Chapter 4

Tails sat upon the left wing of the X Tornado, staring up at the night sky as waves

crashed upon the cliffs below. He had landed the plane on the side of a sea cliff, and

decided he would continue his search for the Chaos Emeralds in the morning.

Meanwhile, he continued to stare up at the stars, longing for those sunless days upon the

Blue Typhoon, where he and Cosmo would do nothing but gaze at the stars together. As

clouds drifted over the night sky, they revealed a full moon, which had before been

hidden.

Tails stared at its sheer brilliance as it rose above the horizon. He then sighed,

remembering watching the moonrise with Cosmo on one of the planets they had been on.

He remembered holding her, as they stood waist deep in water, sharing that sacred

moment together. Overcome with grief, Tails lifted his head toward the moon, and let out

a long, passionate howl.

Tails howled for several minutes, tears filling his eyes. From a distance, one might even

think he were a two-tailed wolf howling at the moon, rather than a fox.

In fact… Tails was being observed from a distance. Atop a nearby hill, the black outline

of a jackal stared down at the grieving fox cub from above.

"Not long now…Miles.." said Sevag," I promise you…it will not be long now.."

As clouds again hid the full moon's brilliance, Tails hugged his knees, and began crying.

But between his sobs, beeping could be heard. Tails' ears perked up, and he opened the

cockpit and looked at the Emerald radar. There was an emerald moving, and fast. Not

only that, but it seemed to be heading for his house. It couldn't be Shadow, he had

apparently stopped for the night as well. There was only one other person on the planet

who could move that fast.

Tails fastened his seatbelt and started the engine. The X Tornado took off, flying toward

the rising moon.

Sonic sped towards Tails' house, having just come from Green Hill, with an orange

Chaos Emerald in his hand. The search had taken a little long for his tastes, but

nonetheless he was glad to have finally found a Chaos Emerald. He reached Tails' house

and opened the door. He was momentarily stunned to see Knuckles laying in Tails' bed,

with bandages on his body.

"Sonic!" Amy exclaimed.

"I brought the Chaos Emerald." Said Sonic," But what's Knuckles doing here? And what happened to him?"

"Well, it's a long story…" Vector began.

"No, wait," Knuckles interrupted. He sat up, despite the pain it caused him." I'll tell him myself."

"Well okay, if you think you can.." said Vector.

"It all started earlier today," Knuckles began. "I was standing at the Master emerald's

shrine on Angel Island, as usual. But the Master Emerald…it was beginning to react to

something. I glided toward the highest mountaintop, and climbed it so I could get a view

of the whole island. That's when I saw it. It was just as I feared…"

"What was it Knuckles?" sonic asked.

"It was in Sandopolis. I saw a pyramid rise from the sands. It could only mean one
thing… the Tomb of Sevag the Jackal had been awakened, and his seal had been broken.

Now… the horrors unleashed upon my people, shall be unleashed upon the entire world!"

Knuckles began to cough and he sunk down into the bed.

"You should rest," said Amy," You've said enough."

"No…" Knuckles said," sonic needs to hear this… from me. The last time Sevag was

freed… it lead to the destruction of my people, the Echidnas. I was too young to

remember. But thankfully…he was sealed away in a tomb by the Queen Midiana. A

tomb, which has now been awakened. But that's not the only bad thing. Later that day

when I came back to the shrine, I saw Shadow! I tried to stop him from stealing the

Master emerald…but he took it. I don't know what he wanted with it, but I fear…it has

something to do with Sevag."

Sonic went silent for a moment. "You don't think this could be why Tails is after the

emeralds do you?"

"I don't know…" Knuckles said, "I just don't know. But…Sevag's powers would be greatly enhanced by the Chaos Emeralds. Maybe that's his plan.""

"Well, maybe Tails is collecting them to try to save the world from Sevag." said Amy, " He might be trying to keep Shadow from stealing them and giving them to Sevag."

"One could only hope." said Espio," But I'm beginning to have my suspicions.

Remember that dark energy I sensed? O am afraid the spirit that manifested itself there

could have been Sevag the Jackal."

"But...Tails wouldn't align himself with an evil force like that! "Sonic exclaimed, "He just wouldn't!"

" I am afraid we don't know what Tails could be capable of." said Knuckles," He was
heartbroken. Sevag could have taken advantage of that."

Sonic struggled to contemplate the idea that tails could have joined forces with such evil.

"All I know is that if that creature gets his hands on the emeralds, there will be no stopping him." said Knuckles.

"Well…we won't know for sure what Tails is up to until we capture him." Sonic said, still hoping Tails was innocent.

"Right! So come on Charmy and Espio, lets go set the trap!" said Vector Sonic handed Vector the emerald.

"Okay, I'll let you guys capture him. But I want to be the one who questions him." Said Sonic, "If there's anyone he'll talk to, its me."