Chapter 111: The Iblis Trigger - Part 2

Last time on Sonic the Hedgehog, Sally and her friends arrive to Soleanna in order to see the Festival of the Sun. Running into a disguised princess, the group turn their attention to their own tasks, unaware of the forces that wish to do them harm...

Starring:

Agatha the Cat Witch - Ageless Scholar
Silver the Hedgehog - Time-Travelling Freedom Fighter
Gold the Tenrec - Time-Travelling Freedom Fighter

Soleanna Castle Town; Library

*Within the library of Soleanna's Castle Town, Agatha and her 'students' were looking through a few texts to discover anything on Iblis. Silver was laying on the floor, looking frustrated before letting out a scream and tossing the book. Agatha uses her psychokinetic powers to catch the book and place it back on the shelf.*

Silver: "This is getting us nowhere! And all that reading is making my eyes hurt... Can't we use, like, a computer?"

Gold: "Silver. Do you not remember Master Platinum's teachings? We need to be patient and wait for the answer to reveal itself."

Silver: "I know, I know. I guess I'm a little...angsty..."

Agatha: "You are a teenager, Silver. There is nothing wrong with acting like one. Though do keep it down. This is a library where others come to learn, not a gym where you can join a crowd in being loud... Ugh, I do not understand the joy in sports..."

*Silver sits up and sighs, looking at Agatha.*

Silver: "Yeah, sorry... So... Hey, Agatha. I'm just curious... Why...did you come here really? Gold and I could have handled Iblis ourselves..."

Agatha: "..."

*Agatha stares at her book before closing her eyes.*

Knothole Village; Cream's House

*Agatha was standing outside of Cream's room, hearing a lot of crying as Sally and Vanilla was with the little rabbit girl as she is told of the fate of her village and friends living in Albion. Agatha's mind begins to race and panic. She wasn't sure of what to do or how to approach the subject. A hand reaches out and Agatha is startled until seeing Vanilla.*

Vanilla: "Agatha? Are you...okay...?"

Agatha: "...I... I know I should be comforting Cream... But none of us knew about what was going on in Albion... About what was going to happen... And to see Cream so upset is..."

*Vanilla hugs Agatha, petting her head softly before smiling.*

Vanilla: "This isn't your fault. If this is too much for you, then... Please don't pressure yourself over it."

*Agatha looks at Vanilla before just running off, tears in her own eyes.*

Soleanna Castle Town; Library

Agatha: "...No real reason, Silver. Sally just invited me and I accepted."

*Agatha slams her book closed before looking determined.*

Agatha: 'I don't want anyone to suffer like Cream did. If I can save this town and this world, I will... Just be well, Cream... At least Amy'll help you...'

*Agatha stands up before leaving.*

Agatha: "I need to go look deeper into those files. You two stay here until I get back."

Gold: "...Silver? You don't think she's angry, do you?"

Silver: "She...did look upset... I hope I didn't say anything bad..."

Gold: "I would read her mind, but... I do not think she'd appreciate me invading her personal space... But I have a feeling it may have something to do with Albion..."

*Silver realizes what Gold meant as he recalled feeling a strong surge of Chaos energy coming from that city. It was probably too late, but he could not help but curse himself under his breath for not helping.*

Gold: "Nothing can be done, Silver..."

Silver: "But... Maybe if we had another Time Stone we could..."

Gold: "It is as Master Platinum says..."

Both: "Everything happens for a reason..."

Silver: "Yeah... You are right..."

*Silver gets a bit lost in thought, remembering how Bronze and their Agatha sacrificed themselves in order for the two of them to continue living.*

Silver: "Man... To think we've come this far... I hope Bronze is looking down at us and smiling for us at le-"

*Silver turns to where Gold stood and found her to be missing. He stands up and looks around.*

Silver: "Gold? Where did you go?"

*A pair of hands with a cloth immediately comes from behind Silver, grabbing him and holding the cloth against his mouth, slowly knocking him out. Two robed figures come out of hiding, one of them holding an unconscious Gold.*

*At the entrance, Agatha looks around for the librarian, curious as to where they went.*

Agatha: "Strange... I wanted to look a little deeper into those files but where did that librarian go to?"

