[Sanpelagroso]
[South Island, Mobius]
[Year 56XX]
[We have arrived on the island safely.]
[I've been feeling more and more comfortable around Argentum, trying to show that I care about him on an emotional level than anything else.]
[But we aren't here on a vacation. We're here to put an end to Enigma.]
[Until then,]
[Μόλυβδος]
"See anything?" Moly asked, levitating over the surprisingly lush rainforest that claimed the remote island.
Silver was doing his best to try and find where exactly the comet was, yet his vision was hazy. Something- no, someone- was preventing him from seeing it. He clenched his fists in annoyance, trying to connect himself more to the comet he had seen and yet... it was nowhere. He couldn't see it, couldn't sense it and couldn't find where it had impacted.
"No." He opened his eyes and huffed as he crossed his arms. "This is pointless, I can't see anything."
"Not even a point of impact?" Moly levitated up to Silver, looking out in the direction he was facing.
"I could've sworn there was some sort of crash... I could hear it." He gave an uneasy glance back out, his eyes scanning the northern part of the island.
"Shall we go search?"
"We don't have a set direction, that's the problem."
"That hasn't stopped you before."
"Maybe not but," He flew a bit ahead, Moly following close behind, "without a point of impact or smoke or something, we're powerless. There's nothing we can-"
They didn't have to move any further as they both yelped in surprise as a sonic boom crashed in front of them. The impact shook the earth below them, knocking some trees loose as the two held each other protectively as they were pushed back by the shock-wave. Silver did his best to stop them from going flying, managing to withstand the worst of the energy.
Both of them opened their eyes as the shock settled, fear and anxious visible in their expressions.
The previously beautiful island full of rich greenery was now the same as the Outskirts- a broken fiery land that radiated hostility. Who knew what kind of destructive energy was surging through Mobius...
"Are you ok?" Silver immediately asked, having been too used to surprise comets like this, tightly held his friend.
"Yeah, I think so. What about you?" Moly replied with a shaky voice.
"I'm fine... But this isn't good. The rate at which these rocks are falling will cause devastation." He spoke, gently letting Moly go as he hovered over the newly embedded meteor. He thought for a second before turning to Moly, "Let's go."
Setting her knapsack down in a safe and secure tree hole, she took one last look at the chao who looked back at her. She smiled as she pet all of their heads before catching up to Silver.
"Right. Let's finish this."
Something felt… Off about this world. Everything was eerily still, there was no color, the sky was full of tiny specks resembling stars. The only hue was a foreboding emerald energy in the distance. Nothing but silence between the fox and hedgehog as they floated towards the faint glowing orb.
"There's something seriously wrong here." Silver stated, worriedly looking around at the monochromatic world around them. "This world, it… Feels wrong."
"I agree… It feels…" The fox paused, stopping in her tracks as a tingling feeling surged through her body.
"Wrong." Silver finished, feeling that same white noise course through his veins.
Silver…
The two froze upon their discovery: Enigma levitating in the center of a ritualistic circle, surrounded by an emerald staticized barrier with an emotionless expression, their eyes completely shadowed over by an empty green hue.
"E-Enigma…?"
Silver took a step back as the aura intensified, taking some cautious steps ahead as he clenched his fists.
The coyote shot the two teens a glare, static spears firing in their direction post-haste. Countering, Silver threw his hands up to create a barrier to shield Moly and himself. Normally, he wouldn't even flinch at such an impact, but there was something about these spikes, these impaling rods created of mind-numbing white noise, that threw off his concentration.
Dropping his barrier, Silver's cyan aura flared to life around him as he growled in irritation. Before he could act however, Moly grabbed his arm.
Wait.
We need to stop them before they kill us, Moly!
Calm down. Look.
Moly pointed to the coyote's sternum. Lodged inside was the Astrum, the all powerful crystal. Static was emanating from the star, spreading out from their chest into the barrier. The barrier of energy surrounding Enigma was distorted, warping the image of the being within the center. Without even moving, static projectiles shot in every direction around them. They weren't in control of this, not this sense or act of reality alteration.
The Astrum, Silver; you said if it is connected to someone, then they become a puppet. Moly spoke to him, taking a step forward before summoning her bow and arrow, her own indigo aura surrounding her body as she levitated with Silver.
Yeah, and?
Is there a chance to save them?
Silver paused for a second. He… hasn't given that thought. He only knew what the source of destruction was, the Astrum, and Enigma was merely protecting it. All he had to do was separate the two entities and seal away the cause of destruction, but this… He wasn't sure of. Maybe there was a way to separate the two of them without sealing both of them away in Felsic.
I never thought of it. I know it's beyond dangerous to handle but… He thought, looking to the coyote. If there's a chance to save them, we need to take it.
Moly readied her arrow, aiming for the coyote. I'll distract them, you try to weaken them until I get a clean shot.
