-Ganondorf Dragmire-

At the earliest light they pressed on into the forest. With the light of dawn the path the Twilight took became plain and open. Eventually into the day they came across a few dead Twilight. The Twilight had been torn into pieces.

Solitare stopped and bent down to look at them. "The wounds are not clean, no blade did this. They were pulled into pieces... Splinters and shards of wood fill their bodies."

"Looks like the Fae have started their battle," Link commented.

Ganon turned his eyes into the forest and searched as best he could without entering. They were already in danger from entering the domain of the Fae without their protection, but ironically their sole protection was within the torn up land by the Twilight, as if the land was too wounded to fight back or notice the new intruders.

Link continued, "I see no more in the distance... Ghiradrim is not here. The path continues, so the great beast must still be carrying its master and the lesser beasts were left behind."

"This doesn't make sense... why flee deeper into hostile territory? Why be so hard pressed to go this way?" Solitare wondered. "They could have fled along the border."

Link had no answer, but Ganon gulped. He felt he had one, though he did not know how well he liked it. Faint memories returned to him and a dark feeling entered his gut. The direction the Twilight pressed on to also was familiar to him as they pressed on.

Ganon answered, "They are fleeing to the valley of dragons."

"The what?" Link wondered. "Dragons are real?!"

Ganon nodded. "Kept in secret and protected by the Fae, but yes. I was there once when I was young. I do not know if the dragons themselves are what the Twilight seek, but something else that lies within. Inside the valley, alongside the dragons, is a Fae Grove."

Solitare's eyes widened and she gulped. Link cursed under his breath.

Ganon explained further, "The waters of a Fae Grove is supposed to be able to heal anything, but it is also divine and holy and will wound anyone or anything of darker origins, such as the Twilight, so long as it is untainted."

"Then why go there?!"

"Because that is only while it is untainted, and I..." Ganon hesitated. His eyes fell guiltily as memories came to light. "I tainted it, and what more, I may have created something... hellish from it. As you know, when I was imprisoned by the Mitagi, the Twilight came to the city for me." Link nodded, remembering the battle. "But what you don't know is that one of the monsters snuck in and spoke to me. He said... that I had made them. He called me 'father.'"

They stood in silence briefly. Solitare looked between them, marveling at an event that had apparently transpired between them. Ganon's eyes darkened in memory, and Link huffed.

"Well, are you?" Link asked.

"Am I what?"

"Are you their father? I thought you were Malon's ward."

"I am! I'm her guardian and adoptive father."

"So what does it matter of these freaks of nature think? I doubt you did it on purpose, otherwise the Fae probably would have been pissed with you all this time, right?"

"I..." Ganon blinked. "True."

"Then it don't matter. If you get some Twilight to stop eating people and get adopted as a monster-puppy, great. But what matters is Ghidradrim has them and is taking them somewhere, where it seems a bunch more can be made. I don't know about you, but with how many appeared at the plains of Jouto without a Fae Grove, I'm more worried about how many can appear at a location with that kind of energy and power... or if he can use it for other means. Clearly there is purpose behind it at least and whatever the purpose is, probably ain't good for us."

Solitare put a hand to her mouth and giggled at his plain words. Ganon stared at Link. Ganon blinked and marveled. He considered Link stupid and rash, but for a moment he saw the young man was far more. The pup was simple and explained himself in simple ways, but his perspective was true and understanding.

Ganon sighed, took a breath, and chuckled. "True enough." He put a heavy hand on Link's shoulder. "Well said, Pup. Let us stay focused. What matters is Malon. Let us leave the main battle to the Fae if possible, but if our blades can reach Ghiradrim and get Malon out, then let us do so."

They pressed on through the day.

Nearly into the night, just as the sun started to set, a great hill rose before them and they stopped and gaped.

