Chapter ten
In Hell…
"Six…seven…eight…" The demon king counted as he watched his son being lashed in his back by one of his minions, using a spiked whip.
Shadow had his eyes closed tightly and his teeth gritted together, refusing to scream out in pain. His blood poured down his back and dripped onto the stone floor he was standing on. His wrists were cuffed and a long chain dangled down from the ceiling, making Shadows arms pull upwards above his head in an uncomfortable way. His wings were made to stretch out and curl around his front slightly, making his back fully exposed.
"Nine…ten…eleven…twelve…" The demon king continued, chuckling to himself at Shadows pained expressions.
Tears were forming in the corners of Shadow tightly closed eyes as the pain increased and the lashed came down harder.
"Thirteen…fourteen…fifteen…sixteen…"
Shadow was breathing heavily now and sweating from the intensity of the lashes and pain. He could feel large open wounds where the whip had hit the same area a few times and it stung. He could imagine if he saw his back, he would more than likely see his spine in some places and his back soaked in his blood.
"Seventeen…eighteen…nineteen…"
Shadow breathed out a sigh as the lashes stopped. He suddenly screamed out loudly with opened eyes as one more hit his back, hard.
"Twenty…There all done, get him down and send him to his room. Tomorrow my son you will be in for a big surprise." The king of all demons ordered with an amused smirk then left the stone chamber with a dark chuckle.
Shadow was un-cuffed and he collapsed to the ground on his knees. His wings were untied and he was dragged to his feet and back to his room. Shadow was pushed inside, where he fell to the floor face down and the door slammed shut but left unlocked. Shadow struggled to his knees then his feet. He slowly moved to the bed with pain shooting throughout his back then sat on the edge.
"Why wasn't my door locked?" Shadow thought as he closed his eyes and moved his head to face down to the floor, trying his best to ignore the stings from the lashes done.
His answer soon came when his door was opened and his father walked in, closing it up behind him. The demon king stood in front of Shadow and gently lifted Shadows head up to look at him. Shadow opened his eyes and a sorry look was displayed in them as well as the pain he felt.
"Now son, I don't think I need to stress to you to behave and do as I say but I will say this. You step out of line, even once then it's going to be more than twenty lashes, do you understand me Shadow?" The demon king warned with slightly narrowed eyes and a firm tone.
"Yes father I understand, you will have no trouble from me, not once." Shadow whispered in a slightly serious tone.
"Good, now rest up. Tomorrow is a very big day." The demon king smirked then left his sons room, leaving the door open ajar.
Shadow sighed and slowly moved backwards to lay down. He painfully laid down and hissed as his back screamed out in agony. Blood soon spoiled the bed sheets underneath but Shadow didn't care. He closed his eyes and fell into a dreamless slumber.
Sonics house, the morning after…
"Thanks for letting us all stay." Tails smiled as the family and friends sat up the table, with the spare chairs added, eating breakfast.
The angels and Mr Tailor went back to Nancy's for the night. They was using that as a little base for storing the ingredients and going through the ritual and incantation.
"It's quite alright, with school now closed I suppose you kids have extra half term holiday." Bernadette replied with a smile.
"Yeah and I never got to see my crystal grow." Rouge sighed a little sadly.
"I'll get that." Bernadette smiled as the home phone rang.
She got up and walked to the living room and answered the phone.
"Hello Hedgehog residence, this is Bernadette speaking." She politely called with a smile.
"Hello Bernadette it's Nancy, are you free to talk in person?" Nancy replied with a sad tone.
"Of course I am…I'll be right over." Bernadette said with a small concerned frown.
"No the guys are busy here, can we go to the café down in the village square?" Nancy asked with a hopeful tone.
"Ok, I'll meet you there, bye." Bernadette said then hung the phone up.
In hell…
Shadow slowly opened his eyes and sat up. His bed sheets had dried blood soaked in them but he was now completely healed. He moved to the edge of his bed and stood up with a small stretch of his muscles. His noticed his door was open by a crack and he cautiously walked over. He opened it and poked his head out curiously.
"Should I leave or does father want me in here until he comes for me?" Shadow thought as he pulled his head back in and opened the door fully.
"Maybe I should wait for a few more minutes." Shadow whispered to himself, feeling very unsure what to do to avoid the whip.
After five minutes Shadow plucked up the courage to walk out of his room and down the hallways of the palace. He slowly turned a corner and bumped into Jazz. They locked eyes and Jazz narrowed his with a hateful growl.
"Why isn't it the little bitch I owe a pounding to." Jazz spat out as he grinned sinisterly.
