As I first approached the Temple of Time Ruins on the Great Plateau in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, a wave of nostalgia washed over me like the gentle rustle of Hylian grass in a forgotten meadow. It was 2025, and despite the game's age, this quest—'A Call From The Depths'—still felt as fresh and immersive as when I embarked on it years ago. I remembered the initial confusion and thrill, the way the Goddess Statue's voice echoed in my mind, calling me to uncover Hyrule's fragmented secrets. Standing before the large blockage in the wall, I swung my hammer, shattering the rocks to reveal the flowing water beyond—a moment that felt like cracking open a long-sealed diary, its pages whispering tales of adventure. The Statue's plea to retrieve its lost eyes plunged me into a journey that blended puzzle-solving with exploration, and as a seasoned player, I recall the mix of frustration and exhilaration that came with each step. a-personal-journey-through-a-call-from-the-depths-in-tears-of-the-kingdom-image-0

Finding the four eyes scattered around the Great Plateau was the first challenge. Each location echoed the Shrines from Breath of the Wild, but now, in 2025, players like me appreciate how this quest grounds us in Hyrule's evolving lore. I felt a personal connection to these spots—like a historian piecing together shards of a shattered mosaic in a dimly lit cathedral. Here's a quick guide to each eye's location, based on my explorations:

Map Location Nearest Warp Chasm Notes
Within the Eastern Abbey Shrine: Kyokugon Shrine Great Plateau East Chasm Concealed behind breakable walls; destroy rocks to find it. 🔨
North of Eastern Abbey, NE of Forest of Spirits Shrine: Kamizun Shrine Great Plateau North Chasm At the bottom of a small pond; use Ultrahand to grab it. 💧
South of River of the Dead, east of Mount Hylia Shrine: Tadarok Shrine Great Plateau South Chasm Beneath fallen rubble; lift with Ultrahand. 🪨
By small pond between River of the Dead and Mount Nabooru Shrine: Tadarok Shrine Great Plateau West Chasm Frozen in ice; melt with fire to access. 🔥

Locating these eyes felt like chasing elusive fireflies in a moonlit forest—each one a tiny beacon guiding me deeper into the game's mysteries. Once I threw them down their respective chasms, the real test began: transporting them to the Great Abandoned Central Mine Bargainer Statue in the Depths. This part was where my ingenuity shone, and I often thought of it as navigating delicate artifacts through a labyrinthine cave system, where every wrong turn felt like losing my way in a dream. Here's how I handled each transport:

  • Great Plateau North Chasm: I crafted a makeshift vehicle from nearby Zonai tech—Big Wheels and Steering Sticks—driving the eye across the shadowy expanse. It was like piloting a rickety steamboat through foggy waters, uncertain but thrilling. 🚗

  • Great Plateau East Chasm: Affixing the eye to a Cart and riding the rails back was straightforward, yet I couldn't shake the feeling that this segment was a silent homage to Hyrule's industrial past, like a ghost train chugging through forgotten tunnels. 🛤️

  • Great Plateau South Chasm: Using Wings, Fans, and Batteries, I built a plane and soared toward the mine. The takeoff felt like releasing a caged bird into a storm—exhilarating yet fraught with peril. ✈️

  • Great Plateau West Chasm: This required rail navigation and a cart change, leading directly to the Bargainer Statue. It reminded me of solving a multi-layered riddle, where each piece clicked into place like gears in an ancient clock. ⚙️

a-personal-journey-through-a-call-from-the-depths-in-tears-of-the-kingdom-image-1 Delivering the final eye to the Bargainer Statue was a moment of triumph. As it offered me a free Heart Container or Stamina Vessel—I chose the latter for my stamina-heavy playstyle—I reflected on how this quest embodies Tears of the Kingdom's brilliance. Even in 2025, with new DLC and community mods emerging, this task remains a timeless bridge between exploration and reward. Yet, it leaves me wondering: could these eyes symbolize more than just game mechanics? What if they're fragments of a larger narrative about Hyrule's resilience, waiting for players to weave them into their own stories? Or perhaps, in a world where games evolve, does this quest challenge us to find beauty in restoration, like tending to a withered garden in a post-apocalyptic dawn?