Ashes, Ashes, it all Burns Down

by You Can Call Me Nora

Banished to a distant dimension, a flaming demon bound to her soul, Blaze runs into a familiar face that shouldn't be there. But as they talk, she soon discovers that he isn't the only familiar sight in this place. Dark secrets come into the light, including the true horrors behind the heroic mission she had set out to accomplish. Could everything she thought she knew all be a lie?

A.N.: This monster of a oneshot is the result of me trying to resolve some of the many inconsistencies of that game that nobody ever mentions but yet got a lot of people talking (or at least cursing with disgust and frustration). I'm talking about the game commonly referred to as Sonic 06, Sega's fifteenth anniversary flop.

However, I've never actually played the game, so it isn't the ten-minute long loading screens or the infuriating gameplay mechanics that exasperate me, but I have seen the cutscenes on youtube, so it's actually the story that bugs me. And what really gets to me is the fact that there was a lot of potential for the story to be really cool and really interesting, with lots of dramatic twists and turns, a fun new character, a cool villain, time travel, etc, but what we got was a confusing mess of inconsistencies, a bunch of unnecessary characters that really didn't accomplish anything, a storyline that ended up not actually happening at all, and a disgusting romance between Sonic and Elise - basically a poorly written self-insertion fanfic that is actually canon.

But with all the plot holes and inconsistencies, one of the biggest issues I had with it (besides Elise, but what can be done with her that the fandom hasn't already done?) was Blaze. Her backstory, which had already been established in Sonic Rush, was changed to something else entirely with no explanation whatsoever. I mean, she doesn't even mention the Sol Emeralds once, and that's a pretty big deal, since the entirety of her last appearance was her being obsessed with them. Now, granted, the Sol Emeralds aren't part of this game at all, but the fact that she doesn't even talk about why she's there, how she got there, why she's not guarding the Sol Emeralds, or even mentions the dimension she comes from until the very end (and even then she doesn't even call it her own, it's just "another dimension") is very upsetting considering Princess Blaze is the Royal Guardian of the Sol Emeralds. And it's not that this took place before Sonic Rush, because once Mephiles mentions that the Iblis Trigger is a blue hedgehog, she reacts. The description is familiar because she knows him. And I know Blaze is defined by her honour and performing her duty, but I think even she would question murdering Sonic the Hedgehog, the guy who helped her get the Sol Emeralds back from the Eggmen and helped her unlock their true power, and one of the only friends she's ever made. Especially when someone as sketchy as Mephiles told her to do it. Like, I don't even think Knuckles is that gullible, and that's saying something!

TL;DR: This oneshot is basically my headcanon of what Blaze is doing before, during and after Sonic 06. Enjoy!

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Ashes, Ashes, It All Burns Down

The fiery monster lets out a vanquished roar as it crumbles upon itself, piece by piece like a house of cards. Its rocky shell melts away into the sea of lava it had drawn its strength from, and the impressive body it previously held falls apart into a shapeless, swirling column of flame.

We stand near the edge of a cliff, overlooking the beast as it writhes in its death throes. It roars again, but with less vigour this time, and it throws burning sparks at us in a feeble attempt to attack us as the last of its mass compresses itself into a massive orb of fire before us. The heat is intense on our faces as we stand before the Flames of Disaster, but after months and months of engaging this foe, we are both used to it by now and we triumphantly stand our ground before the dying beast.

Silver briefly turns to me, his golden eyes serious and focused, but at the same time searching me for approval. We have been a team ever since we met, determined to rid the world of Iblis at any and all costs. He has accomplished much in our quest, and even though we were separated for much of it, he has travelled far and wide, and even through time to find the best way to destroy it once and for all.

We were initially informed that something known as the "Iblis Trigger" was the cause of the apocalypse that nearly destroyed this world some centuries ago, and since there seemed to be no way to stop the flaming demon in its current form, we would have to prevent it from coming to be in the first place. If one had the ability to go back in time to before this Iblis Trigger could bring about this disaster upon the world and destroy it, then the flaming creature would never be unleashed and our world would never become this blazing wasteland. Fate was truly with us, for we found somebody who could take us back to that time; or, more appropriately, he found us.

A mysterious hedgehog named Mephiles was the one who told us of this plan and provided the means for it if we were to accept it. It would be a risky mission, as a traumatic change to history such as this would have a significant effect on our upbringing; our relationship toward one another and possibly even our very existence could cease to be, but it was a chance we decided to take. Even though the Iblis Trigger turned out to be a person (one whose description - a blue hedgehog - still fills me with uneasy discomfort), Silver and I agreed that we would take on this task for the sake of the world and a better future for everyone. After some time, however, Silver came to question whether this course of action was truly the right one, and though I assured him it was - one life ended as opposed to millions - he began doggedly searching for a way to end this fiery conflict without further bloodshed, much to his credit.

He has told me he has found such a way, and he has come this far to ensure it works, and though he has been rather vague with the details of his plan, (not an altogether unusual occurrence with him) I am ready to support and help him in any way I can.

It has always been like this; his fiery ambition and undying determination is often made ineffective by his immaturity and naïveté, and requires a guiding hand to remain on track. While he has been the driving force that has brought us this far, it has been my down-to-earth focus that has steered us safely through the storm. Even now he watches me, for this brief instant, seeking such guidance now. He needs to know that this is truly the right thing to do.

I give a slight nod of approval. I trust him more than anyone else, and I fully believe his plan will work. It has to.

He steps up to the cliff's edge holding a Chaos Emerald in each hand. I watch him bravely face this enormous ball of living fire with nothing between him and it but two ethereally glowing gemstones clenched tightly in his steady hands. A bead of sweat trickles down his temple as he crosses his arms and begins speaking the words he has prepared for this moment.

"Chaos Emeralds, lend me your power!" he begins loudly. Those words alone seem to encourage him and he continues with ever more passion building in each word. "Eternal Sun! The Living Flame that has been entrusted to the royal family!" He uncrosses his arms and his amber eyes flare brightly with power and concentration, even more intensely than when he uses his psychokinetic powers.

I frown in uncertain anticipation, unsure as to what he is doing. This is all him. At this point, I can do nothing but watch.

"Fall into slumber within my soul, Iblis! You cursed Flames of Disaster!" he yells at the defeated creature. The emeralds shine brightly in his hands, and he thrusts them forward. They let out a final, brilliant burst of energy that bathes him in a mystical light and draws the beast in towards him.

My eyes widen as the flames swirl toward his exposed chest. I don't know where he got the idea, but he must hope to seal the beastly fire within him, keeping it at rest where it can do no more damage. But how can he be certain he can keep it there?

...Maybe he isn't. I have seen him initiate a Chaos Control before, after all, and this powerful technique uses the power of the Chaos Emeralds to breach a hole through time and space. He must plan on sending himself to a place where even if he can't contain it and the seal is broken, Iblis cannot threaten the world again.

It is a noble action, and it seems to be the only way to truly eradicate the Flames of Disaster from this world. I know this, and I commend him for his bravery, but despite myself, I still feel it is wrong.

The fire rushes in between the emeralds in Sliver's hands at his summoning. But instead of entering into him, it spreads itself across his body, wrapping him in its blazing clutches. His back arches and his eyes clench tightly shut as he screams in sudden agony. There is a hint of surprise in his scream; he was not expecting this kind of pain and resistance. Something has gone terribly wrong; that much is made clear as the beast physically rejects him, his head whipping back as Iblis tries to force him away.

He doesn't quit, though. He holds his ground and continues trying to seal the flames within him, grunting and groaning in pain with each new attempt. They are all futile, however, and he only becomes weaker as the process quickly drains his strength.

Finally, he shakes his head and looks away, blinking in confusion and pain as the fire continues to swirl around him. His gaze isn't directed at me, but I can still see the shock and disbelief under the obvious confusion. His plan has failed, and he cannot understand why.

"No!" he grunts, shaking his head again and glaring up at Iblis. There up is less zeal in it, though, as he is tiring quickly, but he still won't accept this as a failure. "Why won't it accept me as the vessel?"

Though discouraged and confused, he tries again, refusing to let the flames revive again. They dance all over him, not staying in one place long enough to ignite his fur, but singeing him around the edges and scorching the skin beneath.

Sympathy rises within me as I watch him writhe, putting everything he has into this futile mission. It shouldn't be like this; there has to be another way. Even if his efforts pay off and Iblis is sealed inside of him, he has no idea what it means to carry flames within your heart, or how a heavy a burden it is to contain a force that powerful behind your ribcage every moment of every day.

I do.

I slowly approach him as my mind races with this new train of thought. Of course the inferno won't accept him - he has no kind of connection to its power and no way to obtain one. From what we have gathered, the royal family of Soleanna has been entrusted with its care for generations, so it is only natural that they have become inexplicably bound to it over the years - an internal flame, so to speak, within each of them for performing their duty. An acceptable vessel for its fiery rage must have a similar flame inside of them that can handle the vigorous heat it gives off even when dormant.

I reach for the silver furred hedgehog struggling at the edge of the cliff, the fire raging over him causing me no harm to me as I press through them. I take this as proof of my acceptance, and proceed without further hesitation. I place my hand on his shoulder, a gentle offer of my assistance.

He starts at my touch, and whirls on me, his eyes wide with both surprise and pain. "Blaze!" he blurts, looking frantically between me and the fiery core, unsure which of us requires more attention.

"I'll take Iblis," I tell him softly. He stares at me in disbelief, unsure how to take this. In his determination to go through with this, he has assumed that only he is up to this task, not even considering that I am just as willing to do what must be done for the world as he is.

I reach down and gently place my hand on one of the emeralds in his hands, putting a stop to Silver's fruitless struggles. This makes the jewels' brilliant light dim to a soft glow. With the energy flow now cut off, the fire leaves him and returns to the burning core off the cliff. His shoulders droop slightly in relief, but he still watches me warily, waiting for an explanation.

"Don't worry. My soul is already alight with flames. I will be accepted," I continue, taking the emeralds from him and stepping toward Iblis fearlessly. I mimic Silver's stance and the emeralds give off their harsh light again, but my focus is on the Flames of Disaster.

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Silver has collapsed onto one knee, exhausted from his fruitless efforts. His breathing is deep and ragged, and he tries to keep his head up and watch my attempts at sealing the beast within me. Will I be more successful than he?

As the flames swirl before me, I uncross my arms and give them passage into my soul. The fire enters me with no resistance or difficulty, immediately accepting me as a vessel in which it can fall into slumber.

But it does not come quietly. Though it accepts my flames as a sufficient prerequisite, it still resists me, unwilling to fall dormant after its centuries-long reign of destruction. My flames are hard enough to control at times, but this pure, raw, animalistic power suddenly coursing through my entire being that is alive and demanding freedom and craving destruction is almost more than I can handle. I can barely contain it, and it dances and swirls around me in wisps as I stand frozen on the cliff's edge with the emeralds clenched in my grip, using all of my concentration to keep Iblis bound within me with my own flames.

Silver stumbles unsteadily to his feet behind me, breathing heavily, one hand protecting his chest where the flames tried to enter. He may not have been accepted as a suitable vessel, but that does not make him entirely useless. I can barely hold onto Iblis, and he may be the only chance we have to prevent it from threatening the world again.

"Come on, make it quick!" I call to him. "Use your Chaos Control to stop time. Then seal us into another dimension!"

"No! I can't do that to you!"

"Didn't we already go through this?" I demand, glaring at him over my shoulder. "We agreed to save the world at any price!"

He grits his teeth at this sharp reminder, but he knows I'm right. He glances briefly down at his hand, then back at me. I give him a curt nod, then return my focus to the living flame trying to break its way out of me.

I'm sorry, Silver, I silently apologize as I close my eyes and give the emeralds a tight squeeze as I prepare for the end. But it has to be this way.

I can hear him positioning himself for this final and most vital action, and I brace myself accordingly. But nothing happens. There is another shuffle of movement behind me, and a soft grunt of frustration, but there isn't so much as a spark of power, never mind a Chaos Control.

"I can't!" he finally blurts. "I wouldn't know what to do without you! You've fought alongside me to save the world." There is a slight pause before he clumsily adds, "You're my friend... Right?" His voice shrinks as he asks this, a desperate hope against hope that this will somehow change my decision. His refusal to let go sounds like that of a lost child, and my heart twists painfully in my chest because he wouldn't dare let himself appear this weak in front of anyone else but me... his friend.

But this has to be done. We both know it, and if he thinks anything he can do will change that fact, I'm afraid he's in for some bitter disappointment. "You're still so naïve," I tell him. But I can't help smiling softly as I turn toward him, memories of all the things we've accomplished together (and all of the death traps I've had to pull him out of) coming back to me as I meet my friend's gaze for the last time. "But I... I've always liked that about you," I admit stupidly. It's really what let me approach him in the first place. Colour rushes unbidden to my face at the admitted irony of being fond of that which I have chastised him about more than anything, but thankfully the glow from the swirling flames hides it.

I can feel pure energy from the emeralds rushing through me with every beat of my racing heart, helping me contain the fire within me. It feels strangely familiar, and yet not, as if it were the reflection or echo of something I once knew long ago. I have a sudden realization that this power, combined with that of Iblis and my own, could be enough for me to rip open a hole in time and space myself and allow me passage into a realm where the raging flames can do no harm. And with Silver unwilling to do so himself, I must because I have an odd feeling deep inside me that I can.

