Chapter Fifteen – Homeward Bound
The Blue Blur screamed, the tears streaming down his face. But to Everglade, something wasn't quite adding up, as he dried himself off. He frowned deeply, now staring at the mighty Blue Hedgehog, the Hero of Mobius. He was incredibly powerful, just like his brother, even though Everglade had never seen that power for himself. But he'd heard the stories. A real saviour.
But that power was entirely unique. The extremely powerful Super-Speed was off the charts, and more then capable of giving Sukko's own Chaos Sorcery, as strong as it was, a serious run for it's money. Potentially, more so. Mentally not that strong, but physically, Sonic was incredible, able to manually manipulate Chaos like no other, especially with the Chaos Emeralds, and beneath it all, gently pulsing through his veins, the Magic he was born with, that drove it all.
It was so incredibly subtle, that Everglade could only barely feel it, having now learned the signs. Both of the twins had Magic, even though it barely showed on Sonic, and Everglade immediately thought back to comment the Princess had said, as he looked at her.
"If Sukko had perished, Sonic would immediately know, and be either dead or devastated."
He turned back to the Blue Blur. As much as he was crying, it wasn't utter devastation from the heart. He didn't even know about his brother, until Arthur told them, and Everglade now suspected that with the incredible power of the Psychic Link they shared, if it had been truly severed with Sukko's death, then quite simply, the Blue Blur wouldn't survive. It was just too strong. The fact that the King of Speed was still here, meant one simple thing. Everglade gasped, and ran towards the Blue Blur, who was still in tears, in the arms of Tails and Knuckles, as they moved away.
"Wait, stop." He bellowed. Everyone stared, but Sonic just ignored him, still crying. The Skunk heaved. "Sukko's alive." He panted. Suddenly, Knuckles rounded on him, Sonic heavily sniffing. He looked around. Absolutely nothing could be seen. The Echidna growled.
"How did you work that out?" He hissed, gritting his teeth at him. But Everglade just smiled, walking forwards and taking the Blue Blur by both his hands. He was still very upset, eyes to the floor, his mind severely drifting. He wasn't listening. But Everglade beamed, as he turned to the Echidna.
"You, my good sir, don't know Magic." He sighed. "Sonic and Sukko are not just brothers, their twins. Identical, and I mean identical, right down to the DNA level. I've seen the paperwork. Think of it as two halves of the one whole. The differences you see are entirely environmental. But it means that they have something, that only ever happens in identical twins, which with the Magic they were born with, might be our means of finding the Sorcerer." He beamed. Suddenly, Silver ran in, grabbing the Wizard. Everglade looked at him. He gasped.
"Whoa! A Psychic Link." He stammered. "I've heard of those. They are spoken of in the future, but I have never actually seen one. They are supposed to be exceptionally rare." He gulped, staring Sonic deep in the eyes. "As a fellow Psychic, I could always feel something on Sonic, but it was so slight, that I never understood what it was, so I never said anything." He heaved, utterly amazed. "Wow, now I understand how Sonic always knew when they were trouble with Eggman, his brother was telling him." He grinned. Everglade nodded.
"Yes." He beamed. "I have been privileged enough to witness the Psychic Link for myself, and it's strong. Extremely powerful." He smiled, but then he sighed. "So strong, in fact, that if the Sorcerer had really perished." He looked back towards Sonic. "Then I don't think the Blue Blur would still be with us." He gulped. Everyone looked at each other. Finally, Tails and Knuckles nodded, giving Everglade permission to try. They all watched with baited breath, as Everglade pulled Sonic closer towards him.
The Blue Blur's mind was still severely wondering. He'd not heard a word of what had just been said. Everglade snapped in fingers several times at him to get his attention. He smiled, as Sonic's eyes finally met with his. Everglade beamed at him.
"There he is." He smiled. "Sonic, Sukko is alive." He grinned but the Blue Blur turned away, more tears falling down his face. He sniffed.
"No, he's not. He's gone." He wailed, panting hard but Everglade wasn't giving up. He grabbed the Blue Blur by the head. He growled.
"Sonic, listen to me. Your not thinking straight. Your extremely hyper, running on very high emotions. You need to calm down." He snarled. "Right now, your not helping anyone." He spat. Finally, this got through to Sonic, as he hated being a burden and after a long pause, he nodded, as his super fast breathing began to slow. Everglade beamed at him.
"That's it." He encouraged. "Now listen to me. I need you to look to the Physic Link for your brother." He asked, but Sonic just whimpered.
