Chapter Sixteen – Mischief Managed
The news hit the Sol Empire with pure celebrations as now Mobius was safe and Sukko, as usual, was nowhere in sight. He was proclaimed a hero but that grated hugely against the Sorcerer. He still felt so guilty for using such powerful Magic on the planet, and rewriting it how he saw fit, but as Knuckles pointed out, it was now so much better for it. By doing so, he save thousands of lives. Certainly enough to forgive a little brain washing.
Finally, some of Sonic's friends were ready to go home, but they had seen extremely little of the incredible Blue Hedgehog that made it possible, and many were desperate to personally give their thanks. The twins were regularly seen in and around the Palace, but talking to the Sorcerer himself, no. But Blaze smiled.
She been watching Sukko closely over these last few months, mainly on his recovery. He was doing well. He'd stopped sucking his thumb, as the deep trauma significantly eased, and he slowly began regaining his confidence back. Several times, she'd caught him watching her. His curiosity getting the better of him. She just waved at him, which made his cheeks go scarlet, making him promptly vanish and her giggle. Yeah, she knew it. Sukko had fallen for her. She suspected that back at warehouse. Where else would he have gotten the confidence to go for her like that. But she heaved, somewhat somber. As much as she liked Sukko, it could never happen. Royal protocol wouldn't allow it. She could only marry a prince and one of her own species, a Cat. Sukko was a Hedgehog, they weren't compatible, and even he was a powerful Sorcerer, she doubted he could permanently change his own species, even to the point of successfully breeding. He was good, just not that good.
But realising this left a enormous tear in her heart. As Sukko couldn't get rid of his brother, she couldn't get rid of Silver. He followed her around, like a love sick puppy and it became very cumbersome. He was preventing her from doing her duties. He would have found Sukko a huge rival, especially for her affections, that is, if he knew the truth. But Sukko was so quiet, so reserved, not using single drop of Magic since his return home, that he had no idea. No one in the Sol Empire was surprised at this, all now knowing the Sorcerer and the fact he only ever used his Magic when needed. But Sonic's friends were expecting the Sorcerer to flaunt his wares, and he just didn't. Silver had no idea how he felt about her, or how powerful he really was. He'd never seen it, just heard the stories, of which there were many.
But he was still incredibly besotted with her, but she deeply sighed. As a Hedgehog, she couldn't take his hand either, even though at one point, in the past, she'd desperately wanted to. But she was afraid of rejecting him. Sukko was intelligent enough to understand. To keep his distance, but poke a little fun, despite how he felt, but Silver would just be devastated. He was so naive and wore his heart on his sleeve. Better for him to leave, then for her to push him away. But when she'd tried to settle down with him, something always happened in the future of Mobius that he'd just leave. Every time. She heaved. She'd shed too many tears over him, over the years, and wondered now that Silver was in her kingdom for the first time, that he'd actually stay. But when Knuckles returned with news of Mobius, he was desperate to return and see the future. Blaze sighed, with Mobius have been successfully fixed, she was almost certain so had the future. Returned back to normal, and as soon as Silver realised this, he stay in his own time and dimension. It was difficult, but it was for the best, but the mighty Sorcerer was going nowhere.
To have Sukko loyally by the side of the royal family for all time. With his power in Magic, Blaze was certain he'd outlive her, and to have her children and grandchildren cared for and protected by that incredible Blue Hedgehog was a gift she'd cherish, even if it meant putting up with the stupid antics. With Sukko doing so well, she knew it would all kick off at some point, as he and his brother started getting up the mischief. She'd been on tenterhooks for weeks, until it finally it happened, in the most unexpected way possible.
Stood out in the courtyard, Everglade had been discussing with Blaze about what to do with the legacy that was the Order of Elden. There were now only three Magic users left. Him, the Wizard. Arthur, the Apprentice, and the mighty Sorcerer himself, Sukko. But they had heard nothing from the Blue Hedgehog in months apart from glimpse here and there, of him with his brother, but he hadn't been in the mood to talk. Regardless, Everglade wanted to expand their ranks, and wondered of it was possible to set up a school of Magic, right here, on the Palace grounds. Where it could be watched over, and not hidden away.
Blaze liked the idea but wasn't sure about the uptake, but Everglade was certain that there were potentially students out there, mostly Wizards, but another Sorcerer was entirely possible. They had one in Arthur. Maybe there were others out there. But where to school them? The Palace was already full, and building something new would take months, if not years, and the Order of Elden needed expanding and stablising as soon as possible. But Everglade giggled.
"I'm changing the name." He smiled. Blaze stared. But the Skunk, just smiled. "The Order of Elden are gone, and we now have a new opportunity for a fresh start, a new beginning. It will now be called 'The Sorcerer's Guild'." He announced proudly. Blaze smiled, with Sukko here, it was a very fitting name, but then she sighed.
"Any word from him?" She asked, indicating the mighty Sorcerer himself. But Everglade shook his head. He sniffed, very disheartened. The Sorcerer now meant a great deal to him. He heaved.
