Chapter 36: A New Dark Lord
Gandalf had to come up with something fast, before he ran out of energy. Nothing would be able to stop him if he became the next Dark Lord. The wizard closed his eyes and said a spell, casting it at the Nazgul. Shadow growled and moved to avoid it.
The Nazgul charged up his own magic. Gandalf saw what the Nazgul was planning and started thinking of a way to counter it. He put a shield around his body, hoping that the spells Shadow cast would not harm him. The Nazgul shrieked and used his ring to increase his evil magic. As he held his shield around him, Gandalf wondered if trying to talk to the Nazgul would do any good.
"Shadow, please! This darkness is corrupting you! We need you to come back!"
Shadow paused for a moment before launching into another set of attacks.
Gandalf sighed and spoke again. "Would Sonic want you to do this?" he asked. Gandalf knew it was a little low to bring Sonic into it, but he couldn't think of anything else.
The Nazgul paused and hesitated, then hung his head and replied. "No, he wouldn't."
"Then why are you doing this? Is it because Melkor promised you power to bring him back? Think about Shadic!"
"I am thinking about Shadic," Shadow snapped. "He needs his mother as much as he needs me. Without Sonic, our lives won't be complete."
"But this isn't the way!" Gandalf exclaimed. "If you become evil, you will only make things worse for them."
The Nazgul glared at him angrily. "There is no other way. For Shadic to have the life he deserves, I have to do this."
Gandalf sighed. He tried to reason with Shadow, but it proved futile. Melkor chuckled and spoke.
"It's too late, wizard," Melkor said. "Shadow has made his choice, and nothing can stop him."
Gandalf's eyes widened. Suddenly, a bright light shone and Sonic's ghost appeared. He looked at Shadow, tears in his eyes. "Shadow, please...it's not to late. You have to fight it. What will Shadic do with no parents? If you continue down this path, that is what will happen!"
Shadow looked at Sonic when he heard the other's voice. "Sonic...I can't do it without you."
Sonic looked at his partner. "What do you mean?"
Shadow shook his head. "I can't properly care for Shadic without you. He needs both his parents."
"I can't, Shadow! I'm dead; I don't belong in the world of the living anymore! I can only come here if you summon me! Besides if you become a Dark Lord, you won't see Shadic! What happened to the man I knew and loved?"
Shadow looked as though Sonic's words had slapped him. "I'm right here, Sonic! I'm still myself."
Sonic turned away. "Shadow...you're evil now, and I can't follow down that path. I love you. If you become the next Dark Lord...you'll be corrupted forever!"
Shadow looked at the ghost. He could tell that Sonic was truly heartbroken. He hated seeing Sonic like that. Shadow closed his eyes as he thought over everything that had been happening. Melkor wanted him to become the next Dark Lord. Sonic told him he'd never be able to see those he cared about again. Sonic and Shadic were everything to him.
He sighed; Sonic was right. Before he could speak, though, Melkor interrupted. "This is all very touching," he sneered. "But unnecessary. Shadow, cast him back into the Void forever!"
Shadow's eyes widened. He closed his eyes, hearing what Melkor said, and was instantly filled with rage and hatred at those words. Turning, he thrust his sword into the Dark Lord's chest. Melkor gasped and sneered, then began to laugh in triumph, falling to the ground, dead.
Sonic gasped. "Shadow...what...what have you done?"
Shadow stared at the body lying before him.
"I killed him," he told Sonic. "He wanted me to kill you and..."
He was instantly filled with remorse for his actions. Shadow looked at Sonic, his head lowered in shame. Suddenly, the ring on his finger activated, glowing brightly. A dark aura surrounded Melkor and then flew into Shadow's body, causing him to yell and scream in pain. He looked at Sonic.
"I'm sorry," he said. Shadow wanted to reach out to Sonic, but the pain wouldn't allow it. Shadow squeezed his eyes shut as the pain continued.
The glow intensified as it bathed Shadow in a red light, and the dark aura continued to flow into his body. Shadow fought to keep his mind as he felt the darkness trying to take control.
"Can't I have my own mind?" Shadow snarled through the pain.
Soon, his mind broke as darkness flooded his body, taking control. Shadow looked around once the darkness had taken control. The glow died down, and everyone gasped. Shadow had grown taller. Pitch black armor surrounded his body, and his eyes were pure red.
"S...Shadow?" Sonic asked, afraid.
The new Dark Lord looked around and laughed evilly. Nothing would be able to stop him from conquering all of Middle-Earth. His sword appeared in his hand as he decided what to take care of first. Sonic gasped in fear as he witnessed Shadow's transformation. The Dark Lord moved forwards, creating a presence that was more evil that both Melkor and Sauron.
Gandalf sighed. Shadow had turned down the path of evil, and had thus made it much harder to save Middle-Earth. The Dark Lord smirked and looked around. He would not start now. Shadow would wait, bide his time, until everything was ready. Soon, he would return. He teleported out of the area to make his plans elsewhere.