"So this Sylvanix is the Dragon of Wind, correct?" Naugus asked Sonic who shook his head.

"No, it's more like..." He paused to think as Sylvanix offered him an explanation. "He's a guide to all Wind Guardians that come after him," he said finally. "I've never actually seen his normal form, though. There's some kind of interference and he ends up looking like a dragon. As for the actual Wind Dragon neither of us have seen him and I doubt we ever will."

Off to the side, Sally was talking with her father about some of the time-released programs on Nicole. She had been talking to him for hours after she had stolen him from Sonic. Meanwhile, Naugus had taken to talking to Sonic about the dragons and other mystical topics. Sonic was surprised that the sorcerer knew as much as he did.

"How much of the Void have you two explored?" he asked Naugus.

"It is like another world," Naugus said as another coughing fit hit him. "I thought that I had mastered control over it but it seems that I have only been 'allowed' to control a small part of its power."

"That's the other thing," Sally asked turning from her father. "Are you sure there's no way to get the two of you out of here?"

"Naugus, you did say that the Void's grip on us has significantly weakened since the two of you used the Deep Power Stones," the King offered. "Is there any chance we could just leave?" Naugus shook his head.

"If we were to leave now we would still crystallize in moments," he said coughing. "There is one method but I would never suggest it."

"Please, Naugus," Sally begged. The sorcerer looked in her eyes and, seeing her determination, sighed.

"The only other way I know of to release the Void's grip is to offer another life for your father's."

They were all silent as it sank in. "So, if I were to sacrifice my life my father could return?" Sally asked breaking the silence.

"No way, Sal," Sonic said. "I'm not letting you give up that easily."

"There's no other way!" Sally yelled at him. "I love you, Sonic, but this is my father we're taking about. His life is more valuable than any of ours."

"That is not true, Sally," King Max said placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder. "I am only one Mobian. It is you and Sonic that the Freedom Fighters look to to lead them against Robotnik."

Let the girl speak, Maximillian. I'm quite interested in her offer. They all froze at the sound of the booming voice. Naugus' eyes were wide with fear as he slowly realized whose voice it was. Indeed, sorcerer, the voice said reading his thoughts. I am the consciousness of the Void, the one you and my master's servant touched the first time you were here. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to hear what the young princess has to offer in exchange for her father's life force.

"I'm offering mine," Sally said simply. "But before you can have mine you have to free my father."

A rather boring trade, the Void said with a sigh. But I suppose it is the best that you Mobians can offer me. You have a deal, Princess. A purple mist surrounded the King as the Void's energy was expelled from his body. After a few moments the mist dissipated, revealing a younger-looking King Max. And now for your end of the deal, Princess, the Void said as two crystal tendrils rose from the ground and wrapped around Sally's waist. Sonic winced as her face twisted in pain. A hand on his shoulder made him turn, only to see the king's face in an equal amount.

"Your Highness! Look out!" Sonic yelled pushing the king down. Another tendril had sprung up behind him until Sonic cut it down. "You bastard! We had a deal!" he yelled at the Void. The Void chuckled.

I only promised to release her father before taking her life force, it said. Nothing was said about taking her father's life after the fact. Naugus began preparing a spell when another tendril pierced through his back into his heart. I think not, sorcerer. I tire of these pitiful games. Say goodbye to your daughter, Maximillian.

A little help, Sylvanix! Sonic said and felt a nod in his mind. He held his hand over his left shoulder and pulled a wisp of blue and grey from it. He slammed his hand into the king's chest before cutting the tendrils wrapped around Sally.

AAAAUUUGGGHHHH! the Void screamed. Curse you, you blasted Guardian! You may have saved the king but you will not save the Acorn House! A portal opened up next to Sonic and Sally, slowly pulling them in.

"Father! No!" Sally screamed. "I won't leave you behind again!"

"There's no time," the king said as more tendrils tried wrapping around him again only to disintegrate upon touching him. "Whatever Sonic did will protect me from the Void. You must leave here. The Freedom Fighters need you to...!"

He stopped as another portal opened, depositing Snively on the floor. Sonic almost stopped resisting the portal's pull, barely catching Sally as she lost her footing. "What are you doing here, Snively?" Sonic asked yelling over the vortex.

"I could ask the same of you, hedgehog," the human said. Another pull caused Sonic to lose his footing before he could ask anything else.

"Daaadddy!" Sally yelled extending her hand.

"Goodbye, bean," the king said smiling a tear running down his cheek. "I have never been prouder in my entire life. To have a daughter like you is the greatest gift to any father."

Sally was still screaming as the vortex deposited them on the edge of the chasm. They watched as the purple and yellow portal closed for the last time.

