Shadow's Of The Past

Chapter 5

Emerald eyes opened slowly their vision was blurry but he could make out that he was inside a cave that was dimly lit by a fire. A shadowed outline of a hedgehogs head loomed over him and he could just barely make it out, 'ugh, my body's killing me, what happened? Last thing I remember is those weird shadow dragon thingies attacking me...And Amy, oh no Amy!' Sonic thought and sat up quickly and regretted getting up so fast as his head collided with another. "Ow, geez that sure was a wake up call!" Sonic complained.

"Hmph, good to know your awake faker!" Came the familiar voice of Shadow the impact didn't affect him as much as it did Sonic.

Sonic rubbed his now sore head, "ugh, ow heh sorry Shadow!" He apologised.

Shadow stood up and turned his back to the blue hedgehog, "what happened to you faker? I saw you just lying there on the ground?!"

"Geez Shadow still at it with the faker thing, can't ya just call me Sonic?!"mSonic asked as he stood himself.

"Not a chance!" Shadow smirked and folded his arms.

Sonic sighed and shrugged that's when he finally took the chance to look around his surroundings, "uh, why are we in a cave?!"

Shadow glanced back at the blue hedgehog, "well as I saw you lying on the ground I was going to take you to Tails place, but this old looking hedgehog insisted that I bring you to this cave, reasons are still unknown since said hedgehog has now left the cave!"

Sonic looked confused "uhhhh?"

"Ah, I'm glad to see your finally awake!" Came a voice that Sonic didn't know.

Sonic eyes went wide as the old hedgehog that Shadow was talking about appeared at the entrance and indeed he did look quite old. The hedgehog was red and he carrying a walking stick, he also wore a cape, "allow me to introduce myself, I am Zark the hedgehog, but please just call me Zark!"

Sonic wondered if he was the same Zark who'd adopted "wait a minute are you Zark the one who adopted Amy?!"

"Why yes, I heard her telling you that little story, oooohhh, how I missed that girl!" Zark sighed sadly and entered further into the cave, Shadow kept a close eye on him since he didn't exactly trust him at this time.

Sonic raised his eyes "were you spying on us?!"

Zark chuckled, "of course not my dear boy, I just happened to be passing by, that's when I saw that Damien had found Amy, unfortunately I was to slow in stopping him from taking her!" The red hedgehog sighed sadly.

Sonic frowned "do ya happen to know how I can get her back?!"

Zark paused as searched through some of his bottles that he kept in a box on top of one of the rocks, "well, there is a way but...!"

"Tell me, I'll do anything to bring her back!" Sonic said feeling determined.

Zark clutched onto his walking stick, "hm, well to free her from his spell you'd have to be willing to marry her, and to bring her back from the underworld requires this stone!" Zark explained as he brought out a black stone that looked like an emerald but wasn't.

Sonic froze when he said he could free Amy by marrying her, "uh but I don't..." Sonic sighed and closed his eyes with a clenched fist, Shadow watched him with great interest, would the blue hedgehog really be willing to save Amy this time?

Zark also watched him, "I wish there was another way, to free her from his grasp. There maybe one but I think it might be a little tricky!"

Sonic opened his eyes and looked at the hedgehog, "tell me the other way!"

"Well, that would mean we have to destroy him, but I'm afraid I don't know how!"

Sonic frowned "I'll try it that way, so is there away I can get into the underworld?"

"There is, follow me!" Zark said while gesturing for them to follow.

Sonic followed on behind but he didn't think Shadow would follow to, "Shadow, your coming?!"

Shadow nodded, "of course, don't want you doing anything stupid or reckless!"

Sonic raised his eyes, "hey, when have I ever done anything stupid?!"

Shadow smirked, "oh, I could go on forever!"

Sonic shrugged as Shadow walked past him, they were heading further into the back of the cave, "uh, it's getting kinda dark in here!" Sonic pointed out.

Shadow chuckled, "didn't know you were afraid of the dark, faker?!"

"Hey I'm not afraid of anything expect maybe water!" Sonic replied.

"Don't worry you two we're almost there!" said Zark and they soon reached another cave that had a bit of light in it. The two awed at the sight before them.

"That's one huge boat!" Exclaimed Sonic.

In front of them was a river but not a river full of water it was a river full of eerie mist and darkness, the boat seemed to be floating in mid air. "This is the boat in which spirits that are destined to go to the underworld are transported to!" The boat was shaped like a dragon.

"Wait do you mean that this boat takes you to hell?!" Questioned Sonic.

"Yes, thats one way of describing the underworld!" Zark nodded as he gazed upon the boat, that gave him the shivers, he hoped he'd never have to ride it.

"Now you must get on quick, the boat is about to leave with some of the spirits, don't worry though they won't be able to see you. Now as you two are not actually dead this stone will grant you access to the underworld you must both hold it at the same time as you approach the warp hole! If you don't you'll be knocked back!"

The bells started to ring at the side of the boat the sound sent shivers down the three hedgehogs, "well, I guess that's our cue, thanks Zark!" Sonic said as he looked towards the boat.

The two hedgehogs boarded the boat, Zark watched them from the sidelines, "be careful, and please bring back my daughter safely!"

Sonic waved, "hey you can count on me!"

The boat floated a littler higher in the air and began to move, they tried their best to avoid the spirits who seemed to be wondering about aimlessly and moaning. "man this is a little creepy," stated Sonic as he watched some of the spirits.

"For once I agree, I've never seen anything like this!" Said Shadow.

Sonic grinned, "are ya scared Shadow?!"

Shadow folded his arms and looked away, "Hmph, not if you are?!"

Sonic sniggered to himself, but soon wind started to pick up, "hey that must be the warp hole?!"

Not far away from the boat was a large hole that was swirling in a purple colour, Sonic brought out the stone from his quills and he and Shadow faced one another, they nodded at the same and both placed their hand on the stone.