Western Hyrule was his. He liked the way that sounded in his head, and he repeated it out loud, ending with a wicked laugh. It had taken over twenty years, but finally, Ganon's goal of world domination was coming together.
He stood on the newly created gallows in the middle of the town square in what was once Barsmill. In several minutes, they would be used for the first time, as the town witnessed it's first public execution. He grinned at how much had changed in so little time.
He himself had changed. Physically, he was even bigger than he had been before he was banished. His hair was long, and he had grown out a goatee. And time had only furthered his ambitions; he was no longer content with ruling one country. No, now he would settle for no less than two, which was why he had implemented the second part of his plan.
"Brother," Rolondrof addressed him, coming up behind him. "The men are ready, and will be filling the square in moments."
Ganon nodded, but wasn't satisfied. "Is that all, Rolondrof?"
The smaller man cleared his throat. "What are we to do about this disturbance caused by Link and the others?"
Ganon snickered in approval. "Good," he thought. "He doesn't dare assume I didn't sense it." And then aloud, he said, "We will do nothing. They cannot know my real purpose in the Sacred Realm, so they cannot do any real damage. Besides, Necron will take care of them. We'll let them cling to this string of 'hope', and when it is no longer amusing, I will snatch it away from them and use it to stretch their necks." He looked out to the crowd that was now assembling, and then his eyes settled on the captives being hauled along in a wagon. "As we shall do now."
"My lord, my lord!" Kotake wailed as the wagon drew near. "Please, mighty lord, spare me! I have been nothing if not faithful to you!"
"Liar!" Koume screamed. "It was you who told Link how to beat him! I tried to stop you…"
"Liar!" They continued on like this all the way to the gallows. Ganon just stood there grinning from ear to ear. Finally, Skorn took one of the women in each arm and hefted them onto the construct. He fitted a noose to each of their necks and stood back for his brother's address.
The dark lord strolled up to them, the smile never leaving his face. "Mother," he addressed Koume. He turned to Kotake. "Mother. I am very disappointed in both of you. All my time in the Sacred Realm, and not once did you try to contact me. You escaped the fate of your future selves because you had no connection with the Triforce, unlike Nabooru and myself. I had to reach out to my half brothers, who did not even know their connection to me. I am very disappointed."
He turned to the crowd of mercenaries, Lizaflos, Staflos, and every other evil creature in Hyrule. "This is what happens to those who betray me!" he bellowed. "This is what happens to those who loose my favor!" He nodded at Skorn, and the giant pulled the lever, releasing the trap door. With a final scream, the sisters fell through the floor, old and brittle necks snapping. The crowd cheered, and Ganon's grin grew even wider. He turned to his brothers. "So, what's for dinner?"
* * *
"Malon…Malon, wake up…"
Malon stirred when she heard the voice and opened her eyes. The view wasn't much different. She was surrounded in darkness, and it took her eyes a moment to readjust to the poor lighting. Groggily, she sat up and searched for the source of the voice.
"Good, you're awake," Shrike said. "Come on, we need to get moving."
"Moving? Where are we? Where are the others?"
Shrike helped her to her feet. "We appear to be in some sort of keep, like in a castle. At least that's what I can tell from that window over there," he gestured to a nearby wall. Malon walked over to it and looked out. Indeed, they were high up in what appeared to be a castle tower. "As for your second question, I don't know, which is why we have to get moving. We should find them before too much time has passed."
"Alright. Lead the way."
Shrike began feeling along the wall, looking for a door. Soon, he found it, and was relieved to discover it was unlocked. He opened it, rusty hinges squeaking, and led them out of the room. The entered onto a winding stairway, lit by torches spaced out along the wall. He looked at Malon and then started down, instinctively keeping to the shadows and loosening the two swords crossed at his back.
"You know," Malon said after they had been walking for a while. "This isn't really what I pictured the Sacred Realm to be like. I always thought it would be…I dunno, more cheerful. Do you think we made it?"
"I don't know," Shrike admitted. "Judging from the fact that I'm neither hungry or thirsty I would have to assume so. But you're right; this doesn't seem like the kind of place the three goddesses would keep the Triforce."
Finally, they reached the bottom of the stairs. They led out into a stone walkway, which connected their tower to another part of the castle. It was dark outside, a full moon hanging in the sky. They wrapped their cloaks around them to keep out the chill. "Are the others somewhere in the castle, do you think?" Malon asked.
