Author's Notes: Here comes a new chapter. It took longer than expected because I kept changing the course of the story as the ideas kept piling up, and I had a hard time choosing when and how to end the chapter. Ultimately, my indecision and my working hours delayed the chapter's release quite a bit. Truth be told, I still don't know if I'm happy with how the scenario is taking shape but I believe it's not anything awful.

Hope you enjoy!


Sidon and his crew finally returned home, welcomed and tended to by the Zora who had eagerly prayed in anguish for their safety. Amidst the laughter and the tears of joy, Sidon shares his doubts with Torfeau. Through the hardships they had encountered and the dire discoveries they had unveiled, the Zora kin were about to face unprecedented hazards.

Meanwhile, the lizal tribes lurk in the shadows, biding their moment to strike them down. Though their preys have escaped, preparations are going smoothly. The hatchet was soon to be unburied.

The pack moved up the hill at blinding speed, snarling and spitting tirelessly with every dozen steps forward. The scout ahead of the others turned around and pointed at the Domain, his boomerang stained with a mix of raindrops and blood from the poor animals that fell victim to his undying bloodlust.

He groaned in anticipation, a wicked smile curving his lipless jaw revealed fangs as sharp as his deadly weapon. Back to crawling towards the cliff, he observed the lively Zora crowding around their prince. In the end, the outpost vigils had failed to kill them.

No matter. The Lizalfos would soon wipe them all.

A sun ray managed to clear a path between the dark clouds covering the once blue sky, showering the reptile with its warmth. Croaking wildly, the Lizalfos jumped back, his scaly skin too sensitive to the sun's embrace. His fellow warriors fell in besides him, jumping relentlessly as they awaited their leader's orders.

"Let's keep moving," he commanded.

Angry shouts replied in protestation. It had been a while since their last fight, peace dulled their senses, left them all but feeling alive. The domain lay just below, its citizens out in the open. The leader tried to calm them, yet the high-pitched sounds that came out of his brethren's throats irritated him. His head ached unbearably, his vision blurred, the scene in front of him fading away as new images appeared in his mind.

"QUIET, YOU MONGRELS!" he snapped.

All but one stopped, shiver descending their spine at the sight of their furious companion. The foolish Lizalfos that kept arguing dared ignore him and pulled out his bow and a shock arrow, aiming directly at the mass of Zora in sight.

His soul departed to the other world right as he was going to let loose. A stream of thick darkened blood erupted from his headless corpse as it dropped heavily onto the muddy ground. One single throw had beheaded the strong and resilient warrior. The steel boomerang returned to its owner's hand, spraying droplets of black and red hues.

"Those who don't obey will suffer the same fate," the leader thundered. "Now, stay put!"

The cold-blooded reptile focused once more on the hallucination, hoping that nothing else would disturb him. He saw the shapes of finely carved pillars in corridors illuminated by luminous stones embedded into the walls on each side. The picture moved as if he was advancing forward in a silent dream. Down the glittering path, he observed the layout of the habitation crafted by skillful hands. He arrived before a mural with an opening hidden behind a hanging depicting what looked like a crown among other objects he couldn't recognize. Those were royal chambers, his prey was probably their owner.

The vision disappeared suddenly, leaving the Lizalfos in the dark, then a face materialized before him. Although very hazy, it belonged to no other than the Zora prince himself.

Everything flashed out again, only to show one second later a part of the mountains filled with alcoves along a path almost invisible to naked eyes behind the cascades around the Domain.

He awakened feebly, dazed and still out of reality. He didn't even see his soldiers look at him worryingly. His whole body shook uncontrollably, though he was not alarmed in the least. Grinning frantically like a mad bokoblin, the Lizalfos stood up, muttering unintelligible words. Those misty images that sometimes came to him made him a superior being of his kind.

He could see the will of God.

God wanted to decimate the Zora, and so he led the clan to war. None of his brothers bore that power, and none could rally the savage beasts under the same banner as he did. The Lizalfos were pious in their own way, to receive such a gift meant that he had been chosen as God's agent on Hyrule's land. And thanks to the visions, he would grant power and glory to the lizal tribes.

"Master, are you all right?"

