Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, or characters of these games including Link, the Kokiri, keatons, wolfos, Hyrule, Termina, et cetera. This story has been written for the fun of it, not for the sake of money.
Identities and personas of the characters such as Trey, Shadow, White Foot, Twiggy, Blaze, et cetera are all figments of my imagination.

Author's Notes: I know I said at the beginning of this story that things would not be an "alternate universe". Well, there was a small aspect which I changed, and that is that Link does not get sent back in time immediately after fighting Ganondorf.
Also, while this may seem like the last chapter, there will be one more regular chapter and a short epilogue to follow. I will remind you again at the end, but I just want it to be known that this isn't over. Isn't it hard to believe that it almost is, though?

-oOoOo-

Wolfos in Sheep's Clothing
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Chapter Fourteen: Clash!

-oOoOo-

Trey's claws clicked along the marble hallways of the illustrious Ganondorf's citadel, the sound one of the only things heard in the still, demonic atmosphere. He had just bid a worried good-bye to Link, who had recently disappeared behind two ominous iron doors, ready to fight the Gerudo King. The keaton swallowed an uncomfortable bile in his throat, his stomach doing loop-de-loops in anxiety for his friend's safety. Please, He whispered in silent prayer to the goddesses, Keep Link safe. Make him win. Bring righteousness to Hyrule once more. This prayer calmed his nerves down to a small degree, although he still fidgeted in indescribable apprehension.

He didn't stray far from those looming, dark double-doors that his Hylian friend passed through. He just kept roaming up and down the crimson-carpeted stairways, studying patterns in the rocks and nearby paintings of the Dark Lord with mild fascination. He wanted to get his mind off of Link, but at the same time, he wanted to think of him, and try not to forget what he was up to—saving the world. The keaton gulped again at the mere sound of those seemingly gloomy words.

Trey walked back up the stairs for the umpteenth time since he watched his blonde friend go away to the main battle. A tiny spider crawled across the floor in front of him, blatantly not caring whether or not the keaton was there. It scurried away in a crack in the wall, and Trey snapped his eyes away as it did so. He finally reached the top of the staircase where the double-doors loomed in their own dark shadows. The three-tailed creature sat in front of them, staring with sorrowful hazel eyes, his heart pounding rapidly at the amount of silence that emitted from the door. What was going on? Had the Dark One slain his friend already? Had the fight not yet begun? Was it just a trick door that led the seventeen-year-old into a quick and death-bringing trap? Trey sighed heavily at all these badgering thoughts as he bent his head forward, long ears drooping in more worry than ever before. "Farore…" He muttered under his breath sadly.

"So, I finally get to meet the second half of Hyrule's illustrious saviours, hmm?" A sickly sweet voice wavered out of seemingly nothing, startling the anxious keaton.

Trey spun around, tensing his muscles as he did, ready for any attack this mysterious stranger had in store for him. "Wh-who's there?" He demanded, trying not to make his voice quiver, although he was noticeably frightened. "Show yourself!"

A sarcastic, soft chuckling came in response to this initially before the speaker finally said, "As you wish, O hero," The keaton's breathing began to subside to a normal pace, and he watched with full intent in the direction from which the voice had come from.

Out of the deep shadows the iron doors made, a sleek figure materialized into the orange-light the torches on the walls produced. Trey's eyes widened a little at the speaker as they appeared: it was a she-wolfos. She had a gracious body, long and sleek, but had a right proportion of muscle with her. Her bones did not protrude though; it was clear that she was fed healthily. The gorgeous wolfos' light auburn fur was well maintained, brushed, silky, and shiny in the flickering embers of the torches, and it matched perfectly with the brilliantly sparkly copper eyes she possessed. Two gold bands were clasped around her two front legs, symbolizing that she indeed "belonged" to somebody and was not a wild wolfos. A sly smirk spread on her lips, one that made the adult keaton's insides bubble in muddled emotions.

She sat elegantly in front the impenetrable iron doors, the hues of the blacks and greys on its surface made the she-wolfos' fur stand out even more than it already did in the light. She wrapped her fluffy tail around her forepaws, never leaving her seductive gaze off of the tensed keaton. Suddenly, iron bars on the door whipped downwards sharply, cutting the air with a hissing slice. Trey leapt back at the surprising movement in the tensed atmosphere, unlike the she-wolfos, who kept her calm demeanour and perfect posture with her at all times, as if the iron bars were nothing special.

