Author's Notes : This took much longer than anticipated and needed but at least it's complete. Not completely sure if I'm okay with everything in this chapter but I don't think it's too bad. Enjoy the read!
The Calamity's true nature is finally revealed through the Great Deku Tree's wise words. Now armed with this knowledge and his legendary Master Sword, Link resolves to expiate what he considers his sins and save Princess Zelda from her jail of light. He thus returns to Kakariko Village and sets to cleanse the land from evil once and for all.
Meanwhile, the craftsmen duo of Ledo and Cado roam the woods neighboring the Sheikah village, looking for its notorious Great Fairy fountain. Engaged by a Yiga intruder, they split up and the Zora manages to find the divine messenger's lair during his escape. The latter restores Ledo's medallion and eradicates the threats looming around. Ledo and Cado also learn from their aggressor about the Yigas' schemes: a full-on offensive on the Domain.
His last operation thwarted by the curse of the Blood Moon, Sidon and his surviving forces retreat towards their home, full of anger and grief for their lost companions. The Zora needed to gain some momentum back and hold their outposts, now the winds have changed and the task seems insurmountable.
Sidon jumped on the ledge and took shelter behind moist rocks. While his big size made him a target of choice, he used it to his advantage and caught his foes' attention to cover Torfeau's advance on the lower levels. Armed with a bow he had retrieved from a Lizalfos corpse, he unleashed several arrows on the reptilian archers, killing two of them promptly before going up the hill. He repeated the process several times and checked his subordinate's whereabouts every time he reached a new viewpoint. A quarter hour later, they both managed to step out of the Lizalfos' reach and regrouped on the converging pathway.
"Sire… What shall we do now?" she wondered warily.
"Let's find the others first and head back to Inogo Bridge. We'll advise there."
"Roger."
Torfeau took point and marched with a somewhat shaking resolve. Her whole demeanor spoke of her shock and concern for Gruve. Going forward helped her move on as a form of therapy, a way to escape from the guilt eating her away. Sidon understood her sentiment and did not blame her for anything. However, the proud woman had always held duty and honor with upmost regard and failure had always been a source of distress. Psychological wounds like these healed over time, but on this instance, scars might remain endlessly. For now, Sidon could not appease her fragile mind as they remained in hostile territory. For now, all they could do was keeping on going.
They rapidly came to the main road leading to the Domain and found a part of their team on the way, some of whom injured, most of them safe and sound. Torfeau immediately took stock of their situation and evaluated the group's overall power level. In the end, their strength was severely crippled and with their leader still missing, the scouts had to fall under Sidon's command.
The survivors then made towards the Bridge which doubled as a strategic outpost for the Zora to carefully oversee the neighborhood and spot any attempt at raiding the Domain. Thirty minutes later, they finally neared their objective. From where they stood, the Zora could not clearly see what happened there, though they perceived multiple silhouettes busy preparing some defenses. Sidon sent a pair of scouts in recon, but the two of them returned quickly and happily, informing the rest of the group the occupying forces were actually Rivan and his team. They thus set out without worries.
Both squads reunited with joy mitigated by each's losses. Some of Sidon's crew had already come back here and were eagerly waiting for his return. Nonetheless, not everyone had escaped and each death weighted consequently on Sidon's and Torfeau's minds, which made the latter seem even more pale and dismayed.
"Your Highness! Torfeau!" Rivan shouted as he saw them.
"Rivan, what's the situation?"
"Things are looking dire… Our operation has failed miserably on our side and from what I've gathered, it didn't go smoothly on your end either."
"I can't deny that. The appearance of the Blood Moon completely threw our momentum away and the dark army won't sit idly anymore. We need to think of a new plan quick."
"Let's discuss this at the observation tower, then. We'll be able to keep an eye on our surroundings as we speak."
"Fair enough, lead on."
The strong-willed captain guided them to the outpost. On their way, Sidon noticed Rivan limping even though he tried his best to hide his injuries. If even his best soldier had sustained wounds in his last battle, the upcoming one would prove very difficult. Even so, Sidon was fully aware of its importance and while he worried about everyone's safety, he did not have the luxury to spare any able fighters, as war would not spare any of his citizens.
The tower platform was quite small, with only one roundish table and a couple stools for comfort. For someone as tall as Sidon, it felt very cramped yet he did not formulate any complain. The matters at hand took priority, even claustrophobia would not make him sway from the challenge the Zora had to overcome.
