"A poisoned knife." Jack remarked, holding up the blade for all to see; a piece of white cloth wrapped around the hilt. Prepares for the dead had been called in and a thorough search of the apartment was being conducted by five of Blaze's best soldiers. A lot of bottles and other things on shelves belonging to the deceased magician had been knocked onto the floor. "There wasn't a struggle by the look of it. His death came quick and it was near instantaneous." The large feline added, wrapping the dagger up carefully in the white cloth and placing it in a box held by one of their shoulders. Amy just shuddered.

"Someone knew we were coming." Okida stated glaring down at the body as they prepared to remove. "And silenced Sebastian before we had a chance to question him." The anger brewing in Blaze was more than evident on her face. Her eyes dilating in utter rage, her fangs barred and fists clenching and unclenching at her sides.

"But that's impossible." Amy told him. "We decided only five minutes ago to come and talk to him. Even if someone got wind of that there's no way they could come all the day down here before we did, kill Sebastian and then leave without anyone noticing."

"Someone found a way." The major replied.

"Could it be one of the others magicians, using magic to spy on us and teleport here to kill Sebastian?" Jack asked Blaze, who shook her head.

"None of them could have been spying on us magic any magic I know that much. I made sure my grandfather's study was immune from outside magic. Besides, I can think of no motive for any of them.

"None they made public at any rate." Jack reminded her. Blaze grimaced. He was right. She could not be sure of any of her people's loyalty. Not after this. Okida sighed.

"The only reason someone could have to kill Sebastian was that we were on to 'whatever's going on.'." He looked down at the corpse as the felines began preparing it for removal. "He must have had information they couldn't afford to give out."

"And just who are… 'they'?" Knuckles asked giving Okida sharp glare. "Ok; I'll admit this is a bit suspect, but the way you go on it's as if there's some grand conspiracy going on."

"There very well may be." Void began, rising up from the body. They all remained silent, waiting for him to continue but instead of doing so Void simply floated out the door. "But not of the kind local to either Fellena or Earth." His trailing voice added.

"Oh please don't spoil the surprise on our account." Sonic murmured glaring after him.

"Wait here." Blaze told them all and made after Void. She found him floating down the corridor outside away from the door.

"Now I think I'm beginning to understand what's going on." He told her as she drew level with him. "The… 'Dark One's' …experiment never ended." She blinked in confusion.

"And what draws you to that conclusion?" She asked with a certain amount of surprise in her voice.

"Only a hunch right now." He admitted. "But to be sure I want to take another look at the Arcanum."

"Whatever for?" The feline asked.

"Whatever is going on seems to be rotating around that jewel." He told her. "It's the key to this entire mystery, I'm sure of it." Blaze was silent for a moment.

"And you think that because Sebastian was the overseer of the Arcanum for someone killed him to keep him quiet?"

"More than that if my suspicions are correct." Void replied. "But if they are, then…" He shuddered. "It's something I don't even want to think about at this point." The energy chamber was empty. Most of the felines had been drawn away from their post by the news of the corpse spreading fast.

Void simply floated right up to the giant yellow jewel in place and stared at it. Blaze walked up to the bottom of the metallic pillar and looked up. She was unable to tell exactly what Void was doing but it seemed significant. The glow from the Arcanum increased for a moment before dying away. "I knew it." Void whispered angrily, smacking a fist directly into his open palm. His eyes were wide with both realization and irritation. "Now I think I know what's going on around here."

"What is it?" Blaze called up as he descended down from the Arcanum, pausing at the sight of the angry expression on his face.

"Tell me…" He began without looking at her. "Who told you that this could keep Dragons away?"

"Sebastian the overseer…" Even as the words left her mouth she picked up on what Void was suggestion. "You… you can't be serious!"

"I've never been more so." Void stated crossing his arms in front of himself. "As a ward to keep Dragons away, the Arcanum is utterly useless!" Blaze was left staring at him open mouthed, her gaze darting from him to the Arcanum and back. "It's just a power source Blaze. There's nothing magical about it."

"But…" Blaze found herself unable to leap this mental hurdle. "But that can't be…"

"Oh but it is." Void assured her. "Now I got that close to it, I can sense the Arcanum isn't doing anything to keep the Dragons away from your city."

"But… but what's keeping them away then?" Void fixed her with a grim smile.

"Absolutely nothing." Nothing he was telling her was making sense. What vile conspiracy was going on here? Was nothing she ever believed to be real a truth? She held her hand to her head as her brain began to hurt.

