Chapter 5 - Into Darkness

Yikes, when was the last time I updated? I'm so sorry I took so long. I hope you like my action in this chapter. This is where the story really gets rolling, so enough yapping. Enjoy the chapter :3

Aeronniell had blown the candles out in the spare room, to help Knuckles rest. Like the entire village, Aeronniell's house had no electricity but it was warm and bright enough without it.

"Aero..." Knuckles croaked.
"Easy, Knuckles, It's just me. You hungry?" Aeronniell whispered. Knuckles weakly nodded. Aeronniell sat Knuckles up and fed him the soup. "I know it probably tastes horrible, that's the curse. My cooking isn't that bad," Aeronniell smiled.
Knuckles weakly smiled back but suddenly began to cough and wheeze. "Easy, Knuckles," Aeronniell soothed, sitting him up and rubbing his back. Once Knuckles calmed down he ate a little more soup. He didn't eat much, but it was something.

Aeronniell checked Knuckles's temperature. He was getting hotter so she took a cool damp cloth and began to gently wipe his forehead with it, hoping to break the fever. Knuckles just shivered. His cheeks were red and his eyes droopy.
"You know, Knuckles, we think we know where the cure for the curse is, and we're gonna get it for you... I promise," Aeronniell said gently, trying to keep him awake.

"How touching," a dark voice laughed. Aeronniell turned around and saw... Him. A large black robe covered his entire body, but Aeronniell knew it was him. There was a such a cold and dark aura surrounding him that the candles had to fight to stay alight.

"Oblivion!" Aeronniell snarled, drawing her bow within a second. Oblivion calmly walked towards the plant in the corner and touched it. The plant withered and shrivelled into nothing. Aeronniell noticed that Knuckles was rapidly worsening because of Oblivion's presence. He was tense and gasping for breath, clutching onto the bed clothes beneath him as tightly as he could.
"Guys!" Aeronniell suddenly yelled. Within a second, Tails, Sonic and Shadow were by Aeronniell's side.

"That's your protection? Come now, Aeronniell I thought you were the strongest Elemental known to the village, who survived out of the forest for four years! You disappoint me," Oblivion said mockingly. Shadow was about to Chaos Control but Aeronniell stuck her elbow out to gain his attention.

"Don't, he wants you to retaliate," Aeronniell said emotionlessly. Shadow hesitated, but stood his ground.
"What do you want?" Aeronniell demanded coldly, her bow still drawn.
"It gets lonely on my Island," he smirked.

"I said... why are you here!?" Aeronniell roared.
Oblivion's stare hardened and became as firey and ferocious as an erupting volcano. He pointed to Knuckles with a deathly glare in his eyes. "He will NOT survive my curse!" he bellowed, the candles went out as his dark aura grew. "I simply came here to speed things along... I know you have discovered a cure and I will not allow you to find it." His voice had gradually reduced into a dark growling.

A twisted grin appeared on his lips. "Just imagine what it could do to my reputation."

"Tails, go look for the Ancient Ones," Aeronniell instructed emotionlessly. She was trying to mask her anger but her blue eyes revealed so much fury and hatred, it was scary. They were like the wildest storms and the most ferocious fires had been mixed up and placed there. Tails ran towards the door whilst Oblivion seemed to be hypnotized by Aeronniell's stare.

Oblivion quickly snapped out of his trance as he spotted Tails. He sent a huge wave of black energy towards Tails, in an attempt to stop him.
"NO!" Sonic exclaimed, diving in front of Tails. The energy hit Sonic in the chest and he dropped to the floor. Tails didn't see what had happened and was already gone.
"Love is even worse than Greed," Oblivion smirked.

"What did you do to him?!" Aeronniell demanded.
"Time and tide wait for no man," Oblivion warned, ignoring Aeronniell's question and disappearing in a puff of black smoke.

"COWARD!" Aeronniell bellowed, firing her bow but it only hit the wall.

"Sonic?" Shadow muttered, crouching down beside him. Sonic suddenly lashed out at Shadow and sent him flying into the air. Shadow hit the ceiling and then dropped down to the floor.
"Shadow!?" Aeronniell gasped.

Sonic began to transform into another creature. His fur went darker, his teeth doubled in size and sharpeed themselves until they were like daggers, even his hands grew bigger.
"He's turning into a Werehog!" Aeronniell muttered, instinctively standing in front of Shadow. She sent a stream of water towards Sonic from the outside river. The water wrapped around Sonic, acting like ropes.

"A mindless Werehog. I think Oblivion has possessed him," Shadow added.
"Shadow, you all right?" Aeronniell asked.
"I'll be fine," he grunted in reply.

"Ugh, Oblivion is fighting against me. You're right about Sonic being possessed, alright. I just don't know how much longer I can hold this," Aeronniell strained.
"Just hang on. Tails will be here soon."
"Shadow, you need to get Knuckles and Rouge out of here," Aeronniell instructed. Shadow quickly got to his feet, went over to Knuckles and carried him into the living room and out the front door. Then Aeronniell heard the door open again.

"Rouge, come on!" Shadow demanded.
"Gaah, this is not the way a lady should be treated," Rouge complained a few seconds later. Aeronniell couldn't help but smirk when she saw that Shadow had thrown Rouge over his shoulder and was carrying her outside.

It took a while, but two of the Ancient Ones finally came. However, Tails did not. Aeronniell guessed he was outside with Knuckles and Rouge. "Aeronniell, what is going on?" Abyss demanded from the doorway.

"It's Oblivion," Aqua muttered, as she helped Aeronniell restrain Sonic with her water powers. Aeronniell was wearing down now... she didn't have much strength left. Aqua was deeply concerned about Aeronniell's well-being... Oblivion was getting stronger. She could feel how much energy Aeronniell was trying to contain by herself. Aqua tried to relieve Aeronniell of most of the pressure but Aeronniell couldn't. Aeronniell feared that if she did, she would collapse, so Aqua frustratingly had to just stand by. Abyss walked towards Sonic, who tried to lash out at him like a wild animal, caught in a poachers trap.

"Aeronniell, concentrate. Focus your mind on controlling the water," Aqua said calmly. Aeronniell closed her eyes and tried to do as advised.
"Aqua, I can't do this!" Aeronniell exclaimed after a few seconds.
"Yes, you can. Don't get angry with what has happened- just focus on fixing it," Aqua encouraged, her voice as steady as a stream, despite her fear for Aeronniell.

Abyss stood face to face with Sonic. Sonic growled and snarled but Abyss stayed completely calm. Abyss then put his hand on Sonic's forehead and closed his eyes. Sonic desperately tried to fight but Aeronniell managed to stop him.

Aqua looked at Aeronniell, her nose was bleeding and she looked like she was about to collapse.

"Abyss, hurry!" Aqua yelled, getting ready to take the heavy load from Aeronniell. A large ball of black energy encircled Abyss and Sonic as darkness fought darkness, creating a deafening hum. The energy quickly shrunk, before suddenly exploding. The blast caused everyone to fall over, except Sonic who rose into the air and said in a hollow voice:

"Hidden beneath the home of the first and the last,

Five simple tests you must pass,

Wisdom, loyalty, love and skill,

Must be used to save the ill,"

Sonic dropped to the ground unconscious, but he looked normal again. Abyss and Aqua had saved Sonic. Aeronniell slowly got to her feet and stumbled towards Sonic but collapsed after a few steps. Aqua managed to catch her in time. "Sonic," Aeronniell murmured before also falling unconscious...