"No, nothing. But he still around. There are many tell tale signs everywhere that Sukko's here, but he's just not showing his face yet." He smiled. But Blaze comforted him. She beamed.
"He will. Give him time." She grinned. He nodded.
"Agreed." He giggled.
Then all of a sudden, there was an almighty explosion which was so large that it shook the entire Sol Empire. The earthquake rippled out across everywhere. The Palace was thrown from side to side, causing windows to smash and furniture to crash. There was screaming everywhere. Blaze immediately ran round the Palace grounds to see the source of the explosion to see an almighty bright royal Blue tornado, extremely tall, tens of miles wide, hovering above the mountains, deep in the pine forests, on the island next door.
Suddenly, the wind picked up and a roar sounded across the whole area of what sounded like a jet airplane taking off. The Blur tornado began to spin significantly faster. Everglade screamed.
"What is that?" He yelled. But Blaze was gobsmacked, struggling to stay standing with the bellowing wind. She heaved, unable to quite believe it.
"It's Sonic." She gasped, but Everglade squealed in fright. He gulped.
"What's he doing?" He asked. "If he keep this up, Princess, he'll destroy your kingdom." He stammered. Blaze screamed, not understanding what would have lead the mighty Hero of Mobius to do this to her. Suddenly, looking up, something exploded out of the top of the tornado. Large quantities of what looked like grey specks of rocks, were being thrown high in the air and began heading straight towards them. Then someone ran past them, extremely fast, his tell tale long Blue quills and long black coat flowing behind him, giving him away. Everglade jaw dropped.
"Sukko?" He stammered, as the Sorcerer immediately ran out into the Palace grounds and centred himself. He then move his long black coat out of the way from one of his legs as he stamped it into the ground hard, his eyes glowing bright blue. A huge quantity of Magic expanded out along the ground, and it suddenly gave way slightly beneath him, and leveled out, the land thickening in places. Everglade frowned.
"Foundations?" He pondered. "But for what?" He asked aloud, until suddenly the contents of what was spewing out of the top of Sonic's tornado began falling all around them. But they didn't land. Sukko expertly caught them in his Telekinesis and began to arrange then all around him. Row by row, the bricks were laid as the mighty Sorcerer, growling, concentrating hard, pushed himself, to do this. Sonic was throwing him the entire contents of a structure and he was rebuilding it. Every brick, stone, roof slate and shard of glass. Piece by piece, as Sukko took to the skies, raising his hands to the heavens, his illusionary lightning falling everywhere, the building erected itself all around him.
Everglade gasped in absolute amazement when he realised that was being built. Elden Fortress. Rebuilt exactly how he remembered in, the new location, the looked incredible stood next to the Palace, as finally the last of the roof slates when on, leaving the Sorcerer standing on the roof. Then the Wizard realised that the twins had gone after Elden Fortress because the Magic was no longer there. When the Order of Elden perished, so did the citadel. The Magic embedded in the walls dying. It was nothing be an empty shell. But why?
Suddenly, with the sound barrier breaking, Sonic bounced over, his tornado long dying away. He gigged, extremely hyper.
"Did someone order a school?" He asked, to the completely stunned looks of both Everglade and Blaze. But the Blue Blur just laughed. "What?" He smiled. "I overheard you, and we agreed with you, and we found the perfect building." He grinned, putting his hands out to the almighty citadel. Everglade stared at it. The Blue Blur did have an extremely good point. The old Elden Fortress would indeed be perfect to refit as a school. But Blaze huffed. She growled.
"My kingdom, my Palace. Next time, please ask." She heaved. It was fine, but she desperately didn't want the two extremely powerful twins walking all over her, of which there were indeed strong enough to do. She had to reign them in. She expected better from Sukko but as he flew down from the roof, to the surprise of many, he was incredibly shy. He kept well behind Sonic, his ears back, a numb look on his face. He wasn't ready yet, but it was obvious he wanted to help. With everyone looking over his shoulder, Sonic turned around and his heart fell, as his brother was stood deep within the shadows of the new building, not enjoying the attention at all. Blaze reading the situation, quickly defused it, until no one was left except the twins, Everglade and Arthur, who had now joined them, after seeing the commotion.
Finally, after months of patients, the Sorcerer showed himself to his friends, who, as always, was hugged him to death. Everglade and Arthur were so glad to have him home, but as Everglade could see, he wasn't recovered yet. He still wasn't talking and as Sonic told them, he'd done all he could to help his brother. He now needed Magical help, of which Everglade was proud to take the mantel. He suspected he knew how to get the Sorcerer fully recovered, and counseling sessions while refitting a school were going to work like a charm, fueling his need to help. It did, and within weeks, the Sorcerer was back, laughing and joking with his friends again, and the school, fully open for business. Soon, it had students filing through it's corridors, Everglade now working full time as a teacher. But Sukko had other ideas, as he eyed up Arthur. Time for the mentor to teach the apprentice some new tricks. It was the Princess's birthday soon, and Sukko had an idea.