The clouds still held a dark dominance over the skies even two hours later. Mara returned to her guests after the skirmish with the utmost haste. "Now remember who you will be speaking to," her voice remained just as dry as ever. Her eyes narrowed while continuing, "Show your respect and we shall have no problems, but I even whiff a hit of threat from you then I shall make sure your entrails will paint the walls of the castle."
"Isn't that a bit excessive?" Amy's voice was filled with instability at what her ears caught. "I mean I am certain you know we mean no ill intent, right?"
"I am well aware of your intent, but I am also aware of your skill with that slick tongue of yours," Mara had then inched her twisted face within sniffing distance of Sonic. However, even with a slightly more mature mind, Sonic couldn't help but crack a slight grin at his infamy. "Just try to control yourself in front of my lord, that way we will have no problems."
"I know this is hard for you to process, Sonic, but don't do anything reckless," Amy's iron grip latched onto Sonic's shoulder. The moment he felt the intensity, every hair on his body stood on end. Just which was more dangerous? Amy's hammer or Mara's scythe?
"This is a castle?" Sonic was astonished by what he was staring at. It may have been considered a fortress in a previous age with a decent amount of daily maintenance but now it was in shambles. The walls held a mass of moss and overgrown trees reaching over the towering stone walls. It was amazing that no holes were present against the millennium old fortifications, but it was apparent that a few areas were updated recently with fresh reinforcement. Past the walls one could see a behemoth that could barely be called a building, it was more of an installation. The moss still clung to the windows of the large series of towers, but the one that reached closest to the stars was an amalgamation of stone and steel. The doors, multiple wall sections, and balcony were reinforced with the odd chrome shine. At the top of the tower held a smokestack that slowly hissed black clouds of emission into the air in a slow but steady stream of charcoal.
"My husband still has some renovating to do before I could call our base complete," Mara held up her hand at the gate before it glowed with a magenta shade. "Please don't assume that any of us are accepting our current base of operations condition at the moment. Hopefully he can finish sometime this decade."
"Wait you're married!?" Both Sonic and Amy simultaneously broke their voices at the new revelation. The king's personal assassin with the personality of a boulder actually had a relationship with another living human being.
"Now I am a bit depressed," Amy turned away from her compatriots and sulked at the turn of events. Dark thoughts flooded her mind like "Even a killer with that kind of attitude found someone" and "Maybe I should be a bit more open to guys."
"Don't worry, my husband barely has any use," Mara waved her hand past her face with a sneer of discontent. "He's good with his hands as well as ingenuity but has the loyalty of a stray dog filled with fleas."
"What do you mean 'good with his hands'?" That statement reminded Sonic of another friend of his who sounded way too familiar. "I hope you're not taking about a sexual euphemism."
Mara paused for a moment while Amy started to show signs of recovery from her depression. "I guess he has a notable level of skill in bed as well."
"I really didn't need to know that," Sonic's face twisted as the idea of Mara's emotionless face tried to partake in the action of baby-making. "I don't think I could find a level of enjoyment in having sex with a dead fish."
A sudden flash of time whipped past Sonic, it was like a sudden gust of wind sucker punched his stomach. He bent forward in agony before falling to the floor in a paralysis of pain. He strained his eyes up in the midst of the agony to see Amy standing above him full recovered and her fist clenched with searing might.
"I thought you were told to control that mouth of yours," Amy's snarled and her eyes were bursting with a fierce inferno that turned Sonic's blood into a river of ice. "I don't know about you, but if I have to pick between you and me about whose body will end up being found in a ditch tomorrow morning then I'll just have to put you there myself."
"Amy, you're scaring me," Sonic's voice cracked in terror between his coughs.
"I don't care, you saw what happened just a little a while ago. I don't want that happening to me because of that tongue of yours."
"Calm yourselves before I have to drag both of your bickering bodies to my lord," Mara sneered. "I don't think speaking about our personal lives is a good way to delay that which must be done. "Now stay close, there are plenty of dead ends in this forsaken fortress of hate. One wrong room and you'll end up worse off than if you somehow pissed me off. After all, this was the former tyrant's favorite fortress for a reason."
The corridors twisted about into a miasma maze that held countless of barred turns and doors with scraps of paper with the words "Sealed" in large font plastered across near the handles. A faint smell of rotting flesh and decay made both Amy and Sonic nearly vomit as they continued to follow their only guide. It was abhorrent with bricks dyed in a dulled out crimson shade that held a variety of shapes, from fades handprints, to claw marks, and large splatters shaped like twisted stars.
