Thousands of years ago in Mobian pre-history there was a Great War. On one
side, the Echidna race. On the other, the alien invaders known only as the
Drakon Empire.
They had been warring for 9 years. But now, at the end of the tenth year, it looked as though it was finally coming to a devastating end.
An army of Drakon stood on the Cliffside that looked down on Megopolis City. They had marched all the way here, and intended to march into the City and burn it to the ground. But first something had to retrieved. Something they wanted. This something was the Chaos Emeralds.
The assembled Drakon fired some missiles down into the City at random. As the missiles flew towards their target, an Echidna Guardian Robot landed in front of the cannons they had been fired from. From within the Guardian Robot Dr Zachary watched the missiles. Not saying a word he turned to the Drakon. "I have done my part. I have lead you here." His voice came said, as it came out of the cockpit of the Guardian Robot. "The rest is up to you."
His Guardian Robot rose into the air and flew behind the Drakon.
A pink suited Drakon Commander watched Zachary leave, then turned to look at a Prosecutor who stood on the Cliffside as well. "These missiles." Said the Drakon, pointing at the falling missiles. "Should convince those Echidna scum that we mean business. Now take your Sentinels and don't return without the Chaos Emeralds."
The Prosecutor nodded and turned to look side long at the assembled Drakon Sentinels. He then lead them down the steep Cliffside to the Echidna city.
* * * *
Prince Brightstarr ran as fast as he could to were he knew she would be. Almost falling around the final corner, he skidded to a halt. He smiled halfheartedly.
There, in the middle of glowing magic, was his friend, Mau. She was a Cat and a member of a race of Cats called the Hikari Neko. She had become Brightstarr's friend after he and his brother had helped in giving her sanctuary in the Echidna Empire.
He knew she hated to be disturbed when she was meditating, but he didn't know who else to come to. He ran up to her and took a hold of her shoulders.
"Mau." He said gently. "Mau, I need you."
The magic stopped as she woke up. She looked up at Brightstarr mildly annoyed. "I told you before to not disturb when I was meditating." She said.
"The Chaos Champion is here." Brightstarr said, ignoring what she said. "He's here, in this city."
Mau stood up. She knew a lot about Brightstarr, and one of those things was that Brightstarr fancied himself to be the Chaos Champion, despite what others said to him. But now the Chaos Champion was here.
"Are you okay?" Mau asked.
Brightstarr's face screwed up a little. "Am I all right?" He spat. "Of course not. I'm the only Chaos Champion, and now this imposter has arrived here in my city."
Mau didn't say a thing. It was better that she didn't. Besides, she didn't know where to start if she did. But she knew how he must have been feeling. She wanted to hug him and comfort him.
The ground shook and the walls vibrated. Dust fell from the ceiling as it strained to stay upright.
"What- what was that?" Mau said, looking up.
Brightstarr's eyes widened. "The city is under attack! It must be the Drakon." He said. Suddenly his face glowed with a new anger. "How dare they attack us here, in our own home. They will pay for this." He said, as he turned and ran towards the door.
Mau ran after him, she had a bad feeling about this.
* * * *
"The Chaos Emeralds!" Sonic said. "You stole them from the Drakon, eh? Boy, if you had any idea how much trouble these things are going to cause in the future-!"
There was a sudden sound of an explosion far off. Mortar and dust fell from the ceiling.
We are being attacked. Pochamac thought to himself. He turned away from Sonic to face Tikal. "The Drakon arrived on Mobius several months ago." Pochamac lied to Sonic. "They must have been spying on us for some time, because they knew exactly what they came for. They took control of the Sacred Emerald mines."
Tikal gave her father a look. He was lying. Why was he lying? He looked back at her in a pleading way. She sighed and looked towards the Chaos Emeralds, then left the room.
Pochamac couldn't tell Sonic the truth. He couldn't tell him that the Echidna had opened the doorway for the Drakon to arrive through. He couldn't tell him that the Chaos energy was created on Mobius by the all the pain, hate, anguish and suffering the Echidna had caused the rest of the Mobius, and all the Drakon did was refine it. And he couldn't tell him of Chaos, the God of Destruction, and his hand in awakening the ancient creature out of greed.
Pochamac sighed as he turned back to the Chaos Champion. "The Drakon Empire had developed an unstable energy source, but this 'Chaos' energy was too unsafe to use." Pochamac said. "By using are sacred emeralds, the Drakon Empire discovered a way to control the Chaos Energy."
"So you stole the Emeralds containing the Chaos energy!" Sonic said, figuring the rest out.
"Its not just that the emeralds are sacred to us, Sonic." Pochamac said, turning to his scrolls. "If the Drakon siphon the Chaos energy into a thousand emeralds, they'll have enough power to conquer the galaxy!"
