Chapter 7: The Phantom

Following his meeting with Elsa, Link prepared for his reluctant departure, leaving Tetra in good hands, to search for the person of whom the King had asked him to: the Oracle. Elsa told him that much myth had surrounded the Oracle for many years, and that he could find her in the center of town. Link left Elsa then, but not before saying goodbye to Tetra.

Upon closing the door to Elsa's hospital, a great cry resounded through the town. As Link walked down the steps, Navi over his shoulder, he heard the shrieking and weeping of both men and women as they ran throughout the town in a frenzied chaos.

Suddenly the air turned cold and breathless, and night seemed to come while the sun stayed still in the sky, a hollow, faint yellow ball eclipsed by darkness. The town's shrieks dimmed, though its fear did not. It was as if the world was muffling Link's ears and chilling his body while he stood motionless and unknowing. But then, out of the darkness and shadows, a beast hovered over the land, followed closely by a swarm of dark ghouls. It seemed that these were the ones that conjured to midday darkness. Each covered in tattered cloth, bearing two ominous eyes in a face of black, the ghosts covered the earth, following their leader. Up the streets they moved, paving the way, causing the humans to scatter in trepidation

Link was not afraid. He had defeated foes more powerful and vile than the one that conjured this darkness. It was feasible that this veil of shadows the king of ghosts had made was merely a subterfuge, a way of masking his truth. Link walked down the steps, alone in the streets as the people took cover.

"Stay back," the ghost said to his minions. His voice was deep, coarse, and cavernous, bringing the image of a desolate graveyard to Link's mind. The ghosts then edged behind the streets, covering their perimeter in an ocean of vigilant eyes. The king of ghosts glided forward in the empty street to the only other being within range: Link.

Link was able to see him in the dim light that lingered.

He was not like the ghouls that stalked him. There was a certain identity to him that was hard to describe. He floated like the others, cloaked in the same dirty rags. But while the ghosts contained but two glowing eyes each within their hoods, this one had something different. An entire face was revealed through the hood: two black eyes, as dark and ghastly as the shadows that followed him; a crooked nose hung over his face; his mouth contained two red lips, almost inhuman in color. Arms came free from his cloak, and he held a staff.

"Speak your name," the wraith said. Link was not afraid, but he took precaution when confronting the ghost. He walked a number of steps forward and did not speak, allowing the ghost to see him further. The monster was able to distinguish the boy's visage then. He saw his body cloaked in green, the sword strapped around his back, and the Fairy that hovered over his shoulder. The wraith was not frightened, but for the first time in ages, he quivered slightly. "You are Link." He answered his own question. "I didn't think it was possible. I didn't think she spoke the truth."

"And who are you?" Link asked.

The wraith grinned. "I am the spirit that haunts your nightmares. I am the beast that skulks in your shadow. I am the wound that brings you suffering. I have many names, but you may call me the Phantom, King of the Poes."

"And what do you want from me, Phantom?" Link asked.

"From you I only want your predecessor's power to turn the clock backward; I wish you never came here. The Oracle has said that you will free these people, but I will make sure that is not so. I am merely a messenger, a bringer of what is to come. This land is destined to be ours. I do not wish for these people to fear me, to take cover when I am present. But a burden follows me wherever I go, for death is something that nobody can easily forget. I do the work of those too cowardly to act. I am here to ensure that this land does not go into the wrong hands. You do not think I have heard of you, Link? Your story fills these people's hearts with hope. They think you will slay me as your ancestor has slain the great Ganondorf. But I am unlike him in that I do not live to watch you suffer. I did not come here to watch these people cower in fear. I came to claim what is mine."

"But if you wish to take the land from these people, then how can you expect anything but fear from them? I cannot sit by and watch you hurt them, Phantom. I am still young, but I have grown strong. If you do not leave this place, I will defeat you." Link reached behind his back and unsheathed his sword. In return the Phantom raised his staff and thrust it into the air. A smoky blackness sprayed from the staff, lifting like a cloud and hurtling towards Link. The Hero of Winds jumped to the side, dodging the attack. He ran as fast as he could toward the Phantom. He jumped into the air and raised his sword. But just when he thought he made contact with the Phantom, he looked up to see himself in defeat. The Phantom had caught Link's sword with a bare hand, and now held him up in the air by his weapon.

"Perhaps you were strong once," the Phantom began, "but this sword you hold," the Phantom's eyes veered toward the blade, inspecting its details, "it hinders your efforts. I sense a piece of you is missing. As you are now, you can never defeat me." The Phantom threw Link to the ground, sending ripples of pain through his body. Link lay on the ground, trying to collect himself so he could rise again. "So this is your Hero?" the Phantom taunted, laughing slightly. "Your prophecy is nothing! Your legend is false! Your Hero is a weak fool!"

Link found the strength to rise, once again pointing the blade into the air. He quickly dipped his hand into his pocket and gripped his boomerang. In a swift throw, the boomerang was hurtled into the sky. It made contact with the Phantom before he could react, forcing him to cock back his head in agony. Link, thinking quicky, jumped as high as he could. His blade met the Phantom's body then, creating a red gash in his arm. But as soon as Link struck his blow, the Phantom reacted by thrashing his staff into his body. Link crashed once again to the ground below, but not before a tiny wand fell free from his pockets. The Phantom grasped the wand from the air and inspected it curiously. As Link lay on the ground, he whipped it into the air, hearing the skies play an aesthetic symphony of sounds and sights.

The winds bellowed.

"So this is your power," the Phantom said quietly. "You have wasted it. I will perfect your error." The Phantom once again thrashed the wand into the air, and this time the winds began to twist and turn in all directions. The Phantom pulled back the wand and pushed it forward; from the east, a gale swept forth and picked Link up, crashing his body into the wall of a building. Again and again his body was picked up and torn apart, his life at the mercy of the wind. At last, his mind turned as dark as the skies, and dreariness turned to sleep. The last words he heard were thus:

"I will spare your life for two reasons: first, to prove that the prophecy is a falsehood, and that as you are now you can never succeed; second, you shall live to know of the great power you have given me, for now I control the sway of the skies and the turning of the clouds. I can wake the wind."