Nightmare Zone Epilogue
One More Nightmare


"We ghosts do not harm, we just try to scare! On Halloween nights, darkness clouds the air! The Nightmare Zone's shadow choked our world year by year, menacing heroes with death and with fear! The cause of their woes was an evil cat witch. Cerberus, Lord of Nightmares, left her dead in a ditch! But her soul yet endures thanks to a spell most clever. Reborn in another world, to return here never. But our world faces yet one more nightmare this year. An army of Lost souls creeps ominously near! We ghosts sing our songs as our way of warning. One final nightmare to end it all is forming..."

Translation: Previously on "The Nightmare Zone", Tabitha managed to summon the Lord of Nightmares, Cerberus, who devoured her soul to achieve his full power. However, Cerberus was defeated, and due to a failsafe spell cast by Tabitha some time ago, the witch reappeared alive and well on another world; GeneX Prime. She is not the threat coming back to GeneX Necros for this story, though... Another army is invading worlds across the multiverse, and Necros is next on their list...to consume.


But before we return to GeneX Necros, a visit to GeneX Spectre is in order. In this world, Freedom Fighters led by Sally Acorn had to become Phantom Fighters, taking on ghosts and spirits using a device invented by Rotor the walrus, a "Paranormal Chaos Device" or PCD, which used Chaos Emeralds as a power source to capture the spirits. With previous villains defeated and a friendly ghost Snively at their side, the Phantom Fighters had begun rebuilding their home, and were making decent progress. However, Rotor remained ever vigilant for signs of the ghost world returning to invade theirs. This led him to invite some of the old gang back to his lab one day. "Heya, Snootly, who's a good ghost?" Sonic said in greeting as he entered the lab. "Don't patronize me, hedgehog, I'm not a pet." Snively said, floating his way to a chair and lounging with a book. "Not sure what else to call it... Hurry up, you guys!" Sonic called. Sally, Tails and Antoine followed him in. "Cooling your jetskis, Sonic hedgehog!" Antoine grumbled, stumbling his way into the cluttered lab. "Don't break anything, Ant!" Tails warned. Sally hurried over to where Rotor was seated in front of a fancy monitoring station, hooked up to a pair of old PCDs. "Tell me Robotnik isn't back from the dead..." she said nervously. Rotor looked at his visitors with concern. "I don't think Robotnik is powerful enough to cause a paranormal signal like this. It's transcending dimensions!" he said, pointing to the monitor which really only he understood. "...English, please?" Sonic asked impatiently. "It's a ghostly swarm from another world. It may miss us entirely for all we know." Snively said with a bored tone. Rotor nodded. "Or, it might spread and try to consume all worlds. I got a bad feeling about it. Might be good to try and stop it before it gets outta control..." he stated. Antoine gulped. "Ghosties out of control? Sacre bleu..." Tails rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But...how can we stop it?" he wondered. Sally looked at the monitor intently. "We have to... Somehow... The Phantom Fighters have to travel to another world!"

Now... let us return to GeneX Necros... One last time...

This once-shadowy world had been forever changed by its years steeped in darkness. With no echidnas surviving to guard the Master Emerald, the experiment "brother" of one of those echidnas, Copter the fox, had now taken it upon himself to keep watch over Angel Island. It was a lonely task, but much better than the literal hell that preceded it, so Copter wasn't complaining. Plus, Sonic and Tails occasionally would visit, as they were doing on this day. "Heya, Copt! Everything peaceful up here?" Sonic asked as he dashed up to the altar. Copter was sitting on the steps sleepily. "Not really anything to cause trouble anymore. Unless you've seen Eggman lately?" he asked. Tails landed close by, his tails still spinning a bit as he planted his feet on the ground. "Nah, Eggman's toast. He was nuts before, and I don't think he can get it together to endanger us again." the fox reported. Copter almost smiled, but talk about Eggman did bring up painful memories. "Well, how's the others? Anybody get hitched and forget to invite me?" he asked. Sonic and Tails laughed at the notion. "No way! I'm gonna drag you down from here if there's any 'hitchin' going on!" Sonic teased. A voice at the top of the steps sent shivers up the trio's spines. "Damn it, you all are so boring! Get over here, now!" Sonic looked to the foxes nervously. "You both didn't just hear Tabitha, did you?" he stammered. They ran up the steps to see the image of Tabitha displayed inside the Master Emerald like a crystal ball display! "Impossible! Y-you died!" Copter stammered. "Yeah, yeah..." the witch said with a roll of her eyes, "I'm not a complete fool, I prepared for my potential death. This is a new body in a new Cerberus-free world. Unfortunately, not free of evils greater than I. The Lost Ones are rising to power here, and they have designs on all worlds...even yours. Be a dearie and don't add to their army, I'm trying to outclass them!" she told them before vanishing from the Master Emerald. Tails and Copter glanced at Sonic, who scoffed. "I beat all the Lost Ones! I took care of them before another Halloween could hit after the Nightmare Zone was gone! What's there to be scared of?" he said. "At least three thousand things if I recall my reading." Tails murmured.


