Take Yorda and return to the side opposite of the stone couch and head over to the doorway that's just been opened and proceed into the bottom of the East Waterway. Looks like Ico can't climb up the waterway and obviously neither can Yorda. However the wall to the left looks promising... Have Ico climb up onto the first ledge and move to the right until he's on the concave semi-column. Next climb up to the next ledge onto the semi-column above. Climb up to the next ledge and go left. Climb up two more ledges, stand on top of the second one, then move to the right across the semi-column. Climb to the next ledge and go right. Drop down a ledge and move to the right past the semi-column and drop down to the ledge below. Stand on top of it and go right on to the semi-column. Climb up two ledges and proceed right. Climb up to the last ledge and remain hanging and go right to the end. Drop down onto the ledge below. For the time being you have to leave Yorda where she is at the bottom. Speed is of the essence! Run out through the door and to the right and stand on the pressure plate to open the door at the other end of the corridor.

Run through the door and into the next room. Run to the left and be prepared to jump as soon as Ico nears the raised grey drawbridge on his right. Climb the stairs and turn the corner and continue around the second corner. When he approaches the first set of ropes holding half of the drawbridge, have him stand near each rope and jump to cut it. After three or four swings, whether he's cut both ropes or not, head back to Yorda by having him retrace his steps until he gets back to the top of the waterway and then just sliding down to the bottom. Have him go to Yorda and take her hand and go back through the door they came in. Failure to do this will soon result in shadow demons grabbing Yorda and dragging her down into the black pool before Ico can get back to rescue her.

If he managed to cut both ropes, go and save your game. Return to the bottom of the waterway and repeat the trek across the ledges on the wall until again reaching the top of the waterway. Return to the ropes holding the first bridge (don't forget to jump the gap if necessary) and finish cutting them if needed. If he can do this reasonably quickly or completed the task last time, continue to the left around to the other drawbridge and repeat the procedure on its two ropes, which creates access to the next area. Again don't take an overly long time to do so. You can head back as before or continue on to the left at your own risk. When you do continue to the left, stand on the pressure switch, then enter the next room. Pull the lever to stop the flow of water, then call for Yorda to climb the now passable waterway. Now you have to go all the way back to the top of the waterway to collect Yorda. Take her across the newly lowered drawbridge and on into the next room. You'll quickly surmise that there's apparently no way out but back through the door they just came through.

Note the center area that juts farther out than the rest of the area. Take Yorda there and a bridge section will materialize. Walk on to it and move toward the other end and another will appear next to it. Continue in this way across to the other side. Open the Idol Doors and head into the small area beyond. Walk to the left side of the pathway and pull the lever to open the final pair of small circles. Head to the right side and get on the grey elevator (be sure both characters are on it). Operate the switch to descend. Grab any of the staffs in the room and use either of the already lit circles opposite the ones you need to light as a fire source. Head back over to the unlit circles and have Ico stand in front of each and light them to cause the last large circle to open. This allows sunlight to stream through to the reflector they came upon after going through the first large circle, which makes it's way around to create an energy beam that enables the east side of the gate. Have Ico reclaim his sword and take Yorda to the stone couch and save your game. Then climb down the ladder and exit through the door they originally came in through, which is now open again.