As they approach the ever standing tall castle, the walls of the castle were completely covered with green moss and long vines wholly closed the windows and doors. When winds blew through the castle, noises that were disturbing to the ear cried and they calmly went across the bridge and came near to the gate. The gate was closed and Link looked at Aerit. "Aerit, We need thou to open the gate." Aerit nodded and he walked in front. He spread his wings, and then he took a high jump and flew into the air. He soared across the strong castle walls and landed onto the switch that opens the gate. The gate slowly slid up and everyone continued toward the entrance. The doors were blocked with large plants that had sharp thorns and beautiful red roses. Link unsheathed his sword and cut the vines off the door. "Neo, give me a hand here." Link placed his hands on the left door and Neo got the other.

They slowly pushed the doors open and all caught a sight of three hallways, at the end of the hall in front were a large door and the other hallways lead into a turn. Almost all the walls were covered with vines as well and had large spider webs were on the corners. Old rusted armors aligned side by side through the hallway and a long red carpet lie on the floor. "Be careful everyone. There could be lots of traps in here."

"Ugh!" Kari scoffed, "This place gives me the creeps." Kari flew closer to Link.

"Well!" Neo shouted with enthusiasm, "What are we standing here for?" Neo took out his sword and ran toward the right corridor.

"Heh! What a show off." Ren muttered. Link chuckled and looked at Melartis.

"I'll take the left corridor." Melartis walked.

"I'm with thou, Melartis." Aerit applied and took the lead.

"Mel!" Link replied.

"Yes?" Melartis stopped and turned around.

"Be careful." Link smiled, Melartis chuckled in response.

"Don't forget Link that I saved thou twice from the Frozen Guards." Melartis smiled and proceed further. "And besides, I have Aerit with me." Link nodded and gazed toward the hallway in front of him.

"Let's go." Ren responded to Link. "We're ready whenever thou are, Link!" Ren flew wiggly. Link nodded and went straight toward the hall. At the middle, Link suddenly heard a quick sound and looked around. "Boy." Ren flew in front one of the old armors. "These armors are creepy." Ren turned around and spot one of the armors rose up an axe behind of Link.

"Link! Watch out!" Kari shouted. Link quickly turned around, the armor suddenly stroke an attack and Link immediately jumped out of the way. Link landed onto his back and he gasped, when he saw two more armors stroke their attacks against Link, he quickly rolled to dodge it and that attack almost hit Link.

"Whoa!" Ren gasped, "Thou alright?"

"I'm alright." Link stood up and wiped off the dust on his armor. "Not over yet. I still have to go through the rest."

"Looks like it." Ren flew closer to Kari and held her hand very tight. Link took a deep breath, he started to run and he armors constantly attacked as he passed by. One stroke was early, Link took a jump and performed a back flip. Link constantly back flipped and dodged every attack, until he bumped onto the door and fell into the room.

"Oh my gods." Kari sighed in relief. "That was intense!" She yelled in excitement.

"Ugh!" Link grunted, "I hate going though those." Link stood up, turned around and a spot a sight of an enormous beautiful structured chamber. "A chamber." He gazed upon the rich details of the structure and there were four giant statues of beautiful maidens kneeling and reaching out one hand up toward the ceiling. Link then noticed that ceiling had an opening, but it was completely covered in giant spider webs and which made the room dwelt in the shadows. He walked down the stairs, then he went in the center and looked around to see anything that might help.

"Hey!" Kari shouted and Link looked at her. "Look at this!" Kari found inscriptions that were engraved on each statue. "It's some form of an old language." Kari added. "I can't read it." Suddenly they heard a scream somewhere and both were worried. "That sounded like Melartis." Kari responded, "Hurry! We have to find her!"

They rushed up the stairs, went through the hall and toward the left hallway. Link then ran down a stairway, opened a door and when he closed it was suddenly barred by strong silver metal bars. In the room, the whole ceiling and walls were completely covered with spider webs and there were many dusty bones on the floor. "Ah no." Kari muttered.

