"So let me get this straight," started Sonic. "Silver and Nazo are brothers and we're the only three that could see or hear him?"

"That's right. But some thing's been bugging me. How did Tails see him on the Ark?" Shadow was confused. "Oh well, all we can do now is wait till they get back."

"Where did they go anyway?" asked Amy.

"To the future so Tails could build some 'time-belts' for all of us. Nazo also said something about 'the darkness' and that either me, Sonic or Silver would be overcome by his power." Suddenly a flash appeared before everyone and Tails stood there, with Nazo floating behind him.

"So that's Nazo..." Knuckles thought aloud.

"I'm sorry we're so late everyone, we ran into a bit of trouble." Nazo began to apologise, but nobody knew what he was talking about, except Tails, who was shaking.

"You were only gone for about ten minutes," Rouge told him.

"Not that, we..."

"Where's Silver?" Sonic asked.

"That's the problem. When we finished the belts he was about to test them and 'he' appeared. He took Silver with him and... We were powerless against him." Sonic clenched his fist. "He beat us with ease, but us two somehow escaped unharmed and came back. Here, you'll all need one of these." One by one he passed belts to each member of the team.

"A time belt? Tails has really outdone himself this time," thought Eggman aloud.

"So, who is 'he', anyway?" queried Shadow. Nazo clenched both fists so hard it was amazing that he didn't break them and breathed deeply.

"All I can say is that he was once a good hedgehog, but the death of so many of the people closest to him drove him to insanity. Sonic, Shadow... Trust me that you will help him see the way again."

"We'll try our best," answered Sonic.

"Thank you," replied Nazo, "now all that is left is to find him."

The first place that the gang stopped off at on their journey through time was the future, to look for clues. Shadow snuck up to Nazo to ask him some questions.

"I don't trust you," started Shadow, "but I may change my mind if you answer my questions honestly."

"As you would say, 'fire away'."

"Why was it that only me, Sonic and Shadow could see you above the Master Emerald?"

"It wasn't that only you three could see me, I just blocked out the others from sensing me in any form. I only wanted to talk to the 'worthy ones'."

"Why are we the worthy ones? What about all the others?"

"As I said earlier, the darkness is coming. The worthy ones are the two that rise up to defeat it alongside me, and the other, who will be tempted."

"What's all this about, anyway? And why will neither you or Silver give away all your information about these matters?"

"The darkness is no force to be reckoned with. Only when light has fully returned to this world will we be rid of it. Hearts everywhere, even the most innocent, has patches of darkness. As for your second question, I will only say that it has been this way since our mother died..."

"I-I'm so sorry... I didn't know..."

"Don't be sorry. There was no way of avoiding it. She was a good hedgehog, the lightest of blue in colour."

"What was her name?"

"Clara..." A tear ran down Nazo's face and he stood still for a minute, staring at the ground. His ears began to twitch before he spoke again. "He's here..."

"Quick, everyone under the tables!" demanded Shadow. Everyone followed his order and just as the last member of the team got under the table heavy footsteps could be heard nearby. They got louder every second, until they stopped and a booming voice was heard.

"I know you're here, Nazo. Don't you want to be reunited with your pitiful brother?"

"He's after me!" Nazo contacted the group by telepathy. Shadow replied quickly.

"Nazo, you need to tell us everything, NOW!"

"Ok," Nazo said after about half a minute, "I'll tell you everything. My father meant everything to me before he passed away. His parents passed away a few years before I was born. The only thing we know about them is that they were great heroes. The loss of them caused my father to become distraught, so he began training in psychokinesis in order to calm his mind. After me and Silver were born he became distressed again and the emotions from losing his parents warped his mind. In that moment, our mother was accidentally killed before our eyes. Our father, after seeing my rare ability to time travel, begged me to teach him in exchange for greater control of my other powers. He intended to go back in time to stop our mother from dying, but failed time and time again. After seeing her die numerous times his mind became corrupted and he passed away shortly after."

"But what's that got to do with now?" asked Sonic.

"The one who killed him was 'him'."

"This is starting to make sense now... What?" A hand had grabbed Shadow's leg and pulled him out from under the table, hanging the hedgehog upside down. When Shadow got a good look at his captor a sudden shock hit him. "He looks just like Sonic, only darker..."

"Ah, so this is the 'mighty Shadow' I heard so much about... Pathetic!"

"What'd you call me?!"

"He shouldn't have said that," said Sonic.

"I'll make you pay!" Shadow swung his other leg round as fast as he could and aimed for the hedgehog's face, but his opponent blocked it. "He must be as fast as Sonic..."

"I'm just as fast as the legendary hero, or should I say, my father."

"I'm your what?!"

