Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or Zelda.

This is my first fanfic crossover. There's room for improvement for this story, hence my separate revision that I've been working on, on AO3. Still, I hope you will enjoy this original. Please forgive any misspellings and errors. Cover art was drawn by gracefulspider on DeviantArt.

Original Characters: Armaros, Serena, Amber, Cathleen, Kauji, Jo-Ho, Charlene, Ralif, Meplin, Eizel, Merek, Naomi, Kai, and Hideki belong to me. Don't reuse them, please.

Shout-Out to MyWorldMyImagination for her help throughout entire story!

The woods were quiet that evening, with night creeping up, changing the once blue sky dark, with colors set off into the horizon where the sun began its slow descent. Alone in such a mysterious and dangerous place, a young boy, fourteen years of age, wandered back and forth in a manner of frustration. All the while, a memory which had burned itself deep within his subconscious years before pulled at his emotions. This memory haunted him during the day and throughout his restless sleep. Fear, helplessness, naivety, those were the three emotions triggered on that fatal day.

Flash back

While Link had searched throughout all of Hyrule for Navi, he could not find her. Without her there with him, Link felt alone, like he had long before he met her. Sure, he had friends back in Kokiri Forest, but there was not one child who understood his feeling more than she did. There was no meaning if she was not there with him. Her task was simple. Lead him on a quest filled with unspeakable dangers and educate him on many life lessons. Link wasn't a true Kokiri.

Link knew he would never see her again, and the thought troubled him. He searched through the Lost Woods and had called out to her, but she never answered. Losing faith that he might never locate his fairy friend, Link ushered his foul to stop as he looked about the forest. She wasn't there.

Not long after his stop, two fairies bombarded him. Frightened, Epona reared back, throwing Link to the ground where he laid unconscious for a few moments. All of it was unexpected, and when he opened his eyes, he found the person who was responsible.

Playing with his ocarina, an imp, with his back to the child, turned and jumped with alarm. Feigning innocence, he hid the ocarina behind him. Before Link could jump at him to retrieve his instrument, the imp wearing the strange mask jumped onto his stead before taking off in a mad hurry. Not giving up, Link latched onto the misfit's leg, and although it was painful as his body hit the ground, he kept his hold tight. The moment Epona changed her direction, the imp kicked Link right in the face, knocking him to the ground as he made his escape.

Link chased after despite that. He entered a tunnel and fell off a ledge into an abyss of darkness with colors and shapes that rose around him. Not a moment longer, Link reached the end, falling upon a flower which eased his landing. It was there, in that small dark room, that he confronted the troublemaker, who at the time was hovering in midair. The thief laughed at him and explained that he got rid of his horse, much to Link's disbelief. Because Link was not laughing right along with him, he placed a spell of some sort on the boy. After that, he ran away, and one of his supposed fairy companions was left behind.

In his transformed state, Link tried to chase after, but the fairy made that difficult for him, but before long she accompanied Link on his new adventure, wanting only to get to her brother.

When Link left the room, he realized he was inside a Clock Tower, and it was there that Link met a familiar man who claimed to have been following him for some time. The man, who was a mask-sales man from Hyrule, forced Link to recollect an important mask that was stolen from him by the same imp.

Link agreed on the task, and it wasn't only because the older man needed help, but also to get his original form back, as well as the precious ocarina which was given to him by the princess. Not only that, but without his horse, how would he travel the vast distances around the land? Not to mention he promised a dear friend back in Hyrule. Epona was under his care, and Link wasn't the type to break a promise.

No longer in Hyrule, Link found his surroundings strange. There was no castle, but there were familiar faces. No one seemed to recognize Link, and of course, it was understandable since he was a Deku child. Termina faced a calamity. The moon, which appeared close to the land, slowly descended upon Termina, and there were only three days before it would fall. The citizens were in fear or were nonchalant about it. Either way, Link had to do something.

He traveled across the land's four regions and defeated many familiar monsters and some that were morbid. On his way, he made friends and enemies; some proved helpful and others quite bothersome. There were also many side quests Link took part in. Whether it was saving a monkey imprisoned by a worried king or playing a melody on his ocarina to return a daughter's father back to normal, Link helped in any way that he could, but he only had three days to save everyone, and with his ocarina, it was achieved. The Song of Time, taught to him long before, helped him in this adventure. With the melody, he could go back to the first day he set foot in Termina, and he learned more melodies, which allowed him to slow the flow of time or to make it go by faster.

