Chapter 11: Phoenix Rising
Silver and Lancelot hadn't noticed what had happened yet because they were fighting the Black Knight. Amy, Tails, Blaze and Knuckles gathered around Shadow. They heard something and turned around to see Shadow on the ground, dead. The two ceased fighting the Black Knight and Morgana instantly, allowing the two to teleport away. The rushed over to the phoenix and saw the blood on his feathers. The two mythical creatures gasped and looked at Sonic, wondering what had happened.
Sonic's head was low as he mumbled an answer to their unspoken question. "I-I killed him..."
Silver walked over to the griffin and draped a wing over him. "Sonic, you weren't in control, it isn't your fault."
Sonic didn't answer.
Once Silver moved away, Lancelot came over. "Sir Sonic, you mustn't blame yourself."
Again, Sonic didn't answer.
Tails and all the others who had known Shadow well were grieving too.
The griffin sighed, wondering why this had to happen. He walked outside to the courtyard and lay down to go to sleep.
Sonic lay in the courtyard, watching the moon as it began to slowly descend in the sky. Tails walked outside, looking for Sonic. He smiled as he saw the griffin lying in the courtyard.
"There you are!" Tails exclaimed. "We've been wondering where you've been. Are you okay?"
"No Tails...I'm not. I just killed Shadow!" Sonic almost screeched.
"Sonic, is wasn't your fault. Morgan Le Fay cast a spell that corrupted you. Fortunately, you broke free. Don't feel guilty about what you did that was against your will."
Sonic sighed and nodded. He got up and looked at Tails, smiling. Suddenly they heard a roar and ran inside the castle, shocked to see that Lancelot was transforming back to his normal form.
Once the transformation was finished, Lancelot collapsed. Galahad quickly caught him with his psychokinetic powers and held him up. Gawain ran over and supported Lancelot as Galahad released his hold. "Lancelot! Are you..."
"Yes Galahad, I'm fine!" Lancelot nodded his thanks to Galahad and Gawain and stood up.
Sonic walked up to Lancelot and sighed. He knew that Lancelot was going to become a dragon permanently soon; he just didn't know when.
"Lancelot...the next time you change into a dragon, it will probably be permanent." Sonic sighed. "I know Sir Sonic, but as I've said, I don't mind."
Sonic nodded then he looked toward Shadow's body, sadness filling his eyes again, only to be replaced by shock as Shadow's feathers ignited into flame. The phoenix's body rose in the air as the flames grew brighter and hotter, A bright flash of light appeared and when it vanished, Shadow was alive.
Everyone stared in shock as Shadow shook his head and opened his eyes.
"What...? How...?" Sonic mumbled to himself.
Shadow turned to look at him. "I'm a phoenix, Sonic. Phoenixes come back to life when they die."
Tails gasped. "But...you could change at will then! If you weren't in your phoenix form when you died, does that mean you would have died for good? And is your transformation permanent now?"
Shadow looked at Tails. "I can't answer your first question, Tails, but I can tell you that my true form is now a phoenix."
"That's awesome," Tails said, and looked at Sonic, who was still in awe at Shadow's resurrection.
"Shadow...that's amazing!" Sonic smiled at him.
"Thanks Sonic," Shadow said.
The other knights walked in, along with Knuckles, Amy and Blaze. When they saw Shadow, they gasped in shock.
"How...?" Percival asked.
"He was in his phoenix form when he died, so he's come back to life," Tails told her. "His transformation is permanent now and he's immortal. Speaking of which, all mythical creatures are immortal."
He looked at Sonic, Lancelot and Silver when he said this, and their eyes widened.
"We're immortal now?" Silver whispered in shock. Sonic and Lancelot didn't say anything.
"Yes, all of you are," Tails told them.
"That's cool," Sonic said.
Lancelot nodded in agreement.
"So...what are we going to do now that the Black Knight is here again?" Tails asked. "We have to stop him."
"Morgan Le Fay must be stopped also," Gawain said, and looked at Sonic. "You still may be corrupted."
"If that happens...Do whatever you need to do to stop me." Sonic looked at everyone in turn.
Gawain nodded. "So, what are we going to do about Morgana and the Black Knight?"
"Hmm..well, first we need to get back the Scabbard, or at least seal its power, like I did the last time I defeated the Black Knight. And for that, we need the Sacred Swords." Sonic looked at his Knights and Merlina.
"We already have our swords," Gawain said. "But it might not be as easy as last time; the Black Knight is even more powerful than before. We also need to find out where they went."
"Hmm...you're right. He is stronger this time. Well, Shadow Silver and I can look for Morgana. And we can ask the townspeople if they heard anything." Sonic looked at his knights once again.
Gawain and the other knights nodded. "We'll wait here for you," he said. "By the way, when is Lancelot going to transform again?"
The three mythical creatures looked at Lancelot.
"I don't know." Sonic said. "Probably really soon."
Lancelot sighed. "I'm already getting light-headed. I always got light-headed awhile before I transformed."
Sonic nodded and started to walk out of the castle into the courtyard with Shadow and Silver when they heard a scream of pain from Lancelot.