...Zelda’s P.O.V... Purah frantically tapped on her modified tablet, her fingers a blur over the glowing screen. "Wait... got it! The dummy thieves left the tracking beacons active on the transmitters. The signal is pinging from the ruins of the Geronte Secret Base [sic] near the edge of the canyon!" She looked up, a triumphant smirk on her face. "Go get 'em, Link!"But as Link, Sidon, Riju, Tulin, and Yunobo gathered closer to look at the map, a cold feeling hit me. The Yiga Clan had executed a flawless heist. Why would they leave the tracking beacons on by mistake?"Link, wait," I whispered, reaching out to grab his sleeve. "It’s another trap."Link looked at the screen, then at me. His blue eyes filled with absolute determination. Trap or not, we couldn't let them keep Purah's blueprints. With a resolute nod, he pulled out the Purah Pad, grouped the Sages together, and teleported the entire strike team directly to the canyon ridge.Link’s P.O.V.The blue light faded, depositing us right outside the dark, yawning cavern of the canyon ruins. The tracking signal was pinging loudly from deep inside.We drew our weapons, moving inward in a tight defensive formation. But the moment we stepped into the central chamber, the massive iron doors slammed shut behind us with a deafening BOOM.Suddenly, the pitch-black cavern illuminated with hundreds of glowing red paper lanterns."GLORY TO MASTER KOHGA!" a deafening roar echoed through the cavern.My breath caught. It wasn't an ambush of a few dozen soldiers—it was the entire Yiga Clan army. Hundreds upon hundreds of Footsoldiers lined the upper ledges, their bows drawn and aimed directly at us. Dozens of towering Blademasters stood at the front, swords raised. Behind them were rows of custom Earth-shaking vehicles and flying Yiga gliders, all rigged with Purah’s stolen technology. We were completely surrounded, outnumbered fifty to one. ...Sidon’s P.O.V... "Stand your ground!" I yelled, raising my tridents as a massive wave of water swirled around me. Beside me, Riju readied her thunderous lightning, and Yunobo spun into a protective boulder form.But before we could strike, the Yiga Blademasters stepped back. A massive metallic cage made of ancient, reinforced Zonaite technology dropped from the ceiling, slamming into the ground and completely boxing us in."Don't even try it, heroes!" the lead Blademaster laughed, his voice echoing off the walls. "Fire an arrow, and our archers rain down thousands of explosive devices. Use your powers, and this cage will drain your elements instantly. You are beaten."I looked at Riju, then down at Tulin, who was trembling slightly. If we fought, the crossfire would destroy everything, and we wouldn't survive the sheer volume of attacks. There was no way out without a drop of blood being spilled.Link looked around the cage, his face grim. Slowly, deliberately, he sheathed the Master Sword. He turned to us and gave a quiet, heavy nod. It was the hardest decision he had ever made.We had no choice. We lowered our weapons and surrendered. ...Riju’s P.O.V... The Yiga Footsoldiers swarmed forward, cheering in victory as they securely locked our cage with heavy ancient chains. They didn't hurt us, but they immediately reached through the bars and snatched the Purah Pad from Link's belt, along with his pouch containing the fully empowered Secret Stone."The boss is going to be so pleased," one of the Footsoldiers giggled, holding up the glowing stone.As they began to wheel our cage deeper into the dark, hidden depths of the base, I looked at Link. We were captured, disarmed, and trapped in the heart of the enemy's territory. The Yiga Clan had won this round, and Hyrule was in grave danger.
...Zelda’s P.O.V... The combined armies of Hyrule stood at the base of the canyon, a sea of gleaming armor and absolute determination. Buliara stood at the very front beside a massive, customized Gerudo battering ram powered by one of Purah's Zonai rocket engines."On my mark!" Buliara roared, her muscles tensing as she gripped her claymore. "For Chief Riju and Prince Sidon! CHARGE!"With a deafening battle cry, the Gerudo forces ignited the rocket. The battering ram surged forward with terrifying speed, slamming directly into the massive iron doors of the Geron-te Secret Base.BOOM!The heavy doors didn't just open—they tore completely off their ancient hinges, flying inward and crashing onto the cavern floor in a spectacular explosion of dust and debris. ...Paya’s P.O.V... "Go! Go! Go!" I shouted, leading the charge right alongside the Zora Vanguard.The Yiga Clan inside didn't even have time to laugh. Hundreds of Footsoldiers scrambled in absolute panic as a tidal wave of fierce Gerudo warriors and heavily armored Zora knights poured through the smashed entrance."Intruders! Protect the cache!" a Yiga Blademaster yelled, trying to rally his troops.But it was completely useless. The Zora knights moved like liquid lightning, using the flat of their spears to sweep dozens of Footsoldiers off their feet at once. Buliara was a force of nature, swinging her massive claymore to disarm three Blademasters in a single fluid motion, sending their weapons clattering across the stone floor. I darted through the chaos, using fast Sheikah smoke bombs to disorient the Yiga archers on the upper ledges, rendering their explosive bows completely useless. ...Link’s P.O.V... Deep inside the central chamber, the ground shook violently from the impact at the front gates. The Yiga guards guarding our reinforced Zonaite cage turned around in absolute horror as the sounds of battle echoed closer."What is that?! A dragon?!" one of the guards shrieked.Through the dust of the hallway, I saw Zelda leading the charge, holding my fully powered Secret Stone high. Its brilliant light pierced the darkness of the cavern, blinding the remaining guards. Sidon let out a triumphant roar. "Our friends have arrived! Sages, bend the bars!"With the Yiga completely distracted and overwhelmed by the massive army smashing through their base, Yunobo curled into a boulder and smashed into the cage's locking mechanism. The ancient chains shattered. I kicked the heavy cage doors open, stepping out into the light just as Zelda reached us. She tossed my Secret Stone back to me, and the moment it hit my hand, my strength returned tenfold. The Yiga army was completely routed, running for the hills in a frenzy of red smoke. We were free.
