Shadow hit the ground with a thud and cursed, "Couldn't you have let me down more gently?"

"Be thankful I even let you go."

Shadow jumped to his feet and stood face to face with Sperk, "You fool! Don't tell me you have returned to that system."

Sperk's crimson eyes flashed, "What do you plan on doing about it? As far as I am concern, your status as the ultimate life form is mine." He glanced over to the large pillar of webs connected to The Master Emerald, "One last clean up job." He held his palm up. A large orb of crimson energy appeared and blasted from his palm. It impacted the pillar and destroyed it. As the pillar dissolved, the webs all over the island vanished. The people sealed in the cocoons were freed. Sperk walked to the emerald and sighed, "Another time perhaps!"

"What do you mean by that?"

Sperk looked to Shadow with an evil smirk and pointed toward Leda, "As long as she lives, this planet is safe." He turned toward the exit, "But as soon as she dies, I will reduce this dust ball to atoms."

Shadow gritted his teeth and picked up his swords from the ground. Before he could attack him, Rouge grabbed him from behind, "Don't be crazy! You're in no condition to fight."

Shadow sighed, she was right. He dismissed his weapons, "I need to recharge! Sperk!" The crimson hedgehog turned his head toward him. Shadow smiled, "I will kill you and get Speed back." Sperk chuckled and walked out of the room.

Strings picked herself up and brushed herself off, "Well that was unpleasant. Those two will pay for humiliating me like that." As she took a step forward, she was blasted in the back by and energy beam and transformed into an emerald. It floated into Bojack's metal hand and he absorbed it.

"Nice!" His eyes flashed red, "Luxor was an idiot for creating these clones. Each one contains a sample of his power. Soon I will absorb him and rid myself of Robotnik and anyone else who apposes my rightful rule of this world."

Knuckles sat down on his emerald and rubbed his eyes, "So this wizard from another realm has come to strip this one of its resources, Bojack has been brought back by Robotnik, Speed is back to being a chaos empowered killer, and our fate depends on some crazy ancient armor that we have no clue how to use fully."

Shadow shrugged, "Yeah that is about it."

"Please string me up again."

Rouge patted him on the back, "Don't worry so much! We seem to be getting the hang of this."

Shadow nodded and glanced at Leda, "Any idea on what to do about her and the demon? I doubt Sperk is going to just play nice until she grows old and dies. Sooner or later he is just going to go ahead with his plans."

Knuckles jumped off the emerald, "Without Chaos or Tikal we have no way of standing up to him. Getting the last of the armors should be our top priority. Any chance we can use her to control him?"

Rouge regarded the echidna who was out of hearing range with a sympathetic look, "Even if there was, I wouldn't let you two exploit it."

"Why?" Both Shadow and Knuckles wanted an answer.

Rouge shook her head and walked toward Leda, "She has been through enough." She walked over to Leda who was standing at the exit, "Go to him! Your husband is in there somewhere."

"Thanks!" Leda ran out of the chamber.

Rouge smiled and turned to the men, "You two should be ashamed of yourselves for even think it. I rather see Sperk blow up the planet than have you two use that girl to control him. You both sound like Robotnik at times." She turned on her heel and walked out.

Knuckles patted Shadow on the back, "Told her yet?"

"Afraid too! The only thing I am afraid of."

Knuckles nodded, "Yeah! Don't blame you."

Sperk stood at the outskirts of the city, glaring at the forest. Leda ran up, "Speed!" He said nothing and didn't move. Leda stopped a few feet away, "Are you alright?" Sperk's eyes narrowed as Bojack walked into view. Leda summoned her armor, "What are you doing here?"

"I sensed a dark menacing aura." He smiled, "Nice to see you have finally excepted your true nature." Sperk said nothing. Bojack laughed, "Trying to pull off the strong silent type?" Bojack shrugged, "Well I am glad to see you. When I gain more power I will look forward to adding you to my body." Bojack waved bye and started to glow black. Sperk smiled as the energy vanished. Bojack looked around and then back to Sperk, "You blocked my teleport. But how?"

