Chapter 6: The Royal Guild of Hedgusst…
Sonic immediately stopped at what he was doing, about to be taken to the guild Mare-rith just spoke of. "Hey, how do we know this isn't a trap, set up by Eggman? Why should we believe you?" Sonic asked. "Don't be a fool! Why would Eggman just have you in a robotisizer, about to turn you into his ultimate robot, and then let you loose to be captured again?" Mare-rith asked. Tails tapped Sonic's shoulder. "Sonic… he has a large point." Tails said. "Yeah… I guess so." Sonic said. "Now take my hand. Each of you, we will go to the guild. I'll prove it all exists." Mare-rith said. Each of them put their hand on top of Mare-rith's own hand. Then, Mare-rith stopped. "Wait, we leave the Master Emerald here! If Aerick finds out about it and Angle Island, he'll be here in a second with Echidna demons! Dr. Eggman could easily tell Aerick of its location, we must take it to the guild." Mare-rith said. "No, we cannot remove it from its sacred shrine," Knuckles said, "I can't do that!" "Knuckles, better at the guild than in Aerick's hands!" Mare-rith said. "Knuckles, you've been looking for answers to the Emerald's secrets and why it created you as a guardian, now could you just cooperate?" Sonic asked. "Fine, but when it's all over, the emerald is put back where it is!" Knuckles ordered. "Fine, everybody put your hands on the Master Emerald." Mare-rith said. Each of them did, there was a flash. Each of them opened their eyes.
"We're still here!" Knuckles said, in front of an exact replica of the alter on Angle Island. Until he turned around to a bright field, surrounded by a temple. With statues of Hedgehogs and Echidnas. All five of them looked to their left. Where an old hedgehog, who was green with white stripes on his quills, was reading a book. He was wearing glasses. He looked up to about five echidnas, and seven hedgehogs. He then spoke to them. "Try your chaos power on that stone wall with the target painted on it." The hedgehog said. The young hedgehogs and echidnas obeyed. They each put up their hands. Their hands started to glow green, and they blasted a green energy ball at the wall, each caused a small green explosion of the wall.
Sonic and the other turned to Mare-rith. He put up his hand. "Follow me, and carry the Master Emerald with you, I suspect it's very heavy. So help each other, I will guide you to the shrine we will place the Master Emerald in." Mare-rith said. "What's this shrine we're at for then?" Sonic asked. "This is were we will place the chaos emeralds when we have found one. Now follow me." Mare-rith said. Sonic, Knuckles and Shadow grabbed the Master emerald, with Tails holding it up a little. They followed Mare-rith into the temple. Where he eventually came to a halt, in front of a shrine. With a familiar female echidna standing up in front of it. Sonic then spoke. "Mare-rith, what are all of these echidnas doing here? I thought we had war with them." Sonic said. "Yes, these echidnas, like Knuckles, want revenge on Aerick and have pledged themselves to us. They have had ancestors who were also related to hedgehogs." Mare-rith answered. They slowly approached the shrine.
The female echidna turned around to be Tikal. Each of them gasped but Shadow and Mare-rith. "What? What is it?" Shadow asked. "Tikal? Is it you?" Sonic asked. "So, Mare-rith finally found you, I knew he would. We have much to discuss. It is almost dinner time. If you would, please place the emerald in the center of the shrine, I'll join you each shortly." Tikal walked down the steps. Eight choas followed her. "What's with all of those choas with her?" Shadow whispered. "She always has choas following her. I have no clue why, she has a thing for them, a crazy thing." Sonic said. Shadow turned to Tikal who was half way across the room, she turned and smiled at him. He hardly smiled, but this time it was easy, he actually smiled back, and then turned to Mare-rith. "Come… follow me to the guild's dining room. I am the leader of the guild. The Hedgusst family left it in my hands." Mare-rith said as the others followed.
It was later they sat at the table, followed by Tikal. She sat the food on the table. What was it? roasted pig?... Sonic, Shadow, Tails and Knuckles never ate these foods often. They usually stuffed themselves with junk food. "Well, dig in." Tikal said as she shrugged. Sonic immediately grabbed a chicken leg, a few grapes. He grabbed any thing edible. He stuffed his face with all kinds of fruits. And a lot of fried chicken. Tikal suddenly spoke. "So, are you all up to it?" Tikal asked. Shadow looked up. "Up to what?" Shadow asked. "Well up to training of course. Tomorrow you will undergo physical and Chaos Control training. Knowing as ancient blood flows through each of your veins, you should have much ease learning spells and magic. And especially moves for swordsmanship." Tikal said. "Swords?" Sonic asked. "Yes, and guns, we will test your targeting skills. To see some accuracy." Mare-rith said. "What weapons will we use?" Knuckles asked. "What weapons won't you use? We'll test you with almost any necessary weapon essential for combat of any kind." Mare-rith. "Sounds pretty hard-core! I can't wait." Sonic said.
