Play "Vah Ruta Dungeon" from Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Dungeon 1: Rain Temple
Mission: Find out what's happened to the Spring Maiden.
The inside of the temple was surprisingly bright, its walls a yellow-green. A gentle rain was pouring from the ceiling, which was brimming yellow like a sun. Link smiled and held his hands out to feel the rain. Ayri jumped out and tried to feel it herself. "Link, I can detect a magical spell that is causing the temple to draw in water from the outside and continuously produce rain. Too bad the rain goes right through me… I wanna feel rain, tooooo!" She stomped her holographic feet.
"I guess I'll have to leave this cap on, or else I'll tear the whole structure down. Good thing this Minish form has its own sword and shield."
"You still got me too, y'know! No matter what form you're in, you have access to all the Sheikah Slate's functions!"
The first room was rather small and had a high ledge up on the right, along with a few tiny branches sticking out. There was no way onto the ledge, and the door was sealed with bars. There was a switch on the left that Link could stand on, opening the door, but it would reseal the moment he stepped off. In one corner was a large nut (similar to those from the Forbidden Woods), but it was too light to hold down the switch. Link decided to cut it in half, discovering it was hollow inside. When he held it up, the rain began to fill it like a bowl. He could set the heavier half-nut on the switch and press it down. Thus, the first puzzle was complete.
The next room had a river flowing from Link's side to the other side. Its density was light enough for his little Minish form to swim in. There was another nut beside him, but he decided to scout the room before grabbing it. The next door was locked, and Link could sever a leaf boat from its post. He could jump to a ledge on the left partway down the river, climb up to a branch, from which he could jump to another branch that led to a chest with a Seal Bud (an eyeball flower with vines growing over the chest).
Link had to put the nut onto the leaf boat, ride it down, and throw the nut onto the ledge, afterwards jumping on himself. He carried the nut up to the Seal Bud and threw it to destroy the flower (which would otherwise close if he got close). He retrieved the Small Key from the chest and swam to the door to open it.
The following room was no doubt the center of the temple, with a giant structure with several water wheels. Seal Buds were growing all over the device, and the room was a doleful blue as opposed to the sunny yellow. Link was on a high ledge overlooking the room, and while the waterfall pouring in from the previous room was pure, the water below was sickly purple.
"Link, it seems that this machine controls all the main mechanisms in this temple. But all those yucky vines on it are keeping it from working! Link, we gotta do something about them!"
"Patience, Ayri. Where there's a dungeon, there's a dungeon item." To their right, they could jump some large branches and reach a large chest. Link peered inside with wonder as a gold light shone from the chest. Ayri giggled as he propped his stomach on the rim, reaching into the chest before falling back on his feet.
You got the Dungeon Map! This provides a layout of the dungeon. No, it doesn't mark chests and stuff, you need a Compass for that. Yes, it's one of those old-timey maps.
Link returned to the starting ledge and climbed a vine wall down to a foothold above the water. Another vine wall led to a door on the east side of the room, and inside the corresponding room was a decaying garden. Giant blue flies called Pestos were spewing Bomb Rocks out of their mouths and throwing them down at Link. The Minish could climb on the rock and jump onto a Pesto to take command of it. He steered the fly over a poison lake, which had several breakable stalagmites. He used the fly to shoot bombs out and blow them up into platforms.
A Tropical Wiggler was at rest on two platforms in the corner, and there were two switches on two platforms on the right side. Link rode the Wiggler and had it stretch its way over to press both switches with either end of its body. This caused a door to open on the main ledge, across from a locked door. Inside the new room, Link was safely sheltered under a giant shroom cap, while poison rain poured around the rest of the room. "Oh, dear. This rain looks tainted. I wish we brought an umbrella."
Luckily, an umbrella-sized mushroom was there to serve that very purpose! Unfortunately, the mushroom began to shrink under the rain, and Link had to quickly maneuver through a wooden walkway maze with tall railing. He was able to find the Small Key, but he quickly made his way back, taking damage from the rain after the mushroom vanished. Link took it to unlock the door in the Pesto room. This brought him to a room with normal rain, but there was another poison pool with stalagmites and large fruits growing on the ceiling. With nothing to do in here, Link entered a door to his left—and it sealed with bars on the other side.
