Inside the Earth Cavern

Sonic and Amy held each other hand in hand as they entered the cavern and almost immediately felt a shiver down their quills as they had felt the death feeling in the cavern.

Amy: I've got a bad feeling about this.

Shadow: Don't get a cold shoulder on us now. It is just little dark that's all.

Ashtin: No this place is crawling with Scourge's monsters he made with Robotnik to make sure no one could get into his fortress.

Shadow: Well it should not be that hard since we have the chaos emeralds it should be a piece of cake.

Sonic stared angrily at Shadow due to the fact he had just told him a little while ago that he could have used them to get at the summit in much less time than they did.

Ashtin: I don't know if it was such a good idea bringing them you know since Scourge has a super form as well.

Shadow was about to make a comment when Rouge butted in.

Rouge: Can't we just stop and focus at the task at hand. Saving Knuckie.

???: I told you never to call me that.

Everyone turned around to see Knuckles limping from another corridor covered in bruises, cuts, and open wounds.

Rouge: Knuckie stop struggling to walk your going to hurt yourself.

Rouge flew to Knuckles and tended to his wounds.

Sonic: What happened to you?

Knuckles: How can I explain it? Well there was this wolf thing that is about half way through the dungeon I'd say and that thing had told me I was nothing compared to his superior himself so I tried to fight the damn thing but it was too fast for me to hurt and gave me a good beating.

Sonic: Too fast for you means it is as fast as a snail.

Sonic then snickered as Knuckles face turned red in anger.

Knuckles: Laugh it up and you'll have your ass ripped right off by it.

Then Sonic realized his dream and started a cold icy sweat.

Knuckles: What is your problem?

Sonic: Oh nothing hey Amy can I talk to you in private for a moment?

Amy and Sonic left the cavern to outside for a moment.

Amy: What's wrong?

Sonic: This thing that Knuckles has described sounds just like the thing I dreamt about.

Amy: I hope it is not but either way we should be careful right?

Sonic: Yeah thanks Amy.

Amy gave a little smile and gave him a little peek on the cheek.

Amy: I will always help if you need.

Sonic: I will keep that in mind. Come on lets get back with the others.

Amy nodded in agreement and they both returned to the caverns to see that Shadow was missing.

Sonic: Hey where is faker?

Amy: Sonic.

Sonic: What?

Amy: Don't call him that.

Sonic: But he is not here.

Amy: Still.

Sonic: Okay sorry.

Ashtin: Shadow went to the first chamber to make sure it is all clear.

Shadow from the next chamber down: Aggh I could use some help here.

Ashtin: We are on our way!! Rouge you look after Knuckles he is too injured to fight right now.

Rouge: Ok.

Knuckles: I am not too injured. I can still... AGGH

Rouge had given Knuckles a quick karate chop to knock him out cold before he could try to get up.

Rouge: I will take him back down to the inn. You guys be careful now okay.

Sonic: Don't worry about us.

Rouge then nodded and carried Knuckles out of the caverns as Ashtin, Sonic, and Amy ran down into the next chamber to help out Shadow.

Shadow was surrounded by what looked like large snails that were on fire that spit out fireballs at him. He managed to defeat 3 but there were still 12 left and he had run out of ideas.

Sonic: Shadow hold on.

Sonic started to ready a spin dash.

Shadow: No don't!

But it was too late Sonic blasted at the snails at hypersonic speed but as he collided with one of them he flew out of his spin dash and landed on the ground covered in small burns.

Shadow: You idiot I all ready tried that.

Sonic: Well you could have told me pal before I did it. So how did you kill them?

Shadow turned around toward the snails to explain but before he could get out a word they all we dead. Amy and Ashtin had killed them while Sonic and Shadow were arguing with each other.

Ashtin: You guys certainly don't know how to mind your surroundings huh?

Amy: That is a bit much Ashtin but they do argue with each other like brothers.

Shadow and Sonic looked berserk at Amy's comment but calmed down so they would not start anymore trouble.

Shadow: Well if that was the first chamber then this is going to be fun.

Sonic: Yeah this will be better than fighting those annoying robots. I am going to enjoy this.

Amy sighed but she nodded and Ashtin snickered at their responses.

Shadow's POV

Shadow:(I am the ultimate life form yet this place has a stench of a smell that even makes me quiver. If it was not for Ashtin and Amy we probably would not be as far as we are now. I cannot help but get the feeling that there is a secret here that I don't believe I will find out on my own.)

Other POV

The Second Chamber of the Cavern was the largest room anyone has ever seen. The chamber was about 587 feet long and over 4 stories high. There were 8 different chambers that connected to this room and it was pretty obvious that the team would spend all out of time in this chamber just trying to figure out how to get to the next chamber they needed. The bats were hanging at the top and there were so many you could not even see the ceiling itself.

Ashtin: We better avoid the upper levels for now and stay quite or else we would be in some major trouble.

The party looked around and spotted two different passages leading out of the chamber at the ground level.

Shadow: We should split up me and Ashtin will take the left chamber while you and Amy take the right.

Sonic: Nodded his head in complete agreement knowing that if they fought more of those fire slugs that they would need at least either Amy or Ashtin to take care of them.

The party split up and both entered their chamber of choice.

