Maria and Zelda decide to not change into their Gerudo outfits until they get closer to their destination. This being because, according to their map, they will need to travel for a whole two days until they arrive. The plan for the first day is to make it to Lake Kolomo, which is just north of the Great Plateau. It takes a few hours, but Maria and Zelda finally cross most of Central Hyrule and are nearing the lake.

"The Gatepost Town is on the other side of the lake. Do you want to stop there and visit the people, stay at an inn?" Maria suggests.

"That sounds lovely!" Zelda responds with a nod. "It's very rare that the people of smaller villages get a visit from their royalty. It would be a special occasion for them."

"I didn't even think about that. What a surprise this will be."

And a surprise it is, indeed. Maria has only seen what the Gatepost Town looks like as ruins, as it was completely demolished after the Calamity. Over the dirt path they are walking on, there is an arched sign that reads the name of the town in Hylian. Maria takes out her notebook and quickly writes down the symbols, translating the letters. One of the things she wants to learn is how to read and write in Hylian, since it seems like they will be staying here for the time being. Ever since the fight to get into Kakariko, she kept a notebook and has been practicing writing Hylian letters.

The vibe of the town reminds her a lot of Hateno Village. There are a few houses sprinkled about, the dirt path turns to stone after a while, everyone here seems to have a garden, kids are running around and chasing animals. The only difference is, this place is way smaller in comparison.

The road leads to the entrance to the Great Plateau. Giant, metal doors seal the gateway shut and two guards stand by with spears to guard it. "Are those doors forbidden?" Maria inquires.

"The Great Plateau is a sacred place for Hyrule. In legends, it was said to be the foundation of this land. People are allowed up there, but it can be very dangerous for children. The guard is there for more traditional reasons, and if someone has a legitimate reason to travel there, they may do so," the princess explains. "There are many reasons to go. The ancient temple is there, so a lot of pilgrimages take place. The grounds are very ripe with rich soil, so the gardeners will live there when in season."

She finds this information about the plateau so interesting. Maria always thought of that area as the safest place in all of Hyrule when playing through Breath of the Wild, and this statement holds true with what the princess is saying. It sounds like a very sacred and peaceful area for the Hylians.

As expected, when they walk deeper into the town, a lot of the people stop what they're doing and stare at them, mainly Zelda. Most people take off their straw hats out of respect, their eyes still widened at seeing their princess in person. Most of the children and young adults whisper to each other in excitement. Zelda blushes. She's used to the attention, but not this kind. Everyone seems very happy and eager to see her.

"Well, if it isn't her royal highness!" A tall, stocky man waves at the women after lifting his face plate. "Welcome to The Gates!"

Maria follows Zelda over to him. He is very muscular to the point where Maria has no idea how his sleeves don't rip. His dark beard is long and braided along with the sides of his head. Despite his intense stature, his eyes are very kind and welcoming. He is working inside an open faced forge. The man puts his mallet down as they approach him, the temperature instantly rising. Maria looks around his workbench, seeing all sorts of weapons, armor, and shields.

"Ralon!" the princess says with a smile. "I didn't know you set up shop here."

"Only the best forge in all of Hyrule," he jokes. "Have a seat, please. Tell me, what brings you to The Gates? And, who is this lovely girl?"

"Ralon, this is Maria." She gives a quick summary of Maria's story, which the blacksmith finds fascinating. "We are heading to Gerudo Town to see Urbosa. We really need her help."

"Yeah, it sounds like it," Ralon says, scratching the back of his neck. Maria can tell he's stressed out upon hearing the story. "The lands have flooded with rumors about outsiders who helped defeat monsters in a battle that happened at the castle."

"Word travels fast," Maria comments.

He nods. "The people here have been worried about the state of the kingdom, only hearing passed down stories of what happened. Even without seeing it, you can feel the tension in the air has changed. Something shifted when those monsters attacked. And, now, you're heading to recruit Urbosa. I can only imagine why."

Zelda turns to Maria. "Ralon is possibly the most skilled blacksmith I know. He makes weapons and armor for every race in Hyrule, so he knows the Gerudo quite well."

"I was actually going to hand-deliver these to the chief sometime this week. Is there any chance you could deliver them for me?"