The room was fairly small and had a few puddles. Naturally, the rain continued to pour, but Link kept his eyes sharp for the monster ambush. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary… until Link realized the rain wasn't pouring into the puddles. Only on… him. He stepped aside, and the rain followed him. …Worriedly, Link looked up. "WAAAAH!" He dodged when a watery blob with a creepy smile dropped down.
"Chuchu…" Its blubbery lips moved. "Chuuuu…" It seeped into the thin cracks.
Sub-boss: Rain Chuchu
Link felt the rainfall again and ran before the Rain Chu could crush him. He ran to stab the liquid monster, but his sword did no damage as it seeped belowground again. "Link, the Rain Chuchu is made of pure water. Ordinarily, it's the size of a normal raindrop and completely harmless, but I guess the Minish view it differently. No physical attack will damage it. What's more, I can't imagine it tasting very well… or could it?"
"Could it? Huh…" Link dodged the Chu again and used his bottle to grab a fraction of its body. Of course, the only way to dispose of it was to drink it. "Yick. Is this honestly the whole fight? Man, my bladder is gonna explode after this." With that, all Link could do was keep dodging the Chu and drinking as much of it as he could each time before it sunk.
When the Chuchu was half its original size, the watery blob morphed into a ball. It followed Link insistently, so all the hero could do was bounce it back with his shield. The Chu would easily recompose and roll back. Link decided to use a Shield Bash to push it against the wall with more force, the blob breaking into pieces. Link had the chance to scoop some in his bottle and drink it. The Chu would reform and chase Link with faster speeds, and during this time he had to deal multiple Shield Bashes. When the Chu was near its smallest size, he had to use five bashes, but the hero prevailed and broke it into its remaining pieces.
After Link drunk them down, only a tiny droplet was moving. The little Rain Chu looked up at his boots in terror, but Link didn't hesitate in squashing the drip. With the monster destroyed, Link watched as a treasure chest materialized out of thin air. However, it was designed with Sheikah Tech. "Link! This is a Sheikah Chest! If you stick me into that slot, I may regain one of my lost functions!"
"Is that so? Well then…" Link stuck the slate into the slot. The chest glowed blue as data flowed into it. Once it was finished, Link pulled it out. A digital boomerang formed in Ayri's hands, the girl doing a twirl.
You got the Boomerang Rune! The Sheikah Slate will grant you a digital boomerang that can retrieve distant items or hit targets. The boomerang can also attach tightropes between targets, with which you can balance on.
"A BOOMERANG! I always wanted one of these! Come on, Link, let's play with it!" She handed the item to Link, and it felt surprisingly solid.
To escape this room, he had to throw it at a switch above the door. Link exited to the room with hanging fruit and chose to put it to more use: by throwing the boomerang around the stalagmites, ropes connected them, and Link could balance up. Unfortunately, it could only connect five targets. Link had to throw the boomerang up to chop down the fruit, sticking them on the first four posts and connecting the next four posts via boomerang. The last one led him to a ledge with a chest containing a Small Key. "Hey, Link! Since these are called 'Small Keys,' imagine how tiny they would be at our normal size!"
"Ha ha ha! Good point!" His mood uplifted once again, Link returned to the center of the temple. Parallel to the vine wall he used before, Link could connect tightropes between some branches, which would lead him partway to the north side of the room. He could rest on a safe ledge, and from there lock his boomerang onto the Seal Buds to destroy them. A stairwell led him up to a door on the north side, and Link luckily had the key to open it.
Link was brought to another pool of poison water, which was in a continuous rotation as nuts and trash rotated around. There was a post on Link's shore, and he was able to connect the boomerang's rope to it and the barrels. When he did this, Link could pull them over. One of the items was a giant chest, and when Link brought it on shore, a golden light began to emit when he opened it. As he suspected, the item inside was…
You got the Compass! Use this to see where you are and where important items are marked! …You know, how exactly does this work in relation to the map? It must be magic or something.
