[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/221005/7d7c778891f3387ab231a2bbd26f2d1e.png[/img]
[H3]The Under[/h3]
[u]The Chasm ~ Dirtmouth[/u]
[@Lugubrious] Nadia Fortune

[b]Word Count:[/b] 2,315
[b]Level 5 Ganondorf:[/b] 27/60
[b]Exp:[/b] +3
[b]NEW EXP Balance---[/b] 30/60[/center]

Ganondorf kept quiet during the departure from Mercy Dreams. Having come off the heels of three fights in rapid succession - not to mention all the trouble he had to go through in the Cathedral above as well as reaching it in the first place - needless to say he was tired. So the thought of being able to ride back to their next destination was a welcomed one. Even though said ride turned out to be giant beetles with seats mounted on them, Ganondorf chose not to look the gift horse in the mouth and climbed aboard.

Even during the ride itself, he mostly chose not to make conversation and took the opportunity to rest his eyes a bit. He’d pretty much all but decided already that he would be resting for the night as soon as he was able to. Even if Dirtmouth had places to see or things to do, he reasoned it could all wait until morning. And for once he knew for certain that it was indeed nighttime up on the surface. Up until now he had no choice to make a guess as to the approximate time of day given that the likes of sundials didn’t exactly work down here. But now that he’d seen the surface - albeit briefly - it allowed him to recalibrate his sense of time as it were.

Ganondorf sleepily opened his eyes as all the beetles came to stop. Dirtmouth, as it was called, looked like a pretty miserable husk of a city. Maybe it used to be something greater in times past, but those glory days were clearly long behind it. It was filled to brim with abandoned huts and hovels that looked like they could be knocked down by a strong enough breeze. But in this state of exhaustion and the evening growing later by the second? Beggars couldn’t be choosers.

[color=797979]”If it’s all the same, I’m going to turn in early.”[/color] he announced to the other Seekers as they disembarked from their rides, [color=797979]”Whatever there is to do around here, I’m sure I’ll see it for myself in the morning.”[/color]

He only paused momentarily for any kind of response he was offered in return before he took off on his own. He didn’t wander far, only enough to find the least uncomfortable-looking hovel he could find and claimed the abandoned dwelling for himself. He entered inside and rested his weapons against the wall nearby. He supposed he probably should have at least ate a meal but he was already ready to fall back asleep and so he’d just wait until morning and eat breakfast instead.

It didn’t take Ganondorf long to drift off into sleep.

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xz_wnvNSiE4[/youtube][/center]

In his dreams, Ganondorf found himself elsewhere. He was leading a siege against Hyrule Castle and its surrounding town. His veritable horde of Moblins, Bokoblins, Lizalfos, Dinalfos, Aeralfos, and Darknuts threw themselves at the Hylian defenders. The Gerudo King’s invasion was unannounced and unexpected. This had allowed his forces to cut a swath through Hyrule’s lands and sweep up bases and outposts that had become poorly defended due to years of peace and complacency. Now the King was holed up in his castle along with his whelp of a daughter. Apparently the coward wasn’t even brave enough to lead his own men, having left that task to his and Zelda’s [url=https://zelda-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Impa_(Hyrule_Warriors)]Sheikah bodyguard[/url].

She at least was no fool. She consolidated the Hylian forces and focused their defense on Hyrule Castle and the walls of Castle Town. And it seemed she had also managed to send for reinforcements from the Goron and Zora tribes, providing some meager defenses coming from the west and east respectively. And just like Zelda’s father, it seemed King Zora was also too cowardly to come out and fight, but at the very least [url=https://zelda-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Darunia_(Hyrule_Warriors)]Darunia[/url] was willing to directly lead his brothers into battle.

