But first, Link has a much more important task to take care of, and that is getting the power of the wind god Cyclos!
If you get caught in one of these cyclones before you have the bow, Cyclos warps you to a random location on the sea, likely making you lose a few minutes of sailing to get to your next destination.
Cyclos: Foolish creature who does not fear the gods! To the end of the sea with you! Let the winds of Cyclos's wrath blow you away!!!
Fortunately Link's talking boat seems to know everything everything there is to know about the sea gods, and he gives you some helpful advice.
King of Red Lions:It would seem that the wind god Cyclos bears some ill will toward humans. Ah, but if only we could find a way to harness the power of those cyclones... Then it might be possible for us to travel across the ocean instantaneously. You do not yet have an item that can pierce distant targets! If you did, you might be able to obtain such a power. Keep that in mind!
Now that Link has the bow it's time to harness the power of the wind and avoid any more long sailing trips!
So now we can simply warp to northeast section of the map straight to Forsaken Fortress! But suddenly, an unexpected discovery....
Link has warped right into a the secret fountain of the Queen of Fairies. If you come back here after saving Aryll, she gives you the fire and ice arrows, sweet!
Anyway, I'm jumping ahead. Before getting the fire and ice arrows Link must return to the Forsaken Fortress a 2nd time to save his sister from Ganondorf. The first time, he was very unprepared... He got catapulted right into this very dangerous place, with only a little bit of practice in swords and acrobatics, and even when he got his sword back he was no match for the monsters storming that dungeon. Now Link has undergone the test of the gods, he has an entire arsenal of useful items, including the grappling hook, a bomb cannon so he can blast his way through the Fortresses defenses, and the Master Sword.
King of Red Lions: Ganon has likely been made aware of our little incursion already... ...But you have the Master Sword. That sword shall shine in the darkness, casting back evil... With it in your hands, none can keep you from rescuing your sister! Do not be afraid!
The Forsaken Fortress is a very trivial dungeon this time around compared to the first time. But Ganondorf, knowing full well by now that this kid might be a threat, isn't playing around anymore!
After defeating this Phantom Ganon you get the Skull Hammer... These items aren't usually very interesting in Zelda games. They smash down certain switches and destroy certain obstacles, that's about it... at least the cool thing about this variation of the hammer is its size. This thing is almost bigger than Link himself!
There are a few more places you can explore here with your new items, but for the most part it's just going back up to the tower where Aryll is, same as last time. There are a lot more enemies here this time though. Like the worthless little Bokoblins, which Link can easily swat away like flies... There's also this suspicious opening in the tower...
Honestly who wouldn't think to try and go in it? By the color of the light coming out you'd think there was a pile of gold in there or something! But it's not really an opening leading to anywhere, it's just another part of the wall...
After reaching the top of the tower, Link reunites with his sister... and out of nowhere the pirates show up!
Tetra helps rescue the girls in the Fortress, while Link goes to take care of the Helmaroc King, that giant bird that was doing all the kidnapping. As usual, Tetra has some great dialogue that both helps move the story along and adds some really neat character development.
Aryll: Big Brother! You're OK! ...I was... worried.
Tetra: The cell won't open that easily!
There you go... Acting before you think, as usual... I swear! Do you even realize that we had to draw that monster bird off for you? It was about to come flying in here after you again!
...That sword! Where did you get that?! Are you... Is it even possible...?
(...How could it be?)
Hmm... Well, never mind about that. For now, we'll just take these girls. I'm sure their fathers back at town will pay a handsome reward for their return.
I'm so sorry to interrupt such a heartwarming reunion... But isn't there still something you need to take care of?
If you're worried about your sister... don't be. I promise I'll deliver her safely back to your little island. . Normally, I'd expect a huge reward for something like this... but this time, it's my treat! Listen, Aryll, your brother still has some things to take care of. Big, important, grownup things. He'll be back soon, so you just wait nice and quiet until he returns, OK?
Gonzo: Miss Tetra! We have to hurry! The bird will be here any second!
Tetra: Gonzo! Excellent! You're just in time! Take this one for me.
Gonzo: Huh?! But she's...
Tetra: She's fine! Just do as you're told!
Aryll: Big Brother!
Tetra: Link! We'll be back. I swear it!
Even without yet knowing about her true fate, she obviously knows quite a lot about the legends of Hyrule. This helps to establish Tetra as a character of great wisdom. It seems like her true intentions for leading a gang of pirates to search for treasure, might have been to help find clues to her family's past, clues about the ancient lost kingdom of legend.
Now for the fight against the Helmaroc King.
This battle is very simple. Here's what you do:
Step 1: Take out hammer.
Step 2: Smash bird in the face with said hammer.
Step 3: Watch bird self destruct.
Ganon's lair sits right next to the top of the tower. Time to go say hello.
It's been a while, boy.
I suppose the least I can do is commend you for your reckless courage.
