Imperia Mobiana

I got tired of running the game, and many players had dropped out or became inactive, so rather than give a long time of dead period + an Epilogue finally, I decided to do an actual ending. I saw a loophole that could be used for one-turn victory, so I used it. Said loophole - so many Espionage missions in one turn - will be addressed.

Don't worry. Canon or non-canon endings, Enerjak gets the snot beat out of him eventually.

Now, onto the Epilogue, and then my newest project. :)

I had fun, but we must all move on. Any ideas can be discussed in the IOT Developmental Thread.
 
GMs aren't supposed to use loopholes, they're supposed to close them. Plus that loophole didn't exist by my standards, you said that you could only do it on one country per turn, no matter how many missions happened.

Next, you really shouldn't mix combat, espionage, and orders all in to one phase, unless it actually makes sense. You pulled your stunt before some people even knew there was an update.
 
It was going to be a Numenor or Enerjak victory anyway, and I wanted to get this over with. :p

I'll be closing the loopholes come next game, regardless of who joins. Sounds like Sons of Mars 2 has won over Imperia Mobiana 2(as entertaining as smashing Enerjak's teeth in would be).

I'm going to change it from "10 gold" to "10% of treasury." With your actions going down if you have less than 10 gold.

No Chaos Emeralds either. Old-fashioned victory. I've had two complex games to study, and this should allow me to create something beautiful.
 
ok so enerjak won the game. i hope nothing happened to ibersia. oh and if there is a loophole, i fully support using it. even if it is the GM.

the game was going to end soon anyways, so better end it now.
 
That's not power gaming; that's insanity. :p

Also a retcon to enable him to steal from everybody.

Maybe I rephrase it: he declared war on all Emerald holders.

Either way, our game is over! I would hand out Marian Points but I'm still experimenting with the concept. Sons of Mars 2 will have it maybe.

Epilogue to come; working on the dialogue and now I just need to draw it. If I was rich, I'd commission Tracey Yardley to draw the stuff because that would make it 1000x more awesome than me doing it.
 
Note - There are three possible endings to this, with the last being canon. The divergences are in spoilers.

Epilogue: Part I of ?

Spoiler :
At last, Enerjak had his victory. The 7 emeralds were his, and his new device harnessing their power in such a way they couldn't dare escape. As his contraption did its work, he had his finest scientists - including a Prelate made from Finitevus' Core, and thus with his intellect - study it and break it down for him. He was able to incorporate this device's designs into his new armor...

...and accordingly, Enerjak now had a suit capable of containing the energies of all the emeralds, and all the Shards he had. But alas, he only had 5 of 13 shards. He needed the rest. He'd have to go and collect!

But first, he took a detour. With his near-omnipotent power, Enerjak was quick to try and locate Eggman. The Doctor had only so many spots to hide on Mobius... and that's when he managed to trace a signal to... ARK?!

He was intrigued; wasn't the ARK destroyed, beyond hope of sustaining life? Ah, but Eggman must have patched at least part of it up. An evil genius is still a genius!

He was surprised; the damage was still as severe as ever. Some lights were on, however, and it became readily apparent that must be where the madman was hiding. Knuckles was quick to investigate.



He found Eggman or... something looking like him. A machine. The Doctor explained to the echidna that with his discovery of re-roboticisation, he was quick to save his own hide as the ARK detonated. For a decade, he drifted aboard it, dormant, waiting for a time when technology had rebuilt to such a point on the surface he could begin the rebirth of his empire!

He also said that he had monitored everything, and that the entire room they were in had been turned into a Chaos Syphon; Knuckles' powers, once sapped, would enable Eggman to build an empire he could've never imagined before!

Enerjak smirked as the room failed to do its work; his suit's new design had made such a syphoning near-impossible! With a snap of his fingers, he unleashed so much energy at once it fried the room, the Doctor paralysed in fear. He was now at Knuckles' - or Enerjak's, rather - mercy.



Or lack thereof! To his surprise, Knuckles was able to forcefully extract the Doctor's consciousness into an organic body, rendering his "immortality" moot.



As Eggman knew where all the Master Shards were on his radar, Knuckles quickly gained that information, before giving the Doctor the fate he deserved for murdering so many echidnas in cold blood with his Egg Grapes.



Knuckles made quick work of all who would do the world harm. Naugus was found in hiding, and despite all his magic, was no match for the living god. Nor was Snively, who was abducted and had his Core taken, Enerjak stating he was no better than his dear uncle. Lien-Da's foolish attempts at treachery were also exposed upon a brief return to Portal, and she paid the price.

What's best, is he could use these extracted Cores to create his Prelates, and thus make the villains forcefully do the work of good.

Mogul could not be found, but Knuckles shrugged it off; Mogul would surface eventually. It wouldn't hurt to leave one foe around... besides, it would give him a scapegoat should he screw up!

With that, he proceeded to collect the Master Shards... one by one, killing, maiming, or Coreing any who dared get in his way. The ends justified the means.

"Two Super Beings Wailing On Eachother!" - Silver the Hedgehog, SU #28

Everything was set to go. The villains of the world were gone. ...mostly. While the traditional enemies of years past had all been dealt with, Enerjak had quickly found new ones: his friends. They accused him of being drunk on power. Of walking dangerously close to the void of paranoia that would lead him into a heroic insanity.

But, he did not believe them. If they wouldn't be part of the solution, they'd be part of the problem.

Sewn into the god's armor were the 7 Emeralds, and 12 of the Master Emerald Shards. He needed just one more... and he would be unstoppable. While the Master Shards were useful in large numbers, only a complete Master Emerald could have the full power the echidna god required.

Fortunately, the former Republic of Acorn wasn't too far away... Enerjak smiling with glee as he glided at intense speeds towards the last piece of the puzzle...



Oh, of course. Sonic had somehow used the last shard to tap into the Chaos Force. Typical! ..And had proceeded to be the same troll he had always been. But now with Chaos powers. Pffft!

Knuckles was on the clock, so he decided to extract Sonic's Core. ...or tried, but discovered he was invulnerable, yerfbunnies. This was a repeat of their last Enerjak vs. Super Sonic encounter... except, Enerjak was a willing transformation this time around.

The two duked it out, and just as it appeared Knuckles might have his victory, gloating that his power was superior to Sonic's speed... a bolt of green lightning went between the two of them, forcing them apart.

"This is bad enough without you shootin' lightning at me, Knucklehead!"

"Me shoot it?!" The echidna growled, "That was your doing; you're too cowardly to fight exclusively with your fists!"

"Uh, I know your brain's in low power mode but I don't use Chaos Powers.." The 'hog crossed his arms at Red's accusation.

"But if you didn't, then wh-" Enerjak was interrupted as he looked skyward, seeing that the sky had taken on an ominous shade of black... likewise, bolts of green lightning were shooting down from all other parts of the sky within sight, like an unnatural storm.



"Between us, all eight emeralds are found. So how can this be?" He puzzled...

"Break fer now and find out what's causin' this?"

"Good enough..."

Enerjak was able to trace the source of the energy... as if the bolts and clouds didn't assist. They soon found their culprit.



"X?! Is that you?!" Enerjak seemed to have been snapped into his normal, less insane self, upon seeing his missing comrade, who he had assumed the worst for.

X, however, didn't respond... staring into space, easy enough to tell despite his helmet's obscuring of his face.

