IMPENDING DOOM

18

✥
EIGHTEEN
Endings
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៚ THE BLAST BLINDED EVERY CREATURE ON EARTH. Human and animal and Mobian—all blinded by the silver-and-gold burst of light. So bright it was that even with eyes squeezed shut and tucked into arms and elbows, it still burned and caused tears.

Knuckles, eyes shut no different, raised his fists in the air. He could sense Sonic and Shadow, and he offered them his borrowed power, that of the Master Emerald. Green lightning exploded from the ground and up into the sky. Knuckles gave all that the Master Emerald would allow.

The three combined strengths melted Black Doom into nothing, even his screams.

The light faded in an instant and the Black Comet disintegrated to dust. The Black Arms shriveled up and died, unable to survive without their king. Ash rained from the red sky, which slowly faded to pink, then to orange with twilight.

Knuckles lowered his tired arms, panting, slowly opening his eyes. He blinked carefully, taking his time to adjust. The Master Emerald fell out of him and turned gray, crumbling.

"I am sorry," he murmured, caressing the pieces. "I have overused You. I beg Your forgiveness." He scooped them all up, never missing a shard, and held them in his palms. He closed his eyes and delivered a prayer, healing both himself and the Master Emerald.

⋆ ═══ ★ ═══ ⋆

Sonic hovered above all, feeling the Emeralds beginning to fade. He willed them to wait until he safely landed, and they reluctantly obeyed. He turned to face Shadow, to give him a victorious smile, but instead his face paled.

Silver fur reverted to black and Shadow sank. Gravity overcame him whilst Sonic still defied it.

Shadow was falling.

Sonic was with him in a heartbeat, snatching him by the waist, holding him in his arms. Sonic lowered himself to the ground, landing outside San Francisco, his shoes touching blood-splattered grass. The Emeralds instantly burst out of him—one, two, three, four, five, six, seven—and thumped to the ground. Their colors faded, the rainbow becoming gray.

"Hey." He caressed Shadow's face. "Hey, you're okay. You're just tired. C'mon. Open your eyes. Ease my poundin' heart, will ya?"

Shadow did not open his eyes. He was so still; Sonic was convinced he wasn't even breathing. He feared the worst.

"Terios." His voice cracked. "Terios Robotnik. Answer me." Tears rained down Sonic's face, splashing onto Shadow's. A long pause came and went, as Sonic wept, until—

"Don't cry on me, you stupid tosser," the dark hedgehog grumbled, slowly blinking awake. Ruby met with emerald, annoyed. Sonic laughed with joy, squeezing him in a tight hug. "Don't squeeze me so hard!" he growled next (but hugged Sonic back).

(He would never admit that it felt nice.)

Sonic breathed Shadow in, blinking away his tears. They held one another for a while, as if old friends reunited at last. Then, over Shadow's shoulders Sonic's eyes met with blue and he gasped.

"Oh my God."

"What?"

"That's your mom?"

Shadow never shoved someone off and spun around as fast he did just then. Maria stood there, bashful, smiling, putting her hair behind her ear.

"She's frickin' gorgeous!"

"Of course she is!" snapped Shadow. "And she's mine."

"Relax, dude. I have a mom." Sonic then tilted his head in confusion. "But . . . are you sure? Cos she looks really young."