Summary: The Yiga Clan Captain summarizes their plans for conquest. They enlist Palan for the mission to light the second flame.

It was evening in Kakariko Village, and Kalan was having a fish and rice dinner with his wife, Impa.

"How much do you remember about the Yiga Clan from your time there?" said Impa.

"A fair amount, though it was almost twenty years ago now, dear," said Kalan. "Is there something specific you had in mind?"

"I was just wondering what happened to them," said Impa. "We never really discussed that afterward."

"Probably because we both hoped they were gone for good back then," said Kalan. "In any case, I would have said they were on the decline ever since Ganon was defeated. I'm surprised they can still find recruits."

"On the decline in what way?" said Impa. "They were still emboldened enough to attack Hyrule after Ganon's defeat and while you were still spying on them."

"Yes, that's true," said Kalan. "But the special abilities they had, like teleportation, weakened after Ganon's defeat. When I was still working there, we could teleport to some extent, but it was not as powerful. It was as if their teleportation magic was being used up and not replenished after Ganon's defeat. I would guess from what I've seen that the Yiga Clan has completely lost their teleportation ability by now. The Yiga warrior who was supposed to meet Harlon in secret here arrived and departed on foot. In the old days, he would have teleported."

"I see," said Impa. "I suppose that's one thing to be grateful for."

"And, of course, once Ganon was defeated, Blood Moons didn't revive their dead anymore," said Kalan.

"Yes, that was true for monsters as well," said Impa. "I hope we hear something from Palan soon."

"Yes, I worry about him, too," said Kalan. "But he knows how to take care of himself."

Meanwhile, deep below the Thyphlo Ruins, Captain Kaplan was addressing the Yiga Clan soldiers assembled there. Palan stood next to Larson in the audience, one of the people he had met during his time there.

I am happy to report to all of you that we have succeeded with the first step of our plan, though sadly not without loss. Lieutenant Kenyon reports that we have successfully lit the first of the three flames needed to restore our lord, who will lead us to victory. However, our colleague Mendel gave his life to achieve this, and his death should be a warning to us all. Never forget that we have many enemies in Hyrule, both old and new. An old enemy killed Mendel, an ancient Sheikah mechanical warrior we call a Guardian. It seems that some of these devices still remain active, even after being dormant for many years. These Guardians were built to protect one who would oppose our lord and stay motionless until activated. However, once they find a target, they are relentless in pursuit. If you see one, keep your distance from it, as they activate upon sensing changes to their surroundings. Because of what happened, we are increasing our unit size to three for our missions to light the next two flames. Assignments will made soon. I urge all of you to keep your skills in top form. That is all.

The meeting disbanded, and Palan left with the others.

"Guardians, huh?" said Larson. "That sounds pretty scary. I wonder how they can tell enemy from friend?"

"Good question," said Palan. "I mean they didn't attack the Sheikah who put them there, right? But who would think those things could still be active after all this time?"

"No kidding. Do you want to get some lunch?" asked Larson.

"No, thanks, I'm going to follow the captain's advice and get in some archery practice," said Palan.

As he headed to their underground archery range, Palan considered his situation and the choice he would have to make at some point. As a spy, his value was in gaining useful information from the Yiga Clan and then providing that information to the Sheikah. So far, he had been able to do very little of either. As for gaining knowledge, he was not privy to their plans and assumed only the highest levels in the organization would be. So, he needed to remain alert for whatever he could learn through overheard conversations. As for providing information, that was difficult as well, even assuming he had some worth providing. At some point, he might have to decide if what he had already learned by that point was worth escaping and revealing, or it was better to remain as a spy, hoping to learn more.

Meanwhile, after the general meeting with all the soldiers, Captain Kaplan had a private staff meeting with his three lieutenants, Kenyon, Fredon, and Galon.

"Before I go over the plans our leader has given me, I want to go around the table and hear your reports," said Kaplan. "Once again, let me congratulate you, Kenyon, on completing your mission. I read your report and shared it with the rest of the staff. Do you have anything you wish to add?"

