Chapter IV – Calm before the Storm

"That's enough for today. You only get more injuries if we continue." Karlos pointed his wooden sword under Ganondorf's chin, who lay on the ground as a result from the fight before, his own weapon out of reach. Even though he was used to train for the whole day, the exercises had gotten intense once it was announced he would participate in the tournament. From conditional training to the different arts of combat, Karlos did not give him a lot of breaks. More than once he was bathed in sweat, heavily breathing while he was pushed to his limits.

"But at least we've caught up with your five-days-break. And your arm is almost recovered. I think the next two days will do the rest," said Karlos but he sounded thoughtfully, even worried. "At least a partial achievement."

"Is there something wrong?" Ganondorf did not like it when Karlos spoke in that fashion. "You're sounding like someone has beaten you up." He did not hide his grin when he stood in front of Karlos again. "And for once I wasn't the one responsible."

Karlos did not answer and looked around the training ground. It never offered much of a view since it was surrounded by high walls and the ground only covered with rusty sand, yet it was at least under the open sky. The clashing noise of wooden weapons from other fighters filled the air while Ganondorf pulled of the weights on his arms and legs that should imitate the weight of armor. Most of the time, he or any other arena fighter was not allowed to wear one for training, in opposite to the trainers in order to prevent serious injuries from their gladiators in sparring fights.

Karlos turned his head to Ganondorf again with an unpleased expression. "We have less than three weeks left only thanks to the beast. And before you ask, no that's not much in regard to where you shall participate. The others know it since two to three months and concentrate solely on the training without being sent to other fights or tasks. That's a disadvantage. And to be sincere, not a small one." His view wandered upon the other gladiators again. "Especially since you were one of the first that came to mind, yet you're the last who was chosen. I still don't get why your master delayed his decision for such a long time. But probably I never will."

Ganondorf just grinned. "He was afraid that the others won't come up to me and had to choose them first. Nothing to worry about," he responded unimpressed. "With or without a disadvantage, I'll win this thing."

Karlos raised an eyebrow and his expression showed he did not like his reaction. "We are quite self-confident again, aren't we?"

"It's just the truth. Nothing more, nothing less." There was no place for any doubts.

"I'm afraid that exactly this arrogance will lead to your fall one day. Maybe even sooner than you wish for." Karlos sighed with a touch of desperation. "What does it actually take to make you not underestimate somebody or even something? Did I fail that miserable to teach you this in all those years? It must be around thirteen by now. " Ganondorf did not answer. He only stared self-confidently at Karlos, crossing the arms in front of his chest. "I'll see you tomorrow then. And be here at time. We have still a lot of work to do if we want to make your self-proclaimed truth a reality and not let it rot as a dream of an arrogant fool."

Ganondorf nodded with a satisfying smile. His motivation to hone his skills was at its highest peak because his dream was on the edge of becoming true. Though it flattered his pride to be given the honor to take part in the tournament, held only every four to five years and belonging to the best at the arena, he could not care less about such things by now. It was only the reward of the champion he desired. This title granted what was probably the most precious thing a man could ever gain. His freedom.

Despite his confidence, Ganondorf knew it would be everything except easy to become the winner and remain undefeated for three battles in a row. This time, his opponents were not mindless monsters or lesser skilled gladiators; they would fight in his league with the same goal in mind. In the end, this tournament was the only chance for them of getting free and they all knew it. Because hoping that their master would let them free out of mercy or pity was wasted time. That would never happen. Never.

The days passed by in a flash in which Ganondorf trained together with Karlos. To his pleasure, he felt that his trainer was motivated as well to bring him in his best form. Karlos was not for nothing one of the very few, if not only one, Ganondorf carried sincere respect for. One that was not solely based in the imbalance in power between them and that was because Karlos was the one that cared for him since he was a child.

