[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/221005/7d7c778891f3387ab231a2bbd26f2d1e.png[/img]

[b]Word Count:[/b] 10,349
[b]Level 7 Ganondorf:[/b] 3/70
[b]Exp Gained:[/b] +11 (-5 for Friend Heart)
[b]NEW EXP Balance---[/b] 9/70

[h2]Kings of Thieves & Bandits[/h2]
[h3]The Sandswept Sky ~ Gerudo Town/Desert[/h3][/center]

[center][i]Tuesday[/i][/center]

Ganondorf’s arrival in the early hours of the morning had a bit of an awkward start to it. Obviously his wardrobe had changed significantly, and the lack of gaunt features that Ikana’s spirit had given him meant that he wasn’t recognized at first until the two gate guards got a better look at him. But after that he was allowed back in and things were back to business as usual. As per his communication with Riju the night before, the first thing Ganondorf was asked to do was have an audience with her in order fill her in on the pertinent details he had learned about the Consuls and the Flame Clock.

That, however, was not the first thing Ganondorf actually did. There was another smaller bit of business he wanted to take care of beforehand. Something that he knew would have to be the first domino to fall on the eventual path toward freeing all of Gerudo Town. And her name was Nabooru. Being from the same era Ganondorf himself hailed from, Nabooru knew the King of Evil better than any of the other Gerudo in town. And that meant she trusted in him the least out of everyone. If he was to free anyone else from Gerudo Town, then the last thing he wanted was for someone as distrusting as Nabooru to be questioning his every move. As such, his old rival from their younger days would have to be the first to be de-storied.

[color=797979]”A moment, Nabooru?”[/color] The warlord asked after he found her in a war room poured over a tactical map of the desert territory. A room like this was obviously used for planning campaigns and sorties into battle. Nabooru herself looked up from the map table with a skeptical expression on her face. She was obviously not thrilled to see him.

“Is it true?” she asked, “You actually managed to find your mothers?”

[color=797979]”I have a lead on their location, but I have not had the chance to investigate it yet.”[/color] Ganondorf replied. [color=797979]”But that’s not why I’ve come to see you.”[/color]

“Well what is it then?” Nabooru shot back, “Spit it out already.”

There was no good way to explain what he was about to do. And so Ganondorf decided it was better to just rip the bandage off and provide the explanations afterward. Hopefully this basement level room was soundproof enough for this not to draw too much attention from anyone in the upper levels. Ganondorf said nothing, and without warning made a surprising lunge for Nabooru’s neck that managed to catch her off guard. That let him get her with a hard hitting Flame Choke that left her singed and winded, gasping for breath. Surely that had to be enough for this to work.

[color=797979]”You’ll thank me for this, later.”[/color] He said, doubting that this sounded reassuring to her. But nevertheless he produced a Friend Heart and thrust it down into her as she was staggering to her feet. And just as he hoped, the Heart did its job. Nabooru’s colors all returned to normal, the red glow left her eyes, and whatever injuries she sustained from the attack were healed to boot.

“What…? What did you…?” Nabooru coughed out, still trying to get her breath back. She looked like she was a mix of confused and angry, which was no surprise at all. “Did you put these memories in my head?” She demanded.

[color=797979]”No.”[/color] Ganondorf said, then explained. [color=797979]”I restored your memories to how they should be. You’re welcome.”[/color]

“What do you mean, Ganondorf? Explain yourself!”

[color=797979]”Everyone in this world has been under a spell.”[/color] Ganondorf said. [color=797979]”Galeem’s spell. It purges Galeem from your knowledge and memories, and makes you susceptible to being controlled by the Consuls.”[/color]

“Galeem?” Nabooru said, looking as though she was simultaneously remembering that name and learning it for the first time.

[color=797979]”The false god I warned Riju of yesterday.”[/color] Ganondorf clarified. [color=797979]”The one whom the Consuls serve.”[/color] Then he added. [color=797979]”But now I have broken that spell on you. But only you.”[/color]

“Why?” Nabooru demanded. “Why me and not Lady Riju?”

[color=797979]”Because you would have tried to stop me.”[/color] Ganondorf said simply. [color=797979]”Ergo, you needed to be the first.”[/color]

“First?” Nabooru asked, beginning to comprehend Ganondorf’s intentions. “Then you intend to break the spell for us all?”

[color=797979]”I do.”[/color] He confirmed. [color=797979]”But doing it one person at a time is too inefficient. It will be much smoother to free everyone in one fell swoop.”[/color]

“Is that why you are so interested in the Flame Clock? Will destroying it break the spell on the town?”

[color=797979]”So I’ve been told.”[/color] Ganondorf said. [color=797979]”But for now the priority should be to break the spell on Riju.”[/color]

“The best chance to do that is to break the hold on Bulliara first. With the both of us freed from that spell, then freeing Lady Riju from it will be much easier.” Nabooru suggested.

[color=797979]”Simple enough.”[/color] Said Ganondorf. [color=797979]”For now I have an audience to attend to.”[/color]

About fifteen minutes later, the King of Evil stood before the throne yet again. Lady Riju sat upon it, and both Nabooru and Bulliara were at her sides as before. But one critical difference between this audience and the previous one, was the lack of a crowd. Ganondorf’s return to Gerudo Town had not elicited nearly as much gossip and attention as the first arrival had. Also Ganondorf was now alone, with none of his allies from The Avenger here to back him up in the event things went poorly. So he would just have to make sure that didn’t happen.

“You say you’ve learned how to destroy the Flame Clock?” Riju asked, wanting to get down to brass tacks.

[color=797979]”Indeed.”[/color] Ganondorf confirmed. [color=797979]”I learned that one of the Consuls decided to defect and turn against his fellows. And so I was able to ask him directly about the Flame Clocks.”[/color]

“And…?”

[color=797979]”To put it simply, we will need a specific kind of individual. No one such as you or I will be able to damage it.”[/color] Unfortunately Ganondorf had to be a bit vague for now since Riju was not yet de-storied and he didn’t know how she would take to the idea of people being born inside and outside the “system”, as Consul S had put it.

But Riju was catching on to his vagueness and asked for clarification. “What kind of person do we need, exactly?”

The only thing Ganondorf could do was make up an excuse. [color=797979]”I still haven’t confirmed those details yet, I’m afraid. But when I do, you will be the first one I inform.”[/color]

Riju cocked an eyebrow but ultimately nodded and accepted the answer. “See that you do. Now, you also told me you have located your missing mothers, correct?”