"My father was the greatest hero this planet ever had. If I'm right, then my mother is also here... Amy Rose." Amy looked confused. She wasn't sure if she should be happy that she would end up with Sonic or shocked that she would give birth to that monster. "Now where's my other son? He should be around here somewhere!" He felt underneath the table where Shadow had been and found the hedgehog he was looking for. "There you are, Nazo!" The son of Sonic kept a tight grip on Nazo and swapped him for Shadow, letting the black and red hedgehog fall to the floor.

"I thought you said your father was dead?" said Shadow.

"He died inside. After the incident, gone were the days of my father. I had no idea he was the son of Sonic and Amy."

"So, what do they call you?" asked Shadow.

"Light."

"Light, huh. Where's Silver?"

"I'm not going to tell YOU. Even if I did, you wouldn't be able to help him. The transformation is almost complete. Soon he shall be my loyal servant."

"So you're enslaving your own son?!" Sonic was furious. "I don't know where you'd learn to act like that. I wouldn't raise someone like you were raised."

"But you will. The future is inevitable. No matter how you try to avoid it, fate will come to get you." Light began to leave, but started talking again. "I'll meet you again, father. You too, Shadow. Oh, and by the way, I wouldn't try looking for the Chaos Emeralds if I were you. I already have all seven." He left, taking Nazo with him and laughing maniacally.

"We've got to find where that coward's hiding," said Knuckles. "Any ideas?"

"...Eggman!" Tails answered.

"Yes... Oh yes, now I remember. I secretly installed a homing beacon on each of our belts. With this," he pulled out a handset, "we should be able to locate the base. But first, give me two good reasons why I should help all of you."

"Ok, well there's... That time we saved you aboard your own flying fortress, and... If we hadn't pulled you out of the ocean, where would you be now?"

"Good points. Well then, let's see." Eggman studied the radar on the handset before continuing. "Looks like he's not too far from here. The area looks like some kind of castle. We'll just look for it when we get outside. It shouldn't take too long to find." With that the team was off again, on their way to Light's castle and the final battle.

Before getting on their way to the castle Shadow had remembered something which would be vital to their victory.

"Sonic, the Chaos Emeralds!"

"I know, Shadow. Light has them."

"No, you idiot! Remember when we fought Metal Sonic?"

"How could I not?"

"He absorbed the data of the Emeralds. Surely there's a way to turn that data into actual Emeralds."

"But that's impossible." said Tails.

"Or is it?" interrupted Eggman. "I've seen a lot of technology here that I could never have dreamed of. Surely there's a way. Sonic, I'll only do this on one condition."

"What's that?"

"We test the Emeralds on you first."

"Seems fine to me."

"Ok, I'll meet you later. Just try and find that castle in the mean time. Rouge, you go and look for the remains of Metal Sonic."

"Will do, Doctor."

It wasn't long before the castle was found and Sonic led the group in. Shadow followed, closest to him and Knuckles was at the back in case of an ambush. Tails kept his eyes on the radar, giving sonic directions. They were led down empty hallways and through creepy looking rooms. Eventually they came across an empty room, which was bigger than all the others. Tails' ears picked up a cry for help.

"RUN AWAY! IT'S A TRAP!" Suddenly a golden flash appeared from nowhere, knocking everyone across the room. It came back and hovered above the team.

"So, you made it, eh? I'm sorry to say this, but you won't escape from here alive."

"Oh yeah! Give us back Nazo!"

"Fine, there's no one who can stop me now anyway. My power is infinite!" Light flew over to a dimly lit wall where Nazo was chained. He threw him to the ground and laughed. Blaze ran over to him to try and help.

"What about Silver? Where is he?"

"I'll bring him in now. Oh, son!" Silver floated into the room, his quills darker then usual.

Silver looked around the room, not paying attention to the others.

"Hey, Silver! It's us, your friends!" It was as if he was unable to hear them. Suddenly, he swung out his arm and flexed his fingers, before forcing his palm towards Sonic, who was thrown backwards.

"Those who stand in our way shall be annihilated." His voice had become nothing more than a drone. Sonic stood up and spoke back.

"What are you doing? Don't you want to be free? That's what the Silver I know would want, but you... YOU'RE NOT HIM AT ALL!" He ran up to the now grey hedgehog and punched towards his face. Silver grabbed his hand and used his free arm to uppercut Sonic's stomach, sending him back to where he was. He stood back up, holding his stomach. "I never thought you'd just give in like this."

"He can't hear you. Now he's nothing more than my slave."