That makes sense, thought Sonic. Chaos energy is very powerful stuff and can do tons of damage if in the wrong hands.
Sonic walked forwards watching Pochamac search through his scrolls. "That still doesn't explain why you brought me here." He said. There was another boom not so far off. It seemed closer than the last had been.
"My family is gifted with the power to see into the future." Pochamac said, as he found the scroll he had been looking for. "I can sometimes make out misty visions of things yet to come." He unscrolled the ancient piece of paper and showed it to Sonic.
Sonic stared at the scroll Pochamac held. It showed, what was undoubtedly, a picture of him. Power Sneakers and all. Word of me really gets around. He thought to himself.
Pochamac smiled. "So I know that you are the Great Champion of the future. A great warrior who is the sworn enemy of the Drakon Empire!" Pochamac dropped the scroll back onto the table and raised his hands into the air. "You are filled with the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Your eyes glow with their energy. That is how we were able to find you."
Sonic stood there. "Now just hold on a second-!" He begun, but was stopped as some Echidna, as well as Tikal, walked into Pochamac's chambers. Between them, in a tank of water, was the Drakon Prosecutor he had defeated earlier today.
"Fools!" The former Prosecutor said. "The hedgehog cannot save you. Nobody can stand in the way of the mighty Drakon Empire!"
Pochamac walked towards the Drakon. He wanted to kill the fish were it was, but he had to try and trick it. Maybe he could fool it into giving a false message to his people of peace. Then the Echidna could eliminate them. "Listen to me, Prosecutor. I want you to take a message to your people. If our two sides could meet peacefully to discuss-!"
But Pochamac was stopped as the wall to his chambers exploded inwards and Drakon poured in through it. The leading Drakon, another Prosecutor, gritted his teeth "The Drakon Empire does not discuss. The Drakon Empire conquers!"
With that the Drakon Sentinels and the Prosecutor opened fire.
* * * *
Knuckles was running through the Royal Palace searching for his grandfather, the King of the Echidna. The King's bodyguards, Braven Rain, and his lover Yin Star Ophir, ran behind him. Behind them ran a small group of Echidna Knuckles had gathered very quickly.
The City was under attack by the Drakon, and he had already set word to the Echidna Guard to gather the Echidna forces and confront the Drakon invasion before they could enter the City.
But before he could join them he had to find the King and make sure he got to safety. Then and only then would he join the fight that would no doubt take place outside the city very soon.
Knuckles ran around a corner and caught site of a hole in the wall of the Command Room. As he got closer he hoped that his grandfather wasn't in there.
There was the sudden sound of weapons fire and Knuckles was filled with fear. Running as fast he could go, he headed for the whole in the wall.
* * * *
The Drakon Sentinels opened fire on Sonic with little remorse. The blue hedgehog dodged the blasts with ease, growing angry. "You creeps turned up just at the right time - all this talking is driving me crazy!" He said, dodging a few more blasts from the Drakon that where slow of learning. "I'm in the mood for a good fight." Sonic added.
Pochamac and Tikal, finding themselves suddenly surrounded, pulled closer together. Pochamac gritted his teeth and held up his staff. Giving it a twist, it slid open by a fraction to reveal small circuitry. Some lights then begun to flash. "Intruders in the Command Room." He said into the unveiled circuitry. "We need some back up immediately."
Almost instantly one of the walls of the Command Room begun to rumble as it slid upwards. In the new darkness beyond the Command Room four red lights ignited like solar flares.
The Drakon turned to the red illuminated gloom, completely dumbfounded.
A red blast erupted out of the darkness and blasted away two Drakon Sentinels. As the Drakon landed, four Guardian Robots stepped out of the darkness and engaged the enemy.
Pochamac smiled at Tikal, then smiled even more with the arrival of Knuckles, Braven, Yin and some more Echidna.
Knuckles stopped as he entered the room and then smiled as he looked up at the closet Guardian Robot. Pressing a button on its side, he swung up into the command seat as its dome head opened up. Taking control he attacked the Drakon.
Sonic spun into and attack and collided with the Drakon Prosecutor, who had been standing watching the development. Sonic was equally surprised. "Guardian Robots!" He said above the noise. "Never realized you guys were so advanced this far back in the past."
Pochamac stood watching the fight. "Oh, were full of surprises." He said.
Braven Rain and Yin launched into battle with the Drakon Sentinels, as did the other Echidna. The Guardian Robots also moved in and attacked the Drakon close range.
Sonic launched himself into the fight and cracked his hand around a Sentinel's face. "Yeah?" He said, half to himself. "Well I've had enough surprises for one day."
The fight waged on.