"X...?" Knuckles was genuinely concerned, what was the matter with him? X was one of the few people who had assisted his plans...

"Nazo!" Sonic's voice interrupted Enerjak's train of thought. The golden hero was pointing upward... and upon following the direction of the blue blur's hand, it was obvious what was being pointed to. A black cloaked figure, with shades of green in various places... floating far above X in the middle of the air, as if gravity was optional.

"That's Nazo?" He turned to Sonic, the latter nodding.

"He attacked me in the forest years ago! I'd never forget that creep!"


Link to video.

"...How rude. I also told you that Enerjak was coming, and you repay my suggestion you turn into Super Sonic with the last shard by calling me a creep... Hmph." The cloaked one spoke, barely even acknowledging them as he hovered about.

Knuckles would have questioned that... but his anger quickly took over, as he sped at insane speeds towards the cloaked one, "What have you done to X?!" His golden spikes slashing at the figure, only for him to vanish and re-appear behind the would-be hero...

"Tsk, tsk, 'Enerjak.' How can you hope to bring prosperity to this world if you can't control your temper." Nazo spoke, only to dodge yet another swipe.

"I have done nothing to your friend, apart from reclaim what is mine."

"What?!" Knuckles was confused! He swiped at Nazo, knocking his hood clean off... and revealing nothing beneath it. Nazo only chuckled... somehow... before pulling his hood back up.

"Nearly a decade and a half ago, the ARK's explosion caused an anomaly that tore me asunder. I was split into two... my raw power in X, who was made from my body... and the "Nazo" you see before you... the consciousness and personality. Over the years, I found a way to plant thoughts in X's head... teaching him how to use his powers so he could work his way into your inner circle... giving him objectives in his subconscious so he'd go about them in a human manner..."

"But X-!"

"..has been my puppet this whole time. As have you, 'Enerjak.' It was I, who wanted you to grow in power and end the charade on Angel Island. It was I, who taught X all he taught you. It was I, who removed his moderating influence on you, so you would gather all the jewels for me... But overall, it was I, who, to ensure I could succeed, had to ensure you succeeded in your goals."

"Grrr!" Knuckles would keep swiping, only for Nazo to keep dodging. Finally, a hit connected, and the robes shredded, revealing nothing... Nazo was done for.

"Hmph." He grinned beneath his helmet. That threat was gone... Enerjak promptly landed before his comrade, shaking him, "X? X? Are you okay? He's gone now... I'm sorry it took me so long to find y-"

He was interrupted by a spiked fist colliding with his jaw, taking the would-be God off-guard!

"Fool. Did you really think I would be defeated so easily?" Nazo's voice spoke... from behind X's mask. X's voice was there, but it seemed suppressed... Nazo-X held his hands in front of him, forming red energy blades in each.

"Alas, there was a flaw in my plan. While I can control X... I cannot seem to inhabit him. It is as if he has gained a soul of his own... one that can resist me. My plans of our reunion must be changed..."

"Well, if his soul's giving you so much trouble, let me help you!" Knuckles had placed his palm in front of X's body, and within moments, an orb of red light was forming in his hand; Knuckles had extracted his friend's Core, to immobilise his body and thwart Nazo.

X, now a shell, hung limp... indeed, he had given the same scream of horrified pain a victim of the extraction process always let out... but to Enerjak's own horror, X soon regained vigor, now only Nazo's voice speaking.

"A noble, if futile, effort, Guardian. My own Core is hidden elsewhere... while all it takes to rejuvenate an empty shell, in absence of life energy... is my own energy." His swords swiped at Enerjak, seeking to decapitate, and came very close. While it was unlikely any serious harm would have come to the echidna, he was still quick to move out of the way!

"You want to compare power?! I'll oblige!" Prelates, in the shape of Finitevus and various others who'd had their Cores stolen, soon formed alongside Enerjak, eager to serve their master without question.

"There's one of you to countless of us. Surrender and make this easy." Enerjak's smirk quite noticeable beneath his helmet...

...it soon faded to despair as his Prelates were slashed by streams of light, the Cores all moving towards X and vanishing into a portal he had formed in his palm... the light's sources soon evident! Next to Nazo, his own soldiers had formed... and they looked suspiciously like Lightning Lynx, Monkey Khan, and Bark, albeit with dark corruptions to their visage.

"You're not the only one who can summon soldiers, Guardian. My Chaos Mutants are quite resourceful should I feel the need to bring them into my fight." Nazo-X clapped his hands, as if to antagonise Enerjak more.

Enerjak was quick to use his speed to steal the Cores of the three soldiers, causing them to fall down... He juggled the three Cores in his black-gloved hand with a grin.

Nazo-X sighed, extending his hands... red bolts of energy flowing into each of his minions and reviving them, albeit, their eyes now were pure white, with no sign of life. "The Core of an individual is their life force and personality... to remove it renders them akin to a coma. However, with the right kind of energy, you can replace the life force entirely. You've done me a favor - my soldiers will no resist anymore."

Enerjak growled, summoning Prelates from the Cores he'd taken! "You are no match for me. You may be able to stall me, but you cannot stop me."

With that, Enerjak lunged at Nazo, who was all too happy to oblige his foe's request for combat. The Prelates and Chaos Mutants lunged at eachother, Bark vs. Bark, Lightning vs. Lightning, Khan vs. Khan....

Sonic, meanwhile, stood in the background, pondering his options. Red was insane with power and would Core him just as quickly as anyone else if he won. Likewise, Nazo screamed bad news in a can. Decisions, decisions...


-To be continued
 
Epilogue Part II: There Is Only One God


Link to video.

Spoiler :
Enerjak would try and give energy to his Prelates to assist them - knowing that Nazo was capable of stealing any Cores he released - to give them an even footing. Yet somehow, Nazo kept matching him.

How? How?! The seven emeralds and the bulk of the Master Emerald were in Enerjak's possession... and yet, it was like he was fighting a mirror version of them!

The battle seemed to show no signs of ending... while the Prelates and Mutants went at eachother in the standard manner, Nazo was focused more on dodging than fighting the Chaos-empowered God.

"Coward! Stop running away!" Enerjak growled, every swipe dodged... as strong as he was, Nazo was just as fast.

"I am merely dodging and waiting for an opening, 'Avatar.' You see, I cannot match your power in my present state. Especially since I haven't gotten used to this body... even without his Core, X's body is rejecting me like foul carrion, you see. I can't hope to challenge you in my current state of affairs..."

"...Current..?" Knucklejak was genuinely interested. "What do you mean?!"

"X and myself have been separated for some time I cannot merge with his vessel. He has developed a soul of his own... I had assumed that since Chaos energy ruptured us, it would put us back together... but alas, I had not planned for this..." Nazo-X, with Guardian X's body but with more of the attire of Nazo, stated...

"Good. You'll be easier to defeat." Enerjak lunged, only to be repelled by some sort of barrier. "What?"

"I cannot match you offensively, but I am far from easy prey. Now, our battle has gone on long enough... I now know what must be done. Why take over a shell that continues to resist..." Nazo's voice steadily growing darker... "If I can create a new one for myself...?"

"...!" Enerjak found himself blinded as a brilliant red light surrounded Nazo-X, the Prelates being vanquished in the aftershock, the Chaos Mutants falling limp to the ground as the energy was sapped out of them...

