I have no idea what possessed me to make Shadow the way he is but when I look back, I'm glad I did. Here's to Chap 25: Pyramid!

Enjoy!

When I arrived at the Pyramid I was surprised to find a man. He was leaving with a scared expression on his face.

"Are you okay?"

"Don't go into the Pyramid!" he warned. "There are traps…everywhere! Big ones…small ones… Traps that respond to sound… Its horrible!" He ran off screaming.

If I had a dollar for every crazy person I've met…

I entered the Pyramid to find it empty. A staircase led to a room above. The only thing out of place was a portal to Dark Space.

Odd… Having nothing else to do, I entered the portal.

"Hello, Young Will."

I ignored her. By this time the greeting routine was old hat. I looked to where Freedan's statue used to be. In its place was empty darkness which is how I felt just then. Freedan…

"Do not mourn for your friend," said Gaia. "It is not as if he is no longer with us."

Yeah right… That's when I noticed the new statue. Freedan had said I'd meet someone more powerful than him that would help me but this guy wasn't what I expected.

It looked like his body was enshrouded in flames. Like he didn't have a definite physical form.

"Freaky…"

"That is Shadow," explained Gaia. "He is the Ultimate Warrior and the only one capable of defeating the Comet."

"Then why do you need me?" I asked slightly upset. "Why don't you have him destroy it?"

"You will understand in time." was all she said.

"Whatever…" I approached the statue. Freedan told me to trust him but-

He did, did he? said a voice.

I stared up at the statue. You're Shadow?

Who else would I be?

He sounded cocky, like he was better than everyone else. I glared at him, already disliking him. So what's your story?

I am made from the light of a comet, the Ultimate Warrior. he said. My body, which has no shape, appears only when the human consciousness evolves. The comet that approaches Earth is also a consciousness without form.

Okay… What does that have to do with me? I asked.

Didn't Gaia tell you? My body is the only thing that can confront the comet and bring it to an end. he said.

Oh yeah, this guy was full of himself.

Close your eyes.

No, wait! I fought the gradual unconsciousness but he was too powerful. "Dammit…"

X

Shadow stretched and flexed his fingers. "Ah! To be alive again!" He turned to Gaia. "Greetings, Gaia the Eternal. Good to see you're the same as ever…"

She watched him carefully. "Hello to you too, Shadow. I trust you are well?"

"As well as I can be, what with being sealed away every 800 years… So this kid is the next chosen?"

"That kid is named Will," she said seriously. "Don't break him, Shadow."

He laughed. "Is Mother Gaia getting attached to her little tool? I'm surprised at you!"

She glared at him slightly, "A Mystic Statute-"

"Is in this place somewhere." he finished. "I know the drill." He bowed slightly, "And now if you'll excuse me…" He turned his back on her and left.

"Gaia Gaia Gaia… You never change…"

Hey! yelled Will pissed. Give me back my body!

Shadow rolled his eyes. "Here we go again…" And what exactly were you planning on doing? If you hadn't noticed, much of the Pyramid is underground. And unless you're a mole, which I doubt, you'll leave this to me.

And what exactly are you going to do, hmm? challenged Will.

"Amateur…" Shadow stood in the center of the room then started to dissolve. He lowly sunk through the floor to the room below. Understand now, kid? I don't need you.

Well I don't need You! he yelled back. Now change back, now!

Nope. You see, unlike your pal Freedan, I Have a spine. I'm not just going to roll over and do what everyone tells me to.

Don't you Ever talk about Freedan that way!

Shadow laughed. You are so amusing! Why…I haven't had this much fun in Years!

Shut up!

He laughed some more. Now why don't you take a nap or something? I plan to enjoy myself for as long as I can…

Shadow!

He tuned him out. Ignoring the Dark Space portal, Shadow entered one of the six rooms. "Show time!"

Will hated to admit it but Shadow was definitely stronger than Freedan. He easily killed several mummified creatures, including their spirits, and multiple energy orbs.

Shadow laughed, "Come on! 800 years and you're still weak? What's the deal?"

After defeating all the demons, Shadow found himself at a dead end.

What's the matter? Stuck already? asked Will.

I thought I told you to shut up. Looking around he spotted a hidden staircase in one of the mummy holes in the wall. See? I have it under control.

At the bottom of the staircase he came across a humanoid bird like creature carrying a spear and shield.

"Well that's new…" He grinned as he dodged the enemy's thrust. "New but rusty." He quickly countered and eliminated it easily. Next!

Shadow entered another room full of demons and eliminated them one by one. The path ended in a small room. At the top of some stairs a hieroglyphic was embedded in the wall.

Hey! That looks like the picture in my father's journal!

Your father, eh? He an explorer? asked Shadow.

Will debated on whether to tell him or not. Finally he said, Yes. He explored this Pyramid once.

Heh, so you're not a complete newbie…

Hey!

Shadow took the hieroglyphic and headed back to the main room.

So…Will…you up to it? he asked.

Up to what?

Destroying the comet and changing the world forever. Will hesitated. Because if you're not…we're in for some problems. I wont tolerate anything less than 100 percent dedication to the mission.