[color=797979]”Indeed. I know their location, I’ll just need time to plan an expedition to get to them. They’re in a place called The Courtyard, beyond a mountain range far to the west of here. Once I can find them and bring them back home, they’ll be of great service to the tribe, I can assure you.”[/color] After this, Ganondorf gestured back toward Riju. [color=797979]”But for the time being, I have been given a few days of free time that I decided to spend here to see what I can do for you against the Bandit Horde.”[/color]

“Have you any ideas on that front?” Riju asked.

[color=797979]”If these deserts are anything like I remember them, then there will be nomadic tribes marking their territory in the regions outside of the town’s walls. I wish to approach these tribes and bring them under our banner to expand Gerudo Town’s sphere of influence and bolster our manpower.”[/color]

“Those tribes are of [i]monsters[/i].” Nabooru chimed in, “This sounds an awful lot like the same campaign you previously waged against Hyrule.”

[color=797979]”That was an effective strategy then, and I believe it will also be effective here.”[/color] Ganondorf retorted. [color=797979]”So long as a [i]certain someone[/i] doesn’t try to turn the tribe against me this time, of course.”[/color]

Nabooru bristled a bit, but said nothing in reply.

“In any case, Nabooru has been managing the scout parties.” Riju said. “So any intelligence we’ve gathered on the roaming tribes can be obtained from her as needed.” It sounded like she was in agreement with Ganondorf’s proposal. “Is there anything else that needs to be discussed?”

[color=797979]”One last item.”[/color] Ganondorf said, holding up an index finger for emphasis. [color=797979]”You told me before that Consul X periodically visits you. She must not discover my presence here, or it will cause trouble for all of us. Simply give me an advanced warning for her visits so that I can plan to be away from town during that time, that should be all we need to do.”[/color]

“Simple enough.” Riju responded. “And speaking of which, I received word earlier that Consul X plans to visit the town tomorrow afternoon.”

[color=797979]”Then I shall spend tomorrow putting our plan for the tribes in motion. I’ll depart in the morning and return after sundown.”[/color]

“Very good. Meeting adjourned, then, if there’s nothing else?” Riju said. Everyone nodded.

Ten minutes after the conclusion of the audience, Ganondorf found himself in the war room again. He was meeting Nabooru down here to get the intelligence about the tribes from her. Well, that and one other purpose that wasn’t discussed in the audience chamber. “These are the largest of the tribes.” Nabooru said, pointing to areas on the map that roughly served as the tribes’ territories. “One of them is a Lizalfos Tribe, so I’m guessing you already know what to expect from them. Just one word of warning, their chief is a Dinalfos, so expect to have to deal with fire. The Konoc Tribe seems to be the friendliest of the bunch. Scout reports say they can sway foes into friends with their music. If that’s true, then they might be able to help you sway the other tribes.”

[color=797979]”And what of this larger tribe?”[/color] Ganondorf inquired, indicating a third area of the map that Nabooru had not yet pointed toward.

“That’s Morthagi Tribe territory. I wouldn’t bother with them, if I were you.” she advised. “Those creatures seem more like machines than anything else, might be too dangerous.”

[color=797979]”’Dangerous’ is exactly what I need.”[/color]

“If you’re going to insist on approaching them, save them for last so you can minimize the risk.” Nabooru said with an exasperated sigh. Just after this, another Gerudo entered the war room. It was Bulliara - aka the [i]other[/i] reason Ganondorf and Nabooru had convened down here.

“So what was so urgent that you needed me down here?” she asked Nabooru, who had been the one to send for her. But while Bulliara’s attention was Nabooru, she did not notice Ganondorf maneuvering behind her. The warlord grabbed the bodyguard from behind and put her in a Nelson hold, also managing to clamp a hand over her mouth to prevent shouting or screaming. It was Nabooru who acted next, grabbing a nearby dagger and sinking it into Bulliara’s side from the front, looking like she hated every moment of this. But Ganondorf had told her that this was the only way it would work. Then Nabooru produced a Friend Heart as Ganondorf had instructed and also thrust it into Bulliara. The Heart did its job, breaking Galeem’s spell and healing the Gerudo Bodyguard as a bonus.

“What was that?” Bulliara demanded after Ganondorf released his hold on her, “Why am I suddenly… learning or… remembering things?”

As Ganondorf had done before, this time it was Nabooru who explained that everyone in Town was under Galeem’s spell and that this was how the Consuls maintained their control of territories. Bulliara was a bit easier to convince than Nabooru was, probably because she trusted Nabooru a lot more than Nabooru trusted Ganondorf. Regardless, as long as this was going smoothly, that was all that mattered to the warlord in question.

“So if I understand all this,” Bulliara said while rubbing her temples. “Destroying that Flame Clock will break this spell on everyone in town at once?”

[color=797979]”More or less.”[/color] Ganondorf confirmed. [color=797979]”You could slowly do it one person at a time like this, but, well…”[/color]

“Too inefficient.” Bulliara finished.

“We need to break the spell on Lady Riju as well.” Nabooru said, “That’s why I needed to get you down here.”

“What about the Consul?” Bulliara asked, turning to look at Ganondorf. “Will she sense something amiss if she notices some of us are free of spell?”

[color=797979]”If she sees that Riju is de-storied, I have no doubt she’ll find us out.”[/color]

“Then we wait until the Consul departs and can know for sure that she won’t be back for a while.” Bulliara said, “Then we can free Lady Riju from this spell.”

[color=797979]”Until then, we go on as normal.”[/color] Ganondorf said. [color=797979]”You may also want to consider making sure you’re away from the palace when the Consul visits. Minimize the chance that she sees you up close and realizes you’ve been freed.”[/color]

Both the Gerudo nodded in agreement. With all of this business completed, that ended Ganondorf’s first day back in Gerudo Town.

[center][i]Wednesday[/i][/center]

That morning, Ganondorf had a small breakfast in order to give himself an early start. As such, it was only around 9:00 AM when he departed Gerudo Town through its front gates. Accompanying him was a small squad of five Gerudo scouts and his Moblin Squad to serve as an entourage. Ganondorf wasn’t anticipating much of a fight from the place he was going to, with him leading the charge they were probably more than capable of handling the situation if things went awry.

Ganondorf followed the map sketch he had obtained from the war room that would point him toward where the tribes were last seen moving. He took Nabooru’s advice and decided to avoid the Morthagi for now. And while he was certainly capable of dealing with the Lizalfos Tribe as is, he also wanted to minimize how much he actually fought these tribes. After all, they wouldn’t provide nearly as much manpower if a number of them were slain in battle first.

As they were traveling, Ganondorf spotted [url=https://zeldauniverse.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/cry_of_divine_beast_vah_naboris_by_isaac77598-dbnlynt.jpg]something in the distance[/url], barely visible. He almost thought it was a mirage at first. It looked like some kind of structure, unnatural, possibly manmade? It was hard to say from this distance, but whatever it was it also looked like there was a constant lightning storm around it, too far away to hear any thunder from the lightning strikes. Ganondorf decided to ignore it for now, as he had another objective he needed to focus on.

