"So let me get this straight." Amy took a seat at the table. "You're the vessel for this ancient power that was created to protect Chaos from a jealous rival, and it's your duty to find the other nineteen and make sure they're not killed in some horrible way?"

Sonic shrugged. "That's pretty much what we know at the moment."

"And you learned all of this from a talking mural in the basement of some ruins?"

"Yup." Knuckles replied. "It's as crazy as it sounds..."

"Crazy is right." Amy put her head in her hands. "Does this ancient power have a consciousness?"

"Howlite didn't exactly say..." Sonic replied. "...But he did refer to Autumn Wind as 'him', and said he was dormant at the moment, so I think Wind does have a consciousness."

"How are you going to find all of the others and fight Eggman at the same time?"

"I don't know... But things have always worked out for us before, so I'm sure it'll be alright."

Amy sighed, her ears drooping a little. Sonic would never admit it, but he loved it when his girlfriend pouted and her bottom lip stuck out. "...Do you ever think you've got too much on our plates already for someone your age?"

"We're almost adults, Ames. It's time to take responsibility for our lives!" Knuckles announced.

"I'm serious, guys! World-Reknowned Hero is a big pair of shoes for one teenager to fill! And now you're gonna have this...Amethyst thing going on now too!?"

Sonic sighed. "It does seem like a lot... But we're a team. We can do anything if we work together."

"Yeah." Tails fistbumped his brother. "We're all going to help you find the other amethysts and keep them safe."

"Right!" Knuckles announced, and Amy gave a simple nod with a smile.

"Thanks guys. I needed that." Sonic got up from the table. "Do you think I'll get new powers when Autumn Wind finally awakens?"

Tails shrugged. "That'll be a question for Howlite tomorrow. Though with a name like 'Wind,' it'll probably be air-related."

"True." Sonic looked up to the sky, closing his eyes as the breeze blew by him. "Well...Off on another adventure..." He whispered.

The realm of Darkness... A bleak place of black stone jutting out in all directions, and lit by the flowing lava in between the cracked ground.

If a mortal were to see it, they might believe it was Hell.

Some of the inhabitants thought it was.

Along the steaming trails of lava, a pair wandered together, their feet not even feeling the heat. Covered in blackened armor and cloaks that dragged along the ground like oozing tar, their gazes moved about the region.
"...Lovely afternoon, wouldn't you say?" The woman murmured, adjusting her cloak's hood. "Not too hot, not too humid..."

A smile cracked across her husband's face. "Oh Citrine, my sweet, you always manage to find something pleasant about zis place... We haven't left here in ages. I'm dying to see some action!"

"Soon, Zircon. Soon... It has been a thousand years... They will wake soon enough, and then we shall once again invade the Center Realm and destroy their hosts once again, just as you did all those centuries ago."

Zircon sighed. "Yes...Quartz still holds a grudge about that day."

Citrine rolled her eyes, grasping her husband's arm. "That old fox needs to get over it. Ah have..."

"Yes, well-"

They paused as a chilly gust blew past them, snuffing out the upper layer of lava below their feet. "...He summons us." Citrine murmured, then picked up her cloak so that it no longer dragged. "Come! We must assemble with the others!"

Zircon chased after his wife, eventually catching up so that they both reached the arena at the same time. Hundreds of shapes in similar garb stood in the arena, looking up towards the towering stone in the center, awaiting their master to speak.
Zircon brushed his way through the crowd, holding his wife's hand until he was nearly in the front of the crowd, pausing beside another soldier. "...Jasper."

"Zircon...!" The other hissed. "...I swear, this time I will kill one before you."

Citrine chuckled. "Good luck with that, Sugah."

"You think that just because you're Alexandrite's favorite, that you'll-"

"SHHHH!" The rest of the crowd shushed as they heard footsteps on the stone above.

There was a loud collective clang as all soldiers moved in unison into a salute as their leader stepped into view.
It was silent for a moment, then a chuckle came from the dark shape that was almost invisible against the rock. "Now that's what I like to hear!" He shouted. "A united force, all standing for a singular cause... Obsidians! I have just been informed by our spies, that the last Amethyst has chosen a host... And the first will soon awaken...!"

A loud cheer came from the amassed forces, then died immediately as Lord Dominus lifted a hand. "Now... We are going to make things a little more interesting this time... It took us almost twenty years to down the Amethysts last time, and I intend to fix that long time frame this time... This time, you will not be working solo, but in teams. We will destroy the Amethysts one at a time, as they manifest, to ensure that they never form up against us... Our first Amethyst is Autumn Wind... Jasper, Onyx, Tourmaline, you are to ensure he is ended...!"

A grin spread across Jasper's face as he gave a bow, along with two more soldiers. "As you wish...!" He replied confidently, then hissed over to Zircon. "Told you I'd kill first...!"

Zircon rolled his eyes. "We'll see, Jasper...We'll see..."