"Oh look it's the weakling who got burned by a mere energy ball. How's that chest doing runt." Shadow chuckled darkly as he smirked.
"Why you little…" Jazz said as he went to grab Shadow but paused in his movements when he heard a dangerous yet very dominant voice hit his ears.
"Jazz, enough of this and leave my son alone." The demon king growled as he stood behind Jazz.
"Yes my Lord, my apologies." Jazz turned around and bowed as he spoke.
"You are dismissed, now leave here." The demon king frowned deeply as he waved his hand giving it a few gently flicks to dismiss the demon.
Jazz nodded, glared hatefully at Shadow then vanished from the palace. The two left in the hallway locked eyes briefly then the demon king turned around and started to walk away.
"Come my son, this way." The king called, making Shadow follow him.
Shadow reached his side and both walked together to the front entrance of the large stone palace. Shadow was starting to feel a little nervous as they walked away and towards the pits of hell. The demon king motioned Shadow to stop and he pointed over to the bottomless pit.
"I trust you haven't forgotten you time down there." The king grinned as he looked at his sons fearful wide eyes then dropping his hand to his side.
"N-no father, I will never forget." Shadow replied in a slightly scared tone as he stared at the pit in the ground.
"Well how about making that memory stronger…grab him!" The king chuckled then called out to his guards.
Two large creatures grabbed Shadow and held him tightly. Shadow tried to get free but the grip on him was too strong. Total fear washed over him when the cage came into his view and all possible eape plans vanished as fear was becoming overwhelming.
"No…please father, don't put me down there again." Shadow begged as he once again started to struggle withing the tight hold.
"Beg again." The king sinisterly smirked as he grabbed a hold of his sons chin o make him stop all movements.
"Please don't do it father, please. I'll do anything you say, I'll do anything just please don't put me down there again." Shadow cried out with tears of panic and fear falling down his cheeks.
"Mmmm…tough, put him in the cage." The king gave a toothy smirk and roughly let go of Shadows chin.
"NO…PLEASE DON'T DO IT. I SWEAR I'LL BE GOOD. NO!" Shadow panicked loudly as he struggled to break free.
He was pushed into the cage and the door slammed locked. Shadow gripped the small bars and looked at his chuckling father. Begging with his tear filled eyes to be released but they were answered with a hand signalling to lift the cage up into the air after being attached to the ten mile long chain. Shadows heart was pounding in his chest as he was descended into the pit and lowered until there was nothing but darkness, eight miles down.
"I reckon three weeks down there will break you once again my son." The king seriously said to himself with a frown then walked away back to his palace after stationing two guards to stand watch.
At the café in the village square…
"Thank you for coming to talk to me Bernadette." Nancy sadly said as she watched the other take a seat opposite her.
"What are friends for…so what's on your mind?" Bernadette smiled sincerely as she replied.
"I…I can't take it, he's down there having who knows what done to him…it's breaking my heart. I know I was never meant to get attached to him but when you raise someone from a babe and watch them grow, how can you not?" Nancy said with tears in her eyes.
"I can't imagine what you are going through but we will get him back. I promise you we will." Bernadette seriously said as she laid her hands over Nancy's in an assuring way.
"Thank you, I just can't stop thinking about him…you should have seen him as a child, he was so curious." Nancy lightly laughed at the memories, trying to think of something else instead of hell.
"Now that I can imagine, children can do the funniest things when they are young." Bernadette laughed a little as she spoke.
"Aren't they just, I caught Shadow trying to eat a bug when he was three, you should have seen the panic when I caught him." Nancy giggled as she saw the memory play in her mind.
"I caught Sonic with a pair of scissors cutting his sisters dolls hair, he said he was playing hairdressers and they looked better than before…They were all half bald when I caught him." Bernadette rolled her eyes a little.
Back at the Hedgehog residence…
"How long is mum going to be, she's been gone for two hours." Amy sighed, she had something important to ask her in the form of a sleepover at her friends house.
Amy would ask her dad but her mum would more than likely say yes straight away, without asking a billion questions like her dad would.
"Who knows, another hour maybe." Jules answered with a shrug as he prepared lunch.
Tails, Rouge and Knuckles all had to go home. They didn't want to but Alfred had said he will call them when something comes up. Sonic was laying on his bed looking up at his ceiling with a sad look. He hated what was happening and wondered if he had just denied his feelings, maybe Shadow would still be here.
"I'm so sorry." Sonic thought as he rolled to curl up on his side.
(Hope you enjoyed this chap and yeah 'm just so evil, having Shadow put back in the pit of hell, yep evil. Please tell me your thoughts by reviwing and next chap will be up soon...)
