Part I – The False Phantom of the Forest
Deep within the Lost Woods of Hyrule laid the forest temple. Over the years, the nature had reclaimed its territory over the mansion that was once known as a sanctuary. The twines rooted in the cold walls, covering them in green. The wind blew quietly through the rifts inside the temple where the light did not reach the ground. Even the time felt to stand still for those who entered it.
However, the peace was treacherous. In the dark corners they waited for their victims, the monsters that would bring death over the ones who were foolish enough to come. But there was even one greater shadow lurking inside the walls, even inside the portraits. A phantom, feared as the source of the dread that had befallen the forest. A shadow of an even greater evil that threatened the entire world. They had given it the name Phantom Ganon.
The rumors said it was called from the abyss of the underworld and therefore consisted of pure malice. It lacked any consciousness and conscience, solely driven by its instinct to consume every soul that came near it while protecting the treasure lying in the depths of the temple.
But all these rumors, though they seemed to be true on the surface, they did not reflect the truth. Not at all. Because he, the one whom they called a phantom, was neither a former inhabitant of the underworld nor a shadow of the Great King of Evil. He originated from the human world and his life was once that of a man.
Even by know he still possessed the consciousness of that human being. In fact, it was still wide-awake and he witnessed everything that happened around him. But he had become a prisoner in his own body. He was used as a mere tool, meaning if the evil king gave an order, it was followed without hesitation, no matter how much he himself loathed the atrocities and murders he committed under this influence.
In order to fulfill his duty appropriately at any given time, he wielded a magical trident and his body was protected by an armor that looked identically to the one of his master. Dark brown on its core with leather parts on the legs and upper body which were reinforced to even hold against the steel of blades. Yet his face was not covered by a helmet. Instead it was hidden behind a mask with the form of a two-horned skull that merged into his red hair. The only holes in it were meant for his yellow glowing eyes.
This mask, it was the sole reason for his misery, but it was impossible for him to take it off. This mask, it inhabited the will of the evil king and made him nothing more like a mere puppet. Even though his humanity remained in spirit, his body had lost everything of it since seven long years of imprisonment.
Sometimes he truly felt like he had become a simple doppelganger, a mere shadow that imitated everything of his master without an own will.
However, one day, a new adventurer had entered the once sacred walls. Ganon was already called back to the depth in order to guard the treasure, just another cruelty of his master because this said treasure was nothing else but another living being held captive in a slumber. She was an innocent girl of a tribe full of children that inhabited the forest before he invaded it and profaned the temple.
Even though Ganon pitied her and wished that at least she could be free again, he was never sure whose fate was the worse. At least people desired to discover the treasure, some even knew she was there and tried to rescue her, while he was only known as the phantom that must be destroyed at any cost. No one would ever even get the idea that he was, as well, a doomed man, trapped by the very same evil.
But the challenger that reached the depth of the temple, he was different than all the others before him. He was a young one, probably around his mid-teens. Seeing him the first time was truly disgusting for Ganon since he did not want to rob a life of one who had still had to discover so much of. Yet he had to bath his hands in the blood of the innocence again. As he ever did. Because the mask made sure that he fulfilled his duty without incident and never allowed him to put his own life to an end.
Yet Ganon learned soon, it was not only the age that differed the man from the others. There was much more to him. His combat skills were unchallenged. It was impressive. He was just impressive. This one, he was able to bring him down on his knees and though his body still kept on fighting, Ganon was mentally absence.
Because the man clad in a green tunic made him feel again what no one other was able to inflict on him. Pain. He felt pain. Even though it was a scourge of mankind, it meant almost everything to him in this battle. It showed him without any doubts that he was not still a human only in spirit, his body was human as well. He was not a phantom. Not a shadow. Not a ghost. He was a human.
Maybe this young man was his salvation. Maybe he was able to finally release the curse that was casted over him seven years ago. Even if it meant his death, he still preferred it over the doomed life he had to endure by now.
And all of it happened just because he had a fateful encounter of a different world. Though it was true that he did not come from the underworld, he neither originated from Hyrule. No, his homeland carried a different name. One unknown to the Hyrulians.
Today was a peaceful day, just like the others before it. The sun shined gently from the sky above, a refreshing wind blew through the leaves and the air of the forest was dominated by the singing of the birds. To wander around in these mysterious woods was enjoyable again and again.
