A/N: Oops! Left the updating a loooong time. Well here's the next 2 chapters, including an extra long one to compensate. Reviews anyone?

Chapter 40

"Pretty nice palace you got here," Shadow mentioned as he towed the board with Jet tied on to it. They had decreased in pace, partly to get a sense of direction.

"Ugh… what hit me?"

"That would be Shadow's foot." Wave replied, glaring at Shadow.

"What? Why the fuck did you do that? And why am I tied down?"

"To speed things along." Nack stopped. "Now get him off and let him ride himself, then we can move a bit faster."

"Good idea."

"Hey… hold up a sec. We're in the throne room…" Jet gazed out over the large room. On the other side, there was an elaborately decorated chair, mostly gold and jewels. He pulled the ropes away and jumped on his board. He flew over to it to inspect it. He stopped at it, and threw his board aside. He went over to inspect the throne. He examined it very thoroughly, and poked around at some of the jewels. Then he stopped dead. He stood there for a few moments.

"Uh… Jet?" Wave called over. "Are you okay?" Jet straightened up. He didn't respond verbally; instead he ran over to his board and jumped on it immediately. He raced into a doorway under the others, and showed no signs of turning back.

"Well, best follow him…" Shadow leapt over the edge and followed him, followed himself by Wave and Nack.

"Damn, he's fast,"

"Well, duh, he's the Extreme Gear world champion 8 times, with 4 in a row,"

"There's no way we're gonna catch him at this rate. We need another way to the emerald." Nack said as he looked over at Shadow.

"What? Why are you looking at me?"

"Well, you seem to have more than your fair share of tricks up your sleeve,"

"Well, not to brag…" He replied cockily.

"Just give us an idea of where the damn emerald is." Wave lightly slapped him to stop him trailing off.

"Okay, okay…" He closed his eyes and tried to think. He imagined what was round the corner. It all came so easily, for some reason… and then suddenly, he fazed out. He began to see things from afar, and like an x-ray, with translucent walls. He could see himself lying on the ground, unconscious, and Nack and Wave beside him trying to find out what happened. He could also see Jet speeding around the lower levels looking for something intently, but what he could see most clearly was a bright light down near the bottom of the complex, shining so brightly that it was hard to look at it. He could easily see the path leading to it, which looked fairly easy to follow. Half an hour, get the emerald, bish, bash, bosh, out of here. He tried to move… still he tried… then, with considerable effort…

He sat bolt upright, frightening Wave and causing Nack to fall over backwards.

"I've found it," He said clearly, before setting off down the hall and kicking his air-skates into gear. "Follow me," he called back. Wave immediately did so. He wasn't leaving as fast as Jet did, but he was still quick. Nack scrambled to his feet and hopped on the bike.

"Wait up! Don't lose me in this place!"

Bastards, was all Jet could think right now. Murderous bastards. All he could see was this blind rage, all he could hear was dying screams. Not ones he heard, but what he imagined. As he travelled further, he saw the odd blood stain on the wall. Within minutes the odd blood stain became bloody wallpaper, and here and there there was a mangled corpse. He slowed up a bit. At last, he stopped for he could go no further. It wasn't the fact that he was so horrified that he could barely stand up straight, nor the overwhelming stench, but the fact that he could not physically get through. He tossed his board aside and fell to his knees. A tear came to his eye. He knew that Babylon Garden had been ruined, but this was severely uncalled for. He took one last look at the giant pile of dead bodies before collapsing his head in his hands. He wept heavily, and did note make not of the passing of time.

For whatever could have been a few minutes or a few hours, he dried his eyes and steeled himself to continue. Though the sorrows of the world are many, he thought, there is not time enough to weep. Surely, this cannot be every hawk in the entire world… I can't be the last one. He wiped his eyes. Out of the corner of one, he noticed something. One of the bodies looked familiar. He recognised it as his father's. He had cried enough, so he didn't break down again. He came over to check it. The killings must have all been recent, because the bodies had not decomposed to any great degree. He tugged on a golden chain around the dead avian's neck. A small casket came away, with its door open. He picked it up and stared in disbelief and horror. No… it can't be… the only thing keeping the world, nay the universe safe… he threw it down and picked up his board again. He ran to gather speed and jumped on again. He had to warn the others… a great evil may have been unleashed before their very eyes. Who… who would do this to the world, he thought. Wait, what am I saying. Duh. Naugus. Probably did it on his way back from the base. Bastard, he just doesn't give us a break, does he?