"The cliffs are too well defended to scale."

"What of the bridge to the north?"

"It would be a long march, and that side of the island is lined with cannons."

"Perhaps the lake, then?"

"Same issue as the cliffs. Not to mention the enemy's Zora allies are still guarding it from below."

Harun sat in the corner of the war council's tent, listening as Queen Urballa's generals argued back and forth about the same things they'd been discussing for days. The Gerudo forces had managed to cross the Digdogg Suspension Bridge and establish a small foothold at the north end of it, but they had made little progress beyond that point. Princess Zelda's chosen stronghold had proven too great an obstacle to overcome thus far. However, while the Hyrulean forces defended their position, they did not push back in an attempt to expel the Gerudo. They had instead sent an emissary to request Queen Urballa's surrender, which had been met with outright refusal. And so, the battle had seemingly reached a stalemate.

"We could easily overcome any of these obstacles."

Harun felt his blood boil at the sound of Elder Kobami's raspy voice. After the battle of the bridge, he had been surprised to find she had survived, while the majority of her forces hadn't. Recently, there were times when Harun had wished she had perished in battle with her troops.

"Prince Harun single-handedly dispatched the cannons on the Great Plateau before," the elder witch continued. "If he were to do the same to any of the Hyruleans' other battlements…"

"I said no, elder one," Harun asserted, speaking up for himself. "The power I wielded in that battle is dangerous and unstable. I will not use it so flippantly."

Elder Kobami sighed. Tapping her cane against the ground in frustration, she turned to Queen Urballa expectantly.

The queen seemed to understand, and nodded lightly. "Thank you, ladies," she said to her generals. "Give us a moment, if you will."

The generals bowed and filed out of the room, leaving the queen alone with Elder Kobami and Harun.

"Why do you refuse to fight, Great One?" Kobami asked Harun, hobbling forward with her cane.

"I have just given you the reason," Harun replied sternly.

"You have just given me an excuse," the elderly woman countered. "More of our soldiers perish by the hour. You could end all of that if only you had the courage to wield the power that has been gifted to you."

"The power you speak of comes at a price that you do not understand." Harun glared at her, completely fed up with her manipulative and exploitative behavior.

Queen Urballa inserted herself between the two of them, holding out her hands disarmingly. "Let us not fight amongst ourselves," she suggested. "These last few days have weighed heavily on us all. We must remain composed if we wish to proceed productively."

Harun crossed his arms and turned away from her.

"We must make him understand," Elder Kobami insisted.

Queen Urballa hesitated for a moment. "Leave us, elder one," she ordered Kobami softly. "I would speak with him alone."

"But I-"

"I have given you an order."

Kobami growled in annoyance, then shuffled out of the tent, muttering under her breath.

Harun closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a small sense of relief from being rid of Kobami's presence.

Urballa pulled one of the other chairs closer to Harun and sat down across from him. "How are you feeling, Harun?"

Harun made eye contact with her. "Awful."

"Why awful?"

"Do you have any idea how many people I've killed?" Harun asked scathingly.

That seemed to take Urballa by surprise, but she quickly recovered. "I'm afraid I do not."

"Neither do I. Not anymore." Before the last battle, Harun had always tried to remember the faces of those whose lives he had ended. He felt he owed them that much at least. Perhaps he'd had no choice with some of them, and perhaps some of them had even deserved it, but he had not enjoyed killing any of them. However, in the last battle, he'd killed far too many. They'd become faceless drones, dying as meaninglessly as ants crushed underfoot.

Urballa nodded grimly, seeming to understand what he meant. "I have been in many battles, Harun," she told him, speaking softly. "And as queen, I have handed out many death sentences. It is never easy, even in the most deserving of cases."

"It was easy," Harun corrected. "That's the problem. No one around here sees that. They're eager to scale the cliff or cross the bridge so they can kill more Hyruleans. They want to do it."

"Our people are not remorseless killers, Harun." Urballa spoke more firmly now, but did not raise her voice. "We do not take pleasure in killing the Children of Hylia. We are fighting for our freedom."

"We have our freedom." Harun's frustration was returning. Even his closest surviving mother figure still was not listening to him. "We had our freedom when we took Taafei. We had our freedom when we took Yarna. Now the witch says we'll have our freedom when we take this damn Coliseum. How many times must we 'claim our freedom' before we can stop fighting for it?"

Urballa took a moment to respond, giving Harun a chance to calm himself.

"You are right, Harun," she said gently. "We have our freedom now. Gerudo is ours once again. What we are doing here, now, is simply securing that freedom. Once we control the Hyrulean Coliseum, we will convert it into a fortress that will protect our borders for generations to come. Our fight will be done. We will be able to return home."

"Until the witch tells you we need to claim another fortress to protect the Highlands, or we need to take Taobab to secure a food supply for our people," Harun argued. "Every time, it's just 'one last battle.' How can you be so sure there will ever truly be an end to all this?"

