Chapter Six – Storm-breaker
Dimension – 14319 – Where Do You Go When Your No Longer Wanted?
It has been a hundred years since the Artificial Chaos Shield was activated, and Eggman had long since been destroyed. Never before had a version of the Ultimate Lifeform cared so much about something, neither before nor since. But with the death of that infuriating Blue Blur, all Chaos Energy on the planet died with him. Why, Shadow heaved, because he was the dam source of it. But it happened, and he was forced to use the Ark, and it's Ellipse Cannon, to transfer the artificial Chaos Energy it generated to the planet to stabilise it. It was now blasted it's energy field there now indefinitely, giving the entire planet it permanent emerald-green tint. Shadow had saved the world, and it nearly cost him everything. But he was then, himself, saved by said infuriating Blue Blur, who started the whole problem, in the first place.
Sonic may have been dead, but that didn't mean he didn't come back, to haunt the crud, out of the Ultimate Lifeform. But regardless, in the end, Shadow was grateful, for his loyalty and ultimately his gift of immortality, which brought him back, when he sacrificed his own. Peace now reigned on the planet and had done for several decades. Shadow was stood on the Ark, not aboard but on the space station itself, the vastness of space all around him, completely unaffected.
He deeply sighed. He was barely visible in the deep shadows of the Ark, but the cold, evil within him, could be easily felt. He was never forgotten. He stood there, strong and steady. His deep red eyes glowing with the cold darkness within. His jet Black fur coat and his infamous red stripes, which ran down his large, upturned, head quills, and body disappeared into the darkness of the shadows. His arms were folded across his white chest fur, the Inhibitor Rings, as powerful as ever, almost vanished against the blackness. He shifted slightly in his red, white and black rocket shoes, as steady as ever. His long legs strong. He was still not welcome on the planet below, even if he did help destroy Eggman, mainly by outright murdering him.
Shadow growled. Well, what did the Resistance expected, putting him in charge of the fight against the Human? To win, by any means necessary, was what they asked for. When Shadow did exactly that, they complain and then promptly shun him. That angered him, but outnumbered and outgunned, he left but he wasn't alone. But he was growing stronger, in both size and stature, the huge muscles now clearly visible, his superpowers growing exponentially in strength. Shadow didn't blame them throwing him out. Maybe he was just too strong.
His powers had exploded since the Power-That-Be and a certain Blue Blur revived his immortality, which he now shared with the ghost. He was pearly white, completely see-through and hovering about two feet off the ground. His legs and feet were gone, but where they should have been, his body tapered off into a point which seemed to leave trails of ectoplasm behind him as he moved. He could turn into a ball of light and move at speed, especially after Shadow, but truthfully, nothing had changed in over last century.
Sonic was still around, by his side, loyal all these years, but the Blue Blur had been quiet for some time. Even the world's biggest chatterbox had literally nothing left to say, or at least, for now. Shadow looked down at the planet, the Eclipse Cannon still blasting its shield, perfectly stable.
He was proud of his achievement but with a peace, the planet no longer needed him. He fulfilled his promise to Maria. He'd turned around and looked to the vastness of space, within his dimension. Time to leave and move on. He was nervous. He never traveled space before. But he ran across the length of Ark and launched himself into the blackness, to a squealing ghost behind him.
"Shads, wait?" He bellowed across the darkness, but realising he didn't have a choice, he follow him, easily, wondering where Shadow was going. Truthfully, the Ultimate Lifeform didn't even know himself, but was keen to find out. Shadow travelled from planet to planet, not looking for a fight, but always ending up finding one.
The Chaos Darkness within him, seemed to be a beacon to all things evil, as people tried to manipulate and control him. None succeeded. Shadow had long since closed up permanently, his limited connection to the Black Arms' hive-mind, which lead him being prone to mind-control. Shadow's travels seemed fruitless until he heard of an ultimate weapon that none had ever wielded. Storm-breaker. A highly enchanted axe, that could summon inter-dimensional portals. Shadow smirked, axes where not his weapon of choice, but to wield a weapon of that power, he'd quickly learn. Many people on many planets, suspected Shadow was strong enough, true immortals were extremely rare, but few trusted him because of the evil within him.