An ear-splitting cry rang forth from the depths of the room behind the barred door, and Trey sprung into action, immediately leaping to the door in frantic. "Link!" He barked instinctively, batting his paws through the bars on the double-doors.

The she-wolfos chuckled sarcastically under her breath again. "It seems as if the precious Hero of Time has begun to fight my Master." She cooed, her voice nectar-like and almost soothing, in a way, like the gentle fall of spring rain.

"What? Ganondorf? He's fighting Ganondorf now?" Trey hissed, jumping around to face the she-wolfos.

Said wolfos inclined her head to the side slightly, her mysterious smile still plastered on her beautiful features. "Yes, that would be correct." She nodded her head, her tone remaining calm and impish. "Why, what's the matter young one? Fear that your pet is dead, hmm?"

"Don't speak like that!" Trey growled softly, his eyes narrowing in suspicion of this mystifying wolfos. "He'll come through; Link's been through a lot, this is no different. He'll defeat the King of Darkness and bring light back into Hyrule."

The she-wolfos clicked her tongue as she shook her head slowly. "Silly, silly keaton. Do you honestly believe such nonsense? Did your pet tell you that, perhaps?" A "heh" escaped from her throat as she turned back to the wary keaton. "How naïve. Master has massacred countless souls, slain numbers of armies, and tortured thousands. Your pet is no different. He shall soon join the deceased, and Master will have his prize."

She rose to her paws and stood in front of the still-tensed keaton, her copper eyes shinning like two gems in the orange-red flames of the torches. "Who are you?" Trey finally asked, trying to ignore the dull sounds of clashing swords from behind the doors.

"Me?" She looked slightly surprised at such a question, but dismissed it passively. "…They call me Neci. At least, that's what Master calls me. I'm his guard wolfos, you see, and it is a very important position to be sure." She began to circle Trey captivatingly, her eyes lingering over the keaton. "I have to make sure no one harms Master from a surprise attack, be wary of any prisoners trying to escape their torture sessions, and most importantly," She stopped again in front of Trey's nose. "Chase the rats away." She chuckled that soft, mocking laugh again.

Trey opened his mouth to speak, but Neci beat him to it. "Don't bother, young one. I already know who you are."

The keaton was taken aback by this, and took a small step backwards, ever-wary of any movement the she-wolfos made. "How so? I never told you my name."

"Oh please," She sighed, that serpent grin still present on her lips. She turned tail and strutted away, her tail sweeping back and forth slowly. Trey silently wondered if she knew if it was a bad idea to turn your back to an enemy, but she seemed to care not for such rules. Neci situated herself down on the floor some short distance away from Trey, casually lying down on the marble floorings as if she were an Egyptian cat-goddess. "You are Trey, fabled keaton hero of Hyrule. Heh, well, they didn't exactly say that, but the title seems to work perfectly, no?"

The words Trey wanted to utter to this somewhat lustful wolfos were caught in his throat, so he only kept his watch on her, wondering what she was going to say next.

"Gallivanting about Hyrule like a loyal pet to the Hero of Time, freeing Sages, defeating monsters, fighting for justice in the name of the goddesses…All these tales have been passed through word of mouth from creature to creature. My friends at the Spirit Temple eventually told me the news just recently. I had no idea you were so…devoted to this Hylian. Truly you surprise me, Trey, truly. I know of no other creature that would perform such a task."

"'Friends at the Spirit Temple'?" Trey repeated, the horrid memories of the capture lingering in his mind "Are you speaking of Blaze's pack?"

Neci nodded her head, excited that the keaton had guessed correctly. "Why, yes! They spoke of a traitorous keaton who defied their laws and eventually had to be exiled. Such a pity, no?" A soft growl escaped Trey's throat almost unconsciously as Neci uttered these words, but still she continued. "They never thought they would see you again until that one faithful day in the Spirit Temple when you decided to show up, out of the blue, with that Hylian that got you in trouble in the first place. How interesting. You escaped their clutches, and afterwards, Blaze ordered me to slaughter you when we finally meet. He's heard the news too, you know."

"Did he? Heh, typical Blaze." The keaton scoffed lightly, returning the sly grin with one of his own. News travelled fast, it seemed.