"I understand your concern." Urballa breathed deeply, leaning back in her chair. "Harun, I would like to send you back to Taafei."

Harun flinched in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"I do not wish to subject you to this any further. You are clearly suffering here," she told him calmly. "With any luck, my campaign here will not last much longer anyway. In the meantime, you may rule Gerudo in my stead. It will be a good learning experience for you."

"I do not wish to abandon my sisters while they fight and die here," Harun argued. "And you need someone around you who is willing to disagree with Kobami."

"If you are not to fight while you are here, then your abilities will serve your sisters better back in Taafei." Urballa rose to her feet, a signal that her word was final and she was ready to end the conversation. "And do not worry about Elder Kobami. I have plenty of other advisors, and I am perfectly capable of thinking for myself."

Harun wanted to argue further, but he could not think of anything to say. He slouched in his seat and nodded reluctantly.

"Very good. Inform your retinue. You shall depart in the morning." Queen Urballa exited the tent, leaving Harun alone with his thoughts.

"Did you hear that?" Laine asked, standing up from the log she'd been sitting on. "A signal horn. Are we under attack?"

Kyra ripped a piece of meat off of the stick she was holding. "That was the 'monsters spotted' signal, yeah?" she asked as she chewed. "The camp guards can handle it. The monsters will be dead by the time we get there."

"You mustn't shirk your duty simply because you're hungry," Laine chided. "And don't talk with your mouth full."

Kyra leaned towards Laine and began chewing loudly with her mouth open, smiling smugly as she did. Laine narrowed her eyes. Emri looked to Harun, silently asking him what they should do.

Harun sighed as he held his stick over the fire. "Kyra is right," he said. "Let the guards handle it. But, Kyra, please stop eating like that."

Kyra swallowed, letting out a laugh.

Emri scooted closer to Harun. "So, we're really going home?" she asked meekly, as if she were afraid that saying it out loud would jinx it.

"Not home," Harun corrected, shaking his head. "We're going back to Taafei. The queen does not want me here anymore, and I don't want to be here, either."

"Tis a shame," Kyra remarked, already talking with her mouth full again. "There's still so much fighting to do here."

"Did you not just turn down a fight?" Laine asked.

"I'm eating, Laine. Can't fight on an empty stomach."

Laine grunted. "Regardless, we go where our duty dictates, whether that's on the frontline or on the homefront."

Emri nodded in agreement, looking much more excited about the news than the others.

The four of them continued eating for the next few minutes. Harun had been worried about how the three of them, as well as the rest of his retinue, might have reacted to his relocation. While some were disappointed to be getting sent away, others were glad to be going back to where they would be safer. Either way, all of them seemed to respect the queen's authority enough to agree without much questioning.

As Harun finished his meal, he was approached by a guard carrying a spear. "Prince Harun," the guard said, getting his attention.

Laine immediately stepped between Harun and the guard. He was used to her doing this, so he simply waved her off. "Yes? What is it?" he asked.

"I understand this may sound strange, but there is a Hinox asking for you at the east entrance to the camp."

Harun furrowed his brow, figuring he must have misheard her. "A what?"

"A Hinox," the woman repeated. "He spoke to us in Hylian. He requested you by name."

That did not make the situation any easier for Harun to comprehend.

"What the hell?" Kyra asked. "Harun, there something you wanna tell us here?"

"By what circumstance would I be acquainted with a Hinox?" Harun asked. "I've never even seen one before."

"They don't come to the desert," Laine added. "I've heard they're formidable monsters of great size, though."

"Does the queen know about this?" Harun asked the messenger woman. He was unsure how to respond to this summons, so he wanted to know Urballa's opinion.

"We've sent for her as well," the guard replied. "The Hinox did not ask for her, but we figured she should know."

"Good decision," Harun said, giving her a nod as he stood up. "Laine, Emri, Kyra. Let's go."

"Yes, sir, fearless leader!" Kyra enthusiastically agreed, hopping to her feet and grabbing her spear. "I hope I get to slay this Hinox. Or maybe we can take it back home with us. I'm sure the arena would love to have it in their stables."

"Let us not get ahead of ourselves," Harun said, leading the others as he followed the messenger. "This monster can speak, and it requested an audience with me. Perhaps it is friendly."

"A friendly monster?" Emri tilted her head in confusion. "Like a sand seal?"

"Sand seals can't talk, idiot," Kyra said. "It'd be more like those monsters that served the Great Ganondorf."

Laine made a noise like she was realizing something. "Perhaps that is why this Hinox is requesting an audience with the prince," she suggested. "It wishes to pay fealty to Ganon's successor."

"Please do not refer to me in this way," Harun told her. "I am not Ganon's successor. I am to be Urballa's successor."

"Apologies, my prince." Laine lowered her head respectfully.

Harun nodded his appreciation.

One day, perhaps I will not be seen merely as someone else's successor.

