-1Guessing where the main base was wasn't really that hard. Shadow went to the location of the Master Emerald shrine and found a building standing where the shrine should be. Spotting no robots or any other enemy, the black hedgehog went indoors.

The inside of the base appeared to be a laboratory. All sorts of gadgets laid on various tables, just waiting to become something extraordinary. In the middle of the inventions was the glorious Master Emerald, hooked to some machine as an energy source. Shadow had no need for the giant green jewel right now, he had to find the head of Chaos Island. He heard something in the next room and went to investigate. Peeking around the corner, the ultimate life-form saw Dr. Eggman tinkering away on some of unfinished robot.

"So the doctor is the second-in-command" Shadow quietly whispered to himself. "Figured as much, being a genius and related to Maria. Who else could it have been?"

"IVO!!!" screamed a young yet enraged sounding voice.

Eggman jolted away from his work to face somebody coming over. That somebody was a fox pup with two tails who wore a lab coat. It was Tails!

"What is the matter, Mr. Prowler?" asked the older human with a look of fear on his face.

Tails grimaced, and shouted "didn't I tell you to repair the isle security system the other day?!"

"Yes, but you see I was preoccupied with the prototype Enforcatron 600X and was unable to-"

"You idiot! Thanks to you some heretics came and demolished our factory!"

"I'm sorry, Miles Prowler, it was a mistake I swear!"

"You're dang right it is! If you weren't our almighty Maria's cousin you'd be scrambled instantly!"

"Please forgive me, I'll repair the robot production factory I soon as I can!"

"Oh don't think your getting away that easily! I have PLENTY of other things I have to discuss with you…"

While the fox complained and the man cowardly listened, Shadow was getting impatient. He took laser gun off of one table and shot a beam right between the two scientists, instantly catching their attention.

The hedgehog spoke clearly "nobody move, unless you want a hole in your head."

"An intruder?!" gasped the fox boy. Tails smacked Eggman in the face and said "look what you did now, you buffoon!"

"Shut up!" yelled Shadow. "Now I know you two are Maria's best minions, and I have a hunch you know a thing or two about her. How did she become a goddess? Why does she have so much power? I want to know!"

"Don't ask me" reply Tails. "I'm her right-hand general and wasn't even born when she took over."

Eggman sobbed "please don't hurt us! There's a disk that my grandfather gave to me when I was young! It has information on Maria's origins, I swear! Its by the big computer monitor over there in the next room!"

The oval bellied doctor got smacked again by his smaller boss. Shadow went to the next room where the disk was, and closed the door so he wouldn't be disturbed. Inserting the disk into a slot, the computer's screen asked for password. The black hedgehog thought for a moment, then typed down Ma-Ri-A. The password was accepted, and the screen turned blank. A video soon started playing of an old man facing towards the camera.

"If this message is being played, then most likely you are ruled by a deity known as Maria Robotnik. I am her grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. If you are curious to know of how she became who she is now, then listen to my tale of woe. It all started when I was a researcher working for the old government. My latest project given from the president was Project Shadow, the creation of immortality. I didn't want to do as it could have been easily abused, but back then Maria was diagnosed with a disease with no known cure and I would have done anything to save her. I used the newly-built space colony ARK to do my researching, not to mention Maria's sickness didn't harm her in this environment. With the help of ancient lore and mystical artifacts, I was able to make progress with my work. I managed to make a prototype, but it was very primal and required a life-support system to live. After that, I had no idea what to do. Fortunately, I encountered… an ally who could help me with my research. With the assistance of my new friend, we were able to create the ultimate life-form named Shadow the Hedgehog. Shadow was a very nice creature and Maria had a grand liking to him. All was wonderful in the ARK, but it didn't last long. Due to a couple of experiment-involved accidents, the government decided to take action. I was taken in custody, and nearly all the civilians occupying in the space colony were killed. Thankfully, Maria and Shadow escaped the ARK before the attack began. Not wanting the public to what happened in the space colony ARK, the president offered to bail me out of prison as long as Maria and Shadow and I kept our mouths shut, which we did. Now with the government leaving us alone, I started to work on a cure for Maria. It proved long and hard without the tools I had in the ARK, but with Shadow's support and Maria's hope I pulled through. The cure and ironically enough it was under my nose the whole time. Using Shadow's blood cells, I created a vaccine that fused with Maria's blood and ultimately eliminated her illness. Relieved to know that she would live a long and healthy life, I brought Maria back to her family were she belonged, and I took Shadow with her since they were best friends. I thought the worst was now over, but I was terribly, terribly wrong. About six years after I cured my granddaughter, I got a call from my son to find out that Shadow was murdered. I was shocked and saddened, and from I heard Maria took it much harder. She blamed the government for her friend's death, and she would make sure she made them pay. I didn't know what she would do until I saw it on the news when the presidential office was in flames. Maria had possession of seven of the mystic artifacts that were once aboard the ARK, the Chaos Emeralds. Having one emerald could make you powerful, having all of them made you unstoppable. I couldn't believe what I was watching on television as I saw my sweet Maria viciously slaughter every soldier that got in her way. It only took her ten minutes to destroy all the leaders of the government, yet she still wasn't satisfied. Declaring herself the new president, Maria forced what was left of our nation's army and declared war on every other country. Soon, she ruled the entire world. But everyone was against her, and she wanted to put a stop to it. So, she somehow brainwashed everyone to forget their past then believed that Maria was their goddess. Luckily, Maria spared my memory as appreciation for curing her illness. Ever since then, I keep getting older and weaker as I live in a large mansion filled with beautiful female servants who won't allow me to leave. I regret everything I done that led to this new world order, and I beg for forgiveness to those who suffered from my actions. Now you know the truth, and I can finally rest in peace with my last words spoken."

Then the video shut off. Shadow now knew everything, why Maria is a goddess, why the R.U,N. commander didn't recognize him, and why the world has been changed for the worse. And of above all things, the ultimate life-form was MURDERED! It was time to head straight for the source, and he knew just how to do it.

Going back into the room containing the second-in-command and his lackey, Shadow demanded "I want to see Maria and I want to see her NOW!"

"What a coincidence" Tails said with a sly grin on his face "we were just going to take you to her."

The black hedgehog wondered what the two-tailed fox meant, and he soon found out when an unnoticed Artificial Chaos disarmed Shadow and pulled him into it's liquid stomach.

-

To be continued.