"I have witnessed our Lord's will. Our goal is to annihilate the shark-headed race, but priority goes to killing their prince. He is the most dangerous of them all."

The soldiers nodded and groaned in agreement and followed their leader as he ran for the path that dug into the heart of the mountains. There, they'd set their traps and ambush and the Zora would know to fear him. His power did not solely rely on his ability to hear God's voice, he had another trick up his sleeves. A power their enemy would find deadly. Once he'd unleash his fury, all that lived should bend to his might.

All that breathed in the wilds should bow down to The Seer.

"As we feared, bringing down Vah'Ruta is out of the question," Sidon spoke. "Any attempt would come to naught. The Zora are too ill-suited to fight with the power of the storms. Even if we somehow managed to charge the cogs in time, there is no guarantee that the Beast wouldn't fall prey to the evil forces of Calamity Ganon once again."

"I see…" King Dorephan stared at his son without blinking as he delivered his report. He was glad the scouting party had returned safely, though he knew danger still prowled near. The scar on his forehead twitched more and more lately, a grim harbinger of trials to come.

"There is more to that," Sidon continued. "Lizalfos tribes are making their way here. Hostilities will follow."

"Now of all time? I understand that they see us as enemies, yet they never went as far as pursuing the path of war! What could have prompted them to act rashly…"

"Father. I believe everything is linked. When we battled to escape their grasp, I noticed that their aggressiveness had climbed up to unthinkable levels. Their souls are trapped within a sphere of chaos and corruption, one I can only ascribe to Vah'Ruta."

"Evil spreads further and further… After all these years, Ganon's legacy still cripples the land and warps the living. We shall set up our defenses right away. Have you informed the captains already?"

"Torfeau is on it, Father." Sidon straightened up, checked right and left that no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. His plan would not please the elders, especially Muzu, whose resentment towards foreigners had grown to unreasonable standards. Finding the King alone in the throne room was too rare of an opportunity to let slip.

"Actually, this provides us a convenient, albeit risky chance for a foolish plan of mine."

"And what could that be?"

"The Lizalfos' recent uprising means that the Divine Beast feels threatened. I'm positive it is sending its minions to get rid of us before it is too late. From what we've observed, those reptiles are fierce and wicked, yet arrogant and undisciplined. Going head to head against them would achieve nothing, so I suggest we focus on defending the domain's gates. Their straightforward behavior will allow us to bring them down easily. Their strength decreased, Vah'Ruta's rage will make it vulnerable."

"Lizalfos are as ancient a race as the Zora but they haven't evolved much. This makes a fine battle plan. Not in the long run however, our resources will deplete too fast before their relentless assaults."

"And then comes the second part of the plan. As you're aware, Vah'Ruta wishes for our extermination quick and clean. It will never rely solely on beings made of flesh. Its power far exceeds our own imagination and we need to account for every possibility. Therefore, I want scouting parties like mine to set out regularly, so that they strike their camps and disorganize them. That will bring more time for us to look for our savior."

"A Hylian, is it? Only they would be able to wield shock arrows without fear. Bold scheme, but not unreasonable. The region is deprived of any though, so the party will have to look further, which makes our success rate very slim. However, I fail to understand how one man will be able to restore peace."

"The goal is to let Vah'Ruta think we're putting everything to win the war against the Lizalfos, which will be inevitable anyway. The Beast will not consider other factors or reinforcements from our side. The Hylian and I shall then strike at its heart when it does not expect us to."

"With only the two of you?! This is madness, Sidon!"

"It is the only way, Father." Sidon's determined face convinced the old King, whose concerns for him mixed with hope and pride.

"Indeed… Then we shall proceed thus. I'll also send a messenger for Kakariko Village to let the wise Sheikahs know of the situation. Hopefully, they might have contacts with Hylian adventurers as well as offer more information on the Beast. Also, have no worry, I will not tell the elders about this. At least not now."

"Thank you, Father. I shall take my leave now."

The prince could finally get some rest, he more than deserved it. He went straight to the path leading to his quarters, voluntarily avoiding everyone else. He wanted some time alone and was too exhausted anyway to stay with other people. His team had already gone back to their occupations, with orders to regroup and discuss their next course the following day.

