Chapter Six – Acceptance
The first night came after the arrival of Thanatos, and yet, the sun rose the next morning. November 21st found one feline walking the shoreline of Dark Jewel Isle, indistinguishable from the colour of the ground beneath her feet save for her white clothing.
Hannah was misery. Thanatos' ability for destruction was perfect – she could not find one skeleton, one broken stone to remember her home. She could see the entire island from shore to distant shore. The hills were now a desolate plain, flattened by the overwhelming hand of the god. How terrible, she thought, that he could erase history in a glancing blow! There was very little, if any, knowledge on Mobius about Dark Jewel Isle. Only the wanderer, or the shipwrecked sailor, had ever found the place, and even then they were persuaded to stay rather than venture again into the open world.
"The temple, the town… just gone," she whispered. There wasn't even any dust to speak of. Sitting on her heels, she touched the ground where a beach had been. All the sand was vitrified. It was now solid, scorched black, yet very cold. Behind her the sea rolled onward, unconcerned that one of its islands had recently died.
There was only one place to go, she thought.
Hard glass shifted to hard rock as Hannah walked the long, lonely and unmarked path to the middle of the island. Nothing could be seen on the blot that remained of Dark Jewel Isle. It was flat, featureless and dead, but Hannah had somewhere to go. She had to see the place from which Thanatos had released his servant.
She placed her paws in the gouges left by gigantic, curved talons. Ten minutes of walking led her to the other set of footprints. She shuddered, imagining its size, and what its freedom might do to Mobius. But where did it go? Did Thanatos lift it to the dark heavens and join its evil power to his own? Years spent with the Black Chaos Emerald, the former prison of the Thing, acquainted her with the immensity of its power. It even took control of her mind at one point, so that it might kill her, for she had displeased it. Hannah shivered; remembering her darkest fear but also the moment Lazer released her…
"Never, never will I return to evil," she declared, hearing the words echo in her heart and finding no regret in the decision at all. Power, lust, wealth… all rendered meaningless when faced with Death. With those words, she put her past behind her forever.
She turned eastward. Far away on the main continent was the Great Forest, and Freedom City. People there had found other reasons for living. She would return to them, and find her meaning.
***
Emess hoped the way he was walking wouldn't betray the butterflies in his stomach. All following him, thirty strong, could sense fear and doubt in the simplest of bodily actions. He had chosen only those who wanted to see this city of Freedom, the majority being fearless carnivores, the minority being curious herbivores.
"I shouldn't classify them into their eating habits," Emess mused silently, "I've heard of this Sonic character eating meat…"
Without Jubel padding along at his side he would have given up the trek before it started. She looked up at him and caught his eye.
"I'm so nervous. I know I won't like it there."
Jubel went about on all fours when she was in this state.
"You'll have to walk like me before we reach there. You're wearing clothes just like everyone else."
Jubel looked over her shoulder at the following of thirty. So accustomed were they to forest life that walking on two legs was inconvenient. Yet, some wore jeans, others khaki, jerseys and even ties. They only did this in accordance with Emess' wishes. All in all they looked rather silly romping toward the city wearing Overlander clothing.
"I don't think the others feel up to it, either," she giggled. Emess sighed and stopped. Everyone else did. Some sat on their haunches to hear better.
"Yes, I'm worried. I'm also wearing tight clothes, which doesn't help either. I'm the first Overlander any of the people in that city would have seen since Robotnik. We'll sort that out when we reach there. But remember, no one in the city walks goes on all fours, at least, not in public," he said, sending a wave of laughter through them, "So act like civilized people for a change. I think I've showed you how it's done?"
He smiled, and they smiled with him. As one body they stood on two legs, brushing dirt off their unnatural clothing and straightening the tie here and there. Then they resumed their journey, to the city of modern wonders.
***
Sonic awoke beside Sally, propped his elbow on a pillow and watched her sleeping. He had risked their marriage the day before. He had risked a broken future for their children. All that drama to save Tails, who was now snoring safely in his hut! Was it worth it? He was acting in the moment, knowing Sally and their offspring to be safe in Knothole, knowing Tails to be dying before his eyes. Some part of him also knew, in that pivotal moment, what would happen if he did not save Tails. No one would be safe! All would perish by the hand of Thanatos, his inner voice told him. So he had acted. His actions were rewarded by the birth of Server Emeralds for the Master. All eight Emeralds were now in the care of Knuckles until the 'fated time'.
