Sonic Unleashed Chapter 49

Sonic Unleashed Chapter 49: "Knowing the Shadows…"


Future…

Twilight suddenly stopped when she noticed a small wooden sign, just a little ahead of them.
"Weird… this wasn't here before…" she mused quietly.
"…In your time…" Sonic replied.

Twilight read the sign aloud. " 'Temple of the Gods: Come all, to pay your respects…' Is that why we're here?"
Sonic laughed a little. "Not really."
They continued onward, past the sign.
Soon enough, the sound of peaceful and quiet wind chimes filled the dry air. Some sounded wooden and hollow while most were made of metal and decorated beautifully. They swayed in harmony, according to the instructions given by the soft cold wind.
"That music…" Twilight gaped. "The chimes are playing a song…!"
"…My mother's lullaby…" Sonic answered, eyes closed. "I asked the spirits to play it for us." Sonic took in the melody with joy. It was one memory he wished that the shadows would never take away.
He couldn't even remember what his mother looked like…
Next, what they came upon was the temple itself, the same one that Lenity once dwelled in.
"Is this familiar to you, dad?" inquired Twilight, staring up at the ancient beauty of the tall structure.
"Yes… this is where I retreat to… when the shadows come…" he answered mysteriously.

"Dad…? What ARE shadows?"
Sonic seemed a little hesitant to explain. There was a sudden chill in his tone. "Shadows are evil spirits that were born almost after I died. They are like shards of Dark Gaia's being…"
Twilight couldn't help but press on. "But what about the spirits you were just talking to?"
"Those spirits originated in the same way, only they were broken from Light Gaia… or at least what's left of him…"
"I never noticed them before…" said Twilight. "How were Dark and Light Gaia broken? I thought your mission was to AWAKEN Light Gaia, not destroy him."
"I guess so…" Sonic muttered, wondering if that was something he had forgotten as well. "But they were suddenly shattered after a gathering of three world elements: Earth, Darkness, and Light…That's when the shadows came…"

Sonic suddenly shuddered and grasped his shoulders as if cold. "Just mentioning them causes me to shiver…I hate to say this… but I AM afraid of them, Twilight." Sonic put his hand to his heart and sighed. "They've… they've broken me… and I know it…"
"This future is messed up…" Twilight lamented surly, looking back up at the temple. "So, are we going in?"
Sonic smiled and winked. "You bet! …But we had better hurry…" he mentioned as he looked up into the orange sky. "…Its already sunset…"
Something in Twilight's pocket vibrated. She reached in and pulled out her cell phone. She flipped it open and saw that her mother had called her.
"(She TEXTED me??? Mom almost never texts.)"
"She found out…" Sonic said as he read the text from over her shoulder. "…she wants you home…"
Twilight grunted and shoved the phone back into her pocket. "Well, she's gunna have to wait…"
She glanced at Sonic, and then back at the temple.
"…Let's go…"

~<>~
Present…

CLANG!! …WHIRL…SWISH—CLANG!!
Sanji backed Intensity up against the wall and pulled his sword back, aiming for her head. Intensity clenched her teeth and ducked as the sword hit the wall with great force, sending sparks in all direction.
She swung her leg at Sanji, but he jumped and stomped on her head, sending her plummeting to the ground.
"Ack!! Ugh…"
The long and intense battle with Sanji was finally wearing her out. She moaned and rose to her knees, panting heavily. Sanji laughed and towered above her.

"Hah hah hah! Accept it Intensity! You're finished! The gods are beginning to fall apart! I am the bold proof!"
Intensity scowled weakly at him. "So that's it! You're not Sanji… you're a Dark Gaia fragment! You possessed Sanji's dead body!"
Sanji smirked, eyes widened madly. "Heh! Took you long enough!"
Intensity wanted to leap up and strangle him, but she couldn't move. Her body was in complete shock and she was numb all over.
Sanji knelt down to her level. "Since you're so hung up on plot twists, here's another one for you… Sonic's death was in vain…pointless…!"
Intensity's eyes widened. "What?! But…the prophecy--!"
"—Was a lie." Sanji finished for her.

"All of those years ago, during your age, Dark Gaia disguised himself as a light spirit and came to Harmony in a vision, telling her that in order to restore peace in the future, the chosen must bear the weight of darkness and sacrifice himself. That made it easier to get rid of Light Gaia's chosen…"
Intensity didn't believe it at first. "You're not… a very good liar! Nightmare died along with him--!"
Sanji cut her off. "That was what Dark Gaia expected. Nightmare isn't just a corrupted Mirage… Dark Gaia IS Nightmare!"
Intensity smirk faded and her eyes grew even wider. "No…you're lying!"

