Sonic and Sperk stood ready to strike as their auras grew in intensity and power. "Before we began, I just want to know one thing."

Sonic eyes narrowed, "What would that be?"

"What do you live for?"

"WHAT!"

Sperk shot forward and Sonic followed suit. They met and their swords clashed with a huge ringing sound, "Tell me you don't fell this. The rush of energy." They pushed away from each other and locked blades again, "We fight and fight, but never know why. Is it just to fight, or is there more."

Sonic shot into the sky and landed on a building, "What are you talking about? Are you trying to play mind games?"

Sperk spun his sword, "Sonic, you and I are the same. But unlike you, my mind is clear. My goals and reasons for living and fighting are set. So tell me! What do you live for?"

Sonic jumped from the building and swung his sword hard. Sperk blocked and the force of the clash sent destructive energy all around them, "I fight to protect this world from evil. From the darkness you represent."

Sperk shoved Sonic off him and swung his sword. A blade of energy shot out. Sonic jumped it and Sperk lunged forward. He met Sonic in mid air and the two clashed with their swords. A series of sword strike sounds filled the area. They clashed again and an orb of energy appeared in between them. It exploded and sent both hedgehogs flying. Both curled into balls and crashed into a building. Both of them collapsed as the hedgehogs walked free of the damage, "See! We are the same. We both fight. Both of us live for the fight, the battle. In peace time we feel useless and alone. Only on the battlefield can we acknowledge our existence."

"You may be right! But that is no excuse to plunge this planet into an eternal war."

Sperk chuckled, "I can read you like a book. You don't want the fighting to end anymore than I do."

"Your crazy!" Sonic curled into a ball and blasted forward. Sperk dodged, but Sonic curved his attack and hit him full force. Sperk fell to the ground hard. Sonic uncurled and tried to attack the downed hedgehog. Sperk slammed his feet into his gut and flipped him over his head. Both hedgehogs got to their feat, "Sense I answered your question, answer mine! Why do you care?"

Sperk grip tightened on his sword, "Because! This fight, this war, is all I have left. Once this is all over, I have sentenced myself to a life of mediocre living."

"I don't understand."

"How could you?" Sperk attacked and both hedgehogs locked swords, "I married a quiet and peaceful person. A girl who's only wish is to live a quiet life with her husband and children."

"What is wrong with that?"

Sperk dropped down and tripped Sonic. Sperk brought his sword down, but Sonic rolled away, "I love her, but that life isn't for me. She has my heart and soul, but my mind and body can only exist here, on the battlefield. Tell me Sonic! What do we have to look forward too after the fighting is done?"

Sonic stood up, "I don't know! I have the same problem with Sally. If I marry her, I am stuck being king. Stuck in a life I don't want." Sonic gripped his sword, "To die on the battlefield. To fight. This is where we belong."

"And where we will decide the fate of the world."

Sally and Leda watched the fight on a large TV. Sonia and Rouge had joined them a short time ago, but nothing had been said. Everyone knew what was being thought. They knew this was a fight to the finish and there was nothing they could do to stop it. Out of respect, no one spoke. They just watched and prayed.
The two hedgehogs stood ten feet apart as the energy around them intensified. As their auras clashed with one another, old style armor appeared and disappeared on them. Sonic shot forward, "The past is being relived."

Sperk blocked the sword strike and the armor appeared again as energy exploded from where the swords met, "Darkness and Light! One must destroy the other." Sperk jumped back and slammed the blade of the sword into the ground. Energy flashed from the sword and blasted through the ground. Sonic shot forward as the energy exploded under him. His sword flashed with energy. As he was about to strike, a green beam of energy shot out of nowhere and blasted him through the shoulder. Sperk took the initiative and sliced into Sonic's gut. Energy exploded as the blade made contact and Sonic fell to the ground. Sonic's super form started to die off. Sperk looked around, "Shadow!"

The black and red hedgehog stepped up. He was holding a bulky green blaster pistol, "Brother!" He looked to the fallen hedgehog, "Are you going to finish him?"

Sperk looked to Sonic then back to his brother, "Why did you interfere?"

"Your skills were even. I had to tip the scales in your favor." Shadow stepped back, "Now finish it so we can continue our war."

Sonic managed to roll over and push himself into a sitting position. He watched Sperk approach him with his sword ready to strike, "So this is how it ends. Always figured me and Robotnik would finish each other off." Sonic laughed, "You were right. I need to exist on the battlefield. I leave everything to you. Take care of this world." Sonic bent his head down so Sperk would have a clean strike. Around the world, people watched as Sperk raised his sword.

After a few seconds, Sperk spun the sword and slammed it into the ground. Sonic looked up to see a smiling hedgehog, "Sonic! I invite you to join The Frontier. Stand with me and my brother as leader. Together we will defeat Robotnik and return peace to this world."

Sonic managed to stand, "But we can't exist in a peaceful world."

Shadow walked up, "Learning to live with peace will be a challenge. But together, we will learn to love peace as much as we love fighting."

Sonic nodded, "I'm in!"

Shadow smiled, "The triad is complete. The mind, body, and soul have finally come together. The brothers of war are finally together."

Sperk held his hand out, "Together we will crush Robotnik!"

Shadow's hand joined his, "Together we will destroy Luxor!"

Sonic placed his hand on theirs, "And bring peace to this trouble land."

Robotnik's jaw dropped, "THAT IS IT! THEY FIGHT, DESTROY MOST OF KNOTHOLE, AND NOW THEY ARE FRIENDS!" His fist slammed into the com unit, "BOJACK! Finish them off with every Swatbot you can find!"

"Yes my lord!"

Far away, Lazar stood atop The Island of Time, "Destiny foretold that fate would pick a champion of light and darkness. The two will fight and prove once and for all what force would rule. Shadow!" Lazar smiled, "You were created with ability to be a force of light or darkness. But instead, you have united the forces of light and dark. Under the banner of good, you have broken fate's decree. The circle of destiny has been broken. Now the fate of the world is back in mortal hands. Where it belongs. I can finally rest in peace." Lazar vanished.
As the hedgehogs headed toward Shadow's ship, Shadow's com unit beeped. He pulled it from his belt, "Damn!" He shut it off, "A large force is coming here from Robotropolis. Bojack is leading them!"

"Can we out run them?"

"Of course we can, Sonic! But!"

Sperk chuckled, "We can't run from a fight."

Sonic's jaw dropped, "How do you plan we fight them? I'm injured and your no better off."

Shadow thought for a moment, "We could try fusion!"

"But the gauntlets are gone."

Shadow chuckled, "Me and Sperk managed it without them. It is possible. Together, all three of us can try a triple fusion."

Sperk cracked his neck, "I'm game!"

Sonic sighed, "Might as well."

Shadow closed his eyes, "You two first. Remember what Tikal taught you."

Sonic and Sperk nodded and closed their eyes. They took off running, leaving their swords with Shadow. The two hedgehogs glowed with a golden light and they combined and the light exploded. Spin blasted from the light and landed on the outskirts of town, "Shadow! Your turn!"

Shadow picked up both swords, "Sonic represents light! Sperk represents darkness! I now know that I reside on the line between them." He crouched down, "Time to restore the balance." Shadow's body glowed with gold light and ran toward Spin. The light enveloped him and it flashed. A black sword with a golden handle shot from the light and Spin caught it.

He spun the sword around, "The brothers are united. Now lets see what The Shadow Sword can do!"