Within the Royal Palace in Megopolis City a once proud King lay dying in
his bed.
In his prouder moments Pochamac forged a kingdom that all other kingdoms aspired to be like. He made alliances between race that had been warring for decades, and he gained friendships that would've last him a lifetime.
But now all that has been reduced to nothing. With the coming of the God of Destruction, as well as the return to the Dragon's of Mobius, Pochamac's proud kingdom has fallen. It has been defeated and in the years to come it shall be nothing more than a deserted and ruined tomb to a forgotten race.
Pochamac's city shall not be the last Echidna city to fall, as others will suffer the same fate, but with the demise of Megopolis City and King Pochamac, the heart of the Echidna Empire, the rest of the Echidna race will slip into a cold sadness as it grieves such a great loss.
With the death of King Pochamac, Planet Mobius will fall to the might of the Dragon's.
* * * *
The God of Destruction flew backwards through a deserted building. As rubble fell on him he grew angry. He was Chaos, the God of Destruction, the most powerful creature on the planet, and he was being beaten up by mortal's.
He got up growling to himself. His eyes glowed a bright green. "You fools are going to die." He shouted. "You hear me? I'm going to kill you all!"
Knuckles stood next to Brightstarr as Chaos emerged from the hole in the building and smiled up at the God of Destruction. "I think he's angry."
Brightstarr stared up at Chaos. "I would be if I was him. Being defeated by a couple of Mobians and all."
Chaos roared and swung a fist at the two brothers. They got out of the way easily, sprung up, fists tightened, and punched him in both sides of his head at the same time.
Chaos reared backwards in pain. He swung his hand at the Echidna as he walked backwards.
Den-Izen held out his staff as it crackled with power, and fired at Chaos. The blast hit him straight in the gut, causing the God of Destruction to fall to his knees.
"Your - going to - die." He muttered, supporting himself on the ground.
Brightstarr smiled to himself. "Nothing would be better than to see you try and live up to your threats." With that Brightstarr punched Chaos in his gut where Den-Izen had shot him, adding to the pain. "You've killed to many this day, Chaos. To many. And now, now you will face judgment."
Brightstarr then punched Chaos around the face.
* * * *
There was once a great city on Planet Mobius, the greatest city, greater than even Megopolis City.
It was created by a magical race called the Tantaragor for the ancient Dragons of Mobius centuries ago when they ruled the planet.
A great war was raged in the great city and its original inhabitants, the Dragons, were banished from it, and sealed in another dimension. With the Dragons gone the new race, the Echidna, migrated in, forging the city into one of the two greatest cities in their growing Empire.
Over the centuries, as the tale was told and retold again, the cities original name was lost, as it begun to resemble the appearance of its new inhabitants. Thinking of nothing else to call it, the Echidna simply named it the Lost World. In some small way it seemed fitting.
Though the Dragons had been forced out of the city by the Echidna when they had arrived, one of the original inhabitants of the city was allowed to remain.
He was neither Dragon nor Echidna. He was of the race called the Tantaragor, also known as the golden heretics. Though his race were feared on Mobius, for their Godly powers, he was unlike any other member of his race. He did not seek control or to taunt and play with lesser creatures.
He had held no grudge towards either Dragon or Echidna as he didn't exist to choose sides. He existed for a far greater purpose.
Deep within the ancient catacombs that can be found beneath the city he existed.
When the Echidna had found him they had been amazed at what was his life's work, and over the years they begun to respect him.
He had no name, no name that the Echidna would understand, and so they named him The Chronicler. Eternally compelled to capture on stone every turning point in the history of Planet Mobius, as he glimpsed the future piece by unfathomable piece.
He was a tall creature, just like all of his race, and easily stood taller than an Echidna. His body was golden-orange and long. His Jackal head stared at the picture he had drawn as his eyes flashed with power. The Chronicler's slender, but old, left hand ran along the surface of the stone.
He then placed his finger on the stone wall and slowly drew out something. When he had finished he stood back and surveyed his newest work.
In the all centuries he had been drawing his pictures he had never stopped for to long as he didn't need to eat, drink or sleep. But what he had drawn now interested him. It intrigued him.
It was the a picture of some of the greatest cities on Mobius burning in flames, and in the skies above them where Dragons.
"What brings you to my domain, Devil of the Fallen Cherub?" The Chronicler asked, not turning around.
Devil gritted his teeth. He hadn't wanted to come here, to ask the Tantaragor for his help, but he knew that he was the only creature that could truly stop Chaos. "I will not bother to tell you, Chronicler, as you knew before I even knew myself. You are The Chronicler. You know all."
Devil stepped forward a little. "Nor will I pretend to like you, Chronicler, not after what your race did to mine. If you do not want to help me then I shall leave."
The Chronicler stood still for a long while. He then turned his Jackal head around to look at Devil. "I still do not know why you hate me as you do, Devil of the Fallen Cherub."
"You Tantaragor killed my race. You Tantaragor destroyed us without mercy and without passion." Devil growled. "You Tantaragor obliterated the Cherub and left as though you hadn't done anything wrong."
"You are right in one thing, Devil of the Fallen Cherub. It was my race that did this unforgivable deed. But it was not I that left you the sole survivor of your race." The Chronicler said.
"And you think that makes it okay. Your race are the most hated and feared race on this planet, because of your power. You are like Gods compared to the rest of us, but you act as though you are nothing more than spoilt children." Devil spat in disgust. "So you say you had nothing to do with the rest of your race, do you want a praise? All you've done is stay down here in your little hole and scribble on walls for centuries. If you disagreed with your race at all why have you never stood up to them? You see everything before it happens but you never do anything except stand and watch."
"And what would you have me do, Devil of the Fallen Cherub?" The Chronicler said, turning to face Devil, his eyes radiating power. "I cannot change the past."
"But you've seen the future. You know what can be done to change it." Devil said. He then looked at the wall next to The Chronicler. "Don't you think its about time you joined in on the greatest story you've ever drawn?"
The Chronicler stood there staring at Devil. He then turned and looked at the picture he had drawn.
"You can stop the God of Destruction." Devil muttered.
"And what good would that do the Echidna? The Dragon's of Mobius have returned. They have multiplied and are many. They will hunt every last Echidna until none are left on Mobius." The Chronicler said, lowering his head. "I have seen it happen." He added.
"You have watched the Echidna since they first came to power, Chronicler. So you of all people should know that they are a race of warriors like nothing before them, and nothing that will ever come after." Devil said. He put his hand on the wall and looked at the drawing of the city burned by the breath of the Dragon's.
"What are you asking of me, Devil of the Fallen Cherub?"
"I'm asking that you forget the future you have seen. I'm asking that you help in defeating Chaos." Devil asked.
"The Dragon's of Mobius will still be a threat. They will hunt the Echidna to their last member falls." The Chronicler said.
"If that is there fate, then so be it. At least they will fight the Dragon's right until the end."
The Chronicler stood silent for a while. He then looked at the picture he had drawn. His eyes sparked as he turned back to Devil.
"No Tantaragor has ever done anything for this world. The Cherub died because of the Tantaragor." The Chronicler muttered.
Devil smiled. "But the Echidna could live because of you."
* * * *
Chaos, God of Destruction, roared in frustration.
The Echidna brothers were wearing him down, slowly but surely.
He swatted Brightstarr away, only for Knuckles to rear up and deliver a blow to the God of Destruction's upper torso, adding to the pain he felt all over.
He was losing. He knew as did they. With every passing moment he became less and less powerful as he had been, as his power worked overtime healing his wounds, stripping him of his strength.
Brightstarr stood and stared at the weakened God of Destruction as his brother came up beside him. The Drakon Emperor Den-Izen sneered loudly from behind them.
"Chaos is defeated, we must finish this once and for all now before he has time to recover." Den-Izen said, his staff crackling with energy.
"The Drakon's right." Mau said. "We can finish this right now once and for all."
Before Brightstarr or Knuckles could even say anything in response there was a flash from behind.
"None of you have the power, or the right, to judge Chaos." Came a voice from behind. "He is as far beyond you as I am as far beyond him."
Brightstarr, Knuckles, Mau and Den-Izen turned to see a long golden creature staring down on them. Beside the creature stood Devil, his wings folded behind his back tightly.
"Who-?" Den-Izen begun, but fell silent as The Chronicler stared at him.
"I am The Chronicler, a member of the race called the Tantaragor. And I have come to stop Chaos."
Chaos looked down on The Chronicler. "You - you cannot stop - me." He said. "I am a - God."
The Chronicler held out his hand and smiled. "So am I."
With that his power erupted from his hand and teared into Chaos. The God of Destruction roared in agony.
"What are you - doing to - me?" Chaos roared.
"You thrive off chaos energy, as you are a chaotic creature. That is why absorbed five of the Chaos Emeralds. Though your powers are near depleted now, in time you will rise again as long as your have those Emeralds within you to recharge you." The Chronicler said.
"That is why he must be destroyed now." Den-Izen said.
"He can be destroyed can't he?" Asked Knuckles.
"He is not as immortal as he would have you believe. Yes he can be destroyed, but he has time set out for him and it is not know." The Chronicler said. "His time to die is not know, but I will do one thing."
The Chronicler clenched his fist and pulled it back towards him, as he did so out of Chaos came the Chaos Emeralds he had absorbed. They flew threw the air and landed next to Den-Izen.
"And now, Chaos, I will take you to be imprisoned where no one can ever find you." With that The Chronicler rose into the air. The God of Destruction roared as he shrank in size, back to his first stage. A bubble of energy then surrounded him which then rose up beside The Chronicler.
Knuckles and Brightstarr looked up at The Chronicler. "You can't imprison him, he has to be destroyed so that his evil cannot plague this world ever again."
The Chronicler smiled down on the Echidna. "I have seen the future, and unfortunately he is a part of it. But if it brings any comfort I will tell you that he will eventually meet death. From that he has no escape." The Chronicler then turned and looked down on Devil and smiled.
"So you knew that it was going to turn out this way?" Devil said, as he looked up.
"No." The Chronicler said simply. "But I had an idea that it would. Goodbye, Devil of the Fallen Cherub. I hope that I have proven to you that at least one Tantaragor in this world has a pure heart."
With that The Chronicler few off into the sky. The energy ball containing the completely drained Chaos spun in the air for a second, before shooting off after the Tantaragor. There was a spark as they disappeared out of view and it was all over.
Knuckles, Brightstarr and Mau stood watching the sky. They then turned to face Devil. "He will make sure Chaos is properly imprisoned, will he Devil." Asked Knuckles.
"I believe he will." Devil said.
"I would have preferred if he had been destroyed." Mau said.
"His future is all ready written out for him, Mau." Devil said. "And who are we to mess with the future?"
Knuckles sighed to himself as he walked over to the hedgehog that had been stricken down by Chaos. The hedgehog was sitting upright against a wall.
As he approached it looked up at him and Knuckles' eyes met its own emerald green eyes.
"My God." Knuckles said. "The eyes of the Chaos Champion."
"What was that?" Asked Brightstarr. "Is the hedgehog okay?"
The hedgehog just stared up at Knuckles. Its emerald green eyes sparkled in the light. "He's okay." Knuckles said simply.
Behind Knuckles, Brightstarr sat down. The exhaustion finally catching up with him. "Good."
"You okay, Brightstarr?" Asked Knuckles, turning to look at his brother.
"I shall be soon." Brightstarr. "It's finally over." He sighed.
"It is far from over." Devil said quickly. "The Dragon's of Mobius are hunting us as we speak. They must be stopped. If anything it has just begun."
Brightstarr shook his head. "And how can we defeat an army of Dragon's? By now we may be all that is left."
"The Chaos Emeralds." Mau spoke up. "The Dragon's do not know of their existence, and if they do then they do not care for them at all or they would have killed Chaos themselves."
"What are suggesting, Mau?" Devil asked.
"I'm suggesting we use the power of the Chaos Emeralds to defeat the Dragon's of Mobius."
Brightstarr looked up at Mau from where he sat and smiled. "She's onto something. We can use the Emeralds to defeat the Dragon's. There is endless power in those Emeralds-!"
Brightstarr then stopped dead. "Where are the Chaos Emeralds?" He said. "And where is Den-Izen?" He asked again, getting up.
"The bastard has gone off with the Chaos Emeralds!" Knuckles said, turning away from the hedgehog.
Brightstarr gritted his teeth. "Den-Izen, you bastard! Where are you?"
"Ha Ha! Not that far at all." Came a voice from behind them.
Everyone turned to see the Drakon Emperor, at least what had been the Drakon Emperor. Now he was a power house of Chaos Energy.
"I have something to confess." Den-Izen said. "This body was especially designed to absorb chaos energy, that is why I came to Mobius. I wanted to absorb the power of the Chaos Emeralds and use their power to destroy you." He said as he smiled.
He raised his hands as raw chaos energy rose out of the Chaos Emerald that lay at his feet. His eyes begun to glow with power. "My power is now unmentionable by any creature of Mobius, since you defeated Chaos for me."
"You bastard!" Brightstarr shouted as he launched himself at Den-Izen. "I'm going to rip you limb from limb."
Den-Izen raised a hand and blasted Brightstarr with a blast, sending him flying backwards. "I don't think that will be happening today, Echidna."
Knuckles took one last look at the hedgehog, then turned to face Den-Izen. He then ran at the Drakon. Den-Izen raised his hand again, ready to blast Knuckles as he did his brother, but was attacked from above.