Bucky had re-established his lab in Shadow Arc, which was back in its original Mystic Ruins location. In the time since the Nightmare Zone had dissipated, he had resumed his original experimentations, creating some of the same experiments as in GeneX Prime, such as Sonata the Unicorn, Emily the squirrel, and Bolt the Creature. He also took the time to bring his lost love, Hope the Raven, back from the dead...though she wasn't quite the same. Dying had made her rather quiet and solemn. But overall, Bucky was living in relative peace with his creations. He was calmly reading a book, seated beside Hope in a cozy little den he'd converted one of the lab's rooms into. "Hah... I wonder if this is anything like the book Mr. Prower was worshipping for years. It's awfully dumb." he murmured. The cover read "The Ins and Outs of Surviving Horror." His reading was interrupted, however, as Sonata burst into the room. "D-dad!! It's awful! A weird portal opened up!!" he stammered. Bucky looked at him quizzically. "...show me." he said. It didn't take long for the denizens of the ship to gather around the old containment cell, which was wide open, a large portal shining inside! Out of the portal floated a familiar foe...Lospecter the Lost! A ghost who often served as the de-facto leader of the Lost Ones, Lospecter looked around with a smirk. "What a dark, dreary world you got here! I like it! We'll take it!" he announced. Bolt's head-bolts started to spark as he growled at the spirit. "What are you talking about!? Leave us alone!!" he snarled. Lospecter tossed a gold key in his hand and grinned. "Don't you look scary... Boys, make that one lost first!" he said, pointing as hordes of Lost Ones flooded out of the portal, slithering, flapping slimy wings, and skittering on slimy spider legs among other modes of transport! Bucky's eyes widened, and he quickly repelled a group of the creatures by shooting lightning from his hands, but Bolt proved a bit of a coward, and stumbled onto his shell as he fearfully backed away! "N-no!! Stop!! H-help me!!!" he wailed as slimy losol piled onto him! "Oh, god!" Emily gasped as Bucky took her and Hope by the hands. "Run, fools! RUN!!" he shouted, leading his other experiments in fleeing the scene while Bolt slowly stood up, eyes glowing an eerie turquoise color as he let out a demonic snarl. Lospecter rested a hand on his ghostly hip and smirked. "Another world about to bite the dust! Have fun, my kiddies! I've gotta start the invasion of the ol' homeland! Eat well!" he cackled, flying back through the portal swiftly!


Just knowing that Tabitha was alive somewhere was enough to rattle Tails, so he, Sonic and Copter took the tornado to Station Square. The city was still in the process of being restored, but the magic of Gemini the fennec had been quite helpful in speeding that along. She'd also been watching over Cream, who'd lost her mother to the years of horror. The pair were sitting on a bench, looking at the work they'd done fixing up city hall, when they heard the Tornado overhead. "Oh, hey, Tails brought Mr. Copter..." Cream remarked as she looked up. Gemini looked up, but then looked back across the street with a start. The Doomsayer was there. As the plane landed, Sonic hopped out, and Gemini pointed. "Hooded guy... You guys... What's going on?" she babbled. Sonic turned to the Doomsayer with an uncomfortable expression. This guy never really seemed to care about the death and destruction of the Nightmare Zone that much, he just seemed to enjoy being right all the time. "You! Do you know why Tabitha called us?? Talk!" Sonic snapped, racing towards him! Lightning crashed at his feet, halting his progress as the Doomsayer glared at him. "Your world is over. The children of Doom are here." he hissed. Tails and Copter had joined Sonic at this point. "What do you mean they're here?" Tails questioned. "Yeah, like 'here-here' or near here?" Copter asked, scratching his head. Two screams behind them answered their question. Turning, they saw the city being swarmed by creatures, and Gemini and Cream were being attacked by bony loskels! The fennec fired bolts from her wand, shattering the skeletons menacing Cream into pieces, but as the rabbit fled, the fennec was grabbed from behind and stabbed by a blade burning with blue flames! "NOOOO!!" Copter cried while Cream hugged Tails, whimpering. Sonic looked back, but the Doomsayer was gone. His voice echoed on the breeze. "Yet another fennec falls. Only one has the power to resist the Lost Ones..." Looking back, Sonic gulped to see that the blue flame was burning Gemini, her flesh starting to melt away! Moving fast, he lifted Cream into his arms and started to race away, while Tails and Copter hopped onto the Tornado and began to follow after Sonic in a low flight!

