-Ghiradrim-

Defeat.

Defeat was a common feeling for one such as him.

He didn't mind, though. He was adaptable. He was cunning. He did not see defeat as a true end, but merely as the acknowledgement that a method did not succeed and so the solution to his problem must be reconsidered. One who does not accept defeat cannot achieve any true victory. Yet, even despite this nature within him, he felt, for the first time, without reservation, truly and utterly defeated.

He had seen and watched his brother for generations, so while he knew things to be a bit different this time, the possibility of what he had just witnessed was so far beyond his sight, so alien and outside the realm of possibility, that he was stunned.

For a moment, Ghiradrim gaped. He stood on the top cliff-face of the valley and watched the battle play out, and just when victory was within reach, literally and figuratively, it was snatched away.

The moment passed and Ghiradrim sighed, "No matter... there is always the next cycle."

Next time he wouldn't leave it to chance. He had thought leaving the child, the vessel to which was poured the spirit of his lost brother, with a clan that had suffered so deeply would instill within him the anger he needed to feast on. Yet this had failed. Next time he would raise the child himself.

"There won't be a next time."

Ghiradrim smiled. He smelled them as much as heard them.

Ghiradrim turned to see a gathering of Fae, and other children of Farore, assembled against him. They took on as many shapes and forms as the imagination might allow. Fitting for children of the goddess of imagination.

Ghiradrim nodded in greeting. "Fae. You look worse for wear and..." his grin widened and rows of sharp teeth revealed themselves. "You smell weary. Tell me, have you enjoyed this game of mine?"

A few stepped forward brandishing weapons, and Ghiradrim revealed but a fraction of his true form in allowing hundreds of appendages ending in sharp thorns to sprout from his shell while dozens of eyes appeared on his face and body; but the coming battle was halted as the lead Fae put his hand out to stop his ally.

The Fae Elder said, "Enough, you cannot kill him. None of us can."

Ghiradrim smirked cheekily and eyed the youngling to have challenged him. Was it a babe in their own years or merely to him? Hard to tell anymore. None of the less whichever it was, the challenger was still foolish enough to confront him without understanding, without measuring.

The Fae Elder stepped forward and stood by Ghiradrim to look down into the valley and at the individuals in it.

"Depravation." The Fae Elder said, "You have lost this round, and I intend to capitalize on it. Though hope has been small, it has appeared in its subtlety perhaps guided by the Divine. I saw it when Power and Wrath's union was damaged by the sacrifice of our energies here, and I have seen it in the strengthened union of the others. Your manipulations will not work this time."

Ghiradrim chuckled. "I may be a manipulator, but at least my victims know it as it is for that purpose to which they come to me. You- you're so much worse. He doesn't even know, does he? How hopeless this is? You have him all set up to be a sacrifice."

"There is a way."

"Oh, I agree. There are actually three ways. Shall I explain them to you? I'm sure you have already known them, but while we are here being all familiar, why not? First way is he makes a wish with the combined power of the destined. But then you know what will happen the moment he touches it, no? Almost has several times, but you lot stop him at every turn, and likely will continue to lest your greatest fears come forth. Second way is to use his bane against him. My brother dies, but so does Power. You and I both know his spirit won't survive that. The third way is your Goddess's little plan. Kill him and let another generation try his hand at Power and Wrath. Who knows? The next time might be better! Oh, and while we are at it, let us not forget that little new fourth way you people came up with. But then we both know how that went, now don't we? I couldn't have asked for a better trigger to this 500 year joke if I tried! I truly applaud you! I'm loving the results!"

Ghiradrim grinned. While Elder showed nothing, Ghiradrim's senses surpassed the mortal shells. He saw into the being's spirit. He sensed the Fae's trepidation. "They don't know, do they? Who gave Courage and Wisdom the idea for that brilliant stroke of genius?"

"That's enough out of you."

"Oh, did I touch too close to the spirit?" The ancient god mocked. Ghiradrim extended a finger towards Elder playfully and Elder swatted it away. Though he moved the Twilight god's hand away, the wooden shell to touch him still fell to the ground blackened with ink and rotted.

The Fae Elder said, "Your plot has failed. Now leave."

"You dare to think you can influence where I come and go?" Ghiradrim frowned.

"No weapon I know can kill you, but the Majora have a weapon we have come to understand that can seal you."

Ghiradrim narrowed his eyes at his adversary. "The masks of sealing? Those paltry trinkets cannot hold a candle to me."

"One, no. But a thousand? A thousand masks strengthened and formed from the spirit of Fae and derived from our own energies?"

As if to emphasis the threat, the Elder Fae formed a mask from his wooden shell, and Ghiradrim's eyes briefly fell on it. It was a moment, only a moment, but for that moment, he feared. Though the mask was wooden in form and ugly in appearance, it was formed from flesh touched by Fae, and so was far more than any artificial power of the Majora. This was an organic sealing device of spirit, torn from spirit. It was small, but it was of spirit, like him.