"Ghaaaaah!" a paralyzing screech rocked Sonic and Amy's ears. Their brains screamed in pain as the screech grew louder and echoed across the stone walls. Both of their knees buckled under the immense sound while they fell to the cold stone floor with a massive thud barely able to make a dent to the sound that was assaulting them.
"Four thousand prisoners were tortured by the former lord and those of my clan he had under his control," the screeching finally died down, Mara was the only one unfazed by the agonizing screams her eyes still a swirling abyss that consumed emotion. "Those that died here suffer beyond mere body destruction, their souls ever cursed into agony. This land that is a beacon for souls across dimensions, holds this terrible place as a rotting blister that can never truly be cut away. Some of my former clan followed the former king and partook in this diabolical torture. The method known as the forbidden 'Sickle of Chaos'."
Mara flicked her hand and a black sickle the size just slightly smaller than her own forearm appeared in her hand. Sonic inched his face closer to the sickle, it was odd it felt somehow familiar, the soft glow of violet had the exact same sensation as the emeralds he wielded during the war.
"Your eyes show me you have seen this item before," Mara's voice broke Sonic out of his trance. He slowly backed away from the sickle that seemed to whisper to his senses before nodding slowly.
"It's just like the Chaos Emeralds I use," Sonic backed away then from the sickle, sudden chill ripped right up his spine as the aura of the object suddenly felt sinister at his words.
"Chaos Emeralds? Ah yes, the elders of our clan spoke of the coming apocalypse of the Emeralds and the Great Emerald. It was one of the reasons our clan left those that dedicated their lives to guarding them, or planning to take them. This sickle… each of my clan has been able to craft it from the remnants of our ancient pact with those Emeralds apparently. This blade is cursed with chaos, we gave up our affinity with chaos but were cursed with these blades. These blades are only to be used for those that must be wiped completely out of this world, criminals that threaten the existence of everyone. For my former clan mates to use them so willingly in this place under such a horrible king forced my hand in the forsaken souls' retribution. I even took the soul of my father, the former head of the clan."
Amy fidgeted at the sound of Mara's story. She had been around Wyvern Kingdom for years now, yet why was she just now hearing about their blood freezing war stories? The lump that laid in her throat felt as if it double in size to the point it might have been prodding out of her throat.
Mara flicked her wrist and the sickle dissipated into the nether, "Come, we must hurry before my patience with these stalls wear thin." More screams and moans of agony rocked the ears of the trio with no sign of respite. The stars twisted, the rooms flashed by, and a numerous amount of corridors later they arrived at a giant iron door held deep in the bowls of the accursed fortress. Mara's eyes once again drifted towards her guests with a frozen dead stare. Sonic and Amy felt the simple meaning behind her cold eyes as their spines shivered with anxiety. Mara finally broke the unease, or perhaps she made it worse, by cracking a smile that made both of her guests stomachs turn before parting the door.
A gargantuan corridor stood before everyone, the walls were clean, a massive change to the rest of the fortress. At the end stood a pair of thrones oozing with gold, behind them held a crimson tapestry with a grand wyvern exoskeleton. There was only one issue with a misplaced sanctum, no one else was there. Mara's expression quickly switched back to her standard emotionless state, actually one could argue she may have been angry.
"Stay here or you'll get lost," Mara growled, fire seemed to be spewing out of her nostrils, she then stomped her way out of the chamber while mumbling vile words of irritation to herself. "I don't have time to search through this entire fortress just to find you again anyways. I am going to need to beat this frustration out of my husband later."
With Mara's departure Amy quickly turned her attention to her companion. Her worries of Sonic's curiosity once again find them into trouble like old times was definitely a problem she did not want to reenact. Yet to her relief, she soon noticed Sonic move to the left wall and stared at the odd portraits that laid out with pride. His eyes were fixated upon the first portrait, it was terribly worn, even for his environment's standings. The paint had become faded, the iron frame was showing signs of rust, yet the portrait still held a young phoenix with a bright smile and wings of gold that shined like a beacon. On his head he wore a crown, bathed iron and sapphires, yet a crown nonetheless. Sonic's eyes shifted to the next painting, a wolf frozen in a battle cry, a banner soaked in blood with fire bursting on the hems. The wolf's eyes burned with an unbridled passion, around him arrows frozen in time were flying against a sky covered in ash. Resting aside from this painting held one of a female this time, a wolf just like her partner. Her eyes shined like rubies, yet her expression looked frozen, almost dead. Around her lied corpses of soldiers, spears protruding their backs, arrows littered across their decaying bodies.
