Sonic Heroes: Desert Winds
Chapter Seven: Foreshadowing
The scene opens to the everlasting desert that stretched to the farthest reaches of Areno. An eternal wasteland filled with nothing except the burning sand and the dry heat of the triple suns, leaving no life a chance to rest. But while most of the land was filled only by the flying sand grains, thousands of rocks were placed at specific points to create paths that lead to every region in Areno. And approaching from the path in the south, Shadow the Hedgehog walked diligently through the unforgiving badlands. The Ultimate Life-Form stopped in the middle of a circular crossroad that left him with six directions to choose from. Shadow looked down each path and rubbed his burning eye before activating the machine hidden in his gauntlet.
"Shadow's Log – Day 6." Shadow stated. "Nearly a week has past since I arrived in this strange new world by a transmat of chaotic energy, which I have been unable to locate thus far. It seems this planet is mostly comprised of desert and I have yet to make contact with any life. I fear that I may be the only one alive in this world." He reached into his quills and retrieved, unbelievably, the red Chaos Emerald. "The Chaos Emerald reacted before I arrived here. And if the Chaos Emerald followed me here, then the other six must have been transported as well."
"Ugh..."
The jet-black hedgehog swiftly stuffed the red emerald in his quills and turned once the moan reached his ears. Shadow's eyes were stinging worse than ever and his vision was becoming blurred were he tired to see from a distance. He lowered his emerald-lensed sunglasses and repaired his sight slightly, but his eyes were still stinging painfully. But when he finally regained enough vision, he finally took notice of the creature crawling close to his feet. The beast in question was a sandy-brown scorpion that was a head taller than Shadow with a steel-tipped tail, two talons on each foot, and sharp pincers for hands. The creature wore no noticeable garments, but presented an unusual symbol on his chest: a fractured heart printed black. Shadow kneeled to the troublesome creature, who was spew purple blood from his teeth, and took notice of a wide hole that stretched across his chest.
"What happened to you?" Shadow questioned seriously.
"Blackheart...traitor..." The scorpion gasped breathlessly. "Mission...Ocean Pearl...lies...Gy..."
That was the last few words the scorpion was able to release until his breath became shallow and silent. Shadow pressed his ears against the scorpion's chest – he heard no heartbeat. With nothing much left, Shadow merely closed the scorpion's eyes and stood up to walk away. He was having his own troubles to deal with and was not going to waste time mourning over the death of someone he never knew. But just as he finally decided which path to choose, the sound of shifting sands reached his range of hearing. The jet-black hedgehog looked back to the corpse of the deceased scorpion, only to witness his claw sinking into the ground before it vanished forever. But Shadow only knew that things were only going to get stranger from there. And as it turns out, he was right. The sand exploded on all four sides around Shadow's position, sending the dust particles flying closer to Shadows eyes – they were burning even worse. With his vision becoming even more blurred than ever, the jet-black hedgehog could only make out four sandy-brown blurs on each end.
"Carapus is dead and this rodent is found at the scene of the heinous act." One of the creatures hissed. "He must be brought to justice. I say we peel him flesh and roast his corpse for our feast."
"You're talking about that guy I found, right?" Shadow questioned, rubbing his eyes. "Listen, I don't know what happened, but I found him bad damaged before he died. I didn't lay a single finger on him."
"As if we should believe an outsider like you!" The same creature hissed angrily.
"I don't believe think he is lying." Another beast, most likely the leader, said. "If he did kill Carapus, he wouldn't have escaped without a scar to present from the conflict. Not even a first-class elite is skilled enough walk away from a Blackheart soldier without at least a scratch." Shadow staggered back as the blur moved closer. "But either way, we'll have to interrogate him for everything he knows."
"Well, that's going to be a problem." Shadow said confidently. "I'm not exactly easy to catch."
To prove this theory, the jet-black hedgehog skipped back and activated his specialized shoes, ejecting pressurize air from the soles. This allowed Shadow to drift an inch above the ground and send the air flying around him – he instantly regretted this as his sight was now nonexistent. The surprised shriek of the surrounding enemies alerted Shadow that he held a momentary advantage and instantly took off in a random direction. The Ultimate Life-Form felt something hard brush against his arms and suspected that he had managed to escape the ring. But as he was making his escape, Shadow realized the disadvantage of his situation. His shoes were the main source of his speed and they never touched the ground, making it impossible for him to navigate now that he was blind. This point was clearly proven as Shadow's right foot hit against a rock on the side of the path and sent him tumbled across the sand. This was just not his day. Before the jet-black hedgehog could stand, something stabbed into his left shoulder to pin him to the ground and sound of shifting sand moving closer. Someone removed his sunglasses, revealing his swollen eyelids.