The hill was entirely covered in black, liquid vines extending in every direction and rippling. Before their eyes the liquid-vines extended out into the forest, and great roots from the forest sprang up and entangled themselves with the black vines. The vines tore each other apart, only to regrow and go at it again. Movement across the hill showed Twilight beasts covered it and sprang down as ants from an anthill. Just as the Twilight reached the edges of the forests, the trees smashed down onto them and crushed them and pulled them down beneath their roots. Shells of Fae, with shapes ranging from the centaur and men they were accustomed to seeing, to giant men with lumbering arms and great wolves or beasts of a similar shape, sprang out of the forest and tore into the Twilight ranks only to flee back from the black vines that rose against them and chased them. It was a great battle as far as they could see in both directions. One side was an endless number, a limitless wave upon wave of hunger and poison, while the other side was a solid defense that regenerated and allowed no inch to be gained against them, yet also could not push forward into the black abyss that had festered. Great beasts rose from the wound in the world, climbed over the edge of the hill, and descended down, only to be met with great giants of stone. The earth shook with their feriocity.

Ganon looked down the path and saw that the path had left a wound from the Twilight the Fae could not heal yet. They were literally standing on Twilight ground and territory. Before them a number of the Twilight vines grew onto the path and started to reach them.

Link gripped his spear, a great shadow grew off Solitare, and Ganon lit his hands aflame.

As soon as the black vines came near, they stopped and recoiled. Link swept at them and the things seemed to squeal and fall back. Ganon punched the air, released a blast of fire into the vine's midst, and they curled up in pain and fled before them. Ganon charged forward at them a short distance and shot out his left hand-

a vine instantly shot forward, opened a gaping maw, and sucked in on Ganon's hand all the way up to the elbow. Ganon growled and pulled back against it. Solitare extended shadow forward to pull the monster off.

"Ganon!" Link rushed forward and brought his spear down, but before his spear reached it, the monster vine made an unusual sound, almost like a kitten purring, and recoiled back further. They watched as it fell back all the way to the hill, and all other vines near also fell back. The vines parted and a cave opening appeared between them.

Ganon looked at his left hand. The pentagon mark of the Twilight shined darkly... and his arm was covered in some kind of slimy, sticky spit. Solitare turned her nose up at the sight and smell and Ganon struggled not to gag.

"Ew." Link commented. Ganon wiped his hand on Link's shirt, creating a long streak from shoulder to shoulder. "OH COME ON! Not on- Ew!" Link fled back several steps, pulled off a low laying branch, and tried to scrape it off. "That just ain't right!"

"It's like it... liked you." Solitare whispered.

"Yes..." Ganon murmured. "Not a prospect I want, but I can appreciate if it opens the path forward."

Slowly the three neared closer to the hill. The battle could be seen in the distance, but here it remained untouched, as if some unseen barrier kept the Grove back. As the three approached the hill, the side rose up cleanly so they could not cling to it nor climb over, but an opening gaped wide between the Twilight. They peered into the darkness and could not see far. Link tore his shirt, roped the cloth around a branch, and tossed it to Ganon. "Light it, if you will." Ganon clenched it in his hand, set it aflame, and handed it back to Link. Ganon lit his own hand on fire and peered into the darkness. The shadows fell from Solitare's shoulders as a jacket and covered her head, and she took a step into the darkness, but Link reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

"Soli, stay with us," Link advised. "I don't think the shadows will protect you here..."

Ganon grunted, "I agree with the pup. You are a visitor to the darkness, but these... this is their world."

Soli gulped and looked fearfully into the darkness, nodded and stepped back. Link smiled for her. Ganon stepped into the cavern first and Link entered last with Soli between them.

Immediately the world gave way to an alien existence. The smell was acidic and corrosive. The walls and ground were as drooling flesh with long trails of spit falling from the ceiling. The surroundings expanded and imploded rhythmically, causing air to breath by them. Their steps squished down on pulsating meat. Movement around them alerted them to eyes that watched them earnestly. Long teeth bared themselves in the darkness and hungry growls followed them, yet never approaching. At last they came to an end to the tunnel. The wall was as a giant coiled snake had curled endlessly on itself.

They turned back, but stopped. A large pack had filled the tunnel behind them. The Twilight did not attack, but only watch.

