Chapter Eight
The sun rose somewhat early that morning, and poor Tsuko got the full blast of sunlight right in his eyes, which spurred him awake.
"Ugh…morning already?" he groaned. After managing to stand up, he began to do his daily stretches, as was his habit. It always helped him start the day. As he did, he noticed the sunlight striking the walls in a peculiar way. The beam of light, when it hit just the right position, began to reflect off of mirrors, and eventually struck the large symbol on the wall, just above the massive doors.
The whole temple shook a little as the doors began to rumble open, scraping against the stone floor as it did. This awoke everyone else.
Amy was the first to awaken, then Cadmus, Espio, Shadow and Tails respectively. As each tried to grasp what was going on, Tsuko started down the stairwell that the doors were hiding.
"C'mon, guys, let's see what's down there!" Tsuko yelled as he started down. Shadow wasn't about to wait, and started down. Soon everyone else followed. The stairwell was dark, cold and a little wet. It seemed to spiral on for eternity, but soon it entered another chamber.
Almost immediately, the group could tell that this place was full of mystical power. The room was lit by a few blue flames that never changed much in intensity. The flames showed five objects.
Each clasped in the hands of a statue of a different race were gems roughly the size of a Chaos Emerald. One, clutched by a male hedgehog in armor, was a red gem that seemed to have a powerful inner flame; another in the hands of an echidna, was an earthy-yellow gem; a third clasped by a chameleon was a silvery gem that seemed to be swirling inside; and the last was a fox holding a blue gem that seemed to be waving like water within.
The statues were arranged in a square, all facing a single sword. In a fashion that Tails found to be right out of a fantasy novel, it was stuck in a pedestal with the symbol above the door.
Tails was quick to hypothesize about the nature of this room. "What we have here are your typical almighty artifacts that will help us in our quest. So, who gets what?"
Espio glared at Tails. "Have some respect, Tails. I, too, feel the same thing, but have some respect, will you? I sense that we are not alone in here."
"There are spirits in here?" Cadmus asked. "So…what are they like?"
While all this was going on, Shadow had, without seemingly knowing it, begun to walk forward, toward the sword.
The first to notice this was Amy. She noticed a blank look in his eyes.
"Shadow?"
Shadow didn't seem to hear her. He went up to the sword, and clasped the handle. Almost instantly he was assaulted by bolts of immense energy, and he screamed in pain, but couldn't let go of the sword. His free hand immediately clasped his forehead, which he felt start to burn, as if someone was pressed a hot brand into his skull.
"Shadow!" Amy cried as she rushed over and tried to pull him off. Just as she did so, the bolts stretched farther to envelop her as well. Every sensation that Shadow was going through, Amy felt as well…the shock, the burning in the forehead. Their combined screams coursed through the temple.
Tails, Tsuko and Cadmus stood utterly dumbfounded as Shadow and Amy suddenly seemed to undergo another change…their quills were starting to rise, just like the Super transformation.
"Wow…incredible!" Tails gasped as he stood and watched.
"Tails! What the hell are you doing! We need to help them!" Tsuko growled. He started forward, but was stopped by Espio.
"No…they'll be okay," he said. Cadmus had started forward too, but he saw Espio halting Tsuko.
About ten seconds later, the bolts ceased, and left Shadow and Amy, tired and a little scorched, but alive, and a little energy was still sizzling around them.
"What the hell just happened?" Tails wondered. Amy and Shadow picked themselves up uneasily. Tails thought he saw the symbol that seemed to dominate the temple seared, in blue, on their heads. Their quills had dropped as well.
"I dunno, but that sword seems to be the cause," Espio replied. "And I think it might be a good thing."
Shadow was the first to answer, though he was still numb from his ordeal. "That sword…what energy…" was all he managed to say before he dropped again, gasping for air.
"Come on, you two, we need to get out of here…" Espio said as he helped Shadow get on his feet. Tails helped the struggling Amy to her feet.
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
Amy's and Shadow's recoveries were surprisingly quick. It wasn't too long before they were walking around on their own again. Soon everyone was back in the main room, finally discussing their plans.
"So…who should be the first target?" Shadow asked to the group.
"We may need the Chaos Emeralds," Tails noted, "and I suspect Knuckles has them. We should go after him first."
"But that would make him more powerful than Sonic…" Cadmus replied. "And I'm not very comfortable of opposing my own race…Bah! I'm up to it!"
"I agree," said Amy, giving a thumbs-up.
"As do I," Espio said with a nod.
"Ditto," replied Tsuko.
Shadow rose. "Then it's settled. We're going to go and beat Knuckles back to the Stone Age!"
Tails shook his head. "Actually…I think I need to sit this one out…there's still the matter of Omega and Metal Sonic. I'd also like to study the sword and those gems."
"Don't worry, Tails…we'll give Knuckles a few whacks for you." Tsuko said. He turned to the echidna. "Cadmus…Lead the way."