"Then why have they not descended from the skies to burn us alive by now?" That was the one thing she could not understand whatsoever. She had seen entire towns and villages consumed by fire, all accept this city; the only settlement that had the Arcanum present.

"Because they've been told not to." Void replied. "This Dark One you told me about. I have a horrible feeling his experiment is still ongoing. And that the Dragons are not the subject of his testing…" He fixed Blaze with a short glare. "It's you and your people."

"What!" Blaze exclaimed in utter surprise.

"Assemble your magicians and members of court." He told her. "I think I've just about gotten to the bottom of this."

-

"It was called Project Leap Gate." Apparently Arthur had not had much choice. Espio was not someone to be argued with when he was annoyed. The chameleon had dragged Frank over the side room, tied him up, gagged him and locked him inside.

The gun he had placed on the top of a cabinet, promising only to let Arthur have it when the chameleon made his escape. He needed something to prove Frank was trying to kill him. The police had been called and should there soon. Arthur however was not sure how he was going to explain it to the cops. "Hexagon's been using G.U.N to retrieve technology from various sources for some time now." The human continued, rummaging around through the bottom draw under his deck. "They were able to retrieve bit and pieces from that Armageddon station that blew up about half a year ago." He withdrew a thick file with the word (CONFIDENTIAL) printed on the top. "From one of these pieces, they created Project Leap Gate. I don't know what it does exactly, but from what I do know; it's something they want to keep very badly under wraps."

He handed Espio the folder. The chameleon flipped it open and looked at the folded papers inside. They were instructions for the falling star company about what to publish in their media stations. All mentions of Dragons, government involvement and even speculation of such things were to be removed completely.

"Just why are they keeping all this secret?" Espio asked out load. "I thought they'd be bragging about stuff they come across." Every other time the military developed some new weapon to add to their arsenal they made sure everyone knew about it, to reassure the public and to intimidate their enemies.

"I have no idea." Arthur replied. "I managed to get wind of it through my usual channels in the military and then suddenly Hexagon brought an air tight information lock down." The man looked beat, like he hadn't slept in five days. "I was just about to publish the stores about that Dragon in the Caribbean and Leap Gate. They told me if I did it would be the end of my company."

"Let me guess, even when you killed the story they felt like you were too big a security risk to leave around?" Espio asked looking up.

"I think Frank's enough evidence of that." Arthur replied, running a hand through his tangled hair. "But I can't believe it… Frank. I never would have thought he was capable of trying to shoot his best friend."

"You'll be surprised what some people will do for money." The chameleon remarked back. He shook his head, trying to dislodge the image of Fang's sneering face and the crumpled body of the Armadillo as he laid there, blood slowly spreading out across the floor away from him. Forcing back the painful memory, Espio concentrated on the information in front of him. "Mind if I take this?" He asked, gesturing up with the folder.

"Mind? You'll be doing me a favour!" Arthur replied. "As for me, I'm heading south of the border for a while, growing a large moustache and lying low."

Espio didn't hear him. His eyes had latched onto a name printed on the paper. 'Henry Patterson.' Before he got himself excited, the chameleon checked the details beside it. A hexagon research employee, according to the report here was transferred to work in AREA 99 to work on Leap Gate. A good other few scientists and researchers on Hexagons pay roll had been transferred with him. Their work had to be pretty hazardous as their average salary had been increased several times over to compensate.

Yep, this was the guy alright. This bridged the gap between their dead…mutated…body and Hexagon. But still they had not been able to figure out what the Dragon was all about. Did it have something to do with this 'Leap Gate'? It was a bit too late to take a trip to AREA 99 to take a look at it as the base had been blow to smithereens, the bases destruction was still all over the news.

Still this was better than nothing. Perhaps some of the others had more information by now?

"Yo, Espio; you there?" Vector's voice asked over the com link in the chameleon's ear, causing him to flinch.

"Yeah I'm here Vector." He replied, putting a hand to the small microphone.

"You'd best hi-tail it out of there." The crocodile announced. From across the street in their secluded alleyway, Chaotix could see a couple of squad cars had pulled up outside the Falling Star's entrance. "The cops are here. I think you've been rumbled."

"Don't worry about, they're not after me." Espio assured him, but thought to himself that it was probably best not to be found here. There was something screwy going on and the last thing he needed was to waste time being kept in for questioning. "I've got what we need from here now. I'll meet you back at the apartment."

"Roger that." With that the crocodile's voice was gone. Espio tucked the report under his arm.

"The police should be up in the moment." He told Arthur who was leaning on the deck with his elbows. "Just tell them someone tried to kill you and they should be able to do something. Don't mention anything about Hexagon."