Ralon hands them a very special sword. Maria grasps the handle of it, standing up to extend the blade out of its holster. "Woah, you made this?"

"Hah! I wish, lass. I sharpened it and fixed it up for her. Urbosa had a mighty fight with a molduga recently, and asked if I would patch up her Sword of the Seven."

"I see! Of course we can deliver it for you," Maria responds kindly.

"Many thanks! I'd hate to leave this town in these times. I think it would be best if I stayed, kept watch over these people."

"I would second that idea," Zelda responds.

"Oh, and if there's anything I can make for you that will make your travels easier, please let me know! It sounds like you'll be all over Hyrule, so if you find any materials you can bring them to me and I will upgrade your equipment. Matter of fact, let me see what weapons you currently have on you!"

Maria hands him her daggers, and he inspects them. "They were given to me by Impa," Maria explains.

"Yes, the royal advisor. I have some new daggers I can give to you in the morning, I just need to attach the handles. You are staying the night, correct?"

"We are," Zelda confirms.

"Perfect! Stop by in the morning, and I'll have something for you."

Upon leaving the forge, the sun starts to set and Maria realizes how heavy her eyes have become. Zelda finds the inn and pays for the two of them. The innkeeper was perplexed and insisted that they could stay for free, but Zelda handed her the money anyway. After completing a small night routine, the two women tuck themselves in and instantly fall asleep. Right before closing her eyes, Maria begins to wonder how her siblings are faring on their separate journeys.

The beds proved to be quite comfortable because when Maria wakes up, she has no pain in her neck or back. She stretches and stumbles to the separate room where she can put on her Gerudo outfit. She chose hers to be white, while Zelda's is black. She puts her blonde hair up into a high braid that she fastens with a thick band.

"You look adorable!" Zelda says once she enters the bedroom once more.

"So do you! Oh, here, let me help you with your hair." Maria zips her old clothes into her bag and helps Zelda put her hair up into a ponytail with her signature braids arching across the top of her head. "What is that? Like a pudding?"

"The innkeeper went to get us food! Yes, it's like a breakfast pudding."

The two eat breakfast together before heading out to see Ralon the blacksmith. Zelda bashfully greets even more of the townsfolk, and Maria helps her by waving and greeting with occasional "hellos."

"Morning lassies!" Ralon greets with the biggest smile. He wipes his forehead, staining it with grease. "Just in time! They should be cooled by now."

"Do you ever sleep?" Zelda asks with a chuckle.

"Only when the forge dies to a sizzle," he responds while grabbing two daggers. His hands are so massive that they almost cover the whole blade.

Maria takes the tip of the handle and observes her new weapons. The handle is golden with a circular stopper. The bolster is also rounded, the blade curved in a Gerudo style. She traces her fingers around the amazing design of the sheath. The background is black, the main color of the swirls is gold, and there is a metallic Majora's Mask symbol on both of them, painted orange.

"Don't think I didn't notice that symbol on your tunic yesterday," Ralon points out. "Figured it meant something special."

"I... have no words," Maria says, still in shock. "Thank you!" She finally takes the blades out of the cases and sees how the golden blades shine in the sunlight.

"There's no need for thanks here. I'm just trying to do what I can to help in the coming battles. If any of your friends need anything, send them my way. I have ideas for each of them."

"We won't hesitate!" Zelda promises and sneakily leaves Ralon a bag of rupees. They leave before he can find it and give it back. Once more, they are on their way - this time to Gerudo Town.

It takes a few hours, but they get quite far. They pass the stable in the canyon and finally make it into desert territory. The wind picks up once they pass the oasis, the town just in sight.

"We're nearly there!" Zelda exclaims happily. She turns her head to look at Maria, but right when she does, a trident flies between her heads. If she didn't move, it would have impaled her instantly.

The trident stabs into the ground in front of them, and Maria turns, shoving the princess behind her. Fingers trembling from the surprise attack, she does her best to grip her new weapons and hold them in front of her, ready for anything.

"Curses," a low voice mutters. Just from the tone, she can tell this person is very pissed off. Maria's ears perk when she hears a rustling behind her, and she shoves the princess to the ground as the trident flies past them and into the hands of its owner.