Devil fired again on the Drakon Emperor, knocking him forwards. He then swooped down, avoiding a blast from the Drakon, and grabbed Knuckles. "Your brother can handle him. We must get back to the Emerald Chamber with the Chaos Emeralds."
Devil raised a hand and the Chaos Emeralds swooped into the air and towards Devil. There was a flash of yellow light and he, Knuckles and the Chaos Emeralds where gone.
Den-Izen looked up and smiled. "You think you can keep me away from the Emeralds. I will find them. They will be mine." He then looked at Brightstarr. "And none of you can stand in my way."
A ball of magic flew into Den-Izen, exploding on impact but hardly doing any damage. "Ah yes. The Cat. Mau wasn't it? Want to die as well do you?"
"You will not win, Drakon. You will be defeated."
"Who by? You! I don't think so, if that was the best you could do." Den- Izen then raised his hand. "And from now on my name is no longer Den-Izen. Now and forever more I am the Master Drakon." With that he fired at Mau.
* * * *
Devil and Knuckles appeared inside the Emerald Chamber. The five Chaos Emeralds also appeared, falling to the ground.
"What's your plan?" Knuckles asked.
"I'm going to use the emeralds to make Angel Island once again into a Floating Island. Its the only way to be safe from the Dragon's. They will not look for you here as they will not know of the Islands existence."
"Can that be done?" Knuckles asked, looking at the Emerald Shaft.
"Yes it can, but first I must get Giser, the Blue Chaos Emerald and the Master Emerald. I will be back." With that he disappeared.
Knuckles stood there by himself. For a split second he felt as though it was something he would be doing a lot of in the future.
He walked over to the seat of the Chaos Cannon and sat down in it and waited. In the shadows behind him something cold moved as it watched the red Echidna.
* * * *
Mau jumped backwards as Den-Izen, the Master Drakon, fired shots at her.
"Your a nimble little thing aren't you." Den-Izen said as he fired again, then stopped.
"I think your find that she's not the only one." Brightstarr said from behind. Den-Izen turned to receive a face full of Brightstarr's fist. "Who's a nimble little thing."
Den-Izen stumbled backwards, but didn't fall over. He wiped his mouth with his hand and grinned. "Good solid punch you got there." He said. "I wont ask how you got behind me, as I really don't care. What I will ask is how hard you can be hit before you fall down and can't get back up?"
The Drakon struck Brightstarr with all of his might. Brightstarr fell backwards as rich deep blood poured from his mouth. "Well that wasn't long." Den-Izen said, kicking Brightstarr in the face.
Brightstarr spat out blood and coughed. "I'm not down and out yet, Drakon."
"Oh but you will be." With that Den-Izen punched Brightstarr repeatedly. Brightstarr squirmed as he took slash after slash of the aggressive Drakon's power.
Mau-Evig watched as Brightstarr was ruthlessly beaten before her eyes. She went to step forward when something flew over above her. She looked upwards to see three Dragon's circling like Vulture's. Waiting for their turn to pounce.
Mau looked back at Den-Izen with the sound of a cry from Brightstarr. But before she could help him the Dragon's landed with a thud in front of her.
A voice arrived in her head. "You will leave here, Mobian. Our quarrel is not with you. But with the Drakon and the Echidna. They will both die."
"But the Echidna is my friend." Mau said.
"Not for much longer." Came the Dragon's voice again. "Leave."
"No!" She said and made a dash for Brightstarr and Den-Izen, but a Dragon snapped its jaw shut in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.
While Mau was normally fast enough to outmaneuver these Dragons, she was stricken by the horror of her close friend Brightstarr being beaten so easily to the ground and she couldn't get to him.
Again one of three Dragon's blocked her path, this time snarling at her. No matter how fast she moved she couldn't escape from the constant attacks of the Dragons.
Mau stopped in her tracks, once again stopped by a Dragon, and stared up at the ancient creature. She closed her eyes and tried to draw energy from the planet below her as all of her kind had been trained to do from a young.
Perhaps with that energy, she could use it to summon a powerful Fravashir - a guardian Spirit - to deal with Den-Izen. But then a Dragon whipped at her with its tail, breaking her concentration.
She wouldn't be able to focus her energy with these Dragons detracting her.
She darted backwards, getting some distance between her and the Dragon's and then begun gathering more and more energy as her anger and frustration begun to build inside her at the thought that she could not get to Brightstarr.
Was this it? She thought to herself, as one of the three Dragons lumbered over. Brightstarr can't fight Den-Izen on his own. He's losing because he's exhausted. He's getting hurt.
Tears began to edge their way forward, as the burning anger deep within her begun to build up more and more, fueling the young Siamese Cat's energy.
Mau had always relied on fighting with her agility and her natural abilities, but now the power she had tapped into inside her was growing. Time seemed to collapse as everything seemingly grew quiet, sweat slowly poured dripped to the ground. She closed her eyes as the anger within her met the growing power and merged.
There was nothing. Not a sound at all except the beating of her heart. Then a final scream erupted into her hearing as Brightstarr was finally stricken unconscious.
Mau's eyes opened as the tears forced themselves through like a water fall. She looked past the approaching Dragon to see Den-Izen, now facing off against the other two Dragon's, and behind him lay Brightstarr's unmoving body.
"Brightstarr-!" She gasped.
The young Echidna's fur, that had once flushed a vibrant yellow like the Sun above, was now a dim blood stained orange, like a dying sunset.
"No! Noooo!" She cried as the Dragon closed in and made a lung at her. She jumped out of the way and kicked the Dragon hard in its eye.
The Dragon reared its head backwards in pain then rocked it back forward and spat out flames. Mau avoided the flames, completely fixed on Brightstarr.
She kicked the Dragon again and ran at Den-Izen. "What did you do to him?"
She was almost there when one of the two Dragon's smacked her with its tail, knocking her to the ground. She fell to her knee's but was then forced to the ground as the Dragon put its paw on her back. It snarled at her as fire begun to bubble in its throat.
Mau looked ahead of her at Brightstarr. She was so close to him, but wasn't close enough. "Get off me!" She yelled as she struggled to break free of the Dragon's hold on her.
"I WILL NEVER FORGIVE!" She screamed, just as the Dragon was about the burn her to a crisp.
A soft light began to emit from Mau as she looked up at the Dragon that had her pinned down.
Before the Dragon could do anything he was blasted by the tremendous power that was emitting from Mau.
"How dare you stop me from helping him." Her voice was now cold and emotionless. "None of you will ever stop me again."
Suddenly the ground began to shake as Mau's rage and fury grow to such an extent that power was flowing into her from the very ground were she stood.
Her eyes flashed with power as the ground begun to split beneath her, creating a large hole in the earth. The power of the planet itself was focusing within her. A blinding flash of white light engulfed the surrounding area.
When it died down Mau-Evig had transformed.
The Dragons took flight preferring not to get in the way of the powerful Cat, leaving only the Drakon Master, Den-Izen, to face the Mobian.
Den-Izen smiled as he noted the physical outlook of this new form the Cat called Mau had taken.
Her beautiful eyes, which once sparkled like the Oceans of Mobius, now had a fearsome yellow glow of the vengeance as well as a coldness about them. Her brown hair was now a vibrant shade of silver, which now reached upwards, with matching silver points on her ears. And Her once peach fur had become as white as the winter flakes.
She starred at him with a look of bitter vengeance.
"Well now. Isn't this interesting." Den-Izen laughed. "It seems as if the Cat has transformed, but not with the power of the Chaos Emeralds. That would be truly impossible." He muttered. "I take it you want to be the next to perish."
Mau looked at Brightstarr. He was still breathing, but he was weak. He wouldn't survive another attack. Mau's attention then turned to Den-Izen. "Enough talk." She said simply, getting into a fighting stance.
"Anxious to die are we?" Den-Izen smirked. Though he looked at her without fear, he was curious to understand her power. Maybe he could control that as well. "The energy you possess." He begun. "It is different from the power of Chaos, I can feel that much. But it will not help you. I can sense that the energy I possess is far superior to your own. What chance do you have against me when your friend here couldn't even lay a finger on me? What can your supped up magic tricks do against me?"
"You are wrong Drakon scum." Mau said in a bitter tone. "The energy you possess is only more potent, but my Life energy is from the planet itself. It is more pure, and while it requires more energy to equal the power the Chaos Emeralds, Life energy has the same potential when used properly."
Mau held out a hand and a ball of pure energy spawned in her hand. "It takes more, but the results are far greater than anything you could ever do." She closed her hand and the energy ball disappeared. "But I'm not here to discuss what type of energy is superior. I am here to bring an end to your evil, Drakon."
Den-Izen stood there, then smiled and bowed. "Take your best shot."
* * * *
The hedgehog that had been stricken by Chaos sat bewildered against a wall. Before this day it had had a simply life as a cherished servant to a family of Echidna.
It did not know how to read. Nor could it write or even speak. It was intelligent as all the other lesser races on Mobius.
But that had been before Chaos.
For the first time in its life the hedgehog knew something wasn't as it should be. Its body was changing - evolving - a molecule at a time.
All ready its eyes had changed to their emerald green state, and they would be the last change now that Chaos energy flowed within the Mobians veins.
The hedgehog looked up at the battle that progressed in front of it. It didn't know why but it could sense the power of the two creature's. One of the energies was, as far as it could tell, almost identical to its own. While the other seemed less chaotic and more pure than the first.
The emerald eyed hedgehog got to its feet and suddenly realized that all the pain in its body it had felt earlier had subsided. Its body had healed itself.
"How has this happened?" The hedgehog muttered, and startled itself at the sound of its own voice. It had never been able to talk before now. What was happening to it?
The hedgehog raised its hands in front of it as if horrified by itself. "What is happening to me?"
There was a roar from the fight between the two creatures of opposing energy which caused him to look up. He watched the creature of Chaos - yes that was what is was called - Chaos energy attacking the pure energy creature.
Suddenly he remembered what the Echidna had said to him before. "The Chaos Champion." He muttered. "He had called me the Chaos Champion."
His eyes instantly narrowed as he stared at the two creatures in front of him. "I know what must be done." He said, and walked over to the fighting animals.
* * * *
Den-Izen flew backwards as he took to full force of a energy blast from Mau. As Mau flew at him he raised a hand to punch her but was greeted by another blast of pure Life energy.
Somehow each time he was hit by one of her blasts his body went limp for a few seconds. It was if her power neutralised his own every time it made contact.
Den-Izen stood up and launched himself at Mau, who managed to let off a few blasts as he did so. Den-Izen dodged around them and clenched his fist. Pain screamed at Mau inside her head as she was punched around the face.
Mau clenched her fist and returned the blow but was shocked to find Den- Izen still standing.
Den-Izen then attacked causing Mau to parry his attacks.
Den-Izen delivered a final blow that sent Mau scatting backwards along the ground. He stared at her, before grinning evilly. "I'm going to ram you into the dirt, and then I'm going to do the same to the Echidna."
Den-Izen shot forwards and grabbed Mau around the throat before she could even so much as move. "Life energy. Pah! What a joke." He said as he stared into her eyes.
Den-Izen pulled back his hand. Ready to deliver the final blow. He drew from all the chaotic energy that flowed through him and swung.
Mau closed her eyes, uncertain whether this was it or not. But the final blow never came. She slowly opened an eye to see what was happening.
What she saw was Den-Izen's arm being held in place by a hedgehog. Den-Izen was growling as he struggled to get out of the hedgehog's grasp, but all the hedgehog was doing was staring at Den-Izen with two emerald green eyes.
Den-Izen dropped Mau, and before she had even hit the floor his hand was headed for a collision course with the hedgehog.
There was a flash of light as sparks flew from the impact. As Mau once again opened her eyes she was that the hedgehog was now holding both of the Drakon's arms in place and hardly breaking a sweat.
"How dare you." Den-Izen muttered as he struggled in the hedgehog's iron grip.
The hedgehog stared at Den-Izen, then smiled. His eyes exploded with power, sending Den-Izen hurtling backwards and into a wall.
With the Drakon now out of the way, the hedgehog turned his attention to Mau who was still sitting on the floor. His emerald green eyes met her fiery yellow eyes. He extended a hand. "Are you okay?"
Mau took his hand. "Your the hedgehog Chaos struck down. I thought you were dead."
"I have been reborn." He said, smiling gently. "Reborn with the blood of Chaos!"
Mau just stood there. "You helped me. But Chaos energy flows through your blood. You should be as evil as the Drakon."
"Is he evil?" The hedgehog said, pointing at Brightstarr's unconscious body.
"Well- No! But he is-!" Mau begun.
"If he evil not evil, and he has chaos in his blood, then neither am I evil." He said cutting her off. "And I have name."
There was a roar from Den-Izen as he stood up. "Do tell it to us, Mobian. So that I can engrave it of your heart."
"My name is Emerald, and I am the Chaos Champion." Emerald said. "I cannot be beaten as my blood flows with the power of the God of Destruction himself. You are nothing compared to me."
"I am Everything!" Den-Izen shouted as he ran at the newly appointed Emerald.
Drakon swung a punch at Emerald, who ducked under it with ease. He then grabbed Den-Izen and pulled him down, brining his knee up into his gut.