"What?" Link replied, then suddenly he spot Melartis up on a corner and she was covered in the webs. "Melartis!" He shouted, she didn't respond and suddenly they heard a monstrous shriek. "That sounded like a Skulltula. I better hurry." He ran toward a wall close to the corner of Melartish being held. Kari flew up and pulled some webs off Melartis's mouth. Link climb on the webs and came closer to Melartis. Out of a hole on the ceiling in the centre of the room, a leg slowly crept out and shrieked. Link looked back and spotted the spider crawling out of the hole. He started to pull off the webs off Melartis and she started to open her eyes.

"Link…" She weakly responded. Link finally set her free and placed her on his shoulder. He jumped off the wall and he gently placed her on the floor. "I feel…so weak…" Melartis muttered. Link took off one bottle of red potion on his belt and gave it to her.

"Don't give up, Melartis!" Kari encouraged her.

"Here. Drink this." Link took off the lid and immediately gave it to her. After a moment, she was revitalized and she finally opened her eyes.

"I thank thee, Link." Melartis smiled and suddenly the Skulltula was about to attack Link. "Watch out!" Melartis kicked off the Skulltula.

"I'm grateful." Link chuckled. He stood up and pulled up Melartis onto her feet.

"We're even." Melartis smiled. Suddenly more Skulltulas crept out of the hole and dropped down from the ceiling. "Ugh!" Melartis scoffed and unsheathe her sword. "Shall we?" Melartis looked at Link, he nodded and both attack the creepy crawlers. They swung their swords, swipe and stabbed the monsters and the creatures burst into smoke and the barred doors slid up.

"Where's Aerit?" Link had noticed that he's not here with her.

"I don't where he is." Melartis replied, "All I remember he tried to save me from those Skulltulas. Maybe he was taken by them."

"Then we have to search for him." Link sighed and continued to explore the castle with Melartis. They went through the door and entered into a long hall. Link felt suspicious and slowly took one step at a time, suddenly he fell into a large trapdoor and Melartis quickly grabbed him. "Ugh. I hate falling into trapdoors."

"Ha!" Ren shouted. "I knew there's a trapdoor!"

"Oh gosh, Link." Melartis looked down at him, "You keep falling into these traps."

"He does?" Kari gasped. Link chuckled and Melartis pulled him back up.

"How can we across the opening?" Melartis exclaimed.

"Hey look!" Kari shouted with glee. She flew across over the opening and found a switch. "It's a switch!"

"There's always a switch." Link stood up, he took out his bow, set an arrow in place, aimed quickly and released. The arrow swift across the hall and suddenly the arrow completely stopped and fell off.

"Oh my gods, what just happened?" Kari responded.

"It's some kind of barrier." Link looked at Melartis, "Thou know what to do." Melartis nodded. Link prepared another arrow, Melartis enchanted a spell upon the arrow and it shone glowing light, and then Link took a shot. The arrow penetrates the barrier and hit the switch. From the other edge of the opening, a stone bridge slid all the way to other side and they continued the next room.

Into the room, they found a stairway leading up and they didn't hesitate to stop. Up the stairs they ran and came into another chamber. The chamber was similar to where Link has been before and there were six old red flags of different symbols that hung from the ceilings and on the walls were portraits of the mysterious people. "Who are these people?" Kari asked and flew close to one portrait.

"I believe these people were part of the royal family." Melartis answered. Link explored around the chamber, there were four locked doors and when Link went into the centre, an evil laughter roared in the chamber and a gloomy hideous ghost appeared floating in the air. "Link! Up there!" Melartis yelled and Link spotted the ghost.

"Ah! Heed my warning." The ghost groaned, "Get away from this place!"

"We will not!" Kari shouted.