The lineage of paintings continued as Sonic and Amy viewed each one, the portrayal was always different, some held those with a soft presence that would ooze any strife from one's body, while other's seemed emotionless, bringing not a hint of pride to those who remained frozen in time. Each one after the first three paintings held a pair of male and female holding some kind of crown upon their heads. The crown slowly morphed from a cast of iron, to a shining assortment of silver with numerous jewels beaming with vigor no matter what painting it laid upon. Then came to the end of the lineage, two pairs of paintings remained.
The first painting told the whole story to the onlookers, it was torn apart with claw marks desecrating both portraits. The faces of the bodies were made impossible to read what they looked like, the edges were singed black as the night sky. The background for the two was the same, adorned in gold and jewels the two faceless entities had their hands raised high to the sky. It was difficult to make out, but their bodies both told Sonic and Amy that the two both mirrored that of their spectators' species. A lump swelled up into Sonic's stomach, he clutched it as it seemed to grow as his gaze continued to inspect the two paintings. It would not go away, it just festered there like a maggot.
Finally Sonic tore his gaze from the desecrated paintings and moved to the last ones, his eyes soon widened in awe at the first portrait. It was not of a sentient being, but of a beast, a monster one would say. It was a dragon, its hide was a sickly olive shade. The eyes sent shivers of terror with their fierce sunglow gaze. The dragon's wings were folded with contempt, it eyes threatening but its posture was of contempt. A green mist seemed to ooze from the beast's slightly jarred maw. Around the dragon laid a mountain, no perhaps a valley of treasure as far as the eye could see. Jewels, gold coins, statues incased in silver, it all was there within reach of the dragon. Such wealth was frankly disgusting for Sonic to look at.
"Filthy isn't he?" A sudden soft voice jolted both hedgehogs in unison before they whipped around to see the creator. There was the female hedgehog that Sonic recognized immediately from the valley standing within arm's reach of him. He froze as he remembered the scene, she summoned a mist of poison that ravaged the soldiers with no mercy as they had gasped for release. Now here he was standing within feet of her, a shivered of terror enveloped his body.
"I don't think so, I mean the gold is a bit excessive for me," Sonic's cracked as he tried to continue the conversation. "Besides, I get this feeling it's a she rather than a he, but maybe 'it' is a better way to describe the beast."
Her eyes narrowed at Sonic's rebuttal," No, it's a he, alright," she shook her head and with a sigh rested her right hand under her chin with a face void of amusement. "In fact he is quite a greed dragon, always not satisfied with what he has, never once grateful for the now."
"You sound like you know him," Sonic let out as soft of a chuckle as he could muster as he gazed up her eyes now shining a familiar sunglow.
"Of course I do," she closed her eyes once, then opened them again as their glow intensified tenfold. "After all… his name is Fafnir. Oh by the way his soul is residing in my body, he is very anti-social with me though."
Silence enveloped the room with the force of a sudden explosive impact. Amy's eyes widened in complete disbelief. Sonic's nervousness broke into pieces at what he heard and his head titled with the weight of questions suddenly bashing in his skull. "Ummm… excuse me what?"
The female tilted her head to the side with a sad expression plastered on her face. "What you don't believe me? Why it is that no one believes me? I really despise proving it to others."
"No, it's not that we completely believe you," Amy's heartstrings slightly tugged at the visitor's voice. "It's just we haven't ever meet a 'dragon' before, much less someone that is as 'unique' as you."
"You think being a beast is a blessing?" the female's voice suddenly contorted into a heavy tone filled with danger while her eyes glowed yellow and her pupils changed into a reptilian' shape. "You really think I desired to become a dragon? Much less be partnered with this girl's soul without the ability to physically touch the wealth that I loathe for."
The sudden switch caught Sonic and Amy off guard as Sonic's legs suddenly became liquid as he fell to his butt. Amy's spines shuddered at the menacing pressure that exuded from the female visitor. Her maw came into view, mirroring that of a beast with fangs sharpened enough to rip through steel with ease.
"Selene is far too open-hearted with outsiders like you," Fafnir's eyes grew narrow, it's fangs bore down on Amy while the tongue danced and dripped with hunger. "If it weren't for the fact she satisfies my hunger, I would happily devour both of you. Alas, she is quite a bitch to deal with though, so I guess I can at least live with seeing the two of you quaking in your pathetic boots."
Fafnir closed its eyes for a moment, then opening them again they changed back to their normal hue and normal pupil shape while the dripping fangs disappeared as quickly as they came.