Link faced the true evil threatening the land, and with the help of the four giants which protected Termina, he challenged the mask. It was then that Link realized it wasn't the imp responsible for so much trouble, but it was, in fact, the mask. The artifact took complete control over the imp's mind, making a puppet out of him.

Link defeated the cursed mask, known as Majora, and the imp was free to go about his life. The green garbed youth saved Termina from what appeared to be an inevitable end. The people, no longer living in the shadows of evil, celebrated for the New Day. Link, however, would not attend such a festival; he had to be elsewhere. He knew he couldn't put his previous quest on hold any longer, and he ventured away from Clock Town.

Standing near the outskirts of Clock Town, near the woods entrance, Link approached the grinning man before he could leave on his journey. Believing that he would finally return home, Link questioned if he remembered the path back to his homeland. For a while, Link pondered on how the man could have happened in Termina, as it was indeed a mystery. Could he have followed Link, or perhaps he knew of this other world?

"After retrieving my mask, I am quite thankful… indeed, it took me such great lengths to get this mask, but you were courageous enough to return it to me. I owe you," Happy Mask Salesman replied, marveling over the mask, yet inspecting the inside, before his smile fell. "I see… so the evil has fled… Well, I'm afraid my time is just about up. There are places I need to be, and I must be going."

Link nodded. "I see. Good luck on your travels."

Pausing, he scrutinized the boy before placing a finger on his chin. "But then… you don't plan to remain in Termina, do you? For someone so lively and full of tremendous courage…"

Link smiled. "I plan on heading back to Hyrule after today, but… I am unsure of how to return… I've traveled these woods, but they do not lead to my homeland."

Having heard the name Hyrule, his interest grew. "Hmm… Hyrule, you say? Let me think… yes, I remember spending some short days there, but I'm afraid I can't remember the path back either," He apologized, his regular smiling reappearing on his face. "You could always ask around, but I'm sure no one here has heard of the land, but then again, there are other worldly beings that might know."

Wait, didn't the older man recently arrive in Termina from the Lost Woods three days ago? And somehow he couldn't remember the path back? It made little sense, but Link didn't think too much on it. "I guess I could ask the Great Fairy," He said aloud.

Before departing, he turned back. "Where there is a greeting, a parting will follow, but that parting need not last forever… farewell, and I hope you will not stay too long here." With that said, he walked off a few short distances before his entire form disappeared from view, and it was then that Link couldn't help but wonder about that man's origins. Who was he?

Deciding not to think too much on the subject, he smiled and turned back to the town. His walk into town was not as stifling as it had been three days prior. In fact, there was a certain skip in his step, and that was of fulfillment. Link had saved the town and all of Termina from what seemed like an inevitable end.

Familiar faces passed him as he brushed by many civilians celebrating the New Year, and because it was so early in the day, the carpenters were busy setting up the fireworks for that night, while the children frolicked around, and young couples conversed, holding hands and expressing their sweet affections. From all of this, Link smiled.

Everyone was glad, and there was important news abuzz, and that regarded a certain ceremony for a familiar and happy couple by the names of Anju and Kafei. Long ago, the two had made a promise to wed, and this day marked the day of promise. The wedding would begin at noon, and because there was still time to spare, Link ventured up the ramp and past the Clock Tower toward the North sector of the town, where he will find the cave of the Great Fairy. He knew that after getting exact coordinates to his homeland, he'd be sure to attend the ceremony and then leave the town.

Upon noticing his presence in her spring, the Great Fairy smiled. Graceful and full of beauty, she hovered above her fountain, her long, flowing hair cascading around her in soft curls. "Hello Link, what can I do for you today?"

"I was hoping you would know of a way back to Hyrule."

At the mentioning of 'Hyrule,' her smile fell, and she pondered for a few brief moments. "Hyrule? Is that your homeland? I can't seem to recall a place with that name."