They talked for many hours. Eventually they realized, it was almost midnight. Sonic got up out of his chair. "It's about time to hit the sack." Sonic said. "Excuse me?" Mare-rith said. "He means it's time to go to bed." Tails answered. "Yes, I will take you to your dormitories. Tomorrow, you will train." Mare-rith said. "Sweet, where to?" Sonic asked.
"Follow me." Mare-rith said.
He led them to a room, of four beds. "Well, you will sleep here." Mare-rith said.
"What about all of our stuff at home? We have clothes and stuff. We have bills to pay! Well, actually, I only pay bills, but what about all of our stuff?" Sonic asked. "Taken care of." Mare-rith said. About dozens of hedgehogs and echidnas came in with all kinds of suit cases. Packed with stuff, they sorted them out and put the bags by each of them. Except Shadow. He suddenly felt left out. "Be bright, be calm. If you don't have stuff, well just start your new life now." Shadow thought to himself. "You'll each be living here. The rest of your life." Mare-rith said. "Bogus man! What about the world outside, and all of our friends? What about decent food?" Sonic asked. "Don't worry, once you've learned all about chaos control, you'll be able to teleport and explore just about anywhere in the world, as long as you keep the guild a secret. Other than that, you're free to do what ever. And mind you, our warriors get paid exceptionally well. Believe me, it is great to have you here." Mare-rith said. Each of the four looked at each other, then faced Mare-rith. "That… sounds good." Sonic said. "Good, now get rest. Tomorrow training starts." Mare-rith said. He left the room.
Sonic and the others got comfortable in that big room. They noticed more statues were hanging on the walls. This room looked like all the others. They searched their bags, looking for every belonging, and everything that could be stolen. Eventually they were satisfied to see everything was there. Plus, Mare-rith promised they could easily go anywhere when they learned one simple teleport trick. When having nothing to do, they were free to teleport anywhere, as long as they kept the guild a secret. Especially from their other friends who weren't one of the guild.
Once they were each in their beds, Sonic started talking. "So… what do you guys think?" Sonic asked. "What kind of question is that? Shadow and I just found our reasons to be alive. We can have revenge, and be sure we never suffer again. We've been given a gift I say." Knuckles said. "Mare-rith has so much evidence, this couldn't possibly be a joke." Tails said. "This is happening to fast…" Sonic said. "I'm glad to be here," Tails said, "I've got nothing to do with this. And I end up with the guild. Tails finished. "What do you mean, my family and I grew up with you, you were like one of us. You're like my brother Tails." Sonic said. "Sonic, how did you end up trusting Mare-rith so quickly?" Shadow asked. "I knew who he was, he used to visit my house and drink coffee with my Uncle Chuck, they told me to go away for a while as long as they spoke. I did as told, but sometimes I got caught, and was told never to expose what I heard. I did so." Sonic said. "All we need is time to adjust to this." Tails said. "I need no time," Shadow said, "I've been wanting to avenge Maria so long. I can now, I'll fulfill my promise and help those by destroying the threat that is Aerick." Shadow finished. "Well, we need rest for tomorrow. We've all had plenty of time to think this over, and we vowed to be one of the Hedgusst warriors. Now good night everyone." Sonic said. Each of them quickly fell asleep.
But somewhere far away, Aerick was in Eggman's lab, in a dark robe so Eggman wouldn't ever know his identity related to the findings in the Mystic Ruins. He was speaking with Eggman, bribing him.
"So… I see that they escaped your lab…" The person in the dark robe said. "You better pay up good for this one. Our negotiation plan better go as I say if you want allegiance and access to my robotic army!" Eggman said. "Do not worry of that. I have your chaos emerald you requested me to find. Say, how many emeralds do you have?" The person asked. "Three, but I'd rather much not share information to strangers. Although we've been working together for a month now, you refuse to show your true identity." Eggman said. "Yes, well, tell me what happened when they disappeared." The person said. "I was about to robotisize them, then there was a flash and they were just… gone!" Eggman said. "I knew it, its Mare-rith…" The person said. "What? Mare-who?" Eggman asked.
END CHAPTER
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