In the Elder's house Kiarra prepared tea for the three waiting on her. Once the water was boiling she placed the tea leaves into a filter and ran the water through it into the tea pot. She grabbed four tea cups and plates as well as a bowl of sugar and set them on a tray, taking it out to the others.
"This is a special tea that only grows in the snow and is one of our village's delicacies," she explained, pouring them each a cup and handing it and a plate to them. Fiona's eyes widened in delight as she sipped the tea while Sonic and Mina remained indifferent.
"I appreciate the hospitality and all," Mina said while Fiona sang praises about the tea, "but can someone fill me in as to what just happened? I'm a little lost at the moment."
"That was Gilgamesh, a swordsman I ran across when I went back to train with my master," Sonic summarized. "I scared him off then and haven't seen hide nor hair from him until now."
"So it's some kind of grudge match?" Sonic shrugged.
"Something like it," he answered. "Anyway, Fi and I were looking into some of the reports coming out of the Northern Territory involving some Xenodonians when things got screwy. That led us to Albion way up north where we ran into a sorcerer by the name of Ixis Nepta."
"You're lucky to be alive after running into him," Kiarra interrupted. "Or is it her now? He changes bodies so often it gets a bit hard to tell."
"Her," Fiona continued, interrupting Sonic's answer. "Right now Ixis Nepta is in the body of an echidna priestess named Tikal not to mention that he's killed everyone in the city."
"Nepta must be preparing for Ragnarök," Kiarra said as she thought out loud. "He must have sensed the release of the first seal and is preparing to offer his services to Xiaxos again."
"Are you telling me that she wasn't kidding about the ten thousand years-old thing?" Sonic asked incredulously. "Wait, Nepta fought alongside Xiaxos?"
Kiarra nodded. "During the previous Ragnarök Nepta served as one of the Nocturnus Clan's generals," she explained. "He lost most of his power when the seals were created however. I had the misfortune of running into him about the time that Serenity was founded. Needless to say that I have seen his power firsthand."
"Something tells me what Fiona and I went through wasn't even the tip of the iceberg," Sonic commented until something Kiarra had said finally registered. "Hang on, you ran into Nepta when? Just how old are you, lady?"
Mina jabbed Sonic in the ribs, eliciting a yelp from him. "Never ask a girl that!" she scolded him playfully.
"I will be 3,866 next month," Kiarra told them, calmly sipping her tea and waiting for their reaction.
"See?" Mina asked Sonic as they all did a double take. "I'm sorry, I think I misheard you. You're turning what next month?" Kiarra repeated her age as the three of them stared at her. Fiona and Sonic were slack-jawed as Mina just stared blankly at Kiarra, trying to wrap her head around the idea.
"I don't know why you're so surprised," Kiarra continued, adding a cube of sugar to her tea. "The Guardian of Angel Island is about a thousand years my junior."
"You're telling me Knuckles is..." Sonic started, trying to count on his hands. "Oi, my head is starting to hurt. Just how long do Dragoons live for?"
"We only die in battle or when we pass on the mantle to the next generation," Kiarra explained. "Tell me, Sonic, what do you know about Guardians and Dragoons?"
"Guardians are like elite soldiers," he answered, remembering everything that Sylvanix had told him. "You can have as many as you need to get the job done. But there's only one Dragoon per dragon."
"That's because our essence is blended with the Aspect, what you call dragon," Kiarra added, happy that one of them knew something. "As a result we share their immortality unless we are felled in combat."
"So why did you look like a nine year old an hour ago?" Fiona asked, setting her cup down. "Is that another Dragoon trick?"
"Of course," Kiarra said. "If I looked my actual age I wouldn't inspire much confidence, would I? While our bodies may not age we can change the appearance with a relatively simple spell. Besides, people tend to be more honest around a child."
"Tell me about it," Sonic muttered, thinking about how they'd acted towards her. "It's also part of the reason why my old man doesn't look his age, Fi. Guardians will live significantly longer than either Magans or Mobians, same for their spouses." He sipped his tea before turning back to Kiarra. "No offense but I thought all the Dragoons from the last Ragnarök died fighting Xiaxos."
