Dark Realm


 * Note: This refers to the prison of the Demon King Malladus in The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks. You may be looking for the Dark World, the prison of Ganon in The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past.

The Dark Realm is a dimension of darkness that is located beneath the land of Hyrule and is found in Spirit Tracks. It is the realm where Malladus was imprisoned following the Spirit War and can be found alongside Cole by Link and Princess Zelda toward the end of the game. The entrance to the Dark Realm is found in the Forest Realm, on a small island to the west of Aboda Village. The Spirit Tracks extend even into the Dark Realm through a portal found on the island and extend all throughout the Dark Realm, providing a means for Dark Trains and Armored Trains to roam its seemingly infinite depths, in addition to the Demon Train that serves as the primary source of transportation for Malladus and Cole in the Dark Realm. Link and Princess Zelda journey to the Dark Realm toward the end of the game to reclaim her body and defeat the two villains once and for all.

History

 * See also: Spirit War

The Dark Realm's full origins are not entirely known, such as its history prior to the Spirit War. In the backstory of Spirit Tracks, the Dark Realm is first mentioned as the prison for the Demon King Malladus, who viciously attacked the land that would eventually become the re-established Hyrule founded by the Hero of Winds, Tetra and her pirates, and was engaged in a long, protracted war for the fate of the land by its guardians, the Spirits of Good. Lacking the strength to truly destroy him, the spirits were forced to instead lock Malladus away in a place where he could do no further harm to the land they fought to protect. That place turned out to be the Dark Realm, a world of complete darkness, shadows and evil located beneath Hyrule from which Malladus would be unable to emerge so long as his shackles, the Spirit Tracks (which extend into the Dark Realm as well), and the lock on his prison, the Tower of Spirits, remained intact. Thus Malladus was reduced to a shadow of his former self with the passing of a century while confined within the Dark Realm, awaiting the time when a faithful servant would come to revive him, the only possible means for which would be the use of a vessel containing the royal bloodline of Hyrule.

Appearances
The Dark Realm has only appeared officially in one game in the series, that game being the latest addition to it, Spirit Tracks, though it shares certain features with other dimensions of shadow seen within other games in the series such as the Dark World in A Link to the Past and the Twilight Realm in Twilight Princess.

Spirit Tracks
The Dark Realm makes its official debut in Spirit Tracks as the prison and later hiding place of the Demon King Malladus and his minion Cole. After reviving Malladus by infusing his imprisoned spirit into the vacant body of Princess Zelda using the Altar of the Tower of Spirits located at the very top of the Tower of Spirits, Cole flees with Malladus aboard the Demon Train, retreating back into the Dark Realm to await the time when Malladus will be fully in control of Zelda's body and ready to once again attempt conquest of Hyrule. Byrne, betrayed by the evil duo, reveals that the Spirit Tracks extend even into the Dark Realm and that the only way to locate the entrance to the Dark Realm and locate Malladus aboard the Demon Train within it is to find the Compass of Light hidden in the upper floors of the Tower of Spirits. After Link and Zelda recover both the Bow of Light and the compass, they see that a previously unknown set of tracks have appeared in the Forest Realm, leading to a small island just off Hyrule's southwestern coast, where the portal leading down into the Dark Realm is located. Taking the Spirit Train through the portal, they enter the Dark Realm to purge the evil hiding in it and restore Zelda to her rightful body.

The Dark Realm is shown to be a dark and depressing place where eternal darkness reigns and no natural light permeates. Dark Trains and Armored Trains fill the realm and roam its tracks, forcing Link to dispose of them to successfully locate the Demon Train, which he finally succeeds in locating through the use of the compass. Here the Spirit Train gives chase to the Demon Train, with Link pursuing it across the Dark Realm while firing away at the Demon Train with his cannon in an attempt to stop it and allow Zelda and himself the chance to climb aboard it. After succeeding in stopping the demonic locomotive in its tracks for a brief time, the duo climb aboard to face Cole and Malladus. Malladus, now in full control of Zelda's body, awaits at the head of the train's roof while Cole floats around in the air above the train's roof. Protecting Zelda's Phantom body from Cole's demonic rats while helping her move toward her possessed body at the head of the train, Link is able to help Zelda reach the head of the train where she seizes Malladus and floats into the air above the train. Link then shoots Malladus with the Bow of Light, purging Zelda's body of his presence and causing the Demon Train to crash, throwing everyone out of the Dark Realm and back into Hyrule, where Link and Zelda would face the Demon King in a final, decisive battle for the fate of Hyrule.