Death of a Hero

My latest song-fic, it consists of the song, The End, by Linkin Park. I hope you enjoy, and please review! By the way, there are very slight spoilers to the Pure Dark storyline of Shadow the Hedgehog... –PH

It was a dark, stormy day in Central City. The Eclipse Cannon on Space Colony ARK was opening up, energy pumping through the systems. The power grew and grew, until the Eclipse Cannon could no longer contain it.

(It starts with)
One thing / I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme
To explain in due time

Onboard the ARK, Shadow and Black Doom were staring at Earth, as a large beam of mass destruction struck Central City. A pulse radiated through Shadow's veins, a sign that Black Doom was slightly pleased. However, a searing pain through Shadow's head told him something was wrong, very wrong...

All I know
time is a valuable thing
Watch it fly by as the pendulum swings
Watch it count down to the end of the day
The clock ticks life away
It's so unreal

Shadow felt his Chaos Emeralds, all six of them, radiating through him. Shadow removed the shining green emerald, the first he had collected in Westopolis. Shadow also removed the purple Chaos Emerald, for both were emitting the strongest pain.

Didn't look out below
Watch the time go right out the window
Trying to hold on / but didn't even know
Wasted it all just to
Watch you go
I kept everything inside and even though I tried / it all fell apart
What it meant to me / will eventually / be a memory / of a time when I tried
so hard

A shining face looked back at Shadow through the Emeralds. A face that had kept a strong bond with the Chaos Emeralds. Of course, Shadow thought, the Chaos Emeralds are in pain because he died...after all, he did protect them...

And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

Shadow stared into the Emerald, and thought about how the now dead protector's life was like. He had always worked so hard to help protect that which he favored over all...risking even his life for it...now, Shadow realized, that no matter how hard someone tries, it never really matters...

One thing / I don't know why
It doesn't even matter how hard you try
Keep that in mind / I designed this rhyme
To remind myself how
I tried so hard
In spite of the way you were mocking me
Acting like I was part of your property
Remembering all the times you fought with me
I'm surprised it got so (far)

Shadow felt a lone bead of sweat roll down his face. Black Doom noticed this, and Shadow felt the excitement turn to nothingness.

"Shadow...what is wrong? You should be enjoying this beginning of the end more than I...the downfall of those wretched humans..." Black Doom said in his echoing voice.

"It's nothing." Shadow lied, as his heart dropped into his feet.

Things aren't the way they were before
You wouldn't even recognize me anymore
Not that you knew me back then
But it all comes back to me
In the end
You kept everything inside and even though I tried it all fell apart
What it meant to me will eventually be a memory of a time when I

"One of the Earth's consistent heroes has fallen...now; this pathetic planet doesn't even stand a chance against our mighty army of Black Arms!" Shadow exclaimed, laughing. However, his laugh was half-hearted.

I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

The pain from the Chaos Emeralds seemed to slowly fade away, the beats sliding down to a mere throb. Shadow stared back into the Chaos Emeralds, and saw his face fade away...for eternity...

I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this
There's only one thing you should know
I've put my trust in you
Pushed as far as I can go
For all this
There's only one thing you should know
I tried so hard
And got so far
But in the end
It doesn't even matter
I had to fall
To lose it all
But in the end
It doesn't even matter

"Sayonara...the only one who ever had faith in me, even when I was the enemy...Sonic the Hedgehog..." Shadow whispered in strangled tones as he turned around, and walked out of the Central Control Room, leaving behind a laughing Black Doom.

And there ends both my song-fic...and Sonic's life...-PH