"Huh?" What did she mean she didn't know of Hyrule? The path from the Lost Woods brought him to Termina, through the tree trunk. "I came here by a doorway leading from inside the Clock Tower. I arrived here three days ago, and once I entered the tower, the door closed. It hasn't opened since," Link admitted.

How strange. The Great Fairy couldn't comprehend the situation. "I see…"

Link sighed, and removed his cap, scratching his head, uncertain of what to do now. Should he go out and search for clues on how to return? Other than trying to pry the door open, he knew it wouldn't open with his strength alone. That's why he sought the help of the Great Fairy.

She frowned. "I'm afraid I can't help you… I'm not sure what magic brought you here to Termina, but I'm afraid you might be stuck here… but that does not mean you should give up on finding a way," She explained, hoping to refuel his ambitions to continue his search.

"I see…" If she did not know, then that meant there was no way to return. Still, that didn't mean he would give up on his search for Hyrule. If there was a way in Termina, then there was a way out… "I kind of wish to see everyone again…" He faked a laugh. The whole point of this quest was to find Navi, his missing fairy companion, and after his quest in Termina, there had been no sighting of her anywhere.

"You miss your friends…" The Great Fairy noted, reading his thoughts. The enchantress understood the sadness radiating off him, and it saddened her she could not help him return home. "The ancient ones of this town used it long ago, but its purpose was never intended as a path to travel. Would you care to listen?"

Link nodded, bemused by the mystery surrounding that very door.

Seeing his confirmation to continue, she explained the door was used long ago by an ancient tribe known as the Garo. The door was used as a place to house the spirits of the dead and departed; it was known as a cemetery of sorts, except the bodies of the deceased were thrown off the ledges and into the dark abyss; this was their ritual, of course, but only for the elderly who died of natural causes.

But because Link had mentioned that the door had led to another world, it piqued her interest, but as she explained, beyond that door, there was nothing but the darkness of the afterlife, and for many a millennium it had been sealed shut, and as the guardian of this world, the door had never opened as far as she knew. Even with her powers, she knew there was no way of breaking that seal, so however he appeared in Termina was beyond her, but that didn't mean he wasn't welcome to stay.

Link thought about this. How was it even possible? He remembered passing through that door, of course. He had crossed through a strange path that turned in a clockwise fashion and then he was inside the tower and the door closed behind him. There was another world beyond that door… and it led to the Lost Woods; he knew for a fact because he had fallen through the tree trunk in the forest after the Skull Kid had stolen his horse and left through the same path and…

Realization returned to him. He had fallen a long way down, so far, and had landed on a flowery surface unscathed; the thought seemed too good to be true; any normal person would have died from such a fall, but he hadn't, and hovering there before him, as if awaiting his arrival, was the Skull Kid, only without his horse. Somehow he had sent his horse all the way to Romani's Ranch, but it such a short time; it seemed impossible, and why would he come back just to wait on him? There had been some strange magic used that day; Link didn't understand how it was used, but maybe that magic could return him home.

'I don't understand… I mean I never thought about it before, but my arrival here does not seem possible…' Link knew the Lost Woods like the back of his hand, and all that time, he never knew of a place that could send you to another world, that held many of the same faces of the people he once knew back in Hyrule. A parallel universe? Or was it something much more? If it was a parallel universe, then wouldn't that mean there would be someone just like himself here?

No. There was only him, no other copy.

Fed up, and bothered because he could fathom none of it, he turned his attention back to the floating enchantress. "Is there anything in your power that could send me back?" Link didn't belong here.

For a moment, she was silent. "I'm afraid I can't send you back… My powers are limited… However, I can try to focus on your world and show you a vision of your homeland, if you wish? It might take some time…"

Link frowned. No way home, huh? Gulping, he nodded, and he watched as a bright light enveloped her form as she concentrated on her task.

Four years passed since that fateful day when Link realized he could no longer return home; that alone made it difficult for him to accept. Not only was it impossible to open that door, which had brought him into the Clock Tower, but she had mentioned that it had been sealed for thousands of years, and it had never opened; that was impossible. Link remembered passing through it, but after, it refused to open. The Great Fairy had even said that she never heard of Hyrule, but she showed him a vision of his homeland, since her magical abilities were limited to such, and he agreed, if only to see the faces of those he once knew one last time.