"Pity I have to though," Neci continued, drawing out her words with hints of seductiveness. "I'd hate to see someone like you die, by my paws especially. You are one of my fewer adversaries who's quite…attractive…For a keaton, at least." She laughed under her breath once more, watching with luminescent copper eyes as Trey's face flushed steadily in the dim, crackling light. He took a short step back, preparing himself even more for the high risk of a fight. Neci shrugged passively, closing her eyes for a moment, relishing in the refreshing darkness it brought her. "Ah, but promises are promises, and I can't let my old friend down, now can I?" She rose slowly to her paws and waltzed leisurely in front of the keaton, sparkles shining off of her gold-bands as she walked.

The two enemies stood nose-to-nose with each other, locking eyes in a prolonged stare-down before the real fight. Neci's smirk grew. "Are you ready, keaton? My skills in combat are no match for the skills you have learned in the wild. I use more refined, elegant moves, instead of the rough and spontaneous movements that were taught in the forest. Are you sure you want to continue? I could just merely dispose of you quick and painlessly outside in the lava."

Trey hunched his muscles in a ready position, as did Neci. He narrowed his eyes with a baffling smirk much like hers. "All talk no fight. I'm not a coward, and I will stand up against my enemies, instead of dying the gutless, dishonourable way."

"Hmm, you truly are an interesting being. I rarely make exceptions for my foes; you should feel honoured."

"I will feel more honoured once I see you running away with your tail between your legs, Neci."

"Likewise, Trey. Shall we begin?"

"I'm not holding you back." Neci smiled wider at this, her eyes flashing for a moment in the prospect of a hopefully gory battle.

The two stood still and silent for a moment before Trey made the first move. He leapt forwards at the she-wolfos, claws outstretched and ready for slicing. However, Neci jumped nimbly to the side, laughing with amusement as she watched the impetuous keaton flop over his own paws, dumbly. Trey growled, picking himself up from the floor. "Is that your first move?" Neci continued laughing at the keaton's ignorance. "Charging full-out on me? How pitiful. Surely I expected a clever first move, but what more could I expect from a keaton raised by wild wolfos?"

Trey growled, itching to get his paws on Neci after all these cocky statements she had continuously made. The two of them faced each other and stepped in a circular pattern, each one of their gazes never leaving the other one. They droned out all sounds and side distractions from their view, determination glowing in each pupil of the fighters. Finally, Trey leapt over Neci and attempted to spring upon her backside, but to no avail. She rolled away with Trey landing on his paws, just where his foe had been.

Wasting no time, the sleek she-wolfos charged at Trey when he was still turning around, and with one swift slash, she cut his face with her claws. Pain zapped through the keaton's body as he reeled back from the blow, ignoring the scent of blood that drifted into his nostrils. He was bleeding, that he knew, although he cared not. A deep, warning growl emitted from his throat as he charged towards the offender, who still had that fox-like smile on her face. It was beginning to haunt the adult keaton, driving him to insanity at how the she-wolfos could remain so poised and collected, even in the midst of battle.

She sidestepped hastily, jolting away from her rival in mere seconds. She again gracefully landed in front of the keaton, and before Trey could think twice, she had landed two more hits: One on his nose and one under his right eye. Trey yowled in agony as he shook his head to clear his view. Neci was about to take another swing with her claws, but Trey saw it coming just in the nick of time and ducked out of her reach. Fumbling for a moment, the she-wolfos tried to regain composure as quickly as she could, but as she was doing this, the keaton skilfully bowled her over with all his might, his head ramming into her chest.

She tumbled on the floor; the keaton rushed over to her body, digging his nails into her flesh. She ground her teeth together, determined not to show her foe any signs of hurt or weakness. She tried kicking her legs wildly under the keaton's grip, and sure enough, one of her back claws came in contact with Trey's back leg. He let his grip go looser on the she-wolfos, just enough to let Neci regain control again. She ignored the steady, tiny trickle of blood caressing down her side, instead, she leapt on Trey, bashing him back-first onto the marble, the wind knocked out of his lungs.

She sunk her teeth into one of his ears with such a force that Trey had no use but to utter another small cry of anguish. Trying his hardest to ignore the bulleting pain jolting through his veins, he scratched the underside of the light auburn wolfos briefly, just before using his strength to kick her off of him. She tumbled backwards off of him, rolling into a stone wall. She could see stars in her eyes from the dizzying shock, and before she knew it, Trey was in front of her again.