"Quite rude isn't he?" Selene's arms crossed as she puffed her cheeks filled annoyance rather than hot empty air. "Calling me a 'bitch' is fine, but the way he likes taking over my body to make a point is quite rude."
"Wait? So she is fine with being called a 'bitch'?" Amy tried desperately to laugh off her confusion and fear as she tried to recover what little composure she could muster.
"Well then, with that little interruption out of the way," Selene held out her hand with a coy smile. "I am Selene, queen of Wyvern Kingdom and chieftess of the last remaining Androdracon clan, at your service."
"Um… hi, I am Sonic, I guess I have too many titles to count to be honest," Sonic finally recovered enough to regain his feet.
"And I am Amy, I am just a friend and former resident of Acorn Kingdom," Amy decided it was best to try and put what had just happened in the back of her mind.
Selene gave the most confusing smile possible in response, "Oh don't you both worry, I have read over the reports about the both of you over the past couple of weeks. I must admit, both of you have achieved quite the interesting resumes to read up on near the fireplace. In fact, one could that is the reason why the both of you have been called here today."
"We were told it was your husband that summoned us," Amy's quills shook with unease at the sudden revelation. "I mean no disrespect but I think we should wait for your husband to get here."
"Oh no that was a lie I told Mara to get you both here," Selene laughed as her words dribbled out. "Mara doesn't like listening to me to be honest, even though she is married, sometimes I worry she is a bit too close to my husband. The fact she ignores her queen to such a degree makes it difficult for me to get my job done around here every so often."
"Now then on to business," Selene's tone turned dark, any kind of ease slipped out of her eyes before they strained at her guests. "I understand that Acorn Kingdom's currently in an unknown state of leadership at the moment. We have no idea what their intentions are at the moment and our kingdom is not currently in a stable state where we could survive a long term war with any kind of enemy at the moment. For this reason, the Reavers under Mara's leadership have been infiltrating Acorn Kingdom and have been watching in the shadows. I understand you may want some information we have gathered about your former residence. I am willing to have Mara share with you what you may be wanting, as long as you answer my questions."
"Of course!" Sonic nearly jumped happily at the sound of the deal that was proposed. It was finally the chance he was looking for just to find out how his family was doing. Perhaps he could sleep just a little bit better than he had for the past month. Then there was also the slim possibility he could learn about some way he could get in contact with his friends still locked away in the prison that was his former home.
"Let me warn you right now," Selene bent forward her eye slowly shifting into a reptilian-like state again. "If you so much as lie to me about anything I ask, I will rip your throat apart with my bare hands. I will not risk the sake of my people just because you kept something hidden from me. Get me?"
Sonic nodded slowly at Selene's threat, it was out of his hands now. With the threat now stacking on top of the promise for information about his homeland, it was impossible for him to even comprehend a viable lie without any well thought out plan.
"Good, now that we have that out of the way," Selene backed off a bit, her eyes still held their draconic presence. "What can you tell me about this new ruler of Acorn? His personality, any changes in the recent years?"
"You mean Shadow?" Sonic folded her arms for a while before closing his eyes in deep concentration as he poured over his memories. Shadow, an enigma to be precise, broody, quiet, and always with his own agenda that seemed to be put before comradery. Even after all the years they ran into each other, sometimes on different sides, sometimes as battle partners, Sonic still couldn't piece together Shadow.
"To be honest, I can't say what his agenda really is," Sonic had to be honest with his lack of Intel. "He puts his mission before anyone else. Whether it be for revenge or even what is 'right' he is fixated on it. That being said I still can't tell you as to why he just snapped while I was away from my kingdom. I trusted Shadow to help keep Acorn from falling into ruin like it did with Robotnik. He's strong but I didn't think the power would get to him. Apparently he just snapped a little after he came into power."
"Hrmmm," Selene pondered Sonic's words for a minute as her mind swept over the newly found information. It may not have seemed like much, but to Selene something ticked her brain into running over the info time and again. "Looks like we will have to ask Mara to move our infiltration team's priorities a bit."
"Next question is probably far more important," Selene finally broke out of her state of deep thought and continued her investigation. "I understand your kingdom had control of these powerful artifacts known as 'Chaos Emeralds' it is very important you tell me if you know where they are now."
That was the question both Sonic and Amy knew would be difficult to answer. The Chaos Emeralds, the artifacts that countless enemies were made from in order to obtain their unlimited powers. Was this a sign of Selene's agenda? No matter to Sonic, the risks that the information would bring paled in comparison to his desire to find out if his family was safe.