Even though he was tough and strict, taking his work very seriously and not letting pass any inappropriate behavior without punishment or at least a warning, he proved to have a heart in times needed. Especially when Ganondorf was younger and because he had no memory besides his name when he was brought to the arena. Neither about his true parents nor his origin.

Not knowing about his past truly bugged Ganondorf though he hoped to seek it out once he was free. The only thing that Karlos told him when he was older was that the people who actually sold him to Azett claimed to have found him wandering around in a wasteland, lost in orientation and in a very exhausted condition. They would have cared for him but since they were low on money, they had to trade him for it. How much of it was true or not, he could not tell.

From that point on, Karlos was assigned to be his trainer and in regard to his young age, his educator as well. However, since he was meant to become a gladiator one day, most of it was about the different styles of combat and the manners that were expected from arena fighters, including the complete submission towards their superiors. But even though Ganondorf was considered a slave, his pride was unbreakable, no matter what sentence he earned again and again for acting rebelliously. A nature that even Karlos never got out of him entirely and that always crawled back to the surface to cause trouble.

The last day before the Great Tournament came sooner than expected. Again, Karlos had ordered Ganondorf to the training ground and according to the sun's stand it was still early midday when he said, "That's enough. We end the training here."

Ganondorf, who cut of the head of a wooden training puppet, turned around, unable to hide his astonishment and annoyance. "What? Why's that? The day only began."

"There is no meaning in going on. The time is better used if you're in a rested condition tomorrow and not exhausted even before the first fight begins," Karlos explained calmly, yet his intention made clear he was determined about his instruction.

Ganondorf remained stubborn. "That won't affect me. Let's go on."

"What you haven't learned by now, you won't in the next few hours either. Now stop questioning my orders, they're not up for discussion. Give me the weapon," Karlos demanded and stretched out his hand but Ganondorf only stared angrily at him. It did not impress Karlos when he added more forcefully, "Ganondorf, don't overstep my patience on the last day. You'll regret it."

It always hit him when Karlos used his full name instead of the short since he only did when he got annoyed. If he continued in disobeying him at this point, the consequences were most of the times not very amusing. However, he could not suppress his displeasure when he pushed the weapon in Karlos' hands.

"Now repair the poor soldier. It's a pathetic view to see him this headless," Karlos ordered further. "And afterwards, get yourself something to eat and rest. I don't want to see you strolling around too much today. You hear me, Ganon?" He did not answer when he picked up the wooden head. "I've asked you a question. And I expect an answer, Ganondorf!"

"Yes, I heard," he responded harshly without turning around while he fiddled on the training dummy.

"If you do not wish to be taken out of this tournament in the last moments, I highly recommend rethinking your position here and therefore the choice of your intonation." There was no doubt in Karlos' voice that he was serious about his menace.

To remain calm, Ganondorf drilled his fingers into the wood that it even hurt him. But losing his temper and throwing a tantrum now would not help. Not at all.

"I have heard it," he answered calmly when he looked at Karlos and swallowed up most of his upcoming rage. "But your demands make me doubting if you even want me to win."

Karlos expression remained sternly and Ganondorf feared that he should have left out the last statement. To his surprise, the seriousness changed into laughter and after Karlos had calmed down again, he explained, "You still have a long way in front of you if you think this is my reason. But to tell you the truth, I'll retire after the tournament. Therefore you would do me a favor if you actually make it. I've stayed even longer in these grounds than I first intended because of your participation."

Ganondorf looked astonished at Karlos. He never expected his trainer had intentions like these when he stumbled, "You'll retire? Then why wasting more time here than needed? That's preposterous."

"And give my responsibility for you to another trainer and witness how all my hard work with you goes to waste?" Karlos looked at him as if he had made a very dumb suggestion. "No, Ganon. I'm used to your short-temper and know how to handle your tantrums. I doubt that if any other would have taken my legacy, you would have gotten the permission to ever take part into the tournament. And believe me, the reason would not have been your lack of skill or ability."

