"I will enjoy displaying your heads as my trophy," Ganondorf yelled, swinging his sword back to strike Link with a mighty blow. The hero was prepared, but not only for the attack that faced him. A faithful Gerudo lunged forward to strike Ganondora. While Link deflected Ganondorf's sword with his shield, he brought his sword straight up past Dora, pushed her out of the way with his elbow, and slashed the valiant Gerudo over her shoulder. It was too late when he realized why Ganondora never defended herself.
Before Ganondorf even brought his sword to bear Dora noticed the Gerudo scramble to her feet for an attack. Dora ignored her, gambling on Link to protect her. The events played out exactly as she predicted. As Link shoved her out of harm's way, she spun behind him and thrust her sword through his back up to its hilt. The curved blade that exited his torso glistened with his thick blood. The clang of the Master Sword hitting the stone floor when it fell from Link's weakened grasp rang victory in her ears.
Zelda's shriek was so shrill that Dora cringed. The Gerudo stared with confusion as Link shuddered violently, bleeding and dying. "How dare you?" Zelda hissed, narrowing her startling blue eyes. "I should have never trusted you!" She raised her arms to attack Ganondora, but was frozen in a dark purple sphere. Ganondorf's arm was straight out, with his fingers slightly bent to form a circle.
"That mistake is about to cost you," Ganondorf laughed with a grin. "An excellent act, Ganondora."
"An act?" one Gerudo interjected. They turned their gazes to each other and then lowered their heads, realizing their mistake.
Ganondora was quick to revitalize their spirits when she said, "Your belief in my deception was necessary for success. While we lost a few comrades, we have won the war."
Ganondorf closed his hand slightly and the sphere shrank with it. Zelda screamed at the pressure squeezing her bones, muscles, and organs. "I will crush you, in time, but first you will watch your hero die." He nodded at Dora. At his command, she twisted her sword, and Link's cry of pain echoed deafeningly in the room. He coughed, and finally fell to his knees in the blood that already coated the stone floor. She wrenched the sword from his body and he lurched forward. He tried to support his weight on his hands, but collapsed face down. In slow motion, dust made of gold streamed from his body to a center point in front of Dora. The gold molded into a perfect solid triangle, signifying the hero's last breath. She held her arm straight and the Triforce of Courage rested in the palm of her hand. Immediately, she turned to face Ganondorf, and bowed on one knee before him with her hand still outstretched.
"I am pleased to present you, my one and only master, the Triforce of Courage," Dora said, raising her head to look at him with a satisfied smile.
Ganondorf reached down to her with his free hand and let it hover with his palm facing the Triforce. He filled with great anticipation, and the smile that spread on his lips was most sadistic and foul. His breathing even quickened slightly just before the Triforce of Courage was sucked into the palm of his hand. He could feel the rush of power invade his body, and a strange numbness took him by surprise, but he shook it off quickly. He then took Dora's hand and helped her to her feet.
Dora was filled with eagerness also, and watched excitedly as Ganondorf absorbed the Triforce of Courage. More than that though, was the closeness of his hand to hers, almost an affectionate distance that made her want to caress it. The way his hand hovered was is if he waited for her to take it. Surprisingly, he grasped her hand with an unexpected tenderness. In his touch was not that of a leader, but of a friend. He allowed her to use his strength as a guide to her feet and she did so with grace.
"You will not have the Triforce of Wisdom." Zelda grunted and groaned with pain as the sphere shrank again. The Gerudo watched in awe at the strength she possessed to continue to fight.
"I will," Ganondorf corrected. "You cannot stop me from extracting my revenge. You will die, either from shock or the pressure that crushes your organs." He closed his hand into a tight fist and watched anxiously.
Zelda's face contorted with pain, and she screamed so hauntingly the Gerudo looked away. Ganondora watched and refused to turn away. It was her duty to watch her king's victory. Zelda's body crumbled like paper before her hair raising screams finally stopped. They would never know what truly freed her from the pain. The purple sphere disappeared and Zelda's body flopped to the floor, disfigured and deformed. Directly above her body floated the final piece of the Triforce. It levitated closer to Ganondorf, calling out the other two pieces to become one again.
