Enter the Ancient Cistern after restoring Faron with Sacred Water. Obtain the Whip, explore the flooded halls and underground passages, and collect the Blessed Idol before fighting Koloktos for Farore’s Flame.
Collect 200 Rupees near the Entrance
entrance
After entering the cave sanctuary, you will come to a massive circular main room. In its center rises a huge golden statue, surrounded by a deep pool of water and numerous lotus leaves. First, activate the bird statue near the entrance. Before you even solve the first actual puzzle, we can already collect 200 Rupees here.
Jump into the water and dive down to the large statue. A silver Rupee worth 100 Rupees floats in both open hands. However, the hands react to Link: If you simply swim in slowly, the fingers close and you are grabbed. Therefore, approach from a distance and insert a Spin maneuver directly in front of the Rupee. As a result, Link quickly shoots through the palm, takes the Rupee with him and, ideally, is already out of his fingers before the hand closes. Repeat the process on the other side and you will have earned 200 Rupees right from the start.
The secret of the great statue
Then swim to the island directly in front of the large statue. The central door is locked and cannot be opened at the moment. There is a stone tablet to the right or next to the entrance. Its inscription explains that the statue itself reveals the order for a later puzzle: First, Link should examine the back, then the lower back, and finally the backs of the right and left hands.
If you want, you can look for the corresponding characters directly on the statue. On the upper back the symbol shows above, underwater on the lower back after below. You will then find the two lateral directions on the back of your hand. When put together, you get the important combination Top – Bottom – Left – Right. Remember them, because we need exactly this order for the first door lock.
Then go to the east side of the main room. There is a red lever on the wall in front of the passage there. Jump on it or pull it down to make the grate rise. Enter the next room.
Lotus leaves and the first combination puzzle
You stand on a raised platform above a small pool of water that is almost completely covered by large lotus leaves. Jump down. The leaf that Link lands on turns over due to his weight. You should remember this mechanic: A lotus leaf can be turned either by jumping from a sufficient height or later with the whip. The spiny underside can thus be turned away from the water or upwards, often opening underwater pathways.
Climb out of the water and head north. Two Skulltulas hang in their nets over the aisle. Cut their threads and kill the spiders so that they don’t push you off the narrow paths later. At the end of the corridor there is an ornate four-panel door. The stone tablet next to it reminds us again that the solution follows from the markings on the large statue.
Hit the four areas of the door in the order Top – Bottom – Left – Right. After the fourth correct hit, the lock disappears and the path becomes clear. This combination remains identical for both versions of the game.
Find the first Small Key
In the next room, several lotus leaves are floating on the water again. Before you take care of the actual path, send your Beetle up and cut the threads of the two skulltulas. The spiders fall into the water and then no longer bother you. Then dive into the small underwater niche on the north wall. There are several Rupees there that you can take with you.
The important passage is to the east, but is blocked by the prickly underside of a lotus leaf. You have to turn it over. Therefore, first climb up the vines on the southeast side or on the accessible wall. Remove the Skullwandtula beforehand so that it doesn’t hit Link while climbing. From the upper platform you jump directly onto the blocking lotus leaf. The impact causes it to turn around and the underwater tunnel is clear.
Jump back into the water, dive under the lotus leaf and swim into the opened passage. Several wooden beams block the way. Break through them with water screws. At the end you can emerge and climb up the vines. The door takes you back to the previous room, but this time on the previously unreachable upper platform.
Directly in front of Link is a Treasure Chest. Open it and take the Small Key. Then jump down. There is also a water fountain in this room that you can use to get back up and return to the main room.
With the Small Key into the large statue
Back in the main room, go to the island in front of the huge statue again. The Small Key we just found opens the central door. Behind it you come to a high cylindrical room that runs through the interior of the statue. Several faucet-like mechanisms are located on the walls, but cannot be used at the moment.
Fi points you to a locked gate far above you. However, the only current path is downwards. Therefore, jump through the opening in the middle of the floor and let Link fall to the lowest level.
Miniboss: Stalmaster
After landing, a particularly powerful undead rises from the ground: the Stalmaster. At the beginning he resembles a normal Stalfos and blocks certain attack directions with two swords. Watch carefully where his blades are positioned and strike from an undefended direction. A Shield Bash is particularly effective: parry one of his blows at the right moment and use the short stun for several quick hits.
