After slashing his way through the three tutorial dungeons, young Link opens the doors to the Sacred Realm and is thrust into a far more dangerous adventure, with all of Hyrule relying on his success. The weight of the world is forced on the boy’s shoulders all at once. However, within the Sacred Realm, he also gains access to the Chamber of Sages, which will play a vital role in the next leg of his journey as the newly-christened Hero of Time.
After Link draws the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, he awakens in the Chamber of Sages. His physical body, too young and underdeveloped to wield the Master Sword, was frozen for seven years so that it could grow and mature into its adult form. According to Rauru, the Chamber is inside the Temple of Light, which is the final stronghold against Ganondorf in the Sacred Realm. Being in an extraphysical realm, the Chamber has an otherworldly vibe to it. An octagonal platform floats above an endless abyss, walled by waterfalls that don’t seem to follow any rules of gravity. Other platforms are visible in the distance, but it is not clear what their purpose is.
The main platform that the Hero of Time stands on bears the Triforce in the center. Six pedestals — one for each of the six Sages that assist Link in his quest — encircle it. The music is mysterious and ethereal, which makes this realm feel even more surreal. Luckily for Link, Rauru (the Sage of Light) is already here to shed some light (get it?) on the situation. The remaining five Sages will meet Link here after they are rescued in their respective dungeons.
What makes this place so significant is that it represents Link’s first real step into becoming the Hero of Time. His childhood is ripped away from him, and he must navigate a more treacherous world than the one he remembers. The Chamber of Sages is the door between his innocent childhood and his new role as a responsible adult. But of course, the Hero of Time will not be completely alone. After Link completes each dungeon, one of his friends who was trapped inside is freed and rises to become one of the Sages. They return with him to the Chamber and add to his power in order to assist him on his journey.
This does not come without sacrifice, however, as Saria makes it clear to her friend that they are destined to live in separate worlds and will no longer be able to spend time together. Ultimately, this Chamber is the place where Link must leave all of his relationships behind. His friends were among the only things he had left in this dying world, but now even those must be taken away from him in order for him to fulfill his destiny and defeat Ganondorf. So, this Chamber not only houses the Sages, but also everything stolen from Link so that he may become the Hero of Time. It’s a bittersweet reality.