Ganondorf raised his hand straight in front of him. The Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Power emerged from the palm of his hand and joined their counterpart. The Triforce enlarged until it stood as tall as he did. Trembling, he walked forward and touched it. "I wish for ultimate power. Power enough to destroy a sage. Power enough to kill a God. Power enough to rule the world."
Moments passed where nothing happened. Dora could hear her pulse in the blood pumping through her brain. She panicked. Was there something wrong? Finally, the Triforce glowed so brightly it blinded her, and the combined voices of the goddesses reluctantly said, "Your wish is granted." The Triforce shrank again, and slammed into Ganondorf with such force he stumbled to maintain his balance. The same numbness overcame him, forcing him to his knees until he regained his strength. When he stood to his feet, he could feel he was changed, but how much?
Dora was thrilled. At her feet lie the dead enemies of Ganondorf, the Triforce was complete, and he finally achieved all that he ever dreamed. Although the process briefly took his strength away, he was more than rejuvenated when he returned to his feet. As he recuperated she grew faint. She took a few steps toward the group of Gerudo, and as she moved farther away from Ganondorf her head cleared. His power was so overwhelming it effected Dora even by just standing near him.
"Finally," Ganondorf cried victoriously. He raised his fist in front of him to display the Triforce to his followers. His brief celebration was immediately interrupted as five white blurs sped past Ganondora and straight toward the Gerudo King. As if he predicted their arrival, he cast a powerful shield of dark magic that survived to deflect all five sages, while unsheathing his magical weapon. The shield disappeared and Ganondorf attacked viciously.
Dora was powerless compared to him. She was jealous. To control such power would be fantastic, like a dream. On the other hand, she was worried. With so much power he did not need her. Would he want to keep her at his side? She hoped the ailments his power caused her would wear off, or she would suffer each time she was close with him. His fight with the sages displayed his incredible new power. Dora never doubted his victory. His villainous laugh proved he also doubted failure, but that did not stop him from pushing his power to its fullest extent.
Two of the sages were dead and their bodies faded into oblivion. Three remained, but Ganondorf was ready to make them tremble in fear.
"You do not deserve your power!" One of the sages growled.
"The goddesses granted this power to me through the Triforce. I have more than earned it. No more of this game. I will obliterate you!" A roar that was animalistic, even for him, erupted from his mouth and he was engulfed in a blinding light as golden as the Triforce. His body expanded, and Dora rushed the Gerudo out of the building just before it crumbled around them. She could not guess at what he was transforming into it, what power the goddesses bestowed on him, but a horrible feeling of dread created a pit in her stomach.
Most of the castle collapsed as Ganondorf grew ten times his size. It was more than that though. He was no longer a man, but a giant green beast with a snout, long tail, enormous tusks, and hooves. The Gerudo, and the few cowardice minions of Zant that remained, watched in horror and were incapable of averting their eyes. The sages did indeed tremble at the power Ganondorf possessed, and the beast it turned him in to.
The rest of the fight was a slaughter. The sages tried desperately to gain the upper hand, to defeat the beast that was the embodiment of pure evil, but failed. Ganondorf was easily the victor. His thick skin was invincible. He crushed one sage under his hoof, ripped another to shreds with his sharp teeth, and obliterated the last with a stream of dark magic expelled from his mouth. Not only were the sages destroyed, but also most of the castle. All the Gerudo could do was witness their king be consumed by his power.
That was exactly what happened. The sages were dead, but he did not revert to a human form. Ganondora ordered the Gerudo back to the village, but she feared that was his next target. When she did not move to run with them, they questioned her. "Are you coming with us?"
"No. I must stay to help," Dora shouted, watching what remained of the castle crumble at Ganondorf's might. Was interfering with his wishes the wisest act? Or would that be considered treason?