Usually it was Sonic's interference and trust, and the pure-goodness within him that changed people's minds. A ghost, none the less. But where to find it? Storm-breaker was designed by the dwarves of Nidavellir, a weapon of Gods. However, it was never forged, and the dwarves had been rendered extinct. It turned out, that such a place exists, so Sonic and Shadow travel there. Upon arriving, the typically lively forges of Nidavellir were cold and barren, littered with broken parts. In order the forge Storm-breaker, Shadow had to open the cage around the still burning star and re-lit the forge, melting down ingots of Uru and pouring it into the mould.
Despite the constant belittling and bullying he got from Shadow, Sonic had grown extremely fond of him, and when they visited a random planet, on their travels, Sonic got captured by ghost hunters. Shadow exploded with anger so badly, he almost destroyed the entire planet, subsequently killing every single ghost hunter on it, to get Sonic back. They had left that planet in tatters, but the Blue Blur just blushed.
So the Ultimate Lifeform did care after all, despite how horrendously he mistreated him. The ghost could see it in his eyes, even if Shadow would never admit it.
Sonic looked around. Floating into, around, and through everything, trying to work how they were expected to open the cage and re-light the forge. From what he could see, there was only one way. The star beneath the cage was still lit, happily burning brightly, but incredibly intensely hot, ready to blast through the cage once it was opened. But there was a problem. The locking mechanism for holding the cage open was busted and couldn't by repaired. The only way to re-light the forge was for someone to physically hold open the cage doors, right in the line of fire of the blasting star. Sonic gulped, and hard.
"But Shads, that would kill you. Is this weapon really worth it?" He wondered, as he nervously floated, just above the floor. Truthfully, Sonic was terrified. But as Shadow examined the forge, his eyes glowed with evil glee, as the Chaos Darkness bubbled beneath. Sonic heaved, he knew that look, far too well. They were doing this. He knew that talking Shadow out of it, was a complete waste of time, but maybe in could steer the mighty Ultimate Lifeform into the right direction, and hopefully do this for the correct reasons. Despite how badly Shadow treated the ghost, in the end, the Ultimate Lifeform always listened to him, in the end. Even if Sonic had to literally ram the advice, physically down his throat. He got it, eventually. As Shadow walked towards the cage, the ghost chased after him. "Shads. Are you sure about this? Why do you want such a weapon?" He panted. Shadow stopped and turned, glaring at the ghost.
"To destroy my enemies, why else." He smirked. But Sonic gasped.
"But Shads, you can do that alone, without the axe." He stammered. Shadow suddenly stared. The ghost had a point. He was the Ultimate Lifeform. The strongest of them all, he technically didn't need the weapon. But truthfully, he just wanted it, but there was more it then that. There was something about this place, this forge, that felt so familiar, so right, he just couldn't his finger on it. He heaved.
"Being created rather then born, I shouldn't have a destiny, and yet, all my life, I had this strange weird feeling, that my meaning, my purpose, was far beyond the planet of which created around. Either Earth or Mobius. I knew when Gerald told me that I meant to be a cure, I just didn't believe him. I don't know why, despite all the evidence pointing in that direction. That's why I headed out into space, to find my purpose, so to speak." He added. But Sonic looked around.
"What? Here?" He wondered. Shadow sighed and nodded.
"I can't explain it, but I feel like I've been here before, when I can definitely tell you, I haven't. I know how to work the forge, how to open the cage, and where to hold them open, and for how long. How do I know such knowledge, if I wasn't meant to be here? Like the axe wasn't meant for me." He hissed. But Sonic giggled.
"You dreamed it." He grinned, but Shadow just growled at the ghost.
"Well, obviously, not that I hardly ever sleep." He spat. "But why and from where? How come such knowledge was meant for me, if not to be used to retrieve the axe." He wondered. Sonic blinked. Shadow had a point there, as he turned back towards the cage, but Sonic just panicked, floating back in front of him again.
"Ok, so we get the axe, then what?" He gulped. Shadow stopped, deep in thought. He shrugged.
"I have no idea, but looking around this forge, a feel a greater calling. I have no idea from who, or to where, but one thing I have certain of, is that the axe will change me. Dramatically. For good or evil, I am unsure, but I am ready for whatever comes my way." He leered, bracing himself. But Sonic growled, hard, blocked the way, the best he could as a ghost.