"But he's not there. It's just completely numb. It had been like that ever since he left for Mobius." He cried, but Everglade just rounded on him, growling.
"Sonic, no. Your brother is there. Please dig deep down into the Psychic Link, as far as you can go. Reach out to him. Find him. He desperately needs your help." He panted. Sonic stared and then finally nodded, gritting his teeth. He did indeed want to help. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and plummeted down deep into the depths of his mind. He'd never had the mental confidence to go this deep. He left all of the Physic stuff to Sukko, knowing full well, he could cast Magic down their special connection. It was indeed strong. He felt the incredibly murky, swirling mass that was the Physic Link, through the darkness, where he'd normally find his brother. But he instead he found emptiness, with muffled voices and a very hard wall, where a block had been put up.
The blocks were tough, but Sonic understood why Sukko put them up. To protect him. But most of the time Sukko was blocked from the Psychic Link, so Sonic couldn't hear anything, though he could still feel his brother's presence. There was a good reason for this. Working in the hospital ER back on Mobius could be very stressful and extremely emotional, especially during emergencies when someone's life was on the line, and sharing a Psychic Link with a powerful Telepath meant dealing with the very intense emotions that came with it.
Sonic had been on the other end when Sukko hadn't blocked him, and the heart pounding, emotional gut wrenching feelings had just completely overwhelmed the Blue Blur. Sonic heaved. He'd thought the fight against Eggman was bad. When Sukko found out, he was mortified. Extremely guilty for putting his twin through that. He could cope. As a Doctor, he'd been trained for it, but Sonic, no, and it was decided that Sukko should place a powerful block across the Psychic Link, wherever he was in work. It was very lonely not to constantly hear to brother's voice in his head, but over the years, Sonic got used to it.
But now, not so much, the solid wall now rather painful. But Sonic pushed hard against it. It wasn't budging. Sukko had put it up before he left for Mobius, not wanting Sonic to know the true extent of what he was doing. But now he did, and just didn't care. He just wanted his brother home. He pushed again at that wall, this time harder, and suddenly, it gave in slightly, with what felt like someone screaming the other side.
{Sukko?} He thought. He pushed again, and there was further discomfort, pain and anguish. Sonic stopped, desperately not to cause further hurt. Then the presence suddenly to began to fade, very rapid. Sonic panicked. {Sukko!} He screamed down the Physic Link. He didn't care if he caused pain, if he saved him, he'd forgive him later. He pushed, kicked and struck the wall, but the block wasn't budging. He wasn't mentally strong enough to break it, but what Sonic lacked in mental strength, he made up in physical. Even without Super-Strength, he was still stronger then Sukko, always winning contests of muscle, even with all the martial arts training Sukko did, and speed-wise, forget it, the Sorcerer had got nothing.
So he didn't push against the wall with his mental strength, he gritted his teeth, screwed up his eyes, and pushed with his physical strength. In the mighty tug-of-war, Sonic won, the more desperate of the twins. Smashing though, immediately he was grabbed by something, just the other side.
Suddenly Sonic's body when ridged and he made everyone jump, when out of nowhere, he opened his eyes and then glowed a deep vivid blue. Then people screamed as bright blue flames erupted in the long grass of the Palace grounds all round them. Knuckles gasped.
"I didn't know he could do that?" He stammered, indicating the blue fire. But Everglade just stared all around and then back at Sonic, who was deadly still, his glowing eyes staring at everyone. He gulped.
"He can't. Blue fames is the calling card of a Sorcerer." He heaved, only for Blaze to immediately run in beside Everglade, and grab Sonic by the head. She stared.
"Sukko?" She questioned. "Sonic is reaching out to you. Please take it." She pleaded. "He forgives you." She added, which immediately got the Blue Hedgehog's attention as Sonic's frowned at her. But then Everglade cut across her. He heaved.
"Sukko, please, come home. Tell us where you are?" He pleaded. Then Sonic gritted his teeth as though someone was desperately fighting just to cling on. He bent over, while still on his knees, his hands grabbing the long grass, when finally his spoke, with the most spooky, disembodied, ice cold, other-worldly voice possible, that was barely more then a whisper. One word that changed everything. He growled
"Av...al...on." He hissed, and then suddenly, the Magic broke. Everything dissipated, the fire disappearing and Sonic was left cowering on the floor. Severely shaken, tears running down his face. He was alone again. But Tails frowned.
"Where?" He asked, as Everglade praised the Blue Blur, him nodding but the Skunk just looked at Blaze. They both smiled.
"We know where that is."