"He's blind." The leader acknowledged. "The desert air has obscured his vision."
"That's makes it easier to thrash him." The secondary soldier said eagerly. "Come on, I'm sure Master Skrall would overlook a few bumps and scratches. It's not like it matters how he's feeling when we torture the info out of him."
"There is no honor in attacking a defenseless opponent." The leader scolded; Shadow heard a smacking sound. "Take Carapus' body to Master Skrall and inform him of the situation. I'll take this...creature to the Dew Pond."
That was the last Shadow heard before he blacked out.
The scene alternates to an underground cavern below the vast desert that conquered most of the world. A hidden crevice at the farthest end of the cavern showed a small pond with glowing-green moss floating at the surface. And just a few inches from the water, Shadow the Hedgehog was lying on a pitch-black blanket with a piece of moss resting over his eyes. The jet-black hedgehog stirred awake and sat up, removing the blanket of moss from his eyes. He blinked momentarily and was surprised by two solid fact: He wasn't in the desert and his eyes felt refreshed and rejuvenated. Staring around the small space, Shadow found his shoes, gloves, sunglasses and necklace laying on his right side in an organized fashion. The jet-black hedgehog replaced his shoes and gloves when a newcomer moved from behind the wall. He looked exactly like the scorpion Shadow encountered in the desert, except he was wearing a black strap across his chest and waist, which carried two daggered and a broadsword. The scorpion grinned at Shadow momentarily, carrying a fresh set of blankets in his claw.
"Ah, you finally woke up." The scorpion commented happily. "For a moment there, I thought I was going to have to keep you here overnight."
"Where am I?" Shadow asked curious as he replaced his necklace. "And moreover, who are you?"
"I suppose introductions are in order." The scorpion said politely. "My name is Kardak the Scorpion. And you are in the underground village of the Blackheart tribe." He retrieved the glowing moss that Shadow has tossed and gently replaced it into the pond. "You're lucky I managed to bring you to the sacred Dew Pond in time or your vision would have been lost forever."
"My name is Shadow and I am in your debt." Shadow said respectfully, putting his sunglasses on his head. "I don't understand what happened to me out there. Back in my world, I could travel a desert for months without food or water and I would still come back without any troubles."
"So you're another off-worlder." Kardak murmured interestingly. "Well, wherever you come from, I don't think it can compare to the atmosphere of our world. Following the Great Cataclysm from the Precursors disappearance, Areno's twin moons were transformed into suns, giving us a total of three flaming spheres. This killed most of out plant life and dried a majority of our water, transforming it into what you see now. The humidity of the atmosphere was intensified, making the threat of illness and blindness more frequent."
"But you seem to have found a way around that problem." Shadow commented.
"The Dew Pond was a great gift we discovered." Kardak said lightly, swirling the water with his claw. "Unlike most species on Areno, the Blackhearts have been unable to adapt well and were forced to flee underground. We would never be able to reach the surface until Master Skrall discovered the mystic Properties of the Dew Pond." He picks up a piece of moss to make an example. "This rare plant can force any creature it touches to adapt and allow the Blackhearts to escape from their tomb."
"And you were able to heal my eye." Shadow concluded, stepping close to the scorpion's side. "If this cavern is close to the Blackheart tribe, then I guess that creature I found in the desert was a member of the Blackhearts."
"Carapus was an elite in subterfuge." Kardak stated seriously. "It's a wonder why he left in the first place. I don't recall Master Skrall assigning him on any mission."
This 'Carapus' was talking about a mission before he died." Shadow informed, drawing interest from the scorpion. "He was talking about something called an 'Ocean Pearl' and a traitor in the Blackhearts."
"It sounds like he was set up to take the Ocean Pearl from the Bluefins." Kardak theorized sternly. "And if he was unknowingly working with a traitor, there had to be an outside organization hidden in the shadows." He stood up sharply and faced the dark hedgehog. "He must inform Master Skrall immediately."
Shadow only nodded in agreement as he followed his newest comrade out of the fissure, never noticing the red glow from the moss. As Ultimate Life-Form took his first steps into the Blackheart village, they nearly ended up being his last. Shadow quickly stopped in his tracks and slid close to the edge of a hanging walkway. When he got a better sense of his surroundings, he realized that the entire Blackheart village was actually suspended over a fifty miles above the ground floor. All housing and structures were made from the hanging stalactites from the cavern roof with overlapping walkways between every available space. As Shadow looked around the village, he took careful notice that no lights were present in the homes – everyone was missing.
"How did everyone disappear?" Shadow questioned.