"Hexe-what?" Arthur asked. Espio just nodded, before his outline shimmered. His colours faded away and then his entire body turned invisible.

-

The amphitheatre was where Blaze assembled the feline's court and their magicians. They filed in and began to take up the seats, all of them puzzled as to why their queen ordered them here. Of course, Sonic and the others had all managed prized seats down at the front. The amphitheatre was large building with an arched ceiling over the stage, the rows of seats leading up to top angled toward towards it. The only entrances were doors leading to corridors on each level. The stage itself was large, flat and oval. In times gone by it had been used for various productions but with the felines culture in such a state it had been abandoned for some time.

Void said nothing. He simply floated there directly in the middle of the stage waiting for everyone to get into position. Sonic noticed that Blaze had her guards stationed at the entrances. Something told him this was going to be interesting.

"Sebastian, the overseer of the Arcanum is dead." Blaze announced to the assembled group. She stood next to Void glaring up at all those present. A low rumble of conversation passed though the air. "Murdered; a poisoned dagger blade driven through his back." The low rumble turned into an appalled row; that quickly died away as the massive form of Jack marched out to join his mistress. "I have been presented with evidence that Sebastian himself was part of a plot to keep out people at the mercy of the Dragon Blood and that some of conspirators may very well be in this room." Blaze continued and an insufferable hush fell over the entire room.

"This is just like a detective film isn't it?" Amy whispered to Sonic, who just nodded. He was anxious to see where this was going. Void was just floating there with his arms crossed, keeping his face emotionless. It was clear he had something planned but just what was it?

"Does this evidence come from him?" One of the court mages asked, standing up and pointing a finger directly at Void.

"As a matter of fact it does." Blaze replied.

"If all due respect your majesty, you believe this scum?" Another asked, tearing his way out of his seat; anger clear on the felines face. "His people left us to die at the hands of the Blood in the first place." A loud roar of agreement resonated through most of those present.

"The crime of my people…" Void began, his voice carrying above them all. "…Will pale in comparison to those of the guilty amongst you." They went utterly. "Some of you, sitting in the chairs above me are in league with the Dark one who unleashed the blood on you." The roar returned, shouts of "preposterous" and "utterly insane" shot down at him.

"Quiet you barking dogs!" Jack shouted up at them, flexing his muscles. They could see them ripple under his fur.

"There are traitors in this theatre and by the end of today, they will be found!" Blaze added. "I believe Void because of evidence shown not only by him, but by friends that brought my servant back to me with no promise of a reward." Sonic was thankful she did not gesture to them. At the moment the last thing he wanted was to be the circle of attention. "Void… the stage is yours." The small imp like being nodded and floated directly to the circle of the amphitheatre. Blaze didn't know what he had planned, but she could tell it was going to be quite revealing.

"Some decades ago, as you are aware, your world was visited by an entity you refer to as the Dark One." Void waited for a moment for someone to shout him down but no one said anything in reply. "After studying the facts, I have come to the conclusion he visited your world for the purpose of using both the creatures he brought with him, and yourselves as subjects in a heinous genetics experiment."

"Thus far you have just recounted our recent history." One of the felines shouted down. Void smiled grimly in response.

"These experiments," He continued. "Did not end with the creation of the Dragon Blood. With everything that has happened, before and after my arrival, I am now convinced that his experiment is on going and there some of your people aiding him." The shouting and disapproval began again but as silenced when Jack opened his mouth and roared at them, showing several one of his sharp teeth. They shrank away like frightened kittens and even Blaze looked a little taken aback by the outburst.

"What a voice." Knuckles commented, apparently unmoved by the roar. Rouge was clinging onto his arms with her fur standing on end.

"As I was saying…" Void continued. "Several of my associates travelled to the location where your history states the Dark One stayed during his presence on your world. Once they got there, they found that any evidence that might be of some use was destroyed by a bomb. According to the foot prints they found, only a feline could have planted it." One of them looked like she was about to argue, but closed her mouth when Jack shot her a glare. "And then, when we deduced someone might be using the Arcanum to get themselves past the Dragons to the craters to plant the bomb; we paid Sebastian a visit. Only to find him dead on the floor of his home."

The gruesome image of the feline lying there with a dagger in his back was all too reminiscent of another, similar, event in Shadow's life and he tried to shake the memory away. But it remained, as plain as day in his minds eye as it always had done. Tikal looked up when she saw the black and red hedgehog grimace.

"All of these events suggest that someone has been watching me and my companions very closely since I arrived." Void continued to the crowd. "Perhaps they feared a Maginaryworld involvement at last; that their master's carefully orchestrated plans were in danger. So they had to hide the evidence from me, anyway they could." He smiled. "And in doing so, alerted me to something odd anyway."