There was no way out except THROUGH the swarming creatures, and while Sonic was quick and maneuverable enough to keep himself and Cream safe, the Tornado was not so lucky. Batty losoars flew into the propeller without a care, gumming up the works with slime and causing the plane to very soon drop from the sky! Sonic looked back in horror as the monsters surrounded his friends. "Tails!! Copter!!" he cried uselessly. The foxes hugged one another, expecting the end. However, beams of Chaos energy shot through the dark, causing the Lost Ones to scatter! Another Sonic raced in, wearing a PCD strapped to his back! It was the Phantom Fighter Sonic! "Whoa, what, Tails?? Are you Tails? You look taller..." he stammered. Another beam chased a losoar away from this Sonic, and Phantom Fighter Tails approached. "What are you talking abou- Why am I hugging Copter?" he babbled. Another Copter, also wearing a PCD, was following behind, along with Sally and Antoine. "Let's save introductions for later! The Lost Ones are regrouping!" Sally warned. The native Sonic nodded, holding Cream tight in his arms. "Follow me, guys! I'll lead us to safety!" he told them. "Oh, wonderful, TWO Sonics... Oh, hey, two of me!" the new Copter remarked. The native foxes scurried out of the downed Tornado while the Phantom Fighters fired their beams at the approaching creatures. "Zut alors! I would prefer ghosts now that I am seeing this!" Antoine yelped, noting that they could wound the creatures but not capture them. Somehow catching ghosts seemed easier. As the others started to follow the Sonic of this world, Copter and PF Sonic trailed at the back, shooting up any Lost Ones on their trail. "There's... too many!" Copter grunted. "Easy there! Don't give 'em ground!!" Sonic warned. Unfortunately, Copter was taken off-guard by a slithering losol, which grabbed his leg and dragged him to the ground! "C-copt!!" Sonic stammered, watching his ally getting swarmed quickly! Copter slipped out of his PCD, tossing it to Sonic. "G-get everyone...out!! A-and tell Katie I-" his voice was drowned out by slime gurgles, and Sonic gritted his teeth, holding back his anger and sorrow as he turned his attention to seeing the others to safety.

Sonic led the group down into the Hidden Ruins underneath Station Square to hide out for the time being. Once home to some of their friends, the ancient ruins had been abandoned, the old neglected buildings looking haunted and calling up memories of the Nightmare Zone for some, and nights of paranormal chaos for others. Still, they seemed to have lost the creatures, so they all stopped to rest and regroup from their losses. Tails found himself comforting Cream over the loss of Gemini while Sonic and Copter examined the PCD that once belonged to the other Copter. "So... this thing is designed to fight ghosts and monsters? Where have you guys been all our lives!" Sonic murmured. Copter picked the PCD up and tried putting it on, noting that Spectre Tails was staring at him judgingly. "What?? It belonged to 'me,' didn't it? It's useless sittin' on the floor!" he scoffed. "Y-you need to be shown the ropes on how to use it..." Tails told him. "Do not be worrying! I shall be showing the ropes to Copter deux!" Antoine announced. In the meantime, Spectre Sonic and Sally approached Necros Sonic. "We hate to be the ones to tell you this, but these creatures are moving like locusts from world to world, consuming all life and expanding their numbers. I'm afraid trying to fight them here and now is useless... You'll have to come with us back to our world so we can properly regroup and come up with a plan." Sally said. Sp. Sonic nodded. "Yeah, this world is toast, much as I hate to admit that even two of me can't fix this..." he sighed. N. Sonic looked around with a frown. "Right, I don't wanna watch any more die. But on that note, I can't leave without picking up someone we might need. Maybe you know him; Bucky, creator of Copter?" he asked. An errant beam from Copter's PCD followed by a yelp from Antoine interrupted their conversation. "That's some blowback!" Copter grunted. Sally rubbed her head, looking unsure about this. "Maybe we should split up..." she thought. "ABSOLUTELY NOT!!" Necros Tails shouted. They were looking for Bucky as a group, and that was that.


