Chapter Eleven
"That really stinks that you can't go to the big New Year's bash, Tails," Sonic said in disappointment. "It's supposed to be the biggest ever!"
"I'm sure it will," Tails replied off-handedly. "I have to work on a few things for my own big bash. It will all come to light soon enough. You'll be amazed!"
"I can't wait to see it, Tails! Mind if I come over and take a peek?"
"No! Absolutely not! Goodbye!" Tails said quickly before he hung up, leaving Sonic standing in the pay phone. He hung up the receiver and left the booth, with Tahra standing nearby. No words were exchanged, but their motions were all that were needed to understand the exchange.
"It's a real shame. He's such a nice kid," Tahra sighed. "But I've never seen a fox with two tails before! Do you think he's the only one like that?"
"I did hear stories of magical fox spirits called kitsune. Maybe he's a kitsune…"
"It's a definite possibility, with all the weird stuff that's been happening lately, but I doubt it. I would have known long ago." Sonic and Tahra began walking back down the street again. Wary as they were, the events that would unfold this New Year's Eve would catch them completely off guard…
-- -- -- -- -- --
The sound of trumpets sounded through the great hall that housed the Master Emerald and the Chaos Emeralds, awakening Knuckles, who had fallen asleep after doing research for three nights straight. As he came to, the doors to the room flew open. Knuckles quickly got out of his seat and got on one knee. Two winged humanoids, which Knuckles recognized as angels, flew in slowly, followed by an angel of stunning appearance. He had golden hair, startlingly bright blue eyes, and was garbed entirely in white, with the exception of a choker around his neck, with a red crystal embedded in the center. It was obvious that this angel was among the top of the heavenly hierarchy.
"Greetings, Guardian," the angel said in an echoing voice.
"Y-y-you're…Armeil! W-what brings you h-here?" the echidna stammered out of intense fear and awe. His entire body was shaking, and he had trouble maintaining his balance.
"I hath come to claim the Master Emerald, and the Chaos Emeralds," Armeil answered. "You and thy ancestors have done well in keeping it for me until I returned. But now I have come to take it back with me to the heavens. I'll be taking the Chaos Emeralds as well."
Knuckles, though he tried to be respectful, was stunned by this request. "Lord Armeil…I will not deny you the Master Emerald, but why do you want the Chaos Emeralds?"
"It is not for thou to knowest, Guardian," the angel replied in his haughty manner. "But that is not the only reason why I am here. It is time."
"What!" Knuckles exclaimed. "Don't tell me that it's here already!"
"It is this planet's time. I have seen sin and corruption boil till it hath overrun the stew," Armeil fumed. "It is time for the order of heaven to bring the denizens of the world into line."
"I beg your forgiveness, my lord…but I cannot allow that!" Knuckles answered, finally regaining his confidence, and assuming a fighting stance. Armeil chuckled, and merely swatted at Knuckles, sending him flying. As Knuckles picked himself up, Armeil began scolding him.
"You, my most trusted mortal minion, would DARE side with the sinners? I thought better of you…but you will receive your judgment in time, as will everyone on this world. The Age of Sin that started after the Second Great Cataclysm shall come to an end tonight at the stroke of midnight!"
Sonic…I have to warn him… Knuckles thought. As Armeil turned to leave, he locked the door behind him, leaving the two angels standing there on guard.
"You will provide no assistance to the sinners," one of the angels said in an almost mechanical manner when they blocked Knuckles' way. "Resistance is futile, Guardian. Armeil's Age of Perfect Virtue will begin tonight"
"…Age of Perfect Virtue? What do you mean?" Knuckles asked.
"It will be an age where no sins are committed…because there will be no mortal life to commit it. Those who are deemed worthy of his mercy will become angels, giving up their sinful souls to the void and live forever in eternal, sinless bliss."
"You monsters…" Knuckles growled.
"We do not question Armeil's will. His word is the One True Law." Knuckles, still not willing to give up, sat down on the floor and tried to formulate a plan…
-- -- -- -- --
"Only three minutes until midnight, Shadow!" Amy squealed as she, Shadow and about fifteen thousand other people stood there, waiting for the famous Central City "New Year Sphere" to drop, ringing in the New Year.