Activities were running busier than ever. Soldiers had been informed of the threat and were now preparing for the upcoming battles. Some went to the craftsmen and blacksmiths to get their silver weapons forged, increasing their durability or sharpness. Others set out to help the carpenters who had dug out all of the remaining luminous stones they'd kept in their small warehouses to fortify the walls and bridges.

Sidon walked past his hard-working citizens, saw Torfeau and Ledo giving directions to either group, carrying out their respective functions of captain and engineer. A quick glance over to his right, the healing centers had opened up more space, and could now accommodate twice as many wounded as it usually did. Tona, Tula and a few more were masterfully handling plant roots and spices, mixing and infusing them to brew emergency salves. In one of the soothing waterbeds, Seggin was resting his injured arm, yet his pride and self-claimed duty to instruct the younger recruits led him to give lectures even then.

The prince soon arrived at the royal bridge linking the main plaza to the royal quarters where he resided. He began to cross it and heard several splashes on his right side. Intrigued, he looked down. Teams of five or six Zora set out of the domain with grace, Sidon recognized them belonging to the scouting and scavenging parties. They were going hunting, searching for both clues and supplies to last an eventual siege.

On the middle of the bridge stood Gruve who, despite the downpour, wrote down notes on a piece of parchment. Once he was done, he carefully placed it inside his bag and started to the barracks below, stopping as the prince came into his field of vision.

"Ah, your Highness!" he shouted cheerfully. "Are you on your way to your rooms?"

"Indeed, I am, Gruve," Sidon smiled. "I would have thought you'd call it a day and instead, I see you all still up and working."

"Of course, your Highness! Everyone needs to play their part if we want a chance at surviving through this."

"I appreciate the sentiment, Gruve. However, are you not pushing yourselves too much? I couldn't bear losing any of you because of body exhaustion."

Gruve straightened and lifted his arms up to stretch. From the looks in his eyes and the serious expression his face bore, he was not about to comply and lie down soon enough.

"We cannot sit idly right now, sir. The Domain needs everyone's help, yours especially. You're the only one who can save us from the Beast's rampage. Therefore, we'll do everything we can to alleviate your burden. I'm sorry we are worrying you, but we won't back down from our silent oath."

Sidon was astonished. He hadn't expected such a display of loyalty from his friends. Dumbfounded and happy at the same time, he remained in place as Gruve dashed towards another scouting group to give them directions. With a faint smile, Sidon turned away and went back to his quarters.

As soon as he got inside, he let out a sigh of relief and lay down on his waterbed, his knees finally dropping from fatigue. Sidon had so many lingering thoughts in his mind, though Gruve's revelations eventually pushed them away. He had never felt this lucky before; having friends who would always stay by his side was a long-time dream of his, ever since his sister's disappearance.

He closed his eyelids, the image of Mipha's bright smile bringing him to sleep. He recalled a forgotten memory of him as a child, seeing her off as she went for a test drive aboard Vah'Ruta. He had feared she wouldn't be able to tame the beast, nor withstand its waves of energy. The princess had hugged him then, her words filling him with serenity.

He fell into slumber as he spoked them.

"My soul will always remain by your side."

The Seer's team had settled down on a fairly high vantage point between Toto and Mikau Lake, northeast of the Zora's Domain. Their small camp stayed hidden beneath steady rocks and behind stony pillars slowly built from endless days of rains. The path leading there, meant to be concealed in the mountains was now visible, yet only keen eyes would spot such a narrow crack among the patches of slab and rubble around.

The reptilians had revised their strategy, taking out thick pieces of wet paper and pebbles on which they'd scrambled drawings and unrecognizable symbols depicting their course of actions. The plan was already set in motion.

The dark Lizalfos had made sure the other scouts took positions in alcoves such as this one, promising them a painful death otherwise. The will of God was absolute, disobedience rightfully resulted in heavy sanctions. The Seer located more of his valorous warriors by the Veiled Falls. They gave him the signal, informing him that they were ready to strike.

A daring soldier stepped forward, snarled and pointed at them with one of his three fingers. He jumped with impatience and excitement, grabbed his spear and looked to jump down in the water. His companions held him back before he acted even more rashly, the Seer would not allow it and they feared him. Off-balance, the impudent Lizalfos fell on the gravel and realized his error, then bowed, begging for forgiveness.

