Disclaimer: I do not own Zelda or Inu Yasha characets. I do, however own the new kinds of species I made in this story (they're NOT called demons).

Note: This chapter is to be my first VERY violent chapter. PLEASE do NOT read if you don't really like violent stuff.

Chapter 8: The Terror of the Shadows

Link, Miroku, and Sango were in a village nearby to kill off the time until Kagome came back. Of course they had to wait for her and Inu Yasha, because without Kagome they wouldn't be able to see the Sacred Jewel Shards and they needed Inu Yasha because he had incredible strength, although he was quite a rude person.

"Link, I'm just wondering… Aren't you too young to be a swordsman like Inu Yasha?" Sango asked a random question.

"Young…? I'm 14 years old… I can be a swordsman at this age!" Link replied with pride.

"Wow… you're some proud warrior." Miroku added.

"Er… thanks." Link thanked the monk companion.

Suddenly, Link thought he heard something. Something caught his attention, but Link thought it was nothing. He sat back down.

"Link? Was there something…" Miroku was about to ask, but Link finished the sentence.

"Wrong? I don't know… I felt something…"

"What was it?"

"Nevermind. Probably nothing."

Link thought something did… he felt more than just suspicious.

A few minutes later, Link and the others came to greet Kagome and Inu Yasha.

The first one to come out was Kagome. She had that huge backpack of hers, and came out after it. Next was Inu Yasha.

"Welcome back, you two." Miroku greeted them.

"It's good to see you again!" Kagome replied with the greeting.

Suddenly, something caught Link's attention again.

"Kag-Kagome…" Link called silently.

"Link? Is something wrong?" Kagome asked as she turned to her.

"Do you sense any Sacred Jewel Shards…?" Link asked as he readied to unsheath his sword.

"I don't sense any… Link?"

Link looked more suspicious now. He was ran off behind the well and went through some bushes and trees.

"Link!" Kagome called as the others followed.

Behind many bushes and trees was a temple. Link looked at it closely. It was as almost as big as Hyrule Castle. But in front of him was a large gate. But it was closing fast, and Link ran as fast he could to get through it.

Behind him, his companions followed Link.

"Link? Link?" Sango called as Inu Yasha tried to jump over the gate, but a demonic power prevented him. But if he couldn't get in, how was Link able to?

The Hylian Hero entered the large temple. It was very dark inside, but not dark enough to make Link not see anything. Suddenly, a lamp lit for him. No one seemed to be there, but the lamp just torched the fire for Link anyway. He picked it up and looked around. He proceeded and ahead was a room, with lots of demon corpses around.

This is weird… their chest got ripped open and… their insides all look… weird.

Insides of the demons looked strange to Link. Half of it was all purple, while some looked like whatever it was suppose to look like.

The Hylian walked down a set of stairs he saw. After he was down descending, he saw a human skeleton lying on the wall. His chest was also ripped open, but beside the body was a paper with a message lying on the ground.

Whatever killed me was not a demon.

Suu

Link was confused. It wasn't a demon that killed the person, but Link never thought it'd be another human either.

Behind the corpse was a door. Link reached his hand to open it, but right an inch away from the doorknob, mysterious sounds were heard. Link grabbed his sword from his sheath as he turned. But the place he was in was still empty. He turned back to the door and this time opened it, only to see a human corpse falling down on his other arm.

This one seemed to have died probably a minute ago… his skin is not dried out of blood yet.

Link went in with a caution. There wasn't much but another door in front of him, but there was also a book on a desk in the middle. Link opened it and started reading it.

The creatures that live in this temple is forbidden to be seen with a bare human. Or a demon. Nothing will kill the monsters that dwell and infect their hearts to the evil minds of these creatures. If one is to be killed, the living thing will now be a living evil creature. Living as a living evil creature will bring sorrow… no control over your minds. It will kill all those one has cherished… and loved. And as more grow, not a living creature will live in this Earth. Therefore, I have sealed the creatures before my death, even if I know that the seal won't last forever. Know that I was not killed by a demon. I was killed by the only enemies I feared…

The book only had that writing. Other pages in the book were all empty, but one of them had little ink dropped on it. And there was also a feather. It still had ink on it.

Link started to write.

Leave this temple, whoever is reading. It will bring you to your death.

As soon as he finished, another writing came out of the book by itself. It read, Who are you?

Link was surprised. But he wrote back.

I am Link. I have entered the temple and saw thousands of dead bodies of humans and demons. Do you know anything about this?

After that, another writing appeared.

So it seems… this is unfortunate. My seal has finally broken, and the creatures will come and kill again…

Link was confused.

Creatures…? Whom?

The writing came back on to the page.