And I am the master of Forsaken Fortress.
By the way, boy... When you drew that sword of yours out of its pedestal... Did you by chance notice how all the monsters frozen in time down there suddenly began stirring again? Do you understand precisely what that means? ...I highly doubt you do. Foolish child. While that sword is indeed the blade of evil's bane, at the sametime, it has long played another role... You see, it is also a sort of key... a most wretched little key that has kept a seal on me and my magic intact!
It's getting freaking serious! Link starts to realize the gravity of the situation he's in... he charges forward and attempts to fight Ganon with the Master Sword. But wait, something's wrong...
In an incredible twist of fate, the blade with the power to repel evil that has been talked about so much in this game, no longer has the power to repel evil! And despite the trials Link has been through, he's still no match for the evil king. The game has given us the impression that Link has become much more confident after pulling out the Master Sword, but that confidence wasn't enough.
Tetra then arrives just in time to help Link escape. Little does she know, she has given Ganon just what he's been looking for.
Link and Tetra then get saved by... no not the pirates, but Komali and Quill, the bird people from Dragon Roost Island. It was certainly unexpected seeing Komali show up of all people. After those to fly away Valoo goes and torches the castle down! It's good to see that bigass dragon is good for something other than squishing centipedes.
Next is the big revelation scene! The King of Red Lions takes Link and Tetra back into the world beneath the sea. They are sitting on the boat, when suddenly someone talks to them through the pirates' gem.
Link! What are you doing? You must come now to the room where you got the Master Sword!
Tetra wonders who just could be talking right now...
...Your name is Tetra, correct? You must co
me with Link to see me at once!
Tetra: Hmph! Well, don't you sound important! Fine. We're on our way. Just hold your horses, whoever you are. Link, what are you waiting for? You heard the stone. You're supposed to show me how to get to where that voice is!
"Come on girl wanna go explore my dungeon? lol"
Okay, all jokes aside... the whole game is very well written, but this next scene in particular is phenomenal... There's absolutely nothing I could even say about it that needs to be said. Here, just listen to King Hyrule's theme while reading the upcoming dialogue.
Tetra: Are you him? Are you the one who was speaking through my stone without my permission? Answer me!
Daphnes: This stone is an enhanced version of the Gossip Stones long spoken of in the legends of the Hyrulian Royal Family. I am the one who made it.
Tetra: You made it? The royal family's Gossip Stone? I'm sorry, but I have no idea what you're talking about.
Daphnes: Have neither of you have heard the tales? The tales of the kingdom spoken of in the legend of the great hero... The place where the power of the god lies hidden...
Link, do you not recognize my voice? Indeed, I am the one who guided you here. I am the King of Red Lions. There was no need for me to reveal my true identity to you so long as that blade, the Master Sword, could defeat Ganon... But now... both of you must listen to me. Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadows by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends.
My power alone could not stop the fiend, and our only choice was to leave the fate of the kingdom in the hands of the gods... When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself... and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens... Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean. Yet all was not lost. For the gods knew that to seal away the people with the kingdom would be to grant Ganon's wish for the destruction of the land.
So, before the sealing of the kingdom, the gods chose those who would build a new country and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops. Those people were your ancestors. Hundreds of years have passed since then... So long as Ganondorf was not revived, Hyrule would remained below never waking from its slumber.
Tetra, come to me.
Your mother passed this down to you and instructed you to treasure it and guard it with your life. Am I not correct? The Triforce of Wisdom is none other than the sacred power of the gods that we have kept from Ganon's clutches for so many long years. The gods placed upon your ancestors the task of protecting it from evil's grasp.
You, too, must abide by the laws of the past... and so the time has come for me to teach you the fate into which you were born, the very reason that you live.
Daphnes: You are the true hero of the royal family of Hyrule... the last link in the bloodline. You are Princess Zelda.
Zelda: ...Zelda? I'm... a princess?
Daphnes: You are confused, aren't you? I suppose such is to be expected.
Link! I am terribly sorry that you have been caught up in these events. But now that it is known that Tetra is indeed Princess Zelda... Ganon will be searching frantically for this child in an attempt to get the power of the gods she possesses. He will not rest until he has found her. If he succeeds, my ancient kingdom under the sea will be turned into a land of shadow and despair... and so will the world you know above the waves.
Link, I need you to lend me your strength in this dark hour. I have a suspicion about what has caused the Master Sword to lose its power. I need for you to come with me back to the lands above the water and return the power to repel evil to the Master Sword!
Zelda... It is far too dangerous for you to join us in this task. Fortunately, this sacred chamber is not yet known to Ganon. It is my wish that you wait here in hiding until we return Link! We must go!
Zelda: Link! I don't know how to say this.
...I'm so sorry.
Link... Be careful...
...Wind Waker would make such a great movie. Especially if the writers of this game took part in making in. And for the love of god keep M. Night Shyamalan away from this masterpiece.