I know in the game the Capsule is an Eggman one, I just prefer the idea of having the ghosts being an ancient trap rather than a modern one.
All copyright info on first chapter
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Sonic Adventure Zero – Death of Angels
By Master hunter
Chapter 10 – The Underground Path
Sonic and Tails smashed into a tall sand dune which cushioned their fall. They quickly sprang back out of it and turned to see the Flying Battery fly into the Volcano.
"It won't be long now little buddy. Let's get going", said Sonic.
Tails nodded and followed Sonic through the traps scattered around Sandopolis. They ventured on until they were stopped when a huge Pyramid came up from the ground. It sat right at the base of the Volcano blocking a cave entrance.
"This is odd. Why build a Pyramid so close to a Volcano?" asked Tails.
"Perhaps the same reason it was hiding underneath the ground. Someone doesn't want anyone to get in the Volcano and it has nothing to do with the Death Egg", said Sonic.
"You mean it's some sort of fortress designed to guard the entrance to the Volcano. Maybe there's something very valuable in there", said Tails.
"I think so. Anyway our best course of action is to go through the Pyramid itself", said Sonic.
Suddenly the entrance to the Pyramid opened and a boulder appeared in front of the two heroes. As they went into investigate the boulder sprouted arms, legs and a head. It was a Stone Golem created to stop anyone entering the Pyramid. As it jumped a step forward Sonic attacked the golem when it hit the ground and it turned back into a boulder.
"Phew that was easy", said Sonic.
Though just as he finished that sentence the Golem regenerated itself and jumped towards them again. Sonic and Tails both smashed into it and again it collapsed into a boulder again. Though it just regenerated itself again and while they were getting good hits on the Golem it never stopped or slowed down. Sonic and Tails found themselves with their backs facing towards a big pool of Quicksand.
"I have an idea", said Tails.
The Golem jumped again this time landing right on the edge of the quicksand pool. Tails had managed to fly Sonic over the stone beast and as it turned round Sonic smashed into it. The Golem fell apart and slid inside the quicksand. It dropped through the quicksand until it was out of their sight.
"That was your idea right?" asked Sonic.
"Yeah", said Tails
"Ok then inside the Pyramid", said Sonic.
Tails nodded and in they went.
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Meanwhile in the Lava Reef caves Knuckles had came out of the palace to see what had happened. He had heard Dr. Robotnik mumbling angrily, he was heading towards the Sandopolis pyramid in his Eggmobile.
"Doctor, what are you doing here? Is Sonic here already?" asked Knuckles.
"Almost. Last I saw the two pests were racing through Sandopolis", said Dr. Robotnik.
Knuckles grabbed the doctor's shirt firmly and angrily got into his face.
"You better not let them get down here. I'm not happy you're here let alone Sonic", said Knuckles.
"Why? What's down here that's so important?" asked Dr. Robotnik.
"That's none of your business. The pyramid was designed to stop people from entering this place. It was assumed no-one would be foolish enough to climb down an active volcano", said Knuckles, "Now the Pyramid has been raised which means they are either fighting the Golem or are inside already. Get going. If the ghosts don't stop them you will have to"
The Doctor didn't like being ordered but he had no choice. If Sonic and Tails made it through the pyramid, they would literally be under the Death Egg. The situation was dire; there was no way the Death Egg would be able to launch so soon, despite it being fully repaired. He needed time to generate some fuel.
While angry that he had been given an order, he also felt curious as to what Knuckles was talking about. Why was Knuckles so bothered about people entering this place? It was nothing more than a series of lava filled caves. The heat was unbearable. It was a baron dry wasteland. Yet it was so important, almost sacred to Knuckles.
The Doctor decided now was not the time to find out and rushed to the Pyramid. He was unsure of what to do there though. He had kept most of his more powerful weapons on the Death Egg. The more powerful Mecha Sonic Mark II and his Egg Giant slept there just in case the Hedgehog made it on there. He barely had anything left. Regardless he raced on to meet the two pests head on.
