Chapter 9: Black-Hearted Hero-Part 1

Robotropolis: Living Quarters

The hollow halls were worn of their use. Night or day, the cold and callous sky offered no comfort to the frigid tiles. Shadow stalked the littlest of light, displayed as a thin ray from the moon's pure white surface—a place untapped and untouched. The hedgehog watched the light disappear as another cloud made from black oil covered the fleeting sky. He peered out the window, watching the dead city wake: machines pumping exhaust and old yet familiar buildings repurposed into rigid blocks of automation. In the center of it all, he spotted a lone facility with a steel cylinder roof. A remnant of the old world, undisturbed by assimilation. Shadow's hands, which were against the window's sill, clenched tightly, cracking the painted wood. He knew that place. Nothing about it had changed except for its negligence and time put in tandem.

Footsteps shuffled by him in a hurry as he was distracted by ghosts of his past. He turned his head to spot a pink hedgehog speeding down the hall. Amy tried her best to avoid confrontation with Shadow. She had seen him around before, and his mere presence irked fear within her. "Hey," He finally spoke to her. Amy stopped in place, closed her eyes, and nervously took a deep breath as she mustered the courage to face him. "You're the new caretaker, right?" Amy was surprised to hear a softer tone from him. From looks alone, she thought a single word uttered would've paralyzed her. However, she did not respond, other than an averted gaze. "How is she?"

Amy's head popped back up. "She's…doing fine." She meekly stated. "I'm actually heading to meet her right now." Shadow nodded with contentment. Without another word, he turned his back on Amy, ready to leave. "Did you want to see her?" Shadow quickly turned back. His eyes filled with a slight indication of desperation. He nodded again with certainty as Amy led the way to Maria's room. "Do you two know each other?"

"It's a long story."

"Now that I recall, she did mention she was waiting for a friend. I wonder if that's you."

"She has…she had lots of friends."

"Are you not one of them?"

"A friend is someone who you can feel safe around. I don't see how I could be." Shadow fixed his gaze forward, reluctant to reflect further, but continued, nonetheless. They both reached Maria's room, where Amy leaned on her tippy toes to knock on the middle of the door. They waited patiently, both knowing that it might take a minute for the old lady to wheel over and let them in. However, something within the room stirred to life, approaching with heavy and metallic footsteps. Amy hid behind Shadow as he stared down the door with enraged eyes. Suddenly, the majestic door flew open fiercely, revealing a robot more than twice Shadow's size. Its upper body was sturdy and painted in a bold bright red. Its long bulky arms almost reached the floor where its sharp metal claws could tear through it without question. Its head was made out of a thin, slanted yellow casing paired with crimson eyes.

"Amy Rose, you are permitted to enter." The killer bot then pointed at Shadow, nearly grazing his face with its elongated claws. "You, Shadow, are not."

"What kind of joke is this?" Shadow said. "Move out of the way before I turn you to scrap."

"Negative." The bot replied. "I am E-123 Omega. I am designated to guard this room until the caretaker arrives. No one else may be allowed to enter without permission from Robotnik."

"Cute," Shadow scoffed. "How exactly do you plan to stop me then?"

"A feat most easily obtained." Omega's eyes briefly flashed. Suddenly, Shadow felt a sharp pain constrict in his neck. It was the regulator. Albeit turned on at minimum capacity, it was still enough to make Shadow falter. "I was designed to keep the woman safe, and I have been told that you would bring danger to her. For that, you must leave."

"What?" Shadow blurted.

"Wait! It's ok," Amy stepped forward. "Let me talk to Maria. Maybe she can make an exception for today."

"That is unfortunately not her decision, but Dr. Robotnik's." Omega quickly shoved Amy inside the room. "Now, to your duties." Omega slammed the door behind him, eyeing Shadow as he disabled the regulator. "For the record, I don't need a handicap to destroy you. I'd just hate to have violence fall under the lady's presence." Omega stood guard by the door, leaving Shadow no choice but to wander off in defeat.

As he walked down the hall, he grasped at his neck where the regulator was implanted. He just wanted it to be over with and tear the thing out with no precaution to his own safety. His rage was constantly building ever since he was reawakened. He was no more than the robots that ran this city, no more than a slave. But what really boiled his blood was not his predicament, but rather what that mad tyrant has done to tarnish the Robotnik name. If by some miracle he's defeated, the new world will only remember the disaster that was left in that name's wake. The legacy of innovation, kindness, and progress would be lost forever upon Ivo's deeds.

