Chapter 8: No wait! The training gets worse!
----A week later----
A week passed by, they went over a few new things. Learned some new techniques and spells. Starting next week, they would learn the arts of Hedgusst battle. Plus, how to take down certain enemies. Sonic eventually passed his accuracy test. He wasn't too pleased about Tails beating him in combat. He only got lucky. Tails mostly improved on studying, and techniques. Knuckles and Shadow quickly got the hang of things. The training got more tiring each day. And unlike school, they didn't get the weekends off. The training was becoming a large pain. Sonic was still breaking rules out of plain boredom. They got to a new week.
----Two weeks later----
Sonic continued to break rules, and continued to get a few bad grades. He was still often scolded by Mare-rith. None of them got sleep, but due to talent, they each kept going. Sonic was able to be 10 miles away from a chaos emerald and use his powers by the end of the first week. Shadow was able to be about 15. Knuckles struggled a bit. They learned many new spells. The arts of swordsmanship, along with accuracy test. They progressed well. But they each rarely saw Tikal. She was like some ghost. They studied together in their rooms and took tests. They learned about the world and it's true dangers. How to counter Aerick's tribes attacks. They all started to really get the hang of their powers. They did in days what the average student does in weeks. After all, they had royal unknown blood. Even though they were told that they would be finished in weeks, Mare-rith was blinded. It may take them another month to be able to finish their training. Like Mare-rith said, even with training done, you won't fully understand at first. He had too much confidence in them, that is the mistake he made when they started training. It was each of their attitudes that held them back, but they grew more powerful.
----Another two weeks----
Each day they went over a few new things, and many old things. They practiced with each other in combat each day. Just as they were told, the guild had almost any weapon created. It was true, they used most of the weapons there. Once they were done, they would be free to help search for Aerick, and find the rest of the Chaos Emeralds. They got much better quickly, by now, they could be over 50 miles from any kind of Chaos Emerald. Sonic was soon taught that the power of his power rings meant nothing compared to his training there. That power was like an amateur compared to Mare-rith's abilities. Sonic was still being scolded, but less now. They got more and more tired. Sonic couldn't stand being away from the outside world. But Mare-rith promised he would soon learn the Chaos teleport technique to be mastered soon. Sonic would be free again to roam, and search for the missing chaos emeralds. Shadow was improving the most. Revenge was burning in him, he was on fire each day. He won many combat battles. Once he found Aerick, he would kill him for what Aerick did to Maria. He would kill him for erasing his memory. And kill him for all the success he gave to Robotnik.
Tails got tougher, and could take more blows. Sonic could tackle Tails and Tails would still be standing sometimes. He was also progressing well. But still, there was a freakin' month to go!
----Through out the month----
They got to be very powerful, and strong. With the blood in their veins. They truly belonged in that guild. Mare-rith became impressed with their abilities. He had seen this coming, he knew they could do it. It was their true purpose. Shadow had been waiting for a long time for this. Their ending training was not far at all. They would go on a big hunt for the Chaos Emeralds. They had completed their training.
----The end of the month----
They were finished. Sonic would be able to teleport with all the concentration in his mind. He and the others had done so well. They did so good, that Mare-rith granted them allowed to bring one of the guild's chaos emeralds with them, to help in battle. He held a ceremony in front of the Master Emerald shrine.
----At the ceremony----
Sonic stood in front of about 150 students of the guild. He along with Shadow, Knuckles and Tails were at the top of the shrine, up its steps. Tikal was approaching them at the top of the steps, followed by Mare-rith. She was carrying that blue chaos emerald. She handed it to Shadow. Mare-rith turned around to the crowd. "SILENCE!" He yelled.
The noise died out.
"Tomorrow these brave hedgehogs, echidna and kitsune will go in high hopes of gathering the seven mystic chaos emeralds. They will venture with one, to aid them in their quest. The emerald will enrich their power. They will find and also crush Aerick. The Aerick tribe will be taken down. There will be a great feast tonight in celebration of these legendary ones of the Hedgusst family. So let the celebration begin!" Mare-rith yelled.
The crowd screamed in joy. Mare-rith turned to the four. "Remember, you may do whatever you like, just as long as you don't stray off task too much, also, remember, do not tell anyone of the guild. You should pack and sleep tonight… after we party!" Mare-rith said.
Sonic and the others did pack, they agreed Shadow would hold onto the emerald. Shadow, at the festival, strayed from the others. He knew there was something the guild had about his family somewhere. About his father. Who cast Shadow into the tomb. Shadow went past the Chaos emerald shrine, he wandered past areas of the guild he had never seen before. He came to a statue. It was at the end of a large hallway with fancy red carpet rolled along the way. Shadow walked to the statue. A large hedgehog was carved that looked almost just like Shadow. Except it was taller with a beard. The statue had more. The hedgehog had his arm around a smaller hedgehog. That WAS Shadow. It was father and son, it had to be…
"So, you've seen it…" A voice came from the end of the hallway. Shadow, startled, turned to see Tikal, she approached him. "His name was Taran… He was just like you, so brave and respectful, they say… I… know where you can read all about him. I'll take you to the library." Tikal said. "Why are you doing all this for me?" Shadow asked. "I know what it feels like, to lose someone dear to you. I, like Knuckles, lost my tribe to Aerick's powerful clan. His family was evil for centuries. Now come…" Tikal said, as Shadow followed her to the library.
Shadow was in the library, with Tikal through the whole festival. He studied about his family, all of it. He read a very long book quickly. With tears in his eyes, it answered so many questions he was so afraid to ask. He started to cry. His father was killed in a battle, along with his mother. To stop Aerick's family. He was there only child. A dear one. His family and Sonic's were good friends. They joined forces against evil. But still lost. Shadow closed the last book. It was far past midnight.
He got up to see Tikal, still here. He hugged her crying. "Thank you…" He said cheerfully. She hugged him back. "Now go to your friends, get rest. We'll meet again…" Shadow headed to his room, where he fell asleep to dark nightmares…
END CHAPTER
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