Link let out a sigh. He was nearly at the top of the Arbiter's Grounds and losing his energy fast. He hadn't expected there to be so many beasts lurking about, but what else should he expect from an old execution ground?
He let out a sigh as he leaned against a wall and slid down to the ground. He knew he was getting close, he could feel it! Suddenly, he came upon a room with an object that resembled a spinning top from back on earth. Link walked up to it and noticed that it was beside a hole – though not a regular hole. This one had specific grooves and marks cut into it, sort of like a key hole. He looked at the spinning top again and noticed that the grooves from the hole matched the ones on the spinning top. Link smiled, grateful he had decided to study archaeology so that he automatically saw resemblances like that.
Link picked up the spinning top and placed it in the hole, hoping he was right. He began to spin it, the top hardly budging at first and then it began to go faster and faster, and suddenly a great rumble filled the room. Link looked around and he noticed the wall was shifting. He continued to spin it until the wall resonated a loud boom and did not move anymore. He leaned back, his hands supporting him and took in a deep breath.
The wall being moved had revealed a large room with a staircase that had several stairs in a row that were missing. There was a tall structure in the centre of the room but was surrounded by more of that cursed quicksand. Link looked around the large room again. These Hylians were incredibly smart when designing their structures, he had learned this. So that was why Link knew there was something he was missing. Link's gaze followed the stairs and he noticed a dark band running on the wall alongside the stairs as far as he could see up. Link backtracked to the previous room and retrieved the spinning top, carrying it into the room. He noticed that the top had two marks on it, as if for feet.
"Well I've got nothing to lose," Link mumbled as he set the spinning top down and jumped on top. It easily glided over the quicksand and to the stairs where Link guided it to the band on the wall. He heard a click and suddenly he was zooming along the band, travelling up the room.
Link kept his eye on the structure in the centre. As he got high enough he noticed that it had the same keyhole as the one outside this room. With a deep breath he broke off of the band and glided towards the edge of the stairs. He held his breath as he cut through the air and exhaled as the spinning top landed upon the structure. He guided it to the keyhole and it dropped in, fitting perfectly. He stepped off of the spinner and began to spin it by hand. He heard a familiar rumble and two torches on either side of the keyhole suddenly were ablaze.
The next thing Link knew a giant spiralling structure was rising above him, encircling the structure that he stood on. Link watched as it rose higher and higher into the air until it finally stopped. He saw that it led to an opening that would have been unreachable otherwise and would have most likely gone unnoticed. Link took the spinner and attached it to the band that led up the spiral and stood on it. He began spinning upwards at incredible speeds until he was flung off at the end and into an adjoining room with a large door at the end.
Link looked at the door before him. It was grander than any other door within the Arbiter's Grounds. With a deep breath, Link opened the door, taking the spinner with him just in case.
The door revealed a large and dark circular room. Link walked straight, continuing down a large stone slab and suddenly stopped in his tracks. There was a skeleton in the sand – a skull at least ten times as big as Link.
"Master," Fi said, startling Link as she had been quiet for so long, "I detect fear from you. It is lifeless," Fi assured.
"Are you positive?" Link asked.
"Yes," she said. Link began to breathe normally again.
Suddenly, there was a familiar ear-shattering screech and Link dropped to one knee. He looked around for the source but didn't see anything. Out of nowhere, a figure appeared upon the skull. Link's eyes widened – it was the exact same figure he had seen on earth all those weeks ago! The one who had called himself King Zant of the Twilight Realm.
"I see you found your way into Hyrule…" Zant's hiss-like voice said. Link remained silent. "You still live," he pointed out, "How astonishing."
"I don't plan on dying," Link said. Not without saving Zelda.
"Then this truly is a bittersweet reunion… Truly!" Zant said.
"Why's that?"
"For I fear this is the last time I will see you alive," Zant threatened. Link did not allow his fear to show, but rather took a deep breath and unsheathed the Master Sword. Zant threw out his arms and began to concentrate his magic, slowly bringing his hands together, a low grunt escaping his mouth. Suddenly, Zant wielded a sword and plunged it into the centre of the skull's forehead. The dark magic of Zant spread throughout the entirety of the skeleton. Zant turned from Link and took two steps away before vanishing once again.
A great rumble filled the circular room as 'life' filled the creature and it began to lift itself up. The creature looked down on Link and let out a great roar.
"It is a Twilit Fossil: Stallord," Fi informed.
"Any weaknesses?" Link asked as he ran up the slope and onto the flat ground above the quicksand.
"The spine," Fi said before vanishing into the sword. Link noticed the same dark band that the spinner attached to and quickly brought it out. He attached to it and, after picking up enough speed, quickly jumped from the band and zoomed down towards the spine. Link made contact, feeling the bone crunch from the force, and he was shot backwards, attaching to the band once again. With difficulty, Link did this two more times.
Stallord growled and slowly collapsed, falling backwards into the sand. The sand began sink, along with Stallord and Link realized that he too was falling with the decreasing levels of sand. As the sand emptied out of the chamber Link noticed the same keyhole as the two previous rooms. With a sigh, Link hopped on the spinner and guided it to the keyhole until it clicked in place. He span it, faster and faster, and the centre column that he stood on rose high into the air.
