ROK
(Destiny)





The rush of wind before them. The infinite power rushing up to them.

This is so strange…..

Sonic looked over the sea, onto the tiny town 30,000 feet below. The small sea port of Vladiviostok seemed to blend in with the sea at first glance, though looking more Sonic noticed the buildings and boats.

Quit it. Knuckles gave Sonic a sharp mental slap.
Ow!
We've got to keep our minds on the mission.
Knuckles turned to the front. And him…

Sonic looked at their leader. Tails Prower, also a phima, a strange beckon of power. There was so much Sonic wanted to ask him. But there was so little the fox would answer to.

…Tails….
Hmm?
The fox seemed distracted by something.
What……why did you shout out 'ophion' when Lien-Da became that dragon?
Because that's it.
What's it?
Lien-Da.
Tails' voice was a little worried. She has become an Ophion.
What the hell…?
A black demon of the entropy.
Knuckles could tell that Tails was about to go into story mode as they entered the snow fields of Siberia. When Chaos held sway, it was before the big bang. There was nothing. The tiny space of atoms that was out universe lay in a corner of the vast nothingness. Chaos wished to smother it before it became. So from the waste came the terrible Universal Serpent, Ophion. It attempted to squeeze its power, but instead its squeezing caused the very thing Chaos tried to prevent. The serpent was covered, like cement covering a rock, and it now lies dormant under the roof of the stars forever.
But then why-
Any creature with dark thoughts which revert to their avatistic mass forms have the risk of become an Ophion - a dreaded serpent of darkness, almost the manifestation of Chaos.
A tiny black spot could be seen in the distance, and Tails spoke again, this time as if to assure himself in a superficial way that the impending battle was just a dream. Normally, this doesn't happen. But the power of the Silver Crystal caused improper magic equilibrium - too much power was used in an improper way to destroy a book with only limited magical properties, no matter how much power the information within can yield. And so that caused entropy, allowing Lien-Da to revert to avatistic form in its most hellish.

Over the snow of Siberia, the roar came. Knuckles could feel the sweat coming off his forehead, knowing that the battle drew ever closer, and that they would have to stop that which had once been flesh.

More powerful than Gala-Na, with the crystal….
But we have hope still. Though it is our disadvantage as well.
Tails had no wings like the others did. He seemed much more like a diety without them than Sonic or Knuckles did. As we draw closer, the power is fleeting. And that gives us little time, as well as cutting Lien-Da short.
What do you mean, 'the power's fleeting'?
What I mean,
Tails replied as they flew up, Is that the power is weakening.
What?!?
Its true. Our fusions will not last forever.
How?
Sonic was getting tired of Tails keeping things from them. How come?
Because we are on Earth, and now that the presence of the Silver Crystal has emerged, the Super Emeralds are starting to weaken a little.
Greeeat.


Sonic couldn't help but glare at the fox phima as they went higher and higher up into the sky.

So the powers are canceling each other out! And the closer they are….. Knuckles gave a slow nod. Then, no matter what, Lien-Da will win?
Why do you say that?
The explosion of the two set powers canceling each other could kill everything!
Knuckles shook its head. Or put everything back in a state of dormancy. That's how it worked with the other set of emeralds when the Silver Crystal acted the first time!
….Don't you think I know that?


The way Tails said it made the two shift uncomfortably while they fly.

But it means that as the Silver Crystal's cancellation power grows, the more she uses it, Lien-Da weakens as well. Think of that, Knuckles.
Yeah. I know that.


The black serpent mass was now below them.

Let's go…..

Before Tails could protest, Sonic swooped down at an alarming rate upon the dragon, a roar from his mouth.

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Lien-Da noticed him, but before she could react, the hedgehog phima was upon her, his adrenaline pumping with exhilaration that he had gotten in an attack. With his sharp teeth, he lashed in for her neck.

Worm…

He was suddenly lashed by a strange wave of energy, throwing him back off of Lien-Da. With a roar Lien-Da prepared to try to continue her exodus but was suddenly stopped by two more figures.

Back! Demon! Tails looked at the serpent. We will make it quick for you. You won't get past us.

The three faced each other; they knew what was happening; their battle indeed would be quick but more decisive than anything they had ever been entangled in.

You! Lien-Da snarled. Why, why didn't I think you were a threat, boy!
You can't think at all.


Suddenly, Knuckles' tail swung around, and he lurched up on her, slashing her face.

Care to finish what we started? Monster of the dark!
You….
Lien-Da seethed. Bastard!!!

She slashed at him as well, but Knuckles leaped up, smacking her with his tail. This was met by her grabbing it and throwing him down hard to the ground thousands of feet below.

KNUCKLES!!

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*



Down below, Tails could see the tiny dot hit the ice at such a rate it split the earth in various directions, shaking it as it did. The dot seemed to sink into the large hole it created for itself, it had gone in so fast and with such strong force.