The east end of the Gerudo encampment was actually atop the Great Plateau. After Harun had destroyed the enemy battlements, Urballa's troops had taken control of the walls along the plateau's cliffs and a small bit of territory atop the plateau itself. To get up there, they had to take a lift.

When Harun and his party arrived atop the plateau, Queen Urballa and Elder Kobami were already there waiting for them.

"Harun," Urballa said as soon as he stepped off of the lift. "What is this about?"

"I'm afraid I'm as confused as you, my queen," Harun replied. "I do not know why a Hinox would want to speak with me. I didn't even know such creatures could speak."

"A Hinox would be a most useful asset," Elder Kobami commented. "Let us hope we are able to persuade this beast to join our cause. Monsters have no love for the Hyruleans either."

Harun narrowed his eyes. "I believe it was I who was called here," he pointed out. "Please allow me to speak to our visitor."

"We shall both speak to them," Urballa said. "But I shall permit you to take the lead."

"Very well." Harun nodded, turning back to the guard who was escorting them. "Take us to the Hinox."

"Yes, my prince."

After climbing down from the wall, there was a short walk along the cliff before coming to another decline that led down to a grassy field. There was a forest a bit further to the east, and even before entering the field, Harun could see the giant one-eyed monster standing at the treeline.

"By the gods," Harun said aloud. "It's huge."

"Damn, you're right!" Kyra seemed excited, but Emri nervously gripped the other girl's arm.

"Do not get too close to it, Harun," Laine warned.

Harun grunted in acknowledgement as they continued.

As they got closer, Harun noticed there were several Blins accompanying the Hinox. All of them were armed, but only a few of them brandished their weapons like they expected to use them. The Gerudo who were standing guard, on the other hand, all looked exceedingly nervous, likely terrified to be standing near a monster that could so easily crush them underfoot.

When Harun and the queen approached those standing at the treeline, the Hinox squatted down, which brought its face closer to the guards on the ground. The Gerudo warriors shifted position nervously, forming a defensive line in front of the royals.

"Prince Harun," the Hinox spoke, his booming voice echoing across the Great Plateau. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"You know my name," Harun pointed out, speaking in the Hylian tongue as the monster had. "But I do not seem to know you at all."

"Ah, of course," the giant said, scratching the side of his face with a long finger. "How rude of me. My name is Raeger."

"And how are you aware of me, Raeger?" Harun pushed, wishing to get to the bottom of this quickly.

Raeger blinked his one great eye. "I was told you were in possession of an item I have been searching for."

"An item…?" Harun's eyes opened wide when he realized what the creature must have been referring to. Reaching behind his back, he brandished the mirror shield he'd been holding onto ever since they left the Spirit Temple.

The Hinox smiled. "Ah! So you have it after all."

"Indeed." Harun put the shield on his back again, out of sight. "This shield once belonged to a Gerudo queen. Some Bulblins attempted to steal it from my people."

"Is that so?" The Hinox put his hand to his chin, appearing contemplative. "Hmm. Well, what can I do to convince you to part with it?"

Harun furrowed his brow. His mind had been busy with other things recently, but the mystery of the mirror shield was something that had rattled his curiosity ever since he obtained it. As strange as the situation was, he was beginning to think he might finally get some answers. "And why is it that this shield is so desirable to you, Raeger?"

One of the Moblins in Raeger's party stepped forward and bared his teeth, as if upset by the way Harun was demanding answers from him. However, the one-eyed giant put his hand in the way of his subordinate, preventing him from starting a fight.

"It is not the shield itself that interests me," Raeger replied without acknowledging his aggressive companion. "The shield is merely a key. What I seek is behind the door the keys unlock."

"And I suppose you'll make me ask what that is, too?" Harun asked dryly, mildly annoyed by the Hinox's nonspecific answer.

"The Triforce."

Harun was stunned into silence for a moment, as was everyone else in the Gerudo party.

"The Triforce?" Elder Kobami repeated, sounding amazed and hopeful.

"That's impossible," Queen Urballa asserted, stepping up next to Harun. "No one but the Royal Family of Hyrule knows where the Triforce is, and they've kept it hidden for a hundred years."

"It is not only the Royal Family who knows," Raeger corrected, wagging one giant finger. "There are others in their employ who know, and we have been given its location by a reliable source."

Harun and Urballa shared a look, both of them likely having the same thoughts.

Could this be true? But if it is, why tell us?

"I would like to believe you, Raeger," Harun said, looking up at the giant. "But if you truly know where the Triforce is and you are hoping to obtain it, why would you share this information with us?"

"We have a common enemy, tiny human," Raeger replied. "The Hyruleans hoard their treasure from us both. Perhaps the two of us could join forces. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, after all. This way, we can each get a wish from the Triforce, and we'll both get what we want."

Harun had to admit he was impressed by how straightforward the monster's offer was. He was intrigued, too.

Were I to lay my hands on the Triforce, I would be able to wish myself free of my curse.