A couple hours later, Ganondorf and his entourage had reached what should have been the territory they were looking for. This was confirmed by the faint sound of music being heard from further on, past some sandy dunes. At this, Ganondorf held up a hand to halt his company. He instructed them to stay back so that he could approach the tribe alone. Better to look like a lone visitor for now than to look like a conqueror with an army. Ganondorf climbed up over the dunes ahead and was able to look down into what he assumed was the [url=https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipOctNZe-i8E-LzNFU9hFTL3KFwukZX4xEWzM0hP]tribe’s encampment[/url].

They didn’t look very advanced, relying on teepee shelters and outdoor campfires. They appeared to be some kind of cyclopean reptiles, with purple scales and what looked to be prehensile tails with… stingers of some kind on the tip? But his information had told Ganondorf that it was this tribe’s music that would be of special interest to him. So before he actually went down from the top of the dune, he waited a bit and listened to the music they were playing - which was mostly on drums and maracas. It didn’t seem particularly magical to him. Although perhaps it had no effect on him because he wasn’t a monster? Or maybe this was not the same music they used to sway hostile tribes? Well, there was only one way to learn more, and so Ganondorf descended from the dune to make his approach.

It didn’t take long for him to be spotted. The music faded to a stop as members of the Konoc tribe stared at the stranger visiting them with a mix of caution and curiosity. Ganondorf held out his arms as a gesture to show he was not going to draw any weapons on them. In response, the members of the tribe turned their eyes toward an older member who was likely their shaman or chief. The older Konoc approached Ganondorf with a bit less caution than the others were showing, probably as a show of confidence or perhaps to even return the gesture of nonviolence.

[color=797979]”I am Ganondorf.”[/color] the Warlord said. [color=797979]”I speak for the Gerudo Tribe.”[/color] he clarified, unsure if his words could be understood.

“We know Gerudo.” the Elder Konoc said, though his speech didn’t sound fluent. “Powerful tribe, at war with Bandit Horde.”

[color=797979]”Those bandits have been raiding territories all over the desert, I am told.”[/color] Ganondorf said, [color=797979]”I imagine they’ve been sighted here in your lands as well. That is why the Gerudo wish to form a pact with your tribe.”[/color]

“Make pact, fight together?” Elder Konoc asked. “Konoc sing and dance, not good for making war.” This seemed like a reasonable protest. The Konoc were not described as warlike like some other tribes.

[color=797979]”Your music is said to sway enemies and make them become your friends. Is that true?”[/color]

“Some music make friends of enemies, yes. But too dangerous to play for whole tribes, might cause war.”

[color=797979]”And if I were to promise the protection of the Gerudo Tribe? Would you be willing to help me persuade other tribes to join us, then?”[/color]

There was a long pause. Clearly the elder was considering the offer. And he even murmured some things among his people for a few moments before he turned back to Ganondorf, grabbed his hand and raised it up alongside his own. “Konoc welcome friends from Gerudo Tribe!”

After this, Ganondorf called for his entourage to come to the village. He spent a few hours negotiating terms with the Konoc Elder. This was a bit challenging at first due to the Konoc not being fluent in Ganondorf’s language, but they eventually made things work in the end. There was also some food and songs all throughout as a celebration of the alliance being formed.

During all the celebrating, Ganondorf was looking out into the distance toward where the sun was beginning to hang low. And it was then that he spotted it again. The strange, unnatural structure from before. It wasn’t quite as far away as before so he could occasionally hear faint sounds of thunder with the lightning strikes. But the reduced distance allowed him to make out a few more details than before. Namely that structure looked like an animal of some kind and appeared to be… moving? And the colors made it look strangely familiar. He was certain he’d never seen that structure before, so why was he getting a sense of deja vu from it? His mind thought back to his time in the Under. While down there he had a dream once where he battled a Consul in the fields of Hyrule, and said Consul summoned a colossal beast machine down from Death Mountain. Was this somehow related?

[color=797979]”Tell me, what is [i]that[/i] in the distance?”[/color] Ganondorf asked one of the Gerudo as they were all traveling back to Gerudo Town, he was pointing in the distance at the moving structure.

“That is Divine Beast Vah Naboris.” the Gerudo answered. “An ancient weapon from a bygone era. It used to serve as a protector and guardian of Gerudo Desert, but no one has been able to control it for a very long time.”

[color=797979]”Interesting…”[/color] Ganondorf said, but did not say anything more. Could he find a way to control that weapon? It was something he would have to consider looking into on a later day. For now, he needed to return to town and follow through with his current plans. Better to learn to walk first before he tried learning to run, after all. The group’s return to Gerudo Town marked the end of Ganondorf’s second day here.

[center][i]Thursday[/i][/center]

It was a little after 9:00 AM, and Ganondorf had once again traveled to the Konoc Tribe. He was accompanied by the same entourage as yesterday, and he had a straightforward plan for today. He requested a handful of Konoc musicians to join his entourage so that he could make his approach to the neighboring territory of the Lizalfos Tribe. As for the remainder of the Konoc Tribe, Ganondorf left behind instructions to begin fortifying their camp. Eventually he wanted it to become a proper garrison to better defend the area.

After this, Ganondorf and his expanded entourage departed the Konoc Camp and began to make their way further out into the desert wastes. The Lizalfos Tribe he was targeting today were a reptilian lizard people that Ganondorf was much more familiar with. They were generally hunters and more warlike, and capable of effectively fighting in coordinated pairs. They would make for strong shock troopers against the Bandit Hordes. But he had also heard that this particular tribe was led by a Dinalfos chief. Dinalfos were a stronger cousin of the Lizalfos, generally smarter and tougher as well, and capable of attacking with a fire breath. Ganondorf didn’t want to kill this chief if he could help it, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t willing to, if push came to shove.

When the encampment came into view in the distance, Ganondorf could already tell that the [url=https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/the-legend-of-zelda-hd/d/df/Silver_Lizalfos.jpg]Lizalfos Tribe[/url] was different from the Konoc. Faint sounds of clashing weapons and high-pitched barks and battlecries indicated that there was some form of fighting going on. But upon listening more closely, Ganondorf could also hear the sounds of a training drum being rhythmically beaten. So there wasn’t actual battle being fought, instead it was training. And this became clear once some of the forms of the Lizalfos came into view. They seemed to have been paired off into partners who were sparring with one another. They wielded spears or bladed boomerang weapons.