"So, what happened?" Sidon asked Rivan.
"At daybreak, we raided the Lizalfos camps at the foot of the Sheikah tower, as intended. They resisted far more than expected but we did manage to secure the structure. The area had fallen under our jurisdiction once again."
"Were you able to ascertain its use?
"I'm afraid not, unfortunately. We had our hands full upgrading our defenses as the outpost had not survived our assault."
"I see… We faced a similar challenge."
"However, one of our scouts did climb up the tower. He has witnessed mysterious occurrences in four remote areas: two of them by the Great Forest to the northwest, one far away to the lands of the Gerudo, and one in the lands of Necluda to the southwest."
"What kind of occurrences?"
"Pillars of pure light rending the skies, he believes they were all linked to a single event we don't know of."
"The Great Forest… The cradle of the sacred land where Goddess Hylia's ancient relic supposedly rests since times immemorial; and Necluda, the region governed by the Shadowfolk... It can't be mere coincidence… Could the others be behind it all…?"
"My apologies, sire," the commander bowed. "We could not investigate any further. The fight had taken its toll on us and the enemies' sudden resurrection had forced us to retreat."
"I do not blame you in the least," Sidon reassured him. "Nobody could have predicted the emergence of the Blood Moon. Still, this bothers me… I doubt anything is irrelevant at this point."
"What do you mean, your Highness?" Torfeau asked.
"Those mystic apparitions might be the work of our friends and the Sheikahs. Whatever they mean could be tied to the Hylian Hero my sister had mentioned. Rivan, I believe I have yet to inform you that Mipha appeared in a ghastly form during our investigation of the Sheikah Shrine. She told us of an individual who would help us defeat the Divine Beast. What's more, the Great Forest is a holy place and the only area in the realm the darkness can never reach. Only those chosen by the Goddess could find their way in this woodland maze, the timing looks too perfect not to share a common purpose for those celestial columns. So, this person must have overcome the trials of the Great Forest and was granted the Goddess's blessing."
"What kind of talented individual could manage such a feat?" the soldier wondered.
"Truthfully, I don't know. I could not describe his physical appearance nor his aptitudes, though I felt a surge of nostalgia rising the more Mipha spoke about him, as if she talked about a friend. Somehow, this Hero feels oddly familiar."
"How amusing," Rivan whispered. "Our survival rests on a Hylian's shoulders, a complete stranger yet a familiar one. Fate does hold some surprises in its bag."
"And yet, we can only abide by its laws," Torfeau muttered. "Us children of the Goddess cannot hope to struggle against it."
"I firmly disagree, Torfeau. Nothing is written in advance; each creature is bound to their own mind. Going against destiny is a sign of our unicity and existence. We are rebellious souls rejecting all that befalls us. For instance, we are actively resisting the call of chaos and corruption. Following the Goddess's teachings is neither indulgence nor duty but a choice and a revolt. This war against the Lizalfos, the will to stop them, to exterminate them… All of these are proofs of our will to stay strong and unbreakable against a fate that tries to wipe us out. Erase the doubts lingering in your mind, my friend. In your will to live, your aversion for the threats among us and your resilience lie the keys to your redemption."
Moved by his speech, Torfeau could not help tearing up. Gruve's sacrifice and her resulting guilt came from her madness, though the prince did not view them only as a punishment. She had to hope for better days, for the scout who gave his life to protect her. And for that, she had to believe in Sidon, not because of orders or destiny, but because he was the pillar of the Zora's courage, the symbol of their light against the Calamity's darkness. Together, the Zora would vanquish evil. The first step to achieve their mission was to hold on until the Hero's arrival.
Dawn came sooner than expected, another day that never changed started peacefully under the downpour flooding the Lanayru province endlessly. Hours flew by, each minute passing drained even more strength out of the tired Zora who remained ever vigilant. Fatigue caused by last night's events finally crippled their bodies, a weakness balanced by their bolstered will.
Anytime the Lizalfos would launch their attack, anytime the war between them and the Zora would enter its final phase: one of conquest or revolution. The Zora had spent the last couple hours readying themselves, fortifying the Bridge's defenses and resting as much as they could. The wounded were sent home with a small escort, and King Dorephan had deployed reinforcements for this battle. All in all, the Zora were in much greater shape than before, though they still lacked proper rest. Nonetheless, they had to make do with their current resources. Defeat here meant opening the Domain's doors to the enemies and as such, Sidon could not fail. With all pieces on the board, the prince waited for the Calamity's minions to make the first move.