"Then what is it you are proposing?" Harun asked, trying not to show that he was already considering the monster's offer. "We give you the shield, and then we wait around hoping you'll come back with the Triforce?"

"If you do not wish to trust us, you need not part with the shield," the Hinox offered. "Allow me to propose this as an alternative: you hold onto the shield, and both of our forces travel to the Triforce's location together. Would that be acceptable?"

With the new proposal given, Harun turned to Urballa. He was unsure if they should request any further information before they left to discuss it amongst themselves. The queen seemed to understand, and gave him a nod.

"We provide the key, you provide the Triforce's location. We work together to obtain it, and we each get a wish. Do I have that correct?" Harun asked for clarification.

"As many of our people as we desire may have a wish," Raeger replied. "But yes, that is the deal I am offering."

"I see. If that is the case, I would require some time to discuss it with my people," Harun said, glancing at Urballa once more just to make sure he was making the right move at the moment.

"I find that acceptable." Putting his hands on his knees, the Hinox pushed himself back up to full height, towering over them at several stories tall. "We shall meet you back here tomorrow morning to hear your answer, then." Raeger then gestured with his gigantic arm, telling his subordinate Blins to come with him back into the forest. Both the Blins and the Gerudo guards lowered their weapons as they departed.

"Now this… this is interesting," Elder Kobami said, smiling wickedly.

"Come with me," Queen Urballa said to her and Harun. "We should return to my tent and discuss this immediately."

"Can it possibly be true?" Harun asked, likely failing to mask his excitement. "Could these monsters truly have discovered the location of the Triforce and the method of obtaining it?"

"We must remain skeptical," Queen Urballa warned him. "When someone offers you something that seems too good to be true, quite often, that's because it is."

"Monsters lie. This is true," Elder Kobami agreed. "However, we must consider the possibility. Think of what we could accomplish with that power. And, even if the Triforce is not what they seek, they are clearly seeking something valuable. Anything protected by a series of secret keys hidden throughout the land is bound to hold great power."

"Still, we must remain wary," Urballa advised. "The Hinox made it clear: they do not need us. They only need the shield. Even if we accept their proposal, there is nothing stopping them from killing us and taking it."

"We are what is stopping that," Harun insisted. "We have fought with more powerful enemies before and lived. I defeated a Molduga. And you fought on equal footing with Crown Princess Zelda."

Urballa regarded him for a moment. "You know, Harun, Ganondorf once sought the Triforce, too," she reminded him. "That was the crime for which the Six Sages attempted to execute him."

Harun immediately felt the presence of the demon king attempting to push its way into his mind, but he closed his eyes and focused, forcing the demon back down into his subconscious for the time being. "I am well aware of that," Harun stated with some venom in his voice. "But I assure you, my intentions are purer than the old king's. I merely wish to break the curse that afflicts me. I have no desire to conquer Hyrule, or any such grand designs."

"I understand," Urballa assured him. "Nevertheless, a wish is not something to be taken lightly. If we are truly to obtain the Triforce, we must very carefully consider what we shall wish for, otherwise we may bring forth unforeseen consequences."

"Which is why we must not allow these monsters to get their hands one it," Elder Kobami added. "They are destructive creatures by nature. Anything they wish for will only bring strife and chaos to our world."

"Then do you suggest we refuse the Hinox's offer?" Harun asked. "How do you intend to find the Triforce's location?"

"I didn't say we should refuse," Kobami corrected. "We can use them to lead us to the Triforce. Then we can dispose of them afterwards."

Harun was shocked, but not surprised. "My queen, I am against this," he told Urballa. "Either we accept the deal in good faith, or we reject it outright. I do not wish to have our word mean nothing, even to monsters."

Urballa was silent for a moment, her hand pressed against her chin and her earrings dangling as she tilted her head to the side now and then. "The possibility that this endeavor may lead us to the Triforce - or to some other prize of great importance - is too great to overlook. Without the knowledge of the Hinox and his allies, we are unlikely to find it on our own. Therefore, we shall agree to forge an alliance with them. However, I want to make one thing perfectly clear. Trusting these creatures is dangerous. We must remain on guard in case they seek to betray us and take Harun's shield for themselves. Whether or not we allow them to make a wish on the Triforce will depend on whether or not they prove themselves worthy along the way."

Harun nodded, relieved. "I agree, Your Grace. That is the wiser and more honorable approach."

Kobami grumbled in defeat, but was nevertheless in agreement. "Very well. We shall depart alongside our new minions just as soon as they help us take the Coliseum."

Harun furrowed his brow. "What?" He looked between Urballa and Kobami, searching for an explanation. "My queen, elder one, with all due respect - why does this Coliseum even matter at this point? With the power of the Triforce, we can wish for our people's safety and freedom for all eternity!"

Elder Kobami cackled. "Let us not be naive, young one," she told him. "We shall still require this strategic position with which we can defend our borders in the time between now and whatever day in the future we may acquire the Triforce."

