Chapter Text
"Rise. Rise my servants."
The sky had become bathed in the crimson light of the blood moon. The Demon King sent a beam of magic into the sky, which disseminated across the heavens and rained down back upon the land. Foul, bloodthirsty creatures manifested from where the power landed, monsters formed from his own will that followed his every command.
"Sweep over Hyrule with the power I have granted you."
Bokoblins and moblins roared with ecstasy. Hinoxes tore trees from their roots and brandished them like rudimentary clubs. Gleeoks darkened the bloody skies. Lizalfols invaded the rivers that Hyrule used as their sources of water. Lynels positioned themselves on the mountains to rain a cascade of flaming arrows on to the denizens of the land.
At the very front of the army, brandishing a spear and riding a demonic horse, was none other than the demonic overlord himself, Ganondorf.
"Eliminate this kingdom and her allies." Ganondorf brandished his weapon, and aimed it forward. "Leave no survivors!"
In a display of his power, Ganondorf directed a beam of dark energy at the Dueling Peak up ahead. It soared forward faster than his horde of monsters, and the speed only grew faster and faster.
Then, it struck the very center of the massive mountain.
A tremor rocked the land as the magic exploded. Entire sections of the mountain had been utterly obliterated, with the energy forcing itself upward and tearing the Dueling Peak in twain—allowing his army to enter the Necluda region without inhibition.
As soon as his army passed through the eviscerated mountain, Ganondorf stopped at a clearing up ahead, and turned to face his new army. They were arrayed before him by the hundreds, perhaps even the thousands, ready to take on whatever orders the Demon King had for them. He was pleased by how enthused they looked simply gazing at his mighty form.
"Minions!" he called. "Today, we bring ruin upon the Zonai's wretched puppet kingdom of Hyrule. They have made it peaceful. Peace creates weakness. Weakness creates problems." He grinned. "Problems create opportunity. And opportunities should be seized. We will plunge this land into darkness and strife, as the world should be! In my world, only the strong shall live! The thrill of blood and battle shall be known to all!"
The monsters howled in approval, practically itching to start the coming massacre. Ganondorf was pleased.
"Shall we attack Rauru's castle now?" a moblin in the front row asked. "Strike them down while they're unprepared?"
Ganondorf threw his head back and laughed. "I like your enthusiasm, minion. But no. We will conquer the rest of this land first."
"But, why Your Wretchedness?" a bokoblin said.
Ganondorf glanced at the bokoblin, and his expression became angrier. He lowered his eyebrows at the monster who spoke, and replied in a low snarl. "Excuse me?"
The bokoblin detected the displeasure in the Demon King's voice, and backed away. "I-it's just...w-we don't know what's going through Your Horribleness's mind and we-"
"Why are you calling me that?"
"Huh?"
"Your Wretchedness? Your Horribleness?"
"Uh...you're our king?" the bokoblin said. "I want to show my utmost respect-"
"How are either of those terms respectful?" Ganondorf said. "It just sounds like you're insulting me."
"N-no, sir! I just thought, since you're the overlord of evil and all, I felt like those honorifics would be-"
"How would you feel if I addressed you as Sir Ugly the Revolting?" Ganondorf asked. "Doesn't feel good now, does it?"
"...No, sir."
"Exactly," Ganondorf said. "Do better, minion. To punish your disrespect, you shall now be addressed by the previously mentioned name until further notice."
"Ahhhh dammit," Sir Ugly the Revolting said, looking at the ground.
Ganondorf turned to the rest of the army. "But to answer the question: I yearn not for an easy triumph. If a crisis will push Rauru to come out and fight me like a man, then I will allow him time to prepare to give me a worthy battle. There is no triumph in a coward's victory."
The army was hanging on to every word Ganondorf spoke. Seeing that they were on the brink of hype, he made one final push.
"Besides," Ganondorf said, "how will the rest of the world react when they hear we destroyed Rauru at his strongest? We will be feared. Mighty. The world will fall into chaos trying to appease us. And who shall be the benefactors of this new world? Us, minions. Follow me, and you will live in luxury, with endless wealth, and eternal pleasure!"
That did it. The monsters cheered for the Demon King, holding their weapons to the sky and letting out a collective battle cry.
Ganondorf laughed. "That's more like it, minions!"
He pointed his spear toward a nearby trail that went into the mountains. "Beyond there is Kakariko Village, our first step toward total conquest. I will leave and approach it from the west side with a small battalion. Meanwhile, the rest of you will cut off every other potential exit and position yourselves atop the surrounding plateau. I expect all of you to be ready by the time I get there! Now, move out!"
Ganondorf galloped away back through the split Dueling Peaks Mountain. The remaining monsters scrambled to work.
Gleeoks carried a regiment of monsters to Lanayru Road, blocking off the village's northern escape route. Another contingent positioned themselves on the trail next to Lake Siela, blocking off their southern route. Hinoxes scaled the Pillars of Levia next to the village, carrying with them boulders that could flatten all of Kakariko at any moment.
Ganondorf approached from the western front, up the Sahasra Slope. He had a very small force with him: three lynels and three bokoblins, one of whom was Sir Ugly the Revolting. Their presences were merely a formality, accessories for Ganondorf to show off his power and influence—to show the might of the Demon King.
Ganondorf slowed his horse to a stop outside the entrance to the village. It was just around the bend, the first target of his reign of terror.
"Why are we stopping, sir?" Sir Ugly the Revolting asked.
"You can't just invade your very first town, now, can you?" Ganondorf said.
"...Yes you can, sir," Sir Ugly the Revolting said. "You just gotta go in, and slaughter everyone. That's literally why we're here."
Ganondorf sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "You know naught why we're here, Sir Ugly the Revolting. Answer me this: what is the point of conquest?"
"To take control of new territories and their resources and wealth, sir."
The Demon King nodded in approval. "You're correct. But that's not the full answer. There's one more thing we can control."
"What is it, sir?"
"The people," Ganondorf said. He let out a dark laugh. "That's the point of conquest, to control the people."
"But sir, you ordered us to leave no survivors."
"Yes, as in kill all of the Kingdom of Hyrule's supporters," Ganondorf said. "If you destroy the truly devoted, then, be it through fear or admiration, the rest will fall in line. Then they will work to rebuild the world the way I intend it to be."
"But sir, you can't control everyone."
"Those that try to rise against us will only be made into reminders of my power," Ganondorf said. "The rest will submit quietly when their bravest die. Plus, who knows? Rebels can be fun. Maybe one of them will actually give me a good fight!" The Demon King laughed again.
Sir Ugly the Revolting shrugged. "I mean, I guess I see your point. I just have a bad feeling about this plan."
"Do you really have so little faith in me, minion?"
"N-no, sir, I have the utmost faith in you!"
"Then watch a king at work."
The Demon King's crown glowed, and the gem embedded in his forehead fired a red beam into the sky. It vanished as soon as it was fired.
Ganondorf grinned, his sharpened teeth exposed. "Time for a little taste of what's to come."