Blackened grass crackled under Malon's boots as she stumbled, the weight of the sword overcoming her trembling, exhausted arms. She barely noticed the physical pain, the creature's stare crackled through her body like lightning, pinning her in place even as her nerves lit up in flames.

The huge golden eyes filled the horizon, like forest fires at night. She couldn't even turn to see the black smoke pouring from the ranch, the toxic clouds unable to rise through air already choked with ash, and heaping around the hill…

The huge figure cocked its head gently, as if considering her. The crooked fingers flexed on its upraised arm, and the liquid fire cascading from the cut in its hand flared brighter, as the power within slowly ate away at the mortal flesh around it.

Malon gritted her teeth. The natural stubbornness at her core still held up under the mental onslaught, and whether she imagined it or not, the sword was warm to her touch, as if a part of Link's courage lived in it, gently fighting the pain in her arms, and slowly she tipped the huge blade forwards until it fell away from her body and was held in something approaching a ready position.

This is stupid, this is stupid, this is stupid… her mind raced, recoiling at her own actions, but if anything she could do could buy time for Link to get up and get back down here, Link, who had to be on his way, who couldn't be dead, there was no way, any minute now-

The creature dropped its hand and swung idly to face her, an offensively casual stance as it looked her up and down.

The being from within the mask flailed mentally, power rippling through his body, jerking and stretching muscles as it barged into its new form. The joy of freedom mixed with the dark, dripping bloodlust that defined its existence, and the focus shifted to the small figure before it, delighting in the imminence of violence-

No… Ganondorf stood strong in his own mind, rivalling the wild power pouring through him, disguising how the firestorm wrestled and blurred against his own power…

The creature surged, a flood of viciousness drenching his mind. The beauty of destruction was before it-

No. I… know this one. I've watched her… them…

Possibilities unfolded along the limited pathways of the creature's mind. Fast or slow, every single one ended in the thick drip of blood from burning red claws-

Yes. Special to no one but him, and for that, she will suffer-

Malon flinched back and opened her mouth to cry out as the flaming hand suddenly jerked up at her, the sword drooping in her hands, the muscular arm rippled and flesh burst as a new form forced it's way out. Three jagged tentacles slashed violently across the space between them in the blink of an eye and coiled in a death grip around her waist, steaming hot purple flesh studded with spikes that drew blood as one wrapped around her arms, pinning them tight against her chest, and the third in a crushing grip around her throat that strangled her scream before it had a chance to escape.

The sword dropped heavily from her trembling fingers.

'-!'

She leaned back, feet stumbling as the pulsing tentacles began slowly pulling her forwards, boots scraping gouges into the tortured earth, struggling for breath as the grip on her whole body tightened. The limbs dragged her closer to the creature's horrible grin, which widened to fill her entire world as it watched her feeble struggles, raising its other hand to where she could see it and as the distance closed, painfully slowly, the hand twisted and dreadful claws burst from the fingers, serrated growths of bone that had been scorched black by the flames under the thing's flesh, lurid purple fire licking the wounds as more tentacles writhed behind the wrist. Malon's eyes locked on the glistening blades as her vision grew darker and closer, her pathetic stumbles no longer resisting as she drew closer with nothing in her chest but the cold fire of absolute terror-

A distant smash of timber reached her ears and was immediately blotted out by a searing roar of pure pain and rage and blistering fury, the creature's head whipped away just as a man-high wave of white light flashed between them, slicing the tentacles in two so that Malon was suddenly stumbling backwards at speed, falling heavily and sprawling in the dirt as a hulking figure leapt between her and the creature, huge boots skidding to a halt in the clay.

She writhed on the ground for a second, arms suddenly free, tearing at the tentacle around her neck as it spasmed wildly until she could draw a huge shuddering breath, coughing and spluttering briefly until she looked up and that air stuck in her throat.

The man who had rescued her and now stood facing down the retreating monster… looked like Link, but… she gasped as he swung around to her, not comprehending the changes. He was huge, seven feet tall or more, his limbs rippling with a bulk Link did not possess, wielding a bizarre sword the size of a man with two alien, curving blades, it couldn't be him, but… the tunic and armour were similar, if ash white, and the face… it was Link's face, but uncanny, sharpened, perfected in a way no face could be, painted with barbaric red and white streaks, framed by pure white hair and devoid of all expression, but it was the eyes that made her heart skip a beat, those familiar eyes she loved so much blazed with an eerie, cold fire and she wilted under their gaze just as she had from the monster…

'L…Link…?'

Link, if it was him, turned away from her to face his enemy, who danced with an almost palpable anger, and raised the huge sword calmly above his head in a two handed grip. The burning man writhed furiously, tentacles thrashing and tearing at its own head as if confused, flames sputtering from its wounds and crawling across its limbs, then turning to face Link, twitching as it focused-

The air between the two shivered with power and anticipation, and Malon scrabbled backwards, deep instinct taking over and trying to drive her far, far away from here. She jumped to her aching feet as the creature roared defiance, her hair whipping back in the hot blast, then something at her feet glared with reflected fire.

The sword…

She darted forward into the wind, heart in her mouth. Her hands closed around the thick blade, yanking it upright as she turned and ran, catching a glimpse of Link's huge sword swinging over his head as the two combatants leaped at each other in the same instant, and the shockwave of their clash briefly lifted her off her feet. Stumbling and weaving on aching legs, her throat burned as she gasped at the scorched air, running wildly forward with the heavy sword clamped to her chest.

'Epona!' She croaked as the horse ran in from the side, her coat streaked with ash and sweat. Faithful Epona, despite the fear she must have felt, had stayed close to her two best friends, and Malon let out something between a sob and a laugh as she came alongside and grabbed the reins.

Heaving herself painfully onto the horse's back, she lay low and clung on as Epona found her speed. She glanced over her shoulder at a hideous echoing screech.

Link and the creature were barely visible in the centre of an expanding cloud of fire and light, sword and tentacles and claws moving faster than her tear-stung eyes could follow, each blow ringing out and reverberating strangely through her body.

'Link… hang on.' She gritted her teeth and clutched the sword tighter. Whatever he was, she was just a liability to him right now. Zelda would know what to do, she repeated to herself endlessly, a litany just hopeful enough to fend off utter despair.

Zelda will know what to do…