The ground reappeared at their feet as the cloak fell away, revealing a familiar chasm of glimmering lights. Golden-white gems sparkled from the walls, reflected by an enormous spring surrounded by cherub pillars and white marble. A pale diaphanous fairy lingered in the middle of the spring and greeted them with a solemn smile from where she floated. This beautiful creature was none other than the enchantress of all fairies.

The Great Fairy.

Link regarded the vermillion pig-tailed woman, surrounded by smaller fairies, their golden lights reflected in the water beneath them. Standing in her presence after so many years, an uncomfortable presence followed. But his gaze didn't linger long when he glanced at the cloaked individual who'd brought them here. A grinning face, crimson eyes and shoulder-length silver hair, dressed in fitted black trousers, knee-length boots, a white kilt and an open white tunic, his black cloak hanging off one side of his shoulder.

Who was this person? Was this person even human?

But those weren't the only two occupants within the cavern. Standing on the other side of the spring were two unfamiliar people. A young woman and a young man with bronze skin, red hair, and amethyst eyes. So very a like in appearance, but they didn't appear to be of Termina descent. Even their clothing differed in that respect. Were they tribal people? If so, from where?

"Oh, Great Fairy! You're okay! I was so worried!" Serena said, fluttering into the enchantress's arms.

"My child… Thank the heavens no harm has befallen you, but I'm afraid you've arrived too late. As I feared, the darkening has already swept Termina…"

Link turned at this, his eyes widening. "Great Fairy, what's happened to Termina? Clock Town… it's changed! And what's with that tower suspended over town? And that cloud monster?" He asked.

"I'm afraid… it's the work of a millennia old evil which has resurfaced," She said, shaking her head. "The darkening has swept so quickly that I didn't foresee what lied ahead… And what's worse, it dragged your friends into darkness… Forgive me…"

"Millennia old evil? What about Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku and Kirara?" Kagome asked, still cradling Shippo. "What happened to them?"

"Does that mean you brought us here?" Shippo asked.

She shook her head. "I'm afraid I do not know… It took a great deal of energy to bring you here, but without his aid, it wouldn't have been possible," She said, referring to the young man standing aside from the group.

The person in question waved, his crimson eyes piercing them as he leaned against the cavern wall. "It took great effort to bring the heroes here into this world… My first attempt failed, so I had no other choice but to seek out the Great Fairy. And, had nothing gone amiss, our Four Heroes would have appeared in the spring without a problem, but I didn't anticipate that the spell would involve others… Not to mention it eliminated one of the fated heroes… What a pity. But three is better than nothing I suppose…"

Four? Heroes?

"Save this land?" Kagome asked. "From what? And what about our friends?!"

He waved his hand. "Oh, I wouldn't worry about them. They'll be fine, at least until you've vanquished this evil. But before I go into any more detail, there is something we require from you, girl."

"Me?"

"The Sacred Jewel around your neck."

At the blatant response and Kagome's uncertainty, Link moved in front of her and narrowed his eyes at the individual. "For what reason would you need that? Who are you?" Why did this person require the jewel that could grant wishes? What exactly was happening?

"Nothing escapes you, Hero of Time."

Link glared at the title. "Former… now explain yourself." Why was the Great Fairy involved with this person? And if he helped summon the group from a different world, then it was clear he was no ordinary human. A magic-user?

"I assure you, I mean no harm. The jewel she wears possesses a great power, one capable of granting the subject any desire imaginable. But you already knew that… The longer she keeps it in her possession, the easier it will be for the darkening to consume her and the jewel. In fact, it's already corrupted."

Kagome gasped. "How… do you know about it? We've never met you before!"

"Of course not, but that doesn't mean I'm not aware of its existence. I know more than you imagine, little girl. But I digress…" He said and snapped his finger.

As the sound echoed off the walls, a gasp escaped the young woman, and she clutched the jewel around her neck as it lifted from her blouse. Though her fingers held tightly to ensure its safety, it vanished from sight and reappeared above the spring.