"SHUT UP! I know he can hear me! SILVER!" He blinked once. "SILVER! I'M YOUR FRIEND! DON'T GIVE UP! FIGHT IT! FIGHT THE DARKNESS!" Silver blinked once more, then winced. His breathing became more apparent and he held his head and shut his eyes tight as if a headache was coming. The grey colour of his quills began to lighten, but not completely. "COME ON, YOU CAN DO IT! SILVER!!!"

"Sonic...?"

"WHAT?! Silver, destroy them!"

"No..." His quills returned to their original colour and he opened his eyes. "I fight for and with my friends. Father, you're no longer a friend to me..."

"You've crossed the line this time Silver. If I can't control you, then I'll have to crush you!"

"If you can." Silver turned his head to see Rouge appear through the door.

"Special delivery, straight from Eggman!"

"All right! It's about time these got here!" Sonic knew what Rouge had brought, and he was the first of the group to use them. "Right here, Rouge!" She dropped the Emeralds down from above him and he caught each one. "Time to show you what I can really do, Light." He let go of each of the Emeralds and let them float around him. "It works! Silver, Shadow, Nazo!" The other three came up to him and all four went into their super forms.

"Bring it, Light!" they all taunted.

"Fine, if that's your death wish. I'll be more than happy to destroy all of you." He charged towards the centre of the group. "DIE!" All four dispersed, narrowly dodging what could have been a fatal blow. Shadow appeared behind him and kicked, sending the villain towards the others. He forced his palm out towards Shadow, who was sent flying back at the wall at a tremendous speed and lay out cold on the floor. "One down, three to go." He tried doing the same to Sonic, but Silver got in the way, forcing his own palm towards his father. It was a war of will. Light brought up his other hand and psychically grabbed Silver, throwing him against another wall. "Two... Which of you wants to try next?"

"I..." Sonic began.

"Me! Sonic, I have a plan. Follow your head, not your instinct. The answer will come to you. Remember, we don't want to kill him." Sonic thought while Nazo struggled against his father. They had become locked in a battle of the best user of psychokinesis. Only one would survive this. "Father, take me down any way you like, but you should know that my friend is much stronger than I. You of all people should know that. After all, you are his son." Sonic's inspiration clicked. Could this plan be what Nazo meant? There was only one way to find out.

"I may be his son, but I am superior in almost every way."

"Let's put that to the test then, shall we?" said Sonic.

"You want to battle? Fine. You're the one I'm going to have the most fun destroying."

"Don't be so sure of yourself." Sonic began to quickly dodge and attack Light. Unfortunately, Light had the same idea. Nazo waited for the right moment before holding his father in place with his psychic powers.

"When I get out of this I'm going to..."

"Kill me? I doubt that."

"What?"

"If you kill me, then what will happen to you?"

"N-no! How did I not see that? My father... My... Father...?" He went into a fit and fell to the ground. His quills began to get lighter, like Silver's once had.

"Well done, Sonic. He's been stuck in his own world for so long that he hadn't been thinking about the reality of things. Bring the realisation of his plan into it and he'd be back to normal. At least, that's what I'd hoped."

"That's great, Nazo. But what's happening now?" The castle was vibrating violently as if an earthquake had struck.

"Time is restoring itself. Sonic, you need to get back to your time, now."

Are you sure that you, Silver, Blaze and Light will be ok?"

"Sure. Get your friends and go. We've not got long." Light crawled up to Sonic.

"Father, change this future, for the better."

"I can't promise you that. Like someone I know once said, the future is inevitable."

"I understand."

"Quick, Sonic, we have to go!" Knuckles blurted. Sonic flew over to Shadow, who had faded out of super form, and took him out of the castle. Luckily, everyone escaped and went back to their own time.

When they arrived back Shadow woke up, lying on some grass. Sonic walked up to him.

"So, we defeated him?"

"Not quite."

"What happened?"

"We reached a bit of a stalemate."

"Anything else?"

"Does this whole thing make me your great-grandfather or something?"

"I never thought of that."

"Me neither."

Epilogue

It had been fifteen years since the time travelling adventure. Sonic had had enough time to travel the world alone and Eggman had tricked him many times. But one thing had been stuck in his mind for those long years. After defeating Eggman for the last time ever, he had settled down in life, found the 'right girl', even if she had forced him to marry her, and had a child. The dark quills still reminded him of the battle. He walked out into the moonlight, gazing at the stars.

"I never thought this would all happen so quickly... Guess he was right." His son came up to him, wanting to be held. He picked him up and hugged him.

"Are you ok, father?"

"Sure, Light."

"I've never actually looked at the stars properly before. They're so pretty."

"They may be, but they also teach us a valuable lesson."

"What's that?"

"As long as there's even a glimmer of light in the darkness, there'll be a hero."

"I love you, father." A tear ran down Sonic's face.

"I love you too, Light."