After sufficient damage, the Stalmaster draws two more swords and now fights with four arms. This makes his defense much tighter. Don’t try to hit the blades frantically. Wait for his attack, parry with the shield if possible or retreat and use the short moment after his combination. In some positions the Stalmaster leaves almost only the middle open; a stabbing attack can then be particularly effective.
Repeat the process until the Stalmaster collapses. The southern door opens.
Treasure Chest – the whip
Behind the open door is a large blue Treasure Chest. Inside lies the Whip, the central new piece of equipment for the Cave Sanctuary. With it, Link can reach distant levers, swing from hook-shaped devices, turn over lotus leaves, steal certain items from enemies, and operate the Sanctuary’s large valves. It remains part of your equipment permanently even after the dungeon.
Return to the Stalmaster’s room. On the wall is one of the large faucet-like mechanisms. Aim the whip at the handle, hook in and pull hard. The mechanism rotates and a fountain of water shoots out of the ground. Climb in and let yourself be carried up one floor.
Collect the Dungeon Map
Now comes a crucial detour for our 100% route. After receiving the whip, the previous solution section leads directly back to the western waterfall and thus completely skips the Dungeon Map. Exit the central statue on one of the upper levels and return to the main room.
Walk counterclockwise on the raised ring towards the north or northeast. Several large metal hooks hang over the gaps. Aim at it with the whip, swing over the gaps and work your way to the far platform. There is a large Treasure Chest.
Open it and you will receive the Dungeon Map of the Cave Sanctuary. All the rooms in the upper temple complex and the catacombs below are visible. Particularly important is the marking in the west of the main room, which we are heading towards next.
Defeat
Furnix with the whip
On the raised platforms you will encounter a Furnix for the first time. The large firebird circles outside of your normal sword range. Wait until he attacks and lets his long tail or ring hang down. Aim at it with the whip and pull the enemy down towards Link. As soon as he is on the ground, kill him with several sword hits or a Fatal Blow.
These enemies appear again in the further dungeon. With the whip, however, they lose almost all of their danger.
Turn off the waterfall to the west
Then jump back into the water of the main room and swim to the west side. There is a conspicuous marker marked here on the map. Several lotus leaves float in front of the large waterfall. One is upside down. Aim the whip at its prickly root and pull hard to turn the leaf over.
Jump onto the now safe lotus leaf. Above the waterfall is a red lever that was previously out of reach. Pull him down with the whip. The huge stream of water dries up and the mouth of a large stone fish statue appears behind it.
Jump into the water and swim through the open fish mouth.
Treasure Chest – red Rupee
At the end of the short tunnel you emerge in a small chamber. A Skulltula guards the path. Kill them and look around directly behind the fish statue or at the exit of the tunnel. There is a small Treasure Chest.
Open it and take the red Rupee worth 20 Rupees. This chest is also off the compelling story path and therefore belongs in a complete dungeon route.
The path to the west is blocked by a grate. However, you can see a red lever behind it. One of the great advantages of the whip is that it can be used through such grids. Aim at the lever and pull it down. The grate opens.
Goddess Wall in the western area
In the following area you should look out for a concentration of sky butterflies. Play near you on the Goddess’s Harp. One appears on the rock wall Goddess Wall. It is not necessary for story progression, but is one of the dungeon’s optional secrets and is a good way to replenish your supply.
Charge your sword with a Skyward Strike and then draw a symbol on the wall. A heart generates multiple hearts, a circle bombs and a ruby symbol corresponding Rupees. Which reward you choose is not crucial for 100% progress. The most important thing is not to overlook the hidden wall.
With the whip through the western area
In the next large room there is a deep pool of water. A Bokoblin is shooting arrows at you from the opposite side. If possible, kill him with the Slingshot or the Beetle before you start the climbing passage. A hook-shaped metal piece hangs over the abyss. Use the whip to swing across the water and jump to the vines on the other side.
Two Deku Babas and a rotating column with climbing vines wait at the top. Defeat the plants and jump to the rotating column. Let yourself be carried around the room and jump onto the next platform on the southwest side. There is another Bokoblin with a bow there. Turn him off first before continuing along the south wall.
A skullwandtula sits on the next tendrils. Shoot them down. Next to it is a lever that you can reach with the whip. Pull it down to open the grate on the upper level. Then return over the vines and the familiar platforms and swing yourself on another hook to the opposite side.