All sides of Inogo Bridge would soon get invaded by countless creatures of the dark, the Zora had spread all over the Bridge and its surrounding hills in an attempt to secure all roads leading to the structure. As such, they had eyes on every corner of the area to spot the Lizalfos. Sidon and Rivan had spent a lot of time thinking through their foes' potential strategies and had concluded they would most likely attack frontally, using sheer numbers to overwhelm the Zora while smaller groups flank them to put the nail on the coffin.
Sidon tried to refocus before the battle began. All around him, he could hear echoes of the storm relaying the whispers of his subjects. Just like him, many of them felt the eerie uneasiness of waiting for the final hours with growing anguish.
"When will they come?"
"Will we be able to repel them?"
"What if they came up with new tricks?"
"Everyone's on edge," Rivan commented. "There's too much riding on this conflict not to care…"
"Indeed, we all feel the pressure," Sidon agreed. "Especially considering the hardships we had to face last night, we'll have to see it through but it won't be easy."
"Our troops may lack power at the moment, yet they won't lose in spirit thanks to your presence. As long as you live, our hands shall strike and our hearts shall not falter. However, the casualties keep piling on our side. As a commander, this concerns me gravely and I hope it doesn't affect our soldiers too much."
"Sooner or later, those numbers will spark some doubts. It's up to us leaders to reassure our subordinates when they're down and gloomy."
"What about those same leaders? No one is impervious to such thoughts; they too might succumb to despair."
"The ordeal will certainly trouble them deeply. Responsibilities weigh heavier the higher your rank goes, there's no denying it. Yet, I am positive they will overcome any trial ahead of their path. Hardships like these help move forward."
Rivan turned around, watching the soldiers handle the stress in silence. He himself was deep in thoughts, estimating their states of mind. But one in particular worried him.
"Is that what Torfeau's going through right now? She did seem quieter than usual."
"Yes. Gruve's loss has broken her inside. She won't tell anyone, but I know she holds herself responsible for what happened. Discord seeped through her emotions; she needs to make peace with her demons alone."
"Will she be alright?"
"I trust that she'll come to terms soon enough. If she does not come up with her own answers, she'll get swallowed eventually again. We must not intrude."
"I see…"
"I too… cannot believe he fell… And yet, I cannot express my sorrow at this time. My emotions may run wild and cloud my mind with deep sadness, but I must not show any weakness as our people rely on me to lead them towards our freedom."
"Many of us have lost friends and comrades. Only soulless monsters would not feel empty afterwards."
Feral growls shot up a few minutes later, signaling the impending Lizalfos offensive. Several herds surrounded the Bridge and advanced fearlessly towards the brave Zora. The latter retaliated immediately; arrows ran down the skies onto the first wave of beasts and wiped them off the surface of Hyrule. Unshaken by the fall of their brethren, the remaining Lizalfos sprung around the battlefield and through the barrage without hesitation, making way toward the Bridge.
The Zora switched gears, each archer carefully choosing their target and not wasting any projectile. Thus, the first line of attackers did not even reach the Zora's defensive line and only the second wave of Lizalfos tried to dent their opponent's defenses. Silver swords and spears met tribal pikes and reptilian boomerangs. Remnants of the Blood Moon splattered the land, mixing raindrops with the reddish-black fluids fleeing from lifeless bodies. Little by little, the neighborhood stained by hatred and corruption fused with the Calamity's curse, painting an infernal scenery in which two different races waged war against each other mercilessly. Lizalfos barbarians marched upon the indomitable Zora, both sides devoting to their beliefs and zealously fighting for their principles.
Numbers gradually decreased on the Lizalfos' side. The Zora won the initial phase of the battle by a landslide, though their death count was high as well. Furthermore, their fatigue caught up with their worn-out bodies, extending their disadvantage for the next part. Sidon realized their weakness instantly and reorganized their formation by switching the exhausted footmen with fresher soldiers. At the same time, Rivan extended their spreading over the hills so that scouts and archers could overwatch an even wider range around the Bridge.
This small adjustment saved their skin as they spotted a huge army fast approaching from a remote corridor between the mountains. A heterogeneous group full of shadows of all sizes and shapes, as sinister as the grim veil above the sky marched furiously against the Zora. They soon emerged into sight, and Sidon bit his lips as he recognized the silhouettes of Lizalfos, Bokoblins and Molblins. Agility, endurance and brute strength combined into a single pack, this demonic horde with unmatched power may very well become the tallest hurdle the water tribe had ever faced.