I close my eyes in concentration and allow the oddly familiar energy to course its way through me. I feel as though I have experienced something similar to this before, recognizing the intense power, but not the way it fills me me with an electric surge of emotion and strength. I let this power build within me, and I suddenly know how to use it - I don't know how, it just seems to come naturally to me.

When I am no longer able to contain this intense power, I extend my arms out to their full length and suddenly release the built up energy into the immediate area around me, causing white hot sparks to fly from me in all directions. I focus all of my attention on it, trying to somehow control it, this Chaos all around me. And in that instant, I suddenly know. I cannot explain it, but I know I can do this.

I focus the energy solely on myself and let it take its own course. It explodes in a brilliant flash of light, then engulfs me in a pink sphere of energy which I can only assume is the dimensional gateway I have just opened. Iblis seems to quiet down significantly now that my Chaos Control has shown it up. I myself feel exhausted as the inter-dimensional light show has drained me of nearly all of my strength, and I sigh as I feel the breach in the space-time continuum slowly pull me backwards. The emeralds fall from my lax grip, no longer needed, and I feel a cold, numbing sensation quickly climbing up my legs as they leave the ground and I am pulled away from this world.

"Blaze!" Silver calls out to me. He rushes to the cliff edge that is by now a good distance beneath me and increasing fast. He watches me fade away in shock and disbelief, ignoring the emeralds lying at his feet. Judging by the look of utter despair on his face, I can't decide whether he feels Iblis consuming the world in its destructive rampage or this was the worst-case-scenario.

However, what's done is done. I only hope he'll be okay without me.

I raise a hand in farewell. "Good luck, Silver," I call down to him as a final adieu. It is all I can bid him now, though there is really so much more to say. Our friendship has always been like this, though; we speak little to each other because sometimes we can only get in a few words before a giant fireball or some other monstrosity cuts us off, but the message still gets through. All of the many battles we have fought together have allowed this deeper kind of communication to grow between us where one word can have the weight of many. I can only hope this is the case now.

I finally reach the thick layer of clouds and, with a final burst of light that explodes from me, I break through them and simultaneously pass through to another world; one where Iblis can safely be contained and can do no harm.

Farewell, my friend.

I suddenly find myself falling down into darkness. I flip around instinctively, pointing my feet in the direction of my fall so as to land without injury, if indeed there is something beneath me to land on.

Though it is nearly as black as the medium through which I fall, I spot the ground rushing toward me and I skillfully land in a crouch on the solid surface. It is cold and dry, and the darkness surrounding me is so thick it's oppressive. I find myself having to fight against it more than my fatigue as I slowly get to my feet and and, swaying unsteadily, cautiously look around this mysterious place.

There must have been life here once, for plants still attempt to grow in the bleak twilight. If they are still alive, though, they do not show it. Bare trees stretch their gnarled limbs toward the black sky, desperate for any kind of light, like the emaciated arms of starved prisoners reaching for a scrap of food. The weather must be thickly overcast, because I cannot see any stars in the sky; provided of course it is night now. It must be, for it couldn't possibly be this dark in the day.

The air is cold and stale, but breathable. It carries a faint scent that strikes me as vaguely familiar, which is most bewildering because of course I have never been in this place before. Where I have been fighting Iblis for as long as I can remember, everything in that burning world reeked with the harsh tang of smoke that always burned in the back of my throat. This place, however, is free from such fumes, which is both relieving and disturbing at the same time. If there is anything I can compare the smell to, it would be death; as if this darkness is all that remains of a once prosperous age that died some eons ago. And yet, there is a salty tinge to it that I recognize, but cannot name. It lacks any kind of life, and every breath I draw seems like poison in my lungs.

Being here alone in this desolate wasteland is oddly reminiscent of when I first met Silver all those long months ago. They are my first accurate memories I have as everything before that seems to have been lost to me. When I regained consciousness from whatever had cost me my memory, all I knew about was my name and my flames. I had no idea where I had come from, or how I had obtained my pyrokinetic abilities. I would sometimes have vague dreams of living someplace warm and green, with wide oceans as far as the eye could see, but I could never connect any of them together. To this day, I still am no closer to finding the answer, but I don't dwell on it very often. It just never seemed important enough for me to pursue with everything else that was going on.

My first clear memory I have is waking up alone in an unfamiliar place somewhere in the mountains. That was all I could determine before I was suddenly attacked by a grotesque creature constructed entirely of fire. I managed to repel it with my own flames, then was soon beset upon by a small group of assorted mobians and humans that had settled in a nearby village. They had seen me battle the beast and appreciated my defending them, but feared my method of doing so. They had all developed a fear of fire, no doubt from the flaming beasts that would hunt them down, and connected any form of it directly to the inferno that had all but destroyed their world. They assumed my powers also fell under this generalization, and therefore I was also a danger. Though I tried to explain otherwise, I was driven from their presence.

Every place I turned to met me with the same fearful hostility. Word travelled faster than I did, and the rumours only grew more and more outrageous as they spread. It soon got to the point where I could no longer go anywhere near any kind of settlement without an angry mob chasing me away. I had become to them a minion of the Flames disguised in flesh and blood in order to infiltrate and burn down the few communities that still remained standing in their mountainous refuge. It didn't help that whenever a real flame creature would find me, the only way I could fend it off was by overpowering it with my own flames, which, when observed, would only fuel the hideous rumours and isolate me further from the people I was trying to help.

I didn't mind being alone, really. I felt no desire for companionship and needed no help in surviving on my own. However, deep down it was still painful that nobody would accept me, or even give me a chance to earn their trust just because of my accursed flames. I would spend the cold nights in the few scattered, abandoned villages I found, quickly becoming used to the harsh reality of this world, but never really understanding the reason why they feared me so much; after all, I have pyrokinesis, not pyromania.

The only clue I ever received was a name: Iblis. Evidently, this Iblis was the cause of the destruction and fear that plagued this world, and had an even stronger connection to fire than I. I decided that as I was accomplishing nothing in the mountains, I would have to find this Iblis if I were to have any hope of finding out just what had happened here and then perhaps change it for the better.

I could sense strange fire similar to the kind that made up the monsters that attacked without provocation down in the scorched flat-lands beyond the foothills, so I left the mountains and headed off in search of its origin. More of the fiery beasts roamed the landscape here, and while I avoided most of them, I had no need to hold back with my powers any longer when I did engage them. The deserted settlements I found down there were much larger, but were completely uninhabitable with only blackened steel frames remaining of their once impressive buildings and roads.

One evening, I entered one of these ghost towns, its tall, lonely structures looming mournfully in the red glow of the setting sun. There were some ominous-looking clouds forming on the northern horizon, and I could smell lightning in the air. Fortunately, enough of the low-lying buildings still stood that I could choose from a few in which I could sit out the storm in relative comfort. However, as I began searching out an appropriate shelter for myself, I discovered the city was not quite as empty as I had initially thought.

A pack of flaming beasts ambushed me in the ruined streets as the last rays of the sun bathed the town in a dying, red glare and thunder rumbled nearby. I fought back as best I could, but they outnumbered and overpowered me. They just kept coming, getting stronger and stronger all the while, and as the storm struck in its full fury, what I thought would be my deliverance turned out to be my downfall. The thick, black clouds held no rain, but carried a howling wind that only helped to feed the beasts' fury, whipping them into a wild, bloodthirsty frenzy while dry lightning lashed out at the ground from the heavens, encouraging new flames to spark and giving birth to more of the abominations.

At that moment, I could see how civilization had fallen to the fires.

Knowing I couldn't last much longer against these opponents, I attempted a retreat. However, they had me entirely surrounded, leaving me no choice but to continue to battle them in spite of my exhaustion and the injuries I had sustained.

It could very well have been the end of me had not Silver suddenly appeared out of nowhere and assisted me. Together, we defeated the creatures of fire, fighting alongside each other in synchronized unison as though we had rehearsed it. His psychokinesis blasted the creatures apart, and I took out the stragglers that remained with the last of my own flames. Our combined powers decimated the ranks of our attackers with deadly efficiency. It was as if we were destined to meet and become allies.

After the battle, I turned my attention on him, expecting the same reception from him as I had received from every other person I had met. But instead of pushing me away like the others, he asked if I was okay and, after noticing my injuries, helped me to find a stable, old building that kept out the wind and stayed with me until the storm had passed the next day to make sure I was all right.

I was skeptical and hostile at first, unable to believe that he actually cared about my well-being when no one else had even bothered to give me a chance. However, as he began tending to my wounds and we began talking, it slowly became clear that his kindness was sincere, and that I had quite possibly found not only a valuable ally, but also a friend and a confidante in Silver the Hedgehog.

He was different from from the other people I had met here, and not just because of his telekinetic abilities. He didn't immediately reject me because of my flames, and in fact thought they would be a very useful tool in this blazing world. Perhaps it was because of his own powers that he was so quick to accept mine. Perhaps he had experienced rejection from his own people and had also been driven away from them as I had. Perhaps because of this he understood my pain and loneliness and needed a friend as badly as I did. Perhaps not. Whatever the reason, we formed a companionship that night that kept us going for months to follow.

He gladly told me all he knew about Iblis, how the Flames of Disaster (as they were also called) had been unleashed upon the world some centuries ago and had nearly destroyed all life in its furious rampage. The few who had survived had fled to the wastelands and crags - the very corners of the world where the fires couldn't reach - and had tried to start anew with little success. All that remained of the world before this apocalyptic catastrophe were skeletal frames of charred, abandoned cities silhouetted against the sky. They alone stood strong after all these years as memorials of a bygone age of peace and a symbol of the undying will of all life to survive.

He told me he had taken it upon himself to destroy Iblis once and for all, and finally rid the world of its menace. He had been trying to follow the trail of scorched land to its source, but hadn't had much success until he had found me. When I told him I could sense the Living Flame, he wondered if my flames were connected to Iblis in any way, though not in an accusing way like the others had. I told him that though I had no recollection of anything certain prior to the day I awoke in the mountains, I knew that my flames were a part of me solely, and that they were of an entirely different nature from the fiery monsters I had faced already. (However, where I could not prove this, I later told him after we had fully earned each other's trust that if it was found out that I was connected to Iblis in some way, he would have every right to destroy me as well. I refused to be the cause of further destruction.)

He believed me, which was more than anyone else had done for me, and asked me to join him on his quest. Together we could assist one another, and we would have a far greater chance of defeating Iblis if we worked in tandem. He also said that in return for my help he would do everything he could to help me regain my mysteriously lost memory.

I agreed, though we made Iblis the number one priority. I told him it was because it was better to focus on one problem at a time, especially where one was the major task of destroying the Flames of Disaster, and it really wasn't that big of a deal for me to find out who I really was, since whatever my past had been made no difference to the present. Deep down, however, I was secretly afraid that everything everyone else had said was right, and my flames really were related to Iblis, and maybe it was best that I didn't remember my past for everyone's sake.

If Silver ever knew, or even suspected this secret fear, he never let on. He merely accepted my decision and focused his attention on his original mission, but with my help this time. We made a vow that no matter the cost we would save the world, relying on one another's skills to get through hell together, as it were.

However, I could never completely shake the feeling that with my amnesia I had forgotten something incredibly important.

An icy breeze cuts into my face, pulling me back into reality with such contrast to the intense heat within me that it takes my breath away for a second. Iblis takes this moment of weakness to spring back to life again, even now refusing to remain completely dormant despite having been sealed within me. Its struggles are weaker than before, though, which is a relief because my passage here drained almost all of my strength. It would seem its strength and vigour now rises and falls with my own in a similar fashion to my own pyrokinesis. Perhaps this is a sign that I have been fully accepted as the new vessel for containing this monstrosity, and it is now my responsibility to prevent it from ever breaking loose again.

I force it to resettle with an effort and, looking up, I notice a lone mountain on the horizon. There is not much else around, and there might still be some dangerous animals lurking about, so I begin slowly moving to the higher ground, taking occasional breathers to calm the living flame that swirls restlessly around and within me. There is an old path that winds up the slope, but it doesn't look like it has been used in a very long time. However, the fact that the road exists at all makes it clear that there was once something worth going up the mountain for. It makes the climb easier, though, and I reach the end of the trail before too long and without incident.

It leads to a small, open plateau about two-thirds up the rocky slope dotted with ruins. As I approach it, I can see that it was once a number of buildings of some sort, the only part of them still standing being pieces of the walls lying here and there in loose rectangles. It is very difficult to tell what these ruins once were, but there are a lot of square cut stones scattered around, especially near the edges. The last remaining foundation of a protective wall, perhaps?

Behind the ancient desolation, another path leads to a set of stairs cut out of the cliff. They wind up the mountainside and lead to another outcropping higher up. Seeing as how there is nothing else of interest here, I continue up the new path. It is narrow, and a few steps have crumbled away, but the ones remaining are still sturdy after all these years of disrepair, and I scale them easily.

This new area is smaller from the last, and is quite near the mountain summit. Separated from the large, rectangular buildings down below, here is a smaller set of ruins, surrounded by a toppled, circular wall. In the centre of it, there sits a circle of destroyed pedestals, or perhaps pillars, set up like the remains of some kind of structure. There are seven of them surrounding a larger, flat platform of stone that sits at the top of a few wide steps carved into it. Pictures of sapient creatures and ancient hieroglyphs are also carved into the sides of the steps and around the smooth, rocky monument, telling ancient stories of the civilization that once lived here. Most of them are too faded to read and many of them have chunks hewn out of them, but I feel as though I already know how some of the stories go, oddly enough.

