Sonic and Tails walked down a street of the Station Square marketplace in Empire City. Sonic holding a chili dog or what was left of one. "Man, it's crazy how well this place has been fixed up after what happened last year." Sonic says still chewing.
"I know. Even after the Black Arms attacked they never fixed the town up this well." Tails comments.
"All thanks to that one guy...what was his name?" Sonic ponders.
"Rage." Tails says. "He used some of his Chaos abilities to help fix the city up. From what I understand it was some agreement he made with the President."
"Rage that's right!" Sonic exclaims "I don't know how you remember his name."
"When someone saves your life you tend to remember." Tails says "I am surprised you can't remember his name." Sonic just shrugged.
"I mean we'll probably never see him again." Sonic says.
"I am sure we'll see him again." Tails says "He isn't exactly hard to find. We could honestly go visit him whenever."
"Eh but why should we? He doesn't seem too interested in making friends." Sonic shrugs "Besides he has his brothers."
"No." Tails says looking glum.
"What?" Sonic asks, looking at Tails concerned. "What do you know that I don't?"
"Well, I have been in touch with Icezer, you know the youngest of them and he said not long after everything he and Xage returned to their home town and used the money the President of the United Federation gave Rage to rebuild their entire village." Tails explains "They haven't heard from Rage since. It's like he's isolated himself..."
"Dark." Sonic says "I guess one visit wouldn't hurt." He says as they reach the train station.
"We can head up this afternoon if you want." Tails says.
"Yeah alright." Sonic says as they board a train for the Mystic Ruins.
The train ride was short and almost immediately they were in Tail's workshop and took off in the Tornado. It took them roughly 15 minutes to reach Angel Island.
Tails landed the Tornado in a long flat stretch of land not far from the Shrine of The Master Emerald. The two lept out and headed for the shrine.
As they approached, to their shock Tikal was sitting on the steps with some Chao. When they got close enough she looked at them. "Sonic, Tails. Hello." She says.
"Tikal? I thought you and Chaos were inside the Master Emerald. You no longer well...you know..." Sonic says.
"That is true however both Chaos and myself can exist here on Angel Island." She explains "What brings you two here?"
"We came to see Rage." Tails says.
"Oh...Master Rage is off training right now." She says "Perhaps you could-"
"I keep telling you to stop calling me Master." Rage's voice groans as the crimson hedgehog comes walking down the stairs of the shrine. His dark green shirt was wrinkled and wet, his dark grey jacket dripping and the red stripes glistened in the sun. His navy blue jeans and black shoes seemed fine. Rage snapped and with a quick flash his clothes were dry again.
"Sorry." She says blushing embarrassed.
"Sonic, Tails. Long time no see. What brings you to Angel Island?" Rage asks.
"We came to see you." Tails says "It's been over a year and nobody has heard from you."
"I appreciate the concern." Rage says "I am fine though."
"Really? You've been up here for over a year now and nobody's seen or heard from you. You gotta be bored or lonely by now!" Sonic scoffs
"I am fine really." Rage insists. "I have Tikal, Chaos and the Chao for company and I do get away from the island from time to time in order to take out the occasional Dark Spawn group."
"Dark Spawn...?" Tails asks "Those creatures Nix and Vlagh made and controlled right?"
"The very same, but they form naturally as well when too much dark energy is free it will form them. With Nix being killed here on Mobius, it has affected the amount of 'loose' dark energy. So I have to go out and stop the larger beast ones from time to time so they don't destroy a town or something." Rage explains. "Keeps me on my toes."
"So how come we never encountered them before during our travels?" Tails asks.
"That's a good question." Rage says "I have no idea."
"So much for the all knowing Chaos Guardian." Sonic chuckles.
"Petty insults aside." Rage looks at Sonic "How have things been down below?"
"Quiet." Sonic answers. "Haven't heard a peep from Eggman and you'd know if someone from another world made their way here."