There are several Deku Babas guarding a large valve mechanism. Defeat the plants and turn the faucet with the whip. A hatch then opens in the central pool and the water begins to turn into a huge whirlpool.
Jump in. The whirlpool pulls Link deep beneath the sanctuary.
The Dark Catacombs
You are swept into the completely different underworld of the cave sanctuary. Instead of golden stone and clear water, poisoned liquid, skeletons and undead enemies await you here. Activate the bird statue if it is in your immediate path and move carefully across the safe platforms.
Several skulltulas hang directly above lotus leaves. Send your Beetle and cut their strings. The spiders pounce on the leaves and turn them over with their weight. This exposes underwater tunnels underneath. Dive through the eastern passage.
Steal the second Small Key
After the tunnel you appear in front of a locked gate. On the other side is a Bokoblin. An object clearly shines on his belt. It’s the key to the nearby door – and the whip makes direct confrontation completely unnecessary.
Target the Bokoblins’s belt and hit it with the whip. Link pulls the Small Key straight from his body. Use it to open the locked door. By the way, the whip can later steal monster horns and other visible items from Bokoblins in a similar way, which is quite useful when collecting upgrade materials.
You can already see a large Treasure Chest behind another grille. It contains the dungeon’s Big Key, but is currently inaccessible. Note their position and instead follow the only open path to the water. Jump in and let the current transport you back to the upper area.
Open the path to the upper level
After the current you will find yourself in a brighter part of the sanctuary again. There is a large grille opposite. Pull the lever next to it with the whip, opening a shortcut to the main room. Don’t go through it yet, though.
Climbing vines grow on the east wall, with a Skullwandtula sitting on them. First, turn the nearby lotus leaf over with the whip and eliminate the spider. Then climb up the vines and follow the stairs to a ledge above the water. Below you, a lotus leaf floats right between two elevated areas. Jump on it from enough height to make it turn around.
Then dive under the turned leaf and swim into the underwater tunnel that opens. Two Froaks block the way. Use water screws to clear them or push them out of the way. At the end you reappear at a staircase.
Above you will find another faucet. Twist him with the whip. A fountain is created in the central water basin. Now return to the upper level via the familiar tunnel and the vines. This time, use the whip to turn the lotus leaf into the appropriate position and use it as a platform to jump to the opposite side. There you pull another lever and open the next gate.
Lower the statue
You are now standing high up in the main room. A Furnix attacks. Wait for him to extend his tail, use the whip to bring him down and finish him off on the ground.
Then look to the southeast. There are more climbing vines on the outside wall of the hall. Climb it to the left and follow the narrow path until you reach a large red lever. Pull him down with the whip.
The entire giant statue in the center of the cave sanctuary begins to descend. This fundamentally changes the connection between the upper temple complex and the catacombs and the previously blocked path to Big Key slowly becomes accessible.
Cursed Bokoblins and Evil Crystals
Jump back down and enter the interior of the central statue again. This time, drop down to the lowest level. Because the statue has been lowered, the door no longer leads into the Stalmaster’s room, but directly into the dark catacombs.
A group of Cursed Bokoblins is waiting here. The undead Bokoblins can withstand significantly more hits than their living relatives and can hold Link. Hit them until they fall to the ground, then immediately do a Fatal Blow. The Fatal Blow instantly eliminates a prone Zomboklin and prevents it from getting up again.
If you carry the Sacred Shield with you, you have an additional advantage: the undead opponents react sensitively to its holy energy and can therefore briefly recoil. If possible, defeat all Zomboklins because they can drop Evil Crystals. While the drops are not guaranteed and are therefore not a limited collectible, Evil Crystals are required for high-value upgrades later.
The poisoned lake in the underworld
After the fight, follow the eastern path. You reach a large lake with an unnatural pink-purple liquid. Under no circumstances enter this water voluntarily. The substance damages Link and can curse him, making weapons and items unusable for a short period of time.
Therefore, stick to the safe paths on the edge. At the end of a cave there is a stone tablet. Its inscription essentially describes the way out of the underworld and provides a clue to the mechanisms that lie before you.
Stopping the toxic waterfall
Go back a little. Several lotus leaves float on the liquid between the skeleton-like stone structures. Use the whip to flip the leaf you need and work your way across the safe platforms to the opposite side.