"No, Shads. Not evil, your better then that." He scowled, but Shadow just smirked in response.
"What make's you so sure." He spat, extremely coldly. Sonic heaved, he knew the answer, as he just looked at the Black Hedgehog.
"Because Shads, your the Ultimate Lifeform, and for that, you are simply not trusted, anywhere. No matter what you do, how many planets you save, how many people you help, nobody will put their faith in you, and that more then anything is what make a hero, a hero." He explained. But Shadow growled.
"I'm not a hero." He hissed, but Sonic stammered.
"I know, Shads, I know." He admitted, but suddenly, the ghost smirked hard, almost to the point of giggling. "But you hang out with one." He added. Shadow just stared, as Sonic knew that was rather brash of him to say that, but it was true. He was a Hero, a Blue Blur, a 'Sonic', even if he was dead. Shadow heaved. The only reason why they were here, was due to Sonic. They had been told because of the ghost's influence, not out of fear of Shadow's foreboding stature.
The Black Hedgehog gulped. Alone, he never would have found this place. He looked at the ghost. Even after a hundred years, the Blue Blur, hadn't changed a bit. Still loyal to him, horrendously irritating as hell, but yet without him, Shadow was simply, nothing. Nobody.
Just a bad guy.
Shadow growled. Not anymore. He was done with the whole bad guy gig, finished, he no longer enjoyed it, but proving that, had been intensely difficult. Quite simply, no one trusted him, no matter what he did, and it was the ghost, that provided that absolutely essential bridge, that allowed Shadow the freedoms he so much enjoyed.
He been given the knowledge of the axe, because he wasn't alone, and right now, as he looked at the cage, fear swept through him, he realised didn't want to be stay on his own. Shadow pushed past Sonic and grabbed the doors of the cage, he heaved and hard.
"Whatever happens, don't leave me." He begged, but Sonic just floated away, around to behind him, readying the forge. He just outright giggling, rolling his eyes.
"You know I won't, you idiot." He laughed, to much growling from Shadow. He despised being called that, but Sonic just heaved. "But I still think your stupid for doing this." He added. Shadow smirked, and hard, his eyes glowed a deep, crimson red. He grasped the doors of the cage and pushed huge quantities of power to his Super-Strength. He heaved.
"Noted!" He hissed, and with a roar of pure defiance, he slammed the doors of the cage open, his arms out wide, to have the almighty star immediately blast him, right in the face. The incredible raw power of the star came storming at him, straight across space, and right through the cage doors. Shadow screamed, taking the full force of it. It rushed back past him and into the forge, re-lighting it and melting the Uru. But Shadow had seriously underestimated the sheer power of the star, as it's incredible energy brushed past him, he realised it was taking his life-force with it. What made Shadow, the Ultimate Lifeform, and it was pushing him beyond the point of no return.
Shadow screamed. Was this axe really worth all this horrendous pain? He cried. Pain. That was the only thing that had remained consistent in his life. Suffering. He thought he was passed it, but no, he was still stupidly putting himself through it. But this place? He felt it now, more then ever, that he had to do this, and there was now no going back.
Finally, the Uru melted and poured into the mould and solidified. Unfortunately, Shadow gives out and falls to the floor, the doors of the cage, quickly snapping shut behind him, permanently closing off the power of the star. He lay on the floor, still and calm, barely breathing, his entire body covered in third degree burns, right down to the bone.
Shadow was down. The ghost squealed.
"Shads!"
Sonic cried at the Black Hedgehog, but the Ultimate Lifeform was done for. Suddenly, the mould then shatters, revealing the axe's blade and weight, but without a handle, to create the weapon. Seeing that Shadow was close to death, without regeneration, after taking the full brunt of the neutron star's power, Sonic is desperate to find a suitable handle. He searched everywhere, and found a potential handle, in a broken tree branch. Not perfect, but it will have to do. Being a ghost, he is unable to grab material objects. So he concentrated and hard, as Shadow's life is now in his hands. It was said that the axe could give life to the holder, and right now, that was Shadow's only chance. Sonic somehow manages to levitate the tree branch, which grasped the red hot pieces of metal, creating a wooden handle, truly finishing Storm-breaker. The weapon then began to hover, then spins through the air, reviving the smoking husk of Shadow, who catches it completely automaticity, his eyes snapping open, to his utter astonishment.