The only reason why he can be seen through the blowing sandstorm is because of the dark shade of purple he's wearing. His pale face shows an amused smirk. Although his eyes can't be seen behind his hood, she can tell he's staring at them menacingly.

"I never thought you would have left the safety of your palace, princess," the man says. "But, I'll take the honor in slaughtering both of you!"

Before Maria can even get a word in, he runs at her and she is forced to take a defensive stance. She tilts the blades of his weapon away, forcing them upward. The man growls in annoyance, sliding his knee up to kick her in the ribs. Maria flies backward and skids across the ground before somehow performing a backward somersault and regaining her stance. Salty sweat soaks into her mouth along with the taste of metal, which makes her realize she bit her tongue and blood is now dripping from the side of her mouth. With sandy palms she grips her daggers and decides it's about time she takes the offensive.

She rushes at him, but ducks under his arm instead of attacking, making the man confused. She takes this moment to slice his leg and grab the hem of his cloak, pulling him to the ground. He yells in rage and holds his hand out, beckoning his trident to come back to him. However, he dodges his own weapon and it flies past him, aiming toward the woman instead. Maria's eyes widen, and she leans to the side at the last second. The side of her face barely gets nicked by the blade. When she focuses back on the man, she finds him making a dash for Zelda, so she does the only thing she can think of. She throws one of her knives at his back.

The man gasps in pain and reaches behind him slowly to grab the dagger's handle. Maria thinks she has him beat, for there is no way the man can continue fighting with a knife in the middle of his back. But, her fingers go numb when she blinks, and her moment of relief turns to despair. Her knife is no longer in his back, but the princess's side.

"NO!" Maria screams and lunges at the man, but he smirks knowing his work is done here. A bright, silver light engulfs him, and with the swish of his cloak, he vanishes before Maria can attack him again. She looks around, making sure he's gone, before kneeling beside the princess. "Zelda!"

"Hnn... M-Maria..." the princess mutters, removing her hands from her wound. The two look at it, a pool of blood forming fast.

The hero in white looks for any potions on her belt, but finds they have all been shattered in the fight with the man. "He... he planned this. I need to get you into town."

"Maria..."

"Once we find Urbosa, everything will be okay." She rips the bottom of her pants to make a bandage. It doesn't do much.

"Maria..."

"Come on. I'll carry you!"

"Maria..."

"What?"

"Look out for Link for me."

"W-what? What are you saying? Come on, Zelda." Maria scoops her hands under the princess's neck and knees, but finds the girl isn't moving anymore. "No... ZELDA!" Instantly, she checks for a pulse and after not finding one, she kneels over her and starts CPR.

"Princess, please," she says breathlessly. A few minutes pass, and it dawns on Maria that CPR isn't going to bring her back. The wound in her side is too deep, and she lost way too much blood. Zelda is gone.

The hero takes a few steps away from the princess's body and sits in the sand, staring at the horizon. The wind has died down, and she can see the midday sun shining in the haze. "What am I supposed to do?"

A faint whistling sound can be heard, which snaps Maria out of her sorrows. She looks around, trying to find what's making that annoying sound, when she finds it's coming from her belt. The blue ocarina sounds beautiful even with the winds of the desert flowing through it. Suddenly, she gets a flashback of a young Zelda, the princess's words echoing in her mind.

"The goddess of time is with you. If you play the Song of Time, she will aid you."

Knowing exactly what to do, Maria stands and puts the ocarina to her lips. The world seems to quiet around her as she plays: A D F A D F

You played the Song of Time!

Maria feels a refreshing breath leave her body, and the next time she opens her eyes, she's back in Kakariko Village. The morning before they were supposed to all go their separate ways and recruit the champions. All six heroes, Link, Zelda, Impa, and Purah are in a room, discussing who is going where. Maria stands, looks at the princess, then at her ocarina.

"Maria, what's wrong?" Gavin asks, seeing tears streaming down his sister's face.

She doesn't respond to his question, but instead says to herself quietly, "Let's try this again."

***

Princess Zelda and Maria pass the oasis and arrive at the desert, exactly on their scheduled time. The hero in white hasn't said much, which makes Zelda a little worried. This entire trip, she has tried to give her space, but there is something clearly eating away at her.

