150 MILLION YEARS AGO…
MUSIC: THE DARK AND ENDLESS DALEK NIGHT – DOCTOR WHO
Screams.
That's all Sonic could hear grounds shake, purple flickering in the air as the lights go out bit by bit. He could only glance away for a moment to see what's behind them.
The bricks of the great Sentinel Castle, a monument of his race's promise to protect the Earth… crumbling at the seams as bursts of purple energy rage from the rooms they passed. The island in which the Sentinel race calls home is falling apart.
The screams echoing across the halls, and outside the castle gates are that of the rallying troops of the Sentinel army, falling one-by-one by a single being clouded with rage.
"Don't look at the halls… look at me, okay sweetie?" A voice tells him, looking out of breath. Sonic's vision locks onto his mother, sweating as she rounds up the rest of his siblings close together. "Get closer, Cream."
Pushing one of his adopted sisters back into the group, the nervous rabbit named Cream clutches onto the fur of Blaze. "W-Where are we going, mommy?"
"Somewhere safe. I'm taking you all to the hangar. Just follow your big sister, alright?"
"O-Okay…" Cream trembles, struggling to maintain control as her eyes twitch slightly.
"It'll be okay." Blaze strokes her ear, patting the blue plush toy clutched in the bunny's arm. "Hold onto Cheese, hold her tight."
Cheese does just that, clutching onto her doll like the world depends on it.
"What about you, mom?" The red Echidna of the family asks. "You and dad are coming, right?"
"We're generals, Knuckles…" She replies. "It's our job to keep the world from people like him. We have to fight."
Taking her steps out of the group, a young pink hedgehog clutches her hammer with a scowl. "I-I'll fight with you, then!"
She is suddenly stopped though as a black arm pulls her back in. He wags his finger in disapproval. "No, Amy."
Amy budges herself out of her brother's grip, looking back up to her mother with a face of defeat.
"Shadow's right… I can't drag you all into this." She tells Amy.
"You're not gonna stand a chance against him!" Silver gasps out, sweat coating his fur.
The mother looks away, biting her lip.
"…You have to rise against those chances." Is all she can say, standing straight with renewed confidence.
Sonic could only look at her mom in awe, but it couldn't be for long as the bloodcurdling scream of another unfortunate soul snaps him out of his daze.
"Come on, move!" Her mom then says before turning around, holding her hand out the pristine form of the Sentinel Sword materializes in her grasp. It ignites with mystical fire as she charges ahead with a battle cry.
"You heard her, everyone! Move!" Blaze then demands, taking the lead to guide the family.
As they venture down the stairs, the floors above shake with the cries and clashes of Sentinel soldiers, holding back this violent intruder.
"Sonic, I need you to open the hangar bay doors." Blaze tells him. "Activate the sub, we'll hide underwater."
"Got it!" Sonic complies, taking off in a gust of wind.
"I hope he knows where the sub is…" Tails could only comment.
Meanwhile, Sonic dashes across the different floors of the castle. The further he explores, the darker it gets. After seconds of hastily dodging falling pieces of the ceiling and jumping over toppled equipment, his feet skids to a halt upon reaching the final floor. Pushing the steel door open with his strength, he comes face to face with the hangar.
Primitive cars, jets and tanks line themselves across the room, showcasing how eons ahead the Sentinel race is.
"Sub, sub, sub, sub…" Sonic repeats to himself, running in place, eyes darting across the floor.
However, it won't be long until this hangar falls apart like the rest of the castle. The faint rumbling is only getting closer, the smaller vehicles shaking under the brief tremors of the island. Fumbling towards a hatch on the floor, Sonic turns the valves until it gives way.
A large tile of the floor opens up, revealing the top of a grey spherical submarine. Painted on its hull is the Sentinel logo: Two navy crescent moons encircling a sphere with piercing red eyes. Under it is the name of the vehicle, Nomad.
Harnessing his elemental control over wind, Sonic uses it to leap into the air (avoiding the ladder right next to him) and jump into the Nomad's interior.
Immediately strapping himself into a seat, Sonic couldn't help but tap his feet. Will Blaze and the others make it? Did they die on the way? What if they were so close, but Sonic wasn't there when they were-
"Sonic?"
Sonic breathes a hasty sigh of relief at hearing Blaze's voice.
"Hey, I'm in here!" He calls out from the Nomad, the sounds of his family scurrying up the ladder being heard. The first flying in naturally, is Tails.
"I'll take this fella for a spin. Strap in, quick!" Tails calls out.
"How close is he?" Sonic asks the fox.
Blaze answers, jumping down onto the sub's floor. "Close enough. We have to go!"
Tails scrambles to power up the Nomad, all the others taking their seats and preparing to go under. "Alright, engine's up. We're heading down!" He exclaims, pulling a final lever.
The hatch seals up and the restraints tethering the sub to the island loosening. The Nomad then proceeds to fall into the water below.
However, no amount of protection could shield the group from yet another earth shattering tremor. The water shakes furiously from the impact of the fight above.
"Is Mommy gonna be okay…?" Cream asks again, still holding onto Cheese for dear life.