With the knowledge that his actions had given hope to Mobius, Sonic donned his delivery boy's hat and sped off to Freedom City. He smiled while thinking of what she would say when he took her to Marble Gardens.
Pausing at his pizzeria for breakfast, Sonic noticed that the Great Divide of Floating Isle was news. Reports of the carnage were blaring from the TV sets here and across the city. The new Public Broadcast System had its first major story: either a natural disaster or terrorist action. He let the news be news and went to work.
Sonic noticed many things about the city, and its people. How the road felt under his shoes spoke to him of hasty paving, and the early rehashing that would follow. When it rained, the amount of water in the streets told him if the sewer system was on the bunk. One glance at a couple told him if they were going to marry or break up. Even the way some people walked told volumes about their lifestyle. He was a city boy at heart; he could feel its life, its ever-changing soul as more buildings and different people moved in.
He also knew when an outsider, unwelcome, was bound to cause trouble.
Overlander.
He hadn't heard the word used in years. And yet there was one, leading a pack of not very well-dressed creatures of all species and sizes into the developing city limits, drawing stares, sparking whispered conversation and attracting hecklers. And what else was that Overlander doing? Good heavens, he was holding the paw of a female cougar! Such delicious scandal! Housewives would gossip for years.
Construction crews halted their work to follow the motley crew, which seemed intent on City Hall. Sonic trailed them, wondering why a human dared to enter this decidedly anti-human city with his flock (though his female companion along with elephants, bears, lions, foxes, mice and even one average hedgehog could hardly be classified).
"Curiouser and curiouser!"
Sonic remembered the quote and thought it appropriate. Delivering the remainder of pizzas was a simple task. Understanding the present situation was not.
At City Hall, Sonic leaped onto the high white wall overlooking the wide, grassy courtyard. The mayor came out of the great double doors to meet the foreigners (even from that distance Sonic saw the utter surprise on the faces of the mayor and his aides upon seeing an Overlander). He spoke briefly with their human leader. That accomplished, the mayor turned to his aides and consulted for a few hectic, wildly gesturing moments. Taking command, the mayor directed the furry newcomers to stand beneath the archway before the open doors of the Hall. The female cougar, a picture of worry, did not take her eyes off the furless one as he was led to the tall podium in the courtyard. Sonic watched the following, murmuring crowd that now glutted the Hall's courtyard, trying to get nearer to the outsider. He saw the mayor take the microphone and, with a wary glance at the Overlander towering beside him, spoke to the staring crowd.
"Good morning, citizens of Freedom City. This Over… person, whose name is Emess, wishes to take residence in our beloved City."
Protest! Inarticulate shouting and a general wagging of heads that declared no!
"Silence!" the mayor thundered, abating the worst of the shouting, "I will not have an unruly mob in this courtyard. Come forward and speak if you have an opinion!"
Minutes of shouting, sneers and growling resulted in a knot of citizens striding up the stairs of the raised platform. Pushing and shoving for the microphone ended when the mayor and his aides herded all of them off except one brave wolf, a respected businessman (and friend of the mayor) known as Becker.
"Fellow citizens!" he barked, "Would we allow an Overlander in our midst when one so recently ruined us all? Never!"
Becker gnashed his teeth at Emess who jumped in alarm. The crowd roared approval as Becker was moved back into the crowd, grinning with self-satisfaction. Shaking his head wearily, their mayor took over the microphone.
"Citizens, be rational. Look at his following!"
A thousand eyes glared at the fidgeting thirty.
"If a person is judged by the company he keeps, surely, Emess will be a model citizen of our metropolis!"
"King Acorn was the friend of Robotnik and he was betrayed!" someone cried, "Never trust an Overlander!"
Hopeless, Sonic saw the mayor mouth as the crowd took up the cry, "Never trust an Overlander!"
Emess closed his eyes, as though in prayer.
And darkness came.
