*It was a stormy night on Angel Island. The red echidna named Knuckles was busy watching the Master Emerald in the storm. Lightning flashed, rian fell in torrents, but the echidna didn't shiver. Thunder rolled and a big blast of lightning ilumminated the dark sky. The echidna opened his eye's and looked at the dark clouds. Something was falling from the sky, it glowed gold then went as black as night. It soon crashed on Floating Island. Curious Knuckles went over to see what landed on his island. It was to dangerous to glide in the rian, so it took him a while to walk. When he came up to a newly formed hole in the ground, he gasped in surprise. There lying in the hole was Shadow.*
*Knuckles saw that Shadow held a red choas emerald in his hand. The black and red hedgehog had been gone for more than a year, and Knuckles like Sonic and the others believed Shadow to be dead. Knuckles picked up Shadow and carried him back to the Master Emerald's alter. When he reached the alter he tapped on the stone wall and a secret door opened. He layed Shadow in a bed he never used, and took care of some of his wounds. *  
Knuckles: It's been a long time, but you finally did it. ~as he wrote in one of his journals~ You finally completed your promise.  
*Shadow didn't hear what Knuckles had said nor would he care if he had heard it. He was to busy reliving the final memory of Maria. The sound of them running from the G.U.N. soldiers, a shot, and Maria's final words. When morning came Shadow awoke to see he was in some sort of hidden library. He took notice of Knuckles sleeping on one of his books. He looked in his hands and noticed the choas emerald was gone.*  
Shadow: I must of lost it when I fell. Where am I?  
*He looked at the books around him, glismping at titles, not really caring what they were about. Knuckles awoke seeing Shadow glance at his books.*  
Knuckles: Glad to see your awake.  
Shadow: Why do you have so many books?  
Knuckles: I keep records of thing's I've been through. Like when I ran into you last night for example.
Shadow: What?
Knuckles: You fell from the sky. You had some wounds, but no broken bones. We thought you were dead.  
Shadow: We?  
*Knuckles sighed, it took him a while to remind Shadow what had happened in a past year's time. He even got out some of his book's and told Shadow what happened exactly. After Shadow had enough of journey's into the past, he asked Knuckles about the other's. Knuckles told him that he didn't interfer with the other's business, but that they were doing fine.*  
Shadow: You said you found me last night?  
Knuckles: Yeah.  
Shadow: Did you also happen to find a choas emerald?  
Knuckles: Yes, you wouldn't let go of it. Then it just disappeared.  
Shadow: What?  
Knuckles: We should probally tell the other's that your still alive.  
*Shadow reluctantly agreed, but the thought of the choas emerald just disappearing was enough to make him wonder. Choas emerald's don't vanish into thin air.*  

CH.2 : Surprise

  *It was a perfect day for Sonic and the other's. Tail's was busy in his workshop, Amy was over at Cream's, Rouge was off treasure hunting, Sonic was running around outside, and The Choatix were fishing with Big. Tail's was busy looking over the system's of the X Tornado when a knock came on the door.*
Tails:Who is it?  
Knuckles: It's me Tail's.  
*Tail's left his workshop and opened the door allowing Knuckles to come in. Shadow followed next. The twin tailed fox was surprised seeing that Shadow was alive. The fox looked at Knuckles, Knuckles shrugged his shoulder's saying he didn't know much more than Tail's did. The news soon got around that Shadow was around. The other's had stopped their activities to see the black and red hedgehog.*  
  *Knuckles explianed how Shadow had fallen on Angel Island last night as best he could, Shadow helped him a bit. The sky outside was suddenly darkened by the fast coming of clouds. Everyone ran outside to see what was happening.*  
  Sonic:What is this?  
*Lightning stormed out of the clouds, a few of the bolt's hit the ground. One of the bolt's came really close to hitting Shadow, but thank's to Knuckle's he was saved from recieving a terrible shock. Rouge took flight and saw something come down from the clouds. It looked like a giant cobra, as black as night, with red eye's that seemed to piecre through stone. The cobra's head looked at the group as if searching for a good target. Knuckles stared at the cobra for a long while, knowing he had seen it somewhere before.*  
*The cobra let out a heavy hiss, and wolves came pouring out of the sky. These were no oridanary wolves either, they were as black as coal with the same piercing red eye's the cobra had. The only thing you could see different was that the wolves had gaint bat like wing's as they swooped down out of the sky.*  
 Shadow: What are these thing's?  
Sonic: I don't know, but why are they here?  
 *"Shadow..." hissed the cobra. The wolves were coming right after Shadow, Shadow was about to call "Choas Control" when he suddenly remembered he didn't have a choas emerald anymore. Knuckles came to his rescue punching one wolf aside. Shadow attacked another one nearby. Sonic and the other's were facing off agianist the other wolves.*  
 Amy: We're a little outnumbered here! ~over the noise of the battle~  
Knuckles: These guy's don't scare me! ~punching another wolf aside~  
Sonic:What are they after anyway? ~spinning two wolves out of his way~  
 *The ground erupted in a blast and Sonic, Shadow, and the others found themselves dropping down to the blackness below.*  

