Oracle of Ages (Linked game) high playthrough log 3/4

The Maku Tree says the next essence is also in Rolling Ridge... the same place as the essence I just got. There's now a whole new section of this already confusing mountain/cave system opened up... plus there's both ages of this area to consider... exploring this place takes a while.

There's a bunch of minigames to do here, they're pretty fun... but all this running around back and forth to fetch random items for random gorons... ugh, this is the worst part of the game easily... My least favorite part out of all the Zelda games really... There's still a bunch of other stuff to get from the minigames and other side content after you obtain the Mermaid's Key... including the boomerang... the boomerang is just an optional item in this game, just like it was in Zelda 1.

The 6th dungeon is hidden behind a waterfall, the mermaid's key gets you into it.

Level 6 - Mermaid's Cave

The map is shaped like a pixel mermaid... This dungeon is actually accessible in both ages, and it's required to explore both versions of it to complete it. The present time version doesn't have the waterfall in front of it, and all the water in the dungeon is gone and some of it is replaced by pitfalls... there's wall masters and floor masters and wizzrobes here.

The present version of this dungeon has the miniboss Vire, the same one who kidnapped Zelda earlier in the game. This guy is like Veran and Onox's 2nd in command or something.

After you get the mermaid suit, allowing you to explore underwater, this dungeon becomes a lot more complicated.. when you're underwater you mostly control the same, except you move in little bursts of speed, and you swim across pitfalls and spikes, and you can't use certain items.

The past version of this dungeon has the dungeon boss Octogon. Basically just a big octorok, the main difficulty is you have to follow him underwater and deal with the weird movement speed.
Got the 6th essence, Bereft Peak.

It is a proud, lonely spirit that remains stalwart, even in trying times.

The Maku Sprout contacts Link to tell him that Queen Ambi just left the palace, so now you can go there and take out Veran and save Nayru... This is a sneak past the guards section, like in OoT, except it's like a decently sized minidungeon.

Veran seems impossible to fight when she's in Nayru's body... unless you shoot mystery seeds at her and then use the switch hook to take her out of Nayru's body before attacking her... easy puzzle boss.

Queen Ambi comes in and Veran possesses her instead... The guards surround Link, Nayru, and Ralph who just came in... and Nayru uses her powers to get them out of there and warp back to the present age. Now that Veran is no longer in control of Nayru, all the people who got petrified before are back to normal... but the Maku Tree says Veran is still on the path to creating an age of darkness...

Nayru teaches Link the Tune of Time, which now means you can travel back and forth between both times freely without the use of portals. Then suddenly, the Gerudo Twinrova witches show up to introduce themselves... They've been watching Link this whole time, including his adventure in Holodrum...

Ambi's age is already filled with the cries of sorrow! By extending the reach of the Dark Realm, Veran has spread sorrow across the land. Soon, the Flame of Sorrow will ignite! Oh ho ho ho ho! Now only one flame remains... When the three flames burn in the darkness... The Evil King shall return! Oh ho ho ho ho!

...And then they fly away... alright, thanks for telling us your plan I guess.

The Maku Tree doesn't know anything about this Evil King... But she does remember where the next Essence is... it's inside a fish...

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