A weird feeling, very weird. The view of the arena, so oppressive. The memories, such cruel ones. Blood. Screams. Death. Day in, day out. Never changing, never ending. Ganondorf pressed his arms further on his body to shake off this nightmare. He had so many reasons to never return here, and even more to leave. Though that sole reason of gaining knowledge about the Golden Power kept him.
Ganondorf breathed in as he intermixed with the crowd. There were always fights going on people loved to watch, to gain entry would be easy. To get to Azett and more importantly, to remain calm and keep his focus would be the real challenge. He could not, at any point, allow the depression, even the fear to overwhelm him. Else he would once again succumb to the demon, his last time also. Azett would never allow him to see another day after today's encounter.
Walking with the crowd, he landed in the entrance hall. He slowed down and separated from the people as he searched his way past the pillars. On his way, he looked at the paintings decorating the walls. All pictured battles of death, inspired of the real ones in this arena. Disgusting. Even more so when he looked around and saw these enthusiastic faces of the visitors. A shame they would never have to fight down there, it would have put an end to their laughing. And their lives.
When Ganondorf strolled through the hall, he came across the counter, a woman sitting behind it. As he tended his view to the side, his hackles rose after he caught side of a guard. Ganondorf's hand slight down to his sword though he refrained from drawing it. The man would not harm him, he told himself, because he was not their property anymore.
Ganondorf approached the woman. She was absorbed in her papers. He coughed to gain her attention though his eyes still observed the guard. Unpleasant, very unpleasant but he had to get used to it soon, on his way to Azett he would meet dozens of them.
Surprised, the woman loosened her gaze from the papers. A smile formed on her lips. "Good day, sir. What can I do for you?"
"I'm here for a meeting with Azett for some important business." The woman eyed him. No wonder wore he still that robe and hood hiding his face with no intentions to take them off. Chances were high he could stumble into somebody knowing him that would put him under great pressure for an explanation as long as he had not achieved for what he had come here.
"Can I see your invitation, please?"
"I have none."
A fake sigh slipped her mouth as she looked put-on sad at him. "I apologize to decline your query, sir, but our rules say the master may only be visited by former request."
"Well, now that's easy to solve. See this here as my request and hand me over an invitation." Ganondorf noticed how the woman intended to disagree but he already cut her short. "Oh, I understand. You rather obey the rules mindlessly and let slip away profitable business to a rival. I'm certain the master will understand and be very forgiving about this. I'll take my leave then."
The woman fiddled on her papers but did not say a word. Ganondorf made a gesture to leave. "Please wait, sir!" He turned around and saw her starting to write down on a note she handed over to him. "I don't know if he is in his office right now. If not, you have to wait for him, sir." He nodded, glad that the hood covered his grin. "I will call on a guide."
Ganondorf took a glance on the scribbled invitation. It looked legit. A call let him look up to another man who gave him a hand sign to follow. Though the guard first mustered him mistrusting due to the disguise, he said no word. One thing were the reputation of Azett came in handy. That demon was renowned for his undeniable powers and handling unpleasant people himself. No one needed to fear for his safety, only their own. How well he could use that reputation for his own deeds now.
With every step he took, he felt worse. All those well-known corridors, those guards, like a living nightmare. Three years had passed and he had not missed that place even on one single day. What delight it would be to burn down this horror to the grounds, leaving only ruins as a memory.
From afar Ganondorf saw the two men crossing their halberds before Azett's office as the guard drew nearer and spoke with them. "The invitation, sir." The warden at the door stretched his hand towards Ganondorf who handed it over. After inspecting it, he lowered his weapon. "I'll ask if he has time and the mood. Please wait here."
Ganondorf nodded, though he hated every second of waiting. He constantly had to tell himself to stay calm. Those old memories, they kindled his anger. His wrath. His fears. He wanted to be out of this miserable place, and he wanted soon. He drilled his fingers deeper into his flesh to keep control over himself. He needed to focus once he stood face to face with Azett. It would all be over otherwise.
That relief once the man returned. "You may enter." Not a moment Ganondorf wasted when he walked past the man and closed the door behind.
Ganondorf breathed in, deeply. Now he was here. In the office of Azett. A red wallet with golden signs. Portraits of treasures and other riches cluttering the wall. Furnishes with a gold layer or purely made of that metal. A chandelier overwhelmed with jewelry. Indeed, nothing had changed since the day he was granted to take part in the Great Tournament. One of the pictures caught his view: The one of three connected triangles. He never thought much of it but Garland had drawn a similar picture in his documents, naming it the Golden Power, more commonly referred to as the Triforce.
"I do hope you have important issues to dare to interrupt my work, stranger." Such a cold voice. Ganondorf loosened his gaze, looking at the shady creature sitting behind the desk.
A shiver ran down his back. His hands, trembling. His old master, here he was and certainly had not lost any of his intimidation. He would not show any fear towards him. No, not today. He was not the young one anymore. Today, he would not be the inferior, he would not be today.
"You wound me," Ganondorf responded, trying to keep his voice strong. "Why call me a stranger when we're old acquaintances?"
He could not see Azett's face, but could imagine his puzzled expression. The more when Ganondorf put his own robe off, showing the armor of the Gerudo King.
"Garland?! But this is impossible!"
"Almost Agahnim, almost. But wrong nonetheless." Ganondorf felt the tension all over his body yet he would not give in to his fears. No, just no. The day, it had come where he would triumph over his former master.
