1 Body, 1 Soul, 1 Life, 8 Minds

Chapter 20

Third Person

Huffs came from ebony lips as the hedgehog tried desperately to get some air after a full blown punch to the stomach. Black furred hands clutched the ebony's middle in an attempt to try and stop it from hurting. Shadow had a little doubt from the start when Sonic had said he wasn't going easy on him. Boy, was he ever wrong. He had thought that when the cobalt hedgehog wasn't going easy on him, he thought that it was just a measly punch to the stomach or some useless cat fight but this, he couldn't tell what this... being was at all.

Sonic surely does stand by his name of speed demon and blue blur as Shadow can only see the other blur of his rival and the hits he's taken are focused based on speed and skill. Shadow would be able to stand his guard against his opponent if it wasn't for the fact the other kept hitting him with attacks that he thought wasn't the hedgehog at all. All of times they fought, Sonic would be taking most of the hits while Shadow stood there giving them out like candy. This was totally different now. It was like a complete role change. Shadow had been taking most of the hits and sporting some new cuts and bruises to prove it while Sonic on the other hand had none at all. The ebony hedgehog had been able to get in a few punches and kicks but it wasn't enough to cause physical harm and it didn't help as how he'd make a Chaos spear, the azure's watery hands would absorb the attack and throw it back causing double the damage.

Shadow began to wonder if all there other fights had been just for the ebony to gain a false sense of pride over the cobalt one thinking he was more powerful just to uplift his spirit cause the way he sees it now, Sonic was the one beating him senseless. After everything they have gone through, he should have seen it sooner. Though while it was one of the cobalt's brothers in charge, they have faced multiple gods, power-hungry monsters, fell from space countless of times, gone to different worlds and lots of other stuff. But after all that, it was Sonic's brothers who had shown that strength, the power that burns deep within them. Not Sonic. Sonic created them as his brothers, he had used his own power to bring them to life. If he can create 8 powerful beings all that isn't as strong as he is but stronger than by normal means, how powerful IS Sonic?

The story from the cave had already mentioned that Sonic was an entity that obtained its power from Chaos and the real Master Emerald. If that's the case, then Sonic would be unstoppable! He is already able to defeat Perfect Chaos and that was years ago. To have something with a burning desire to destroy everything and not be able to stop it, that would be impossible. But Sonic says nothing is impossible. Just seeing him fight in front of him, he can already see some similarities that Sonic had chosen for each of his brothers. He can stretch his arms out like Werehog, turn his hands into claws like Exe and Fleetway, move at speeds that make him look invisible like Dark, change his arms into a sharp blade like Excalibur's sword, be able to use any attack to his advantage like Hyper and pack a huge punch in his attacks like Darkspine and Super. If a being had as much power as Sonic does, of course they would use it to their advantage. Sonic can do multiple things and not break a sweat. Hell, if he didn't know back then, he would say that Sonic was made, no, born to destroy everything in sight.

Shadow grunted as he was rammed into a tree and fell to the ground. He struggled to get up and stand straight. His limits were coming up faster then he liked and he didn't know how much longer he could last. He hunched over slightly as the cobalt hedgehog came to a stop a few feet away from the ebony one.

"Had enough Shadow?" Sonic taunted the hedgehog in question as said hedgehog coughed into his hand revealing a bit of blood. "You know, I could always end your suffering." at the word suffering, Sonic's right hand changed into a long spear-head and Shadow's eyes widened slightly at seeing the weapon. He gave a nasty glare at his rival and got into a fighting stance.

"Your the one going down." he growled and Sonic scoffed.

"Really? Cause it looks like you're the one that's about to die here." he pointed the watery blade at Shadow and placed his left hand on his hip. "And I'm just stating the facts." the ebony hedgehog bared his teeth then lunged at the cobalt hedgehog but in one quick movement, Sonic had side-stepped out of the way, twirled around and strikes across Shadow's check with his spear-head causing some blood to spray. Shadow hissed in pain at the wound. He instinctively held his check while turning to face the cobalt hedgehog who shrugged. "I warned you." Shadow lunged at Sonic again but instead of going straight at him, Shadow jumped into the air, planning an aerial kick when Sonic had also jumped into the air right over the ebony's head, twirled behind him and planted a solid kick sending him crashing to the ground. Shadow coughed up the dirt that made it into his mouth and managed to stand up, looking over at the cobalt hedgehog with a scowl.

"This is finished." Sonic scratched his ear with his spear-head as if it wasn't just used to spray blood and looked at Shadow with a disamuzed face.

"Oh, so your saying that you lose?" he raised an eye ridge as Shadow summoned a Chaos spear and held it like a knife.

"No, I'm saying that your going to lose." he lunged at Sonic again and planned to plunge the Chaos spear into him when Sonic had brought up one hand to hold the ebony's wrist and send his weapon straight threw Shadow's abdomen. Crimson eyes went wide as he felt the watery spear-head impale him and Sonic smirked.

"You can never beat me Shads. Never can and never will." he whispered then pulled his weapon out and held Shadow's chest fur to hold him in place. "I will always win. No one can beat me." he pushed Shadow causing him to land on his back. Sonic's ears perked when he heard a strange whimper escape from ebony lips and chuckled as Shadow's whole body racked in shivers. He looked at his so-called friends and pointed his bloody spear-head at them. "Are you going to drag Shadow to you or should I finish him now?" Rouge, Blaze and Amy rushed to Shadow's side and picked him up bringing him over towards Silver and Knuckles as they looked at his wound. Tails was shivering at the thought of Sonic doing that to him so he rushed over to Shadow's side as well and begun to inspect him when he stopped from Sonic's voice. "Do you really think that you can help him Tails?" the fox hesitated before turning towards the cobalt hedgehog as his brothers were lining up beside him. "They don't trust you enough to help him besides, you got Shadow to fight me anyway so it was your fault."

"But I didn't think you would hurt him!" Tails yelled out. Sonic raised an eye ridge.

"Not hurt him? Are you serious Tails. I told you that I was going to kill them if you did what I asked so why would you go against me when you knew that if you did, you would die?"

"That's just it. Shadow told me that you had a burning desire to kill every living thing and that you would betray me. So if you would already do that, then I don't care if you kill me. All I care about is if my friends are the ones who are safe." Sonic frowned and Tails turned to Knuckles nodding at him. The echidna stood in front of the blue 'Master Emerald' and began to chant some words, which cobalt ears perked up to.

"Hey! Cut that out!" Knuckles didn't stop and when the emerald began to glow, all of Sonic's mind glowed as well. Sonic growled then looked at his brothers who were staring at them in shock. "What are you waiting for!? Get them!" he pointed at the gang and before anyone could react, everyone was blinded by a white light.