Sonic and his friends snuck around the outskirts of the village until they were near Tails workshop. From here they were behind the main square and stood a better chance of getting close to Cythraul and the robots.
"How is he possessing all of the robots?" Amy whispered. "I thought there was only one ghost."
"There is." Dylan responded. "But Cythraul will have access to your friends memories. If your friend knows how to control those things then Cythraul will to."
"Great." Sonic muttered to himself. "Troll, wizard, ghost, boy genius. Is there anything else to throw at us."
"You forgot the robots." Sticks pointed out unhelpfully.
Sonic sighed. If his best buddies life wasn't on the line this might be a little more fun. He loved a challenge but this was ridiculous. The odds were becoming increasingly overwhelming. Sonics nightmare of his friends dead surrounded by Eggmans army of robots was niggling away at him. It was his greatest fear and Cythraul seemed to be doing his best to bring that fear to life. The troll had been in Sonics head and he felt violated. He couldn't help but take the situation personally.
Sonic turned to Dylan. The young mole was shaking as he watched Oblitorator bot stalked past swinging its chainsaw arm. Sonic put a hand on the boys shoulder.
"So whats the plan big man?" He asked. Dylans eyes widened with fear. He had clearly not anticipated being the one calling the shots.
"We can keep the robots and Cythraul busy and Knuckles will stay with you to keep you safe." Sonic promised. "What do you need for this ritual?"
Dylan looked over to the giant red echidna stood beside Sonic and seemed to feel a little better.
"I need to summon my ancestors for guidance, repeat the incantation and then when the spell is done the ghost should enter the jar." Dylan replied, as though ticking off a mental list.
"I meant what do you need physically." Sonic said pointedly.
"Oh," Dylan blushed. "Just a quiet space near the ghost and the jar."
"I'm not sure I can promise somewhere quiet with all of these robots roaming around." Sonic replied. "And when we fight them things tend to get a little explosive… literally."
Dylan looked apprehensive again. "I'll just have to try my best."
Sonic nodded encouragingly and turned to the girls.
"Ready ladies?" He said with a chivalrous bow.
Amy giggled and Sticks raised an eyebrow.
"I hope I'm not interrupting you two." She smirked. "I don't want to be a third wheel."
Sonic shot Amy an exasperated look as they tiptoed off towards the square.
x
Sonic wanted to maintain the element of surprise for as long as he could. He knew that if he and the girls were able to get close to Cythraul and the village square it would draw all of the robots towards them and away from Dylan and Knuckles. They proceeded with caution and soon were right up near Meh burger. Sonic could see the ghost in Tails body slouched on his throne with one leg resting idly over the arm. The mayor was stood next to him, fanning Cythraul with a large palm leaf. A ball and chain rested on the town officials leg. The troll lifted his arm and clicked his fingers. Dave the intern appeared from behind the counter looking nervous.
"ANOTHER BURGER." Cythraul called. His voice was a strange mix of Tails' and the voice Sonic had heard in his head when the fog had swamped the village.
Dave shuffled over to the throne with a tray. Sonic could see that he to had a ball and chain around his ankle to. Cythraul had clearly enslaved the village.
"OH HOW I HAVE MISSED FOOD." Cythraul proclaimed, seemingly to himself. "IF YOU CAN CALL THIS MONSTROSITY FOOD. ARE YOU REALLY THE BEST COOK THIS TINY LITTLE STINK HOLE CAN COME UP WITH?"
"I'm the only cook this stink hole can come up with." Dave squeaked.
Cythraul sneered and snatched the burger from him before shoving it into his mouth. He waved Dave away with a flick of his wrist and the rodent slouched away, dragging the ball and chain behind him.
"WHAT A TRULY PATHETIC PLACE THIS IS." The ghost sighed dramatically. "HARDLY FITTING FOR SOMEONE OF MY STATUS. WOULDN'T YOU AGREE SONIC?"
Cythraul suddenly sat bolt upright in his chair. With a wave of his hand the table Sonic, Amy and Sticks had been hiding behind floated high up into the air before smashing down before them in hundreds of tiny splinters. Sonic and the girls leapt up into a fighting stance. As predicted the square suddenly filled with Eggmans most dangerous robots.
In the tiny wooden cage the man himself poked his hooked nose through the bars.
"Save me Sonic!" He screamed pathetically.
"Can you two handle the robots?" He asked Amy and Sticks out of the corner of his mouth.
"Piece of cake." Amy said through gritted teeth.
Amy and Sticks split off to the sides as Sonic charged forwards at Cythraul. Almost immediately he heard the familiar thunk of Amys hammer connecting with something hard and metal. He knew the girls would be alright. He just had to keep the ghost troll busy.
Cythraul whirled Tails brushes at full speed and shot up into the air. Sonic leapt and attempted to catch hold of the fox so that he could pin his friends body to the ground. Cythraul was supernaturally fast and dodged Sonic easily. Sonic desperately hoped that Dylan was in position and ready to act.
"Tails?" He called. "I know that you're in there and that you can hear me!"
Cythraul laughed. "HE'S NO LONGER HOME BOY! YOUR FOXY FRIEND IS ALL MINE NOW. AND IT WAS SOOO EASY. ESPECIALLY AFTER YOU STOMPED ON THE POOR CHILDS FEELINGS."
Sonic leapt again and this time managed to hit Tails body hard in the side. Cythraul fell backwards but managed to recover himself. The ghost used his powers to levitate one of Meh burgers tables and sent it flying at Sonic. It wiped the hedgehog out. Sonic took a few seconds to recover. He could feel a stabbing pain in his ribs, he hoped nothing was broken.
