CHAPTER 37
BECOMING THE DEVIL
As Rouge's lifeless body laid there on the ground surrounded in a pool of her own blood, an evil laughter came from the dark hedgehog.
Tears streamed down Charmy's face as he stared at Rouge's body. "I can't believe it…I can't believe he got her…"
Tonya couldn't take her eyes away from the horrific sight of the bat woman. "God no…Rouge…"
"Now do you see?" The hedgehog exclaimed in triumph. "Do you see what I'm capable of? Not you or anyone else can stop me!"
"We'll see about that!" Espio pulled the trigger to his gun and stared firing at him. He saw Shadow getting shot with the bullets. Even though the bullets pierced his flesh, it didn't seem to harm him or even slow him.
Shadow charged at the chameleon with a dark blue aura surrounding his hands. "Is that all you got?"
Espio watched as a blast of dark energy had shot him in the arm making him fall to the ground.
Before Shadow could finish him, Vector stood in between them and sent a powerful punch to the face knocking him back. "I won't let you take anyone else's life!"
The hedgehog wiped some of the blood from his mouth as he gave the crocodile a hateful glare. "We'll see about that, you old bastard!"
While Vector was distracting Shadow, Tonya tried to quietly sneak over to grab the talisman that was laying on the ground.
When Shadow spun around, he saw her reaching for the talisman. "I don't think so!" He shot another blast of energy at the cat woman.
The blast had hit her in the side of her stomach. She fell to the ground and held her bleeding side in pain.
While everyone was distracting Shadow, Knuckles scurried over to Rouge's body. He kneeled down next to her and held her cold body close to his. Tears dripped from his face as he held her. "Rouge", he sobbed softly. He felt terrible from the fact that he felt like he wasn't strong enough to protect her and he felt even worse for treating her so wrong in the past. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…"
With the detectives on the ground injured and barely able to keep fighting, Shadow picked the talisman off of the ground. He held it up towards the full white moon, "Fools! With this talisman, I shall have ultimate power and immortality! Say goodbye to your precious city and loved ones! Hell and this shit hole of a planet will finally belong to me!"
As everyone saw Shadow holding the talisman they thought it was finally over. They began to lose hope and think that Shadow had won.
Before Shadow could do anything else, a blinding bright yellow light had practically lit up the entire rooftop. "What the?" He looked harder through the light until he saw a familiar figure hovering above the group. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the sight of a young orange echidna woman wearing tribal like clothing. Her appearance seemed so angelic. "No…", he murmured. "It can't be…I…I killed you!"
Everyone's jaw dropped at the unbelievable sight of the woman as well.
Tears swelled in Tonya's eyes as she stared at the woman in happiness. "…Tikal?"
The echidna woman's eyes were fixed upon the hedgehog. "You're nothing but pure evil and full of hatred. You have no heart or soul."
"…What's it to you?"
"You have no idea what it's like to love or to be loved! Evil beings like you have no place here!" Suddenly a yellow aura that took the shape of a bow and arrow was placed in her hands. "I finally remember what my purpose was for being here…and that's to vanquish demons like you!"
Before Shadow could move, his wrists and legs were restrained by a binding light that surrounded his body. "What the hell is this?" He looked back up at the echidna and saw her aiming the bow and arrow towards him.
"Stay where you reside, demon! In the deepest pits of Hell!"
When she shot the arrow, it pierced him through the chest.
As the arrow pierced him, he let out an agonizing cry full of pain. "No!"
Everyone watched as a huge black aura escape out of the hedgehog's body and faded into the night sky. They then watched Shadow's body collapse to the cold ground.
"Shadow!" Espio exclaimed in worry.
"It's the darkness…" Vector murmured. He directed his attention away as he heard Tikal speak out to them.
Tears streamed down the cheeks of her face as she turned to the group of detectives. "My soul is free and I am finally able to rest…"
"Tikal", Tonya spoke with tears dripping down her face. "What are you saying? Stay with us! Please!" She suddenly saw the blinding radiant light starting to fade and Tikal was as well. "Tikal!" She called out her name but Tikal had disappeared along with her soft and angelic voice.
"…Thank you…" As she faded, light snow began to float from the sky.
With his body being so weak and eyes barely open, Shadow couldn't take his tired eyes away from the lifeless body of the woman he had cared for the most. Despite the condition of his body, he weakly tried to reach out to her. "R-Rouge…"
A disgusted look had formed on Knuckles' face as he witnessed the hedgehog still being alive. He coldly looked away from him and held Rouge closer to his body.
With him running out of energy by the second, he began to almost pass out until Vector quickly ran over to him and held his weak body in his arms.
The weak hedgehog looked up at Vector who didn't look like he was in the best condition either. He felt so guilty about what he had done to him, he could barely look him in the eyes. "V-Vector…I…"
"Don't talk", he spoke in a soft tone. "Everything's going to be okay, Shad."
Espio ran over to Rouge who was in Knuckles' care and observed the condition her body was in.
Shadow felt like he could no longer keep his eyes open. Everything faded to black as he faintly heard Espio's voice.
"She's still breathing! Get her to a hospital! Her and Shadow! Now!"
Author's Note: Well here it is! The last chapter is next! It's been one hell of a ride but it all ends here!
In The Next Chapter...
Rouge: Shadow...is he?
Knuckles: You're relieved? Have you forgotten how he hurt you?
Espio: You need to calm down right now!
Rouge: You can't do this to us!
Shadow: This is for the best...I'm sorry...