Soli drew her blades and her shadow grew around her. Link adjusted the grip on his spear. Ganon did not turn, but studied the wall until he saw it. He drew his bright hand to it and saw the head of the great snake watching them. It's blind eyes studied Ganon intently. Remembering how its kin has reacted, Ganon extended his left hand with the mark of the Twilight. The snake opened its maw hungrily and snatched onto his arm, sucking on it briefly. A brief pain pierced his hand and Ganon flinched, but immediately the snake recoiled and slithered down the path. Its long body drew away from the passage, no longer blocking it. A light towards the end of the path drew their attention, and watching the Twilight warily, they backed their way towards it.

Ganon glanced to his left hand and saw the mark of Twilight was pulsing gently, and a small trail of blood flowed from his hand from where a single tooth had punctured him.

Once out in the open, two of them gaped and Ganon closed his eyes regretfully. The Valley of Dragons was sick. Thousands and thousands of Twilight creatures swarmed out of the valley, seemingly from a never ending source. The ground was covered in veins that extended from the same source. The top of the valley was shadowed by the great bones of an ancient and massive dragon. Its shoulders reached from one side to the other and a single rib rose from the base of the valley to the top. Eggs by the dozens sat crushed around the edges of the valley and in smashed nests. The dragons Ganon remembered to have lived here were, thankfully, vacant.

The Twilight pack surrounded them, but kept a distance. The three walked into the valley, and the pack parted to allow them through, as if expecting them. Movement in the distance drew their eye. There towards the center of the valley sat the largest of the creatures with the many sacks on its side. It was bloody and wounded heavily by some source, and laid itself down weakly by a great well. The well water was black and out of the water sprung all of the Twilight and black veins and sickness.

Welcome to your beginning and your end, brother.

In the water floating was Ghiradrim.

I accept responsibility for underestimating you, brother. You are different than you once were. Before, you never would have accepted the company of your false family.

Ghiradrim opened his eyes and rose from the water in such a way that his feet rested on its surface. The wounds he had suffered healed, but a visible scar line reached from his shoulder to his waist and a second circular scar rested in his sternum, the only evidence of Link and Ganon's last attack. Glancing sideways he looked at the three intruders. His eyes briefly shifted to the Twilight pack surrounding them before returning to the three, but even in this instant the creatures understood his message. They left until there were only five remaining. Ghiradrim, the creature that had carried him here, and the three who had come to fight him.

Ghiradrim stepped off the surface of the water and looked at them.

But that is no matter. I-

"All of this is about me transforming, isn't it?" Ganondorf interrupted.

Ghiradrim stopped, caught off guard, but smiled all the same.

"What?!" Link gasped. "This is about-"

"I've been wondering," Ganon explained. "What is the point of it? Why go out of the way to play with lives like they are nothing? Why taunt me at every impasse and hang the lives of people I treasure over me? Why go out of one's way for nothing more than to piss me off? All that would do is bring my anger and wrath upon them. Anyone who does that, I would think, is stupid or suicidal. Most wouldn't understand what I can do when angered... and what I am. It took some time to understand, but Ghiradrim doesn't think as mortals do. He knows what I am. He knows what I can do. All of this is to make me angry because he wants me to transform. These Twilight have called me father, and this one calls me brother. I wish I could, but I cannot deny it. I have the soul of a demon and that makes me kin to them. Ghiradrim just wants his brother back."

Ghiradrim chuckled. He smirked widely. Bravo. It took you longer than I expected, but you understand. So the question becomes, what will you do about it? You cannot defeat me as you are, yet to fight me as you must will ensure my victory.

"Wha?" Link wondered.

Ganondorf narrowed his eyes at Ghiradrim. A million regrets and angers passed through him, and in the end he could only chastise himself. For all of his power, he was weak. For all of his strength, he was sick.

Ganon explained further, "I have never been able to bring myself out of a demon form. Others have always had to force me out of it. First it was the waters of the Fae, then it was might of Ouki, lastly it was the skill of the Rebellious Hero. Compared to them we have nothing here at our disposal which can bring me back if I transform..."

Link paled.