Your turn, boy. Tails turned to look at the serpent. You'll be next.
Hell no!


Lien-Da was suddenly smacked hard in the face by another tail. She seemed to fall but boisted herself before Sonic could smash her in the face again.

How does it feel when your head's smacked off?!
You fool.
The serpent's eyes flashed; it was obvious that already she was weakening. You think draining my power will stop me? You will be just like the Ancient Walkers. HAH!

Suddenly, with a whip of powerful energy, the serpent blasted the two down as it shot up higher in the sky.

T-Tails!!!!

Sonic could feel his strength return the further Lien-Da went up. He turned to see a glowing Tails.

What did she mean by that?
…The Days of Fury…
Tails!!
Come on!!
Tails shot up after the serpent. We have to stop her!!

-----------------

Slowly, the echidna phima rose out of the crater of snow, slowly surveying the damage.

…..Oh, no….

It was obvious that any town that might be nearby would be completely destroyed, and anything within a good radius was assuredly damaged. Knuckles quickly shook out whatever kinks he had in his body.

You won't get away with this, Lien-Da!

-----------------

Please help me…..

Sonic could almost see the princess holding out her pale hands to him as he body-slammed Lien-Da again.

Leaving so soon?
You are persistent.
Lien-Da opened her mouth. That will be your undoing…

The blast she gave off, which would have killed the hedgehog before, as it almost had on the bloodied field of Albion, hardly stung him now as it engulfed his gigantic body.

No effect….
For one following in the steps of the Ancient Walkers you are doing a fine job,
Lien-Da sneered.
Stop talking like that!
All that's left is to watch you fail to save pathetic Serenity, and you like they will watch the sad eons roll by as the Emeralds continue their sad rampage….


Tails stopped in front of the Ophion, and Sonic could see his eyes slit.

We won't fail. We'll save her, and you will regret your words.
And what are you going to do?
There was no reply. See, there is no way for you to stop me. All I have to do is run from you, go to Tokyo, destroy your stupid ideas of destiny….

Sonic could feel himself weakening, and though Lien-Da was obviously weakening and buying time, he was starting to have trouble listening to her.

Destiny……mine……………in ancient………..Walkers…..



Those heiroglyphs….
SONIC!!!!


*WHAM*





Lien-Da was suddenly upped by the sound of a loud roar, followed by a loud crunching sound as Lien-Da suddenly flew even higher into the sky until she seemed to disappear into the confines of dark space.

Knuckles!!
Come on.
Knuckles turned to Tails. What did she mean about the Ancient Walkers? What heiroglyphs, Sonic?!
The Ancient Walkers were the three chosen ones during the Days of Fury.
What?!?
They were brought to destroy the Emeralds, and be willing to risk their lives, but the people of Mobius refused their mission and cursed them to eons of bondage.
WHAT?! The Ancient Walkers….they were really….cursed?!?!
Sonic understood. You mean…if we don't beat Lien-Da…
There's more to it than Tokyo being destroyed?! We'll be cursed like the Ancient Walkers are?!
….It's the truth…..


Tails could still see Lien-Da up in the sky, though her silhouette was becoming fuzzier.

Our power, stemming from the fusion of the Silver Crystal and Chaos Emeralds, he said softly. The Chaos Emeralds are too chaotic to be given to the people of any world in this plane. They were an accident. That's the truth. An accident!

Sonic and Knuckles simply stared at the fox, unable to say anything.

When…the Chaos Emeralds hit Earth and Mobius, it caused a terrible outbreak of inhumanity that no one has the seen the likes of since, even here. It was as if Tails had been there, seen it himself. The Ancient Walkers, they found that they were special. They could stop the violence. So they became their phima forms. But theirs was cursed. The people fought back, and because they failed their mission they were cursed to preside over that which they were sent to destroy. That….is why the Ancient Walkers exist.
Damn….
Now, it is out turn.
Tails started to fly up, regenerated. We must stop the cycle now, its us that has to destroy these last seven Chaos Emeralds. And….there is only one way to do it, and that is through the Silver Crystal.
Tails…..
Sonic's eyes widened. Won't……won't it….
Do we have a choice?


Sonic looked at Knuckles who simply beat his wings. Looking up to the sky, he saw the stars, and to the horizon, he saw the serpent digging closer to Tokyo.

Let's go.

-------------------

Locke saw the blackness approaching in the distant sky.

"She's here…"

------------------

HALT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Even in the highest reaches of the atmosphere, in space, Lien-Da couldn't escape the three as they surrounded her.

Admit it! Knuckles appeared before her. You're finished.
Am I....


Lien-Da looked over towards the city. It was so close, but she could feel herself weakening from the power of the Super Emeralds.

