Chapter 38: Powerful Sacrifice

All was chaotic. The emeralds spun faster and they could all feel the power building up. Who knew what would happen when it reached it's peak. Would everything be destroyed? Would Breeze be destroyed?

Tails was worried about these pressing questions. He looked up at where Breeze was from the place he had braced himself against the ship. Maybe if he could reach into the mass of wind and light he could grab Breeze and pull her back to him. If she saw him and felt his presence maybe she could let the power go. She needed him again and he couldn't let her down! He had to find a way to save her, he couldn't let her go. He couldn't believe in the things he had thought back when Eggman had taken her from him. He had to believe in his promise…it was now or never.

Tails spun his propeller like tails into quick motion and flew up through the chaos towards Breeze. He knew Sonic was probably calling him back, he knew they were all desperately trying to stop him in any way they could, but he also knew he couldn't listen to them. There was no other way, and if he ended up getting injured, or worse, he knew he could accept that. Anything to stop Breeze from doing something he knew she wouldn't want to do…from destroying the world.

He reached the swirling wind and wild colors quickly as he pushed forward with all his might. The sound of thunder resounded in the air and the wind buffeted the strugglers against the ship, but Tails pressed on. He was thrown back momentarily by the strong gusts the blue wind surrounding Breeze thrust out, but regained his ground and fought harder against it. He was now right next to the loud rush of the wind and tried to peer past it to look for Breeze, still fighting against the gusts that came frequently, but he couldn't see her.

Tails didn't know what else he could do, so he impulsively reached inside the chaos with one hand and tried to feel for hers. His strength was wearing thin and he didn't know how much longer he could stand the power of the wind. Just as he was beginning to give up, he stretched his arm an inch more into the wind and chaos, and felt the warmth and softness of Breeze's hand. She must have felt his too because her hand tightened around Tails' and remained there.

Tails, now full of hope again, began to slowly pull on Breeze. His plan was to drag her clear of the chaos emeralds in hopes that the power would let her go. It seemed to be working too. He was gradually pulling the vixen closer to him, he could almost see her hand…then her hand became visible and her arm followed, next her shoulders, her neck, and her head. He pulled with all his might against the chaos power and finally saw her eyes. They were just as blue as ever, but they looked scared and almost screamed a warning at him to let her go.

Breeze had realized the moment Tails started pulling her free that she could never be free. The power had to have a channel to go through and she was that channel. If Tails continued to stay in contact with her the power of the Breeze Heart may transfer to him and he would be lost in her place. She knew he could not control it. He didn't understand it the way she did. She was born to hold this power and could possibly keep it contained long enough for the others to get away before it consumed her and exploded with devastating force. She could not let him have it, but the wind and noise and thunder was too loud to tell him to let go. She wanted to tell him with every ounce of her soul, but she couldn't get it across. She tried to pull back but he wouldn't let her. He thought he was saving her and wouldn't let go. The fact was he was killing them all.

Then Shadow was there. His red eyes pierced into hers as if he knew what was going on, as if he understood. He wrenched Tail's hand away from hers with his powerful grip and shoved the resisting fox aside. Holding tightly onto her hand Shadow started to let the power within Breeze surge and flow into himself instead. He was a creature of power, created to use great power in the form of the chaos emeralds. He could control it.

Breeze resisted at first. She couldn't let him do this, throw away his life for hers. There was no guarantee he would survive the blast. But the look in his eyes swayed her and she let the power go. I am ready for this. I have nothing left. You have so much to live for, let go, his thoughts seemed to echo within her mind. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she nodded back to him and gripped his hand tightly. They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, light blue and dark red, and then the power left Breeze's heart and Shadow released her hand.

She fell away from him and the chaos of the wind, which had now turned form the light blue to dark black and red. She felt soft arms catch her in the air to break her fall, but her gaze was still locked on the commotion above her. It became wilder and powerful, full of fierceness and darkness similar to its new channel's emotions. It filled her heart with sorrow.

"Breeze! Are you alright? Where's Shadow?" Tails yelled above the noise.

She looked up at him and realized it was he who had caught her and was now carrying her down to the others who waited below. "He took the power," she managed to say. "We have to get out of here now. He can only hold it for so long."

Tails reached the others quickly and together they all scrambled to find a way out of the damaged ship. Shadow was not there to teleport them so they took escape pods that Eggman had installed on the upper decks. They reached the solid earth safely again, but it wasn't over yet. They had to get far enough from Shadow so that the blast wouldn't destroy them. Sonic took care of that.

He dashed back and forth, carrying them one at a time far away from the area. His quick feet allowed him to accomplish his job in no time and he even carried Eggman off to safety too. Once they were a safe distance away, they all turned back to watch the amazing but terrible display that took place. Shadow must have barely had the strength the hold back any longer, for as soon as Sonic's last dash to safety was completed the massive cloud of black and red wind surged outward and then exploded with such a force that even from a safe distance away they could all see it and feel the wind rush out over them. The chaos emerald's flew every which way and were lost yet again.

They stood there, still as statues and stared at the empty sky where Shadow had once been. All that remained were the dissipating clouds and barren land that stretched for miles. Tails put a hand on Breeze's shoulder and she turned to him.

"Don't worry, Breeze, I'm sure Shadow's fine. He's like that you know, one minute he's there, and then he disappears, but always manages to come back somehow," Tails reassured her.

She smiled at him and leaned in close to rest her head on his chest. "I know," she said, "I hope I'll see him again someday, but right now I'm just glad I'm here with you. I love you, Tails."

Sonic grinned as the two foxes held each other and watched the clearing skies. Everything always seemed to work out and he was happy for his two friends. Of course he hadn't worried; he was never worried or stressed about anything. That's what was great about being the fastest thing alive. There was nothing to tie you down…

"Hey, Sonic! Can we go on our date now?" Amy exclaimed coming up towards him.

Well, almost nothing.