"There's more than a hundred of them…" Rivan whispered faintly. "To think they would actually work together…"
"Chaos and corruption bound them," Sidon replied. "The Calamity has finally put all of its pawns on the same board."
"Still, those evil creatures could never see eye to eye more than a few days before. What brainwashing technique did the demon use to break the chains of animosity that crippled their teamwork?"
Sidon looked up to the skies, glancing at the mournful clouds he knew so well. Through the nebulous surface, the scornful rays of the Blood Moon still shone brightly.
"The curse of the flaming star is one reason, Rivan. The crimson moon channels the power of the Calamity and spreads it across the whole kingdom. Any dark minion living under its light shall submit to the demon's will. Its ascendancy on those primitive races reigns absolute."
"Well, this won't be easy."
"Agreed. And yet, we can neither escape nor fall here."
The prince then turned towards the Zora who waited for the fight to resume.
"Brave soldiers of the Domain, heed my call! For years have we suffered from the Divine Beast's scourge! For years have we struggled against the agents of darkness! But today is the day we make things right. A revolution draws near, let us welcome this new era so that we may live and prosper! The end of the war between the demons and the children of the Goddess is nigh, and we shall become the spearhead that carves the path for freedom! Stand by me, brothers and sisters! May the Goddess give us strength to persevere and repel those abominations defiling our lands! Forward!"
"Yes, your Highness!"
The slithering reptilians crawled faster and faster, getting way ahead of their allies. Sidon's forces met them head on with an iron heart and arms of steel. Bokoblins and Molblins finally joined the fray and the battle became a blurry mess. From her position, Torfeau realized how passionate the prince was about his beliefs. Or was it desperation that motivated his speech? Regardless, seeing him commit to the fight for everyone's survival proved his loyalty towards the Zora race.
The same could not be told about her.
What was it that fueled her? For what purpose did she join the military? Many questions to which she thought she had answers, yet most of them had gone blank. She had never questioned her status as a soldier, always carried out her missions without complains, but none of that mattered anymore. Ever since she had been promoted to captain, she had lost sight of her goals. At first, her daily life stayed the same, as did her responsibilities. But the more she fought alongside her men, the more she felt the pressure of keeping them safe. In the end, her mind obsessed with her team's security and atrocious ideas kept piling up, parasitizing her reflections. Eventually her mixed feelings completely merged, she wished for a world without evil, a kingdom where all creatures of the dark went extinct. In her Blindness, she failed to see how inconceivable her plan was as she tried alone to kill all who dared stand in her way, at the cost of her soldiers, and of her best friend.
Now unsure of everything, Torfeau wondered about herself: her own place, her role among the Zora and even the reason of her existence. She wanted to rid Hyrule of its plaguing monsters and yet, she was about to turn into a savage fiend herself. And all of these mishaps came from her distorted decisions.
"It's presumptuous for me to decide how the Zora should act," she thought.
Maybe that was why prince Sidon had tasked her to handle the rearguard. So that she did not have to lead the platoon at the heart of battle. Honestly, some might have felt left out by such an order; a commanding officer rarely belonged in the sidelines after all. However, Torfeau saw his act of mercy as a blessing that freed her from her responsibilities. As a defender of the rearguard, the foes would only come in small numbers from controlled openings, which meant that the Zora held an advantageous position against their assailants.
"Enemies approaching from the eastern corridors," one of the scouts shouted.
"Stand your grounds, soldiers!" Torfeau ordered. "Let them come close!"
It was a sound and simple command, though one very unlike her and her subordinates stared in surprise as she made no change to her directives. Obviously, holding their positions would not put them in any sort of unnecessary danger, yet making them meet the enemy head on would have been a bolder, proactive strategy that could instantly seal the deal. The old Torfeau would most certainly have chosen the latter option as the rewards far outweighed the costs, her reluctance to call for it only demonstrated how feeble and dismissive she felt about her own worth.
The Lizalfos crashed on the Zora wall who swiftly countered the reptilian offensive. The dark creatures fell to their mighty spears and arrows, the Zora obviously superior to their foes in terms of equipment. With minimal risks involved, they triumphed slowly but steadily until reinforcements swarmed the sides of the Bridge in an attempt to surround the Zora. As they were digging deep into stable positions, Torfeau saw no problems keeping their compact line of defense, even though she knew that would make the battle last a tad longer. Better feel exhausted than dying.