Finally, she gets the courage to muster a deep breath and asks, "What's on your mind?"

"It's not something I really want to talk about," she admits.

"Did I... do something? Ever since we started this mission, you've been acting strange."

"It's not something you did. It's what I failed to do."

Zelda blinks a few times, daring to ask, "What did you-"

"Look out!" She cuts her off by pushing her to the side and then leaning back just before a golden trident can pierce the air between their heads. Maria quickly puts herself between the princess and their attacker, unsheathing her daggers. The man stands there, the exact one who she saw killed Zelda. "Not this time," Maria says.

The man smirks. "This time..."

He reaches out his hand, the trident flying back at him, but Maria sees it coming and grabs the handle. She holds onto the trident as it brings her closer, her dagger pointed at his chest. He waits until she is in reach before lifting his leg and bringing her down. He swoops his trident up and stabs her, but she knocks the attack away. Instead, the weapon gets lodged in the sand. Quickly, she gets to her feet and the two exchange round after round of stabs and dodges. Maria tries to get close and aims for his exposed, flowing fabric, but he keeps her at a distance thanks to his spear-like weapon. Finally, he swipes at her wrists and knocks her weapons away, but instead of finishing the fight, he runs past her and after the princess.

"GET BACK HERE!" she yells, searching the sand for one of her daggers. With shaky but determined hands, she finds one and jumps, stabbing the end of the man's cloak into the ground. Thinking fast, she throws her dagger, this time piercing his hand and making him drop his weapon.

AGH!" he yells in pain as Maria kicks him onto his back. She kneels down to try and get a look at his face, but he tilts his head out of her grip. "Fool," he growls, and presses his hand against her back.

Maria gasps, her eyes widening. She can feel the end of her dagger pass right by her spine. The man stands up, ripping the weapon out of her back and his hand, then looks toward the princess. Maria rolls onto her stomach and reaches toward Zelda weakly. "N-no..."

"HALT!" The man pauses when a woman with long, red hair, holding a golden spear jumps between him and his prey. "None shall harm the princess!"

Suddenly, the three of them are surrounded by more women carrying weapons. The man grits his teeth. "Fine, but don't think this is the end." In a similar way he vanished before, Maria watches as he disappears once more.

Blood leaks from her back as she tries to stand, but one of the Gerudo women kneels down and catches her. "Hold on, take it easy. Drink this." She is handed a red potion, which she gladly accepts.

"What are you doing?" Maria asks without any more context. From what she remembers, the Gerudo are taking orders from someone pretending to be their chief. In the game, they attack Link and Zelda when they arrive. So, why are they helping?

"I was patrolling with my sisters when I saw the princess being attacked. Come, we will escort you into town."

She is still on high alert, but Maria is just grateful that they got past the desert fight. She doesn't let Zelda out of her sight as they reach Gerudo Town, and she was right for doing so. The place is eerily quiet.

"Where is everyone?" Zelda asks before she can.

"Staying indoors. Ever since Urbosa returned from her fight with the molduga, she's been acting... interesting."

"Three guesses as to why," Maria says, rolling her eyes. Now she knows what's going on. "Come with me, I bet I can solve this mystery in two seconds."

Maria leads everyone up the stairs and into the house of the chief. As they enter the main doorway into the throne room, they see what seems to be Urbosa lounging in her seat, eating grapes and hydromelon smoothies. Her feet are being massaged and someone is fanning her with a big leaf.

"Yes, this is exactly what I needed," she says with a sigh. She doesn't even notice someone has entered her domain until Zelda speaks up.

"Uh... Urbosa? I didn't know you liked being so... pampered."

"Gah!" the chief gasps, and comedically falls off her throne. She quickly straightens out her crown and points at the two non-Gerudos. "How did they get inside? Guards, what are you doing? I told you this place was on lockdown!"

"Yeah, no offense, but unless you've spiraled, this is not how Urbosa would treat the princess," one of the guards who saved them says.

"If Zelda herself thinks something is off, then there's no question about it," another guard says.