Ganondorf stared disbelieving at Karlos. He was unsure if he got the meaning of his words right as they sounded a way to irrational to be true. "Are you telling me that you only stayed because of me?"

Karlos forced a small smile and scratched on his neck. "Oh, Ganon. Sometimes I don't know what to do with you." From one second to another, Karlos regained his stern expression. "But I think since we're almost at the end now, there's no meaning anymore to make a secret out of it. See, Ganon, I always believed that it's bad enough that you have no memory of the outer world. Just imagining that you would never know anything else besides the life inside these walls and only hear the stories from the outside never fit my liking. I admit, when your master first told me about you, I hoped you would find your death soon to spare you all of it. The way of a gladiator is hard even for the strongest man, but forcing a child to follow it is inhuman. The youngest before and after you were at least in their late preteens."

Karlos made a short pause, but Ganondorf had no intentions to interrupt him this time. "But even though I never figured out how your master was able to see your talents at such a young age, you showed me otherwise. I was surprised. And deeply impressed. You fought as if you were born into a warrior tribe and seeing how you improved over the years, I realized that you might make it through this slavery, alive, and belong to the very few who're able to regain their freedom." Karlos stared up to him, directly into his eyes, when he concluded, "That said, Ganon, there is no one in this world I would wish it more to win this tournament." He stopped for a short moment and continued with a darker voice, "If you just would win it, that is."

Ganondorf did not know how to react. Karlos had never told him anything similar like this nor was he used to such conversations. The words confused him but it was the last statement that gained his most attention. It disturbed him. "What's the matter with the 'if'? Do you have doubts I'll win?"

Karlos eyed him with a touch of suspicion before he responded, "Well, out of all the participants, you're superior in terms of physical strength. This, combined with your use of the sword and the protection of a heavy armor, makes you probably even the most powerful among them. Under normal circumstances, you should be able to become the champion. Of course it won't be easy but you have everything on your sleeve that it takes to become the one."

"Yeah. That's how it is and will be," agreed Ganondorf without hesitation. "But when you know it, why the 'if'?"

"The 'if' is your old archenemy that has befallen you right now. Again. Do you know whom I mean?" Ganondorf looked irritated at him but could not give him an answer. He witnessed how Karlos' expression became annoyed when he tauntingly explained, "Your arrogance. The exact one that often results into carelessness. I can't even count anymore how many battles you could've won with ease if you just hadn't underestimate your opponent, but instead came out cluttered with injuries. However, you know that if you make this mistake tomorrow, it'll be the end of the road? Forever?"

"Those are chestnuts. They have no meaning anymore," put Ganondorf the accusation off. "I lacked the power back then. That was all. No need to worry about these ones."

"And I tell you now, Ganon, as I did more than once before. You shouldn't be that overconfidently about yourself. You won't win the tournament with mere power alone," responded Karlos sharply and his glare was piercing. It even left an uncomfortable feeling inside Ganondorf. "If you can't utilize the right tactic against the right opponent, you'll lose, no matter how powerful you might be. If you pay attention to this, you have everything to make your way to the top. Just don't let your naughty attitude and short-temper snatch the victory from under your nose. Have you gotten this?"

"Yes," responded Ganondorf in a neutral fashion even though it bugged him. But his only intention was to end the lecturing. He could neither hear nor endure it anymore. It was always the same and there was no meaning in disagreeing. It would only make it worse and more important: longer.

"Good. Then leave now, get your meal and relax do be fit for tomorrow," ordered Karlos though his expression told he was not convinced of Ganondorf's answer. "And remember my words out there."

Ganondorf only nodded when he left him.

Author's Note

Thanks to all the ones who read my fanfic and who support it. I'm really happy to see you're interested in this rather uncommon story about Ganondorf. :)

However, if there are things you want to say, positive or negative, I can only encourage you to do it. I always appreciate to get different opinions and since this story still has a quite long road to go, it could help me to improve it or at least let me think about some things that work or rather don't and see how to handle them in the future.