Palace of Winds (Four Swords Adventures)

The Palace of Winds is a recurring location within the Legend of Zelda series, first appearing in Four Swords as Vaati's Palace, reappearing in Four Swords Adventures for the first time under its true title, and making yet another appearance in The Minish Cap. Each time it has appeared, it has been portrayed as an immense floating building or set of buildings that floats in the sky high above Hyrule's surface. Though it first featured as a base of operations for the wind sorcerer Vaati, its origins were later revealed to have been nobler prior to its occupation by Vaati. Any wishing to visit the palace must find a means of reaching the heavens where the palace floats high above the clouds; A structure known as the Tower of Winds has served as the road to the palace on more than one occasion.

Background
The full history of the Palace of Winds is not completely known. The locale first appeared in Four Swords as the abode of Vaati, a wind sorcerer that had terrorized Hyrule long before the events of the game. This background was preserved for the palace in its second appearance a short time later, in Four Swords Adventures, where it once again serves as Vaati's stronghold and serves as the final dungeon of the game. However, the true origins of the palace were not revealed until the release of The Minish Cap.

It is revealed in The Minish Cap that the Palace of Winds did not begin as Vaati's personal residence, but rather as the sanctified home of one of the Four Elements that are the crystalline manifestations of the four major elements of the world, this element being the Wind Element. The palace was originally a creation of a special tribe of people closely linked to the winds known as the Wind Tribe, who were said to have constructed the palace when they still lived in the Wind Ruins just south of the mire known as Castor Wilds in southeastern Hyrule. Eventually, the Wind Tribe chose to join the winds they studied and worshiped so much, and to this end, they used their magic to raise the Palace of Winds up into the sky, constructing a new home for themselves there that would also serve as the road to the palace, the Tower of Winds, which also floated above the Cloud Tops just beneath the Palace of Winds itself. For generations following this, the Palace of Winds was guarded by the Wind Tribe, who sought to protect the Wind Element from those unworthy of possessing it.

Appearances
The Palace of Winds has thus far made three appearances within the series, in each of the three games that makes up the so-called "Four Swords Trilogy": Four Swords, Four Swords Adventures, and The Minish Cap. The palace usually plays a prominent role in the events of each game, serving either as a major dungeon to be explored to reach the game's end or as the final dungeon of the game.

Four Swords
In Four Swords for the Gameboy Advance System, the Palace of Winds is called Vaati's Palace and is the final level to unite the four Links and reseal the Wind Sorcerer Vaati within his prison. It is noted in the game's introduction that Vaati had used this palace as his stronghold long in the past when he went on a rampage abducting beautiful maidens from all around Hyrule and carrying them off to the palace, where he kept them for his own pleasure. At the game's beginning, Link and Zelda go to check on the seal of Vaati's prison, which is kept locked by a key, the Four Sword. They are soon after ambushed by the wind sorcerer himself, who had escaped due to the weakening seal on his prison and hidden nearby when he heard the pair approaching. He kidnaps Zelda and states his intent to make her his bride before knocking Link out and carrying Zelda off to his palace in the sky above Hyrule. Left with no choice, Link is forced to draw the Four Sword from its resting place in order to reach the palace and confront Vaati, causing him to be split into four colorful copies of himself.

After journeying across Hyrule, the four Links are finally able to reach the heavens where Vaati's Palace awaits amongst the clouds. Inside the vast palace, the four Links are forced to battle numerous foes while also trying to keep from falling to their deaths from the palace's heights. The challenges that await them within the depths of the palace force them to work together to overcome them and reach Vaati's lair at the top of the palace. Eventually they succeed in reaching the fiend, and they engage him in a battle for the fate of both Princess Zelda and Hyrule. Working together, the four Links succeed in conquering Vaati's wind atttacks and reseal him within the Four Sword, restoring the blade to its resting place and freeing Zelda from her captivity. Beyond its establishment as Vaati's residence, no other information about the palace's origins are revealed in this game, though the palace would reappear in later games.

Four Swords Adventures
In Four Swords Adventures, the Palace of Winds is the third and final stage in the Realm of the Heavens, the eighth level of the game. As is implied by the name of the level it is located in and following in the footsteps of the game's predecessor, the palace floats in the sky high above Hyrule's surface and once again serves as Vaati's dwelling. In the opening of the game, Princess Zelda and the other six Shrine Maidens that act as Hyrule's sages seek to check the seal on Vaati's prison at the Four Sword Sanctuary after dark clouds blanket the skies of Hyrule. However, the maidens and Zelda are soon after kidnapped by Shadow Link, who draws Link to the Four Sword Sanctuary and tricks him into withdrawing the Four Sword from its pedestal, causing Link to split into four colored versions of himself and releasing Vaati in the process. The four Links then go on a quest to find the Shrine Maidens and recover the four Royal Jewels that can restore the road to the Realm of the Heavens, the Tower of Winds.

After succeeding in rescuing the Shrine Maidens and recovering the four Royal Jewels from across Hyrule, the four Links ascend the restored Tower of Winds and free Princess Zelda from the clutches of Frostare before finding the roof and entering the Realm of the Heavens. There they battle the fiercest of foes they've encountered yet and put an end to Shadow Link by recovering the Dark Mirror in the Dark Cloud. From there they reach the Palace of Winds, which heavily resembles its previous incarnation in Four Swords. Here they ascend the palace and do battle with Vaati, seemingly ultimately vanquishing him for good. However, with Vaati dead, his power is no longer present to sustain the Palace of Winds, causing it to begin to collapse. Though they succeed in escaping the collapsing palace with Zelda and try to make their way down the similarly collapsing Tower of Winds, the true evil behind Vaati's release and the evil plaguing Hyrule, Ganon, charges after them out of the ruin of the Palace of Winds, forcing a confrontation amongst the remains of the Tower of Winds with the heroes, who ultimately seal him away within the Four Sword with the aid of the Shrine Maidens.

Enemies and Items
Enemies encountered in this area:
 * Ball & Chain Trooper
 * Wizzrobe
 * Stalfos
 * Traps
 * Wallmasters
 * Hinox
 * Gohma
 * Vaati
 * Ganon

Items obtained in this area:
 * Bow
 * Boomerang
 * Moon Pearl
 * Blue Bracelet
 * Hammer
 * Pegasus Boots

The Minish Cap
In The Minish Cap, Palace of Winds is the dungeon where Link receives the Wind Element, which allows him to finally restore the Four Sword. The featured treasure is Roc's Cape, and the boss is the Gyorg Pair. The palace houses many enemies, including Puffstools, Bombarossas and Wizzrobes.

The Palace of Winds essentially consists of two major parts: inside the palace and outside the palace. The Roc's Cape is received outside the palace, but the Dungeon Map, Compass, and Big Key aren't seen until Link finally enter the palace. To enter the palace, Link must climb to the highest level of the first section and drop down to the entrance. There, a Red Dark Nut guards the palace.