"How could you?" Sally cried, turning on Sonic and pounding on his chest. "We could have saved him and you didn't do a damn thing! Why didn't you help him?" So it continued and Sonic quietly took Sally's verbal and physical assaults. When she finally calmed down she broke down crying into his chest. Before she could say anything else Sonic wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. Sonic stared where the portal had been as a tear rolled down his cheek.

Forgive me, Majesty, he thought.

[I am...proud of you,] Sylvanix said quietly. [What you gave was more than either of them will ever realize. With this there is still a chance to save the king another day.]

Sonic didn't answer him, knowing that he was right. More than ever now Sally needed Sonic to be there for her. She had lost her father and almost her life. Her heart had been broken by leaving her father there but Sonic would do his best to hold her together. He held her closer and rested his head next to hers.

They set up camp on the edge of the chasm. Sally had her back to it knowing if she saw it she would repeat her actions from earlier. On top of it all she had put the blame solely on Sonic though he had committed no fault. He had taken every word, every punch and slap silently. Afterwards, he had just held her. She didn't understand him. The old Sonic would have argued back with her and then they would have fought more and gotten fed up with each other. This Sonic knew exactly what she needed when she needed it. No, she supposed that he had always been this way. He was just finally mature enough to act on it. But why? After everything she had said how could he just sit there as if nothing had happened? It was tearing her apart knowing she had accused the one she loved of not saving her father.

"Sonic..." she started but Sonic shook his head from across the fire.

"You don't have to Sal," he said. "I know you didn't mean any of it."

"Please," she asked him, "I have to. I won't be able to forgive myself if I don't." Sonic was quiet. "I'm...sorry for what I said earlier. I don't know what came over me. I was just so upset and sad and angry over losing my father that I just lost it. I shouldn't have said those things. I can understand if you're angry with me."

Sonic didn't say anything. Sally sighed, another tear forming. She would understand if he didn't want anything to do with her right now or ever for that matter. She barely saw that he had gotten up and walked away. She heard something from behind her but ignored it. Without warning Sonic pulled her to her feet and held her hands looking into her eyes.

"Follow me," he said quietly. He led her to the chasm's edge and they looked over. She could feel tears welling up and wiped them away. On the ground Sonic had placed two large stones next to each other. He knelt down and held out his hands towards them. Sally saw the wind pick up and surround the rocks. When the wind cleared two small crosses had been cut from the stones. The left one bore the name "Ixis Naugus" and was cut to give it a crystalline texture. The left one bore a small crown on the top and her family's crest just under it. In the middle of the cross was the name "King Maximillian Acorn". Sonic stood up and stepped away. His hand wrapped in Sally's as they looked over the new graves.

"They're...beautiful," she said wiping away a tear.

"It was the least I could do for them," he replied. He turned to Sally and looked into her eyes. "Sal, about what you said earlier. I was never angry at you. I understood why you felt like that. The only thing that you need to know is that I will always be there for you. I know I'm not the most dependable guy all of the time but I promise that when you need me I'll be there. I'll be your shoulder to cry on, the arms to hold you up, and the legs to carry you when you can go no further. I will, and always have, loved you Sally Alicia Acorn, princess or no."

With that he kissed her. Sally felt chills run through her body as Sonic held her there. Eventually she wrapped her arms around him and returned it. A sudden falling sensation overcame her and she opened her eyes to see several windows as she fell through a multicolored tunnel.

Looking through the windows Sally could see all the times that she and Sonic had spent together, both good and bad. She saw them as kids meeting for the first time when his parents met with her father. The two of them ran off to play and ran into Antoine, Bunnie and Rotor. It fast forwarded to when they ran away from Rosie's care during the coup and were captured, only to be rescued by their future selves. She saw herself get shot by a lone SWATbot, Sonic taking it out then running her back to Knothole. There was another when they had hit puberty. Back then it was almost impossible to keep them apart. It was when they had briefly kissed just to see what it was like, though they never told anyone about it. Then she saw when Sonic, Antoine and Griff had all been vying for her favor, then the two of them together as they joined the Deep Power Stones to try and destroy Robotnik. It was followed by the interrupted kiss that had followed and the continuing battle. Then the two of them talking after the initial attack by Daryl and the first true kiss they had shared when they finally admitted how they felt. His return and victory over the human cyborg, all the fights with Amy, their journey here, everything was there. Sally saw a bright light and continued towards it, feeling calmer the closer she got to it.

What you have seen, what you have heard, a voice said all around her, vaguely sounding like Sonic's. This is my world. For all my life I wanted you to be a part of it.