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Sonic and Tails ventured through the dark tunnels of the Pyramid. It had started off really dark though they had found a light switch pretty quickly. As time progressed, the lights would get dimmer until they eventually switched off altogether. Though there were plenty of switches there to bring the lights back on to full strength.
They came across a looping section that sent them flying into a rock version of the capsules Eggman had used to store the animals he captured. A series of what could only be described as white ghosts flew out of the broken capsule.
"What? Ghosts?" said Tails shaking in fright.
"Aw man. We have to get out of here quick", said Sonic.
They ventured on to find that as the lights got dimmer the ghosts got stronger and started attacking them. When they restored the lights the ghost's disappeared but reappeared whenever the lights had started to dim again.
Their quest ended with a long fall into an arena. In front of them was a much larger Stone figure that suddenly awoke. It moved towards them and fired a laser from the jewel in its head. Sonic and Tails managed to dodge the laser and Sonic even managed to strike the thing. A series of stone bricks fell off the figure to reveal Eggman controlling the thing. He quickly hit Eggman a couple of times before the figure restored itself.
"It's Eggman in that thing. Come on let's finish him", said Sonic.
By hitting the chest they expose Eggman and quickly got a couple of good hits on him every time. Once they figured that out the machine exploded and all the stone fell to the ground. Eggman disappeared down a tunnel.
"Man that was pathetic", said Sonic.
"He must be running out of ideas", said Tails.
"Well let's follow him. No doubt he's running straight to the Death Egg", said Sonic.
Tails nodded and the two headed down the tunnels into the Lava Reef Zone.
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The Doctor came rushing into the Lava Reef zone.
"They're here. Battle stations everyone", shouted Dr. Robotnik.
"You fool. You led them straight to the Master Emerald", said Knuckles angrily.
"The what?" asked Dr. Robotnik
"Never mind that. I cannot allow anyone near it. You better stop them here", said Knuckles.
Dr. Robotnik and Knuckles stared at each other before separating. Dr. Robotnik in desperation started making new machines to fight them. He still had the lava surfer it he needed to use it and the Death Egg's defenses would surely help. Plus the mining machines in the area could prove useful.
Hold on a Minute. Did he say Master Emerald? I've heard the legend of the Controlling Emerald so many times, and if it is what the legend say it is I think I may have found my Death Egg's fuel source.
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Sonic and Tails became drenched with sweat as the dashed through the searing heat of the Lava Reef zone. It had been a long journey but that had finally cornered Eggman and the huge space station attached the Volcano's mouth proved that. There were signs that Eggman was desperately hunting down an alternate fuel source in these caves as they came across many a mining machine. They ventured on until they were stopped on a platform directly under the volcano's mouth. Two large metal tentacles sprouted from the lava surrounding the platform.
"So we climb up the opposite cliff side and whoa!" said Sonic suddenly noticing the tentacles.
The tentacles fired a barrage of bullets at the two heroes who managed to jump out of the way. A ship rose from under the lava to show where the tentacles were coming from. Inside was Eggman.
"Like my latest fighting machine. It's purely designed to pull the left over rocks from the mining into the lava", said Eggman.
A giant hand sprung out and smashed onto the platform. It pulled some rocks that had been piled up, into the lava.
"I'll drag your behinds into the lava, or shoot you dead with the security tentacles. Either way there's no way you can attack the main body", said Eggman.
"He's right", said Tails
"Though who says we have to hit the main body?" asked Sonic.
Sonic smashed into a tentacle causing it to spark. The hand then smashed onto the platform and Sonic began hitting the joint.
"No weapons, no threat", said Sonic.
The tentacles reappeared and taking a tentacle each the two heroes managed to destroy them. All that was left was the hand and that soon fell too. The lava suddenly started to cool and a new path appeared. They could see a passage open in the far distance where a series of platforms sprouted from under the cooled lava.
"Should I fly us up there?" asked Tails.