Link pulled in some of the nuts, but two of them turned out to be bombs. Link pulled in a floating twig the size of a log, and he could stand on it to float over to the other side. He could jump to a ledge and go up the stairs to the second floor of the room. There was a cracked wall and a post, so Link had to connect it with one of the bomb nuts down below, and use it to destroy the wall. Inside was a chest that contained a gear-shaped key.
"Hey, you think this can activate that big machine thingy?" Ayri asked. Link nodded in agreement. They returned to the center room, and from the right of that door, Link could sidle along a thin ledge to reach a platform on the corner turn. He tossed the boomerang to destroy the other Seal Buds on the sides of the huge machine. There was an opening on one side of it, and Link could make a running jump down to the platform, from which he could climb a ladder into said opening. There was a keyhole on a pedestal, no doubt fit for their Ignition Key.
With the Seal Buds gone and the machine reactivated, the cogs began turning. The center chamber returned to a bright color and the poison water became pure. "Link, the water is clean now! It doesn't smell gross, anymore! I mean, if I had a sense of smell, I'm sure I would love it!" Link couldn't deny this was a major improvement. They watched as a large gate opened in the west corridor of the room. However, Link decided to ignore that for now and return to the eastern area.
The room with the poison rain now had pure rain. A ladder led onto one of the fence's posts, and Link realized he could connect that post with one on a high ledge. There was a door on that ledge, and when Link walked in, it sealed behind him.
Link found himself in an uncomfortably large, empty room. Link walked forward, looking left, right, then up—"WAAAAH!" A gigantic spider with four long legs crashed down, its head a ball that looked like a planet.
Sub-boss: Beady Long Legs
"Link, it's a Beady Long Legs! This toothless spider likes to squash prey with its round feet and leave its children to devour it. It's so tall that you need to climb its legs to reach its head, but there's no way to do that if it keeps stomping. Quit moving, you stupid spider!"
The Long Legs stomped away from Link and released baby spiders that the hero sliced apart. There were posts around the room, so Link got an idea: he directed the spider toward a post and used the boomerang to latch the first joint on a leg with the post. The spider struggled to escape, so Link quickly climbed the rope, got to its leg, and crossed to the Long Legs' head. He stabbed it a couple times before the spider furiously shook Link off.
The Long Legs stomped the post into the ground to break free, then ran faster to keep away from Link. The Minish hero chopped up some more spiders before using the boomerang to connect a post with its leg again. This time, the spider was smart as it quickly acted to stomp the post down and escape (thankfully, they would come back up). What Link had to do was lock onto one post, the spider's leg, and then another post, so it would be bound to two posts with neither one letting it reach the other. Link climbed one of the ropes to get on top of it and stab the head before Long Legs shook him off.
The tightropes wore off and the Long Legs decided to stomp the posts so hard that they wouldn't come back up. Furthermore, it retreated to the ceiling and continued to drop children down. "Link, don't forget you can connect creatures with the boomerang, too!" Link nodded and decided to connect four Baby Long Legs with a single leg of their daddy. They still tried to chase Link, but the act of doing so tugged on the leg until it was detached from the ceiling. As the spider continued to pull, the Long Legs completely fell. Its head was on the ground, so Link seized the chance to leap and STAB a fatal blow.
The Long Legs gave one final cry, standing and wobbling around before its ball opened, dropping a blue and yellow chest. The spider dissolved into ash. Link went to open the chest, but he knew as well as anyone what it would contain.
You got the Boss Key! Use this to open that big lock with the scary horns!
Link returned to the center of the temple and swam down the river to the west corridor. There was a high ledge with no way up, but there was a pipe with multiple vents on the top. Link climbed onto a foothold and entered the available door. Inside was another pool with a giant Skullfish swimming in circles. There was also a giant faucet handle inside. Link could easily do this without jumping in: when its tail was close to one of the handle's bars, he linked them with the boomerang, and the fish was turning the faucet as it swam. The pipe began rushing with water, and Link exited the room to find the vents spouting up columns of water like a stairway.