"I won't leave. She might try to kill him," said another Gerudo.
It was clear that since she deceived them some did not trust her. "I understand your reluctance, but I am not foolish enough to believe I can beat him in this form. Do you not see this beast consumes him? This beast of greed? I can bring him back," she pleaded. They gazed at her, some with understanding, and others still with distrust. Rock from the castle tumbled down the hill as Ganondorf walked toward them. "Run!" They did as they were ordered. Dora rushed out of the way before she was crushed.
Ganondorf stopped and turned to look at the destruction he caused. He looked from left to right, and during his brief pause realized the castle was demolished. Dora watched his confused reaction, as if he was just coming to his senses. He reared back and roared. On his chest was still that white scar where the sage pierced him. He darted toward the path that led to the village, but was stopped by a woman in red with red hair.
Dora rushed as fast as her strong legs could carry her to block his path. She stood firm, with her arms outstretched. Ganondorf slowed to a stop, just before making impact with her. With no iris, his pure white eyes were difficult to read. He roared again. At such a close distance, his breath was hot, but she refused to turn away. "Ganondorf, think about what you are doing."
"Move out of my way!" he yelled, but his voice was an inhuman angry growl.
It was good to know that on some level he must have recognized her, since he did not immediately slay her. "Do you plan to destroy all of Hyrule and the people in it? What is the point in that?"
Ganondorf snarled, bearing his sharp teeth threateningly at her. "This world means nothing!" He rushed by her, but she was forced to move to the side or be crushed by his massive hooves.
Then it was true. This power, this pure evil, consumed him beyond logical thought. She remembered proudly listening to Ganondorf talk ambitiously about how he would rule the people of the world one day, and how the Gerudo deserved the beauty that was Hyrule. This beast that possessed Ganondorf cared little about seeing him, or his people, rise to power, just the destruction of Hyrule. Instead of prosperity, he would only bring more ruin to his people. Was it honorable, as his most loyal servant, to remind him of his true purpose, or to respect this new one? Dora hastily chased after him.
When she arrived, the destruction of Hyrule's marketplace was well underway. Ganondorf tossed people high into the air like puppets. When they crashed on the ground, their bones shattered, and they died instantly. Women and children ran screaming through the alleyways, even as the rain poured down in buckets again. He scuffed his front right leg on the ground and then charged the nearest building, but his momentum did not stop there. With his strength, he was able to destroy three buildings at a time, four if they were of a weaker structure. He roared triumphantly before swatting more people away with his tusks.
Ganondora shoved people out of the way, and ordered them to safety as she rushed to catch up to Ganondorf. Whether they recognized her or not, they obeyed, fearing for their lives. She covered her head and darted farther down the street to avoid the wall that collapsed right behind her. She quickly climbed up the uneven side of the building that was five houses away from Ganondorf. Once she reached the top, she rushed to the end to face him. She watched him crush people underfoot or grind their goods stands into the ground with his tusks.
"Ganondorf!" she yelled from the rooftop. It was enough to gain his attention. He stood to his full height, as tall as she was on the building, and glared at her. It was clear that very little of the man remained inside. "Think about what you are doing. Who will you rule if you kill all of these people? What will you rule if you destroy everything? Remember your dream of bringing prosperity to the Gerudo. Remember us!" No matter how she pleaded, that recognition she once saw slipped away. He roared again and she was hit with a powerful beam of magic. She shrieked as it passed through her, bringing indescribable pain. When it was over, she fell to her knees at the edge of the roof, and collapsed with her arms hanging over the edge. Ganondorf roared out a laugh and turned from his victim. He was forced to turn back though as he heard her shuffle to her knees again. She glared at him, determined. "I will not fight you, but I will stand against you. I am your most loyal servant and it is my duty to protect you, even if it is from yourself! You must stop this before you destroy everything you worked so hard to achieve."