"True." Rage agrees. "So why do I feel so on edge?"
"Something bothering you?" Tails asks looking confused.
"Well..." Rage sighs crossing his arms. "I have had this uneasy feeling the last few days...thing is I don't know exactly why or if it even means anything."
"Could you be sick?" Sonic asks.
"I hope not." Rage scoffs "Last thing I need is to be puking my guts out trying to get everything in order around here."
"What do you mean by that?" Sonic asks.
"Parts of the island still need some work." TIkal butts in. "Rage has been working his butt off ever since everything happened trying to clean the place up."
"Everything seemed fine when we flew over." Tails says.
"Some of the ruins." Rage says "I have been working on restoring them. Mostly the walls. Let me show you." he offers.
Rage leads them to a large pyramid like temple similar to the one in the Mystic Ruins and walks them down to see a large wall. The wall had carvings and tile work that depicted a strange event. It was only half finished so all that could be made out was some strange mass of unidentifiable figures all following one weird looking figure that looked similar to Tails albeit the single tail. A fangful smile covering the face giving it a menacing look.
It broke up and was impossible to tell what was going on as they walked to further down the wall until they made it to the next section that was comprehensible and there was the very same figure with what looked like a silhouette of a hero. Some weird line connecting them. Further down the wall was the last bit that still made any sense. A figure surrounded by seven gems, clearly representing the seven Chaos Emeralds joined by the hero and a fairy looking creature with a fang facing off with the very same fanged figure and some strange looking monster with a line of eyes.
"What is this?" Tails asks in awe.
"I wish I knew." Rage answers. "It's one of the old Echidna prediction murals. Thing is, only these small sections remain so from what Tikal could gather; it depicts some powerful being controlling a large group of...something. It gets control of a hero...then the hero is aided by someone else. We assume someone who is gifted with the powers of Chaos...they battle the figure and some monster. I dove into what the monster was and we are fairly certain it may represent Dark Gaia or something having to do with Darkness."
"Interesting...I could see why this may be troubling." Tails says "Especially with the start of the mural missing. It would make sense that the events that would trigger whatever this depicts would be there."
"Exactly." Rage says. "But I can't figure out how I could put it back together."
"Maybe you don't have to." Sonic thinks.
"What do you mean?" Tails asks.
"Look at this place Tails, does it seem familiar?" Sonic asks.
"Yeah, it looks like the temple in the Mystic Ruins. Both were built by the Echidna though so that's no surprise." Tails answers.
"There could be answers there." Sonic says.
"Tikal actually thought the same thing." Rage says. "I went there and he was only able to uncover another panel that I think goes in with the mural...except it doesn't answer much."
"Where is it?" Tails asks. Rage extends his arm and shows them to a stone table where a section of a mural was. This one showed what appeared to be a dragon looming over a flaming red figure surrounded by the Chaos Emeralds "That's it?" Tails asks looking at Sonic.
"Don't look at me!" Sonic exclaims "Like I know what it means."
"I know what it means." Rage sighs looking deeply at the section of mural causing Sonic and Tails to look at him in anticipation. He then turns to look at them. "It's me."
Sonic and Tails stood silent before Sonic let a "pfft" out trying not to laugh.
"Sonic, he's serious." Tails says nodding. He understood it now.
"Seriously?" Sonic laughs "You don't think that sounds a little self righteous of him?"
"Be that as it may..." Tails says looking at it. "It would make sense. Remember, Rage already fulfilled that one Last Chaos Guardian prophecy. Not to mention his sword, it's name Bureinjingukaosu, it translates to Blazing Chaos...if I remember that very sword or Blade of Chaos I think is what it's technically called, is historically been remembered and depicted as a dragon in records from The Shadow War. It was wielded by the Chaos Guardian who was in charge of the group back then..."
"Correct." Rage says "Tikal and I believe that it's one of the events leading up to whatever this mural predicts...The ignition of The Last Chaos Guardian..."
"It looks to be the first panel." Sonic says.