"What the hell are you doing?"
A faint, familiar voice whispering to her ears, scolding her gently and harshly at the same time. Memories of her fallen friend rose as if her subconscious warned her and tried to prevent her from succumbing to madness. Flickering alive at a time when she could not afford to avert her eyes from reality, those past scenes stimulated her memories as she remembered Gruve's words from way back.
"It doesn't matter who you are, nor does it matter what you think. As soldiers, we must do as ordered, and yet it doesn't mean you have to discard your identity. It's not stupid or irrelevant to act upon instinct or desire, your choices are part of you. And before we are fighters, we remain proud living beings."
Gruve's nonchalant behavior had often been the source of their quarrels and his carefree demeanor had put her on edge for as long as she could remember. And yet, they had also helped her open up many times and she would not stand here today, if not for him.
"Do not hide from your true self."
That was the message his phantom was passing on. A single sentence to support her, even though his physical absence pinned her down. Of course, he would have been disappointed to see her fleeing from her shadow. All along, deep down, she knew she had strayed off-course and away from her beliefs.
"What do I need to do?" she asked, almost tearfully.
"What would you like to do?" Gruve's words echoed in her mind.
Torfeau's eyes brightened sharply, her analyzing skills put to the test as her squad defeated another pack of beasts only to get swamped by another. The stalemate could last longer than she had expected, the Zora needed to step their game up. Just hammering through the waves would not work as the resulting chaos would cancel their advantageous positions, Torfeau had to make cleverer moves to disrupt the Lizalfos' assault.
Then, the archers managed to coordinate their shots and wreak havoc on the rampaging demons. The slaughter freed up some space and Torfeau capitalized on that as she sent a squad of footmen to prevent the enemies from raiding that side again. This effectively strengthened the Zora's lines as the Lizalfos had to worry about their backs a bit more. Finally, Torfeau's tactics repelled the beast and forced them to retreat to a chokepoint they could barely even enter. Miraculously, no Zora soldier died as they moved out, thanks to Torfeau's quick decisions, precise commands and her own abnegation to put herself into danger head first in order to keep her teammates safe.
"Send them back to whence they come! Unleash hell on the dwellers of the dark! The Zora shall not falter!" she rallied her troops and raised morale.
Her cries were met with uplifting roars that pumped all the Zora fighters in the vicinity. The captain was back to her usual self, one that commanded without fear.
"No one's dying on my watch," she said gravely.
A dazzling, grim mass beaded on the battlefield. Zora and evil creatures threw themselves in the midst of clashing steel and slaughter. Shield lifted, lance at the ready, Sidon led his forces against the dark minions that rushed blindly into chaos. One daring Lizalfos engaged Sidon in a duel that ended poorly for him. His spear dove onto the prince's shield bash which caused him to lose his footing. The opening let Sidon skewer his heart and the beast died seconds later.
More challengers defied the Zora prince after the first, all of them fell at his hands. Sidon mustered everything he had for this battle and mercilessly murdered every foe that crept close in an elegant, deadly blossom. His weapon unleashed the divine power of Goddess Hylia to clear the land from the gangrenous plague defiling Hyrule. Eviscerating, slicing and dicing, slashing, thrusting, Sidon swept many warriors in his own rampage. Invigorated by the presence of their mighty liege, the Zora took a considerable lead in the first phase of the struggle. As such, only the few Molblins held their own thanks to their unbendable resilience and their vitality. However, even their barbaric fervor could not contain the Zora's zeal.
The horde crumbled before the Zora's aegis and the dark army was forced to change their approach to even shake the defenders. The next assault began with the Lizalfos infiltrating the area from all directions in equal numbers, trying to separate the Zora groups in the process. The latter responded consequently in opposition and while they did have to spread their units more, they displayed great coordination and promptly reorganized their formations to match the several groups of enemies in strength.
On the other hand, their wider zone of defense also forced them to work twice as hard to cover every opening while minimizing their losses. Bokoblins, Lizalfos and Molblins kept attacking and failing though their relentless attacks pressured the Zora wall. The longer this kept up, the smaller the Zora's odds of winning grew, a fact Sidon understood really well.
"Rivan, something's wrong," he shared his fears. "There are way too many of them."
"I thought as much," the commander replied grimly. "How could this happen?"