Shadow looked back out the window, staring into the sky. For once, there was an opening in the clouds. He could see the moon and the stars. He envisioned them in his mind as his eyes closed. He tuned out the metallic clanging around him to the silence of space and emptiness. He was lost in memory, reliving the events of his historic life. One trudged through pain, loss, and ghosts.

Space Colony ARK-50 Years Ago

The stars appeared much closer than before. Perhaps they've orbited further away from the planet, but it was impossible to tell from here. The vacuum of space was as quiet as ever. Shadow looked down at the planet below, wondering what it would sound like to walk on its surface. He wondered even more about what the surface was like. He had trouble figuring out the difference between the green and the blue painted across the world. To that, he turned to a golden-haired child, drawing blissfully while humming a relaxing tune. "Maria," Shadow spoke softly, catching her attention. "Why are some places blue and others green?"

Maria abruptly chuckled, adored by Shadow's inquisitiveness. She then stood beside him, leaning forward to level her face next to his. "Why that's the sea and the land, silly." She playfully said.

"The sea?"

"Here, I drew a picture of it." Maria ran back to her drawings, which were scattered across the cold metal floor. She shuffled through the papers until she found the right doodle under the pile of the rest. She presented it to Shadow, showing the drawing to be the both of them sailing across a large body of water. "You can't walk on the sea, it's made of water. You need a boat or else you'll just sink."

"It looks…" Shadow tried to find the right word to describe the picture. "Calming."

"I know, right? Although, I've never actually been on a boat before." Suddenly, Maria's face instantly brightened as she grabbed Shadow's arm in excitement. "I know! We should take a trip around the sea. All we need is a boat, a sail, and the two of us together. I wonder if grandfather would also like to go. He might get a little sick, however." Just then, something vile ravaged Maria's lungs, causing her to cough uncontrollably. She fell to her knees, trying to cover her mouth the best she could. Shadow ran to her as she started to cough blood, which splattered across the drawing.

"Maria!" Shadow kneeled to her. "Are you alright?"

Maria's cough disappeared as she continued to smile at Shadow. Although, her face had become significantly paler. "I'm ok. Thank you." Shadow's eyes darted to the blood-stained floor and picture. Desperation soon filled him. "It is a dream: to go down there with you. But time is running out…I can feel it."

"You have plenty of time." Shadow sorely reassured her. "The professor is working hard to help you. We just have to hang on a bit longer." Maria didn't look so sure. She felt the truth was much more harsh than what Shadow was telling her. "We'll make it through together, I promise."

All of a sudden, the entire space station rumbled and shook. A loud bang rocked and echoed throughout the chambers. The lights flickered and died, soon replaced by a red light that faded in and out. The alarms were set off, and outside, Shadow looked out to see a fleet of frigates approaching. Dropships released from the cruisers, docking into the space colony by ramming into the hull, breaching and forming an access point where soldiers outfitted in heavy armor flooded inside. "Shadow, what's happening?"

Shadow stormed away from the glass, rushing to the door of the observation deck. "Stay here and hide until I get back. I have to grab the professor." Shadow dashed through the barren halls, nearly stumbling as more dropships ram into the station. One after another, the ARK quaked under the imposing invasion. Shadow turned the corner to see two researchers backed against a wall. A single soldier lined them up and aimed his rifle.

"Wait, don't do it!" One of the researchers pleaded. But it was futile, as with two swift pulls, they were dead.

Shadow was mortified, and even more so furious. These were people he had known all his life, and he was not going to let this atrocity go unpunished. He slid across the floor, dodging the hail of bullets as the soldier turned his fire on him. Shadow was however too fast, as he took out the soldier's legs and chopped the front of his neck with his hand, crushing the soldier's windpipe.

The execution of the researchers was not a one-and-done instance, as Shadow soon heard the echoing of gunfire all across the colony. Gunfire followed by screams–he recognized almost every voice. Shadow had to block them out as he kept moving forward. He needed to find the professor and get him out before it was too late.

He soon entered the main research chamber, the last place he saw the professor. Gerald Robotnik was inside but was surrounded by multiple squads of soldiers and mechs. "Shadow!" The old man called out to him, prompting the soldiers to immediately turn and aim at the hedgehog. "You have to leave me. Get Maria out of here!"

"I'm not going without you." Shadow protested.