THE SHADOW INFECTORS.

Link never knew who they were, but suddenly, the page had another writing there.

Join us… Link. I have now become the Shadow Warrior… you'll never know how good it feels to be like this.

Link got worried and wrote back, No way!

And the last writing appeared, So be it…

The book automatically closed by itself. Then it floated and banged on the wall. It broke it open.

Suddenly, those mysterious sounds were heard closer and closer. Link readied for serious combat.

From the doors, strange shadows appeared on the ground, but no one was seen, until the shadows just came standing on the ground. They sprinted on Link, and Link jumped away. He then slashed his sword at them, and they all fell to the ground dead. As Link tried to leave the room, the Shadows he saw came back standing on the ground, and they grabbed Link.

"What the…? Let go of me…!" Link yelled and struggled. He then freed himself and tried his Spin Attack. It worked, and Link was free. He attempted to escape, but more shadows appeared in front of him. He slashed through them and went on.

In the next room, he saw demons and some Shadows fighting, along with little black orbs. The demons rushed into attack, but the Shadow simply pierced through them. As soon as the Shadow killed the demons, the little black orbs ripped the chest of them and began going into their organs. They started tainting to purple slowly, but as more of those orbs went in, the process went faster. Suddenly, the chest was simply stitched closed like magic and the demons became completely black as the shadows.

Link hung his mouth open at the horrible sight.

THESE are the things that killed those demons earlier?

Link tried to sneak past them, but the Shadow Demons. But the demons needed no eyes; they already had the scent of him, but Link hurried out of the chamber and went to the next one.

Link leaned on the wall and was hiding. He started gasping for breath and tried to think of a plan to get out of the place.

I'll have to walk back to the entrance… There's nothing else I can do.

But the thing was, he didn't exactly remember where the entrance was. He had to retrace his steps. As he was, he saw Shadows all around. The shadows were on the ground, but they walked somewhat like human. Their shapes almost looked like humans.

Were these the humans that got infected by the Shadows…?

The now Shadow Infested humans ran at Link, but Link swiftly swung his sword at them. But another Shadow Infested creatures appeared, human and Demons.

This is ridiculous…

Link kept on going through them with his sword, but many of them just kept on following him. Link ran as fast as he could, and saw a huge light.

Light… that could kill these things!

As soon as he was outside, he was proud of himself. But the Shadows didn't stay there. As they moved, they glowed and turned white. Link was overwhelmed.

Wait, this isn't the entrance! This is the… back entrance…?

Link looked behind him. More of those Shadows, or White things, just came closer to him. Link slowly stepped back and tried to look for his way out. But he ended up on a wall. He leaned on it as the Shadows got closer and closer… about to kill him.

Link closed his eyes, accepted his fate.

Am I gonna die here… and end my journey? Is this the end of Hyrule…?

Link suddenly remembered the dream. If it really happened, he had to fulfill his family's promise and survive.

I won't die here… I won't get killed by these damn black shadows!

Link opened his eyes, and the Shadows were getting closer. His hand began to glow a beam of light.

"KAITENGIRI!"

A whole lot of the Shadows were down, and they all actually stayed dead.

How… how did that happen?

But the hand stopped glowing, and Link fell on the ground, exhausted.

That took a lot out of me…

As those few more came, an arrow was seen hitting the Shadows.

That arrow… Kagome?

But it wasn't Kagome, but Link was familiar with her.

"K…Kiky…" Link stuttered.

It was Kikyo.

"I was able to come here… after seeing a horde of demons fleeing away from a certain place." Kikyo explained to Link.

"You mean you… found this place?" Link questioned.

"Yes. What are these creatures… the ones I killed….?" Kikyo asked the Hylian.

"Well… they were called Shadows… they infect living things to their own kinds of species." Link answered the priestess with the best answer he thought of.

"So you mean some I killed used to be…"

"Yes, they were humans."

Link and Kikyo turned inside the temple as they saw more hordes of Shadows coming.

"Please stay back! I'll take care of this!" Link insisted the priestess as she was about to release her arrow.

Link sprinted and tried his Spin Attack again, but more hordes came down from the higher levels. Link took care of them all, but more just came from inside the temple. Kikyo used her arrows to hit them, and they all pierced through.

"Priestess, we BETTER get out of here! We can't stand being overwhelmed!" Link suggested rather impatiently.

Inu Yasha and the others were worried about Link.

"Link… is he gonna be okay?" Kagome wondered, worried.

"He's one of the strongest warriors I've known… we can trust him to get out of here alive…"

And the companions stood there, wondering what to do.

To be continued...

Okie dokie, that's the eighth chapter! PLEASE R&R!