Act I: CATACOMBS
Chapter XV: Pagan Poetry
"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" – 1 Corinthians 15:55
Tails looked at the amulet pensively, though the eyes of many on him was pressuring him to make a move, a decision, anything really. Cosmo had her hand on his shoulder, examining the amulet herself with careful eyes.
"So? Is it an easy fix?" Knuckles asked.
"Knux – let him look at least," Tikal whispered, putting her head on his shoulder.
Tails sighed. "It shouldn't be too difficult. I just need to fuse the gem back together. But I can't lie and say the spiritual element won't be affected."
Blaze stepped forward, her first appearance to the group in a long time. Amy stood by her, closely – as if she felt a protective aura with Blaze being nearby.
"The spirits can not escape on their own. They can only be removed by someone, however with the gem being broken, the bad omens that the town will undergo will be dire."
"Bad omens?" Sonic spoke up, earning some glances from Rouge's team of hunters.
"Is it gonna be like the bad omens before?" Honey asked, earning a sigh from Blaze.
"I cannot say. These things can be quite unpredictable."
"What happened before?" Sonic asked, clearly outnumbered in this conversation. There was too much history here – none that he was particularly briefed on either.
"Sicknesses, plagues, all the sorts. It was messy. But…with the Undertaker bein' here and all, might make shit a whole lot worse," Julie-su muttered.
"We can't let it get that far. We're already burning time. Tails, I don't wanna rush you at all, but how long might this take?" Silver asked, with Tails wiping the perspiration from his temples.
"I'm – gonna need a few days."
Knuckles tensed up visibly, as Shade gave him a concerned look. She flickered her gaze back to Tails.
"Thank you, Tails. It's gonna be alright, take as much time as you need."
Tails nodded, bringing the amulet towards the back, with Cosmo in lieu. Knuckles let out a sigh, turning to Silver and Blaze.
"A few days? That doesn't seem quick enough."
Silver sighed. "We just have to be patient and trust him."
"C'mon Moonchild, ain't there anything you can do?" Tangle asked.
Silver looked at Blaze, who gave him a somber smile. Silver shook his head.
"No, there isn't. This just has to go its course. This is how Mephiles begins to weed them out."
"Whaddya mean?" Sonic asked.
"This is how Mephiles takes his largest toll. Through the omens, Mephiles watches carefully at who does the right thing. Whoever doesn't, he lets the plagues take their life for him. This won't be the end though," Silver said.
"Why won't it be?" Whisper asked.
"You must remember Mephiles does not work for Gaia or Solaris. He is the middleman, the angel of death. He has simply come to weed out the sinners. He'll take their souls to heaven or hell depending. The competition between the gods is only getting more severe," Blaze said.
"Competition?" Sonic asked again.
"For who gets the most souls. Gaia wants good souls in Westopolis, Solaris wants bad ones. Whoever loses the most souls in the process loses. They're fighting for control. Gaia wants purity, Solaris wants immorality," Blaze answered.
"And where does Robotnik fit in this? Why him?" Sonic replied.
Blaze took a breath, brushing some hair from her eyes. "Robotnik is contorting the word of Gaia for power and control. Gaia sees this as immoral; Solaris sees this as helpful. If we get rid of Robotnik, Mephiles will leave. The absence of Robotnik is an unequivocal victory for Gaia. Solaris will retreat immediately."
Sonic sighed, taking a seat to wrap in all the information he was just dumped upon. Westopolis is the center of a battle of good and evil between two gods, and if Robotnik is gone, Gaia wins. If Robotnik succeeds in contorting the minds of the citizens, Solaris wins and Mephiles kills everyone and brings them down to Hell.
And…Gaia has chosen him.
Gaia chose Sonic to be the one to save them all. A savior in the flesh.
Sonic shook his head. "So…what do we do if the omens begin?"
"Well, last time we just prayed to whatever the hell was listenin'. This time seems a little more dire, though…" Rouge muttered.
"It is. We must continue to act fast, and make sure the amulet stays safe and protected. We mustn't allow Robotnik to further his control – the sooner we make the townsfolk see the light, the quicker we end this nightmare," Blaze answered.
Amy grabbed Blaze's hand, giving it a quick squeeze. Her smile seemed to ease some tension in the room, casting a look towards the back of the shop as Tails sat with Cosmo, continuing to inspect the amulet.
Sonic sighed once again, fiddling with his thumbs. He shot a look at Silver, who knocked his head to the side, gesturing for Sonic to follow him outside. The hedgehog obliged, following the veteran cowboy out front.
The cold night air hit his face like a pound of bricks, settling into the new atmosphere. Silver looked up at the moon, a smile on his face.
"You know, you're quite the fighter," Silver said.
Sonic chuckled, brushing under his nose. "What can I say? I die hard."
"You wanted to know why they called me the Moonchild?"
Sonic whipped his gaze to Silver, a brow cocked.
"I mean – it's a cool nickname and all…"
Silver chuckled. "Not necessarily one of my own choosing."
"How so?"