Time passed as the group made their way back to the Mystic Ruins. It seemed like a year, it was most probably mere hours. Either way, the Lost Ones had rapidly spread through the planet and consumed most life there in that time. They were ready to move on, but that didn't mean that some of their forces didn't remain to menace our heroes. As they attempted to enter the Mystic Ruins, despite Tails' protests, Sp. Sonic had split off from the group, taking Cream along with him during a moment of danger. The pair of them had been chased into the jungle by the Lost Ones, and the others just had to hope that not only would they survive, but Cream would be able to lead the foreign Sonic back to them. At any rate, the remaining Sonic led them to Bucky's lab, Shadow Arc. This was where Copter was born so long ago, and where the Lost Ones seemed to originate from in all dimensions they existed in. Antoine backed away from the creepy black building, gulping hard. "Th-this is a lair of spookies and ghoulies, I am knowing it..." he whimpered. "How did a guy like you ever become a ghost hunter?" Sonic asked in annoyance. "Never mind that, Sonic..." Sally said, shaking her head hopelessly, "You're sure our scientist friend is in there?" she asked. "Ha, friend, good one..." Copter grumbled softly. Sp. Tails held up a scanner that Rotor had given him. "Well, ah... There's a few life forms in there. Also quite a few paranormal readings." he gulped. "Why haven't I invented that...?" N. Tails murmured. He was likely forgetting SPOT having those features, but SPOT had been destroyed for some time now. Sonic reached behind himself and produced a Chaos Emerald, looking at it with uncertainty. "Well... Let's be careful in there, guys." he sighed, "Wouldn't wanna have to use this..." he whispered. As they started to head in, a voice in the shadows of the nearby trees called to them. "Psst! Hey! If you guys want to live, you probably should come with me..." a grim voice said to them. Antoine squinted into the dark, but couldn't see the owner of the voice. "Ha! We will not be falling for that trick, goost!" he huffed. N. Tails nodded. "Yeah... The ol' book has to have something about trusting a guy who won't show himself..." he murmured, following the others into Shadow Arc. "...well, that's unfortunate." the grim voice sighed.

The entrance room was teeming with slimy losol, and Antoine was quick to yelp, though Sally covered his mouth to keep the creatures from noticing them straight away. "Looks like we've got a job ahead of us..." she murmured, "You sure this scientist is worth the effort?" she asked. "He knows how to literally revive the dead." N. Tails told her. That certainly sounded like something they might need. Sp. Tails and Copter walked in ahead of the others, pointing their PCD guns into the swarm of slimes. "Better clear a path... I'm bound to hit somethin' I want in here, right?" Copter chuckled. As the pair of them started firing beams at the slimes, some eerie turquoise-glowing eyes peered in from the doorway leading to the next area. Sally could see it, and pointed her PCD cautiously. "Watch out, something's coming!" she warned. It was then that Bolt came spinning into the room on the back of his shell, hurtling towards the foxes at the front! His body sparked with electricity, the jolts knocking both Copter and Sp. Tails away! Sally started firing at Bolt while Sonic rushed to Tails' side, helping him up. "You okay, other bro?" he asked. "Watch it, Sonic! You don't have a PCD!!" Both Tails gasped at once, seeing that some losol were slithering towards him! Sonic clutched his Chaos Emerald, gritting his teeth, but Antoine charged in and zapped the losol, shouting unintelligibly through his internal panic. Sp. Tails looked at the emerald in Sonic's hand, and noticed a black energy swirling inside it before fading. "...What the?" he mumbled. At the same time, Copter and Sally had managed to drive Bolt back into the hall from whence he came. "Yeah! Run away! You always were a coward, Bolt!" Copter yelled. "Wait..." Sonic gulped, "If Bolt's a zombie, where's Bucky?" he asked in concern. Sp. Tails re-examined his scanner. "Someone's definitely alive in here. Let's hurry so they stay that way..." he said worriedly.

Despite their best efforts and intentions, as the group continued into the dark corridors of the lab, they ended up split up. Sonic was with Sally and her world's Tails, leaving the other three lost somewhere. "Well, great. Can your scanner lead us back to them, Tails?" Sonic asked. He frowned, giving the scanner a shake as he looked at it. "Now there's some kinda interference." he grumbled. Sonic and Sally both rolled their eyes. This was feeling exactly like old times. They turned around, each watching the darkness carefully. "We have to keep our guard up and find the others..." Sally murmured. Tails let out a frightened gasp as he looked through a doorway. "I f-found something..." he stammered, pointing. Sonic looked where his PCD's flashlight beam shined, and grit his teeth as he saw the gruesome remains of Emily the squirrel left in what appeared to be a dead-end room. They turned to Sally grimly. "We gotta work fast." Sonic said urgently. Sally nodded, and glanced behind them with wide eyes. "Look out!" she cried, firing her PCD between the pair at Emily's body! The squirrel jumped back, snarling as slime dripped from her mouth! She was a Lost One zombie! Tails turned and joined Sally in firing at her. "She tried to trap us! They're smarter than they seem!" he stammered. "Yeah..." Sonic murmured, leaping into a homing attack and charging into the shadows, knocking over another creature that was trying to creep up on them! As Sonic landed, he gasped to see Copter stand up! It was the second Copter who was devoured earlier. "So quick, Sonic... But not quick enough! We have the scientist... And he will create the perfect agent of death for ussss..." Los Copter hissed!