"Which will make it my last," Ganon finished.

"But you came anyway, knowing this." Solitare whispered.

Ganon's gaze slid from Ghiradrim to the monster beside him. In the monster's pulsating sack was still Malon. Ghiradrim followed his eyes back and grinned in understanding. "What was I supposed to do?" Ganon wondered. He grit his teeth, frustrated. "Nothing?"

"Its simple then, don't transform and don't lose yourself to it."

He pursed his lips, a slight furrow between his brows as he stared pointedly at Link, and with an icy coldness. He breathed out through his teeth, "You make it sound so freakin' easy."

Link retorted, "Not easy, just simple. And isn't it really? What did you expect coming here?!"

Ghiradrim turned his head to the side, watching them. He smiled, amused. Courage has a point. Isn't it really that simple? But then, why haven't you succeeded thus far? Could it be the great Power is really just the great Fake?

"Shut up," Ganon hissed. "Give me back Malon, and I will leave you to the Fae to contend with. Keep her, and we will do what we came here prepared to do."

You came here prepared to die. Or perhaps Courage has inspired you to testing yourself? Perhaps it really is that simple as he makes it out to be? But then, I don't plan to make it that easy. I am not one to make the same mistake twice. I will not be fighting you. He will.

"He?" Link wondered. He glanced about, but saw nobody.

Ghiradrim put his hands out in front of him. A thumb on one hand drew blood from the palm of the other, and he clenched his fist. A large drop of dark blood fell into the pool.

The dark pool exploded violently in a geyser upwards. The black liquid shot high into the air coating the bones above them and then dripped down among them as rain. The water settled again, and there was stillness.

"Whooo, wow. You can send filthy water up." Link muttered. "I'm so scared."

"I... don't get it either." Soli added.

Ganon raised an eyebrow and glanced around. He saw nothing threatening approach. So what was the point of-

The earth shook around them. They fell to their knees under the sudden earthquake. Rocks fell all around them and rips in the ground tore their way from one side to the other. A great scraping sound could be made out above them, and Soli looked up only to gasp. The men looked up as well and their eyes widened.

The black liquid roped itself around the bones of the great dragon, forming tendons and string between the disjointed bones. The neck twitched, the shoulders shifted, the claws flexed, the eyes bore down on them glowing darkness, and its boney jaw dropped in a silent roar.

"You were saying?" Ghiradrim spoke outloud.

"hehe... I think I'll just... shut up." Link chuckled nervously.

"Your loose words seem to be a weakness of yours, yes." Ghiradrim acknowledged. "Odd. It never has been."

Ganon barked, "Scatter!"

Ganon leaped back, Link ran towards Ghiradrim, and Solitare ran to the side. Not without reason, as a moment later, the dragon skeleton brought one of its great claws down where they were. The earth was crushed and shook beneath it, and its claws tore into the ground deeply.

'Puppet or not, its strong.' Ganon observed.

Also slow, as Ganon was quick to learn. The skeleton lost its balance and brought the hand back to keep from falling. It held itself up by its shoulders and two hands only. It yelled in a silent roar and turned its attention towards Link.

Link ran at Ghiradrim and swung his spear. In his training he had come to understand the spear pole lengthened and shortened to the will of its user, and so extended it as he swung. For it to extend while turning accelerated the outer blade many times faster and it cleaved into Ghiradrim's side. Ghiradrim brought up an arm, the arm turned black and hard, and blocked it. He stood his ground easily enough against Link's strength.

I told you already, I have learned. You caught me last time, but now I am prepared for you.

Ghiradrim leaped back from Link's second swing, ducked the third, and kept retreating back.

I will not be fighting you. I have no need to. Please do not make me into a liar.

"LINK!" Ganon roared.

Link's triforce mark flashed briefly. Immediately he drove his spear into the ground while extending it into a long pole. The result was throwing himself to the side quickly. Boney claws cleaved down into where he was just before, barely missing him by inches. Link landed amidst dark mist and disappeared.

