A Balanced Scale

An: Just so you guys know, over the next few weeks I'll be going over my past chapters and editing them some. Nothing major will be changed; I just want to make them a bit better now that I feel I am able to.

The next few sensations Annie felt were almost indescribable, happening all at once and at a degree of intensity that was mind numbing. The severity of the pain blocked out many of her senses, all she knew was that she lay on the ground. Annie could feel her body contorting; shifting and moving itself into unknown and foreign shapes and odd angles. Annie was confident that she was going to be beaten to death; she had no other explanation at the moment for what was happening to her. However even the ability to think, was soon snatched away from her.

Bones popped in and out of place as well as joints, muscle and tendons were stretched almost to the snapping point; and then became shorter and more defined. Parts of her body completely deformed, moved and shaped as if she was a ball of clay being manipulated by some unseen force. Every part of her body was affected by this, her head and face; even her legs and arms.

When finally she could form a cohesive thought, Annie had no hope that she would survive. However, with time things began coming back to her. Her sense of touch and hearing were the first to return to her. Her vision had yet to renew its self, but Annie was too thankful for the pain stopping to worry about it at the moment.

She could hear a considerable amount of peripheral noise; it was all garbled and blended together, nothing seemed threatening to her though. Annie let herself lay there, resting after what she had just suffered through. However her ability to hear, touch, and smell had been effected by the violence. Annie couldn't tell exactly how they had been changed, but she was able to discern a difference in how they were functioning.

It felt like she spent hours there, but when left only to her thoughts time seemed to fly. In reality it was most likely no more than a little over an hour, towards the tail end of which she began regaining some of her motor skills. Annie could also feel something around her neck; it was tight but not uncomfortably so. Tentatively she flexed her neck in several directions, and was not restricted by it. Reassured by this she opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed, was the world being covered in twilight, which did not surprise her much. However, the second was much more of a shock. She was looking down the end of wolf's muzzle, meaning she was now a wolf.

Quickly she jumped up onto all fours, and looked back at her flanks. She was white, with a few slight golden accents along the top of her back and nose. The thing around her neck was a collar of sorts, though situated more towards her chest with the top of it connecting close the summit of her shoulder blades. Slightly panicked, but curious she looked around for a water source in hopes of using it as a natural mirror. She was still within the small canyon, so there wasn't one in her immediate area; which was a good thing in a way. It would give her time to calm down more, and think clearer. Not to mention time to get used to her new body.

Wasting no more time, she carefully set off, traveling in the only direction available to her. Annie felt strangely comfortable after the initial shock, and everything came naturally when she didn't think too much about it. If she remembered correctly, there was a river fairly close by; but her progress was slowed however by the wound she received during her battle in the lost village. It had at this point scabbed over, but the cut muscle its self was what caused her to limp. It hurt her quite a bit when walking, but to stay alive she had to keep moving, in conjunction with her curiosity to find out what this collar looked like. It felt excessively heavy. It had to be made from metal, there was no way it could have been made from wood; and plastics did not exist in Hyrule.

Annie had only made it a few hundred feet when she reached the point where she needed to rest. Her body was still tired from the transformation, the injury on her now front right leg helped to drain her energy as well. Sitting on her haunches so as to be prepared for an attack, she took in her surroundings and tried to wrap her head around what she had literally become.

The black squares rising from the ground constantly made her twitch and jump. They looked solid, but passed through everything with ease, even her. As for the terrain it was generally unaffected by being covered in the twilight, the only notable difference being it was a little darker than normal. The sky was a dulled golden color, with constantly shifting black clouds covering most of it. The only things really affected by the twilight were living things such as people, monsters, and hero's. Each effected in different ways, people became spirits, monsters became grotesque versions of themselves, and hero's such as herself and Link became wolves.

She shook her head to try and dispel the depressing thoughts. Even though they were the only human things she had left. Now Annie turned her attention to herself, curious about what she could do in her wolf form. The first thing she did was wag her tail while looking over her shoulder, just so she could say she had been able to do it. It felt extremely odd to have an entirely new limb to control.