On that day, his life changed. He witnessed the events that passed him by, as if he were standing there, next to the people, though everything was in black and white.

During his absence, the citizens of Hyrule lived on, carefree and without worries. Ganondorf was bound and sentenced to the Evil Realm soon after Link brought the news to Zelda on the day he departed from the land. During that time, Link remembered the shock she received when he stumbled into the castle courtyard without going noticed, and she at first couldn't believe her eyes.

Zelda opened up to him, and she explained in a dream she had, that he was the light appearing out of the storm clouds, the darkness which threatened Hyrule. But because the future Zelda had sent him back in time to relive his childhood, the least he could do was warn her of the disasters to come when Ganondorf took control, and the news had startled her. With her faithful nursemaid, Impa, the two had devised a way in which to trick him and to cause distrust amongst the Gerudos and Ganondorf, and soon after, the King banished him for all of eternity.

A happy ending? Yes, and no.

The land prospered, and stories were passed on from parent to child, but it was not a legend that Link felt pleased to hear. In fact, it dismayed him, angered him, and it hurt him deep inside.

After being sent back to relive his childhood, and after warning the Princess, there had been no reason to retrieve the Master Sword from the Pedestal of Time, and because of that, the legend did not speak of a hero rising and quelling any kind of evil, because the evil had already been dealt with by the King. Therefore, his exploits were not seen.

If that wasn't bad enough, she showed him his alternate future, the one in which he had fought and slain Ganondorf before Link was sent back to relive his childhood, and because he had disappeared from the land, Ganondorf had somehow escaped from his imprisonment and with it brought catastrophe. The people pleaded to the Goddesses for the Hero's return to save them once more, but the hero never returned; he had vanished, and a great evil descended upon Hyrule.

The fate of Hyrule was so clear to him, and he couldn't look away. Evil minions who had escaped from the Dark Realm ravaged the land, and a rein of darkness shrouded the land. All the inhabitants succumbed to many disasters, some natural and some not so. Zora Domain froze over; and the Gorons remained trapped inside their village, except for a few survivors.

Water levels rose at an alarming rate from Lake Hylian, and in only a short amount of time, and the civilians were in such disorder that many tried in vain to flee by boats; many succeeded, braving the tides and dangerous oceans. Although the people continued to cry out for the hero, their pleas went unanswered, and soon after, the waters swallowed Hyrule.

The land, a barren ocean of a lost kingdom, with a forgotten legend, was now forever buried and forgotten beneath the waves.

With his back to a lone tree, Link frowned at his reflection from the steel of his blade. While on his travels, he often pondered why the events that transpired in Hyrule happened after he arrived in Termina. Was it somehow planned out, or was it just a coincidence? There was no evidence Ganondorf had escaped. So what was it? Was there even a reason?

Link remembered the first day he started out on his quest. At first, he was naïve to a world he never knew existed. The vastness of the land intrigued the young hero, especially the village where so many people populated. While journeying across the land, still new to him, he found great excitement until he realized the sacrifices. For days on end, he practiced swordsmanship, archery, as well as his magic power which the Great Fairies granted to aid him on his quest. Clumsy at first, Link managed with what little he had, and it was enough to sustain him in harsh battles.

On his journey, he met friends, as well as allies, who expressed their concerns and secrets with him, and he did the same. They were gone, along with his missing fairy companion, whom he never found. The memories of what he witnessed continued to haunt him, and he ignored them. Every night, when it came time to sleep, he cringed at the nightmares regarding the death of his friends.

Every day, Link wondered why. Why was he given the title "Hero of Time?" How had he been a hero? If he was not destined to save Hyrule, then what was the point of waiting seven long years in the Sacred Realm to defeat a man who would only die in the end? The title was nothing but a lie.

Seven good years of his life were wasted, and he blamed the Goddesses. Were the Goddesses only toying with him? Did they think it was fun to mess with his life? Everyone he once knew was gone. In the end, he was not a hero, he never was. Link was just another face, told that he was destined for great things. What was that? Well, it was nothing.

Link's life was messed up enough without that information. He never knew his mother or father, though he wished he had. Maybe his life would have had some meaning, and maybe, just maybe, it would have been less complicated. If the past had been different, then perhaps there would have been some kind of meaning.

