Chapter 31: Acceptance

No one moved for fear of sparking the battle once more. The three Links standing held their swords still in the air, pointed pugnaciously at the Phantom, while the fourth remained on the ground, still clouded in the blue fire.

"Maybe I should send you to the Dark World," the Phantom said, breaking the silence, "and you'll see for yourself why every move you make is wasted." The Phantom closed his eyes, folding his arms across his chest.

What's he doing? Link thought. Then the truth struck him.

He ordered purple and blue Link to quickly attack the Phantom before it was too late, while green Link ran over to red Link to tend to his wounds. He found that red Link was only dazed, and that the blue fire would soon pass over him and dissipate into the air. Sure enough, it did, and red Link would soon recover.

The Phantom was forced to open his eyes and fight as swords ripped through the air. He jumped to the left, dodging a sword swing, and his trance quickly ended. "You dare interrupt me?" he said to the two Links. "Sooner or later I'll get the chance again to concentrate once more, and then you'll be alone and helpless in the Dark World." He kicked blue Link square in the jaw, sending him to the ground for a moment, and parried purple Link's eager blade. "If only it was so easy to pass through the other way around…No matter. That problem will soon be dealt with." Blue Link was up again and swinging his sword wildly, but the Phantom deftly blocked each stroke, distributing his attention between them. "When the last grain of sand passes through, everything will be clear."

The Phantom gave out a sharp cry as he felt a blade grate against his back. He turned to see green Link behind him, holding red Link by the shoulder, carrying a bloody sword in his left hand.

"So it's true," Link instructed all four Links to speak at once. "You are not as indestructible as you hoped I'd believe." Link's voice, amplified harmoniously by all four of his segments, was taunting in tone. "Your blood is just as red as the rest of ours."

Fists clenched in anger, the Phantom gritted his teeth, fighting against Link's words. He closed his eyes, and soon he regained his calm stature. No one was going to play with his emotions.

But still, Link had hurt him, not by his words, but by his actions. He inconspicuously reached behind him and felt the dripping blood trickling down his back from the wound.

Link would pay.

Swiftly, the Phantom pounded his feet against the ground and flew high up into the air, landing atop the cave. Red Link, back on his feet, withdrew his bow and launched an arrow at the Phantom, but it narrowly missed. He prepared to restring the next arrow, but the Phantom had already jumped back to the ground, landing beside him. Red Link reached for his sword, but was knocked down before he could swing it. The other Links went to strike the Phantom back, but he had already risen back into the air.

"When you fight as one, you are formidable," the Phantom said, still floating higher, "but when separated, you lose all power."

Red Link arose and joined the group. They sent out arrows and bombs blazing into the air, but none of them came anywhere near the Phantom.

Sliding down the roof of the cave as he lowered, the Phantom withdrew his wand and sent several balls of light plunging into the ground. Not one blast hit any of the Links.

They all met the Phantom at the side of the cave, swinging their swords wildly and ferociously. Link would not let the Phantom slip away. And due to his efforts, the Phantom was cornered. He was able to block many of the blows, but the combination of the four Links together made them powerful. Many swings made contact with him, and he landed only a few blows in exchange.

"Why can't I break the Phantom Hourglass!" Link demanded, instructing his blue self to push his sword against the Phantom's lowering blade. The Phantom said nothing, concentrating on the battle. Green Link held his sword to the Phantom's neck, and in surprise, he broke free from the standoff and felt his back touch the wall of the cave. The Links surrounded him, drawing closer. "Answer me!" Link screamed through them all in an ominous consonance. "I must know!"

"Because," the Phantom muttered through clenched teeth, "you are too weak. Too foolish."

"You're lying," Red Link shouted.

"Tell the truth," purple Link demanded.

"If you don't like the answer," the Phantom said, "I would suggest refraining from asking the question. It takes a great power to destroy the Hourglass. Power you do not possess. That is the truth. You can choose to accept it, or you can continue to hide behind your denials."

"I am not weak," Link stated firmly. "Take that back."

"You dare to order me?" the Phantom bellowed. "You will learn acceptance, even if I have to teach it to you myself." Link saw a wand clutched in the Phantom's hand hidden within his cloak, and within the next second, clouds of dust filled the air, masking everything. The Links swung their swords blindly forward, but they hit nothing; and when the dust cleared, the Phantom was absent.

"Surprised?" said a voice from behind. They turned to see the Phantom, smiling, standing a safe distance away. "You must learn, Link, that times are changing. You are stuck in an old age. The time of Hyrule. A new age has begun, Link, and everything you ever loved, everything you ever sought to protect, is about to be lost. And it is all because of your refusal to accept your weaknesses, your fears, your dreams. And now it will all come crashing down, and all those you love will become your downfall, burying you in their vast fragility."

The tip of his wand ignited in a red flame, and he gripped the wand with both hands as he set loose his creation. A monstrous cloud of fire torched the sky as it ripped through the day, engulfing the sky like a storm, spiraling towards the Links.

"The irony of your situation is haunting, isn't it?" the Phantom mocked. His towering conflagration reflected crimson against his face. "Too bad you chose the wrong path. You could have been great, but now I have no choice but to burn you to ash."