It's been a while my friends. Far too long since the last update. I can only offer this update as a hopeful act of forgiveness on my part.

With that being said, I would like to thank my writing partner and friend ShadowMan90! Without his help, I doubt my work would have left the drafting table!

That being said, without any further ado, Chapter 8! Happy reading!

Data Entry_

It has been nine months since I have last accessed this archive of my thoughts. Nine months since the end of order. As I sit and type away, I watch over my beloved Mobius from my quarters in the ARK. I long to stand again on the beaches of the Mystic Ruins and watch the waves roll in. I long to feel the cool waters flow over me as I allow every care in the world to wash away. I… long to see my brother and friend once more, and to hold my love close and be held by her as we watch the sunset from our home in the mystic ruins or to run with my brother through the streets of Station Square and talk of chili dogs and dreams of the future … hell, I can't even see the square now. The bustling city that was once full of peace and hope now lays in tatters. A shell of its former glory. It is used as a trophy for the Union of Order… for now.

Data Entry_

I understand much more now than I did before. I did this… My ego swelled and caused me to believe that my walls were impenetrable. I promised those within that they'd be safe from war and desolation, yet that is all they see. I need to regain my focus and lose my pride.

I glanced around the ark today, I witnessed children laughing and playing outside of their metallic structures, apparently oblivious- or deliberately forgetting that this is a research facility housing a super cannon and cannot be a permanent home for them. Need more time to come up with a plan. More time to commune with my senate of advisers. I guess its time to call a meeting.

Data Entry_

Knuckles spoke on the importance of maintaining a divisive line between the rest of the world. Shadow was hell bent on obliterating the Union of Order. The captain of my Suicide Division, Manic, suggested intelligence gathering. Amanda proposed a series of calculated attacks. I just listened, though the empty chair to my right made that difficult. Sometimes, believing that somewhere, somehow, the blue blur is still out there is the only way to keep myself together, but even when I can't lie to myself, at least I know he'd support what I'm doing. He left me that much.

We're at a pivotal moment at this point in time; not only are hundreds of thousands of lives at stake, but the very idea of freedom is becoming a pipe dream, thanks to these "Eyes". Will need to have Knuckles dig up anything he can on them. They've taken too much from everyone to pursue their own ends and I won't let them take anymore. We hold the upper hand so long as we draw breath, for in our hands lie the keys to success: Helios, the Island, ARK, the Typhoon, and an entire army on standby.

But more importantly, we have something that stands above the clouded nature of this world and its darkness: Hope.

We are the only ones with the means to give that to everyone, unlike those who merely dangle it like a carrot before those they would enslave. We will not waste this opportunity to strike fast against the orders of the plains and cut this snake at its engorged neck!

We have a hope and now that hope has lit in us a beacon to light the way to a new and better tomorrow!

It wasn't long before my dropship had reached its destination. I had come prepared as I was unaware of the lingering effects of the last chemical attack. As the bay doors opened and I stood in the center of the city looking South out over the Crystal ocean my mind raced with thoughts of days long gone. I didn't want to lose time in this memory, so I made my way to the city center. To my surprise and elation, the stature that was erected for Sonic was still standing strong. I was overjoyed to find this out, I mean really overjoyed. I had managed to maintain my stature as I started the climb up the step of the ruined Station Square Parliament headquarters. The place was in shambles. Desks were overturned, papers were strewn everywhere and the faint smell of fire was still in the air. I was taken aback for a moment when Elektra's voice came over my comms watch and motioned for me to release the contents of the case I had brought.

I glanced at Shadow; Who I had accompany me just in case, and smirked. I was oddly excited as I motioned for him to watch what happened. I then tossed the case to the ground and pressed a button on my watch. Immediately the latches popped and the case opened with the hissing of a hermetic seal releasing its pressure. Soon after, several drones took to the air. I turned to Shadow just as he asked me what they were for. I told him that these gadgets will quite literally scan massive chunks of just about anything using every known and available type of scanning method that I could cram into their tiny bodies. Their job was to scan the building, send the recorded data back to Elektra in an encrypted format that only she has the key to. Elektra then had the job of unlocking the file, scanning the information, and telling me exactly what was wrong with the parliament building with near pin point accuracy. I tried to explain as best I could, yet I could tell that my tech talk was just agitating him. At times it is sad that no one shares my level of interest in technology. Hell, for the longest time I had allowed the urge to grow dormant as I mourned. But these little drones were my reawakening of sorts.

After all the info had been sent and searched, I finally received news that the building was structurally sound and that no movements were prohibited. I like knowing that I wont fall through a floor. I had made my way up to the imperial quarters and breathed a sigh of relief as I walked in- a feeling one gets when they return home, even if it is torn apart. I opened what was left of the palisade doors to the balcony and ventured out to overlook the ruined city as I had done many times prior. This time however, my eyes caught an unwelcome sight.

Crosses… more of them.

More of my own spread out on them as if for display- which they were in a twisted way. These were ones that gave into lunacy or that stayed behind to fight. Some had rot hanging from them. I returned inside and ordered my royal seals and paper brought up. I sat at the remains of my desk and carefully penned out a proclamation that was to be copied and hanged on every door, every post, and from every cross. From here in the capitol city to the very edges of the usurped empire. My proclamation read very simply but also very clearly:

** Never Again. Never again will the people of this great empire be forced to leave their homes. Never again will their freedom be taken and ran through the shredder. Never again will they cower at the sight of an unknown enemy, or quake at the though of an attack. The lion has awoken and is sharpening his claws. People of the Mobian Empire, rise up for a new dawn is approaching. Rise up for the time has come to wake from your slumber and take back your rightful lands. Rise up for your Empire has called for you to take back your home! MOBIUS ARISE! **

As I sent this to be scanned and copied. Shadow grew impatient. I can only assume that the scouters had seen something. Still, I couldn't leave without finishing what I came to do.

I rushed down the stairs to the basement and pressed through the doors with ease, worrying that I had been found out. Thankfully when I reached the far wall of the storeroom, the only things touched were the alcohol.

Thank God for booze, it makes people stupid.

I kicked bottles and crates out of my way and pressed on the wall until I found a slight give. I slid my knife in between the bricks and worked it out as quickly as I could. Finally, what seemed like an eternity gave way to the brick falling into my hands as I reached behind it and found the lever that I was searching for. I pulled it and breathed a sigh of relief that everything still worked. Another brick was knocked loose and a small metallic drawer slid out and opened revealing a slot and a tube of quick drying cement. I took it and quickly pulled at the chain around my neck, its links breaking easily and freeing the pendant that had hung from the chain. I carefully slid it into the slot and with an audible click and a humming in the background, the drawer closed and slid back into place. I quickly used the tube on the two exposed bricks and replaced them, then reached into my back pocket and removed a pouch containing ash and blew it onto the two areas I had touched, making it look like they hadn't been tampered with in some time.

I am thankful now for the old detective movies I had watched with Sonic as a boy. Sleuthing had become a close hobby of mine.

Returning to the surface, I boarded the ship just in time for the cloaking to activate and cover our escape as the current presiding army returned to inspect. As I looked back on the shrinking city, Shadow questioned me as to why we hadn't just slaughtered them and taken it back then and there. Maintaining my focus, I replied that I was certain we would have had enough supplies to take back the Imperial Parliament building from that small battalion, but in doing so, we would alert the Union of Order to our presence, which would compromise the rest of the plan.

Shadow smirked and said, "You do realize that this means you are thinking more like me, right?" I grimaced inwardly at the thought but smiled none the less as I assured him that great minds tend to think alike at times.

Soon, my people, soon…