"Today is the sacrificial ritual." Kardak stated solemnly, walking down a narrow path against the wall. "The tribe has traveled to the arena at the lowest point of the cavern. We have only a few moments before the ritual begins."
A sacrificial ritual. Shadow didn't like the sound of that. The jet-black hedgehog silently followed his newest comrade down the narrow path, which curved lower towards the bottom of the cavern with each step. Shadow only began to realize how effective the Dew Pond's powers were effecting his eyes. His normal design would have made him unable to see through the darkness, but the Dew Pond enhanced his vision to the point where he could see everything as clear as day. His eyes were so focused that he could even see the smallest insects slithering through the rocks and even took notice to the chalk markings along the surface. This brought up a few new questions.
"What are these markings?" Shadow questioned.
"Of all the six tribes, the Blackhearts hold the most history of Areno's past." Kardak answered slowly. "These are runes left behind by the original precursors before their sudden disappearance during the Great Cataclysm. Our tribe has tried to decipher this ancient language for centuries, but we have only been able to make out a few words: Argus, emeralds, and Apocalypse."
"You think they mean something?" Shadow asked.
"They could mean anything." Kardak answered, suddenly coming to a stop. "We're here."
The jet-black hedgehog stared over the edge to take witness of the Blackheart's battle arena. The colossal stadium easily surpassed the arenas controlled by the other tribes as the area covered the entire ground floor of the cavern. The large structure was made from solid stone with a few stalagmites scattered across the arena floor. Shadow could see a few torch lights in the arena – their ritual was beginning. The dark duo entered the coliseum while the remainders of the Blackheart tribe were kneeling on the floor, bowing their heads forward in a mourning fashion. Shadow noted that difference between the males and females of the tribe as he passed by. While the men of the Blackhearts were large and brawny, the females seemed much more slender, wore clothing over their feminine parts, and were absent of the scorpion tails. And in front for all of the village to see, a single woman was standing near a podium with a bundle of cloth in her arms. She seemed stricken with grief as she slowly rested the small bundle o the cold surface.
"What's going on?" Shadow questioned.
"The ritual is about to begin."
Shadow and Kardak turned on their heels, facing the largest and burliest of all the Blackheart tribe. He had the same body structure as the rest of his people, but he was twice the size of Shadow and six scars across his ribcage. Unlike the other males, he wore a loincloth made from black silk, black cloth wrapped around his forearms, and a single roll of bandages around his right eye. The Blackheart symbol was present on his back and stretched across his spine. Without Shadow's notice, Kardak bowed his head and kneeled respectfully to the enlarged warrior.
"Master Skrall, forgive my intrusion." Kardak requested. "But I may have some news regarding the disappearance and murder of Carapus."
"It will have to wait." Skrall snarled impatient; he watched the grieving woman walk away with tears in her eyes. "The Doulas will be arriving shortly. We don't want to make it angry."
"What's going on here?" Shadow questioned impatiently, sitting with the rest of the tribe. "I think I deserve a little information."
"Two years ago, a monstrous creature called the Doulas invaded our village." Kardak explained in a whispering tone. "We knew that no elite warrior could battle it, so Master Skrall went to defend the village himself. But in the end, his strength was nothing compared to the Doulas. But then the monster made a deal: offer one infant once a month and he would spare the village of his wrath."
"And you agreed to that?" Shadow sneered disgustingly.
"What choice do we have?" Kardak murmured painfully. "Sometime one must be sacrificed for the good of many."
The Ultimate Life-Form growled disdainfully. How could this cowards just simply hand over a child that couldn't defend to a monster without a second thought? Did they not value the life of others? Shadow stared over to the grieving woman a few rows down from him – at least someone still cared. The jet-black hedgehog opened his mouth to shout against this unholy ceremony until he felt a sudden quiver from the ground. It was a small tremor at first, but it grew to a savage quake with each passing minute until the originator of the anomaly emerged from the darkness. The Doulas was a thirty-foot lizard-like creature that used its four appendages to crawl along the walls. The beast's skin was leather-black with a row of metallic spines, serrated teeth, and four bulging orange eyes. The Doulas hissed hungrily as it slowly crawled to the pedestal while the Blackhearts lowered their heads in grievance.
"Looks like you managed to provide another one this month." The Doulas sniggered. It lifted its claw forward, exposing the helpless infant hidden in the cloth. And you brought me a little girl, too! How did you I love having little girls for dinner!"
"Just take her and leave." Skrall scolded.
"You're joking, right!" The Doulas cackled wickedly. "You know how much I love to see you tormented faces as I devour one of your own." He snatched the helpless child with his two finger, listing with pleasure at the weeping baby. "Ah, music to my ears....and just as tasty."