The Tails and Copter of this world were lost with Antoine. Not really lost, exactly; Copter was born in this lab, and he was leading them to the place where Bucky performed his experiments. Antoine's teeth chattered as he crept behind the foxes fearfully. "Why's he so nervous, at least he has a weapon..." Tails sighed, "866, avoid dark places. 1854, stay together. 16, don't send anyone alone..." he babbled in growing panic. Copter let out an irritated sigh. "Get a grip, you two! If we let fear control us we're doomed!" he snapped. Antoine clutched his PCD gun tightly in response. "I-I am gripping!" he babbled. As they neared the lab, however, the faces of jack-o-lanterns lit the hallway, glaring at them. Antoine squealed and yelped at their sudden appearance. "G-goose pumpkins!" he stammered. Tails thought about it, and the so-called "Headless Lost One" that Gator used to babble on about came to mind. "Shoot 'em!! They're mini-Loscreams!!" he cried. He was a bit late, however, as pumpkin vines suddenly grabbed Copter and Antoine by the limbs, lifting them into the air as the coyote screamed! This left Tails, the one without a weapon, as the only one able to act! He leapt in Copter's direction, spinning his tails rapidly and trying to use them like spinning blades to trim the vines and free Copter. "Your tails aren't blades, genius!" Copter grunted, struggling as the flaming mouths of the losolanturns inched closer! Antoine, meanwhile, had just gone crazy with fear. His PCD laser began firing erratically, and as the beam moved around at random, it shattered one of the pumpkins holding Copter, freeing him up to fire his own PCD! Tails flew over to Antoine and caught him as he fell from the ceiling, watching as Copter just landed on his tails. "Ooof!! Happy freakin' Halloween, pumpkins! Now what?" he grumbled. A gurgling chuckle drew their attention, and they saw Bolt at the door to the lab. "Come right in... The doctor will see you..." he sneered. 

Though hesitant, they stepped through the door at Bolt's behest. Inside, Sonata and Hope were huddled in a corner, looking rather frightened as bony loskel loomed over them. Bucky was standing over his lab table, attaching what appeared to be bones to a creature laying upon it. Copter gulped, looking at the skull resting on a pillow. "Th...that's Gemini. Those are Gemini's bones... What the hell are you doing you sick bastard!!" he shouted, held back by Tails as the loskels turned to glare at them. Bucky looked their way, a broken expression in his eyes. "They...they threatened Hope...I have no choice. I can't lose her again... No choice..." he babbled, resuming his work. Antoine glanced at Bolt nervously. "Wh-what are you ghoulies schemings?" he whimpered. The creature's head bolts sparked as he looked at the trio in the doorway. "You'll live to see it...if you behave..." he snarled.


Sonic raced through the haunted halls of the lab, trying to grab the attention of the Lost Ones and create a path for Sally and her world's Tails, but they seemed more inclined to attack those with PCDs than someone with no real way to stop them. Behind him, Sally and Tails were struggling to hit the Copter and Emily zombies with their beams while they crawled along the walls and ceilings, looking for an opening to pounce and end them. "Sonic, come back! We're about to get overwhelmed here!" Sally shouted, hearing the hissing voices of creatures approaching behind them! "You got it, Sal!" came a voice behind her, a third beam cutting through the losol and losolanturns as Sp. Sonic caught up to the group, followed by Cream! "Thank goodness we made it..." the rabbit sighed as the Lost Ones seemed to scatter at their arrival. Tails sighed with relief as the zombies seemed to flee as well. "Glad you guys are safe. Hey...where's the other Sonic?" he questioned, scratching his head. Screams were heard further down the hall, bloodcurdling and terrified. "...Antoine!" the Phantom Fighters gasped at once!


