When the sorcerer extended his hands outward, towards the gang, a massive shadowy substance flew from his palms and into the nearest building behind the gang. It had caught the gang off guard and they immediately fled from the falling debris and woodwork.
Jo-Ho who was standing some distance away near the stairs to South Clock Town holding his dear grandmother close to him as she screamed at the horrific sight before her and everyone else. In one fell swoop, the young man with long auburn wavy hair picked the tiny old lady with a bonnet up and carried her to safety out of town.
"How dare you!" Sango shouted before throwing her Hiraikotsu towards Armaros. Unfortunately, he used his right hand to deflect its path with a powerful gust of wind, and it flew back at Sango who caught it with ease.
It was at that moment the door to the Stock Pot Inn opened, and Kafei darted out to inspect the loud noise just outside. Beside him was Anju pushing her grandmother in her wheel chair with Noah next to her grasping onto her maroon skirt fearfully.
"What in the world…" Kafei saw the demolished building near the exit out of town, but he was unaware of the sorcerer hovering ominously just above him and his family.
Unexpectedly, the Stock Pot Inn family witnessed a large shadowy substance spew from their rooftop where it slid upon the ground. Its large form overlapped the Treasure Chest Shop next door where it suddenly split apart the roof. The dark energy then diverged in different directions.
A young lady who had been peering out the door witnessing the event take place, fled from the shop with a loud ear-piercing shriek. Rather than flee towards South Clock Town, she ran up the steps towards the North part of town in a fit of hysteria.
Anju shrieked frightfully at the sight of it. Though Kafei had relayed startling information about a tear in the sky's atmosphere, she hadn't expected to witness a monster in town. When she saw a rather large Saber Tooth Feline fly over her rooftop with a feral growl, she felt weak at the knees. If only she had taken her family into refuge sooner!
Suddenly noticing the Inn keepers standing just outside their door staring, Inuyasha felt the urge to pull his hair. "What are you doing standing there?!" Inuyasha shouted. "Get your asses out of here!"
When they heard Inuyasha's plea to escape, while the monk and the slayer had repetitively dodged the attacks of the dark energy shooting at them, they did as was urged. Just like Jo-Ho and his grandmother, they too fled towards South of Clock Town where they hoped to escape out into the field of Termina and away from the destruction.
Not even half away out of the East square or past the battle taking place in front of their Inn, Anju had tripped and lost her footing. She fell upon the pavement and cried out in pain as she had twisted her ankle terribly.
Kafei gasped and ran to her side immediately and in the middle of the battle. "Anju!" He cried out and attempted to help her stand.
Because they were in danger, Sango ran forward and blocked the surging energy flooding from Armaros's hands with her Hiraikotsu towards the Inn Keepers. It took all of her might to keep the energy from pushing her back. After a few seconds of trying to block the attack, Sango fell to her knees as sweat fell from her brow.
Noah, who had been with the Inn Keepers, had rushed to the slayer's side. He grasped her arm. "Are you okay, Sango?"
Sango put up a smile despite her exhaustion. "I'm alright. Quickly get away from here!"
"No I won't leave you behind!" The child protested. "I'll protect you!" Noah suddenly pulled out his sling shot and aimed for the weird dude upon the roof of the Stock Pot Inn and released the rock. It hit the guy square between the eyes, and it was enough to startle the slayer and the others.
Armaros touched the spot between his eyes and glared at the child who glared back just as intensely.
"You better keep your disgusting self away from my future wife!" Noah cried out and it was enough to make everyone sweat drop except for Granny who found all of this very exhilarating.
Shippo, who was hiding behind Miroku couldn't help but face palm. "That idiot is gonna get himself killed!"
Because he saw the kid shoot a rock right at the enemy's face had the urge to laugh, but he held himself back; it wasn't appropriate at the time but the kid had a lot of guts.
Granny who had seen this happen, placed her hands upon both the wheels of her chair before turning it around completely to face her granddaughter and Kafei. Because her granddaughter had injured her ankle and could sense the ominous powers emanating from the man above the Inn, she urged Kafei and Anju to hurry along. "Put her on my lap sonny!"