No one took heed at first; it could have been a cloud passing over the sun. But when night fell twelve hours too early, people noticed. There were no stars.
Sonic groaned.
"Thanatos!"
What he had overcome yesterday was but a messenger. Thanatos had just shown up in person, his presence as a pitch-black cloud over the city. Alone, Sonic could not fight this. He had to somehow get out… find Knuckles…
Thanatos spoke. His voice was not heard, but it was felt.
All within and without the courtyard fell to the ground as if dead. All but Emess and Sonic. They saw each other, through the thick fog of Thanatos, for they were the only persons around who glowed with inner light.
"Friend, what is this shadow?" called Emess.
"Another enemy of Mobius! His name is Thanatos!"
"Has he killed them?"
Emess encompassed the courtyard and his followers with his hands.
"I don't know," admitted Sonic. He had no power to sense life or death. Emess stepped off the stage and walked to the unmoving form of the she-cougar. Kneeling, he took her large paw in his big human hands.
"Alive," he confirmed. He stood up suddenly. Sonic understood why: people were getting up. But they did not look like the living. With vacant, angry expressions the citizens and Emess' followers looked around them and to the sky.
"Thanatos," they all murmured in unison. They lifted paws to the god, crying, "Thanatos! Thanatos!" in macabre worship.
"What is this?"
Sonic fell off the wall and moved among the entranced civilians, shaking their arms, waving his paws in their faces. No change – they were all held sway by the will of the god above them.
He heard a voice.
"My army."
"His… no!"
It was the second Act, Sonic thought. First, Thanatos had instilled fear into the city by destroying the greatest power known to Mobius: the Chaos Emeralds of Floating Isle. Minds, weakened by worry and anger at the presence of Emess, were easy prey for his dark designs. He had built a puppet army in two short days. It would demoralize the inhabitants of a world, Sonic realized, if they were forced to fight their own people.
"Mobius won't be yours, you low-down bastard," Sonic swore. Mobius had the Servers and their Master, even if the seventh being wasn't found yet there must be a way to stop this! He was running out of the courtyard when ten hands snatched him off the ground and held him firm. Becker, once the angriest, now the weakest, walked through the crowd and grabbed Sonic's hair, pulling the blue head up to face him. Indifferent wolfish eyes looked into the defiant eyes of Sonic.
"I have seen you before, through the eyes of my messenger that you killed. Why do you persist in a futile activity, Sonic Hedgehog? You have gained no power, no wealth, not even respect while fighting for this planet. The death of my lesser servant, Ivo Robotnik, at the hands of creatures such as you is curious to me. I promised him emperorship over this world, eternal youth, and enough power to triumph over other worlds! Why, then, did he die? Why did he allow himself to fail? Were my promised rewards insufficient?"
"There are other reasons for living, Thanatos, but it seems you cannot comprehend anything outside of your so-called power!" came Sonic's hard-bitten retort. Becker/Thanatos' eyes narrowed.
"What is existence without power? Nothing. Compared to me, the energies of this planet are but a drop in the comprehensive ocean of my being. You are the one who cannot comprehend the purpose of life, Sonic Hedgehog."
Becker's eyes filmed over and Sonic felt an insistent pounding in his head. Thanatos was channeling his mind-control powers through the wolf! Struggling was useless, if only he had one of the Servers…!
***
Escaping the mass of slaves below, Emess climbed to the roof of City Hall and stood there, watching his friends hold Sonic captive. Poor Jubel, she had fallen to this 'Thanatos' without any resistance!
"Lord, what do I do? If I have ever needed instruction, it is now. Help me, please!"
His prayer went unanswered. It was a dark night for this City, how unfortunate that he had chosen this day to enter it!
"There are others coming nearer here. But they don't look like the zombies down there."
A century brigade of Freedom City's police force arrived on foot. Their cars and bikes had shut down the moment unnatural night fell. Moving among the crowd in a band of white and blue uniforms, they identified and tried to save Sonic from the paw of Becker.
The slaughter was brief and complete. Emess gaped in helpless horror. Mutilation was too weak a word to describe such an act. Claws and maws of the army were bloodstained; it was their first victory.