She looked up at his fiery eyes, a look she had not seen since the fight had begun. She grinned deviously with delight, chuckling and spitting out a small dab of blood on the floor. "Go ahead, deliver the blow." She sniggered lightly, the blood still slowly seeping from her wounds. "Prove to me that you are the mightier of the two of us. I admit, my skills are becoming old, but that is what happens when time goes on, I suppose. I had once the power to break every bone in a keaton's body with the simple flick of my claws, but I have been proven that I have grown weary."

Trey remained silent, the blazes of passionate determination sparking in his features.

"Why do you hesitate? Can you not see that I am giving up? You have surpassed me, so finish me off. I will wait to die."

"…Get up." The keaton finally commanded, his deep voice in a growl. Neci blinked twice at him, astonished at what she had heard. "You are not finished yet, you still have energy to fight. Let us decide the true winner of this fight honestly, not by simple means of forfeit."

Neci closed her copper eyes and laughed lightly. "Always playing the honourable one, aren't we? So be it, we shall fight fairly until one of use becomes victor." Trey stepped back a pace, watching as the sleek wolfos rose steadily onto her paws, shaking her fur out a little to relieve herself of the uncomfortable sensation of hot blood down through her fur. She locked copper eyes onto Trey's hazel, and before the keaton knew it, she was at it again, charging with unknown ferocity at his injured body.

The two creatures rolled on the stone, growling, biting, tugging, and clawing at one another in a mad frenzy for the title of champion. The keaton's teeth sank into the she-wolfos' leg, and her claws pierced through Trey's flesh, both with equivalent strength and undying passion for the win. The fight lasted for minutes after minutes, each one of the combatants determined not to give up, even if they were growing weary.

In the midst of their battle, the bars on the iron doors zipped upwards, silencing the brawl between wolfos and keaton. A pregnant pause of uncertain silence hung in the air before the doors crumbled down into the ground, as if they were nothing but soft biscuits in a steaming cup of tea. Neci and Trey parted, their fight completely forgotten as they both listened around them with acute hearing. The ground began to rumble uncontrollably, and at that moment, Ganondorf's guard wolfos realized with a terrified gasp what was going on.

She shot her eyes over to the still bewildered Trey, hissing at him sharply to get his attention. "I can't believe it!" She growled, incredulous, "Your precious Hero of Time has actually defeated the Great Master!"

Trey's face brightened for a moment, the idea of Link bringing death to the King of Evil lingering in his mind with a happy note.

"Hurry, you must run through these doors and up the next flight of stairs if you want to live!" Neci growled wisely, her serious gaze never leaving the keaton.

Trey blinked twice, unsure of whether to believe this generosity his foe was offering. Still, he listened.

"Find your friend as quickly as possible, and follow him down outside of the castle. You must both make haste, quickly, quickly! The spell on Master's Tower has been broken, and the entire castle will deteriorate in a matter of minutes!"

Trey nodded slowly, the statement at once registering in his mind, and before running off, following the she-wolfos' directions, said hastily, "What about you? Will you be alright?"

Neci smiled fondly for the first time, her copper eyes soft and sympathetic. "I should be. I know many secret paths in the tower, ones that should lead me outside fast. If I don't, well, I don't regret anything, and I will have realized my purpose on this earth is done. Now, hurry before it is too late, Trey."

Trey nodded again, smiled, and wasted no time whatsoever after hearing Neci's surprisingly helpful advice. Even though she had been brought up by the Dark Lord Ganondorf, she still carried a distinct trait of morality with her that shown through at some of the most convenient times. The keaton silently thanked the goddesses for her help as he bounded up the quaking staircases, his eyes fixed straight ahead of him.

He dashed through richly adorned rooms, much like the hallway outside, but paid no attention to the decorations as he sped through room after room, the ground quaking underneath his paws. A vast room came to his attention next, and his heart almost stopped when he set paw into it: blood was splattered across the floor, and in heart-quenching fear, the keaton thought Link had been vanquished in his battle.

He rushed forward, trying his best to ignore the intense rumblings of the tower. He issued a deep, relieved sigh when he spotted Link, scarred, bruised and breathing heavily, but still standing in the midst of a giant disoriented landscape, the flaming red sky blazing in the background. That woman that he and Link had met in the Temple of Time, Zelda, was standing with him, fidgeting with her hands nervously. Trey maintained his quick pace as he leapt forward to the pair of Hylians, listening as Zelda finished her speech to the Hero of Time:

"…Please, follow me Link! Quickly!"