  CH.3: The Underground Cavern

 *Blackness was all that met Shadow's eye's when they reopened. He couldn't see the other's so he tried to feel for them. His hand hit a rope like spine, he jerked his hand away realizing who he was touching. The thing moved, and Shadow recongnized Knuckle's voice.*
Knuckles:Where are we?  
Shadow: How should I know? Are the other's around?  
Knuckles: I can't tell.  
Shadow: Why did I ask?
Knuckles: Come on.
Shadow: We can't see down here.  
*A light suddenly poured through the cavern. Shadow saw that Knuckles had pulled out a crystal it's white light iluminating the walls.*  
Knuckles: Never know what may come in handy.  
*Shadow followed Knuckles down the caverns tunnel. Carvings were etched in the walls around them.*  
  Knuckles: I saw Sonic, Tails, and Amy fall down with us. That means the other's are fighting off those wolf type things.  
Shadow: You figure the others landed in a seperate part of these caverns?  
Knuckles: It's possible. This place looks to be built like a maze of somekind.  
Shadow: But what does that have to do with those thing's up there?  
*Knuckles couldn't think of an answer for that question. What were these creature's after? And why? Meanwhile in another part of the caverns Sonic, Amy and Tails were just waking up from their daze.*  
Sonic: Uhh...What happened?  
Tails:I think we fell, but where are we?  
Amy: Where's Knuckles and Shadow? I thought I saw them fall down with us.  
Sonic: They have to be around here somewhere.  
  *The trio walked through the catacombs searching for the missing duo.*  
  *Shadow was now walking ahead of Knuckles since the echidna paused several times in order to read the ancient writings. When Knuckles paused agian to look at the symbols Shadow finally asked what it said.*  
  Knuckles: Can't really tell, but it has something to do with the choas emeralds.  
Shadow:When we reach a clearing then you can tell me your theory.  
Knuckles:One shouldn't be to far ahead the tunnel is widening.  
*They walked on, but when they reached the clearing all they could do was stare.*  

    CH.4: The Alter  

  *Sonic and the others were getting tired, it felt like they have been walking around in circles.*  
Amy: Uh. Can't we take a break?  
Tails: I guess so. What do you think Sonic?  
Sonic: Yeah, let's rest.  
  *They sat down on the cavern floor, glad to finally take a break.*  
  Amy: I wonder where Knuckles and Shadow are.  
Sonic: Don't worry about them, those two can take care of themselves.  
  *Meanwhile Shadow and Knuckles were looking at a whole new place. The walls were all wriiten on with ancient writing. Four statues of winged wolfs stood as cardinal pionts on the alter in front of them. The wolfs were all facing a gaint cobra statue in the center of the alter.*  
  Knuckles: Must be their sacrifical grounds from the looks of it.  
*Shadow ingored Knuckles and started to look around. He thought he saw something glow from the cobra's mouth.*  
Shadow: Something's up there.  
*Knuckles heard Shadow and turned around seeing a faint red glow coming from the cobra's mouth.*  
Knuckles:Let's climb.  
*When they both entered the cobra's mouth Shadow was first to walk toward the red glow, Knuckles followed suit. The glow got brighter as they went farther, Knuckles put away his crystal light source. Traveling deeper inside the snake seemed to take forever, until they finally found what was making the red glow. There standing on top a pedastal was the red choas emerald Shadow had with him when he fell from the sky. Knuckles studied the muriel behind the emerald. It showed the Master Emerald surrounded by the seven shoas emeralds. An inscription was below.*  
  *As Knuckles tried to decipher the inscription, Shadow picked up the red choas emerald. The whole cavern started to wither and shake. Knuckles glared at Shadow. They both started to run out of there. When they finally got out of the cobra they saw lava rise from cracks in the floor. Shadow held the choas emerald up shouting "CHOAS ... CONTROL!!!" He and Knuckles were transported out of the cavern.*  
      Sonic: Whoa! Did you feel that?  
Tails: Feel what?  
Sonic: It felt like an earthquake.  
*The tunnel they were standing in started to shake.*  
Amy: We better get out of here.  
Sonic:Grab on!  
*Tails and Amy grabbed on to Sonic's arms and were soon speeding their way back to the surface.*  