He then punched the Drakon in the chest, ripping it open and exposing the wires inside. Emeralds eyes then buzzed with power again as two red beams fired straight into the Drakon's robotic body, tearing right the way through, and bursting out of the other side.
Den-Izen staggered backwards, holding his robotic wound. He then collapsed onto his back. "H-How?" He muttered.
Emerald came and stood over him. "I am the Chaos Champion." He then looked upwards at the Dragon's that had landed on the tops of the buildings. "Looks like they want to have a word." He then looked back down at Den- Izen. "Goodbye Drakon."
Emerald turned to Mau. "You should leave now."
Mau turned to Brightstarr. "We have to take him as well."
Emerald walked over to Brightstarr, bent down and scooped him up into his arms. He then walked over to Mau and handed him over. "Now you must leave."
Mau nodded, turned and ran. But then stopped. "What about you?"
Emerald looked up at the Dragon's. "My place is with no one, yet my purpose is to protect all. I will not follow you, but I will watch over you, and everyone one else on this planet."
"You can come with me. We could use your skill." Mau said.
"I told you my place is nowhere but everywhere. In the time that is coming, the time of the Dragon's, I will strive to protect Mobius." Emerald turned back to Mau. "I am the great champion to all those that cannot protect themselves. I am the Chaos Champion. I will forever protect Planet Mobius. Now go!"
The last part hadn't been a request, it was an order, and she found that she could not disobey it. Pulling Brightstarr a little closer to her, she turned and ran off in the direction of the Royal Palace.
Emerald watched her from behind until she disappeared behind some buildings. He once again looked up at the Dragon's as they begun to spread their wings.
"You can't leave me." Den-Izen shouted, from behind.
Emerald looked back down at him. He then closed his eyes and tapped into the power with him and disappeared into a bright flash of green light.
Den-Izen still had strength left enough to move and rolled over onto his front. He crawled forwards a little when suddenly there was a thud from behind.
Before he could even turn around there were two more thuds from in front of him. He looked up into the face of two Dragon's.
"You vile creatures." Den-Izen spat. "You betrayed me."
One said: "It is what you deserve."
One said: "You gave yourselves to us, and we used you as we saw fit."
"I will fight you. My kind will fight you. Mobius is ours, your time to rule it has gone." Den-Izen said.
One said: "True are time has gone. But a new time is just beginning."
One said: "As for you and your kind. You could never face us. We would incinerate you."
One said: "Mobius is ours now. The Drakon will never set foot on this planet again, we will make sure to that."
Den-Izen tried to crawl backwards, but then stopped. "I will not allow this to happen. I will stop you."
The Dragon's snarled at the Drakon as it crawled on its belly. One stepped forward, putting its huge paw down on his back.
Den-Izen struggled as the Dragon's laughing arrived in his head. "We would like to see you try." With that the Dragon snapped down and tore off the Drakon's head.
* * * *
Deep within the White Jungle found on Mobius' South-Western Continent a creature descended to the ground. Behind it followed a small ball of energy.
The Tantaragor known as The Chronicler landed and looked around, as if looking for something he had once seen.
"Release me, creature." Came a voice from inside the ball of energy. "Release me and maybe we can come to an understanding."
The voice was from Chaos, the God of Destruction, who had been reduced to his most basic of forms and was now within the ball of energy behind The Chronicler.
The Tantaragor ignored the voice and raised his hand. Instantly the ground came alive as rocks begun settle upon each other forming a structure.
"We can rule this world together." Chaos said again. "We can rule it all."
"Rule! You no nothing of the word, Chaos. All you know how to do is destroy." The Chronicler said, as the rocks came together in front of him.
"I will destroy you." Chaos muttered.
"Not likely." The Chronicler said as the structure finished forming itself in front of him. "Ah. Your home is ready, Chaos. I hope you like it, your going to be in it for a long time."
The Chronicler's eyes flared with power and suddenly Chaos was sucked inside the newly made structure.
"Noooo!" Chaos screamed as he disappeared inside.
His voice echoed around the tree's of the White Jungle for a while, before fading away.
The Chronicler walked over to the structure and stood looking over it for a while. He then raised his hand, extended a finger and placed it on the structure's surface.
For a long time nothing could be heard except the birds in the tree's and the animals of the jungle. After a sometime the Tantaragor finished what he was doing, turned around and flew off into the air.
The structure stood like a silent sentry, as it would no doubt do for many years to come, and on it's surface, scribed in a language only a few could read, and even fewer could understand, a writing burned with a fiery yellow.
In time it would shimmer and fade, but for now it sealed the structure close. While it lasted, nothing could ever open it. Nothing would ever get close enough to try.
* * * *
In the Command Room Imarac, Eading, Sheila, Greyskull, Jaysar, Amass, Guardian & Robot, Braven, Yin, Giser and Devil stood around the bed of King Pochamac.
Giser picked up the old King's hand. Though Giser had no mouth, his face still had the expression of utter sadness. And what made it worse was that there was nothing that he could do.
"I don't think he can last any longer." Giser said.
Imarac shook his head. "This is the Drakon's fault. They have caused all of this."
"They should all be made to suffer." Eading muttered.
"We cannot do a thing to them now, you all know this." Said Devil. "The reign of the Echidna is over. It has been chronicled. The Echidna on Mobius will not survive the purge of the Dragon's. Nothing can."
"So your saying that all we have left to do now is sit and wait for our turn to die." Eading spat. "I will not sit here helpless. I will fight to my last breath."
Devil smirked. "There is a way out of your apparent fate. The Drakon first came to Mobius' Aquatic Zone in ships. It is in there ships you can escape and survive."
"By running." Greyskull said. "This is our world, we cannot leave it."
"You can - and - and you must." Came a faint voice. The assembled Echidna turned to Pochamac as he lay in his bed. "The - Echidna must live - must live on."
"But King Pochamac, there must be another way!" Imarac said.
"T-there is no - other way. Y-you will do as - as I command. You will l- leave Mobius." Pochamac said faintly.
"The King has spoken." Came a voice. Everyone turned to see Mau-Evig standing in the doorway. In her arms was Prince Brightstarr. "If the King gives a command, since when has it been your duty to question it?" Mau asked, walking into the room.
Mau walked up to Giser, who took Prince Brightstarr in his arms, and smiled down on the old Echidna ruler. "The Echidna will live on, King Pochamac. I promise you this."
Pochamac smiled up at Mau. "You are - truly a - truly a blessing to my - p- people, Mau-Evig." He said. He then reached for her hand. "Save my people from - from themselves."
"I will." She said, looking over her shoulder at the assembled Echidna. "They will live on."
Pochamac smiled a warm smile. He opened his mouth to respond, but then stopped. His eyes widened as something within finally came to an end.
"Oh my." He said, then relaxed into his bed as his life passed away. The King was dead.
* * * *
Knuckles sat in the Emerald Chamber alone. Suddenly he felt something slip away. He couldn't explain it, but he knew that something bad had just happened. He could feel it.
He got out of the chair he was sitting in and looked around the Emerald Chamber. It was then that he saw it.
Half hidden in one of the many shadows in the Emerald Chamber, something stood no more than 4ft tall. From the way it sparkled he would have guessed that its body was made of solid ice.
He moved forwards a little only for it to snarl at him.
"Not the friendly type then." He said to himself. "So how did you get in here?"
The creature moved backwards a little more as Knuckles instinctually moved further forwards. "Don't worry." He said, extending a hand. "I won't hurt you."
The ice creature growled loudly as it held up a hand. It then fired a shard of ice directly at the Echidna.
Knuckles managed to move out of the way, but not quick enough, as the ice shard grazed him along his cheek.
Knuckles held a hand to his face and pulled it away to find it bloody. "I guess your out to hurt me though, eh?" Knuckles mused. "Well if its a fight you want." He said, and then launched himself forwards.
He punched the ice creature, shattering it with a single blow, only for the ice shards to instantly come back together. The creature grabbed Knuckles' hand.
It looked up at him and grinned evilly. "Ressst in iccce." The creature hissed.
Knuckles suddenly felt a sharp chill grow along his arm as, to his horror, he begun to freeze.
* * * *
Mau lay Pochamac's hand down on his chest as she cried a silent tear. She had seen so much death since getting involved with the Drakon and the Echidna. To much death.
But now she knew that if she was to do something about it, it had to be done now.
Everyone crowded around Pochamac's death bed, each to their own thoughts. Some cried, while other's coped with Pochamac's loss, who had been like a father to them all, in their own ways.
Mau slowly turned away from the dead Echidna.
She walked a little way away from the bed, before turning around to face the Echidna. "I know that the loss of your King can seem like the end for you. Maybe it has given you a new reason to hate the Drakon. Maybe there isn't a word for how your feeling. Whatever you are feeling it will have to pushed to the side. I told Pochamac that I would ensure that his people survive the coming onslaught of the Dragon's and I have always been a girl of my word."
"You can give us a minute more for pity's sake at least." Eading muttered.
"A minute more? Anymore minutes and who's to say that we won't be swarmed by the Dragon's that hunt you." Mau said. "No. Not a minute can be spared. We must leave now or not at all."
"She is right." Devil spoke up. "For all we know you all could soon be all that is left of the Echidna. You must escape. You must survive so that maybe one day you can return."
Devil gently picked up the King's body. "He will be buried by on Angel Island and his grave shall never be disturbed. This I can promise you." He said to the assembled Echidna.
"And where is it exactly we are going to go?" Greyskull groaned. "Mobius is to dangerous now."
Devil turned to Mau, then smiled. "Amass."
"Y-yes, Mr Devil. Sir." Amass said.
Devil turned back around. "Mobius is no longer safe for the Echidna, so I turn to you for their survival. Will you help them?"
"Well I-!" Amass begun as he gulped. He then looked around at the grief in the faces of the Echidna he had always called his friends. Suddenly something new burned inside him. It was courage. "I will do all that I can." He said.
"Good." Devil said. "My plan from earlier still stands. I will teleport you all to the Aquatic Ruins Zone where it will be up to you to find a Drakon ship. Before any escape can be thought about, you will all have to fly the ship, or ships, to the other Echidna cities. You must try and save all that you can. Once this is done then everything is up to you Amass."
"What do you mean up to me?"
"You will get the Echidna too the Special Zone, it is there and only there that they could possibly find a place to survive. The reason I say it's up to you is because only you know how to cross into the Special Zone without using the Mobius Ring."
"Ofcourse." Amass said. "I shall take them to the Hive, my Queen will not mind."
Imarac stood there. His face then saddened a little. "This is goodbye then."
Devil stood there. He had known some of the Echidna that stood in front of him for far to long. The had become more than friends, and now he may never see them again. "It is goodbye after all." He said sadly. "I pray that you all make it to safety, and maybe one day in the future, we will meet again."
Devil held up his hand as the tattoo on his forehead begun to glow. "Good luck." He said. There was a yellow flash and the Echidna had gone.
"May the God's be with them." Mau said silently.
Giser walked forward to Devil's side, still carrying Brightstarr, as Devil turned around to face Guardian & Robot. "And what to do with you two?" Devil said.
"I will put them to good use." Devil said. "Let us not waste anymore time. The Emerald's must be taken to Angel Island before they are discovered by the Dragon's."
Giser walked over to them. "Then let us get going."
* * * *
The Emerald Chamber was illuminated by a yellow light. It soon died down to reveal Devil, carrying Pochamac's body, Giser, Guardian & Robot , and Mau- Evig carrying the unconscious Prince Brightstarr. And behind them the Chaos Emerald's glowed softly.
Devil stepped forward. "Knuckles. Knuckles where are you?"
There was no reply.
"Knuckles!" Devil called again. But still there was no reply.
As Devil continued to call Knuckles' name, Mau walked over to the Command Chair for the Chaos Cannon. She then sat Brightstarr down in the chair, just as he begun to stir.
Brightstarr opened his eyes slowly and stared up at Mau. "W-what happened?" He muttered, rubbing his head.
"The ancient Dragon's of Mobius have returned. They have turned on the Drakon, and have begun to hunt down all the Echidna on Mobius." Mau said.
Brightstarr looked past Mau at Devil, who was still carrying Pochamac's dead body. "The King is dead, my Prince." Devil said simply.
Brightstarr got up and walked over to his dead Grandfather. As he reached him he extended his hand and stroked the old King's face. "Goodbye, Grandfather." He whispered.
"Where is everyone else?" Brightstarr asked.
"They are searching for survivors and getting them to safety." Mau said in response.
"Shouldn't you be getting back to your people, Mau? They may need you." Brightstarr said, turning to face Mau, as she stood next to the Chaos Cannon's chair.
But before Mau could even reply, Brightstarr looked straight past her and froze. There, before his eyes, stood a solid pillar of ice. And incased within was his younger brother Knuckles.
Brightstarr walked over to the ice pillar containing Knuckles. As he reached it he put his hand up and touched the ice cold surface. "No." He whispered.
Mau just closed her eyes and lowered her head. She couldn't begin to understand how Brightstarr could've been feeling now. He had lost a lot of Echidna that he had held dear, but now it was much worse than that.
It only seemed like yesterday when his Grandfather, King Pochamac, lost his brother Lord Osiris to the Drakon. Leaving his cousin, Braven Rain, an orphan at the age of eight. Brightstarr and Knuckles had tried to really become best friends with Braven, after losing his parents, little did they know that they would also suffer such a great loss.