For a moment, he realized he had been glaring at his reflection. The youth's blue eyes darkened over the years; they were no longer full of innocence. This person staring back at him was not the carefree boy he remembered long ago. He was different. Link had seen the evil of humanity, the cruelest of evil, and he was a survivor. Or was that part of himself already dead to the world?

Often, he wondered what it would be like to die. Would he find peace? Over the past month, he attempted suicide, but he failed. Each time, he could not bring himself to do it. Every time, he felt a tightness grip at his heart, and the thoughts of life after death would penetrate his mind.

Death sounded intriguing. Sure, maybe four years ago it would have frightened him, but after all that he experienced in his life until now, all he wanted was to perish. What good was living anymore? He never had a regular childhood. He never had a proper family. Link had always been alone.

The title he bore long ago was a forgotten memory. Back then, everyone used to cry, "Save me! Save me!", but what about him? No, they only knew Link as the boy who would save the land. Why would a hero need help? Rather than waste his time saving others, Link embarked on his own quest; it was a quest in search of his identity. But after four years, he still could not figure it out.

Link lowered the blade upon his wrist, watching as a trickle of blood fell to the earth at his feet. The wound he inflicted was not severe, only a slight scratch. He wanted death to consume him, yet he was fearful. A while back, he heard tales of those that committed terrible sins. Link committed a sin; he killed. Never once did he kill a human, only monsters for the safety of the people. An everlasting death in brimstone and fire awaited him. Was this the fate of someone such as him? Saving a land by spilling the blood of evil?

He accepted his fate. One day, he would suffer the consequences of his actions, and he would confront an everlasting terror that he had ever faced. Even though he risked all that he had for Hyrule and Termina, he would have to pay for his sins. Was it fair? He didn't think so, but so was the fate of the "Hero of Time."

Wiping the blood from his wrist, Link sighed. As he stared off in to the distance, he realized he never left the land of Termina. Where else was there? Far out beyond the ocean, the canyon and over the mountains, there was another kingdom, right? Were they any different from the others? Or was this all there was?

A soft, but strange jingling noise resonated around him, breaking Link from his thoughts. This noise, such as the sound of a bell, echoed through the forest. With his keen sense of hearing, he could not determine its whereabouts. With his eyes searching each direction, he expected a monster the cause of his distraction, but he was sure he was wrong.

A bright blue light blinded the boy, and he shielded his face with his hands. The light engulfed the entire area within seconds. For a moment, he thought it was a sign from the Goddesses. Who else could cause such a light? The brightness intensified, and a grunt of protest escaped his lips.

All at once, the jingling stopped, and the light faded. Removing his hands from his face, he looked around, and when he did, his eyes fell on a sight he never thought he'd encounter.

Lying on the forest floor was a group of strange foreigners, each unconscious. They were a sight to behold, and with their unusual clothing, it made them stand out.

Almost hesitantly, Link approached them, keeping his eyes open for any sign of movement. His eyes fell on one stranger, a tall man with short ebony hair. He seemed to be in his twenties, maybe in his late teens? A long purple robe, similar to a monk's, was draped over his slender form. There was something strange about him, and it wasn't just the fact that he and his friends appeared from the sudden light, but his ears; they were round, showing that the monk was of Gerudo descent. Overlooking that trait for now, Link took notice of the beads covering his hand and a golden staff lying next to him.

Moving along to the next, this one seemed peculiar. Unlike the normal tunics Link was used to seeing, this man was dressed in a strange red cloth, which tied at his waist. The sleeves were rather long and wide, and overall, his clothes were loose on him. Unlike the other man, this guy was much younger in the face. It wasn't just the clothes that were odd, but the color of his hair. Long silvery hair cascaded along his back, a few strands over his shoulders.

At first glance, one might mistake him for an elderly woman, but the masculine features told otherwise. Not only was his hair strange, but so were his ears. Different from his companion, this man had white canine ears atop his head, and they twitched every so often. As he peered closer, Link found the sight of him very intriguing. Not only was his ears a sight to behold, but so were his claws.