* * * *
Brightstarr and Mau reached the outside City and stopped as they saw the endless faces of the Echidna Army. In the distance he could hear the sounds of war. The city was underseige, but the Echidna where holding their own. But what stood in front of him was what he needed to take to fight back to the enemy. Brightstarr found himself grinning uncontrollably.
"Who's in charge here?" He shouted.
"That would be me, Prince Brightstarr." Came a familiar voice from the crowd. An Echidna pushed his way to the front and smiled at the Prince.
"Imarac." Brightstarr said, recognizing the leader of the Echidna Guard instantly.
"My Prince." Imarac said, bowing. "But don't forget the others."
"What?" Brightstarr said, before noticing that other members of the Guard were already emerging from the crowd. Brightstarr smiled again as loads of familiar faces came into view.
Alongside Imarac the other members of the Echidna Guard appeared. The Echidna Eading, Sheila, Udible appeared. Followed by the two Cats Decei and Sekhmet. Then the other Echidna members of the Guard, Carmine, Whida, Ecializ, Dewtry stepped out of the crowd. Jaysar the Echidna also appeared, holding the chain he always held that had the Mobian called Wild Cat on the other end.
There was a buzzing sound and Brightstarr looked up to see Amass the Bee flying over, he then saw something swoop down and land in a crouch in front of him. Devil of the Fallen stood up and smiled at the Prince.
He was just about to open his mouth when there was the sound of a clanking sound from behind. He glanced behind him to see Guardian and Robot walking over. And, sitting on their arm, holding his sword, was Greyskull.
Now Brightstarr was surprised to see Jackson Pike, the Echidna known as Greyskull. He had been thrown out of the Guard because of his behavior. But it looked as though they had allowed him back. Besides, they needed all the help they could get.
Imarac walked up to Mau and smiled. "My lady." He said, smiling.
"I've asked you repeatedly to call me Mau, Imarac." She said. She then looked towards Decei and Sekhmet and smiled. "I wondered where you two had got to."
Imarac smiled looking at Mau. "It looks to me that the entire Echidna Guard are here."
Brightstarr grinned at Imarac. "As well as the Echidna Army." He said.
Imarac turned to the Echidna and smiled. He then turned back to Brightstarr. "Care to lead us into battle, my Prince." He said.
"I thought you'd never ask." Brightstarr said. "Right! Who wants to find ourselves a fight?"
There was a cheer so loud it could no doubt be heard from a mile away.
Brightstarr, still grinning, looked up at the Drakon that where still firing down onto the city. He raised his fist into the air. "War!" He shouted, and ran up the steep, but still climbable, Cliffside.
The Echidna Guard, and the Echidna Army, ran up alongside and behind him. As they did they cried War as loud as they could.
* * * *
Back in the Command Room, the skirmish raged on. The Drakon Prosecutor watched as his soldiers where being taken down by the lightning fast blue hedgehog. Anger swelling inside him he pointed his staff at the hedgehog and fired repeatedly. "No matter how fast you are." He said, as Sonic weaved in between the blasts. "You can't dodge my blasts forever."
Sonic smiled at the Prosecutor and ran around him in a tight circle. "Sure, sure." He said. "I've heard it all before."
The Prosecutor followed Sonic around in a circle, firing in a vain attempt to take the hedgehog down. Blinded by his rage the Prosecutor did not watch what he was doing, and as Sonic ran in front of the Chaos Emeralds, the Prosecutor stopped firing to late.
The energy blast hit the Master Emerald dead in the center, knocking it clean out of the air.
"Uh oh! You've hit the Emeralds." Sonic said coming to a halt, as the remaining Chaos Emeralds fell out of the air and landed next to the Master Emerald.
"No. I didn't mean to." The Prosecutor begun, as he turned away from the Chaos Emeralds as they grew unstable.
Sonic turned to everyone in the room, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted. "Everybody get out of here. Were in Big Trouble!"
The Chaos Emeralds erupted with power as they became unstable. The energy inside them was reverting back to its original chaotic state. The Emeralds were going to explode with a forceful discharge of power, and although they would survive the blast, the same couldn't be said for everyone in the room.
As the Drakon and the Echidna begun to exit the room as stray electrical blast shot out of the Emeralds and smashed its way straight through the fish tank that contained the ex-Drakon Prosecutor.
"What about me?" The ex-Prosecutor cried out as he fell to the floor. "You just can't leave me."
The Drakon Prosecutor stopped running and turned to his fallen brother. He went to go back for him, but then thought better of it. "It - it is an honour to die for the Drakon Empire." He said, as a energy blast sizzled past him. "Farewell comrade." He said, as he turned and ran.
The bodiless Drakon lay on the floor in a puddle of water. There was nothing he could do to avoid the blast, he was completely helpless.
He stared at the Chaos Emeralds that had fallen to the ground in front of him.
The puddle of water he lay in begun to conduct the energy of the Emeralds, giving him a few electrical shocks. He knew the blast would be ten times more painful.