Ghiradrim blinked, surprised. A dark mist was slowly covering the battlefield. Grumbling, Ghiradrim stomped a foot into the ground. Thousands of pulsating veins reached into the earth and extended in every direction. At first he felt nothing, but soon enough he felt the vibrations of steps in his blood.

Solitare reached the second monster. She stood still momentarily, judging its eyes and frail movements. The monster was lax and weak, seemingly too wounded to be a threat, but its bulk could easily crush her. Its eyes did not follow her. Kyou Kai stepped closer and told the Sheikah monster to attack. The shadows extended from her and thousands of cords wrapped itself around the beast. It thrashed against the bindings, but the fight was a lost one. The Sheikah Twilight was normally weaker, but the trueborn Twilight was deathly wounded. It coiled around like a snake and held it firm. Solitare walked around the monster until she found the sack from which rested a human shape.

The ground exploded between them and the albino jumped up. Thousands of vines shot out of the ground around them. Ghiradrim's arm split into dozens of spider-legs and shot themselves at Solitare. The Sheikah Twilight released hold of its prey and leaped on Ghiradrim, knocking aside his attack and wrestling with him. The Sheikah Twilight solidified into a humanoid torso shape with two long arms and a plant-like head where a giant eye looked through. The dark one and white one wrestled briefly before Ghiradrim erupted hundreds of thorns through its body and it disappeared in smoke. Solitare flinched in pain and fell to her knees, feeling something pierce her.

A great shadow fell over them, and Solitare looked up to see the skeleton had chosen her this time. A giant hand crashed down on her. The Sheikah Twilight reformed over her and, bringing its hands up, caught the skeletal hand. The impact made the Sheikah Twilight shudder, but it held firm.

Solitare coughed and brought her hand up. Blood.

Foolish mortal. You are just a thief of my home. I am its lord.

Link swung at Ghiradrim in the darkness. Ghiradrim stepped back, but was still caught in mid-step as Link swung again rapidly, much faster than he should have been able to. Ghiradrim hissed painfully and touched his wound before looking at Link. Link had shortened the spear pole to the same comparible size of a sword hilt. Ghiradrim grinned. So this was how Courage had been able to swing so swiftly.

Tricky.

Link lunged at Ghiradrim and continued to swipe at him with the spear-sword, extending it and shortening it as he wished, but Ghiradrim continued to evade him deftly and the two quickly left the immediate area. Ghiradrim suddenly changed direction, lunging forwards instead of back, knocked Link's weapon to the side and brought his other arm down and crashing into the ground as a reshaped axe. Link leaned back and away from it, felt the mortal-blade scrap his skin, fell back, and rolled back to his feet away. Link touched his cheek. Blood.

The air exploded above them in flame. Ganon sent a great explosion into the skeleton's elbow. It did not destroy the bone, but it did make the skeletal monster buckle and lose some of its balance. The skeleton raised its hand off Solitare and used time to adjust itself.

Ganon ran into the dark mist and stopped by Solitare. He dropped to a knee and inspected her. "Are you hurt?"

Solitare gulped, and nodded shamefully. "Sorry."

"Don't be. Whatever you did, it protected yourself and Malon." Ganon sent a scatching eye towards Ghiradrim. "He is fine with killing his hostage and kin."

A loud creaking drew their attention upward and they gasped. The skeleton was ready again and bringing a hand up to crash it back down on them. Its face was towards them, not Link. Malon and the wounded trueborn Twilight was also next to them.

"I won't be able to stop it again..." Solitare gulped. She stood all the same and the Sheikah Twilight formed behind her. It cracked its knuckles, but she wavered.

Ganon looked at her, eyes wide, and up at the skeleton. The boney hand opened its palm wide and fell down on them to crush them all. Ganon shot up an explosion into the skeleton, but it did not waver. The Sheikah Twilight raised its palms, and Ganon made his decision.

Solitare closed her eyes and braced against the impact, and she flinched when she felt it strike, but also hesitated. The strike was not near as powerful as it was last time. Solitare opened her eyes and flinched against the bright light and heat that exploded next to her. After a moment to adjust her eyes, she gasped.