    CH.5:Choas Search  

Rouge: I don't know how much more I can keep this up. ~dodging a wolf as it flew past~  
  *The Choatix were busy tangling with four winged wolfs. Cream and her choa friend Cheese tried their best to stay out of the fight. Big was the only one not present in the fight. He was still fishing with Froggy. Shadow and Knuckles appeared beside Rouge.*  
Rouge: Well it's about time, we could use some help here.  
*Sonic, Amy, and Tails suddenly appeared from below encountering two wolves. Amy got out her trusty hammer and clobbered the wolves out of their way. Knuckles joined in the fun, his fist's met two wolves directly, but his real target was the cobra behind them. Shadow was also heading toward the gaint snake, with the choas emerald in hand he was ready to take on anything. Knuckles punched at the beast with his namesakes, the cobra screamed in pain. Shadow came running in.*  
  Shadow:Choas Control!!  
  *The cobra was elminated and the wolves disappeared along with it.*  
Sonic: What were those things?  
Knuckles:What ever they were, they're after the choas emerald's.  
Tails: Why?  
Knuckles: Don't know but we need to find the other emeralds before they do.  
  Amy: How do suggeust we find them?  
Rouge: Ahem, how about a choas tracker? I borrowed one off of Eggman's ship, once upon a time.  
  Tails: That could work. I could hook it up to the X Tornado that way we could track them faster.  
Sonic: Let's do it.  
  *Shadow was busy staring at the sky. The clouds were still there in that odd formation.*  
Shadow:Someone else is behind this. But who?  

  CH.6: Double the Trouble  

*Tails finished setting the choas tracker to the X Tornado and was ready to set off. Knuckles, Sonic, and Amy came in. Shadow was still staring up at the clouds.*  
Knuckles: Hey Shadow you stuck there? Let's Go.  
*Shadow didn't move for a second, but then hopped in. The plane's engine roared and they were on their to find the choas emerald's. Shadow's emerald counted as one, but the X Tornado's power was also caused by a choas emerald. So they had only five more to find. Shadow was still looking at the clouds, it almost seemed like they were following them. Sonic noticed Shadow's gaze, Knuckles had also noticed but decided not to say anything.*  
  *In a few minutes Tails announced that he was getting a strong reading from a forest not to far ahead. They could see the forest straight ahead and soon landed. They got out deciding that they could cover more ground if they split up. Knuckles was partnered up with Shadow because Amy wanted to go with Sonic. Tails was staying on the plane just in case. After Sonic and Amy left Shadow and Knuckles departed.*  
  Knuckles:Where should we start?  
Shadow: How should I know?  
Knuckles: ~mumbled~ Just a simple question.  
*The choas emerald in Shadow's hand suddenly began to glow.*  
Shadow: There's a choas emerald nearby.~he turned his head around suddenly~  
Knuckles:What is it?  
Shadow: I thought I heard something.  
Knuckles: Let's keep moving.  
*They did, but Shadow was right that he heard a sound. Something hidden in the tree's were following them. Sonic and Amy were having trouble's of their own, a dark cloud drifted over them. Noone talked or moved for a moment. Amy had picked up a something shiny from the ground and now they were trapped between a tree wall and a strange looking firgure.*  
  Amy: Who is he?  
Sonic: I don't know, but I think we're fixing to find out.  
*Meanwhile Knuckles and Shadow had just found the grey choas emerald. Knuckles called Sonic and Amy on his communicator to let them know another emerald had been found, but only recieved static. Shadow suddenly ran into the tree's, Knuckles heard the sound of a fight and Shadow soon came out dragging someone behind him. Knuckles appeared shocked, there right in front of him was an echidna like him.*  