After his astonishment, Azett leaned back, putting his hands on his desk. "Ah, yes, I see," he spoke in his frozen voice. "You're that lowlife. I hope you are not even thinking that this armor puts you anywhere close to your ancestor. What was your name again?"
"If you can't remember, I won't bother to refresh you slippery mind." Strong, he had to stay strong. No need to succumb to that demon. He was the superior. He was.
"That is too bad. How shall I introduce you then in the arena? You were a great warrior back in your days even though your temper was an annoyance." Ganondorf felt the cold smile emerging under Azett's hood. "So, you're here to earn some money on the battleground again? For me, that is."
"Never in a lifetime!" Ganondorf spit out, feeling his fear turning into wrath. "I'm here to reclaim documents. The ones you have gathered for your master centuries ago."
"Ah, so you got to know you origin. Good for you. But do you really think you can just march in here and command me around? Fool." Ganondorf heard a silent laughter, cold and mischievous. "Well, you deserve death for such defiance but since you've amused me, I'll be grateful to spare your life. Now leave and bother someone else, little fool."
Azett waved with his hands, ignoring Ganondorf afterwards as he fiddled around his documents. That demon was a fool himself to think he would just leave. Today, he would be the one triumphing. No old fears would deny him victory. "I've told you, I'm here for the documents and I will not leave without them. If you don't give them voluntary to me, I'll take them with force."
"Are you trying to threaten me, little mortal?" Cold, his voice turned ice-cold. Not even a little chuckle slipped through. "One last warning. You are nothing, absolutely nothing compared to Garland and the powers he wielded. Don't think you can defy me and expect anything else but a painful death."
"What a trouble. Seems I have to search for them myself then." Ganondorf shrugged his shoulders, knowing the confrontation was at hand. He would not back down. No way. "But only after I've put you out of my way, of course."
"Die then." No emotions swung in his voice as Azett lifted his hand. Cold. Freezing cold. From feet to head, it encompassed Ganondorf once the air had frozen. Even if he had wanted to scream, the ice had muted him faster than any reflexes.
A nightmare. A nightmare of his youth had come true, being enclosed in a cage of ice. Die either from cold or suffocation. Fear he should feel. Dread. None of it claimed his mind. No, it was the sweet joy of victory instead. Now the time had come to put into action the plan the witches had told him.
The ice broke off his body. Ganondorf rushed towards and seized the demon by his robe. "Scream, and I send you right back to the hell you came from," he growled in victory.
"How… Just how did you…?"
Dark particles emitted from Ganondorf's hands, leaping onto Azett. That demon knew very well what was onto him and it was such a pleasure. A true pleasure to have Azett at his mercy. How many years, just how many years had he dreamed of what he believed impossible. And now, now it was true. He held the power, he just held the power over Azett. That demon was bound to his will just as he had been for countless years before.
"You've broken the pact, Agahnim. The pact that you should not - under any circumstances - harm your master." Ganondorf spit it into Azett's face, savoring in pleasure. "Garland might be no more, but as his legitimate successor of our royal bloodline, I inherited his place between the two of us. It's just too bad I have never known about it and could never claim his legacy. To bind you to my will."
"How can you know that incantation? That sacred spell? With Garland dead, there is no one left who could…" Azett leaped to silence though Ganondorf heard the torment in his voice. "Twinrova."
"They lived longer than you had expected, eh?" Ganondorf's grin vanished when he pressed Azett against the wall, causing him more pain as he empowered his magic. "Now tell me, where do you have the documents? And do not try to trick me, you should know very well I can make your life a very miserable one. Not even my death could beware you of this if you try anything foolish!"
Certainly, a very dirty way to force Azett to follow his bidding, especially since he would have never defeated him in a battle of power. Then again, he was not a just knight and could not care less about honor and grace. He still had to be careful though, one mistake and it could easily be his last. He had to keep that in mind for all the time.
"They are not here." Azett must be in agony but nothing of his pain showed through in his voice nor on his body. "They are down in the archive."
"Then bring me there!" Ganondorf loosened his grasp but channeled the magic to keep Azett under his control. "And don't try any tricks on me. I wasn't kidding when I said I will sent you back to hell if you try to betray me." Azett nodded and even under his control, he still had that icy and intimidating presence. Ganondorf put on the robe again. No need any of the guards recognized him on mere sight.
Author's Note
Hello there. It has been quite some time since the last chapter got published. As you might have guessed, things have changed since I've started the story.
First of all, if you felt that this chapter had a more "creative" use of words and sentence structure... you're right. Unfortunate, my trusted beta retired. I'm thankful for all his time and work he put into the story because he really had helped it and me to improve. Sadly, he lacked the time to go on with it.
I was unsure how to continue. That I started to write my own fantasy stories certainly did not help this story in going on either.
After finishing this years NaNoWriMo, I glanced at the first chapter of this work. And it drew me in again. Seems the premise of this story is truly one that fascinates me. I struggled with myself how to go on with it, but in the end I decided that I will finish this fanfiction for what it is. Everything else like letting it unfinished, adding an extra chapter with an outline how I wanted to finish or pulling it down doesn't feel right for me.
Fortunate, I still have the raw manuscript so I'm positive I can keep the tone of this story albeit a lot of time has passed since I've worked on it. I also hope my English improved enough that some weirdness in it doesn't take away from the story itself. I want to publish a chapter every 2-3 weeks, so that I really get it done and not delay it till the end of time.
Many thanks to those that still read it even though I've put it aside for months. I hope you'll enjoy the rest of the story if you're still interested. I've appreciate your feedback, many thanks to the ones who left a review even though I wasn't here and read some of it only recently. :)