The pedestals surrounding the carved boulder look like short stumps of stone with their tops knocked clean off. Beyond these pedestals, a number of dust coated blocks of stone lay scattered here and there in all directions, possibly the remains of another great wall. Was all this once a fortified safe hold that fell to some terrible enemy? I can only think that whatever caused this must've been an incredibly powerful force to cause this much destruction.

I trace my finger along the rim of the one closest to me, the dead stone like ice to my touch. This place brings about a nostalgic reaction in me, which is most unusual; Why would I feel such emotional attachment to inanimate objects? It is a hopeless sensation, and I can't help but feel a pang of guilt in the pit of my stomach, as though there was something I could have done to prevent this destruction and failed to do so.

My ears suddenly perk up as I sense I am no longer alone in this lifeless crag. It is a dark presence, and the darkness around the clearing shimmers excitedly at its appearance as though it were not only alive, but eager to meet the newcomer.

"Uwah ha ha ha! Well, this is certainly an unexpected pleasure. I must say, you're looking quite well after all this time," an eerily familiar voice laughs darkly from behind me, sending shivers down my spine. There is so much concentrated evil in the sound that the air itself seems to drop several degrees.

I whirl around, braced to face this threat, whatever it may be, and I can't contain a small gasp as I see the dark outline of a hedgehog in the centre of the circle of toppled pillars. His pitch black fur has no lustre to it at all, and is interrupted only by a white patch that looks a little like a bird with outspread wings in the middle of his chest. He wears pale, white gloves that look faded, as though all the brightness had long ago been drained out them, and strange, black and white boots with pale blue tongues and soles. His head is equally menacing, with his soft blue lined quills flared out behind him somewhat akin to a lion's mane. Another blue stripe runs over the top of his head, from the peak of his forehead to the tip of a quill that jaggedly juts out of the back of his skull.

What is most unnerving about him, though, is his face. His eyes are a vivid, reptilian green that leap out startlingly from the cold, shadowy colours that make up the rest of him and seem to glow with their own luminescence. He has a light grey muzzle, but no mouth on it, a disturbingly unusual, but very distinctive quality, which makes him immediately recognizable as the mysterious Mephiles.

He stands in the middle of the ruins, staring at me with that same unreadable expression on his face he would always meet Silver and me with. Of course, not having a mouth makes it difficult to ever read him; even his eyes mask his thoughts well, never so much as twitching at any kind of news, good or bad. However, now his unblinking stare seems intently focused on me with a disturbing kind of hunger in them that immediately makes me very uncomfortable, especially where he barely noticed my existence before.

"Mephiles?" I begin carefully. "What are you doing here?"

To my surprise, the ebony hedgehog throws back his head and laughs again, a strange thing to witness as the only sign of him making such a sound is his pale muzzle slightly inflating and deflating to the corresponding rhythm, not unlike a furry balloon in the middle of his face. Having never seen him behave like this, I immediately put myself on full alert and take a half step backwards. Something is very wrong here.

"So, you do remember me. Why, then, did you bring Iblis to me?" he asks with an arched, blue eyebrow. Then he adds in a more amused tone, "Not that I'm at all upset, mind you."

"Wh-what? I-" I begin to question, but the beastly flames suddenly leap excitedly inside of me, as though as in response to Mephiles's presence. A few wisps swirl around me, trying to break free of my hold, while a few larger ones reach outward toward him longingly. With a few strained grunts, I manage to tame them again, pulling them safely back inside of me, but they nevertheless churn restlessly as they wait for another opportunity to spring. I'm going to have to keep my guard up especially tight until this incident is over.

I return my gaze to Mephiles and find him standing not two feet in front of me with that same unreadable expression in his eyes. I can't help gasping again and taking a few hasty steps backwards, trying to put as much distance between us as I can without completely losing my composure.

He snorts in amusement and shakes his head patronizingly. "How pathetic. Look at you. You can barely control them. Why risk damaging yourself this way? Why don't you hand them over to someone who can handle them properly?" he asks, offering a hand toward me. "After all, we wouldn't want a repeat of last time, would we?"

"Last time?" I repeat in confusion. What is he talking about? The last time we met, he told Silver and myself to hurry up and decide if we were willing to do what was necessary to save the world from fiery destruction. I have already accomplished this by sealing the flames that caused it within me and coming to this place, another dimension far from the already ravaged world I left behind. But then how can Mephiles be here? And what is he talking about?

"I don't understand. What's going on here? What are you doing here, and why would you want Iblis?" I ask him.

"Hmm..." His eyes twinkle dangerously as he answers. "Let's just say we belong together, he and I." Then his eyes widen in what I suppose is meant to be sympathy. "You've suffered so much already. Allow me to take him off of your hands and ease your burden."

I hesitate, not trusting the hungry look in his eyes. He seems a little too eager to take the Flames of Disaster from me, and he's being even more ambiguous than usual. "...I think I'd better hold onto them for now," I tell him. "Besides, they are sealed within my soul now. It's my responsibility to keep them contained so they can no longer cause any more destruction."

"And we both know how well you handled your last responsibility." he replies, and I can hear the twisted smirk in his voice.

"Huh? I-I don't..."

"Save yourself the agony of yet another failure, and release Iblis to me. I won't ask again."

His threat snaps me out of my bewildered stupor. It is obvious I can no longer trust this... thing as I did before. Even Silver knew better than to believe him fully after discovering something in his trek into the past. I wish he had told me what it was. "No! What do you want with them, anyway?" I ask Mephiles coldly.

"With Iblis, I can finally achieve my ultimate goal; one I've waited centuries to achieve."

"I'm afraid you're going to have to wait a little bit longer then."

We stare each other down for a few long, tense seconds before he slowly retracts his hand and shakes his head. "You certainly are a glutton for punishment. But then why did you return here if you knew I was here waiting for you?"

His cryptic words frustrate me. "What are you talking about, Mephiles? What is this place? And what do you mean by 'waiting'?" I demand fearlessly.

The neon green eyes widen slightly at my sudden outburst, though it seems to be more in interest than in fear. "Hmm..." he muses briefly. "Don't you recognize this place? Don't you recall what transpired here that brought it to this?"

I narrow my eyes icily, but he merely watches me, spreading his arms as an invitation to look around this haunted place. Slowly, cautiously, I do, carefully taking in every detail. The ground is dry and cracked beneath my feet. A breath of wind so sluggish it seems like the world's last sets the dark dust swirling around us in an icy embrace that smells of decay. There are a few dead trees still standing here and there, perhaps the final remains of a lush forest that once flourished here. And before me stands Mephiles in centre of the ruins. They are by far the most depressing part of the entire area, the old, once proud, sturdy stone structures now nothing more than stumps and rubble strewn along the mountainside, lain flat by centuries of desolation and disrepair. The shadowy hedgehog waiting in their midst is the only thing standing triumphant amidst this tragedy. I can't help but think that he must have been its cause, the perceptive amusement in his gaze unmistakably clear as he watches me take all this in. He alone stands victorious among this destruction, a gloating mockery of what once stood here, like vandalism on a memorial, or a heathen in a sanctuary.

Wait... A sanctuary...?

Mephiles must notice my sudden discomfort because he begins speaking again. "You're still not sure? Try visualizing this: soft, green grass carpets this entire area, disturbed only by the occasional stroke of a tropical breeze. A lively town rings the volcano we're standing on, under it's ever vigilant guard."

My heart begins pounding as an icy chill runs down my spine. Even the restless flame within me seems to shiver at his words, which doesn't help me at all. His artistic words are like wormwood in my ears; a malevolent bite under the sugary sweetness. But that's not what petrifies me; it is that every poetic syllable he speaks - sarcastic or not - strikes true in my mind.

He slowly saunters over to the edge of the cliff, overlooking the flat-lands below like a king surveying his kingdom. "Down the pathway, in that open area littered with ruins, a majestic castle towers over the surrounding landscape, dutifully watching over its loyal subjects. Can't you see it in all its magnificent glory?"

As he describes this place as it once was, forgotten memories return to me in an explosion of colours and emotion. I suddenly find myself no longer standing amid ruins in a blackened wasteland, but high on the slope of an ancient volcano, watching over the bustling town below. The gloriously warm sunshine shines down on my shoulders from a brilliantly blue sky dotted with a few clouds that lazily float along their way in the heavens. Aside from the faint noises from the town below, the only sounds to be heard are the soft rustling of the leafy fronds of the palm trees, and the soft hush of the ocean rubbing against the shore.

This memory returns to me like an old forgotten friend, and as his continuing monologue brings me back to the reality we stand in I am horrified anew at the desolation that remains.

He paces back and forth, gesturing dramatically at his surroundings as he continues his monologue, much like a lecturing professor to his captive audience. "It is truly a tropical paradise, taken straight out of a story book. All who live here flourish under the benevolent rule of the monarchy and thrive on the generous bounty of the sea. Truly a wondrous sight to behold."

My fists clench as I simmer in silent fury. I can barely tolerate this drawn out agony as he slowly describes the beauty this place once held with that sickening gloat underlying every word. And yet I cannot stop him, for I can see the glorious picture he paints of this place with such ease and clarity that I can't help but think that I have been here before. But that of course is impossible. This is an entirely different dimension from the one I know, a world strewn with ruins that has been uninhabited for centuries.

But then why is it so painfully familiar?

"And here," he continues, turning back to me. "Here on this jutting cliff, between the castle and the volcano's peak, lies the most important and wonderful thing of all."

He stands in the centre of the circle of stone with his hands spread out dramatically. "This place is the cause of all this prosperity. For here once stood a small sanctuary, one built carefully and painstakingly for the treasures it would hold."

My breath catches in my throat as I shake my head and take a staggering step backwards. Iblis rolls, unsettled, within me as my heart races with panic. A sanctuary? Treasures? I feel as though I know what it is he is talking about, but yet I can't put my finger on it. What is wrong with me? Why can't I remember?!

"A guard was set at all times; a warrior of royal descent who understood the power these treasures held and the potential hazard that would come from them falling into the wrong hands."

I wait in silent anticipation, entirely at his mercy at this instant. I need to know the truth about this place, and he is the only one who can give me this information. I know the facts he has given me are true, but I can't connect them. It is as if there is a giant stone wall in my mind behind which lies everything about my lost past. It is an impenetrable barrier, and though Mephiles has drilled a few small cracks through which I can catch a glimpse of my former life, it is not enough to make sense of what lies behind.

"But what is this fabulous treasure, kept under so tight a guard?" Mephiles asks me rhetorically. "Surely you know? You of all people?"

His amused tone infuriates me to the point where I am shaking with rage, both at him and at myself. The answer lies just behind the impassable barrier in my mind, but I cannot break through it, despite the memories I have already recovered. If only there was something that would smash through it, once and for all...

"Amazing..."

"What, Mephiles?" I am glaring at him so hard my flames threatens to engulf him. I almost allow it, but I hold them back; I have a feeling that is exactly what he wants me to do.

He leans forward daringly, so close I should feel his breath on my face except there is none, and whispers, "The Sol Emeralds."

I flinch back from him. "Th-the Sol..."

"That's right. This was once the hidden sanctuary of the Sol Emeralds. Placed under your care, if I'm not mista-"

"No!" I blurt as my head spins. The barrier in my mind shatters, and memories rush back to me with all the overwhelming force of an explosion. Not only did l live here, I had a vital role here: I protected the Sol Emeralds from harm, and as the heir to the kingdom, it was my royal duty to keep them safe at all costs.

Hot anger boils up within me as my bleak surroundings take on a new meaning. This was once my home - my kingdom - and now the only thing left standing is Mephiles, triumphantly leering at me as the full weight of the situation finally begins to sink in. People lived here once - old, young, rich, poor - several of which I knew and loved, all of whom I will never see again. Who no one will ever see again.

My eyes burn with tears of rage that have suddenly sprung up, but I rein them in, refusing to show any more weakness to the sadistic hedgehog. My flames leap into action and completely engulf me in fire, running down my arms and balling around my fists. "What happened here?" I demand furiously. "What did you do?"

Mephiles stands perfectly still for several seconds, his face unreadable. The only sign that he has even heard me is a slight quivering in his quills that slowly spreads along his entire body. He inclines his head and his eyes grow slowly more and more insane as the trembling intensifies.

"Mwa ha ha ha ha ha... Ha ha ha ha ha ha... HAAA HA HA HA HA HA HAAAA!" he suddenly throws back his head and cackles at the top of his voice. The darkness surrounding us seems to shimmer in response to his maniacal glee, sharing his amusement and echoing it all around me as it closes in, making it seem as though hundreds of him surround me on all sides.

"Me?" he finally manages, staring at me with his eyes now glistening with amused tears. "You really have no recollection of any of this at all, do you? How delightfully ironic." he giggles a bit longer and wipes his eyes luxuriously.

"Stop avoiding the question! Answer me!"

"I was only a minor factor in this affair. What happened here was entirely because of your actions."

"What? That can't be... You're lying!"

He continues as though I hadn't spoken. "It was because of your refusal to grant me a simple request that I was forced to take more drastic measures."

I snort in disgust but allow him to continue.

"I merely required the Sol Emeralds in order to complete my wonderful plan. Was that so much to ask?"