"Let me finish… You see, Dark Gaia formulated many different possibilities and plans. If one didn't work, he would go with another. Now that Sonic is dead, his body is like an empty canvas that can be painted ANY color. From the very beginning, he knew that Nightmare wouldn't last long, and Sonic is only mortal, so when Eggman accidentally freed Mitsuke from her slumber, he used Eggman's technology and Mitsuke's dark influences to…mark…Sonic.
"He allowed some darkness to enter Sonic and this changed him into a monster. All it takes is for ONE of us to enter that hedgehog's body, and a whole new set of doors will be opened for him.
"However, if one cannot, Dark Gaia will turn to his LAST resort. If all else fails, he will break both him and Light Gaia, which will cause us, the shadows, to rule over light in the New World!"

Intensity growled. "It won't work!"
"Oh, I think it will…" He then lowered his head so it would be right in front of her's. "…And with you out of the way… it will be EASY…!"
The shadow picked up his sword and placed the sharp blade up against Intensity's neck.
Intensity didn't move. She just glared at Sanji. …She knew that she was done…
"(I'm so sorry…I've failed you, Light Gaia…!)" she thought as a small tear dropped from her face.
Sanji crackled and jerked his arm—

--SLASH!!

~<>~
Future…

The bright green patterned hallways of Lenity's temple were now gray and lifeless. The wind from outside blew against the crack between the chipped stone, creating a chilling whistle; the same wind that once conducted the soothing sonata of wind chimes.
Twilight walked forward, unsure of where she was going or what she was supposed to do. She stopped when she noticed a stone shrine, in the middle of a particular room.
It was the same room where Sonic met Lenity the first time, but by now, he wouldn't remember…
The stone sitting on top of the shrine was shaped like a Chaos Emerald.

"…Twilight…" Sonic started. "There's something you should know before we continue…"
"What is it?"
"…If we go… down there…" Down there? "…You won't be able to return…"
Twilight didn't give it a second thought. "Do I look like I care? It's either do or die from now on!"
Sonic chuckled lightly. "I somehow knew you would say that."
"It's so weird though…" Twilight wondered. "You're a ghost… but…" she lightly poked Sonic with her index finger. "I can physically feel you…"
Sonic only took hold of Twilight's hand and kissed it. "…I hope we succeed…I'm getting really tired of being small…"
Twilight laughed. "And I'm getting tired of Mr. Alexander!"

Suddenly, Sonic shushed her. "Do you hear that?"
Twilight fell silent and allowed her ears to move around in different directions and listen. "I…I don't hear anything, dad."
"…Exactly…!"
Twilight was puzzled, but soon enough, she realized it too.
The wind had stopped!

The gray patterns on the wall were instantaneously flushed with black as the stone rattled and a few small chunks chipped away and fell to the ground. They heard faint screeching and moaning in the distance.
Sonics' ears folded back in dread and his eyes grew wide. His breathing quickened. "The shadows…!" he whispered in a frightened tone.
"What do we do?!" Twilight cried, sensing the sudden alarm.
"They know that we are here…!" Sonic leaped down from Twilight's shoulder and onto the ground.
"Dad?!"

Sonic ran a bit away from her, attempting to stand between her and the coming shadows. The wailing was growing louder.
"I'll tell you what to do…! Listen carefully!" he turned his head slightly to look at Twilight.
She had never seen him so scared before. "Dad…"
"Place you're hands on the emerald!"
Twilight did so. "Now what?!" she cried, growing frantic. "D…Dad! Just get back here!"
"NO! They…they are coming for me…again!" Sonic tried to sound brave, but his shouting came out like whimpering. He grasped his head as his anxiety grew. "Just hurry and repeat after me!!"

Finally, one shadow appeared from around the corner. It was more like a black mist, but with wild red eyes and a wild leer. It had sharp talons and a screeching, strident cry.
Heat shot up Twilight's spine, but she tried her best to listen to Sonic.
" 'The servers are the seven chaos'!" Sonic shouted, taking a small cowering step back, but then willed himself to step forward again.
" 'The servers are the seven chaos…'!" Twilight began, gripping on the emerald tightly. "(Wait…! I know this…!)"
The shadows crowded behind the first shadow and glared menacingly at Sonic. One of them growled and screeched at him.
Sonic bellowed and fell to one knee. " 'Chaos…is…ugh---'!"
Twilight continued as the emerald began to glow white. " 'Chaos is power, power enriched by the heart'!"

"Please…!" Sonic whimpered, no longer trying to chant the words. "No more…!"
Twilight couldn't believe it! Sonic was actually PLEADING to the shadows! Sonic was right… they have broken him…!
The leading shadow lunged out its arm and it extended rapidly, striking Sonic in the chest. Sonic cried out and his chest rose as his arms flung out beside him. The black arm was sinking into him.
Sonic grunted and bellowed short groans. Tears streamed down his face and his hands clenched into fists.
Twilight saw that lumps appeared in the black arm. The lumps were carried from Sonics' chest and towards the shadow. The arm was acting as a straw, sucking out spirit energy from Sonic. Every time the arm sucked another large lump out, Sonics' chest pulled out slightly and then relaxed, allowing another flow.
"Ugh…Twilight…! Ugh…!" Sonic hollered between pulses. "Finish it!!!"