Looking back at the Emeralds he noticed that they were really glowing bright now. The Drakon watched as they swelled a little more, getting ready to consume him with a destructive outburst of chaotic power.
The Drakon then realized something. There were seven emeralds. His race only laid claim to six emeralds, the six they had saved from the destroyed mine. There had only been six. So why where there now seven?
He stared at the Master Emerald, a little confused. It was bigger, much bigger, than the other six emeralds. It had also been the one that was hit by the stray blast.
The light was near blinding now, but the Drakon couldn't seem to take his eyes away from the Master Emerald. He was transfixed, as if his eyes where being drawn to it and being held there.
The Drakon was suddenly aware that everything was slowing down. Time was slowing down. The world around him became a grey, out-of-focus, blur. The only thing that could still be seen, and retained its colour, was the Master Emerald.
"I know what your thinking." A voice said. "Your thinking that your going die, and now your hallucinating."
The Drakon looked around the grey blurred world, searching for the voices origin. "Who said that?" He said. "Where are you?"
"Would you believe me if I said that I was inside this emerald, the Master Emerald." The voice said again.
The Drakon turned to stare at the huge green emerald. "Who are you?" He asked again.
"I am Chaos, the God of Destruction." Said Chaos. "The beginning and the end of all that is chaos."
The Drakon lay there, not knowing what to say.
Chaos spoke again. "Since what seems like the dawn of time I guarded a race, called the Chao, from the other races of Planet Mobius. But I was set free by the Echidna, who sought the power of my own emerald, the Master Emerald. Upon my arrival into this world I felt the power of the Chaos Emeralds, and set out to make them my own. But I was entrapped within my own emerald, the Master Emerald, by the Echidna that had set me free. The irony is to unbelievable to believe."
The Drakon, not at all caring about Chaos' life, snarled up at the Master Emerald. "What do you want from me?" He asked.
"I have a proposition for you." Chaos said. "I will save you from the blast that the Chaos Emeralds will soon unleash, and turn you into my spawn. In your new form you will be unstoppable."
"How does this benefit you?" The Drakon asked simply.
From within the Master Emerald, the God of Destruction smiled. "When you have had your fun, I simply ask of one favor from you. I wish for you to release me from my prison. Together we will rule this world and countless others."
The Drakon lay there staring at the Master Emerald. He wanted to go on living, who didn't? But he didn't want to be in debt to this chaos creature. He was to greedy to share powers with anything, even if it was that anything that gave him the powers in the first place.
"I will do as you ask." The Drakon lied smiling. "Now hold up your part of the bargain."
The Master Emerald suddenly illuminated the grey timeless world the Drakon had been in, brining all the colours back.
"I warn you." Chaos said, as time came crashing back in like water from a burst dame. "The power of Chaos is naturally unstable. Its feeds off of your negative emotions, making you stronger. But do not let your anger consume you or you'll be blinded by your own rage, and become a victim of your own power."
Before the Drakon could say a word time fully returned to the world. In the brief second the Drakon watched the Chaos Emeralds swell as far as they could, he was suddenly gripped with uncontrollable fear and doubt.
The energy within the Chaos Emeralds exploded outwards in an expanding circle of destruction.
Outside the room those who had made it out held onto something as the energy erupted out of the door way. Some Drakon and a Guardian Robot that hadn't made it out in time where flung against the wall opposite the door.
Sonic, holding onto the door frame, closed his eyes tightly. Silently, within his own head, he thanked the day he was split with Super Sonic. He knew that if that hadn't been the case he would undoubtedly turn into Super Sonic with all this raw Chaos energy flying around. All the energy did to him now was give him a well deserved charge.
As quick and devastating as the blast had started, it ended.
Sonic opened his eyes to see both Echidna and Drakon laying in the corridor. The Drakon, however, were already getting up. They really were built to withstand almost everything.
Checking that Tikal and Pochamac were okay, he smiled as Knuckles came to their side.
There was a sudden roar from within the Command Room. Sonic peered around the door frame to see something he had hoped he'd never see again.
"I don't believe it." He said, stepping into the Command Room. Sonic stared up at the giant creature composed completely of water, except for its head, which was still green.
"It's Chaos!" He said. Sonic's mouth then fell open. This was the creation of one of the biggest threats to Planet Mobius. This was how Chaos was created. He had been a Drakon that had somehow been fused with both the energy of the Chaos Emeralds, and the water he had been left to die in.
Already the water had taken on a new form. It was tall and thin, but radiated power. Sonic's eyes were then drawn to the creatures chest to see all six of the Chaos Emeralds, as well as the Master Emerald, where a part of him.
The Drakon strained as he became one with his new water body. As his real body turned into water, he threw his head back in pain. "Power!" He shouted. "Limitless Power!"
