fact it was built in such a cold climate, an area he knew his people would have great difficulty adapting to...and if it was not here his people resided, where was it? He had traveled before revealing himself, attempting to find followers, the immediate choice being his own people, but they were no where to be found in the desert, signs of their culture being located in a fortress on the opposite side of Lorule only deepening the mystery.

oOo

Verik had begun to grow anxious, his men had come without question, but while some stood motionless and attentive, others seemed unsure, and thus their gazes wandered as they fidgeted in their positions. For so long he and his men had remained without purpose, just hoping the Princess wouldn't mount an attack against them, as their number would likely not prove much of a challenge to overcome when faced with the Royal Military.

"Why are we even here?" one soldier said.

"Is he even going to show up?" another questioned.

"Silence." Verik growled, the soldiers following his command as they all stood at attention.

Ganondorf appeared on the stairs before the once abandoned hall, slowly descending as the soldiers watched. He sensed hopefulness in some, but others were apprehensive, frightened not just by his appearance and power, but the authoritative way in which he carried himself.

"All of you have felt the effects, the actions of the Hero." Ganon called out, all eyes locking onto him. "These actions taken against you have injured you in ways that are not physical, but spiritual, you have been robbed of purpose, your reasons for existence taken from you while your beliefs were ripped apart. These actions were not the Hero's own, however, they were orders of the Princess! She and the Hero have been revived throughout the ages to combat what the Goddesses perceive as threats to their survival, for they thrive on worship! On the attention of others! They selfishly want to watch the people of this land bow to them, obey them, and worship them without question, thus they spawn servants in the forms of a boy and a Princess with abilities far beyond those of other men and women to destroy us! We, those who think differently! What has happened to you is not just the doing of the boy and the Princess, but that of the Goddesses also! They were the ones that took your Master the Gemesaur King! They are the ones that saw to it that you were cast out into this frozen, hostile world! I am a King, a leader who has been resurrected through the centuries through a spell of my own making, a spell that activates when those that do not show the Goddesses the copious amount of praise they so greedily desire are being oppressed by the Hero and Princess, mindless extensions of the Goddesses will! I am aware some of you fear me, but that is too be expected, for my power is great, and up until this point, great power has been used only AGAINST you! But now, I am here to right this injustice! I am here to deliver you salvation from the undeserved punishment you have endured! With my power and you at my side, we will topple their regime and remake this land in our own image! Now...who of you will follow me into battle against the instruments of your suffering?!" Ganon grinned as they soldiers drew their swords, raising them up and down in the air as they cheered. "As a show of my faith in you, I grant you all a gift, one that shall aid you in the battles ahead!" Ganon exclaimed. He raised his fist, the conjoined Triforce pieces of Power from Hyrule and Lorule glowing brightly as a wave of energy swept over the men below him.

Verik felt pain surge through his body as it changed, his muscles bulging as his shoulders broadened, his height increasing while his visual acuity and sense of hearing improved drastically. He gripped at his chest as a feeling rose inside of him, a power like he had never felt before...magic.

"I have given you all strength, speed, and senses far greater than the average man, as well as a reserve of magic, with these gifts, even the largest and mightiest of armies shall fall to us!" Ganon called out. "Now! Raise your hands to me and channel your power!" he shouted, the soldiers doing as he said, streams of energy blasting from their palms and striking his back as he turned away. Ganondorf absorbed the energy into himself, raising his hands skyward. "Now I cast my curse! One that shall not be lifted until this land is ours!" Ganondorf exclaimed as blue flames roared from his palms, shooting skyward as the his newfound allies cheered.

oOo

Ravio sat steadily atop his horse clad in the armor of the Royal Family, Hilda having made plans to Knight him due to his actions against Ganondorf. He reached back, making sure his sword was slung across his shoulders. He smirked as the other Knights and guards glanced at him, puzzled over his sudden change in demeanor, namely; his choice to accompany them.

Hilda watched from the carriage she travelled in, she wondered if she could attribute the Triforce of Courage to the change in his personality or the possibility that his confidence had received a boost of sorts after fighting off Ganondorf. Whatever it may be, while she liked the new Ravio, she found herself missing his sometimes timid personality, and while it got on her nerves at times, it had it's endearing moments. The Princess couldn't help but feel sorry for him however, his former personality was the result of his father's death, he had been one of the few Knights that remained loyal to her father and mother, and thus died defending them from an assassination attempt by the Gemesaur King's followers, his mother had died of disease years earlier, thus he was left alone and slowly withdrew into himself, being afraid of the world around him ever since...until now. Hilda smiled as she looked upon him, she had few memories of his father, but from what she could recall, he now resembled him far greater than ever before. She was jarred from her thoughts as they procession ground to a halt.

"Hold!" the Knight that lead the group, Sir Damien called out.

Ravio road up beside the carriage, peering into the window. "Do you feel that?" he asked apprehensively, looking up at Death Mountain's looming form.

"I...I do...yes." Hilda said.

The village lay just ahead of them, the blue sky lay dormant above them, not a threat of even the most mild variety visible.

"Is this Ganondorf again?" Ravio asked as he clenched his teeth.

"I don't know, whatever it is, I don't like it." Hilda responded, the party continuing towards the town as the Sir Damien concluded his talk with the guards tasked with watching over the small village.

oOo

Ganondorf has decided to ramp up his plans and his new army is with him on this one!

Thanks for the read! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Gerudospirit: I hope you liked the twists and turns this chapter took! I tried expanding on things a bit by giving some characters names. Thanks for the review! :)

Please tell me what you thought, I'm always open to suggestions!

Once again, thanks for reading!

-Prometheus17