"Command, we have eyes on the Ultimate Lifeform. Preparing to subdue." One of the soldiers spoke into his radio. The mechs then took point, approaching Shadow slowly as their autocannons were primed to fire. Two soldiers then walked up from behind, with one of them holding reinforced cuffs that were meant to suppress Shadow's powers. They were fools to believe that it would be enough. Shadow sprung to action, dashing into the core of one of the mechs, tearing a hole through the center. The hedgehog ripped off one of the mech's cannons, aiming it at the bulk of soldiers as he unloaded the destructive rounds. Before he could continue the onslaught, a group of men surrounded him, tackling him to the ground to get a hold of him. But it was for naught, as a chaotic blast sent them flying across the room, vaporizing them into dust.

One soldier was left, as he went unnoticed by Shadow. The man's whimpering alerted the hedgehog as he paced slowly towards him. The fear of the soldier weakened his nerves, as he fired a shot in Shadow's direction. The hedgehog dodged with ease as he finally dealt with the last soldier. However, an old groan weakly cried out from the edge of the chamber. Shadow looked back with horror as he watched Gerald fall to the ground. Blood stained his white coat around his lower abdomen. He was shot at the last moment. Shadow came to his aid as he tried to put pressure on the wound. "Professor! Stay with me."

The old man's eyes started to drift away, but his mind was not yet content with leaving this world with nothing to contribute. He started his journey into the stars to save his granddaughter. He would not let it stop so soon now. "Take…Maria…" Gerald reached into his breast pocket, revealing a flash drive to Shadow. "Her safety…is within your hands." The professor pushed the drive into Shadow's palm, putting his trust in his greatest creation. A single tear rolled down the professor's cheek as he spoke his last words. "It can't… all be…for nothing…" The final breath was drawn. Shadow looked blankly into the eyes of his creator–his mentor. How easily the light in his face was taken.

Shadow tightened his grip on the flash drive, determined to keep it safe. This drive contained the research of everything they've done up until today. Project Shadow, the Eclipse Cannon, Maria's treatment, everything. He was not going to lose it all now. Shadow raced back into the hallway, as he was left with one task: To save Maria. The hedgehog wasted no time dashing into the observation deck. "We need to leave!" Shadow yelled.

"Where's grandfather?"

"That doesn't matter right now. We need to get you out of here."

"Where is he!? You said you were going to grab him."

"Maria…" Shadow looked into her eyes, seeing tears roll down her cheeks uncontrollably. In her heart, she knew the truth, but Shadow still could not find the strength to tell her himself.

"They're in here!" Shadow snapped his head back to the door, hearing a march of soldiers approach from the hallway. He threw forth a single chaos spear that short-circuited the control panel, locking the blast door and pressuring the soldiers outside to force their way in. Shadow turned back to Maria, uncoiling his hand from the flash drive, and placing it in hers.

"This little chip has documented our whole lives. Get this to a scientist and have them help cure you." Shadow walked away from Maria, tinkering with a nearby control booth as the soldiers outside started to place a thermite breaching charge, slowly melting through the door.

"What about you?" She pleaded. "I can't just leave you here. 'We'll make it through together,' that's what you said. Please, I don't know what I can do without you."

"Then I'm sorry, but you'll have to figure that out." Shadow abruptly pushed his hand forward, shoving Maria into the center of the deck as Shadow slammed down on a button. A glass capsule encased Maria. She slammed her fists against the dome, begging for Shadow to let her out. It was then that the blast doors caved in, allowing for the soldiers to pour inside with guns unloading.

Shadow put out his powers to the max, allowing a devilish hold to take him. His aura spiked a scarlet red hue as he drove his fist into the first soldier. One after another, he allowed himself to be consumed by darkness, giving Maria's pod enough time to prepare for evacuation. Maria looked on with horror, watching Shadow brutalize and tear apart the oncoming armies just to keep her safe.

The last thing she saw as her capsule ejected was a sinister flame that engulfed the soldiers. Shadow continued his spree until he could no longer keep up with doom's power exhausting him. His mind and body collapsed, and he was soon surrounded by soldiers who took him away. He drifted into the void for what felt like an eternity. A long slumber without a dream to remind him of his existence.

Abandoned Facility-Many Years Later

From time to time, Shadow's subconscious would pick up a thing or two while he was under. Time moved erratically compared to the outside world, so he had no bearing on when these moments would happen. They just appeared and vanished like every other memory he held dear. Most of these instances were conversations about what to do with him. 'He's too dangerous to leave alone,' or 'He's too great of an asset to destroy.' Soon, those chirps faded too, leaving him in a long period of silence where no one was around. Where did everyone go? He wondered in the depths of the void.

