No sun can shine through the shroud of sand that cloaks the Haunted Wasteland. Sandstorms sting the surface of Ningan's skin as he battles his way across the godless hellscape that bears no life, no purpose, and no direction. Not even the bandanna tied across his face can inhibit the endless onslaught of sand that scathes his eyes.
The ground appears to devour his feet with every step, dragging him down into the depths of the earth. Just when his trek appears to be in vain, he eventually unearths the steps to a stone monument. Ningan hauls himself up to the top and wipes the sand from his brow to behold his surroundings: a vast open wasteland of nothing.
For what did he owe the Gerudo queen to burden himself with such a remedial task? For what purpose is he wasting time when he ought to be facing Count Caedis in a one-on-one battle to the death?
His boot kicks the surface of an elevated stone plaque. The ninja stoops and brushes the sand away with his gloves. The inscription reads:
One with the eye of truth shall be guided to the Spirit Temple by an inviting ghost.
An easy enough riddle to decipher for a descendant of the inventors of this said object. Ningan unbuttons his satchel and burrows inside until he retrieves his dependable Lens of Truth. Here goes nothing…
He lifts the Lens to his eye and almost tumbles backwards in surprise at the sudden appearance of a ghostly apparition. She hangs in mid-air, in a flowing lilac gown, carrying an eerie blue lantern in her skeletal hand.
"Who are you?" Ningan inquires. This is not his first encounter with spirits, and it will doubtful be his last.
"I am the Phantom Guide who will lead you to the Desert Colossus." the spirit explains. "Be warned: I wait for no man. Stick close by, and you will surely arrive unharmed. Stray from the path, and you will ultimately be lost to the desert. Come with me."
Without further ado, the wandering spirit glides from the top of the stone monument down to the dunes. Ningan leaps into the sand and bolts after her guiding light. Before long, both are swallowed by the sandstorm.
"As someone who has established regular contact with those from the Spirit Realm, I always like to know who I'm dealing with." Ningan's words are muffled by the fierce gales of sand. "Who were you in the Realm of the Living?"
"One once honoured by the Gerudo tribe." the spirit laments. "However, I met my unfortunate end during the bloody Civil War."
"And you died here? In the desert?"
"Not so…" the guide twists and turns through the sand like a sidewinder. Ningan is forced to concentrate to keep up. "My soul lingers in the desert to perform the same duties I did in life: guiding wayward travellers to an oasis where they may revive themselves."
"How do you know the way so well?"
The spirit's chuckle echoes across the sand. "I was the one who first discovered this place."
The shroud of sand dissipates to reveal a paradisal oasis of sunlight nestled in a valley, guarded by a gargantuan statue in the image of the Goddess of Sand. Palm trees spring from otherwise arid ground, bearing juicy green fruits.
"The Desert Colossus…" Ningan gawps in amazement at the miraculous sight of the splendid sanctuary. "I cannot thank you enough for-"
His spirit guide has faded into thin air. Ningan smiles as he rushes for the shimmering spring to quench the dryness in his throat.