Right.
Without hesitation, Moly pulled back the arrow and squinted her eyes as she aimed for their chest. Exhaling, the arrow fired only to be misdirected by the barrier to pierce Enigma's arm. The coyote didn't even flinch, that was the most unnerving part.
Silver launched himself to the coyote, picking up multiple colorless debris and throwing them at the barrier. He dodged multiple spikes that pricked out in every direction, their eyes remaining unfocused and glazed over.
"Enigma! I know you can hear me!" The silver hedgehog shouted, dodging another projectile as he lifted a broken boulder and flung it at the barrier which had began to crack.
Moly levitated up, her bow and arrow aiming straight for the back of Enigma's chest. Until the barrier was destroyed, she couldn't make any move. She hated waiting like this, but she has to be patient.
You can't speak to them. They cannot hear you.
You don't know that!
Silver's attention being caught off resulted in him being slashed by a spike, static numbing his body as he slid onto the monochrome earth. Struggling to stand, he glared at Enigma.
"I know you can fight that thing, Enigma!" he continued, his hands trembling as he tried to focus his power, "you can't let it control you!"
Noting the cracked weak spot in the barrier, he shot a psychic projectile at the imperfections. A grin swept across his face as the coyote gasped out in surprise.
Now!
Within a second of his command, Moly releases the arrow. A bright indigo trail followed the slicing of the air as it traveled before coming to a dead stop in the middle of Enigma's upper back.
Silver stood, hands on his knees as he doubled over panting from the sudden static leaving his body. His aura regenerated as he immobilized Enigma within the cyan energy.
Without a shred of an afterthought, Moly flew to them and teleported in front of the coyote. Her archery equipment dissipated only to be replaced with an ethereal argonite dagger. She raised it over her head as she focused on the point in their chest.
Moly wait! Don't touch it!
Angered from the interruption, she shot a harsh glare at Silver.
Then you tell me how we're supposed to separate them!
You might kill Enigma if you just stab them!
Not possible, Silver! My weapons only stun my targets!
Dang it.. Moly, just-! Silver's telepathy grew desperate as he fought against the static emerging once more from the crystal. Fine, dig it out of them quick!
Hold them steady…
I got them, just…
Moly exhaled, clearing her mind as she said a prayer to Axiom. Just sever the connection...
Do it!
Before anyone could blink, the dagger pierced through Silver's aura as it sliced into the crystal. There was no damage to the star, but the static ceased to emanate. She did it, she had dislodged the energy between the two beings! Grinning at her accomplishment, Moly twisted the dagger up, a facet of the star managing to break off into the coyotes body. She struggled to pry it out as it obviously wouldn't budge without a second force. Static began to crawl up her arms, her weapon starting to vanish as the star shocked her body with static electricity.
"AARGHH! Damn it all! Just.. Come… OUT!" She's shouted as her dagger disappeared at her command, opting to try and pry it out with her own hands.
"Hello there, my child."
She managed to control her body once more, whipping herself around to see where she was and whoever was speaking to her.
"Now now, do not be so h̶o͡st̷i̶le͞. I would like to welcome you."
Moly looked around, gritting her teeth in anger as she tried and failed to read her weapons. She gasped as static pricked her limbs, forcing her to remain still. Eyes widened, she stared as a static-filled being appeared before her eyes. They looked... They...
"M-momma...?"
Silver cried out as Enigma forced him and Moly back, sliding on the now slightly humming black and white ground. It felt like multiple shocks of static, a droning white noise that occupied his mind. He couldn't care less about himself however, he cared more for his unresponsive friend who lay still beside him.
"Moly? Moly?! Can you hear me?! MOLY!" Panicking, he shook her body. There was no response, only slow raspy breaths. Something was wrong. Very very wrong.
"Pity that she cannot stop her own deterioration."
That voice...
Silver stood, rage boiling inside of him as he turned to face Enigma. Their eyes still soulless and empty, their voice hollow.
"She cannot be saved." The coyote spoke, black sludge oozing from the partially dug out Astrum. "Just like Blaze, you have failed in saving her. Just like Blaze, she will leave you alone. Just like Blaze, you will meet an untimely end."
The mention of Blaze, the memories,the fact that his horrible past was starting to repeat itself sent him over the edge.
"You... You aren't allowed to say her name... You..." Cyan intensified to a blinding light, multiple monochrome trees and boulders lifted as the hedgehog began to levitate. "YOU MONSTER!"
"My beautiful Moly-pollie. It is so won͏de͠rfu̕l͏ ͞to see you again."
Tears filled the fox's eyes, static letting her have free will once more as she lunged towards her mother. The warmth of her mother's arms wrapped tightly around her was so familiar, the feeling of home she had lost long ago was resurfacing as she cried into her mother's chest.