Twilight fought her voice to continue. "(For Sonic!) 'The controller is the one who unifies the chaos! …Urgg! … DO SOMETHING ALREADY!!!" she cried.
Suddenly, the light from the Emerald spread and reached the shadows. They recoiled and the arm withdrew from Sonic.
Sonic moaned weakly and fell onto his stomach.
"Dad!" Twilight shouted, running for him.
The shadows cried out in pain and fled.
Twilight crouched and took up Sonic in her arms. She looked back at the shrine. It was gone. In it's place, was a staircase.
She slowly walked over to it and peered down the steps. It looked safe enough.
She started down them.

"Ugh…Twilight…!" Sonic whined, tears still streaming down his face. "They…they took it…they took it…away from me…!"
Twilight stopped, halfway down in the darkness. "What? What did they take, dad?"
Sonic began to sob and buried his face in her shoulder.

"…My…my mom's lullaby…! It's…gone…!"

~<>~
Present…

The shadow's barrier flared up, as their screeching and moaning grew louder.
Harmony strained to break free from the binds, but it was in vain. They were stuck.
"Get ready!" cried Remedy. "They're coming!"
All of the guardians braced themselves and Ina pulled out his dagger. Amy held Sonic close to her, her body slightly shivering.
She couldn't tell if the shivering was out of fear, or from Sonics' chilled skin.

Suddenly, all of the shadows turned to Amy.
"No! Amy run! Their going for Sonic!!" Ina screamed.
Amy gasped and drew out her hammer, but it was in vain. The shadows shrieked and raced towards her in a flash.
Amy's shrill scream echoed through the hollow room…and all was suddenly silent…

~<>~
Future…


Twilight shivered as they traveled further into the dark abyss. It became so dark at one point that Twilight had to take out her cell phone to use for light.
She didn't know where they were or where they were going. She just had to trust Sonic.
She took another look at her phone. "My battery's running low." She whispered.
Sonic didn't answer, just walking ahead of Twilight, determined to continue on. "You're almost there…" he answered.
Twilight was confused. Sonic hadn't been acting right since he was attacked.

He suddenly stopped in front of a large door and turned to Twilight with a frightened and scared look on his face. "…This is where my journey ends…"
"Wh…What? Your journey…?"
Sonic looked up at her with pleading eyes. "I can not go on, Twilight. You must finish this…alone…"
"I…I don't get it…Why can't you come—"
Sonic put his hand to his chest. "I…don't have a lot of time…My spirit is small and dying, and if I don't give the rest of it to you now, there won't be enough to save her…"

Save? Save who? Why wasn't Sonic answering her questions…or was he?
"…I…am BONDED with Light Gaia. My spirit is the key to this door."
Twilight took a look at the door in front of them and noticed a white spot in the middle that was glowing. It looked very simple, but at the same time it looked very complex.
"But if you give up your spirit…" she protested. "Dad! I don't know what to do! You can't leave me now…I just can't do it!!"
Sonic smiled as a blue bright light escaped from his chest. He winced.
The light on Twilights' phone suddenly died and the only light was Sonic spirit.
"Take this…Unlock the door…"
"Dad…"
"You must do it…and this will show you was way…"
Twilight kneeled down to accept it from him, but she then noticed that Sonic was shaking from weakness. Her hands retreated back. "No dad!! No!! I can't!!"

Sonic raised a brow at her, inching the light closer to her. "Those are weird words…coming from you. You are my daughter, no matter what future we end up in. You have all of the things that I USED to have. You have my blood…my heart…my courage…and my love…!"
Twilight swallowed hard and took the light into her hands. "I'll…I'll try…"
Tears were building in his eyes. "I love you Twilight…don't ever forget that…I KNOW you can do it!"
Twilight rose to her feet and walked past Sonic to the door. Sonic watched as she did so. He remained silent.
She looked down at the light and held it up to the white circle on the door. The light swirled from her hands slowly and into the circle.
The entire door glowed white and opened up to her…revealing a world beyond. Twilight couldn't even tell what it was that she was seeing! Was it something like a mix of heaven and hell? Was it a whole new country? She didn't know.
"Dad…" she said, turning back to Sonic. To her surprise, Sonic was at normal size again and was glowing white. His eyes were a bright blue.
He walked a little past her and held out his hand to her with a gentle look.

"My love for you has taken us this far…and Light Gaia's love for you will take you farther…"
Twilight took his hand.
Sonic winked. "I can't be there with you…but I can at least help you get there…

"…Good luck…"