"What? Never!" I spit back. My fiery loyalty to my duty, now reflected in my flames, burns stronger with every new memory I regain. Even if I had never seen Mephiles before, I know I would still do everything in my power to keep them out of his hands.

"That's exactly what you said then, too," he says flatly. "However, I required them whether you were willing to cooperate or not. So I... exercised my persuasive skills."

This sounds familiar. I now recall being confronted by Mephiles on this very spot. Except there wasn't just one of him, there were dozens, spawned from the darkness like something straight out of a horror story. And he also looked... different. Very different, almost unrecognizable. In fact, I don't believe I knew it was him; I thought he was a demon. A hundred of these terrifying faces stared at me with intimidating silence, like the army of hell waiting for the order to unleash their destruction upon the world.

"I had you surrounded," he continues. "The emeralds would have been mine, but you made a sudden comeback that, I admit, I underestimated."

Yes... I remember this now. I used the seven Sol Emeralds and was able to become Burning Blaze, a form that greatly increases my pyrokinetic powers, grants me the gift of flight, and makes me completely invulnerable to any kind of harm. It is only something I use in the direst of situations, for though it literally makes me invincible, it only lasts a short time.

"You were able to hold me back for a while, and it seemed for a time as though you might possibly defeat me," he continues, looking at me with darkly twinkling eyes. "But I, too, had a secret weapon."

He spreads his arms outwards and a brilliant flash of light bursts from him, momentarily blinding me as I shield my face with my burning arm. When it fades away, I peek out from behind it cautiously and am struck dumb by the sight that meets me. Mephiles has completely changed his appearance, and as he lowers his gaze to meet mine, it is clear it is not for the better.

His fur has changed to a dark violet, and light blue crystals have encased his hands, transforming his gloved fingers into long, skeletal hands tipped with deadly sharp claws. His feet are likewise trapped in the crystalline substance and almost entirely obscured by a thick, magenta mist that makes it look like he is hovering slightly above the ground. Each of his quills that extend from his head have also been tipped with the blue crystal, glowing softly with some kind of energy. The white patch on his chest remains, but seems to have grown longer and sharper along with the rest of him. His muzzle has retained the light grey colour, but his nose has vanished, leaving nothing on it now at all.

It is his eyes that terrify me the most, though. The green colour of his irises shine even brighter than before, and the whites of his eyes are not white at all, but a hellish red that jumps out alarmingly from the rest of him like flaming fireworks on a moonless night. Madness grins out at me from them; grim, murdering insanity craving death and destruction.

"M... Mephiles?!" I gasp in horrified shock. "Wh-what are you?!" I barely recognize the hedgehog now that he has shown his true colours. However, connections do exist. Every aspect of his being has been exaggerated to an extreme point: what was once a little suspicious is now manifest evil; what had once made me slightly uncomfortable now chills me to the core; what was once a mystery is now a dark truth that has stepped completely into the light of day for the first time. How could I have ever trusted this creature of the shadows?

"My name is Mephiles the Dark. I am the embodiment of shadow and destruction. Not even you can stand before my might!"

His words snap me out of my shock and I wield my flames as I strike an aggressive pose. "Then how am I still here?" I ask in a confident tone, though in reality I am wondering that myself.

I recall that we battled on, me against the army of Mephiles clones that, now that I think about it, looked exactly like the form he has taken on now. But no matter how many of them I defeated, there were always more to take their place, and there seemed to be no end to them. I should have been able to fend them off without a problem as Burning Blaze, though.

"As darkness falls my strength rises," Mephiles says to me. "I wax stronger as there is less light to damper me."

That's right... I fought him at dusk, and as the sun sank beneath the horizon that evening, the shadowy forms that I thought I had vanquished began reappearing at a much faster rate, and began attacking me with more strength and efficiency than before. I continued to fight with all I had, and was able to hold them back for a while, but there was no end to them at all, and they were beginning to overwhelm me. I could only remain in my invincible state for a limited time, and it was running out.

"You're remembering now, aren't you?"

I glance up sharply at the hideous, smiling eyes watching me with disturbing interest. The evil in his unblinking stare is unmistakable in the vibrant colours popping out of the inky violet surrounding those eyes like the fires of hell in the depths of the earth.

I suddenly have a dreadful sensation that I've seen those eyes on a much larger scale. During our battle, I felt my grasp on the Sol Emeralds grow steadily weaker, while Mephiles and his shadows grew stronger. I managed to land a powerful attack on the real Mephiles and he vanished. While I thought I had claimed victory, he used the dark of the night to his full advantage, fusing with the lengthening shadows to make himself grow immensely large and even more powerful than before. He had discarded any kind of solid shape and had become a living shadow; a force of pure darkness that was intent on smothering any and all light it came upon. Including me.

Many more of those haunting eyes gaze at me now as Mephiles calls forth dozens of his shadowy clones from the darkness surrounding me on all sides. They step out of the shadows and form a circle around me like a pack of wild dogs surrounding their prey for the kill. Illuminated by the light of my flames, it seems as though they have crawled out of the depths of hell to drag me down into the endless abyss of eternal night. Their blank, emotionless stares, though not nearly as bright or intent, are just as villainous as Mephiles', waiting for the signal to attack. The fire still flickering bravely along my arms seems to be the only light left in the world; the last hope my destroyed kingdom has against this demon, and I must keep it shining through all trials I may face, even when encircled by darkness and death.

Iblis churns restlessly within me now that Mephiles has shown his true colours, but I keep its inferno at bay. To lose control now would surely be disastrous, and even though Mephiles is my top priority, I must also pay close attention to the living fire biding its time inside of me.

"I had you right where I wanted you," Mephiles continues, oozing triumph and arrogance with every word. "But then you did something that took me completely off guard."

I remember being engulfed in darkness, Mephiles having snuck up behind me, my grasp on the emeralds slipping with every passing second. His shadows smothered me in infinite blackness, wrapping me in murk so thick not even the brilliance of my fire could break through it. I struggled with everything I had to break free of his clutches but could gain no headway, and in fact began losing ground. It was as if he was simply absorbing the fire I attacked him with. Desperation swelled within me, accompanied by fear and teetering on the edge of panic. It was my duty to defend the Sol Emeralds against those who would use them for their own diabolical purposes, and I had trained my entire life for this very purpose. How could the rest of my kingdom stand before Mephiles' power if I could not? And if I lost, he would have the Sol Emeralds helping him with his conquest. My world wouldn't stand a chance. I could not let him win, but as the darkness closed in around me, the hope for me and my world also grew dimmer and dimmer.

I remember nothing after that.

Mephiles shakes his head patronizingly. "I will say this, Sol Guardian, you're certainly full of surprises. I never would've suspected you would abandon your kingdom and flee when things got too rough."

I freeze, and my flames correspondingly extinguish themselves. "Wh... What?"

"You took your precious emeralds, used them to rip open a hole in time and space and escaped with them, leaving me alone in this now defenceless world with no way to follow you. And believe me, I turned this world inside out looking for one."

I don't believe him. I cannot believe him. "Liar," I spit in disgust.

"Denial won't change the past. How else would you explain all of this?" he asks, gesturing at the rubble around us. "I wouldn't have stayed here if I had the Sol Emeralds, you know this. And how else would you have gotten to the world where Iblis ran free?"

"..." I don't have an answer for him. But it can't be true. "You're wrong. I would never abandon my people."

He shrugs and examines his crystalline claws in a bored manner. "If that is what you believe."

There is silence for a long moment, which allow doubtful thoughts to rise to the surface of my recovering mind. What if what he says has a germ of truth to it? After all, he was there at our battle as well, the only other living witness to it besides myself. And all I remember of its conclusion is a hopeless sensation of panic overwhelming my senses as blackness closed in around me. What would I have been thinking at that moment, when all chances of even surviving this fight were slipping away forever? Would I have thought to save myself, flee and save my own life while leaving this world completely vulnerable to Mephiles' fury? Could I really have done what he claims I did?

...No! I am no coward! I must have realized that it was too late for me. I had done my best and given every fibre of my being into defending this world. I would be devastated at failing my duty and would be frantically searching for some way to if nothing else keep the Sol Emeralds out of Mephiles' grasp. But unless there was a way to do this, I would have held my ground to the end as a royal guardian should.

...But what if there was a way to save my world even if it meant my demise?

There are a myriad of legends surrounding the Sol Emeralds that have been passed down in my family for generations. Many pertain to historical events, some detail the extent of the gems' power, others are little more than secrets and riddles that have yet to be solved. One of the most mysterious and controversial myths is that the guardian entrusted with the emeralds' care has the power to destroy them if the need arises and return their power to the earth from whence it came. No one knows where or when this legend came to be, but few believe it to be true, as it is obviously impossible to prove its validity without irreversible damage to the Sol Emeralds. However, as ridiculous as it is, it exists, and all legends are based to some extent on truth.

...And now that I think about it, that legend came with a warning, as well: "If the Sol of the earth is lost, and its light extinguished, then all life alight by the Sol shall share its fate."

Would I have tried it? Risk my own life and possibly those of the ones I cared about to keep the Sol Emeralds permanently safe from Mephiles' grasp? I was desperate, after all. Maybe... But such an action would have released an enormous amount of energy, at least as much as the emeralds themselves contain. I only a short time ago used only two Chaos Emeralds to cross dimensions to arrive here, their brilliant energy still fresh in my mind. What would a force strong enough to shatter the seven Sol Emeralds possibly do? Jumping across dimensions would be a breeze.

But such an action should have killed me. If I did this, then how can I be standing here now? Even the royal guardian executing this decision is not excluded from its fatal consequences. Why can't I remember? The only thing I recall after my near defeat is waking up in Silver's dimension with no recollection of any of this. How can this be?

...Unless the translation was wrong. It has always been assumed that if the Sol Emeralds were destroyed, then everyone who held a connection to them would also die. But what if this was incorrect? ...What if "life" actually meant... "memory"?

...It isn't possible. There is no way it could have happened. But I cannot shake this unsettling quiver deep in my heart. I glance up sharply at Mephiles, who patiently waits for my response.

"Why in the world do you think I'll believe anything you say? You haven't spoken a true word to us since we met you. You've played us for fools time and time again, and have taken great pleasure in deceiving and manipulating us for your own purposes. How can I expect anything less now?" I pause briefly before adding, "What you said about the Iblis Trigger was a lie, too, wasn't it?"

"The Iblis Trigger?" He arches an eyebrow. "Ah, yes. The cause of the all-consuming flames that destroyed the world you know. Of course, you took care of him, correct?"

"...No. We let him live."

"Oh? And fires still ravage the world? Isn't that what I said would happen?"

"Just because we didn't follow your advice does not make your words true."

"No, but it doesn't prove me wrong."

"Grr..." His calm, all-knowing tone infuriates me, but despite myself, I cannot deny that he is right. "No. But why would you show us how to really end the world's destruction? You never had any intention of saving the world, did you? The only reason you helped us was for your own purposes, whatever they were. Even now, you hold a grudge against me. So why are you even telling me all of this now?"

If he could, he would be grinning as he looks at me. "Why? Can you not see the obvious? Maybe your absence from this world affected your mind more than I thought." He chuckles and the sound echoes around me menacingly as his shadowy clones join in. "Allow me to explain, for old times' sake. As you have acutely observed, I take great pleasure in inflicting pain upon others. The exploited weakness of others gives one a great sense of power. I thrive on that power; I revel in watching the world writhe in misery, begging for mercy while I hold its fate in the palm of my hand. The feeling is inexplicably uplifting."

He sighs fondly as I draw back in appalled disgust. He truly a sadist, a textbook example of every imaginable evil in the world. The fact that he can take such undisguised glee in the affliction he causes others makes one thing perfectly clear: this shadowy creature standing before me is beyond reason and completely insane.

Suddenly his gaze returns to me, and the pleasure that it just recently held has vanished like smoke on the wind. "But this now, between you and me, is different. When you took your precious Sol Emeralds and fled, I was left here in this world with no way to return to my own. You single-handedly took everything I had worked so hard to accomplish and ground it to rubble beneath your feet with no hope of ever recovering it. In doing so, you made my next actions more than a simple pleasure, you made it personal."

My eyes narrow icily and I stand my ground, even as he begins to approach me. He's right. This is personal. But it was not I that made it so.

"Naturally, the first thing to do was return the favour," he states as casually as if this were a conversation about lunch. He gestures at our bleak surroundings, the rubble that is all that remains of my kingdom and all its residents, and I clench my teeth and fists in barely contained rage. He ignores me and continues, "It was a very satisfying act, but it got me no closer to finding a way back into my own dimension. Besides, this would mean nothing to you if you didn't know what I had done. Because after what you did to me, you deserved more than just petty revenge. I needed you to suffer, to feel the same pain I did when you took everything from me. And now that you've arrived here with no recollection of our last encounter, the perfect opportunity has presented itself."

He takes another step toward me, and his copies fall silent as he stares maliciously at me. "As enjoyable as it would have been to tamper with your mind, I want you to hurt, your highness. And I know that nothing hurts more than the truth."

I maintain his gaze defiantly, considering his words carefully. He lets me, watching my reaction with sadistic anticipation. Could what he says be true? Did I really abandon my kingdom to save myself? Or is he even now filling my mind with lies for his own amusement? He has no reason to tell me the truth, except for the revenge he claims he wants, but why should I believe even that to be true?