He ignored her plea. "You are relentless!" With those words he charged into the building she stood on, demolishing it in a blind rage. As he did though, something strange happened. Ganondorf seemed like he was no longer in control, his beast body twisted this way and that, as if he fought himself. One second he stomped on the buildings he crushed until nothing but sand remained, and the next he howled, rearing his body back as if he were injured. He turned about in circles as if chasing his tail until finally he collapsed.
The Gerudo had only run far enough to stay out of the path of danger, but close enough to watch Ganondora's act of bravery. They watched as she was buried beneath the rubble of the building when Ganondorf destroyed it. When he appeared to go insane, they quickly rushed to unbury her, hoping she still lived.
The Hyruleans were distracted from them by dense, fast moving smoke, with the center where the beast fell. He was shrinking, concealed by a pulsing golden light. When the smoke dissipated, the beast was gone, and a man remained. The rain poured so violently that it was deafening. He stood as quickly as he could manage, and then walked toward his people, disguising his limp. He ignored the angry eyes that persecuted him, and the curious ones that watched with caution. Despite his worry, he felt triumphant to finally control the beast within. Power came with a price, he was aware, but he hoped that price was not higher than he planned. "Move!" he ordered the Gerudo who watched him in awe. They moved back a respective distance. As calmly as possible, he approached the pile of rock and dirt that buried Dora. He could sense her flicker of life, and used his magic to remove all the rubble that restrained her. There she lay, mangled, one arm twisted awkwardly and bent in half, one leg covered in blood and crushed flat by a large rock, and blood spilled from several gashes made by wood used in the building's construction. He bent down and lifted her into his arms. A purple aura wrapped her body, and in minutes she was restored. Another moment and he might have lost her."This village and the castle will be rebuilt, grander than ever before. Greatness can only be achieved through chaos and destruction." With those words, he disappeared.
It was an hour later when Ganondora finally awoke. A sharp pain in the back of her head blurred her vision when she tried to sit up. When she could see plainly, she knew the room she woke in, but never once before saw from within. She recalled the events, before she was knocked out, easily and clearly. One minute she stood on the edge of a building, the next she was buried under tons of rubble. How did she end up in the master bedroom of Gerudo Fortress?
"You finally awaken," came a welcoming voice. Dora turned toward the door on her right and smiled immediately.
"You did it," she stated, hopeful.
"With a little persuasion, even a beast came be tamed," Ganondorf remarked. "Speaking of, that beast, who I have affectionately named Ganon, will no longer be a nuisance. He serves me now."
"That is a relief," she said, standing tenderly on her repaired leg.
Ganondorf looked her over, pleased with her recovery. It was possible she was stronger than before, in body and mind. "It is a relief that you survived."
"I am pleased to hear you say that, my lord. I admit, I was conflicted on how to act before. I thought it would be treason to stop you, but the man I know is wise and would not bring ruin to the land he rules without good reason," she explained.
He walked toward her quickly, and took her hand with the same tenderness that he offered to her in the throne room. "The woman I took as my queen is wise and brave enough to intervene where others would not have."
Dora smiled warmly, caressing the knuckles of his hand with her fingertips. "What will happen to Zant?" she asked.
"He and his creatures have returned to the realm of twilight, but they are welcome in Hyrule, as long as my rule is obeyed."
She placed her hand gingerly on his chest where the scar of purity once was. "The Triforce has healed you?"
"You are full of observations and questions," he noted. "Yes. I used my new power to heal you and rid myself of that hideous mark."
At that, her smile faded, and she lowered her eyes. "You have your power, then. I have fulfilled my purpose."
Ganondorf chuckled at her naivety. He took her chin in his fingers and turned her head so she faced him. "You have fulfilled one purpose. There is much yet for us to accomplish. You have many now. A wife and a queen has many responsibilities." A soft smile returned as his stern words encouraged her. "Most importantly, just as I tamed your beast, you have tamed mine. Without you, that beast will tear me apart and I will cease to exist."
Her smile brightened, and if possible, it made her even more desirable. "Then, until you deem otherwise, I will remain faithfully at your side."