Link hopped up the columns and reached the door up top. Link was in a fairly wide room and had to cut open a nut into a bowl. They were under a safe roof, but outside, the floor was being pounded by raindrops the size of boulders. "Link, those raindrops are actual size! If we aren't careful, our skulls will be crushed!" And not to mention the nut, Link thought. He could fill the bowl using a small waterfall, but then had to carry it through this room while dodging all the giant drops. The Minish was crushed, his nut shattering, and Link weakly recovered as he rushed back to the start. He filled the other bowl up and dashed across the room again, dodging drop after drop, until he successfully reached the safe roof on the other side. He used the bowl to press a weight switch and open the door.
Link entered a room with a humongous waterfall and multiple sideways platforms along it. There was a Tropical Wiggler wandering around on the first platform, and Link could jump onto it. It felt awkward riding the caterpillar sideways, but it controlled just the same. They traveled up platform to platform, dodging bombs that Pestos were dropping. Some of the platforms threatened to flip, some were moving side-to-side into spikes, so the Wiggler had to quickly stretch to the next ones. Finally, Link made it to the top.
Link entered the next door, and beyond his vision was the Boss Door. There was a chasm of water below, a post at the end of the large branch on his end, and another on the Boss Door's end. Link connected the two posts and was about to cross—"CHOP CHOP CHOP CHOP!" A giant Skullfish jumped out and SNAPPED the rope, scaring the living daylights out of Link. There was no way to get across with that beast munching up and down. Unless, of course, Link locked onto the first post, then the Skullfish's tail, then the second post. When the Skullfish turned to fall down, Link connected the three targets, leaving the fish to hang by the tail. Link could trek across and reach the Boss Door. His key could fit perfectly inside the lock, and in he went. (End song.)
The rain continued to poor gently as Link faced an altar in the center of a large room. The altar was corrupted with dark aura. The wall behind it displayed a lovely mural of a green girl in a green dress with pink flowers. The floor was covered in shallow water with some large lilipads lain around. As Link stepped forward, large green, glittery balls began to descend with the rain. This scenario felt very familiar, Link thought… and he was afraid to look up. (Geez, these monsters and their sneak attacks from the ceiling.)
Link couldn't see it at first because of the artificial clouds… but soon, he could make out the terrifying, patterned face that shaped into wings. The tremendous beast rocketed down, Link dodging before its huge black pinchers munched him. These factors, along with its single eye, told Link that it was a Mothula. If these oversized bugs weren't scary before, the Minish had it even worse. (Play "Kalle Demos" from Wind Waker!)
Boss fight: Massive Masked Moth, MOTHUKING
The Mothuking took up the whole center of the room, quickly turning to face Link wherever he walked. From this perspective, it looked like a winged Gohma; if only Link had the grappling hook. Whenever the beast opened its pinchers, it was practically inviting Link to take a stab at its eye, but the hero knew better. There were posts spread out around the room, so as Link dodged the pinchers, he locked the boomerang to a post on his right, then to the right pincher. He waited for the pinchers to open before linking the targets, because then the Mothuking couldn't close that pincher.
Link got onto that side and struck the eye a few times before the beast broke free. Link back-flipped and watched as the Mothuking took flight. The beast dropped four Morphs; the little spikeballs that would do nothing more than slow Link's speed would surely puncture his skull with those giant spikes. Meanwhile, the Mothula was spitting yellow, glittery fluff balls from its rear tip, and one of them struck and bound Link in place. This enabled one of the Morphs to strike the Minish, leaving him bleeding from the stomach.
Link withstood the pain and escaped, running a safe distance from the Morphs. Link realized he could lock his boomerang onto the Morphs' spikes, as well as the Mothuking's rear. He decided to link one of the Morphs to the rear, so when the beast fired its stun ball, it struck the offspring and stuck it in place. Link could climb onto the Morph since its spikes were covered, then climb the tightrope to stab its bulbous rear.
