Once you’ve shifted time and survived the shifting sands of Lanayru, you’ll probably want to return to Skyloft (as we did) to replenish supplies. We’re fond of wandering about the bazaar and arguing with each other about why we don’t have the proper ingredients to upgrade, well, anything. And then there are the Goddess Cubes we failed to activate, meaning we can argue with each other about why we’re not visiting the requisite number – requisite for what, one of us is never sure – of treasure chests in the sky.
But once the shopping and arguing are done, you’ll return to Lanayru and find yourself just outside the entrance to the Mining Facility (a.k.a. this region’s dungeon, a.k.a. Scorpion Central).
And, if you are like us, you will pause to mix up a batch of Lanayru Scorpion Cocktails. We have many fond memories of – okay, okay…on a good day we can still recall – drinking Scorpion Punch in college at a local tiki bar. Thus, we were excited to learn that the Thousand-Year Arachnid Moldarach is a giant scorpion, served by legions of minion scorpion-like creatures who populate the Mining Facility dungeon. It gave Demelza an excuse to try four or five recipes for a Scorpion cocktail, the best of which you can find with our suggested cocktails.
Pour yourself a Scorpion, and then dive in. That is, race through the door into the long tunnel leading down into this dungeon.
Zelder Tip #1 – you already have a map to part of this dungeon. Don’t go flailing about, failing to consult that map, thinking you must first find a treasure chest that contains a map, because you’ve already got a map. Not that we flailed. Surely not.
Zelder Tip #2 – you still need to find the map to the rest of the dungeon, which you will do (we have no doubt) in a lovely room on the west side of the facility, after defeating some of those three-headed Staldras.
But the map isn’t what’s important about this dungeon. It’s the Gust Bellows that matters.
Yes, yes, this is a dungeon filled with conveyor belts and more Timeshift Stones, but – yawn. Even we managed those (thanks to a guidebook and an online walkthrough, but who’s counting). And, yes, yes, this is a dungeon where you meet the Beamos and the Armos – killer machines that, we admit, remind us more of a slot machine at a casino in Arizona than of a monster who’s out to kill us. Indeed, entire portions of this dungeon reminded us of a casino.
(BTW, the Beamos and Armos ARE out to kill you, don’t be deceived, as we were, wandering over, without consulting the Internet, with a cheery, “Oh, look, it is an ancient slot machine with a Kachina Doll theme, and I shall simply line up the cherries and maybe I’ll get a Goddess Plume AND OH MY GOD THAT THING IS SHOOTING LASER BEAMS AT ME AND DID YOU SAVE AND SHUT UP ABOUT SAVING JUST READ THE BOOK!”)
But we digress. It’s all about the Gust Bellows.
Gust Bellows
You’ll find the Gust Bellows in a room toward the top of the dungeon map, on the east (or righthand) side of the facility. It’s in a room filled with floating tadpole-like things called Froaks that like to blow up in Link’s face. You’ll have to hop and saunter and generally sashay around this room till you secure the treasure chest and then – oh, joy of joys – the Gust Bellows.
In Adventure Pouch appearance, it looks like a genie bottle from the I Dream of Jeannie sit-com of our youth. In practice, it’s a leaf blower for sand. In truth, it’s one heck of a lot of fun.
Zelder Tip #3 – dust off every bit of sand everywhere you go and use the Gust Bellows to propel the nasty Froaks away from Link. Practice Z-targeting with the Bellows, because when you reach the Thousand-Year Arachnid boss, it’s all about the dust pile in which he lives.
Thousand-Year Arachnid
As bosses go, Moldarach isn’t that bad. Particularly for Demelza, who – three Scorpion punches in at the time – can’t really recall Itzal’s valiant use of the Bellows to clear the sands off the boss and defeat him. In truth, the battle wasn’t nearly as annoying as the Earth Temple’s Scaldera. But don’t tell Demelza; we’re making her feel bad about not remembering.
Not that we’re going to wave the photographic evidence of Moldarach’s demise, captured on the Switch, in her face. Of course not. (Itzal: Look to the right, people.)
To the victor go the spoils
After the boss is defeated (be sure to collect your new heart container as a reward), make your way to the Temple of Time. Here you’re treated to a lot more snarkiness from Zelda and her “companion” (who is soon revealed to be, as we suspected all along, Impa), who quickly crash through a gate of time or a wormhole or some such, flinging a Harp in your general direction as they go and offering a breathless, “So long and thanks for all the scorpions, learn how to use this harp, see ya, bye!”
Or maybe it just sounded like that after three cocktails…
Harp in hand, make haste to Skyloft. You’ve got to prepare yourself for a return to the Sealed Grounds and yet another assignment: The Old One awaits.