Brightstarr closed his eyes as he remembered the day he was told that his parents, Prince Mameco & Princess Rosariean, had been killed by the Drakon. That day he would always remember. Both he and his brother took revenge straight to the Drakon on their homeworld, but the revenge did not bring back their parents.
His Aunt, Princess Tikal, was the next to go. He had been told that she had been dragged to her apparent death by a creature called Chaos.
Not long after losing Tikal, King Pochamac, his Grandfather and father figure, had died, after being impaled on a sharp rock by the God of Destruction.
Brightstarr opened his eyes and looked at his brother, frozen in a block of ice. Everything had come full circle. His sorrow was complete. He had lost everything. Tears swelled up in his eyes as he begun to cry.
Mau came up beside him. "Brightstarr. I-I don't know what to say-!" She started, but he quickly turned away from her and walked over to the Emerald Shaft, where Giser was putting the Chaos Emerald's in.
Devil came up beside Mau, as Guardian & Robot clanked past as they walked over to Knuckles. "Prince Knuckles is still alive." Robot said, as he scanned the Echidna frozen in ice. "His life signs are low, but stable."
"Will we be able to free him?" Devil asked.
"Negative." Guardian said. "Doing such a thing could cause death."
"So we have to leave him like that?" Asked Mau.
"Affirmative." Guardian said. "It is best that he is left until he thaws out naturally."
"That could take forever." Mau said.
"Then it will take forever." Brightstarr said. "At least one Echidna will survive."
Mau turned to him. His face was now filled with anger. She wasn't sure how he was taking all this, but it was clear that he had chosen to hide behind his anger for safety.
Devil sighed. "Then that is how it shall be. Giser are the Chaos Emeralds ready?"
"Yes, my old friend." Giser answered.
"Then activate the island's systems. Its time we got Angel Island back above the clouds before its to late." Devil said.
Giser turned to the Emerald Shaft computer and typed something in. Suddenly there Emeralds began to hum as their power entered the island. There was a slow rumble as the island begun to shake.
* * * *
Those who have seen the sheer size of Angel Island would never have believed that it could fly. But it can.
Angel Island rumbled as it slowly begun to ascend into the air. The waters around it begun to slush into the new space that the island left behind as it floated higher and higher into the sky.
Soon the island would be so high up that it would no longer be seen by those that lived on the planet below, and in years to come it would become a myth - a legend - told to children before they go to bed.
The Dragon's of Mobius will never know of the island, they will never discover it and destroy it. It will remain hidden for thousands of years to come.
Soon it'll even loose its name. No longer will it be known as Angel Island, the home of the Echidna. In time it will simply be known as The Floating Island.
* * * *
Giser smiled as everything checked out okay. "With the power that the Emerald's are pumping out, Angel Island could remain floating and hidden for thousands of years."
"Good." Devil said. "Now, we will leave here. There is one last thing that must be done this day."
Giser turned from the Emerald Shaft, in order to walk over to Devil, when there was an electrical surge of power from the Chaos Emeralds.
Giser turned back and started typing something into the computer. "Oh No." He said.
"What is it?" Said Brightstarr, standing beside him. "What's wrong?"
"The Chaos Emeralds! They pumping out to much power, the islands systems can't take it. It could tear the island apart." Giser shouted.
"Then eject the Emeralds." Mau shouted.
"I can't. The systems have locked me out." Giser said.
Brightstarr looked up at the Chaos Emeralds. "Then they'll have to be taken out manually." He said as he climbed up and reached into the light of the Emerald Shaft. He looked down at Giser for a second, then grasped a Chaos Emerald, and then all hell broke loose.
The power of the Chaos Emeralds exploded outwards into the Emerald Chamber. Knocking everyone backwards. But then the power went into reverse and was sucked back to wards the Emerald Shaft and into the Emeralds.
Giser was the first to get up, and sat there in shock.
Brightstarr got up next and stared at the Emerald Shaft. Everything was as it had been just a minute ago, but one thing had changed.
The power of the Chaos Emeralds was clearly beyond understanding. The power discharge had caused an unexpected outcome.
In the middle of the Emerald Shaft floated the Master Emerald, bigger than ever. And around it floated the six Chaos Emeralds. But around them floated another six Chaos Emeralds, identical to the six that floated around the Master Emerald.
"What happened?" Devil asked, as he picked Pochamac's body back up.
"The discharge must have caused the Emerald to split." Giser said. "Their are now twelve Chaos Emeralds, plus the Master Emerald."
Devil stared up at the emeralds. "Eject the six new emeralds." He said.
"What?" Brightstarr said, turning to face him.
"Six Emeralds must be ejected. There is to much power here now, and it will draw in evil." He said. "If we eject six emeralds, but still keep the original six, the Island will not be bothered, and if anyone ever comes looking for the Chaos Emeralds again, they will hunt to ones jettisoned to Mobius, leaving the ones here safe."
Giser nodded. "That will work." He said. "It will take me sometime to separate the Emeralds to be jettisoned, so you might as well get on with what you were going to do, my old friend. I will join you all when I can."
Devil nodded. "Okay then. See you then." With that there was a flash of yellow light, and he, Pochamac, Brightstarr, Mau, Guardian & Robot where gone.
* * * *
Brightstarr opened his eyes to find that he was inside a place that looked identical to the Emerald Chamber. "What is this place?" Brightstarr asked.
Devil sighed as he looked up at the dark room. "This is the center of Paradise Island, the home of my fallen people." He said, as he turned around. "And this is the power of my fallen people."
Brightstarr and Mau turned and were struck with awe. Before them stood the biggest emerald they had ever seen. It reached up out of the ground and glowed a deep rich purple.
"This is the Soul Emerald." Devil said, walking up to it.
"Wait a minute." Brightstarr said. "Your telling me that this Emerald has been here all along? We could've used this Emerald against the Drakon in the beginning. It could have stopped all this."
"No it couldn't." Devil said simply. "This Emeralds power is no longer what it used to be, and it hasn't been since the death of my kind. Its power has been lost, that is why this island cannot float anymore. Now it is little more than a conduit."
"A conduit?" Mau said, stepping forwards.
"Yes." Devil said looking over his shoulder at Mau and Brightstarr. "A conduit to the dead."
"What?" Said Brightstarr.
Devil stopped in front of the Soul Emerald and stared up at it. "For a longtime now it has had the ability. The ability to allow the souls of the fallen to make contact with the living."
"That's nonsense." Brightstarr said.
"You do not believe me, Prince Brightstarr?" Devil asked. "Then come look for yourself and tell me what it is that you see."
Brightstarr stood still for a while, before stepping forwards. He came up beside Devil and stared into the dark purple surface of the Soul Emerald.
At first he saw nothing, but then something begun to take shape. Brightstarr's eyes widened as suddenly he was staring into the eyes of his dead father.
"My God!" Brightstarr muttered, as he stumbled backwards, falling onto his back.
"Yes." Devil said. "Believe me now do you?"
As Brightstarr got back up he looked again to see that the face of his father had gone. Had it been there at all? "Why have you brought us here, Devil?"
Devil smiled down on Pochamac's body. "To say goodbye."
Brightstarr looked at Pochamac's body, as Mau came up beside him, he then once again stared at the Soul Emerald. Something begun to move once again as the Prince stared. The shapeless figure twisted and distorted until finally Brightstarr was staring into the eyes of his grandfather.
Tears begun to swell up in his eyes as his grandfather gave him a warm smile. Then his mother and father appeared either side of the King, and also smiled warmly.
"How you have grown, my son." Princess Rosariean said. "Into the strongest Echidna of them all."
"I've missed you, Mum." Brightstarr said, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I've missed you both so much."
"And we have missed you, son." Came his father, Prince Mameco's, voice. "Everyday we have missed you."
"I have lost everything." Brightstarr said through his tears. "My family is gone. I need you back with me so much. I don't know if I can go on."
"You will, because your spirit is strong." Came Pochamac's voice. "And nothing can ever bring a spirit, such as yours, to an end."
"Believe in yourself, Brightstarr. Then you will find the strength you need to carry on." His mother said. "Believe in yourself as we believe in you."
"You live so that the Echidna will never die. You will lead all that survive to safety and bring them a future. You will bring them hope." Prince Mameco said.
"You are there Champion, Brightstarr." Pochamac added, smiling at the Prince.
This seemed to hit home within the Prince's head. He looked up with a new passion in his eyes. "I will lead are people into the future." He said.
Pochamac smiled and nodded. Then something begun to loom behind him. Suddenly the King disappeared, as did Mameco and Rosariean, to be replaced by something huge.
The shapeless darkness took form, and then stared down at Brightstarr. "Hello again, Echidna."
Brightstarr looked up into the eyes of Den-Izen and gritted his teeth. "NO!" He shouted and raised his fist.
"My Prince, don't!" Devil shouted, but it was to late.
Brightstarr's fist smashed into The Soul Emerald cracking it open. Almost instantly a purple light spewed forth, as everything in the room begun to get sucked towards the Soul Emerald.
Brightstarr looked at what he had caused in horror, and tried to pull himself away from the sucking air. His eyes made contact with Mau's as he dug his knuckles into the ground.
"Help-!" He shouted above the roar of the cracked Emerald. But before Mau could say a thing in response, the ground gave way beneath and Brightstarr flew backwards, and was sucked into the Soul Emerald.
There was an explosion, and then the room went dark.
* * * *
Giser looked came running along a Zoom Tube which came out near the edge of the island. He peered over the side just as the island rumbled.
Six different coloured emeralds streaked across the sky on their downward spiral towards Mobius, which was far below by now.
Soon the island would be above the clouds, where he had programmed it to remain. It would be safe there. No one would ever think to look for it. No one knew it existed.
Giser stood there with a certain satisfaction, before finally turning away from the edge of the island. He headed for the now ruins of Megopolis City, hoping to find a Drakon ship of some sort, to take him down to Devil and Mau on Paradise Island.
As he walked he sighed to himself. Everything was finally coming to an end.
* * * *
Emerald the Chaos Champion stood on a mountain top staring at the world below, and breathed in the freeze air.
He knew that the future wasn't going to be like this for much longer, not with the Dragon's around. But that was why he was here. He was going to protect Planet Mobius against any and every evil that may come, for as long as he still have life in his body.
He was the Chaos Champion, and only he had the power of Chaos flowing through his veins now. There was nothing else like him on Mobius.
Emerald looked up as a yellow ball of energy streaked across the sky overhead.
In the wrong hands he knew that that power could be dangerous, he had seen it before. It was up to him that nothing like the God of Destruction ever came into existence again.
Emerald watched the yellow streak crash into the something just over the horizon. With a smile on his face, Emerald closed his eyes, focused and was gone in a blinding flash of green light.
* * * *
Some thirty minutes later a Drakon ship slowly landed on Paradise Island. After a while the ship opened up and Giser jumped out.
He looked this way and that, but stopped when he sensed something emerging from the cavern to his left. He turned to see Devil and Mau walking out.
"Where is Brightstarr?" Giser said, as he ran over.
"Gone." Devil said.
"Gone, but how?" Giser asked.
"He was sucked inside the Soul Emerald. He is lost to us now." Devil muttered.
Giser looked beside Devil at Mau, to see a tear roll down her cheek. "Is there nothing we can do?"
"No!" Devil said. "All that we can do now is take her back to her people, before leaving this world ourselves."
"Leave, but where would you go?" Mau asked.
"Does it matter?" Devil rallied. "We will leave. Maybe we'll check on the Echidna that survived, before disappearing ourselves."
Devil looked straight up at the sky and sighed. "The Echidna Empire has finished. The Drakon have been beaten. Now is the time of the Dragon's."
Mau looked down at her feet, then up at Giser. "Then I shall return to my people and do what I can to help them survive the coming dark ages."
Giser nodded, helping her into the Drakon ship. He then jumped in himself and turned to look at Devil. "I will return her to her kind, and return within the hour." He said.
Devil nodded and smiled halfheartedly as the cockpit lowered and the ship ascended into the sky. He then watch the ship fly off over the sea that surrounded Paradise Island.
Devil stood there for a long while. He then fell to his knee's and looked to the skies. "The Echidna are dead, just like my race before them. But some survived. Hopefully they will be strong as they close the door behind them and fly off into the stars. I hope they find peace." Devil uttered, he then closed his eyes and lowered his head. "So ends and era." He muttered, and begun to cry.
~*The End*~
Okay, it's official. 'The War of the Worlds' is finally finished. What an epic it was to write.
All I can say is that I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any other questions about the story feel free to ask me, either in a comment, or in a e-mail, and I will be more than happy to respond and answer your questions.
Well, before I go I have to send out my thank you's for this story. Didn't think I could do it by myself now did you. I had help here and there.
Thanks to Writers:
Matrix the Hedgehog for the lone of his characters, Braven Rain, Yin Star Ophir, Alonzo Ophir and Lord Osiris (the brother of King Pochamac).
Mau-Evig for the use of her character of the same name. She also wrote the battle scene between the powered up Mau-Evig and the Drakon Emperor, Den- Izen. Hats off to you.
One of my friends on my 'Tales of the Echidna' site for the creation of lone of his character the Echidna known as Greyskull (sorry, I forgotten your name).
To Kiara Neko for the lone of her character, the sinister Midnight. Boy he was great to use. Hope I captured his personality just right, Kiara.
Also a big thanks to STC for creating such a great Sonic-World for me to base this story in.