"If you will not leave this place," The ghost glared. "You will suffer a terrible fate!" The black spirit took out a sword and strokes an attack at Link. Link jumped out of the way and took out his sword. The ghost turned around, it took a deep breath and exhaled out a black mist. Out of the black mist, a flock of Poes flew out of the mist and all had cornered them to a corner. "Ha ha ha!" The spirit laughed horribly, "I warned thou." Suddenly out of the silence someone scarred the ghost on the face and it screamed in agony. Melartis spotted the attacker and it was Aerit.

"Aerit!" Melartis shouted and she was glad that Aerit was safe.

"Sorry that we're late." Aerit replied.

"What do you mean we're?" Ren questioned. In front of Link, Neo dropped down from the ceiling and he took a hard swipe to push away the Poes.

"Neo!"

"I won't let thee have all the fun." Neo smirked and Link chuckled in response. "Now go back to the shadows!" Neo shouted and charged at a Poe. He took another swipe and swung his sword, and then the others began to attack the rest. Aerit used his sharp talons to distract the gloomy spirit, while the others used their weapons to attack the Poes and soon after the vicious fight the Poes vanished into nothing. Aerit took another swipe on the ghost's eyes to blind it and it screamed in agony. Neo quickly kneeled down and then Link rushed toward to behind of him, he stepped onto Neo's shoulders and took a jump toward the ghost. Link vertically swung his sword to defeat the last spirit and the gloomy figure roared in pain and exploded into a cloud of black smoke.

Out of the smoke, something dropped and fell right in front of Link. He picked it up and it was a small key. "A key and I guess it open one of those locked doors."

"Hey!" Kari shouted, "Look over there!" Kari flew over toward one of the doors and pointed above the door. "It's some kind of symbol." On each entrance, there were four different symbols and Link had noticed that one symbol was a Triforce, the other symbols had a Dragoness sign, a Lorainish marking and the last had a symbol of an eagle. "Oh I get it." Kari replied, "These symbols represent all of thou and so only those related to the symbols has to journey on their own, I believe. So which room that key will open, Link?" Link checked the key and spotted a Triforce symbol engraved on the end.

"Hmm looks like we're first up." Ren implied and Link nodded in response.

"Oh my gods." Kari sighed, "Alright! Let's go!" She shouted with enthusiasm. Link went forward to his door and he slid the key into the keyhole and unlocked the door, suddenly when the lock clicked open, within the walls a noise of moving gears blared and on the center of the chamber, an hourglass had appeared on a stone pedestal from the surface. All the companions gasped and they noticed it's a race against time.

"Link, thou must hurry." Melartis yelled. "Find whatever thou can." Link nodded and rushed into the room. Link gasped, when he spotted a key hanging on a chain down from the ceiling and he noticed the only way to reach the key is by jumping on platform to a higher platform. He quickly took a big leap onto the first platform and began to rush toward the key.

Meanwhile in the chamber with the others, Melartis inspected the pedestal and noticed there were four keyholes on each side. "Hmm, there are keyholes on each side of this pedestal and I think each of us has to find a key in the rooms." Melartis suggested.

"Link better hurry up." Neo replied and all waited patiently.

In the meantime, Link was five platforms away from reaching the key and kept going. Suddenly he took a weak jump and didn't land onto the platform, he grabbed at the ledge, thus saving himself falling to his death. "Whoa! Link be careful!" Ren shouted. Link grunted and pulled himself up onto the platform.

"Just four more to go, Link!" Kari replied and flew up to the key. Link didn't hesitate to continue, he took a high jump and another. He done another and finally had the key in his grasp. "Hurry, Link! Let's make haste!" Link nodded. Link jump off the platform onto a lower platform, he rolled onward and jump off once more and land onto the entrance and returned back to the chamber.

"Link!" Melartis responded, "Quickly! Use the key on the pedestal!" She pointed to the keyhole and Link rushed toward the center and used the key. On the left side of the pedestal, an opening revealed and inside it, was another key to the locked doors. Melartis took the key and examined it.

"It has the symbol of an eagle." Melartis explained.