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
Shadow, Amy, Cadmus, Espio and Tsuko bid their goodbyes to Tails and set out to the Prime Echidna City. Along the way, Tsuko stopped and reeled in horror.
"Tsuko, what…holy…" Cadmus began. Tsuko had stumbled upon the corpses of Heyei and Frix, his old comrades.
"They were…my friends…" Tsuko stammered as he tried to hold back tears. Cadmus put his hand on Tsuko's shoulder.
"I never knew…how brutal my kind is…" Cadmus said in a half-whisper.
"Mine are just as bad," Tsuko said, finally managing to pull himself together. "Thanks…pal."
And so the peace process begins, Espio thought to himself.
-- -- -- -- -- --
It was nearly sundown when the group reached the village outskirts. Two echidnas with crystal spears stood guard at the city gates.
Cadmus instantly had an idea. "Let me handle this…just follow me and make like I've captured you." With a great deal of uncertainty, the others agreed.
Cadmus came marching out of the forest, with Shadow, Amy, Espio and Tsuko following him, making it seem they were bound by invisible bonds.
"Ah, Cadmus! You're finally back. And I see you've found a lot of prisoners." One of the guards said with a friendly tone.
Cadmus dove into his charade with great gusto. "Yes…they put up quite a fight, but I beat them all single-handedly!" Tsuko snickered at Cadmus' acting.
"Amazing work, Cadmus! Do you want them all sent to the Prime Arch-Echidna?" the other guard asked.
"No, I'll bring them to him myself." Cadmus replied. He turned to his "prisoners". "Move it, you worms!" he bellowed. They all passed by him, still maintaining their ruse. Once they were safe distance and out of sight, they stopped their acting.
"I never knew you were such a ham, Cadmus. You almost had me going." Amy said in a slightly sarcastic tone.
"Thank you…want an encore?" Cadmus replied.
"No thanks…we have a mission. I certainly hope you have something to 'tie' us up with."
Cadmus glanced around and noticed some dirty rags. "These will do."
"Ew…echidna crud…" Tsuko muttered as he was tied up.
"Be quiet, and let's go," Shadow hushed.
-- -- -- -- -- -- --
"Prime One! Cadmus has returned, and he has brought prisoners for you!" a blue male echidna said to his master who sat upon his throne, shrouded in darkness.
"Let him in," Knuckles said in a mixture of his old voice and something otherworldly. The attendant bowed and opened the door. In marched Cadmus, leading Shadow, Amy and Tsuko.
"Well, the mighty Cadmus returns…and with some old friends of mine! What a pleasant surprise! Amy, Espio and Shadow!"
"Hello Knuckles," Shadow said with a hint of defiance.
"Why the cold greeting, buddy?" Knuckles came out of the darkness, to reveal his new form. His knuckle spikes had turned into curved-back crystal pyramids, and his dreadlocks were substituted for tiny obelisks that changed color at short intervals. A single emerald, no doubt one of the Chaos Emeralds, was buried in his forehead, and decorated by gold and other gems. And his face, which once seemed to always have a neutral expression, now was constantly with a sinister and wry smile. "That's not the best way to greet someone you haven't seen in a while."
He then turned to Amy. "Say, didn't Sonic finish you off?" he inquired.
She looked away from him. "I was saved by someone."
Knuckles chuckled in a very sinister manner. "That's not what I heard…isn't that right, Shadow?" His eyes twinkled like cursed gems.
"What? I-I don't know what you're talking about!"
"Come now, don't tell me you forgot!" Knuckles replied sardonically.
Amy was starting to look distressed. "What about me, Shadow?"
"Nothing…Knuckles must have gone mad."
Knuckles laughed. "Still in denial, eh, Shaddy? But enough about that… Amy will learn the truth soon enough."
"Quit messing with their heads, you filthy echidna!" Tsuko yelled.
"SILENCE, HEDGEHOG!" Knuckles boomed. He grabbed Tsuko by the throat, punched him in the gut, and flung him across the room.
"Sire…I don't think that was necessary…" Cadmus began before receiving a fierce glare from his lord.
Espio began to protest. "Knuckles…what's happened to you? This is not how the Guardian of the Chaos Emeralds should act!"
Knuckles grinned slightly. "The power I draw from is far greater than the Chaos Emeralds, Espio. It has allowed me to remain forever young, while the ravages of time seem to have affected you all…even you, Shadow. ButI am bored of this. Cadmus, return to your home. Sentinels!"
Just then, three nine-foot-tall golems made of crystal rose from the castle floor and lumbered forward, standing just behind Amy, Shadow and Espio.
"Take the two male hedgehogs and the chameleon to the dungeon. I want to spend some time with the female." He turned to Amy with a look of fiendish glee.
Two of the statues grabbed Espio and Shadow, while the third tromped over to Tsuko and picked him up. They disappeared through the crystal floor…their bodies and their prisoners melding with them.