(I do not own Sonic X, etc. Sorry this chapters rather short compared to the others.)

Flip card 2:

Name: Tikal

Age: 16

Species: Echidna

Sex; Female

Job description: The daughter of the Echidna Chieftain of war.

"This is…amazing." Chuck breathed as their small group sat on the top of the hill, staring down at the city far below them. A few flying creature, of a kind none of them had ever seen before flew overhead.

"You call this amazing? I call this down right weird." Sonic snapped back. "Just where or rather, WHEN are we? And how the flying $&£% did we get here?!" Chuck ignored the blue hedgehogs cursing and put his finger and thumb to his chin, trying to think as he lay back in the tall grass, nearly hiding himself from view if it weren't for his brightly coloured slippers. Chris sat nearby, his arms folded upon his knees. He wasn't just looking at the city, he was looking at everything around him, seeing plainly how beauty it was. If that was indeed the capital of the Echidna Empire below them, then they were on Mobius, the world Sonic was originally from, as it was before it merged with Earth. He could see just how better it was than Earth, and began to appreciate just how much of an blessing it's union for the over-populated and polluted Earth actually was.

"Time travel." Chuck muttered to himself. The notion was absurd enough, but to find it was not only possible by achievable by ancient civilisations. However, the big question was not how but rather why. Why had the survivors of the Echidna empire been compelled to create a worm hole leading into the past of their own civilisation? Surely they realized they risked altering the trail of history, unless of course that was the point. He looked up, realization lit up in his eyes.

That was it! They must have created the time warp to carry them back to the past, and then prevent Perfect Chaos from destroying their empire. That had to be the answer, however, if that was so, why hadn't they been successful in altering the events? It's not as if their time machine was defective, it certainly delivered them into Mobius' ancient history. Something must have gone wrong, some cataclysmic if they abandoned their chance to restore their imperial might.

"We have company." Shadow announced loudly as he stared down the hill, his statement snapping Chuck out of his trail of thought. Coming up the cliff by way of a narrow path were several black dots, but everything moving from this height appeared to be black dots. What they could only be were people, not only that but they were heading towards them. Shadow could see them far more clearly than the others, he was the ultimate lifework after all. Even from this distance, he could make out the dreadlocks and long arms that identified them as Echidnas. He could also see the spears they carried. It would seem that, despite the scepticism amongst their group, they had travelled into the past. "I suggest, that for the moment at least, we avoid an un-necessary confrontation. These Echidna's may be the only people who can get us back to the present." Knuckles hadn't been listening to a single word any of them had been saying whatsoever. He had never seen other Echidna's before, not once, so now staring down at the city teaming with them was affecting him far more than he might expect. Here, were his own people, possible years before Perfect Chaos would rise up to destroy them all. This could very well be a chance, he realized in a sudden flash, his chance, to save them. He had knowledge on his side, he knew what fate awaited them. Armed with that information, he just might be able to stop them invading the holy Chaos Shrine before it happened.

"Wise strategy." Metal Sonic agreed, looking down upon the Ehidna solider as they neared, slowly climbing up toward them. "But I'd rather not hang around for to long, if they insist we stay for a while at least."

"Yeah yeah yeah, whatever." Sonic butted in, who found thinking before acting unbelievably boring. "Play along with whatever Knucklehead's long lost relatives want, got it."

They were ready. Tikal could plainly see that as he gazed out of the window from the temple towards the city below. Very soon the event she had tried so hard to prevent would happen, and soon. The Echidna girl put her hands in her head, desperately trying to think of something. Anything, that could prove productive, but she found that she had tried everything within her own power already. The High Priests were not exactly happy that she was meddling in their affairs, in fact had it not been for the fact that she was the daughter of the Chieftain she would have been executed for hersay ages ago. Agh those damn priests! She rolled over onto the pillows of her bed and stared up at the ceiling. There was a loud knocking on the door of her private chambers, which itself was not overly large, only a simple small room with a bed, a large open window that opened out onto a balcony and a silk vale hanging from the roof, and before Tikal could give whoever it was permission to enter, her father, the chieftain Pachamac pushed the door open with a solid shove. He was tall for their species, with short brown fur and large shaggy eyebrows above a pair of staring eyes. In his left hand he held the Staff of Ruling, which in truth was more of a spear than a staff, but that's not the point of it.

"Tikal, Mishoal had asked me to speak with you." His daughter paid the statement little notice, rolled over and stared out of the window again. "He is concerned your faith in the almighty is…" He hesitated for a moment. "Less than absolute." She didn't reply to that, which in the long run was probably the more sensible. Whatever she said would work to her disadvantage. Her father pressed his lips together, trying to think of what to add. Regrettably, he had been commanding the Echidna's armies most of her youth and had only returned to the grand city in fleetingly small periods, each time his only child seemed more and more alien to him. It was a sad thing, but he had done is duty to their deity, and all together that was the only thin that was important. "Ah Tikal, I do not understand you!" He admitted, throwing his arms up in the air. "I see glory in our crusade, but you see only death and destruction." Tikal turned her eye so she was war able to give him the smallest look back over her shoulder. "The destruction of our enemies my child, is no sin."

