Shadow the Hedgehog

"Agreed. Do you remember where you were when you told him to run?"

"He knows this place better than anyone. I'm sure he's safe. Besides, its his dream. I'm more worried about us. We were brought here by magic and we're fully conscious, it must be some sort of neural link. If we die here something could happen to us in the real world, we could go brain dead. I know it sounds ridiculously far fetched, but I'd rather not test it."

"Ha, sounds like a plan. I couldn't imagine him forgiving us if we left him to his fate."

"I think you're right Locke. We're experiencing locations and dare I say people from his past, but the nightmare has distorted them into monsters." At that moment he heard screaming. That sounds like Dylan. What's he doing here, I thought he went back to werehog central?

"Locke? Man am I glad to see you" shouted Shadow as he ran up the staircase, narrowly avoiding the clutches of the shadows. "Where's Skye?"

Shadow's heart raced as he ran through the crypt, with shadows dancing around him. He knew the only way to get out of that crypt was to make it to the other side and hope there was a door there. A shadowy creature attempted to block his path, but was instead greeted by a kickto the jaw. As he continued running, he wondered whether red eyes would go down as easily. He prayed he'd never have to find out. (OOC Sorry I took so long. I had dinner).

After getting to his feet, Shadow instinctively grabbed his torch and spun around, ensuring the creature wasn't there with him. What he didn't realise, however, was that the door had been closed behind him. As he walked further into the crypt, the light of his torch flickered over the skeletons of the castle's former residents, housed in shallow inlets in the walls "At least I don't have to worry about them attacking me" he joked, before realising that given this was a nightmare, skeletons reanimating wouldn't be out of place. With this worrying thought, he continued further into this crypt, aware that attack could come from anywere.

Shadow held his ground. He knew the creature wouldn't come into the light. He had the advantage, and it was time to press it. Shadow drew his bootknife and got a firm grip before running at the creature. Just as he was about to make contact, the creature vanished, and Shadow was sent tumbling down a set of stairs, into the crypt.

Shadow slammed the book shut as he heard the screams, but froze as he prepared to run back when be heard a heavy wheezing come from the door at the end of the room. As he cautiously approached it, the door swung open unleashing a wind that put out every candle in the room, leaving Shadow with only his dying torch to keep the darkness at bay. In the doorway he saw 2 red dots which locked onto his gaze. As he slowly backed away, the eyes moved closer, just outside of the light. (OOC that's a pretty sound idea Skye).

Shadow calmly walked over to the desk and opened the book. "Strange, there's no title page." As he flicked throughthe book and saw there were no words he grew frustrated, "why am I wasting my time?" As he said this he heard a crack of lightning outside, and before his eyes the pages flooded with text and images. Though it was illegible to him, the illustrations were not. Images of grotesque creatures that were somehow vaguely familiar. He saw the winged beast and shuddered. "If that's in this book, I guess these are its friends."

"Go with Skye. Like I said I'm going to check down here for any record of where we are." With that Shadow descended further down the tight spiral staircase, as the number of torches on the walls began to dwindle until the only source of light was in his hand. Upon reaching the bottom floor a large room presented itself, with countless books on shelves, a large desk with a candle and a single book on it, and a door at the far end of the room.

"I'll have a look at what's down this staircase. If there's a library or someone's study here I'm guessing it would be lower down where there's more space" said Shadow as he pulled a burning torch from the wall. "I almost forgot, here you go Skye". Shadow tossed Skye's pen knife to him. "You might need it. And be sure to take a torch with you"

"No objections from me. Let's move before that thing gets any closer."

"Locke! Skye! Glad to see you. I was keeping watch, these lights started coming out of Skye, I briefly rest my eyes and wind up here. Does this place look familiar to you at all Skye?" asked Shadow, still glancing around with a confused look on his face. Upon seeing Skye's condition, he asked with a concerned look "What happened to you? Is there something else here with us?"

Shadow looked perplexed at the lights emanating from Skye, but thought nothing of it. They had no visible effect after all. He could see him tossing and turning, in the throes of a nightmare. "Poor kid" he said, as he looked down at his thermos and rested his eyes for a brief second. When he opened them, though he was still in his chair, the room had been replaced by a dark sky. As he looked around him he saw he was on an isolated island, with a huge building behind him, a castle, or perhaps just a tower, it was too dark to tell, and a thick mist enveloped him, preventing him from seeing beyond the island. "Did those lights bring me here?" Said Shadow, as he reached for his flashlight. The beam briefly pierced the mist, doing little to make his surroundings any clearer, and then suddenly stopped as the batteries died. "Great. Just great."

(OOC I think its really interesting. Only reason I haven't joined yet is Shadow has drunk so much coffee I don't think he's in a sleeping mood).

*lets go of Skye and pulls up chair and coffee thermos* I'll be right here if you need me. (OOC I'm off to bed, night guys).

(OOC No problem Dylan. Stuff happens unexpectedly to us all) *goes into group hug*

*pulls knife out of floor* Look Skye you need some rest. If you want I or Locke can stay here. That way you know if any assassins did show up, they'd never get to lay a hand on you.

*runs in* Skye are you ok? What happened?

That does sound like a good idea, something for him to focus on.

(OOC Ah yes I forgot about that). Maybe with our more... positive influence, and his amnesia, we can ensure he gets that chance. We''ll never get rid of his terrible past, but we might be able to keep it from ruining his future.

It's amazing he didn't completely lose his mind given what he's been through. That whole place sounds like hell.

I see. What are you suggesting we do?

Of course Locke. Now what is it you have to tell us?