As Kafei went to help Anju onto the older woman's lap Armaros raised his hand towards the child and Sango a distance away. A surge of that darkening energy sprung at Sango, but before she could deflect the blow, she was literally thrown across the clearing and into the nearest building with Noah crying out hysterically to her.
Seeing his beloved collapse upon the ground and wobbling to her feet, Noah ran to her side, but he hadn't got very far when something shot through him. "San—"
A silence befell everyone at that instant. The child had been struck from behind and through his heart by the very energy Armaros had thrown. It was like a razor sharp needle had pierced through the child like he was paper and the boy fell to the ground unmoving. Blood spilled from his lips and seeped through his blue and white shirt.
The energy pulled itself away from Noah and a large mass of the darkening energy slowly slid towards the child who had fallen upon the ground motionless. Sango sprang to her feet in an instant and threw herself upon the ground to hold the child to her chest. She cried out for him to wake up but he would not.
Anju shrieked at the sight and felt tears fall from her eyes. Kafei had to hold himself back.
Kafei turned to Granny. "We're getting out of here now!" Since Anju was on Granny's lap, the boy held onto the handles of the chair. All at once and to the gang's surprise, Granny pressed a small button upon the arm rest of her pimped out chair which she had customized herself over the years and suddenly her voice boomed in the square.
"LET'S BURN RUBBER!" Granny shouted.
In a cloud of dust, she sped out of the area and down the stairs with so much haste that it left everyone staring for a few minutes, even Armaros.
Armaros paused from his slight distraction. "What a strange…woman…" Looking back at the gang and the sobbing slayer holding the dead child in her arms, he resumed his attack. "Now where was I…oh yes…"
As Sango cradled the child in her arms, she saw that there was no other choice but to run. Now that all those who had been in the area had escaped, except that of her friends, Sango stood up with the child fixed closely to her bosom and turned to her friends immediately. "We have to get out of here! There's no way we can stop him as he is now!" She shouted.
Miroku and Inuyasha agreed, as much as they didn't want to.
"No one shall stand in my way! Come out Emmett!" Armaros shouted, unconcerned for the safety of the few remaining citizens in town.
As the dark energy overtook Armaros's form completely, the gang decided they had no other choice but to flee from the town altogether. As they also ran down the stairs towards the Clock Tower's base, they saw a large group of people darting out the exit. Some were pushing each other out of the way, and even the soldiers, who had remained to keep those who had stayed safe, had fled hopelessly.
Unfortunately only one person remained in the town, his feet fixed firmly to the ground.
Mutoh
Though the man refused to run away, as much as they pleaded, he would not budge from his spot, spotting nonsense about not believing the end was coming. Before leaving town, they searched around for Kagome and Link, and fortunately they saw them standing near entrance to the Clock Tower; they were both unharmed.
Though she had been gloomy since their trip back in time, after seeing her friends safe and right before her eyes, Kagome couldn't help but run towards them with Link following behind her. "Sango! Shippo! Miroku!" She cried out before enveloping them each with a one arm hug. Noticing a small child held tightly against Sango's chest, his eyes close and blood seeping through his clothing, Kagome gasped. "Is he alright? What happened?"
"And what was that loud noise earlier?" Link also questioned.
Sango tightened her hold upon the child and her shoulders trembled. How could anyone hurt a child? "That man did this!" She seethed.
Link who was standing beside the priestess, looked at Miroku and Inuyasha questionably. "What happened?" When Inuyasha pointed back towards the staircase, past Mutoh still running his mouth, Link saw something sliding down the stone steps, oozing in their direction slowly. What was that?
"That bastard Armaros is behind this!" Inuyasha exclaimed suddenly, and hearing this, Link scowled.
The monk suddenly placed a hand upon Inuyasha's shoulder. "You said you had acquired all four pendants in order to summon the goddesses. How when Armaros crushed the last one?"
