1 Darkness Rising

Chapter 3

Shadows Released



The cold morning took the place of the even colder night in the Great Forest. A small rabbit appeared out from behind a bush. It sniffed for several moments before hopping onto a nearly non-existent trail. Suddenly the rabbit stopped. Its ears popped up moments before it dashed back to cover.

An armor-clad fox brushed away a limb and stepped out onto the trail. A sword hung from one hand, nearly touching the ground. The other hand held a silver helmet.

The fox turned and looked down the trail. His right eye, the only good eye he had now, moved back and forth along the edge of the trail. The other eye sported a slightly bloodied bandage. Knowing he had lost his breakfast, the fox sighed and started hi trek out of the woods.

He sheathed his sword and moved out onto the plains. The black cloud above Robotropolis could easily be seen in the distance. Without looking back he ran a few steps and leaped into the air. The jet engine on his back abruptly fired and he soured into the air.

At two hundred feet he leveled off and began a slow flight that would lead him towards the black city. When he was about half a mile from the city he slowed and came to a hover. A small antenna popped out his shoulder and came up two feet.

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Deep in Robotropolis, a small moniter flickered and came to life. A small robotic squirrel standing at a console turned to look at it. Its red eyes flared at the screen for a moment before it turned around and started pushing buttons on the console.

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"Sir, incoming transmission." Snively told his uncle and master. He turned and tapped the console in front of him. A large monitor above him switched to show several lines of text.

Robotnik swiveled in his chair and looked at the monitor. He was still chewing most of what was left of his breakfast. The rest of the cinnamon roll was either on his lips, in his moustache, or in his large lap.

The fat dictator finished chewing and swallowed. "Snively, tell this person meet me at these coordinates in half an hour." With that he typed a few numbers on the left arm of his chair.

After licking his lips and wiping his mouth, Dr. Robotnik stood and walked out of the room. He moved down the hall and opened a bland gray door on his left. The door hissed opened and the doctor stepped inside.

As soon as the door opened, several large lights flickered on from the ceiling. The room was large and hangar like. Most of the ground was covered with SWAT-bot hovercraft. However, in one corner, a green tarp covered another object.

Robotnik walked over and unfastened several hooks holding the tarp to the ground. He then pulled the tarp to reveal what was underneath. The tarp covered a large round object. It was about half the size of a SWAT-bot craft, and the top was open. A heavy-duty glass windshield faced the front. Three legs extended down from the bottom to the floor.

"Ahhh.my old hovercraft. I'm glad I finally restored it. The new features are sure to best that hedgehog if I see him again." It was true. His old hovercraft was tough as nails and could turn on a dime. It had withstood many attacks from the hedgehog and was finally destroyed because he left it aboard the Death Egg when it was destroyed. The new one was even better. It outperformed the normal SWAT-bot hovercraft in every way. It could be configured to do many things, including carry armor and weapons.

Dr. Robotnik climbed a short ladder and stepped into he cockpit. It was slightly larger than the previous versions. He turned flipped a small red switch and smiled as the craft vibrated beneath him.

Several minutes later found him flying through the air towards his destination. His moustache was blown back by the wind and his face was twisted into an evil smile.

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Sonic stood in the shadows, watching Dr. Robotnik fly away in his hovercraft. "Well," the blue hedgehog thought, "Just like old times huh doc"

He waited until the round craft had disappeared over a factory before venturing out into the street. Sonic ran and ducked into the shadows on the other side just as two SWAT-bots rounded a corner.

He continued to pick his way through the black city for another ten minutes. For reasons he didn't know, Robotnik had definitely beefed up Robotropolis security. Extra patrols were around just about every corner and Sonic was hard pressed to get to his destination without being spotted.

Finally he arrived at the junk piles. He walked over to one and a door suddenly opened from the rubble. Standing inside was a robot hedgehog.

"Sonic!" the robot hedgehog said.

"Uncle Chuck!" Sonic replied, running and giving his uncle a hug.

Chuck broke the embrace and pulled Sonic inside, closing the door behind him. "Sonic, I trust you got my message?"

"Yep, we got it." Sonic replied, grabbing a nearby chair and spinning it to sit in it backwards. "So, whats up with Buttnik?"

"I don't know Sonic. Something big is going on. Something REALLY big." Chuck walked to his computer and typed a few commands. "See this? It was in one of the most heavily encrypted files in Robotnik's computer."

Sonic hopped up and looked at the screen. The screen showed a 3D image of something very familiar to Sonic. His eyes widened and his face went pale.