Everything was going too well to bother punishing the small fry. The Seer pushed him aside and unpacked the huge bag he'd stolen from a wandering traveler not too long ago. He picked out a piece of clothing and an oddly shaped stick and put them on the ground.

"We will attack soon, brothers. For now, get some rest. Keep your focus, stay vigilant. We shall strike as one when the time is ripe."

The Lizalfos hesitated, some not understanding when exactly the Seer meant, others reluctant to sleep. Nevertheless, they complied to his orders, and closed their eyes, their bodies becoming stiffer and harder until they resembled harmless statues.

The Seer put on the woolen white robe, as well as the dark hood. Somehow, he felt even more confident wearing the clothing thus. It might be a blessing in disguise, one that brought forth immense magical power. He grabbed the strange tool beside him, it flickered alive and sent tickling bursts of gleaming sparks.

He smirked. Now, he was its masterful owner. The Stick of Storms was his, and his only. The Seer raised it above his head and waved it in a circular motion. Echoes of an ancient ritual chant flashed in his mind, God's words filling him with energy. The dark clouds grew darker and thicker, ready to explode.

The Seer danced and danced frenetically, his followers disturbed by his erratic movements, yet still as stone. He called upon the deities to slam down the hammer of justice onto the Zora, to unleash the fury of thunder onto the Domain.

Three lightning strikes were all he needed. The third clap was the beacon that commanded the start of the invasion.

The blowing wind hissed loudly, the rain crashed onto the Earth harder than ever, a brewing storm like none other was coming. Sidon had a difficult time resting. The flash of a lightning strike and the noise that followed woke him before he could try.

He sat up and looked out, watching the water flows raging and streaming wildly. The weather had never gotten any worse. Though it was late in the afternoon, the blackened sky obstructed daylight completely, as if night had decided to cover Hyrule early with its veil.

Sidon kept his gaze outside but shifted his sight towards the surrounding mountains. If these couldn't hold the rain back a little, the Zora were doomed. A faint glint caught his eye, he squinted to make out what he'd seen. It rocked back and forth, right and left endlessly, like a stray fairy trapped inside a bottle. In the end, Sidon could not identify the source of the apparition through the droplets.

He sighed and crossed his arms, deep in thoughts. Gruve's voice came in feebly, toned down by the deafening tempest.

"Your Highness, are you awake?"

Sidon walked up to the door and opened the curtain to let him and Ledo come in. They were drenched from head to toe and nervous for standing inside royal chambers.

"What is it, Gruve?" Sidon asked.

The two Zora composed themselves and delivered their reports.

"Sir, I've witnessed unnatural movement on the cliffs around. I might be mistaken; the rain really hinders my vision. Nonetheless, I'm certain the darkness and the storm are linked to them. They appeared too suddenly and at the same time. Therefore, I'm not counting anything out of the ordinary as inoffensive."

"Hmm… I think I know what you mean, Gruve," Sidon agreed, "Ledo, anything you wish to add?"

"Actually, it is a bit unrelated," the craftsman stated. "It is still of urgent matter. We're running low on luminous stones. With that typhoon, it is imperative that we gather some quickly so that we may consolidate the Domain's foundations."

One problem after the other. Time ticking ever too fast. Sidon had to tip the scales in their favor. He wanted to act now, he couldn't bear running away anymore. In his place, Mipha would have gone to investigate at once, she would want him to lead his people. He would live up to her expectations.

"All right, I'm going up there. With any luck, I may be on to something."

Sidon's renewed determination and confidence startled Gruve and Ledo, who didn't respond immediately.

"Sire! We'd like to accompany you!" they finally called.

"You may. Give the word to the girls as well. Tell them to gather by the main plaza, in front of the champion's memorial. Seggin's wounds aren't healed yet, so we'll let him sit this one out. Don't forget weapons. Hurry!"

"Yes, your Highness!"

They darted out of the chambers, leaving Sidon alone. The prince stared one final time at the dancing light, fully convinced the answer to many mysteries lied with its nature. He pulled a blade, a bow, a quiver full of arrows and a great shield, all crafted in silver from his chest and ran to the rendezvous point.