"To be honest," Sonic paused one final time as he caught sight of Amy's worried expression. It was obvious she knew the possible consequences were for revealing the location of the seven emeralds. Even so Sonic continued, "Two of the emeralds were kept safe in the royal vault. Its likely Shadow has opened the vault by now and found them. For safety the other three emeralds I have no idea where they are located exactly. It was Sally's idea to make sure that we didn't keep all seven together if someone infiltrated the capital. Looks like she was right in the end."
"What about the last two?" Selene tapped her foot with impatience at Sonic's words. "I know math and you only spoke of five of the emeralds. Where are the other two?"
"I have them," Sonic finally decided to reveal his secret. "My friend's decided it would be best to keep the last two emeralds away from anyone's attention. Even my wife didn't know I stashed them outside of the capital at a hideout just in case if things went south and we got invaded. After I was exiled I snuck back in near the border and reacquired the emeralds. I know it may put your country in danger if Shadow find's out but I just couldn't risk him getting control of the seven emeralds. You have no idea the power he would wield if he had them all."
"…" Silence was all that could be found in the chamber after Sonic finished his confession. He slowly reached back into his satchel he had kept to his hip to reveal the two emeralds he had been keeping all this time.
It was a flash that even Amy couldn't believe what had just happened. Selene's eyes flashed again, her teeth turned to fangs and her emerald wings rose high as she tackled Sonic to the floor. Her hands were now claws ready to rip through steel as one hand wrapped around Sonic's next while the other rose above her head ready to strike. "You idiot! Do you realize the danger you have just put us all in bringing those accursed things here!"
Sonic writhed as he could feel the air in his lungs suddenly burst out of his body and his neck clamped down hard enough to make in barely possible to suck in a fragment of air. "Calm down… I said I was sorry… I'll give them to you if you want!" Sonic could barely choke out his words as Amy quickly jumped into action at the sight of her friend in danger.
"Let him go!" Amy roared in anger as she bore her mallet right above Selene. The fear in Amy's body had been overtaken with rage but perhaps it was fear that still haunted her hands as they shook with an uncontrollable vigor. "I swear I'll bat like pinball if you don't get off of him you bitch!"
"Back off or I'll rip your teeth out of your mouth," Selene's feral growl hushed Amy for a moment before turning back to the source of her ire. "Do you not realize the danger you have put us all in you idiotic fool!? Those abominations should never step foot upon this earth again!"
"I..m.. so..r..ry," Sonic chocked out his response as he clawed at Selene's hands. His vision was starting to become clouded, his mind floated between consciousness and a giant blank.
"I said let him go!" Amy roared at the top of her lungs, with all of her immense power behind it, she swung at Selene with all her might. Her hammer ripped through the air and slammed into Selene's face, batting her body into the other end of the corridor with a roaring "Bang" that rocked the fortress to its foundation. Selene's body shattered the oak doors like glass.
"UUUUUUUUuuuuuu," Sonic weezed before filling his lungs with the crisp air he longed for. "Ack, Amy… you shouldn't have done that!"
"Forget what I just did," Amy tossed her hammer away as she cradled Sonic in her soft arms. "Why didn't you tell me you brought the emeralds with you?"
"You know I had no choice, Shadow could have destroyed everything we worked for if he had the emeralds," Sonic's hands shook out of control, struggling with what little strength he had recovered, Sonic grasped the hem of Amy's dress while letting off the weakest grin he could muster.
Amy had no time to reply before Selene bashed the few splinters that hung to the busted hinges. The splinters sliced through the air like bullets, one in particular grazed Amy's cheek and cut through her skin like a searing knife.
"THAT HURT!" Selene roared the same familiar green venom slowly creeped out of her maw, her wings raised high above her head, and her paws both placed upon the ground with her tail raised. Her snarl dripped with rage filled saliva. Selene lurched back for a moment then lunged with herculean might towards her prey.
"DON'T HURT HER!" Sonic roared with the last of his strength as he pushed Amy's protection away. Amy had no time jump back Sonic as she flew through the air. Selene's maw bore down upon Sonic before staring at his concrete face. "Just don't hurt her, she had no idea I brought the emeralds. I'll give them to you afterwards. Just don't hurt her."
Selene's snarling halted, her hands reaching again for Sonic's hand froze in place as her sunny eyes stared into Sonic's teetering eyes. The smoke of poison halted its seething, Selene slowly pulled away from her victim, her eyes again turning back to their normal shape and shade.
"We have no desire for those emeralds, in fact it is the opposite," the cracking sound of Selene's claws slowly contorted back into a pair of hands. "Those emeralds are two fold a curse to this land. Those that desire their accursed power are only an additional side effect to their destructive influence."