"Tails please listen to me." He begged. "I'm sorry if I made you feel left out."
A second table shot towards Sonic. In spite of the pain in his ribs he was able to backflip out of harms way.
"That was never my intention." He continued. "Your friendship means the world to me and I promise I will never again take that for granted."
"YOU'RE WASTING YOUR TIME HEDGEHOG!" Cythraul snapped as he shot down at Sonic. Sonic met him mid air with a spindash and they ricochet off of eachother. "YOUR FRIEND IS LOST AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT. HE IS TOO WEAK TO FIGHT."
"My best buddy is anything but weak." Sonic spat back. "Fight Tails. You can do it!"
Cythraul laughed. "THIS IS YOUR PLAN? TO TALK IT OUT? ARE YOU FINALLY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR FEELINGS SONIC?" The ghost taunted. "DON'T FORGET I HAVE BEEN INSIDE YOUR HEAD TO. I KNOW HOW WEAK YOU ARE INSIDE. I KNOW YOU FEAR BEING ALONE AS MUCH AS THE BOY DID. YOU WILL LEAD YOUR FRIENDS TO THEIR DEATHS AND BE POWERLESS TO SAVE THEM. YOU KNOW IT AND THE BOY KNEW IT TO. HE KNEW YOU WOULD ABANDON HIM IN THE END. THIS WAS YOUR FAULT SONIC."
"It's not true." Sonic said to himself, again flinging himself angrily towards the troll with a superman punch. He missed which made the ghost laugh even harder than before.
"YOU ARE AS WEAK AS THIS BOY INSIDE." Cythraul growled. "YOUR ONLY SAVING GRACE IS YOUR POWER. THAT IS ALL THAT STANDS BETWEEN YOU AND THIS PATHETIC CHILD WHOSE BODY I HAVE STOLEN."
Something resonated with Sonic. He paused for a moment before answering Cythrau.
"Then wouldn't you rather have me?" He asked.
Cythraul stopped in his tracks. So did everyone else. Sonic looked over to Amy who was standing in the metallic debris that had up until a few moments ago been Snakebot. She was shaking her head in disbelief.
"YOU?" Cythraul mused.
"Yeah." Sonic reasoned. "Tails has a brilliant mind but that's only because he studies hard and keeps up with the latest technological advances. I'm guessing pouring through the latest copy of 'The tinkerer times' or 'Mechanics monthly' is not your bag?"
The ghost troll remained quiet as he considered this.
"Things move so fast these days." Sonic continued. "Without topping the little guys brain up it wont be long until Tails understanding of robotics is so outdated that almost anyone can do what you do. But no one alive can do what I do."
"Sonic please no!" Amy called. She rushed over to his side and took his hand. Sonic found he was unable to look at her. He kept his eyes focused on Cythraul who seemed to be considering what Sonic was implying.
"THIS IS A TRICK." Cythraul said eventually. "UNLESS YOU ARE FULLY WILLING TO BE TAKEN OVER THEN IT WILL NOT WORK. I CANNOT HAVE ANY RESISTANCE."
"I wont resist." Sonic promised. "On the condition that you leave this village and never return. You can have my power if you promise to spare my friends."
Amy squeezed his hand a little tighter. He could hear her breathing becoming quicker and more shallow. She was afraid. Sonic felt oddly calm. This was the only way to save everyone.
Cythraul did not take long to consider Sonics offer. Within moments he nodded his agreement.
"SAY YOUR GOODBYES THEN!" He instructed Sonic.
Finally the blue hedgehog turned to Amy. Her green eyes were filled with tears.
"Take care of everyone for me." He said gently. "Especially Tails. Make sure he knows this wasn't his fault."
Amy sniffed as a tear fell down her cheek. Sonic wiped it away with his thumb.
"There has to be another way." She said softly so that Cythraul could not hear.
Sonic shrugged. "I hope so, but right now I can't see it. I can't reach Tails." Sonic dropped his voice even lower. "But I know that you two will be able to reach me."
Amys eyes widened as she realized what he was asking her to do.
"Tails is brighter than me," Sonic said urgently, "and you're far better at dealing with emotions than I ever will be. If you two cant save me between you then there really is no hope."
He tilted his head forward so that his forehead was resting against Amys. Her shoulders shook as she tried to fight back her tears. Sonic lifted her chin with his hand and kissed her gently on the lips. Sonic savored what might be his last few moments with the woman he loved before a shocked cry broke them apart.
"OMG! Are they dating?" Eggman yelled, clearly indignant that no one had filled him in.
"We were." Amy said sadly to Sonic. He just smiled back.
"I'll come back to you." He said earnestly. "I promise."
Reluctantly breaking apart from his girlfriends loving embrace Sonic strode over to Cythraul.
"Remember our deal." He said through gritted teeth. "Leave my friends alone or I will fight you every step of the way."
Cythraul nodded solemnly.
x
Tails felt funny. Like his thoughts were lost in a fog. He had been with Amy. They were arguing but he wasn't entirely sure why. Although he didn't always agree with the pink hedgehog he could not remember a time in all the years that they had been friends that they had exchanged cross words. After that things seemed REALLY fuzzy. He remembered Eggmans lair. A cage. The horrible, familiar taste of Meh burgers.
Someone was pulling him to his feet. He could see pink. Amy?
She tucked her arm under his and supported Tails weight. He lifted his head, his vision was blurred. Tails could just make out a blue shape ahead of him. Tails reached his hand out for the blue blur in front of him. In a flash the shape disappeared, off up into the hills.