"And we must still be prepared for the possibility that the Hinox is lying, or that he is operating on incorrect information," Urballa added. "We shall endeavor to achieve the Triforce, surely, but we cannot ignore our other duties in the meantime."

"Fine," Harun said impatiently, a strained expression on his face. "Then I shall depart with the Hinox in the morning and begin the search immediately. You can stay here and continue this campaign."

"No, no." Elder Kobami raised a finger and wagged it disapprovingly. "The monsters are our new ace in the hole, particularly that one-eyed giant. We were struggling to take the Coliseum on our own, but with the might of our army reinforced by the destructive power of these monsters, our victory is all but assured."

"That is insane," Harun complained. "The Hinox would never agree to it. He did not offer to fight our battles for us. And besides, what if he is killed in the battle? Who will show us the way to the Triforce then?"

"He will agree to it," Elder Kobami said confidently. "We still have the key he requires. That gives us leverage. Besides, when one seeks the ultimate treasure, one does not shy away from an obstacle as minor as one tiny battle. He'll be willing to do whatever it takes to obtain his prize at this point. As for the knowledge of the Triforce's location, all we must do is ensure at least one of his subordinates is aware of it, and keep that subordinate safe within our camp until the battle is over."

"Elder Kobami is right," Queen Urballa said. "Using the monsters to help us end the battle quickly is better than allowing it to be drawn out further." She could probably tell by Harun's expression that he wasn't satisfied with that answer. "You are more than welcome to continue to abstain from combat, Prince Harun," she said gently. "You can stand guard for Raeger's subordinate."

Harun let out one more frustrated sigh. "Fine."

At least it will be over soon.

Negotiations with the Hinox went surprisingly well the following day. As Harun had expected, Raeger had initially been resistant to the idea of participating in their battle against the Hyruleans, not believing it to be their fight. However, Kobami had threatened to withhold the mirror shield, and Urballa managed to convince him that working together in all things from here on out would be mutually beneficial.

And so, after Raeger gathered his forces, a horde of several dozen Moblins and Bokoblins were added to the ranks of the Gerudo, and a new plan of attack had been established. Harun, alongside a Moblin and two Bokoblins that were being left behind, watched from a distance as Raeger approached the southern cliff face protecting the Coliseum. From the alarm bells going off atop the Hyrulean battlements, it was clear that the approaching Hinox was seen as a large-scale threat, and the enemy was likely not prepared for it.

"Among my kind, we often prefer to keep things simple," Raeger remarked, speaking aloud to the Gerudo watching him. Bending down, he scooped up a large slab of stone that had fallen from the nearby Great Plateau, lifting it in his long arms. "The Hyruleans have their cannons. But us? We have this." Raeger held the boulder back, winding up for a throw. He let out a mighty roar; one that sounded much more feral than his usual, surprisingly sophisticated speaking voice. His minions joined in with him, and as their battlecry filled the air, Raeger tossed the boulder at the enemy battlements.

The Hylians on the wall screamed. Several of them dove to the sides to try to get out of the way, but many of them were killed when the stone slab crashed into the wall. A few of the enemy's cannons were taken out of commission. The others began firing.

"Stand back," Harun reminded the Blins who were with him. One of the Bokoblins hissed at him, but none of them moved.

Raeger was a large target, but there were a small enough number of cannons firing that he was able to move out of the way of each cannonball in time. Before they could begin firing again, the Hinox grabbed another large boulder and tossed it just as he'd done before. Having gotten a better feel for where he was aiming, this boulder ended up being even more devastating than the last one. It hit the side of one of the battlement's towers, causing it to collapse along with a portion of the wall. Dozens of Hyrulean soldiers could be seen falling over the cliffs.

"Ladders! Forward!" Raeger ordered, reaching out with his hand and pointing towards the enemy battlements. His horde of Blin minions roared once again. Groups of them lifted large ladders over their heads and quickly marched forward.

"Warriors, follow!" Queen Urballa ordered. The Gerudo forces followed behind the monster forces, ready to raid the weakened Hyrulean battlements alongside them.

Raeger chuckled to himself before turning around. With a few giant footsteps, he made his way over to Harun and squatted down. "It seems this will not take long, tiny human," he stated. "Now you hang onto that shield, now. We cannot risk it falling into the hands of the Hylians."

"The shield never leaves my possession," Harun affirmed. "You would do well to remember that. As would your… soldiers," he said, giving a side-eye to the snarling Bokoblin standing next to him.

The Hinox chuckled once more. "A deal is a deal. We are allies now, after all. Let us hope this is the first of many shared victories." Turning his head, he focused his one giant eye on the Moblin standing behind Harun. "Stand by, Odiun. No fighting with the prince."

The Moblin grunted in response, crossing his arms. The snarling Bokoblin didn't seem any happier. It let out a yelping sound that was almost like a bark.