"Sonic! Sonic, are you okay?" Chuck asked, lightly shaking his nephew by the shoulder. Sonic blinked and looked up at his uncle.

"Uncle Chuck.That's the Death Egg."

"What is that?" Chuck replied.

"Uncle Chuck, the Death Egg is a flying battleship. It is a floating city. It has enough power to take over the world.which it would have had I not blown it to pieces."

The robotic hedgehog's mouth fell open. He stood a few moments before regaining his composure. "Where could he build such a thing? I don't know of any construction facilities big enough to build something like that."

"I don't know," Sonic said, scratching his head, "but ill tell the rest of the gang to get on it right away."

"Got it Sonic. Be careful heading back to Knothole. Robotnik has doubled the patrols today"

"No problem Uncle Chuck." With that the two embraced again before Sonic sneaked out the door and back into the city.

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Slasher had just finished redressing Sally's bandage when a sonic boom announced the blue hedgehog's arrival. She threw the old bandages away and put the princess' arm back in the sling moments before Sonic threw open the door.

"Slasher, Sally, listen up."

He instantly had their attention. "Robotnik has big plans. And it has something to do with the Death Egg."

Sally looked from Slasher to Sonic before replying, "Whats the Death Egg?"

Sonic quickly described the deadly craft and told of its destruction. When he finished Sally hopped down from her bed and ran to the door. "Slasher, town meeting in five minutes, go get everyone!"

The raptor quickly moved out the door and called for the villagers of Knothole.

Five minutes later found everyone in knothole in the main hut. Most were chatting away, anxious to hear what this emergency meeting was about.Sally stood and called for them to quiet down.

"Ok listen up. We know Robotnik is up to something involving a craft called the Death Egg." At the mention of that name, Tails gasped.

"No! Not the Death Egg! I thought we destroyed it Sonic!" He turned to look at his hero beside him.

Sonic patted his friends head and replied, "I know we did little buddy. I don't know what old Buttniks up to this time."

Several people suddenly piped up. "Hey, whats the Death Egg?"

Sonic stood and told them the whole story about the Death Egg. How he had nearly destroyed it twice, and finally destroyed it high above Mobius.

The rest of the day was spent planning reconnaissance missions. They could do nothing until they had intelligence on what Robotnik was doing. They returned to their beds late at night, far later than usual. All were prepared to do what was necessary.

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While the freedom fighters were meeting to discuss their plans, a very different meeting was taking place just outside of Robotropolis.

Robotnik, flanked by SWAT-bots, landed his hovercraft on the dirty brown grass that made up the plains nearest to the city. A small cloud of dirt and chemicals flew up as he stepped out.

In front of him was the sender of the message. The armored fox hovered six inches above the ground. His laser rifle held at port with both hands. The only visible eye glared at him. If looks could kill, Robotnik would have had a hole burned through his forhead. A bloody bandage covered the other eye. The blood had long since dried, for it was dark and hard. The fox looked around at the SWAT-bots before speeking.

"Well, doctor. It seems we are in a position to help each other." The fox said, shifting his rifle slightly.

Robotnik glared at him for a moment, his robotic fist clenched tight. "Oh? And why do you think I need your help?"

"Because," the fox replied, "I know where the freedom fighters are." The fox smiled at Robotnik's surprised reaction. He quickly regained himself and stepped forward. "Hmm.you have my full attention. Now, what do you want?"

"I want your help with.this." The fox replied, lifting a hand to his head. He pulled at the bandage and felt the fur lightly pull before it came off. His injured eye had been nearly blown out. The entire area around the eye had been burnt, apparently from a laser.

Dr. Robotnik stepped back a few steps. He stared at the injury for a second before folding his arms and speaking. "HA!" he said, mustache bouncing, "The freedom fighter's lives for a healed wound? Of course!"

The fox's mouth fell open. He had expected Robotnik to be much harder to bargain with. He closed his mouth slung his rifle onto his back. He walked up to Robotnik and put his hand out. "Fine, you heal my eye, and I give you the location of Knothole."

"Of course my friend," Robotnik replied, "but tell me, why would you give up the location of the freedom fighters? Surely you have heard of what I have done."

The fox, hand still hanging in the air, thought for a moment. "Well, it is of no concern of mine what others do. Unless, of course, it affects me." He turned to give Robotnik full view of his dead eye, lowered his voice to a whisper, and approached Robotnik. "Besides, they did this to me. And I don't let ANYONE get away with something like that!"

Dr. Robotnik turned started back to his hovercraft. The SWAT-bots turned to follow him but he ordered them off. "No! Escort. uh. what was your name again?"

