Phantom

* Cursed (8-Bit)
* Cursed (16-Bit)
* Normal (8-Bit)
* Normal (16-Bit)

> "*A visitor? I must be having visions again...*"
> ― *Phantom*
>
>

    **Phantom** is the final boss in The Messenger, fought at the end of the Music Box. He is the creator of the scroll.

Many eons ago, Phantom and his lover, Muse, guided the people of Forlorn Temple. However, demons invaded, killing Muse in the process, which provoked Phantom to take on the Demon King single-handedly. Phantom failed, and the Demon King placed a cursed Mask upon Phantom and inserted him into the Music Box, where he was forced to play an endless organ tune that would keep the Curse on humanity alive forever.

After Ninja collects all of the Music Notes, he goes directly into the Music Box itself in an attempt to rescue Phantom.

## Profile

### Appearance

Phantom is a man with long blond hair. He wears an old-fashioned green tailcoat with a hood and yellow accents. On his neck is a white cravat. He wears a brown shirt, brown pants, and brown boots.

While possessed, a simple purple or white masquerade mask is attached to the upper half of his face. His hood remains on but comes down after he is defeated by Ninja. Phantom's weapon of choice is a green walking stick with a yellow rounded metal grip, which he uses to lob electric pink energy projectiles during dead man's volley. Although he wields a walking stick, his Tower of Time statue portrays him with a sword.

### Personality

In the Music Box cutscene, Phantom and Muse are described to be a formidable couple who took the initiative to lead the remaining survivors of humanity after the flood. And when the demons attacked, the couple inspired their people to prepare against the assault. The Music Box cutscene also describes Phantom as stoic and mysterious.

Phantom cared deeply for Muse. He treasures the Music Box, his only memento of Muse, and he is upset when the Music Box is destroyed. Muse's death blinded him with rage, compelling him to take on the Demon King in a futile effort. After being freed from the cursed mask, he is weary due to the long struggle he endured.

## Boss Fight

### Phases

#### Phase 1

* 122-135 HP
* Attack Pattern: Dead Man's Volley → Mask Fireflies → Repeat
* Dead Man's Volley Strikes: 4-6
* Mask Fireflies: 2 (8-Bit)

#### Phase 2

* 68-121 HP
* Attack Pattern: Organ → Dead Man's Volley → Mask Fireflies → Ring of Clones → Repeat
* Dead Man's Volley Strikes: 7-9
* Mask Fireflies: 3 (8-Bit)

#### Phase 3

* 1-67 HP
* Attack Pattern: Ring of Clones → Mask Fireflies → Dead Man's Volley → Organ → Repeat
* Dead Man's Volley Strikes: 9-11
* Mask Fireflies: 3 (16-Bit)

### Attacks

#### Dead Man's Volley

Phantom floats into the upper corner of the room furthest away from Ninja. Then, Phantom uses his cane to lob a pink energy projectile towards Ninja's direction. Ninja must attack the pink energy projectile to send it flying back at Phantom. Phantom and Ninja will lob the projectile back and forth several times, each strike changes the era back and forth between 8-bit and 16-bit. This process continues until either the projectile fails to be lobbed back by Ninja or the projectile has been struck enough times where it will knock Phantom out of the air upon contact (the number of strikes varies). If Phantom is knocked out of the air, he is stunned on the ground for about 6 seconds or until 6 damage is dealt to him.

If Ninja fails to lob the projectile back at Phantom, it explodes upon contact with Ninja or the wall, and it splits apart and releases electric energy balls outward in many directions.

If Ninja attacks Phantom in one of the upper corners before he has a chance to properly finish his Dead Man's Volley attack, he will again teleport into the upper corner of the room furthest away from Ninja and repeat his attack from the beginning.

The projectile in Phase 2 and 3 is much faster compared to Phase 1.

#### Mask Fireflies (Phase 1 and 2)

On the ground, Phantom stabs his cane downward to change the room to 8-bit (if it isn't already 8-bit). He then stabs his cane downward again to summon several Mask Fireflies, and then again to summon an electric coil in each corner of the room. The electric coils release electricity on all edges of the room, but this electricity only exists in 16-bit. The Mask Fireflies reveal the 16-bit era within horizontal rows and vertical columns of themselves, and they start floating around erratically. Ninja must stay in the 8-bit safe zone and avoid the edges of the room where the 16-bit era is revealed. He can attack the Mask Fireflies for Cloudstep, in order to remain airborne.

#### Mask Fireflies (Phase 3)

Same deal as Phase 1 and 2, but instead of transforming the arena to 8-bit, it's transformed to 16-bit. The Mask Fireflies instead reveal the 8-bit era within horizontal rows and vertical columns of themselves. Again, the edges of the room are electrified, and Ninja must stay in the 8-bit safe zone and avoid the 16-bit edges of the room.

#### Organ

Phantom teleports to his organ. If the room isn't already 16-bit, he stabs his cane downward to transform it into 16-bit. He then starts playing his organ, which summons two lanterns and a metal ring in the upper part of the arena, and a large pink hologram of the Mask in the center of the arena. The Mask shoots pink laser beam columns that follow Ninja around the room. Ninja must either utilize the lanterns and the metal ring to Rope Dart away from the laser beams, or he must continuously Rope Dart Phantom in order to abuse invincibility frames, to avoid taking damage. Phantom can still be damaged, but unlike in other phases of the fight, his body is intangible and can be walked through safely. The Mask laser beams last for about 10 seconds.

