Title: When the World was Left Behind

Disclaimer: I don't own them or every game would have lots of Ganondorf in it

Rating: T this chapter, rating is likely to go higher later

Warnings: story will contain slash in later chapters (I always feel like I'm advertising when I write this)

Characters/Pairings: Ganondorf/Link, Zelda and sages

Summary: Ever since the beginning they have been constantly fighting, one for power and one for peace but when events occur that throw them together in a new way there is a chance for something else.

Note: I've always really liked this pairing so I'm doing a story. I hope that the progression of their relationship feels natural, critiques would make my day (or if anyone wanted to beta this) I hope you enjoy this ^_^

Ganondorf lounged in the small cell and though no expression graced his face inside he was seething. He had come so close to defeating the Hero this time, only to be stopped by Princess Zelda's light arrows again. But instead of instantly sealing him away to the Dark Realm once more they had captured him, encased him in spells strong enough to render even him helpless. The sages had said that they were going to try and figure out a way to seal him away forever since their predecessors had proved unsuccessful so far. He had no idea how long they had been at it since he had been trapped down in the darkness of the dungeons. He shifted and felt pins of pain shoot up his arms that were bound behind his back.

Footsteps echoed through the silence and at first he thought it was a patrolling guard venturing a little too close but to his surprise the footsteps continued to come closer and a light pierced the darkness as his visitor turned the corner. The pale blond hair that the lantern's glow glinted off left him without a doubt of who it was even before he could make out the face. It was the Hero and Ganondorf realized that this was the first time in centuries they had met face to face without swords being drawn, the only time before had been when he hadn't had the Triforce of Power and been chasing the Princess of ancient times on horseback. He chuckled at the remembrance of the scared face which the little boy had shown him them. So different than any other time he had encountered him.

By this time Link had drawn up to the bars and observed the Dark King calmly. He didn't know what had possessed him to come down here, but Zelda hadn't said he couldn't and he was sure he could handle him be spelled as he was. He sat down and waited for whatever would come next. As Link sat there he observed that it was odd to see Ganondorf without armor, the Sages had taken it off of him and left him in the pants and shirt that he wore underneath. He looked a little smaller, though the warlock was a huge man. Another reminder of who he was the gem on his forehead and the arrangement that kept his hair in place, the sages had felt no power emanating from the golden crown so rather than get up close and give him a chance to attack as they figured out how to take it out they let him keep it.

Time passed and the kid didn't say anything, not that he really expected him to. He never said much, leaving words to Zelda or that one time, Midna. Finally he just got up and left, taking his light with him. Ganondorf watched him go before rolling over to get more comfortable before closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.

Link shut his eyes at the sudden re-exposure to light as he emerged from the dungeons. He didn't know what he had been expecting but it had been almost peaceful sitting down there. His wandering feet brought him into the library to see that the sages and Zelda still talking. He leaned against the wall behind the Princess's chair, listening to the conversation between her and the sages but knew there was little he could do to help. His understanding of magic was crude and while he knew enough to summon Din's fire, the complex spells being discussed were far beyond him. However, to his surprise, he actually understood what they were saying today.

The Forest Sage pursed her lips, "I don't know if Ganondorf needs food, but as he hasn't died yet I think we can safely rule out the possibility of simply killing him that way."

"It would be wonderful if that monster could be starved to death." Zelda sighed, "I hope this business ends soon, I hate thinking about killing anyone. It makes me wonder if this is how Ganondorf started out too, just planning one death. And we can see how he ended up. I don't want to end up like that."

Link put his hand on her shoulder in silent comfort, a promise that she wouldn't become like their enemy. She leaned her head onto the hand, loving the contrast between his callous hardened skin and her soft cheek.

For his part he was still thinking about whether or not the Gerudo was slowly dying of starvation, it hadn't looked like it while he was down there but he hadn't looked for anything like that. He knew the way hunger had eaten at him while he was in the temples and had run out of food, the way it tore at a person from the inside. He pulled his hand away and excused himself with a shallow bow. He knew what he had to do, even though no one else would like it. They would just have to find another way to kill the man.

Ganondorf scowled, though he had nothing else to occupy his time sleep was not coming to him. He raised an eyebrow at the light making it's way towards him, was the Hero coming back or was it someone else?

Link turned the corner for the second time that day, a small bundle of food clutched in his arms. He knelt right by the bars and beckoned Ganondorf over as he revealed his prize, an apple and a small roll. He held out the apple through the bars of the cell.