The transport there was very bumpy but Everglade wasn't great with an Airborne cast. He was carrying himself, Blaze and Sonic, but he was struggling. This was meant to a multiple Wizard cast, but alone, Everglade was just about managing. He couldn't travel at speed, but he could get everyone there. Surrounded by swirling thick black clouds, they flew across the sky, and suddenly, they hit the earth with an almighty crash, just as dusk was falling. He winded everyone, but they were alright. The Skunk heaved.
"Sorry." He gulped. "I could never land those things." He added. Suddenly, as night fell all around them, they looked around at the very foreboding but somewhat plain looking island. Sonic frowned.
"Where are we?" He asked, but Everglade heaved.
"This is the Isle of Avalon. The epicenter of all Magic in the Sol Empire. The very first Sorcerers who ever set foot in this land are buried here." He sighed, but he was very apprehensive. Everyone gulped. The Wizard remembered the last he was here, and was now extremely panicky. They nearly lost the mighty Sorcerer then, and now. Blaze and Everglade looked at each other. They had no idea.
Suddenly, Sonic looked up, and immediately ran for the centre of the island to the burial ground in the middle. The others followed. The small stone basin had broken, cracked clean in two. There was a small sliding ditch leading up to it, and a long, silky, jet black ribbon snagged onto it, it gentle blowing in the wind. Everglade grabbed the ribbon. He gasped, instantly recognising it. He looked around.
"Sukko definitely landed here." He stammered. "Sukko!" He called out, to the empty echoey island. No answer. But the Blue Blur said nothing, heavily following on what he could feel. Suddenly, he walking through the trees, to the apparently source of strange light. Everglade frowned. That wasn't there before, but couldn't stop Sonic fast enough before he approached them. Night was all around them as the bright blue and white light seemed to shine. They all stopped and stared. There were about half a dozen very large pale blue balls of disembodied light, about eight inches across. They were slowly drifting all around them. They gentle moved away when approached. They weren't hostile and were intensely beautiful. Blaze frowned.
"What are they? They're stunning." She wondered, putting her hand out, to try and touch one, but it moved just out of reach. Everglade shrugged, having no idea, but there was something very bizarre about them. The feeling in their presence. But the intensity of the light was fading, and suddenly, each of the balls slowly began to disintegrate, slowing dimming. He heaved.
"Whatever they are. They're dying." He sniffed, intensely sorrowful that something so beautiful could be soon passing from this world. There were many strange and wonderful things in the Sol Empire, not all of which had been seen. These just appeared to one of them. Realising that there was nothing more they could do for the poor creature, and to let it pass in peace, Blaze and Everglade moved on, but Sonic was just routed to the spot.
He was deeply staring into one of the balls of light, feeling something familiar deep in the depth of his mind, through the intense numbness. Whatever it was, was desperately reaching out for him, but was fading extremely fast. He put his hand out to the light, frowning hard.
"Sukko?" He stammered to the gobsmacked stares of the others. They immediately ran to join him, just as Sonic finally managed to touch one of the balls of light. It sent screams of discomfort and a barrage of memories straight through him. It was his brother.
The Sorcerer was indeed dying.
Everglade was dumbfounded at how the Sorcerer had even managed to do this but with tears streaming, Sonic grabbing the ball of light with both hands, as his brother's light had almost faded, the disintegration quickening and the presence on the Psychic Link dimming quickly. The mighty Sorcerer had nothing left to give. Within minutes, he'd be gone.
"Sukko!" He cried as the balls of light suddenly gathered around him, readying themselves to ascend to the heavens. Sukko was ready to go, but a certain Blue Blur wasn't. He growled, heaving hard. The singular reason why he fought Eggman so hard his entire life, was for his family. His brother, who'd sacrificed so much to allow him to do so, and now, having finally won, he was leaving.
No way.
With the worse anguish and pain ever, he held onto that ball of light with everything he hand, and wasn't letting go. He gritted his teeth and roared, as suddenly pure anger filled him and he turned a deep pale blue as the Static Electricity exploded. Pale blue sparks flew everywhere, forcing Blaze and Everglade to flee. Suddenly, pure white lightning rained down on him from the heavens, directly on top of the Blue Blur as Sonic physically pushed the electricity hard, the voltages climbing exponentially. His Static Electricity immediately evolved into pure Electrokinesis, as he finally got grasp of it. The ability to psychically generate and manipulate electricity. Tears ran down his face. His brother wasn't leaving. The mighty Blue Blue wasn't letting him. He was bringing him back, even if Sonic has to perish in the process. Sukko was a Sorcerer. He needed power, and no one had it more then the Hero of Mobius.