"That's because," Maria dramatically points to the fake chief, "that is not Urbosa! It's-"

"KA-BOW!" Urbosa jumps to her feet and presses her fist into her hand. Smoke engulfs her and when it clears, the disguise falls. "The supreme leader of the Yiga Clan, Master Kohga!"

Zelda pushes herself to the front of the group. "Where is she?!"

"Unfortunately, the Gerudo chieftess had planned on never returning from her quest to slay the molduga we sent at her."

"We?"

All of the women who were massaging Kohga and feeding him suddenly transform into more Yiga soldiers. "Ah-ha! Yes, now, men! Kill the Princess of Hyrule, and the squabble she brought with her! Yiga, attack! Me, excluded of course."

With that said, he vanishes and the assassins run at them. The Gerudo women who led them inside block any attacks thrown at Zelda and face the Yiga head-on. Maria grabs her wrist and starts backing them out of the throne room. "Come on, we have to find Kohga and end this."

"But, what about-"

"I have a feeling we'll find Urbosa along the way."

Maria twists her daggers in her hands when she hears the sound of a bowstring being tugged back. Her eyes look to the side just in time to see two arrows flying toward her face. Without moving the direction of her body, she blocks them and then turns to face her opponent. Quickly, she throws her dagger at the Yiga archer and runs toward the shop to snag a potion. Without having the chance to think of which one to take, her eyes land on the blue hasty potion. Downing it in one big gulp, she feels her limbs start to vibrate. Like she just entered a massive sugar rush. Maria smiles and says, "Zelda, get inside. I can handle this."

The princess nods, running into the shopkeeper's house (not thinking she would mind, given the circumstances). She watches with worry from the window.

Her smirk unwavering, Maria twirls her other dagger as she looks around the massive wall surrounding the town. She counts at least twenty Yiga assassins peeking their heads over to see her, most of them with bows. "Well, what are you waiting for?" she asks. "Try me."

"Shoot at the hot blonde lady!" one of them yells, stunning her. Another assassin from the opposite side of the wall does what he says and shoots from his duplex bow.

Maria quickly knocks the arrows away as she did before, then turns to block more. Thanks to the hasty potion, her reflexes are unparalleled. In just a few swipes, she is able to hone in and knock away five arrows with one swipe. Once she has a decent pile of arrows at her feet, she decides she's had enough of this stalemate. The Yiga start to reload, so she jumps and runs up the shortest side of the wall. She rolls by the Yiga she attacked earlier and snags her second dagger back, sliding on her knees and slicing two others across the abdomen. Maria barely breaks a sweat no matter how many Yiga are thrown at her. It's not until the ground rumbles nearby when the fighting dwindles down and everyone stops to see what is happening. Even the hiding Gerudo and Zelda step outside to see what's going on.

"Oh, no," Maria gasps. "What have we done? The sound of the fighting has drawn a molduga here!"

"That's not just ANY molduga!" One of the Yiga says, hiding behind her in fear. "It's the one we sent after Urbosa! It's king molduga!"

"Ugh," Maria slaps her face and turns to face the cowardly assassins, but all of them are already running far away from the town. "Idiots," she mutters to herself. Sighing, she turns back to the molduga. "It's been a long three days."

She jumps down from outside of town and gets into an offensive stance. She kneels on one leg, her hands extended out to her sides with her daggers grazing the sand. A few seconds pass by with her staring at the charging sand monster before she exhales and runs straight for it.

A lot of Gerudo children, their mothers, and Zelda peek over the wall. One little girl cheers, "Yeah, go beat up that sand worm!"

Zelda screeches, "Maria, wait! Oh, no. She needs help!"

The blonde hero doesn't hear the plea of the princess, but instead rushes right for the molduga. Sadly, she has no way of steering it off in another direction. She remembers that these monsters are sensitive to sound, but she has no way of creating a blast big enough to distract it. Instead, she'll have to rely on instinct.

Her heart flutters in fear when she gets closer to it. This molduga is unlike anything she's ever seen. It's massive, probably about half the size of Gerudo Town. It looks like the top part of it is covered in an armored shell with a giant fin protruding from its spine. The tail has a fin as well, and it has four little legs that barely hit the sand. Instead, it uses its stomach and back fin to travel.