Give up.
...............Make me.


Before anyone could stop her, Lien-Da gave another, terrible roar, and with mouth open came the single largest blast of power to ever hurtle towards the seemingly defenseless city, enhanced by the flames of the atmosphere, smashing into the entire country of Japan.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Sonic could do nothing. Lien-Da's body tensed as it exerted the power, relaxed when it was finished. The city was finished, she knew it.....

............and that's when it happened.

*TWAP!!!!*

What...

The tentacle suddenly wrapped around what could have been her throat. Then another around her chest, another around her hands and another around her feet. Down below, with her power, she saw the city begin to clear. It stood still, the monolith protecting it....

No.......NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Suddenly, a spray of tentacles wrapped around the serpent tightly, disabling it as Tails moved in for the kill.

"ROOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

OOOOOOAAAAAAAAAA

AAAAAAAAAAARRRR

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

RRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

!!"
TAILS!!!!

The two other phimas had been dumbstruck, first by the power Lien-Da used, then by the effects of it on them - they felt weaker again - and the results of the attack. Then this.
Tails began to glow as Lien-Da writhed.

TAILS!! WHAT-
Leave!
We're supposed to fight together!!


Sonic went to hit Lien-Da as Tails held her in his tentacles, but was suddenly smashed in the face by Tails himself.

Tails.... Knuckles' eyes widened. Why....
Go….
Clinging onto the black dragon, Tails turned towards his two accomplices. I will use the remaining power of the seven super emeralds within me to absorb that of the Silver Crystal back out of this monster and into my body. Alone. When that happens…
No!!!
Knuckles screamed. The last time someone did that alone…!!


"I will use the power of the Silver Crystal to purify this Earth! Silver Crystal Power!!!"


Knuckles?!
You'll cancel the emeralds out and DESTROY yourself!!!
Knuckles' voice came almost pleading. I saw it happen once with my own eyes. Your body can't handle it, much less as Sailor Moon's did!! If we stay to help you….we might all live…..
Tails……no….
Sonic shook his head. No. We're staying to help you! This is all of our battles! This is that which we lived and will die for!
No.
Tails' voice was sharp. Your bodies, even in phima form, cannot withstand it for as long as I can. That's why I was chosen. I am the one to do this, so that the threat of the Chaos Emeralds is finally gone forever, even if now it is not the threat we face, its danger would still haunt you…

Tails' voice began to quiver and squeak for the first time as the dragon lashed out at him under his grip. Sonic could truly see now why he had been so uptight, so secretive. He was afraid. Afraid of his own inevitable destiny. Knuckles could only gape, his words only now sinking in.

NO!! Sonic's psionic voice screamed. I WON'T LET YOU DIE!!!

Tails shook his head as his best friend threw himself at him, wings beating, his cries calling on him to stop, to cease what he was doing alone. He looked up at his friends, his eyes widened, meeting the hedgehog's for a second.
Sonic and Tails looked at one another in that second, and Sonic simply poured everything out, even when his psionics overloaded and couldn't get everything else in to his brother.

Tails, please don't do this alone…dangerous and we can't let you
I love you too much I don't want you to alone
Let us help you
Die together
…….
…….
…….
…….
…….
…….













A single tear came from Tails' eye.

Sonic….if neither of you will leave on your own, I'll make you leave…

The back tentacles suddenly lashed out at the two other phimas as they had at Lien-Da, snapping around their necks.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Sonic's eyes simply began to drain at Tails' rejection. TAILS!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TAILS!! STOP!!!
Knuckles started screaming as well. This can't be RIGHT!!!!!!!! They can't expect you to die!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!!

The green glow came from Tails, and the phima could feel themselves shrinking down, their powers transferring to their friend. The absorption of the Silver Crystal into his body, as well as their power, began to have an effect on Tails' body; he was beginning to bulge, more like his phima muscles were balloons than anything else, but it was obvious that his body was beginning to strain with the enormous amount of power brought on him.

Tails…. Sonic could feel his vocal cords returning to him. "Don't….."
I'm sorry….Sonic…. Sonic could hear Tails' mournful words as his psionic ability began to phase out as he was de-powered, his form losing the wings and furs and claws. I don't want you to die…..goodbye…………………………………………………………


The tentacles then released the two, no longer the hybrid beast giants they had been, but now just a normal sized echidna and hedgehog pair. Without their power, they began to fall to the atmosphere.

"SONIC!!!!" Knuckles screamed.

Sonic felt his hand instinctively go up. He didn't want to do it. He didn't want to be a coward, run off and let Tails taste nirvana alone. Even when he was trained by Tails with his power, knowing that it was all he could do, he didn't want to do it….