"We think so too." Rage says looking back to the broken mural. "But if you look." he says using some magic to levitate the broken section and move it back into place, which caused it to glow signaling it was once more where it belonged. "There is still a gap between it and the fanged figure with the army...Which means there is more to it..."
"Strange." Tails says tapping his chin. "Hey look!" he exclaims running to the other end where the part that depicted the show down was. The panel had changed, the figure with the Chaos Emeralds now appeared to be burning like the one in the first panel.
"So it clearly means they're the same." Sonic says "So Rage, you have some importance in this thing."
"I know..." Rage grumbles "I just wish I knew more! Who's the fanged figure, or the hero who clearly has some connection to the fanged figure..."
"That or the fanged figure corrupts the hero." Tails says "Hence why the hero has a fang in the last panel."
"Agh Tails I don't need more things to try and think about right now!" Rage exclaims.
"You're overstressing over nothing." Sonic scoffs. "It's an old prediction. How often do these ancient echidna murals come true?"
"Well let's see..." Tails rubs his chin "The golden figure that looked like you against Perfect Chaos, the Last Chaos Guardian...so far they're two for two Sonic."
"So...maybe we should be a bit worried..." Sonic says crossing his arms. "Why don't we help you out Rage?" he offers.
"That would be appreciated, Sonic." Rage says. "Thank you."
"Anything to get us out and doing something." Sonic chuckles.
"Has it really been that quiet down there?" Rage asks looking concerned.
"Yeah, it's pretty nice for a change." Sonic chuckles "I'm surprised you didn't know that."
"I...don't get much news on what goes on down below." Rage answers. "Having been up here without anybody else for the last 10 months makes it hard to track everything going on." He explains as they exit the temple.
"So do you have any ideas on where to start?" Tails asks.
"I was thinking of giving the Mystic Ruins a look." Rage answered.
"Sounds like a good place to start." Tails agrees as they reached the Tornado. "I can-"
"Chaos Control!" Rage shouts suddenly interrupting Tails. With a flash the three of them were Teleported to the field by Tails' workshop. Angel Island could be seen over the ocean.
"What was that-" Sonic starts to shout before. A glow caught his attention and a giant amber laser shot through Angel Island. "What?!" He exclaims in pure shock.
Tails and Sonic look at each other in horror. Then back to the island as it was crumbling and falling into the ocean. Rage fell to his knees and screams in anguish.
"Rage...?" Tails asks.
"Who could have done this..." he sniffs slamming his fist into the ground causing a small divot where he struck.
Sonic looks up and squints. There in the evening sky he could barely make out a few large ships clearly designed by Robotnik. "I don't think you'll like the answer." He says pointing.
Rage looks up and sees the small fleet. "Robotnik..." he growls, baring his teeth. "He's a dead man!"
"Rage wait!" Sonic says putting a hand on his shoulder "Let me go."
"But-" Rage tries to object.
"Don't worry." He says "You're upset I get that. He wants us to make a mistake. You go up there all gung ho with the Chaos Emeralds in tow he'll exploit it."
Rage sighs and nods "Alright. I will trust you with them then...but if it at any point becomes too much for you, come back and get me."
"I will. I promise." Sonic says as he takes the Chaos Emeralds from Rage before running off.
Hours went by as Rage and Tails looked up at the fleet. "It's been a long time." Tails says.
"Yeah, maybe I should-" Rage began as he stood but stopped as the very same glow from before illuminates the sky as once more the beam is fired this time hitting the ocean.
Tails and Rage struggled for a second to remain standing as the ground rumbled and shook. "What's going on?!" Tails exclaims using his tails to float.
"I have no idea!" Rage struggles to say as he used his own power to fly. They looked back and Tails pulls a telescope out.
"Rage! Look!" He exclaims "Sonic!" He points to a small moving blur.
Rage squints before noticing it. "I see him!" He quickly states before he flew off with Tails not far behind.