They had been warring for 9 years. But now, at the end of the tenth year, it looked as though it was finally coming to a devastating end.
An army of Drakon stood on the Cliffside that looked down on Megopolis City. They had marched all the way here, and intended to march into the City and burn it to the ground. But first something had to retrieved. Something they wanted. This something was the Chaos Emeralds.
The assembled Drakon fired some missiles down into the City at random. As the missiles flew towards their target, an Echidna Guardian Robot landed in front of the cannons they had been fired from. From within the Guardian Robot Dr Zachary watched the missiles. Not saying a word he turned to the Drakon. "I have done my part. I have lead you here." His voice came said, as it came out of the cockpit of the Guardian Robot. "The rest is up to you."
His Guardian Robot rose into the air and flew behind the Drakon.
A pink suited Drakon Commander watched Zachary leave, then turned to look at a Prosecutor who stood on the Cliffside as well. "These missiles." Said the Drakon, pointing at the falling missiles. "Should convince those Echidna scum that we mean business. Now take your Sentinels and don't return without the Chaos Emeralds."
The Prosecutor nodded and turned to look side long at the assembled Drakon Sentinels. He then lead them down the steep Cliffside to the Echidna city.
* * * *
Prince Brightstarr ran as fast as he could to were he knew she would be. Almost falling around the final corner, he skidded to a halt. He smiled halfheartedly.
There, in the middle of glowing magic, was his friend, Mau. She was a Cat and a member of a race of Cats called the Hikari Neko. She had become Brightstarr's friend after he and his brother had helped in giving her sanctuary in the Echidna Empire.
He knew she hated to be disturbed when she was meditating, but he didn't know who else to come to. He ran up to her and took a hold of her shoulders.
"Mau." He said gently. "Mau, I need you."
The magic stopped as she woke up. She looked up at Brightstarr mildly annoyed. "I told you before to not disturb when I was meditating." She said.
"The Chaos Champion is here." Brightstarr said, ignoring what she said. "He's here, in this city."
Mau stood up. She knew a lot about Brightstarr, and one of those things was that Brightstarr fancied himself to be the Chaos Champion, despite what others said to him. But now the Chaos Champion was here.
"Are you okay?" Mau asked.
Brightstarr's face screwed up a little. "Am I all right?" He spat. "Of course not. I'm the only Chaos Champion, and now this imposter has arrived here in my city."
Mau didn't say a thing. It was better that she didn't. Besides, she didn't know where to start if she did. But she knew how he must have been feeling. She wanted to hug him and comfort him.
The ground shook and the walls vibrated. Dust fell from the ceiling as it strained to stay upright.
"What- what was that?" Mau said, looking up.
Brightstarr's eyes widened. "The city is under attack! It must be the Drakon." He said. Suddenly his face glowed with a new anger. "How dare they attack us here, in our own home. They will pay for this." He said, as he turned and ran towards the door.
Mau ran after him, she had a bad feeling about this.
* * * *
"The Chaos Emeralds!" Sonic said. "You stole them from the Drakon, eh? Boy, if you had any idea how much trouble these things are going to cause in the future-!"
There was a sudden sound of an explosion far off. Mortar and dust fell from the ceiling.
We are being attacked. Pochamac thought to himself. He turned away from Sonic to face Tikal. "The Drakon arrived on Mobius several months ago." Pochamac lied to Sonic. "They must have been spying on us for some time, because they knew exactly what they came for. They took control of the Sacred Emerald mines."
Tikal gave her father a look. He was lying. Why was he lying? He looked back at her in a pleading way. She sighed and looked towards the Chaos Emeralds, then left the room.
Pochamac couldn't tell Sonic the truth. He couldn't tell him that the Echidna had opened the doorway for the Drakon to arrive through. He couldn't tell him that the Chaos energy was created on Mobius by the all the pain, hate, anguish and suffering the Echidna had caused the rest of the Mobius, and all the Drakon did was refine it. And he couldn't tell him of Chaos, the God of Destruction, and his hand in awakening the ancient creature out of greed.
Pochamac sighed as he turned back to the Chaos Champion. "The Drakon Empire had developed an unstable energy source, but this 'Chaos' energy was too unsafe to use." Pochamac said. "By using are sacred emeralds, the Drakon Empire discovered a way to control the Chaos Energy."
"So you stole the Emeralds containing the Chaos energy!" Sonic said, figuring the rest out.
"Its not just that the emeralds are sacred to us, Sonic." Pochamac said, turning to his scrolls. "If the Drakon siphon the Chaos energy into a thousand emeralds, they'll have enough power to conquer the galaxy!"
That makes sense, thought Sonic. Chaos energy is very powerful stuff and can do tons of damage if in the wrong hands.
