Chapter 28
Lazarus
Sonic didnt know how much time had passed. He could not hear anything or see anything but float through cold darkness. 'I failed. I guess I'm dead' he thought to himself. This is what he had wanted for so many painful nights he endured, but now that she came into his life everything was different. The blackness seemed to dissolve around him as he now found himself somewhere else. He was standing in a field of wheat, a warm sun hanging low in the sky with more green than he had ever seen in his life. At the end of the field was a small wooden hut that Sonic felt compelled to walk towards. The place looked old, but inviting. Clay pots filled with flowers that seemed to be in full bloom decorated the front entrance, with a cobble pathway leading out from the front door.
Sonic turned the doorknob and with a low creak, made his way inside. Their was a furnace freshly stoked with lumber crackling away, with the smell of bread inside. He heard a voice beckon " Come in. You're just in time for tea. "
Sonic entered, and was startled as a large elephant man rounded the corner into view. He sat down at a wood table with a pot of hot water in his hand as he poured into two cups as the smell of jasmine drifted from them. The large elephant towered over Sonic, his great tusks hung to the side of his trunk with ornate silk robes wrapped around his large body. Sonic sat down at the table across from him as he took a sip.
" I have been wanting to meet you for some time " he said, with a small smile. " Your journey has been a fascinating one. Intertwined with many others who have sought you out. "
Sonic looked down and noticed the mutation on his body was now gone. His wounds were also gone as well. He really must be dead he thought. But as if hearing his thoughts the elephant man responded.
" You are not dead. Well, not yet I should say. You are at a fork in the road that will take you on one or two paths. "
" What paths?" Sonic asked.
" Please, drink. The tea is quite good " he said smiling.
Sonic reluctantly obeyed, taking a sip. He wasn't one for a tea drinker but he did admit it felt rather nice to have for a change.
" So who are you supposed to be? You don't look like you come from where I do " Sonic noted.
" I come from all over " he replied. " I am one who's story has long since been told. So now I take part in helping others complete theirs. That is, depending on the path you take next of course. "
Sonic impatiently drummed his hands on the table, taking another sip of his tea.
" I assume you mean the whole dying part? "
He gave a small nod. " You can choose now to end your story, albiet on an unexpected end. Or you can choose to continue to see where your final chapter takes you. Their is no wrong choice to make, only the one you truly desire most. "
" I..I don't know yet " Sonic said. " I like it here. Where is here anyhow? "
The mammoth shrugged. " I do not know. You are the one who made this place. I am merely a visitor here. "
" Wait, what do you mean I made this? "
" Every one has a place that they create inside themselves as home. Princess Sally's was her castle of Mobotropolis with her father " said Mogul.
Sonic sprung to his feet. " Wait, you know Sally? You two have met before? " he asked, eager for answers. Mogul took another sip of his tea and gingerly poured more into his cup before topping up Sonic's.
" I find this tea not only is good for relaxing, but it also helps me remember things " Mogul said. " You are one who does not remember his past do you? "
Sonic frowned. " Before Robotnik captured me and experimented on me, my life before that was just a blur I guess I forgot about. "
" Nothing is ever truly forgotten, my boy. Merely misplaced. I am sure those memories still are in you" Mogul said, giving a small tap on his head. Sonic felt a sudden rush as if an old rusty lock had broke open inside his mind. He began to remember things. The life he had, and how his surroundings were starting to feel more and more familar.
He stood up from the table and looked around as if seeing it again for the first time. The bookshelves, the old farming tools stashed into the corners, the rocking chairs with knitted blankets folded next to them, and the small child sized bed. Sonic reached down and pulled a large golden ring out from under the pillow as if he knew it was already there. He stared deep into it, then back at Mogul.
" I...think I used to live here " he said. " I was born here, with my parents. My parents..." he said again, voice trailing off.
Mogul sat quiet observing him, drinking his tea.
" My father, he told me this ring was good luck. Mom was sick when she was having me, and when she got this ring she got better. They told me I was special because the ring was magical, and made me strong. "
" Strong you are. Strength I only ever seen in one other " Mogul said.
Sonic turned to him. " Who? "
" You already know that answer. "
Sonic looked down at the ring, and thought back to Sally. She had sacrificed a lot to try to save him. Even if it meant returning to more pain he had to go back.
" I need to get back " Sonic said.
" Ah, so you finally have decided on your path. Excellent " Mogul said with eagerness to his tone.
" How do I leave this place? "
" You need only leave from where you came " Mogul said, pointing to the door.
Sonic turned to leave, his hand on the door. He turned to look back at the large elephant in the room.
" I don't suppose we'll meet again will we? "
" Most likely not. Good luck, traveller. "
With that he turned the knob and stepped back out. Sonic awoke back in his own body now, back to reality. He could feel many hands around him as he layed still. He opened his eyes to Bunnie and Lupe tending to him. She was wrapping bandages around his wounds with Lupe sprinkling her herbs over him. Rotor and Antoine were sitting off to the side covered in bandages who looked in rough shape.
Sonic felt the pain from where he was stabbed with a hot ache from within. He saw Lupe place her hand over his chest and felt his wound close up. She plucked a handful of lead bullets from her hand letting them fall.
Sonic looked up at the sky and noticed it was night.
" What happened? " Sonic croaked. " Where's Sal? "
" You are quite a fighter, Sonic " Lupe said. " When we pulled you out of that pit you had been dead for some time, but your heart had started to beat again on its own. I've never seen it in all my life.
As for Sally, I suspect Robotropolis. Whoever that was that attacked was an elite enforcer of Robotnik. I used the last of my medicine up to heal us. Rotor has a thick hide so he was the most lucky of us. Bunnie needed only her head put back on. "
" What! She's gone? We have to get her back before Robotnik gets his hands on her! " Sonic said in a panic.
Sonic looked at Lupes face which seemed to hold something else on her mind troubling her.
" Something else has happened, hasn't it? " he questioned. " Please, tell me. "
" Something has been nagging at me ever since I embarked on this journey and saw things beyond Hirachi. The ever growing sickness in the land, the endless suffering abundant, the awakening of old ones, the strings of reality itself stretched and rendered asunder. I believe this is what the old prophecy refers to. A time in which all things reach a tipping point. Espylacopa has finally come."
The others looked at her confused.
" Whats that? This...Espylacopa? "
" The sky shall rise and the earth will fall,
When winds blow wrong and light is gone,
Apocalypse will die and Espylacopa will be born,
The last miracle will shine" said Lupe reciting the old song.
" What does that mean?"
" It means time is running out, for all of us. Perhaps this is why Robotnik has taken a sudden interest in her. She did tell us she is not from this world. She could be a key in all this. "
"End of the world, huh? Well that's fine by me. So long as I get her back and take a piece of the fat man with us I'm down with whatever comes next " Sonic said.
They looked at the red horizon and noticed a train approaching from across the desert. At first it seemed like a mirage but it soon came into view as they could hear the wheels chugging with the loud blaring of the horn. The large train came screeching to a halt pulling up beside them. It looked like an old train carrying rows of passenger carts behind it.
" Well aint this is convenient " said Rotor.
" A bit too convenient " remarked Antoine.
Sonic shrugged it off and stepped aboard the train. Thier were rows upon rows of empty seats. It seemed nobody was aboard or had been in a very long time.
" It seems safe enough " he said hoppig aboard.
The rest joined him stepping onto the mysterious train in the desert. After a period of looking around to check for any signs of life they found their seats and settled in. A loud unsettling buzz went off went off signalling the closing of the doors and the train begining to take off.
" Final stop approaching: Robotropolis " said a automated voice from the speakers.
" Hold on Sal.. "