Torfeau was already waiting by Mipha's sculpture, spear in one hand, helmet on the other. They were soon rejoined by the rest of the crew, all seemingly still worn out, yet their steadfast resolve burned in their eyes. Gruve and Ledo had told the women about the expedition, though not in detail. Sidon filled them in.

"Something evil is lurking by the mountains. We cannot say for sure, but there's a high probability that the Lizalfos are preparing their assault as we speak. Some of us will scout ahead now, it'd take an unreasonably large amount of time for any other team to understand what we need to look out for. Ledo, the luminous stones will have to wait. Our success should bring an end to the storm, so the Domain will manage for now. Tona, how are we doing on medical supplies?"

"Yes, your Highness! I think we have enough to last a full week if we don't run into any surprise. However, some of the scouting parties have come back injured. We believe they've been attacked on their way back, but the darkness made it unclear as to who or what could have ambushed them."

Sidon turned slightly pale.

"Are they going to make it?"

"Yes. But we need more people to tend to their wounds. The endless rain is severely hindering the healing process."

"I see. Then I want you to stay here, Tona. You'll report everything to my father and go back to the healing wards to lend your help. Avoid relying on automated mechanisms. Try to bring as many helpers you can and keep to the basics. Traditional methods are far more suitable as long as this accursed weather remains."

"On my way, Sire!"

"Anyone who wishes to stay behind may say so as well," Sidon added as Tona climbed the stairs towards the throne room. No one moved from their spot.

"Very well, we'll start by swimming up the great waterfall behind the domain and proceed east on foot. We'll have to move quickly and silently. Let's go!"

The group dove into the pool without hesitation, the prince taking point. They stayed one close to another in a tight area, effectively reducing their chances of getting caught. Using the darkness and the rain to their advantage, they swam at full speed until they reached the side of the mountain. From there, they kept to the shadows and paddled their way to the falls.

Sidon signaled them to hide behind the flow of water. He plunged, circled around to gain momentum and emerged right beneath the cascade to ascend it. As he approached its top, he drastically slowed his pace with surgical precision, so that his speed reached zero the moment he arrived.

A high leap would undoubtedly expose him, which was out of the question. His friends didn't quite have the skills to match his performance and even though they tried to imitate his movement, they couldn't finish their climb without a steady tempo. Sidon stood watch by the river bank, looking for potential threats on the sides.

Fortunately for the Zora, there was nothing suspicious nearby and Sidon's companions jumped gracefully out of the water and landed with loud splashes that would have alerted enemies nearby, if not for the raging storm. They grouped up and took the muddy path towards the insides of the ridge, their profiles so low they appeared in a crouching position.

A bright flash mere seconds later followed by a deafening thunder clap startled them. The rumbling divine hammer smashed the land with impressive force. Somewhere west, a chunk of the landscape had been torn off its cliff, meeting the lakes below.

"By the goddess!" Ledo exclaimed. "That is a nasty one!"

"We better pray this stops soon," Tula added.

"If my hunch is correct, it will," Sidon whispered. "Let's move forward and keep quiet."

The slope was sharp and didn't have much room to maneuver. The Zora walked in a single line, Sidon first, then the two other fighters Gruve and Torfeau. Ledo and Tula formed the rearguard, ready to give insight and first aid care.

The path soon divided into two, one leading towards the depths of the unknown. The darkness outside couldn't compete with the cave's obscurity. It was a one-way trip to hell. Sidon deemed the try to risky and chose the other corridor.

It went slightly upward then down again. A couple hundred feet ahead, they saw the walls on their right had collapsed with the passage of time. The Zora stopped in their track next to the gap and gazed out to ascertain their position.

They were on the right track.

The storm had gotten stronger, the wind was persistently gusting, and Sidon had to cover his face to protect his eyes from the dust it picked up.

A high-pitched croak made the prince turn away, now wary of his surroundings. His friends had also heard it and readied their weapons. They waited in silence, motionless and focused. Nothing appeared in sight, though the strange voice came ringing in their ears many times more.

Sidon prowled forward, nodding to his team to boost their morale. They sank deeper into the alcove, the yells more and more audible as they marched. Sidon halted as the passageway made a sharp turn. Back against the stony and humid wall, he scanned ahead, and noticed a white robe-clad Lizalfos, jumping feverishly, its coarse throat unbearably shrieking.