However, Ganondorf's eyes caught a mushroom which grew in the shadow of a tree. His smile became bigger once he noticed it was the special one he had searched for. He took out a knife of his belt bag and carefully cut the roots off to take it. But when he intended to lay it into the basket, he witnessed that it was not by his side anymore. His view wandered up to a group of monkeys with one of them holding it cheerfully over his head.
With an annoyed sigh he stood up and headed towards them. "You again. You all don't give up, do you?" The monkeys clapped in their hands and one of them folded his ones before his mouth as if he played a flute. "Yes, I know. But beforehand, put this one in the basked as well. I can't play with my hands full." Ganondorf hunkered down to reach the much smaller monkey and handed him over the mushroom. Afterwards he pulled out panpipes and started to play on it, much to the liking of the animalistic group.
They followed him, one even climbed up on his shoulder. Ganondorf knew that they loved the tones and that they knew what they had to do to make him play them. In the end, he had encountered them often on his past strolls and searches in the forest.
Once he reached the entrance of the woods, the monkeys gave him the basket back. "Well then, see you next time," said Ganondorf and left while the monkeys cried cheerfully before they hid in the woods again.
Ganondorf headed towards the high tree in the very near of the forest which was already part of the swamp. A wooden ladder hung down from it and he climbed it up to reach the potion shop, one that was famous all over the country and which was also his home.
When Ganondorf reached the top, he hunkered down to not crash his head on the doorframe when he walked inside and shouted, "Mothers, I'm back!"
"Already?" answered Kotake, surprised from the back room. "Did you bring at least the mushrooms with you this time, Ganny?"
"Already?" repeated Ganondorf, puzzled when he laid down the basked on the counter. "I've been up the whole morning, searching for the ingredients you asked for. It must have been hours. Besides, why do you say 'this time'?"
"Are you trying to be funny?" responded the old woman with an upset undertone before she came out. Though she did not say anything else and only stared with her big eyes up to him. "Oh, you don't wear it anymore? What a pity! You looked good in it, truly formidable. If I hadn't known it was you, I've had thought you were a general or even a king."
Ganondorf was even more confused and it took him quite a time before he responded, "What are you talking about? Are you trying to be the funny one now?"
"Honey, we're talking about the armor of course. And all the jewelry and decorations attached on it," explained Koume, who just came out of the back room as well. Her appearance looked almost identically to that of Kotake, only some parts of their clothing and the jewel on their forehead were different colored. "It's a truly impressive piece of armor. You must have worked hard on it to make it look that authentic."
"I… what?" stuttered Ganondorf. At first he believed they just made a joke, but knowing them very well, they would have giggled at the first sentence and not remain this serious. "Well, I think someone allowed himself a joke with you. I certainly didn't wear any armor neither was I back here since the morning. You've mistaken me. But I hope that this moron hasn't caused any trouble to you."
"Honey, do you really think we mistake you?" asked Koume, disappointed. "Even with the Carnival of Time going on, nobody can imitate you this well. You haven't an every men's build with that muscles and height. And he moved that smoothly, I doubt it's possible that it was only a disguise."
"And he could tell us apart without thinking twice. I can count the few that can on one hand. Not to mention how familiar he just spoke and all the things he knew about you and us," supported Kotake Koume's statements. "Ganny, don't you think you can stop now? Those are a little too many things to be just coincidences."
Ganondorf stared speechless at both of them. Their eyes told that they believed in what they were saying, yet it did not change the fact that he was definitely not that man. The question remained who he was to even fool his mothers though he felt how the man's behavior upset him.
"What has he done? And why was he here exactly? Had he said anything? Did you see where he went afterwards?" he asked without pauses. His emotions were a mixture of shock and anger, which made it hard to stay calm.
"Ganny, this is getting ridiculous," answered Kotake and shook her head.
"Just answer my questions!" demanded Ganondorf harshly though he regretted it immediately to speak in such a manner to his mothers. "Sorry, I didn't mean it this way. But please, answer me my questions."
Kotake and Koume looked suspiciously towards each other before they turned their heads to him again. "Ah, Ganny, if you take so much pleasure in it, I do you that favor. See, after he came in, we had a nice chitchat before he went to your room and returned after some time with something under his arm. We asked him what it is, but he told us it's a secret. Well, when he was already outside, I've asked him if he would now finally search for ingredients and he said yes. That was when he set of to the forest again," explained Kotake before she asked, annoyed, "Was that what you wanted? Can you now end your childish play?"
Ganondorf did not give her an answer as he directly passed through the door behind and headed up the staircase to reach his room. He could hear that they both complained about him, but at that moment, he had other things in mind. He really hated it how some imposter fooled his mothers and entered his room.