Antoine was shaking as he watched N. Copter struggling against Bolt. The struggle had took them back outside the lab, and Bolt had soon overpowered and pinned Copter down, sparks flying from his head bolts and shocking the black fox! "P-please! Help him!" N. Tails shouted to Antoine. The coyote shakily clutched his PCD gun, gulping hard. "I-I... am t-too..." he shut his eyes tightly, appearing to give into his fear. "...No! And no again! Please to be getting off my friend!!" he shouted, eyes flying open with determination as he fired his PCD beam at Bolt, making the creature snarl and turn towards him! Antoine pointed the beam around, trying to find a weakness in Bolt's shell as the creature lumbered towards him. "I did not come so far just to let you eat Coptair again like a yellow-jellied coward!" he shouted, aiming the beam at Bolt's head! The creature groaned and tucked in its head, its bolts absorbing the beam's energy! Antoine gasped as Bolt stomped even closer to him. "It's not working! Run away!" Tails cried, trying to pull Copter back to his feet. It was too late, however. As Bolt's head peeked back out of his shell, his hand grabbed Antoine by the throat! "Agh!! W-w-why is it not wooorking?!" he whimpered. With his other hand, Bolt bared massive, frightening claws, and as Antoine shrieked, he slashed his chest, leaving a wound oozing with slime! As he tossed Antoine aside, that was when N. Sonic arrived. "No!! I'm too late! And I can't stop them! Tails, run!!" he cried. Copter was struggling to get up with the PCD. "I can't leave Copter!" Tails shouted, even as a newly-corrupted Antoine started to join Bolt in heading towards them. Sonic needed to think fast. He produced his Chaos Emerald. "This emerald... It somehow ended up with the last bit of Tabitha's Black Curse... I have to use it...but there will be no changing back!" he said as the emerald glowed a sickly black! Tails stared in shock. "S-sonic, no! You can't!" he cried. It was already done. Black smoke surrounded him as his fur grew longer and wilder, his muscles tensed and bulged, his fangs jutted out and claws burst from his gloves! "If I must be a monster to save my friends... SO BE IT!!" Sonic howled, charging on all fours towards Bolt and Antoine! He grabbed Antoine by the PCD with his massive hand, hurtling him backwards across the hall! Then, he leapt up, balling his fists together before crashing them down onto Bolt's shell, cracking it! Tails and Copter watched with stunned expressions as the Werehog mauled and thrashed the Lost Ones in brutal fashion, the darkness of his transformation shielding him from their influence. As Sally and the others arrived, the remains of Antoine and Bolt were unrecognizable. They pointed their PCDs at Were-Sonic, but Tails dashed in front of them. "He saved us... Sorry... He was too late for your friend." he sniffled. Sally sighed. "I hope his soul finds its way back to our world..." she said solemnly. 

Heading back into the lab, they could see the creature Bucky was construction on the table, concealed by a cloak. A familiar scythe was placed in its bony hand. "What's goin' on here? Isn't that Guard's scythe?" Were-Sonic grunted. "Some of his bones, too... Along with some bones of...Cerberus...recovered by the Lost Ones." Bucky stated shakily, pointing his fingers at the creature before jolting it with lightning! "Stop it, old man! Can't you see what a mistake you're making!?" Copter shouted. The rat looked to the group with terror in his eyes. "Whatever it takes, I beg you... Protect Hope!" he stammered. The skeletal creature on the table began to stir, and the Phantom Fighters didn't hesitate in trying to stop it by firing their PCDs! However, the loskel guards in the room charged into the path of the beams, willingly allowing themselves to be blown apart in order for the new creature to stand! The cloak mostly concealed its bony form, but Gemini's skull could be seen under a hood, glowing green lights illuminating her eye holes. Broad, bony wings stretched out from the creature's back, and it gripped the scythe tightly. "Here is the angel of death you asked me for, Lost Ones! Loscythe!" Bucky proclaimed. The Phantom Fighters fired at Loscythe again now that the loskels were downed, but the creature spun its scythe rapidly, deflecting the beams! "Weak flesh creatures... Die!!" Loscythe snarled in a demonic voice, swiftly swinging its scythe with blinding speed and slicing Bucky's head from his shoulders! "No!! NO!! Damn it, no!!" Copter shouted, while Sp. Sonic looked back at the door. "We got more company, too!" he groaned, pointing out the arrival of the zombified Emily and Copter. While the Phantom Fighters turned to look, Loscythe glanced at the terrified Sonata, huddled up next to Hope. "We no longer require you..." the demon snarled, hurling the scythe towards them! Without thinking, Sonata pushed Hope out of the way, the blade piercing his chest! Making matters worse, Were-Sonic and N. Tails could see slime spreading from the wound. Further illustrating the danger, the headless Bucky stood back up, lifting up his severed head, a terrifying moan coming from him!