He stared at the food, expecting it to be dropped or drawn back. When it wasn't he took a clumsy bite. The food tasted wonderful, while he could survive off the power that constantly flooded his veins he still felt hunger and his stomach had been starting to hurt as it demanded food. That was one of the worst things about the Dark Realm; there was no food there. He took another bite and a stream of juice escaped his mouth. Link's callused fingers wiped it away like he was taking care of one of the infants from his village.

"Why are you doing this?" Link didn't respond at all and just held the apple steady as he took another bite. When he swallowed he asked, "Are you doing this on the Princess's orders?" Link shook his head. Ganondorf ventured another guess, "The sages?" Again Link shook his head. This seemed improbable but since there was no one else, "Did you decide to bring me food?" Link nodded solemnly.

He could have simply scoffed at the mercy of the sages or the princess but the Hero's mercy rankled his pride. "Be careful with your mercy kid. Remember if you were my prisoner you would wish for death long before it came." He crushed the core between his teeth, spitting out the stem, as he imagined what he would do once he won. It would be a grand day when he defeated his equal. But it would have to be as equals, that was why he always let the boy train and gather his strength before their battles. While he enjoyed destroying those who were weaker than him he had always reveled in a good fight. He was sure that without Zelda always being around he would have just that with the other man before defeating him.

But Link just gave a small smile and offered him a roll. Ganondorf stared at it for a second before he turned his back on the hero, he was still hungry but he couldn't stomach any more mercy. He heard a raspy sigh and then the light began to retreat leaving him in darkness. He didn't expect him to return after that; the amount of mercy he had been shown already would have been unheard of in Gerudo culture unless they were close to you in some way. But of course it hadn't meant that much to the Hero, he showed kindness to everyone, even to crazy women who lost their Cocos and now to him as well. His pride screamed bloody murder at the fact that he felt he could afford to show him pity. But it was unlikely he would do it again after he had rejected the roll.

Link tore a chunk off of the bread with his teeth as he walked down one ornate hallway; he wasn't bothered by the way he had refused the food offered. Link had a feeling that if the Gerudo had him captured and offered him food, if he even would, he would only eat about half as a show of pride too. He'd come back tomorrow with something else.

Water was something sacred to the Gerudo's, it was necessary to life but there was little to be found. The sick or captured were given bitter cactus juice. But to give clear, clean water away was like giving someone your blood. It was coming from that kind of culture, seeing with that kind of eyes, that the next day Ganondorf beheld Link holding a cup of water to his mouth. He drank and even though he knew it was nothing but a small mercy for the man used to forests and streams he could not help but think more of it. But as hard as being fed had been Ganondorf found having a drink held for him as he drank was harder and some of the water missed his mouth and dripped into his beard and down the skin of his throat. Link went to brush it away like he had with the apple juice but Ganondorf pulled back, the liquid felt good on his skin and with the way he was feeling at the moment he didn't want the pale hands touching him, that would be just too much. Link just kept holding out the water for him.

As he gave him water Link couldn't help but think of him as less of a monster, here he was drinking like any other man and having some spill. He wasn't stupid enough to discount the threat he presented but at the moment Ganondorf seemed less like the icon of evil and more like a powerful man.

It became a routine for Link; he spent his mornings with Zelda and the sages, listening to their theories and discussions of magic past his realm of understanding. Sometime in the afternoon he would climb on Epona's back and ride out into the field, killing whatever monsters he found to keep his skills sharp. Then when he returned in the evening he would eat dinner with Zelda. After he was sure she was asleep he would sneak down to the dungeon with food. He quickly found that Ganondorf preferred simple foods where he didn't have to rely on Link very much. The one time he had brought down soup he had only finished five spoonfuls before Ganondorf turned his back on him. Link marveled at the Gerudo's pride. He knew that he couldn't turn away from his only meal of the day after so long, even if it was given to him by the enemy.

Link stood in the library but for once it was not filled with the chatter of sages, what they had just decided, their way of getting rid of Ganondorf, had left a vacuum of silence in the air. Zelda stood and walked to stand beside Link. She put her hand on his shoulder and asked, "Do you understand why we feel this is the only way Link? If you aren't willing to do this for us we will understand."

But all Link did was bow his head and Zelda nodded solemnly. "Thank you. Please bring Ganondorf to us so we may begin." She handed him a spell that would act as a leash for the warlock. "Meet us in the throne room."

The Hero of Time bowed again and then left the room, nothing in his footsteps showing hesitation before he closed the door behind him. The Light Sage sighed, "I am sorry we must ask this of him, truly I am."

The Earth sage nodded, "We all are, but we must protect the world from Ganondorf's evil."

