Chapter 12 - Doors Through Dimensions

"Saria...what are you doing here?"

"Link, I'm keeping an eye on the portal room," said Saria.

"New job?"

"Kind of. The Great Fairy of Hyrule Castle is in Termina and won't be returning for a while. She wanted me to keep the place secured...and how did you get in? I sealed the hole to this room?"

"Zelda's Lullaby can break any barrier."

"Oh yeah..."Members of the Royal Family can do anything."

"So...have you gone through any of the portals?"

"No way. The Great Fairy warned me not to. Many of them don't have exits."

"Well, there's bound to be a few that have exits."

"True, but I don't want to get in a rut."

"Where does this one lead to?"

Link read the sign.

TO THE TOWER OF THE GODS

IMPORTANT NOTICE: "Do not enter unless you have specific business here."

- Spirits of the Tower

"Where is the Tower of the Gods?"

"Don't go in there. It's a sacred tower in the middle of the ocean."

Link's curiosity drove him to read more of the signs.

TO THE SUB-WATER TEMPLE

If you can't breathe underwater, do not come in!

TO THE TEMPLE OF TIME

ENTRANCE SEALED BY REQUEST OF THE ROYAL FAMILY

TO GANON'S CASTLE

Warning: Different Dimension. Extreme Danger.

"Whoa! I thought Ganon's Castle was gone for good!"

"It is, but it still exists in the Hyrulean Dark Dimesion. Don't go in, Link."

Link walked away, but some malevolent force was trying to pull him in.

"Uh...Saria?"

"Yes?"

Link continued to drag toward the portal.

"The Ganon's Castle Portal is drawing me in!"

"Link! Play Zelda's Lullaby!"

Link whipped out his ocarina and played about three notes...but it was too late. He had been taken by the portal.

Link screamed.

"Link!" exclaimed Saria.

Saria's voice faded away and Link saw himself falling again, in a dark, dark space.

Link awakened directly outside Ganon's Castle. The sky was sick and full of smoggy, grey clouds. He could hear the cawing of buzzards in the distance and felt the heat off of the lava pit. It was the Hyrule Quest Conclusion all over again.

Suddenly a voice echoed from nowhere.

"Ha! You fell into my trap, didn't you?"

Link's heart sank. He knew who was speaking. It was obviously Ganondorf.

"Where are you?" said Link.

"I'm still locked inside the Sacred Realm, but now because you fell into my trap, you have no choice but to release me!"

"And why would I do that?"

"The only exit is at the top floor of the castle, and you must obtain a key to open the exit. But, once you open the exit, all openings to different worlds are temporarily open, giving me a chance to escape!"

Link didn't know what to do. He looked back towards Hyrule Castle Market. It was in ruins, just like it had been before. But, he got an idea. He whipped out his nifty ocarina and played the Infinite Song of Time.

The notes echoed far...but nothing happened.

"Your ocarina does not work here, Link! You are in the Dark Dimension!"

Link had another idea. A brilliant one.

"I know, I can go back to the fairy fountain! It is still in the same place as the one in Hyrule Castle. I can escape from there!" Link thought to himself.

Link ran over to the fountain. Just like before, the massive pillar was blocking it. Luckily, Link kept his Golden Gauntlets. He hefted the massive pillar into the lava.

He ran inside. No fairy.

He played Zelda's Lullaby and the portal opened up. He jumped in.

Fortunately, Link had escaped from Ganon's Castle, but the portal room seemed different. Saria was no longer there.

This time the sign was different.

WELCOME TO THE LAND BETWEEN DIMENSIONS

This room contains portals to the following places:

Great Bay Temple, Termina

Outset Island, Hyrulean Sea

The Fire Temple, Hyrule

The Sacred Realm

The Temple of Time

The Chamber of the Sages

The Termina Moon

The Hidden Lost Woods

Other Portal Rooms

It was obvious; Link had to go to another portal room. He found the portal and warped back to Saria's portal room. Link was very relieved.

"Link! How did you manage to get back?"

"I have my ways...but there's more important news. Ganondorf is still trying to escape."

"He can't! He's locked in the realm...isn't he?"

"Yes, but he's trying to set traps in which people open the realm."

"Oh no."

"Don't worry. We're going to put a stop to this and get the Triforce of Power back! Let's go!"

Link and Saria entered the portal labeled:

TO HYRULE CASTLE

Safe to enter.

Ganondorf still lay in the ever quiet realm.

"I thought I had Link! That was my ticket out!"

"There is no such thing as a ticket out of the Sacred Realm! There is no escape!" repeated the myserious voice in the realm.

Who is the voice? Where was it coming from. Ganondorf did not know.

"There's a way to do anything! Nothing is impossible! I know I can maneuver my way out of here!"

"Give up, because you can't!"

Ganondorf grumbled and released many bolts from the triforce, endlessly going in every direction.

"CURSE YOU LINK, ZELDA, AND SAGES!"

The sages could hear him, from the Chamber of the Sages.

"Absolutely pitiful," said Rauru.

"Is he ever going to just...give up?" said Nabooru.

Saria, Ruto, and Darunia were not in the chamber.

"Rauru, I actually think Ganondorf may be trying to set traps outside the realm to open it. He may be onto something," said Impa.

"Hmm...most say the realm is unbreakable once sealed, but yes, until enough time passes, he can do minimal work."

"Well?"

"I personally don't think we should worry."

"Whatever you say."

Link and Saria were back in Kokiri forest. Still, they were the only ones there.

"We should warn everyone about this, Link."

"You're right. Let's put signs up."

"Where is everyone else?" asked Link.

"I have no idea. Probably out working."

There was a rustling sound in the distance through the silence of the forest.

"What was that?" said Saria.

The rustling continued.

"Who's there?"

Finally, a small figure popped out from the bushes.

"It's the fairy boy!" said the child.

"Saria, I think I have seen this kid before."

"Really? I haven't."

Now Link remembered. He HAD seen this child before. In both Hyrule and Termina.

"Hi, Skull Kid," said Link.

END OF CHAPTER 12