Stage 12: Lava Shelter

Player: Shadow; Tails; Omega

Goal: Get through the Volcanic Defense System

Shadow and Tails grind on the rails above the lava ocean, while jumping away from collidable objects.

- Tails: The radar's signal for the Chaos Emerald is increasing. We're getting close.

- Shadow: Which is fine by me.

The duo slides down to the platform where Omega had dealt with enemies forces. The last E-series robot turns his eye sensors towards organic duo.

- Omega: Shadow the Hedgehog... Miles Prower.

- Shadow: Still hunting for doctor, Omega?

- Omega: Affirmative! Eggman is inside this base!

- Tails: It seems that we have a common goal. Will you help us?

- Shadow: Either one of us could confront the doctor. But joining our forces would save time.

- Omega: Your argument consists a sound logic! I shall assist you in search!

The trio launches into the rails to resume their common mission. The rail form a vertical circle above the lava. Heroes kept themselves steady to avoid falling off.

Through the corridors the rail paths were ending prematurely, making Shadow, Tails and Omega jump to the adjacent ones away from the lava.

On the way, Omega shot up any unlucky Pawns out of spite to his creator.

At the path's end the trio fall down the floor in front of the door with Eggman's logo. The trio go through and see lava flooding the path below and leaving intact spare door.

Shadow examines the sidewalls - "I can cross this magma flow by using the triangle jump." - he jumps onto the wall; crawls; leaps onto the other side; repeats until he reached opened the door.

Tails floats above Omega's head. Understanding the hint, robot grabs fox's legs and they fly up.

- Tails: Omega, I've been working on a new jetpack for non flyers. Why don't you stop by my workshop to test it for occasions such as this?

- Omega: Duly noted.

The trio step onto another rail and grind towards diagonal dashroad leading them to the stage occupied by spinning red reactor, guarded by Eggman's robots.

The Egg Pawns were dealt with by Shadow's hooming attacks; Tails' ring shockers; Omega's machine guns.

Tails examines the spinning reactor - "I wonder what Eggman built this thing for."

Having finished his scanning Omega informs - "This device controls the level of the magma flow. It's operation floods our direct way to Eggman's central base."

Shadow sees giant squares, with horizontal axis, descending into lava - "It looks like these platforms could be our alternative way forward."

For the safety measures against platform's instability, the team makes a Flying formation and jump throughout the squares until they reach the door to the following sector.

The next hall the central rail between the lands patrolled by Eggman robots. While grinding the raiders shot their enemies on the way.

The next hall with the smooth turn to the left contained two pink lasers. The lower and upper lines were reaching the opposite ends of their function, giving invaders enough space for jumping through.

Using the flying formation, Tails carried his teammates through the diagonal platforms flooded with burning ocean.

Reaching the next room the group opens th door to the right. It reveals the whole path covered by lava.

- Tails: Whoah, what long way! I won't be able to carry the whole team through such distance!

- Shadow: These walls seem to be too far away for my triangle jump. We need to find another way.

- Omega: Lifting ring has been sighted! Sensors idicate it to be worn out.

The group examine Omega's finding and look up.

- Shadow: This ring should be able to transport us to the path above.

- Omega: It will hold only one of us.

- Tails: Here's what we're going to do: Omega, you grab the lifting ring; while Shadow and I will fly up by ourselves.

- Omega: Affirmative!

Omega followed Tails' instruction and the ring had lift the robot up.

Tails flied above his organic teammate, silently hinting to take his hands.

- Shadow: Looks like it's my only option.

Reluctant of accept strangers' help too often, Shadow grans fox's hands. The remaining duo flies up to the upper hall.

Omega wasted no time firing rockets to obliterate Egg Pawns and Jugglers. By the time of team's regroup no enemies remained.

At the hall's end Shadow sees the horizontal poles. He looks down finding another door above the magma flow.

- Shadow: Tails, fly towards the door and keep it open until we regroup.

Being aware of Shadow's loner complexities Tails reluctantly complies - "Have it your way, Shadow."

Sensors identified someone's arrival, thus opening the door. Tails fired shock ring at the patrol for elimination. - "All clear!"

Hearing the call, Shadow jumped onto the closest pole and from it towards another one in front. The black hedgehog took a risk jumping towards the wall, hadn't he timed the ledge to the hall where Tails waited, he'd burn to nothingness.

Omega meanwhile, slowly glided towards mobians.

On the hall's exit a dread and tension surges through Shadow's head caused by appearance of multiple hedgehogs guarding the lava reactor. - "What the...?" - they looked identical to Shadow himself - "How can this be? Who are they?"

Shadow's twins looked at the source commotion, discovering the trio and fired rockets at the reactor, making it spin in order to flood the path.

Omega recognised it to be the beginning - "Confirmed presence of lock-on device. Beware of fake Shadow's missiles." - as fake Shadow's locked on their targets.

Omega leads Tails into the rails on the left, bringing the group onto the reactor's stage. Recognising the danger, Shadow shook off from his trance state and followed suit.