"And why are they our enemies to begin with?" She asked, finally breaking the silence on her part. "They never did anything to us, we were the ones who struck first." Her father narrowed his eyebrows and corrected his posture to that a leader should always take.

"I'll not explain nor try to understand the will of Krish-Kra-Pal." He said with fierce determination. "He is all, everything and Omnipresent and we do his bidding without question. Those who do not, suffer eternal torment. I hope that is understandable because if you continue this course of action…." Before he could finish, an Echidna guard clad in black robes with red outlines followed him into the room, breathing hard for a moment before he spoke.

"Sorry to disturb you my lord, but many strangers were sighted on the city borders by our patrols, all but one of them are Outlanders." Pachamac was silent for a spilt second before turning.

"Where are they know?" He asked, one eye narrowing.

"Being taken to be judged by the High priest before execution is dealt sir." The old Echidna muttered something unbearable under his breath before turning back to his daughter, his eyes glaring with steely determination.

"We'll continue this conversation when I get back."

Standing directly in the centre of the Echidna capital, was the Cathedral, a massive fortress to which the Priests of the One referred to as home. This building was the first to be constructed when the city was built, other constructions being build radiating around it later. The Cathedral was a massive, pyramid, separated into several layers, each thicker than the other going down. All of them had been painstakingly carved with snakes and Eastern style Dragons, the two chosen beasts of the One. Most of the traps inside the Catherdral itself involved snakes, although Dragons, which not surprisingly where much harder to come by, were not employed in it's traps, although it was rumoured that the High Priest, Mishoal had one tucked away inside one of his secret chambers.

Chuck hadn't much time to admire the architecture as the small company of Echidna's forced them up the long flight of stairs and through the great, snake head entrance. Knuckles was in complete shock the whole time, he was actually inside a city of Echidna's, his own people. The city itself was magnificent, the ruins on Angel Island, while themselves were impressive were only a shadowy reflection of this vast accomplishment. This only deepened his resolve, he had to save them know.

"Not friendly folk are they?" Rouge asked, expecting little in an answer realizing that as they were forced through the streets at spear point, the ordinary Echidna people stopped to stare at them, their faces plainly showing their disgust. Some actually picked up a few stones from the street and tossed them at them. Most of them were intensely relieved to be pushed through the doors, away from the jeering crowds and have the large doors slam behind them.

The Cathedral's interior was as delicately carved as the outside. Every wall, ceiling and floor had been decorated with murals depicting the history of the Echidna Empire. Chuck glanced down to try and decipher these images and saw as he came through a large archway,. The birth of their civilisation. How primitive savages, living in caves, were dragged (Evidentially by force), away from their ancestral homes to become servants of Krish-KraPal, or as they called him, the One.

"You are trespassers within the confines of our holy city." An Echidna, apparently one in charge, wearing black and red robes like the others, but with two golden bracelets strapped to each dreadlock. His fur a muddy brown yet it eyes, which surprised most of them, were a starling blood red. He was accompanied by several other guards, although these ones were dressed in completely black robes, their faces hidden behind hoods. Shadow froze, recognizing the symbol on the front of their clothes. A Chinese Dragon, an exact copy of the tattoo one of his assailants. Before he could actually say anything however, their leader cut him off. "Have you "People…" anything to say before I pass sentence?"

"And just who are you?" Sonic asked rudely before any of his friends could stop him from saying something he shouldn't. All the guards and priests inside the grand chamber looked startled by the question, none more so than the Echidna in question.

"I am Mishoal, High Priest of the One Faith." He snapped, sounding rather angry. It was then that a quick plan flew together in Chuck's head. It was pieced together, but it was the only way to avoid a fight.

"Forgive our intrusion…" He quickly stammered bowing his head, earning him strange glares from the rest of the group, before Metal Sonic and Shadow quickly got the idea and followed his example. "But we seven gathered here by intrusion of the one. He gave us all visions in our dreams, telling us to seek his holy city."

"Say what?" Sonic began, before a kick from Shadow silenced him. Mishoal hesitated, uncertainty quickly filling his eyes.

"We come here to honour the twilight of his great empire on Mobius, and witness it's triumphant conquest over the land." Metal Sonic continued. Their strategy was simply a form of flattery, which it seemed was working beautifully.

"Pilgrims?" He asked himself, looking rather detached, before quickly adding.. "How do I know you are not spies sent by the un-believers to subvert our quest to bring the word of the One to all on Mobius?" There was a moment of great anxiety amongst them.

"We give you our word, and that of the one divine." Shadow added quickly before the situation could spiral out of control. The High priest was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing, before nodding and gesturing to the guards behind them.

"Take them to a private chamber."