[color=797979]”So all you have to your name is a single Sheikah general and a foolhardy Goron chieftain?”[/color] Ganondorf scoffed with an arrogant smirk, [color=797979]”Don’t make me laugh!”[/color]

But there was another among the ranks of his enemy’s forces that Ganondorf took no notice of at first. And why would he? The [url=https://zelda-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Young_Link_(Hyrule_Warriors)]green-clothed brat[/url] couldn’t have been any older than eleven or twelve years old! But whatever that boy was doing, it was effective. First he managed to call out to a Great Fairy to use her power to raise the waters of Lake Hylia to flood the northwestern quadrant of Hyrule Field, wiping out the base and portion of Ganondorf’s forces that were occupying it while also giving the Zoras free reign to take back control with their aquatic dominance. Then he and Darunia were able to coordinate a rock slide attack from atop Death Mountain. It damaged Kakariko Village but also gave the Gorons the chance they needed to retake the area and push out Ganondorf’s forces there.

[color=797979]”Everywhere I go, there always seems to be one of you annoying Heroes standing in my way.”[/color] Ganondorf mused as he fumed with anger and frustration. He shot a glare at the nearby [url=https://zelda-archive.fandom.com/wiki/Koume_and_Kotake]Koume and Kotake[/url], [color=797979]”Do it!”[/color] he ordered them. The twin Gerudo witches wasted no time. They floated upward on their brooms and began casting magic of their own. This awakened the bones of the dead littered around Hyrule Field, calling forth a horde of Stalchildren and Stalfos to join Ganondorf’s army of darkness. And although he had lost his forces in the east and west, his army was now consolidated for a central charge against the gates of Hyrule Castle Town.

And so while the Zoras and Gorons now had freshly reinforced opponents to deal with on their ends, this left the green-clad kid with little choice but to come face the King of Evil on his own. How pathetic! The kid was too small to wield his sword properly and had to hold it with both hands. And were those… masks hanging at his waist? What good did he expect those to do in the heat of battle?

[color=797979]”You annoying brat…”[/color] Ganondorf taunted young Link as the kid approached him, [color=797979]”...it’s time you learned what happens to those who defy me.”[/color] Ganondorf summoned his Trident to his hands with a crack of lightning, [color=797979]”And you… you’re about to understand… just who it is you picked a fight with!”[/color]

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9g7pr-cFEyQ[/youtube][/center]

Link ran toward him but Ganondorf didn’t even let him get within reach before he threw his Trident forward, the weapon outright spinning through the air at Link and forcing him to dig in his heels and try to block it. But Ganondorf’s physical strength was much greater than the boy’s, and so he found himself knocked to the ground by the attack. And without much time to react before Ganondorf himself came launching forward with a shoulder tackle that led into him lashing his arm out into a lariat that sent Link flying further backward. After this Ganondorf recalled his Trident and jumped straight up in order to throw the weapon back down at the ground. It was aimed for Link but he managed to roll himself away from it in time. Except Ganondorf then used his own magic to call down a powerful bolt of lightning that crashed into the Trident like a lightning rod and sent out a shockwave of thunder and lightning around it.

Now Link was finally able to get within sword reach of Ganondorf. But he was still at a disadvantage, being so much smaller and thus having a smaller reach than his opponent. But Link’s courage remained unshaken and he fought regardless. After a few exchanges it became clear that Ganondorf was toying with him, [color=797979]”What kind of pathetic excuse for a Hero are you?”[/color] he demanded after knocking Link to the ground a second time. Link had no choice, and grabbed a mask that was hanging on his belt and quickly placed it on his face. The mask imbued him with power as well as transformed him. Soon Ganondorf was staring down a [url=http://static.zerochan.net/Fierce.Deity.full.2764426.jpg]taller, more muscular version of Link with white hair and dark clothes[/url]. His weapon had also changed, and now appeared to be a helix-shaped greatsword that he wielded with both hands.

[color=797979]”That’s more like it.”[/color] Ganondorf laughed. The two then clashed, Ganondorf’s dark power vs the dark power of the Fierce Deity Mask that Link now wore on his face. They seemed even for a while, Link even managed to give as much as he was taking. But after several moments of evenly fighting, it soon started to appear as though Link was burning through his power and stamina faster than Ganondorf was. Even in this stronger body, Link was still only a child with far less combat experience than Ganondorf possessed. And that became clear when Ganondorf managed to knock Link down a third time, resulting in his mask tumbling off and forcibly reverting him back to his original child form. Link struggled to grab the mask but then Ganondorf’s boot came stomping down on it, cracking and breaking the artifact into splinters.