At the center of all this was the one who Ganondorf assumed was the [url=https://realityraiders.com/wp-content/uploads/Dinolfos-Zelda.jpg]Chief[/url]. He was brawnier for the most part, and his scales were a darker hue. He also wore more armor than most of the others, in particular a helmet that masked the upper part of his face. His horn looked much more sharp and wicked than most of the others. And while the lizalfos were training with bones and bladed boomerangs made from fallen monster parts, the Dinalfos Chief instead carried a man-made sword and shield, probably scavenged off of a slain opponent. The tribe was caught up in their training ritual and had not yet noticed the approaching Ganondorf until the Konoc accompanying him began to play their befriending music.

The Dinalfos shot a glare at the visitors and barked out a warcry that was likely an order to attack. But the Konocs’ music appeared to be working for the moment, as the Lizalfos remained calm and did not yet move to attack. When he realized this, the Dinalfos screeched a fiercer battlecry and seemed to be deciding to deal with the music players himself. He lunged for an attack and attempted to spew a gout of fire from his mouth at the Konocs. But Ganondorf wasn’t having any of this. He moved to put himself between the Dinalfos and the Konoc which resulted in him taking the fire breath attack instead.

The Dinalfos looked ready to celebrate a victory over this, but only for a moment until he and the Lizalfos saw the glow of the Triforce on Ganondorf’s hand pierce through from within the cloud of smoke. Then the warlord used his cape to strongly blow away the smoke and reveal that he was completely unharmed. The power he gained from the spirit of Ceruledge had rendered him all but completely immune to flames. This display combined with the swelling music of the Konoc was enough to make the Dinalfos finally relent and kneel before the warlord, causing the Lizalfos to follow suit.

[color=797979]”Hmph, that’s what I thought.”[/color] Ganondorf said with a self-satisfied smirk on his face. Without the Konoc, he probably would have had to challenge the Dinalfos to some sort of duel to the death to subjugate the rest, but thanks to the swaying power of the Konocs’ music, that wouldn’t be necessary today.

As with the Konoc earlier, Ganondorf gave instructions to increase the fortifications of the Lizalfos Camp. Similarly, he wanted this to eventually become a proper garrison of some kind to defend this area. About an hour or two after the work began, some lizalfos drums began to beat as a warning of approaching bandits. It was some kind of bandit horde raiding party, probably around 30 strong. They were probably confident in their ability to take on the Lizalfos Tribe, but weren’t anticipating the presence of Ganondorf’s Entourage. In all honesty, Ganondorf actually somewhat appreciated the chance at some action. He could see this Bandit Horde for himself, and if he could achieve a resounding enough victory, it would further solidify his commanding position among the Konoc and Lizalfos.

Although when Ganondorf actually saw them, he wasn’t very impressed. Simple leather armor, brown hoods, and… were they all wielding daggers? This didn’t seem like the threat that Riju had made them out to be. He’d expected some form of command structure, at least. But these men all seemed quite indistinguishable from one another. If there was some kind of leader or commander, then they looked and dressed exactly like all the rest. Which in itself could have been some kind of strategy, but that may also have been giving them too much credit.

In any case, Ganondorf ordered his moblins to line up behind the defensive palisade barricades. And he also ordered the lizalfos to line up among them. He could order a charge and likely win that way, but he decided to hedge his bets in the case the bandits had ambush parties ready to charge down the dunes in the event the defenders were drawn out. And so for the moment he instead ordered volleys of spears and fire arrows to be lobbed into the charging bandits. And then Ganondorf even threw his own trident into the midst of the bandits and called down a blast of lightning upon it to take out a small swathe of them. After this there were very few left and that was when the charge was ordered. Ganondorf led the Lizalfos out from their defensive position and they crashed into the staggered remains of the bandit horde’s ranks.

But as he anticipated, Ganondorf spotted a second wave of bandits, this time around 25 strong making their way down the nearby dunes for a charge. And unlike the first wave, this time Ganondorf spotted a more distinct bandit among them, wearing a red hood rather than a brown one. Ah, so they did have at least some command. [color=797979]”Fall back and soften them with projectiles!”[/color] Ganondorf was quick to order. But he himself decided to remain where he was, Trident at the ready. The fighting style he had adopted from Volga’s spirit made him quite suited for fighting large numbers, especially if he was being covered by arrows and thrown spears from his own forces further back.

The brown hoods fell about as easily as the first wave did. The red hood did put up more of a fight, showing themselves to be quite hardier than the brown hoods they seemingly commanded. But whatever elite strength they had still paled in comparison to Ganondorf, and so they too were felled in the end. That had to be the last wave, Ganondorf reasoned. Why else would the more elite red hood have been among them, otherwise?

But now Ganondorf found himself among a battlefield littered with what he assumed would be fading spirits. [color=797979]”Bottle as many spirits as possible.”[/color] Ganondorf instructed the Gerudos in his entourage. He’d made sure they were equipped with a supply of glass bottles for this specific purpose. Ever since he had acquired the capsules containing spirits from the Orb Machine, Ganondorf had realized that spirits could be indefinitely sustained if they were kept in sealed containers. And so that gave him a method of being able to store large numbers of them for later use. Spirits such as these would have little use as strikers or fusion materials. And he also doubted they could provide very useful items, as well. But what they could be was a source of currency for information from Vulgrim.

Ganondorf’s entourage wasn’t able to successfully salvage all the spirits, but they did manage to bottle up 40 of them at least. During this, Ganondorf used the glyph in his ear provided by the archangel Sandalphon and made contact with her. He told her that he wanted The Avenger to send him someone who could pick up the spirits he’d claimed and take them back to the ship. Or, failing that, he requested a supply of extra fultons so he could use those to send them back a package of sorts. In the end, a hellpod shot down to the desert just outside of the Lizalfos Camp. Inside was a set of extra fultons - four to be exact. And Ganondorf used one immediately on the 40 bottled spirits after he had them tightly packaged together for stability. Also attached as a note instructing whoever received the package to store them in the ship’s armory.

By this time it was getting late, and Ganondorf decided to remain in the Lizalfos camp for the night. So rather than report to Riju in person, he did so using the linkpearl instead. And that marked the end of his third day in Gerudo Town.

[center][i]Saturday[/i][/center]

Friday had been largely uneventful. Rather than stretch himself thin, Ganondorf instead used that day to consolidate the grounds he had made on Tuesday and Wednesday. He spent that day traveling back and forth between the Lizalfos Village and the Konoc Village in order to oversee the progress they made in fortifying their villages. There obviously wasn’t too much they could build in a single day, but they were able to get up some more barricades and the beginnings of actual walls to protect them more efficiently.