The only reason I have listened at all to him is because what he has said so far seems to have made sense. I remember everything he has described for the most part, but it may just be my desperation for answers that has caused my mind to cling to his words, regardless of their validity. The only way to know if it is true is if it matches up with what I already know.

If I am to believe what Mephiles says, then it was after he attacked me for the Sol Emeralds that I ended up in Silver's dimension with only a few scattered memories of my past. The burning world I found myself in was what was left of the world after 200 years of Iblis' fiery reign. Once he found us, he transported us back in time to a few days before the end of the world as we knew it with a mission to prevent the incoming apocalypse at any and all costs. Once Silver had come up with his alternate plan of defeating Iblis, we returned to the charred world of the future and sealed the flames within my soul, sending me here to this world where I now stand face to face with Mephiles once again.

I frown as I try to gather my thoughts. "You didn't recognize me when you first met us and told us how to defeat Iblis," I tell him. "And yet you say all this happened before I was sent to that world. How can this be?"

"You assume that everything happened in time's natural order. However, time means nothing to one who can travel through it at will." He holds up a hand in a lecturing manner. "The first time you remember meeting me was indeed when I first met you, after which I sent you back in time. What you did then is of no interest to me, but presumably after failing to destroy the Iblis Trigger, you returned to the future to take matters into your own hands. As for me, I also ventured into the past as well, and after taking care of a few errands, I was flung into this dimension, where I met you again and... requested the use of the Sol Emeralds. However, you did not recognize me then - for how could you? It would be another 200 years before I would first meet you."

"But that's... Wait... Are you saying that our battle took place 200 years ago?"

"I am. For it did."

I take a half step backwards, shaken by this new piece of information. "But that's... impossible...!"

He stares at me as calmly as ever and raises a hand dramatically. "Impossible? You have already travelled through time a number of times, and you think such a thing cannot happen?"

"N-no, but... How?"

"With the power of the Sol Emeralds, of course. With your demise eminent, you escaped as far from me as you possibly could, through both time and space, to a place where I could not find you." He snorts a laugh suddenly and shakes his head. "Ironically, the time and place you fled to was exactly where we were destined to meet and begin this entire chain of events."

I stare at him incredulously, unable to fully grasp his explanation right away. As abstract as it all is, though, I cannot deny that it all seems to make sense. Of course, he could easily be making all of this up, but it all fits together so neatly, and I don't see any other explanation for all of this.

Only one thing doesn't add up: why would I have abandoned my duty when such an obvious threat was eminent? My duty demands I do everything in my power to keep the Sol Emeralds safe and out of the clutches of evil. This is the responsibility that was bestowed upon me by the royal blood that flows through my veins, given form by the flames I wield. I have known this my entire life, and would never flee my post, even if faced with the direst adversity. This I know with the utmost certainty.

So what really happened? My memory ends at the critical moment when darkness surrounded me and the battle seemed lost. I was desperate, and my strength was failing. I knew I could not win this fight, even as Burning Blaze, but I could not let him have them or he would become unstoppable. So what did I do?

I must have thought of every possible option left to me as I began losing strength. There must have been a way to keep my world safe, even if I were defeated. I could have dispersed them, but Mephiles could simply find them once I was disposed of. However, if they could somehow be destroyed, their essence returned to the earth, I could guarantee that they would never make it into his possession. My world would suffer without them, but there would be survivors, and at least they would have a chance against Mephiles, which is more than what they would have if he were to claim them.

If the Sol Legends were really true, then their destruction really was my only remaining option. I knew the consequences and was prepared to endure them for the world's sake. So I must have gone through with it, knowing that if I did, there was no way I was going to survive.

Except I did. And that's what's wrong with this whole picture.

Unable to contain my frustration any longer, I suddenly ignite myself, coating my entire body in bright flames that push back the suppressive darkness. The Mephiles lookalikes silently flail in pain as some of them catch fire, and they stumble backwards, away from the light. The real Mephiles backs off as well, much to my satisfaction, but just enough to keep him out of my flames' range. He continues to carefully watch me, though there is now wariness in his gaze.

"Enough of your lies, Mephiles! I did not abandon my duty! Maybe I did escape with the Sol Emeralds, but in doing so I kept them away from you! I did everything that was necessary to keep them safe, even if it cost me my life, which is exactly what has always been required of me!"

"But it didn't cost you your life. And as a result, your kingdom was left defenceless."

Fire rolls off of me in waves, lapping up the ground at my feet as I tremble with barely contained wrath. "You may have defeated me, but I was still able to give this world their only chance to stand up to you! And yes, I survived, Mephiles. I survived and now I have returned to confront you again!" I ball up the flames that encase my body into my fists and take an offensive pose. "I may have underestimated you last time, but I swear it won't happen again! You will pay for what you have done, Mephiles! I swear it on the Sol Emeralds!"

"Ha ha ha," he laughs cruelly. "Do you honestly think you stand an inkling of a chance against me now when you couldn't even defeat me with the Sol Emeralds?"

"Are you afraid to face me, coward?"

For an instant, the triumphant spark in his eyes falters, and I swear I can see disgruntled anger cross across his face. But perhaps I have only imagined it, because he starts chuckling again, his eyes twinkling with delighted interest. "Ha ha ha ha... Believe me when I say that you are not exactly something to be feared."

"Oh no? Then perhaps you'll fear this!" I counter, before shooting the fireballs gathered at my fists directly at his head. He manages to avoid the first one, and one of his doubles jumps in to block the second. It writhes in agony as it burns before dissipating into a puff of black smoke.

Mephiles barely has time to recover before I charge at him, calling my flames into a twisting spiral around me. As I near him, I swing my arm outward in front of me, releasing a flaming arc toward him. He ducks below it and spins away from me as I strike again, his movements as smooth as a matador. I skid to a stop and whirl to face him again as he stands with his arms held out in preparation for another attack from me. He glares at me with his eyes narrowed to slits, though whether it's with determined exertion or triumph, I cannot tell. Either way, this is far from over.

I run at him again, launching a barrage of blazing kicks and punches at him as quickly as I can. He puts up a shield of light blue energy between us as I furiously attack, and though I am able to press him back, it is all I can do to him. He hides behind it, waiting for me to tire, watching my every move with that unblinking stare that cuts right into me. But I continue to force him backwards, refusing to become discouraged or surrender in any way. I will not let him claim any kind of victory this time.

As he backs up to the stairs of the remains of the Sol Emeralds' alter, I unleash a burning roundhouse kick at his chest. His shield keeps my flames at bay, but the force pushes him backwards and he stumbles up the stairs. As he falters, I cross my arms in front of me briefly before thrusting them outward again with a loud cry of effort, blasting a wall of flame at the shadowy hedgehog. He attempts to block it, but the force is too great and his barrier shatters with the satisfying sound of breaking glass. He is flung back from the blow and lands where the Sol Alter once stood on his side, hunched over the wound I have inflicted.

I climb the stairs with flames at the ready and approach him. He looks up sharply as I step toward him, and for a moment there is genuine fear in his reptilian green eyes. But no sooner does it flash across his face than it becomes a demonic glare, and he cackles as he melts into the shadows.

"Meph-AAGH!" I cry out as something slams into me from behind and knocks me flat. I manage to catch myself, then spin myself around with my legs lashing outward, delivering a sweeping kick charged with flame at my attacker, one of Mephiles' clones. It connects solidly, and there is a hissing sound as it fades away into the darkness like smoke on the wind.

I cautiously get back up, slightly winded from the sharp blow. For a shadow, it is awfully solid, I silently grumble as I scan the clearing before me for Mephiles. However, his doppelgängers now fill the area, each an exact replica of their master. They all stare at me with the same malicious look in their eyes, and come swarming at me with the same shared murderous intention. If the real Mephiles is among them, he makes no effort to show himself. I'm going to have to take out all of his duplicates if I'm going to find him.

Fine.

I leap down into the open area below me and rush into the ranks of shadows that face me. Wrapping myself in a cloak of flames, I press my way through them, forcing a path through to the far side. Once there, I shoot fire out in all directions and clear a space around me, disintegrating the impostors within range. This barely hinders them, though, and they storm toward me once the flames die down, some hovering in the air around me, other lurching out of the darkness that coats the ground like legions of the undead stalking their next hapless victim.

I begin my attack on them, lashing out with both flames and physical attacks, dispersing the dark figures into smoky dust with each landed hit. They press in around me with their claws bared, with dark, purple energy emanating from them. My flames strike out at them again and again, disintegrating one after another, but there seems to be no end to them, and they show no signs of slowing their offence.

Sharp claws rake across my back and I can't contain a cry of pain as I stumble forward. Clenching my teeth, I whirl around in time to face my attacker who is baring its claws for another strike. I swing my burning leg around and hit it square in the jaw, and it is flung through the air like a doll before dissolving into smoke.

Again they press in around me, and they tear into my arms and back with their ice cold claws. Pulling away from them, I twirl in a rapid pirouette, wrapped in a cloak of fire. This is my Axel Kick, one of my favourite techniques because of its effectiveness, and it does not disappoint me now. As I spin faster and faster, my flames spread farther and farther away from me, and the shadows that aren't incinerated immediately fall back from the harsh light and give me a wide berth. I take advantage of their temporary disarray and, ending my spin, launch myself at a cluster of them in front of me in a ball of fire. Every one of them in range gets thrown back from the blast, and as I skid to a stop, there is a wide circle of scorched earth around me. I take a deep breath and, with a grunt of concentrated effort, thrust my arms out to their full extent, blasting fire at the shadows that remain.

I take advantage of the few precious seconds I have earned and try to catch my breath. Mephiles has yet to make an appearance, but the endless ranks of his doubles begin gathering for another attack at the edges of the singed clearing I have formed. I quickly glance upward at the few trees scattered around the sheltered grove and at any other place he could be perching, watching the fight from a safe distance. However, he is nowhere to be seen, much to my frustration.

His army begins closing in around me again, and I crouch defensively, fire at the ready just under my skin. With no sign of the real Mephiles, his strategy becomes clear: he intends to let his shadows do all the fighting for him while he sits back and watches my defeat from afar. How cowardly. But I have no choice but to play along with his little game until I find him, which I must do soon, for I can't keep this up for much longer.

He laughs maliciously now, the sound seeming to come from every direction. It cuts through the air, sending chills down my spine, but then fades away into nothing, like a gust of an icy northern wind that blows down from the mountains. "How pitiful. I was really expecting more from you, but I suppose I was wrong," he says. "This is barely even enjoyable. I think it's time to end this little game."

As he speaks, his dark lookalikes levitate above the ground and begin circling me slowly, increasing their speed bit by bit as their numbers build. They stay just outside of my range, so where I can't blast them all at once, I shoot streams of fire out at them. It barely hinders them, though, as more appear to take the place of the ones I destroy. I try running toward them for a more physical approach, but one of them swoops in front of me, swiping its sharp claws at me before I can reach them. I jump back, then try to shoot it down as it circles back, but another attacks me from behind, slashing at my side. I cry out, both in surprise and pain, and I am forced to stagger back towards the middle of their death trap and wait for my next opportunity to attack.

"Ha ha ha ha... It's time to play the final dance, my shadows..."

I keep moving, watching them as they continue to revolve around me, the sheer number of them increasing to the point where they block out what little light there is. The light emanating from their claws bathes the inside of the dome they have formed around me with a surreal purple and blue glow that makes it nearly impossible to distinguish one shadow from another. My attacks can't even breach through to outside, they have become so thick in number.

A few of them break out of their orbit and swoop down at me with their claws bared. I counter back with fire fuelled kicks that send them spiralling away before they can reach me. I have to continuously swivel around as they close in around me, their attacks coming faster and more furious, as they always strike from behind, a trait picked up from the demon that commands them.

I turn too slowly, and one grazes its sharp, cold claws across my cheek. I reflexively whirl away from the blow, just in time to catch another as it dives in toward me. Immediately I pull my head back, just barely avoiding the deadly scythe-like weapons that would have torn me to shreds had they hit their mark. It tumbles clumsily in mid flight and rolls onto the ground, its balance lost after its foiled attack, and I take this opportunity to launch forward in a Fire Claw attack, and with a burning swipe of my arm, one more shadow ceases to exist.

As I land in a crouch, I happen to notice something. In the eerie light from the fiends that continue to circle me, I cast numerous, faint shadows that rotate around me, flickering and contorting their size and shape in the constantly moving light. However, one shadow is not like the others. Instead of moving with the light, this one stretches out behind me, following my every movement regardless of where the light comes from. It is much longer and darker than the others, and has an opaque quality that no shade that I have ever seen has. But what really makes it stand out is the way it tries to swivel behind me as I try to look at it.

You sneaky devil...

With one last quick glance at my ever approaching attackers, I whirl around and focus directly on the dark shape lying before me. Deep in concentration, I build up my flames, the raging energy almost bursting out from me, all of it aimed precisely at this "shadow".

"Rrrrr...rrraaaaaaaagh!" I shout as the ground in front of me explodes in a brilliant pillar of fire. The dark fiends that I hadn't noticed had gotten so close immediately fall into disarray, crashing to the ground and scrambling away from the harsh light, some of the slower ones melting into little more than black puddles from the intense heat before fading away entirely.