"I…" Sonic opens his mouth, trying to make sense of what's going on… let alone assure his youngest sibling. "I… don't know…"
"Guys? You might wanna check this out." Tails announces.
Peering out of the translucent windows, they notice the once clear blue waters start to illuminate a slight purple.
That's only consuming the sea more, and more…
"Impossible… no Sentinel can do that!" Silver gasps. "Nobody has that power!"
"Can do what?!" Knuckles barks out.
"I've researched this… It's a Purge Wave!" Silver gasps out. "One blast can cover the entire planet! The effects on the island ALONE could be…"
"Catastrophic…" Shadow whispers out.
"Brace for impact!" Tails closes his eyes, submerging the Nomad even deeper into the ocean depths.
Everyone closes their eyes, purple engulfing the sea as…
…
….
…..
For a moment, everything felt weightless, no sound could be heard, and nothing can be seen. Just a blinding light. Then, the sound soon followed.
The deafening screech of the explosion penetrates the sub's hull as the sea's turbulence causes the Nomad to tumble through coral and seaweed uncontrollably.
Then, as quickly as it happened… it stops. The Nomad repositions as everyone regains their bearings.
"Is everyone okay?!" Sonic asks, jumping out of the seat and checking on everyone onboard. Aside from maybe a few scrapes… they seem alright for the most part.
Everyone, except for Blaze, who are nowhere in their seats.
"Blaze!" Sonic looks all over before eventually finding her in the back of the ship's hull. She's lying down, unconscious from being flung out of her seat… probably from shielding Cream.
The Nomad meanwhile slowly rises out of the water, reaching the surface to reveal the island from the windows.
The island as they knew it is still standing… but the castle?
Nothing more than a pile of scorched bricks. As the sub inches closer to the once great home of heroes, everyone peers from the windows to check for any source of life.
No plants, no trees… no animals of any kind.
Not a single Sentinel.
"Where'd they all go…?" Knuckles asks.
"Nothing could've survived a Purge Wave." Silver gulps. "Dark Gaia used it long ago to reset the Earth… No one on the surface survived."
Washing up on the sand, the hatch opens up as the remaining Sentinels crawl out one by one. "Hello?! Anyone?" Tails asks as he floats up.
Sonic meanwhile finishes up placing Blaze back on her seat to rest. "We'll come back for you, okay?" He assures his sister before climbing back up.
Once he lands, he turns to the rest of the team. "Anything?"
"Nobody…" Tails could only sigh out. "They're all… dead."
"No… No, you're kidding me, right?" Sonic asks. "There's no way they're gone! I mean… we took out the Metarex, how can-"
"Look around, Sonic!" Tails then exclaims, gesturing to the barren wasteland that was once their home. "Do you see anyone?! I don't think so!"
"Mom and Dad, though! They're the strongest of the army! Maybe they're still out there! We gotta check the castle!" Knuckles runs off, holding off hope.
"Knuckles, wait!" Sonic reaches out, but he found himself rushing towards the castle too…
Eventually, the siblings crawl across the ashes of the fallen kingdom, making it to the top until all they see at the summit… is the Sentinel Sword, with the blade lodged in the middle.
It stands without an owner, without a soul to bond and materialize itself to.
Nobody could say a word as they gather around the sword, confirming that the worst has happened.
They are all that's left of the Sentinels.
Tears start to well up in everyone's eyes, mutters of "no", and "I'm sorry" being shared amongst their grief… Sonic looks ahead, his eyes stained before noticing a limp creature on the floor… struggling to get up.
He's crystalline in nature, holding an equally crystalized axe.
What was once stained with tears is now consumed by anger.
MUSIC: I AM THE DOCTOR – DOCTOR WHO
"You!" Sonic points towards the hedgehog. "You did this!"
The monster slowly turns around. "Survivors…! Of course there would be!"
"You killed my parents! You killed everyone!" Sonic steps forward, kicking several bricks away.
"Sonic, what are you-" Silver asks out, but not before Amy could step up.
"You're gonna pay for what you did!" Amy growls, gripping her hammer with malicious intent.
"They paid the price!" Mephiles calls out. "They ignored who they were, and became soft! I'm free of their control now… and I won't let a couple of children take it away from me!"
"O-Oh yeah?!"
Sonic turns around, looking at the sword. He then glances at his hand before swiftly reaching for it. The minute he touches the hilt, he feels power coursing through his veins. He falls to his knees slightly, overwhelmed by the energy.
His eyes flicker gold, his mind filled with thoughts instilled onto him by the sword. He must prove worthy of its power!
Struggling, wincing and gritting his teeth, Sonic starts to slowly unsheathe the sword.
"What? That's impossible! There's no way anyone could wield that sword!" Mephiles readies his axe, bewildered at Sonic's willpower.
"Sometimes… You have to rise…!" Sonic could only grunt out, unable to say the rest. Eventually, the sword rises out of the ashes, gold engulfing the family with energy.
"…Who are you?!" Mephiles exclaims, angerly.
Stepping out of the light, sword in tow, Sonic points it towards the murderer.
"I'm Sonic…"
"…Sonic The Hedgehog!"