*Frustrated, the cat witch taps her finger on the counter before a noise catches her ear. She immediately blocks an incoming assassination with a knife and pins the assassin down.*

Agatha: "...I recognize these robes... So you are involved after all..."

Child: "I am of the Children of Ixis, Forbidden One! You destroyed our master and so you shall face the consequences!"

*Agatha slams the robed figure against the wall, the wall cracking from the force before the Child of Ixis stared into the cat witch's glare.*

Agatha: "Let this sink into your feeble mind. I did nothing to your master, Mogul. He trapped me in the Void. But rest assured, he got what came to him. Defeat at the hands of a hedgehog."

Child: "You are still a traitor amongst us! You turned your back on salvation! On the cleansing of a rotten planet! On-"

*Agatha slams the Child again, cracking the wall more.*

Agatha: "Shut up, or I won't regret my actions in a minute. Now... Tell me this. Where are the rest of your kin?"

Child: "...Are you sure it is us you should be focused on?"

*Agatha looks at them before realizing Silver and Gold's Chaos energies were missing. With a look of anger, Agatha tosses the Child into the air and unleashes an ice blast, freezing the Child in a block of ice that slams onto the floor without even cracking.*

Agatha: "Talking to a waste of space like you isn't even worth it. Stay frozen and wait for the authorities to thaw you out."

*With a look of sheer anger, Agatha begins to walk forward before starting to mentally monologue.*

Agatha: The Children of Ixis... A cult I started eons ago after becoming corrupted by Mogul and before I met Maurice... While most murders were indeed my own doing and under Mogul's orders... I did often have help. Those who were enthralled in Mogul's teachings through my mouth began to follow his gospel. He became a God to a bunch of sheep... But after I met Maurice... I left their group and tried to resist Mogul's influence. And now... Another ghost of my past has begun to haunt me... But unlike Mogul, I won't fear this one... And I won't run away.

"You want me so badly? THEN COME GET ME, COWARDS!"

*...No answer. And with her only lead frozen, she leaves the library in order to hunt down those that took Silver and Gold. She contemplates alerting Sally and Blaze for a moment.*

Agatha: "Sally. It's Agatha. Do you copy?"

Sally: "Loud and clear. What's up?"

Agatha: "I may know who it was that is after Elise. Mobians dressed in robes. Referred to as the Children of Ixis."

Sally: "Ixis?! As in..."

Agatha: "Followers of Mogul, yes. Be on the look out of anyone like them. They took Silver and Gold already so..."

Sally: "Hold on! We're coming to assist-!"

Agatha: "No. This is my problem alone. Agatha, out."

*Agatha turns off the communicator and cuts communication with Sally, leaving the princess unable to contact her. After that was done, Agatha left the library.*

Agatha: "This whole mess always come back to being my fault. But I intend to right my wrongs..."

*Thinking more clearly, Agatha recalled sand on the bottom of the robe of the Child she froze. Not a lot to go off of, but that did cross out most locations that don't have sand in them. Either Wave Ocean or Dusty Desert were her main options... And who'd pass up turning desert ruins into a base?*

Dusty Desert; Entrance Portal

*Passing through the portal, Agatha looked around and saw the sea of sand ahead of her, as well as a lot of desert ruins. In fact, it reminded her of the Sand Ruins from the Extreme Gear tournament. She made her way towards the ruins, making a mad dash there in hopes of finding Silver and Gold.*

Agatha: "Would sandy ruins be considered a cliche? I oughta ask AmyEEEEEE!"

*Agatha falls into a hidden hole, landing on a pile of sand inside of a dark set of ruins. As she rubs her head, she stands back up and lights a flame over her finger to provide light. But in a quick flash, a string of spit hits her in the face.*

Agatha: "AH!? What is this stuff!? I-I can't see!"

Voice: "That'sss the point... Forbidden One..."

*Agatha, still blinded, is then kicked hard in the stomach, causing her to cough out before passing out on the ground. Standing over her was the Child of Ixis, Scorn, smiling as he licked his fangs...*

To be continued...