The Great Fairy lifted her palm to the jewel, and the muted gray color evaporated, revealing a sparkling pink gem. All traces of evil vanished, and she flashed them a reassuring smile. "Forgive me, but we have no other choice. So long as it remains with you, it will expose you to danger. This is the only way. In time, I will return it to you, but for now, it will remain safe in my spring," She said, and the gem descended into the pool of water, clouded by the magic within.

"Great Fairy, will you tell us what's happened? What is this evil, and why did you help summon those people?" Serena asked.

Before the enchantress could say anything, one of the occupants suddenly stepped forward, followed by the other. It was the young man and woman. The twins of unknown origins. "We apologize for summoning you like this, but know it was not without cause! My name is Cathleen Leona Du Ikana, and this is my brother, Julian Lucius Du Ikana."

"Outsiders invaded our kingdom weeks ago and set our castle on fire. They sought the Royal Family's treasure, one passed down by the goddesses since the dawn of time. The Sacred Relic. During our escape… it vanished," Julian said, his eyes downcast.

Cathleen touched his arm gently. "Because of this, a darkening has swept the lands. If this remains, then this world will fall into darkness. That is why we had no other choice but to search for a means to rectify this mess… We found him," She pointed to the sorcerer across the way. "a proclaimed sorcerer who offered his help in this task, and with his powers, combined with the Great Fairy's, they summoned you to this world."

Link found this interesting. That sounded no different from the Triforce. A treasure kept safe by the royal family, sought after by greedy hearts, and it could ultimately transform this world into anything imaginable. From this information, he regarded the strangers curiously, already understanding where his role now played in this confusion.

"What happened to the Sacred Relic? Are you saying it's connected to this darkening?" Kagome asked.

Cathleen nodded. "It's my fault… If I hadn't hesitated, none of this would have happened… and Violet would still be with us."

"It wasn't your fault, sister! How were we supposed to know that man was after it? Besides… Violet did what was best for all of us by destroying it, otherwise, something even worse than this darkening might have transpired."

"Oh… Violet… If only she were here with us…" Cathleen said, wiping a tear from her eye. "Even now, the darkening has consumed her and taken her away… I fear the worst may soon befall the rest of us."

A cough tore through the uneasiness around them, and everyone directed their attention to the sorcerer once again. "Well, now that we've all acquainted ourselves, there is still much you must know. The reason the three of you are standing before us now is because of the Heavens divination. They dictated that in order to quell this evil, four warriors were essential in fulfilling this prophecy…"

"But there's only three of us…" Shippo said.

"Of course. Mistakes happen. You were not part of this prophecy, unlike your half-demon friend, but there's nothing we can do about that now," He said, shaking his head. "There's potential in you. Perhaps all is not lost," He said, cutting over Shippo's growl. "Regardless of what happened to the Sacred Relic, the darkening will continue to corrupt this world. Faster than I envisioned, that is… And following the ordain of Heaven, I did what I could to bring you here, thanks to the Great Fairy's assistance."

Kagome frowned. "We really are in another world…"

"Correct. I see you are brighter than you appear," He said, laughing. "This is no longer your world of feudal Japan, nor is it Hyrule. This is another world far beyond the infinite cosmos of the galaxy you call the Milky Way. This world of Termina lies beyond that, along the edges of the Infinite."

"The Infinite? What's that?" Shippo asked.

"Beyond space?" Kagome and Link asked.

He nodded. "Something like that… But the darkening is only the least of our concerns, heroes. From this darkening, something even more terrifying has resurfaced, and that something will certainly put an end to all of humanity."

"There's more?!" Shippo asked.

It was at this moment the Great Fairy answered their questions. "While the Sacred Relic was indeed a sought-after treasure of great significance, so, too, was something else. It existed around the dawn of time, well over 3000 years ago, crafted by the ancients, and was said to possess the soul of a beast."