Sally neared the light and she was forced to close her eyes. When she opened them she looked across a beautiful meadow. The grass was just up to her knees and there were wildflowers growing around her. She watched as laughing phantasms of her and Sonic as kids chasing each other ran by. She looked around, unable to grasp that all this was real.

"What is this place?" she asked aloud. "It's so beautiful and peaceful. I feel that nothing in the world could bother me here."

"This is my inner world, my sanctuary," Sonic said from behind her. She turned to face him and looked at Sonic as he had been before he had left with Daryl. "When I need to think or I need advice from Sylvanix I come here. No matter what is happening on the outside this place never changes."

"It's...incredible," she said still looking around her. "I can understand why you would come here. But why am I here?"

"Because I want you to know all there is about me, Sal," he answered brushing a lock of her hair away from her face. "I wanted to show you that you permeate my very being. Without you I would be lost with no direction to follow. This world would crumble and fall apart. I don't ever want that to happen."

"Sonic..."

The two of them were quiet as they stared into each other's eyes. Finally Sonic smiled and his body changed to his current form. "I've been waiting to give you something Sally," he told her. "I wanted the perfect time for it and it couldn't get more perfect than this. I know it will be difficult without your father but I promise that I will never leave your side. Even if I should die I'll always watch over you. I want to be with you now and forever, 'til the end of time." With that he dropped to one knee holding her left hand and reached into his pocket. What he pulled out caused Sally to gasp. It was a platinum ring with a deep blue sapphire mounted on top. On either side sat two smaller diamonds that seemed to glow.

"That ring belonged to my mother!" she said as everything began falling into place. "It was the ring that my father used to propose to her."

"Then it is only appropriate you should wear it as well," Sonic said looking up at her. "Sally Alicia Acorn, will you marry me?"

Sally was speechless. All this for her, for this moment? She didn't know what to say. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she stared at the ring and then Sonic. This was what she had waited for her whole life but had never imagined it like this.

"Sonic, yes, yes of course I will!" she exclaimed wrapping her arms around him. When they parted he slipped the ring onto her finger. It went on easily as if the ring had been made just for her. Its radiance seemed to grow as it sat on her finger. She stared at the ring and at him, tears falling from her eyes, not tears of sadness but of joy. Sally was slowly enveloped by a white light with Sonic right there with her. She kissed him feeling an inner peace like she had never felt in her entire life.

Their lips parted and Sally could see they were on the edge of the chasm once more. Had it all been a dream? She looked on her left hand and stared at her engagement ring, just as she had seen earlier. She looked back at Sonic and they both smiled. Sonic's face instantly changed to surprise as he looked into her eyes. Her eyes were still light blue but they seemed to glow as if some hidden power had been awakened.

"What's wrong?" she asked softly still smiling. Sonic smiled again.

"Nothing," he said and kissed her again. Sylvanix was a crafty one, he had to admit that.


Rotor sat at his computer station with Antoine looking over his shoulder. He had finally been able to hack into the EyeSpys to see what was going on in the city. The last few days everything had been crazy. First the power surge, then the AI SWATbot rebellion and the influx of roboticized Mobians that had gone to various villages. Too many Freedom Fighters were afraid they would turn at any second. As a result Antoine sent out envoys to the villages and brought the Robians, as the villagers had taken to calling them, to Knothole.

"Anything, Rotor?" Antoine asked calmly.

"The city is finally calming down," Rotor replied shaking his head. "I thought for a second that I was picking up Void energy but it was gone as soon as it appeared."

"Are you to be thinking that Robotnik is planning something with it?" he asked staring blankly at the screen. Rotor sighed and pushed away from the console.

"I don't know, Antoine," the walrus admitted. "Things are running totally different than how Robotnik did anything. More and more factories are no longer producing any pollution and some new kinda bots are cleaning up the air around the city. And to top it all off there's more and more factories popping up."

"What kind of factories?"

"Mainly SWATbot," Rotor said leaning back. "There's a few that I've never seen before, though. One in particular is consuming resources at a pretty alarming rate so I don't think it's a SWATbot plant."

"We will have to look into this," Antoine said patting Rotor on the shoulder. "You are doing well, my friend. Do not be overworking yourself."

"Same to you, Ant," Rotor replied. "How are your speech lessons going with doc?"

"Not badly," the coyote said. "It is odd that he is now so adamant on continuing them. It is as if he is to be knowing something that I do not."

Rotor shrugged and turned back to the screen, watching as the EyeSpys flew around the city. Antoine sighed and left him to his work. He closed the door on the way out and began to walk around the village. It had been over two weeks since Sonic and Sally had left and he was beginning to get restless. Nothing had gone wrong; he just felt that something was off. Despite everything else he was more concerned about Bunnie. She had been going through her family's relics looking for something but pretended to be cleaning whenever Antoine came into the hut.

