Chapter Ten

"A soldering here…a twist here…there we go! Now for the motherboard…" Tails said as he put the finishing touches on Metal Sonic. Taking a plate of various microchips roughly the size of his hand, he began to insert them into various places on Metal Sonic's body.

"Now, for the final test…" Tails opened a small panel in the robot's head, and flipped a small red switch. The robot whirred and vibrated for a few seconds, and then his red eyes began to glow.

"Welcome back, Metal Sonic," Tails said as the robot pulled itself up.

"Greetings. I am Metal Sonic Mk. II, multi-functional android. Awaiting command."

Tails thought for a moment. "Execute program 145metalsmainai208.exe. Set as part of main booting sequence."

Metal Sonic whirred for a moment, and spoke again. "It seems the reprogramming and repairs were a complete success. How's Omega?"

"He's as good as new…I need to activate him, though. Come on."

Tails led Metal Sonic to another part of his lab, where Omega lay, waiting to be activated. Tails pressed his fingers into Omega's eyes, pressing two buttons just under his "eyelids". Omega awoke and stood up. "Greetings. I am E-123 Omega Mk II. Awaiting command."

Tails immediately responded. "Execute program 211omegamainai314.exe. Set as part of main boot-up."

Omega whirred for a moment, and then began to look around, with a great deal of surprise. "Tails! Metal Sonic! Sensors indicate we are not where we last encountered each other."
Tails chuckled and smiled. "We're in my lab, Omega. I've repaired and reprogrammed both you and Metal Sonic after you were trashed. You're one of the good guys now, and you're going to help Shadow, Amy, Espio and I save the world…"

"Indeed. It is my primary function…my purpose."

Tails couldn't help but find Omega's statement unusual. He knew his purpose very well…but what was his own purpose, or indeed, the purpose of life.

"Scanners indicate that something is bothering you, Tails."

"It's nothing, Omega. C'mon, I'll need your help."

-- -- -- -- -- --

"Is that all you got, grape-head?" Shadow taunted after deftly avoiding another attack from the Arch-Echidna.

"Stand still, you filthy hedgehog, so I can crush your skull!" the echidna screamed. He rushed in again, only to be met by another ferocious kick that sent him careening into the ground.

Shadow was starting to find this fight quite fun, and the fans seemed to be enjoying it too. But he had wasted too much time, and he needed to save his strength for Knuckles. He formed a pair of red and black energy balls in his hands, and managed to throw them at his opponent. The blast was a volatile mix of fire, electricity and earth that nearly reached the top of the dome. The crowd was silent during the blast, and when the dust cleared, the Arch-Echidna was kneeling there, panting from fatigue, as well as loss of blood. Shadow dropped down and walked next to his weakened foe and stared into Knuckles' eyes. Knuckles stood up and walked to the edge of the balcony he was on. He stuck his thumb out straight, and then with a grin, he pointed it down.

"That means I must die, hedgehog," the Arch-Echidna wheezed. "Go ahead. Finish me." He coughed, and blood came up.

"I can't. It wouldn't be right." Shadow responded solemnly. The crowd was getting angry at Shadow's response.

"Listen to them…they want blood," the echidna gurgled. "Don't disappoint them. Finish me off! I'm as good as dead anyway."

Shadow swallowed and with a great deal of apprehension, formed another energy orb in his hand. The Arch-Echidna smiled, bowed his head, and awaited his imminent death. The orb, shot at point blank, instantly blasted the echidna's head into dust…but the Chaos Emerald survived. When Shadow picked up the Chaos Emerald, the crowd went wild again.

"What splendid annihilation, my friend!" Knuckles cackled as he clapped. "Good show, Shadow!"

Shadow peered at the blood on his hands with a twinge of horror…it just didn't seem right…before he realized what happened, he was back in his cell.

"Shadow! You're alive!" Amy exclaimed with relief. "That's two down, and four to go before we can take on Knuckles." Moments later, a clank sounded, and Amy's platform began to rise.

"Remember to conserve your power, Amy…I doubt Knuckles will fight fair," Espio reminded her as her platform went up.

"I'll keep that in mind," she replied. "Wish me luck…"

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Demicles! What the hell is wrong with you!" Cadmus exclaimed as he tried to defend himself from his crazed friend, who had attacked him. He had come in, and looked quite ticked off. Talyah had tried to ask him what was wrong. He grumbled, and then spoke to her in a language she could not understand, but it definitely sounded like an insult or an obscenity. Talyah quickly realized what was happening and ran to get Cadmus. Now the two friends were enemies.