Thanatos laughed. It was a rending, raucous laugh that shook City Hall to its foundations. His laughter filled the city and an earthquake ensued, toppling taller buildings, starting fires in the complete darkness. Emess heard distant cries of fear and held his head in pain.
"It's not… sane… to do such a thing… Thanatos!"
Unafraid, Emess confronted the dark god. The army turned dripping red faces to the single man standing on the roof.
"You defend those who hate you?"
"Their lives are worth defending!"
"Foolish one, I will demonstrate how grateful your people are!"
Jubel and company began scrambling up the roof. Sickened, he watched them climb toward him. Never before had he seen such a murderous group, and how painful it was to watch Jubel, her paws covered in fresh blood, her eyes blank and hating.
Emess looked to the black sky and his right hand shot straight upward, as though to fend off the god himself. Somewhere from within him, he knew not how or why, there was strength immeasurable flowing through his mortal body. His eyes pierced the clouds, and held gaze with the one who would offend the children of Mobius!
"THEY ARE NOT YOURS! LEAVE THEM. COME OUT! NOW AND FOREVER."
His voice came forth, not as that of a frail human, but as one of absolute authority, thundering to high heaven, impossible to deny or question. Alarmed at the sheer, insurmountable force behind those words, Thanatos fled from Freedom City and the dread night flew from sight.
Sunlight shone once more. Emess looked at its source, but his eyes were unharmed. At that moment, feeling strength almighty coursing through his veins, it was the most natural thing in the world to behold light of such brilliance. He smiled, and nodded. This battle was won.
***
"Look at what he has done!"
Sonic's finger was pointing at what remained of a hundred policemen. Grass was steeped in blood. Bloody fur and entrails were attracting flies. Those who remained in the courtyard, including the mayor, Emess' group and a few hundred citizens, were retching the taste of blood and raw meat from their mouths. They would never look at meat the same way again. Other, living policemen (they felt very ill) were holding back half the city from entering the courtyard.
"Thanatos made you kill them. And to top it off, the guy you were trying to get rid of was the one who saved us all!"
Sonic pointed to Emess, who was comforting a sobbing Jubel in the shade of City Hall's archway.
"You all remember it, don't you? But you couldn't do anything. Thanatos is no terrorist; he is Evil himself! Band together, Freedom City! Accept Emess into your ranks! Help each other to resist Thanatos! He is our common enemy!"
The mayor staggered onto the stage and leaned heavily against the podium. He covered the microphone with a bloody paw.
"Thank you, Sonic. Leave the rest to the proper authorities."
"Authorities? Hah! Don't you see what happened to them?"
The mayor flicked a piece of fur, not his own, from his lips.
"If you know of a way to stop this thing, please do it. But the city will be carried through this time of crisis by the remaining police and myself."
Sonic frowned and looked at the redness on the grass. An ambulance arrived and began carting away the dead. The mayor rested an unclean paw on Sonic's shoulder.
"My boy, all is not lost."
"Who said all was lost? There's hope, still!"
He shrugged off the paw and went to Emess. Gentle hands were stroking the cheek fur of Jubel, calming her down amidst racking sobs. He was sitting, with her nose pressed into his chest, smearing red over the white shirt. Jubel had the large, supple feline body of her kind, her fur magenta in colour. Sonic looked well at the human saviour. Standing, he would have been over six feet tall. His large frame, though not bulking with muscle, denoted a man of considerable physical strength. A thick brown head and beard of straight hair fell to his waist, their growth unchecked (and uncombed) for many years. What was that hanging from his neck… a nail clipper? At the center of the hairy face was a rather large nose. Serene brown eyes looked up at Sonic.
"I hope that doesn't happen everyday."
"A comedian, eh? Welcome to Freedom City. I'm Sonic."
Sonic's paw was engulfed in a strong grip.
"I am Emess. Sounds like emissary, doesn't it?"
"Makes sense. So why'd you come to the city?"
"The forest is a hostile place."
His eyes twinkled.
"There are a hundred more in our village, waiting for news. And what news I have for them! A city under siege by an evil power!"
"A god, yeah. Hey, I wonder, are you one of the Seven?"