"It's the Ishchi symbol." Aerit replied, Melartis looked at him and threw the key. "I won't be long." Aerit caught it and ran to his door. He unlocked the door, the door slid open and Aerit walked into the darkness, suddenly all heard an explosion in the room to where Aerit went. More explosions crashed and blared, a few moments later, there was silence.

"Hmm I wonder if Aerit is alright." Kari worried.

"I believe so, Kari. He's kind of tough. Well for Ritos it's their nature being like that." Ren answered quickly. All nodded to Ren and they waited for Aerit's return. Suddenly the door slid open and Aerit ran toward the pedestal and used the other key he found. He groaned in pain and fell onto his knees and Melartis gasped.

"Oh no, you're hurt!" She gasped.

"I'll be fine." Aerit assumed. He took out a vial of red potion and drank it. He sighed and admitted. "Those cannons are really rough. Who is next?" The pedestal opened another and it has a Dragoness symbol.

"It's my turn." Melartis kneeled down to take the key and quickly rushed to the second last door. She slid the key into place and turned it, the chains fell off the door and slid open, suddenly a cold icy wind from within the room blew across the chamber and Link felt chills. Melartis noticed Link, she knew what is hidden in the white haze and she became cautious. "Nazu-ee-lak!" She enchanted a spell and out of magic she grasped a sword. She walked into the frozen room of winter, the door slowly closed.

In the room of ice, snowflakes gently had fallen and Melartis had a hard time seeing through the freezing haze. She walked quietly toward the center of the room, suddenly a shadow-figure bearing a sword attacked out of the white and Melartis stopped the attack and hold the sword in place. Melartis gasped in shock, as she spot the attacker's face and it was Link. "An illusion image of Link?!" Melartis shouted. She shoved him back, she turned around to slice and thrust her sword at the illusion. The illusion faded away and Melartis spot a Frozen Guard with its glowing red-eyes. She charged at the illusionist and sliced it into pieces, suddenly a Freezard came out of nowhere and it blew its freezing breath at her, she quickly jumped out of the way and saved herself from freezing to death. Melartis looked at the Freezard and she spotted a key inside of it.

She quickly stood up onto her feet, she took a breather and then charged at it, the Freezard roared out, Melartis side dodged it and jumped toward it and sliced the ice creature into half. Out of its scattered ice body, the key sparkled light in a blink of an eye in the snow and Melartis immediately took it. Then suddenly it stopped snowing and the room started to warm up with heat and the snow and ice melted away. As she walked toward the door, it slowly slid open and returned to the pedestal and used the key to release the last key.

"Finally." Neo grinned, "My turn." He took the key and ran quickly toward the last challenge.

"Thou make haste, the hourglass is almost done." Melartis stated. Neo looked at the hourglass and he only had five minutes to complete his task. Neo took out his sword and entered and the door quickly closed. Everyone waited and all had stared at the sandglass, but they all started to look worried and already four minutes passed by so quickly.

"One minute left!" Kari shouted.

"My gods!" Ren replied, "What's taking him? Maybe Neo's challenge is battling against an Iron Knuckle."

"Perhaps." Link answered.

"Twenty seconds left!" Kari counted. "Oh Neo better hurry up!"

"I'm sure he'll make it." Link claimed, "He never lets me down."

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five—" Kari counted with fear, then suddenly Neo came out of the room and ran toward the pedestal, he quickly slid the key into place and turned it just in time. Neo sighed and collapsed onto the floor and took a breather and Link grinned in satisfaction.

"Phew!" Neo stood up onto feet, "Those trapdoors slowed me down a bit and those pesky Wizzrobes were a pain." Everyone chuckled at his troubles, but all were still glad he made just in time and suddenly the pedestal vanished back into the floor. They yet again heard the sound of moving gears beneath the walls and on their right revealed a secret stairway leading toward the upper floors.

"Shall we?" Melartis intended. Link nodded and everyone climbed up the stairs and all are ready for their next challenge of the dark puzzling castle.