Such a threat was new.

"It would take many thousands of them." Ghiradrim challenged, "And you cannot think I would take such a threat peacefully. Even if this is possible, it would take all of you down to the last light and spirit to have encompassed this land and then, when the battlefield is over, the land will be left in ruin and shadow."

The Fae Elder replied, "Our absence would not be missed. There is a light growing in this land replacing our own, and I will die hoping for the first time in eons. If you do not leave your seal will be known as the Pillar of a Thousand Faces! It will be guarded deeply in our lands or given to those that will hide it away! It will never be touched or seen until one day when all are ready!" The Fae Elder finished his threat and stood against the ancient twilight god.

Ghiradrim turned to see the other Fae had produced masks of a similar fashion and were ready to pounce on him. Ghiradrim's thousands of appendages twitched, annoyed and, for a brief moment, fearfully cautious. The Fae were weak. They were little more than fleas to him. Yet a swarm of thousands, of millions, willing to die and throw themselves against a god, with a fraction of a power that could entrap him? Ghiradrim knew he could win.

Could, as opposed to would. There was always the possibility.

"Very well," Ghiradrim conceded. "I shall leave you to your games. I shall accept defeat in this round and quiet myself for a generation. We will see how the next transpires."

With that said, Ghiradrim turned aside and marched down the hill. The children of Farore parted for him, being careful not to touch him or come too close, and Ghiradrim entered the forest. He would then depart it and disappear into the world.

-Ganondorf Dragmire-

They fell into silence. Ganon, at this time, had nothing to say, and for a time he also found his emotions and thoughts were also absent. He felt the quiet in himself. The roaring and screaming was gone, the rage and turmoil were gone, all of it was gone. The wind brushed his cheek and stirred up the strands of hair at his knees. The hair sprayed across the ground lost its fire and dimmed, and like it he felt the coal in his heart smolder.

He did not feel tired, yet nor did he feel full of energy driving him to fight. It was an unusual feeling.

"Ganon?" Link wondered, hesitantly. Link fell back on his backside and watched his counterpart carefully.

Ganon closed his eyes and sighed, tiredly. The moment passed. He did not wish it to have passed. The sensation of his rage leaving him, yet not being exhausted to the bone, was a comfortable one.

"I am here, Link."

Link's eyes widened briefly. Ganon could understand why. His own voice sounded alien to him. It was so quiet and his tone lost its bite. In all the years he knew the young man, he had never recalled calling him by his name, but always some derisive term, a word more fitting what Ganon thought of him rather than what his name actually was. Yet now Ganon felt it was proper. Link was more than a pup or dumb person, he was Link, with all that entailed. He was a person like himself.

A shadow moved in the corner of Ganon's sight, and in a movement he rose and grabbed Solitare's daggers an inch from his throat. He drove his knee into her gut, knocking the air out of her lunges, and pinned her to the ground. He acted gently, not wishing to harm her.

He wasn't going to just let her kill him! He had others depending on him and he would be damned if he failed them.

"Enough! It is I!" Ganon exclaimed.

"For how long?!" Solitare demanded. "You transformed of your own will!"

"He had no choice he-" Link started to argue, seeing his friends fighting, but Ganon cut him off.

"I did!" Ganon interrupted. "I chose it. I was too cowardly to find a way to handle the threat against us in that moment without reverting to what I knew, and in so doing I made a threat greater than before."

Too tired to continue, Solitare let go of the knives and laid beneath him. Her arms burned and Ganon gulped at the sight. She had hurt herself deeply on account of him.

Ganon continued, "I would like to think we could have found a way. I don't know! I don't know which is the wiser choice, to save and become a monster or to not and risk allow all to die! All I can offer is the purpose of my choice and the knowledge that I did everything I could to the ends of my will. Can you judge me, Solitare? Are you omnipotent as to weigh my choice on scales and offer neutral, lawful judgement?"

Solitare scoffed up at him, "You make it sound like you have done no wrong."

"Then you are not listening." Ganon huffed. He let go of her wrists and flicked away the knives. "I said I don't know. I am not wise enough, and I do not think you are either."

"Soli," Link whispered. "Ganondorf stopped himself. He gained control. It's all right."

Soli stared at him, aghast, but after a long moment, sighed, and said, "You forgive far too easily."

"Perhaps." Link smiled. He grubbed his hair nervously and looked at Ganon. "Just how did you gain control? Did you defeat it? Did my words get through to you or somethin'?"

"I actually didn't hear a word you said," Ganon smirked. "It all come across as nonsense. Like always."

"Damn, that was a waste of breath then." Link huffed, aggravated. Solitare rolled her eyes. She stepped back from Ganon, keeping her attention on him and stance defensive.

