Descent into Darkness
Yo. Bradhadair12 here. This fic has been eating away at my mind for weeks now, so I finally decided that I'd do something about it. Think of it as an amalgamation of my two favourite fandoms! This chapter is but an intro. There'll be lots to come later on, including new worlds, new characters, new enemies and new... well lots of new. So, stick around! Sit back and enjoy the show as we unveil: Touch of Blue. BTW, a story related prize goes to whoever guesses all the Heartless I mention, and to the person who can figure out why the inverted Keyblade doesn't seal the keyhole! Just make it something that I can give you. Yes, you can pick the prize.
I don't own Sonic the Hedgehog or Kingdom Hearts, savvy? On with the story!
Today would have been normal, if it wasn't for the ominous black clouds looming in the distance.
They were there when I woke up. Tails figured that the storm would probably blow itself out before it reached us, but I wasn't so sure. Call me paranoid, but something was... off with the clouds. Knuckles said I was making a mountain out of a molehill. I whacked him over the head.
So, I ignored them. I went about my day doing the usual: running a lot; beating up some of Eggman's latest mechanical failures; avoiding Amy at all costs. As the day went on, the cloud drew nearer. I could see shaped moving around inside the clouds, like they were alive. Freaky.
When the storm hit, the skies dimmed. Even the sun was reduced to an incandescent orange. The seas churned and spat and even the ground seemed to sag beneath my feet. I guessed it was time to return home.
I never quite got there.
I set off at a speedy jog, wary in case the ground really would give way beneath me. I could probably handle whatever came at me, but just to be sure... The grass is black and crusty beneath my feet. Looks like I was right about the storm being impending doom for us all.
I glance up at the storm above me. The clouds look turbulent and almost angry, if that were possible. The shapes within it move faster and faster, like they're dancing, and then burst out of the clouds and fall to the ground in a river of plague.
And ugly too.
I stop running, wanting to see just what I'm up against here. The darkness takes form, becoming small creature-like blobs of pure darkness. Their eyes shine brightly, scouring the area for something, their claws twitching excitedly. They remind me of rats. A few take their first faltering steps, and promptly fall over and dissolve back into darkness.
I laugh at their failure.
They hear me.
I don't make a move. I should learn about my foe before trying to rip their heads off. More fall over or are trampled into the ground by their companions. They're not very organised, that's for sure. They finally get the hang of their legs and stumble towards me. The way they move seems to suggest that they've never had real form before.
Kinda like Chaos, though I don't think the same strategies will work on them.
They pick up speed, and I edge backwards. Their claws don't look very inviting. A few jump at me, trying to latch themselves onto my legs. I give them a swift kick. They fly back in all directions, knocking into their peers and generally causing havoc.
Unfortunately, they all get back up.
They act like I haven't even touched them! At least Chaos showed some sign of injury! I don't think I'll be able to fight them; not without a Chaos Emerald, anyway. The nearest one is at Tails' workshop. I stick my tongue out at the creatures and speed away. I need to see if everyone is alright.
The situation possibly gets worse the further I travel. More spouts have appeared in the storm, spewing out endless creatures. The ground gives way beneath me several times, tumbling into the ocean, which grows more violent with each passing second. I barely manage to pull myself to safety each time. I hope everyone else is having a better time of this than I am.
Tails' workshop appears over the Horizon. It looks decidedly weather-beaten. I wonder if they'll believe me about the storm now. I can see a flash of red sending creatures flying every which way, but they all get back up and try to swamp him again. Knuckles really isn't going about this the right way, though I don't really want to be the one to tell him that. He sees me coming, and calls me over.
"Give me a hand, Sonic! Tails is trying to get the X-Tornado ready so we can get out of here."
A creature manages to catch him off guard and he's knocked to the floor. I race over and kick the thing to kingdom come. I offer Knuckles a hand with a smirk on my face.
"Is this what you meant?"
"Not what I had in mind when I said 'give me a hand'."
He grins himself, knowing that I don't really mean offence, and takes my hand. I pull him up in time to swing him at a couple of creatures that get too close for my liking. Knuckles doesn't look very impressed, which only makes it funnier. We assume battle stances, ready to defend the workshop. It's never going to work, but we have to at least try.
Knuckles and I struggle through the battle. The creatures seem unable to tire, though we certainly can and do quite quickly. I stop to take a few breaths and end up being flung twenty feet away from where I was before by a fat one spitting fire at me. I don't think we've just got one type of these things any more.
My head rings with the impact, but I force myself up. If I lie down they'll probably eat my brains or something like that. I can't see Knuckles any more. Just how many of these things are there?! God knows what's happened to Amy or Cream or anyone who isn't here right now. I even fear for Eggman, even if it is just a little bit.