I have to admit, he said finally, I only just learned about the true meaning behind all this and I'm not sure I like it but…

But?

Freedan believed I could do this and I trust him.

Shadow sighed. "Its always about Freedan…" Listen Will, its not about what He wants. You have to be dedicated to this for You. Understand?

Not really.

Well you better or else this world is doomed.

He cut him off again and entered another door. A long staircase led to a couple enemies and a dead end. Sensing another floor beneath him, Shadow quickly melted and descended to the next floor.

After some more exploring, he came across another hieroglyphic.

Say, how many of these are there? asked Shadow.

What? The Ultimate Warrior is asking for help? said Will mockingly.

Just answer the question!

There were six in my father's journal so-

Six there is then.

Shadow backtracked and was about to enter the next door when he stopped.

What's the matter? asked Will. Lose your nerve?

No… he paused. I'm sensing something unfamiliar… An…incline?

Incline! That's where I come in! said Will excitedly. Change back!

Shadow glowered at the thought.

Come on! You have to! We're supposed to be a team, right?

Supposed to.

Then change back! Now! he added more forcefully.

Fine. Regrettably, Shadow entered the Dark Space.

"Shadow, back so soon?" asked Gaia surprised.

"Really, Gaia, I'm hurt," he said sarcastically. "You act as if you don't want me here."

"You know as well as I that I never said that."

"Whatever… We all know that Freedan's your favorite." He sighed dramatically, "I suppose I should go since no one wants me around… Don't worry though," he added before losing consciousness, "I'll be back…"

X

"Finally!" I was relieved to be in control again. Its not that I didn't like Shadow, its just…he was a lot to deal with.

"I hope you are well?" asked Gaia.

"As well as I can be after dealing with that guy." I pointed at Shadow's statue. "What's the deal with him anyway? He's nothing like Freedan…"

"No… And he'd be very happy to hear you say that. " Seeing the confused look on my face she said, "Freedan and Shadow don't exactly see eye to eye. While Freedan has accepted his destiny to guide the chosen one, Shadow has some issues…"

"You can say that again…" I said dryly.

"You see, Shadow is so powerful that he can only be active for a limited amount of time. Otherwise he could lose control and go berserk. I believe, in a way, he is jealous of Freedan…"

"Why? They're both stuck here either way."

"Yes, but Freedan does not have to be sealed indefinitely."

I paused, going over her words in my head. Sealed indefinitely? That sounds horrible…

"In any case," she said, "You should be on your way."

"Yeah, I guess…" I took one last look at Shadow's statue and left.

Now that I was in control I could do things at my own pace. I entered the room Shadow had left and continued. I came across some opposition, mainly a hoard of mummies, but after watching Shadow I knew how to kill them easily.

Eventually I came upon the incline that Shadow had sensed. How do you even 'sense' an incline anyway? Moving on…

Before I could make it to the incline I had to get past a small booby trap. Small? Yeah right.

I took a step back and gulped. Above me, a section of the ceiling was covered in spikes. It moved up and down so I had to time myself just right.

Here goes! I gathered energy and when the ceiling rose I moved. "Spin Dash!"

I flew right underneath the spiked ceiling and up the incline. I had to remember to stop myself before I splattered against the wall. Phew… Still not used to that…

The next room was even worse. Multiple parts of the ceiling rained down and there were few places to rest in-between.

I'm only going to get one shot at this… Closing my eyes, I started to spin. "Spin Dash!"

I hurtled forward, unable to stop myself. I held my breath as a spiked ceiling barely missed me. When I stopped spinning I was on the other side. I had made it.

A door in front of me led to another room with another hieroglyphic.

"Three down, three to go!"

After I had backtracked to the main room I entered a fourth door. I used a spin dash to hurl myself to the other side of the room and quickly eliminated two orbs. In the next room I used my ability to go down one incline and up another. At the top a bird demon waited for me.

I attacked and was quickly countered as he blocked with his shield and made a quick thrust with his spear. I backed off, storing energy, and went in for the final blow. "Psycho Dash!"

The creature didn't even know what hit him.

In the end I found the fourth hieroglyphic and exited. As I was exploring the fifth room, I came across a dead end.

"Okay… Now what?" I looked around for a hidden passage but found nothing. As a last resort I checked the floor. I groaned. Through a crack I could see another room below. Looks like I need Shadow's help again… Dammit… I know Freedan told me to trust him but…

I sighed, entering Dark Space.

"Hello-"

"Young Will…" I finished. "I know…"

She looked at me slightly hurt. "What is it you need?"

I walked to Shadow's Statue. "To change…" Before I spoke with him I asked, "Can I trust this guy, Gaia? Really?"

She hesitated before saying, "He's unstable, that's for sure. But a more reliable companion you will not find. I think he believes in his cause more so than Freedan does."

Yeah right… I turned to the statue. Hey-

Come back for more I see…

Yeah…

Well then, what are you waiting for? he asked impatiently.

I groaned and kneeled down. "Here we go again…"

Yeah, I split the Pyramid cuz it was Way too long, lol. Besides, you-know-who shows up next. No, not Voldemort…lol

Till next Chap!