"I hope so. Otherwise this is going to be a very short quest." They were about halfway across the bridge when Shrike stopped short.
"What is it?" Malon asked coming up beside him.
Shrike frowned behind his mask. "I heard something. Keep your eyes open." They continued across, more cautiously now. They were still a good distance from the other side when it happened again. This time, Malon heard it as well.
"It sounds like something scraping underneath us," she said. "Like rats." Shrike said nothing, drawing both his katanas. Malon also unsheathed her Fairy Sword.
"Stand at my back," Shrike instructed. "I get the feeling we're not making it to the other side without a fight."
As if in answer to this statement, five dark figures leapt over the sides of the walkway and landed on either side of them. Malon couldn't help but gasp at what she saw. They had the general shape of a man, though slightly bigger. They were covered in dark, bristling fur, and their heads were in the shape of rats! The each held wicked looking swords. Several pulled back their lips and sneered behind rows of sharp, dagger-like teeth.
"Well, lookee here," one of the beasts said in a raspy voice. "Two fleshies. Don't reckon I've seen these ones here before."
"Nope," another said, "These ones be fresh. I can smell it on them. Maybe they're what caused that big ruckus half an hour ago."
"We mean you no harm," Shrike offered, already crouching into a fighting stance. "We arrived here by accident. If you will allow us to find our companions we will be on our way."
All five of the rat-men laughed. "Yeah, they must be new here, if they think they're getting away from us. After all, it's been so long since we've had company."
"Don't worry little girl," one of them said to Malon. "We'll keep you company until we find your friends." With that, they sprang to attack. Malon cried out and blocked the first one's blow at her midsection and swiftly brought her sword up to fend off the second. Reversing her grip, she swung the sword high, decapitating the first one's head. The other backed off for a moment, and then he swiped at her legs, followed by a reversal to her head. She blocked low, and then ducked, driving her sword up into the rat-man's chest.
Behind her, Shrike was dealing with the other three. He had not waited for their attack, and as soon as he heard Malon's cry he was on his attackers. He flipped high over their heads, drawing their attention away from Malon. His right sword lashed out, slashing one's stomach open. The left he used to take out another's leg. The rat-man jumped over the swing and brought his own sword down, intending to split Shrike down the middle. Shrike quickly skewered the grounded attacker, twisted his wrist to lock the sword in place, and pulled. The plunging blade missed him by an inch, instead slicing into the other dead creature. Shrike pulled out his sword, crossed his arms, and scissored his swords to decapitate the last attacker once it hit the ground. Seeing that Malon was unharmed, he sprinted back in the direction they were heading, Malon on his heels. The sound of more rat-men scurrying up the walls behind them spurred them on. Dropping his shoulder, Shrike broke through the door and they entered another stairway. Malon slammed the door behind them, gasping for breath. "Do you think we lost them for now?" she asked.
Shrike also tried to regain his breath. The sound of scraping and shouting coming from the stairs above them stopped it all together. "No," he said. "I don't think so."
* * *
"Five other people to be stuck with, and I had to end up with you."
"Believe me, Zakro, the feeling is mutual."
Link and Zakro made their way through the hallways of the main complex, checking every room for their missing companions. They had been wandering for a good fifteen minutes, ever since they had regained consciousness. Needless to say, neither had been pleased with the face they woke up to. Link held a ball of Din's Fire in his hand, lighting their way. Zakro followed behind him. He was dressed in standard Zora armor: sleeveless tunic and breeches woven from shark scales and painted a shiny black. At his side he wore a short sword, and his arm fins were extended and sharp as steel, a battle magic learned by the most accomplished Zora warriors. "Do you have any idea where we're going?"
"No," Link admitted through clenched teeth, "Do you?"
"No."
"Then please, shut up and help me look."
They continued on in silence for a while, with no success. Finally, Link said, "This may not be the best time for this, but Zakro, I'm sorry if you ever felt I wounded your honor. You have to know I never meant to lower you in Ruto's eyes. Nothing could ever do that."
Zakro was taken aback by this. For a moment, he was speechless. But only for a moment. Then his face hardened once again. "That's easy for you to say. You don't have to live with it."