Okay then. See you all around. The Dark Rose.
In his prouder moments Pochamac forged a kingdom that all other kingdoms aspired to be like. He made alliances between race that had been warring for decades, and he gained friendships that would've last him a lifetime.
But now all that has been reduced to nothing. With the coming of the God of Destruction, as well as the return to the Dragon's of Mobius, Pochamac's proud kingdom has fallen. It has been defeated and in the years to come it shall be nothing more than a deserted and ruined tomb to a forgotten race.
Pochamac's city shall not be the last Echidna city to fall, as others will suffer the same fate, but with the demise of Megopolis City and King Pochamac, the heart of the Echidna Empire, the rest of the Echidna race will slip into a cold sadness as it grieves such a great loss.
With the death of King Pochamac, Planet Mobius will fall to the might of the Dragon's.
* * * *
The God of Destruction flew backwards through a deserted building. As rubble fell on him he grew angry. He was Chaos, the God of Destruction, the most powerful creature on the planet, and he was being beaten up by mortal's.
He got up growling to himself. His eyes glowed a bright green. "You fools are going to die." He shouted. "You hear me? I'm going to kill you all!"
Knuckles stood next to Brightstarr as Chaos emerged from the hole in the building and smiled up at the God of Destruction. "I think he's angry."
Brightstarr stared up at Chaos. "I would be if I was him. Being defeated by a couple of Mobians and all."
Chaos roared and swung a fist at the two brothers. They got out of the way easily, sprung up, fists tightened, and punched him in both sides of his head at the same time.
Chaos reared backwards in pain. He swung his hand at the Echidna as he walked backwards.
Den-Izen held out his staff as it crackled with power, and fired at Chaos. The blast hit him straight in the gut, causing the God of Destruction to fall to his knees.
"Your - going to - die." He muttered, supporting himself on the ground.
Brightstarr smiled to himself. "Nothing would be better than to see you try and live up to your threats." With that Brightstarr punched Chaos in his gut where Den-Izen had shot him, adding to the pain. "You've killed to many this day, Chaos. To many. And now, now you will face judgment."
Brightstarr then punched Chaos around the face.
* * * *
There was once a great city on Planet Mobius, the greatest city, greater than even Megopolis City.
It was created by a magical race called the Tantaragor for the ancient Dragons of Mobius centuries ago when they ruled the planet.
A great war was raged in the great city and its original inhabitants, the Dragons, were banished from it, and sealed in another dimension. With the Dragons gone the new race, the Echidna, migrated in, forging the city into one of the two greatest cities in their growing Empire.
Over the centuries, as the tale was told and retold again, the cities original name was lost, as it begun to resemble the appearance of its new inhabitants. Thinking of nothing else to call it, the Echidna simply named it the Lost World. In some small way it seemed fitting.
Though the Dragons had been forced out of the city by the Echidna when they had arrived, one of the original inhabitants of the city was allowed to remain.
He was neither Dragon nor Echidna. He was of the race called the Tantaragor, also known as the golden heretics. Though his race were feared on Mobius, for their Godly powers, he was unlike any other member of his race. He did not seek control or to taunt and play with lesser creatures.
He had held no grudge towards either Dragon or Echidna as he didn't exist to choose sides. He existed for a far greater purpose.
Deep within the ancient catacombs that can be found beneath the city he existed.
When the Echidna had found him they had been amazed at what was his life's work, and over the years they begun to respect him.
He had no name, no name that the Echidna would understand, and so they named him The Chronicler. Eternally compelled to capture on stone every turning point in the history of Planet Mobius, as he glimpsed the future piece by unfathomable piece.
He was a tall creature, just like all of his race, and easily stood taller than an Echidna. His body was golden-orange and long. His Jackal head stared at the picture he had drawn as his eyes flashed with power. The Chronicler's slender, but old, left hand ran along the surface of the stone.
He then placed his finger on the stone wall and slowly drew out something. When he had finished he stood back and surveyed his newest work.
In the all centuries he had been drawing his pictures he had never stopped for to long as he didn't need to eat, drink or sleep. But what he had drawn now interested him. It intrigued him.
It was the a picture of some of the greatest cities on Mobius burning in flames, and in the skies above them where Dragons.
"What brings you to my domain, Devil of the Fallen Cherub?" The Chronicler asked, not turning around.
Devil gritted his teeth. He hadn't wanted to come here, to ask the Tantaragor for his help, but he knew that he was the only creature that could truly stop Chaos. "I will not bother to tell you, Chronicler, as you knew before I even knew myself. You are The Chronicler. You know all."
Devil stepped forward a little. "Nor will I pretend to like you, Chronicler, not after what your race did to mine. If you do not want to help me then I shall leave."
The Chronicler stood still for a long while. He then turned his Jackal head around to look at Devil. "I still do not know why you hate me as you do, Devil of the Fallen Cherub."
"You Tantaragor killed my race. You Tantaragor destroyed us without mercy and without passion." Devil growled. "You Tantaragor obliterated the Cherub and left as though you hadn't done anything wrong."
"You are right in one thing, Devil of the Fallen Cherub. It was my race that did this unforgivable deed. But it was not I that left you the sole survivor of your race." The Chronicler said.
"And you think that makes it okay. Your race are the most hated and feared race on this planet, because of your power. You are like Gods compared to the rest of us, but you act as though you are nothing more than spoilt children." Devil spat in disgust. "So you say you had nothing to do with the rest of your race, do you want a praise? All you've done is stay down here in your little hole and scribble on walls for centuries. If you disagreed with your race at all why have you never stood up to them? You see everything before it happens but you never do anything except stand and watch."
"And what would you have me do, Devil of the Fallen Cherub?" The Chronicler said, turning to face Devil, his eyes radiating power. "I cannot change the past."
"But you've seen the future. You know what can be done to change it." Devil said. He then looked at the wall next to The Chronicler. "Don't you think its about time you joined in on the greatest story you've ever drawn?"
The Chronicler stood there staring at Devil. He then turned and looked at the picture he had drawn.
"You can stop the God of Destruction." Devil muttered.
"And what good would that do the Echidna? The Dragon's of Mobius have returned. They have multiplied and are many. They will hunt every last Echidna until none are left on Mobius." The Chronicler said, lowering his head. "I have seen it happen." He added.
"You have watched the Echidna since they first came to power, Chronicler. So you of all people should know that they are a race of warriors like nothing before them, and nothing that will ever come after." Devil said. He put his hand on the wall and looked at the drawing of the city burned by the breath of the Dragon's.
"What are you asking of me, Devil of the Fallen Cherub?"
"I'm asking that you forget the future you have seen. I'm asking that you help in defeating Chaos." Devil asked.
"The Dragon's of Mobius will still be a threat. They will hunt the Echidna to their last member falls." The Chronicler said.
"If that is there fate, then so be it. At least they will fight the Dragon's right until the end."
The Chronicler stood silent for a while. He then looked at the picture he had drawn. His eyes sparked as he turned back to Devil.
"No Tantaragor has ever done anything for this world. The Cherub died because of the Tantaragor." The Chronicler muttered.
Devil smiled. "But the Echidna could live because of you."
* * * *
Chaos, God of Destruction, roared in frustration.
The Echidna brothers were wearing him down, slowly but surely.
He swatted Brightstarr away, only for Knuckles to rear up and deliver a blow to the God of Destruction's upper torso, adding to the pain he felt all over.
He was losing. He knew as did they. With every passing moment he became less and less powerful as he had been, as his power worked overtime healing his wounds, stripping him of his strength.
Brightstarr stood and stared at the weakened God of Destruction as his brother came up beside him. The Drakon Emperor Den-Izen sneered loudly from behind them.
"Chaos is defeated, we must finish this once and for all now before he has time to recover." Den-Izen said, his staff crackling with energy.
"The Drakon's right." Mau said. "We can finish this right now once and for all."
Before Brightstarr or Knuckles could even say anything in response there was a flash from behind.
"None of you have the power, or the right, to judge Chaos." Came a voice from behind. "He is as far beyond you as I am as far beyond him."
Brightstarr, Knuckles, Mau and Den-Izen turned to see a long golden creature staring down on them. Beside the creature stood Devil, his wings folded behind his back tightly.
"Who-?" Den-Izen begun, but fell silent as The Chronicler stared at him.
"I am The Chronicler, a member of the race called the Tantaragor. And I have come to stop Chaos."
Chaos looked down on The Chronicler. "You - you cannot stop - me." He said. "I am a - God."
The Chronicler held out his hand and smiled. "So am I."
With that his power erupted from his hand and teared into Chaos. The God of Destruction roared in agony.
"What are you - doing to - me?" Chaos roared.
"You thrive off chaos energy, as you are a chaotic creature. That is why absorbed five of the Chaos Emeralds. Though your powers are near depleted now, in time you will rise again as long as your have those Emeralds within you to recharge you." The Chronicler said.
"That is why he must be destroyed now." Den-Izen said.
"He can be destroyed can't he?" Asked Knuckles.
"He is not as immortal as he would have you believe. Yes he can be destroyed, but he has time set out for him and it is not know." The Chronicler said. "His time to die is not know, but I will do one thing."
The Chronicler clenched his fist and pulled it back towards him, as he did so out of Chaos came the Chaos Emeralds he had absorbed. They flew threw the air and landed next to Den-Izen.
"And now, Chaos, I will take you to be imprisoned where no one can ever find you." With that The Chronicler rose into the air. The God of Destruction roared as he shrank in size, back to his first stage. A bubble of energy then surrounded him which then rose up beside The Chronicler.
Knuckles and Brightstarr looked up at The Chronicler. "You can't imprison him, he has to be destroyed so that his evil cannot plague this world ever again."
The Chronicler smiled down on the Echidna. "I have seen the future, and unfortunately he is a part of it. But if it brings any comfort I will tell you that he will eventually meet death. From that he has no escape." The Chronicler then turned and looked down on Devil and smiled.
"So you knew that it was going to turn out this way?" Devil said, as he looked up.
"No." The Chronicler said simply. "But I had an idea that it would. Goodbye, Devil of the Fallen Cherub. I hope that I have proven to you that at least one Tantaragor in this world has a pure heart."
With that The Chronicler few off into the sky. The energy ball containing the completely drained Chaos spun in the air for a second, before shooting off after the Tantaragor. There was a spark as they disappeared out of view and it was all over.
Knuckles, Brightstarr and Mau stood watching the sky. They then turned to face Devil. "He will make sure Chaos is properly imprisoned, will he Devil." Asked Knuckles.
"I believe he will." Devil said.
"I would have preferred if he had been destroyed." Mau said.
"His future is all ready written out for him, Mau." Devil said. "And who are we to mess with the future?"
Knuckles sighed to himself as he walked over to the hedgehog that had been stricken down by Chaos. The hedgehog was sitting upright against a wall.
As he approached it looked up at him and Knuckles' eyes met its own emerald green eyes.
"My God." Knuckles said. "The eyes of the Chaos Champion."
"What was that?" Asked Brightstarr. "Is the hedgehog okay?"
The hedgehog just stared up at Knuckles. Its emerald green eyes sparkled in the light. "He's okay." Knuckles said simply.
Behind Knuckles, Brightstarr sat down. The exhaustion finally catching up with him. "Good."
"You okay, Brightstarr?" Asked Knuckles, turning to look at his brother.
"I shall be soon." Brightstarr. "It's finally over." He sighed.
"It is far from over." Devil said quickly. "The Dragon's of Mobius are hunting us as we speak. They must be stopped. If anything it has just begun."
Brightstarr shook his head. "And how can we defeat an army of Dragon's? By now we may be all that is left."
"The Chaos Emeralds." Mau spoke up. "The Dragon's do not know of their existence, and if they do then they do not care for them at all or they would have killed Chaos themselves."
"What are suggesting, Mau?" Devil asked.
"I'm suggesting we use the power of the Chaos Emeralds to defeat the Dragon's of Mobius."
Brightstarr looked up at Mau from where he sat and smiled. "She's onto something. We can use the Emeralds to defeat the Dragon's. There is endless power in those Emeralds-!"
Brightstarr then stopped dead. "Where are the Chaos Emeralds?" He said. "And where is Den-Izen?" He asked again, getting up.
"The bastard has gone off with the Chaos Emeralds!" Knuckles said, turning away from the hedgehog.
Brightstarr gritted his teeth. "Den-Izen, you bastard! Where are you?"
"Ha Ha! Not that far at all." Came a voice from behind them.
Everyone turned to see the Drakon Emperor, at least what had been the Drakon Emperor. Now he was a power house of Chaos Energy.
"I have something to confess." Den-Izen said. "This body was especially designed to absorb chaos energy, that is why I came to Mobius. I wanted to absorb the power of the Chaos Emeralds and use their power to destroy you." He said as he smiled.
He raised his hands as raw chaos energy rose out of the Chaos Emerald that lay at his feet. His eyes begun to glow with power. "My power is now unmentionable by any creature of Mobius, since you defeated Chaos for me."
"You bastard!" Brightstarr shouted as he launched himself at Den-Izen. "I'm going to rip you limb from limb."
Den-Izen raised a hand and blasted Brightstarr with a blast, sending him flying backwards. "I don't think that will be happening today, Echidna."
Knuckles took one last look at the hedgehog, then turned to face Den-Izen. He then ran at the Drakon. Den-Izen raised his hand again, ready to blast Knuckles as he did his brother, but was attacked from above.