The mother of the child finally cried openly and the Blackhearts stood helplessly as the Doulas raised the infant close to his teeth. He slowly allowed his tongue to slip into the open and snakes its way in a complete circle around the child, constricting all motion – the baby cried harder. And with a final tug, the Doulas snapped in tongue back in his mouth. But before the violent beast could finish its feast, something landed roughly on his top lip, snapping his mouth close a few second early. The action forced the shadowed monster to close his teeth over is tongue, causing the Doulas to squeal in pain and release the Blackheart baby. The Blackheart tribe gasped at the events, eventually following a green flash that exploded from the Doulas' lip and explode again in midair. Shadow the Hedgehog hovered momentarily in midair as he caught the baby and safely landed back on the ground with the scorpions spreading to make room. The Doulas recovered from the sharp pain and glared furiously at his attacker.
"What the Shadow Realm are you supposed to be?" The Doulas screeched, speaking with a lisp.
"Shadow, what have you done?!" Kardak exclaimed.
"What you were planning is wrong." Shadow stated firmly, handing the baby back to her joyful mother. "Do you really think offering up one life a month will solve your problems? If you continue to follow the Doulas' commands, he'll just keep asking for more until you have nothing left. The only way to deal with a problem is to face it head-on."
"But he is stronger than any of us." Skrall said pointedly. "What could you benefit from fighting something that can overpower you?"
"Look at your people." Shadow commanded, waving his hand in emphasis. "You can't take the weight of the world on your own. The fact is that you weren't able to defeat the Doulas on your own, but that was the problem from the beginning. You should realize that you are never alone." He mind momentarily drifted to his blue rival. "You will always have friends."
Skrall hummed inwardly and the Blackheart tribe looked at one another in wonderment, murmuring softly. Was Shadow right about them? The Doulas was ignoring the throbbing feeling in his tongue once realizing that the dark hedgehog was slowly breaking through the wall of fear he created. The intruder must be dealt with. The Doulas swept his tail across the floor and knocked back the villagers, but Shadow had predicted this assault and jumped skyward. While his prey was still in midair, The Doulas snapped its tongue in the direction of the jet-black hedgehog. Sensing the approaching attack, Shadow curled himself and forced the Chaos Energy from his body into a physical form.
"Chaos Barrier!!" Shadow roared.
A perfect sphere of red Chaos Energy formed around the Ultimate Life-Form, repelling the lizard beast's tongue. The simplest touch from the barrier not only protected Shadow, but it also burned the Doulas' tongue until it was rendered useless. The Doulas – his tongue hanging limply – snarled in anger and raised his claw to swipe it back down over the protected hedgehog. The touch may have burned his claw, but the Doulas had managed to shatter Shadow's barrier against the ground and pin the Ultimate Life-Form under its grip. The Doulas hissed menacingly as it lowered its head while the jet-black hedgehog struggled under the pressure of his hand.
"What did you think you would accomplish?" The Doulas snarled. "If you had stayed in line like a good little hedgehog, I would have had my meal and left you to live another day."
"What your are doing is wrong." Shadow stated sternly. "You have no sense of morality."
"Morality?!" The Doulas laughed wildly. "I am above morality – above good and evil! I am the one who determines what lives and dies in this underground pit of Shadow Realm! I control everything!"
"You only control these people through fear." Shadow proclaimed fiercely. "When they find out that their strength is greater in numbers, they will see you for what you truly are: a miserable coward hiding in a shell."
"But they'll never find out." The Doulas stated, raising his free claw. "And I will control them forever."
And with that, the Doulas stabbed his claw forward to Shadow's head, who showed no expression of fear or defeat. On the contrary, he was smiling. Without warning, Skrall the Scorpion jumped in front of the Doulas and used his own brute to stop the monster's claw from reaching its target. While the Doulas and the leader of the Blackhearts struggled for power, Skrall curled his pointed tail and stabbed the lizard beast's hand in a sharp motion. The Doulas roared painfully, retracting its claw and unknowingly freeing Shadow from his hold. The Blackheart leader lifted his tail and assisted Shadow back to his feet as the faced the heartless monster side-by-side.
"I thought you weren't going to fight something you couldn't beat." Shadow smirked.
"Don't you dare insult me." Skrall sniggered confidently. "I am Skrall of the Blackhearts, the greatest tribe in all of Areno! I will not back down to a cowardly serpent with a deceptive appearance."
"Do you not remember what happened last time?" The Doulas growled furiously. "You couldn't beat me before and you can't beat me now."
