I actually have the final chapter written! It's profoundly moving. Sadly, you people won't see it for around 20 more chapters. Could be more, could be less. Don't worry, though. If you people truly want to spoil the story, send me e-mail and I'll consider sending it to you. I would prefer not to, so you must have a very, very good reason. Note: Because I want to see it is not a good reason. Because I am dying of a terminal disease and won't other wise see it is. And if you lie about that, shame on you! I'll cry if you don't is a very bad reason to try on a cynical person like me. However, a few (3) people on the site I will show it to when asked, no reason needed. These are people who are doing me a favor (K, HD), or are in charge of something I am a member of (ML), or who I just like (Hi, Thais!). A couple of people are on the 'maybe I will, maybe I won't' list. You know who you are. Before you ask, the final chapter is the only other chapter I have written. Any branches in plot will tie together there. It is set in stone. I have the epilogue(s) finished too, but there is more chance of me ripping off my hand then there is of you people seeing them before their time. Finally, I am going to summarize the massive forces engaged in battle next chapter, followed by their battle cry.

The forces of light
Mario: Warrior plumber. "If I whack a zombie in the groin with a wrench, does it feel pain? You don't know? Let's find out!"
Samus Aran: Beautiful bounty huntress. "Eat an ice beam, undead monsters!"
Marth: Exiled king of Hyrule. "For those whom I love, I can't lose!"
Fox: Starfox survivor "There are too many of them!"
Krystal: Starfox survivor "Shut up, Fox. Just shoot!"
Ness: Psychic boy wonder, who is in love with Saria. "I'll save you… once someone saves me."
Saria: Sage of Forest. "By the power of the forest, I command you to return to your sleep! Normally that works"
Donkey Kong: A highly educated ape. "I'm dreadfully sorry, but I'm going to squash you"
Kirby: Hungry pink marshmallow. "Mmm. Zombie"
Gooey: Blue licking ball of clay. "Gooey lick!"
Lycis: Grudge-holding Altean. "If I leave, than that idiot Marth will kill them all. And by them, I mean our own side."
Yoshi: Scary green dinosaur that will eat anything. "Stalfos bones taste good! Like chicken!"
General Pepper: Former governor of the Lylat system, now head of rebellion. "Hurt them, hurt them! Save me, save me!"
Captain Falcon: F-Zero racer, now full time rescuer. "Why won't you die?"s
Malon: Cowgirl with an attitude. "Augh!"
Phoenix: President's son, also a 3 star general in the rebellion. "For the federation!"
Toad: Small mushroom. Doubtful that he'll be much help, but you never know. "Look out!"
Rick: Strange hamster thing. Need I say more? "You can't catch me!"
500 hundred Hylian knights: Loyal to king and country. While their standard issue goodly weapons might not be much help against the vampires, they'll take a lot of the normal undead down. "For the greater good!"
100 Hylian Wizards: Almost unopposed by enemy mages, they should have the run of the magical show. Unless a vampire decides he want's them dead. "Um, magic shouldn't do that, should it?"
1000 Lylat soldiers, led by Bill: While it is doubtful they understand what they are dealing with, their lasers should be able to slow the enemy down. "Our weapons are useless! We must club them with our gun barrels!"
300 Lycean troops: From Ostia and Pharae. Of doubtful loyalty, though their pikes and spears and swords might prove more useful than the lasers. "Cleanse the planet of evil"
7000 Federation soldiers: About as powerful as Saddam Hussein's republican guards, though against the dumb dead, even they might be able to triumph. Actually not as pathetic as they seem in the Metroid games. They're only quasi-pathetic. "If enough of us fire enough times, we should have them licked."
100 'Elite' Federation Soldiers: About as much use as the Special Republican Guard was in the first Gulf War. "Protect the general!"