Perplexed, Link scrutinized the others before they awakened. As he inspected the remaining four, he noticed a small boy with chestnut hair pulled back in to a bun with a blue bow. The child muttered to himself, appearing quite restless. On further inspection, it was revealed that the child had pointed ears such as himself, and to top that he had a cream-colored tail and fox feet. At first, he thought that there was at least one of them that resembled a Terminian.

Movement, along with a soft sigh, perked the boy's attention, and he jumped, thinking one of them had already woken up, but to his relief, no one had. The cause of the sudden noise came from a young woman lying on her back. She was dressed in revealing garb, and although it was distasteful for women to show so much skin, the clothes complimented her slender figure. As flattering as it was, Link could not look away.

A blush crept onto his face, and when he observed closer, he noticed her dress was a two pieces. Long ebony locks fell in curls around her form, and dark lashes brushed across her rosy cheeks. What came as a surprise to Link was that her skin was pale and unblemished, but only royalty had such skin. Perhaps she was? The rise and fall of her breast tempted him, and it took all of his control not to reach out and touch her. To him, she resembled a goddess.

The woman shifted into a more comfortable position as she slept. In doing so, her short green dress inched up, revealing more of her thigh. This woman left nothing to the imagination, and he had to avert his gaze.

A second female, sleeping right next to the other, caught his interest. She seemed older than the other girl. Chestnut hair was tied in a high ponytail about her shoulder, which revealed her rounded ears. She wore a white and pink dress, much different from the kind here, though it clung to her figure. Lying next to her was a giant boomerang, and next to that was a strange white fur ball. This fur ball was a cat of some sort with two tails.

Taking his eyes away from the foreigners, Link sheathed his sword. They did not appear threatening, and so he turned and walked away, but he could not help but take one last glimpse of the young female dressed in green and white before continuing on. All the while, he did not notice the golden eyes watching him.

A few hours later, Link took the time to pick berries from a shrub. He'd forgotten to eat breakfast hours ago, and it was nearing late evening. The sun was descending, casting the forest into a golden glow.

The memories remained stagnant, and for that, he was thankful. Perhaps the reason for this was that his mind was elsewhere. The event that took place a while ago still filled his thoughts. He wondered who they were, those people, and not only that, but the light that brought them here. If he were anyone else, the very thought of that would have been unbelieving, but it didn't matter. Those people weren't of any concern to him.

A noise from behind startled him from his pondering, and because of this, he dropped the berries. Link moved away from the shrub just as an arrow flew by him. The arrow made impact to a tree a few distances away.

Standing ten feet from where Link stood was an average sized monster with deep scarlet eyes and green skin. Strange black markings covered its grotesque face, and a single horn stood erect upon its forehead. An arrow case was strapped to its back, and a battle axe was at his side. In his iron clawed grip, he clenched a bow.

A cry escaped the beast, and it charged. With its axe raised above its head, it swiped at him, but Link wasn't the least bit worried. At the last possible second, he dodged, and the attack plummeted toward the ground. As he rolled away from the beast, he unsheathed his sword and slashed at the foul monster's open back. He learned this trick some time back on his traveling's.

Frustrated by the Hylian's attack, it turned and, with an irate growl, beat the boy. Link's shield blocked each attack. Of course, with the repeated assault on his shield, it forced Link backwards. Annoyed and fed up, Link thrust his shield forward, ramming the monster in the face, which caused it to stagger back in pain.

Within a second, and before Link could deliver another blow, the monster leaped in to the air. From below, Link followed its movements with narrowed, calculating eyes. Clenching the axe, it threw the weapon at its target, but Link rolled away.

Returning to his feet, Link eyed the beast hovering above. Throwing away one's weapon was a foolish mistake, and Link already knew the outcome of this battle. Waiting for gravity to catch up to his enemy, he watched as it notched three arrows before taking aim. The arrows soared in toward Link, who remained standing. There was no point in moving, because if he did, then he would suffer severe injuries. One grazed his cheek, another his left leg, but the other one missed.

Gravity caught up with the feral beast, and the second it landed, the ground shook. At that moment, it ran to retrieve its weapon, and Link took that chance to charge forward. The moment he was in front of his enemy, he leaped in to the air and raised his sword.