"Antoine!" Tails said running over. "There you are! I've been looking for you all day."

"What is being the problem, Miles?" Antoine asked. Tails narrowed his eyes.

"You know I hate that name," he muttered. "Anyway, Amy and I were scouting out the Robotropolis border like you said when we saw something...weird."

Antoine looked at the young fox with a confused look. "What are you meaning by 'weird'?" he asked.

"Well, it was a white hedgehog," Tails explained. "He was almost as tall as Robotnik and had his eyes too and the tips of his quills were black. There was just something about him that terrified me. He looked like Sonic, but yet he didn't."

Antoine closed his eyes. Could this mean that Nano Sonic had survived his encounter with Dr. Osaka? This wasn't good news at all. "Was there anything else?" he asked.

"Umm, not really," Tails said scratching his head. "He was walking around with a bunch of SWATbots though, so I don't think he's on our side. It looked like he was searching for someone or something."

"Thank you, Miles," Antoine said nodding. "Neither of you are hurt?"

"For the last time, no," Tails said exasperated. "Amy and I are capable of handling ourselves. We don't need you guys looking out for us every second."

"It is not being that," he apologized. "It is merely being a habit of mine to ask the scouts if anyone was injured."

"Oh," Tails said blushing lightly. "Umm, sorry about that then."

Antoine waved it away and Tails ran off. He heard a muffled impact as Amy tackled Tails and then ran off. Their laughter made him smile. He remembered being that young once. But now was not the time for such things. Along his walk he talked with many of the refugees. They had managed to build a large shelter to temporarily house them. Aside from their surveillance Rotor and Sir Charles had been working on the deroboticizer. They had come close a few times but the machinery had given out, leaving many of the Robian refugees desperate. He walked back to his hut and sat down on the bed sighing. Bunnie had the day watch so she wasn't here for him to talk to.

"I am wishing this war would end," he said lying down. "Then Sally could become Queen and everything could go back to normal."

There was a knock on his door and he stood up to answer it. On the other side stood Dr. Osaka with a book in his hand. Antoine sighed and let him in.

"Good afternoon, Antoine," he said sitting down in a nearby chair. "It's that time of the day once more." Antoine nodded and took the book from the doctor. This was when he usually did his speech lessons with Dr. Osaka though he had been more persistent since Sonic and Sally had left.

"I am still not understanding why you are to be doing this," he said looking at the doctor. Dr. Osaka stared back at him and cleared his throat. Antoine muttered a curse and started over. "I am...I do not understand why you are to be...why you are doing this."

"Better," Dr. Osaka said smiling. "Is this not something you've wanted to do for some time now? If I remember correctly you are the one who came to me for these lessons."

"That is not what I mean!" Antoine snapped. "Why are you pushing moi so hard? It is not as if I am being king one day. Why do you want me to be practicing so hard?"

Dr. Osaka was quiet. "You cannot know every possibility," he said after a moment. "What if Sally does not come back from the Void? You are the next logical choice to rule in her stead."

Antoine sat there in shock. "You cannot be serious," he said. "The Princess would be returning..." He muttered another curse. "The Princess will be returning soon, I am...I know it."

"There is no guarantee," Dr. Osaka countered. "Many of the Freedom Fighters would agree that family is more important than anything else, more important than even Robotnik. What would you do if you were given the chance to see your father again, even if it meant never returning here?"

Antoine balled his hands up in his lap. "I understand what you are saying," he said. "And I cannot say that I would not take the same offer."

"Then you should also understand the importance of preparing for every situation," the doctor said adjusting his glasses. "You are a strategist, Antoine. In fact, you are one of the best. You need to be ready for anything whether it's here in Knothole or in Robotropolis."

"Speaking of such," Antoine said leaning forward. "Tails said that he and Amy saw a white hedgehog in the city earlier today. Do you know anything of this?"

Dr. Osaka shook his head. "I don't," he admitted. "But if I had to guess then it would be Nano Sonic. Why do you ask?"

"Tails also said it looked like he was looking for something," Antoine added. "If we can find whatever this thing may be then perhaps we can be...we can disrupt Robotnik's plans."

"Perhaps," Dr. Osaka said rubbing his chin. "Something tells me there is more to the situation than it appears. Perhaps we should wait for Sonic and Sally to get back."

Antoine closed his eyes and took several deep breaths before relaxing. "Fine," he said. "When they get back we should move as soon as possible."

"Good," Dr. Osaka said and pointed at the book. "Now, open to where we left off yesterday."