It all coalesced into a bright light up above...



"The board has been cleared of the pawns. Now it is just the Kings who do battle. But there shall be no stalemates, Guardian. Only victory for the Imperator."

Server vs. Master

"Now, you would be wise to surrender. Your death will be quick and painless, I promise, if you do." The now-reborn Nazo, now the "Imperator," was quick to issue his ultimatum, to which Enerjak just chuckled...

"Not a chance!"

One shot of chaos energy after another was exchanged... it going nowhere, just like before, the two equally matched in power. That was when Knuckles, showing that he wasn't as dense as he may have seemed, got an idea. It looked as if Nazo was making liberal use of Server energy... the inferior side of the Chaos Force, to which Knuckles' own Master powers were superior! He had an edge this whole time and did not use it!

Knuckles focused all the Master energy in his body, amplified by the Master Shards, towards his opponent...

Spoiler Ending One: The Reflection of a Hero in the Fractured Mirror :
Imperator Nazo groaned as the blast of green chaos energy overpowered his own red, overwhelming him. His armor disintegrated, leaving him primarily in his dark chainmail... also exposing his face. A face Knuckles had not seen in some time...

That of Shadow. The enigmatic "Nazo" was the Ultimate Life Form. All his words made sense. His helmet gone, his armor dissipated, and his powers nullified, Shadow could only stare in horror as Enerjak went in for the final punch... he would be a fine Prelate!

Sonic gulped... Knuckles had just defeated the one person who could match him. Enerjak juggled his Cores in his hands... before lunging at Sonic as well. Super Sonic's scream of terror could be heard around all of Mobius, before a deathly silence engulfed the whole planet. The last hero had fallen.

As the armies of Green Hill marched on Mexico, they were intercepted by Enerjak, who laid waste to both sides alike, showing his god-like power. He was unmatched. Enerjak went from country to country, singlehandedly vaporising navy, air force, and army alike, if he didn't extract the Cores of the soldiers. Governments either pledges allegiance or faced losing their own Cores.

His army grew exponentially with each conquest, both of reluctant servants and enslaved souls... Mobius' future belonged to Enerjak, the one true God. He would bring order to a chaotic world!

And all would try and stop him would perish... his "friend" and would-be assassin Remington included.




All the heroes and villains alike who could oppose the insane Knuckles were dealt with. Even his family was not spared his wrath, his forefathers and mate becoming more additions to his "trophy collection." He let his daughter, Lara-Su, continue to lead the Resistance to give him a source of entertainment...

Enerjak, it seemed, was unstoppable. Nobody could match his unrestrained power. Nobody. Any who tried, thinking they'd be the one with the honor of stopping him, would fall just as easily as the next...

But maybe, just maybe... there would be hope...

 
Part III: Living God vs. Living Weapon


Link to video.

Spoiler :
Enerjak unleashed his blast with all his might, grinning as his opponent appeared vaporised... only to soon become apparent as the smoke cleared, having encapsulated himself in a bubble of energy. With the blast gone, he shattered the bubble, the shockwave sending Knuckles flying backward several yards with a groan.

"But how?!" How could this be? Knuckles had nearly every gem of the Chaos Force to this enigmatic individual's none. And yet, he was able to match every blow...

"Simple, Guardian. The whole time we fought, I've been sapping your energy, as much as Sonic's. Likewise, before now, I made sure to establish a 'link' to both of you, to you through Guardian X, and to Sonic personally, enabling me to feed off of you both and build up my strength..."

Super Sonic's keen hearing caught everything; so that was the real reason Nazo had attacked him in the forest.

"Granted, now that you know of the links, your focus on them will prevent me from using them... but, alas Enerjak... I have all the power I need. All the skills you taught X and vice versa have made me even stronger... I've even sapped the energies of the emeralds themselves from you. You are no match for me."

"..but why are you telling..?" Enerjak was intrigued and confused; why would his foe give up his advantage?

"Simple. Life would be no fun without a challenge." The Imperator smirked, before lunging at Knuckles.

The two living Chaos Emeralds clashed, natural links to the chaos force amplified by shards of the Master Emerald, and the emeralds' energies themselves evenly-split. Many small islands were vaporised, and many tremors felt across Mobius, regardless of where they were. The waves were even choppier than before, as crimson lightning bolts incinerated everything they touched.

Sonic was divided once more on who to support; he couldn't allow either of them to win, knowing both would be bad news. But at the same time, if their battle continued, they'd destroy the planet for sure!

Without a word, Sonic Chaos Controlled away, in a blur of brilliant golden light.

"Seems your friend has left, Guardian. Do you feel demoralised?"

"Nobody who opposes my salvation of this planet is my friend! Thunder Arrow!" Enerjak used the signature move of all who took on the monikker, willing to fight this menace until the end of time...

A few minutes passed in Sonic's absence, the two demigods staring eachother down. Both were panting lightly beneath their armor... while a God's energy was tireless, with only half the energies of the emeralds in each, and fighting equally-versed opponents, even they could suffer exhaustion.

"Huff... very well then... perhaps we should negotiate? Give your half to me, and I'll spare the echidna race."

Enerjak was alarmed at such a comment, but it just made him eager to continue! "Your bargain chip is worthless, since I'm going to win anyway."

But just as they were about to clash, glorious green engulfed both as they were warped away, able to hear Sonic's voice say "Chaos Control!"

When the light faded, they were not too far off the coast of Angel Island. The Imperator and Knuckles alike gazed at Super Sonic, Enerjak speaking up, "What was this supposed to accomplish? All you're doing is reminding we what I'm fighting for."

"What about who you're fightin' for, Redhead?" Sonic pointed down, and beneath his helmet, Knuckles' eyes widened. Standing at the coastline, waves splashing against their feet, were the five people who meant the world to him: His mother Lara-Le, his half-brother Kneecapeon, his step-father Wynnmacher, who treated him as if he was biological, his daughter Lara-Su, and, oddly enough, his mate, Julie-Su. Sonic had somehow gathered all five of them up in his brief time...

Julie had naturally put up an argument, but Sonic said Knux was either going to get sense knocked into him now or never.



"You brought them into danger?!" Enerjak had teleported towards Sonic in a rage, punching the hedgehog with so much force he went flying into the island at high speeds, leaving a crater in the side of one of the mountains. As if on cue, Enerjak had sped towards Sonic's destination, as if to ramp up pain.

The Imperator put a hand beneath his chin... he noticed his link's strength growing again... and smirked. He had found his much-needed advantage anew. He had made a mistake in revealing his means of gaining power out of hubris... but the Fates had, once more, smiled upon his rightful destiny as protector and savior of Mobius, nay, the world.

He would let these imbeciles duke it out. Super Sonic may not have been able to match Enerjak's power completely, but his sass and invulnerability were sure to be useful.
 
Part IV: Eclipse

Spoiler :
While Sonic and Knuckles pounded eachother senseless, the Imperator was slowly draining Enerjak's power to increase his own... but it wasn't enough!

"Good to see you still - oww! - care about 'em! That's a start!" Sonic stated. Despite getting his face smashed in more than once by those spiked fists, he continued to add that he brought them to the scene of battle in the hopes they could remind him who he was... a true hero, not a self-proclaimed one. Knuckles naturally ignored this, as the Imperator watched from above.