  CH.7: Hidden Secrets  

  Knuckles:Who are you?  
*The prisioner did not respond, Shadow was getting a little inratated by the silent echidna's attitude. When Knuckles asked agian who he was the echidna still didn't respond that got to Shadows nerve. He grabbed the echidna clutching him by the shoulders.*  
  Shadow: I'm getting tired of this game, tell us who you are or I'll take care of you myself.  
  *The echidna was startled and frightened by Shadow's attack, he started spilling out his story. It turned out that he was one of Knuckles kind, but he wasn't supposed to tell anyone where they were. Another sentry like him was recieving the same interrogation like he was right now, but he didn't know it.*
  Knuckles: Let him go Shadow, I've heard enough.  
  *Shadow was surprised but didn't show it, and reluctantly let the echidna go.*  
  *Sonic and Amy had done the same thing with their prisioner and were heading back to the X Tornado.*  
  Sonic:What was that thing you picked up anyway?  
Amy: I don't know. It looks like a necklace with a blue pendant. I'm keeping it anyway.  
  Sonic: Why do I even ask? ~mumbled~  
  *Soon the four were all back at the X Tornado and ready to fly off. When they were in the air Shadow looked at the thing in Amy's pocket.*  
  Shadow: What is that?  
Amy: Hmmm. Oh, it's some necklace I found when we landed in that forest.  
Shadow: May I see it?  
Amy: Sure. ~she pulled out the necklace and handed it to shadow~  
    *It was a pretty big necklace but the pendant was bigger. Supsion crossed Shadow's face as he looked carefully at the pendant. The red choas emerald began to glow and so did the pendant. There was no doubt in Shadows mind that the pendant was a choas emerald. He snatched the pendant off the necklace and gave the necklace back to Amy. This was almost to easy the strange creatures praticily handed the choas emeralds to them. "Did they want us to get the choas emeralds first?" thought Shadow. He didn't know, if the creature's did want them to get the choas emeralds Why?*  

  CH. 8: Nightmare Orders  

  *In the dark clouds still covering the sky a gaint cobra was making it's way to greet his master. *  
Master: Speak! ~when the cobra approached~  
  Cobra: Master Peligro, it seems that black hedgehog is growing suspcious of us.  
Peligro: Shadow doesn't remember anything about when met, I can't doubt his curiousity.  
  Cobra: But Master what will we do with him, he obivously has friends that could be stronger than your feircest warriors.  
  Peligro: We shall see. Tell one of the cobras to realese the nightshade. We shall infect one of his friends to see how strong their will is, and if Shadow find's out about the ritual, Destroy Him!  
    Amy: This is the worst place ever for camp out.
  Knuckles: We didn't have much chioce, unless you'd rather be sleeping on quicksand than on a thorny bush.  
Amy: On second thought I kind of like it here.  
Sonic:Uh!~struggling to start a fire~ I can't get a spark from these bushes. Knuckles be a pal and fetch some wodd would ya?  
  Knuckles: Why do I always have to fetch the wood?  
  Sonic: Cause your better suited in the wilderness than the rest of us.  
  *Knuckles shrugged his shoulders and gave up*  
  Knuckles: Fine I'll go.  
Shadow: I think I'll tag along~thought~  
  *So Shadow followed Knuckles into the woods. Knuckles kept on struggling up ahead, the thorns were pricking Knuckles on all sides.*  
  Knuckles: I'm going to get Sonic for this.  
* A sound of something moving caught Knuckles ears, he turned around seeing Shadow behind. Thinking it was Shadow Knuckles moved on, the sound rang to his ears agian. He turned his eye's on Shadow seeing the hedgehog in the same spot he was before.*  
  Knuckles: If that wasn't Shadow, then..  
*A claw like hand clamped over his mouth and he was dragged into the bushes. Shadow turned at the sudden sound seeing Knuckles had disappeared.*  
  Shadow: Knuckles? Knuckles?!
  *No answer came from the dark shadows. Shadow ran back to Sonic and the others quickly telling them that Knuckles had vanished. He and Sonic ran back to the spot where Knuckles had disappeared. They found the red echidna laying on his side in the thorn bushes. Blood stianed the cresent moon mark on the echidnas chest, most of the blood had dried and was now turning a hard black.*  
  Sonic: Let's take him back, you grab the wood I'll carry him.  
  *Shadow grabbed most of the fallen wood behind a bush and ran after Sonic. Later at camp Knuckles woke up to see his friends staring at him.*  
  Knuckles: What happened?  
Sonic: That's what we should be asking you.  
  *Knuckles suddenly remebered and pulled out a yellow choas emerald.*  
  Knuckles: I got it off whoever grabbed me.  
  Amy: That means there's only one more to find.  
  Shadow: This almost seems to easy, I'm think those creature's want us to get the choas emerald's.  
  Sonic: But why?  
  Shadow: I don't know.  
  *Amy yawns*
    Amy:Can we just get some sleep?  
*The other's nodded, but as soon as they were asleep the nightshade inside Knuckles body took over the echidna's heart.*  