"Yes, yes he is."
"Lazer! And… who're you?"
Kootan raised both eyebrows.
"How rude."
Red hedgehog and aged salamander stood side by side behind Sonic. No sound had heralded their arrival. Jubel and Emess looked up at them.
"Hello," Emess smiled, "Friends of Sonic?"
"Friends!" echoed Sonic at the unflinching salamander, "Yes, they're friends. Isn't he, Lazer?"
"Yes. Meet Kootan, one of the Seven."
While blue hedgehog and bronze salamander warily shook paws, Lazer went on one knee and gripped Emess' hand. He glanced at Jubel.
"Nightmares never last long."
Jubel blinked and nodded, speechless. To Emess he said,
"I was introducing Kootan to Knuckles, our guide, when I realized what was happening down here. It seems you've proven yourself. You are one of us, Emess."
"What seven is this?"
"Saviours, like you, of Mobius. Ask Knuckles for the details, you'll meet him soon. But the question now is… how did you do it? You held no Chaos Emerald, and yet, you drove the god away!"
Sonic, Kootan and Jubel looked to Emess as Lazer asked this.
"It was my God, working through me, a part of me, I think."
"You mean Destiny, Fate, or the Ancient Walkers?" queried Kootan. Emess shook his head.
"I serve a different deity, very different from any of yours."
Lazer nodded.
"Whatever, whoever your god is, we appreciate his intervention."
He looked at the air next to Sonic and said, "Hello, Hannah."
She materialized, causing everyone else to jump.
"Nifty trick, is it not? My Elders taught me."
"Why do you hide?"
"Because, Lazer, there are people in this city that may recognize me. I am something of a serial killer… but no more."
"Glad to hear it," Sonic muttered. Hannah looked down at Emess and Jubel.
"A strange creature you are, Overlander. Keeping company with our kind when one of you betrayed us all."
Emess sighed at that truth. He needed to explain.
"I was born and raised in an Overlander base, in the Great Forest. My parents hated the city life, and were suspicious of outsiders. When I was seventeen, two pumas were caught stealing food. One of them fought back and was killed. The other was held captive."
Emess was stroking between Jubel's ears.
"She was going to be executed, and yet she spoke our language, had our emotions, but my parents were indifferent. Like Robotnik, they saw her as an animal, beneath them, just another pest. I talked to her, sitting outside her cage at night. She started talking back after a few nights. She was so scared…"
The four others, and Jubel, were silent as Emess told his tale.
"An hour before her execution, I stole the keys and set her free. But my father caught me, and I was put on trial. I was banished from my village and the homes of all other forest-dwelling Overlanders. If I wanted to save animals, he said, I should live with them. Jubel found me, crying like a baby, and sort of adopted me. I built a hut of my own, while she slept in the forest. Years later, when Robotnik came into power, many furry friends sought refuge in the forest. Jubel and I found some of them, some of them found us. A village started. Today it's seventy huts and a hundred and thirty two of us. And then, as you know, I heard about this city…"
Jubel was sitting beside him now, resting her head on his shoulder. Sonic spoke first.
"You've lived in the forest longer than any of us! I was a kid in the old Mobotropolis when Buttnik took over. How old are you?"
"Forty three. Jubel has seen three more summers."
Eyebrows rose, Hannah's rose the highest.
"You've go to be joking! She doesn't look a day older than me!"
Jubel's ears perked up at this and she looked askance at the dark feline girl.
"I thought you were older than me," she confessed, her voice low and maternal.
"What!" Hannah shrieked, "I'm decades younger than you! Honestly!"
The men laughed while Hannah's face contorted in stupefaction. Jubel's smile was kind and guileless.
"First beauty tip, never get too angry, and laugh often."
Hannah composed herself at once, blinking and clearing her throat. Kootan was nodding to himself.
"Your parents were wrong. How ironic that your high morality was punished!"
"Oh, I'm not a very good example of morals. I've been stealing from my people for over twenty years! One thing I am thankful to my father for, though, is that he let me keep a book of songs and a book of history. That is how I came to know God. I'm trying to follow His example, haven't gotten around to not stealing, though. Reading about Him, you'd be amazed at the things He did for our sake."