Nazo hmmphed. Any edge would still take forever to capitalise on... and then he glanced downward. With a smile, he had his plan.

With their speed, the two were increasingly changing the site of their brawling. Soon enough, Enerjak was only a few yards from the Imperator, at which point he saw a ball of red energy fly past him, turning around...

"Your aim is terrible." That was all he could get out before Super Sonic's foot collided with his helmet, rendering it crooked but still leaving the echidna's concealing mask on.

"I wasn't aiming for you, fool." The Imperator smirked, Enerjak's face full of horror as he looked down at where his family had stood.

He had targeted Julie-Su and Lara-Su, the latter who wasn't even seven years yet! Julie had assumed a protective position over her daughter, ready to absorb the blast...

Only for Wynmacher to take it instead! Showing how much he loved his adopted family, even that of his adopted step-son, he had selflessly thrown himself in the way of the blast. His groan of pain was probably heard throughout all of Mobius as it tore through his clothes, leaving a rather horrid gash in his back...

Wynmacher collapsed, smoke coming from his body, barely alive as he coughed up blood... struggling on the ground as Lara-Le ran over to him with Kneecaps, both of them scolding him for such idiocy.

Wyn only chuckled, weakly stating, "... regardless of what he's... become... he's still... my son... and I love... him as much... as the rest of my family..." He choked as his eyes closed...


Link to video.

Enerjak was forced to watch this, and with his Chaos Powers, was able to hear each and every word, striking him in a way no sword could... his step-father had just given his life to save Enerjak's own family, who he had treated so carelessly...

If Wyn's pain was not heard throughout the planet, then Enerjak's anger was. In the blink of an eye, he was next to his stepfather, placing his hands over him, exerting the energy necessary. Wyn was on the edge of death, but still alive. He couldn't let this happen; how could he protect Mobius if he couldn't protect his family?!

Wynmacher's wounds healed up, and his life force became more constant, but he remained unconscious...

"Enerjak...?" Julie-Su spoke up, her hopes rekindled as she saw her mate's goodness come through.

"It's Knuckles. Enerjak... is no more." With that last word, the ominous helmet clanked down on the ground beneath them. Knuckles' self had fully returned to the light, rather than some illusion of it. His left amethyst eye, and crimson right, both stared up at the Imperator, who could be seen charging a blast...

"What a fool. I was aiming for the child. Perhaps I should just eliminate them all instead...?"

Tears of sorrow, tinged with deep anger, slipped from Knuckles' eyes as he heard those words. In a second, he had shown up next to the Imperator, knocking the new orb from his hand, before kneeing him in the gut. A fury of blows hit the Imperator...

Anybody could see Knuckles' energy had spiked through the roof, the dark-clad hero able to match the power of of not one Imperator, but several! Every hit was like thunder in its duration and the vibrations it caused, the second immortal not dead simply because his body's own chaos reserves prevented such.

Such was the anger, that several small islands rose from the sea. Only to be promptly be destroyed by the Imperator's limp body crashing into them. Every time the villain charged up a shot, it would be knocked right back at him, and a flurry of hits would continue...

This went on for what seemed like hours. The Imperator lay limp, coughing weakly... Knuckles landing next to him, his face as consumed with anger as it was when Wyn was struck down.

"Please Guardian... show mercy... I was in the wrong..." Imperator Nazo coughed weakly...

"No... I was. You did one good thing: reminded me that power corrupts... that I was corrupted... well not anymore. I'll use this power for one last thing: making sure you can never hurt anybody ever again."

The Imperator flew face first into a rock protrusion as he was powerfully hit in the gut with Knuckles' foot.

"Before I remove one last abomination from this planet... and remove this power from myself... I should remove your helmet, so we can see eachother face to face..." His spiked fists had soon grasped the Imperator's head, steadily removing that helmet...

...only for it to come down on the ground in shock. Staring back at Knuckles were a pair of blood red eyes, a grin on the dark cream muzzle...



"...It has been a long time since anybody's seen my face, hasn't it, Guardian?"
 
Part V: Lone Star in the Darkness

Spoiler :
"Sh-Shadow, b-but how?" Knuckles was baffled; since he had not surfaced in over a decade, it was assumed he had perished.

The would-be Imperator wiped some of the blood from his bruised muzzle... "When I went to stop Dr. Eggman's plans to roboticise the entire planet thirteen or so years ago, there was Chaos energy still present in the cannon that had never been used. Apparently, the explosion was strong enough to rip my soul from my body... leaving me to exist in a void between life and death, as my flesh mutated into what you know as "Guardian X," while the rest of me was left to wander space for what seemed like forever.."

He still had that grin, "Alas, I found a way to regain my bearings and some semblance of my power, forming a 'special link' with X himself to regain my strength... as you developed eachother's powers, mine developed in turn... eventually, I was almost physical, I just needed my body to reclaim... you know how the rest went. You both made fine puppets for my rebirth as this world's hero; no longer shall I be a distant memory."

"No, not even that. You're going to be forgotten entirely!" Knuckles went to bring his golden boot down upon the bionoid's head... only to feel a hand grasp it, slowly pushing him back...

"Wrong, Enerjak, Avatar, Guardian, Knuckles, whichever you go by. If anybody shall fade away today, it will be you." With that, Knuckles was thrown back several feet with ease... and found he lacked the strength to get back up, whereas Shadow had risen, his clothes returning to their pristine design, his wounds healed... while Knuckles himself was drained of strength and his own outfit had deteriorated on the spot.

"What...?" Knuckles was confused; despite being one of the strongest Mobians alive, he was unable to lift himself up; it was as if his muscles had turned to jello!

Shadow's all too eerie dark chuckle permeated his hearing as he steadily walked over, at a slow pace as if to drag this victory out, "I predicted a 96% chance your desire for revenge would outweigh your desire for resolution. While you were focused on inflicting pain, I was focused on sapping every last bit of Chaos Energy from you... I now have all seven emeralds within me, and all but one shard of the Master Emerald as well... As I said..." He had reached Red by this point, hoisting him up, slowly levitating them both high into the air, "...Knuckles... if you can't control your anger... how can you hope to protect this planet? You lack the tact..." Seeing a golden blur coming at him, Shadow was quick to teleport out of the way, his blood red eyes looking into Super Sonic's own.



"...and skill." Knuckles felt intense pain as Shadow put a hand right to his stomach, before moments later, a blast of red energy pierced him, ripping a gaping hole in his abdomen. Without care for the near-death Guardian's well-being, Shadow threw him off to the side, not giving a single concern to where he would land, be it on land or in the ocean. His greatest opponent was dealt with...

He smiled with glee as he saw Super Sonic's golden aura grab Knuckles before he could fall into the ocean, setting the unconscious former Enerjak on the beaches with his family... Sonic looked with disbelief at Red's condition; how could Shadow do such a thing?

He was about to take back off, to fight the dark menace, when he heard a weak voice...

Knuckles coughed, weakly, still alive despite such a gaping hole in his abdomen. "S-Sonic... st-stop him... y-you must... You're... our last... hope..." The echidna, having walked down the corridor of darkness and back again, spoke before he passed out...

And he was right. Tails was too young to use his Chaos Powers; he may have saved the multiverse once, but that was under extreme circumstances. They didn't have the time to do that. Sonic would have to stop Shadow, here and now.