"Same for you." Raeger reached outwards and flicked the Bokoblin with one of his giant fingers. The little monster was sent flying onto its back, screaming in surprise. "Well, I'd better return to the battle," Raeger declared. "Play nice, now." The ground rumbled with each footstep as he walked off in the direction of the cliffs.

By then, the ladders were already in place. The Blins and the Gerudo were scaling the cliffs and taking what was left of the enemy battlements. In no time, they would be climbing down the other side and invading the Coliseum directly.

Urballa was able to stand against Zelda until she was forced to flee last time. Let's hope the Hyrulean princess simply surrenders this time.

Kyra appeared on Harun's right, watching along with him as the Hinox ignored the ladders and climbed the cliff as easily as one would climb a low stone fence. "What a charming fellow," Kyra said, somewhat sardonically. "Shame I won't get to slay him."

The closest Bokoblin hissed at her. The monster likely did not speak Gerudo, so it probably could not understand her, but Kyra seemed to think it could at least sense her intention.

"What?" she asked, taking a step back and holding up her hands disarmingly. "I said I won't get to slay him."

Emri peeked her head out from behind Kyra. "Um, Harun? Are you sure they won't hurt us?"

"We made a deal with their leader," Harun assured her, taking care not to speak Hylian in front of the monsters while they discussed them. "Something I've read several times about monsters is that they follow the strongest among them. As long as we keep to our agreement with the Hinox, his Blin minions will do us no harm."

"I still do not think it is a good idea to send the queen into battle with them." Laine stepped up next to Kyra, her hand gripped tightly around her spear. "The monsters could turn on her during the battle."

"If the monsters were interested in killing us, they would have tried to do so already," Harun pointed out. "I do not trust them either, but that Hinox somehow appears to be intelligent. He would not act so irrationally."

"You know you're talking about monsters, right?" Kyra reminded him.

"Yes. Even still," Harun affirmed. "Regardless, let's just hope this is over soon. The queen thought we could end it after one wave of reinforcements, and she will likely signal for them soon."

While Harun had been hoping Urballa would end up being correct, he was pessimistic enough to expect the battle to last longer than it should have. Perhaps Princess Zelda had some trick up her sleeve that would force a retreat, and they would need to try again the next day. Or perhaps the battle would be a constant back-and-forth struggle with wave after wave of reinforcements being sent in from both sides. So, given Harun's attitude towards the situation, he was very surprised to see Raeger climb back over the other side of the mountain shortly after, raising the Gerudo banner and roaring victoriously. Harun was stunned, but all throughout the camp, the other Gerudo cheered, as did the monsters.

"So soon?" Harun wondered aloud. "Did Princess Zelda surrender?"

"Perhaps we should go and see, my prince," Laine suggested. "The queen will want us to join her in the Coliseum if we have truly claimed it for our own."

Harun hesitated. The Hinox made it seem as though the battle was over, but walking forwards still felt like entering into a warzone.

"Wait!" Emri said. When Harun and the others turned to her, she shrunk back a little. "Um. What if it's a trick?"

"A trick?" Harun turned back towards the Hinox, standing atop the ruins of the Hyrulean battlements, waving their banner. Hundreds more Gerudo were flocking towards the siege ladders, intending to join their sisters on the other side. "I see your point," Harun said. "But unless this monster was secretly conspiring with the Hylians, I can't imagine a scenario where this is an ambush."

"I… I guess so," Emri agreed.

Kyra grabbed Emri by the upper arm. "Relax. It'll be fine. Let's go take part in the victory celebration!" Pulling Emri along, she headed for the cliffs with the others.

Harun turned to Laine, then to the monsters in his company. "The battle appears to be over," he said to the Blins, speaking in Hylian so they might understand him. "Let us rejoin your master."

The Blins variously grunted or growled in return, but complied and moved forward.

Harun gave a nod to Laine, and the two of them followed as well.

The Coliseum had been secured completely. Gerudo guards were posted all over the place. Hylian and Sheikah prisoners were gathered in large numbers down in the fighting pit, kneeling on the ground with their hands shackled or tied with rope. Lines of them were led down into the dungeons beneath the stadium. The bodies of fallen Gerudo, Hyruleans, and monsters were gathered in the fighting pit as well, but there were far fewer bodies than Harun had expected to find. It was as if the Coliseum had been largely abandoned by the Hyruleans, leaving only a skeleton crew behind.

Harun followed Raeger down to the ground floor. The giant monster left crushed walls and seating within the stadium everywhere he stepped. There, they found Queen Urballa and Elder Kobami, overseeing the beginning of their occupation.

"Queen Urballa," Harun spoke as he approached. "What happened?"

"We won. That's what happened," Kobami responded in Urballa's place, cackling wickedly. "It was just as I expected. One look at this monster horde, particularly this one-eyed beast, and they couldn't surrender fast enough."

"That wasn't all," Urballa added, a look of concern on her face.

"What is it, my queen?"

"Princess Zelda is not here," she said.

"What?" Harun glanced around, as if expecting to see her standing somewhere nearby. "She was here earlier, though, was she not? Why would she leave?"