The creatures start closing in on me, I try to stand, but my right leg screams with pain. I think it's broken. Trust me to get hurt when it matters most. I don't even have a Chaos Emerald to get me out of here. The creatures' eyes look like beacons; I can hardly make out the distinct shapes any more. They all just blend in together to create a tidal wave of suffocating darkness.
I put an arm in front of my face to defend myself, even though it probably won't stop them.
Only the attack never comes.
I open my eyes, unaware that I ever closed them at all. The creatures are backing off a little bit, afraid to come any closer to me. I'd rather have that than having them about to devour me. But, why are they suddenly staying away?
Then I notice the key.
For some reason a massive skeleton key has appeared in my hand. The teeth form a crown shape, and a chain is attached with a mouse head on it. My first thoughts are 'what the hell?' but the key must be what the creatures are afraid of. Well, I'm not complaining.
One of the creatures plucks up some nerve and makes a leaping charge. I swing at it with my key, hoping to knock it away, at least. Instead, the edge cuts straight through the creature like a knife through butter. The creature disintegrates and a glowing red heart is released. Today is turning out of be one heck of a day.
But now I can kill them, which makes it all the more fun.
I use the key to support myself and pull myself up. The creatures don't seem put off by the demise of their kin. I'm starting to doubt they can even think at all. Yet another advantage I can exploit, because I'm so good at exploiting things. I'm not sure how to hold this thing, but I hope I learn soon. I hold it in my right hand, suddenly aware at how empty and heavy my left hand seems. I look at it but there's nothing there.
Not for long.
There's a blinding flash of light and another key appears in my leg hand. The colours are the opposite of the first key: gold where there is silver; red where there is blue. The more the merrier, I say. I can think about why I got these keys later. For now, I can unleash hell on these things which have done the same to me so far.
I slice my way through the throng. Countless hearts evaporate into the air. I hope that's a good thing. I run across Knuckles who is being pinned down by a few ones that look like mummies. For once, I don't think Eggman is behind this. I chop the shadows off the fallen echidna, carefully not to take any of his spines off at the same time. I take a defensive stand while he picks himself up.
"Nice keys," he snorts.
"Thanks," I snort.
"Guys! The X-Tornado's ready! Hurry in here before they kill you!"
I turn to see Tails in the door of his workshop, waving at us. I get sick of waiting for Knuckles to pull himself up before we get eaten, but my hands are full. I will one of the weapons away on a whim, and the one in my left hand disappears in the same flash of light it appeared in. I grab Knuckles by the scruff of his neck and drag him indoors, where Tails and I barricade the door.
Knuckles looks like he's been dragged backwards through a hedge several times. I probably don't look much better. The only one still in one piece is Tails, though he is smeared with oil from working on the plane, making his fur look bedraggled and dirty. He sends a curious glance at the key. I shrug.
"Don't ask. I have no idea," I say truthfully. He raises an eyebrow, but doesn't question anymore. I will the second key thing away like I did the last one, and it vanishes too. Tails and Knuckles don't seem too surprised, but considering what they've seen already today, I don't think anything could surprise them. I help hoist Knuckles into the plane, who seems to have broken a few bones. I stand on the wing, seeing as he plane is only a two-seater.
"We're going to head to Angel Island. We need to make sure those... things don't get their hands on the Master Emerald," says Tails in an unusually calm voice. He must be screaming inside.
"Did you bring the Chaos Emerald with you?"
"Yeah. You'd better take it."
He passes it to me. It's the green one we found in a trench the other day. I use the energy inside to reduce the pain coming from my injured leg, and go to heal Knuckles, but he shakes his head.
"If you heal me we might not have enough energy to Chaos Control away if we need to. I'll be fine."
I don't believe him, but I know its useless arguing with him.
We fly over the battlefield on the way. The shadows have swamped everything. Even the land seems to be steadily disappearing, like its being eaten away. Nothing like this has ever happened before, even when the Black Arms came to say hello. It's disheartening, and it feels more and more like there's nothing we can do.
"Hang on guys, I'm going to try and fly over these clouds so we have a smoother flight."
The plane jerks upwards suddenly and we enter oblivion. It's possible worse inside the clouds, though I suppose we really are in 'the belly of the beast' now. The plane is thrown about from side to side as we climb higher and higher. The shapes pass so close I could touch them if I reach out from my perch. The swirls are almost hypnotic, but the clouds never touch the plane. I feel sad that I can't reach whatever's inside the clouds, but snap out of it quickly. I'd like to keep all appendages firmly attached. The plane takes a sharp turn and begins to descend. My stomach ends up getting left behind as we plummet downwards.
