Disclaimer: I think it's pretty obvious that I own none of the characters.

Why yes, this is a new story! This is a oneshot, something I wrote down suddenly on a whim, so it will not be continued. I used the SatAM universe for some odd reason. Now, I'm not exactly an expert in SatAM so please forgive me if some of the characters are not portrayed right. Also please remember this is a tragedy. Say it with me, TRAGEDY. So sad stuff is happening. You don't want to read, you may go. The following may never happen, but this was really for myself. So please don't hate me. >:)

So read and review. No flames please.

All In Vain
by Darkhymns

-

They came in the night. Cold eyes with no remorse.

It was hard to say how many, nor how they had gathered so quickly. How did he have the time to create such monstrosities? They had watched his moves carefully, prepared themselves for anything he would throw. No one had known. Not a bit.

But they came anyway. Marched on relentlessly.

Tails was the first to see them. Moonlight glinting off sleek metal, showing the creatures of nightmares. He had hovered above them, the glow from the metal skins reflecting in his sapphire eyes.

Dear God, how were there were so many?

The kitsune flew towards the gentle Knothole Village, panic rising in his tiny heart. He had found his blue hero along with his Aunt Sally in their small, quaint house. He had spoken so fast that he had to repeat several times through the terrified tears. But they heard, loud and clear.

The Freedom Fighters had gathered, ready for the most torturous battle of their lives. They silently prayed while putting on a brave façade.

The metal creatures came, emotionless red eyes staring at their victims.

The villagers had gathered around their home; ready to protect what valuables they had, what had become a part of their treasured lives.

So many, so many.

The machines, reflecting pale light, came marching down. Stomping on the grass and flowers, grinding them to the earth. Their strong arms were rigid while their legs moved in long strides, all in perfect rhythm. Such an unholy amount of warriors.

Sonic could only gaze at their impending fate. The hedgehog was in the front ranks, a leader of the force that would face the calamity. The other Freedom Fighters did not move a muscle, resisting the urge to shiver in fear. The Apocalypse would rain down on them, on everything they had. Somehow, they had known that this day would come. But too soon. Much too soon.

They heard the marching feet like a death knoll. It was now or never.

They charged toward the endless sea of metal, their neighbors and friends by their side. They clashed with thunderous sounds. Metal hit flesh and fur, gunshots rang, swords clashed, fists crushed. The blood ran free, staining the emerald green of the forest, the nurturing brown of the earth. Eternities passed. Endless hours flowed on. Screams of the deepest agonies, stripped of hope, echoed all around. A deadly tune that war sang. The metal soldiers came on, continuing the flowing genocide.

Sonic felt as if he was in a dream, how unreal it was. This could not be happening. They had fought, resisted the madman's attempts for so long. Was this really happening? No, it couldn't be. But the pain was real, the deep scarlet was on his gloved hands that were once pure white. No, this could not be real.

He looked deep into the metal creature's eyes, seeing nothing, completely hollow. Some he recognized, those he knew once before. Now they were nothing but demented creations. A parody of life, free will torn, leaving all but the bottomless void inside. The only thing they knew was to kill. That was all they could do now. They faced the courageous villagers, being once like them. Free. Full of hopes and dreams. Just obstacles now that needed to be terminated. Nothing more.

The cobalt hedgehog destroyed them one by one; electric wires sparkling, steel ringing against his fists. He could not free them, and that sent bile in his mouth. Trapped in their soulless bodies, creating massacres of death.

Damn it, why?

They could not win. No, they could not.

Waves of metal crashed, corpses were left to rot. But the Freedom Fighters fought with undying fervor, keeping the armies back with their own bodies. Bunnie's robotic arm shattered through them, destroying those whom she once was. She understood well. Death was a mercy. The usually nervous Antoine actually showing great valor, his sword slicing through the hard outer surface, steel ringing against metal. For once, he fought with true honor.

Sonic watched the two companions, along with the other fighters that held tough. Rotor the walrus, Mina the beautiful mongoose, and even Knuckles. The Guardian had left his island abode, hearing of the oncoming slaughter. His sharp fists bore through the steel with stunning aim.

The hedgehog fought with Sally Acorn by his side, her cinnamon fur full of grime and dirt, her eyes determined. The bold princess dodged the metal blows, failure never even considered.

But they kept coming. They would not stop, could not stop. They only heard the same order over and over again, directing their passage. All they could do was follow it.

Fatigue caught up with the animals, energy slowly evading them. Would they actually lose? But they had always prevailed, always won. It was not possible.