Ganon explained, "I don't recall really fighting it, either. I think I just... stopped."

"Stopped?"

"I stopped fighting. I didn't surrender, as I felt there was something fighting against me. The harder I fought against it, the stronger it was. I simply decided to... just not fight. It is difficult to explain." Ganon breathed out. "That is not to say my soul is cleansed by any means. The rage in my heart is still there, so the best thing for now is perhaps to just avoid any form of conflict. To not engage in anything that might trigger it. I don't know. I do know I have gone about it all wrong... I have spent all this time since the council of Mitagi demanding answers of Din. Now... I will continue, but I must ask, rather than demand. I should seek, and wait to actually receive an answer, no matter what it is."

"Uh-huh." Link muttered.

Ganon narrowed his eyes at his young friend. "Very articulate."

"What? I don't get it! All this spirit mumbo jumbo is over my head."

"Everything is over your head. You're short."

"HEY! I WILL HAVE YOU KNOW-"

Solitare rolled her eyes while Link yelled and sheathed her knives. "I swear you two..." She flinched as her hands made contact with the knives.

Link stopped, seeing her pain, and stood. "Soli, perhaps there is still some of the Fae waters left to heal your hands."

"You think they will mind?" Soli wondered.

Ganon inserted himself, "You participated alongside an ally of the Fae against a demon. I doubt they will mind. If they do, tell them to speak with me." Soli watched him warily a moment. "It's the least I can do."

Soli glared at Ganon a long moment. He felt her judgement burning through his skull, even so, she eventually sighed and turned her eyes away. "Fine. If Link forgives, so will I. Not like you actually killed anyone this time."

Ganon nodded. "Thank you. Uh- Where is Malon?"

Solitare motioned towards the distance and Ganon looked to see Malon had been placed on a slightly higher ridge. While most of the ground in the valley had been reduced to ashes and -mysteriously- cooled lava, and some of the walls had fallen in avalanches, there was an area of flat earth nearly fifteen feet high along the cliff wall where his daughter was laid down carefully. Faint motions from Malon stirring showed her to be asleep and well.

Ganon breathed out, relieved. A weight left his chest and shoulders he didn't realize was there and he felt lighter than he ever recalled being. He didn't know where Ghiradrim disappeared to, but at least they were alright. Ganon took his first step towards her, but stopped in mid-step. Beneath his shoes the ground was lightly on fire, but there was something about it that drew his attention. His fallen hair, dim before, was lit and a gentle lame rose from their strands. The flame did not consume the hair.

Then, as as a line, he saw his hair blow across the ground, and along with this hair the fire followed and took round, elongated shapes. One shape appeared, then another just in front and to its left, then a third to the second's right and again in front.

"Steps?" Ganon wondered.

Mesmerized, Ganon followed. The fire steps reached a side of the valley where a brief avalanche had fallen. Ganon stepped up to the rocks and looked down at it. A burn mark in the shape of a hand grew on one of the rocks, and Ganon stared at it a moment before gazing at his own open palm. The hand on the stone was not large nor its fingers wide. They were pointed like a woman's.

Ganon grabbed the stone, about the size of a large ball, and set it aside. Again, a burned hand print appeared on another stone next to the former, and again he took it and set it aside. This went on for a moment before a particularly large stone had a hand print, and when Ganon took hold of the stone, he stopped in awe.

"Warm." He murmured. The stone was quite warm.

He took it out, and felt it was different. Like a melon might have contents that slosh around as it moves, so too did the stone. It was a thought, a faint one at that, but he took a handful of his hair and used the strands as a brush to rub the stone. The dirt fell away. It still resembled a stone, but it looked fresh rather than ancient as the earth. It was perfectly round as if shaped by water.

"Give it fire."

Ganon flinched at the voice and turned. No one. There was no one there. He looked but saw nobody. He narrowed his eyes. Either it was a Fae or he was losing his mind. Still, if this stone was what he thought, then it would be proper.

Ganon placed the stone down briefly and set himself to work. First he climbed up to grab Malon and place her down where it was safer. She stirred briefly but otherwise was still asleep. She was covered in fluids from the Twilight and would no doubt complain later. Whatever the monsters had done to her to keep her prone was still in effect. Then Ganon gathered up as much of his fallen hair as he could and tucked it away in a crevice. He placed the stone in the same crevice amidst his hair, and seeing the stone was not completely covered, he took one of his swords and cut his hair more, for it was very uneven and roughly done. With more hair at his disposal, he covered the stone completely. He set his hand on it and, breathing in and breathing out, set Din's fire on it.

Ganon thought that to be the end of it. Surely whoever put the stone into the earth would return, but as he stood to turn aside, a faint sound reached him.

