An unusual stone carved in the image of a giant skull with an open mouth stared back, with two lit candles in each hollow of its eyes. As they stood in front of it, they found its gaze almost hypnotizing. The moment they touched it, however, it was as if they'd been transported into a dark void filled with fog.
One look at each other and they gasped. They were no longer standing in front of each other as a wolf and cucco, but were their true forms. Fortunately, they were not naked but were instead donned in white cloaks.
"Ah, so you've both finally arrived, although late..."
Squinting through the mists, a figure emerged, adorned in a golden robe with the insignia of the royal family. This old man with a white beard and thick brows to match, stood erect with a cane in hand, and he smiled his greeting at the pair.
Link gasped. "Elder Sahasrahla! We finally found you! Please, tell us what is going on! What happened to Hyrule, and where is Zelda?"
The elder held a hand up. "Please calm down. I understand the two of you are very confused... As you may already be aware, something ill did indeed befall our land of Hyrule. Where we stand now, is no longer the land you once knew, Link."
"Lorule..." Kagome asked. "Is that where we are?"
"Yes and no... I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated to explain... Both Hyrule and Lorule now exist as one," He explained, shaking his head dismally. "Even I am lost for words."
"Combined?" They asked.
He nodded. "The reason you are both here is because the princess predicted this would all happen, but she didn't anticipate it would happen so quickly. She was born with prophetic dreams, and before her capture, she called out to me telepathically for help. And it's through the power of this stone that I'm able to speak to the two of you."
"If you're speaking to us through this stone, then where are you? And where is Zelda?" Kagome asked.
The old man rubbed his beard and released a sigh. "I am locked away in the Palace of Darkness... and much like the other six sages, they are also locked away within this world, scattered across the land. The two of you will need to save them if you hope to put an end to all of this. As for the princess... I have not heard her voice since her capture, so I do not know where her location is."
Link clenched his fists. "She must be ok..."
"But how can we be of any help when we look like this?" Kagome asked. "Link and I were transformed into animals. I won't be any help without my bow. Is there some way we can transform back?"
The elder nodded. "Yes. There is a way... And in order to continue further on your quest, you will need to find that item first."
"What is it?" Link asked.
"It is called the Moon Pearl."