Shadow had turned around, surveying the world while the insects below had their drama. He would have quite a bit of work to do... but alas, it was Maria's wish. He would save this planet, and protect it from its own inhabitants. He turned around, feeling Sonic's presence behind him...

"How good to see you, Sonic. Have you come to join the winning side, after seeing how futile Knuckles' resistance was?"


Link to video.

"You were willing to give up your life for this planet's future once... and I'm willin' to do the same!" Sonic let out a surge of energy, catching Shadow offguard and sending him back several feet.

"Hmph. A pointless sacrifice. Perhaps I can knock some sense into you, then." Shadow grinned, red orbs in his hands, that were quickly shaped into blades. "Invincibility versus immortality. I wonder which shall prevail.." Shadow darkly chuckled, right before the two raced against eachother.

Sonic used his legs, the strongest part of his body, to block each blow, much to Shadow's surprise. Sonic would be a source of amusement indeed! A wonderful final victory for the Ultimate Life Form, who would soon become the Ultimate Protector...

While he lacked Enerjak's raw power, Sonic's invincibility would enable him to hold Shadow off... but not for long! The Master Shard only was so potent, and once its power ran out, he'd be a goner... but he had to stop Shadow!

It may not have been his strong point, but he tried to use reason in between blows. Enerjak still had emotions, deep down... perhaps Shadow was no different?

"Maria! She wanted you to protect this planet, not conquer it!" He was quickly kicked right in the jaw, sending him flying, Shadow tailing him all the way.

"Ah, but they are not mutually exclusive, Sonic. This world's inhabitants are too dangerous to be allowed to govern themselves. Someone must do it for them... and, being ageless, I can be their guiding light with their well-being in mind..." He kicked Sonic hard in the back, "..until the end of time!" Appearing above Sonic, he sent him back down with a hit to the stomach.

Sonic lay limp for a moment... thankfully, while he could feel the force of each blow, it had no lasting effects. At least, not for now...

...with horror, Sonic watched the shard he was carrying in between his spines levitate above him, trying to catch it as it went right into Shadow's palm, vanishing.

"Guardian X studied the means of restoring the Emerald under my influence. I will now control both the Master and Server sides of the force, Sonic..." Grinning as the golden aura faded to blue. Super Sonic wasn't super anymore. He was just another Mobian, albeit one with great speed... that Shadow could easily match in his current state.

"Give that back!" Sonic was refreshed, even as his power depleted; such was a perk of leaving the Super form. He stood up, fists curled, ready to fight Shadow, who just smiled.

Shadow summoned his helmet anew, this time his quills visible; he no longer had an incentive to hide his identity. He laughed, "Your bravery precedes you Sonic... but so does your foolishness."

With a punch, Sonic was down for the count yet again. Shadow took a moment to just... observe the hero. His arrogance and self-righteousness kept him from seeing the light. Alas, if he wouldn't serve Shadow willingly... he would just serve him under the influence of Chaos energy. And Shadow extended his hand...

Spoiler Ending II: The Ultimate Emperor :
Sonic was roused from his rest as green light went right into his chest... it looked as if he was being impaled. He groaned as the green light soared across his body... strands of luminescence beneath his skin looking like veins. The light began to change colors, red, green, blue, violent, yellow, cyan, and white, one for each emerald.

"If you desire your Chaos energy back... then here's a gift, from me to you."

Sonic groaned as his body seemed to grow a bit in size and musculature, the veins of energy finally vanishing beneath azure fur anew... his chest rising and falling... his fur seemed to have darkened, and it had also gained an extra fluffiness, tufts more prominent, his quills more numerous in appearance.

"Rise Sonic... and become one of my finest lieutenants..." Shadow grinned, watching the hedgehog seem to struggle against it... they always were hard to control at first, but their addiction to the energy always did them in. The greatest of heroes were broken... Ken Khan resisted too. But he was broken and was happy to start insurgencies in the Dragon Kingdom, making it seem like Eggman was behind them.

"..." Sonic remained quiet as he got to his feet, eyes opening to reveal his eyes more like slits... before getting on one knee and bowing, "What... is your... command...?" He struggled with each word. Like any addiction, he was struggling to fight it... but... it felt so good to give in... but he couldn't!

Shadow chuckled... "As a test of your loyalty... kill the echidna's family, while I focus on the general population."

That seemed to make the hero tear up... but he slowly stood back up, Shadow making sure to teleport him to them... he'd take forever to reach them at his current rate; he'd probably drown running across the water.

"S-Sonic?" Julie-Su had her arms over Lara, noticing the hedgehog's worn appearance, his shambling making it seem like he was injured, but had somehow triumphed, Chaos Control aside...

Sonic grinned.

No one heard their screams as his signature buzzsaw technique was used to further Shadow's purposes.

---


Link to video.

Shadow would exterminate the entire echidna population in a matter of days, and keep an eye out for any who escaped his wrath; no echidnas could live. Their ability to tap into the Master side of the Chaos Force made them a threat. It was a lamentable sacrifice - how many children did he have to kill? - but it was for the greater good... anybody who could restore the chaotic nature of the world would undo Maria's wish. He couldn't allow that to happen.



The planet was his to rescue from the abyss. One hero after another fell from the path of light, and Shadow put them back on it...

He collected the finest heroes... sans Knuckles for obvious reasons; it was hard to collect someone who Sonic had turned into multiple pieces. Shadow did approve of his brutal efficiency, however.

Leaving his lieutenants in charge, giving them a full dose of juice before he left... Shadow made sure to dispel his armor. He wanted the other threat to his power to know who he was, to see their shock and fear as he ended them. They may have had Enerjak's usage of both Server and Master, but their lack of skill would be their undoing.

But maybe... just maybe... Shadow's reign of terror would end some day...




Link to video.
 
Part VI: Supernova

Spoiler :
Shadow was caught offguard as a blast of green light hitting his hand, taking him offguard. Hearing some small child utter "Daddy!," it wasn't hard to imagine who had fired the blast. Shadow's face was consumed by annoyance.

Shadow lifted his helmet off for a brief moment, looking to the side... While he appeared exhausted, Knuckles was standing up... the cavernous hole in his abdomen seeming to have sealed up.

"You forget... I have a natural link to the Chaos Force as... strong as yours..." Knuckles was still recovering, though his link seemed to have done its work.

Shadow hmphed, his annoyance quickly giving way to arrogance; he wasn't done with these two yet it seemed! "Ah, but your body is mortal, and with it, comes strain... my new body..." Shadow gazed at his hands with a smirk, "..was made specifically to get rid of the exhaustion my prior one could experience. I will not tire out before you do; that is a promise. Remember that I never break promises!"

"We only need to beatcha into submission." Sonic's voice made Shadow's ears droop, the blue hero also standing up. These two just wouldn't stay down!

"If you really desire to be humiliated in front of the whole planet anew, you grave-eager fools..." Shadow extended his hands, surrounding all three with green light, teleporting them to... somewhere.

"Then I will be happy to oblige! In this dimension, anyone who closes their eyes will be able to witness my final victory over both of you!"

Sonic and Knuckles were obviously confused... though they stood on solid ground, they could see nothing but what looked like space around them. It was as if they were on a transparent floor, looking down into the vast reaches of the universe...

