An Elemental Secret

Chapter 7

"Ugh, we've been walking for hours!" The blue hedgehog groaned as the group of four walked through a busy Station Square. The others just rolled their eyes as that was the tenth time the hedgehog had complained.

"Sonic, you need to stop complaining." Knuckles sighed as the hedgehog pouted. Then, Sonic smiled as he turned to Shadow, having an idea.

As much as he wanted to find Farah, his childish tendencies needed to be tended to. "Hey, Shads? How about a race to the forest outside of the city?"

Shadow simply rolled his eyes. Of course the hedgehog would ask that; he was bored and his number one racing buddy is right next to him. For some reason, he could never say no to his blue rival's request, so he ended up nodding with a smirk.

The two knew exactly when they started their little race, as they always did, and they took off, leaving the fox and echidna behind. The two just stared at the fleeting blue and golden streaks, knowing that it was going to happen eventually. The blue hedgehog was the type to get bored easily, and racing the other was his usual cure for boredom.

Meanwhile, Sonic glanced to his rival, mind reeling, though he was ignoring it. That was the thing with racing with Shadow, though. It was easy to ignore everything when the black hedgehog was racing by his side, and he didn't really know why. Shadow made him feel like all of his problems were solved and over, even though that was far from the fact.

It didn't take long for the two to get to the finish line of their race. They looked to each other, Sonic with a smile and Shadow with his usual stoic face. The sound of laughter, deep and threatening, filled the forest, and as they looked away from each other, the shadows seemed to grow. Sonic had felt the hedgehog beside him freeze, and he unconsciously got into a protective pose in front of the other.

"Always the protective one, aren't you?" The mortal form of Heolstor appeared in front of them.

Sonic's ears jetted back with a growl. "I don't know why you want Shadow, but you are not going to take him."

The eyes of the enemy seemed to widen as he tilted his head. "You don't know? Why, Mahkah, I would think that you would know why."

"What're you talking about!?" Sonic panicked at the mention of his real name, glancing at Shadow, but the hedgehog was frozen in place, ruby eyes never leaving the look-a-like. Quickly, Sonic sought to prevent him from being question. "And the name is Sonic."

The reptilian-like eyes darkened as Heolstor walked towards the blue hedgehog, glaring into emerald eyes. "Do not fool me, Mahkah. I think I'd know the being that sealed me in a tight box for millions of years."

"Heh, I don't know what you're talkin' about." Sonic rubbed the bottom of his nose stubbornly, causing the other to growl.

"I'll be sure to make you watch as I take your precious Farah away."

Sonic's body tensed as his eyes lowered in a glare. "If you even so much as touch her, I'll shatter you across this world."

"I knew it." the being of darkness continued to stare into the eyes of his enemy, but his hand was reaching for the still hedgehog beside the hidden spirit. "You have been hidden for so long, Mahkah."

"That doesn't mean I can't still fight!" Acting quickly, Sonic held his hands up, forming vines in between Shadow and Heolstor. "And you aren't getting my friend!"

At not being able to see the dark spirit, Shadow turned to look at Sonic, eyes wide. Sonic ignored the look, both not wanting to deal with it and too focused on Heolstor.

The dark spirit growled and formed copies of himself as shadows. Sonic stood in his attack pose waiting for the fight to kick in.

Sure enough, it commenced without a sound, Sonic attacking every clone, trying to find the true one in all of the ruckus. He noticed him reaching for the other hedgehog, who was once again frozen in place. Sonic quickly covered Shadow in a dome of thick leaves and vines. Heolstor growled and attacked the blue hedgehog with all his might.

Not being able to see anything was sort of a relief for Shadow. He didn't know why, but every time that Heolstor guy showed up, he was frozen, one scene from his dreams playing in his mind.

'Farah! Don't!'

'Mahkah!? What are you doing he-AHHH!!'

'FARAH!'

All Shadow's mind had been consumed with lately was the tragic tale of Mahkah and Farah. He knew it by heart without even reading a single thing.

His ear twitched as he heard Sonic's grunts during the fighting, and he was brought back to the most recent development. Sonic made those vines back at the apartment and the ones that separated him from that dark being just a little bit ago. Heck, he also made the barrier that Shadow was sitting under at that particular moment! Something was up with that hedgehog, and Heolstor's words still burned in his mind.

'Shadow? So that is what they call you in this world....'

'I should've known you wouldn't have strayed far from your happiness.'

'You don't know? Why, Mahkah, I would think that you would know why.'

'You have been hidden for so long, Mahkah.'

The words started to jumble together and confuse the poor hedgehog. He was wanted by this dark spirit for some reason he didn't know, Sonic has been acting weird and using strange powers that he never did before, and Heolstor keeps calling his blue furred rival Mahkah, which was a name he recognized all too well from his dreams.

He began to shake in confusion and frustration. He was the ultimate lifeform! He shouldn't let something like this get to him! Heck, he should be out there helping Sonic!

'Mahkah!'

'Farah! Farah, please don't leave me! Oh, Farah!'

'I'm... sorry Mahkah.... I should've listened....'

'Pl-Please.... Do not be sorry, my love....'

'I... l-love you....'

'W-Wait! Farah no!'

'Farah...?'

'Farah!?'

'No.... No! Farah please!'

The dark hedgehog shook more, fear and an overwhelming feeling of desperation and grief filling him. That quickly turned into anger as the hedgehog vowed to rid of his confusion.

And that is why his gun was pointed straight at Sonic when he had opened the dome, the fight being done and over with.

"Shadow!?"

"Who are you?"