"Neither do you." Link looked at the Zora king before opening the next door, his face honest and open. "Let it go, Zakro. Life's too short to be…"
"Yeah, life's definitely too short." A thick and sharp voice said from behind them. They spun in surprise to face a wicked looking cross between man and vermin. A dozen of them were behind the speaker, all armed. "Which is why whenever we find something new to hunt and kill, we go after it right away. Though I must admit, I didn't believe in the old folks' stories about fish who walked like men. It'll be interesting to see if your blood is as real as you look."
"I think it's time to put pride on hold for now, Zakro," Link said, drawing the Master Sword.
Zakro raised his deadly arm fins. "Agreed. Let's see if you're still as good as everyone says you are, Hero of the Water."
* * *
Another rat-creature—this one a woman—fell to the Fairy Sword as Malon and Shrike battled their way down the stairs. Along with those behind them, a group of the beasts had come up the stairs in front of them as the farm girl and the Sheikah had fled. They had been battling ever since.
"How much farther to the bottom?" Shrike called from behind her, throwing a smoke pellet back up the stairs to slow their pursuers.
"I don't know!" she yelled as she dispatched another one. "I'm thinking maybe another two levels!"
"Good! We need more space!"
They made it down one more level, when all of a sudden the right wall exploded in front of them, apparently knocked down by one of the rat-men. The debris caused the beasts further down the stairs to fall back. Mattalla stepped through the hole, battle hammer in hand. "Come, you beasts!" he bellowed, the heat of battle pumping through his blood. "Bring your legions! Mattalla of the Gorons will show you how well a 'rock-skin' can kill mice!"
"Mattalla!" Malon called. The Goron turned at her voice.
"Sister Malon! Shrike! We found you! Numaru, come quickly!"
The big Gerudo woman also stepped through the hole, bloodied scimitar in her hands. "Hello my friends. Sorry to be so rude, but perhaps we should be getting our backsides out of here."
"Agreed," Shrike said. "The smoke is fading, and they're on their way down."
Malon's mind spun as she tried to think of a way out. "Mattalla, we need a door."
The Goron nodded and swung his hammer at the other wall. The first blow cracked the aging stone, and the second completely leveled it. The four of them stepped through the hole into a wide chamber with polished floors and a high ceiling. The ballroom, Malon thought. Shrike threw another smoke pellet into the stairway, and Mattalla brought more rubble down to block the hole. The four warriors stood in the ballroom, catching their breath.
"Where are Link and Zakro?" Malon asked.
"We had hoped they were with you," Numaru said. "We awoke in someone's bedroom, and have been fighting off those things since then. We had no idea what had become of you."
"The same is true with us," Shrike said. "But we won't be able to stay here for long. I'm sure those rat-creatures have had ample time to explore this castle and are already on their way. We should get moving and try to find Link and Zakro before it's too late."
Shrike stopped suddenly and looked up. The others, also hearing the cracking noise, followed suit. Blue streaks of light spider-webbed their way across the ceiling. Suddenly, it caved in, rubble falling everywhere. They ducked out of the way, watching as Link fell through the hole, Master Sword blazing with magic and pointing down into the body of a quickly disintegrating rat-man. Zakro was right behind him, also wrestling in mid-air with one of the beasts.
Malon had enough time to cry out "Link!" before they hit the floor, the force of which creating another hole. Surrounded in a hail of stone, the six companions fell through the hole. Mattalla managed to reach out and grab Numaru and Malon, and turning onto his back, cushioned their impact with his rock hard body. Link and Shrike landed on their feet and quickly went into a long roll to absorb some of the impact, and Zakro cushioned his fall with the body of the rat-man he had killed.
The companions took a moment to regain their composure, and Link relit his ball of fire. He looked up through the hole they had made. To his surprise, the had not only fallen through the ballroom, but also through two more levels of wooden floor. Judging from the stone beneath his feet, it appeared they were on the bottom-most level of the castle. Their opponents were nowhere to be found. "Is everyone alright?" he called.
"Fine."
"Here."
"Still breathing."
"And thankful for Mattalla's rocky complexion."
"Wonderful work, Link," Zakro replied sarcastically. "Took you long enough to get us to the bottom."
"We're here, aren't we?" Numaru said, looking around in the dim light. "Wherever here is."
Link increased the magic fire and held it high, illuminating the rest of the room. He gasped at the sight before him. Standing nearly twenty feet high and carved out of marble was a statue. But something was wrong with the statue. As the others came up beside him to see what he was looking at, they saw it too.
They statue was of them.