"Perhaps she is using the same strategy she used in Yarna," the queen speculated. "I do not see how that would be the case, however. She let us take Yarna so she could fortify her position here, where they would have better odds. I am unsure if there is any other fortress nearby to which she could retreat."

"Perhaps the princess was more of a coward than we thought," Kobami said. Turning to Raeger, the old woman tilted her head back to look upwards. "Now, giant," she said in Hylian. "Tell us the location of the Triforce."

The Hinox lowered his one eyelid, as if unamused. "No. That was not the deal. We helped you conquer this Coliseum. Now we shall lead the one with the key to our destination."

"Hmm. Very well," Kobami said bitterly. "Then at least tell us what direction we shall be traveling. I would like to make a battle plan for the important Hyrulean bases we must take along the way."

That immediately set off alarm bells in Harun's head. "I beg your pardon, elder one?"

"You heard me," Kobami told him, beginning to sound annoyed. "We cannot very well waltz through enemy territory with our own army plus a horde of monsters. We will face resistance, and we must be prepared to crush it."

Harun could not believe what he was hearing, but he was not surprised, yet again. He should have known she would use absolutely any excuse to push their luck further and conquer more Hyrulean territory. But, while Urballa had always made excuses for her, Harun did not want to accept it anymore.

Do it.

He heard Ganondorf's voice in his head, plain as day. Strangely, Ganondorf had always sided with Kobami, yet now he seemed to be encouraging Harun to go against her. Regardless, Harun had already made his decision, or at least he did not wish to believe Ganon was influencing him. Stepping forward, he drew his trident and pointed it at the witch.

"Harun, what are you doing?" Urballa asked.

"No more," Harun declared. "No more of this. We took this fortress to defend our borders - fine. But we will take nothing else. Nothing but the Triforce. We don't need anything else."

Kobami narrowed her eyes, her elderly visage expressing pure contempt. "Do not point that thing at me, young one."

"Harun, please." Urballa raised a hand to signal him to stop.

"No!" Harun shouted. "You are our queen. Stop letting her think for you!"

"The situation is not ideal, but there is wisdom in her words," Urballa insisted.

She will not listen. Do it.

Harun ignored the queen, remaining focused on Kobami. "Leave. Return to Naboris. Now."

"My place is here," the witch declared. "I will not leave."

Do it.

The voe felt the anger flow through him. That anger turned into electricity. Lightning traveled down his trident and surged forth, striking Kobami. There was screaming as guards shuffled around. Urballa's guards rushed forward to form a line in front of the queen and Kobami, while Harun's guards moved in front of him. Raeger took a step back and knelt down, seemingly watching the show with interest.

"Harun, stand down," the queen demanded.

The prince opened his mouth to respond, but then he noticed something odd. Kobami had faded into a shadowy figure, quickly losing form and dissipating into the air. "Only a phantom…" Harun muttered, realizing she must have been using such a double for the battle earlier. "Where are you, witch?" he asked, his eyes scanning his surroundings.

"Up here."

Harun turned around, finding Kobami to be standing several floors up in the arena's seating area. "Either leave, or come down here and fight me," Harun demanded, pointing his trident up at her. "I challenge you."

"Harun, stop," the queen urged him once again.

"Warriors, stand down," Commander Bularis ordered Harun's guards.

"Never," Laine replied.

"Do not fight them," Harun told his guards. "Not unless you have to. This is between me and Kobami."

"Harun, I'm serious-" Urballa warned.

"No, my queen," Elder Kobami interrupted, speaking loudly as if to make an announcement to all present. "My student simply needs a little discipline. He will learn. Please, allow me."

That condescension was the last straw. Tapping into just the tiniest portion of Ganon's power, Harun jumped off of the ground and summoned the winds, allowing him to rise into the air. As soon as he was level with Kobami, he thrust his trident forward, once again attempting to launch a bolt of lightning at her.

The witch lazily brushed it aside with her hand, causing the bolt to branch off in multiple directions, harmlessly hitting several places within the arena seating. A few nearby bystanders screamed and fled the scene, leaving Kobami alone. "You and I both know you have more power in you than that, young one," the old witch said. "Perhaps it's time you learn to use it." Kobami held up her hand. A ball of violet flame formed in front of it, before quickly shooting off towards Harun.

Thinking quickly, the prince pulled out the mirror shield, blocking the fireball just in time. However, not only did the shield block the fire, it reflected it. The flame was sent back into the stands. Kobami watched as the redirected fireball flew through the air and landed ten yards away from her, again causing more bystanders to flee.

"It will take more than an artifact of your predecessor's," Kobami remarked.

Harun thought for a moment. Kobami was perhaps the strongest sorcerer in all of Gerudo. But, physically, she was merely a frail old lady. So, raising his trident again, Harun forewent another magic attack and instead flew directly at her, letting loose a battle cry.