Shadow's chuckle interrupted their confusion... "Oh, but before we begin... we should make this more poetic. There was a friend who was on his way to where we were before, and it'd be rude to not let him complete his journey..." Shadow snapped his fingers, and in a moment, Tails was with them too. The small fox was bewildered; he had been flying to Angel Island and now was in the middle of the void with the two heroes, and anti-hero turned anti-villain.

While Sonic and Tails naturally embraced, the moment was short-lived, Shadow butting in, "...you can embrace after I'm finished with you all..." Shadow extended his hands, surging energy out to all three, light consuming the void and almost blinding anybody who had "tuned in."

When the light cleared, Knuckles was clad in a far more heroic Enerjak garb, Sonic's eyes had turned crimson and his fur gold, and Tails had donned his red cape.

"At last, the three heroes predicted by the Ancient Walkers unite as one - the Avatar..." He looked at Knuckles... "The Chosen One"... he looked at Tails, "...and of course, the unnamed Champion, free from burdens such as titles, as he epitomises freedom." He glared at Super Sonic. Shadow had summoned his red energy blades, eager to make this graceful... "Let me show you that, even when I give you your great power, it is no match for my own."

With that, Shadow's helmet re-materialised over his face.

Imperator Shadow - Phase I


Link to video.

With unlimited room and nobody around to be hurt, all four had free reign over their powers. Sonic naturally, had an affinity for using his speed as a weapon. Knuckles would fire blast after blast of Chaos energy at the living God, in the hopes of getting lucky. Tails was the least proficient in his powers - a rather ironic fate considering he saved the multiverse once - but nonetheless was wise enough to try and distract Shadow long enough for Sonic to get a good hit.

Shadow meanwhile, didn't seem to actually be fighting. If anything, he was just slowly flying back while they pursued, egging them on. While he used his red blades to slash at them should they come close, he wasn't tapping into his full power... he was toying with them. And Sonic knew it. But that didn't stop him from having fun!

Smashing Shadow's face in multiple times with a super homing attack was quite satisfying! They developed a strategy where Knuckles and Tails would each occupy one arm, disabling Shadow's blocking ability. Then, it was a straight hit to the gut or face, whichever Sonic felt like hitting more.

His armor showed signs of cracking, but just as Shadow looked like he was ready to lose, a massive burst of red energy surrounded him, shattering his upper armor and sending shrapnel into the heroes - his Chaos Blast had just been used, now supercharged with the energies of the pure Chaos Force. All three heroes were blasted to scattered parts of the void, Shadow chuckling as he saw their super auras dissipate.

Shadow paced slowly towards Sonic with a chuckle, placing a foot upon his chest as the blue blur tried to stand back up... Shadow steadily kneeling down, applying more pressure to make breathing more difficult.

"You three never stood a chance, even with your powers. It is time for the old heroes to be replaced by the new..." Sonic looked daze as Shadow summoned an orb of red energy... he was debating whether to enslave Sonic or just eliminate him. Tough choices!

Then he felt Sonic grasp his foot, futilely trying to lift it up, "I'm... not... giving up.." Shadow was amused at his efforts, and formed a Chaos Lance... he would enjoy impaling him like a shish kebab. But just as he was about to end the hero's life, a voice spoke, Shadow looking around for the source; nobody but these four could be here!

"The servers are the seven chaos..." Images of the seven emeralds were seen all over the room.

"Chaos is power..." Now, there were images of the raw destruction every super being since the dawn of Mobius had wreaked.

"Power is enriched by the heart..." It showed people, villain and hero alike, using their desires as a conduit for chaos energy, making it far stronger.

"The Controller is quick enough to be where he is needed." Sonic saw a blue aura surround him, to his surprise.

"The Controller is intelligent enough to know what is needed." Tails was likewise, surrounded by a yellow aura.

"The Controller is powerful enough to do what is needed." Knuckles was surrounded by a red glow...


Link to video.

Shadow was blown back as energy waves unlike anything he'd ever seen hit him from seemingly nowhere, watching as the three heroes dissolved into spheres of their color, all converging on one point...

Shadow's jaws gaped as he saw the light vanish...



"The Controller is the one who serves to unify the Chaos!" This new figure, made from the talents and hearts of the three heroes, spoke. "And now, we'll see who has the right to unify it!"


---

The finale is about to begin, boys and girls! Will this strange fusion have the power to overwhelm Shadow, or does the would-be Ultimate Emperor have something up his Inhibitor Ring?
 
Part VII: Servers, Masters, and Controllers

Spoiler :
Imperator Shadow Phase 2 - 20% Power Shadow vs. Controller


Link to video.

Shadow naturally paid no mind to this strange being... it was readily apparent that the three heroes he had downed had somehow combined into him... but why should Shadow worry? Even all together, they lacked his mastery over both sides of the Chaos Force! They were of no concern to him... he would crush this insect, maybe add him to his trophy collection, and proceed with his plans...

"Who and what are you?" He'd at least find that out... the curiousity was gnawing at his mind.

"Isn't it obvious?" The heroic figure, clad in red, green, and gold attire, lacking in torso armor but that just displayed a crest similar to Knuckles'. His fur was a rich indigo blue, with bright green eyes, and a rather canid muzzle... dreadlocks and quills were seen behind his vulpine ears, and those seemed to bear a design akin to Enerjak's dreadlocks, with stripes of yellow and tips of red. This was prominent on all strands of hair, even those of his bangs. He also, just like Shadow himself, reverse gripped a large sword, this one of a bronze color, with a golden hilt and pomel that seemed in the shape of an emerald... There were 7 segments in the main sword, separated by jagged edges.

"I'm the Controller... and you're the Chaos. Or have it inside of you, anyway." He pointed a clawed finger at Shadow with a smirk. "And that means... I'm gonna kick your butt!" That smirk became more prominent, and with those green eyes and indigo fur, it was as if Sonic himself was gazing at Shadow.

Shadow hmphed. He put his red blades together in an X-shape and swung them outward at the same time, a huge X of crimson energy shooting at the nameless, indigo blue hero, who stood there.

Upon impact, an explosion consumed the hero, and while there was no smoke, it was readily apparent he had been vaporised. Shadow chuckled; while it was an impressive lightshow, the three's fusion was no match for his power, intellect and skill! He was faster than Sonic, smarter than Tails, and stronger than Knuckles... they were no match for his...

"Oof!" Shadow was caught off guard as he was kicked hard in the backside, sent flying upward. He eventually steadied himself and turned down with a growl, declining to rub his rump due to how unbecoming that was of someone of his stature...

Staring up at him was this hero, "The Controller," with a chuckle and pointing fingers. "See! I told you I'd kick your butt!"

"Insolent little..." He raced towards him, and just as a punch was about to collide, the Controller vanished. Looking around in confusion, he turned around just in time to receive a headbutt from the azure hero, who, true to Sonic's personality, seemed more eager to play than actually fight.

Shadow wiped his nose, which had become somewhat bloody... but how was that possible? How could these three combined be so powerful...?

It hit him. Somehow, they had a link as strong as his. It was like Enerjak and Shadow all over again... except, Shadow couldn't get a link to the Controller and sap his power. They were evenly matched... no... the Controller was stronger than Shadow. His playful demeanor made so much sense; Shadow didn't stand a chance...

Shadow was so deep in thought as he stared down at his bloodied hand... how had this... insect managed to harm him?! He growled...

