Characters Sonic, Shadow, Rouge, etc. are copyrighted to their original Sega creators. Characters such as Rika the fox, the Stranger, the Divine and future characters all belong to me. The term 'Wishmaster' belongs to the AWESOME band Nightwish based on their song Wishmaster.
Now begins the second chapter. I have a feeling this may be a long story, but you never know. I'm thinking this up as I go. First, BIG THANKS to my two reviewers Shadow Stalkr and Sky the Hedgehog. Your reviews really boosted up my confidence (and my ego). Well, anyway here it is. Please R&R. Oh yeah, the (s) is a sign that the story goes to a new scene, just to make it easier.
Chapter 2-The Gathering
It had been five months since the ARK incident. Sonic was on a journey of wanderlust, Tails was busy working on his newest inventions, Amy was complaining for Sonic's sudden departure, Knuckles went back to guarding the Master Emerald, Eggman had disappeared, and Rouge was seen occasionally but few knew what she was exactly doing. (Though there was a rumor that she had found a treasure map).
Amy was now walking around Station Square, her mind riddled with thoughts. "How could Sonic just leave like that?" she questioned. "Every time an adventure's over, he just runs off without even saying good-bye." She sighed deeply. "But...ever since we came from the ARK he's been acting different. I guess he still feels guilty about what happened to Shadow."
Amy turned into an alley that led to a shortcut to her house. So preoccupied with her thoughts she did not see the sick person until she was almost on top of him. It was a wolf, about 17 years old, with glossy blue and white fur that reflected the sun's rays. He was very tall, with large, bulging muscles that made him look like he would have been a match for the strong Knuckles. But now he was doubled over on his knees, gasping for breath, a look of extreme pain on his face.
"Mister!" cried Amy. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" She stretched out her hand toward him. The wolf grabbed her hand with fast reflexes. Amy gasped in shock, which soon turned to a cry of pain as he squeezed her wrist with unbelievable strength. "Stop it! You're hurting me!"
The wolf looked towards Amy. It was then she realized that his eyes were completely black.
"Must...find..." he seemed to struggle with the words, as if each sound he uttered was a sharp knife stab to the chest. must...hurry...or...Hell...may..."
He then shoved her away and shrieked a bone-chilling howl, full of sorrow and suffering. Amy already shaken to the core stood there. Her mind screamed Run away! Get out of there!! But her feet refused to move.
Then she heard a voice that seem to come from the bowels of the earth, a voice that came from the darkest part of the soul, which caused even the sun's light to dim.
Traitor.
The wolf emitted another howl of pain as a claw appeared in the air, descending slowly towards the head of its victim.
But a figure, darker than the shadows, emerged from behind Amy. It grabbed a hold of the gigantic wolf and leaped onto the top of a building, five stories high. The claw clenched into a fist, releasing a silent anger that the pink hedgehog could feel ever so clearly.
Then the claw vanished, the sunlight returned.
She still did not move, still unsure whether the sight she had just witnessed was real.
(s)
Knuckles, the guardian, sat on the top of the steps of the ancient structure where the Master Emerald lay. As still as a rock, he watched the skies. Rouge the Bat would sometimes visit Angel Island and chat with Knuckles, though she kept away from the Master Emerald knowing that the echidna still did not trust her completely ever since their first encounter. But it was always nice to see her, for it broke the boredom of his guard duty.
He realized that he had been thinking about her a lot lately. She was beautiful, he would give her that, but he had known that since he first saw her and that never seemed to be such a big deal. But when she started visiting, he found out that she was also funny, intelligent, and caring. Her face seemed to always be on his mind. He did not really understand what all of this meant.
The Master Emerald behind him started to glow brightly. He broke out of his reverie and stood up. "What? Why is the Master Emerald reacting?" Knuckles said out loud. He laid one hand on the jewel...then he was hovering in the air right above Amy.
Confused, he turned his head to look at his surroundings. He was in an alleyway of Station Square, about noontime. He looked back down and noticed the sick wolf kneeling and gasping in pain. "Amy! Amy!!" he shouted but she did not hear. He witnessed the entire event; the wolf grabbing her hand, his uttered words, his howl, the claw of doom, and the shadow that grabbed the wolf to safety away from the claw. He watched all this holding his breath.
Once the claw disappeared, he was once again in front of the Master Emerald. It had happened so fast, he stood there absorbing the shock. Then he turned around and ran to look for Amy.
(s)
Miles "Tails" Prower, in his workshop at Mystic Ruins, worked on his tornado airplane. Of course it was no longer a plane, but more like a fighter jet, now called the Tornado 3. It still had its deep blue color, but was now equipped with more features.
Amy busted into the door of the workshop, startling Tails that he dropped his screwdriver. "Tails! Tails!" yelled the girl. "Something just happened!! There was this guy! He was sick! Then a hand appeared! And...and...!"
"Amy, Amy!! Calm down! What's wrong?"
Amy took a deep breath and explained the incident slowly. By the end, she was in tears.
Tails, unsure of what he had just heard, asked gently, "Amy, are you sure? Maybe it was just your imagination."
"But it felt so real! And it was so horrible!"
"She's right, it was real."
Both looked towards the open doorway where the voice had come from. "Knuckles!" Tails exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
The echidna walked over to them. "I came here to find you guys. I just saw what happened, too."
Amy grabbed his arms in anger. "What!? You just watched and didn't even do anything!? Why didn't you help me!?"