"He did, but we went back in time and retrieved it from the past," Link quickly explained. Searching through his satchel, he pulled out the chained pendant, the amethyst gem sparkling as its surface was coated with dry blood of that belonging to Cathleen.
Sango gasped. "But how?"
Shippo, who had been eying the creature held tightly in his surrogate mother's arms, couldn't help but touch the school girl's leg. "Kagome, what is that you are holding?"
Before Kagome could explain, the booming voice of Mutoh the head Carpenter of Clock Town suddenly a distance away from them.
Though rather plump and pale skinned, he wore an open blue vest, exposing his chest and white pants. He was shouting out at the strange darkened energy of Armaros, throwing all kinds of obscenities he could muster up. "Just try to destroy this town! Even if my men have fled like the cowards they are, I will not budge! Come at me!" He bellowed, not realizing the evil intent creeping towards him until it was too late.
Not even a second after he had said those words, the darkness sprung up into the air suddenly and towered before Mutoh threateningly before lunging towards him. The carpenter was snatched and pulled into the air and consumed within the darkness in an instant. The last thing anyone heard from the man was his continuous rant and then nothing more.
Kagome gasped. "It swallowed him!"
Noticing the shadowy form along with many others flooding out of East Clock Town sail towards them suddenly, Inuyasha grasped the priestess's hand. "All the more reason to get the hell out of here!"
Before the darkness could capture and consume them, Inuyasha tugged Kagome behind him closely with Link dodging the fiery attacks lunging at him and his friends as they made for the exit like all the other townsfolk.
Reacting immediately after, Kirara roared suddenly and after Sango and Miroku jumped upon her back, she ascended into the sky. In a matter of seconds, they sailed over the walls of the town and into the open field of Termina. Kagome, Link, Shippo and Inuyasha were quick to chase after on ground.
As soon as they were outside the walls of the town, they saw frightful and trembling forms of the citizens standing in the field of Termina, their gazes directed at the town they had fled.
Inuyasha who was still pulling Kagome behind him, with Shippo on his shoulder frightfully hanging on for dear life and Link following after, shouted at the people to quickly flee. When the citizens saw the monstrous darkness shoot out from the town towards them, they screamed and fled once more.
Kagome glanced over her shoulder to look back. "It's coming for us!" She cried out.
Inuyasha cursed. "Damn it all! We need to summon those Goddesses!"
Noticing a fast approaching shadow shoot out towards Kirara and the others in mid-flight, Link called up to them while in his dash to catch up with Inuyasha and Kagome. "Sango, Miroku, watch out from behind!" He warned.
When Sango and Miroku looked back, they saw it approaching them rather quickly. With their trust in Kirara, they managed to dodge away from it in time thanks to Link's warning. Unfortunately another had latched itself around Kirara's body and jerked her back rather harshly.
Kirara cried out painful and Sango worriedly called out her name, but the feline merely stopped mid-flight, and arched her back painfully. It was then that the slayer and monk realized they were in trouble. To their disbelief, Kirara had transformed back into her small kitten form and the two helplessly found themselves suddenly falling.
It was like time had slowed down. While still clutching the dead child in her arms, Sango watched helplessly as Kirara was jerked away from them and swallowed up by that demonic shadow.
Waiting for the impact of the fall to catch up to her and Miroku, it never came. They were each enwrapped by the hands of Armaros's darkness. In an effort to reach out for each other, the slayer and monk found themselves unable to fight back.
"Sango!" Miroku called out, but Sango had fallen into shock, still grasping the child in her arms.
Having heard the cry from Kirara moments ago, Link stopped in his tracks and saw the slayer and monk in the grip of Armaros's power. Immediately he pulled his bow from his shoulder and notched an arrow, aiming for the dark energy wrapped around Miroku's waist.
The arrow struck its mark but was absorbed into the strange substance. There was nothing Link could do, and he heard Kagome a distance away call out frantically for the slayer and monk, but it was too late. They too were swallowed by the darkness.
"We have to save them!" Kagome cried out from across the grass field but Inuyasha was pulling her yet again behind him. "Inuyasha we have to save them! Let me go we have to save them! Sango! Miroku!" She screamed.