The only real item of note from Friday was another raid from the bandit hordes. This time they had targeted the Konoc Village. But by this time, Ganondorf had already ensured that some Lizalfos warriors were present to defend the Konoc, in addition to himself being there of course. The raid itself was largely identical to the first one, with the only difference being the number of waves. Instead of two waves of 30 and 25, it was three waves - 20 in the first, 20 in the second, and 25 in the third. And unlike the first raid, there was no elite red hood for Ganondorf to deal with personally. After it was over, Ganondorf was able to successfully bottle 45 spirits and have them sent back to the Avenger, once again to be stored in the Armory. Other than that, Ganondorf again decided to remain outside of Gerudo Town for the night to give himself as early of a start as he could the next morning.

Because this was the day Ganondorf decided that it was time to take on the [url=https://wildermyth.com/wiki/Morthagi_Faction]Morthagi Tribe[/url]. This tribe was larger and more dangerous according to Nabooru. She’d said they were more like machines than anything else, ghastly and supposedly incapable of being reasoned with. The Warlord was certainly anticipating that he would have to subjugate them with a show of force, convince them that he was more beneficial as an ally, or at the very least too dangerous to risk trifling with.

The Morthagi themselves occupied a lone abandoned factory of sorts, perhaps it was once the centerpiece of a settlement at one time, but now it looked more like the remains of a ghost town occupied by ghastly mechanical monsters. And when Ganondorf’s entourage made their approach, the Morthagi were quick to show that they would not be negotiated with so easily. Ganondorf found his forces to be under attack, charged by scores of crawling scorpion-like [url=https://wildermyth.com/wiki/Spectik]Spectiks[/url] and a handful of hulking [url=https://wildermyth.com/wiki/Batchby]Batchbie[/url]. It was as Ganondorf anticipated, so the warlord summoned his trident and flew forward into a lunging charge that allowed him to smash into the onslaught of Spectiks before he immediately hurled his weapon into a circular throw around him as a way to clear the small fry. Then he threw it straight at a charging Batchby before switching to his swords to engage the remaining few. They had numbers, but Ganondorf had the raw power to overcome them. And so it didn’t take long for him to almost single-handedly dispatch the “welcoming party”.

After this, the monsters of the Morthagi were noticeably less quick to outright charge at him. In fact they appeared to be keeping their distance now as Ganondorf approached the factory itself and prepared to enter the proverbial belly of the beast. Instead another creature of the tribe came out of the front doors as if to greet him. It was a [url=https://wildermyth.com/wiki/Butler]three-legged creature[/url] with an elongated skull for a head and appeared to only possess a single arm. And then it spoke, using a deeply mechanical-sounding voice that highlighted its machine-like nature. “Butler.” The creature said, as it used its one arm to gesture toward itself. It was introducing itself as the “Butler”, and Ganondorf surmised that it was likely not the true “leader” in the traditional sense, but acting instead as a spokesperson for the collective as a whole.

[color=797979]”Ganondorf.”[/color] The warlord reciprocated. [color=797979]”I speak for the Gerudo Tribe.”[/color] He added. There was a pause before he heard any kind of response from the Butler.

“What… is your purpose here?” It finally inquired. Clearly it was intelligent enough to know that if Ganondorf had wanted pure conquest, then he would have brought a full army. It meant that the Morthagi were at least curious about this strange man approaching them so brazenly.

[color=797979]”An alliance.”[/color] Ganondorf replied bluntly, [color=797979]”I intend to wipe out the bandit hordes plaguing the region, and to do this I require cooperation from the neighboring tribes and factions… yours included.”[/color]

Another pause. Another moment of consideration. Whether the Butler was thinking and calculating on its own or if it was somehow communicating with the entire collective at the same time, Ganondorf couldn’t tell. Finally it spoke again, “And what… does the Morthagi gain from this… proposal?”

Of course, Ganondorf could have been brutish and simply threatened them into submission. But the fact that they were even willing to ask this meant that they were at least open to the idea. Which meant he could instead play the role of negotiator rather than conqueror. And thankfully he already knew a thing or two about this tribe thanks to what Nabooru’s intel had suggested. [color=797979]”You use… parts… from the slain order to construct yourselves, do you not?”[/color] Ganondorf asked, not continuing until he got a nod of confirmation from the Butler. [color=797979]”Then my terms are simple. You fight on our side, do not target the Gerudo Tribe nor their allies. And you are welcome to any of the bandits you slay to harvest for your… parts.”[/color]

Another pause. This one was especially lengthy. Clearly the Marthagi were calculating and weighing the options. Ganondorf even began to tense a bit as he wondered if this negotiation was about to fall through. But finally, after what felt like an eternally long pause, the Butler finally delivered the Morthagi’s deliberation. “These parameters are… acceptable.”

Ganondorf exhaled and let himself relax a bit. For the briefest of moments he was worried he may have started another war. Almost. But instead his gambit had paid off and now the Gerudo had a third ally in their war against the bandit hordes. For the rest of that day, the Warlord explained that the Konoc and Lizalfos were already work fortifying their settlements into full garrisons and suggested that the Morthagi begin doing the same with their facilities. Communications and supply lines could then be established between the garrisons so that they could withstand any bandit raid that challenged them.

But it was toward the end of the day that Ganondorf received the most interesting bit of news. A message reached him from Nabooru. According to her scouting party, they found what they believed was the bandit horde’s stronghold. The place from which they were launching all their raids and then retreating back into. And as it turned out, it was a place that was most familiar to the likes of Ganondorf and Nabooru. Gerudo Fortress, series of sandstone buildings connected by a network of tunnels. The Gerudo Tribe used to inhabit them long ago back when they were still bandits themselves and before Gerudo Town was established. This, Ganondorf immediately decided, could not be allowed to stand. That fortress traditionally belonged to the Gerudo, and the Warlord was determined to eradicate the bandits occupying it now in order to commandeer it once again for the Gerudo Tribe’s purposes. And now that he had established alliances with three of the tribes neighboring Gerudo Town, he was confident he could retake it.

[center][i]Monday[/i][/center]

The sun slowly rose in the east as the desert’s cold night gradually began to give way to a warm morning. Its orange glow cascaded over the dunes as it slowly became more yellow. With the sun’s rise, a small army was gathering near a specified rallying point. Made up of creatures from the Konoc, Lizalfos, and Morathagi, they were gathered under a banner that was not their own - but of Gerudo Town and the Gerudo Tribe that governed it. Among this motley army stood Ganondorf, his armor fitted and weapons prepared and ready for battle. Yesterday, though mostly uneventful, had sowed the seeds for the current scene unfolding as the Warlord looked across the dune to the desert canyon walls, where he knew the [url=https://oyster.ignimgs.com/mediawiki/apis.ign.com/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-3d/2/2d/Gerudos_Fortress.png]old Gerudo’s Fortress[/url] was tucked away. It had some additions that he didn’t recognize, such as an increased number of barricades and a gate that protected its main front perimeter. But beyond this, it still mostly looked like the same Gerudo’s Fortress he remembered. And that would be his greatest advantage here. His knowledge of the Fortress’ layout that its current occupants did not know he possessed.