The beast shook so furiously that the Morph was pulled free, and it flung up just as the rope detached, striking Mothuking dead in the eye. Angered, the beast rammed the wall and shook the room as more rain fell, creating a small flood. Link had to climb onto one of the lilipads for safety. The shaking also caused Pestos to come down, so Link hitched a ride on one. The Mothuking kept trying to snap them, but whenever the beast open its pinchers, Link had the Pesto throw a Bomb Rock at its eye. Link repeated this three times before the furious Mothuking blasted forward and shook the room again.
Link's Pesto was destroyed, and the Hero fell onto a lilipad. Link watched as the beast rocketed to the ceiling, then CRASHED to the flooded ground, causing stalactites to come down. Mothuking did it a second time, performing a stylish flip. Forming an idea, Link linked a stalactite to Mothuking's rear, so when the beast performed its flip, the stalactite whirled around its body before sticking into its "rocket engine." The beast squirmed and ended up falling on its back in the water.
Link hopped onto its floating wings and climbed onto its belly. The beast continued to squirm in its desperate attempt to shoot the stalactite out, too distracted as Link climbed up to its eye. With a few more strong strikes, the Mothuking was blinded. It shook faster than ever before eventually losing the will to fight. Its colors faded, and the beast curled up and exploded into darkness, its soul leaving its body (in the form of the girl's mask). Link gave his classic victory dance as the flood drained down the natural cracks. (End song.)
There were two things left behind by the beast: a Heart Container to heal his injuries and a mask that represented Mothuking's wings. He figured it would make a fun thing to scare Tetra with.
You've seized Mothuking's Remains! You've just freed the innocent spirit who was imprisoned within the evil Mothuking!
The darkness around the aura was replaced with green light. A spire of small leaves erupted from it. The leaves swirled into a single thin point before scattering. A girl in a moss dress, matching hair, and lighter green skin appeared. She reminded Link of the Fairy Queen.
"Hello there. You must be the one who destroyed that awful monster. My name is Lyara, the Maiden of Spring. Hm hm hm! You can't fool me with that disguise. It's rare for people to be able to see eye-to-eye with the Minish. Most boys your age would look down on them like common insects. But I can tell your heart is kind and gentle."
"Well, I wouldn't say that." Link blushed. "I killed a lot of monsters."
"Only in self-defense, I would hope! Still… I sense a dark power from your cap. It feels like the dark power that was used to curse me."
"It was the work of the masked girl, wasn't it? Tell me… do you know who that is?"
The maiden closed her eyes. "One thousand years ago… us Four Maidens were gifted the Power of Seasons by the gods. We promised to use our powers for good… but the Winter Maiden sought to obtain all of our powers for herself. Her name was Araea. She created a mask, imbued with dark magic that she used to try and steal our power. We had no choice but to destroy her. However, the mask absorbed Araea's Ice Element, and our efforts to destroy the cursed relic were futile. We sealed the mask inside the temple dedicated to her, hoping no one would find it, or else they would inherit her frozen heart and powers of the cold dark."
"But that girl… that wasn't Araea herself, was it?"
"No. I don't know who that was. But I could feel that her heart was frozen and corrupted by Araea's essence. I can also feel that the rest of my brethren have fallen under Araea's curse. Much like the poor Minish your form inhabits."
"What do you mean by… whuh?" Link looked to his right as a Minish's spirit appeared. He nearly resembled Link.
"My name is Vito. I would like to thank you for helping my people… Link."
"You're Vito? Does that mean you're… dead?"
"I left my island and ventured across the frozen sea in search of something that could rid our poisonous water. There was a terrible blizzard, and it took every ounce of strength to keep from blowing away. And then…"
The wind began to calm down, and Vito opened his eyes to a giant pair of frostbitten feet. Looming above him was a girl in a purple mask, shaped like a snowflake with glowing blue eyes. "That's strange… I didn't expect to find a helpless little creature like you out here. Are you lost, little one?"
"A human! Please, take me to shelter! Is there a town nearby? Are there other humans? I'm looking for a way to save my village!"
"Why even bother begging? No one is going to care what happens to your kind. I may as well put you out of your misery now." The girl aimed a hand down at him.
"NO! Please, I'm begging you, take me somewhere safe!"