As it approaches, Maria rolls to the right of it and rakes her knives across its flesh. The molduga lets out a deep bellow and sinks head-first into the sand. Her confidence leaves instantly when she looks around and finds no rock to stand on. Luckily, the hasty potion gives her enough speed to dodge the monster as it emerges, trying to eat her. Maria runs up to it and tries attacking its stomach before it lands, but that seems to have no effect. How is she supposed to take down this massive beast?

"Maria!" The voice makes her eyes widen, and she turns to see Zelda running up to her. "I've come to help!"

"No, get out of here! Stay away from this thing!"

Because she is distracted, Maria doesn't notice the molduga swim toward her with its jaw wide open. "Watch out!" Zelda yells, throwing herself at her. Maria is tackled by the princess just in time. As it burrows under the sand, she lets out a sigh of relief. "Don't worry, I've studied moldugas extensively in the library. I bet together we can defeat it!"

"No, I need you away from this fight. Please, go back into town!"

"What, but, Maria-"

"Listen, I can't explain it, but I can't fail. Not again..."

"What are you talking about?" Zelda is starting to get worried, she can tell. The princess puts a hand on her shoulder, her eyes pleading for an explanation. "You haven't been acting like yourself. What happened?"

Maria looks at her, but it only lasts for a moment. She is forced to avert her gaze after the image of Zelda's lifeless eyes form back into her head. Thankfully, she doesn't have to respond because the ground rumbles beneath them. She grabs the princess and jumps out of the way just in time to dodge the molduga. The monster swims out of the ground, its mouth wide open, but only swallows a bunch of sand. When it lands, it looks right at them. Maria, not knowing what else to do, stands in front of Zelda with her weapons drawn. The Molduga sprints at her, but a snap and a bolt of lightning stuns it before it can get too close.

Zelda covers her shocked expression with her hands, and the two women look toward the cliffside to see a figure standing there. She is tall, tan, muscular, and wearing expensive-looking Gerudo armor. Her red hair is loosely tied back, and the only thing she wields is a circular shield.

"Is that...?"

"Urbosa!" Zelda finishes her question.

The Gerudo chieftess flips and uses her shield to surf down the cliff. As she does so, she raises her free hand and bright light shines from her fingertips. Her fingers snap, and a spark is formed that turns into lightning around her.

"I hope you're not hurt, little bird," Urbosa says the moment she reaches them.

"I'm not!" Zelda reassures with a smile. "Maria, this is Urbosa, the chief of the Gerudo!"

"It's a pleasure," she says with a nod. "Oh, we were instructed to give this to you."

Urbosa's face lights up. "Ah, my sword! I see you've visited Ralon."

"Yes, and oh! Getting here was just awful! The Yiga Clan, your throne room!" Zelda says.

"I knew something was off the moment I left, but I couldn't do anything about it until I took care of this monster. I didn't realize it was the king of the moldugas until I was already in battle with the beast. But, now that you're here," her gaze turns to Maria, "maybe we can finish this."

"Uh." She is at a loss for words. "I'm not sure if I'm exactly qualified."

"Nonsense! I saw you hold it off for a while on your own. It just looked like you needed a bit of lightning." She ends her statement with a wink.

"Well, in that case, I think I have an idea."

Zelda takes watch on top of the cliff while Urbosa and Maria get into position. They stand at opposite ends of the desert, ready for the molduga to attack. Since she knows the beast is attracted to loud noise, Maria signals the Gerudo to perform a lightning strike right next to where she is standing. A mound forms in the sand and starts moving toward her, but Maria keeps her feet planted until the last second. As she feels the ground under her start to sink, she steps out of the way and watches as the monster leaps. She quickly uses one of her daggers to stab its exposed stomach, and she rides up into the air with it. The molduga yells in pain and lands in the sand. Maria uses gravity to help her flip onto its back, and she holds on for dear life.

The monster starts trying to shake her off, but she rides the sand fish quite well. With the wind blowing across her face, she manages to climb up to its face and stab it in the forehead. "URBOSA, NOW!" she yells, letting go of the monster.