"What in the world…?" he gasped.

The four Zora also leaned out to watch the creature. They were completely taken aback by his unnatural behavior and didn't know what to do. Sidon gestured slowly, ordering them to follow his steps. He then snuck close to the dancing reptile, using the darkness to cover his quite large build.

The alcove had more space to spare, the Lizalfos had somehow managed to bring wooden crates along and had disposed them all over. The Zora spread out, three meters from each other to cover most of the place. Sidon was now only a few feet from the Lizalfos. He looked closely at the wand he clenched and recognized it.

A thunderstorm rod.

The raging squall was his doing.

He prepared to lunge and neutralize him before the elements destroyed everything. Cracked groans roared around him. Out of nowhere, six Lizalfos came to life, their slumber disturbed by the roaming Zora who were now trapped inside a circle of vicious sickles and primitive spears.

"What?! Ambush!"

One of the evil creatures targeted Tula, jumping high, arm ready to bury his wicked weapon into the maiden's scaly flesh. Torfeau hurled her spear at hi, pinning his body onto the wall and killing him instantly.

"Get out of here! Now!" the soldier ordered.

Ledo pulled Tula out of the fray as the two went into hiding behind the crates. Gruve and Sidon were up against three more, better organized and thus deadlier.

The former raised his shield, covering the prince as he boldly pulled his bow out in the narrow cave. With no room to maneuver, he managed to take down one, the arrow piercing his forehead before he could react. The other two charged, Gruve bashed the first one and drove his sword in his stomach, black ooze splattering all over. This brought enough time for Sidon to unsheathe his. The second Lizalfos lashed his wide tongue out, Sidon avoided it easily and sliced it off. Its owner writhed in pain and Gruve relieved it from its suffering.

Sidon turned back and saw that Torfeau had managed to get her spear back and killed one more. The last of them tried to backstab her but Ledo skillfully threw his boomerang at him. Stunned, he couldn't dodge Torfeau's blow and died on the spot.

The battle was over in a matter of minutes. The Zora had dealt with the enemy perfectly.

"Regroup on me," Sidon said. "Is everyone all right?"

"Looks like we're all fine," Ledo answered. "It was pretty scary, though. They were hiding in the dark, turned to stone. And suddenly, they were alive and onto us."

"It is their hunting method. They pose as statues and strike when their unwary prey draws near." Sidon surveyed the camp. "Unfortunately, it seems their leader has escaped during the commotion… He's the one responsible for all this. Let's search the place, and we'll see what we do afterwards."

"Yes, sir!"

They opened the crates, scrutinized the scribbles here and there, the items the Lizalfos had collected, everything that might provide any useful information on their plans. The Lizalfos were a barbaric race and usually didn't leave records of their actions. However, the crates were loaded with weapons and supplies, so Sidon assumed they were trying to besiege the Domain.

"Your Highness, over here!" Gruve shouted.

Sidon came to his side and examined the parchment the scout gave him. Slovenly drawn plans and figures were displayed. They showed an out of shape circle, arrows converging on it from outside.

"This appears to be a map," Gruve commented, which Sidon agreed. "There are other things on the back, I wonder what they mean."

Sidon turned the paper over. More drawings. But this time, they were arranged in some sort of code that the Zora couldn't quite decipher.

"Those shapes resemble the Lizalfos," Torfeau declared. "These vertical lines… Maybe they're numbers? No clue about those in the corner, however…"

"It's a depiction of a picture," Sidon claimed and pointed at a particular pattern. "That is probably the leader of the Lizalfos. I recognize the wand and the clothes, which means the connected lines next to it must represent a thunderbolt."

"Then, something is going to happen once the thunder strikes three times?"

"Probably, and if we link this to the image on the other side…"

Sidon realized.

It had been a huge mistake to let the dancing foe escape. Three lightning strikes, a signal that every Lizalfos could receive and understand at the same time.

As if to confirm his theory, the sky's intense roar shook Hyrule once again. It was followed by harsh groans and snarls from all directions, amplified by the caverns' echoes. Sidon rushed to the openings on the walls, only to witness dozens of reptiles surging from the mountains and into the pool around the domain, charging directly at the Zora's home.