Sonic walked forwards watching Pochamac search through his scrolls. "That still doesn't explain why you brought me here." He said. There was another boom not so far off. It seemed closer than the last had been.
"My family is gifted with the power to see into the future." Pochamac said, as he found the scroll he had been looking for. "I can sometimes make out misty visions of things yet to come." He unscrolled the ancient piece of paper and showed it to Sonic.
Sonic stared at the scroll Pochamac held. It showed, what was undoubtedly, a picture of him. Power Sneakers and all. Word of me really gets around. He thought to himself.
Pochamac smiled. "So I know that you are the Great Champion of the future. A great warrior who is the sworn enemy of the Drakon Empire!" Pochamac dropped the scroll back onto the table and raised his hands into the air. "You are filled with the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Your eyes glow with their energy. That is how we were able to find you."
Sonic stood there. "Now just hold on a second-!" He begun, but was stopped as some Echidna, as well as Tikal, walked into Pochamac's chambers. Between them, in a tank of water, was the Drakon Prosecutor he had defeated earlier today.
"Fools!" The former Prosecutor said. "The hedgehog cannot save you. Nobody can stand in the way of the mighty Drakon Empire!"
Pochamac walked towards the Drakon. He wanted to kill the fish were it was, but he had to try and trick it. Maybe he could fool it into giving a false message to his people of peace. Then the Echidna could eliminate them. "Listen to me, Prosecutor. I want you to take a message to your people. If our two sides could meet peacefully to discuss-!"
But Pochamac was stopped as the wall to his chambers exploded inwards and Drakon poured in through it. The leading Drakon, another Prosecutor, gritted his teeth "The Drakon Empire does not discuss. The Drakon Empire conquers!"
With that the Drakon Sentinels and the Prosecutor opened fire.
* * * *
Knuckles was running through the Royal Palace searching for his grandfather, the King of the Echidna. The King's bodyguards, Braven Rain, and his lover Yin Star Ophir, ran behind him. Behind them ran a small group of Echidna Knuckles had gathered very quickly.
The City was under attack by the Drakon, and he had already set word to the Echidna Guard to gather the Echidna forces and confront the Drakon invasion before they could enter the City.
But before he could join them he had to find the King and make sure he got to safety. Then and only then would he join the fight that would no doubt take place outside the city very soon.
Knuckles ran around a corner and caught site of a hole in the wall of the Command Room. As he got closer he hoped that his grandfather wasn't in there.
There was the sudden sound of weapons fire and Knuckles was filled with fear. Running as fast he could go, he headed for the whole in the wall.
* * * *
The Drakon Sentinels opened fire on Sonic with little remorse. The blue hedgehog dodged the blasts with ease, growing angry. "You creeps turned up just at the right time - all this talking is driving me crazy!" He said, dodging a few more blasts from the Drakon that where slow of learning. "I'm in the mood for a good fight." Sonic added.
Pochamac and Tikal, finding themselves suddenly surrounded, pulled closer together. Pochamac gritted his teeth and held up his staff. Giving it a twist, it slid open by a fraction to reveal small circuitry. Some lights then begun to flash. "Intruders in the Command Room." He said into the unveiled circuitry. "We need some back up immediately."
Almost instantly one of the walls of the Command Room begun to rumble as it slid upwards. In the new darkness beyond the Command Room four red lights ignited like solar flares.
The Drakon turned to the red illuminated gloom, completely dumbfounded.
A red blast erupted out of the darkness and blasted away two Drakon Sentinels. As the Drakon landed, four Guardian Robots stepped out of the darkness and engaged the enemy.
Pochamac smiled at Tikal, then smiled even more with the arrival of Knuckles, Braven, Yin and some more Echidna.
Knuckles stopped as he entered the room and then smiled as he looked up at the closet Guardian Robot. Pressing a button on its side, he swung up into the command seat as its dome head opened up. Taking control he attacked the Drakon.
Sonic spun into and attack and collided with the Drakon Prosecutor, who had been standing watching the development. Sonic was equally surprised. "Guardian Robots!" He said above the noise. "Never realized you guys were so advanced this far back in the past."
Pochamac stood watching the fight. "Oh, were full of surprises." He said.
Braven Rain and Yin launched into battle with the Drakon Sentinels, as did the other Echidna. The Guardian Robots also moved in and attacked the Drakon close range.
Sonic launched himself into the fight and cracked his hand around a Sentinel's face. "Yeah?" He said, half to himself. "Well I've had enough surprises for one day."
The fight waged on.
* * * *
Brightstarr and Mau reached the outside City and stopped as they saw the endless faces of the Echidna Army. In the distance he could hear the sounds of war. The city was underseige, but the Echidna where holding their own. But what stood in front of him was what he needed to take to fight back to the enemy. Brightstarr found himself grinning uncontrollably.