Devil fired again on the Drakon Emperor, knocking him forwards. He then swooped down, avoiding a blast from the Drakon, and grabbed Knuckles. "Your brother can handle him. We must get back to the Emerald Chamber with the Chaos Emeralds."
Devil raised a hand and the Chaos Emeralds swooped into the air and towards Devil. There was a flash of yellow light and he, Knuckles and the Chaos Emeralds where gone.
Den-Izen looked up and smiled. "You think you can keep me away from the Emeralds. I will find them. They will be mine." He then looked at Brightstarr. "And none of you can stand in my way."
A ball of magic flew into Den-Izen, exploding on impact but hardly doing any damage. "Ah yes. The Cat. Mau wasn't it? Want to die as well do you?"
"You will not win, Drakon. You will be defeated."
"Who by? You! I don't think so, if that was the best you could do." Den- Izen then raised his hand. "And from now on my name is no longer Den-Izen. Now and forever more I am the Master Drakon." With that he fired at Mau.
* * * *
Devil and Knuckles appeared inside the Emerald Chamber. The five Chaos Emeralds also appeared, falling to the ground.
"What's your plan?" Knuckles asked.
"I'm going to use the emeralds to make Angel Island once again into a Floating Island. Its the only way to be safe from the Dragon's. They will not look for you here as they will not know of the Islands existence."
"Can that be done?" Knuckles asked, looking at the Emerald Shaft.
"Yes it can, but first I must get Giser, the Blue Chaos Emerald and the Master Emerald. I will be back." With that he disappeared.
Knuckles stood there by himself. For a split second he felt as though it was something he would be doing a lot of in the future.
He walked over to the seat of the Chaos Cannon and sat down in it and waited. In the shadows behind him something cold moved as it watched the red Echidna.
* * * *
Mau jumped backwards as Den-Izen, the Master Drakon, fired shots at her.
"Your a nimble little thing aren't you." Den-Izen said as he fired again, then stopped.
"I think your find that she's not the only one." Brightstarr said from behind. Den-Izen turned to receive a face full of Brightstarr's fist. "Who's a nimble little thing."
Den-Izen stumbled backwards, but didn't fall over. He wiped his mouth with his hand and grinned. "Good solid punch you got there." He said. "I wont ask how you got behind me, as I really don't care. What I will ask is how hard you can be hit before you fall down and can't get back up?"
The Drakon struck Brightstarr with all of his might. Brightstarr fell backwards as rich deep blood poured from his mouth. "Well that wasn't long." Den-Izen said, kicking Brightstarr in the face.
Brightstarr spat out blood and coughed. "I'm not down and out yet, Drakon."
"Oh but you will be." With that Den-Izen punched Brightstarr repeatedly. Brightstarr squirmed as he took slash after slash of the aggressive Drakon's power.
Mau-Evig watched as Brightstarr was ruthlessly beaten before her eyes. She went to step forward when something flew over above her. She looked upwards to see three Dragon's circling like Vulture's. Waiting for their turn to pounce.
Mau looked back at Den-Izen with the sound of a cry from Brightstarr. But before she could help him the Dragon's landed with a thud in front of her.
A voice arrived in her head. "You will leave here, Mobian. Our quarrel is not with you. But with the Drakon and the Echidna. They will both die."
"But the Echidna is my friend." Mau said.
"Not for much longer." Came the Dragon's voice again. "Leave."
"No!" She said and made a dash for Brightstarr and Den-Izen, but a Dragon snapped its jaw shut in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.
While Mau was normally fast enough to outmaneuver these Dragons, she was stricken by the horror of her close friend Brightstarr being beaten so easily to the ground and she couldn't get to him.
Again one of three Dragon's blocked her path, this time snarling at her. No matter how fast she moved she couldn't escape from the constant attacks of the Dragons.
Mau stopped in her tracks, once again stopped by a Dragon, and stared up at the ancient creature. She closed her eyes and tried to draw energy from the planet below her as all of her kind had been trained to do from a young.
Perhaps with that energy, she could use it to summon a powerful Fravashir - a guardian Spirit - to deal with Den-Izen. But then a Dragon whipped at her with its tail, breaking her concentration.
She wouldn't be able to focus her energy with these Dragons detracting her.
She darted backwards, getting some distance between her and the Dragon's and then begun gathering more and more energy as her anger and frustration begun to build inside her at the thought that she could not get to Brightstarr.
Was this it? She thought to herself, as one of the three Dragons lumbered over. Brightstarr can't fight Den-Izen on his own. He's losing because he's exhausted. He's getting hurt.
Tears began to edge their way forward, as the burning anger deep within her begun to build up more and more, fueling the young Siamese Cat's energy.
Mau had always relied on fighting with her agility and her natural abilities, but now the power she had tapped into inside her was growing. Time seemed to collapse as everything seemingly grew quiet, sweat slowly poured dripped to the ground. She closed her eyes as the anger within her met the growing power and merged.
There was nothing. Not a sound at all except the beating of her heart. Then a final scream erupted into her hearing as Brightstarr was finally stricken unconscious.
Mau's eyes opened as the tears forced themselves through like a water fall. She looked past the approaching Dragon to see Den-Izen, now facing off against the other two Dragon's, and behind him lay Brightstarr's unmoving body.
"Brightstarr-!" She gasped.
The young Echidna's fur, that had once flushed a vibrant yellow like the Sun above, was now a dim blood stained orange, like a dying sunset.
"No! Noooo!" She cried as the Dragon closed in and made a lung at her. She jumped out of the way and kicked the Dragon hard in its eye.
The Dragon reared its head backwards in pain then rocked it back forward and spat out flames. Mau avoided the flames, completely fixed on Brightstarr.
She kicked the Dragon again and ran at Den-Izen. "What did you do to him?"
She was almost there when one of the two Dragon's smacked her with its tail, knocking her to the ground. She fell to her knee's but was then forced to the ground as the Dragon put its paw on her back. It snarled at her as fire begun to bubble in its throat.
Mau looked ahead of her at Brightstarr. She was so close to him, but wasn't close enough. "Get off me!" She yelled as she struggled to break free of the Dragon's hold on her.
"I WILL NEVER FORGIVE!" She screamed, just as the Dragon was about the burn her to a crisp.
A soft light began to emit from Mau as she looked up at the Dragon that had her pinned down.
Before the Dragon could do anything he was blasted by the tremendous power that was emitting from Mau.
"How dare you stop me from helping him." Her voice was now cold and emotionless. "None of you will ever stop me again."
Suddenly the ground began to shake as Mau's rage and fury grow to such an extent that power was flowing into her from the very ground were she stood.
Her eyes flashed with power as the ground begun to split beneath her, creating a large hole in the earth. The power of the planet itself was focusing within her. A blinding flash of white light engulfed the surrounding area.
When it died down Mau-Evig had transformed.
The Dragons took flight preferring not to get in the way of the powerful Cat, leaving only the Drakon Master, Den-Izen, to face the Mobian.
Den-Izen smiled as he noted the physical outlook of this new form the Cat called Mau had taken.
Her beautiful eyes, which once sparkled like the Oceans of Mobius, now had a fearsome yellow glow of the vengeance as well as a coldness about them. Her brown hair was now a vibrant shade of silver, which now reached upwards, with matching silver points on her ears. And Her once peach fur had become as white as the winter flakes.
She starred at him with a look of bitter vengeance.
"Well now. Isn't this interesting." Den-Izen laughed. "It seems as if the Cat has transformed, but not with the power of the Chaos Emeralds. That would be truly impossible." He muttered. "I take it you want to be the next to perish."
Mau looked at Brightstarr. He was still breathing, but he was weak. He wouldn't survive another attack. Mau's attention then turned to Den-Izen. "Enough talk." She said simply, getting into a fighting stance.
"Anxious to die are we?" Den-Izen smirked. Though he looked at her without fear, he was curious to understand her power. Maybe he could control that as well. "The energy you possess." He begun. "It is different from the power of Chaos, I can feel that much. But it will not help you. I can sense that the energy I possess is far superior to your own. What chance do you have against me when your friend here couldn't even lay a finger on me? What can your supped up magic tricks do against me?"
"You are wrong Drakon scum." Mau said in a bitter tone. "The energy you possess is only more potent, but my Life energy is from the planet itself. It is more pure, and while it requires more energy to equal the power the Chaos Emeralds, Life energy has the same potential when used properly."
Mau held out a hand and a ball of pure energy spawned in her hand. "It takes more, but the results are far greater than anything you could ever do." She closed her hand and the energy ball disappeared. "But I'm not here to discuss what type of energy is superior. I am here to bring an end to your evil, Drakon."
Den-Izen stood there, then smiled and bowed. "Take your best shot."
* * * *
The hedgehog that had been stricken by Chaos sat bewildered against a wall. Before this day it had had a simply life as a cherished servant to a family of Echidna.
It did not know how to read. Nor could it write or even speak. It was intelligent as all the other lesser races on Mobius.
But that had been before Chaos.
For the first time in its life the hedgehog knew something wasn't as it should be. Its body was changing - evolving - a molecule at a time.
All ready its eyes had changed to their emerald green state, and they would be the last change now that Chaos energy flowed within the Mobians veins.
The hedgehog looked up at the battle that progressed in front of it. It didn't know why but it could sense the power of the two creature's. One of the energies was, as far as it could tell, almost identical to its own. While the other seemed less chaotic and more pure than the first.
The emerald eyed hedgehog got to its feet and suddenly realized that all the pain in its body it had felt earlier had subsided. Its body had healed itself.
"How has this happened?" The hedgehog muttered, and startled itself at the sound of its own voice. It had never been able to talk before now. What was happening to it?
The hedgehog raised its hands in front of it as if horrified by itself. "What is happening to me?"
There was a roar from the fight between the two creatures of opposing energy which caused him to look up. He watched the creature of Chaos - yes that was what is was called - Chaos energy attacking the pure energy creature.
Suddenly he remembered what the Echidna had said to him before. "The Chaos Champion." He muttered. "He had called me the Chaos Champion."
His eyes instantly narrowed as he stared at the two creatures in front of him. "I know what must be done." He said, and walked over to the fighting animals.
* * * *
Den-Izen flew backwards as he took to full force of a energy blast from Mau. As Mau flew at him he raised a hand to punch her but was greeted by another blast of pure Life energy.
Somehow each time he was hit by one of her blasts his body went limp for a few seconds. It was if her power neutralised his own every time it made contact.
Den-Izen stood up and launched himself at Mau, who managed to let off a few blasts as he did so. Den-Izen dodged around them and clenched his fist. Pain screamed at Mau inside her head as she was punched around the face.
Mau clenched her fist and returned the blow but was shocked to find Den- Izen still standing.
Den-Izen then attacked causing Mau to parry his attacks.
Den-Izen delivered a final blow that sent Mau scatting backwards along the ground. He stared at her, before grinning evilly. "I'm going to ram you into the dirt, and then I'm going to do the same to the Echidna."
Den-Izen shot forwards and grabbed Mau around the throat before she could even so much as move. "Life energy. Pah! What a joke." He said as he stared into her eyes.
Den-Izen pulled back his hand. Ready to deliver the final blow. He drew from all the chaotic energy that flowed through him and swung.
Mau closed her eyes, uncertain whether this was it or not. But the final blow never came. She slowly opened an eye to see what was happening.
What she saw was Den-Izen's arm being held in place by a hedgehog. Den-Izen was growling as he struggled to get out of the hedgehog's grasp, but all the hedgehog was doing was staring at Den-Izen with two emerald green eyes.
Den-Izen dropped Mau, and before she had even hit the floor his hand was headed for a collision course with the hedgehog.
There was a flash of light as sparks flew from the impact. As Mau once again opened her eyes she was that the hedgehog was now holding both of the Drakon's arms in place and hardly breaking a sweat.
"How dare you." Den-Izen muttered as he struggled in the hedgehog's iron grip.
The hedgehog stared at Den-Izen, then smiled. His eyes exploded with power, sending Den-Izen hurtling backwards and into a wall.
With the Drakon now out of the way, the hedgehog turned his attention to Mau who was still sitting on the floor. His emerald green eyes met her fiery yellow eyes. He extended a hand. "Are you okay?"
Mau took his hand. "Your the hedgehog Chaos struck down. I thought you were dead."
"I have been reborn." He said, smiling gently. "Reborn with the blood of Chaos!"
Mau just stood there. "You helped me. But Chaos energy flows through your blood. You should be as evil as the Drakon."
"Is he evil?" The hedgehog said, pointing at Brightstarr's unconscious body.
"Well- No! But he is-!" Mau begun.
"If he evil not evil, and he has chaos in his blood, then neither am I evil." He said cutting her off. "And I have name."
There was a roar from Den-Izen as he stood up. "Do tell it to us, Mobian. So that I can engrave it of your heart."
"My name is Emerald, and I am the Chaos Champion." Emerald said. "I cannot be beaten as my blood flows with the power of the God of Destruction himself. You are nothing compared to me."
"I am Everything!" Den-Izen shouted as he ran at the newly appointed Emerald.
Drakon swung a punch at Emerald, who ducked under it with ease. He then grabbed Den-Izen and pulled him down, brining his knee up into his gut.
He then punched the Drakon in the chest, ripping it open and exposing the wires inside. Emeralds eyes then buzzed with power again as two red beams fired straight into the Drakon's robotic body, tearing right the way through, and bursting out of the other side.
