Spiritual Stones

The Spiritual Stones are three gems from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Early in the game, Link seeks out the stones to open the Door of Time, the entry to the Golden Realm where the Triforce is kept. The stones are given to Link by the leaders of three races. The Kokiri Emerald is given to Link by the Great Deku Tree, leader and guardian of the Kokiri race. The Goron's Ruby is given to Link by Darunia, leader of the Gorons, and the Zora's Sapphire is given to Link by King Zora, king of the Zora race.

Getting the Stones
The stones are not just given away, however. Link must earn the stones by completing certain tasks. The tasks are not just any simple task, either. They often involve going into unexplored areas, or battling monsters.

Obtaining the Kokiri Emerald
Obtaining the Kokiri Emerald first requires Link to speak with the Deku Tree. The Deku Tree tells him of an evil man who placed a curse on him, and how he is nearing death. He requests that you venture inside and destroy the evil the man has placed within him, and then he will hand the Kokiri Emerald to you, requesting that you go see the Princess Zelda.

Obtaining the Goron's Ruby
Obtaining the Goron's Ruby requires Link to venture up Death Mountain to the Goron City. Link must then speak with the Gorons' leader, Darunia, but he will not say a word. Link has to cheer him up by playing "Saria's Song" on the Ocarina. Only then will Darunia talk and tell him of the fate that's befallen the Goron people. An evil man, again, has placed vicious monsters inside the cavern from which they retrieve their food. And worse yet, he blocked off the entrance. Link must get inside and defeat the monsters inside so that the Gorons can get their food again, and then Darunia will give him the Goron's Ruby.

Obtaining the Zora's Sapphire
Obtaining the Zora's Sapphire requires Link to venture to Lake Hylia, dive to the bottom of the Lake, where he finds a bottle with a message inside. The message is from the Princess of the Zoras. She says she is trapped within the Zora's guardian, Lord Jabu Jabu. She seeks help. Upon showing the letter to the King of the Zoras, Link is let through to the place where Lord Jabu Jabu resides. Once inside, Link must find and retrieve the princess. However, she finds that she has left the spiritual stone in one of the rooms, and as she goes back to retrieve it, she is attacked by a giant creature. Link must defeat the creature and guide the princess out safely, where she will give him the stone. She also claims that whomever receives the stone is to marry the princess, and now she eagerly awaits her self-proclaimed wedding with Link.

Their Role in the Game
The spiritual stones, along with the Ocarina of Time, open the door in the Temple of Time to the resting place of the "Blade of Evil's Bane", The Master Sword. Once the Master Sword is released from its pedestal by Link, he will become the Hero of Time, and will be able to fight and possibly defeat Ganondorf. However, at first he is not old enough to become the Hero and is put into a deep sleep for seven years. When he awakes, he finds himself in the Chamber of Sages. He is greeted by the Sage of Light, Rauru, who briefs him on the current situation with Hyrule and the reign of Ganondorf. And so begins Link's final journey, to awaken the other five sages, defeat Ganondorf, and return peace to Hyrule.