So I've been gone again for another hot minute and again I'll apologize but I also know it's no excuse. I'll just get straight to the point here. This is a little sneak peak at another little project I'm working on that will hopefully be published next year sometime but I wanted to see what you all think first and I also wanted to give you all something to show I'm still alive.

So please let me know what you think and I'll try to get to some of the requests I've had sent in and as always, feel free to end in more because honestly, the more I have the more inspired I become. So enjoy my dudes!

The seven shall sleep,
Chaos will weep.
Blood will fall,
They will answer the call.
Fire, ice, lightning, water, earth, shadow and air,
United as one, the earth they'll tear.

Sonic hears the call, one only he seems to hear, and he knows deep in his soul that finding that voice is the reason he was born, is the answer to all his questions.

Footsteps as light as air padded across the hardwood floorboards. Soft brown eyes blinked in the low light, peeking down the stairs leading to the basement. A light shone from below, accompanied by the sounds of machines humming. Moving slowly, being mindful to skip the seventh step as it would creak loudly when weight is put on it, the tiny figure crept down into the basement, peering into the makeshift lab that had been built down there. Hunched over a workbench, a mobian stood. They were male, with sky blue fur and peach arms, a hedgehog. The figure watched as the elder scribbled something down on a note pad, moving ever so slightly to the side to reveal a beautifully coloured gemstone. It looked like a perfectly cut diamond that shone with a near blinding cyan glow. The machines scanning the gem hummed loudly in the background, yet the gem itself also seemed to hum with power, power that could be felt gently floating through the air. The figure gasped at the beauty of the gem, unknowingly stepping fully into the room and into the view of the elder mobian.

"Noah!" The figure jumped in fright, turning startled brown eyes to lock with slightly disapproving grey ones. "You were meant to have gone to bed an hour ago."

"I'm sorry Papa." The child, Noah, muttered while giving his father a sheepish smile.

The disapproving look faded to be replaced by a fond one, the elder hedgehog shaking his head slightly at his son. "Can't say I'm not surprised."

Noah giggled as his father walked over, gently scooping the four-year-old into his arms. The cobalt blue hoglet snuggled into the warmth, eyes quickly turning back to the glowing gemstone that seemed to be pulsing with light now. "What is it, Papa?"

"This little thing?" The father questioned while poking the little one's nose, pulling forth another giggle from the child. "This, Noah, is something very special, and very, very old. You see, long ago, when our world was still new, a being known as Chaos ruled over the planet."

"Wow." Noah breathed, transfixed by the story his father was weaving. The elder chuckled at his son's amazement, fondly remembering when his own father had told this exact same story to him when he had been about Noah's age.

"One day, Chaos decided to give those that worshipped him a gift. Over many years, he created seven gemstones known as the Chaos Emerald's, and with each stone he created a spirit who was connected to their respective stone. These spirit's had special powers connected to their stone. These spirits were fire, ice, lightning, water, earth, shadow and air."

"How come I've never seen them Papa?" Noah questioned softly, hesitant to interrupt such a wonderful story. The little boy watched as his father gave a sad sigh, sorrowful eyes turning to look at the Emerald sitting on the table before them.

"The mortal's grew fearful of Chaos and the Spirit's power. The race tasked with the Emerald's protection, the Echidna's, attacked Chaos and the Spirit's, sealing them away inside their stones and Chaos inside the Master Emerald. However, Chaos, in a fit of rage, managed to scatter the Emerald's across the globe before he was sealed away to protect his children from being used for their powers. Since that day, the Emerald's have remained lost, their Spirit's still sleeping deep inside them."

Noah gaped up at his father, amazed and saddened by the story strung before him. "That was mean of the Ecidna's Papa."

"Echidna." The elder gently corrected with a smile. "And yes, it was."

Noah nodded before turning back to the cyan jewel, wonder shinning deep in his brown eyes. "Thought you said they were lost, Papa?"

Here, the lighter hedgehog gained an excited look, moving himself and his son closer to the Emerald the glowed even brighter at their approach, as if greeting them. "The other six still remain lost, but not long ago, I managed to find this one hidden away atop some of the highest mountains. I've been studying it ever since, trying to uncover its secrets and maybe even free the spirit that is trapped inside."

"Can I play with the Spirit, Papa?" Noah asked, bouncing excitedly in his father's arms causing him to chuckle softly.

"Perhaps, we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?" The boy beamed happily, leaning towards the Emerald that once again pulsed with light.

"We'll be best friends Spirit! I'll show you the best trees to climb and how to skim rocks on the pond and how to run really fast down the hill, so fast its like flying!" Noah exclaimed happily while his father watched on with fondness and awe as the Emerald flickered in what could almost be described as a happy way. Could the Spirit hear them inside the Emerald? Could it even understand what they were saying? Language had changed so much in the last thousand years after all and he wasn't even sure if the Spirits spoke the same language as Mobian's. But he was certain the Spirit was reacting to his Son's voice, and the scientist inside him was thrilled by this development.

If only he'd had more time to study it, more time to allow his son to interact with the trapped entity. Perhaps then, things wouldn't have turned out the way they did. Perhaps then, the night wouldn't end with fire and blood, with his body being consumed by the fire started by the people who only wished to steal, use and abuse the spirit's power. Perhaps the night wouldn't have ended with his son, his little Noah fleeing into the woods, a fatel wound to his chest, carrying the Emerald with him. With Noah unknowingly using Chaos Control, transporting him and the Emerald far away from the people who had killed his father, with Noah falling to the ground, staring at the Emerald with tears in his soft brown eyes as he finally succumbed to his injuries and joined his father and mother in the afterlife.

It's very short but I didn't want to give too much away yet. Hope you all liked it though and if you want to read more keep an eye out for a story titled "An Endless Sky" in the near future.

Until next time have a joyous day, week, month, year and life!