Shippo shuddered. "I don't like the sounds of that… What was it?"

"A mask, but it was more than that. It portrayed a man with fierce eyes and a wicked smile, encompassed by an unusual mark on its forehead. A mark of death. The people named it the Mask of Armaros."

"The Mask of Armaros?" Kagome asked.

"Correct. But unlike Majoras Mask, which you are familiar with, Link, this mask came before its time. And is more malicious than anything we've encountered. It is my belief that it has risen from the ashes of a terrible curse from long ago prepared to wreak havoc on the world once again."

The sorcerer nodded at this with crossed arms. "And just like that, Termina now dwells in the Era of Darkness."

Now it was finally piecing together, but how did this mask find its way into this trouble? "And what exactly is this mask capable of that Majora wasn't?" Link asked.

"The mask's powers were so great, even the ancients couldn't harness its wickedness. 3000 years ago, the Great King of Ikana sealed it away. But as of late, someone unburied it from its seal, and now the world faces a devastating chaos. To put it simply, it feeds off wicked desires of those around it, possessing a host each time to forego its reign."

"That sounds scary!"

"No kidding… So, you're saying it used people as puppets to take over the world?" Kagome asked.

"Yes. You've seen it yourself already. Your half-demon friend, I mean," The sorcerer said, nonchalantly.

Link mused. "So, the darkening stems from the broken relic, and now the Era of Shadow has fallen over all of Termina because of the Mask of Armaros… With these two problems combined, how could we fix the unity and order that's already been broken?" In fact, this was different compared to what he normally confronted.

If the Triforce had broken in Hyrule… would the land fall into everlasting darkness? How could one fix that? Link wondered.

"That leads me to wondering if this has happened before? The creation of this mask likely spurred an age of darkness 3000 years ago, before it was sealed. Correct?"

"Correct. The creator of this universe sensed the impending turmoil and descended to smite all its wickedness. With his power, he sealed the mask in shadow, where it would remain forever undiscovered, but the result of his endeavors threw the world off balance. It's nothing but a shell of its former glory. Purgatory, as he deemed it."

"Purgatory? You're not serious?" Serena asked, and even Link was surprised.

"Wait… does this mean we're dead?" Shippo asked.

Another laugh filled the room. "Oh, no… You've misunderstood. Here you are very much alive, that I assure you. We brought you here after all. But as its name implies, Termina's trapped in a purgatory state. Not living and not dead. Here, the souls cannot pass on as they would in any other world."

"I think… I understand," The priestess said. "Once we destroy this mask, I'm assuming we must also find a way to bring back the Sacred Relic? By doing that… it will return to the world to normal again. Right?"

He nodded. "This task might sound difficult, but I assure you it's by no means impossible. Yes, the Sacred Relic was destroyed, but it still thrives. You must gather the fragments and bring them together. Those fragments lie at the corners of the world, guarded by the Sacred Beasts. Simple enough for the three of you to manage."

"If the pieces are scattered to those locations, then I assume there are only four fragments?" Link asked.

Again, the mysterious sorcerer nodded. "That's right. Gather those fragments and after that, the only task left is to destroy that mask. Unfortunately, this is not task that anyone can complete. Only the heroes chosen must undergo this."

"And after that, our friends will be return?" Shippo asked. "And then you'll send us back home?"

"They will return unscathed, that I promise, but only if you quell this evil. If not… your souls will remain forever in this world. Trapped in its curse."

Shippo gasped. "You can't do that! We're needed back in our world!"

"But I can. Isn't that right, Great Fairy?" He asked, grinning at the enchantress.

To Link's surprise, she nodded. "Yes. But I believe a day will come when light bathes this world once again, and I know you'll not fail us in this task. Help us sever this evil, and just maybe, the curse will lift on all of Termina."

"First our friends get devoured by that monster and now you're threatening us? That's not fair! We didn't ask for this!"