Silver looked at Sonic for a moment, before moving his sleeve up. A small, cyan circle was imprinted on his wrist, and Sonic could swear it was glowing.
"Is that a tattoo?"
Silver chuckled. "Nah, not quite. Would be a bit more stomachable if it was."
"So, what is it?"
Silver sighed. "A birthmark to be realistic. If we wanna get spiritual, however, it's a Gaia symbol. Symbol for the moon. There's a Moonchild and a Sunchild. If the Moonchild is relative to Gaia, then you can guess who the Sunchild belongs too."
Sunchild…
Sonic's eyes widened slightly.
Solaris.
"So, you and the Sunchild are like, what, enemies?"
Silver chuckled. "Not quite."
"Are you supposed to be?"
"Maybe. But – we're only living creatures thrown into a big, big, world. Not everythin's gonna go accordin' to plan."
Sonic nodded, shrugging slightly. He knew that much was true.
"So, what does the Moonchild title give you?"
Silver chuckled. "Insight, somewhat. You have a better understanding of spirituality, as well as the gods and whatnot. Sometimes you'll get premonitions. Mostly, you're just very, very connected to the gods. In a way, you're kind of a vessel for them, but no cool powers or anything."
"Damn, and here I was thinkin' you could do some crazy shit like make things float with your mind."
Silver laughed. "If only."
"So, is that how you know Mephiles' name?"
"It is. I've encountered him many times though. He's actually a pretty funny dude. We've played cards once."
"Who won?"
"He did, of course. Always two steps ahead."
"Is he two steps ahead of us right now?"
Silver sighed, looking at the sky for a moment.
"He is, but he's giving us the chance to catch up. He has no bias as to who wins this battle of good and evil or whatever – but I like to think he's fond of us."
Sonic nodded, smiling. "I guess we better catch up."
Silver chuckled. "I guess we better."
The two looked off into the distance for a moment, where an understanding seemed to dawn upon them both. The two were connected somehow, but the way in which was unknown.
Sonic knew Shadow fit in there as well. How so, he wasn't quite sure.
Before Sonic could think of something else, he quickly turned to Silver.
"So, do you know who the Sunchild is?"
Silver laughed, turning around. "There they are."
Sonic furrowed his brow, turning over his shoulder. His eyes widened when he saw Blaze, leaning against the doorframe.
"You're the Sunchild?!"
Blaze chuckled. "Guilty."
Sonic stifled a laugh, disbelief crossing his eyes. He watched Silver wrap Blaze into a hug, and Sonic could see Blaze's own tattoo on her wrist.
An orange flame.
Sonic shook his head, chuckling as he exhaled a sigh. He watched his breath dance in the air from the cold, turning to look at the moon.
The Moonchild and The Sunchild, defying the odds and the fate set for them.
If they could beat fate, then so could he.
It was the next afternoon, and Sonic watched from the distance as everyone piled into church for the day.
He stood near the well in the center of the town, where Mephiles had not been sitting today. Sonic sighed, taking a puff from his cigarette. He looked up, seeing Bark ringing the bells. The bear looked downtrodden, misery stretching across his entire figure. Sonic felt bad for the bear, seeing the hesitance for his position.
Sonic needed him, and everyone, to hold on just a bit longer.
With a huff and a sigh, he began trekking towards the church. If he was here, he needed to keep playing by the rules.
It wasn't until he heard the shuffling of steps behind him that he stopped, turning over his shoulder.
He saw Shadow approaching, a lit cigarette hung from his lips.
"There you are, Mr. Brooding."
Shadow rolled his eyes.
Sonic chuckled, patting him on the shoulder. "What're you doin' here?"
Shadow sighed, taking the cigarette from his mouth. "Waiting."
"For?"
Shadow looked at Sonic, unreadable expressions in his eyes.
"Whatever is to come next. Follow me."
Shadow walked from the side of the church, posting up by a window. Sonic knelt down by him.
"Is something supposed to happen?"
"I heard the amulet broke. It's only a matter of time now."
Sonic furrowed his brow, before hearing that same grating, booming voice inside.
"Children! The dawn is coming. Our own police have begun to turn against us too! Arresting one of our greatest supporters, and men of faith, for a crime that is abhorrently false!"
Sonic saw heads turning, yet for the first time – he could tell many of them weren't truly listening to him.
They were starting to reject him.
"They too wish to drag us all to the pit! We were at the pinnacle, and now, we are headed straight towards the pit! If we cannot even trust the men who are supposed to protect us, then who exactly can we trust?!"
The townsfolk turned to whisper towards one another. Sonic locked eyes with Rouge, sitting with her squad of girls, while his eyes danced over to Amy, Tails, and Cosmo, standing alongside the police, all wearing expressions of annoyance.
"I'll tell you who you can trust. You can trust us! The ones who live everyday by the Word, the ones who stand by Gaia's creed! We are here to save us all from eternal damnation! You must listen now, for time is running low!"
Sonic stared daggers at Robotnik, noticing the slight smirk tugging at his lip. He loved this – every ounce of power he had. It was filling him with delight, and it made Sonic sick.