Ganondorf inhaled calmly as he recalled the conversations he had had the day prior.

[hr]
“You want to do [i]what[/i]?” Nabooru had asked, full of skepticism and incredulity. This only elicited a smirk from the Gerudo voe.

[color=797979]”You heard me.”[/color] Ganondorf had replied, almost a taunt. [color=797979]”You wouldn’t have given me that intel if you weren’t intending for me to do something with it. You want to retake that Fortress as much as I do. Admit it.”[/color]

“Fine, let’s pretend - for the sake of argument - that I’m willing to go along with this.” Nabooru had said, trying to remain incredulous despite a momentary flicker of relenting crossing her expression ever so briefly. “What’s your plan? Throw wave after wave of the tribes against them? That seems hardly effective. And you know as well as I do how easy it is to hole up and hold out in there.”

[color=797979]”My plan involves the tunnel network that connects the sections of the fortress together.”[/color] Ganondord told her. [color=797979]”If memory serves, they were also designed with an escape route in mind. Which means…”[/color] He trailed off, expecting her to be able to finish the thought herself.

“...It could be used as a way in.” Nabooru admitted, the wheels beginning to turn in her head as well. “So then we, what, sneak a group in through that tunnel network and they get the gates open for the forces on the outside?” She asked with a raised eyebrow. “Sounds good in theory, but what if they have the tunnels guarded?”

At this point Ganondorf’s smirk became a full fledged wicked smile. [color=797979]”Oh I’m going to make sure they’re far too busy to be able to spare men for that task.”[/color]

“You… you’re going to distract them by casting yourself as the decoy?” Nabooru furrowed her brow in thought before shaking her head. “You’re insane, do you know that?”

[color=797979]”I’ll make sure their focus is on me. And since you’re the only other one here who knows the layout of the Fortress as well as I do, that means I’ll need you to guide the infiltration team through the tunnel network.”[/color]

Finally, Nabooru offers a curt nod. “Fine.”

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

Back in the present, Ganondorf opened his eyes and raised an arm. By now Nabooru and her unit will have reached their entry point. And that meant that it was now up to Ganondorf to signal the start of battle. He closed his hand into a fist, then lowered his arm to point forward as a signal for the march to begin. His forces began to take their positions in a formation that allowed them close in on the narrow entrance to the canyon alcove where the Fortress was located.

Meanwhile, within Gerudo's Fortress, the bandits had spotted the approaching invaders. One of the watchmen took off running into one of the many sandstone buildings. Inside he approached their leader, a [url=http://static.wikia.nocookie.net/fable/images/1/10/TwinbladeAnniversary.jpg]giant of a man[/url] who sat in a chair like a king on a throne. Nearby two massive greatswords were stabbed into the ground, like a testament of the man’s monstrous strength. “So, the man who’s been putting up a fight has come knocking has he? Fine then, let’s see just what this would-be commander is made of.”

Outside, Ganondorf gave his first command. When he did, the Morthagi among his forces produced a number of Sommelier and Weldlings that moved to approach the barricades. The Sommelier used their pump-like bodies to shoot sprays of acid to damage the fortifications, while the Weldlings produced searing flames from their oven-like maws for the same purpose. The Lizalfos readied bows and throwing-spears to take ranged shots at defenders attempting to attack the Morthagi from behind their barricades. Even if the projectile weapons couldn’t always hit their mark, they were a good way to make defending bandits think twice about moving out of the safety of their positions to take shots.

Twinblade, kept informed of the activity outside, merely scoffed. “He intends to burn his way in? I thought as much. But he’ll never flush us out from the tunnels.” Twinblade’s confidence remained in place. He wasn’t foolish enough to send any men out to meet the invaders, but he did call for some reinforcements from within the tunnel network to join the defenders at the wall.

And for Nabooru, whose unit had made it into the tunnel network from the intended escape route, this was a crucial point to take advantage of. Guards within the tunnel being sent out to aid the defense meant fewer and thinner patrols - perfect conditions for sneaking through undetected.

At this point the battle was a waiting game. Keep the feigned pressure going to draw as many patrols out of the tunnel as possible to make it easier for Nabooru to reach the control mechanism for the gate. And right now Ganondorf could only think of one way to increase the pressure. After some thought and deliberation, held out his left hand and summoned his trident to it. He signaled his forces to hold their current positions while he himself made a break for the barricades and the Morthagi currently attacking it. Bandit archers took their shots at him, but between the swift movements of his trident and the Lizalfos concentrating their fire on covering him, Ganondorf made it to the battle lines none the worse for wear. He walked right into the flames of a Morthagi Weldling, unharmed and freshly empowered by his Flash Fire ability before he launched himself up and over a sagging section of barricades with his Bullet Jump ability.

Ganondorf landed with a crash on the other side, the look on his face inviting anyone brave enough to step forward and take him on. And he got plenty of response, when more bandits began to pour from the doors of the inner fortress to charge at him. The Warlord readied his trident and met them head on. Swift, sweeping attacks with the shaft of his weapon disoriented opponents and knocked them into positions that clumped them together for him to run through with a plunging thrust. When a group managed to circle around him, he threw his weapon in a manner that made it spin around him in a circular arc to dispatch his would-be attackers in a single swoop. And then… he finally emerged.

Twinblade - self-proclaimed band king - stepped out of the building he had been inside of. He had to duck in order to fit himself through due to his height and imposing figure. A pair of giant swords were gripped in his hands, too heavy for any normal man to lift one-handed, let alone wield. But for him, it was child’s play. “Got impatient and stormed in yourself? You’re an even bigger fool than I thought if you think you’re going to leave here alive.”

[color=797979]”Am I?”[/color] Ganondorf said back as each hulking man sized the other one up. [color=797979]”Or maybe my infiltration party finally moved into place?”[/color]

Those words dropped onto Twinblade like a bombshell. “What do you-?” But he got his answer a moment after that. Nabooru’s unit activated the mechanisms for the gate, allowing it to creak and rise open before they sabotaged them so that the gate could not be closed again. And as if on cue, the surviving Sommeliers and Weldlngs finished burning openings in the barricades as well. That allowed the Lizalfos and remaining Morthagi to come in like a flood behind where Ganondorf stood.