The huge clash of power, between the mighty Ultimate Lifeform and the god-like weapon Storm-breaker, caused an enormous explosion of Chaos Energy, so huge, it ricocheting bright white horizontal shockwaves, destroying the entire forge. It can now never be used again. Sonic screamed, trying to protect Shadow regardless.
As the power of Storm-breaker flows through Shadow, it's like an extension of his own body and mind. He almost gave his life for the weapon, the curiosity of it getting the better of him, and now it was accepting him as it's master. It was transforming Shadow. From a mere immortal to a figure whom had now attained divine status after death, a Demi God. Sonic too could feel the transformation, he himself changing, somehow.
Sonic and Shadow knelt on the floor panting, the mighty axe between them, not entirely sure what happened, the both of them alright. They look at each other and down at the axe. It was stunning, but also incredibly rustic, with it's tree branch handle, and slightly misaligned axe head and weight. Shadow heaved, not caring at he took the axe into his hands, feeling it's immense power pulsate through it and him. Sonic gulped.
"Now what?" He wondered, but Storm-breaker, as though hearing him, fired a large bright white and purple ball of bright light, right out it's end, which immediately expanded into a deep swirling, inter-dimensional portal ahead of them. Sonic and Shadow stared at it, then back at each other again.
Oh, that's what.
But Sonic was terrified, having no idea what or where that portal was heading to. Shadow immediately felt his fear, and with the axe in one hand, he grabbed Sonic's ectoplasmic tail with the other, and wrapping it around his hand, holding him firmly. The ghost stared, feeling that. For the first time in a century, he felt actual touch from the outside world, and it in turn could feel him, like he'd solidified somewhat, and he snuggled up to Shadow's arm. They were doing this together, as Shadow ran for the portal.
Now it was for the Ultimate Lifeform to save the Multiverse, and for the Blue Blur to keep him in check. Shadow's guns were now useless, he now had a new weapon, one he must master and quickly.
Dimension – 68724 – Expecting The Unexpected
The tossing and turning was extremely uncomfortable, but Shadow managed to keep a firm grip of the ghost. But as they landed, in was on warm green grass, at the end of a woodland. Suddenly, bombs and explosions was sounding all around them, as they had arrived on the very edge of a battlefield. Huge clanking of metal, and the thick smell of engine oil, filled their noses. Shadow immediately got to his feet, and ran, to a nearby tree, physically dragging the ghost, whom he still held, behind him. Peering around the tree, both their jaws just hit the floor. In front of them was a vast battlefield, filled with robust mechanical robots, of all shapes and designs, incredibly familiar. In the distance, more then a dozen white Death Egg Robot Sentinels. Towering robots, the size of skyscrapers, slowing lumbering towards them. Smaller Buzz Bombers, Scuttle Bugs, and Cater-killers, were scattered in between the Egg Pawns, by the thousands, and the entire battle was looking as though it was going to overwhelm the area.
Suddenly, the star of the show arrived. The Egg Dragoon, a enormous, bright red boss robot, with the Human clearly seated in it's cockpit. Shadow gasped.
Eggman?
Then immediately, he looked skywards, and saw the beautiful deep light blue, of a glorious summers day. Shadow gulped, that wasn't possible. The last time he saw the skies above Mobius, it was under the Artificial Chaos Shield which, where the yellow of the cannon, had combined with the blue sky, turning it green. It had been like that for over a hundreds years. The colour of pea soup. That was when Shadow has realised that they hadn't returned home. This was somewhere new.
But how?
Then they heard it. It was unmistakeable sound barrier breaking, the announcement of the hero. The resistant Sonic ran in, desperately trying to destroy as many robots as possible. He looked a little young, at around twelve years old. But the ghost just stared.
That was him?
Alive!
He just couldn't believe it but as he swung around to Shadow, he realised his counterpart was loosing this fight. The Ultimate Lifeform grabbed the ghost and held him in close, as the counterpart came towards them, within earshot. He was squealing down his communicator.
