Hello – as you must have assumed by now, this is a "novelization" of the recent Zelda video game, Phantom Hourglass. I have completed the game only once through – if I make an obvious error, kindly let me know. Furthermore, I do not necessarily plan to strictly write only the actual adventures and plot; nor I will not include every minute sub-game or side quest. In simple terms, there might be a "filler chapter" or two.
I ask you not to complain over the rate of my working pace – while I am presenting this novel publicly, I am still writing for my own pleasure. Is that not also the true reason for many authors here?
Henceforth, I sincerely hope that you will enjoy this novel of Phantom Hourglass as much as I will enjoy writing future chapters.
"Our story begins not long ago… There was a young girl, savvy to the seas and head of a band of pirates. Her name was Tetra. She was pretty, brash, and brave. Tetra and her handsome pirates set out to explore the vast and unfamiliar seas.
"One day on a stop at an island, Tetra met a young boy dressed in green. After a series of strange events, the two began traveling together...
"They found old ruins, and light enveloped Tetra. At once, she transformed into a beautiful princess. Her lineage traced back to an ancient, ruined kingdom. She was Princess Zelda of the Kingdom of Hyrule.
"Just then, a huge, ominous king appeared! He carried Princess Zelda away… The evil king sought the sacred power passed down to Hyrulian princesses. He schemed to take the power and use it himself. The boy chased after him, determined to save the princes…
"The boy crossed seas and climbed mountains. The journey was perilous. He slayed evil monsters and used their power to become a true hero. After long and hard adventuring, he defeated the evil king. And beautiful Princess Zelda was rescued at last.
"Later, the two set out with the brave pirate crew in search of new lands… Yes, they set sail together! A happy pirate ending!"
On a large pirate ship, a boy, clad in a striped red and white shirt and a bright blue bandana, grinned impishly over a framed image of a crudely-made image of paper. Niko had a horribly grotesque case of buck teeth.
"So, what did you think of my amazing paper cutouts?" Niko grinned, addressing his companion, "Did you guess that Tetra was really Princess Zelda?!" His response was only the sound of seagulls and the crashing ocean waves.
Niko blinked. "Hey! Link! Are you sleeping, swabbie?"
The blonde-haired boy named Link – dressed in a green tunic, and shirt, along with white pants and tan boots – lifted his head (with a long, green, tipped hat), finally awakened from his slumber. Clearly, Niko's story with his "amazing paper cutouts" did not thrill him. A sharp voice suddenly pierced through the air.
"Link! Link!" The owner of the voice was a young girl his age in simple clothing and her honey-colored hair twisted in an odd bun, marching along the quarter deck. She spotted Link, and approached him, frowning. "Stop messing around down there!" She snapped, "You're supposed to be on lookout!"
Link stood on his knees, blinking drowsily, "S-sorry, Tetra… captain…" He yawned, and his head fell back, bobbing rather dangerously. The female captain sighed in disgust, shaking her head.
"Hah! Some legendary hero you are." Tetra snorted, "Who'd believe you saved me from the evil king?"
Another of her crew, Mako, approached. He shifted his chipped glasses, and said, "Princess Zelda, we're nearly at that spot in the sea!" He was replied first with an irritated groan.
"I told you not to call me Zelda! 'Tetra' worked just fine before, you know." She rolled her eyes, as though her band of pirates were a bunch of idiotic buffoons. Which might have been half-true. "But enough about that! So, this is where the Ghost Ship is said to appear, right? Stay on the lookout for a creepy-looking ship!"
"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Niko had appeared behind Tetra, his eyes apprehensive, "What about all those ships that went missing? I say the Ghost Ship is behind all of it!"
"That's right, Niko. Every ship disappears." Tetra sneered, her voice full of sarcasm. "And it's because of that scaaaaaaary Ghost Ship!"
"G-ghosts…?!"
The man at the wheel, Gonzo, called, "Hey, Tetra! They say these seas are protected, yeah? Something about a spirit called the Ocean King. Wouldn't a spirit like that protect the ships? Unless there really is an evil Ghost Ship…"
"Don't be ridiculous. There's no such thing as a Ghost Ship! I bet it's just some pirates up to no good." Tetra replied.
"Then why are we on the lookout?" Mako murmured.
Ignoring him, Tetra continued, "I'll expose them as a bunch of frauds, and remind them that there are rules to being pirates! Besides, I doubt that there really is an Ocean King, anyway-"
Link, who had previously been rubbing his bleary eyes, suddenly gasped. The clear, blue sky had abruptly become an unsettling gray, and fog surrounded the ocean around them. He rose, grimacing. Something was not right.
"Hey…look!" Niko whimpered, "The air feels chilly… Eerie, even. I say we take a detour around this creepy place."
Tetra turned on him, "Quit being such a cucco! We're here to see the world, not to take detours!"
"Ship ahoy!" Zuko shouted from the crow's nest of the ship, "Tetra… I can see a ship… Yeah, a ship… up ahead!"
Indeed, a large ship – much bigger than that of the pirates – was emerging from the thick fog. This ominous-looking ship, decayed and worn, with a golden skull and two lanterns emitting bright azure glows on its front, was approaching them. The ship was soon right next to the pirates.
"It-it's… THE GHOST SHIP!" Niko shrieked, "These waters really are cursed!"
"And you call yourself a pirate!" Tetra scoffed, "It's just a ship… But it does look like it could be the Ghost Ship… There might even be a load of treasure on board!
"That's it. I'm gonna get to the bottom of this!" With that, she leapt nimbly onto the handrail and onto the supposed Ghost Ship. Link and Niko gasped, and tried to stop her, but it was far too late – she had boarded the ship. There was nothing they could do. Link hung onto the handrail and waited. But he did not have long to wait.
Merely seconds later, lighting crashed; at the exact same time, Tetra's voice rang out into the ocean air, screaming. And then, the scream ended. The pirates gaped, disbelieving.
The ship began to move backwards.
For a moment, none of the crew moved, until they all realized: They had somehow lost their captain to an anonymous ship, possibly the Ghost Ship, and it was retreating.
Link sprang into action – he launched himself from the handrail and managed to hang from the railing of the Ghost Ship. Voices from the pirates rang from behind him, and he did not listen to them – he could not hear them. He glanced backwards, but the pirate ship had disappeared into the fog. He gulped, and tried to pull himself up.
And slipped.
Screaming, Link plunged into the ocean waters.
Light.
A bright light – he could see it, it was right there. It was a strong light, it was powerful. He reached out to touch it, but it edged away from him.
Darkness.
A black pool of darkness was engulfing the light, as though it were a monster. As though it were… evil. He backed away from it, but it approached him.
"Link…"
And Tetra was there, in the light, her hand reaching for him. He tried to grasp it, but the darkness pushed him back.
"Save me…"
The pool was now becoming a tunnel. He tried to call her name – maybe it would bring her back. Maybe…
"Link…"
It wasn't working! He could do nothing, it was hopeless – he was hopeless… The light was fading now.
"Save me… Link…"
Nothing.