And he's doing just that, protecting someone else, when he notices an unnatural whistle of wind. It seems to permeate his senses, throwing off his ability to hear clearly, and the sound itself comes from no obvious location. Rather, it's everywhere - and briefly he wonders how much worse it would be if those potions weren't so readily available.

He spots movement, suddenly, and turns with his shield up. Skirting along the surface of the snow is a spirit that's paper-thin and paper-white, and glitters subtly more in the lantern light than the snow around it. It rears up once it has been spotted just feet from Link and throws itself at him with a horrible hiss, trying to wrap its body around him and suffocate him. It's much harder to cut than paper, as when Link drives his sword through it as it surrounds him, its body parts and re-forms behind the blade as it passes. It grapples for his head while Link tries to wedge the shield and the flat of his sword under it, hoping to fling it off if he can't cut it.

From beneath the mask, an ice-cold spear-tipped tongue darts out, straight into his right ear. It's brain freeze and severe pain all at once, and in his desperate movements Link finally forces his shield through its body - a hole apparently too large at once for it to repair. It dissipates into ice crystals, leaving blood pouring from Link's right ear.

Link has gone deaf in his right ear from the trauma, but at least he's alive.