"Tails, get me something please. It's hell out here. Egg-head's done the works, and I'm on my own." He panicked. "Hey, you said you'd found some portal 'thing' and called for help. Did you get anything back?" He asked, somewhat desperate. A very high-pitched voice of an extremely young Fox replied, almost in tears.
"I get a message back from 'Saffie' again, who'd said he'd help us, but no sign of a inter-dimensional portal yet." He stammered. But Sonic giggled.
"Well, I think Saffie is a stupidly girly name for a guy." He laughed, but Tails interjected, unimpressed.
"Sonic, not now. Making fun of someone whom you've asked for help from, is kinda rude." He growled. Sonic gulped.
"Oh, sorry." He apologised. Suddenly, Tails, got extremely excited. He squealed.
"Sonic, above you, A portal!" He screamed, as suddenly, a huge inter-dimensional portal, opened, and with an enormous rush of sound, the might Sapphire Dragon himself burst through the portal, exploding his own sound barrier in the process. His massive wings out splayed, his secondary wings perfect stabilising him, he sliced up the air, and throwing his feet forwards, he perfected lands a few feet away from the resident Sonic, dismembering multiply robots in the process.
Immediately, Sonic jumps onto Saffie and cuddled him, but the Sapphire Dragon pulls him off. He smiled.
"Hey, Kid, leave the hugs until the after party, ok?" He smiled, and immediately took to the air, and went for Eggman in earnest. Shadow and the ghost looked at each other. Another Sonic? What? Shadow heaved. Now he knew where he was. Another dimension of Mobius. That portal that Storm-breaker summoned and created. It was inter-dimensional. But that dragon-like Sonic, what had happened to him? But regardless, Shadow felt to no malice on him. Despite the horrendous changes, he's managed to stay the same. Still a Blue Blur, a hero. If hanging around with a ghost for a century had taught him, anything. To always trust a 'Sonic'. Any Sonic.
But as the battle progressed, even the two 'Sonics' on the field, were on the verge of getting overwhelm, Shadow realised, looking down at the Storm-breaker in his hand, why he was there.
To help.
Shadow grabbed the ghost, ordering him to stay close, and with Storm-breaker, in his hand, he charged right out, into the battlefield. Swinging the mighty axe around him, he threw it, only for it to return to him like a boomerang, Shadow efficiently tore right through that robot army. He immediately spotted the The Sapphire Dragon across the battlefield and their eyes met. Saffie gasped. Shadow. The Titan, he'd found him, or rather, the other way around, but as they stared at each other, they both knew what to do. They didn't even need to speak. Different dimensions they may have been from but their utter hatred of Eggman was what united them.
A leap of faith in trust.
Now Saffie understood. That was what was the Titan needed. A chance, to prove himself, and right here, right now, Shadow was doing exactly that. With the combination of Shadow's axe and Saffie's three foot long silver Adamantium knives, now sticking out of his knuckles, they sliced and diced that army. The Eggman, of that dimension, had no idea what hit him, and when the Death Egg Robot Sentinels began to topple, he knew against two Titans, he was done for. Cutting his losses, he ran, taking the Eggman Dragoon with him, fleeing before the fight had even ended. This angered Shadow, who was about to chase him down, but he got called at, from behind. Saffie yelled.
"No, leave him. He's not worth it." He heaved, as he just got on with the last of the housekeeping, destroying all the robots that were left. Shadow immediately stopped. Something about that voice got to him. It was Sonic, but the ghost was still with him, and seeing the Human run from him in utter terror, Shadow, in the end, had to agree.
He really wasn't worth it.
Returning to the battlefield, everything was dead, every robot busted. Saffie had finished the job. Shadow found him, playing with two very small children. The resident Sonic, and Tails, who was barely five years old. Shadow gasped. They were just kids. Everyone stopped when he arrived and the both of them bowed to him.
"Thank you, sir." They praised together, to the utterly stunned Titan. But the ghost gasped, immediately showing himself. He rounded on the kids. He grinned.
"Sir? Shads? Don't you even know him?" He wondered, indicating the Black Hedgehog. But the kids screamed, immediately hiding behind the Sapphire Dragon. Another Sonic, but a ghost?
