Wherever the Queen went, it appeared that she couldn't have gotten far. Shadow slowed as he noticed more signs that she might not have attempted to completely flee. He glanced around the next room he entered through the hole. The way the floor boards were torn and the vases that were damaged almost seemed to have been staged. As the Hedgehog's fiery-red eyes examined the room, he remained in a readied position.
Inches in front of him hung a long, worn cloth. It dangled over the floor and moved as a slight draft blew it. Shadow yanked it down only to discover an old coat hanger beneath the big, ragged cloth. A vase a little way to the side vibrated. The Hedgehog dropped the rough, grey fabric and moved towards the sound. His sensitive hearing picked up the nearby floorboard creaks.
Nothing out of the ordinary waited for him around the corner. He stepped next to the suspicious vase.
His ear flicked. It was faint, but his high-sensitive hearing caught a heartbeat. His red eyes opened, and he jumped just as a crystal was thrusted into the floor behind him. As soon as it collided with the wood, more crystals had burst from the boards, cracking and crushing them and anything else that was unfortunate enough to sit on them. The Ultimate Life Form looked at the chaos and jumped back once again.
Sandy stood, frowning at him. Her field-green eyes flickered with pure rage. In her raised hand, another crystal formed. That one was filled with a dark energy. It had a close resemblance to lightening except it was two shades of dark purple. Shadow dodged it.
The energy caused the thrown crystals to explode, jamming tiny shards into their surroundings. Shadow ducked one, rolled out of the way of another, and slid down to avoid one. However, one grazed his arm just as he flipped. Blood dripped from the small cut. He gripped the injury and gritted his teeth.
Sandy, on the other hand, smiled.
Shadow glanced down at the wound, looking curious at the cut mark.
Why hasn't my fast healing power kicked in? It should be disappearing. There must be something to that energy. I must avoid it at all costs, he thought.
He clenched his fists and looked at Sandy who levitated off the ground, surrounded by that mysterious energy. That cocky grin of her grew like cat's. Her cape flapped as a slight unnatural wind whirled around her.
"What's the matter? Just realized how weak you are?" she said, keeping in her laughter.
Shadow snorted and shook his head in reply. "You don't know what you're up against."
"Hah! Says the Hedgehog who can't lay a finger on me in this form. It's you who should hide. My powers have the ability to turn off another's power."
So that's why I can't heal. We might actually struggle with this one.
He raised his hand and yelled, "Chaos spear!"
Nothing happened.
He repeated the words. Nothing.
His red eyes widened, and he barely dodged her sword that appeared without a warning.
Amy's friends, including Merlin the Magician hurried up the cold, stone steps to the top floor. Still cloaked in dark energy, Sonic rolled into a spin dash and had busted through the wooden door. Splinters and nails were scattered as he uncurled. He halted spinning mid-air and flipped once more to make a dramatic landing with one knee planted on the off-white, marble, tiled floor. Dust was sent flying off the ground from the impact.
He opened his still pupil-less eyes and returned to a normal standing position.
Tails turned to the old Magician and asked, "I get that Sonic's exposure to the dark magic has resulted in that form, but...any way for him to change back?"
Merlin tapped his chin. He replied, "Well, I suppose that with the right spell, it should be a rather simple procedure."
Sonic zipped in front and tapped his foot, saying, "Hate to interrupt, guys, but got an evil queen to catch. If we want answers and a way out of here, speed's what we need."
The pink Hedgehog looked around the main floor and up at the top floor along with the staircases. She said, "There're so many rooms in this castle. Where do we even begin?"
"One room at a time," her blue friend replied.
He was gone in a flash.