The molduga flings her off its back just as Urbosa snaps, using the dagger to conduct the electricity. Maria watches the light show as she lands back on solid ground, the entire monster being consumed by lightning. Once it dies down, all that's left is guts and teeth.

Maria smiles, shouting in victory. "Yes, let's go! That was amazing!"

"Indeed. What did you say your name was?" Urbosa asks, smiling through the glory. She hands her the dagger she stabbed into the monster.

"Maria, and we sure have a lot to talk about."

"I'll say. It was nice to meet you on the battlefield today. You came just in time."

"Just in time," Maria repeats softly, her fingers grazing against the instrument on her belt. Suddenly, they hear a scream. "Zelda!"

The princess stands on top of the cliff, facing against someone from the Yiga Clan. He has two swords across his back, his mask and hairstyle indicating he might be a member of a higher rank. "Princess!" Urbosa yells.

"The time has come," the Yiga says. He quickly unsheathes his swords in an X shape, and two piercing gusts of wind come flying at her. Not knowing what else to do, she turns to the side and jumps.

Urbosa knows she can't make it in time to catch her, so she leaps and uses her lightning to propel herself upward. This gives her the boost she needs to reach Zelda as she falls and catch her before she can reach the ground. Maria reaches them, and the three look up to see the Yiga glaring. He puts his swords away and without hesitation, runs down the cliff.

The two fighters get ready, but Maira turns around when she feels a gust of wind at her back. Kohga appears and tries to snag Zelda, but she cuts him off.

"When will you realize you've been beaten?" Maria asks coyly.

"Hmph. I am not accustomed to the word beaten. It's not in the Yiga dictionary!"

"Well, perhaps we ought to teach you," Urbosa responds, facing against the Yiga with swords.

"Trust me, you're outmatched," the swordsman says calmly. "Just let us have the princess, and you'll live... for now."

Maria's confidence dwindles as more Yiga members appear. The three of them are completely surrounded, cut off from Gerudo Town, backed against a cliff. Despite that, the grip on her daggers tightens. "No way. You'll have to get through us first."

Urbosa looks at the blonde from the corner of her eye and smiles. She's never seen such dedication to protecting the princess, and this act gives her all the reassurance she needs to trust the stranger. "What she said."

"Fine, have it your way," the swordsman growls. His face is only inches away from Urbosa's as his hands wrap around the handles of his blades. But, before he can attack, the ground rumbles beneath them once more.

"I-I thought you defeated the molduga!" Kohga yells, instantly grabbing onto Maria's arm and hiding behind her.

She quickly flips him over her shoulder and slams him onto the sand, getting him away from Zelda. "We did," she says. "This is different. It's almost... rhythmic."

A mechanical noise sounds from around the cliff, and everyone slowly turns their heads to see the divine beast Vah Naboris walking toward them. After a long pause, the Yiga scream and start running away frantically.

"SOOGA, LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!" Kohga yells, tripping over his own feet. "The divine beast has awoken!"

"Yes, Master Kohga," the tall swordsman responds. He scoops Kohga up in his arms and they disappear.

Finally, Maria feels like it's safe to put her daggers away. "Well, that was convenient."

Urbosa lets out a hearty laughter. "Hardly. I knew I could move that machine with my lightning years ago. I was just using it to scare them off."

"Woah, so you've driven it before?"

"I wouldn't say that, I can just make it walk around," she explains.

"Actually, Urbosa, that's why we're here," Zelda says. "We need you to join us and pilot the divine beast."

"Hmm, no doubt this is about the Calamity."

Maria nods. "Unfortunately."

The Gerudo's gaze turns to her. "You're right, we do have a lot to talk about. Let's head into town, and you can tell me everything."

As everyone starts walking back, a purple figure glares down at them from atop the cliff. He grits his teeth and growls as he turns the other way. Hatred consumes his soul as he thinks about the fight he had with the blonde hero, and how annoying it is that she got in the way.

"Let's go," he says to a shivering Kohga. "We can't waste our time here any longer."

"But, the princess!" Kohga urges. "I thought your plan was to finish the job here and now."

"Not while she has her divine beast. We wouldn't stand a chance. No, it's time we make a new plan." The man walks past Sooga and Kohga, staring at the direction of Hyrule Castle. "Cut them off at the source."