Can't slow down, I've finally resumed the story after months of slacking, I gotta keep writing! If anyone's got anything they'd like to see in a FUTURE story of this (as in not this book, which I plan to only give 13 chapters), go ahead and submit some ideas. It's not like there's a 100% chance of me taking your ideas, but every so often it's nice to get some outside perspectives on how the story should go, even if just to help me generate my own ideas. Kind of like brain storming.

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Sonic was finally back on the road again. Lagging a mile or two behind, the knights and Merlina followed his trail on the road back to Camelot. Separated from their king and ruler, they began to talk amongst themselves.

The magic-less wizard signaled Percival to hold back a bit, falling a few yards behind the boys with her, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"So what did His Highness say to you when you two went into the forest?" She asked, hopeful of good news. She knew the kingdom couldn't last forever, but it would last longer if an heir to the throne were to come along. More than that, however, she wanted to know what was happening in the lives of her friends. Percival felt her cheeks growing warm, and thanked God she wore her helm as she rode.

"I feel no real need to discuss the King's private life, especially without his permission." She replied, trying desperately to throw her friend from the topic.

"Very well..." Merlina sighed, a bit disappointed, as Percival felt herself relax. "in that case, let's discuss YOUR personal life...come, what happened in the forest?"

"Why does it matter at all to you?" No longer embarrassed, the knight found herself beginning to get annoyed.

"Well...I feel like I may have caused undue trouble...I'm his adviser, and I neglected to teach him ANYTHING of courtship...if I had brought either of you any grief, I would like to know, that I may at least try to make reparations..." She bowed her head in shame, as the horse beneath her walked along, unaware. Percival gave in, with a frustrated rolling of her unseen eyes.

"In that case, while these matters are none you should be so concerned with, I will tell you this: there is nothing to make reparation for. I hope that will put your mind at ease..." Merlina smiled a child-like grin, filled with excitement and joy.

"I wish the two of you the best of luck, Percival!" she responded happily. The knight grumbled audibly, but couldn't help but feel glad as well.

Sonic returned to the group, looking agitated.

"Is something the matter?" Asked Galahad.

"There's a blockade...I did some snooping, and they're on the look out for...well, the Knights of the Round Table...I don't know what's going on, but I think we should hold back for a bit, until we think of a way through there."

"What? How dare they try to keep us from our home?!" Sir Lamorak's blood began to boil with rage. "Let's just smash through the barricade! Let them try to stop us!" He drew his swords, holding them high in the air. "Who's with me!?" His sister moved behind him, giving a gentle tug to the strap of his saddle, unlatching it, and sending him to the ground.

"These are our own people. We can't simply slaughter them!" She glared at her brother from atop her horse.

"We can't let them slaughter us, either!" Gawain protested.

"Um, guys?" Sonic attempted to interrupt.

"You would harm those you are sworn to protect, Gawain?" Lancelot reached for his sword. "That is something I cannot allow."

"Guys!"

"Be that as it may, something must be done..." Galahad spoke, moving between Gawain and Lancelot. "We may be sworn to protect them, but surely this is treason. Enforcing the law might be the best course of action." The knights of the round table broke down into a pack of squabbling children.

"You're the king! Do something about this!" Excalibur lectured.

"They won't listen!"

"MAKE them listen!" Sonic nodded, slicing through a tree with ease, it's crashing to the ground drawing all eyes to him.

"That's better. Listen, we need to get back to the castle to find out why they're doing this before we can even think of arresting them, or killing them, or whatever. I'll talk this out with you guys later but for now, we need to get past without hurting anyone. If anyone objects, give me a better idea, and I'll happily take it." The knights bowed their heads in shame, and Merlina moved forward.

"I have a proposal... You said they seek the knights of the round table. You said nothing of the king. And if they do attack you when you attempt to pass, surely you could escape, with the speed you possess... If we were to make camp here until you return from Camelot, or send word to us from the castle, you could move forth unhindered."

"And leave the king unprotected?!" Squawked Lamorak. "Madness!"

"Zip it, Lamorak. She's right. I could probably make it through there before any of them even noticed me." He turned to leave, placing his sword in the scabbard. "Stay safe, you guys." and with that, he was gone, out of sight in an instant.

The barricade, consisting of two dozen armed guards, and a small makeshift encampment, found itself blown over by the wind their unseen king pulled with him as he passed. Through long roads he ran silently, the only evidence he was ever there, and not more than eyes playing tricks on people, being the wind that he called his master, following him through the land, watching over him. Swift as he was, he made it to the castle within an hour, and, still running with all the speed of his legs, suddenly turned horizontal, speeding up the wall of the castle, and running into the window.

"Alright, we're in the...um...wait, which tower is this? North or east...crap, I just got here, and I'm already lost. This place is too big. Do you know which way we go to get to the throne room?" He asked his sword, having never had to navigate from this entry point before, and not even sure what point he entered from.

"Don't ask me. I've been asleep the whole time you were here."

"Oh yeah...well, when in doubt, I guess, ask for directions..." He walked out of the room, and began to wander through the halls. Finally, he found a young handmaiden. "Hey, I'm a bit lost, which way to the throne room? I can find my way around from there..." She cowered in fear, kneeling low as she could before her king.

"Please, I beg of you, do not harm me...I will do whatsoever you desire..."

"Um...I'm...I'm just asking for directions..." She sputtered out a list of turns and when to take them, then scurried away, hiding in a room, weeping audibly. "That...that wasn't normal."