Link looked hesitant as he turned around, as if searching for something. When he saw his devoted keaton friend bounding towards him with an incomparable speed and agility, his face brightened to the fact that his childhood companion was alive and well, save for the numerous scratches and scars along his body. The princess of Hyrule was waiting impatiently for the Hero of Time to follow her through the twisting mazes of Ganondorf's citadel. Link and now Trey hurriedly sped at her heels, careful to avoid falling debris and flaming rocks that came from above.

They came to the first hindrance, a barred archway that loomed upwards, high into the sky. Zelda closed her eyes, drowning out all sounds and distractions from around her. Her hands started to glow a faint carnation pink as she lifted them up in the air, muttering some ancient spell under her breath, barely audible. The bars whizzed upwards, the same, opaque, carnation pink glow surrounding the bars. Trey caught his breath, just in time to follow the Princess of Destiny and his childhood friend through the archway.

Spiralling down the perplexing maze of Ganondorf's ominous fortress, the trio ran with all their energy, determined to escape the falling citadel and avoid flying flaming debris at the same time. Princess Zelda proved to be a great deal of help to Link and Trey, as the bars blocking the many archways of the castle were only able to open if a certain magical spell was performed on them. As Zelda was rushing towards another set of bars however, a ring of fire appeared from the floor, enclosing the surprised Princess. Stalfos popped out from the rugs of the room, and Link and Trey wasted no time whatsoever, killing them hastily and releasing the princess from her trap.

They continued down the spiral stairs from that point on, Link and Trey giving hasty backwards glances every no and then, to make sure they were not being pursued by an enemy out to get them. Finally, when they made it over the last pathway to the outside—a stone bridge guarded by a sole redead that was barely avoided—the citadel that was once the symbol of all malice and atrocity of a single man, collapsed to the earth, the rocky remains flying in all directions.

There was a pregnant pause, in which was only filled with the heavy breathing from Zelda, Link, and even Trey, who were all catching their breath after their long, quick dash. Holding a hand to her heart to feel the rapid beats, Zelda turned to Link, who was still injured from his fight with Ganondorf. "Link…we did it." She sighed breathlessly, though smiled in relief. Link smiled too, hope shining on his features for the first time in a long while. It seemed as if an incomparable weight had been lifted; as though the death of the King of Evil had lightened the weight of worry. When their breath was back after a few moments of silent rest on the outskirts of the crumbled citadel, Zelda said, as a last reflection of the King of the Gerudos, "Ganondorf…What a pitiful man. Without a righteous heart he could not control the power granted to him from the goddesses…"

She was going to continue when the earth began to rumble once more. Immediately the trio snapped to attention, preparing themselves for something, anything. Link gripped the hilt of his sword dangerously with the golden gauntlets, Trey hunched his muscles tautly, and Zelda merely stood on the spot, keeping her senses alert and sharp. "I-impossible!" She exclaimed, a foreboding feeling washing over her. She had an idea of what was to come, although she almost couldn't bring herself to say it. "Link, Ganondorf is…!"

Before she could finish her sentence, rocks from the debris flew through the air, scattering in different directions. Out of the rubble a massive, green hand emerged, gripping at the surrounding rocks with its long, black claws. The remains of the citadel were pushed out of the way with apparent ease to the creature, and when the figure was visible, the Hero of Time gasped, backing a step as he gripped the hilt of the Master Sword tighter.

The looming, dark figure, silhouetted against the blood red sky, grinned maliciously through its yellowed teeth. It squinted its beady eyes at Link and cackled; the deep barrels of sound rolling off the rocky terrain that once was the glorious Hyrule Castle.

"Foolish hero," It growled as it slowly curled and uncurled its ebony claws. "Did you really think you could kill me that easily? You will suffer much under my wrath! Come, your time to die has arrived!"

Gritting his teeth and bracing himself for the fight, Link rushed forward, ready to hack the terrifying boar-like beast at a moments' notice. Trey leapt out from behind Zelda's quivering figure, hastily following his friend's steps. However, before he could catch up to the Hylian, a wall of fire leapt from the earth, blocking any passageway to the fight. Yelping in shock, Trey skidded to a halt and flopped lamely over his limbs.

Hastily Trey picked himself up from the ground, his fresh scars from the fight with Neci coated in a thin layer of grime. He shook himself and barked into the fire, wanting nothing more than to stand by his friend's side, protecting the last shards of hope for the world, when danger and disaster were imminent. His attempts were futile, as the roar of the flames drowned out his barks; the sound was greatly lessened in comparison to anything else.