Ganon stood beside her with a hand up and half of his body entirely encased in flame. With a fiery hand up, he helped brace the impact against her, and buckled himself under the brute force of it. A single draconic wing of flame sprouted from his back and the trianglular light on his right hand flared brightly.

"Ganon?!" Solitare exclaimed.

Ganon said nothing, but growled with effort, both external and internal. He had never used Din's power to this extent, not in his waking memory, and he feared it would consume him and turn him to ash... or trigger something dark. He was right that it would consume him, but not by consuming him in flame, but by what he feared far worse. The mark of the Twilight pantheon flared and purple veins sprouted into his body. While his right side was encased in fire, his left side had been left untouched. He had hoped to avoid it, but it seems fate wouldn't abide by his hopes.

The Twilight side slowly took hold of his left side. With each passing moment, he growled in increased pain. It pumped through his veins as burning acid and where it touched the fire of Din, it exploded in sparks that nearly made him buckle. Slowly a seam formed on his middle and Ganon yelled out in pain, feeling his body torn in two.

"GANON! STOP!" Solitare barked.

"I. Can." Ganon growled. "Hold! HOLD!"

Just as the Twilight consumed his entire left side in shadows and darkness, it disappeared. Ganon gasped in relief, but also wavered. Solitare's eyes widened. His entire left side of his body was gone.

"I said hold!" Ganon barked.

Ganon's right side pushed back against the skeleton and Solitare remembered herself. She looked up and willed her monster to push back harder as well. The skeleton above growled, annoyed, brought its hand up briefly and sent it crashing down on them again.

Ghiradrim, meanwhile, continued to find Link was an annoying pest. He truly had no desire to participate in the fight. He wasn't a fighter as his brothers were, and prefered others doing it for him. Yet Link proved to be... uncooperative in this endeavor. Ghiradrim would have thought the skeletal monster would be enough to keep them busy and send Ganon over the edge, but something was... off. There was no way the mortal girl would be enough on her own. Courage should have put his attention as well on helping her. And together they Power the three of them might be able to fight it. Yet they were willing enough to distribute their fighting strength?

Ghiradrim didn't have long to wonder. He avoided another of Link's attacks and countered by piercing him through with a bladed arm. Only... it wasn't Link. Ghiradrim blinked in surprise and wonder. What stood before him was a shadow gargoyal of a man. A half of a man. The left side of a man who bore the mark of the Twilight Pantheon on his hand.

What-

The shadow man opened its gaping mouth wide to its collar and roared. The man lunged forward, head-first to bite him, and Ghiradrim thrust his other hand into the man's face to hold him back, but couldn't. Its body dissipated as vaper, reappeared behind him, and bit down on Ghiradrim's throat. Ghiradrim leaped back far and ran back far enough to leave the dark mist before stumbling. He reached to his neck and felt the wound close, but still flinched in pain and saw his black blood cover his palm.

Ghiradrim looked up to see Link and half of Ganon walk -hover- out. Link's head spun, only now seeing Ganon and he gaped. "What the- Naryu, Farore, and Din! Is this what we are getting now?!"

Ganon sighed.

Ghiradrim smirked tiredly, impressed. It was twice now these two had caught him off guard. This time wasn't nearly enough to do lasting damage to his physical shell of a body, and he half wondered if they would be able to hurt his spirit as well, but he was still taken in attacks he had not expected. He wouldn't have expected this if you had given him thousands of years...

He knew this because he had been given it.

Impressive. Most impressive, dear Ganon. This is your solution? If triggering both would bring about Wrath upon their conflicting forces, then seperate the forces at work? I do admit, this had gone beyond my expectations.

Ganon replied, "I as well. I just pushed away the two sides to keep them from touching in my spirit. I didn't know this would happen, but I am pleased with the results all the same."

"Who are you talking to?" Solitare asked.

Ganon growled, "Be quiet."

"... I didn't say anything." Link retorted.

"Not you."

"What?" Solitare whispered.

Ganon sighed, closed his eyes, and prayed for patience not to throttle a couple of fools.

