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[b]Word Count:[/b] 1,076
[b]Level 7 Ganondorf:[/b] 44/70
[b]Exp Gained:[/b] +2
[b]NEW EXP Balance---[/b] 46/70

[h3]The Final Hollow - Aftermath[/h3][/center]

Ganondorf’s breath was ragged and uneven. Even with the full healing he got earlier from Sandalphon’s Angelic Wings and the continued healing he received from Blazermate, Gravemind’s spores and poison attacks had still clearly worn the warlord down. Still, he wasn’t ready to declare victory yet. Not until he confirmed that the Consuls had shared the Guardian’s fate. And from what he could tell, it looked like at least two of them did. D, on the other hand, fled with his tail between his legs.

[color=797979]”Hmph, coward.”[/color] Ganondorf muttered to himself. In virtually any other circumstance, he would be advocating for the pursuit of D to finish him before he could recover. But unfortunately the Seekers were in no shape to do such a thing. Not even himself, much to his own chagrin. Moments later, Ganondorf looked down and saw Grimm, the troupe master, offering him the spirit of Gravemind.

[color=797979]”Very well.”[/color] Ganondorf agreed. From what he’d learned, Guardian spirits had to be absorbed, otherwise the Guardian itself would simply revive. And there was no way Ganondorf was going to put himself through fighting that monstrosity again. And so he took a breath and pressed the Gravemind into himself to consume it.

[center][hider=For Ganondorf]Premier spirit assimilated:
[b][color=olive]The Gravemind[/color][/b]
The host's skin has taken on an unhealthy greenish tinge, and he's bulkier overall. His teeth are bigger and sharper, like a shark's, and his gums a bloody red. The cloth parts of his outfit are now hide, and the metal a blend of chitin and bone. His body, as well as the organic parts of his outfit if applicable, are also somewhat amorphous; he can remold and reshape it to an extent through will alone, though his overall mass remains constant. Most notable are the four protrusions on his back that can extend into large tentacles. His personality is more patient, with a greater emphasis on unity, but a greater disregard for individual life. This spirit confers three Abilities. [b]In Whole or In Part[/b] allows any separated pieces of the host to remain alive and under his control. [b]Quiet With Wisdom[/b] allows the host to convert pieces of his own mass into Infection Forms. One Infection Form can convert up to 250 lbs of biomass, which will take effect upon the target's expiration. Converted targets are controlled by the host and can be reshaped to a greater extent. [b]Brother's Keeper[/b] causes Brother Moon to follow the host as he travels around the world. Calling upon it will trigger an attack dealing immense unblockable damage in a massive area at the end of a three-minute delay. This spirit also confers the Weakness [b]Consumption[/b], which makes the host immune to external sources of healing. While he can still heal at a slow rate naturally, lost tissue must be replaced by consuming and converting the necessary biomatter.[/hider][/center]

The first immediately noticeable change was his size. Ganondorf was bulkier than before. Not necessarily taller, but certainly more muscular. The second most noticeable change was the more sickly green tinge his skin took in color. Well, that and the four tentacles that could now grow out of his back and be used for attacks and possibly as extra limbs in general. That was certainly going to take some getting used to. Ganondorf also felt… eerily calmer than before. But also a whole lot more cold and calculating as well. [color=797979]”So… [i]this[/i] is the power… of a Guardian’s spirit.”[/color] He postulated, rolling his shoulders and trying to get himself accustomed with the physical changes.

It came with more powers, too, he knew that. But those would have to be tested later. For now, getting out of this goddesses-forsaken tree was the first priority. To that end, he accepted a Fulton from Sandalphon and prepared to make the ascent back up to the ship.

[center][h3]The Avenger[/h3][/center]

It was only after he came to, in the Avenger’s hangar, that Ganondorf was able to actually see how much damage that battle had inflicted on the Seekers as a whole. He hadn’t noticed mid-battle how many were gravely injured or outright lost during the engagement. Now he could see it clearly. Unacceptable. Not exactly due to any empathy in the Warlord’s heart, but because he knew that Moebius would only escalate their efforts further. And if this was the result of the current escalation? Then the Seekers - yes, including him - needed to be more prepared than ever.

[color=797979]”Curse you, Moebius.”[/color] The Gerudo muttered under his breath, saying nothing more.

And while everyone else filed away to eat or rest, Ganondorf made his way to the Training Center. He wasn’t ready to rest yet until he properly experimented with The Gravemind’s powers. He wasn’t about to be foolish enough to blindly charge into another battle without actually testing them first.

The Training Center was the same as it always was. There was a small ring for sparring, a range for testing shooting weapons, weights for lifting, basically everything. Ganondorf decided to use the target dummies in the firing range to test his newly acquired back-protrusions. After getting a bit closer, he grew them longer and was able to make them lash out at the dummy. It was similar to the scythe attacks that The Gravemind pieces attacked with during the battle against it.

After some more time experimenting, Ganondorf discovered that pieces of him - even when severed - could still move and be controlled independently. In some ways it reminded him of Nadia. But unlike Nadia, Ganondorf’s separated pieces could apparently infect other lifeforms or biomasses and convert them into Infected Forms that he could then command. Well, that was one way to grow an army, albeit not a very pleasant method for whomever was being “recruited”.

And he could sense something else that had been following him ever since he consumed The Gravemind’s spirit - Brother Moon. That ominous moon-like object that hovered over the previous battle and could have threatened to end more lives had the battle not been won sooner. It was… following him now. He wasn’t sure what fully meant, but Ganondorf did know that he now had the power to call on it just as The Gravemind tried to do in the Qliphoth. Certainly a tactic to consider the next time they engaged with Moebius’ forces.

Ganondorf took a breath, fatigue and even hunger were now beginning to catch up to him. He needed a meal, and rest. So he ended his experimenting for the time being and left the Training Center. His next destination would be the mess hall.