Chapter Sixteen: The Power Of Darkness

At this moment, another battle is about to begin. It is now between Devil Exetior and Super Dark Sonic. Exetior just stares at Sonic's form, and smiles evilly.

"Well, Sonic! You do have some evil within you the whole time! This proves my point that we're not that much different!" Exetior told Sonic.

"I am nothing like you, you monster! Now shut up, and fight!" Sonic retorted in frustration. Exetior laughs evilly.

"Your call! Ready for round two?!" he mockingly replies.

After that, another epic battle commences. It was very fast moving, nobody could see where they were going. It was very close to being evenly matched. Whatever the rate of this battle goes, Sonic was not going to give up this fight just yet. He's set on trying to stop Exetior's evil plans once and for all.

Meanwhile, back with the girls, they've helped the unconscious Tails, Knuckles and Shadow to the Master Emerald. It took them a while to get them there, considering that they were quite heavy, and the girls weren't very strong enough to carry them. Shadow was bleeding to death. He's still alive, but he's slowly dying. His chest was penetrated deep by Exetior's claws.

"Tikal, please! Try and help Shadow! Say a chant to the Master Emerald, or something!" Rouge pleaded.

"I'll try!" Tikal told her.

"We know Knuckles and Tails will be fine!" Cream stated.

"Let's hope this magic works to help Shadow!" Amy hoped.

Tikal tried saying a chant to the Master Emerald, but it wasn't glowing at all. The Master Emerald has reached its limit. It can no longer give any more energy, because Tails used most of it earlier to help all the guys turn into their super forms.

"I can't do it!" Tikal panicked.

"What do you mean you can't?!" Rouge sobbed, tears heavily flowing out of her eyes.

"Well, when Tails used the energy from the Master Emerald earlier, it drained the Master Emerald of using any more of it." Amy explained.

"So, does that mean...?" Rouge tried saying, but she broke down in a heartbreaking cry, knowing that she's going to lose Shadow.

"I'm very sorry, Rouge! There's nothing more I can do, unfortunately!" Tikal stated, with sobs.

Rouge continued to cry harder, knowing that the love of her life is slowly dying. All these years of knowing him, and all these years of loving him, it ends this way. This was not the fairy tail ending she's hoped for.

"Rouge..." Shadow's voice was heard, softly.

"Shh! Don't say another word, Shadow! Save your energy!" Rouge pleaded.

"Rouge... I'm not... going to make it." Shadow stuttered.

"Don't talk like that, Shadow! You're going to be alright! You're with me now, everything is going to be fine." Rouge sobbed. Shadow has tears flowing from his eyes.

"You've... you have given me a wonderful life, Rouge. I love you so very much." Shadow said, as he gave her a weak smile.

Shadow gave a long gasp, his eyes slowly closed, sheds more tears, and he breathes his final breath. Shadow is no longer breathing. Rouge began to sob more.

"Shadow? Shadow! No!" Rouge sobbed.

Cream walked behind her, and wrapped her arms warmly around Rouge's shoulder for comfort.

"I'm sorry, Rouge." Cream sobbed.

"Shadow!" Tikal sobbed.

"I love you too, Shadow. Farewell, my love." Rouge cries.

All the girls began to sob, when they have come to realize that the Ultimate Life Form was no longer in the world of the living.

"Sonic, I hope you kill that son of a bitch!" Amy hoped.

She loved Shadow like a brother, and it tore Amy up inside. Meanwhile, back within the fight between Sonic and Exetior, they were still exchanging punches and kicks towards each other. This fight was still evenly matched. Now they were in a position where their hands were locked, like in a test of strength. Again, this was also evenly matched.

"Not a bad power, Sonic! You could become my co-ruler of each dimension with this form! Just think of what we could have!" Exetior explained. Sonic just sarcastically smiles at him.

"Huh! Yeah, I'll pass on that offer! But thanks for the compliment!" Sonic replies.

"Still the stubborn hedgehog, aye? Well, it's your loss! You could have anything you've ever wanted!" Exetior grins evilly.

"And what would I want from you? Living around dead corpses for the rest of my life? Some life that is!" Sonic snarled.

"Well, no matter! You're full of weakness anyway! Your love and emotions for these people will only ruin my reputation! It'd be a waste of time hiring you, what was I thinking of having the idea that you could co-rule dimensions with me?" Exetior stated.

"Emotions are weakness, are they? Well then, how come you've never killed the Amy in your dimension then? Huh?! Answer that, fucker!" Sonic mocked, but this only angered Exetior.

"FOOL! Never mention that name around me again!" he yelled, and the fight continues.

The fight continues, but Sonic actually started to lay in more hits on Exetior. He grabbed him by the neck, and flew through trees and rocks. Sonic just kept on punching Exetior's face multiple times. Sonic gained control over this fight, like he is actually winning this. The girls cheered on.

"YES, SONIC! KEEP PUNCHING THAT CREEP!" Cream yelled in support.

"DO IT FOR SHADOW!" yelled Rouge in frustration.

"DO IT FOR US!" Tikal yelled.

"DO IT FOR ME!" Amy added.

After a while, grunting was heard from Tails and Knuckles. They were slowly waking up from being unconscious.

"Oh! Did anyone get the number of the bus that hit me?" Knuckles groaned.

"Man, I have a really bad stomach ache!" Tails moaned.

"Knuckles!" Tikal exclaimed excitedly, as she rushed to hug Knuckles.

"Tails!" Cream also exclaimed excitedly, as she rushed to hug Tails.

The girls explained to the guys what had happened before, and during them being unconscious. Up to the point where they told them that Shadow has sadly died in battle, Tails and Knuckles couldn't believe it. They both actually shed sad tears over the loss of Shadow. Back to the battle with Sonic and Exetior, Sonic was still pounding Exetior with punches.

"NOW BURN IN HELL, YOU FUCKING FREAK!" Sonic yells, as he charges up a blast.

Sonic has a blue lightning bolt forming from his hand, but suddenly his dark form faded away. This caught Sonic off guard, and left him stunned.

"What?!" Sonic yelled. Exetior laughs evilly.

"Lost your dark powers, huh? Well, looks like you've lost your audition to be the co-ruler now!" Exetior mocked.

After that, he grabs Sonic, and starts beating him into a bloody pulp. Sonic has a lot of bruises, and open wounds, and was bleeding a little at some parts of his face.

"Oh my God, NO! Somebody help him!" Amy pleaded.

"We would, Amy! But we're no match for him any more! There's nothing we can do! I guess this is the end of us, after all." Knuckles stated, as he held Tikal closely.

"Oh God, no!" Tikal stated.

"Tails, I'm scared!" Cream whimpered, as she held onto him close.

"I'm scared too, Cream." Tails replied.

"At least I get to die by your side, Shadow!" Rouge cried, as she cradled Shadow in her arms.

"This is it! No life, no wedding, no fairy tale ending!" Amy stated, as sad tears were flowing from her eyes. Back to the battlefield.

"I've wasted my time with you long enough!" Exetior snarled.

He then picks up Sonic by the neck, and held him up high. Sonic was groaning in so much pain, and with blood pouring out of his open wounds. As Exetior held him up high, he had his claws up and ready to slice Sonic to pieces.

"Prepare to die! And before I kill you, do you have any last words?" Exetior asks, as he grins evilly.

"Yeah... I do! You don't have to do this, Exetior. Or should I just simple call you... Sonic!" Sonic replies.

After hearing that, Exetior turned from having an evil grin, to a very shocked look on his face.

"What? What did you just call me?" Exetior asked him.