"Summoners…" Sidon suggested. "Yigas are working behind the scenes, we need to take them out fast."
"But how are we supposed to find and reach them? Our hands are already full stopping their advance here and our scouts have yet to report anything about that. I'm afraid they won't show up that easily."
"Can't we cut through and carve our own path to the summoners?"
"I object, Sire. This is far too dangerous for anyone involved in this suicide mission as long as we don't know their exact location."
"Blast! Send word to the scouts and backline archers! We can't afford to stay idly; we must find those Yigas before they overwhelm us!"
Rivan agreed and ordered one of his men to pass the message to the other teams. Suddenly, a massive storm brew in the skies and thunder struck the Earth twice nearby. Shivering with terror, Sidon watched the enemy lines, hoping that his instinct was wrong, even though his hunch was most likely right.
"Your Highness!" the scouts called. "Enemy reinforcements! They're bringing new weapons into the fray… By the Goddess! Thunder rods!"
An indescribable chaos set in on the battlefield. Panic choked the Zora who naturally dreaded all forms of lightning magic. The new addition to the dark creatures' arsenal did not bid well for the Zora. A regiment of the Lizalfos shook their rods in unison, chanting in uneven, croaked voices a song of storms that called forth the power of the skies. A lightning strike targeting the Bridge instantly destroyed a chunk of the structure, annihilating all the Zora standing too close to its point of impact and instilling fear on all those around.
The newfound power bolstering the evil army's ranks scattered some of the Zora out of the Bridge and they struggled to find cove. Sidon watched helplessly as his subjects got crushed beneath the thunder's wrath. However, none seemed to show any signs of backing down and quickly recovered while their formation crumbled. In no small part thanks to Torfeau's guidance and calm, the left flank switched positions and found relatively safe shelters on the Bridge and by the hills. The sight of her dedication appeased him greatly: he did not have to worry about her anymore. What's more, the right side of their defenses looked untouchable as the structures were reinforced and partially covered by the mountains. Only the snipers posted above the hills were exposed, though the mages below could not accurately target them without actually seeing them.
The sorcerers kept raining fire upon the Bridge which took quite a beating, yet withstood the barrage firmly. The Zora footmen heavily relied on their agility to avoid becoming easy targets but their recurrent dashes and stops soon hurt their legs too much to keep dodging while fighting the armed beasts. In the end, many Zora had to retreat to the structure and take shelter as well, and even Sidon and Rivan had most of their stamina drained from the fight.
"We can't keep this up, Rivan," the prince panted. "Have we not found the Yigas yet?"
"The scouts haven't tracked them down yet, no… They must be well hidden and guarded."
"Damn it! We won't survive too much longer! What can we do…?"
The Zora stood at a crossroads with the edict of fate following closer and closer. Sidon and his forces needed to act and find their way out immediately or they were doomed. Yet, they did not find any answer to the thunder rods. All footmen were too busy protecting the Bridge which was slowly weakening because of the continuous bolts of lightning. In the end, Sidon could not come up with any plan.
And then, the Lizalfos' assault unexplainably slowed down, almost halting. Reinforcements came erratically, often late, granting the weary Zora a bit of respite. Subsequently, even the pressure applied on the defended structure dropped. The mystery deepened again when the attacking enemies started behaving oddly, hesitating then switching tactics that divided their groups without making any sense.
"What's going on?" Rivan wondered aloud. "What's gotten to them?"
"I have no idea," Sidon admitted, "but we can't waste this opportunity! Let's go all out!"
"Squad! On me!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Zora lunged forward with the intent to kill, thrusting and slashing at the reptilians and their allies. Bloody corpses stained the pass, horrible screeching pierced the shattered sky as the battle raged on in an intense hunger for death. The children of the Goddess drew their renewed strength from a single lapse of concentration that shifted the momentum to their side. Their enemies tried to regroup and retaliate and succeeded in containing a portion of the Zora's devoted ardor.
However, it became clearer and clearer to Sidon that the dark army had something else to look out for. The prince needed to know and intuitively turned to the scouts, though the howling storms muffed all their shouts. Resorting to the language of signs to converse with them, Sidon finally grasped the general situation. Apparently, something happened in the dark creatures' rear guard, something disturbing enough to force their minds away from their objective.
Maybe some unknown reinforcements had come to their aid.