Sonic screamed, sent out bolts of lightning and catching every single one of the balls of disembodied light in his grasp. He forcibly brought them towards him. Sonic roared as an extremely intense bright white light exploded from him and shone all around.
SUKKO!
Suddenly, all the light vanished, and everything was plummeted back into darkness. Blaze and Everglade just looked at each other, both were astonished but deeply worry. Suddenly, the moonlight from above revealed the most extraordinary sight, that immediately sent them both running. The Blue Blur was one his knees, his back to them, panting heavily, in a deep embrace. Someone was in his arms, and his tell tale long royal Blue quills, and jet black coat immediately giving him away.
Everglade swore. He was gobsmacked, completely unable to believe what Sonic had just managed to do. He gulped.
"Sukko!" He gasped, running straight to his side, as Sonic finally released him. But he was in a very bad way, desperately gasping for air. Everglade grabbed him. He heaved.
"Easy Sukko, breathe." He growled, calming the mighty Sorcerer. "Breathe." He ordered as the Blue Hedgehog was desperately struggled. Handing him over to Blaze, Everglade, with all the might he could muster, he somehow managed to cast, on the island that desperately fights back hard, he removed the blockage on Sukko's chest, and successfully got him breathing properly, again. He was drifting in and out of consciousness, but that didn't matter, the Sorcerer was alive and now, finally, coming home.
The Sol Empire exploded at the news that the mighty Sorcerer had made it, but Blaze immediately damped down all the celebrations. No parties, no crowds, anywhere. Nothing. She ordered that the Palace remain as calm and as quiet as possible, in the hope that a certain someone would stay. It worked.
Sukko didn't leave.
But he was deeply trumatised, even to the point of sucking his thumb, severely mute and it didn't take long for Blaze to work out what happened. In order to cast the planet wide Magic on Mobius, Sukko had literally given everything he had. With nothing left, as he crashed landed on Avalon, after a successful transport, his Orbing had taken control, leaving him physically dying. When Sukko mentally breakdowns, usually after he goes into his Super-Form, he rebels in order to deal with it, and very successful it is to. But this was physical breakdown that he just couldn't recover from, or even wanted to.
But someone wouldn't let him, as the Blue Blur was permanently glued to his side. Blaze suspected that having Sonic physically bring he back from the dead was what really trumatised him, but she knew the Sorcerer, if anyone was mentally strong enough to recover form that, he could. But she had major trouble keeping the crowds off the Sorcerer's back, as many people, especially Sonic's friends were deeply curious about him. She didn't blame them, but she had to give Sukko his space, otherwise the King of Stealth would just vanish, to potentially never to be seen again. He'd almost done that last time, as she now suspected that it was Sonic who sweet talked him back to the Sol Empire after the Dark Fire Golem defeat.
So the twins were left alone, always together. Blaze left them be. She knew they had a lot to talk about, a lot to reconcile. She smiled. When they were ready, they would find her.
Suddenly, out of the blue, she felt it. A huge jolt of power right up her spine from her tail, that left her with her eyes glowing. Burning like fire and panting, heavily out of breath. She was steadied on her feet, but she had a broad smile on her face. That signal meant just one thing. That after many months, the Sol Emeralds had finally restored their power back.
Time to go.
As nice as the Sol Empire was, it suited some but not others, and all of Sonic's friends still had to decide whether to stay or go home. But first they had to check whether it was safe. Then Knuckles had a idea. Blaze could pinpoint Angel Island from the Sol Empire, she'd done it before, and the mighty Guardian of Master Emerald alone would immediately be able to know from there, if Mobius was safe or not. It was the best way of finding out, and cause as little fuss as possible.
The Echidna gulped, deeply worried of what he would find, as he talked Blaze through exactly on Angel Island he wanted her Fire Tornado to land. He took a deep breath and passed though the towering inferno, painless as always, and as he was temporarily lifted off the ground, and then suddenly land, the flames vanishing, in exactly when he'd asked. He was in darkness, in an deep alcove underneath the main alter of the Master Emerald. He knew it. It was one of his favourite spots on the island as a place to go if he didn't want to be disturbed. He stuck his head out and looked out across the island. It was pristine. Immaculate. The best condition it had been in, in years, and on this warm, sunny day, it looked beautiful.