Once again, Kobami lazily waved her arm. A great, shadowy hand reached out of the floor, catching the prince in its grip. The witch then mimicked the action of tossing something onto the ground, and the shadow hand did the same, throwing Harun straight down into the sandy fighting pit.

"Agh!" Harun cried in pain when he landed.

"Harun!" Emri left the defensive line and ran to his side, kneeling down to help him to his feet.

The prince was too focused on the fight to thank her. He wiped the blood off of the side of his mouth and glared up at the witch.

She is right, you know. You cannot defeat her with that meager sliver of power.

Harun growled, reluctantly agreeing. Emri gasped and stepped back when his eyes flashed red for a second before he took to the air once again. Kobami cackled as he floated in the air across from her, but he did not wish to give her time to speak. Harun raised his arms. The area around the witch darkened as a shadow fell over the stands. Taking a page out of Kobami's book, Harun summoned not one, but six shadowy hands, all of them reaching up out of the ground in a circle around her. Harun brought his hands down together in front of him, and all at once, the shadow hands came down on Kobami.

"Harun, stop!" Queen Urballa yelled, but he ignored her.

Harun continued to hold the spell, hoping to crush the witch beneath the weight of the shadowbound hands, but he could feel her fighting against him. The shadows began to condense, forming a black sphere where Kobami once stood. Then, the sphere burst, spreading out in a line. When the darkness faded, five Kobamis stood in the stands, each of them glaring at Harun.

"Fine," one of the witches spoke.

"I applaud your willingness to go this far," another said.

"But now it is time for you to direct your talents toward our cause."

"Hyrule must fall."

"Surrender now, young one."

Harun looked back and forth between the Kobamis, trying to determine which one was the real one. Her phantoms were perfectly made. There were no obvious defects to give them away.

Just strike them all.

Harun raised his arms, conjuring a ball of violet flame. "Hrah!" he grunted as he launched it, spreading the flame to cover a wide area. It would have worked, but Kobami and her copies quickly rose into the air, dodging out of the way just before the ground they'd been standing on burst into flames. The witches did not laugh as they flew over to Harun. All five of them glared at him with a cold fury.

"Cease this childish tantrum at once, young one," Kobami demanded.

"You are meant for a higher purpose."

"I do not wish to harm the Great Ganondorf's successor."

Kobami and her phantoms circled around Harun. He held up his trident and the mirror shield, unsure which one to look at. "You have been a traitor from the start, elder one," Harun declared. "You care more about destroying Hyrule than saving Gerudo. You have been steering our people down a dark path since before I was born. And I know it was you who had Sabah killed!"

The look on Kobami's face was one of genuine surprise and disgust. Whether it was because she wasn't aware anyone suspected her or because she was innocent, Harun could not tell. However, there was something even more subtle and more important about her reaction. Harun noticed one of the Kobamis reacted just the tiniest bit before the others, as if she had reacted too quickly to allow her phantoms to mimic her properly. At that moment, Harun knew which was the real one.

"That is outrageous!" The five Kobamis declared all at once.

Harun did not wish to give her time to recover from her shock. While she was still off her guard, Harun flew forward, stabbing his trident straight through the old woman's stomach. She screamed in pain, and hundreds of onlookers gasped and screamed. Kobami's phantoms evaporated, and she fell to the ground, landing in a heap in front of Raeger, who still watched with great interest.

Kobami was unable to pull herself to her feet. As Harun landed beside her, she attempted to crawl away towards the giant. "Help me!" she cried desperately. "We had a deal, Hinox. Protect me!"

Raeger tilted his head curiously, his one eye glancing between Kobami and the approaching Harun. "Hmm. You know, among monsterkind, there is a simple, but common saying. 'Follow the strongest side.'"

Kobami stared up at the Hinox with rage and horror. Harun did not give her time to beg any further. Planting his foot beside her, he stabbed downwards with his trident once again, finally finishing her.

"Harun!" Queen Urballa pushed her way through the crowd. Everyone else moved back, giving her and Harun space. "That was completely out of line. You have committed murder in my presence."

"It needed to be done," Harun insisted, hearing Ganondorf's voice speaking in tandem with his own. He closed his eyes and exhaled, attempting to sever his ties to the power inside him for the moment.

The queen shook her head. "No. This is unacceptable. I cannot have a protégé who kills my other majordomos. I must-"

"If you wish to put me on trial, you may do so after I have obtained the Triforce for you," Harun declared. "If you do not wish to have me in your presence, fine. I shall take my guard and go with the monsters. You may stay here and bury the witch. Keep watch over our borders, or whatever it was Kobami convinced you this Coliseum was good for."

The queen and the prince locked eyes for a moment. Harun waited to hear her object, but she did not. The anger in her eyes remained, but a sadness filled them soon after.

Harun turned to Laine and the rest of his guard. "Gather my warriors and some supplies for our journey," he commanded.

"Yes, my prince."

He turned to Raeger next. "Gather your forces as well, Hinox. We are leaving."