The stone cracked. It moved briefly, and slowly stirring more and more, a crack appeared in a side. Out of it jutted out tiny claws.

Ganon's eyes widened. He sat on his hunches and watched the egg crack. He had not seen eggs hatch before. Wolves do not have eggs, nor oxen and cows. It was oddly awe inspiring to watch as a tiny creature slowly broke its way out. What was left in the make-shift nest was a snake-looking creature with tiny legs. It looked around briefly, and pounced on its own egg even after breaking free. It ate the egg shell completely.

"Hungry, aren't you?" Ganon chuckled.

The tiny creature turned its head up at his voice, seemed to look at him briefly, and returned to its eating. It ate quickly, taking mere minutes to swallow up its own shell and break its fragments in its mouth. When that was done, it curled itself into a circle on the part of the nest that was still lightly lit with fire. To its discontent, the fire went away quickly, smothered by its tiny body.

Suddenly it lunged forward, running across the ground frantically, reached Ganon's feet, and started to climb up his leg, wrapping around him like a tiny snake.

Ganon stepped back, surprised, but felt a hand on his shoulder stop him. He turned his head, but saw no one. Instead he saw a tiny bit of flame on his shoulder where he was touched, but the flame did not burn or harm him. Ganon drew still and let the creature do as it wished.

Slowly it crawled up his body until it reached about where his shoulders were. It climbed further to his head and laid in his now-short-hair. Ganon sighed inside. He hoped he wouldn't have to deal with whatever-this-was now. The last thing he needed was to walk around and find the creature's mother with a fire-snake on his head. Thankfully, the creature changed its mind, sniffed him with its tongue, and crawled its way down his right shoulder and right arm. It reached his right hand. His Mark of Power briefly lit a single time, and the creature seemingly made its decision by wrapping itself completely around his arm and nestling itself to sleep.

"It is drawn to your fire." The voice said.

Ganon said nothing for a moment. He kept himself still in the moment. Subconciously pieces fell into place and he listened as the resulting facts formed. He placed no judgement on anything but allowed everything to flow through him. This was the valley of dragons. The stone was as an egg. The creature was drawn to his mark, and its birth was completed by his fire. The voice. The signs. The feet.

From the moment he cut his mane, the symbolism of any predator's pride, and let it fall a path formed, literally, where he followed it to this dragon.

Ganon chuckled. "I don't know what kind you are, but it is fitting for a dragon to be born of a Dragmire. We are not Demonmire, but Dragmire after all." Hearing his own words, Ganon paused and looked at his hand where the small dragon was wrapped around. "It is time for a new path. If there is a way forward, it is here. This will be our future."

A light drew his eyes and Ganon looked to see a small pillar of fire, barely two feet across and five feet wide, at an opening in the cavern wall.

Ganondorf Dragmire took up Malon on his back and walked to his companions. Link sat on the edge of Fae Grove and looked down, talking. Ganon stepped up to find Soli was far, far down. It was not so far down as to be without light, but it was far. There was a small amount of water left in which she submerged her hands.

"Is it working?" Ganondorf wondered.

"So far!" Solitare called up. "Give me a moment!"

"Well, when we are done here, the exit is there." Ganon motioned with his head. "Over where the pillar of fire is."

Link looked, but raised an eyebrow dismisvely. "What fire?"

Ganon looked, but saw fire. He glanced to Link, and Link was confused. Yet the fire was there where he should see it.

Din.

"Never mind, I will show you." Ganon dismissed it. He gently laid Malon down by them and called down, "Bring up a bit of that, would you? Malon is still kept under the Twilight's spell."

Soli agreed. Link dropped down a waterskin and Soli filled it. She started to climb up. As she climbed, Link's eyes snapped to Ganon's wrist.

"Wh-wh-what i-is t-that?!"

"Hm?" Ganon looked at his wrist. Oh, yeah. The dragon would take some getting used to. Seeing the fear in Link's eyes, and remembering how the young man was with animals, Ganon had an idea. An awful idea.

"Oh, Din! It bit me!" Ganon jumped. "Dragons are poisonous!"

"Dragon?!" Link exclaimed, leaning back and starting to crawl away. The baby stirred and cried its annoyance at being awoken roughly, only making Link more fearful.

"Get it off!" Ganon thrust his hand forward in Link's face, and Link, fearing the suddenly screaming dragon, lunged back. Link tumbled and fell into the hole. He did not fall all the way, but managed to catch hold of the ledge with one hand while screaming all the way down.

Ganon laughed. He looked down and exclaimed, "It's but a babe, freshly hatched! Stop being cowardly, stop playing around, and get back up here!"

"You're a dick!" Link yelled. "I'm gonna get up there and kick your ass!"

"CAN YOU TWO STOP TRYING TO KILL EACH OTHER FOR FIVE MINUTES?!" Solitare barked from below.