"He gets into the Sherlock role well." Metal Sonic commented in passing. Sonic managed a smirk. No kidding, Void actually looked like he was enjoying himself out there.

"The question is…" Void carried on, now well in swing. "Who? Who had the opportunity to spy on us while we made our plans? Who could possibly be there to listen in?" He coughed to clear his throat. The felines were now all deadly silent, half of them hung on his every word. "At first I thought they were using magic to do it, as your kind can clearly use such a thing, but Blaze informed me our meeting place was immune from outside magic's." Some people at the back were still grumbling that their leader had been so easily swayed by a being from Maginaryworld.

"I was stumped. How could they do all this without the use of magic?" His smile returned in full force. "And then, I had a look at the Arcanum. Acting on a hunch, I took the time to examine the jewel more closely and discovered something quite startling." He paused to glance up around to see how many people were paying attention. Even the trouble makers at the back were now watching, waiting for him to continue. "The Dragons do not keep away from your city because of the presence of the Arcanum." He stated to them receiving a few startled reaction. "Is it's simply a power source. The Dragons stay away from the city, because they are told to by their master, who does not want his agents to be consumed." Sonic and Amy shot each other a startled glance as the felines began talking amongst themselves again.

One of them stood up sharply and jabbed a claw at Void.

"That is blasphemy! I demand this heretic be cast out at once!" More joined him in his proclamation of denial.

"ENOUGH!" Blaze shouted at them, forcing them all to be quiet. "You will listen to what he has to say, or I will feed you to the Dragons myself!" Everyone, Sonic and the others included, went deathly quiet.

"And then the pieces started coming together." Void continued as if there hadn't been any outburst. "The Arcanum was never what kept the Dragons away from you, so it would never be needed for the Dark ones agents to leave the city. So they could have left at any time they wished." He smiled grimly. "It also explains how they were able to listen in on our meetings." Slowly Void turned to face Jack. "You." The large feline and many others looked utterly startled.

"Pardon?" He asked.

"You where there Jack, each and every time we made any decision. Through you, they were able to spy on us."

"Are you accusing me of treason?" Jack asked, taking so much offence he was hissing through his clamped fangs. Void just shook his head.

"No. Not you directly. You are a mere pawn in this game." He assured him. "Blaze, you told me that our meeting place was immune to outside magic." The feline queen nodded once.

"Yes that's right."

"Well then. How about magic from the inside?" Void raised his hand and gently laid the palm against Jack's head. Suddenly, fading into existence a thread of light appeared; one end attached to Jack's ear and the other fading away to nothing through the air.

"What in the name of!" Jack proclaimed, clearly surprised to see this attached to him.

"This is the line through which the guilty party listened in." Void replied calmly. "They wield powerful magic, strong enough to fool the best magicians into thinking the Arcanum had any worth. Through this, you were their eyes and ears and since the magic was already on the inside of Blaze's study, its ward protection could not prevent it sending back secrets." This time Blaze did nothing to disturb the murmur of conversation that spread throughout the amphitheatre. "And with this, we call reveal the feline who sold you out to the Dark One!" Void let his hand move along the thread as he did so, more of it revealed itself to him; moving along the thread he found himself moving closer and closer towards the audience.

Suddenly he drew his arm back and then threw it forward; the entire thread revealing itself with one sudden burst. Within a moment, the link between Jack and a feline sitting in the audience was revealed. He was hiding his face behind a wrap that covered his face up to his nose.

"Damn you!" The feline snarled, leaping from his seat and bolting for the door.

"Stop him!" Blaze ordered and instantly the warriors she had placed around the exits armed themselves, half their number moving to interrupt the runaway while the others kept the exits blocked.

Showing surprising agility and strength, the masked feline tore his way through the guards as he came at him one by one. Knocking them aside he bolted for the entrance.

Amy tossed her hammer at the last moment at him, the shaft of the long handle tangling his legs. Loosing his balance, the feline tripped over and fell to the ground with a crashing thud.

Sonic and Shadow were on him in an instant, pinning his arms behind him. But the feline had more tricks up his sleeve, raising his hand; he cast a bolt of magic at them; the energy crackling through both hedgehogs and throwing them back sharply into the guards as they charged.

With a clear path to the exit, the feline made a break for it; only to find his way barred by Metal Sonic and Knuckles. The two of them were standing there with their arms crossed, annoyed expressions on their faces. At the same time, they grabbed his arms and with their renowned strength tossed him straight back into the middle of the amphitheatre, sliding to a stop at Blaze's feet.

