Shade stands at the edge of a darkened temple, her eyes scanning the horizon. The air is thick with tension, her armored gauntlets glowing faintly as she clenches her fists.

quietly to herself “So much time has passed… yet the weight of my choices still lingers. The Nocturnus Clan trusted me, but loyalty without truth is a prison. I can’t be part of that again.”

She steps forward, her boots crunching against ancient stone as memories flood her mind.

reflecting “Knuckles… a Guardian who defends what’s left of his tribe, standing alone against the world. He doesn’t understand what it’s like to have been blind to the truth. I envy his simplicity—his certainty. But I admire his strength.” Her gaze sharpens as she pulls out a small, intricate device from her belt.

determined “Ix’s technology was powerful, but it doesn’t belong here. It never should have. The Chaos Emeralds aren’t tools for domination. They’re forces of balance, and I’ll protect them—even from my own clan if I must.”

The shadows shift behind her, and she draws her blade with fluid precision.

“No more deception. No more chains. I fight for the truth now… and I’ll carve a path to it, one strike at a time.” Her voice lowers, a whisper of conviction.

“My name is Shade. And this time… I choose my own fate.”