However, the sound of his voice began to fade, as a slight sound of buzzing filled the air. Sonic furrowed his brow, attempting to focus on the sound.
It continued growing louder, causing Sonic to narrow his eyes towards the distance. He watched Shadow stand up, beginning to walk back towards the center of the town. Sonic hurried after, his hand locked on the revolver on his waist.
"Shadow, what the hell is that sound?"
Shadow said nothing, stomping forward. His eyes met that of Mephiles, standing on the well.
Sonic was alarmed, seeing the Undertaker not sitting, but standing. He was smiling wildly, frenzy in his reptilian eyes.
Sonic shook his head, hearing the growing sound of flurrying and buzzing. It was a swarm of grating sounds, all growing louder with each passing moment.
"Shad-?"
Suddenly, Sonic saw it, and Shadow sighed. He turned to Sonic, pointing to the nearest building.
"Get inside, now!"
Sonic nodded, yet his eyes continued stuck on the sight ahead of him.
Mephiles raised his hand, pointing towards the church, as Sonic watched his hand shake manically.
Soon, the barrage of flying gnats and locusts began barraging into the town. The cloud of bugs was so large it obscured his view of any of the town itself. Sonic felt his feet pick up the pace, dashing towards the nearest building. He pushed the door open, slamming it shut as he caught his breath.
Turning his head, he saw Shadow staring from the window, an emotionless expression on his face. Sonic joined him, looking out of the window at the massive swarms of bugs frenzying towards the church.
"Oh, God…" Sonic muttered.
"So it begins," Shadow said, opting to light another cigarette.
The bugs smashed through the windows of the church, enticing panicked screams of the citizens.
"Argh! Settle – settle down now!" Robotnik attempted to yell, but the pandemonium had already begun to ensue. Townsfolk darted from the church, running and screaming through the streets. Bugs crashed through windows, began destroying plants, and obscured the natural sky.
It was only swarms and swarms of gnats and locusts.
Sonic saw Amy, Rouge, and Tails leading the rest. Whisper and Tangle were hand in hand, following after Julie-su and Honey.
Sonic whipped his head to the left, seeing Knuckles, Tikal, and Shade pushing through the swarms. They looked unfazed, which didn't shock Sonic when seeing how unfazed Shadow was by the mania ensuing outdoors.
"Has this happened before?!" Sonic asked, panic in his voice.
"Not this bad."
Sonic sighed, shaking his head. He could see Robotnik staring down the Undertaker with fury, but Mephiles only smiled in return. He turned to Clutch and Nack, pointing back inside.
"Get back inside! Now!"
Nack hurried, firing his revolver at the locusts. It was pitiful to watch – knowing his shots would do nothing. He saw Surge and Kit climbing to the top of the church, revolvers in hand, though the locusts swarmed them too.
Mayhem. Carnage.
It was almost too much for Sonic to watch.
"What comes next, Shad?!"
Shadow shook his head.
"I don't know. I can't imagine it will be good. Mephiles isn't taking any prisoners this time."
The swarms of bugs only grew larger and larger, swarming people and crashing through windows. Sonic was in utter disbelief, opting to look away and attempt to tune out the screams.
It was too much.
It felt like forever that Sonic was hiding away, and when the screams and buzzing died away, he had disassociated entirely.
"Sonic. Sonic. Sonic!"
Sonic shook to awareness, seeing Shadow thudding on his back.
"Come on."
He began trekking towards the door, kicking it open gently. Sonic sluggishly followed, keeping his distance.
He saw the towns square full of people, all holding onto each other tightly. Fear was pervading the air, yet the locusts and bugs had gone away.
However, nothing could have prepared Sonic for the sight.
A pile of corpses, stacked nicely, with Mephiles sitting on top of them.
Sonic's eyes were wide, his mouth dry. He hurried to Amy, hugging her tightly.
"Are you okay?!"
"Yeah – yeah, I'm alright!"
He sighed, ruffling Tails' head. The fox looked petrified. He saw Espio standing with Vector, their heads in their hands as they looked upon the sight.
Mephiles had begun to take his toll.
"You guys better get on home and get some rest…" Bunnie said, whispering to the group.
Antoine was next to her, offering them a consoling smile.
Sonic nodded, mouth dry, but the shouting voice of Rouge shook them from their conversation.
"Knuckles! Knuckles, don't!"
Tikal was rushing behind her, worry on her face. Shade looked as passive as usual.
Knuckles thundered, grabbing Robotnik by the collar.
"This wouldn't have happened if you had just kept your filthy hands off of OUR amulet!"
Rouge attempted pulling him off, watching as Sally and Nicole jumped into the fray.
"How dare you! This is on YOU! All of these people's lives are on YOU!"
Robotnik stared at him coldly, through gritted teeth he growled lowly. Rotor was able to tear Knuckles away, as the Echidna kept swinging his fists towards the preacher.
Sonic shook his head, feeling tears well up in his eyes. All of these people's lives gone in a flash of an eye.
And all he could see was the beaming, glaring smile of Mephiles as he sat politely on top of the pile of bodies.