Hours later, the grey and brown sky turned a foggy black. It was late and most of Robotropolis was turning in. There was no need for late night patrol since the Freedom Fighters are celebrating Christmas. Snively was watching the monitors in boredom while Robotnik made out plans and ideas for invasion and domination. He took a look at his watch and felt that today has came and gone. He got off his commander's chair and told Snively that he is turning in.

"Snively, I want to see you here bright and early," he commanded

"Yes, sir. As always, sir"

"No, Snively I mean earlier than that. In fact, I would like you to stay here tonight. I don't trust those Freedom 'Fritters' for a second. Keep watch, will you?

"B-b-b-but sir, its Chris-"

"That is an order, Snively!" he shouted "Sometimes I wonder why I haven't roboticised you yet."

He left the room as the door slide behind him. Snively looked at the door and sighed.

"Merry Christmas, Uncle" he said to him self as he looked down at a small wrapped gift with a tag that said "To: Uncle Julian From: Snively."

Robotnik got into his Hover car and drove it to his private sleeping quarters. As he arrived at his door a street sweeper-bot came up to him and began to play a Christmas Carol song for him. Robotnik looked at it but the robot got even louder. He held his arm out and entered a series of numbers into his remote arm band. After which the robot powered down in the middle of the carol. Robotnik sighed and continued into his abode.

He changed out of his day clothes and into his night gown and cap. In his kitchen he searched for something to eat before he slept. He looked into his refrigerator to fix him a hearty sandwich. He usually has a robot fix his food for him but he had all the robots decommissioned due to the fact that he did not want to interact with anymore robots for the evening, especially after his encounter with the sweeper-bot.

He realized that he forgot the mayo. He went back into the refrigerator to fetch it. That's when he heard a wind sound. Not only did he hear it but he felt as well. As if the wind took it self and brushed its body up and down Robotnik's back. Robotnik paid no attention to it the first time but when it happened again it frightened him. This time the wind felt like a hand to his shoulder but the most frightening part is the whisper he heard.

"Julian…" it said.

Robotnik denied what he heard and took his sandwich into the next room to eat and admire the fire on his hologram. He ate and sat pondering afterwards. He was drowsy and was nodding off once and again. But when he opened his eyes he saw a translucent figure. But the bone chilling came when he recognized who the figure was.

"King?" he said rubbing his eyes in disbelief. "Is that you?"

"It is." He reluctantly responded.

"I don't believe it. It can't be."

He reached over to the mayo jar to check the expiration.

"Either my vision deceives me, Julian, or you don't believe that I am real."

"Because I don't believe. This must be a trick played by those freedom fighters and that miserable hedgehog."

"Julian…" the King said as he tried to get through to him.

"They must have stolen my dream program."

"Julian!"

"Or imitated some type of ghost in the shell program of some sort to trick me or-"

"JULIAN! If you do not believe me then I shall make you believe. Remember the day I suddenly disappeared."

We were going to take back our Kingdom and my rightful place on the throne. I told the others I was going to take you down personally so I told them to meet me back at Knothole and don't come looking for me. I went toward sector 5B because sources said you were going to be there during our mission but we where wrong. You moved. I found out your location after you found out my motive. You met me first and opened a portal to another dimension created by NAUGUS. The portal was supposed to lead to the void dimension but it never did. I was in that portal for what felt like an eternity. I died of starvation and dehydration. I needed to die to escape from the portal. I was slowly waiting for that moment to come. When I woke I was dead and I found that I died on Christmas Eve, right on the brink of Christmas. I was light years away from Mobius and I wanted to get back. I started my journey back. Each day that went by for me I grew a chain link from my neck brace. I have a chain stretching for a mile or so. How I managed to reach you before your time came was nothing short of a miracle.

Robotnik couldn't believe that it was really the King, dead and right in front of him.

"I thought I got rid of you."

"Apparently, it's going to take a lot more to get rid of me Julian."

"Why are you here? What do you want from me?"

"I am only a messenger, Julius. I have been dead for decades even though to you it has been years. I have met a few spirits who took an interest in you and the lives you've touched. They have told me what is in stored for all of you. But I can say no more."

"What do the want from me?"

"Julian, take heed of my words. You shall be visited by three spirits this night. The first shall appear at midnight. Then the second, an hour following. Then the third, an hour after that."

Robotnik took a look at the clock on the wall and noticed that that was thirty minutes to midnight. His heart began to race.

"I don't believe you. I don't believe any of this. I-I must be dreaming. YES, that's it, dreaming! "I-I'll just close my eyes-

"JULIAN!" shouted the King as the windows and doors burst open as the banged back and forth as though the were in the midst of a hurricane. The furniture moved around the room, the electrical equipment fell and crashed. Robotnik was trying his hardest to hang on to his chair but the wind was, too powerful. He moved still sitting in the chair. Even though he closed his eyes in an attempt to wake up from a dream he is dreadfully afraid to open them now.

"OPEN YOUR EYES, JULIAN!" raged the King. "DON'T DISAPPOINT ME AGAIN."

Robotnik hadn't opened his eyes yet but when the ghost of the King finished speaking he opened up his left eye. As he did, he noticed that he was back in his chair sitting in front of his Hologram fire. It was as if nothing happened. He sighed in relief.

"Whew, I knew it was a dream." He said reassuring himself.

But then the clock stroke Twelve Midnight and a wind blew. He turned around to look at his hologram to notice that it was still active but the fire has blown out.

"Strange," he said to himself. "That has never happened before. It's not programmed to blow out."

"Julian!" a voice called out from what sounded like a distance far way. "It is time…"