    CH.9: Shady Characters  

*In the morning the thorn bushes didn't seem like much of a threat as they were at night. Everyone was boarding the X Tornado to find the last choas emerald. Everyone except Knuckles that is, he'd been missing since that morning and hasn't been found.*  
Tails: Where is he?  
Amy: Do you think something could have happened to him?  
  Sonic: I'll look for him. ~speeds off~  
  Amy: What if he doesn't find him?    
Shadow: He'll find him, of that I'm sure. But, because of what happened last night I'm starting to grow suspcious of his 'tude.  
Amy: And what's that supposed to mean?  
  Shadow: The disappearence last night, and his disappearence today are somehow connected by that thing that he said attacked him last night. I think he's making it up.  
  Tails: What are you saying, that Knuckles is trying to betray us?  
  *Shadow didn't speak,Tails took that silence as a "yes". Sonic soon came speeding up with Knuckles behind him carrying some fruit. When they were all in, the plane took off to find the last emerald. Shadow was still watching the echidna, something wasn't right. The intercom on the plane suddenly rnag up with the voice of Cream saying that Rouge had found a choas emerald on Angel Island. Tails changed course and headed right for Angel Island.*  
  *When they landed Knuckles was the first one out, Shadow and the others followed behind. Rouge showed them the purple choas emerald and Knuckles took it.*  
  Amy:We have all seven, but what do we do with them?  
  Knuckles: That ritual me and Shadow found when we fell into that cavern, it's probally the key to stopping them.    
Sonic: Anything's worth a try.  
*The emeralds were placed around the Master Emerald in a circle formation like Knuckles had seen in the muriel. The sky darkened more and more,it almost felt like you were being sucked into a blackhole. Shadow bad feeling increased, Knuckles was doing the ritual, but not to stop the creature's. Shadow pounced on Knuckles before he could say a word.*  
  Tails: What are you doing Shadow?  
Shadow: He tricked you Tails. He's not trying to stop them, he's helping them.  
  Amy: That's not true.  
  Shadow: It is, he's betraye you.  
  *Knuckles eye's glowed red and he shoved Shadow into the air. Thanks to his shoes however Shadow floated for a moment before landing safe and sound.*  
  Knuckles: Ha Ha Ha Shadow was right not to trust me, I was helping those creature's.  
  Sonic: But Why?  
  Knuckles: Let's just say their way's of perswaytion are very intrigueing. Remember that night when I was attacked, I found myself battling agianist a nightshade telling me to join their side. I refused at first and took the emerald, I ran but he soon found a way inside my body, through my crest.  
  *He pointed to the white cresent moon shape on his chest*  
    Knuckles: Once the ritual is started it can't be stopped.  
  *It was then that everyone started to see gaint snakes and winged wolves come out of the sky.*  
    CH.10: Fire casts it's Light  

    *Another figure dropped out of the sky, it looked like a gaint dog except it had three heads, it's coat was dark, souless black, and it's eye's were a peircing yellow. The dog laughed.*  
  Peligro: My brothers nightshade has served me well, it seems like your friend couldn't break from it's bad influence.
  Amy: Why did you do this to Knuckles?  
  Peligro: My dear girl, we had to do something to one of you. Shadow was getting to close so we decided to have a little fun.  
  Sonic: How do you know Shadow?  
  Peligro: My brother, Cerberus, told me that one of the dead escaped and still live's when he should have stayed where he belongs.  
  Knuckles: Now to finish what I started. Dextray, Sinstray, Admey!  
  *The emeralds glowed a bright light that quickly changed to a light green fire. The fire took shape and form until it was dragon. The dragon was completely made out of the emerald's fire.*  
  Peligro: Destroy Them!  
*Fire shot from the dragon's mouth scorching Angel Island, but missing it's targets.*  
Sonic: We have to stop that thing.  
    Amy: How can we stop something made of fire?  
  *Shadow suddenly strang from the tree's making a bee-line straight toward Knuckles. The dragon spat fire but Shadow managed to dodge.*  
    Shadow: Sorry to do this but...~he was glowing red and was real close to Knuckles~ CHOAS...BLAST!!!  
    *The red light around Shadow exploded into a hurl of energy and knocked the echidna off his feet. The nightshde was forced out of Knuckles body and disappeared in flash. Knuckles groggily sat up seeing the fire dragon. He quickly got up and said a rhyme the dragon disappeared and the clouds were gone, but Peligro and his army still remianed. The emerald's were still producing fire.*  
  Knuckles: The emerald's shall cast their light and fill the darkness with fright. When the emerald's fire is lit, the clouds move and bring destrution down with it.  
  *No sooner than Knuckles said this than the whole army dissolved into dust.*  
  Shadow: That was the right spell.  
  Knuckles: Look guy's I didn't mean to betray you like that, I tried to fight off that nightshade. Shadow I have to thank you for tackling me when you did.  
  Shadow: Your Welcome, but don't expect me to do it agian anytime soon.  
  Knuckles: I won't.