"Created the heavens, and us, I suppose, just as we believe Destiny and Fate created us? Promised us heaven if we were good? If that's all, then I'm sorry, but your god's a dime a dozen," said Sonic. Instead of frowning, the face of Emess lit up, and he broke into song.
"He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace!
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race!"
"That's one of his favourites," said Jubel, "He's sung it so many times the whole village knows it."
"Adam?" wondered Kootan.
"Don't belittle my singing, woman," Emess nudged her, grinning ear to ear.
"Well, that was interesting," Hannah broke in, "You are unkempt and hairy. Come with me, I shall introduce you to a hair salon."
Emess smiled but shook his head. With Thanatos gone, sirens were sounding everywhere in the city. Buildings were on fire while they chatted.
"There was an earthquake. People are dying in the city. Jubel, the others and I know first aid."
"Then it will be your first civil service."
An aide to the mayor, her ears twitching, was speaking. She was holding a clipboard and pen.
"I will get your papers in order, as His Honour asked. All of you, come with me, there is a free clinic near here. Lazer?"
"Yes, Sasha."
"You will help, won't you? I mean your healing powers…"
Lazer's face fell.
"I don't have them anymore."
"What?" Sonic blurted, very confused. Kootan hummed.
"Your friend has made a difficult choice. Either he remained immortal, with restorative energies, or he became mortal, without the power to heal himself or others."
Sonic shouted at Lazer in consternation.
"Why the hell would you do that? What happened, on that 'rendezvous with fate' you went to? Why didn't you tell us? Don't you know how many people need your…"
Kootan interjected, blue eyes smoldering.
"Sonic, do you wish to live for so long, that all your friends die, you bury your own children, and one day realize that all you held dear has vanished like the mist of morning?"
"No."
"Then try to understand Lazer's decision."
"Okay, okay."
They looked away in hostile silence. Lazer lifted his head and drew a deep breath, his mind filling with a familiar gloom.
"I have to defend this city. Thanatos is wrathful. His messenger approaches."
"That thing?" Sonic sighed, "Won't last long. Teleport to Floating Isle and get the White Emerald for me."
"No. Knuckles told me, what you fought was his lesser angel. This… thing, remember when we fought Hannah? This is his archangel."
Without another word of explanation, Lazer took to the sky and was gone. Sonic looked at the dark mistress, whose eyes avoided his.
"How powerful, exactly, is this thing?"
"It is the Harbinger of Endless Despair, the one even the Ancient Walkers could not contain."
"And he's going alone?"
Kootan cut in.
"I am wondering why Knuckles has said so little to you. Does he not trust you?"
Sonic scowled at him.
"We're best friends, but I'm not so sure now. What'd he say?"
"This is Lazer's final test. It will prove that he is one of the Seven, and Master of his five Chaos Emeralds. Failure means death, and in the little time I have known him, Lazer is not ready to die."
As they grew silent, Sasha, feeling quite forgotten, cleared her throat.
"Umm… are you ready to follow me to the clinic? Reports have come in of thousands injured…"
All were aware of the burning city.
"I'll put out the flames," murmured Kootan.
"Lead on, Sasha," said Emess.
"I'm going to Half-Floating Isle, I think that should be its name now," Sonic announced.
Hannah felt their stares.
"What? What can I do?"
"Come, help relieve the suffering your previous master has caused. I don't think we can save all of them," said a grim Emess. The four of them left, and Kootan vanished while Sonic ran off.
And somewhere outside the city, a living shadow was walking nearer…
Whither do they fly? The lost fragments of Fire question their own purpose, having spent near eternity without answers.
Behold a planet of rare beauty, where creatures close to gods dwell. The Fire is seen hurtling through the heavens. Seeing its flame, and feeling its sorrow even across the great void separating them, the creatures name it R'Thrys – the Incomplete. High above, the Fire fragment hears their thought. Truly, it is a fitting name, thus the lost Fire names itself R'Thrys - the Incomplete.
Time passes, and shadows line the skies of that fair planet. The creatures close to gods look upward, and name the darkness Thanatos. And so has the darkness been named, and the name has not been forgotten.