What felt like another eternity passed as something else came to life in the outside world. He heard not only this voice more clearly, but the machines that kept him under whir and slowly die down. "Be careful, he's been out for a long time." He heard a guy's voice. His eyes finally flickered open for the first time in many years. He found himself trapped inside a stasis pod filled with a green liquid that started to drain. Beyond the pod was a facility that looked to be out of operation. For many years it seemed to be this way, as cobwebs and dust covered nearly every surface and counter.

How long was I here? He thought clearly. The pod's screen hissed open, allowing Shadow to weakly step out and stumble on the murky floor. He coughed up the green liquid as his lungs got used to the sensation of air filling them up. Footsteps approach him as Shadow looks up to see a well-decorated squirrel in a blue outfit trimmed with a red collar. They lock eyes intensely, trying to get a read of each other. Shadow trusted no one, not even the person who saved him from imprisonment. To him, he was just another who wished to exploit his powers, which is what he assumed the people who captured him wanted to achieve.

In an odd turn of events, the squirrel started to laugh joyously, breaking the pressure between them. "Wow! You are intense. They were not kidding." Shadow raised an eyebrow, not expecting his first interaction to be this casual.

"Who are you?"

"Oh, how did I misplace my manners?" He extended his arm to Shadow, offering him a hand. "Nigel Acorn, at your service. Shadow, I presume?" Shadow was still hesitant to trust the man. He stood up on his own while he made introductions quick.

"How do you know about me?"

"Right to the point, eh? Very well." Nigel started to walk toward the exit, followed by his guards, who were equipped with padded armor and sharply tipped spears. "Care to take a walk? I'd love to show you all that's happened."

Kingdom of Mobius

Nigel and his guardsmen walked closely along the brick streets. Shadow was nearby, but he was more marveled by the cluttered houses and shops surrounding him. Another turn down the golden streets led to another chain of residency. So many people happily living together. Shadow was overwhelmed that this was what the surface was like. He spent many years aboard the ARK, reveling the silence and privacy of what was around him. "Take your time. I know you're not used to this kind of environment."

"How were you able to find me?" Shadow said. Just then, a little kid's soccer ball bounced against his leg. Shadow glared below him to see a young cat quickly apologize to him before continuing to play with the ball. Shadow's stiff heart softened in the moment. Nigel waved to the child with a beaming smile to coincide. His warmth resonated with all of those who walked past him. He was a beacon of shining hope.

"It wasn't easy." Nigel sighed heavily. "The organization that took you tried to cover up everything regarding the attack. If it wasn't for your guardian angel feeding us the right information, you might've stayed down there forever."

"Guardian angel?" Shadow was now curious. "Who?"

"You're about to find out." Nigel smiled, barely able to contain his eccentric excitement. "Come, we're almost there."

Mobius Laboratory

Shadow was led inside a vast circular room, painted all across with a glistening steel. Capsules and workbenches were filled with numerous experiments–each one dramatically different in function from the last. It was even more claustrophobic in here than it was outside. He barely was able to make out two figures beside one of the workbenches. One was a tall and chubby man, and the other was a young platypus with comb-back hair. "What are my eggheads working on now?" Nigel spoke up from across the room, gathering their attention.

"A new project," The keen platypus responded. "Expensive…well, very expensive–but it will be worth it!"

Nigel locked his arm around the platypus' head, playfully shaking him around. "There's no need to fret about that. You haven't let me down yet." The squirrel then shifted his focus to the tall man, who was absorbed in his work. "What about you, Robotnik? Do you share Starline's enthusiasm?"

"Robotnik?" Shadow murmured to himself.

"His theory of conversion is promising." The man made eye contact with the little squirrel. He grinned oddly as he turned his whole body sluggishly. "I'm excited to see its progress, that goes without saying." Robotnik looked past Nigel and spotted Shadow at the doorway. His demeaning grin widened. "And here's the hedgehog of the hour." His arms opened to greet him. "So you're what my grandfather has been working on up in the stars. Fascinating…"

"You're Gerald's grandchild?" Shadow plainly said. "Then you must've been the one who discovered what happened. I suppose that makes you the guardian angel."