"Yeah…another year in our lives is coming." Shadow mused. "It's going to happen, no matter what anyone does. But why am I philosophizing at a time like this?"
"Yeah…you think too much sometimes, Shadow…I wonder where Sonic and Tahra are?"
"Hi guys," Sonic said, as if on cue. "Exciting, huh? Just wish I could see over all these people. I hate being less than four feet tall."
"We're here, and that's what matters." Tahra chimed in. "About two minutes to go now."
As Sonic looked around, his gaze caught the silhouette of someone hopping across the building tops. He dismissed it as an illusion, and continued to watch. The crowd began chanting the final countdown about ninety seconds later.
"Here we go guys!" Amy said. The four began chanting with the crowd, each second heightening the anticipation exponentially. But as the year's ten final seconds came along, Shadow suddenly got a very disturbing feeling in his gut.
"Oh crud no…" he gasped. As the crowd yelled "One", the sky, which had been cloudy, seemed to burst wide open with light, and a huge beam blasted the New Year Sphere, shattering it to pieces. The crowd burst into panic, and began fleeing in all directions. Sonic and the others watched as a veritable storm of angels came rushing out of the clouds, all fully armed with all sorts of swords, spears and other weaponry.
"What the hell is going on?" Sonic exclaimed when he saw this awe-inspiring sight. "Is it the end of the world or something?" Suddenly, he was yanked from his place by Tahra, who was following Shadow and Amy into a side street. The four watched in horror as a group of people were cut down by the heavenly entities.
"I thought angels were supposed to be good creatures," Amy said. "This isn't right!"
Tahra shook her head. "Guys, there's something I need to tell you about all this, and something I've been hiding."
"Since it's the end of the world," Sonic sighed, "we might as well tell our deepest darkest secrets."
Tahra was annoyed by Sonic's blithe comment. "This is no time for kidding around, Sonic! I'm serious now, so listen. Those angels are serving an evil higher power…a power that my family has opposed for over six thousand years."
"Explain?" Shadow asked.
"I am a descendant of the hedgehog priesthood who guarded and used the Chaos Emeralds. Those angels covet the Emeralds. It seems they have them, so…"
"We can begin the Age of Perfect Virtue. Very perceptive, Chaos Priestess," a voice came from above them. They all looked up to see Tails standing there, with a smug look on his face.
"Tails…what are you doing here?" Amy exclaimed when she saw him.
"I came here to see how my big show was going," the fox replied.
"…YOURbig show? What are you blabbering about?" Sonic asked.
"I knew you said something unusual that day, Tails!" Amy said angrily when she realized Tails' true nature. "Show us who you really are! I know that's not your real form now!"
"If you insist…" Tails said, shrugging his shoulders. In a burst of light, Tails' form changed. When he could be seen again, his fur had turned a dull gold color, and a pair of feathery white wings were now extending out of his back.
"Yes, my old friends…I am an angel. But no just ANY angel…but one of theGreat Seraphim! I may appear as a child, but my age is far greater than any mortal living right now! But I have spent enough time with you nitwits. The Age of Perfect Virtue is at hand! Begone, fools!" Tails formed two energy orbs in his hands, and trapped each of them, two to an orb.
"Tails…you were my friend!" Sonic cried. "Why are you doing this?"
"Me…your friend? I suppose we shared a bond, but I have no use for it now," Tails chuckled. "Ta-tah, my 'friends'…maybe I'll be your judge…" He raised the orbs telekinetically, and heaved them high into the sky. When they were gone, he sat back and watched the panicking crowd go by.
-- -- -- -- -- --
"Damn that Tails…damn him!" Sonic cried angrily as he paced in the fields on the outskirts of the city. "I can't believe he betrayed us like that! I'll never forgive him!" He punched a nearby rock sticking out of the ground, cracking.
"I can't believe he was that powerful…" Shadow said, still trying to process what had just happened. "How could I not have sensed it?"
