Chapter 6

The Biolizard's roar echoed in Shadow's ears. His teeth rattled in his head as he zoomed with lightning fast speed towards the squirming red monstrosity. Move! Acting on instinct, Shadow dived down, narrowly avoiding the swipe of the monster's tail. He countered by soaring upward. Orienting himself was nearly impossible, but he could just make out the purple that highlighted the Biolizard's weakness. Shadow crashed against the wound with all the weight and speed he could muster. The Biolizard displayed its pain by raising its neck and crying out with a shrill scream that threatened to pop Shadow's ears.

He flew away from the monster, hoping to circle around and make another assault but there was no need. Out of the corner of his eye he caught a glint of golden light as something blurred past him. He is faster than me. By the time Shadow whirled around it was already done. Sonic dodged past the Biolizard's final attempts to damage him and stomped on the pulsing wound near the monster's neck. As soon as Shadow heard its cry he knew that the fight was over.

The beast shook feebly before disintegrating in a flash of red light. "All right, Shadow! Looks like we took care of him." Sonic announced triumphantly. Shadow did not share his rival's optimism. The Biolizard was gone but the Space Colony Ark had not stopped moving. It did not take long for Sonic to catch on to the problem. He looked down and like Shadow realized that they were nearly in earth's atmosphere.

"If it reaches, gravity will pull it down and there will be nothing we can do." Shadow said simply. He was exhausted. Two battles against the Biolizard in quick succession had taken their toll on him.

Sonic, on the other hand, was undeterred. The golden aurora of his Super Sonic form flashed and pulsed with a second life. "Come on!" He zoomed directly at the incoming projectile. Shadow followed after, but more slowly. Rushing headlong towards their deaths would not help them stop the Ark.

Even our combined super forms can't stop this. He reached Sonic and together they manifested all the power they had in their reserves. The heat of the falling Ark scorched Shadow's skin. Had it not been for the power of the Chaos Emeralds he would have been incinerated. They both raised their hands and projected their aura's outward creating a shield of combined energy. This won't help. Perhaps they could slow the Ark down, but eventually their strength would deplete.

As Shadow raised his hands to lend power to the shield he felt the glass. Just like before, the case of helplessness was falling over him. Maria stood by the controller. He pounded against the glass of the pod but there was no point. "Shadow I beg of you, please do it for me." The memory robbed him of strength. Helplessness returned. Shadow's arms shook as he struggled to maintain the barrier. It's over. "Sayonara, Shadow the Hedgehog."

"No way that's getting through!" Shadow turned. A fire burned in Sonic's eyes.

Somehow, despite everything, Sonic's resolute defiance persisted. None of the fear or indecision that weighed down Shadow affected him. Was he simply too foolish to recognize the inevitable or did the flame of his hope really burn so strong?

"Whatcha see is whatcha you get, just a guy who loves adventure." Perhaps it didn't matter. Sonic would face every obstacle the same, no matter the cost or the scope. Right or wrong, promises or no promises, he did what his heart told him to do. And I thought he was a faker. In reality, the two of them could not have been more different, whatever their similarity in appearance.

Shadow closed his eyes. Maybe he could not stop the Ark, but he could at least face his end with the same determination and resolve that Sonic had. "Shadow, I beg of you…" Maria? Over the roar of fire and the heavy pulsing of his and Sonic's super forms he heard her voice calling to him. "Give them a chance to be happy."

Sonic and Shadow reached the Ark. Their shield of energy was quickly encased by the ball of fire surrounding the falling station. Shadow pushed out all the power he could afford. At his right, Sonic did the same. Their combined outflow pushed against the fire, struggled for a moment, then failed. There was a second of pause. Sonic and Shadow hovered in suspended animation. He placed his hand on Sonic's back. "Shadow?" Even now, Sonic did not sound afraid. Shadow honored his rival with a smile as he unleashed the most amount of energy he could afford. Sonic disappeared.

The moment of stillness broke. Shadow prepared himself as the full weight of the crashing Ark fell on him alone. He raised his hand and summoned all the power he had left inside himself. The well was much deeper than before. His doubts were removed along with his limits. I made a promise. Maria had not died for nothing. Shadow was alive, and he was alive for a reason. This reason.He had enough power, it was his destiny. Surety gave him strength and Shadow's flesh burned as new wells of power opened one by one encasing him with new energy.

"CHAOS CONTROL!" Shadow fired all the energy he had left in his body into one shot. His power rivaled with the pressure of the falling Ark, the forces balanced and then Shadow's overcame. The entire Space Colony was enveloped in a golden ball and then it disappeared. Shadow watched, his eyes dimming as it reappeared safely out of orbit in the far distance. The flame within him was extinguished. He felt cold and empty.

His super form had depleted. Shadow could not hold himself up so he leaned back and let himself fall. Maria…this is what you wanted right? This is my promise I made to you. He felt no pain. A calm that Shadow had never known in his life washed over him. He closed his eyes and wondered what it would be like to sleep without nightmares. Perhaps he would dream of Maria.