Wow, another update so soon? Cool! Hope you like this chapter!

(Standard disclaimer applies here.)

Nack walked in to Antoine's quarters and knelt.

Antoine, sharpening a dagger, looked over at the weasel.

"Rise and report." He said.

Nack stood back up and began his report. "The Thieves Forrest has been emptied as you requested Sire. The castle gate is guarded by thirty men."

"Double it. My princess must be safe."

"The gate has but one key," Said Nack, holding up a key attached to a chain around his neck. "And I carry that."

Amy walked in and Antoine quickly put his dagger down.

"Ah, Darling." He greeted happily, walking over to her. "Tonight we marry. Tomorrow every ship in my armada will escort us on our honeymoon."

"Every ship but your four fastest." Amy corrected. Antoine just gave her a blank, confused look. "Every ship but the four you sent?"

Suddenly it hit Antoine. "Oh, yes! Naturally not those four."

Sensing trouble coming, Nack bowed and left the room.

"You never sent the ships." Amy said, calmly but with obvious hatred in her voice. "It's doesn't matter. Shadow will come for me anyway."

"You're a silly girl." Antoine replied sharply, walking back to his desk.

"Yes, I am a silly girl." Said Amy, following Antoine. "For not seeing sooner that you're nothing but a coward with a heart full of fear!"

Antoine turned to her and glared as he picked up his dagger and its sheath. "I-would-not-say-such-things-if-I-were-you." He said, slowly and distinctly.

"Why not?" Amy asked defiantly. "You can't hurt me. Shadow and I are bound by the bonds of love. And you can't track that. Not with a thousand bloodhounds. And you can't break it. Not with a thousand swords. And when I call you a coward, it is only because you're the slimiest weakling ever to crawl the earth!"

Antoine, now seriously ticked, shoved the dagger into its sheath with as much force as if he were stabbing it into someone's heart. He slammed it down on the table, grabbed Amy by the arm and led her forcefully out of the room.

"I would not say such things if I were you!" He growled, throwing her into her room and locking the door.

A few minutes later, in the pit of despair, Metal and Grounder were surprised to see Antoine burst through the door and storm up to Shadow who still lay hooked up to the machine.

"You truly loved each-other." He growled at the restrained hedgehog. "And so you might have been truly happy. Not one couple in a century has that chance, no matter what the story books say! So I think no hedgehog in a century will suffer as greatly as you…"

Antoine turned to the dial and angrily turned it all the way up!

"Not to fifty!" Metal shouted.

But it was too late. The machine began to work and Shadow screamed in pain.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The terrible sound of Shadow's scream carried out of the pit of despair, even past the grove of trees.

The scream was heard in by everyone in Station Square, including Amy, whose heart sank at the sound though she didn't know why.

It could even be heard in the far reaches of Westopolis.

As Knuckles and Big walked through a crowd, they heard the ghastly sound as it made its way through the countryside.

"Big, wait!" Said Knuckles. "Do you hear that? That is the sound of ultimate suffering! My heart made that sound the day my father died. The Hedgehog in Black makes it now."

"The Hedgehog in Black?" Big asked. "How do you know?"

"His true love is marrying another tonight, who else has cause to suffer so?" Knuckles tried to get through the crowd and make his way towards the now fading sound, but found it difficult. "Big, a little help here?"

"HEY EVERYBODY, MOVE!" Big shouted, causing the crowd to clear a path immediately.

"Thank you." Said Knuckles, as he ran to find the source of the scream.

Before it faded into silence, the echoes of Shadow's screams lead Knuckles and Big to the grove of trees.

Grounder soon came by pushing a wheelbarrow, only to find Knuckles' Emerald sword at his throat.

"Where is the Hedgehog in black?" Knuckles asked. No reply. "You got that wheelbarrow from this grove, didn't you?" Still nothing. "Big, jog his memory."

From behind, Big hit Grounder on the top of his head.

Grounder stood silent for a moment, before falling over unconscious.

"Sorry Knuckles." Said Big. "I didn't mean to jog him so hard." Big noticed Knuckles walk away. "Knuckles?"

Knuckles got down on one knee, held his sword in front of his face, and closed his eyes.

"Father…" He whispered solemnly, kneeling under a heavenly light flowing down from a gap in the trees. "Father, I have failed you for ten years. Now our misery can end. Somewhere… somewhere nearby there is someone who can help us, but I can't find him alone. I need your help… I need you to guide my sword." Knuckles stood up, but his eyes remained closed. "…Guide my sword…"

Knuckles turned to what appeared to be a random direction and began walking, the Emerald sword pointed forward.

Knuckles walked along, looking like the sword was pulling him. Until it hit a heavily knotted tree.

Knuckles looked and saw that he had been lead to a worthless tree and leaned against it in despair. But, by some inexplicable twist of fate, he happened to lean against the very knot which opened the secret door!

Knuckles noticed this and looked at Big, who looked just as amazed as he did.

Together they went down into the pit of despair, which was empty… or almost.

They found Shadow lying on the table motionless.

Big put his ear to Shadow's chest. He stood up and gave Knuckles a sad look. "…He's dead."

AAH! A cliffhanger? NOOOOO!

Stay tuned to learn Shadow's true fate!

...Or just watch the movie. Either way is fine.