FOR YOUR HEART-BOOM

☆Ch9

Next area the heroes had to overcome was a very long staircase leading all the way up towards their destination. However, it being covered by the ice and snow was a big complication for them.
"Careful, guys," Amy took charge of the group this time, moving towards the very side of the wide staircase she carefully stepped onto the next step and lifted herself higher, the snow crunching under her feet. The others followed her lead, but Sonic hesitated, since he held Shadow in his arms and didn't really wish to slip and hurt both him and himself in the process.

"Here, let me help you," Tails offered and twirling his namesakes he lifted himself up to the air, now hovering above the surface with an open arms. Sonic nodded and gently moved the unconscious hedgehog to his friend's arms before climbing up the stairs behind the others. Tails flew along the staircase and thus was the first one getting to the very top, where he carefully put Shadow down and looked at the so called cave. Which turned out to be a temple! For it had a huge double-winged gate in a decent distance from the staircase.
"Wow..." he whispered in astonishment and finally even he could now feel like being watched by someone. He quickly checked on his friends, as they were now in the half of the stairs. Flying up again he decided to give them a lift, first taking Sonic, who was far behind.
"Thanks, buddy!" Sonic smiled up at his friend and showed him a thumbs up before getting set down next to Shadow's body. Tails then went to help the rest and finally landing on the stone ground he relaxed his tails, which started aching from how much he was using them in such short period of time.

"Wait, is that a temple?" Amy widened her eyes, when she saw the big gate surrounded by a massive decoration encarved to the stones framing it and also the two tall and big pillars supporting the roof of the entrance. The carved shapes resembled of a snake dragons and two big wolf-shaped statues seemed to 'guard' the gate itself.
"Now, is this something like the Buddy-Buddy Temple?" Sonic asked curiously while examining the decorative appearance of the temple entrance.

"Intruders! What are you doing on MY land?!" a sudden deep voice echoed all around the area, startling the whole group of friends, as they instantly formed a circle around Shadow's motionless body and tensed up.
"Who are you?" Amy called out towards the gate and along with others looked all around, trying to locate the source of the voice.
"That is not important to any of you! You aren't allowed to be here, leave! Before I force you!" the voice spoke in an unwelcoming tone.
"Whoever you are, we need help!" Sonic yelled as he stepped forward towards the gate and squinted his eyes before widening them, when he saw something forming in a dark smoke, that appeared right in front of him.

A huge half-transparent white-furred wolf slowly came out of the smoke. His eyes were full gold, a black gemstone rested on his forehead, his mouth was filled with sharp black teeth and many various ornaments decorated the creature's body from head to tail. He lacked feet, which were disappearing in the dark mist and thus made the wolf hover above the surface.
"Didn't I make myself clear enough?!" the wolf warned and used his dark powers on the group, a crimson aura surrounded the black gemstone on his forehead.

"But... please! We need-HUH?!" Sonic was persistent, but then felt chills run down his spine from hearing his friends scream, which made him instantly turn around, only to see every single one of them turning transparent and falling to the ground.
"NO! What did you do to my friends!" the hedgehog approached the group and fell on his knees, tears now prickled the corners of his eyes as he saw his transparent friends lay motionless on the ground. He tried to touch Tails, who was the closest to him and much to his horror he found out, that his hand simply went through the fox, which felt freezing cold.
"No, no! You monster!" the hedgehog turned his sadness into anger and getting up he faced the wolf creature, which was responsible for such 'crime'.

"I warned you, didn't I. I told you to leave, now face the consequences!" the wolf spoke to him without moving his mouth at all and just now Sonic realized, that the wolf communicated with him telepathicaly.
"Give me back my friends!" Sonic gritted his teeth and growling he spindashed towards the wolf creature, who simply used quick teleportation to move himself to a different spot, making Sonic miss miserably and collide with one of the pillars.