Shadow's POV
Aliens' flare flashed into my eyes, forcing me to cover them with my left arm.
Soon as light disappeared I opened my eyes and find myself floating in some eerie place filled with stars around me. The planet I looked at below idicated that I'm in space.
"You still seem troubled, Shadow."
I turn my head towards familiar ominous voice from before and I discover the same legless Alien dressed in dark brown robe.
"Where have you taken me?" I ask warily.
He points his hand "Look." I follow the direction, and see some space station... it looked familiar, but I don't know why.
As if my question was heared, Alien tells "That's the Space Colony ARK. 50 years ago."
Astonished by how far back my answers go, I echo the information "The ARK? 50 years ago?" Suddenly I saw someone I couldn't believe running across the glass hall. That was me from the past, running alongside the human girl called Maria. And those soldiers with their riffles raised were chasing us.
Alien proceeds "This will remind you what the humans did to you. Never forget that horrifying image."
Stage 4: Doom
Player: Shadow
Goal: Save 10 scientists
2nd or 3rd Person POV
As Shadow and Maria ran across the hall to its end, they locked their pursuers on the other side of gates.
While taking a breather upset Maria asks "Why... did they suddenly... I don't... understand."
Shadow looked around "Maria, look!" and ran toward what he thought was a human scientist's body. The scientist looked at Shadow and muttered with remaining strength "The... heal... unit" pointing with finger at some blue capsule.
Grasping the request, Shadow ran toward capsule, took it and came back breaking it with whole liquid spreading on scientist's body.
The victim gasped, clenched each finger on hands, groped the whole body and got on the feet "Thanks, Shadow." The hedgehog inquires "Did the GUN soldiers cause all of this?!" Scientists nods.
Maria took Shadow's hand pleading "Please, Shadow we can't just leave anyone behind. Help grandfather and others aboard the ARK. Please!"
Shadow weights his decisions, knowing the risks of jeopardizing their escape. Suddenly he remembered himself being the Ultimate Lifeform having the strength others could only dream about.
Failure to fulfill at least 1 miracle for a friend, would denigrate his name. Shadow decided "I'll do it, Maria. Whatever it takes I will protect the Professor and the people of the ARK!"
Scientist says "Let's go!"
The rescued researcher led the escapees into ARK's manufacturing department. He barely ducked in time to dodge a bullet from the right. Shadow quickly leaped, curled up like a ball and destroyes GUN unit of 4 soldiers with homing attack.
Weak voice ahead pleaded "Somebody..."
Heroic group notice the researcher lying on the ground.
A moan below sounded supressed. 1st researcher looked over the level's edge and found another colleague collapsing next to the heal unit.
Without hesitation he jumped down and poured the healing potion onto the victim, who comes back to consciousness.
Shadow takes another heal unit to revive 3rd researcher expressing gratitude "In a nick of time, dude. Thanks!"
The Head Researcher runs up toward pile of unconscious soldiers, picks up the riffle and shoots a bullet to each head.
Maria looked at the deed uttering a terrified whisper "Why..."
Leader calmly explains "Maria, Shadow, we tried to run - GUN hounded us. If we'd eliminate mission's leader - New one would take charge. To get out - we put them down. All of them."
The escapees proceed to the next room.
From 2 blown sideways walls erupted GUN soldiers. Shadow hoomed attacked 2 soldiers from right. Researchers shot 2 soldiers from the left.
A loud THUD sounded from door's other side. Shadow asks "Did Professor create any battle machines?"
Maria became alarmed "Unlikely."
Shadow goes further through the door "Then I'll go, find out what's out there. You hide in these tunnels." Soon after he meets a robotic menace GUN Trooper, shooting at his direction.
The black hedgehog evades fire by quickly sliding toward huge slab, which he grabs underneath and flips it at robot, squishing it to a scrap.
Later he runs up the ramp to find 2 more soldiers armed with knifes. Hedgehog knocks them out cold with homing attack for first and jump kick for second.
Shadow looked forward recognising the room "If I'll use these monitors, I can get by using a Triangle Jump and find what Professor had prepared for me."
Artificial mobian had only 2 seconds to hold onto any vertical surface. He jumped into middle of 1st monitor, held onto it with right hand and both feet, quickly walked by a couple small steps forward and leaped into the 2nd monitor, and so on he repeated the process until he leaped from 8th monitor toward platform.
There were laying 3 brown boxes painted with pistol. Shadow breaks each of them and takes 1 turret machine gun and 3 mags each loaded with 30 bullets.
As soon as the remaining group arrives, Shadow approaches gives each member a weapon "You're going to need that more than I do." Researchers nod in gratitude.
Head Scientist was tapping the walls until he discovered a slightly cracked spot "Boomer, get the bomb over here!"
