-The Will To Live-
Part: III

Shadow was falling through the atmosphere, and fast. He felt smoldering white-hot pain, as his golden coat slowly returned to its regular ebony hue. He opened his eyes, but fastened them quickly as flames began to spread across his eyelids.

"Shadow…" a small voice uttered. He opened his eyes slightly to find that there was no flames covering his pelt, in fact, there were no signs of the inferno at all. But he could still feel that same, gruesome pains shooting through his nerves. Shadow wrapped his arms around himself clutching his teeth, and balling his fists. He bit his lip, hard enough so that a small amount of crimson blood trickled down his muzzle.

Shadow let out a gasp as the pain suddenly vanished from his body. He looked around, daring to open his eyes fully to see… nothing. Shadow was surrounded by a black void. An abyss in all directions, Shadow frantically looked around with panic evident in his ruby orbs. Shadow soon began to feel suffocation as he stared into this obsidian environment. He crushed his eyes closed trying to block everything out. All of a sudden, a faint voice muttered his name again. A small, caring voice that was so familiar and yet so alien to him at the same time.

"Shadow…"

"Who's there?" He heard himself ask his surroundings. His response came in a blinding white flash. A human's figure came into view and stood still, a black mark against the heavy light. The form moved closer to the Ultimate Life-form. Shadow immediately shut his eyes tight again. This could not be real…

Suddenly a gentle hand caressed Shadow's right cheek. The ebony hedgehog slowly opened his eyes to see a blonde haired girl, dressed in a sky-blue dress and cobalt blouse looking at him with care and love in her sapphire gaze. Shadow felt himself beginning to shed tears as he stared at the girl in astonishment.

She's dead… he told himself in his mind. This can't be real…

"Hello Shadow." The girl smiled lovingly and put her petite hand on Shadow's head. "It certainly has been a while."

Shadow looked at her in disbelief. "Maria, you-, but I don't understand your-" he stopped suddenly and looked down. "dead." He whispered.

"Shadow, all that happened on the Ark, the G.U.N soldiers' infiltration of the research lab, that was all real. And yes, I am no longer alive." Maria frowned slightly, her face full of concern as she positioned her hands on Shadow's shoulders. "You did well."

Shadow looked up at the petite girl. He understood everything about Maria; she was his best friend, his salvation, yet all of her words were confusing him to no end. "What?"

"The people of Mobius, you gave them the chance to live. You allowed them to live, Shadow. The purpose of your creation has finally been realized." She said as she looked upwards. "You kept your promise to me. For that I thank you Shadow."

"Maria, I-"

"Shadow, I know this is all confusing to you. However what has to be spoken must be said. Consciousness will soon hit your body and the same pain you felt will come back to you." Maria looked at Shadow sternly before continuing. "You are my grandfather's legacy. You are the Ultimate Life-form, a flawless existence. You can survive this but you have to want it. You have to have the will to live."

Shadow gazed at Maria, realization finally hitting him. Maria was right. He could endure this but he had to crave it.

"I understand Maria, thank you." Shadow smiled, and Maria grinned as well. Shadow wrapped his arms and hugged Maria, his friend, his world. Thank you.

The abyss suddenly came crashing down as Shadow felt a familiar pain racing through his veins. His body once again felt numb.

"He felt to much pain, he didn't deserve death."

"He never even got to live… he never felt what it means to be alive."

"Having to live your life going by only a promise…"

"Revenge, he was a hero…"

"He saved us all, but now he's gone."

"Shadow… he deserved better, he deserved more…"

"Shadow." A golden figure spoke to him. Emerald depths stared at him. Those eyes telling him not to die, to cling to life because there was something more to live for, to fight for, to enjoy. Shadow gazed at it and understood the white light emitting from the form before him. Hope. Hope to live, hope for the future. "I've lived in darkness for so long." Shadow muttered his eyes narrowed in sadness. "I don't want to live anymore without her, but…" The amber figure silenced his speaking by raising a hand and spoke with a smooth, intoxicating tone, "Don't be afraid to live." It alleged. "Hold back your fears, scream your will to live, fight death, make will your weapon to battle the darkness and reach the light your truly deserve."

There were so many things that he did not understand. But through this, through the viewing of Maria and this brilliant light, Shadow felt a new sensation. A new reason. He had to live. He still had a reason, a purpose. He still had a promise to keep. "I want to go back! You hear me? I WANT TO LIVE!" he yelled to the space around him. Shadow smiled as pain wrapped itself around him and became more intense that ever before. I will not die here, Maria… Sonic… everyone. Feeling a rush of energy, Shadow raised his hand. I WILL live. and with a bright flash of green radiance, he vanished.

End of Ch. 3

AN: I must give thanks to a special writer on who inspired me to write this chapter... I can't remember he PN though... ;;
Anyway thank you to her... thank you so much.