"They did," she replied. "I was a Guardian before that and didn't become a Dragoon until sometime after Xiaxos was sealed away."
"So then why haven't you been helping to stop him?" Mina asked. "Admit it, there's no way that guy in the red cloak should've gotten the drop on you like he did. You wanted him to think he had the advantage. And if you were expecting us why not be proactive about it? Why wait for us to come to you?"
"Because this is not my fight." Her answer took the two Guardians by surprise. "When I was younger I wanted the power to make a difference. Serenity was born from that power but I no longer have any interest or desire to get involved in war. Not against Xiaxos nor Nepta or any other enemies you've accumulated. My job is to protect these people, nothing more."
"You selfish..." Sonic started to snarl, biting his tongue at the last second. "You can feel it, can't you? Xiaxos is getting stronger every day. If you don't help us he'll destroy this entire planet and your precious village along with it. This is bigger than the desires of one person." Kiarra said nothing, leaving Sonic seething.
[Let me talk to her, Sonic,] Aquira said. Sonic grumbled an agreement and the blue Magan stepped out of the shadows. Fiona leapt out of her chair as what she perceived as a large blue serpentine dragon appeared out of nowhere.
"What the hell?!" she asked as Aquira settled down across from Kiarra. "What's a dragon doing here?" Sonic looked at Aquira who just sighed.
"I'm actually a Magan," she explained. "However, Mobian eyes can only see me as a dragon. Also I'm not actually here. I've been dead for some time." He turned to Kiarra and gave a slight smile. "It's been awhile, Kiarra. How have you been?"
"How dare you," Kiarra snarled at Sonic who wasn't sure what he'd done. "Even for a man you are a special kind of bastard."
"I'm here of my own accord, Kiarra," Aquira explained, "but here for the same reason Sylvanix's idiot apprentice is." Mina silenced Sonic's protest with another rib jab causing the dead Magan to smile. "You know better than anyone the horrors of Xiaxos. If you will not do this for them then do it for me."
"Xiaxos cannot be defeated no matter how many Dragoons fight," the fox stated, setting down her tea. "I realized long ago that Xiaxos was simply a fact of existence, one that we cannot be rid of." Aquira's eyes filled with sorrow as she looked towards Sonic.
"The three of you should head back to the city," he told them. "I want to speak with Kiarra alone for a bit and we might be here for some time."
They thanked her for the tea and made ready to leave. As they were about to step outside Sonic turned to Kiarra. "Don't act like you're the only one who has something to lose in all this," he said, a hard edge to his voice, "or that we haven't lost anything either. Mina and I have both lost our homes because of this fight. I've already died once for it but I'm still here. If you aren't going to help then let someone who will take your place." With that they were gone, leaving Kiarra and Aquira alone in the Elder's house.
"He might be a pain in the ass," the dead Magan said with a heavy sigh, "but the boy has a good point. Sylvanix sacrificed himself to ensure Sonic's survival. If there's anyone with the conviction to put an end to this once and for all it's him."
"What makes you say that?" Kiarra asked. "Guardians and Dragoons past tried everything and nothing worked. Xiaxos cannot be destroyed so why bother trying?"
"Have all these years turned you into a nihilist?" Aquira asked. "The Kiarra I remember would never have said that, not after all the happiness you had with-"
"You do not want to finish that sentence," Kiarra interrupted the Guardian as her eyes flashed. "She died because I decided that my happiness was more important than the future of Mobius. If I had done my duty then you would still be alive."
"I never blamed you, sister," Aquira said as a tear fell from her cheek. "I still love you and my heart aches for your loss. But now is not the time for apathy. Do you want that tragedy to repeat itself? How many more have to die at the hands of that monster? Please, for my sake and for Aleena's, help Sonic put an end to this."
Kiarra was silent for several moments before asking, "And what makes you think that Sonic can end this?"
President Todd McElroy flipped through Sonic's report on the events of the last two weeks. Sonic stood in front of him in full dress uniform at attention while his father stood next to the President, the bandages from his left hand peeking out from under his left sleeve. He was reading over the President's shoulder and reminding himself the whole time that Sonic wasn't making it up.