#### Ring of Clones

Phantom teleports down to the middle of the room. He then teleports to the top of the room and summons 5 clones; he and his 5 clones form a human ring. The ring rotates clockwise and bounces around the room like a ping pong ball, following Ninja. If Ninja touches Phantom or the clones, he will get hurt. He must either wait about 21 seconds or deal some damage in order to end this attack. Phantom cannot be knocked out of the attack until he's done a little bit more than a full revolution.

## Main Story

In the Music Box cutscene, the events of the past are described.

The world suffered a massive flood, and only a single piece of land remained. Phantom and Muse ruled over the remaining survivors of humanity as the survivors worked together to rebuild a new home, a large temple. Phantom and Muse ruled for ten years in relative peace, but one day, the demons arrived to the human realm and eradicated the protectors of humanity, the sky giants. The demons then took over the temple and killed Muse while she was trying to protect her people.

Phantom picked up Muse's final creation, the Music Box, to keep as a memento. He then guided the last of his people to escape to the western edge of the island, where they would rebuild and remain hidden. But enraged over Muse's death, Phantom foolishly went back to the temple in an attempt to take down the Demon King. However, Phantom failed. The Demon King opted for a cruel punishment: he corrupted the Music Box with demon magic, turning it into a tether to the human realm. Every 500 years, the demons would come back to torture humanity, until they abandoned all home and surrendered to extinction. Phantom was forced to wear a cursed Mask which would steal his mind and keep him in a state of perpetual distress. He was then inserted into the Music Box, where he would play the organ forever to keep the relic's magic alive.

Phantom's will was strong, and during lapses of sanity, he tapped into his growing understanding of demon magic. He used his last stretch of sanity to create the scroll, imbuing it with enough power to attune its carrier to time magic, and he teleported the scroll to his people's hideout. Humanity used the scroll to cooperate over generations and gather their forces together in The Void and to form the Order of the Blues Robes. After many curse cycles and with support from the Order, one of the Messengers was able to procure the Music Box from Forlorn Temple. The Music Box was too powerful to be destroyed, but mysterious forces of the world known as Music Notes began manifesting. A particularly gifted Messenger managed to obtain two of the Music Notes.

During the events of The Messenger, Ninja manages to collect the six remaining Music Notes, completing the melody. He then ventures inside the Music Box itself in an attempt to rescue Phantom. Ninja reaches Phantom's room, where he tries to reason with Phantom to remove the Mask, explaining that humanity received Phantom's message and never gave up on him. Phantom has brief lapses of clarity, but the Mask compels him to speak malevolently, declaring that he will destroy Ninja. Phantom and Ninja engage in combat. During the fight, Phantom occasionally summons a large pink hologram of the Mask by playing the organ, and the Mask attacks Ninja with laser eye beams.

Ninja deals the final blow to Phantom, knocking Phantom to the ground and the Mask off of Phantom's face. The Mask shatters, and pink Mask-shaped spirit emerges from Phantom's body, flying up and disappearing above the screen. Phantom stands up and thanks Ninja, but his thank you is interrupted by the entire Music Box shaking as if it's about to collapse. The Shopkeeper teleports on scene and then teleports the three of them out to safety, to the top of the Tower of Time, where they unite with Monk, The Prophet, and The Artificer. The Artificer is especially excited to meet Phantom and asks him if he'd like to try out the Tower of Time challenge, but Phantom does not respond.

Events seem to be going well, when suddenly, Phantom shakes in fear, sensing the Curse from the Mask's energy nearby. He's afraid that the Mask will take him away and that he will be trapped by walls yet again, so he cries out for help. The large pink hologram of the Mask arrives from above, and The Prophet comments that Phantom was keeping the Curse's power contained and that its full force has been unleashed and cannot be stopped. The Shopkeeper adds that the Curse grew in power as they waged in an ultimately meaningless battle. The Prophet and The Shopkeeper are both discouraged that they have any means of combating the Mask, but The Artificer pitches in and reminds everyone that everyone present is attuned to the scroll, so they can all perform "the thing" together. The Artificer raises an arm up in the air and rallies the others to follow suit, and the six of them do so and form the Arcane Golem in order to combat the Mask. The Arcane Golem and the Mask struggle in a laser beam duel, but the Arcane Golem ekes out a victory, shattering the Mask into many pieces.

## Achievements

*For the main article, see Achievements.*

## Gallery

### General

Phantom's 8-bit talk portrait icon.Phantom's 16-bit talk portrait icon, where Phantom is possessed by the Mask.Phantom's 16-bit talk portrait icon, when Phantom briefly overcomes the Mask's control.Phantom's 8-bit spritesheet.Phantom's spritesheet during the ending.Phantom's organ's 8-bit spritesheet.Phantom's 16-bit spritesheet.Phantom's organ's 16-bit spritesheet.Phantom's teleporting spritesheet.Spritesheet of Phantom's Mask shattering.The Tower of Time statue,"THE CREATOR," which depicts Phantom with a sword in his right hand and the scroll in the other.

## References

> "*Ever adaptive, humanity gathered its survivors and built a huge temple, where they would try to find new meaning.
> Answering the call of these troubled times, a formidable couple stepped up to be their leaders.*"
> ― *Music Box cutscene*
>
>
> "*And he, ever stoic, fearless and mysterious, would become known as Phantom.*"
> ― *Music Box cutscene*
>
>
3. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GhRospmGv0&t=311s