"Now now little one, do not cry. You have a big d̢ȩc͏i̡si̧on to make."
"Mama... I... How are you... Am I dead?"
Moly wept as her mother's tender hand wiped away her tears. She heard her mother's soft laugh behind that gentle expression.
"Moly, my dear child, you are far from d̶eath͡. In fact, you are being given a g͝if͏t."
The fox watched in speechless morbid curiosity as her mother held her hands out and, within her static palms, and object began to materialize.
"My beautiful child, what if I told you," Her mother's smile grew slightly, "that you could go back and st̡op̨ the Council?"
"Your anger amuses us, silver boy. Dance a dance with death!" Enigma laughed as their soulless eyes stayed locked on him.
"SHUT UP AND JUST..." Silver shouted, lifting any and everything he could to attack the puppet.
"I can't... Argentum, he... I can't leave him."
"You would ćho͘o͠s̷e a friend over your mother?"
"N-no mother, of course not! But... I cannot erase everything we have done. The Astrum, my friendship with Argentum, the fate of our world..."
"...I see." Her mother came closer to Moly, staring to her eyes. "My baby girl, what if you could have bòt̀h?"
"What?"
"You can save your f́ut̶u͘re͘, bring father and I back, and stay with your friend..." Her mother's icy blue eyes began to fizzle into static as she kept her gaze into Moly. "All you need to do..."
"JUST!" Silver lifted multiple rocks as he shouted, "DIE!"
"Is b̶eçom̷e͘ th̷e v͝es͘s͡el͟.""
Enigma dodged the rocks, laughing and readying a static spear as they jumped back. Before they could attack, they stopped as their body numbed.
"W-wha… Why can't I- AUGH!" The coyote questioned before being thrown to the staticized earth.
Panting and raising more debris, Silver jumped to the ground in front of Enigma. His eyes were a dark shade of gold, his aura almost blinding to the eye, his sense of morality was gone. He truly was pushed over his breaking point.
"Finally… Now I can put an end to you!" He shouted, lifting his objects high above Enigma who was shaking on their hands and knees.
Stop.
Silver's eyes widened at that recognizable voice in his head. Forcing away the weaponized debris in his hands, he turned to Moly who was now standing. Tears filled his eyes from relief that she was still alive. As he ran to her side, he tightly wrapped his arms around her.
"Moly! You're alive! Oh gosh, I can't believe I, I.. Are you ok? Are you hurt? Are you… Moly?"
The boy's eyes widened as his friend's once vibrant amethyst orbs were now dull and lifeless. His hands trembled, but he could only hug her tighter. Was she…? No, she couldn't be...
"Please no, Moly, NO! I won't! I refuse to let you…!"
She shoved him off of her, walking past him without a second glance as she forced Enigma up with her limited kinesis.
"Moly, STOP IT!" Silver shouted as he used his psychokinesis to immobilize her.
With a blink of her cold eyes, static surged through her body and traversed into Silver's. He cried out in pained agony as his concentration shattered, his body heavy and numb once more.
Moly held Enigma in a tight chokehold, readying her once crystalized but now pure black dagger as she shoved it hard and deep into the coyote's sternum. Static electrified the whole area, black sludge poured from their now gaping hole in their chest, their dull eyes were back to that vibrant lively green as before as Moly tossed their weakened choking body aside.
Without even flinching, the Astrum embedded itself into her chest, right over her beating heart. She shouted as static electricity surrounded her being as she struggled to maintain consciousness.
Silver, You need to go. Take Enigma, a-and go!
Silver could only stare at what his friend was becoming. Instead of staying by his side like she promised, she was now… The enemy. A puppet being controlled by that dreaded crystal.
"Moly… Please.. Please don't leave me…" His voice cracked as he stood, ignoring the cracking reality around him.
I'll save the world, Silver. She shot a powerful surge of electrical energy behind him, creating a Riff. Please, go.
The hedgehog shook his head, adamant as he tried to grab her hand. "I'm not leaving you! Y-you promised me that you… You would…" He choked on his cries, tears dropping to the ground.
You're so naive. I've always liked that about you.
Moly gave him a final sad smile.
This won't be the last time we meet. Just… Just get yourselves to safety.
With that, static shocked the earth as the ground began to rip away. Reality as he knew it was beginning to crumble. Hesitantly, Silver took a few steps back as he cried. He tightly shut his eyes as he turned from her. He already failed Blaze's request to seal her away… He wasn't going to make that mistake with Moly. The least he could do was… See her request through.
"What…?"
Enigma stammered, their body limp and weak from being numb.
"Hang on." Silver demanded as he carefully picked up the coyote, carrying them on his back.
Silver took a final glance at Moly who stared back at him. Her eyes were listless, dulled over like a lifeless puppet. He stifled a sob as he jumped through the portal.
Argentum… Forgive me...