"Well then... if my current power isn't enough... I suppose I can just increase it." Shadow grinned over at the Controller, whose emerald eyes seemed to show a bit of a mix between fear and curiousity.

"Increase...?" The indigo hero leaned down, resting both hands on his blade, as if it was a walking stick. Surely Shadow would explain himself, as any evil genius does.

"Hmph. Well Sonic... Tails... Knuckles... whichever you are. You know all too well that if I remove my Inhibitor Rings, my power shoots through the roof, if for a brief moment... I tire, afterward, however..." His lips slowly curling into a malicious grin.

The Controller's eyes seemed to be widening a bit more... Shadow wasn't even fighting at full power!

"Your silence speaks volumes, 'Hero.'" Shadow chuckled as he crouched, his grin of malevolence steadily seeming to become one of pure, unfettered insanity as he laughed uncontrollably. To the Controller's horror, Shadow's shoulder armor, as well as his forearm guards, were all cracking, while the chainlink beneath began to crack. Shadow's entire upper body was freed of armor within moments, and that's when the real fun began...

Shadow was growing! He was swelling in size, the thickening of his body indicating he was gaining musculature as much as height! Noodly limbs became somewhat thicker, fur hiding the finer details of the toned state he was attaining.

Shadow sighed as he finally finished his transformation, now having a solid foot on his foe, and musculature that was decent enough to make it look like a bearhug would be fatal. The Controller had been knocked back several yards by the force of Shadow's transformation...

"And now, you obtuse pincushion, it's time for Round Two!" Shadow growled as he surged forward, the two Gods colliding in normal fashion...

Imperator Shadow Phase 3 - 40% Power Shadow vs. Controller

"Unlike my old body, this one doesn't tire from directly accessing the Chaos Force!" That just made the Controller's day hearing that... blocking Shadow's blows with his sword, which was like an extra limb with how much skill it was wielded.

While people all around the world could witness this battle with only a hint of focus, there wasn't much to see. The two were moving at such speeds in the endless void that no one could see theme apart from another god. Neither's state seemed to show any signs of wearing off, and it appeared they would battle for eternity.

The Controller took quite a heavy beating from Shadow's Chaos Fusion Bombs, devastating balls of energy that would vaporise entire cities and then some if they weren't in such an isolated location. Finally subdued, the Controller lay back, beaten and bruised. Shadow floated overhead, laughing maniacally.

"Despite your best efforts... you are no much for me. While you were entertaining to demonstrate my battle prowess against..." The Controller rolling his eyes at the God taking the time to gloat, "I must end this and resume my work. Any last words?"

"Yeah... actually. You're still a big, angsty, stuck-up, brooding, oversized lab rat faker!" The Controller pointed at Shadow with a grin, while Shadow did not seem the least bit pleased.

"...an idiot until the end. How funny it's taken natural selection this long to run its course. Farewell." He charged up the greatest blast he could muster, wanting this to be grand. Wanting the entire world to see their false savior being replaced by a true one...

The blast collided with and consumed the Controller entirely, Shadow laughing as he watched the blast do its work... so powerful it shattered the walls of the pocket dimension, the Imperator now high above the skies of Mobius, the ball continuing its path of mayhem downwards, having vaporised his foe...
 
Part VIII: Finale!

He flew towards it, about to dissipate it with a single hit(not wanting the planet to be destroyed too), but imagine his surprise when it flew right back at him. He was wide-eyed and so caught up in shock the blast now instead consumed him. The blast carried him away, into the depths of space, out of sight...

The Controller, armor destroyed, but quickly rejuvenating it, snickered. He looked at his sword, which fizzled with some leftover crimson energy... "If ya can't beat 'em... reflect their stuff back at 'em." He then looked up at the sky, it was now nighttime... and the ball Shadow had created was making a lovely red star... which soon swelled enormously in size, before fading out, as it exploded...

"Guess that's the end of him." And he sighed, looking at his hands... "And the end of me... I'm only around for as long as I'm nee-"


Link to video.

He was interrupted by a loud rumbling sound. His beyond-superhuman senses could feel the terror and destruction ravaging the planet. Cities were experiencing pure chaos, putting Perfect Chaos' attack on Station Square to shame. Buildings were collapsing from tremors, entire coastal towns were swept away by the sea, the air darkened as volcanoes erupted; massive thunderstorms, made of unnatural red lightning, darkened whatever the volcanoes did not.

Every disaster imagineable was happening at once and in every place, and it seemed as if the planet was doomed. The Controller gritted his teeth... and then, he immediately understood what had happened...

Imperator Shadow Phase 4: 90% Power

"You... insolent... serf... how... dare... you..." Shadow's voice was darkened and far deeper than normal as he faded into view, across the sky... his eyes seemed to have taken on a deeper shade, red veins more readily apparent in the whites of his eyes. No... his red streaks were glowing too. It was this appearance he would take before a Chaos Blast would surge from his being... that would explain why so much was happening; the potential destruction was just as chaotic as the actual thing!

The Controller sighed, "Of course he's not fini-"

"Shut up! You are nothing! You are filth! Vermin! A fly buzzing around my head that I have hesitated for too long to swat! Well not anymore, you abomination!" Shadow growled... his nails had sprouted claws... and his armor was cracked from the blast, pieces of it falling off...

"I will... destroy you... even if... I have to... take this entire... damned universe with it!" He was flexing his muscles as his teeth gritted against eachother so hard it was audible. Canines became more fang-like, ears more pointed... it was like Shadow was turning into a demon!

As his spikes elongated, the remaining armor flew off. It shot off at supersonic speeds in all directions like shrapnel, the energy and speed of each piece leaving craters wherever it hit. Shadow no longer cared how many innocents died... he just had to crush this bug. Step on him and end his pitiful existence. His whites had turned red... and his irises had vanished, being replaced with small, black slits in the eyes...

He chuckled... his voice Satanic. His body size was beyond massive, several times the Controller's... with muscle mass to match... Gone were most of Shadow's attire... sans what appeared to be four golden rings, two on the wrists and two on the ankles.

"Oh... don't be scared... Hero... for you see... I was planning to use this... however... I have something..." His eyes stared right into the Controller's, and the two could seem to read eachother's souls, sensing their intentions...

"..different in mind..."

The sound of cracking glass was heard... and, sure enough, the dark beast's body was forming red cracks all over it... closing his eyes with a content smile, as if he was sleeping...

Before long, the body had cracked and faded away like delicate china... for once, not shattering in every direction. There Shadow hovered, without any armor or clothes whatsoever... he was in his normal, sleek form...

He gave an almost friendly smile to the Controller, who was unsure of what to make of this...

"Ahhh... as fruitful as my anger and raw power is... it is not my strongest trait. I am not Knuckles. It is my skill and tact that make me so superior..." He extended his arms to his sides, while his legs also extended outwards... as if he was forming a star with his body...

Eight lights, each corresponding to an emerald, began to circle around his body...

"...and it is why... I shall win..."

He closed his eyes... curling up in a fetal position as the lights all converged on him, forming a brilliant orb of alternating light that encased his entire body. He looked deceivingly peaceful... and the Controller was once more left in absolute confusion.

...but before long, streams of each color were extending from the orb. Eight segments formed from these streams, one for each of the emeralds, and many orbs of varying light hovered around the gargantuan... thing.