"My name is of no concern to you." The fox replied, "You need to know nothing about me except what I tell you. Now, lets get on with this."

Robotnik, obviously irritated, quickly climbed into his craft. "SWAT-bots, escort our guest to the roboticizer." He started his hovercraft up and sped towards his command center, leaving the fox and bots behind him.

One SWAT-bot stepped forward, its high-pitched voice sounding, "Follow us." With that, the group of robots clanked back to their craft, the fox close behind.

The group of hovercraft gained altitude and headed back along Robotniks path.

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Robotnik climbed into his swivel chair. The groove in the seat, made by years of sitting there, fit his rear comfortably. He turned and growled at his nephew "Snively! Prepare the roboticizer! Prepare for a full memory scan and download." Robotnik folded his hands in his lap and smiled. "I will have everything he knows, whether he likes it or not."

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The fox stepped into the cold roboticizer room. The room where thousands had fought, cursed, and finally pledge their allegiance to robotnik. It was perhaps the most evil place on the planet.

He looked at the glass tube before him. He walked up to it and ran his hand over it. He was standing just an inch from the spot where Robotnik had enslaved countless numbers of people. Yet, he thought nothing of it. Images of a squirrel firing at him flashed in front of him. He remembered the pain as his eye was suddenly filled with fire. What had he done to them? Nothing. He had just landed and taken his helmet off.

Shaking his head, he turned as a short human entered the room. He was bald save for the few strands of hair spread out over his scalp. When he spoke his voice was high and sounded like it came from the nose instead of the mouth.

"If you would step into the tube when it opens we can begin."

Without warning, the tube suddenly opened, allowing him to step under it. Above him was the machinery that actually performed the operation. Countless wires, chips, and circuits, covered by thick glass, held his view. A second later, the tube slid shut, trapping him in. He doubted that even his sword could pierce the specialized glass surrounding him. He was now at the mercy of the operator of the roboticizer.

Snively turned to the operations console. He adjusted knobs, typed in commands, and after a few minutes, hit the large red button near the edge of the console. The fox suddenly looked up as he heard the machine begin.

A small light seemed to have surrounded him. With each passion second, he could see and FEEL it growing in intensity. A few seconds later he gasped and shot a hand to his eye. Cold metal took place of damaged tissue. For several seconds, a tingling feeling filled his eye. Then, without warning, the pain hit him. A burning fire at the back of his eye. He screamed and put both hands over his eye.

Snively looked up before talking into a microphone. "We are repairing you optic nerve, the pain will subside momentarily. The fox stood as the pain faded a few seconds later. He could still see nothing. He looked around the room for a moment before the next part hit him.

His head suddenly hurt. He could sense the beam penetrate his brain, draining it, weakening him. He fell to his knees and opened his mind to the stored energy of the master emerald. He used everything he had to fight it.

With his eyes closed, he didn't see the sparks flying, nor Snively jumping back as the console exploded in front of him. Snively looked at the roboticizer tube. Inside, two lights covered the fox. The solid white light, coming from the roboticizer, and a strange green light, seeming to cover his entire body.

Snively quickly stood and rushed to the gauges. "Sir! Malfunction in the roboticizer. An unknown energy has disrupted the beam and caused damage to the systems. Power levels are in the red! We must shut it down!"

Robotnik suddenly appeared on an overhead screen. His face was beet red and the arm of his chair had been smashed to pieces. "Snively! Fix it! NOW!" he bellowed.

Snively punched at a few buttons, dodging sparks and exposed wires. "I can't sir! I can't stop it!"

With that, the short human ran for the doors. He literally pried them open with his hands and dashed out of the room.

Inside the tube, the fox was fighting a losing battle. He could no longer feel the beam in his mind. However, he could feel it everywhere else. He was running out of power while the roboticizer was being overcharged. In desperation he reach out for the only power source remaining, a small white stone embedded deep within his suit.

He focused on it, concentrating it, bringing its energy together, and released it in one large burst. The entire room was ablaze with two different white lights. They swirled and mixed together, interchanging positions and moving on. Suddenly, the light seemed to draw inward. In swirled toward the center and flowed around the figure underneath.

The figure suddenly changed. His outline broke up and reappeared several times. Each time was accompanied by a blood-curdling scream. Finally, the roboticizer overloaded and exploded. The light shot inward, penetrating the fox and gathering itself inside him. A bright flash accompanied by an explosion of air followed shortly.

The tube was no longer there. Pieces of its fragments were embedded everywhere. The entire room was destroyed. Strangely, several large pieces of equipment were joined to the walls. No trace of the fox could be seen.

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End Chapter 3