She stamped down on his hands before he could fire off another spell and then roughly tore the wrapping off his face.

"Sebastian!" Jack stared in utter disbelief.

Sonic and Shadow picked themselves up and stared, neither of them unable to explain how this was possible. They had both seen his dead body only a few hours ago, yet here he was; alive and well.

"Faked his own death to throw us off the trail." Void remarked folding his arms. "I occurred to me; one with strong enough magic to fool the magicians of the court into thinking the Arcanum was worth anything as a Dragon ward ought to be able to so something in the way of that illusion."

"Illusion?" Amy asked. By now half the audience had gathered in the centre of the ring to stare in wonder as Jack held the struggling Sebastian, the one they'd been told was dead, in place with his large hands. "You mean that dead body was an illusion?"

"A very good illusion." Void remarked. "He was probably preparing to disguise himself and take on another role and use that to continue his watch on the felines; to keep them in their pens."

"Pens?" One of the felines asked in surprise.

"What would you call this city if not a giant pen?" Void asked in response, gesturing up and around him. "The Dark one engineered this entire situation just to get your people cooped here where you're controlled and easy to experiment on." He turned to give Sebastian a glare. "And all with the help of this one." Blaze snarled angrily and grabbed Sebastian by the throat.

"Why, Sebastian? Why help that which imprisons our people?" Sebastian himself said nothing, his eyes kept straight at her; before he reared his head back despite her fingers around his neck and laughed.

"You foolish child!" He laughed. "You haven't the faintest clue what you've stumbled onto." His eyes seemed alight with a strange madness, lips spread in a sneer. "The time of reckoning is almost upon us."

"Spill it pal." Sonic began. "Who you working for?"

"Oh Shadow, you and your lackeys are persistent aren't you?" Their watcher asked, all three glowing orange eyes narrowing. Certainly this was an unforeseen problem. They were a mere stones throw away from discovering the entire plan and if they did it would all be for nothing.

They had forced his hand.

"Very well. You have earned a preview of my power." He raised his cloven hand and the two large fingers and talon like thumb began to adopt a glowing yellow outline, arching out and twitching as energy began surging through it. "Rise up my great beasts, rise up and destroy in the name of Black Doom!"

Sensing the will of their master, the Dragons rose up in force. For miles around the floating island, they flew up into the air like a swarm of locusts. Hundreds of them rising in tight formation; a regatta of wings; starved for weeks; now let loose. The possibly of a feast driving them one, they surged towards the city.

Down on the ground, Doctor Eggman watched them ignore his crashed ship and head off towards the horizon. The Egg Carrier 4 was still not repaired enough to get itself off the ground and its weapons systems were malfunctioning. For a brief moment, when he saw the creatures that barrages his ship when he arrived here sudden surge into the sky, Eggman thought he was a goner.

But they did not seem interested in him. As if he didn't exist they carried on past the Egg Carrier and off towards some other target.

"Now just where are they off to?" He asked himself, their shadows casting darkness over the ground as they passed by. At this point, intelligence was required. The automated defences and shield were now back online, so the Doctor was no longer in need of a bodyguard. The newly reactivated robot would serve him far better as a scout. "Gamma!" Summoned to his masters side; E102 stomped out of the darkness of the hanger bay, lighting not yet restored to the entire vessel. "Go, recon activity. Do not alert them to our presence." The doctor announced; gesturing up at the armada of flying lizards crossing overhead.

The robotic solider saluted, bringing the rifle attached to its arm above the round green optics of its eyes.

The glass dome shook violently as Dragons tooth and claws began tearing away at it, fragments of material spraying out under the relentless attack. Those leading the charge reared their heads back before showing the surface with burning chemicals. To the city inside, it appeared as if the sky was on fire; about to break open and release a horde of demons on them.

"The city is under attack mistress!" Jack cried out as the ground beneath their feet began shaking like an earthquake. Even from here they could hear the roars of the dragons, starved for so long they were utterly desperate to break through.

"I have failed the master." Sebastian sighed, leaning back into the large felines grip. "He comes now to cleanse the failed experiment. All will be consumed by the fires of his wrath before the day is out."

"Not before you." Jack snarled in his face. Sebastian just laughed again.

"The gates will soon be open and through them will come your end!" The ground shook like never before and a loud thud rang out from nearby, following by loud screams.

"The Dragons have breeched the city!" Someone cried out, only to find he was stated the obvious as a large scaly head the size of a truck came crashing through the roof, jaws opened wide.