Fan Fiction Friday: Fates Out of Time – Part 5

Three days had passed. After seeing the bond between Midna and the old Hero, Link decided he should further rest himself… for Storm’s sake; it’s what his companion would have wanted, and will want to know when he came back. Phantom had requested that Link go to Gerudo Town, the place of the people of his origins. Phantom felt an obligation to repay his people for all the terrible deeds Ganondorf and Ganon had done, and he saw aiding Link in freeing the Divine Beast Vah Naboris from Ganon’s grasp to be his only method of atonement to his people. 

The quest to board Naboris was arduous, though it did all for a fruitful usage of Phantom’s abilities. The Yiga Clan, a tribe of individuals who devoted themselves to the service of Ganon, provided a great obstacle. However, with Phantom’s stealth powers, Link’s infiltration of their secret base was as breezy as the winds of the Gerudo Highlands. When it came time to face their leader, Master Kohga, Phantom requested that he remain in use, so as he could put down this crazed fanatic himself — the very face of whom Kohga worshiped defeating him. No other irony could taste so sweet… not even defeating his former master, Ganon, himself. That was an irony in and of itself, Phantom supposed. 

Link approached the central terminal of the electrifying beast that was Naboris. Though he still had the Blight of Ganon to face, Link was relieved to be done with the Beast. The trials and tribulations within the Naboris were the most challenging he had faced yet, though that may not have been saying much, as the only other Beast he had tackled was the Rito’s Vah Medoh, which was, with no intentions for puns, a breeze. 

“Are you ready, Phantom?” Link asked.

“I’ve been ready for as long as I can remember,” Phantom responded in confidence, layered with a bit of enthusiasm. 

“Alright. Let’s do this!”

At that, Link activated the terminal, taking not a sliver of a moment to hesitate. Just as had happened with Medoh and Windblight Ganon, the terminal was engulfed in a cloud of Malice that manifested itself into a monster, rearing to slay the would-be hero that dared to oppose it. 

Thunderblight Ganon was an ugly thing. With long, unkempt hair falling to either side of its person, a mask shaped like a Guardian Spear, and a sword and shield that glowed with the light of death, it shrieked at its release and opponent. 

A voice rang out, that of Urbosa’s. She gave her avenger a warning not to fall as she did, and encouragement to slay the beast as if his life was on the line — for it very well was. The blight invited Link to combat, and the fighting ensued. 

Ganon was fast. Lightning fast. Link and Phantom could hardly keep up with him. They had only just begun the fighting, yet they had already taken a considerable amount of damage. It didn’t help much that Phantom’s armor offered measly defenses. Taking cover from the raging monster, Link reached into his sack for a defensive and health-restoring elixir. He gulped both down, nearly vomiting while doing so. Then, he got back out, ready to face the fiend once more. 

This time would be different. Link dodged the strikes with precision, and dealt his own blows in return. Before long, the beast was on the ground.

“You’re good…” the beast taunted,” But not good enough. You and that traitorous phantom shall die for opposing me, the great Ganon.”

“On the contrary, it is you who shall die for throwing the people of Hyrule into suffering, time and again,” Phantom retaliated. “Come, Link. Let’s finish this.”

The beast reared itself and rose back into the air, summoning lightning and electrifying itself and its weapons. Next, metal pillars began to rain down upon Link. Realizing what was happening, he zoomed to a position clear of the pillars and in range of Ganon. Using his Magnesis rune, he took control of the nearest pillar and placed it beside the beast. When lightning was summoned to it, it struck the beast, sending it hurtling to the floor.

Taking advantage of Ganon’s disabled state, Link wailed on him, not letting up until his scimitar shattered. Link jumped back when this happened.

“Link!” Phantom spoke out. “You remember those weapons we stole from those Bokoblins? Use them! They can’t conduct electricity, and my power can give them a boost in strength.”

“Right,” Link said, a smirk crawling across his face. Taking cover once again, he reached into his sack and pulled out a Dragonbone Boko Club, one that was sure to do the job with Phantom’s added power. 

Ganon’s methods returned to those from the beginning of the battle — foolishly so, thought Link — and it was only a matter of moments before the combined duo of Link and Phantom had dealt the final blow. 

Staggering, this blight of Ganon gave one final message: “You… You fought well. Twice, now, have you defeated my blights. For that, you have my respect… but only a sliver. Do not think that I shall be as easy as these mere puppets, these mere… phantoms. I am a man of my word, and I promise you a slow, painful death, ‘heroes’.” At that, he dispersed into nothingness, Naboris finally set free of Ganon’s control.

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After a reunion with Urbosa — one in which the Gerudo Champion gave Phantom her forgiveness (one Gerudo to another), alleviating the old spirit of his pain —  Phantom could have departed. However, rather than doing so, he chose to stay with Link until Hyrule was finally free of Ganon in his entirety. Phantom was no longer begrudged with remorse, but blessed with a sense of accomplishment and duty. 

As Gilgamesh was left at the stable by the desert, there was no need to board him. Thus, as soon as Link had finished his dealings with the heads of the Gerudo, he teleported back to the Highlands Stable and made his way to the flower of Malanya.

Awaiting them, to Link’s surprise, was none other than Storm himself. Link would have expected that he would rush towards Storm and embrace him in a hug, but he was frozen in place. Instead, it was Storm who came to Link, nuzzling the small hero in the chest with his snout, inviting a hugging embrace. Link accepted, tears rolling down his cheeks.

“Storm… I’m so sorry. I-” Link paused, realizing that Storm would not want apologies; that Storm understood and did not want Link to feel regret. Accepting this, Link changed his attitude. “Storm… I’m glad you’re back. Come, let’s set off together.”

Storm neighed in agreement.

Before mounting his revived companion, however, he looked towards Malanya’s pod and thanked the Horse God. 

“Phantom,” Link said, “Thank you for aiding me in returning to my dear steed.”

“Link,” Phantom responded, “it was you who helped yourself, you who helped me. If not for your own efforts, your own will, we would not be where we are, and your friend would remain in the afterlife.”

“Of course. You are right. I am just glad that we were able to help each other… as well as so many others.”

“Indeed. And I know what comes next. Please, reunite with Makar.”

“Of course. Thank you.”

Without a further word, Link undressed of Phantom’s armor and returned to his traditional Champion’s garb, and placed Makar upon his face once more.

“Mr. Hero,” Makar let out, excitedly,” it’s been forever!”

“Only days,” Link challenged.

“Oh, I suppose my perception of time isn’t the best. Anyway, it seems you’ve got your friend back! Wonderful!”

“Indeed. And we need a place to go, to re-adjust him to the world! Have you any ideas?”

“Ah, of course! To the castle! Didn’t you need to get a recipe for somebody?”

“Oh, of course! However… You see, if he’s waited this long, I do believe that he can wait a little longer. As our first task, since we’re in the east…”

“Yes?”

“Did you not say you had something to find in this part of Hyrule?”

“Ah, you’re right! Mr. Hero, your kindness goes on forever! I think I know where… It’s actually just off the path we took to the giant horse.”

“Wonderful, we’ll make our way!”

“Yippee!”

And without a further word, Link took to his old companion once more. These past few days had been rough, but his struggles had finally paid off. He reached into his sack and got an Endura Carrot to feed his friend. Once Storm had finished his treat, Link gave the signal to go, and off they went.

“Onward!” the reborn Champion shouted, a new confidence covering his horizons. 

 

John Piland is a guy just trying to make his way through life and not be consumed by his chronic addiction to memes. Feel free to talk with him about Zelda and Nintendo on Twitter.