CHAPTER 14

KARU'S BATTLE

After Espio's fight with Satar, Karu stood from a tall building rooftop watching Espio walk away from Satar's dead body. He felt anger rise in him as he glared at Espio walking away.

Later at Dark's base, Karu barged into Dark's room with anger. "Dark!"

Dark was sitting in his desk chair looking outside his window looking at the bright moon shine through his window. Shadow was in the room as well just leaning against the wall thinking about some things. Dark turned to Karu calmly, "What is it? You seemed troubled."

Karu slammed his fists down on his desk, "You're damn right I'm troubled! If you haven't heard the bad news already Satar is dead!"

Dark sighed, "Is that all?"

"Let me get this straight. You don't seem to give a shit when my brother just died, is that it?"

"Calm down, Karu. I know you're upset, but I expected him to die. The Chaotix aren't what they always seem you know."

Dark's words weren't helping Karu's pain, it only made him madder than he was. Karu pulled Dark towards him and forced him to look into Karu's threatening eyes, "Listen to me, demon..." He couldn't continue when he felt a sharp point touching his neck. His eyes looked over and saw a black creature having his sharp claws on his neck. "What the fuck is that thing?"

Dark smirked, "That is my second in command of the demon army."

"You mean...it's that...hedgehog?"

Dark nodded, "Yes, I spent some time with him while no one was around. He can now transform into his demon form anytime he wants."

Karu could hear the creature's deep growl.

Dark's smirk was still showing, "You'd better let me go or things could get...messy."

Karu quickly let go of Dark. Once he did the creature's claw was removed from his neck.

The creature leaned against the wall again, having his eyes fixed on Karu.

Karu faced Dark, "Fine, if you're not going to do anything about Satar's death then I will." He left the room in rage.

That next morning at the Chaotix, Espio came through the door tired from last night's fight. He yawned and stretched. He walked up to Tonya's desk and kissed Tonya on the cheek, "Good morning."

"You too. You look tired."

"You know I am. Fighting fourteen demons can be hard work."

"I hope all of them aren't as powerful like the first one."

Just thinking about it gave Espio a headache, "God, I hope not."

"Good morning, Espio!" A childish voice shouted.

Espio looked over and saw Charmy fly up to him, "Hey Charmy, where's Michelle?"

"She's back at the hospital. Satar only killed the doctors that worked the night shift. Michelle said she didn't want to go back there, but I told her you had killed the demon and still she didn't want to go. She must have been really scared that night if she didn't want to go back to the hospital."

"I'm glad your sis is okay. She'll feel like herself in a couple of days."

Charmy nodded, "I hope so."

Vector had walked over to the group, "Hey guys."

Espio greeted back, "Hey, Vec. Have you seen Rouge?"

Vector shook his head, "No, she didn't come in today. She must be a little worried about Shadow."

Espio looked down on the floor, "It's my fault Dark got to him. I just hope he's okay."

"I don't!"

Espio, Tonya, and Vector faced Charmy with confusion.

"Why not, Charmy?" Tonya asked.

"He...bit me and I'll never forgive him for that!" He shouted with anger.

Vector hit his head, "That's right. I guess you're still mad with him for that huh?"

"Damn straight! I hope he burns in the deepest depths of hell!" Charmy had never been this angry at Shadow before.

"Damn, if Rouge heard you say those things about him around her, she would kick your scrawny ass", Espio said with a little chuckle.

"I don't care!" Charmy shouted again.

"Calm down, Charms. God you're giving me a headache", Vector said as he held his head.

Then a familiar figure bursted through the door.

Everyone looked over to the doorway and saw Karu holding four swords. Two in each hand. He looked at them with a glare.

"He seems upset", Tonya noticed.

Karu looked over to Espio, "You...you killed my brother." He said in a voice filled with hate.

Espio tried not to make him even more upset, "Look, I'm sorry for what I did but I had to do it or he would've killed even more innocent people."

"That was kinda the point when Dark resurrected us in the first place. You killed Satar now I'm gonna kill you." He ran towards Espio swinging his four swords around.

Espio tried to dodge all four swords at once, but he lost his balance and fell on the floor. He quickly took out the Z-X from his holster and tried to fire at Karu, but Karu took the bottom of his sword and hit the gun out of his hand.

The gun slid over to the other side of the room in a great distance from Espio.

Karu began to strike his swords down at Espio until a sharp blade cut him in the back. He took his attention away from Espio and faced the person responsible. He looked over to Tonya. "Woman, you have the nerve." He slowly walked over to her.

Tonya quivered in fear as he came closer. She saw Espio trying to get the gun in time, 'Hurry, Espio.'

When Espio finally got to the gun he pointed it at Karu's back and pulled the trigger. The red bullet hit Karu's back.

In a matter of seconds the bullet exploded inside of Karu and soon his dead body dropped in front of Tonya.

Espio walked over to Karu's body and took his necklace with the yellow jewel in it.

Tonya sighed with relief and fell on the floor.

Later at the lake, Rouge was sitting on the green grass thinking about Shadow. 'Where are you?'

"Rouge?" A deep voice called.

Rouge looked over to the person and saw a black and red hedgehog standing beside her. She couldn't believe it. "Shadow? You're okay?"

The hedgehog made an evil smirk, "Miss me?"