Ghiradrim chuckled. Ganon's eyes twitched. "This really isn't funny."

Oh, not the mortal foolishness, but the thing you have done. I wonder if you can hold it properly without killing yourself. You are a wonderous thing, brother. So close, yet still just out of reach. I wonder what more it will take to finally push you over that edge.

Ghiradrim drove a hand into the ground. At first nothing seemed to happen, but then Ganon's eyes widened. With his right side, his fire side, he saw Ghiradrim's hand reach out of the ground near the wounded Trueborn Twilight and thousands of thorns grab onto its body.

Perhaps it just needs a bit more... body.

Ghiradrim flung the body into the Twilight Grove waters. As soon as the body touched the waters it exploded into a large geysar a second time, only this time it did not stop. The waters rose up as a column onto the skeleton and slowly caked it firmly. Enough of the waters fell to dissipate the mist and give a clear sight of the skeleton forming flesh. Muscle, organs, skin, scales, all of these things grew on its bones. Eyes blinked down at them in red rage. Lips drooled in hunger. A tongue fell from its lips.

"Malon!" Ganon roared. His fire side hovered to the waters and peered in, but could not see her. The column continued to rise up into the beast and become seemingly solid. The now-fully-formed massive Twilight dragon, or at least a torso of one, looked down at them. With the column constantly pushing up against it and bracing it, it brought its hands off the valley cliff edges. It no longer needed its arms and shoulders to balance on.

Ganon's shadow side turned to Ghiradrim, only to find his prey was gone. Ghiradrim had disappeared. He looked around but the albino was nowhere to be seen.

"Uh... guys... what do we do?" Solitare stepped back fearfully under the dragon's gaze. Its head alone was the size of a two-story house.

Link yelled, "I was hoping you'd know! Don't the Sheikah have some ancient knowledge or something?!"

"On this?!" Kyou Kai pointed up at it. "You really think we have something on this!?"

"Is that a no?"

Ganon's two sides hovered closer without coming close enough to touch. He looked at himself briefly. 'This... is weird.'

Ganon said, "It's big. Probably stronger. Probably faster. Malon is in there..." If she was still alive.

Please still be alive.

"And Ghiradrim seems to have fled... so this should be straight forward." Ganon continued.

The dragon opened its jaws and a bright light could be seen deep in its throat.

"And it has fire," Ganon added, offhandedly.

"AND it has fire!" Link exclaimed, aggravated.

A stream of molten flame poured from its mouth onto them. The only one to not scatter was the firey side of Ganon. When the fires lessened, he stood in its ashes. He looked up at the monster and glared. "You cannot defeat me, borrower of false fire! I am the flame incarnate of the Fire Dancer. I am he whom the dragons borrow from and that gives man its power. I may be a shadow of myself, but if you wish a contest of fire..." Ganon ignited his flames higher and with a gesture of his hand sent multiple explosions into the dragon's face. It did nothing more than make the creature flinch in pain, unfortunately.

'If this one is like any of the others, it should have an opening in its body.' Ganon thought.

Ganon's shadow side flew up at the dragon and flew around it. Its ribcage was not open nor its back, but as shadow Ganon flew towards the area of the spine and hip, he saw the dragon was half-formed. The flesh was not sealed at the waist and its organs were open for inspection. Without hesitation, shadow Ganon dove in and with gaping maw and sharp claw tore his way into the gargantuan beast.

The dragon screamed in pain and thrashed about frantically. It reached toward itself to try to pull him out, but could not reach inside. It tore at the ground beneath and aside. It was all they could do to avoid it. The monster did not search for them, but spasmed in pain. Still, Link had to use his Gift to evade the massive claws. Solitare found refuge towards the edge of the valley and hunkered down, using the Sheikah Twilight to knock aside rocks and earth and fused earthen-flesh to fall on them.

"How are we supposed to fight that thing!?" Solitare asked.

Link cut into the fingers of the dragon with his spear, but it did seemingly nothing more than give it another reason to thrash around. The dragon clawed at him, and while Link managed to avoid the claws, he didn't avoid how they tore away the ground beneath his feet. He fell into the crevice. The dragon continued to tear into the ground around him. Link's Gift flared and he ran out of the way as the earth was torn apart, bruised but otherwise fine.