Following the instructions, Boomer approaches the Red Bomb Server and moves the bomb towards cracked wall "Step aside everybody, it's about to explode!"
The group reach the safe distance away from explosion revealing a new path. Head Scientist tells "Up ahead is a narrow hall with a upland platform and there are high chances for the military presence." he looks at the black hedgehog "Shadow, if enemies are out there you take the higher, we'll take the lower."
The opened door alerts 2 soldiers. They went to investigate and were met with machine bullets from survivors' gun.
Meanwhile Shadow jumped onto a platform and found a flying beetle-like robot marked with "G" giving away it's enemy's alignment. Shadow crashes the beetle with hooming attack.
A yells from another wall-tunnel "Hang in there! Help is on the way!". Grasping another scientist's finding, Shadow takes the Heal unit and enters the tunnel to throw the capsule at the 4th researcher.
gasps a few times and looks around recognising Professor's latest creation and others "Thank godness you're here!"
Shadow called in the remaining group members. Together they enter the branching room where in the middle lies groaning researcher #5. Sensing a trap Maria tells "I think I hear some voices... on the left."
As soon as they approached the near-dead scientist, bullets flew from the left confirming Maria's suspicions. Everyone but Shadow got hit.
Worried and enraged at the groups critical condition, Shadow hooming attacks the soldier duo multiple times shaterring their spine, ribs and vital organs to ensure of their demise.
Whatever divine intervention happened the black hedgehog found a Heal Server providing as many units as needed. Shadow could take only 1 capsule and he used it to heal Maria. Not wasting time hedgehog and human girl return to server and take 1 capsule each.
Maria revives 5th researcher, whom she recognised as the Inventor. Meanwhile Shadow helps the rest.
The moment they enter the room on the right branch, GUN soldiers lean out of guardrails above and open fire.
Throbbing head, higher heart pulse, widened eyes, unstable breathing, shivering body are what Shadow felt happening within him.
Glancing at the area of ambush, Shadow found the sight being strange/weird/bizarre. GUN soldiers were standing still in their shooting poses. Come to think of it, Shadow saw the same effect happening with Maria and Researchers.
Whatever it is, Shadow tried the hooming attack on frozen enemies, who slightly budged from impact.
The lifting platform was only half-way between the floors giving Shadow enough space to jump up.
Across the 2nd floor were 2 GUN Beetles which emited a slight fire and spark after eating a hooming attack.
This must be Shadow's rising hour as he discovered another 3 soldiers. With a smirk on his face Shadow stretched all 3 enemies out of guardrail.
Throbbing, breath, heart, eyes. As soon as everything went back to normal, Shadow heard a satisfying (in future called "Howie") scream from falling enemies until the sound of impact.
Machine gunshots errupted downstairs.
Researchers and Maria passed over the GUN bodies to reach some computer-like device.
Maria calls out "Shadow?!" Hedgehog slightly leaned out from the guardrail and replies "Up here!"
5 scientists iserted their keys into computer. and stepped into what Maria recognised as flatcar "Aren't we going to guideShadow?! Ark is huge, even I get lost here sometimes!"
One of researchers glanced up at Shadow "The better question is why isn't he joining us?!"
Shadow looks into Leader's eyes "Is it everyone?"
Head Scientist shooks his head "5 more remain, assuming they're alive."
Inventor eases the situation "Have faith, my friend." and looks up "This floatcar will transport us to the Escape chamber, where Professor waits for us. Shadow, before we go... CATCH!"
Despite his surprise for the throw's strength to height, Shadow catches a hand-sized orb emitting some kind of a blue energetic aura.
The Inventor speaks "This orb will tap onto your positive energy from within to trigger your Chaos Control. Make sure to do everything around the area before using it, so you won't miss your target mission! Good luck!"
Shadow nods in confirmation and enters the room up ahead. There he found a springer. The ultimate hedgehog glanced up to make of soroundings being safe and leaped from it to grab a pole attached to the ceiling "I can use that to go up!"
Reaching the other side of heights he jumps down from them to reach his following destination. From the right of Heal Unit Server a wall exploded where 2 GUN soldiers emerged with bazooka's aimed at black hedgehog, but as usual Shadow disposed of his enemies without hesitation.
As luck would have it he saw behind soldiers' corpses 2 fallen researchers, whom Shadow revived with Heal Units nearby. The revived companions expressed their gratitude and assured "We ourselves can climb up by pole, so save your Chaos Control for later."
Following the Climber's (6th scientist) plan the trio go back to the transportation room.
From there they go through 3rd door where 7th researcher pulls out the gun and shoots at 8th researcher. The revived #8 hacks the computer, to activate the platform that could transport the group to the other side of bottomless pit.
As Shadow and 3 researchers find themselves outside of colony, the military from the others side of vertical ventilation system meets them with hostility driving the heroes back.