Ganondorf looked up as footsteps echoed towards him, he didn't think it was the Hero, not enough time had passed for it to have been a day. But it was and he noted as he stopped outside his cell that he seemed pale as he unlocked the cell door and beckoned for him to come out. He rose, graceful like a big cat and went the door. Only minutes before he had been walking around the cell so his muscles were already rid of their stiffness. He attached a spell to him that Ganondorf was sure would stop him from running away. Not really caring he asked, "So have they finally decided what to do with me?"

The Hero nodded and tugged on the link between them and they began walking. With cunning eyes the Gerudo noticed that the other's steps were less than totally steady. He wondered if the fate that had been decided for him was so horrible it made even his enemy quake or was there something else that he didn't know which affected the other man so much? As the walked into the light of the castle's ground floor he had to stop or risk running into something as the light blinded him after so long in the dark, the only light being the Hero's dim lantern.

The blonde waited patiently until he could open his eyes fully and then the continued down the hall. Finally Ganondorf said, "I suppose this is the last time I will see you. When next we meet you will be reborn and have no memory of me." He would not remember his mercy, nor would he remember the few things Ganondorf had said to him as he fed him, nothing of importance, but still he would not remember.

He didn't even nod to show he had heard, instead he began to walk faster until they came to the throne room's doors. They opened to show all the sages assembled and the Princess as well. They stood in front of a portal to the dark realm that they had rent the very fabric of existence to create.

He led him into the dark portal and Ganondorf complied, smirking at the way the sages drew back just a little from him. He gave a mocking bow to Zelda as he passed but there was no fire in her eyes as he had usually seen when she was sealing him away, just a melancholy acceptance. To his surprise the other man entered the darkness instead of stopping at the entrance and ushering him in. Because of the leash Ganondorf had no choice but to follow.

The feeling of the realm hadn't changed in the little time he had left it. It still felt like walking into the tide of the ocean, wisps of dark matter lapping at his legs and the ground shifting and pulling. A dim light came from the sky above them and Ganondorf glanced out of the portal to the window when the savage, bright sun beat down its midsummer rays. He wondered how long it would be before he felt that heat again and then turned his attention back to the sages and princess.

He wondered why the blonde man was still here and hadn't retreated back into the world of light. Then the portal began to shrink and Zelda said, "Our prayers are with you Link. May the goddesses light your way."

And then the portal was no more and the two were left under the dim, ghastly light of the Dark Realm that gave no warmth. Link stood, his shoulders bowed. He had almost wanted to call out in those last seconds, tell them he couldn't do this but he had to do this. He was the Hero and had to protect the world from evil, even if it meant sacrificing everything.

The spells fell from his body as soon as the link between the two plains disappeared. He flexed his arms, the blood flowing into the properly for the first time in weeks. He could surmise what was going on now. The Princess and Sages had been unable to think of a way to seal him away for good and had decided that maybe sealing Link as well might stop him from breaking free. He took in the sight of their hero standing shell-shocked and began to laugh. "So they sacrificed their hero to the dark realm." He stopped laughing and closed in on the shorter figure and forced his head up with one hand. "So how does it feel to be abandoned by the world of light?"

Link realized this was the first time Ganondorf hadn't asked him a question he could answer just by body language. He hated talking to people, he always felt he wouldn't sound like the hero they thought he was. But he didn't have to care what this man thought of him and so answered, his voice a little scratchy, "I was not abandoned, I choose to come here."

Ganondorf blinked, this was the first time he had heard the other's voice when he wasn't yelling. It was rough from disuse but it could be considered almost pleasant, if it hadn't belonged to his greatest foe. He smiled and there was nothing kind about it as he said, "Then you have chosen hell." This was a place where he was familiar and the Hero was a newcomer to, here he would have an absolute advantage.

He lunged at the hero, palm alight with magic. Link tried to block with his sword but the ground roiled beneath him making him stumble so that the attack grazed his shoulder, burning him. But suddenly that was not the only thing that was burning, his entire body ached, he felt like something was trying to force its way out of his body and would rip him apart in the process. He stumbled and fell to the ground. Ganondorf laughed, "Are you feeling the power of the Dark Realm upon you now?" He had felt the same way the first time; it had been less painful than other things he had been subjected to though. "I will leave you like this for awhile." He knew that at the moment there was nothing he could do to make the Hero's suffering any greater, he would wait until he began to accumulate himself to this place before attacking again.

Link watched him go for a moment before he heaved what was in his stomach and curled up, almost hoping to die. Something, deep in the very fabric of the Dark Realm shuddered and began to awaken after a very long slumber.