"If anyone else had given me this report I'd have them thrown in the brig," President McElroy finally said taking his reading glasses off. "But considering I'm getting this from you I can't help but wonder what would have happened to anyone else."
"They might've brought the shuttle back," Eric muttered and the President chuckled.
"Given the circumstances I'm just glad we have Sonic and Fiona back unharmed," he said. "How was your time off?"
"The two days helped, sir," Sonic answered. "I think I spent the entire first day in the tub soaking in hot water."
"And Ixis Nepta? Are you absolutely certain this 'Tikal' woman said that was her name?"
"Absolutely." The President leaned back in his chair, swearing under his breath. "The only reason I can think of that Nepta told us as much as she did is because we weren't supposed to make it out."
"That's two very powerful enemies you've made in the short time you've been here, Sonic," President McElroy pointed out. "First you get Cidana to send a team of those chimeras after you at the Festival and then you escaped the clutches of a powerful sorcerer." He glanced at the report once more. "Sorry, three enemies including Gilgamesh. Seems you know how to keep people on their toes."
"I'm not trying to-"
"Keep it up." The President's interruption caught Sonic off-guard. "It's good for someone to stir shit up in the Senate from time to time. It helps me get things done and lets the Operatives know who to watch for. Is there anything else you wanted to add?" Sonic took a deep breath, trying to work up the nerve to tell him.
"There is, sir," Sonic said. He reached over to his pack and pulled out another report folder, handing it to the President who gave it a quick once-over. "This is my full, unedited report from the Highwind."
"Give me the highlights," the President told him while Eric tried reading as much as he could. Sonic took a deep breath and proceeded to tell them the torture that he and Mina had been subject to, including the loss of his right leg and the death of Snively. "Who else have you told about this?" the President asked as though he had ignored the whole thing.
"The two of you, Fiona, and my therapist," Sonic answered.
"You have a therapist?" Eric asked but was silenced by the President.
"I'll brief the doctor on my own," he explained. "I'm certain Fiona won't be saying anything to anyone and neither will we." He pulled a lighter from his desk and, holding the report above the trash bin, burned the only physical evidence of what had happened on the Highwind. Sonic and Eric stared at him in shock. "You have a piece of Cidana's tech as part of you now," he explained, sitting back down. "There are people within the Senate that would strip you of everything you've accomplished and use you as a lab rat to further their own goals. As far as I'm concerned what happened on the Highwind will remain a mystery. Am I clear?" Both Sonic and Eric gave him a salute and an affirmative.
As Sonic walked down the halls of the Presidential Manor he couldn't help but sigh. His father had told him that President McElroy was a good man and any doubts he'd had were effectively gone now. Right now he was looking forward to a relaxing week as Spring rolled into the city. The suddenly ice-cold air as he walked into the Manor entrance reminded him that not only had the snow and ice melted but that it was easily sixty degrees outside.
"Did you keep your promise to the Elder about not revealing our village?" Kiarra Volkov asked, standing up from the bench she'd been sitting at for the last couple hours.
"What are you doing here?" Sonic asked almost angrily. "I thought that you wanted no part in this fight of ours."
"Truthfully I don't but Aquira mentioned something to me after you left," she replied. "She says that Arca found a way to destroy Xiaxos. Do you believe that it's possible?"
"For a bunch of stiffs they seem to enjoy yanking my chain but they wouldn't joke about something like that," Sonic said. "What I'd like to know is why you knew about this before me."
"Then I'll help you on one condition," Kiarra told him. "If you promise to find a way to destroy Xiaxos you'll use it. If you'll promise me that then I'll add my strength to yours until that day." Sonic looked into her eyes, surprised by the amount of fury in them. But buried in that rage was love, loss and regret beyond anything he could even fathom.
"It's a promise," Sonic told her and Kiarra smiled. "I take it you'll be living in the city until then."
"Fiona already offered to let me stay with her," the fox said with a nod. "Let me know if you find anything." With that she was gone, leaving behind only a frozen patch of floor.
"Good one, Sonic," the hedgehog muttered to himself. "Now what have you gotten yourself into?"