Her leg throbbed yet again. Now curious she looked down at it, the cut was exactly the same. And without meaning to, she absentmindedly began licking it for a while. When finally she realized what she was doing, Annie decided to move on slightly disgusted in herself. When she managed to find a small source of water along the canyon path she inspected the collar. Two intricate, golden wings stretched up around her chest, the tips of the wings connecting at the crest of her shoulders. Where the base of the two wings came together was a circular pendant with the triforce etched into it, along with other smaller designs. As she concentrated on it, it began to glow intensely. Her only explanation of where it could have come from was that Illumous had transformed as she had. This information comforted her some, but the fact that she was now a wolf still messed with her brain.

As she sat there pondering the collar and other such things, Annie began to notice a smell wafting through the air. It was a sweet, pleasant sent; much like a subtle perfume. Intrigued, she rose, and followed her nose, still with a limp as the strength of the smell increased. After several minutes and a short distance Annie came upon a small leather pouch lying in the middle of the path. Sitting to take the pressure off her leg, Annie thought for a while. The pouch was most definitely llia's, meaning Annie had been wrong when she had thought llia was on her way to Impaz's when she had left. She wondered how that had effected Impaz's impression of her, but soon she began to hear something approaching from behind. Her whole body stiffened in response, and she angled her ears towards the sound; another completely new sensation for Annie. When it became apparent that whatever was coming would not stop, Annie turned around quickly and growled menacingly; only to be knocked and then pined to the ground by a black blur.

When Annie's eyes were able to focus, Link in his wolf form was standing over her threateningly with a paw on her throat. She was terrified Link wouldn't recognize her, though he seemed perplexed by the collar; and so did Midna. She stared at in a way that made Annie uneasy, but since both of their attentions were focused on it she decided to use it to her advantage. Annie concentrated on the collar, and in effect the sword, as hard as she could. In response it began to glow fiercely, and Link allowed her stand.

"So…doggy knows a few tricks doesn't she? Hehehe!" laughed Midna, jumping down from Links back. Annie growled disapprovingly, but Midna just smiled evilly and wagged a finger at her. As a shadow in the light world, she was a menacing and creepy being; however in the twilight, she was even more so. Made worse by the fact that she now circled Annie looking her over, then stopping when she noticed the cut on her foreleg. "Well…doggy isn't very careful is she!" snickered Midna, the only one of the group now who was able to talk.

This time Annie growled louder and more menacingly, all the while Link just watched the two, letting the two of them work out their problems. Midna floated over Annie's head now to stay out of her rang "Now, now…if doggy behaves I might give her some medicine to help with the leg." And at that Annie relaxed slightly, and Midna lowered some. But when again the twilight princess referred to Annie as 'Doggy' her temper flared and she leapt into the air after her. Annie missed by a long shot, and when she landed her wound tore open sending her crashing to the ground. "Hmmm….we can't have you doing that…what was your name again? Ann?...No?..Hmmm…oh wait, wasn't it Annie?" When she nodded Midna lowered, snapped her fingers, and a potion appeared in her hand. Then like nothing had happened between the two she dumped it on Annie's wound. After a few minutes it felt completely fine, though the scab was still there; and then she and Link set off down the road. Annie stood there confused for a moment, unsure if she was welcome to follow; her unspoken question however was answered by Link, who stopped after a few steps and looked back at her questioningly. Not wasting any time she soon followed him in his mission to dispel the last of the twilight.

When they finally came to the opening of the field, Annie scanned their surroundings. Everything was much more dangerous in the twilight so she was much more careful, and it was made worse by the fact she was unsure of how to fight in her current state; however having Link with her was a major bonus, and she would be able to learn from him through observation. The most striking feature about the field they now entered was the royal family's castle; the scale of it was immense, far beyond what Annie had ever expected. It did not sit in the field they entered, but was visible from it. The shear amount of area it must have sat on was unfathomable, it was slightly worn with age but still had a powerful air of grandeur and luxury. In appearance it resembled the Disney castle but with significantly more towers and spires, connected to the largest and most central tower by long wide arches. In reality, the castle was made of dark gray stone with gray-blue tiled roofs; but the twilight changed its appearance. Making it look golden and radiant and Annie couldn't help but stare at it transfixed, however her focus was broken when Link sauntered past her towards the field; not waiting for her to follow this time. Quickly she followed and tried to absorb what the field it's self was like.