"Only to reiterate my sadness at losing Mendel, and the danger that any active Guardians pose," said Kenyon.

"All right, then let's move on," said Kaplan. "Lieutenant Fredon, were you able to double-check on Linpa? So far, he has worked out fine, but we are about to embark on some critical missions, and there is no room for error."

"I journeyed in secret to Kakariko Village, and learned that Linpa was indeed from there, just as he said," said Lieutenant Fredon. "His story checked out."

"Very well, that's good to know," said Kaplan. "Lieutenant Galon, you did some reconnoitering around the South Lomei Labyrinth. What were your findings?"

"Yes, we've done some scouting around the South Lomei Labyrinth area," said Lieutenant Galon. "We needed to travel by night and use concealment cloaks, as the Rito patrol the area and sometimes even the Gerudo. We also relied upon the wind to blow the snow and cover our tracks. We couldn't light a fire, of course, so you need to bring plenty of Spicy Elixirs if you travel over the mountain. We observed a number of Guardians on the slopes south of Deval Peak. I don't know if any of them are active, but it indicates this must have been an area the ancient Sheikah wished to protect."

"Yes, no doubt," said Kaplan. "Our leader says there is a hidden cave near some Luminous Stones that tunnels under Mount Granajh and exits near the eastern side of the South Lomei Labyrinth. We hope to use that tunnel to avoid having to go over or around the mountain as well as to keep our distance from any active Guardians that may be lurking there. But we will be prepared for the longer route if we can't locate the tunnel entrance. I can tell you now that the South Lomei Labyrinth is our next objective. Lomei Labyrinth Island will come after that. Once that is done, it will be time to secure Queen Zelda or her older daughter and take care of the Divine Beast pilots."

"Has our leader revealed more details of exactly what we need to do?" said Galon. "When you say, 'secure Zelda', what does that mean? Secure her where and how?"

"Good question, and I am about to go over all that, Galon, since it will help our thinking about what needs to be done. Secure Zelda means to bring her here, to the Thyphlo Ruins," said Kaplan. "It is here that the ritual will be performed. This area is steeped in dark magic, and our leader deems it perfect for Ganon's revival."

"Excuse me, but with all due respect, Sir," said Galon. "Kidnapping a member of the Royal Family will be no easy task. They are well guarded, and everyone in Hyrule will be pursuing us."

"That is exactly what we are counting on," said Kaplan. "There will be two parties sent to kidnap the Queen or Princess. One will capture her, and the other act as a decoy. The first group, the real group, will hold her and lie low until the second group lures away those in pursuit. Then, under cloaks of concealment, the first group will make their way back here for the ritual."

"Who will perform the ritual?" said Galon. "I don't mean to sound too inquisitive, but all of us are risking our lives in this venture. The soldiers need to be confident we know what we're doing."

"My understanding is the Poe Collector will perform the ceremony," said Kaplan. "He has apparently learned the necessary spells from the demon imprisoned in the statue by Hateno Village. The demon apparently hopes his assistance will merit Ganon's favor, and Ganon will reward him by removing Hylia's curse."

"And what about the Divine Beast pilots? They, too, are not so easy to reach," said Fredon.

"Once Ganon revives, we should be able to teleport once again," said Kaplan. "With our teleportation ability, we can capture the Divine Beast pilots, or at least prevent them from reaching their Divine Beasts. We can always threaten their families if necessary. All we need do is prevent the pilots from reaching their Divine Beasts until Ganon's revival is complete and he can deal with them. As for the so-called hero, Link, our leader wants to deal with him personally, as well as prevent the sword that seals the darkness from ever touching Ganon."

"And when will Ganon's revival be complete?" said Kenyon.

"Upon the Blood Moon of the night of the ritual," said Kaplan. "Once the Blood Moon occurs that night, the spell will be complete. He will have regained his full power."

"I'm still concerned about North Hyrule," said Fredon. "Do we even know our teleportation will work there?"

