Link found himself floating in a pure white void, with nothing in sight. A figure soon emerged from somewhere beyond, clothed in shimmering white robes with a head obscured by light.
Link: “Huh?”
“Welcome Link,” The figure’s voice boomed through the space. “This is the space between worlds. The border of this realm and almost every other has been torn, resulting in things such as the temple and creatures that came through to your world. Do you think you are ready to meet your allies?”
Link nodded.
“Good.” The figure's voice continued to boom. “You will work with two others in the beginning, but you may expand your group as you wish as you three adventure through this new multiverse's brokenness. But first, let me see your Sheikah Slate.”
Link pulled out the Sheikah Slate and handed it to the figure. They took the Slate with a telekinetic ability, letting the device float into their hand. It floated above the figure’s hand, blue runes and symbols in languages he couldn’t read floating in rings around the object and lines of them entering from seemingly random directions. Eventually, the lines of blue runes stopped coming and the blue runes circling it were absorbed into the device as well. The strange person floated the device back to Link, who quickly placed it back into his pocket.
“Wait what? You aren’t going to check it out?” The figure’s voice raised in pitch and boomed slightly less.
Link shrugged.
“Dude check that out now. I gave you so many cool new features,” the figure whined, their voice still booming.
Link snickered, as he found the combination funny.
“Well it’s not actually that many, but you should still check it out,” the figure pressed.
Link rolled his eyes before pulling the Sheikah Slate out of his pocket. He inspected the tentacle and corpse he had acquired before coming to this odd realm, seeing that they now read as “Guard Hound (Final Fantasy) Corpse” and “Malboro (Final Fantasy) Tentacle” in a more readable script. His other items now had the tag (The Legend of Zelda) on them, which he did not understand. A new ability had appeared next to his camera along with the new “tag” feature, called “Dimensional Transport”. He activated the ability and a ring of 17 floating glass spheres appeared around him, each showing him a different location. One showed Hyrule Castle, which he instantly recognized, and he reached out to touch it.
“Whoa whoa whoa, don’t you dare touch those orbs Link. I haven’t introduced you to your team members yet or given you a mission. You aren’t going back to Hyrule anyway. The Chronomancers are currently invading, uh, some universe with the tag “Mass Effect”. I need you and the other two people I’ve assigned to your team to help defeat the Chronomancers. But I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s get you introduced to your new team,” the figure’s booming voice blurted out, stopping Link in his tracks.
The figure parted a veil of pure white from both sides of Link, revealing two others were in the realm. One on his left and one on his right. The man on his right appeared to be in his early twenties, with striking spiky blond hair and vivid blue eyes that seemed to carry the weight of past battles. His lean and muscular build hinted at a life spent in combat, his body honed through years of relentless training and fierce encounters. His outfit consisted of dark colors, with a rugged yet functional design. He wore a sleeveless black shirt beneath a sturdy, high-collared purple tunic, providing mobility and protection. Silver pauldrons and gauntlets adorn his shoulders and arms, giving him an air of strength and resilience. A pair of dark pants were tucked into his black boots, enabling him to move with agility and precision. The most notable feature of his attire was the massive sword strapped to his back. The blade loomed large and imposing, emphasizing his prowess as a warrior and lending an aura of undeniable power to his appearance.
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The man on his left was a sight to behold, with an air of experience and strength that seemed to permeate his entire being. His ashen hair and cat-like eyes hinted at a life marked by trials and tribulations, while his chiseled features and weathered skin speak of resilience and fortitude. With an impressive pair of swords strapped to his back, the stranger exudes an aura of readiness, as though prepared to face any challenge that may come his way. His stance is firm yet fluid, embodying a sense of calculated agility that could only come from years of honing his craft. While his attire appeared simple, consisting of a blend of leather and cloth, it was tailored to prioritize functionality and protection, enabling swift movements and deflecting any potential blows. The stranger's presence conveyed an undeniable sense of authority, leaving no doubt that he was a force to be reckoned with.
The older man spoke first, "My allies, I presume? It seems I find myself in the company of those who have yet to see their share of winters."
Link looked to the younger man, who replied, "Age is but a number, old man. What matters is the strength of one's will and the sharpness of their blade."
“Hah! Let’s hope your blade is as sharp as your wit,” the older man said. “Pray tell, what might your name be, boy?”
“The name’s Cloud, old man. Cloud Strife. And you?” the younger man replied.
“I am Geralt of Rivia, witcher. Hunter of monsters and dealer of justice. And who is this silent one? A friend of yours?" the older man answered.
"Beats me. But he seems to possess a quiet strength. Maybe we should hear him out," Cloud responded.
“For whatever reason it may be, I have not once seen or heard Link speak. And I have existed for all of time,” The still mysterious figure interjected.
“I see,” Geralt said bluntly, “What is this mission you have spoken of?”
“For that, it would be more efficient to show you,” the figure said before placing his hand on one of the glass orbs surrounding Link and being sucked into it.
“Guess we should follow him,” Cloud said before approaching the glass orb the mystery figure had disappeared into. He placed his hand on it in a similar way to the figure and was sucked in as well.
Geralt approached Link after Cloud disappeared. “Hmm... curious contraptions. We must be wary of what awaits us beyond these spheres. They may hold secrets and dangers we cannot yet fathom," he stated.
Link shrugged and gestured for Geralt to go through, as he knew the spheres would disappear as soon as he entered them.
“Well then, it seems I must use the mysterious orb,” Geralt said.
There was a slight tapping sound coming from within the glass sphere Cloud had disappeared in, the majority of which now showed his face. At that, Geralt and Link both chuckled before Geralt placed his hand on the orb and was sucked inside. Now left by himself, Link placed his hand on the orb and felt himself thinning as his vision blurred and he was transported to the other realm.
When Link’s vision returned to normal, he had a similar sensation as when he used the Travel Gates in Hyrule. Link found himself somewhere unfamiliar, a mysterious place with ancient wonders dotting the horizon. His gaze fell upon towering structures, their grandeur and mystery sending chills down his spine. The near-scorching air around him and the hard earth beneath his feet reminded him of Death Mountain. Link quickly equipped his Flamebreaker Armor, using it to beat the stifling heat. The majority of his vision was taken up by large letters that said “Welcome to: Mass Effect”. He didn’t understand what “Mass Effect” was.
“Welcome all, to the world of Mass Effect. As you each come from your own worlds, this is that of a fourth. Here, the Timekeepers have hidden something important from those that brought these worlds together. But they still seek the artifact known as the Chrono-Scepter, so I have gathered you three to retrieve it. It will not be an easy task, but you three are no stranger to difficulty. Go forth into those ruins and retrieve the Scepter from its guardians,” the figure pointed toward a distant structure before disappearing in a haze.