Then look at the large purple waterfall. The entire construction looks like a huge skull. Launch your Beetle and fly through one of the eye sockets. Inside there is a Crystal Switch. Meet him. The toxic waterfall dries up and the area behind it becomes accessible.
Blow up the rock wall with the Hook Beetle
Return to the stone tablet. To the right of it, a cracked stone structure blocks the further path. The distance is too great for a normal bomb drop. So send your Hook Beetle to one of the Bomb Flowers, pick up a bomb and transport it to the cracked area. Drop it right in front of it.
After the explosion the path is clear. Use the whip to swing over the abyss and jump onto the climbing vines of the rotating column. Climb up and let the rotating motion carry you to the next platform.
Change the direction of rotation of the large columns
Jump from the first rotating pillar to the next, being careful not to jump off at the first possible platform to the west. Your destination is further southeast. Wait until the pillar has put you in the right position, jump off and follow the path to the next climbing plants.
At the top you will reach a red lever. Change him. The large rotating structures in the underworld then change their direction of rotation. This is exactly the change we need to get to the previously unreachable side of the area.
Drop down onto the large rotating stone disk and ride it north. Follow the path there to the next pillar with climbing vines. Jump on it and allow yourself to be transported as far as possible. Then return to the lever or reach it via the platform and pull it a second time. The direction of rotation changes again and the pillar now takes Link to the exit of the section.
Escape from the underworld on a rope
You enter a round room, in the middle of which a bright beam of light extends from the ceiling to the floor. A long rope hangs right in the center. As soon as you climb up it, several Cursed Bokoblins will appear and also start pulling themselves up the rope.
Concentrate as much as possible on the climb. If an enemy reaches Link and grabs him, shake him off or perform the shown release action. You can also slide down briefly and knock down a Zomboklin that is climbing close below you. However, don’t stay standing unnecessarily long, because more and more enemies will follow.
Climb to the top. You return to the bright main room.
Raise the large statue again
Next to the exit from the underworld there is another stone tablet and a lever. First, pull the smaller mechanism to make a platform move out of the wall. Stand on it and from there reach the large lever that controls the central statue.
Pull it in the opposite direction. The gigantic statue goes back up. This is exactly what is necessary, because the big key is in a depression under the statue. If you were to collect it while the enormous structure was hanging directly above it, there would be no safe escape route.
Now jump back to the long rope and climb back to the underworld.
The Blessed Idol
Once you reach the bottom, go east. First, turn the nearby faucet with the whip. This creates a water fountain that we can use as a quick escape route. Then follow the path further to the large Treasure Chest that we saw through the grate earlier.
Open it and you will receive the Blessed Idol, the Big Key of the cave sanctuary. Like the previous Big Key, this one must later be correctly inserted into the three-dimensional shape of the boss door.
Immediately after opening the chest, several Cursed Bokoblins appear – and at the same time the huge statue above you begins to lower itself again. Don’t waste time on a long fight. Immediately jump out of the depression and run to the previously activated water jet. The statue crashes down and eliminates many of the undead on its own anyway.
Climb up to the boss door
Now enter the inside of the lowered statue and use the water fountains. If you have not yet activated individual valves at the higher levels, turn them with the whip. The fountains form a kind of elevator system and take Link to the top, little by little.
Use the Blessed Idol on the locked ceiling. Rotate it so that its irregular shape fits exactly into the recess. In Skyward Sword HD you can do this with button control using the analog sticks; with motion control or in the Wii original, the key is turned by controller movements.
As soon as the key is in place, the ceiling opens. Climb the stairs. There are several large valves on the top platform. Turn them all with the whip. The entire statue then moves to the top of the cave sanctuary and brings Link directly in front of the boss room.
Use the bird statue, save your progress and collect the hearts in the area. Once you’re ready, climb the last few steps.
Boss: Koloktos
On the highest platform, Link encounters Demon Lord Ghirahim again. He sits on a massive golden statue and vents his frustration at Link’s progress. He then disappears and transfers dark energy to the ancient construct. The statue awakens and puts its numerous arms together.
The final boss of the cave sanctuary is called in the German version Koloktos; in international versions it bears the name Koloktos. Its prominent red weak spot is located in the center of its chest, but is protected by several arms. The entire fight therefore revolves around the correct use of the whip you have just received.