Den-Izen staggered backwards, holding his robotic wound. He then collapsed onto his back. "H-How?" He muttered.
Emerald came and stood over him. "I am the Chaos Champion." He then looked upwards at the Dragon's that had landed on the tops of the buildings. "Looks like they want to have a word." He then looked back down at Den- Izen. "Goodbye Drakon."
Emerald turned to Mau. "You should leave now."
Mau turned to Brightstarr. "We have to take him as well."
Emerald walked over to Brightstarr, bent down and scooped him up into his arms. He then walked over to Mau and handed him over. "Now you must leave."
Mau nodded, turned and ran. But then stopped. "What about you?"
Emerald looked up at the Dragon's. "My place is with no one, yet my purpose is to protect all. I will not follow you, but I will watch over you, and everyone one else on this planet."
"You can come with me. We could use your skill." Mau said.
"I told you my place is nowhere but everywhere. In the time that is coming, the time of the Dragon's, I will strive to protect Mobius." Emerald turned back to Mau. "I am the great champion to all those that cannot protect themselves. I am the Chaos Champion. I will forever protect Planet Mobius. Now go!"
The last part hadn't been a request, it was an order, and she found that she could not disobey it. Pulling Brightstarr a little closer to her, she turned and ran off in the direction of the Royal Palace.
Emerald watched her from behind until she disappeared behind some buildings. He once again looked up at the Dragon's as they begun to spread their wings.
"You can't leave me." Den-Izen shouted, from behind.
Emerald looked back down at him. He then closed his eyes and tapped into the power with him and disappeared into a bright flash of green light.
Den-Izen still had strength left enough to move and rolled over onto his front. He crawled forwards a little when suddenly there was a thud from behind.
Before he could even turn around there were two more thuds from in front of him. He looked up into the face of two Dragon's.
"You vile creatures." Den-Izen spat. "You betrayed me."
One said: "It is what you deserve."
One said: "You gave yourselves to us, and we used you as we saw fit."
"I will fight you. My kind will fight you. Mobius is ours, your time to rule it has gone." Den-Izen said.
One said: "True are time has gone. But a new time is just beginning."
One said: "As for you and your kind. You could never face us. We would incinerate you."
One said: "Mobius is ours now. The Drakon will never set foot on this planet again, we will make sure to that."
Den-Izen tried to crawl backwards, but then stopped. "I will not allow this to happen. I will stop you."
The Dragon's snarled at the Drakon as it crawled on its belly. One stepped forward, putting its huge paw down on his back.
Den-Izen struggled as the Dragon's laughing arrived in his head. "We would like to see you try." With that the Dragon snapped down and tore off the Drakon's head.
* * * *
Deep within the White Jungle found on Mobius' South-Western Continent a creature descended to the ground. Behind it followed a small ball of energy.
The Tantaragor known as The Chronicler landed and looked around, as if looking for something he had once seen.
"Release me, creature." Came a voice from inside the ball of energy. "Release me and maybe we can come to an understanding."
The voice was from Chaos, the God of Destruction, who had been reduced to his most basic of forms and was now within the ball of energy behind The Chronicler.
The Tantaragor ignored the voice and raised his hand. Instantly the ground came alive as rocks begun settle upon each other forming a structure.
"We can rule this world together." Chaos said again. "We can rule it all."
"Rule! You no nothing of the word, Chaos. All you know how to do is destroy." The Chronicler said, as the rocks came together in front of him.
"I will destroy you." Chaos muttered.
"Not likely." The Chronicler said as the structure finished forming itself in front of him. "Ah. Your home is ready, Chaos. I hope you like it, your going to be in it for a long time."
The Chronicler's eyes flared with power and suddenly Chaos was sucked inside the newly made structure.
"Noooo!" Chaos screamed as he disappeared inside.
His voice echoed around the tree's of the White Jungle for a while, before fading away.
The Chronicler walked over to the structure and stood looking over it for a while. He then raised his hand, extended a finger and placed it on the structure's surface.
For a long time nothing could be heard except the birds in the tree's and the animals of the jungle. After a sometime the Tantaragor finished what he was doing, turned around and flew off into the air.
The structure stood like a silent sentry, as it would no doubt do for many years to come, and on it's surface, scribed in a language only a few could read, and even fewer could understand, a writing burned with a fiery yellow.
In time it would shimmer and fade, but for now it sealed the structure close. While it lasted, nothing could ever open it. Nothing would ever get close enough to try.
* * * *
In the Command Room Imarac, Eading, Sheila, Greyskull, Jaysar, Amass, Guardian & Robot, Braven, Yin, Giser and Devil stood around the bed of King Pochamac.
Giser picked up the old King's hand. Though Giser had no mouth, his face still had the expression of utter sadness. And what made it worse was that there was nothing that he could do.
"I don't think he can last any longer." Giser said.
Imarac shook his head. "This is the Drakon's fault. They have caused all of this."
"They should all be made to suffer." Eading muttered.
"We cannot do a thing to them now, you all know this." Said Devil. "The reign of the Echidna is over. It has been chronicled. The Echidna on Mobius will not survive the purge of the Dragon's. Nothing can."
"So your saying that all we have left to do now is sit and wait for our turn to die." Eading spat. "I will not sit here helpless. I will fight to my last breath."
Devil smirked. "There is a way out of your apparent fate. The Drakon first came to Mobius' Aquatic Zone in ships. It is in there ships you can escape and survive."
"By running." Greyskull said. "This is our world, we cannot leave it."
"You can - and - and you must." Came a faint voice. The assembled Echidna turned to Pochamac as he lay in his bed. "The - Echidna must live - must live on."
"But King Pochamac, there must be another way!" Imarac said.
"T-there is no - other way. Y-you will do as - as I command. You will l- leave Mobius." Pochamac said faintly.
"The King has spoken." Came a voice. Everyone turned to see Mau-Evig standing in the doorway. In her arms was Prince Brightstarr. "If the King gives a command, since when has it been your duty to question it?" Mau asked, walking into the room.
Mau walked up to Giser, who took Prince Brightstarr in his arms, and smiled down on the old Echidna ruler. "The Echidna will live on, King Pochamac. I promise you this."
Pochamac smiled up at Mau. "You are - truly a - truly a blessing to my - p- people, Mau-Evig." He said. He then reached for her hand. "Save my people from - from themselves."
"I will." She said, looking over her shoulder at the assembled Echidna. "They will live on."
Pochamac smiled a warm smile. He opened his mouth to respond, but then stopped. His eyes widened as something within finally came to an end.
"Oh my." He said, then relaxed into his bed as his life passed away. The King was dead.
* * * *
Knuckles sat in the Emerald Chamber alone. Suddenly he felt something slip away. He couldn't explain it, but he knew that something bad had just happened. He could feel it.
He got out of the chair he was sitting in and looked around the Emerald Chamber. It was then that he saw it.
Half hidden in one of the many shadows in the Emerald Chamber, something stood no more than 4ft tall. From the way it sparkled he would have guessed that its body was made of solid ice.
He moved forwards a little only for it to snarl at him.
"Not the friendly type then." He said to himself. "So how did you get in here?"
The creature moved backwards a little more as Knuckles instinctually moved further forwards. "Don't worry." He said, extending a hand. "I won't hurt you."
The ice creature growled loudly as it held up a hand. It then fired a shard of ice directly at the Echidna.
Knuckles managed to move out of the way, but not quick enough, as the ice shard grazed him along his cheek.
Knuckles held a hand to his face and pulled it away to find it bloody. "I guess your out to hurt me though, eh?" Knuckles mused. "Well if its a fight you want." He said, and then launched himself forwards.
He punched the ice creature, shattering it with a single blow, only for the ice shards to instantly come back together. The creature grabbed Knuckles' hand.
It looked up at him and grinned evilly. "Ressst in iccce." The creature hissed.
Knuckles suddenly felt a sharp chill grow along his arm as, to his horror, he begun to freeze.
* * * *
Mau lay Pochamac's hand down on his chest as she cried a silent tear. She had seen so much death since getting involved with the Drakon and the Echidna. To much death.
But now she knew that if she was to do something about it, it had to be done now.
Everyone crowded around Pochamac's death bed, each to their own thoughts. Some cried, while other's coped with Pochamac's loss, who had been like a father to them all, in their own ways.
Mau slowly turned away from the dead Echidna.
She walked a little way away from the bed, before turning around to face the Echidna. "I know that the loss of your King can seem like the end for you. Maybe it has given you a new reason to hate the Drakon. Maybe there isn't a word for how your feeling. Whatever you are feeling it will have to pushed to the side. I told Pochamac that I would ensure that his people survive the coming onslaught of the Dragon's and I have always been a girl of my word."
"You can give us a minute more for pity's sake at least." Eading muttered.
"A minute more? Anymore minutes and who's to say that we won't be swarmed by the Dragon's that hunt you." Mau said. "No. Not a minute can be spared. We must leave now or not at all."
"She is right." Devil spoke up. "For all we know you all could soon be all that is left of the Echidna. You must escape. You must survive so that maybe one day you can return."
Devil gently picked up the King's body. "He will be buried by on Angel Island and his grave shall never be disturbed. This I can promise you." He said to the assembled Echidna.
"And where is it exactly we are going to go?" Greyskull groaned. "Mobius is to dangerous now."
Devil turned to Mau, then smiled. "Amass."
"Y-yes, Mr Devil. Sir." Amass said.
Devil turned back around. "Mobius is no longer safe for the Echidna, so I turn to you for their survival. Will you help them?"
"Well I-!" Amass begun as he gulped. He then looked around at the grief in the faces of the Echidna he had always called his friends. Suddenly something new burned inside him. It was courage. "I will do all that I can." He said.
"Good." Devil said. "My plan from earlier still stands. I will teleport you all to the Aquatic Ruins Zone where it will be up to you to find a Drakon ship. Before any escape can be thought about, you will all have to fly the ship, or ships, to the other Echidna cities. You must try and save all that you can. Once this is done then everything is up to you Amass."
"What do you mean up to me?"
"You will get the Echidna too the Special Zone, it is there and only there that they could possibly find a place to survive. The reason I say it's up to you is because only you know how to cross into the Special Zone without using the Mobius Ring."
"Ofcourse." Amass said. "I shall take them to the Hive, my Queen will not mind."
Imarac stood there. His face then saddened a little. "This is goodbye then."
Devil stood there. He had known some of the Echidna that stood in front of him for far to long. The had become more than friends, and now he may never see them again. "It is goodbye after all." He said sadly. "I pray that you all make it to safety, and maybe one day in the future, we will meet again."
Devil held up his hand as the tattoo on his forehead begun to glow. "Good luck." He said. There was a yellow flash and the Echidna had gone.
"May the God's be with them." Mau said silently.
Giser walked forward to Devil's side, still carrying Brightstarr, as Devil turned around to face Guardian & Robot. "And what to do with you two?" Devil said.
"I will put them to good use." Devil said. "Let us not waste anymore time. The Emerald's must be taken to Angel Island before they are discovered by the Dragon's."
Giser walked over to them. "Then let us get going."
* * * *
The Emerald Chamber was illuminated by a yellow light. It soon died down to reveal Devil, carrying Pochamac's body, Giser, Guardian & Robot , and Mau- Evig carrying the unconscious Prince Brightstarr. And behind them the Chaos Emerald's glowed softly.
Devil stepped forward. "Knuckles. Knuckles where are you?"
There was no reply.
"Knuckles!" Devil called again. But still there was no reply.
As Devil continued to call Knuckles' name, Mau walked over to the Command Chair for the Chaos Cannon. She then sat Brightstarr down in the chair, just as he begun to stir.
Brightstarr opened his eyes slowly and stared up at Mau. "W-what happened?" He muttered, rubbing his head.
"The ancient Dragon's of Mobius have returned. They have turned on the Drakon, and have begun to hunt down all the Echidna on Mobius." Mau said.
Brightstarr looked past Mau at Devil, who was still carrying Pochamac's dead body. "The King is dead, my Prince." Devil said simply.
Brightstarr got up and walked over to his dead Grandfather. As he reached him he extended his hand and stroked the old King's face. "Goodbye, Grandfather." He whispered.
"Where is everyone else?" Brightstarr asked.
"They are searching for survivors and getting them to safety." Mau said in response.
"Shouldn't you be getting back to your people, Mau? They may need you." Brightstarr said, turning to face Mau, as she stood next to the Chaos Cannon's chair.
But before Mau could even reply, Brightstarr looked straight past her and froze. There, before his eyes, stood a solid pillar of ice. And incased within was his younger brother Knuckles.
Brightstarr walked over to the ice pillar containing Knuckles. As he reached it he put his hand up and touched the ice cold surface. "No." He whispered.
Mau just closed her eyes and lowered her head. She couldn't begin to understand how Brightstarr could've been feeling now. He had lost a lot of Echidna that he had held dear, but now it was much worse than that.
It only seemed like yesterday when his Grandfather, King Pochamac, lost his brother Lord Osiris to the Drakon. Leaving his cousin, Braven Rain, an orphan at the age of eight. Brightstarr and Knuckles had tried to really become best friends with Braven, after losing his parents, little did they know that they would also suffer such a great loss.
