Chapter 17-

The people of Hyrule heard the rumble coming from death Mountain, and saw the dark cloud swirling over the massive Mountain range. Many thought the dormant volcano was coming back to life, while others thought rhe evil king Ganon had returned to life, and was marshaling his forces for an attack on Hyrule.

It was to everyone's surprise when the black cloud swept down from the mountain, and poured throughout southern Hyrule. As the noxious fog spread through Kakriko village, plants began to die, then animals. A feeling of death spread through the village, as people began to cough and gag.

"Help me!" One old man cried, before collapsing.

"Mommy, what's happening?" A wide eyed little boy asked his mother.

"The end of everything!" His mother replied, holding her child tightly.

Suddenly the people of the village began to die. Men, women, children, infants, all of them perished as the evil cloud... consumed them. Flesh was torn from bodies, and buildings dissolved into dust. The flute boy who had been trapped in the Dark World and his father, the young bug catching boy... all perished in a wave of agony and torment. As the hissing black cloud swept away from what had been Kakariko village, only a vacant spot was left. It was hard to tell that there had ever been a town there to begin with.

The cloud wasn't done, however. It swept into Hyrule Castle, devouring the knights and soldiers who guarded the royal family. The walls of the palace melted away under the vile pestilence, and Hyrule Castle was no more. Not satisfied with all it had devoured, the cloud spread across all of Southern Hyrule. The desert temple, the Eastern Palace, the Sanctuary... all were devoured as the creeping death reduced everything in it's path to dust. All lands south of death mountain became a wasteland, emptied of life of any kind.

"YESSS!" Shadow Link roared triumphantly, watching the scene from atop death mountian. "All those deaths, all that carnage! The desruction I have long craved has been unleashed on the pathetic Hylians!"

"Wh-what is that?" Horsehead asked in fear. Ganon's generals were beside the evil Shadow, having been summoned there at Shadow Link's request. "It destroyed everything!"

"It is called the Void Monger." Shadow Link hissed triumphantly. "It is the physical manifestation of all the Hate and rage of every living thing in Hyrule."

"It devours everything in it's path, killing all life and destroying everything in it's path." Carrock said with admiration. "But how did you get the Wizzrobes I loaned you to make it?"

"Remember all of those enchanted artifacts I stole from all over the Kingdom?" Shadow Link said with a Smirk. "I drained all of the magic off of those magical trinkets to create the monstrosity you see below us."

"So you use funny cloud to force king to turn Hyrule over to us?" Gooma asked. Shadow Link and all of the generals present were well aware the Royal family had been away from the Royal palace on a diplomatic visit, and therefore survived it's destruction. "Or you threaten to unleash cloud on rest of Hyrule?"

"No, I can't control the cloud anymore." Shadow Link replied sadistically. "It will spead to the rest of Hyrule- consuming everything it's path. From there, it will to Holodrum, Labyrinia, Termina, and the rest of the world!"

"What? That will kill all life on the surface of Hylia!" Helmethead roared, drawing his blade. "We will all perish in it's wake!"

"Calm yourself, you overgrown Iron Knuckle!" Shadow Link hissed. "We will be safe here on the mountain, and the cloud will soon dissipate once it no longer has any anger to feed it!"

"But what about lord Ganon?" the dragon Barba roared, coiled up nearby. "Our master wishes to return to rule this world, not destroy it!"

"When our master returns to life again, he will have no trouble claiming all three pieces of the Triforce." Shadow Link replied defensively. "With thier power, he can create a new world, and Shape it into whatever he sees fit."

The Thunderbird lowered her head, and stared directly at Shadow Link with her wild, sparking eyes. "This is a bold plan you have, Shadow! Yet, it does have some potential of success! For your sake, you had better pray to our evil master that it works."

-Papara Palace-

"Link! Watch your Back!" Nayru yelled out. The Hero spun around behind the gosht that had been trying to sneak up on him, and hit it with a back slice. the spirit wailed, and vanished in a puff of smoke.

In Northern Hyrule, Link and his companions were desperately trying to fight off a pack of Gihnnis, who were trying to prevent their entry into Papara Palace. They had managed to defeat twelve of the ghosts so far, but the malignant spirits just kept coming.

Ralf slashed one Ghini, making it vanish. "Killed another one!" He yelled in triumph. "These things go down easy!"

"You didn't kill it, Ralf!" Lanaryu told him, hitting one with an arrow from the bow Link had given her, making it disappear. "You can only banish Gihnis and Poes, not kill them! They're already dead!"

"AW, who cares! I got them, didn't I?" Din, taking down another ghost with a ball of Din's fire, just rolled her eyes.

They continued to try and fight off the evil spirits that were surrounding them, but the Ghini's numbers were too great. When the vile apparitions had worn the companions down enough, the single eyed spirits stuck out their tongues, and began to drain the life out of the four of them.

"Ugh... Link.... I feel so weak..." The four of them dropped to thier knees, as the ghosts drained all of the life out of them. Closing his eyes, the Hero of Cataclysm's Eve prepared himself for the end...

Suddenly, a bolt of lighting came out of Papara, vaporizing several of the ghosts. When a second bolt came out, it caused the ghosts to scatter.

After a few minutes, Link pulled himself back up to his feet. "Din... Nayru... is everyone all right?"

"We're all right." Ralf replied sarcastically. "Thanks for asking."

"Link, who saved us?" Din asked, as Link helped her back to her feet.

"I think we're about to find out." Nayru replied for the Hero, pointing up at a glowing sphere in front of them.

"Welcome travelers." The orb greeted them in a feminine voice. "I have been expecting you."

"Who...who are you?" Din asked, staring at the ball of light. "You feel... somehow familiar..."

"You know me very well, my child. I ask that you and your friends enter Papara, and all shall be revealed." The orb moved backward, then vanished into the palace.

They all started to move forward, when Ralf interjected. "wait a second, should we really be trusting some spooky voice in a glowing orb?"

"She did save us from the ghosts." Nayru replied. She looked over at Link. "What do you think, Hero?"

Link looked over to Din, who hesitated at first, then slowly nodded. "I think we should go in. After all, what have we got to lose?"

"Our lives." Ralf groaned, following the other three inside the palace.