It was fairly large, cut in half by the river from lake Hylia, which cut deep into ground causing the river to be a little over ten feet below the field. The bridge connecting the two halves was modest, with few defining features other than its railings. The field its self had minimal trees along with several large boulders scattered throughout it.

There were several monsters about, mostly just the twilight's version of bulbins but the sight of them left Annie taken aback. They had the same general body shape but were a dark, cloudy, black; with darker still right angle designs over their bodies. On their chest were odd shaped red designs that seemed almost like a personal marker to Annie, each one having a vastly different marker from then next. The next most defining feature however being the head coverings they wore. They were cut into odd shapes only allowing one eye to be used. Their mangy and scraggly black hair didn't help to improve the creepy vibes they exuded.

Confidently the two wolves made their way into the field, making no attempt to stay hidden from the monsters. Annie could tell Link was following llia's sent by the way he concentrated, and how his nose constantly twitched. Annie however followed him by sight, far less used to her enhanced senses. And as they neared the bridge he paid no attention to the monsters guarding it; and only broke his focus when one of them came towards him. At which time he leapt towards it with a ferocity that momentarily shocked Annie. He hit the monster in the chest with his forelegs, knocking the beast to the ground and then biting down on its neck; Annie turned her attention to the other. Not wanting to waste any more time she sprinted towards it, doing her best to not die in her first fight as a wolf. Once she was within range Annie leapt for the monster, but unlike Link, she caught it around the neck before if fell. And soon the beasts both lay dead on the ground.

When Annie rose from her kill, Link nodded in silent approval then turned and begun crossing the bridge, her cue to follow, and she loped after him. As the scent became fresher, Links pace increased. He ignored everything else and only dealt with enemies if they directly attacked, nor did he wait for her. It was her responsibility to keep up with him, though it was not that much of a problem for her; and after only a few minutes they entered the small clearing that lead to Castle town. The stone wall protecting the town, and from people falling into the large crevice was in a state of disrepair. It was a sad sight to Annie, with many holes and broken pieces, along with iron bars in the same condition.

The field itself was much more forested than the one before it. The trees were larger and more plentiful in number, with only a few large boulders lying about. Almost the opposite of the previous field, and had longer grass carpeting it. This naturally caused Link's pace to lessen, however he still moved with an unwavering determination.

The monsters here were also more plentiful, though were better hidden than the last few. Annie was not able to see them, and only knew of their presence from memory, and her heightened sense of smell and hearing. She kept her eyes open for them but did not actively seek them out. Walking at a relaxed pace now they headed towards the entrance to Castle town, Link seemed like he was in less of hurry now; Annie guessed it was because they were now getting close to llia, and it was more than likely that she was still alive.

All was quite as they walked leisurely through the field. Nothing came after them or attacked, and a gentle breeze ruffled their fur playfully; Annie soaked in the wonderful sensation, completely relaxed and happy. Even Link seemed to relax and soaked in the moment, but not forgetting his task and still followed the young girls scent. However as they neared the bridge leading into Castle town Link slowed even more, Annie didn't think anything of it as they were about to enter a bustling city in Hyrule's standards. Even though he was a legendary hero, Annie considered the possibility that he was uncomfortable in a packed city; even though the people were spirits their presence could overwhelm his sensitive senses.

However when they reached the wooden bridge Links demeanor changed drastically, he lowered his head and body into a defensive position and growled with a seething hatred. Looking at Link, Annie detected genuine fear in him. Something she had not seen since she had met him. Terrified, she followed his line of sight, and soon she too felt it. It obviously bothered Link, but for some unknown reason it sickened Annie to the core; this feeling they both shared was not something they detected with any of their senses. It was an instinctual warning and sensitivity to some unknown threat, even Illumous reacted to it, pulsating angrily. She contemplated trying to escape this battle, but her thoughts were quickly interrupted by movement from the entrance to the bustling city.

It took Annie less than a second to realize that whatever was coming towards them was the cause of their unease. Moments later she could tell it was a wolf, much like Link and herself. However this one was the color of the purest black, unbroken except for sinister purple accents half way up its legs, at the end of its long bushy tail, and finally atop its slightly elongated ears. It had a thin muscular body, with long, powerful looking legs. He had a scraggly mane, much like Links but it extended around his whole neck. Giving him more of a lion look, its head and muzzle were thin but in a way that gave it an even more menacing air. The most puzzling feature of the new comer however, was the iron collar it wore. It was thick and heavy looking, with rivets around its perimeter and ringlets of chain hanging from the center. Darkness seamed to radiate from him as he walked, and it was apparent no good would from his appearance. Everything about him seemed hateful and angry.