"I have an I.Q. of twelve hundred and fifty. I can create more ways to use chaos energy than you can even dream." He summoned his dark armor and halberd, "Killing you will bring me much joy." He swung his halberd and a wave of crimson energy tore into the ground and flew at Bojack.

The fox activated his jumpjets in his metal boots and shot into the air. He flew over the pair and landed several feet behind them, "Damn you! And Damn Robotnik for creating you." He slammed his fist together and they flashed with black light, "I will consume you." He threw his arms out and twin black orbs of energy shot toward Sperk.

Sperk spun his weapon and knocked both away. The orbs hit the ground and exploded, "It will take more than these weak attacks to harm me."

Bojack smiled, "Who said you were the target of my attack?" Black lightning shot from the impact points of the orbs and blasted Leda into a large tree. It snapped and fell down from the impact and she slumped to the ground. Sperk glanced over, but did nothing. Bojack laughed, "You can't feel anything but hate, rage, and pleasure. If you don't kill, you don't feel anything. I know you want to care for her, but you can't."

"Shut Up!" Sperk blasted forward and swung his halberd.

Bojack jumped over the weapon and summoned his black energy sword. He swung it, but Sperk blocked it with his arm. Bojack spun in the air and landed near Leda. He bent down and held Leda's head up by her chin, "Such a lovely thing. It is a pity you can't express any love to this flower."

"Release her!"

"You can't even raise your voice in anger. Only in battle do you find the passion you desire." He caressed her cheek, "Even out cold she is beautiful. I think I will take her as my own."

"Like hell you will!" Sperk shot forward as Bojack threw out his palm. A black burst shot from his hand and blinded Sperk. Sperk yelled out as Bojack flew away with Leda, "LEDA!" Sperk rubbed his eyes and his vision cleared, "All I care about is the loss. The fact that it was Leda didn't phase me."

"You can't have both!" Sperk spun around and a ghostly image of Sonic stood in front of him.

"Sonic!"

The blue hedgehog crossed his arms, "It is either the power or her. I know somewhere in that powered up mind of yours are your feelings. Find them!" The image of Sonic vanished.

Sperk stood as still as a statue. His eyes transfixed on the spot Sonic appeared on, "Who am I?"

As Shadow and Knuckles walked out of the chamber and headed toward the surface, Rouge ran toward them, "You have to hurry."

"Why?"

"Sperk has gone nuts. Waves of energy are blasting from him and destroying the city."

Knuckles ran past her, "He won't destroy my island." Shadow and Rouge followed. Knuckles found Sperk on his knees and glowing with a huge crimson light. The wind was howling and the crackle of energy was everywhere. Knuckles ran toward Sperk, "Stop this!" He threw a punch and his fist impacted the aura. It flared up and blasted him back.

Shadow summoned his armor and weapons, "My turn!" He slammed both of his swords into the aura. The swords were blasted from his hands and he too hit the ground.

Rouge simply stood near them, "I think we need a new plan."

"No kidding!" Shadow picked up his swords, "That aura is huge."

Knuckles stood up, "Maybe if we attack at the same time."

"Maybe we should try and talk to him."

Shadow dismissed his swords, "I'll try!" He dove into the aura and managed to kneel down near Sperk, "Brother!"

"What?" Sperk's voice was deep and filled with anger.

Shadow reached out to touch him, but sparks of energy blocked his fingers, "You need to stop this. Your going to rip this island apart."

"So! I can't feel anything. Only when I destroy things and lives do I feel. Only then do I live."

"Come on! I don't by that. I said the same thing when I was revived. I was wrong, your wrong now. I overcame the darkness in my heart and learned to care for others. And I know you can overcome this. You and I swore to be brothers. Now don't disappoint me by losing to a little dark energy." Shadow managed to smile, "Now return to me brother and together we will destroy our enemies and finally find peace. Rise up and show me that you are in charge of your destiny." Sperk cried out and vanished in a burst of crimson light. Shadow chuckled and stood up, "Return to me!"

Rouge slowly stepped up, "Where did he go?"

"The Master Emerald! He will either dump his dark power into the emerald and rid this world of it once and for all." He looked to the cloudy sky, "Or blow us up." Both Knuckles and Rouge dropped their jaws as Shadow simply sat on the ground and waited.