[color=797979]”Ha! Ha! Ha!”[/color] Ganondorf laughed, sounding increasingly like a megalomaniac who was enjoying the pure conquest. [color=797979]”The Gerudo Tribe [i]built[/i] this place you fool, and dug those tunnels. Did you really think we were incapable of slipping inside?”[/color] Pandemonium began to erupt around them as Gerudo, Lizalfos, and Morthagi engaged with Twinblade’s remaining bandits. Remaining just outside the gates, the Konoc began to intensify their song to invigorate any and all of their allies who could hear it over the sounds of battle.

But Twinblade refused to be intimidated. He focused a determined glare at Ganondorf. “I’ll end you myself, and your little alliance will crumble without you at its head.” He declared as he brandished his giant swords.

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1_8nxiuI5s[/youtube][/center]

Ganondorf dismissed his trident with a wisp of dark magic. Then he reached up behind and drew his own twin greatswords from their scabbards and brandished them. Both men appeared to circle one another for a moment, a clear calm before the storm. And that storm struck hard when they both lunged for one another at the same time. Each made sweeping swings of their blades which clashed and then their weapons momentarily locked long enough for them to lock eyes before each was pushed back by the immense strength of the other.

Blades swung and clashed with mighty and powerful metallic clangs. The two brutish men lunged at one another again and again, seemingly an even match for one another. Occasionally a combatant from either side would attempt to sneak in an attack at the opposing commander only to be swatted away. But Ganondorf did have access to something that Twinblade did not, and he was not above using it to give himself the edge.

After one of their several evenly matched clashes, Ganondorf changed things up a bit and summoned one of his strikers. The cybernetic dinosaur - Riptor - charged the bandit king and pounced on him with her Talon Rake. It was fast enough to get through before he could move a blade to block it, however he was bulky enough to shrug off most of the damage. But what this did do was momentarily distract him enough for Ganondorf to take advantage and get in a good slice on the bandit’s bare shoulders with one of his greatswords. And then the two were back at it again with another even clash of blades.

And then Ganondorf mixed up his strategy yet again. This time he summoned his other striker - the reploid Blast Hornet - who appeared behind Twinblade’s flank where he wasn’t immediately noticed. And then while Ganondorf and Twinblade clashed, Blast Hornet locked onto the bandit king and fired off a volley of three seeking bee drones three times in a row before disappearing. Twinblade’s attention was too focused on Ganondorf and the Search Attack successfully caught him in the back, giving Ganondorf enough edge to push him back off of his footing.

Ganondorf pressed the attack while he had Twinblade on the back foot. Twinblade was able to dig in his heels and fend off Ganondorf’s relentless attacks right up until Ganondorf changed up his tactics a third time. This time he surprised Twinblade when he momentarily stabbed one of his weapons blade first into the ground next to him just before he locked his remaining weapon with the bandit’s own swords. With Twinblade on the back foot, it gave Ganondorf enough of an advantage to momentarily overpower the bandit and throw him back a step before suddenly following through with a strong Gerudo Dragon uppercut with his free hand that caught Twinblade’s jaw and sent him staggering a bit further back.

While Twinblade was staggered, Ganondorf grabbed the sword he’d left in the ground and then channeled his Warframe energy to consecrate the ground where the bandit kind was and turn it into Hallowed Ground. Suddenly Twinblade found himself suffering a constant stream of Radiation damage as Ganondorf pressed further, unwilling to give the bandit king any room to breathe. And while fatigue began to settle in for both men, it did so more for the battered and burned Twinblade. They may have been evenly matched at the start of this, but it was beginning to become clear who was going to emerge victorious.

[color=797979]”Long live the King.”[/color] Ganondorf said in a low voice as he brought his blades down in an x-shape onto the weakened Twinblade. With that, that bandit had become too wounded to get back on his feat, and thus his fate was sealed. In another life, against another more… [url=http://static.wikia.nocookie.net/vsbattles/images/7/76/Fable_The_Hero_of_Oakvale.png]Heroic[/url] opponent, the bandit king might well have been spared. But Ganondorf was no such Hero. And the Warlord brought his blade to the bandit’s neck and ended his life once and for all. That sent the right message to the surviving bandits who turned tail and fled into the desert dunes. Victory belonged to the tribe that day.

And while the Morthagi had already set about harvesting parts from the fallen bandits and some of the Lizalfos and Konoc had begun collecting their spirits in glass battles as they’d been doing for the previous engagements, Ganondorf looked at the spirit produced by the fallen Twinblade. He picked it up and bottled it as usual, but instead of sending it back to the Avenger with the rest he kept it on himself for the time being. Such a spirit would be wasted being fed to Vullgrim, so the warlord decided he wanted to do something with it instead.

Unfortunately, harvesting on the part of the Morthagi reduced the number of spirits that were safely bottled before fading away - resulting in only 15 to be sent back to the Avenger.

“Ganondorf.” It was Nabooru, looking tired and bloody - though not her own blood he wagered. “You should see this.”

Ganondorf followed her into the section Twinblade had come out of. Instead was where he had been coordinating the bandit raids. Nothing here seemed like anything that would be out of the ordinary. But Nabooru did point some particular parchments on one of the nearby desks and said, “Seems as though that bandit was communicating with a Consul.”

That was enough to get Ganondorf’s attention. He looked over the parchments with curiosity. [color=797979]”So he was.”[/color] Sure enough, Twinblade had indeed been in communications with one of the Consuls. But it was the specific Consul that was most curious - Consul H. Wasn’t he the one that was reportedly defeated at Alcamoth? This meant he was still very much alive and active. Wouldn’t be good news for the rest of the Seekers and Lost Numbers to hear, but at least this intel meant that H wouldn’t be able to hide behind his alleged death any longer.

And speaking of Consuls… [color=797979]”Wasn’t Consul X supposed to visit today?”[/color] Ganondorf asked Nabooru.

“Yes. And she says that after this visit it will be some time before she is able to come back again. Maybe your allies’ handiwork, I hope?”

[color=797979]”I would hope so.”[/color] Ganondorf responded. [color=797979]”I’m heading back to Gerudo Town. We’ll break the spell on Lady Riju once the Consul has left.”[/color]

[hr]
After spending the entire morning retaking Gerudo’s Fortress, Ganondorf then spent a chunk of the afternoon making the trek back to Gerudo Town. By the time he approached the town gates, it was already 4:30 PM. He wasn’t sure how much time remained before the meeting ended, so he wasted no time in finding a place he could stay in where his presence wouldn’t be detected. And the best place Ganondorf could imagine was the Gerudo Town Secret Club.