Mephiles screams as my flames strikes true and forces him out of his hiding spot. A body begins taking shape in the inferno, its back arched and limbs flailing in agony. I focus everything I have into this attack, feeling no small amount of satisfaction that I am finally able to strike back at this elusive foe. The heat from the column of flame grows more ever more intense, waxing stronger as victory comes into sight at last.

Finally I dispel the blaze with a sweep of my arms, releasing Mephiles from the column of flame. I'm breathing hard, and my shoulders slump slightly with exhaustion, but I do not take my eyes off of him for a second, even as he crumples weakly to the ground. He lets out an agonized groan and looks up at me with wide, disbelieving eyes. As he sees me standing over him victoriously, his defeat now eminent, his eyes narrow to hateful slits and extends a deadly claw toward me with a silent threat of revenge before slowly melting into a black goo that puddles on the cracked, dry ground. He makes no further movement after that.

Was that it? Have I really defeated this fiend? As I carefully watch to make sure he stays down, I can't help but feel a little nauseated at what remains of him. I have never defeated anything so... thoroughly before. Certainly not anything with a shred of intelligence to it, and I have a brief moment where I am horrifically appalled at myself for such unnecessary viciousness. And then I remember what this black smear on the ground has done to this place and all remorse vanishes in an instant. Compared to what he has done, I was merciful.

Suddenly, a thick, black cloud erupts from the tar-like remains, and I step back reflexively, flames waiting beneath my skin for my command. A figure begins emerging from the smoke, accompanied by a quiet, diabolical laugh that echoes around me, growing louder and louder as the figure arises.

Then, just as I'm about to throw everything I have at it, I recognize the shape and freeze. No longer adorned with crystals, he has returned to his original grey and pale blue colouring. However, the body is no longer a hedgehog's. The quills are gone, the ears are larger, the build is slimmer and the tail is much longer with an all too familiar crook in it. And as the wide, feline eyes glance up at me from a face missing a mouth, my breath catches in my throat. The evil expression is a dead giveaway, but there is no doubt about whose image he is mimicking.

I'm staring at myself. A shadow of myself.

The vivid, green eyes twinkle maliciously at me for an instant before an arm shoots out, launching a twilight purple orb of energy at me. In my shocked stupor, I let it hit me and the impact sends me flying backwards. I hit the ground hard, tumbling in a crumpled heap until I hit something hard, presumably the stairs to the Sol alter.

Before I have time to regain my breath, Mephiles' shadowy clones - now with my shape - pounce on me, pinning me to the ground. Their grip is like iron, only colder, and they dig their claws into my flesh with unrestrained, sadistic glee. I can't hold back a cry of pain as the icy daggers pierce my skin. Tears prick at my eyes, but I do not let them flow. I cannot show him weakness now, not when I've come so far.

"Do you still think you can win?" Mephiles' voice breaks through the shadows that hold me. His voice is slightly higher, most likely thanks to the new body he has claimed, but it still holds that same, all-knowing arrogance that riles me. "I don't think you realize that I am immortal. I cannot be defeated, only temporarily inconvenienced. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but there was never any hope for you from the beginning."

I tremble with rage at his words. It cannot end like this! I won't let it! Breathing deeply, I call upon every spark of fire from my being and explode it outward with a roar of fury. My accursed captors are immediately obliterated in the blast, and I get to my feet with nothing now holding me back. I set my gaze at the demon who has taken my shape and surge forward, my body completely encapsulated in flame.

I have the utmost satisfaction of seeing his eyes widen with shock and fear before I land an uppercut square on his chin, sending him straight into the air. I crouch briefly as I watch him sail skyward, then leap up in a spin as he begins his descent. I twirl through the air, then lash out when we are about to meet, my burning foot connecting solidly with his head. His body is limp as he crashes to the ground, and he rolls like a rag doll on the unforgiving ground.

I land as well, braced for a counterattack, but none comes. His doppelgängers have abandoned him now, leaving only him and me in this battlefield. Slowly, he stirs, propping himself up on his elbows and coughing violently. Black ooze drips from him, pooling beneath him in an inky puddle, and I can see it is a struggle for him to retain his current shape. I begin approaching him, still wielding my fire, and he glances up at me, eyes wide with terror. Then, strangely, he snorts and drops his head, chuckling under his breath. The low laughter builds, his wheezing for breath becoming longer and raspier, until soon he erupts into completely insane cackling that echoes around the emptiness like crows at the scene of a sudden death.

"You think this is some kind of joke!?" I demand furiously. "Then allow me to deliver the punchline!"

I sweep my arm forward, unleashing a stream of fire at him. It surges toward him in burning wisps, ready to lap up this monster until nothing but ashes remain. But then, the unthinkable happens: to my astonishment, Mephiles lashes out an arm and grabs onto my flames. They wrap around his arm like a rope, climbing up around his shoulders and securing itself around his torso, clinging to him like a desperate embrace. And though they should be burning him to a crisp, there is a rekindled triumph in his eyes that grins at me from a face that is a twisted reflection of my own.

My attack foiled, I try to pull my flames back, out of his grip. But they do not come. They bind me to him like an anchor chain, and my attempts to break away only secure us more strongly together.

"Nnngh?! I-impossible! How can this be?! Fire is mine to command, the Sol Emeralds bestowed it upon me! How can you take that from me?!" I snarl in between failed attempts at retaining control of this fire.

Mephiles merely laughs at my struggles, using the fiery chain to pull himself up. I stare at him in dumbfounded confusion. How can he possibly use my flames like that? And why can I do nothing to counter it? Has he stolen my powers along with my appearance?

He holds a hand up with a dainty flair, his shiny, catty eyes mocking my confusion, and wisps of flame weave between his fingers. The whimsical swirls of fire dance over his pale glove, encasing it in a coating of burning air. But instead of burning him, it seems to caress him, if fire can do such a thing.

Suddenly, he closes his fist and the flame bursts into a shower of sparks that sizzle and pop as they float to the ground. We stare each other down for a long moment, the swirling flames lapping up the trails of goo oozing from the wounds left from my attack and restoring the flesh beneath. "Do you know who I am yet, Sol Guardian?" he asks me, his eyes bright with madness.

"...I know what you are, Mephiles. You're a demon."

"That's not what I asked."

"..."

"Do you not recognize the flames I wield?"

"Of course I do, they're mi-" I stop myself mid-sentence as I realize what he's saying. He controls this fire, because it is not my own. My flames don't swirl like that, they burn much brighter and far more impressively. They follow me, matching my movements flawlessly as I weave in and out of a battle. These flames twirl and spin as they wrap around Mephiles, ignoring my commands, frolicking gleefully over his body as if they had a life of their own. And instead of the constant vigour my flames burn with, this fire holds an explosive force within that burns until there is nothing left.

Fire that is wielded by another, its only intent: destruction.

"N-no... It can't be..."

"Did you forget the flames you so nobly sealed within yourself to save the world? Your memory is even worse than I imagined." He laughs darkly, spreading his arms and allowing the elusive fire to play along his arms. He seems far more solid than he did before, the flames now giving him strength. "Your flames are extinguished, and Iblis burns bright. That fire you cannot hope to control."

He suddenly grips the cord that binds us together and yanks on it hard. The fire still clinging to me goes taut, and I am almost pulled off my feet as he drags me toward him. I instinctively grab at the fiery bond to try to regain my balance and pull away, but pain lances through my hands as I touch it. I cry out and stumble forward, the shock that fire would ever burn me far greater than the pain it causes. Iblis was the only fire that has ever burned me, the only flame to resist my will, and it continues to do so now.

Mephiles begins to pull me close, and I cannot pull away from him. I try to pull Iblis back under my control, reach within myself and attempt to calm this wildfire, but it is far too late now. Mephiles now commands this monstrous flame that burns within me.

I stagger around helplessly as he continues to tug me in towards him "Nnngh! But how? How are you doing this? What connection do you have to Iblis?"

He stops his sudden, sharp jerking and proceeds to slowly reel me in. "Our connection is stronger than you realize. Iblis and I were once one and the same. Together we form the Living Flame once worshipped by the people of Soleanna: we are Solaris."

"Solaris?" I repeat softly. The name sounds vaguely familiar, like a name mentioned in a legend I once heard long ago.

"The master of time itself, able to manipulate the very fabric of reality to our pleasure. Two entities, separated by an experiment gone awry, that have finally been reunited and can at last rule the infinite cosmos as we did so long ago."

"Rule... the cosmos...?"

"With unsurpassed power. However, this world is flawed, as is the other. I think it would be best if it all started over."

"Wh-what? You can't do that!"

"No? Iblis and I are together again. There is nothing we cannot do, and nothing you can do to stop us," he tells me evenly.

Oh no? I grit my teeth with fury, reach deep within myself, and will Iblis to return to me with every fibre of my being. The fingers of flame are torn from Mephiles' grasp and are yanked into a whirlwind around me. Iblis rebels against this sudden revoking of its freedom and tries to pull away again, violently struggling against my hold on it. It races around me in blazing wisps, much like it did when I first sealed it within me, trying desperately to return to its other half. It takes all of my concentration just to contain it, but I keep an icy glare directed at the surprised Mephiles. "Without Iblis, you are nothing more than a shadow, a phantom clinging to the darkness like the cowardly scum you are. Iblis is sealed within me, and I will never release him."

He stares wide-eyed at me briefly, having obviously not expected me to retake control again, then arches a brow curiously. Seeing an expression like that on a face that is identical to mine (with the exception of a mouth, of course) is unsettling to say the least. I brace myself for whatever he plans to do to me, clinging stubbornly to Iblis, despite its rebellious thrashing.

"I highly doubt that," he says as he approaches me again. He is coming much too close for my comfort and I try to take a step back. Iblis lurches within me, and I inhale sharply and plant my foot down again to stabilize myself. "Iblis is my other half. I know a number of ways to break him from your clutches. We will be reunited one way or another."

A violet orb of energy forms in his open palm, which he launches at me. Frozen, I can't get out of the way and it slams into my chest. Pain spreads across my body, and I am flung backwards from the force. I hit the ground hard, tumbling end over end until I finally slide to a stop near the edge if the cliff. Both the dark energy and the impact have left me breathless, and it is a struggle just to prop myself on my hands and knees. My breath comes and goes in gasps and wheezes, each one a delivering a sharp pain to my chest. I think I might have broken something.

Mephiles slowly steps over to me, and lowers his face - my face - to my level. Iblis reaches for it longingly, flaming tendrils escaping my hold to swirl around him. Vivid, green eyes narrowed slightly in an all-knowing sneer stare unblinkingly at me.

I narrow mine as well, but in defiance. "I will never... surrender to you. Nothing... you can do to me... will ever make me release Iblis. He is bound to my soul. If you kill me, he dies too."

"I know. But after all the trouble you've cause me, death would be too good for you anyway." He snorts in amusement and tilts his head. "Just as it was for the Iblis Trigger."

"The Iblis Trigger?" I repeat in confusion. Is he really returning to that lie again? "Silver and I already confirmed that he had nothing to do with Iblis' release. It was just another lie you made up to get us to help you."

"That's where you are mistaken. He was indeed the cause of the flames that devoured the world, though, admittedly, not by anything he did himself," he replies cryptically.

There is a sick amusement in his voice that really makes me really want to avoid this subject. But I must know the truth. "What... is that supposed to mean?"

"He had gotten quite close to the previous vessel for Iblis. And that proved to be both his - and the world's - downfall."

"I... I don't understand."

"Put simply, he got between myself and Iblis' vessel - and paid the ultimate price for his folly."

"Wh... What?!" I gasp in horror, the sharp pain following it making me wince. "Y-you can't mean...?!"

He shrugs and looks away with fond reminiscence in his terrible eyes. "It was a simple matter, really. He never even saw it coming." He turns back to me with malicious curiosity. "Does this bother you? It shouldn't, considering it was your mission to kill him in the first place."

I don't reply. Even if I had something to say to him, I don't think I can get it out around this sickening feeling of dread rising in my stomach.

His eyes narrow thoughtfully. "...unless you knew him? The blue hedgehog I killed?"

I flinch at this simple description. He has mentioned what the Iblis Trigger looked like before, back when he first met us and pretended to be our friend. It made me slightly uncomfortable before, but now those two words mean so much more. They describe a person with a life as wild and free as the wind he races, and a childish streak a mile wide. They describe an individual admired by his peers and hailed as a hero by the rest of the world. They describe a thrill seeker, circling the globe at Mach speeds while looking for adventure, grinning at danger and laughing in the face of certain doom.

They describe one of the very few people I have come to call a friend.

"You knew him and yet you were willing to end his life?" Mephiles asks me with a surprised laugh in his voice. "What a loyal friend you are."

"I didn't!" I blurt, my voice bordering on desperation. I take a careful breath to steady myself before continuing. "I didn't remember him. I didn't know him. And I didn't kill him."

"No. And by not doing so, you doomed everyone."

"Wh-what are you...?"

"Like I said, it wasn't what he did that made him the Iblis Trigger, but the circumstances that surrounded him. Or, more specifically, his death."

"Stop talking in riddles, Mephiles! Why did you do this?!"

The gloating triumph in his eyes is unmistakeable now as they gleam in Iblis' light. "His death is what triggered Iblis' release. The vessel was so traumatized by it that she was no longer able to contain the flames lying dormant within her. But the most interesting thing about this is that it would never have come to this had you merely gone through with your original mission."

"What...?"