Koloktos – first phase of combat
In the first phase, Koloktos largely stays in place. Several arms protect the chest while others slash at Link or throw large blades. First keep a medium distance and move sideways. The punches in which one arm hammers the ground with full force are particularly important. Dodge. The arm then remains stuck in the ground for a brief moment.
A red or marked connection is now visible at the joint. Aim the whip at it and pull hard. The entire arm detaches from the body. Repeat with the remaining arms protecting his chest. There’s no need to beat its armor pointlessly – just focus on the arms, which become vulnerable after an attack.
As soon as the red ball in the chest is exposed, run forward and attack it with your normal sword. Multiple quick hits deal significant damage. After a short time, Koloktos puts his arms back together and the phase begins again. Again, keep your distance, provoke his blows and tear off the affected arms with the whip.
Koloktos – second phase of combat with the giant sabers
After enough damage, the battle changes completely. Koloktos stands up on two legs and begins to run around the arena, arming several arms with huge sabers. In addition, its red core is now protected by a massive grid.
Stay away and wait for a ground attack again. As soon as several arms are stuck in the ground, pull off at least one of them with the whip. One of the huge sabers falls to the ground. Run over and pick it up. Link can actually use this huge weapon himself.
First attack Koloktos’s legs. Horizontal strikes with the giant saber shatter the legs and bring the boss down. Then use the same weapon to hit the metal grille in front of his chest core. After a few powerful hits, the cover breaks and the red weak point is exposed.
You can now also work on the core with the giant saber. Take full advantage of the opportunity as the heavy weapon causes enormous damage. After some time, Koloktos puts itself back together and the process begins again.
Defeat the Cursed Bokoblins during the Boss Fight
boss fight
Later, Koloktos also summons several Cursed Bokoblins. Don’t let them distract you too much from the boss. The huge sabers are so powerful that a single hit can eliminate several undead at the same time. Keep moving until Koloktos slams his arms into the ground again, rip one off and grab the dropped saber.
When the boss starts lashing out wildly with all his weapons, keep your distance and wait until the combination is finished. Don’t try to run between his arms during this attack. Then you repeat the familiar pattern: remove the arm with the whip, pick up the giant sword, smash the legs, smash the cage and attack the core.
After several successful runs, the artifact of darkness finally falls apart into its individual parts.
Collect the Heart Container after Koloktos
After Koloktos’s defeat, a complete Heart Container appears in the arena. Be sure to take it with you before you go through the open door. This causes Link’s maximum health to permanently increase by one full heart.
Since there is no normal Piece of Heart in the rest of the Ancient Cistern, this Heart Container is the only permanent health expansion within the dungeon.
Farore’s Flame
Go through the door behind the boss arena. Link reaches a small sacred room with an altar. The well-known bird symbol is again on the base. Stand in front of it, hold your sword up and load a full Skyward Strike. Then hit the coat of arms.
Farore’s sacred flame is ignited. Fi absorbs their energy and transfers it to the Goddess Sword. The blade visibly changes shape: it becomes longer, sharper and significantly stronger. The previous sword now becomes the long sword of the goddess. His attacks deal more damage and the larger blade has improved range. The Triforce symbol of courage also appears on Link’s hand.
This gives Link the first of the three holy flames. Two more are still missing before the Gate of Time in the Sealed Grounds can be fully activated.
Back to the water dragon
After the sequence, Link will automatically be returned to Lake Floria from the Ancient Cistern. The water dragon Faron is already waiting for you. With Farore’s flame in his sword, the first part of the great quest is complete.
Fi indicates that the next clue is waiting again on the Isle of Songs within the Thunderhead. There Link will receive the song for the second Silent Realm exam. This leads back to the Lanayru Desert and finally to the completely new area of the Lanayru Sand Sea.
Continue to Isle of Songs and Lanayru Sand Sea
Use the bird statue at Floria Waterfall and return to Sky. Your next main target is again the Isle of Songs in the Thunderhead. There Link Nayru’s Wisdom, the key to the second Silent Realm exam in the Lanayru Desert.
After this test, Link finally has the Clawshot. It is precisely then that numerous previously reserved collectibles become accessible – including Goddess Cubes, several Goddess Chests and new paths in areas that have already been visited. Before we then continue our permanent journey to the Lanayru Sand Sea, we are once again clearing out all the 100% detours that are now reasonably achievable.