Immediately, Sidon relayed the information to his strike team and they paced up, pushing forward and killing foes in a blink of an eye. The prince and his task force went for a potential pincer attack against the Calamity's besieging minions. The endless waves of enemies ceased and the Zora advanced further, effectively regaining control of the area around the Bridge. The more they progressed, the clearer they could see what happened.
And they couldn't be happier.
"By the Goddess!" one of the soldiers gasped in awe. "It's the Sheikahs!"
From a distance, the first line of the Zora soldiers made out the fugitive silhouettes lurking and running in the shadows. They struck swiftly, ending their targets' life without pain, leaving only surprise on their unwary faces. The Sheikah fighters were hard to follow, and even harder to spot once they retreated to their element. Nonetheless, their presence on the battlefield showered the Zora with a surge of hope and adrenaline that increased their morale and overall power.
Now the two parties pushed forward in an attempt to rejoin the other. Standing on their way stood the elite of the dark army's minions: squads of Molblins accompanied by their Bokoblins and Lizalfos underlings. Though they could not see their Yiga masters, the Zora could sense them nearby, protected by those sturdy and bloodthirsty beasts.
One of them engaged Sidon in a duel. His massive maul caved the ground in on impact, shaking the earth with an intense tremor. Losing balance yet still standing, the prince countered half a second too late. His lance only grazed the surface of the Molblin's thick skin and missed the targeted tendons. The creature retaliated furiously with a swipe that pushed the tall Zora back to the cliff. Rivan instantly jumped it to protect his liege and prevented his aggressor from landing another blow until Sidon pulled himself together.
The both of them worked together to isolate the monster and challenged him alone. The Molblin went for another sweep, causing a massive gust as the titanic club passed centimeters above their heads. Sidon and Rivan slid down the muddy path and cut his legs simultaneously, hoping to make him fall on his knees but their blades bounced off his hardened muscles without much effect.
The battle went on with the stalemate, no clear lead won by any of the fighters involved. However, the two Zora's physical status could not compare to the Molblin's endurance. In the end, their combination was thoroughly beaten by the beast's resistance. The Molblin managed to shatter Sidon's bulwark and break Rivan's guard as he attempted to protect his liege once more.
Now at the creature's mercy, the two Zora retreated until they were against the wall with no chance of escape in sight. The Molblin crept towards them, narrow eyes bright with murderous intent. Then suddenly, a shadow of average build lunged at his back and slashed it deep. Blood gushed out profusely from the wound as the bull-headed demon roared in pain and instinctively lashed out blindly, but the man had already disappeared. A second individual took his place and impaled the Molblin in the chest, piercing through his organs and dyeing its bloody tip in black. The first stranger reappeared and climbed his body with dazzling speed, lifted his elegant sword upwards and swiftly drove it into the beast's exposed neck. The Molblin shivered and died in a breath.
Astounded, Sidon and Rivan contemplated as their saviors proudly helped the other Zora soldiers. All around them, the battlefield was slowly changing. The newcomers were handling the dark creatures with expertise, reducing their relentless waves to handfuls of isolated fighters. The pressure the Sheikah applied surpassed that of their enemies and the latter quickly became the hunted. However, they did not yield and with their Yiga masters angered by their rival clan's presence, they fought even harder.
A fleeting moment of loosening made Sidon an easy target and one enraged Lizalfos jumped at him, spear aiming at his temple. The prince reacted too late and was about to take the blow when the foreign swordsman snuck in from the side and blocked the attack. His shining blade gave birth to a flamboyant aura that sliced open the air and the Lizalfos in the wake of its sweep. The Hylian youth turned around and claimed two additional takedowns with ease, his style flourishing as he flashed his skills and beat a pair of Bokoblins without breaking a sweat.
Sidon could not help but stare at the brave warrior fending off the dark creatures one by one with such talent. Somehow, his face felt familiar and his use of his diverse weaponry reminded him of someone he knew from long, long ago. The pieces were finally put together as he collected his memories again. The man before him and the man his late sister had been travelling with prior to her fall were one and the same.
"Princess Zelda is the embodiment of our alliance, and he is the spirit that brings all of Hyrule together." Mipha had told him. "He lives to serve the kingdom as he fights to protect everyone. Therefore, we champions have sworn allegiance to the pair. This oath is a sacred pledge that strengthens our relationship and gives the Zora a chance to bloom next to each other. And this particular individual, though stern and silent, is gifted many ways. I have no doubt than someday, he will save Hyrule from the darkness, as did the legendary heroes in the past. Remember him Sidon, his name is…"
"Link…"