Whoa!
But Saffie had to keep his nerves, otherwise the kids would just flee, and he'd never find them again, and he'd loose this dimension to Eggman. Shadow could also see this, and immediately took charge. He growled.
"I apologise for the idiot." He spat, indicating the ghost. "He has a nasty habit of doing that. But I give you my word, he won't hurt you." He smirked, and grabbing the ghost, he forcibly pulling him towards then kids, he nodded. "See, he's a ghost." He added. Immediately, the kids fear turned to fascination, as they were all over him. Sonic squealed at the ghost.
"Wow, what's your name?" He giggled. The ghost when white. Telling the kid, he was a dead version of himself, wasn't a good idea. If was obvious that he was too young to notice. The ghost had to think of something as quickly. A nickname. Suddenly, he found one. He bounced.
"Kee Kee." He smiled. But Sonic giggled.
"Hey, Tails used to call me that when he was a baby, learning to talk." He laughed, to much nodding from the Fox. But Kee Kee just grinned.
"I know." He winked, and then pointed across from himself. "And this is Shads. I know he looks like a bad guy, but in reality, he's just a big softy." He giggled. Shads just growled, but Kee Kee just stood his ground. "Well, you are, so back off." He hissed. Shads heaved deeply, as he looked around, they were completely alone. No one else in sight. He pointed at the kids.
"There's just to two of you?" He asked. Saffie giggled and nodded, picking both the kids again.
"Yep. Just little Sonic and Tails here, and a very stupidly, overpowered Eggman. I been here, several times, haven't I, Kids." He smiled, as both the kids nodded hard, and then hugged the Sapphire Dragon to death, to much giggling.
Soon, Saffie sent the kids on their way home, as finally he was alone with Shads. The Titan. The Ultimate Version of the Ultimate Lifeform. He was nervous. Out on that battlefield, he was ruthless, but Saffie could also tell, he was also very new to this, especially that axe. He looked slightly clumsy with it, like he'd literally only just acquired it. But the Sapphire Dragon could feel his enormous infinite potential, that was what made this version of Shadow, the Titan. Swallowing his own fear, Saffie approached, him raising his hands.
"Easy, I meant you no harm." He admitted, truthfully. But Shads's head was still spinning, and the ghost still shaking with uncertainty, close to him, didn't help matters. But, regardless, he believed Saffie. He heaved.
"What his this place?" He asked. But Saffie just giggled.
"It's Mobius." He smiled. "Well, a version of it anyway. Welcome to the Multiverse."
Alone and without impending danger, Saffie told Shads and Kee Kee everything. The Multiverse, the main timeline, the Wisps and his mission to find the Titans. But Shads blinked.
"Me. A Titan?" He gasped. So that's what fate had in store for him. But Saffie nodded.
"I know. I had exactly the same thought when I was told. I didn't believe it either. But from what I saw out on the battlefield today, yes, you earned that title, or at least, very much have the potential to." He smiled, as he then pointed at Storm-breaker. "You'll get there with that thing." He added. But Shads was stunned, still staring down Saffie. He gulped.
"You trusted me?" He gasped, but Kee Kee just laughed at Shads.
"Er, he's a 'Sonic', that's 'kind-of' what we do." He grinned, but Saffie just shrugged.
"And I was asked to. The fourth Titan with require a leap of faith in trust." He recounted. "Did I succeed?" He wondered. Shads looked at Saffie and nodded. Yes, he had. He looked around. The idea of the Multiverse fascinated him deeply, and he was keen to see more, so agreed to go back to the main timeline. Suddenly, Kee Kee realised something. He squealed.
"Hey, you said, 'The fourth Titan'?" He frowned, looking straight at Saffie. "If you and Shads are two of them, who are the other two?" He wondered. Saffie giggled.
"Oh, you'll like it and it'll brow your brain outs." He grinned, right back at the ghost. Shads had been wondering that himself, but now he was seriously intrigued, as he threw the almighty axe Storm-breaker over his shoulder and went though the inter-dimensional portal that the Sapphire Dragon had just created and home.
Saffie was right. Finding out that he had family, two brothers, absolutely floored the ghost, much to the amusement of everyone.