The Forces of Darkness

Lord Keller: A vampire with the ability to summon purple fire and lightning and fling it from his hands. Hates Marth and Saria for a variety of good reasons. "You will die. And then, when you are dead, I will bring you back to life so as to be able to kill you again. And again. And then… then I will eat your wife and daughter. "
Nosferatu: Scary bat monster. "I will tear you. Yes I will. Yes I will."
Lilian: Sexy vampiress. Summons men and then kisses them on the neck. "Come to me, handsome. Come to death"
Grim: Ancient general. "All attack! Kill in the name of Keller! Kill in the name of Ganon!"
Tuthmoss: Cycloptic mummy. "As my lord wishes."
50 Poe: Spirits with the ability to possess people, turning them against their friends for a short period of time. "Your time has come, mortals"
4000 Stalfos knights: Ancient Hylian warriors. Invulnerable to most projectile weapons, though the heat of a laser blast does some damage. "Feel the chill of the grave"
3000 Stalkids: Bizarre constructs. More of a nuisance than a threat, though they come in big numbers. "Ha Ha!"
6 Stalfos club warriors: Big skeleton. Holding big bones. Spinning in a circle. "Spin spin spin! I love my job!"
Gibdos: Ikanan mummies. Those they kill get back up as redead. "The circle of life ends for you. Now, you enter the circle of death."
Redead: Zombies. Immune to any normal missiles. Those they kill join them. Ice and fire beams are okay. Magic works a treat. "Itchy… itchy… tasty eat"

Some of you might question the point of this. I did this because, sadly, I will be placing this story on hiatus for a few weeks as I go to Melbourne. Ciao! I can still be reached on e-mail, though. 

I had my sister write this. Warning. Small children have been frightened by this songfic. Though whether it's the subject matter or the fact that she used a Backstreet Boys song is unknown.

Unbeknownst to Saria, unfriendly and hungry eyes are always watching her every move.

Keller: So… innocent. She doesn't know the danger that stalks her.

Lilian: Sir, I think she is rather aware of the evil that stalks her. It's you.

.

Keller: Yes. But she believes she can win. She can't win, of course. I could kill her whenever I want.

Lilian: Than why don't you?

Keller: The thrill of the hunt, of course.

Grim: Are you certain, sir? I would not presume to question you…

Keller: Then don't.

Grim: I'm afraid I must. I think you pity her. You're sorry for her.

Keller: I most certainly do not. Does a wolf pity a doe it tears down? I had her in my grasp. I was about to kill her, but then…

Nosferatu: Tragedy struck.

Keller: Indeed it did, my bestial lieutenant. Tragedy struck in the form of a certain boy. A boy named Ness.

Lilian: Then why don't you strike now?

Keller: No. We will wait until they reach the Harvest Moon. There, we will reap our harvest. The fields will run red. Now go. I require my rest. Seek sustenance amongst the prisoners, and then you do the same. The sun almost rises.

The other vampires leave the room. Keller returns to observation of his prey… his prey.

Keller whispering: Have I truly sunk so low? Am I that different from which I once was?

He sighs even deeper, and twirls his cape, spinning and shrinking into a keese, flying to the center of his castle, where he keeps his crypt. That would be something to ponder. The loneliness of command was nothing compared to the loneliness of being a vampire.

Keller's Song: Show me the meaning of being lonely

This is the meaning, of being lonely.

He flies over Lilian and Nosferatu, who are arguing about some prisoner or another. Keller considers joining them, but shakes it off, leaving himself alone with his thoughts.

So many words for the broken heart, it gets hard to think through the crimson blood, so hard to believe, walk with me to the past…

He sighs internally, remembering a man long lost. A man named Link.

Day's of light, that's what they were… wild and free I could feel the sun. Her every wish, I would soon have done… no more!

He thinks back to the days when he was a Hylian, when he was still alive. Everything Zelda wanted done, he had done. He had loved her with all of his heart. He had given his life to her. And now, his death was being used by another master.

This is the meaning, of being lonely. This is the feeling I have to cope with. I'm not the hero I used to be… there's something missing in my heart.

Look at him. A servant of his old enemy, Ganon. An undead monster, the type of thing mothers scared their children with. The type of thing he used to hunt. The crushing irony. And vampires don't die. He had all eternity to suffer in.

Life goes on, as if it never ends. Eyes afire, I hurt old friends. They're never safe, forever looking for me. A testament, to an ancient love. There is no control, and I'm a vampire now. My every wish, it can be done, except one!