"Actually…" Nigel stepped forward. "That would be her." His eyes glanced to the corner of the room, where Shadow had yet to lay his eyes on. His stoic demeanor instantly evaporated as he saw a woman with blonde hair approach. Her eyes, along with Shadow's, could barely believe what they were seeing. Shadow was looking at a ghost of his past, except that the ghost was much older than the last time he saw her. Her vibrant hair lost a little color, and her once soft skin formed a few wrinkles here and there.

"Maria?" Shadow inaudible gasped.

Maria said nothing as she lunged forward, hugging the hedgehog on the spot. She was much taller than before, having to kneel further down to meet his face. She spoke as a veil of tears filtered her tone. "They sure took their sweet time finding you." Nigel rubbed his head in embarrassment in the background.

"How is this possible?" Maria stood back up, simply glad to see Shadow. "How are you–"

"Alive?" She finished his thought. "You can thank my cousin for that. I gave him grandfather's flash drive. He was able to make a treatment with the information about you."

"Am I…dreaming?" Shadow closed and opened his hands, clenching tightly against his palms each time.

"It's all real. But it does feel like a dream, doesn't it?"

Kingdom of Mobius

Today was no longer a day of labor and work. It was a day of celebration and reunion. Nigel scheduled a reservation at one of his favorite outdoor restaurants, hosting the table for his friends. He eagerly talked a storm as Shadow and Maria sat close to each other, politely listening to his tales. Shadow could still barely comprehend the world he was living in. He never imagined everything would look this prosperous. Truth be told, he didn't care much about what the world looked like, he only wanted it to be a safe place for Maria. For what it seemed to be, perhaps they could finally be happy and at peace.

Nigel's eyes glanced behind the two as he waved down new guests to the table. Starline sat down, exhausted, while he was accompanied by a violet hedgehog who sat next to Nigel. "Ivo didn't care to show?"

"No," Starline chugged a glass of ice water. "He insisted on staying at the lab. He's got his own project apparently." He slammed the now-empty glass on the table. "I've already been working all-nighters with my newest theory. Psycho wanted me to stay a few more hours to slog at whatever he's working on." Starline lightly chuckled.

"Good thing I pulled you out when I did." The female hedgehog commented. "Ivo has always pushed you to the brink."

Maria quickly leaned to Shadow, pointing his attention at the new hedgehog. "Shadow, this is Queen Aleena."

"Queen?" Shadow tilted his head. "You rule this place?"

"Well, not alone. Nigel and I merged our kingdoms under one nation. We each have our separate districts, but we work closely for the betterment of our people."

"Yeah, although, I'd say my side of the kingdom has been doing better." He joked, causing Aleena to jab at his side with her elbow in a humorous manner. "Honestly, things have never been better. The people are happy, peace has flourished, and the future has never looked so clear before."

Just then, Maria started to cough. It started out light but began to slowly escalate. Shadow turned in horror, all too familiar with what that cough was. He watched Maria hold a napkin to her mouth, which was soon stained by blood. "Excuse me," She urgently stood up and left for the restroom, leaving the rest at the table in total silence. Shadow shot a deathly glare to those around him.

"You said she was fine."

Nigel tapped his finger on the table. He was afraid to have this conversation. "We said we found a treatment, not a cure. We've done all that we could to prolong the symptoms, but we were always missing one piece of the puzzle."

"And what is that?"

"You," Starline looked directly at Shadow. "Previously, your DNA was only recorded in the information Maria gave us. It's something to be sure, but not the whole prize. But with you, perhaps we can find a way to rid her of her condition once and for all."

"How much time does she have?" Shadow asked.

"We don't know," Aleena spoke up. "Which is why we need your cooperation more than ever."

Shadow was unsure of how he felt. Of course, he'd help, but he felt as if this scenario was just a repeat of before. Shadow sighed, "I've already missed out so much of her life. I'll be damned if I can't help to see the rest."

A Few Years Later

The experiments have been progressing faster than ever. With the complete DNA sample of the Ultimate Lifeform, the possibility of a cure has never been more in sight. However, the window to save Maria was tightening at the same time. While their research led to a closer solution, they weren't entirely sure if they would find it in time. It sparked a heated discussion between Shadow and Starline, as the latter proposed his newest invention to extend Maria's life. "Absolutely not," Shadow told the platypus.

"It'll give us more time. What is there to say no to?"

"I will not have her humanity sacrificed just for a little more time."

"She would barely sacrifice anything. All the device needs is to find the spots in her body that harbor most of the disease, that's the furthest it would go. This is what I designed it to do."