Selene continued her explanation after helping Sonic back to his feet, "You see this land is in a delicate state of balance as a beacon for souls of other planes of existence. The Chaos Emeralds power are like a poison to those souls. In fact, to us Androdracons their very power is toxic, possible the most dangerous power to extinguish our lives. However, that is only the first reason as to why my clan has forbidden the Chaos Emeralds from these lands. The other reason is held by the ancient seal that binds the god of destruction, Thanatos, to its eternal prison. The seal was created originally by four races, the Phoenixians, Werewolves, Griffians, and the Androdracons. Unfortunately, the seal wore away over the generations into a volatile state that allows Thanatos to leak his power into our land. When the previous royalty took power, it quickly became apparent that they were beings completely created by Thanatos's miasma. They quickly lead a genocide, destroying the Phoenixians, Griffians, almost all of the Werewolves, and all but my clan of Androdracons. Now, only my clan remain, diligently repairing the seal, but it remains volatile. The last time the Chaos Emeralds were ever used in this land was said to by the elders to have created the break in the seal."
Selene pointed her finger at Sonic, her gaze hardened before she continued, "As of right now you will be seen by my clan to be a possible terrorist, whether you're intentions are justifiable or not will be decided by the council. Know this, you are now a walking corpse. If you so much think about using those Chaos Emeralds upon this land, you will be killed on the spot with no due process. I would normally be forced to take you into custody, however I still believe your services could be useful to the kingdom. I will inform the Senate of your possessions, in the meantime I suggest you follow my commands so I may have some evidence to support your intensions. Do I make myself clear?"
"Understood, but if I may ask where does that leave Amy?" Sonic was fine with the idea of clearing his name, after all, if he had any hopes at rescuing his family then he would need allies. The Androdracons may be a difficult bunch to understand, but their power was indeed formidable.
"Does she have any affinity with the Chaos Emeralds?" Selene's head creaked towards Amy who found herself back to Sonic's side.
"No, I have never tried nor intend to," Amy shook her head as she inspected Sonic's neck, "in fact, I just learned that this idiot decided to not tell me about the emeralds when I took him in."
"Well then I think it's fair to say it's her choice whether to be wrapped up in your problems or not isn't it?" Selene waved her hand across her face with little effort. "Do what you will, you are innocent in this in my mind."
Amy took a long stare at her friend, her mind muddled with memories of the past, her chest tightened the longer her eyes glued to Sonic. The world around her spun, her legs felt dead and unable to move. Finally she broke the spell that felt like an eternity to her, "I'll help him for now. With what we have been through before, I think I owe you at the very least my assistance until we save Sally."
"Whatever," Selene broke the special moment with a voracious cough drenched in vigor. "You two can talk about the details later. For now, Sonic, right now I have no use for you in your current state." Selene nose curled with disgust as she gave off a stink eye that made Sonic's stomach turn. "From what Mara told me, your speed seems to have been completed gutted from you. Unless it has all been an act this whole time and you just have decided not to go at the speed of sound for your day job."
"No, it's true," Sonic almost curled up a ball in embarrassment at his predicament. I don't know what it is… but after I was exiled my legs have felt dead. I don't know why but whenever I try to rev up it feels as if the life out of my legs suddenly just expel from them."
"Well then I suppose I don't need you in your current state," Selene let out a glare of displeasure that ripped to the core of Sonic's self-esteem. "Is it physical or a mental phenomenon is the true question."
Sonic shook his head in cluelessness. "Too be honest I couldn't tell you, my mental capabilities certainly are clouded, but this has never happened directly to my speed. I mean any father would be going through a tough time knowing their kids and my wife are basically captured by someone I once called an ally. "
Selene hissed as she closed her eyes with a twisted face of disgust plastered across her face. Her mind was clearly juggling too many things at once to properly conceal her emotions, or perhaps she just didn't find it necessary to hide them. It would be the longest minute in history before she finally recovered her disgusted face and returned to staring at Sonic with her draconic eyes. "If it's indeed mental then you need to get your shit together. I know it may seem cruel to hear this coming from someone who you just met, but I for one can attest that you are indeed not the worst sob story of mental fatigue I have seen first-hand."
"Hold on that's just a bit cruel don't you think?" Amy stepped in front of her friend with fire burning in her eyes. "You have no right to even speak."
