Amy yelled out and threw herself protectively in front of Sonic as the beebots prepared to fire. The tips of their stingers glowed and swelled then BANG!

Sonic felt Amy flinch as she pressed up against him. But the bang had not come from the beebots. Sonic looked up to see the light in their eyes die. The robots lowered their weapons. The assembled crowd turned as one to the source of the noise.

The door to the great hall had been smashed from its hinges. Knuckles stood framed in the doorway. There was a moments pause before Tails and Rouge flew in over his head, Shadow sped through the gap and took out the nearest guards. With a mighty roar the resistance surged forwards and stormed the great hall. In response Rubrums guards raised their weapons and attacked. Above Sonic and Amy the beebots turned on the parvus army and began firing. Graves leapt to the emperors defense and batted the beebots lasers away with a flick of his sword. Amy's father drew his own sword and sent the beebots back with a blast of energy.

"Flee sire." Graves instructed him. "Get to the ship and prepare the rest of the men for n invasion."

Rubrum nodded and pointed to Amy.

"Do not let her get away." He snapped. "We will finish this aboard the ship once you have subdued the rebels."

Amy rushed forwards after her father as he turned to leave. She raised her hammer high above her head to strike. With a wave of his hand Rubrum sent her flying in another blast of energy. Amy landed painfully in a crumpled heap at Sonics feet. He pulled her to her feet and turned his attention to Graves. The purple hedgehogs quills were ruffled down infront of his face, his teeth were bared and his eyes were blazing as brightly as his flaming sword.

"This is futile Amare." He snapped. "Look around you. They will all die today and for what? For this boy? Because you choose him over your own people."

Sonic saw Amy take a look around. All about them their friends were battling with the Parvus soldiers. The wedding guests were screaming in terror and scrambling through the broken door into the courtyard. Beyond that Sonic could hear the hum of more ships arriving. They were vastly outnumbered.

"You heard the prophecy for yourself." The evil hedgehog snarled. "Your fathers bloodline will continue with our children. The Parvus Empire will be stronger than ever. It is DESTINY."

Amy stretched out her right hand and summoned her hammer. Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I prefer the first prophecy." She said calmly. "That a royal witch would rise and end the empires reign of terror."

Graves threw back his head and laughed.

"You are no witch Amare." He barked. "Compared to your mother you are a sideshow magician at the fair. She was the greatest witch of a generation and yet I took her head. YOU stand no chance of defeating me. Whatever parlor tricks Lady Amy taught you in your mothers absence it was not enough. If you were a REAL witch you wouldn't need these."

Graves reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and pulled out a pile of cards. They fluttered and struggled against his grasp as though reaching out for Amy. She reached out her hand for them but Graves kept a firm grip. He lifted his flaming sword and held it to the tarot deck. Amy screamed as they caught alight. The groom threw the flaming cards into the air. They tumbled down infront of him as they burned away to ash.

"Come with me now or the boy will be next."

Amy lifted her hammer again but it was Sonic who charged. He hit Graves hard in the chest with his fist before the purple hedgehog could raise his own sword. Sonic reached his hand out and grabbed Graves right wrist. He squeezed it hard and dug his nails in, trying to force the soldier to relinquish his grasp. With his free hand Graves punched Sonic in the face. Sonic bent forwards and charged, forcing Graves backwards. There was a loud crash to his left. Sonic and Graves looked up to see Tails floating overhead. The little fox had a chair in his hand which he launched down towards Graves. Sonic kicked the purple hedgehog backwards into the heavy chairs path. It crashed down on him and shattered. The soldier was momentarily stunned.

Sonic grabbed Amy by her hand just as Graves staggered to his feet. The leader of the Pauvus army was infuriated. He gave a roar of anger and flames shot from his sword. The first few rows of chairs caught alight. The fire swelled and reached the high curtains. In a matter of seconds the great hall was ablaze. The few guests still struggling to flee became hysterical and climbed over the top of eachother in a stampede for the exit.

Sonic pulled Amy away behind a row of pews and knelt down on the ground in front of her. He took both of her hands in his and stared deeply into her emerald eyes.

"Do not tell me to run." She insisted. "I'm not leaving you. Whatever happens I'm staying Sonic."

Sonic smiled at her warmly.

"I don't want you to run I want you to fight." He said. "Only you can end this."

Amy looked terrified.

"I can't do this." She insisted. "Not without my cards. Graves was right. I'm no real witch."

Sonic stroked her cheek gently. All around them there were screams and towering flames but as his eyes locked onto hers Sonic felt as though there was nothing in the world but him and Amy. With his other hand he reached into his pocket.

"We still have one card left to play." He said softly.

Amy's hand trembled as she reached out and took the card from him. She smiled as she turned it over in her hands.

"The lovers." she whispered.

Sonic leaned in towards. He and felt Amy do the same. His eyelids become heavy and close halfway as he tilted his head, his lips inches from hers.

The pew beside them shot forwards, knocking them both sideways into the wall and pinning them. Sonic struggled and pushed it away from them both. Amy scrambled forwards on her hands and knees.

"NO!" She shouted. "The card!"

Sonic turned in horror to see the final tarot card on the floor a few feet away from them. Its edges were beginning to smolder. Before he could struggle free of the pew it was fully alight. In the distance he could see Graves baring down on them, cackling wildly as he swung his sword. Sonic turned desperately to Amy and grabbed her by her shoulders.

"It's over." She whispered fearfully.

"No." Sonic said firmly. "There's something else. Starline said something which stuck with me."

"Starline?" Amy said skeptically.

Sonic nodded.

"Starline said the tarot cards were a totem." he explained. "That you use them to focus. That means the power is still in you Amy. You just need to focus it."

"How?" Amy moaned desperately.

Sonic took a deep breath and smiled.

"I never believed in destiny until I met you." He said. "When you first arrived all of those years ago you told me that it was fate. That the cards told you to find me."

Amy nodded. She was blushing and avoided his eye.

"They said that you would help me reach my potential."

Sonic cupped her cheeks in his hands and leaned in close again.

"Then this must be destiny." He whispered.

Finally his lips touched hers. Gently at first but as his heart swelled in his chest he felt himself drawn into Amy. Sonic pulled her in closely and kissed her deeply as the fire ragged around them. Amy reached out and ran her fingers through his quills. Sonic felt a pleasant thrill run down his spine. He did not want the moment to end. A rush of wind swirled around them. Sonic opened his eyes wide in surprise. Amy was floating away from him. He help on as long as possible until her lips finally parted from his.

Sonic stared up in amazement. Amy's fur was golden, she shimmered brightly and rose into the air above his head. All around them the fighting stopped and everyone stared.

The parvus soldiers let their weapons fall to the ground with a clatter. Sonic caught shadows eye. The black hedgehog shot him a knowing smirk and beside him knuckles laughed and blew him a kiss. Sonic didn't care anymore. They could tease all they wanted.

There was an indignant scream from across the room. Graves ran forwards and waved his sword.

"Take her down!" he yelled. "Kill the princess."

The parvus soldiers lifted their weapons. Sonic span at the nearest one and slammed him to the floor. Another charged forwards in his place only to be knocked out by a long, grey tail. Tangle the lemur smirked at Sonic.

"Let me guess," She said, "protect Amy at all costs."

He nodded and glared at the black hedgehog baring down on him.

"But leave Graves to me."