"Who's in charge here?" He shouted.
"That would be me, Prince Brightstarr." Came a familiar voice from the crowd. An Echidna pushed his way to the front and smiled at the Prince.
"Imarac." Brightstarr said, recognizing the leader of the Echidna Guard instantly.
"My Prince." Imarac said, bowing. "But don't forget the others."
"What?" Brightstarr said, before noticing that other members of the Guard were already emerging from the crowd. Brightstarr smiled again as loads of familiar faces came into view.
Alongside Imarac the other members of the Echidna Guard appeared. The Echidna Eading, Sheila, Udible appeared. Followed by the two Cats Decei and Sekhmet. Then the other Echidna members of the Guard, Carmine, Whida, Ecializ, Dewtry stepped out of the crowd. Jaysar the Echidna also appeared, holding the chain he always held that had the Mobian called Wild Cat on the other end.
There was a buzzing sound and Brightstarr looked up to see Amass the Bee flying over, he then saw something swoop down and land in a crouch in front of him. Devil of the Fallen stood up and smiled at the Prince.
He was just about to open his mouth when there was the sound of a clanking sound from behind. He glanced behind him to see Guardian and Robot walking over. And, sitting on their arm, holding his sword, was Greyskull.
Now Brightstarr was surprised to see Jackson Pike, the Echidna known as Greyskull. He had been thrown out of the Guard because of his behavior. But it looked as though they had allowed him back. Besides, they needed all the help they could get.
Imarac walked up to Mau and smiled. "My lady." He said, smiling.
"I've asked you repeatedly to call me Mau, Imarac." She said. She then looked towards Decei and Sekhmet and smiled. "I wondered where you two had got to."
Imarac smiled looking at Mau. "It looks to me that the entire Echidna Guard are here."
Brightstarr grinned at Imarac. "As well as the Echidna Army." He said.
Imarac turned to the Echidna and smiled. He then turned back to Brightstarr. "Care to lead us into battle, my Prince." He said.
"I thought you'd never ask." Brightstarr said. "Right! Who wants to find ourselves a fight?"
There was a cheer so loud it could no doubt be heard from a mile away.
Brightstarr, still grinning, looked up at the Drakon that where still firing down onto the city. He raised his fist into the air. "War!" He shouted, and ran up the steep, but still climbable, Cliffside.
The Echidna Guard, and the Echidna Army, ran up alongside and behind him. As they did they cried War as loud as they could.
* * * *
Back in the Command Room, the skirmish raged on. The Drakon Prosecutor watched as his soldiers where being taken down by the lightning fast blue hedgehog. Anger swelling inside him he pointed his staff at the hedgehog and fired repeatedly. "No matter how fast you are." He said, as Sonic weaved in between the blasts. "You can't dodge my blasts forever."
Sonic smiled at the Prosecutor and ran around him in a tight circle. "Sure, sure." He said. "I've heard it all before."
The Prosecutor followed Sonic around in a circle, firing in a vain attempt to take the hedgehog down. Blinded by his rage the Prosecutor did not watch what he was doing, and as Sonic ran in front of the Chaos Emeralds, the Prosecutor stopped firing to late.
The energy blast hit the Master Emerald dead in the center, knocking it clean out of the air.
"Uh oh! You've hit the Emeralds." Sonic said coming to a halt, as the remaining Chaos Emeralds fell out of the air and landed next to the Master Emerald.
"No. I didn't mean to." The Prosecutor begun, as he turned away from the Chaos Emeralds as they grew unstable.
Sonic turned to everyone in the room, cupped his hands around his mouth, and shouted. "Everybody get out of here. Were in Big Trouble!"
The Chaos Emeralds erupted with power as they became unstable. The energy inside them was reverting back to its original chaotic state. The Emeralds were going to explode with a forceful discharge of power, and although they would survive the blast, the same couldn't be said for everyone in the room.
As the Drakon and the Echidna begun to exit the room as stray electrical blast shot out of the Emeralds and smashed its way straight through the fish tank that contained the ex-Drakon Prosecutor.
"What about me?" The ex-Prosecutor cried out as he fell to the floor. "You just can't leave me."
The Drakon Prosecutor stopped running and turned to his fallen brother. He went to go back for him, but then thought better of it. "It - it is an honour to die for the Drakon Empire." He said, as a energy blast sizzled past him. "Farewell comrade." He said, as he turned and ran.
The bodiless Drakon lay on the floor in a puddle of water. There was nothing he could do to avoid the blast, he was completely helpless.
He stared at the Chaos Emeralds that had fallen to the ground in front of him.
The puddle of water he lay in begun to conduct the energy of the Emeralds, giving him a few electrical shocks. He knew the blast would be ten times more painful.