Selene cracked a coy smile at Amy's words while her head slowly tilted in a twisted angle. "Ah, ignorance. See perhaps you are correct about myself, but then again you should take a look at the last picture after 'my' portrait." Selene's smile quickly dissipated into her signature leer with her arms coiled together. "That portrait after all only tells what destructive spirit is wedged all the way in my husband's consciousness."
Amy was the first to accept the invitation given to them. Her head slowly turned like clockwork to the final portrait of royalty. A burnt drape with the color of algae laid before the portrait. It was odd, why was this last portrait out of all the others to be covered? Curiosity overcame every thought in Amy's mind; her arm quivered softly as she reached for the hem of the drape. With hand grasping the fabric, froze for just a moment. The thought ran by her once again, "Why? Why this one?" With one last hesitation she pulled the drape down; wanting to answer the question plaguing her mind.
The portrait was indeed one of another dragon but it's sheer presence stole all the heat from the fortress. The crimson dragon, bathed in flames spewing from the earth like geysers, roared with vigor at the numerous human knights bathed in steel. The fires of the earth swarmed around the dragon, it's body draped around by the hot flames. However, there was another thing that covered it's body. Chains, horrible chains jagged for holding as well as torture its victim wrapped around the beast's body with the flames. The knight who remained on their feet held the ends of their chains with desperation as they screamed war cries at the monster. The field around the dragon was littered with corpses, blood bathed the lands like rainfall, spears protruded from the ground and the corpses clutched their blades bathed in the blood of their foes. The dragon's body was writhing, fighting the chains that bind it to its prison. Its scales shined like rubies amidst the smog filled sky like a beacon amidst the apocalypse.
"When the Barret's dragon awoken before my clan after his trial the spirit took over just like normal," Selene broke the silence finally as she crossed her arms and her stare became cold as ice. "Its name is Valmist," Selene's eyes slowly unfolded as she spoke the name. "Out of all the dragons' spirits that have been recorded that have reincarnated like normal, Valmist is not among them. However, we asked the spirit if it was a new born it then told us another name it took its previous existence."
Selene's grip on her arms tightened, her eyes tightened as she finally spoke, "its previous incarnation name … was Ares." A doomed silence filled the chamber as her words dropped into existence. That name, Ares, brought a sinister chime to all that heard the name. "None of our clan is familiar with the name Ares, but when asked the spirits we heard a reply. Ares, was a known as a God. A god whose presence wrought with despair and terror for the residences of the planet known as Earth. On the battlefields filled with war and chaos; the God of War would ride into the battle, slaughtering those that he deemed unfit for the battlegrounds. He would burn his victims to the bone, turning them to ash all the while dousing the victors with remains. Only one such civilization worship this tyrant of battle, but even in worship they feared his might. So they chained the god bathed in an ancient curse that binding to his across his skin. However, even the chains were said to not have been enough to hold the God of War. Soon he mastered the art of controlling the chains, making them his own weapon bathed in flames. Afterwards he rewarded his followers by whipping the civilization from existence. The night it happened is said to have been the beginning of the end of an era.
Selene took in a sharp breath as she finished the tale. Her face was plastered with a new emotion, sadness? Disdain? Disappointment? It was unknown what it could be but she continued on regardless. "After the shamans told my clan this it was decided Barret couldn't become a integral part of our clan, he's treatment was like that of an outsider, but he still had to be one of us. They wanted to keep him on a leash for his strength but make sure he wouldn't lose control. So it was decided by the council that he would marry a member of the clan that would be tasked with keeping an eye on him."
"So, I volunteered myself," Selene then grabbed the hems of her short skirt draped in regal bronze and knelt softly with a shimmering smile that matched the small emeralds on her dress. "My father was absolutely livid at my decision of course, but the council found my candidacy quite fortunate. So now you know one piece of Barret's suffering," Selene crept her right hand towards the side of her skull and slowly burrowed her index finger like a screw into her own skull. "If Ares is anything like Fafnir, then Barret is constantly whispering its battle-hungry desires in his head every day. For me, greed is something I am impartial to. I have power and a comfortable life if peace ever decided to truly rear its head. Barret on the other hand is dealing with a former god reincarnated into a dragon that still yearns for the dance of war. While trying to control the violent nature of his partner; he also has to worry about his own wife making sure he doesn't lose it."
"You honestly disgust me," Amy stepped forward. With Selene's tale come to an end, the revelation revealed of her part of a hoax had burned her temper into a wildfire in her stomach. "What kind of wife puts other's before her own husband?"