"Last time, I was foolish enough to challenge you myself." Skrall stated, resting his claw on Shadow's shoulder. "But thanks to this brave hedgehog, I realized that fighting alone is a worthless cause. I realized...my family will always be there for me."
The Doulas began to chuckle snidely at the scorpion's sentiment, which would eventually become his final mistake. As the lizard beast raised his claws to crush them, thousands of miniature explosions erupted from the ground, blinding the beast with flying debris. In his moment distraction, the entire Blackheart tribe emerged from the ground and latched themselves at every possible point of the Doulas' body until he was completely covered in scorpions. The lizard monster roared with a thunderous echo following, thrashing his body against every surface it could reach – the Blackhearts did not release their grip. And in one simultaneous motion, the sea of scorpions stabbed their tails into the Doulas' body and ejected their poison inside. Shadow and Skrall watched proudly as the Doulas wobbled in place for a few short seconds and dropped forward, showing no signs of life. The Blackhearts scurried away from the deceased terror and cheered happily at their accomplishment. Parents and children hugged each other, friends praised each other, and the mother of the would-be sacrifice cradled her baby in joy. For the first time in a while, Shadow felt as if he was back with the Sonic Heroes – he missed the old times.
"Thank you, Shadow." Skrall said gratefully.
"For what?" Shadow asked curiously.
"For giving us hope." Skrall smiled. "In the past two years alone, we have lost forty-two children to the cowardly monster because we were too blinded by our fear. But thanks to your courage and wisdom, we were able to see through the Doulas' illusion." He turned his attention to Shadow with a hint of curiosity. "Though I do wonder. Why did you help us when the Doulas was not your responsibility?"
"Maria taught me that all life is sacred." Shadow answered simplistically. "Whether big or small, everyone must be given a chance to experience the joys and pain this world has to offer."
"Master Skrall!!" Kardak exclaimed urgently. "You have to see this!!"
Skrall and Shadow glanced at one another in worry before dashing to the rest of the group. The crowd of scorpions parted to allow the two dark warriors a chance to see the back of the deceased Doulas. Prints across its spine was an enlarged version of the Greyfang's symbol, but with a large scar stretched across the face."
"What does this mean?" Shadow questioned.
"It means the Doulas was a member of the Greyfangs." Skrall explained, running his claw across the scar. "But the mark cutting across the symbol means that the Doulas was exiled from his village a long time ago."
"It would figure that the Greyfangs would produce something as evil as him." Kardak growled heatedly. "Oh, what I wouldn't give to have a chance at those sick monsters."
"The Doulas was banished from his tribe, so we can't blame them." Skrall stated sagely. "The Greyfangs might not be trustworthy, but we cannot prove that they are evil."
Meanwhile, the scene alternates to the Greyfang's village in the Silver Dunes within the confines of Gryz's clock tower. The leader of the Greyfangs sat idle in his throne of gears, tapping his fingers impatiently against the metalwork. He was waiting for something and he was not one to be kept waiting. Finally, Toxin the Basilisk emerged from the bleak darkness, dragging one of the Blackheart scorpions by his tail. Toxin tossed the unwilling creature at the foot of his master, revealing him to be the same scorpion that attempted to steal the Ocean Pearl.
"M-Master Gryz." The scorpion stuttered fearfully. "S-such an ho-oner it is t-to see…"
"My servant, the Doulas, is dead." Gryz said shortly. "He was playing his role perfectly by keeping the Blackhearts at bay until they finally turned on him. If we have not scarred his mark before he left, the Blackhearts would have traced him straight back to us." He rested his hand on his fist, glaring malevolently. "Care to explain what happened?"
"I-I was working on my mission like you asked." The scorpion explained. "But then this black hedgehog showed up and convince the tribe to turn against the Doulas. He was helpless against their sheer numbers."
"Another off-worlder!" Gryz growled dangerously, slamming his fist into the gear. "That is the third one that has interfered with our plan! All of the tribes now have an off-worlder aligned with their own village! This has gone on long enough." He snapped his head to Toxin, who stood expressionlessly. "What is the progress of your student?"
"Genocide's training is nearly complete." Toxin informed calmly. "In two more days, he will be ready to battle in the arena."
"At least there is some good news." Gryz said coolly. "The Greyfangs have been hiding in the shadows for far too long. I think it's time to set our plans into motion." He chuckled darkly. "With Genocide's information the Greyfang's strength, we will crush these…'Sonic Heroes'."
The secret war is about to begin. Will the six off-worlders be forced to meet in battle? What information could Genocide provide of the Sonic Heroes? And what plans does Gryz have prepared? Find out on the next Desert Winds!
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