Shadow ponders "I could use the Chaos Control to quickly reach the soldiers and dispose of them." Pack (7th researcher) warns "True, but this orb is one-time use only! Fortunately, Inventor provided us the jetpacks we can use to reach the other side, once you're done!"
Having absorbed the orb's energy and building up the adrenaline on hot streak, Shadow chants his iconic (in future) phrase "CHAOS... CONTROL!"
The senses remaining in Shadow's mind was were weightless, intense and fierce rush to his destination. Unknown to Hedgehog, his flight has knocked over the edge to the outer space.
5 screaming for their lives GUN soldiers.
A couple of seconds of so later Shadow's senses came back to normal "Cool." Soon after Pack, Climber and Hack join him.
The group goes right, towards another narrow hall like where Shadow found #4. Playing by his strength as usual Shadow disposed of 5 more enemies. In midst of wall on the left Shadow finds a hole where he sees a 9th researcher calling out for help.
Shadow picks up the nearest Heal Unit and pours its contents onto the researcher, who thanks the hedgehog and gives a pistol with blue capsule "My colleague is on pit's the other side, charge this gun with Heal Unit and use it to save his/her life."
Shadow follows the instructions and returns to the walls he can use for a triangle jump to cross the bottomless pit.
There, hedgehog finds the final victim, who after revival gives him the same blue orb to use as their freedom ticket.
As the group holds onto each other, Shadow repeats the chant "CHAOS... CONTROL!" Hedgehog got ensnared to weightlessness again a flew with his companions across the ARK until they've reached the evacuation point.
Professor Gerald Robotnik, Maria and Others, met the arrival with relief and delight.
Maria: You did it, Shadow! Thank you!
Researchers: Your assistance is much appreciated!
Professor: Good work.
Shadow felt satisfaction for acknowledgement "As I promised you Maria, I will protect the Professor and The ARK." Suddenly hedgehog barely breathing, collapsed on his knee "Damn it..."
Worried Maria rushed to her friend "Shadow?.."
Professor Gerald kept his composure and asked "How long did you use Chaos Control?" Once researchers reported, Professor pulled out rings too big to be normal and puts them on Shadow's wrists "Looks like your Chaos Control overuse has irreversibly strained your energy reserves. The Inhibtor Rings I gave you should recharge your energy and prevent its total instability. You can take the rings off to unleash your ultimate power. But use it only in dire need, Shadow! Until your reserves' recovery, constant overuse will drain your consciousness."
With returning strength and consciousness Shadow nods "Understood, Professor."
An explosion from lower floors gave a hint of GUN reinforcements' arrival "Fleeing targets are sighted! Don't let them get away!"
The armed scientists opened fire at soldiers, while Professor comanded "Shadow, take Maria and run for the escape pod!"
Shadow takes Maria's hand into his own and runs into the hall (from Gruesome Image). Still comprehending the situation Maria uttered her worries "Grandpa..."
The pursuers were eventually catching up to escapees and yelling "FREEZE!" "GET' EM!".
Shadow ran as what recharged strength he left while ensuring of Maria's safety from crossfire. It was a tough job to pull off, but the escapees had made it to escape chamber.
Maria used her limited knowledge of electronics provided by her grandfather, and enters the command to lock the gates to cut off the GUN's access.
Shadow was breathing heavily from running at less than 100% strength (even with recovery). Which also threw away his chances to get out lf Maria's grip. The human girl puts Shadow into the pod and locks it.
While Maria was entering the encryption to launch the pod,"I want you to promise something, Shadow." Shadow still weakened pounded on the glass, failing to break out "MARIA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
Maria turned her pained gaze with forced smile at Shadow's bewildered eyes "Please, whatever happens, remember I'll always be your friend." Shadow was not relenting "WHAT ABOUT YOU?"
As Maria griped the lever she continues "We've talked about visiting the Earth, but looks like you have to go without me."
The GUN unit emerges from blown gates and order "Let go off lever and surrender yourself. No fooling around!" The ARK inhabitant ignores the order and soldiers fire at her.
Frightened Shadow cried out his fallen friend's name. Lying on the ground Maria utters her farewell "Sayonara... Shadow... the Hedgehog."
The pod launches out off the colony. The last thing Shadow saw was the steam filling up the capsule and putting Shadow to cryosleep.
Present Time
Lying on the ground Shadow the Hedgehog widens his eyes, lifts up his upper body, gasps for breath.
Putting weight on the left hand and bringing the right hand to his head, Shadow shuts his eyes again while calming down his breath. When stabilised, Shadow opens his eyes to see the scorching wasteland surrounding his presence. "Where am I?"
The Alien now in starfish form appears in hedgehog's vision "Are you finally awake, Shadow?!"
A/N: Boy, rewatching the Doom stage is kinda annoying. Let's hope my updates will be quicker, because I intend to get this fanfic complete.