Angered, Inuyasha turned the priestess around and grabbed her by both her shoulders, shaking her harshly; he hoped that by doing so, would bring her back to reality. "There's nothing we can do right now! If you run back there, you'll only end up in the same situation stupid!" Looking back at Link who remained standing a distance away, he called out to the boy. "Link, move your ass and get Kagome and Shippo out of here!"
Understanding, Link ran back to Kagome and took her by her hand, with Shippo now propped onto his shoulder. Before pulling Kagome behind him, he saw the priestess grasp onto Inuyasha's sleeve.
"Wait! Where are you going Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.
Inuyasha jerked away from her. "To buy you guys more time to summon those Goddesses! Now hurry up!"
Despite Kagome's pleas, Inuyasha ran from her and back towards the darkness chasing them. One after another, he fled from its attempts to capture him and he hoped that by doing this, it would cause a distraction.
"Kagome we must hurry!" Link shouted before pulling her with him towards the forest. Perhaps the trees would slow down the movement of those shadows and confuse it.
"Where are we going Link? They're catching up!" Kagome cried.
"Anywhere we can," He replied.
It wasn't long until they reached the wooded area towards the Southern Swamp. Though they were exhausted from their escape from Armaros's dark energy, they managed easily thanks to Inuyasha's distraction. It gave them enough time to cross through the murky knee high stream while simultaneously ducking under sharp branches.
Eventually the three stood before the base of a large incline of damp grass. Behind them they saw the trees breaking, bending, their branches and leaves scattering upon the muddy soil. They knew the darkness was right behind them, but fortunately the trees were obstructing its path.
Kagome and Link quickly ascended the hill, while still holding the small form of a small Deku child against her chest.
Shippo who had peered back at the monster chasing them, couldn't help but realize they probably would not make it in time to escape. The hill was much too high and there were only so many trees in the area. At first he thought of transforming into his bird form but just like Kirara, they would easily be struck down. Turning slightly over Link's shoulder, he decided he had to do something to help his friends.
Link who felt Shippo move suddenly, glanced over his shoulder in question. "What are you doing?"
Shippo smiled at Link, and it was enough to worry the young swordsman. "Protect her for me, okay? And keep her happy."
Link's eyes widened but before he could stop Shippo from doing something wreckless, the small child had leapt from his shoulder and onto the hill side before running back down the hill much to his and Kagome's surprise.
While he heard Kagome calling out for him to come back, Shippo did not listen. As he approached the monstrous darkness pushing its way through the trees, Shippo came to an abrupt stop.
Looking back over his shoulder, Shippo smiled at his friends before turning back around and puffing out his chest. This was it. With a deep inhale of breath, he then exhaled. Concentrating really hard, he decided to use a new technique he'd been practicing by himself since back in his own world. His cheeks turned bright red suddenly and a scorching and fierce flame shot out from his mouth. The trees immediately caught fire and it wasn't long until half the forest was consumed in flames.
Kagome gasped from the sidelines but Link urged her to continue up the hill despite her worry.
Overjoyed his new Fox Fire technique had worked, Shippo watched as the monstrous shadows slowed in their advancement towards him and his friends. Without hesitation he quickly blew another burst of flames from his mouth farther down the tree line which caused the fire to ignite higher.
But his new technique came at a cost; it drained him of his physical strength rather quickly and dizzy, he fell upon the ground on his hands and knees gasping for breath. He had used too much of his energy and he literally felt his legs shaking.
Thankfully however, he had enough for one more breath. Turning back in the direction of the hillside where his friends were quickly retreating, he saw that Link and Kagome were almost at the top of the hill. With one last inhale and summoning as much energy as he could within his small form, his Fox Fire then consumed the base of the hill, shielding the path his friends had taken and then surrounding him between two walls of flames.
"I did it…" Shippo gasped for air, holding his hands upon his knees. "I protected Kagome…and Link…and bought…them some time…" He smiled to himself. Exhausted, the young fox child collapsed upon the ground. Even through all the fire and wood crackling, he could still hear the faint cry of his name far off calling out to him. "…Mama…" He whispered and a small tear fell from his eye.