Cadmus had grabbed both of Demicles' fists, and tried to hold them off…but whatever had happened to Demicles, it had made him stronger. Cadmus grunted as Demicles began to push him on his knees.

"Gyahahaha! What's the matter, Caddy? Met your match?" Demicles cackled.

"Unh…snap out of it!" Cadmus said as he strained.

"I'm perfectly sane! I've never felt so sane! I was insane to tolerate you and my sister! I must ensure that the World Eater returns!"

"World Eater?"

"He is the end of all things, and his coming is inevitable! Now, suffer!"

Demicles began to squeeze Cadmus' hands hard, trying to break them. Suddenly, Talyah burst out of her room with a large kitchen knife, desperate to save her love.

"Brother! Forgive me!" she cried as she plunged the knife into Demicles' right shoulder. The wound caused Demicles to release his grip, and Cadmus was able to beat his opponent back with a flurry of blows.

Demicles kneeled there, the knife still in his flesh, gasping for breath. Cadmus burst out the door, grabbed Demicles by the scruff, and hoisted him up.

"You! Who are you and what have you done to my friend?" he yelled in Demicles' face.

Demicles grinned evilly. "I am a messenger of the World Eater, and the doer of his will. You have not defeated me…you have only committed a murder," was the answer. Demicles suddenly went limp, and his eyes glazed over. Immediately Cadmus dropped Demicles, and realized what had transpired. He had been tricked into killing…no…murdering his own best friend!

"What have I done?" Cadmus whimpered as he stared at his hands. "I'm a murderer…" He fell to his knees and began moaning with grief.

Talyah had watched the whole thing, and tears were now running down his face, but still she understood what had happened. She went over and tried to console him.

"Don't come near me…I don't deserve your love…can't you see what I've done?" Cadmus said through a deluge of tears. He began to slam his fist into the earth.

"I'm just as involved in this as you are…I put the knife in his back…" Talyah replied, trying to ease his immense guilt. "You were only defending me…and I was defending you…"

"But he was possessed, damn it! And whatever possessed him is still at large!" Cadmus' grief turned to sheer anger. The pebbles around him began to tremble, and his ttears were turning into tiny flecks of clear crystal. Talyah backed away, fearing that Cadmus was becoming possessed himself.

"DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!" he screamed as he slammed his fist into the earth one last time. A six-foot high column of rock shot out of the ground, causing many nearby houses to quiver, though they remained standing. Talyah was knocked off her feet from the shock, though.

Cadmus suddenly became quiet and calm, as if he were listening to something. Talyah picked herself up and went back over to her love.

"Cadmus, what do you hear?"

"I hear the earth and the stone…they're forgiving me…they understand why Demicles had to die…"

"Why?" Talyah asked.

Cadmus rose. "It says all will be clear when the World Eater is no more…" Without really thinking, Cadmus opened a hole in the earth where Demicles lay, and closed it when he was out of sight. "The earth is lending me its power…" His eyes turned to the arena. "Talyah…I need to help those prisoners."

Talyah was aghast. "What? You don't think…"

"Knuckles…he is the cause of this. I know it in my heart."

"Do you realize what you're saying? Knuckles will wipe you out in an instant!"

Cadmus didn't hear that, as he had already started toward the arena.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Lord Knuckles…" said one of his guards.

"Yes, I know. The fool knows," Knuckles said without much emotion.

"What should we do?"

"Let him come. Demicles couldn't finish him off, so I will. In fact…I'm going to surprise the fans when he comes…" Knuckles closed his eyes and concentrated.

"Sire?"

The six other Chaos Emeralds appeared around him. The two Arch-Echidnas that were fighting Amy suddenly dropped down dead. With a second thought, he caused Shadow, Cadmus and Espio to appear in the arena. Knuckles then rose from his seat, to an astonished and confused crowd.

"Huh? What's going on?" Amy wondered as her friends got to their feet.

"Fellow echidnas! Due to newly arisen circumstances, the roster has changed…no longer will the Arch-Echidnas be fighting…I, your Prime Leader, will take the field myself! Be prepared to witness a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle that you shall not forget!"

Levitating the Chaos Emeralds around himself, he used them to transform into his Super form, and then he leapt to the arena floor. The Emeralds were orbiting around him…and then they dug themselves into his head, arms and torso. As they did, his body began to bulk up, his eyes turned bloodshot, and his hands became more claw-like.

"This is it…" Shadow said to his companions as he readied himself.

"Now, fools," Knuckles roared as his veins began to pulsate,"prepare to meet your doom at my hands!"