He gawked a bit as a monstrous beast erupted from around Shadow, himself as the core of this abomination.



"Now... hero..." the escaped Cerberine creature spoke with Shadow's voice... "If you truly love this planet more than me... you shall prove yourself a better protector than I."

Imperator Shadow Phase 5: 100% Power!


Link to video.

Sword at the ready, the Controller shot forward as the monolithic beast just hovered in place... and was shocked when he couldn't leave a scratch.

He gawked... Shadow had become something unstoppable!

...and that's when he was hit from all sides by lasers, the many orbs firing upon him all at once.

The Controller's super being status kept him from being reduced to ash, though he did look singed... it could take decades for him to be finished off, but immortals had all the time in the world!

Shadow's voice gloated, every living thing on Mobius able to hear the marble, gold and red-colored God-being's words, "I was saving the best for last... and now, you cannot comprehend me, much less stop me, fool. Surrender now, and your death will be painless."

"Not a chance!" The Controller just continued to zip and zoom around Shadow's armor, trying to find a way to pierce it... everything had a weakness! He took quite a few zaps trying to find a way to severe those links between the Core - Shadow's body contained within - and the segments... but nothing was working!

Then, he had an idea. He couldn't match Shadow's power... only Shadow himself could. He smirked, as he left himself open to attack in front of one of the links...

"Gahhh!" And sure enough, Shadow was taken back as the lasers fired down on the Hero, but him having moved out of the way just in time, the lasers instead severed one of the eight limbs... the leftmost section. It fell towards the planet... and crumbled away into specks of light before it could reach the bottom.

"How dare you!" One of the limbs had extended, that narrow wire connecting it to the Core like a tentacle... and that too, was soon severed. Shadow's anger was making him weak! He had now lost his left and rightmost sections...

"25% gone, Shadow. You want to call it quits?" The caped hero flew back as he chuckled at having turned the ultimate power against itself.

"Imbecile! I'll just make it so they won't fire if I can be damaged by it!" The large halo-like ring on top of Shadow's head was creating a shower of lasers that circled around him, making it harder to reach those weak spots... all the while, the three bottom limbs had all extended, all trying to slash at the Controller, provided the shower from above wasn't activated...

The Controller at least knew of a weakness... but with Shadow all too wise to the strategy, he had to make a new one. His sword couldn't damage it... or could it? Shadow's power could only be matched by his own... he just needed a way to make Shadow attack himself.

The Tails in the Controller's brain was doing its part, giving him an idea... he slashed one of those orbs of light... while he knew it'd respawn, that wasn't what was important. He had to line this up perfectly...

Shoom! He sped right past the bottom three limbs... which all soon drifted free. He had sapped some of Shadow's power into his sword, and that residue had been enough to do the dirty work. Only the shoulder and head-like protrusions remained, and Shadow could sense that he was going nowhere. The whole of the armor started to glow... right before fading into light and retreating into the orb. Shadow awoke from his slumber, glaring at the Controller... he still had the bulk of his power, even though the fight had taken its toll - he had beaten himself up thanks to his foe's machinations!

"I've had enough of this. I am going to pulverise you, no stalling. Just good, old-fashioned wiping you out..." Shadow positioned his arms at his sides as a red aura surrounded him... right before bringing them together, an orb forming in his hands...

"Now, you meet your end! Chaos Obliteration!" A beam fired at the Controller... but not just one... multiple! The massive red beam split into many, attacking the Controller from all directions! He formed a barrier around himself, but it was weakening... Shadow had too much power! He was finished!

"Chaos Storm!" A deep voice said. Shadow was taken aback as a massive jolt of yellow energy struck him in the side. And countless more after that, all raining down from the heavens, and then from every direction! While it shouldn't have hurt him, it did... enough to take him aback. Shadow growled as he looked downward, and could see that Guardian X, somehow conscious, was floating below... whatever soul he had, it was doing its work; he had struck Shadow, with whom his body had originated.

Shadow was about to send an attack... but then remembered the Controller. He mentally summoned a bolt of red lightning that sent X away... but the distraction had done its work. The Controller had regained his composure... and sword in front of him, was now holding off the blast. It seemed to be generating a field that attracted every hit Shadow could make towards it...

"This has been fun, Shads, but... all things gotta end eventually..." The Controller said, a little more irritation in his voice than usual.

"Insolent worm! Nothing can match my power!"

"Indeed, and that's why while you weren't payin' attention to me, I focused on absorbing all that energy you dropped." He grinned!

"Wha-" He was interrupted as the Controller slashed forward, all the energy he'd collected shooting forth... all of Shadow's combining with it and reflecting back on him. The "Imperator" was now tasting 100% of his own power... and furthermore... he couldn't fight back! Every second that passed, it was sucking his reserves dry, growing and growing...

As he struggled to hold the barrage of energy, a mixture of all the colors of chaos, back, Shadow could hear the Controller's voice in his head.

"Giving people a better future doesn't mean you lord over them, Shadow. It means you protect them from eachother... that you give them all a chance to pursue their dreams... to pursue their own choices... you cannot truly protect people, if you take away their freedom... their chance to be happy. And happiness doesn't come at the barrel of a gun."

The "chance to be happy" part stung him deep... all of his memories coming back to him... it was his purpose to make life better for everyone... to protect the weak, to cure the sick... not to conquer and dominate all. Twice now, he had violated Maria's wishes... a single tear rolled down his cheek...

With that, he put his arms to his side, allowing the blast to consume him.

"Thank you, whoever you are." He closed his eyes and basked in silent defeat.

--

As the blast vanished... Shadow had with it. He gave a smile, having done his purpose... he looked down at the bystanders... Knuckles' family in particular.

He gave a wave, "Guess it's time for me to go..." He closed his own eyes, work done... as he faded away, yellow, blue and red lights shooting to where they were currently most needed... Tails found himself in a workshop ready to work on his newest invention. Sonic was conscious in a field where Green Hill's armies were about to march against Mexico... and of course, he grinned as he went against them. Knuckles, stripped clean of his Enerjak attire, embraced his family, giving way to a much softer, sensitive side as he hugged them all, saying he had remembered what was truly important: family and friends.

Of course, the Controller had seemed content for another reason: he had given the world a new hero. He was all the qualities of God: omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient... and of course, omnibenevolent. Even with all his wicked acts, Shadow could not be destroyed. Not only had the purity of his heart once more re-asserted itself, but Shadow was just another sentient being... ageless he may be, he made the same mistakes regular mortals do, going off the good path... and with a "gentle" nudge, he was put right back onto it.

At a NIDS clinic, Shadow read to a small child, one who had the misfortune of contacting the horrible disease... but he, he would end this suffering. He may have failed to save Maria.. but he wouldn't fail to save so many others. His reading was interrupted as he was called in to a testing lab... they were going to see what they could learn from his DNA, possibly reverse engineer a cure from his genetic material...

Walking into the room, Shadow looked up as he stood in the doorway...



"Third time's the charm, right?" He smiled...

-Fin

===

Whooo! There we go. Finally.

It took a while to actually get 'er done, but I had fun with it. Thank you all for playing! :)
 
And thus you prove that while Shadow may not be an emo, his fighting skills aren't worth a device that controls flooding without calling out eldritch abominations. And he still looses. :p

And your ending as me thinking. Can I write a non-canon chapter?
 
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