OOO
Finally stopping for a much needed rest, though it was not enjoyed, Link glanced back at the hill side a distance away. It was there that he saw the smoke rising above the trees and he wondered about Shippo's safety. As he turned back to Kagome, he saw her on her knees, shivering and crying as she cradled the small, sleeping Deku child in her arms. Her sobbing was painful to his ears. Though he felt responsible, he had let the child, whom Kagome had claimed as her own son, to sacrifice his own life in hopes to give them more time to escape.
Kneeling in front of her, Link grasped both sides of her face to look into her tearful gaze. "I'm sorry…"
Kagome looked at him.
"I could have stopped him…but … I didn't," Link despondently replied. "I was more focused on protecting you just as he was more concerned about protecting us."
She closed her eyes, tears spilling upon her cheeks. Shippo was gone. Sango and Miroku were gone, and even Inuyasha was gone. Everyone she had befriended in the Feudal Era were gone now and she felt alone and more frightened than she had ever felt in her entire life.
Leaning forward, Link pressed his forehead against hers before looking deeply into her brown eyes. "Do not cry, please. I promise you I will get them back safely," After which, he pressed his lips against her forehead softly before pulling her into his chest with his hands held tightly around her.
When he said that, Kagome felt a sense of hope fall upon her. She believed his words; it wasn't impossible, surely it wasn't. The priestess allowed herself to lean into his chest, listening to the quickened and rhythmic beating of Link's heart. It comforted her somewhat, but she still felt the tears falling.
As the rain fell around them, Kagome and Link were distracted by their thoughts of their friends and the destruction that had followed after. It seemed that this was it for Termina and yet they had collected all four pendants to summon the Goddesses. However, all magic within the land was gone and there was no way to get to the Great Fairy since her shrine was blocked by an impenetrable force. They knew it was impossible to outrun this darkening that was quickly covering all of Termina and all that was left was this moment.
As she held onto Link while feeling his hands slide up and down her back soothingly, she felt a strange quietness around her. Opening her eyes, she looked over Link's shoulder and her eyes widened in fear as renewed tears fell once more.
"Link…"
"I know…" He replied back, holding her very closely to him. They were already surrounded by the darkness from all sides. The rain must have diminished the flames Shippo had brought about. It was only a matter of time before the darkness consumed them.
Kagome shivered in his embrace and buried her head into the crook of his neck. This was it. "Link…I love you. I'm really happy to have met you…"
Staring down at her and blushing, he was about to reply back to her when suddenly a burst of light shot out from his satchel. It had caught him by surprise as well as Kagome that he couldn't help but immediately open the lid to grab the very object that emitted such a glow.
The Ocarina of Time.
Surprised, Kagome looked at the blue instrument. "What's happening?"
He smirked. It wasn't over yet. "Our way out…" Realizing the darkness was enclosing itself around him and Kagome, Link ushered her to hold onto him tightly. "Kagome…do you trust me?"
Though she was fearful, Kagome nodded her head and grasped his green tunic tightly. "I trust you," She nervously swallowed.
With his attention shifted onto her and the Deku child's safety, Link raised the instrument to his lips. As the melody played, it echoed throughout the woods around them.
As if sensing the magic emitting from the Ocarina, the darkness quickly encased itself around the priestess and young swordsman. The two were engulfed into the blackness where the cries and screams echoed around them of that of their friends and the citizens who had been swallowed.
Yet in that darkness, there was hope and there was warmth. Kagome and Link saw a light pierce through that darkness and a soft and melodic voice ease their worries.
"I have come to help you one last time. May you find comfort in knowing your prayer for aid has been answered. We shall meet again in the next life, Hero of Time..."
The Goddess of Time heard their pleas and with her divine powers, she shielded Kagome and Link with a barrier of light from the darkness slowly engulfing all of Termina. They fell into a soft slumber as the hands of time turned back.