Link heard a noise from behind him and looked to see the head of Stallord floating just behind him. Link backed up, away from the beast, his foot slipping at the edge of the column. He regained his balance and looked Stallord in the eye. The creature let out a growl and head-butted Link, sending him flying to the ground many feet below.
The wind was knocked out of him and he lay stunned in the sand for a few moments, his ears ringing and his vision blurry. Slowly, he pushed himself up, Stallord coming down.
"Not today…" Link growled under his breath as he wiped something that dripped down his forehead. He was shocked to see blood covering his hand. "I will not die today!" Link yelled, "I made a promise!" He said as he hopped onto the spinner and quickly guided it to the band that ran up the column. He had to finish Stallord off before his adrenaline ran out.
He span around the column and Stallord finally showed itself. The skeleton charged up its dark magic and shot it straight at Link. In a panic, Link detached the spinner from the band and found himself shooting towards the wall, but then he noticed the rows of the same bands lining it. Link smiled as he realized how he could beat Stallord.
At the opportune moment, Link shot back towards the column, hitting Stallord square in the head. It dropped to the ground and Link followed. He drew the Master Sword and aimed for the dark magic-infused sword sticking out of the forehead. Link swung his sword with all his might, wanting to break the dark sword out of Stallord's skull.
Stallord let out a loud roar and he soared into the air, crashing into the roof above. He fell down towards the sand, crashing and bumping into every possible wall. He heard the explosion of the skull and Link quickly rode the spinner to the top of the centre column. The evil sword had been flung into the air and landed on the column. It disappeared.
Suddenly, a bridge connecting the column to the outer ring shot out from the side wall, and the barred door on the other end unlocked.
"We are nearing the Portal, Master. It is best if we hurry," Fi advised from her place in the sword. Link looked to the open door and ran towards it.
Link closed his eyes as he felt the night air on his skin. He was so happy to feel the fresh air of Hyrule, to be rid of the Arbiter's Grounds finally. Link smiled and turned to his right, bringing the spinner with him just in case he needed it again. He ran up the curved stairs, his head beginning to throb from the wound and his legs feeling heavy. He couldn't stop now, not when he was so close! Link pushed himself harder, finally reaching the top of the stairs. He continued on to the right where a walkway led, stone cut-outs giving a view of the entire Gerudo Desert.
Link slowed as he came across the top of the Arbiter's Grounds. A large statue of a woman holding a lit torch in her hands with a spiralled serpent surrounding her was in the very centre of the roof. The light-spire shone directly onto her. A circular stone structure – like that of Ancient Rome's Colosseum – created a wall, enclosing the whole area. Link walked up to the large statue, and sure enough, there was the same band for the spinner to latch on to.
Link hopped onto the spinner and zoomed up to the top of the statue. It flung him off and he landed directly in a spinner keyhole so Link began to spin right away. Suddenly, the statue Link was on began to sink into the sand, and the chains that surrounded the area began tight as a large black stone was pulled from the sand. The stone was chained and suspended in the air and the light-spire suddenly disappeared. Link walked towards it when Fi suddenly came out.
"Master, the entrance to the Portal lies behind us," she informed. Link turned around and saw a strange mirror that must have risen out of the sand along with the stone. Link walked toward the steps that the mirror rested. He walked up the steps and saw that the mirror faced the black stone. Link suddenly felt as though he was being watched. He looked up and was shocked to see glowing white figures standing at the tops of the columns.
"You who are guided by fate… You possess the crest of the goddesses… Hear us," the first one began.
"At the command of the goddesses, we sages have guarded the Mirror of Twilight since ancient times," a second one said.
"You seek Zelda, the Princess of Hyrule… But your journey is far from closing." A third said. Link realized they all took turns to speak. He waited for the fourth sage to begin.
"This Portal can take you directly to the Twilight Realm, but you must find your own path into the Otherworld."
"There is only one way to open a Portal into the Otherworld: the dark power that only he possesses…"
"His name is… Ganondorf."
"Ganondorf?" Link questioned. He had been expecting to hear the name Ghirahim, or even Zant for that matter… But who was this Ganondorf the sages spoke of?
"He was the leader of a band of thieves who invaded Hyrule in the hopes of establishing dominion over the Sacred Realm. He was known as a demon thief, an evil-magic wielder renowned for his ruthlessness… But he was blind… In all of his fury and might, he was blind to any danger, and thus was he exposed, subdued, and brought to justice. Yet… By some divine prank, he, too, had been blessed with the chosen power of the gods."
"His abiding hatred and lust for power turned to purest malice…"
"Why are you telling me all of this?" Link asked, clenching his fists.
"He is the king of the Otherworld – your destination."
"He had been banned to the Twilight Realm but using his dark magic, found a way to create a Portal back to his home… The Otherworld."
Link took a deep breath. So he would have to face this Ganondorf character if he wanted to retrieve Zelda… And by the sounds of it, he would not be an easy opponent. Link looked up to ask the sages a question, but they had already gone.
Suddenly, the light from the mirror reflected onto the large black stone, creating a Portal. Link took a deep breath walked up the stairs of light. The Portal sucked him up, and darkness surrounded him.