He flew into the organ room. Perched above it, trapped in a red diamond, was the cause of all that had happened. She was to blame. She had led him on, encouraged his feelings! Using him, and tossing him aside. Zelda deserved what had happened. He wished he could see the expression on her face when she learned who he was…sadly, in order to protect her from being killed by the vengeful vampire, Ganon had sealed her in a one way, unbreakable magic container. He could see her, but she couldn't see him. The sight of her was both a torment and a comfort to him. He flew down a set of steps that lead to his crypt.

This is the meaning, of being lonely. This is the feeling I have to cope with. I'm not the hero I used to be… there's something missing in my heart.

His thoughts turn to his new enemy, Marth. He swears that he will hunt that man down, and kill him. Or better still; turn him into a redead, so his soul would have to watch as his body hunted what he once cared for… just like Keller. Ah, Marth. His thoughts turn to their old friendship. He wondered if Marth was suffering. He hoped he was. Yet, Keller also felt some strange feelings. Sadness? He could have had another woman. Malon, Naburoo. They all had been anxious to wed him. He wondered what his life would be like now if he had picked one of them? He cleared his minds of such thoughts. He had made his decision.

Yes, you'd better run, you have no place to go. I've surrendered my heart, body and soul. How this can be me, I still don't believe, I guess I'll never know!

He could not dwell in the past. Ganon was his master now, his god. He would serve Ganon, and build a future in which all will suffer as he had. Thinking such pleasant thoughts, he turns back to his normal form and walks through the catacombs.

Life is missing in my heart!

He stops in front of one of the more recent tombs. That of King Harkinian. Several times now, he had considered bringing the old king back to life. And each time, he had decided against it. The time was not yet right. He chuckled, a dry raspy laugh. He wondered if Zelda or Marth knew it had been Lilian, acting on his orders, who had killed the old king. He continues, past Nosferatu's haunt. He stops and sniffs, searching for what smelled like raw flesh. He sighs. The ghoul just has no sense. He moves on, past Lilian's rather nicely decorated crypt. He smells blood coming from the room. Lilian always had been unable to resist drinking in bed. He walks on, past Tuthmoss's sarcophagus and Grim's den. He sniffs proprietarily. There was only one proper vampire in his entire cabal. Tuthmoss was a cycloptic mummy, and Grim was a revenant. As for Nosferatu… shaking his head at the relaxation of standards, he walks through his door.

I am no longer that which I used to be…

He enters his personal crypt. Looking around at the assorted trophies and weapons hanging on the wall, he knows that while the means had shifted, the end remained the same. To be the best at his craft. He had been the greatest hero, and now as a villain, he would bring an age of darkness over the galaxy. He smiles briefly. He knew which job he preferred. Being a villain meant living forever. As a hero, his name would live forever. But, he would be unable to hear the stories told of him. As a villain, though, not only would he get to hear the stories written about him, but he would also be able to hear them, and to witness the fear on enemy's faces when they realized that the stories they had been told in childhood were all true. But… at what price? Was it worth it, losing his soul? He cleared his mind. While his body had died a week after that so called wedding, his soul had died on that day, so long ago, when his world had been destroyed by a treacherous friend. It wasn't his fault! He wasn't to blame. All of his victims could be lain at the feet of Marth. He was the true evil. Not Keller, no. It was Marth's fault. All Marth's fault. Not his.

This is the meaning, of being lonely. This is the feeling I have to cope with. I'm not the hero I used to be… there's something missing in my heart.

He lies down in his coffin. What he has become is Marth's fault. Marth had killed Link. Ganon had just formalized it. It was all Marth's fault! Keller was just taking his revenge, yes… Marth, there will be a reckoning! He silently vowed to kill Marth, and bring him back as a ghoul. Yes… that would bring him pleasure

This is the meaning, of being lonely. This is the feeling I have to cope with. I'm not the hero I used to be… there's something missing in my heart.

And as for Saria, first chance he got, he was going after her blood. Ganon had commanded, and he will obey. That was all he knew how to do.