"No, we don't, as we have no way of testing it," agreed Kaplan. "But it doesn't have to work there. The other Divine Beast pilot, Faray, regularly visits her sister Tila in Zora's Domain to see her niece. We can time our strike to occur when Faray is in Hyrule and keep both Tila and her sister away from their Divine Beasts."

Kaplan looked around the table, and there seemed to be no more questions.

"Now you know the essence of our plan as communicated to me by our leader," said Kaplan. "Keep it to yourself, of course. And make sure your units are in top shape and ready for action."

Kaplan adjourned the meeting and went back to reading over some reports and deciding on the team for the South Lomei Labyrinth.

The next day Larson approached Palan.

"Lieutenant Galon wants to see us," said Larson. "I think we've been chosen for the next mission."

When they reached Lieutenant Galon, it turned out Larson was correct. The three of them would be making the journey to the South Lomei Labyrinth, leaving the following night. Galon issued each of them concealment cloaks and dismissed them with instructions about what time to meet. And at the appointed time, Palan met his two companions at the hideout exit.

The route was a familiar one to Palan as they kept west of the Regencia River, traveling by concealed horses at night and sleeping during the day. There was little talking, the Lieutenant saying he preferred to keep silent to avoid possible detection. When they finally reached the Taobab Grassland, they rode alongside the eastern foot of Mount Granajh until they came to an area near a pond with several Luminous Stones along the cliffside. Galon checked their surroundings against a note he referred to, then pushed against the cliff wall at a certain spot. A rock slid into the cliff, revealing a passageway.

"Found it! We have to leave the horses now and go on foot, and I need both of you to light torches," said Galon.

Palan and Larson retrieved torches from their horses, lit them with some flint, and then they all entered the tunnel, Galon closing the entrance behind them.

The tunnel was dry and lifeless, and the air stale, which encouraged short breaths and gave them another reason to stay silent. They walked carefully, trying to avoid kicking up dust that would only make breathing more difficult. There were ancient markings on some walls, but no one stopped to examine them. They were all glad at least the ground remained level, and the path was a straight one, apparently cut clear through the mountain. When they finally reached the end of the tunnel, Galon pushed on another part of the wall, opening another entrance. Upon leaving the tunnel, they found themselves at the foot of the eastern wall of the South Lomei Labyrinth.

"That wasn't too bad, I guess," said Galon as he and the others took gulps of fresh air to clear their lungs. "And it saved us a lot of climbing. Now, let's deal with this labyrinth."

They made their way into the labyrinth, and thanks to a map Galon possessed, the route through the maze to the shrine was not a difficult one. Galon kept checking the map after each turn, and they were able to successfully navigate to the ancient shrine at the center of the structure. The three of them stood near the shrine as Galon put down the lantern to consult a note he carried.

"This note indicates how to open the secret passage," said Galon. "Our leader was the only one who had this information. I'll have to climb up onto the wall to reach these column images. Can you give me a hand?"

Galon kept referring to his note as Palan and Larson helped him to reach the images at several places, all the while muttering to himself about which image to press.

"Let's see," said Galon. "The next one is the third block panel on the wall to the right as you face the shrine, and the second column from the left in the panel."

After pressing five different images, the two lower stone panels behind the shrine slid open, revealing a stairway that led down into darkness.

"Whew!" Galon said with relief. "I would have hated to have come all this way and not have that work."

Palan and Larson carried torches, which they again lit with some flint, then the three of them descended the dusty stairs. Palan and Larson took the lead, and Galon followed, carrying the lantern with the blue flame. When they reached the bottom, they lit two unlit lamps that they found at the foot of the stairway.

"This looks very similar to what Kenyon described in his report on the North Lomei Labyrinth," said Galon quietly as they all peered into the darkness of the large room.

The structure with the vessel that needed to be lit was visible in the center of the room, and throughout the room, you could make out the shapes of over a dozen Guardians.

"If any of those things activate, according to Kenyon's report, the most important thing is keeping something between you and them," whispered Galon. "You can't outrun them."