"He had us all fooled," Amy replied. "But I'm sure there's something we can do."
"Not really…" Tahra said as she shook her head. "The angels have the Chaos Emeralds and the Master Emerald. Without them, we're almost powerless. One thing also bothers me…why did Tails spare us…he had us in his power, but he just sent us away from the city."
"I could care less!" Sonic cried. "He's our enemy, and I won't rest until I tear off his wings and stuff them down his throat! I'll make him wish he was never born!"
"Sonic…I've never heard you be so violent…" Amy said with a bit of concern. "Do you really hate Tails that much now?"
"YOU THINK!" Sonic screamed.
"Sonic…get a grip! Ranting and raving won't solve anything," Shadow said, trying to calm Sonic down. The blue hedgehog did manage to compose himself.
"You're right, Shadow…but like Tahra said, we're powerless without the Emeralds."
"Let's concentrate on surviving first," Tahra said thoughtfully. "We need to find a way to escape those angels." When she looked up, Shadow was starting to look angry as well, as he was gazing out at something.
"No…of all the things that could make this day even worse…" Shadow growled with clenched teeth. As the others peered out into the distance, they were all in even greater shock.
"Black Arms!" Amy gasped. "How did…"
"They're working with the angels, no doubt." Shadow growled. "If the Black Arms are here, that must mean Black Doom is alive and working with these white-robed murderers."
"Great…heaven and hell are working together…can this day get any worse?" Sonic groaned.
"Please don't say that…" Shadow said. "Let's get to shelter."
"Perhaps I can help you…" a familiar voice said. Shadow was the first to recognize the voice.
"Doctor Robotnik…what the hell are you doing here?" he asked.
"I'll explain everything on the way."
-- -- -- -- --
"Lord Armeil…" Black Doom said in greeting to the Seraph Armeil. They shook hands cordially, and the angel acknowledged Ragozine, who was also present.
"It's good to see you all again," the angel said to his fellow conspirators.
"It seems the plan is working out flawlessly," Ragozine said. "The Chaos Emeralds, as well as the Master Emerald, are now in our possession. The planet is on its way to their deserved doom, and our minions are having the time of their lives."
"There is the matter of those hedgehogs," Black Doom noted. "Do you think they pose a threat? After all, the pink one did not even to use the Emeralds to beat Ragozine."
"Don't remind me," the demon grumbled. "But no…as long as we have the Emeralds, nothing can go wrong. Let us celebrate for our great victory! The world is ours, and our great master will have his fill while we rule."
"Indeed. Has he been notified?" Armeil asked.
"You forget that the great master can sense anything that happens on this planet," Black Doom answered. "But as Ragozine said, we must celebrate! How about a group evil laugh?"
"Indeed…we haven't done that in three thousand years!" Armeil said jocularly. All three began to laugh maniacally in celebration of the victory…
-- -- -- -- --
"So…you want to help us beat these guys?" Sonic asked as he tried to make sense of the scientist's offer. "Why do you want to help us?"
"Well, I want these beings off our planet as much as you do, for reasons of my own, of course," Doctor Robotnik replied. "If we put our heads together, we can surely find a way to get the Chaos Emeralds back. With my genius, and the abilities of all of you, I'm sure we can do it. Besides, I want to humiliate that annoying kitsune Tails for making a mockery of my work!"
"Tails is a kitsune?" Tahra exclaimed. "I knew I was right."
"He's also the one who helped me build my robot army," Doctor Robotnik added.
"Woah-woah-woah! Say that again?" Sonic exclaimed as he recoiled from this astounding revelation. In spite of all that had happened in the past few hours, he could still be surprised.
"He gave me the designs for my machines, so I could bring him the Chaos Emeralds."
"But he could have taken them at any time when he was with us," Sonic said. "Why didn't he just steal it then?"
"When you're a big-shot villain, you disdain doing things yourself," the scientist replied.
"Figures," Shadow mumbled. "But let's try and think of something. We have to get those Chaos Emeralds before those creeps use them to destroy the world…"