Explosions drew his attention. Link looked up and saw the fire-side of Ganon flying around the dragon's head. The dragon followed it with its gaze and tried to vomit flame onto him, but Ganon seemed unfazed by it while, unfortunately, doing little more than pissing it off.

Link answered, "Not sure if you and I can."

Shadow Ganon tore its way through the creature's insides until suddenly he found Malon tucked in between them. He breathed a sigh of relief. Ganon grabbed her, pulled out of the crevice she was jammed in and towards him. Behind him was a waterfall of blood from the monster bleeding internally after he had torn deeply inward, but still it wouldn't give. All around him, the organs healed rapidly. The Twilight Grove continued to funnel flesh into it, keeping it perpertually sustained.

Shadow Ganon inspected her briefly. Malon breathed slowly, unconcious. 'Thank Din...' Tucking her over his shoulder, he flew out of the body and down towards his companions. With Malon and Shadow Ganon clear, Fire Ganon formed a larger fireball and physically slammed it into the dragon's eye. Fire exploded from the dragon's eye and it roared painfully. Smoke filled the air.

Shadow Ganon landed, roughly, by Link and Solitare. "Easy, there, big guy." Solitare cautioned him. She looked over Malon and put the Dragmire girl on her back.

"Talk later. Run now!" Ganon urged them.

Solitare and Link ran towards the exit. Shadow Ganon hovered with them protectively, but they stopped as they neared the exit. Glaring claw marks all along the wall and collapsed earth met them. Behind them, the smoke dissipated from the dragon's vision and it saw them before it. It opened its mouth and breathed in deeply.

Shadow Ganon and Link shielded them, Fire Ganon rushed towards them, Solitare shut her eyes tightly, and fire bellowed onto them.

Fire as a pillar exploded next to them and rose high into the sky. Solitare opened her eyes and gasped. All around them was open flames and the earth was burned, while between them and the dragon was a dense wall of fire where a man stood, hunched over. The dragon raised a hand and brought it down to crush them, but out of the flames rose a great hand to catch it. A clawed hand of shadow and flame.

The fires died down some, the fused earthen-flesh burned to ashe, the few blades of grass to pop out wilted and blackened, and out of the smoke and fire stood a gargantuan man of flame and shadow. His hair flashed red and wings of flame sprouted from his back. Horns adorned his head like a crown and scales as armor plated his skin. A tail sprouted from his backhip and smoke and ashe bellowed from his swinish jaws.

Link gulped and Solitare felt a chill going down her spine as her eyes widened. Not a day would pass where she would have forgotten him... The source of her pains and nightmares.

From his mouth bellowed black flame it scorched the dragon's arm, burning it through to the bone until it melted off. The Twilight dragon pulled back, but the demon wasn't through. It stepped forward but a single step and bellowed flame a second time, this time towards the Twilight Grove rushing geysar. The flame consumed the waters and rose upwards towards the dragon. As soon as it met, flame shot out from the dragon's eyes and mouth and every opening it could escape from. The flames covered its flesh and turned its exposed bones to powder. The flame also entered the veins of the Twilight in the ground from its source, rushing out across the ground and into the earth until it exploded upwards in every direction so that all of the earth was in open flame. The geysar stopped gushing and the dragon's corpse fell onto its water. Some of it sank beneath, but the dragon was simply too large to fall in entirely and much of it fell around them.

Above them on the valley ridge, Ghiradrim smiled widely. Finally! He burst out in joyful laughter. It had taken far more effort than probably should have, and he had expected a man rather than a child those twenty-five years ago, but still it come come! He had won.

Good, now. Take what is yours, my brother.

Smoke and fire filled the air as far as they could see, which, granted, wasn't far. In the darkness stood a man of flame that turned and looked back them. A pair of burning iris's zero'd in on them and locked eyes with Link. On one hand brightly lit was a triangle. Link's triangle flared as well.