"Because he had become so close to her, his death was shocking enough to release Iblis. However, had you done away with him before I had the chance, she would probably have been strong enough to maintain the seal." He spreads his arms out, gesturing all around us. "Meaning that because of your failure to do what was necessary, Iblis and I were reunited at last. Not even the resistance of three endowed with the Chaos Emeralds' power could stop us! All they could do was split us up again, thrusting me into this world and leaving Iblis to unleash his fiery wrath upon the other world. Afterward followed my attack upon this world, which, if you remember, was also because of you."

"!"

"So really, all of this," he says, revolving slowly with outstretched arms, basking in the remains of the destruction he has wrought, "all came to pass because you failed the tasks entrusted to you. Both worlds have fallen, billions have died, all because of your actions. Or, more accurately, your inaction."

I gape at him, unable to believe him, yet unable to argue with him. "No..." I breathe, lowering my gaze, not looking at anything. Images of people I once knew flash through my mind, none of whom I will ever see again. My family. My subjects. My few but precious friends, Cream, Cheese and Sonic.

Silver.

"I-it... It can't be... I-I would never..." I can't breathe. I can't think. This can't be right. The destruction of two worlds... the deaths of billions of innocents... all because of me? "Y-you're lying!" I shout at him, my voice raw and desperate. Fire rushes to my hands, my last reserves, and I push myself up furiously.

He snorts a small, satisfied laugh and kicks me down harshly, pinning me to the ground with his foot. The pointed heel of his shoe - a copy of mine - digs into my chest harshly. I scream and hold back hot tears as I thrust my hands toward him, each wrapped in flame. In a move faster than I expected, he grips my wrists and squeezes hard, digging cold, sharp claws into the skin. My flames are then smothered by an uncontrollable rush of Iblis's flames swirling up my arms and around Mephiles, bathing him in a hellish, orange light.

"It's the truth, Your Majesty. You know it is." He leans down toward me, putting more weight on my chest to the point where I can't breathe in anymore. All I can do is glare up at him, his stolen face blurred beyond recognition by the tears of rage brimming in my eyes. "But you know what the best part of all is?" he asks, his voice low. "It was the actions of the guardian of the Sol Emeralds that awakened Solaris. Do you think it is merely coincidence the two share the same name? It was your fate to do this from the very beginning. Those flames you possess are proof; they are what allows Iblis to dwell within you now, and what drew you to him in the first place."

"No..." I choke breathlessly.

"Yes," he asserts. "The Sol Emeralds and Solaris... The power to command fire... Your destiny has always been to bring forth this disaster!"

No.

He's lying.

It can't be true... It's just not possible.

The Sol Emeralds... Solaris...

My flames...

Iblis...

No...

No no no nonononononononono...

I squeeze my eyes shut, desperate to shut Mephiles and his words out. He must be lying, none of this can be right, he has to be making all of this up! And yet I have nothing to throw back at him, nothing that can prove him wrong. Despite the pressure on my chest, I gasp in a few shallow sobs and finally let it all out in a scream that voices everything I can't articulate. My dammed up tears finally spill over with my anger, my fear, my confusion, my despair, my pain all rushing out of me in that one shrill, agonized wail - a cry of both denial and acceptance at the same time.

My shame and defeat burns within me as the cap on my doubts and fears finally bursts and it all comes out. However, the burning is not simply an emotional sensation; I can feel intense heat surge up from deep in my chest, up and out with my scream, searingly hot as it tears out of my lungs and rips through my throat into the air and beyond. It claws at my insides as it escapes in a terrifying rush that scalds me from within on its way to freedom. These flames are not my own, and I have only a fleeting, horrified instant to think, Iblis...! before it's all over and I am left behind breathless and cold. Deathly cold and empty, as though even my own flames have been extinguished and there is no longer anything inside me to keep me warm.

The painful weight on my chest also vanishes, and I instinctively curl into myself and shiver uncontrollably. A few strangled sobs escape my lips while I try to pick up my shattered emotions. I can't stay here; Mephiles may have let me go for now, but he's still waiting to finish me off, and now something has happened to the Flames of Disaster. I can no longer feel its rebellious turmoil inside of me. Even my own fire has been smothered by my shock and smolders dimly in my soul, not in any better condition than I myself am.

Was it really all my fault? Was it really my incompetence and hesitation that brought destruction upon the world? Was it my fate from the beginning? It simply can't be possible. But Mephiles has made some startling points, too numerous to be merely coincidence. Does that mean that Silver is as much at fault for this as me? No, I can't place the blame on him. I was the one that guided him down this path, and I encouraged him to press on when he questioned the morality of our actions. And I was the one who was accepted as a vessel to contain Iblis. Why? Because despite my desire to save the world, the lone survivors of that world were right all along: I was a servant of the Living Flame that plagued them.

I am defeated. Completely and utterly destroyed, reduced to a miserable, shivering ball. The proud princess and honourable Sol Guardian I once was is gone, leaving nothing left but the one truly responsible for the destruction of both this world and Silver's in a huddled heap on the cold, unforgiving ground. The world has been destroyed, the Sol Emeralds are gone and its ruler - the last chance this world had - has fallen in defeat.

Both worlds are dead. And I killed them.

"Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaaa!" A triumphant cackle breaks through the silence and I can't help but cringe at the sound, hugging myself tighter as a chill races down my spine. I peer upward cautiously upward toward the source of the sound and my heart sinks like a rock at the terrible sight.

Iblis in its full fury blazes across the black sky like something out of a nightmare, reaching out with flaming fingers as far as it can, yearning to fill this world with its fiery death. I might have found it almost beautiful once, but now it is a horrific insignia of the fiery death I know is to come.

"Finally! Too long has it been since those who opposed us rent us asunder! At long last, victory is ours! Return to me, Iblis, and let our long awaited reign of the universe commence!" Mephiles' maniacal laughter echoes down from the flames. It takes me a bit of searching, but I finally spot him in the epicentre of the vortex of fire in the sky, glowing brightly as it swirls around him, wrapping him completely in its flaming clutches. Light shines out from him, brighter and brighter, until suddenly a blinding, pink glare bursts from the two of them, forcing me to avert my eyes. The harsh light fills the sky like an explosive blast that spreads outwards and then down toward the ground beneath.

I struggle to my feet, still shielding my eyes, and try to brace myself against the incoming blast. It spreads farther and farther out, consuming everything in its path; an unstoppable force that is coming closer and closer with every passing second.

Solaris, I realize with no shortage of dread. In that instant, the cold truth hits me: this is really the end.

Instinct screams at me to run, but I have nowhere to go, even if I could outrun it. I can only watch as it rushes towards me, enveloping the world in its terrifying brilliance.

"No..." I breathe in unsurpassed horror. I take a half step backwards, but my foot reaches past the edge of the cliff and I almost tumble off the ledge. I glance down at the massive drop below, and then back up at the brilliance in the sky. Solaris' light touches down on the volcano and rushes down the slope toward me like an avalanche.

Both directions mean death.

"No...! NooooooooooaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-!" I scream as everything goes white - burning, hot, searing - and then finally abysmally black.

.

.. .

. . .

. . .

...?

I...

I'm... alive?

I'm floating in space, with nothing to be seen around me. There is darkness all around me, thick and endless in every direction. There is nothing at all in this place, wherever it may be. Just impenetrable blackness as far as the eye can see, which, admittedly, isn't very far.

I'm cold, so very cold. And this cold is nothing like I've ever experienced - it seeps deep into my bones and chills me from the inside out, like a disease. Its numbingly cold; I can't feel anything. Moving hurts. A lot. And I'm tired. I just want to sleep. However, I cannot for I fear I would never wake up again.

I shiver and try to shake off this chill that clings to me so. I reach within myself for my flames, for some way to get warm. But there is nothing. It is as if they were never there to begin with. I search harder, reaching deep within my core, but there is not so much as a spark to be found.

I feel the colour drain from my face. My flames... extinguished? I... impossible...! How...? Why...? When...?

I take deep breaths to quell the panic that rises within me. A stabbing pain shoots through my ribs with each breath, though, and I soon find myself doubled over, forcing myself to calm down, if only to avoid passing out. Everything hurts so much, and I'm so cold. The empty silence around is terrifying, more than Mephiles ever was, and for the first time since I can remember, I honestly wish there was somebody, anybody, here with me. I've never been so afraid of being alone.

"Is that...? Blaze? Blaze!"

The voice that breaks the silence is achingly familiar and rings with unbridled joy. I turn to its source to see Silver burst out of the gloom toward me, beaming. Before I know what he's doing, he slams into me and embraces me in a tight hug.

"Oh man, I can't believe it's really you! It's so good to see you, I thought I'd never see you again! I'm so glad you're okay!" He rambles on and on as he revels in my reappearance.

I can't breathe. Not only has the fact that he's hugging me shocked me into a dumbfounded stupor, but he's squeezing me really, really hard and I think something's about to break from the force. "Grrk! S-Sil...ver...!" I manage to gasp out.

He freezes. Then he releases me as if I were on fire (how ironic). I immediately double over, hugging myself as I try to balance out the need to breathe with the need to stop my ribs from screaming in agony. They burn, burn, burn with each shallow breath I draw, and it takes almost all of my concentration to regulate my breathing again.

Silver's babbling again. "...I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you! Oh man, you're hurt, aren't you? And you're so cold! I knew I shouldn't have done that. I'm really really sorry-"

"Stop, stop. It's-it's okay," I grunt through clenched teeth. My chest still feels like it may explode at any time, but at least I can breathe now without too much trouble. "I-I'm fine. Not your fault."

"What happened?" His voice has become deadly serious all of a sudden. The blind joy of seeing me alive has left, and now he's beginning to see that not everything is okay after all. "Where's Iblis? Did it attack you?"

I shake my head. "No. M-Mephiles..."

"Mephiles?" he repeats in shock. "But that's impossible! You went into another dimension, didn't you?"

"I did, but he was there. Waiting for me."

"Wha...?"

"It's... it's a long story. Mephiles attacked me to get Iblis. I fought for as long as I could, but..."

"No..."

I look away in shame. "That dimension... That was my home."

"Your home? But how...?" His eyebrows furrow in confusion briefly before realization dawns upon his face in a broad smile. "You mean you remember now? That's great!"

"Yes I remember it all now. It was my duty to protect that world from any disaster that might befall it. And I failed. Mephiles destroyed everything."

"B-Blaze..."

"It's too late now. Mephiles has Iblis now. And as Solaris, he'll obliterate everything until there's nothing left. It's over. We... I failed."

"No we didn't!" he argues. "We beat him! He can't hurt anybody anymore!"

I stare at him. "What? Who? How?"

He grins smugly. "Me, Sonic, and Shadow all went Super with the Chaos Emeralds and knocked him clean outta history!"

It sounds so simple, yet so ridiculous I have trouble believing it, but considering the antics that our mission has put us through, this is hardly outside the norm. I don't know who this Shadow is, but another name grabs my attention. "Sonic? He's alive?!" The relief I feel is overwhelming, and I find myself almost crying from this news. Of course Mephiles was lying about killing him. I should have known better than that. Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't die that easily.

"Oh yeah. He is now."

My smile falters. "...N-now?"

"Uhh, yeah, see, the thing is-"

Suddenly a light appears, piecing the darkness. It bursts out of the abyss like a fireworks display, spreading its glow as far as it can reach. Streaming wisps of what looks like white fire dance wildly from the brilliant explosion, creating magnificent patterns that branch out into smaller but just as glorious spirals before fizzling out in a spray of shimmering sparks.

"Agh! That light!" Silver exclaims. "Is that...?"

"Solaris," I confirm. I'd know that hauntingly beautiful light anywhere. It is strange but alluring, and I find myself drawn to its light and warmth. Part of me realizes I shouldn't do this. Part of me realizes that the light at the end of the tunnel is someplace I really shouldn't go to, but it's the only place I can go to. My world is dead. Silver's may recover, but it is still blackened and scarred by centuries of uninterrupted destruction.

And I have failed my duty not once, but twice. The Sol Emeralds are no more, and my people have all been wiped out. My flames have been extinguished, as I am unfit to wield them any longer. There is nothing left for me to return to.

"Uhh, Blaze? Where are you going?"

I look over my shoulder at him. "You said you defeated Solaris. If that's true, then it should be perfectly safe."

"But-!"

"There's nowhere else to go. I'm not staying here."

"Wait. I'm... I'm coming with you!" he cries and is instantly at my side. I was planning on entering into the strange light alone, but I'm secretly relieved he's coming with me. There are few others I would want accompanying me now as we face what could very well be our ends. Together, like so many times before, we press toward the unknown, into the light that gets ever brighter with each passing moment, and letting it engulf us in its brilliance.

However, it is not what either of us expect it to be. We are suddenly pulled through some kind of vortex that spirals down into fiery chaos. My senses, almost completely numb a few moments ago, are now overwhelmed with light, heat, energy, everything and more. I can't move. I can't even breathe, never mind scream as the intensity of whatever this is hits us head-on. Images flash by us as we are sucked into the depths of the all encompassing light. Events play out, some familiar, most not, but all of them seem to be doing so in reverse.

Silver staring despairingly at the sky after my departure.

Mephiles and Iblis spreading fiery devastation, and merging to form Solaris.

Sonic being killed by Mephiles (of course the coward would hit him in the back). His fall is reversed, but it is still clear what happened and who was responsible. So he wasn't lying after all.