Flying into a rage, Were-Sonic lunged at Loscythe, who had drawn back their scythe using some form of telekinesis and quickly blocked the werehog's claws, attempting to push back and stab him with the blade! Hope fled from Sonata as the slime corruption spread through him, and Bucky slowly shuffled towards the others, his head sparking with electricity in his hand. "P-please, can we get out of here?" Cream whimpered, hiding behind the other Sonic. "Absolutely! We're sitting ducks in here!" Sally shouted, shooting off her PCD at Sonata to give Hope some cover. Copter turned towards the door, only to find the zombie Copter and Emily barring their exit. "I'll do me a favor and aim away from the face..." the fox said awkwardly, firing his beam into his zombified alternate's chest. Sp. Tails fired at Emily as well, while Sonic fired at Bucky, but was surprised to find his shot intercepted by lightning emitted from the rat's severed head! Were-Sonic was straining against the scythe as well, so the group needed an exit fast. Copter ceased shooting off the PCD in frustration. "Screw it, this is just slowing me down! Chaos Whirlwind!!" he shouted, sending a chaotic wind at the Lost One version of himself! It spun its tails to partially fly over the attack, but the chaos energy tore off his slimy legs! Still, the zombie Copter survived, and grabbed onto the living Copter, biting his neck like a hungry vampire! "Gaaaahh!!" Realizing he didn't have much time, Copter turned his PCD on Emily, aiding Tails in blasting the speedy squirrel corpse! Their beams cornered her and struck her head, causing her to splatter! "Yuck..." Tails gulped, "W-well, there's our opening! Let's go! Th-thank you, Copter..." he whimpered. "Run, ya idiots!" Copter groaned, his voice gurgling. The other Copter seemed to be melting on top of him, the two of them merging into a single Lost One. Were-Sonic headbutted Loscythe in order to knock it back, and he joined the others in fleeing out the door, leaving Copter, Bucky and Sonata behind...

They heard a voice somewhere in the dark hallways calling out to them as they tried to make their escape. "This way..." It was the same voice they heard when they entered the lab. "Who's that?" Cream wondered. N. Tails looked in every possible direction with a freaked expression. "The book, the book, I need the book!" he stammered. "Get ahold of yourself!" Sally shouted, shaking him. Another voice called them, this one more cheery-sounding. "Come on, sillies!" The thing that really settled it for them, though, was the emergence of the Lost zombies from within the lab, along with Loscythe. The zombie Copter now had two heads and four tails, as well as a third leg that caused him to walk in a wobbly fashion. Without a word, Hope started to run towards the voices, so the others started to follow after her. "I'll cover us! You guys get to safety!" Sp. Sonic shouted, turning to fire his PCD in a sweeping arc to slow their pursuers, dashing out of their reach when they approached! This seemed like it'd work, but as they passed the splattered remains of Antoine and Bolt, a hand reached out of the goo and grabbed Sally's ankle! "What!? G-get off!!" she gasped, firing her beam down at the hand to splatter it. This had slowed her enough for Loscythe to be able to toss its scythe across the hall, slicing off the arm holding her PCD gun as she held it! "N-no!! M-miss Sally!" Cream gasped, looking in horror as her eyes started to glow! Sally lunged at Cream, pinning her to the wall with her remaining arm! "Sal... I-I can't..." Sp. Sonic hesitated, but saw the scythe flying back towards him as Loscythe controlled it, so he ducked under it and ran past Sally and Cream! As he turned to aim his PCD again, he saw Sonata charging down the hall, and Sally held Cream up to him, allowing the unicorn to impale her on his horn! "Th-this...can't be..." he stammered as Cream screamed in agony. Both Tails grabbed his arms, and together they chased after Hope and Were-Sonic. They were the only ones left.

The voices called out some more, and soon the survivors had reach Shadow Arc's control room, the room used to pilot the lab when it was flying through the air as an airship. There was no sign of the source of the voices, though. N. Tails backed to the door of the dead-end room, panic in his eyes. "You see? I told you when we got here! The voices were a trap! They were a tra-" He was silenced when Loscythe burst into the room, plunging its blade into his back! "No, no, NOOO!!" Were-Sonic howled. The creature seemed to get a sadistic pleasure in seeing them suffer, and proceeded to make several more slashes at Tails' corpse in front of them! His head was lopped off, his two tails shredded, his limps detached from his body! It should have been gory, but the fox's blood had quickly turned to slime. The surviving Tails turned a bit green watching, and he and his fellow Sonic quickly set about firing their PCDs at the vile skeletal creature! Were-Sonic looked to Hope with concern, and could see tears streaming from her eyes. The raven had had enough. As the other zombies joined them in the room, Hope let out a mournful screech! Broad black wings erupted from her back, and a powerful energy coursed through her being. "Whoa... Wait, was she... She was the Deathbringer? I thought it was someone else?!" Were-Sonic stammered. Flying past the bewildered Phantom Fighters, Hope let out an enraged screech, launching deadly bolts from her hands that instantly splattered Sonata and Sally as they approached! Loscythe flew up, likely through telekinesis rather than those bony wings, but Hope was distracted assaulting the zombies. As Copter's heads bickered over direction, a killing bolt splattered him. Next was the zombie Cream. Bucky, however, placed his head back on his shoulders, and seeing her love whole again gave Hope pause. "No, no, don't stop!" the others cried. It was then that the scythe dropped, penetrating Hope's skull! As the raven's last conscious act, she managed to toss a killing bolt at Bucky after all, splattering him like the others. The Sonics and a single Tails were all that was left with Loscythe.