His jaw dropped, as he walked out onto his sweet smelling island, the wind blowing in his dreadlocks, and the place calm and still. He wondered out onto the alter of the Master Emerald, and looking up to huge relief, the enormous bright green gemstone was still there, gentle circling, purring with complete contentment. Suddenly, he felt significantly more power then usual up there, and then to his utter astonishment, surrounding the Master Emerald, shining on their each individual pillars, glistening in the sunlight, were... He gasped.
"The Chaos Emeralds." He stammered, unable to believe it. But there they were, all seven of them, present and correct. Finally, where they should be. In all his life, he had never ever seen them up there. The war against Eggman had put pay to that. It was very surreal. Suddenly, a voice from behind him. He whirled round, expecting a fight, and again to his astonishment, he got Mobian Authorities personnel, all of whom were bowing to him, giving him the traditional Echidnan greeting. Confused, but deciding to play along, he returned the gesture to the delight of the leading small Dog. He beamed.
"Oh thank goodness, Master Knuckles, we have been looking everywhere for you." He heaved. "We were beginning to think you weren't on the island anymore, but we had heard that you could be illusive so we just waited you out." He smiled. Knuckles frowned. That was true, but it didn't explain what was going on. Time to ask. He heaved.
"Is there a problem?" He asked, as coolly as he could, despite his deep confusion. The Dog rapidly shook his head. He stammered.
"No, no." He smiled. "Angel island had been restored by to it's full glory since Eggman's defeat and the Chaos Emeralds returned home. We have been guarding them on your behalf, until your return, of which we can now hand over the duties." He smiled. Knuckles nodded. So that explained why the Mobian Authorities were on the island, but it didn't answer another question. He frowned.
"But what of Eggman?" He asked, of which the Dog just sighed. He heaved.
"The Human's Empire was quite extensive and unfortunately, the clean up job is going to take years. We have put out a call to anyone with Chaos Powers to aid in the effort to try and speed things up, but it is going so desperately slow." He shrugged. Knuckles raised an eyebrow. That's a complete change of attitude towards Chaos Creatures since the last time he was on Mobius. One definitely for the better. He heaved, but the Dog continued. "It seems that your not the only person who was missing in action. We have still been unable to locate the Hero of Mobius. The saviour who defeated the tyrant. With his incredible speed and power, he would make the clean up job go so much faster." He droned. But Knuckles gasped.
"What? Sonic?" He stammered, to the complete and total confused looks of everyone on that island. They all stared at him as though he had three heads. The Dog frowned.
"Who?" He asked, to the dumbfounded looks of everyone. Knuckles stared. Nobody knew the Blue Blur. Absolutely nobody. The Dog then laughed at him. "I think you may have whacked your head getting up this morning, Master Echidna. Shadow is the Hero of Mobius. I'm surprised you forgot, considering the story that you were present at that final battle." He heaved, but Knuckles just sniggered, desperate to hide it. That was not going to go down well at all with the Ultimate Lifeform. But then, still playing along, he pretended to rub his head. He smiled.
"You know what, I think I might have." He grinned, to a now worried Dog, but Knuckles calmed him. "Hey, I'm alright. Yes, I was there." But the Dog just went crazy, grabbing a surprised Knuckles by the hands. He giggled.
"Really, oh wow. You've seen the Hero of Mobius. What's he like? I've heard he's really illusive, similar, to yourself, and lives on a space colony, apparently." He panted. Knuckles nodded, trying not to laugh. Never had Shadow, the ex-bad guy, ever had such adoration over him, and as Knuckles suspected neither did he want it. But the Dog just bounced. "Yes, the Mobian Authorities have searched the Ark, as well as the entire planet. No sign of him, but we have loving restored the space colony, out of respect for the hero." He grinned. But Knuckles just couldn't take anymore, it was just too funny, but as he talked to more people, it was genuinely believed. Shadow really had taken the blame for defeating Eggman, and was now proclaimed the hero. He grinned. There was no way Shadow was returning back to Mobius now.
Soon, Knuckles had managed to temporarily ditch the Mobian Authorities, and was now stood alone at the very edge of his floating island, looking down. Angel Island only ever traveled over water, but Knuckles was watching the coast, and for any beachside towns or villages he could see, that could give any indication of what life was really like down there. Soon a small town came into view, and as the island sailed close by, over the water, Knuckles took a good look at the residents. There was no pain, no suffering, everything was now returning to normal after Eggman's defeat. He saw Chaos Creatures down there openly using their powers to help others. The Mobian Authorities war path against them having never existing.
Knuckles swore, absolutely gobsmacked, looking around, his hand over his mouth. He beamed, in pure delight.
"He did it. He actually did it."