Larson and Palan nodded. Galon looked over the room and selected a route he thought would keep them as far away as possible from any Guardians. After explaining his route, the three of them moved slowly and silently, crouching as they walked. Whenever they neared one of the Guardians, their eyes were glued to it, looking for any sign of activity. But as was the case with Kenyon, the Guardians they passed closest to must have decayed over time and were no longer active.

Galon sighed, taking a deep breath when they finally reached the structure in the center of the room, and he prepared to light the vessel.

"Lighting the vessel is what triggered the two Guardians on Kenyon," whispered Galon. "So, get ready to run if it does the same thing here. Ready?"

Galon moved the lantern to the vessel, and it burst into a bright blue flame. And, as before, the sudden illumination affected some Guardians. Four of them glowed orange, and their turrets spun, searching for a target. However, two of the Guardians had decayed and were no longer mobile. So, they stayed fixed in position where they were, though they began targeting the intruders. Two others, however, were Guardian Stalkers, and they began pursuing them.

The three of them needed no encouragement to run, glancing over their shoulders to see where the Guardians were approaching from and how to put a stone column or dormant Guardian between them. A blast from one of the Guardians just missed Larson as he jumped for cover, and another missed Galon when he fortuitously stumbled as the Guardian fired. The three of them were finally able to crouch behind a large column near a decayed Guardian, which offered them cover in several directions. The two immobile Guardians lost interest and shut themselves off, as they were now shielded from their sight.

"We're cut off, though," muttered Galon as one of the Guardian Stalkers positioned itself between them and the stairs. The other Guardian Stalker, having also lost sight of them, withdrew to its former position and ceased glowing. They felt fortunate that only a few of the many Guardians there seemed to be working.

"Linpa, if you crawl over there," whispered Galon pointing, "you can draw its attention and get it to move away from the stairs. Then you can circle around, moving from dormant Guardian to dormant Guardian, keeping yourself out of sight. You should be able to make it."

"Yes, Sir," said Palan. "I think I can do it."

Palan crouched down and crawled, keeping out of sight. Then, when he was far enough away from Galon and Larson, he rose, attracting the Guardian Stalker's attention, then ducked back down again. The Guardian Stalker immediately began moving in Palan's direction. Once it was far enough away from the stairs, Larson and Galon bolted and made a run for it. They reached the stairway, then moved slightly back and to the side so as not to be easily visible. Then they turned and watched to see how Palan was doing.

After covering some more distance crouching down, Palan sprung to his feet, then darted from behind one dormant Guardian after another, pausing to hide each time. This action seemed to confuse the Guardian Stalker, which kept losing sight of him. Palan hoped the Guardians he hid behind were dormant. And so far, all of them had been.

But one immobile Guardian was not. As Palan crouched down behind it, the Guardian glowed orange, coming to life. It pivoted its turret about until it focused on Palan. He was too close to the Guardian to do much at this point, and he said a quick prayer to Hylia, thinking his end was upon him. But strangely, though the Guardian turned its eye on Palan as if staring at him, it did not target him. After a moment, it resumed rotating its turret as if looking for another target.

Palan didn't wait to see what else would happen or trust his luck any further. He jumped out from behind the immobile Guardian and made a run for it. The Guardian Stalker could finally focus clearly on Palan now as he was out in the open. But as Palan ran, it too did not target him. Its red beam that had been so active earlier was silent, and it slowly made its way back to its former location.

"Let's get out of here," yelled Galon as Palan reached the stairway, and all three of them ran as hard as they could back to the shrine room.

"For the love of Ganon, that was a close call," said Larson, breathing hard. "It's no wonder Mendel was killed by one of those things."

"No kidding," said Galon, also trying to catch his breath. "I wish we could get those things on our side."

Palan was also trying to catch his breath after the sprint up the stairs, and Galon glanced over at him.

"I thought you were done for, Linpa, when that Guardian you were hiding behind came to life," said Galon. "It had you dead to rights but didn't fire at you."

"I know," said Palan. "My heart was in my throat the whole time. Perhaps the mechanism was faulty from age."

"And you outmaneuvered the one that was roving the room," said Galon. "It didn't even target you at the end. Why do you think that was?"