[color=797979]”Hahahaha! Looks like I win, Hero.”[/color] Ganondorf raised his Trident and finally managed to finish the boy off for good. For a moment the Gerudo just roared in triumph. Finally, victory was his, and soon enough the Castle would fall as well! But then he heard what sounded like a slow applause, clearly a mocking gesture. Who would dare?

“Well congratulations,” said the helmeted stranger. He was short, and his helmet was shaped like the head of a reptile with a drill on top of it, “you defeated an inexperienced whelp wielding a power he did not fully understand or control. All hail the mighty Ganondorf!” The Consul’s tone was one of vicious mockery. And already Ganondorf hated his guts and wanted to split him open right now.

[color=797979]”I’ll make you regret your words!”[/color] The Gerudo King shouted just before he went on the attack. But whatever advantage he had over Link was certainly not present against this man, whoever he was. In fact now it was Ganondorf’s turn to be toyed with by the Consul. He wielded all manner of raw elemental power. It all really served to fuel Ganondorf’s rage even further.

“Ha! Not so big and tall now, are you?” Consul R taunted with glee. No matter how hard Ganondorf came at him, the pompous Consul always had an answer and a bit of mockery in response.

Soon the rage overtook him and Ganondorf underwent a transformation. His body bulged and grew into the big and monstrous form of Ganon. Maybe now the Consul wouldn’t be so gleeful. Unfortunately for him, Ganon got the opposite response, “Finally stopped back, have you? Good, that just means I get to stop holding back too! Behold! The primeval power of Moebius! Revert!”

There was shuddering and quaking in the distance, coming vaguely from the direction of Death Mountain. Soon [url=https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Divine_Beast_Vah_Rudania]something enormous and outright colossal in size[/url] exploded from the volcanic top of the mountain and made its way down into Kakariko Village and later into Hyrule Field. This thing looked like a hulking machine of stone, metal, and magic. It crawled around on four legs like some kind of colossal lizard or salamander. It unleashed flying [url=https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Sentry]Sentries[/url] and [url=https://zelda.fandom.com/wiki/Magma_Bomb]Magma Bombs[/url] on all those who happened to be in its path. Whether they were Goron, Hylian, or one of Ganon’s monsters, it made no difference. Divine Beast Vah Rudania made no distinction between friend and foe and seemed only to obey the command of the Consul who manifested it.

When the Divine Beast eventually reached Ganon, it actually managed to dwarf him in size, and by quite a lot for that matter. But the blind fury of Ganon held no logic or reasoning and he attacked the mechanical monstrosity anyway. He found himself assailed by countless Sentries and Magma Bombs. Trying to scale and attack such an enemy clearly required more finesse if not an outright stealthy approach. And both of these things were impossible for Ganon to do in his current state. And so, almost inevitably, he was overwhelmed and crushed by the power of the Divine Beast. The last thing he heard was the cries and laughs of glee coming from Consul R.

Ganondorf awoke in a brief fit of rage. But in moments, he remembered where he was and wrote off the dream as just that - a dream. Maybe it was somehow Galeem’s doing, as a form of torture or torment. But more likely it was probably just a result of his exhaustion the previous night combined with the stress of fighting so many battles over the course of a single day. Either way, good riddance to it. Ganondorf collected his arms and then emerged from the hovel he had spent the night in.

Seeing as how he skipped supper the previous night, the first order of business was to find a meal. And Ganondorf supposed he may as well see what a few of the Seekers were doing while he was at it. From what he gathered, Sectonia and the Troop were taking inventory of their spoils from the previous day’s battles. It might have been interesting to look into that himself if Ganondorf had not been preoccupied with thoughts of food instead. The next Seeker he managed to bump into was Nadia, who told him she had just come from a smith’s shop. Similarly, this information could be useful for later, but Ganondorf’s thoughts were not on weapons and armor right now.

[color=797979]”I don’t suppose you’ve found anywhere we can get a meal yet?”[/color] he asked the feral with a grumble. This was almost making him miss the bug-based meals of Toriel’s cooking. …Almost.