When cornered, fake hedgehogs aimed their hooming attack against Tails as Flyers are the most vulnerable to Speedsters. But they forgot about Omega's Powerhouse presence as he knocked them away to the lava.

Shadow clashed his hooming with the other group. Thanks to his superior physical stats he overpowers the enemies.

With the area cleared, Shadow closed his eyes to dig thoroughly a new flashback.

Space (Past)

Shadow and Sonic transformed into their super forms and battled the Biolizzard, dragging the ARK towards earth.

Hedgehogs destroyed the mutant's life force, but the ARK kept falling. Golden furred mobians combined their powers and flew for the encunter with the colony.

- Sonic: No way that's getting through!

Maria relays her message inside Shadow's mind - "Shadow, I beg of you..." .

Artificial hedgehog quietly called out her name, but the message continues - "... give them a chance to be happy."

Shadow and Sonic enhanced their powers and clashed with the ARK in order to push it back.

Sonic gives signal - "Now, Shadow!"

Both hedgehogs chant - "Chaos Control!"

The Chaos Energy consumed the ARK and warped it away from Earth's gravity, alongside Sonic.

Shadow however wasn't so lucky as he ran out of Super energy and soon will lose his conscioness.

While plunging into the Earth's atmosphere he reflected on his promise and actions - "Maria... This is what you wanted right? This is the promise I made to you."

Present

Tails shooks Shadow - "Hello? Anyone Home?"

The hedgehog opens his eyes and presses his head's temples - "Damn it! What does it all mean?! These memories... the doctor's actions and words... nothing makes sense! What was even real?"

The trio gathered up, calmed down and began the discussion.

- Tails: What did you remember, Shadow?

- Shadow: This "ultimate life form" they keep referring to is the black hedgehog and he... died. Could it be that I'm one of the android copies created by Dr. Eggman?

- Omega: Even with Eggman's capabilities, the original's body must remain intact for the cloning process. These inferior copies look too identical to your appearance.

- Tails: Unlike Metal Sonic in the image of ours.

The black hedgehog grinds onto the next rail - "Even if it takes everything I've got, I will get the truth from you, Doctor!" - fox and E-series robot follow suit.

The lava's current flow was just about rails' level, pressuring heroes to be more careful to keep their grinding balance.

The rails were ending in front of rising lava in the halls. Shadow bypased the flow by leaping from one wall to another. Tails had to carry Omega until they reach another rail.

The trajectory turned left and then back to the right. Rails ended again next to the platforms with Egg Robots and Shadow Androids.

Shadow shot them with his light gun. Tails scored eliminations with his energy ring weapon. Omega killed the enemies with his rockets.

The trio jumps onto through the platforms and reach the 3rd stage with spinning reactor, with another

- Omega: Enemies mech units had blocked the direct main path!

- Shadow: We can still get through by jumping through the ledges on the left.

Shadow, Omega and Tails leaped from platforms onto the moving ledges on the wall. They had to reach the entrance to the hall quickly as the ledges were flushing with the wall.

The trio reach the closest passage to take a break. Tails looks at the radar and the door.

- Tails: Beyond these gates having an alternative path for the Chaos Emerad is unlikely to happen.

- Omega: Then we proceed jumping through the ledges to our main course.

- Shadow: They're re-emerging! Get moving!

Shadow and Omega leaped through, while Tails flew by the door and kept it open for the rest.

The trio regrouped into Fying formation and flew towards giant fan. They let each other go and soon after Omega got a hold on Shadow and Tails and glided up.

The alliance reach the triple rails. Shadow stays in the middle; Tails jumped to the right; Omega on the left.

Mobians and robot lifted up their weapons and fired the arsenal at Egg Pawns and Shadow Androinds, foolish enough to get in their way.

Jugglers on the ball sparked an idea for quick work.

- Omega: The Juggler's bomb is deadly. Suggest destroying the lower section first to neutralize it.

Shadow and Tails followed Omega's instruction cauaing Juggler to lose the balance and drop his bombs causing an explosion of the whole passage. The trio fortunately escaped.

The next stage had no reactor but something bigger. And it doesn't have to be the debate about object's size, but rather an importance.

- Omerga: Target sighted. Eggman is inside of another vehicle.

- Tails: And the Chaos Emerald is in the same position.

- Shadow: Just you wait, doctor!

AN: So I swapped flyers between Team Heroes and Team Dark. What do you think about all of the current trio wielding guns, seprate on various classes:

- Shadow: Light weapons (Pistols; Uzi)

- Tails: Self-made energy gun (rings serve as the bullets)

- Omega: Riffles and Rocket Launchers

Had the team proceeded on the left after te 3rd Defense System they'd encounter a Gauntlet of Eggman's robot army. I'd call the stage "Egg Eruption". Then I figured it wouldn't play much of importance from story perspective.

But gameplay wise it would unlock a mini game where you pick your favourite character and destroy as many enemies as you can. Depending on the stage you'd either face G.U.N.; Black Arms; or Egg Robots (that is... if Shadow the Hedgehog would be remastered based on my idea, which is wishful thinking, but hey I've Fanfiction for it.)

Anyone who played game knows what did Eggman prepare for his guests. But that is another chapter.