Ganondorf began to descend, letting himself move through for the air as he came down to the level of Link, Midna, and Zelda. The dark king still held the handle of the sword of light, the weapon known in the official tomes as the Sword of the Six Sages. Gripping the scabbard a little tighter with his left hand, he twisted and yanked the gleaming blade free. He looked directly at Link, smirking. He noticed the hero staring at his black breastplate. It covered the gaping wound he had survived all those years ago, but he was willing to bet his eyes his erstwhile opponent knew of it.

"Now that pleasantries have been exchanged, what say we resume?"

Link reached for the sword on his back. Before he could tackle the logistical quagmire of facing the enemy without the Master Sword, Midna lept out from behind him, steeling herself, with the man behind Zant's power just a few meters away. She smirked.

"Pardon me, but your opponent stands before you." With a flick of her hand, the Fused Shadows materialized and began to float around her. Ganondorf smirked back.

"How quaint."

Link rushed forward. She was not from his timeline, and she was not the Midna he had known. But he had to...

Too late.

The remaining Fused Shadows clamped down on Midna, completing the ensemble. There was a sudden burst of light, and Link ran smack into a golden barrier. He fell to his knees as Zelda rushed to his side.

"Now, now..." Ganondorf gave his sword a twirl. "Let us keep this one-on-one."

"You bet." Midna's voice was warped and distorted, but still came through strong. "I'll make you pay for what you did to my...whoa!"

As expected, Midna was not accustomed to the wild energy of the Fused Shadows. She was flung to the side with a yelp, and off the roof. Link rushed to the right side of the barrier, his mouth agape. His view was confined; there was just empty space.

Then there was a rustle that cracked like thunder, and the space was no longer empty.

The familiar monster had come back, a set of six enormous, fleshly and yet still ethereal tentacles flowing from the enlarged complete set of the Fused Shadows. It seemed to expand even now as it began to levitate, nearly filling up the whole of the courtyard below. A few deep gurgles emanated from below the helmet. Midna was not capable of speech in this form, but her intentions were crystal clear.

Ganondorf surveyed the spectacle before him, and smiled. Without a care in the world, he went back in the air, and flew closer and closer to the Twilit beast. Link and Zelda could only watch as the transformed Midna brought two tentacles forward. A massive spear of energy, longer than even the top spire of Hyrule Castle, materialized between them.

Even from a distance, Zelda and Link could see Ganondorf move just in time to avoid the first thrust from Midna. There was a flash of the maroon cape as the evil king dodged another swing from the weapon.

Link blinked. All of the struggle to get the Fused Shadows from the depths, and then of stealing them back from Zant...they were not worth a thing. Of course he had known that the completed Fused Shadow paled before the powers of the Triforce, but he could not have quite visualized Ganondorf acting like this.

He was just toying with Midna. It was only a game for him.

Frantically, he pulled out his sword. Zelda watched him hack once, then twice, at the barrier. It did not matter. The cuts filled back up as they were made. Link paused, looking helpless for a moment, before a gleam suddenly flashed into his eyes. He poised, bringing his sword up to his chest, before thrusting forward. The blade went straight through the matter. It was not possible to slice through it, but the weapon was locked right where it was. Link looked at Zelda, gestured, then turned back.

Before she could blink, Link jumped up, using the sword blade as a stepping stone as he vaulted himself over the barrier. As soon as he hit the floor, he kept moving. If there was one benefit to the loss of the roof, it was that he could see the surfaces below. It struck the princess at once that he was really going to do it.

He was really going to jump down, from lower roof to the next, and go to the courtyard where Midna and Ganondorf were. Without a sword.

She regained her wits and began to climb up on the blade too.


Ganondorf swerved out of the way from another strike from Midna's spear. The blade cut clean through one of the castle spires, but it was a total miss. A garbled cry of frustration sounded out from the transformed princess.

He shook his head, clenching the sword in his right hand and the scabbard in his left a little tighter. As much fun as it was to teach humility to the Twili, this would have to wrap up. He waited for Midna's next lunge, but this time he did not simply fly out of the way. He swerved around the trident, flew forward, and swung his sword. It cut straight through the flesh of the tentacle, eliciting a shriek from Midna.

Child, child. Ganondorf shook his head as he dodged another blow, moved close and left a cut parallel to the first. Midna cried out again.

As if great size was enough. As if a mighty weapon was enough.

Midna's movements were more jerky now, and she hissed from the pain. The thought inched into her mind even as she tried to force it down and stay focused. She poised with the spear again, not quite grasping yet that Ganondorf was already tired of the exercise.

So when she swung the weapon in a wide arc, Ganondorf did not merely dodge. He barreled through the air beneath the slash, his arm holding his sword straight as he went straight for the completed Fused Shadow that comprised the tentacled creature's head.

There was a scream and a flashing light. The tentacles dissipated at once, and Midna fell straight towards the ground like a stone.

After a few seconds, Ganondorf let himself come down. His boots hit the packed earth, and he took a few steps forward. The imp was face down, her head turned just enough to look up at him through her glaring left eye. She alternated between hisses and pants. The Fused Shadows lay around her, all four pieces broken into smaller yet fragments.

Ganondorf took a moment to study the blade of the Sword of the Six Sages, then decided against what he considered. Putting the tip to the mouth of the scabbard, he sheathed the weapon with a single motion before raising his free right hand at Midna, palm out.

"I suppose the least I can do is commend your reckless courage." He talked down at Midna as his hand startled to crackle with energy. "You are privileged to die by the divine power of yours truly."

But Ganondorf never had a chance to fire the bolt. Through the cloudy vision of her right eye, Midna saw a flash of green. Link ran at full force with his elbow braced, knocking the king off his feet.

Ganondorf floated up away from the ground a split-second too late. Link grabbed the sheathed Sword of the Six Sages even as it fell through the air, drawing it forth in one smooth motion. He took a stance and scowled as Ganondorf raised both hands, preparing a bolt in each.

It was at that moment that Princess Zelda came up right behind Link, waving her arm and letting the Triforce of Wisdom flash. Within a second, she, Link, and Midna disappeared. Ganondorf was alone.

Next up; the trio tries to regroup as Ganondorf and Zant plan their next move...