The ferocious grunts and clang of swords, however, seemed to pierce through the fire's roar. Slumping in failure, Trey dejectedly ceased his barks, trying to calm himself down, telling himself that Link was capable of achieving any task, no matter how enormous. It was impossible to focus when the sounds of the raging battle between good and evil were so pressing and unavoidable.

Sweating and bruised, Trey relaxed his aching muscles, gazing through the raging inferno before him blankly. His sides heaved, and as he drifted into a state of tense anxiety, he felt a gentle hand gingerly placed on the top of his head. Slightly startled, he swung his head to the side, noting that the female Hylian, Zelda, had approached him. She seemed nervous around him still, but tried still to establish some sort of connection, almost reassurance; whether it was for her or Trey, the keaton did not know.

Saying nothing, Zelda turned her face towards the deciding battle before her. Her brow was gently creased, an obvious sign that she too was worried for the safety of Link and the fate of Hyrule. Time seemed irrelevant now, and neither Zelda nor Trey kept track of how long the battle lasted for. They only noted that it seemed like a horrendous, anxious period of waiting, watching helplessly as their hero struggled to stay alive.

When Trey was about to take some sort of initiative, bitter that he could do nothing to help, Link mistakably lost his footing for a minute, just enough time for the demonic beast that was Ganon to swipe his massive hand at the Hero of Time. Instantly the blow knocked the wind out of Link, and he flew across the arena, skidding through the rocky terrain painfully. Zelda screamed, clasping her hands to her mouth while Trey stood frozen on the spot, too engrossed in the battle to move.

Link gritted his teeth in a futile attempt to mitigate the burning pain. It seemed as if every one of his pores screamed, bloody and infected with the arena's grimy dirt. The Hylian's hand was still gripped onto the Master Sword, his grasp vice-like, knowing that losing his weapon would mean guaranteed death. He lay in a small puddle of a mixture of his own blood and the dirt underneath him, breathing heavily as he watched through fading vision as Ganon stomped towards him, roaring with the most sadistic, cruel grin Link ever had the displeasure of seeing. Drool dripped down through the corners of his black lips, hungrily eyeing the broken hero before him.

Tantalized with fear, the spectators stood grounded, watching, horrified, as Ganon made a leap towards Link, claws outstretched and back arched, like a cat upon a feeble mouse. Zelda, thinking that this was the end, instinctively screamed aloud while the massive demonic boar-figure descended onto the bloody form of Link. While she and her keaton companion waited for Link's demise, a heroic cry, like the crack of thunder amidst a stormy evening, from their hero shattered their fear. They turned their eyes to the horrible scene before him, wondering why Link had shouted the way he did.

The glittering silver blade of the Master Sword gleamed in the light of the fire as it swung towards the skull of the monstrous beast. A sickly squishing sound erupted as the sword pried through dark, leathery flesh and tough bone, finally finding its mark through the brain of Ganon. Instantly, deep violet blood spurted through the gash, pooling on the dirt before Link's feet and oozing down Ganon's boar-like face.

With a mighty cry, Link shouted: "Now Zelda! Call the Sages!"

Zelda and Trey were snapped out of their astonishment at this. The ring of fire had disappeared instantly, and Trey rushed forward without any second thought while Zelda stood where she was, chanting low under her breath. Link was using all of his strength left to hold the Master Sword firmly in its place, ignoring the hot blood of his enemy splattered on his face and spiralling down his arm, staining his already grimy clothing.

Trey wagged his tails as he bounded towards his fallen friend, wanting to offer his help now that he was able to. Licking the gashes that were visible all along the Hylian's free arm, Trey cared not about the bitter, metallic taste of blood his mouth. He hurried to clean wounds, while his tired and weak friend forced a small smile at these actions.

While the keaton hurried about his work, an ethereal white light burst out of Zelda's hands. Too bright to look at, Link and Trey hastily turned their attention away while the impressive magic spell came directly at Ganon. His massive form was surrounded by the holy light—the spirits of Hyrule's Sages combined. "Sages! Heed my words!" Zelda shouted over the intensity of the light, "We must lock this evil man away for eternity! He must be sent to the Sacred Realm! It is the only way to restore Hyrule to its former glory!"

The light intensified, so much that Link and Trey could no longer avert their gaze and had to squeeze their eyes shut tight. Pure white surrounded all of them, even though their eyes were closed, and seemed to wash away all pain and suffering, until it seemed as though they were both in a very deep and comfortable sleep.