"Not yet. Eggman could reheat the lava at any time. Let's follow this new path", said Sonic.
"Ok".
They continued on. It had got much cooler though the traps got much more intense. They were later stopped by Knuckles who stood by a giant boulder. The platform they were standing on was thin and almost acted like a staircase leading to something else entirely.
"You will not reach the Sacred Hidden Palace. Not while I'm still Guardian Hedgehog", said Knuckles.
Knuckles punched the boulder towards the two heroes and with jumping off the platform onto the cooled lava below being the only other option, Sonic and Tails grabbed onto the boulder and ended up falling onto those platforms they saw being raised earlier. The Death Egg then charged a heat wave attack and the lava beneath them started to boil once more. The Death Egg fired missiles at them and the two heroes quickly began jumping from platform to platform. The missiles struck the platforms that had been standing on and smashed them into pieces. The platforms led to a Lava waterfall in which small falling platforms were pushed into the giant pool of lava below. The passage that had opened up before was blocked by Eggman in a new machine.
Sonic and Tails stood on one of the small platforms and found themselves amongst a series of the small platforms scattered across the pool of lava. Eggman fired Spike balls at the two heroes and then created a hill of lava, which sent all the platforms down the slopes of the hill. The platform Sonic and Tails were on started drifting straight into Eggman's machine, which destroyed all the platforms that came in contact with it. Sonic grabbed Tails and jumped from platform to platform in the opposite direction. The spiked balls that had been fired from Eggman earlier made it even more difficult to land on some of the platforms, though each of them smashed back into Eggman's machine causing damage.
"It's just like that fake capsule. Make Eggman hurt himself", said Sonic.
Tails agreed as Eggman disappeared under the lava. Another lava hill appeared forcing the platform Sonic and Tails were on in the opposite direction, though still towards Eggman. They kept jumping from platform to platform as Eggman fired more spike balls. Managing to safely get from platform to platform, the spiked balls continued to smash into Eggman's machine and did enough damage to cause it to spark. Eggman made one last desperate attempt but Sonic and Tails just did the same thing again and Eggman's machine exploded.
The lava cooled once more and the passage was cleared. The two heroes, much to Knuckles' horror entered through the decorated entrance to the Sacred Hidden Palace. Knuckles raced to the arena in front of the mural that had confused him before. He waited for Sonic and Tails to arrive preparing to fight them himself.
Soon enough they were there, as the marble palace had no security to speak off. It was designed as a holy place and so was only guarded by Echidna warriors. Behind Knuckles was the Emeralds. 4 had been freed leaving 3 left as stone. A giant Green Emerald sat on a pedestal on top of the chamber.
"I can't say I'm happy that you're here Hedgehog. This is the Sacred Hidden Palace. The secret resting place for the Master Emerald. There is a shrine on the surface of the Island though when it is in danger it rests here. It has the power to control the Seven Chaos Emeralds and also holds up Angel Island in the sky", said Knuckles.
"Something's wrong with the Master Emerald though isn't there?" asked Tails.
"Yes. Though I believe that's why the Chaos Emeralds transformed into those much larger ones. If I unlock the power in each of them the power of the Master Emerald will be restored hopefully", said Knuckles.
"We'll help you if you want", said Tails.
"It's no use Tails. Look at that mural over there", said Sonic.
Tails turned to the mural Sonic had been looking at. It was the one with the Golden flamed demon chasing after the huge robotic man.
"It looks like Super Sonic trying to get the Emerald back from Eggman in one of his big machines", said Tails.
"Or it could be Eggman protecting the Master Emerald from me in my super form", said Sonic.
"Oh you're right. So that's why Knuckles can't trust either of us. This looks like a prophecy of a future event", said Tails.
"Yes it is a Prophecy, and it looks like its coming true. But enough of my folklore. You are trespassers on the holy ground. You must be destroyed", said Knuckles.
Knuckles clenched his fists and dashed towards Sonic.