They rush by, faster and faster, to the point where I can only catch glimpses of them. They begin blurring together: bright lights, motion, Sonic rescuing people (typical), explosions, fire, fire, fire. I would compare the sensation to having my life flash before my eyes, only it isn't my life at all. The images are far too random and varied to be connected to one life, and certainly not my own. But it must be somebody's, or even more than one's; the emotional attachment to each sight, though not mine, can only belong to the person or persons who lived through this. And every scene continues to play out in reverse, each new image taking place before the last. It's almost like we're travelling backwards through time. But how is this possible? And how far back will we go before this crazy ride finally stops?

One last explosion bursts out before me, so real I can feel its heat on my face, before at last everything goes black and I am able to breathe again. I collapse onto something solid beneath me, and after I regain my breath through my aching ribs, I slowly, carefully rise to my feet. Silver helps me up, obviously concerned, but also just as disoriented and confused as I. Was that it? Could it all be over at last? How long did it even go on for? Does time even matter anymore?

Before we can say anything, a soft glow appears before us through the dark, and I brace myself for another trip through time. But this light is different. It has a dull, brownish tinge to it, giving everything it touches a blurred appearance not unlike an old movie, and does not hold nearly the energy the beautiful swirls of light had before. It is as if this is some kind of flashback to a quieter time before any of this mess ever started.

Two figures stand silhouetted in the soft light, watching a little, white flame flickering cheerily behind an ornate glass globe shaped like a winged lantern. They are both humans, one much larger than the other - an older man and a young girl, by the looks of it - each dressed in regal looking robes.

"Look, Elise," the man says, leaning in closer to the little fire. "This is Solaris, the Flame of Hope."

I flinch at that name. Solaris? That little fire? Surely you can't be serious, I wonder silently. Then the rest of what he said sinks in. The Flame of Hope? Don't make me laugh. There is nothing hopeful about Solaris. Only death and destruction will ever come from such a demon. I have seen it. I glance down at myself, noticing my torn clothes, dried blood and bruises that cover my shivering body, physical evidence of the ache and bitter chill that throbs everywhere. I have experienced it.

"It's so beautiful," the child says, her voice filled with innocent awe.

"When the flame has grown large enough, our world will change," the man explains, turning to her with a soft smile. "Solaris will allow us to control time and move through history. People will be able to rectify past mistakes and avoid bitter fate."

There is a heaviness to his words that tell of loss and grief. It is hidden well, but I can hear the regret and pain because I share it. If anything could change what I've seen, undo the damage done, restore the countless lives lost to the hellish fire, I would strive for it with my entire being, even at the cost of my own life. This man seems to share the same sentiment as he tells the child of the wondrous possibilities the future holds.

The girl also thinks this is a wonderful idea as she turns to the man with a hopeful smile. "Will we be able to see momma?"

He smiles tenderly, reaching out to gently pat the child's head with paternal affection. "Yes, Elise. We'll both be able to see your mother once again." The longing in his voice now is unmistakable. Surely he must be the girl's father to hold such fondness for both her and her mother, and it is clear he wants more than anything to restore the missing part of his family for both himself and his daughter.

The child, Elise he called her, nods happily with the hope of one day seeing someone so dear to her again. She takes her father's hand and they turn and walk away from the little fire. Silver and I silently step back into the shadows, not wanting to interrupt this intimate moment. I watch carefully as Elise slows and takes one last look at the Flame of Hope, her eyes filled with wonder. Her father, noticing that she's stopped, looks down at her and watches the hope for a better future blossom on her face before also giving the little flame a hopeful glance.

The determination and resolve that crosses his face in that brief moment is admirable; his desire to reunite his family burning as strongly as Solaris itself. But he doesn't understand the desolation that his actions will unleash upon the world. His intentions may be pure, but the power to control time is not a power to be taken lightly and was never meant to be wielded by anybody. It was this ambition to tame an uncontrollable force that ultimately turned Solaris from a Flame of Hope to a Flame of Destruction.

The man smiles fondly at his daughter once more as he gently tugs her hand, and the two of them turn and walk away, hand in hand, fading away into the darkness. I can sympathize with them and their desire to change the pain of the past, but I know that nothing good will come of this.

"Let's go, Silver. It's time to put an end to this before it can even begin." I step forward, toward the flickering, white fire, ready to extinguish it forever. Except I can't. Some kind of barrier keeps me out of Solaris' chamber, keeping me from even entering the light. Silver is also stopped and looks at me in bewilderment. We press against it forcefully, groping its surface for some kind of breach we can slip through, but there is none. It isn't even a solid wall, it is simply a force of some kind repelling our every advance. With a cry of exasperation, I strike out at the field with everything including teeth and claws, wishing I still had my flames to help burn it down. Silver helps me, pressing against it at first with his psychokinesis, then joining me in physically attacking the wall with fists and feet.

"No... No! Dammit! We're so close!" he shouts in frustration.

"Rrrgh...!" I growl angrily, beating uselessly at the field with my fists. This can't be happening, not after coming this far. Solaris, you accursed Flames of Disaster. Even now you taunt me. You show yourself to me at your weakest, and yet I cannot reach you. I am so close to putting an end to your tyranny forever, and yet still so far. Curse you, Solaris. Curse you from the depths of my heart.

As I fume in helpless wrath, the light changes. Instead of the grainy, brown light from before, it becomes a silvery blue. The intricate details inscribed in the grand housing for the Flame of Hope are now fully visible in the crisp, clear glow of the little fire. Flawless metalwork depicting what looks like a bird in flight looms over a glass sphere that encapsulates Solaris. It is truly pitiable how much time and effort was put into this grand display case for the demon that would eventually burn their world to the ground.

Two more people come into the light. The first I recognize immediately: Sonic. A relieved smile spreads across my face now that I see him alive and unharmed. Even though I just witnessed his murder, just seeing him now fills me with with the satisfaction that this is one victory that Mephiles cannot claim.

The second is less familiar. She is a human like the other two were, but is a young adult. The red hair and quiet way she holds herself reminds me of the little girl from before. In fact, the more I look at her, the more similarities become apparent. With all the time travel that has happened lately, is it possible that they could be one and the same?

They stare silently at the flame for a few seconds, watching it harmlessly burn away. They look a little confused, as if they too can scarcely believe that this tiny flicker of light is really a creature of mass destruction. They seem a little hesitant, as well, unsure of what exactly they are supposed to do.

"This is where everything began," the girl says, finally breaking the silence. "Who knew such a tiny flame could cause such devastation?"

Slowly, she steps forward and extends a tentative hand toward the protective glass. At her touch, it vanishes in a blink of blue light that exposes the flame to the outside air. Then, still exercising the same amount of caution, she reaches into the capsule and cups her hands around Solaris. Without any indication of being burned, she carefully removes it and holds it out, watching it as a myriad of emotions play across her face. Only the royal bloodline of Soleanna have the ability to tame Solaris like that. This must be the princess I've heard of.

"If we put out this flame, Solaris will never exist. And then we'll never have to worry about the Flames of Disaster, right?"

I lean forward in anticipation. Why is she hesitating? Doesn't she know what this being will bring to the world, and how many lives it will destroy? She literally has the fate of the world in her hands! What is she waiting for?

Her eyes waver with conflict as she turns to Sonic. "But our encounter..." She pauses again, piecing together her thoughts and emotions into coherence. "You and I will never meet. It will never have happened."

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Silver flinch. "That's right," he whispers. "B-but doesn't that also mean...?" He looks at me with anxiety riding on panic in his golden eyes.

I heave a soft sigh. Of course he hadn't thought about this until now. Even though we had vowed we would sacrifice whatever was necessary to save the world from Iblis, he hadn't considered the possibility that in altering history to avert this catastrophe, it would affect everything about the future - including ourselves.

"How can you still be so naïve?" I ask him quietly, shaking my head. "Don't you realize that this is the only way to fix everything? If Solaris is allowed to exist, both this world and mine will be completely eradicated. Don't you understand that?"

"But... Blaze..."

The helplessness in his voice drives straight into my heart. I can't look at him, can't bear to see the despair on his face again as he watches his only friend yet again leave him for the greater good. So I focus in the scene playing out before me and notice that the girl is experiencing similar conflict, glancing between Solaris and Sonic with tears forming in her eyes. By the looks of it, the two of them have been through a lot together, not at all unlike Silver and I, and the thought of a life where they will never meet is one that is too painful to bear.

I understand her pain. I truly do. But this must be done.

"I... To tell the truth," she starts softly, and at last the tears spill over. "I don't care what happens to the world!"

It's too real, too close to what Silver and I are experiencing for me to lend a deaf ear to her cries. It's almost funny how the demon that effortlessly brought the world to its knees also brought so many people together, people who, through determination and teamwork have finally put an end to its reign of terror. And yet, even after everything we've done that brought us to this moment, it still holds a victory in the fact that its death will not just bring the trust and friendship forged between these people to an end, but will prevent them from even coming to be in the first place. In that sense the blow dealt at its death will be as painful as any inflicted when alive.

But we can't be stupid. Solaris must be put to an end or millions - no, billions - will be massacred in its fiery wrath. We have to set aside our personal needs for the greater good. As a princess, I have been taught this from infancy, for after all, peace is never free. Sacrifices must be made in order to protect those we care about and give them a chance for happiness. And she who now holds the Flame of Hope must also be of royal blood, and must know this as well. And that is probably what's killing her the most.

Silver makes a soft, anxious sound, obviously hesitant to let this go through now that he knows the price. I incline my head and sigh softly. "This must be done, Silver. This is the only way to bring peace to our worlds. You knew we would have to make sacrifices to save the world. This was what we agreed to."

"No it's not!" he blurts suddenly, his voice hushed, but still making me jump slightly. "This... this is different! I mean, if one of us got hurt or-or died or something, then at least we'd have memories of each other! And, like, it would've hurt, and it would've been really hard to go on, and it would be really lonely, but we could do it, eventually! But this... this way we won't even have that anymore! We... We won't ever have met, Blaze! Do you know what that means? We won't be friends anymore!" He stares at me, the intensity and pain in his eyes searing into me. "Doesn't that mean anything to you?"

"Of course it does. But it won't be like that anymore. There won't be any Iblis threatening to destroy everything. There'll be peace and happiness everywhere." I pause and look away. "You won't need me anymore."

"How can you say that?" he demands fiercely. "You're my friend, Blaze! I... I'd be lost without you! We've been through so much together! We went back in time and figured out the truth about Iblis and stopped it and saved the world! And after all that, you think I won't need you anymore?" He suddenly lunges toward me and grips my shoulders, evoking a small squeak of surprise out of me. "I don't trust anyone more than you. I'll never not need you. You're my best friend, Blaze." He looks at me briefly, tears shimmering in his eyes, before he drops his head with shaking shoulders. "And I... I don't wanna lose you again."

My throat closes up. This is so much harder than I thought it would be, but there is nothing I can say that would make it any easier.

"Elise..." Sonic breaks the silence behind us, and we both look up to see what's going on. He may not have heard us, but he has been watching and listening carefully to the girl as she pours out her heart, torn between staying with quite possibly the only friend she's ever made and doing what she knows she must do. He smiles that familiar, crooked smile of his, becoming the epitome of encouragement and assurance. "Just smile."

She raises her head to meet his eyes, taking in the confidence he lends her, and slowly the corners of her mouth curl up. I can't help but feel that his words are meant for the two of us as much as for her and I also allow myself a shaky smirk. I turn back to Silver, a sad smile wobbling on his face, as well. It would seem all of us have taken such a simple suggestion to heart just like that. In a matter of seconds, two words have brought three people at the brink of tears to a kind of acceptance and assurance that everything will all work out. How do you do it, Sonic?

"We'll meet again," I tell Silver.

This perks him up. "We will?" he asks hopefully. But then he frowns. "But how will we know each other?"

"We won't. But the universe threw us together by fluke once. Who's to say it won't do so again?"

He blinks, and then he suddenly laughs, releasing my shoulders. "Yeah! We're the best team ever! Not even an alternate reality can keep us apart!"

His cheer, though obviously forced, lifts my spirits, as usual, and together we turn to watch as Elise brings Solaris close to her face, ready to extinguish it. At last, our mission to save the world from fiery death is finally about to finish. Could the cause of a fiery apocalypse really come to such a simple and quiet end?

Silver's hand brushes my fingers tentatively. "...I'll miss you."

No you won't. But I lie to him anyway. "And I you."

His fingers, ever so slowly and gently, begin entwining with mine, trembling with emotion. Even now, after all of this and despite himself, he clings to me, to his last hope, refusing to fully let me go. "So... I-I guess I'll see you later, then?"

Elise takes a deep breath. This is finally the end. This is the last time Silver and I will see each other, unless fate does indeed thrust us together again. But even then everything we've done together in this life will be lost. We'll have to start all over again.

In this final moment, I take the time to remember everything we've done together, all the battles we've fought, all the promises we've made, and all the trials we've overcome. Surely it all can't be for naught. We have been through hell together, and not even a time commanding demon can separate us now. We will meet again. I'm sure of it.

Despite myself, I give in and take his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You will."

And with that, Princess Elise blows out the flame.

---

A.N.: Yeah, sorry for the little bit of Silvaze in there, but you can easily make it platonic if you want. That's how I intended it, anyway.

So, did it make sense? Did everything add up? Was it to your satisfaction? Have any questions? Please leave a review! I don't bite! ^_^

~Nora