Shadow and Ashtin

The chamber that they had entered had a large lake that had formed over thousands of years of dripping water. On the other side was the entrance to the next chamber but the only thing stopping them from running across the lake was that there was a large metal axe that swung left to right at a fast pace. They would have to time their runs perfectly in order to get across because they each knew that the other could not swim.

Shadow: I will go first.

Ashtin was a bit shocked that he wanted to go first but he stepped back letting Shadow have enough room to get enough speed to run across the lake. After a few seconds of preparing his run Shadow blasted at full speed across the lake making sure not to collide with the axe and be decapitated. As he neared the axe Shadow slowed down a tad bit but not enough to lose his foothold on the water. Success Shadow just barely avoided the razor sharp axe blade and soared to the next passage to stop for Ashtin. Ashtin did not have as good of luck as Shadow for he was about to collide with the axe so he had no other choice but to jump from there to the ledge were Shadow was which was about 41 yards away. Once he jumped he knew he would be short by a yard or two and was about to collide with the water when Shadow caught Ashtin just barely and was able to pull him to safety.

Shadow: Your reckless you know that?

Ashtin: (gasping for breath) Yeah well your not much different.

They both snickered and followed the passage to their next challenge.

Sonic and Amy

Other POV

Sonic and Amy had entered their chamber and almost immediately they were ambushed by a large lizard that had armor plating around it. Its speed was so unpredictable that it grabbed Sonic with its jaw with such incredible speed Sonic just barely dodged it but it was able to change its direction at the last moment toward Amy. Luckily Amy was ready and gave the lizard a good whack with her hammer and sent it flying to the other side of the chamber. At impact the monster was dazed and some of its armor came off. Then it recovered and its speed nearly doubled and was able to grabbed Sonic with its jaws and started to crush him.

Sonic: Aggh

Sonic's body was steadily being crushed together by the force of the bite and even though he tried to punch the lizard's eyes to blind it he could not lift his arms enough to put enough force to even inflict any damage. However lucky for Sonic Amy rushed toward the lizard and crushed it with one good strike on the head with an incredible force that smashed it's skull.

Amy: Are you alright Sonic?

Sonic: Yeah I am just fine thanks Amy.

Sonic gave Amy a quick peck on the cheek and Amy giggled with embarrassment.

Amy: Anytime Sonic.

Amy then returned the quick peck with a serious kiss to Sonic and he was a bit surprised by this but returned the kiss almost immediately. Finally after about 30 seconds they finally broke.

Sonic: We better get going.

Amy nodded in agreement as the headed down the next passage.

Shadow and Ashtin

Shadow: This could be a problem.

The next chamber that Shadow and Ashtin entered was filled with small beasts with small razor sharp teeth. Although they were weak alone together they could eat Ashtin and Shadow alive in a few seconds but luckily they were all asleep.

Ashtin:(whispering) Shadow we need to get around them as quietly as possible or else we are going to be their next meal.

Shadow nodded his head in agreement and looked around the chamber. There were a few gaps around the chamber where there were no small creatures laying down but the problem was that the chamber was so large it would be extremely difficult to not wake them all up and go to an early grave.

Shadow: Just watch your step.

Shadow and Ashtin were slowly creeping along the chamber through the beast's nest doing their best not to wake them. A few times they nearly did but the beast simply turned over and continued sleeping. Finally after about 20 minutes of creeping along they were finally at the exit of the chamber.

Shadow: Finally!

Ashtin: Shut up if you...

But it was too late Shadow had awoken the leader of the nest and it made a loud shrilling sound and suddenly all the beasts were wide awake and pissed off that they were awaken.

Shadow: I suggest we...

Ashtin: RUN!!!!

Shadow and Ashtin bolted don the small passage as a flood of the creatures were submerging the path behind them. The pack was very fast and was slowly gaining ground on Shadow and Ashtin.

Ashtin: Let's hope we can lose these things in the next chamber huh?

Shadow nodded and was obviously shaking violently and the shrieking sound that the pack was making behind them.

Ashtin: There a platform.

Shadow and Ashtin were fleeing the swarm of monsters when they saw the next chamber. A floating platform surrounded by lava.

Shadow: Are you crazy? We will never make it.

Ashtin: It is either that or eaten alive.

Shadow closed his mouth and was nervous as the approached the end of the passage.

Ashtin: JUMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ashtin and Shadow leaped high in the air and was flying for a few seconds. They were a bit short of the platform but they were able to grab hold of the edge just barely. After they caught themselves they looked back and saw the swarm fall in to the sea of fire and were burned alive. They both pulled themselves up and lay on the ground huffing and puffing.

Ashtin: If you ever do that again I will break your legs.

Shadow: If you ever suggest going left again I will break your neck.

After a few minutes they stood up and looked at their surroundings. There was only 2 ways out the way they came and a closed off one. Suddenly there was a rumble from the lava and a large dragon emerged from the fiery depths.

Shadow: Oh fantastic just when we lose one problem another pops right up.

Ashtin: Why?

Shadow: Hey the Chaos Emeralds are gone!

Ashtin: What did you drop them you dumbass?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Shadow: No but someone must have taken them but who?

Ashtin: Well looks like we don't have time to find out now.