The dark red color spilled forever as Sonic watched the massacre. Tails, so close to him as a little brother, went down first. Sapphire eyes expressing true fear as the metal claws tore through.

They did not stop.

Antoine went next, stabbed through the chest with his own cherished sword, taken by the metal soldier. He had not even screamed, so quickly it came.

They would not stop.

Bunnie's skull was crushed by an unforeseen blow, bones cracking, grinding into dust. She had fallen to the ground, robotic arm laying beside her that was damaged beyond recognition.

They would never stop.

All fell to the onslaught, eternal sleep taking them away. Rotor, his mechanical skills worthless when he became no more. Mina, her speed no longer of use as she was devoured.

The Guardian had no hope of survival.

Knuckles had fought with the legacy of his clan. Fists smashed through with battle cries.

But…even then…they had swarmed, twenty at least. They had come down on him like a mountain, crushing the life he tried desperately to hold on to. Red stained the echidna's scarlet fur, turning a deeper shade.

The imageswould not leave his head. Sonic could not take it anymore. So much blood…Why? Why? All those he knew were fading away, another number for the casualties. Names that would be lost to the ravages of time.

"Sonic!"

Her yell brought him back to the battle field. The princess was next to him, fear and sorrow lining her face. All he had was her.

Then he heard it.

The sound of mocking laughter echoed through the destroyed village. Robotnik stood there in the midst of his lifeless soldiers, his cohort Snively by his side.

He was…enjoying this. He was actually enjoying this!

Sonic felt the burning rage. He felt the urge to rip that bald head from the corpulent body.

Snively cowered behind his master as he saw Sonic's face. Even this bloodbath was too much for him. He just wanted to run and hide. Hide forever.

Robotnik continued to laugh, boiling Sonic's murderous anger.

Sally beat him to it. She ran to the creator of the metal murderers, her blue vest flowing from her, her boots covered with the oil of the robots and the blood of her loved ones mixed together. Her fierce passion finally breaking at the sight of the hated man.

Robotnik shouted. A metal creature who stopped in the killings came, holding the weapon in its hand. The arm raised, a red beam shot out, going through flesh and fur.

A moment held forever in time.

No…

Sally turned to Sonic slowly, pain unlike no other on her face. Her light cinnamon fur stained with crimson, eyes locked in a stare that revealed everything. She fell toward the once nurturing earth, fresh with red. Eyes still locked, never leaving, never fading.

Sally Acorn was dead.

Please let me be dreaming.

Laughter. From him.

Rage climbed toward the surface in rapid pace.

Damn you.

Sonic ran towards the man that had taken everything away from him. His home, his friends, his love. His life. The bastard would pay.

Robotnik shouted again. The robots stopped, turning their glowing scarlet eyes toward the hedgehog.

They came. Onward, never ending. The Apocalypse rained down on him. Ripping through him, tearing him apart, warm scarlet covering his eyes. The mass of blue quills screaming.

"Looks like I win, Sonic!"

The sacrificing hero collapsed to the ground, breathing with a ragged throat. He could barely hear the last words.

He had failed, didn't he? He lost. Robotnik won. Tears of regret fell from jade.

But…was it truly finished? Had his past victories been for nothing? Was it?

He felt a gentle wind caressing him, soothing the tenderness of his wounds. His heartbeat crawled at a snail's pace. He watched the dark sky growing lighter, the glow of the dawn reaching out with its translucent rays. The dying hero saw the others continue to wage war. Drenched with bitter red, they faced the metal creatures undaunted, eyes shining with a light of their own.

Then he realized.

This was not it. Not the end. He was not the first to stand up and fight. He would not be the last. Others would come and defend their beloved Mobius. Sacrfices would be made, but hope would always be there. It would always shine through, no matter what the odds.

His eyelids grew heavy. His breathing slowed. In. Out. In. Out.

Would they remember him? Perhaps. Would they honor him? Who knows. He just wished that if they did, they would remember the others as well. Remember Rotor, Bunnie, Antoine, Mina, Knuckles, Tails…and Sally. His beloved Sally.

No, Robotnik had not won. As long as there were others who still held that hope, it would not be over.

As he felt death's embrace gather him away, as he felt his body go numb, he realized that perhaps trying was more important. That trying was what mattered in the end, not just the successes.

Maybe.

Dark night bore him away, the pain disappeared. His last image was of one soul, standing tall in the theatre of war, eyes full of life.

Funny, how death can change a person.