He walked slowly, but confidently; completely sure of himself. As he crossed the half way mark in the bridge, he lowered his head in an aggressive manner. Like it or not, the two hero's would have to fight their way out of this one. Impatient, Link sprinted up the few stairs on the bridge and tried to land a quick but fatal blow. Just as Link was about to close in on the ebony wolf he was forcefully, and violently swatted aside by a powerful blow from one of its violet paws. There was an audible THWUMP, then he and Midna laid in a heap and did not move. Annie just stared, dumbfounded and terrified while she attempted to not cower in front of the menacing wolf. Then he laughed; somehow humanly, in a way that made Annie's blood curdle. "FOOLISH HERO!" he spat at Link, in a powerful masculine voice.

He slowly turned his head and now focused on Annie, "Now….to business," he murmured to himself and stalked forward. Annie no longer allowed herself to be afraid of this monster; she spread her feet, and waited for him to come to her. Annie made a personal vow to fight him as hard as she was able. Wanting every advantage she had at her disposal, Annie concentrated on Illumous; faithfully it responded to this with a stronger glow. The black foe flattened his ears at this, and snarled slightly; but still he came. "HAH! You…Goldy…are not the only one who knows a few tricks" he taunted.

After a handful of seconds, a black, viscous liquid began to bleed from the rivets in his collar. Slowly they dripped down on to the ground, it took Annie several minutes; but she soon recognized them as the things that turned into doppelgangers. They moved with surprising speed across the ground and Annie had all she could do to avoid them. The black wolf only watched and kept his distance, watching intently. When it became clear to Annie it was only a matter of time before one of the black balls managed to touch her, she resorted to the only form of defense she had left. Blocking out any other thought, Annie focused on Illumous; she forced herself to forget about everything else. And obediently, though slightly delayed, Illumous begun to glow fiercely; and quickly it began to glow brighter than Annie had ever seen it. But it didn't just stop there, the light spread from the collar; up her head and down her body until she herself begun to glow. Empowered, she swatted at one of black masses and when her blow landed it dissipated into dust.

However, when the black wolf saw this he growled furiously; and many more masses began to leak from his collar. More than Annie would ever be able to handle, and fighting like this was severely draining. She would only be able to keep it up for a few more moments, but Annie fought on. Many of the masses where now able to latch on to her, only kept from taking on her form due to the light. She paid them no mind however, and fought those coming after her; they severely weighed her down and restricted her movement but Annie didn't care. She was fighting a losing battle and she knew it. Her journey would end here. The black wolf sat now on his haunches and laughed at the sky in his own twisted way, completely bemused.

Now completely drained, the light dissipated leaving Annie to her own devices. Exhausted and limp she stood shakily, panting. When the black wolf saw this he smiled, and barked hoarsely. Dispelling the black masses he had created. "Now the fun is over….and the time has come for you to die," he said excitedly, his smile broadening with anticipation. Unable to find the energy to stand any longer Annie collapsed onto the ground, as she watched his paws advance towards her she noticed something. On his front right paw, the triforce glowed. The piece glowing brightest being the top most triangle, she closed her eyes now and waited. Knowing what she had just witnessed meant. The next sensation she felt was that of being pulled from above. Like her whole body was being sucked into a vacuum machine, and moments later all of her senses deserted her. No sight. No sound. No sense of touch.

She could not feel her body, but after a second Annie realized she could 'sense' her body. It felt like it was there, just not physically. Annie wasn't sure if she was dead or not, but after a moment or so everything came back to her. Never opening her eyes, she heard birds chirping and fluttering in the trees, wind blowing through a forest, and wonderfully refreshing water lapping at her tired body.

Sun was shining down on her, warming her tired body. Relaxing the muscles in her shoulders and along her back; the sounds of the small waves relaxing her mind, while washing away the tension within her body. In minutes Annie slept. Not caring if it caused her death.