"What a cute little hat you got! It'll look lovely in my collection!" Her mask rattled and glowed, and a painful sensation began to overcome Vito.
"My soul was sealed inside my own hat… and before I knew it, I was placed on your head."
"Is there… any way to get you back to normal?"
"If there is a way, it's beyond my power." Lyara said. "But I will ease your worries and grant your wish, Vito: I will restore Picori Island to its natural form." She molded a green, glowing sphere between her hands and threw it skyward.
The light flew into the heavens and burst, drawing in the clouds. Glimmering rain began to pour onto Picori Island, causing the poison to dissolve into purple mist and fade away. Purified water flowed throughout the island, the Minish filled with delight. Some began to dive into the spring and go for a swim.
"Brave young one… have you ever heard of the Sword of Four Seasons? It was a sacred blade that we four shared, passing it to the next when our respective season came. It is what we used to end Araea's life. If you have any hope of stopping that girl, you may need to wield this sword yourself. The only way to find the blade is through a sacred song-"
"Of course." Link remarked.
"-which can only be sung with the essence of us Four Maidens. I will give my essence to you now, but you will have to visit the remaining temples for the other three. That Sheikah Slate of yours will be great for carrying it. Please, raise it." Link held the slate above him. A green light came out of Lyara's chest, and it flew into the device.
Ayri jumped out and drew a bow and arrow, aiming and firing up at the wall. "Incredible, Master! The Spring Maiden has restored my Arrow Rune! Not only that, it contains a strange power…"
You got the Earth Arrow! The Spring Maiden's power will allow your Sheikah Slate to fire arrows that can shatter weak rocks or walls!
"As a member of the Kokiri, I was a close and lifelong friend of the Minish. Alas… I was too weak to protect them from the wrath of Araea's Mask. I will do my part to keep them safe from any further harm… but I must entrust you to do what I cannot. Please… rescue my friends soon." A soft wind blew, and the maiden became leaves as they flew away.
"Link…" Vito spoke. "I hate to ask this of you, but… don't tell my people what's become of me, yet. I want them to feel hopeful for a while…"
"Well… okay." Link nodded. Vito's spirit faded. "Okay, Ayri. Let's go tell Nellia the good news."
As soon as Link exited the temple and stepped down the stairs, the Minish girl ran up and squeezed him in a hug. "YOU DID IT! Our island is saved, all thanks to you!"
"Indeed." said Ezlan. He and Zaru had come to meet their savior. "You are a hero to the Minish, young warrior. Isn't he, Zaru?"
"Hrrmm… I suppose he is. No doubt, this boy has proven to be far more trustworthy than the Yiga… I don't know what I was thinking in bargaining with them."
"Ah, the past is the past, old friend. Especially since you'll be catching 100 fish as punishment. But it's too bad Vito can't partake in this happiness. Link… if you must leave, can you please keep an eye out for him on your journey?"
"Y-Yeah… of course I will. Oh, I forgot to ask! By any chance, have any other humans visited this island recently? A mask salesman, perhaps?"
"Why, yes, actually. Er, he wasn't human; he was a Minish like us, but he was a mask salesman. He was coming from this spring when I passed him… and he said something about going to check the temple in the Avian Highlands."
"That's where the Rito live, right?" Nellia asked. "I read that they built a temple for the Summer Maiden."
"I think I know where I'm going next then." Link said. "I'll see you guys later!"
"Okay, Link! Please come visit us again sometime!" Nellia waved.
"Heheh! Sure I will! …Ulp! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to relieve myself of this Rain Chu! Eyaaaahhh!" He scampered off in a hurry, Nellia giggling awkwardly.
In another time
Cheren took off the hat, stretching his body. "So, it turns out, Vito's soul was inside the Minish Cap. But he didn't want Link to tell anyone, yet."
"Really? That's… kinda sad." Hat Kid frowned.
"Yeah. Reminds me of the people I encountered in Termina. …In fact, one of my masks was a Kateenian. I have no idea who it was or how Majora got ahold of him. I wonder… if his family knows what happened to him."