"… Yes, I am quite a bitch, aren't I?" Selene chuckled as she released her head from the annoyance of her own grinding torment. "I have no right to tell you his past, even I haven't been told many details of my own husband. However," Selene's eyes softly glowed, the same sinister glow that made her audiences' quills stand sharply in alarm, "that does not mean I don't care for my husband. I have my responsibilities for my clan, but even they don't know I have no plans on helping them kill my own husband simple for their political needs. Not every little secret I have told him; no matter who believes my words."
Selene then turned her gaze to the entrance as a pair of footsteps echoed the new guest to the fortress. "Looks like Mara got finished with my husband. I imagine she won't be pleased being told by her 'Master' he wasn't the one to invite you both."
"I see you found a way to destroy the doors," Mara's dry tone sapped Selene's foul aura single-handily when she returned while her eyes slowly scanned the debris of wooden shrapnel plastered across the floor and bored into the gapes of stones. "If I recall you wanted to replace them anyways."
"That I did," Selene let out a cynical chuckle as her posture quickly hunched forward like a troll with a smile draped in malice plastered across her venomous lips. "If we ever wish to have more visitors into our home, our doors had better be a bit more soundproof."
"A bit excessive don't you think?" Mara's hidden head tilted to her right while her glowing eyes shined like a pair of street lights in the dead of night. "Also, didn't I tell you I hate your guts? Especially how you like to turn around and use me like a slave. I told you before, I do not serve you."
"Like you would listen to my request if I asked," Selene clicked her tongue with disdain as her death stare magnetized directly upon Mara. "I am guessing you spoke to my husband?"
"Master asked me to follow with whatever plan you have," it was clear Mara was fighting to urge to bite off her own tongue as she spoke. "It is still up to me whether or not your plan is 'acceptable' or not."
"Fair enough," a slight smile could be seen at the edge of Selene's mouth. "For now give your report of Acorn Kingdom to these two, after that I we shall see where things are headed."
"That's your grand plan?" Mara was perplexed by the request. "I see no problem with sharing it with these two but what else is there?"
"I'll tell you as things progress," Selene waved off Mara's prying words with her own tap-dance before shoving her index finger directly at Sonic's nose. "I guess I can ask you to get this slouch out of his slump and get him back into shape. Right now, without his speed he is useless to us now."
"… I'll have a doctor look at it then," Mara's gaze turned towards Sonic defiance still pulsed from her words with her heartbeat. "But why do we need him?"
"Don't you remember you're report? That Shadow fellow could be a danger to my husband. I will not allow such a thing to exist."
A silence loomed over the chamber at Selene's cutthroat words. Her tightened face held no signs of attempting to hide her hidden concerns. Mara decided to step forward towards her new task with no sign of shared compassion at the situation at her new prisoner. "I shall do it for my lord only. You may try say you are defending him, which maybe the case, but you know he shall not have you bear his offspring."
The moment the words slipped out Mara's maw an ear shattering smashed erupted from beneath Selene. Her pent up rage finally snapped at her subordinate's ruthless words that cut into her body with the intensity of Mara's very own scythe. The solid cement buckled under Selene's fury under her boot that she slammed into the earth below. Selene's face was now void of naught but rage, her teeth mashed while bearing the fangs of a predator toyed with by its prey. Her eyes completely enveloped by her dragon instincts as they shook with her bellowing anger.
Mara wrapped her arms around her chest as she shook, where tears swelling from her eyes? "It's been two years since he laid with me. I just want to feel his arms cradle me, to have him tell me his secret desires as I do what I can to please him. I want to bear his children, but he won't hold me at night."
"You know why," Mara's voice cut through the air as Selene slowly slithered her way to the exit. "You are not her."
"Your right, I am not her," Selene almost left her audience before pausing at her own words. She stood tall, the shaking still not ceasing around her body, but her palms clenched with vigor. "I despise that woman, it's unfair I never got to meet her. If I did, I might have killed her myself for the damage she cause him. That's why I shall have him see me as his wife. I will make him forget."
Mara shook her head at Selene's words as he the queen left for her husband. "Not like that you won't. You may have resolve but you have yet to have softened his hallow heart." Mara's eyes slowly turned back to her captives, it was difficult to say if they held danger or compassion towards them. "Come now, I still have a duty to fulfill; might you want to know what happened at Acorn?" Mara raised her hand and the dark abyss burst from the ground once again. "First let's speak of it at your home, shall we?"
I know you all have been waiting for this update too long. Been busy with important college crises but I got this wrapped up for you all. Please do know this hasn't been gone through with a comb yet for some mistakes. However, I plan on updating with a clean-up at the end of the week for you all. Please leave a review/comment as these help me fine-tune my work.