"We can't turn a blind eye, Shippo. They need our help. Besides, we've always prevailed when the going gets tough, right?"

"Y-yeah… but… we always relied on Inuyasha to get us through! Now it's just us! And if something happens, I won't be able to protect you!"

"Oh, Shippo…"

The situation was grim, but the kit had a point. Without Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku, their strengths combined left them vulnerable. At least, that's what he suspected. Kagome had said she was a priestess, but in all honesty, he wasn't sure what role she played in terms of combat. Or even Shippo. What were their strengths?

Regardless, he pitied their situation, and struck the individual with a stare. "You won't be alone. I'll help."

"Huh?"

"Link… are you sure?" Kagome asked.

He nodded. "It'll be difficult by yourselves since you don't know the layout of this land. Three's better than one. Right?" He asked, smiling.

Although they came from a different world thriving with humans and demons, he wasn't sure how well they'd fair against monsters of this world. Besides, he handled plenty of situations like this in the past, and while he was a bit rusty with his sword, it was a better time as any to fix that.

Kagome returned the smile. "Right! Thanks, Link!"

"Without Inuyasha's sword, we can't bypass the barrier surrounding that tower outside of town. Then again, I can't imagine it would be that easy… What must we do to defeat this evil?" Link asked.

Five years ago, when he fought against a similar enemy, he had done so under a time restraint of three days. Without his ocarina, the world would have succumbed to the inevitable falling moon, but he had persisted on the journey, enough to summon the Four Giants to help in that time of crisis.

But what awaited the world this time?

"I'm unsure how to help you this time around, heroes… Were I to extend my power beyond my spring, no doubt it would sense my presence and seek to eradicate my existence, thus disrupting the flow of magic throughout the world. And I fear what may happen to my sisters scattered across the lands…"

A clap tore Link from his musings, and he shifted his stare to the young man once more. For such a dire situation, he seemed too chipper, as though he found amusement from the sufferings of others.

"Before the night's end, I'll figure out a way to dispel the barrier, so in the meantime, why don't the three of you have a look around town? Stock up on what supplies you may need, but keep a low profile."

Kagome gasped. "W-wait a minute! Are you saying we're going to fight this evil head on? As in soon?"

The twins, who'd been quiet this entire time, suddenly stepped forward, and the princess with bright red hair clasped her hands. "I'm sorry. If I could do anything to right what I've done, I would in a heartbeat… We'll remain here and pray for your safety throughout your journey."

"We believe in you! And once this darkening is quelled, we would like to show you our gratitude before you return to your world," Julian said.

The sorcerer nodded and shifted everyone's attention back to him. "While the night is still young, I'll hand things from my side. If you wish to survive, do your part. I'll keep in touch. Good luck, heroes…" He said, and snapped his finger.

The air around their feet circulated and lifted them off the ground, and the glimmering lights of gold and white distorted into a muted green scenery of trees and grass. Link recognized the landscape of Northern Clock Town's playground, accompanied by the grassy incline and gated fence in front of them, but when he turned, he staggered back.

"What just happened? I feel dizzy!" Shippo said, holding his head.

"You got that right… Where are we now?"

The entrance to the spring no longer existed, and instead, a solid rock wall greeted him. Link confirmed the grainy, rough surface as it was no longer passable. For good reason, he understood.

Blue eyes strayed to the multiple posters decorating the wall, painted in colors of blue and orange, but on one particular poster, far bigger than all the others, he saw something that made his skin crawl.

All hail, King Sakon.

A/N

The reason the world smells like death, at least according to Inuyasha, revolves around its cursed purgatory state. I hope it makes sense. What lies in store for the gang now? Because I combined this story to the alternate rewrite of A Place in Their Hearts, I had no other choice but to eliminate the idea that Fierce Deity created this world… In fact, I had more ideas planned for him in the story, but it can't be helped.