Looking back at the Emeralds he noticed that they were really glowing bright now. The Drakon watched as they swelled a little more, getting ready to consume him with a destructive outburst of chaotic power.
The Drakon then realized something. There were seven emeralds. His race only laid claim to six emeralds, the six they had saved from the destroyed mine. There had only been six. So why where there now seven?
He stared at the Master Emerald, a little confused. It was bigger, much bigger, than the other six emeralds. It had also been the one that was hit by the stray blast.
The light was near blinding now, but the Drakon couldn't seem to take his eyes away from the Master Emerald. He was transfixed, as if his eyes where being drawn to it and being held there.
The Drakon was suddenly aware that everything was slowing down. Time was slowing down. The world around him became a grey, out-of-focus, blur. The only thing that could still be seen, and retained its colour, was the Master Emerald.
"I know what your thinking." A voice said. "Your thinking that your going die, and now your hallucinating."
The Drakon looked around the grey blurred world, searching for the voices origin. "Who said that?" He said. "Where are you?"
"Would you believe me if I said that I was inside this emerald, the Master Emerald." The voice said again.
The Drakon turned to stare at the huge green emerald. "Who are you?" He asked again.
"I am Chaos, the God of Destruction." Said Chaos. "The beginning and the end of all that is chaos."
The Drakon lay there, not knowing what to say.
Chaos spoke again. "Since what seems like the dawn of time I guarded a race, called the Chao, from the other races of Planet Mobius. But I was set free by the Echidna, who sought the power of my own emerald, the Master Emerald. Upon my arrival into this world I felt the power of the Chaos Emeralds, and set out to make them my own. But I was entrapped within my own emerald, the Master Emerald, by the Echidna that had set me free. The irony is to unbelievable to believe."
The Drakon, not at all caring about Chaos' life, snarled up at the Master Emerald. "What do you want from me?" He asked.
"I have a proposition for you." Chaos said. "I will save you from the blast that the Chaos Emeralds will soon unleash, and turn you into my spawn. In your new form you will be unstoppable."
"How does this benefit you?" The Drakon asked simply.
From within the Master Emerald, the God of Destruction smiled. "When you have had your fun, I simply ask of one favor from you. I wish for you to release me from my prison. Together we will rule this world and countless others."
The Drakon lay there staring at the Master Emerald. He wanted to go on living, who didn't? But he didn't want to be in debt to this chaos creature. He was to greedy to share powers with anything, even if it was that anything that gave him the powers in the first place.
"I will do as you ask." The Drakon lied smiling. "Now hold up your part of the bargain."
The Master Emerald suddenly illuminated the grey timeless world the Drakon had been in, brining all the colours back.
"I warn you." Chaos said, as time came crashing back in like water from a burst dame. "The power of Chaos is naturally unstable. Its feeds off of your negative emotions, making you stronger. But do not let your anger consume you or you'll be blinded by your own rage, and become a victim of your own power."
Before the Drakon could say a word time fully returned to the world. In the brief second the Drakon watched the Chaos Emeralds swell as far as they could, he was suddenly gripped with uncontrollable fear and doubt.
The energy within the Chaos Emeralds exploded outwards in an expanding circle of destruction.
Outside the room those who had made it out held onto something as the energy erupted out of the door way. Some Drakon and a Guardian Robot that hadn't made it out in time where flung against the wall opposite the door.
Sonic, holding onto the door frame, closed his eyes tightly. Silently, within his own head, he thanked the day he was split with Super Sonic. He knew that if that hadn't been the case he would undoubtedly turn into Super Sonic with all this raw Chaos energy flying around. All the energy did to him now was give him a well deserved charge.
As quick and devastating as the blast had started, it ended.
Sonic opened his eyes to see both Echidna and Drakon laying in the corridor. The Drakon, however, were already getting up. They really were built to withstand almost everything.
Checking that Tikal and Pochamac were okay, he smiled as Knuckles came to their side.
There was a sudden roar from within the Command Room. Sonic peered around the door frame to see something he had hoped he'd never see again.
"I don't believe it." He said, stepping into the Command Room. Sonic stared up at the giant creature composed completely of water, except for its head, which was still green.
"It's Chaos!" He said. Sonic's mouth then fell open. This was the creation of one of the biggest threats to Planet Mobius. This was how Chaos was created. He had been a Drakon that had somehow been fused with both the energy of the Chaos Emeralds, and the water he had been left to die in.
Already the water had taken on a new form. It was tall and thin, but radiated power. Sonic's eyes were then drawn to the creatures chest to see all six of the Chaos Emeralds, as well as the Master Emerald, where a part of him.
The Drakon strained as he became one with his new water body. As his real body turned into water, he threw his head back in pain. "Power!" He shouted. "Limitless Power!"