"CHAOS…………………………CONTROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

The final flash of light the two saw, the green glow of Sonic's body. Then the shifting of Tails, the thing he had become, a noble creature that had a whole life ahead of him but would never get to enjoy it, to fire. And Lien-Da the monster she was and always had been, dying, given up to a fate she never knew she had coming to her, to fire. Then more fire, as they entered the atmosphere. Then nothing.

-----------------

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!!!!!!!"

Howling, Lien-Da's body began to writhe less and less as Tails absorbed more of the Crystal.

Nooooo…. Lien-Da's angry words weakened. You can't do this to me…..I would have…..my new age………gone………………………………..

And then she was gone, her body completely drained of anything she had done to it, right down to the treatment of the Tskintsu.

But Tails was still there, his body completely bloated with power. He knew as well as Sonic and Knuckles now knew that nothing could change what needed to happen. He knew also that what was going to happen with his body - now nothing more than a Chaos vessel filled with an opposite power - would ultimately end him. But he knew it had to happen. The power was ripping away at him, it wanted to return to where it came from, for in his body it had the chance to do so.

Sonic………this is for you……………………………………..

With one final gasp of pain, and hope, and joy, and love, and victory, he exploded.

---------------------

The blast could have destroyed the world.

It could have been worse. But somehow, the blast was contained, almost controlled, by the unusual strength of the spirit which absorbed the power.

The blast could be seen from the ruins of train tracks, the ground of the battle, to the shores of Los Angeles. All around, white and green meteors hit the ground, each place they hit revitalizing, resurrected. It was just as if the world was being attacked again, but each hit was in fact giving the opposite effect - the world was being healed, not torn apart. Many in the world had not seen anything like it before. It was a miracle, many miracles. It went on for three days, the miracles.

In Tokyo, the strangest miracle occurred - several meteors had hit the new crystal monolith. The diplomats, who looked up, estimated a millions lights seemed to hit the monolith, causing it to glow brighter than any phenomenon they had ever witnessed. The final light was brightest of all - the light that could have been a spirit. It entered into the momolith, a breath of wind, that final power engulfing the city.

Even when the city was completely engulfed, when the light died to show the brilliant crystal edifices the buildings became, there was still more.

No one understood what happened. No one knew of Tails. All they knew was that their prayers had been answered.


-----------------------

Burned, bleeding, but not broken. Not yet.

The two combatants lay on the ground of the palace, stripped, changed once more.

The echidna was a dark brown, with longer dreadlocks, red tips and a larger guardian stripe. The markings from his phima form remained.

The same with the hedgehog, who was now blue at the roots, slowly turning black at the tips of his whole body. The fur still covered his chest.

".......................Sonic................."

Sonic slowly opened his eyes. They seemed glassy as Sally, now also affected by crystal power, stared down at him.

"Sonic, answer me."

The Freedom Fighter stood over the two, waiting, holding their breaths.

"....................Sal...."

The words came out raspy, whispered; Sonic was still feeling lead tongue from all the power. Next to him, Knuckles began to stir as well.

"Sonic, you're ok now....."
"......................No........................."

Sonic looked up into space, feeling dead. It was not ok, and he knew it. His eyes clouded.

".....Why....."
"Sonic..."
"It.....it shouldn't have happened."
"Sonic!" Sally gave him a shake. "Don't, it's not as bad as you think!"
"Not as bad!"

Sonic's eyes widened in horror, looking at Sally in a way he had never looked at her. It stung to hear her so cold and heartless.

"How could you...."
"Knuckles...."

Knuckles looked up at the sky as he slowly stood, spotting Julie-Su in front of him. The two simply stared at each other for a moment, not sure of what to say. Then Knuckles blinked a few times.

"Is it possible...?" He gave a moan. "Oh, god, the worst day of my life..."
"Is it?"

Knuckles heard his voice, and turned to see him. He and Kakyuu were together again, for the final power had brought the soldiers back through strange fate.

"Usagi has returned," he murmured, though his voice was solemn. "Tails, as well, though we might never see him in that way which he had once been...."

The four looked at Locke, unable to comprehend.

"He's dead."
"Only in the way that you know death."

Locke went into his pocket. In a minute, she would come to find it, important as it was to her. But they had to know.

"But alive, in other ways..."

His hand came out of his pocket. It opened up for all to see.

".....No...." After a moment, Sonic shook his head in disbelief. "....I.....don't believe it."

The Silver Crystal looked as it had when it was taken by Lien-Da, but there was something different about it. Sonic didn't want to look, because every time he did, he knew where Tails had gone.

"It's true then, isn't it?" Knuckles could only look at the crystal. "That all we did was for nothing. All that has happened, for nothing...."
"I don't know."

Locke felt empty on the whole subject. The world was saved, but he knew that the price would hang on their heads for a very long time.

"I'm sorry."

Sonic's face was buried into Sally by now. There was hope again, but redemption for him would have to wait.