I get no explanation from Tails, who is probably trying to bring the X-Tornado back under his control. I just hold on tighter and pray for a miracle. We escape the seemingly endless layer of black clouds and plummet. Luckily, Tails points us in the direction of Angel Island, which is just below us. What are the odds?!
As we fall as few of the creatures rise to meet us. They look like pirates with plane wings. I manage to stop staring at their bizarre and disjointed appearances long enough to send them back to the void from whence they came. Or something like that. I just hit them with a pair of big keys, really.
Tails manages to bring us in for a not quite safe landing, but at least we're still in more or less one piece. I jump down off the wing to help Tails and Knuckles out of the plane. At least we managed to avoid the altar. The Master Emerald is still here, along with our means to summon the rest of the Chaos Emeralds. I'm not sure what use that'll be, but it's better than just sitting here and doing nothing. There are no shadows here, either. We all flop down onto the ground while Knuckles goes to invoke the Master Emerald to get rid of the shadows.
"Master Emerald! Can you hear me? There are shadow monsters attacking the planet, destroying and devouring everything they come into contact with. They come from the storm clouds, which threaten the existence of everything on the planet! Please, help us get rid of them!"
It seems to work, because the Master Emerald glows with bright white light. A beam shoots up from the gem to the clouds, scattering them briefly. A dark shape begins to appear in the middle of the Master Emerald. It swirls along with the churning Chaos Energy inside, before forming the shape of a keyhole.
"What do you think it means, Sonic?"
"Well, I guess a big keyhole needs a big key."
As I say this the silver key appears again. I look down at it, and then at the keyhole. How am I supposed to lock this thing if it's inside an emerald? My chance passes anyways, because the whole floating island tips to the side. Tails, Knuckles and I slide down the grass towards the ocean below. I dig the key into the soil and grab Knuckles, who grabs Tails. The whole island lies on its side, the trees breaking away from the ground and falling into the ocean. The Master Emerald stays suspended in thin air, glowing calmly. The keyhole is still there, but I can't reach it now. I look down at my friends, noticing the looks of despair on their faces. They seem to have realised something I haven't.
"You need to seal that keyhole, don't you?"
"I suppose so. That's why the Master Emerald gave it to us."
"If you let us go, you can still do it! Don't look at me like that, Sonic. I can fly Knuckles and I out of here while you save the world!"
"I don't like it."
"We don't have much of a choice, do we, hedgehog."
I frown. They're right, but they're still my friends, and I don't want to let them fall to their deaths. Tails isn't a strong a flier as he thinks he is. Knuckles rolls his eyes at me.
"Trains leaving, Sonic. If you're not going to drop us, then we'll drop ourselves... Good luck."
And with that he lets go.
I watch in horror as Tails struggle to fly with the extra weight. He manages a few feet before dropping the rest of the distance towards the icy water. I look away. I can't but feel like it's my fault: I'm used to saving everyone when I go to save the world. If I close this keyhole, then they might still make it.
I summon the inverted key and point it at the keyhole, hoping for a miracle. The tip and teeth glow brightly before sending a beam of light towards the Master Emerald. It looks like it's about to go in, but the light stops just before it reaches the keyhole and retracts into the key again. I cry out with frustration. Maybe I'm not using the right key. The only thing is, the other key is embedded in the soil. If I want to point it at the Master Emerald, I'm going to have to pull it out and fall to the sea.
And I can't swim.
I take a deep breath, and pull the key out anyway. If I'm going to die, I may as well save the world before I do.
My stomach drops as I freefall. I spin around in the air before I manage to steady myself to face upwards. The keyhole is getting further away by the second. I point the silver key up to the Master Emerald, hoping that this will work. A beam of light shoots out of the tip and charges at the keyhole. It enters this time, and a locking sound echoes through my head. I can't help but notice the darkness from the clouds that has already seeped into the keyhole while I was falling. I just hope I've done enough.
The water is icy cold as I hit it. It knocks all the breath out of my lungs, and freezes my joints. Its agony, especially seeing as there isn't a very good chance that I'll ever each the surface again. I dismiss the keys, grateful for their help. I'll never find out what they are now!
The water feels like its deliberately dragging me down. I force my eyes open, squinting with the stinging pain, to find strands out darkness wrapped around my legs. They pull me down deeper and deeper. My vision begins to blacked, but it's not because of the depth.
Then I remember the Chaos Emerald.
I struggle with my frozen limbs and pull it out of my quills. I half expected it to have fallen out a long time ago. The Chaos Energy inside warms my frozen body. I can't command it to Chaos Control me out of here if I can't breathe. I just hope I'm going to be OK.
I will it to take me to safety. It hears and the water around me begins to bubble with the heat it's giving off. I hear the water rushing away around me, screaming in my ears. I get a sense of buildings and lights before I lose myself to the light.
Just a small sleep. I'll wake up later.
...