Once he had reached it, a chaos welcomed him. Nothing was where he had put it, some things were even broken. Whoever the one was, he must have searched something and he was not prissy. However, there was something else he felt in this room. Something he could not put it into simple words. Like a cold present. It felt frightening. He even shivered.
"Can you finally stop your play? It's not only ridiculous, it's getting tedious as well," heard Ganondorf Koume complaining behind him. Though once they both must have seen the chaos in his room, she said shocked, "What have you done here?"
However, Ganondorf inspected the box lying opened on his bed. It was empty. In it he had stored a present which he wanted to give to his mothers on the day of carnival. He had worked on it the past month with much effort and now it was gone. It must be the thing that man had taken though he did not understand why. It did not held any value, especially in comparison to the other things that still were here.
"This imposter is certainly overstepping my patience," groaned Ganondorf when he clashed his fist on his knees before he turned his head towards Kotake and Koume. "Mothers, I'm off. I'll go and bring this moron back to make him apologize for the mess he's doing. I can't take it if he gets away with this. Who does he think he is?"
Without waiting for any answers, he already ran past them again, out of the shop and slide down the ladder, heading towards the forest, the anger still pulsating in his veins.
However, when he had entered the forest, it differed from his last visit just a few moments ago. The once animated woods, they felt empty. He could not hear the birds singing neither did he notice any other animals. Even the whole atmosphere had changed. It had become oppressive, even frightening.
It was the first time Ganondorf ever witnessed the woods in such a pure silence. The only thing he heard were his own footsteps. Even his anger had vanished and only a cold shiver on his back remained. He put his arms nearer to his body, grabbing his chest with his hands. Worried he looked around. This was not normal. This was not normal at all.
Only a short time after, Ganondorf took the decision to leave again. He just had such a bad feeling about it that absolutely nothing in this world would make him stay here. He did not even care for his present or the imposter anymore, he only wanted to get out of here. As soon and fast as possible.
The desire of getting out and his speed increased with every step he took as it became eerier. To his relief, he saw the row of trees that stood near the entrance. Yet when he followed the route further and thought he would reach the swamp in less than a minute, he reached the forest glade instead.
In disbelief, Ganondorf stared at the field since it meant that he had gone even deeper into the forest. But this was impossible. He knew it since his childhood, he had often gone with his mothers or alone on a mushroom hunt. There was no way he could have accidentally chosen the wrong path when he already had seen this characteristic row of trees. It was impossible. Just impossible.
Even though it was supposed to be day, the sky was darkened and a cold wind blew over the glade. He decided to cross it because at least no one could hide there and fall into his back. On his way, he had always the feeling that someone was watching him, but when he looked around, he could not see anybody. And then he felt it. This rare feeling. The fear that slowly crawled inside his body to possess it. He pressed his hands even stronger against his chest to suppress it. It would not help him. Not at all.
Out of a sudden, a sinister voice addressed him from behind, "Ah, I know you would come. Finally. Even though it took more of my precious time to lure you here, it's much more enjoyable to wait that my prey comes to me instead of taking the effort to hunt it down myself."
Ganondorf's heart missed a beat and it felt like his blood froze in an instant. He was unable to move, the shock was sitting deeply. He had seen nobody, he had not even heard anybody, yet someone stood directly behind him. There was not even the need to turn around and see. It was not only a voice, he felt the cold presence of the one. It was the same back at his home, yet a lot more intense.
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed by before Ganondorf regained the control over himself and slowly turned around. There he looked into the eyes of another man. Though what he saw, he would not forget. Never in his life.
Frightened Ganondorf stumbled a few steps back and fell over his own feet. This man, he entirely robbed of his breath, not only with the intimidating atmosphere surrounding him, but his outer appearance was too much to handle. Yellow eyes, brown skin, long nose… he could go on with the list forever. Because everything he could describe about the man he could say about himself. It did not surprise him anymore that his own mothers had mistaken him for that man, with or without that armor. He did not only look similar, he looked the exact same in every regard.
This must be sorcery. High skilled sorcery. And this man. This whole man. He was terrifying. Just terrifying.
"Who… just who are you?" stumbled Ganondorf, shaking all over his body when he stared fearfully up to the man.
This one only grinned mischievously when he answered in his sinister voice, "Is this question even necessary? You should know very well who I am." The man moved towards Ganondorf, who still sat on the ground, petrified with horror. "Because you, Ganondorf of Termina, you are my shadow."
