Chapter 2

By the Waterfall

There was one Freedom Fighter who did not care for morale boosting speeches. He avoided crowds, trusted very few people, and could sometimes not be seen or found for days on end. He was Lazer, the red hedgehog who guarded the Lake of Rings. For those of you who weren't introduced, he had red fur, orange skin, and a V-shaped patch of fur on his forehead. He wore white-blue gloves, spiked at the wrist. Some believed that he ignored his job, but they could not be more wrong. He could sense many things, and one of those things he was attuned to was the Lake. Never before had anyone trespassed and went unnoticed.

Several kilometers away from Knothole, deep within the Great Forest, he had found another reclusive spot for his meditation. The roar of a waterfall had drawn him to it several weeks ago. The waterfall was not particularly high or magnificent, less than thirty feet off the forest floor. It was wide, flowing down from stony shoulders of rock and descending upon the forest in a clear, cool stream that wound its way between the trees. Beams of light that penetrated the leafy canopy fell upon the river and its surrounding banks in golden rays of warmth. Few fish swam in that river, and the darkness of the surrounding forest seemed to numb the sound that the waterfall made as it flowed, foaming tirelessly upon the rocks below. He was now seated cross-legged upon a circular rock; his spiked shoes were arranged neatly beside him. His palms lay quietly upon his lap, his quills were drooping. His dark eyes were closed to the world around him.

He was aware that the great gathering had taken place in Knothole castle. Bunnie had come by one day, and when she could not find him, had pinned a note to his door. He thought that the Freedom Fighters knew him well enough by now, and would refrain from inviting him to crowded gatherings. Ah well, no harm done. He preferred the forest, its darkness and especially its seclusion. It helped him to think.

Robotnik was foremost in his mind. The man that had demolished his country of Xadra would not be allowed to stay free for much longer. The battle would take place tomorrow, and the Freedom Fighters might lose. Lazer had faith in his allies, but did not overlook the possibility of defeat.

When they won, he would be the first one to suggest a death sentence as the despot stood before the court. When they lost, he would go alone, invade the tower, and drag him back to face justice. Again, he would suggest a death sentence. Robotnik did not deserve less.

For the few years he had been here, he watched (and helped) the Freedom Fighters of Knothole and other groups wage battle with Robotnik's robotic forces. Then a period of peace had come. He had felt suspicion for all that time: that Robotnik would appear when they least expected. Undeniably, he had returned, and now there must be a decision: either Robotnik won, or the Freedom Fighters gained the victory. One of those decisions by Fate, he knew, would be permanent.

Lazer was confident, despite his troublesome thoughts, that tomorrow's battle would be a victory for the legion of Fighters. He had come to respect them and their leaders for their courage and bravery. He would have a special part in all the madness that tomorrow would bring, for Bunnie had also included in the note that he was to be a member of an "Infiltration Unit". He should have felt privileged, but felt nothing. He had shrugged, and thought that they really wanted to be victorious tomorrow. He was not the one to disappoint.

For now he would meditate, and clear his mind of all the memories that the past had in store for him. His mind achieved a state akin to sleep, except that his senses were alert. Sleep was the furthest thing from his mind as his conscious thought was removed from the world.