"And when she is cured, what then? Can you reverse the process?" Starline held his tongue. He did not know the answer. "We're done here. You can use your device for something else." Shadow left the facility, leaving Starline disheartened. The platypus made way for the break room as Robotnik was left to himself. His face sparked with malice as he shifted his focus away from the treatment and toward the blueprints of Starline's new device.

Later, on the outside of the kingdom, Shadow boarded together planks of wood into the hull of a boat. It was incomplete, but he trusted that time would give him the chance to use it. "Fancy seeing you here." Shadow turned to the top of the hill residing next to the calm beach. He spotted Aleena staring down at him, curious as to what he was making. "Never thought you'd be one for woodworking."

"It's just something to clear my mind."

"I get it. Nigel thought I should spend some time unwinding too. He's actually close by with his daughter, probably being buried under the sand as we speak." Aleena slid down the patch of grass, stumbling onto the sandy shore. They both took a moment of silence to watch the sun set into the still waters. "Sometimes, when work feels like it's too much to handle, I just watch the sunset. Suddenly, all of my problems feel like they've gone away. I'm reminded that once it sets, I get to look forward to something new tomorrow."

"Where I used to live, the sun never left. We never had a tomorrow. We only had time to kill."

"But you had each other." Aleena tried to reassure Shadow, but the ebony hedgehog still pondered his time on the ARK. True, he never felt alone, but all he knew back then were the few people who shared the stars with him. Now only one remained, and Shadow feared he would lose her too. How long would it be until they found a solution? If they did find one, how much longer would she still be around? He never aged a day, but Maria had lived a life full of new faces and experiences. The last thing Shadow said to her on the ARK was that she needed to figure out how to get through without him. She did…and that terrified Shadow. What was he to her now–now that she knew people for far longer than she knew him? He felt his only use to her was that of an unsung savior. Had he only been there with her at the start, perhaps he would have better understood the person she had become.

Shadow put his tools away, done with what he was working on. "Who she had before…was a monster." Shadow recalled the lives he took the day of the attack. He remembered the faces of those he slaughtered to protect her. There was no hesitation. He saw what they did to the professor and he couldn't bear to see it happen to the one person he cared most for. After his reawakening, he soon learned the purpose of the attack. It was out of fear of what Shadow could do, and the devastation he could cause upon the world if left uncontrolled. Their fears were proven right on that blood-stained night. He was exactly what they thought of him: a demon prone to violence, masked under the justification of a protector.

"But that's not who you are now," Aleena said. "You've pathed the way for your own destiny."

"Help!" A distant cry echoed in the air. It was a voice all too familiar. Aleena and Shadow looked down the shore, watching as Nigel was trapped under the sand with only his head sticking out. Next to him was his devious daughter, laughing uncontrollably as the tide got closer to swallowing his head. "Aleena! Sally has done it again! She won't dig me out!"

"That's my queue." Aleena sighed as she started to walk away from Shadow. "She'll probably never admit it herself, but when you were gone, I've never seen a woman as miserable as her." Shadow didn't react. "The day we found you was the day she never stopped smiling." Aleena continued to walk down the shore to 'save' Nigel from his daughter, leaving Shadow in solace. Maybe now wasn't the time to quit working yet. Shadow took out his tools to continue working on the boat, not wasting any more time to act.

Mobius Laboratory-Present Day

Everything about this place has barely changed since the last day he stood here. Shadow saw a folder of papers spilled on the ground the exact way he remembered them falling. The lab was unprovoked by the radical change that surrounded it. It was almost as if it was some kind of attraction. Standing alone in the center of the lab was Robotnik, who gazed along at the old experiments as he talked. "I'm glad you made it here, Shadow. There's much to be done today."

"Why are we here?" Shadow growled.

"I have a new mission for you, a matter of the utmost importance. Although your track record has not been promising lately, so I assigned you a team. Maybe you'll finally get along with someone– "

Shadow quickly interrupted him. His voice quaked with pure anger. "Don't act like you didn't know what I meant. Why. Are. We. Here?" Robotnik glanced back at Shadow, holding a spiteful sneer.

"Have you forgotten what this place signifies? It was the birthplace of my reign. I owe much to this laboratory. I owe much more to that fool who appointed me as his advisor." Shadow balled his fist. He wished nothing more to put this man in his place, but he knew there was nothing he could do to stand up to him now. "But truly, this is not about what I owe. This is about what I did. Here…was the day I killed the symbol of freedom."

To be continued…

Up Next: Black Hearted Hero-Part 2