-oOoOo-

It seemed like days until Trey had the strength to open his eyes. When he did, he scampered upright in fright; his surroundings were not the broken landscapes of Hyrule, but a serene, cool place in the clouds. He shook his fur, marvelling at how he was in the skies, standing upon a cottony soft cloud. It hit him that instant as he was gazing incredulously at his settings: Link! What had happened to him and the Great Evil?

Panicking, Trey scouted the area for his childhood friend. When he found the green-clothed Hylian sleeping soundly next to him, relief washed over him as he settled down next to his warm body. Link stirred, feeling Trey next to him, and slowly woke up.

"Hmmm?" He mumbled, sitting upright and scratching his head. When he too saw the change in scenery, he jumped in fright, frantically looking around him. "What the—? Where am I?" He sputtered in disbelief. Trey barked, alerting Link's attention. He looked down and smiled, remembering his loyal friend.

"Hazel, you're alright!" Link bent down and scratched the top of his head, making all three of Trey's tails swish to and fro enthusiastically. The Hylian looked down at himself at his own comment, recalling the gruelling battle. "How come I am unscathed? I feel fine; not a single ounce of pain…" His eyes shot open. "Hazel, are we dead?!"

Before Trey had the chance to think of the accuracy of Link's theory, a honey-sweet voice filled the air with a gentle laugh, "No, O Hero, you are not dead." The duo instantly turned their attention to a shadowed female figure making her way towards them. Through the cloudy atmosphere, the Princess Zelda appeared, looking radiant and almost immortal.

Link instantly dropped to one knee, but was coaxed to stand Zelda's gentle gloved fingers. "Link, Hero of Time, there is no need to bow before me, not after what you have done for me and my kingdom."

"Then that means…Ganondorf's dead?" The blonde smiled, hoping his efforts were not in vain.

Zelda shook her head sadly. "Ganondorf cannot be killed as easily as a mortal, not while he still possesses Din's Power. We can only seal him away in the Sacred Realm under the protection of the Sage's Magic." The princess softly smiled. "Thanks to you, the Sages and I were able to apprehend him." She turned her gaze to Trey, who sat obediently next to Link, then back to the Hero of Time. "As far as your companion goes…When I had first met him, I was wary of his intentions. Throughout the seven years in which you slept, Ganondorf was able to manipulate many of Hyrule's creatures: snakes, birds, wolfos, keatons... I know now that I misjudged this creature. He has proved a loyal companion to you, and for that, I should apologize."

Humbled by this, Trey dipped his head before the princess, and issued a short bark to signal everything was alright. Zelda grinned the reaction, but continued on with her speech: "Of course Link, there is one more task at hand. In order to truly seal Ganondorf away indefinitely, I must take the Ocarina of Time and the Master Sword back. That is the key which locks the gates of the Sacred Realm."

Link, surprised, unsheathed the Master Sword from behind him, nearly forgetting all about it entirely. He took a long look at it, marvelling at the craftsmanship and how the blade shone clean and bright, although it had been used in a gruesome, violent battle only just recently. Dutifully, Link handed the blade to Princess Zelda, who gingerly took it from him, as though it were made of a delicate crystal.

Sadly, Zelda looked at her reflection in the metal before speaking once more. "Of course, there is something you must know. Once the seal as been put on the Master Sword, everything will revert to its correct time: Seven years ago."

This instantly caught the attention of Link. "Seven years ago? So it will be as if none of this had ever happened?"

Zelda nodded. "Correct. You and I," She looked briefly at Trey, "and this keaton, will all retain our memories. Everyone else though…They will lose any memory of Ganondorf's reign. Is that understood?"

Nodding slowly, Link glanced between the Princess Zelda and Trey, who looked as though he was in deep thought over this. "I understand. I know that this must be done to preserve peace in Hyrule."

"Thank you Link, and thank you keaton." Zelda nodded curtly at the both of them. "Now, you will be sent back to Hyrule. There will be a period of a few days before the magic goes into effect." Her eyes were soft as she stared at the duo before her. They seemed to slip away, fading back into the real world below them. As a last homage and thanks to the heroes, Zelda whispered: "Goodbye Link, and thank you again." She sighed softly before they were gone completely, still grasping the holy sword.

-oO T.B.C. Oo-
(Yes, there is one more chapter plus a short epilogue due, so don't leave just yet!)