Were-Sonic flew into another rage, and before Hope could fully transform into an unstoppable Lost One, he tackled her to the ground, starting to maul her with all his werehog might! The scythe went flying out of her skull, and the Phantom Fighters looked to see Loscythe glancing in the blade's direction. "No ya don't!!" Sonic cried, firing his PCD directly at the unprotected creature! Tails added his own beam to the mix, and Loscythe screeched in pain from the chaos energy! However, the other Tails had reassembled into a Lost One zombie himself, and was now holding the scythe as Were-Sonic finished with Hope. "Little bro... don't make me do this!" he grunted. "I have no choice..." Tails said in his zombified voice. Were-Sonic backed up a step. "What would your...book say?" he asked. An odd expression came across Los Tails' face. "M-my book?" he groaned, holding his head. Loscythe reached a bony hand towards the scythe, trying to pull it back with telekinesis. However, Los Tails clutched it tightly. "N-never... trust a monster..." he grunted, "I-I'm a monster... a-and so are you!!" he snarled, keeping the weapon from the creature with all his might! "You defective traitor!!" Loscythe howled, "Lospecter will destroy you!!" Meanwhile, the living Tails fiddled with his PCD a bit. "Let's give it more juice!" he shouted. "Yeah! Yeah! Let's juice and cut it loose!" Sonic added. Tails' beam grew larger, and Loscythe shrieked and fell, right into the fist of Were-Sonic! "You've taken enough from us!! Now you're done!!" he roared, his stretchy arms grabbing the creature and proceeding to slam it against the walls, shattering its bones! Then he proceeded to pound those scattered bones into a slimy paste, while the Phantom Fighters zapped the remains into inactivity! Loscythe was no more...but Los Tails was still there, holding the scythe!

The zombified Tails smirked. "Never...trust a monster... You're a monster, too, Sonic..." he sneered, glaring at Were-Sonic. "Aw, I hoped he was on our side." the living Tails whimpered. Just then, a large glowing portal opened at the back window of the control room! "NOW what!?" Sp. Sonic shouted in exasperation. "Look out!" the familiar voices called, and the trio moved aside as Los Tails charged toward the portal. "Lord Apocalos... He is calling...!" he said in a bit of a dazed voice. The Phantom Fighters and Were-Sonic stared in utter confusion. "What the heck was that? What's an Apocyloss?" Were-Sonic grunted. "Hurry! Hurry! Before the portal closes!" The cheery voice from earlier could be heard...behind them! They turned to see a white mouse with tiny gold wings flitting in the air with a navy blue, somewhat goth-dressed hare standing behind him. "I had to get Cupie 'cuz apparently I'm too scary for you guys." the hare sighed. "Haha, you're not scary, Dusk!" Cupie the mouse giggled. The Phantom Fighters pointed their PCDs at them. "Where did you two come from??" Sonic asked. "Oooh, edgy! It's okay! We watch over the multiverse!" Cupie announced. "Used to..." Dusk corrected. Were-Sonic turned back to the portal. He thought he could see a familiar place on the other side through all the light. "That's leading to...another dimension?" he questioned. "Like we came from!" Tails noted. "We're gonna be late..." Dusk groaned. Cupie nodded. "People need our help on the other side of that portal! This... This'll be the battle for all worlds against those Lost Ones. We came to get you for this battle, sorry we were so late!" the mouse said unusually sadly. They all turned to the portal. "Sal and Ant and Copter... They'd want us to finish this..." Sonic said as Tails nodded. Were-Sonic nodded as well. "There's nothin' for me here now, anyway..." he said gruffly. With all that decided, the five of them went to follow after Los Tails through the portal. This nightmare wouldn't end until the final battle was finished. Could the Lost Ones be defeated, or would all worlds suffer the fate of GeneX Necros?

Mua ha ha ha ha!! Happy Halloween!!

Bzzt!! Zzzt!! Testing, 8 2 8 8....

"Hey, all! Gator here! I was a bit too busy to be in this one! Too bad, workin' on my birthday! Oh! But I have a message for you guys! This story will continue but not in the Nightmare Zone! We're in the Endgame now! Err, I mean, Doomsday! So, you'll wanna be reading Sonic GeneX: Doomsday if you wanna see how this story ends! Maybe it'll even be less than a year to wait! That'd be so weird for the Nightmare Zone! Well, anyway, thanks for listening. Now, what was I doing again...?"

To be concluded...in Sonic GeneX: Doomsday!