"Ta-take it easy, Amy!" said Knuckles, more afraid of her anger than the frightening ordeal he had witnessed. "I couldn't do anything. The Master Emerald showed this to me as a vision. I was at Angel Island when this happened."
Amy let loose his arms. "I-I'm sorry, Knuckles. It's just-" She broke down as tears once again fell from her eyes, too overwhelmed to finish the sentence.
"Knuckles, what should we do?" asked Tails.
"I think we should try to find Sonic. If the Master Emerald showed me this, than perhaps what just happened is only the tip of the iceberg."
"But where can we-?" Tails' question was interrupted by a deep rumbling in the ground.
"Wherever this is coming from!" Knuckles answered.
"C'mon, let's go in the Tornado!" Tails motioned towards the jet.
Knuckles and Tails jumped into their seats, with Amy following behind.
"No, Amy." Knuckles stopped her. "This may be too dangerous. You should stay here where it's safe."
"No." Amy said with determination, her tears gone. "I'm coming, I have to know what's going on."
Knuckles sighed in exasperation, knowing that nothing he said would change her mind. "Alright. You can come, but don't do anything reckless." Amy hopped into the third seat of the jet.
The giant doors opened, revealing a runway, the palm trees bent down to give room. "Here we go!" yelled Tails as the jet glided on the runway and flew into the sky, towards Station Square where the earthquake came from.
(s)
Somewhere not too far off from the Mystic Ruins, Sonic the Hedgehog ran through the forest, the wind blowing through his blue quills. When he ran, his mind was usually at peace.
But not today.
Nor has it been for over a month.
When he slept, horrific images invaded his once peaceful dreams. When he was awake, those dreams haunted him throughout the day. Ever since the battle at the ARK, he had been experiencing emotions full of dread, yet they were always minor. But recently these feelings have been increasing, and every time he would think back to the stranger with the red eyes.
That was only an illusion said one part of him. I was tired from the fight, it was just my imagination.
No said the other part of him. That was real, and you know it.
Something was going to happen, that was what the dreams were telling him. What it was exactly he did not know, and that was what scared him the most.
Sonic then felt a shaking underneath his feet that made him stop in his tracks. Was it an earthquake? He could feel it come from the north, from Station Square. He ran towards the city at full speed.
(s)
Rouge the Bat, thief, treasure hunter, and government spy flew majestically in the blue sky. In her gloved hand she held an old, yellowed piece of paper. She smiled in eagerness. She was definitely going to strike it rich with this map. She thought about splitting the treasure with Knuckles but he would probably not accept, especially if it was stolen.
Knuckles was always very humorous to her, and she enjoyed visiting him. Part of her still wanted that Master Emerald, but she fought back the urge to steal it since she wanted Knuckles to one day be able to fully trust her. He was more important to her than some silly jewel.
She saw the trees start to shake, some even falling. The earthquake was so intense that she could even feel it up in the sky. She looked towards the direction where the rumbling was the strongest. The city, Station Square.
Dropping the ancient map as if it was nothing but yesterday's trash, she flew off towards the city.
(s)
Shadow, the ultimate life form sat on the tall boulder in the arid desert. For over three hours he sat there, barely moving an inch with closed eyes. His mind was plagued with fears and doubts, though any person who happened to walk by would not have been able tell from his calm countenance.
Like another certain hedgehog, he had also experienced nightmares. But these were more clearer to him. He thought he saw this one person with a grin that was both horrifying and repulsive, with claws that had traces of blood that came from thousands of victims. But that was all he could see, the rest was lost in darkness.
He had tried to figure out the secrets of the crystal around his neck. He learned how to harness some of its power, but he still did not fully understand it. As he searched for answers, all he found were more questions.
The crystal started to glow and it was then that he felt a rumbling, though it was faint. He opened his eyes and looked down at the crystal.
Station Square.
He was not sure how he knew, he just did. But he was too far away, practically on the other side of the earth. Even with his speed, he may take a long time. Grabbing a Chaos Emerald he had found during his travels, he closed his eyes and concentrated.
CHAOS CONTROL!!
He vanished in a burst of green light.
(s)
The fox, Rika, stood on the giant mountain. She balanced perfectly on a slim ledge overlooking the grand forest that stretched that stretched out before her. Her dreams were becoming a nuisance to her. She was losing sleep, and that she could not afford.
Rika was covered in a black cloak, clasped with a pin in the shape of a circle at the shoulder that bore a design of the sun and moon. She also wore long red gloves that reached up to her elbows, and over the back of her hand was the same design of the sun and moon. Around her neck was a crystal sphere like Shadow's, except it was the color of a light blue as that of the sky.
Once the rumbling occurred, the crystal around her neck glowed radiantly. Rika raised her hooded head and opened her blue eyes, eyes that were as cold as ice. She looked towards the direction of Station Square, then jumped off the mountain, landing on a limb from a tree. She leaped from tree to tree with amazing balance, her cloak flowing out from her like black wings. She would get her revenge soon, very soon.
(s)
The stranger saw all of this in his mind's eye. They were all gathering, ready to fight the first of many battles. He stood on the sidewalk of the city. People ran from the terrible shaking, some tripping over their feet. He stood perfectly still, waiting.
It had finally begun.
I promise that the next chapters will get better. I'm already finished with the third, and I'm going to start on my fourth. Of course, I'll have to type it up first. It's easier to write on paper first, 'cause I'm not such a fast typist. To those of you who are wondering, the stranger will be revealed gradually as the story progresses. I'll update the story probably next week, I wanna finish the fourth chapter first. So, catch ya later!