It was a shop he’d been to once before, and its existence was only known to its members. And since Ganondorf was fairly sure Consul X was not a member, he was confident he could lay low there until he could confirm the Consul’s departure. From here, it was simply a waiting game. And before too much longer, Ganondorf could hear small commotion outside. When he carefully peered through the slit on the door, he could see that it was because of the Consul leaving the palace in order to take her leave.

The Consul herself didn’t look like much, appearance-wise. She had a smaller-than-average adult female build. She wore pinkish armor and a helmet fashioned after a large ornate mask with big, rectangular wings seemingly protruding from the side. She didn’t look like she was saying much, and what little Ganondorf could hear sounded withdrawn and almost… sarcastic? She didn’t exactly exude the aura of someone taking pride in their work, or even enjoying it for that matter. He couldn’t help but wonder why, if she seemingly disliked the job of a Consul, did she even agree to be one in the first place. Then again, based on everything S had said, it sounded like many members of Moebius weren’t necessarily there because they wanted it.

Well, whatever story there was behind Consul X, it didn’t change the fact that she was Moebius. And that made her his enemy. Sooner or later, he’d be dealing with her… one way or another.

Once it was certain that the Consul had left and was gone from Gerudo Town, Ganondorf emerged from the Secret Club entrance and back onto the streets of the desert town. Now there was only one item remaining on his agenda - Riju. And to do that, he began making his way toward the palace.

[hr]
In the Gerudo Town Palace, Ganondorf had a debriefing meeting with Lady Riju - Nabooru and Bulliara were present as well. This time the meeting wasn’t held as an audience in the throne room, but instead down in the war room. This had been Nabooru and Bulliara’s doing, managing to convince the chief to hold the meeting somewhere where they could free her from the spell without it drawing too much attention.

“So you’ve really taken it?” Lady Riju asked.

[color=797979]”Indeed.”[/color] Ganondorf reported. [color=797979]”Gerudo’s Fortress is ours once again. As it should be.”[/color]

“And combined with the garrisons we’ve established among our allies,” Nabooru added, “our territory can stay more secure than ever.”

“Good, good. Excellent, even.” Riju replied. “You broke the stalemate and gave us control of the desert, just as you said you would. You have my thanks, Ganondorf.”

[color=797979]”Of course.”[/color] Ganondorf said with a short bow of his head. [color=797979]”The safety and prosperity of our people are, as always, my goal. Now, if I may settle one more matter of business?”[/color]

Lady Riju was a bit surprised. “What business would that- HEY!” She was cut off when Nabooru and Bulliara moved to grab a hold of the young chieftain and restrain her. “I thought you said the matter of the throne could wait?! What is the meaning of this?”

[color=797979]”This has nothing to do with the throne, my Lady. It will all make sense momentarily.”[/color] Ganondorf said even as he picked up a dagger from the table and plunged it into Riju’s side, not in a place where it would be fatal, but it would weaken her enough. After this, Nabooru and Bulliara released their hold, and it was Bulliara who was quick to produce a Friend Heart that she then used on the chief.

Riju gasped for breath as her stab wound was immediately healed completely. “What… What is the meaning of this? What did you…?”

“You were under a spell, Lady Riju.” Bulliara said. “We all were. And now you’ve been freed from it.”

With that done, Ganondorf could go about explaining Galeem and finally the true nature of Moebius. Lady Riju listened, confused but the wheels started turning as she did. “So the Consuls really do just use us playthings? Despicable!”

Now Ganondorf had to explain the real nature about what he learned from S. He left out some of the things that would sound too unbelievable. But he was able to get across that everyone in this room had been directly tied to the Flame Clocks while under Galeem’s spell. And that only someone born outside of that system they created could be able to destroy the Clocks.

“So because we all were tied to one of those Flame Clocks, none of us can damage them? Even you?” Riju asked Ganondorf.

[color=797979]”Not even with the full power of the Triforce.”[/color] Ganondorf confirmed, looking like he was still seething about this particular fact. [color=797979]”But someone who was born without being connected to one? They would have the power to break them.”[/color]

“But where could we find such a person?” Riju questioned. “Even if a vai and voe were to conceive a child, well, it would still just be a child and incapable of destroying one.”

[color=797979]”Consul S told me of one other way.”[/color] Ganondorf said. [color=797979]”A power he called ‘Interlink’. He said it can be done by two people such as us, but only if they have built up enough trust and rapport with another.”[/color]

Nabooru had to stifle a laugh. “I can’t believe the irony.” She commented. “The one power you can use to destroy those Clocks, and it requires something you of all people are incapable of doing.”

[color=797979]”It is what it is.”[/color] Ganondorf answered, unamused. [color=797979]”I care not who achieves the power and does the deed, so long as it gets done - I’ll be satisfied.”[/color]

“This is… a lot to process.” Lady Riju said. “But progress is progress, so I won’t complain.”

[color=797979]”One more thing.”[/color] Ganondorf said. [color=797979]”The bandit was communicating with Consul H. He is someone my allies thought had been defeated over a week ago when he attacked their previous base of operations. But now that I’ve discovered that he still lives, I need to return to my company and make sure that information reaches them.”[/color]

“So then you’re taking your leave again, I take it?” Riju asked.

[color=797979]”I’m afraid so.”[/color]

“Well then, you’ve done plenty for us already.” Riju said. “So don’t let me keep you here any longer than you need to be.”

[color=797979]”Keep that linkpearl handy.”[/color] Ganondorf advised. [color=797979]”And I’ll keep you informed on the matter of the Consuls through it.”[/color]

“Very good. Farewell, Ganondorf.” Lady Riju said as she adjourned the meeting.

Once free of the debriefing, Ganondorf could only make his way back outside of Town. He made his way back to the Oasis, the same area his hellpod had originally dropped him off. Once there, he strapped his Fulton onto his back and then ripped the cord. After that? The usual nausea and blackness that accompanied being yanked up into the sky.

It was already very late at night by the time Ganondorf’s pickup had completed. When he came to, he found himself alone in Deployment, save for the single Lost Number who had retrieved him. He saw no one else, Seeker or Lost Number alike. But given the late hour it was likely everyone had retired for the night already. And honestly, he was glad to do so himself. After conducting a morning-long siege battle and then trekking across the desert two separate times, the warlord was quite tired. The intel he brought with him about Consul H could wait until the morning.

And so, the Gerudo took the lift up to the Living Quarters and retired to the room that he shared with Therion. Whether the thief had already gone to sleep or not, Ganondorf was too tired to check. Instead he went straight to bed and let himself drift off to sleep.

[center][hider=For Ganondorf][b]Bottled Spirit: [url=https://fable.fandom.com/wiki/Twinblade]Twinblade[/url][/b][/hider]
[hider=For The Armory][b]Bottled Bandit Spirits[/b] x100[/hider][/center]