Sonic burst down the hallway with his magic-wielding friend by his side. Never had he been so eager and so ready to take someone down. Donning his mask once again, the blue blur exited the hallway, taking a detour left up a gradual flight of steps.
"So this is where Erazor is…" Shahra muttered.
"Don't worry," Sonic said, running up a wall to get to a higher platform. "We'll get him in no time!"
Running along the platform led the speedster to a gradual set of steps that climbed up to the next floor.
Five of Erazor's minions were waiting for him on top of the stairs.
Sonic rolled his eyes, unleashing his aura. "Yeah, nice try, guys,"
Plowing through the evil spirits like they were made out of paper, the aerokinetic bolted up the stars and down the next corridor. The hallway ended, connecting with some sort of ballroom. Its roof was supported by pillars as it had no enclosure.
On the other side of the entertainment arena was another level with a flight of steps heading up. However, a gap stood between the ground and the ballroom, the only connection being vertical wall.
Sonic turned up the juice and blasted up the wall. Running along it, he began to quickly move to the other side of the ravine. Once he gained a close enough distance, the speedster leaped off and onto the marble floor.
More djinns waited for him along with several massive balls of iron covered with spikes. The minions began pushing them down the stairs in an effort to impale their adversary.
"Erazor knows how to keep his place booby-trapped, I'll give him that," Sonic mumbled. Using his superior reflexes and his Time Break ability, the aerokinetic dodged the minions' attacks as he ran up the stairs. After taking two ninety-degree turns, Sonic found himself on a balcony overlooking the desert. The main building was to the left, obstructed by other portions of the palace.
Looking down, the speedster spotted a small magic carpet and leaped on. Standing on it like it was a skateboard, Sonic balanced himself as the carpet began to fly by itself like it had a mind of its own. It was magic, after all.
Shahra caught up to her master as he took off from the balcony. "I guess next up, we go for a walk on the air…"
Sonic was loving the thrills he had experienced throughout the course of the day. "This just keeps getting better and better!" The carpet was flying through some of the smaller extensions of the building while the rest of the landscape below could be seen, illuminated by the full moon.
The blue streak was greatly impressed by the scenery. "Hey, check out the view…"
Shahra chided him. "Sonic, we don't have time for sightseeing."
The carpet came to a stop at the entrance to a massive room. It was made entirely out of white marble. Walking forward, the aerokinetic noticed some kind of violet wormhole a few meters ahead. Out of curiosity, he entered the portal, not knowing what was on the other side.
The two friends found themselves floating in an endless starry night sky. The only ground available was a pathway made of glass allowing them to see the stars beneath them. There seemed to be no top or bottom to the realm they were in. The glass trail veered off to the right, spiraling downward towards a simple glass canopy. The structure connected with another crystalline walkway which stretched out for a mile or so until it reached another translucent building. The second structure was larger and looked more like a temple than a canopy.
Shahra's breath was taken away by the sight of it all. "This place is so beautiful… But, where could this be at?"
"Do you think we're really inside the palace?" Sonic asked as he started to run along the crystalline trail. "Just what kind of place is this, anyway?" Running down the corkscrew and through the canopy, a violet glow could be seen in the distance through the translucent temple.
"Is that the other side of the portal?" the aerokinetic wondered, picking up the pace. A few minutes later, the duo reached the structure.
Erazor Djinn's evil minions appeared out of nowhere, evidently guarding the area.
They're in here, too?! Sonic threw his arms in the air, yanking the mask from his head in frustration. "Oh, come on! You guys are completely jacking up the scenery!" Clenching his fists, the speedster's aura formed again, but only around his hands and feet. Unleashing a flurry of wind-powered jabs and martial arts kicks, he made short work of the thirteen spirits.
"Okay, now where'd the portal go? We saw the glow ahead." Sonic paced about the structure. Something's not right here… Looking at his reflection in the glass floor, he noticed a violet light behind his head. Wait a minute… He turned around, looking at the temple roof.
A large purple band glowed brightly on a hook attached to the ceiling.
"That's it!" Sonic pointed. Using a wind blast from another roundhouse kick, the aerokinetic was able to knock the ring off the hook. It slowly floated down to where the two travelers were.
Shahra watched the final World Ring float down. "One of the seven World Rings. This one is purple."
Sonic grabbed the falling band. The expected jolt followed. A single tear flowed from his eye. "This one… This one is sealed with sadness…"
Shahra vocalized her master's last confusion in the Skeleton Dome. "Just what are these rings all about, anyway?"
Sonic stared at the band, deep in thought. Turning around, he looked at his floating companion who was also lost in the corridors of her own mind.
The speedster finally broke the silence. "Hey… There's something I've been thinking about Shahra…"
"What is it?"
"How do you… and the Erazor Djinn… know each other?"
Shahra's face bore reluctance. "Huh? W-well…"
Sonic backed down a bit. "Hey, if you'd rather not talk about it, that's okay."
The genie sighed. Deep down inside, she felt like she had to tell him. "Sonic…"
"Is he really a Genie of the Lamp like that king of bones said?" the speedster asked, storing the last World Ring away.
"Yes… Well, you see… He's the Genie of the Magic Lamp from the story of Aladdin."
Sonic's jaw dropped. "What?!"
"Long ago," she continued, "he was punished for his misdeeds and sealed away in the lamp. He would not be forgiven until he had granted the wishes of a thousand people. But when his sentence had been served, he had a renewed hatred of people. That was his fate… sad as it was. His cursed destiny came from the story he had been written into…"
Sonic stared at his friend, concerned, as sadness filled her voice. "…Shahra?"
"To the Erazor Djinn, I am just a mere Genie of the Ring," she lamented, explaining why she was unable to stop him alone: her magic could not combat the power Erazor was capable of unleashing. "You see, I too am from Aladdin's story. I am only able to grant small wishes while the power of the Genie of the Lamp is almost unlimited…"
The aerokinetic mused, glancing at the floor.
"I want to stop him, though, which is why I came to you. I want to turn the stories of the Arabian Nights back to what they were. That is… my wish…"
Sonic gave her a warm smile as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "And as long as I'm still drawing breath, I'll do everything I can to help your wish fulfill."
The genie returned the smile as she hugged her master and friend. None of her masters had ever done this for her before. This one was different. This one she would cherish for all eternity. "Thank you, Sonic. I'll never forget you."
Sonic released her from the embrace as his trademark smirk appeared on his face. "Yeah, I know you won't. I mean, come on. After all the stupid things I do, I'm pretty hard to forget."
The two shared a laugh as they walked down another glass roadway. At the end of the path was the expected portal. Stepping through it, they ended up back in the marble room of the Night Palace.
Sonic donned his mask once more as he made his way towards the room's exit. "So, we're finally here."
Shahra flew beside him as he turned on the juice once more. "Stay confident. Let's go."