"Ok, pray tell, what the heck was the point of that?! Sonic demanded once the Echidna guards left them alone, inside a small room with a low ceiling which had just about enough room for them to walk around in, if Metal Sonic remained perfectly stationary that is.

"The point, was to avoid a fight, giving ourselves time to come up with a plan." Chuck explained, walking back and forth from wall to wall, his hand on his chin, trying to think of something desperately.

"If there was a time machine in the present, then isn't it possible that the Echidna's that created it had to have a return ticket." Chris asked, sitting on one of the small straw beds next to Rouge. Chuck stood still and smacked a fist into his palm.

"Yes! It stand's to reason, good thinking Chris!" His eyes lit up. "They must have a machine that would take them back to the present time, hidden somewhere in the city." Shadow stood there, leaning against the wall near the entrance to the small balcony, looking unimpressed.

"And how do you suggest we go about looking for it? This city's a big place, they could have stashed it anywhere. And it's not as if we can simply go outside and look for it, not in this city at least." Chuck's happy face disappeared and he slumped down to a wooden chair against the side of one of the beds.

"Good point." He added reluctantly. "Oh this whole plan I'm trying to put together based on guess' and theories. Time travel is supposed to be a scientific impossibility!"

"Well it's not." Shadow put in. "If he went one way, we can certainly go back."

"Hey knucklehead, you ok?" Rouge asked, joining the red Echidna outside on the balcony. "You've been quite since we got here." Knuckles simply gave her a sideways glare past his shoulder for a single moment before turning his attention right back to the city below.

"They're my people Rouge. And I know exactly what's going to happen to them if they continue down this path." He put his hand onto the stone railing, narrowing his eyes. "I've got to save them."

"What we have to be careful of is if that high priest guy we told that whopper to figures out what's relaly going on, then we're in trouble." Chris added.

"So what? We ran circles around that guy." Sonic stated confidently, rubbing the back of his fingers against his chest. "It's our word against that against a god that doesn't even exist. How's he going to find out we lied anyway?"

The grand summoning chamber was hidden deep below the Cathedral, accessible only through the catacomb vaults, were few dared to venture. It was a chamber few were pillaged to know about. The entrance, hidden behind an underground alter, slid to one side as Mishoal entered the grand chamber alone. The room was not long, but rather had an extremely high ceiling. Stone arches curving out from six pillars standing in equal distance around the outside of the room. Standing directly in the centre of the room was another statue of the One. Only this one was unique, it was made completely out of a strange metal they mined out of the cliffs not far from the city. It's surface was a glistening black and had been carved with artistic precision were runes of the Echidna language and hieroglyphics of ancient Egypt.

Mishoal lowered himself to his knees, placing his palms upon the floor, flowering his head as far as he could in the statues presence. The very air in the chamber seemed to grow still like fumes, gently parting around the out-stretched claws on the metal edifice. Krish-Kra-Pal, the god of their people, a god not just of war, but of death and disease, whose grisly punishments and inventions were inflicted upon the vanquished and defeated.

"Divinity, speak to me, and give me guidance." He almost whispered, his face so close to the ground he could have kissed it. For a single moment, everything in his room seemed to vibrate. The statue before him almost groaned in reluctance as some alien force took up residence within it's metal body.

"I have told you before mortal, do not summon my presence unless I desire it first." The booming voice came from every direction, and it's impact upon the Echidna's mind caused him to loose his balance, knocking him to the floor. "You forget your place too often."

"Please forgive me my lord, but I do require your counsel." Mishoal managed to stutter, his body convulsing in pain. Fat beads of sweat running down his forehead.

"Speak quickly and do not try my patience." The booming voice, echoing many times upon itself snapped, it's force causing the Echidna's attempt at pulling himself up to fail. It was like some invisible force was continuingly smashing a sledgehammer against his brain, and it was taking every ounce of willpower Mishoal had to not scream out in pain.

"Seven strangers….were brought to me today. They claim to have been given a vision…from you great one. I wish to this claim to be verified." Whatever held him in it's iron grip shuddered, making the entire room shake, dust and a few bits of stone fell from the ceiling.

"I gave no such…" It paused and the it realized it's stranglehold on Mishoal's mind, letting him kneel in it's presence without constant, near unbearable pain. "Ah, he is here. Strange, this outcome I did not foresee. He is centuries early, but no matter. He will be mine in any century. Listen well Mortal, this is your chance to serve me well." Mishoal scrabbled to his knee, humbling himself before the great statue.

"I live to serve you my lord."

"Dispose of the six as you see fit, however do not harm the black and red one. Bring him to me, have him stand before my alter within the great hall. Now go, do this and you shall have my favour." As quickly as it had overcome him, as did it disappear. Leaving everything as silent as it had been only moments ago.

(In Chris' voice)

What the heck is going on? Time travel, ancient evil gods? Oh well, some old same old for Sonic. But things are beginning to get out of hand, see what happens next time on Sonic X, Chaos at the Shrine of Chaos! Don't miss it!