Shadow awoke to find himself lying on the ground. His head throbbed in pain as he stood up. Looking around, he had no clue where he was.

The area looked to be some kind of abandoned base, surrounded by jungle and flowing with toxic waste. The air was heavy and almost painful to breathe.

I know this place… It feels like I've been here before... The hedgehog felt the two Emeralds in his possession emit a faint pulse of energy. There must be another nearby. He decided to explore, still bothered by his headache. Taking only a few steps, he grunted as a wave of pain sent him to his knees.

A dark hallway.

Strong hands dragged him away.

His body numb, yet he felt a deep pain in his chest.

Thrown in a capsule. Tubes attached to his body. The door shut.

Water flooded the compartment, and he felt the urge to scream out.

In mere moments, everything faded to nothingness…

Shadow tensed. That's right. Those humans captured me, but… from where? And why? He tried to shake the disturbing vision from his mind and continued on his way, following the Emeralds' energy.

Even though the area appeared to be desolate, it looked as if it had only recently been abandoned. The steel buildings were invaded by the local flora, and items were strewn about as if their owners simply vanished on the spot. Jets, mechs, and various military equipment all lay untouched. The lack of any inhabitants, animal or human, gave off an eerie vibe. Seemingly empty, the facility did house another visitor this day.

Shadow felt as if he were being watched and sharply turned around, fists raised. "Who's there?"

The one-eyed creature floated over from behind one of the abandoned buildings. "Shadow…"

"Why did you bring me here? What do you want from me?"

"This place used to be a human military base. Do you remember it?"

Shadow lowered his fists. "My memories are still foggy. How did you know I've been here?'

"You have much to catch up on…." The creature continued forward as Shadow followed close beside, "You do not know who I am, do you?"

Shadow shook his head. "No…"

"A pity. You may call me Black Doom. I am the leader of the Black Arms." Using one of its tentacles, it pointed at itself. "My eye here serves as an extension of myself, allowing me to observe and communicate from afar. I last visited this planet fifty years ago and have returned again to help you fulfill your purpose."

"My purpose?"

"Yes. You see, you were created to accomplish great things. The humans feared your power. It was here that they kept you as their prisoner for all those years."

Shadow pondered this. His visions seemed to match with what Black Doom was saying, but he still felt like he knew nothing. A sudden sensation brought him to attention as the Emeralds began pulsating quickly. He followed their signals and stopped upon reaching a pair of what looked to be large broken-down army mechs. They must be inside...

As he reached toward them, the mechs sprang to life, raising their guns to attack.

Shadow leapt back as a barrage of bullets shot towards him. His speed made it easy to outmaneuver the clunky machines and swiftly kicked one in the legs, causing it to topple over. Dodging more bullet fire, he slid under the other mech and jumped onto its head, drawing his fist back to attack.

Black Doom's voice broke through his concentration. "Focus your energy! Use the Emeralds' power to destroy it!"

Shadow held one of his Emeralds. He could feel the untameable power within, ready at his command. Tapping into it felt as easy as breathing. Drawing it into his body, he led it to his hand, which became enveloped in a green flame. The power of Chaos. The sensation was enthralling, but he had no time to dwell on it. He swung at the mech's head, sending a blast of energy through it on impact. Startled by the reaction, he was launched backwards from the force and collapsed on the ground.

Doom's Eye floated over to him. "Excellent work."

Shadow got to his feet and looked to see the two mechs completely decimated by the blast. He turned back, eyes wide. "How did I do that?

"As I said, you were destined to do great things. You have much to learn. These Emeralds are the key to your past and your future."

Shadow walked over to the wreckage, pulling out the Emeralds buried inside the mechs. He examined them in astonishment, remembering the powerful rush of energy. Now possessing four Emeralds, he only had three more to find… and many, many more questions that needed to be answered.