"...Well...can't argue with you there. Let's be on our way..." Slowly and cautiously now, he walked through the castle. Stains of blood were on the floors and walls, appearing more and more frequently as he neared the throne room.

"Don't like the look of this..."

"And you think I do? I would be sick to my stomach if I had one..."

"Right...well...let's see what we can find..." Drawing Excalibur, he kicked open the throne room door, poised and ready for battle. There was silence. The floor was covered in blood and slain bodies. There, on the throne, wearing the king's own armor, was the murderer. All had seen Sonic's battle in the dark hollow, through the lady of the lake's magic, though she hid the true identity of the dark queen at the king's request. All knew his armor. And so, when the armor returned when he had left for the tournament, they thought themselves in the presence of the king.

"Intruder!" The armor shouted, drawing a sword. "Tell me thy name before I strike thee down!"

"Wait, wait..." Sonic held up a hand. "Are you saying that if I don't tell you my name, you will strike me down, or that, you're going to strike me down anyway, but you want to know who I am first?"

"IS THIS REALLY THE TIME FOR THIS?!"

"Oh, right, sorry, Excalibur. I'm Sonic. Sonic the Hedgehog, King of Camelot, and Knight of the wind."

"I've been expecting you...I was sent to kill you in secret, and take your kingdom...but with you gone, killing you seemed unnecessary. If you'd not returned, you might have lived to see tomorrow. Pity. Now you'll share the fate of all who refused to swear their lives to me." Sonic felt himself starting to lose control, and tried desperately to calm himself down. Letting his anger get the better of him was not going to help him win this battle.

The armor leaped into the air, bringing it's sword down over Sonic's head. Quickly parrying, the king shoved his impostor away, then lunged forward with a thrust. Dodging deftly to the side, the enemy drove its sword into Sonic's chest.

Gasping, losing his grip on his blade, Sonic fell to the ground. Excalibur shouted in rage, fear, and grief at his master's death, and with greater rage, swore angrily at the armor, as it drove the king's own sword into his body. Carrying it over to the window, he was about to drop it to the ground, when suddenly, it felt the lifeless body in its arms grab it by the wrist. Sonic kicked off the castle wall, holding tight to the armor, and using it to absorb the impact from the fall. Pulling both swords out, he let the scabbard heal him as he gripped Excalibur tightly. A large number of onlookers gathered around, seeing two kings before them.

"If I told them it was an impostor after I beat you, they might not've believed me...A kingdom needs to be able to trust its ruler, even if it means he has to play a trick or two." Gripping both his sword and his opponent's, he readied himself for the attack. "Any last words?" He asked, preparing to strike his foe down.

"There is no call for last words yet!" the impostor shouted angrily, grabbing a nearby innocent as a hostage. "Swear on your honor that you will not pursue me, that you will not send knights after me, and the child lives!" Sonic glared at the impostor, burning with rage.

"You low down, dirty, son of a bitch!" He shook with impotent rage. "Fine..." The swords fell to the ground, and the attacker fled Camelot alone. He called for a messenger, to send word to the knights of the round table, and to those who kept watch for them. Walking back to the castle, he fell to a knee.

"You shouldn't push yourself so hard. The scabbard is powerful, but being impaled by two swords will still take its toll." Excalibur lectured.

"Yeah, so I noticed...by the way...nice acting back there."

"Erm...yes...well, I try...um...you were quite the thespian as well."

"Wait a minute...you actually thought I was dead, didn't you?" Sonic laughed a bit at his blade, placing it into the scabbard, and hobbling back to his chambers for rest.

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The suit found its way to the castle of King Claudas on the stolen horse of a slaughtered rider. Bursting through the halls, refusing to dismount, he found his way to the throne room.

"What is this?! Why have you returned here, fool?!" Claudas stood from his throne, drawing his sword in anger.

"I have failed. The king bested me in combat through his cunning. I am here to try to regain my honor and pride, by your command."

"Honor? Pride? You are but metal and foolishness, bound into one. One simple task I gave you...run the kingdom into the ground until I arrive to conquer it. One order. And not even capable of fulfilling that. A fool is all you are. And a damned fool at that. Your soul is not worth sending back to the abyss." He dropped his sword, and moved to return to his throne. "Go, and live out the rest of time in your unending shame." The false king grabbed Claudas' sword from the ground, and drove it through him, through his shoulder, through the wall, holding him there.

"No." It replied, heading for the door. "Henceforth, I serve no master but myself, and have no mission but to kill the king of Camelot. I shall destroy his country. See his lands burn. And finally strike him down only after he has suffered..." He walked to the chamber where Morgan slept, quiet and peaceful near the roaring mouth of hell. He leaped into the gate, this time entering it fully, delving into the very depths of hell. Fire, screams, and devils emerged, all fleeing him as he stepped out of the gate. The armor held the devil's own blade in his hand, its steel flesh stained black with the sins of the 1000 damned souls now bound to it. He silently walked through the halls of the castle, slaying any who tried to stop him in the name of King Claudas. Finally, he burst into the room of the thief from Camelot.

"Hey, a little privacy?" He snapped, counting his rewards.

"You will tell me how to destroy Camelot." It grabbed him by the neck, its sheer evil burning his skin. He gasped and pleaded, sputtering out everything he knew about the fall of the kingdom that the wizard Merlina foretold.

"Gawain and Lancelot will tear apart the round table...Mordred will kill the king...the land will be thrust into ruin..." And no more. The gauntlet had burned too far, and no throat remained to grasp.

"Then Mordred it is..."

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and THAT, ladies and gents, is the reason this isn't rated K-T.