Walkthrough 4 of 7

Maze Palace

Establish the Eastern Hyrule route, learn Fire and Reflect, rescue the child, gain Upward Thrust and Boots, then defeat Carock.

Route briefing

Areas: Nabooru · Maze Island · Darunia · Maze Island Palace
Prerequisite: Obtain the Raft in Island Palace.
Preparation: Do not enter Maze Palace without Reflect. Keep Jump ready for the palace's lava gaps and rooftop route in Darunia.
Progression acquisitions: Fire, Reflect, Upward Thrust, Magic Container #3, Link Doll #3, Kidnapped Child, Boots, fourth Crystal placement.
Major encounter: Carock in Maze Island Palace.
Reward: Boots permit walking over specified water and lava tiles, while Reflect makes magic users and Carock manageable.
Optional: Eastern Hyrule point bags and Link Doll #3 are optional; the doll sits on the southern desert coast before the Maze Island bridge.
Missable: No palace-unique collectible is lost if you obtain the Boots before placing the fourth Crystal.

Sail east, collect the isolated-forest point bag if desired, and cross the southeastern cave to Nabooru.
In Nabooru, take water from the fountain to the thirsty woman and learn Fire. Use it against Tektites and Zoras, which ignore ordinary attacks.
Before crossing the bridge to Maze Island, collect Link Doll #3 on the desert patch along the southern coast.
On Maze Island, fall into the western secret pit for Magic Container #3. Find the separate eastern pit, defeat the Geru, and rescue the Kidnapped Child.
Travel to Darunia. Cast Jump, cross the rooftops, and enter the chimney of the windowless house to learn Upward Thrust.
Return the child to the woman in the final town section and learn Reflect. Refill, return to Maze Island, and take either action-scene route northeast to the palace.
Inside Maze Palace, go right from the entrance elevator, collect the early Key, then drop through the large gap and take the right corridor.
Defeat the Blue Iron Knuckle and claim the Boots. Backtrack, cross the collapsing bridge and lava rooms, and gather the remaining boss-route Keys.
Use Upward Thrust to break overhead blocks, descend the western boss elevator, preserve enough magic for Reflect, defeat Carock, and place the fourth Crystal.

Reflect is mandatory: cast it, crouch near a corner, and let Carock's projectiles rebound into him.
Stay out of the exact corner tile where Carock can materialize on top of Link.
Do not waste magic on Fire during the approach; arrive able to recast Reflect if you die.