Brightstarr closed his eyes as he remembered the day he was told that his parents, Prince Mameco & Princess Rosariean, had been killed by the Drakon. That day he would always remember. Both he and his brother took revenge straight to the Drakon on their homeworld, but the revenge did not bring back their parents.
His Aunt, Princess Tikal, was the next to go. He had been told that she had been dragged to her apparent death by a creature called Chaos.
Not long after losing Tikal, King Pochamac, his Grandfather and father figure, had died, after being impaled on a sharp rock by the God of Destruction.
Brightstarr opened his eyes and looked at his brother, frozen in a block of ice. Everything had come full circle. His sorrow was complete. He had lost everything. Tears swelled up in his eyes as he begun to cry.
Mau came up beside him. "Brightstarr. I-I don't know what to say-!" She started, but he quickly turned away from her and walked over to the Emerald Shaft, where Giser was putting the Chaos Emerald's in.
Devil came up beside Mau, as Guardian & Robot clanked past as they walked over to Knuckles. "Prince Knuckles is still alive." Robot said, as he scanned the Echidna frozen in ice. "His life signs are low, but stable."
"Will we be able to free him?" Devil asked.
"Negative." Guardian said. "Doing such a thing could cause death."
"So we have to leave him like that?" Asked Mau.
"Affirmative." Guardian said. "It is best that he is left until he thaws out naturally."
"That could take forever." Mau said.
"Then it will take forever." Brightstarr said. "At least one Echidna will survive."
Mau turned to him. His face was now filled with anger. She wasn't sure how he was taking all this, but it was clear that he had chosen to hide behind his anger for safety.
Devil sighed. "Then that is how it shall be. Giser are the Chaos Emeralds ready?"
"Yes, my old friend." Giser answered.
"Then activate the island's systems. Its time we got Angel Island back above the clouds before its to late." Devil said.
Giser turned to the Emerald Shaft computer and typed something in. Suddenly there Emeralds began to hum as their power entered the island. There was a slow rumble as the island begun to shake.
* * * *
Those who have seen the sheer size of Angel Island would never have believed that it could fly. But it can.
Angel Island rumbled as it slowly begun to ascend into the air. The waters around it begun to slush into the new space that the island left behind as it floated higher and higher into the sky.
Soon the island would be so high up that it would no longer be seen by those that lived on the planet below, and in years to come it would become a myth - a legend - told to children before they go to bed.
The Dragon's of Mobius will never know of the island, they will never discover it and destroy it. It will remain hidden for thousands of years to come.
Soon it'll even loose its name. No longer will it be known as Angel Island, the home of the Echidna. In time it will simply be known as The Floating Island.
* * * *
Giser smiled as everything checked out okay. "With the power that the Emerald's are pumping out, Angel Island could remain floating and hidden for thousands of years."
"Good." Devil said. "Now, we will leave here. There is one last thing that must be done this day."
Giser turned from the Emerald Shaft, in order to walk over to Devil, when there was an electrical surge of power from the Chaos Emeralds.
Giser turned back and started typing something into the computer. "Oh No." He said.
"What is it?" Said Brightstarr, standing beside him. "What's wrong?"
"The Chaos Emeralds! They pumping out to much power, the islands systems can't take it. It could tear the island apart." Giser shouted.
"Then eject the Emeralds." Mau shouted.
"I can't. The systems have locked me out." Giser said.
Brightstarr looked up at the Chaos Emeralds. "Then they'll have to be taken out manually." He said as he climbed up and reached into the light of the Emerald Shaft. He looked down at Giser for a second, then grasped a Chaos Emerald, and then all hell broke loose.
The power of the Chaos Emeralds exploded outwards into the Emerald Chamber. Knocking everyone backwards. But then the power went into reverse and was sucked back to wards the Emerald Shaft and into the Emeralds.
Giser was the first to get up, and sat there in shock.
Brightstarr got up next and stared at the Emerald Shaft. Everything was as it had been just a minute ago, but one thing had changed.
The power of the Chaos Emeralds was clearly beyond understanding. The power discharge had caused an unexpected outcome.
In the middle of the Emerald Shaft floated the Master Emerald, bigger than ever. And around it floated the six Chaos Emeralds. But around them floated another six Chaos Emeralds, identical to the six that floated around the Master Emerald.
"What happened?" Devil asked, as he picked Pochamac's body back up.
"The discharge must have caused the Emerald to split." Giser said. "Their are now twelve Chaos Emeralds, plus the Master Emerald."
Devil stared up at the emeralds. "Eject the six new emeralds." He said.
"What?" Brightstarr said, turning to face him.
"Six Emeralds must be ejected. There is to much power here now, and it will draw in evil." He said. "If we eject six emeralds, but still keep the original six, the Island will not be bothered, and if anyone ever comes looking for the Chaos Emeralds again, they will hunt to ones jettisoned to Mobius, leaving the ones here safe."
Giser nodded. "That will work." He said. "It will take me sometime to separate the Emeralds to be jettisoned, so you might as well get on with what you were going to do, my old friend. I will join you all when I can."
Devil nodded. "Okay then. See you then." With that there was a flash of yellow light, and he, Pochamac, Brightstarr, Mau, Guardian & Robot where gone.
* * * *
Brightstarr opened his eyes to find that he was inside a place that looked identical to the Emerald Chamber. "What is this place?" Brightstarr asked.
Devil sighed as he looked up at the dark room. "This is the center of Paradise Island, the home of my fallen people." He said, as he turned around. "And this is the power of my fallen people."
Brightstarr and Mau turned and were struck with awe. Before them stood the biggest emerald they had ever seen. It reached up out of the ground and glowed a deep rich purple.
"This is the Soul Emerald." Devil said, walking up to it.
"Wait a minute." Brightstarr said. "Your telling me that this Emerald has been here all along? We could've used this Emerald against the Drakon in the beginning. It could have stopped all this."
"No it couldn't." Devil said simply. "This Emeralds power is no longer what it used to be, and it hasn't been since the death of my kind. Its power has been lost, that is why this island cannot float anymore. Now it is little more than a conduit."
"A conduit?" Mau said, stepping forwards.
"Yes." Devil said looking over his shoulder at Mau and Brightstarr. "A conduit to the dead."
"What?" Said Brightstarr.
Devil stopped in front of the Soul Emerald and stared up at it. "For a longtime now it has had the ability. The ability to allow the souls of the fallen to make contact with the living."
"That's nonsense." Brightstarr said.
"You do not believe me, Prince Brightstarr?" Devil asked. "Then come look for yourself and tell me what it is that you see."
Brightstarr stood still for a while, before stepping forwards. He came up beside Devil and stared into the dark purple surface of the Soul Emerald.
At first he saw nothing, but then something begun to take shape. Brightstarr's eyes widened as suddenly he was staring into the eyes of his dead father.
"My God!" Brightstarr muttered, as he stumbled backwards, falling onto his back.
"Yes." Devil said. "Believe me now do you?"
As Brightstarr got back up he looked again to see that the face of his father had gone. Had it been there at all? "Why have you brought us here, Devil?"
Devil smiled down on Pochamac's body. "To say goodbye."
Brightstarr looked at Pochamac's body, as Mau came up beside him, he then once again stared at the Soul Emerald. Something begun to move once again as the Prince stared. The shapeless figure twisted and distorted until finally Brightstarr was staring into the eyes of his grandfather.
Tears begun to swell up in his eyes as his grandfather gave him a warm smile. Then his mother and father appeared either side of the King, and also smiled warmly.
"How you have grown, my son." Princess Rosariean said. "Into the strongest Echidna of them all."
"I've missed you, Mum." Brightstarr said, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I've missed you both so much."
"And we have missed you, son." Came his father, Prince Mameco's, voice. "Everyday we have missed you."
"I have lost everything." Brightstarr said through his tears. "My family is gone. I need you back with me so much. I don't know if I can go on."
"You will, because your spirit is strong." Came Pochamac's voice. "And nothing can ever bring a spirit, such as yours, to an end."
"Believe in yourself, Brightstarr. Then you will find the strength you need to carry on." His mother said. "Believe in yourself as we believe in you."
"You live so that the Echidna will never die. You will lead all that survive to safety and bring them a future. You will bring them hope." Prince Mameco said.
"You are there Champion, Brightstarr." Pochamac added, smiling at the Prince.
This seemed to hit home within the Prince's head. He looked up with a new passion in his eyes. "I will lead are people into the future." He said.
Pochamac smiled and nodded. Then something begun to loom behind him. Suddenly the King disappeared, as did Mameco and Rosariean, to be replaced by something huge.
The shapeless darkness took form, and then stared down at Brightstarr. "Hello again, Echidna."
Brightstarr looked up into the eyes of Den-Izen and gritted his teeth. "NO!" He shouted and raised his fist.
"My Prince, don't!" Devil shouted, but it was to late.
Brightstarr's fist smashed into The Soul Emerald cracking it open. Almost instantly a purple light spewed forth, as everything in the room begun to get sucked towards the Soul Emerald.
Brightstarr looked at what he had caused in horror, and tried to pull himself away from the sucking air. His eyes made contact with Mau's as he dug his knuckles into the ground.
"Help-!" He shouted above the roar of the cracked Emerald. But before Mau could say a thing in response, the ground gave way beneath and Brightstarr flew backwards, and was sucked into the Soul Emerald.
There was an explosion, and then the room went dark.
* * * *
Giser looked came running along a Zoom Tube which came out near the edge of the island. He peered over the side just as the island rumbled.
Six different coloured emeralds streaked across the sky on their downward spiral towards Mobius, which was far below by now.
Soon the island would be above the clouds, where he had programmed it to remain. It would be safe there. No one would ever think to look for it. No one knew it existed.
Giser stood there with a certain satisfaction, before finally turning away from the edge of the island. He headed for the now ruins of Megopolis City, hoping to find a Drakon ship of some sort, to take him down to Devil and Mau on Paradise Island.
As he walked he sighed to himself. Everything was finally coming to an end.
* * * *
Emerald the Chaos Champion stood on a mountain top staring at the world below, and breathed in the freeze air.
He knew that the future wasn't going to be like this for much longer, not with the Dragon's around. But that was why he was here. He was going to protect Planet Mobius against any and every evil that may come, for as long as he still have life in his body.
He was the Chaos Champion, and only he had the power of Chaos flowing through his veins now. There was nothing else like him on Mobius.
Emerald looked up as a yellow ball of energy streaked across the sky overhead.
In the wrong hands he knew that that power could be dangerous, he had seen it before. It was up to him that nothing like the God of Destruction ever came into existence again.
Emerald watched the yellow streak crash into the something just over the horizon. With a smile on his face, Emerald closed his eyes, focused and was gone in a blinding flash of green light.
* * * *
Some thirty minutes later a Drakon ship slowly landed on Paradise Island. After a while the ship opened up and Giser jumped out.
He looked this way and that, but stopped when he sensed something emerging from the cavern to his left. He turned to see Devil and Mau walking out.
"Where is Brightstarr?" Giser said, as he ran over.
"Gone." Devil said.
"Gone, but how?" Giser asked.
"He was sucked inside the Soul Emerald. He is lost to us now." Devil muttered.
Giser looked beside Devil at Mau, to see a tear roll down her cheek. "Is there nothing we can do?"
"No!" Devil said. "All that we can do now is take her back to her people, before leaving this world ourselves."
"Leave, but where would you go?" Mau asked.
"Does it matter?" Devil rallied. "We will leave. Maybe we'll check on the Echidna that survived, before disappearing ourselves."
Devil looked straight up at the sky and sighed. "The Echidna Empire has finished. The Drakon have been beaten. Now is the time of the Dragon's."
Mau looked down at her feet, then up at Giser. "Then I shall return to my people and do what I can to help them survive the coming dark ages."
Giser nodded, helping her into the Drakon ship. He then jumped in himself and turned to look at Devil. "I will return her to her kind, and return within the hour." He said.
Devil nodded and smiled halfheartedly as the cockpit lowered and the ship ascended into the sky. He then watch the ship fly off over the sea that surrounded Paradise Island.
Devil stood there for a long while. He then fell to his knee's and looked to the skies. "The Echidna are dead, just like my race before them. But some survived. Hopefully they will be strong as they close the door behind them and fly off into the stars. I hope they find peace." Devil uttered, he then closed his eyes and lowered his head. "So ends and era." He muttered, and begun to cry.
~*The End*~
Okay, it's official. 'The War of the Worlds' is finally finished. What an epic it was to write.
All I can say is that I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you have any other questions about the story feel free to ask me, either in a comment, or in a e-mail, and I will be more than happy to respond and answer your questions.
Well, before I go I have to send out my thank you's for this story. Didn't think I could do it by myself now did you. I had help here and there.
Thanks to Writers:
Matrix the Hedgehog for the lone of his characters, Braven Rain, Yin Star Ophir, Alonzo Ophir and Lord Osiris (the brother of King Pochamac).
Mau-Evig for the use of her character of the same name. She also wrote the battle scene between the powered up Mau-Evig and the Drakon Emperor, Den- Izen. Hats off to you.
One of my friends on my 'Tales of the Echidna' site for the creation of lone of his character the Echidna known as Greyskull (sorry, I forgotten your name).
To Kiara Neko for the lone of her character, the sinister Midnight. Boy he was great to use. Hope I captured his personality just right, Kiara.
Also a big thanks to STC for creating such a great Sonic-World for me to base this story in.
Okay then. See you all around. The Dark Rose.